"Why won't you tell me what you said to him?" asked Alec, frowning. Jace, Alec, Justin, Craig, and Matt were all sitting at their usual table, though nothing about this day seemed usual. All the boys were looking at Jace nervously, like he might explode at any minute.

Jace, however, seemed perfectly fine, though Alec knew something was off. To someone who had only known him for a while, Jace probably looked completely okay. But Alec knew better. He knew Jace better.

"It doesn't matter, that's why," Jace replied, taking a ferocious bite from his bacon. Matt, Craig, and Justin exchanged a glance.

After a moment of silence, Jace pushed his tray away and stood up. "I have to go see Madame about my French assignment. I'll see you later."

Alec glared at him as he walked further and further away. Justin cleared his throat.

"Listen, Alec… Don't be too hard on him, okay?"

"Yeah," Matt agreed, glancing at the door Jace had just walked out of. "He's not particularly good will feelings."

Alec raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Does he really hate Ben so much?"

Justin hesitated before answering. "It's not so much that he hates Ben. It's more about how much he cares about you."

Alec was slightly taken off guard. "Me? Why would you think that?"

They all exchanged quick glances again, not sure what they should say.

"It's just, he's never warmed up to someone so quickly before," Justin said finally.

"And that's why he's been so quiet lately," Craig explained, his voice slow. "It's scaring him how quickly he's falling - I mean, how much he likes you. As a friend."

Alec looked at them suspiciously. "How do you know this?"

"I've known Jace for six years," Justin pointed out. "I know how he acts."

"Right," Alec said, getting up. 'Well, thanks. I'll take that into consideration."

Once Alec was gone, the guys sighed.

Justin leaned forward in his seat, and the two others followed suit. "I never thought I'd say this, but… Guys, we're going to have to help Jace win his man."

.X.X.X.X.

By the time he'd arrived to the dining hall for dinner at 6pm, Jace was exhausted. He'd never had so much trouble holding in his emotions before. Seeing Alec was like a direct hit to his chest every time. He couldn't seem to escape his feelings.

Jace couldn't stop himself from being attracted to Alec. He just couldn't. Did that make him gay? He'd dated girls before, and he'd appreciated their beauty, but he appreciated everyone's beauty. Maybe he was bisexual. Or pansexual. He really didn't feel like putting a label on something so trivial as his sexuality. Why did it need a label, anyway? He liked who he liked. Did it really matter if they were a boy or a girl?

And he liked Alec more than he could describe.

Jace walked into the dining hall, his eyes searching for the boy in question. Of course, he was at their usual table, hunched over a book they were reading in Shadowhunter lit and eating what looked to be a caramel apple. Jace frowned; it worried him.

"I really wish you would eat something healthy," he chided after walking over to the table and sitting down, digging into his food. Alec held up his caramel apple.

"I run on sugar the way vampires run on demon energy," he replied with a shrug. Jace rolled his eyes, and they happened to land on Alec at exactly the wrong time. Alec was licking his caramel apple and pushing the sticky caramel up with his tongue, making little appreciative noises as he did so. Jace's jaw went slack as he stared, Alec obliviously reading from his book as he used horrible seduction torture.

After a few more long, long moments of this, Alec finally noticed he was being stared at. He looked at Jace, his expression self conscious.

"What? Is there something on my-"

"I have to go," Jace muttered quickly before bolting out of the dining hall. He stopped when he got outside, resting his back against the wall and putting his face in his hands.

By the Angel, couldn't he control himself? So what if Alec was incredibly gorgeous, and sexy, and funny, and adorable… No. He needed to stop. He'd had no problem in the past controlling himself. He used to have the best poker face around, and now look at him. Hyperventilating in the shadows because a hot guy had eaten a caramel apple. If that wasn't pathetic, Jace didn't know what was.

Meanwhile, Alec stared at the door, looking completely taken off guard. The rest of the guys, who had come out of the kitchen just before Jace had bolted, sat down next to Alec.

"What was that about?" Justin asked innocently, though he already knew. He'd seen the look on Jace's face just before he took off.

"Good question. He just bolted," Alec said with a frown.

"Maybe you should go find out what's wrong," Matt suggested, matching Justin's innocence. Craig sat silently with a frown. Even if he wanted Jace to feel better, he didn't condone going behind his back like this.

Alec pursed his lips before nodding. "Alright. I'll be right back."

Once Alec was out of hearing distance, Justin snickered. "Probably not right back."

.X.X.X.X.

Alec quickly walked out into the darkened hallway, looking around. "Jace?" he whispered.

Jace, who was still standing in the shadows, froze. He looked over to see that Alec was squinting into the spot where he was standing.

"Jace, is that you?"

Jace had no choice but to nod. "Uh, yeah."

Alec began walking towards him, and Jace's body started to shake. God, he didn't even want to think about how pathetic he was acting right now. Seriously, all Alec had to do was be near him to make him crazy? Jace's mind was suddenly filled with the appreciatively little noises Alec had just been making. He bit back a groan.

"Hey, what's wrong? You kind of freaked me out just now," Alec admitted, painfully oblivious. Jace shifted uncomfortably.

"I just… I felt a little sick is all," Jace said quickly, and Alec peered at him.

"Well, if you're sure…"

Then Alec licked his lips nervously and Jace couldn't help himself. He grabbed Alec without thinking and pulled him forward, pressing their lips together. By the Angel, it felt so good to kiss him. Relieving, even.

Alec stood still as a statue as Jace kissed him, shock radiating through his body. Why was Jace kissing him? What the hell was going on?

Suddenly, Jace remembered himself and pulled away. His face was void of any expression as Alec stared at him in shock.

"Sorry. I don't know what came over me. Sorry," Jace muttered quickly before hurrying away. Alec could do nothing to stop him, still frozen into place. He stared there for another long moment before kicking the wall.

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" he hissed, putting his face in his hands. What the hell was wrong with him? He'd just gotten exactly what he'd been fantasizing about since he'd come to Raziel, and had blown it in all of thirty seconds.

Alec quickly hurried back to the room, not able to bare the thought that he would have to sleep in the same room as someone who probably hated him now. When he got into the room, he saw that Jace was in his bed and hidden under the covers. Alec frowned and got ready for bed, taking his time. He was really in no rush to have complete silence.

When he was finished, he crawled into bed, staring at the lump across from him. He could see golden blonde hair poking out from the top of the blanket, and the way Jace was breathing made it clear he was only pretending to sleep.

After a long moment of deliberation, Alec got up out of bed and walked over to Jace's. Jace was pressed up against the wall, which was how he usually slept, and Alec pulled up the blanket, sliding into bed with him. He heard Jace's breathing stutter as Alec kissed the back of his neck. Alec turned the other way around so his back was to Jace, and after a few long moments, he felt the bed shift and Jace's arms wrapped around him. Alec settled into them and closed his eyes.

Some apologies were better left unsaid.