Seasons of Love
10 short drabbles exploring Clary, Jace and all their friends through the seasons after C of G.
A/N: My latest, I know it's been forever. Apparently summer isn't as inspiring as I would have expected. Would you believe I've been more busy than I am at school? I swear it's true. Anyway, enjoy. If you like, review. I have a sequel planned if I could generate interest for it. :) As usual, Enjoy, and I don't own The Mortal Instruments series.
1. Dress Up
Three months after C of G.
"This is fine for tonight." Isabelle said, holding up the dark washed jeans and black silky top. "But this-" she held up a red miniskirt and leathery black looking tank top- "is much better."
Clary looked doubtfully at both of her options. "Obviously I'm going to choose number one."
"But this is so cute, Clary! And it would look great on you! Seriously, Jace won't be able to take his eyes off of you."
The redhead couldn't help considering Isabel at those words. Clary and Jace had been dating three months, and their relationship was progressing ridiculously slow. Clary was all for making the moments special, but Jace would barely kiss her unless everything was perfect. He managed to justify his actions by saying that they would be together for a very long time- hopefully for the rest of their lives – so why rush the first moments?
Libido, that was why. Clary was in a relationshp with the hottet person alive and they were barely past making out. Isabel never seemed to have a hard time getting the guy she wanted to notice her- maybe she should take some more risks.
"Fine … I'll try option two."
Isabel smirked at her but simply handed her the outfit.
Later that night, Clary and Jace were making out feverishly in her room.
"You looked so hot at Pandemonium tonight." He whispered to her. "But why did you wear that?"
Clary shrugged. "So I could get to this point."
"Hmm?"
"This right here … sitting on my bed, making out with my boyfriend."
"Why do you want that so badly?"
"Because I want to be with you Jace. I don't see the point in waiting for something to happen if it's going to happen eventually. I want to be with you forever, nothing's going to change about the way I feel for you."
Jace smiled at her. It might have been a trick of light, but Clary thought his eyes were shining more than usual. When he leaned in to kiss her, Clary knew things were about to change between them. She made sure to send off a mental 'thanks' to Isabel before the last coherent thought left her brain.
2. Hand to Hand
Six months after C of G.
This time, her back hit the mat with such force, she was sure she broke something. Though, when she told Jace in all seriousness, he just laughed. "You didn't." He said. "Come on, get up, get up, get up! I'm bored, and Alec doesn't get back from his … date… for another hour at least!"
"Jace, I am training to learn, not entertain you! You have to actually be helpful!" Clary shot back at him, still rubbing her tailbone from the last fall.
"I am being helpful, Clary. You think demons are going to take it easy on you in the field?"
"Here's the thing, Jace. I've been at this for six months and that's all. I was just supposed to start hand- to- hand last week. I'm doing really well on all my writes and tests and the theory."
"That's all that is, Clary: theory. You've been working hard and I'll give you that, but in the field, theory will only get you so need to know how to use what you've been taught in the classroom."
"But it's so … frustrating!" She burst out. "How can I help you guys if I can't even fight back?"
Jace softened after seeing his girlfriend's discouragement. "Trust me, Clary, everyone struggles with some part of training. You have a long way to go, but so did I in the beginning. My whole life was basically about training until I met you."
Clary grinned up at him. Jace trying to make her feel better meant the world to her. He was a wonderful boyfriend, but he lacked in the compassion department … especially when it came to her training. It was nice to know that he could be both guys, and she commented, "Jace Herondale, are you losing your edge?" in a teasing voice.
Jace scoffed but kissed her head anyway in an impulsive manner. "You wish. Come on, Clary. Back to work."
Clary sighed, but nodded and stood up. "This time, try not to hit so hard."
3. Demon Hunting
Eight months after C of G.
"I thought you'd be happy for me!" Clary yelled back. Her face was red, her eyes were shining, her hair was wild. She had a bruise forming on her forehead and blood was still oozing out of her right elbow. And she was furious.
"God, Clary, of course I'm happy for you!" Jace cried. "You just … you weren't ready."
"Do you even hear yourself right now? I killed a demon the week I learned what a shadowhunter was, and yet a fierce battle and eight months of intense training have somehow made me unable to fight?"
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Jace, what do you want from me?" Clary asked desperately. "This was a huge night for me … one that I couldn't wait to share with my boyfriend. I come home and tell you the good news and you get angry?"
"Clary, I just want to protect you! You know that's all I've wanted since I learned of your existence. I want to keep you safe." Jace moved to hug her but Clary jerked back.
"If that's what you want, Jace … maybe this relationship isn't a good idea. If you think that being my boyfriend in this world gives you the right to treat me like less of a shadowhunter … that you're allowed to kill all my demons … I can't be in a relationship like this and be a shadowhunter. Protecting me was okay when I was training, but this has gone too far." With that, she left the room.
Jace slammed his fist into the padded wall of the training room. Some demons you could kill. But not even Jace Lightwood- master fighter- could kill the demons inside of him.
And they were the ones poisoning his relationship with his girl.
4. Drawing
One year after C of G
The house was silent, and Clary could barely remember a time in the last year when The Institute was void of sound. Even at night you heard the scuffing of people down the hall, the banging coming from the training room, Shadowhunters not yet adjusted to U.S. time talking silently in the hallway; there was always something going on. But it had been a slow week at the Institue after a rash of attacks in Idris had broken out a week previously. Clary wished she could accompany the Lightwoods, but she had been badly hurt in the field recently, and everyone but her thought it would be for the best if she hung back and let her injury heal. And Simon was at band practice (last she heard, the band was called 'Holey Picture'), so she was stuck alone in The Institute.
"Trust me, it's weird with noone hear. Really creepy."
She heard a snort and then Jace's voice came through the line. "I think you can handle it."
"I miss you. It's so boring here without you!"
"I miss you too, baby. I wish I could be there with you, but you know they need me here."
"I do know that ... god, I don't want you to feel guilty. I just don't know what to do with myself."
"Why don't you draw? I haven't seen you draw something that isn't a rune in months."
Clary considered the possibility. "Good idea."
When Jace came home two days later, his room was wallpapered in black and white sketches. Some of them were simple, like fruit on a table, but they ranged from basic to compicated, like the full design of the greenhouse the night Jace showed Clary the midnight flower. There were lots of drawings of him and Clary ("since you never take pictures" she explained)
When Jace turned around to inquire what the devil happened, Clary just smiled at him. He noticed she had a charcoal smudge on her right cheek and her eyes looked happy. "I forgot how much I loved to draw." She admitted before he could even ask his question. "And I've been meaning to redo your room for ages."
Jace was just about to comment that he actually had liked his previous minimaliststyle, but he refrained when he saw the hopefulness reflected in her earnest face. "They're all beautiful. I'm lucky to have a girlfriend as talented as you."
His new decorations were easy to tolerate once he saw her face light up in joy.
5. Matchmaker
13 months after C of G.
The first time it happened, she was able to justify it by claiming that she just wanted everyone to be happy like she was now. And, though Jace had his reservations, he allowed himself to be swayed by Clary's explination.
The second time, Jace didn't even allow his girlfriend to open her mouth before he started telling her off. He knew if Clary talked, she'd probably unleash her magic and somehow make him think this whole situation was okay.
"It's NOT OKAY to use the Fearless rune to get people together, Clary!" Jace yelled at her. "First you did it with Alec and Magnus right after we returned to Idris. But now with Simon and Isabelle? It's been nearly a year; I figured if you were going to use your runes to bring them together, you would have done it a lot sooner."
Clary looked up at her boyfriend of a year with wide eyes. "Jace, I didn't want to use the rune. I waited for an entire year … I tried getting them to admit their feelings without using the magic, but they're just too damn stubborn. So I figured, look at Alec and Magnus. I used the rune on Alec and he and Magnus are celebrating a year next month! And I didn't do it until I was absolutely sure that they were right for each other … but I just want everyone I love to have what we have. And Simon and Isabelle could so easily have it … and now they will!"
Jace couldn't help admitting that his girlfriend had a point, though "You should still have let them work it out. You didn't mark me when we got together, it just happened, and it happened exactly the way it should. I know you want everyone to be happy … but you just have to let it happen."
Clary sighed. "It just doesn't seem fair that everyone doesn't have what we have."
Jace smiled and gently kissed his girlfriend. "Not everyone is as lucky as we are."
6. Subway
Two years after C of G
"Those girls on the other side of the car are staring at you."
Jace assumed an air of mellow gratification. "Of course they are," he said. "I am stunningly attractive."
"Haven't you ever heard that modesty is an attractive trait?"
"Only from ugly people," Jace confided. "The meek may inherit the earth, but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me." He winked at the girls, who giggled and hid behind their hair.
– City of Bones
They hadn't bothered with the glamours.
If anyone had looked over (which people- mainly the female variety, Clary noticed- were), they would see Clary and Jace: her, in a long sleeved black shirt, dark jeans and ankle boots; him, in relatively the same getup and a backpack, which was storing their weapons.
And if they had been really looking, though people on the subway never really do, they would notice how Jace's hands were clasping Clary's shoulders, and how Clary's whole body was pressed into Jace's.
So if they really were looking, which they weren't, they would understand that Jace wasn't interested in the gaggle of females that couldn't seem to tear their faces away from his exceptionally handsome one.
Clary was used to this kind of treatment by now. Mundane girls look at her like she's his cousin or something; they don't consider her when they stare openly after her boyfriend of two years. Clary sighs patiently and remembers how much Jace loves her, and how much those girls would respect her if they knew anything about her real life at all.
But they didn't, and the subway ride was almost over, so Clary satisfied herself with kissing her beautiful (everyone thought so) boyfriend … right in front of those girls. She remembers Jace flirting back with those girls years ago, but things had changed in the past two years. Clary realized long ago, Jace may get gawked at a lot, but it's who he's staring at that matters. And whenever she looks at him, he's staring right back at her.
7. Wedding
Three years after C of G.
The wedding was a wonderful affair.
Everyone had come … Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike had flocked to celebrate this union. They were very explicit about that … everyone is invited. This made since, considering that by definition their marriage was unconventional. A former- now again Shadownhunter tying the knot with a former- now werewolf. But nobody could deny that they were in love.
The bride was beautiful, or at least Jace assumed she was. Somehow, he hadn't been able to take his eyes off the maid of honor.
Though it is a well- known fact that the bridesmaid/ maid of honor dresses are never supposed to be flattering, Jace couldn't envision a more beautiful dress on his girlfriend.
"You look beautiful."
Clary giggled. "I think that's the ninth time I've heard that during this dance."
"I want to be clear. You're the most beautiful girl in the room … in every room."
"I love you, Jace." Clary murmured, resting her head on his strong shoulder.
"You know that'll be us someday, right?" Jace asked her, combing his long fingers through her shining red hair.
Clary nodded. "Of course I do. I haven't doubted that for one second in the last three years."
"I was hoping you'd say that." Her boyfriend admitted, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
It'll make what I'm about to do a whole lot easier.
8. Kitchen
Three years and three months after C of G.
"Alright, that's it!"
Isabelle could just make out the faint outlines of Clary's form through the smoky room. She became clearer as she stormed over to Isabel. "I can cook, Mayrse can cook, Simon and Magnus cook, Simon can cook and it's not even his home … hell, even Jace can cook pasta! How did you possibly burn pasta?"
Isabelle blushed. "I guess I didn't add enough water."
Clary tried to maintain a stern face when looking at the girl who had become her best friend, but suddenly she couldn't stop giggling. Isabelle was a hopeless cook but she could always make her laugh. "What am I going to do without you?" She asked sadly.
Isabelle sighed. "I'm going to miss you so much! Are you sure you have to leave?"
Clary smiled weakly. "It's time for us. Idris is where Jace belongs."
"And you?"
"I belong with him." The redhead said simply. "And Idris needs me around."
Isabelle couldn't argue with Clary's assertions, no matter how much she wanted to. "We need to hang out more before you leave."
Clary nodded, though she and Isabelle hung out virtually every minute of the day. "I leave for Idris in one month. I'll teach you to cook before I leave. I can't stay, but I can leave some of my knowledge behind."
Isabelle impulsively hugged her best friend. "You're the best friend I could ever have," she whispered. "I can't believe it's already been more than three years."
Clary bit back a sob. She'd miss The Institute. She pulled away from Isabelle with that teary- eyed grin she had been sporting since she and Jace dropped the news one week ago. "Come on, let's get started."
The night before Clary and Jace left, Isabelle cooked dinner. It was pot roast, and they didn't even need the fire extinguisher.
9. Roommate
3 years and four months after C of G.
"I miss you already!"
Clary smiled as she pressed her phone closer to her ear. "I miss you too! If it makes you feel any better, I wish I could be in two places at once."
"Can't you just invent a rune for it?"
"Oh, no." Clary said seriously. "Duality runes are very dangerous."
"I was kidding, Clary."
"Oh."
"So what are you doing?"
"Just unpacking."
"Is there a lot of that?"
Clary smiled. "Well, considering that I lived in New York the first eighteen years of my life and now I'm living in a different country, yeah, there was a lot to pack. So now there's a lot of unpacking."
" … I guess that was kind of a stupid question."
Clary just giggled.
" … So how's the roommate?"
"A little frazzled right now."
"Is everything okay?"
"I think we're both just nervous."
"Well, you've never had a roommate before."
"True …" Clary allowed.
"I mean, you may have spent the night with Jace, but this is a whole different ballgame. You and Jace always had your own bathrooms. You only have one bathroom now, right?"
"Yeah, and that's going to be weird. I don't know how I'll get used to it."
"I don't know, probably like you've gotten used to all the other changes in your life up until this point. I mean, you figured out you were a Shadowhunter like three years ago and now you're one of the best. Working in the capital."
"I'm fairly sure that's because of my skill with runes … not fighting."
"Whatever, you know you're a great fighter. You were taught by the best."
"Quit stroking your ego! It's so big I can see it from here!"
"That's physically impossible."
"Shut up, you know what I mean."
"My ego would be crushing Europe if that was true. Europe is fine."
"I hate you."
"I love you."
"I love you too, Simon."
Simon smiled through the phone. He could see his best friend now, probably sitting on the floor of her new place, back resting on the wall. He understood how nervous she was to move away from basically everyone important to her, but he knew she would love her life in Idris. And he knew that she needed her best friend to tell her that right now. "Hey, Clary?"
"Yeah?"
"You and Jace are going to be fine."
There was a long pause. When Clary finally did speak, her voice seemed thicker somehow. "Thanks, Simon. I really do miss you already."
"I miss you too. Can you draw a portal soon?"
"Jace would kill me."
"It never stopped you before."
" … Maybe next week."
"See you then."
When Simon hung up the phone smiling, he couldn't help thinking maybe things hadn't changed at all.
10. Videogames
4 years after C of G.
"Let me see it again!" Clary asked for what seemed like the hundreth time since she had come over two hours ago.
Simon sighed, but nevertheless handed her the small black box once again. Clary popped the lid open and sighed. "It gets more beautiful every time I see it!"
"Look, Clary, don't fall too madly in love with it. You already have yours, remember?"
Clary giggled and looked happily at the sparkly diamond bands on her left ring finger. "Mine's the prettiest." She sing songed.
"Don't say that." Simon warned.
She giggled again. Jace called it 'sparkly side effects.' Clary got tipsy on the idea of weddings. "It's perfect, Si. Isabelle is going to love it, of course. I can't wait to be maid of honor."
Simon grinned at her. "I miss you." He admitted.
Clary sighed and reached over to brush a strand of his hair off his forehead. "I miss you too. You and Isabelle should move to Idris after the wedding. You know downworlders could live there now.:
Simon shook his head. "New York is my home, like Idris is yours. We'll always live in different … planes."
Clary grinned at his world. Simon had never felt comfortable addressing Idris as a continent. "At least we have our video games."
"Yes, Clary. No matter what, I will always be around to whoop your butt in Mario Kart."
She smirked at that. "You wish."
Thanks for reading! If you read and like, please review and I'll get to work on the sequel :)