Those blue eyes were the first thing Magnus saw when he opened the door. They looked wider than usual, but he didn't mind. He could see the small details, like the tiny black flecks in the pale blue of the boy's globular organs used for sight. Now that he thought about it, he didn't even know the name of the beautiful boy he had been watching. He heard an impatient tap of a foot, and noticed he had been staring into the boy's eyes for a bit too long. He tilted his head slightly and smiled at Aline, who looked very gorgeous if he said so himself. He could tell she dressed up for Helen.
"I apologize, Miss Penhallow. Do go in with your 'boyfriend'. I'm sure Miss Helen Blackthorn is waiting for you." Aline blushed furiously, her face turning very pink.
"Call me Aline." She said as she brushed passed him.
"Thanks." The blue eyed boy said as he walked through the door Magnus was holding open. Magnus felt a tiny bit of color go into his face. None of the Marked had ever thanked him before. He watched Alec follow Aline towards Maia, Catarina, and Helen, who were sitting on one of Catarina's many couches. Lily, Jordan, and Mark sat on the other couch, and on a love seat in between the two couches sat Raphael and Ragnor.
"Alright, that's all of us." Catarina announced. "Sit down." She gestured at Aline and the blue eyed boy. Aline plopped herself down next to Helen, so there was no room on that couch for the blue eyed boy, so he came and sat next to Magnus, who didn't mind a bit. Maia slammed her book against the coffee table violently.
"What the hell is this? They can't kill the main character! He's my favorite!" Magnus laughed, along with everyone other Downworlder. Aline and the blue eyed boy looked startled. "That's like killing... Hell, I don't know! But you can't just do that!" Catarina shook her head and put her hand on Maia's shoulder, smirking.
"Maia." She said quietly. "We have guests.
Maia's eyes widened as she looked at Aline and the blue eyed boy.
"Oh. Sorry, you'll get used to it." She picked her book up off of the table and checked it for dents.
"What are we watching?" Ragnor asked, picking up the remote. "How about 'Downworlder Antics'?" He snarled at the two Marked. The blue eyed boy looked startled yet again. It was a cute expression on him, and it almost never left his face.
"That's a show?" He said, the first words that left his lips that evening, other than the 'Thanks' that only Magnus heard. He sounded... A tad bit disgusted.
"Yeah. I'm surprised a person with parents like yours wouldn't know about it, much less go to a Downworlder's house." Ragnor spat. The blue eyed boy turned slightly pink and looked hurt.
"I'm not like them. Not at all." He whispered.
"What was that, Marked?" Lily spat the word like a curse, her perfect eyebrows (which Magnus had always admired) arched. The blue eyed boy tensed up, and Magnus resisted the urge to take his hand.
"I bet he's just here to expose us to his parents." Jordan said with disgust. They glared at the blue eyed boy. After a few seconds of the boy just looking down at his feet, Jordan spoke again. "Wimpy Marked bitch." Magnus' eyebrows raised in horror and surprise. Jordan's girlfriend, Maia, hated swearing and poking fun at others. Aline jumped up, but Maia was there first. She slapped him in the face, hard enough to leave a mark. "Ow, Maia."
"How dare you. He's here to help us, he never did anything at all. I'm talking to you guys, too." Maia glared at Ragnor and Lily.
"She's right." Helen said. "He helped me during lunch today. You were there. Well, not you, Jordan."
"But still. You can't blame what his parents did on him." Mark chimed in. Catarina stayed quiet, for reasons Magnus couldn't decide. Raphael did as well, but probably because he disagreed with his best friend, Ragnor, but didn't want to start an argument.
"You guys should apologize. I think you hurt his feelings." Magnus finally said. He had a certain power over his friends, and they believed in his insight. The three who insulted the blue eyed boy mumbled an apology, who didn't say anything in return. Magnus noticed Aline give the boy an encouraging look, as if to say, 'Look, see. Some of these people will defend you'.
"Well, wasn't that a lovely start." Catarina said sarcastically. "Why don't we just not watch TV? Too much controversy."
"Good idea." Magnus and Aline said at the same time. Magnus smiled at her, and she grinned back.
"So, um, Aline." Helen began awkwardly. "Why did you decide to come? I think we're all wondering it."
"I want to help. The way you're treated isn't right or just. But I can't be too obvious about it, or I won't be able to reason with Sebastian. You see," she glanced at the blue eyed boy, "we have to be discreet."
"And why should we believe you?" Raphael asked. "I'm not being rude! I'm just wondering!" He said when Magnus shot him a glare.
"I don't have any reason why you should," Ragnor snorted, "except for my word. And I think my actions at lunch should account for something."
Maia shrugged.
"Fair enough. She has been nice anyway."
The group got into a discussion about how Aline could help, everyone participating except for the blue eyed boy. He sat in the corner of the couch, leaning as far as he could onto the arm of the couch. His eyes stared down at his feet throughout the entire conversation.
Sorry, this chapter was a bit short. Thanks so much for the reviews! Also, in response, I'm trying to ease in the Malec. But never fear! It will come. I'm really glad you guys like Alec and Aline's friendship, I've always had a headcanon that they were great friends. (Ps: this story has 666 views. Reccomend it to people to save me!)