#shadowhunters ficlet

[alexanderlightweight]

You know what I rarely see? In the show after wooing Alec, Magnus is not shown as overly invested and it always appears as Alec reaching/apologizing/moving the pair along. Which was definitely a writing/directing choice. But what I’d like to prompt if it suits you, is Magnus being the one to apologize or to reassure Alec that he is important and not temporary-I’m team immortal but this convo certainly should happen. I liked the way you had Alec be angry in that prompt fill about his birthday and Magnus had to own up to that. If this isn’t your thing no big deal! Hope the weather is nice where you are and nightshade has enough pets and treats for the day!

i believe in 'no partner is perfect' and while i don't tend to write the angstier couple stuff 'i like my malec happy' i don't mind occasionally dipping my toes into partner angst (with an immortal happy ending)

this particular fic isn't about about immortality but it's about haing two people who have fundamentally different lifestyles having a miscommunication that devolves and while the argument is based on the show scene, it doesn't follow it perfectly. nor is the actual argument written. just the aftermath.

my thoughts are that magnus tries to spoil alec in season two still but it's more intimate and offscreen and he sort of in season 3a but magnus relies heavily n his magic to spoil alec and he kind of is spiraling all of season 3 tbh. they just really were sprinkling angst on malec like it was salt and they realized the show was bland.

all they did was get oversalted content which got salty fans, since they forgot to add actual herbs and spices.

it's a bloody hot day okay. i love the sun as much -nevermind apparently this is a lie-

so i don't hate the sun okay. i enjoy sunshine in specific environments. the sun is not a tyrant devoid of compassion.

anyways i live in a desert because its whats best for the people i love but give me mist and foggy days and give me winters of waist deep snow i can fall in. oceans so cold your lips go blue and rivers so deep and clear and still cold with melting ice.

if people are going to send me 8-10 feet to the bottom of the lake because they lost their electronics. it better be cold and clear. not warm and murky. (this has only happened 3 times but i have a preference).

So I made Say breakfast and nightshade breakfast and then I made @saeths breakfast a few hours later so i made an extra egg for nightshade to tempt him to eat another bowl of kibble.

so i fed nightshade twice and forgot to make any eggs for myself ^_^ so he is plenty spoiled (don't worry his egg was made without cheese and salt).

also the reason i'm awake is because he needed snuggles and after that he wanted to play in the pool and then i was too awake to bother

but that's our wednesday so far and i'm getting my work out of the way so i can focus on writing and house things.

<3 lumine

-

Magnus is ready with another quick retort when Alec’s face goes blank for a moment.

The argument fades from Magnus’ mind in an instant, because while this is the perfect moment to land another barb, the words die and his sentence stops, ending with a snide comment he doesn’t really mean.

“That’s fine Magnus.” Alec says and he’s not angry, which is worse. He sounds tired and yet professional. His manner restrained and placating in the way he does when he no longer has any fight left and he just wants to retreat and lick his wounds.

Wounds that Magnus caused.

“Alexander—” Magnus starts, because he didn’t intend to get so upset but Alexander just shakes his head.

“You’ve said your piece, Magnus. I get it.” Alexander sighs and runs a hand through his hair as he shuffles. “I messed up, again.”

Magnus winces, because he’s begun to feel more like a scolding mentor than a partner.

“I need to get to the Institute—” which makes sense, the argument started as they both got ready for their days. “I’ll—” and Alec hesitates and then shrugs, “I’ll see you tonight.”

—

Magnus waits until it’s dinner time and then portals to the Institute, already preparing words to once again explain that it’s not Alexander, it’s just not time yet.

He opens the door to the office without knocking and steps in.

“Alexander—” Magnus starts and then he hesitates.

Because for once, Alexander’s eyes don’t soften when they meet his. They remain cold, devoid of the warm ardor they normally contain but once again, without anger. Only an empty tiredness that Magnus longs to chase away.

“Do you have an appointment today, Magnus?” Alexander asks, setting down his pen and turning off his tablet with a sigh. Even upset Alexander will still give him his full attention and Magnus steps closer to the desk when Alexander continues, “because I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for a meal, or a conversation if it’s not official. So, if you don’t have an appointment, it needs to wait until I’m off.”

Alexander doesn’t mention coming home like he normally does, and Magnus suddenly misses it, with a deep lonely ache.

It also reminds Magnus that despite how often Alexander drops everything to join him, his boy is being worked to the ground and also driving himself to his limits in his pursuit of building a better Institute. Alexander is struggling to create ties between an Institute and local downworld leaders that would be revolutionary, with a sincerity that is unmatched by anything Magnus has ever seen.

Of course, he’s exhausted, and Magnus feels hollow now, remembering their fight all over again with a new clarity.

“No darling, it’s nothing official. I’ll see you tonight—” Magnus pauses, wanting to offer to summon Alec something to eat or drink, but it feels too much like an emotional bribe with how shuttered his boy is. Alexander nods and gives him the same perfunctory, polite smile he gives his siblings when he’s too exhausted to deal with them and doesn’t know what else to do.

It cuts Magnus to the heart to have that same expression directed at him, when he’s supposed to be safe for Alexander.

Magnus can’t handle the idea of reaching out only to be shied away from, so he runs from the possibility and instead summons a tiny flower to land by Alexander’s pen when the door shuts.

No one in the Institute seems to notice anything is wrong. Magnus gets a few strange looks, but he quickly realizes that it’s because everyone expected Alexander to be leaving with him, like his boy usually does.

Magnus feels cold and it’s with determination that he sends out an emergency message.

—

“I became stagnant in my old, single age.” Magnus bemoans, “I spent so long on my heartbreak that now, with a man I adore over every living being, I keep pushing him away.”

“Truth potion?” Catarina offers but Magnus shakes his head. Alexander deserves Magnus explaining this without the aid of something to help his thoughts form, even if it’s a trick Magnus has used continually and without remorse on himself.

This is different though because Magnus wants to become aware of what is wrong, not rely on a potion to figure it out.

“He wants to move in.” Magnus starts, about to launch into it when Cat laughs, interrupting him.

“What do you mean he wants to, he already has. Or did you just move him in on the sly and forget to ask him if he wanted to?”

“Cat—” Magnus says hesitantly, “he’s never moved in. He’s the one who brought it up. I told him no.”

Catarina pauses and then she sighs, and she summons her favorite, light summer beer and pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Start from the beginning, Magnus. I need details.”

Magnus does, realizing things that he missed as he’s explaining so many details that he just assumed and took for granted.

“I did wonder that the Loft hasn’t changed much. It seems more like Alec’s an addition to your things rather than his own person.”

It’s that comment that drives Magnus into a frenzy the moment he’s home.

Magnus doesn’t go overboard; Alexander wouldn’t want him to. Also springing this on his boy after the prior rejection will be too much like whiplash.

So, Magnus starts very small.

He finally creates the foyer he promised himself and Alexander he would make.

Alexander’s never pushed but Magnus remembers the tightening of his shoulders and the way Alexander will be too tired for anything but cuddles — rarely even hungry — after barrages of people through the loft.

The kitchen he only summons when Alexander asks, which is rare, so he makes it a permanent fixture and makes sure to hang an apron with little angel wings up. It’s with a pained smile that he sighs and wonders when he got so old that he forgot to enjoy life, and instead spent all his time focused on the past, just like Ragnor always warned him about.

Magnus doesn’t want to regret any time with Alexander, and he finds that he already does.

Not the time spent with his boy, but the time he could have focused on him more.

Magnus has spent so long protecting himself from losing Alexander, that he hasn’t noticed that he’s pushing him away, stopping him from coming too close.

Except Magnus has also bound him tightly.

Alexander sleeps more often in Magnus’ bed than his own. He’s rerouted his own schedule so he can take the last patrol before shift change, come to Magnus’ loft, write his report there and send it in, and be in bed for Magnus to return to.

Except for work, Alexander spends the majority of his daily life either in the loft, or with Magnus.

There are signs of him, all over the loft, but Magnus can’t look at a single piece and think, “Alexander picked that out.”

It aches in way that is almost visceral, because now that Alexander isn’t here, it’s only more obvious.

Magnus is chest deep in a drawer when he becomes aware of his boy stepping slowly into the bedroom.

“Is this a bad time?” Alexander’s tired voice asks. “I noticed there was a new door and tried to knock but the door just opened.”

Magnus wants to say something except he’s furious with himself and everything and the idea that Alexander saw a new door and knocked instead of walking right in, tears something in him.

They stare at each other for a moment, Magnus with his hands still wrist deep in the dimensional dresser, sure he’ll eventually find more than the sparse offering of Alexander’s clothes that he has.

“Where are all the clothes that you leave here?” Magnus asks instead of answering because he genuinely doesn’t know, “I was cleaning, and I couldn’t find them.”

Alexander sighs and Magnus just knows that he’s gearing himself up to — once again — explain to Magnus that it’s not about the clothes, before his boy visibly gets too tired. Instead, he just shrugs and potions to the paltry pile that Magnus has found.

“You have more than that!” Magnus exclaims, frustrated because he knows Alexander does. “That green shirt I got you that you loved. And those pants, the black ones with the umber stitching. The cream sweater I adore you in! That suit I had tailored for you in Milan and the other one in Hong Kong.”

Alexander sighs and he rubs a hand over his face, the stubble he normally shaves away in Magnus— in their bathroom, shadowing his face.

“Magnus, those don’t exist anymore.” Alexander doesn’t seem upset, if anything his face softens into an almost reluctant fondness, “you tend to vanish all the clothing you get me, some way or another. Mostly before fucking me. I tried to ask you one time where they went and you waved a hand and said, ‘another dimension, nothing to worry about’.”

“Surely that’s not all I said.” Magnus protests weakly.

“Well, you proceeded to fuck me unconscious so no, it wasn’t the last thing you said. But it was the last thing you said abut clothes.”

Magnus gives a flat chuckle and then sighs, snapping his fingers to clean up the mess.

“Have you eaten?”

“I figured I could grab something from the cafeteria when I head back. It’s fine.”

It most certainly is not fine, but Magnus doesn’t think coaxing Alexander into eating is going to work this time, which means that Magnus has accidentally undone weeks of effort.

Magnus doesn’t press, doesn’t remind Alexander that he can here. Or that, if by normal standards Alexander stays until he usually leaves Magnus, it would be the early evening of the next day.

“So, you were cleaning.”

Alexander is looking around, voice faltering but face devoid of actual emotions.

“I realized some things, after this afternoon.” Magnus admits slowly, “you’re the first person I opened my heart to, Alexander. In a very long time, I’ve told you that before.”

Normally, explaining things is easier but all Magnus can think is he’s not explaining it correctly.

“I know. But Magnus, you’re the first person I’ve ever opened my heart to.” Alexander interjects and he sounds raw and broken, like he’s been torn apart. “Doesn’t that get to mean anything too, to you? Because I don’t know what I’m doing, and you told me that there was nothing wrong with that. That I had nothing to feel ashamed about but now, it doesn’t feel like that.

"It feels like I can’t do anything right and I thought, I hoped something was coming together with us but now—” Alexander gives a heavy sigh and shrugs. “Now I don’t even know what I am to you anymore. Where do I belong, in your life Magnus? If you tell me where to fit, I’ll make it work.”

And that breaks Magnus’ heart, because Alexander was never meant to feel like he had to cut off pieces of himself to ensure Magnus loves him, that he has a place in Magnus’ life.

“Oh darling, beloved.” He murmurs and Alexander flinches, like it was a knife to his side. “You belong. The entirety of you. You belong in my bed because it’s no longer just my bed. How can I say it’s my bed when I lay in it without you and can’t sleep? When I reach for you in the night and can’t find you?” Magnus moves across the room with slow, purposeful steps and then reaches out to carefully — only because Alexander allows it — cups his face.

“Alexander, I have no excuses. My heart is old, and it is scarred and it is a wonder that you love me with all the cracks you’ve seen exposed. I don’t fear men or demons or angels, Alexander. I fear my heart being torn from my body and leaving me alive, an empty hollow cavern where it should be in the shape of you.

“I’ve always been too much, Alexander. I put my own fears on you, not that you deserved any of it, sweetheart. You’re right. I am your first relationship, and you grew up and live in a shadowhunter society. The relationships you've witnessed aren't similar to ours at all.

"You trust me to guide our relationship but I’m always encouraging you to ask me for things and you rarely do. I’m sorry, that you finally trusted me enough to ask me for something and that I broke that trust.”

And Alexander breaks, his eyes filling with tears and he coughs, scrubbing over his eyes because he hates being emotional during talks like these. As if Magnus will use the crystal sorrow streaking his face against him.

“I don’t understand.” Alexander murmurs against Magnus’ shoulder, “I thought this was already my home, here with you. I don’t know what I did wrong, I’m sorry Magnus.”

“Oh sayang.” Magnus whispers, eyes stinging because his heart is lanced every time Alexander apologizes. “You did nothing wrong. My heart was too scared to admit that you already were home for us, I pushed you away because I panicked. I’m sorry, my darling.”

Magnus is as tender and sincere as he can be, because he doesn’t want Alexander internalizing anything over this. Especially not when he realized that for Alexander, the loft already was home and he just wanted permission, for it to be official.

It’s endearing and sweet and Magnus presses a kiss to Alexander’s temple, softly and then harder when Alexander pushes into the caress.

"This is already your home. Where ever I am, will be your home." Magnus promises, "that will never change, my love. This is our space, for us to grow together and live together in.

Instead, Alexander tackles him to the bed and just lays there, pinning Magnus to the comforter as he snuggles into Magnus.

"Alexander?"

There is no answer, just a soft, exhausted snuffle and Magnus wonders how upset Alexander's been, thinking he was deprived of the home Magnus gave him.

He uses magic to change their clothing. More conversations and decisions can be made after rest and well, Alexander certainly isn't going anywhere and neither is Magnus.

[heronchildlove]

Mornings

The room was quiet. The sound of the birds and insects outside, barely a tickle to the ear, nothing compared to James' light snores behind him and the thumping of Cordelia's heart under his ear. Such nothing sounds seemed to Matthew like the most precious things in the world, two lifelines to one that had been drowning for so long.

His mornings used to be tinted with grey despair and the dull desperation of his need for his first drink of the day, but now mornings were warm brown and deep gold and a sense of warmth so intense it tended to lump on his throat and make him want to cry.

This morning was no exception, and as he took a deep breath he felt, as always, James's arm tightening around his waist.

"Go back to sleep, Math, everything is fine."

Through magic - or the wonders of the parabatai bond - the words usually calmed him enough to do as they said.

Everything is fine, he knew that. Maybe someday soon he would believe it.

~~**~~ A small continuation to the latest kiss drabble. Based on a prompt from a discord server I'm in, which was to start a scene with "The room was quiet. The sound of the birds and insects outside, barely a tickle to the ear."

[meraki-yao]

Ficlet Friday 20 Sep 2024

It's been a while since I've done one of these! But I wanted to get back into the writing game, so I'm taking the initiative!

The Rules: Copy the following prompts or make your own, post what fandoms you write for & your followers can request one of the prompts with a ship, character or fandom for a ficlet. Have fun! 

This week's prompts are wedding/bachelor/bachelorette party themed:

🥲 Crying at the vows 💃🏻 Couple's first dance 🗺️ Getting lost on the bachelor/bachelorette party 💐 Catching the bouquet 🤬 Arguing with a family member 🎤 Emotional speech 🔥 Flirting with staff (stripper, bartender etc)

I write for Firstprince, Taynick, Malec and Payneland!

No pressure tagging @lfg1986-2 @luainthewild @o0anapher0o @taste-thewaste @thinkof-england

[lawsofchaos1]

The first time that Alec commits treason for Magnus is six months after the wedding-that-wasn’t.

The boundaries between them have always had the same haziness as the air drifting up from sun-baked sand in the desert - visible, yes, but blurred. There is an inevitable, crystalline awareness that they are the sworn and avowed leaders of two peoples who have been at war more frequently than they have been at peace. They are each beloved of the other, but there is a line that they do not cross.

This far you may come, but no farther.

[medusanova]

Finally getting around to sending this prompt: I'd love to see a mash-up / fusion of Fate and The Shadowhunter Chronicles. Particularly in the context of Sky and Riven being parabatai and how that works in the Fate universe. 👀 (or any of the characters as parabatai would be v cool too- like, Bloom and Aisha maybe?)

There is nothing I love more than the complexities of a parabatai bond — and I could never pass up on a sky/riven moment, especially when I found these as inspiration..

It’s been three years since Sky laid eyes on an Elapid demon. Not since the portal to the dark realm had been closed for good.

Or so they thought.

For a few seconds, it’s the only thing that takes up his vision — a swarm of scaled creatures crawling around Alfea, neither serpent nor insect, their jagged claws buried into the spines of his fellow specialists and tearing them to pieces — before the rune on his neck tingles and the image fades.

Just in time for Sky to duck and roll away from the snap of its teeth.

Amber-colored venom drips to the ground, sizzling into the cobblestone where Sky had been frozen in place just seconds ago.

The demon’s cobra-shaped head turns in his direction, red eyes bleeding violence and hunger, only to stumble back with a piercing shriek when an arrow gets embedded into its neck.

“That sword in your hand? It’s to defend yourself from things like that,” a low voice taunts from behind him. Sky turns in time to see Riven aim another marked arrow, sending a shockwave of an angry yowl through the village when the sharp tip grazes the top of the demon’s head. “Would be bloody helpful if you used it right about now.”

The sardonic words make him smile despite himself, sending the unsettling flashback to the back of his mind. Shaking his head in amusement, he pulls the seraph blade from its scabbard, letting it illuminate his hand with a soft, divine glow.

Running toward the demonic creature, he arcs through the air, dodging a taloned arm, and slices through one of the demon’s legs — just in time to sidestep another one. Taking advantage of his crouched position, Sky pierces his blade through the underside of its belly. It explodes in a shower of burning ichor.

He turns to face his partner. “Two!” he calls out, breathless from the headiness of adrenaline.

“One and a half,” Riven shoots back with a smirk. He plants an arrow into the head of the third and final Elapid and doesn’t even stop to make sure it’s fully banished to the demon realm when he stows his bow away, strutting in Sky’s direction. Cocky bastard. “I helped you with the first one.”

The lightness in Riven’s voice, however, doesn’t match the intensity of his eyes as they absorb every detail about Sky. Gaze determined and evergreen. So intense it never fails to feel like Riven’s hands are slowly checking over every inch of him.

Like it always does, Sky’s heart pounds against the prison of his rib cage at the sight, sending a pulse of warmth down his spine.

It took years for Sky to understand that look. That unwavering stare. Intended to painstakingly ensure the soul bound to Riven’s was uninjured, unharmed. But once he did, once Sky allowed himself to feel the full weight of Riven’s attention, well, it’s been a steady descent since.

Sky does his best to shrug it away as they head back to the institute, tucked away behind a First World trinket shop in the middle of Blackbridge. “But I was the one to kill it.”

“I knew your hero complex would go to your head one day, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon,” Riven teases, bumping his bicep — inked with the rune identical to the one on his neck — into Sky.

“Weren’t you the one who told Silva we didn’t need a team for this patrol?”

Riven scoffs. “Like I could’ve predicted an Elapid nest? I know a higher level of demon activity has been reported, but where the fuck did those even come from?”

It’s a good question, actually. They weren’t even supposed to be on a mission today, just an ordinary patrol. One they’ve done countless times without encountering Elapid-level demons. It’s relatively uneventful most of the time, but today they stumbled upon a swarm of them for the first time in years and Sky—

He thinks of lifeless eyes, of blood-soaked grass squelching beneath his boots as he surveys the loss of his fellow warriors. Of the cries of pain and sorrow pervading through Alfea.

“Sky!” Riven warns urgently, pulling him out of his daze.

His body responds before his mind can even process the words, flattening to the ground as a demon flies through the air just a few feet above him. Sky’s palms sting from the cut of the cobblestones when he clambers to his feet, scanning the area around them for the nearest source of danger.

An Elapid demon comes at him seconds later, swooping with a visceral screech. Sky grunts as he blocks its leg with his seraph blade and pushes it back, his teeth gritting together with effort. From his periphery, he sees another leg loom over him, ready to spear through his body, only for it to get pierced with a marked arrow, exploding in a splash of ichor.

The demon howls and Sky strikes, swinging his sword through its neck. Black-green blood splatters onto him, biting at his exposed skin, but the thrill of killing the demon, of sending it back to the hell it came from, is much more powerful.

He turns to face Riven with a grimace. “Thanks for having my back.”

“Always,” Riven replies easily, and the smile he sends Sky is devastating, entirely out of place on a battlefield. “Except for when it’s Silva. Demons I can handle. Silva’s lectures? You’re on your own, mate.”

Sky’s about to tell him that Silva’s lectures are pretty much exclusively reserved for Riven when he hears an all-too-familiar scuttling sound. He barely has time to lift his sword when there’s a blur of movement, a sickening squelch, and—

Riven screams.

Sky’s body is hollow as he stares at the claw that’s run straight through Riven’s thigh, blood glistening on its black shell. It starts to shudder as though it’s about to jerk upwards – three, two, one, – and tear Riven in half.

Sky moves without thinking, spinning past his parabatai to sever the leg off at the back, thrusting his sword through the demon’s belly with an anguished, vengeful roar. He doesn’t even care to watch it be banished to the demon realm, and just turns to catch Riven as he collapses backwards, sinking to his knees. Two bound souls on the ground.

“Always the bloody white knight…” he gasps, sounding half out of it already. Sky fumbles for Riven’s hand, his fingers sliding in between his. “A lot of blood, Sky. It’s- my thigh. There’s too much blood.”

“I know,” he says, catching his voice before it cracks. “It’s okay, just- just let me get my stele, okay? We need a healing rune and-“

“N-no. Won’t work. Too much blood.” Riven exhales a short, mirthless laugh. “I don’t- it’s not going to work.”

“It will, okay? You’re going to be fine. Where I go you go, remember?”

“Sky don’t... I’m fine.”

But it’s not. It’s not fucking fine because Sky can feel their parabatai bond weakening by the second. Can feel the life-force that constantly exists within him, the axis of his whole world, fading away.

Riven just rests there on his chest. His breaths shallow, his fingers trembling against Sky’s neck, and his eyes trained on Sky’s face. He flinches when something wet drips onto his cheek, but he still doesn’t look away.

And Sky knows, he knows that a healing rune on Riven’s body isn’t going to be enough to fix him.

He knows that there are some wounds that are fatal wounds — heads crushed by stone, stomachs pierced by swords, hearts stopped with lightning — that are just too big, too permanent to heal. A femoral artery ripped apart by a demon is one of them.

But there’s nothing in this realm, nothing in this world or any world, that can stop him from reaching out with a bloodstained hand to draw one on anyway.

It’s not his best. He’s too shaky, too frenzied to make it his best. The lines aren’t sharp or precise and he can’t even breathe much magic into it like he usually would—

But then the rune glows. Steadily brighter and stronger than he’s ever seen. An iridescent blaze of light that beams through the village and nearly blinds everyone in it.

When it fades, any remaining demons are gone — expelled in a series of cataclysms that reverberate through Sky’s knees — and Riven has stopped bleeding. There’s a spiked claw on the ground next to his thigh and the skin where his wound should be is whole, unmarred. As if he wasn’t just on the brink of death. His puddle of blood is nothing more than a rusted stain that’s faded into his black gear.

Sky feels their parabatai bond flare against Riven’s palm on his neck, red-hot and electric. The rune on his bicep grows as hot on Sky’s chest as the liquid fire in his gaze. He breathes Sky’s name, hushed and reverent.

They haven’t looked away from each other.

Sky doesn’t say anything in reply. He just stares back at Riven, droplets of sweat and pain still caught in his lashes. His chest feels warm, his body heavy. Like he could stay here forever. Riven held close to chest, their feelings burning like heavenly fire through their bond, the rest of the world a universe away.

Sky and Riven. Just Sky and Riven.

There’s a sharp crunch of boots and Silva falls to a crouch beside Sky, startling them both out of their reverie.

“What,” he says in complete bewilderment, “the fuck was that?”

[myulalie]

read on AO3 (credits: pearl and seashells by Dagmara Dombrovska, macro of red heart and string by freestocks on Unsplash, Internet Friends on Unsplash)

[xnicowritesx]

Foggy Day

Fandom(s): The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types

Relationship(s): Ash Morgenstern/Kit Rook

Archive Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Series: Nico's February Ficlet Challenge 2023

Summary: After Kit's identity as the first heir is exposed, he goes into hiding in Faerie.

[lawsofchaos1]

The author of the incredible ficlet replied!! @another-random-stranger wrote this and gave me permission to tag them and omg I'm so excited for this to start circulating again :D

so i just learn about where the practice of kissing the ring came from

the pope represents a direct line back to Jesus, who's the closest to god. as the consul, alec is now the figure with the closest connection to the angels themselves. imagine the high warlock of brooklyn kissing the wedding of the current consul to show his utmost respect

[f1amboyant]

Ant's masterlist: charles leclerc x carlos sainz jr

most fics are explicit and nsfw, 18+ only 🔞

Single dad AU

Is there some space left in that bathtub? ~ fluffiest fluff and a bathtub

His everything ~ carlos being the best dad and husband to his little family

Snippets: I give up, you won, lap

Thank you series (teammates with benefits turns something more)

Take what you deserve, baby ~ charles goes to carlos' room after the race to thank him like he deserves (post austria 2023)

I’ve got you, baby ~ charles goes to comfort carlos (post austria 2023)

Harder ~ charles seeks comfort in carlos' bed (post dutch gp 2023)

Tell me we have it ~ they are happy (post monza gp 23)

I give the orders ~ after another disheartening race results, Charles needs to get all his frustration out (post us gp 23)

Omegaverse

Happy ~ omega!charles is showing symptoms of pre-heat during a race weekend. Turns out, he's not the one going early into his mating cycle

It was fun, we were pushing like crazy ~ omega!charles has a little bit too much fun in monza racing against carlos and it triggers a heat

The worst Alpha ~ omega!carlos is in heat and goes to a very eager and very very inexperienced alpha!charles

Jealous ~ charles isn't jealous (he is) of how close carlos and roberto are

One-shots

One problem ~ carlos keeps looking at charles and charles cannot handle it

You’re doing great, honey ~ charles is bad at flirting

Corset ~ carlos wears a corset, charles likes it

Alternate Universes

He was is (but also he was not) ~ shadowhunters au

Ficlets

A man straddling your lap while you tell him how pretty he is is so charlos coded

What happened in the south of France (summer break 2023)

Friends, by Chase Atlantic ♪

If you could have had a quicky marriage with anyone, who would it be?

It's my thigh or nothing

i don't care if someone sees us (prince x thief)

charles crosses the finish line second

piano

-> Back to navigation

[bbyboykit]

Ficlet inspired by this post by @wikitpowers

Kit looks up at the mirror and smiles. When Dru had come to him with a bottle of hair dye he had been very skeptical, but it looked good on him if he said so himself.

He walks out of the bathroom to model his new hair for Dru herself, who had put purple streaks in her hair before they dyed his to show him it wasn't a big deal. "It looks just like I pictured it! Ty is going to love it, I'm sure!"

Kit blushes at the exclamation and rubs the back of his neck. "I sure hope so. Remember our deal if he doesn't though."

Dru rolls her eyes at him. "Yeah yeah, we'll dye it back if it's too much for your boyfriend." She smiles. "You really do look good though, I think my brother is gonna love it."

Kit smiles, a little reassured. He definitely wouldn't mind keeping it for a few months if Ty liked it, his opinion was important to Kit after all.

(Also tagging @librarianafterdark and @a-bi-cat-with-books since y'all are my Shadowhunter friends!)

[foodsies4me]

Chairman when he find out the Clave was being mean to his fav SH

This prompt and a discussion I had with @just-add-butter are to blame for this (Apollo-universe) ficlet. Does it work in the timeline? Possibly not. Do I care? Absolutely not!

Three times Chairman Meow almost revealed he wasn't just a housecat and the one time he didn't even try to keep up the act.

One - Magnus POV

Magnus internally rolls his eyes when Blondie opens his mouth to - unsurprisingly - repeat what Biscuit just said, only reworded in a way that's somehow even more insulting than Clarissa's had been. Magnus is almost impressed by it. Or he would be if he could muster up any kind of goodwill for the man. Still, for someone lauded as the best of his time, Jace is painfully predictable. At least in his actions and words if not his fighting. Or, Magnus hopes his fighting style isn't as predictable as everything else about him is - if only to spare Alexander the pain of losing his parabatai to his own stupidity. A small chirp draws his attention away from Jace and Clary's impassioned diatribe detailing why he should help them with their latest mess and toward Chairman Meow. His daemon is sitting on one of the tall beams, his body mostly hidden in the shadows as he looks at him with his bright green eyes. His tail swishes in annoyance, his eyes gliding over to the two shadowhunters only for a decidedly unfeline-like smirk to appear on his lips. Chairman Meow begins his act with a single meow. A soft mewl that is barely audible over Biscuit and Blondie's voices. The sound quickly turns into a wail though, his voice going up and down in the same cadence as Blondie's agitated speaking. Magnus suppresses an amused smile when Chairman Meow pushes the act yet another step further. The wail turns into a sonata when Chairman Meow starts to move around the beams, the sounds echoing around the room and starting to drown out Jace's voice. When Clarissa tries to say something he switches to a higher pitch, something closer to Clarissa's voice and Magnus is forced to hide a laugh behind a cough. "What the fuck's up with that cat!" Blondie grouches after another few minutes of Chairman's caterwauling, lasting a full minute longer than Magnus expected him to. Hearing that same sentence echoed around the room in Chairman Meow's familiar mewling growl is nearly his undoing. Magnus forces the laugh down with an easy smile and a few hasty promises that promise nothing before he's leading Blondie and Biscuit along with their daemons back out of Pandemonium before they realize what's happening. "I don't remember sassy being a trait common to household cats," Magnus teases when Chairman Meow lands on the ground to twine around his legs. "But that was an Oscar-worthy rendition, my little mouse." Chairman Meow gives him another smug grin, the magic under his skin crackling like fire before it disappears again leaving the innocent-looking tabby cat, with the innocent-sounding voice. "Meow."

Two - Max POV

Max doesn't like Mister Panghorn. He doesn't like him from the moment Panghorn arrives, because that's when Panghorn decides to snuff Alec in front of everyone and act like he's better just because he's a Clave Envoy. Minty doesn't like him either. Not even Aloysius and Sunny like him and they like everyone. So it's clearly Mister Panghorn's fault that Max doesn't like him and Max should be allowed to pull a prank on him without getting Alec in trouble. Except Max can't because Mister Panghorn is here with the other Clave Envoys for an "internal audit" to "ensure" Alec is "fit for leadership". "Maybe they should check if they're fit to have runes," Tony had snorted under his breath and while he did get scolded for it by Thornhill, they all gave him a high five for it after practice. Max doesn't like Panghorn. And he certainly doesn't trust Panghorn; None of them do. It's why they all keep an eye on him, why Aloysius keeps "accidentally" bumping into his side because nobody expects Ally to do that on purpose. Why Rara and Steph have had more questions in the past three days that only Alec can answer than they usually have in a week. And why Max has been biting on his tongue and clenching his fists to stop himself from pulling a prank on Panghorn because he deserves to be pranked. Max didn't realize they weren't the only ones keeping an eye on Panghorn. But then he hears Chairman Meow let out a low threatening hiss, his eyes annoyed and angry while glaring straight at Panghorn. He's pacing in the shadows, observing and calculating before his eyes brighten in a way Max is very, very familiar with. Chairman Meow is planning something. Planning a prank. Minty makes an excited noise that Max quickly shushes so nobody notices what they just did. Because that's when Chairman Meow jumps out of the shadows, his eyes still laser-focused on Panghorn. He weaves through the others in the Operation's Room and jumps on the rafts. The rafts where Woodowl and Hardwood are walking with buckets full of ichor-stained water in their hands. Max sees Hardwood place one of the buckets on the passageway, just long enough to dig into his pocket to grab his ringing phone. Just long enough to swipe the bucket and have the entire bucket fall on Panghorn and Panghorn alone. Panghorn can be funny, it appears. Because Max knows he's not the only one who starts laughing when he begins to splutter. "This is an institute Envoy Panghorn," Alec tells him bluntly. "Ichor stains are part of the job." Chairman Meow is purring happily when he jumps back down from the rafters and Max uses the giggling and Panghorn's screaming as a disguise to get faster to him. "Say Chairman," Max asks when the cat bumps his head against his hand to demand scratches. "Are you really a cat?" "Meow?" Max squints his eyes. "I also use that trick you know. It doesn't work on me. But it's okay, I won't tell anyone you're not really a cat."

Three - Catarina POV

Catarina breathes out a frustrated sigh the moment she's behind closed doors. The new pediatric surgeon has been working on her last nerve since he started working at the hospital three months ago. And if he weren't moderately good at his job, she would have filed a complaint already. Plav tweets his agreement from his hiding spot, his blue feathers shimmering when he spreads them mid-dive to land on her shoulder. The rest of the staff had stopped asking about her daemon after a week or two - a month at most. They all accepted her excuses at face value: Her daemon is shy. Her daemon prefers to stay outside and fly around while she's at the hospital. The explanations had sufficed for all but Steven Andrews, who somehow felt owed an introduction to Plav. As much as Catarina loves her job, she wishes it wouldn't come with people like Andrews the way it always seems to. A tingle of magic alerts her to Magnus' arrival and after another quick look at Plav, who turns himself invisible this time around rather than hiding away, Catarina heads over to the dressing room to change out of her scrubs. Of course, Andrews has to be leaving right as she prepares to leave with Magnus. "Nurse Loss," a deceptively pleasant-sounding voice interrupts Magnus' retelling of his and Alec's date the night before. "Oh, I apologize I hadn't noticed you were with a...friend." Magnus notices the particular inflection Andrews uses on the word "friend" as clearly as she does. Catarina wonders whether it's the lack of a daemon by his side - as far as the man can tell, at least -, the being Asian, or the hot-pink streaks in his hair that match his corset-vest. Most likely, it's all three of them. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, Nurse Loss, but would I be able to speak with you privately?" The request would sound more like one if he didn't follow it up with an outstretched arm and a tilt of his head. "I apologize, Doctor Andrews," Catarina says with a tight-lipped smile, "I'm afraid we have a reservation to get to." "It will only be a few short min-ouch Get, that thing off of me!" The yelp draws the attention of the others around them, all turning to see Steven Andrews with a snarling Chairman Meow in his face who just happened to fall out of the tree right then. Catarina has seen that particular trick often enough to not be fooled by it. "Let me help," Magnus cuts in, acting the perfect knight in corseted-armor with the matching innocence of a blushing virgin. "The poor thing fell out of the tree, here - oh that looks like it might need stitches," Magnus tells him apologetically as he innocently lets the "unknown" cat go again. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Andrews. But we really must go now." Seeing the bewildered look on Andrews's scratched-up face shouldn't be as satisfying as it is. Chairman Meow rejoins them as soon as they turn around the corner. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of small-minded, mundane men by myself, you're aware?" Catarina asks him with a pointed look. Chairman gives her his best impression of a guileless, mundane cat when he replies. His head tilted in faked confusion and his eyes wide with feigned innocence. "Meow?"

Plus One - Alec POV

Alec is half-asleep when the front door of the loft swings open and Izzy, Jace, and Clary burst in. "Magnus we need-what the fuck is that?!" Alec opens a bleary eye, wondering what managed to make Jace hit that particular frequency since he hit puberty, only to notice Jace glaring right at Chairman Meow. Or well, Chairman Meow in his slightly larer form. "Is something the matter, Blondie?" Magnus asks as he peeks out of his apothecary. "Need a pair of glasses perhaps, given you can't seem to recognize Chairman Meow." "Uh, Magnus that's not Chairman Meow," Izzy cuts in. Her hand hovers uncertainly by her side, the handle of her whip already in her palm as she keeps a weary eye on Chairman Meow. "Is Alec under there?!" "Wait what- Magnus" "And that's enough out of you three," Magnus warns as the room goes blissfully silent. "Alexander is sleeping as you all can see, so if you don't want to risk angering Chairman Meow by waking your brother from his nap, I'd suggest you keep your noise to a minimum. Now, what did you need?" Alec hears the moment Magnus lifts the muting spell and leads all three of them to his office to discuss whatever it is his siblings need. He hears them murmur among themselves, the sound quickly fading under Chairman Meow's waves and warm fur. Alec softly dozes back into his half-asleep state, buoyed by Chairman's purrs and his warm weight that covers him from head to toe when the door to Magnus' office opens again. He hears a long, thunderous growl when two pairs of footsteps step a bit too close to the couch, a clear threat that is followed by the smell of smoke and fire as Chairman Meow breathes out in their direction. "I believe that's your signal to leave before you risk waking Alexander," Magnus tells them pleasantly, ignoring Jace's startled yelp as he not so subtly kicks them out again. "You know you don't have to protect me from my siblings, right?" Alexander mumbles into the Chairman's fur, unsure which of the two he's speaking to. He doesn't care to figure it out either because Chairman Meow is warm and Magnus' fingers find their way into his hair to brush out the tangles. The last thing he hears is a deceptively, innocent-sounding chirp that Chairman shouldn't be able to do given his size. "Meow."

[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.

[faejilly]

also I think I've figured out a title for a Weaver Shepard/Kaidan Alenko ficlet collection on AO3, which would probably help give me an incentive to keep writing some of the other WIPs I've got for Weaver, but the thing which kind of explains the title so it makes sense (and I can snag a quotation for the blurb) IS THIS FILL WHICH ISN'T DONE AND ALSO HAS SHITTY TENSES AND I WANT TO POST THINGS AND I WANT IT BE FINISHED BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO DO THE FINISHING someone else brain for me today, k?

so maybe only half a million years ago I also got prompts from @shadoedseptmbr but she put three in one ask because she's both mean and amazing and they kind of gave me a combined idea so I'm trying to ref all three in one fill, but I just realized I did the first section in present tense and the second in past and urgh

Fixing tenses is so dumb I hates it

[meraki-yao]

Ficlet Friday 14 Jun 2024 ✒️

Made a Pride Month Version of my ficlet Friday banner!

Thank you @typicalopposite for tagging me!!!

The Rules: Copy the following prompts or make your own, post what fandoms you write for & your followers can request one of the prompts with a ship, character or fandom for a ficlet. Have fun! 

🌈 For all of June, Ficlet Fridays will be Pride themed. This week's prompts are lyrics from LGBTQ+ artists 🌈

I used to live alone before I knew you (Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright)

Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams (Karma Chameleon - Boy George)

Aren't you tired of tryin' to fill that void? (Shallow - Lady Gaga)

A truth so loud you can't ignore (My Youth - Troy Sivan)

Guess it's true I'm not good at a one night stand (Stay With Me - Sam Smith)

But thanks for loving me, cause you're doing it perfectly (Whatdya Want From Me - Adam Lambert)

Guess ‘hot goddamn mess’ is your type then (Got Weird - dodie)

If I have to live without you I don't wanna live forever (Hell Together - David Archuleta)

Wild Card - send me lyrics from a song by a queer srtist of your choice and let's see what it inspires. 💚

Dealer's choice - i'll choose one of these i haven't gotten yet for your pairing/fandom or somthing else and write with that 💚

I mainly write for RWRB (Firstprince, Taynick), shadowhunters (Malec), WOH/LLD (Wenzhou, Junzhe), so please do send your prompts my way!

no pressure tagging @luainthewild @thinkof-england @lfg1986-2

[lawsofchaos1]

Fic Snippet: Anti-Luke

“You are self-serving coward, Lucian Graymark,” Magnus snarls, crimson bleeding into cobalt in his hands, “who only plays at compassion when it benefits you.” 

Magnus’ glamour drops in his rage and Alec makes a sharp gesture to hold back the newly arrived fire team from the Institute. The Clave may have allowed bygones to be bygones, but it was never them that Lucian Graymark had murdered and tortured. Luke’s assumption that he spoke for the Downworld, for anything more than his tiny and newly-claimed pack, had shocked Alec, but it had evidently snapped the last strand of Magnus’ quickly dwindling patience.

“Don’t you ever find it odd,” Magnus continues, voice dangerously soft, “that your minuscule little pack has not a single being that’s been in the Shadow World for more than one or two years at the most? That every wolf who was alive during Valentine’s reign would sooner die alone, packless, than claim you as pack-kin?”

Luke’s mouth drops, but Magnus doesn’t allow him to speak. “You never recanted Valentine or his goals, Shadowhunter,” and for the first time since Alec has met him, that word is so clearly being used as an insult. “You only ran and hid when he started hunting you instead of us, and you kept his survival from everyone willing to hunt him down like the dog he is for twenty years. You knowingly hid his second-in-command and wife, even though her hands are dripping in the blood of my people.”

At Luke’s side Clary is indignant, but no one dares interrupt the furious warlock.

[lazinesswrites]

"Grin", this week?

Hi! Sorry for the delay! My brain has not been cooperative these last few days. But! I did manage to write something for this; in fact I have just finished this ficlet, and since it's only a little over 300 words... you get the whole thing! Be warned - this is pure, tooth-rotting fluff. Your Smile: Like Sun, Like Peace Written for @malectober day 13: Grin (heyyy, almost on time!) Can also be read on Ao3.

It’s not often Magnus has gotten to see Alec like this. He’s… so happy. Not that he usually isn’t – Magnus takes great honor and satisfaction in making his dear Alexander smile as often as possible, but now that all the World Ending Crises seem to have been dealt with for the time being, that mission has gotten much easier.

Magnus won’t say everything is perfect. He has lived too long to tempt fate like that, and they do have some issues to deal with still – there’s still bigoted Clave officials, there’s still distrust between Shadowhunters and Downworlders, there’s still demons, there’s still nightmares. But those are things they can deal with, at their own pace. Those are things that allow them time to just relax together, the two of them, or with their family all together like today – both their families – for no reason other than they can and wanted to.

They’re at Taki’s, their favored restaurant for gatherings like this, with several tables pushed together to fit them all, Shadowhunters and Downworlders all mixed in together, no real way to tell where one family stops and another starts. Magnus didn’t hear what Alec said to his siblings, preoccupied by his own conversation, but his attention was drawn by Jace’s sputtering and the loud peals of laughter from near everyone else.

Maybe Alec feels Magnus’ gaze on him, or maybe he just wants to share the happiness with him, but in either case, Magnus’ darling husband turns to look at him, and Magnus falls impossibly more in love with him at the grin lighting up his whole being.

“What?” Alec asks him, grin still firmly in place, arm slung casually over the back of Magnus’ chair.

Magnus shakes his head a little and smiles back. “I love you,” is all he can say, but truly, that’s all he needs.

“I love you too,” Alec says, and leans in to kiss him, placing that lovely grin right against Magnus’ own, ignoring the chorus of cheers around them.