"Okay, that's enough buddy. I'm gonna go check on Jace one more time, then I'm off to bed too."
Alec put the comic he'd been reading to Max down on his bedside table with the rocket-shaped alarm clock. His little brother was lying in his bed, black hair falling into his eyes, glasses askew with exhaustion.
"One more, Alec. Please? Just one. I'm not tired yet, I promise!" He yawned and quickly shoved his hand over his mouth to cover it up.
"Max, you're exhausted. Go to sleep." Rolling his eyes, Alec got up off the floor.
"No! I want another book. I'll read it myself, just grab it for me!" The scrawny kid's eyes narrowed in anger.
"No, Max you need your sleep. You can read tomorrow." Alec turned to turn out the light.
"But…" Alec paused in delayed anticipation. There was never a time where Max would give up an argument that easily.
"Max?" There was no answer, and Alec started to worry. He whirled around;
"Max! Are you okay?" Then he saw the little boy's eyes were shut, and his mouth was moving with every deep breath he took.
Alec sighed in relief, tucking his sleeping brother into the sheets.
He kissed him once on the nose, and whispered goodnight before slipping out into the hall.
He heard Isabelle laughing in her room, then she started saying something about a party and Alec was sure she was on the phone to one of her friends, so he left her alone in fear of his personal safety.
He remembered when once he barged in on her while she was talking to her current boyfriend, a werewolf at the time, and she had hit him so hard he still had the scar of the Iratze he had used to heal the bruise.
But Alec couldn't resist checking on Jace just once more- to be certain. To be able to fall asleep knowing that his parabatai was safe and well.
As he crept into the sleeping Jace's room, he noticed how much better he was looking compared to before. There were no cuts now, just scars, and a few bruises.
Jace was right. Alec heard a voice in the back of his head say.
You really do worry too much. He can take care of himself.
Alec soon found himself standing there, silently staring at Jace. Emotions welled up inside him, and he had to fight the sudden urge to burst into tears. Jace looked so peaceful sleeping, stripped of his arrogant mask; it was like a doorway to his soul.
A doorway to the real Jace Wayland, the Jace Wayland that Alec unfortunately loved.
This thought, of course, triggered his less-welcome fantasies and as usual, Alec forced his imagination to stop in its tracks before he could hurt himself again.
Out of nowhere, Jace suddenly spoke. "I know I'm gorgeous and everything, but what's with the staring Alec?"
Alec jumped about a foot and a half and let out a small (but extremely girly) high-pitched squeal in surprise, his hand flying to his throat.
"Wait… or are you Isabelle? That was definitely a girly noise." Jace squinted into the dim room.
Alec felt his cheeks go bright red.
"No, it's me, Alec… I, uh- I was just checking to see if you were okay. Um, if you, you know, need a drink or something… anything.. I can get you?" He stuttered.
Jace looked at him funnily.
"Goodnight, Alec." He spoke loud and clearly, as if Alec might not understand.
His cheeks flushing again, Alec bowed his head and grunted in agreement, turning to leave as Jace spoke again.
"Oh, and Alec?" Alec barely looked back up at him. Shit.
"Mm?" His voice came out sounding strangled, and Alec's already impossibly bright cheeks grew a few shades hotter.
"Next time you stare at me like that for that long I expect at least a self-portrait. Got that?" He grinned evilly.
Alec rolled his eyes in relief and left, closing the door behind him to Jace's quiet chuckling.
He was joking. Alec laughed out loud in relief at his unusual burst of luck.