Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments Series.
"I'm not doing it wrong"
"Yes you are"
"It's just pancakes, I literally can't mess it up"
"Clearly you can, you're adding too much flour"
Clary fumed in anger at Jace's constant negative commentary, he had made a comment about every single thing she did. From the way she cracked the eggs to the way she poured milk. Why couldn't he be a misogynistic ass saying women belong in the kitchen while watching TV?
But NO! Jace Herondale had to have an opinion about everything. Including how to make pancakes, like she had never made pancakes before.
Too much flour he thinks? Well she can fix that, The flour was still at the top of the batter so she took out some from the top in her hands and blew on it so it scattered all over his face.
"Better?" Clary asked with the most innocent expression except for her wicked smile.
"Much better actually yeah. That's the amount of flour you need" Jace nodded as he removed the flour from his eyes, "Although it needs some milk" he took the carton that was on the counter and flung it up so that the milk splattered on her face.
Clary gasped in shock as her face and parts of her hair were covered in milk, she looked up at him with pure disdain before she pretended to look behind him in shock. When he turned back to look at what she was looking at, she quickly got an egg and smashed it to the top of his head.
His head turned back to her dangerously slow and he looked ready to murder, she smiled sweetly and said "Don't you just love eggs in the morning?"
"I do actually" Jace nodded, feigning tranquility "In fact, have some yourself".
He held her by the waist when she made a move to run and brought her closer to him so that her back was to his chest, she squealed and fought his hold but he was stronger than her and with his free hand smashed an egg to the top of her head.
"Jace" She squeaked in horror as the cold liquid material dripped over her face making her shiver in disgust. God the smell was horrifying.
"Yes, Clary?" He answered with fake casualty as if he hasn't done what he'd done.
"Let me go. This is gross" She pushed against his hold but to no use, he was a lot stronger than her. But that didn't mean she would stop trying.
"No, I think you should try your best to escape" Jace chuckled, his cold breath brushed against her ear sending shivers from her neck to the bottom of her spine, suddenly becoming aware of the heat emitting from his body, so close to her own, she could feel every muscle of his around her, engulfing her in everything that was Jace.
The smell of him heightened her senses which made her panic more. Come on Clary, get out of his grip before you do something you regret. She tried to stomp on his foot but he saw her move and pushed his feet back.
She tried to elbow him but he had a hold on both her wrist that she couldn't move, she sighed annoyed and he noticed "Ready to give up yet, Clary?"
Clary narrowed her eyes, irked by his behavior and his patronizing tone, so that lead her to do something she had never tried before, and would later come to regret. She arched her back to make her slightly taller and snapped her head back so that her skull hit his.
"Ow" they both chanted as Jace, in shock, let go of Clary, each of them raising their hands to their wounded areas. Clary turned to Jace, he had a hand to his forehead but he seemed fine, "You have a hard head".
"Like you're one to talk, your head is no pillow either" Jace said then stopped as if he was contemplating the thought, "Well if the pillow was made of bricks-"
"Shut up" Clary said as she clutched the back of her head.
"Are you hurt badly?" Jace asked as he came closer to her and placed his hand over her head, and tried examining it. She tried smacking his hand away but he smacked hers back teasingly, "Let me check it out" He said.
"Oh so what you're a medical expert now?" Clary sassed as she crossed her arms over her chest, though she let him check her head out.
"You forget I live with a doctor and I used to get my head bashed in a lot after I got myself into some trouble as a kid" Jace said with a laugh.
"So what should I call you Doctor Jace from now on?" Clary scuffed.
"Oh I like that, say it again." Clary's body went hot and cold at the same time as he said that, her cheeks flaming red as she lowered her head and cast her gaze away from him as he said that.
She hadn't realized how dirty it sounded until he pointed it out. "No" she shrieked.
"Come on, say it again, that was hot." She didn't even need to look up at his face to know he had a devilish grin on.
"No, you pervert."
She felt his hand touch her chin with his index and thumb and he pulled it up to make her look at him, he said "Just one more time and I won't ask again".
Clary had intended not to say it again, in fact she insisted never to say it again. But looking up at him, having him so close, this guy who messed with her mind, making her thoughts incoherent and her insides flutter and twist in such an unfamiliar way, she didn't know why but she had whispered in a low tone that she wasn't sure if he even heard her "Doctor Jace".
But the way his eyes darkened, she had known he heard her, he looked down at her as if he was ready to pull her in and take her on the counter and she had waited for him to do so, when a sudden voice interrupted.
"What's taking the pancakes so long? Max is going to-"
They both turned away, the spell broken as Izzy strutted in, hands on her hips and suspicious expression on her face. "Did I interrupt something?"
They both looked at each other then back at Izzy, both shaking their heads answering quickly in unison "No".
"Do you always make a habit of getting food in your faces?"
"Yes" They both chanted in agreement at the same time.
"Something weird is going on here" Izzy noted pointedly.
"No" They both said again and Izzy narrowed her eyes.
"Okay well, when the pancakes are ready, call us" Izzy said and they both nodded.
"Of course-"
"Izzy, do you think-"
"-I mean seriously-"
"-You can't rush good-"
"-That we are just wasting time-"
"-Cooking is an art and you can't-"
"Both of you stop, I can't understand a word you are saying" Izzy shouted when both Jace and Clary had jumped to defend their cases, each saying something different but both speaking at the same time, "Just.. call us. And get yourselves cleaned".
Izzy walked out and they both stood in silence for the longest minute before Jace chuckled "I can't believe you headbutted me".
"Shut up" Clary said as she smacked his arm.
"I mean seriously why did you do it?" Jace laughed.
"Because you were laughing at me".
"Yeah and I am laughing at you now more, now that you headbutted me"
"Would you like another one then?" Clary furrowed her brows as she looked at him angry more and he raised his hands in surrender but his face still held a smile. Clary's frown deepened and a chuckle escaped his lips before he closed his mouth again. "You think this is funny?"
"Yes! Look at yourself, if it wasn't for the milk and egg you would maybe look scary but really..." He started laughing again and Clary couldn't help it, a smile broke on her face before she chuckled as well.
"I'm gonna go get cleaned up, you finish the pancakes" Clary said and turned to walk out to the bathroom.
"Fine at least now they will be done with the proper quantities" Jace shouted after her.
"Bite me" Clary shouted back as she left the kitchen. She walked through the living room where the girls were sitting on the couch watching TV. It was 11 now, she had called her mother when the girls insisted she stay and they have a late breakfast in the house and asked for permission, while her mother made a point of telling her she will kill her when she gets home, she agreed reluctantly. She turned to Iz and asked "Can I use your bathroom?"
"Yeah sure, it's next to my room" Iz said. Clary climbed up the stairs to where Izzy's room was and she entered one of the bathrooms reluctantly, closing the door behind her.
She hadn't expected Izzy's bathroom to look so normal, she had half expected a thousand types of makeup and an endless line of lipstick but she was shocked to see none. It looked like a normal bathroom.
She looked over herself in the mirror, seeing the mess she is and sighed. "What are you doing, stupid?" she asked as if the reflection in the mirror would answer her. "No you can't. You can't like him, you just can't."
Clary groaned, the egg smell would take several washes to get rid of. She sighed as she took her wig off and opened the water from the sink on it, she took a hold of Izzy's shampoo and started cleaning it.
She washed it three times before its smell stopped giving her the urge to throw up, she blow dried it and put it to the side. A look in the mirror made her noticed that the bald cap was dirty too.
She took a deep breath and took it off, letting her red curls free and spring to life as she shampooed it as well.
The sound of a door slamming open made her freeze in place, her shock evident on her face as she looked through the mirror at the person who came in and let her horror fill her.
"What the hell?"
Clary turned around quickly, her heart sinking as she realized she was now busted "Alec" she breathed out.
"Well it's good to see you reading that damn thing instead of just looking at the pictures" Jace had called out to Max when he came in his room, a towel wrapped low on his hips as he came out of the room.
"Clary taught me" Max said happily.
"I know, but I gotta ask, was it really worth it? Did knowing how to read it change the story? It's mostly pictures anyways" Jace said as he opened the drawers and pulled himself out some clothes.
"It's the same story but now it has words" Max said.
"Doesn't sound like a plus side to me" Jace said.
"That's because you have a vacuous mind"
Jace stopped immediately and looked back at Max, "What the hell did you say to me?"
Max looked up from his comic book at Jace with a bit of panic, Jace raised an eyebrow as he looked at him more closely, "Who the hell taught you that?"
"Clary said it, I am just repeating it" Max said, hoping it doesn't get him into trouble.
Jace walked into his walk in closet, closing it behind him as he got dressed and asked from inside, "Now why the hell would Clary say that about me? And why were you talking to Clary about me?"
"I saw her looking at you and she said you were handsome" Max said.
Jace poked his head out quickly, fully dressed when he heard that, "She said what?"
"She said you were handsome" Max said, "In an asshate vacuous kind of way".
"That's what she said?" Jace asked and Max nodded. Jace grinned at that, he didn't know what got him more, the handsome part or the asshat vacuous kind part.
"You won't tell her I told you?" Max asked.
"Of course not" Jace said with a grin. He was so telling her he told him.
"Hey Max" Jace looked back, suddenly serious, "Was Clary right about that bully?"
Max lowered his head, refusing to answer and Jace sighed as he jumped up and landed on the bed beside Max. "Max, tell me the truth".
"Yes" Max said in a soft whisper.
"Max why did you not tell-"
"Because I'm ashamed" Max yelled out and Jace took a step back, Max almost never yells, "You and Alec and Izzy are strong and no one can hurt you but I'm different".
"You're not different Max, you're st-"
"Look at me" Max yelled out annoyed, "I can't scare anyone like this and you wouldn't get it".
"Max listen to me," Jace took Max's hands in his own and pulled him to look at him. Max's eyes sparkled slightly, and Jace knew he was about to cry. "Max, him bullying you, has nothing to do with you. He's the one who is weak, not you. You're strong. One day, you're going to grow up and be scary, you think I was born with great muscles and a great body and-"
"Jace"
"Right, as I was saying, You're strong in the matters that count and if you need me to come down there and kick this kid's-"
"No! I don't want you to solve it for me, it's just as bad as me not saying anything" Max said.
"Then deal with him, Max. But don't let this kid stop you from going to school, something you love. Deal with him whichever way you see fit. But if in two days this guy keeps giving you trouble, I'll tell his parents about this"
"Jace-"
"And no matter what happens, if you want me to deal with it or not, next time you tell me if someone is hurting you, because I know you're strong kid, and talking about it is what makes you stronger. And I don't want you to keep stuff like this a secret" Jace said and Max sighed nodding.
"Now are you feeling any better?" Jace asked and Max nodded, "Good, now get the hell out of my room, we have pancakes to cook".
"What the hell?"
Clary turned around quickly, her heart sinking as she realized she was now busted "Alec" she breathed out.
"What is going on?" Alec asked.
Clary's mind ran blank for several moments, the shock of being caught momentarily rendering her mute. It was worse than when her mother caught her with her hand down the cookie jar when she was ten, very similar and yet much worse. She stuttered on her words before she found a coherent sentence to say "Don't you knock?"
"Not on my own bathroom" Alec said, smart mouthing.
The scene was pretty ironic, she figured. Wasn't it just a few days ago that she had caught him in a situation much like this and they had exchanged those very same words but oppositely. Except she had caught him talking to a guy, he had caught her washing her damn wig.
Clary moved forward, taking Alec's wrist and dragging him inside before she closed the door behind him, "Alec I can explain".
"Then explain"
Clary took a deep breath, mentally cursing herself "Actually, I really can't tell you".
He made a move to get out and she switched their places so that she was blocking his way, leaning on the door.
"Either I drag you down to tell everyone what I saw or you tell me right now what is going on and then maybe I'll consider not telling the rest you are.. whatever you are" Alec threatened but fell confused at the last part, since he didn't know what this meant but he knew it meant something and that she was lying about who she really is, and his mind instantly ran to the worst explanations there could be. She could be in the mafia or a runaway criminal.
"I can't tell you Alec" Clary said. Alec made a move to walk out but Clary stopped him, "But you can't tell anyone what you saw".
"Give me one good reason why not" Alec looked on the edge of either a meltdown or a freak out.
Clary wasn't proud of her next statement, she really wasn't. But she was desperate. She couldn't tell him who she really was, Luke would never allow that. And he can't tell the others, they would pressure her to tell them the truth which was out of the question as well.
There was no possible explanation for it. She couldn't say she just liked being a blonde but didn't want to dye her hair. They wouldn't believe her. That sounds stupid. She raked her brain for a possible lie. She had a lie for every situation or question possible, from family matters to her future plans but never had she thought of a lie for why she wore a wig when she had a full head of hair. What could she do? If anyone found out, Luke would ship her out within the hour.
And so she said what she really wasn't proud of, "Because I am keeping your secret as well".
She never thought she would be the type of person to use blackmail.
And yet here she was.
Alec narrowed his eyes at her. She could see it, the pressure of contemplating both sides, choosing either one was a sacrifice and it was not an easy decision. Clary didn't know what he would chose, she didn't know Alec all that well but what she did know about him is that he wants to protect his secret badly.
It was a low blow. She knew it. But she had no other choice. She had to.
She thought of what he might answer her, will he tell her it's a deal? Or will he tell her to go to hell?
"Are you a threat to Jace?"
Of all the things, she hadn't expected him to say that. "What?"
"Are you a threat to Jace? Are you some sort of criminal on the run? Or an undercover cop or and FBI agent or whatever?" Alec asked again.
Clary stammered, "N- no, I am not a criminal and I am not a cop".
"Are you a threat to Jace or Izzy or my friends? Would you ever hurt them? Is that what you want?" Alec asked again. Clary hadn't noticed it before, but now she could see it clearly. Alec's deep protective nature, his loyalty to his friends and family. It took her by surprise.
"I would never want to hurt him.. any of you." Clary answered honestly. She would never mean to cause them any harm. But that didn't mean she wasn't a danger to them all. Valentine could always kill any one of them like he killed Si-
No! It's different this time. He killed Simon because he knew too much about him. And because he knew how much he meant to Clary, he knew she cared for him deeply, care enough to tell him she's being beaten up at home and Valentine made sure that 'accident' would happen to teach her a lesson, to stay in her place.
But doesn't she care for this group of people as well? Doesn't she care what happens to them?
"I'll keep quiet... for now. But be warned Clary Fray or whatever your name is, if I have a reason to think that even for a second that you would hurt my friends, if you even so much as step on one of their feet, I won't be quiet anymore" Alec said, a clear warning in his tone and Clary nodded. "One more thing, don't let Jace fall for someone who isn't real".
Alec side stepped her and left the bathroom, this time Clary let him go without a fight, slamming the door behind him and Clary sighed, she smacked her head with the back of her hand repeatedly.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Don't you know how to lock a stupid door? IDIOT!
She looked in the mirror as she sighed again when she realized the truth.
The truth is she does care about them. All of them.
She smacked her head again, what is she going to do now?
Clary climbed down the stairs where she saw the group was sitting down around the kitchen counter while Jace was flipping pancakes, they were laughing until they caught sight of her and Maia immediately said "Hey Clary, Alec told us what you did".
"What?" WHAT?! What had Alec told them? Wasn't it fifteen minutes ago he had agreed not to say anything? Clary panicked as she saw the whole group's eyes turn to her. Oh no that's it, she is busted.
"Yeah, how can you mix between Alec's bathroom and Izzy's? I mean seriously Izzy's practically screams her name" Maia chuckled.
Oh, that. Clary chuckled awkwardly with the group, her anxiety easing slightly but not entirely as she could see Alec still giving her the stink eye. Jace turned back to her, he was surprisingly clean already, and now he had a black shirt and gray sweatpants.
He looked beyond hot, that Clary had to stop to allow her brain time to re-function.
Had he had time to wash up and change while she cleaned her hair?
"It's a good thing you didn't make the opposite mistake or you have had a whole bunch of awkward questions for Alec" Jace joked. Trust me not more awkward than it already was.
Clary chuckled slightly as she walked to the group, her eyes focused on Alec, trying to read his mind and figure out what he was thinking. If she had to guess it would be along the lines of What are you hiding? or How am I gonna kill you?
On a hunch she figured the second option was more likely.
"Pancakes?" Jace asked as he showed her the pan which had a perfectly rounded pancake with the right shade of gold. Can't he be more human and be horrible at something? Just one thing, please!
She looked up at him with a grin and said, "Yes but please put the food on a plate not my face this time".
"Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure"
"Pretty sure isn't exactly-"
"Perfectly sure. 1000% would rather food on the plate"
Jace chuckled as he pulled out a plate, flipping the pancake in the air and catching it with grace in the plate and handing it to her. She scuffed, muttering "Show off".
"Would you guys like some coffee?" Izzy asked as she brought the coffee pot.
"I'd love some" Clary said, the coffee nut case she was couldn't resist it. Izzy poured her a cup then poured herself one.
"I wouldn't" Jace muttered in her ear discreetly, or at least so Izzy didn't see or hear him. Clary just shrugged him off and took a sip, her insides immediately coiled at the taste, her throat contracted in disdain, the back of her mouth burned slightly and her tongue itched.
What the hell? She thought. "Izzy did you make this?" she asked instead in a sickly sweet fake voice.
"Yeah, you like it?" Izzy asked a slight smile on her face and Clary nodded with a big smile. It was fake obviously since she couldn't hold down the coffee but Izzy looked happy so she didn't want to disappoint her. So she took another sip, making sure to swallow without smelling or tasting it.
"See Jace? I told you I can make coffee" Izzy said.
Jace, with his eyes trained at Clary, a smirk on his face, turning away from Izzy said "You sure showed me".
When Izzy turned away, Clary turned around and poured the coffee down the sink discreetly, Jace leaned on the counter next to her as he whispered "Told you".
"What was she trying to do? Poison someone?" Clary asked.
"Oh please if anyone were to poison you, it would be Alec" Jace said.
"Oh now you are just being-" Clary cut herself off as she caught sight of Alec behind Jace, glaring at her, then nodded, "Yeah you might be right".
"Any idea why that is?" Jace asked with a raised eyebrow. He seemed like he was really confused.
Clary just shrugged, "Alec isn't really a people person?"
"No.. Well yes but I don't think-"
"Then that is probably it or Maybe it's because I got inside his bathroom" Clary said, looking behind Jace to Alec as she said, "But you've known him longer. Do you think there is some other reason?"
She heard Jace sigh "No. I guess you are right".
Alec was giving her a warning look, a look that clearly said Don't you dare screw up.
"Oh you guys, last night was so fun, look at the pictures" Izzy said as she started showing everyone the pictures. It was mostly of hers with a bunch of blurred faces in the background from the darkness, some were of them drinking until Clary saw a picture of herself, a clear face, she had a shot in her hand and she was looking at Jace but the picture clearly showed her features.
Her smile dropped as she looked at Izzy, "You took a picture of me?"
"I took a picture of all of us" Izzy said with a shrug, not catching on Clary's distressed and tensed tone.
"Delete it" Clary said quickly, when the others turned to her surprised she added hopeful, "Please".
"I didn't post it online, don't worry I get image in a small town can be fragile but-"
"That's not it, can you please just delete it" Clary said. She had to remind herself to take deep breaths because she could hear how on edge her voice sounded and by the expressions on their faces, her friends noticed too.
"What's the big deal?" Izzy was getting defensive, but she wasn't deleting the picture.
"The big deal is I don't like being pictured, so can you delete it, please, Izzy" Clary asked again, this time her tone was sharper and edgier and a hint of a temper tantrum was evident in the way she held herself and Izzy could clearly hear the urgency in her voice so she deleted the photo. Clary could feel her own tenseness reflect in the air around them, everyone was either awkward or tense around her and she sighed. Great, way to act like a freak.
But Luke would have killed her if he had known that someone had a photo of her like last time. She couldn't risk it, the last time someone had a picture of her, they posted it online a few days later for her birthday as a 'Happy Birthday'. She had asked them to delete it as soon as she saw it but it was no use. Three days later Valentine had already found them and they had to move again.
"I'm sorry, Iz. I just really don't like my picture taken. I didn't mean to snap at you" Clary said with a sigh, "I should go, my mom is probably mad at me already".
"No don't, come on stay" Izzy said. Clary felt relief that Izzy wasn't mad at her but she shook her head.
"No, the longer time I give her alone, the longer she'll think of ways to kill me" Clary joked as she grabbed her bag by the wall and headed out.
"Wait I'll drive you" Jace said as he headed after her.
"You don't have to, I'll walk" Clary said and she saw him roll his eyes.
"Not happening, just let me get my keys" Jace got his keys from a bowl next to the door and headed out with her, not bothering wearing any shoes.
"Uuumm bye guys" Clary waved at the group.
"Bye Clary"
"See you on Monday"
"Bye sweetie"
Clary felt a breath leave her in relief, at least they didn't seem to be mad at her after her freak accident. When she closed the door behind her, she turned to Jace "So on a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a freak did I seem?"
"10 being the highest?" Jace asked and Clary nodded, he gave a shrug as he opened the passenger car door for her, leaning on it slightly as she looked back at him before getting in, "16".
Clary covered her face as she sat down in the passenger side and just screamed internally and moaned loudly in horror. He closed the door behind her as he chuckled at her reaction and went to his side. He sat down in his seat and just shook his head, "That's 17 now".
Clary looked up at him and he chuckled "Don't worry about it, on Monday no one will even remember".
"How do you know?" Clary said, unbelieving.
"Think about it, do you often think about it other people's bad moments or just your own?" Jace asked as he started the car.
"My own"
"Exactly, everyone is the same, busy thinking about their bad moments instead of yours, no one remembers this stuff" Jace said with a shrug, "Unless it was something big like throwing up in elementary school on stage or something".
"Come to think about it, I did throw up on stage in elementary school"
"Really?"
"No!" Clary said with a chuckle as she tried her best not think about the scene before.
"Your worries are vacuous" Jace said.
Clary froze when she heard him say that and she looked at him with a side glance, catching sight of the smirk on his face. Is that a coincidence that he had said that exact same word that she used when she talked to Max? "That's a big word for you, Jace".
"Is it? I think it suits me well" Jace said.
"You might be right" Clary said, he grinned at her for a second longer as she contemplated if he knows or not, "What did Max tell you?"
"Everything" Jace lowered his voice into a taunting whisper.
Clary narrowed her eyes, "You don't know".
"Oh yes I know" Jace said.
"Know what?" Clary said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"What you think of me" Jace said with a shrug and a grin.
"That's you're an asshat?"
"A handsome asshat"
"Who is a total dumbass, obnoxious, entitled, arrogant douche?"
"And a handsome one at that" Jace added smirking.
Clary blushed as she realized Max had told, she settled for a roll of her eyes and she refused to acknowledge him. She gave Jace directions to her house and he had cracked jokes the entire way home. Clary couldn't help but feel how comfortable and fun it was hanging out with Jace like this. And him in his gray sweatpants and black shirt, sitting behind the wheel, his hair just a bit messy and wild, was truly a sight to behold. It made her insides flutter.
When he reached her house, she turned back at him and thanked him.
"Hey Clary" his words stopped her, she looked back at him and she saw in his expression he was hesitant, "What did you mean last night?"
"What did I say?" Clary asked trying not let her face convey how anxious she felt. What had she said? Everything rushed through her mind from she likes cats to she is running from a psychopath who is also her father.
He paused for a moment before shrugging off, "Doesn't matter".
"No seriously what is it?" Clary insisted.
"You said you were afraid to hurt me or something" Jace said, he tried to play it off as a joke first, but then he looked back at her with complete seriousness.
Clary sighed, looking away from him, she didn't want to look at him because she knew that if she did, she wouldn't have the courage to say what she needed to say "I meant if you were smart Jace.. you wouldn't pursue anything with me".
He had opened his mouth to say something but Clary couldn't let him talk, "Thanks again for the ride", and she had stepped out of the car with impeccable speed as she walked inside.
Before she closed the door, despite her head telling her not to, she turned back to look at Jace and he was looking back at her. She lowered her head and walked inside closing the door with finality.
A/N: So tell me what you guys think. Like, dislike?
Maybe follow and review while you're at it.
