Alec Lightwood loved coffee. There was not much from the mundane world that excited the dark haired boy, but to him, Café's were the best thing humans had ever created.
Jace Herondale loved Alec. So when the older boy was nowhere to be seen, Jace knew that Alec could be found slouched over in the corner of the Café down the street from the Institute.
It was a cold day, Christmas was around the corner and streets of New York were filled with busy shoppers and snow. Jace sighed and watched the cold air make his breath visible.
Upon entering the small Café, Jace's eyes immediately spotted his dark haired parabatai. "You know," Jace said, sitting down beside Alec, "too much coffee will stunt your growth."
Alec jumped slightly at the sound of Jace's voice, even without a soundless rune, the younger boy was always silent. "I'm taller than you," Alec said, face hidden by the dark strands of hair that had fallen onto his face.
Usually, Alec's comebacks were filled with clear sarcasm and annoyance, but today he just sounded tired. Jace decided Alec wasn't in the mood for lighthearted jokes, and instead grabbed one of the dark haired boys hands from under the table. "You know, you can tell me what's wrong."
Alec looked up at the sudden contact, "Jace, people will see."
Jace rolled his eyes, and tightened his grip on Alec's hand. "I don't give a shit about what mundanes think, now stop changing subjects."
The older boy let out a reluctant sigh, and picked up his coffee mug with his free hand. With his face half hidden by the mug, Alec softly said, "Max."
And suddenly it clicked in Jace's head. He felt his heart tug painfully, this would be the Lightwood's first Christmas without Max. Overwhelmed by both Alec's grief and his own, Jace lapped into silence.
Knowing no words could take away Alec's pain, the blonde instead rested his head on the older boys shoulder, and rubbed his thumb over his parabatai's knuckles. Alec's hands were unlike his own, they were softer and less calloused, quick and nimble with a bow. Jace remembered being a child, watching Alec with jealousy as he fired arrow after arrow straight into the center of a target in the attic. Now, Jace still watched Alec, but no longer with jealousy, instead with pride and affection.
They had been sitting in the warm Café for a while now. Alec had finished his coffee and was lost in thought, watching mundanes walk by the window while snow covered the city in a soft white blanket. Jace let his mind wander too. He could see why Alec found this place comforting, it was oddly peaceful to blend into the background noise of the people around them. The Café smelt of coffee beans and pastries, and if Jace listened, he could hear the soft sound of old Christmas music playing through the speakers.
Suddenly an idea popped into Jace's head, and he turned to look at the dark haired boy beside him. "Let's go home, I have something I want to give you."
Alec turned to meet the blonde's gaze, sadness clear in his eyes. He nodded reluctantly, knowing the moment they stepped within a mile of the Institute, they would have to go back to being parabatai, and parabatai only.
When they stepped onto the snowy sidewalk still hand in hand, Jace looked around paranoid, and let Alec's hand drop.
Alec felt a pang in his chest, his once warm hand felt cold and empty. He knew he would never get used to the pain of being away from Jace, even if it were just a few centimetres. The dark haired boy yearned to reach out and firmly take Jace's hand back within his own, but he knew he couldn't push his luck, not when he needed to keep this secret as much as Jace did.
--
When the two boys got back to the Institute, their faces were red from the snow and cold wind. It had gotten dark and silent since Jace had first left the Institute, Maryse was usually in her office at this time, and with Robert oversea in Idris for work, that left just Isabelle, who was nowhere to be seen.
The blonde could see the relief on Alec's face, it was clear he did not want to be questioned by his family, which was bound to happen if Isabelle had been around.
"Come on," Jace said softly, lightly tapping Alec's wrist as he passed him. Jace didn't need to turn around to know Alec was following him, when his parabatai was close, Jace could feel it.
Jace lead the older boy to his bedroom, which was as clean as always, books neatly stacked, and bed tightly made. The small metal box Jace had been given from Amatis Greymark sat on his bedside table, as it always did, within it hiding all the letters and possessions that linked Jace to the Herondale name.
Alec sat on Jace's bed, still distant in thought. To Alec, the younger boys room was as familiar to him as his own. They had spent countless days and nights in this room, though some of the more recent times were Alec's favourite.
Alec remembered the first time they kissed, it had been in this room, and they had been in a fight. Jace had claimed that Alec's feelings for him were just an excuse, a way for Alec to protect himself from feeling anything towards Magnus. Alec had been angry and pushed Jace against the wall. Alec remembered wanting to punch him, to hurt him, but instead, all he did was kiss him.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Alec realized Jace had moved to sit on the other side of the bed, holding the small metal box in his hand. The blonde dug around in it for a moment, before taking something small and wooden out. Alec couldn't see what it was, and waited curiously.
Jace came to sit beside Alec, his eyes thoughtful, and softly placed the small wooden object into his boyfriend's hand. "It's the wooden soldier I gave Max a few years ago," Jace explained quietly, "I thought you should have it, since you were his real hero."
Alec looked at the small toy in shock, he knew Max had died holding the wooden soldier, but he never thought someone had kept it. The older boy felt a wave of raw emotion sweep through him, his chest tightened and he felt hot tears fall down his face.
Jace wrapped his arms around his parabatai, holding him as sobs racked his slim frame. Alec rarely showed emotions, Jace knew the older boy felt he had to stay strong for the rest of his family, he knew how tiring it must be. Jace felt his heart swell with love and affection towards Alec, both for how strong he was, and how he wasn't afraid to let Jace see what he wouldn't show others.
"Thank you," Alec said, his voice thick with tears. His face was pressed into the crook of Jace's neck, his voice coming out muffled as he spoke.
The blonde felt a shiver run down his spine from the tickle of Alec's hot breath against his skin. "I love you," He said firmly, fighting the tears that pressed against his eyes. Jace would be strong for Alec, because above all, they were parabatai, together till death, two entwined as one. His strength, his heart, his soul; everything that belonged to Jace, also belonged to Alec.
"I love you too."
--
Sorry that took so long to update, I just finished Lord of Shadows so I feel close to these characters again. I will try to update more frequently. Also sorry if Alec or Jace sound out of character, I need to reread TMI lol 😅
Remember to comment an idea for a letter and I might do it!
