HAPPY HALLOWEEN.
I'm sorry if the characters seem a little OOC; I always found Jem a little hard to write :/
Disclaimer: I don't own The Infernal Devices. They belong to Cassandra Clare.
In all honesty, Tessa was only mildly surprised when Jem hurried into the flat at eight o'clock on the thirty first of October with his eyes wide, and looking slightly shocked. With the train of thought she was following, it made perfect sense that he would start rifling through their stuff for the assortment of weapons they brought with them on their travels - just for protection.
"Jem," she said, dog earing the corner of the page in the book she was reading, then setting it aside. She stretched, and stood up from where she'd been sprawled across the sofa. "What's wrong?"
The few remaining glints of silver in his dark eyes gleamed as he wildly twisted his head to look at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, like his mind was somewhere else. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you," he said. She bit her lips against a laugh; he still spoke like a nineteenth century gentleman, even after the better part of two centuries. "But I'm afraid there are a group of what looks like demons roaming the halls of the building."
Tessa raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I'm serious!" He insisted vehemently, looking faintly dismayed by her disbelief.
"I'm sure you are," Tessa said, but the side of her mouth that couldn't resist the smile curled upwards, calling her bluff.
Since Jem had come back from being a Silent Brother, she'd had immense fun introducing him to the modern world. He'd seen it from a distance of course, seen the epic wars and stories play out silently, like he was watching a play in the cinema from the back seat. Now she'd dragged him onto centre stage, and the spotlights were blinding him. It was a source of boundless amusement for Tessa, watching him fumble his way through learning to use a remote, or a computer. It was especially amusing watching him jump out of his skin whenever her phone rang.
So now, he looked severely peeved that she didn't believe him.
"Tessa," he said, using the serious tone of voice he used whenever he was trying to get her to take him seriously. He ran his hands through his shaggy dark locks. "You honestly think I would joke about this? By the Angel," he cursed, "there's a horde of demons outside and I'm spending my time trying to convince you I'm not crazy. Just," he looked up desperately, and his eyes were pleading, "please. Stay inside."
He grabbed a dagger, eyes lingering on the blade a little longer than necessary, taking in the bloodstains and the dirt stains and the Herondale crest, before whirling round and stalking to the door. He stood in a braced stance, ready for combat, with the dagger angled to strike.
Tessa sighed, and went to stand in front of him and make him see sense, when he reached forwards and twisted the doorknob, so he could see into the hallway.
Looking over his shoulder, Tessa stifled a laugh at the sight.
There stood a little girl with bright blonde hair pulled into pigtails, wearing a stuffed costume that was clearly meant to be a pumpkin. Her leggings were green, and she had orange face paint on, with a trick or treating bag in her hand that resembled a witch's cauldron.
She looked up, grinning wildly when her eyes landed on Tessa - she'd met the woman last year when she'd first moved in - and then those wide brown eyes slid onto Jem, then the dagger in his hand, and froze.
Her lower lip trembled.
Jem's arm was trembling as well. "What is happening?" He asked uncertainly. "Why is she dressed up as a butternut squash?"
"She's a pumpkin, Jem." Tessa sighed. She shot the girl a quick smile, then rifled through the bowl of sweets she'd set out on the table next to the door for this very reason. She dropped them into the bag, and smiled at her again. "Here you go, Anna."
The little girl grinned then, so wide Tessa thought her teeth would hurt, and skipped off. Her bag swung; Tessa could hear the rustle of sweet wrappers against each other.
Jem, bless him, still looked as confused as before. "What?" He asked when she looked at him fondly. He sank onto the sofa and rubbed his forehead. "I could've sworn I saw a demon."
"Old age is getting to you then?" Tessa teased. Jem glared good naturedly, but laughed as well. "We all see things. Besides, you're not a Shadowhunter any more. Even if you did see a demon, you're no longer obligated to get rid of it."
Jem held his hand to his heart in mock horror, but she knew a part of him was serious as he said, "I could never allow such a vile thing to wander my streets once I've spotted it!"
"I know." She replied quietly, all previous joking gone.
Someone knocked on the door, and Tessa rushed to answer it. This time it was an older girl of fourteen, one who Tessa no doubt had been lectured about being too old to trick or treat. Feeling a stab of pity for the girl, Tessa gave her a generous handful of the sweets from the bowl, complimented her on her pointed witches hat and her teal and black dress, and sent her on her way.
Jem had come to stand behind her, watching her curiously as the girl thanked her and she shut the door. "Why are you handing out sweets to random kids who knock on your door dressed as strange things?" He asked, and she chuckled to herself.
"Well-"
The doorbell rang again before she could finish. Tessa rolled her eyes, but stood up again to answer the door. As it swung inwards, it revealed a band of eleven year old boys, all dressed as different monsters from the film Monsters Inc. She grinned at them, and turned to pick up the bowl of sweets when-
"Stay back!"
Jem shoved his way between Tessa and the kids, Will's dagger suddenly out again and being brandished at the boys. They flinched back, and Jem adopted a fighting stance, one hand still outstretched to push Tessa away.
"It's them," he said to her, dark eyes flicking between her and the boys. "These are the demons I was telling you about. I wasn't imagining them after all."
"We didn't do it!" Piped up a boy from the back, looking faintly terrified.
Tessa sighed, and tugged Jem back from the door. She shot an apologetic smile at the boys, handed them the bowl of sweets, and shut the door.
"Jem," she hissed, leading him away from the door and sitting him down on the sofa. "They are not demons. They're little boys dressed up as monsters."
Jem's eyebrows furrowed. "What? Why are they dressing up as monsters?"
Tess smiled to herself, using the heel of her hand to rub soothing circles on his back. "Because it's a mundane tradition. Do you remember how when we were kids, mundanes could be seen dressing up as demons and angels to celebrate All Hallow's Eve?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Well, nowadays the mundanes do a similar thing, but they dress up as monsters on the thirty first of October, and go round trick or treating, which is where they say 'trick or treat' to the house owners around the area, saying that if they don't give them a treat they'll play a trick on them."
"That's not particularly nice."
"It's a kids holiday. Which is why everyone puts up with it, and gives up sweets. Do you understand?"
Jem nodded. "I think so, yes. So all these creatures roaming the halls. . . They're just kids dressed up?"
"That's exactly it." Tessa grinned at him, and he grinned back.
Jem didn't try to attack any other kids that night. Which was nice, but the timing was also rather unfortunate because word had already spread of the "knife wielding maniac" in flat 30a, so parents warned their children to stay well away for the rest of the week.
I love to hear your thoughts :)