Author's Note: Prompted by shamary: I'll totally love to see jace and alec showing off in a match against their own hunters so the clave can witness how much better they actually are.
***
Lydia Branwell actually managed to make good on her word, getting the Clave to agree to Jace’s stipulations in exchange for their help against the Circle. Jace had to admit, he was surprised, Valentine’s stories about the Clave’s rigidity having led him to halfway expect her to fail. Not surprising, however, were the suspicious and disdainful looks the three of them garnered from most of the Clave Shadowhunters at the New York Institute.
The presence of the red Circle runes on their necks alone was enough to make them enemies, especially among the older Shadowhunters, people who remembered the Uprising. And then there was the fact that Jace and Alec had insisted on sharing a room, which at first only raised a few eyebrows, right up until the moment Raj opened his big mouth about them being parabatai. Even younger nephilim, who might have been alright with a same sex relationship, looked at them aghast after that. The taboo was too ingrained, and more than once Jace had to grit his teeth to stop himself from dealing with the whispers in the way Valentine had taught him - decisively and violently.
It made him almost enjoy the time they spent holed up with Lydia and Clary, strategizing for the planned assault on Chernobyl. Both women were refreshingly friendly, a nice change to the constant whispering and dirty looks. Still, thinking about fighting the people they’d grown up with wasn’t exactly fun, and after another long debrief they all had their coping strategies.
Izzy tended to disappear, leaving the Institute to see Meliorn, the Clave not quite as judgemental as the Circle had been in regards to her relationship with a Downworlder. Jace wanted nothing more than to be alone with Alec, a sentiment Alec shared. However, as much as they wanted and needed each other, constantly hiding out in their room left them feeling cooped up, so one day Jace suggested, “Let’s check out the training room.”
Alec looked dubious but agreed, just as Jace had known he would, feeling exactly how much his parabatai was itching for some proper exercise. At first they had the room to themselves, and they both began warming up with the punching bags, enthusiastically releasing some of tension they’d both been carrying. After a while they had both worked up a nice sweat and took off their shirts, sharing a joyful grin.
Ready for something that’ll hit back? Jace asked, twitching to get his hands on all that lovely exposed skin. Not really needing an answer he moved to the center of the mat and readied himself for Alec’s attack. It promptly came, Alec almost flying across the room and hitting him square in the chest. Laughing, Jace stumbled back a couple of steps before bracing himself and responding in kind. They exchanged some fast blows, ducking and weaving, evenly matched as always.
Their bodies anticipated the other’s moves, making it almost impossible for one of them to get the upper hand, but it still felt good to punch and kick, jump and flip. Finally Jace’s patience ran out, and he tackled his parabatai head-on. Despite knowing it was coming, Alec let him, his laugh more carefree than it had been since their arrival in the Institute, and their fight degenerated into a wrestling match on the ground.
They were grappling, rolling, sometimes Jace on top, sometimes Alec, their hands scrabbling for purchase and wandering all over sweat-slick skin in the process until they pretty much gave up entirely on the pretense of fighting. Panting, Jace bucked upwards, hissing when his hard cock found Alec’s through the soft fabric of their track pants. Their hands found each other and tangled above Jace’s hand, Alec effectively trapping Jace beneath him, a position Jace very much didn’t object to. For a moment they stared at each other with wide smiles on their faces, chests heaving, both knowing exactly what would come next.
Before their lips could meet, however, a disgusted voice disrupted their moment of contentment, growling, “Do they have to fucking flaunt their perversion? Fucking traitors!”
They were on their feet instantly, facing down four Shadowhunters, all of whom were staring at them with undisguised disgust. Alec was closing himself off, no trace of his earlier good humor left, and Jace almost vibrated with anger, holding on to his temper by a thread.
We can’t let them goad us. Alec attempted to calm Jace. They’re just waiting for a reason to go back on our deal.
Jace nodded, knowing he was right, but couldn’t make himself back down. Instead he mused in a deceptively sweet tone, “Alec, I wonder if it’s true that homophobes are actually in the closet themselves…”
The guy who’d spoken was taller even than Alec and all muscle, and he almost lunged at Jace with a roar. The other three, two young women and an older man held him back, and the older Shadowhunter tried to soothe him, “Don’t let him get to you, Circle scum’s not worth it.”
Sorry, Alec, but this is too easy… Smirking, Jace bounced slightly on his feet, and beside him Alec rolled his eyes. It was directed at Jace, because Alec knew exactly what was going to happen next, but the Clave Shadowhunters took it as an insult and bristled even more. Jace pointedly reached out, trailing a hand over Alec’s shoulder and down his arm, and addressed their adversaries, “Afraid Circle scum would kick your ass? Because my parabatai and I would be more than happy to show you what a couple of perverts can do...”
You just had to remind them that we’re parabatai. Alec sighed, longsuffering, although he didn’t move away.
Jace just grinned at him unrepentantly. It’s not as if they’d forget. And don’t pretend you’re not looking forward to this.
The other four Shadowhunters were exchanging glances, and for a moment Jace wondered if they were smart enough to back down after all. He was spoiling for a fight, so he stepped even closer to Alec, who stiffened, unnoticeable to anyone else, but let him press a kiss against his Circle rune. Seriously, Jace?
“I see, the Clave is big with words, not so much deeds,” Jace needled, ignoring Alec. “Is there a rule somewhere against a friendly sparring match, four against two?”
As expected, that did it, the oldest of the four nodded at his friends and replying curtly, “We’re game if you are. Rules?”
“No weapons, no permanent injuries, no complaining to Lydia,” Alec spoke up, resigned to the inevitable. Underneath his disdainful exterior, however, Jace could feel anticipation coiling, his parabatai almost as eager for a proper fight as Jace was. They were both fed up with being looked at like pariahs.
Smirking, Jace pulled Alec’s head down for a short, fierce kiss, just because he could and because he wasn’t above taking advantage of other people’s weaknesses. Unsurprisingly, it was the guy who’d started this all who growled in disgust and charged them. They stepped apart in one fluid motion, and the flat of Alec’s hand hit the bigot’s sternum while Jace’s foot shot out to kick his legs out from under him as he flailed backwards.
Let the games begin. Jace grinned widely, his entire body positively humming with energy, a feeling that flowed through the bond, Alec breaking into a fierce smile even as they faced the other three hunters. The fourth one was still struggling to get back on his feet, and one of the women, a blonde, gave him a hand up. Using her distraction, Jace flipped her over his shoulder, and she landed on top of her friend with a curse, while Alec held off the other two with a series of feints and quick jabs.
Jace joined him, and they moved smoothly around the room, taking a few hits as the four Clave shadowhunters tried to separate them. They barely felt them, both of them in that zone of intense focus they so easily reached while fighting, strength flowing smoothly between them along their bond. Because they stayed side by side, circling, kicking and punching fast and hard, their opponents’ advantage in numbers didn’t really help them, as they’d known from the start.
Laughing into the oldest hunter’s face, Jace pretended to stumble, only to recover with a backflip that placed him right in the path of Alec’s kick. He grunted and fell into the blonde woman, while Jace and Alec’s attention was already on the other two. The other woman, dark-skinned and almost as tall as Alec, was a good fighter, and Jace grunted as she managed to breach his defenses with a dropkick.
Not that it did her any good, because Alec’s hand shot out, steadying Jace without looking even as his other arm wrapped around the woman’s neck, leaving her open for Jace’s fists pummeling into her stomach. Alec dropped her to the ground, turning around swiftly to face the blond woman attacking him, but not before he warned, Behind you.
Jace ducked, and the grey-haired hunter cursed in surprise as his swing went into nothing. The next moment he was on his back, Jace stood grinning above him. His grin died, however, when he felt pain shoot through Alec as the blonde managed to land a kick in his groin. It wasn’t bad, but Jace still touched his parabatai rune and sent a wave of healing and strength through the bond, even as he whirled around.
Thanks. Alec was already on his feet again, much to his attacker’s consternation, and flipped her over smoothly, right into a table. Jace licked his lips, as always loving the way his parabatai moved, all focused, deadly elegance, even without his bow. They shared a grin and stood back to back, hitting the two of their opponents still on their feet with simultaneous flying kicks, landing them in a rack with training weapons. While everyone was trying to catch their breath and get back up, their lips met in an adrenaline-fueled kiss.
“You about done?” A voice interrupted them.
Jace stepped away from Alec, smiling innocently at Lydia, “We are if they are.”
The four Clave hunters grumbled under their breath, but Alec just raised an eyebrow, saying calmly, “They were nice enough to help us train. It gets repetitive if it’s just the two of us, we’re too... attuned to one another.”
Nice choice of words, parabatai. Jace couldn’t stop grinning, especially when he noticed that all but the first bigot were relaxing slightly. There was even something close to respect in their eyes as they nodded and took their leave. They weren’t about to become friends, but Jace reckoned there would be fewer whispers. Lydia watched them go without a word, although that woman could say a lot with a raised eyebrow.
“We’re sorry?” Jace finally said, not sorry in the least, and looked around the training room, taking in the mess they’d made with pride. No weapons, no permanent injuries. Two out of three isn’t bad.
Beside him, Alec rolled his eyes fondly, but the bond between them was still humming with satisfaction. Jace shifted, trying to hide the fact that he was half-hard, and felt Alec do the same, while Lydia scrutinized them closely. They had no intention of telling anyone here of their abilities, but Jace had the sneaking suspicion that she might have an inkling or two.
We probably shouldn’t have shown off, he admitted silently, but to his surprise Alec just shrugged in response. It’s not as if we’ll hold back once they let out us in the field. Let them think what they want. And I kind of trust the Branwell woman.
“Why do I often get the feeling that there’s stuff I’m missing when I’m in the room with you?” Lydia’s inquiry brought them back to the present, and Jace donned his best innocent face, meeting her stare with what he hoped was a harmless smile.
“It always takes us a while to come down after a fight,” he offered in explanation, aware that it was a weak excuse at best. Deciding that distraction might be a good strategy, he grabbed Alec’s hand and leaned into his parabatai. “Actually, if it’s alright with you, we’ll go do that in private. Before anyone else wants to… train with us.”
Really? That’s what you’re going with? Alec’s exasperation didn’t show on his face as he gave Lydia a bland nod and allowed Jace to pull him out of the room. They could feel her thoughtful eyes on them, and Jace knew her curiosity wasn’t really satisfied. Still, his explanation hadn’t been a complete lie, and the moment the door to their room closed behind them, Alec’s mouth was on his, hot and hard.
You’re impossible! The admonishment lost a lot of its power, because Alec was busy pushing Jace against the wall and sucking bruises into his neck, and Jace laughed, wrapping a leg around Alec so he could ride his thigh.
“Admit it, it was fun!” he managed to pant, fingers digging sharply into Alec’s scalp, pulling at his hair in the way he knew drove his parabatai wild. As expected, Alec growled against his skin, rocking his hips against Jace, with so much force that he slid up the wall with each thrust. Delighted, Jace held on for dear life, moans and groans escaping as his arousal skyrocketed, Alec’s urgency fueling his own.
They moved together as fluidly as they had in the training room, bodies and minds responding to each other effortlessly as they rutted against the wall. The familiar fire engulfed them both, and Jace clung to Alec as they came simultaneously, still wearing their clothes but together in every way that counted.
Yes, it was fun.
While their heartbeats slowly calmed down, Alec lapped gently at the bruise he’d left on Jace’s neck, and Jace chuckled, overwhelmed by the love that stretched between them like a living thing.
***
End Note: I'm getting sick, so my writing isn't what I'd like it to be, but hopefully this doesn't suck too bad. :/
