A/N: What's better to do on this day of lockdown then to write another short chapter? Here it is. :)
Standing on one of the rooftops of the Towns, Caspian walked over to the edge, staring down over it. He could feel the wind up there, and it blew his hair away from his face. The edge did not scare him as he looked down and watched small shapes walking around on the ground. In fact, he felt no fear at all, only a numb feeling that had pervaded his thoughts. Perhaps it would be best if he ended everything. He had pondered over the thought for long enough.
His thoughts were interrupted this time, by a familiar voice.
"What are you waiting for?" Aspen's smug voice said, from behind him. "You should jump. Put an end to all of your suffering."
"Shut up," Caspian hissed, annoyed at his appearance, which was commonplace, as of late. "You don't need to be here right now."
"Oh, but I do," Aspen said, studying his nails. "It's not like anyone will miss you, if you do it. May as well get it over with."
"Wouldn't that make life easier for you?" he seethed, annoyance in his posture. "I bet you'd like that."
Aspen laughed, before moving closer, his breath near his ear. "Yes, I would. I'd enjoy watching." Reaching out, he grabbed Caspian's arm, pushing him closer to the edge. "But if you won't do it, then maybe I'll help you out."
Stumbling slightly, Caspian fought to regain his balance, trying to pull his arm away. "Don't," he said, in a low, warning tone. The thought of doing it himself was different to the thought of someone else pushing and deciding for him. "Don't touch me."
Aspen didn't release his grip, and he kept Caspian near the edge. He could feel his heart beating fast, glancing down and seeing the footpath below him. Now, he just felt sick at the thought of falling.
"What? You don't like it anymore?" Aspen replied, raising an eyebrow calmly. He finally pulled him away from the edge and released his arm. "A coward, as usual."
Breathing hard, Caspian moved away from the edge. "Stop torturing me. Just leave me alone," he urged, finding it hard to even look at him. It was not the Aspen he used to know, but it was the only Aspen that he ever saw now.
"Who said I'm finished with you?" was the amused reply he got in return, and Caspian muttered something under his breath as he turned his back on him. He was tired and worn down from dealing with things all the time, and he had little energy left to fight.
Not knowing exactly what time she woke up – only that it was in the early hours of the morning – Naya looked over at the boy laying beside her. Jacob was still fast asleep, his bare chest visible as the sheets had shifted down lower. His chest rose and fell at a steady rate, the muscles visible both there and on his arms.
She'd stayed the night at his family house in Alicante, and it wasn't the first time she'd done it. In fact, she often felt lonely now that Devi seemed to avoid her, and it had been easy to go back to Jacob, in an attempt to fill that void. And it was a big void at that – feeling like her other half was missing.
When she shifted, Jacob woke up, looking over at her. "Can't sleep?" he muttered, sleepily.
She made a sound of agreement, propping her head up on her hands as she watched him. "Just… a lot to think about."
"You're worried about him, aren't you?" Jacob guessed, his hand going to her bare right shoulder, to trace the parabatai Rune that was there.
"Yeah… I guess," she sighed, her gaze following his hand. "I just hope he's okay. He's not in a great place at the moment."
"You've got to remember that you can't fix everything," he pointed out. "And I'm sure you've tried to. Sometimes people need to figure it out themselves."
"Maybe," she replied, knowing that there was little more that she could do. Slowly, he lowered his hand again.
"Anyway, you losing sleep over it doesn't help anyone. Not you or him."
"I know, I know," she said, biting her lip lightly. "And I am trying to give him some space. I guess I just miss him."
"You'll get used to it," Jacob promised her, closing his eyes again. "Most Shadowhunters don't even have a parabatai."
Naya supposed that she wasn't 'most' Shadowhunters, and she didn't know if she wanted to get used to it.
Rye was only five years old when he heard his parents arguing one night. He hadn't been able to sleep, and he made his way to their bedroom, rubbing at his eye. As he approached it, he heard their voices – although muffled – and it scared him. He couldn't remember ever hearing or seeing them fight before. The door was cracked open slightly, and he peeked through the gap where the light poured through.
"How long do you expect we can carry on like this for?" his father said, sounding tired. "Are we meant to keep him on medication forever, and what happens when-…"
His mother cut him off. "We will deal with things when we have to. We made a deal, and we have to stick with that now," she replied, firmly. "Don't tell me you're thinking of going back on that now, when we agreed that we're in this together."
"No-…" His father ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not saying that."
They went on for longer, although he could only catch a few more muffled words, including 'Silent Brothers' and some others he'd never heard of.
Leaning forwards to listen better, he accidently pushed the door open further and they both looked back at him.
"Rye, honey, what's wrong?" his mother asked, and they straightened, exchanging a look.
Rye sniffled, glancing between them. "Are-… Are you fighting because of me? Because I'm sick?"
"Come here, darling," she said, gesturing for him to come closer. He ran over, hugging her, and she drew him up onto her lap. "It's all okay. We love you, and that's what matters, okay?"
"O-… Okay," he said, his father giving him a small smile when he looked back at him. "I just want to make you happy, not sad."
"Of course. And you do," she assured him, running her fingers through his hair, in the way that he loved.
Leaning into her embrace, he closed his eyes, feeling relieved, his tiredness returning. His mother sung a quiet lullaby, and he fell asleep quickly, feeling safe in her arms.