a/n: My first fic for this pairing, hope you guys like it!

"The paint's supposed to go where?"

"You promised."

"I said I'd be your model, not your canvas."

"You practically paint on yourself all the time."

"It's not the same."

"It's exactly the same!" Clary argued.

"Runes are sacred symbols used to enhance one's abilities and help rid the world of demon's and other foul creatures that go bump in the night. They're not pretty little swirls daubed across one's body in flowery shapes and luminescent colours." Jace arched an eyebrow, tilting his body forward as though preparing for battle.

"It'll wash off. Please, Jace? Izzy won't do it because she refuses to get it anywhere near her hair, Alec would probably use me as target practice if I even suggested it, Simon's visiting his mother and unless you want me to shave Church and paint on him I don't have any other options!" Clary huffed in irritation, absently twirling a paintbrush in her right hand.

Jace stared at her in contemplation. He was quiet for a moment, looking at her like she was a puzzle and he was trying to decide how best to solve her.

"Fine, but don't think I don't know exactly what you're doing." He smirked.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Clary smiled, walking over to her paints and proceeding to pick up a can and pour out the first colour that caught her eye into a smaller tin using the paint brush in her hand to wipe off the excess drips.

"So you're telling me this wasn't an elaborate ruse to get me half naked, run your hands all over my body then take pictures of me in a darkened room?" Jace scoffed as he started to unbutton his shirt and slide it off.

"It's a legitimate art project. And the reason I have to use my hands is because it's a back to basic class. No equipment allowed." She rolled her eyes.

"Sure. I may try your back to basics approach the next time I'm faced with a demon. I'll just use my hands to seduce my enemy to death." Jace countered sarcastically.

"I doubt you know how to use your hands for anything other than maiming and destruction." Clary laughed.

"You know very well I can use my hands for much more than that." His voice dropped slightly to a huskier tone as he narrowed his eyes.

Clary blushed and walked closer to him with her tin full of paint. She glanced down briefly before shooting her eyes back up to catch Jace's. He gave her a small encouraging smile before nodding his head slightly.

She dipped her finger in the green paint before raising her hand to hover over his chest.

"Hold still and no laughing."

"I'll be as still and silent as the grave."

She rolled her eyes and proceeded to glide her finger softly over the planes of his chest leaving a glistening trail of pale green in her wake.

Clary tried to lose herself in the patterns she was creating. Normally painting took her away from everything, it was like an out of body experience, nothing but her and the colours, the lines, the canvas.

Every time she could almost ignore the fact that it was Jace she was painting on, he'd shiver slightly or his breath would catch and she'd bite her lip and try to hold back a blush in response. She used the moments when this happened to change colours so she'd have a few seconds to collect herself.

It was so intimate yet completely platonic at the same time.

When she'd finished she couldn't help but think it was some of her best work. Whether that was to do with her designs or Jace's body she had no idea.

Once she was satisfied she stepped back a few paces to admire her handiwork and took a deep breath, relaxing as she looked up at him.

"All done." Her voice sounded hoarse and she licked her lips and swallowed a few times to clear it.

"Good." Jace slowly walked towards her, his eyes almost blazing with intensity when he stopped in front of her.

Clary was about to ask what he was doing when his mouth descended on hers and every half formed thought she'd had flew away from her completely.

As long as she lived she didn't think she'd ever get use to kissing Jace. His kiss was as much a contradiction as he himself was.

It was bruising and demanding one second then sweet and hesitant the next. It was as if he couldn't decide whether to pull her into him and take everything she had to give or let her go and give her up forever.

Every kiss was different yet all of them held the same fierce yearning. His kisses always redefined what she thought of love and shook her to her core when she grasped how deeply he felt for her.

She felt the wall behind her as he backed her gently into it, careful to keep a small amount of distance between their bodies so as not to ruin her work.

Clary almost told him she'd rather fail the class than spend another second without his body pressed against every inch of hers.

He pulled back slightly and their foreheads rested together. Clary could have stayed like that forever but unfortunately life had a way of intruding on even the best of moments and she really needed to finish this project.

"I need to take your picture before I mess up all the paint." Clary whispered.

"Okay. I need you to promise me something first though." Jace replied.

"What?"

"Promise you'll mess the paint up as soon as you're finished." Jace grinned as Clary scoffed and moved to smack his arm.

She missed of course.

"Hey, no messing up the artwork." Jace laughed winking at her as he jumped backwards out of her reach.

"You're ridiculous."

"I know, but you love me anyway."

"I do."

They smiled at each other as Jace raised his arm and held out his hand to her.

"Let's go ace your art project. You can thank me properly as soon as we've finished."

a/n: Let me know what you thought and thanks for reading!