Shadowhunters- Night of the Christmas party

Snowflake kisses

When Tessa pulled away from my kiss I still couldn't believe she had said yes. I thought i'd be rejected kindly, left standing for all eternity, slowly crumbling to dust. As Tessa bent to pick up the shawl she dropped, I vaguely thought in my mind, "Pulvis et umbra sumus." She smiled and my heart warmed up as she took my hand and lead me back inside. "We are but dust and shadows," the translation coming into my mind. But to make shadows you must first need a sun. And I stared as the lamps on the walls hit Tessa with a soft yellow glow. She was not only my sun, but my moon, and all my stars. As we came close to the ballroom, sounds of laughter and talk bustled out. Tessa turned and slightly pouted, "We missed the poetry contest." I laughed, "You were going to win anyways." "Or you, but we still can enter the dancing contest." "Dancing! Oh my stars, there's no out is there?" Tessa dimpled and twirled against my arms, "When in London.." I would've grumbled, but I was way too happy as I twirled her around, whispering, "I believe the correct term is 'When in Rome' but I would dance with you anywhere." She stopped, gray eyes widening, and I my stomach turned. Had I said something wrong? Yet she just came closer and sank her arms around me, and I muzzled her neck. She said softly into my shoulder, "I love you," and I felt like the luckiest man alive.

As we entered into the ballroom I felt joyous. Everything was peaceful, as if a mass tornado had flown by and we had finally recovered. Soft violin music filled the ball room, and my heart slightly ached remembering Jem. He was a wound in my heart that could never be closed, yet it surprised me to say that I thought I could actually be happy once again. "Look," Tessa said, bringing back my attention. She was pointing to Henry who was at the middle of the dance floor, and on his lap a beaming Charlotte. He was using little buttons on his armrest to turn them this way, and that. Tess pulled my arm to the dance floor, and before I knew it we were swinging to the tune. I knew basic ball room dancing, but Tessa seemed like a pro! There was a point where I had to twist Tessa away, and Cecily came into my arms. I looked startled, seeing that Tessa was now dancing with Gabriel. Cecily drew my attention to her by stepping on my foot. "Ouch," I said remorsefully. She rolled her blue eyes, and said, "Oh quit it, you proposed to Tessa, didn't you?" I almost took a wrong step, "How did you figure?" "Well for starters your flushed, and your hair is all out of place." I reached up to straighten my hair, but she used my hand to twirl herself. "Also you look like you've just won a huge bet, and the winnings are grand." I looked sheepishly at my little sister, "How'd you deduct all that?" "Guesses are that the crazy glint in father's eyes are heretical," she said twirling herself back into Gabriel's arms. Tessa, after a quick search of the ballroom was near the massive Christmas tree, and I stared as the glass runes reflected on her skin making her look like a shadow hunter. But it was alright, I loved her the way she was, and that was enough for me.