Chapter Text
Great cover for this fic created by Halmaithor can be found here!
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Home, sweet home.
Lights from the TV flicker through the hall dimly with the muffled sounds of whatever show is on.
Jace drops his keys in the bowl on the kitchen counter and walks into the room. He plops onto the couch with a thud, boots still on. The current occupant doesn’t seem to mind it, since the only response is making more room for Jace to sit - or rather, lie down - and drumming with gentle fingers laying on his shoulders and stroking the knotted muscles. Jace lets out a long sigh before lays his head on the strong thighs and closes his eyes.
“Long day?” Simon’s question is as soft as the movement of his hands, quieter than a whisper in contrast to the comedians on the television laughing and shouting.
“You have no idea.” Jace mutteres, rubbing his temple. “Sorry about our date. Ugh. I will never sit in on another meeting ever again no matter how hard Alec begs me. It’s not like my fault he has a Downworlder as a boyfriend who happens to be the Council representative for warlocks and the counselor of the Downworlder affairs agency.”
An amused huff from above is the only reply for the petulant statement and the unusual amount of sassing towards his adopted brother. Jace narrows his eyes at the face with lips quirking at him. “Don’t look at me like that! I said what I said. Be lucky you didn't have to be there. I’m exhausted. I’d rather be home with you.”
“Relax, I haven’t said anything. And I must admit you’ve made your case. I honestly can’t imagine what it’d be like, with a boyfriend from another world.” Simon concedes easily with a teasing wink before he claps Jace on his shoulder and gets up from the couch. “Anyway, have you eaten? I’ve made you lasagna, thinking you might need it.”
Simon came back inside with a tupperware box in hand and a beer in another, while Jace strategically took the opportunity to kick off his boots and throw them behind the sofa.
Simon gives him a disapproving look but puts down the food nonetheless. The mute chiding is rather cute in Jace’s opinion.
“Clary called, asked if I’m free tomorrow. She wants to go sketching.”
“Can’t she go by herself?” Jace whines.
“Don’t be a child.” Simon laughs in amusement. “It’s our thing.” The laughter is nothing but compensating when he pats Jace on his shoulder as his response for the man’s pouting face.
“Give me a second, I’ll take the cheesecake out from the fridge. Imogen dropped by today.”
Perhaps the topic is a little unappetizing for an empty belly. Still, Jace puts out a neutral face and takes a mouthful. Without a word like every time they bring on the matter.
The silence stretches, but in a comfortable way. Simon is as patient as always. He waits until Jace gobbles down his dinner and takes a big swig of his beer.
“She’s really making an effort, you know?” Simon leans on the side of the couch, leaning down to take a bite of the noodles from Jace’s fork before saying casually enough.
Jace lets out an unconcerned grunt between his sips without another word, decidedly won’t speak.
“She asked my day, can you believe it?” Too bad. Simon was more determined. “She even asked me about my gigs! I mean, I was totally shocked and didn’t even come up with a coherent reply except ‘well’ and ‘you know’ and ‘umm’. At least I didn’t call her ma’am this time. Let me tell you, she has the same ability to make me embarrass myself in front of her like you do. I think it’s probably genetic.”
“Maybe it’s just you.” The silent treatment is defeated by his mumble before he realizes.
“You said something?” There’s triumph in Simon’s tone despite the glare Jace sends him, though it seems Jace can't put any heat in it.
“It’s about time.” Simon pronounces his judgement in a matter of fact.
“Alright.” Finally, Jace utters reluctantly, knowing it’s a lost battle. “I’ll go see her.”
“And make up with her.” Simon’s smile is the last straw. Jace could never say no at the sight of Simon smiling at him like this; bright with love and those brown eyes making him want to just dive in it and drown. And the ever-so-slightly apologetic down turn on the corner of Simon’s lips is definitely his downfall. He’d go down hell to soothe it.
“I understand you don’t like her and some of her choices and decisions, and you two are not always on the same page, and I don’t want to meddle. But I don’t want you to have any regrets. She’s your grandmother and she’s not getting any younger. She loves you. Maybe you could give her a chance at least? It’s not like she’s a bad person, right? ”
Jace complies with a sigh. “I know. I’ll try.”
He doesn’t add ‘for you’, though he thinks he didn’t have to.
The smile Simon gives this time could blind the sun. He leans in and steals a smooch from Jace on the cheek. “Good.”
Jace can’t help but roll his eyes fondly. “That’s it?”
“What, am I supposed to give you a star?” Simon smacks him on the arm but smiles still. “Finish your cake. I have plans for tonight.”
“Oh no, please tell me it’s not a Supernatural binge watch marathon again. A decent Shadowhunter could only take fake road trip demon hunting so much.”
“Hey! Don’t pretend you didn’t like it! You can’t fool me. I know you secretly root for Dean and Ruby.”
Jace chokes on his beer. He puts a hand over his coughing mouth to hide his blush. The attempt fails tremendously judging by Simon’s grin. “Am not!”
Simon says nothing and smirks at Jace’s violent reaction knowingly.
“I’m not… It’s not…”Jace gives up eventually. “Shut up.”
Simon puts up an accommodating hand. “Lucky for you it’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then what?” He can’t blame Jace being a little suspicious. The record isn’t promising in the slightest.
“Don’t you want to know?” Simon’s eyes shine obscenely with a suggestive smirk creeping on, but the glint in them is not comforting at all. He grins mischievously before bending down.
Jace can’t deny there are certain things that come to his mind at the moment with Simon in this particular angle. If only.
The bell rings in his head like the one when the Titanic hits the iceberg. He recognizes the thing as soon as Simon gets it out of the drawer under the coffee table. He wishes he didn’t recognize it.
“Oh no.” He groans. Not the family photos. Please, don’t let it be the family photos. He chants. He would do anything for Simon not to see it. The Angel doesn’t relent to his prayers.
“Oh yes.” The groan seems to satisfy Simon immensely.
“Please no?”
“Definitely yes.” With wiggling eyebrows and a smug smile, Simon sits down by Jace’s side with the album on his legs. “I’d kill myself if I miss the opportunity to meet little Jace. He’s so cute!”
“It’s too embarrassing! Please save me some dignity?” Jace pleads. It doesn’t matter if Jace loves Simon or not. Some things should just be buried in the deepest abyss of one’s mother’s locker safely and never, ever be seen by anyone.
“You should have considered your karma when you teamed up with my own mother and laughed at my childhood pictures and told the guys about the photo of my vampire costume for halloween. They teased me for a whole week just because you told them I cut my mouth with the fake teeth! I told you the story in confidence!”
“It’s friendly teasing! It's all out of love! Please? What if I say I'm sorry? Would it help?”
“Too late.” Simon announces coldly. “Revenge is a dish best served with malicious mockery at their face.”
The verdict is made. Jace should have known this day would come. He really should.
“And where did you even get that damn thing anyway?!”
“Yeah...about that. Maryse gave it to me.” Simon confesses, eyes coy.
“And she just handed it to you? I told her not to let anyone see this.”
“Well...” Simon is suddenly shy. “Ummm... maybe because I told her I wanted to know more about you when you were little. You know...something like that. I can be persuasive when I...”
“You told her the story and said you want to get me back, didn’t you?”
Simon nods solemnly.
Jace has never felt so betrayed in his life. Not only by his evil boyfriend, but by his own mother. He grunts, “You jerk.”
“Come on, it probably won’t be that bad! I won’t laugh at you even though you did that to me heartlessly. Well, not too hard at least. And I think I can make it up to you later if you behave...” And Jace knows the persuasion succeeds. Maybe Simon was right, he does know how to be persuasive.
“You know you can’t stop me from taking it right, you puny mundane?” He pokes the jerk on his chest and reminds in his last attempt.
“And I know you wouldn’t do that to me ‘cause you looooove me.” The buoyant joy is contagious. Jace is only half-human.
“Unfortunately.” He mutters scandalously. At least he tried.“...But if you dare tell anyone...” However the heat in the warning is somehow missing.
“Your little secrets are safe with me.” Simon flashes one last beam at Jace before pulling the album open to the first photo. His excitement is apparent.
Jace puts his hands in front of his face. Because he knows what kind of horrible fate is waiting ahead.
“Awwwwww.” Simon purrs in a sweet voice that could drown a hive of bees plus one unicorn. “Look at you! Cute little baby! You were so much cuter back then. Look at those tiny toes and your little chubby face!”
The glare can only express one facet of Jace’s mixed feelings right now. In this second, Simon has lost his BF privilege.
“You are a mean boyfriend, you know that?” He shoots another glare at the brunet.
“It’s my greatest pleasure.” All it takes is a peck from Simon to soften the annoyance on Jace’s face.
“For now.” He retorts, though they both know his threat is empty. He lets out one last sigh before moving a little closer to hold the man in his arms. His body is uncharacteristically warm compared to the cold, cold heart of him, Jace muses with a little quirk of smile and takes a glance at the photo Simon is looking at.
“Maryse made a lot of effort to find a picture of me when I was a baby. I think this is from my birth certificate.” He explains.
He is actually pretty grateful that Maryse took all of the trouble making this album for him despite the loathing he always pretends to have against it. He hadn’t had a lot of opportunities to take many photographs when he was raised by a sociopath. And when he grew up and got adopted as a Wayland, there was always training and the duties of a Shadowhunter to keep him busy. He doesn't even know when she took most of those photos, or where she found them. She cares more than she shows.
Simon gives him a soft smile and a gentle squeeze on his arm, which is all Jace needs. “She’s a good mother.”
“She is.” Jace admits quietly, and picks up a new page.
The excitement of the blonde in the middle of it is unmistakable. He has one arm clapping on the shoulder of a black haired boy looking at the camera grimly. A girl with the same black hair and facial resemblance stands next to them with a shy smile. Alec and Izzy. They look thirteen, maybe twelve. But what catches Simon’s attention are the things they were holding. Or in Alec’s case, carrying.
“It was the day we chose our weapons.” Jace tips the edge of the photo gingerly, as if afraid he would shatter the memory sealed in it by his touch. “We were all very excited.”
“Oh my god! I’ve never thought Izzy could smile like that!” Simon gawks at the coy smile on the girl’s face.
“I can’t guarantee your safety if she knows about your statement or your acknowledgement of this photo.” Jace half jokes. He’s more surprised that he almost forgot the time when Izzy was still bashful. He looks at Simon with a faint smile and laughs with him indulgently. The initial reluctance seems nowhere to be found.
He doesn’t know why people constantly think they are an odd couple just because of the differences between them, as if they are all blind or can’t see the plain truth. Sure, he and Simon are literally from two worlds, different like chalk and cheese, bickering all the time like Poseidon and Athena. But aren't they always saying that opposites attract? How could they miss the simple fact? How can they not see it when it’s out there in plain sight? When everything the man does makes Jace fall in love with him even deeper? It’s not the grand gestures that make Jace fall, it’s the little things. Those little sweet, considerate, caring and thoughtful things. Like a prepared dinner after a long day, a willing ear and a shoulder to lean on. An unexpected surprise, a reminder of his old days. They make him feel cherished, precious. Makes him fall for the trap named love happily and willingly.
Jace looks at Simon flipping through that stupid album and soaks in those littles puffs and half-laughs whenever he sees something piques his interest. There’s something soft simmering low in Jace’s stomach. He puts his chin on the crook of the man’s shoulder and keeps the words unsaid lest to disturb this quiet moment.
Despite, in everyone’s opinion, including Alec and Izzy and even Simon himself, that Simon is the lucky one, Jace couldn’t agree less. He wonders, more than occasionally, what kind of astonishing deeds on earth he had done that could be enough for such a perfect man to appear in his life. Simon is smart, funny, kind and loyal, and hot in his own dorky way that never fails to make Jace's heart pump in his chest and tight in his pants while all Jace has is his good looks.
A giddy giggle from an inch away interrupts his musing drifting to brooding. He sighs and presses a kiss at the cheek nearby. He should be glad he still has his good looks. At least Simon seems to never get bored of it.
“What about this one? Where were you?” Simon doesn’t appear to notice Jace’s mental turmoil. He points one finger at the photo he giggled at earlier and looks up at Jace with expectation. No doubt for another anecdote.
Jace braves himself for the photo before looking down at it. But surprisingly enough, the contents of the picture are quite innocent.
“Oh, that one. It was Winterday. I was at Lake Lyn.” It’s the first year he celebrated the Winter’s Day. It was also his first year celebrating it with the Lightwoods.
Simon examines the little boy in the photo carefully. “My god, is this your Halloween costume? Look at those little leather boots and the little leather jacket and little leather gloves! You were adorable!”
“I’m not adorable now?” Jace fends with some indignity he scrunches up. “I’m hurt.”
“Sure you are.” Simon smacks a wet kiss on his cheek mindlessly before adding, “Everyone would think you are adorable when you use pouting at them like this.”
“Including you?” A smile cracks on the corner of Jace’s lips. He asks, despite knowing the answer.
“I’m already under your fingers.” Simon’s eyebrows wiggle at the fingers loosely digging into his waistband. The smile on his face seems to never fade as long as Jace is at his side.
“Touche.” So Jace slides his fingers under his shirt because, why not? The soft muscles are warm against his palm. He leans in for another kiss.
“Hey!” Simon protests, laughs, chest rumbles beneath. The glasses hang loose on his nose. He pulls back with half complaints and half accusations. “Are you trying to distract me? ’Cause it won’t work. Don’t think you can get away with this so easily.”
“Even when I’m doing this?” Jace trails the edges of Simon’s jaw line and stubbled shadow, keeps planting little kisses all the way up to give his earlobe a gentle bite.
“E...eh...especially when you’re doing this. I won’t fall for your evil scheme, save it.” Simon’s righteous anger is softened by the crumples in the corner of his eyes when he laughs, kicking and yelling under Jace’s hands.
“How is one’s boyfriend wanting to have some intimacy with them count as an evil scheme?” Jace queries innocently enough. The movement of his hands speaks otherwise.
“It counts when you are the one’s boyfriend.” Simon says deadpanned, but the amusement has nowhere to hide.
“So unfair.” Jace must admit, he finds great pleasure teasing Simon, particularly when the dork gets all flustered and flushes like this. He can’t help to paint them with his own lips and tongue, to savor them. Simon is panting under him.
“You know...that... if I... If I don’t see this through to...tonight I’ll still doooo it again tomorrow, right?” The sentence seems to take all Simon’s willpower to finish.
“Pity.” Jace sighs mournfully. His tongue snakes down to the dork’s toned chest while his hands slither to Simon’s waist, tracing through the soft muscles.
“Is it really that important when you can get some of these?” Jace lowers his voice, hands teasing lightly.
“Hey! It tickles!” Simon’s warm body wiggles and gets out of Jace’s hold. He turns to face Jace with sincereness, wrinkled eyes damp from the laughter. “And I meant it. When I said I want to know you better when you were little. I’ll stop if you ask me but I wish to know everything about you. Can I? Please?”
Puppy eyes win again. Jace mutters before dragging himself away from that wood headed dork.
“Fine.” Jace pouts. “But you owe me one,” he warns with a pointed finger.
“You are such a man child,” The eye roll speaks more than words. Simon gives him a playful kiss. “I promise you I’ll make it up to you later?”
“That’s more like it,” A smirk cracking on his face, he takes the album from Simon, their legs entangled. “So, where were we?”
“I think you were about to tell me why you were dressed up like a tiny Shadowhunter and holding a lantern.” Simon indulges with another eye roll.
“Firstly, I did not dress up ‘like’ a Shadowhunter. I was one already,” Jace corrects, just because he can. And because it’s true. “Secondly. It was the Winter’s Day. We were setting out lanterns on the lake. It’s kind of a thing.”
“Why?” Simon asks curiously.
“It’s the day Raziel descended on earth. We would make those paper lanterns with our wishes written and send them off to the lake.” Jace shrugged. “Like Christmas, I suppose. Or Hanukkah in your case.”
“What was your wish then?” Simon’s curiosity never to seize. Especially about the matter involving Jace.
“Uhh… I wished they would like me. It was my first year as a Lightwood.” Jace shrugs awkwardly. “I was afraid they would throw me out if they didn't. A stray animal has a thousand worries.”
“Hey! You aren’t supposed to talk about yourself like that. You were just a kid who just lost your parents, you don’t know what would come next. It's a reasonable worry.” Simon doesn’t appear to be judging. “Besides, it’s not like that it’s a dead wish.”
“If you say so.” Jace rolls his eyes and puffs.
“Sometimes you are too humble for someone who used to be an arrogant bastard. Wait, I think you still are.” Simon half teases. “Anyway, I ain’t wrong. You seem to have a special charm, to make everybody like you.”
“Uh-uh. Not true,” Jace feels obligated to rectify despite the coy trying to get on his head. “Demons don’t like me. Magnus didn’t like me at first. And Jocelyn didn’t like me either since our first encounter. Well at least before we sorted it out. She thought I’m a bad influence, can you believe it? And Maia too. But to be honest the feeling was kind of mutual. And, most importantly, you. You looked like you’d rather swallow me whole ever since we met.”
This gets Simon to laugh so hard he almost fell off the couch. “Oh-oh my gawd! That’s what you thought? You were such an idiot.”
“Ow! Feelings!” His dignified words come quicker than the cogs clicking in his brain; the statement rings an alarm in his head. “Hold on, what do you mean by that? Your eyes were literally boring holes in my skull every time I walked in the room. And you’re telling me you weren’t?”
Simon suddenly looks shyed by this. He clears his throat before looking away, fingers fidgeting on the edge of the photo.
“Umm... yeah... No?” He chances a glance at Jace’s cut the crap face and sighs, caving.
“Alright. I confess. I was just being jealous. And confused. When I didn't even know if it was you or Clary that made me I felt more jealous. It was my first time having a crush on a boy. And unfortunately it happened to be the obnoxious bastard my best friend and my first crush was dating. And therefore my mortal enemy. Wait, does this count as villain crush...”
“Wow, give me a minute.” The news hits Jace hard. He would never have guessed that. He demands the musing dork in his nerd zone. “When?”
“Uhh...not long before she officially became a Shadowhunter? Why?” Simon gives Jace an odd look, seemingly baffled by the question.
“We already broke up at the time, by the angel! And you're calling me an idiot?” Jace exclaims exaggeratedly, eyes bulging comically in disbelief. “We could have dated by then, not when I finally got the courage to ask you out after all these years!”
“No wonder Clary was all odd when I asked her about you! I thought I was being too subtle. She knew this! She definitely knew this! Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Maybe ‘cause she just wanted to torture me for breaking up with her...” Jace mutters.
The laughter that slips out of Simon’s mouth is viciously reproached by Jace’s scolding look. Simon pulls his face straight and concedes with amusement flickering in his eyes. “I think we are both to blame for this. Besides, it worked out alright. So... call it even?”
“Barely. You made me suffer for months thinking it was one sided.” Jace can’t help but feel a little petulant for the unfairness. Just a little. The mixed feeling is mostly relief and amusement.
He puts the photo album away and reassures Simon before he can voice his complaint. “You can have it later. I’m calling in my debts now. This is for all the years you didn’t tell me.”
“Oh, scary,” Simon has the balls to joke. “What about the years you didn’t tell me , then?”
“We can sort it out next time.” Jace’s ice-thin patience can’t afford another tease; he accepts the unsaid invitation and leans in to steal a kiss from that insufferable mouth. Lips are sealed by his own lips, there’s nothing to stop him from taking his leisure to savour all the softness of them now.
He pulls those annoying glasses gently off from Simon and puts them on the coffee table, hazel eyes staring at him without a blink. He cups the back of the brunet’s head with one hand and holds his waist in the other arm, breathing in the faint aroma from the brown curls. Apple shampoo. Jace smiles internally. Just like always.
“To think about it, it doesn't really matter. I mean, you still would tell me how you feel one day eventually even if I didn’t, right?” Jace mutters, whispers, nibbling at Simon’s ear and all the way down to his neck. He expects something like of course not or don’t be silly , but the answer is on the contrary.
“Umm, probably?” Simons gasps through his words. “You were way out of my league. I don’t know if I would have had the guts. And you know... the two exes thing too. I don’t think I’d ever have the heart to make the first move.”
This makes Jace pause. He looks up at Simon, who, to Jace’s ultimate surprise, is blushing. And avoiding eye contact with him. Jace pulls back, eyebrows knitted. “What?”
Simon is steaming red now. He clears his throat and looks away. “You were a glorious Shadowhunter and I was the little mundane minion of Clary. You’re handsome like a star, and so aloof, and probably could knuckle me under only using a pinky. I was just a nerd into nerdy stuff. And majoring in accounting. I was friends with my first crush for years but never dared to cross the line and didn’t even have the balls to say a word. I mean...”
He gives Jace a tentative look, as though afraid Jace would be mad at him for this, would think him little. Jace would say something if he wasn’t so shocked by this confession. He would say something, like you are not a little minion, or you are more than all of that, if he wasn’t so stung by the implication in Simon’s words.
He feels an urge to touch, to embrace him all in until none of this could trouble him, until not a single bit of doubt or uneasiness could stick in between them. The urge is so overwhelming he fears his soul would burst out with it. He can’t find any words to express his feelings in the slightest.
So Jace hugs him.
Simon lets out a startled huff, but accepts the hug still. His heart is beating like a drum against Jace’s chest.
“You are the most stupid, insufferable, amazing man I’ve ever known.” Jace finally gets his sound back; he cracks. His voice is so low that Simon would miss it if they weren’t closer than an inch.
“I know, sorry.” The murmur brings a soft wind to his ear. Jace almost tears up. From joy or something else in his heart that he can’t put a name on.
“You’re not supposed to say such things. I’m the one out of your league. You are kind to anyone, even to a fault, to someone who doesn't deserve it. You are funny and cute and have a heart of gold. You are always loyal to the ones you care about when they need. And I don’t even know what I did to deserve you. You can’t just throw out things like that when I’m the one feeling...”
“Jace.” Simon cuts him off with a kiss pressed to his hair, and pretends not to notice any glimmers in the corner of his eyes. “You say the cruelest things.”
“Yeah… that’s me.” The quip is dulled by the shake of his voice. Simon heaves a laugh before drawing back to kiss him properly.
“And you're calling me insufferable.” Simon’s dry remarks make Jace wanna cry again. His smile curls against Jace’s lips when they’re kissing.
“You are insufferable. Ask anybody.” Jace grounds out.
“Let’s save it for a later discussion.” Simon accommodates while his hands hook under Jace’s belt. “I think we have better things to do.”
“Seconded.” Jace has no place to argue. With Simon practically sitting on him right now, it seems the only appropriate response.
Simon’s body, contrary to popular belief, is surprisingly hot under those graphic T-shirts. Jace’s fingers take in all the smooth skin and tensed muscles way up his stomach and down. And down more.
Lights from the ceiling crown the man on top of him with a halo. Jace never doubts it, metaphorically speaking or not, that Simon is an angel. But it’s moments like this that make him truly believe it.
Jace is dazed, like he’s high.
Maybe I am high, just on Simon. He muses.
A bite on his shoulder draws him back from his thoughts. Simon pouts, hair rumpled, lips plump from kissing, apparently noticed Jace’s slip of attention judging by his scandalized look.
“Maybe I’m losing my tricks, you zoned out in the middle of this !”
Jace flashes back a smile as his apology before switching their position with a hand propped on the sofa.
“Sorry, just thinking how lucky I am.” He amends as he leans in for another round of wet kisses. He towers over Simon with their bodies pressed chest to chest, grinding against him with his own legs, and taking Simon’s hips in his grasp.
The moan that slips out of those rosy lips is more beautiful than any euphony. He could survive only on them for the rest of his life. The low voice buzzes along his spine. There’s only one person in this world that could make him so hard with only one single sound.
Jace loses his composure immediately, he’s a man of action after all. He grabs Simon's belt.
“And for the record, I would never get tired of you. Maybe you didn’t notice. Or maybe I don’t say this enough.” Probably because he doesn’t say this more often. Still. “But you are so damn hot. Wearing your dorky glasses so innocently and walking around pretending you don’t hold that real estate under those nerd T-shirts? You drive me crazy.”
“Oh my god where did you learn all those lines? It’s terrible.” But Simon’s blushing says otherwise.
Jace must admit he finds great joy in making the dork blush like that. He smirks. So it’s not that terrible.
“I learned from the best.” He grins at Simon, who rolls his eyes in return and grabs Jace’s shirt.
“Shut up and come down, you asshole.”
And so he does.
He can find another day to ask Simon the question and give him the circle of metal in that velvet little box.