(Y/D/N) = your dog's name
(Y/F/D) = your favourite drink
Being a shadowhunter had serious perks and downfalls. I have above human abilities, cool, I put my life on the line daily, not so cool, shadowhunters are naturally prettier, awesome, but I'm not one of the shadowhunters, not so awesome.
I'd grown up not thinking about appearances. My family was too busy teaching me to be a shadowhunters and good person than to brush my hair and what colours matched my eyes. I was always clean and when the formal occasion arose, I was able to clean up and look smart. But what I noticed as I grew up was, I wasn't pretty.
My parents had been transferred to the New York Institute when I was young, and my family followed them. They were then requested in Idris when I was 15 and I decided to stay in New York. My family was hesitant but Maryse and Robert said they'd look after me. My parents didn't trust this since they were always away at clave meetings and barely spent time with their own kids since they learned how to use a microwave. What convinced them was Alec telling them 'we'll look after (Y/N). We're a team'.
The team he referred to was Alec, Jace, Isabelle, and me. With Alec being a couple of years older plus the other two of my parents relented. I was beyond happy to stay with my friends and not break up the dream team.
But I was 15, so was Isabelle, Jace was 16 and Alec had just turned 17. We were teenagers who were all beginning to notice other people's beauty. Or as Jace called in as a dorky 16-year-old 'rocking bods. Everyone else developed, grew, shrunk, changed, cleaned up, and started buying their own clothes.
I tried to look good. I went shopping with Isabelle, Alec told us all how to shave since his parents weren't around to teach the girls or boys, and Jace helped me work out. Eventually, I stopped caring. All the guys flocked to Isabelle, and all the girls ran and stumbled over each other to Jace and Alec despite having no chance with the later. It's not even that I didn't pick up crushes, it's just no one had any.
Isabelle said I didn't know what I was missing out on when I said I'd given up on love oh so dramatically at 17. I was glad I didn't know since then I wasn't missing it. I was 17 and had never been kissed and I told myself I was okay with that.
Later on, Clary came along, along with the whole valentine crisis, and thank my lucky stars she wasn't a girl to talk about crushes and soppy romances. Simon, of course, flocked to Isabelle like a bee to honey and Jace had a similar effect on Clary. Alec met Magnus and I adopted a dog. Seemed reasonable.
During the drama with Valentine, no one really cared about other people's love lives, begin to concern with the increased risk of death, but then suddenly Valentine was dead, and Sebastian was gone. Everything went back to normal. I was 19 and alone.
It was lonely.
When we went out to clubs and bars, they all had someone beside them, and I was 7th wheeling. Hanging out with everyone made me feel like a creepy uncle who'd never settled down. Then the questions started.
"(Y/N) have you met the transfer from England? Quite the catch," Isabelle asked as we sat around Magnus' apartment. Alec had invited us over for drinks and Magnus pretended not to enjoy our company. Simon shot Isabelle a funny look and she rolled her eyes.
I almost copied her. "Yeah, I suppose. They seem like a good shadowhunter I guess," I avoided the question. My dog, who I had decided to bring with me so I could walk him after, tensed up.
"Yeah," Alec walked in from the kitchen, sitting on the armrest of my chair. "Not bad looking either,"
Magnus hummed, "Seconded,"
"I guess,"
"Maybe you should ask him out," Jace said.
I sighed, "Maybe you should mind your business," the room fell quiet, "Not only did Jaden say they had a girlfriend back home," Isabelle slumped back in their chair, "but maybe I don't want to date some random transfer,"
"(Y/N) ..." Magnus started but hesitated for a minute. He and Alec shared a look before he continued, "I hate to ask but what's your sexuality? Gay, straight, freewheeling bisexual, ace?" he listed a few and I felt my face grow hot, "Just so we know how to help you get...experience. If you want any that is,"
"Unbelievable," I muttered "Really? is it so unbelievable to you that I don't want your help? Maybe I want to find someone on my own and not force it?" At this point (Y/D/N) jumped out my lap and I followed shortly, putting their leash on them.
"Where are you going?" Isabelle asked but she didn't stand to stop me.
I looked over the room where 3 happy couples sat, "Somewhere where I don't need a partner to be accepted," And with that, I stormed out.
I kept my storming pace up until I reached the bottom of the stairs. No one was following me. I sighed and looked at (Y/D/N) who, if they were a person I reckon would've been shrugging. I felt alone.
My footsteps were slow and happened without me thinking. I opened the door and started walking the streets, unsure of what to do. Was I happy being alone? Would I be happy with someone else? Id not even had my first kiss yet. Thoughts seemed to dance around my mind, inviting more to join in.
It was getting dark, so I quickly put on a night vision rune. I had a seraph blade on me, so I wasn't worried. I didn't care much either.
The streets were busier than I would have liked, and I kept bumping into people whenever I passed a club or bar. This time when someone bumped into me, I felt a cold shiver go down my arm. I turned to see who it was, but he was already staring back at me. "Raphael?" I said unsure if it was him or whether I was about to embarrass myself in front of a random vampire.
"Yeah. (Y/N) right?" he asked, moving to let people passed. I nodded, "On a mission?" he asked.
"Nope just out."
"With a dog? At 10 at night?"
I looked down at (Y/D/N) and sighed, "Yeah I guess,"
The grumbles of those trying to get passed us must've caught his attention, "Why don't we move to the side," he said, already guiding me out of the crowd.
We stood, a few paces away from the bar's door where people had swarmed, and my hand gripped the leash. "So...how've you been?" this was awkward. We'd met during the war but never really spoke. I'd be lying if I said he wasn't attractive, but my mind always went back to the fact I wasn't.
"Not bad. Valentines gone so..." the normally smooth and somewhat cocky vampire seemed subdued. "I'd offer to catch up over a drink, but you've got..." he pointed down my dog who sat by my feet just staring at him.
"(Y/D/N)" I told him, "Yeah maybe not the best time for a walk,"
Raphael hummed, "I'm not that into dogs. Too wolf-like,"
Was that a thing? Were vampires that against werewolves that it went to dogs too? "I suppose but (Y/D/N) isn't even a little wolfly,"
"Like their owner? I do remember you being catty when we first met,"
"Well, you had just kidnapped a mundane,"
"What can I say? Desperate times," he smirked, and the corners of my lips tugged up.
I'd opened my mouth before thinking, "We could always buy a drink and sit outside?" I waited for the rejection that had followed every time id hinted at something with other people.
This time his smirk seemed to twist into a smile, "I think there is a corner shop down there if you don't mind the walk,"
Before I knew it, I was sitting with Raphael in an empty park at midnight drinking out of a cheap bottle of (Y/F/D). around 1 I got a call which I ignored till another two followed, "You should probably answer that,"
"I know," I said through a smile I hadn't been able to drop since it started, "Hello?" I said into the phone. Isabelle proceeds to freak out on me how I wasn't back at the institute and I had ignored her texts and that I had to get back soon.
I hung up and Raphael gave me a small smile "Hometime?" he asked.
"Yup" I sighed, tossing my empty bottle into the bin.
Raphael stood up and extended a hand to me. I accepted his help, though I obviously didn't need it, and we began walking to the institute though he didn't drop my hand. I didn't mind either.
We still talked as we walked and when I saw the top towers of the institute come into sight, I felt disappointed. "We should do this again sometime," Raphael stopped. I noticed how it was just before institute grounds.
I wanted to smile but held off, "Really?"
Raphael let out a laugh and I felt myself dying inside. He quickly stopped his laughter, "Sorry it's just...I'd love to do this again. Really. you're quite...entrancing,"
"Really?" I asked, looking down at the ground. I knew I was blushing, another downside of being a shadowhunter.
"Yeah. Really," When I looked up, he was smiling. I'd never felt more contempt. We exchanged numbers and set up a time. "It's a date then," Raphael grinned. "Night (Y/N), (Y/D/N)," he crouched down to pet them. "Looks like dogs have grown on me," he said before leaving.
I stood there as he walked back down the path. He stopped at the pavement and turned back to wave. I lifted my hand as a mini-wave as (Y/D/N) barked. As I turned to walk back in, I thought about what he'd said. It's a date then. A date.
"Where have you been?!" Isabelle screeched when I walked in. I didn't care. A date.