Hello to anyone who hasn't given up on this story. I don't really have an excuse for the long wait other than I am biggest procrastinator on the planet. This is short and a filler and not very good but it's something, so here you go. The next chapter is an important one so if you can stand to wait another month or so, stick around for that. It's probably going to be awhile though because I'm taking hard classes and it's football season which is busy for me because I'm captain of my cheer squad and then there's the small issue of trying to get into college. So, I apologize in advance.

Hazy blue light filtered through the windows of the Greenwich Village Library. Magnus rubbed his bleary eyes and stifled a yawn. It was only seven at night, but he was so incredibly exhausted. Tutoring idiots was exhausting. Not that any child was an idiot. No sir. They all have great potential and can be anything they want as long as they set their mind to it. At least, that's what Magnus kept trying to telling himself, but his tutoree was doing a really good job of proving him wrong.

"So, she's mad at him?" The kid asked after reading the short letter from 84 Charing Cross Road for the umpteenth time.

"No, but at least that's a start" Magnus spoke dryly. He'd just about given up at this point, to say the least.

"But she seems angry." The boy looked at Magnus confused and, teacher as he was, Magnus felt a little bad for not helping him more.

"Alright, how about you write down all the tone words you see. Meaning, write down any word you think proves that Helene is angry, or, if you see a word that shows she is, in fact, not angry at all, but maybe happy, write that down too, okay?" The sandy haired boy with the blank look in his eyes nodded.

"Kay" was his monosyllabic response. He returned to his book and began to read the letter for the umpteenth and one time. Magnus sighed and looked to the clock hanging on the wall. They'd been going at this for two hours already. Just 30 minutes more and then he could go kill himself for deciding that he wanted to 'shape lives' and 'change the future through kids.' How stupid and naïve he had been. You can't reach a kid who doesn't want to be reached. Magnus yearned for the days he had spent at Oxford arguing ridiculous analyses of Jane Eyre and the red room. Intellectual discussion. Stimulation. A kid that says something that actually freaking surprises him. Sighing again, Magnus's eyes wandered around the low lit library.

Then he saw him.

Magnus did a double take when he caught a sight of a pair of pretty blue eyes hiding beneath raven locks. Alexander. Magnus was here often enough and he never saw Alec here.

"Alec, it's pronounced 'manga' not 'munga'." The loud, young voice snapped Magnus out of his head to find that Alec wasn't alone. He was holding the hand of a cute little kid with glasses askew on his face making indents in his nose. Magnus heard Alec laugh at the little kid. The sound filled him with warmth.

"Whatever Max, can you just tell me where to find your weird Japanese comics?" Alec's words were dismissive but his tone was full of fondness and amusement. Max. The name sounded familiar.

"How would I know? I basically don't even live in this country" the boy, Max, had strange bitterness in his voice. Alec noticeably picked up on it. He knelt down before Max so they were at equal height.

"Hey, listen, if you want to stay with Izzy, Jace, and I it'll only be another month before I turn eighteen, okay? You can stay here, go to school here. Of course, that would mean that you wouldn't get to spend so much time with mom and dad."

Mom and dad? Right, Max was their little brother. Magnus recalled Alec talking about him during Alec's day from hell.

"It's not like I spend much time with them anyway" Max said angrily. Magnus had always wondered about the Lightwoods home life. Alec had hinted at his parents not being around much, but it didn't seem right that they weren't even there for Max, who couldn't be older than ten.

Alec smiled sadly at his little brother and brought him into a quick hug. Changing the subject he said "I know buddy. Alright, let's go see if we can get the librarian to help us find your 'munga'."

"Manga" Max repeated snippily but followed Alec over to the circulation desk. Magnus bowed his head hoping he wouldn't be seen. He didn't want to disturb Alec's time with his brother, since they clearly didn't get to see each other too much.

When Magnus looked back up the librarian was pointing and Alec was thanking her as he and Max headed in the direction of the graphic novels. It was in a separate part of the library and Magnus wasn't prepared to lose sight of Alec just yet. Magnus turned to his student. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to use the loo." The boy looked up, confused.

"The what?"

Magnus shook his head in exasperation. "I'll be back shortly." Magnus quickly got out of his chair and quietly scurried off in the direction of Alec and Max.

When Magnus spotted them, he ducked behind a bookcase and watched the eldest and youngest Lightwood interact. Max was searching at the many volumes with greedy eyes as Alec picked up a random book off the shelf and read the back of it.

"The zodiac curse? People turn into zodiac animals? What the hell?"

Max rolled his eyes. "Fruits Basket. It's actually a really good series."

"Uh huh" Alec said disbelievingly as he reshelved the book. "So, what are you looking for little man?"

"Fullmetal Alchemist"

"Sounds cool" Alec said smiling down at his brother who was adjusting his glasses as looked at the books with incredible seriousness. Max strained as he tried to look at the top shelf. Alec, realizing this, laughed and scooped up his little brother, lifting him higher. Magnus couldn't help but catch the way his muscles bulged under his old, tired sweater. God, that boy has no fucking clue Magnus thought in wonderment at his beauty and modesty. Max giggled and the new height and then yelped in delight when he spied the novel he was looking for. After helping him retrieve the book, Alec set his brother back down. Max looked up at Alec as if hung the damn moon (well, when he wasn't looking at the book the same way). Magnus knew the feeling.

"Alec, I don't want to leave again. I want to stay with you and Jace and Izzy. Alec had a heartbreaking look in his eyes.

"I wish you could, buddy. I really wish you could." Alec sounded vulnerable and a little desperate and suddenly Magnus felt like he was intruding on a very personal moment. I should probably get back to that kid anyway. Finally feeling slightly guilty for eavesdropping, Magnus tore away his gaze and left the brothers to their moment. Magnus heart was beating a little bit faster at seeing Alec and realizing what an incredible older brother he was. It made him all melty inside. It had been a long time since he had seen Alec happy and he saw Alec now he was raw and angry. Magnus had missed seeing Alec like this. But on the other hand, it hurt. Because now Magnus knew for sure what he'd been trying to deny this whole time.

He was madly in love with Alexander Lightwood.