Heronstairs: A Fluff Collection

Making A Point (Prompt 46)

In hindsight, Will reflected, teasing James Carstairs, someone who'd been trained to be a warrior, skilled beyond his age since he could walk, was not one of his better ideas.

But sometimes it was just too easy.

Truthfully, he hadn't meant for it to become a running joke, but these things had a way of happening. And as many of his exploits were wont to do, it had begun at breakfast.

~•~•~•~•

Jem had been ill the previous day, but had insistently waved Will off when he offered to stay, telling him to get some rest in his own bed and that he'd be fine come morning.

Normally, this statement would have been met with rolled eyes and a kiss to shut him up, but Will was exhausted from the hunt earlier that day. He had simply gone to his own bed (which was becoming unfamiliar territory) and slept until breakfast.

Henry was there, nose buried in a newspaper, while Charlotte attempted to make conversation with him. Jessamine had already left to go downtown, and Tessa had arrived at breakfast shortly after Will. Jem was the only face missing from the breakfast table, but he'd been ill. This was a scenario they'd grown accustomed to after all this time.

Will was pleasantly surprised when Jem joined them partway through the meal, looking pale and slightly unwell, but none too worse for the wear. He said a polite 'good morning' to everyone, but shook his head when Charlotte offered a plate to him.

"Not hungry?" Charlotte asked, brow furrowing in concern.

Jem gave a reassuring smile. "No, I've not yet recovered my appetite." At Charlotte's worried look, he smiled again and laughed softly. "Don't look at me like that, Charlotte, no harm will come from skipping breakfast."

"I don't know," Will drawled, looking at Jem with eyes twinkling. "You can hardly afford to skip any more meals before you're a walking skeleton. You don't really have any weight left to lose."

Tessa elbowed his side, shooting him a look and whispering "Don't be rude!" under her breath, but Jem simply smiled.

"Not all of us are built like rugby players, William," Jem replied mildly. "And you eat enough for both of us, I think."

"What are you implying, James?" Will shifted forward in his seat, one arm now braced on the table.

"I could ask you the same question, William," the little devil deadpanned, matching Will's grin with one of his own. After one long moment of staring, they rose simultaneously and started out of the room.

"Where are you two going?" Charlotte asked, shaking her head in bemusement.

Looking back over their shoulders, both boys called, "Training room!"

~•~•~•~•

That had been the first time Will had gently teased him about how thin he'd become. Jem had held his own quite well, but his lungs eventually caught up to him and forced him to cede the round to Will.

Will could've gotten away with it if he'd left it alone after that.

But no, he had to go and open his big mouth again.

~•~•~•~•

This time, they were alone in Jem's room. Jessamine forced Tessa out to buy new dresses, Thomas was escorting them, and Charlotte had dragged Henry off to some Clave meeting at a neighboring Institute. That left them alone in the building, save for Sophie, who was discreetly avoiding their wing of the Institute to give them a bit of space.

Savoring the rare privacy, Will had placed a locking rune on the door and kissed Jem senseless. Jem had wound his arms around Will's neck, standing on tiptoe, and carefully moved backwards until the edge of the bed bumped the backs of his knees. Taking advantage of this lovely new development, Will moved forward and fell to the mattress, bracing himself up on his elbows and looking down at the beautiful boy sprawled beneath him, smiling up at him.