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It wasn’t often that Clary got to have this, and Jace had promised himself that he would guard those moments as long as he could. By now Clary was a Shadowhunter almost like any other, with the exception that she could make up new runes, but sometimes, Jace knew she still missed her mundane life.
That’s why she needed moments like these: Away from everyone else, lost in the world of her earphones and paint brushes. Sometimes Jace would just enter her room and settle down somewhere, in the chair or on the bed, and watch her. Sometimes, she threw him out again because she needed to be ‘in the zone’. And sometimes Jace was allowed to stay, and watch in wonder how shapes and lines began to turn in people or buildings or landscapes under her nimble fingers.
And today he really needed her presence, after all too close a shave in the sewers. He was glad Clary hadn’t been there, because while he was by now able to treat her as any other member of his team, he tended to watch her back more than his own when things got ugly. And they had gotten very ugly today. The gashes on his chest were still not fully healed, and he was absolutely beat. All he wanted was to cuddle up somewhere with his girl, get some peace and quiet.
Well, one out of two wasn’t bad either. Her bed was comfy, her room warm, and while he didn’t get to cuddle, he could watch her paint. Today she was working with acrylic paints – he had learned a lot during these last months, because contrary to popular belief he did care about other things than himself – and he watched her paint brush dance in light strokes across the canvas to add some shadow to a tree.
She paused, took a step back, and still rocking gently back and forth to the music only she could hear she critically mustered her work while scratching the side of her nose with the tip of her pinkie. She already had a tiny stain of yellow on her left cheek and the back of her left hand, and now added a small smear of green to her nose.
Jace crossed his arms to prevent himself from getting up, pulling her into his arms, and kissing her within an inch of her life. She was beautiful, deadly, graceful, and fiercely independent and clever, and she was also cute as hell. Sometimes Jace couldn’t fathom how he got so lucky.
Apparently Clary decided that she was done for now and put the paint brush down, and after another moment, she wiped her fingers on a rag before pulling out her ear buds.
“Hey,” Jace said softly.
“Hey yourself,” Clary replied with a smile that vanished a moment later. “You okay?”
“Just knackered.” Jace held out an arm. “Patrol was hell, and I could use some TLC.”
“Hang on,” Clary said, her smile softening. “I just need to get rid of the paint stains.”
“Don’t,” Jace replied, shaking his head. “You’re cute like that.”
Clary cocked one eyebrow. “Cute.”
“You have no idea. Now, can I have that TLC?”
“Just say you want a cuddle,” Clary said and sat down next to him. “Even Jace Herondale can admit he wants a cuddle every now and then.”
Jace huffed and rolled his eyes, but then he smiled. “Between the two of us?”
“Pinkie promise,” Clary replied firmly.
“Okay.” Jace looked at her again. “I could use a cuddle.”
“Come here,” Clary said then, and opened her arms.
Jace turned onto his side and all but fell against her, snuggled his face into the crook of her neck, and took a deep breath. “You smell of paint.”
“I told you I should have gotten rid of it.”
“Did I say that is a bad thing?” Jace muttered against her skin. “It’s so Clary, you know. It’s nice.”
“Nice.” Clary chuckled. “Me smelling of acrylic paint and paint remover is nice.”
“It’s very Clary,” Jace said again. “So it’s nice.”
Clary lowered her head to drop a kiss into Jace’s hair. Jace sighed and snuggled closer, and felt the last of the tension and pain seep out of him.
“You know what?” Clary asked while toying with his hair. “I just had an idea.”
Jace emitted a questioning hum.
“If you think paint stains are cute…” She made a significant pause. “There’s such a thing as edible paint.”
Jace lifted his head to squint up at her face. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Clary smiled and booped his nose. “I mean, which one of us grew up in the mundane world?”
“Yeah, okay, but…” Jace tilted his head. “What is edible paint supposed to be good for?”
“Really?” Clary huffed out a chuckle that was half-amused, half-exasperated.
Jace shrugged, and dropped his head again. “I suppose you’re going to tell me.”
“Well.” Clary ran her fingers through his hair. “You paint something, then you lick it off.”
Jace tensed.
“Or rather, you paint someone, and then lick it off.”
“Oh,” Jace said after a moment, because he had no idea what else to say.
“I can buy us some, if you want.” Clary’s voice lowered into a purr, and leaned closer. Jace felt a little tingle creep down his spine that got comfortable somewhere below his belt. “I bet I can make your runes taste like chocolate.”
“I don’t even like chocolate,” Jace muttered in a feeble attempt t hide how much that thought was affecting him.
“You’re not supposed to lick your own runes, you dork. I can buy different flavours, and then you could… hmm…” She leaned even closer. “You could make mine taste like strawberries,” she whispered.
This time, Jace couldn’t suppress a shudder. “I hate you,” he muttered shakily.
“No, you don’t.” Clary ruffled his hair.
After a moment, they both chuckled.
“No,” Jace said then, snuggling closer. “I don’t.”