Chapter Text
On Alec’s 13th Birthday, his parents got him a guitar.
He had begged his parents for a guitar of his own for years, sick of using the in-school one his instructor provided, that he could never take home to practice with. Whilst it couldn’t compare to having his own, the guitar he did get to use was beautiful in its own right - A Yamaha F310, with smooth wood and steel strings. It had some serious wear and tear, Alec can’t imagine the number of hands this has passed through, but all he cares about is that his are the hands plucking the strings right now. He would often find himself squirrelled away during lunch times, free periods or after school, to get some time alone to play his own little melodies.
Alone time was hard to come by in the Lightwood house. Between his parents and 3 siblings, Alec could hardly move for conversation, and as much as he loved his family, he didn’t dismiss the value of a closed door. His bedroom, like most things in Alec’s life, is shared with his brother, Jace. Alec has become very used to sharing things with Jace; Class’, friend groups, video games, even their birthdays are only a day apart, leading to Alec’s least favourite day of the year, the dreaded joint party. Whilst Jace and Alec (or Jace and Jace’s brother, as they are better known around school) are often mistaken as fraternal twins, Jace isn’t even biologically related to Alec at all. He came to live with the Lightwoods when he was just 10 years old, following the death his parents, close family friends of Alec’s Mom and Dad, who were named as godparents. Although this fact makes Alec’s heartache for Jace sometimes, it does not stop the boiling feeling of resentment in his stomach right now, as he watches Jace tear open the wrapping paper to reveal a brand-new Yamaha Pacifica 112V Electric Guitar.
What. The. FUCK.
“It’s for both of you!” His mother Maryse smiles from where she sits on the armchair in the corner of the living room, everyone else in the family is scattered around the rest of the seating, with Jace and him kneeling on the floor in front of the coffee table. “So, you will have to learn to take turns with it, I trust that now that you boys are young men-” Alec squirms where he sits, “-that you will be grown up enough to handle that?” Jace nodded fervently. Alec has the desire to argue that in fact, he is the older one here, Jace isn’t thirteen until tomorrow, but he felt that would go about as well as the other times he has advocated for the strict separation of birthday celebrations.
(“Don’t be selfish Alexander,” His father had scolded, the use of his full name sending chills down Alec’s spine, “You love your brother, and you will miss times like these when one day, you’re both going to be off in the world, doing your own things.”
Robert doesn’t know how much Alec longs for the day.)
Alec watches Jace now, as he plucks the strings tunelessly, and poses with the guitar as Maryse takes a photo.
“Girls totally dig guys with guitars.” Izzy chimes in, 11 years old and wise beyond her years, she smiles at Alec, ignoring Jace windmilling his arm around like he’s Jimmi Hendrix finishing a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden.
“Totally! Alec and I are going to be total babe magnets!” Jace laughs, along with Robert, even baby Max babbles something sounding like a laugh from his highchair. Maryse rolls her eyes, and gets up to check on Max.
Alec scoffs. “You don’t even know how to play.”
“You’ll teach me” Jace states simply, as if it was a given. There is nothing Alec would rather do less in the world than teach Jace anything; he has seen firsthand, trained professionals trying to get Jace to grasp simple mathematical concepts and end up pulling their hair out Jace nods along to their instructions, and still writes down the wrong answer. Alec thinks he does it on purpose because it makes the girl who sits behind him giggle.
“I’ll think about it.” Alec says, avoiding making any real commitments. Jace smiles like he has won the argument anyway and goes back to his abuse of the strings. Now that they have opened the guitar, there is nothing left to do on Alec’s birthday, the rest of the presents, cake and celebration coming tomorrow, when the party will happen. Alec is exhausted just thinking about the Laser Tag party Jace has insisted on having, for the 3rd year in a row.
He uses this tiredness as an excuse to dismiss himself upstairs to bed. As he flops down onto the bottom bunk, his hands on autopilot, he reaches down between the mattress and the wall. He pulls out the small bundle of cash, saved from his pocket money, and lunch money not spent. He thinks he has about $100 stuffed down there now.
It should be enough for a second-hand acoustic guitar.