Heronstairs.

Sixteen

"Jeeemm" Will wined, again. Jem sighed and replied,
"Wiiilll. What now?" Will rested his elbow on Jem's shoulder and whispered in his ear. Whatever Will said it made Jem burst out laughing and shove Will's shoulder with a playful smile. This had been going on for hours. The whispered comments and private jokes and occasionally ,when they thought no one was looking, hand holding and fleeting kisses so quick they may not have happened. Charlotte knew she was the only one who noticed but she wished they would be more careful. She knew what would happen if anyone found out the nature of their love for each over, the clave would split them up and possibly even remove their marks. She knew she wouldn't be able to sit by and watch Will suffer the same fate as his father, what was it with Herondales and forbidden love. And as for Jem, he had already suffered so much loss Charlotte wasn't sure he would survive losing Will as well. It had been a year since Charlotte had found them in the same bed and since then the two had only grown closer. It filled her with warmth to know that the boys trusted her enough that they could openly display their love around her but some part of her wished they wouldn't. Not because she disapproved of it but because she didn't want to have to watch Will fall to pieces when Jem eventually died. At least for now they could be together. But they all knew it wouldn't last, Jem's health was rapidly deteriorating and so was Will's faith in him self and by extension his mental state. They were breaking apart beneath the burden of time and love.