Just Roommates

Chapter Twelve: Pancakes Supreme

...

"It'll be really quick I swear!" Jace promised speeding and dodging cars on the road.

"This was the one day I was going to be early!" I groaned.

"Well whose fault is it that my jacket is there?" Jace said with raised eyebrows.

We were on the way to the Lightwood's house or should I say mansion. Jace couldn't part with his apparently favorite jacket which I had left at the restaurant. Izzy had seen the jacket and took it home with her.

We both hopped out the car and entered the house,

"Good, you're here can you guys watch Max? We're going to another charity event and we forgot to ask some one to watch Max" Izzy walked quickly putting her earrings in.

"Izzy we both have to go to-"

"Jace would you do this for me, please. For Max, he misses you so much now that you're gone all the time" Maryse walked over to us.

"You can't guilt trip me into this" Jace said though his tone had softened and his shoulders shrugged, "But Clary really has to get to her art class-" Jace started.

"And leave you all alone with Max? I don't think so" I shook my head.

"It's nothing I haven't done before" Jace said.

"Yeah and last time he lost a tooth!" Izzy exclaimed.

"He wanted to tie his loose tooth to a door knob, who was I, the cool older brother, to stop him?" Jace rose his brows.

"It's okay, I'll baby sit them both" I smiled.

"But if you really have to go to art-"

"No, it's nothing I don't already know, plus I could use a break." I smiled at Maryse.

"Are you sur-"

"Positive. So where is he?"

"Clary!" Max ran down the stairs in his pjs with messy bed hair. Max came crashing at my hips wrapping his arms around my legs.

"I swear you just keep growing and growing" I patted down his rats nest. Max let out a little giggle and bounced over to Jace.

"So when are we going to the cages?" Max asked Jace after he hugged him.

"Cages?" Jace's brow furrowed as he scooped up Max in his arms. Normally guys with kids didn't make me go all gooey-eyed, but Jace had so much love and affection for Max in little ways. It made my heart flutter in a weird way.

I told myself it was just because I'm happy that Max had a great older brother, though he already had Alec and Izzy.

"I may have told him you would take him to the batting cages to practice for this upcoming baseball season" Maryse chattered.

"Can we!? Can we!?" Max looked at Jace with so much hope and merriment.

"Not like this, no way! I think you may have a bird living in your hair and have you smelled your breath!?" Jace said the last part a bit more quietly and Max's cheeks flushed red. "Get cleaned up and then we'll talk" Jace set Max down and within a second went running up the stairs, Izzy following his trail.

"Thank you guys so much, I wouldn't have told you so last minute but the babysitter canceled this morning and there was no one else and I thought Isabell told you" Maryse said, "And there's money on the counter for lunch, dinner, and breakfast"

"Breakfast?" Jace asked.

"Oh the charity event is in Vermont, we're meeting your father there, but we decided to come back tomorrow" Maryse explained, I was shocked when she said 'your father' but then quickly realized she was speaking of her husband, Robert.

"Okay" Jace nodded.

"Well we should get going, a long drive ahead of us" Maryse said as Izzy and Max walked down the stairs.

Max gave his mom a quick hug and tried to release quickly but Maryse held him tight. "Be good to your brother and Clary, stay out of trouble" she looked into Max's eyes.

"Yes mom"

"Thank you guys again, so much" Maryse walked to Jace to give him a hug, and Jace appeared at unease by the simple gesture, and patted Maryse's hug. When Izzy hugged Jace it seemed a bit more natural as he rolled his eyes and gave her a light squeeze.

After I had my round of hugs, Izzy and Maryse left and we were left in charge of Max.

"So have you had breakfast?" Jace asked.

Max nodded.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked.

"Batting cages!" He smiled ecstatically.

"This early? Are you sure?" Jace asked but Max was already running towards the door and grabbing his helmet on the way out. Jace and I followed in suit and once we were buckled up Jace started backing out.

Screech!

Jace slammed on the brakes and turned back to Max. "You don't need a car seat, right?"

"Car seat? I haven't used a car seat since I was five!" Max seemed offended.

"Just double checking" Jace continued to back out of the driveway and we made our way to the batting cages.

"Nice one Max" Jace said.

Max had been in the batting cages for five minutes and he hadn't missed one ball, it was amazing.

He waddled out a little breathlessly and a sheen of sweat spread across his forehead.

"Your turn" Max looked up at me.

"Oh, uh, I don't think so Max" I shook my head.

Jace walked back from getting more bats and helmets.

"Here" he moved my hair back from my face and placed the helmet on my head.

"And do you know how to hold a bat?" Jace looked down at me.

I rolled my eyes in response, so he handed me the bat.

Jace put the tokens in and immediately balls started shooting out.

"Ahh!" I screeched as a ball came hurtling towards my face and I ducked. I heard a pair of familiar laughs behind me.

I tried to get in position quickly as another ball came to kill me. Ten balls later I still hadn't hit one.

"You should go help her" I heard Max whisper to Jace.

"I think if we wait it out a ball might hit her" I could practically hear Jace smirking.

"That's not nice! Go help her" Max demanded.

As much as I loved Max standing up for me, I didn't like help- especially from blond know it alls.

I heard the gate open and close again, then I saw Jace duck as I went to swing again.

"Jesus Clary" he had a hand to his heart and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need your help" I budded in before he could say anything.

"Clearly you do and Max really wants me to help you" He had a determined tone in his voice so I sighed and he walked closer.

"You're holding the bat wrong, your right hand has to be on the top and don't hold it so loosely" Jace spat out the directions rapidly and I tried to do as instructed.

"What do you even know about this? You play soccer" I said with a slight narrowing of my eyes.

"I know everything, now show me how you swing" he demanded so I did grudgingly.

"You don't have to bring it so far back past your shoulder, and don't forget to keep your eye on the ball, show me again"

I did.

"Okay, here I'll help- more" he had his trademark smirk plastered on his face.

Suddenly he was behind me, his figure swallowing me as he stood closely to me. He felt uncomfortably close but his warmth was pleasant. I found myself wanting to lean back, get closer to Jace, but I stood firmly in my spot.

"Clary?" Jace asked.

"What?" I said without turning my head.

"Did you hear anything I just said?" He looked down at me as I turned my face. My heart raced, our faces were so close, I could see the faint stubble on his face, the darker golden flecks in his bright eyes. I quickly turned back around, shaking my head.

"Okay, now bring the bat back like this" he started moving the bat with his hands on top of mine, where it felt like hot jolts spotting through my hands to my spine.

When Jace swung, the force pushed my back flush against his front and I heard him take a harsh breath.

"Hey we hit it!" I said amazed as the ball landed some where other than the floor behind me.

"Yeah" his voice seemed shaky.

Quickly he took a step back allowing more room between us and gruffly looked away. Maybe our close vicinity bothered him the same way.

"I think I got the hang of it" I said with a bright smirk.

"Are you sure?" Jace said with a forced chuckle to hide his uneven breath.

"I think I can manage" I said with a smirk and his eyes darted towards my pink lips.

Whoosh.

Jacedarted back before the careering ball had a chance to hit him.

"Smooth" I say sarcastically.

"I try" he shoots back.

I swing the bat as Jace recedes to sit behind the fence with Max. The ball taps the bat but falls to the floor.

Ugh.

I hit the ball one last time and throw all I had into it and the ball goes flying forward and into the fence all the way across from me.

"Ahh! I DID IT!" I cheered and turned to Jace and Max who were clapping and laughing along with me until their eyes widened, and their fingers pointed.

"Clar-" I heard one of them say before my back got hit with a bruising and I fell to the floor.

After a few seconds I opened my eyes- not remembering when I'd closed them. I felt a small clammy hand on my left arm and a two big warm hands hoisting me up.

I almost fell back down, not realizing I was standing, but Jace grabbed my hand and waist. I took a shaky breath in, that ended up sounding like a whimper.

"Are you okay?" Jace asked a bit sarcastically but with genuine concern forming in his expression and his hands moved my hair back, away from my face.

"Yeah, you try getting hit with a baseball going a hundred miles per hour" I whisked Jace's hands away, standing closer to Max.

"It was a softball- going at forty miles per hour" Max said with a small cough.

"I thought I was your favorite Max!" I said with a pout.

"You are, you're just wrong" he said with a smirk almost uncanny to Jace's.

"I think someone is spending too much time with their older brother" I bent down squinting at Max then looking back at a smiling Jace.

"Yeah, and not enough time with you" Max actually winked.

"Max!"

"Nice one Max!" Jace went to give a high five to his little brother.

"Bad influences" I mumbled as the boys continued to walk to the car.

Jace turned to wink as I followed him to the car. A wink that sent my body shivering with chills.

"Oh come on! I won't be scared! I promise!" Max begged after we finished dinner and we were now retreading to the couch for a movie. Max wanted to watch The Shinning.

"Well, if you wanted to watch it so bad why haven't you watched it before?" Jace started his integration with a raised brow.

"Because mom won't- won't buy it for me" Max tried to save his slip up desperately.

"Because?"

"Because we don't have the extra money laying around the house!" And to that Jace rolled his eyes.

"Because I'm too young" Max slouched dramatically in defeat.

"Well I'm not your favorite brother for nothing" Jace agreed to play The Shinning.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" I exclaimed, "He's like five years old! You can't let him watch that! It'll give him nightmares for years to come!"

"Seven years old!" Max corrected

"See, he's fine" Jace waved me off.

"No way" I said.

"Don't worry Red, I'll hold your hand if you get scared" Jace smirked.

"I'm not scared, it'll be Max who'll be scared!" I said even though it wasn't the truth. It was inappropriate to show a seven year old this movie but at least he wanted to watch it. The only horror movies I watch are the really crappy ones that are more so laughable than scary. I'd never seen The Shinning nor wanted to.

"It's not my hand you're going to be holding" I nodded my head towards Max.

"He'll live, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" Jace said.

Ten minutes into the movie Max was already snoozing away. Guess the whole debate was for nothing- besides the fact it seemed like Jace and I would be finishing the rest.

Fantastic.

I tried not to shiver when I saw those creepy twins or yelp when the hallways filled with blood. I squeaked behind the blanket, hiding myself from the glory beyond.

"It's safe to look now" I heard the smirking voice and looks over the sleeping Max to the other side of the couch.

"What? Oh no- I just had to sneeze" I was not going to admit I was scared of horror movies, for Jace would relentlessly tease me for it.

"Mhmm, sure you did" he said sarcastically.

"Look, we're missing it!" I turned the attention back to the screen.

"We don't have to watch it if you don't want to, Alec, Jon, and I watched it at least a thousand times" Jace said with less of a smirk and a considering stare.

"Well I wouldn't want Max to have nightmares" Even though max had fallen asleep a good hour ago.

Right on qué, Max shot up shaking.

"Max! Max are you okay?" Jace suddenly turned to his little brother and I rested a hand on Max's shoulder.

"Sorry, just a bad dream" Max squirmed and shook out a yawn.

"Well then I think we should get you to bed" Jace pushed off the couch and scooped up Max in his arms like a small puppy.

Max enjoyed the motion and snuggled into Jace's chest- what I'd do to be Max- well, I mean- who am I kidding, yeah I do mean that. Jace is so hot and muscled, sexy, beautiful, and golden. Clearly I'm hazy with sleep, but it doesn't mean it's not true. In the midst of sexy Jace thoughts I drifted into sleep.

"Do you want me to carry you up to bed, Red?" Jace asked with a chuckle and a hint of an innuendo.

"Your call, Goldie" I said with the same amount of seduction.

I heard the shake in his breath as I felt a blanket ripped off me and I jumped wide awake.

"WHAT THE HE-"

"Max wants us to stay with him, he got scared" Jace said and started walking up the massive stair case and I scrambled to catch up to him.

"Oh? And who's bright idea was it to show a seven year old The Shinning!?" I said harshly at Jace.

"Well a boy needs to learn, every kid has a scary movie growing up" Jace shrugged.

"Yeah, doesn't mean they all have to have one"

"Hey, calm down. At least he wasn't with a group of friends and he has people to comfort him"

"Okay" I said as we entered Max's room- which was bigger than the room I had.

Jace and I slid into the twin bed- which wasn't easy with Jace easily filling more than half the bed, Max took the side and I was stuck in the middle on my side. At least I had covers- which I wouldn't need considering these boys gave off more heat than the sun. I'm sure to wake up in a pool of sweat when I wake up. Not to mention the nervous sweat that had started with Jace's closeness. Jace's body was less than half an inch away from mine and I tried my best to scoot closer to Max.

"Next time maybe we watch something like Finding Nemo" Max said.

"Are you sure you won't get scared of the Sharks?" Jace gave a small chuckle and I could feel his chest rumble in the motion and his breath fan across my neck.

I laughed to cover up the shiver that ran through me.

"Shut up!" Max said in a harsh whisper and Jace laughed again, I followed in suit.

"Clary, Clary, Clary" I woke to the small whispering voice.

I blinked my eyes open with a yawn, staring at the young boy in front of me.

"Yeah Max?" I said sleepily feeling myself fall asleep again.

"Will you make me pancakes? Please?" He asked.

"I'm sure Jace's pancakes are better than mine" I snuggled into the cover and felt a muscled wall behind me and a coiled arm around me.

That woke me right up. Jace was flush against my back his face snuggled into my neck, his arm firmly wrapping me to him.

"Well I've never tried your pancakes" Max said as my heart raced a thousand beats a second.

"Listen, if you help me get out of this," I motioned to Jace, "I'll make you the best pancakes you've ever had"

"He is a pretty clingy sleeper- I was his human pillow when he had nightmares" Max grabbed a pillow not giving me a chance to ask about the nightmares, and not that I wanted to ask Max about it.

"Okay scoot down quickly and I'll do the rest"

I did as told but my hair was caught underneath his arm.

"Owe" I cursed and Jace's eyes fluttered open. When his eyes met mine, he had his trademark smirk plastered on his lips.

"Good morning sleeping beauty" I said choked, now fully flushed against him, which made it hard to breathe.

Jace looked down at our current position and almost fell off the bed letting go of me.

"I don't bite" I said with a laugh as I sat up and Max chuckled too.

"No-uh, no" Jace said quickly sitting back up gaston so that our legs touched and I felt his muscles tighten, "of course not, just shocked I guess" he let out a nervous laugh.

"Okay… well I'm going to cook Max some pancakes, would you like any?" I added the last part a bit sarcastically.

"Oh no I can do it" he said starting to get out of bed.

"No, let me. It's been a few months, it'll put my baking skills to the test" I hopped out of bed next to Max. "And a little bird told me your pancakes were getting old"

"Max! How could you!?" Jace put a hand to his chest.

"I did not! She's lying I-I love your pancakes! Don't be mad, I just wanted to try Clary's" Max stammered.

"Calm down Max, we're just kidding" Jace let out a laugh and Max let out a relieved sigh.

"Come on" I patted Max's back, "No need to be cursed with his presence and longer" I sent a wink back at Jace who rolled his eyes in return.

"If you need any help-"

"I got it Herondale, get some rest" I shut the door and followed Max.

"These- these are the best things I've tasted since Nutella!" Max said with wide eyes.

"And you put chocolate chips, syrup, and butter on it! Jace never does that" Max was beaming and I cracked a smile.

"Because I'm not trying to give you high cholesterol by the time you turn eight" Jace entered the room with ruffled hair and a yawn.

"Your stack of cholesterol is right there" I pointed to the plate next to Max.

Jace looked skeptical but sat down regardless. "Oh please God, don't let me die eating these pancakes, I'm too young, too good looking, and if you ask me too god like to die like thi-"

"Shut up and eat your pancakes" I demanded with the spatula in my hand, pointing it at him.

"You have to Jace! They're sooo good" Max tried to explain to Jace.

With that Jace took a bite and instantly released a moan, forgetting the fit he'd just thrown.

"Oh my gosh these are amazing" Jace said with another big bite of pancakes.

"Attractive, a real heart throbber" I said looking at Jace's full mouth opening and closing. Jace rolled his eyes but then went back to his popcorn.

"See I told you!" Max also said with a full mouth of food, must run in the family.

I cut into my my pancakes taking a bite and I heard Jace grunt and I smirked.

I looked up to see Max lick his napkin and wipe it on the corner of Jace's mouth.

"Max!" Jace called out his cheeks tinted slightly pink.

"It's not my fault you can't keep Nutella off your face" he shrugged and I let out a laugh.

"What are you laughing at? You'd need a whole towel to clean of your face" Jace snapped his head with a smirk.

"No I do-"

Jace's wet thumb cleaned the corner of my mouth.

"DID YOU LICK YOUR THUMB!?" I asked referring to mystery liquid now covering the side of my mouth.

"Maybe" he said with a boyish smile and Max started cackling in laughter, which made it hard not to smile.

With Jace still staring at me with that boyish smile I laughed as I rolled my eyes.

...…...

I'm so sorry guys! This took forever to update I've been hella busy! But I WONT GIVE UP ON THIS!

I'll try to get the next one up pronto!

And sorry this was sorta a filler chapter.

What's your favorite book?

Kisses.