ᵀᴱᔆᔆᴬ 𝐺𝑅𝐴𝑌,

[ 1. ] sender steps between receiver and an aggressive stranger, voice low and steady: "walk. away."

[ 2. ] sender teaches receiver self-defense, hands firm on their hips as they adjust their stance.

[ 3. ] sender presses their forehead to receiver's, voice breaking as they murmur, "i don't know how to fix this, but i'm not leaving."

[ 4. ] sender shoves receiver out of the way of a projectile.

[ 5. ] sender combs their fingers through receiver's hair in the aftermath of a traumatic event, whispering words of comfort.

[ 6. ] sender whispers, “i’ve thought about this all day,” before pinning receiver against a wall for a searing kiss.

[ 7. ] sender wipes away the receiver’s falling tears with their thumb and whispers, “i’m here."

[ 8. ] sender patches up receiver's wounds, hands trembling as they whisper, "you can't keep doing this to me."

[ 9. ] sender shoves receiver into a hiding spot, hissing, "stay here or i’ll kill you myself."

[ 10. ] sender finds receiver drunk at a party, sighing. "let’s get you home."

[ 11. ] sender is discovered sleepwalking by receiver.

[ 12. ] sender steals receiver’s weapon and presses it to their own chest, daring: “go ahead. prove me right.”

[ 13. ] sender ‘accidentally’ flashes receiver while changing, purring, "see something you like?"

[ 14. ] sender whispers, "you’ll ruin me," before biting receiver’s lip hard enough to draw blood.

[ 15. ] sender takes over while receiver is giving themselves stitches, promising to handle it.

[ 16. ] sender frantically grips receiver by the shoulders, "don't you dare close your eyes."

[ 17. ] sender fixes receiver’s crooked [ tie / jewelry ], teasing, "nervous?"

[ 18. ] sender shakes receiver out of a nightmare, comforting them in the aftermath. "same nightmare again?"

[ 19. ] sender brings hot tea and medication to a [ hungover / ill ] receiver.

[ 20. ] sender invites receiver to dance with them, insisting, "what? this song's perfect."

[ 21. ] sender leaves a single rose on receiver’s windshield with a note: "you’re being followed. smile."

[ 22. ] sender pins receiver’s wrists during a sparring match, grinning, "yield."

[ 23. ] sender playfully steals something from receiver, initiating a chase. "come and get it, then."

[ 24. ] sender drapes a blanket over receiver, accidentally waking them. "sorry, go back to sleep."

[ 25. ] receiver returns home only to find sender already there. "finally."

[ 26. ] after a pleasant night out together, sender asks: "can i kiss you goodnight?"

[ 27. ] sender wipes the blood from receiver's face, murmuring, "let's get you cleaned up."

[ 28. ] sender shoves receiver against a vending machine to dodge security, breathless. "act natural."

[ 29. ] sender wakes receiver in the throes of a nightmare, reassuring them, "it's okay, it's not real."

the smile she gave james farrow was saddened but emphatic. ❛ i'm not a vampire so maybe i can't help you as you need... though it is simple, i guess. see, the majority of them is really old - control comes with habit. ❜ tessa offers him kindly, taking his arm and guiding him towards the empty varanda where the smell of blood wouldn't hunt him down. ❛ you are only two months into this new life, things are too new for you. immortality makes every year feel like seconds after a while, so it is much harder to be... satisfied. ❜ she grew into the years like a mad woman, a grief woman, until now it settled into a comfort of knowing it was all worth it. for vampires, though, tessa supposed was different.

❛❛ i am not unpleased with you. ❜❜  it felt an important distinction to make, or at least he hoped he could assure her of that much : that jem would never forsake her, her happiness, and surely he had proved that much. rather, he desperately hoped it had, that the pain had been worth some gold in the mine after all. ❛❛ merely that intrusion felt impolite. it was time i got going any way, but shall i see you soon? ❜❜

tessa did not respond his question. '' to see him soon '' felt wrong, after all. and then jem continued, looking at her like a friendly mailman or a shopkeeper she saw everyday ; pleasantly, but distant. as if his vocal chords still were within his mind rather than mouth. an anger filled her throat and her arms crossed — feeling her heart be slapped by his words. images of carriages and blushes, of trains and her younger self calling him a good friend came out of their grave to taunt her. very well, she'd let them do much — but not him.

A  GENTLEMAN  WOULD  STOP.     a  gentleman  would  have  returned  to  his  own  chambers  for  a  private  bath.     but,     will  herondale  is  just  a  man.     a  man  in  love  with  a  woman.

laughter blooms, heart not allowing to be full of annoyance over getting wet. droplets of water falling through cheek where his fingers left, once more his words making her soar with such a striking love she'd once only could dream of. very well, then. she wouldn't leave. she'd stay next to the bathtub on that little bench, just observing his figure and waiting out the bubbles to die out. tessa beams for a few seconds before letting composure take place. head shakes in denial. ❛ no one comes here besides sophie and she's out with gideon... ❜ voice was strangled, as if those hands of his had made their way to the end of her chords.

she takes his hands off of her, not devoid of affection. brown strands moves as once again she shakes her head, trying not to fall into temptation. ❛ the purpose of a bath is getting cleaner and not dirtier, ❜ but who cared, in the end? some of it was shyness, one she couldn't get rid off yet. even if a big part of tessa was surprised at how forward she could be, still, this was different. ever since cair... it had been slow. tempting, a constant learning of each other. will had been covered by a veil before. the curse he believed he carried. she'd seen through it, but now - it was reachable.

his eyes flickered awake, where he had been — not asleep, but more comfortably relaxed by her couch. she had been pacing to and fro behind him, humming, distracted in the kitchen. he could smell the coffee she had been enjoying when the chime of the bell had interrupted this quiet peace. had she been expecting guests, perhaps magnus? pulling himself to his feet, he sped a hand through his tousled hair and exhaled. ❛❛ i'll get it. ❜❜  and yet, by the time he had, he wished he had stayed put; opening the door, a strange and unfamiliar pair of eyes stared back at him. they were blue, he realised through his foggy sight, and looked concerned at the sight of him.

his eyes dropped low. in the stranger's hands were a patch of flowers he had retained enough sense about living customs to know, weren't exchanged between friends. then he was speaking, albeit awkwardly : uh, sorry? is tessa home? he bit back another exhale, clicking his tongue softly. if he felt the sting of dejection at all, he was beyond showing it. of course she is, he said, and hadn't needed to ask what their purpose was here. inside, her voice rose up too. who's at the door?

the scene was eclipsed by the joy inside the soul. simply having him near, back, was enough. of course, some things were still unfinished and left in the dark ; was it the same feeling from centuries ago that brought him here, now, or is it something else? comodity, casuality, custom. words tessa despised more and more. jem's rudeness startled her more than the presence of the mundane man holding flowers with awkward disposition. her mouth parted and brow furrowed in anger and confusion as the guest - unwanted - asked where he should put the bouquet.

❛ oh, i'm sorry. here, please. they are very beautiful. ❜ she'd rather get books as gifts, but rudeness was not her main trait anyhow. flowers died too soon. for others, it was days ; to her it seemed like seconds. jem's turning back rose an anxiety like never before, keeping her from enjoying their perfume or sight ; a wave of almost childish despair, like a little girl seeing their best friend leave after stating they would never talk again. ❛ can you excuse me for a second? ❜ he murmured an exhausted of course. she paid it no mind. running after jem just after the door closed ── touching his shoulder with desperation..