#clearly i have a problem with Simon calling Wille an idiot. (but he is so like...)

[enjoythesilentworld]

another sentence, less painful this time (sorry about those other two)

"I am terrified to fall in love with you"

look i didn't even make it angsty like i said i might! ily Nina thx for this one 💜

“That first day we met,” Wille says, “I remember looking at you and thinking, I am terrified to fall in love with you."

Simon’s lips turn down in a frown, making him look so young, and Wille shakes his head because Simon doesn’t understand yet. 

They’re standing in the middle of the street because they’d just been hanging out at Wille’s, and Wille spent the whole time working up the courage to finally, finally tell Simon how he felt, but he couldn’t, at least not until Simon had already left, so Wille chased after him, and here they are now, random strangers passing by as Wille lays his heart out on the pavement. 

“I was so terrified to fall in love with you because I was so afraid of what would happen to us. And then,” Wille hesitates, bracing himself, “I did.” 

Simon’s mouth drops open slightly, and Wille can’t read his expression, can’t tell if he’s about to receive pity or anger or excitement, so he pushes on, words overflowing now in such a way that he can’t stop them. 

“I fell in love with you, and then I spent the next five years terrified— absolutely terrified that you would find out, because it was even worse now that I knew you, and I knew what I might be losing if you ever found out, but I can’t keep doing this, Simon, I can’t keep pretending that every time you come over I don’t want to hold your hand on the couch while we watch a movie, or pull you closer when we share a bed, or kiss you when—” 

In the time it’s taken Wille to babble out this messy confession of love, Simon has crossed the small gap of asphalt between them and promptly cuts off Wille’s rambling by pulling him into a kiss. And Wille can barely compute what’s happening, can barely connect his words to this outcome because he could’ve never, ever imagined that Simon would feel the same about him.

But, here they are now, Simon’s lips on his, Simon’s fingers in his hair, beautiful, beautiful Simon laughing and pulling away to say, “I’m in love with you, too, you idiot.”

[putnamcapital]

S1/E3 Notes

The scene with Felice and Rousseau, and Rousseau refusing the jump, then the instructor says, “oh Rousseau is just nervous, we’ll let him rest.” When clearly the issue is that Felice is not riding well. It seemed insignificant but that whole scene is then about boundaries — the instructor never actually helps Felice to improve, because he doesn’t set a a boundary (you’re not doing it properly, here is how you can get better); whereas then Sara says, “my father is not coming to Parents’ Day because i have no contact with him b/c of what he did.” And Felice is stunned — stunned by being confronted by other people living with and setting boundaries. It made me realize how being a rich kid in this world is actually a state of profound abandonment. No wonder they go off the rails.

That whole phone call with Erik, Edvin does “kid brother wants floor to open also wants approval” so so well it makes my teeth hurt.

Gym hearteyes Wille i will love you forever, Simon can you roll my yoga mat tight like that but ALSO this is one of the many, many, many times that Wille runs after Simon. And he grabs him by the upper arm - which is … well … close - a close way to touch someone even when you’re ‘like that’ but you actually don't know each other that well. And Simon doesn’t flinch at all - despite all the ways he has been manhandled by people.

Blocking: Simon is made to fight his way through the wait staff when he’s hassling August; everyone moves out of August’s way.

Smysan: so expensive In the national anthem idiots-in-love segment, it finishes with the same frame / shot of Wille’s face as we get of Simon’s face before he kisses Wille — except here the aural context is “Sweden” (i.e. the Crown) and how it is Wille’s entire universe / problem When they file out of the pews, Wille looks back to where Simon was on the risers and our boy licks his lips. Right there. in plain sight. I have always thought the “there is no table for you” was a set-up by August. He knew the Erikssons would be there because of the choir. He had every detail of the dining arrangements sorted out, down to the flowers. By ‘forgetting’ these seats, he could then magnanimously ‘offer them’ to Simon as payment in kind for the money he owes him. Just like the whole speech at the gym was meant as payment in kind. Rosh: this is who you want you next to you in trench warfare - she gets to her feet the minute Simon goes for August. When Ayub and Rosh take Simon home, this is love as accountability (contra how the rich kids’ parents treat them). And Simon is left standing in the alley, and the shot is the same as when Wille later has that horrific phone call with his mother. But Simon isn’t alone in the same way. Simon and Sara, “you kissed the Prince” - and Simon brushes that one strand of hair out of Sara’s eyes and i melt every single time … and even more so now that I’ve seen Omar do that a few times for his mother. We’ve all seen s3 Wille’s bare shoulders all over the TL for weeks and i FINALLY saw why the image is so familiar and (for me at least) so deeply unsettling — because almost the entirety of the “he is about to find out Erik died” scene is the same shot - right up close to his shoulders, right behind him, the shoulders fill most of the frame, the camera is choppy — and then S1/E3 finishes with Wille alone, wrapping his arms around his own shoulders. Hence i am further convinced that that shot we got from S3 (where you also see the watch so clearly) is about Wille carrying the burden of the Crown and what it might do to (squash/smother/seduce) Simon.

[obsidianfr3sk]

Rise of the Renegades (Chapter 5)

Summary:  Heroes come from the most unexpected places. Heroes sometimes feel a little too different, a little too scared, a little too alone. But heroes also know when enough is enough, and that before saving the world, they need to save themselves. And they cannot do it alone.

They were going to be the hope of the world. They were going to call themselves the Renegades. Even if they didn’t know it yet.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26246812/chapters/65295007

This week I had multiple proyects and tests. Also I had this... kinda atack and I got completely obssesed with a movie saga and posted several insta stories about it so it was kinda hard find a space to write lol BUT I POST EVERY THRUSDAY SO HERE I AM. Sorry this is shorter than usual hehe

Hope you like it:) Let’s see what this kids are up to.

Thanks for the reblogs and the likes!

Tag list: @nodrianbcyes @healing-winston-pratt @bluraspberryoff-secretary @aceandnebula @cerenoya @cindersnightmare @plain-jane-mclain (don’t worry, take your time to read it!)

A peculiar monster

Who would you live and die for on that list?

But the problem is, there's another list that exists,

and no one really wants to think about this.

Forget sanity, forget salary, forget vanity, my morality.

If you get in between someone I love and me,

you're gonna feel the heat of my cavalry.

Simon

Simon ran for a good two minutes before finding a place to stop. He turned the corner in the second alley he found and collapsed behind the largest trash can he found, dropping his backpack next to him. Simon wiped the cold sweat on the sleeve of his jacket. It had been a long time since he ran that much.

However, compared to the relief he felt, the fatigue was hardly noticeable.

They were safe.

He turned to his right, ready to tell Hugh that they were never going to go back to that damn store when he realized he was alone.

Completely alone.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

In the street, there were a couple of homeless guys, an old man talking to himself, a dirty-looking child…

Hugh was nowhere to be found.

Simon hid again. His heart was beginning to beat unnaturally, and he couldn't feel his arms or legs. He tried to breathe but instead started to hyperventilate.

Tears were beginning to pool in his eyes.

He pulled his hair. Simon didn't want to cry. Only weak men cried and he was not weak.

Right?

He covered his mouth to hide his sobs.

Simon was weak. And selfish. And an idiot. And a fucking coward.

Why didn't he look back? Why didn't he take a moment to make sure Hugh was following him?

Weak and selfish. And an idiot. And a coward.

The Roaches were going to finish off Hugh. They would kidnap him, force him to join their gang, and he wouldn't be able to return to his normal life. Simon would never see him again and it would haunt him the rest of his days knowing that he could have done something and he didn't.

It was his fault. If only they had stayed to fight...

They probably would have been killed. There was no doubt about that. However, if they died, at least Simon could have taken his friend by the hand and thank him for believing in him. That the only thing he liked about being a prodigy was that it gave him the chance to meet him and that he was going to consider him his best friend even after all came to an end.

Because nothing and no one could ever end with what they had. Not the Roaches, not Ace Anarchy… not even death itself.

The two of them dying together sounded better than one of them dying alone.

He looked at his hands. They were invisible.

Hugh must have been so scared… Simon was fucking scared to death.

The boy he had seen on the sidewalk a few moments ago entered the alley. He was wearing cotton pants and shoes that did not fit him well. A gray cap covered his entire head.

Children shouldn't be alone in this part of town, he knew that from experience. If they were unsupervised, an idiot like Freud would probably come along and hunt them down for a long time with the sole purpose of killing them, and—

Then Simon remembered that in one of the pockets of his school bag, he carried a jackknife.

That jackknife.

The boy began to search the garbage.

It might be too broken to stab someone, but it was worth a try. Being invisible, he could take them by surprise. Simon would stand right in front of them and stick the jackknife in their eyes, one by one. None of them would understand what the hell was going on and when they finally figured it out... it would be too late to fight back.

The boy put his hands in his pockets and sighed wearily.

What if Simon arrived too late?

He banished that thought from his head immediately. For the sake of those Roaches, he wished he didn’t arrive late.

Simon was more than aware of his limitations. However, he was willing to ignore all that just to kill whoever dared to hurt him.

He still couldn't feel his hands when he reached for his backpack. Immediately, he realized the boy had been in front of him all that time. His little green eyes were fixed on Simon's. He wiped his tears, but then remembered there was no point.

He couldn't see him.

The kid took a few steps towards him. His eyes didn't move.

Wait.

Simon reached out his hand to touch him.

Or can you?

Then— the boy took the backpack and fled.

It all happened so fast that for a second, Simon wondered if it was worth following him. It was his school backpack. He was going to drop out anyway. If Hugh did it, so would he.

Hugh.

It was that thought that made him stand up and chase the thief.

The jackknife was in his backpack. He needed that jackknife.

He needed his friend alive.

Evander

He wasn't quite sure why he started running when he grabbed the backpack. Maybe it was because he felt guilty about stealing it but the truth was that he didn't. If someone had left it there, it was because they didn't want it.

Evander did want it. So he grabbed it. It was a fair deal.

He wanted it because inside of it there could be anything. It was a treasure chest, like the ones from the stories Kasumi told him. There could be food, or medicine, or toys. A year ago, he had been so lucky that he found a backpack with a bag of marbles hidden under a pile of adult clothing. Unfortunately, he had never been lucky enough to find the treasure of a retired mobster, who was sorry for his old habits and decided to abandon all his money on the street, in the hope of rehabilitating himself.

Someday he would. That day could be today. One never knew.

No, he had fled, because he had the feeling that someone was watching him. He didn't know how, he didn't know from where, but someone was watching him. If Kasumi had been there, she would have told him that it was his parents watching him from the stars. But Evander knew his parents weren’t looking at him.

When his parents looked at him from the stars, it was always with love, even when they reprimanded him for doing something wrong. Every time Evander was about to talk back to Kasumi, every time he was going to take something that clearly belonged to someone else even though he didn't need it, or every time he was going to be rude to a stranger just because he was having a bad day, his parents frowned at him and prevented Evander from doing so.

Because they loved him. Even from the stars, they loved him.

That look was nothing like his parents'. That one was full of terror, anger, and resentment.

But who’s gaze was that?

He kept running.

Was it someone from the stars?

No, that didn't make sense. Only good people were in the stars.

He stopped in the next alley, a few blocks away. Evander looked back.

No one was following him.

He swallowed. The backpack was heavier than he expected. He sat it on the ground and rubbed his hands together before carefully opening it.

Please make it the treasure of a retired mobster who is remorseful for his actions.

They were books. What a nerd.

He wished books were food.

Despite his disappointment, he hugged the backpack like it was a teddy bear. If he had learned anything in all that time, it was that there was nothing they couldn't take advantage of. Maybe those books became decorations. Or they could be a new source of stories. Or maybe they could actually eat then...

Then, a hand took off his cap. He screamed in horror.

All of his red hair was exposed.

Evander felt chills immediately.

They were going to recognize him. They were going to know it was him.

He turned around, still holding the backpack. Suddenly, an older boy materialized in front of him and tried to snatch it from him.

They struggled for a while. Evander didn't know if he was too strong or the boy was too weak.

His hands were beginning to ache...

“GIVE ME MY BACKPACK!”

The backpack broke. The older boy fell backwards and Evander hit his nose on the floor. Lots of notebooks, books, and loose sheets of paper were blown up like an explosion.

Evander's eyes were watery and his body was aching. To his right, he found a closed jackknife. The older boy was still trying to recover from the blow when Evander took it and he opened it.

He had never held a jackknife before.

Evander pointed at the older boy just as he sat down. “Leave me alone!” he screamed. “Go away!”

But his words only made him more enraged. The boy grunted and stretched out his hand.

He was going to take him. Evander was convinced that he was going to take him.

“I am Thomas Freud!”

He froze. “Thomas Freud?”

“Yes!” Evander screeched. “Yes, I am Thomas Freud! Don't come near me!”

I’m not Evander Jr. I swear, I am not Evander Jr. I am not the one you’re looking for. Please just leave me alone.

He ignored him and reached out again. Evander slashed his palm slightly and the monster swore underneath. “LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“I know you are not Thomas Freud!” he shouted.

His throat went dry at that moment. “No, I am! I swear! That’s my name!”

“It is not true!” he answered, pointing at him with his finger. “I know that because I met Thomas Freud and I hope he is rotting in the last circle of hell!”

He couldn't take it anymore.

Evander broke.

He knew it. That boy, that monster knew. He knew who he really was, he knew what he had done, he knew they were looking for him. The monster was going to take him to the other monsters. They would kill him as they had killed his parents, Mama Bertha… they would go after Kasumi too. They were going to kill her too and everything would have been his fault.

Everything was always his fault.

The monster snatched the jackknife from him with a slap.

He knew immediately what was next.

“Please …” he mumbled. “Don’t hurt me please…”

The monster lost its enraged expression immediately. He blinked hard and looked at him like it was the first time he had. His face twitched, but Evander's gaze was so clouded by tears that he couldn't make out what he was feeling.

He looked at the jackknife. He looked at the street. And then he looked at him.

“Please…”

Please let me live one more day, Mr. Monster.

The monster took off his jacket and put it under Evander's nose. “Raise your head,” he asked. “It's just ... your nose is bleeding.”

Evander looked down at his pants. It had tiny drops of blood on it.

He raised his head.

The monster's jacket smelled like mud and like the peppermint tea Mama Bertha used to drink at night.

That was weird. That was not how he remembered monsters smelled.  Monsters smelled of garbage, rocks, and fire. They didn’t smell, like… good. Nor did they speak with such a soft voice, or had traces of tears on their cheeks.

It was a... peculiar monster.

After a minute, the monster put his jacket back on. He still had the cap that he had ripped from his head in his hand. Evander took it without warning and quickly put it back on, making sure not a single red hair was visible. He dusted his hands with dirt from the floor and rubbed them over his face to cover his freckles.

The monster stared at him for a few more seconds. He didn't say anything else and left.

Evander smiled. With his cap and his freckles covered, he didn't recognize him anymore.

What an idiot monster.

But a monster after all.

Kasumi was in the lair. Whenever one went out, the other stayed to watch that no one went in while they were gone.

She was extremely calm, sitting on the mat, daydreaming.

She was fine.

Evander ran to hug her. Kasumi was startled by it but returned the hug. Immediately, she felt something was wrong.

Kasumi took him by the cheeks. “Vandy, are you all right?” she asked him. “Did someone hurt you?”

Evander shook his head. “Then what’s—”

"I saw a monster today,” he replied. Kasumi shuddered. She moistened her hands and tried to wipe the dirt off his face. “No, don’t. When I covered my freckles, he left. Dirt saved me.”

Kasumi removed her hands from his cheeks. “A monster, huh? Like the ones we’re afraid of?”

He shook his head again. “He wasn't wearing any red. But he was a monster. You have to believe me, he was a monster.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “I believe you, Vandy.”

Kasumi leaned on the wall so that Evander could sit between her legs and lay his head on her chest. The afternoon sun came through the glassless window and warmed his face with its light. She stroked his hair. Kasumi knew how much it calmed them both to do that. “What was this monster like? Did... they had wings?”

“Wings? No, no, no wings. It was... tall," he recalled. “He wanted the backpack, but when he could take it, he didn't. His hair was curly and… he had cried.”

Kasumi stroked her chin. “Hmm, I see. I think I've heard of those kinds of monsters.”

“Are there many kinds of monsters?” Evander asked in amazement.

“Yes,” Kasumi replied. “But you don't have to worry about them.”

“How are you so sure?”

She bit her lip and looked around as if she was afraid someone might overhear. Finally, when she made sure no one else paid attention to them, Kasumi whispered, “Because monsters are afraid of candy.”

Evander allowed himself to laugh a little. “Of candy? What a bunch of idiots, who is afraid of candies?”

“Monsters only.”

He was about to laugh again when he remembered a small detail. “But we don't have candy,” he stressed. “Or do you have a secret reserve you haven't told me about?”

“Well, I don't have candy, that’s right.” Kasumi took him by the hands. They were still stained with dried blood. “But you do, Vandy. Here. Inside you.”

Then he remembered.  “Candy for the soul.”

Kasumi nodded and rested her chin on his shoulder.  “Next time a monster tries to hurt you, you attack it with candy.”

He looked at his hands for a moment more. “Is that why you never use your powers against monsters? Because you know they’re immune to them?”

He felt his friend's body shudder again. “Yes, that’s why.”

“And is that why I could defeat the monster from that night? The night of the attack?”

“Yes. That’s why.”

A spark of pride touched his heart. No one else and no one less than him had managed to end a monster attacking him with his worst nightmare. And he hadn't even known until now.

But the spark of pride was quickly extinguished when he realized that there were still many monsters out there. And that he was never going to be big and powerful enough to kill them all.

[ketzwrites]

Rewatch 109: Rise Up

This might be my least favorite episode of the whole show. I make no secrets that my biggest interest in Shadowhunters is the political scenario and the possibilities of it. 

This episode takes the political scenario and cynically destroys all the potential real-world criticism that could be done. Clary gets to play the white savior, the Downworlders are childish and incompetent, Alec is complicit to torture, and - ultimately - the Clave’s twisted distrust of Downworlders is proven right.

I really hate this episode.

Teaser

Alberto is such a good actor. I wonder if this is the first time Raphael is dealing with a fledgling. He seems to know what he’s doing.

Act One

It’s good that Clary intends to tell Simon that it was her decision to bring him back, not Raphael’s.

I don’t get why Alec can’t just Iratze his arm. I also don’t get how Jace didn’t feel it when half of Alec’s bicep was smashed away.

Oh, okay. So, the Forsaken was after the MC. Not exactly the best plan to send the Ogre-like creature for a heist, but it’s not like Valentine is supposed to be a mastermind- No, wait. He is.

Look, it’s great that Clary was able to fight one Shax demon. Really, kudos for her. But when every single person in the Shadow World is looking for her, she is not right to want to stay on the streets and look for Simon. I swear, I don’t get this logic.

I enjoy how we are always reminded that Magnus is performing magic for payment. It’s part of his autonomy as a warlock (in fact, as the High Warlock since Magnus doesn’t take other clients besides the Institute).

Izzy has zero qualms in hugging Meliorn in the middle of the Institute. Noted.

Again, it makes no sense whatsoever to think the seelies would be working with Valentine. This “seelie always take the winning side” doesn’t work when Valentine’s side means, at best, their permanent banishment to the seelie realms, and at worst, their annihilation. That’s why Shadowhunters never showed the conversation between the Seelie Queen and Valentine in 219. There is nothing that Valentine can offer the seelies that truly interest them.

Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Maryse and Robert made a deal with the Clave prior to the Uprising? The event that Maryse helped organize? Honestly, the history of the Shadow World is so poorly crafted. The Clave knew the Uprising was coming but still failed to prevent it. Oh, but one shadowhunter and a recently turned werewolf were able to stop Valentine. I’m not buying it.

Both Alec and Jace have good points about Maryse and Robert. They are hypocrites and Alec is right to refuse to do their redemption for them, especially since neither Maryse nor Robert shows any regret for their past actions. But Jace is right to doubt they are working with Valentine again.

Can you imagine if Clary had told Elaine that Simon died in an accident and then Simon showed up at home like that?

Act Two

Clary is smart again and looks for Simon at his own house. Though, the lighting of this scene is so weird. In Simon’s bedroom is night time, but the corridor looks like it’s illuminated by the sun. It’s really weird.

Shots fired. Spill the tea, Alec.

I’m glad we get Simon telling Clary off for turning him into a vampire. She did it for love and it wasn’t her fault that Camille is a murderous monster. But actions have consequences nonetheless.

Lydia is terrible at interrogations and Meliorn is great at shifting the focus. He was called in to talk about the seelie blood in the Forsakens and, instead, he got the shadowhunters investigating each other. Lydia walked out with no confessions, no leads, and inner division.

Act Three

Oh, look. Raj!

Anyway, here is where Jace puts Clary’s need above Alec’s needs. He isn’t just prioritizing Clary’s quest to get her mother back over the safety of the Shadow World – which is bad enough for other reasons. He is purposefully deceiving Alec in the name of Clary’s interests. This is a betrayal of trust.

The dispute between Luke and Raphael is a classic vampire vs werewolf dispute. Fair enough. But it’s a writing decision to keep that animosity in a context where both races are oppressed by a third race. A writing decision that will annoy me in a couple acts.

Izzy and Jace are correct: torturing Meliorn will lead nowhere. That decision, though, follows the modus operandi of the Clave: Lydia failed to properly interrogate Meliorn but the blame for her lack of success in getting information from him is blamed on Meliorn’s supposedly ability to skirt the truth.

That said, there is no logic casualty between the Clave getting the MC back and the Clave doing bad things to Downworlders. In fact, I’m surprised Izzy doesn’t urge them to give up the MC as a way to prove Meliorn is cooperating and, thus, spare him from torture.

“If the Clave is willing to do this to Meliorn, what do you think will happen when they get the Cup?” Logically, they’d stop. Like they will stop in a few episodes when Imogen gets the Cup and stops Izzy’s trial.

Not that keeping people in cells is a particularly nice move, but I'm surprised Raphael is the first to do it to Clary. Lucky her the person in charge of the Institute when the story started was Alec: had it been Lydia or Aldertree or basically any other shadowhunter, she would’ve been put in a cell in the first episode.

Act Four

Fun fact: Simon almost becomes a Daylighter this episode as he struggles not to feed on Clary.

The stele stealing scene is actually very entertaining to watch even if it’s about the two people Alec should trust the most betraying him.

This conversation between Alec and Magnus breaks my heart. Rewatching the whole season, I don’t have a problem with how Magnus reacts to Alec’s marriage announcement anymore. It’s a matter of miscommunication: Alec came to the conversation looking for a confidante, Magnus came to the conversation looking for a hookup. When Magnus realizes Alec is set on following shadowhunters costume in detriment of his own happiness, Magnus gets angry but ultimately minds his own business. It works for me.

Hodge’s character is all over the place. He is the opposite in this scene as he was with Alec in 103. It’s essentially the same thing: Hodge catches the Lightwoods preparing for an unauthorized mission. But, with Alec, he was ready to let him go without further comments until Clary was mentioned. Then Hodge got angry because she is Valentine’s daughter. Now, Hodge gets angry because Jace and Izzy were about to lie to him but lets them go if that means saving Clary. The only intention I can see behind this is that Hodge is supposed to be seen as a sketchy character.

“Do you think I’d be sending Meliorn to the Silent Brothers if I thought there was another way?” Yes, I do. Because you suck at interrogations and clearly doesn’t care about Downworlders. I’m glad Alec doesn’t answer, forcing Lydia to further explain herself. Also, it seems this isn’t Clave’s orders after all, but a decision that came from Lydia herself.

Lydia’s sob story perpetuates the shadowhunter biased notion that all Downworlders are the same. One warlock in Rio betrayed her – after being threatened with torture -, so all downworlders are liars and should not be trusted. The fact that Alec doesn’t realize that is a huge problem but at least the ominous music is proof of that the writers know that.

Simon forgives Clary because he sees her need for his support as an opportunity for them to get together romantically. Understandable reaction, though I wish it was revisited when they do get together and then break up.

Up until Clary meets with Raphael – a public meeting, for some very idiotic reason on Raphael’s part – I’m on board on Izzy, Jace, and Clary trying to protect the Downworlders side by side with Luke and Simon.

But then her first words are “we’re offering an alliance with the seelies”. No, you’re not. You have no authority to do so. Also, Luke still holding a grudge against the vampires at a time like this is childish and uncharacteristic of him.

“We are a new generation of shadowhunters. We believe everyone to be equal” said by one of the people who attacked a whole clan for the actions of a couple vampires with no way of knowing it had been the leader’s orders to kidnap Simon. The person that, up until a few minutes ago, had to be told by a fledgling that this world sees them as different. The person that, during that same conversation, presumes to speak for Simon and is against him joining the vampires, who clearly know how to take better care of him that she does.

Maybe it’s a good thing that this show doesn’t delve into politics. If this is the best they can do, I don’t want it.

Act Five

More childish animosity between werewolves and vampires to prove that, without Clary, they would be incapable of working together.

Clary doesn’t know how the portal shard works. She’s only ever activated it by mistake. Do the writers think the audience is stupid?

And, in the same episode that Clary is being glorified as the conciliator of the Shadow World, she is ready to “call the whole thing off” because it might inconvenience Jace to fight his Parabatai. Oh, I’m sorry saving Meliorn might personally affect your boyfriend, Clary. You’re right. Forget about it. It’s just a Downworlder life you believe to be saving. Jace’s feelings are more important. Fuck this episode and whoever came up with it.

No women among the shadowhunters with Alec, hm?

It’s a smart writing choice to have Izzy use the whip against Raj. It seems an insignificant thing in this episode, but it entails bitter consequences for the next one.  

As wrong as Alec is for going through with this plan, I’m happy he gets to punch Jace on the face for making Alec’s choices all about him. And for winning the fight and refusing to work outside the system again just because Jace asked him to.

Act Six

I’m really not interested in watching Jace being jealous of Clary and Simon’s friendship.

I ship Meliorn and Izzy so much.

Did Izzy also tell you Clary offered to call off your rescue if Jace felt uncomfortable in fighting Alec, Meliorn? Or are we ignoring that to sing her praises she does not deserve?

I guess the worst part of this entire episode is that, in the end, Lydia was right. Meliorn was being uncooperative. He knows a way to find Valentine and chose not to disclose it. That also shows that the seelies are rather incompetent: they can get to Valentine and kill him but choose not to.

[sncwbaz]

a start.

normal au. prom is happening, but simon isn’t going. he’s heard rumours of his ex and his crush going to prom together and he’s not really having it. turns out he’s not that good at fact checking, though. (also simon lives a domestic life with lucy and we don’t speak of the mage. david? we don’t know him.) 

word count: 3.4K

warnings: none, besides some swearing. this is just very soft.

(read on ao3)

+++++

I go through my Instagram Stories to look at pictures and videos of my classmates as they get ready for prom. According to Trixie’s Story, she and her questionable glitter kink have managed to pretty much drown her girlfriend in glitter for tonight. I also saw a video posted by Garreth of the hired limo arriving at his home for him and his date. 

I let out a defeated sigh as I roll onto my stomach. I damn myself for not keeping my own promise of not spending this entire evening sulking over how everyone else is having fun at prom without me. It’s not as if I don’t have good reasons for not attending prom myself. 

In fact, I’ve compiled a whole list of good, solid, reasons for not going:

1. Dancing I can’t dance to save my life. Prom includes dancing, staying at home does not. 

2. Agatha This year is the first year where I won’t be able to go with Agatha as my date. We broke up earlier this school year, and even though I consider myself very much over her, it doesn't help that the whole school has been talking about how Agatha is taking Baz to prom as her date this year. It fucking has to be him of all people. I really don’t feel ready to watch the two of them slow dance, even just the thought of it makes him feel nauseous. 

Now I’m not dating Agatha anymore, it also means that I actually have to find the courage to ask someone else as a date, with which comes the fear of the possible rejection. I swear I’m really over Agatha, but being in an actual relationship made getting a date for prom a whole lot easier. 

3. Third Wheeling I figured I could ask Penny as my date… just to go as friends, but then I realised she’s going with her boyfriend, and then I realised that I don’t really have anyone else I could ask. This would mean I could just go by myself, which would have me ending up as third wheel with Penny and Micah. Yet another reason to just stay home. 

4. A Suit This might sound stupid, but normally Agatha would find me a suit to wear, so I never had to think of it myself. I just wore what she wanted me to wear. 

I would wear one of my suits from previous proms, if they hadn’t all belonged to Agatha’s father, or been hired instead of bought. 

I guess this fits in under reason two as well, since the problem is Agatha based… but the suit feels like its own whole problem now. At least staying home means I can go around in sweatpants and a hoody. 

5. Baz (and Agatha) Hear me out, this is not the same as reason two. The thing about Agatha and Baz going together is that I think I might be more jealous of Agatha than of Baz… Like I said, I’m truly over Agatha. I’m not over my crush on Baz though… 

Regardless of my very solid reasons not to go to prom, I still can’t help but feel a sense of regret for not going. Being able to experience prom through my friends their social media accounts is definitely not helping. 

Finally, I decide to bury my phone under my pillow, and go down stairs to watch a film with mum, if she’s up for it. 

“Hi Si,” she greets me as I join her in the living room. She’s sitting on the couch with an tablet resting on her propped-up knees. I throw myself down on the couch beside her and peek at her tablet to see what she’s doing; playing Solitaire as it turns out.

“Bored, mum?” I ask her. 

She smiles without looking up at me, “No, but you seem to be.” 

I shrug and rest my head on her shoulder. “I thought that maybe we could watch a film?” 

She nods, still not looking up from the tablet. “You had a particular film in mind?” 

“No, not really. Just something light.” 

It took us some time to finally choose a film to watch, and once we’re finally settled, each of us occupying one side of the couch, tablet closed off and out of sight, the doorbell rings. 

Mum and I share a look and I pout at her, silently pleading her to get the door instead of me. I really don’t feel like getting up from my cosy spot on the couch. She gives me her motherly smile and goes to get the door. 

I strain my ears to find out who’s ringing our doorbell at this hour. 

“Hello Miss Salisbury, is Simon home?” I hear a familiar voice coming from our front door, and my heart goes actual haywire. There’s simply no fucking way. 

“Hello Baz, yes he’s home. Should I get him or do you want to come inside?” 

No verbal answer follows after that, but I can hear the door being closed shut, which means Baz must’ve come inside. I hear footsteps approaching the living room, and for a moment I contemplate going into hiding. However, the two of them reach the living room before I can move a muscle. 

I watch Baz enter the living room in his dark green suit and slicked back hair, and I decide that I need a fucking moment. Baz Pitch is standing in my living room in his gorgeous prom suit—that, mind you, fits him perfectly—whilst he should actually be at prom with Agatha. 

“What— Wh— Baz?” I struggle to form a coherent though as I stumble up from the couch. 

Baz, the dick he is, just grins at me. “Hi, Simon.” 

“I’ll be upstairs for a minute,” mum says, after looking from me, to Baz, back to me. I barely hear her going up the stairs, because I’m still too dumbfound by the fact that Baz is standing in front of me, in my living room, in his prom suit. 

Baz takes a look at the television, where the screen is paused in the middle of the opening scene from Finding Nemo. Then he turns his gaze back to me and he seems to take in the clothes I’m wearing. I feel weirdly self-conscious as I become aware of the contrast of him standing there in a shiny suit, meanwhile I’m standing here is a pair of sweats and a hoody. “You really weren’t planning on going to prom, were you?” 

“No,” I reply, though it sounds like a question. 

“So Penelope told me,” Baz says, and he folds his arms over his chest, “She told me you weren’t going because you’re convinced that Agatha and I are going together.” 

I feel my cheeks burning at the accusation, “I mean, I definitely had more good reasons to pass on prom.”

“Such as?”

“Such as that I can’t dance.”

“That has never stopped you from going to prom before.”

Oh, for fucks sake. I’m quiet for moment, meanwhile Baz looks at me with raised eyebrows. I realise he’s most likely waiting for me to continue listing my oh-so solid reasons for not going to prom. 

“Also,” I say quickly, “I don’t have a date and I’m really not that excited about third wheeling with Penny and Micah.” 

Baz snorts at that, “Fair enough. You could have just gotten yourself a prom date, though.”

“I couldn’t find a date,” I say in a small voice. God, I’m so glad mum left the room earlier to spare me from the embarrassment of having this conversation in front of her. 

“You couldn’t find a date because you thought Agatha was already taken by me?” 

“I couldn’t find a date because it seemed like you were already taken by Agatha,” I clarify, and I feel my heart pounding as I wait for Baz to get my implication. 

“Are you trying to tell me that you would’ve actually asked me to prom if you hadn’t heard the rumours about me and Agatha going together?” 

All I do is shrug, I can’t look Baz in the eye anymore. 

“Well then,” he says slowly, “Next time I recommend you fact check the rumours you hear. I’m clearly not going to prom with Agatha, so I think you’ve got a question you want to ask me.” 

“Wh—what?” My eyes instantly fix on Baz’s face again to see if he’s being serious. He looks at me like he’s not willing to repeat himself. 

“You actually want to go to prom with me?” I ask carefully. 

Baz looks at me for a moment, then shakes his head, “Simon, why do you think I’m standing here, in the middle of your living room, clearly dressed for prom?” 

“Uh—Right. So… you want to go to prom with me?” 

“Yes, Simon,” Baz says, and he’s smiling now. His smile is contagious, I think, as notice I’m smiling too.

Then I remember, “Uh, I don’t have a fancy suit.” 

Baz grins, “Of course you don’t. I couldn’t care less, though, even if you’d show up to prom in the clothes you’re wearing right now.” 

I look down at my worn out sweats and hoody, then up at Baz. “I’ll look like an absolute idiot, showing up like this.” 

“You would. Yet you still managed to get the most handsome guy in our year as your date.” 

I roll my eyes at that, though Baz was probably being generous by calling himself most handsome guy of their year, and not their entire school. 

“Well, okay then,” I tell him, and we’re both quiet for a few seconds.

“You don’t want to change into other clothes?” he asks me. 

“No, you said you would be okay with this, right?” 

“Yes I am, but are you?”

I shrug. “It’s comfortable.” 

He genuinely laughs this time. “I’m sure it is,” he says, and then he inclines his head towards outside. “Shall we go then?” 

“Right now?” I ask. I instantly feel nervous about all of this. I’m actually going to prom with Baz. In my fucking sweatpants and hoody as well. 

“If we want to arrive at prom before it ends, then yes. Right now. I’ve got a ride waiting for us outside.” 

I realise that I need to move, but I’m still not fully processing everything that is happening right now. “Uh, my mum,” I stammer. “I should—uh, get her.” 

I call for her from the bottom of the stairs, and she comes running down within seconds. “It turns out I actually am going to prom,” I tell her as we walk back into the living room where Baz is still standing ever so gracefully in his beautiful suit, waiting for me. 

“I see,” she says with a broad grin on her face. “You’re going in these clothes?” She asks me. 

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

She shakes her head in disbelief, but I can see she’s smiling fondly at the same time. Then I notice the camera she’s holding in her hands. 

“I assume you two won’t mind if I take some pictures before you go, right? My boy going to prom with his date is not something that happens every day, of course,” She says as she holds up the camera and gestures to us to stand together in front of it. 

I look at Baz and I feel my cheeks growing warm, I take a few careful steps toward him and turn towards the camera my mom is holding up. Baz and I stand awkwardly next to each other as we wait for my mother to take some pictures. However, after taking just one look at us, she sighs. “Come on boys, huddle up!” She exclaims.

Baz and I look at each other, it reassures me to see that Baz looks uncertain as well. We shuffle closer together, so our shoulders are pressed together. I feel Baz brushing his hand softly against mine in question.

“Okay?” he asks me.

“Yeah,” I assure him, and he takes my hand in his. I can feel my cheeks getting warmer by the second, but I ignore this and interlock our fingers. 

The both of us look back to my mum and her camera. “Smile, boys!” She tells us, and we do. We don’t just smile because she told us to; this whole situation feels like a dream. 

When mum is done taking pictures Baz leads me outside to our ride, not letting go of my hand until he opens the door of the very expensive-looking Mercedes to let me inside. 

Once I’m seated in the car I’m faced with absolute horror. 

“Hello Simon,” says Fiona—Baz’s terrifying aunt—from the drivers seat. 

It takes me every bit of nerve not to race right back out of the car, into my safe home. 

“H—Hi,” I stammer. 

“The fuck are you wearing?” She asks as she takes a look at me through the rear-view mirror. 

“I—uh,” Before I can get anywhere with my answer, Baz enters the car. 

“Straight to school, Fiona,” Baz tells his aunt. 

She snorts at his choice of words. “Straight,” she mocks him, but she leaves it at that as she starts the car and drives off with quite the speed. I’m just praying we all come out of this car alive. 

“You two took quite some time in there, I almost drove off without you,” Fiona comments.

“Simon’s mum wanted to take pictures. She took her time,” Baz replied. Mum wanting to take pictures definitely hadn’t been the reason for us taking forever, but I guess Baz doesn’t want to give a whole report on how long it took him to make me realise he wanted to go to prom with me, which is something I’m grateful for. 

Once we arrive at school, I feel sick. Mainly because of Fiona’s reckless driving behaviour, but also because the nerves are really getting to me now.

I’m about to enter prom in my sweats and hoody, with Baz Pitch at my side. I wonder what Penny will think.

Baz and I get out the car and Fiona waves us off. Baz takes my hand—at which Fiona makes a whooping sound that both Baz and I ignore—and we make our way towards the entrance of our school. 

“I’ll pick you two up in a few hours!” Fiona calls after us, and I would be lying if I said that I trust her to uphold that promise. That, however, is the least of my worries right now. 

We’re greeted with cheesy pop music pounding from the speakers as we enter prom. All the people from our school have turned into a big swarm of awkwardly moving beings—most of them are actually out of timing with the beat of the music. The first thought I have is ‘How am I supposed to find Penny in this mess?’

Then I realise I’m here with Baz, so there’s truly no need to find Penny. 

“You wanna dance?” I shout at Baz, barely loud enough to let my voice carry over the music. 

“Obviously,” he shouts back, and he leads me into the big swarm of dancing teens. 

It’s crowded, sweaty, and I really, really suck at dancing. I figured that all these things would make for a bad experience, but I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had at a prom. 

After a few more dance tracks, a slow song comes on. Baz and I look each other in the eye for a few seconds, before we move closer. We have an awkward moment of trying to figure out who’s putting who’s hands where, but we figure it out. 

I’ve got my hands behind his head, and I can feel how the stands of his hair are clinging to his sweaty neck. I smile as I softly brush my finger tips through those strands of hair, not minding the sweatiness of it at all. His hair, previously slicked back, is now hanging around his face in loose strands from dancing. I decide that I like it better this way. 

I spare a quick look to the people around us. Not too far away from us I spot Penny and—

I quickly look back at Baz in terror. 

“What?” He asks while laughing at my expression. 

“I just saw Penny and Micah making out a bit too passionately, and I really didn’t need to see that.”

Baz laughs harder and his forehead bumps against mine, softly. First it happens on accident, but the second time he makes it happen on purpose and he stays there, his forehead softly pressed against mine. 

I wonder if Baz expect us to kiss now. The thought makes panic bubble up inside me. I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet. Not in front all of these people. Baz, though, seems perfectly at peace with just swaying to the music like this, so I take a breath and follow his lead. 

Once the song is over, though, I quickly press a soft, barely there, kiss to his cheek before moving away from him. Instead of watching his reaction I start moving to the more upbeat song that is now playing, limbs moving wildly in all places. 

After a few hours Baz and I end up back in Fiona’s car—she actually came to back to drive us home. She tries to interview us about how prom was by asking wether we made out or not, but Baz is quick to cut her off.

“Please don’t pry into my love life, pervert.” He says this with a grin, though. I can’t really wrap my head around the way the relationship between Baz and his aunt works. She shuts up though, so there’s that. 

Once we arrive at my home, Baz follows me out of the car. “If you’re not back here in five minutes, I’ll be driving off without you!” Fiona calls at Baz. 

“Not worried,” Baz tells her. “I’ll just sleep at Simon’s house.��� 

I can feel my entire face growing hot at that thought. I’m glad it’s dark out so Baz can’t see how my cheeks must have turned proper red at his comment. 

Baz walks me to the front door, where we come to an awkward stop. I don’t really know why Baz followed me out of the car. I don’t know if he’s expecting anything from me. 

“I—I really had fun,” I tell Baz. “Thank you for actually coming to get me and all…”

“Yeah, imagine if you had spent the entire prom at home, only to find out later that I actually didn’t go to prom with Agatha and you, therefore, stayed at home for nothing.” 

I snort at that, “Yeah, imagine.” 

We softly smile at each other. “I had fun too,” Baz says, softly. 

We’re quiet for a bit. I desperately don’t want to go inside yet; not ready to have Baz removed from my side yet. For a moment I do contemplate if I should ask Baz to stay over for the night, but I don’t think mum would be fully down with that. 

Baz halts my train of thought with a question. “Simon, can I kiss you?” 

I consider this for a moment, then I smile at him and nod. My stomach is doing all sorts of things inside of my body, as Baz places his hand over my jaw, but I try to ignore it in favour of taking in every bit of contact between me and Baz. 

Baz places his lips over mine and I can feel my heart pounding embarrassingly hard in my chest. The kiss isn’t much, yet it’s so much more than any kiss I’ve ever had with Agatha. I place my hands on Baz’s middle and move to deepen the kiss. 

Only a second later we’re broken apart by Fiona’s warning. “30 seconds, Baz, or I’ll be off!” 

“Right,” Baz says hastily, as he quickly looks back to Fiona’s car. “Thank you for tonight,” he says to me.

“Thank you, too,” I reply. We both smile and he presses a quick kiss against my lips before he’s off. I watch him get back into Fiona’s car, and think to myself that this is a start to something. 

This is a start to something great. 

[ishiireviewer]

RATING: 4/5

REVIEW:

I’m so glad I gave this a chance. I had DNF’d it a few months ago because I found it to be boring But this time around, I found it really interesting. And after quitting The Infernal Devices, reading this book was such a relief because I had almost written off the author. But City Of Bones was really cool and interesting.

I loved how intricate the shadowhunter world was. The characters were pretty amazing and unique. And basically, the book kept me hooked. It was a page-turner.

Can’t wait to get on with the sequel.

ANNOTATIONS:-

1. “Meanwhile,” Simon added, “I wanted to tell you that lately I’ve been cross-dressing. Also, I’m sleeping with your mom. I thought you should know

2. Clary stared at him, then looked behind her, where Jace, Isabelle, and Alec stood, Jace still in his bloody shirt with the knife in his hand. He grinned at her and dropped a half-apologetic, half-mocking shrug. Clearly he wasn’t surprised that neither Simon nor the bouncer could see them.

3. Jesus!” Luke exclaimed. “Actually, it’s just me,” said Simon. “Although I’ve been told the resemblance is startling.” He waved at Clary from the doorway. “You ready? (haha. Goofy)

4. Did he?” asked Clary. “Tell me, is he always really rude, or does he save that for mundanes?” “Oh, he’s rude to everyone,” said Isabelle airily. “It’s what makes him so damn sexy. That, and he’s killed more demons than anyone else his age.” (Overselling the main lead. -.-)

5. I’m not your father, Clary. I’ve told you that before.” Tears burned the backs of her eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s just—” “Don’t call me for favors again,” he said. “I’ve got my own problems; I don’t need to be bothered with yours,” he added, and hung up the phone (Aww. I feel bad for her)

6. I don’t want tea,” said Clary, with muffled force. “I want to find my mother. And then I want to find out who took her in the first place, and I want to kill them.” “Unfortunately,” said Hodge, “we’re all out of bitter revenge at the moment, so it’s either tea or nothing.

7. She’d never before known anyone who carried a handkerchief (Jesse de silva)

8. (Idk why I found this boring. It’s interesting. And I’m really enjoying reading it. It’s almost unputdownable)

9. There must have been something in her voice, because he turned to look at her. Her hand cracked across his face, a slap that rocked him back on his heels. He put his hand to his cheek, more in surprise than pain. “What the hell was that for?” “The other ten percent,” she said, and they rode the rest of the way down to the street in silence (Hahaha. Badass)

10. Haven’t you ever heard that modesty is an attractive trait?” “Only from ugly people,” Jace confided. “The meek may inherit the earth, but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me.” He winked at the girls, who giggled and hid behind their hair.

11. Madame Dorothea shot him a dark look. “If you were half as funny as you thought you were, my boy, you’d be twice as funny as you are.” She disappeared back through the curtain, her loud “Hmph!” nearly drowned out by rattling beads. Jace frowned. “I’m not quite sure what she meant by that.” “Really,” said Clary. “It made perfect sense to me.” She marched through the bead curtain before he could reply

12. For the devil has no power,” said Dorothea softly, as if she were reciting an old rhyme, “except in the dark

13. Not necessarily. The most terrible things men do, they do in the name of love,” said Madame Dorothea, her eyes gleaming. “But it is a powerful card

14. Anything’ is such a general word, so unspecific,” said Pangborn, sounding melancholy. “Surely someone who owns so many books must know something

15. The moon hung like a locket over the city, casting pearly reflections on the water of the East River

16. Sometimes, when Jocelyn was really angry about something or was in one of her upset moods, she would get what Clary called “scary-calm.” It was a calm that made Clary think of the deceptive hard sheen of ice just before it cracked under your weight. Jace was scary-calm.

17. That’s sort of hot,” Isabelle argued, “that evil thing.” Simon tried to look menacing, but gave it up when he saw Clary staring at him. “So why does Valentine want this Cup so bad, and why does he think Clary’s mom has it?” he asked.

18. Silence itself seemed to flow from him like a dark tide, black and thick as ink

19. Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt,” she told him

20. Something about Jace sharpened him, brought him into focus. If she were going to draw them together, she thought, she would make Jace a little blurry, while Alec stood out, all sharp, clear planes and angles

21. She looked up from closing it to find Jace watching her through hooded eyes. “And one last thing,” he said. He reached over and pulled the sparkling pins out of her hair, so that it fell in warm and heavy curls down her neck. The sensation of hair tickling her bare skin was unfamiliar and oddly pleasant. “Much better,” he said, and she thought this time that maybe his voice was slightly uneven too. (Hot and sweet)

22. Last time I left you alone, a demon attacked you,” he pointed out. “Well, I’d certainly hate to interrupt your pleasant night stroll with my sudden death.

23. .” Magnus exhaled irritably. “As Oscar Wilde once said, ‘To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both seems like carelessness.’” Clary heard Jace make a small hissing sound, like air being sucked

24. Who cares about the stupid Law?” Clary screamed, grabbing hold of Isabelle’s wrist. “My best friend is a rat!”

25. Don’t bother,” Jace said. “Why mundanes always insist on taking responsibility for things that aren’t their fault is a mystery to me. You didn’t force that cocktail down his idiotic throat.”

26. What welcome?” Magnus asked. “I’d say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it wasn’t. Not that you aren’t all fairly charming, and as for you—” He dropped a glittery wink at Alec, who looked astounded. “Call me?”

27. that I hadn’t stopped believing in God. I’d just stopped believing God cared. There might be a God, Clary, and there might not, but I don’t think it matters. Either way, we’re on our own

28. Clary wondered if there were any ugly vampires, or maybe any fat ones. Maybe they didn’t make vampires out of ugly people. Or maybe ugly people just didn’t want to live forever

29. You’ve endangered other people with your willfulness. This is one incident I will not allow you to shrug off!” “I wasn’t planning to,” Jace said. “I can’t shrug anything off. My shoulder’s dislocated

30. Of course,” he said, without arrogance or pretension, “but I always thought that was the way things were, with us. You know.” She scrambled around to face him, puzzled. “What do you mean?” “I mean,” said Simon, as if he were surprised to find himself explaining something that should have been obvious, “I’ve always been the one who needed you more than you needed me.” “That’s not true.” Clary was appalled. “It is,” Simon said with the same unnerving calm. “You’ve never seemed to really need anyone, Clary. You’ve always been so … contained. All you’ve ever needed is your pencils and your imaginary worlds. So many times I’ve had to say things six, seven times before you’d even respond, you were so far away. And then you’d turn to me and smile that funny smile, and I’d know you’d forgotten all about me and just remembered—but I was never mad at you. Half of your attention is better than all of anyone else’s. (How sweet of him!!)

31. Here’ as in your bedroom or ‘here’ as in the great spiritual question of our purpose here on this planet? If you’re asking whether it’s all just a cosmic coincidence or there’s a greater metaethical purpose to life, well, that’s a puzzler for the ages. I mean, simple ontological reductionism is clearly a fallacious argument, but—”

32. “Just kissing?” Jace’s tone mocked her with its false hurt. “How swiftly you dismiss our love.”

33. Where there is feeling that is not requited,” said Hodge, “there is an imbalance of power. It is an imbalance that is easy to exploit, but it is not a wise course. Where there is love, there is often also hate. They can exist side by side

34. Hugin,” Luke said softly. “Hugin and Munin were Valentine’s pet birds. Their names mean ‘Thought’ and ‘Memory.’” “Well, they should mean ‘Attack’ and ‘Kill,’” said Clary. “Hugo almost tore my eyes out.

35. At last Jace looked at her. She saw the disbelief plain in his eyes, and around his eyes, the strain of maintaining that disbelief. She could see, almost as if she saw through a glamour, the fragile construct of his faith in his father that he wore like a transparent armor, protecting him from the truth. Somewhere, she thought, there was a chink in that armor; somewhere, if she could find the right words, it could be breached. “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “I didn’t die—there weren’t any bones.

[briannaslist]

This Guilty Blood

A Recap

And we’re back – pretty much right where we left off too. Jace is on Valentine’s boat, surrounded by a bunch of unconscious people who drank from the Mortal Cup. He’s looking on with angst when Clary runs up to him. She tells him that she took a portal in and Jace does not question it. She tries to get him to leave with her, but before they can leave, Valentine shows up with some minions in tow. So Jace fights Valentine and kills him. This scenario happens twice in like two minutes. And both times they play this heavy dubstep/EDM/club music. And both times Clary has like, no reaction to what is actually happening. Like you would think that fighting and killing the bad guy would elicit some kind of excitement or shock. I mean, if he truly killed him, then the main source of your problem is finally gone. Just basically a flat surprise. It’s like if the 6th Harry Potter opened with Harry randomly killing Voldemort and then everyone else is just standing there unfazed.

In other words, it’s no surprise when it’s revealed that that isn’t Clary, it’s Valentine in disguise. And the “Valentines” that Jace killed were pawns in Valentine disguise. Which – obviously. Jace, how was Clary going to take a portal to place that she does not know about? How did this guy, who grew up in the Shadowhunter world, not consider that the evil manipulative liar might use a rune to disguise himself as someone close to him? Our valiant hero is an idiot.

The Institute is in chaos – or at least that’s what the episode description says. It seems like they’re the same level of busy that they’re usually in. Since Alec can’t sense Jace, Isabelle figures he’s over water. This is not good enough for Alec so he yells out some orders to everyone in the room and Lydia comes over to get Alec to pump the brakes because she is still technically in charge. Izzy suggests that Alec take a break and Lydia seconds this and dismisses him. Which makes this angry ball of angst even more upset, causing him to also lash out at Magnus, who hasn’t even done shit.

Clary goes to talk to Jocelyn, happy to have her there, but also kinda pissed because of the whole hiding a major part of her life from her. Part of that includes Clary criticizing her for marrying “a psychopath”. Which her mom points out that he wasn’t always like that – and it doesn’t make sense to even bring it up because Clary knows that. She was there for that huge expository episode in season one where it was basically half-flashback where they explain how he was way before the mess with the Circle. But Jocelyn promises “no more lies” which is usually foreshadowing for more lies, often escalated from the ones told before. So Clary decides to give her mom the box with the baby Jonathan stuff; Clary tells her about how she used to see her take the box out at night and cry over it. Clary gives her what she believes is good news – Jonathan (Jace) is alive.

But her mom says that doesn’t make sense because she saw “them burn”. They get interrupted by Luke coming in to check on them. Luke says he didn’t believe Jonathan being alive at first either. No further expansion on what actually convinced him that it was true. Then Simon comes in, surprising Jocelyn, because last she saw Simon, he was a human. He smiles and she sees his fangs. So cool, Jocelyn is all up to speed.

Alec tries to apologize to Magnus for being snappy earlier (that’s probably just something that will have to be one of those accepted flaws because he’s like that all the time). However, he also wants Magnus to help him track Jace. And Magnus is like, “Oooh, I want to help, but remember that last time where we did that and you almost died?” And Alec goes right back to snappish and is like, “Why can’t you do this one thing?” As if Magnus has not been at the beck-and-call of this boy and his annoying friends since like the 3rd episode.

A little later –  I’m assuming because Alec has changed his clothes while everyone is dressed the same – Maryse gives a speech saying that the Clave is replacing Lydia with Victor Aldertree. Who may very well be the most irritating and infuriating character introduced on the whole damn show. Aldertree wants the search for Jace as the top priority and he wants to interview people; he also puts the Institute on temporary lockdown.

Clary asks who would be out there looking for Jace if they’re on lockdown. But like, he just said that it was top priority to find Jace and that the lockdown was temporary so…everyone? Walking aimlessly around the streets of New York isn’t actually going to accomplish anything.  

Although, it would probably be good to find him soon since he’s being beaten by Valentine’s men. Valentine comes in and admires his resilience so he activates Jace’s healing rune and has Jace moved. Then later on he has Jace come into the kitchen where he’s cooking some spaghetti and he tries to use that as an opening to reminisce on some childhood memory that Jace does not actually have of him. Jace just needs this stupidity to stop (as do I) so he asks him why he faked his death and pretended to be Michael Wayland. And Valentine is like, “blah blah protection, I love you, your mom left you to die cause you’re different because I experimented on you with demon blood in the womb.”

Meanwhile, Clary gets interviewed and she says that Jace was trying to save everyone by warning them about Valentine. So Aldertree is like, “Oh so he knew ahead of time and didn’t stop Valentine.” It’s actually really stupid, but okay, whatever, let’s go with that.

And Alec is over here screwing up his relationship that has barely even gotten off the ground, by stopping Magnus on his way out (thought they were on a lockdown?). Now Magnus has clearly had enough of everyone and obviously not in the mood for questions like, “You’re not gonna help?” And Magnus just snaps and lets Alec have it and he says “You didn’t do anything for me, you did that all for you.” Alec is pissed that he’s bringing it up at all but they get interrupted by an alarm going off. So Magnus leaves.

Now, everyone is converging into the main room or whatever to see what the alarm is about, although it seems dumb that the announcement would be in one place in this big, high-tech place. It should project to all the rooms. And it should be projecting above, not below, eye-level. And unfortunately the non-urgency sound of the alarm coupled with the weird picture of Jace makes the whole “Wanted: Dead or Alive” announcement look really funny. They essentially ordered a man-hunt, but it’s impossible to take seriously.

The not so great part is that Aldertree blames this decision on what Clary said in the interview. Then he kicks out the Downworlders still at the Institute (really just Simon and Luke) and continues with the whole, “Jace is a traitor because he didn’t kill Valentine.” Sorry, are they scapegoating here? Is that what’s happening? Because that doesn’t make sense. The at most 20-year-old guy, who was alone for all encounters, never killed the seasoned villain who has an entire organization of people willing to die for him. And that makes him a traitor. I feel like we’re just trying to find someone to blame and refocus everyone’s attention so they don’t think too hard about how inept the Clave is. Clary’s only response is to be as stupid as Aldertree and says that they’re not gonna help him hunt down Jace. As if the dude in charge of a building full of people needs the help of three very young adults who obviously don’t like him. Why the hell would he ever in his life want their help? And he says as much and lifts the lockdown for everyone but Clary and Jocelyn.

Luke takes Simon to the Jade Wolf and says he can stay there as long as he wants. Then they talk about the fact that Simon is clearly into Clary and Luke’s advice is to give it a try and be bold. Listen, when your crush just experienced a trauma and is currently overwhelmed by guilt, stress, and complicated romantic feelings for someone else, that’s when you make your move. You heard it here first. Luke gets a phone call, so he walks out, leaving Simon…in the middle of all these werewolves…who, in case we forgot, do not like vampires. They have to honor Simon staying there because of Luke, but they don’t want him around them. So they lock him in one of the storage trailers outside. Which initially seems mean, but actually feels kinda helpful since the place is spacious and has lots of things and no windows so he doesn’t have to deal with the sun – it could be much worse.

On the Boat of Evil, Valentine’s new Shadowhunters are training. Jace decides to bring up the experimentation in the womb thing again, because seriously, what the hell. Valentine goes back with his usual thing of the evil downworlders and their evil urges needing to be combatted. So he decided to fight fire with fire, hence the experimentation. Jace looks down at the water and Valentine demonstrates that there’s a killer force field so maybe no jumping off the ship.

Isabelle takes Clary to “train”. But really it was a good way to get Clary close enough to talk while Aldertree can smirk at them. She could have just talked to Clary in her room, but I guess we couldn’t make the excuse of fanservice with their outfits as easily they went that route. For the record, they do look fantastic. Izzy tells her that Aldertree threatened to de-rune her if she looked for Jace, but she suggests that Clary “knows her enemy by becoming her enemy.” And their two-minute training session is over, while the music weirdly fades out. Seriously, whoever is in charge of this music, stop.

Clary takes Izzy’s advice in the literal way and uses a rune to disguise herself as Aldertree. I don’t understand how these people who have been Shadowhunters their whole lives have managed to not consider this. Someone should have been posted at the exit to check for this kind of thing. Why do people keep getting fooled with this? Clary went to ask Luke if the police knew anything relating to this Jace disappearance and he says he’ll check. Though I don’t see what they could possibly know; if he’s cloaked from other Shadowhunters then he certainly isn’t on the radar of humans. Luke points out where Simon is and when Clary leaves to go see him, he calls Jocelyn.

Since the lockdown is lifted, Alec decides to head out and go see Magnus. But Maryse follows him outside and asks him why he left. Alec tells her that he wants to try to find his brother and she says that Jace isn’t his brother and that they never should have brought him in. Alec is basically like, “Wow, the fuck is wrong with you, you raised him.” And she says that life is full of hard choices. He tells her not to fool herself – she’s saving her own ass. Can we get his dad back instead?

A little later, Jocelyn goes to see Clary and Simon. She says she wants to help find Jace and has Clary give her Jace’s gloves, along with her phone and stele. Then she runs out and locks them in. Ha, hey, the turnaround on that whole “I won’t lie again” thing was really quick. Simon tries to knock the door down by using his super speed. He does get a dent in it, but Clary tells him to stop. So instead they reminisce about getting drunk in 10th grade and Simon says how crazy things have been the past few weeks. I’m sorry weeks? It is so strange watching certain shows over an extended period of time when so much happens. Because it really seems longer – especially with the way they framed this Clary/Jace romance in the beginning. Anyway, Simon figures that’s as good a time as any to tell Clary he’s in love with her, but of course the door falls off, interrupting his declaration.

Let’s go to a couple that I actually like: Alec sees Magnus practicing some kind of magic (while shirtless, which is another kind of magic) on his balcony. Alec is trying to apologize, but he’s distracted by Magnus. Because his back is turned and he’s still doing the magic, not because of the shirtless thing (though it could be a factor). He tells Magnus that he was right about him calling off the wedding for himself and that the whole thing is new for him, but he didn’t mean to take it out on him. Magnus forgives him easily and asks that Alec doesn’t push him away when there are challenges. And he agrees to help Alec track Jace; luckily the risk of that is avoided because Jace and Valentine portal onto a street and Alec can sense Jace’s presence.

The problem is that everyone can sense his presence. So Maryse and Aldertree pinpoint exactly where he is. Jocelyn can sense him too because she’s using a tracking rune. And Simon and Clary are using his phone to track Clary’s mom. Alec and Izzy go to Aldertree to say they won’t “let” Aldertree send in his people to get Jace. But what was the point because they never actually did anything? Like they didn’t try to physically stop anyone, they weren’t delaying anyone, they had no plan. They just get immediately detained.

Valentine and Jace are in front of a vampire den. Valentine is trying to use the situation to prove that Downworlders are bad. This whole part of the storyline is already wearing thin – just let convincing him go. Anyway, Jace hears a scream and goes running inside to rescue the people. And he does get them out, but now he’s surrounded by vampires while in their domain. But wait – what about the humans? Do they have people who come in and erase their memories? These people are going to be traumatized and driven into further turmoil because they’ll think they’ve gone crazy.

Anyway, Jace has to fight his way out, all with the loud dubstep soundtrack that I cannot deal with. The music reminds me so much of those fight scenes in Teen Wolf. Except it worked better than it does here. Somehow it feels like the music doesn’t fit. It’s like a completely different tone. Jace eventually ends up tackled through a window, but manages to get the upper hand on vampire leader Maria. So she surrenders to authority of the Clave and taunts Jace about being a rule follower who legally can’t kill her. So of course Valentine is egging Jace on and Jace is conflicted. But the decision is made for him when Maria lunges at his neck. And it’s worth mentioning that Jace has been holding his weapon pointed towards her this entire time. So when he “killed” her, it seems unclear. Also, she was going in for the kill, so that’s justified yeah?

The problem is that everyone who sees this comes at the wrong time. So Clary and Simon see this happen while, across the street, Jocelyn uses a crossbow aimed right at Jace. So…how did she get across the street without anyone seeing? Did she really take the long way around so she could end up in that same spot? Because logically she was coming from the same direction as Clary and Simon. Also, no Institute members are present. Valentine decides to use this flying arrow to advantage and jumps in front of Jace to save him. Jocelyn loads up another arrow as Clary is running towards her, yelling for her to stop. And then, here’s the really bizarre thing, Jace grabs Valentine and helps him through the portal. And Clary is yelling at her mom like, “What did you just do?!” And the episode just ends.