"Alec. Aleeeeec. Hey, Alec!" Jace whined, shaking his previously sleeping parabatai violently. Alec groaned and looked up, seeing Jace grinning down at him. The dark haired Nephilim shook his head when he saw that Jace was wearing some sort of headband with glittery red, heart-shaped antenna on them.

"You look ridiculous," Alec muttered, pulling the blankets over his head. Jace yanked them down again.

"Its Valentine's Day! Everyone's supposed to look mushy and ridiculous. Now come on, we're going to spend it together."

Alec peeked up at him, his expression slightly curious. "Why?"

Jace shrugged nonchalantly. "Because we're both single, and we're best friends? Why not?"

Alec nodded, averting his eyes in an attempt to keep his disappointment from showing. Jace pretended to be oblivious to this.

"Come on, get ready. I made you breakfast."

Alec cocked an eyebrow. "You made breakfast? Is it edible?"

Jace pouted. "Just because I don't cook doesn't mean I can't. Come downstairs and see for yourself."

Jace walked out of the room and Alec sighed, dragging himself out of bed. He took a quick shower, pulled on a black hoodie and dark jeans, and walked downstairs. He was surprised to find that, when he breathed in, he smelled the sweet scent of chocolate chip pancakes. He found Isabelle downstairs with Jace, and they seemed to be arguing about something. Alec heard his name and raised his eyebrows, trying to listen in, but Isabelle noticed him before he could. She smiled at him.

"Hey, big brother. Happy Valentine's Day," she said, walking over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He was a bit taken aback by her sunny mood, especially since she'd just left an argument.

"Uh, happy Valentine's Day to you, too, Izzy. What's with the good mood?" he asked curiously. She gave him a falsely surprised look.

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm always in a good mood!"

Jace and Alec snickered simultaneously and Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. If you must know, I have a date."

"With Nathan," Jace added amusedly, glancing at Alec as he flipped a pancake. Alec frowned, looking back at Isabelle.

"That werewolf from the other night? Isabelle, I really don't think that's-"

"Alright, love you, bye!" Isabelle cut in hastily before sprinting from the room. Alec sighed and sat down at the table. Jace shot him a look before walking over with a plate of pancakes, placing them in front of his parabatai, who stared at them.

"They're shaped like hearts," Alec observed, slightly amused as he began to cut them up with his fork.

"Because I love you," Jace cooed, dragging out the word love. Alec flushed, looking at Jace like he was crazy. Jace just laughed and went back to cooking, whistling happily.

Once they were both done with their meal, Jace pulled on Alec's hand. "Come on," he begged when Alec hesitated.

"Where are we going?" Alec asked slowly.

"Ah, that I cannot tell you. But it's a day of lovely things. I swear," Jace promised, crossing his heart. Alec sighed. He really couldn't deny his angel anything.

"Fine, fine," he muttered, and Jace's eyes lit up, reminding Alec exactly why he couldn't deny him anything.

"Great! But first…" Jace disappeared upstairs for a moment before he came back down, clutching a red rose. Alec quick breath, holding it, as Jace smiled at him. "For you. One of many that you'll get today."

"Thanks…" Alec took the flower from him, and Jace smiled.

"No problem. Now, grab your coat and let's go."

Alec did just that, pulling his black pea coat over his body. He felt Jace's eyes on him, and looked up.

"What?" he asked self-consciously. Jace was wearing a dazed expression, but he quickly shrugged it off.

"Nothing. It's just… It's nothing. Come on."

Alec frowned but nodded, following his parabatai out the door. What he saw made him laugh out loud.

"You're unbelievable. Did you know that?" he giggled while Jace looked down at him, a smile on his face. Sitting in front of their yard was a beautiful, horse-drawn carriage, a driver sitting in the front.

"You're really going to run this whole Valentine's Day thing into the ground, aren't you?" Alec asked, not being able to stop smiling. Even if it wasn't real, and Jace didn't really like him as more than a friend, this whole situation made Alec feel incredibly light-hearted. He was a hopeless romantic at heart.

"Don't pretend you aren't loving this. I can see it in your face," Jace replied, slightly smug. Alec blushed and walked to the carriage, hopping inside. Once they were both in, the driver went forward, and Jace put his arm around Alec's shoulder.

"You're going to love this," he promised, putting another rose in Alec's lap. Alec flushed and smiled, setting it next to him with his other rose.

"I had no idea you were such a sap."

Jace chuckled. "Neither did I."

X.X.X.X

After a day full of movie-watching, Italian food eating (Alec's favorite), and rose-receiving, Alec had a permanent blush on his cheeks. Jace performed sweet act after sweet act for him, and Alec just couldn't understand why. What was he gaining from all of this?

Still Alec was entirely flustered and happy and Jace seemed to grin every time he did, so he wasn't about to complain. When Jace stopped in front of an old, abandoned house, he insisted that he put a blindfold over Alec's eyes. When Alec hesitated, Jace frowned.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked, and Alec sighed.

"Yes. Okay. Fine."

Jace grinned and put the silk blindfold over Alec's eyes. He took both of his parabatai's hands, Alec blushing in response, and walked backwards, leading him into the house. Alec counted his steps to calm himself down.

Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three…

He heard a door squeak and suddenly there was a rush of hot air. Jace removed his blindfold and Alec gasped at what he saw.

"By the Angel, Jace. You didn't."

Jace grinned at Alec's shocked and incredibly dazzled face. "I did. Well, to be honest, not alone. Isabelle helped."

They were standing in a greenhouse, though it looked more like a garden, as the floor was made of grass with a cobblestone pathway. There were roses of every color everywhere; hanging from baskets, coming from the ground, wrapping up the fences. At the end of the pathway there was a fountain and a giant pile of blankets and pillows. A pot of melted chocolate sat beside it, with a tray of assorted fruits and marshmallows.

"It's… beautiful," Alec murmured, walking over to the table and taking a seat. Jace followed suit.

"I'm glad you like it. It took a while to make it perfect," he mused, watching Alec drown a strawberry in chocolate. He waited for it to stop dripping before taking a bite, moaning appreciatively. Jace shifted, suddenly feeling hot. "Good?"

Alec smiled. "Great." After a beat of silence, Alec looked at Jace. "This whole day has been disgusting."

Jace grinned, dipping a marshmallow in chocolate and popping it in his mouth. "That's the point. It's Valentine's Day."

Alec rolled his eyes. "But why are you doing it? For me, of all people?"

There was a flicker of an emotion Alec couldn't place in Jace's eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had come. "Because you're my parabatai. I'd rather spend time with you than anyone else. And besides, you know I love making you blush."

Naturally, Alec blushed and Jace laughed. "See? You're adorable when you blush."

Alec covered his face with his hands and Jace laughed again. "Might as well give you this now while your face is already bright red."

Alec looked up to see Jace picking up a rectangular, nicely wrapped gift. It even had a big, silver bow.

Alec took it hesitantly, apprehensive. "For me?"

Jace chuckled, nodding, and Alec tore open the package. His eyes widened.

"It's all the works of Shakespeare," Jace explained quickly, suddenly looking nervous. "The sonnets and the plays. It's leather bound, see? And check the inside of the front cover."

Alec did. In gold, pretty calligraphy, it read, Property of Alexander Lightwood. Alec flipped through the pages.

"Wow… It's… It's…"

Jace blanched. "If you don't like it, I can take it back. It's no big deal…"

"Jace, it's perfect. Thank you."

Jace smiled, looking relieved. "I thought you could read it to me. You know, like you used to when we were kids."

Alec recalled the memories fondly. Every night, before they went to bed, Alec read Jace a different sonnet. He didn't remember exactly when the nightly visits had stopped, but he remembered it was around the time they turned thirteen. He suddenly noticed that Jace was looking at him expectantly.

"Now?" Alec asked, surprised. Jace shrugged.

"No time like the present," he pointed out, and Alec smiled slightly. He flipped through the book until he found what he knew to be one of Jace's favorites.

"How sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame. Which, like a canker in the fragrant rose, doth spot the beauty of thy budding name. O, in what sweets dost thou thy sins enclose! That tongue that tells the story of thy days, making lascivious comments on thy sport, cannot dispraise but in a kind of praise. Naming thy name blesses an ill report. O, what a mansion have those vices got which for their habitation chose out thee. Where beauty's veil doth cover every blot, and all things turn to fair, that eyes can see! Take heed, dear heart, of this privilege; the hardest knife ill-used doth lose his edge."

"Do you know why I like that one the best?" Jace asked suddenly, and Alec looked up at him. Jace stared at him intensely, and Alec found he couldn't look away. "It sounds like it's about me. I remember you telling me what it was about. A beautiful young man who's entirely messed up on the inside, but no one ever notices. All they focus on is how good he looks." Jace suddenly let out a short laugh. "God, that sounds so conceited."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Jace," Alec murmured quietly. "I would never want to change anything about you."

Jace looked at him, surprised. "You can't actually mean that."

"I do," Alec replied with such vehemence that Jace was taken off guard. It took him a few moments to regain his composure.

"I'm selfish," Jace muttered, averting his eyes.

"Why?" Alec asked, slightly curious. He scooted closer to Jace, who had a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"I have known you were in love with me since we were thirteen," Jace mused, and Alec flushed. "I've known, and I haven't told you how I feel about you."

Alec looked away. "Jace, you don't have to, I know you don't-"

"No," Jace insisted. "I do have to. Because, Alec, I was wrong to make you think I didn't love you like that. Like I do. Like I have since I was twelve years old."

Alec sat there, his jaw slack. Jace quickly looked down.

"I understand if you've given up waiting for me. You're too good for me anyway."

"No! Jace, I mean, I don't, I just can't describe, I just can't talk-"

Jace smiled, his expression slightly hopeful. "The silence… It wasn't you turning me down, then, was it?"

Alec tried to speak, but thought better of it. Instead, he merely shook his head. Jace's smile widened.

"Oh. Well, in that case…"

He leaned in and pressed his lips to Alec, who, in his surprised state, accidentally bit Jace's lip. Hard.

"Jesus, Alec!" Jace yelped, pulling away. His lip was bleeding, but he didn't look mad. On the contrary, he looked thoroughly amused. Alec turned bright scarlet.

"Oh, Jace! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It was a reflex!"

Jace laughed. "A reflex? Good Lord, do people often kiss you without your consent or something?"

Alec looked down. Jace raised his eyebrows, his expression slightly jealous and angry. "They don't, do they?"

Alec shook his head. "Of course not. It's just… God, I'm so sorry Jace."

"Hey," Jace murmured, putting his hand under Alec's chin and gently pulling his face up. "No worries. We can just try again."

Alec smiled sheepishly at him, and Jace leaned in, pressing his lips to Alec's for the second time. This time, however, Alec had a better reaction, wrapping his arms around Jace. In return, Jace pulled him closer. They kissed for a few moments before Alec pulled away.

"You taste like blood and chocolate," he noted, and Jace chuckled.

"Nice observation, Hannibal Lecter."

Alec rolled his eyes. "If I was going to eat you, it wouldn't be in that way."

Jace's eyebrows shot up. "No?"

Alec smirked slightly. "No, it'd be in an entirely different manner."

Jace regained his composure and smirked back. "Oh yeah? I'd love for you to show me."

So Alec did.