#jan.fic

[zukkacore]

Crossposted to ao3

The morning after Frosty Fair Festival, Jace summons Porter to the principal’s office.

“I’ve been VP for five minutes, and I find out that one of the fucking Bad Kids is taking three simultaneous years of artificer class? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“You can’t pin that on me, Stardiamond.” Porter’s laugh is easygoing, and he’s only half paying attention as he watches the smoke trail from the cigarette he’s waving around. “I tried to dissuade him. He put himself through that.”

“But you won’t sign his MCAT. Do you want his annoying little truant friend to hate you?”

Porter laughs. “Miss Faeth isn’t a truant, I’ve been taking attendance for her in barbarian classes nearly every day."

He takes a long drag. “Of course you have.”

“Miss Faeth hates me no matter what I do. If she hasn’t caught on to what’s going on by now, I think you can breathe. Besides, I like a challenge. Something you could stand to learn.”

He tries to take another drag, but his hands are shaking, he’s so mad. There’s a clenching in his chest where the shatterstar is placed, then a pain that radiates outward. He winces. “Be it from me to question your teaching methods, but. Do you know what the Bad Kids did to the last vice principal?”

“Hey. I brought you back once. I can do it again.”

“I—” He doesn’t want to talk about that right now. He’s not ready to talk about it. “Tell me, does getting chewed out by a devil because one of his best bloodrush players is swamped sound like a good time to you? Jawbone recommended I look into xanax, that’s how wired I’ve been. And that was before I got ‘promoted’.”

“I’m sure you could get your hands on some if you attended one of his orgies.”

“Go to hell.”

“Likewise.”

They glare back and forth. Jace is used to getting into tiffs with Porter, but this—this is real.

 When he opens his mouth, his voice is quiet. “I don’t see why you can’t just sign the kid’s fucking MCAT.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate the whole impassioned speech,” says Porter, “It’s nice to see you actually riled up about something once in your silver-spoon life, maybe finally you’ll start giving a fuck.”

“I’m not riled up,” says Jace, but he’s working to keep his voice steady.

He’s used to the assumptions about his life, and he’d much rather keep up appearances than let a soul know about his estranged parents or the mind that’s trying to kill him. That’s the thing about sorcery—when your power is innate, you can never stop being grateful. If things are fucked, they could always, always be worse. He has to be unassuming. He likes being unassuming, because a gift is not a threat. And if his student’s can see that this scary thing they can’t help doesn’t have to rule their life, then, yeah, he’s ok with being a little bit of a joke.

At least, he was ok with it, before Porter Cliffbreaker broke him and shoved a shatterstar into his gaping chest wound and gave him a choice: rage or oblivion? He made his choice. He can’t back out now. So doesn’t Porter see he’s trying to look out for him? “I just think it would make things so much easier—”

“For who? You? Pardon me for treading on your cushy little gig.”

“Oh, we’re way past that.” Eight months past, to be exact. His mind is drifting back fondly to bleeding out in the Mountain’s of Chaos. He’s grateful that it’s so early in the morning, that no one is around to cast Detect Thoughts.

“Thistlespring could use a little tough love. That’s just the way I teach, now that you’re in charge, you’re gonna have to deal with it. He’s an orc, Stardiamond—barbarism is in his blood. He just needs to apply himself. I mean, you’ve seen the kid play bloodrush, he’s a beast.”

He grimaces. Something about the way Porter is speaking, he can’t place it, but he feels sick to his stomach.

“Right,” says Porter, clearly misjudging the expression on his face. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt for you to show a little school spirit.”

Jace laughs sharply.

“Well. He’s a beast you’re gonna find yourself on the wrong side of if you don’t watch yourself. You know how The Bad Kids are—they worm their way into everything, and the goblin that Kipperlily hates, he’s the worst of all. You know, he ate—Forget it. I just. I don’t want you getting—” He stops just short of saying it. As much as Porter has personally fucked him over, he’s in it too deep. Despite everything, Jace cares about him. He’s just so tired of trying to make things work. “If… this plan is so important to you, you have to be a little more tactful and a little less—you.”

“You think I can’t take care of myself, Stardiamond?” Porter flashes an infuriating grin.

“I didn’t say that. I just said… Be careful.”

“I appreciate the feedback and the personal concern, veep, but trust me when I say you’re letting your personal feelings get in the way with this one.”

His face is burning up, and he’s certain he’s a humiliating shade of red. Jace doesn’t even have to say anything. Porter knows what a low blow that is.

“Yeah, well,” mutters Jace. “Multiclassing is not for everyone.”

“Right.”

Jace is a good sorcerer. So good that it’s hard to articulate to his students what to him is second nature. He’s not the kind of teacher who does lesson plans precisely because he was never the kind of student who needed to study. It’s eerie how much Porter in these moments reminds him of his own teacher—the kind of teacher who praises his natural gifts all day and was absolutely resistant to him looking into other classes because he viewed it as a waste, as noncommittal, as proof of his lack of dedication. 

Jace never got his MCAT signed. And he was… not prepared for the sheer volume of work required for even early level wizardry. He wanted it; he wanted to be the kind of dedicated person who could put in the work. Maybe his teacher had been right, maybe he wasn’t very bright, and maybe he hadn’t been cut out to be a wizard, but it did feel a little like he was thrown in the deep end and told to swim just to prove a point. He’s always been a slave to his impulses. And in the end, he ran back to sorcery where they welcomed him back with open arms because it felt good to be good at something.

He can feel the thrum of the shatterstar in his chest, anger coupled with shame. He hates himself for being Jace Stardiamond. He’s always taken the path of least resistance. 

He’s not even sure he could call himself a good sorcerer anymore. He’s never been the kind of wizardly person who innately finds the joy of learning and discovery. He’s never found it all that rewarding. But sorcery does require a kind of self-knowledge, a certainty of oneself that he hasn’t felt in a long time. Whoever he is right now is a stranger, buried under several feet of bitterness and self-loathing.

“What’s it to you? You don’t even give a fuck about your own students, have you gotten a soft heart about little Thistlespring all of a sudden?”

“I don’t give a fuck about Thistlespring! Don’t you get it?”

“Look, if he confronts me on it, I’ll sign the damn MCAT. Happy? I was only resistant at first because—well, I mean, have you heard that ridiculous song he sings? The kid’s not very bright.”

He doesn’t answer.

“I’ll get it done if it means that much to you. C’mere.”

Porter takes Jace by the hands, pulling him in so that he can wrap his arms around Jace’s waist.

“We’re at school—” says Jace, but his protests are half-hearted. He turns his head, and he can feel Porter’s lips press up against his cheek.

“Listen to me.” Porter takes his face in his hands. “I have everything under control. The Bad Kids are nothing, Jace. Trust me. They’re twig gremlins. Maybe I got a little overinvested. I can’t help it, I need recruits, and the kid’s a natural. But that’s not everything. He’s too… Too timid. Afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Embracing his power.”

“Are… Are we still, um—” Porter’s gaze on him is so intense, Jace forgets what he’s saying. But that drive that he sees in Porter, that deep need to push, to optimize, to always be the best—it’s always been a source of deep frustration for Jace. But he can’t deny those are the same traits that make Porter so easy to admire. Maybe it’s just a wish, but he swears he can see the same admiration mirrored in Porter’s expression.

He can feel himself being reeled back in. His life is currently a living hell, but something in him has always felt compelled to be worthy of Porter’s admiration.   

He wishes he could be the kind of person Porter wants him to be. He worries that there is no ascendant version of him, that this really is all his potential, plain and simple. But he’ll try. For Porter, he wants to be great.

They can hear footsteps on the other side of the door. Time for school.

Porter is quick to change gears. He coughs, clearing his throat as Jace is quick to step away. “Tell you what—I’ll get that straightened away, Stardiamond. I’ll sign the papers. Things were a little rocky at first, but you know what? He earned it, after the damn display of frosty fair. He’ll make a great… adventurer.” He’s watching. “You know. When the time comes.”

Jace sighs, but it does nothing to help release the tension in his chest. Yeah. Frosty fair. He has to make the announcement about that soon. He can feel a headache coming on just thinking about it.

Porter kisses him, but Jace is quick to brush him away and toward the door. “You need to go.”

Porter grins, and Jace can feel his heart skipping like he’s some teen adventurer with a schoolyard crush. “Tell me some things aren’t worth a little risk.”

“Well, I have to give a speech,” says Jace, following Porter out of the office. Jawbone waves at them, and Jace nods as he shuts the door behind them.

“Hey. You’re gonna knock it out of the park, alright?” He gives Jace a punch in the shoulder, and it’s so awkward that Jace would be charmed by it in any other circumstance. Like they’re amicable co-workers and not the bad guys. Like they’re not intertwined, Porter’s rage making a comfy little home in his ribcage. “We’re all looking to you, now, Stardiamond. It’s a heavy burden, but I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust more to handle the responsibility.”

Jace doesn’t bother to check his insight. If Porter says it, he’s ready to believe it.

[j2zara]

LJ3 doing Friends with Benefits wip is done! We love to see mess!

Ship: J3 + J4 (aka LJ3)

Summary: It's movie night in Jace's townhome for the clones, and J3 and J4 are trying to be friends again after a messy breakup. Well. "Friends."

Teaser:

“Hey. Relax,” she breathes, the sensation tickling his neck.  “You’re not gonna be weird about this, are you?” The way she pouts with her cheek pressed against his shoulder makes his heart ache. How could he ever deny her anything? That’s what he wants to say. Instead— J3 shakes his head. “No,” he croaks out—too quick, but he can feel his cheeks go hot. Which is stupid because they’re supposed to be friends, right? J3 can be happy being friends. The relief that they’re talking again is enough. It should be enough. It’s too bad that he is the way he is—greedy, ravenous. He wants it all. Still, he’s glad they’re talking again. If he wants it all, he’ll take that much.

Anyway! I'm assuming if you're here you're already steeped in cloneposting. If not, care for some Clone Fic? You can Start Here. There's a Clone Primer included and everything.

[zukkacore]

J3porter hookup fic is finally here! Hope y'all enjoy b/c our little slut of the jaceclones is finally getting his turn to be messy

Ship: J3 (jaceclone) / Porter

Summary: Jace gifted Porter the Jace-clones when he told Porter he was walking away from the Plan—for good this time. And after months, he's finally agreed to enfold back into the Plan, but he's not taking Porter back. While he was gone, Porter developed an interesting rapport with J2. And J3's always been the body, the spare—to Porter, Jace was the saint, and J2 the precious gift, but he’s just the guy to cast enlarge-reduce in the Far Haven Woods, and whatever happens happens. But now Porter and J3 can have a little fun of their own.

Teaser:

“Not—” says J3, opening his mouth to protest, to say, Not here, Porter , but as their mouths press together and he devolves into a moan, he already knows his resolve is crumbling. “Porter, I have to—“ “You say that every time,” growls Porter, but amid the huff of frustration, he can see Porter’s lips curl into a smile, and—gods, is he enjoying this? Porter’s hands are gripping his thigh, pushing him up against the desk. “Later, ‘right? Whatever he’s got you doing can wait.” Just enough pullback to grin—cocky and confident in a way that makes J3 feel dizzy. “Tell me that this ain’t more important.” “Gods, you’re so creepy,” says J3, relishing in the shiver that runs up his spine as he winds his arms around Porter’s neck, unnerved by how Porter seems to always know what he’s about to say. He loves it so much.

I only see him as a friend (biggest lie i ever said)

A sort of follow-up to i'm almost me again (he's almost you) the j2porter special™ and takes place w/in the broader Lovers series

[zukkacore]

Part 1 of J2/Porter is here! I decided to split it up since I’m close to being done but not quite. Updates should be happening frequently over the next few days for a total of 6 chapters

Ship: j2 (aka Jaceclone) / Porter

Summary: Jace swears he's breaking off things for good with Porter (for real, this time), but he still has obligations, to The Plan, to The Rat Grinders, whatever else that he can't let go. As a solution, Jace gifts the jaceclones to Porter—a way to have intermediaries to do his dirty work and be a go-between so that he no longer has to see Porter ever again. However, during their break, Porter and J2 develop an interesting relationship

Playlist rec:

Like Real People Do by Hozier

Obsessed by Olivia Rodrigo

Night Shift by Lucy Dacus

I’m Your Man by Mitski

CHAPTER 1: It’s love, isn’t it?

A sort-of prequel to If you want divinity

Snippet:

“You’re in love, aren’t you?” “What?” When The Big Guy answers, he doesn’t even bother to look in J2’s direction. J2’s been following his line of sight—observing. It’s Jace. Figures. It’s always Jace.

[zukkacore]

Any dyke!Jace/Zara truthers out there?????? I wrote something for y’all (but mostly for me)

Summary: Zara bails Jace out of a scrape after a night out and a recent breakup. He realizes some things about himself, and she realizes that she might actually like Jace's company after all

Playlist:

HOT TO GO! by Chappell Roan

Susie Save Your Love by Allie X & Mitski

[zukkacore]

ITS FINALLY DONE. Anyway. Come beloved SB mutuals n friends come get your emotionally heavy 10k Jace topping from the bottom Starbreaker smut. Yes they fuck in Porter’s office. Bc I’m a cliche.

Summary: Jace gets dropped in the Far Haven Woods, and when he comes back, he finds out how vital to the Plan—and to Porter—he really is.

Teaser:

Jace comes to with a start and the sensation of a familiar hand’s sturdy grasp on his shoulder. His eyelids flutter open to the sight of Porter Cliffbreaker kneeling beside him. He lets out a hoarse laugh; he never thought he’d be so relieved to see the face of his condemner. “It’s you.” “It’s me.” His usual self-assuredness is gone, replaced by the most alien look of sheer panic Jace has ever seen. “Can’t—Can’t get rid of me that easily, huh, boss?” He can barely get the words out through a cough. Blood . He attempts to reach up, not even sure what he’s planning on doing—maybe give Porter some reassurance? Or maybe grab him, shake him for his stupidity. They’re in the Far Haven Woods. He remembers now. Which means Porter must have just performed Lay on Hands.

[zukkacore]

Ch 4 + 5 of J2Porter, come get ur juice to all those who partake! Also. Yes we're FINALLY getting to some of the stuff that's been promised in the tags.

Ship: J2 (aka Jaceclone) / Porter

Summary: Jace swears he's breaking off things for good with Porter (for real, this time), but he still has obligations, to The Plan, to The Rat Grinders, whatever else that he can't let go. As a solution, Jace gifts the jaceclones to Porter—a way to have intermediaries to do his dirty work and be a go-between so that he no longer has to see Porter ever again. However, during their break, Porter and J2 develop an interesting relationship

Chapter 4: i love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?

Ch 4 summary: Well. Someone has to be the one to replace Jace when they go into the Far Haven Woods. J2 makes an argument for why it should be him. A pretty good argument.

Snippet

“Alright,” says J2. “So we’re clear on this. Three is going to the woods with you and The Rat Grinders.” “Is that what you want?” Porter is staring at him.

Chapter 5: it's always been just him and me, together

Ch 5 Summary: Some j2porter vignettes. The Ascension is getting closer. And so are they.

A sort-of prequel to If You Want Divinity

[j2zara]

for a prompt... what about unexplored configuration of j2 and j4 playing nice? maybe j4 helps with something j2's researching? 👀

OK so!!! I wrote something, realized the tone went in the complete opposite direction of the prompt, so I essentially wrote a prequel to it instead. I'll give you both as a reblog. Sorry preemptively for the LJ3 agenda even on a j2 + j4 prompt. Like it's my fault.

“I like the name Cassandra.”

J2’s voice is quiet, but it’s unmistakable, the only sound that’s come from either of them after hours of research.

J4 pauses. “Me, too,” she finally admits. She raises her eyebrows at him. “Are you trying to… pitch something to me?”

“No!” says J2, his face scrunching up in a way that is positively adorable. “I just know that finding something that suits you is important to you. I—” He’s wringing his hands, sheepish. “I just thought I’d—”

“I want to choose my name,” says J4, giving him a pointed look.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bluejay scowls into his drink as he holds his mug close, warming his hands. The sleeves of his cardigan are caught on his thumbs.

A beat. She thinks about the joy radiating off J2 in waves when she first got wind of his new nickname. Bluejay. He was practically glowing. 

J4 averts her gaze. “Nothing.”

“Well,” says J2 after a minute. “It’ll come to you. Maybe in a way you won’t expect, but—keep an open mind, yeah? And—And when it comes to you, it’ll just feel right. And then…”

His eyes are far away, lost to his thoughts. Gods, he’s a sucker. Whatever treasured memories he has with The Big Guy, J4 doesn’t want to know.

“And then, what?” asks J4.

J2 shrugs, coming back to the present. “And then you’ll know.”

J2’s smile is so kind, so well-meaning, and she loves him, she really does. But based on his wistful expression, she knows what he’s thinking about. She can practically hear the sermon coming on. J4 feels sick to her stomach.

“I have a name,” says J4, more forceful, more crabby than she had wanted. Where is J3’s tact when she needs it?

“You do?”

“I—I’ve been workshopping it,” says J4, and she can feel her face grow hot.

She’s only told one other living soul about it, and it wasn’t J2. She thinks about the smile, the joy, all on her behalf at the news—the way the name, her name, had sounded in his mouth. The way he’d made it his own, and she hadn’t even cared because just hearing it had warmed her all the way down to her toes. Their best kept secret.

I love it. That’s great, El.

You don’t think it's too—

No. It suits you. It’s…

What?

It’s perfect.

J4 ducks her head, certain J2 can see the blush creeping on her cheeks even in the dim light of the desk lamp. “It’s… It’s not ready yet. Besides,” she adds. “I can’t take the name of a goddess. Too much… expectation. I already have to deal with your gods determining my life, I don’t want to throw another in the mix.” She knows she’s being too hard on him. J4 manages a small smile. “But I appreciate you trying.”

J2 is quiet.

“Maybe that’s how we get The Name,” he finally mutters before taking a sip from his mug. She can see his gaze is fixed, staring intently at a pinboard of leads and research he’s haphazardly thrown together. “If there’s a cleric that could recall it through some sort of Divine Intervention, like—”

“What are you talking about?”

“Like that girl!” says J2. “That girl that Kipperlilly is obsessed with. The one that is running for president. She's a cleric of Cassandra. This all happened over spring break. How do you not know this? She talks about it all the time.”

J4 doesn't remember the last time she was asked to watch the Rat Grinders. It’s J3’s turn to babysit the Rat Grinders this week. Actually, it’s been his turn to babysit the Rat Grinders a lot lately. She hardly gets to see him anymore. Last time he saw her, he’d lit up with excitement, despite the ragged exhaustion permeating his frame. 

“El, thank the gods you’re here. You need to give me a step by step recall on how the hell you get Ruben to shut up about his girlfriend. Teenagers are so funny, they’ll try to hump anything that moves and convince themselves that anyone with the same shit taste in music as them is their goddamn soulmate. Boys especially. They love you today. Tomorrow? Who knows. Oh, and you’ll never guess what Porter said to me today in the woods. Just, don’t tell J2, ok? If he knew The Boss’s Soulmate had tried a line with me, it would break his poor little sappy heart—”

“J4?” asks J2. He clicks his tongue with impatience. “Are you listening to me? I said—”

“I—I don’t know.” says J4 finally—unwilling to admit the way she's holding the sound of her name in his mouth close to her chest. “Guess I haven’t been paying attention.”

And here's the original thing I wrote (It has some petulant J2. And I love when he gets to be a little bitch but also he's being put in the torment nexus so sorry):

“I’ve looked everywhere,” says J2, and at the sound of his huff of frustration, J4 looks up to see J2’s mouth pulled into a deep frown, his brow furrowed. “I’ve scoured every text and scroll and fucking… scrap of paper he’s thrown our way. Become a better translator at ancient Giant than the damn Boss, and—”

“Hey,” says J4.

“There’s nothing! Nothing!” He throws the tome he’d been pouring over onto the table, and it makes a loud thud. “I told him—I begged him to just try Fallinel, but no. There has to be something there, and—and this is more important than his stupid daddy issues!” The hand holding a mug is shaking, and J4 keeps a careful eye on it. She knows he gets smashy when he’s upset—which isn’t often, and normally J4 would receive carefully poised J2’s tantrums with glee, especially when the ire is directed toward his beloved pantheon. But the panic in his voice gives her pause. “If—If we don’t get this, Porter is going to want to take another trip to the Mountains of Chaos, and—”

His face scrunches up, and J4 can see the tears coming from a mile away.

“Hey,” she says again, trying to muster up a more commanding tone so that she can override the panic that’s starting to set in. She hates when Bluejay cries. Out of pity, yes, but also because it makes her feel so helpless. “Blue. Over here.”

Too late. Bluejay is already blubbering, a practical downpour on his red, blotchy face, and J4 can’t help but ache. No matter how much she hates Porter, hates the Plan, hates every minute of research she has to perform to help him achieve his goals. But she's worried if he keeps this up, he's gonna surge so bad that the house will flood.

“And I j-just know if I try to bring up going with Him, I’m just going to get—get shut down ag-gain. I just got him to—to—to agree to let me go with him into-to—into the woods, I can’t also—And J3’s gonna frost me out all week over it when he hears the news because he has to go while I’m stuck here, with you, but it’s not like I asked for this.”

Fuck. She didn’t even think of that. J4’s too preoccupied at the thought of J3 going on a trip into the mountains to even register the derision with which J2 spits out the phrase with you.

Still. She can't imagine how J2 feels. To love someone so profoundly that it plagues you with worry. To want to be by their side just to keep them safe, even at personal risk. If she had a love that strong, maybe she, too, would be sobbing wreck.

J2 is right. J3’s usually so amenable, but she just knows he’s not going to take the news well. She can’t blame him. She’d be pissed too if she was reduced to a living shield for Jace’s Precious Gift. She's already plenty pissed on his behalf. She has no loyalty to Porter’s Plan—she’d love nothing more than for Him to fail to retrieve the name of this supposed Unnamed Goddess so that the ritual can fall to pieces, but J4 is also hyper-aware of her own tenuous claim to life. The clones are only here for as long as they're useful, and if they can’t get that name—

J4 has no love for Porter, not like Bluejay. But she has to do something. Think. What would J3 do?

“You should take a break.”

J2 blinks, his eyes still shiny and wet, but thankfully, it gets him to stop crying. “What?”

“Take a break. You’ll feel better if you come back to it later.” She reaches a hand out cautiously to rest it atop his in what she hopes is a gesture of comfort. As angry as J3 would be about the news, she also knows he’s a sap that can’t help giving people what they need. She's never known anyone could be so greedy—yet so unbelievably generous. It's his best quality. And his greatest flaw.

(Where the fuck is he right now? He should be here, helping them. Porter is still trying to ease his Precious Gift into the responsibilities within the Far Haven Woods, which means that most days, it still falls to J3. And it's dark out, and he's not back yet, and they could still be out there.)

(Or worse. She’s seen the looks Porter has given him when he thinks J2 isn’t looking. The looks J3 has given him back in return. Which isn’t worse than literal danger, she has to remind herself. She hates herself, for that—for thinking that this is worse, even if it was just for a moment.)

“The name isn’t the only thing that matters,” says J4 after a moment. She reaches over to stroke his hair, an unnatural gesture coming from her, but she aches to do something for him. “We can do something else. I—you know how I feel about all this. But I—I don’t like seeing you like this. The way you work, you’re killing yourself over it. It’s not—” She bites back the urge to say, He’s not worth it. “I promise you, Blue. Nothing is worth that—”

J2 opens his mouth, and she can see his expression contort to one of disgust and resolution before she hears the words come out of his mouth: “Fuck you.”

J4 bristles. “Excuse me?”

“Fuck you, El. The name is everything. You of all people should know that.”

A flash of rage, blood roaring in her ears, and before J4 knows it, before she can stop herself, she finds her dagger drawn and sitting pretty at J2’s throat. She snarls at him, pressing the blade ever so slightly into his flesh. “You don’t get to call me that. It doesn’t belong to you.”

“I—I’m sorry,” says J2, his eyes wide. J4 hates the terror embedded in them, hates her contorted expression reflected back at her. “I’m sorry, ok? I didn’t know. No, I—I mean. I didn’t mean it.”

A beat.

Her arm lowers. J4 averts her gaze. “You should go.”

“What?”

“You should turn in. It’s late anyway. I’ll take over from here.”

“But—”

“Go! Before I change my mind. If Jace gives you crap about it, just point him my way.”

J2 nods slowly, getting up from his chair cautiously, not taking his eyes off her. But J4 keeps her word. She lets him go. He pauses in the doorway, turns to look at her. “Thank you.” He squeaks it out hurriedly before scurrying off.

J4 sighs, looking at the surrounding mess. The piles and piles of texts. J2’s stupid conspiracy board. She tries not to think about how fucked she is—how fucked they all are. How she’s committing herself to doing the work of three people.

A name catches J4’s attention on the pinboard. Cassandra. She notices a hastily scribbled note beside it in J2’s tiny handwriting. She leans in to read it. It just says:

4. Gods—can grant True Life? Must investigate further.

She bites back the urge to cry. Instead, J4 grabs J2’s notebook off the desk, resolved to get to work.

Well. Bluejay is right about one thing. The Name is everything.

[j2zara]

Since they’re all horny and my pinned post on main has to stay dedicated to the zukka actors wearing my art why not just use this to shill for my 4 pt series that takes place within the same timeline / universe!

Part 1: jaceporter: if you want divinity (you’re gonna have to go through me) [13k, E]

Part 2: dykefag!jace + Zara: who can blame a girl? (call me hot not pretty) [2.5k, M]

Part 3: j2 (aka jaceclone 2) + Porter: I’m almost me again (he’s almost you) - [COMPLETED! 7/7 chapters!] [16k, E, slowburn]

Part 4: j3 (aka jaceclone 3) + Porter: I only see him as a friend (biggest lie i ever said) [5k, E]

Bonus (technically in a branch canon):

Part 5: J3 + J4: say that I want you to stay (but you should probably leave) [8k, E]

Part 6: J3 + J4 (aka LJ3) (FwB era): say what you mean (I wanna be with you) [8k, E]

Clone Lore Primer Part 1 + Clone Lore Primer Part 2 [For those who need a refresher or would rather go straight into Cloneposting without needing to read 52k of homework. Clone Lore Primer is basically a recap of everything that happens in the above]

[j2zara]

J3/J4 hookup fic is done..... I mean. Y'all know what this is. Come get your femdom juice

Ship: J3 + J4

Summary: J3 has been restless ever since Jace got back with Porter. And J4 knows that the necessity of the clones is slowly dwindling, but maybe she deserves a break. Maybe J3 can take her mind off things.

Teaser:

J3 sighs loudly, pointedly, for the third time that night—in a way that finally gets J4 to tug her headphones off her ears, shut the old grimoire she’d stolen from the Aguefort library, and look over at him from across the room. “Yes?” she asks tersely. She’s all too familiar with his sighs—cataloged each one. Caved to them more than once. Weak just like her master, no matter how far she tries to run. She stares at him, thinking, waiting. It could be all too easy to give him what he wants, but something gives her pause. Out of all his sighs, this one is strange, alien. Completely lacking in the usual melodrama that makes her roll her eyes. And smile to herself, as long as he’s not looking. No, judging by the flush of his cheeks, the agitated way he’s twitching, the furrow of his brow that disrupts his usual implacable expression, this is something else—real desperation. She tries again. Softer this time. “J3.”

Sigh. This is a branch-verse from the original clone canon but If you're here I might as well also shill for If You Want Divinity & Co., the fics that were the impetus for these versions of the clone's personalities. There's a lot more Clone Content in them :)

[zukkacore]

Guess what! Chapter 6 + Chapter 7 aka the final chapters of Almost are here! Anyway, finally some of the stuff promised in the tags. Yep. Also, I did update some of the content warnings so please make sure you check those out first b/c there have been some changes. Be safe!

Ship: J2 (aka Jaceclone) / Porter

Summary: Jace swears he's breaking off things for good with Porter (for real, this time), but he still has obligations, to The Plan, to The Rat Grinders, whatever else that he can't let go. As a solution, Jace gifts the jaceclones to Porter—a way to have intermediaries to do his dirty work and be a go-between so that he no longer has to see Porter ever again. However, during their break, Porter and J2 develop an interesting relationship

Chapter 6: who makes me so sad?

Ch 6 Summary: Jace and J2 have a confrontation in his office. In the aftermath, J2 turns to Porter

Snippet

“Gods, you’re pathetic.” A comment from Jace, unmistakably meant for him before he leaves the VP office. J2 hesitates. He turns around to face him. “Boss?” Jace stares for a long moment, his eyes narrow. Finally, he tears his gaze away, grabbing a pen so he can start signing an entire stack of forms that sits on his desk. He mutters,  “You need to trim your nails. The barbarian kids think Mr. Cliffbreaker got a fucking cat.”

Chapter 7: nothing in the world belongs to me

Ch 7 Summary: Porter is ready for a trip to the Mountains of Chaos. J2 wishes him off with a special goodbye.

A Sort-of prequel to If You Want Divinity

If you made it all the way to the end with me, thank you so much! [Spidernoir voice] I, uh. Love you. All <3

[zukkacore]

Part 1 of j2porter is herrrrrreeeeeeee

[zukkacore]

Ch 2 + Ch 3 of J2porter are here! I put them together since Ch2 is a tiny tiny thing and Ch3 is marginally longer

Ship: J2 (aka Jaceclone) / Porter

Summary: Jace swears he's breaking off things for good with Porter (for real, this time), but he still has obligations, to The Plan, to The Rat Grinders, whatever else that he can't let go. As a solution, Jace gifts the jaceclones to Porter—a way to have intermediaries to do his dirty work and be a go-between so that he no longer has to see Porter ever again. However, during their break, Porter and J2 develop an interesting relationship.

Chapter 2: Easy to Hate You

Snippet:

“I don’t give a fuck—” says Jace, in the middle of stapling papers to the wall. “I told you, Porter, I’m done.” He looks about ready to rip Porter’s throat out. “You shouldn’t even be here.” “This seemed more like a one-on-one sort of chat.” Porter’s voice is low, but his posture is casual. Like they’re friendly. Co-workers.

Chapter 3: I think you mistake me for her

Ch 3 summary: J2's beginning to slot into the role left by Jace's absence. He thinks about the first time he met Porter in comparison to where things are now. However, Jace's presence still hangs over the two of them.

A sort-of prequel to If You Want Divinity

[zukkacore]

okay okay okay. it was so hard to choose a scene from (tell me how) for the director commentary but i got it: The start of “Listen to me.” Porter takes his face in his hands. “I have everything under control. The Bad Kids are nothing, Jace. Trust me..." to.... well. End.

Shameless Self Promo for (tell me how) to be more like you

OOOOOOHHH ok ty ty this is great thank you. This was actually super fun to think about and thank you for asking! I came into this thinking I wouldn’t have much to say, but oops. Guess not. I’m not gonna TOTALLY backtrack but what I will say is that. This is actually kinda interesting b/c i was talking to a friend abt the fic in general, and this scene gave me some grief b/c I remember saying I was actually like. Really hesitant to add like. More overt “romantic” elements to the scene b/c I thought they would be too… abrupt or jarring I guess? Like. To me this fic is more of a conduit for me to scream abt Jace n Gorgug parallels from the rooftops, so it wasn't about the starbreaker relationship until I realized it was ALL ABOUT the starbreaker relationship. I also don’t tend to see Porter in my mind as this…openly affectionate or reassuring… Something like that. 

But also there’s this huge roller coaster that Jace is being pulled through and he’s being so starved for affection that he will take absolutely anything rn. I also realized a resolution like that was necessary because, maybe it’s just me extrapolating from headcanon, I always sense this, like, underlying tension between Porter’s desire to dominate and control others vs. his desire to push, to optimize and actualize. We’ve seen him act this way with Fig and with Gorgug, and it’s not textual that this is an internal conflict regarding his feelings about Jace being his subordinate, but to me this tension seemed like a natural extension of Porter’s relationships with the character’s we DO see. After so much breaking Jace down, he’s gotta get built up, gotta get on the hook again.

“Listen to me / I have everything under control”

is also. So authoritative, and the closest thing to reassurance Jace is gonna get. So much of Jace’s side of the conversation is 1-2 degrees of separation away from basically admitting “I care about you so much despite everything, and I’m just begging for you to care about me, too. (Don’t you see how stressed i am. Don’t you care about my life at all. etc).” And it’s telling that Porter can’t be vulnerable in return, the best he can do is reassure Jace that everything is gonna be ok in this egotistical, almost paternalistic way.

(“They’re twig gremlins” is such a signaling facts line tho. Sorry if that’s confusing. I used to listen to the shrieking shack podcast, and their dunkfest on HP7 will live in my head forever highly recommend btw, it fully changed my opinion on the final book forever that it truly should be seen as a GOT final season level embarrassment and for some reason its not even tho it’s astoundingly bad AND meanspirited. Anyway. I remember so clearly them saying one of the weird things abt deathly hallows was that it kept doing this fanfic thing of like “signaling facts” about the lore to prove the writer has done their research or is winking playfully at the source material. Which is weird bc it’s a book and not a fanfiction, so it felt really out of place and jarring. Anyway i have no qualms with fanfic signaling facts. I thought using a fantasy creature that is equally as insignificant as a rat or a spider would be fun. We all know what the ratgrinders do.)

Maybe I got a little over-invested. I can’t help it, I need recruits, and the kid’s a natural. But that’s not everything. He’s too… Too timid. Afraid.” “Of what?” “Embracing his power.”

Extrapolating on Porter’s motivations for saying he needs recruits tho; I mean, I don’t think he ever outright SAYS it but if he wants to be the god of war, I’m assuming he wants strong soldiers for his empire? In my mind this goes hand in hand with the like. Wanting to actualize certain characters even if its technically against his best interests (which i do think is somewhat is goal even if sometimes you can chalk it up to manipulations for his other plans. Like. I do think on some level as just a teacher, Porter thinks giving gorgug some tough love will push him where he needs to go). If you want to meld a strong warrior in your image, it's not a problem as long as you can get them On Your Side, ideally by persuasion but he has no problem using force (presumably shatterstar).

Which goes hand in hand with the doublespeak that is both about Jace and Gorgug when he says that jace/Gorgug is afraid of “embracing his power”. As much as I view it as a tension, i don’t think it’s a true contradiction for Porter to want to control Jace while also wanting to “actualize” him, control to keep someone submissive vs. control to shape someone into something you find personally acceptable.

And in the eyes of Porter, Gorgug’s flaws are that he is timid, noncommittal, and kinda dense; Porter’s never stated in the canon that he’s repulsed by Jace for the same reason, but why wouldn’t he be? He calls Gorgug a “natural” and I’m pretty sure he says that directly to Gorgug’s face in-show? And with Jace being a sorcerer, it’s meant to be a subtle reinforcement (Even when he’s trying to be comforting!!!) that like, yeah, raw talent isn’t enough. Especially if you’re letting it go to waste. I also think it’s Porter trying to recontextualize everything he’s expressed abt Gorgug. No, that wasn’t disgust, it’s a good thing. Trust me. It’s because I want what’s best for you.

All of this is building to Porter making Jace feel like he’s getting a shot to rise to an occasion. He basically just got reprimanded for wanting things to be easy so now it’s like—this is an opportunity for you. (I actually joked w/ a friend abt this, too, abt this idea of like Earning Porter’s Approval literally through the experience of watching FHJY. I actually described it to them as like, I felt like me and gorgug were basically Andy from Devil Wears Prada in the trenches, and on a practical level, we know what Miranda is putting her through is abusive, but also finally gaining her approval feels GOOD and you feel good FOR Andy when she starts nailing the job. I hated Porter for so long but by the time he was getting along with the bad kids I swung in the other direction, I started to really like him. Oh how young and foolish we were)

And Jace from the very start of “Listen to me” buys the whole thing. Porter doesn’t care for who Jace is, but he loves what Jace could be. And I don’t think Porter’s motivations are all manipulative, at least not overtly, because he does see something in Jace, so what if it happens to coincide with using him to ascend to godhood? It’s this genuine, like, god-as-patriarch perspective of i love you so much that I decide what is best for you. And that belief is both a source of frustration and motivation (esp b/c this personal take on Jace is neurodivergent coded. I won’t go into it. The failing wizardry comment did something to my brain, ok? You’ve built up a perfectly actualized version of me in your head and say it's because you want what’s best for me, and you’re making it my problem. I’m not injecting personal experiences into this. Who said I was).

So Porter loves who Jace could be, and in that moment, just out of Jace’s reach it’s enough, it’s even something aspirational. As fucked over as he was by Porter, its like, after a long time of just kinda Existing, it feels good to feel like someone believes in you.

“Tell me some things aren’t worth a little risk.”

Porter kisses him, and it’s an implicit signal of, like, it’s good to be a little dangerous actually. Don’t be such a stick in the mud. It’s good to be bad. It’s exciting, being with you is exciting, don’t you want to push the envelope a little bit for me?

(And in my mind because Jace has referenced missing being with Porter “It's the closest they've been in ages. Jace can't help but lean a little bit into it.” etc etc Jace kinda does this thing where they do their like toxic yaoi at each other's throats back and forth and Jace will kinda peel off. And then come back. Like they’re technically in one of their Off Phases now where Jace tries to convince himself that it’s better if they maintain some space. This is by far one of the more tender instances of them like coming back together, usually it's a lot more, ya know. Violent toxic yaoi coded. But it reminds him of before the shatterstar, when there were more instances like this. Maybe i should have included some of this in the actual fic. Lol. I literally wrote it in such a rush.)

“Hey. You’re gonna knock it out of the park, alright? [...] We’re all looking to you, now, Stardiamond. It’s a heavy burden, but I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust more to handle the responsibility"

And trying to be sneaky, saying things with double meanings is creating this moment of intimacy of like—we get each other. This is OUR thing. AND the flirting is doing double duty. The undercurrent of “I trust you with this responsibility” doubles as a more menacing “Don’t let me down”.  But there's also that recalling of like. Oh yeah, they really are just like. Co-workers. Maybe a little intense to say, but also on the outside, is that not innocuous enough? Who among us has not said to our best friend (i kid)

Anyway, I wasn’t sure where I was going when I wrote it, but i also think there’s something so interesting abt a sorcerer needing to be so dependent on another person for that sense of purpose. Porter is so his whole world here, which is crazy b/c sorcerers project their Will into the world (I have so many thoughts abt how this parallels the thing tracker said to Kristen about liking the idea of making your own meaning but also not wanting to do the work b/c on some level you think you deserve to have it easy. I think Jace is so similar. He likes the idea of being self-determining, of projecting his will, he’s even smug about it, but he also doesn’t want to put in the WORK so the minute someone else comes along gives him answers he’s like ok. That’s ok. Making meaning is exhausting anyway. This is my new reality now. But never mind it. Maybe it's for a prequel?). 

(also bonus that didn’t really fit into the progression of Thoughts, but there’s also the fact that in my mind, Porter saying about Gorgug, “He earned it, after the damn display at Frosty Fair,” is all but an admission that Porter is absolutely placating Jace, and Jace had actually very little sway in Porter’s decision-making. Porter was always gonna sign Gorgug’s MCAT (as long as Gorgug took the initiative to demand it). But Jace FEELS like something has changed, and that’s what matters. (something something that meme of the cow about the illusion of choice lol). I do think there is something intentionally disempowering about Porter bringing it up this way as well. Like, yes, Jace’s problem about antagonizing the bad kids seems to have gone (as far as he’s aware), but he is ultimately reinforcing, “this is my decision.”)

This doesn’t have anything to do with anything, but I do think there is an interpretation to be made (that I also enjoy in and partake) that Porter does also love Jace. I don’t know how much of that comes through in this particular instance.

Anyway, this was such a treat, thank you so much! Sorry if any of this felt redundant af bc i feel like I’ve said a lot of it before, or maybe it’s super self-evident.