AN: This is one of a series of stories based on dialogue prompts. This was a request for Mommy Tessa and Little Jamie with the dialogue being "How long has it been?" PS: I totally take ficlet prompts if you have anything you'd really like to see.
A Little Bit of Both
"How long has it been?" a voice asked and Tessa's head popped up from the pile of papers she was sorting. Jamie stood in the doorway. His dark hair twisted into strange shapes because he refused to brush it and his narrow little frame was taller than most seven year olds. His eyes were large and luminous and bright gold.
"Since what darling?" she asked.
"Since you got older," he said.
She looked at him. Serious. So serious for someone so young. She considered him and considered every answer she might give to that question. She put the papers down and went to pull him over to sit with her. He sat down on the big blue armchair and she perched on the edge of the ottoman and took his hands.
"About ten years, maybe a little longer, it's hard to say for sure," she told him. There were some people you did not lie to, even when they weren't yet old enough to wear long pants. Jamie was one of those people. He would have believed a lie because he trusted her and it felt painfully unfair to meet that trust with anything less than the truth.
"Because you are a warlock," he said.
"Yes," she told him.
"And you're a shadowhunter," he said.
"Yes," she said.
"And I am too," he said, "Because you're my mother. I am too."
"A little bit of both, yes, more Shadowhunter in you than warlock though," she said with a smile. It had never been a secret. Not in the family nor in the Clave had it ever been a secret. Tessa hated it sometimes, the being different, but she was always glad that it was not a secret.
"But there's warlock too," he said, "There's magic. I've got magic." The last statement was not a question. It was a statement. He said it like he might say, I have black hair or I have a sister. He simply said it.
"What kind of magic?" she asked.
His face broke into a smile. A happy childlike smile that erased the too serious expression in an instant. He stood up, he pulled away from her. As part of their training, Shadowhunter children had to demonstrate mastery of skills and he stood like he was about to perform one of those demonstrations for his tutor. Straight and proud and just a little nervous.
He looked up at her with eyes like sunshine and a smile even brighter before he began. He wavered and he blinked out of sight. There was a dark spot in the shape of a boy and it was imperfect, she could see his shoes but he was invisible. It lasted less than a minute before he stood there again, giggling and breathing hard like he'd done something difficult.
She reached out to touch him and in a fit of giggles he flung himself into her arms. He laughed and she held him feeling overwhelmed. When she'd learned of her powers it had hurt, it had been terrifying and she had never quite imagined magic being a thing to make someone giggle and cuddle. But then, she hadn't had anyone to catch her and hold her and tell her that she wasn't a monster masquerading as a girl. Jamie didn't doubt his own goodness, not then, not yet, someday someone would hurt him over this but for now his mother tightened her arms around him and held it all at bay.
"That's incredible," she told him, "Even I can't do that."
And with all the unthinking glee of a child he said, "You and me can be warlocks together. Always and always. Forever."
She smiled to hold back the threat of tears and found herself caught between the hope and the dread that it was true and he would live forever just like she would. She held him, this child who outgrew his shoes twice a year and was more alive than anyone else she knew and balanced on that edge between hope and dread.
She kissed him on the head and sat him down to teach him what she knew about using magic so would never have to stumble about and guess at it like she did. One way or another, the future would come and she would be damned if he ever had to face it alone.