Roommates & Soulmates

Tessa's Perception

It had been a long time since Tessa had been around this many people. It was nice that she knew most of them. She'd come to know Alec quite well through Magnus, and indeed Clary and Simon though her ex-roommate as well. She remembered Izzy, and her roommate from their night out clubbing. So when a girl with long dark hair and pale skin greeted Alec with a hug Tessa recognized her as Izzy. The girl with a slightly darker tone to her skin who seemed to be avoiding a boy in the corner she knew to be Maia. Tessa couldn't help but wonder what the story was behind that.

Lucie began fussing, and Tessa absently rocked the infant back and forth as she continued to survey the room. Magnus and Alec darting off to comfort their cats like doting parents had made Tessa smile. She was so happy for her friend. If anyone deserved to find their soulmate, it was Magnus Bane. With the amount of times that man had had his heart broken, Magnus had more than paid his dues, and Alec was just enough of an opposite while having many of the same core values for them to really make it work. Tessa looked down at her daughter for a moment and wondered if now that they were engaged, if Magnus and Alec would talk about kids? She hadn't planned for hers - not that she was ever going to tell Lucie this - but for Magnus and Alec, they'd never have kids if they didn't plan for them. In many ways, Tessa thought this was a much better way to go about it. She was doing her best, but she knew for a fact that not all parents are cut out to be parents. Having sex was the only prerequisite after all, and any monkey could do that, but raising a happy, healthy, independent human was another task altogether.

"Are you alright, Tessa?" Jem asked.

"Oh yes," Tessa replied smiling. "Just mulling over the nature of the universe, don't mind me."

"Here let me take the baby and you can go get something to eat," Jem said reaching out to scoop Lucie out of her arms. Tessa felt a tiny pang of separation anxiety, but didn't act on it. If anything, the feeling made her relieved. Before the post-partum depression, she remembered this feeling, but during it she'd felt quite the opposite. Tessa hoped this meant it was all over. Tessa almost couldn't believe that Lucie was six months old. They'd started her on solid foods, though only mushy fruit and those crackers designed for babies that melted in the mouth on contact.

Speaking of solid food, Tessa was supposed to be getting herself some. With Lucie safe in one of her father's arms, Tessa headed toward the buffet. She was followed closely by Will who was also eyeing up dinner.

"This looks amazing!" Will said. William had a love for food that neither she nor Jem could match. If the man wrote poetry, Tessa was sure he would have written about something edible. Tessa's great love was books - and though Will shared this love - she felt like food mattered at least as much to Will. Jem was all about his violin and rarely cared what was for dinner.

A few moments later, Tessa returned to swap out with Jem so he could go investigate the buffet. Placing her daughter on her lap, Tessa used her other hand to eat her own dinner. Before Jem returned with his meal, they were joined by Jace. Tessa recognized him by his bright blonde hair, which Clary had described for her at least a few times by now. Jace awkwardly greeted them, then went to sit down beside William. Tessa wasn't really sure what to make of it, but this didn't stop her from eavesdropping on them however.

"So Alec tells me we're cousins," Jace said bluntly. "Even if I'd have pegged you for Alec's older brother."

"I know what you mean," Will chuckled. "When Magnus first met me, he mistook me for Alec."

"I didn't know that," Jace replied. "Must of been awkward."

"It was before he even knew Alec's name, I think," Will answered. "Magnus just asked me if I went to the first years orientation party."