A/N: Hm...two stories in one day. That's an improvement! I know it's been a while since I've updated this one, but I've been kicking ass at Twisted Scars! I was also stuck on this chapter for a while...that's why the endings a bit choppy.

I hope you guys like it!

Chapter 3: Brunch

"Taki's?" Clary squinted at the flickering neon sign. "I can't believe this place is still open."

Jace pushed the door open and let it close with a swing, leaving Clary to scamper towards it. She glared at him. He chuckled. "Come on, kitten. The table's back there."

Clary turned her head to find Alec sitting next to a very shiny tanned person. "Why do you keep calling me kitten?"

Jace walked briskly, grinning. "Because you remind me of my cat: grouchy and fluffy."

Clary patted her head protectively. "Well, I pity any cat who belongs to you."

"He's Magnus'," Jace muttered.

The shiny man raised his head. Clary did a double take. His catlike eyes were an odd, yet beautiful green color, and his pupils looked like long slits. Clary wondered whether they were contacts.

"Who's Magnus'? Alec? Why, yes he is." he asked, clasping his hand on Alec's bicep. If Clary wasn't blinded before, she certainly was blinded by his disco nails.

"Chairman Meow," Jace said nonchalantly. He pushed himself into the booth with Clary following suit.

Magnus grinned. "Why, hello, darling. I'm Magnus."

"Hi, Magnus." Clary beamed and shook his hand. "I'm Clary. I love your nails, by the way."

Magnus retracted his hand. "I like this one!" he declared.

Jace planted his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands. "That's what I was afraid of," he muttered.

In Clary's view, the waitress could not have come at a more perfect time. Her blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She smiled at Jace. "Hey, Jace."

"Kaelie." He winked. Clary rolled her eyes.

She pulled out her notepad and flipped to a clean page. "Jace, Alec, Magnus, the usual?"

"Yup." Jace handed her a menu. Kaelie faced Clary, her smile now somewhat forced.

"And you?"

Clary pointed to a random item on the menu, having not looked at it beforehand. Kaelie collected the remaining menus before walking away, her heels clicking rhythmically.

"So, why brunch?" Clary asked. "Alec, don't tell me this was your idea. You promised that you wouldn't sink into any relationship stereotypes."

Alec fidgeted and smiled. "Actually, this was Jace's idea."

"What are you, Herondale? A middle aged woman?"

"That's what I said!" Magnus said excitedly. "Man, the two of us are going to have so much fun making Jace's life hell!"

Jace glared at Magnus and slipped an arm around Clary. "Clary's not into that stuff," he said confidently.

Clary pushed his arm away, smirking. "In your dreams,buddy. Actually, your nightmares, because that exactly what I'm going to be." She high fived Magnus.

"I'm wounded, Kitten," Jace said, feigning hurt.

Clary rolled her eyes and listened animatedly to Magnus, who was telling her about being a fashion designer.

"It's not all rainbows and butterflies," he was saying. "First there's the design, then the fabric, the manufacturing...I mean, I'm just an apprentice, but they let me make some executive decisions. So, Button, what do you do?"

"Button?"

"Yeah, you're small and cute, and your nose is like a button," Magnus declared with a wave of his hand. Clary eyed the sparkles that floated from his hand and touched her nose protectively.

Jace rolled his eyes. "Magnus makes up nicknames for everyone," he said.
Clary smirked. "What's yours?"

"Blondie. Not very original," he stated with a pointed look. "Tell her Alec's."

Alec grew red. "I don't—"

"It's Cuddle-bunny," Magnus said proudly. He ruffled Alec's hair affectionately. Clary choked on a laugh.

"It's not funny," Alec mumbled. The redness was starting to lave his cheeks, but the embarrassment was still there.

"You're right," Jace said. "It's hilarious."

"Yeah," Clary chimed in. "It's hilarious...Cuddle-bunny."

Alec sat back looking surly. A smirk appeared on his face. "Well, we did get you two to agree on something."

"Anyone can agree that Cuddle-bunny is hilarious," Jace retorted. Clary nodded in agreement.

Magnus rested his chin on his hands. "So, Button, what do you do these days?"
"Art," Clary replied. "Lots of it."

"She's opening her own exhibit," Jace said matter-of-factly. He tilted his head towards Clary and grinned.

Clary looked bewildered. "How the hell do you know that?"

He grinned. "I know things."

The sparkle in Magnus' eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Yeah. I've been having trouble coming up with a theme." Clary took a sip of her icy water. The chill spread through her tongue.

"Theme?" Confusion seeped into Jace's voice.

Clary peered at him innocently. "What? You didn't figure that out thought your obsessive stalking."

"Hey!" Jace said indignantly. "I am not stalking you."

"...says the camera you have hidden in her bathroom." Magnus grinned.

Clary smirked. "I like him."

Jace glared at Alec. "This is why I didn't want them to meet."

Alec looked from his boyfriend to his friend and shrugged, taking a slow sip of water. A small smile played on his lips. "I think it's great."

"That was disastrous," Jace declared. He slammed the front door shut. Alec looked up from where he was seated. The cold had tinged his face a light pink.

"Well, it had to happen eventually," Alec said. "Did you want to wait until you two got married?"

Jace sighed frustratedly. "I told you, we hate each other."

"Yeah." Alec grinned. "You hate that you love her."

"Stop it!" Jace glowered. "We will never be anything." He walked away.

Alec looked at him, a serene smile crossing his face. "If you say so."

"I do say so!" he yelled over his shoulder. Alec chuckled and checked his phone. Eleven texts were waiting for him, all of them saying the same thing. Alec shut his phone. He had nothing to say to her. He didn't have an update. He groaned. This wasn't working out the way he wanted it to.

And he wasn't okay with that.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!