An alternate world where Simon stops following Baz around at the end of 7th year. We open on 8th year Baz contemplating Simon's change of behavior… and kinda panicking over it.

Enjoy!

Ch1: Why is Simon not following me!

BAZ

It was weird. More than weird, it was wrong.

Simon Snow was not following me.

I took a slow turn about the catacombs, sniffing the air, trying to find some hint of cinnamon and smoke.

But only cold damp algae and the pungent scent of rat blood filled my nose.

What the hell was going on?

Where is the obnoxious prat?

Simon had been following me around for years. Ever since beginning of fourth year when he'd caught a glimpse of my fangs.

Simon's reaction had been, odd.

We hadn't been on the best of terms before then, but we at least tolerated one another.

Well, more like I taunted Simon, and Simon was just clueless.

He seemed to not truly understand what it meant to be the Mage's heir. I sneered, Simon didn't understand anything.

Not the Old Families.

Not the history of tension between them and the Coven and the Mage.

Not even magic.

Clueless almost felt like an understatement.

But Simon wasn't an idiot, he just didn't know.

I couldn't help but smile at the memory of Simon's face lighting up in wonder simply at seeing someone cast Let there be light! to turn their wand into a flashlight.

It was ridiculous.

It was simple.

But not to Simon.

It was difficult seeing Simon look so enchanted by everything around him while I tried to retain an air of aloofness.

I constantly showed off my magic to the boy wonder who couldn't cast a simple Cutting corners to trim a circle without nearly slicing anyone nearby to pieces.

I'd haughtily laugh and taunt Snow, showing him how inferior he was.

I told myself it was to prove how right the Old Families were about diluted blood. That putting Simon in his place was necessary.

It was expected of me to be his enemy after all.

But the truth was that I just wanted to get a glimpse of that wonder on Simon's face. To see his eyes spark with excitement at seeing beautiful magic and know I was the reason behind it.

It was addictive.

The problem of course was that with enough time, the light no longer shined in Simon's eyes. Instead, they filled with disappointment and a fair amount of resentment.

By end of third year Simon no longer smiled when I cast.

He'd simply walk away, rolling his eyes.

This should have made me back off. But I'm never one to back down. Admittedly I grew annoyed, telling myself how grateful Simon should be to see proper magic.

Upping the taunting of course.

Until it all backfired.

I couldn't even remember what I'd said that day, something cruel probably, and Simon had gone off.

His magic exploded telling me I have a Big mouth. The words alone shouldn't have done anything, Simon wasn't even holding his wand.

But somehow the words wrenched through me and my fangs involuntarily descend in a loud snap.

We both had been so startled, we simply stared at one another, until I regained my senses, slapping a hand over my mouth and hightailing it the fuck out of there.

It took several hours for the fangs to finally retract. And few more to feel confident enough to leave my hiding place in the catacombs.

I shook with fear, though I tried to appear calm.

I just knew Simon had probably told everyone. That I'd be kicked out of school if not killed.

Under the cover of night, I made my way back to the room, ready for a fight. Ready for anything really.

But neither the Mage, the Coven, or even my family was waiting.

Just Simon, sitting calmly on his bed.

He'd looked at me with an incredibly piercing gaze.

"You're a vampire then." It was a statement.

I gritted my teeth.

"Just because you cast a weird spell on me doesn't mean anything!" I growled venomously.

Simon said nothing for a moment, just looked at me, making my skin crawl.

"You honestly expect me to believe a spell for revealing secrets just made you grow fangs?" His brow cocked upward. A look dangerously attractive for a boy of only fourteen.

"And you expect me to believe you didn't do something else to me when you weren't even holding your wand?" I tossed back.

I was grasping at straws. But Simon's volatile and unexpected magic had been witnessed often enough that maybe I could pin the blame on him.

Simon's brows had drawn in deeply.

"Honestly Simon, do you really think anyone would believe such a ridiculous accusation? From a bloody half-Normal no less." I had viciously bit out.

Simon was silent, watching me so closely.

And then, Simon did the unthinkable.

He turned off his lamp and went to sleep.

It took me a long time to remove my jaw from the floor.

I nearly smirked now just remembering how incredulous I'd been.

Simon Snow had seen my descended fangs, and somehow wasn't running off to tell everyone about it.

Shocked as I was, I believed I'd somehow convinced Simon he was responsible.

It only took a few weeks to realize how wrong I was.

To notice Simon was following me.

The following and watching would become a constant in my life. Only short summers were a reprieve to the intense gaze.

For the past three years, I lived with the scrutiny. With my 'second shadow' as Dev and Niall liked to tease.

But not anymore.

For the past month since his return to Watford, Simon Snow had not been bothering me.

I'd known something had changed at the end of last term.

Simon had come back from one the Mage's missions looking particularly run-down. I'd chalked it up to an intense battle with the Humdrum, but even as the last few weeks of school passed, Simon didn't really seem to recover.

I'd left for break half-concerned, but quickly pushed the thoughts from my mind. I certainly had better things to do than worry about Simon Snow.

I just knew it would all be resolved before next term.

Only, it wasn't the case at all.

Simon came back looking even more gaunt and ramshackle than ever before.

His appearance was staggering.

I was difficult to even look at him at first.

Some of the natural glow started to come back to his cheeks, his clothes hung a little less loosely.

But even as he slowly put on more weight, Simon was just acting off.

He doesn't follow me anymore.

He doesn't watch me either.

Hell, he barely even glances in my direction.

For all intents and purposes, Simon was acting as if I didn't even exist!

It was intolerable.

All these years I thought I hated the way Simon watched me, ever distrustful. But now I realized, despite the annoyance, I liked it.

I liked Simon following me, because that meant I knew where he was.

I liked being first in Simon's thoughts, even suspicious ones.

I liked being the center of Simon's world, even if it was as his enemy.

Now?

Did I mean anything to Simon at all?

Troubled, I wandered the catacombs feeding half-heartedly from the few scurrying rats left roaming there.

Feeling more than a little defeated, I returned to our room a little earlier than usual.

It was just after seven, meaning Simon would be down in the dining hall eating with Penny. Maybe if I hurried, I could catch a glimpse, before returning to the room to eat in peace.

Only, as I walked through the door of the room, I found my plans foiled.

Simon was sitting at his desk, elbows propped up on either side of the book he appeared to be reading, face in his hands.

His head popped up momentarily, taking note of my entrance, before returning his eyes to the page.

See this is what I was talking about!

Old Simon would have drawn his brows in, questioning me about my whereabouts for the last hour.

Well, actually, Old Simon wouldn't be reading in the room. Or even be in the room.

"Why aren't you eating?" The words fell out of my mouth before I realized I even had the intention of speaking.

Simon lifted his head, a comical tilt to his lips as he assessed me.

"Feels strange to be on this side of the conversation." He mused, making me want to blush. "I'll eat after I finish this."

His tone was non-committal, and it was driving me crazy.

"Since when do you wait to eat?" Again, I was having a difficult time controlling my words.

What the hell was going on?

Simon's smirk slowly faded, and he shrugged turning back to his book.

"People change."

The words felt darker and deeper than the conversation at hand, and I couldn't help but wonder what had changed so drastically in Simon's life that this was his response.

It worried me.

My undead heart ached.

"Are you…okay?" This time I meant to ask it.

In the past I wouldn't have dared show concern for my nemesis, well supposed nemesis. But New Simon was making it very difficult to remain the condescending twat I normally was.

Simon's light (and somewhat humorless) laugh had my eyes snapping to his face.

It was eerie to see him smiling without it reaching his eyes.

He looked as if something was on the tip of his tongue, just begging to be said. I watched as the urge passed and Simon slowly rose from his seat.

He gathered his bag and book with unhurried but purposeful movements and walked out the door without another word.

AN: An idea in my head that I couldn't get rid of without typing it out. I have a few more 'chapters' but I'm not sure if this is going to be a whole story.