╚»★«╝
There was a reason why Jaehwa wasn't like any of his other brothers, but Henry wouldn't go into detail about it. It wasn't his place to say it nor talk about it.
All that needed to be said was simple, Jaehwa was technically not his full blood. He was a half-brother, and that was on their Father's side.
Oddly enough if Henry had to pick the one least like Shang or any of them, it was Jaehwa. The fourth eldest had always been a mystery—never giving out what he didn't need to, vocally or otherwise.
He could recall one instance in their brazen childhood, when Jaehwa had woke up during one of Henry's night terrors while Kai was away on mission. One night only when Jaehwa and had come into Henry's room, and he held his little brother in his arms while the other cried until he feel asleep. Even then, he hadn't said a word. He'd just done it and Henry never knew why.
At first, he thought Jaehwa hated him. The way he avoided Henry. But then, as Henry got older, he realized Jaehwa avoided all of them. And he truly never knew why.
"Something's bothering you," Jaehwa spoke up, finally speaking after he and Henry had been sitting on the edge of the rooftop of the motel for an hour now.
They had been looking off into the night in silence until then.
"Do you actually care?" Henry grumbled, not like that the silence had been tarnished.
"No," Jaehwa answered, and when Henry glared at him, the older only gave him a deadpanned expression, "But I'm listening. So, what is it?"
He frowned as he thought of what he could tell him. What scared him the most. His seeds of doubt spreading by the hour as this unknown pit of fear seeped under his skin.
Like he could feel something bad was about to happen.
Henry lowered his gaze when Rook flew down onto the ledge between him and Jaehwa. His eyes lingered on the bird with envy for a long while. "How about you first?" He argued, glancing at Jaehwa.
Jaehwa smirked, as in I would never tell you, kind of way. A simple look of distrust and nothing more. "Fair enough."
Henry rolled his eyes, and when the door to the roof stairwell opened, he turned to view as the others walked out as if they were tired. Like they hadn't been torturing someone and simply had a long day.
"Good news," Lucas called as the brothers minus Kai approached, "We found the next meeting location. It's tonight, back in your favorite place," He looked to Henry expectedly.
Henry scowled in turn, unsure of what to say to that.
"We're going to New York, tonight," Sam explained, his hands buried in his pockets and a tired look on his face. He had some water stains mixed with blood on his shirt.
Henry's face paled and his face hardened in realization. "We are-"
"Not you, of course," Johnny piped up while strolling his way forward with that mischievous grin of his filled with amusement and taunting, and he ran his ringed fingers through Henry's locks while the younger glared at him, "Kai says you will have another job to do. Maybe he doesn't want your precious boyfriend and his friends to come barreling through and ruining all the fun," He stated in a sultry voice.
Henry's heart flickered with sadness as he thought about his friends, but in a split second, he whipped around and smacked Johnny's hand away angrily. "Are you kidding me? How did I become a liability in this? I should be out there with you all at the front, fighting," He sounded truly furious.
The one who had stayed silent thus far, Bae, had this look that showed that he didn't like this either. He was usually always sure of himself, never once faltering in what he knew he had to do. But, with the blood on his busted knuckles and the way he kept flexing his hand, it seemed that he was more disturbed about something than he was letting on.
"I don't like it either," Bae admitted, which made all the brother turn his way.
"You just don't like Kai being in charge," Lucas waved him off while leaning on the older's shoulder.
Bae glared at him mildly, turning to Henry and nodding his way. "Henry's the best of us. Why wouldn't he want him at the front with us?" He asked the brothers, speaking in a low voice.
Henry frowned as he stepped closer, and the brothers followed.
They formed a circle as if they were sharing some secret, perhaps they were. Because the look on Bae's face unsettled Henry more than anything.
"Something's wrong," Henry pointed out, observing Bae, who dropped his eyes down.
The brothers waited in unison for either to speak.
And so, Henry decided to say what they were all thinking, "It's about Kai, isn't it?" He asked.
Bae's jaw clenched, before he firmly nodded. He lifted his bloody hands that were trembling, Henry noticed. "I've known Kai longer than any of you. He's never been one to resort to violence, not unless he was pushed far enough. He's different than what I remember. And with his plan...torturing the warlock for information." His hands squeezed into fists while the brothers glanced at each other warily. He lifted his gaze to each one of them with a haunting stare. "How far do you think Kai is willing to go to avenge his late lover?" He whispered.
Henry hated to think about it.
He didn't want to see the differences in his brother. He had just got Kai back after all this time, and he didn't want to push him away. He hardly knew what Kai had to do, but surely the years had changed him.
Bae was right. Kai had always been the kind brother. The one to take the fall for any of them, not just Henry. He was once noble, and loyal, and fearless.
What if Kai wasn't any of those things any more?
"What are you all doing?" Kai's voice made the brothers break apart all at once. His voice low and filled with ice.
Lucas and Johnny stood next to one another, shoulder to shoulder with their heads down.
Sam and Jaehwa stayed in their places, only turning their heads with unreadable expressions.
Bae kept his back turned to Kai.
And Henry, he was the only one who had the gall to turn around and fully look Kai in the eyes. He searched for that look his brother used to give him when they were kids. The look of pure innocent love that of which a brother had, a brother who had to be their mother and father, too.
The look of the man who raised all of them.
Kai's eyes were always this deeper brown color. But now, they looked black and he looked so...lifeless and cold.
No one spoke for a long moment, even as the cold wind blew through. It wasn't nearly as cold as the look on Kai's face.
"The meeting is in an hour. We will go there now with the hand of the warlock." He raised his chin and motioned for them to leave the roof.
The brothers glanced at one another, before ultimately leaving as ordered one by one. They all passed by Kai, who didn't spare them any glances.
Soon, Henry was the only one left and he began walking forward to leave the roof, too.
Kai stepped in his way suddenly, and Henry snapped his gaze to him. "You will stay and watch the warlock?" He asked him.
"Are you even giving me a choice?" Henry asked back, frowning deeply.
Kai's jaw clenched, and he glanced back at the door to make sure no one else was around. When he was sure no one else was around, he turned back to his brother and for a moment, his eyes warmed up.
"You look so much like our mother," His voice softened, "I never told you that, but it's true."
Henry looked away, awkward and shy at that sudden change in demeanor. "I wish I could have known her," He muttered back, unsure what else to say.
Kai sucked in a breath, and closed his eyes as he turned his back on Henry to walk away. "I do, too. Perhaps then, our fates wouldn't be tied to this..." He trailed off.
Henry frowned as his brother walked away.
And he was left behind to do the babysitting of Hal Greyjoy.
Magnus opened his door wispfully dressed in a fine golden robe and a turban on his head, his palms pressed together. His smile quickly washed away as he eyed the company coming to him. "You're not the delivery guy," He noted. His face falling with disgust.
The group glanced at one another in confusion, eyes filled with question and confusion.
Jace cleared his throat, making a face that had Magnus scrunching his nose. "Oh, it's you, the Shadowhunter." His eyes traveled down to the two short girls, Lyra and Isabelle, then to the tallest of them all, Alec. His smirk growing at the latter. "And you brought friends," He stepped forward with intrigue, pushing between Lyra and Isabelle as they stumbled aside. "Hello, My name is Magnus, Magnus Bane," He greeted.
Alec glanced between the warlock and Jace with a gaze of uncertainty. "Alec?" He introduced himself, looking to Jace for help.
Jace rolled his eyes at the warlock's tact. "You are Henry's friend, the warlock. Remember me?" He taunted.
"Henry, Henry..." Magnus' eyes trailed around and when he noticed the man wasn't in attendance, his mood immediately dampened, "...If he's gone AWOL again, he's not here," He deadpanned, remembering the last time the blond nephilim showed up at his doorstep.
"Yeah, we know," Lyra cleared her throat, and smiled up politely when Magnus looked to her, "My name is Lyra. I'm also a friend of Henry's..."
Magnus nods with familiarity. "He spoke of you, all of you, in fact..." He glanced at Alec for a few moments, and his eyes narrowed in accusation before turning back to Lyra, "...You look too much like a sweet little kitten to be a Shadowhunter, my dear," He prompted.
Lyra looked away bashfully.
Magnus quirked a small smile. "I'm no rude host, but I am to those who come to me uninvited. Tell me, what do you all need from me now, if not to find Henry?" He asked curiously.
"Henry's gotten himself into trouble with the Clave," Alec spoke up, his manner impatient and a bit more demanding, "They think he's gone Rogue but he hasn't. We need to find him before he's arrested and sent to the Silent City for execution," He revealed.
Magnus' playful demeanor faded in seconds. His eyeliner made his eyes more shadowed as he glanced around the hallway.
The others looked around, too.
"We weren't followed," Jace swore, his jaw clenching, "Look. We wouldn't come to a downworlder unless we were desperate. And we are very desperate."
"Help take us to him," Isabelle begged, and Magnus sighed, "Please, portal us to him so we can bring him home safe."
Magnus looked at them each, but his eyes lingered on them all unsure. "How do I know you weren't sent to arrest him?" He wondered, "I told you before, Shadowhunter..." His eyes burrowed into Jace's. "...I don't get involved in Shadowhunter business anymore."
Jace clenched his jaw. "So, is that a no?"
"It's not a no." Magnus paused. "It's not a yes either. Come inside, let's talk." While Jace immediately tried to push his way inside, Magnus held a hand up in warning with a hard glare towards them. "Here's the catch."
They all frowned in unison.
"If I don't like what you have to say, I'm not helping any of you. And trust me, I know all about what's going on between you Shadowhunters, and I know exactly where Henry is, too," Magnus stated.
"And?" Alec rushed, know there was more.
"And," Magnus quirked a brow, "Even if I do agree, I'll only portal one of you. The last thing I want is for the Clave to catch wind of me getting mixed in all this by sending a group of kids who look ready to do something stupid." He shrugged before turning and opening the door wider for them to enter. "Decided amongst yourselves who the chosen one is," He called.
The group all glanced at one another.
Lyra opened her mouth to speak.
"It's gonna be me," Alec immediately decided without further demand, walking in after Magnus to prove his case.
Given the others no chance to refute their chances.
╚»★«╝
thoughts?