Adam ached as Alec headed for the door, but he kept his mouth shut. He’d already been unpleasant enough to Alec. It was no wonder Alec didn’t want to be around him anymore. Adam was unlikeable, and he couldn’t seem to change that, no matter how much he wanted to. Any chance he ever might have had with Alec was ruined now that he’d made Alec not want to be around him.

And he still had no idea what Alec wanted, or what would make him happy, which had been all Adam wanted to know.

--

Izzy was in her room, meticulously removing her old and chipped nail polish from her fingers and toes. She looked up curiously when her brother came in like a thundercloud, but didn't stop what she was doing. Alec's face told her that he'd just had a very frustrating fight with someone, but there was no real way to narrow it down. It could have been either of their parents, Jace, Clary, Adam, half the Institute...

"What happened?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him because she knew that he was going to tell her, even if it took some prying.