Runes, Rings, and Little Things

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

{CLARY}

Oh why am I so nervous to see him? I see him everyday. But today will be different. Today I'm spending the night with Jace, for the first time. We're going to practice our "Shadowhunting" together. Since I'm officially now 18, Jocelyn is letting me make my own decisions. And I'm sleeping over with Jace.

For the first time.

Ever.

When I reach the Institute, Jace is waiting outside. I smile when I see him, and he runs over to me. I smile at that, but then I notice the bloody duck chasing him. I laugh but he hugs me anyway. Pulling away, I take his hand.

"It's just a duck, Jace." Isabelle says, laughing from the door. "I could kill it with my bare hands," she adds with a giggle. She never does that. Then I notice Simon behind me, so clearly she was trying to impress him.

"Don't worry," I whisper to Jace, "I'll protect you with my life. I'm a shadow hunter," I add, quoting him. He laughs slightly at the gesture.

Simon smiles and hugs me before leaving for his date with Isabelle, "Don't let him push you," he whispers in my ear. I kick him in the shin, knowing it would feel as if a feather licked his foot. I miss being able to hurt him, sometimes.

I walk Jace slowly to the door, his eyes never leaving the ducks. I shoo the duck away and close the door, smashing Jace against the door with a grin.

"We're alone?" I whisper questionably.

"Not quite yet," says a voice from behind me. I turn and see Alec trying to move past the door. Jace smirks at my gesture of what he thinks is "sexy".

I notice Alec has his hair up in a certain way, the way Magnus does it up, even with extra glitter. Ever since he and Magnus got back together he's been so much happier. But Magnus had some business to do with a un-loyal customer and needed to go alone, because the customer is extremely dangerous. Alec misses him a lot. I know that Alec would die if Magnus saw he was finally letting his "inner-gay" show.

"I'm trying to get to the door. I'm going over to Magnus's to take care of Chairman Meow. So if you will excuse me..." Jace, still grinning at me, moves aside.

"See ya," he calls.

And then we're alone.

{CLARY}

We kinda skipped the shadow hunter practice part. Jace scooped me up and carried me to his bedroom.

We've been making out for the past twenty minutes, and only now does he pull my shirt off, and I pull his off. He licks my bottom lip.

I feel so safe with him. I feel... Alive. Happy. I love Jace, with everything I have and every ounce of my body tells me I love him, and he loves me. He twines his hands into my hair and my hands linger on his neck and chest.

Things happen.

{ALEC}

When I reach Mangus's apartment I'm already exhausted. And I miss Magnus. A lot. I decide to eat a platter of some sort of Chinese food and some slices of Mango.

Just when I finished eating, Magnus walks in and walks straight over to me. He puts his hands on my face and doesn't hesitate on kissing me, full on the lips. I kiss him back, hoping it will last. Magnus lets me go, seeing my hair. His whole face lights up and he literally bounces up and down.

"ALEXANDER!! OH HOW I LOVE WHAT YOU DID TO YOUR HAIR! Show me how you did that! I need that hairstyle. Please please please?! If you love me th-"

"Magnus! Of course I'll show you. Tomorrow. Right now I need to get into the shower," I start to get up and walk to the bathroom. I turn back, and seeing his disappointed face, I add "Wanna join me?" His face lights up, once again. Within seconds he's across the room, hands in my hair and one on my neck. He pushes me into the bathroom, where he barely remembers to turn on the shower.

{CLARY}

I wake up and look over at the sleeping Jace. I kiss his cheek and crawl out of bed, careful not to wake him. The only things Im wearing is his shirt and underwear.

I turn on the shower, and wait for it to warm up. When I get in I'm about half way through when I hear the door open. Not knowing who it was, I turn around and scream.

Well, almost.

Jace puts a finger on my lips to shush me. He grins, "Now, is that anyway to welcome a man of kindness and good looks?" I release my air in anger.

"Wow Jace you're so humble! You should write a book about it." I cross my arms in protest, but he loosens me up and hugs me tight to his chest.

"I'm sorry I scared you, you beautiful little warrior," that got me laughing, opening my lips. And when my lips opened, Jace bit his lip. And when he did that, he pulled my naked legs around his waist and started kissing me, in between giggles.

~~

After the shower Jace told me we really did have to practice.

And after practicing those damn flips so many times, he said he has a surprise for me. But he'll give it to me after dinner at our favorite restaurant that shadow hunters go to, so I can show as much as my body as I wish, he says.

The only down part of going to that restaurant is the whore that always waits on us as flirts with Jace, not even noticing me. She even knows his current last name he's using, Lightwood. That mundane doesn't even know my first name.

~~

We're at the restaurant, and that girl "Peggie" the flirty blonde is waiting on us, as always. Jace is wearing a suit and I'm wearing a tight dark purple dress, with lace at the neck and bottom, and black pumps. I still hardly reach Jace's chin. But yet, somehow, Jace hasn't been able to take his eyes off of me.

Peggie is so obviously jealous.

I take a bite out of whatever food Jace ordered for me. I'm not paying attention to anything but him.

"Can I get you anything else?" Peggie walks over and asks Jace only for the 4th time

"We won't be needing anything at all," Jace answers without looking up at her. I hear her huff air and slowly shuffle away. "Actually," Jace says to me, but clearly Peggie thought it was to her, because she was watching him behind a breadstick basket "I do need to ask you something, Clary." I raise my eyebrows in question, and my mouth dangles open as Jace gets on one knee by my chair.

The whole room is silent.

"Clary, I promise, I'll never let anyone hurt you, ever. I love you so much, and I promise to love you for the rest of my life... Will you do me the honor, of Marrying me?" All I can do is stare in shock at the little black box in his hand, and the beautiful (and quite large) ring.

I can barely chock out my words.

"Yes." Jace quickly puts the ring on my finger and picks me up, kissing and spinning me in the process. I'm dizzy, but I manage to handle myself. I cannot believe Jace asked me to marry him. I can hear the people in the restaurant clapping for us. As Jace lets me go, I see the very pissed off look on Peggie's face. Jace turns to see what I'm looking at, Peggie, shoving a bread basket into some poor mans hands.

I don't even care.

When I sit back down, Jace insists I sit on his lap. He hums to himself as Peggie brings over the cake we ordered to go, and the check. I pick up the check and my mouth drops. It says:

"In case you ever change your mind about that fire truck, you know where to find me. Kisses!! ~~Peggie"

I stand up, and literally drag Peggie out the back door. She's not a ShadowHunter, she's just a regular Mundie with a vampire friend so she doesn't know what she's in for.

Jace comes out, and I expect him to ruin my fun. Instead, he leans against the wall and watches me beat the crap out of her. I say through my teeth "If you ever, make a move on my Fiancé again I will tear you to shreds. Understand me?" She whispers out a yes.

Jace takes my hand, smiling at me, and we walk home.