Bloom (Malec)

Steady As Mountains

It isn't long until Jace is knocking on my door. I sigh and pull away from my entanglement with Magnus, smiling gently at him and reaching out to entwine my fingers with his.

"Come in!" I call, watching as the door opens silently and Jace walks in. Jace has a way about him, he walks with something akin to grace and confidence, yet with an air of indifference about him. It makes everyone around feel inferior, but one look at Jace, and suddenly, you don't mind. That boy is pure gold.

"Hey, what are you guys up to?" He asks, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops and sauntering over.

"Just hanging out, talking. What's up?" I look up at him from the bed, watching as he perches on it beside me.

"Maryse and Robert are downstairs- she's talking about you guys," he informs, leaning against the bed post. I sigh and use my free hand to push my hair back. Jace watches the movement, his brow shooting upward for a moment when he looks down.

"And with good reason, I see," he gestures to our locked hands with a smirk. I roll my eyes, fighting off the blush as Magnus grins.

"You're not mad?" I ask feebly, fear coursing through me. To my surprise, Jace just laughs.

"Mad? No, why would I be mad? That just means you can be my wingman without any consequences. You can't steal the girl, either." He grins and I roll my eyes, leaning into Magnus a bit now that I feel a little better.

"What are they speaking about?" Magnus inquires, smoothing his thumb along the back of my hand and glancing at me.

"Maryse is talking about how she's unsure if you two are a good fit as friends. She thinks, and her words, not mine, that you're a bad influence on Alec." Magnus' lips quirk up into his usual smirk, his amber eyes darting up to meet Jace's amused expression.

"Hmm, intriguing." Jace nods and makes to stand up, turning to look at us.

"Might be a good idea to make a choice about telling them down there. I'd give you advice, but I don't want the blame if it all blows up," I scoff and glare at Jace.

"Always covering your own ass," I mutter, earning a hearty chuckle as he exits the room. When the silence falls over us again, I turn to Magnus with a perplexed expression. He reads my eyes and brings a single, long finger up, tracing away my worry lines with the tip of it, his touch warm and welcome. Eventually, I just lean into his palm, nuzzling into it and relaxing slightly.

"Do you want to tell them?" He asks, clear and steady. I blink slowly and chew on my lip. His thumb reaches out and he tugs my bottom lip away from my teeth, smiling soothingly.

"I'm afraid," I confess meekly, letting him comfort me and ignoring my pride.

"We don't have to, but it's up to you. Will that fear ever subside, dear Alexander? Or are you just postponing what needs to be done to clear your busy mind?" His words reach deep down in my heart. My mind whirs with a million possibilities, me ending up out in the cold, disowned and hated by my own family, my mother's cold gaze laced with malice and disgust, my father's disappointed eyes.

"Lets go tell them," I whisper, standing up and taking a deep breath.

I'd always known I didn't like women the same way I liked men. I never got the warm tingly feeling that I should've when girls kissed me.

But I'd always learned to endure it. When my friend, Clary, used to kiss me on the cheek, our parents would fawn over us. Of course, she's now dating Jace, but our parents had always made a big deal over how 'adorable' we were.

I'd always wanted their affection and attention, so I'd kiss her cheek back, despite the feeling in me that said 'no, you don't like this the way you should.' But I had to. Because it was expected of me, it was normal.