Heronstairs: A Fluff Collection

New Realizations

Wandering back to her room after a sleepless look around the library, Tessa stood outside Jem's door, pausing in the middle of the hall. There was talking from behind the thick door, which was not unusual, even at this hour. Will and Jem never seemed to sleep. However, it did not sound like Will and Jem's usual chatter. It nearly sounded like they were arguing.

"I cannot believe you, James."

"Believe whatever you want, William, this is how it is."

"When did you start being so stubborn?"

"My apologies, I didn't realize you had a monopoly on that."

"No need for sarcasm, James."

"Isn't there, though? Isn't that why we're here to begin with? Because you use sarcasm and cruelty as an emotional crutch?"

"Jem, I said I was sorry-"

"'Sorry' doesn't cut it this time, Will." Jem's voice was sharper than Tessa had ever heard, and definitely the coldest he'd ever been speaking to Will.

There was a long, heavy silence before either of them spoke. The room nearly sounded dead, and Tessa pressed her ear against the door.

Will sounded stricken when he finally spoke again. "James... You can't not forgive me. You're all I have, Jem! If you don't forgive me, I have.... I have nothing left."

"Don't you dare try to guilt me into forgiving you, William Herondale. Don't you dare."

Will sighed in frustration. "I'm not trying to guilt you, I'm trying to make you see reason."

"Reason? You are attempting to make me see reason? That is either a poor attempt at humor or sickeningly ironic, seeing as the whole thing that started this was your inability to be reasonable."

Will sputtered for a moment and tried to talk, but Jem's voice cut him off sharply. "No. I don't want to hear it. I don't know what you were thinking, Will, but how could you?" The anger had slipped out of Jem's voice, leaving it quiet and hurt. "After everything. After what you know the consequences were. After you'd seen it ruin me, you still treated that damned poison like another challenge you could conquer to prove a point."

"James, I-"

"Do you even remember what you said to me when I found you to bring you home?" Jem demanded. "Or had you already been consumed by it?"

There was another deadly silent pause.

"Damn you, Will, you don't even remember. You'd already taken enough to be completely under the influence." Jem made a soft noise of disgust. "Count your blessings you did not wake up with a streak of that hair of yours going silver."

"What did I say?"

"Nothing you need to hear." Jem's voice had lowered to a soft yet impassably cold tone.

Will paused for a moment, and exhaled slowly, clearly trying to collect himself. Tessa found herself pressed tightly against the door, trying to catch every noise in that room.

"James. I have a feeling that whatever I said is the root of this fight, and I'm honestly tired of fighting with you. I hate it, and I know you do too."

Jem didn't respond, but he did sigh softly.

"So please, just tell me what I said that was so offensive," Will continued. "So we can move past it?"

Jem's voice seemed to deflate a bit, losing its anger and sounding defeated. "No. I can't bring myself to say it."

"Why?"