InsaneJournal

Who: Will, Jem and Tessa
When: Late March
Where: Their place
What: Talk of living arrangements
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete





It had been a few weeks now since the crime wave seemed to have subsided and Jem was grateful for it. He hadn’t had to keep his guard up in case of muggings or break ins in a few weeks so he had been able to focus more on his course work as well as Will and Tessa. Speaking of Tessa, now that the crime wave was over, technically she could go back to her own place, but so far none of them had brought that up and Jem wasn’t sure if they should.

Will didn’t want Tessa to leave so he wasn’t about to suggest she move out. In fact if he had his way they’d all be in the same room but that would take a while since they hadn’t moved much beyond cuddling and making out. Not that it wasn’t great, but more would always be welcome. And in all honesty, he didn’t want to give up Jem being in his bed either. It turned out Will Herondale was a bit of a snuggle bunny.

Tessa had loved living with the boys all this time. They were kind and attentive and hadn’t pushed any part of their relationship. She’d been thinking about whether to move back to her own place now the crime wave was over and she was torn. She had so enjoyed her time here and loved being with them all the time, but she was also fiercely independent and her apartment represented that on some level. She’d been thinking about this a lot lately and she was thinking about it now as she stood in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil. She was gazing out the window, leaning against the counter and watching a bird flitting about on the tree outside the kitchen window.

Jem was just getting home from work and upon hearing movement in the kitchen, he headed into the room, smiling as he saw Tessa standing there, “Is there enough in there for two?” He asked, gesturing towards the kettle. He could certainly use a cup of tea after the afternoon he’d had at work. It hadn’t been a tough shift, but a long one and not many people had come into the shop, so it felt like it had dragged on forever.

Will, who had been reading in the room he currently shared with Jem, moved at the sound of movement and voices, “Or three” he said as he walked out of the room catching the end of Jem’s question. “You look rather like the picture of contemplation standing there Tessa” he told her with a smile.

Tessa turned at the sound of their voices and smiled at them. “There will always be enough for three,” she told them. “I was just...thinking,” she told them quietly. “Have you two had a good day?” she asked, watching them happily.

Jem smiled and moved further into the kitchen, kissing Tessa on the cheek as he passed her to get two more tea cups for himself and Will, “Mine was rather quiet. Not too many people came into the shop today. How was yours?” He was curious about what she had been thinking about, but he wasn’t going to ask just yet.

“Mine had been spent mostly reading” Will admitted, moving to hunt down the biscuits he knew were in the cupboard somewhere as he waited for Tessa to reply to Jem’s return question.

Tessa closed her eyes and listened to the boys as they bustled around the kitchen. She smiled. Going back to living alone...it would be so quiet. Almost inconceivably so. Shaking her head a little, she looked fondly at the two men in her life. "It's been busy. Business has really picked up since the event for World Book Day. I don't even have time to look for another assistant it seems," she laughed lightly despite being weary. "I may just have to shut the shop for a week to get it all sorted," she told them.

Jem turned to face Tessa as he set the tea cups down beside her own, “I have some free time. I can help, if you’d like. Give you some time to get things sorted without closing shop.” Jem knew how much Tessa loved her shop and he wouldn’t want to see her lose any business especially since it was so busy right now.

Will nodded in agreement, “I can help too. You don’t need to close Tessa. Jem and I can keep everything going while you take the time you need. It’s not like I do much anyway” he added, because yes Will read and wrote essays but honestly he didn’t need to be at home to do that.

"Are you sure?" Tessa asked them both as she turned to pour the boiling water from the kettle into the teapot. "I wouldn't want to take away from your studies," she told them.

“I’ll be sure that Will gets his studying done,” Jem said, smiling as the kettle started to whistle, “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll make the tea.” He said, moving towards the stove to turn off the kettle before he went to work making their tea. After the last few months, Jem knew how Will and Tessa took their tea by heart.

“I’m an English Lit student, what better place to get studying done than a bookshop?” Will said with a grin as he put some biscuits on a plate for them. Watching Jem with a smile, it was true they had all become accustomed to each others drinks preferences.

Tessa laughed at that. “Thank you, I would really appreciate it,” she smiled at them and kissed them on the cheek. “I just need a few days to get things arranged and interview people. I’d pay you of course,” she added in, wanting them to know she really appreciated their offers of help..

Jem shook his head as he brought Will and Tessa’s cups to the table then went back to get his own before taking a seat, “That wouldn’t be necessary, Tessa. We only want to help in order to take some of the stress off of your shoulders.” Jem would do anything to help Tessa in any way that he could. That went for Will as well.

"Exactly" Will said, "It'll be our pleasure to help you out. Besides it'll work in our favour since you'll be happier for it" he added with a cheeky wink.

“Thank you, it mean such a lot to me,” Tessa told them, a happy smile on her lips. She sometimes couldn’t believe how she had been so lucky to be the recipient of so much love. “Is there anything I can do to help either of you in return?” she asked, taking a seat at the table in front of her tea.

Jem thought for only a moment as he glanced over at Will then back to Tessa. He had a feeling that Will wouldn’t object to what he was about to say, “You could, if it’s alright with Will, move in here permanently.” It only made sense for Tessa to simply move in and Jem would be very surprised if Will or Tessa objected to his request.

“More than alright with me” Will immediately agreed, “In fact it makes damn good sense” he added with a grin and nodded encouragement to Tessa.

“I...really? You want me to...move in? Permanently?” Tess asked, not quite shocked but amazed that they would still want her around. She knew she could be difficult to live with, having lived on her own for so long, so to hear that both of them would want to make their arrangements more permanent meant a great deal.

Jem nodded, a small smile spreading across his face as he glanced from Will to Tessa once again, “Yes. I mean, you’ve been living here for a few months already and in a way it’ll be like in the dreams at the Institute.” Sure, in the dreams he and Will didn’t share a room nor were the three of them involved in the way they were in real life, but having Tessa live with them for the last few months had felt so natural to Jem and he couldn’t imagine her going back to her own apartment now.

“Exactly. You’re meant to be here Tessa, we should all be together” in all ways Will thought though he didn’t say that out loud. Aware of not saying anything which could be considered pressurizing. “Besides, you don’t want to leave us to fend for ourselves again do you?” he added with a slight puppy dog face.

Tessa grinned as she looked up at them, tears pricking her eyes as she saw how much they meant it. Then she saw Will’s attempt at puppy dog eyes and she laughed, slapping him lightly in the chest. “Stop it you!” she chastised him lightly, the bright smile on her face belying any real feeling behind the words.

Still smiling, Jem turned to Will, “I told you that Tessa and I would be immune to your puppy dog face.” Only a very strong willed individual could be immune to Will’s puppy eyes and Jem liked to think that he was one of those few. He then turned to Tessa, “So, is that a yes?”

“Damn. Looks like I gotta get another look to get around you guys” Will teased before focusing on Tessa, “That was a yes right? I heard yes” he added pressing a kiss to Tessa’s cheek.

“I…” Tessa started, shaking her head at how speechless she felt. “Well how could I refuse?” she grinned at them, tears still in her eyes. “Yes, of course yes!” she told them happily.