Alec made a little pleased sound as Jace scratched fingers over his scalp. "How we grew up," he agreed. "Do you think you'd have told me, if we weren't parabatai?" he asked. "I almost backed out because I knew," he admitted. "But I thought it was as close as I could get to you, and the best way for me to keep you safe. So I went ahead with it anyway."

He laughed again. "He pasted it to your head? And I DID offer to look at it with you. I just didn't make it a threat," he said. Alec made a thoughtful sound. "Just be careful. Stuff doesn't stay up if the city doesn't approve of it, and the city's idea of what's okay and what really is probably isn't the same. Ask Magnus if you're not sure."

Alec smiled. "Only Alec you know," he said. But he leaned in and kissed Jace, slow and deep. "Yours too," he murmured against Jace's lips.