"If she used the word cute to describe him, absolutely not. That would be Simon."
It's an unspoken challenge the way he catches that subtle change in Sebastian's playing and Jace inhales through his nose, sharp and quick, matching him note for note. It's a slip he won't make again. Cocky and well deserving of that word. It's rare he finds anyone other than Alec and Izzy a challenge so he's equally annoyed and pleased Sebastian isn't making things easy for him.
But he does slip again, catching himself before he hits the wrong note fully because his thoughts strayed too far. He tries to tell himself it's just piano. It's just music. It's not a battle.
Sebastian's the one to stop first, and it's abrupt and purposeful, because he's stopped and is now looking at Jace.
"There's something else you're thinking about." He's not psychic, no, but he knows Jace because he knows himself--whatever strange need to win is also carved into Sebastian, etched into his heart with a knife courtesy of his father and mother.
But he smiles, he smiles and it looks like he means it--like he doesn't scoot over because he wants to wring the other's neck, but because he cares for him.
Several things seem to happen all at once, catching Jace off guard, something he's not completely sure how it makes him feel. But the music has stopped and what had been a slightly warm press of thigh against his own has suddenly become a full body presence.
Sebastian's smiling at him as if he really could hear his thoughts and Jace can't imagine a near missed note could give him away. He's always been careful not to share too much. It reminds him of Alec and the bond they've shared long before they spoke the words and drew their parabatai runes.
"I was thinking about the music." Not about Sebastian being cocky about his playing or how he'd love to take this to the training room and see how cocky he can be there.
Their knees bump each other, but Sebastian doesn't draw away. Instead, he places one of his smiles on his face, looking not flustered, but polite, like he wants to be civil when he's reigning himself in as best as he possibly could.
"I know we don't know each other well, and I wouldn't--I wouldn't want to be presumptuous, Jace, but I can't help but think that you're lying."
He licks his lips, finding them suddenly dry and cracked, before launching in before the other can stop him. "I know what it's like, to bottle things up, and it never ends well."
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It's an unspoken challenge the way he catches that subtle change in Sebastian's playing and Jace inhales through his nose, sharp and quick, matching him note for note. It's a slip he won't make again. Cocky and well deserving of that word. It's rare he finds anyone other than Alec and Izzy a challenge so he's equally annoyed and pleased Sebastian isn't making things easy for him.
But he does slip again, catching himself before he hits the wrong note fully because his thoughts strayed too far. He tries to tell himself it's just piano. It's just music. It's not a battle.
no subject
"There's something else you're thinking about." He's not psychic, no, but he knows Jace because he knows himself--whatever strange need to win is also carved into Sebastian, etched into his heart with a knife courtesy of his father and mother.
But he smiles, he smiles and it looks like he means it--like he doesn't scoot over because he wants to wring the other's neck, but because he cares for him.
no subject
Sebastian's smiling at him as if he really could hear his thoughts and Jace can't imagine a near missed note could give him away. He's always been careful not to share too much. It reminds him of Alec and the bond they've shared long before they spoke the words and drew their parabatai runes.
"I was thinking about the music." Not about Sebastian being cocky about his playing or how he'd love to take this to the training room and see how cocky he can be there.
no subject
"I know we don't know each other well, and I wouldn't--I wouldn't want to be presumptuous, Jace, but I can't help but think that you're lying."
He licks his lips, finding them suddenly dry and cracked, before launching in before the other can stop him. "I know what it's like, to bottle things up, and it never ends well."