#where grace never tells jesse about how grace was told to seduce him by that nasty hoe Tatiana

[gracecarstairss]

Sitting here thinking about the fact that Grace was NEVER told that Tatiana bought her instead of legally adopting her, further proving that Tatiana only ever saw Grace as an object/piece of property and it’s actually pretty important information that was literally treated as gossip by Anna.

[vickchan2]

JESSE BLACKTHORN WAS MURDERED BY HIS OWN MOTHER [PART 2]

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE, PLEASE FORGIVE MY GRAMMAR MISTAKES

lol I wonder if Cassie has daddy issues? She really knows how to portray parental psychological abuse..��

Part 1: https://vickchan2.tumblr.com/post/643878993806884864/jesse-blackthorn-was-murdered-by-his-own-mother

WHY I DON’T THINK JESSE WAS TRULY SICK

Because Cassie made sure to let us know how Thomas had a frail health when he was kid (just like Jesse). Gideon worried about that so much he even tried to discuss that with Tatiana (who refused to help him) in A Lightwood Christmas Carol. Nonetheless Thomas got better over the years and grew up a healthy (and very tall!) young man... Still, many characters remember often how Thomas used to be a sickly, small child...

Why Cassie keeps reminding us about his past health problems?  Because he has grown up so tall? No, because it shows Jesse might have recovered too. 

(ON A SIDE NOTE: REMEMBER CECILY TELLING ANNA HOW SHE USED TO BE QUITE SICK DURING HER PREGNANCY?? HELLO, THAT REMINDS ME OF JESSE AND THOMAS SITUATION)

However, Jesse never realized his health had improved because his mother made him believe he still was a sick kid... (Yeah, Jesse did start training, but he still felt weak because of the poison and thus didnt realize he had recovered. That explains the talking about his weak state, fevers and stuff we heard about him)

(For better understanding of the issue, I recommend this buzzfeed article about Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michelledean/dee-dee-wanted-her-daughter-to-be-sick-gypsy-wanted-her-mom)  

Dee Blanchard suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy,  a mental disorder which causes a parent or other caretaker to exaggerate, fabricate, or induce illness in a person under their care. Dee Dee Blanchard family even confronted her once because they suspected she had poisoned her stepmother. 

And for years Dee Dee made her daughter believe she was a very sick girl. )

In the CHAIN OF IRON case, I think it has to do with power struggles, but I feel Jesse situation resembles Gypsy Rose greatly, except he was the one who ended up dead instead of his mother.) 

WHERE WAS I? OH, YES...  WHY TATIANA WOULD DO THAT TO HER OWN CHILD?

Because she is Benedict daughter 

Just kidding! I know Gideon and Gabriel are amazing fathers. 

Well, we all know Tatiana slowly descended into madness over the years. She never got over her loss and started to hate and blame her brothers (and everyone else that helped to kill her Worm father). Anyway, it is quite obvious she developted a desire for vengeance ever since (Belial even says he killed Barbara because she requested it). But how did Tatiana met Belial in the first place?

Because Tatiana discovered her father notes and started to study dark magic to summon demons herself. (Benedict had known sexual desire for demonic women, so of course he would know how to summon one for himself). Seizing the oportunity, Belial showed himself to her and probably promised a very tempting reward: vengeance against everyone whom she despised and wished to destroy in exchange for help to make James Herondale his ''physical vessel''. 

Belial clearly was the puppet master and probably instructed Tatiana to adopt a young girl who could be used to seduce James in the future and make him vulnerable to his attempt to take over his body (not because the poor Jesse needed company in that creepy house).

That probably explains why Grace received her type of power to make men do her biding but that bit was easy to guess in the previous book. ( it is important to know Grace most likely her powers at age of ten, right after Jesse death). 

For his next step, Belial decided to involve Jesse. He needed a Anchor and Jesse was the perfect choice for the role, if only he were dead... 

But first he had to convince Tatiana to kill him and he knew exactly how... 

Like I said before, I believe Tatiana poisoned her son slowly over the years to make him think he still was unhealthy (maybe she even poisoned him under the guise it was a medicinal remedy for his illness). I think Tatiana did that to keep him under her thumb and prevent him from leaving the house to become a true Shadowhunter (at time of his death, I believe Jesse had a strong desire to leave his home but he stayed anyway to look after his little sister and Tatiana knew it was a matter of time before he left). 

That being said, it wouln’t be too hard for Belial to make Tatiana murder her child if he told her about his plans of bringing Jesse back to life as soon he achieved his goals. 

And that’s all, folks. I’m so sleep deprived these I can’t even think about anything else to say. You are welcome to tell me if this theory sucks. 

[anarmorofwords]

I kinda wanna write a better version of tlh where Tatiana is still insane but there's no Belial bc that makes zero sense to me

In this version there would be:

Kamanna done correctly with actual genderqueer rep and not toxic relationships

Barbra and Oliver bc fight me she didn't die

Genie and Filomena bc I love them and all the lightwoods are queer

The gracelet doesn't even happen bc I refuse to write that

Grace is pretty much still the same but she breaks off their(hers and james') relationship bc she notices that he loves Cordelia

No bad James. He's not a shitty person to Alastair, and he doesn't treat Cordelia like a sex object

Anna puts a stop to Kellington and Matthew's relationship before it gets serious. She also tries to get him to stop drinking all the time

Alastair apologizes around seeing them again for the first time. The merry thieves are a little reluctant because of some of the things he did but they don't actively try to keep him away from events that they're at

Matthew notices how Alastair looks at Thomas and locks them in the sanctuary with Genie and Cordelia's help

Grace gets badly injured due to a mistake in necromancy and Christopher helps her treat it without letting people know

Lucie meets Jesse, and falls in love ofc, so in order to bring him back successfully she asks Malcolm to train her in using her magic

Matthew opens up to his mom about the incident. She doesn't blame him at all and instead apologizes for often putting her work before him

Matthew finds out about Charles and Alastair because he found Alastairxs break up letter to Charles

Matthew, the mother hen he is, decided to attempt to murder his older brother, only being stopped by James who had been there at the right time

Kamala ends things with Charles and tells Anna that she still loves them and hopes that she will give her another chance

Anna told her that they needed time to think, and that she is worried how Kamala's reputation will be affected if anyone besides their friends and Anna's family finds out

Kamala respects her decision and doesn't contact her until Anna's ready to talk about things

The merry thieves don't ignore Christopher and they actively listen and help him

The merry thieves also aren't terrible to Grace bc they realize she's been isolated alone with Tatiana and 1) she might not understand what's saying/doing is wrong or 2) that sometimes she's trying to push them away so her abilities don't accidentally make them do something

Good tid parents

James and Alastair being respectful to each other despite personal differences

Matthew, Alastair, Kamala, Christopher, and Grace being besties, or as I call them, the neglected squad

No fetishizing mlm/wlw

Domestic cuddles and taking care of the other one when they're sick

Jesse/Lucie/Matthew pairing bc I love them and I refuse to pick between lucie/matthew and lucie/jesse

Christopher teaching Grace the elements(at the time) on the periodic table

Tatiana dies at the end yay

It's very unpolished and I'm open to b hearing any feedback and/or suggestions that anyone may have

The idea came to me and I decided it would be best if I told someone before I forgot

hi, I'm sorry it took so long,but I wanted to properly answer this and I keep having either internet connection issues or little time

DON'T BE SHY, WRITE THIS 👀

In all seriousness tho... THIS IS ABSOLUTE PERFECTION?!? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START I AM UTTERLY IN LOVE WITH THIS IDEA, I NEED IT

Look, I've been on the verge of rewriting ChoI, and I keep saying I want someone to write a TLH that will live up to its potential, but I've never actually came up with a proper idea for it, and you?!! YOUR BRAIN DARLING THIS IS GENIUS

ok hold up I'll just react to each and every single one so

yes please?!? I mean it started off so sweet in EEV?! Also actually genderqueer Anna and not dancing around the subject like CC is doing now?! That's what they deserve, and that's what we all deserve too

yesss please. also just,,,, Barbara, the feminine, not-wanting-to-fight-which-doesnt-make-her-less-badass queen that she is, getting the page space and appreciation she deserves

that's actually brilliant?!? it would be so great, just imagine the new girl arrives for her travel year and Genie is completely awestruck. I'm so invested in Joshwood it's difficult to imagine not having them, but this is actually the only valid alternative?!

ok that's fine. I think it could still happen and be done well, but tbh for now... the gracelet doesn't seem to have done anything relevant to the plot itself? I mean yeah it messed up James's life and Jordelia, but what did it give Belial? Tatiana? nothing. It makes no sense atm.

could be! maybe she's still encouraged by Tatiana to befriend/seduce him, but without the gracelet it doesn't work out? or maybe James somehow manages to realize that she's in danger and he actually like,,,, kidnaps her? idk idk

yes. YES. just,,,,z James is a sweet compassionate literature nerd who accidentally makes a good leader and he actually cares about people, and not just judges them from his high horse; he does still have hero syndrome, but he's kind and respectful and overall a good character

ANNA INTERVENES ABOUT KELLINGTON PLZ. PEOPLE ACTUALLY NOTICE MATTHEW'S STRUGGLES. JAMES DOES, TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S NO GRACELET.

ok yes, so what about: basically TMT don't harass Alastair and accept his apology, and realize they were also being stupid and mean at times at the Academy (especially Math). Matthew doesn't want to accept Alastair's apology, because of The Sin, but his behaviour alerts the rest of TMT and they inquire what's wrong and he tells them about the sin and that's how he later tells his parents (because his friends encourage him) and as you say, she just hugs him and reassures him it's not his fault; so after that Matthew slowly begins to heal and accepts it wasn't Alastair's fault, and also since they've kind of adopted/started including Alastair in things, he can't help but notice he's actually changed and he even starts to grow fond of him

then like you said, Matthew notices Thomas likes Alastair PLEASE HE SO WOULD. I'm not sure about the Sanctuary, if it actually happens (I'll get to why later on), but him and Lucie get really invested in the matchmaking schemes, they include Genie/Kamala because these two are friends with Alastair (both? Or at this point only Kamala?) but they also share some Moments during their scheming/talking about love 👀 (yes I'm a Fairdale shipper, I think it's time to expose myself lol)

Which leads me to (sorry I'm going off order rn) YES YES YES LUCIE AND MATH PLEASE. A FELLOW SHIPPER, HELLO, NICE TO MEET YOU. But since we're actually fixing him then we can give Jesse a personality and I'm totally down for poly Math/Lucie/Jesse

Lucie seeking Malcolm's help in secret, morally gray heroine style?!? no, it's probably not legal. but also has there ever been a Shadowhunter like her? If the Law doesn't expect such situations, it can't really forbid them...

Plz Matthew ready to strangle the carrot when he learns about their relationship, YES. sure, maybe he's still not the biggest fan of Alastair, but he's seen how much the boy's been through and starts to develop an attachment to him, and besides, NO ONE DESERVES TO BE GROOMED AND TREATED LIKE THAT. He's SO MAD at Charles, and he confronts him about it - remembering Kellington as he does, and it makes him sick to think his brother would do the same thing to someone. Maybe he gets very emotional over this and later finally tells his friends about Kellington? Maybe they didn't know before, only Anna did? So when they all realize what was happening then they comfort him etc? Or maybe it's just Alastair that learns now, and the others knew before, and they share a bonding moment over that?

Injured Grace seeking Kit's help is a genius idea I didn't know I needed

Kamanna giving each other time and space and deciding they need to question their relationship and figure out if it actually makes sense would be great. Anna realising she's very privileged and Kamala doesn't have those same opportunities, and also in general realising coming out should never be pressured or forced. Just,,,, Anna being self-aware and respectful towards Kamala. Well-written Anna. Plz. Also Kamanna is actually developed and not just "in love" because,,,,, they're attracted to each other? Maybe even remaining friends while Anna makes up their mind?

yeah just TMT being more compassionate and less judgy because they're not written by Judith so her bias isn't projected onto them

It's not a want, it's a need. They adopt Alastair and Grace eventually. Like, maybe not literally - although, Grace? - but you know what I mean.

I think they all should just have various friendship dynamics and switch between them, because people need more than one friend group

no fetishizing, no watching your brother make out with his lover, yessss

yes domestic cuddles, affection, taking care of wounds, all those things. plz.

Gracetopher bonding over science yes

obviously. or maybe she's imprisoned?!

ok, now for some more notes/my ideas etc., if you don't mind:

I actually think Belial could still be featured? After all, I don't think Tatiana could do much on her own, and since she seeks help from demons, it makes sense to include a Greater Demon as well. But Belial would have to be a stronger villain, written better; I'll think more about this

if that was the case, the serial killer plot could still happen, but be done better. and it would allow for a scenario I talked about with @littlx-songbxrd to happen, where it's Alastair who's falsely accused of murder. It creates a great opportunity to explore some things, because we know Alastair is much more likely to be seriously suspected, considering all the prejudices and bad rep his family has and all that

...what do you say to well-written Jordelia? 👀 Cordelia hasn't been obsessively in love with James since childhood, she only had a crush then. And now that they meet again, she's fond of him but not in love, not straight away. They're both grown up, and different people, but as they spend more and more time together, they fall in love. What if Cordelia gets to flirt with some other boys first? What then. What if she ends up choosing James, instead of going for the only boy she's ever had feelings for and idealized since childhood. What if we even make it friends-to-lovers and have James be a little jealous at some point?! but not in a possessive awful way, just "oh damn oh no"

Now I won't know peace until this exists BUT THANK YOU

[dreaming-in-alicante]

First chapter is up!

I have 5 more chapters planned out. It’ll depend on how much work I have with the end of the semester, but I hope to update weekly!

Chapter 1: A research opportunity

   _________________________________________________________

A month ago, Grace had sat shell-shocked in the Institute infirmary in the aftermath of the battle, attempting to process the bloodshed she had witnessed and the fact that Tatiana was dead. Jesse, busy talking to Lucie and her parents, making funeral arrangements, had left Grace alone for a while. It was Christopher Lightwood of all people who had noticed her sitting there frozen, who had walked over and offered an awkward pat on the shoulder. He expressed his sympathies and then, seemingly at a loss for a way to help her feel better, told Grace that she was welcome to come visit the lab at any time if she would like something to do to take her mind off of the circumstances. “You were a great help in figuring the function of the pithos that time,” he’d said before wandering off.

Of course that had been before. Before word of her confession had gotten out. Before her trial by Mortal Sword three weeks ago. The Consul had let Grace off without punishment because she was underage and influenced – manipulated – by her mother. No, not mother, Tatiana. You were never a daughter to her, Grace reminded herself. She bought you, you were only ever a weapon that she wielded.

Now that Tatiana was gone and Jesse was restored to life, Grace found herself adrift. Word spread quickly amongst the Clave about what she’d done: the misery she had inflicted on James and by extension Cordelia; her use of demon-gifted power to influence and seduce numerous men – including the Consul’s own son; her involvement in necromancy. She knew plenty of Shadowhunters would happily see her spend time imprisoned in the Silent City. She had made so many apologies that she had quite lost track, but it was not enough – might never be enough. She was still technically part of the Clave, yet no one seemed to know what to do with her. She was even invited to a party last week where everyone had given her a wide berth; a perfect example of how she remained part of things, but was held at a distance.

Grace had spent weeks alone in the apartment Jesse had found for them, reading like she had always done. Now that Jesse was not a ghost, he was no longer her constant companion. He was alive again, out making friends and experiencing the world anew. He had started training and was visiting all the sights of London with Lucie. It was everything Grace had wished for him for years, except now she found herself even lonelier than before. Jesse had invited her along to everything but it was awkward to be around even Lucie.  Despite their shared mission to restore Jesse to life and her newfound relationship with Jesse, Lucie was struggling to forgive Grace for her part in James and Cordelia’s suffering. After all, it was Lucie’s own brother and her future parabatai that Grace had hurt. So Grace continued a nearly isolated existence, most days only seeing Jesse briefly in the morning and evenings.

It was the boredom and loneliness that had finally driven Grace to make a call on the Consul’s house at Grosvenor Square. She had overheard Lucie telling Jesse that Christopher was hard at work on something and spending nearly every weekday in the lab there. Surely Christopher should despise Grace after the way she had hurt his friends. Yet he had offered a small wave and smile at the party several days ago when they passed each other near the refreshments. His small gesture and her desperate state had been enough for her to gather her courage and venture out today.

   ________________________________________________________

 Grace stifled a sneeze as she descended the steps into the laboratory. A smoky haze hung in the air and it smelled like… gunpowder? What on earth had Christopher been doing? She paused uncertainly and nearly turned in retreat before steeling her nerve and continuing down.

Grace reached the bottom of the stairs and peered around the lab. “Christopher?” she called tentatively. “Are you working down here?”

A messy head of brown hair, darkened by – was it gunpowder? – shot up from behind the lab bench on the far side of the room. Christopher pushed rounded goggles up onto his head as he strode over to her.  “Grace! How nice to see you again!” he greeted her. His skin and once-white shirt were also covered in a fine layer of dark dust. “I suppose I saw you a few days ago at the party but you weren’t there long were you? Jesse said you weren’t feeling well. I heard there was a cold going around, is that what you had? Are you feeling better now?” he asked kindly.

Grace hadn’t felt well at the party, but it had nothing to do with illness and everything to do with the fact that Jesse was the single truly friendly face in that enormous ballroom. Lucie had awkwardly engaged her in stilted conversation before being whisked off to the dance floor by Jesse. After half an hour hovering on the outskirts of the room Grace could simply not endure the suspicious glances from the other guests, and she fled back home. “No, I wasn’t feeling well, but I feel much better now,” she told him simply.

“That’s good to hear!” Christopher said earnestly. “It’s never fun being sick. I detest the medicine my mother makes me take for coughs. That’s actually a project I’d like to pursue at some point, to see if medicine can be flavored but still retain its potency. I think if one could take some fruit, for example, and isolate the components of the fruit – molecules they’re called – that cause the specific taste and – ” he cut himself off abruptly. “My apologies Grace, you obviously came here for a reason and here I am boring you. Did you need help with something?” he asked, looking at her expectantly.

Grace thought she could cry for the sense of normalcy in the conversation and the kindness in his gaze. It was the complete opposite of the stiff, clipped exchanges and distrustful stares she had received since her trial by the Mortal Sword. Jesse was there for support of course, but he also faced distrust – returning from the dead through necromancy tended to make people wary. So to have Christopher – one of the ‘Merry Thieves’ no less – act like nothing at all was wrong, it was a relief.

She would have told Christopher to keep talking about the cough medicine and molecules – the idea sounded quite fascinating – but he had asked her a question. “I…I came to take you up on your offer to help in the laboratory. That is, if you’re sure you still want my help” she said hesitantly, clasping her hands together. “I know you offered weeks ago and I understand if you would prefer me to stay away now that you’ve heard the full story of everything I’ve done…” she trailed off uncertainly.

Christopher blinked at her for a moment, seemingly in shock, before his face split in a wide grin. “Really? You’d like to work here in the lab? No one besides Henry has ever been interested!” He paused thoughtfully, adjusting his glasses. “Well, Thomas does often help but I believe he feels obligated as my cousin. It’s not that he has any deep fascination with science and invention. Although he did make the cure for the Mandikhor poison! But I don’t think he enjoyed the process.” He frowned. “I suppose solving the puzzle of a complicated antidote is much more stressful when people are about to die,” he concluded.

“So, you’re sure you would still like having me around?” Grace asked, tense. “After the pain I caused your friends, I understand if you don’t want my assistance.”

“Of course I’d like you to help!” Christopher replied excitedly. “Having another pair of hands is always useful, and you actually want to be here! As for everything with James and such,” he said seriously, “you apologized didn’t you? And I’m sure you won’t do it again if you feel so badly about it now.”

Grace was astounded. “I did apologize and no, I don’t plan to manipulate anyone in that way again,” she managed to say. “I couldn’t even if I wished to,” she added, “the Silent Brothers found a way to remove my power.” That ritual, performed two weeks by Broth Enoch, had made her ill. She spent the better part of a day asleep, and still felt exhausted the day afterward.

“Then it’s all settled!” Christopher proclaimed brightly. “Let’s see, there’s a space on the benchtop over here where you can work, I have some of my notes there now but I can clean those up, put them over with…” He scurried over to a bench on the left of the room and began tidying it, muttering to himself.

Grace followed slowly after him, still in some disbelief. Yes, she had traveled all the way over to the lab and hoped his offer to join him in the lab still stood. However, she had prepared herself to be brushed off. Had expected Christopher to distrust her now that he knew all of her questionable actions, the ways she had hurt his friends and cousins. Technically she also was, or had been, his cousin by adoption; for some reason she brushed the thought of it away. They weren’t actually related. Especially now that she had reclaimed the Cartwright surname, distancing herself from Tatiana.

“There!” Christopher announced, pulling Grace out of her thoughts. He had cleared the bench of papers and bottles and beakers, and brushed off a layer of dust. “This can be your work station,” he told her. “I’ll find you a notebook to record your findings in, and you can work with me on some projects! Or do you have any ideas or projects of your own you’d like to pursue?” he inquired.

“I read many books growing up, many containing scientific information, so I know some basic principles,” Grace said. “However, I fear that much of the information is decades out of , and I'm sure there are many advancements I have not learned of,” she confessed. “Perhaps you can tell me what you’re working on? Were you doing some experiment involving gun powder just now?”

“Indeed I was!” Christopher replied with a gleam in his eye. “For a years now I’ve been trying to adapt incendiary weapons for use against demons. Angelic runes prevent the gunpowder from igniting somehow, and unless runes are involved the demons can’t be harmed.” He gestured her over to the far side of the room where a couple of guns laid on the table, one partly disassembled, as well as a small grenade.

“You made the runed revolver for James, didn’t you?” she asked, trailing a finger over the rune inscribed on the barrel of the rifle laid out on the bench.

“I did,” Christopher replied. “The problem is, James is the only one who can use it. Something to do with his shadow powers. Even Lucie can’t make it work. Quite confounding.” He held up a very familiar object – the pithos that Belial had used to steal marks. “I’ve been testing different rune placements with this,” he said, “because I thought perhaps an indirect application would make a difference. I’ve tried inscribing inside and outside on different parts. I also have a collection of gunpowder that I put in this runed box.” He gestured with the pithos to a small cubic container, every side plastered with a variety of runes. “The gun still fires – that’s what I was testing before you came in. No telling whether it will have any effect on a demon though,” he said, “It depends on how the runes transfer energy, which is an area no one fully understands yet.” He paused uncertainly, and set the pithos back on the benchtop. “I know you said you’d like to learn, Grace, but I’m not boring you am I?” he asked, sounding troubled.

“No, not at all,” she said quickly, turning her attention away from the disassembled handgun she’d been inspecting to his face. “Truly, it’s fascinating. I enjoy learning and you do a wonderful job of explaining things.”

“Oh,” said Christopher, turning faintly pink at the compliment. “Well, jolly good then. Besides Henry, people never really want to hear details,” he confided.

Grace thought briefly that perhaps Tatiana had been right when she called the Clave a pack of fools. Was there genuinely no one besides Henry Fairchild who appreciated the extent of Christopher’s scientific work? Not even his friends? “How about this?” she said, turning fully to face him. “I promise that if I ever want you to stop talking I’ll tell you directly, but otherwise, I wish to hear every detail. Here, we can shake on it.” She extended her hand between them and asked, “Deal?”

Christopher looked bewildered for a moment, blinked, then took her hand and shook it. His strange violet eyes shone as they met hers and he said, “Deal.”

[imherongraystairstrash]

The Broken Hearts Part 5!!

I feel like I publish a new chapter once a millennia, so I don’t think many people are going to read it, but if you’re still here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️ BUT, because I never publish, I made sure that this chapter was extra long! Happy New Year!!

“ELLIE!” 

Ella felt her entire body jolt awake. 

“Lucie? What are you doing here?”

“I came as soon as I heard! How could I stay in Idris when there is trouble here?”

“What about your children,” Ella said, blinking away sleep. “Did you bring them?”

“I wanted to, but Jesse said it was ‘unsafe’ for them to be here. So we left them with Gideon and Sophie.”

Ella sat up and tried to blink away her sleepiness. 

“What time is it?”

“It’s almost noon, you lazy bum. You must get up.”

“We stayed up late.”

“Everyone else is awake.” 

Ella grunted. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

...

Ella walked into the breakfast parlor and slumped down next to James, who was reading over some papers. His daughter, Caspara, was on his lap, gurgling and talking to James, even though she hasn’t said her first words yet. Caspara always seemed to be talking either to herself or others, though what she was trying to say, no one will ever know. 

“Hulloooo!” Ella said, crossing her eyes at Caspara. “How’s my favorite Herondale niece?”

Caspara giggled and stretched her hands out to her. Ella gave her one of her fingers and Caspara was quiet, leaning back against James’ chest and holding Ella’s finger in her hand. 

“There she is! Our Sleeping Beauty!” Lucie said, fake swooning as she strolled into the parlor.

“Honestly Lu, couldn’t you wake me normally?” Ella said referring to her morning scare. 

“Normal? I refuse to be associated with that vulgar word.”

“Lucie, stop terrorizing your poor sister.” Jesse said, coming from behind Lucie.

“Thank you, Jesse.” Ella said, grabbing a piece of toast.

Lucie slumped into the nearest chair. “You are no fun.”

Jesse rolled his eyes. “You should have thought of that before you brought me back from the dead.”

“Please do not discuss your resurrection this early in the morning.” James said, his face in his hands.

Ella looked at him and then at Lucie. She shrugged and gave her a face that suggested she thought James was being dramatic. Ella giggled.

“Are you two staying here long?” She asked Lucie and Jesse, who no doubt portaled in from Idris this morning.

“We don’t think so.” Lucie said. “Eva and Adeline should not be left in Gideon and Sophie’s home for extended periods of time for they might get too comfortable with them and begin acting out.”

“They take after their mother.” Jesse said.

Lucie glared at him. “As they should. Imagine having children like Jesse. What an absolute bore.”

Had Lucie and Jesse’s relationship not thrived on their bickering, Ella would have called a decorum. Instead she enjoyed the show for a while longer before turning to her brother. 

“What are you reading, Jamie?” Ella asked, looking over his shoulder. 

“He won’t tell us.” Lucie said.

Ella frowned. “Why not?”

“Because Sherlock Holmes likes to work alone.” Lucie said, conveying her annoyance with her tone of voice. 

James glared at Lucie. “I’ll tell you, Ella.” Lucie gasped and up a hand to her chest. James continued speaking as though she’d done nothing. “I’m reading over the institute records. Maybe we are all overreacting and last night was just a power outage.”

Ella nodded and looked at her cereal. She didn’t want to remind James of the cruel voice that haunted her dreams last night, the one that spoke before the power went out. James and Cordelia were clearly worried enough. 

So instead, she had breakfast with her siblings and niece. She’d figure it out later.

…

“Hullo Ben!” Jesper Carstairs said cheerfully, “We’re going to the institute and were told to pick you up.”

Ben looked at him through squinted eyes. “That sounds oddly vague. You are not going to abduct me, are you?” 

“Of course not.”

Had the idea of Jesper Carstairs abducting Benjamin Penhallow—who was a good five centimeters taller than the former— not been so absurd, Ben probably would not have taken Jesper’s word.

But it was, so Ben obliged.

“Who’s ‘we’re’” Ben asked, referring to Jesper’s earlier statement. 

“Oh, right. The Fairchilds are meeting us coming with us.” Jesper smiled. “Look, they’re right there about to cross that street. TILDY!” He called.

Matilda whirled around. “Stop calling me that!” 

Jesper smiled. “She loves that pet name.”

…

“What does it mean?!” Ella exclaimed, slamming her head against her open book on the table. Said book was on demon attacks in the past.

Alex was sprawled upside-down from the edge of the sofa, bouncing a rubber ball on the wall and catching it with fluid expertise. 

“Will you stop bouncing that bloody ball?” Ella said, after what felt like the fiftieth time he’d chucked it against the wall.

“You kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“I am trying to think, Alex. Something you have no experience with.”

Ella caught his ball before Alex could and sat on it. Alex stuck his tongue out at her.

“You are both children.” Said Jesper from where he sat on the floor entertaining baby Caspara, who Ella had taken with her to the library after breakfast. 

“Oh, the irony.” Jocelyn said, not looking up from her book.

“Should we be concerned about this? The blackout, I mean.” Alex asked, sliding down to the floor. Caspara laughed and stretched out her hands for Alex to pick her up.

“I don’t know. It seems like a pathetic threat to me. But maybe that’s because we grew up around danger.”

“I think I agree with Ella, but I also don’t think we should ignore it. However unthreatening the message may have been, we shouldn’t just ignore it before we have a few answers.” Ben said.

The others nodded in agreement before they all fell silent again, reading or thinking.

“Wait a minute, look at this.” Matilda said from where she was seated. “There’s a demon that can supposedly ‘create’ darkness.”

Ella felt her eyes widen. She pushed past Alex and sat down next to Matilda. Soon, the six (well, seven if you counted Caspara, who was giggling in Alex’s arms) shadowhunters were all crowded around her, peering at the book. 

“In Islam, they use this expression: Iblīs al-Qadīm. It translates to ‘The Ancient Iblis.”

“Iblis. Like, the common Iblis demon? Yes, they do leave darkness where they go, but enough to immerse the entire institute?”

“Perhaps this is a different type of Iblis. From a different realm; a distant cousin of the standard Iblis demon we would find on patrol.”

“We should ask an inside source.” Ella said.

Suddenly, all of the shadowhunters were staring at Alex Lightwood. 

Alex furrowed his eyebrows before he realized why they were staring.

“Hell no.”

“Alex, come on.”

“How do we know they have the same tastes in men?”

“You have a dark charm.”

“No.” Alex said, scooting away. “My brother, Christopher, has a dark charm.”

“Alex, Iblis demons love you.”

“They begged for you to be the one to kill them last year, when we cornered them.” Jesper said.

“Those Iblis demons love them some Lightwood-Herondale boys.”

Alex looked exasperated. “Let me get this straight, you want me to seduce these ‘new’ Iblis demons to get information on what happened?”

“Precisely.” Ella said. 

Alex sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to win the argument. “Even if I did agree to this, which I do not, how would we even go about attracting their attention?”

“You might want to leave that to be.” Jocelyn said with a devil’s smirk.

…

“I hate this.” Alex said. 

“You’re doing great, darling.” Ella called from above.

“I hate this.” He repeated.

“Alex.” Alex looked up at where Jesper was calling him from. “Do it for the ladies.”

“Shut your face, Carstairs.”

“They’re coming! Everybody hide.”

Alex turned to a pillar in the empty warehouse. 

“Not you, Alex!” Ella hissed. “Get back on your mark.”

Alex frowned and stood on the “X” Ella had drawn on the floor of the abandoned building. 

At that moment, Matilda came in sprinting and jumping along the walls, tailed by an Iblis demon.

“You’re dead, little girl. You have no idea what kind of enemy you get ma— Oh, what have we here?”

Alex cleared his throat. He tried to lean against a pillar casually. “Hello there.” He said, trying and failing to sound seductive. 

“How is this boy Anna Lightwood’s brother?” Jocelyn whispered, her face in her hands.

The Iblis demon, however, looked closer at Alex before swooning. “A Lightwood.”

“It said Lightwood with pure…I-bliss.” Jesper said, laughing silently at his joke.

“Idiot,” Ella said with a smirk.

“Lightwood boy, what brings you to these parts?” The Iblis demon inquired.

“I’ve come in hopes for a favor.”

The Iblis demon looked delighted. “What will you give me in return? A kiss?!”

Alex cringed, “No, not a kiss. That’s how my grandfather Benedict killed my grandmother and got turned into a worm.”

“Oh, of course, I’ve seemed to have forgotten about that bloody demon pox.” The lblis demon said. 

“Consider yourself lucky.” Ella mumbled under her breath. Her father never let her forget it. She shuddered at the lecture he had given her, Alex and Jesper when they were thirteen. Ella had seen brighter days than those. 

Alex cleared his throat. “In return, I grace you with my presence.”

The Iblis demon licked it’s lips, “Sounds good to me.”

Alex shifted uncomfortably. 

“I was wondering… Erm, do I call you Iblis?”

“Call me ‘darling’.”

“I think I’ll call you Iris.”

The demon gushed. “My very own pet name! My sisters will be dead with jealousy!”

Alex looked at Ella, confused. Ella gestured at him to keep talking. 

“Erm, alright then. I was wondering if you knew of any other Iblises?”

“Ibli”

“Right. Ibli coming into this dimension?”

“Hm, I can’t say I do.”

“Oh.” Alex said, making a show of looking disappointed.

“Wait!” The Iblis called. “I think I may know something about a distant relative of us Ibli coming a couple of days back.”

Alex smiled uneasily. “Fascinating!” By the Angel, he’s a horrendous actor. Ella thought.

“And, do you by any chance, know if they’re powerful?”

The Iblis hissed, “that they are. But my species of Iblis is much better. We are more civilized. Why, these Ibli are so easily manipulated and would do just about anything to please their master.”

Master?

“Is it always the same master?” Alex asked.

“No, it can be anyone.”

“Interesting. And do you think these Ibli, theoretically, could make all of the lights of the institute, let’s say, go out?”

“Of course.”

“Even if demons aren’t allowed to enter hallowed grounds?”

“These Ibli can do it from a distance.”

That was all the information Ella needed. She got up from her crouched position along the ceiling beams and unsheathed her seraph blade. She stepped forward, only to get pulled backwards.

“What the heck, Carstairs?”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to kill the Iblis.”

“You can’t kill Iris.”

“Who?”

“The Iblis.”

“Well, I’m not going to let her kill my parabatai.”

“Hey,” Ben said. “Don’t assume Iris's gender.” 

“I’m not going to let Iris kill my parabatai.” Ella mended and jumped off the ceiling beam.

“Say, where’s that purple-eyed brother of yours?” The Iblis demon asked Alex, seconds before Ella’s blade plunged into it’s heart.

…

“That was a bit ruthless.”

“Would you rather it kidnap you and make you it’s husband?”

“We could have reached a level of compromise.”

“Alright then,” Ella said, wiping her blade on the grass. “Next time, you handle the situation as you deem fit.”

“I will.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

The other’s heads whipped back and forth as the parabatai brawled. 

Ella stared at them, “don’t you have something better to do?”

“No, we really don’t.” Said Jesper.

Alex rolled his eyes. “Let’s just get out of here and figure out what we’re going to do next. I don’t like the feeling of this place.”

Jesper made a joke about what Alex had just said while Ella fell into the back of the line with Ben and Matty.

“What do you make of this?”

Ella shrugged, “I’m not one for solving riddles.”

Ben furrowed his eyebrows. “Iris said that it shouldn’t have been a spontaneous attack; though you may not like it, Ella, I can’t help but think that Owen disappearing was more than a mere coincidence.”

“I’ll have to agree with Ben.” Matty said, “It’s not like Owen to run off like that.”

Ella didn’t want to think about what had taken her nephew, not one bit.

“Who would do such a thing?” Ella asked.

“Somebody with a grudge against your family.”

Jesper, Alex and Jocelyn stopped joking around and laughing and turned to the others.

“A grudge against the Herondales?” Jocelyn asked.

Ben shook his head. “A grudge against the Grays.”

“Belial.” Ella whispered.

“Why would they attack Ella’s family and not Belial himself? No offense to your family, El, but why bother attacking the Herondales when Belial has made it clear he doesn’t care about them?” Jesper said.

“Because they are important to him. Don’t you remember?  He could have possessed James, and walked earth again, had he let him.” Matty said.

Ben nodded. “The Herondales have the ability to grant him freedom.”

“Well, this is just wonderful.” Jesper’s tone dripped sarcasm. “How many enemies must Belial have? A thousand? A million? How will we ever find who's behind this?”

They were all silent for a moment.

“Oh,” Alex said, more to himself than anyone else. “It might not be that hard.”

“What do you mean?” Matilda asked. 

“Lesser demons don’t have the mental capacity to orchestrate something like this. What happened yesterday night, that wasn't an attack; it was a threat. Why else would someone go to the lengths of kidnapping the direct descendant of Belial, just to leave him somewhere in the institute unharmed and easily found? Moreover, why not attack all of the Nephilim? All lesser demons think about is feeding; they’re not evolved enough to feel things such as revenge. This is the work of a greater demon.”

Alex’s realization was left in the air. Nobody wanted to voice the possibility that this could be the work of a Prince of Hell. Ella exhaled. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t talk about it.

“Does anybody know of the Princes of Hell? Which ones could potentially have contact with our earth?”

Jocelyn nodded. “It can’t be Sammael, Lucifer or Lilith. They’ve been banished and will continue to be banished for many years to come.”

“We’ve collectively decided it can’t be Belial.” Jesper said.

“Mammon hasn’t come in contact with Belial for years. Azazel doesn’t really care; he’s not one to start drama. Astaroth— ” Jocelyn said. 

“What about Belphegor?” Ella interrupted quietly. 

Jocelyn furrowed her eyebrows, “There haven’t been sightings of him in over a century.”

“But is it possible for him to come back now?”

“Yes, I would think so. Why do you ask, Ella?”

Ella swallowed. “Belial met James in a realm he stole for Belphegor. Belial is the reason he hasn’t been seen in so long; he’s the one that wounded him greatly enough that he hasn’t come back yet.”

They all looked at her gravely.

“Well,” Ben said at last. “I think we have our suspect.”

Tagging: @celias @lightlady599

[overwatchworks]

Let Him Go:

Genji saw Jesse and waved with that same, sweet smile, then went past him and to his favourite six-bit game. Ignored again. Jesse debated leaving right then and there until Genji sat down and turned a bit in his seat, glancing at him.

“Well, are you gonna come watch or what?”

And that was all it took for Jesse to be grinning and wandering over, leaning against the machine to look over Genji’s shoulder.

Jesse had agreed to go with Genji to the arcade that night because of course he had. When did he ever turn Genji down? Sure, he had homework and an essay due that night, but they were mostly done. 

Jesse hummed as he pulled on his hoodie, going for his usual rugged casual but charming vibe with ripped skinny jeans and some boots. He ran a hand through his hair, then checked his phone. He’d be a little early, and Genji would surely be fashionably late, but at least he’d be showing up. 

Genji had been getting a little distant lately, spending more time with a separate group of friends that Jesse didn’t really like the feel of. They were always talking him into one more drink, another line of cocaine, just one more round with whoever he had seduced that night. 

It got under Jesse’s skin, especially when Genji used his place to crash, obviously drunk and fucked out. It wasn’t that Jesse wasn’t happy to help Genji or give him a place to stay when he needed it, it was just the fact that Jesse was always second or third. The afterthought. Like they hadn’t been each other’s best friends for almost ten years. 

Jesse thought that might have been selfish of him, but it wasn’t a good feeling, knowing Genji didn’t hold him in the same esteem Jesse held him. Knowing he would be ignored again until someone found better use for him. It was always the same, and Jesse couldn’t help but feel sick of it. He wanted to be more, and he wanted to stop feeling this way. 

But Genji would always be himself, never Jesse’s. So why couldn’t he accept the simple truth? 

Jesse sighed and shoved his phone and wallet in his pocket, shaking his head. He’d been asking himself that question for a long time, and the answer was just as obvious as the reasons he had to ask. He loved Genji, and every time he was graced with a smile, a touch, a glance, that was all it took for his mind to forget and heart to swell just enough to be broken again. 

It was frustrating and, above all, crushing. 

Jesse chewed on his lip as he left his apartment and walked towards downtown Hanamura, the chill of early winter setting in as evening bloomed over the bustling town. Teenagers and young adults were mulling around, ready to party and swarming like moths to the bright neon signs of bars and clubs. Jesse moved past them all, staring at the ground as he walked. 

He could tell when he made it to the arcade by the enticing sounds and music spilling from behind the colourful glass doors. Jesse went inside, no stranger to the place, and he grinned upon seeing a few people he knew. 

The first thing he did was grab his favourite soda, getting the can from the vending machine and cracking it open. He watched it fizz up a little absently. Lemon-lime flavoured. Bright, neon green.

Jesse groaned and leaned against the wall next to the vending machine, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He needed to stop obsessing over Genji. It was weird, annoying, and there was no point to it. He would gain nothing from it, and it was only making his life kinda miserable. Jesse was sick of loving Genji so much that he would bend to his every whim. 

A hand slapping to his shoulder shook him from his daze, and Jesse flinched a bit before realizing who it was.

“Oh, heya, Yuki. How’s it goin’?” He asked, voice bright and a smile growing on his face.

“Not bad, but you look like you’re not having the best time. Where’s your boyfriend?” Yuki replied with his own grin, Jesse sighing.

“For the last time, Gen ain’t my boyfriend. I wish he was, but he ain’t.”

“And I still don’t believe you. He follows you around everywhere, and it’s always ‘Jesse this’ and ‘oh Jesse that’ with him. I think you’re in cahoots with him to trick everyone into thinking you’re both single and ready to mingle.”

Jesse’s hopes rose at hearing that, but he squashed them down quickly with a shake of his head and an easy smile.

“Nah, I’d tell you if that were the case. Trust me partner, I’m just single and crushin’ hard on the person everyone wants.” Jesse muttered, taking a swig of his soda. Yuki shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing at Jesse nonchalantly.

“Well, you know...If Genji doesn’t work out, give me a call, alright?” Yuki told him casually, and Jesse smiled a bit.

“Yeah, I will.”

“That’s all I can ask.”

Yuki grinned at him, still perfectly at ease, and Jesse hoped he wasn’t hurting his friend like he was hurting over Genji. He just couldn’t give himself to someone else with how distracted he was by Genji, it wasn’t fair if he couldn’t give them his all.

“I’ll be on the third floor, got some friends up there. If you get bored or something, you’re welcome to come up with us.” Yuki said as he turned to walk away.

“Okay, thanks Yuki!” Jesse called, giving his friend a little wave. He felt bad, but he knew there wasn’t much he could do about it. 

Genji chose that exact moment to come striding through the door, already arm-in-arm with two other people. He had his usual gaggle of friends, and Jesse pursed his lips as he inspected their already drunken sway. Of course they had gone clubbing before hand. 

Genji saw Jesse and waved with that same, sweet smile, then went past him and to his favourite six-bit game. Ignored again. Jesse debated leaving right then and there until Genji sat down and turned a bit in his seat, glancing at him.

“Well, are you gonna come watch or what?”

And that was all it took for Jesse to be grinning and wandering over, leaning against the machine to look over Genji’s shoulder. He had to stop letting Genji manipulate him like this. But the problem was, he didn’t mind it as long as he got to be by Genji’s side. 

He ignored the not so subtle muttering of Genji’s other friends and their more than audible laments of him joining them, instead focusing on Genji’s movements as he played the game. Small little movements, tiny, precise clicks and jerks of his hand, a pretty flush over his face, a gentle moan of Jesse’s name—

Jesse shifted uncomfortably, blinking the reoccurring thought away while he desperately tried to forget how wonderful and pliant those soft lips were. Those lips that were moving, talking, talking to Jesse.

“—Afterwards if you wanted.”

“Huh?”

Genji giggled, his eyes not leaving the screen, but his friends’ eyes all boring into Jesse now.

“I said, we can go grab some drinks afterwards, if you wanted.”

“Oh, uh, sure. Sounds good.”

“God, he’s just like a little puppy! It’d be cute if it weren’t so sad.” One girl whispered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, and Jesse glared at her.

“Hey uh, Chizaru? Yeah, that might have been funny if I didn’t see you doing the exact same thing. So stop talking shit about my best friend and straighten the fuck up, or you can go, thanks.” Genji chimed in a falsely cheery tone, Chizaru huffing and crossing her arms, cheeks warming in embarrassment at the reprimand. 

Jesse was still stuck on the ‘would have been funny’ and ‘best friend’ part. Yup, everything still hurt like a bitch. 

He sighed and straightened, running a hand through his hair.

“Yanno, Yuki’s upstairs and he invited me to come up with him. I best not be rude.”

“Yeah, but I invited you over too.” Genji told him, still not looking away from the screen. 

His voice was sincere, though, there was a slight edge to it that gave Jesse the impression that it was more of a command to stay than a statement.

“I’ll come back later.” Jesse told him firmly, pushing away from the game and finally getting Genji to look up.

“What, you’re just going to ignore me?”

“Hon, if I wanted to ignore you, I could do a much better job of it than this. Now I”m be honest, since all your lovely friends are too. I don’t really enjoy watchin’ and swoonin’ over you as much as they do. I’d rather play a game myself, and I don’t exactly like the company you keep. They don’t exactly like me either, so I’m going upstairs where I’m wanted.” Jesse griped, Genji blinking and raising his brows haughtily, mouth dropping open slightly with an indignant noise. 

It was...Different. Not really the Genji Jesse loved.

“Fine. Okay, I see who you prefer now. Go have fun with your other friends then Jesse, it’s not like I’m that important anyways.”

“I’m glad I at least have your permission to do that, Lord Shimada. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Jesse growled with a mock bow, Genji glaring at the sarcasm dripping from Jesse’s words.

“Oooooooh lover’s quarrel!” One of Genji’s friends egged on, the others joining in on the ‘oooh’ and giggling.

“I don’t love him!” Genji spat venomously, glaring at his friends as Jesse felt what little, insignificant hope he held in his heart shatter.

“Glad we’ve established that.” Jesse hissed, moving away from the group of them and storming up the stairs. Some best friend Genji was. 

He heard cruel laughter from Genji’s friends as he went, Jesse’s chest constricting painfully as he stopped at the second floor to gather his emotions and calm down. 

‘I don’t love him I don’t love him I don’t love him’ yeah no shit. What have you been telling yourself for the past couple of months. You didn’t believe it, so when the obvious truth slaps you in the face, don’t get all upset and angry. No one ever loves you, why are you so surprised. 

Jesse sighed in defeat at his inner thoughts, rubbing a hand over his face and wishing he had just stayed home. He took a shuddering breath, then shook his head. He wasn’t going to let Genji ruin a perfectly good night for him anymore. He was still going to enjoy his night out, and nothing could stop him from doing that.

Not even fucking Genji Shimada and his stupid-ass friends. 

Jesse hiked up to the third floor, Yuki glancing over at his entrance and grinning, waving him over like a real friend. Jesse smiled and went over to him, and they started up a pleasant game of air hockey, Jesse’s favourite. 

The night progressed, and Jesse didn’t forget for a moment what had happened, but the sting of it all was soothed by the laughter of him and his friends, playful challenges to some shooter games, and winning a pachimari from the claw machine by the time they all decided to go home. 

Jesse went down the arcade steps with Yuki, chatting amiably as they went. His eyes were still drawn to Genji as they reached the first floor, Genji as he kissed Chizaru, Genji as he glanced up with a haughty glare, making sure Jesse could see just how much fervor was going into that make-out session. 

Jesse shrugged with a sad little smile and looked away, going back to talking with Yuki. He was sick of loving Genji so much. 

Jesse made it home before eleven, so he finished his school work and took a shower, finally letting himself cry just to let it out. He was exhausted by the time he finished getting ready for bed, no less upset, but it didn’t hurt quite so much. Jesse fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

-

A noise from the bathroom woke him up at around one-thirty, Jesse blinking awake slowly and rolling over. He didn’t want to get up, didn’t want to see who he knew it was. 

Of course after all that, Genji would come sneaking back to his place, just like he always did. Jesse bitterly hoped him and Chizaru had a good fuck, knowing that was probably exactly what happened out of spite when Jesse left the arcade.

He heard the door to his room open quietly, soft footsteps he could place anywhere approaching the bed. A familiar weight dipped it, then a warm arm wrapped around his waist, Genji pressing himself against Jesse’s back. He traced little patterns along Jesse’s spine before leaning his forehead against the nape of Jesse’s neck with a soft sigh. 

Jesse remained stock still, trying to keep the tears at bay. 

Why, Genji?

“I know I was wrong today. I normally am, and you’re normally right. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment to everyone, I’m sorry I hurt you...I’m sorry I’m not the friend you deserve...I’m so sorry...” Genji whispered, voice breaking a bit at the end as he sniffled and snuggled closer to Jesse. 

And Jesse didn’t move, didn’t say a word. He had to stop this. -

Genji was gone by the time Jesse woke up the next morning. ~~