"Alec, come on!" Jace barely turned his head to yell at his Parabatai as they sprinted down an alley after a demon. Izzy caught up to the thing first, flicking out her whip to ensnare the creature's legs, sending it toppling to the ground with a piercing wail, before slashing it to dust with her seraph blade.

Jace and Alec caught up to their sister as she replaced her whip around her wrist, Alec bending over to catch his breath.

"Nice one Izzy." Jace smiled at her, making her beam in pride before her forehead creased in concern.

"You okay big brother?"

Jace turned to see Alec still bent over, one hand on his knee and the other wrapped around his ribs as he panted.

"I'm fine." He sounded grumpy, which he was. Alec didn't like showing weakness, didn't like being weak, and he shouldn't have been as puffed as he was from just a bit of running.

Jace frowned.

"Is it your ribs again? The runes should have healed them by now, you only broke three and that was two days ago. Let me see them." He reached forward to take Alec's arm away from his chest but the boy moved away before he could touch him.

"Jace, don't. It's fine."

"Alec don't be stubborn just-"

The blonde reached out again but Alec swatted his hand away with a frown and a glare.

"Leave it alone Jace, I'm fine!"

Jace relented but frowned back at his brother.

"You aren't but whatever I'll leave you alone. I'll draw some more runes on you once we get back to the institute."

Alec sighed and rolled his eyes, ignoring the fact that it hurt his head to do so.

"Whatever."

He turned and walked back down the alley, arm still wrapped around his middle. Jace looked at Izzy and gave her a look that said something like "What am I supposed to do with him?"

Izzy sighed and started following her brother down the sidewalk knowing he wouldn't wait for them.

"Be patient with him, you know how he gets when he's hurt. I'll try to talk to him."

She sped her pace, not waiting for the blondes reply. She could hear Alec grumbling as she caught up to him and she took his arm, hand tucked in the crook of his elbow, as she walked with him. He slowed a little for her, Jace keeping his distance as they talked.

The eldest lightwood shook his head and spoke without looking down at his sister.

"I hate it when he tells me what to do. I'm the eldest and I'm in charge yet he expects me to just follow his every command when he doesn't even do anything I tell him to."

Izzy patted his arm soothingly.

"He just wants to take care of you, you're his best friend and his Parabatai, it's his job to make sure you're okay."

Alec frowned, a petulant thing that curled his lip up into an almost pout.

"I am okay, I told you both that. I'm just tired, broken ribs don't make sleep easy, you know."

They walked into the Institute, Alec trying to end the conversation by quickening his steps. Izzy was having none of it, pulling on his arm and turning him to face her, meeting his eyes with hers when he reluctantly looked at her.

"Alec, just hold up, let me talk to you."

"What."

"Your ribs should have healed by now or at least have stopped hurting. We're just worried, let us help. You don't have to deal with this by yourself."

Alec gently pulled his arm from his sister's grip, not wanting to offend her while she was looking at him with such worry even as it irritated him.

"No, thanks Izzy, but I'm fine."

The girl, glared at him, anger heating her chest as he started to walk away.

"Fine, whatever Alec. Go be all manly and stupid and suffer by yourself then."

He waved a hand at her behind him as he left, not bothered by her tone, and started walking to his room. He had heard Jace come in the Institute a little after they had but he'd been distracted by one of the tech team asking for a mission report. Alec took this as an opportunity to escape, making his way to his room as quickly as he could.

He found himself a little out of breath when he reached his oasis, closing his door and locking it for good measure. He rested his forehead against the wood of the door, closing his eyes and sighing. He was so tired he could throw himself into bed and not get out for three days straight, but he knew he was too sore to throw anything much less himself.

He decided on a shower before bed, turning on the water and carefully pulling off his clothes as the room filled with steam. Moving was painful and slow but his shirt soon fell to the floor, allowing him to check over his injuries. His pale skin was painted with bruises, streaked over his broken ribs, and there was a shallow cut just above his left hip that was tender and red. Gingerly, he pressed his fingers to the skin around the cut, feeling the slight heat from it, and cursed.

He had gotten the injuries two days ago while taking down a few circle members. One of them had tackled Alec, crushing his ribs, and slashed at him with her knife. Izzy had gotten the woman off him and promptly knocked her out, fretting over her brother before the woman had even hit the ground. They'd put runes on him and Izzy and Magnus had kissed the bruises on his cheeks, and while he had allowed Jace to bind his ribs for him, he had not told anyone about the cut.

Alec wanted to deal with it himself, it wasn't a big deal and the cut was so small anyway. But now it looked infected and, even worse, there seemed to be black streaks veining outwards from it. The Lightwood frowned at the wound, having no idea what they were, but decided to clean it and cover it and just wait for it to heal.

The hot water of the shower eased his muscles and relaxed him enough that falling asleep standing up was briefly considered before he shook himself awake again. Soap stung the wound and he hissed as he cleaned it with practiced fingers, before getting out of the shower and towelling himself dry.

Once he had put a small dressing on the cut and begrudgingly rewrapped his ribs, he slipped into bed, falling almost immediately asleep.