Thunderstruck ⌲ Alec Lightwood

THE CUP

     "Come on, we should go downstairs. Simon should be here soon," Clary said, putting her phone back in her pocket.

     Hodge stood up from his chair, setting his cup of coffee down. "May the Angel be with you all."

...

     Simon pulled up just as they had all closed the door to the institute, the van's tires squealing in the wet road from the rain as it came to a halt. The van was just about as Damien imagined for someone like Simon to drive. It was painted completely neon yellow, with what Damien guessed to be a band logo painted on the side in brown. "That's the van?" Jace said. "It looks like a rolling banana." Damien snorted. 

     "What else did you expect? It's not like 15 year olds can afford Porsche's. Let's go," he said, opening the back of the van. He waited for everyone to get inside before doing so himself and closing the door behind him. Once the door was shut, Isabelle wrinkled her nose at the sight. 

     "Is it safe to sit?" she asked. The seats were almost torn to shreds, and all that was left was a piece of fabric to hold the metal posts together. 

     "Safer than being strapped to the roof," Simon said, turning around in his seat. Damien sat down on the floor behind the driver's seat of the van he believed to be one of the cleanest spots in it. "Hey." 

     "Hey," Damien responded in greeting. Alec slung his bow off of his shoulder before sitting down next to Damien. Damien couldn't help but notice the rain drip down off of Alec's hair and into his eyes. He wasn't the only one watching him.

     "That's a nice bow," Simon told him. The four Shadowhunters looked at him with surprise. 

     "Thanks," Alec said simply. He clearly didn't feel the need to elaborate. Simon turned up the music as he started to drive once they all got settled. After a few minutes of silence, Alec finally spoke. "Dami? I'm sorry about earlier." 

     "It's okay, Alec," Damien said. He really wasn't upset about that anymore, he just wished he could change his mind. 

     "No, it's not," Alec said, sighing. Damien wished Alec knew he couldn't lie, it would have made this so much easier. "You're my best friend, Dami. I just lost my head for a minute."

     "Alec, I'm serious. We're okay," he replied, this time looking Alec in the eyes. "I do have something to tell you, though-" Just then, the van came to a screeching halt, and Damien lurched forward from the impact. 

     "We're here," Simon said, putting the van in park. Alec grabbed the duffel bag full of weapons. 

     "Let's go kick some ass," Damien said after regaining his balance. 

...

     The moment they stepped close to the apartment building, Damien could practically smell the demon presence, even without taking out his Sensor. He knew they weren't there, but they had been recently. "You know, the Clave wouldn't be pleased if she knew Clary's moms friend was entertaining demons," Isabelle said. 

     "Well, she won't have to worry about it if she gives us the Cup," Damien replied. 

     "Especially if we slaughter a few Forsaken while we do it," Alec added. Jace took out his Sensor.

     "They're in the upstairs apartment," he said. "My guess is that they won't bother us until we try to get in." Damien nodded, holding out a hand to gesture to Clary to go first. Inhaling a sharp breath, she stepped in towards Dorothea's door. She knocked once, but when Dorothea didn't answer, she knocked again, harder.