A/N: Some drabbles surrounding siblings, mostly involving little kids.
I'm not completely happy with all the parts, but I figure a chapter is better than none. Hahaha.
~~ Nathan & Savannah ~~
"Your sister is a slut."
Nathan came to a stop in the Academy hallway, his nails curling into his palm. "What did you just say?" he replied, the tenseness and anger hard to push down from his tone as he whirled back around to face the boy he'd just passed.
The boy was insolent enough to fold his arms and continue. "You heard me. Or would you prefer the term whore? Either way. She was with me a few nights ago, and now I find out she was with Jack, of all people, last night?" He probably felt confident, with a small group of his friends hanging around nearby. That was the only reason he likely thought he could get away with it.
Nathan gave no warning, before he grabbed the boy's shirt, pushing him back against the wall. A small knife was already in his hand, resting against his neck with a light pressure as he leaned in. None of the other boys interceded, smart enough not to challenge him. "I don't even need to use this. You ever say that about my sister again, and I'll get you expelled from here, you hear me?" His usually warm dark brown eyes were murky and furious. He wasn't often quick to anger, but the boy was enough to make his blood boil. The boy looked startled and suddenly nervous, his previous cockiness gone. "My family has enough connections to make that happen. You should know that. I wouldn't mind seeing you go home with your tail between your legs." It wasn't surprising that he was so shocked – Nathan was known as the easy-going one, the leader and the diligent student that didn't even need to try hard. At least that was how he was good at appearing outwardly. When the boy was silent, he narrowed his eyes. "Do you understand?"
The boy swallowed, before making a sound in agreement. "I-… Yes. Sorry."
"Good," he replied, letting out a breath as he tried to calm his anger. Slowly, he released him, drawing the knife away and tucking it away again. "Now, go run off to your friends."
Removing himself from the situation was the best idea, and he straightened his uniform and fixed his hair, before starting back down the hallway again.
ooOoo
Savannah looked up with a sigh at a familiar knock at her door. Her brother always knocked firmly and unapologetically. "Come in," she said, sitting up a little straighter at her desk that she lounged against.
He started inside, closing the door behind him stiffly. Still, he was silent, and she didn't wait for him to collect his thoughts.
"I know why you're here. I heard about the little commotion earlier, in the hallway" she said, eyeing him, even if she pretended not to.
His gaze flickered to her. "Little commotion? It was embarrassing, Savannah, to have someone talk about our family like that."
"Well, I can't help it if he's some crybaby who can't handle rejection," she said as a throwaway line, with a flick of her pen. "And by the way, I don't need you to defend me. I am perfectly capable of doing that myself, you know."
"I'm not just going to let someone say that about you," he said, folding his arms. Ah, there were the muscles the girls all raved about, she thought, with a roll of her eyes. It was annoying to not be able to sit through one assembly, without hearing some of the girls giggling when they saw him. "You should be focusing on your studies, not causing drama."
"I am focusing on my studies," she replied, gesturing to the many books set out in front of her. It was all she'd been doing all afternoon and evening. "I'm perfectly capable of managing myself, thank you." Why did he care, anyway? It was easier for him to score better than her, if she didn't study. Wasn't that what he cared about?
"I'd hope so," he replied, clearing his throat and glancing towards the door, as if he wasn't sure how to leave.
She didn't let him escape that easily, setting down her pen and turning to him fully. "And? Why do you care, anyway? Can't let our family name be tarnished? Is that it?"
He stared at her for a moment, before looking annoyed. "Don't be stupid. You're my sister – of course I'm not going to let them say that about you."
"Always the 'noble' one," she said, rolling her eyes. "You're not here with your posse and adoring fans right now. You can say what you really mean. No point in hiding it."
She got a death stare in return. "I meant what I said."
While she worked at reading his expression and tone, she was surprised to find he seemed sincere enough. She didn't know what to reply, used to their sibling rivalry and banter, not to some kind of strange wholesome moment. "… Right. Well, better get back to your studies then," was all she replied, looking back down at her books. "Wouldn't want your ranking to slip."
"Yeah. You too," he replied. She heard him pause for a moment, before she listened to his footsteps recede as he made his way back into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind him.
Still unsure of how to process his words, she stared back down at her book, carefully pushing away the lingering uncertainty. It was best if she didn't let herself get distracted.
~~ Kellan, Zach & Grace ~~
Early morning swims at the beach were Kellan's favourite. Out past the waves, he floated on his back for a long moment, staring at the sky. It was hard to know what could be a better start to the morning than this – the sea breeze whipping at his hair, and the cold water enough to shake off any remaining sleepiness. He never felt more alive than when he was in nature.
Eventually, he started to swim back to shore, knowing that he and Zach still needed to train and go out for a hunt. Often Zach and Grace would come for a swim too, a little later in the day, but he'd just felt like going out alone to sift through his thoughts. The water parted with ease as he did his strokes, lapping up the sun and the sound of the waves splashing against a rock in the distance.
Making it onto the beach, he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair to try and dry it a little. Picking up his towel, he dried himself off, finding his boardshorts were still a little wet, but he didn't mind. He was lucky to live at an Institute so close to the beach, and he walked back, pushing through the gates and starting through the grassy courtyard.
Looking up at the top of the stairs, he saw Zach there in his Shadowhunter gear, and he almost waved and called out to him, until he noticed his expression.
"What's wrong?" he asked instead, increasing his pace as he started up the stairs and stopped near him.
"An Inspector is coming from Alicante in like ten minutes. Dad's in no state to see them," Zach replied, straight to the point, as always.
Kellan swore under his breath, his expression immediately sobering. "Right I'll-… I'll just get dressed into my gear and I'll meet with them. I'll handle it. You keep an eye on Grace."
"No, I'll talk to them with you," Zach said, a little stubbornly. "Just because you're the oldest, doesn't mean it's all on you."
"You don't need to, really-…" Kellan started to say, although he stopped at Zach's look.
"There's no time. Just go," Zach said, nodding towards the door.
Giving a sound of agreement, Kellan hurried inside, taking the steps two at a time as he rushed to get to his room. He tried hard to keep things together for his siblings, and it felt like a failing on his part if he couldn't do it. But Zach was stubborn enough, and it wasn't like he had time to argue with him. He got dressed into his Shadowhunter gear in record time, drying his hair off a little more before he rejoined Zach back near the front door.
He could see the tenseness to Zach's posture, and he reached out to touch his arm briefly, in a quick acknowledgement, feeling him relax slightly. "We've got this," he assured him, before straightening and lowering his hand when he saw the ripple of a Portal in the courtyard as someone stepped through.
The Clave inspector was dressed in her own Shadowhunter gear, her hair tied up into a tight bun. She analysed them as she walked over closer. "You are Kellan and ZacharySpringfeather, I assume? Is your father coming to meet us?"
Well, it seemed they wouldn't even get the opportunity to introduce themselves. "Yes, that's right," Kellan replied, with a friendly smile. "You must be Prudence, I take it? Our father is busy meeting with the head of the local vampire clan at their headquarters. I'm sorry he couldn't be here to meet with you, although I'm sure you understand this was all arranged at short notice. We weren't expecting a visit today." He kept his tone polite and sincere. Lying was something he hated, but if it protected his family, then he'd do it. "In any case, he left Zach and myself to meet with you. We know all the ins and outs of the Institute, after all. We regularly help out where we can."
"Is that so?" she replied, eyeing him again for another long moment. "It's good to see young Shadowhunters like yourselves stepping up into some responsibilities. Still, your father has missed a number of our meetings. He better not miss the next one – he should consider it a priority."
"Of course. We'll be sure to let him know," Zach responded, clearing his throat. "We apologise, again."
As she moved to walk inside, Kellan followed her in, knowing that they would need to make sure she didn't go anywhere near their father's room. "It's just your family that lives here, yes?" she asked, although he was sure she already knew the answer. "Yourselves, your father, and your younger sister, Grace?"
"That's right," Kellan agreed. "Although from time to time we get visitors."
"That's good. It's a lot for just your family to manage alone. Especially when your sister is too young to go on hunts herself."
"We appreciate the extra help when we get it. But really, things have always been manageable here," Kellan assured her, falling into pace with her as she glanced at the main room and a couple of side rooms.
She went into the usual questioning line of how many hunts there had been lately, and what demons were active in the area, as well as touching on the subject of Downworlders. Kellan already knew all of the answers off by heart, so at least they were easy to respond to, and Zach helped to chime in as well.
Thankfully, she eventually ended her inquisition, without managing to explore the rooms upstairs. "Like I said, I expect your father to be in attendance next time. It would be a shame if the Institute had to be passed onto someone else."
It was only a vague threat, but it was enough to make Kellan feel a little sick. The Institute was their home, where they had all grown up. He could not imagine what would happen if someone else took it over. Forcing himself to keep it together, he gave her a small smile. "We understand – our father is only diligent in his tasks. But of course you will see him next time."
"Good. I will be expecting him," she replied, giving them both one last glance, before she started away.
Zach exhaled slowly after she'd left, looking over at him. "We're lucky she didn't look around too much. That was too close of a call."
Kellan nodded, trying to keep his worries to himself. "I know, but we've handled this before, and we'll handle it again. Besides, it won't be like this every time."
Zach gave a sigh, before glancing up the stairs. "You should probably go and see Grace. She was worried when she heard the inspector was coming. I didn't really have time to reassure her. Besides, you're always better at that than I am."
"I've got it." Kellan gave him a brief, tired smile, before he started up the stairs, heading to Grace's room. She was too young to have to worry about such things.
"Grace?" he said, knocking on her door. When there was no answer, he frowned. "Grace, I'm coming in," he called out, opening the door and starting inside. Her room was dark with the curtains drawn closed, and it took his eyes a moment to adjust, before he spotted a body hiding under the quilt.
"Grace…" he said, moving to sit on the bed beside her. "I know you're there. It's okay, the inspector's gone now."
"Is it true what she said?" Grace mumbled, and he could tell she'd been crying earlier from the subtle wobble in her voice. The sound broke his heart. "That they might take the Institute from Dad? They might take our home?"
"No, that's not going to happen." Kellan kept a firmness to his voice, so she'd know he meant it. "I know how the Institute works, and I'm getting older, so they'll take me more seriously now. I'll take over things for Dad when he needs it. Help him out. And if need be one day then… I'll run it. We'll be fine."
Of course, it wasn't like Kellan would be their first choice to run an Institute, with his fae blood. But that didn't mean he wouldn't try like hell to make it happen. Running an Institute hadn't exactly been something he'd ever had a burning passion for, but he'd do it for them. What was family, if not the people that one would sacrifice themselves for, day in and day out? They meant the world to him.
"Really?" Grace sniffled, and he nodded, although he knew she wouldn't be able to see it.
"Really," he promised, inhaling. "Now, will you come out from under there? It's not easy talking to something without a face," he said, lightly.
He heard her shift, before she cast the quilt aside, instead giving him a tight hug, burying her head in his chest. "Thanks Kellan. You're the best big brother."
Kellan laughed, easily casting his arms around her to hug her back. "I can't take all the credit. I know you love Zach just as much." He rubbed her back, in a reassuring manner. "But I can definitely say you're the best little sister."
"Hey, I'm your only little sister," Grace said in a light indignance. "That's not fair."
"But it's true," he chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Now come on, let's get you trained up. You can't hole up in here all day, and we'll need your backup in the future."
"Okay. Let's go," she agreed, drawing back and wiping at her eyes quickly, before she got to her feet, jumping off the bed. "I'm going to train really hard. I want to be an even better Shadowhunter than you are, one day."
Kellan couldn't help his smile, the fondness evident in his gaze. "I'm sure you will be."
~~ Naya, Devi & Ches ~~
Knocking on the door of the Valewood'smanor house, Naya was surprised to find it was Ches who opened the door.
"Oh, hey Ches," she said, giving the boy a friendly smile. "Is Dev in?"
"Yeah. Of course he is," Ches said, opening the door up for her. "Everyone else is out at some ceremony in Alicante."
"Why aren't you there then?" Naya asked, raising an eyebrow at him as she started inside.
"I didn't want to go. Besides, Dev was staying behind, so it was only fair that I could too."
"Right…" Naya replied, drawing out the word as she started towards the stairs. "Lucky Dev is stuck with babysitting duties then, I'm guessing."
"Hey, I'm not a baby," Ches protested, but the manner in which he did it, only made her laugh. He sounded more like a kid than ever, when he said such things.
"Yeah, yeah. I was only kidding," she said, as she started up the stairs with ease, hearing Ches follow up behind her.
Making it to Devi's door, she knocked, before waiting nearby. "Hey. You up for some company?" she called out so that he'd know it was her.
There was a muffled reply, before Devi opened his door. His hair was ruffled, and he looked like he hadn't slept in a week, although he tried to hide it by straightening up and running his fingers through his hair. She felt a hint of worry, knowing he didn't have the best track record when it came to sleep. "Sorry, I would've tidied up if I knew you were coming."
She was about to say it was fine, when Ches piped up. "You probably don't want to see Dev tonight. He's been moping around in his room all day. Probably in some bad mood or something." Devi glanced over at him with an embarrassed frown, although he didn't say anything.
"Ches-…" Naya said, giving him a look.
Ches didn't seem to take the hint, interrupting her. "What? He has been. You'd think someone had died or something, by the way he's been sulking."
"Ches, that's enough. You shouldn't talk to your brother like that," Naya chastised. She'd been terrible with kids before she'd met Devi and got to know his family. Now they were like her own second family. "Especially if he's been having a bad day. Now, apologise," she said expectantly, quick to defend Devi.
"You can't make me," Ches, replied, folding his arms.
"Naya it's okay, really," Devi said, looking embarrassed by the whole situation.
Still, Naya stared Ches down. "If you don't apologise, I'm going to tell your mother that you were mean to your brother. And I'm never going to bring you any lollies, ever again. Or any desserts that my cook makes."
"What? That's not fair," Ches pouted, hesitating for a moment, before he finally looked over at Devi. "I'm sorry," he said in a bit of a huff, before averting his gaze.
"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Naya said, giving him another glance, before she slipped past Devi to head into his room.
Devi shook his head lightly as he closed his door. "Bribing him with treats? Isn't that illegal or something?"
"Not for me," she laughed, heading further into his room. She could sense a nervous energy from him, and it only made her feel more worried for him. "I can stay the night if you don't have any other plans?"
"When do I ever have any other plans?" Devi pointed out, although he grew quiet again, fiddling with his jacket sleeve as he sat down on the edge of his bed. "I'm not in the best mood for company. That part wasn't wrong."
"I don't care," Naya said, sitting down beside him on the bed. "I pledged to be your partner through everything, right? The good and the bad."
"Okay…" Devi replied, adjusting to get more comfortable on the bed. "If you're sure. I was just giving you an out, if you wanted it."
"Are you? Okay though?" Naya asked, looked over at him subtly. She could sense the anxiousness through their parabatai bond, finding it troubling.
"Yeah, I'll be okay," Devi replied with a nod, although she sensed he wasn't giving the full answer. Didn't he know he didn't have to reassure her? "Just need like… a decent sleep or something like that."
"Well, don't let me keep you from that. But I'll keep you company until you fall asleep," she said, squeezing his arm lightly, before she moved to lay down on the bed, grabbing a pillow for under her head.
"Thanks Naya," he swallowed, pausing for a moment, before he finally laid down beside her. Being there with him was reassuring in a way that she couldn't quite express. Things had always felt right when they were together, and she just hoped that he felt it too.
~~ Milo and Rye ~~
At a soft knock at his door, Milo was startled from his sleep, quickly opening his eyes. What time was it? Glancing at his clock, he groaned when he saw it was one thirty in the morning. Seriously?
The knock sounded again, along with a quiet, "Milo?" The voice was young and undoubtedly his brother's, and he finally sat up after a moment, flicking on the lamp beside his bed. Why couldn't he have a more normal brother?
"Yeah? What's up?" he replied, yawning and squinting as he glanced over towards the door.
Rye slipped inside, walking over to his bed. "I had a bad dream," he said with a worried frown, pulling at his pajama top. "Something was coming to get us. Something scary."
"You know it's just a dream," he said, raking his fingers through his hair. "It's not real. It's probably just a side effect of your medication or something."
"But it felt real." Rye bit his lip, glancing between him and his bed. "Can I… sleep with you tonight?"
The idea wasn't really one he wanted to consider. If he let him do it once, then he'd likely ask all the time, wouldn't he? "Why'd you come to me? You should've gone to Mum and Dad or something. Like usual."
"But I wanted to see you," Rye said, hislight grey eyes puffy as if he'd been crying.
He resisted the urge to sigh, feeling a little bad. "You can't sleep here, but I'll come and put you back to bed, okay?"
Rye looked disappointed, but he nodded after a moment, keeping quiet.
"Right," he said, pushing the sheets away as he got up. "Let's go then."
Resting a hand on Rye's shoulder, he urged him towards the hallway. Continuing down it, they headed towards Rye's room, going inside.
Leading Rye over to his bed, he got him to lie down again, drawing the sheets and quilt over him. "It was just a dream, remember? You need to focus on something else."
"I-… I know," Rye stammered, blinking a few times before staring up at him. "I try to."
This time he did sigh, before gesturing for him to move over. "I'll stay here for a bit. But once you fall asleep, I'll head off. Okay?"
Rye's eyes lit up, and he quickly moved to the side. "Okay."
Reclining on the other side of the bed, he rested his back against the headboard. Reaching over, he flicked off the lamp. "Good. Now, you should try and get to sleep. It's really late. Mum and Dad will kill me if they think I kept you up."
"It's not your fault," Rye replied, closing his eyes after a moment. Of course it wasn't, but they always liked to blame him for things. At least he was due to start at the Academy in a month, so he'd get to spend some time away from them and how stifling they could be. The room was silent for a long moment, and he almost thought Rye might have fallen asleep until he heard him mumble, "Milo?"
"Yeah?" he said, glancing down at him.
"I love you," Rye said, sleepily, his hair falling over his forehead as he shifted to get himself more comfortable.
"Yeah. You too," Milo replied, letting the room fall into silence once again.
~~ Savannah & Nathan ~~
Stepping out of the Portal, Savannah inhaled the air from her second home. Madrid had always held a special place in her heart, considering her family's trips there when she'd been younger. It was where she'd been able to put her practical skills into action, and learn about what working at an Institute entailed.
The Institute itself was breathtaking, with the appearance of a Gothic style cathedral on the outside, and the inside decorated with warm stained-glass windows giving the main rooms a burst of colour when the sun shone on them, and hand-cut mosaic tiles making up the appearance of carnations, the national flower of Spain. She'd been to a number of Institutes, but none had ever compared.
Strolling through the Institute, she looked around to see whether much had changed since her last visit, having purposely picked a time that was likely to be less busy so that she'd be uninterrupted. Making it to the room she often used as her own when she stayed – it was one of the guestrooms, but it was always left free for her – she set her bags and her sheathed seraph blade down, finding that little had changed.
Her next point of call was her brother's study. Slipping inside, she didn't hide the fact that she'd been snooping around, sitting on the edge of his desk and sifting through the papers in the drawers. Her brother had been a pain getting into her business in New York, so it was only fair that she returned the favour. Nathan had always been good at neat handwriting and notes, and she perused through any that looked interesting, curious to see where the Institute was currently at.
After a while, she heard some voices in the hallway, although she didn't stop, undaunted to be caught. There was a sound at the door, before her brother appeared, looking more than surprised to see her. "Savannah?" he frowned, his gaze going to the papers in her hand that she'd been gazing at. He spoke in Spanish, the language that was one of the most native on their tongues, along with English. "I wasn't expecting a visit."
"I thought I'd surprise you, dear brother," she said sweetly in the same language, setting the papers down on the desk. "Like you did to me in New York. Aren't you glad to see me?"
His expression looked more annoyed than anything, closing the door behind him as he walked over to his desk to neaten the stack she'd previously been holding, tucking it back into the desk drawer. "Maybe I would be, if you weren't going through all of my things. This is a private study, you know."
"Private, hey? I don't know if you know the meaning of the word," she said smartly, combing her fingers through her hair. "I was just catching up on the Institute affairs."
"You could've just asked me," he pointed out, straightening when he'd finished fixing his desk. "How long are you planning on staying?"
"As long as I feel like," she said with a casual shrug. "Surely you could use the extra help with hunts around here."
He took a moment, before she could tell that he'd pushed his frustration aside. "An Institute can always use extra hands. You know you are always welcome here. Although a little warning would be nice next time."
She merely laughed, leaning back on her hands. "I'll keep that in mind." Eyeing him, she tried to read into his expression. "How have you found being the Head? I assume you settled into the role a while ago."
Nathan gave a nod, a subtle hint of pride to his posture. "Yes, everything is going well. We have a good team here. I make sure to keep everything in order."
"I'm sure you do," she responded, glancing around the room again. Their parents had always expected Nathan to Head an Institute while he was still young, and he'd achieved it. While Savannah had originally set out with the intention of gaining the position of Head of the New York Institute, things had changed when she'd managed to get the role of the Shadowhunter representative to the Seelie. It was a different kind of role – one even more coveted and hard to get than the Head of an Institute. She'd been more than proud of herself for getting it, knowing it had proved her worth to her family. Things had unfortunately been messed up, however, with everything that had gone down. Still, she was ambitious enough to aim to claw her way up into a higher position again.
"Is your fiancée here?" she asked, returning her gaze to him. "I hope to get a chance to chat with her. Make sure you're treating her right and all." It was simply a tease to amuse herself – she was well aware that her brother would have played the perfect gentleman, as he was so good at doing. Whether it be his parents wishes or his own ambition – he was good at pleasing.
"Yes, she's here. I'm sure you'll run into her during your stay," he replied, casting her a look as if to tell her to behave in any interactions with her. "It's a shame about your engagement. Jesse was a good fit, from a notable family. It would have been good for you to settle down."
She hardly needed him to tell her that, when she'd received enough lectures from their parents, and she merely rolled her eyes. "I tired of him, and his usefulness had reached its limit. Settling down isn't exactly on my agenda."
Nathan gave her a carefully neutral look. Still, she could read him enough to tell that he was disappointed, but not surprised. "You know what's expected of you. And you also know that answer won't cut it with our parents."
"Lucky they have their star child getting married soon then," she said, gesturing towards him with a flourish. "You'd better hurry up and seal the deal."
He didn't respond to her words, still analyzing her. "And that faerie in New York. Are you over him?"
"Don't ask stupid questions." She kept carefully neutral herself, refusing to give anything away. It was none of his business, and his question only annoyed her. "You know my attentions don't last long."
"Good. You know our family's past history with faeries. It's best not to get involved." At his words, she took a slow breath, trying to stifle her annoyance. "You've got enough on your plate, anyway."
"I don't need a lecture," she stated, finally getting to her feet. "I'd better go unpack and get freshened up."
"Right. Well, I'll let you know about any hunts that come up," he said, with a brief nod.
"I'll be waiting," she said before starting to the door and opening it. "I look forward to seeing how you like to run an Institute." With that, she left before he could reply, shutting the door behind her and starting down the hall.
She didn't plan on spending too long in Madrid, but it wouldn't hurt to familiarize herself with the Institute and the city again. And perhaps she would annoy her brother just enough to make him think twice about getting involved in her business again.