I bit one too many Vampires | Vampire AU | Jace and Alec

[wayfaring_stranger]

Jace isn't pleased to be visiting the Institute or meeting with a Shadowhunter. It's been a very long time since he spent any effort or time visiting his old life. A Shadowhunter turned Vampire was not a popular Vampire. But Raphael needed someone to stand in for him and had this whole convincing speech about how Jace had been a Shadowhunter so who better to mediate. Blah. Blah. Blah. Jace had rolled his eyes and given Raphael the usual bored expression before finally agreeing. It would cost Raphael. He just hadn't decided what he wanted.

He was still debating the price when he was escorted through the Institute and left in a room to wait. Opening drawers, touching everything, sitting in the chair behind the desk with his feet on a stack of very important papers. Trying to imagine the person who chose a desk over fighting demons. People in charge were so boring.

~*~

Additional Vampire AU Thread: Texting http://angelic-archer.dreamwidth.org/18325.html

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[angelic_archer]

Looking at the mess that still remained scattered around his office, Alec couldn't help snarking. "That's probably part of the mission and you've completed it with top marks." He might grumble, but he wasn't annoyed. Which was strange since he should be frustrated that his carefully organized space had been turned upside down. "It was probably send you to me or he'd try to figure out how to make staking you look like an accident."

Noticing that Jace had started to move, Alec pushed back his chair so that he could easily look up at his guest. "Was that how old you were when you became a Downworlder?" It still was a tactless question but it seemed less harsh than mentioning death or vampirism. "I have a few LPs, but I haven't had time lately to add to my collection."

[wayfaring_stranger]

"No one is fast enough to stake me." Jace said it with absolute certainty, still smiling as he looked around at Alec's office and then directly into his eyes. "I was always the top of my class."

His smile softened, became more thoughtful, but he was enjoying their conversation too much now to let it falter into something deeper.

"Yes."

Simple answer for a simple question.

"You have LP's? Not CD's or one of those iPods everyone is carrying around? Actual LP's?" This was probably the greatest surprise yet.

[angelic_archer]

Alec didn't contest Jace's assumption, but he did arch an eyebrow at his confidence. He was sure that the vampire was fast but so was Alec when he had his bow. It wasn't something that they could really test but it was something he couldn't help considering even if it wasn't appropriate.

He was surprised that Jace answered the question and knew that he shouldn't ask anything else related to that particular subject. "I have actual LPs. And CDs and an iPod. I collect whatever I can but vinyl is best." Few people knew about his collection. Izzy and the store owners that he purchased his most prized albums from but no one else. His parents would have thought it was a childish hobby and tried to ruin it just like they had when he asked to learn to play an instrument. "Do you dislike technology or just prefer the sound of records?"

[wayfaring_stranger]

"I know what you're thinking, Shadowhunter." Jace grinned. "You're not fast enough." Jace said it as a challenge, not a fact, and arched an eyebrow back at Alec. "There are non-lethal ways to find out if you're ever interested and get bored training with slow pokes."

He definitely hoped for the chance to spar with Alec. In more than one method. And with that thought Jace couldn't help letting his gaze wander. Alec was wearing too many clothes, but he could imagine his Shadowhunter physique and the runes that decorated his body just fine.

"I love technology. But nothing captures the true sound of beautiful music the way vinyl does. I can't even find words to describe it and I'm very articulate. Most of the time. I'd love to see your collection."

[angelic_archer]

"My preferred weapon is faster than you." He hoped that the comment didn't sound like a threat. Alec knew the kind of questionable activities his ancestors had performed before the Accords. He didn't believe in those kinds of tactics and didn't want Jace to think he might be a danger to him. Then Alec realized that Jace might be from that era. Pushing aside that thought, he focused on Jace's offer instead. "If you can find somewhere else to train. Most of the Shadowhunters at the Institute would freak if I started sparring with a vampire. They might think you're attacking me." Or pretend that he was so that there'd be one less vampire in the world.

Noticing that Jace was giving him a strange look, he was going to ask about but Jace mentioned music. "I understand it. I don't know why it sounds better but it does. Technology makes it portable but it doesn't always preserve the quality of the sound or the emotion that was part of creating the music." Not quite sure what to say to that request, Alec realized he was starting to blush. Why was he reacting like that. It was a completely innocent request... one that would offend most Shadowhunters in the Institute but it wasn't improper. "I'd like to show it to you sometime. Do you have a collection or is that some special vampire secret I can't know about?"

[wayfaring_stranger]

"We'll see." Jace smirked. He was already considering places that would be safe for them to play a nice game of hide-n-seek or even tag. They could wrestle. He'd really like to wrestle Alec of his clothes and see the evidence of how well he filled out his clothes. He was so caught up in imagining that scenario he almost missed the part about music and vinyl being better, but he definitely didn't miss the offer to show him his collection.

"I travel too much to keep a collection, but if I had one...it would fill an entire room. I'd need a room for music and one for books."

That would require a home he thought to himself.