Who: Will, Jem and Tessa When: Valentine's Day Where: Out and then home What: Valentine's Threesome Rating: Low/Cuteness Status: Complete
Over the last couple of months Jem, Will and Tessa had gotten closer, both as a threesome and as pairs on the occasions when the three of them weren’t all together and while they hadn’t taken that step yet, they had certainly gotten better with the intimacy thing or at least Jem thought he had. He didn’t get quite as flustered when Will kissed him anymore and with Tessa staying with them, he’d offered his bedroom to her since the third bedroom in the condo was empty and they weren’t going to make Tessa sleep on the couch so Jem had been sharing Will’s bed for the last couple of weeks and he’d gotten used to sleeping next to his Parabatai.
Having gotten better with the whole intimacy thing was a good thing since Jem wouldn’t have wanted to be awkward on Valentine’s Day. Okay, so he was still a little awkward, what with it being the first Valentine’s Day that he had someone, two someones, to spend it with, but he had planned the whole night. First, they’d gone to dinner then Jem had hired a horse drawn carriage to take them around for a little while and now that they were arriving home, Jem still had something else in store. Over the last week or so, Jem had stayed a little longer at school, in the music department working on a piece just for Will and Tessa and now he was finally going to be able to play it for them.
Once inside, Jem turned to Will and Tessa, “I have one more thing for you both. Why don’t you go in the living room and I’ll be right there.” With that, he turned and headed for his room to get his violin.
Tonight had been wonderful. Spending time with both of her boys had been fantastic and she loved them all the more for the care that had been put into preparing the evening. When they'd returned home she had been thoroughly exhausted but blissfully happy and when James had said he had something else to give them she was a little shocked. Taking Will's hand, she walked into the front room to await Jem's return.
Once they were sat on the sofa, she leaned against Will's side and rested her head on his shoulder, humming contentedly. "Tonight has been amazing. Jem has outdone himself," she said to Will, closing her eyes and rubbing her thumb against his where their hands rested between them.
The evening had been wonderful and Will had loved the carriage ride, it had been liked something from a classic romance novel and both he and Tessa appreciated that aspect especially.
Sitting with Tessa in the sofa Will smiled and stroked her fingers where their hands were linked. “He really has, I’m almost lost for words and as you know that’s a rarity for me” But it was true, the length Jem had gone to in order to give them a lovely Valentine’s was incredible.
As usual, Church was sleeping on Jem’s bed, which Tessa had been sleeping in since she’d come to stay with them while the crime rate remained at the high it had been at for over a month now. After scratching Church’s head for a moment, Jem moved to his dresser where he kept his violin and removed it from it’s case before heading back out to living room where Will and Tessa were. Seeing them together made him smile as he entered the room, “Over the last few weeks I’ve been working on something for you both. It’s just something that I hope will convey my feelings for you both.” Placing the violin on his shoulder and his chin in the correct spot, he closed his eyes and began playing.
Tessa smiled up as Will spoke and snuggled more into his shoulder. When Jem came in with his violin, she frowned until he announced what he was doing. As his music poured out of him and the violin, Tessa felt her eyes well up with tears and her heart fill with emotion. Putting her free hand to her mouth, she listened intently.
Will didn’t speak a word as he listened to Jem play, he’d always loved hearing him but knowing he’d written this piece while thinking about him and Tessa was especially moving. He was a romantic soul their Jem. His hand tightened around Tessa’s and he found himself blinking back his own tears.
Majoring in music and studying to become a conductor had helped Jem in writing the song as had one or two of his fellow students when they’d heard what he was working on, so while it had been difficult at first, once he’d started it had become easier especially when he simply listened to his heart. He wasn’t sure exactly how long he’d been playing for, but when he’d finally stopped and lowered the violin, it was clear from the expressions on Will and Tessa’s faces that he didn’t need to ask them if they’d liked it.
Squeezing Will’s hand, Tessa wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand before she stood up. Approaching Jem, she looked up at his face, shaking her head in amazement before reaching out and smoothing her hands along his jaw to cup face and stroke his cheeks with her thumbs. She smiled up at him, tears still in her eyes and pressed a long kiss to his lips. She stepped back after a minute and smiled happily at him before dropping her hands from Jem’s face and turning to look back at Will.
Will waited until Tessa stepped back before moving closer and wrapping Jem up in a tight hug, “You are an incredible man Jem Carstairs” he said softly, before he too pressed a kiss to his lips. It had been emotional and beautiful and they had been honored to hear it. Tugging Tessa in they enjoyed a group hug and Will couldn’t believe his luck for a moment as he held the loves of his life in his arms.
When Tessa hugged him, he hugged her back a bit awkwardly with the violin and bow in his hands as he returned the kiss, smiling at her as she pulled back only to then be hugged and kissed by Will, which he also returned. “I’m only as incredible as the two of you make me.” He said as Tessa joined his and Will’s hug. Jem had worried that he’d choke or mess up while playing for Will and Tessa, but once he’d started there was no way he was messing up because it had been coming from his heart.
Tessa reached out and cupped Will’s cheek, smiling brightly before pulling him in for a kiss of his own. “You’ve inspired me, Jem,” she told him, still touching Will’s cheek and her arm around Jem, before quoting: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love with a passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, -- I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. Happy Valentine’s Day, my loves.”
Will smiled and spoke inside his head as Tessa did, he knew the quote well - but then he was a romantic literature student so it wasn’t really a surprise. “Happy Valentines Day” he said, “You know you’ve both completely outdone me, I’m not used to that” he lifted both their hands in his own and kissed their palms.
As Tessa began reciting, Jem smiled, his arm moving to remove her arm from around him so that he could lace their fingers together. “That was beautiful, Tess.” He was so happy to have the two of them in his life. He had a feeling that things would never work out like this in the dreams, so he was happy that it had in real life, “Now, Will…” He turned to his Parabatai, “What do you have to share with us?” His smirk widened, teasingly at him.
Tessa smiled, seeing Jem’s naughty side shining in his eyes as he teased Will. Deciding to play along, she turned to look at Will too. “Come on then Will, surely you have something to share too,” she challenged. “Or did we best the great William Herondale?” she grinned, squeezing Jem’s hand and looking up at Will teasingly.
Will looked between the two of them and realised he was being teased, “Please, I simply want to allow you this moment. My gift to you both on Valentine’s Day” he told them both with his trademark easy smile. In truth he didn’t think he could best that, the violin and recitement had been personal and part of them but Will, well, Will was more of an actions person and short of kissing them both breathless he was out of ideas.
“Oh alright. I suppose we can accept that.” Jem squeezed Tessa’s hand back, smiling at both of them, “Although, I’ll be honest, I’m at a loss as to what exactly we do now.” Of course he knew what most couples did on Valentine’s Day after everything, but he didn’t think they were quite to that place yet. Not that he’d be opposed to working towards that place of course.
“Well I have a way you could compete,” Tessa smiled, slowly leaning in close to whisper against his ear. As she leaned in, she ever so slightly brushed her cheek against his until her lips were brushing just over his ear. “Make us all some tea,” she giggled and pressed a kiss to his cheek before bouncing lightly away to change into some comfortable clothes.