Hey guys! OH MY FUCKING GOD I HAVE 100 REVIEWS ON THIS STORY ASDFGHJKL WHAT IS LIFE?! I LITERALLY CAN'T BREATHE! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH YAY! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH OH MY GOD! Special shout out to Ice-Rose for being the 100th reviewer! Thank you and I love you! Oh my god you guys I'm crying I can't even believe I have 100 reviews! Thank you guys for reading and I love you all.
Since I have 100 reviews, I thought I should find a way to celebrate. SOOO, this chapter will be 6,000 words instead of 3,000! I hope you all like it!
Also I keep forgetting to ask... How would you guys feel about lemons in this story? Would it make you stop reading? Would you like it? PLEASE let me know. I've been trying to ask this for like 5 chapters but I just keep forgetting. So yep, let me know how you feel about some LEMONS being incorporated into the story. I'm not sure if I will be brave enough to do it either way though lol.
Also I've noticed that I end almost every chapter with Alec going to sleep... I don't know how I didn't notice that before. I'm probably going to go out of my way to make sure he's AWAKE from now on. Lol. I'm sorry to anyone who thought that was weird.
Oh and just so you all know, I run a twitter account called TMI_Memes so if anyone wants to look me up and chat I'm always willing. The only problem is that I have over 2,000 followers and I feel like I owe it to them to keep up with it so it gets kind of hard to balance the twitter, the fanfiction, and school. I'm trying really hard, but it's tough. I take a REALLY long time to write every chapter, so that doesn't help either. Basically my life is hectic and I'm getting mildly stressed about it. Yeah.
Oh and if you guys ever want to see Magnus's POV again, let me know! Like, if we get to a point in the story where you think it would be cool to hear Magnus's side of it. Just a thought.
And I think I'm going to start adding a chapter song. The song for this chapter is 'Tighten Up - The Black Keys'. I Love this song and it really fits the second to last section of this chapter, I think *wink*
Anyway, this A/N is way too long and all over the place lol. I hope you like this ridiculously long chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot. All the rest of it belongs to Cassandra Clare, who I envy EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE.
"Alec."
Alec rolled over onto his stomach, refusing to acknowledge whoever was trying to wake him up. It was way too early for this shit.
"Alec, you have to get up."
"No," Alec groaned into his pillow, throwing his arms over his head. The light suddenly flicked on, and Alec prayed to God that whoever was trying to wake him up would go away. He yanked his pillow over his head, blocking out the unwanted light and tried his bed to go back to sleep. Alec wasn't usually one to refuse getting up in the morning, but he really didn't want to deal with anything or anyone today. More specifically, he didn't want to deal with one person in particular. Alec steeled his body in place when a pair of cold hands began shaking his body roughly.
"Alexander Lightwood, if you don't get your sorry ass out of bed in the next twenty seconds, I'm going to rip your balls off and shove them up your ass."
Alec rolled his eyes but sat up anyway, squinting when the light seared his vision. "Why are you in my room, Isabelle?"
"Because I need to talk you! It's not my fault you're being a lard this morning."
"That doesn't even make sense."
"Whatever," Isabelle muttered. "You're friends with that Simon kid, aren't you?"
Alec ran his hand through his hair, trying to make sense of what was happening. The sheets were now bunched around his hips making Alec shiver as the cold air assaulted his bare chest. "Yeah... why?"
"Because," Isabelle huffed. "Jace is making me go on a double with him and Clary."
"You and Simon?"
"Yes! It's going to be a nightmare!"
"Simon's not that bad." Alec defended, smiling. "Just don't let him talk about Star Wars and you'll be fine."
"It's not funny!" Isabelle moaned, throwing herself on the bed next to Alec. Alec laughed loudly, earning a slap on the chest, and patted her head sympathetically.
"Jesus, why are all my friends dating my siblings?"
"We are not dating. Nor will we ever be." Isabelle announced, laughing despite herself. "I never thought of that. Do you mind that Clary and Jace are a thing?"
"No." he answered honestly. "I know Clary's not going to drop me just because she has Jace. She's my friend, she wouldn't do that."
Isabelle nodded and closed her eyes, finally seeming to forget about how much she didn't want to go out with Simon. Alec didn't actually think it was a bad idea, Isabelle and Simon. Isabelle needed to spend time with someone like Simon. She needed to spend time with someone who reveled simply being near someone he liked. And it would probably be good for Simon to see Jace and Clary together. That boy really needed to get over his crush on Clary. And hopefully it would help Isabelle as well. Her one night stands and (sometimes) weeklong relationships were getting hard to stomach.
"OH MY GOD!" Jace shouted, bursting through the bathroom door with gigantic smile plastered across his face. "Did you guys hear that school was called off today?"
"What?" Isabelle asked, sitting up quickly and staring at Jace like he was a raving lunatic. "What are you talking about?"
"The Dean canceled school today because the teachers are all getting behind on their grading and parents are complaining!" Jace pumped his fist in the air victoriously.
Isabelle and Jace were discussing the details of their date while Alec quietly stared off into space, unsure of what he would do with the extra time. It wasn't like Magnus was going to be back until later anyway, and Clary and Simon were both going out with Jace and Isabelle. It had been a long time since he had had time to himself to just do whatever he wanted. Maybe he could read a book. For the first time in his life, the thought of spending the day alone made him wish he had more friends. After everything that had happened with Brad, he just didn't want to spend the day alone. He didn't want to think about it more than necessary. But what else could he do? Unless… Alec smiled as he thought of one other person he could spend time with today.
"I don't get what's so hard to understand!" Max shouted, kicking a pebble across the concrete. "The lake and the mirror are the same thing."
Alec nodded, pretending he understood what exactly Max was talking about. Max always took it upon himself to explain, in full detail, the entire plot of the last book he had read to Alec every time he saw him. And Max read a lot of books. He was throwing a fit now because of some weird series about Angels and Demons that had apparently got his panties in a bunch, which didn't surprise Alec in the slightest. Max always managed to get angry about books, or more specifically, the stupid mistakes- in his opinion- that the characters in said books make.
"I mean, honestly, is the Clave just full of a bunch of idiots? Raziel is rising out of the water holding the Cup and the Sword. Jesus."
Alec laughed at how frustrated Max was becoming. It had been too long since Alec had been able to spend the day way Max; way too long. Max used to beg Alec to read him books and comics when they were younger, but thankfully that had stopped once Max was old enough to understand what was happening without Alec having to paraphrase it all again after he read it. Max was a very independent kid, almost too independent for Alec's taste. Alec missed the way Max used to run into his room every night just to make sure he got to say goodnight before Alec was asleep. Now he usually spent most of his time with his friends, who, much to Alec's dismay, he didn't really know very well. Max, being a sophomore, lived in an entirely separate dorm room, across the whole campus. That wouldn't have been a problem if Max was in the same grade as Alec, but since he wasn't, that meant Alec barely got to see him at all.
"Maybe you should call the author and complain." Alec told him, only half joking.
"Shut up," Max said, shoving Alec lightly. "Hey, did Mom ever say anything back to Izzy about Thanksgiving?"
"Yeah," Alec said, a pit of dread forming in his stomach. "She said we'll have to get together for Christmas. Apparently she and Dad are just too busy."
Alec mentally kicked himself for letting his frustration show. Isabelle, Jace, and Alec had all made a sort of unspoken agreement that they leave Max out of all the family drama they could. Not because he couldn't handle it, or because they didn't want him involved, but because he was the youngest and they didn't want him to have to deal with all that shit. None of the Lightwoods had necessarily bad relationships with their parents, but they didn't have good ones either. They all loved their parents, there was no denying that, but sometimes it was hard to come to terms with the fact that work was number one. Not them.
Alec glanced over at Max, who was staring blankly ahead of them, frowning.
"I thought that would probably be the answer." Max said flatly. He took a deep breath and looked back at Alec with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Why don't we all just do something here?"
"Isabelle's already on top of it. She won't tell me what she has planned because she 'wants it to be a surprise', but I would bet it will be something fun." Alec told him, glad that he wasn't too upset that their parents wouldn't be coming back for break.
"And mildly illegal," Max added with a grin. Alec laughed as they turned the corner, only a mile or so from their destination. Isabelle did tend to plan ridiculous, and illegal, outings for all of them. But only when their parents weren't involved. Over spring break last year they had all gone to Ireland together. Since their parents couldn't make it they had taken their driver, Hodge, with them. On the plane ride home they had begged Hodge not to tell their parents anything that had happened on the trip, and he had -thankfully- agreed. Isabelle tended to go a little crazy when they went out of country. Jace and Alec had practically dragged her out of the pub every night, prying her off whatever conquest she had chosen. Alec didn't know for sure, but he suspected she had only chosen Ireland because of the drinking age.
That was the main reason Alec was grateful for Lightwood Enterprises. He knew that if his parents hadn't started the business than he wouldn't have been able to go on crazy trips with his siblings, and that would have been a real shame. Those trips were often logged as some of the best weeks of his life, and he wouldn't trade them for anything.
"Do you think Mom and Dad will come to Nationals?" Max said quietly. "If you make it."
"I don't know." Alec responded. They hadn't come last year, but they had a good reason. Lightwood Enterprises had been closing a huge deal that week; a deal that had made the company what it was today. Sure, it stung when they chose the company over him, but he knew they meant well. His parents loved him, despite everything. They weren't the kind of parents that looked down on their kids when they messed up, or pressured them to do better. Maryse and Robert were the kind of parents that encouraged their kids to do what they loved and did anything they could to help them accomplish their dreams. The only problem was that sometimes they got a little too caught up in the glamour of it all and the kids were left in the shadows.
As much as Alec wanted to say that it didn't hurt when they said no to getting together on the holidays, or when they missed a big game, or something important like that, it did hurt. Alec was pretty sure that it hurt Max even more.
Max was a simple guy and he didn't need much to make him happy. On the other hand, it didn't take much to hurt him either. For as long as Alec could remember he had always tried as hard as he possibly could to keep Max from getting hurt and he had been successful for the most part. There were obviously some things he couldn't protect him from, but when it came to his parents, it really stung that he couldn't help. That was all on their shoulders.
"I think they should." Max said, turning suddenly fierce as if he had been reading Alec's mind. "It pisses me off that they don't come to see us. I get that the company's important, really, I do. But we are too."
Alec nodded, unsure how to respond. Max was usually never vocal when it came to parental frustrations, and it was throwing Alec off. Maybe he was just as fed up as the rest if his siblings.
"Whatever, fuck them. We can have a fun break without them." Max said adamantly. Alec raised an eyebrow at him, surprised at his language. "Oh shut up, Alec. I'm not five anymore."
"No, you're not." Alec said, laughing despite his concern. He really didn't want Max to grow up resenting his parents.
They rounded the corner silently and Alec smiled when The Bat Cave came into view. Apparently the owner liked the Batman comics best and named his entire shop after them. It was a pretty kick ass name for a comic shop, so he doubted anyone minded.
He and Max used to come here every weekend the first summer they moved to the States. But after Alec started attending Alicante and partying like it was his job, that had slowly stopped happening. It was good to come back here again.
Max pushed the door open and inhaled like he was smelling a flower garden for the first time, sighing out loud and making all the customers look up at him questioningly. He promptly ignored them and pulled Alec toward his favorite aisle; The Star Wars Aisle.
Max began telling Alec a story about Luke Skywalker and the things he did as a teenager and it suddenly occurred to him that Max and Simon would probably get along quite well. He could already imagine the Star Wars conversations that would stretch out for days and days, slowly making them hate anything that had to do with stars or wars. The thought made him smile. Even though Alec put up with all the comic talk, encouraged it even, he really wasn't that into it. Jace didn't even acknowledge Max when he went on about this or that new comic book that had apparently blown his mind, but Alec tolerated it, knowing it would better his relationship with Max. And, as much as he wanted to deny it, he sort of enjoyed some of the comics.
"Hey, Brad's here." Max said with a smile, starting toward Brad, who was just entering the store.
Alec felt his stomach drop and his eyes stretched wider than he would have thought possible. "No, no, no," he whispered, grabbing Max's arm and pulling him back behind the aisle. "We have to leave before he sees us."
"Why?" Max asked, narrowing his eyes. The expression on his face said that he obviously thought Alec was being an idiot. "Are you mad at him?"
"Not exactly… but I can't talk to him. We have to go. Please." He begged. Max rolled his eyes and shrugged, apparently accepting Alec's horrible excuse for now.
"Fine."
Alec peeked around the corner of the aisle carefully, trying his best not to let Brad see him. And then, of course, he slipped and toppled out from behind the shelter of the Star Wars aisle, which unfortunately brought him right in front of Brad. He stared at Brad, his mouth opening and closing a few times, trying to find something to say that wouldn't make him sound like a complete idiot. Brad stared at him in surprise, obviously not expecting to see him so soon.
"Alec?" he said, raising his eyebrows expectantly, as if he wanted Alec to explain his presence.
"We were just going," said Max, shoving Alec toward the door. "Nice to see you, Brad."
The chill air assaulted Alec's face harshly when Max pushed him out the door, using an excessive amount of force, and spun him around to face him.
"What the hell was that?" he demanded.
Alec tried to find a way to explain what the problem was, but couldn't find a way that left out the fact that he was gay, which he could not tell Max. "Nothing," he finally said. The word sounded untrue even in his own ears. Damn it.
"Come on, Alec. If you don't tell me I'm going to go straight back in there and ask Brad myself."
Alec's heart nearly stopped and he could feel the blood drain from his face. "No. No, you can't."
"That what in God's name happened? Jesus, Alec."
"There was an… incident after practice yesterday." he said slowly. Max made a face and Alec decided to elaborate before he went charging back into the Bat Cave. "Brad stopped me after practice and…"
"And?"
Alec took a deep, shaky breath. "He kissed me." Alec cringed at the words.
"Oh," Max said, his eyes growing wide. "Wow."
"Yeah," Alec said awkwardly, wishing the conversation was over already. He did not have it in him to tell Max he was gay today. He did not. And this conversation was getting dangerously close to that line of questioning.
"And I'm guessing from your reaction that you don't like him back?" Max asked.
SHIT. This was not supposed to happen. Max couldn't know. Alec could feel his cheeks begin to fill with color and his palms began to sweat. "Of course not! Why would you- how could you even- no!"
"Okay! Jesus, Alec. It's just, you've known Brad forever and nothing like this has ever happened before, so it's just surprising." Max shook his head and peered back into the Bat Cave, looking directly at Brad. "What did you tell him?"
"Nothing. He told me to think about it and ran off before I got the chance."
"Well… I would say now is the perfect time to fix that." Max decided. "Just go in there and tell him you're straight. Like, now."
"Right now?"
"Why not? There's no reason to make him think he has a chance when there is none."
Alec felt his stomach churn at the thought of it. He and Clary had both decide it would be the easiest thing to do, but was it really the right thing? Still, with Max here, goading him on, it was hard to do anything else. Especially when Max didn't even know he was gay. But how could he not go in there and tell Brad he was straight at this point?
Alec ran his hand through his hair worriedly, staring at the glass doors with fear pitting itself in the bottom of his stomach. No, it wasn't right. It would just hurt Brad in the long run when he found out the truth, which Alec was sure had to happen eventually. His head began to spin and he was suddenly worried he might vomit all over the concrete. "I can't."
"Why not? It's only going to get worse if you keep putting it off. Don't you have a game on Tuesday?" Max asked. Max glanced back at Alec and his face clouded with concern. "Woah, are you okay?"
"I can't," Alec repeated, his breathing speeding up. He couldn't even see straight anymore, the whole world was spinning. He could hear Max asking him something, but couldn't make out the words. He felt Max lead him toward a bench and push him gently onto it, saying more words he couldn't understand. Something was wrong. Alec leaned over the side of the bench and vomited in the trash can that was -thankfully- next to it.
Suddenly Alec felt something wet touch his face, no, pour over his face, clearing his head. He bolted up from the bench and shook his head fiercely, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Max stood over him staring at him like he had suddenly grown two heads, and handed him the remains of the water bottle that he had just consequently poured over his head.
"Are you okay, man?"
Alec cringed, instantly afraid he was going to vomit again. He didn't answer as Brad walked up to him and Alec with a somber expression on his face. Brad reached out to him, but pulled away quickly when he saw Alec's expression.
"He's fine. But Brad, I don't think you being over here right now is going to help." Max answered for him. He said it kindly, but firmly, reminding Alec of how observant Max was when it came to his siblings' feelings.
Brad's eyes grew in panic as he looked back at Alec. Alec couldn't help but feel guilty for telling Max about the kiss when Brad so obviously hadn't expected, or probably wanted, him to.
"Oh, um…" Brad trailed off, clearly unsure of what he should say. "I didn't- I don't want to…"
"You two have been friends forever, I get that." Max said. "It was brave of you to admit what you did to Alec, and I respect that you did. But Alec is straight and it's not going to happen. So please just be his friend right now."
"Max!" Alec all but screamed.
"It's okay, I get it." Brad said, his mouth hardening into a bitter line. "I should have kept my mouth shut." With that he spun around on his heel and marched away. Alec watched him make his way down the street with dismay. There was no way that that relationship was going to be able to be repaired any time soon.
"Max," Alec breathed. "Why did you do that?"
"You weren't going to, and it needed to happen. It would've been cruel to lead him on and make him believe he had a chance."
"Max."
"Come on, you know it would have been. It's not like you can just pretend to be gay so you don't hurt his feelings. I mean, that would just be-"
"Max!"
"What?" Max said quietly, as if he was noticing for the first time how serious Alec's expression was.
"It wouldn't be pretending." he said. Alec almost vomited again as he watched confusion contort Max's features, followed by a look of realization. Max's mouth slowly formed a perfect 'O' shape. Alec didn't want to know the dots that were connecting in his mind right now, the disappointment that was most likely filling his mind. Max slowly sat down on the bench, patting it gently, inviting Alec to sit with him.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Max asked quietly.
"There wasn't time. Brad just came out of nowhere and-"
"You know that's not what I meant, Alec. Why did you wait this long to tell me?" Alec wasn't sure if he was misreading Max's tone of voice or not, but he could almost swear he could hear hurt in his voice. This wasn't what he expected. Alec turned his head sharply at Max, his eyes wide with shock, and stared at him, too surprised to answer.
"You should have known I wouldn't care about something like this. It doesn't change anything. Hell, it really doesn't even matter. Who gives a shit if you like guys or girls? Not me."
Alec felt like he was going to explode. He had gone to such incredibly ridiculous lengths to ensure that Max wouldn't find out, and here he was, telling him flat out and Max didn't give a flying fuck. It was almost funny.
"Are you serious?"
"No, I'm joking. Get the fuck away from me you nasty homo." Max said flatly. He shook his head slowly and slapped Alec's shoulder. "Honestly, Alec, you'd think you would have a little faith in your own family."
"I can't believe you're okay with his," Alec mumbled, unsure whether he could really accept reaction or not. This was almost too good to be true.
"Get over yourself," Max drawled, nudging Alec with his shoulder and rolling his eyes dramatically. Max stood up and offered Alec his hand, pulling him off the bench gently, as if trying not to jostle his stomach. "I'm not going to quit loving you because you're gay, Alec. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
Alec smiled, but didn't respond as they made their way down the sidewalk. A few minutes of silence passed before Max spoke again.
"You're going to have to tell Jace soon." Max said. "And he can't know that I knew before him. You know how he is about these things."
Alec did know. Jace hated being reminded that he was adopted. Any time they went to visit their grandparents he always winced when their Grandmother made a comment about how much all the kids except Jace looked like their parents. Ever since they were little Alec had always gone out of his way to make sure Jace knew that he was a part of the family, not an outsider. This kind of thing was exactly the kind of thing that would hurt him.
"I'll keep my mouth shut until he knows. If I recall correctly, you told him before me." Max said with a smile.
And with that, the conversation ended and they made their way back to the school smiling, forgetting about the comic shop altogether.
Alec sat on his bed alone, trying halfheartedly to read Les Miserables. Max had eventually gone to hang out with some of his friends, leaving Alec alone for the night. Jace and Isabelle had gone out an hour or so ago with Clary and Simon, and Alec felt like he was possibly the only student on the entire campus that was doing absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, Magnus hadn't contacted him about when he was getting back with Tessa, so that was out. Most of the rich kids were getting ready for next weekend, leaving the halls quiet and empty. Most kids would be making the most of the long weekend, thanks to Thanksgiving. It was good and bad at the same time. Alec liked being alone sometimes, but not today. Today he was feeling too many emotions to be left alone to deal with them. He missed Magnus, he felt guilty about Brad, he felt angry about his parents, and he felt proud that he came out to Max… but it was just too much.
Alec jumped when he heard his phone go off, and slowly dragged himself off his bed to grab his phone out of his bag, smiling when he saw a text from Magnus.
Hey, are you busy?
Not particularly, Alec responded. He rolled onto his back and closed his eyes, tossing the Les Miserables book onto his pillow by his feet. His eyes were beginning to droop and he knew if he kept reading he would fall asleep.
"Knock, knock."
Alec tipped his head back to see Magnus standing in the doorway smiling at him. His hair was down, sweeping across his face as if the wind had blown it there perfectly. His eyes were decorated with minimal makeup, a look that Alec appreciated greatly. He was wearing a pair of skintight, black jeans and a hot pink shirt that looked magnificent against his olive skin. It was all Alec could do not to drool at the sight of him. "It was unlocked," he explained, mistaking Alec's wide eyed stare for confusion.
"Hey!" Alec said, smiling at Magnus sweetly. "You didn't tell me you were back."
"I wanted to surprise you," Magnus said, slowly making his way toward Alec. He knelt down and kissed Alec gently, earning a giggle from his boyfriend. "What?"
"That just made me think of Spider-Man."
"You're ridiculous," Magnus said, shaking his head and pulling Alec upright. "Now let me give you a proper kiss."
Alec complied and melted into the kiss, involuntarily sighing into Magnus's mouth. Three days was definitely too long to go without kissing Magnus Bane.
Magnus's fingers ran up Alec's arms lightly, leaving tingling skin in their absence. Alec shuddered when Magnus's hands slipped under his shirt and began roaming along the sensitive skin on his back. He slipped his hands into Magnus's hair and tugged lightly, earning a soft -but definitely there- moan from the back of his throat. Magnus's mouth moved slowly across Alec's jaw, his teeth gently grazing the skin at the corner of his jaw. Alec was seeing stars. He couldn't believe that one human being could be the cause of the feelings that were steadily growing inside him. Magnus was almost other-worldly in the way he moved, the way he breathed against Alec. Alec didn't even know it was possible to feel this much at one time, but somehow Magnus accomplished it.
Magnus swung his legs around on the bed so Alec was sitting in between them, resting on his own feet. He moved his lips back up to Alec's and managed to deepen the kiss even further, which almost knocked the air out of Alec's lungs. His head was spinning out of control and he briefly wondered if it was normal that he couldn't think straight when Magnus kissed him. At all.
Alec slipped his hands up the front of Magnus's shirt, silently thanking God that Magnus wasn't ticklish like he was, tracing invisible patterns along his hard stomach. Magnus wasn't extremely muscular, but he had certain definition to his body that was impossible to miss. He was slight, but firm; a combination that Alec found utterly beyond compare. One of Magnus's hands slipped into his hair as his lips grazed the skin over Alec's jaw, the other slowly moving downward along his chest.
Magnus was everywhere at once, burning trails of pure fire along every inch of his body. Everywhere he touched broke into gooseflesh the moment he removed his hands. His hand moved down even further and grazed the top of Alec's hip bone, sending chills all over Alec's body while his other hand played with the hem of his shirt. Alec pulled his hands out of Magnus's shirt and pulled their faces back together, kissing him with everything he had. Magnus hummed into his mouth and nipped at his bottom lip playfully, causing Alec to smile into his mouth. Magnus pulled away gasping, and leaned his forehead against Alec's. Magnus's eyes darted to the door and then back to Alec's face, then back to the door again as if doing a double take. Magnus's eyes were wider than Alec had ever seen them as he glanced from the door and then back at Alec repeatedly.
"What?" Alec asked, craning his neck to look behind him at the door. Alec's heart almost stopped when he saw what Magnus had been looking at.
Jace stood at the threshold of Alec's room with huge eyes and his jaw hanging agape. Alec couldn't move, couldn't even breathe. This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening. Jace and Isabelle weren't supposed to be back yet. He couldn't be here. He couldn't.
But he was. Jace stared at him for a moment longer before wrenching himself out of his frozen state and walked straight through the bathroom and into his room, closing the door silently behind him.
Alec turned to Magnus, beseeching him with his eyes. He had no idea what to do at this point, and he needed Magnus to tell him or he quite possibly would have a heart attack before he had the chance to do anything.
"Go," Magnus said, extricating himself from Alec. Alec didn't move. He wasn't sure that he could move. "Go, Alec." Magnus urged him, pushing him gently toward the bathroom. Alec's breathing was speeding up, along with his heartbeat, as he slowly made his way to the door. He looked back at Magnus one last time before opening it. Magnus waved his hand, trying to tell him to go without actually speaking, and Alec took a deep breath and opened it.
Jace hadn't shut the door his side of the bathroom, thankfully, so Alec didn't have to knock. That probably would have made him lose his nerve, if he even had any to begin with.
"Jace?" he said, surprised at how even his voice sounded. He peeked around the corner to see Jace sitting on his bed, facing him.
"I didn't think you'd come in here," Jace said, phrasing it like a question. Alec stared at him silently for a moment, completely unsure of what he was supposed to say.
"I- I didn't- I mean, I'm not-"
"Oh, shut up Alec. I don't know why you're spazzing out right now. It's not like anyone would be surprised by what I just saw."
"What?" Alec whispered.
"Alec. I already knew you were seeing Magnus."
Alec froze as Jace's words sunk in. Jace knew. Jace knew. And apparently he thought it was obvious and expected Alec to know that he knew. Alec tried to breathe but it felt like there was a truck parked on his chest.
"Why you were going to such lengths to hide it from me, on the other hand, is beyond me." Jace shook his head. "I know you told Isabelle."
"I didn't. She found out on her own." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he had a chance to think about what he was saying.
"If she already knew then why didn't you tell me?" Jace asked, his expression turning almost desperate. "I don't understand. Am I not trustworthy enough? Did I do something?"
"No! No, you didn't do anything,Jace."
"Then why?"
Alec's heart was thudding against his ribcage almost painfully. Max hadn't wanted an explanation and he was completely unprepared to give one. He didn't even know why he was so scared. Jace had practically just told him that he had known Alec was gay for a long time now, and didn't care at all. That should make him jump for joy. It would on any normal occasion.
"I don't know. It's hard to explain." Alec said.
"Don't try to pull that shit with me," Jace said, narrowing his eyes. All signs of desperation were gone. "Why?"
"I was scared, alright? You know how Mom and Dad would react if they knew. It absolutely petrifies me to know how many people would hate me if they knew." Alec gasped, his breathing picking up. "And now that the company is doing so well, it's even worse! Clary told me we were on the front page of U.S. Weekly a few weeks ago. Us, not Mom and Dad. I just don't want-"
"Alec!" Jace shouted. "Calm the fuck down!"
Alec took a deep, shaky breath and stared at Jace, willing himself to stop his tirade. He couldn't believe he'd just said the things that he did, and he was already starting to feel queasy.
"You didn't answer my question. Why didn't you tell me?"
Alec took a deep breath, attempting to expel any fear that was still lingering in his mind. "Your opinion is the most important to me, out of everybody. I didn't want you to think less of me or hate me because of this."
"Alexander," Jace began, making Alec's heart nearly stop. No one ever called him Alexander unless he was in trouble. "How could you think, even for a second, that I could ever hate you?"
Alec was speechless. He had expected a lot of things out of this conversation; anger, sorrow, hatred… but never this. He had never expected Jace, the boy who never, never, expressed his feelings to say something like this. This was as good as 'I love you' in Jace's book.
"You're my best friend. You're my family. You were the first person to ever tell me that I wasn't adopted, I was engraved into this family. You made me feel like I belonged, even when I didn't think I did. Nothing you could ever do, or be, could ever change that." Jace got off the bed and pulled Alec into an embrace. "I love you, okay? And I don't give a flying fuck if you like guys or girls. Jesus. Now get back into your room and… do whatever it is you two were doing. I promise I won't interrupt again."
Alec flushed a ridiculous shade of red and nodded, slowly walking back toward the bathroom. "Jace?" he said, turning back around once he reached the door.
"What?"
"Thank you."
A small smile crossed Jace's lips before it turned into his usual smirk. "No problem, Ass Face. Now get out of my room."
So how did you guys like it? It's more than 6,400 words long, and it was a BITCH to write, so you BETTER like it! I'm expecting LOTS of reviews for this chapter, I'm not going to lie. I put DOUBLE the work into it, dammit! *wink*
The next chapter will be the date, I promise! So don't be too angry with me for making you wait this long.
Anyway, let me know what you think in the REVIEW section! Don't forget, I'm always open to suggestions! Please review! Love you all!