Distractions

Thirty-One: Communication

Alec frowned and ran a hand through his hair. He grimaced when a cloud of glitter rained down around him. "And whose fault is that?"

"Not mine," she said easily, leaning against the wall. "I'm not the one who got in the way of the glitter bombs."

"You hid behind me," Alec deadpanned. "You hid behind me when the teenagers ran down the street with glitter bombs. Why were there even teenagers running around the streets with glitter bombs?"

Everest shrugged, even as Magnus chuckled and waved Alec towards the showers.

"Everest's right, you need a shower. I love glitter, I do, but you look like a mess."

Alec rolled his eyes but left to shower anyway.

Another giggle overpowered the music and Everest groaned.

"He's so done," she snapped. "Absolutely done for."

Magnus chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You know what would drown out the noise?"

Everest couldn't take it. She burst out laughing, doubling over and leaning into Magnus in order not to fall. "That wasn't smooth at all," she said, still laughing. "Like, that was about as smooth as Steve Evan's pickup lines and his pickup lines were like grating chalk."

"I almost feel sorry for the kid," Magnus said with a grin as he leaned down to kiss Everest.

"Don't. That's a terrible decision."

"Okay, I won't."

She tilted her head up to meet him halfway.

...

Everest's phone chimed and she cursed under her breath. Her phone lit up with the angelic rune, the Institute's alert. Everest leaned back to check it and then she leaned her head against Magnus's shoulder. His breath tickled her neck.

"Damn it. I have to go," she said, frowning.

Magnus smiled. "Go do your job Shadowhunter. I'm not going anywhere."

"All right."

Everest stood up reluctantly, straightening her clothes and hair, and knocked on the bathroom door. "Alec! We need to get to the Institute now."

"I'll be out in a few," he called back.

Everest approached the guest room warily, but then she steeled herself and opened the door. She would hit Jace if she needed to. Hell, she'd hit whoever Jace had with him too.

"We have orders, let's go," she snapped. She stared up at the ceiling so that she could avoid looking at Jace and whoever was with him.

"I'm a little tied up," Jace said. Everest sighed.

"You're welcome to join us," the girl Jace had with him said.

Everest gagged. "No, I'm good. That's my brother."

"I'll give you two a minute," the girl said.

"No, you can just leave," Everest said with a tense, pity filled smile.

"Stay," Jace said.

Everest waited until she heard the door, which she assumed was the bathroom door because she was still blocking the door to the hall, open and shut before she looked at the floor long enough to locate Jace's jeans and throw them at his face with as much force as possible. He just barely caught them.

"This is your solution? Hiding out at Magnus's?"

"I wouldn't exactly call this hiding," Jace said, getting dressed. Oh didn't Everest know it.