Will slipped back into the institute at late hours of the night from one of his many midnight adventures. After Zelie and him had parted ways he couldn't stop thinking. Thinking about Tessa and her small yet radiant smile, but he also couldn't get the ringing of laughter out of his head that belong to a feisty brunette with glowing eyes. He couldn't keep the burning image of her blue eyes glowing like flames when she punched the men on their way back to the institute or how her eyes had shone with mirth when she was talking about old people and funerals, not even as he strolled the streets of London did he stop hearing her laugh. The laugh even made him smile, not because it was a weird laugh that sounded like shrieking or because it sounded like bells and very ladylike, but the exact opposite it was a natural joyful laugh. It wasn't forced and rang through his ears like Jem's music did, it came from their heart.
After finally admitting that the laugh wouldn't leave he decided to go back to the institute and at least try to ease his aching feet. However when he saw light shinning from under the training room door Will grew curious and forgot all about his feet and getting his hands on some cold turkey. It couldn't be Jem he didn't practice much anymore, nor Charoltte she never trained at night, and Hernry and Jessamine were out of the question. So, he assumed it was Zelie. His guess was right however, he was in for a surprise.
The small brunette was in the center of the room. She had dragged a punching dummie and had managed to climb it. She stood on only one foot on top of the dummie and balanced, moving two throw daggers in and out of various stances. Will wasn't sure what surprised him more, what she was doing or how she was dressed. Zelie was bare foot clad in only a flowy pale blue nightgown that stopped just above her knees and had a little white bow where her bosom started, her hair was up in three buns, and Will would have made fun of her if it wasn't for her clothing distracting him.
Contrary to popular belief Will had never seen a girl in just her nightgown. Regardless, Will was certain most nightgowns were not that short, but then again Zelie seemed to break all the rules. He wasn't sure weather to complain or admire. Zelie had changed tremendously since he had last seen her when she was thirteen. She was still a girl, undeveloped, lanky, ungraceful, high pitched voice, her head too big for her body, her hair messy, her dresses always dirty from playing, her skin baring some dark spots, and he had just turned a man. Incredibly taller, broader, stronger, his eyes more blue than ever, learning about the real world, and messing with women not girls anymore, all while making everyone he loved hate him.
Now, here she was again just as impatient, funny, arrogant, and stubborn as she was when they were younger except now she had gained physical charms and knew how to use them.
A very beautiful young women stood in front of him looking well, arousing and beautiful, like she always did, but that women was Zelie. The only person he ever learned to genuinely loath, and Will wasn't sure how he felt about it. He didn't have a lot of time to contemplate the issue before Zelie threw one of the daggers towards him with her eyes still closed. If it wasn't for Will's shadowhunter reflexes the dagger would have planted right in the middle of his chest. Luckily, Will sidestepped the blade only for it to pin him against the wall by the sleeve of his wet coat. "This is my favorite coat!"
Will could see Zelie's face strain in annoyance before she opened her eyes. They were so bright it looked as if she had turned on a witchlight. "Pity." Will's lips twiched into an amused smirk as he watched the girl roll her eyes and climb down from the dummy. "You have a bruise." Zelie observed, but didn't sound the least bit concerned.
"You know how brawls in werewolf pubs can get." Will smirked as leaned against the wall. He had actually ran into a street lamp when he wasn't looking, he was too busy trying to get Tessa's know it all comments out of his head.
The petite teenager only snickered. "You got beat up by a werewolf?"
Will instantly glared at her before regaining his composer. Zelie Archfeild seemed to be the only person who could get under his skin that fast. "Four werewolves to be exact. You should have seen how I left them."
Zelie regarded Will with an amused smile before shaking her head and beginning to move the dummy back to it's spot. "What ever you say, Whorendale."
"That name is so unoriginal." Will rolled his eyes.
"Perhaps, but it has history." Zelie smirked, her eyes glowing more than usual as she regarded Will. No, she really wasn't a little girl anymore and Will wondered if she was purposefully trying to seduce him with her posture that seemed as if she were pushing her breasts out.
That was the difference between Tessa and Zelie. Zelie was an explosion of emotions, she was the best, the most beautiful, she was fearless, knew what she wanted and exactly how to get it. At the moment she wanted the tall blue eyed boy, well man, in front of her.
Will wasn't used to women being so direct, he was always making them nervous. Not the other way around, but Zelie seemed to be surpassing all expectations.
"Will, would you stop looking at my breasts." Her sultry and ever so arrogant and confident voice made Will snap his head up, he hadn't even notice he was doing that.
Will could feel his cheeks tinting pink and could see Zelie's smirk growing as they did so. "If it makes you that uncomfortable then I suppose you can stare." She baited as she saw his pale cheeks turning a hot pink. Zelie bit her lip to somewhat get herself to stop smiling as she stepped closer to Will. Without her boots she was even smaller than Will, maybe half a foot perhaps a bit more. Yet, she still managed to make Will feel like a rabbit under the gaze of a wolf. "You know, you look charming when you blush and when you're quiet." Her chest was almost touching Will's side, they had been this close before but only ever when a yelling match got too heated.
"I always look charming." Was the best comeback Will was able to come up with, but it seemed to work because Zelie was taken back for a moment.
"Of course you do." She murmmered as her finger tips brushed over his shoulders and she stood in front of Will.
Fighting an even larger blush off of his face Will regained his composure and smirked down at Zelie. Will stepped closer just as she stepped back.
YOU ARE READING
Ugly Duckling ¤ Will Herondale
Fanfiction"Last I saw you, you were an ugly duckling. Actually, not even a duck should be insulted like that." A horribly infiltrating smirk played on his full lips as he eyed me amusedly, making me want to kick his shins.
