Summary:  Alec shows the reader how to shoot a bow, but things become a little steamier than that.

Pairing:  Alec Lightwood x Gender Neutral Reader

Warnings:  Swearing, kissing, mentions of sex

New York was freezing compared to your hometown of LA, especially because you were visiting midwinter.  The coat you had on didn't seem to help protect you from the cold that chilled your bones, but luckily the heat in the New York Institute was on to help you defrost.  You had just returned from a mission, searching for a very dangerous fugitive that ran from California all the way to where you were, New York City.  Usually, your commanders would have just let the shadowhunters of NYC handle it, but this was a particularly dangerous criminal that had personal ties with the shadowhunters of LA, so they sent you and some of your comrades to stay in New York until the rouge was caught.  Unfortunately, that meant you had to endure the cold for however long was too long and for a boring mission, at that.  Luckily, there was something, or someone actually, that had peaked your interest.  Alec Lightwood.

    You had heard of him before, of course, he was practically famous in the shadow world.  He was a hero in the Mortal war and friends with the Clary and Jace, it was hard not to know of him, but you didn't really know him.  You were hoping you would get to, but so far you hadn't really gotten the chance to even have a real conversation with him.  It had been weeks and the most interaction you exchanged was a few nods and "hello, excuse me"s and after a few weeks of this you accepted that was probably the extent of what was going to happen, he was busy being a hero after all.

    There were no leads on your run away, so you were using some of your free time to get some training in.  The training room was empty, most people on mission at this time.  You were swinging and stabbing a dummy with your staff, flipping and twirling gracefully, it was almost like you were dancing.  The way you moved was impressive, quick and without fault, your form was perfect.  Alec was admiring from the doorway, which you didn't notice for at least five minutes, until you finally looked up and saw his tall and toned frame leaning against the wall.  He scared you and he knew it by the way your reflexes forced you to act, jumping back and wielding your spear in front of you.  Once you saw who it was though, you relaxed.  "You know, it's rude to stare," you said lowering your weapon.

    "Sorry, you're just a really impressive fighter.  I was admiring," he blushed, realizing how flirty what he just said was.  "Your skills, I mean.  Admiring your skills, yeah."

    "I'm impressive?  You're the war hero," you smiled, hoping that if you ignored the blush on his cheeks it would make him feel better.  Your comment just made his face redder though, oops. 

    He scratched the nape of his neck and looked to his shoes.  "Uh yeah, I guess. I didn't do that much, it was mainly Jace and Clary."

    "I don't think you give yourself enough credit," you shrugged.  "I've heard you're pretty amazing with a bow."  You pointed to the bow strapped to his back, brought for training.  You fought in the Mortal War, alongside everyone else, but it was a crowded mess of bloody bodies and you were more worried about not dying than being able to watch other's fighting skills, so you never saw Alec in action, but you heard amazing stories about him.  "Care to show me?"

    You didn't think his face could get any redder, but somehow it did.  He stuttered over his words and stumbled over his feet making his way to where he would shoot from.  He was awfully awkward for a shadowhunter, especially a world renowned one, but it was nice to know he wasn't some perfect god-like man, even if he looked like one.  As soon as he took the bow in his hands though, all that gracelessness faded away.  When he grasped the handle and nocked the arrow, it was with the surest of movements, like he had all the confidence of the world at his fingertips.  Everytime he shot, he hit the bullseye, dead center, even splitting each arrow. You couldn't help but gape, at his skills and also at his arm muscles.  Damn, those were some biceps. 

    "You are just as skilled as I heard," you complimented.

    He smiled, no blush this time, he knew he was good.  "Thanks."

    "I've always wanted to learn how to use a bow, but I seem to be more of a short range weapon kind of girl.  Aiming is not my strong suit," you confessed.

    "Jace is the same way," he shrugged.  "He's too impatient to take the time in battle to aim.  Once you get enough practice though, it takes the same amount of time to aim and shoot as it does to draw your sword and calculate your strikes.  I've done both, so I know.  It's just a matter of what's more comfortable in your hands, for some it's a sword, for some it's a spear, and for some it's a bow. Anyone can learn anything, though, if they have the patience."

    "That's true," you responded, looking at the spear still clutched loosely in your grasp. You reminisced on the many late nights and early mornings you dedicated to training, how over the years your spear just became a part of you, moving as one.  It wasn't easy, you weren't born with an immense natural skill, but you learned over many years.

    Alec was admiring you as you zoned out, you were gorgeous, he had thought so from the moment you arrived.  He was thankful for the common ground both being shadowhunters gave you, so he could talk about something he had knowledge on, instead of just fumbling over his words like he usually did.  Weapons and killing demons was something he was comfortable with, getting to know you's and relationships, not so much.  It also didn't help that you intimidated the hell out of him.  You were beautiful, smart, confident, and a kick ass shadowhunter.  How was he supposed to feel?  He had wanted to start a conversation with you as soon as he saw you in the institute, but he hadn't worked up the courage until now.  And with the adrenaline pumping in his veins, giving him a boost of bravery, he managed to push himself out of his comfort zone even more.

    "You said you always wanted to learn how to use a bow?"  He asked, bringing you out of your retrospective daze.  You nodded.  "Do you want me to show you some things?"  The fact that those words came out of his mouth shocked him, it was like his vocal chords were working without a signal from his brain.  It was too late for him to take it back now, so the blush he wore earlier began to adorn his cheeks once again.  "I mean, only if you want me to of course.  I'm not a great instructor but-"

"That would be wonderful," you smiled, cutting off his rambling before his face got any redder.  You were a little concerned by how hot his face got, worried it would melt off if he became any more embarrassed, so you were trying to make him feel less awkward.  You didn't quite understand why he was so flustered to begin with, you weren't that intimidating compared to him.  He was tall and broad, decorated with toned muscles and sharp angles.  Really, if anyone was to be nervous, it should've been you. You were, slightly, your quickly beating heart told  you that much, but not nearly as much as him it seemed.  Oh well, he was cute when he blushed.

    He held out his bow to you, which was a big deal, shadowhunters were very choosy on who they let handle their weapons.  You were taken aback by the action, fumbling to put your spear down and gently take the bow into your grasp.  You held it up, the way you thought he did, but apparently you thought wrong.  "Like this?"  You asked.  You knew it was not like that the minute you looked at his slightly scrunched face, he looked almost pained.  Yikes, you were really that bad?  "Here," you pushed his bow towards him, very embarrassed.  "Show me again.  I'll pay really close attention this time."

    He shook his head.  "No, no, hold it up again.  It wasn't too off, we can work with it."  You obliged and straightened the weapon again.  "Move your left hand down a little," you attempted to follow his orders.  "Now angle your wrist- here." He stepped closer to you, reaching out, but retracting before he actually made contact with you.  "Is it okay if I touch you?  I don't want to make you uncomfortable, it's just easier if I show you."

    You nodded your head and responded, "do whatever you need to do to make me suck less."  He smiled at your remark and then gripped your wrist,  guiding it to the correct position.

    "Does that feel comfortable?"  You nodded.  It was much more natural holding the bow now that he had shown you the proper form, it didn't feel like a heavy weight on your fingers, it felt like an extension of your hand.  That was the way weapons were supposed to feel, the way your spear felt.  He switched from being in front of you to standing directly behind you, so he could adjust your form accordingly. "Good, now nock your arrow."   He handed you an arrow from the quiver strung around his shoulder.  You took a hold of it in your right hand and placed it on the shelf and tugging it onto the string.  You only pulled back slightly, not wanting to release the arrow, just wanting it to stay in its place.

Alec put one hand on your hip and the other on your forearm.  The hand on your hip was supposed to be supporting you, which it did, but it made you shiver and feel weak at the knees.  The hand on your forearm slowly inched your arm up until you were aiming at the right target and not like a wall or something.  "Now, look through your sight. When you think you've got the shot, pull back as hard as you can..."  As he spoke, his breath was hot on your neck, forcing another shiver to erupt through your body.  Being this close to him, his toned body pressing up against yours, his whispers leaving a tingle on your skin, his hands gripping you tightly but not too hard, was not good for your concentration or your rapid heart rate.  You tried to focus as you dragged your arm back.  It was a stronger resistance than you had thought, which was good, because it forced you to think of something besides how badly you wanted Alec to slam you against the wall and kiss you.  "... and shoot."

You released the arrow and it went flying, you could almost hear it spin through the air.  It was like everything was moving in slow motion as you watched the arrow glide towards the target, and then smack, it collided.  You did not hit the bullseye like Alec had, but your arrow had made it to the ring above it, which was good enough for you.  You practically squealed as you turned around and jumped to embrace Alec.  Your hands attached themselves to the bow behind his neck as he grabbed you quickly, keeping you both steady (thank the angel for shadowhunter reflexes).  You hadn't really meant to pounce on him like that, but you were overwhelmed with excitement and sometimes your body just did what it wanted to.

    You tried to pull away slowly, but his hands stayed clasped at the small of your back.  You let you move enough to be able to look at his flushed face and gorgeous eyes, but that was as far as he would let you go. You were not complaining.  "You're a natural," he smiled.

    "Maybe I just have a good teacher," you shrugged. 

    You weren't sure what you were expecting him to say or do, probably just let you go, but instead he asked, "can I kiss you?"  You were a little shocked and from the look on his face he was too, sometimes mouths move without permission of the brain, it happened to you all the time.  Just blurting whatever you were thinking got you into trouble quite often, one of your lesser favored traits, but this thought was welcome.

    "Please do."

    He leaned in and your mouths made contact    .  He was a good kisser, gentle at first and then the more you kissed the more passionate he got. Your mouths moved together for a while and then his tongue swiped your bottom lip. You opened your mouth immediately and his tongue slipped in.  As the kiss got more heated his hands moved from your back to your hips. You tangled your hands in his hair, the bow dropped and long forgotten, as he moved you to the wall and pressed you into it like you had hoped he would.  A little moan escaped your lips as he pushed you into the wall hard enough for it to be sexy and dominant, but not hard enough for it to hurt.  He pulled away dejectedly, realizing that if he didn't stop now he wouldn't and you would be undressed right then and there. 

    His face stayed close to yours, his hot breath fanning your already flushed face.  "Sorry, I got a little carried away."

    Fuck, he was sexy.  His bruised lips, messy hair, and deep whisper made you want to reattach your lips so badly, but you knew exactly what he was thinking and you were thinking the same.  It was hard to control yourself with such a god-like man in the heat of the moment and being known as the people who had sex in the training room was not a great reputation.  "That's okay, I enjoyed myself.  We should do this again sometime."

    "Maybe I should take you on a date first?"

    "That sounds like a good idea," you smiled.  He stepped away from you, letting you out of the cage he had made with his arms.  "Thanks for the training, and you know, the other stuff.  I'm gonna grab a shower."  You winked, turning away from him. 

The thought of his hands on you and your mouths making fireworks kept you warm the rest of the day.

Sorry this isn't a more original idea, but it was too sexy for me to pass up.   I would literally crumble if someone so attractive tried to teach me how to shoot a bow.  Anyway, I hoped you liked it even if it isn't a super original idea,  I definitely enjoyed writing it!

Don't forget to vote and comment if you liked it! <3