Heartless

Thankfully, Jace wasn't back for the rest of the week. Instead, I had to deal with Mom.

“So, how long was he here?”

“About... Fifteen minutes.”

“How did he look?”

“... Like... Himself... I suppose...”

“How is he doing?”

“Mom!” I said finally, sighing and hanging my head. “I sort of thought this visit would be about me, not him. Focus please.” I mumbled. I heard her sigh from the other side of the couch. “I'm sorry Will, but I just want to know what he's been up to. A person doesn't just... Disappear for four years.”

“Well, apparently they do.”

“Willow Tyler Black, do not get an attitude with me young man.”

I frowned when she used my middle name and shook my head. “I'm tired, Mom.” I murmured as an excuse. She hummed a response before standing, mumbling a goodbye and leaving me to myself.

I leaned back against the couch and looked around, chewing on the inside of my cheek. I know Jace has been gone for a long time, but damn. I would think that my health problems are slightly more important than him. At least to my own Mother.

As for the kiss? I have pinned it down to him being high, drunk, or incredibly confused at the time. I mean, you don't walk up to someone after half a decade and kiss them. It's just not done.

Although I was rather curious about the 'Ally' person. I wanted to know if she was actually nice, or just Jace's version of nice... Which was basically anything that would let him fuck it. I snorted quietly to myself and rolled my eyes, getting up and going into the kitchen, though not knowing what to do once I was in there. Honestly, it was the first time I had been actually bored in a while, and it was... Well, boring as Hell. I leaned against the island and started counting floor tiles, and having to go back and recount once I lost track. I did that for a while until the phone rang, making me glare slightly as I answered it. “Hello?”

“Hey Willow.”

Oh. Just the person I didn't want to talk to.

“Yes, Jace. Something I can help you with?”

“Yes actually, there is-” There was some movement on the other side of the line, and a hushed conversation, “How would you feel about meeting Ally?”

Bad. Terrible. Hell no. She can go to Hell for all I care.

“Um... Sure, I guess. Not like I'm doing anything.” I responded. There was a pause on the other side before I heard, “Is that sarcasm? It sounds like sarcasm.”

“No, Jace. It's not sarcasm.”

“Oh! Alright then, I'll be over in about fifteen minutes.”

It was easily an hour before Jace made it over, and by then I was back on the couch counting the quarters on the table. The door bell didn't even ring as Jace let himself in, talking to someone else quietly as I lost count and glared.

“Hey Will.”

I turned my head slightly to stare back at Jace. “Hi.” I murmured. He smiled slightly before looking away and waving someone over, making me sigh quietly. A rather young-looking blonde girl walked over, taking his hand in hers and smiling at me. “Hello. My name's Allyson. It's nice to actually meet you.” she said politely, making me raise an eyebrow.

So not who I pictured for Jace.

I stood though and stepped over. “Hi, I'm Willow.” she smiled back for a second before giggling, making me frown. “What?”

“You're just... You really are that short...” she mumbled.

I felt my face fall into a neutral expression as Jace snorted and I eyed him, inhaling slowly. “Yeah. I am.”

It was a few hours before Allyson said something about needing to be at work the next morning, making Jace head for the door. “Hey Will, I'll be back in a few, alright?” he called over his shoulder before exiting the house, making me glare.

“Oh sure. Just walk into my house, make me feel like a third fucking wheel and act like everything's fucking normal and that you never left and I never said anything, and just...” I trailed off, sighing and shaking my head. The added stress of Jace recently meant I had to take more medication, which I did not appreciate in the least. Getting worked up over it wasn't going to help things.

I waited patiently on the couch for him to come back in, which I will note took yet another almost-hour. I heard the door slam shut and footsteps into the living room before he fell onto the couch beside me. “Damn...” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. Unsure of how to respond to that, I nodded slightly and glanced around awkwardly.

“So, what did you think of her?”

I turned to him and blinked. “She's... Interesting.” I responded quietly, wincing slightly at how bad that sounded. Jace frowned. “'Interesting'? That's it? No pointing out possible flaws or reason's why I shouldn't be dating her?”

“You're twenty, Jace. If you can't make your own decisions by now then I'm afraid there will never be any hope for you.” I deadpanned, looking away and shaking my head. “Do you want me to have a complaint about her?”

He was silent for a minute, watching me intently. “... Yes. I sort of do.”

This made me do a double-take and stare at him again, narrowing my eyes. “I'm not sure if I want to know why.” I mumbled. He shrugged back slightly, sitting up straight and sighing. “I... I don't know what to do. I mean, I only agreed to a few dates because she lived in this area, and now... I don't know what happened. She's nice and all, but... She likes me way more than I like her, and I've been in those kinds of relationships. They've gone to Hell in a hand basket within a month, and... I don't want to do that to her.”

I rolled my eyes and stood up. “You're making this way more complicated than it needs to be, you know.” I told him. “Just say 'hey, I don't like you that much and we should take a break'. See? Simple.”

“Maybe for you. I'm not good at relationships; you should know that.” he complained.

I snorted and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Jace, I don't know anything about you anymore; you disappeared, remember?”

“Well damn, I haven't changed that much...”

“This from the guy with multiple piercings, tattoos, a girlfriend and a three year-old kid.” I murmured to myself, walking toward the hall and groaning when I heard him follow me. “Look, Willow, I just really could use some help right now-”

“Is that why you came back? For some relationship advice?”

“No. Listen to me, damnit. You know, four years ago you would have been jumping at the chance to tell me what was wrong with one of my girlfriends if it meant an opportunity to spend more time with me.

“Well, that was four years ago, when we were younger and there was a much larger chance that you wouldn't run off again.”

“... And when you were in love with me?”

I froze, turning to him and glaring. “That's not fair.”

“No, nothings ever fair for you, is it?”

“Do you really think that I'm just gonna take you coming into my house after four years, kiss me, not give me much of an explanation, and then bring your girlfriend over and ask me to find flaws even though, in all honesty, I kinda like her, and then listen to you go off and rant about my problems like I don't know they're there? Well Jace, I'm sorry, but I've had enough of your bullshit for one day, so kiss my ass motherfucker. I'm sure you know how to work the front door.” I yelled, heading back down the hall toward my bedroom before he caught my hand and pulled me back, barely giving me time to react before crushing his lips to mine quickly.

I pulled back and groaned in frustration. “See? That's what I'm talking about! Do you enjoy torturing me? Is there some sort of national 'torture Willow' day that I don't know about?” I asked no one in particular, trying to pry my hand from his. “Let go, Jace.”

“No. Not until you listen to me.”

I glanced up at his face and was somewhat surprised to see a mixture of confusion and sadness, making me quiet down as he sighed. “Look... Will... I don't know what's going on, but... I know that for four years, during everything that was going on, the one thing I never forgot about was you. And I missed you every day I was gone, Hell, ever since Christmas, but, I didn't... I didn't want to just come back without another reason because I didn't want to... I didn't want you to think that I was just going to use you again, so... I met Ally, and I agreed to a few dates so I could come back, and... God, I am so sorry, for everything that I've said and done to you, and for kicking you out on Christmas because it was the stupidest thing I have ever done, and I'm sorry for leaving you during a time when you probably could've really used me; not as a 'friend-with-benefits', or a... Love interest, but as your best friend, and...” he trailed off, looking down to hide the fact that his eyes were starting to water, while I personally had tears streaming down my face.

After a few minutes he wiped his eyes and exhaled quietly, looking anywhere but at me. I quickly took off my glasses and wiped my face off as well, shaking my head. “You know... I think you may have more problems than I do.” I commented. Jace smiled slightly, looking at the carpet between us and nodded.

“So... What do you want for dinner?”

He looked up at me with a surprised face while I waited a few minutes for a response, rolling my eyes when I didn't get one. “It's not a complicated question.”

He stuttered for a second. “Um... Anything's fine. I'm not really picky.” he mumbled. I nodded and stepped around him, heading for the kitchen before deciding that I was too tired to make anything. I walked back toward the bedroom, passing Jace since he hadn't moved from the hall and took my shirt off, flinging it in a random direction before opening a drawer and looking for a different one.

I heard Jace step into the door way and cross his arms over his chest while I pulled a tee-shirt over my head and grabbed my coat getting ready to go back to the living room where my shoes were when I noticed him blocking my way.

I looked up at him and finished pulling on my coat, standing on my toes and using his arms as support before leaning into him and lightly kissing his cheek. “Stop moping and go get your ass in the car.” I mumbled, making him frown. “I'm not moping. I'm contemplating.” he argued, though he did leave the room and head out to the living room, where I sat on the couch to put on my shoes. “We're going out? To eat?” he asked. I nodded. “... Where are we going?”

“Classified information; If I told you I'd have to kill you.” I responded, standing up and moving past him to the door.

“That's not fair.” he whined. I smiled slightly and shook my head.

“Life's not fair. Now get in the damn car.”