A little love

Chapter 2

She wasn't the first person to be unsure of how to act around him, and she probably wouldn't be the last. Not everyone was as accepting as Magnus. Alec didn't care to ease her tension, it would make her a better fighter.

Alec passed her one of the training batons, watching to see how she would react to it. She looked to him for a moment, expecting guidance, but when she realized she wouldn't get any she just sighed and looked over the weapon.

Clary ran her hands over the smooth wood, before she seemed to work out the balance of it, and adjusted it in her hands. It gave Alec hope that she did seem to have some instinct with it, Max was better but Alec reminded himself Clary had never been trained. For a first go, not too bad.

Alec nodded approvingly when she looked back to him, and her eyes lit up for a second. He took one of the batons himself, setting his feet apart to balance himself, glad to see Clary mimic the movement. He gave her a nod.

"Wait so do I just... go for it?" Alec nodded, bracing himself again. If he was going to train her he needed to get a better look at what he was working with, strengths he could work on. Clary looked hesitant before she finally took a step forward and tapped Alec's baton lightly.

Oh boy, they had a long way to go. Alec straightened his back again, shaking his head. Was this a normal training session with Izzy, for such a weak move he would have knocked her legs out from underneath her, but he needed to be patient. Izzy could hold her own, Clary was more... child-like.

He gave a beckoning motion, telling her to try again. She grimaced but was a little firmer this time, and Alec remained. When she tried again, he actually felt the contact through the wood. This time he nodded encouragingly.

Next, he started moving more animatedly, and Clary seemed to click that he wanted to have a bit more action. Her posture would need work, but that could wait. When she went for him this time, he blocked her with ease and returned with a firm tap to the thigh.

"Ow! Some warning would have been nice!" She yelped, and Alec rolled his eyes. Did she think everyone she fought would be giving her a warning? He gestured to her eyes. Clary would look at where she was aiming for seconds before she acted, which needed to be stopped immediately.

"My eyes? What about them?" Alec mimicked her attack strike. "Oh, I'm looking too soon?" Alec felt hope rise in his chest. She was clever and a quick learner, he could make a shadowhunter out of her yet.

When she attacked again, she was much better, almost getting a hit off before Alec could block her. If he wasn't so well trained she could have gotten a good blow in. then he thought for a moment.

Clary was talented, but she was too in touch with her mundane weakness, he could tell that she didn't actually want to hit him. He gestured for her to try again and this time didn't move.

Brown eyes flashed with concern as she realized he was still, and she slowed her blow. He barely even felt the contact when it hit him, and he gave her a look.

"Why didn't you protect yourself? I could have hurt you!" Alec very much doubted that, his parents hit him harder. He gave her a meaningful look. Clary glared back.

"I'm not like you! I haven't been doing this for years, I've never hurt anyone on purpose before now." The intensity was back, and Alec observed her for a moment. He drew his hand across his neck in a slicing motion, and her eyes dropped.

"You think I'm going to get myself killed." Alec shrugged. Certainly, she wouldn't do well if she was in an actual fight and couldn't hit her opponent. A new idea arose in the back of his mind.

In a flash, Alec swung the baton, and when she did an admittedly quite impressive dodge, he kicked the back of her knees. With a loud thump, she smacked against the ground, groaning slightly.