WHERE WE COME ALIVE | SHADOWHUNTERS FF

FIFTEEN

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Jace watched Lyra as they walked along the port wall. Admittedly, he took her the long way around because it was just the two of them and he liked to watch her face of wonder while seeing the sights of New York.

Alec was supposed to be here too, since Hodge rejected him in switching assignments. And he didn't think his parabatai had it in him to defy orders, but Alec did, instead leaving to go follow after Isabelle and Henry. He silently thanked him because he could have Lyra to himself.

They were close to the port near to Jade Wolf and would be in werewolf territory at any moment. But again, the mission wasn't important right now, not when Lyra was staring out at the city across the port in awe.

"It's so beautiful," Lyra whispered, leaning on the port railing. The wind blew through her brunette locks, and her cheeks flushed from the cold weather. Her little button nose was red. And she just looked so...

"Yeah, it is," Jace commented softly, staring at her only the same way she looked at the view.

It was an exciting feeling for him the way his heart pounded in his chest. It was similar to the rush he felt when fighting a demon. But he wasn't fighting for survival, he was fighting every urge he had to kiss the girl by his side.

But here's why he didn't; Jace has been with tons of girls, not to brag, but he was a ladies man. He could really charm his way with any girl. But Lyra was different in that he didn't want to charm her like he did them.

She held some type of innocence that he lost a long time ago when his father died. Her kindness was perhaps her strongest trait, and admittedly, he used to think that such people were so naive. Not Lyra, she wasn't kind because she was gullible, she was kind because she saw the best in people.

Whatever it is she sees in Jace, the way she stared at him, that is what stopped him from treating her like other girls. He never wanted her to stop looking at him like that because it made him all weirdly fuzzy inside. A part of him refused to destroy that by doing something stupid like kissing her.

Lyra turned her face to look at Jace. That damned look on her beautiful features, and the curve of her perfect, pink lips.

Jace was falling for her deeper than he could ever realize.

"When I was little, my family used to sit together under a night like this and try to make shapes out of all the stars in the sky. Of course, back in Texas, it's just a little easier to see the stars," Lyra joked with a small giggle.

Jace chuckled as he peered up at the blank sky. The city lights were far too bright for something like that. "The stars are prettier in Idris, where I grew up." He looked around in hopes to see just one star in the midnight sky, but there were none out. "Have you ever seen them?" He wondered.

She shook her head. "I've only been to Idris during the day. Even then, I'm only ever sitting around in buildings waiting around for my dad." Her smile died as she slowly looked down, and his immediate reaction was to try and bring it back. "I hope my dad and Jack are okay. With the investigation and me under watch, I can't even contact them. My mom and Sera, I can't even imagine what they are feeling," She spoke in a sadder tone of voice.