So basically I have no excuse except that I have had a trillion things on my mind since... you know what I'm not actually going to tell you how long I've been gone because it makes me sad to even think about it. But now I'm back and I'm so glad I am because I've missed you all so much!
So without further ado, here you go!
SoTC: Cheap Hotel by Leon Else
QoTC: "I'm Batman" - Dean Winchester
Alec grimaced at the light pouring through his window; it was way too bright and it triggered a pounding ache in his head.
He groaned as he pulled himself up to shut the blinds, but he immediately fell back onto his bed as a wave of dizziness hit him.
"Alec! Get your hungover ass down here, I've got water, toast and ibuprofen for you but I'm sure as hell not walking up those stairs!"
By the angel, Jace shouting at him was not helping, but he knew that if he didn't respond and/or didn't go down, Jace's rant would continue.
"I'm coming Jace, now shut the hell up!"
Note to self, Alec thought, never - and never means like seriously never - shout when hungover, it hurts like hell.
O.o.O
By the time Alec made it down the stairs, everyone else was seated around the kitchen bench - he guessed that Magnus, Simon and Clary had probably stayed the night, judging by the pillows and blankets thrown over the couches.
"Nice of you to join us." Said Jace, grinning as he handed over the water and ibuprofen.
Not even wanting to reply but obviously expected to, Alec downed the pill with the water before quickly stating what was to him, an obvious problem.
"I was promised toast."
"Yeah, yeah, it's coming, it's coming. Now come on, tell us, what does it feel like to be wasted for the first time?"
"To Hell with you Jace. And as if you don't know, you of all people would know." Alec grinned wryly as he muttered the last part.
Jace's eyes widened and Clary looked up at him sternly.
"You of all people, Jace?" Clary repeated.
Alec could tell Jace was uncomfortable now. He had changed for Clary, but before she came along, Hell, Jace was a nightmare.
"Uhhhh…"
Before Jace had to try to explain himself, something Alec was sure he would stuff up, Izzy spoke up.
"Look Clary, Jace was different before… before this year. Actually you know what, I'm not twisting the truth. Jace was a bloody nightmare before he met you Clary. I mean seriously, if a person can be crowned biggest partier on the planet that title would go to Jace Herondale. It was a new girl every week and an ego bigger than the pacific ocean… scratch that, his ego is still bigger than the pacific ocean -"
At this, Jace, who had been sitting silently in shame with his head slightly bowed, looked up to give Isabelle the holy grail of all bitch-faces; which she chose pointedly to ignore.
"- but here's the thing Clary. You've changed him. I have no freaking clue what you did, but he cares now; he cares about more than just Alec, Max and I; he cares about his life and the people in it and around him."
A moment of silence washed over the group, as everyone took in Izzy's words. Alec looked around at each of them. Magnus stood watching Izzy with look on his face Alec could only describe as pride, Simon lounged on the couch, mouth slightly agape, his brother sat slightly slumped, a tinge of sadness in his eyes but a tinge of hope was there too when he looked at Clary. Clary, who leant on the bench looking between Izzy and Jace, a look of what had to be affection as her gaze shifted to the latter.
After a moment more, Alec decided to break the silence.
"So this is touching and all and I'm sure that Clary and Jace have a lot to discuss but where is my goddamn toast?"
O.o.O
As everyone continued to serve up breakfast and go about their business, Clary still leant on the bench. She couldn't quite believe what she had just been told.
But as she thought about it more, of course she could believe it. Her first impression of Jace, when he had seen him on the football field that morning was that he was a player, and nothing more.
He had proved her wrong, and to be honest, the idea that she had nudged him in some way to change and to be able to prove her wrong, well, that made her heart flutter just a bit.
Clary was lost in her head and jumped slightly when she felt a warm hand on her back.
She turned to see Jace, his golden eyes bright in the morning, a mixture of shame and what she thought may have been affection.
She didn't need to hear any words as he gently took her hand and pulled her into the next room.
It wasn't that she was disappointed about his past; the past was in the past and so far it hadn't caught up to her or Jace yet; but it was that he was so clearly disappointed in himself.
And that hurt.
That hurt that he hated the person he used to be and still placed those weights on his shoulders and that shame lay heavy in his heart.
So when they were out of sight.
Just in the TV room next door.
And they had both stopped. Quiet and staring.
She stood up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.
His arms too came to embrace her as she whispered 8 words; her lips softly brushing against his skin but nothing else moving except the slow rise and fall of their breaths and the pounding of their hearts.
"We can let go of the past together."
O.o.O
Clary and Jace just stood there in embrace for a number of minutes neither of them counted, but to both it felt like a forever they never wanted to leave. But nothing can last forever.
"Clary." Jace started, pulling away slightly so as to see her face. "You saved me you know. I don't know why and I still don't know how. But you and your fighting spirit and your emerald eyes and your red curls, you made me see how beautiful life can be if you care deeply about everything you do and everything around you. God, I've only known you for a couple of days Morgenstern, how did you do it?"
Clary frowned slightly at this, looking up at the golden haired boy. "Do what?"
"How did you manage to crack through my walls? How did you manage…" Jace trailed off softly, not saying the words which didn't need to be said. The words that meant so much but if said aloud would be too cliche. How did you manage to touch my heart?
Arms still around each other, both just looked.
It wasn't staring and it wasn't looking just for the sake of it. It was two people looking into the eyes of another, sharing stories and emotions and words through the tiniest of movements.
Just as Jace leant down, slightly, his eyes flicking down to Clary's lips and back up to her eyes, and Clary leant up to do the same; Max stumbled through the door they had left ajar.
Clary and Jace sprung apart faster than a blink and Max just stood there in the doorway, staring.
"Max, buddy, you good?" Jace asked the gaping 9 year old, a small smile playing on his face.
Clary just giggled, something she noticed she was doing more often around Jace - but not something to deliberate on now - as he sputtered a bit more before blurting the words he had intended to say before he had seen, well, the two of them standing a bit closer than friends.
"Izzy says that you have to eat or, or she'll throw out all the breakfast and you will be hungry until lunchtime."
Clary and Jace laughed, and before Max could sprint out to the others, Clary placed a hand on each shoulder and bent down to look at him eye-level - which wasn't much, he was nearing her short 5'2" frame already.
"Hey Max, can you keep a secret?" Clary asked.
"Of course."
"Okay good, so it's a secret that Jace and I were hugging okay? You know what, everything that you saw, that's a secret, got it bud?"
Max smiled at the redhead he already adored as a sister.
"Got it."
"Good."
And with that, Max ran out of the TV room and back out to the others. Clary looked back up to Jace and she swore she could see a small blush colour his cheeks, and she smiled a bit inside.
A grin then cracked across his face as he held out on arm, bowing like he had that day in the glasshouse.
"After you my lady."
Clary laughed at his perfect British imitation.
"Thank you kind sir."
And they both walked back out laughing.
"You know, you really gotta work on that accent Morgenstern."
"Yeah, yeah. Well I'm sorry I don't have British blood so close in my ancestry."
"You guessed?" Jace looked amused as he looked down at the 5'2" girl he was falling for hard.
"It's not hard. I mean, your accent is too perfect to be completely fake."
"Ah well, the secrets out."
The others just smiled and stared at them as they entered back into the kitchen/living space; laughing and with a look mirrored in both of their eyes.
A look that only they couldn't see.
A look that clearly said I love you.
So there you go! I hope you liked it lovelies, now don't forget to leave a review letting me know what you think, or if you have any ideas you'd love to see happen in the story, etc. Also if you want, you can PM me - I always love hearing from others in the fandom (or any fandom which I am a part of, which is like, everything) whether it's to discuss something or even just have a good ol' chat. Also, if your birthday's coming up - let me know an I can dedicate a chapter to you!
Love you all!
Zx