ustulation » lightwood+bane [1]

THIRTY-SEVEN

USTULATION; EPISODE TWELVE (II)

NICO LEANED BACK ON HIS BED, just staring at his blond brother, thinking about what he should say but didn't get the chance as Jace began to speak. "How's your love life going? Since mine is collapsing due to us being siblings, I might as well hear about yours." Jace shrugged, hiding his heart ache in favour of staring curiously at his brother.

"Magnus and I are dating happily, but Alec is out of my reaches – he's getting married to Lydia and I'm going to let it happen if it's what he really wants." Nico shrugged, knowing that the blond in front of him knew of his developing polyamorous relationship with Alec and Magnus.

"I can talk to Alec, if you want. I'm with you on this situation, you deserve happiness with both of them and I'll help you with that." Jace offered, wanting to get closer with his brother, as he hadn't had blood related siblings before and he wanted to have a sibling bond like Clary and Nico did, or like Alec and Isabelle had.

"You don't have to, I can figure it out myself." Nico dismissed, with a wave of his hand as he scratched behind his ear.

Jace raised his eyebrow, "really? 'Cause I don't think that you're going to do anything about it." He shifted slightly on the bed, trying to get his brother to tell him the truth, which he probably wouldn't get.

"Don't worry about my relationships, it isn't your problem, it's mine to be burdened with. I don't want to push my problems onto anyone else, especially a sibling." Nico dismissed again, as he stood, walking over to the door that he opened, revealing Clary silently standing there. Jace and Clary glanced at one another before looking away. Jace left, allowing the two to talk alone.

Clary immediately jumped into her brother's arms, with tears glistening in her eyes. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Jace...he's our brother and yet I still love him in that way. Nic, tell me what I'm supposed to do now."

Nico's dark eyes glanced down to her quivering form, concerned on what actions he should take, and also concerned about the fact that Clary was having relationship troubles just like he was. "Clary, do you want me to be perfectly honest?" She nodded. "I don't know, Clary. I have no idea as to what you're meant to do but this is your relationship. Fix it, if not to continue with a romantic relationship, continue with a familiar bond that siblings are meant to have."

Clary nodded, taking in his words, repeating them in her head. She knew that Nico was probably becoming uncomfortable with all this hugging and need for comfort but he probably understood that this was what he had to do as the older brother. "Thanks Nic," she wiped her tears, pulling back from the hug to connect their eyes. "Now, let's go fix your love life." Clary stood, holding out her hand for her brother to take, which he took, being pulled off of the bed.

After the two had stood, Clary took her brother's hand once again and dragged him to where she knew Alec would inevitably be – the training room. Ignoring Nico's protests, Clary dragged him through the hallways until they got to their destination. Nico immediately fell silent as his dark eyes landed on the sweating Lightwood, who hadn't took any notice of the new arrivals in the room. Clary let go of his hand and left the room, whilst Nico's eyes were strictly trained on the flexing muscles of Alec's back.

Not long after this, Alec stopped and finally turned to see a nervous-looking Nico, who had taken to leaning against the wall. "How long have you been there?" Alec asked impassively, trying to not kiss the hell out of the blond, but that would be improper due to his own engagement to Lydia.

"Not long," Nico shrugged, having no idea. "Though I feel like we should talk, about that day."

Alec nodded, remembering the day they almost became dating after their spontaneous kissing session before it was, of course, interrupted by Lydia, who seemed to exist to only antagonise Alec's efforts in his relationship with Nico and Magnus. Although, now he had the chance to fix this whole situation with Nico, at least. "That day was truly one of the few highlights of my entire life, and our feelings for one another may be real but neither of us are able to enter a relationship at the moment due to our circumstances – I'm getting married, and you're having family issues that take up all your time. Maybe, it's best to stay friends, after all."

Unbeknownst to Alec, Nico's heart shattered in that instance but the blond smoothly covered it up with a cool smirk. "Of course, you're totally right, now if you'll excuse me." When Nico went to walk away, Alec caught his arm but it was yanked away from his grasp harshly as Nico disappeared to god knows where.

Seeing only two options, Nico pulled out his phone and found the devil himself calling him, as though he knew of his situation already. "What do you say to a night of you and me hitting every bar in New York? I sense that you need a night of drinking just as much I do, right now." Lucifer proposed the offer, as Nico contemplated it and decided that it was his best option for getting over his heartbreak.

"I'll meet you in ten outside the institute. Dress for a night of drunken fun." Lucifer ended the call without saying anything else. Boy, was he in for a night? Nico had unknowingly befriended the devil himself enough to be his first option of a drinking buddy.

Nico quickly changed into a more appropriate set of clothes: black button up with the top button undone, black skinny jeans, brown leather jacket and his trusty boots. True to his words, ten minutes later, Lucifer stood outside the institute in a burgundy and black suit. As soon as Nico approached him, Lucifer grinned, holding out his hand. "Shall we?" Nico took it with a matching grin, as they set off into the night.

+ + +

Yes after ten chapters of Alec's absence, he came back only to send Nico into another angsty state. Jace and Clary also need to stop pushing their problems onto Nico, when he has his own problems to deal with.

Next chapter, Lucifer and Nico's drunken adventures that will surely be a ride, until they are interrupted by a concerned partner.

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