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Laughter rang through the classroom as a crumpled paper ball arced through the air, hitting a boy on his head that was rested face down on the desk. He appeared to continue sleeping, paying no mind to the crowd’s jeers from across the room, as a particularly loud hoot emanated from a blond in the centre. Any laughter from the crowd quickly died with an unimpressed cough from the doorway. A stunning brunette stood with her arms folded, a look of contempt directed to the centre of the group. “Jonathon is this really fun for you, he’s asleep. And even if he wasn’t, when has this ever got a reaction?” Izzy swept towards the grinning blond, each step coming across elegant and deliberate, the crowd parting awkwardly no longer enjoying the show. “Come on Isabelle, just a joke between old friends, like you said he’s never been affected by me before, so what's the harm?” Izzy rolled her eyes and turned away, recognising the lost cause, and not wanting to waste her time further.She walked over to the corner of the room, jumping up onto the desk casually, startling the ‘sleeping’ young man into sitting up and glaring at her intently. His gaze softened minutely upon seeing who it was, but a hard frown remained etched into his forehead as he contemplated what his sister could want from him. Izzy laughed at her brother’s expression, enjoying how that made his face sour even more, he was so easy to wind up she saw no reason not to on occasion. Flashing him with an insincere apologetic smile, the younger decided to push her luck further by talking to him when he was clearly tired. Before she had the chance to get a word out Alec spoke “Izzy no.” he sounded bored but was likely just aware of what she was about to say."Alec," she replied, drawing her arms to her chest in mock offence and his name into a questioning tone."What do you want?" Alec said, his tone even and non-conversational. With a deep sigh, he brought his attention to her deciding he would no longer be able to catch up on sleep during registration this morning.“I just thought it might be more fun for you to talk to me, instead of sleeping or ignoring everything around you,” Alec thought that one technically accomplished the other but allowed his sister to carry on her speech. “I mean I know you’re socially repressed or whatever, but don’t you think it would be fun to spend your time hanging out with your friends?” she turned quickly to look at where Jonathon sat with his cronies balling up more paper. “Instead of being sat in here with these jerks.”The last part brought a smile to Alec’s face. He knew his sister was coming from a good place, but did she always have to depict him as the loner type. “Iz, I have friends, siblings aside. As you said, I’m not an outgoing people person, though in not so many words, so I’m quite happy being on my own for a while. Also, I’m your big brother,” He reached into the air and caught the wadded-up paper before it could make its mark on his sisters back as she was sat in front of his face. “So, I’m meant to be the one protecting you.” Alec grabbed his bag as the bell went, tossing the paper into the bin as he wandered to his first class. "Alec!" Izzy called after him as she got up to follow him. She chased after him to catch up with his long strides, huffing in frustration as he blatantly sped up ahead of her. Her arm looped through his when she reached his side, preventing him from running away again whilst she said her piece.Alec chuckled at his sister noting that the corridor they were walking along headed away from his class but towards hers.Izzy craned her head to look up at him smiling back. “Alec by the angel, live a little. Get your head out of your arse and have some fun. It’ll do you some good.” Her cries fell on death ears as her brother quickly reminded her, he’d attended a concert with Andrew a couple of weeks ago.Sighing in frustration, Izzy gave up. “Yes, and that’s great, look I know you have fun, and I know you have a friend. I just think it would be good for you to broaden your circle.” she paused cautiously before continuing “Maybe this year would be a good time to open up more, perhaps share your feelings for a certain someone.” Alec tensed slightly at the implication but brushed it off quickly. His coming out hadn’t gone well initially, his parents had shamed him and made a point of telling him he could be fixed. He’d believed them and done all he could to correct himself, which had only made things more complicated when his repressed feelings latched onto Jace. As the closest friendship, Alec had it made sense he’d mistake that for love of the non-platonic nature and push all his problems onto that. Truthfully though it had all been superficial. After his parents had divorced almost all the problems in the Lightwood household had settled. His parents worked through their issues and were now incredibly supportive of their son. But the scars of their previous judgement ran deep, and it was something the family were working through. That was part of the reason Alec tolerated Izzy’s pestering, he knew it came from a place of concern, it was just overkill sometimes how she tried to push him when he’d spent so long being told to hold himself back. “Iz how about we agree that when I stop leaving the house, then you can lecture me. In the meantime, I’m actually happy with how things are.” Alec drew a breath in through his nose and exhaled from his mouth slowly. “As for the other thing, have you considered that I’m just enjoying admiring from afar and don’t want more than that.”Izzy knew he was bullshitting, whether just to her or himself also she wasn’t sure. But her brother had spent so long deceiving himself she felt she had some right to push him to consider every possibility at least 67 times before giving in. Then she could get Jace to just make him do it anyway some of the time. “Alright ok. I’ll let you pine in peace for now, but as soon as you get as angsty as Jace I’m forcing a confession from you.” Alec shrugged and pushed open the door to his sisters’ class, guiding her in so he could get to his own. Frankly, he didn’t doubt his sister was going to continue trying to ‘force a confession’ from him, he was just going to have to continue to deflect. Walking to class Alec considered his options, but inevitably dismissed the topic when he found his desk. His study buddy, Lydia sat next to him and immediately began discussing the course topic with him. He gratefully put everything else to the back of his mind and just focused on getting through the next hour.
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Alec’s day raced past in a faded blur. Hastily scratching down notes that he’d have to review later, ignoring conversations around him during free periods when he had to study, refereeing Lydia’s one-sided debate with Andrew. Generally exhausting himself before going home to do yet more work. Izzy spent her day happily skipping to her chosen classes, her backpack was more stylish than practical but it was a compromise she was happy to make. ‘Pain is beauty after all’ She kept her schoolwork organised to minimise what she’d have to take with her each day, so her bag was light and didn’t dig into her shoulders. Her classes had been picked for enjoyment firstly and had only then considered what career path that could lead to. Chemistry and biology set her on a good path for going into forensic science at a more advanced stage, with textiles providing relief for personal enjoyment. Izzy had been making her clothes since she was 13 so it hardly felt like work, just the excessive documentation of her every thought slowed her down. At the start of the day she had double chemistry, setting up for a practical in the first, completing theory and making notes. Then getting to conduct it and record the results for her second lesson. She conducted extra reading during her free to be prepared for the upcoming dissection she wanted to help on in a few days. Izzy always worked hard at school but more out of passion than necessity, her brother skillfully intercepted as much of the pressure as he could before it trickled down to his siblings. Generally, she just had a good day, it may have been one of her busier but she enjoyed the challenge that came with that. That didn’t mean, however, she wasn’t ecstatic to get to her last class of the day and shut down her left brain to embrace her creative side. Playing with satins and silks or whatever the substitute the school had provided was. Carefully guiding material over the sewing machine to avoid snagging, a swarm of ideas bouncing around and settling into each other's designs whilst chatting with her classmates. The freedom to share and offer advice without the competitive spirit that accompanied more academic subjects was freeing. Izzy felt herself relax upon entering the studio, seeing other students already there examining their work without prompting, her teacher fluttering about offering guidance when asked. Her usual seat sat empty with her folder lodged in the shelf underneath, waiting for her to continue putting her ideas into fabric. The folder was scattered full of designs and doodles, doodles that became designs, and scraps of fabric with miniature measurements drawn out to scale. Settling into her chair to create a plan of action she flipped through to decide which pieces should be further developed and what she should leave at the initial stages. If an idea really stuck out she could always pick it up in her free time. “I still think you should allow me to model every one of these designs.” A weight lowered itself onto her shoulder, whilst two arms snaked around her to point at the drawings on her page. “I would make a terrific muse don’t you think.”Izzy couldn’t restrain a laugh as Magnus sat down, pouting at her apparent dismissal. He had dyed his hair recently, now with pale blue streaks on the tips of his styled hair, a sign that he’d either gotten bored or something new had started bothering him. Abandoning his sombre, hurt expression, Magnus changed to a devious looking smirk crinkling his lined eyes in the corners as he did.“Oh well, I suppose I could always steal your work and make it myself.” he kept his voice level and dismissive, turning away from her to pull his folder from the shelf. Her opposition would’ve been pointless to the disingenuine threat, so Izzy resumed flicking, waiting for Magnus to continue talking as she scribbled notes in the margins of her page. Magnus squinted at her continued silence, humorously agitated at her for not giving him a reaction to his taunting. Letting out a dramatic sigh, he flopped against her allowing his dreariness to peer through his usual facade.“You would make an exceptional model. But I think your career path lies more as a designer yourself. Reinventing fashion one boring outfit at a time.” Arms draped over his shoulders offering support without addressing what could be wrong. He was grateful for that, he would open up to her, probably before the end of class, but for now, he was happy to have a friend who wasn’t cursing the ground his girlfriend walked on. “Well Isabelle, I believe you and I have work to do.” Sharing a warm smile the two began debating the pros and cons of each design they’d come up with. Occasionally sketching out modifications, and helping to narrow down the list of potential outfits they could make for their final projects, this also meant the evaluations practically wrote themselves.As the class went on Magnus remained quiet on what he was having issues with, but he calmed down and felt the stress fall from his shoulders. Izzy and he didn’t hang out away from the textiles room, though she was still one of his dearest friends. They both felt the other was a welcome reprieve to their day when they could relax and just get on with stuff or get out whatever had been building within them. Having said that he thought to the party his usual friends were organising to celebrate his liberation, as they called it. He added his own twist by deciding to make it masquerade, allowing himself and everyone else to move freely without fear of judgment, something he couldn’t wait for.Slipping his hand into his bag he brought an invitation out and held it towards Izzy.“Camile and I broke up, so I’m having a little party to get myself back into the swing of things. I’d like it if you’d come and of course, I’ll probably end up giving invitations to your friends as well.”Izzy’s eyes widened first in sympathy, then like she’d just been struck by lightning that now glinted mischievously in her eye. “Thanks, Magnus! That’d be really great. But if you don’t mind could I have two?” Magnus pulled a second invitation out but gave her a quizzical look as he handed it over. “There’s someone I want to invite, and I think you two would really hit it off.”
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Alec was sprawled across the sofa when Izzy arrived home, his long limbs barely fitting into the space between armrests. He sat glancing over a textbook for his politics class, for someone who didn’t like attention Alec was an excellent public speaker. He glanced up when he heard the done bang, seeing Izzy swan into the room, the very picture of innocence and no intention. Her bag landed on the empty armchair, earning her a severe hiss from the cat hidden beneath the pillows, now burning with a sleep-deprived rage that befitted his sour expression.“Aw poor baby.” Izzy scooped church into her arms, erupting a gentle snarl that was more reluctant acceptance than objection. Scratching behind the cat’s ears, Izzy wandered about the living room inconspicuously stealing glances at her brother. Alec refused to acknowledge her, keeping his eyes trained on the page, even if he was no longer reading.Izzy began yet another circuit of the living room and Church took it as an opportunity to jump onto Alec’s chest, disturbing the book in his arms and releasing a ‘hmph’ from the student. After setting the book aside, Alec began to stroke the cat tenderly, eliciting, purs from the unhappy animal that seemed smug now it had changed siblings.“So, how was school?” Izzy asked as she perched on the edge of an armrest, lazily swinging her legs as if she were still pacing.
Alec didn’t look up to answer, keeping his attention on the cat in an attempt to keep the conversation short. “It was fine, had a lecture on some big technical term that would mean very little to you as you don’t take economics. Along with other things that have no overlap in our interests.” He looked at her, challenging her to get to the point. “How was yours?”“Pretty good, better than yours I’d imagine.” She trailed off like that was all she had to say, “Oh and I got invited to a party.” it was added on like an afterthought, even though she’d already begun pulling the invitation out of her bag.“How lovely, so Jace will be out too and I’ll get the house to myself for the night.” Alec now picked up his book again, using that to hide the smile tugging on his lips. They’d done this dance a thousand times so he liked to make it difficult for her if she was going to play coy. “Well I’ve got two invites, so I thought maybe I could interest you in coming.” “No thanks.” The hopeful expression melted off Izzy’s face, replaced by a slight determination that Alec knew would soon give way to reluctant defeat.“Could you just consider it?” she thrust the invitation onto the page he was pretending to take interest in. "You are invited to attend an evening you'll never forget! A masquerade-themed festivity will be held to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter. Come dressed to impress!" The location and time were listed along the bottom, but there was no name on the black card, which Alec noted shone gold when held at an angle to the light. He glanced at it curiously, being able to go to a party unrecognised did hold appeal to it. Smiling as he imagined Jace using this as an opportunity to avoid the consequences of his actions, watching him get caught the next day by bragging would be very funny. Not that he had to attend the party for that.
He tossed it down onto the coffee table and went through to the kitchen. Izzy had moved through to the island and had her homework set out, the coffee machine whirring as it brewed. Alec moved to the fridge, feeling her eyes follow him whilst he grabbed the jug of chilled water that he kept in the fridge. Lukewarm water was just gross. "So...?" she asked carefully, wincing as if preparing herself."No," Alec said flatly, putting his glass down next to the juice carton.Izzy huffed, deflating slightly mumbling something quietly to herself.“Look I thought about it but it’s just not my scene.” His sister still had a cast down expression, that she was half-heartedly trying to hide in her homework. “Thank you for thinking of me though, if you and Jace decide to throw a party at the end of the year I’ll stay in the house or make plans with my friends… Something social and non-work-related.” He smiled at the younger, trying to inject humour into his tone to no effect. With a sigh, Alec scooped up the glass off the counter, placing it into the sink as he headed to exit the kitchen.Izzy looked at where her brother had just been stood trying not to pull her hair out in frustration. Alec took a lot, probably all, of the pressure in the family and whilst he seemed convinced this kind of thing “wasn’t his scene”, it wasn’t like he’d ever tried it. She knew he was reserved and definitely frosty with new people, after all, he’d known Clarry a few months now and still couldn’t stand her, but the whole thing made her want to scream. “Iz are you gonna kill me if I come in?” Jace materialised in the doorway, sweaty and gross in gym clothes, he must’ve gone straight after school. She probably would’ve killed him, but it didn’t seem fair to kill him Alec related reasons when he’d no doubt anger her on his own within a day or two. Settling for a stern look so her brother would know not to talk to her, she returned her eyes to her homework for the 50th time that evening.
“Magnus is throwing a fancy party, I’m assuming your going. Do you know if Clary will be there?” How could she forget, Jace was too stupid to pick up on her hints not to disturb her. Instead, he was going to be all lovesick about his crush attending the party, which is what she’d wanted from Alec dam it. Was it too much to ask for her plans to go to plan, really what was this?“Yes and yes she is, she and Magnus are close so I can’t think of a reason she wouldn’t be. I can message Simon to check if you want.” “NO! This is delicate Iz, you’re right she’s probably going, I’ll ask her if she wants to get food beforehand. Maybe you and Simon could come, that way it’s like a double date.” Looking quite pleased with himself Jace began to pull stuff out of the fridge, planning what to make for dinner. Izzy saw this as a sign that she should finally get some peace, though if she was honest she’d been disturbing her own earlier. This is why you shouldn’t have multiple brothers, incompetent and annoying.
“So have you seen Alec?” With a gentle cry, Izzy grabbed her books from the island and marched towards the stairs leaving a bewildered Jace and the quiet sound of Alec laughing at him from the living room.