Lucas Harper

“You’re not wrong.” Because she had been in a feud with her family for so long, it had ruined her years growing up and she almost let it come between her relationship with her brother, they were on the path to smoothing things over now but it was still going to take a lot of work. “They maybe you should stay away from me, I can be pretty lethal- or so I’ve been told.” She teased the other lightly, trying to think of some simple combat moves that the other would be able to do without hurting himself. “You could have fooled me with those puppy dog eyes.” She chuckled, continuing to tease the other as she pushed a small button on the trident she kept in a holster, allowing it to extend to give her a range she was comfortable with. “It’s your weapon- a lot of people like to use short range weapons, but my speciality is long range.”

“I dunno. I think you might be worth the bruises.” Lucas told her with a little bit of a chuckle as he waited for the woman to come up with something he might have a chance of copying. “So... Why did you choose long range then if most prefer short range?”

Alice felt like all she could do was stand and stare at the warlock, blinking at him with a blank expression on his face because what he was saying to her, well she had never heard in conjunction with her. Ever. You kind of demand peoples attention. Those words rang in her ear and she had to turn her head a little, biting back a smile and trying to hide the warmth those simple words caused in her chest. “Well you’d be the first to think that, but thanks.” She finally replied, the smile breaking it’s hold and becoming a part of her expression despite her resistance. “Marking you with a rune wouldn’t make you a Shadowhunter, you have demon blood. And you have magic.” She explained to the other, “But I can teach you a little I guess.” Because if anything it would entertain her and make the training session that little bit more fun. At the mention of him being her friend now she smile once again “I’m going to hold you to that.” Picking up a large stick she had been working with and holding it out to the other. “Here- think of it as training wheels before you get to hold a weapon.”

“Well come on; people are stupid.” He pointed out because they always seemed to look for the bad in others, never the good first. Lucas found his lips mimicking her expression, drawing up into a grin of his own. “Again; anything that is likely to kill or hurt me, we should probably stay away from but I’m good for a bit of one on one combat or whatever it is.” Lucas gave a shrug, looking a little curiously as he was handed a stick. “You do know I’m not a dog so I won’t play fetch right?”

“Unless you can raise the dead then I don’t think there is anything you can do to help. I don’t need anyone to be there for me, I don’t need a shoulder to cry on or someone to tell me there there. I’m quite content on being alone, maybe you feel the need to fill your life with people for who knows whatever reason, but I do not-.. This isn’t going to get better just because you’re here. If anything you’re making the problem worse.” He didn’t understand why this young warlock tried to seek out friendship with him, he was pretty sure he made it clear from the very beginning that he didn’t do friendships. You’d think after many hints the kid would get it, clearly that was not the case.

Lucas didn’t have many people in his life, none really that he would call close to him but from the moment he met him, Lucas had felt a connection even if it wasn’t there on Jude’s side. He really tried hard to build a friendship there though as usual it appeared to be failing.  He sat and drank the drink on his table before he moved to pull a couple of notes out of his pocket, sliding it across the bar to where Jude was. “For a drink at least.” He murmured simply before he headed out of the bar. 

“Twin older brothers.” She corrected, because the fact that they were twins made it that little bit worse, they would always have a connection with one another that she would never be able to have with them. “It’s not, I grew tired of it as I grew older and decided to do something about it.” Which was why she was here, she was tired of sitting in the background and being pushed around. “You want me to teach you how we train as Shadowhunters? No offence but you would never be as good as us- but that’s because if I placed runes on you- you wouldn’t be able to handle them.” Or he’d turn into a forsaken. It was interesting to get so many questions from him, for the first time in a long time she felt seen and the feeling warmed her chest slightly. “I don’t know, I don’t really have friends. My brothers job role was to teach new Institutes of different training techniques, they were there to help improve programmes that were already in place so we moved around too much for me to make friends. I was my own company most of the time. So I guess I have seen a bit, before coming to New York we were in France, I liked it there but I knew it wouldn’t last long.”

“Ah yeah. It’s the twin thing.” He said with a bit of a grin on his lips. “You know, I can’t imagine anyone ever overlooking you. You kind of demand peoples attention.” Lucas told the woman warmly before nodding his head enthusiastically at the question. “I know I won’t be as good as you guys...” To be honest there wasn’t much was better at than anyone else. “But I still think it could be fun. I didn’t mean the runes though, I’m not looking to be a Shadowhunter but I guess learning how to defend yourself in whatever way is always a good thing in our lives right?” He pointed out, because if he wasn’t going to be able to magic his way out of things, he needed to physically be able to do something. “You have a friend now.” Lucas assured her when Alice said she didn’t have any. 

Alice had to admit that she hadn’t been expecting this, at all- she had been ready to threaten the guy and tell him to mind his own business, but it had taken a turn for the better and she had to say it did soften her slightly. “Thank you.” She smiled, surprised by the compliment, but gladly taking it anyways. “You have to be tough to compete with two brothers who until recently acted like you were invisible.” She shrugged, because her and Thorin were on better terms now didn’t mean that she and Oakley were, or her and her parents. Doubt they would even believe her if she told them that she had taken down a greater demon. “I was training, sometimes I like to do it outside of the Institute because there are too many people watching you. Outside is sometimes better- and I’ve just started so if you want to get to know me more then I’d start asking questions because when I’m done, I’ve got to go back.”

“You have brothers huh? I mean, it can’t be good being ignored. I don’t really have that problem given I don’t tend to let anyone ignore me.” He said with a bit of a grin. “But I think having siblings would have been pretty cool.” But then he’d always wanted a big family. “Training? Maybe you should teach me.” He told her before shrugging. “Though let me think...” Lucas thought about what he wanted to know for a second before continuing, watching the woman. “What kind of people do you like spending time with? Tell me more about what your life has been like. I figure you’ve seen quite a bit as a Shadowhunter.”

Alice had to admit, she hadn’t been expecting that, her expression softened slightly as she rose an eyebrow at the other, wanting him to expand a little on what he meant. “I bite a lot of people’s heads off depending on my mood, I wouldn’t take it too personally. But I make you curious? Curious about what?”

“Eh... I get my head bitten off on a regular basis. Hardly new. Usually deserve it.” Lucas assured her with a little shrug of his shoulders. “And you just do... I mean, you’re beautiful but you’re pretty damn tough and know yourself. You’re no shit.” He said with a little smile. “And I was trying to figure out what you were doing. I guess I just wanted to get to know you more.”

“Please what? Entertain you? Why should I?” Because he didn’t know when he had been put on babysitting duty and he had no idea why this boy wanted to spend time with him, he was pretty sure he had made it clear that he was not the type of person to have friends or to hang out and that the others personality did no match his own in any way. And yet he kept coming back like a damn puppy. “I’m sorry for not being in the mood and drinking by myself to mourn the day of which I lost my family, I didn’t realise me grieving was such an inconvenience to you.” He all but spat out, because he would not be blamed for this, for his hurt and upset. Not today.

“That wasn’t what this was about.” He tried to explain sounding a little exasperated and attempting to get the other man to understand. “I wasn’t saying you were an inconvenience! I just... I wanted to try and help. To be there for you cause no one should have to be alone with that sorta thing. Being alone just... it makes it all so much more worse. That’s all I wanted. I’m sorry. Nevermind.” It was at that point he moved to sit elsewhere, too stubborn to leave just yet but not knowing what else to do. 

“You approached with caution, that was smart- though the fact you seem to have taken up residency on that stool despite my warning might have me reevaluating what I think.” Because it seemed like the kid didn’t get the hint about leaving him alone, he simply was not in the mood to deal with him and his constant energy and talking today and he hoped he would get the hint eventually. “But I don’t want company, I prefer to be alone.” Because he wasn’t someone who needed to surround himself with people, he was quite happy to be alone and if he did want company he would go out and seek it himself. “I’d rather you didn’t, seriously kid- I’m really not in the mood today and unless you want a reminder of how that strangling incident felt I would tread carefully.”

“Jude... please?” The boy said, looking at him silently for a moment. “I like spending time with you and I can be good company, really.” But then the other was telling him again and Lucas couldn’t help but frown, especially  when Jude mentioned repeating the incident that had happened. “Fine.” Lucas shifted off the stool again, sliding the ID off the counter. “You know, you’re never in the mood though. It never seems to change.” No matter what he tried to do to please Jude or get his attention. He sighed softly, grabbing himself a drink before seeking out an empty booth and planting himself in it.

“Shocker.” Jude spoke, sarcasm dripping from his words as he concentrated on the amber liquid in his glass which was far more entertaining then the boy beside him. “Maybe you should listen to people, not about stupidity, but to what they say when it comes to having you around.” He told the other and although his words may seem harsh, they were true. It was clear the other was trying his hardest to wiggle his way into his life, to be his friend. Jude didn’t do friends, he didn’t do caring or hanging out, he was happy alone- he was more stable alone. If he had Lucas around him more then what he did already his kill count would be a lot higher then what it already was and he’d probably have been taken in by the Clave for reckless endangerment to the shadow world. “I am. But what’s the point in telling you that because you’re just not going to listen.” He finally glanced to the side, looking at the piece of plastic the other was holding before turning back to his drink. “I’ve seen worse and you don’t have to buy me a drink, if you do then you’ll feel the need to stick around and I’ve told you of my mood already. So any harm done to you would be your own fault.”

“That sounds an awful lot like you telling me I’m not stupid.” Which for Jude was quite the compliment and Lucas couldn’t help but smile whether that was the others intention or not. “I could be good company if you’d let me.” But that was a rare opportunity given how often Jude brushed him off. Lucas set the fake ID down for a moment as he watched the other warlock. “Yeah, I know. I worked pretty hard on making the differences unnoticeable.” He leaned against the wood looking at the options behind the bar. “I guess after the who strangling incident I’m kinda used to your  ire by now. I mean, I’d put up with it and everything.”

At the voice piercing his ears, Jude had to take every last piece of restraint in him not to groan, he could barely deal with the young warlock on a good day. On a day like today it would take all he had in him to not snap his neck, he called over the bartender and placed an order for the strongest spirit they had given he was going to need it to get through this conversation. He downed the contents of his previous drink, looking at the bottles behind the bar as he spoke to the other. “I’m going to be just peachy, don’t worry about me. And you’re stupid you know- to care about my life, waste of time really.”

It did bother him that Jude never seemed to want him around but he tried not to let it show. Lucas wasn’t going to be beaten by this. He wouldn’t be the one to be worn down first. He wanted the Warlock’s friendship even if it was only a little bit of one. He looked up to him and had since the first time they had met though he’d say that was the others fault for getting him interested in the first place. “Yeah, I don’t buy that obviously.” He commented, shifting to sit on a stool next to him. “Not the first time I’ve been called stupid by you or someone else. If I listened to everything people said about me, I would have no belief or confidence in myself at all. To me it’s not a waste of time; you’re not a waste of time. I could buy you another drink if you want. I have my ID and everything.” He said with a grin, pulling out the pass he had doctored up. “Looks pretty good right?”