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1.
It’s been years but Jace still feels new to the whole parent thing. He thought he’d be an uncle first, especially after Alec got married and Izzy filed for adoption but things never really do go to plan and Sophie became the best deviation of all.
Standing with the afternoon crowd, Jace can’t quite believe she’s already in preschool. Or that her (very attractive) teacher is waving him over with kind eyes and a warm smile. Sophie is by his side, in the yellow dress and red gumboots she insisted on this morning and looking just as bossy as she points out her dad.
Jace grins, walking over but definitely not staring at the man in front of him who is now offering his hand and introducing himself as Simon. He explains that this is his first year teaching and how he’s trying to meet all the parents and that Sophie is a delight and he doesn’t get much further because the girl herself is piping up.
“Daddy thinks you’re cute.”
The words are out before Jace can stop them and he almost chokes.
“Sophie!” Jace all but yelps, face heating up as he crouches down to her level, “What did I say about repeating things you hear from Uncle Magnus?”
Her little face falls, “Not to do it.”
Jace nods, forcing a smile so Sophie knows she’s not in trouble and he thinks this is quite possibly The Worst but then she keeps talking.
“But Uncle Alec said you need a new boyfriend,” Sophie says in an exaggerated whisper, one hand cupping her mouth as she talks into Jace’s ear, “And I thought maybe Mr Lewis could be it!”
She’s smiling so wide, like she’s got it all worked out and it’d be sweet if Simon wasn’t standing right behind them, hearing every last word - and trying not to laugh, if the muffled sounds are any indication and this is so not how Jace wanted his first impression to go.
He taps Sophie on the nose, in the way that makes her scrunch it up and smile.
“I don’t need a boyfriend, Soph. I’ve got you.”
She frowns, “I know, Daddy, but I just want you to be happy again.”
Her voice is so soft and sincere and Simon’s heart almost breaks right there and then.
Jace smiles sadly, “Me too, sweetie…Why don’t you go and play on the playground? I’ll be there in a sec.”
He watches Sophie skip away before turning back to Simon and running a hand through his hair nervously, “Uh, sorry about that. My brother-in-law tends to overshare when he and my brother babysit.”
Simon laughs, finally out loud, and shakes his head, “It’s seriously fine, kids come out with the funniest things. Just this morning one boy told me my sweater was the ugliest thing he’s ever seen with his own two eyes.”
Jace huffs out a laugh, “God, kids are way too honest.”
He uses the excuse to look Simon up and down, taking in his tight blue jeans and the aforementioned knitted grey sweater that hugs his arms just right. He looks good, like every other day Jace has watched him from afar, waiting for Sophie to catch his eye and run into his arms.
“If it’s any consolation," Jace says, nodding to Simon's outfit and smirking just a little, "That’s only the second ugliest thing I’ve ever seen, with my own two eyes.”
Simon rolls his eyes, “Ha, ha.” And then he cocks his head to the side, holding back a grin, “Not cute enough for you?”
And Jace feels that tell tale blush creep back up his neck and settle on his face.
“She’s a child, she has no idea what she’s talking about,” he jokes, waving a hand to play it off but Simon raises his eyebrows in challenge.
“Didn’t you say kids were too honest?” he asks slowly and if Jace didn’t know any better he would think they were flirting outside his daughter’s preschool with a dozen parents and their children around.
Which is fine, because he knows how to do this, what to say and when to smile but this is Sophie’s teacher and he’s suddenly worried he’s crossed a line.
“I’m sorry –“ he starts and Simon just keeps grinning.
“Don’t sweat it, my best friend has a bet running for when I finally ask out the hot dad.”
And he winks, in the least sexy way possible but Jace is still gone.
2.
“It’s a bunch of scribbles,” Jace says flatly, staring at the drawing Simon has up on his phone and ducking when his comment earns him a pillow to the face.
“It’s art!” Simon insists, pointing to the screen, “The cerebral skills come later but at four and five, kids are already experimenting with colour, shape, line – you can practically see their personality on the page.”
Jace looks at the picture blankly, “So you’re telling me my daughter is…a squiggle?”
Simon laughs, “Shut up, you’re a terrible father.”
“I am not! I have everything she draws up on the fridge, scribbles and all,” Jace says proudly and they’re sharing stupid smiles, wrapped up in Simon’s sheets and the feeling of something new.
They’ve been on a few dates now and Jace happily accepted Izzy’s offer for Sophie to sleep over so he could do the same. It’s morning now, later than Jace usually stays in bed but he has no intention of moving with Simon next to him, their bodies just touching.
Simon’s flicking through photos of Sophie’s work, showing Jace and commentating each piece when his phone dings and a message pops up on the top of the screen.
CONGRATS ON THE SEX!!! The way you talk about his ass I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner tbh
Simon just stares at it for a second before throwing his phone, out of his hands and onto the floor. He sucks in a breath and side eyes Jace to see if he saw. The dumb grin and glint in his eye are a dead giveaway and Simon groans.
“Wrong number?” he tries, blushing as Jace leans in and presses their lips together, messy and heated like the night before. It’s all new and thrilling with hands learning to map each other and Clary’s ill-timed text is long forgotten.
That is, until Jace pulls back with a question.
“So what’s so good about my ass?” he asks, cocky smirk in place and Simon kisses it away, promising to show Jace in elaborate detail.
3.
It’s Clary’s birthday which apparently means too many drinks at too many bars and Jace is on a stool with his sister, watching their other halves embarrass themselves on the dancefloor.
“We are so, so dumb,” Izzy says, straw still in her mouth as she points between them, “How did we not realise your Simon was Clary’s Simon?”
Jace nods, eyes not straying from his boyfriend who is now moving to a rhythm of his own. He dragged Jace to dance at the last place, laughing and spilling drinks like teenagers and he’s ready to join in again once he finishes this next beer.
“Are you even listening?” Izzy asks, waving a hand in front of his face and Jace blinks, turning towards her.
“Yes…? Something about Clary? That’s all you ever talk about,” he teases and Izzy elbows him in the side.
“Says you with the literal heart eyes! Who knew you fell so fast.”
And she’s only joking but Jace is suddenly interested in his drink and the way it swirls when he tilts his glass.
“Oh. My. God,” Izzy gasps, voice getting louder to compete with the music, “You totally love him!”
Jace sighs, “I haven’t told him yet.”
But he’s thought about it, a lot, and almost said it a few times too. The words never quite get out though and he’s so scared of feeling too much too soon.
He’s taking another swig of his drink when there’s a voice behind him and he considers downing the entire thing because Simon definitely just heard what they were talking about.
“Now you don’t have to tell me,” Simon jokes, goofy smile in place and all Jace can do is stare because a drunken admission via his sister is definitely not how he wanted this to go.
He waits, both of them just looking at each other in silence before Simon’s eyes widen.
“Oh, shit - I love you too!” he adds quickly, because he does and he’s wanted to shout it for weeks now, “Sorry! I should’ve led with that, God, no wonder you look so...”
He pulls a face, trying to mirror Jace‘s clenched jaw and sad eyes and it’s so stupidly adorable that Jace can’t help but grin.
“C’mere,” he says softly, grabbing for Simon’s hand and pulling him in close. They hear Izzy and Clary slip away and then they’re kissing, gently, in the middle of a packed club, which is maybe tacky but mostly magical because they’re stupidly in love and nothing else matters.
4.
For weeks, Simon’s sister has been trying to get everyone together, partners and all. She’s always been serious about family, even adding Jace to their Lewis text chain and she’s in the process of finding a date that suits everyone for dinner when it happens.
Simon is asking if they can stay over afterwards because the trip from hers to Jace’s and then back to Simon’s again is over an hour and they both have work in the morning.
He’s also suggesting they bring dessert in the group chat, thinking Sophie could help him bake her favourite cupcakes when his phone lights up.
Si ask him to move in already you’ve had the extra set of keys for a month u weakling
And at first, it seems fine but then Simon sees the previous texts in the chat, one from Jace himself and he flips, typing out a furious reply.
WRONG MESSAGE REBECCA
She hates capitals but they're necessary because this is something they’re yet to even joke about and Simon knows Sophie is involved and they can’t just move. But his place is bigger and closer to both their jobs and consequently Sophie’s school and Jace has complained about the high rent in his area and the commute but this is all hypothetical and Simon hasn’t really worked out how to even suggest a change.
He’s busy cursing his sister and her technological shortcomings when Jace’s reply comes through.
I better start packing???
And it’s a joke, but it leads to some Decisions and Simon ends up thanking Rebecca at their housewarming party weeks later.
5.
Hide and Seek is the flavour of the month and Simon finds himself wedged behind the laundry door for the third time today, waiting for Sophie. She usually takes a few minutes to search the place, running from room to room but her steps are quiet and slow when she spots him this time.
Instead of pointing and declaring victory like normal, she’s holding something in her hand, looking at it carefully before offering it to Simon.
“What’s this, Dad?” she asks softly and the name is still new, now that he’s no longer her teacher, and Simon just about melts each time she uses it.
There's a ringbox in Sophie's hand and it takes Simon all of two seconds to work out what it could mean.
“Where did you find that, honey?” he asks, trying to keep his voice even.
“Behind Daddy’s side of the bed.” She opens the box to reveal a simple, silver band and Simon’s breath hitches. “It’s got a pretty ring inside! Can I wear it?”
And the situation should be funny, with Sophie struggling to slip on what seems to be a ten sizes too big engagement ring but Simon’s mind is too busy !!!!!!-ing to so much as smile.
They’ve talked about marriage before, in passing and it’s always been on the cards but Simon can’t believe they’re there and that Jace somehow wants all of him for forever.
“Uh, let’s check with Daddy first,” Simon suggests, hoping his legs still work as he leads her into the kitchen where Jace is finishing off dinner.
He’s halfway through straining the spaghetti and he freezes, water dripping into the sink as he sees Sophie and the familiar box in her little hands.
“Sophia Lightwood…”
She runs to his side, latching onto his leg and immediately explaining.
“I’m sorry, I know you said not to snoop in your room, but we were playing Hide and Seek and I looked behind the bed and it was there!” She hands him the box and sighs, “You can have it back, it doesn’t fit me anyway.”
And Jace wants to laugh and maybe cry a bit too, watching the romantic proposal he had planned for their next anniversary go out the window.
He works with what he’s got though, looking at Simon and giving him a shy smile.
“Feel like marrying me?” Jace asks, keeping his tone light in case the answer is no but Simon’s whole face lights up in an instant. Standing there, still holding spaghetti with Sophie at his side and Simon nodding yes to their future, Jace feels whole.
+ 1
Sophie’s between them, holding each of their hands and swinging them from side to side as they walk her to school. It’s one of Simon’s rare days off and he’s savouring it, knowing he and Jace are getting closer and closer to becoming Embarrassing Dads.
At the gate, they make a big show of hugging Sophie, feeling her squirm only a little before she runs off, laughing, with one last wave goodbye. They watch her go, Jace’s arm at Simon’s waist on instinct, pulling his husband close.
It’s surreal to think how far they've come.
Izzy swears she knew they were It from that night out and Magnus insists he knew even earlier but neither of them ever expected to end up here with a happily ever after.
“I think I want another one,” Simon blurts out, eyes still on Sophie as she rounds the corner and disappears.
“Another one?” Jace echoes, starting to smile, “As in another kid?”
Simon bites his lip, “Yeah. Maybe? I don’t know, I always wanted two so they would never get lonely and I love our little family so much, like seriously Jace, I’m so happy but do you ever think about more? I mean, we’re a good team and Soph’s already asked about a brother or sister and I’d, uh, really like to raise a baby with you,” he finishes almost shyly and Jace grins.
“God, you’re lame,” he teases, squeezing Simon’s waist, “But I love it. And you. And our baby, who is gonna like me most this time! No bribing them with teacher games and your nerd figurines."
Simon laughs, his heart feeling impossibly full.
The walk back home is all baby names and holding hands and they swing them just a little as they go.