#saphael angst

[noncanonfan]

Please check out my latest fic!

[passingbypainfullyaware]

Ok but saphael as parents?

Raphael is definitely the responsible one. He knows the baby routine like the back of his hand. He’s never been anything less than 5 minutes early to every parent teacher meeting. All the pta moms bow down because he is the champion of bake sales. (Janice’s brick-like brownies could never)

Then there’s Simon.

(Maybe Raphael is raising two kids at once lol.) Simon works really long hours so he doesn’t get to spend as much time with his family as he’d like.. but his pride as a father is the fact that he gets back home everyday just in time for the bedtime story. (He also doesn’t trust Raphael to tell a good story for even a second. he loves him but man’s gotta get better at doing the voices). When their child turned seven, Simon got a promotion at work. This meant that he could work fewer hours for a higher pay and Simon almost cried. (Jk it’s Simon he balled his eyes out on Raphaels shoulders for a good few hours) The first time their kid sees Simon at the school gates ready to pick them up, they run into his arms in excitement and Simon was crying on raphs shoulders again when they got home.

Simons the dad that can help with homework, if you dont mind sitting through a 15 minute lecture about idk pelicans or something. Raphael can’t do math for shit, so he’s glad Simon took over before they hit the algebra years.

The first time their kid gets into a fight. (This is Raphaels kid, it was inevitable) Simon is busy laser scanning them to search for injuries to notice the pride in Raphaels face when they say “Daddy, I’m fine! If anything you should see the other guy.” It’s a good thing too because if he did notice, Raphael would be sleeping out on the porch.

[tiny-pun]

Hanahaki disease prompt

B doesnt understand why A is suddenly a tea person but mostly just ignores it in favour of writing it off as A being weird again.

Unbeknownst to them A has fallen victim to the infamous Hanahaki disease. The special tea is a temporary solution.

A knows their love is unrequited and B already worries to much anywaay, so they aren't going to make them aware of their love. It would be unnecessary pain on both ends.

One day thk, they come across someone else (C) with the disease, who is out of tea and doesn't have a lot of time left. But A understands that from Cs stories about their love, that C's love is not unrequited. Unlike theirs. So obviously A gives up their last dosis and helps them find their way back to their love to fix it.

How does B react to all this? Will A keep B in the dark about who stole their heart? And will A's sacrifice be worth it?

[bidnezz]

Fluff vs Angst Battle 2020

HEY YOU, Shadowhunters author!

Do you write fluff fics?! Do you aggressively shout out your window “IT’S SO FLUFFY”? Do you swoon and sigh dreamily with how soft, lovely, and wonderful your characters are? Do you write angst!? Do you choose to wreak havoc on people’s emotions and laugh maniacally at how quickly the tears flow, sustaining yourself with the sorrow and heartache of your characters!? Then join our Fluff vs Angst collection on ao3!!

Requirements: Must be your own fic you submit, must be SH related, must be predominantly fluff OR angst, must be published in 2020. Click the link for more info, and pick a side (it better be the fluff side tho just sayin)!! Anyone is welcome to join, we encourage it!!

[bytheangell]

Quiet My Fears

(Read on AO3)

Considering how much of a curse Raphael considered being a vampire, and how badly he craved the return of his humanity all those years, now that he has it… well, it’s a lot, and it’s taking much more adjusting than he originally anticipated. This applies to deep, meaningful adjustments like coming to terms with the fact that he’s no longer immortal like his boyfriend, and far more shallow ones, like the fact that his alcohol tolerance is apparently much lower than he anticipates.

And on some nights, much to his dissatisfaction, it seems as if those adjustments will collide. 

He doesn’t mean to get drunk - it was just a dinner with Magnus, something casual between old friends, but Rapahel recognized the thinly veiled motivation was to check up on him, a concern he appreciated and hated in equal measure. One drink before dinner turned into two and three with dinner, and a fourth after that leaves Raphael stumbling a bit in his suddenly-too-heavy dress shoes.

It also, much to his pleasant surprise, leaves the annoyance of everyone's worry and the constant dark swirling of his own increasingly negative thoughts somewhere muffled and muted in the back of his mind, dulled by the pleasant swirling haze only occasionally mirrored in brief moments of lightheaded dizziness. It's nice, not to think, not to worry, and he smiles as he insists he doesn’t need Magnus to sober him up with magic before they part ways. He wants to enjoy this for as long as he can.

"Want some company for the walk?" A familiar voice calls out to him from partway down the street. It's dark, but he doesn’t need to see his boyfriend to know that’s who it is.

"Magnus called you, didn't he?" Raphael sighs. That traitor.

"What? Noooo," Simon says, his tone entirely unconvincing.

"He didn't need to, I'm fine," Raphael insists again, still walking. It isn't that he wants to avoid Simon, but he wants to avoid talking, and unfortunately, the two of those go hand-in-hand.

"...you're walking the wrong way," Simon points out, a small smile on his face, and Raphael stops walking. Shit.

"I suppose I wouldn't mind company," he agrees reluctantly.

While he was alone the alcohol kept his thoughts pleasantly neutral, distracted by the sights and sounds of the city around him, dwelling on the peculiarities of the strangers and shop fronts he passed. Now that Simon is here his thoughts dwell on Simon because he can’t help it - whenever Simon’s around there's nowhere else Raphael wants to look, nothing else he seems to be able to think about.

They walk in silence for a little while, and Raphael's head is too cloudy to pick up on how strange that in and of itself is.

"So, how was dinner?" Simon asks finally. Simon's hand finds Raphael's between them and presses them together, intertwining their fingers. Raphael isn't the biggest fan of public displays of affection but he doesn't mind small ones like this.

"Good. Maybe too good. I didn't drink much before I was turned, and rarely imbibed on plasma as a vampire - always felt too irresponsible as the clan leader to put myself in a position where my responses might be too slowed, or my judgment impaired," he admits. His words slur together more the longer he talks. "I suppose I could get drunk all the time now, couldn't I? It isn't like I need to be useful to anyone-" he says, the bitterness seeping through, not realizing what he's saying until it's too late to stop. He tries anyway, cutting off the sentence abruptly and not making eye contact with Simon, hoping against hope that he'll let it go.

Of course, he doesn't. Simon stops walking, the hand held between them tugging Raphael to a stop in the process. "Hey-" Simon starts, but Raphael tugs back.

"Don't. Just- don't." Raphael doesn't want to hear the pity in Simon's voice.

"Don't what? Don't remind you how important you are to your friends, whether you're their leader or not? Or how useful you are to me just by being here?" Simon continues.

"For how long?" Raphael asks, his voice barely above a whisper. He speaks the question that pushes out from the muffled, swirling haze of his mind so softly he isn't sure he didn't just imagine asking it until Simon replies.

"What?"

"How long," Raphael says, cursing the sudden clarity that comes over him as he forces the words out, not sure he'll ever say them if he doesn't say them now considering how long he's been thinking them. "Until Lily and the others stop humoring my desire to stay in touch with them? How long until Magnus finds some new poor soul to take under his wing? How long until you get tired of needing to escort me through the bad parts of town because I'm mortal and fragile and unable to protect myself, let alone you or anyone else I care about?"

Simon swallows thickly. Raphael expects him to get angry or upset over doubting his commitment, about questioning the love of their friends, of the people Raphael considers family. Raphael is upset with himself over all of that and so much more, but that doesn't stop it from being true, or at least what he believes to be true. Raphael braces for shouting, or worse, for Simon to simply turn and leave in disappointed silence.

And then Simon says, "For as long as you let us."

Simon speaks the words so simply, and with such conviction, that Raphael knows that whether or not they're actually true Simon believes them to be true with every bit of his heart and soul. "I'm not going anywhere. None of us are. You don't just stop caring about someone overnight because some things are different. As long as you let us stay, we're here... at least, I am, but I'm pretty sure the rest would agree."

Raphael gives the hand still holding his a small pulse, just as he squeezes his eyes shut as well. The voice in his head says that it'd be easier, in the long run, to shut everyone out and walk away before they have the chance to do it first.

"Please let me stay?" Simon asks as if reading Raphael's thoughts.

“If you insist,” Raphael says, though his words don’t quite hit the ‘casually dismissive’ tone he’s aiming for because there’s simply too much fondness there to hide.

"Let's go home?" Raphael suggests suddenly instead of answering, turning the pleading eyes that Simon usually uses on him around on Simon this time.

"Yeah, of course. Right now what you need is some water in you, and maybe a few Advil," Simon agrees easily enough.

Raphael knows they'll talk about this more later, but for now, it's enough to know that maybe all of his fears aren't as inevitable as he thinks. Simon wants to stay and, despite his fears, Raphael wants to let him. And if Simon does, maybe the others will, too. Maybe Raphael won't have to lose everything else along with his immortality.

They get home and Raphael is treated to water, some pills, a change of clothes into pajamas, and the gentle pressure of Simon wrapped around him as they curl into bed. A comforting weight he knows will be there for as long as he wants it.

Raphael sleeps easily with the knowledge that, if he lets it, that length of time could be forever.

[antisocial-af]

Day 14: Saphael (Angst)

Title: For death and mourning the color’s...

25 Days of Pairings: Day 14 Saphael (Angst)

Promo:

If you are interested in Rare Pairs, think about joining Shadowhunters Rare Pair Gift Exchange.  I’ve already sent in my form! Sign-ups End on December 19th so don’t  miss your chance and don’t be afraid to be as specific as you want on  the forms!

Rating: M

Wordcount: 1012

Past Major Character Death

Angst, Hurt no Comfort, Winter Fic, No Happy Ending, Canonical Death.

Summary:

Simon visits Raphael's grave.

Click here to Read on Ao3

Story:

Simon trudged through the snow. More snowflakes were falling, but the night’s embrace covered the innocent white in the darkness. Simon slipped his Steele back into his pocket after reaching his destination. No rune could help him withstand the pain of where he is. 

He kneeled on the icy ground and took out a small rosary along with a mix of lilies and carnations. Simon ran his gloved hand over the snow-covered gravestone and felt his heart tighten like it always would when he read the carved words.   

‘Raphael Ortiz Santiago

Son. Leader. Family. Friend.

September 29th, 1937 - December 14th, 2007’

Simon had been coming to visit Raphael since late January after his successful ascension that blessed cursed him with his memories back. He recalled trying to keep it together as all of the Shadow World’s memories, and the deal in Edom flew back into him. Simon had played with the coin Magnus had gifted him. Once his memories returned, he understood why Magnus had given the coin to him. It had been Raphael’s.

A harsh wind threatened to tear the items from his hands. Even with the alcohol warming his body, Simon could still feel the biting cold. He started his practiced routine unconsciously, taking the old flowers from last week and placing the new ones. Simon would put the new rosary and take the old one from one of the small crosses that ordained the grave’s sides. Once done, Simon would lean back and stare at his work. It was second nature for Simon to end a Sunday’s hunt with a few drinks and a visit to Raphael after almost a year. 

“Hey Raph,” Simon started, only to pause again as his throat began to tighten. “I hope you like the flowers I brought this time. Shadowhunters have greenhouses; who knew. I mean, you probably did and most likely tried to tell me at some point.” 

He bit his lip and tried to keep himself in check. After all this time, his visits still pushed him to tears. 

“I ran into Lily tonight. She took over the New York Clan officially now. I mean, everyone knew she was in charge before, but now it is official. The Clan celebrated by throwing a huge party in the hotel,” Simon stopped again and wiped his eyes against his sleeve. “They invited me, but I still can’t go in there. I can’t go back there and not see you.” 

Simon had tried the first time he returned to New York, but the closest he could get without the memories stealing his mobility was standing on the roof across from the hotel during his patrols. Simon would always volunteer to patrol the Dumort’s area when the Institute would post the shifts. Lily and Elliot had tried to invite him in once when they had seen him, but Simon could never will himself to cross the street and up those steps. 

“I really wanted you to be wrong, you know,” Simon confessed as tears burrowed into the snow below him. “You always preached that Shadowhunters would always choose their own kind over everyone else, and I don’t know if it was my anger at the time for being hurled into an unknown world or my naiveness, but I really wanted you to be wrong. I wanted Shadowhunters to be like the selfless heroes in my comic books.” 

After the ascension, Simon had realized how skewed the history taught in the Shadowhunter Academy was. He recalled bits of Raphael’s vampire history lessons and filled the parts that the academy had decided to leave out. They wrote off years and lives from their textbooks because it would’ve disillusioned the future generations of Shadowhunters. Simon had learned then that the Clave was more concerned with their image than the repeat of history. 

“I still think I have a chance of winning, though,” Simon smiled softly as he rubbed his eye clear again. “The new generation of Shadowhunters aren’t as close-minded as the previous generation. I can see you rolling your eyes already but trust me. Alec is whipping them into shape. Magnus says that Alec is different from other Shadowhunters. They’re still not married, but they finally settled Max in, I think.”    

Simon could hear the low hum caused by a portal behind him. He knew his time was almost up. Simon rubbed his hand softly over the top of the gravestone, rubbing some of the fresh snow away. 

“I keep thinking about what could’ve been; maybe if I had tried to understand you better, we would be having a different conversation under better circumstances,” Simon pushed through as his eyes clouded again. “I’m sorry, Raphael, I threw the kindness, safety, security, and family you offered me back at you like an ungrateful child.” 

Simon felt a hand curl on top of his white Shadowhunter gear. He looked behind him and caught the sympathetic gaze of Magnus. Simon, if allowed, would stay out here talking to Raphael for hours. He had a few times the first weeks Simon had visited. He remembered the groundskeeper’s lawnmower serving as his alarm every time. 

“Who was it this time?” Simon asked as he stood up, wiping the snow off himself. He knew it would be either Jace or Isabelle who ratted him out this time. They would notice he wouldn’t come back from patrols and immediately call Magnus. 

“Alec noticed your bow was still missing from the armory,” Magnus responded and pulled a thick coat tightly around Simon. “It’s time to go home, Simon. You can come again later.” 

“Bye, Raph, see you next week.” Simon somberly smiled and turned to where the portal was still open. He was thankful that Magnus never tried to push him to talk right after a visit. 

Magnus stepped in the portal before him, and Simon looked back one more time where the snow had now started to cover the new flowers. He smiled and followed Magnus to the Institute, waiting on the other side.  

How can I go home when you aren’t waiting there? 

[visander]

Whumptober, Day Four: Simon had always expected that there would be a day that Raphael took a bullet for him. It came hand in hand with Raphael’s line of work but he had never considered that he might do the same someday.

Read on Archive. 

[winchester27]

When the fic has an angst tag but you don't see the happy ending tag

[simonlewlove]

"we are your family now" still, after what happened, raphael considers simon family ❤️

[100-bellarke-100]

sizzle sizzle

Simon: did it hurt? Raphael: Fledgling, for the love of all holy things, if you ask whether it hurt when I fell from heaven, I'll kill you. Simon: Did it hurt to get your body parts burned off on the cross? Raphael: Run, bitch. Run to Canada.

[eversnark]

You know tfw you're in the mood for wholesome, domestic, adorable fluff and anything else is completely irrelevant

[josephqunnies]

The 200 prompts: 28 with Saphael

“I thought we were family!”

Raphael let’s out a bitter meritless laugh, head thrown back and all fangs. Simon wished he could erase the last two seconds. “Oh baby, we have no ties to to traitors, you gave up the chance to be a part of our family the moment you chose your shadowhunters over us”

“This still can’t be about that, you helped me with my mom and with Quinn” Simon stutters, he’s desperate he knows Raphael is his last hope.

“You used my sister to blackmail me” Raphael is finally looking at him, eyes cold and deadly “Quinn was one of our own, it was my job to take of the mess he made, because we have laws and rules and he broke them”

“So y-“

“Get out and don’t come back, you’re nothing to me nor the clan” Simon stood frozen, a million thoughts spiraling in his mind “ get out” Raphael’s words echoed off the walls of his office.

Simon hung his head low as he exited Raphael’s office to the main hall, he wasn’t alone there. Many face he knew from his short time at the hotel was watching him. The man he’d play bridge with, the girl that told him stories of her years as a military nurse during WW2 before her turning. He really was starting to have a family here.

“Wait Simon” Lily said, Simon hadn’t realized that they were listening but it was hard not to when you have supernatural hearing.

Lily and the others quickly brushed past him. The conversation was quite Simon waited and counted the seconds that turned to minutes and almost an hour later, Raphael came out to meet him.

“Family forgives” Raphael spoke from behind Simon “you’re welcomed back to the clan but you’re a tight rope, one slip up and out”

“Thank you so much Raphael, I won’t let you down”

Simon’s stomach churned when Raphael scoffed at him “don’t let them don’t” he pointed behind him “I want nothing to do with you”

(Not taking anymore requests)

[justmagnusbane]

Alec finally wakes up, and the group begin to mend

[bytheangell]

5 Things to Put in a Pentagram to Summon Raphael Santiago

(Read on AO3) Square Filled: Pentagram for @shadowhunterbingo Pairing: Saphael (Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago) Rating: Teen and Up  – Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Tags: fluff, fluff and humor  Summary:  Simon, desperate for any hint of what Raphael likes in an attempt to flirt with him, resorts to memes in a subtle attempt to trick the answers out of him.  -------------

Simon sends another one of those ‘about you’ sorts of memes to Raphael - this one is meant to be a list of choose ‘this’ or ‘that’ options, except Raphael doesn’t answer any of them and instead sends a wall of text back about why anyone would choose either of those options, or that he hasn’t even heard of the actors or shows listed, and-

Simon sighs, dropping his phone onto his chest as he sits on Clary’s sofa.

“Trouble in paradise?” Clary asks, raising an eyebrow.

“It isn’t working,” Simon says with another dramatic sigh. “I keep sending him those question memes to try and find out something he likes that I can use, but he just keeps criticizing them instead of giving me anything to work with.”

“You could just ask him,” Clary points out.

Simon balks at the idea. “Oh, yeah, sure, because it’s so simple. Let me just go up to the leader of the vampire clan and ask him what his favorite flowers are so I can get them for him.”

“It’s clearly better than sending him memes that ask if he prefers roses or carnations,” Clary points out.

“Because the answer is neither, they’re both so cliche,” Simon offers. “At least I’m getting a great idea of what he doesn’t like. Soon I’ll be able to narrow it down, right?”

Simon flips through his social media, his eyes catching on another meme - but this one is perfect. It’s practically fate that he finds it now of all times.

“Clary, I got it!” he yells victoriously, jumping off of the sofa to walk over and shove his phone in her face.

“The pentagram meme?” Clary asks dubiously. “Why is this your sudden revelation when all the others failed?”

“Because,” Simon says. “5 Things to Put in a Pentagram to Summon Me. It’s flawless. He’ll tell me five of his favorite things, or at least five things he at least vaguely likes, and I can use that!”

Simon hits send and waits. He knows Raphael is meeting with Magnus so he’s probably too busy to keep checking his phone, but whenever he does get it--

Simon’s phone dings and he opens the message from Raphael immediately.

His face falls.

Raphael- ...why would you need 5 things, you know all it takes is grave dirt to summon a vampire, right? You don’t even need a pentagram.

Simon sighs. “Fine, you were right. I give up.”

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

Raphael’s phone buzzes in his pocket and he doesn’t have to check to know that it’s Simon. Again.

“Are you going to see who it is?” Magnus asks. “It could be important.”

“Or it could be Simon with another ridiculous question game,” Raphael counters. He does check his phone because he’s the leader of the Brooklyn Vampire Clan and the one time he decides to ignore his phone would be the time the Dumort ends up on fire or something, but he only proves himself right when he sees Simon’s name and opens the message to find something about a pentagram.

“This is the fourth one this week,” Raphael mutters as he types out the obvious answer to what would be needed to summon him anywhere, which Simon definitely already knows.

“What are they, exactly?” Magnus asks. There’s something about the too-curious, lead-in tone of voice he has that makes Raphael immediately doubt the innocence of the question.

“They’re questions… ridiculous ‘would you choose this or that’ questions, or pointless lists of favorites, or this… honestly, I don’t even know what this last thing one is.”

Magnus hums to himself, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

“What?” Raphael demands. He doesn’t like that look at all.

“Can I see them?” Magnus asks, holding his hand out expectantly. Raphael can’t imagine how it would hurt so he hands his phone over, and watches as the smirk on Magnus’ face only spreads the more he scrolls down. “Oh, that poor boy,” Magnus mutters to himself while laughing. “Raphael, I don’t know how to break it to you… but I believe our dear Simon has a crush on you.”

Raphael nearly chokes on the air he doesn’t need to breathe, an instinctive reaction of shock. “I beg your pardon?”

“He’s trying to find out things you like,” Magnus points out, like it should be the most obvious conclusion to draw. “This last one? ‘5 Things to Put in a Pentagram to Summon Me?”

“A ridiculous question, you know that-”

“Yes, yes. But this isn’t meant to be realistic, it’s a silly mundane meme. You were supposed to tell him your five favorite things. And I’ll bet you any money if you did, he’d find a way to get them for you.”

“Why wouldn’t he just say he likes me? Or ask me what I like?” Raphael says, grabbing his phone back and scrolling through the messages from Simon again. With that new idea in mind, he can see what Magnus is implying even if he doesn’t quite believe it or understand it.

“I mean… you are a little intimidating.”

“I am not,” Raphael says, but knows the words are a lie before he finishes them. Perhaps he is a little intimidating, but it comes with the territory. But also, perhaps he’s been a little extra dismissive of Simon lately, in no small part because he hasn’t known what to do with how close Simon keeps trying to get to him. At least now he knows why.

“I should call him and ask if he’s trying to flirt with me,” Raphael decides. The moment he goes to pull up Simon’s number his phone is snatched from his hands.

“Absolutely not, you’ll scare him off forever. He’ll never admit it like that,” Magnus explains with a shake of his head.

“Then what do you propose I do?” Raphael sighs. He’s entirely out of his element here.

“Well,” Magnus starts slowly. “If you’re not entirely opposed to the idea…” he lets the sentence fall off in a question and Raphael groans at the realization that Magnus is going to make him say it out loud.

“I’m not. He’s… endearing. In his own way.”

“I thought so,” Magnus beams. “In which case, you answer his pentagram question. Give him five things to woo you with.”

“Okay. I can do that.” Raphael takes his phone back and considers his answer thoroughly before typing.

Raphael: But if we’re ignoring the laws of vampire summoning, then I suppose my pentagram would be made of my car, a very strong bloody mary, a well-tailored suit, Charlie Chaplin movies, and the smell of my mother’s cooking.

He isn’t sure what Simon is going to do with that information, but at least now he can get on with the actual business he came here to discuss with Magnus.

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

It takes Simon a few days to get everything he needs. His timing, however, couldn’t be better. Raphael’s been very tense the last few days, with a new fledgling testing his patience even more than Simon had when he first arrived, tensions with the werewolves again, and that was all on top of his usual grumpiness.

The poor guy needed some time away, or at least a break from the constant pressure he keeps putting himself under. So while he’s out one night Simon gets everything ready for his return in the morning - he got his hands on an entire collection of Charlie Chaplin movies, a batch of bloody marys Maia promises are strong enough to knock even Raphael off his feet, and even though he’s set up a relaxing atmosphere with the piles of blankets and pillows carefully arranged in a pile on the floor in front of the projector, instead of wearing the pajama pants Simon so desperately craves he’s dressed in a very well-tailored suit. In fact, it’s the suit Raphael let him borrow for Alec’s wedding that he may or may not have very intentionally forgotten to give back. And, to top it all off, in the corner burns a candle Simon found called ‘Homesick’ meant to smell of Mexican spices and cooking.

He couldn’t work in the car, because how is he supposed to work an entire car into this definitely-not-a-date, but he hopes that four out of five is good enough.

Simon paces relentlessly, going over what he wants to say in his head a few times. He has a few lines he’s been practicing, about Raphael deserving to be taken care of and to be happy. That’s usually as far as he gets before it dissolves into increasingly panicked rambling about how he’d totally understand if he isn’t the one Raphael wants for those things, and even in his head it usually ends with Simon fleeing before he can embarrass himself too much, which doesn’t really bode well for how things will actually go when Raphael shows up.

All he can do now is wait.

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

Raphael is in a worse mood than usual when he gets back to the Dumort with mere minutes to spare before sunrise. He’s exhausted and frustrated, and beyond any limit on his patience after the full night of ‘territory debate’ he engaged in with the local werewolves after thinking they were beyond all of that these days.

“Why does the hotel smell like food?”

It’s the first thing that hits him the moment he steps inside. It’s faint from the first-floor entryway but present to his heightened sense of smell.

“No one knows. It’s coming from Simon’s room but he won’t let anyone in here. Just told me to tell you to go up there when you’re back, so I guess you’re going to be the lucky one to find out,” Lily says with a curious look on her face.

Raphael sighs. He isn’t in the mood for whatever miniature disaster Simon’s got going on right now, but he does at least go up to tell Simon as much before he plans on retreating to his room to decompress for the remainder of the day.

Raphael gives a single courtesy knock before turning the handle and opening the door.

“Simon, I don’t have time for whatever-” Raphael starts, but the words fall silent abruptly at the sight before him. He catches Simon pacing and muttering to himself in front of a pile of pillows and blankets in front of a projector with a stack of DVDs next to it with Charlie Chaplin at the top and a pitcher of bloody mary. The smell from before is much stronger now, and also a lot clearer - jalapeno, butter, cream, caraway, a hint of smoke… It smells like home. Not Brooklyn, but Mexico, where he was born. He can practically see his mother standing in front of him cooking just from the scent of it as he closes his eyes and breathes it in fully.

By the time Raphael’s taken in the little details of everything Simon clearly took the time and effort to gather and set up for him, Simon is already fumbling out an apology over Raphael’s initial outburst of annoyance.

“Sorry. I should’ve asked if you were busy first. I just… shit, just pretend none of this exists, and-”

“Is this for me?” Raphael cuts him off. He knows it is - it’s almost everything he listed out on his text to Simon the other day - but even as he looks at it he doesn’t quite believe it.

“Yeah,” Simon says, the smallest hint of a hopeful smile making its way back onto his face. “You’ve just been so stressed lately, and I thought… I thought I could do something nice for you.”

“You’re wearing a suit,” Raphael observes. “You know, I never did get to see that on you when you borrowed it before. It looks good on you.”

Simon practically beams at the compliment. It’s a short-lived expression that’s replaced immediately with panic at Raphael’s next question.

“Is this a date?”

Simon sputters. “I... I mean, it doesn’t have to be. We can just… hang out. Or I can leave. And you can just relax on your own. In fact, yeah, you do that and I’ll just go now,” Simon says, the jumbled words coming out very quickly.

Magnus was right. Simon was trying to flirt with him. How did he not see it before?

“Simon, wait,” Raphael says quickly, before Simon can get to the door. “I’d like it if you stayed.”

“You would?” Simon asks, obviously surprised.

“I would,” Raphael confirms. “And I wouldn’t mind if it were a date. If you wanted it to be.”

Simon gapes. “Oh. Oh! Okay. Then… yes. This is definitely a date. I would like for this to be a date.”

Raphael laughs. “This might be the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a very long time, you know,” he admits.

“You deserve it,” Simon tells him simply. “Do you like it? And be honest. I can take it.”

Raphael refrains from telling Simon that if he said he didn’t like it he’s pretty sure Simon might actually burst into tears, though it doesn’t matter because he does like it, much more than he imagined he would. In fact...

“I love it,” Raphael promises. “The suit part was more for me, though. You don’t have to keep that on if you don’t want to.”

“Oh thank goodness,” Simon sighs. “Because it’s nice and all but I cannot imagine sitting through all those movies in this. Be right back.”

When Simon returns in jeans and a band t-shirt they play some of the movies while sharing the pitcher of bloody mary, with Raphael explaining that they’re his favorites because his mother would play them all the time while he was younger. She always loved how universal they were, being silent movies and given that she spoke very little English when they first arrived in the States and that they reminded him of her as much as the smell of her cooking did. Simon tells him all about the ‘homesick’ candle he found called ‘Mexico’ so Raphael can order more for when he’s feeling particularly nostalgic. They laugh at the silly, mindless comedy and by the middle of the day Raphael can barely remember why he was in such a foul mood earlier.

“Thanks, Simon. I really enjoyed this,” Raphael says when the movies are over, the drinks are gone, and they both need to get some sleep.

“Does that mean you’d want to do it again sometime, maybe?” Simon asks hopefully.

“Only if you promise to actually ask me on a date instead of sending me internet quizzes,” Raphael counters.

“Hey, it worked, didn’t it?” Simon argues. “But fine. Will you go on another date with me?”

“Yes,” Raphael agrees. “But I’m planning the next one.”

“Deal,” Simon agrees. He hesitates by the doorway for a moment and Raphael can practically see him overthinking whatever gives him pause. Then Simon moves back into the room to put a hand on either side of Raphael’s shoulders, placing a quick kiss onto his cheek before he turns again and leaves.

Raphael refuses to admit how charming that kiss is. He does, however, grab his phone and send Simon the ‘5 Things to Put in a Pentagram to Summon Me’ meme. He has a second date to plan, after all.

It doesn’t take long for his phone to buzz with a text back from Simon and Raphael’s never been more grateful to be alone so that no one can see the entirely-too-fond look that crosses his face at the reply.

Simon: You, You, You, You, and You.

[amordnp]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Shadowhunters (TV), Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago, Magnus Bane & Rafael Lightwood-Bane, Magnus Bane & Max Lightwood-Bane, Alec Lightwood & Rafael Lightwood-Bane, Alec Lightwood & Max Lightwood-Bane, Maia Roberts/Jace Wayland Characters: Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane, Max Lightwood-Bane, Rafael Lightwood-Bane, Isabelle Lightwood, Clary Fray, Simon Lewis, Raphael Santiago, Jace Wayland, Maia Roberts Additional Tags: Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Background Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood, Background Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago, Single Parents, Kid Fic, Alec is Max's dad, Magnus is Rafael's dad, Fluff and Angst, Background Maia Roberts/Jace Wayland Summary:

Alec Lightwood is a single dad, going against everybody's opinion while trying to raise a Warlock kid. After so much effort he can't teach Max how to control his magic and ends up in a school for Downworlders parents. Magnus Bane's life wasn't very different, raising a Shadowhunter that wanted to start training being the High Warlock of Brooklyn wasn't easy either. Blessed the day he listens to his best friend conversation about a Shadowhunter trying to raise his Warlock!

[antisocial-af]

Interrupted by spoons - G - SFW, Prank War, Friendship, Fluff. - Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood.  

Square Used: Curses

Homework, Pentagrams, and Tiny Demons - T - Fluff, Magic Misshaps, Cute Max Lightwood-Bane, Protective Rafael Lightwood-Bane. - Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood.

Square Used: Pentagrams

1x13: A Bastian Fix-it - T - Fix-it, Angst, Politics, Slight Fluff. - Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood. 

Square Used: ‘Fix-it’

Late Night Coffee - G - Jalec, Fluff, SFW, Alternative Universe. - Alec Lightwood/Jace Wayland.

Square Used: ‘This World Inverted’

First Hunt - T - Hurt/Comfort, Slight Angst, Protective Charms. - Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood.

Square Used: Hunt

Lost Bet - M - NSFW, Smut, First Meetings, Lingerie, Light Dom/Sub. - Magnus Bane/ Alec Lightwood. 

Square Used: Mundane AU

One Line at a Time - G - First Meetings, Meet Cute, Holiday Fluff, SFW. - Lorenzo Rey/Andrew Underhill. 

Square Used: Friends Got Them Together

The Dangers of Petting a Cat - G - Demon Simon Lewis, Demonic Possession, Attempt at Humor, SFW, Meet Ugly? Saphael. - Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago. 

Squares Used: First Time, Traveling, &Cursed Items.

A Chance at Forever - T - Angst with a Happy Ending, Immortality Issues, Time Travel, Good Friends Ragnor & Catarina. - Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood. 

Square Used: Time Travel, Misunderstandings, & Free Space. 

Well that is all for my Bingo for this year! I had so much fun. Kinda sad I only got a bit over half of my squares done but hopefully next year I will get a full card done. 

Thank you to the wonderful @brightasstars. I believed that she beta’d 90% of my fics for this event. She is amazing to have in your corner with her constant support and motivation. I couldn’t of finished most of these fics without her help.