Chapter Text
A game of shadows
Jace POV:
Jace?- I heard Clary’s voice echo through the hall. In here!- I shouted back and laid down the dagger. I started spending a lot of time training alone since Alec was nowhere to be found these days and I was worrying myself crazy so I needed something to do.
Ever since the break up my parabatai wasn’t the same. First he spent most of his time moping in his room, then he started to lose all his self confidence. Whenever he came out of his room, to me it was still a mystery why he came out since it wasn’t for food cuz he never ate anything whenever Izzy, Clary, Simon or me where around. But lately he started disappearing. The first few days Izzy worried like crazy about him and when I told her I thought it would be good for him to finally get out of his room and do something the only thing I got out of that was huge amount of insults and statements insulting my personality, my pride, my masculinity and for some reason my hair. Seriously, my hair is amazing, and she was way out of line.
However, now I pretty much doubt what I told her, because Alec started taking off more and more often, up until now, where he only comes around once or twice a week to… well, I don’t exactly know what the point of sneaking out and then coming back just to be locked in his room tied to a chair and being told, I quote, “running off like that was selfish and after Max I expected you to know better. My own son breaking apart because some stupid downworlder fling that didn’t work out…Seriously Alexander, what the fuck is wrong with you? Is this what all... "gays" do? Is this a trend or something? If this happened again, I swear by the angel you're going back to Idris and never coming back. Hear me?!- Maryse has a strange way to deal with things sometimes. Izzy looked horrified but kept he mouth shut, I started saying something but Alec cut me off saying it was all right and it would never happen again.
We must all have looked pretty stunned because he hurried to explain and, again I quote, “I wasn’t thinking straight, so I apologies for wasting your time by worrying about me and I promise; you won’t have to get up in the middle of the night again to yell at me and tell me I’m a coward because first of, I’m in this room and last time I checked, not deaf, secondly I already know everything you told me since it was me doing it, and third of, I won’t wander off again and come back at these ungodly hours to have my feelings criticized by someone who thinks my sexuality is just a phase which I’ll eventually get over. Although I guarantee you, this last bit will never happen, since it’s who I was, am and will always be. So if you don’t mind I’d like to be untied and left alone to consider my suicide in peace without your ridiculous tired pity looks and if I may add, horrific smell. Seriously dude, when was the last time you took a shower? (this was directed to me, but in my defense; sweat is manly)”.
This left Isabelle with a proud look in her eyes, Maryse with a hand on her hip, her shoulders drawn back and her mouth in a straight line. I suppose she wanted to look unfaced, but her eyes gave her away showing how these words had hit exactly where the were meant to, her weak spot, her son being gay and her disability to accept it. But, he got what he wanted, Maryse let him go and he went to bed or that’s what we thought happened.
I personally admired him, I don’t mean I do not usually admire him because I do, even if I would never admit it to him, but this was one of the reasons I chose him to be my parabatai; he was usually quiet and tried to blend in as much as possible, not bothering to stand up to insults and blushing every time he got unsure, which was about 99.9% of the time. He was basically a walking/talking/demon killing tomato.
But when it came down to critical situations, the 0.1 % of the time, like this one for instance, since no one knew exactly what to say. (It’s not like you could say something like: hey Alec! nice seeing you after 4 days of being worried sick for you, wanna grab some takkis?) He always said the right thing, hit exactly where he meant to hit and always got what he wanted without spilling a single lie.
If I had known then he would go out through the window, climb the facade and disappear I would have stayed up to guard him but that was obviously not in his plans because after what he said I wanted to give him what he wanted and left him alone. Like I said, his comments may have been directed to Maryse at first sight, but they hit a soft spot inside me, making me give him what he wanted. He hit where he aimed and got what he wanted. Izzy also left after a while and then the next morning he was gone. For good.
…vampire said and we gotta go talk to her.- Clary finished. I had completely zoned out and only heard the last art of what she said. She must have seen the confusion written all over my face because she looked annoyed and about to slap me.
Sorry, I wasn’t really listening, what were you saying?- I stutter and tried to focus on her, but just couldn’t. Ever since Magnus left Alec I feared she would do the same to me and I wasn’t sure if I was as strong as him to last so long or not actually just kill myself.
I said -she started again in an annoyed tone- that yesterday Simon went to the Dumort to pick up some stuff he left there and there was this vampire girl who recognized him and started apologizing since it turned out she was one of the vampires who abducted him while he was in a… rat state, so to speak. They started talking and she ended up walking him home and it turned out she knew a lot about manga and then they went to grab some coffee.-was it just me or was her stare getting colder by the second?- Anyways, the conversation somehow ended up on Alec. First she had no idea who he was but then Simon described him and it turned out her brother was a good friend of Alec’s. (or as far as "friends" go these days). He had been over at their downtown place a couple times and he even went to her best friend’s birthday party with her since she had no date and didn’t want to show up all alone. Although she told him he could leave after and hour or so he stayed, talked to almost everyone, got drunk and had the time of his life.
WHAAAT?! You mean, Alec went to a party without protesting just so that some vampire chic wouldn’t have to look bad in front of her friends?! And he enjoyed it? he got DRUNK?! He TALKED to people?! WAHT THE HELL IS GOING ON? AND WHY- SHUT UP!- Clary shouted at me clapping hand over my mouth, not too gently I must add.
Just let me finish will you? Now, I’m going to take my hand away and you are not going to open your mouth until I finish, ok?- I nodded and told myself I would hold it in until she finished and the seek out this mysterious friend of Alec’s.
Well, he was having the time of his life, dancing like Michael Jackson and here it comes, when Simon asked if there where any pictures she showed him one, and guess what, he was wearing tight black jeans, a dark blue button down, matching vans, a letter jacket and his hair was all styled in this crazy way that Simon says was totally awesome and though he is 120% straight he could have fallen for him right there. -Clary finished and looked at me expectantly.
I had a million question in my head but only one managed to make its way through my head and to my mouth.-What is wrong with him?- It might not be the most insensible thing I’ve ever said but it was the only thing I needed to know right now. Okay, this wasn't just about what was wrong with Alec, what the hell was going on with Simon, too.
I don’t know, I already talked to Simon about meeting these vampires and he called Lea. We are meeting at Starbucks in about 20 minutes.