JONATHAN IS NOT GAY. A few people have asked, an no. He's not.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. I'm just dicking around.

-Clary Fray-

I've been avoiding Jonathan, since Isabelle decided to be the devil, last night. I am never forgiving her for that. I dragged her up the stairs before anything else could be said. She laughed endlessly, while I died of embarrassment. This is why I don't tell her things.

"You're quiet." Says Jace. "What are you thinking about?" He said I had to come over, so Max would have plenty of opportunities to confess his crush (which he doesn't have) on me. We both know it was just an excuse, and I would have come over either way.

"Isabelle is trying to ruin my life." I say, simply. I'm exaggerating a bit, but that goes without saying.

He chuckles. "What did she do this time?"

"She told my step brother I think he's hot."

Jace smirks. "You're hot for your step brother?"

"No." I lie, but Jace knows me too well.

"You're lying." He accuses.

Balls. Deny it. "No, I'm not." My traitorous cheeks flame to an unattractive shade of red.

"Clary, it is scientifically impossible for you to lie to me." Jace presses.

He's right. I can't lie to him, about silly things like this. "Fine." I sigh. "I can't deny that he has good looks. But it's not like I planned on acting on this sexual attraction. Isabelle just made it awkward."

"Why would it be awkward?" He asks. "Maybe he's into you, too. In which case, your mother will be very uncomfortable..." He trails off, realizing what he's saying. Thinking beforehand has never been his strong suit.

"He's not into me." I state.

Jace frowns. "What makes you so sure?"

I deadpan. "Jace, he's my step brother. He's off limits. And no guy has ever been into me. I'm not pretty."

"Clary, you're beautiful." He says, with determination to make me believe him.

"You have to say that." I point out. "I'm your best friend."

Jace shakes his head. "Let's go find Max. I need to win this bet. You'll make a lovely slave."


We end up playing Magic with Max, again. We actually got to finish the game this time, and I obliterated Jace, but Max completely murdered me. It was brutal, because this kid in merciless when it comes to Magic. "I can't believe you would be so ruthless." I joke.

Max shrugs his bony shoulders. "Your death was inevitable. I saw no purpose in prolonging your lifespan for a few more turns."

"He doesn't mess around." Says Jace.

"I like it when Clary's here." Max announces, as he sinks into the couch.

Jace smirks and raises an eyebrow at me. Gah. Bring down your eyebrow game, homie. "Why's that?"

"Because," He starts slowly, "then I'm not alone. You never leave your room when Clary isn't here." This makes me a little sad. Max must get lonely.

"I love hanging out with you." I tell him.

A wide grin spreads across his face. "I love hanging out with you, too, Clary. Jace and Isabelle always hog you." He pouts.

"I'm going to hog her again, right now." Jace announces.

"Why?" Max asks, looking disappointed.

Jace thinks about it for a second before saying "I saw her first." Max doesn't respond, because he's 10 and still plays by the 'who saw it first' rules.

"We'll come see you again soon, Max." Jace assured him, before dragging me up to his achingly neat bedroom. "I am so winning this bet."

"No, you're not." I object. "Max doesn't have a crush on me. He just likes me best because I actually show an interest in the things he likes. Whereas you, Alec and Isabelle just tell him to go away all the time."

"He was making googly eyes at you every time you looked away from him. I saw it."

I cross my arms over my chest. "You're making that up."

Jace shakes his head, and starts scrolling through his phone, for music. "I'm not." He switches the sound bar to Bluetooth, and turns on the love of my life, Michael Buble.

"Yes you are." I insist.

He shrugs. "We'll see." We're silent for a moment before Jace asks "What are you going to do about Isabelle's announcement to - what's his name? Joseph? Jacob? Jason? No, Joshua."

"Jonathan." I correct him, laughing. "And I'm probably just going to avoid him. Forever."

Jace chuckles, and I glare at him. "You can't do that. You live together."

"You underestimate me, Herondale."

"Jocelyn is going to be really confused when you refuse to be in the same room as him. She'll start asking questions. Everyone will find out that your step brother gets you all hot under your proverbial collar..."

I slap his arm. "Don't talk about my proverbial collar."

One of his fair colored eyebrows arches. "Do you know how many girls would sacrifice their families to Aphrodite just to hear me mention their proverbial collars?"

"Shut it, knobby." I snap, and Jace falls over on his bed laughing. "You aren't funny."

His laughter comes to a halt immediately, and he looks genuinely offended. "I am factually, empirically, scientifically hilarious."

Dickbrain.


"Hey, Clary." Jon says, when I walk through the front door. Fuck. Jace was right. I can't avoid him. I will not run away. I will not run away. I will not run away. "Hey, Jon." I say casually. "Um, I wanted to apologize about Izzy. She'll do anything to make people uncomfortable."

His lips tug up at the edges, into a playful smirk. "You're cute." I should have run away. My cheeks flame. "Especially," he adds, stepping closer to me, running his knuckles over my cheekbone. "when you blush." His obsidian eyes bore into mine, his hands slip into my hair, and then... Someone rings the doorbell. Motherfucker.

Jonathan straightens, lets his hand drop, and goes to answer the door. Holy fucking shit. "Hey guys!" Jonathan exclaims from the doorway. "Come in."

He enters with two boys on his heels. They're both tall, like him. On the left, is a boy with brown hair and startling hazel eyes. His hair cascades effortlessly over his forehead, into his eyes. On the right is a boy with the same onyx eyes as Jonathan, and jet black hair. Both boys are really attractive, and this is overwhelming. "Guys, this is Clary. My new step sister." Says Jonathan, leading them toward the couch, where he flops down heavily. "These are my cousins, Jordan" he points to the boy with the pretty eyes, who lifts a hand to wave, and I notice that both of his arms are covered in tattoos. "and Sebastian." He gestures to the one with black hair, who just flashes a cocky half smile at me.

I nod at them. "It's nice to meet you." I mutter, sinking into the loveseat.

I'm pretty sure Jonathan was going to kiss me. I can't be sure, since these two chose the worst time ever to show up. Gah.

Jordan crashes onto the couch beside Jon, and Sebastian lowers himself into the spot beside me. Sitting a bit close for comfort, homesplice. I subtly scoot away. "So, Jonathan." Says Jordan. "What have you been up to?"

Jonathan shrugs. "Oh, you know." He says casually. "Still trying to grow my chest hair as long as yours."

Jordan glares, I fail to stifle a laugh, and Sebastian snorts. Before anyone can retort, my cell phone starts ringing. I pick it up without looking to see who it is. "Hello?"

"Hey, sweetie." My mothers voice comes through.

"Hey, mom. What's up?" I ask casually. Everyone is awkwardly silent, and watching me. Don't they have like... Cousin things to do?

"Valentine and I are staying in Seattle, tonight. It got late, and we don't want to drive home just to get up early and drive in again." I wait patiently while she offers up more information that I don't actually need. It drags on and on. She talks too much. "Are Jordan and Sebastian staying over?" She asks, finally.

I hold the phone to my chest. "My mother wants to know if the two of you are staying over." They nod. "Yeah, they're staying." I announce to my mom.

"Okay, I'll order you pizza for dinner. How man should I get?"

"Twelve." I say, without hesitation. "Or, like, three. Either one."

Mother laughs and agrees to order three pizzas. When I hang up, Jon asks "What was that about?"

"They're staying in the city, but my mother is having pizza delivered."

Sebastian chuckles. "You told her to order twelve?"

I shrug. "She's ordering three. I don't know how much three teenage boys are going to eat."


I'm sitting in my room, minding my own business, when the door flies open, and Sebastian walks in. He didn't even knock, which is so rude. "Can I help you?" I ask.

His obsidian eyes trail down my body, not so subtly. I'm suddenly very aware of what I'm wearing. Black yoga shorts with a white fold over, and a black tank top that shows off a bit too much. I cross my arms over my chest. "Sebastian? Is there a reason you're in my bedroom?"

He cocks his head to the side, and smirks. "You are going to fall for me so hard." What.

I lift both of my eyebrow, because I'm unable to lift just one. "I doubt that."

He bites his lip, and his eyes flick over me again. "Come here." I'm forced to admit: He's really hot. But nope. Not happening.

"I would rather not."

Sebastian walks to the edge of my bed, and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I'm going to be blunt with you, alright?"

I laugh, lightly. "You weren't being blunt before?"

"I want to have sex with you." He announces.

For a moment, I'm actually stunned into silence. "Not interested." I regain my composure. Sebastian leans forward, and oh my God, he's trying to kiss me. I jerk away from him, landing on the floor with the bed between us. "Whoa! Slow down, speed racer."

"You expect me to believe" Sebastian says, amusement in his voice. "that you stayed home with Jon, Jordan and I on a Friday night, and you don't want to suck my dick?"

I am on the verge of losing my shit when Jon and Jordan appear in the doorway. "What is going on in here?" Jordan asks, an amused smile plastered on his face. My revealing attire does not go unnoticed.

"This motherfucker, always acting shady." I explain.

Jonathan rolls his eyes. "Sebastian, what did you do?"

He shrugs. "Clearly, she wants me."

I sputter. "To fall down a flight of stairs, maybe."

Sebastian walks around the bed, approaching me. "Now, Clary, let's be honest with ourselves." I feel his hand press into my back, and I push him away.

"Get away from me, shit stain!"

"Okay!" Says Jordan, pulling Sebastian away. "That's enough, Sebby. Clary isn't interested." He drags him out of the room.

Jonathan sighs. "I'm really sorry about him." He passes a hand through a mess of white hair. "I should have warned you. He's just like that. Doesn't know how to keep it in his pants, and he's baffled by the idea that some women might not want to sleep with him."

I shrug it off. "It's okay. I was about to reach for my machete, when you guys came in."

Jon chuckles, but he doesn't know I was being serious. There's a machete under my bed. "The pizza got here, but I guess there was a bit of a mix up. They brought six. And that's a bit much, so I was thinking... You should invite your friends from next door. Jordan can invite his girlfriend. I'll invite my friend, Magnus." He shrugs. "We can all do something, and eat pizza."

I nod. "Yeah, that sounds like fun."

GUYS. I'm so excited about the next chapter. It's going to be wonderful. I'll give you a hint: I NEVER.

Okay, REVIEW.

-Ash