#picking jace over magnus

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

Orange Peel Theory’s Got Nothing on Magnus Bane

“This whole thing sounds stupid,” Alec rolls his eyes at his siblings.

“That’s the point. It’s stupid but cute,” Izzy explains.

He thinks for a moment. “And Jace passed?”

“Jace passed,” Izzy nods.

“And so did you.”

“Yes,” Izzy smiles.

He’s not surprised, both his siblings are gone for their partners.

Alec doesn’t think a stupid orange peel theory is the true test of love but alas, mundane culture rarely ever makes sense to him.

“Alright. I’ll try it,” he sighs at their childish excitement, “but if Magnus doesn’t peel it and I have to get a divorce; I’m blaming you two forever.”

Izzy and Jace chuckle at him. “Okay, bro.”

Alec forgets about the stupid thing for the next few days. They’re busy and Magnus and he barely get any time together.

Then Izzy texts him one day, “Did you try it?”

Children.

Magnus comes out of the kitchen, with coffee for the two of them in his hands. Alec lets out a hand and takes one cup.

His husband sits on one end of the couch, his legs spread on the table in front of them. Alec sidles up next to him, closing any distance.

“Hi,” Magnus exhales against his mouth.

Alec smiles before kissing him. “Hi, baby.”

They spend the day lounging on the couch, trading slow kisses and touches. It’s been a while since they have got the time.

The kids are with Izzy and Simon today.

Then Alec remembers the stupid thing and decides to try it. He excuses himself and goes to the kitchen.

Do they even have oranges? He wonders.

He glances around the kitchen and finds a bowl of fruits with a few oranges in them.

Thank fuck.

He picks one up and walks back to the living room.

Magnus has a book in his hand now and his legs are stretched out on the sofa. He picks up the man's legs and makes space for himself, putting them above his.

He plays with the orange for a few minutes before he speaks, “Baby?”

“Yes, love?” Magnus looks up.

“I don’t feel like peeling this. Could you peel this up for me?” He asks, nonchalantly.

Magnus glances at the object in his hand and gives him an easy smile. “Sure.”

He hurrays himself internally and is about to pass the orange to Magnus before his husband snaps his fingers and voila—he has a plate in his hands with oranges peeled out and separated, displayed in quite a decorative manner on the dish.

Well, shit.

Alec huffs out a breath, picks up a slice and eats it, grumpily.

Magnus puts the book aside and shifts on the couch until he’s lying with his head on Alec’s stomach. He brings his hand to Magnus’s hair and runs them through it gently.

Another half an hour passes before Magnus comments. “You didn’t eat the oranges.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well, he has magic, so I can’t blame him,” he points out to his siblings who laugh at the incident.

“Why don’t you try again?”

Alec rolls his eyes, “I have better things to do, you know? Like running the Clave?”

“Come on, just one more time,” Jace insists.

“Fine,” he relents because even he wants to see how it goes.

It’s a few days later when the chance arises. The boys ran them ragged this morning, shouting and complaining, not liking anything Alec made for breakfast.

It was one of those mornings when nothing either of them did was getting the boys to settle down. So, they’d accepted defeat and magicked them some ice cream.

Ice cream cures everything in their house.

They’re exhausted by the time they get to have their breakfast. At this point, Alec doesn’t feel like eating much, also he’s running late.

“Darling, what would you like for breakfast?” Magnus murmurs against his neck, his body a strong line against Alec’s.

He hums before picking up an orange, “I don’t know. Just peel this for me,” and hands it over to Magnus and continues, “I need to leave. I’m not very hungry, right now.”

“Alexander,” Magnus says in an affronted tone, “You know, how I feel about skipping breakfast. Not in this house.”

His husband drags him over to the coffee table and snaps his fingers. There’s a small set-up there now. A plate of pancakes with a side of berries. Bacon and sunny side up.

“Eat,” Magnus chides before he can say anything.

He smiles, shaking his head in affection before he starts eating. Then, Magnus speaks, “Oh, wait. I forgot,” before a magically peeled orange appears in front of it.

Alec groans.

“What?” Magnus asks innocently.

“Nothing. Thank you.”

Alec tries a few variations of the thing but the result is all the same.

He can’t test the stupid theory, not that he needs to, but because it’s fun and with each failure, his desire to get it done right increases tenfold.

His siblings can’t win this.

He’s competitive, fuck him.

There was a demon attack today and Magnus and Alec, as psychotic as it sounds, decide to make a date out of it.

They help each other get prepared.

Well, mostly it was Magnus helping Alec ensure that all his eight hundred blades were in place.

“Do you think demons feel anything?” He asks his husband as they portal to the location.

The warlock thinks for a moment, “I don’t know. I don’t think so. Why?”

A mischievous grin appears on his face, “Well, if they did; they wouldn’t be able to concentrate while you looked like that.”

Magnus chuckles softly. “Flirt.”

They both reach home two hours later, taking their time between bantering and flirting while the three shadowhunters along with them groan at their blatant flirtation.

Not entirely exhausted, but the right amount of tired, both of them crash on the couch as they enter the loft. They’re met with two very excited boys, who immediately sober up a little seeing their tired states.

“You okay, Daddy?” “Bapak, are you tired?”

They hug the boys close and kiss their temples, letting them know they are well.

“Hungry?” Magnus asks.

“Starving.”

Then like an idiot, he asks the boys to bring an orange.

He flutters his eyes and hands it to Magnus.

“Peel,” it’s an order this time because Raziel, Magnus will know shit is up now.

“You just said you are starved. What is an orange gonna do?” Magnus raises an eyebrow.

“Just do it,” he whines.

“And they think I’m weird,” Magnus grumbles.

“Don’t use magic. You’re exhausted,” he warns.

Before he can pass off the orange to Magnus, Max comes running to him, snatching the orange. He snaps his fingers and there’s a plate in Alec’s hand again.

“Here, Daddy. I peeled it,” Max yells excitedly.

Internally, he groans like the biggest tragedy just occurred but outside, he can’t help but chuckle in response as he kisses Max on the cheek. “Thank you, baby.”

Fucking warlocks in his house.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The six of them are at the Tang Hotpot on a Saturday evening.

They switched Sunday brunch with Saturday hotpot for the day. Clary mentioned something about hotpot and Jace mentioned never having one and Magnus decided then and there, that it’s time to introduce the white assholes he hangs out with these days to culture.

“So, we put whatever we want to eat it inside this thing and it’ll cook?” Jace acts surprised.

Magnus rolls his eyes, knowing Jace likes to act like he doesn’t know anything about the mundane culture.

It’s always a 50-50 chance between Jace really not knowing something and him just fucking with everyone else.

“That is how cooking works,” Alec says sarcastically. “You cook what you want to eat and voila—“

“Not all of us have partners who can take us to any part of the world and have us taste world cuisine,” Jace grins.

“Clary can literally create portals,” Izzy points out.

There’s a large pot in the middle of the table, divided into two sections. One is the traditional broth while another is a spicier version of the broth with added garlic and spices.

Magnus prefers the spicier one.

Bowls of broth are placed next to the pot to be added as required. Next to them, platters of raw ingredients are present. There’s thinly sliced meat including beef, pork, lamb and chicken. Next to it is a plate filled with seafood—shrimp, and fish balls. Accompanied with it are noodles and dumplings of a variety.

And then there’s all the leafy vegetables.

The best part about a hotpot is that it is the only preparation with which the boys usually are okay eating vegetables. Most of it has to do with the fascination the cooking element of it brings but regardless, if his kids are eating vegetables, for whatever reason, Alec counts it as a win.

Magnus sits next to him, a hand dragging a random pattern on his thigh as Alec murmurs something against his ear, pulling a small grin out of the man.

“We are out in public. Stop with the obscenity,” Izzy grins.

Alec sticks out his tongue at her.

Years ago, Alec never thought it would be like this one day. He could never comprehend something like this.

An average Saturday dinner with his family and friends, as he sits next to the love of his life, his husband, Alec’s husband—like that very thought wouldn’t have made Alec throw his fists into a punching bag until they bled.

They’re waiting for the last of the preparations to arrive so they still have a few minutes. Alec looks up at Magnus and plants an unhurried kiss on his lips. When he pulls back, Magnus has the sweetest look on his face.

The food arrives so they all straighten up to get started.

Magnus picks up a few pieces of pork and dumps it in the broth.

“This one has improved,” Magnus teases as Alec pours some spicy broth into his bowl. “His white ass couldn’t deal with the spicier broth the first time we tried it.”

“Jokes on you. You married me,” Alec grins back.

“Oh wow,” Jace explains. “This is too good,” he adds before he chokes realising that he dipped his chicken too much into the chilli paste.

“Weak,” Clary chuckles.

“You try it,” Jace challenges her. Clary dips her shrimp into the chilli paste and pops it inside her mouth, all the while keeping eye contact with Jace.

She doesn’t flinch or cough at all.

“I am so attracted to you right now,” Jace comments.

Simon murmurs something against Izzy’s ear and she laughs, heartily before smacking his shoulder lightly.

This is good, he thinks.

Magnus nudges him and without even looking, Alec turns and opens his mouth as Magnus feeds him a bite of fish ball.

“Too sweet?”

He thinks for a moment before replying. “You could add some sesame oil.”

Magnus hums at that.

There are a few pieces of mushrooms in his broth which he doesn’t like at all. He picks them up and puts them on Magnus’s plate who rolls his eyes at him.

“Why do you take mushrooms if you never eat them?”

“I’m picking them out for you. The best mushrooms in the world for you,” he says in mock seriousness.

Magnus shakes his head in fond amusement before he picks up the plate of seafood and a few shrimps. He puts down his chopsticks and starts peeling the shrimp one by one.

When he is done, he transfers the plate to Alec who smiles at him. “Thanks, baby.”

It’s a fun night as they all relax after an exhausting few weeks.

“Alec, do you not know how to peel a shrimp or what?” Izzy comments.

Alec raises his head and frowns. “What?”

“Do you not know how to peel a shrimp?”

“I do.”

“Then why is Magnus doing it for you?”

Alec tilts his head to find Magnus peeling a few more shrimps and placing them on his plate.

“Umm, I like doing it for him,” Magnus adds nonchalantly.

Alec thinks for a moment. As long as he can recall, Magnus has been peeling shrimp for him.

He thinks about Izzy’s question and scoffs—of course, he knows how to peel a shrimp.

Then why doesn’t he do it himself?

“Magnus?”

“Yeah?” The warlock replies as he takes another bite of a dumpling.

“When did you start peeling the shrimps?”

Magnus raises his head at him in a quizzical manner. “Like twenty minutes ago?”

Alec huffs. “No, I meant like at all. When did you start?”

His husband frowns. “I don’t know. Maybe the first time we went out for a hotpot. You seemed confused by everything so I helped.”

The first time was almost five years ago.

“Okay,” he mumbles before he adds. He doesn’t know why but he can’t help but ask. “But why are you doing it still?”

Magnus gives him a small smile. “Because you like shrimps.”

He says it like it’s the simplest of things. And maybe it is.

He huffs out a laugh. “And you couldn’t peel those dammed oranges?”

The small smile turns into a huge grin as Magnus replies, “Well darling, you didn’t really like those oranges, now, did you?”

Alec breaks into laughter. “You knew?”

“After the first two times, yes. I had my doubts,” Magnus laughs.

“So all this while you knew?” Clary laughs. “You were just fucking with Alec.”

Magnus glances around the five of them. “I believe that I was playing all five of you and not just dear Alexander.”

“You are so annoying,” Alec comments, even though he’s laughing.

“I’m annoying?” Magnus teases. “You are the one who was testing my love through an orange.”

“And you failed,” Alec announces, feigning hurt. “My poor heart.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Should I stop peeling the shrimps too?” Magnus asks in amusement, and it’s entirely too enticing with a shrimp between his chopsticks.

Alec steals the chopsticks from Magnus’s hands and pops the piece inside his mouth. “Nope.”

They’re both home two hours later. Alec falls into the bed with Magnus on top of him, “Baby?”

“Yes, love?” Magnus runs his hands gently through his hair.

“You know what I realised?”

“What?”

Alec kisses Magnus’s nose before he speaks. “Some stupid peel theory has got nothing on you.”

——————————————————————————

For Anh @carelessflower 🌻🌈

[thiawen]

@alexanderlightweight You’ve been so prolific lately and with such great content that you’ve inspired me. Consider this a gift.

The Blessings of a Curse

“No. Absolutely not.”

Alec’s voice was hard and unyielding, a tone that made the rest of his hunters stand at attention.

“But you’ll die!” Isabelle cried out in dismay.

“There are worse things.” He told her with a cold certainty.

“Damnit, Alec!” Jace growled. “You have to! It’s fuck or die! Clary is offering!”

And that fact probably upset Jace the most. Alec was too disciplined to roll his eyes, but he certainly wanted to. Alec didn’t think for a second Clary was offering out of the goodness of her heart, even if she did find him attractive. Maybe she was mostly offering for Jace’s sake. Maybe she knew that if she didn’t offer, no other Nephilim would work with her ever again. Alec was positive that it was mostly so she could hold it over his head, even if she didn’t consciously realize it.

Nevermind that she owed him ten times over. He knew she didn’t see it that way. There were no debts between Shadowhunters, not in the field, and Clary seemed to think she was one just because she was a Nephilim. As if that alone was enough.

No. Clary would use it as a debt owed. She would wield it like a weapon against him, he knew. Anytime she wanted something from him, or to escape the consequences of her actions, or for him to give in to her reckless and/or selfish desires. She would bring up what she had done, like it was some great sacrifice on her part instead of his. Something she alone had suffered on his behalf and conveniently forgetting that he was only in this mess because of her. Alec would never hear the end of it.

“I would rather die.” He vowed.

“Please, Alec.” She pleaded, as if she weren’t offering a deal with the devil. “I want to help. I promise I’m okay with this.”

“Well I’m not okay with it.” He told her. “I’ve made my decision and I’m ready to meet my maker.”

“You really think Raziel would approve of you dying for this?” Jace asked him. “When you have a solution right in front of you?”

Alec can’t even describe how much he would rather fall on his own sword. “I’m positive Raziel will think I’ve died with honor.”

“Damn straight.” He barely hears murmured from somewhere in the Ops Center, the other Shadowhunters nodding in agreement.

Alec makes a mental note to give them all raises before he shuffles off his mortal coil.

“Alec.” Isabelle begged. “We can’t lose you. Is there any way you would say yes?”

“Find someone else.” He told his sister. Anyone but her, he silently beseeched the universe.

“There isn’t anyone else. ‘Fathered by a man of angel blood who consorts with the demons of Edom’ is a very specific requirement.”

At that moment, like an answer to a prayer, Magnus strolled in.

“I do believe my ears are burning.” The warlock smirked.

“Magnus.” Alec breathed. “You came.” He was so relieved.

He had hoped he could see Magnus one last time. It had felt selfish to ask him to come. But if Alec was going to die then he wanted it to be on his terms. What did the disapproval of the Clave or his parents matter when faced with the certainty of a painful death? He only had until midnight and he had decided to spend those hours with Magnus, to give himself what he wanted in his last moments.

He wanted to kiss Magnus and be kissed in return. To hold him and be held. He wanted so much with Magnus and he could only hope the other man would forgive him for being unable to give him more time. More than anything, he regretted that he had done nothing before now.

“For you, darling, always.” Magnus promised. “I heard you were forced to pick up the slack again and were cursed by a rogue Unseelie for your efforts. You really do need more competent help.”

“I really do.” He sighed in agreement, ignoring the protests from Jace and Clary.

“Can you break the curse?” Isabelle asked Magnus.

“Oh, absolutely. Tell me, Alexander. Did I ever tell you about my father?”

“No.” He frowned. “Why?”

“I am the son of Asmodeus.” He purred with a vicious smile, eyes glinting.

“The Greater Demon?” No wonder Magnus was so powerful.

“The fallen angel.” Magnus emphasized. “The King of Edom and all the demons therein.”

Alec stared for a moment, delighted. “I’ve suddenly found the will to live.” He declared. Then, he marched straight to Magnus and right there in the middle of the Institute, surrounded by Shadowhunters, he pressed his lips to Magnus’s in a desperate and passionate kiss.

[alexanderlightweight]

I'll confess, I did read your previous prompt but it had slipped my mind and I was not thinking of it specifically when I wrote mine. I just really like hair lore and long hair and fancy hairdos and can never get enough fics with those. So if you want to extend the previous verse or if you've got a slightly different idea and want to write that instead, I will be entirely happy either way Thanks for picking mine! I'm all excited now ~~ \(^o^)/ ~~

haha you're good. i just was trying to figure out if it was a continuation or not but here we go! new hair lore from a different verse lol

i hope you enjoy!

<3 lumine

-

“And what will you need for this ritual?” Alec asks, barely looking up from where he’s bent over a screen. Because if he sees Fray with braids other than training ones, he’s going to throw something — probably her — and he wants to finish this conversation.

There is silence and Alec looks up, frown on his face because he isn’t sure why they’re stalling or why they have yet to introduce whoever they’ve brought with them.

“This is, uh Alec this is Magnus Bane.” Fray says and Alec’s eye twitches, ready to rip out the braids currently in her hair and the small little demon bone charm in it.

“Yes, I know the High Warlock of Brooklyn.” Alec allows, nodding casually to Magnus who is watching him with far more interest than he did when Alec was seven and trying to stalk him out of the Institute.  It’s been years since he’s last seen him and Magnus is only more handsome, more beautiful and Alec reminds himself that business has to come before pleasure.

“It’s a sacrifice.” Magnus allows, “nephilim hair is steeped in their grace and the price to pay for nephilim memories must of course, come from a nephilim.”

“Alright.” Alec says and when Jace gives him a surprised but pleased look he adds, “Fray, you’ll supply as much as needed.  If there is more needed, you can request volunteers though no one is obligated to help you.”

“Alec—”

“Surely you weren’t expecting me to volunteer?” Alec asks casually as he stares Jace down. “If you and Izzy and interested in volunteering then of course I’ll allow it. If mother asks, I’ll make sure she understands it was a sacrifice for a…” his bottom lip curs into a sneer despite himself, “comrade of yours.” 

Magnus Bane is staring at him curiously, eyes incredibly intent and Alec is trying so hard not to let it affect him, even when it makes him want to stand straighter and turn, to show off the charms on his braid.

“Seriously? It’s just hair! These are my memories.” Fray tries to explain and Alec sighs, because his hair is more important to him than a stranger’s memories and he turns to Magnus.

“What are the specifics?”

“I’m not actually sure—” Magnus tells him and he seems completely at ease with the admittance. “Jocelyn Fairchild didn’t care about how they were protected, only that the memories would be nearly impossible to get.”

“My mother—”

“Shut up.” Alec says at the same time Magnus snaps his fingers and Clary goes surprisingly silent and then her face twists in outrage.  Alec snorts and ignores her, giving Jace a look that just dares him to interfere.

“A price will need to be paid to summon the demon, let alone find out what the cost will be.”

Alec sighs and looks at Clary with a frown and draws a small, ritual knife from his sleeve.  “Take off until just above the charm, that should be enough to figure out what the actual price is.” He holds it out, handle first to Clary and she crosses her arms and snorts.

“You cut your hair!” Clary spits out, the spell finally gone, “you’re the leader, aren’t you! So cut your own damn hair, Alec.” She tosses her red tangle of braids, “you’re a guy. You don’t even need long hair.”

Alec blinks and then he moves.  Clary is on the ground a moment later and he pins her there with his foot on her shoulder blades, one hand in the garish mess of braids.

“Do you want your memories back?” He asks calmly and Jace and Izzy are still, their faces pale from the moment Clary demanded he cut his hair.  The moment Clary garbles out a yes, Alec ignores anything else she adds and he cuts. 

There is a tiny chime, like a gong being shattered and Clary shudders as what little has grown of her angelic power is sheared away.  This is meant to be a sacrifice; it always is when a shadowhunter cuts their hair and Alec feels no sympathy.  The tiny demon bone charms disintegrates and he scoffs as he tosses the bundle to Magnus.

“The charm broke, it didn’t consider any of her demon kills to be valid.” Alec says mockingly, because Jace and Izzy insisted that Clary counted as bloodied even though Alec was sure it didn’t.  The charm dissolving without the connection to Clary’s core makes it clear that she’s not as strong or as capable as they keep pretending.

Clary sobs on the ground, looking up at him in horror and Alec shrugs.

He’s given Clary Fray every opportunity to learn and ask questions.

“You don’t get to pick and choose what parts of our culture you like.” Alec tells her and Magnus hums in agreement as he steps up close and the look, he’s given Alec is so hard to turn away from, but he does. “You want to be a part of our world, then you pay the prices like everyone else and you don’t get to ask others to sacrifice parts of themselves for your own vendetta.”

“Get her to the infirmary.” He tells Jace, “she’ll be fine in twenty minutes with a little adrenaline. Tell them to give her one of the weaker IV cocktails for nephilim children, she won’t be able to handle the amount an actual shadowhunter can handle.” He turns to Magnus then and swallows, “would you like to discuss the array and look over the wards in the rooms we have in our ritual rooms?”

“That would be perfect, thank you Alexander.” Magnus murmurs and he steps up next to Alec and smiles, something daring in his gaze. “Lead the way?”

[lurafita]

If I ever were to write a Malec AU inspired by the Leverage series

If you are not familiar with the Leverage series, here a very short synopsis: former high profile criminals form a team of vigilantes and use their unique skills to help the people that have been screwed over by the system.

Alec, in my head, is a cross between his canon personality, and his TWI personality. Meaning he may come across as ooc in specific instances. He would also be crushing on Magnus from the get go (as in, he has been crushing on him for a while before they see him in the room with Valentine) Okay, so basically the scene I have in mind is the crew watching the life stream of Valentine’s consultation with his court appointed lawyer. The scene starts with whoever is watching the stream, let’s say Izzy, seeing Magnus enter the room and calling over the others.

Izzy: “Oh no. Guys! We have a problem!”

Jace: “What’s wrong?”

Alec: “... That’s Magnus!”

possible other crew member: “Who’s Magnus and why is he a problem?”

Izzy: “Magnus Bane is one of the best lawyers in this country.”

Jace: “And also the guy that Alec here has been crushing on for like a decade.”

Alec: “It hasn’t been a decade, shut up!”

Izzy: “And as today is the day that Valentine was scheduled to meet with his attorney, it seems that Magnus Bane is the legal representative in question.”

possible other crew member: “So this Bane guy is in league with the scumbag?”

Alec: “No. Magnus would never do this to me and the kids.”

Jace: “He doesn’t even know you exist. And what kids?”

Alec: “The ones we will be adopting once I get up the nerve to ask him out!”

Izzy: “I’m sorry big brother, but if it turns out that Magnus is in Morgenstern’s pocket, I cannot give you my blessing to pursue a relationship with him.”

Alec: “Hey, we don’t have all the information yet. Let’s just see what happens.”

focus on the video

Magnus: “Mr. Morgenstern. My name is Magnus Bane, and Judge Dieudonnè has appointed me personally with your case. But I’m pretty sure that you know that already.”

- Alec: “See? I knew Magnus couldn’t be in league with someone like Valentine. Stupid judge.” -

Valentine: “And why would you think that?”

Magnus: “Mostly because I no longer practice criminal law, so I shouldn’t have been in the rotation for court appointed legal defense to begin with.”

Valentine: “Hm. How curious. Well, I’m sure the judge just wanted to make certain that the best defense is available to a law abiding citizen. And if the rumors are to be believed, you are the best.”

- possible other crew member: “So wait. If this Bane guy wasn’t supposed to be a possible pick for Morgenstern’s defense, does that mean that the judge is in cahoots with Morgenstern?”

Jace: “Who even says cahoots anymore? That is a good question, though.” -

Magnus: “It seems we have a different understanding of the term ‘law abiding’. The list of charges against you and your organization is as long as it is disturbing. And frankly, I believe that you are guilty of each and every atrocity you are charged with.”

Valentine: “I thought you lawyer types believed in ‘innocent until proven guilty’. Almost all the evidence against me is circumstantial.”

- Izzy: “Yes, which is why we cannot afford for Valentine to have as good a lawyer as Magnus fucking Bane!”

Alec: “Maybe we can discredit the judge? Get Magnus released from his appointment?” -

Magnus: “Call it a gut feeling. Anyway, while I couldn’t outright deny Judge Dieudonnè’s request, I am allowed to decline the assignment after an official meet with the client. I have now officially met you, and I’m afraid to say that I don’t feel comfortable with defending you. Have a good day, Mr. Morgenstern.”

- Jace: “Alright, bullet dodged. Congrats Alec. Looks like your man is one of the good ones.”

Alec: “Do you think I should ask him out in that little cafe he likes to go to on wednesdays? I could buy him his favorite drink to start us off with, but I don’t want to come across as stalkery.”

possible other crew member: “Yeah, you knowing that he has a favorite cafe he visits every wednesday isn’t stalkery at all.” -

Valentine: “Should you really treat me like that, if you truly believe that all those heinous allegations against me are true? Shouldn’t you be worried about possible repercussions, in that case?”

- Alec: “Did he just threaten my future husband? Okay, that’s it! I’m getting into this prison and then I will break every bone in his body!” -

Magnus: “Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Mr. Morgenstern. I grew up as the only son of one of the richest, most influential, and morally bankrupt men in this state. I have been threatened with ‘possible repercussions’ my entire life, and I have endured and survived quite a few of them as well. You are a pathetic, hideous excuse for a human being, and for all the lives you have ruined, I sincerely hope that you will rot and slowly die in the most awful prison they can find for scum like you. As long as that is a viable outcome of your incarceration, I don’t care what you do to me.”

- possible other crew member: “Damn. Okay, that was hot. Not gonna lie.”

Alec: “It will be a spring wedding. He loves halloween. If I propose to him then, we will have enough time to plan everything so that the spring flowers will be in full bloom by the time of the actual event.” -

Valentine: “You know what? I actually believe you.”

Magnus: “Goodbye then.”

Valentine: “Can you say the same about Ragnor Fell? Or Raphael Santiago? How about Catarina Loss? Or her cute little daughter. What was her name again? Right. Madzie.”

- Jace: “Did he just…?”

Izzy: “Threaten Magnus’ loved ones? Yeah, he did.”

Alec: “I’m going to fucking kill him!” -

Magnus: “How did you-”

Valentine: “I bet you are already running through your options on how to keep your little found family safe. Bring additional blackmail charges against me? - Now that would only make me more angry, wouldn’t it? Get your friend into police protection? - If only you could be sure that I don’t have people under my thumb in the police. Fly them out of the country? - But do you really know how far my organization and allies reach? And would the threat against them be over with as soon as I face my sentence? What’s it gonna be, Magnus. Your friends, or my freedom?”

- Izzy: “Fuck.”

Jace: “Okay, we need to get on top of this like yesterday.”

Alec: “Contact the other teams. We need round the clock protection for Magnus and his family. We have to find and take down Valentine’s allies and underlings, in and out of law enforcement. And we need to do it before Valentine’s trial starts and Magnus is forced to represent him.”

possible other crew member: “Guess that first date you have been planning is gonna be sooner than you thought.” -

[riveriafalll]

Mega OC Questionaire!!!!!!!

Time to get to know Artemys Raine, I guess!

(psst this is her story)

Five things that make you happy

“Hmmm... there are several things that make me happy, but Magnus usually tells me that 'eight year olds shouldn't have that big of a knife collection'. I like tricking people, and I like the song that Alec always hums to himself when he makes coffee in the morning. I like feeding the pigeons on the windowsill in the morning, when New York is... well, slightly quieter than normal, and when it's foggy in Central Park and I can dance with the Fae."

If you could save just one person, who would it be?

“Myself. Always."

Tell us one of your funniest jokes

“I don't joke much really... Magnus says my humour is more suited to an eighty year old than an eight, but then again he's the one with all the t-shirt puns."

Where would you like to visit?

“I really want to go to Peru..."

When do you usually go to sleep?

“According to Alec, eight pm every night. Magnus is a pushover and lets me stay up to midnight."

Are you a jealous person?

“Jealous of what? Power? I have more than enough myself, although I'm always happy to collect more."

Have you committed a crime?

“Are you a cop?"

Do you have a chore you usually hate?

“Having to baby-sit grown-ass adult Shadowhunters who keep almost dying."

Tell me an embarrassing childhood story

“I was born. That was pretty embarrassing."

Are you a good person?

“Ehhhh...."

What’s the worst thing you’ve done? Do you regret it?

“I briefly locked Jace in a room with a squirrel, I have no regrets. (Magnus is reading this over my shoulder and says I should add all the murder I've done, but I think the duck was worse, honestly)

What’s the quickest way to make you laugh?

“Probably tickling me, but that's also the quickest way to get a knife in the gut."

What is your favorite song right now?

“Magnus keeps playing ABBA, and I like Fernando the best, although he always dances with me during 'Does Your Mother Know' which is fun."

Do you sometimes wish to be someone else?

“Sometimes."

Do you push forward or take time to rest?

“Time to rest is time to get stabbed in the back, if you need to heal, do it while planning."

What is your favorite drink?

“Coffee. As strong as I can get away with before Alec notices."

If you had to pick a single item of clothing or an accessory to wear for the rest of your life, what would it be?

“My backpack. It has everything I need in it, and most of what I own."

If you were forced to forget a single memory, what would it be?

“I assume this is meant to be some sort of deep, sentimental question, but I'd simply forget the memory of whatever I'd dreamt about last night."

What is a positive thing your worst enemy would say about you?

“One of them told me that I was quite tenacious just after he stabbed me. I would be more proud if it hadn't come from Valentine."

she's so sassy, i love her (yes, magnus is working on the therapy thing. no shes not convinced yet.)

adding my tag list (+/- lemme know) and an open tag!!!

@hyperfixation-tangentopia @pippinoftheshire @cherrybombfangirlwrites

@once-and-future-fandoms @glasshouses-and-stones @deanscherrypie420

@agirlandherquill @lillybaaaka @late-to-the-fandom @toodumbforusernames

@damageinkorporated @aquadestinyswriting @druidx

@iIlovevewritingfanfic @supercimi @creative-author

@27paperlilies @avocado-frog @abigailmartinwriting

[ladyhindsight]

City of Lost Souls is definitely a book.

The story picks up two weeks after the end of City of Fallen Angels, and though the problems they are facing in this book are acute, the writing really does its best to dampen all the urgency down. If CoFA ended with a high note, CoLS fails to pick it up. The plot is more solid than the one in the previous installment, not because there’s barely any, but because the characters actually interact with and instigate it and don’t abandon the points in order to focus on something else most of the time. Most of the time.

The story progression was, however, incredibly slow on its way getting to the point. It dragged, because a lot of the pages was filled with Clary and Jace lusting after each other and constantly making out and almost having sex. Though Clare has said that Clary and Jace barely had a relationship in this book for Jace being under Sebastian's control, it’s strange to then write all this “physical activity” over and over to the point of being repetitive as hell. This book is rather too much about just Clary and Jace fawning over each other, some plot and side stuff scattered in between. Side stuff meaning completely unattached side plots concerning Alec, Isabelle, Maia, and Jordan. Delete all that, and the story remains unaffected. The length of the book, because of all the unnecessary and repetitive scenes, took a lot away from what could’ve been better quality.

Much like its predecessor, City of Lost Souls was still about Jace. Clary was the protagonist only seemingly, on her quest to save Jace while others did their own side quests that payed nothing substantial forward (except acquiring Glorious, Simon sacrificing himself in order to save Jace and Clary from their own mistakes and consequences of their own actions). If we take away Maia and Jordan’s part in the book, only the fact that Luke gets a cure from Praetor Lupus they went to seek would be gone. Maia and Jordan and their abhorrent relationship is not necessary at all. Alec and his ventures to meet Camille impact nothing but his relationship with Magnus, which sill adds up to a whole lot of nothing. Isabelle and Simon developing their relationship is inconsequential. Only characters worth to the actual plot are Sebastian, Clary, Jace, and Simon. Magnus is relevant for the fact that he is a warlock and knows how to summon things. And yet, he is static.

City of Lost Souls definitely takes a step towards more mature tone—failing at it spectacularly—and including more mature and darker themes, such as sexual assault to make an idiotic point that has already been made (see later the part about Sebastian) and drug use narratively disguised as some faerie shit. It seems that in this instalment Clare’s “quirks” as an author—her tepid writing style—really solidifies, because she keeps using the same phrases, terms, and descriptions time and time again. Out of all the books encompassing The Mortal Instruments, this was the most repetitive by far and so, consequently, is my groaning about it.

It’s an assault by similes.

CLARY. Clary makes her most substantial transformation as a character in this book via her Shadowhunter training suddenly kicking in. It’s just not genuine character growth. Just because Clary developes a skill, she did not change or grow as a character. In this book, Clary’s thoughtlessness and recklessness is redressed by Luke as her trying to do what she believes is right and consequently what the narrative believes is right. It’s not true just because you write other characters spouting things and supporting your impetuous and moronic heroine who thinks mostly about herself and Jace. She rushes herself into bad situations and is constantly so underprepared that I don’t think there is one brain cell in her head. Yet somehow everything just works out. She just goes through the motions and still never develops or grows.

JACE. There was really no Jace. When there for a moment was, he somehow remembers that he has a family and, to my surprise, parabatai. The epilogue really tries to reform and rewrite those relationships because, I don’t know, Clare experienced some sort of awakening with The Infernal Devices? It’s disingenuous because the series so far has nothing to back it up with. This sudden change in the narrative does not make the relationship with Alec, for instance, in the previous books appear in some new light or mend the shortcomings as to their bond. Jace and Isabelle’s relationship is far more solid and consistent because it barely exists anyway and doesn't experience any (recognized or not narrative) setbacks. Isabelle is Jace’s staunchest defender and Jace sometimes shows his affection to Isabelle. They pretty much adore each other. Compare this to the original trilogy where Jace doesn’t even seem to like Alec at all.

SIMON. Actual character with actual character development. Only that Simon should develop outside of his relationship to Clary as well, because now his development and growth is mostly tied to Clary and what the circumstances being with her and staying in her life basically force him into. Simon does what he does for Clary’s wellbeing, thought the summoning of Raziel edges on the idea of greater good as well. But still mostly for Clary.

SEBASTIAN. Much like his father, Sebastian is a shallow villain. Sebastian’s scars being revealed seemed like an attempt to explain away some of Sebastian’s cruelty and evilness, to show how he too suffered in Valentine’s hands and for the readers to have sympathy for him at that point in the story. Yet it seems rather needless when City of Glass went over how his inhumanity is because of Lilith’s blood—not even Lilith’s per se, but demon blood. That didn’t really leave a lot room for nature versus nurture argument. If we go further and consider City of Heavenly Fire, Sebastian’s evilness burns away with said heavenly fire. There was never room to consider that whatever Valentine did to Sebastian while growing up, how violent and abusive he was, made Sebastian the way he is now. Sebastian’s scars are a point of manipulating Clary and the readers into thinking that maybe he could be trusted since he, too, suffered and thus is the way he is, despite—and I’ll reiterate—his demon blood that was already told to be the absolute reason for his corruption.

In her answer about Sebastian sexually assaulting Clary, Clare says it was included to show that he is beyond redemption. Murdering Max and planning to burn down the world apparently did not make him villain enough, because the intent was to redirect fans who found Sebastian likable despite what he had done and intended to do. My mind can’t fucking register this logic at all. It’s pure authorial manipulation because Clare did not like the original response to Sebastian’s character—because Sebastian as a villain was more interesting than her inadequate excuses of unlikable protagonists.

Sexual violence is the most insensitive and perverse crime, to force yourself on someone, to violate them and their bodily integrity. Sexually assaulting anyone is loathsome, it’s sickening and disgusting. It is by no means a light subject to discuss, to deal with, and definitely to write about, which is why I honestly don’t think it is never needed if the story does not focus on that and handle such a sensitive topic as this appropriately. Sebastian forcing himself on Clary to showcase how his character is so evil is not appropriate, to say the least. It’s not about Clary or how Clary feels about it or how she deals with it: It’s about how evil and bad Sebastian truly can be. It’s just that, a cheap device that simultaneously craps on the issue because it doesn’t take Clary into consideration. Like the points made above, Sebastian was already evil and vile when he murdered a child. That was the whole purpose of Max’s death.

Clare tries to manipulate emotional response by choosing tragic and unjust ideas to stick onto her characters and expect readers to empathize with them because of those unfair circumstances. Sebastian is not just evil, he’s EEEVIL. Look how EEEVIL he is when he does EEEVIL things. Clare writes how she is a victim of sexual assault, and my heart goes out to her on that regard. Much like many others have pointed out over the years in critique of this book, it doesn’t mean Clare can write about it well or even adequately. She has all rights to write about it, the problem is her representation of that is plain bad. It’s the intent behind and purpose of including the sexual assault scene that is skewed and wrong: to make a point about a character being beyond redemption is just not it.

Why do you think a rape is what you need for it to progress? Is there something else that could fill the same function? Unless you have a damn good reason to include rape in a story, you probably shouldn’t. Using sexual assault as a motivation-in-a-box or an equivalent trope will do nothing but steal credibility and respect from a really serious, really important subject.

ALEC. Alec, once again, bore no true relevance to the story. His sole function was to confirm Jace being alive via the parabatai rune. I forgot he had no part whatsoever in raising Raziel. He was just there, and I laughed. Because there is so little of the main plot to even go around, Alec never gets his share. Clare doesn’t know how to weave any of the side characters to the actual plotline, because she doesn’t want it to be about them at all. Just Clary, Jace, and Simon as the agents. All would’ve carried on in the series without Alec even existing. What resemblance of a relevance he had, it was in a side plot that affects nothing but his relationship to Magnus. Nothing but irrelevance after irrelevance in each installment so far.

Alec’s story with his insecurity, his incapability to accept that Magnus has dated before and has past Magnus doesn’t want to talk about, that Magnus is immortal and forever-young and Alec is not, his own feelings of triviality and being not truly wanted can only hit the notes it wants by transforming Alec’s character to meet the demands of each “plot” point. Alec is, especially later, characterized as quiet, thoughtful, selfless, and as someone who turns inward with his issues. Then suddenly he has hissy fits, public tantrums, and gives an attitude loudly, and why? Because someone (Simon) needs to observe the twists and turns in Magnus and Alec’s relationship for wider audience because otherwise who’d know, since they don’t get the necessary room on the page nor consequential interactions with other characters as to their relationship. Alec’s disfiguration as to his characterization—any hope abandoned regarding its solidity—is a vehicle to all that.

MAGNUS. Has a new gimmick of forgetting Simon’s name. Isn’t he funny? Here he is just whiny and immature as hell. What is there to defend in a man who dates a teenager, abuses their naivety and trust, takes more than is willing to give, and eventually shits all responsibility of the relationship failing on said teenager and peaces out. My brain just boils whenever I read comments such as “Magnus was right to dump Alec” or “Magnus should go find someone more deserving of him.” I didn’t think I had so much contempt in me still, but there it is, rearing its head whenever my mind lingers more than a second on this fucking disaster of a dynamic Clare so carelessly concocted. There’s no accountability in the series, Clare understands fuck all about responsibility and human behavior and maturity, so why am I even disappointed again that this is what she came up with? It’s some part of my teenage years and the emotional connection I formed with these characters that still makes me feel incredibly angry over how talentless and thoughtless Clare is as an author.

ISABELLE. Izzy is, dare I say it, the most consistent character. The biggest problem with Izzy is that she doesn’t really do much, doesn’t matter much, and her only development is as to her romantic life and her attitude towards love and trust and opening up in a relationship, learning to show vulnerability and all that. And yet it is with Simon with whom she will always be the second best, though this time the writing actually recognizes it. Woah. Much like most installments so far and much like with Alec, this book would be the same without her in it as there is no plot to spare for her either. Only thing that scratches the main plot is her visit to the Iron Sisters at the Adamant Citadel when the story maps out the possibilities of severing the bond between Jace and Sebastian.

MAIA. Why is she here? Why is Jordan here? All they do is, sure, find the cure for Luke (still lacks motivation and is replacable) but then just date and have sex. Why is her character so inconsequential? Jordan can go fuck himself. Their whole relationship is a carwreck. Maia not once missed emotional aspects to their relationship or companionship with Jordan, she just keeps reminiscing about his looks and smell, because Clare knows fuck all about writing actual deep emotional bonds between two people instead of this passionate, appearance-based one. They are the definition of waste of space in this book.

Coherent thoughts over.

i. Tonally these characters do not know their ages. I cannot believe I’m reading wisdoms of love and life from sixteen-year-olds.

ii. The Nephilim society or the Clave do not go anywhere. The writing doesn’t raise questions about their society, does not intend to develop it, does not develop characters in attempt to change it—just shits on it and makes every agent of the Clave either dumb, oblivious, unproductive or all of that. And for what? Plot convenience.

iii. Why Clary couldn’t create a rune that unbinds Jace and Sebastian? She is able to call runes, create them, outside of the Gray Book, Marks from the Heaven itself, yet there is nothing on this?

iv. Clary and Sebastian talking on their way to meet Sister Magdalena was interesting, not only because we get to learn more about Morgenstern family but also because we get to experience Clary outside and untethered from Jace, even for a moment.

v. Whatever Clary and Jace have is not love. It is codependency and obsession to an unhealthy degree.

vi. Jocelyn is blamed for Clary’s reckless behavior, Raziel is blamed for the current situation of Jace being under Sebastian's control—where is the blame and accountability that rightly falls on Clary and Jace? Nowhere.

vii. Alec and Jace’s parabatai connection severing for a second, a minute, a whatever is brought up here. Not in CoFA where it should’ve been addressed rightaway.

viii. The Iron Sisters are underutilized and shoud've been already greater part of the world in the series. Also they were all regular Shadowhunters once. They all mingled among the Nephilim society. Whatever is the reason the Iron Sisters do not speak to men? Sexism but it is okay because of the faux feminism.

ix. The Battle of the Burren is nonsensical. So much battling happens, but no one really targets Simon. Alec is a sitting duck, but doesn’t get attacked. Jocelyn has time to talk with the opponent... where is the urgency actually?

x. Why does Camille need Alec to kill Raphael? She could do it herself just as well.

xi. Maryse tells about this mark Valentine had put on all of the Circle members in order to track them. Why doesn’t Maryse reveal this long before this? Because it did not exist until it was come up with for the purpose of this story, in a very minimal way too.

xii. Jace prioritizes making out with Clary despite not knowing how long the damaged rune that binds him to Sebastian will give him freedom instead of getting right to the point of revealing Sebastian’s true plan. What a fucking waste of time.

xiii. Summoning Azazel had no result and thus no point (except teasing Asmodeus).

xiv. Magnus says how the revelation of Sebastian's true plans should not be delivered by fire messages rather than face to face, which brings up the question of why didn't Clary communicate with the others via fire messages? She was not in place to receive them safely, but nothing stopped her from sending them. Fire messages are underutilized in the series, and Clare seems to have completely forgotten their existence most of the time. And ever if Clary for some reason or somehow was not able to send fire messages, the writing should've explored and addressed that not being an option, because now it creates a hole.

xv. Alec exchanging his energy with Magnus in CoG and here in CoLS is an imitation of intimacy.

xvi. I just absolutely loved this Goodreads review for its poignancy and simplicity: “someone call the nonsense police because we have a big case on our hands”

[wwe-supernaturalxbands]

The Break Up

Jace x Reader / Raphael x Reader

Summary: Being jealous of Clary and Jace finds it hot, and finds ways to make you jealous so you break up with him and eventually start dating Raphael Santiago

Warnings: Jealousy, break up, angst, no happy ending (yet)

Word Count: 2192

Part 1 of the series: The Vampire and the Hunter

Everyone knew that being Jace Wayland's girlfriend was hard. Y/N knew better than them though, she never got jealous of everyone that flirted with him because she trusted him and knew that he was hers. She truly believed they were it for each other. Until Clary Fairchild entered.

Now, Jace spends all his time with Clary making Alec and Y/N both upset and jealous. "I just don't see why he has to be with her all the time. We haven't had time alone in days! And he hasn't even noticed I sleep in your room!" Y/N cries to Alec who's heart is breaking for her. Y/N  was the only one who knew about Alec's sexuality and his complex feelings for Jace, and she understood, she sympathized with him, she was the only person who saw behind Alec's walls. And now here they were, both  upset, eating ice cream and venting to each other. "I know! He's been more reckless than before and has  done everything for her and only her!" Alec says as he grabs another spoonful of ice cream. "I don't even want to go back to our room" she sighs and lays down on Alec's bed,  he lays next to her, they cuddle. It's completely normal because Y/N was very cuddly with family, especially when she was upset. Alec quickly texted Magnus and asked if they could rein check their date, again. The next morning, Y/N woke up and realized that Jace didn't even notice she wasn't in their room. She walked over to their room to get clothes and shower, there was Jace, sleeping peacefully. She just sighed and walked to the showers.

It's been hours and Y/N was walking next to Izzy. "I know you don't like her but maybe give her a chance?" Izzy tries to play the mediator. Y/N rolls her eyes and they walk past the gym, there she sees Clary flirting with Jace while they train, "hey babe!" Y/N yells over at him, to remind Clary he's taken. "Hi princess" he says and walks over and gives her a kiss on the head, sighing contently, she notices the way Jace is looking between both girls. "I have to finish training with Clary but want to get dinner later?" He asks with a smirk. He's never seen his girlfriend get jealous and as much as he loved how secure they felt in the relationship, it was nice to see her checking out the competition. Not that Clary was actual competition, Y/N was it for Jace, but she never showed signs of jealousy and he liked that she did, maybe she'd get possessive and they'd get kinky, it's been a while, they hadn't had sex since Clary's arrival, Jace hadn't pieced together that it was in fact his fault. Y/N nodded, smiling her usual warm smile instead of the fake one she always had in front of Clary, Jace was starting to realize that they didn't get along because of his girlfriend's jealousy and Clary's need to flirt with Jace. He let her flirt but he didn't flirt back unless Y/N was there, only so he could see her jealous. Training had gone on for longer than he anticipated, Clary was not cut out to be a shadowhunter, that was obvious. He'd had texted his girlfriend while she was out on a mission and told her to be ready for their date at 7pm and he'd pick her up at the common room after his training and shower. It was now 8:45pm and Clary kept telling him she needed more help. Jace with his stupid god complex wanted to end the session with her being much better than when she started, so he didn't check his phone and just kept sparring with her. He hadn't noticed the many texts and calls from his girlfriend, his parabatai, or his sister. At some point, he has Clary pinned down and telling her what needed improvement when all of a sudden Alec walks in, he looks angry at Jace, Jace simply gets up and starts to go over to Alec, assuming they just got back from the mission. Alec puts his hand up, Jace can feel something's wrong through their bond, Alec pulls out his phone and calls someone, "Found him Iz" "Is he with her", Izzy whispers, not wanting to upset Y/N who had after 8pm walked to their room after waiting in the common room for an hour. "Yeah he's with Clary. Just take Y/N to her favorite mundane restaurant, I'll go to their room and grab some of her pajamas so she can sleep tonight with me again and won't have to see him until tomorrow" he hears her comply and they hang up. "What? Our date isn't until 7" Jace asks confused, suddenly Clary is next to him, her arm wrapped around his and she's giggling. "It's almost 9" Alec sighs and walks away. Jace couldn't believe he let Clary distract him and miss his date with his girl. He decides to just walk back to his room and sleep, he'll fix everything tomorrow.

The next day, Jace goes to Y/N's favorite mundane coffee shop, Mila's, and buys her some coffee and a bouquet of flowers. He gets back to the institute and realizes it's still early and Y/N is probably still asleep. He begins to walk over to Alec's room when suddenly Clary's in front of him and taking the cup of coffee. "Thanks for the coffee, just what I needed" she says and takes a sip. Sighing, he realizes he let this go to far, "Clary listen, I don't like you like that. I took you in because you're a shadowhunter but that's it. I have a girlfriend I really love and hope to marry soon. I only let you flirt and flirted back because before you, she was never jealous or possessive. She gets jealous in front of you and I just wanted to mess with her because I liked seeing her jealous. But I'm starting to see it's getting to extreme, you made me miss our date, which now that I'm putting the pieces together, yesterday was actually our 3 year anniversary. So you can keep HER coffee but I'm done giving you attention. I'll tell Alec that you need a new training partner" he finishes and before she can reply he keeps walking. Knocking on Alec's door, Jace gets nervous. Y/N opens the door, Alec had left early in the morning and she was just laying on his bed watching a mundane tv show. She lets Jace in, "Baby I'm sorry! I didn't realize this would get out of hand. I didn't mean to miss our anniversary, let me make it up to you" Jace begins. "You let her flirt with you and you flirted back. Before her, anytime someone flirted, you never flirted back. Do you like her or something" Y/N begins to let her insecurities get the best of her. "No baby! I just had never seen you get jealous and I thought it was cute!" "Wait! You purposely tried to make me jealous? You let her flirt and you flirted back because you wanted to see me get jealous? You purposely inflicted emotional pain onto me? Are you mad at me for something" Y/N begins to get angry. Jace realizes his mistake, Y/N never got jealous because she trusted him, she never got jealous because she knew she owned his heart, and this had just crushed her. Him letting Clary flirt and him flirting back wasn't just a little game, it meant Y/N clearly began to get insecure in her role as his girlfriend. "Baby-" Jace begins and goes to hold her hand but she just pushed his hand away and walked out into the hallway. She walked to their room and began to pull her stuff out of their closet and drawers, "I'll make sure all my stuff is out of here by the afternoon, so you can move your little fling in. How many nights did you bring her to the room? Because I don't know if you noticed but I haven't slept in this room since you brought her," Y/N says and realizes she's breaking up with Jace. Her hands begin to tremble so she stops putting her clothes in bags and sits on the bed, trying to catch some air as she begins to panic. "Baby, I didn't do anything with her I promise, I just figured you wanted to spend more time with Izzy and Alec but every night I slept on our bed alone, I wanted to just go get you and bring you back, you're my love" Jace says and tries to sit next to her on the bed, as soon as he sits she jumps back up and although her hands are still shaking she grabs one of the bags but it slips out of her hand, "Fuck". Jace tries to hold her, "Don't" she barks out, finally looking him in the eyes, "We're over Jace, go fuck your little bitch because I'm done" she immediately walks out of the room and shuts the door on his face. As she begins to walk to Alec's room, she bumps into Callie, one of the older shadowhunters, who doesn't go in the field anymore but focuses on keeping the institute clean and occasionally helps in the kitchen. "Y/N you ok" she asks holding the girl in front of her, who won't stop shaking. "I need Alec" is all she manages to get out between her few gasps of air, Callie immediately grabs Y/N's hand and begins to pull her straight to Alec's office, Underhill is at the door, "he's in a meeting" he begins to explain but once he sees the condition Y/N is in, knocks on the door, "boss it's an emergency" he tries to explain, afraid if they don't get Y/N to one of the few people that can help her through the attacks, she will faint. "I just texted Isabelle and Jace to come and see if they can maybe help" Callie explains as she still holds onto Y/N. Upon hearing her ex's name, she begins to shake even more and can barely stand, Underhill just knocks harder.

The door finally opens. Alec is standing, slightly mad he was interrupted, you could see Magnus sitting on Alec's office chair, buttoning his shirt back up. Once he sees the condition his friend is in, Alec's demeanor changes and he grabs her and hugs her, she hugs back and just lets her body go limp against him. Alec quickly puts his arms under her knees and carries her into his office, "please leave us" he tells Underhill and Callie as he sets Y/N on the couch, Magnus begins to leave but Alec looks at him, pleading him to stay. Thanks to Y/N, Alec had been able to build something with Magnus. She had convinced Maryse to hold on in the marriage that was going to happen between Alec and Lydia and had said it would be best to wait until the whole Valentine's daughter situation was fixed, therefore letting Magnus and Alec explore their relationship, having time to figure out how to tell Maryse once the war is over.

"He was purposely trying to make me jealous," she tells Alec, once she's calmed down. Magnus is sitting by her side, "I'm sorry" he says, genuinely upset as this is one of the few shadowhunters who treats him with respect, Y/N simply shakes her head and keeps crying. Suddenly there's a knock at the door, Alec slightly opens it and notices both Jace and Izzy, he also notices Clary is somewhere in the background trying to not laugh. He goes up to Jace, slamming him against the wall, "ALEC" Izzy yells and tries to separate her brothers, "What the fuck is wrong with you Jace. You really throwing away your relationship for Valentine's daughter" Alec growls at Jace who actually looks afraid of his parabatai. Izzy gasps as she finally notices Y/N exiting the office with Magnus behind her, murder also in his eyes. "Let him go Alec please, he can date whoever he wants now" Y/N states exhausted from all the crying, Izzy then whips around to look at Clary who comes out of the shadows, smiling. Alec lets Jace go and pushes him towards Clary, "you're being benched, I only want you on cleaning weapons duty until I finish rearranging patrol groups so you're not with Y/N/N anymore" he says and begins to walk back into his office with Y/N and Magnus. Izzy just continues to look at Jace who looks absolutely broken and when Clary tries to grab his arm he pulls it back harshly and glares at her before walking away. "You just ensured a smart way to make the entire institute hate you, women may flirt with him but at the end of the day every single person here loves Y/N" Izzy told Clary as she looked shocked, Izzy had never been rude to her before. Izzy then begins to walk away to train and find a way to convince Y/N to go out with her.

[myadmiringmind]

Dancing Under the Stars |Jace Herondale

Jace Herondale Masterlist

Word Count: 1.2k

Genre: Fluff

Pairing(s): Female!Reader x Jace Herondale, Magnus Bane x Alec Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood x vampire! Simon Lewis

Summary: You attend the anniversary of the new accords with the Downworlders. But you find that you enjoy the party much more when you’re out under the stars.

Warnings: food, vampires drinking blood, some slightly suggestive stuff

Notes:

Reader is wearing a gown

|PICTURES ARE NOT MINE|

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The sun was setting outside, the clouds and the orange glow from the sun made the sky look like a painting. The glass towers of Alicante only added to the beautiful scenery. For a moment or two you couldn’t take your eyes from the scene.

Then you heard a loud crash and your head involuntarily turned to see what was going on. Your mind swirled with the worst possible scenarios. 

You were relieved to see that it was just a vampire who dropped his glass of blood.

The relief didn’t last long as you noticed that the blood had stained a faeries dress. She had dark green skin with light violet eyes. Her teeth were pointy and she was visibly angry. She snarled at the vampire who looked shocked at what had happened. You worried you might have to step in but then a faerie with butterflies on her cheeks came up to her friend.

They talked in hushed voices and glanced around. You realized that some of the other shadowhunters had also been watching. Some looked more on edge than the others. Some looked upon the scene with dissatisfaction, as if they had been the ones who had blood spilt on them.

You suddenly wished people could mind their own business when you noticed that the green faerie looked quite embarrassed. She glanced upon her dress with disappointment.

It was such a nice dress you noticed. You sighed, feeling bad for the faerie.

“What’s everyone looking at?” A certain warlock whispered in your ear

You turned and noticed that Magnus and Alec were standing beside you. Magnus was trying to look through the crowd but you could tell Alec saw easily over everyone with his height.

Alec whispered in Magnus’ ear and you knew he was telling him.

“What was it stained with?” Magnus asked aloud

“Blood.” You commented

“Oh, dear.” Magnus shook his head and watched as the two faeries wandered out of the big room.

“It was such a beautiful dress too.” You commented

“Alexander, be a dear and hold my bag, would you.” Magnus handed his bag over to Alec without looking, then followed the path the faeries had gone.

Alec, looking confused, quickly followed after his boyfriend, muttering to you a quick “bye”.

You sighed, realizing you were alone. You walked over to the long table with refreshments of all sorts to fit the different appetites of the party's guests.

You grabbed a wooden stick with different fruits on it and looked around the ballroom.

You saw Izzy, wearing a gorgeous skin tight dress that complimented her figure nicely, leading Simon through a dance. If he had still been human you guessed that the dance wouldn’t have come so effortlessly to him as it looked.

“He reminds me of a chicken.” A familiar voice whispered in your ear.

You smiled, pleased, with this newfound presence. “I think they look nice.” You defended your friend.

Jace was wearing nice clothes, you noticed. He was in a black suit that hugged his body quite nicely. For a moment you could only feel jealous of the suit.

Jace shook his head, snapping you out of your thoughts, “No. He’s picking up his feet too much and flailing his arms like a goose.” Jace sighed, “Maybe I should’ve listened to Izzy when she asked me to teach him to dance.”

“You think you can do better?” You asked

He grinned at you, “I know I can do better.”

He grabbed your hand leading you to the floor.

“Do you know the dance?” He asked, setting one hand on your waist and the other in your hand.

“Some parts.” You answered, nervous.

Jace smiled, “Don’t worry, I’ll lead.”

Jace began to move, pulling your body with his. The dance seemed so effortless to him, you were doing your best to keep up.

But you were able to catch onto the dance. You smiled, proud of yourself.

Jace noticed too, “Good girl.” He whispered into your ear.

Before you could react Jace spun you again. You stumbled into his arms. You were quick to notice the stupid smirk on his face.

“If you keep spinning me, you’ll make me fall.” You whispered

Jace only smiled at you, “I’d never let you fall.”

And he spun you again.

“Jace.” You hissed

He hummed with a smirk, “Pay attention to the dance darling or you might trip.”

You rolled your eyes but listened.

His body was warm, his hands rested nicely on your body. Jace's golden eyes were focused solely on you. Only his Shadow hunter training kept him from bumping into the guests nearby.

“Get ready, I’m about to lift you.” Jace said out of nowhere

Your eyes grew wide. Both of Jaces hands went to your hips and raised you into the air. Your hands went to his shoulders, hoping to steady yourself.

When your feet met the ground your feet miraculously went back into the dance. But your breath was shallow.

Jace noticed and slowed, “No more.” He promised you

You nodded, catching your breath.

Jace stopped suddenly, and you stopped with him.

“Come. Let’s go somewhere a bit more private.” He led you to one of the ceiling high doors.

The sky had grown dark, and now the stars were out.

You marveled at their beauty. You stopped when you heard a familiar chuckle.

Jace was leaning against one of the stone walls looking directly at you.

“What?” You asked

“Can you name any of them?” He asked

“What?” You said confused

“The stars. Can you name any of them?” He repeated

You shook your head, “Can you?”

Jace looked up at the sky, “Maybe a couple.”

You smiled, and walked towards him.

The night was beautiful, but also chilly. Your gown, though stunning, didn’t do much to keep you warm. You leaned your head on Jaces chest, testing the waters and seeing what he was comfortable with.

His arms went around your waist pulling you closer.

“Your gown is lovely.” He murmured

You hummed in agreement, “Izzy helped me pick it out.”

Jace nodded in acknowledgment. Jace kissed your forehead and you involuntarily shivered.

“Cold?” You could feel the smile on his lips.

You nodded, “I am.”

Jace tutted, “Well we can’t have that, can we?”

Jace let go of you and stood in the middle of the terrace.

“What are you doing?” You asked

Jace shrugged, “Haven't you heard that if you keep your body moving you’ll stay warm. So we could fight or dance or...something else.” He smirked suggestively

“I choose dancing.” You said walking towards him

He looked disappointed for a moment but he quickly wiped the look off his face as you grew near, “Eager are we?” He teased

You grinned, “Eager not to be cold anymore.”

He huffed out a laugh, taking your hand in his.

At first the dance was fast, then it slowed at the sound of the piano.

You laid your head on Jaces chest when a cold breeze came through.

You could feel Jaces chest rumble as he chuckled.

“Enjoying yourself are you?”

You scoffed, “You’re warm and I’m cold.”

“Perhaps we should head inside?” He suggested

You shook your head, “I like it out here. With you.” You mumbled the last part but you were sure he heard.

The night was still young, but you could feel yourself drifting off to sleep with your head on your lover's chest and the sound of piano being played in the background, as you danced under a starry sky.

-----------

edited on 05/16/2024

[khaleesiofalicante]

hi! i need to get something off my chest, like in shadowhunter world both tv and books, books is my favourite not because i hate tv characters (bc teh emotional vulnerability was very well done there- i literally it was so hard to wait for my school to get over so i could watch the show) but bc books is the original stuff which i fell in love with for teh first time, also why though all teh series are really good in shadow world but tmi holds a special place in my heart (no matter how imperfect it is in certain places) which i think also translates into my love for book!malec more than show!malec. (the height difference bugs me so much in show bc its not the right one, alec loves being shorter than magnus, but i love matt sorry harry but matt is yeeahhh...) idk why i have never been able to attach myself to show malec fics as much to book!malec fics. I think the only long show!malec fic i read was yours that you made about detective alec and lawyer magnus, but that was bc i love your writing and stories (i love the book!malec and mavid ones more sorry !! but i cant david is an original character but i love him so much, sry got sidetracked) tbh i also felt that the next malec fic would be show malec bc i cant (even tho i have read the lmlt i think it was named.. one of teh first long fics you wrote which had asmodeus and alec relation) imagine book alec having a relationship with asmodeus which is even remotely decent. but show malec have always been more softer and more communicative about their vulnerabilities. (which makes me realize now, i also love the intensity of book!malec more, huh)

Anyways i dont know why i blabbered, but i see so many posts about it but i am sorry show malec but book malec is it for me. or more like every book character esp jace and clary is it for me than show clace too. (i think it was also because of the actors though jace's actor did an amazing job in the later seasons.) But i can't wait for your new malec fic, i am ready to gobble up anything you put out there srsly, like i trust you are gonna make it worth it (like i never thought i would like the rwrb fic so much as i do rn, bc like in my hea di have already read teh book and i know what happens but yeah i should have known!)

Also have you ever thought of making a show and book crossover fic? i think you made one maybe i dont remember but like would you ever consider working in that world again?

No, I think this is fair. You're allowed to have a preference. I like book malec better too - simply because there is more to their characters and I usually prefer book versions anyway.

Regarding the fic, first things first, you can imagine them however you want! I know for a fact not everyone who read TLND imagined Alec as Sebastian Stan (I will stand by this casting!!). But it's how I, as the writer, imagined it. My castings are simply for me - to be very honest. I pick faces and people who help me visualize my characters better. But that does not mean you have to do it too. I'm sure people on ao3 who read my fics but don't follow me tumblr have no idea about any of these castings. So, yeah. You can imagine them however you want.

I also want to note, since I got another ask about this as well, that the casting I choose doesn't really affect the personality and behavior of the characters. It's the other way around really. Sure in the show Alec doesn't have blue eyes and Magnus is shorter, but those (among a few other differences) are completely irrelevant to this fic. If someone is put off by Magnus being shorter (in my fic, I mean) then that's their problem. It's such a mundane detail (for me) and I'm not going to be mentioning the colour of their eyes and their height every five seconds. This fic is rather different so I doubt it'd be mentioned at all (considering it's alec pov too - if you notice he is the kind of character where i don't write a lot of descriptions for the people he interacts with because Alec doesn't care about that a lot)

But yeah. It really shouldn't matter. At least I hope not <3

[carelessflower]

A snippet

Max, Rafael, Mina and Tavvy were running in between the tables, giggling and laughing, Jem was watching the children closely.

Magnus and Alec were sitting down, at the opposite side of the hall, kids were running around, music was playing.

"Im hungry." Simon sat down, which was followed by Isabelle and Clary, Jace was talking with Kit.

"Dinner will be served at 8. We got 30 minutes."

"Who are they, I saw them come in the limo, and they have the men in black around them?" Isabelle nudged Magnus's arm, pointing at a woman who was talking to Ithuriel, but near her were two men, in black suits, that were standing and looking at the crowd of people.

"That is Queen El, my aunt, she didnt want the guards, but they advised her that it was for the best."

"Dont point Izzy." Alec warned, as his sister stuck her tounge out at him, which he rolled his eyes in response.

It was Stanley Morningstar and Johnathan Fairchild's wedding. Seven months after Magnus and Alec's wedding. Magnus was superised that Johnathan took his idea for the ribbons which was decorating the ceiling.

"Oh no." Alec watched as Max quickly walked over to them, holding a plate, which appeared to be half eaten cake.

Before he got to them, Alec picked him up, and sat him on his lap.

"Want some cake?" Max took a fistful and gave it to Alec, who placed it in a tissue.

"Max where did you get the cake from?" Clary took the plate away from him, as Max frowned.

"The kitchen, Uncle Kit and Ty, gave it to us." Max said, Magnus wiped Max's hands.

"No more cake, dinenr will be ready, go and get Raf and find grandma okay? Good boy.!" Alec kissed his son's forehead, who nodded and ran to where the kids were, Alec watched, as Jem lead the kids to Maryse, and Jocelynn.

"It was delicious." Simon said, wolfing the last piece down.

"I was hungry you know." Isabelle playfully slapped his arm.

"Im gonna check on Jace and Sebastian." Clary said, going back into the crowd.

"Your dad is coming" Alec nudged his husband arm, as Asmodeus and Lucifer walked towards them.

"Congratuations on your son's wedding sir." Alec shook Lucifer's hand, who smiled at him.

"Well ill leave you to it, dinner is being served now." Lucifer stated, before leaving the group.

"What do you want?" Magnus eyed his dad, who sat down.

"Nothing, but I need you home as they want an after party, well that is what Stanley wants its a family tradition, you and Alec. No kids."

"But -"

"No buts. I am not serving guests on my own in my own house."

"You wanted to hos-" Alec stopped talking as his father in law shot him a glare.

"GRANDDAD!" Rafael ran up and jumped, Asmoeus catching him.

"Lets get some food. Are you hungry, im hungry?" Asmodeus picked up Rafael and took him to the table where they were sitting.

"Well that sucks." Magnus muttered.

"Should we help? We can come over?" Simon helped, as starter food was placed on the table.

"Its a family thing, so its just the adults getting together."

"Did you do it when you guys got married?" Isabelle said, taking a bite out of the chicken leg.

"I did, stayed there until 1 am, and dad kicked everyone out. Came back to Alec around four in the morning."

"You were so tired, you forgor your keys and you were crying." Alec remembered that night, thinking he was being burglared, and remebering sobs and opening the door.

Magnus was fast asleep and didnt wake up later in the afternoon.

aweeee this is sweet!!!!

[sky-neverending]

Hi! You said you wanted shadowhunter prompts so I have two for you to pick from. You obviously don’t have to write either but if they tickle your fancy:

Magnus apologizing to Alec either post 2x20 or post 3x06/7. We never see Magnus doing the reaching or fixing(the relationship) in the show beyond the early parts of season 1 so I always enjoy him owning up and apologizing.

Or:

Jace (getting his head out of his ass) and making a deal with Asmodeus to repay Magnus. Yes Magnus did it out of love for Alec, but Jace did benefit so I’d like to see it spun as Jace doing the sacrificing. Dealers choice on what and how.

If you don’t like these then it’s no bother! :) happy new year!

sorry this took so long! it.... kind of went out of control and is a long boy, so i'm putting it under the cut. TWS: drinking to cope.

In the hundreds of years he had been alive, Magnus Bane had never been one for apologies. He did what his heart told him to, and despite that heart sometimes beating in the wrong direction, he always followed it in the moment.

So when he texted Alec that he wasn’t coming to dinner, he wasn’t upset with himself. No, the regret didn’t set in until hours later, when he was on his balcony with his second drink nearly finished. 

And when it did hit? It hit like a tidal wave, knocking Magnus back into his senses and bringing a stinging wetness to his barely glamoured eyes. 

He had upset his Alexander. Again. And again, it was his fault. And again, he was letting the first man he had loved in decades take the fall for it. 

Alec was always the one to come begging for forgiveness. He was always the one that showed up at Magnus’s door, determined to set things right. It was never Magnus. 

The warlock could blame his inability to break the tension first on many things. He could blame it on the fact that everyone he loved left him eventually. He could blame it on his years of chasing after Camille, of apologizing for things he didn’t need to. He could blame it on pure stubbornness, a trait he wasn’t lacking in, or perhaps the tragedy that laced his earliest memories. But in the end, there was no one to put the blame on but himself. 

He pulled out his phone, fingers hovering over Alec’s contact. Would the shadowhunter even want to see him? This wasn’t the first time they had argued, but something in Magnus knew that this felt… different. The argument about the whole immortality thing that morning had struck deep, in both men’s hearts. In Magnus’s about the fact that he didn’t want to see another person he loved age and die, and in Alec’s for the idea that he wasn’t good enough for his long lasting lover. 

It was a hard line to toe, immortality. And they had pushed it one too many times. 

Before he could stop himself, Magnus was hitting the call button, pressing his lips together as the phone rang. It let out three steady rings, and then it beeped.

Hello, you have reached the voicemail of Alec Lightwood, please-

Magnus hung up. He groaned, balling his fists at his sides. “Fuck,” he muttered, scrambling to pull up a different contact. “Come on, Isabelle, pick up.”

“Hello?” said a girl on the other end of the line, her voice soothing Magnus’s stress by just a little bit. “Magnus, this better be good.”

He frowned. “You’re mad at me.”

“Not mad,” Izzy said, sighing into the line. “Disappointed. You need to fix this.” She waited for his response. It never came. “Come on, Magnus Bane. Use your damn years of knowledge and figure something out!” And then she hung up, leaving Magnus clutching at his phone, frozen.

With shaky hands, Magnus tucked his device into his pocket and turned on his heel, glancing at Chairman Meow on the sofa. “What do I do?” he asked. 

The Chairman hissed at him. The sound was enough to spring Magnus from his guilt and into action, forming a portal directly into the Institute. 

When he arrived, he was greeted by the blaring of the wards, which he quickly stopped with the snap of his fingers. Shadowhunters surged toward him, but he pushed past, heading straight for Alec’s room.

“Alexander!” he called, knocking on the door. “Alec, I need to speak to you!” 

There was shuffling on the other side of the door. The handle turned, and Alec peeked his head through the small opening he had made. “I’m not in the mood,” he slurred. The stench of alcohol drifted off his tongue. “Go away, Magnus.”

Magnus caught the door with his foot, stopping Alec from shutting it. “Alexander, please,” he begged, nothing but pure desperation in his words. “I messed up.”

“You think?” Alec laughed, running a hand through his messy hair. “We both said some things. We always say some things, and then I come running back to you like a lost fucking puppy who needs his owner.” Pausing, he looked Magnus right in the eyes. “And yet I can’t help it, because I’m so damn in love with you that I think my life without you would be nothing at this point. So I need you to leave before I get on my knees and beg for forgiveness again.”

“Alec,” Magnus whispered, breath caught in his throat. “Alec, please.”

A laugh fell from Alec, drunken and pitiful.”Please what? What do you want from me, Magnus?” His words were bitter, but something in them seemed to be pleading with Magnus to fix this. To mend what had been broken, and not with magic.

Taking a breath, Magnus let his guard fall completely. His eyes glazed over from tears, their dark hue fading into a glowing yellow. He let his apology tumble from his lips before he could stop himself. “Alexander Gideon Lightwood. I messed up. You’re right, we both said things we shouldn’t have. But not coming to dinner was petty on my part, and I wholeheartedly apologize.” He was fully crying now, but he kept his contact with Alec. The other man was staring back at him with a blank face. “I understand if you don’t forgive me. I wouldn’t either,” he laughed dryly, “but all I ask is that you don’t let it fester like you always do. I don’t want you to hurt. That’s the last thing I want. I would do anything to make things right between us, Alec. I’m sorry.” Silence fell over them for a few moments before Magnus sighed, breaking eye contact and lowering his head in defeat. “I’ll go now,” he said sadly. “Goodbye, Alexander.”

He turned to walk away. As he did, Alec shuffled behind him. “Hey, Magnus?”

“Yeah?” Magnus’s voice quivered. 

“Turn around, please,” he asked, and Magnus did as he was told. He looked at Alec through teary cat-eyes. Alec smiled, ever so slightly. The corner of his eyes scrunched up in a way that made Magnus fill with the little hope he had left. “Do you want to come in and talk?”

Magnus exhaled. “I’d love to,” he replied. 

Alec took his hand and led him into the room, closing the door behind them. Magnus looked around. He had been in Alec’s Institute bedroom before, but only in passing. This was different. This was vulnerable. 

There was a half-empty bottle of alcohol on Alec’s bedside table, and Magnus desperately hoped Alec hadn’t been the one to drain it to that point. He hovered awkwardly by the door as Alec collapsed onto the bed, looking up at him through his eyelashes. 

“Come sit,” he said, nearly pleading. “I need you close.”

Smiling softly, Magnus did as he was told. He dropped gently onto the mattress, a few feet away from where Alec was sprawled out. “I thought you were mad at me.”

Alec pulled himself up and took Magnus’s hand. “I was,” he began, “but you're good at apologies.” He sounded tired, words slurring together. Magnus ran his free hand through the shadowhunters hair, pushing it out of his eyes. 

“Am I?”

A giggle left Alec’s lips. “You are,” he confirmed. “But only when you decide to stop being stubborn.” He squeezed Magnus’s hand, the light pressure incredibly grounding. “I need to sleep off this hangover I’m about to get.”

“Of course,” said Magnus. “We can talk more tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” Alec watched as Magnus stood, a pout crossing his lips. “Where are you going?”

Magnus shrugged. “Home,” he answered. “I assumed you didn’t want me to stay here with you.”

The pout turned into a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. “Stop assuming,” Alec said, “and come lay down.”

“Are you sure?” Magnus asked, chest heavy. Why would Alec want to lay with him when he had hurt him so badly? Was he doing it out of pity?

Alec coughed. “I can hear you thinking,” he murmured, patting the bed next to him. “Relationships take effort, right? And you put in that effort to get all the way here and apologize. So come here before I change my mind.”

Surging forward, Magnus slid under the covers next to Alec. His Alec. “You are a wise drunk, darling,” he said, and Alec turned to face him.

“I think you're rubbing off on me,” he joked with a yawn. “Night, Magnus.”

“Goodnight, Alexander,” Magnus responded. “I love you.”

Alec didn’t say it back, he was already asleep. But the smile on his lips was enough for Magnus to drift off as well.

[takaraphoenix]

❛ you're mine, and i take care of what belongs to me. ❜ for Magnus and Jace? 👀

So this was supposed to be a smutty prompt but it accidentally turned into just pure possessive/protective Magnus with no smut? Ooops

--

A few weeks after he'd started hooking up with Magnus, Jace started to notice subtle changes.

Downworlders he encountered treated him with… recognition, at first. A certain degree of respect even. Not in a 'bowing down before him' sense, but rather… treat him as an equal than just as another Shadowhunter nuisance. He didn't notice at first, it took him a couple weeks.

He only noticed when it became more apparent. When Downworlders, particularly warlocks, started to… there was no other way to put it; to protect him. Like he was one of their own. They had his back, stepped in when someone else was out of line toward him. Which was just bizarre.

It wasn't hard to guess that this was related to Magnus, especially since warlocks seemed the only ones to actively step up for him and that this particularly happened in Pandemonium. He was getting VIP treatment at the club these days, got waved in ahead of the line, the bartender knew his favorites and always served him first. And whenever someone was even a hint of inappropriate with him, someone stepped in like he was a damsel in need of a knight protecting his virtue. It would severely piss him off if he didn't find it somewhat funny, quite frankly.

It was a couple months into it, and into whatever he had with Magnus, that it gave him pause. One particular incident that really struck Jace and left him reeling. He'd been hanging out at the bar, bantering with the bartender, Timothy Jeong, with whom he'd grown closer over the past months, when a warlock sat down, very close next to him, interrupting their conversation.

"Hello, gorgeous," the warlock smelt like alpha and sounded like sleazebag. "What's a pretty omega like you doing here all alone? I think you should go back to my hotel with me."

Jace was used to people hitting on him. Back in the day, he used to relish in that and take pretty much everyone home with him, living a life of hook-ups. Nowadays, he did consider himself taken, even though him and Magnus had never quite put a label on it. Yet what had started out as drunk, convenient hook-ups between roommates felt much different now, three months into it. So while Jace still liked the ego-boost of being hit on, he also didn't hook up with them anymore. He turned toward the man with a pleasant enough smile on his lips – knowing that some alphas could react very testy when an omega didn't immediately fawn over them and Jace would like to avoid causing a scene at Magnus' club. Before he could say anything did Hal Armstrong step up to them – head of security, the biggest, bulkiest alpha Jace had ever seen, tall and bald and with arms the size of Jace's head. If Jace had to guess, he'd say that Timothy must have called for security.

"Is that alpha bothering you, Omega Bane?"

And that was it. That was the moment Jace realized that whatever was going on was definitely more than just a bit suspicious behavior from some Downworlders around him. Omega Bane. It actually took Jace a while to register that Hal was talking to him, and then another couple moments to digest that and try to formulate a reply. Too long for Hal, it seemed, because the alpha was already standing right behind Jace, a looming presence, glaring down the stranger.

"Out of every omega at the club, you really picked the wrong one, pal," Timothy chuckled, casually leaning against the bar. "That's not just the club owner's omega. That's the High Warlock of Brooklyn's omega. If I were you, I would… scram, before Magnus Bane sees you."

Jace blinked repeatedly, looking between the guy who had hit on him, Hal and Timothy. What. The name Magnus Bane did the trick though, because the warlock's eyes widened in recognition and fear, before the man simply ran off. Jace tilted his head and crossed his arms.

"What was that," Jace asked, voice sharp.

"We want you to have a good time here and be undisturbed," Hal smiled at him.

The man looked scary at first glance but really was just a gigantic puppy. Jace heaved a sigh.

"I don't need you to intimidate people who hit on me, Hal. I'm quite capable of shaking unwanted attention myself, you know. This… was not necessary."

Hal faltered, looking like a kicked puppy, and Jace nearly felt bad. Only nearly though, because he really did not appreciate being patronized by alphas. He'd had to fight for everything, every ounce of respect from alphas in the field. To prove that he didn't need saving.

"Look," Jace sighed. "Thank you for wanting to help, I appreciate that, but how about, from now on, you help me when I signal that I need your help?"

"Oh. Okay. Yeah," Hal nodded quickly. "Sure, I'm sorry. I just, Alpha Bane said-"

"I do not need any alpha to speak for me," Jace's voice was final. "Not even Magnus, not even in his own club. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Omega Bane," Hal ducked his head like a naughty child.

And there it was again. Omega Bane. There was a weird sense of pleasure, pride and giddiness bubbling in Jace's chest that he tried to squish. Couldn't think about that right now. Maybe couldn't think about that at all. Because if he thought about that too hard, he might have to confront his feelings for Magnus. And that was something he'd effectively avoided thinking about these past months. Mostly, he admitted, because there was always something else going on – between Valentine's return, Jocelyn's death, the loss of the Mortal Cup, the reveal that he was Clary's brother, the reveal that he wasn't Clary's brother. When was he supposed to reflect on the nature of his feelings for the alpha warlock who had taken him in, became a drinking buddy and then became a convenient hook-up, repeatedly, until it started feeling like more than hook-ups.

/break\

That had been the first time Jace really noticed, but it wasn't what pushed him into talking to Magnus about it. Feelings. He didn't do those, much less talking about those. No, that only happened about a month later, when he'd been on a mission with Clary and Izzy and things had gone awry. Alec was missing. Jace and Alec were a duo, they were so in-sync, they worked as one. Now that Alec was head of the Institute though, he went on far less missions and Jace was still adjusting to that, while Clary was still adjusting to being a Shadowhunter, missing years of training.

They'd been overrun by demons, overwhelmed, got separated. Jace was bleeding profoundly from a slash on his side where one of the four demons he was battling on his own had hit him with its claws. He'd managed to kill two of them at this point, but he didn't know where Izzy and Clary were and he was starting to feel dizzy from the blood-loss. One of the two demons left roared at him and slashed at him again, but Jace wouldn't be Jace if he didn't battle to the very last second of his life. He cut off the beast's hand, causing it to roar in distress. However, it was also distracted, just enough for Jace to try and run. A coward's move, his father would say. A means of survival, his parabatai would say. He made it out of the sewers and toward an alley.

"Oh shit, oh crap you are bleeding, like, a lot," stranger, female voice, panicked. "Wait. You're the. The High Warlock's omega. Oh shit. Hold on."

Jace squinted, trying to make the blurry person in front of him out. The blood loss was getting to him. Someone – this person – grabbing his arm was the last thing he noticed before blacking out.

/break\

When Jace next came to it, it was in a comfortable and known environment. Magnus' bed in the loft. He recognized the soft sheets and the safe scent of his alpha all around him. A hand reached out, brushing his hair out of his face. Magnus' hand. He'd recognize those fingers anywhere. Humming softly, he leaned into the comforting, gentle touch.

"You awake, Trouble?" Magnus' voice was soft. "Do you need anything?"

"Wa… Water," Jace coughed, blinking his eyes open.

The next moment, Magnus held a water-bottle against Jace's lips, helping him drink. Jace's heart was skipping a beat at the gentle care. He was so used to powering through any injury mostly alone, the only one who'd get close enough to take care of him for any extend of time was his parabatai.

"Alexander left about an hour ago. I had a hard time prying him from your bedside," Magnus smiled bemused. "But he was in need of a shower, a warm meal and his own bed. Andrew helped me lure his boyfriend back to the Institute to take care of himself for a change. I'll text him."

"Thank you," Jace heaved a sigh as he tried to sit up, but a stinging pain brought him down.

"Sh," Magnus rested a gentle hand on his chest to ease him back down. "You were seriously injured, you need to lay down and rest more, Trouble."

Slowly, bit by bit, the events that had brought him into this bed came back to him. "Clary and Izzy."

"They're fine," Magnus assured him with the smallest smile. "Couple bruises, broken arm in Isabelle's case, but other than that, no serious injuries."

A deep, relieved sigh as Jace settled into the bed more comfortably. Magnus' bed. It had been two months at least since Jace last slept in 'his' bed – his bed at the loft. Far longer since he'd been back to the Institute. Even after Aldertree had been removed as head, Jace never returned. By then, him and Magnus had already started sleeping with each other and Jace was so comfortable here.

"How did I get here?" Jace asked slowly. "I remember the sewers, but…"

"Phoebe Nightingale, one of my warlocks, came across you in an alley and portaled you here," Magnus looked utterly pleased by that. "It was greatly appreciated."

The High Warlock's omega. Jace remembered hearing those words in the alley. It made him think of the other instances he'd been referred to as such by warlocks. Omega Bane. Jace had ignored it for weeks now. Maybe because he… liked the sound of it. Maybe because he'd gone through yet another identity crisis, gone from being a Wayland to being a Morgenstern to Luke and Clary trying to make him a Fray to… not being anyone, really, because he didn't know who his parents were, just that Valentine and Jocelyn weren't it. He currently had no real last name, not really.

"Why do your warlocks think that I am your omega?"

"Because you are, honey," Magnus raised one eyebrow, his fingers gently tracing Jace's face. "You're mine, and I take care of what belongs to me."

Jace flushed, his head racing at Magnus' words. He'd never dared to ask what they were, but it seemed that Magnus had a pretty clear idea of what they were. Reaching out, Jace took Magnus' wrist to pull him down onto the bed with him and, slow and with a wince, Jace rolled over to snuggle up to his alpha. Magnus hummed pleased, wrapping an arm around his waist.

~*~ The End ~*~

[alexanderlightweight]

A group of downworlders choosing to trust in Alec over Clary, Izzy, and Jace. Alec getting recognition for 'his people' slowly but consistently improving relations, making compromises, and keeping promises vs pretty talk that promises the world but will strike you in the back for speaking against them.

Okay so like this went in such a different direction than I thought it would. I really don’t plan out the fics before I write them. Plots have never worked for me.

I see where the veins of the fic are going and try to flow along with them. So I’m not really sure how this ended up over 4k words of unplanned randomness but i hope you enjoy it

Like half of this fic was a complete accident.

—

Izzy seems shocked, the first time a seelie informant ignores her red lipped and heated smile.

Instead they head to Alec, and then stick by him. Watching the rest of the shadowhunters warily until Alec escorts them out of the institute and thanks them for their information.

“What was that?” She hisses and Alec doesn’t understand what is confusing for her.

“My job?” He asks, flatly but he offers the benefit of the doubt and when she sends him a glare and flounces her hair before stalking off, he squints in her direction. “I thought Izzy was still with Simon, is she looking for something new?”

“No idea, buddy.” Jace says but he also is looking a little putout and so Alec ignores it.

If he paid attention to every alarming thing his siblings and their entanglements did, he wouldn’t have time to breathe.

—

It happens again and again until even Clary is getting upset and Alec doesn’t get it.

“I’m more approachable! I have a better personality!” He hears Jace complaining at one point as Alec escorts a werewolf to Cat’s hospital so he can show her to the magical ward.

Alec once again ignores them as Izzy gestures to herself, “have you seen my outfit today?”

And Alec rolls his eyes because his siblings are ridiculous, thinking that people who are scared or in danger are going to focus on appearances.

And Alec knows he’s the least approachable looking, but that’s never been why he’s becoming the preferrence.

“Tell Magnus thank you.” The werewolf tells him, like it was Magnus who escorted her pregnant body to the hospital rather than Alec.

“I will.” Alec promises, because in all honesty, this has nothing to do with him and everything to do with Magnus.

He’s not being picked because he’s the most approachable or the strongest looking shadowhunter, or because of his personality. And he’s certainly not chosen for his position of authority.

Alec is picked because he’s Magnus’.

And Magnus will never allow what belongs to him to hurt what he protects.

And Alec works hard.

Not to be trustworthy himself, because it’s not his place to be.

He strives to never break the trust Magnus’ people have in Magnus.

The trust that Magnus put on the line when he declared Alexander a safe haven for his people.

And Alec will do whatever he needs to never, ever take this honor for granted, or to hurt Magnus by damaging it.

Because it isn’t that Magnus was declaring that Alec is friendly to downworlder.

He is declaring that he trusted Alec — Magnus’ Alexander — to never purposefully harm anything that was under Magnus' authority.

It’s not about Alec as a person.

It’s about what he means to Magnus.

And Alec is going to protect this, the strongest of Magnus’ declarations of devotion.

And if that means showing up at three in the afternoon to a traffic accident—

— half asleep and with pillow creases on his cheek from how quickly he got there —

— because when he’s being asked for specifically, by a very frantic werewolf who unsuspectingly went into labor in a cab, accidentally causing a crash and risking the exposure of the shadowworld.

Alec goes.

He leaves Magnus sleeping because Magnus has his own job and he trusts Alec to this.

Because a great deal of Magnus’ authority relies on his reputation and Magnus is not someone easily reached.

So Alec goes and he gets her there safely while his team covers up what caused the crash and then he activates his iratze so his fingers can heal as they’re broken and rebroken and he’s honestly relieved.

He’d rather have dozens of his bones broken over and over again than have to catch a baby from a stranger's vagina, but he would do it.

If he had to.

For Magnus.

“Oh thank fuck.” Alec barely manages to get out. He’s kneeling next to the werewolf, holding her hand with his jacket on the floor in case he needs something soft and cleanish.

Apparently they ‘had to wait’ which Alec thinks is hardly fair when her water broke while he was carrying her spasming and forcefully transforming body.

He is burning every article of clothing he’s wearing as soon as he gets home.

Alec gets to his feet and launches across the room, trying not to be too queasy.

“It’s not that bad.” Cat mocks him after the werewolf is magicked calm and wheeled away, and she is smirking at him.

“I wouldn’t touch a woman even if she had a dick.” Alec says dryly, because seelies have no shame and think threesomes should be offered like candy, “but it’s always so much worse when it’s that.” And Alec gestures with a grimace, “magical babies are so much less gross.” He mutters and Cat laughs, smooth and light and comforting after his trauma.

“Babies born from cannibalism, murder and soul destroying power are less gross?” She asks and Alec nods empathically.

“Cat, I have vaginal fluid over most of my body.” And Alec grimaces, “unless Magnus ever got bored of his genitals again, this was never going to be an issue I ever had to deal with. It’s part of our private vows.”

“Oh?” Cat asks like she’s humoring but Alec can tell by the sudden gleam in her tired eyes that she is thriving on his trauma.

“No traumatizing Alec with baby launching parts.” Alec paraphrases and he still feels a little lightheaded. “When Magnus asked me if I was willing to take vows that might set me against the clave, we spent months on it. Going over everything. Every pro and con. And Magnus promised me that while I might have to commit treason, I would never, ever have to deal with stuff like that.” Alec nods decisively, “I’m telling Magnus you kept his promise for him. And that you deserve a day away at the spa. Just the two of you, I’ll watch Madzie if you want.”

And Cat smiles at him, real and warm.

“You know, I didn’t think it would work. Magnus telling people you’d protect them in his stead if they could reach you.” Cat admits and Alec nods, just quietly pleased that she’s recently given permission for him to use her nickname. “But it seems that he’s getting wiser in his old years. Maybe it’s your youth that brings it out in him.”

“I’m going to tell Magnus you implied he is a cradle robber, again.” Alec says, but he’s fighting his own growing smile and Cat is grinning at him.

She reaches out slowly and Alec pretends to duck, butting into her hand like it’s an accident and she gets in a quick ruffle.

“I’d like that.” Cat admits, “if you remind him to bring the good stuff. Even magical spas have weak drinks.” She pauses and looks at him considerably and then adds, “Madzie would love to go to the aquarium again. She threw a fit—“ and when Alec raises a pointed brow Cat laughs and adds, “a very quiet fit, but still a fit. Apparently riding my shoulders isn’t the same as riding yours. She wants you to lift her so she can be up near the sharks and fish.”

And Alec nods, a soft smile on his own face even if his shirt is growing tacky and cold from the… disgusting evidence of new life.

It’s a slow thing, their friendship.

They’re always polite for Magnus’ sake but they both love him too much for it to be enough.

And they all love Madzie and she loves all of them, so they need a genial if not warm relationship.

But Alec is terrible at these things so he gratefully lets Cat lead the path of their friendship and he simply follows.

It’s a big deal for a downworlder. Letting a shadowhunter touch them or touching one. It’s a big deal, Cat letting Alec watch her daughter without Magnus.

Shadowhunters are born to be weapons.

Alec’s body, right down to his bone and blood, is designed and trained and tempered into pure danger.

And the clave doesn’t suffer their warriors to be sympathetic, or empathetic.

Alec’s bare hand is just as dangerous as any blade and unlike shadowhunters, who get to live and die and inflict more pain and trauma in a vicious cycle without consequences.

Warlocks have to live and remember and adapt to never getting justice and always watching the shadows for another glowing blade.

And Alec will never forget the pain in Magnus’ eyes when he explained why some nights, he has to ask Alec to wear a long sleeve turtleneck or a glamour over his runes.

The bad nights, where Magnus is troubled by memories and worried he’ll wake and see runes and think ‘enemy’ instead of ‘mine’.

And Alec stays still and pliable those nights. Covered up with fabric or magic and lets Magnus direct how much they touch and how far they go.

Magnus always marvels at his willingness to adapt to his needs.

And it only makes Alec want to do better, to be better and help heal every single hurt that life has carved into Magnus.

But he keeps his hands where Magnus tells him and he kisses as softly and adoringly as he can when he’s kissed and in the mornings, it’s a little better.

Alec stays still if he wakes first, letting Magnus set the pace for their day and canceling plans if needed.

And he waits to see if Magnus will go to the shower first or sit and slowly strip Alec.

They both always know Alec’s awake at that point, but Alec keeps his eyes closed and his breath even.

And Magnus slowly uses his magic or hands or both to bare Alec’s runes.

And Alec aches to hold Magnus, to thank him for loving Alec inspite of how painful it sometimes is, but Magnus doesn’t want to hear that.

It won’t help.

So Alec bites his lip and lets fingers trace over his runes as Magnus makes sure every rune is in its proper place.

Because even though they sometimes bring up old unhealed hurts, Alec knows that Magnus loves every part of him. Has proven it with mouth and words and kisses as he’s decorated and claimed each angelic mark.

So Alec doesn’t press, doesn’t promise.

He just nods, because this is supposed to be something nice, not stressful.

“I have several days where I'm allowed to be disconnected from the Institute.” Alec shrugs as he talks, “even my phone goes off and Magnus typically hits me with a spell that redirects fire messages. It’s rare but we worked out protocols for it after they almost ruined our anniversary. I can use one, for this.”

It’s a promise that Alec will ensure Madzie never has to see or meet or look at any shadowhunter Cat hasn’t personally vetted.

“You’re very accommodating about this.” Cat says instead of answering and Alec sighs and grimaces when he goes to rub his face and remembers what’s tackily drying on his hands.

“Not really. I mean, the institute isn’t what I would consider a vetted and safe place for her yet.” Alec sighs and closes his eyes, ignoring the hiss of magic and giving Cat a grateful smile as he feels the grime disappear.

He doesn’t like asking for favors and it would be awkward to make an official request for something so small to a newly budding friendship but the cleanliness is a relief.

“It could be years before I have enough respect and control and loyalty over every shadowhunter. It might never be completely safe. And I know you got her right after the event, you know what she was like. What she went through. What she was forced to do there. I don’t want her going there ever again unless we know that the worst she’ll get is a papercut because she tried to color my archives.” Because Alec still remembers how desperate Madzie was to save him, even being threatened and blackmailed and all because they’d shared a quiet smile.

“She’s been asking to visit you there.” Cat admits, “her therapist thinks she might need to walk through it. To process and get past that trauma. She’s not ready to talk about Rouse yet.”

And Alec sighs and he pinches his nose and is relieved when the pressure of his head ebbs a little.

“Okay.” He mutters, “okay I can work with this.”

Cat is giving him a weary but amused look, like she’s exhausted by reality but enjoying his attempts at fixing it.

“Okay. I need to have Magnus come check out the core. We never did a followup after the leylines. And it really is volatile, the clave has reports about it dating back months. I can order an official, clave sanctioned lockdown. It means only myself and my personal team are allowed out of our rooms. Everyone else is sealed into their own rooms with location monitors so sabotage can’t happen.”

Alec ignores the incredulous look he’s getting.

“A lot of shit happened because we didn’t have the right protocols and everyone ignored what we did have.” Alec admits roughly, “so I’ve changed a lot of things. The clave is tentatively letting me, since no one wants to outright argue after the last time they tried to sanction me.”

Magnus had been furious at the attempt and was Alec’s self-appointed advocate. Jia and Imogen both still wince when Alec mentions the love of his life.

“So, after your spa day. Because you’re definitely going to need one after whatever happens and she’ll need a good one before. We can do it. Issue a lockdown. Give Madzie enough time to process a walkthrough and then you’ll get her out of there so Magnus and I can actually do what we need.”

“And your team? Are they loyal? Do you trust them with her?”

And Alec looks at Cat and he grins, dark and feral and furious that he has to protect the child he loves from his own people.

“They know that if they so much as allow Madzie to be hurt in their presence, I’ll take the tripled equivalent of it out of their flesh.” And Alec grins even wider, his lips curling around his maw, “Mirai is my second-in-command and would sacrifice every member of our team and herself to preserve my life and authority. And they all know that I would sacrifice all of them for Magnus, for Madzie.” And he looks at Cat, whose loss would crush Magnus, “and for you.

“My team doesn’t love me, they respect me. They honor me. If they die they want it to be for my cause and in my stead. And it’s what I need, because love can be very fickle. You’ve never met any of them—“ because Alec knows that Cat is trying to ask if his siblings and Clary are a part of his personal team.

They are not.

“But they know the very basics of your identity and Madzie’s and why you’re so important to me. I’ll send you their files later. The unredacted ones.”

The ones even the clave doesn’t have.

“I’ll review it. But if I ask for it, will you be able to keep them away without tipping off anyone else?”

Alec nods, “they can stay in our war room if needed. It’s a new addition, Madzie won’t need to see it. Magnus can seal some of my energy to my tablet so you can use it and watch where each shadowhunter is. Will you need to bring her therapist with her? Magnus will have to trip the wards so their presence isn’t detected.”

The only other person who knows who Madzie’s therapist is, is actually Magnus.

Even Cat doesn’t know for sure.

Alec knows she vetted a group of shadowworld trauma specialists and then gave the only copy of the list to Magnus after they sealed a complicated geas that made her forget the contents.

There’s too much a risk of someone wanting the information Madzie has from Rouse and from Valentine.

So they keep it secret.

So that Madzie is safe.

“This is going to be so incredibly illegal.” Cat mutters but she looks relieved and a little less stressed despite how many clave rules they’ll be… bending.

“Even the portals from Idris go offline.” Alec tries to offer reassurance, “the risk of angelic power backlash is too much of a risk. If anyone catches on to your presence, we say we needed a healer on hand and you couldn’t get a babysitter. No one’s going to be stupid enough to press and not a single person is going to assume it’s happening because of Madzie or her therapy.”

And they wouldn’t because Cat had made her opinion clear on the subject of Madzie being any of the claves business.

Mainly that she was not in fact, their business.

And Magnus and Alec had backed her up.

“Okay. Let me talk to Magnus, and I think if we’re doing this, I'm going to change my mind. I don’t want to, but I think I will need to see all of your memories of her before she came to me.”

And Alec has to suck in a deep breath. Because he offered months ago and the option has been in limbo, Cat worried and unsure if it would help or make things worse.

The door to the maternity ward opens and Alec blinks, astonished that the baby is already born to interrupt their discussion.

Mother and child look thankfully clean, but Alec is still understandably wary as they’re wheeled over to him.

“Do you want to hold her?” The woman asks, eyes glowing as she smiles adoringly over her babe, “maybe Magnus Bane’s magic on you will bless her.”

“Is she—“ and Alec grimaces, “safe?”

And the new mother bares her teeth in offended disdain but Cat just snorts, “yes Alec, the baby is clean. You won’t have to touch ah, what was it you called it earlier, oh yes. ‘Baby launcher fluids?’ You won’t have to touch those again anytime soon.”

And Alec flushes because Cat is paraphrasing and then he’s being laughed at by two women and one of them got very intimate with him medically and the other emotionally.

He scoops up the baby, relieved that she’s clean and warm and healthy and he pets the soft downy hair.

“You’re going to grow up to be very strong.” He soothes as he rocks back and forth on his heels, “and maybe you’ll grow up to have a chocolate allergy but that’s okay. Unlike what Magnus insists, chocolate is not the superior flavor. And even if it was, you’re going to be able to taste sunshine on your tongue and see in the dark and—“ he watches the baby yawn and marvels as a little fist sleepily clutches his finger. “And Magnus is going to keep your home safe—“ he finishes, feeling a little lame because his brain is short circuiting at the strength in the little fist.

“Are all babies this strong or is it just werewolf and nephilim ones?” Alec asks before he can think better of it, he doesn’t see the amused looks pointed his way. He tries to wiggle his finger free but the baby’s face bunches up and Alec freezes.

“Cat—“ he whispers, “do magic. Quick. I can’t tell how much strength to use. What if I break her?.”

And Cat stares at him for a solid minute before she turns, leans against the wall and starts cackling.

Alec counts in his head, trying to keep his breathing as even and slow and possible. Babies are sensitive and if werewolf newborns are anything like nephilim ones, then they come with a set of instincts to protect them.

“Please take your baby back so I don’t wake her up or break her.” He whispers desperately and he gets instead a belly deep laugh and he pettily hopes she wakes up her own baby with all her damn howling.

He stands there, still as he can until Cat finally takes pity and rescues him.

However he’s still holding a grudge and he mutters to her, “you better remember to tell Magnus about what to bring yourself. I am going to conveniently forget.”

It doesn’t make him feel any better when Cat insists on opening a portal and then she shoves him through to the loft’s front door.

“Alexander?” Magnus asks sleepily when Alec finally gets into their room and Alec sighs, trudging over for a kiss before he remembers that magic aside, he’s not actually showered.

“I need sterilization.” He says and misses Magnus’ outstretched hand and startled gaze. Alec is too busy complaining to Cat via text that he can’t take a decontamination shower at Magnus’ and now he has to worry about infecting the loft.

She sends back twenty crying laughing emojis and a kissing heart and a middle finger emoji and Alec gives up.

“You're taking Cat out for a spa day.” He yells as he strips his clothes, still grumpy but sincere in his promises. “But if she asks you for the good stuff to drink, make her work for it!” Because Alec is learning to be petty right up there with Magnus, who is the best.

And Alec is a devoted student.

Alec is very content with himself as he uses his stele to draw a rune so his clothes begin to burn.

Magnus is standing in the doorway, staring at Alec in what he thinks might be shock when Alec finishes.

Which is fair.

Alec is still pretty shook himself.

“Clean first.” Alec promises, because in staying away he’s also denying himself kisses but he won’t subject Magnus to being equally infected.

And then Alec shuts the shower, draws a locking rune on the glass door for good measure and turns the water as hot as it can go.

Magnus is saying something muffled and Alec ignores the flare of his skin as it’s beaten by scalding angry water and just starts dumping bottles of soap over himself.

He manages to get what he feels is decently clean, and then Magnus is ignoring the locking rune, vanishing the entire shower door as he gets an arm around Alec’s waist and hauls him out of the lava masquerading as lava.

“What then actual fuck, Alexsnder?” His amazingly wonderful and incredibly magical Magnus is saying.

“Why is Cat sending me so many emojis? And what does she mean when she says you have occupational trauma?”

And Alec groans because he will forever be haunted.

“I love you.” He tells Magnus, “so much. But please, babe. I will literally happily go back to Edom or commit treason for you, but I cannot handle that again.”

Alec is too relieved at being clean to notice all the things he normally picks up.

So he doesn’t stop Magnus’ frantic call to Cat or Magnus’ horrified amusement at whatever she tells him.

“My poor, traumatized darling.” Magnus says and he presses his mouth to Alec’s forward.

Alec can feel his lips wobbling and he graciously ignores that it’s humor and not sympathy.

“I am.” Alec grumbles, tucking himself closer to Magnus, “traumatized. It was traumatic.” Alec lets out a little mournful sigh, “I really liked how much you liked me in those pants.”

“They could have been washed.” Magnus reminds him and Alec scoffs.

“They. Were. Contaminated. If I’d realized she was going to send me here, I would have refused. I wanted to decontaminate before I came home.”

“How about I draw us a bath?” Magnus asks and he kisses Alec’s shoulder. “

Alec nods and then sighs, “Magnus?” He asks and Magnus immediately makes a listening noise as he sets up the tub. “Can I have a full night's sleep before you never let me live this down?”

“I would never torment you with such a horrific experience.” Magnus lies, like the liar he enjoys being.

Alec gives a deep sigh and Magnus chuckles and kisses his forehead. “For your heroic actions in the face of such dangers, I will give you a full forty-eight hours and I won’t share Cat’s delightful puns until then.”

“How luxurious.” Alec mumbles and he’s falling back asleep, against Magnus and in the water.

Safe and clean.

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

okay okay so in shrek forever after shrek has like one day to revert the magic and return the world to its original state or it become permanent for good (the only way to revert the magic is with true love kiss btw). what if magnus only realize his previous unmagicified life with alec like 5 minutes before it’s a new day. what then

Part I

Part III

Three months. It’s been three months since Magnus has been living with a huge ass whole inside his chest. Like he went for a surgery where the doctors cut him open but never stitched him back again.

Only the insane part about all of this is that Magnus doesn’t even remember the surgery he went in for.

He’s so fucking sure something is going on, that’s he’s losing it but there’s no one he can go to—no one he can confide in with this problem because how do you solve an issue that doesn’t even exist outside his mind.

But even if Magnus doesn’t understand most things, doesn’t have enough clues, one thing he is absolutely sure about. That this, all of this, connect to one man.

Alexander Gideon Lightwood.

Ever since that Magnus met the man, he’s been feeling a hundred different kinds of way.

And he knows he has a tendency to exaggerate, has time and again blew things out of proportion for an infatuation or attraction but this isn’t it. While he knows he’s attracted to Alec and would love to climb him, he knows whatever this is, isn’t his libido making him feel.

This is something far deeper, far more significant.

“Magnus?” A voice, the voice brings him back from his thoughts.

“Hmm?”

“Where did you go?” Alec asks. “We were discussing about the issue with the demon towers in Alicante.”

“Yes, of course. My apologies, Alexander,” he exhales.

“That’s okay.” Alec takes another sip of his drinks and winces, like he does every time.

I should have made him that other drink.

He’s been having random thoughts like this all the time.

That Alec would prefer a cocktail over this beer he keeps on asking for.

That he would like chocolate bars.

Or that he would like his coffee better if he’d put two cubes of sugar instead of one.

He doesn’t know why but he keeps on thinking he knows more about Alec than he does and what an insane fucking thought is that?

He finally goes to Catarina with this. It surprises him when Catarina doesn’t dismiss him.

“Weirder things have happened in our world, Magnus. If you think something is wrong, we should atleast check it.”

He pulls Cat in a hug, relieved that she believes him. Because of Cat doesn’t believe Magnus, what choices does he have left with?

They go over all the possible theories but come up with nothing.

And then everything goes to shit one fine night as the lot of shadowhunter stands in Magnus’s loft for a demon summoning.

Magnus remembers a demon summoning between the very same loft, one that hadn’t ended well. He’d hoped that this one would be different.

He’s proved wrong not ten minutes later when a memory of the person you loved the most resurfaces for everyone to see.

A memory of Clary smiling appears from Jace’s mind.

A memory of Simon and Alec laughing together from Isabelle.

Magnus sees a small smile appear on Alec’s face at the memory.

It’s Alec’s turn and there’s a memory of Isabelle and Jace and Max.

He expects Alec to smile at the memory but a sad smile appears on his face and Magnus wonders for a second before his heart breaks. He imagines how suffocating and heartbreaking it must be to be married and not in love.

Alec and Lydia do not love each other is a fact that Magnus picked up on very quickly. It’s a marriage of convenience.

He thinks of Alec’s rare smiles that he’s only ever witnessed occasionally. Alec is smart and beautiful and has a dry sense of humour that never fails to make him laugh.

He’s fighting for a better world for shadowhunters and downworlders. He fights every single minute of his life with the world and Magnus wishes that the man had one place, in his home, with his partner where he didn’t have to fight.

Alec sniffles at the memory and looks away but there’s a second when both their eyes match. Magnus looks away for he can’t see Alec in pain and it’s insane because he barely knows the man.

They’ve formed an easy friendship now but that’s what it is—a friendship. Because Alec is married, even if it’s in name, there are lines that Magnus would never cross. And Alec doesn’t seem the type to either.

Then Simon and Clary’s turn comes and for both of them, it’s a memory of the other one. They exchange a beautiful smile at that.

And then in an instant, everything turns to hell when it’s his turn because this time, it’s a memory of Alec.

It’s from one of those rare days when Alec laughed in a way that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. The memory focuses on Alec’s faces and anyone with a single functioning braincell could feel Magnus’s feelings.

“What the fuck?” Jace yells, followed by everyone else.

Alec breaks the circle as he stands up, his eyes widen, face filled with horror.

“Magnus—what?”

He looks embarrassed and it quickly changes to anger. “How could you—what?” Alec tries but nothing else comes up.

“Alexander, listen,” Magnus swallows, knowing that if Alec leaves, he’s never going to be able to fix this. Even though he doesn’t know what this is—he needs Alec to stay. “I know this must all be confusing. It’s for me as well but I think that there’s more to what we’re seeing. There’s something between us and I—-“

Alec raises a hand.

There’s a pin drop of silence before Alec stares at him, fire in his eyes as he says, “Don’t ever come near me again.”

Isabelle and Jace’s eyes sadden suddenly, as if they know, and he’s sure they know why Alec is so shocked about this. Isabelle puts a comforting hand on his shoulder before they all leave.

Clary tries to stay but Magnus asks her to leave.

He needs time.

He falls to the floor, clutching his head in his hand as he tries to figure out what’s wrong. He yells out of despair, of feeling like he’s living with half his organs, half his mind, half his memories and all the pain let’s him to lose control and Magnus unleashes his magic onto the world. He needs to get Alec out of his brain so he wracks inside his brain and takes out all the memories of Alec, from every pit and crevice inside his brain and throws them outside.

A few second in, Magnus is surrounded by blue magic around him, memories and memories of Alec around him. Magnus’s eyes widen as he goes through them.

There are hundreds of memories and he knows for a fact that while these are his memories, he doesn’t remember living them.

There’s his first meeting with Alec. First—first meeting.

Alec and Magnus playing polo.

Alec grinning as he cooks French roast for them.

Dancing.

Alec almost dying. Multiple times.

Magnus in Edom. Alec in Edom.

Smiles and happiness and love—so much love.

The one that completely breaks Magnus’s heart is the one where they’re getting married.

And their wedding night.

Alec becoming Inquisitor and kissing the daylights out of him when he tells him.

Then the memories turn more somber. Darker. Sadder.

“I want to go home.” “This is home, Magnus.”

He doesn’t even have to wait, he knows the words already on his lips.

“I wish I had never married you, Alexander.”

And Magnus remembers.

He remembers why it’s been feeling like he’s living without his heart—because he was. His heart was living outside his body, in a world that’s created by Magnus’s anger and despair.

One moment of weakness and Magnus’s entire life changed.

By his own doing.

“Alexander,” Magnus falls to the ground and cries for his husband. “What did I do?“

After a few hours of lying on the floor mourning his life, Magnus goes to Cat.

He tells her everything and cries in her arms. “Cat, Alec—Alec is my husband. I remember. I remember him. Please I need to—I need to fix this. I need him back,” he cries.

It’s an ancient curse is what their research tells them. Now that he remembers, it’s easier to find the source.

“I need to talk to Alec…I—“

A huge gasp leaves Catarina’s mouth and he turns.

“Catarina what? What now?”

“It’s 11:55pm.”

“And?”

“Fuck!” Cat exclaims.

“Catarina, what?”

“I’m sorry, Magnus. But tomorrow morning, you won’t remember him.”

“What?” He says in horror.

“The memories will be lost forever.”

Alec will be lost forever.

[malec-ao3feed]

never saw it comin'

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/UWReh7X by storieswithinus //I wish I could fly, I'd pick you up and we'd go back in time. I'd write this in the sky, I miss you like it was the very first night.// Magnus Bane fell in love in 1850 with a beautiful man named Alexander. Then he thought he lost him forever only to discover him alive and well over a century and a half later. Alec Lightwood never thought he would see Magnus again, his love for him lingering throughout the decades. The chance to fall back in love at their fingertips, an opportunity they both thought they lost... Words: 2162, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen, M/M Characters: Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, Ragnor Fell, Jace Wayland, Clary Fray, Simon Lewis, Isabelle Lightwood, Maia Roberts, Lydia Branwell, Raphael Santiago Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Past Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, 1850s, Immortal Alec Lightwood, Protective Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, falling back in love, Falling In Love, Boys In Love, Dragon Alec Lightwood, Shadowhunters Aren't In This Story, Dragons, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Downworlders, Downworld Council (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Downworld Culture & Customs, Dragon Clan, Bookstores, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Happy Ending, Fluff, Flashbacks, Song: The Very First Night (Taylor Swift), Implied/Referenced Homophobia read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/UWReh7X

[amchara]

hey! for the prompts could you do kit and jace training?

Ahaha, why are my ficlets getting longer and longer? 😅

Anyway, I do enjoy a good Herondale bonding / training session. Although this prompt did go off in a slightly different direction than I expected...

(canon-compliant with SOBH)

-----

“Out,” Jace barked and the younger Shadowhunters scattered in front of him, with several impressive clangs and clatter as they hastily shoved weapons back into their stores. 

In the corner of the training room, Beatriz was packing up her lesson plans. Her wry glance with a raised eyebrow promised to fill him in on what had gone down before he arrived. She left, alongside the remaining stragglers. 

“Not you.” 

Kit’s face was a mess and Jace was hoping several iratzes and some good old-fashioned first aid would do wonders before Tessa returned from her visit to Magnus’ loft. He liked his great, great, grandmother and having her adopted son beat up by other Shadowhunters on his watch? Not a good look. 

“Impressive,” Jace remarked, handing over a wet cloth, which Kit accepted gingerly. “Less than 24 hours in New York and you’re already breaking noses and taking names. Granted- it’s your own nose but…”

“Can we get the wise mentor chat over with and move on?” Kit’s voice was sullen as he dabbed at the twin blood stains running under his nose. He held his left wrist at an awkward angle and Jace hoped it wasn’t broken. 

“I’m neither wise nor old,” Jace told him. “But I am an expert bullshitter.” He held Kit’s sky blue eyes for a moment before Kit broke the stare. Long enough though, for Jace to know that he was likely right in his assumption. “Like you.”

His distant cousin looked at the floor, scuffing his feet. “So, what about it?”

“What happened in training today, Kit?” Jace countered. “I’m not looking forward to explaining this to Tessa and Jem.”

“You think I’m willingly getting my ass handed to me?” 

Jace chose his next words carefully. “I think you’re holding back in some sense, yes.” 

Kit looked up angrily. “Again, you think I am choosing to lose? Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re punishing yourself,” Jace said, throwing subtlety to the wind. “For what happened with Mina in London. When you wrote to me- you said you’re throwing yourself into Shadowhunter training as a way to make yourself ready for what comes next with this whole First Heir thing.” He walked backwards to where he knew there were a couple of training sabres. 

He picked them up, weighing the balance of one, even as he continued talking. “It’s admirable- don’t misunderstand me." He snorted. "And I’ve now watched enough mundane movies with Simon to know getting a few black eyes is part of the whole ‘toughening up process.'”

Jace paused. “But you’re fighting with one hand behind your back, and I’m not talking about the fact that you didn’t go to the Academy, or started late. You’re scared to trust your instincts- and your training with Jem. Which is why all the other trainees are getting through your defenses.”

He handed a sabre to Kit. 

Kit’s face was naked with fear and he shook his head. “Jace, I can’t. You don’t understand- it’s-” He lowered his voice, even though they were alone in the large training room. “I can feel it,” he tapped the centre of his chest with the hand holding the blood-stained cloth and then held his hands out. “Whatever power let me vanish the Riders’ horses a couple years ago. It’s getting stronger. I’m worried I’m going to vaporise my opponents.”

Right. Jace rubbed his forehead. “Fair point. Well- you gotta deal with that first then.” He eyed Kit. “Why haven’t you approached Tessa for magic lessons? Or… hell, there are a few other warlocks that might help.” 

“She hasn’t offered. And we’re trying to keep this whole ‘First Heir’ thing secret.” Kit shrugged. “Although- I dunno we’re succeeding at that.”

Jace thought Kit also had a valid point there but more importantly- “Kit. You’ve got to ask these things of other people.” He tried to think of a way to phrase it, to put into words he still had trouble forming sometimes, courtesy of scars from his own flawed childhood and upbringing. “You don’t have to handle it all yourself. Let others help.”

A doubtful look crossed Kit’s face. 

Jace cleared his throat. Fine, he’d have to push, though he was loath to. Kit had to get that training and he’d play the bad guy if that’s what it took. “I’ll do it then- tell them you’re a menace to the NY Institute unless you’re properly trained.”

Kit’s face changed. “No, no- I’ll ask. Promise,” he said hastily.  

Jace grinned. “Good. In the meantime-” He pushed the sabre back towards Kit, and this time it was accepted. “Let’s go a quick round before lunch.” 

Kit looked down at the sabre and then back at Jace, his face a mix of emotions. “I probably have a broken nose.”

Jace moved into position. “Absolutely. But- the bad guys won’t stop to let you apply an iratze.” He smiled. “It’ll add to your rugged charm, believe me.” He relented, noting Kit’s eyes roving past him to the exit. “One round, then we’ll stop okay?”

“Says the man who has clearly never broken his nose,” Kit retorted. He reluctantly moved into a parallel spot in front of Jace. “And I’m not sure I’m a fan of this whole pain before gain thing that Shadowhunters are pushing,” he added, wincing slightly as he touched puffiness that was developing under his eye. 

Jace spun his sabre handle before catching it again. “Then you’d better get in touch with your faerie side, pronto.” He studied Kit’s stance. “Legs wider than that- I’ll knock you over in two seconds.”

Kit’s brow knitted in concentration as he set up again. He looked uncertain. “Jace- what if I-”

“If you blow me up after all I’ve been through, I’ll probably deserve it,” Jace told him. He darted forward and Kit leapt backwards with a muffled yelp, bringing his sabre up almost too late. “Also, after Clary and mine's adventure in Faerie last year, I asked Magnus to make me a protection charm… So- do your worst, Herondale,” he said, delighted that he could throw that name back out into the world. 

At that, Kit’s eyes sparked with a rekindled fire, and he threw himself back into the fight. 

(Accepting ficlet prompts [multi-fandom] here)