Happy Hump Day!
This week, I have another TMI fic for you all. And yes, again, it is about the Lightwood children and Jace's arrival at the institute. Instead of focusing on Max, this time, though, I decided to take Alec's point of view. And yes, at the end, I have already written about that with Max, but... what can I say? I like thinking of the different ways that that happened.
For reference: Alec and Jace are both about 10 at the start of this. Jace is a couple months younger, but I basically ignore that. Iz is 8. And Max is... gee, I don't really know. Probably about two or three.
Alec glanced across the table to Jonathan. The new boy was as quiet as ever, his golden hair perfect, and eating with the greatest of manners. He reminded Alec of a statue. When the two spoke, his language was crisp and his tone mild. Maryse had told Alec that Jonathan was his own age, and had encouraged her son to befriend the other boy.
"Why is he even here?" Alec had known that he was whining, but Jonathan's arrival had disrupted his time playing with Izzy. Maryse insisted that Jonathan come to the play with the Lightwood siblings every day. Jonathan, however, didn't play. He sat on the same armchair and read various books about demons day after day. Alec had looked over the boy's shoulder upon occasion, but had been unable to understand the words. After some time of watching Jonathan read, Izzy and Alec would play and pretend the other boy wasn't there.
Maryse had smoothed back Alec's black curls gently. "His father was an old friend of your father and I. Jonathan had to watch him die. Please, be patient with him. He needs friends." Alec, ever obedient, had tried to coax Jonathan into playing with Izzy and himself. But Jonathan hadn't seemed interested.
Isabelle startled Alec from his thoughts with a nudge. "Mom, can we be done?" she piped.
Maryse surveyed the nearly-empty plates for a moment, and then nodded. "Wait for Jonathan," she said sharply, and Alec and Izzy reluctantly sat back down. Alec cast a sour look at Jonathan, who hadn't looked up from his bowl. That boy had a timeless feel to him, almost like he was much older than Alec.
"They can go ahead," Jonathan said suddenly.
Maryse cast a surprised look at the blonde boy. He hardly ever spoke without being prompted. "Are you sure? They don't mind to wait, do you, Alexander? Isabelle?" Alec and Izzy shook their heads automatically, though of course this was a lie.
"I'm sure." Jonathan replied, spooning another mouthful of soup into his mouth.
"Well… all right, then." Maryse nodded at her children. "Go play. Jonathan will join you once he is finished with his meal." Alec raced off after his sister, feeling a burst of gratitude to Jonathan.
Izzy was running from her brother. Alec grinned as he hit her lightly on the shoulder with his fake seraph blade. "I win!" he cried triumphantly.
"Not for long!" Izzy spun around, sprinting to pick up her own dropped blade, and attacked Alec, her black ponytail swinging wildly.
Alec ran backwards without hesitating. "No fair!" he whined. "I already got you!"
"That doesn't matter." Alec spun around, startled. Jonathan was standing in the doorway to the room, watching the siblings with interest for, perhaps, the first time.
It took Alec a moment to remember what Jace had said. "I… But I already got her. Those are the rules."
Jonathan shook his head, his eyes meeting Alec's for the first time. Alec was taken aback – they were the same color of the boy's hair. He hadn't noticed before. "If she can get back to her weapon, it's not over. If she isn't dead, she's still a threat to you."
A moment of silence passed before Isabelle asked, "How would you know? Have you.." her voice lowered into near-reverence. "..started training?"
The boy in the doorway looked confused. "Of course." Jealousy flashed across Isabelle's face. "Haven't you?"
"No," Alec answered for his sister. Izzy had always been eager to start training and to learn to slay demons, but Alec had never really thought much about it. He would learn to be a Shadowhunter one day, and he would be killed by a demon. But those things, in his mind, were far in the future. "I'm to start training in two years, and Iz in four. When we are twelve."
"Oh." Jonathan said, entering the room and sitting down on his chair. Alec could now see that Jonathan had another book in his hand.
"When did you start training?" Izzy asked curiously, never one to allow people off so easily. "What have you learned? Have you slain any demons yet?"
Jonathan opened his book. "Not real ones."
Izzy perked up, her weapon discarded as she approached Jonathan. "What does that mean? Who taught you? When did you start? Oh, wait until Hodge hears about this!"
"My father taught me." Jonathan's voice had lost any animation that it had contained, and Alec immediately silenced his sister, taunting her back into the fight.
Alec managed to persuade Izzy from approaching Jonathan about his training for a full week. But she did insist on them playing with the fake weapons more and more often. Soon, she surpassed Alec's skill with the seraph blades. Their fights got more and more interesting and inventive. During each one, Jonathan sat in his chair, reading. Some days, he'd simply watch the siblings. Occasionally, he'd call out advice. "Alexander, your left side is unguarded." "Isabelle, you're unbalanced."
It became routine. The Lightwood children hadn't officially started their training, but with Jonathan's advice, they quickly made progress. Isabelle attacked the challenge of training with eagerness, and his role as teacher seemed to be good for Jonathan. Slowly, the orphaned boy became more open with Isabelle and Alexander.
One day, Jonathan had called Alec 'Alexander' like he always did, and Alec had said, "You can call me Alec."
Jonathan looked surprised, but he nodded, appearing pleased. Before he could speak, Isabelle teased, "And I'm Izzy. By the angel, only Mom calls me Isabelle," earning a smile from Jonathan.
"Alec and Izzy," he repeated.
Iz considered Jonathan for a moment. "Jonathan is a big name, too. One for an adult to call you." She nodded her head very seriously. "Do you have a middle name we could call you?"
Jonathan nodded. "Christopher."
Izzy wrinkled her nose, and Alec laughed. Jonathan smiled. "That's an adult name, too." She pointed out. "How about…. Jace?"
A blank look crossed Jonathan's face. "Jace?"
"From your initials," Izzy explained. "J.C. Jace."
Jonathan looked unsure, and Alec quickly said, "I like it." Much better than Jonathan, anyway.
To Alec's great surprise, Jonathan grinned a big grin that stretched from one ear to another. "All right, then. Jace it is." Izzy and Alec grinned in response, and the newly dubbed Jace glanced at them, appearing hesitant again. "I…"
"What?" Alec asked when Jace didn't continue.
Jace ducked his head, appearing embarrassed. Alec stared at the other boy in amazement. Jonathan embarrassed? "It's nothing."
"No, tell us." Izzy nudged him lightly. "We're your friends."
"That's it," Jace blurted out. "I haven't ever had friends before." He paused, as though expecting Izzy to say something loud and annoying. But neither Lightwood spoke. "You were… you were the first children I had ever seen. Well, you two and Max."
Alec was shocked. "You never saw any other kids?" Jace shook his head. "But… didn't you live in Idris?"
Jace shrugged. "We lived alone, in the country." His face clouded over with sorrow and regret.
Izzy opened her mouth, but Alec spoke before she could. "We've never had a friend like you before. We only see other children when we visit Idris, and we don't know them very well." Jace smiled slightly at this, but didn't reply.
Never one for sensitive words, Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Enough talk. Can we get back to training?" Alec looked at Jace, and the two boys shared an exasperated smile at Izzy's expense. But Alec picked up his seraph blade, and they began sparring again.
So...? What do you think? I am considering writing more to this. I have another chapter started, but I am not sure if I want to take it further than this. If I do, there will be Jalec. And the parabatai ceremony for Jace and Alec. I've always wanted to explore how Isabelle felt about being left out, and I briefly touched on that here. But it would be fun to explore more.
Review, pretty please. I am really starved for them. I value every opinion, even if you just say 'that was horrible' or 'good' It all means a lot to me, even the little bits. Plus, I want your opinion as to whether or not to continue.