Mix-Up

Tess

A/N: To save this chapter being impossibly long, I'll post Clace's version tomorrow. Provided I've written it by tomorrow, that is. I'm going to do my best to spotlight each ship as much as possible, but I'm still finding my footing with this, especially trying to write four ships at once. Thank you all so much for reading, it means the world!
***
Tessa sat bolt upright, forgetting her lack of clothes.
Blinking, she located the source of the noise and grabbed her phone off the bedside table, not bothering to cover herself.
The curtains were still closed, and it wasn't anything Will hadn't already seen.
Who was still asleep.
Ignoring the pounding in her head that no doubt was the start of a mammoth hangover, she peered at the screen.

Jem: Tessa, are you okay? Cecily said you didn't come home last night. Has something happened? Let me know you're okay. Xx

A fresh wave of horror washed over her.
Jem. Her boyfriend. Will's best mate.
Shit.
Tessa quietly ran through her reportire of swear words.
"And I thought could swear. Dang, Tess, you can swear like a billingsgate fishwife."
"How you woo me with your charms." Tessa responded dryly.
Will sat up, wincing. "That's the highest compliment a Welshman can give a lady."
Despite herself, Tessa blushed. "Well, thank you."
Will smiled, leaning closer.  "You know," He began conversationally. "In Wales, it's customary for a lady to give thanks for such a compliment."
Tessa raised an eyebrow. "I said thank you, did I not?"
Will smiled his quicksilver grin. "I didn't mean by saying thank you."
Will leaned forward to kiss her, and almost against her will, she kissed him back.
Will's phone started bleeping, which he studiously ignored.
Only when it began screaming did he break away, swearing in Welsh.
"What?" Will snapped.
There was a mumoured response on the other hand, which Tessa couldn't hear.
"Jem." Will went pale. "Tessa? No, I haven't seen her. Is she not with you? Or Cecy?"
This time, Jem's response was loud enough for Tessa to hear.
"No. Cecy said she hasn't come home. Nor has Clary."
"Clary's with Simon, mate."
Both Will & Tessa had a pretty good idea where Clary actually was, and it wasn't with Simon.
Will didn't tell Jem that.
"Is she? That's a relief, Sebastian's been going apeshit."
Sebastian was Clary's older brother, though not biologically.
Clary had been adopted when she was little.
"Why don't you try ringing her?"
"What a good idea! I can't believe I didn't think of that!"
"Alright, no need to be snarky. Tessa'll be fine. She's not made of china, mate."
Tessa blushed.
"I'll try getting Cecily to ring her, then." Jem said, pausing to yell something to Cecily.
Will panicked. "Could you at least wait until you get off the phone from me?"
Texas's phone began to ring. Doing the first thing she could think of, she threw it against the wall, where it smashed.
Will snorted.
"What was that noise?" Jem sounded confused.
"Oh- er- it was Jessie's phone, that's all."
"Will." Jem sounded revolted. "You're still in bed? It's three o'clock."
Tessa swore silently.
"I have a hangover." Will said, doing his best to sound affronted.
"Ugh. Well, let me know if you see Tessa."
"Uh huh. Will do." Will slammed the phone down, breathing a sign of relief. "That was close."
Tessa squealed. "You think? And now I need a phone."
Will yawned. "I'll buy you a new one."
"When?"
Will looked at her. "Get dressed. I'll take you home."
"And say what?"
"That I found you asleep in a spare room this morning. Tess, what kind of fool do you take me for?"
"Get dressed in what, though? I can't exactly wear my dress from last night; that'd be the true walk of shame."
"You brought leggings, didn't you? In case you got tired?"
Tessa nodded.
"And you can wear one of my t-shirts. No-one'll think anything of it; they'll know I'm the only one awake. Jace'll be comatose for the next few hours at least; he always is."
Tessa weakened. "Oh, alright."
Normally she would have been freaking out, but Will's presence was very calming.
No doubt she'd freak out later, though.
Tessa knew they were going to have to talk about last night, but she was happy to put that off until it was unavoidable.
"Oh, Tess?"
"Yes?"
"You snore."
Tessa was outraged. "I do not."
Will laughed. "Yes, you do."
"Well, you hog the sheets."
"I'm well aware of that. And by the way, I happen to find your snoring endearing."
Tessa smiled. "What are you doing?"
"Chatting you up. I usually would have done it last night, but I didn't really get much chance."
"Do stop it, Will. We're in enough of a mess as it is."
Will's face drained of colour. "Crap. You're right."
Tessa knew the fact that they'd both forgotten Jem was inexcusable. Not to have only done what they did, but laugh and giggle and flirt and kiss the next morning as though Jem didn't exist.
"Right. Let's get dressed then, and get you a new phone and some lunch. I'm starving, and none of us can cook."
******
Will made a face. "Avacado? Really, Tess?"
"Yes, Will. Avocado. It's not duck, calm down." Tessa answered, noting in her head that Will hadn't called her Tessa once since last night.
"Will?"
"That's my name."
"Why do you call me Tess?"
Will set his cup of tea down hesitantly.
"I guess," He said slowly. "That you're not Tessa to me anymore."
Tessa felt her cheeks flame.
"What are we going to do, Will?"
"What do you mean?"
"About- us. Last night.'
Will looked surprised. "Nothing, I presume. You're with Jem."
"You're with Jessamine."
Will snorted. "So?"
"What are you going to say to her?"
"Bloody nothing, that's what. She can't complain; she cheats on me and doesn't tell me jackshit."
Tessa was astonished; she couldn't help it.
They all thought Will's ignorance of Jessamine's exploits was down to the fact he loved her and didn't wish to hear her spoken ill of. 
"You know?"
"Of course I know, Tess. I'm not thick."
"Er- well- alright, then." Tessa trailed off lamely; she had no idea what to say.
"Tess. Stop worrying." Will said, misinterpreting her frown; she felt truly sorry for him, stuck with Jessie when he didn't really love her.
"We were drunk, Tess. It was a mistake."
Tessa couldn't help the burst of disappointment, which she immediately felt bad about.
How could she go to Jem and lie to him?
But she had to. Will was right; it was a drunken mistake that wouldn't be repeated. She couldn't ruin her relationship with Jem over it, and she could never hurt him by telling him.
"Don't you feel guilty?" Tessa asked, geuninely curious.
Will smiled sadly at her. "There's a lot of things I feel guilty about, Tess."