Sweetheart • Alec Lightwood

005

"Let me get this straight, we are going to infiltrate a vampire den and kill them to save Simon?" Axel asked seeing everyone huddled up behind Isabelle who was searching for the den.

"Pretty much." Isabelle said looking over her shoulder. Her fingers tapped the keyboard rapidly, making Axel kind of dizzy. Axel shoved his hand on the pockets of his leather jacket that he found moments ago.

"Nice."

"Where is he? Some kind of crypt in Transylvania?" Clary cut in the conversation.

"Actually, no. That was Camille's outfit, right? They're locals. They're at the Hotel DuMort, down in Gansevoort Street."

"Wow, so original. I mean Hotel Of Death? Typical." Axel says. Alec turns around to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You know french?" Axel nods at Alec. Alec licks his lips and mutters under his breath, "Hot."

"And we came back here? Why? We have to go there. Let's go, now. Come on." Clary breaks the conversation again.

"We need a Clave resolution for that. The four of us can't declare war on the vamps all by ourselves. And we can't react without considering our options. Downworlders are slaves to their impulses. We're not." Alec grumbled. He walked over at Axel and stood next to him. They were about the same height but Alec was taller making Axel straightened his posture. Axel would have denied his statement but it applied to him.

"Alec, you can't just jump on all the Downworlders." Jace argues again.

"Oh, that's right. Seelies have their charms, apparently. Right?"

"'Seelies'?" Clary asked in confusion.

"Like faeries. The Fair Folk. Add pixies, nixies, elves... anybody half-angel, half-demon. It's pretty much a catch-all term. Izzy can tell you all about them. She's got a thing. We've all got our things, don't we?"

"Okay, I can't listen to this. Simon's been kidnapped by vampires. I guess I'll just take care of it myself." Clary grumbles being the only to want to save Simon. Clary made a move to leave but Axel stopped her.

"You're gonna get yourself killed, dumbass." Axel smirked at the frustrated glare he was given by Clary.

"Then help me. While we consider other options, my best friend is suffering. Is that something Shadowhunters understand or am I just being a mundane?" Clary huffed at the shadowhunter's and the demon's reluctance.

"Clary's right. They made the first move. We're gonna take care of this ourselves, right now." Axel frowned at how Jace was whipped. His baby sister isn't old enough to date yet.  Even if he allowed her to date, Jace would not be her first boyfriend.

"This is a bad idea. I..." Alec protested.

"What, have you got a better one? Look, the vamps broke the Accords. They kidnapped a mundie. That's a big no-no. The Clave will give us a lecture and then they'll be glad we did it." Jace convinces Alec. Alec sighs and nodded reluctantly.

"Come on. Hard to argue with that. Even if we went ahead, I don't see how we get out of here without having to explain where we're going."

"We need weapons, and we can't let anyone see us get them. I know where to get what we need." Jace says walking away from them. They all followed him while Alec and Axel hung back holding hands.

•••

"Whose grave is it?"

"Mary Milligan, born January 10th, 1802. Died, January 10th, 1878." Jace responds immediately.

"Wow, born and dead in the same day? Cool." Axel comments. Everybody ignores him while Alec shakes his head in amusement. It seemed that Alec was the only one to notice him.

"All right, Alec, let's go."

"Wait, what are we looking for?" Clary stops them and asks.

"Cache of weapons. Stashed here with Mrs. Milligan."

"Why are there Shadowhunter weapons in a churchyard?" Axel was being kind of annoyed by the questions. She was as bad as Simon while he went with the flow.

"Because all of the ancient religions recognized demons. Or at least they used to. They forgot about the threat because we've been here to protect them."

"Typical mundane failure of imagination." Alec says making Axel chuckle. Alec grins at how easily he made Axel laugh.

"Are you saying we did too good? You just can't let up, can you?"

"You know what? Alec, why don't you go check out by the angel? Axel, go with him." They both leave towards the angel. They look around for a bit until their gaze meet each other. The intensity of their gaze burned each other in a good way.

Isabelle comes and breaks their staring contest and talks with Alec while Axel was in deep thought. He had no idea that his feelings for Alec was growing faster. Axel took that moment to check him out again. He would never get tired to look at him.

"Alec! Axel! I think I found it! Mary Milligan! Beloved servant? Who wants that on a headstone?" Axel snaps out of it and walks towards Clary, followed by Alec.

"Someone who is in service to a cause greater than themselves. At least she is now." Jace says. Alec makes a move to open it but Axel stops him. Within a second, the cover opens and hits one of the graves. Axel winks at Alec who looks at him in fascination.

"Abracadabra." Jace says and brings out his stele.

"Wait, you people actually say that?" Clary asks in disbelief.

"No, Clary, we don't." Jace sighs.

"Whoa! Where's Mrs. Milligan?"

"Don't touch that. You don't know how to use it." Alec slaps her hand away.

"What, like at Pandemonium where I could've killed that demon?" Alec snorts and bursts out laughing.

"You would've cried and run to me to help you, Clary." Alec laughs at the boy who he was crushing on's comment.

"Alec, Axel. I'm gonna show her the right way to use it." Jace gives them a stern look. Axel rolls his eyes while Alec searches for his favourite weapon.

"Do you see what you need in here?" Jace asks looking at Alec.

"No. There's no bow here. I need one. I have to rune some arrows."

"That's back at the Institute. I gotta go." He grabbed Axel's hand and they began walking.

"Well, how are you gonna get back in the Institute?"

"Go in the back. Won't bother me if I'm with Axel."

"Okay, good."

I'm really sorry for the short chapter and for updating late.