We follow Simon for a little, because he deserves to be in the spotlight; also, because I needed it for set-up purposes, but I still think he deserves the spotlight.

16. Intertwined, part 2

Simon isn't surprised, not one single bit, he's sad, sure, but he'd seen this coming a mile away, or even farther. Not just the whole Leo leaving, but actually, that one Simon was expecting from day one; no, he means the current state of the whole Nico&Leo situation. Simon should've made a bet with someone about this, maybe with Lillie, or Izzy, or even Raphael because they were getting along now, sort of; the point is that if Simon had made any bets he'd be rich, him and Magnus probably.

Currently, Leo and Nico are tangled on a game of who can keep from looking longingly at the other for the longest; Leo's fiddling with one of three machines he still has to fix in order to fully repay Magnus, while Nico is stretching in the sofa area, only he's pushed most furniture so he can have a little more room. Simon wonders if Nico's doing it on purpose for the first two minutes, before he gets the sight of Nico getting visibly distracted as Leo lets out a happy sound and pulls out a very small wrench from thin air.

So apparently, they're both ridiculous and like very into each other; Simon is low-key impressed. Thankfully for him, he gets a text from Clary about Izzie wanting to check something with him, so he leaves the two lovebirds on their own.

He thinks about stuff on his way to the Institute, which is a different way to say that he walks there normally instead of using his super speed; the sun only dipped a minute ago, so Simon has time. He thinks about the same thing that's been rolling on his head since his world turned right-side down; or rather a little after that, more or less after Leo helped him get a little more used to the whole vampire ordeal.

There was also the polyamory thing, which, Simon was still wrapping his head around it, which, he thinks is justifiable, because every piece of media seems widely against relationships including more than two participants. Lillie, wonderful woman that she was, had very patiently listened to him talk circles around the word, unsure if it actually fit; which was a normal thing, really.

The Institute appears in front of him a lot sooner than he anticipated, but he just shakes his head and moves in; the Shadowhunters inside still shoot him looks, because of the whole downworlder thing. Thankfully, he already knows the way to Izzy's lab, where he finds her doing flip tricks with a knife; and he's not even a little surprised, though he does find it kind of hot no lie.

If he's learned anything from living with Leo, is how to make his presence known to someone who could very much hurt him if he startles them; so he watches the knife on its way down, and how Izzy examines it once it's in her hands, and he softly raps a rhythm against the nearest thing.

She straightens a little but turns around normally towards him, no knife thrown in Simon's direction, which is a win; and she smiles at him too. Simon gives her a smile of his own and moves closer.

"You needed help?"

Izzy grins at him in a way that should, realistically, give him goosebumps; and maybe this is his proof, because instead he just feels as though electrified. He's a polyamorous bisexual with a thing for people who could kick his ass; Leo and Lillie are gonna be so proud.

- ... .- - .-. ... / -. - -. -. .- / -... . / ..-. ..- -. / .-.. .- - . .-.

Nico isn't sure this isn't a trick of some sort, he's been nothing but antagonistic towards Piper, so the possibility of Aphrodite punishing him are higher than usual; which says something considering Nico's relationship with love deities. But he figures he can enjoy it while it lasts, considering he's been chasing after Leo for two years.

Two years making sense of why he couldn't let it go, of getting used to the weight against his chest, of keeping safe only because he needed to keep it safe; and why he needed to do so, why it was so important to him. Two years of analyzing memories for some beginning point, some explanation to why he'd been so afraid of seeing the clock break that first time.

Sometimes he sees that moment in his dreams, when his mind wants to really fuck with him, but it his dreams he's never fast enough, and the clock shatters against the ground, and he has to go through the feeling of Leo dying for a second time. It's why the ticking of the clock stopped being annoying and became instead reassuring; proof that Leo was still alive and breathing.

A joyous whoop brings him out of his thoughts, and he sees Leo grinning at what looks like a zootrope; and Nico wonders why Magnus owns a thing like that for a moment before Leo's smile is directed at him.

"Penny for your thoughts ángel"

He puts the machine away, freeing Nico of the weight of his gaze just long enough for him to breathe.

"Only a penny?"

Leo chuckles at that, finally getting the machine somewhere relatively safe, and turning back to him.

"I'm saving my money for when we hit the road, sorry"

Nico would like to say his heart doesn't skip a bit at that 'we', but he's learned to be honest with himself if nothing else, so he can't.

"I guess I'm still not sure this isn't some trick"

Leo looks directly at him for a whole minute before he drops dramatically into the floor, Nico goes to him as though magnetized and is hit with the most relieved look, meant just for him.

"Thank fuck, I thought that was just me"

Nico offers him a hand, and Leo allows him to pull him to his feet, amused sort of smile plastered on his lips.

"Like, I thought for sure I'd have to give up on relationships of any sort, what with remaining rogue, but then you…"

Leo moves just so, and suddenly they're all but pressed together, which makes Nico a little lightheaded; it's not good, he needs to stay present least he do something ridiculous.

"You just pop in from thin air to help me out and then faint, which, I thought you were going to drag me back to camp kicking and screaming"

Nico looks away, but makes no move to pull away, because the last thing he wants is for Leo to think he's being toyed with by some love deity; and he'll have to ask why that's a possibility later.

"You were wrong"

Leo huffs, and Nico feels it acutely against his cheek because he still won't look at him.

"Sure, but you can imagine why you wanting to stick with me is hard to believe; specially since I've just been hit by how attracted I am to you"

And Nico simply has to look at him then, because even if they kind of made this clear before, he's still not over the fact that Leo likes him back; that he gets to maybe convince him that Nico's worthy of carrying the clock, of having Leo's heart.

"Yeah, well, you liking me at all feels unreal too, particularly after two years of trying to find you"

Leo sighs and breaks the remaining distance by pressing their foreheads together, he's still slightly shorter than Nico but way less than back then; Nico relishes in Leo's warmth while he can, and by the smile now in the Latino's face, Leo's doing the same with Nico's unnatural chill.

"It's probably not a trick though"

It's weird feeling Leo's breath as he speaks, but Nico will not move unless he absolutely has to; particularly because Leo now has a hand barely pressed against his waist, like he wants to keep him there while respecting Nico's normal aversion to contact.

"How's that?"

The hand puts actual pressure, now that Nico's shown no sign of flinching away from it; and he has to repress a shiver at the difference in temperature.

"Instinct mostly, but also, they're usually a lot flashier with us, because we'll actually credit their work"

Leo does a somewhat familiar pattern with the hand on Nico's waist, and he tries responding only to feel as Leo laughs.

"Remind me to brush up your Morse"

Nico huffs.

"Right"