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"Daddy," called Seph excitedly, running to Alec in X-Men pajamas (something they could blame Simon for) when the five-years-old boy reached the kitchen.
"Hey, darling." Alec picked up his son, who wrapped his arms around the Shadowhunter's neck so tight it seemed almost to be strangling him, and a big smile grew on the saffire blue face.
Magnus had taken quite some time convincing little Seph to go bed last night; the boy wanted to wait for Alec to come home after a hunt. Seph wanted to hear the French lullaby Alec sang to him most nights since he was a baby. Magnus knew the song but his son said he didn't sing it like Alec did, and the warlock had to admit his musical skills were poor.
Century after century, things had the tendency to change in Magnus; if he looked back, he didn't feel the same person he was ten years ago, much less a hundred. The world seemed to turn upside down when Alec came into his life, but even the most handsome, kind and strong Shadowhunter couldn't suddenly give him a musical voice.
Eating breakfast at the kitchen table, Magnus became self-aware of the grin on his face too, by watching his husband and son, something he never thought he'd have. Or perhaps it was still the effect of the shower he and Alec had 15 minutes ago; never was Magnus so glad for being woken up early. He didn't need coffee anymore.
"Did you catch the bad guys?" asked Seph. "With Uncle Jace and Aunt Izzy?"
"Yes, we caught the bad guys," Alec replied, putting him on the ground, and a shadow darkened his intense blue eyes. Seph didn't know the 'bad guys' were in fact demons and that his family slayed them, but one day surely he'd find out.
"Good morning, my little prince." Magnus kissed his son's dark hair when the boy came to strangle him too.
"I have to go to the Institute later," Alec said, washing the dishes after breakfast.
Magnus glanced at Seph watching television with Chairman Meow curled next to him on the couch, too far and too distracted to hear the conversation. "Something wrong, sweet pea?"
"No, I don't think so." He turned off the water, finishing his task, and his hand trembled. He was feeling somewhat strange, but he didn't know the meaning of that and it was making him nervous. "Nothing serious. But I think I should go there."
"Do you want me to go with you to the Institute?" The warlock's yellow cat-eyes showed concern.
"I want to go to the Institute." Seph was suddenly standing near the table. "I want to see aunt Clary and aunt Izzy, and uncle Jace promised to teach me play the piano. Can I go too, please?"
Seph's face reminded Magnus of the night he found him, wrapped in a blanket, crying and pleading him to take him home.
"I guess we're all going, then." Alec wasn't immune to the big olive eyes of their son.
"Let's get you dressed." Seph hopped his way to the bedroom, and Magnus followed him.
"Magnus." Alec's call made him turn back on halfway. "Don't put glitter on him." It sounded like a warning.
"It only happened once, sweetheart. Just to try it out."
Alec lowered the finger pointed at him and Magnus resumed his way. Little did Alec know he always put glitter on Seph when Alec was away for the day or even a few days. It made his son look like the early night sky but already full of bright stars. Alec and Seph were the shiny stars that lightened his sad and dark world and everyone should see their brightness the way he did.
He still wasn't able to convince Alec into wearing glitter, but Seph seemed to like it, so the boy never mentioned it to his daddy.
As Seph couldn't use glamour, Magnus made him invisible to the mundanes passing by on the street. Their son grabbed Magnus' hand, jumping and pulling him to walk faster.
A few steps behind, Alec realized something; together his son and husband were wearing every color of a rainbow, and they indeed brought more color to his life.
A cold breeze rose and he adjusted the blue scarf Magnus insisted him to wear over his black and gray clothes. After six years living together, the warlock still hadn't given up trying to do a makeover to his wardrobe.
When they entered the Institute, everything seemed to be calm. They didn't find anyone in the kitchen nor the living room, which Alec found strange. He didn't hear any sound coming from the training room and Jace wasn't playing piano in the library.
A yell came from down the hall, but he was too far to understand who it was and what the person said. Then Alec saw two silhouettes at Jace's bedroom door.
"I got this, Jace. Just go." Isabelle's commanding voice was unmistakable.
"But-" Jace began to protest.
"Go!" Izzy ordered, before entering the room.
Jace turned and noticed their presence. Seph immediately ran to him, calling him, and Jace pulled up the boy.
"Will you teach me to play piano?" Seph asked when they all met in the hallway.
"Not today, kiddo. But you're free to try it out."
Once Seph found himself on the floor, he ran to the library. The Institute was a huge maze for a child but Seph knew the place well enough not to get lost.
"Jace, what's wrong?" His parabatai was still in the black gear from last night, dirty and bloody, and he looked like he hadn't slept a bit.
"Nothing, just that short redheaded woman with a bad temper that's giving me a bloody headache." He glanced back at the room.
"Clary?" Alec asked, as they stepped towards the living room.
"She totally freaked out when I came home last night. She kicked me out of the room and doesn't let me in." He turned to Magnus. "Is that normal during pregnancy?"
"Why are you asking me?" asked Magnus.
"Because you're 800 years old and have more experience."
"Well, I've never been pregnant," he replied. "And I'm not that old."
Alec rolled his eyes and noticed Jace had done the same. The warlock always said a different age.
"I'm not," Magnus insisted.
"Why did Clary kick you out?" Alec asked his parabatai.
"I don't know. She just said I was an idiot and I had to be careful or else our relationship wouldn't work out." Jace's voice was calm but Alec could feel him restless. "Simon already talked to her, and now Izzy, but she refuses to speak to me."
Isabelle came in the living room, exasperated. "You know what, I give up."
Jace's golden eyes started to shine when Izzy entered, but darkened again. "Did she say anything?"
"I asked her to tell me why she's mad at you, but she said I wouldn't understand," she replied to her brother. "That I wasn't a mother."
"I'll go talk to her," Alec said. Suddenly everyone stared at him. Clary wasn't just his parabatai's wife, she was also his friend. "At least I can try."
Jace placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck."
He walked to the room and knocked on the door.
"Leave me alone, Izzy," Clary shouted from the other side. "And I don't want to talk to Jace."
"Daddy, is Aunt Clary okay?" Seph joined him, holding a book.
"Let's check on her." He caressed his son's hair.
"Clary, it's me. Alec." He felt Seph tugging on his jeans. "And Seph. He'd like to see you." Clary might not open the door to him, but she wouldn't refuse it to Seph, would she?
After a moment of silence the door opened and revealed Clary with messy hair and upset expression, in a pink pajama, flowery pants and plain sweater that revealed a bit of skin of the seven-months belly. Seph hugged her hips, gently because of his cousin growing up in Clary's belly.
"Hey, Sephie." A little smile formed in her lips.
She stepped back and let Alec in. The room seemed to have been hit by a tornado; there were clothes, papers and drawing material all around the place. Clary's attempt to transfer whatever was going on to the paper seemed to have failed.
Clary sat down on the bed of rumpled covers and sheets.
"Are you sick, Aunt Clary?" Seph asked, climbing up the bed. "I can read you a story to make you feel better." He showed the book he was still holding.
Seph couldn't read, but he liked to pretend he did. However, he did make up interesting stories out of the pictures in books.
"Thanks, sweetie. But I'm fine." She caressed the boy's face. "Why don't you go read your book and then you tell me all about it?"
"Okay." On his knees over the bed he wrapped his arms around Clary's neck. "I love you, Aunt Clary." He kissed her cheek.
Clary hugged him back. "I love you too, Sephie."
Seph let go of her and jumped out of the bed. "Daddy, can I go play in Uncle Max's room?"
"Sure." His little brother had died six years ago, but no one dared to empty his room. To the young warlock, Uncle Max had gone away years ago and didn't know when he'd come back, but didn't mind him playing with his toys and reading his manga books. Alec was sure his son's favorite place in the Institute was Max's room, and if Max was still alive he would share his things with his nephew.
A shiver ran through Alec's body, waking him up to reality where his son had already ran out of the room. He closed the door and looked at Clary caressing her large belly.
"How are you, really?" he asked, with a familiar tingling in his body whenever he was about to have a serious conversation with someone.
"Crazy, if you ask Jace and Izzy," Clary replied with narrowed eyes. "I'm sure they already told you all about it."
With his siblings it was easy. He had learnt to get around Jace's sarcastic replies and Izzy's evasive answers, but with Clary, he just didn't know how to get to her. "Never mind what they say. I'm asking you." Alec tried to use a more serious tone, but it came out a bit colder than he intended and for a moment he thought he had screwed all up.
At first Clary seemed stunned, then her expression softened and she looked down. She was silent for a few seconds. "I'm scared, Alec." Her voice trembled and she chewed on her lips.
"Of what?" Alec took a careful step forward as he felt anything could happen now.
Clary glanced back at him with shiny green eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. With tense arms she fisted the fabric over her thighs and stared at the floor again, shaking her head.
Alec sighed. He had been so close... But maybe not everything was lost. He remembered when Izzy was little and made a tantrum and no one could calm her down, their mother usually took her to another division of the Institute as if the origin of her anger and frustration was in the room and not herself. Alec never really understood it but it worked.
"Have you had breakfast yet?"
Clary's head shot up with the change of subject. "Izzy brought me tea and scones a couple of hours ago."
"How about we go out and get you a better breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry."
No, he couldn't lose her again. "Maybe you will when we get there," he tried to convince her. "Taking a walk usually makes me hungry."
Clary's slightly uncomfortable gaze made him cross his arms, and so she smiled. "You're a terrible liar, Alec Lightwood."
Alec felt his cheeks starting to burn. He had no pleasure in lying, unlike Jace, but there were times it was necessary and he wished he had learned something with his parabatai over the years.
"But you're good intended." Clary stood up. "Will you wait outside? I need to change."
Alec stared at her for a while. He thought he had lost. "Hum... Sure." He stepped backwards hurriedly and collided with the door. He turned back and exited the room massaging his back.
When Jace saw him in the corridor, hurried to him followed by Isabelle and Magnus. "And?" his brother asked.
"I still don't know what's wrong with her." He saw hope fade from Jace's face. "But we're going for a walk. I might find out then."
"You're taking her out?" Jace asked stunned.
"This isn't the time for being jealous, Jace." Isabelle hit him with her arm. "Not that you should be worried at all."
"What?" Jace frowned. "I mean, it can be dangerous in her condition. What if there's an attack?"
"Clary's not terminally ill," Magnus intervened. "She's only pregnant, Jace. You can't stop her from going out."
"And in case of danger, I'll protect her with my life," Alec assured his brother. "Just like I protect you and Izzy."
Jace nodded slightly.
"Now, you better not be here when she gets out," Alec advised them.
"Yeah," Jace agreed. "I'll be in the training room." He went to the elevator.
"I go see what my dearest nephew is up to." His sister went down the hall.
"You think it's safe for me to wait with you?" Magnus asked.
"I think so." Clary hadn't seen Magnus yet, therefore she wasn't upset with him.
Alec glanced the way Jace had disappeared and then to Izzy entering Max's room. "Can you keep an eye on them? Especially Jace." Jace alone in the training room would most likely end up with all kinds of cuts.
"They are 23, Alec," Magnus reminded as if he had forgotten. "They're adults."
"It doesn't mean they can't cause as much trouble as children," he replied. "Perhaps even more." Against his expectations, Joseph was a calm boy that rarely made any tantrum. Magnus had been right when he said after dealing with Jace every day, raising a child couldn't be much harder.
"You spoiled them too much."
Magnus relaxed face turned suddenly apprehensive and he figured he must have been giving him what Magnus called a 'death glare'. He saw the pupils in his yellow cat-eyes dilate slightly. "Just kidding, darling." The warlock placed a hand on his back and kissed his cheek. "You're a wonderful brother."
They leaned against the cold stone wall and waited in silence. Alec thought of ways to make Clary speak to him, something he wasn't very good at. In demon interrogations, Jace and Izzy did most of the talking, deceiving the creature to let some information slip. But he couldn't do that; he went straight to the point, and if he did that with Clary there was the chance she might close up to him.
Magnus suddenly grabbed his hand that played with locks of his hair without him realizing. "You seem more nervous than in our first date. Should I be concerned?" However a smile was displayed in the warlock's glossed lips.
In other situation he might have chuckled or thought of a teasing reply, but nothing came to him. Instead he grabbed his husband's yellow jacket, pulling him closer, and smacked their mouths together. Magnus' lips didn't take long to move against his in a somewhat hard and deep kiss. No matter how many times they kissed, it never became trivial and his heartbeat fastened immediately. Even more when he felt Magnus' fingers slid through his hair and another hand grasp the back of his sweater.
They only pulled away when the lack of air was too much. Alec panted, but he didn't want the rush of energy that made him feel like he was capable of anything, to fade. A kiss from Magnus was better than a fearless rune to make his nervousness go away.
"Better?" the warlock asked, holding him with both hands on his waist.
"Very much," he replied, conscious of his flushed face.
"Oh, I was hoping you said 'no'." Magnus faked a sad expression.
Alec laughed and pushed him back, slipping away from his husband's fingers.
Clary didn't take long to exit the room in jeggins, black boots and a dark green jacket that came to her mid-thighs and fiery red curls fell over it on her shoulders.
"Hey, cupcake," Magnus greeted her.
"Hi, Magnus." She showed him a little smile.
"Take care of my man, okay?"
Alec could be misinterpreting his husband's voice but it sounded more like he was saying 'go easy on him'.
"I'll try," Clary replied.
They walked for about thirty minutes, mostly in silence and in an unhurried pace. They didn't use glamour; although he didn't usually let mundanes see him, Clary was still a mundane in some aspects. So in some busy streets of New York, Alec got closer to her and placed a hand on her back to, if needed, keep people from bumping into Clary.
"Let's rest a bit," he said, noticing Clary was having trouble keeping up.
"I'm not tired."
That was Clary; always strong. But there was no need for that now. "Well, I am."
She snickered, but Alec wasn't sure if she was amused or annoyed. They passed by the nearest park and sat down on the grass, side by side, surrounded by trees and hearing the splash of water of a fountain nearby.
"I guess you were wrong. A walk didn't make me hungry." Clary showed him a smile.
"It was worth the try, though."
They fell into silence again. It was time to do what he came for and help Jace.
"Clary, can you tell me why you sent Jace away," he asked carefully. "Even if you think I won't understand..."
"Actually, you're the only one who might understand."
"What do you mean?"
She looked at horizon. "Everything changes when you became a parent, doesn't it?"
"It mostly changes the way you see the world. It becomes so much brighter... but also full of threats. I can be scary... When Magnus brought Seph home, I didn't think I could raise a child."
"Of course you could. I knew you'd be a great father." She looked at him with big green eyes. "You've always taken good care of your siblings. But I never had brothers or sisters, not even a pet. I was never responsible for someone else and now I'll have a baby's life in my hands, fully dependent on me."
"You're not alone, Clary. If you ever need something, you can count on me and Magnus, Izzy and Simon. And, of course, you'll have Jace with you."
"Jace is more interested in going on hunts," she muttered.
Alec was surprised to hear her talk about her husband that way.
"I know it's his job, it's our job, but I thought Jace became more careful now. If something happens to him, he might leave a little girl fatherless just like so many Shadowhunters. He, better than anyone, should understand. But he keeps getting home all bruised and bleeding. Did you see the slash he had on his neck? If it had been deeper..."
When Alec saw Jace's bleeding neck he assumed the worst but after the Iratze he applied, the wound began to close. "Jace isn't careful, he never was. I used to yell at him for being so reckless, but then I realized that was just the way he was and it wouldn't change maybe even if he wanted. In battle, Jace thinks of the best and faster way of defeat the enemy, his well being isn't considered. But last night, instead of facing the demon, he hid in the shadows and attacked the demon from behind. Maybe he shares the same concerns as you, even if unconsciously." He saw a weight being lift in Clary's face. "Anyway, you should talk to Jace."
"What I should've done in the first place," she admitted. Clary let herself fall back on the wet grass and stared up at the gray sky. "Is he seriously upset?
"I think he's mostly concerned about you."
Clary was silent for a few minutes, possibly thinking of what to say to Jace, Alec guessed. "Huh, I can't think." She sat up. "I guess I need that breakfast."
Alec stood up, reached a hand and helped Clary get up. They went to a pastry full of mundane customers, which didn't please Alec.
"Can you order me a latte and a chocolate croissant?" Clary asked him as they waited in line.
"Where are you going?"
"Just the mini market here on the left."
"Clary!" They could both go there next, Alec thought, but the redheaded girl was already out.
Clary still heard Alec calling her name. It was nice of him to wish to accompany her, but she wasn't a little girl and she didn't need his protection.
There were fruits and vegetables in boxes outside the mini market and the red apples had caught her eye before she entered the pastry. Clary grabbed one and scented it; it wasn't ripe and seemed to be a bit acidic, the way she liked. Her breakfast should have something healthy in it.
However, she had no place to wash it well and to peel an apple with a seraph blade in the park seemed too much like a serial killer. She put the apple back in its place and looked at the oranges in the next box.
"Hi! Can I help you with something, miss?" An employee came to her; a smiling boy, possibly her age, with brown hair slightly spiked the same color of his eyes, piercings in his ears and black tattoos peeking under the rolled up sleeves of his green sweater.
"I'm picking a fruit to take." She grabbed an orange.
"Oh, those oranges are very juicy and sweet. So far everyone seems to like them. If you return in the afternoon, there'll be none left." The talkative boy leaned to her. "Sometimes when my mom isn't watching, I steal one and eat it in the back," he whispered.
She chuckled. "I guess I'm taking two then." Maybe Alec would like one too.
"Only two?"
"If they are as good as you say, surely I'll return for more."
The constant smile on the boy's face widened. He handed a bag to Clary and she dropped the oranges inside. "Come inside, you won't have to be in line."
Clary peeked inside the mini market and saw three people in line with few things to buy. "Oh, that's alright. I can wait."
"You should use the priority attendance policy while you can." He glanced at her belly.
She laughed. "Well, alright then."
They entered the store and the boy explained the customers why she was attended first. No one complained.
Then the boy accompanied her outside. "I'm David, by the way." He reached a hand to her.
"Clary." She shook David's hand.
Alec appeared suddenly behind her with a closed cup and a paper bag. "Clary, are you done?"
She turned her head around and looked up at Alec; she honestly thought he kept getting taller but she still reached his shoulders. "Yeah."
Then the Shadowhunter glanced at David with an upset expression, his usual expression around new people.
David slipped his hand from hers quickly. "Hey, dude, I swear I wasn't hitting on your girl or anything." He looked at Alec as if he was staring at an angry tiger.
Alec, however, was surprised. "What? No..." He looked from David to her and Clary noticed his reddening cheeks. "She isn't my..."
"Thanks for everything, David." She turned the employee's attention to herself. "I shall return."
Clary grabbed Alec's arm and pulled him with her as they walked away. They returned to the park, passed by the short fountain with fishes and sat at a picnic wooden table. She started the breakfast with the orange, indeed good, and Alec joined her, peeling it out with his fingers.
As she ate the chocolate croissant and drank the latte, she often found Alec glancing at her with a strange face and pursed lips. When she was almost finishing she remembered she always got chocolate around her mouth eating croissant, ever since she was a kid. "If you mention this to anyone, I'll kill you."
The tall Shadowhunter burst out laughing. "You remind me of Izzy eating ice cream."
Alec looked better when he laughed. Clary imagined Izzy in her most fashionable clothes, combed hair and whip in her hand... and covered in ice cream. She laughed too.
"Here." Alec handed her a napkin.
"Thanks." She cleaned herself.
Then, they heard a sound of an animal behind them. They turned around on the wooden seat and saw a duck with three little ducks coming in their direction.
Clary took a small piece of the croissant bread, crouched and handed it to the duck that came to eat it of her hand.
"We must always remind to never come here with Jace," Alec commented.
"You never tried putting a duck on Jace while he slept?"
"Why would I do that?" Alec frowned.
"For science." She wondered that for some time now. But she guessed parabatai wouldn't joke or play with each other's fears. Or at least Alec wouldn't.
"I'd be very sorry..." Alec picked up a fluffy yellow little duck in his hand. "Of the duck." He petted the duck that quacked but didn't try to get away.
Or perhaps he would with the right incentive. "We shall try that one day, just to see how it ends. I'll take the blame for it."
"But, not any time soon."
Yes, first she had to make things right with Jace again.
"Ah!" Alec yelped. The mother duck had bitten Alec's leg and was ready to do it again."Alright, there you go." He placed the little duck on the ground.
"Maybe ducks are evil."
They stood up and looked for a trash can in the park.
Clary felt a sudden pain and stopped."Oh!" She brought a hand to her belly.
"What is it?" Alec placed a hand on her back.
"Just a little girl that decided to start training very early." She unbuttoned the green jacket and rubbed a hand over the dark red sweater. She should be expecting it already; her baby girl was always more active after meals.
"Do you want to feel it?" Before Alec had time to reply, she grabbed his hand and placed it over her belly. The baby inside moved. "It's Uncle Alec, darling," she said to her daughter. Clary didn't think Alec had felt it before, like the others did. Even Maryse had asked to feel her little girl moving.
When she looked up at Alec he seemed paler, still as a statue and as if a dark shadow had passed through him. Had she done something wrong? "Alec?"
"I remember when my mother was pregnant with Max. I talked to him for hours and I always told him I'd protect him... and I failed." He paused. "If it ever comes to it, I promise I won't fail again." He stepped back and stared at her, realizing he had said too much.
Ever since Max's death, six years ago, Clary never saw Alec break down as much as right now. She could see the pain in his blue eyes. She reminded the day Jonathan died, and she had cried for the brother she should have had. But Alec had had a brother, which made everything worse.
"Oh, Alec..." She hugged him, getting on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around the Shadowhunter's neck. Tears started to burn her eyes. "We all know you'll give your best," she whispered. "You always do. And that's the most important."
Unable to contain herself, she sobbed and tears stained Alec's sweater and scarf.
"Clary, are you okay?" Alec's voice didn't sound emotional anymore.
"Yeah. It's the damned hormones." She took a deep breath to calm herself. Then she felt Alec's arms around her, not tight but comforting. From outside she suspected it looked exactly the way he hugged Isabelle.
Clary closed her eyes. Alec smelled of soap and faint perfume, possibly contaminated by Magnus clothes. It was soothing.
A few minutes later, she pulled away. "Sorry about that." She cleaned her wet face.
"It's fine," he said. However Alec seemed mildly embarrassed. "Ready to go back to the Institute?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, my dear girl, carrying a new life." An old woman came to them, dressed like a gypsy and speaking loudly. "You must be protected. I can protect you from all evil."
She reached to grab Clary's hand, but the redheaded girl retreated. She remembered Dorothea, who seemed helpful until she turned into a great demon. Alec must have remembered that because he reached for his hidden seraph blade. Clary grabbed his hand to stop him.
The woman with a long gray braid, a headband of flowers, and wearing a long dark pink skirt covering her feet became apprehensive by their unexpected response. "Or perhaps I can tell you about your child's future." She passed a wrinkled hand above Clary's belly without touching. "It'll be a beautiful boy. Strong, like his father." Her clear blue eyes landed on Alec, possibly trying to bust his ego. But Alec's glare on her didn't change.
Clary sighed. It was just a mundane pretending to be a clairvoyant to gain money with it. "We would like to keep it as a surprise."
Her smile broke for a second. "If you change your mind, dear, come find me. I'm usually around here and ready to help nice young couples like you two."
Clary didn't reply and walked past her with Alec. When they were a few feet away from the old woman, she realized she was still holding Alec's hand. "Twice," she murmured.
"What?" Alec asked.
"Twice now people thought we were a couple."
"Mundanes make too many assumptions," Alec complained. "Usually wrong ones."
Clary guessed if Alec and Magnus held hands around mundanes, they wouldn't hear anyone say they made a nice couple. But they actually made a cute couple; they made each other happier.
"We could see how many more we can fool on the way," she suggested.
"What? How?"
"We just have to walk like this." She passed Alec's arm around her shoulders and she slipped one on his lower back. Alec was frowning at her. "Maybe you could smile a little."
"Why? Why this façade?"
"Because it's fun." Alec seemed doubtful. "Promise."
At first Alec wasn't much into it, but as people stared at them and smiled, Clary whispered 'dumb mundane' to Alec, the tall Shadowhunter laughed.
"Dumb mundane at two o'clock," Alec said to her and they giggled as a middle age woman passed by them. 'So cute' they heard her say.
Alec entered the Institute still holding Clary. "So, how many?" she asked.
"I thought you were counting," he replied.
"I thought you were counting." They chuckled. Alec never had as much fun pretending to be heterosexual. "At least twenty people think we look good together."
Alec had to agree. Clary was a good company and a good friend. He could hardly remember why he hated her when they met.
Jace, Isabelle and Magnus appeared in the corridor. His parabatai had already showered and changed clothes. They seemed surprised, but mostly confused.
"Dumb Shadowhunter at ten?" Clary whispered to him. Her weak chuckle soon died. "I guess it's time to talk to Jace."
He noticed her slightly apprehensive. "It'll go well."
Clary let go of him and hurried to the group. "Jace, can we talk?"
"Sure. Let's go to the room."
Clary and Jace were heading down the corridor when Alec reached Izzy and Magnus. Isabelle was dying to start shooting questions, but before she could, Clary came back.
She grabbed his arm and got on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, Alec. You're amazing." She ran after Jace.
"What was that?" Izzy's interrogation started. "What did you to Clary? Got her drunk or something?"
"I didn't do anything to her. We just took a walk, ate something and talked."
"So, did you find out why she kicked out Jace?"
"Basically she just wanted to make him realize that now they're going to be parents, they can't fight to the death. They must fight and survive."
"Just that?" Isabelle was confused. "She needs to improve her communication skills."
"Indeed," Magnus agreed. "Fight and survive... That will be a hard task for Jace."
Alec met the yellow cat-eyes of his husband. "We'll help him."
Alec and Magnus were snuggled on the couch in front of her, murmuring quietly to each other and sharing a few kisses occasionally. They were worse than teenagers in love.
"Can you two cut it out?" Isabelle interrupted them. "I can't focus on the book."
"What you're experiencing, dear Isabelle, is called jealousy," Magnus said with a smirk. "So go find Seamus."
Alec elbowed his husband discreetly. Magnus knew very well Simon's name.
Joseph came in the living room with a drawing in his hand. "It's for Aunt Clary. Do you think she'll like it?" He showed it to his fathers.
"I'm sure she'll love it," Magnus said to the boy with the loving smile of a father.
"I wanted to give it to her, but there's strange noises coming from Aunt Clary and Uncle Jace's room," he said in disappointment.
Alec stared at his son with wide eyes and started to blush. He looked away, trying to seem casual. Magnus was mostly composed.
"You should wait for them to come out, then," she advised her nephew.
"What are they doing?" Seph asked her, and then turned to his fathers.
"Come here." Magnus sat the boy in his lap. "They are... sharing the love they feel for each other." He stated as if he was quoting a sentence from a book.
"How?"
Seph's innocence was adorable and watching Alec's becoming a tomato was very funny.
"With kisses." Magnus kissed his son's cheek. "And caresses." He ruffled Seph's hair.
The young warlock was thoughtful for a moment. "Sometimes at night, you and daddy Alec make the same noises uncle Jace and aunt Clary are making. Does it mean you love daddy Alec?"
Isabelle couldn't contain her laugh any longer. Alec and Magnus' faces were priceless. "This is really funny, but I really don't need to hear about this." She stood up, leaving the book on the couch. "I'm going to find Simon and make some noise too."
"Isabelle!" Alec reprimanded her, his face a new shade of pink and praying to the Angel to get him out of there.
"Yes, I love daddy Alec very much..." She heard Magnus replying to his son when she left the room.
THE END