Alec Lightwood must be the most tragically pathetic teenager that ever graced the halls of their high school, which was really saying something. He was really cursing whatever deity decided that he should be in love with his unattainable, painfully gorgeous stepbrother, forcing him to trail on his heels and pining after him like a lovesick puppy. Alec Lightwood didn't want to be a lovesick puppy. Alec Lightwood wanted to be a warrior, a fucking pillar of stoic strength – well as much as being a high school student living in his parent's home would allow.

However, Alec Lightwood was not a warrior. He was a coward.

It itched under his skin all the time – the uncertainty, the want, the need, the shame. It was like a rash, one that possibly didn't have a cure – no definitely didn't have a cure. Jace was straight, that of which he knew, but Alec was too hopeful that someday Jace might turn around and see Alec standing next to him and just be blown away by revelation. The scene had been played in his head a thousand times, from the moment when Jace's casual arm around Alec's shoulder became a lover's caress instead.

He shook the thought from his head and to the situation at hand – Magnus Bane.

It's not like Alec Lightwood hated Magnus Bane. Alec Lightwood hated that Magnus Bane was everything he could not be. Out (bisexual, not gay, but he had gone out with two guys, which Alec took great notice of), confident, sensual, fucking beautiful, and able to wink without the whole world fainting of shock. (The one time Alec had tried to wink, he ended up looking like he had an eye-twitching disease.) So, no, Alec didn't hate Magnus Bane.

Magnus Bane did seem to hate Alec, though.

Well. Magnus wouldn't outwardly admit he hated Alec, but Alec was sure he did. Why else would Magnus throw winks at Alec like he was flirting, why would Magnus run his long made-for-the-piano fingers down Alec's arm like Alec was his, why would Magnus smile at Alec so intimately like it was just the two of them in the room and why would Magnus slip sexual innuendo in all the conversations they had like he actually wanted Alec? Alec was sure Magnus was just doing all this to make fun of him, or torture him, or something along the lines, because Alec wasn't someone that Magnus would like.

Alec knew he had a long sexual history. (For someone who claimed to dislike Magnus, Alec sure knew a lot about him.) All of Magnus's exes were tall, model-like, confident with airs and graces that made Alec look like a potato. They complimented Magnus. Alec did not. Would not.

So the logical conclusion, obviously, was that Magnus just enjoyed teasing Alec.

He was doing this now, leaning in towards Alec as he was asking him about an assignment they had to work on together in English – something about Pride and Prejudice or one of those kinds of novels. Magnus had his mouth dangerously close to Alec's, and Alec pushed back at the wall like it was his safety blanket.

"Alexander," (This was another irritating thing Magnus did, calling Alec Alexander) "we need to decide on a time and date to work on this. It seems of urgent attention, does it not?"

Alec scowled. "It's due in two weeks, Bane."

"Oh, Bane is it now?" Magnus said, quirking a smile at this. "I think I like that. Bane. Less syllables, easier to say in the throes of passion."

"Don't start," Alec replied, rolling his eyes.

"Well, two weeks or not, dear Alexander," Magnus said, "we still need to set a date and time. Would you like the library, a coffee shop, the park, my house, your house...?"

"Dear God," Alec said. "The library would be fine. Let's say, Friday after school, alright? Bring all your notes then. We'll collaborate and try to get as much done as possible."

"Alright," Magnus agreed easily.

"And don't slack off, please?" Alec said. "I know you're busy with your raging social life, Magnus, but I would really like to do well on this."

"Mhm, I know," Magnus murmured. "Don't worry, Alexander. I will hold up my end, and you hold up yours." He grinned at Alec then, giving him a small wink and sliding off towards Camille, who was waiting diligently near the door to the cafeteria.

It was lunchtime, but Alec knew Magnus usually went off campus for lunch. Alec really didn't see the need too, so he usually got the crappy school meals to shut up his stomach before he could get home and shovel some real food into his mouth.

"Alec!" Isabelle cried as he sat down next to her. "Wonderful, you're here."

"Yes, and where else would I be, Iz?" Alec replied, already in a seemingly fowl mood.

"Well, there are other places in the world, Alec," Isabelle replied wryly. "Now, you'd never guess who I saw Jace with –"

"Hey, hey," Jace interrupted, sliding into the seat beside Alec. "I really do hate it when you impart gossip about me to Alec without me being there."

"You were taking dreadfully long," Isabelle said, sniffing. "So, you were busy then?"

"Ah, yeah," Jace said, shrugging and grinning sheepishly. "Not what you think though."

"Oh?" Isabelle said, raising her eyebrow. "And what do I think then, Jace?"

"That I'm in the janitor's cupboard someone fucking my brains out," Jace replied casually, and Alec winced at the crudeness.

"And you weren't?"

"Nope," Jace said. He swiped some fries from Alec's tray, receiving a sharp glare from Alec which Jace ignored. "I was just chatting with this new girl, Clary. She is wonderful."

Ouch. Alec felt a stab to his stomach, and abruptly turned his face away from Jace's happiness. He swallowed, trying to swallow the bitter taste of jealousy rising in his throat but failing. Wonderful. Jace had never described one of his conquests before as wonderful. Fuck.

"Oh, wonderful?" Isabelle quipped back, obviously amused. "Did you hear that, Alec? Jace said she was wonderful. Well, then. That's decided. I guess they're getting married."

"Oh, hardy har har," Jace responded, rolling his eyes. "You're just awfully jealous because you're still trying to get Simon in your pants."

"Trying?" Isabelle said, with a knowing raise of her eyebrow.

"No!" Jace cried, delight spread across his features.

Alec tried to exude the same amount of incredulity, but couldn't when faced with that look in Jace's eyes. He didn't know who this Clary girl was, but Alec was going to act like a fucking Ice King when he met her and there wasn't anything that she or him could really do about it.

"So Alec, heard you're with Magnus for English?" Jace said, stuffing his face with even more fries.

Alec made a disgusted noise at Jace's gluttony, but nodded sharply. "Yeah."

"Oh no wonder you look like you just saw our mother's head get chopped off!" Isabelle said, and when faced with Jace's and Alec's appalled looks, just shrugged and said, "we're studying the Tudor era in AP History at the moment."

"I do not look like my mother's...head just got chopped off," Alec said, forcing the words out.

"Oh yeah you do," Jace said, making a show of putting his face close to Alec's and examining him closely. "Definitely a mother head chopping kind of mood."

"Could we please not talk about Mom and her head getting chopped off," Alec muttered, turning away from Jace's head so he didn't have to look at him. "I am trying to consume some food, here."

"And what a great job you're doing of it too," Jace said, nodding his head at the tray and pointing out that it was mostly full. "Now come on, what's Magnus done this time? If you say he's just been flirting some more, I'll cut your head off. He obviously likes you."

"Shove off," Alec said, scoffing. "Magnus hates me."

"Says you," Jace said, shrugging. "Anyway, I think he likes you. And –" here Jace glanced always worriedly at Alec – "I think he'd be good for you."

Alec spluttered. "I'm not – I don't – I don't swing that way, you know that."

"Mhm," Jace hummed under his breath. "Well then, I still think you two should be friends. He's a bit crazy, that one, but then again, that should balance you out."

"What do you mean –"

"Jace is right, you know," Isabelle said, looking innocent as she bit into her ham sandwich. "He might actually stop you from being so goddamn uptight all the time."

Alec drew in a breath indignantly. "I'm not uptight –"

"Oh, whatever, Alec!" Isabelle said loudly, attracting some members of a nearby table. "You won't even accept any of our invites to go to a party."

"I don't like parties," Alec said, but he knew that Isabelle and Jace would not be swayed, no matter what.

"Well, either way," Jace continued. "You can tell him that as long as he doesn't shake any of that goddamn glitter all over our house, he can come over any time." At this Jace winked, and Alec felt an involuntary flutter in his stomach. He pinched himself in warning under the table and went back to trying to eat his food, pushing away all thoughts of Magnus and Jace and that rash itching under his skin.

It would be so nice if you could review if you liked. Thanks for reading!