A Love Worth Saving (A Will/Tessa - Infernal Devices Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Ten

Chapter ten

Will

Will lifted his head up lazily as someone, he couldn't see who, opened his curtains to let in too bright light almost blind him. He let his head fall back on the bed, groaning loudly.

"Sophie," he mumbled from his pillow. "Blasted woman, what are you doing? It's..." he rolled over and checked his clock on the bed side table. "It's midday." He should have been alarmed that he'd slept so late, but he didn't much care.

"William," said a deep voice.

When Will looked over to the figure standing by the window, who was, in turn, staring unhappily down at Will, he had to clear his eyes of the haze and blinked a few times.

"You're not Sophie."

"No, Will. I am not Sophie. I am your best friend, your parabatai. Now, for the love of the angel, will you please, please, talk to me?" Jem sat on the end of the bed, looking truly worried and Will had to swallow back guilt and, if he was honest, nausea. He had clearly drunk too much the night before. "I have two days until my wedding, my one chance at ending my life happily, and you're dallying about ruining your life. Will, you have the whole life ahead of you, please make it longer than mine."

Will's eyes widened in horror at the words his best friend was saying, trying to bite back protests, as he saw Jem purse his lips much like the way Tessa does when she's annoyed. He fell back on the pillow and groaned again. Tessa.

Will felt his forehead; his head was killing him and he was sweating. The sunlight coming through the window was almost too much for him. He shuffled himself to lean over the edge of the bed, ignoring the unimpressed looks from Jem, and noticed a bucket beside the bed.

"I thought you might need it," Jem mused. "It's a good thing I'm such a considerate friend."

Will wasn't completely oblivious to the sarcasm in the tone, but chose to ignore that also. With a massive heave of his chest, and an ache in his head, he threw up in the bucket. Feeling completely drained and not up to whatever Jem had in store for him, he curled up under his covers, blocking out the world.

"If you're going to be a child, then no wonder no one treats you with respect." commented Jem, still not moving. Even under covers, Will could sense the burning gaze of his friend's eyes.

"James, please. Can't you see I'm suffering?"

"You could just give yourself an iratze, but that would be cheating, correct? Maybe you'd feel better staying in bed all day."

Will lifted away the covers from his head and stared at his friend. "I would very much love that."

With a wicked grin, his friend grabbed the covers from Will's grip and dragged them completely off his body. When Will shrieked, Jem said, "I can't let you stay in and mope. You have to come out and live the day just like the rest of us. Besides, I need to discuss wedding vows."

With a raise of an eyebrow Will said, "You haven't written them yet?"

"No, because I was hoping you would help me."

Will shook his head. "You don't need my help, James. You're perfectly capable of writing your own vows. I'd only ruin it for you."

"Nonsense," his friend said with a sheepish grin. "You're much better at words than I am. All that poetry you read must come in useful at some point,"

"I really don't think that is such a good idea," said Will. Jem stood and walked over to the window. As he looked out, Will could just about see his friend's reflection and wondered when he'd grown up so fast. They weren't even eighteen yet, and still, there was something about Jem that appeared almost wise and secure. Maybe it was getting engaged that had changed him, or the prospect of happiness? Will wondered if he had changed, himself.