Red: A Clace Fanfic

Surprise

"Jace! Jace, slow down! Short legs, remember?" Clary shouted after him.

Jace just laughed.

"JACE HERONDALE LIGHTWOOD WAYLAND MORGENSTERN!!"

Jace stopped suddenly. "Yes, Clary Fray Fairchild Morgenstern?"

Clary huffed while Jace muttered "Clary Herondale".

He pulled out a black piece of cloth and tied it around Clary's eyes while she let out a small squeal.

They were twenty-one now, and though Clary had grown, Jace was still a head or two taller than her. Simon had made a lot of progess with his memory, and him and Isabelle were as close, or closer, as they were before.

And it was Clary's birthday.

That morning, she had been woken up by Jace, Simon, Isabelle, Alec and Magnus standing over her, ready to say surprise, but a moment too late.

To her horror, she had found the pillow under her mouth wet, and everyone noticed her drool too. Her hair was also crazy.

Presents were for later, apparently, after she'd found out the "big surprise".

Now, Jace steered her away from trees and people as they made their way to the "special spot" Jace had mentioned.

When she was freed from the blindfold, she saw a small opening in a group of trees and bushes. Sunlight streamed through the leaves, and Clary's hands ached for a pencil and sketchbook. It was beautiful.

Jace seemed to be fingering something in his pocket, and he looked slightly nervous. Nervous, Clary thought, did I just use Jace and nervous in the same sentence?

A flower from one of the trees floated down onto Jace. They were falling everywhere from a certain tree. Jace brushed it away impatiently.

"Stupid flowers. Do these flowers annoy you? They annoy me. Flowers are annoying. Do you-" Jace was speaking really fast, he was barely coherent.

"Jace. Calm down. They're just flowers." Clary smiled at him, and he felt his insides melt. You can do this, he reminded himself, you're Jace. But a small voice at the back of his head was screaming: no you can't! Idiot!

He sat Clary down on a fallen tree trunk.

"Hey, do you want to-" He was interrupted by Clary pressing her mouth against his, slow and soft. Jace groaned in pleasure, how did she do this to him?

Soon they were tangled together, kissing, and his hands were in her hair. Her hands explored his chest, arms and face.

Jace lost himself in the pleasure of it, until he realised why he was there.

"Clary- we have to-" He separated from her, as hard as it was, and stood in front of her on the log.

"Jace?" Clary asked, her voice small. God, Jace thought, she must think I don't want her.

He took the plunge before it was too late.

Kneeling, he took out the tiny box containing the small emerald for Clary.

Opening it slowly he asked, "Clarissa Fray Fairchild Morgenstern, will you do me the honour of adding Herondale to your long line of last names?"

Clary stood staring at Jace for what seemed like forever.

"Yes."

In a second Jace was in her arms, and she was kissing him, and he was kissing her, and the ring was on her finger.

"I love you." He said in a husky voice, looking a bit dazed.

Her emerald eyes reflected his. "I love you t-"

Isabelle, Simon, Alec and Magnus suddenly jumped out from behind the bushes.

"Surprise!"

"Can I see it?"

"A little bit of sparkles!"

"Stop it, Magnus, we're drowning in glitter!"

Clary, still disorientated, looked away to see Magnus holding a tub of glitter and covering everyone in it.

"Did you guys WATCH us?!" Jace said, eyes wide.

Simon laughed. "Only the last part."

"It was so cute!" Isabelle squealed and hugged Clary and Jace.

Alec and Magnus offered smiles, and apologised for drowning everyone in glitter.

Jace traced Clary's lower lip with his finger, removing the two pounds of glitter on it. Then, even with everyone watching, he pressed his lips to hers again, not caring about the glitter on them.

Everyone cheered and clapped, and they kissed until a mundane gardener came.

"What are you lot-" He started gruffly.

"YOU RUINED THE MOMENT!" Isabelle shouted.

The gardener looked quite taken aback.

"Come on, guys. Continue this somewhere else. Preferably a bedroom." Simon said with a smile.

That night, at the party celebrating both Clary's birthday and the engagement, Clary found Isabelle almost-crying into the cake she had insisted on making.

"Izzy!" Clary threw her arms around her.

"I-I burnt the cake." Isabelle said between sobs.

"Who cares? Let's order pizza! I've never really liked cake anyway." Clary said, fixing Isabelle's mascara with a paper towel.

"Are you sure?" Isabelle asked with wide eyes.

"Yes! Let's get Simon-"

She was interrupted by Isabelle hugging her. "I'm so happy for you guys! Everyone is." She fixed Clary's hair with expertise.

Clary put a hand to her face and realised she was crying- tears of happiness, for her, for Jace, for everyone.

"Thankyou," Clary whispered. "It means a lot to me."

Three hours later, the party was finished and the guests had left. Clary sat in her pyjamas on her bed admiring the tiny emerald ring Jace had bought for her. It was beautiful.

Later that night, she heard a knocking sound against her window. Clary opened it to find Jace, looking very cold.

"You're freezing!" Clary whispered.

Jace smiled devishly. "Yeah, I could do with some warming up."

Clary laughed silently and held open the covers for him. They lay like that together, until Clary drifted to sleep in Jace arms.

"Clary Herondale." Jace smiled.