Safe Place | j.h

19: Break Up

Jace's legs wobbled as he walked down the hall to Clary's room, somehow the hall seemed longer now. Like the wall would never end and he would never reach her. Her words echoed in his ears. I'm breaking up with you. A shiver ran down his spine.

Clary opened the door, Jace didn't remember knocking. She looked at him with shock, she was mostly shocked because she knew that Emery had sent him. Clary almost didn't believe her when she said that she would see if Jace wanted to talk later. But now it was later, and there was Jace.

Jace never remembered them so awkward, apart from the short time they believed themselves to be siblings. Now they both stood, him with his hands jammed into his pockets and her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Look Jace I'm sorry." Jace himself almost laughed, of course she was sorry. Clary never thought about the consequences of her action until they happened.

He had wondered over to her book shelf. It was covered in picture frames. Some of her and Izzy, others of her and Simon from throughout the years, but most of her and Jace. They were smiling, never posing. Izzy usually took pictures of them when they weren't paying attention. Jace's favorite picture of them was the one where Clary was on her back laughing, hair sprawled out, while Jace leaned over her with a grin a mile wide across his face.

"There's nothings to be sorry about Clarissa." Clary hated when he called her that. It made her blood boil and he only said it when he was trying to distance himself from her. "I'm glad you didn't just string me on for months-"

"Jace stop that." She growled, smoke almost coming from her ears. Jace was still looking at pictures of them, she was staring at his back. Jace sighed, then turned to look at her. "If you were just going to fight them why did you even come?" She questioned. In that moment Jace saw bits of her mother in her. He almost smirked at the sight of her. He used to think she was cute when she was mad. Use too.

"Emery told me I should come talk to you." Clary's head nearly popped right off her shoulders. She was so sick of hearing Emery's name pass through Jace's lips. That was half the reason she had broken up with him, Clary was sick of feeling second best to Emery.

"Of course she did." Clary voice dripped with sarcasm. Jace got it then. Clary had broken up with him because of his friendship with Emery.

His eyes sharpened, "Seriously Clary." It wasn't a question. "You broke up with me because of- because of her?" That time it was a question. Clary sighed, it sounded terrible when Jace said it out loud.

Jace stared at Clary. It was ridiculous, he had told her dozens of times that he didn't love Emery. That he loved Clary. He was glad Emery was back, because Emery was family.

"Clary you do understand how-"

"Jace." Her voice shocked him. She hadn't spoken much since he came in, only lost in her own thoughts. Jace looked at her, "I'm giving you an out, take it." It sounded like she was pleading with him. Jace didn't like the way it sounded.

"An out?" Jace spoke with confusion and conviction. "By the name of the Angel, Clary I'm not in love with her-"

Clary's voice was sharp, "You're not in love with me either Jace."

A shot of air got caught in his throat. He tried to breath but nothing passed from his lips. Jace felt frozen while looking at Clary. He then began thinking of all the times they thought. Or everything she said to him that he simply dismissed. Or every time she avoided him. They had fallen out of love.

"You're right," Jace said breathlessly. "But you're not in love with me anymore either." A guilty look flashed across Clary's face. "So don't try and pin this on me." His voice was no longer harsh, it was quiet mad gentle. Jace hadn't spoke to Clary with such easy for months now.

They stood in silence for what seemed like hours. But it was simply minutes. No sound but their shallow breaths. Neither one of them scowled, or pouted. For once they were still, rethinking everything that they were. Or had been.

"So I guess that's it." Jace still felt as if his lungs weren't doing their job, like he couldn't breath. Clary nodded, her arms still wrapped around her skeleton tightly. Jace was almost afraid that if she held herself any tighter she would shatter.

Jace crossed the room to her, looked down at her. He had always been taller, but this time  the distance never seemed so far. Clary could feel his breath fam her face, she tried to remember this moment.

Jace brushes his lips onto her temple, Clary closed her eyes praying that this moment wouldn't last. Jace's lips didn't linger like they always did, soon they were gone and the door was shut behind him. Leaving Clary cold and alone in her room.

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A/N
Word Count: 874