independent. | Jace Wayland

chapter 1: bottles.

<Y/n's Pov>

Y/n's Loft, Midtown Manhattan

Saturday, 12:46 pm

9 Years Later.

Rolling over, I fell right off my mattress and hit the cold floor. Hard.

"Fuck." I couldn't help but groan and tried to pry open my heavy eyelids but found them sewn shut. Blindly, I reached out to grab for something, anything and knocked over a line of empty bottles and the memories of last night came swimming back. Some of them at least.

I had gotten home late and resorted to drinking to get the weight off of my feet. I remember having my third glass but after that... nothing.

"Remind me not to do that any more." I sighed to myself and rubbed my eyes before managing to open them, the bright daylight dancing on the old wooden floorboards covered in stains and worn with time. Wobbling to my feet, I nearly collapsed but I managed to keep my balance.

Glancing over, I noticed a few other empty bottles dotted around the empty loft, remind me to clean up later. I lived in this tiny loft above the marketplace in one of the busiest parts of New York. I guess that's why it was so beautiful, it was old, shabby, run down but it was my little bit of peace and quiet in the middle of such chaos.

It had been built years ago and forgotten, all I had was a mattress on the floor, with a stack of books beside it and on opposite sides of the room, a sink, a dresser, a table with three chairs and a small bathroom.

After getting dressed and making myself look mildly presentable. I surveyed the bottles everywhere and walked over to a small cabinet in the dresser beside her mattress. Empty. Shit.

I suppose a trip to Magnus's was in order.

Magnus's Apartment, Greenpoint Brooklyn

Saturday, 2:07 p.m

When I got to the building, it was almost empty as it often was in the day, contrasting to the bustling party scene it was at night, and I made my way to the back, up some stairs and knocked on his door. I looked up, 'Bane', it read on a plaque.

"Enter." Echoed a voice from the other side of the door. I pushed the door open and Magnus was rifling through some papers in his desk which was positioned in the center of the room.

"Ahh, Y/n dear, how wonderful to see you, you're not dead i see. Feels like forever since I last heard from you." He greeted, rummaging some more, not even looking up.

"I intend to live forever, so far, so good." I joked, "Looking for something?"

"Nothing of importance, I have some friends in the other room," He gestured to the closed door, connecting to his study, "who- well they require some paperwork, an article about a child they're looking for, I seem to have misplaced. I am sorry but I cannot chat long, anyhow- what may I do for you?" His voice, smooth as silk and he finally looked up at me and paused. "You look dreadful." He said, bluntly.

"I came to get some more liquor, if that's alright with you." I opened my bag to present a small roll of cash, he eyed the money, then back up to my face, then the money again.

"Y/n the last time you came to see me, i gave you enough to last-"

"Magnus please, I just. I keep having these nightmares and I-I can't afford the shop stuff. I mean they won't even sell to me for fucks sake because im underage- please Magnus, it makes me feel, they make me feel normal."

<Magnus's Pov>

I watched as Y/n played with her hands in front of her, playing with the small roll of money, a nervous habit of hers. The poor dear is plagued with nightmares majority of the time, she's ill of some kind, a mundane thing. Some sort of medical problem, she sees things that scare her beyond her limit. So I sell alcohol to her because it's the only thing that will help her sleep. The accords bind me from giving her a potion or balm of some kind. I want to help, so I am, or I'm trying too.

Her face is more hollow, her eyes slightly darker underneath as if she isn't sleeping enough. As if she hasn't eaten in days. I know she lives in that tiny little loft and it's as if she can't look after herself. I did offer for her to move in here with me, despite her being a mundane but I do worry about her. After all, she has no one.

I opened my bottom drawer and handed her a bottle wrapped in a paper bag and she took it from me.

"It's stronger so make it last longer." I sigh and her mouth bends to a small smile.

"Thank you Magnus." She beams and tucks the paper bag with the bottle into her bag and  continues to fiddle with her fingers in front of her. Picking at the skin on her fingernails.

"You're not crazy, just know that dear. Give it time, it will get better, alright dear?" I say gently and her soft smile makes an appearance.

"I- I know, there are times when I question it but some people hear voices... some see invisible people... others have no imagination whatsoever." I smiled at her words and she turned to leave.

Y/n shut the door softly behind her.