Never Trust A Duck

One Shot

Will clambered onto the table, shoving aside the plates full of food.

"Will!" Tessa gasped, as he stood up, swaying dangerously close to the edge. Gabriel and Jem sprang from their chairs, grabbing ahold of Will's arms as they flapped ridiculously in the air.

"William get down!" Gabriel yelled at the grown man.

"No! Not at all!" Will replied, slurring his words as he tugged his arms out of his friends' grasps. Gabriel and Jem stood back, trying to move themselves out of the path of Will's flailing arms.

"William Owen Herondale, get down from there at once!" Tessa exclaimed, pointing at Will as she said it.

"You don't understand Tessie," Will slurred, "I have to fight them off."

"Oh for God's sake Will, who do you have to fight off this time?"

Will stopped in his tracks, his eyes growing wide, as he looked past Tessa at something that wasn't there.
"The ducks," he whispered. The dining room turned into an uproar, as everyone started cursing loudly.

"Will there are no ducks!" Cecily exclaimed, her slight Welsh accent weaving its way through the vowels, as she ran her hand over her face in exasperation.

"You don't understand," Will retorted, picking up a fork, "They're everywhere!" He brandished the fork as if he were holding his seraph blade, and started circling the table, jabbing at empty spaces.
"Take that you bloodthirsty little beasts!"

"WILL!" Everyone yelled as he continued jabbing the air with his fork, knocking plates and silverware off the table, sending them clattering to the floor.

"Jem!" Tessa yelled over the racket to the exasperated Silent Brother, giving him a knowing look. The former Shadowhunter stepped up onto the table, gently taking hold of Will's arm. Will jerked away until he turned and saw his former parabatai looking at him as he always did, with affection. Tessa watched as Jem whispered something into Will's ear, and then plucked the fork gently from his hand. He guided the blue eyed man down from the table, Tessa moving to help the two.

Gabriel walked back to where his wife stood, shaking her head and muttering in Welsh, as Jem took Tessa's husband from her. He patted his back soothingly, murmuring calming things, as he guided the drunk man back upstairs. Tessa watched the two go, until they turned the corner and she couldn't see them anymore. She turned back to the dining room, and looked over the wreckage Will made, sighing heavily. Tessa raised her gaze at the two Lightwoods, standing there, seemingly unfazed, as she slumped into a chair.

"Well, I suppose that concludes our dinner this evening," Gabriel said, wrapping his arm around Cecily's waist.

"I look forward to seeing William again." Gabriel grinned mischievously, as Cecily sighed, and moved to help Tessa clean the mess.