water  drips  from  head  to  toe,  a  low  hum  of  frustration  escapes  him  as  rhys  hauls  himself  from  the  stream  beneath  the  bridge.  he  shouldn't  be  surprised  ⸻  he  jumped,  after  all,  from  the  bridge  into  the  water.  and  yet  here  he  is,  still  very  much  in  new  york,  not  the  faerie  realm.  he  is  seelie  in  some  ways,  but  not  entirely.  obviously.  shadows  cling  to  him  (  for  anyone  with  the  sight  to  see  )  curling  and  shifting  with  the  irritating  insistence  of  being  darklighter.  either  the  queen  refused  him  entry,  or  something  else  is  at  play.  he  hasn't  the  patience  to  puzzle  it  out  right  now.

trudging  from  the  water,  cold  and  dripping,  he  freezes.  someone's  watching.  ❛  this  isn't  what  it  looks  like.  ❜  he  blurts  before  really  taking  them  in  to  know  who  it  is.

stares  and  then  keeps  staring,  watching  the  other  fae  as  if  he'd  sprouted  five  heads  and  started  a  congo  line  through  the  park.  lips  curl  into  something  distasteful,  taking  in  the  water  dripping  that  was  still  a  good  distance  away  yet  simultaneously  too  close.  "  it  looks  like  you  tried  to  swim  and  forgot  how  to,   "  drawls,  unconcerned  by  it  as  long  as  he  stayed  away  from  her.  she  didn't  have  any  qualms  pushing  him  right  back  in  should  he  make  the  grave  error  of  getting  her  wet,  though  nailah  couldn't  help  but  to  ask, "  what  were  you  even  trying  to  do  ?  "

𝐍𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 hangover on a monday was the last thing anyone needed and despite not being able to stomach anything other than coffee , the hunger was beginning to catch up to her . she needed something hearty and slightly greasy , and she needed it now . the only place with any sense of urgency was the bodega : ' bacon , egg and cheese on a bagel , salt pepper ketchup . ' the shadowhunter moves through the aisles with ease grabbing a coke and bag of chips along the way , she bids the owner of the establishment ⸻ an orange tabby named gustavo , farewell with a scratch between his ears before heading back out . a bit too desperate to get something in her system , josie makes the 𝘚𝘛𝘜𝘗𝘐𝘋 mistake of unwrapping her bagel , ready to take a bite just as she's bumped into by someone , sending said bagel to the ground . or had she walked into them ? ❝ my bagel ! man , what the 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 . ❞

they  offered  a  slow  blink,  then  another.  selene  could  feel  one  of  the  demons  at  their  side  cringe,  though  their  own  features  remained  smooth  as  stone  as  she  looked  to  the  other.  "  what  the  fuck  indeed, "  they  mused,  tone  low  and  dangerous.  the  mess  that  had  landed  on  the  tip  of  her  heel  looked  like  start  of  a  very  bad  day,  and  unfortunately,  it  was  about  to  become  everyone's  problem.  " do  you  plan  to  pay  for  dry  cleaning ? " 

it's simple, isn't it? emilia doesn't care what's in their minds and hearts ( unless she chooses to devour the latter ), if she takes someone to bed it all comes down to skill and stamina ⸻ and, thanks to their runes, most shadowhunters don't disappoint. though that is less of an issue with females, anyway. ❛ then i will do my best to return with just that. ❜ she purrs before she spins on her heels, making her way to the ice cream cart to place their orders. luckily for them, they do have nailah's choice available and she returns, handing it to her. ❛ now aren't you absolutely thrilled about the fact that i exist? ❜

she  reaches  immediately,  taking  the  ice  cream  with  a  gleeful  little  smile.  " when  did  i  ever  question  that  ? "  nailah  asked,  pulling  the  plastic  off  of  the  stick  in  short  work  to  unveil  the  strawberry  cheesecake  to  start  nibbling  around  the  edges.  " i  don't  recall  that. "  then  again,  she'd  been  sleepy  and  grumpy  as  of  late,  the  little  treat  one  of  the  first  things  to  make  her  happy.  that,  and  the  new  scents  that  she'd  started  to  put  together  in  a  batch  she  liked.  " which  one  did  you  get  ? "   

he  doesn't  answer  right  away,  deciding  if  he  does  want  the  company  or  not.  most  people  lounge  about  the  bridges  leaning  like  teddy  tended  to  do,  and  it  threw  him  off  for  someone  else  to  both  be  there,  and  offer  to  stick  around.  " sure,  alright. "  voice  low,  not  quite  warm  but  not  as  closed  off  as  he  usually  is  with  strangers. " could  use  the  air  anyway. "  and  more  socialization  according  to  his  other  friends. " do  you  visit  often ? "

      ꕤ.    ﹕    “  AND  YOU  DON’T  THINK  YOU  SHOULD  EITHER  ?  shut  your  mouth  that  is.  ”  who  was  this..  a  teenager  ?  a  college  student  ?  a  really  short  and  angry  adult  ?  from  this  distance  he  really  didn’t  care  ,  the  motion  was  already  going  ,  and  being  told  to  shut  his  mouth  made  it  hard  for  him  to  stop.  “  let  me  guess  ,  you’re  one  of  those  short  fuse  people  who  can’t  hold  their  anger  in  because  of  their  size  ?  ”  and  with  a  free  hand  his  motioned  over  towards  her  ,  blue  eyes  taking  everything  in  from  her  height  to  the  botany  collection  she  held.  “  there’s  therapy  for  that  ,  you  know.  you  should  get  some  counseling  ,  like  real  professional  help  ,  and  make  yourself  a  better  person.  I’ve  known  you  for  thirty  seconds  but  I  think  you’d  really  benefit  from  it  ,  thumbelina.  ”

" come  shut  it  for  me, "  nailah  challenged,  looking  back  over  at  the  titles  of  the  book  she'd  been  perusing.  a  mundane —  a  man  trying  to  tell  her  what  to  do  was  laughable,  at  best. " do  you  need  to  be  reminded  that  you  spoke  to  me  first ?  if  you  want  to  speak  about  a  short  fuse,  is  yours  because  you  have  a  small  dick ?  i've  heard  that's  the  reason  why  people  that  present  like  you  do  often  have  trouble  socializing  and  forming  healthy  relationships.  have  you  seen  someone  about  that ? "  the  faerie  drawled,  reaching  for  another  cover  to  pull  out,  blowing  off  some  of  the  dust  that  she  was  paying  him. " they  have  pills  that  can  improve  performance,  by  the  way. "  since  he  seemed  to  be  in  the  business  of  giving  unsolicited  advice,  and  she  was  full  of  plenty.  

❛  that  often,  huh  ?  ❜  was  it  loneliness  or  boredom  or  simply  loyalty  ?  maybe  a  little  of  all  three.  but  teddy's  next  remark  makes  her  laugh  anyway.  ❛  so  that's  why  i  couldn't  get  any  !  ❜  maybe  she  has  a  personal  beef  with  this  patron  after  all.  though  honestly,  violet  would  happily  eat  any  of  the  hybrid’s  sweets  and  pastries.  they're  all  good.

❛  not  nearly  as  bad  ?  ouch.  ❜  though  knowing  exactly  what  he  means.  theodore  might  not  be  a  coffee  drinker  himself,  but  he'd  know  how  much  caffeine  it  takes  for  a  vampire  to  feel  it…  and  it's  a  lot.  ❛  same,  for  the  most  part.  it's  been  quiet  since  the  holidays.  ❜  family  gatherings  (  not  the  montclaires  ⸻  she  isn't  part  of  that  anymore,  and  theodore,  being  a  downworlder,  never  was  )  are  always  busy,  especially  when  involving  the  medicis  and  waynes  and  anyone  else.

❛  bells'  new  favourite  thing  is  climbing  things  so  you  can  only  imagine  what  that's  been  like.  ❜  though  it's  been  mostly  climbing  her,  but.  ❛  so  be  prepared  the  next  time  you  and  jules  babysit  together.  ❜

he  chuckles,  offering  a  shrug.  " i  have  to  make  sure  my  best  customer  gets  the  treats  they  want,  otherwise  i  might  be  out  of  business. "  teasing,  though  he  wouldn't  be  surprised  if  he  pulled  reports  and  saw  that  the  specific  customer  made  up  most  of  his  bottom  line.  " next  time,  i'll  save  a  batch  for  you.  or  i'll  ask  jules  to  bring  you  a  special  batch  if  he  decides  to  share  with  you. "  his  partner  knew  well  there  were  certain  things  he  offered  to  other  people  begrudgingly,  so  far  be  it  from  him  to  try  to  force  anyone  else  to. 

the  warning  about  climbing  makes  him  pause, coffee cup hovering  before  he  places  it  down  in  front  of  her.  "  climbing,  she's  at  that  age  already ?  jules  is  going  to  be  thrilled.  " protective,  probably  hovering,  definitely  trying  to  baby  proof  every  surface  in  sight.  teddy  can  already  picture  it — his  boyfriend  trailing  after  bells  while  he  watched  in  the  background  trying  not  to  laugh.  " between  you  and  me,  i  think  she'll  try  to  be  climbing  up  jules  since  he's  taller  so  he's  the  one  who  needs  more  warning. "

❛ i'm trying. ❜ and that is better than nothing ⸻ it must be. they both know there have worse phases, after all. julian shrugs at the question and he takes a bite of the sandwich, giving himself some time to gather his thoughts on the situation. ❛ somebody sent them. there were a lot of shax demons, they always follow someone's orders. ❜ he fights the urge to start fidgeting and takes another bite instead, a sigh following this time. ❛ this is good. the sandwich. ❜ not the demon attacks. obviously. ❛ could have been the circle, could have been an ally of asmodeus. i don't know. ❜ and as much as he hates admitting that last part, if he's willing to do so around anyone it's theodore. he makes a face at the prospect of anyone talking his ear off, quick to shake his head. ❛ i think the fact that i don't smile and play along would stop them fast enough. ❜ the nephilim tilts his head then, giving him a curious look. ❛ huh. you know i'm always happy to assist. ❜

" trying  is  good. "  better  than  the  alternative.  he  takes  solace  in  jules  being  there,  eating  a  sandwich  with  strong  coffee  and  safe  in  his  cafe  rather  than  the  alternative  —  caught  up  in  the  demon  attacks  itself,  or  sitting  in  his  office  at  the  institute  trying  to  do  too  much  all  at  once.  "  most  likely  the  circle  trying  to  raise  more  hell,  "  teddy  mused,  though  he  didn't  know.  despite  his  status  as  a  downworlder,  despite  close  ties  to  powerful  beings  that  could  send  new  york  crashing,  he  chose  to  stay  far  from  it  all.  neutral  unless  danger  made  its  way  to  his  doorstep  or  someone  he  cared  about,  most  of  his  news  coming  to  him  by  way  of  jules.  " i  should  hope  so.  that's  been  on  the  menu  for  a  little  while  and  if  people  were  lying  to  my  face  i'd  be  hurt. "  a  joke  to  lighten  the  mood,  flashing  a  grin  at  jules'  reaction.  " i  can  honestly  say  it  would  depend  on  the  customer.  some  of  them  would  talk  to  the  books  if  they  could, "  he  chuckles  as  his  smile  grows  wider. " i'll  grab  them  in  a  second.  they're  still  cooling. "  

abruptly,  she  decides  that  she  doesn't  like  this  nosey  person.  instead  of  moving  forward  in  line  and  getting  the  ice  cream,  the  question  cut  through  the,  now,  silence  like  nails  on  a  chalkboard.  almost  as  bad  as  the  children  that  had  been  ferried  away  by  their  mother.  nailah's  flat  stare  switched  to  the  other,  tone  just  as  unimpressed.  " what  about  what  just  happened  would  imply  that  i  like  children  enough  to  have  my  own ? "  a  question  for  another,  since  she  felt  the  need  to  get  in  her  business.  

" neither. "  selene  checks  her  watch  once  more  before  their  dark  gaze  slid  from  tara  towards  the  back  in  search  of  help  that  wasn't  elbows  deep  in  dough.  "  is  there  someone  around  that  will  be  able  to  take  my  order ?  i've  got  somewhere  to  be. "  they  paused,  head  tilting  once  it  caught  up  to  her  what  had  been  offered.  " advice  ?  what  advice  were  you  going  to  give ?  "  they  can't  help  but  to  question  it,  now.   

pulls  another  piece  of  the  turkey  to  make  it  more  of  a  bite  sized  piece,  accepting  the  explanation  with  an  easy  nod  of  his  head.  " then,  no.  i  can't  go  with  you,  but  it  sounds  interesting.  will  you  take  some  pictures  and  send  them ? "  teddy  requests,  ignoring  the  look  in  the  demon  prince's  eye  when  he  mentioned  jules.  the  uncertainty  in  what  would  happen  if  the  pair  met  kept  hesitation  and  caution  high,  the  witchpire  offering  a  little  shrug.  " i'm  not  sure  what  we're  doing  yet,  and  of  course.  isn't  the  biggest  fan  of  crowds  and  loud  places  either. "  thankfully,  because  teddy  wasn't  sure  that  he  could  stomach  some  fancy  restaurant  for  appearance's  sake.  " you  don't  know  that  you'd  be  bored.  there  has  got  to  be  someone  that  you'd  find  interesting. "

❛ and they sink lower with each passing year. ❜ perhaps it should sadden her, but emilia finds it far too entertaining to watch from the shadows ⸻ or to tear holes into perfect little relationships, to teach them that their love is not as true as they swear. ❛ history is riddled with fools. ❜ just like this place, which turns it into quite the playground. ❛ do you want my honest answer, or the one that may satisfy your appetite? ❜ fae folk are spoiled and used to tastes far more exquisite than mundanes. in her eyes, there is quite a lot that could be messed up about a pretzel. ❛ you could always order one and prove me wrong. i enjoy it when people manage to do so. ❜

as most did, species alike. those with longer life spans tended to get lackluster in their old ages where mundanes got more reckless and desperate. the most foolish that inevitably found themselves too curious and found themselves marked, only useful once they'd been shaped into doing her bidding. " my honest answer would be for you to not presume as to know what my appetite is. many have tried and failed in spades, " they spoke as their dark gaze moved back over the menu again. they couldn't have cared less about proving the other wrong, the statement met with a hum of acknowledgment. " i want a pretzel, " they announced to the bartender, sliding the menu back across the bar. " you and i may have different tastes, and would need to try for yourself to determine if you like it or not. "

as usual with marina's presence, nailah was delighted. by the borderline scream and cries that emerged from the child as they ran off, the way it'd barely taken a few seconds before the blessed silence filled the park. " it's like you can hear the birds chirping now, " sighs happily, interlocking their arms together as she leans her head into marina's shoulder in thanks. " we should buy the entire stand, however, what would we do with all of the rest of them ? " had no need for anything sticky in one of her dispensaries nor in her home, but ... " are you going to one of the shows tonight ? you could share them with your other, less important, friends. "

a clove dangled from her fingertips, the taste of ash, spices and burning herb heavy on her tongue ⸻ one of her favorite mortal treats, burned better than those electric flutes that the younger crowd smoked. she's got one foot against the wall of the old theatre and her ancient eyes are observing the stars blinded by light pollution. ❛ rumor has it that there's love potions inside. ❜

their fingers tapped lightly on the side of the phone, a small list of things to get tapped out on their notes app. " do i look to be so desperate to you ? " selene drawls in response, sending the other the barest of glances as they stepped past. pure silliness, in the form that selene found to be nauseating rather than charming. " where has lysander set up his booth today ? "

cosimo does not even attempt to hide the distaste that creeps onto his features. ❛ you and me both. ❜ their existence could have been easily ignored, but no. god demanded submission ⸻ from creatures that were never meant to bow. ❛ at least there are a few places untouched by civilization. always an opportunity, when nostalgia gets too strong. ❜ edom offers another escape, though he supposes that it's far less comfortable than the mortal plane. ❛ they do. ❜ the devil chuckles in response to selene's words, the sound low and dry. ❛ i probably would have. it's why i enjoy nevernight. if someone messes up, i can always fire them. ❜

" a desert, would be preferable. " a joke in some sorts, though selene had spent some of their duration in that exact way. somewhere tucked away that hadn't been easily accessed, away from most mortal's reach until, of course, they'd messed that up as well. " i don't often frequent the nightlife for obvious reasons, but i do hope this bartender is better than the nincompoops that i've encountered so far. " if so, they would brave the overstimulating atmosphere for a drink once every new moon or so. " surely you wouldn't fire them over one drink, cosimo. they're bound to make mistakes, after all. "