Smoke and Mirrors ▹ Alec Lightwood [1]

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE
LITTLE MUNDIE GIRL

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     It was times like these when Adrian remembered why he hated heights.

The side of the Institute was rough against his fingers, the bricks and stones scraping the skin raw. Adrian cursed under his breath as he secured his foot against a windowsill, wondering why he hadn't applied a rune to help him climb three stories to his bedroom window. If he resented the fact that he also hadn't applied a healing rune before he started climbing, he didn't bother thinking longer about it. Each time he thought of a healing rune, he was made acutely aware that his lower back was aching. Gritting his teeth, he saw the windowsill of his bedroom a few feet above his head and decided to go for it, jumping up before he could think about how much of a bad idea jumping for it actually was. Thankfully, he had more than enough upper body strength to pull himself through the window he always kept open.

He went in headfirst, doing a brief clumsy headstand before he toppled on his side, knocking over a lamp nearby. Being a Shadowhunter didn't guarantee grace all the time.

"Right on time." Adrian stared at his ceiling for a few more seconds, contemplating just staying in that position forever, before he grunted and rolled to his feet, running a hand through his already messed up hair. He flashed a bright grin at Alec, who was sitting on his bed while resting back on his hands. He was wearing one of his many baggy sweaters. Adrian could see his collarbone. The second he found his eyes straying toward the patch of skin, he made his eyes go back to Alec's face. His clear blue eyes held nothing but amusement and a little bit of disapproval, but Adrian knew that even if he blatantly stared at Alec like he wanted to devour him, Alec wouldn't even notice.

Alec always had been frustratingly oblivious on how stunningly pretty he actually was.

"Like clockwork," Adrian quipped, going to change out of his gear and into something more comfortable. He wondered if Alec was watching him or if he was just imagining feeling eyes on his bare back, but when he turned around with a t-shirt in hand, Alec was looking out the window. Of course he hadn't been looking.

Adrian wasn't Jace.

"Why is it always three days with you?" Alec wondered out loud as Adrian pulled the shirt over his head. Adrian, never one to be shy, stripped off his pants before he went in search for his favorite jeans. He huffed when he realized they weren't strewn over the chair where he usually threw them.

"Where are my ripped jeans?"

"The ones that cut off your circulation?" Alec asked dryly, eyes flickering briefly from the window to him. Adrian was suddenly very aware of the hickeys along the side of his neck. Alec's eyes flickered over the bruises with an unreadable expression. Adrian didn't know what to think of the lack of emotion, so he chose not to think of it at all. "Check the dresser. Mom was in here yesterday before she, Dad, and Max left for Idris."

"Oh, they're in Idris?" Adrian jerked open one of his dresser drawers. Sure enough, there his favorite pair of jeans were, folded neatly. He scoffed and jerked them out, mildly pissed off that Maryse touched his things. "Thank the lord. That means I don't have to deal with their bitching. 'Oh, where were you, Adrian. We were worried about you, Adrian. You can't keep disappearing for three days, Adrian. Why do you have glitter all over you, Adrian.' God, your parents are annoying." He shoved one leg into his jeans.

"Why is it always three days with you, again?" Alec asked as Adrian hopped toward the edge of his bed and flopped down. He wasn't about to fall on the ground in front of Alec. He and Jace always ganged up on him, and he wasn't in the mood to punch Jace in the mouth and then laugh about it with Jace later. His mind was too cluttered. "Why were you covered in glitter the last time, by the way?" Adrian finally got his jeans on and clasped the button, blowing his bangs out of his face.