A/N: Sorry this is really short. I had two more parts I was going to write with different characters, but it got late quickly, so I'll write them another time. Mainly I just wanted to get back to some writing, and I figure it's better to get something out now rather than nothing. One in the present, and one in the past…

~~ Kellan ~~

Sitting down on the ground of the grotto with his back resting against the bed, Kellan found himself more comfortable in such a position. While he had certainly grown up with mundane beds, he'd grown unused to them, living in the Hunt for so long. He reached for the satchel he'd brought, feeling a hint of guilt as he reached into it. Slowly, he pulled out the stele that his siblings had returned to him, when he'd been at the Institute. It was the one he'd grown up using, and he ran his fingers over its grooves and engravings. He had not lied to Ethos when he said he'd brought no weapons – a stele was like a pen for drawing Runes, rather than something to use against an opponent in a battle. He still felt a little guilty however, since he knew the Hunt and the Seelie would frown upon such a thing and question why he had it. It was a tool of Shadowhunters, and not something for a Hunt faerie. His siblings had begged him to take it back however, wanting him to be able to use it in case he received any wounds that were slow to heal the traditional way. He'd been unable to argue, eventually taking it back a little reluctantly. It had always hurt him more than others to draw Runes, and he'd always wondered whether it had rejected his blood. However, it hadn't yet failed him.

It felt familiar, fitting his fingers around it easily as he thought of his family. His stele had been a gift from his father, and he had always taken great care of it. After a long moment, he tucked it away into his bag again, not wanting to be caught with it. He could only imagine what Aspen might say if he saw Kellan possessed such a thing, and his thoughts grew hesitant on the subject. He wished that Aspen had told him about what happened with Clae, so that he would at least be able to help defend him. But of course, Aspen never seemed to trust him. He didn't know the circumstances, so he was unsure of how to think about it, but he never liked the idea of resorting to killing someone. He would have to question Aspen when he saw him next, as painful as that would be. He trusted that Ethos had it right, and after the words Aspen had said the last time he'd seen him, it was hard to doubt it was true, regardless. In any case, there was nothing he could do about it in that moment, and he tried not to dwell on it for too long.

He could still remember kissing Ethos vividly, and he hoped that he hadn't made too much of a fool of himself with his emotions pouring out. He did not usually cry in front of people, either. However, he felt safe with Ethos, in a way that he'd never felt at the Hunt. Perhaps he hadn't felt such trust since he'd lived with his family. He'd shown Ethos the red mark, and while he'd been nervous, he realised that he'd trusted Ethos not to shun him. Even if such Shadowhunter markings must be foreign and forbidden, to him.

While he didn't think that Ethos quite understood, Kellan had meant what he'd said about not wanting to be claimed if he was ever at the Seelie. He did not believe that he had any authority to lead those in the Seelie, and he didn't want that kind of power. He had never sought out such a thing, not even at the Hunt, when the supervisor position had been given to him. Kellan did not want to be bowed to, or treated as if he was special, merely because of his blood. Ironically, most of his life his blood had made him feel excluded. The thought of living at the Seelie, however, was a tempting one, much more than it should have been.

The guilty feeling remained, and he did not know if it would ever disappear.

~~ Naya ~~

Jacob had only been at her family's manor house for a couple of days, but she had rarely stopped thinking about him. He was due to stay for the week, and while she knew her parents would certainly approve, as he was the son of a family friend who headed the Institute in Cairo, Egypt – one which had strong links to her uncle's Institute - she found little to complain about. It was strange, having a boy who was new and different in the house, and she found herself analysing her responses and her appearance more than usual. With Devi, she'd never had to worry much, as she knew that he'd accept her no matter what she looked like. And that was what friends were for, right? But with Jacob, she was determined to make a good impression.

He was eighteen, so a couple of years older than she was, which she didn't see as too big of a gap. In fact, he was rather cute with a nice smile, when he occasionally showed it. His appearance came from his Egyptian roots, with thick dark hair and equally dark eyes, his intense stares almost disconcerting.

She had noticed his gaze linger on her a number of times and she couldn't deny she liked the attention. It was nice to feel wanted.

Her tutor, Agnes had been heading their training sessions together, but she had been called away to Alicante on urgent Clave business on the second night. They'd been left alone, and Jacob had been placed in charge of their training practice, since he was the most experienced.

The third day of his visit, they trained as usual for most of the day, but she could feel a tension in the air, as if they were both taut and extra vigilant. There was a sense of expectation, perhaps. In any case, the following events had still been unexpected to her, for she hadn't even been kissed before.

As the training session came near the end, they were both breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his chest, and she could feel where her hair was stuck to her forehead. During their final spar, he overpowered her, and they ended up in a heap on the ground, him leaning over her, and pinning her arms to the ground. When he moved closer to kiss her, she didn't resist, kissing him back. The kiss tasted salty from the sweat, but it didn't deter them. He braced himself with one hand, the other moving to tangle in her black hair. Unsurprisingly, he was in very good shape, and when one of her arms was released, she ran her fingers over his chest. She'd been trying not to look too hard earlier, but now she stared in between kisses.

Things turned heated very quickly, and mostly it was all just a blur. His hand had slipped her shirt up and wandered, and it wasn't long before more clothing was discarded. She'd felt nervous, mostly, her heart beating fast, and she'd opened her mouth, although she didn't know what to say. Perhaps it was better to not say anything at all – he didn't need to know it was her first time.

Afterwards, he'd pressed a kiss to her cheek, before straightening and doing up the zip of his pants, finding the shirt he'd discarded on the floor at the start of their session. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, and she hardly noticed his accent, which she had paid such attention to in the past. She made a sound of agreement, slowly getting changed herself as he left. It had been quick and a little painful, and not what she'd expected. The floor of the training room had been hard and uncomfortable beneath her, and mostly, she just felt like having a shower.

Heading back down the hallway in the direction of her room, she felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach as she realised they hadn't used any protection. She doubted that it would have been his first time. Biting her lip, she pondered over things silently, and her thoughts quickly went to Devi. He was the first person that she told most things to, but she didn't know how she'd tell him about this. He hadn't visited since Jacob had arrived, and she didn't blame him, knowing that he wasn't too comfortable around strangers. Besides, she hadn't pushed him to come. Thinking on it for a bit longer, she shook her head. No, it would be much too awkward, and she didn't think she was ready to open up about it yet. Instead, she tried to push down her unease and went to clean herself up.