Silence | Simon Lewis

chapter twenty-two

chapter twenty two: fallen apart

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THEY FINISHED THE mission abruptly, as skeptic as Venus was of the phone calls from Simon. He didn't deserve to tear her apart like the rest did, and she especially didn't want it from him. Maybe he had changed, but she never knew a person could change that quickly.

After being chased by demons through the underground route back to the Institute, Venus found herself in chaos. From Clary as she activated the Mortal Cup, and Alec and Jace as they moved swiftly through each room to banish each demon back to where they came from - Venus found herself with Izzy, which was a rare sight.

They made their way through the rooms together, Isabelle wrapped her whip around the demons whilst Venus sliced them in half. On the whole, they made a great team.

"You have time to answer him now, V." Isabelle spoke to her as they stood away from Alec, Clary and Jace.

They were back at the Institute, in the main area where the computers and maps - and anything necessary laid. She wished Izzy had hushed her voice, but instead she sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"I don't know if I should." Venus replied to her in attempts to not give too much away. "We need to stay on task."

Izzy scoffed, "It doesn't seem as if Clary and Jace are."

Venus turned her head in the direction in which Clary and Jace were stood, their bodies pressed together as their lips moulded together passionately. Without a second thought, she peered over at Alec, whose knuckles were as white as paper as he looked over at them.

He finally met his eyes to hers, and she could note the fury and tension that was embedded deep within them. Just when she was about to say something, he stood up straight and walked past her and Izzy without a look back.

"I'm going to go after him." She told her adoptive sister who seemed to still be distracted by Clary and Jace's kiss. "He needs someone right now."

Venus didn't wait for a reply as she made her way down the hallway that Alec had strode down, and she followed the sound of his footsteps which seemed to move closer and closer to his room. She sighed calmly as she made her way to his room, and knocked on his door.

"Alec, please." She muttered through his door as she traced her fingers on the wood.

As he didn't answer, she opened the door and noticed him as he sat on the edge of his bed, his hands knitted together as he stared off at one of the ornaments in his room. His room had always been quite empty - but she considered that he disliked a cluttered room, like hers.

"I get that was painful to watch. I know how much Jace means to you." Venus told him as she shut the door behind her and sat beside him, but he stayed quiet. She continued, "And ever since Clary's come along, the dynamics between you and Jace have changed. I can see it. I'm pretty sure Izzy can too."

Alec's lip curled into a smile. "Thanks, V."

"Now, tell me about Magnus." She decided to change the topic to a much lighter one, but his smile fell.

"There's nothing to talk about. He's a cool guy, he does magic well... you know, usual Warlock stuff." Alec replied to her, and Venus realised his cheeks had grown hotter and redder as he spoke.

She decided to not push him further, considering that she knew that he never liked to speak about Jace. He hadn't come out as gay yet, so she didn't want to force him to either. It was his decision to make, and his choice of when he did it.

"How about we go and check to see if there is any other side missions we can both go on. Just the two of us, a sibling trip." She asked him gently, and he smiled once again, and then nodded softly.