"We should do this more often," said Magnus, his cat eyes glinting almost mischievously as he led Alec up the stairs of Luke's house. Alec knocked on the door of what was now Clary's room, right next to Jocelyn's. Sounds of conversation and laughter drifted through the space under the door.

"Yeah. That was fun," Alec said with a smile, just as someone inside – Clary – called, "Come in!"

Alec pushed open the door, and then paused on the threshold, blinking. "Um, hi," he said uncertainly, glancing around at the crowd assembled in Clary's bedroom. "I didn't realize there would be so many people here."

Jace, sprawled over half of Clary's bed, waved an arm lazily. "Join in the fun," he said, grinning. "Simon is entertaining us with bad mundie literature. Nobody's listening, really, except Izzy. He'll be glad of an audience."

Simon grinned, holding up a copy of Twilight. "This is awesome stuff," he said. "You wouldn't believe the author's incredible imagination. It would be so sweet if I were, like, rock hard and ice cold and looked like a supermodel. Though it would kind of suck if I had to go around looking like a walking crystal."

Alec laughed. "Magnus would like you a lot more," he said, and then broke off. "What?"

Everyone was staring at him.

"Alec," Jace said. "Did you just laugh? At something Simon said? I mean, if you were going to laugh at something, you might have –"

"What?" said Alec again, bemused. "Can't I laugh at a joke?"

"You know," Isabelle said, tilting her head and looking thoughtfully at Alec, "if coming out made you this much happier, you should totally have done it earlier. I mean, Mom and Dad didn't mind. Or not that much, anyway. Dad will get over it."

"Oh, I don't think it's so much the having come out as the being in love," Jace said, a smirk playing on his lips as he raised one eyebrow at Magnus, who was standing a little behind Alec, still in the doorway. Magnus shut the door and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall and looking pleased with himself. "Because only I can make him this happy," he said smugly, earning himself a scowl. "Besides," he added, "he only came out because he thought he was going to die that time. Pre-battle nerves."

Nobody answered. Alec's scowl faded away as he remembered who had really died during the recent battle. The image of his little brother's face was still sharp, much sharper than the half-finished drawing of Max that was sitting on Clary's desk. The room fell silent.

Isabelle awkwardly broke the silence. "It kind of sucks," she said – and she looked pointedly at Simon – "watching Jace and Clary, and watching Alec and Magnus, and me not having anyone to have fun with. And I'm the best-looking one here, too."

"Nope," Jace said instantly. "That would be me."

"That would be Alec," Magnus put in, still smirking. He looked across at Jace, and then back at Alec. "He still thinks you're awfully pretty, though."

Alec scowled at the floor. "I do not," he protested.

"Now that's more like the Alec I know," Jace said approvingly. "Surly and grumpy, and a really, really bad liar."

Magnus snorted.

Jace looked at him evenly. "You're not jealous, are you? Because I hate to break it to you, but – as always – Alec's got his head screwed on straight. I really am the best looking person in this room."

This time, Magnus laughed. "Straight? Hardly."

There was a collective groan and a lot of eye-rolling. Magnus glanced at Alec. "Well, now that you're safe with your friends," he said, "I have to go. Chairman Meow seems to be missing in action. And some idiot vampire is complaining that he had holy water poured down his cycle again."

"Ah." Jace and Simon glanced at each other, biting their lips and obviously struggling not to laugh. "Is he very ticked off?" Simon asked innocently. Magnus glared at him and did not deign to answer. "Bye," he said to Alec, opening the door again.

"Have fun," Alec murmured, laughing.

"Wait," said Jace, sitting up and accidentally elbowing Clary in the ribs. "Magnus – are you going to be at the police station tonight?"

Magnus narrowed his eyes. "The police station?"

"The werewolf haunt. It's a Downworlder-Nephilim party," Clary put in, rubbing her side and glancing reproachfully at Jace. "All the vampires are going to be there," Simon added. "Luke and Maia, too, of course, with all the werewolves."

Isabelle scowled. "How come nobody told me about this?" she demanded indignantly, of Simon in particular.

"Sorry," Simon said hastily, squirming. "You can come, too, of course."

"I will," said Isabelle. "Definitely."

Magnus raised an eyebrow, but said only – "Alec? Are you going?"

"He is," Jace said confidently, making Alec splutter. Jace scowled at Magnus. "What have you done to him? You have to share him, you know."

Magnus grinned. "And you asked me if I was jealous," he said cheerfully. Jace rolled his eyes. "Are you coming or are you not?"

Magnus gave him a long, level look. Then he nodded. "I'm coming."