TID short story ( Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

When Jem had finally convinced Will that it was beginning to get too cold for them to remain on the rooftop, he had realised that Tessa was already drawn into a peaceful slumber. Her eyes were shut, her lips slightly parted into what seemed like a soft smile. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, to a rosy tinge of red. Jem loosened his scarf to wrap it as gently as he could around Tessa's neck, so as to not disturb her sleep.

"We ought to be sleeping," he said in a hushed whisper to Will, who had scooted closer to him for warmth. "The battle tomorrow would not be an easy one."

"Rarely in life does one get such excitement," Will replied cooly, although Jem knew he would be the only one who could see the unnerving nervousness in his indigo eyes.

"At this rate, all of us would freeze to death right here, and Charlotte would be most horrified to find our bodies draped all over her rooftop."

His parabatai whined, "But I haven't finished my pie."

Will was given a pointed glare before he sighed and abandoned the last of the food. Jem got down on one knee to carefully scoop Tessa's body into his arms, lifting her from the blanket beneath so that Will could roll it up and dump it over the roof, along with the uneaten food.

"Tonight I have been quite merciful," Will announced proudly. "The ducks would be most delighted to find the courtyard littered with our leftovers at twilight tomorrow."

Jem sighed, too tired to think of a comeback. He motioned for Will to open the hatch into the attic, afterwards slowly easing himself down, the sleeping girl still curled in his arms. His parabatai deftly leapt down and slammed the hatch shut to keep out the chilly wind.

"By the angel," Will swore as he dumped wood into the fireplace and tried to ignite a flame. "This place is colder than my own heart."

"Quickly, Will!" he hissed, trembling from the sudden cold when he had laid Tessa down beside the fireplace.

"Alright alright, the fire's starting."

Jem and Will sat in front of the small flame, letting out shuddering breaths as they warmed their hands with the fire. Soon the tiny spark grew to a roaring flame, casting orange and crimson shadows all over the attic.

No one spoke for a long moment-there seemed to be no need to. Jem had propped himself up against the dusty wooden wall, his eyes feeling heavier and heavier by the minute. Will laid supine on the equally dusty floor, gazing fixedly at the ceiling as if he was trapped in a daze.

"James?" Will's voice sounded muffled.

He could only mummer a drawled, "Hmm?"

"If you had to tell your best friend a terrible secret which you had hidden deep within your heart for a long time, would you? At the expense of your lifelong friendship, just shattered like a priceless relic carelessly dropped onto the ground?"

"Good or bad-somethings are better left untold," Jem replied drowsily. "But if your friendship was just to be broken by nothing more than a mere secret, then there was no true friendship to begin with in the first place. We all have secrets, Will. Best friends are meant to help us relieve them."

Will slung his arm across his eyes, his breath and his heart suddenly speeding. This is it. He had to tell Jem that all this while, he had carefully hid love for Tessa in his heart, but he knew that there was no greater sin than that. He distantly told himself that he could continue keeping secrets, hiding the ugly truth from his dearest brother, but he knew he couldn't bear it for another day, especially before the day he could lose Jem himself.

"Jem, I need you to know that I-" Will fumbled for words. "I... it is the greatest of sins, that I should fancy a woman my closest brother and bestest friend is engaged to, but the human heart is a funny thing indeed. I want to apologise, Jem. Even if you would never forgive me, I want nothing more than to apologise, for that is all I can offer. You know that you have always been the one I hold most dear to my heart, I-"