moondust; malec au

chapter two

Alec woke up to his 9-year-old brother jumping on his bed, yelling that he had to get up because breakfast was ready. "Max, go away!" Alec screamed, covering his ears with one of his pillows. He woke up almost every morning to this, and Max still hadn't taken the hint that he wasn't a morning person.

"Mom said you have to get up now, because you have to come shopping with us." Max whined, starting to hit his small, bundled fists against Alec's body. "Shopping where?" Alec asked, extremely annoyed. "In the City Centre. Christmas presents!" Max squealed at the excitement of Christmas, and Alec rolled his eyes.

Alec didn't mind Christmas; he just envied all of the couples that spent Christmas together.

"Fine, tell Mom I'll be downstairs when I get changed." Alec grumbled, pushing his brother off his bed, Max landing on the floor with a thump. "Alec, that hurt!" Max whined, limping out of the room and putting on his best hurt voice to complain to his mother about what his older brother had done.

Alec practically heaved himself out of bed, getting changed and heading downstairs to see his entire family around the dinner table, all chatting and eating. "Alec, good morning." Alec's mother smiled at him, putting some food out on a plate for him. "Hi," He managed to give her a small smile, Isabelle inviting him to the only available seat left, next to her.

"How'd you sleep?" Jace asked from across the table, spreading butter on his, slightly burnt, slice of toast. "Great, until Max came in." Alec muttered, leaning over to grab the orange juice, Jace laughing slightly and ruffling Max's scruffy hair, the young boy giving Alec a cold glare.

"Mom, how come we're going Christmas shopping as a family? Doesn't that mean it won't even be a surprise when we give them to each other?" Isabelle asked, through a mouthful of cereal. Her mother looked slightly displeased with her speaking with her mouth full, though answered the question, "Because, honey, we'll split up and switch pairs. Anyway, Santa Claus is getting most of yours."

Alec sighed, "Don't you think we're a little old to believe in Santa?" Max piped up, "What do you mean 'believe'? I know he's real, Alec, you can't fool me." Jace let out a small laugh at this, and looked at Alec with a look that meant not to spoil this for Max.

Later on, when the Lightwoods all drove to the City Centre to go Christmas shopping, he wasn't surprised to see half of the town also Christmas shopping, as there was only a week left to go until Christmas Day. "Alec, you can come with me first." Alec's dad told him, Alec agreeing tiredly as he rubbed his eyes, still half asleep.

"Where do you wanna go first?" Alec asked as he walked beside his father, the older man telling him he wanted to go to a jewellery shop for Alec's mother. They walked to the jewellery shop, Alec getting bored very quickly watching his father pick out necklaces, so started to wander away, going to get a coffee before his dad noticed.

He went into the nearest Starbucks, ordering a coffee. Whilst he was waiting, he looked around and his eyes fell upon a couple sitting in the corner of the shop, in a booth. He squinted his eyes and recognised the boy to be Magnus, and he was sitting with a girl. She had long black hair that reached her hips, and a curvy body. Her slim, pale fingers were interlocked with Magnus' and they were laughing together, Magnus tucking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear.

Alec looked away quickly with a sigh, feeling cheated even though he had only met Magnus once and he showed no attraction towards him. He took his coffee and started to leave the shop, trying to avoid eye contact with Magnus so he wouldn't recognise him. As he was walking out, he saw Isabelle and his mother start towards him, both holding shopping and grinning.

"Alec! There you are." Isabelle grinned as she walked into the shop, attracting Magnus' eyes towards the taller boy. Alec closed his eyes and sighed in annoyance, trying to rush her and their mother out of the shop before Magnus started talking to them. "Alec?" Alec heard, putting on a fake smile before turning to look at Magnus, now standing behind him, with the girl.