Look. I don’t want to push you into anything, but do you maybe want to —” “Call Magnus? Look, that’s a dead end, I know you’re trying to be helpful, but —” <br />“—kiss me?” Jace finished. <br />Alec looked as if he were about to fall off his chair. “WHAT? What? What?” <br />“Once what would do.” Jace did his best to look as if this were the sort of <br />suggestion one made all the time. “I think it might help.” <br />Alec looked at him with something like horror. “You don’t mean that.” <br />“Why wouldn’t I mean it?” <br />“Because you’re the straightest person I know. Possibly the straightest <br />person in the universe.” <br />“Exactly,” Jace said, and leaned forward, and kissed Alec on the mouth. <br />The kiss lasted approximately four seconds before Alec pulled forcefully <br />away, throwing his hands up as if to ward Jace off from coming at him again. <br />He looked as if he were about to throw up. “By the Angel,” he said. “Don’t <br />ever do that again.” <br />“Oh yeah?” Jace grinned, and almost meant it. “That bad?” <br />“Like kissing my brother,” said Alec, with a look of horror in his eyes. <br />“I thought you might feel that way.” Jace crossed his arms over his chest. <br />“Also, I’m hoping we can just gloss over all the irony in what you just said.” <br />“We can gloss over whatever you want to,” Alec said fervently. “Just don’t kiss me again.