Jace stood on Magnus's doormat, not totally sure why he was here. He'd changed his mind many times over the last week, but had finally decided to do this for Alec. The door didn't open right away and Jace had just decided to ring the bell again, when Magnus appeared looking rather surprised to see him.
"Hi," Jace said lamely. Magnus blinked twice as if he didn't believe what he was seeing. After a few moments, Magnus seemed to accept that it was indeed Jace standing at the door, but Magnus still didn't seem to have anything to say.
"Sorry to just show up like this, but I was hoping to talk to you," Jace said. "Do you have a minute?"
"For you?" Magnus said. "No."
"It's about Alec."
There was something in Magnus's expression Jace couldn't identify, but Magnus let Jace in with a look that held the slightest hint of concern. Magnus's apartment was so much better than the dorms. For starters, it had more than one room. From where he stood, Jace could see the living room, furnished with chairs and a couch that pointed at the television, and a sliver of a kitchen around the corner.
"You wanted to talk, so talk," Magnus said, abruptly. Jace got the feeling Magnus didn't want him to stay long. "Has something happened to Alec?"
"No nothing like that," Jace said as he realized why Magnus had looked concerned. "I just wanted to ask you something." Magnus didn't answer, so Jace continued. "Do you care about Alec?"
"What kind of question is that?" Magnus spat at him.
"An important one," Jace said.
"Of course I care," Magnus said. "Why do you think we were friends?"
"But, do you care about him as more than a friend?" Jace asked.
"And this is your business because?" Magnus replied.
"Alec is my friend. I just want to know," Jace said. He was sick of watching Alec hurting. Over the past week, Jace had started spending more and more time with his roommate, and even after just a week of friendship, Jace could tell Alec wasn't happy. He missed Magnus, and Jace wanted to know if there was any hope, or if Alec had to move on.
"Please go away," Magnus said with a sigh. Jace just couldn't understand why Magnus, if he wanted to be with Alec, would sabotage himself like this. Jace knew he was no expert when it came to relationships, but he couldn't have Clary, whereas Magnus and Alec had nothing standing in their way if indeed their interest was mutual. Jace had to conclude Magnus was only sad about losing his friend and, just as Alec thought, didn't return his feelings. Jace turned and left the apartment. He heard the door close loudly behind him.
On his way back to campus, Jace saw Christmas lights on every house. There was even a giant Santa's sleigh complete with reindeer on someone's roof. Christmas meant winter break, which Jace was all for, but it also meant exams, which he was considerably less keen on. In the new year the wrestling season started, but Jace's coach insisted they start training now. This meant that with exams to study for and coaches to please, Jace was very busy. His scholarship depended on his attending practices and getting at least decent grades. Furthermore, since even Sebastian viewed Jace keeping his scholarship as important, this helped his friend from being annoyed at Jace's absence this past week. They usually spent all their time together, but Jace had hung out with Alec most of the week instead. He did feel bad for ditching Sebastian, but they'd spent their whole lives together. Why couldn't Jace branch out now and meet new people in University? It didn't make Sebastian any less of his friend if Jace wanted a have friendships with other people, at least that was how Jace justified his behaviour in his mind. Besides, Alec helped Jace be the kind of man Clary could take seriously, while Sebastian only confirmed his bad reputation. And even if Clary never did believe him, Jace liked the person he was with Alec.
Speaking of new people, Jace thought as he passed by the turn that would take him toward Trinity's place. The last interaction he'd had with Trinity was a text on the day Clary rejected him.
'No more booty calls,' Jace had texted. 'She didn't believe me when I talked to her so I need to show her.'
'It's been fun,' Trinity had replied. 'But go get the girl. I'm rooting for you.'
Jace had smiled at her response. He wondered since meeting her why Sebastian always wanted to hit on a new girl every night. Especially girls who were interested in more than just sex, but never got it. Jace had always tried to make sure the woman he slept with knew he wasn't boyfriend material, but his relationship with Trinity had been better still. They'd both wanted the same thing and no one had gotten hurt. Why couldn't Sebastian try something similar?
As Jace reached the campus he turned toward the main school and the gym rather than the dorms. Practice was starting soon and he shouldn't be late even if the season was still weeks away. As he slowly made his way around the school, Jace let himself think about Clary, about her smile and the way the light shone off her hair. She was often in his thoughts and Jace was done fighting it. If he was never going to know her for real, than he could at least let himself think of her.
Jace greeted his team as he entered the gym. They all replied with similar greetings, then the coach blew his whistle and it was time to get to work. The next few hours consisted of repeating the same defensive and offensive moves to take out his teammates, while only landing flat on his ass a few times. When the couch finally called it a night, Jace was slightly sore and ready to go home. Maybe this is why the coach wanted them to start practices early. Jace figured the couch thought they'd all gone soft, and maybe that was the case. Though Jace knew from experience it wouldn't take long for his muscles to adjust.
Jace said goodnight to his team and left the gym. It was getting late. The sun had set and Jace walked through the dark grounds toward the dorms. He sometimes wished wrestling practice was earlier in the day, but that usually conflicted with classes. The weekend practices were morning or afternoon whereas the weekday practices were in the evening. Jace liked the afternoon practices, but he hated having to get out of bed early for the morning ones.
As Jace entered the common area he was surprised to see that it was empty, except for Clary's boyfriend laying on a couch with a blanket and pillow as if he intended to sleep there. Jace tried to remember the guy's name, but it eluded him.
"Hey," Jace said as he went over. "You okay?"
"You're that guy," the brown haired kid said sitting up. "The blonde Clary was staring at in class."
"Guilty," Jace said with a smile. "Though I think she might have just been spacing out in my direction."
"I'm not so sure," the guy grumbled. Jace tried not to be happy about this, but it was impossible. If Clary had been staring at him for any other reason… well he couldn't blame her boyfriend for being grumpy.
"So why does it look like you are planning on sleeping in the lounge?" Jace asked.
"Stupid roommate," the guy complained. "He has about three guys in that room right now. They are all drinking and being loud."
"Is he at least nineteen?" Jace asked. "Cause if not you could get them in some serious trouble."
"I have no clue how old my roommate is," the guy said. "And I don't want to piss him off. He's a big guy." Jace got the sense Clary's boyfriend had not been popular in high school. "I'm only at this stupid school for Clary, but I hardly see her. It's not fair."
"She must be really busy with classes," Jace said.
"That and she's worried about Magnus," the guy said. "Like, all the time." Jace got the impression from the guy's face that he wished Clary would worry about him like that. There was a hint of jealousy there.
"They're just friends," Jace said.
"I know."
"Besides," Jace said. "I know how she feels. I'm worried about Alec. He's miserable too."
"Those two are idiots," the guy said, and Jace couldn't help laughing. Okay maybe this guy wasn't all bad, but Jace could still dislike him right? Jace was jealous as hell of this stupid dork, but then Alec's words went through Jace's mind.
Be selfless. Take an interest in the things she cares about.
And Jace realized he wasn't allowed to hate this guy. If this silly nerd guy mattered to Clary then he mattered to Jace.
"I'm Jace by the way."
"Simon," the guys replied. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Jace said. "Do you want some help with the roommate situation?"
"How can you help?"
"Well, I am very intimidating," Jace laughed.
"No kidding," Simon said. "I have to confess I am surprised you are talking to me right now."
"Why?"
"When I met you," Simon said. "I got the feeling you were well… I just never figured you for someone who would make small talk with the awkward nerd kid." It was then Jace noticed Simon's very nerdy appearance, with his glasses and Star Wars t-shirt.
"High school's over," Jace said with a shrug. Though he had to admit, if Simon didn't have a connection to Clary, Jace probably would have just walked past him.
"I know," Simon said. "But Clary and I went straight from high school to university."
"Which room is yours?" Jace asked. Simon told Jace almost automatically, and then seemed to regret it as Jace walked quickly down the hall with Simon trailing behind him.
Upon opening Simon's dorm room, Jace saw four guys sitting on one bed all sharing a rather large bottle of what Jace guessed was cheap vodka. The whole room smelled of some kind of body spray or maybe it just stank of body odour. Jace couldn't tell, but either way he was about to walk right in and kick them out when Simon grabbed his arm.
"Please don't!" Simon whispered. Jace turned, and the pleading look on Simon's face stayed Jace's hand.
"Fine," Jace said. "But you are crashing at my place tonight. Tomorrow I'm turning them in."
Simon didn't seem to have anything to say to this, but he followed Jace down the hall and back to the lounge where Jace collected the cushions from the couches. Handing one to Simon, Jace carried the other two back down the hall and up a flight of stairs to his and Alec's dorm room.
"Alec," Jace called as he entered his dorm. "Do you mind if Simon stays with us tonight? His roommate is being a jerk."
"Sure," Alec said not looking away from his laptop. "Sheldon can stay."
"Simon," Jace corrected. Alec finally pulled his eyes away from his computer to look at them.
"Oh sorry," Alec said. Then he turned back to his laptop quickly adding, "I gotta finish this for tomorrow. Sorry, no time for socializing."
"Sorry about him," Jace said. "He's behind on homework it seems. I hope the floor is okay?" Jace placed the cushions in a row on the floor between his and Alec's beds.
"Floor is great," Simon said as he added the third cushion. Once Jace threw a blanket over the three cushions it almost looked like a real bed.
Alec stuck to his laptop while Simon awkwardly got comfortable on his floor bed. Jace wanted so badly to talk to Simon about Clary, but knew he shouldn't. If Simon knew how often Jace thought about kissing his girlfriend, Simon may not want to stick around and he was sure his feelings for Clary would shine through no matter how he tried to hide them.
When the lights went out and Alec finally turned off his laptop, Jace lay there and thought of Simon's belief that Clary had been looking at him for a reason. When a girl stared at him, Jace always made a point to talk to her - I mean why not right? - and Clary wasn't the first girl to ever stare at him like that, but she was the first one he stared back at for more than a moment. She was the first one to capture his whole attention from the moment he spoke to her and hold it thereafter.
Jace's hand rested on her narrow hip. His gaze moved up her slim figure until he was gazing into her green eyes. She smiled at him and he felt her hand on his cheek. Clary's beautiful freckled face looked back at him with a gentleness, but also a fire. It was one of the things Jace liked about her, the fierceness he found in her. Somehow he knew, not just from her obvious affection for her friends, but also from her protective body language, that she would do anything for those she loved. She was a fighter, but he suspected she didn't know how rare that made her. No matter if she was wearing baggy boys clothes or not, Jace could see the beauty that lay beneath. He leaned in to to kiss her and it was as if the world around them ceased to matter.
Jace woke up to the sound of his alarm and cursed it silently for cutting his dream sort before he kissed her. It's not like he got to kiss her when he was awake! So, why did his stupid alarm have to deny him the pleasure while asleep? That was just mean!
Jace turned off his alarm, sat up and saw that Simon and Alec were already awake. Why was he always surrounded by morning people? What was so freaking wonderful about the morning anyway?
"I have to go grab my books then head to class, but I really appreciate the place to crash," Simon said.
"No problem," Jace said as he fell back into bed. He heard the door open then close and knew Simon had left.
"Way to make nice with the boyfriend," Alec said laughing. "That is Clary's boyfriend right?"
"Yep," Jace said, only slightly miserably. With a sigh Jace got out of bed.
"So," Jace said. "I think you need to go on a date." Alec stopped packing up his backpack and turned to stare at Jace.
"Huh?" Alec asked.
"To help you get over Magnus," Jace explained. "I've watched you do nothing but mope for the last week and I know you spent the last two months wishing he'd wake up and smell the sexual tension, so it's time to date someone else."
"I don't really date much," Alec said.
"All the more reason to start," Jace said.
"It doesn't seem fair to ask a guy on a date while I'm hung up on someone else," Alec argued.
"Geez! It's just a date!" Jace exclaimed. "It's not like you are proposing or something."
"I don't know," Alec said, but Jace could tell he was wearing down.
"If you don't ask someone out, I will set you up," Jace said with a grin. "And I promise you, I have horrible taste in guys."
"Alright, fine!" Alec said as he flung his backpack over his shoulder. "I have class you schemer. See you later."
"I want to know the name of your date by the time you get home tonight!" Jace called after Alec with a smile on his face. Alec waved a hand dismissively at Jace as he left.
Jace also had class, though it wasn't his class with Clary and he was considering skipping it today. After all, he still had to make good on his promise to Simon. Besides, Sebastian was in that class with him. He could get the notes later.
Jace got dressed, left his dorm and headed toward the main school. Once he had explained in detail to the consular what Simon's roommates had done, Jace was sure Simon would be roommate free in no time since it turned out Simon's roommate was only eighteen. And as such, so not allowed to be drinking at all, let alone on campus.
As Jace headed to his next class, he quickly texted Alec.
'Asked anyone on a date yet?' Jace texted.
'No!' Alec replied quickly. 'Butt out.'
Jace laughed, but put his phone away. He'd gone to see Magnus for this very reason. If Alec couldn't have Magnus, Alec needed to move on and Jace was determined to help Alec do just that. Jace would nag him again later if Alec didn't have a date when he arrived home tonight. Jace knew Alec needed the assist if he was ever going to get back in the game, though he suspected Alec had never really been in the game at all.
I have added beta read by Holly0114 into the summary so I can stop adding it to the end of EVERY chapter! lol.
So the votes for story titles stand at 5 votes for "Roommates & Soulmate" AND 7 votes for "University of Tangled Romances"
That is too close guys! Please if you haven't voted yet throw in your two cents. Its way to close to being a tie!
I have decided to keep it rated M since that was the universal consensus. The timeline being vague didn't seem to bother anyone but I might still add the month in bold to chapters... we shall see if I feel motivated sometime to do that... yeah... probably not. lol. I am keeping track of it now though so it should get less vague.
So... I went a little crazy last night and started a new Malec AU... WTF! OMG! I am already trying to update two stories in a timely manner! Why brain why!
it seems I have a serious fanfic writing addiction and when this or my other Delena story ends I shall start uploading a new Malec one. :) Sigh.
Sneak Peek Chapter 17:
"Huh?" Alec asked confused.
"What you did to Magnus!" Clary exclaimed.
"What I did?!" Alec said standing up and suddenly glaring at her.
"Yes," Clary said. "He's miserable and it's your fault! Can't you just be his friend."
"No I can't!" Alec said and he didn't really feel like yelling to the whole cafeteria all the naughty details about why he couldn't be just Magnus's friend. Simply being near Magnus did things to Alec he had no words for.
