"Izzy, no. Absolutely not." Clary was wondering if Isabelle forgot who she was shopping with.
"Why not? Jace would love it." Clary didn't doubt that looking at the very small outfit Isabelle was holding up, but there was no way she'd be able to go out in public like that.
Magnus was throwing a party tomorrow night though Clary had no idea what the occasion was this time, not that it mattered much. He liked to throw parties and found any excuse to do so. The fact that he and Alec were together meant that Alec's Shadowhunter friends also got invited. She was actually looking forward to a night out, she just knew to be very careful about any drinks she might accept after what had happened to Simon at the last party she'd attended there.
As always, the thought of Simon sent a stab of pain through her chest. It had been a month since she'd last seen him in Edom and the wound of losing her best friend still felt fresh. Of course Simon was still alive and well, but he had no memory of Clary or their years of friendship.
Clary continued looking through the racks and found a strapless black dress. It wasn't quite short enough or tight enough for Isabelle's standards, but that's what she liked about it. She told Isabelle she was going to try it on and went towards the back of the store by the fitting rooms which were by the lingerie section. Feeling brave, and looking over her shoulder to make sure she was alone, she grabbed a lacy black set and headed into the room.
She tried on the set first, wondering if Jace would like it. They hadn't been together since Edom because quite frankly there weren't many opportunities to be alone and when they did have some time she suspected Jace didn't want to seem like he was pressuring her. He joked about it a lot, but he seemed so shy and unsure of himself at other times.
This weekend they'd have time to themselves. Clary's mom and Luke were headed to Alicante for a meeting. Even though Luke technically wasn't the werewolf representative to the Clave anymore, he was asked back for this meeting because of his experience.
Clary studied herself in the mirror deciding to suck it up and purchase it. She hid them at the bottom of her shopping bag and tried on the dress for Isabelle to see.
"Are you done yet or do I need to come in there?"
"Relax Izzy, I'm coming out," Clary said and stepped out to show Isabelle, knowing she'd probably complain that its too long.
"Hmm... It's a bit too long for my taste," Isabelle said and Clary smirked. "You look nice though. If I can't convince you to get something a bit shorter, I think you should go with that one."
"Ok good, I'm going to check out then before you try to get me in a mini skirt and halter top. I'll meet you up front." Clary really just wanted to hide her purchases from Isabelle to avoid awkward questions. She'd been spending a lot of time with her since Simon had lost his memories, both of them using the other as comfort for what they lost. For Clary, having a girl as a "best friend" was still new to her. Isabelle was very open about her life, maybe a bit too open for Clary's taste and wanted to discuss everything about her and Jace's love life. Considering this was her first real relationship, she had a hard time talking about it, especially with someone who for all intents and purposes was her boyfriend's sister.
Clary made her purchases and waited for Isabelle up front as she had said she would. About twenty minutes later Isabelle was finally done shopping as well and they could leave. She hoped that Isabelle wouldn't ask too much about what she purchased as they made the short trip back to the institute.
Clary was holding her phone in her hands, unsure of what to say. The boys weren't home when they returned from shopping so she didn't get a chance to talk to Jace in person. She had wanted to escape Isabelle's prying questions so she had come home soon after realizing Jace wasn't there. She decided to just send a quick text: want to come by?
She had told Jace she'd be home alone tonight and she was sure he'd remember that. Only a moment went by before she got a response: Ok
She wasn't sure how long it would take him to get there so she figured she might as well change. She put on the new lingerie set and was then just going to throw on a pair of jeans and sweatshirt, not wanting to be too obvious. It was as she was getting changed though that a new rune came to her. She couldn't believe what she was seeing in her mind's eye, and copied it down before she had a chance to forget it. She stared at the rune, feeling warm all over and still in shock, though sure that it would work.
It was always like this when she copied down runes that weren't in the Gray Book. They came to her when she wasn't really trying to make new runes, but she was always confident in their meaning and their effectiveness. She smiled to herself as she finished dressing and it wasn't long before she heard a knock at the door.
Clary ran to the door, suddenly aware that it's been a couple days since she'd seen Jace. Despite the fact she was dressed so causally, he still looked at her like he always did, like she was his miracle. He immediately pulled her in his arms and rested his head in the crook of her neck, breathing her in.
"It has been way too long," Jace said, holding her close.
"No disagreement here. What's the book bag for?" she asked, hoping that he was intending on staying over.
"Oh, I was out when you texted me so I just came right here. I already had it with me." He blushed as he said this and didn't quite meet Clary's eyes, but she felt a stab of disappointment that she hoped she could hide from Jace.
He wasn't fooled though. He knew her face better than she did. "What's the matter?" Jace asked, reaching for her hands. Clary was unsure of how to ask him to stay the night, her inexperience with this type of thing making her unable to form the words.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me," he said with a pained expression. As always, her heart felt like it was going to break when she saw him look so unsure of himself.
"Do you remember that night in Idris when you told me all you wanted was to wake up next to me?" Jace nodded, but didn't say anything so she could continue. "Well I never got that. I wanted it just as badly as you did. At that moment all I wanted was to fall asleep next to you, I just wanted that night with you. Instead I woke up to an empty bed and a letter that made me think I had lost you forever. Well, I still want that night. I want a night where I can fall asleep next to you and wake up in your arms. Ideally I'd want every night with you, but since my mom is only gone for a few days I'd settle for the weekend." Clary stopped talking then, embarrassed by her rambling and nervous for what Jace would say.
Jace didn't say anything however, instead pulling her in for a kiss. He didn't need to say anything though, letting his kiss tell Clary just how much he wanted the night with her too. He parted her lips with his own, and she crushed herself to him feeling his heart pounding against hers. She was barely able to gasp out "Bedroom" before he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist and he walked her to her room.
He still seemed unsure of the bed, putting her down so she could stand up instead. It was obvious to Clary that he was putting her in control of the situation which suited her just fine. She unzipped and removed his sweatshirt and tried to pull his t-shirt over his head, but she was too short to finish the task without his help. She ran her fingers down his chest, pausing for a second on the scar she inflicted with Glorious and continued down his flat stomach eventually resting on his hips.
His hands moved to the hem of her sweatshirt and she felt a pang of unease not knowing what he would think of her recent purchase. She needn't had worried though. When Jace's eyes rested on the black lace she couldn't help feeling desirable. He was stunned into silence, a rare thing for him.
"Keep going, Herondale, there's more." Clary tried her best to sound seductive, but her nerves made her voice come out breathy instead. Jace moved to the button of her jeans, pausing to make sure that she wanted this, but she urged him on.
Clary knew that he'd seen her in nothing at all, but somehow she felt more exposed like this, standing in her black lace bra and matching panties.
"You look incredible," Jace said, his eyes roaming over her, drinking in every inch of her. "What brought this on? Not that I'm complaining of course."
"I was shopping and decided to be brave. This is all new to me, I just want to make you happy."
"Well I'm sure you can tell at this moment just how 'happy' I am. I said it before, I think it's unfair how easily you can see how much I want you, but I can't tell the same thing by looking at you. And you know I have a past, one I'd rather not discuss at this particular moment in time, but being with you is a whole new experience for me."
She went to lean up into a kiss, but he met her in the middle as their lips crashed together. She moved her hands to the buckle of his belt so she could remove his jeans as well and then tried to walk him to the bed.
"Hold up there, Fray. Before I let you have your way with me, I need to grab a condom from my book bag."
"I thought you said you were out. What were you doing that you needed condoms?"
"Ok I may have lied a bit. I packed a bag hoping you'd ask me to stay. I mean, I needed a change of clothes for the morning. I didn't want to do the walk of shame in the same clothes I arrived in the night before. What would the neighbors think?" Jace said with his signature smirk and Clary couldn't help but laugh.
"Do you trust me?" she asked.
"Of course," he answered all trace of humor gone. She pushed him onto the bed, straddling his hips and leaned in for a long, hot kiss. She pulled away and saw the hungry look in his features, his pupils blown wide with desire, as she reached to her bedside table for her stele.
"May I?" she asked and he nodded, a confused look on his face, but still total trust in her. She carefully drew the rune on his chest, knowing it was correct once she was finished and trusting its power.
"What does it mean?" he asked, staring at the black mark burned into his skin.
"It means that you don't need to get anything from your book bag, we're safe like this." Jace's eyes widened in disbelief.
"I don't want to sound like I don't trust you, but are you sure? I mean, this world is desperate need of more of my excellent DNA, but I think we're a little young yet. Not to mention your mother would kill me. Like quite literally probably run me through with a sword."
"Jace," Clary said with a laugh, "I'm very sure. It came to me before when I was thinking about us together."
"You were thinking about it? That's hot..." Clary interrupted his rambling with another kiss, not letting him get distracted. He rolled her over so she was underneath him. She could feel every inch of him against her, but felt none of his weight. He took control, and she let him, too nervous to try and take it back.
Their first time together was sweet, despite their location, but this time there was no dark cloud over their heads. They didn't have a deadly mission on the back of their minds, nothing that would make them feel rushed. They took their time and savored each touch, each kiss.
Clary could feel the tension in his shoulders as Jace was being so very careful with her, whispering her name in between kisses as their bodies moved together. Even in that final moment when he came undone against her, he repeated her name over and over, like a prayer.
It could have been hours later, or perhaps just minutes. But they laid there together in each other's arms, unwilling to let the other go.
"Are you ok?" Jace asked, his voice husky but still filled with concern. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No, you were very gentle," Clary said with a smile, knowing that would get a reaction from Jace.
"'Gentle'" Jace repeated with a mock horrified look on his face. "I didn't think I would be known as a 'gentle lover'. A sexy stud who will rock your world, maybe..." Clary laughed softly and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
"You know, it was your gentleness that made me fall in love with you." Jace smiled at her and pulled her in close, place a soft kiss on her forehead.
"I will never get tired of hearing that you love me," Jace told her, but he then got an expression on his face like something just occurred to him.
"What's wrong?"
"I was thinking, maybe we should keep this new rune of yours secret for a while."
"Why?"
"Well imagine trying to explain to your mom what it means or why you created it. She knows these new runes come to you in a moment of need. I'm trying to get her to like me and I'm not sure her knowing I took her only daughter's virginity will help my case."
"Hmm... Excellent point. We'll keep it a secret until I turn 18." Jace chuckled and pulled Clary to lay her head on his chest, drawing patterns on the skin of her back until she fell into a deep sleep. When she woke in the morning she was laying with her back to Jace's chest, his arms tight around her and the steady beating of his heart against her spine. She turned in his arms so she could see his face, peaceful and unguarded, the face only she was allowed to see when he was awake. However her movement must have woken him up, because he opened his eyes and looked down at her, smiling.
"I don't know about you, but I feel very rested," Jace told her.
"That was definitely the best night's sleep I've ever had. I wish we could have that every night." Clary said a little sadly.
"Well at least we still have tonight, plus we have a lifetime full of nights together to look forward to, though we could live a thousand lifetimes and it still wouldn't be enough," Jace said, kissing her gently before continuing. "What do you want to do today? We've got the whole day together before the party tonight."
"Well considering we're still dressed, or rather undressed for the occasion, would you like to try that new rune again?" she asked as she straddled his hips while reaching for her stele. She couldn't help her smile as she felt his body respond. "Should I take that as a 'yes'?" she teased him, running her stele across his chest but not marking him.
"By the Angel, if you don't draw that rune I might..." Clary didn't find out what he'd do though because he pulled her mouth down to his. She broke the kiss only for a moment to sit up so she could draw the rune, before lowering herself slowly onto him and enjoying the look on Jace's face as she did so. She was determined to take control this time and Jace was more than willing to let her, his eyes sweeping across her body as she was lost in the sensations that seemed to be pulling her in all directions. He kept his eyes on her for a moment more, enjoying the look of pleasure on her face, before he couldn't stand it a moment longer and pulled her down so he could kiss her.
This time it was Clary's turn to shudder apart against him first, though he quickly followed soon after.
"You know how much I love you, right?" Jace asked as he tried to catch his breath.
"Is that just the post-sex endorphins talking?" Clary asked.
"Mind-blowing sex aside, and I do literally mean 'mind-blowing' because I'm have issues forming a sentence right now. I just want to make sure you know how much I love you. I always feel like I don't say it enough."
"Mind-blowing? So even with my inexperience am I still near the top of your list?" Clary meant for it to be a joke, but it was something she was very curious about. Jace exhaled out a huff of air, almost like he was annoyed.
"Listen to me very carefully, Fray, because I don't want to talk about my past. Not because I want to hide anything from you, but because my life didn't actually start until I met you." His eyes softened a bit, as they always did when he was talking about her.
"I have a past, and not one I'm particularly proud of, but I still wouldn't change anything if it meant I didn't get to have you. I've had sex before, and I'm not going to lie and say I didn't enjoy it at the time, but it's got nothing on you and me. You don't just make me feel good, though good is a gross understatement, you make me feel loved. I didn't even know how good sex could be until you. So you can't ask me if you're on the top of my list, because there is no list. There's you, and you're all that matters to me."
"So you're happy with me?" Clary asked.
"If at any time you don't know how happy you make me just by being with me, then I'm doing something wrong. I didn't even know what happiness truly was until I met you." Jace held her face close, forcing her to see the honesty in his eyes.
"I do know, but I still like to hear it."
"Well that's perfect then," Jace said getting up and beginning to get dressed, "because I like saying it. You know how I love making speeches. Now get out of bed woman because I'm going to make us breakfast. We're going to need some sustenance if we're going to continue to test out that rune."
"You can cook breakfast?" Clary asked as she got dressed as well.
"I can do everything. When are you going to learn?"
"My mistake. What was I thinking? Does 'everything' include one more kiss, even on an empty stomach?"
"It'll be hard, don't get me wrong, but I think I can manage." Jace pulled her into his arms again, and kissed her. She parted her lips, wanting to taste him and he was more than willing to let her, but he was still gentle with her. It was the type of kiss that told her just how much he loved her, her favorite type of kiss. Heat and passion were great too, but this was pure love. I could do this forever she thought and she knew he could too. Whatever the future had in store for them, they would handle it together.