#Clary defending Alec and surprising him

[alexanderlightweight]

Well here I am prompting 3 weeks in a row....

I'd like to see more of the Alec prays to dead nephilim. You wrote that had Clary touched the bow something bad would happen, and since we all have a "disregard" for Robert Lightwood and for all that she was brainwashed in the past Maryse is a queen with one of the best character developments in the show can we have young Alec deliberatly defending his mother by going against his father and thats how he discovered that he could "summon" the weapons of the dead. (Oh and the claves reaction to that)

Sorry for the long message but i was chomping at my limbs waiting for wednesday.

You the best, my love and cuddles for you Saeths and Nightshade

here is something about other nephilim touching them. the worshipping dead nephilim is actually a ritualistic journey and something that alec had to willingly pick and subject himself to. it was surprising that he had such a strong affinity for it but the truly shocking part was that he tried at all.

alec has been scaring the shit of his family since

lumine

-

Alec knows it’s not Valentine the minute she arrives, he can smell her under the glamour and it’s not at all close to how Fray smells.

What she is however, is still a threat.

Alec summons his bow and an arrow, shooting before he even properly aims. The glamour fades as the intruder catches the arrow with a smirk, she opens her mouth to talk and then she’s on the ground, screaming as the bones of his kin discipline her for her disrespect.

Alec sighs and settles against a desk, motioning to some of the security team to restrain her.

“I’m Lydia Branwell, envoy of the clave.” She rasps as she’s dragged up and Alec hums agreeably and summons his arrow back to himself. He’s had a several long days and he doesn’t appreciate the clave trying to stick their weapons in his armory.

“The clave has sent no information regarding you or your stay here.” Alec tells her and he shrugs unrepentantly, “if you are who you say, then they clave will fix this. Until them, please make yourself comfortable in an isolation cell. A Silent Brother will need to be called to heal your hand, I’m sure they’ll arrive around the same time as the clave sends someone through.”

Alec leaves her with that, reminding his hunters to check with the medics. He’s not sure how it works with other shadowhunters, but the bones that Alec uses are blessed for his use only.

Every time they see it, his hunters grow only more wary and respectful, like they are now. The path Alec walks is not an easy one, but it’s the one he chose and it’s the one not even his parents can take from him.

[ladyhindsight]

Of Morgenstern family history, inconsistencies as to previous books and plot, and me generally just not getting it.

Not as glorious as she makes it sound because it was less to do with glory and more to do with stupidity. First she makes the demons aware of her presence and then tries to battle them with ornamental axes, which probably would be funny if I had more tolerance for Clary’s bullshit.

Back to the point I made in chapter 12: Why does it matter where to rune is placed? The series has barely told us anything about the workings of runes, it has barely made any sense with the use of them. Do you benefit more having the mendelin rune where Clary has it or does it actually matter?

I don’t understand how unbuttoning a shirt hides any stains.

Sebastian and Clary talk about stuff: what the demons were talking about, Sebastian telling Clary about the plan but actually lying, how Sebastian thinks Valentine was wrong etc. Sebastian then invites Clary to join him on one of his excursions in order for him to prove himself to her. Then we cut to Team Good

This idiot is surprised that Alec defended his sister and didn’t let his boyfriend air out his frustrations unfairly on her. It is to drive the wedge further down, not that Alec would otherwise defend Isabelle since none of them defend each other when actually some standing up is required.

Team Good get the news about Luke being awake, and they begin to plan for the summoning of Raziel. Not a lot happens there on that front, and we’re back with Sebastian and Clary.

Clary has already commented on Sebastian’s looks in the beginning of the book. I don’t get why this point needs to be reiterated here just because he gets glances from girls.

“So this was what her brother looked like. Really looked like, alive and moving and animated. A pale face, all angles and planes, tall and slim in black gear. His hair was silvery white, not dark as it had been when she had first seen him, dyed to match the color of the real Sebastian Verlac’s. His own pale color suited him better. His eyes were black and snapping with life and energy.” –Chapter 3 “Bad Angels”

And it's not even the first or the last time Clare keeps describing him like this.

Fucking really.

→ It’s because it is the only sense of humor Clare knows how to write.

→ Jace doesn’t smile either. He smirks and grins like an ass.

→ Sebastian just said that Clary didn’t kill Valentine. Valentine died because of Clary.

→ Here they are having one of their many you are just like me, no I am nothing like you, oh but you are, I am not because kjdsakldjsl arguments. Many more to come…

→ Funny how Clary never thought to ask Jocelyn about her middle name. Seraphina would’ve been a lot cooler, but also a lot more on the nose and edgy.

→ Clarissa Seraphina Morgenstern. Pretty cool. It’s probably all those Rs that make it sound strong. But Clarissa Adele Fairchild suits her character better.

I did enjoy this part where Sebastian tells Clary about the Morgensterns. It was interesting.

It’s funny how Sebastian paints Jocelyn as the villain and ruthless woman who betrayed her husband in the cruelest of ways, simultaneously brushing past all the horrible things Valentine did to her and was as a person.

Sebastian and Clary then arrive at a place where Clary meets a disgraced Iron Sister Magdalena.

Glad that that plot hole has finally been answered. In the fifth book and not where it was supposed to be.

However, in City of Bones, Luke explains that the Circle ”allied themselves with demons—the greatest enemies of Shadowhunters—in order to procure weapons that could be smuggled undetected into the Great Hall of the Angel, where the Accords would be signed.”

So where do we stand on that now since it was apparently Magdalena who armed them? Also why would they need an Iron Sister arming them when they were just good ol’ regular Nephilim with the access to weaponry anyway? Did Clare just try to cover a plot hole with a nonsensical answer?

Not even the Parisian ones passing by?

Sebastian hands over the chunk of adamas for Magdalena to craft into what he asked. Which we know is a cup. Clary and Sebastian start to leave, and Magdalena makes a comment how they look exactly like their parents. Which fair, because they are the exact copies of them where looks are concerned.

[arialerendeair]

CLALEC BROTP PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! It can be them roasting Jace, or eye rolling at stuck up Clave officials. Or Clary goes up to defend Alec first, even before any of his siblings, against a begoted Shadowhunter.

Clary reading the riot act to some bigoted shadowhunters for Alec?  Defending Alec, especially?  SIGN ME UP LETS DO IT! 

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

It was irritating enough to book one of the training rooms for sparring with her parabatai and not have that time respected, but even more so when the shadowhunters visiting from another Institute didn’t bother to let her warm up.  Clary gave them a look as she focused on the punching back in front of her, ducking under an imaginary blow before she landed two more punches.  

“Hey there, what’s your name?” One of them called. 

Clary rolled her eyes and scoffed in his direction.  “Busy,” she grunted, landing another hard punch.  

“Come on, come talk to us while we wait for your Institute Head,” Another one called out.  “Not like you’re busy.”  

“I’ll be sparring with my parabatai in a few minutes,” Clary said, giving them all a look.  “And you’re interrupting my warm ups.”  

The tallest man in the group snorted.  “Look at that, little kitty got claws.”  

“This kitty will show you just how sharp her claw are if you don’t cut it out,” Clary said, narrowing her eyes.  

“Oh please,” The tallest man spoke again.  “You’re Clary Fairchild, aren’t you?  You think someone who has been a shadowhunter for a couple of years stands any chance against one of us?  We’ve been training since birth!” 

Clary stood upright and glared at him.  “Well, you know my name, and it would be a pleasure to learn yours....” 

“Bridgestock.  Kyle Bridgestock,” he said, raising his chin.  

Clary hummed and turning away from the punching bag.  “I think I absolutely stand a chance against you.  Training with the best shadowhunters in the world does give you that advantage.”  

“The best?” Bridgestock asked, snorting.  “You think Lightwood and his siblings hold a candle to any of us?” 

Clary laughed.  “I know all three of them could wipe the floor with you in under a minute.”  

“Shows how little you know,” he mocked. 

Clary crossed her arms over her chest and raised an unimpressed eyebrow.  “Maybe you’ve forgotten who they are?  Isabelle Lightwood, my parabatai,” she grinned, watching their eyes widen.  “Absorbed Holy Fire and used it to kill Lilith, nearly at the cost of her own life.  Jace Wayland,” she stressed the name and took another step forward, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder.  “One of the greatest shadowhunters ever to live.” 

Motion behind the men made her glance up as Alec and Izzy joined them in the room, but she wasn’t about to stop now.  

“And Alec Lightwood-Bane, youngest Head of an Institute in centuries, Jace’s parabatai, and a man who didn’t hesitate to walk into a demonic realm to rescue his sister and husband,” Clary finished, smiling at them.  

Bridgestock rolled his eyes.  “Oh yes, precious Alec Lightwood,” 

“Lightwood-Bane,” Clary corrected.  Far too many shadowhunters liked to conveniently forget about Alec’s name change, and she, Jace and Isabelle were on a crusade to make sure it stuck. 

“Lightwood,” Bridgestock continued.  “Who decided to tarnish his family name by marrying a downworlder.  A, ah, “well-known” downworlder, known more for his parties and partners than any-” 

In an instant, Clary had the Seraph blade at her hip pointed at Bridgestock’s neck.  Her voice and eyes were hard.  “Magnus Lightwood-Bane is the warlock who saved Idris.  He closed the rift and saved everyone in Alicante and beyond.” She took a deep breath and tightened her hand on the sword in her hand.  

“Don’t let me catch you insulting any of them, or you’ll regret it,” Clary promised, her eyes dark as she lowered the sword, turning back towards the punching bag.  

“Alec Lightwood took me in, and despite reservations and me making life very, very difficult for him in the beginning, has helped to support me in a way that almost no one else did,” she continued, looking over her shoulder at Bridgestock and his friends.  “I owe him my life, and more importantly, he is a friend.  You insult him again?  You answer to me.” 

“And what are you going to do about it, little miss Fairchild?” Bridgestock taunted.  

“Enough,” Alec snapped, striding forward, glad when all five men jumped to attention in an instant.  

Clary had her stele out in an instant, drawing a rune in the air before she launched it at the five men, knocking all of them to their knees, smirking when they opened their mouthes to protest and no sound came out.  

Alec turned to Clary with raised eyebrows.  “New rune?” 

Clary hummed.  “They didn’t have anything nice to say, so I thought they didn’t need to say anything at all.”  She looked to the group of men, now staring at her in fear and winked.  “It’s a variation on the soundless rune, but it silences voices rather than movement.  I’ll draw it for you later.”  

“Sounds good Fray,” Alec said, winking at her.  “Enjoy your training with Isabelle.”  He turned back to the men, crossing his arms over his chest.  “Let’s go.  You are all on ichor duty for the remainder of the month, and when that rune wears off, I expect you to keep your opinions to yourself.  Understood?”  

He waited until he got nods from all of them before leading them out of the training rooms.  

Clary turned to Isabelle, about to make a comment when she found herself being hugged tightly.  

“Thank you,” Izzy whispered.  “And he won’t say it either, at least not right now, but that’s a thank you from Alec, too.”  

“You’re my family,” Clary told her, giving her a tight hug back.  “I’ve got your backs just as much as you have mine.”  

[wondereads]

Personal Review (06/05/22)

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Why am I reviewing this book?

This is a YA fantasy classic, and I recently decided to reread them since I wanted to read the later series. While I love some Cassandra Clare books (The Infernal Devices especially), these early ones... they're certainly something.

Plot 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Clary Fray's life gets turned upside down when her mother disappears, her home is trashed, and she's attacked by something that's supposedly a demon. She's saved by a mysterious boy named Jace who claims to be a Shadowhunter, a part-angel warrior that defends Earth from demons—and Clary is one too. But Clary couldn't care less about that when her mother is missing.

Looking back, it's kind of astonishing that I never figured out that this was Harry Potter fanfiction considering the setup of Valentine and his motivations. I wouldn't say this plot is super original, but there is enough going on that it didn't drag (this is not true for the later books). However, the worldbuilding, considering when this book was published, was unique. Shadowhunters were a new concept, so I have to give Clare credit there. Even if it was fanfiction in the beginning, the plot and worldbuilding are new enough to trick Harry Potter-obsessed, middle school me, and it is interesting.

Still, it's a little mediocre. The "plot twist" (which isn't even really a plot twist since it gets undone later in the series) isn't foreshadowed at all, and there are inconsistencies. It's excusable for Jace, Isabelle, and Alec, but why has Clary suddenly forgotten about the conveniences of modern life? DNA tests are right there, and certainly a better option than just trusting the creepy, blood purist guy you're supposed to be fighting.

Characters 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Clary is an unfortunate victim of "relatable protagonist syndrome". There's such a big focus on making her relatable to every possible girl that could ever read this book that she comes out without any noticeable personality traits. I will say that I appreciated her focus on finding her mother, but that's about it. The protagonist should be the driving force behind a story, but Clary just kind of lets stuff happen to her. Even when she was making decisions, it was mostly just agreeing with someone else rather than coming up with anything for herself. Also, can she stop ridiculing traditionally feminine interests and traits?

Jace is actually quite interesting. His self-loathing hidden by suffocating amounts of arrogance makes for a very interesting dynamic. Something I enjoyed was that other than to an audience of starstruck 13-year-olds, Jace is supremely unlikable. If I met him in real life, I'd probably slap him. However, it creates an interesting push-and-pull between Jace's crappy attitude and the undeniable gravity he exudes—to both Clary and his friends, Isabelle and Alec.

Middle school me ate Clary and Jace up, but they were just alright this time around. Of course, minus points for the incest plotline. Instead, I found the platonic or background relationships much more compelling. Whether it was Clary and Isabelle growing closer, Jace and Alec's brotherhood, or Alec's developing crush on Magnus, those were so much more emotionally satisfying than whatever Jace and Clary had going on. Special mentions to Isabelle and Magnus for being the best characters.

Writing Style 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

I will say, the writing surprised me with its quality. The descriptions were well-executed and easily let me picture what was occurring, the emotions were subtle while still having clarity, and there were some great lines. Say what you will about Cassandra Clare, but she knows how to write teenagers. The snarky, playful way the main five interacted with each other was a perfect portrayal of real-life teenagers. Many of Simon's comments about Jace or Shadowhunters in general, were very believable from a teenage boy. A lot of times, snark and sass in writing come off as forced or ingenuine, but if anything the way Clare writes character conversations and dialogue felt quite real.

The pacing of this book was alright if a little slow in some places. This technically breaks the rules of my reviews, but the pacing goes way off the rails in the later books. City of Glass in particular drags like no other.

Overall 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

There is some sentimental value to this book, and it definitely has its good points. The writing is a very strong point, and I liked pretty much all the characters except Clary. It also goes by pretty quickly for a book on the longer side, and it had some original ideas for the time. However, there's nothing new about the plot, the characters ignore solutions and believe whatever they're told, and Clary could be replaced by a scarecrow with a stele and nothing would change. I find this book interesting enough that I wouldn't discourage people from trying it, but don't force yourself.

The Author

Cassandra Clare: American, Jewish, 48, also wrote Clockwork Angel, Lady Midnight, and The Iron Trial

The Reviewer

My name is Wonderose; I try to post a review once a week, and I do themed recommendations every once in a while. I take recommendations! Check out my about me post for more!

[khaleesiofalicante]

Practice Makes Perfect

Wrote this little drabble instead of working. Thanks @tobeornottobetequila for the prompt that led to this disaster. You can also read it here on ao3 :)

“He is here! Here is here! He is here!”

Izzy came running into the dorm with Simon following closely behind.

“Are you ready, buddy?” Jace put a hand on his shoulder.

Alec swallowed a jello shot from the tray Clary was holding. “Now or never.”

Today was the day.

Alec had been pining after Magnus for two whole semesters now. He had been trying to ask the other boy out almost every day, but kept chickening out.

Finally, his friends who had confessed that they could no longer put up with his pining, had come up with a plan to help Alec ask Magnus out.

Now usually Alec would never condone  - and definitely not be a part of – any plan concocted by his siblings and friends.

For they were, as the kids say, chaotic as fuck.

But to his own surprise, he had agreed.

For he was, as the kids say, desperate as fuck.

Clary took out more jello shots out of the mini fridge as Simon kept an eye on the entrance for Magnus.

“Do we really need to do all of this?” Simon asked, eying the trays of jello shots.

“Babe, we’ve been through this,” Izzy told him. “Alec needs liquid courage to ask Magnus out.”

“Does he?” Simon asked, addressing Alec. “Why can’t you just tell him how you feel?”

“Tell him how you feel,” Jace snorted. “What kind of garbage advice is that?”

“It’s not like I haven’t tried!” Alec tried to defend himself. “Every time I try to tell him how I feel and ask him out but he is just….There is only so much I can do!”

“You just need to be a little-”

“Stop victim blaming!” Alec protested. “It’s not my fault he looks like a Greek god!”

“Who looks like a Greek god!”

They all turned in unison to find Magnus in the entrance, carrying a pile of books.

It has only been two seconds and Alec was already sweating.

His friends had told him that with liquid courage and with their support, it would be easier to ask Magnus out.

But that wasn’t true, was it?

He could barely talk to Magnus when they were alone. How was he going to ask him out with so many others in the room?

Besides, the plan itself was crazy. I mean, it was Jace’s idea. So of course it was crazy.

Maybe Simon was right. Maybe he should just tell Magnus how he felt.

Nah, that wasn’t it.

He wondered if anyone would notice if he quietly jumped out of the window.

“Magnus!” Izzy beamed and welcomed him into Alec and Jace’s dorm.

Magnus eyed the jello shots on the table and then the books in his hand. “Um, this doesn’t look like the study session I was promised.”

“Oh, we are studying alright,” Clary said. “We are studying matters of the heart.”

“What?” Magnus blinked.

“Alec here is trying to ask out his crush,” Jace said. “But he is a little nervous. So, we are going to help him.”

Magnus blinked, a little slowly this time. “Oh.”

“And we thought you could help,” Clary smiled. Alec was grateful for her presence. He knew she was Magnus’ favorite out of them all.

“Oh,” Magnus said again. “What do…What can I do?”

“Well, it’s simply really,” Izzy grinned. “We thought we could do some basic role playing. Alec can ask you out for practice. We really think it might help.”

“Why can’t Jace do it?” Magnus asked, not looking at Alec.

“Because we are the Lightwoods, not the Lannisters,” Jace replied. “I mean we could use Simon…but we don’t want to, ya know?”

“Hey!” Simon protested.  

“Do you mind helping, Magnus?” Clary asked. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Alec gave a quick smile. He didn’t want Magnus to do this if he didn’t want to either.

Magnus bit his lip.

“Are you okay with this, Alexander?” he asked and Alec wanted to sob.

The way he said his name. The way his eyes scanned Alec’s face to see if he was okay. The way he offered to help someone without a worry. The way his lips had this tiny red mark where he had bit them.

How was Alec supposed to ask this man out without passing the fuck out?

“I…I mean if you’re okay with it then…” Alec faltered.

“I’m asking if you’re okay with it,” Magnus said.

“Are you okay with it?” Alec asked.

“I’m okay with it if you are,” Magnus smiled.

“Well, I’m okay with it if you are,” Alec repeated.

“Christ,” Jace swore behind him. 

Clary pinched her boyfriend and asked him to shut up. “Well it seems like you’re both okay with it. Let’s get started.”

They all sat in a circle. Alec sitting opposite Magnus. Izzy and Simon on the giant bean bag Jace had found in some bizarre bidding website. Jace of course was sitting on the window ledge. And Clary set down the snacks on the coffee table and sprawled on the floor like a cat.

“Alright, proceed,” Izzy clapped her hands, as if this was a duel.

“What? Just like that?” Alec asked – not anyone in particular.

Magnus just shrugged. “Why do we have jello shots?”

“Liquid courage,” Jace winked.

Magnus picked one up and suddenly started giggling. “It’s a jello shot. It’s solid, not liquid.”

Maybe it was the way there were faint wrinkles around Magnus’ eyes when he smiled – reminding Alec that magnus was someone who smiled a lot.

Maybe it was the way the Magnus’ throat bobbed when he swallowed the jello shot in one go.

Or maybe it wasn’t Magnus at all.

Maybe it was the way Simon was playing Izzy’s hair as she rested her head on his chest.

Maybe it was the way Jace and Clary were smiling at each other, sharing their love in unspoken glances.

Maybe it was the way Alec couldn’t help but feel like it would always be with this way – with him as the fifth wheel.

Whatever it was,  Alec couldn’t handle it.

“I can’t do this,” Alec stood up abruptly and walked out of the door.

What was he thinking?

No amount of alcohol or moral support would be enough for him to ask Magnus out. Because that wasn’t the problem.

Alec wasn’t afraid to ask. It was just a question after all. In his classes, Alec was always that one student who always put up a hand and annoyed the professor with a million questions. No, he wasn’t afraid to ask.

But he was terrified of the answer.

Knowing he didn’t deserve Magnus was one thing. But being told that he didn’t…He didn’t know how he could cope with that.

He heard the door open behind him, followed by faint and hesitant footsteps.

“I’m fine, Jace,” Alec said quickly. “Just go ba-”

It wasn’t Jace.

“Your friends mean well,” Magnus offered a smile.

“I know,” Alec turned back again and set his eyes on the horizon. “It’s not their fault that I’m a fucking mess.”

“You’re not,” Magnus said he found his way next to Alec. “You’re fucking tall though. Fucking smart, yes. And fucking annoying – especially when you make us all stay behind during the lecture with your million follow up questions. But you are not a fucking mess.”

“I am,” Alec said, ignoring Magnus’ kind words.

He didn’t want kindness. He wanted the truth.

Magnus made an impatient gesture. “Fine, then let’s clean you up. Ask me out.”

“What?” Alec blinked.

“You said you’re a mess. Your friends are right. Practice makes perfect. Ask me out. Let’s practice.”

“I…I don’t know how,” Alec replied.

“Well, how did you do it before?” Magnus prompted. “Are you more of a straightforward guy or do you like to be super romantic and have flowers and-”

“I haven’t,” Alec interrupted. “Asked anyone out before, I mean.”

“Oh,” Magnus said. “Oh, okay. Then let’s just go with the gut. Why do you wanna ask this guy out?”

“Because I love him.”

The words tumbled out before he could stop them. Alec blushed scarlet, even though he knew Magnus was completely oblivious.

“Oh,” Magnus said, looking taken back. “I…I didn’t think it was serious.”

“It’s not,” Alec said. “It’s probably unrequited.”

“Then you shouldn’t ask him out,” Magnus replied.

“Because he doesn’t love me back?”

“Because anyone who doesn’t recognize your value isn’t worth your time, Alexander,” Magnus said.

Alec stared at him.

“Alright, let’s do this,” Alec nodded. “I’m gonna ask you out.”

Magnus smiled but then stopped immediately, as if he suddenly realized something.

“Yes,” he nodded. “Let’s practice. Ask me out Alexander Lightwood.”

Alec swallowed.

“Magnus,” Alec said and his voice came out all squeaky. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “Magnus, do you want to go out with me?”

“I…” Magnus blinked. “Um, do I say yes?”

“What?”

“I don’t know what to say,” Magnus replied. “Do I say yes or what?”

“I don’t know how these things go! I haven’t asked anyone out before!” Alec almost laughed. “What usually happens?”

“Well, if I don’t like them, then I pretend like I got an emergency call from Catarina saying ragnor had a heart attack and-”

“Ragnor had a what?” Alec did laugh this time. “Surely they aren’t gonna buy that!”

“Please! It’s more like you than you think!” Magnus laughed back. Watch this. “He almost had one when he found out Prince Hans was the real villain in Frozen.”

They both laughed again, and Alec couldn’t help but want to hold onto this moment for a little longer.

“What if you like them?” he asked. “What happens then?”

“I…I don’t know,” Magnus said quietly. “I haven’t been asked out by someone I liked in a really long time.”

Maybe it was the way Magnus said, his voice sounding like he was close to giving up.

Maybe it was the way his eyes didn’t crinkle, but rather looked sad and lost.

Or maybe it wasn’t Magnus at all.

Maybe it was Alec, for once deciding to seize the moment.

“Hey, Magnus,” he said before he lost the nerve. “You like me, right?”

Magnus smiled. “I do.”

“Will you go out with me then?”

Magnus froze for a moment. “Are we…Are we still practicing?”

“No,” Alec said. “I’m asking you out for real.”

“But…But what about the other guy? The one you wanted to ask out?”

“There is no other guy,” Alec explained. “It’s you. I’ve been wanting to asking you out.”

“Hold on,” Magnus looked confused. “So, you are practicing with me to ask a guy out a later – who also happens to be me.”

Alec grinned. “Told you I’m a mess.”

“A hot mess,” Magnus grumbled, but Alec spotted a smile.

“So?” he prompted.

“So, what?” Magnus asked, never making it easy for him.

“Magnus!” Alec all but whined.

“Hold, I’m getting a call,” Magnus pulled out his phone. “Yes, Catarina? Ragnor had a what? Goodn-”

Alec grabbed Magnus in by his shirt. “You’re not as funny as you think.”

“Agree to disagree,” Magnus poked out a tongue.

“What now?” Alec asked, their faces incredibly closed. “What happens when someone you like asks you out?”

“Well, I would usually expect a rom-com level kiss,” Magnus said cheekily. “Being lifted off the ground, the 360 angle, violins in the background, doves flying – the whole thing.”

“Uh-oh,” Alec said. “We have a problem.”

“We don’t have doves, I know,” Magnus replied.

Alec laughed. “It’s not that. I…This is my first time asking someone out. That means I haven’t…I haven’t really kissed anyone before.”

Magnus smiled, and the wrinkles around his eyes were back, spread out like little rays of sunshine.

“Well, luckily for you Alexander, I know someone you can practice with.”

[bytheangell]

Somewhere I Belong

(S02E02: A Door Into the Dark inspired fic) (Read on AO3)

In her room - no, not her room, but the room she’s been placed in at the Institute - Clary finds herself alone with her thoughts. Not that her thoughts are entirely her own just then, but rather filled with the words Alec snapped at her replaying over and over again in her head.

“This is all because of you.”

“You don’t belong here, you never have”.

Doesn’t she? Her mother certainly looked like she belonged here, walking into the debriefing side-by-side with Aldertree as if she co-ran the place. The woman Clary saw on that platform wasn’t the mother she remembers, not the one she knew her entire life.

Then again, the same can be said for her. She isn’t the same Clary she was before all of this, either.

She never will be again.

The problem is that the current Clary doesn’t belong anywhere. She doesn’t belong in the mundane world, listening to Simon’s friends’ shitty slam poetry and overcaffeinating at Java Jones like she did before she became aware of the dangers surrounding her at every turn. But she doesn’t belong here, either - despite her best attempts at tapping into some inherent natural instincts, she’s nothing but a liability beside these trained fighters and strategists.

She can’t go back to being a Fray and she isn’t welcome here as a Fairchild, and certainly not as a Morgenstern. She feels… lost.

Worse than that: she feels alone. She’s always had her mother and Luke. She’s almost always had Simon. She’s always had a sense of purpose and direction with her art, and now she’s lost all of that in one fell swoop. She’s fighting with her mom, Simon can’t stay here with her, Izzy and Alec are off on missions… She’s never been this alone before.

When Isabelle comes in to offer some kind words of reassurance Clary wants to accept them. She wants to believe them, to pretend that this makes it all better, but it doesn’t.

“All those things Alec said about you, you know I don’t feel that way,” Izzy says to her.

Instead of being appreciative that Izzy would even take the time to seek her out and try to help her feel better, Clary responds with a bitter muttering of, “It didn’t feel that way when you didn’t say anything in my defense.”

“Clary-”

“You could’ve… defended me. Or said literally anything. But you didn’t,” Clary says, doing her best to steel herself for Izzy to take it back, to turn and leave Clary alone again. To go back to Alec’s side. “I get it. I don’t expect you to side with me over your brother, but don’t show up here and lie to me out of pity.”

It’s the icing on the cake of a terrible day and Clary knows that she’s taking it out to an unfair degree on Izzy, especially when Izzy only came here to try and help. But that doesn’t stop it from feeling cathartic, even if she knows it’s only going to push away the one person who’s actually kind to her here.

To Clary’s surprise, Isabelle stays.

“Clary, That isn’t what I’m doing. With Jace missing, Alec’s nerves are frayed. I’ve never seen him like this before and… honestly, I’m a little worried,” Izzy says, sitting down next to Clary on the bed with a heavy sigh. “I didn’t think my silence would hurt as much as his words did, but of course it did. I’m sorry.”

Up until now Clary kept her eyes down, trained on the sketchbook in her lap. Now Clary glances up to meet Izzy’s eyes and sees genuine regret there. “It’s fine,” Clary manages. “He wasn’t wrong.”

“But he was,” Izzy insists. “I should’ve said it then, but for what it’s worth, I’m saying it now. None of this is your fault, Clary. And I’ll talk to him about it, too.”

Clary shakes her head. “You don’t have to-”

“Yes, I do,” Izzy cuts her off. “Because you belong here with us, and I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone here, because you’re not. You have me, and that’s not going to change.”

Izzy takes Clary’s hand and gives it a squeeze. Could she belong here? It’s easy to feel like she might be able to, with Izzy smiling over at her making promises like that.

Clary smiles back at Isabelle and feels that small, dangerous spark of hope that she might have a place here after all.

[rhosyn-du]

Never make a mess when a total catastrophe will do - Chapter Four

Pairings: Jimon, past Clace, background Clizzy, a bunch of other minor background pairings Rating: Explicit Art: @cor321​ Beta: @all-thestories-aretrue​ Tags:  Alternate Universe - College/University, fake dating, oh my god they were roommates, friends with benefits, idiots to lovers, pining, miscommunication, holidays, drinking games, mistletoe, symbolically significant Oreos, domestic fluff, brief mention of past character death, Jace’s self-worth issues deserve their own tag Summary: What do you do when you find out your sister is not only dating your ex and love-of-your-high-school-life but is also bringing her home for Christmas? Bring your annoying, hot, annoyingly-hot roommate as your fake boyfriend to show them you're totally fine with it, obviously! There's no possible way this could backfire. Link: AO3 , Tumblr Master Post

Chapter Four

Clary, it turned out, was very good at Land Mines. But so was Izzy. It only took a couple rounds for them to admit they played the game all the time, and a couple more rounds (both of which the Lightwoods lost) for Izzy to drunkenly (and loudly) explain that she thought it was hot when Clary got competitive.

Jace told her he didn’t want to hear about it, and he hoped he wasn’t tipsy enough for her to notice what a hypocrite he was in saying it. Because competitive Simon? Was so hot. And Simon was pretty much hot all the time, even when he was annoying the hell out of Jace, but Simon going all-out trying to prove himself, and doing it every damned time, was something else. It didn’t help that right now he was doing it dressed in a tighter than usual t-shirt that proclaimed him a “Jedi in the streets, Sith in the sheets” that Clary (who most definitely noticed Jace’s appreciation of how tight the shirt was) gleefully informed Jace had been a present from her.

“Another win for Team Fray-Lewis,” Simon proclaimed as his coin spun to a stop without touching any of the glasses on the table. He and Clary bumped fists without even looking at each other, and Simon flashed Jace a smug grin that did things to him. “Let’s see you top that, hotshot.”

Jace returned a cocky grin of his own. “You should know better by now than to question my skills.”

Thankfully for Jace’s ego, and his liver, his own spin came tumbling to rest right before hitting a double-size shot glass of tequila. The same shot glass Clary’s coin hit moments later.

Clary winced. “Sorry, Si.”

“All right,” Simon said, narrowing his eyes. “All right.” He downed his shot and licked the excess from his lips in a way that Jace found very distracting. If he didn’t know better, he’d think Simon was doing it on purpose. “We’ve still got this.”

“Damn right we do,” Clary agreed, knocking back her own shot and then grabbing Izzy for a messy kiss. “A kiss for luck,” she announced.

“I’m not even on your team, silly,” Izzy giggled.

By the time they finished the game, Jace and Izzy having only just squeaked by with a win, the party was in full swing, and Jace was feeling pleasantly buzzed. With several hours left to go until midnight, he decided to pass on the cocktail Magnus offered him in favor of plain soda. As much as he’d joked about hangovers, that was the last way he wanted to start the new year, especially since he had plans with Alec and Magnus the next day, and they both seemed to be somehow magically immune to hangovers.

Jace let himself get swept up in the atmosphere of the party: dancing, joking with his siblings, getting into an inane argument with Magnus’s friend Ragnor about which of Scott Joplin’s works was most influential. And somehow, he always managed to find himself back by Simon’s side. He should have been doing it as part of keeping up the appearance of being his boyfriend, but it was less that he was intentionally trying to spend time around Simon and more that he was allowing himself not to not be around Simon. The realization should have annoyed him, but somehow it didn’t.

Especially since Simon seemed just as drawn to his side. Which was probably Simon keeping up appearances, since he’d proven himself to be incredibly good at it so far. It was almost comfortable. Right up until it was something else entirely.

Jace and Simon had been chatting with Dot—a friend of Magnus’s who’d apparently been a neighbor of Clary’s and Simon’s when they were kids—when Clary, who had clearly not stopped drinking after their game, interrupted by throwing her arms over Jace and Dot’s shoulders. “You guys should come dance with me,” she told them. “Izzy’s busy talking to Magnus about shoes, and I wanna dance, and you guys are like three of my very favorite people who aren’t Izzy, so I want you to dance with me.”

“Of course,” Dot laughed, wrapping an arm around Clary’s waist and twirling her toward the makeshift dance floor Magnus and Alec had made in their living room.

“You guys, come on!” Clary called over her shoulder, tripping and nearly falling before Dot caught her and turned it into a shaky dip.

Simon looked at Jace and offered his hand. “There’s really no point in arguing. She’s even more stubborn drunk than she is sober.”

“That’s a terrifying thought,” Jace said, taking Simon’s hand and following him onto the dance floor.

Jace lost track of how long they spent dancing, first with Clary and Dot, switching partners every few minutes at Clary’s enthusiastic insistence, and then just with each other after Izzy reappeared and Clary abandoned them to go cling to her girlfriend like some kind of hyper-affectionate koala.

“I honestly can’t believe she’s still standing,” Simon said. “She’s had at least three margaritas since we finished our game, and I didn’t even want to think about drinking after that many shots.”

“She was probably consoling herself after you guys lost so badly,” Jace said, moving closer than the music or space strictly demanded. “I wouldn’t know what it’s like, but losing sure seems like it would suck.”

“Uh huh,” Simon said. “Because you winning by a single shot was so very impressive.”

“It really was,” Jace agreed.

The music made a surprisingly smooth transition from pounding bass to Duke Ellington, and Simon grabbed Jace’s hand to pull him into some kind of swing dance that Jace was not at all familiar with.

“Really?” Simon asked with obvious relish. “You don’t know how to Lindy Hop?”

“I’m not an old man or terminally nerdy, so no,” Jace answered, not quite managing to follow Simon’s steps, but not making a complete fool out of himself either. He supposed that was one good thing to come out of that ridiculous mandatory high school PE swing dance unit.

“So, are you calling Magnus old or a nerd?” Simon asked, nodding to the other side of the dance floor, where Magnus was twirling Dot like they were both professional dancers.

“Magnus is a special case,” Jace said.

“Because your brother would murder you in your sleep for saying anything bad about him?” Simon suggested.

Jace snorted a laugh. “I plead the fifth.”

“You know what I think?” Simon asked, doing a rock-step then smoothly maneuvering Jace into a gentle twirl.

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” Jace said.

“I think you just don’t know how to deal with not being good at something. So you’re an ass about anything you aren’t good at.”

“Nah,” Jace said, attempting to mimic Simon’s earlier move and managing to awkwardly spin him into a twirl of his own. “You just always react so well when I’m an ass to you that I can’t resist doing it.”

“Ah, got it. So you’re basically saying you never matured past middle school.”

“You’re one to talk about maturity. Do I need to remind you that the first thing you did when I introduced you to my sister was ask to see her Lego collection?”

“In my defense,” Simon said, “I was trying to save us all from probable food poisoning.” He executed another twirl, this time one that ended with his arms wrapped around Jace from behind, which Jace definitely felt no way at all about. “Also, it was a really great Lego collection.”

The music changed again, back to a modern club beat, and Jace felt some of the tension leave his body. This was the kind of music he knew how to dance to. And maybe there was just the tiniest bit of truth to what Simon had said about him not knowing how to be bad at things.

It was just natural and not at all pettiness over Simon being right that had him rolling his hips with the beat of the new song, which just consequently happened to grind his ass back against Simon’s crotch. And, okay, there was maybe just the tiniest bit of satisfaction in hearing Simon’s sharp intake of breath.

“Just try not to do that when someone you’re actually dating brings you home for the first time.”

Jace wasn’t entirely sure how to identify what he felt when Simon leaned forward to speak directly in his ear. “And what do you think I should have done?” Simon’s breath was hot against his skin. “If we were actually dating?”

Jace spun around to face him. “If we were actually dating, Alec would have been on his own defending dinner from Izzy, because I wouldn’t have taken you back downstairs until I was done very thoroughly showing you my bedroom.”

It came out sounding much less like a joke than he intended, the truth behind his words bleeding through his shaky bravado. And he knew Simon heard it, could see it in the soft surprise of his parted lips, could feel it in the faint tremor of the hand he still held.

“I guess,” Simon said, tongue darting out to wet his lips, drawing Jace’s eyes, “it’s a good thing for our digestive systems that we weren’t actually dating.”

This had been a mistake. Dancing with Simon like this, touching him like this. Inviting him to the party in the first place. This whole damned fake dating plan. Jace wanted desperately to lean in and trace the path of Simon’s tongue with his own.

“I don’t know,” he said instead. “I think it probably would have been worth it.”

They weren’t even pretending to dance now, Simon standing stock still, watching him as if trying to puzzle him out. Finally, he took a step back, loosening his hold. “Jace—”

“Attention, dearest friends and tolerated acquaintances!” Magnus’s voice rang through the loft as the music came to a sudden halt. Jace stayed as he was, unwilling to bring himself to let go of Simon entirely, unable to look away, and Simon seemingly similarly caught.

“We have invited you here this evening to help us ring in the new year, which, if you direct your attention to the clock right over there, you will see is now a mere thirty seconds away. So, grab your drink, grab your sweetie—or an attractive stranger, I won’t judge—and get ready to count down to a brand new year!”

Jace barely noticed as the countdown began around him, focused as he was on Simon. He only really caught on to what was happening when Simon’s lips began to move, softly counting down with the crowd even as his eyes never left Jace’s.

Jace had plenty of time to think through what he was about to do, with enough left over to second- and third-guess himself. Some people might have said thirty seconds wasn’t long enough to make a reasoned choice, but for someone like Jace, who made an art out of making impulsive, split-second decisions, thirty seconds was practically an eternity. He watched Simon’s lips form the final count of “one,” heard the crowd around them erupt into shouts of “Happy New Year!” and then he was surging forward.

Simon met him halfway, the kiss bruising and desperate. Jace was dimly aware of people around him laughing and cheering, but his entire world was narrowed down to this one moment, to this kiss. If their previous kisses had been chaste and family-appropriate, this was anything but. Simon kissed like he wanted to crawl inside Jace, one hand on the small of his back, pulling him close, the other tangled in his hair. Jace kind of wanted Simon to crawl inside him.

When Simon finally broke the kiss, Jace had to hold himself back from chasing his swollen, spit-slick lips. But whatever Simon saw when he looked at Jace had him muttering a soft “shit” before diving back in for more, so Jace considered it an all-around win.

Jace licked into Simon’s mouth, sliding the fingers of one hand under the hem of his shirt enough to trace along the waistband of his jeans, just above his hip. Simon shuddered and made a soft, desperate sound, and Jace made it his mission to elicit more of those sounds, to drive Simon just as crazy as those sounds were driving him.

When they broke the kiss for the second time, it was prompted by a sharp whistle that Jace would have recognized anywhere as Izzy’s followed by a cheer of, “Yeah, get it, Simon!” from Clary.

Simon looked slightly embarrassed at just how carried away they’d managed to get in the middle of a party, but Jace just smirked and threw a wink at his sister and her girlfriend.

A quick look around showed that, despite Izzy and Clary’s very loud attention, most of the partygoers were too involved in their own celebrations to be paying much attention to Jace and Simon, although it also seemed like the rest of them had long since finished up their celebratory kisses. The only other people paying them any attention at all were Magnus and Alec, who were standing nearby.

Alec wore the look of long-suffering fondness he often wore around Jace. “Please don’t have sex in my living room,” he said when he caught Jace’s eye.

“We weren’t—” Simon spluttered. “We wouldn’t—”

“At least use the guest room like civilized people,” Magnus added. Much less fondly, Jace thought.

“Oh god,” Simon muttered as Magnus swept off to speak with other guests, Alec in tow. “I’m never going to live this down. Fray is going to be teasing me about this until the day I die. And I think your brother hates me now.”

“Alec doesn’t hate you,” Jace said. “You would know if Alec hated you; he is not subtle. I’m sure he considers this one-hundred percent my fault.”

“Okay, but Magnus definitely hates me.”

“Dude,” Jace said, squeezing Simon’s shoulder, “Magnus doesn’t hate you, either. He wouldn’t have offered us his guest room if he hated you.”

Simon gave him a flat look. “Pretty sure he didn’t actually intend for us to use the guest room. We’d have to have basically no shame to just ditch the party and run off to the guest room to have sex after Clary and Izzy drew so much attention to us making out like horny teenagers in public.”

“You’ve known me how long, and you still operate under the misapprehension that I’m capable of shame?” Jace teased.

Except. Except he was only half-teasing, because he would absolutely ditch this party to go have sex with Simon in the guest room if he thought Simon was even a little bit interested in that. Hell, he’d ditch the party to have sex with Simon in the fucking closet.

And he was pretty sure Simon knew it, because Simon was staring at him again, with that same intensity he had right before they’d kissed. Jace smirked and very deliberately ran a tongue over his lower lip.

“I hate you,” Simon said without heat before dragging Jace into a quick, filthy kiss. “Where’s the guest room?”

Jace didn’t answer, just grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the hallway that led to the guest suite.

It took them several minutes to actually make it into the guest room because Jace decided halfway there that he kind of desperately needed to be kissing Simon again. It was like a dam had broken, and now that he was allowed to kiss Simon, really kiss him, he couldn’t seem to stop. But that was okay, because Simon didn’t seem interested in stopping, either.

When they finally stumbled into the guest room, Jace found himself promptly pinned against the door, Simon’s body pressing against him in a long, hard line, a situation which Jace found himself more than okay with.

“This,” Simon muttered between kisses, “is probably a terrible idea.”

“Yeah,” Jace agreed, sliding one leg between Simon’s leg to press against the bulge in his jeans and trying to ignore the bitter twist in his gut. “You want to stop?”

“Fuck,” Simon panted, grinding against Jace’s leg. “Really no.” He slid his hands beneath Jace’s shirt, pushing it up in a clear indication he wanted it off. “Just making sure we’re both on the same page with regard to our mutual terrible decision making.”

“You know me,” Jace said, raising his arms obligingly and helping Simon tug his shirt over his head. “Making terrible decisions with pretty people is kind of my thing.”

Jace’s shirt fell to the floor, and Simon just sort of froze for a second before reaching out and sliding his hands up Jace’s chest almost reverently. “God,” he muttered, “you are just unfairly hot.” His hands stilled suddenly, and he met Jace’s eyes, brows furrowed. “You think I’m pretty?”

“Yes, dumbass,” Jace said, reaching up to cup Simon’s face. “Did the last ten minutes not clue you in?”

“I—”

Jace silenced whatever Simon was about to say with another kiss. With as much as he was feeling right now, kissing was safer than talking. He’d probably said too much already.

He flipped them around so he was pressing Simon into the door, breaking the kiss just long enough to say, “Oh, hey, I found an effective way to make you stop talking. Should have thought of this sooner.”

“Fuck you,” Simon mumbled against his mouth.

“Maybe later,” Jace told him, tugging at Simon’s belt. “Right now I just need to get my hands on you.”

“Yeah,” Simon agreed dazedly as Jace worked open his jeans. “Yeah, okay, that sounds really—” He broke off with an almost wounded noise as Jace reached inside his boxers and wrapped a hand around his cock.

Jace kissed him again, slow and deliberate just like the hand on Simon’s cock. Jace felt back on firmer ground, now. This, sex, was something he understood, something he was good at. Slick tongues and writhing bodies were far more straightforward—far less dangerous—than feelings.

For a few strokes, Simon seemed content to just take what Jace was giving him, but then he was kissing back with almost bruising intensity and fumbling open Jace’s pants to wrap a calloused hand around his dick, and it was everything.

Jace lost track of things at that point, lost in the feel of Simon’s deft fingers around his cock, of Simon thrusting into his hand, of Simon’s mouth on his own, of Simon. And then Simon was murmuring something unintelligible against Jace’s mouth as the movement of his hips became erratic and then he was shaking apart in Jace’s arms, coming all over his hand and abdomen, and Jace thought, as he followed Simon over the edge seconds later, it might have been the hottest thing he’d ever experienced.

“Holy shit,” Simon said after they’d both caught their breath. “That actually just happened.”

Jace let out a soft huff of laughter. “You noticed, huh?” He stepped back just enough that he could see Simon’s face and was dismayed at the wariness he found there.

“I guess,” Simon said, “I should probably get cleaned up and, like. Go?”

There was a pit forming in Jace’s stomach, and he hated it.

“Alternate plan,” he offered with far more assurance than he felt. “We both get cleaned up, and then we find out how nice the sheets are on Alec and Magnus’s guest bed. I was planning to sleep here tonight anyway.” Whatever this was, Jace wasn’t ready for it to end yet.

“Oh,” Simon said on a heavy exhale. “That’s—” He swallowed hard. “I don’t want to, like, intrude, or—”

He broke off as Jace took his hand, the one covered in come, and slowly and deliberately began licking it clean, eyes never leaving Simon’s. Simon watched, entranced, barely breathing.

When Jace was satisfied he’d gotten every drop, he smirked up through lowered lashes. “Simon. Come to bed with me?”

“Yeah,” Simon said breathily. “Okay. But if Magnus decides he hates me, I’m blaming you.”

“Do me a favor, and don’t talk about my future brother-in-law when I just had my hand down your pants.” Then, because it had proven such an effective way to get Simon to stop talking in the past (and definitely not for any other reason), Jace kissed him.

By the time they’d finished cleaning up and tumbled into bed, Jace was feeling loose and sleepy. He abandoned his previous, half-formed plans of getting Simon’s dick in his mouth in favor of lazy, unhurried kisses and caresses that were maybe too gentle for what this was. There would be time for blowjobs later. In the morning, maybe. After sleep, in any case.

Jace wasn’t aware of when kissing Simon in reality bled into dream.

~~~

Jace wasn’t hungover when he woke. He kind of wished he were hungover, because that would provide an explanation for why the world didn’t seem quite set straight and he felt vaguely nauseous that had nothing to do with the cold, empty bed he woke up in.

It was stupid to be upset Simon hadn’t stayed. Jace knew it was stupid. He’d known going in that it wouldn’t be more than a one-time thing. Simon had flat-out said it was a mistake. But there was a part of him that had thought—had hoped—maybe Simon would change his mind.

Telling himself he was just upset over having lost the chance for that morning blowjob he’d been planning, Jace forced himself out of bed and into the shower. The shower in Alec and Magnus’s guest suite was kind of amazing, with one of those rainfall shower heads and hot water that just never seemed to end. It helped ease some of Jace’s tension, and by the time he finished showering and pulled on some clothes, he was feeling almost back to his normal self.

Alec greeted him as he stepped out into the living room, already having claimed a spot on the couch. The room was back to its normal configuration, couch and loveseat facing a large, flat-screen TV. The coffee table held a giant plate of nachos, a bag of dry roast peanuts, and a disgustingly large tub of Red Vines.

“Welcome to the land of the living,” Alec said. “I was starting to worry you were going to miss the opening kick.”

“Please,” Jace said, flopping down onto the other couch. “I haven’t missed the opening kick of a bowl game since I was eleven, and that was only because you gave me the stomach flu.”

“Don’t blame me for that!” Alec protested. “Izzy was the one who started barfing first. If anyone brought that into the house, it was her.”

“Izzy didn’t give me big, sad puppy dog eyes and ask me to hold her hair back.”

“Hey,” Alec said, “we don’t talk about the hair, okay? Everyone makes at least one big mistake in their life, and mine was my seventh grade Zac Efron hair.”

“It’s my duty as your brother to make sure you never forget any terrible fashion choices you’ve made,” Jace said around a mouthful of nachos.

“You know that means it’s my duty as a brother to do the same for you, right?”

“You can try,” Jace said breezily, “but you and I both know I’ve never made any terrible fashion choices.”

“Two words for you,” Alec said. “Parachute pants.”

“They were on trend at the time,” Jace insisted. “My parachute pants were cool.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Jace. Parachute pants were never cool.”

Jace decided to be mature about the whole thing and chucked a Red Vine at Alec’s head. Alec ducked, then picked up the Red Vine from where it had landed on his shoulder and popped it into his mouth.

“That’s disgusting,” Jace told him. “I can’t believe you still eat those things.”

“It’s tradition,” Alec said with a shrug. “I only eat them on New Year’s. Besides, I like the sweetened wax aesthetic they’ve got going on.”

“Disgusting,” Jace repeated, pulling a Red Vine out of the tub for himself.

“Hey,” Alec said, suddenly serious, “you didn’t have to stay, you know.” When Jace just stared at him in confusion, he added, “You could have gone to Simon’s family thing with him. I wouldn’t have minded.”

Jace scoffed. “Of course I couldn’t.” He hadn’t even known Simon had a family thing today. “It’s tradition, like the Red Vines. Just because I’m dating someone and you’re about to get married doesn’t mean I’m going to flake on our New Year’s tradition.”

“Well, you should probably be prepared to make it up to your man when you get home,” Alec said. “He looked kinda upset when he left this morning.”

Jace’s earlier nausea returned suddenly, with full force. “He did?”

“Oh, don’t look like that. I’m sure he’ll get over it. The guy clearly adores you.”

“Yeah,” Jace said, pasting on a smile. “He does.”

“And I am glad you’re here,” Alec added. “I love Magnus, but he doesn’t understand football.”

“Not a fan, huh?”

“Worse,” Alec groaned. “He’s a Big Red fan. And he always gets so smug when they win.”

“And you’re sure you want to marry this guy?” Jace joked.

“Yeah,” Alec said, his whole demeanor softening. “I really am.”

“Which is a good thing, because our catering deposit is definitely non-refundable,” Magnus interjected, bringing a wings-laded plate to join the rest of the snacks on the table. “Besides, if I can get over the fact that you actually attended Columbia, you can deal with my allegiance to the clearly superior Ivy League team.”

“I’m not sure you can say you’re over it when you still say ‘Columbia’ like it’s a dirty word,” Alec observed.

“Nonsense,” Magnus said, settling onto the couch next to his fiancé. “I say dirty words with a great deal more relish. That was, in fact, an insult to dirty words.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” Alec said, rolling his eyes.

“That, we can agree on.”

“If you two are done being sappy,” Jace said, grabbing the TV remote and unmuting the pre-game commentary, “there’s about to be a game on.”

They were not, it turned out, done being sappy, but their cheerful bickering was almost enough to distract Jace from having woken up alone. Almost.

[heloisedaphnebrightmore]

L&L - Chapter 14. Hidden feelings [Alec Lightwood x Reader]

Title: Love and Leather - Chapter 14. Hidden feelings ➔ Chapter 15. Here! Pairing: Alec Lightwood x Female!Reader Published: 23 June, 2020 Author: Heloise Daphne Brightmore Love and Leather Masterlist | Masterlists

"The winner of the 1st round is Y/N." Jace shouted joyfully. You smirked at his comment, but offered your hand to Alec to help him get up. He just pushed it away and got up as quick as he could on his own.

"Someone is a sore looser." You laughed, but you could see how badly it affected him, that he lost. Especially to you. He didn't really lose to people, as usually it was him who won the fights. Occasionally Jace could beat him up, but even that didn't happen often. The fact that you won against him, however made him even more determined and pissed off. You had a bad feeling all of a sudden.

"Oh what is happening here?" Izzy walked in the room along with Clary. Clary sat down next to Jace, while Izzy stood still looking at you in confusion.

"They are fighting." Jace said simply, getting a frustrated look from Izzy. She obviously wanted to know more. You just chuckled at her reaction. "I will explain while they are fighting." He continued, to make your parabatai feel at ease. "You two, next round." He instructed.

You went back to your positions again. This time Alec's attacks were way more powerful. You could defend yourself, but you were unable to find the opportunity for a counter attack. He has tried to find all the essential points to cause you to go down, but you were strong enough not to let him. Compared to the previous fight, it was going way longer. You could hear Jace, Clary and Izzy whispering at the background, but you couldn't concentrate on them, if you wanted to win. You were getting a bit tired even though usually your stamina was spot on. And to be honest it didn't help that the Lightwood was standing in front of you still half naked and sweating over you, only inches away.

As that thought crossed your mind, as if you have lost focus, Alec started an attack on your thighs, which made you fall over, almost facepalming the mattress.

"One and one I guess." Jace said in the least enthusiastic way. And even though you lost and you were on the floor laying in the least feminine way, you let out a silent chuckle. It was funny how he was indeed on your side instead of his parabatai.

"Love the support." Alec rolled his eyes in response. A cheeky smile appeared on your face at Alec's sarcasm. You just loved that side of him. Even if you had nothing else in common, at least sarcasm was there.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get this thing over with." Jace said. You saw Izzy and Clary getting up and walking away. You were slightly confused until Izzy turned back around and looked at you.

"I have a few things to take care of Y/N, but if you lose, I will torture you." She had a huge grin spreading across her face at her own words. You returned the gesture and slowly nodded in agreement.

Alec and you stood in position for the last time. You were at a tie and you wanted this win more than anything in a while.

You attacked first, but without a problem Alec turned it around and you ended up in a defensive position. He went full on, not even caring about hurting you. You didn't want to give up though. As much as it was painful to see how much he wanted you to stop harassing him, you were not the type to give up. But you knew if you lost, you had no choice. You always kept you words. He quickly moved behind you, and you had to duck down as he almost hit you on the face with the wooden stick. It could have hurt bad. You tried to hit his leg, but he reacted quicker and stopped your attack just in time. You have tried a couple of times again, but your efforts seemed to be unsuccessful. You didn't even realise when he disappeared from in front of you and reappeared behind you pulling your legs out and making you fall over. You hit the mattress with your fist in frustration.

"I guess, I won." Alec said proudly but in such a cocky way.

"I guess, you did." You got up and tried to smiled whole heartedly but it was more painful. "Well done." You congratulated him and decided to just leave. You picked up your training bag from the bench and started walking outside. Jace quickly ran upto you and stopped you.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, trying to avoid Alec to hear his words.

"Of course, don't worry about me. This is not the first time I've lost." You chuckled.

"You know that is not what I meant." You put your hand on his shoulder and this time your gentle smile was genuine.

"Jace! I did everything I could to win. But unfortunately I couldn't win at the end. I made a bet which I lost. It's nothing special. I will still like Alec, I will just stop acting like a 15 years old fangirl with a brain injury." You chuckled at your own words.

"Exactly that is my issue. That lively person is you. That's your personality. Will it not be hard to give that up?" Worry clearly showed in his voice.

"Jace, believe me. I am completely fine." You ruffled his well made hair, which he took in by surprise.

"Hey!" He pushed your hand away.

"Don't worry about me." You winked at him. "I'm a strong girl. It was just a bet. It will not affect me in any way, other than shutting my pretty little mouth when I should have done so a long time ago." You grinned at him to reassure him that you were completely fine.

"Just let me know, if you need anything." He sighed.

"Actually there is something." You stated. "Stop worrying about completely unnecessary things. I'm all good and you need to stop overreacting." You pushed his shoulder in a jokey way. "But thank you though. Much appreciated."

"Are you coming, Jace?" Alec interrupted you. Jace looked at you for a last time and walked back to his friend. You however just continued on the way out.  

Notes: If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to like the chapter. Thank you :)

[normal-thoughts-official]

aaaand we are back back again with malec livewatch! you can read the first and second parts before if you wanna, or filter out “malec livewatch” if ur tired of this absolute bullcrap

yes i know it’s been years. not my fault okay i was studying

today: post-wedding 1×12! and finally freedom from the terrors of s1

forever a slut for that scene where Magnus just does that hand movement and a bunch of shit starts showing up in the conveniently empty table ugh we stan. imagine if the special effects had been this good all the time they really used up 10 out of their 15 dollars and all the two favors from cousin Mike for this one. 1×12 was so inspired tbh only valid episode

Alec's clothes look so much better without the stupid ugly blazer? could do without the high waisted pants (why) but he looks so much better and also more comfortable. again i hope the costume department staff got a big, fat paycheck because the difference we see in him during the wedding vs post-wedding alone is just insane. he looks so much better and more comfortable and more himself, the blazer made him look stiff and again DOESNT MATCH THE REST. also nice touch that the blazer is the only part of his clothing with gold, the sh wedding color. he gets that off and everything looks so much better

Magnus looks even better post wedding too. like the clothing is already *chef's kiss* but he looks even prettier afterwards somehow. the hair is a little softer and he's less stiff as a whole (for obvious reasons), and aaaa hes so beautifulllll he's so prettyyyy look at his perfect soft little hair falling softly over his head and the PINK STREAKS possibly the best Magnus look i said what i said. especially with him all soft and smiley like that i big love him

sexiest thing about Magnus is how Jace does anything and hes like NO BITCH

the way he says "warlock tracking is stronger" with that smile......... hes so prety

that's a deep inhale he makes before using the tracking spell lmao u ok buddy?

oof i can only imagine how he felt when he was doing the tracking and he was suddenly hit with an image of Camille screaming and hitting in his direction,,,....,,,,,,, Fuck

love how Raphael just locked her in the basement thats so sexy of him we stan

"i punched her there's no way she'll help me" ugh still salty that clary of all ppl got to punch her but not Raphael or Magnus fuck this tbh

STOP MAKING ME LOOK AT CLACE

they both look so giddy and happy to be talking after the whole wedding thing + camille drama like don’t look at me. alec can barely look at magnus because he’s so agitated but you have the smile on his face and magnus is also smiling disbelievingly and i just doaudjsuoiadsa i love they

seriously tho the way magnus smiles..... so private and disbelieving but also so obvious and he’s even looking down like he never expected stuff to go down this well..... bro i stan

i had forgotten about the specific cadence in which alec talks? lmao. there’s a certain tilt to his voice when he says “it’s so INTENSE” that i really love

also that’s a really funny line like honey who the fuck are you to complain about anything being intense. ur the most dive or die bitch in this entire building. and we stan

alec’s WIDE ASS SMILE when magnus says “you certainly know how to make a statement” I CRY. magnus looks so proud of him and still disbelieving that alec went this hard for him and alec is just still on cloud 9 that he really Did That and came out and magnus is just proud of him and wow he really gets to have this and duahdsudhsadajsas???? i adore everything about them

the way maryse shows up and magnus immediately recoils and alec immediately straightens up like magnus is lowkey expecting rejection and alec is just bracing himself for one of the hardest fights of his life

also their expressions are so funny like maryse is LIVID she’s absolutely losing her mcfucking mind with anger homegirl’s head is about to explode and robert is just looking like he pissed on the carpet or something

the way alec doesn’t back down at all is so admirable too like!!!! it’s one thing to make a big fuck you gesture, it’s another to still hold your ground against your abusers after that fact. but he really stands there and goes “this isn’t about you” “i’m the same person i’ve always been” and doesn’t give her an inch of room for clownery. like again once alexander gideon lightwood makes up his mind there’s no stopping him and there’s no going back and he’s just so fucking strong??? he really said “from now on i’m out and you’re going to absolutely deal with that and i will not compromise a single thing” and the lightwoods just had to deal with that lmaoooo 

you can see it in maryse’s face too, like after the “i’m the same person i’ve always been” she just pauses, realizing that she lost this battle without even knowing, she was on top of it a second ago and now there’s nothing she can do anymore and she’s just shook. and all that’s left for her is to scoff at magnus and leave, because that’s it, she lost every hold she had on him

alec’s little mouthed “what?” at “and all for a downworlder” too. i think part of him was like “wow she’s backing down already?” because you know he expected this to be a lot harder i think lmao. but i also like to think that there’s a side of “mom what the fucking fuck have you seen him he’s gorgeous and kind and smart and amazing and literally the best person i could have fallen in love with but go off i guess”

robert going all “just give her time” like he doesn’t understand what’s happening here at all. he clearly plays the “good cop” in the lightwood’s abusive dynamic tbh, like people often brush him off as being just spineless but i honestly think that he’s just the other side of her manipulative coin. specially with izzy, like, when izzy said fuck it and completely let go of maryse’s hold on her? that’s where robert came in, being the accepting, “nice” parent who listened to her and cared, and making sure she’d keep her loyalties. because he didn’t really stand up for izzy either and in the end he kept her still glued to the lightwood family through that, and kept defending maryse and izzy listened to him because he was robert. and i think that’s what’s happening here too, him trying to frame this as “don’t worry, she’ll come around” because he knows right then that alec is absolutely going to turn their back on them if that’s what it takes for her to be happy so he immediately slides in and reframes this under an affection light where everything will be alright! even if honestly i don’t think that’s what alec is really thinking about at all, i think he was 100% ready for a showdown 

and robert is clearly so disapproving and yikes at the whole thing too but he pretends he isn’t and like lmao

shoutout to their faces when robert asks “are you two in love?” like magnus just turns around like oh hell no we’re not gonna have this conversation and alec lights up for just a second with a small smile before he’s like wait wait no shit shit shit we’ve just met no of course there’s no love (and like... i don’t think there is per se, because i think love is something that takes longer to settle in, specially for alec, but i think the idea that he could talk openly about being in love with a man and even fall fully in love with magnus one day makes him super happy you know?) lmao dorks

tho tbh i think magnus shuts down that conversation immediately to avoid heartbreak. because i think that for this whole thing he was expecting alec to say something he’d hate hearing to get his parents’ approval, you know? like like i said it’s really unexpected and surprising/inspiring that alec didn’t back down an inch there, and i think he was expecting alec to kind of fall back slightly now, like, he played his cards and now he would negotiate with them, you know? find a place to make them comfortable. instead alec gives them a complete fuck you and he’s like... damn obviously super pleased but also waiting for the other shoe to drop

he just steps in like “pls no” and stops that conversation right there 

the way alec takes a deep breath and magnus opens his mouth then closes again quickly not knowing what to say and then changes the subject.... he’s really so scared of this talk and i just aaa

alec literally never fucking stops going from magnus’ eyes and lips in quick succession like alec. alec please. stop being horny for just a second man. please alec i’m begging you

it’s so cute how magnus mentions a date and alec is immediately like “hell YEAH we should do that” no hesitation like he’s 100% ready to leave immediately right now (i see his pause between “wanna... i don’t know, get a drink?” and “....sometime?”, i see it, you can’t fool me alexander) and also the fact that his first suggestion is something that he hates but that he knows for a fact magnus likes is so cute, like he immediately goes for magnus’ interests here and we stan

i also think that he’s come to associate drinking = dates after 1x06 and the way magnus called him specifically for a drink before he showed up too, like... it’s cute how he immediately came to associate those things because of magnus and just jumps into that because that’s what he knows. he’s so eager and like good for him

magnus’ SMILE when he says that like bro he can see how stoked alec is to go on a date with him they are adorable he is so fucking HAPPY i doubt he expected such a great outcome from this and yet here they are

ALEC DOES THE WHOLE LOOKING AT HIS LIPS IN QUICK SUCCESSION THING ONE LAST TIME BEFORE THE SCENE ENDS SHUT UP OH MY GOD HE NEVER STOPS. MATT DADDARIO THANK YOU FOR MY RIGHTS

next part

[alexanderlightweight]

Iv tried to submit this four times, but my tumblr keeps crashing 😭. I absolutely love your writing, if you like this prompt, I’d love to see what you do with it.

For said prompt; possessive Magnus, and maybe a bit of Jace, Izzy, and/or Clary not liking it. Perhaps Alec telling them to essentially fuck off if you so desire.

(I’m sorry this is so weirdly written, I can’t think of a better way to word it)

hey you're good! i think i figured out what you want? so i hope you enjoy. this is based in the bdsm verse

NSFW

-

Magnus enters the Institute dressed to annihilate and his boots clicking on the marble of the Institute floor. ”Magnus Bane,” Izzy smirks and holds out her hand and Alec watches as she’s met with one, unimpressed brow being raised at her. Her other hand is on the gem around her neck and Magnus barely gives it a glancing look.

“I don’t touch anyone except my sub.” Magnus tells Izzy without looking at her again, a covetous look on his face as his gaze meets Alec’s. “Come here darling. I think introductions are in order.”

There’s a moment where Alec knows he can still play this off, but he doesn’t want to and he told Magnus that he’d be ready when Magnus came for him.

When Alec steps closer to his dom, he sees three faces of mirrored shock staring at him and Jace reaches out, like he’s going to grab Alec in a way he hasn’t since the first time he presented. Michael Wayland had imparted some fucked up views about subs into his son and Alec had beat them out of him, unwilling to let Jace continue when he wasn’t sure how his baby sister would present.

Alec doesn’t bother defending himself because magic slams Jace away from him before he gets close enough to actually touch.

“And no one touches my boy without my express permission.” Magnus tells Jace with a mocking curl of his lips and the promise of danger in his tone. “And I haven’t given any of you permission.”

“Are you kidding me?” Fray is staring at them with a frown on her face. “I know you don’t like me, Alec but I at least thought you were one of the more normal ones. What the fuck is wrong with you, you’re collared and listening to him like some kind of dog.”

There’s a stark silence as every single shadowhunter looks at her in disgust as they realize what Alec’s known all along. Fray has no respect for their culture or their world and isn’t even trying to hide her disdain, even while letting shadowhunters die for her and abusing their resources.

“One, I’d have to care about you enough to dislike you. Two, it’s none of your business what I am but this is normal.” Alec tells her, voice flat and cold because he owes no one an explanation but he’s going to ruin Fray’s reputation in the shadowworld before anyone else gets swept away by her sad little sob story. “And thirdly, I’m not his dog, I’m his cat.” And Alec doesn’t even pretend to be serious, he simply says, “meow” in the most exasperated, sarcastic tone he can manage. Behind him, Magnus titters in surprise and then Alec has an arm wrapping around his waist and a mouth nibbling the side of his neck.

“What a good boy for me, my sweet kitten.” Magnus teases him and Alec just knows his mocking gaze will be on his siblings and Fray.

“You’re doing this on purpose!” Fray yells, “just because you hate me! Because you’re jealous of me. We all know it.”

Alec scoffs because he has nothing to be jealous of, he’s been Magnus’ since the moment he stepped into his king’s territory and felt a branding gaze on him that left him feeling claimed and had him returning, even when he didn’t know who it was.

Alec crashes to his knees, because he wants every single person in this Raziel forsaken place to know who he belongs to and who he picked and who he’s leaving with. He tilts his head up, pressing his cheek to the hard bulge of Magnus’ cock and nuzzling it. There’s a delighted hum of pleasure and fingers tangle in his hair, tugging on it lightly as Alec succeeds in distracting Magnus for a moment.

— “What the fuck, Jace make them stop. I’m eighteen what the hell, I don’t want to see this.”

“This?” Magnus mocks as he pulls a groan from Alexander’s throat, tugging his boy’s hair and forcing Alexander’s head back. “This is the world you’re so desperate to join, child. Leave if you do not like it. Our world will not change because your mother raised you to disdain your own nature and lied to you.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’m the king of the East Coast, Clarissa Fray, nee Fairchild. Daughter of Valentine.” Magnus lets the words ring loudly as every shadowhunter watching turns to look at Clarissa instead of Alexander and himself. “I know far more than you could ever comprehend.”

When this first began, when Magnus had found who he wanted and figured out how to take him, Magnus had never imagined Alexander would surrender to him so completely so quickly.

But Alexander’s knelt for him, in an Institute of shadowhunters and his closest kin and he’s letting Magnus put his hands on Alexander’s collar.

“Wait, do you know who took my memories? You have to tell me, help me get them so I can find my mother.”

Magnus rolls his eyes, irked by the interruption and he drags Alexander up by his hair and hooks a finger into the ring of Alexander’s collar so he can pull him close for a kiss. Magnus unbuckles the drab collar, swallowing alexander’s unsteady whine when the collar clatters to the floor and leaves his neck bare. Magnus has a new one, one he had tailor made with Alexander in mind. It’s a smooth, ring of magical platinum with a simple ring and a platinum tag with Magnus’ initials. The amount of magic in the tag alone is enough to level Manhattan, but the entirety of the collar holds enough magic to shake the whole of North America with the force of Magnus’ protective wrath.

It’s with the force of his whole protection around Alexander that he finally turns to deal with the pests who attempted to bribe and summon Magnus like a common

“You insult my boy and think I will do you a service? You’re lucky I’m leaving you your tongue and your eyes.” Magnus scoffs, shaking his head at Clarissa as he opens a portal, ignoring the shattering of the wards as he takes away the protection he once granted the New York Institute.

“I was going to be generous and leave the wards until another warlock could be hired, however I find I grow tired of being disrespected by an ignorant child. As long as she is protected by the New York Institute, the New York Institute will be unprotected by magic.” There’s a murmur of discontent because even during the Uprising, Magnus hadn’t removed the Institute’s privilege of commissioning wards.

“You’ve upset what belongs to me, what I’ve claimed.” Magnus tells her and he offers a hand, guiding Alexander through the portal and then he turns with a dark, vicious promise in the sharp maw of his smile. “There are no laws to help you, Clarissa. You’ve proven to be as fickle and insincere as your mother. A disappointment. I had hoped to be proven wrong but was a mistake to let you live in the shadow of my protection.”

Magnus leaves through the portal, tempted to cull Clarissa then and there but Alexander is waiting for him, and Magnus is angry in a way he hasn’t been in centuries.

As if he would stand there and let them insult and degrade his boy, let her mock Alexander as if his submission isn’t a legendary gift that Magnus would have slaughtered worlds to secure if need be.

“Magnus.” Alexander murmurs and he reaches out, hands large and warm as he kisses Magnus passionately, with a fervor that Alexander is never ashamed to show. It’s as if he delights in being Magnus’ with the same fervor that Magnus claims Alexander as his. “Thank you.”

“Don’t you dare—” Magnus hisses, biting harshly at Alexander’s lip in a bloody reprimand. He won’t have his boy thinking that defending Alexander — their relationship — isn’t anything less than the honor it is. “Don’t you dare let them win and undermine what you mean to me, I’ll have to punish you Alexander, if you do that. And I’d much rather pleasure you instead.”

“Magnus.” Alexander whines pleased but embarrassed as he always is with how ardently Magnus adores him.

“I’m taking you out.” Magnus decides, clicking his fingers and summoning an array of clothes that he holds up next to Alexander one by one, tossing them in and out of space as he decides what he does and doesn’t like. “I’m offended by the existence of some very annoying pests lingering in New York and as my precious boy, it’s your duty to distract me.”

Alexander chuckles and bats away a piece of silk so he can nuzzle Magnus’ jaw and kiss the corner of his mouth. “Alright, Magnus. Whatever you want, whatever you need.”

“Oh, pretty boy.” Magnus murmurs and he pulls Alexander into a deep kiss and when they part, he sighs in dismay. His lips already aching without the balm of Alexander’s mouth against his own. “What I need is you.”

— Magnus storms into Pandemonium with Alexander at his side, his hand on the small of his sub’s back as

Unlike before he claimed Alexander, Magnus doesn’t escort his companion to one of the lower rooms.

Never will Magnus spill Alexander’s blood in front of others that isn’t in the fierceness of a kiss or the aching of Magnus’ teeth in the face of his ardor.

If Alexander ever wants to experience pain beyond overstimulation by Magnus’ hand, it will be in the sanctity of Magnus’ lair. His sub is too precious to him to share so much, and Magus keeps Alexander close as they walk through the club, even as they’re given confused looks.

Magnus kneels, ignoring the shocked gasps or Alexander’s pleased look as Magnus smirks up at his boy. Alexander is seated on Magnus’ throne, with Magnus’ collar and initials around his neck and Magnus’ bite mark on his jugular and people are shocked that Magnus would kneel for his boy. As if the delight of Alexander’s pleasure isn’t enough for Magnus to destroy this entire realm if denied it.

“You can come whenever you want, darling.” Magnus tells his boy loud and clear so everyone knows how much his sub’s pleasure means to him. “Fuck my mouth or let me warm your cock, my Alexander. Your pleasure is all I crave tonight.”

There’s a murmur in the crowd, as if they’re discomfited by the intimacy Magnus is professing, by the gentleness of his devotion.

Magnus has never been a gentle dom, but for Alexander he would tame all dominion magic, just to see Alexander smile as it curled and nuzzled at his feet.

“Magnus—” Alexander whispers, because his boy has no need for titles when Magnus’ very name is worship on Alexander’s tongue. “Please, suck me.”

Magnus obeys, wrapping his lips around his boy’s cock and suckling gently until Alexander is whining and trembling, precome filling Magnus’ mouth, but he’s sitting still, thighs shaking and his hands clutching his own pants.

“Sweetheart, why are you being so restrained.” Magnus chides him, pulling away from his boy’s cock with a soft, slick kiss. “I thought I told you that you could fuck my mouth. You’re being so shy.”

Alexander whines, embarrassed by how much Magnus is pampering him, coddling him in front of others. This isn’t done and even Alexander, so new to scening, is aware that Magnus has never knelt for another in public.

Magnus nuzzles Alexander’s thighs and drags his teeth down the stretch marks of his muscles. His boy’s hips jerk and Magnus chuckles before taking Alexander back into his mouth. His sub’s cock is a long and a delicious weight on Magnus’ tongue. It’s such a pretty part of Alexander that Magnus hates to keep it tucked away from sight, but he hates the thought of sharing the vision that is his boy even more.

Even now, he keeps his shoulders tense, his hands cupping Alexander’s balls and keeping him tucked away from others view, his cock safe from wandering eyes, deep in Magnus’ throat.

It’s expected, required almost, of Magnus to show off to whomever he’s claimed as a sub. There is no need for him to share, however, and he won’t. What little bits of Alexander that must be viewed by others will be carefully curated and managed by Magnus.

After all, no one else deserves anything of Alexander.

It’s a privilege that they’re granted what they are.

[moonlight-breeze-44]

YES, I was waiting for you to rb the sensory prompts!! Number 25, please!

Hi! First of all, MY GOD, I’M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. I’m a bit terrible. BUT. I really hope you like this. I...might have ran away with this fic. Your original prompt comes up in like, a paragraph. So this probably isn’t what you wanted, but I hope you like it anyways!

(Again, sorry.)

#25 = calloused palm

~ ~ ~

Let Me In

Read on AO3

Magnus approached the training room with caution. The last thing he wanted to do was spook Alec into getting defensive or, worse, running.

As he approached the room, the telltale thwack of arrows splitting targets filled the air, and Magnus winced. Isabelle had called ahead of time to tell him what was happening. She had sounded tearful on the phone as she admitted that she couldn’t reach him, couldn’t help him. Magnus could hear the guilt lining her voice when she confessed that she couldn’t stop her brother from hurting himself.

It was the same type of guilt that Magnus often felt.

Magnus hesitated in the doorway to the training room, unsure of how to proceed. No matter how many times he found Alexander in the midst of hurting himself, he would never quite know exactly what to say or do to help him.

Magnus rapped lightly on the wall and made a low sound in the back of his throat to announce his presence. Alec whirled around, still clutching his bow, his eyes wide and filled to the brim with an emotion that Magnus couldn’t identify.

“Magnus,” he heaved, breathing hard from the exertion. “What are you doing here?”

“Your sister called me,” Magnus replied, cautiously taking another step inside. “She was worried about you.”

Alec squared his shoulders and set his jaw in a straight line. “She overreacts. I’m fine.”

“Are you?” Magnus raised a challenging eyebrow and swept his hand to indicate the numerous targets littering the walls of the training room, all with at least four arrows jammed into the bull’s-eye.

“Yes,” Alec replied tersely, and Magnus pressed his lips together. Accusations and anger would get him nowhere.

“Alexander,” Magnus began, but Alec cut him off before he could even finish his sentence.

“Mags, seriously, I’m fine,” Alec said. “I just want to finish training, okay? I’ll be home soon for dinner.”

Magnus bit his lip and wondered what to do. Sometimes, when Alec made these visits to the training room without his archer’s gloves, he needed comfort, a gentle touch and a warm hand to remind him that he wasn’t the things his mind claimed him to be. Other times, though, he needed to fight. He needed to let his anger out, and it was up to Magnus to figure out a way for him to do so that didn’t involve pain.

But when Alec shut him out like this, refused to acknowledge his concern, it was difficult to tell which it was.

Magnus watched from a distance as Alec took aim and loosed another arrow, this one hitting a target on the left side of the room dead-center. He was shaking, but Magnus couldn’t tell if that was from anger or exertion. Sweat stained his dark grey t-shirt, and his ebony hair was messy, as though he had run his fingers through it multiple times. Magnus knew he did that when he was upset or overwhelmed.

His husband’s hands were calloused and rough, years’ worth of scars and weapons handling apparent the second they touched his own that first time so many years ago. Magnus had never minded. This was a symbol of who Alec was, a Shadowhunter, a warrior, always willing to defend and serve and protect. Magnus loved running his fingers over the little indentations in Alec’s skin, pointing out scars and asking him to tell the story of them. While most of them were, of course, the result of battle wounds, Alec did have the occasional funny story of Jace being clumsy or himself taking a misstep in training, and Magnus enjoyed hearing them more than Alec would ever know.

It was one day only a few months into their relationship when Magnus noticed the thin, silvery scars. They were tiny, barely there in comparison to the others, but there were far too many of them for Magnus to placate himself with false truths about them being accidental.

He didn’t want to confront Alec about them, at first; he was the last person in the world who would make someone else relive past pain. But when Magnus noticed the little scars multiplying with time, he knew he had to say something. Alec was hurting himself, and Magnus couldn’t just let it happen.

Predictably, when he’d brought it up, Alec had immediately shut down, clenching his hands into fists and taking that stance he always took with his parents: the stance of a soldier - eyes up, feet planted firmly on the ground, hands twisted together behind his back.

Alec had never taken that stance with Magnus before.

With gentle words and reassuring touches, Magnus had managed to get Alec to relax enough to talk about it, and he learned that Alec had been without his archer’s gloves for years. It wasn’t exactly a surprise to him, but it still hurt to hear. He was glad when Alec had reassured him that he was doing better, much better, than before he met Magnus. It kindled some fire inside of Magnus to know that he was part of the reason his Shadowhunter’s relationship with pain was slowly growing into what it should have been in the first place.

After that first time, when Magnus had reassured Alec that he thought no less of him and just wanted to help, things were a bit easier for the couple when the problem next arose. Words flowed easier, and there were significantly fewer barriers between them.

It didn’t mean things were perfect.

Even after years of being married to Alec, Magnus was still figuring out everything there was to know about him. Usually, it was a good thing; it was like opening a familiar book that was suddenly brushed with a few new words for him to experience. It was learning, and Magnus was nothing if not a seeker of knowledge.

But this knowledge, the knowledge of Alec’s habit and the way he controlled his own emotions with pain he didn’t deserve, left Magnus feeling hollow and empty inside.

Magnus stepped closer and placed a hand on Alec’s trembling arm. He tensed under the touch, his back going rigid and his hands tightening on his bow. Up close, Magnus could see the true extent of the damage - Alec’s palms were bruised from clutching his bow too tightly, and the fingers of his left hand were sliced and bloody from the bow string.

Magnus didn’t want to think about how long Alec had to have been at it for it to be this bad.

Alec kept his gaze firmly locked on the targets above him, refusing to meet Magnus’s eyes. Magnus squeezed harder, a bit more firm in his grip, and Alec sagged beneath him. It made tears well up in Magnus’s eyes to know that he had to cause Alec pain, at least a small amount, to get him to stop causing himself pain.

“What happened, darling?” Magnus asked, gentling his grip and stroking up and down Alec’s arm with his free hand.

“Nothing happened,” Alec mumbled.

Magnus made a sound of disbelief and began to rub soothing circles into the back of Alec’s hand, the part that wasn’t cut up and decorated garishly in browns and yellows. Slowly, he inched the bow out of Alec’s hands, relief crashing over him in waves when the other man didn’t protest.

“It’s stupid,” Alec said in a low voice, turning away from Magnus. Magnus caught his arm and pulled him close, not letting him go too far.

“It is not,” he promised. “Nothing that upsets you will ever be stupid, Alexander.”

Alec sighed and didn’t say anything. Magnus waited patiently, drawing little figure-eights on the back of Alec’s hand.

“It’s just…” Alec trailed off, biting his lip. Magnus gave his hand a soft squeeze, encouraging him to continue. “It’s just that, now that Clary has her memories back and everything, I, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? T-This can’t stay. This, this happiness, this security, this peace, it can’t stay. Something is going to happen, isn’t it? Something always does.”

Alec stared at a blank spot on the wall and pressed his lips together. Magnus could tell that he wanted to say more, so he refrained from uttering the words that burned at the back of his throat.

“I can’t just be content with a life where everything is fine,” Alec said, laughing bitterly. “And I know that sounds like I want things to go wrong, but it’s just, it’s just that everything always has. When I was younger, I was miserable. Then I met you.” He turned to give Magnus a shadow of a smile, and Magnus moved closer to him with a soft brush of his hand. “And things weren’t so bad, then. But everything with Valentine and the Circle, my parents and Jace & Izzy & Clary, it was still happening, and even if I wasn’t miserable anymore, nothing slowed down. Life was still, was still hectic and something was always happening and it never stopped.”

Alec paused to take a breath, and Magnus saw a glassy tint to his eyes that made his heart clench with sympathy. “And now, everything is fine and calm and nothing is happening.” He huffed out a frustrated breath. “I just keep feeling like, if I let my guard down, that’s when the next thing that’s going to go wrong, will.”

“And you want to be able to stop it before it does,” Magnus finished for him. “So your siblings and loved ones can enjoy the slice of a normal life they’ve been given.”

Alec chewed his lip and didn’t answer, but Magnus could tell he had hit it right on the mark.

Magnus sighed and pulled Alec closer to him, stroking a hand through his hair and pressing a light kiss to his temple. “Things are always going to happen that will take you by surprise, Alexander,” Magnus said softly. “I’m centuries old and I’m still surprised by something every day. It’s a fact of life. It’s unavoidable.”

“I know,” Alec mumbled, “but Jace and Izzy have been through so much. Clary and Simon, too. They all have. They don’t deserve to carry the weight of whatever the next bad thing is.”

“And you do?” Magnus asked quietly. Alec looked away, and Magnus knew he had his answer.

Magnus hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. He wouldn’t be able to convince Alec that he didn’t deserve to be unhappy any more than his siblings & friends did right now, but he couldn’t just let the statement go unaddressed.

“My love, look at me.” Magnus urged Alec with a gentle press of his hand to the other’s cheek. Reluctantly, Alec obeyed, bright cerulean meeting unglamoured gold. “How have we gotten through everything else this world has decided to throw at us?”

“By...winning?” Alec said, raising an eyebrow at Magnus. Magnus chuckled and placed a soft kiss to Alec’s cheek.

“Sure, we won,” Magnus conceded, “but how did we win?”

Realisation dawned on Alec and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly. “Together,” he said numbly. “We won together.”

“Precisely.”

Alec sighed and turned to bury his face in Magnus’s shoulder. Magnus smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around his Shadowhunter.

“You don’t have to carry all of the weight,” he whispered into Alec’s ear. “Let us help you. Let me help you.”

Alec exhaled shakily and gave him a slow nod. Magnus squeezed his husband tighter and pressed a kiss to his matted black hair, a silent ‘thank you’. Alec dropped a kiss of his own to Magnus’s shoulder blade - ‘you’re welcome’.

“Can we go home?” Alec asked, his voice muffled by the fabric of Magnus’s shirt. Magnus felt tears well up in his eyes. It didn’t seem like much, but for Alec, it was phenomenal. He was asking for what he wanted, what he needed. He was asking for help.

Magnus was more than willing to provide.

“Of course,” Magnus said, gathering Alec in his arms. He gave a short flick of his fingers to open a portal and guided them through.

The second they were in the loft, the tension in Alec’s shoulders disappeared and he sagged against Magnus. Magnus felt wetness on his shirt, and his heart broke for his husband. How long had he been keeping this bottled up inside of him?

“Come on, love,” Magnus said, and gently prodded Alec to sit down on the couch. Alec gave a long, shaky sigh and curled against Magnus’s side.

“Next time you need to be held, just tell me,” Magnus requested. He shifted just enough so he could wrap his arms around his husband, and Alec eagerly leaned into the embrace.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Shh, don’t be sorry,” Magnus said, smoothing Alec’s hair back from his forehead. “I know these things are not black and white. Sometimes there isn’t a right answer.” He drew back and cupped Alec’s cheek in his palm, his heart constricting when the Shadowhunter leaned into the touch like he hadn’t been touched so kindly in years. “I know you are trying, darling. I know you talk to me more than you used to, more than you used to talk to anyone. I appreciate that.” He pressed a soft kiss to Alec’s forehead. “I just don’t want to see you hurting yourself, my love.”

More tears rained down onto Magnus’s shirt, and he held Alec close and cooed to him quietly. “Shh, I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s okay, darling. I promise.”

Alec shook his head fiercely. “Told you I’d tell you when things got too bad,” he cried. “Let you down. Failed.”

“Hey, hey, look at me,” Magnus said, pushing himself back just enough to meet Alec’s watery blue eyes. “You did not fail, nor did you let me down. It’s okay, Alexander. I promise you. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Alec closed his eyes, allowing the tears he had been fighting all day to slip down his cheeks freely. Magnus soothed him with gentle touches and kind, soft words. He knew his Shadowhunter didn’t get nearly enough of them.

Hearing Alec sob with abandon made his own tears spill over, but there was a large, warm part of his heart that reminded him that this was good, this was Alec letting go, this was progress. This was Alec letting Magnus in, letting him help. And he couldn’t be more grateful for it.

~ ~ ~

I really hope you like this, even if it’s different than what you were expecting! 

Thank you for the prompt!

send me sensory prompts

[silver-lily-louise]

Keep Up - a Shadowhunters fanfic

Summary: This isn’t ‘the old days’. Tonight, she’s a little tipsy, and she’s standing in the home of two people she loves more than life itself. Tonight, she’s had enough. At a New Year’s Eve party in Alicante, Maryse runs into a few familiar faces from the Lightwood-Branwell wedding-that-never-was, and sets the record straight. 

A/N: Hi! I read THIS piece by @alecmagnuslwb, and had a thought: what if all four of Robert and Maryse’s kids were queer? And what if they all chose Downworlders? Which led to this - so please enjoy Maryse owning her character development, and defending the extended family she has learned to love and wouldn’t trade for the world. <3

Read on AO3, or below! 

~oOo~

Magnus knows how to throw a party. Maryse has known this longer than she’s been able to admit it, ever since the one he organised for Max’s rune ceremony years ago. The walls echo softly with laughter and chatter, the buffet is full of enough variety to make things interesting whilst also offering guests some time-honoured favourites, and the music is a gentle hum in the background – present, but never loud enough to make conversing difficult.

Which is probably why Maryse hears a few familiar voices, their disdain discordant against the calm, joyful atmosphere. ‘Of course, I’m not against it, per se-‘ ‘No, of course not. But trust me, I understand the… hesitation.’ ‘As do I, honestly. What people do in private is one thing, but in positions of leadership… Our politics rely on tradition, that’s how we stay on course.’ ‘Yes, yes, exactly.’ The last voice lowers, continuing in a murmur. ‘Personally… -icante even needs… -rlock.’

Maryse turns with a slight frown, and has the misfortune of meeting eyes with the source of the discontent. ‘Maryse!’ Sophia exclaims, and Maryse suppresses a groan as the short, blonde woman moves towards her, leaning in to press an air kiss to each cheek. ‘Oh, it’s been an age,’ she says, linking arms once more with her brick house of a husband, Jeremiah, and poorly concealing the pity in her eyes as her gaze scans over Maryse’s de-runed arms and neck. ‘It has,’ Maryse agrees, managing not to cringe under the quiet, condescending scrutiny. ‘When was the last time we were all together?’ Probably some dry political event or another, she thinks. These four, at least in her eyes, are the kind of people you only invite to something when you need to keep the peace; when their departments are going to be overseeing a factor of one of your projects, or when you’re about to need a favour from them. Of course, it’s possible Magnus and Alec invited them for their scintillating company, but she rather doubts it.

‘It was at the, uh… wedding,’ Colin says, chiming in as he and Erica wander over. Well, that certainly makes sense. Alec’s almost-wedding to Lydia was very much a political affair. ‘You know,’ Erica says, almost conspiratorially, her pity only a little better-concealed than Sophia’s, ‘we were so sorry to hear about your de-runing, Maryse – weren’t we, dear? Especially after it came so soon after… well. The wedding.’ ‘Still,��� Jeremiah adds, ‘despite all of that, your eldest has managed to do… surprisingly well for himself. That must be some comfort.’

And in the old days, Maryse would have reluctantly agreed with them, ‘forgiving’ Alec simply to avoid dragging the family name any further through the mud. Even after Max’s ceremony, when Magnus stopped her son tumbling from the roof and she began to realise how wrong she’d been about Downworlders, she probably would have laughed off her doubt in such company – waxed lyrical about being the mother of the Inquisitor, focusing on her pride and stifling the mental turmoil until she was once again in private.

But this isn’t the old days. Tonight, she’s a little tipsy – even after all this time, she forgets how quickly champagne affects a Mundane body – and she’s standing in the home of two people she loves more than life itself. Even from here, she can see the warded doorway behind which baby Max is sleeping. Tonight, she’s had enough.

‘Yes,’ she says breezily, locking eyes with Jeremiah. ‘My eldest has done well for himself, hasn’t he? I mean, as if inventing the portal, banishing Asmodeus from this plane, sealing the rift above Idris and saving the world wasn’t enough, he’s now the first ever High Warlock of Alicante? Oh, yes, I’m unspeakably proud of him. What mother wouldn’t be?’

Jeremiah’s eyes widen in surprise, but Sophia titters a laugh. ‘Ah, well – yes, of course, but we actually meant – ‘ ‘Oh – my second eldest?’ Maryse interrupts, and when Sophia nods, she tilts her head in mock confusion. ‘Hm. Well, Meliorn didn’t tell me about any promotion – as I understand it, his position in the Seelie Queen’s guard is fairly high-ranking as it is – oh, unless you mean the union ceremony? I didn’t know you’d heard about that. It was beautiful, though, yes. He makes Jace and Clary so happy.’

The small group in front of her is growing steadily more wary, but she carries on, because if there’s one thing she knows it’s how to hold the floor and make a point. ‘Of course, if you didn’t hear about the ceremony, that means you were likely referring to Alec. And you’d be right again, obviously. Becoming Inquisitor, fighting for lasting changes to outdated traditions, now fatherhood – he truly goes from strength to strength, has done ever since he was a boy. I’m so proud of the example he sets for the others, especially as he handed down the position of Head of the New York Institute to Isabelle. She’s now doing wonderful work alongside her girlfriend, the current Alpha of the local werewolf pack, and their boyfriend, the first Daylighter in Angel-knows-how-many years. I can only hope Max goes on to follow in their footsteps, standing strong in whichever path he chooses to take – he and the person he’s seeing would be here tonight, of course, but Rowan was only turned recently. It takes time to build up the kind of effortless control our dear Maia exhibits, and understandably, they didn't want to risk transforming at a party full of drunk Shadowhunters.’

Maryse steps forward, and although the couples in front of her are too politically savvy to show weakness by stepping back, she relishes the spark of caution in their eyes, the unease she’s brought them to so easily. ‘I’m not such a fool that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to think how you think,’ she says, dropping the airs and graces. ‘The Angel knows I’ve done my share of harm in the name of tradition. But times are changing, and speaking from personal experience? I’d advise you to keep up. I have nine children now – and one day I may have even more, if Max decides to share his life with anyone. And I am so, so proud of each and every one of them. If you plan on accepting my family’s hospitality in the future, you’d do well to remember that.’ She smirks, raising her glass in a mock toast, finishing her champagne as quiet settles over their little bubble of conversation.

No, she realises – over the whole room. Because the only noise now is the gentle music in the background and the odd murmur, and a quick glance confirms her sudden suspicion; almost everyone in the room is looking at her, apparently enraptured by her speech.

Her eyes catch on a few particularly important faces in the crowd. Alec just looks stunned, while Izzy’s eyes are watering, her lips curved slightly in a trembling smile. She’s holding Maia’s hand tightly, her grip returned even as Maia flattens her mouth into a straight line, her eyes dancing with amusement. She’s hiding it much better than Jace, though – he lets out a snort, quickly covering his mouth and pretending to cough.

Magnus appears then, the image of an in-control host as he waves a hand and a dull flash sparks over the buffet table, replacing the savoury food with gelato, tiramisu, and various other sweet treats. ‘Everyone, please help yourselves to dessert,’ he says. ‘Oh, and keep an eye on the time – midnight fast approaches!’

The tension in the room breaks as people start moving with interest towards the food, or turn back to their dancing and conversation. Magnus, for his part, sweeps back to rejoin Alec – but not before laying a hand gently on Maryse’s arm, flashing her a small smile and a glimpse of golden eyes. She smiles in return, marvelling slightly at how what was once a show of intimidation is now one of trust.

Turning away, she spots Luke across the room, once again talking to Raphael and Simon, and begins to make a beeline for them. She’s sure they’ll make for far better company than certain others she’s talked to this evening.

~oOo~

[officiallynuts]

xiii. “I don’t love you, I’m just passing the time.” - Clary/Alec friendship. I need that banteeerr and sass

A/N: Omg yessss, I love their banter. From hate to friendship, this is how I like to think it happened ‘behind the scenes’ or ‘between the lines’ depending on either book fans or tv fans lol 

(Note: I do not own the characters, all credit goes to Cassandra Clare for creating the wonderful shadowhunter world)

Words; 1,523.

Alec was a light sleeper, he had to be. In case anything were to happen to the Institute, he needed to be the first person to act. The first person to jump out of bed and find high ground, armed and ready for anything.

So it was no surprise that he woke up, hearing a door squeak open in the middle of the night. Followed by light footsteps going down the hall. Not heavy like Jace’s, if he had to wake up that early he would drag the rest of the Institute with him. But also not sharp noises of heels hitting the tile in quick steps, Izzy wouldn’t dare walk the halls barefoot. Nor at her normal height, for anyone to see. Which meant the steps belonged to one person. Clary Fray.

Not hearing any more steps following hers, Alec sighed as he pushed himself up. If no one was going to follow her, make sure she wasn’t doing something stupid, that meant he had to. And so he did, keeping a good distance and let her lead him to the training room.

What he saw, made him worry just a little. He and Clary weren’t friends, per se, but he knew destructive actions when he saw them. Barefoot, not-wrapped hands, wide and angry punches. Feet so spread apart, one wrong move and she’d fall with a twisted ankle. Clary had just gotten started and she was already attacking the punching bag like it personally offended her.

It was at that moment where Alec felt bad for her. She was plucked out of her ‘perfectly-mundane’ world, into the shadow world with everyone breathing down her neck. Waiting for the moment she slips up so they could brand her as her father. Alec knew that feeling, being compared to family. Expected to be just like his parents, down to every nook and cranny in his life. And he was already slipping. As was she.

“Ugh!” Clary grunted out as her body fell to the tiles. She truly had slipped. Red hair flying everywhere as she landed on her side. Alec watched as she sat up and brushed her hands together, only to hiss. Her knuckles were bleeding too.

“You lost your center, spread your legs too far that your balance went all over,” Alec spoke after a moment, walking more into the room before stopping at a table, picking up a roll of gauze.

“Yeah, no shit..” Clary huffed, lifting her head a bit to glare at him. “What are you doing here? Come to throw more snark at me about my height or how I’m not a Shadowhunter?”

“Take out your stele, activate your iratze,” Alec ordered, ignoring the question. He waited for Clary to do so, which she did with a sigh, then knelt in front of her an held out his hand. “Right hand.” He kept ordering, raising an eyebrow when Clary just stared at him.

“What are you doing?” She asked after a moment, slowly putting her smaller hand in his.

“I know for a fact that Izzy probably hasn’t taught you how to properly wrap your hands before training,” a nod in agreement, “And Jace babies you already, he probably does it for you,” another nod. Alec let out a small huff, followed by a fond shake of his head.

He loved his siblings more than he loved himself. But he knew them well. Izzy, his headstrong baby sister, was all about women-power. And he admired her for that. He wouldn’t go against her in a fight. But since Clary came, she took her under her wing. Showed her the ropes so fast, Clary couldn’t keep up. Izzy was just so excited to finally have another girl around, she forgot to slow down.

And Jace. Arrogant, cocky, but smothering Jace. He fell head-over-heels in love with Clary the moment he bumped into her, as much as Alec used to hate that part- he was grateful. He hasn’t seen his parabatai happier in a long time. But he defiantly had been baby-ing Clary. Doing everything for her, not letting her have the chance to truly learn.

That’s where Alec came in. After all, he helped train his siblings so it was going to be a breeze. He was patient, unlike Izzy. But he wouldn’t go easy on her, unlike Jace. But first…

“Watch closely, and copy what I did, and do your left hand.” Alec murmured as he slowly wrapped her hand with the gauze. Not too tight, but not loose. She could still move her wrist, only now with proper protection.

“Easy enough.” Clary murmured as she took the rest of the wrap and followed the steps Alec took to slowly wrap her other hand. Alec fixed it up just a bit before standing and moving to the punching bag, lowering it. It was sprung up high to accommodate the taller Shadowhunters. It needed to be lower for Clary.

“What are you doing?” Clary asked again as she stood up. This time, wanting a real answer as she frowned at him. “You don’t need to help me, Alec.”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Alec huffed and looked around the bag to narrow his eyes. “Wanting to make sure that the next time you go on an unauthorized mission with us, you don’t get killed.”

“Careful there, Alec.” Clary suddenly started to smile as she crossed her arms. “With words like that, people are going to start thinking that you do love me.”

“I don’t love you,” Alec made a face at the comment. At the idea. Yuck. No, he couldn’t stand her. “I’m just passing the time.” He defended before holding the bag still. “Now find your center. Hands up to your chin. And hit with your fists, not your knuckles.” He started, waiting as Clary let out a laugh before following his orders.

They spent a good portion of the night together in the room. Alec watching Clary, stopping her to give her pointers, breaks, or to just throw her off guard to make sure she was still paying attention. And surprise, she was. She was doing great, Alec could almost say he was proud.

“So, teach,” Clary gasped out with a grin a while later. It was coming up to three A.M. and the night patrollers should be coming back now. “How did I do?”

“Not bad..” Alec breathed out, going to the mini-fridge where the water was kept. He took out two bottles and tossed one to Clary, nodding in approval when she caught it. “For a two-thirds of a Shadowhunter.”

“Two-thirds? I thought I was only half a Shadowhunter.” Clary gasped again, smiling around her water as she chugged down half of it. “Dare I say, Alec Lightwood… Am I growing on you?”

“Not even in your dreams. Now get out of here.” Alec snorted at first, shaking his head. “Get some sleep, Fairchild.” Clary smiled with a nod at that, turning to walk out of the room. Only she paused and turned back to him. Suddenly, she grew nervous.

“Same time tomorrow?” Clary bit her lip as she spat out her question, quickly. “Can this be a regular thing?” She was anxious. Getting Alec’s approval on all her right moves, right steps, was something she didn’t know she wanted till now. Finally, she understood why Jace and Izzy listened to their big brother when he took command. And why they were such good fighters. Because they had their big brother to show them the ropes. Clary longed for that. She wanted Alec to teach her. Be the big brother.

“Do you still want to be a part of this world?” Alec asked back after a moment. He didn’t wait for a reply. “It’s hard work. Long hours. Practically no free-time, thanks to all the demons and your father. And you’re behind on everything a Nephilim should know by your age. You have a lot to catch up on.”

“I’m a fast learner.” Clary defended, lifting her head to catch Alec’s eyes. “Teach me, Alec. Please. Teach me everything you know.” A pause of silence followed. Then a sigh and a nod.

“Same time tomorrow. And not a moment later.” Alec ordered, holding his finger up to give her a look. “And please, wear the proper gear so you don’t get hurt while training.”

“Yes, of course! Thank you, Alec!” Clary let out a squeal of happiness as she jumped out to hug the man tightly. “Thank you, thank you! You won’t regret this. I promise to be the best student ever!” She looked up at him with a grin, then suddenly she was letting go of him and running out of the room. Hopefully to finally get some sleep.

“Oh, damn it..” Alec sighed, shaking his head as he covered his mouth. Covered the smile that was starting to form seeing the girl so happy over something so small. “Keep that up, and you just might get me to think of you as a little sister.” He muttered to himself, waiting a moment before walking to his room. To, finally, sleep.

[takaraphoenix]

“I think that someone has been using my club to target omegas and...”, started Raphael before he paused. “I can't tell. Whether it's a serial killer, or human trafficking, but I am at this point very sure that something is happening to them and that my club is being used for it.”

“You want us to investigate”, nodded Alec, the pen now tightly held in his hand.

Someone targeting omegas always made Alec particularly tense. Jace knew that was about him. This time around too; Alec was intensely staring at Jace while grasping his pen. He just couldn't help it, whenever an attack was aimed at omegas, Alec thought of it hitting Jace. And while it annoyed Jace mildly because Jace was more than capable of defending himself, he also understood it. Jace was the only omega in Alec's life, he was Alec's parabatai. Of course did Alec worry.

“What did you have in mind?”, asked Lydia, figuring Raphael hadn't come without a plan.

“I was thinking that perhaps, you could send someone undercover as a patron in my club. An omega”, replied Raphael calmly. “Me and Simon would keep an eye on them. They'd have the necessary training to defend themselves, maybe find who is doing this, one way or the other – be that by finding the person responsible or by bonding with the other omegas at the club and getting information out of them that I, as the owner, wouldn't.”

Alec nodded, before frowning. His frown deepened. And deepened. Jace knew where this was going and he didn't like it one bit. Lydia, so far, just looked thoughtful, not as intimately familiar with the Shadowhunters working for the New York Institute as Alec who has spent all his life here and had every single new Shadowhunter welcomed personally since he became head, even before Lydia had moved back to New York. Jace crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, away from them.

“No”, grunted Jace firmly and shook his head. “No way, Alec.”

“Jace”, sighed Alec softly. “You know I'm literally the last person who would send you anywhere on your own. But Jace, this sounds like a serious case.”

“Can't you send someone else aside from the puppy?”, inquired Magnus with an actually concerned frown, earning confused looks from Simon and Raphael. “Jace is not too... in touch with his inner omega, so to speak. The club might not necessarily be something that makes him feel safe.”

Jace paused and stared at Magnus in mild surprise. That was honestly touching. Jace had shared some of the things weighting him down with Magnus over drinks, back when he had still been living at the loft. Still, that Magnus cared that much about his comfort.

“There is no one else”, replied Alec flatly. “There aren't that many omegas here in New York. Generally... there aren't many active duty omegas. And... Jace is the only unmated omega we have. If what Raphael suspects is true, then they are targeting unmated omegas to abduct them without raising too much suspicion. Jace is the only unmated omega available.”

“...Oh”, grunted Simon surprised, staring at Jace with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah. Shadowhunters, we do things... differently. Omegas are usually leaders – most of the council are omegas, my grandmother the Inquisitor is an omega. Alphas are soldiers. Betas, like Isabelle, are mostly scientists, programmers and such”, replied Jace with a shrug. “Me and Clary are two of only three omegas in New York. So... yeah. Only unmated omega here.”

He smiled sarcastically and waved at the vampires. Like he needed the reminder. He knew Imogen wanted him to take on a political career – it was why she had made him the head of the Institute when she had been here, because she wanted that for him. While it was by now allowed for omegas to become soldiers, it was still incredibly rare and it was also generally frowned upon.

“It's why I don't do being an omega”, continued Jace with an annoyed glare on his face. “Valentine raised me to be a soldier, despite my omega-nature. I've been on suppressants all my life. I've been working hard to not act like an omega. I'm not gonna go to some club to play obedient omega.”

(Spoiler alert: He will very much enjoy playing the obedient omega. ;D Sneak-peek of “The Primal Instinct”... mainly for @grippedbydestielfever and @wolfrunner09 because you two seemed particularly interested in this x3)

[khaleesiofalicante]

Me: Sees Dani hasn't posted on her blog much

Me: OMG IS SHE WORKING ON VVA?????

Me: No you idiot she has a life outside of this app

ME: BUT WHAT IF-

(I swear I am not crazy)

OK I WAS REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE THEY HAD SORTED OUT THEIR MISCOMMUNICATIONS IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS JDJKCDJHHCDHCDHCHJCJHUJHCDJHCDJHCJHCDJHCH

Yes, Alec tell us more about Magnus's amazing skills which include his mouth. I AM SO SORRY-

NO, BUT LIKE-

JACE AND CLARY GOING ON THAT DATE TO THE MARITIME MUSEUM SJJHJHJHCDJHCDJHCD YES THAT IS MY IDEAL DATE. I am a nerd leave me alone

Also I kind of guessed Magnus's problem with water earlier on because...well I have read the books but the part about Annabel and Malcolm BROKE MY HEART. LEAVE ME ALONE

Also, IT IS PLAYING LIKE IT DID IN THE BOOK I SWEAR TO GOD IF THEY BREAK UP I WILL CRY AND I WILL NOT STOP CRYING. WE GOT ENOUGH ANGST IN IWFY (my mind still supplies the wrong meaning every time :) )

I am not sure what is gonna happen after alec has to go back and I am worried...

OK OK SINCE I HAVE A WHOLE ASS PERSONAL DISCORD BOOKISH SERVER WITH A SEPARATE SECTION FOR FANFICTION HERE ARE MY FAVORITE LINES!!!!

Alec chuckled quietly now. “Do you think Magnus would like our home?”

“I hope she will,” Jace said and then coughed loudly. “He. I hope he will.”

JACE IS TALKING ABOUT CLARY STOP MY HEART

When they chilled in the ocean - they either quietly floated around or screamed bloody murder. There was no in-between for Jace and Alec.

Mark, who had been on lifeguard duty, had even swum up to them to check if they were okay.

THIS IS ME AND MY BROTHER!!! AND THE FACT MARK HAD TO COME CHECK ON THEM PLEASE

“Yes?” Magnus asked innocently.

Magnus knew what he was doing. And Alec loved him for it.

“Tiddies,” Alec breathed out.

ALEC NO- THE SECOND-HAND EMBARRASSMENT I FEEL GROWS EVERY CHAPTER

Also are we gonna ignore how Alec said he loves Magnus????

“How am I so what?” Magnus asked. “Are you at a loss for words?”

“On the contrary,” Alec grinned, pulling Magnus closer. “You make me want to write poetry.”

SOBBING. LEAVE ME ALONE. DO NOT TOUCH ME

He didn’t know how to describe a relationship where a person was involved with garbage fire.

True

“Potato. Potato,” Zara shrugged. “I guess you can’t do better than that.”

“I can’t,” Alec said, surprising himself. “There isn’t better than Magnus.”

“What are you even talking about? He is a manwhore-”

Alec was about to lose it when a fistful of sand landed on Zara’s face.

“Don’t ever speak about Magnus like that again,” Leo said, nothing about his voice or posture playful.

“You people are seriously defending that slu-”

Another fistful of sand landed on her face.

“I can do this all day, biatch,” Leo told her.

I LOVE LEO SO MUCH AND ZARA CAN GO DIE THANK YOU VERY MUCH

“Does it bother you?” Magnus asked softly. “That I…That I don’t, I can’t-”

“If I wanted someone who loved the ocean just as much as I did, I would have gone out with Jace.”

I CAN'T WITH THIS

no but like alec getting magnus a shirt which says "the ocean is overrated" was BHXSJHYCDYUJHCDYUJHCDUHJCDHUCDHUJ and that too in glitter I AM SCREAMING

You: No you idiot she has a life outside of this app

Me: No she doesn't ;)

Maritime museums are very sexy. Clace has good taste.

The day I don't write about Jace and Alec friendship/brotp is the day I die!!!

AND YES BRO LEO SUPREMACY - more on our little friend later <3

[bytheangell]

You Are Not Like the Regulars

(SH re-watch inspired fic: S01E02) (Read on AO3)

Isabelle knows the front she puts on in the presence of her brothers - the way she hooks her arm around Simon’s to lead him as they walk, the slightly-too-loud giggles and the exaggerated smiles and the lilt to her words that isn’t normally there - but it’s only partially an act. She sees the way Simon reacts to it - to her - and is surprised to discover that she wants him to keep reacting. She wants to keep seeing that smile on his face, the adorable stammer when he’s flustered, the way his eyes light up when she brings up things like his music.

She wonders how much of it is because of her, and how much because of the act she puts on around the others. It’s one of the reasons why she’s so eager to keep getting Simon alone - he’s interesting. She isn’t just using him to pass the time - okay, well, maybe she is a little bit - but she’s also actually interested. The guys she knows are all the same, either Shadowhunters with something to prove or Downworlders who mostly want her because they see it as some sort of ‘fuck you’ to the Clave. She doesn’t mind, but it does get old, and this… this is new. Simon is new.

For everything Isabelle’s experienced in the Shadow World, her time with mundanes in anything other than a ‘shooing them out of danger’ capacity has been extremely limited, and Simon is fascinating. She’s known Shadowhunters who didn’t want to step foot into the City of Bones, and here’s this mundane willing to go without a second thought, just to be by his friend’s side. She’s always looked at Mundanes as weak and helpless, and… okay, maybe Simon was technically both of those things, but he also should’ve left running at least a dozen times from what he’s seen so far. But he isn’t - he’s still here, and that sure is something.

And sure, she’s only known him for a day, but Jace has only known Clary for a day and she sees the way he looks at her so at least he has no room to talk. It isn’t like it’s anything serious - just some flirting, just a crush - but she has to admit that it isn’t borne from boredom alone. There’s a real interest in Simon hidden beneath her casual flirtations and her general enjoyment of having attention on herself, something that tells her there’s something there; that spark, that instinctual connection some people have, the kind she’s only ever heard about or seen in fiction.

It scares her a little, which is part of the reason she falls back so heavily on what she knows best: the act of being interested. Because actually, seriously being interested? That isn’t something she’s prepared to deal with just then, especially not with everything else going on. Plus, she isn’t a fool - she sees the way he looks at Clary, even if Clary doesn’t. Izzy isn’t about to put herself in a prime heartbreak position over a boy who loves someone else. No thank you, she’ll keep any actual feelings far, far away… and in the meantime, she’ll listen to his band’s music and just enjoy the change of pace.

Except there’s a noise, and the fear Isabelle feels over something potentially attacking Simon isn’t the fear for some mundane she couldn’t care less about, and she lets that fear cloud her usually pristine judgment enough to leave Simon alone. She should know better - she should stay here to defend him, or take him with her, but she wants to keep him out of danger so badly she does the thing that leaves him the most vulnerable without realizing: she tells him to stay put.

The relief she feels at the area around the van being clear is gone as soon as it comes when she returns to the van to find Simon’s missing from where she left him locked in just minutes before, and it’s her fault. After the way she’s been acting no one is going to believe it isn’t due to casual neglect and indifference. No one is going to believe that Isabelle’s insides are churning with guilt and anxiety, that it was because she did secretly care for Simon that she left him in the van where she thought he’d be safe.

Part of her is tempted to stay out here and look on her own until she finds him, but she knows she has to tell the others. She has to tell Alec, he can help, he’ll know what to do. He’ll never let her hear the end of it, but it’ll be worth it to fix this.

Collecting herself the best she can, Isabelle takes one last regretful look at the empty van and heads back towards the others.