I stared at my bare skin that morning, my fingers grazing over where the words once were.
I miss you.
I swallowed hard, feeling chills run up my spine, my heart leaping out of my chest when I felt a warm hand touch my cold shoulder.
My head snapped back, still hugging the sheet to my chest to see my boyfriend, awake, his hair a mess, his deep voice sounding, "Good morning-"
"Morning, my love-" I relaxed, my hand reaching and grabbing his face, pressing my lips into his in a small kiss.
"Oh, what's wrong- what is it?" Jace scanned my expression when we pulled away from the kiss, "Is it the bed head or the morning breath?"
"You asked me that the first time we had sex-" I pointed at him, poking his cheek, "I thought it was clear by now that I find you attractive in any state-"
"You thought that time was a mistake and wouldn't stop avoiding me-" Jace ran his hands up my arms, "I'm glad we never stopped making mistakes-"
"Oh, shut up-" I fell back into bed with him.
"Hey-" Jace looked around me, his eyes soft, "I was thinking today, maybe- we could do something to celebrate your homecoming."
"Oh?" I pushed some hair out of his face, "What did you have in mind?"
Jace softly smiled and pecked my lips, "How about we keep it a surprise, huh?"
-
"Breaking and entering?-" I questioned, walking with Jace through the locker room of an ice skating rink, "Why am I not surprised?"
Jace held my hand, "This way we'll be on our own."
I watched him as he went around the counter by the skates, "You never told me you knew how to ice skate-"
"Well, I don't, yet-" Jace lightly shrugs, eyeing my confused expression, "I mean, I was kinda hoping you could show me how it's done."
"Jace, honey-" I placed a hand on my hip, "You brought me to an ice rink when I can't skate?-"
"You can't?" Jace goes a little wide eyed.
"I mean- I know the basics- " I leaned onto my elbows, staring up at him, "I just can't keep my balance- every time I've gone, I've sprained at least something-"
Jace moves into the same position I was in, directly in front of me, "At least now you have an Iratze to help with that-"
I looked between his eyes, "What exactly gave you this wonderful idea?"
"Well, there's a photo on your dresser of you, Jocelyn and Clary-" Jace exhaled deeply, my heart stopping at his words, "You were at Rockefeller Center- and- even though you were crying- you had the widest smile on your face- and you looked- absolutely adorable- I just- I knew that's something I had to do for you."
A small smile formed on my lips, leaning my face closer to his and pecking his lips, "I love you."
"I love you," Jace pecked my lips back, then stood straight and gestured to the many skates behind him, "Okay, what's your size?"
-
"Jace!" I held onto his hand tightly, my hand gripping the wall as we slowly went around the rink, "You're not running on the ice, you're supposed to glide-"
"I'm trying-" Jace had his arm stretched to touch my arm, the other holding my hand, trying to watch his own feet while watching own, to try and keep us both up, "I can't keep eye on my own feet when your legs are shaking so badly-"
"I told you I couldn't keep my balance-" I skated around the rink with him slowly, trying my best to keep myself up, so he wouldn't falter at the sight of me, "Just- you hold onto me-"
My eyes watched his feet, "You're doing great-"
"Oh, yeah?" Jace looked at me for a second.
"Yeah-" I had my other hand on his chest, glancing at him, "I couldn't skate in a straight line for at least a few tries-"
Jace exhales, "That makes me feel better-"
I shrug, "I was six years old at the time, but still-"
"You're making fun of me." Jace eyed me, his hand holding tighter on mine when he moved his foot out of the formation on accident, quickly fixing it.
"No-" I quickly followed up, starting to smile, "I'm just saying you are ahead of the curve, you're doing good-"
"Ahead of the- I was born ahead of the curve, alright?" Jace was trying to stop himself from laughing, "Zee, I'm just, trying not to show off 'cause I know this is kinda used to be your thing, so-"
"This was never my thing-" I started laughing, completely losing focus of my own movements.
It was only a matter of time before a shriek left my lips when I completely lost balance and started falling to the ground.
"Whoa!-" Jace picked me up to prevent my fall, but only fell and hit the ground himself, with me right on top of him, breaking my fall, "Ow-"
"I take it back-" I moved so I sat on him, putting my hands on his shoulders, looking down at me, "You kinda suck, but it's alright, 'cause so do I-"
Jace looked at me, "I know what you suck-"
I quickly cut him off, "You want me to kiss it and make it better?"
"Yeah-" Jace leaned his head up a little for me, "Yeah, I think that'd be nice-"
I smiled lightly and pressed my lips into his for a few seconds, then pull away and sit on the ice next to him.
"It's not me, by the way-" Jace sat up, running a hand through his hair, "It's the skates."
I laughed lightly, "I see-"
"I'm pretty sure they're too big." Jace grabbed my hands and pulled me up with him, "I'll go get a new pair-"
"You'll see, it's gonna be completely different." Jace let go of my hands and slowly made it out the rink.
I giggled lightly, watching him, "Whatever you say-"
When he was no longer in sight, I slowly started moving once more, keeping my shaky legs bent and still as I glided on the ice, slow.
It wasn't long before I heard Jace calling my name, "Zee, bad news-"
"Oh, hey, look-" I pointed at my legs, looking up at him, my face lit up, "I'm doing it-"
Jace softly smiled at me, then clears his throat, "The, uh, owner's coming back- I think we should beat it."
"But- you were getting so good." I skated over to him and stopped, looking at him with a smile.
"Don't worry, there's somewhere else I want to take you today-" Jace pulled me off the ice and next to him, "Our day's not over-"
-
"Jace, come on, really?" I walked with him, "You're not going to tell me where we're going?-"
"You'll like it." Jace had a hand on my lower back as we walked, "I promise."
"Hey, wait-" I put a hand on his arm and stood in front of him, "I have to tell you something."
"Yeah, sure." Jace nods, "Anything."
"It wasn't the- bed head, or the morning breath-" I lightly ruffles his hair, then exhales through my nose, "Last night, Jonathan sent me a message."
Jace blinked, "Really?"
"It was through our rune-" I nodded lightly, swallowing hard, "He carved "I miss you" into my arm-"
Jace stares at me, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah- I'm okay," I nodded again, grabbing his hand lightly, "It's nothing an Iratze couldn't take care of, I just- I didn't want to keep it from you."
Jace lightly shrugged, "Well, I can't really blame him for being crazy about you."
"Jace," I stared at him, my eyes scanning his expression, "The guy kidnapped me and held me hostage."
"But- he did it out of love." Jace's words didn't sit right with me, his expression different.
Red flag.
Jace wouldn't say that to me.
"I'm sorry." Jace followed up quickly, slowly nodding, "You're right- that must've been very traumatic."
Then his expression turned slightly sour and at unease, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I wanted to, but- Jace, things have been so perfect between us recently." I played with his fingers, "I didn't want to spoil the mood, you're not- mad at me, are you?"
"Not at all- I just wanna make sure you're safe." Jace said, "You activated your anti-tracking rune, right?"
"Yeah?-" I stare at him.
"Good, then no one can hurt you-" Jace put a strand of my hair behind my ear, "And if they try, I'll be here to protect you."
-
"Thank you, but- I don't think you're supposed to just- take those." I twirled the rose in my hand that Jace had given me from the stand, standing in the middle of the Promenade.
Jace shrugs, "There was no one there to stop me."
Red flag.
"You some kind of outlaw now?" I fake laughed.
"You're right- I'm sorry." Jace stares into my eyes, exhaling, "I think I just forget myself around you."
Before I could react, Jace took a step closer to me, putting a hand on my waist and pressing his lips into mine.
Big red flag.
Jace stares at me when he pulled away, scamming my expression, "What's wrong?-"
I wasn't with Jace.
"Nothing, nothing-" I cleared my throat and quickly sat down at the nearest bench, stuttering, "I'm, um, I'm light-headed, my feet hurt- I think I might be dehydrated."
"Oh, I'm so stupid." Jace exhales deeply, shaking his head, "It's me- I've been running you ragged all over the city."
"Maybe- you can get us something to drink?" I put a strand behind my ear, smiling up at him weakly, "My mouth's dry-"
"Of course." Jace points at me, "Stay right there."
Jace walked away and to the small truck, as I watched him in suspicion.
I looked toward the rose in my hand and pricked myself with a thorn, noticing how Jace immediately looked toward his bleeding now thumb.
I quickly turned my back towards him, exhaling deeply, breathing heavily, my eyes slightly wide.
Jonathan.
I pulled out my phone quickly and dialed the first number I saw, putting the phone to my ear, glancing back at who I knew now was Jonathan.
Isabelle's voice filled the line, "Zee?-"
"Iz, I'm on the Promenade with Jonathan." I whispered to her, "He's glamoured himself to look like Jace-"
Isabelle was concerned, "Are you okay?-"
"I'm fine- Jonathan doesn't know I know." I exhale, "But- Jace has gotta be in danger, we were at an ice rink in Chelsea- Jonathan must have ambushed him there."
"Just sit tight." Isabelle replies, "I'll find Jace- then I'm coming for you."
I agreed, "I'll deactivate my anti-tracking rune."
"Good idea." Isabelle said, "Once we find you, you can use your Somnus rune."
I remind her. "That'll only sedate him for a minute."
"That's enough time to take him into custody-" Isabelle responded, but soon I heard footsteps behind me.
Jonathan questions, "Who's that?-"
"Alec-" I hung up quickly and stood up, facing him with a smile, "He's checking on a report- but, I told him about your surprise, and he said to take the rest of the day off- he's gonna be generous."
"I guess I owe him one." Jonathan flipped the bottle of water in his hand, handing it to me, then links his arm with mine, "Let's go."
-
"Where are we going?" I tugged on Jonathan's hand, my other hand in my back pocket, "Why all the secrecy?"
"If you really want me to, I'll ruin the surprise." Jace kept walking, "There's a gallery I've read about full of artists I think you'll like- it's up here."
"Hey-" I pulled him to a stop, faking a smile as I looked at him, "What's the rush?"
Jonathan stares at me, "There's no rush."
"Sorry- it's just- it's so rare we get to spend any time alone together." I grabbed him by his collar lightly, looking between his eyes, "Can't we take a minute?"
Jonathan sensed something, "Are you okay?"
I nodded, "I'm fine, why?"
Jonathan observed, "You seem a little on edge."
"I'm not." I slowly leaned up so my face was inches away from his, looking behind him to see Jace, Isabelle, and Clary making their way over to us, making me quickly grab Jonathan and knock him to the ground.
Jonathan grunted and revealed himself, "I thought we were enjoying our time together-"
"Not a chance-" I pulled out my stele and raised it, ready to draw the rune on him, but froze when my eyes locked with his.
Everything around me became blurry and muffled.
I couldn't bring myself to do it.
I couldn't force my hand.
Before I knew it, Jonathan was gone, and I was standing up, turning back to see where he had went.
Jace quickly grabbed my arms when they reached me, "Are you okay?-"
Clary stares at me, "You had him, Zee-"
"I know." I stammer.
"What happened?" Isabelle asked.
I stuttered, "I- I don't know."
-
"Alec's on his way back with an update about the Morning Star sword." Jace quietly said when he walked into my room that night, closing the door behind him.
I stayed silent for a few moments, until he had sit next to me, "I can't believe I let him go."
"Well, try not to beat yourself up." Jace lightly nudged me, "I couldn't kill Valentine, remember?"
"That was a different story- Valentine raised you-" I folded my hands, "And- I didn't even have to kill him- all I had to do was draw a rune on him and I couldn't."
"When Jonathan was disguised as me, did he-" Jace's voice lowered, "Did he do anything to you?"
"He kissed me." My voice was quiet, "I knew something was off- god, I should've known from the beginning-"
"We're gonna make this right, Zee- I swear on the Angel." Jace's voice was soft, "I swear on us."
I looked at him, "Why us?"
Jace turned his head and looked at me, his eyes sincere, "Because there isn't anything I believe in more."
My expression went soft, as Jace slowly put a strand of my hair behind my ear and pressed his lips into mine.
My arms went straight to his neck, pulling him closer to me, my chest erupting with emotions.
This felt right.
authors note:
they're just so precious.
this chapter make me so bubbly, i love them
thank you so much for 36k !!
go read redamancy !
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