Distractions - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Everest was still trying to process what had happened at Ragnor's when she and her siblings (that was still weird to say or think that Clary and Jace were siblings, her siblings) walked into the New York Institute. Magnus's Portal had dropped them off in Central Park and they had walked all the way back to the Institute because Jace refused to get a cab.
"We'll get mugged or killed! You don't know who's driving that thing!"
"We're Shadowhunters, Jace. We hunt demons and deal with psychopaths, and you're scared of riding in a cab?"
Izzy seemed to have known they were on their way back as she was waiting for them in the entryway. "Jace, you're coming to Alec's bachelor party, right?" she asked in greeting.
Everest hurried to fall into step with her friend and Izzy laced their fingers, squeezing tightly in comfort. Everest leaned into Izzy's shoulder for a moment before the group kept walking.
"No, he doesn't want me there and I'm swamped," Jace snapped. He rolled his eyes and his jaw clenched like he was biting back a rude comment.
"You two seriously haven't worked things out yet?"
"There's nothing to work out. If he wants to talk, we'll talk."
Everest thought that Jace needed a guidance counselor, preferably one that didn't know anything about him so that they didn't automatically love or hate him based on his reputation. A mundane one would be even better.
"He's your Parabatai."
Izzy's hand left Everest's and her grip moved up to her wrist, the older girl's fingers tracing a pattern on her wrist that she had grown familiar with over the time she had known Izzy. It was a pattern that she hadn't fully understood until she was brought into the ShadowWorld and learned what runes were, but one that she wanted to ask Izzy about sometime soon.
They stopped by a monitor and Jace stared at something on the other side of the room. Everest followed his gaze and her eyes landed on Lydia. She turned to Jace and was going to say something but Izzy's slight shake of her head stopped her.
"We have more important things going on than a bachelor party. Come with me." The girls followed Jace into an empty training room and then there was no grip on Everest's wrist as Izzy crossed her arms. "We have a mole in the Institute."
"We were attacked by a Shax demon when we went to see Ragnor Fell," Everest explained.
"The attack couldn't have been a coincidence. Valentine must have been tracking us," Jace bit out.
"You don't think someone from the Institute told Valentine where you were going," Izzy accused.
"There's no other explanation!" Clary said sharply. Everest's hands moved in a so-so motion. She could think of a few other explanations, though those used mundane methods and Valentine didn't really seem like the type to resort to mundane ways of doing things.
"No one would betray us like that. This is our family," Izzy defended.
Jace's glare landed on Lydia and Everest scoffed. "Not everyone's family yet." He sneered at the blonde woman. "I swear if Lydia's the leak—"
"Slow down. We don't even know if she did anything," said Clary in an attempt to calm Jace. It didn't work.
"And wrongfully accusing someone of a crime is dangerous. Trust me, I've been through it." Izzy mouthed 'later' when Everest gave her a sharp look. She had heard that Izzy had been on trial from Magnus just before they went to Ragnor's but had absolutely no details at all.
"Lydia was right there when we were talking about Ragnor Fell. If she's not gonna admit what she did, I'm gonna make her admit it," Jace snarled.
"So were a dozen other people!" Everest burst out. "I don't like her very much, but even I'll admit that she's not a completely horrible person."
Clary stepped in front of Jace, stopping him from storming up to Lydia and likely doing something that would have dire consequences sooner rather than later. "Jace, stop. You are too worked up to talk to anyone right now."
"Especially not an important envoy from the Clave," added Izzy.
"No one needs you doing something that could end poorly right now Jace," Everest said.
"Let me talk to Lydia," Clarry suggested. "If you accuse Alec's fiancée of treason, you will ruin whatever relationship you have left with him."
Everest flinched at her sister's words, but if they saw it, no one mentioned it.
"Clary's right Jace. If Lydia did this, she might not be so defensive with Clary. She might let her guard down. Slip up."
"Fine." Jace turned to Clary with a determined look in his eyes. "But I want to know everything she says."
...
"I feel like we haven't seen each other at all in a while," Everest said, sitting on her bed beside Izzy.
"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Izzy smiled at Everest and she returned it without hesitation. "But we're together now. So, what's up with you, Magnus, and my brother?"
Everest groaned and flopped backwards on her bed, pillows flying everywhere. "It's a mess."
"What happened?"
"Well besides the fact that I like two guys that I'm fairly sure like each other and not me? Everything." Everest felt the bed dip beside her and turned to see Izzy's face inches from hers. She turned her head to face the ceiling again. A hand lifted her head and when it was lowered again, her head was resting on Izzy's arm. She cuddled into her friend's side and sighed.
"I accidentally confessed my feelings to Magnus the other day," she said softly.
"What?!" Everest was sure that if her arm wasn't trapped Izzy would have shot up and started to pace the room. It was a habit that she shared with Jace and Alec. "When? How? Where? Why?"
Everest chuckled. "Yeah, pretty much. I was freaking out because of stress and stuff and I'm ninety percent sure that I looked like I was having a psychotic break, but it's fine. Then Magnus walked in and asked if he could help at all."
"What did you say?" Izzy sounded nervous and Everest couldn't blame her; she was nervous about it all too.
"I told him that unless he could find a way for him and Alec to both like me and each other and be alright with us all dating he couldn't help."
It was silent, only their breathing and the faint hum of the Institute could be heard in the room. Then, "Oh."
"What do you mean 'oh?'" Everest leaned on her elbow, facing Izzy.
"I thought you were going to say that you kissed him or something like that." Izzy sighed in relief, but Everest just stared open-mouthed at her friend.
"I—buh—no—huh?" she sputtered. "No! I didn't kiss Magnus!"
"But you want to," teased Izzy in a sing-song voice.
Everest's cheeks darkened and she flopped back onto her back, ignoring the slight yelp that came from Izzy when she landed on her arm. Her arms covered her face in an attempt to hide the deep red that was flooding her face and neck.
"Maybe. But Alec too," she mumbled into her arms.
"What was that? You need to speak up. I don't speak Sulking Everest." Everest knew very well that Izzy could speak 'Sulking Everest' as well as she possibly could.
"Maybe I do," she said a little louder. "But Alec too. That rhymed."
"Still didn't hear you," Izzy said in a sing-song voice again.
"Fine." Everest removed her arms from her head and faced her friend with an irritated look. "Yeah I like Magnus and Alec a lot, and I want to kiss and date them, sure. But that's not gonna happen Dusk, not now, not in this dimension. Maybe in another, but not this one."
Her words had risen in volume as she spoke, but when she met Izzy's eyes, her gaze was defeated and lost. The raven haired girl's face softened and she pulled the purple haired girl into a tight hug. Everest let out a single, defeated sob that echoed through her room and Izzy hugged tighter.
"It'll all work out Dawn, I promise you." Everest shook her head as she rested her forehead on Izzy's shoulder. "It will. It might not seem like it now, but it will. It always does."
Everest didn't say anything more as she hugged her friend tightly. Izzy didn't say anything either, not even when she saw the edge of a frayed leather jacket she knew to belong to her eldest brother or when she heard the stifled gasp and muffled, "who do I choose?" from outside the door. Everest didn't need to know that Alec had heard her confession and was now having a personal crisis.
After Everest had collected herself once more, the two settled back against the headboard of Everest's bed in silence. Everest felt Izzy's gaze on her and she turned to see the older girl fiddling with something in the pocket of the jacket she had stolen from Everest's closet. (It was technically Clary's jacket, but it was in Everest's closet so it was Everest's now.)
"Dawn, can I ask you something? Something that could potentially make things awkward?" Everest rarely saw Izzy this nervous, it was disconcerting.
She turned her body fully so that she could face her friend properly. "Of course, Dusk. We made it through the time when I dated Steve Evans without dying of awkwardness, I think whatever you ask me will be fine."
Izzy both grimaced and laughed at the reminder of the boy Everest had dated at fourteen but had broken up with two months before her fifteenth birthday. What a fun way to start your summer break. But after a moment her expression became serious once more.
"We've known each other for years, Everest, and I trust and love you so much. We've shared so many experiences and gone through so much together, and that means the world to me. You mean the world to me."
Everest wondered where she was going with this. "I feel the exact same way, Dusk."
Izzy blew out a breath and looked directly at Everest, though she didn't make direct eye contact and she was grateful for that. "Do you remember what I said about why there's no rune on the inside of my wrist?"
"Of course I do. It's where you'd want your Parabatai rune to go if you ever find your Parabatai."
"Well, I think I found her."
Everest couldn't help the pang of disappointment that rang through her, making her lungs feel like they were being used as a snare drum in beginner band lessons. "Oh," she said softly. She gave Izzy a halfhearted smile. "That's good. Who is it?"
Izzy stared at her for a long moment as if she was staring right at a giant pink T-Rex and still couldn't find it. "You."
"Me?"
She nodded. "Yes Everest, it's you. If you're alright with it, I'd really like for you to be my Parabatai."
Everest was sure her face looked like a cartoon exclamation mark just then. "You're serious? Like, really serious? You're not kidding or anything? You want me to be your Parabatai?"
Izzy nodded and Everest launched herself at her friend, muttering, "Yes, yes, forever yes," over and over again. The other girl laughed and pulled out a plain black box and flicked it open. Inside were two simple silver rings, one with a sun engraved and the other with a moon engraved. Everest gasped.
"They're so pretty," she whispered.
Izzy smiled broadly and held out the ring with the sun engraved for the purple haired girl and slipped it on her right middle finger. Everest took the other ring and, after freaking out about how pretty it was a bit more, slipped it onto Izzy's left middle finger. That way they could flip people off in style.
"Perfect."
"Very."
"We're going to be Parabatai!" they shouted together as it truly sunk in, falling off the bed in their excitement. Footsteps that had been trailing past Everest's door stopped and a head of red hair peaked into the room.
"What're you two doing on the floor?"
Everest and Izzy shared a look and grinned. "We're going to be Parabatai!" Clary's jaw dropped.
"What!?!"
"Yeah! Izzy and I were talking and then Izzy asked me to be her Parabatai!"
Clary stared with wide eyes and a gaping mouth between the two eighteen year olds who were still sprawled on the floor. Then she smiled and her face twisted into a shocked joy.
"That's so exciting!"
"I know!"
Izzy, Clary, and Everest began to jump around and freak out like three fifteen year olds in a teenage rom com, but none of them cared at the moment. They were too excited about Everest and Izzy being soon-to-be-Parabatai.
...
"Wait? You're telling me that you like Alec and Magnus, and have only told Magnus about your feelings, but not in a way that actually told him you like him and Alec? And you ran away after?" Clary stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"No he's dead." Everest winced at her own words, Clary did too. Izzy just watched the sisters wince at the reference to a fictional character whose job was to be another dead parental figure to The Boy-Who-Needed-A-Haircut-At-Fourteen. "Sorry. That hurt me too."
"How have you ever dated anybody in your life?" Clary asked disbelievingly.
"They usually start the conversation about feelings first, or we kiss and then talk about dating afterwards. I don't start those conversations. Ever." Everest pouted when Izzy clucked her tongue in exaggerated disappointment.
"Everest, Everest, Everest. All these years and you haven't learned how to fess up first?"
Everest made a noise of disagreement. "Err—I wouldn't say nothing. I learned how to ask people out for my friends. And the way you said it sounded like you were talking about confessing to a crime."
Izzy sighed and Clary looked amused. Everest raised her eyebrows at her twin. Clary, the queen of not acting on her crushes until there was some overly romantic or death defying moment to do so, was amused. Everest was tempted to say something against Clary, but really didn't want to deal with whatever revenge or retaliation her sister came up with, so she stayed quiet.
"Here's what you're going to do." Izzy turned so that she faced Everest. Both of them ignored the muttered, "this should be good," from the oldest of the three. "You're going to call Magnus and talk to him about your feelings and work out whatever is going on between the two of you. That way you and he can talk to Alec about things later."
Everest sighed knowing that her friend was right. "Fine, I'll call him."
She was reaching for her phone when Immortals began to play. She gaped at the device. There was no way.
"What? Who is it?"
"Magnus," she breathed out. Clary and Izzy laughed.
"Speak of the warlock and he shall call."
"Shut it Ritz." After a moment of hesitation, Everest answered the call on speaker—a habit born from not being able to focus on a call if she couldn't see her phone, which was part of her ADHD and a part that sucked. "Hello?"
"Hi Everest, I was hoping we could talk." Magnus sounded hesitant and she couldn't really blame him considering the last two times this topic had been brought up she had avoided it, even going as far as running out of the building.
"Sure." She kept her voice light as she spoke. "What's up?"
Magnus sighed and she knew that he knew what she was doing. She also knew that it wasn't working. "You know what I want to talk to you about."
"Yeah, yeah I do."
"I know I said that I would wait until you called me, but I don't think I can wait anymore."
Everest watched as Clary and Izzy quietly left her room and smiled gratefully. At least they respected her privacy. If she had had this phone call at the apartment or even at the Karters' house there would have been at least one person eavesdropping, however unintentionally. She was surrounded by people who lived off of gossip and drama, and it showed when she took phone calls.
"I would like to know what you meant by what you said the other day," he said after a moment of silence.
Everest released a deep breath as she pondered how to explain her words. "I—" She paused and then said, "Before this conversation goes any further, you should know that I am pansexual and polyamorous."
"I know what pansexual is, but could you explain what being polyamorous means?" Everest appreciated that Magnus was being respectful with his question instead of assuming things or not asking and not fully understanding. That was still a hard question to answer in a way that made sense to others, though she would do her best to explain it.
"Yeah. Umm, so the literal meaning of the word polyamory is many loves. So basically it means that I can or may have a relationship with more than one person at a time." She waited, nerves stinging the back of her eyes, for Magnus to respond.
"Thank you for telling me, Everest. I'm glad that you feel comfortable enough with me that you came out to me." She could hear the pride and acceptance in his words, causing the stinging nerves to be replaced by rushing relief. She let out a sigh of relief as she sat up against her headboard and grabbed a weighted panda stuffed animal Izzy had given her.
"Back on topic." She took a deep breath as she did her best not to rush her next words. "I like you and Alec and want to be in a relationship with both of you. The thing is, I'm fairly certain that Alec likes you and that you like him and not me."
It was quiet and then Magnus started to chuckle lightly. Everest's cheeks warmed and she ducked her head, despite Magnus not being there in the room with her. He was laughing at her confession, wasn't he?
"I forgot how oblivious you can be, Cupcake," he chuckled. Her brows furrowed.
"What?"
"Yes, I like Alexander, but I also like you."
Her head shot up and she stared at her phone, eyes wide and mouth agape. She made a strangled noise similar to a drowning cat before she was able to form words. "What? Really? You do?"
"Yes Everest, and I think that Alec likes you too."
If it were possible, Everest's eyes would have bugged out of their sockets like one of those toys from the bookfair. She made another strangled noise, causing Magnus to chuckle.
"How about you, Alec, and I sit down and talk about everything?"
"That would be nice. Except Alec is marrying Lydia Branwell and is more stubborn than Clary sometimes." It took quite a bit of Everest's willpower not to shout.
Magnus sighed, though she could hear the mischief in his voice when he spoke. "How would you feel about crashing a wedding?"
"No."
"It'll be—what? Why not?"
"I'm not going to crash the wedding, Magnus. I wouldn't even be able to approach the doors without my brain and RSD kicking my ass and making me go curl up in a ball at one of my friend's houses." She thought that was rather obvious, but then again Magnus hadn't seen her in a while.
He sighed again. "Would you at least consider it?" She stayed silent. "I'll be crashing it either way and you're more than welcome to join me if you want, but even if you don't I'll convince Alec to have a chat with us. Sound good?"
She mulled that over and despite all the ways it could go wrong, she nodded. She snorted softly as she remembered that Magnus couldn't see her. "Yeah, that sounds good." Everest looked at her alarm clock and grimaced. She needed to get to a babysitting job that she had been booked for over a month ago. "I have to go, but let me know what happens."
Alright, I'll talk to you later then."
"Bye Magnus."
"Bye Everest."
Everest's shoulders dropped as she hung up. That had been a stressful conversation and Everest began to dread the conversation between her, Magnus, and Alec as she replayed the conversation over and over again.
She huffed and made her way over to the closet to find clean clothes. As she changed into a pair of jeans and a Hufflepuff sweatshirt, she made sure to redo her mascara and concealer. Everest looked at herself in her mirror and forced a smile onto her face. There, that felt better. She almost always felt better when she smiled.
'You'll deal with that later, focus on babysitting for now,' she told herself firmly. 'It'll all work out, it has to.'
...
Everest barely heard the door open over all the noise that came from Abbie's show. The purple haired girl looked up from her laptop to see Hanna Stone setting her stuff down on the bench. She smiled and waved, closing her laptop so that the document that was opened to a scene full of swearing and fighting wasn't visible. She probably didn't need the woman who's paying her to see her editing a scene that the nine year old she was watching probably shouldn't read. That might not go over well. Granted, Abbie was heavily invested in the cringey children's cartoon that was playing, but it was the principle of the thing.
Everest followed Hanna into the kitchen and leaned against the counter while the woman poured herself a glass of iced tea.
"How'd it go?" Everest couldn't help but think that Hanna's voice sounded like one that would be good for storytelling.
She shrugged, accepting the glass of water she was offered. "It went well. We had a minor hiccup around dinner time, but that was my fault. I made the wrong pasta, but it was resolved quickly. It was good other than that, though."
Hanna hummed. "Good." Her dark eyes flicked to Abbie who had begun to flap her hands excitedly when her favorite scene started. Abbie's light brown coily hair bounced around her face, causing the girl to push it from her face in irritation. Hanna's eyes filled with love as she watched her daughter. "I'm glad."
She turned back to Everest and smiled again. "I really appreciate how patient you are with her and that you don't get angry with her. It's really encouraging and means a lot."
Everest's heart swelled as she heard the absolute adoration Hanna had for her daughter. The world needed more people like Hanna. "It's no problem. I just kinda act like how I wish people acted around me when I was a kid and make sure that Abbie is comfortable."
"Still, it means a lot." Hanna handed the money she owed Everest for babysitting. "Here's what I owe you for watching her. I'd love to chat some more, but if I'm remembering our conversation from earlier correctly, you have a Disney marathon to get to."
Everest looked at her phone and she gave it an irritated look. Why did time have to be so inconsistent in her brain? "Thanks for the reminder, I wouldn't have remembered until a week after if you hadn't said anything."
Hanna laughed and waved her off. "It's alright, I get it. Have a good night, Everest!"
"Goodbye!" Abbie's iPad said, the girl waving to Everest even though she was looking towards the tv.
"Bye Abbie, bye Hanna, I'll see you later," Everest called, slipping outside once she had gathered her things.
The walk to the subway station was as quiet as it could be in New York and the ride was uneventful, though the thirty minutes felt like hours to Everest. Another short walk later and Everest was walking into the home of her father figures and sister figure for the millionth time that week.
"You look horrible," was the first thing that Everest heard as she entered the living room, her feet sliding on the floor as she tossed her shoes and bag in the corner.
"Thanks," she deadpanned, giving Brad and Jay a hug. "Where's Harper?"
"Changing into pajamas and getting nice clothes for you."
"I am in nice clothes!"
"You're in jeans from years ago that look like they were torn up by a pack of rabid wolves and a sweatshirt you borrowed from Roslyn." Everest looked back at Jay and his unimpressed look made her double over in laughter.
"You're not allowed to meet Izzy," she told him, settling beside him with her phone.
Her phone was taken from her as she pulled up her email. She gave Brad an affronted look as he was usually the one to take her phone, but he didn't have it. Jay didn't either, which left Harper. She craned her head back and saw the girl's teasing grin. Everest pouted when the girl put her phone in the drawer that she and everyone else in the house knew was called the "Do Not Take From" drawer for a reason. If something was placed in that drawer, only the person who placed it there could take it out if that object wanted to ever be seen again. It was very useful when Jay or Brad was grounding the girls (because as Everest's unofficial dads they could do that) and also very useful when the girls wanted their attention or help with something. It wasn't so nice when a guest accidentally placed something in that drawer without knowing what the drawer was.
"We're having a Disney marathon because you've had a crappy week and you need to feel better otherwise you get super burnt out and you're like a blind, deaf, baby sloth when that happens." Everest wasn't sure if that was meant as an insult or not. It was probably both. "Your phone is going away so you can focus on movies. I can get you coloring books if you want something to do with your hands."
Everest nodded gratefully. Harper dropped a pile of clothes into her lap. "I'll go get those, but you need to change."
Everest didn't even bother to sulk as she went to the guest room (which was really just her room at that point) to change. She knew it was useless arguing with Harper about wearing nice clothes that made her feel good while she tried to help herself and her mental health—Harper always won. She had to admit that the girl knew what Everest looked good in and was comfortable in. She had given Everest a pair of olive green leggings, a white spaghetti strap tank top, and a black and white plaid button up she was sure had to have some from Brad's closet because it could have been a dress that would pass even the strictest of school dress codes. She kept her rings and earrings on, and threw her hair up in a pineapple bun (which just meant that she didn't care enough to redo her bun when it didn't end up right).
She was met with applause when she returned to the main area and blushed lightly. However her embarrassment faded when she was handed a pizza box. Pizza made things better. She grinned at Brad and sat on the couch beside Harper. They didn't ask why she looked as if she were going to cry when she was telling them about something that had happened a few days before, or why she had said, "I don't like weddings right now," very quietly during one of the movies. And she loved them for it. They knew that she would explain when she was ready to, no matter how long that took if it happened at all, and they were all content with waiting a little while for their unofficial sister/daughter to tell the story she was hiding for the moment.
It was nearing ten o'clock at night and the four were in very different positions than they had been when they first sat down. Brad and Jay were lying down side by side on the couch though Everest wasn't really sure how it was possible considering it was not a very wide couch, Harper was hanging off the other couch (Everest wasn't sure if she was on the couch with her limbs dangling off or on the floor with her limbs draping on the couch), and Everest was lying on the floor with her feet beside Harper and her head resting on the three Squishmallows that had appeared at some point. Big Hero 6 was playing and all of them had tears in their eyes, though they'd never admit it.
Just as Hiro met Baymax, the doorbell rang, startling all of them. They shared wide eyed glances, as if in a horror movie and expecting the person at the door to be a murder.
"I'll get it," Jay said, dislodging his husband and the girls as he left the living room. He ignored the protests with an ease that came from years of practice.
The door opened and Everest could hear muffled, yet familiar voices, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Whatever Jay was saying to the person at the door seemed important because his voice was unwavering, even as it rose slightly.
"—you two better not make things worse for her or I will make you regret ever laying eyes on her," he said sternly.
Everest shared a look with Harper. That was his 'I'm the parent and you will listen to me' voice. Who was at the door? Why did he pull out that voice? Everest had her answer quickly.
Trailing behind Jay were two somewhat disgruntled looking people that Everest knew well. Alec was in a very nice white suit like one would wear in a fantasy ritual, his blue eyes bright and happy, though a little nervous. Magnus was beside him in an all black suit, though she was fairly sure his shirt was glittery. Everest's gaze locked on his hair and makeup, incredibly jealous of how perfect his eyeliner was. His hair had red streaks that hadn't been there the last time she saw him and Everest wondered why red? It wasn't that she didn't like it, she did, but why red of all colors? Blue would have looked very nice, or a dark green even. Punk Harry Potter vibes essentially.
Jay looked very wary of the two, but Everest couldn't exactly blame him. She had shown up to the house crying or near tears multiple times in the last few days because of things involving Magnus and Alec after all. "Brad, Harper, let's let these three have some privacy," he said, leaving little room for question.
"Who are they?" Brad demanded, hesitant of leaving the two with the young woman who was like his second daughter once he saw his husband's tense expression.
"This is Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane, they're here to talk to Everest."
Brad and Harper froze where they were. Alec and Magnus looked confused and faintly disturbed. Harper turned to Everest and gestured wildly towards the men.
"THAT'S THEM!" she whisper-shouted. Everest nodded and the girl made a noise similar to one that Everest made when fangirling. "You didn't say they looked like LITERAL models! No wonder you like them! If they're as good of people as you say they are, and they look that nice, I'd think you were knocked in the head if you didn't!"
Alec and Magnus had begun to look between Harper and Everest with wide eyes, though Magnus looked amused.
"Alright we'll let you guys talk," said Brad, hauling his daughter and husband out of the room. "Let us know when you're done, we'll be in the kitchen."
Everest raised her eyebrows at him. You could hear everything that happened in the living room from the kitchen. He smiled and left, making Everest sigh. She stood from her spot sprawled on the floor and sat where Harper had originally been sitting.
"You can sit, you know," she told the two, who were still awkwardly standing in the doorway.
Magnus took a spot on the other couch while Alec sat on the poof once he cleared the pizza boxes off of it. They both looked as nervous as Everest felt.
"What're you guys doing here? How did you know I was here?"
"We asked Clary and Izzy," Magnus explained. Everest should have known.
"But what're you doing here?" she asked again.
Alec answered this time. "Everest, I like you, a lot. You're a great person and you make me laugh."
Magnus spoke up before she had a chance to respond. "I like you a lot too, as I told you earlier."
"I like the both of you too," Everest said in a quiet voice, averting her eyes from the two. She didn't know where this was going and she could feel her eyes stinging as she imagined all the ways the conversation could go downhill.
"We both like you, and we both like each other," Alec continued. She stayed silent. "What we're saying Everest, is that we'd like to date you."
Her head shot up and her eyes darted between them. She ignored the heavy pounding of her heart and the tears in her eyes. "What? I thought you liked each other, not me." She wasn't sure if they had heard her soft words until Alec got up and kneeled beside her spot on the couch, Magnus moving to sit beside her.
"Alec and I talked about it after the not-wedding," All three of them winced at that, "and we decided that if you were alright with it, that we would both like to date you as well as each other. Would you like to be our girlfriend?"
She looked at them with wide eyes as she tried to form words. Her lips formed words, but no sound was made. So she signed 'yes' in ASL and nodded as she made a noise that vaguely sounded like agreement. Alec and Magnus shared a smile and Alec sat on the couch on Everest's other side. Magnus's fingers laced with hers, her rings clinking against his, and Alec rested his hand on her knee. Everest smiled as she took in the moment she thought would only happen in the alternate dimension.
There was a squeal followed by a loud "SHHH!!" and Everest laughed.
"I think they ship," she told her boyfriends. Holy shit they were her boyfriends! Everest's mind filled with incoherent screaming as it sank in. Her grin widened and her eyes brightened as she watched Brad, Jay, and Harper watching them with wide eyes and eager expressions.
"What?" Alec asked.
Everest looked at Magnus to make sure he knew what shipping meant. If not she would pull together a crash course in terminology because not knowing what shipping meant was an outrage. Thankfully, Magnus seemed to know what her expression meant and he nodded.
"We'll explain later Alexander," he told Alec. "I think our audience is going to explode if they're not allowed back into the living room soon." Alec glanced towards the kitchen and chuckled.
"You can come out now!" Everest called to them.
"I ship it!" exclaimed Harper. Brad and Jay laughed, though they looked like they agreed with their daughter wholeheartedly.
"I'm sorry for doubting you two about your intentions," apologized Jay.
Magnus waved him off. "It's fine. Any good parent would have done it."
Brad and Jay's eyes shone with happiness, but Alec's phone went off before they could say anything.
"It's Jace. He wants to know when we'll be back so that we can go through the stuff from Ragnor's."
Everest looked around the room before turning to Alec. "Can I see your phone? I want to respond to Jace."
He gave her an odd look but handed it to her anyway. He and Magnus leaned over her shoulders to read what she was typing.
"You are very impatient and needy," Magnus narrated. The Karters laughed. "We'll be back soon. Calm down Dye Blonde."
The response was instantaneous. "Give Alec his phone back Everest," Magnus continued to narrate. "Not a chance. Why not? My phone is locked up."
"Why is your phone locked up?" Alec asked.
"Because Harper said I needed to focus on the movies and not anything related to writing, society, or people."
Harper handed her back her phone with a small smile. Everest hadn't realized she had taken it out of the drawer. "It worked, didn't it?" Everest shrugged.
"We should get going," Magnus interjected. "Preferably before anyone else mass texts one of us."
Jay and Brad pulled Everest into a hug and she smiled. She loved their hugs.
"You be safe, Forest," Jay told her sternly.
"No fires, no explosions, no writing for three days straight, no forgetting to eat or drink water." Brad's stern expression was laced with amusement.
Everest gave them a sheepish look as she left the hug. "I'll do my best."
Harper gave the older girl a short hug before sitting on the couch. "Don't be stupid please."
"How can I? Clary staked a claim on all the stupidity I could have had when we were infants." Everyone laughed at that.
"Bye guys!" Everest called out as she followed Magnus and Alec outside, her shoes and bag in hand.
"Bye!"
"We're Portalling right?" she asked, following them into an alley. "I don't really want to put shoes on but if we're walking or taking public transport I have to."
"We're Portalling, yes," Magnus assured her, looking amused. His eyes softened as he watched her cheer and stuff her shoes in her bag.
"I'm glad you said yes," Alec muttered.
"I'm glad I didn't just run from the room when you two walked in," Everest chuckled.
Magnus began to make the Portal, but Alec turned to her. "Everest?" She hummed in response. "Can I kiss you?"
For a moment her brain stopped working but then she nodded and Alec gently leaned in, giving her ample time to pull away. She didn't. When their lips met, it was a little awkward at first, like it always was when you kiss someone for the first time, but then it was sweet and full of care. It only lasted a moment, but Everest was smiling all the same when she pulled away.
"Do I get a kiss too?" Magnus was smiling fondly, though a little teasingly, as he turned to Everest and Alec.
"Do you want one?"
Magnus chuckled. "Are you offering?"
Everest looked up at him with a smile. "Are you asking?" He nodded. "Then yes."
Everest tilted her head up and rose onto her tip toes so that Magnus didn't have to lean so far down. Magnus was smiling into the kiss and Everest was sure she was too, and though it was a little awkward at first, it was full of happiness and affection. It too only lasted a moment, but Everest was content with it when they pulled apart.
She stepped back to check her phone when it went off three times, and from the corner of her eye she saw Magnus and Alec share a kiss and her smile grew a little more.
"It's Izzy. And Jace and Clary," she said when the two parted. "They want to know where we are."
Magnus rolled his eyes. "Tell them we'll be there in a moment."
Everest looked up as she saw blue sparks in her peripheral vision. "What're you doing?" she asked.
"I have an idea."
"What idea?"
"An idea that will make Isabelle, Clary, and Jace laugh."
Alec raised an eyebrow. "That's not ominous at all."
Magnus laughed and waved his hand. A pile of black fabric in his hands. He handed one to Alec, one to Everest, and kept one for himself. Everest's eyes widened with glee.
"How about we announce our relationship with these?"
"I adore this idea."
"Izzy will lose her mind," Alec told them, though he was grinning.
"They all will," Everest corrected.
"All the more reason to do this," Magnus said.
"This'll be great," Everest exclaimed excitedly, slipping behind the smoke curtain Magnus had created to get changed.
"It'll be perfect."