Game of Survival-Shadowhunters

Twins

Sebastian sat on the couch in the middle of his apartment while Echo paced the hardwood flooring with her hair up in a messy top knot. It was closing in at two in the morning and Echo hadn't stopped her frantic pacing. Sebastian leaned forward on the couch worried for his sister. Finally after another few moments, Sebastian pushed himself from the couch.

"Echo."

Echo paused her movement and looked up at the blue-eyed blond.

Sebastian saw how Echo's chest rose and fell with shallow breaths.

"Echo, you haven't said a word in hours."

Echo shook her head, "I-I don't know what to say."

"I know you have questions."

Echo noticed just how different Sebastian acted when he was around her. He wasn't as manipulative, but honest and free.

Echo finally let out a deep breath, "What happened to you? Why did Jocelyn take me and leave you? Weren't you in the house?" Echo looked down at her last question trying so hard to remember.

Sebastian swallowed, thankful for a question. "I wasn't in the house. Valentine took me into the city to meet with a trainer. When we left you were asleep."

Echo looked up at her brother, "You remember?"

Sebastian nodded, "I didn't have my memories wiped."

Echo was confused, "How did you—" She now understood how Sebastian knew that information, "Clary." Echo's expression shifted into a longing emotion, "What else do you remember from when we were in Idris?"

Sebastian gave a soft smile, "Would you like to see?" He held out a hand toward Echo.

Echo glanced down at it for a moment, "Are you sure?"

Sebastian kept his smile and nodded, "Of course."

Echo pulled in a breath before she slowly reached out and took his hand.

***

"Ec, we gotta hurry!" Echo looked up through the tall grass and saw a blond child with a large smile on his face. The three-year-old gave the largest smile before she looked up at the redhead sitting behind her. Jocelyn gave the small child a weak nod and Echo beamed.

Echo let out a giggle as she ran toward the child. "Jonafan, wait!" Echo hurried with her little feet until she came up to her brother. Jonathan took Echo's hand and ran with her through the grass until they quickly came up to the lake's beach. The twins halted their run when they saw what they were running towards. A small Deer had its head ducked down into the water, not six feet from where they were.

Jonathan looked towards Echo with an evil smile on his face. Through their twin bond, Echo knew exactly what he was going to do.

"No. It pwetty."

Jonathan let go of Echo's hand and slyly tiptoed toward the large animal. When he got close enough, the toddler let out a loud shriek, which caused the Deer to scatter back into the woods.

Jonathan let out a harsh laugh while Echo tried to keep herself from laughing as well. "You're mean."

Jonathan walked back to his sister, "But look." The boy pulled his hand out from behind his back and produced a lovely yellow flower. "For you!"

Echo let out a large smile as she took the flower, "Mamma won't let me keep it."

Jonathan put a finger to his lips, "You gotta hide it."

"Echoella, Jonathan!" The twins looked up when their names were called and found a man with gear approaching them. Echo let a smile appear on her face.

"We gotta hide!" She took Jonathan's hand and pulled him to a large rock that was next to the shore of the lake. They both let out a giggle as they heard Valentine let out a whistle.

"Hmm, I swear I just saw them a minute ago. Where ever could they be?"

Echo let out another giggle, and that gave away their location.

Valentine let out a small smile of his own before he slowly crept towards his children. "Hmm, I wonder..." Valentine popped his head over the rock and spotted his twins hiding. Jonathan and Echo let out a scream mixed with laughter when they were found. Valentine rounded behind the rock and put his fingers into their bellies in a tickle. Echo's shout was the loudest as she wormed away from her father.

"Daddy, daddy, stop!"

Valentine let out a laugh but withdrew his hands. Echo and Jonathan let out a series of pants before Echo reached for the flower that had fallen onto the sand. She pushed it up into Valentine's face, "Look daddy! Jonafan got it for me!"

Valentine reached down and plucked the flower from Echo's hand, "It's lovely! Just like you." Valentine booped Echo on the nose with the flower and the child giggled.

"Valentine!"

The father looked at the grass to see his wife with her arms folded with a slightly displeased expression on her face. Valentine ducked down towards his children, "Looks like mom is getting angry. You two better go wash up for dinner."

Jonathan looked over at Echo, "Race you!"

Echo let out a smile, "One..."

Jonathan readied his stance, "Two..."

"Three!" The twins let out the number simultaneously before they both sprinted into a run.

***

Echo opened her eyes and slowly let go of Sebastian's hand. She looked up at her brother, "He did care."

Sebastian nodded, "He loved you."

Echo could feel how sad Sebastian felt, "Don't."

Sebastian let out a sigh knowing that he had been caught, "May I ask a question now?" Echo looked up at him but nodded. "Why haven't you reported me to the Clave?"

Echo furrowed her brows, "What?"

Sebastian let out a breath, "You know what I mean."

Echo shook her head, "I would never. I would never turn in my own twin. I am just like you. A demon. Turning you in would be like giving a part of me away."

Echo looked up at Sebastian and shook her head, "You aren't at all what people have made you to be. You aren't evil."

Sebastian let his eyes turn down, "But I am. I have done unmistakable things."

Echo shook her head, "I don't care!"

Sebastian kept his eyes low in a haunting gaze, "You will."

Echo let out a scoff, "You're kidding, right? You can't scare me, Sebastian. Look at me! I have red eyes and can read minds. I'm not your ordinary Shadowhunter."

"How would the others treat you when they find out you know who I am?" The question was sudden but applicable.

Echo shook her head, "They won't. Nobody has to find out." Echo's voice had gone hauntingly low and it was alluring to Sebastian.

"Then what do we do?"

Echo allowed herself to relax. Her expression shifted into one more fit for a Shadowdemon, "We work together. You and I. We are twins after all."