#Alec lightwood fan fiction

[green28go]

Butterflies.

What an unpleasant day, Magnus thought as he sat in his apothecary and stared at vast nothingness despite having demonology books on the study table. Alexander was not back yet. No, the whole truth is that Alexander, who was angry with him, had left in the morning at nine past and was still not back. It’s 4 pm now, and since his boyfriend left their home, his mind constantly circled back to the fight they had in the morning. It was awful and really loud—the argument. It had been about the immortality issue once again and this was their first big argument after they got back together since the Camille debacle. This time he had really pushed Alec’s buttons which he’d never willingly do. And Alec, by the look on his face, could understand that his boyfriend’s resolve broke and was seconds away from slamming the door, right on his face. From then, up until now, he sat worrying about him. He’d wanted to do nothing more than to look into the bright blue eyes and tell how sorry he was and that he did not mean a single syllable that he had uttered at that moment, he knew that Alec required space and he respected that, but now, his mind starts to worry and he glances at his phone if he’d received any text from Alec but feels dejected as there is no sign of what he is looking for.

He gets an idea that he deems fitting as an apology to the Archer for the way things ended between them in the morning. So, he summons a small stack of Clairefontaine Triomphe writing papers and, writes a short and sweet letter for Alec.

Dear Alexander,

                            I apologize for my suboptimal behavior earlier this day and would want nothing more than to tell you by holding your hand that I did not mean an ounce of what I said in the moment of heat. Believe me, love, when I say that you are indeed the best thing that happened to me in decades. Now, if you will come home, to me, I would gladly curl up with you on the couch and kiss you till the daybreak.

Love, Magnus.

He perfumed the letter with sandalwood, of course, what else would he use, and performed his little trick that sent the letter, converted into a fire message, flying out of the room to his Alec, in the form of a butterfly. He watched as it left the room swiftly and started waiting patiently for Alec to reply.

He waited and waited. Ten minutes turned into thirty and that turned into an hour and a half.

No reply, not a single word through any means from Alec. He was not on a mission or on patrol as Alec would always ensure he informed him beforehand. So, he must either be in the Institute or with the Alliance. Magnus has a half mind to track him but he resorts to calling Isabelle instead.

“Hello, my favorite compatriot from Brooklyn!”  

“You don’t really know many people in Brooklyn,” he replied.

“Of course, I do, like your boyfriend who lives with you,” he is amused at Isabelle’s reply.

“And pray tell, why is your brother not your favorite?” he asked.

“Because he is in a grumpy mode and had already snapped at me once and twice at Jace,” she answered.

He is indisputably aware of the grumpiness in his boyfriend and it is his job to make it go away. Just when he was about to inquire about what Alec was doing, Isabelle pondered a question towards him.

“Magnus, does it have to be something to do with you?” she asked.

His reply was easy. Silence.

“By the angel, should’ve already known it was you, I thought it had something to do with mindless Shadowhunters who are refusing to cooperate with the Alliance,” she said again, more like realized.

“Is he in your line of sight, dear Isabelle?” he asked her.

“Yes, we are in the training room and he is staring at a piece of paper with his signature “I’m unimpressed,” look,” she said.

What Isabelle said only meant one thing. Alec is nonchalant about his apology, not impressive enough, so he’ll just strengthen his strategy to woo Alec through his cher-courrier.

“Thank you, Isabelle, now I have to make it up to your brother,” he said with determination.

“I know you will, Magnus,” she said leaving the call.

Now, he took the writing paper and started expressing his love for Alec, molded into an apology in the form of words.

Dear Alexander,

                         I once again stand here to tell you how sorry I am for what happened in the morning. Darling, you are exqui………………….

He filled the entire letter with his adoration for his loving Shadowhunter and, transformed it into a butterfly, scented it, and sent it flying towards the Institute.

He waited for forty-five minutes and when nothing came his way from his beloved, he took the feather into his hand and started writing again. Maybe the letter was quite a bit. So, he tried again.

My Dearest Alec…………….

No answer. He tried again.

I truly am remorseful……….

Nothing from his boyfriend. He wrote afresh with a different ink.

I want to hold you……………

None. No reply. He was reluctant to give up. He sprinkled glitter in the letter and sent it Alec’s way.

Sweetheart, I love you………

Nope, not a singular word from Alec. So, he dipped the feather in the black ink and started.

Alexander, talk to me……....

He was exhausted, not because of expressing his affection and fondness for Alec but because of having his beloved not give an expression for what he was saying. The silence was absolute torture and now it turned into anger.

Come on, this is not fair………

He wrote, and waited. The answer became obvious when he held the feather again.

He was feeling what was a huge amount of sadness, hurt, and a bit of anger and decided that this was his last letter and he was going to the Institute, once the reply from Alec resembled his previous replies.

Come home, Alexander, I’m sorry………

He sent it and waited. It was almost 10 ‘o'clock and he seriously questioned his boyfriend’s stubbornness in not wanting to speak with him and ghosting him. Was this how Alec felt during the time of their break up? He remembered how sorry Alec was and how frustrated he got in a certain voicemail. He had listened to all of them, a part of him at that time hoped that he’d preserve those voicemails if Alec never wanted to get back together with him. But that was an obstacle that they had overcome, together.

He didn’t make an effort to dress himself ever-so-enticingly as far as his fashion sense goes. He was worn out and missed having Alec by his side. The only energy he has is required to open up a portal directly to the Institute and he did that.

He was at the back of the Institute and walked, without a single thought on his mind, into the place, as he no longer required anybody to escort him. He found Jace in the corridors and Jace, who must’ve either sensed it or found it from Isabelle, had simply mouthed at him that said training room.

He strode towards the place with quietude, careful not to show his wretched worry.

There was his Alexander, his back facing him and his position upright. He was holding the bow and arrow, aiming towards the target with the proficiency that can only be achieved by vigorous training. He cleared his throat to draw the attention of his boyfriend.

Alec didn’t turn toward him and just spoke in a tone that indicated detachment and coldness. If he was surprised by his presence, he did very well not showing it.

“What do you want?”

Oh no. That angered him. After all those apologies and letters and his obvious efforts, Alec just did not do that.

“What do I want? What exactly do you want Alec?” He said with a clear indication of how furious he was.

“Nothing,” Alec stated, not moving an inch.

“Why are you being so uncompromising?” He said, his voice weary.

“You mean difficult,” Alec answered, finally turning towards him.

“No, I didn’t say that,” He immediately responded. Alec looked like someone who hadn’t been sleeping for two days and he could notice the bruises on the archer’s hands.

“But you meant it,” Alec quietly voiced his opinion.

“You’re never difficult to be with, Alexander,” He uttered in a soft voice.

Alec didn’t respond to that, he was just standing there, with his eyes looking anywhere except at the person in front of him.

“I’ve apologized so many times, Alec, and I-” he started but was cut short.

“Wait, when did you apologize?” Alec asked him, clearly confused.

“Seriously Alexander,” He said, looking every bit unimpressed.

“Magnus, You didn’t apologize at all, today,” Alec finished.

“I did,”

“In your dreams, I suppose,” Alec muttered.

“Alexander,” he retorted.

“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about,”

“What did you even read in those letters, Alec?”

“What letters?”

“The letters that I sent you,” he exclaimed.

“I did not receive a single letter from anybody today, the Institute mailbox is empty,” Alec declined.

“Are you sure?”

“Oh, now you don’t think I am telling the truth, fantastic, what else is new?” The bitterness in his voice was evidently clear.

“Alec, will you just stop, I am trying to make things right between us,”

“So, you think I am not?”

“For Lilith’s sake, I don’t see you doing that,” He said, frustrated.

“Magnus, if you are really here to pick fights with me I-”

“My purpose of being here is not that, but I highly suppose you are the one who is trying to do it,”

Just when Alec was about to remark, they were interrupted by footsteps making their way toward the Institute. So, they naturally fell quiet. It was Clary, and she was carrying a strange cage in her hand.

“Hey, are you guys okay?” she inquired.

They nodded.

“Magnus, I’m here to ask if these belong to you,” she pointed to the box she was holding. Now, it became distinct to him what was in it—his letters—all of them. Their wings were fluttering, and those butterfly-shaped letters were trying to get out of the cage.

“They’re sparkling and have a natural glimmer of your magic, so I brought them to you,” she said, holding them out.

“Yes, they belong to me, and how did you get them? " He said, taking the cage into his hands.

“Oh, the new group of Shadowhunters from Geneva caught them, they are still waiting for more in the entrance,” she answered.

He’d take care of them tomorrow but for now, his priority is Alec and giving him these letters.

 “Thank you, biscuit. You truly helped me a lot today,” he said with a breath of relief and gratitude toward the redhead.

“You’re welcome and good night, the both of you,” she left with a smile on her face.

He looked at Alec, who was looking at the cage in his hand. There was no anger, only mild irritation mostly masked by curiosity.

“All right, brace yourself, Alexander,” he said, hoping Alec would like what he had done.

He opened the cage and the letters went flying toward Alec, landing on Alec, forming a half-silhouette of the Shadowhunter.

“Magnus, what are these?” Alec asked not moving an inch and holding still so as not to disturb those little inanimate letters.

“Pick one and read,” he instructed his boyfriend gently.

Alec did as he was told. He watched as his eyes skimmed over the letter swiftly, the expression on his face changing, his gaze softening and a small smile forming on his angelic face.

Alec looked at him and asked.

“Are all these letters, apologies?”

“Yes, they are,”

“Why so many?”

“You were not responding so I-”

“I forgive you,” Alec didn’t blurt it out but had said it calmly.

“You didn’t read all of them,” he said.

“I will but to forgive you, you are enough,”

Alec uttered those words with such sincerity that it made him want to reach out to the Archer and wrap him in the warmest hug. But he didn’t.

“I do not mean anything I’ve said this morning, I’m sorry-” he started instead.

“Magnus, I know,” Alec told him gently.

“So, you already forgave me?”

“Of course, I did,”

“But, you didn’t say so,” he said in a quiet tone.

“Because I wanted to know,” Alec hesitated. “I wanted to know if you’d reach out to me before I’d do it,” Alec whispered.

He moved towards Alec.

“Oh, Alexander,” He cupped Alec’s face in his hands and gently tugged at his face so that the Shadowhunter would look at him. The butterflies on Alec's body stayed where they were, only fluttering a little.

“Of course, I would reach out to you,”

“I know, it’s a stupid doubt to have-” Alec mumbled but he cut him off in the middle.

“Of course it’s not sweetheart, I’m sorry that I gave you the implication that I’d never come to you first and that you had to doubt me about it,” he softly said those words, meaning every monosyllable.

Alec looked at him with adoration and in a heartbeat, kissed him. The butterflies came to life when their lips touched and then again settled on Alec.

The kiss was soft, nothing passionate but rather it was a slow one, one that is full of love and familiarity. Their hands wrapped themselves around each other.

When they finally broke the kiss but, didn’t break away from the embrace, Magnus bent his head forward and a bit downward, his forehead touched Alec’s.

“I’ll try to do better,” he said gently. A soft smile spread across Alec’s face.

“So will I,” Alec uttered with reverence.

It was a promise from both of them. They smiled into their kiss once again.

[imawriteriwrite]

*five years later*

If anyone is still following me from my Malec fanfic days, here, have the first chapter of a new fic. I hope you like it! 🙈

Synopsis:

Alec and Magnus have a reputation for ruining holidays amongst their friend group. From the mistletoe incident to the infamous Halloween massacre (no one even came close to dying, despite what Simon claims). But this Christmas is special as it might be the last one they all spend together in their hometown before everyone moves away and Magnus is determined to make it the best ever. Starting with a promise to the others that he and Alec can get along and not ruin Christmas. Again. But they wouldn’t be them if there wasn’t a healthy dose of friendly competition, right? Anyone who says you can’t win at Christmas isn’t trying hard enough.

Also known as: that moment you stop believing in the magic of Christmas but true love helps convince you it was real all along (like any good Hallmark movie)!

In this fic, you can expect: lots of angst and fluff, Christmas fun, idiots in love, a healthy dose of competition, and lots of mutual pining.

[dawnlibrary]

MALEC - LECRIT EDITION

because her writing is amazing!

(her profile link: Lecrit )

And the Oscar goes to...

Summary:

Working for Magnus isn’t easy. Magnus is out of control and Alec has to yell more often than not to get him to listen to him. He hates everything formal because it means he has to watch his mouth. Most importantly, Magnus is an incorrigible flirt. Which would be alright if Alec wasn’t utterly, irremediably, unfathomably in love with him. Based on this prompt: "AU where Magnus is an Oscar winning actor and Alec, his PA, is in love with him."

(Link: ao3)

Love Is Not a Victory March

by j__writes and Lecrit

Summary:

“I think we should get a divorce.” Alec and Magnus have been married for years but busy work schedules keep them apart and when they do finally manage to spend time together, they fight. A divorce seems to be their only solution at this point, but neither of them is ready to give up without a fight. And a fight it might be. After all, relationships take effort. A story about how to fall in love all over again.

(Link: ao3)

Bright Lights, Small Town

Summary:

When Magnus gets to Nashville, Indiana to handle his late mother's will, he doesn't expect to be forced to stay there for six months. Six months away from New York and lost in the wildness of the countryside. It quickly appears that he is going to go through six months of living hell. The fact that he hates the local veterinarian on sight isn't helping.

(Link: ao3)

Rumor Has It

Summary:

Magnus widens his eyes at him, silently asking him to just give him this one. Alec simply curves one of his stupidly perfect eyebrows in response, a simple gesture that carries the weight of a call for challenge. “Looks like you’re gonna have to postpone your wedding for now,” Maia giggles next to him. Magnus huffs, flexing his jaw. “Oh, it’s on, Lightwood,” he mouths at him. . Or the one where Alec and Magnus are both after the same guy, but end up falling for each other instead.

(Link: ao3)

Invictus

Summary:

“You should get a tattoo.” Alec firmly believed in coincidences, in the serendipity that could bring the hazards of life, but even he could admit that sometimes, things seemed to happen for a reason. He was too much of a pragmatic person to truly believe in fate and destiny. So even when Jace blurted those words at him as he stumbled into his shop, they remained abstract concepts to him, no matter how it nudged at the back of his mind.

(Link: ao3)

[novelsoverload]

City of Glass Review (SPOILERS!)

Author - Cassandra Clare

Genre - Fantasy, Young Adult Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Horror Fiction, Adventure Fiction, and Paranormal Fiction

Dates - August 1, 2024 to August 3, 2024

Page Count - 545

Method - Special Edition Hard Cover Book

Tropes - Unqualified Protagonist Succeeding Above Overly Qualified Supporting Characters, Love Triangle, Unambiguously Bad Boy Guy

Part of a Series - Yes - Book 3 of 6

Ratings Storytelling – 10/10 World Building – 10/10 Characters – 10/10 Romance – 4/10 Character Development – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10

Review This is so far one of my favorites of the series. I loved the action, romance, setting, and just everything. I have seen Shadowhunter’s tv show so I know more than I want to about the book (mainly because I want to live this as I read it), but I am still really happy with the books. They are better than both the movie and tv show. Honestly, I hope the rest of the books can live up to this one. Now into the review! Honestly, all of them traveling to Alicante wasn’t much of a surprise to me. I mean I figured the main characters would be there. But Jace lying to Clare and to the Lightwood’s about everything (Clary the time, Lightwood’s that Clary didn’t want to go) was BULL! Though I do think that Jace pulling Simon through the portal to save him was pretty nice of him. But Clary making a portal!!!! WTF! Like she could have died and PULLING Luke THROUGH!!! But I guess that leads us to meeting Luke’s sister, Amatis. She really was a favorite minor character, so far.

One thing I HATED was Jace’s reaction to Clary being there. What he said to her! NOT COOL! He completely broke her with that little, stupid speech of his. Like 100% made me hate him for a little while. It was uncalled for and just RUTHLESS! Then not telling her Simon was there and then keeping it from her about him being locked in a CELL in the Gard. Like seriously. That’s her best friend and he just DOESN’T tell her. Big no no Jace. Bad Jace. I honestly didn’t like that part of the book. Then he just brushes it under the rug like it didn’t really happen and he wasn’t a complete ASSHAT! Samuel/Hodge was a surprise little toss in for us. I think that it gave his character the much-needed closure with everything that went one. I know there could have been more and probably better ways, but the way it was done was good. I approve. I really thought it was some random dude for a while. But him knowing where the mirror was and him actually telling them about it was a bit of a redemption for him in my eyes.

I don’t even want to talk about Sebatian/Johnathan…I hated him from the moment he appeared. Like everything about him was just OFF. I also knew he was Johnathan (from the tv show), but it was really well written and hidden with little hints of who he was. HIM KILLED MAX WAS UNCALLED FOR AND I HOPE THAT WHATEVER IS COMING FOR HIM IS THE WOREST THING POSSIBLE!!!!!!! I also think that Seb releasing the demons early was just dumb, like he is so bloodthirsty he couldn’t wait like he was told. Guess that Demon Blood means he is impatient. Then him wanting to kill Jace, yeah, we get it jealous boy. Then him telling Jace the truth and stabbing him. Like just tell us you are jealous that daddy didn’t love you like he did Jace and that you are just a sad little boy. I know he’s not dead…but I wish he was. Because I HATE HIM!!!

The whole Ithuriel stuff was HEARTBREAKING! That poor angel was tortured and so broken. I loved that he was able to communicate with Jace and Clary about what he had been through in an interesting way. Though I HATED that he just offed himself. Like I get he was broken and all, but like he could have gone home. He could have had his vengeance. Like WHY!!!

I am a Malec fan! 100%! I loved that Alec was so willing to introduce Magnus to his family. I can’t wait to watch their relationship grow! Alec kissing Magnus in the Hall was PERFECTION! I LOVED IT! Along with that I LOVE Luke and Jocelyn together. I think there is great potential for a great love story there!

Jace, saying he loved Clary and then watching her sleep was kind of cute. I mean I love he was able to say it before going off on his little mission to save the world…asshat, but the note he left her was SO DAMN CUTE (Don’t know if everyone has read the full thing, but in the special edition I have it was at the end…I flipped to read it). But Jace going off on his own because he thought he was “cursed” was just stupid! Clary going off on her mom. I think it was needed…in a way. Clary had been thrown into this life and having to figure out everything on her own…I would go off to. I am glad that they were able to reconcile. I loved that we were also given the events of before. I liked seeing Jocelyn’s point of view from it all. She had her reasons, and I get that. I also liked that Valentine talked to her while she was in her coma. It did give him more character traits, other than being the asshole he was. Valentine…just that’s all. I hate him…glad he is dead…he deserved worse. He killed the Inquisitor even though he was a hologram…how!?!? Then finding out the Consul was on his side…glad he died too!

Characters Clary - Main Character (Shadowhunter) - 9/10 - Again, Clary just jumps into things without fully thinking. But she does do the things she does with a reason in her head and heart. She just wanted to save her mom and the other people she loved. I think that as time goes on, she will learn more about her ability to create runes and hopefully use them! I did love that she got the Clave to work with the downworlders!

Jace - Bad Boy (Shadowhunter) - 8/10 - I loved that he didn’t just leave Simon there to die at the Institute. Then Jace going off on Clary like that in the library was so HARSH! Him treating her like that was not cool. I mean I get why he did, to try and protect her…but there could have been a better way. He does get better. As stated above in my Jace section.

Isabelle (Izzy) - Sexy Goddess (Shadowhunter) - 8/10 - I hated Izzy at the start. Because she was cruel to Clary and just bleh, but she came back. She kicked some ass and saved Aline. I hated that she blames herself for Max’s death…really hate that. But she pulled through, the best she could and saved Jace. She took Seb’s fucking hand like a BOSS!!!!

Alec - Gay Bestie! (Shadowhunter) - 9/10 - He really has grown! I love that he is more open and willing to be with Magnus. I think that there should be more of his development as a character. I can’t wait.

Simon – Vampire Bestie - 9/10 - Though Simon was locked up most of the book, he really pulled his weight towards the end. Accepting the Mark of Cain and going to Raphael took GUTS! Then agreeing to be in the battle and going full vamp! PERFECTION! I also love that he is letting go of the idea of Clary and him. I mean it’s sad, but it also means he gets a chance to be happy.

[malec-ao3feed]

Secrets and Prophecies

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/CHIzfAU by theblackink A fan fiction of the OG Shadowhunter Series. This is an additional story of the series with a little bit of lines from the book series. Two years after, the Dark war between the Shadowhunters and Seelies…with Jonathan Morgenstern leading the battle. Two years after, Clary Fairchild, Simon Lewis, Izzy Lightwood, Jace Herondale, Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane helped defeat and save the world from demons. Everyone lived peacefully in their individual lives Or did they? Another War may occur, past enemies exposing truths, past lives re-emerged…and all of these centers around our famous warlock — Magnus Bane. What does he really know? How much has he hid? Are these secrets going to destroy everything that Alec has built with him? Let’s find out. Shall we?? Words: 4013, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, Maryse Lightwood, Lydia Branwell, Aline Penhallow, Jace Wayland, Simon Lewis Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Luke Garroway/Maryse Lightwood Additional Tags: My First Fanfic, Inspired by Shadowhunters (TV), Alternate Universe - This World Inverted (Shadowhunters TV) read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/CHIzfAU

[daughterofadeadman]

Double Sided

Pairings: Alec x Stiles

Warnings: Drinking, fluff

Description: The one where Lydia drags Stiles to a party and he runs into Alec, literally. College AU

Word count: 1468

"Whose party is this anyways?" Stiles asked clambering out of the car. It's not like he actually cared, he was just trying to delay the inevitable.

"Lightwood, you don't know him. He's totally your type though, tall with black hair and brooding basically a young Derek Hale by all standards. Now if you're ready we can go in." Lydia said making a show of throwing her hair over her shoulder.

"That is not my type. I'm more of a strawberry blond type of guy if you know what I mean." He said completely ignoring the comment about his stalling.

Lydia scuffed at his words, "You haven't been a strawberry blond type of guy since sophomore year. Now shut up and come and party with me."

Stiles sighed but gave in while slightly trudging through the neatly cut grass. It wasn't that Stiles didn't like to go to parties, he had lost his virginity thanks to one Junior year, it was just that he wasn't in the mood to be dumped. Lydia always left him when they went to parties together, merely because they attracted different crowds, and it always put a damper on Stiles night. Tonight would be no exception and he knew better then to think it would be.

The music vibrated through Stiles body like an electric shock the closer they got to the house. The two had to park down the road because of the excess of party goer's vehicles lining the street on both sides. "This guy most be known for throwing some great parties." Stiles thought looking at the number of people dancing on the lawn which was already littered in plastic cups.

Once Lydia and Stiles breached the threshold of the house red solo cups were thrusted into their hands. "Cheers." Lydia said tapping her cup to Stiles before downing half the cup.

"Cheers." Stiles replied taking a small sip. A look of disgust painted his features once the substance hit his taste buds. "Gross."

A laugh escaped Lydia's lips as she pulled Stiles to the dance floor. "Come on let loose." She yelled over the pounding of the base. Taking another gulp of her drink she began to dance to the music's beat. Stiles rolled his eyes but did as his bestfriend demanded.

Within a few minutes Stiles had finished his drink without throwing up. He did not enjoy beer, he was more of a whiskey guy like his father. If he was going to be honest he thought it was more enjoyable watching everyone get drunk then it was getting drunk, but he was doing this for Lydia.

The sassy girl had it set in her mind that Stiles needed a night out, and he wasn't going to take that away from her, not just yet. It wasn't until they both began dancing with other people that he slipped away to the kitchen.

The kitchen was really only separated from the dining room by a bar, which was covered in crushed or fallen cups. The great oak table was being used for beer pong and the counter held a couple being a little too intimate for Stiles liking. Rolling his eyes, he headed to the back of the kitchen hoping to find somewhere to sit down and wait out Lydia. Making his way through couples making out in the hallway he found himself in a smaller sitting room.

What he wasn't expecting was for a tall, dark, and handsome guy to bump into him on his way to the couch.

"Hey watch where you're-" The guy said before cutting himself off. His eye's met Stiles and a smile graced his face. A tattoo poked out from beneath his black tee shirt causing Stiles to wonder what it was.

"I haven't seen you at one of these before. I'm Alec by the way." He said before sticking his hand out, a red cup in the other. The smell of alcohol hit Stiles in the nose as he gripped the other boys hand.

"Stiles."

"Stiles." Alec repeated as if tasting his name. "That's different."

Stiles nodded as he watched the other boy bring the cup to his lips for a drink.

"Yeah it's a nickname." Stiles replied, eyes still glued to the plump lips in front of him.

"Stiles." He said again. "I like it."

"I'm glad that I have your approval." Stile sassed before he could stop himself.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he raked his fingers through his hair. Why was he being so rude in such a short amount of time? It must be a new record, even for Stiles.

Alec on the other hand smiled even wider. "Who is this Stiles kid?" He wondered taking another sip of his drink.

The two stood for a few seconds longer before either of them spoke up. "How are you enjoying the party?" Alec asked.

The pounding of the next songs base kicked in just as Stiles was about to speak. If he was going to be honest, he hated parties. They were just filled with drunk teenagers who would probably get themselves killed by the end of the night. He only came tonight because he cared about Lydia's opinion, and because he was ignoring one very grumpy twenty-five-year-old.

"I'm not." Stiles said before explaining how he felt leaving out the bit about Derek Hale. "I feel bad for the guy that through this party though. Even though I'm not enjoying it I wouldn't want to be him. People are totally trashing his house and I even think someone puked in the drive way. If I can find the guy I might even offer to help clean up after words if he isn't to trashed himself."

"Someone puked in the drive way?" Alec asked his voice taking on a strange note to which Stiles nodded.

"It's kinda gnarly."

"Oh god." Alec moaned wiping a hand down his face.

"Yeah like I said wouldn't want to be that guy." Stiles noticed the way Alec shot him a glare before shaking his head and smiling again.

"Yeah, me neither."

The pair began to talk about everything and anything in between, no topic was off limits. Stiles told him about how his mom past a few years back and how his dad was the Sheriff of a few towns over. They talked about Lydia, and how she is honestly so hot but terrifying at the same time. Alec told Stiles about his little brother Max passing away last year and his adoptive brother Jace who was totally around here somewhere. They talked about Izzy and how she got all the hot genes, something that Stiles wouldn't believe until he saw proof, and about how Alec's parents were off on business quite a bit. They even somehow started talking about Derek Hale and how he and Stiles were no longer a thing, part of the reason Stiles was forced out tonight.

"It's alright. Uh Magnus Bane, do you know him?" With a dismissive shake of the head Alec continued. "Well we were sort of a thing to so I know what you mean when you say you needed to get out."

The pair didn't stop there.

"What do you mean you have never seen Star Wars? It's like a national treasure! It's more important to this county then the next president. No this can't stand, next Friday you are making popcorn and I am coming to your house with the best movies seriously ever and were watching them."

"Stiles you've never had tres leche cake? That's insane, I'll have to make you some. Izzy absolutely loves it I swear it's great."

"Alec no you can't think that Bateman stands a chance against Superman. No, this totally makes you less hot, stop."

"Stiles, Stiles slow down I can hardly understand you."

"Pepsi is so much better than coke shut up."

The night was still long, and Stiles no longer regretted coming to this totally trash party because of Alec. The boys had positioned themselves against a wall, seeing as the couch was occupied. Stiles repeatedly pushed himself from the wall to emphasis his ever-changing points and Alec regarded his spastic actions with a smile. The two were content in their little bubble until Lydia popped it.

"Stiles there you are!" Lydia yelled over the music grabbing Stiles by the wrist. "I lost you forever ago, but I see you've been in good hands. Nice party by the way Alec."

"Nice party?"

A nervous chuckle escaped Alec's lips. "If I remember correctly you said you'd help clean up?"

[somelokivariant]

“GO!”  “NOT WITHOUT YOU!”

AAAA AHSJUHHSJ IM SUCH A SLUT FOR THIS TROPE JUST TAKE MY WHOLE HEART

[riverdalee]

The One With A Distraction

Pairing: Alec Lightwood x Reader

Summary: While Magnus and Jace summon Azazel, Alec goes after you, another Greater Demon working with Azazel, only to find out you’re incredibly charming - and a great distraction. 

A/N: it’s been a while since i did an alec imagine so here you go!

MASTERLIST (mobile and desktop) (you can like it and save it for later!)

After the attack on the Institute, everyone was still in mourning. The down worlders had lost many loved ones and the Shadowhunters, though fewer, were still enraged and seeking revenge. Knowing Valentine, the cause of their misery, was chained up in the basement waiting to be slaughtered was just a huge temptation.

“Let them maul him to pieces,” Alec shrugs, “I couldn’t care less. In any case, I’m not going to be part of some stupid protection detail for a mass murderer. Not when my sister is missing and all our resources should be put toward finding her.”

“We need Valentine to find the Mortal Cup,” Clary points out.

Alec sighs in defeat, “Well, we can’t just sit here doing nothing.”

“Magnus and Jace are working on summoning Azazel. They think they might be able to convince him to trade Valentine for Izzy,” Clary informs him.

“And what about the other Greater Demon? That girl that was with Azazel?”

“Her name’s y/n. She’s not in the system. Magnus has no idea who she is either,” Clary informs him, “We only found her name out through facial recognition. She was in a picture a long time ago - I mean like centuries ago.”

“From the footage it seems like she’s more powerful than Azazel and yet there’s no record of her?” Alec asks frustrated.

Clary sighs in defeat, leaning over her desk and clicking the monitor a few times until she can zoom in on your face to get a better look, “She looks our age from this footage. How can she be centuries old?”

Alec shrugs, “Maybe one of her abilities. Look, I can’t just sit around here. I’ll be back if you guys figure a way out to summon Azazel but in the meantime I’m going to find this girl – maybe I can appeal to her sensitive side.”

“Do demons have sensitive sides?” Clary scoffs.

Alec’s eyes linger on the image of you, “Let’s hope this one does.”

“You know, you’re going to have to be sneakier than that to get the jump on a Greater Demon,” you say, smirking as you turn to find Alec Lightwood behind you, his bow and arrow drawn. You could’ve killed him in a heartbeat with no witnesses, but instead you cross your arms over your chest and lean against the wall of the alleyway, watching him curiously.

“Where’s my sister?” he asks firmly, his jaw tense.

“Isabelle Lightwood?” you raise a brow, “Why would I have her?”

“I saw the footage from the alleyway. Azazel grabbed Izzy and you-“

“Stopped him,” you cut him off, “We don’t have her.”

“Why should I believe you?” he leers.

You stand up straight, walking over to him. His grip on the bow tightens as you come to a stop and he shifts it so the tip of the arrow is angled to hit you right between the eyes.

Before you get a word out he releases it. Little does he expect you to catch the arrow an inch from your face.

You drop it to the floor, “You can’t kill me,” you tell him, “As for believing me – I don’t really care whether you do or not. Our business is with the Mortal Cup, not you Shadowhunters.”

Alec lowers his bow, dropping it to his side, “Look, if you have my sister-“

“I don’t,” you reassure him, “I could find her quite easily though.”

Alec rolls his eyes, “Like a Greater Demon does anything for free.”

You bite down on your lip and shrug, “I’m no ordinary Greater Demon.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alec frowns.

“It means we can stand here and you can try to kill me repeatedly or we can go find your sister. Free of cost, I promise,” you wink.

Alec knew it was stupid to trust you but something about the way you spoke and the way you looked at him made him feel like he could. In any case, it was better than sitting around waiting for news.

And if things did go south he was sure he could take you. Probably.

“Alright, where is she then?”

“It’s not that easy, Lightwood,” you scoff.

Alec narrows his eyes, “If you aren’t interested in Shadowhunters then how do you know my name? And my sisters?”

“It’s my job to know the Lightwood’s,” you say pointedly, “Your mother heads the Idris Institute and while I was in town she put a massive target on my back.”

“That’s impossible. You weren’t even in our system, she couldn’t have known about you,” Alec says, walking alongside you.

“She didn’t need to. She found out one of her trusted recruits was in love with a Greater Demon and she wanted me hunted down,” you sigh, “We had to go on the run.” Suddenly your voice is strained.

“Wait, you’re dating a Shadowhunter?” he asks in disbelief.

“I was, it was years ago. He died… protecting me from your mother. After that she had to call it off so no one would find out this all happened on her orders – that she’d pretty much killed him.”

Alec’s eyes widen in alarm as he watches your face fill with disdain.

“Well, then, you have a reason to want to hurt our family,” he says slowly.

You roll your eyes, “Really? That’s what you got out of that. Geez, you really are a Lightwood,” you sigh, “Unlike your mother, I take no pleasure in seeing people hurt.”

“In the alleyway you killed at least a dozen vampires just by raising your hand,” he retorts.

“Vampires that were about to kill your sister,” you shoot back, “Look, do you want my help or not?” you snap.

“Yes,” Alec grumbles in response.

“Then shut up a follow me.”

You knew enough about Alec Lightwood to know he wouldn’t ever completely trust you. To be honest, you were surprised he was following you around at all – his sister clearly meant a lot to him. You knew she was safe. You’d waited around to see her disappear with another Shadowhunter but you couldn’t tell him that. As the two of you were walking around, Magnus was summoning Azazel and you needed to keep Alec distracted.

“We’ve been walking around for hours,” Alec groans, “You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

You give him a pointed look.

“Well,” he throws his arms up in the air, “How am I supposed to know? You’re vague and mysterious and I have no idea who you are. You seem to know everything about me and all I know is that you have a dead boyfriend.”

You stiffen at his words and his eyes soften.

“Sorry,” he mumbles.

He inhales sharply, gathering his courage to ask a question he’d thought about at least a dozen times after you’d told him that story, “How did you get a Shadowhunter to fall in love with you?”

When you don’t answer, he stops walking.

“We’re raised to hunt demons. We’re taught they’re all evil… but you,” he trails off, “You’re different.”

“When you’ve been around as long as I have, you don’t let yourself get caught up in Shadowhunter-Demon-Mundane wars. Greater Demons are capable of much more than regular demons.”

“I know that,” he nods, “I just didn’t know you were capable of love.”

“Neither did I,” you say softly, “Until I met him.”

Alec nods quietly. He knew there was probably things you had done that were unforgiveable – there was no such thing as an innocent demon. But everyone was guilty of something, even Shadowhunters and for the first time, he felt sympathy for you. And he felt slightly enraged at his mother for causing you so much pain, and worse, covering it up.

Before he can express his condolences, his phone rings.

“Take it,” you nod despite knowing what would happen next. After a few seconds, Alec hangs up and glares at you.

“You were just a distraction,” he growls, drawing his bow again. You place a hand over it and push it down.

“My sister could be dead right now and I’ve been here messing around with you instead of finding her!” he yells angrily.

“Your sister is fine,” you reassure him, “I saw her leave with another Shadowhunter.”

Alec sighs in relief, running his fingers through his hair, “Why didn’t you tell me that?! Why make me walk around for hours like an idiot?!”

“Was it so wrong to want to get to know the son of the woman who killed the boy I loved?”

Alec slumps slightly, “And? What did you gather from these few hours?”

He asks with a tone of sarcasm but he was scared to know the answer; he was scared you’d think he was exactly like his parents.

“You’re different,” you finally say, “You’re actually remind me of him. A lot. It’s been a while since I’ve spent time with a Shadowhunter who wasn’t trying to kill me.”

You tilt your head, eyeing his hand on the arrow, “You’re not going to try kill me are you?”

“No,” he chuckles.

“Wow, a smile,” you laugh, “Haven’t seen one of those all night.”

He looks at the floor, shaking his head with a wide smile, “I’ll talk to my mother, make sure that target stays off your back.”

You nod in appreciation, taking a few steps back, about to head off.

“And when I do,” he says quickly, causing you to stop in your tracks, “Maybe I’ll see you again?”

“Maybe, Lightwood,” you smirk, “I hear you guys can pull off one hell of a summoning spell.”

[dontmindmyshadowhunting]

Do I see you? (Fan Fiction on Kit & Ty’s reunion)

All Chapters of my Fan Fiction on Kit and Ty’s reunion below.

You can scroll down or read it here (I have added a bonus chapter 10 on AO3 - link below): 

AO3 Link - Do I see you?

By kibi_writes

Kit Herondale, descendant of the First Heir and as such, legitimate heir to the throne of both Seelie and Unseelie Courts, is hunted down by both the Cohort and Faeries. He has now taken refuge at the New York Institute, close to the Consul and to the only other Herondale he knows. The Scholomance has answered the Clave’s call and decided to assign three of their First Company Centurions to Kit’s security. One of them is Tiberius Blackthorn, whom Kit hasn’t been in contact with since he last saw him, three years ago.

The events take place three years after the Dark Artifices. Characters based on Cassandra Clare’s, save for those I have created for the plot.

Chapter 1 - An unexpected guest

The New York Institute’s dining room was crowded with strangers. Well, mostly strangers.

Alexander Lightwood-Bane, Consul, was at the head of the table and Jace was behind him, leaning against the wall, playing with a knife clutched in his left hand, the only sign of stress betraying his casual stance.

There were other familiar faces: Clary Fairchild, co-head of the NY Institute, Mark Blackthorn and Cristina Rosales, as representatives of the Downworlder-Shadowhunter Alliance, Jem and Tessa who had brought Kit here. Max and Rafael were playing with little Mina in another room.

Kit looked at the grim faces around the table. It was like being at a Shadowhunter funeral. There was even a Silent Brother present. The image of a dark-haired boy dressed in white flashed in his mind then, and Kit immediately shoved it away and directed his focus on the ongoing conversation.

“…So, we all agree,” said a tall pinch-faced man with a faint accent. It seemed to be French. “Now that both the Cohort and Faeries know of his existence, and where he has been hiding the past few years, the First Heir’s descendant is in danger. Until we find out how to deal with these threats, his security is the matter of the Clave.”

Kit loved it when people were talking about him in the third person as if he weren’t there.

As explained earlier, we can keep him in the Silent City, but only temporarily, said the Silent Brother in the attendees’ minds.

Kit made a silent prayer. No, please no. Anywhere but the Silent City.

“The Scholomance will answer the Clave’s call,” said the French man. Probably the new person in charge of the Scholomance, Kit guessed. He had heard he was French. He seemed young though - in his late twenties or early thirties - for such a responsibility. “We will assign three of our First Company’s Centurions to Christopher Herondale’s security”.

“Thank you, Maximilien. We are most grateful-” started Alec.

“We will need to perform background checks first,” Jace interrupted. “I hope you understand.”

Maximilien Verlac’s eyes – Kit had just remembered his last name – showed a flash of anger, quickly smoothed over. “Certainly, although I am pretty sure you can be spared a background check on at least one of them.” He looked directly at Mark then. “You see, I was planning on assigning your brother to the task.”

Kit froze.

“Tiberius Blackthorn?” it was Jem who spoke. He glanced at Kit then, so quickly most people must not have seen it. “We are quite close to the Blackthorns. Would it not be preferable to entrust only people who are… unknown to us, with such mission?” Kit knew what Jem was trying to do. Protect his feelings. He felt both ashamed and grateful.

“I thought you would want our A-Team to be assigned to your boy’s security,” said Maximilien Verlac, raising one of his thick eyebrows. “Tiberius Blackthorn is one of our best Centurions, and it would be a shame to be deprived of his razor-sharp mind. I am afraid without him, we cannot assure you that you have the very best the Scholomance has to offer.”

The rest of the conversation melted into a blur. Voices raised, people stood, fingers pointed. But Kit wasn’t hearing any of it. The only sound in his ear was that of his heart, beating hard in his chest.

Kit only realized the meeting was over when people started exiting the room. He was vaguely aware of Jem telling him with a strained voice that the three Centurions assigned to his security would arrive at the NY Institute that very evening. One of them was Tiberius Blackthorn. Kit stormed out of the room without a word, ran to the bedroom that had been assigned to him, and locked himself in. As if a lock could protect him from the ache that had started growing in his chest.

*****

The three Centurions came in through a Portal a little before twilight. They were led to the training room where Jace, co-head of the New York Institute, had been spending his afternoon.

Jace gracefully jumped from one of the rafters as soon as the door opened to reveal the newcomers. They seemed to be moving in a V formation, Tiberius Blackthorn standing in front, flanked by the two other Centurions.

Jace strode across the training room to meet them, his hand outstretched.

He had come across Tiberius Blackthorn several times in the past few years, not frequently, but enough to see him grow from a lean boy into a man. However, now that he was seeing him up close, Jace could not help but feel a jolt of surprise as he took in his delicate features, silver gray eyes under impossibly long eyelashes, cupid’s bow lips so red the shade could have been used for expensive make-up, his pale white skin a sharp contrast with his frame of black hair. Jace was not into boys, but he had to admit that Tiberius Blackthorn was strikingly handsome. In fact, one could say his beauty was… otherworldly.

He must have his pick of girls, Jace thought.

As he was shaking hands with Tiberius and glancing at the two other Centurions watching him expectantly, he said “Welcome to the New York Institute, Centurions. Kit is training right now, maybe we could make the introductions later; not that you, Ty, need to be introduced. I can show you to your rooms, so you can start unpacking-”

Jace started to move forward, only to realize that Tiberius had not been listening to him at all. He stood motionless, staring at something across the room, his gray eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. His face, which had been pale white a minute ago, had turned a deep shade of crimson.

Jace followed his stare to a corner of the training room where Kit was doing crunches, his abdominal muscles showing where his shirt lifted. Admittedly, Kit had changed a lot since the first time Jace had met him. To say he had grown into his looks was an understatement.

Kit’s body was tanned, all broad shoulders, narrow hips, and sharply defined muscles. His blond hair and white shirt were drenched in sweat. Kit seemed to be absorbed in his own world, eyes closed, headphones on, loud music blasting in his ears.

Jace revisited his earlier statement. Boys, then. Tiberius Blackthorn must have his pick of boys.

“Tiberius?” Jace insisted. When he failed to receive an answer, he tried in a more commanding voice, “Centurion?”

Tiberius snapped out of his daze, then, and straightened his back, as if in a military drill. He turned and led the way out of the training room, his two guard dogs following in his footsteps.

Jace sighed. He had the feeling the situation was about to get even more complicated.

 Chapter 2 - A sense of déjà-vu

Kit had disappeared into his bedroom after training, to shower and dress for dinner. He tried five different shirts, before settling for the first one. He kept pacing, cursing, until he gathered up the courage to walk out of his hiding place.

When he finally came in the Institute’s dining room, Kit realized that he had no reason to be nervous after all. Ty was nowhere to be seen. There were two Centurions though, sitting at the table, with their backs very straight, as if a cord were pulling them upward. Was that part of the training at the Scholomance? Kit wondered.

One of them introduced himself as Anush Joshi. He was tall and dark haired, and had a friendly face, Kit thought.

The other was a girl, with white-blond hair. Kerstin Lindquist. She had apparently grown up at the Stockholm Institute. She was very pretty and looked more like a Barbie doll than a Shadowhunter. But Kit had learnt that, where Shadowhunters were concerned, looks could be deceiving. Deadly so.

They were both wearing casual clothes, rather than their Centurions’ uniforms, and that helped Kit warm up to them. So far, his encounters with Centurions had not been the friendliest. That was an understatement. He could only count one of them he actually liked. Well, “liked” was a big word. Diego Rosales, who was now the Inquisitor.

They made polite conversation with Simon and Isabelle, who had joined them. Clary and Jace were apparently caught up in Institute business.

“So, any juicy news from the Scholomance?” asked Isabelle, as they were having dessert.

Kit saw Anush and Kerstin exchange an uneasy glance.

“Not much fun, actually,” said Anush, closing the subject.

“Is Tiberius getting along well with everyone? I know Maximilien Verlac holds him in high esteem.”

“He is the best of us,” Anush said simply. “He actually makes us all look like sword-wielding idiots.” Kit could not help but notice the fondness in Anush’s tone as he was speaking of Ty.

“Yes, but what about friends?” enquired Simon.

“He has friends. We are his friends,” said Kerstin defensively. “But he does keep to himself most of the time. Himself and Irene of course.”

Irene? Kit felt his heart squeezing into his chest. Blood pounded in his ears, a mixture of dread and rage.

“Oh, I heard about Irene,” said Isabelle, her eyes glittering. “She’s a Carpathian Lynx right? Catarina Loss told me all about her. Where is she now?”

Kit felt relief wash over him. He hoped no one had noticed his emotional rollercoaster. Wait- Tiberius had a Lynx?

“Yes, well, Catarina Loss is the one taking care of her, while Tiberius is away,” said Anush.

“So, I guess he doesn’t have a girlfriend” Isabelle pursued. Kit murmured a silent thanks to Isabelle and tried very much to look uninterested.

“Well, he is definitely popular with the female crowd,” said Kerstin. “Although he is gentle and kind, he is as difficult to approach as a wild animal. And girls do love a challenge. Better yet, a mystery. Of course, being drop-dead gorgeous is certainly a bonus. But he is not interested.”

“What do you mean, he is not interested?”

“Girls – even boys – gathered the courage to ask him out, but he never said yes to any of them. Well, from what I’ve heard. Tiberius is a gentleman and doesn’t talk about those things. Anyway, it seems that after a while, people stopped trying. Some even started calling him “the marble statue”. Beautiful as a Greek god, but cold, emotionless” Kerstin sounded angry. “Rejection and jealousy make people spiteful”. Kit decided he was growing to like that Kerstin girl.

“Of course, people who actually know him, know that this could not be farther from the truth” said Anush. Kerstin nodded vigorously. Kit felt a twinge. How well did they know Ty? Well enough, it seemed. Was any of them secretly dating him? Was that the reason they were uneasy earlier?

“Talking about Ty, will he not be joining us?” asked Simon.

“Sometimes he gets engrossed in work. Skips dinner. I will bring him food later”. It was Anush who had spoken.

“I’ll do it” said Kit, speaking for the first time in a while, before he could stop himself.

Everyone at the table turned to look at him. So much for being inconspicuous.

They all started heading to their rooms a few minutes later and Kit exchanged briefly with Simon to know which bedroom had been assigned to Ty.

 *****

Kit tried to ignore his growing excitement and the hard beating in his chest as he hurried down the scarcely lit corridors of the Institute. He was just turning around a corner when he collided with a tall figure. They both stumbled on the floor, Kit landing on top of the stranger. Kit lifted himself on his elbows to look at his victim. His heart skipped a beat when he recognized who it was, even in the darkness. Not a stranger at all.

“Kit,” said the not-stranger.

“Ty.”

Kit moved then but did not stand. Instead, he kneeled so that he was sitting directly on Ty’s chest.

“Does this feel like déjà-vu to you?” Kit was relieved and surprised he had managed to sound calm and casual. That’s it. Get it together. Stay cool. He flashed his best smile. “Although, it seems, the tables have turned.”

Despite the dimness, Kit could not miss the two perfect V shaped eyebrows raising as Ty answered. “If so, I make a poor criminal. I didn’t even have time to fill a backpack with stolen goods before I got caught.”

Kit’s smile grew even wider. When had Ty learnt to respond to jokes? To make jokes?

“Didn’t you? Is that a stolen knife you are carrying or are you just really happy to see me?”

A look of confusion crossed Ty’s face. Well, maybe not all jokes.

Kit stood up, lending a hand to Ty, who gratefully accepted it. As their hands touched, Kit felt a little fire igniting in his body. Well not that little. And it was spreading. Stop. Stop it now. Stay calm. Stay cool. You’ve got this.

“So, I was actually looking for you. As you did not join us for dinner, I wanted to bring dinner to you. Your friend Anush told me sometimes you skipped meals. But not on my watch. The Angel forbid my bodyguards pass out on me, when I am in such grave danger” said Kit, in what he hoped was a conversational tone.

They were both standing now, facing each other. Although Kit had grown several inches in the past years, Ty was still taller than him. Kit cursed silently. Would he ever stop growing? If Julian was any indicator though, Ty’s height was not a surprise. He was leaner than Julian, though not as lean as he used to be, his muscles had developed, and his shoulders were broader and… Kit was grateful for the cover of darkness while he was making this assessment.

Speaking of which, Ty’s gaze seemed to be moving over Kit, mainly focusing on his hands, searching for something? That’s when it struck Kit. Food. He had just announced to Ty that he had brought him dinner. Kit wanted to smack himself. What kind of idiot finds a lame excuse to go see the guy he has a crush on and actually shows up without the excuse.

“You can see I have no food on me,” said Kit before he could take it back. Kit wanted to smack himself. Again.

Ty just smiled. “I can see that you brought the dinner I was going to eat before you came to see me.”

“Says the criminal without the booty”.

“Order out?”

“I have a better idea,” said Kit. No need to tell Ty he already had dinner. He could eat twice. He needed the fuel. Right?

Chapter 3 - Herondales love but once

They settled for an Italian restaurant, a short ten minutes’ walk from the Institute, since Ty didn’t want to wander too far in case something happened. However, he seemed to think they were safe going out that evening, as if he knew something Kit didn’t. Kit decided not to investigate the matter. He trusted Ty knew what he was doing.

Kit mostly talked about his time in Devon, with Jem, Tessa and little Mina.

Ty told Kit about the Scholomance, his experiments with Livvy and Irene’s funny habits. He also gave Kit news on the Blackthorns.

“So… As I was told, you are considered quite the catch at the Scholomance,” said Kit eventually, when he could no longer hide his curiosity. “So much so that you keep turning girls... and boys, down.”

Ty stiffened.

“Apparently,” Kit carried on, “you are a mystery that begs to be solved.”

“I am not a mystery,” Ty shrugged. “I am just different. Nothing mysterious about that.”

“Does this mean you are not interested in having… relationships?” Kit tried very hard to sound casual.

“Christopher Herondale,” said Ty, with a small smile. “Are you asking me if I am interested in sex?”

Kit chocked on his drink. Ty waited until he had finished coughing.

“I am different,” he said. Then, turning his face away, “But not in that way.” Wait- was Ty blushing?

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. I was just wondering why you rejected all the offers you received. You know, when you could…”

“Satisfy my appetites?” Ty offered, raising one of his perfect eyebrows. “Is that what you are doing?”

“What do you mean?” Kit started.

“I have heard of your reputation, Kit Herondale, the heartbreaker. Collecting flirts, never looking for a serious relationship.”

“That’s not entirely true. Well, that last part is true, but I am not a heartbreaker. I never lead anyone on, never offer something I cannot give.”

“I am sure you don’t,” said Ty. And Kit knew he believed him.

“I simply cannot have a serious relationship,” explained Kit. “For two reasons. The first is that being who I am, it’s dangerous to be associated with me. If any of my enemies sensed that I was seriously involved with someone, they would use that person to get to me. And I can’t allow that.”

“So, you are sacrificing love for the safety of others?”

“Well… That leads us to the second reason. You know what they say about Herondales?”

“A lot is said about Herondales. What are you referring to?”

“Herondales love but once.”

“So, you are having fun, until you find the one,” said Ty. It sounded like a statement, not a question. His expression was unreadable.

I already have, thought Kit. Instead, he said “Let’s go, we don’t want the Clave to discover we are out here having a conversation about relationships, when I am being hunted down by half the Shadowhunters and Downworlders in New York”.

Ty could not argue with that. So, they paid and left. Outside, the sky was darkening with clouds.

Chapter 4 - The First Kiss

As Kit looked up at the sky, rain started pouring down his face. “I should have anticipated this. The sky was full of clouds”.

“Cloud,” said Ty. “One of the words you like.”

Kit turned to look at Ty, who was staring at his right shoulder. “You remember them?”

“Whisper, cloud, secret, highway, hurricane, mirror, castle, thorns”. Ty spoke them so fast Kit barely had time to register them.

In answer, he smiled and whispered, more slowly, “Glass, twin, apple, whisper, stars, crystal, shadow, lilt”.

Ty’s eyes lit up and crinkled at the corners the way they did when he was very surprised.

“I have new words I like, you know,” said Ty, after a moment.

“You do?” Kit was staring at Ty’s eyelashes. Drops of rain were captured there, like diamonds glittering on a dark curtain. His wet hair was plastered to his head, dark wet curls partly obscuring his forehead and cheeks. He was so beautiful it hurt.

“Love, two, kiss, kite, lips,” whispered Ty.

Kit’s eyes widened and immediately searched Ty’s, and that is when he realized that Ty's gaze was no longer directed at his shoulder, but at his lips…

*****

Kit made a move toward Ty, but Ty had already raised his hand, as if to stop him. In the same movement, Ty gently pressed his long, calloused fingers on Kit’s lips, tracing their shape, uncovering their smoothness. He was whispering softly, so low that Kit could not make out the words.

Ty’s other hand came up as well and he was staring at Kit in wonder as his fingers moved slowly across Kit’s face, caressing the line of his jaw, stroking his cheeks, smoothing his eyebrows, leaving a trail of heat everywhere their skin touched. Kit closed his eyes, as if it could slow the fire burning through his body.

Ty exhaled, as if relieved by Kit’s reaction to his touch. He brought both his hands on either side of Kit’s face then, gently cupping as he pressed his mouth to Kit’s jaw, not exactly kissing, but rather enjoying the experience of his lips against Kit’s skin.

“Ty,” murmured Kit, in a daze. He felt his knees buckling under him and gripped Ty’s shoulders to steady himself. Ty gasped in surprise and stepped back. Kit moved forward to tighten his grip and ended up pushing Ty against the wall.

They both froze, staring at each other.

Ty swallowed and whispered, “Did I- did I do something wrong?”

Kit laughed at that, shaking his head. “Ty- you know, you are the cleverest person I know, but sometimes I swear...”

He crossed the very small space left between them. Ty’s lips were still parted in surprise as Kit crushed his own lips against them, using the opening to taste Ty’s mouth with his tongue. Another gasp from Ty.  Kit barely had the time to silently curse himself for being so forward – this was their first kiss, he ought to do things more slowly – long, urgent fingers were already moving up his back, his shoulders, and down again, resting for a few seconds against his hips before going up again. It was as if Ty was drawing a pattern, butterfly’s wings, on Kit’s back.  Gentle at first, his strokes became more and more demanding, until Ty’s hands slipped under Kit’s shirt and nails were digging into flesh. Ty seemed to be lost in the need to touch Kit, every part of Kit, as if his life depended on it. Well, if Ty was not being careful, why should he restrain himself?

Kit met Ty’s eagerness with his own, and it quickly became a chaos of tongues, bites, desperate touches. Kit could taste rain, metal, and musk, as his mouth continued to explore Ty’s – or devour would be more accurate. It was as if they were naked, skin against skin, through their water-soaked clothes. In that moment, Kit’s experience and Ty’s lack thereof did not matter. Neither of them could identify who was doing what, as they entangled their limbs and melted their bodies under the pouring rain.

Chapter 5 - When all hell breaks loose

Kit and Ty hurried back to the Institute, soaked to the bone. They slipped into Kit’s bedroom, as it was the closest to the entrance.

Kit kicked his shoes off and started to undress, lifting his shirt, then paused, looking over at Ty as he realized he was not alone in his room.

Ty caught Kit’s gaze then and locked it. Slowly, deliberately, he started to undress, taking his time with each piece of wet clothing, until he was standing naked in front of Kit, save from his boxer shorts. Two chains were tied around his neck. One with Livvy’s locket and the other one with a silver, heron-shaped pendant. A gift from Kit.

Kit felt his whole body catch fire as his gaze roamed over Ty’s body. He literally took his breath away.

Marble statue, you say? In that moment, Ty looked anything but. He was disheveled, his cheeks flushed, his eyes wide and questioning and his breath quickening.

But he was standing still, making no move toward Kit, leaving Kit to decide what happened next.

Kit swallowed hard. He removed his shirt then and threw it on the floor. Once he had decided on his course of action, he could not get fast enough to Ty. They collided, stumbled, and fell on the bed, Kit landing on top of Ty.

Kit cursed as he tried to undo the zipper on his jeans. “It’s stuck”, he said.

“Wait let me help- Oosh” Ty was cut short as Kit, still struggling with his zipper, inadvertently elbowed him.

“By the Angel, Kit, no need to knock me out. I am willing!”

“Didn’t you know? it’s payback time.”

They burst out laughing then, but it was not long before the sound of Ty’s laughter did things to Kit’s insides, that made him instantly turn serious.

As Kit started kissing his way down Ty’s body, all his senses attuned to him and only him. The scent of Ty, the sound of Ty’s raspy moans, the feel of Ty’s soft skin over taut muscles as he traced circles with his tongue around Ty’s navel.

Kit felt exhilarated. He could not believe this was happening, that he was finally touching Ty the way he had always wanted to and that Ty was not only fine with it, he was begging for it.

As Kit started stroking Ty’s hardness through the material of his shorts, Ty started shaking, his breath coming in short gasps.

“Kit” he chocked. “By the Angel, Kit- What are you doing to me?”

His voice was rich and deep, with a rasp that reminded Kit of the first time he had heard Ty’s voice. It fueled Kit’s own arousal.

“Beautiful” said Kit, as he remembered, the sound muffled as his lips moved against Ty’s skin. I love you Ty, I love you so much.

Kit froze. He had not said it out loud. But it was as if he had been brought back to Lake Lyn, to that moment when his heart had been ripped apart. The evening spent with Ty had brought pieces of Kit’s heart back together, each of Ty’s smiles acting like so many stitches.

But if his heart were healed, if it became whole again, did that not mean it could break again? And if It broke again, could Kit survive it?

Kit scrambled out of the bed and nearly tripped on his own feet. Such a graceful escape for a Shadowhunter, he thought.

He looked at Ty then, who was sitting up, clearly confused, his hair tangled, and his cheeks flushed. The white blanket was barely covering his body. Kit blushed as he looked away and swallowed hard. “I think we should stop here. For now.”

Ty got out of bed. His hands were shaking as he gathered his wet clothes, which were scattered over the floor. His head was bent, so Kit could not see the expression on his face. “I am sorry. I must have misunderstood.”

“No, you have not!” Kit almost yelled.  “I wanted this. I wanted you. I want you.” I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in my whole life, was what Kit thought but did not say.

“So, help me understand.” Ty had already put his wet jeans on. Kit exhaled, his sigh a mix of relief and regret. “You say you want me, but I was lying naked in your bed and you were touching me, making me feel things that I never…” Ty swallowed. “And then you stopped. You just stopped and jumped off the bed as if you couldn’t get away from me fast enough. Is this- is this a game to you?”

“No, of course not!” Kit took a deep breath. “I want to press pause for a moment. And rewind. I want us to spend time together, to go on dates, to get to know each other, before- “

“Get to know each other? As if we are strangers? Is that what you think?” Ty’s eyes were huge. Shock. Disappointment. Well, Kit couldn’t help but be disappointed as well. Ty was fully dressed now.

“I think – it’s been three years since we’ve last seen each other, and we may have changed, I know I have changed, and it would be best if we got to-“

“I. Know. You.” Ty enunciated each word. “I know you, Kit. And I thought you knew me too”, he whispered. His voice sounded tired. Defeated. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists. Kit almost wanted to give him something to grab hold of.

“I do know you…” Kit pleaded, realizing with horror how wrong his explanation had come out. How it might have been construed. As if what they had had three years ago could be wiped away, could be forgotten. It could not. Kit had tried to forget and then stopped trying as he had realized how precious it was. Sacred. Neither time, nor distance, nor life, nor death could touch it. What they had shared, what they used to have, was perfect. Up until Kit ruined everything by confessing his feelings.

Of course, he knew Ty. He knew all of him and loved all of him. He just wanted Ty to know him. The new him. Maybe if Ty took the time to learn to know the new Kit, he could fall in love with him. As Kit was in love with Ty.

“I just want you to know me, too. The new me.” He tried to explain but felt like he was failing.

“You were right” said Ty, after a moment. His hands had stopped moving and were clutched into fists. “You don’t know me. You don’t know me if you thought I was about to give myself to someone I considered a stranger.”

He went to the door and paused. “You are doing it again, you know? You can’t just make your way into my life, become part of who I am, and just leave without a look back. Without a single word. Leaving a mess that I am expected to figure out on my own.”

And with that, Ty stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Kit crumpled to the floor. For hours, he sat there, his bare back against the wall, wondering how the best day of his life and the worst turned out to be the exact same day.

Chapter 6 - Thank God for Livvy Blackthorn

Kit didn’t remember how, but he had somehow managed to crawl into his bed, sometime during the night, and had fallen asleep tossing restlessly.

When he woke up, the sun was high up in the sky, and its light shone on a familiar figure sitting on his bed, legs crossed. Kit blinked.

“Livvy.”

She wore the same white dress she had at her funeral and her Blackthorn blue-green eyes were staring at him with a pained expression. She looked exactly the same as she had the last time he had seen her.

“So. How bad did you screw things up this time?” she said.

“I didn’t just screw things up,” said Kit, sitting up. “I obliterated them. I am a wrecking ball.”

Livvy rolled her eyes. “So dramatic. You know, I never cared for soap opera when I was alive, and this has not changed with my untimely death. Thank the Angel.”

“So what should I do?” asked Kit.

“Listen to me, Kit. And I am telling you this as a fifteen-year-old ghost to an eighteen-year-old man. GROW. A. PAIR. Tell him about your feelings.”

“I already did!” Kit yelled desperately. “And… and he didn’t care. He didn’t care.”

“That doesn’t sound like Ty-Ty,” said Livvy dubiously. “When was that?”

“Three years ago. Near Lake Lyn. When we were… when we were raising you as a ghost.”

Livvy snorted. “So, my brother asked you to assist him in a resurrection ritual and you took that as a romantic date? Beats flowers and a fancy restaurant. Oh wait – where Dru is concerned – it probably does,” she added as an afterthought.

“It wasn’t like that!” cried Kit. “I knew what we were doing was wrong, and I tried to stop him and it just… came out.”

“Well, you certainly did” said Livvy.

“What?”

“Never mind. I have other things to do so please, Kit, can you do something for me and spare me hours of explaining how your confession of love – as grand and romantic as it must have been – probably sailed right over Ty’s head as he was, you know, BUSY RAISING HIS TWIN SISTER FROM THE DEAD.”

“Fine! I’ll figure this out on my own. Since you are so busy with… ghost stuff.”

“Don’t be rude. I have things to do. Ty and I are leaving in a short hour. A mission for the Scholomance.”

“WHAT? But I thought-“

“As important as you are, Kit, Centurions cannot simply abandon all their missions to play bodyguards for you. This is why three Centurions were assigned to your protection. Two of them will remain at the Institute, so you’ll be fine.”

Kit already felt Ty’s absence as a hole in his chest.

“How long?” he asked.

“Two or three days. Don’t worry, we’ll do as fast as we can. In the meantime, work this out. And Kit?”

“Yeah?”

“This was me being nice. Since it’s clear that you are not doing it on purpose. I know how much you love Ty.”

Kit flinched.

“But Kit- Don’t. You. Dare. Hurt. My Brother. Again.”

She looked like an avenging angel then, and her blue-green fiery gaze was the last thing Kit saw before she disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Chapter 7 - Let’s kick some Cohort ass

The two following days passed in a blur. Kit was returning to his bedroom after training one evening when he saw a package left on his bed. He opened it and emptied the content on his desk. There was a folded note and a necklace. Kit felt a jolt of uneasiness as he recognized instantly the whitish-green pendant with the Chinese characters carved into it. Even though he had only learnt a few Chinese words from Jem, and didn’t know how to read them, he knew exactly what the characters meant. When two people are at one in their inmost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze.

It was the pendant Jem had offered Tessa over a hundred years ago, when he had proposed.

With a growing sense of dread, Kit opened the folded note and read. We hold someone you love. If you want to see her again, meet us at the following address. Alone. If you warn the Clave or anyone at the Institute, we will know. And what you’ll find there will be her dead body. The address printed at the bottom of the note seemed to be in a residential area, a 30 minutes’ walk from the Institute.

A flash of memories went through Kit’s head. Tessa smiling indulgently at him as he made yet another one of his bad jokes. Their banter about books and movies. Tessa carrying a giggling Mina and staring at Jem adoringly, as he was making faces to make them laugh. Tessa singing to Mina - loud enough for Kit to hear – the song his mother used to sing to him. Well, the mother who had given birth to him. Tessa was also his mother now.

When he snapped out of his daze, he was fully dressed in Shadowhunter gear. Thankfully, he always kept weapons in his room and was now heavily armed. He didn’t pause to think as he walked to the window and started escalading straight up to the Institute’s roof. He would not go through the corridors and risk being followed by someone at the Institute. He had noticed the way the Centurions sometimes seemed to suddenly appear out of thin air when he thought he was alone.

Perched on the Institute’s roof, he felt grateful for all the training Jace had put him through. He now knew that, as much as Jace could jump from unexpected, impossible heights, so could he. He had even trained to jump out of a Malachi configuration. Theoretically. Jace had smiled conspiratorially at the time, telling him it was a talent that could always prove useful.

He drew two runes, Heightened Speed and Surefooted, sparing a glance, as he always did, at the Voyance rune at the back of his right hand. He only paused to take one deep breath before jumping from the roof and landing gracefully on the ground. He murmured a silent thanks to Jace and almost wished his mentor were there for a high five.

He made it to the location in short time, although it seemed like hours to him.

He tried to circle around the meeting point, but it appeared empty. Just when he thought about doing another round, he heard laughter coming from an alley surrounded by two brick buildings. He peered his head. No one. He started as he heard a creaking noise behind him. Spinning toward the sound with his sword raised, he saw a familiar figure standing a few feet away.

It was one of the Centurions who had been assigned to his security. The Swedish blond girl, Kiersten Lindquist. She held a finger to her lips, hushing him, and slid silently next to him.

“It’s a trap,” she said low in his ear. “I have sent Anush back to the Institute for reinforcements. I’ll distract them and you run. Don’t – and I repeat – whatever you do, don’t let yourself get caught. It’s you they want. They will not hurt me if they are still looking for you. They would want to use me as bait.”

“But– Tessa…”

“She’s fine,” snapped Kiersten. Then, more gently, “please don’t mess up our plan.”

Wait– Kit thought, there was a plan?

Before he could ask, a dozen Shadowhunters – and it was plain they belonged to the Cohort - were circling them. They were calling themselves the Imperishable Order, now. Same shit, different name, thought Kit.

“Hey Barbie girl,” drawled one of the Cohort members. He looked very familiar. “We have no quarrel with you. We just want the Herondale Faerie-slut. Leave us be and we will not harm you.”

“Manuel. I see you haven’t changed,” said Kiersten calmly. “You’re still a disgrace to the Scholomance.” She drew her longsword and shouted, “NOW”.

Kit sprinted, knocking down two Cohort members on his way, disappeared around the corner of the nearest building and scrambled up its wall with a dexterity that would make both Jace and Jem proud. Up on the roof, he could see six Centurions had been dispatched to look for him. He glanced at the battle taking place beneath him and heard shouts as a newcomer joined the melee and incapacitated a Cohort member in a record time, before turning to fight two others. Kiersten was fighting two on her own.

Kit decided to check on the hunt party. Only two of them had decided to climb the stairs up to the top of the building, while the others were searching the area. Suddenly, he heard in a loud, clear voice, “STOP. STOP now, put your weapons down or I SWEAR TO GOD I will cut Barbie’s throat.”

He hurried back to stand at the edge of the roof, to assess the situation below.

Kit watched as the newcomer – a tall figure wearing a Centurion uniform – took a step forward and kneeled, laying his two blades on the floor. He raised both his hands as he stood. The moon lit his face. Kit gasped. Ty. No, no, no, Ty. I am so sorry.

Manuel strode to stand behind Ty, encircling him with his arms and lifting a knife to his throat. He was almost standing on tiptoe as Ty was taller than him, and it would have been comical if not for the dreadfulness of the whole situation.

A few feet away, facing them, another Cohort member had Kiersten in a headlock.

Kit had to force himself still. His hands were clutched into fists, his entire body trembling with the urge to fight. He kept repeating Kiersten’s words in his head. They will not hurt me if they are still looking for you. They would want to use me as bait.

“Well, well, look who we have here” said a woman’s voice and Kit recognized it at once. Zara Dearborn.

“Is this… Julian Blackthorn’s younger brother? The weird one? Well, whatever they say, he is hot as hell.”

Manuel laughed. “I figured you would say this, Zara. We all know you have wet dreams about Julian Blackthorn. No shame in that. You know what they say, keep your enemies closer and all that.”

Zara spluttered. “Seriously? You really want to talk about this? How about your crush on Emma Carstairs?” And in a mimicking voice, “Oooh Emma, you have such pretty blond hair and you’re such a badass, and you have this long, beautiful sword making up for my tiny, little…”

“Let’s make a truce,” said Manuel. “When we get back to Alicante, the Blackthorn Ken here will be all yours.”

“That’s actually a great idea. The look on Emma’s face when she finds out that her little brother-in-law and I…“

“I’m sorry, Zara, but this is not happening” said Ty, in a loud, clear voice, that didn’t betray a flicker of fear although he had a knife pointed at his throat. Kit felt a surge of pride. “No offense, but psycho bitches are not my type.”

Kit could see in the distance silhouettes running in their direction. He sighed in relief. Reinforcement was coming. He jumped from the roof and landed directly behind Zara, pointing his sword in her back in almost the same motion.

Several gasps of surprise.

“You think that jump was high? I can do it in my sleep,” said Kit, showing off.

He winked at Ty then, who was glancing his way, pride glittering in his eyes.

Kit knew he needed to stall until reinforcement arrived. Admittedly, the Cohort members were already doing most of the job.

“So… Manuel, I have to admit I am a bit jealous. You see, I have been fantasizing about holding Tiberius in the exact same position for years now.”

Ty, who had not betrayed a flicker of emotion until then, flushed a deep shade of red.

Manual smiled viciously. “Oh, I see. I guess all Faeries are queers.” And then, he spoke in Ty’s ear but loudly, so everyone could hear, “So, who’s the bitch?”

Ty didn’t answer but looked pointedly at Zara.

“Let me translate for you, freak. Do you hump him? Or does he hump you?”

“Come now, Manuel. This is the 21st Century. Keep up” said Kit, flashing his best smile. “We believe in equal opportunities.”

“OK guys, did I miss something? did we really run into Cohort members or some hormone-crazed teenagers posing as such?” it was Barbie – sorry, Kiersten – who had just spoken.  

No one answered as this was the moment when Jace appeared out of nowhere and knocked down the person who had her in a headlock with the flat of his sword.

Kit pushed Zara away, with such force that she ended up sprawling on the floor.

He instantly turned to where Ty was standing… looking down, his foot resting on top of Manuel’s body, which was writhing on the ground. Manuel was staring at his hands, his forearms, which were covered with red rashes and blisters, his face a mask of shock. A powder substance was eating away his knife, which had somehow landed a few feet away. 

Kit saw Ty put away a small vial filled with red-purple powder, with a satisfied look on his face.

All hell broke loose.

A fleeing Cohort member was swept off his feet as a whip circled around his foot and Isabelle, looking like a warrior goddess, pulled vigorously.

An arrow lodged itself in Zara’s thigh as she tried to stand up. Alec, standing a few feet away, had already pulled a new arrow. He looked… bored.

Kit knocked down another Cohort member using only his right hook. Because, well, he could.

In a few minutes, they had rounded up the wounded and tied their hands behind their backs.

The party that had been sent to search for Kit came back to an incongruous sight.

Zara, Manuel and the other Cohort members who had remained with the Centurions were now huddled together in the middle of a circle made by Anush, Kiersten, Ty and Isabelle, who was slashing at the air with her whip as to make a point to whoever thought they could chance an escape. Kit thought she looked like a hot school teacher scolding her very, very naughty pupils.

The search party turned around, making a run for it… only to be met by Jace. He was leaning casually against the side of the wall, his arms crossed.

“Hey, guys” he drawled. “Looking for something? Your dignity, maybe?”

One of the fleers launched himself at him, weapon raised, and Jace simply ducked out of the way as he drew his own sword.

Kit sensed a movement behind him, just as he was facing another one. Glancing backward, he saw that Ty had joined him to cover his back. He felt heat – the heat of the battle, the heat of Ty's body so close to his – as they fought back-to-back, four opponents at the same time.

Alec and Jace eventually joined them, and it was almost over before it had started.

The remaining Cohort members joined their friends in the circle where Kiersten, Anush and Isabelle had remained. Isabelle had put away her whip and was staring at her nails.

Clary finally swept in, gracefully, not a single hair out of place, and started drawing a portal.

“Sorry we are late” she said, standing next to Simon who was carrying large paper bags. “We had to stop to buy us dinner.”

Chapter 8 - What’s the point?

With the Cohort threat being mostly quashed, the following weeks passed uneventfully.

The Centurions remained at the New York Institute, as there were still other Cohort members and Faeries looking for Kit.

Kit and Ty never mentioned the fight they had had on the first day Ty had arrived at the Institute. Their friendship resumed; major events left unspoken.

It was as it had been before they had performed necromancy spells together. As if they had not raised Livvy’s ghost (except for the fact that they were seeing her every day). As if they had not lost all contact for three years. As if they had not kissed under the rain.

Kit still remembered though. How Ty’s lips had felt against his, the taste of his mouth. Rain, metal and musk. Kit could not forget the feel of Ty’s skin under his fingers, under his lips, the scent of him, the noises Ty made when he was aroused. He blushed, sometimes, thinking back to those intimate moments he had shared with Ty. And of course, there were the glances they cast at each other, the shiver of excitement when their hands accidently brushed, when they walked side by side and their shoulders touched.

Kit had started helping Ty with his missions for the Scholomance, and it was as if Sherlock had found Watson again.

“How many times do I have to repeat myself? I am not your Watson,” had said Kit one evening, when they were doing research on demons’ poisons in the Institute’s library.

Ty had smiled one of his rare smiles. “Well, Kit, that’s exactly what my Watson would say.” And Kit had blushed at the way Ty had naturally said “my Watson”.

Days went by, and everyone at the Institute carried on with their own routines.

This is probably why no one expected the events that occurred that evening.

Kit was returning to his bedroom after a late-night training session. He heard noise coming from the library. He stopped to peer inside, his brows furrowed, only to see Jace standing with his back to him. He thought he saw a flash of red hair.

“Jace?” called Kit.

Jace froze. When he slowly turned, Kit could see that he was carrying Clary in his arms. She looked fast asleep.

Kit felt an increasing uneasiness. Something was wrong. But this was Jace right? If there was anyone Jace would never, ever hurt, it was Clary.

“Jace? Rough night? I know Clary is probably light as feather but do you… need a hand?” asked Kit, unsure how to act.

As Jace said nothing, he took a step toward him.

Jace took a step back. Something was very wrong indeed.

“Stop! It’s not Jace!” yelled a voice that Kit instantly recognized.

Kit turned to where Ty stood, in the doorway, holding two daggers. His face was covered in scratches, his lips bruised, a deep red cut on his upper lip. He clearly had been into a fight.

“Not Jace from this world,” Ty continued. “It’s probably Jace from another world. That’s one of the few possible explanations at least.”

“How do you know?” asked Kit.

“Details” was all Ty said. And Kit believed him. If anyone – save for Clary, where Jace was concerned – could notice small inconsistencies, like in a game of Spot the Difference, it was Ty. Ty could see objectively, without the blurring curtain of expectations or preconceptions.

Jace – well, his evil doppelganger – stiffened. “Will you make me regret I didn’t kill you?”

“You didn’t give my friends that chance. They trusted you and you took them by surprise. Why spare me?” said Ty.

“I didn’t fool you” said the fake Jace. “I figured you probably knew Jace, the one from this world, very well. And I saw the heron-shaped pendant you carry around your neck. I thought this meant you had earnt the love – or at least the trust – of a Herondale. Sentimental me.”

“Leave Clary. And we will not hurt you,” said Kit, although he carried no weapon.

Jace laughed. He had moved to stand close to an open window and seemed ready to pounce. He would not try to jump with Clary in his arms, would he?

“You will not hurt me? The Jace from this world must be too soft, if you think you can bargain with me.”

In a swift movement, he had shifted Clary’s body in one of his arms and drawn out a sword.

It all happened in a blur. The sword flew. Ty launched himself in front of Kit and the blow hit him with such force that he was thrown back against Kit, who caught him in his arms. Kit crumpled to the floor, holding Ty.

Kit was filled with a dreadful sense of déjà-vu, as he looked at the knife protruding from Ty’s chest. He had not been there at the time, but he imagined that was what Livvy must have looked like in the Council Hall. He had imagined it, although he had tried not too, often enough. And he was probably in the exact same position Julian had been at the time.

Kit was barely aware of the sound of footsteps and shouts. People around him assessing the situation. It seemed the “other Jace” had somehow escaped. Without his prey. Clary was safe.

“No, Ty. No. Please don’t leave me.”

Kit was kneeling on the floor, carrying Ty’s limp body in his arms. He started rocking.

“What’s the point, Ty? What’s the point of Watson’s whole existence if there is no Sherlock? What’s the point of me if there is no you?” Tears were rolling down his cheeks. But he could not feel them. He could not feel anything.

Kit did not even bother to grab for his stele, he knew it was too late for that. Through his numbness, Kit gently lay Ty’s body on the floor and ripped his shirt. With desperate hope, he placed both his hands on Ty’s chest and willed him to heal. He remembered the time he had made the horses of the Riders of Mannan disappear. He thought about drawing that strength, all his strength, all his will, into healing Ty. He heard voices softly murmuring to let go of Ty, that it was over – but he did not listen to any of them. He shoved away anyone’s attempt to grab him.

He did not know how much time had passed but eventually, he felt a flicker of movement. It was barely there but Kit knew he had sensed something.

Ty gasped and his silver-gray eyes flew open. They widened in amazement. “Kit…“ he said. “I knew you would find them.”

What? What did I find? Kit wanted to ask. But he could not find his voice. Relief had washed over him, and although he was drained, he felt giddy with it.  

He did not hear anything further, as Ty slipped into unconsciousness a second later. It was not long before Kit himself collapsed on top of Ty’s body.

*****

Jace, carrying Clary in his arms, Isabelle, Simon, Alec and Magnus stood in a circle in the Institute’s library. In the middle of the circle, two bodies were lying on the ground, one resting partly on top of the other, as if in a lovers’ embrace.

Their skin appeared to glow from within and one of the boys’ exposed chest seemed to be pierced through with bronze-colored light.

*****

It was late in the night when the dean of the Scholomance, Maximilien Verlac, slipped through the door of the Institute’s infirmary. The room was mostly dark save for the moonlight filtering through the windows. He did not notice Kit, sitting on the floor, next to Ty’s bed.

He was entirely focused on Ty, his expression one of deep sorrow and… something else. Kit recognized that look. It was the look he probably had himself when he was glancing at Ty and thought no one was seeing him.

Kit knew then, that Maximilien did not only admire Ty as one of his best Centurions. He loved him.

Suddenly, Maximilien fell on his knees. “Oh, Tiberius. What did I do? I am sorry. I am so sorry,” he whispered.

Kit shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.”

Maximilien snapped out of his daze and stood. Even in the darkness, Kit could see his cheeks were flushed. “Christopher Herondale.”

“Kit, please” answered Kit.

“Kit?” Maximilien’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, I see…”

Kit didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt uneasy.

“What is it? What is it that you see?”

Maximilien hesitated. He looked at Kit for a moment, considering.

Then, he explained, in a resigned voice. “One day, Tiberius returned from a mission to the Scholomance with very deep wounds that couldn’t heal. The demon poison had spread. We had to keep him in the infirmary for three days. He was delirious. He kept calling a name. Your name. Asking why you had left him. Why you never said goodbye. He also talked about the characters of the book he holds so dearly…saying that Sherlock was not Sherlock without Watson. It seemed like nonsense to me.”

Maximilien exhaled deeply. “I thought Kit was a girl’s name. Short for Katherine, in French Catherine. It could also be short for Quitterie, another French girl name. When Tiberius woke up, and I asked him about it, he simply shrugged and did not explain. We never talked about it again.”

Kit didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing. He just nodded, closed his eyes, and waited for Maximilien to leave.

Once he was alone with Ty, Kit lay down on the bed next to him, not quite touching, but close enough to feel the heat of his body. Ty’s face was turned to his. Kit fell asleep to Ty’s soft breathing, each exhalation caressing his skin like feather across his cheek.

Chapter 9 - Do I see you?

Kit and Ty were sitting at the edge of the New York Institute’s roof. They were staring in silence at the lights of the city under the twilight sky.

Ty had fully recovered, but Kit knew a scar could still be seen across his chest, a reminder of his sacrifice for Kit’s life. The scratches on his face, the cut in his lips were still there, but fading. Despite them, and maybe also because of them, all Kit could see was the most beautiful face he had ever set his eyes upon. Ty was wearing a hoodie and it made him look younger, more vulnerable.

“Why did you do it?” said Kit suddenly, breaking the stillness. “Is it because you are a Centurion and have sworn to protect me? Or…” He took a deep shuddering breath. “Or is there another reason?”

At first, Ty said nothing.

After a few minutes, he finally spoke. His voice seemed softer, younger somehow, as if Kit was not sitting next to the Centurion, but next to the boy who had held a knife at his throat, a few years before. “I don’t know. Why do you think I did?”

“Do you… love me?” Kit’s voice was shaking. He was staring straight ahead, not wanting to meet Ty’s eyes.

“You know, Julian once told me that to love someone was to see them. I didn’t understand at the time but…”

“But what?” said Kit, and he forced himself to turn, slowly, to meet Ty’s gaze. 

Kit did not think he had ever seen Ty look at him, at anyone, this way. His silver-gray eyes were piercing, as if he could see through Kit’s. Ty always had an intense gaze, but this was different somehow. His eyes seemed to glow with a secret, like he knew something about Kit that Kit did not.

“When you enter a room, without even having to look at you, my entire body seems to sense you and to relax, as if I had been waiting for you all along.

But when I do look… I see that your eyes are different shades of blue, the way the sky changes colors, all through day and night. I can see the way, sometimes when you are sad, you smile to hide it, but your smile does not quite reach your eyes. I can see the way, when you are truly happy, you do not smile but your whole face seems to light in a fiery glow. I can see that you think sometimes you are a coward when in fact you are the bravest person I know. I can see in the way you hold yourself, in the way you hesitate, that you think you are unworthy. That you don’t deserve anything, any protection or any attention, and when you are shown any affection, you cringe, as if to shield yourself from it, but cannot help the flicker of hope in your eyes. And it makes me want to give you everything I own. So… what do you think? Do I see you?”

Kit had never heard Ty speak so many words in a row before. He didn’t think anyone ever had. He knew, somehow, that this was not a rehearsed speech, that Ty had simply compiled a list of things he noticed about Kit, and kept them in his brilliant mind, the way he would remember the number of windows on a building, the various benefits of bees or the different stages of most animals’ migration cycles.

Kit smiled at Ty then, and it touched his eyes. Tears were rolling down his burning cheeks, alight with a fiery glow, as he answered. “You see me”.

He put his arms around Ty, then, and held him tightly. More tightly than he’d ever held anyone, except for that one time on the London Institute’s roof.

[moonlight-breeze-44]

sacrifice (i would have loved you all my life)

The fic based on a prompt from @thelightofthebane is finally here! It will be posted in four chapters, this being the first <3 I hope you enjoy!! 

Read on AO3

Alec took a deep breath and willed his hands to stop shaking. He didn’t have much time.

The half-written letter on his desk glared at him, and Alec sighed. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t find the words. How was he supposed to tell his family that he would never see them again? It was feeling more and more like an impossibility with each minute that ticked by.

“Right,” Alec muttered to himself. “I can do this.” He picked up the pen once more.

Jace,

By the time you find this, I’ll be gone. You’re going to lose your parabatai rune. It’s going to feel like I’m dying, but I’m not. I can’t explain everything, but I’m doing this for Magnus. You didn’t see him at the loft, after I tried to propose. He was devastated. Heartbroken. He can’t go on like this, without his magic. He needs it back. This is the only way. I’m sorry. I love you and I wish I didn’t have to do this.

Please don’t look for me. I know I’m making the right choice. It’s hard, but it’s for the best. Watch out for the others. Don’t do what you always do and get yourself killed. Clary and the others are there, if you’d just let them be. Please let them, Jace, for me.

I’ll miss you. You’ll be okay, Jace. Everyone will be.

Remember that our rune is just a symbol of what we have. When it breaks, we won’t break. We’ll always be parabatai, even without the rune.

Alec

Alec exhaled shakily and folded the letter into an envelope, scrawling Jace’s name on top of it. There. That would have to do. There was so much more that he wanted to say to his parabatai, but he didn’t have the time. He still had to write letters for Izzy, his mom, and Magnus.

Alec took a deep breath and reached for another sheet of paper. He didn’t regret his choice, but he was starting to realise just how much he had to give up. Magnus, he reminded himself. This is for Magnus.

With that, Alec steeled himself and started to write once more.

Izzy,

By the time you find this, I’ll be gone. I’m not dead. I’m not being coerced into writing this. This is my choice. Please don’t look for me. Tell Jace not to look for me, too. Things are going to be bad for a while, but this is the way it has to be. I’m sorry.

I can’t explain everything right now; I’m running out of time. But just know that I’m doing this for Magnus, because I love him and because he deserves so much more than I could ever give him. Please take care of him for me, Iz. I know this won’t be easy, but it’s for the best.

I’ll miss you, Izzy. It’ll be alright, I promise. You’ll be okay without me. I love you, little sis.

Alec

It took all of his willpower to keep from breaking down. This was Izzy, this was his little sister, this was the person that he had watched over and taken care of since he was five. Leaving her felt a little like leaving a piece of himself behind, and Alec had to wonder how many pieces he would have left at the end of all this.

His shoulder burned for a split second, and Alec looked back just in time to see another rune disappear from his skin. He sucked in a deep breath, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He had to keep going. The curse was working faster than he was.

Alec wrote Izzy’s name on her envelope and set it to the side with Jace’s, reaching for another sheet of paper. He had to hurry.

Mom,

By the time you find this, I’ll be gone. I can’t explain everything, but please know that I am alive and safe. I can’t promise you’ll see me again, but I can promise that this is for the best and this is my decision and mine alone.

I know you won’t understand, even if you figure out the truth, but all I can say is that I love Magnus and there is nothing that I wouldn’t do for him. One day - maybe with Luke (and yes, I know) - I hope that you’ll understand.

I love you, Mom. I wish we had more time together, to fix things. As it is, I’m counting on you to do right by Jace and Izzy. I know you haven’t always seen eye to eye with them, but they’ll need you. Take care of them for me.

I’m sorry.

Alec

Alec blew out a harsh breath and folded his mom’s letter, giving it the same treatment that he’d given the others. The letters were forming a pile now, a little stack of white that made dread settle in Alec’s stomach. They were the last of him that his family would have, and that thought made him want to collapse to the floor and weep, mourn everything that he was going to lose and everything that he would miss and all of the people that he was letting down. But he knew he couldn’t. His runes were steadily disappearing and he still had work to do.

Feeling sick, Alec grabbed one final sheet of paper and prepared himself for the last letter he had to write. Magnus’s letter.

Dear Magnus,

By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. Please don’t come looking for me. You can’t interfere. Please leave it alone. I promise that I will be okay.

I can’t possibly begin to explain this to you, but I know that I have a responsibility to try. Magnus, when I saw you break down like that in the loft, it made me realise something. It made me realise how badly you were hurting and how much you were suffering without your magic. I’m so sorry that I didn’t realise before. I was so caught up in saving Jace and stopping Lilith that I never stopped to think about how much you might be hurting. I’m sorry.

I had to do something after that, and this is me doing something. I won’t explain it all to you, because I know you’ll try to come after me and undo what I did, and I can’t let you do that. I won’t let you go back to a life without your magic. It was killing you.

Magnus, you deserve so much - you deserve someone that will always make you a priority and never put you in second place. You deserve the world. You don’t deserve me. I will never be good enough for you, Magnus.

I know it’ll be hard, but please try to move on. Find love again. Get married. Have kids. Love your life like you used to before everything got so complicated. You deserve that. You deserve everything.

I love you more than words can say, and I will miss you so much. I’m sorry, Magnus. Please, please choose again. Choose somebody better. I’m not your choice. I’m sorry.

I love you.

Alec

Alec folded the letter with shaking fingers, ignoring the teardrops that splashed onto the paper. He stuffed it into an envelope and just managed to scrawl Magnus’s name on top of it and toss it onto the pile with the rest of them before he broke down in tears.

Memories rushed into Alec’s mind, unbidden - his first kiss with Magnus, at his wedding, and the way Magnus had kissed him back like he was air and Magnus couldn’t fucking breathe. His first mission with Jace, and the way that they moved together so fluently that they just knew, right from the very beginning, that they were destined to be parabatai. When Izzy was born, and Alec had slept beside her crib for three nights afterwards, whispering promises into the air about always protecting her and keeping her safe.

Alec choked on a sob and desperately tried to pull himself together. He felt the burn of his deflect rune disappearing, and that made him dig his fingernails into his palms, hard. The extra bite of pain grounded him, centered him in a way that nothing else could at the moment. That was the rune that Magnus had always loved, always said was “placed perfectly, Alexander” and always damn near worshiped in bed. Losing it was like losing a tie to Magnus, and Alec had to grip the edge of his desk so tightly that he feared his fingers might break in order to keep himself under control.

Right. He had to snap out of it. There was still more to do.

Alec glamoured himself invisible and slipped out of his office, letters in hand. He stopped by the training room to grab his bow and quiver before he made his way to Jace, Izzy, and Maryse’s rooms to slip their letters under their doors. By the time they woke up in the morning, Alec knew, he would have no idea who they were. That thought alone made him want to break down again, but he shoved his emotions aside with practiced ease and continued on.

The cool night air was a welcome change from the Institute’s stifling atmosphere, and Alec took a deep breath, trying to appreciate the sights and sounds of New York before his last rune disappeared.

By the time he made it to Magnus’s, Alec only had four runes left - his glamour, his iratze, advanced hearing, and his parabatai rune. He shivered, trying not to think about it. His parabatai rune, he knew, would be the last to go, and all Alec could do was hope that the other runes would take a few hours to disappear so that the breaking of his bond with Jace wouldn’t wake the other boy up. He at least wanted Jace to be awake, maybe have Clary with him, something. The hardest part of all of this was leaving the people he cared about behind.

“See that Mr. Bane gets this tomorrow morning,” Alec instructed the boy who worked at the front desk of Magnus’s apartment building, slipping him a 20 for good measure. With that, he walked out of Magnus’s building for possibly the last time, and headed for the park.

Alec wasn’t sure what made him choose the park, of all places, to lose the last of his runes, but the feeling of the gardens settled something in him when he sat down on the park bench. This would be the last time he sat in this park as a Shadowhunter, the last time he would look down and see the physical representation of his bond with Jace marking his skin. Finally, for the first time all night, Alec put his head in his hands and allowed himself to cry.

[thetimetraveler24]

Mysteries Unfold ch 8: Some Max and Alec, plus Max meeting Magnus under better circumstances than the rune party.

Start at the beginning with Fate Beckons.

[jenuinelyinlovewithtsc]

Untitled Shadowhunter Fan Fic Chapter 3

Here’s Kal again. Jace, Clary, Izzy, Simon, Alec and Magnus are in this chapter! :)

Chapter 3: Kal

Kal approached the front gates of the Prospect Park Zoo, stopping some 50 yards away to slip behind a tree and scout out the area, glancing around, looking for the usual signs. After a five minute watch turned up nothing demonic or angelic in nature, he decided it was safe to continue. He paused at the gate, drawing out his stele and pressing the tip of it to the worn iron. A neatly-drawn opening rune lay inset in the iron when he backed away, watching as the gate shuddered open with a metallic groan. Pausing to ensure he hadn’t upset anyone or anything, Kal pressed on into the Zoo until he came to a crossroads. A brightly colored sign with playful handwriting denoted the path to the left as the Discovery Trail, while the sign beneath it read ‘Sea Lion Court’, accompanied by a bright yellow arrow pointing straight ahead. Unsure of where exactly in the zoo his targets might be, he opted for the left-most path and turned onto the Discovery Trail.

As he walked the path, Kal swept his eyes over the dimly lit exhibits, his blue eyes meeting the beady red, yellow, and white gazes of the zoo’s more nocturnal creatures. Most of the animals scattered as soon as they saw him, seeking shelter under exhibit enrichments like rocks or dens. A few glanced at him with a sort of vague curiosity before growing bored and returning to their nightly routines. The night air was crisp and calm, hung with the sound of vehicles on Washington Avenue, all city noise save the occasional yelp or howl. The slight chill stung Kal’s cheeks as he passed by the Beaver exhibit, glancing at the two animals asleep snuggly in their den.

If only I could have just gone to sleep.

As he rounded the corner toward the Aviary house, sudden piercing screams filled the otherwise calm night air. Kal instinctively leapt behind a nearby fake rock, quickly shifting so that he could peer around its rough cement edge. The sky above the Aviary house was filled with birds of all types, hundreds of them, squawking and crying out as they poured out the open doors of the building. Beneath the bird calls and cries, Kal could make out several voices. “You’re in violation of the accords,” came a throaty male voice. “Summoning-“Came a different voice, its cadence suddenly lost under the sounds of squawking and flapping wings. The voice came back into audible range. “I’ve done nothing wrong!”

A rogue warlock?

The sky above the aviary had cleared, the birds now distant winged silhouettes against the dim light of a half moon. Kal slid out from behind the fake rock and began to make his way toward the open doors of the aviary house. “You summoned-“ “WATCH OUT!” The sound of twisting metal broke through the night air. Kal dashed through the doors, drawing Durendal from its sheath at his back as he raced through the long exhibit-lined hallway. More sounds echoed out of the main gallery, low growls and hisses, metal tearing through flesh.

Demons.

Kal nearly burst through the doors into the gallery, Durendal in his grip, but stopped short when a familiar piercing cry struck through sound of battle.

Elapid demons?

The scar that ran from his right shoulder, down to his collarbone seemed to throb. Kal peered around the doors. The room was dim, lit only by the beams of moonlight pouring in through the skylights overhead. Without a nightvision rune, Kal could just make out four humanoid figures. They danced about the room, seeming to float over the glossy marble floor as they tangled with two darker, larger shadows. Elapids. He saw flashes of silver and bright light seemed to pour from the human’s hands as they whipped them through the air. One of them passed under a beam of moonlight and Kal caught a flash of red and the unmistakable appearance of runes; black lines against pale skin. As Kal’s eyes adjusted, they confirmed his presumptions. Fighting before him were two pairs of shadowhunters. The first pair were a broad-shouldered male with hair that shone gold in the moonlight and a slight female whose bright red hair was pulled up tightly against the back of her head. Both wore shadowhunter gear and bore seraph blades blazing bright light. The two were pushing the demon back, shearing off insectile legs with swings of their blades, which were coated in black-green ichor. The demon’s snake-like head lashed out at the male suddenly, its open jaws covered in a yellowish substance that left indents in the ground and burns in the shadowhunter’s clothing wherever it touched. The boy slid to the side, avoiding the glance in the nick of time, as the girl lunged for the creature, burying her blade in the demon’s soft underbelly.

Kal’s eyes flashed to the other two shadowhunters across the gallery floor. They, too, were fighting an Elapid demon. The female contrasted rather starkly with the red-headed girl, with her taller stature and midnight black hair that swung loose around her head as she slashed out at the demon with a whip that shone gold. Was she wearing heels? The boy fighting alongside her was athletic but slim, a shock of brown hair dangling into his eyes as he dodged a swipe of the demon’s claws. Their gear jackets were similarly torn and burned.

The first elapid demon fell, disappearing in a shower of ash as the red-headed girl’s blade found its heart. The second was still fighting, despite missing several legs. As Kal turned to look, the demon bore down on the girl with the black hair, cornering her, forcing her to the floor. The boy with the brown hair moved to strike out at the demon but was flung backward by a brisk sweep of one of its legs. Kal tightened his grip on Durendal and began to race across the floor to help the girl. The sound of something whipping through the air once again stopped him up short. An arrow sank into the demon’s scaly back, striking true, as the demon disappeared before it’s claws could strike the girl. A tall boy with medium-length black hair bearing a bow and quiver stepped out from the shadows, followed by a man with olive skin and spiky black hair.

They must have come from the other exhibit wing.

As the two made their way toward the center of the room where the other shadowhunters had gathered after dusting themselves off and applying iratzes, Kal slinked back inside the doorway before anyone could see him, pressing his body up against one of the opened doors so that he could once again peer around it.

“I could’ve handled that,” said the girl with black hair, right as the boy with brown hair spoke, “It’s about time you two showed up!”

The two exchanged a glance, the girl narrowing her eyes at the brown-haired boy, who looked a bit sheepish under her glare.

“I mean, uh, we had that handled, like Izzy said,” he corrected, clearing his throat.

The girl with the red hair caught the eye of the brown-haired boy and gave him a quick thumbs up, mouthing the words ‘Good job, Simon’.

“Where did you two run off to?” Asked the boy with the golden hair, gesturing to the two who had just made it to the center of the room.

“No one ever thanks me,” muttered the boy with the black hair.

“Ah Alexander, heroes are never given the thanks they deserve,” said the man with the spiky black hair. Looking closer, Kal could see that his eyes appeared to be yellow with small pupils, like a cat’s.

A warlock, then.

Izzy rolled her eyes and held a hand out to Alexander, who helped her to her feet.

“We went to deal with the warlock that summoned these foul creatures,” said the man with the spiky hair. “He’s since…passed on his way.”

“You killed him?” Asked the girl with the red hair, shock clear in her voice.

“He didn’t exactly give us a choice, Clary,” said Alexander. The girl, Clary, looked somewhat bothered nevertheless.

The boy beside her reached out and laced his fingers with hers, clearly a supportive gesture. But his posture was stiff as he spoke, “We were supposed to bring him in for the Clave to deal with.”

At the mention of the Clave, Kal’s blood began to boil, his vision tinging red as he balled his hands up into white-knuckled fists.

Of course they were stupid Clave lovers.

“Well, I’m sorry but it didn’t go that way Jace,” said the man with the spiky hair, his tone cool and unbothered.

“And his body?” asked Izzy.

“Magnus already sent it back to the institute,” said Alexander, gesturing to the warlock.

Magnus? Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn?

Everybody in the Downworld knew Magnus. He was widely considered a hero for the part he played, alongside a daylighter and four shadowhunters, in stopping Sebastian Morgenstern during the Dark War. It was also widely known that he was engaged to one of the shadowhunters that had gone to Edom to stop Morgenstern. Though some downworlders frowned upon his infatuation with the Nephilim and his involvement in their affairs, Kal believed Magnus had the right to love whomever he wanted, even if it was an idiotic shadowhunter loyal to the Clave.

Alexander must be his shadowhunter boyfriend.

“Good. We should clean up here and head back to the Institute,” said Jace, moving to pick up a fallen seraph dagger.

“Uh… what about the hundred-some-odd birds we appear to have released?” Asked Simon. He turned to Magnus. “Can you just ‘poof’ them back into existence, happy and safe in their exhibits?”

Magnus rolled his eyes and sighed. “I can’t exactly ‘borrow’ a hundred birds and have it gone unnoticed, now can I?”

“Is there some magical way to bring the birds back?” Asked Clary. She seemed to have recovered from her earlier worries and was standing up straight with her hand in Jace’s.

Magnus paused, thinking, before he responded. “I could ‘borrow’ a bunch of stuffed birds and place them in the cages.”

“I don’t exactly think it’ll pass muster,” said Jace, though he had an amused look in his eye.

“It’s better than nothing,” Izzy said with a shrug.

“Stuffed birds it is,” said Clary, a smile breaking out over her face.

Blue fire suddenly lit at the tips of Magnus’ fingers, and Kal jumped when a stuffed bird hit him in his side as it made its way into existence and promptly fell out of its cage.

The group moved toward the far exit and Kal, his rage somewhat quelled by the sudden stuffed bird attack, re-sheathed Durendal, then began to retrace his steps, exiting out the door he’d come in through.

***

On the subway ride home, Kal couldn’t stop thinking about the Clave, and in turn, what they had done to his parents.

Before Kal was born, his parents had been part of an idealistic group called ‘Abduco’. Latin for ‘to lead’, the group had been at odds with the Clave, believing that its treatment of Downworlders was abhorrent, that shadowhunters and downworlders should be equals, working together to rid the planet of demonic threats. His parents had explained that the group had been comprised of a bunch of young shadowhunters, who, idealistic in their youth, had believed that the Clave could change its ways. But when the group had gone to the Clave with their suggestions, the Clave had rejected them, dismissing them as demon-blood-loving fools. Then, weary of any opposition, the Clave had hunted down anyone suspected of being involved with the group, holding them in the gard without trial. So, the group had gone underground, their plans had changed. Instead of achieving their goals through diplomacy, the group opted to force the change they wished to see. A plot had been schemed up to unseat the Consul and Inquisitor, by force if necessary. Kal’s parents had never told him the specifics of the plan, just that no one would have come to harm and that it was meant to allow the Clave to start fresh, without the prejudiced views and customs of the past. But before Abduco could see the plan through, the Clave had found out and invaded their base of operations in Brocelind Forest. His parents hadn’t been present, but when involvement in group was traced back to them, they were apprehended just like the rest. A trial was held for each member, and all were charged with treason against the Clave, deemed unworthy to be of Nephilim kind. They had been stripped of their marks and exiled, left alone to rot in the mundane world with no mercy, no shelter, and no purpose.

Just for their association with a group that had wanted nothing more than to see Downworlders be equals, his parents had been plucked from the only world they knew. Just for their beliefs, everything they had known was taken away from them, their families and friends, their homes and hopes and dreams. For Kal, it had painted a clear picture of the Claves; a group of bigoted, prejudiced, and selfish, power-hungry cowards who cared not for anyone but their own kind and justified any means to their own ends.

So, if Kal hated the Clave and all its subjugates for what they did to his parents and others like them, why had he been ready to put his life on the line for a group of Clave members?

I just wanted to help them slay the demons, that’s all. It’s my duty, after all. Plus the girl, Izzy, was inexplicably gorgeous.

He also wondered about the warlock who had summoned the Demons. He knew that many things drove Downworlders to go rogue but couldn’t figure out why a warlock would summon only lesser demons. Was he discovered by the shadowhunters before he could summon a greater demon to do his bidding? And what had he done that had forced Magnus Bane and his boyfriend to kill him?

They’re Clave jockeys, they probably just killed that warlock for the hell of it.

White-knuckled and unsettled by his thoughts, Kal got off the A-train at Queens Station and walked back to the loft, trying hard to upend the thoughts warring in his mind and the feelings of rage, disbelief, and curiosity toiling in his chest.

[penpatronuswhump]

SUMMARY:  

Alternate ending to “Hail and Farewell” (season 2, episode 19). Alec takes care of Jace after he’s nearly murdered by Jonathan. Inspired by Amy and Rory’s interaction in season 7, episode 1 of Doctor Who: “Asylum of the Daleks.”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11926179/chapters/28320813

[nitestorm823]

#Shadowhunters #Malec #FanFic Friday

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26504272

[alexanderlightweight]

drunk on you (but maybe the wine helped)

for @ficletinstruments week 18

ao3 link

“Can I ask you something, my love?”  Magnus asked, feeling loose and carefree and he turned to brush his chin over Alec’s shoulder and relished the shiver he got in return.

“Anything you want.”  Alec promised him, fingers reaching out to run along the neat hair of Magnus’ goatee and then up his jaw, dancing across his cheek with featherlight touches.  

“What do you like best, about all of this?”  Magnus gestured to himself, to the layered necklaces and outfit he wore.  He ended his little show by tapping his own face, nails painted the red of Edom’s conquered ashes and his face enhanced expertly with makeup.  

“You.”  Alec stated clearly, eyes focused on Magnus’ own as he licked his lips.  

“Don’t be cute,” Magnus warned.  “You know exactly what I meant.”

Alec gave a pout.  A nearly identical expression to the face Magnus’ often left in bed, yearning for cuddles. 

“I don’t just like it,” Alec said and he was looking at Magnus as though assessing a great work of art, to find it’s flaws and values.  “I love it.  I love how much you love it.  I love that you sometimes pick one color and then do the rest to match.  I love how much care you put into it, because it’s an expression and not just a statement.  I love everything about you, Magnus.”

Alec was so sweet and so earnest and it was a good thing he already held Magnus’ poor heart, because it was gone for his Shadowhunter.  Then Alec wrinkled his nose, wine tinted cheeks flushing darker as he averted his eyes and mumbled something.  

“What was that, Alexander?”  Magnus asked playfully, pretty sure he knew exactly what his husband had said. 

“I said,” and here Alec paused to look up at the sky, puffing up his cheeks before letting out a gusty breath, “that there is one thing I don’t love.”

“And that is?”  Magnus asked challengingly.

“Even though it looks absolutely amazing on you, nail polish still tastes awful.” 

Magnus laughed, snapping his fingers and let his hands be laced with delicate blue fire, like a glove of flaming filigree, “there!  Easily fixed.”  

Alec stared at Magnus’ hands, his nails still perfectly painted but purified by magic and Magnus lost his breath entirely when a moment later, Alec slid to his knees before him.  

Alec reached out, hands heavy and firm on Magnus thighs as he tilted his head coyly, a smug grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.  “I think I should be the judge of that.” He said and who was Magnus to argue. Soft lips pressed to the pad of his thumb and Magnus felt like a livewire, electrified to the bone by such a simple touch as Alec licked around his finger. 

Entirely too soon Alec was pulling away and he pressed a simple kiss to Magnus’ knuckles.  “You were right,” he said with a voice that was already deliciously -promisingly- hoarse, “tastes much better.” 

[lovepeaceandarrows]

Vampire Friends & Apology Gifts

Alec Lightwood imagine

Summary: Since you’ve gotten hurt on your last mission, Alec’s behavior changed towards you. Preventing you from being a Shadowhunter and doing what you love, you slowly start to feel lost.

A/N: I know this has been long overdue, but this week has been crazy. There was the Stydia kiss we had been waiting for for years, I went to a Bastille concert, got Ed Sheeran tickets, and finally, after 3 years of trying, I managed to get tickets for Tomorrowland. So clearly, I needed time to process all of this, and I can only hope your week has been as amazing as mine was.

Prompts: “I fall for the worst ones.” – “Stop blaming me for all the stupid things you do.” – “I am here to grace you with my presence.”

Masterlist

“What do you mean, I can’t come along on the mission?” You crossed you arms and frowned.

“Well, I can’t really make it any clearer, can I? You’re not going on the mission.” He emphasized.

“That’s not fair!” You scowled at him. “What did I do?”

He sighted, knowing you weren’t going to let this go. “You got hurt last time, remember?”

“Oh come on, that was weeks ago.” You were fuming with anger at how unreasonable he was being. “I was barely bleeding!”

“Broken bones don’t bleed, Y/N.” Alec reasoned with you. “You are not coming with us.”

You narrowed your eyes at him before giving up. “Fine!” you grunted, storming towards your room.

➳

You watched the flickering light above the door and let out a breath before knocking on the door, only to be greeted with the pair of brown eyes you were hoping to see.

“Y/N,” Simon smiled at you, “what are you doing here?”

“I am here to grace you with my presence.” You smirked.

“You were banned from going on the mission, didn’t you?” He smirked as well, making yours drop.

“Yeah.” You grumbled.

He held the door open for you.

“Come on in.”

➳

You had been staying with the vampires for a couple of hours, spending some time with Simon, who had become a friend of yours over the couple of months. Needing to rant about how unreasonable Alec was being lately, you had almost been talking the whole time.

“And last week, he wouldn’t even let me go on a recon mission. I feel like he just wants me to sit in my room, doing absolutely nothing and I hate it.” You were sitting on the opposite side of Simon,

“Finally! Your friend stopped talking!” Raphael cheered from the other side of the room, laying on the couch. “What are you even doing here?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “I could ask you the same question.” you said, wanting some time alone with your friend, which he wasn’t.

“I live here.” he retorted.

“Touché.” You looked back at Simon, suddenly feeling hungry. “Hey, you’ve got something to eat?”

He pursed his lips. “Sorry, all we’ve got is a 19-year-old virgin, and a 27-year-old musician.”

“Sorry I asked.” You scrunched your nose, not wanting to know more.

Suddenly, you heard a loud knock on the door. “I guess I’ll get it then.” Simon mumbled when Raphael didn’t move.

“Where is Y/N?” You heard an all too familiar voice yell, making you sigh and roll your eyes. You were so not in the mood for a lecture from him.

“Well, if it isn’t the 19-year-old virgin.” Raphael muttered from his corner, making you smile just a little bit.

“Hey Y/N,” Simon grimaced, “look who’s here.”

“Y/N. I’ve been looking everywhere for you, and this is where you’re at?” Alec was staring at you with fire in his eyes.

“Welcome at the shelter for runaway Shadowhunters.” Raphael exclaimed, still not having moved from his position.

You rolled your eyes at Raphael’s statement. “Well, not for long anymore, because we were just heading out.” You forced a smile at Alec, taking Simon by his arm.

“We were?” Simon asked, looking at you. You just glared back. “I mean, yeah, we are.” He tried to fix his mistake by smiling, making Alec narrow his eyes at him.

“Uhm, on second thought, I might stay here instead. Wouldn’t want Raphael to feel left out.” Simon grimaced.

“He can come with us? Could be fun.” You tried, desperately not to go home yet.

“You know what else sounds fun?” Raphael answered. “Walking around in the sun to work on my tan… I think I would really rock the ‘slightly crisp’ look.” He said sarcastically.

“Ugh, see you later Simon.” You grumbled, disappointed you didn’t have an excuse not to go home.

“Later.” Simon smiled at you before you made your way to the door, Alec following right behind you.

You felt a cool breeze hit you in the face when you opened the door, along with some small drops of rain, making you even moodier than you already were.

➳

After minutes of just following you, Alec had enough of the silence between the two of you.

“So you’re friends with the vamps now?” He asked like it was a bad thing, which in his eyes probably was.

“I’m sorry I don’t see them like walking bulls eyes you can practice your archery on.” You spat back, feeling offended for Simon, and actually even Raphael, who wasn’t really that bad.

“It’s not safe with them Y/N.” He tried to reason with you.

“Are you seriously starting with that bullshit again?” You stopped walking to look him in the eyes.

“Do I have to remind you of what happened last time I walked into that place?” He raised one of his perfect eyebrows.

You sighed, perfectly remembering what had happened last time. “Yeah, who would’ve thought they didn’t like the way you threatened them, pointing an arrow at their faces and all.” You said sarcastically.

“I did it to protect you!” As if wanting to make his statement more dramatic, heavy rain started pouring out of the sky, replacing the small drizzle that had already been falling down on you.

“Stop blaming me for all the stupid things you do!” You huffed out, seriously getting tired of his behavior. “I don’t need you to protect me, I’m a Shadowhunter, I’ll manage on my own.”

“What’s so wrong with me wanting to protect you?” He furrowed his brows, clearly not pleased at the way this argument was going.

“You don’t protect me, Alec. You treat me like a porcelain doll that can break at any given moment. I’m a Shadowhunter, and you’re preventing me from being one, and you know what that makes me?” You let out a sigh and wiped some rain drops from your forehead. “If I can’t be a Shadowhunter, I’m nothing.” You had trouble not to break down at that moment, so you decided it would be easier to make your way towards the institute on your own, leaving Alec too baffled at your statement to follow behind you.

“You’re not nothing to me.” He murmured while you were almost completely out of his sight, and out of hearing distance. He let out a sigh. “You’re everything.”

➳

Turning off the warm water, your hand reached out of the glass door, searching for the towel you had left there somewhere. You walked out of the shower and started drying your hair with the towel when you heard someone knocking on your door.

“Just a minute!” You yelled from your bathroom, hoping that whoever was at your door had heard it, and had the patience to actually wait until you had at least dried yourself off and put some clothes on.

Not really looking what clothes you took out of your closet, you quickly went to open the door, revealing the one person you hadn’t expected to see.

“Oh, it’s you.” You spoke without much enthusiasm.

Alec’s eyes dropped, and quickly looked back up at you, only to divert his gaze yet again, anywhere besides you. “You, uhm, didn’t button your shirt.” He said, blushing.

You furrowed your brows and looked down at yourself, only to see you were revealing some skin of your upper half.

“What’s the problem? I’ve trained with you wearing less.” You inspected his movements, trying to figure out why he had a problem with it.

“Uhm, no problem.” He smiled, fixated on looking no where else but your face. “I, uhm, I came here to apologize.”

You raised your eyebrows, caught off guard by his words.

“I brought you a gift.” His hands suddenly appeared right in front of your view, revealing the small faux plant. You couldn’t help but smile when you recognized the familiar shiny silver flower pot.

“That’s so cute.” You gushed when you took it from him. “I actually bought the exact same one for your sister, but she accidently dropped it, and now it’s chipped on one side, but you can barely —,“ you felt a small piece of the pot missing under your fingertips, just as you wanted to place it on your desk, and turned it around so you could actually see the missing piece, “see it.” You silently finished your sentence.

You quickly turned around to look him in the eyes. “Alexander Lightwood, did you steal your sister’s plant, just so you could give it to me?”

He looked like he was caught stealing cookies out of a cookie jar. Or, well, stealing faux house plants out of his sister’s room.

“Well, I didn’t really know what to get you, and it’s not like there’s much choice in stores at this hour at night, but it’s the thought that counts, right?” he tried.

You raised an eyebrow. “I still haven’t heard an apology.”

He let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, before blurting out his apology.

“I shouldn’t have banned you from going on that mission, and I shouldn’t have come to hotel Dumort to come and get you. I know what being a Shadowhunter means to you.” He confessed, making your mouth fall open, because in all of the years you had known Alec, you’ve almost never heard him apologize.

“And lastly, I should’ve told you I liked you from the moment I knew I did.” He gave you a small smile, not knowing how you would react to his confession. “I only did those things because I was really scared last time we went on a mission, and I didn’t want to see that pain on your face ever again.”

You were shocked at his confession, but not too shocked to not say anything. You crossed your arms and walked a bit closer towards him. “So, let me get this straight: you did stupid things, which almost cost us our friendship, just because you like me?”

He just nodded.

You pursed your lips. “And you never thought it would be easier to just say you liked me?” You let out a sigh yourself and closed your eyes before mumbling something.

“I fall for the worst ones.”

His eyes grew wide when he heard you murmur those words. “Wait, so you like me too?” he sounded hopeful.

“Yeah, I do.” You smiled. “Well, don’t get me wrong, I don’t like the Alec that banned me from going on missions and all that, but I do like the Alec that’s standing right in front of me, apologizing, and even bringing a gift, even if it’s something he stole from his sister.” You narrowed your eyes, thinking about what you’ve just said. “Well, maybe don’t steal anything again, okay?”

He couldn’t help but smile. “Okay.”

“You know which Alec I also like? The one I’m going on a date with, later this night, just to watch some Netflix or something.” You smirked.

“I like that one too.” He smiled widely, not believing his luck with you.

“Okay, but now I really need to kick you out of my room.”

His smile fell. “What? Why?” he asked, furrowing his brows in confusion while you pushed him out of the door.

“Because I have a date to get ready for.” You said, right before you slammed the door shut in his face.