( → eleventh rune ← )

[steleheart]

[ The feed starts with Clary placing her device down, a pencil holding her hair on top of her head and her smile bright. She's in a cafe, a cup of coffee cooling in front of her and her sketchbook sitting beside that. ]

It's kind of weird how much of life is put on hold when you get here. I mean I know there's the literal pause but sometimes it's so easy to forget what we used to be like before. Like how I wanted to take art classes.

[ Another pencil - the one not buried in red locks - is lifted and twisted around her fingers. ] And I hate that I'm not drawing as much here. So I was thinking. Would anyone be interested in modelling for me? I can't pay you but I can provide coffee and a delicious cake of your choosing and it would be kind of nice to get to know people too. [ It would be nice to prove she's Jocelyn's daughter more than Valentines too, but her nightmares are notwithstanding. ] So okay, any takers? I promise it'll be as painless as possible.

Comments

[cupio]

Wow. That sounds amazing. You've totally got yourself a new student.

[hexuality]

Perfect. I hope you like Saturday mornings.

[cupio]

Awesome.

Where do you teach?

[hexuality]

Xanadu or the beach. Soft landings, yeah? Though maybe Xanadu since it's closer.

And no one's fallen off. Promise. I'm just being careful and covering my arse.

[cupio]

[ A laugh. ]

Oh, it's okay. A few bumps and bruises wouldn't stop me. This sounds amazing.

[hexuality]

One of my most favourite things in the world.

[cupio]

[ She grins and it lights up her whole face. ]

This is going to be so awesome. I wish Simon were here, he'd be jealous.

[hexuality]

He might turn up. You never know.

[cupio]

I'm torn between hoping so and never wanting it, y'know? [ Toying with her pencil. ]

He was my ghoul. When we were cursed. I don't ... I don't want him to have to go through stuff like that.

[hexuality]

I know.

[She breathes out, reaches for her coffee to take a sip.]

I've been through a lot of awful things here. But there are still days when I think, well, it'll all be a little better if my brothers were here. I don't want them to go through any of it either—some of them have, it's never pleasant—but we can't help but miss people from home, wish they were with us. We're only human, Clary.

[cupio]

[ She nods at that, thinks of home and of the things she'd found out. Is she human? Does she count? ]

I miss him more and more every day. I miss my mom. I miss Luke. I just wish I could see them. I've never spent this much time without them.

[hexuality]

I lived at a boarding school for most of the year. [It's quiet, gaze on her coffee.] But even then, I could write home or know there was a holiday coming up and I'd see my family soon. But this...

[She shakes her head, gaze flicking up to the other girl.]

You'll get back soon. You've got to believe that.

[cupio]

I hope so.

[ She shouldn't dwell. She's alive and she knows they're safe. ] Sorry.

[hexuality]

Why? Because you miss home?

[She shakes her head, smiling.]

Don't apologise for that. I miss it, too.

[cupio]

Bringing down the conversation.

[ She holds her sketchbook to her chest. ] I guess it just feels so different here. It makes it more obvious.

[hexuality]

Just remember that it isn't all bad. It can't be.

[cupio]

No.

[ She smiles and then seems to shake herself out of it, holds up the finished drawing. ] What do you think?

[hexuality]

[And she lights up, blushing and smiling both.]

Clary, it's... [Me.] That's really incredible.

[cupio]

Do you like it?

[hexuality]

I do.

[With a smaller smile,]

Harry would love it if he were here, I think.

[cupio]

[ A bright smile. ]

You can have it, if you want. If he ever turns up you can show him.

[hexuality]

You're sure?

[cupio]

Definitely. I wanted to practice and you totally helped me with that. So you should keep it.

[hexuality]

Thank you, Clary. Really.