#why is it so malec coded

[coffe3witch]

Wait are they setting up Edwin with the cat KING?!!

[doubleddenden]

Okay, onto gen 5 characters. I've said it before, but gen 5 is probably my favorite for a lot of reasons, and in this case, it's the most like home imo, and the characters are fantastic all around.

Starting with Hilbert, the male mc of BW1. Hilbert is basically a callback to Red in a few ways, but he's also the protagonist I have always found the easiest to project onto. Why? As a teen, that was probably the closest to me a Pokemon mc would get. The thick brown hair and brown eyes especially. The outfit is simultaneously a disaster and pretty cool, I'd maybe unzip the hoodie, perhaps untuck the shoes, and maybe I'd just have a regular backpack, but he's probably my favorite vanilla MaleC out of all the others. Hilbert and Hilda are supposed to be a little older than past protagonists, and their designs definitely have a broader range of age most could project onto imo- basically a Scooby Doo situation, where you can be anywhere from 15 to late 20s and kinda pull off whatever you're going for. 9/10, Samurott coded

And of course, the best vanilla MaleC is paired with the best vanilla FemC. I might be biased by the short shorts and ponytail, but when I was a teenager, Hilda came in around the same age I was and really NAILED that American girl look- other than the vest and wrist bands, this could literally be any number of girls I grew up with and had a crush on, my age, slightly younger, or older than I was. Hell, to this day, this is still how a lot of girls dress in the summer here, maybe subbing the boots for tennis shoes or sandals. To me, that's the PERFECT blank slate for those people, perfect for any age range really. Other FemCs tend to be more girly girl in design on a vanilla basis, but Hilda really is that tomboy girl friend you had growing up. 10/10 design.

We'll skip a little to the bw2 protagonists. There is a slight change of art style that I think is probably my favorite interpretation of the Pokemon art style by none other than Yusuke Ohmura. He has a pretty nice shading style that really works well with character design, and the Pokemon he designs are pretty top notch- Samurott and its family being some of them.

Oh GOD NO. NO NO NO. Not this one. Okay look, BW2 are my favorite games in the series, and I do like a decent chunk of the outfit- except the hair and hat. Some fan art manages to fix up the hair, but official art just makes it look awful as they can on every level. Nate is such a huge downgrade from Hilbert in so many ways that it's so hard to project onto. I know they're going for a sporty triathlete look, and from the neck down he has that covered- maybe a little TOO pasty, but it's passable. But with the head and hair, he reads like of those dorky aged 40 to 50 something people that are athletic, but wear the stupidest clothes possible- except Nate also looks like he's having that midlife crisis at the ripe old age of 14. 5/10 man, that hair and hat just ruin everything. Such a shame because it's literally my favorite game and my favorite gen.

Rosa on the other hand is definitely the standout protagonist of bw2. Other than the hair and hat, I've definitely seen women my age (at the time, so 17 or 18) or older wear a look like this. The hair is definitely stand out, but Princess Leia twin tails is such an iconic look that it just works really well for her. Maybe the short shorts a little frilly, but I have seen joggers wear dolphin shorts with leggings like this, and tbh I've seen people without the shorts going to Walmart. The shoes sort of combine the style and sensibility of Hilbert and Hilda and the top is honestly a nice choice for a sporty look- if I could ever find them in my size, I'd love to wear baseball shirts like this. I remember the bra? Bikini top? Whatever that pink thing is peaking- it caused some ruckus when she was first revealed, but honestly it's fine and I think it's a cute addition- plenty of people would expose more and be safe in a realistic setting. I wouldn't say she's as good as Hilda, but she manages to retain that neutral age range where you can sort imagine whatever you want, which to me she reads as 18 or so- although I do think it is harder to call her a blank slate with as much personality as she has. Still, a fantastic design, and proooobably when a lot of guys starting played as the girl simply because they tend to look better than the guys. 9/10, we can pretend Nate doesn't exist, right?

Now onto the rivals, starting with BW1, and probably my favorite cast of rivals given their stories

Cheren is a good mix of analytical and competitive in my mind, and certainly read like a character that would have gone Sasuke on the rest of us were it not for intervention from Alder. His team is also pretty unique and decent, and I personally just can't see him with anything other than Serperior as a starter. He's a decent challenge- not scary like Route 110 May or Azalea Town exit Silver, but he keeps you on your toes and is a decent friend to you- maybe not to Bianca at first, but I kinda ship em after a bit. An 8 for a really good story arc, I really thought he'd end up as another dragon chosen in the Pokemon Grey we never got.

Design wise? Oh God we stole ALL his rizz. It's definitely just shy of "um ackshualee" nerdy, the hair just... boy, who cuts your bangs? Fire them please. And also, I fucking hate pants with exposed ankles- nobody but hipsters wear pants like that. Nobody. No. "But I do" no you don't, you don't exist or you're a hipster. I think this is actually the start of the fad of exposing most male ankles in the series and it drives me up the wall. Get regular fit pants, the skinny jeans ruin it, and please fix your bangs, bro. 5/10 on design

Congrats on the transition, Barry- oh sorry, force of habit- Bianca. Jokes aside, again with the green and orange. Someone at game freak was craving carrots I stg. The outfit definitely read as someone that was sheltered by her daddy for a long time, an innocent and sweet type that's kinda clueless to the world- especially its fashion sensibilities (I headcanon Elesa helped her pick out better clothes eventually). Its definitely an outfit I might have seen on some of my church girl friends- in different colors mind you. Its fine, but it definitely isn't something you should reasonably be exploring with imo. 6/10, bw2 is just a better fit

On a character level, though, I really do admire her for at least trying to come out of her shell. She didn't land among the stars, but the decision to leave home against her father's wishes to *find herself* is such a relatable experience I've always felt I could have experienced had things gone only slightly different at home. She is such a sweetheart, and her heart is stupid big (like her forehead). I feel like she's actually more dangerous than other rivals in some cases, often ambushing you at really inopportune times. Technically, I think she might be stronger than most female rivals, too. I definitely feel like her character could have used a little more development in BW1, but BW2 finalizes it in a way that I can't help but just really enjoy her character. 8/10

Cheren BW2- not so much a rival anymore, but a mentor figure now and the first gym leader we fight, taking up the Normal type from Lenora. I definitely still abhor the bangs and the ankle exposing skinny jeans, but he does look better and more realized. He's nervous about his new job, but he's doing a fine job as a gym leader and teacher. He did lose the glasses for some reason- wonder where they went hmmmm? But honestly, I think he looks better without them.

I do love how he's still super gung-ho about stopping Team Plasma, even with his new job. He's still our bro in arms, and I gotta respect that- I will say, I do think being a normal type kinda comes from nowhere, unless maybe Bianca lent him her Stoutland or something- maybe in exchange for those glasses hmmmm? But all teasing aside, I guess starting as the first gym leader- a role meant to endure loss after loss- shows remarkable character growth from the previous game of being obsessed with strength. That, and I guess you gotta start from the bottom if you're going to become a gym leader. In my ideal BW3, I'd see him become a mix type final gym leader akin to Blue tbh.

Design is an improved 7/10. Character arc is an 8.

Oh honey, you look so much better and much more comfortable. Bianca looks so much more sure of herself, too, now acting as Professor Juniper's assistant, and imo should hopefully become a future professor. Her BW1 outfit felt super restrictive and tight in some places, but her BW2 outfit feels a bit looser, a bit more cozy, and honestly kind of a good representation of what happens when she finally follows her own path rather than her dad's wants or the gym path. The green and orange even look better here! And- HEY THERE'S CHEREN'S GLASSES! What a cutie lol.

I really love her character in BW2, going from a girl that's unsure of which foot to step with first to becoming a big-sister type mentor to us. She's a lot braver and even travels with us through Reversal Mountain in a mutual aid to each other- I've definitely grinded my ass off in there a few times with her to help heal my Pokemon. Honestly, probably one of the best character growths in all of Pokemon.

Design is an 8/10, character is a 9/10

Hugh, our rival from BW2. He definitely has Nate beat in terms of drip and hair. Probably one of my favorite rival designs in the entire series- ruined by ankle GOD DAMMIT WHO AT GAME FREAK IS FROTHING AT THE MOUTH TO SEE MALE ANKLES SO BADLY!? Well, in any case, he has that edgy look DOWN, with a really nice blend of navy and red that avoids being outright black- as evident from his gloves and shoe accents. The white also really helps his design stand out. The design really makes him seem like this super badass, and he kind of is on some level. 9/10 design

On a rival level, though, he's less of a rival and more of a bro, which is kind of surprising given the Adidas Sasuke vibe he's got going on. His little sister's Purloin was stolen by Team Plasma two years ago, and that's enough to send him on a revenge quest, recruiting us to help him in this endeavor and only testing our strength a few times in game to make sure we're still up to snuff. He is RIGHT in the thick of it, their down fall and the rescue of that cat being the only thing this guy cares about. It is kind of admirable and cool on some level, although he definitely isn't as good of a character or rival as Cheren and Bianca. In fact, once he gets the Liepard back, his character kinda halts into just testing your strength. Also, his team isn't really the most fleshed out- he does have some interesting picks like a starter he bred from an egg, a Bouffalant (probably what he's best known for), a FLYGON, an Eelektross- unfortunately, for most of the game, he only really uses his starter, Unfeasant, and a Simi-ape. It reads a bit like he's too tunnel visioned and single-minded to bother training too many Pokemon, being too busy taking out Team Plasma to find that Pokemon.

As a character, I'd give him an 8. As a rival, maybe a 7.

Finally, probably the most complex character from gen 5 and maybe the most complex rival of all time- because he's also a puppet evil team leader, champion, king, and chosen hero of a legendary. Unlike every other rival, N's teams are never the same, basically only being comprised of Pokemon he's locally captured and then released so that he can allow them to be free. As a character, he's the first in the franchise to really bring the question of whether Pokemon battles are even ETHICAL, and he's also the first evil team leader to be a champion, AND the first rival to use a legendary against you. He's a super complex character, believing Pokemon to be inherently abused and misused by humans strictly because his "adoptive" father (green hair adopts green hair? really?) basically manipulated him childhood into only being exposed to abused and neglected Pokemon. Given the information he's working with, it's honestly no surprise he's willing to go so far to save Pokemon, and is kind of admirable to see just how far that conviction takes him. The information fed to him is a lie, but his belief in doing the right thing is real, and that I think makes him one of the best "villains" of the entire series. I especially love that he mellows out after BW 1 and is dedicated to learning how to enjoy Pokemon battles- in BW2, he even has rotating WEATHER teams based on what season it is. He's clearly super smart, just mislead, and when given the opportunity to do right, he's quick to do so once he understands things. As a character, I think he's super cool. 9/10, I sincerely hope we reunite the BW1 protagonist with him canonically (and not in Masters).

Natural Harmonia Gropius, though? Man wha the- that's a fucking 1/10 name. I am so sorry your dad hated you, bro.

On a design level, I think it's a pretty clever one. In BW1, he wears an outfit that pairs pretty decently with the BW1 protagonists, and the hat is a very interesting choice- a call back to Red's in a way, much like how Hilbert and Hilda are gen 1 callbacks to a certain extent, but his hat is black and white- much like the games, and also to sort of flip the original script. The outfit is pretty clean, although I will say, it does not read much like a "king" or "evil team leader" by any means. It does read like someone purposely trying to blend in, though, so that does get points. The green feels like a call to nature in a way, yet his eyes are *empty*, as if lifeless- very unnerving, especially with his super fast text speed (fun fact, it is actually a little faster than the fastest text option, and will play that fast even on the slowest setting) and his ability to talk to Pokemon. It's all pretty evident of a character that's being manipulated or maybe a little insane. He literally is Black and White, a man of both Truth and Ideal. 9/10 on the character design.

Oof. And then next is gen 6.

[bookworm-1196]

Since I finished rereading Lady Midnight I thought I’d compile all the parts I bookmarked or highlighted on Kindle for you ! (Spoiler warnings for Lady Midnight and TSC in general, don’t say I didn’t warn you)

That whole page. It’s just perfect. Quintessential childhood friends to lovers closeness. I love this so much. I was going to just highlight and not use bookmarks (so I could color code) but the whole page was important so I had to.

And Julian repeating those words to Emma at the end when she tells him they can’t be together… Julian and Emma being foils to Malcolm… It’s just so well thought out !! A masterpiece !!

I also feel compelled to say that I interpret “every story is a love story” differently than just romantic love. It can also apply to familial love, self-love, platonic love, filial love, love for a community or a cause etc.

As an older sister who’s always wished for an older sister whose advice I could listen to I felt this so deeply. And I’m far from Julian’s situation because my only younger sibling is so close in age to me that someone once assumed we were twins. Just…sibling dynamics in fiction always hit so hard for me.

*flashbacks to Jesse, Lucie and Grace* (and yes reluctantly also Tatiana but I like her a lot less)

Idk how the Blackthorns were able to get away with having this motto. Wouldn’t the Clave have suggested a different one at the very least, or kept a file for the family like “these ones seem like trouble, keep an eye on them” ?

I also think it’s just so iconic. What would my family motto be if we were Shadowhunters ? Probably “we all need therapy but we’re in denial”

I just love the focus on parabatai relationships because it emphasises the importance of platonic love. I wish the parabatai curse wasn’t “if people are romantically involved it’ll make them unstable bc they’ll get closer” bc it defeats the purpose of the entire thing to me. I wish it was just seen as a DIFFERENT but just as strong love. It could have worked just as well for TDA without diminishing platonic love.

I could talk for AGES about this page and analyse each character’s perspective on what being parabatai means. Might make a post about it later. I just find it so interesting.

Julian and Cristina there to save the day!! I just love them so much (it’s also good to know that demons CAN be killed by being run over by a car. I don’t see why the Shadowhunters in Idris don’t have military grade weapons or at the very least tractors or something to ram against big demons. Just picture Valentine’s demon invasion foiled bc the Clave pulls up with a tank.

I am thinking about Sylvain Verlac and how much pain he must have gone through rn.

I agree with Emma. If anything happens to Jace and Clary or Simon and Isabelle (or Malec. Especially Malec) I too would stop believing in romantic love or happy endings entirely. I love how CC acknowledged our love for the TMI characters and how important they are to us. Truly, they are institutions. Important pillars of the community. Julian and Emma having crushes on Isabelle and Jace is iconic (but not as iconic as me when I had crushes on both Clary who I thought of as my bi awakening and Simon)

And Julian momentarily losing control of the car when Emma tells him she isn’t in love with Cameron 😂

This is part 1 btw, I have lots paragraphs/quotes/pages to go through

[flowerbritts]

So, I'm going to be the one that makes the post on Payneland and parallels to other couples/relationships, aren't I?

Sigh...I guess here we go. Spoilers, obviously. So if you haven't watched Dead Boy Detectives, go watch it and return to this post!

Believe it or not, there is more than one relationship to which I can compare the Edwin/Charles dynamic.

These couples include Destiel (Supernatural), Malec (Shadowhunters), and Solangelo (PJO).

So let's start with the Charles parallels.

We are introduced in Episodes 3 & 4 to the fact that Charles went through some serious physical abuse. His father had high expectations for him, and when he didn't match those expectations, he took his anger out on Charles. This gives reason as to why Charles's anger comes out in the form of protection because he was never protected from that abuse, and he doesn't want anyone else to experience the same type of hurt he did.

Not only does this remind me of Dean Winchester, but of Magnus Bane. Both were raised by men who were quite angry and abusive in their own ways. Yet these characters are known for their care and love of other people. Dean's entire job is saving people, Magnus' job is helping people with his magic abilities, and we already know Charles's job of helping ghosts solve their mysteries to cross over. All these characters wish to be better (while holding themselves to very high standards) and care more for everyone else than themselves.

So where do the Edwin parallels come into these pairings?

When Edwin was alive, we see that he was a loner, often ridiculed and ostracized by his peers for being a 'Mary Anne'. This puts us into the discussion of how and why it takes a cat king and a crow to help him figure out his sexuality; he merely doesn't realize his feelings because they were never needed during both his time alive and in hell. I'm going to assume that he didn't keep up with politics and popular culture once he got out, so he really was just unaware of what society became, and that's why Niko had to tell him.

This very much fits my comparison to Castiel, his brethren looking down on him because he had 'too much heart'; he began to care more heavily once he was introduced to Dean, but everyone believed he 'came off the line with a crack in his chassis'. I've always thought this was heavily queer-coded. Edwin and Castiel have the similarities of being adorably clueless when it comes to human modern-day communication and needing help in navigating relationships. The comparison I'll make to Alec is that he was also raised in quite a hostile environment. He was forgotten, and looked at as a second choice to his brother Jace before Magnus took notice of him. Alec is another character who goes through a self-discovery journey in which he's adamant that he doesn't need a relationship or feelings to do what needs to be done; he rather be all work.

Now let's get to Solangelo parallels.

Edwin and Nico are both placed out of time, stuck in places for decades until the world has changed around them so drastically they don't recognize it anymore. They both go to Hell/Tartarus and have to find their own ways out. They are both ultimately kind even though they have been hurt by the world, again ostracized and seen as outsiders. They do what must be done to save that which they care about most and, ultimately, torture themselves over their feelings.

Charles and Will are the blinding light that leads their respective partner out of the darkness in more ways than one. They make the choice to stick around their person even though Edwin/Nico thinks they are better off on their own, but Charles/Will pushes to stay with them, not out of duty but because they want to. They try to get their partners out of their comfort zone and remind them to not take everything so seriously all the time.

Now the Hell parallels. One partner always goes to Hell, and the other follows; it does not always perfectly align but stay with me.

Dean goes to Hell, and Castiel fetches him and brings him back to Earth, but Castiel is the one who is more changed by the experience. "When Castiel first laid a hand on you in Hell, he was lost." This could also parallel Edwin and Charles meeting for the first time. Castiel and Charles both choose to stay with the person who changed/was kind to them.

Again, the parallels don't perfectly align with Malec but Edwin goes to hell, as Magnus goes to Edom, albeit Magnus goes willingly, he can’t escape. Charles follows, as does Alec. And neither leave without their other half.

Same with Solangelo, Nico goes into Tartarus, and Will follows because he isn't going to let Nico experience it by himself for a second time.

My point to this post is that these are common tropes that go along the lines of 'Do not go where I can not follow'. Both people in the relationship are so devoted to each other that they are broken when they are apart and are willing to go to the ends of the earth to get them back.

If there are any other parallels/things I missed, please add to this post!

[goodluckandprotection]

I don't know why there's a huge thing in the fandom of, "Magnus is clearly the bottom because Alec isn't coy and submissive and Magnus isn't a dom" 

I always headcanoned Alec as the bottom since that sex scene where he flipped them around while they were falling, so he would land beneath Magnus, and then Magnus quickly looks up, searching his eyes. It gives off power bottom energy, which would explain why he said, "You don't have to worry. I want this." I remember when that scene came out and everyone saw it as "coercive" and I just remember thinking, "This is obviously Alec consenting to be the bottom, not pushing Magnus into bottoming for him"

Not to mention how Alec is explicitly set up as juvenile, haughty, and immature in the books in contrast to Magnus being older, wiser, more experienced, and exasperated, which becomes a repeated point of conflict between them

I spent years not reading Malec fanfiction, so maybe this came as a shock to me, but it's weird that there's this thing in fandom where Alec's personality has to be completely overhauled for him to be the bottom. Maybe it's because I was exposed to stuff like Brokeback Mountain, growing up, but it just seems so strange to me that bottom has to mean feminine and weak. One of my favourite parts of their dynamic is how Magnus is more effeminate, outwardly queer-coded, and Eastern, but Alec is dying to get under him and is flustered and impressed by him. Way back when the books first came out, I saw this be referred to as the classic immortal erastes and mortal eromenos trope and a lot of fanfiction bought into the idea that Magnus was the top because he was cooler and had his own place (no, really). 

It's weird that people are now saying, "Alec can't be the bottom because he's taller and he's not a blushing virgin." I mean, yeah, that's the point. It's called power bottoming for a reason lmao

I mean, I don't really care. People do whatever they want and I'm not pressed, but I've definitely been thinking about it

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

why this so highschool malec coded

THIS IS UNHINGED GAY ENERGY LOL

[liron-ao3]

Kiss the toad

Malec family drabble

Magnus looks from Max to the toad in front of his son and back again. He has called for Alec several times now. His husband would never leave their little blueberry unsupervised.

He lowers himself carefully to the floor and takes in the surroundings. He can't see anything suspicious besides a drop of blue liquid on his favourite Persian rug and, well, the toad in his living room.

"Hey, bluebird. Can you tell me where Daddy is?"

Max smiles from ear to ear. "Ribbit," he says. "Dada ribbit."

Magnus' mouth runs dry. "Did you turn Daddy into a toad?"

The little blue warlock nods proudly.

"Alright," Magnus breathes and fishes for the phone in his jacket. "Hello, Catarina. Code blue. My living room," is all he says when she picks up, and he has just hung up when a portal opens and his friend steps through it. Catarina takes in the scene in front of her and raises an eyebrow.

"Maxwell has turned his father into a toad as it seems," Magnus says.

"Impressive for his age, but you surely can reverse the spell without my help."

Magnus smiles. "Yes, but I need a magical babysitter while I'm doing so. I don't want Max to interfere in whatever I have to do."

Catarina chuckles and lifts the little boy off the floor. "You better put your energy into learning to walk, Max, instead of magic that you don't understand," she says and brings him to his room.

Magnus takes a deep breath. He lets magic swirl in the palms of his hands and analyses both the liquid and the toad.

"How the hell did he make you drink the stuff?" he murmurs and takes the toad in his hand. "I really love you, Alexander, but you should have known better than drinking out of a bottle from my apothecary. Now I have to kiss you, you stupid nephilim. Let's hope this works better than when I tried to wake my sleeping beauty."

He scrunches up his face before pressing a soft kiss to the toad's lips. In a swirl of magic, the animal morphs into his beloved husband again.

"I didn't drink it by choice," Alec argues as soon as he has his human form back. "Why the hell do you even have a potion like this here where little magical hands can easily grab it off the shelves?"

"I liked you better when you were still ribbiting."

Alec chuckles and kisses the pout off his husband's face.

"All the potions I have here only work together with magic. This was simply bad luck, Alexander."

Alec chuckles, obviously more amused than angered by the whole ordeal. "You're forgiven. I just can't decide if we should scold our baby or commend him."

"I think neither. But I will ward my apothecary against his magic. My attraction towards amphibians is limited."

Magnus swirls magic, paints new wards around his workroom. Alec watches him, enthralled as usual, when he has the chance to behold his husband without imminent danger. He's really blessed with this man, even if he sometimes ends up as a toad.

[echo-bleu]

somewhere to begin

This fic fills the Hurt/Comfort tag of my @shadowhunterbingo​ card and it was also my entry for the @malecdiscordserver​ ‘s fic crawl!

Pairing: Pre-Malec

Length: 3k

Summary: 1x07 canon divergence. After he stays behind to hold off the Shax demons and give Jace and Clary a chance to escape, Alec is badly injured. It's a race to get him back to the Institute and get the closest warlock to heal him. Said closest warlock happens to be the one he recently shared his strength with.

Read on AO3.

Jace is almost back at the Institute when he feels it. It's not pain, not exactly. Parabatai wouldn't be much use in battle if they both went down every time one of them was injured. It's a specific kind of discomfort, though, that Jace has long learned to associate with Alec being hurt. He feels it often, these days, like it's always here at the back of his mind, but this is an order of magnitude worse.

He left Alec alone to hold the demons back, but the demons still found their way to him, Clary and Izzy − Jace should have known right away that it didn't bode well for Alec. Yet all he thought about was getting Clary and the cup to safety, not his parabatai, not his brother. What's wrong with him?

It's too late to reflect on this now. He needs to find Alec. Clary isn't back at the Institute yet, and neither is Izzy. They're all in danger, his siblings and the girl he's starting to care about too much. He has to do something.

The intensified discomfort says Alec is in serious trouble, and the one Jace needs to focus on. If he's alone and injured among Shax demons, and maybe something much worse…

He runs back, retracing his steps into the tunnels. Where demons were everywhere before, things are now eerily quiet. His left side aches, in places Jace knows his own body is fine. He stumbles, multiple times, as stabbing pains overtake him, and that can only mean one thing: Alec’s injuries are bad enough that his side of the bond is leaking. Jace is capable of blocking it, of saving himself from this pain, but hurting with Alec almost seems like a fitting punishment for leaving him behind.

His seraph blade is ready in his left hand, though, the other hand tracking his parabatai, resting over the rune. Every minute that passes, his worry eats at him, scenarios worse and worse coursing through his mind.

In the end, he's not even the one who finds Alec. He comes to a screeching halt at a tunnel intersection, where his tracking led him, to find Clary, a shell-shocked expression on her face, and Luke, who is dragging more than supporting a barely conscious Alec. Jace doesn't have time to see more before Clary steps in front of them. “Where did we meet?” she asks coldly.

Jace blinks at her tone, until his brain processes her question. Right, shapeshifter demons. What happened? “Outside Pandemonium,” he answers. “You bumped into me. It's really me.”

Clary sighs in relief and jumps into his arms. Torn between comforting her − comforting himself, the part of him that is weak in the knees at the opportunity to embrace her − and panicking for Alec, Jace allows the hug to last a couple of seconds. “Alec?” he asks fearfully.

Alec moans, weakly moving. Luke’s grip is clearly the only thing holding him up. Jace slips an arm around Clary's waist and guides her closer, without letting go of her. “A demon got him bad,” Luke says. “I've got the pack taking care of the others.”

Jace meets his eyes and nods. “We need to get him back to the Institute.” He fixes his eyes on Alec, taking in the blood − barely visible on his dark clothes in the dim light, but dripping from his exposed hand − the ruined jacket and pants, and more than anything, the pain in Alec's already feverish eyes as he struggles to focus on Jace's face.

“Jace,” he mutters, barely audible.

“I'm here, brother,” Jace lays a hand on his cheek, the only part of Alec he knows for sure isn't injured right now. “We'll get you home, okay?” He takes out his stele and starts drawing an iratze, but Luke shakes his head. “The venom is already in his blood, and the wounds are too deep. It won't be enough.”

“It will be something,” Jace says through his teeth, quickly moving his hand. But Luke is right. The iratze lights up on Alec's skin but dims immediately. Alec closes his eyes. “Stay with me,” Jace murmurs, slipping Alec’s free arm around his own shoulders. Alec cries out when it pulls on his wounds. “We have to go.”

The walk back is a bit of a blur. They can't run without risking to aggravate Alec's injuries, but Jace itches to go faster. Clary looks exhausted, worried, and he lets her lean against him on his other side, while holding up a barely responsive Alec. He feels useless. The worsening ache in his side isn't making it easier, but he still refuses to block it out entirely. Alec moans when he can't contain his pain, and each of the low sounds cut through Jace like a seraph blade.

“The infirmary,” he directs Luke. “We need−”

“Alec!” Izzy falls in step with them, trying to see her brother without slowing them down. “Is he−”

“What you need is a warlock,” Luke says. “He's alive,” he adds to Izzy. “For now.”

“Magnus Bane,” Clary says. “He'll help.”

“Call him!” Izzy tells her, directing Luke over to the medical table. They don't have a proper field medic in the Institute at the moment, let alone a doctor, so Izzy and her forensic specialty is the best they can do. “Put him down.”

Alex cries out weakly when Luke lifts him onto the table. His head lolls to the side, glistening with sweat. “He's fading,” Luke murmurs.

“The warlock better get here fast,” Jace murmurs, fishing for scissors to cut off Alec's clothes and get at his wound.

It's bad, worse than he feared. Alec's entire left side is a mess of torn flesh, deep claw marks going down his hip and leg. Even if it wasn't poisoned, it would have been more than an iratze can heal. As it is, the only thing they can do is try to slow the bleeding.

The minutes until Clary comes back, still on the phone, and a portal opens right in the middle of the infirmary feel like ages to Jace. He and Izzy share dark looks as they work, alternating between bandaging Alec's wounds and trying to keep him awake. Luke stands awkwardly to the side, arms and chest covered in blood. When Magnus walks through the portal, glittery and magnificent as ever, they take a collective breath of relief.

Magnus hisses when he sees Alex, naked but for his combat shoes that they haven't had time to bother removing, his modesty just barely covered by a sheet arranged to keep his injuries exposed. The compression bandages Jace and Izzy have put on his wounds are already drenched in blood, and Alec is paler than a ghost, mumbling feverishly.

“What happened?” Magnus asks, gently pushing Clary out of the way.

“Shax demons,” Jace answers. “Maybe something else, I don't know. We got separated.” Code for 'Alec stayed behind and I let him'. He swallows back the guilt. It's not useful, right now.

Magnus makes a complicated hand wave and blue light seeps into Alec's body, engulfing him. Alec reacts to it, almost leaning in, finally relaxing a little. The ache in Jace's side fades slightly. “What are you doing?” he murmurs. He should let Magnus work, but he needs to know what’s happening, he needs to know if Alec is going to be okay.

Magnus shifts his stance. “Just taking away the pain for now,” he answers. “So he can lose consciousness without his body fighting back. You have a rune for blood replenishing, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Jace nods.

“I need to flush out the poison, and it will make him lose a lot of blood. He’s already going into shock, so I need you to draw the rune and keep it powered while I work.” Create new blood faster than Alec is losing it, Jace translates. He can do that. He grabs Alec’s right arm and finds an empty spot to draw the rune.

“I’m all set,” he says, trying to keep his eyes off the bleeding wounds, where Magnus has made the bandages disappear. He feels queasy, weak, and he no longer knows how much of that is coming from the parabatai bond.

Izzy slips beside Jace and grabs Alec's hand, just under the place where Jace is holding his wrist. Jace bumps shoulders with her, trying to convey silent support. Luke pulls Clary into his arms as she starts crying with exhaustion and fear.

Together, entranced by Magnus’ magic swirling around Alec’s body, they wait.

*

Magnus collapses into a chair, exhausted, as his magic fizzles out of existence. He doesn’t know how long it’s been since he started working on Alec’s injuries, but it feels like an eternity. And he knows what he’s talking about.

He resists the itch to conjure a clock, knowing that his magic is all but depleted. It makes his skin crawl, being close to powerless in a Shadowhunter Institute of all places. Why did he let it go so far? He’s not normally this careless.

Because Alexander would not have survived otherwise, his brain supplies. But what is the life of one Shadowhunter? They die all the time. This wouldn’t be the first time one has died on Magnus’ watch, even. He’s never cared before. He’s made no mystery of the strong pull he feels toward Alec, even to himself, but is he already this important? Healing Luke was one thing, Luke is a Downworlder, one of Magnus’ own, and a useful political ally. Alec is none of these things.

“Magnus?” Clary’s high pitched voice pulls him out of his thoughts, and he realizes that the Shadowhunters must have called him more than once. He shakes his head to clear the fog, but it only makes the room swim.

“Shit,” he murmurs, barely catching himself on the arms of the chair.

“You okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. Just overexerted myself a little.” His throat is dry, and he coughes to clear it, regretting again that he can’t just conjure himself a glass of water.

“Did you—Is he—” Jace struggles to find the words. Magnus raises his head to look at them, and finds all four of them – Jace, Isabelle, Luke and Clary – staring at him. He looks at the table where Alec still lies, now at eye level from his sitting position, and only now takes in the blood-soaked bandages around Alec’s torso and left leg, and the uncovered gashes still slowly leaking blood.

“He should live,” Magnus says. The others all sigh in relief. Isabelle leans her head against Alec’s in an intimate gesture of support, while Jace drops into a chair like a puppet whose strings have been dropped. “Once I’ve replenished my energy, I’ll be able to help him more, but for now the poison is out of his system. Shax wounds are resistant to magic though, so his body will have to do some of the healing on its own. You’ll need to stitch the larger gashes close.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Isabelle says. “We can get one of the Clave medics to help if we need to.”

“How long—” Magnus waves a weak hand toward Alec.

“You were working on him for about four hours,” Jace answers.

Ah. That would explain the magic depletion, and the deep fatigue setting in his bones. He lost track of time, too focused on getting every last tendril of poison out of Alec’s body. The table underneath Alec is covered in a disgusting mix of drying blood and ichor, dripping slowly onto the floor.

“Thank you so much for your help, Magnus,” Isabelle appears in his field of vision, and he realizes he’s zoned out again. “You will be compensated, of course. You’ll forgive us if we don’t take care of it tonight? Alec normally handles those things.”

Magnus makes a vague gesture with his head. Payment is the furthest thing from his mind right now – and it really shouldn’t be, but Alec looks pained and cold in his sleep, shivering from the blood loss, and he can’t keep his eyes away.

“Do you want to rest before you leave?” Isabelle asks. She looks exhausted too, they all do. Magnus blinks, willing his brain to process what she just said.

“Uh, can I just—” he waves vaguely toward one of the empty infirmary bed. He’s not sure he’d make it to another room if he tried, and he feels safer here than alone somewhere unknown in the Institute. No one will try to attack him here, not in the presence of the Lightwoods.

Plus, he finds that he doesn’t want to let Alec out of his sight. Not yet. He needs to make sure he didn’t do all this work for nothing, after all.

“We’ll have to make you move if someone comes in injured, but for now you should be good,” Isabelle says.

Magnus leans heavily on the arms of his chair to stand up. The dizziness hits almost immediately, but he rides it out until it abates enough to let him move. Isabelle frowns at him as he makes his way to the bed, hunched over and barely keeping his balance, but she doesn’t say anything.

Magnus hoists himself up on the bed with difficulty and doesn’t even bother kicking off his shoes. He turns on his side immediately to see Alec. Isabelle is laying down the supplies for stitches, while Jace traces runes Magnus is too tired to recognize on the rare blank spots left on Alec’s body that aren’t lacerated.

The two of them remove the bandages one by one to sew up the largest gashes, and Magnus watches them in silence, fighting sleep. He doesn’t even know why he’s resisting anymore. Alec isn’t out of danger by a far cry, but he’s stable for now, so this is his chance.

“Have you told your parents yet?” he asks suddenly. He’d rather know in advance if he runs the risk of Maryse and Robert Lightwood dropping in unannounced. How these people raised a beautiful soul like Alec is beyond him.

“They’re back in Idris for now,” Jace answers. “They’re waiting for news, but they’re stuck in Alicante unless he takes a turn for the worse.”

“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” Magnus says dryly. The effect is somewhat ruined by the huge yawn that follows.

“I’ve got things in hands here,” Isabelle tells him, her voice softer than it’s been all day. “You can rest. We’ll stay with him.”

Magnus fights for another few minutes, but he drifts off to sleep despite him, to the sound of Isabelle’s whispered instructions to Jace.

*

Magnus knocks lightly on the door of the infirmary, under the glare of the Shadowhunter who escorted him through the Institute. It’s been just under two days since he was here last. An emergency with one of his younger warlocks pulled him away as soon as he woke up from his magic-depletion-induced sleep, and he hasn’t been able to come back until now.

“Come in!” comes a voice from inside.

Magnus walks in to find Alec sitting up on his hospital bed, one hand curled around a pair of crutches and the other hovering over his injured side. He’s only wearing sweat pants, his rune-covered upper body exposed except for the stark white bandages taped to his side. He’s in a stand-off with Jace, who is gesturing wildly.

“Tell him he shouldn’t be up yet,” Jace immediately pulls Magnus in. “You’re gonna pull your stitches!”

“I’m fine!” Alec protests, though he very much does not look fine. Even sitting up is clearly an effort, and he has beads of sweat forming on his brow.

“Alright, children, that’s enough,” Magnus waves, seeing clear as day that Alec’s body cannot handle more of this. “If I’m going to check on my healing, I need you lying down,” he tells Alec. Then he points at Jace, “And you, shoo!”

Jace’s eyes widen for a second, before he opens his mouth to protest. Magnus doesn’t even bother listening, and he crosses the room to reach Alec’s side, slipping an arm behind his back to help him lie back down. Alec doesn’t resist, if only because his body is incapable of it.

It’s the first time they’ve touched since Alec shared his strength with him, and the contact is almost electrical, despite Alec’s state. Magnus can’t stop himself from stroking his thumb lightly against one of his runes, hoping Alec doesn’t notice. This isn’t exactly the best time to flirt.

“Will you let me have a look at your injuries?” he asks when Alec lets out a small sigh, without letting go of his arm.

“Why are you doing this?” Alec asks. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“You let me take your strength before. Allow me to return the favor.”

“You already have,” Alec murmurs. “Izzy said I would have bled out without you. You exhausted your magic for me.”

“Then let me make sure I didn’t work for nothing.” Magnus can’t resist a wink, and Alec blushes just a little, despite the fact that his eyes are half closed with fatigue. “I still want a date with you, and it wouldn’t do for you to die before we can plan it.”

Alec just blushes further and doesn’t say anything, like he’s exhausted his capacity to talk. It wouldn’t surprise Magnus, given how pale he looks.

Magnus gently prods at his side with magic. The wounds are, in fact, healing rather well with the help of Isabelle’s stitches and healing runes. Magnus doesn’t have Catarina’s knack for delicate mending magic, but he nudges the raw edges of the gashes together, trying to accelerate the body’s natural process. It should cut Alec’s recovery short by a few days, at least. With his Nephilim blood, he’ll be fully back on his feet within a week.

By the time he’s done, Alec has closed his eyes and he’s breathing slowly and deeply, his body almost relaxed. Assuming that he’s fallen asleep, Magnus drapes the sheets back over his legs and gently tucks them around his chest. But before he can leave, Alec’s hand catches his wrist.

“Hey, Magnus?”

Magnus looks back at his face and finds him staring intently at Magnus’ shoulder. “You’re all set, but you should wait a couple days before you try to get out of bed again,” he says.

Alec nods. “Thank you,” he whispers.

Magnus smiles. “You’re very welcome, Alexander.” He squeezes Alec’s hand around his wrist, briefly, and takes a step back. “Call me, for those drinks.”

Alec laughs weakly, and that sound stays with Magnus for a good while.

[beclynn-herondale]

Inside TMI Gang's diaries part 4 2/2

Izzy: Dear diary, so dating Simon has be intriguing, Jace and Clary got some love shit going on or something, I swear these dummies, I love but seriously?, I've been keeping busy, Mom has been busy too, and Dad is probably going to be inquisitor now, so he won't be back, heck of a time dad, heck of a time. Alec and Magnus are on their vacation and keep sending "Wish you were here, except not really" like bish I wish I was there but we don't always get what we wish for and you being sassy.

*Later*

Simon is in the doghouse, and we broke up cause he was dating Maia while dating me, and I am disappointed in him, but me and Maia met up for coffee and talked about, I never realized what it could be like to have other women in your life, they just get you. Anyway I also saw Jace and Clary makeout in an alley and ya know never waste a perfectly good brick wall, I love my brother but I will never fully understand him at times. Also Clary kinda fought off a demon on her and it was badass, Jace's training has been paying off, but yeah also Clace made up again I think cause Jace went running after her a bit ago, I am calling them Clace now. Magnus and Alec are back or should I say Malec, anyway apparently the vampire chick and is Magnus' ex and I can see drama in the near future.

*Later later*

Welp, life why you gotta be such a bitch? Huh? Why? What's wrong with just leaving us alone, Jace got kidnapped by fucking Sebastian, if I find that shit I am gonna show him the wrath of an angry sister, he will never see the light of day again, I feel like Jace is a damsely in distress. And apparently Clary used the Angel's wish to bring him back which means he died once???? And idk what the Clave will do to her but I'll have her back, queen code.

Simon: Dear diary, so I am kinda playing with fire, but like Izzy is amazing and Maia is amazing, how do you pick? I don't want to hurt either of them. Jace is avoiding Clary and they need to communicate, does that make me a hypocrite? Idk. Magnus and Alec are on vacation hopefully enjoying themselves, did that sound wrong? Being a Vampire is still hard, and I want to tell my mom but like how do you tell your mother you're a vampire? Oh and Camille offered me to work for her but like there's something off with her but I don't know what.

*Later*

So. . . I have a roommate now, see I tried to tell my mom and she flipped out and I had to kinda like erase her memory. and I helped kidnap Camille and she ended up being Magnus' ex and like that's gotta start some drama and I don't want to be around for it. But also my roommate is apparently a werewolf, and Jace looks like he's dying, I took him to get some food and he got Mangoes and tomato soup, he ate them together, he is weird and I didn't realize how weird he was until now, he's also still running away from Clary and I wish they would just talk, but I mean Maia and Izzy found out and they both broke up with me, I deserve it tho, but also I am a hypocrite aren't I? But Jordan is cool, I still am upset he didn't tell me about any of it and is apparently my bodyguard or something, but maybe we can be friends.

*Later later*

So. . . I got kidnapped again, but by a 13 year old vampire who I bit and I felt horrible and she ended up getting killed and I hate myself but like she also got turned cause I bit her, I need to calm down. And Jace kinda got possessed by Lilith and kinda kidnapped Clary, and Clary's brother may have kinda been brought back, and I may have kinda defeated Lilith, oh and Jace and Clary made up again but Jace got kidnapped by Sebastian. Me and Izzy made up as well and idk what we are but yeh, Clary is upset and I wish I could help but Clace gets sad when they aren't together, it's sweet I guess, hopefully we find Jace soon.

Sebastian: Dear evil diary, I am back and here to cause chaos, I have kidnapped their precious Jacey boy and I do have plans for precious boy, I'll get Clary in good time, and I will cause so much chaos and destruction, I am going to bitch slap the Clave and they won't even see it coming, oh and Jace makes good eggs and he cleans, and does anything I ask ;) and it's so much fun to have him, father I have your sweet precious boy lol, I have plans, very evil plans but hey I am perfectly good at evil. Anyway I don't understand what else I am supposed to say.

Church: Dear cat diary, Jem please please save me, it's all gone to hell again, Herondale went through more love shit and got possessed by Lilith, LILITH!!!, and then he got kidnapped by his girlfriend's evil Brother, he is a fucking damsel in distress I swear, but he does talk to me. Clary used the Angel's wish to bring Jace back from the dead and I have a feeling the Clave ain't gonna be forgiving about that, they never are, the jerks, Clary will probably rebel though. Alec and Magnus were on vacation but came back and now there's more love drama, sigh. Simon decided playing with something he shouldn't be was a good idea, and him and Izzy broke up but I think they may be back together? Idk, all this love shit is confusing. Izzy is as usual Izzy, so fucking scary. Sebastian is a little shit and I see dark things in the future. Anyway I miss you Jem and I want you back so bad, and like you are the only one I love, pls save me, you beautiful human. Also tuna please.

[prettygraceful]

magnus & the main characters interaction count: a study

an interaction counts as magnus talking specifically to 1 main and that main character responding, or vice versa. (you know like alec does with jace/ clary/ izzy in 95% of the episodes throughout the whole series and luke/ simon in half of s1 and s3.) an interaction is NOT where magnus addresses the group in general with no one responding to him directly, or him being in the same room with all of them, but they only talk to alec or to each other.

this count starts from 2b. s1/ 2a did NOT have anywhere close to an adequate amount, but at least there wasn’t so little that it was total joke like after that. the sad truth of this is so glaringly obvious when it’s listed.

plz take note this post is about magnus/ MAIN character interaction ONLY

and obviously this count is about the 6 mains other than alec

SEASON 2B

2x11: NONE

altho clary/ jace are in the room, they only talk to alec

2x12: NONE

2x13: NONE

2x14: 1 scene with luke

2x15: NONE

altho jace/ izzy are in the room, they don’t talk to him

2x16: NONE

he was not in the episode. he also was not in some episodes in s1. luke and maia have also not been in some.

clary, jace, alec, izzy, and simon have been in every episode. just saying.

2x17: 2 scenes with luke

2x18: 1 scene with luke

2x19: NONE

altho the shadowhunters/ luke are in the room, they don’t talk to him

side note: making literally everyone be against magnus/ glaring at him/ shading him behind his back after all he’s literally done for every single one of them was… a choice. they all didn’t seem to care that he was hurting.

2x20: 1 scene with izzy

final count:

6 episodes (over half the season) with NONE

2 episodes of only 1 scene interaction

only 1 episode where he interacts throughout, yet still only with 1 other main

only 3 scenes where he gets to talk to another main without alec there

no scene where he talks to another main and alec isn’t mentioned

SEASON 3A

3x01: NONE

3X02: NONE

altho shadowhunters/ luke are in the room, they only talk to alec

3X03: 1 scene with izzy

3x04: NONE

altho clary is in room, she only talks to alec

3x05: NONE

3x06: multiple scenes with clary

3x07: NONE

altho clary/ izzy/ simon are in the room, they only talk to alec

3x08: multiple scenes with izzy

no, owl!jace saying alec would chose jace over him doesn’t count

altho luke/ simon are in the room, they only talk to alec

3x09: 1 scene with izzy

3x10: 1 scene with jace

altho should a scene of him telling the parabatai he gave up his magic for them and them not saying anything count?

final count:

5 episodes (half the season) with NONE

3 episodes of only 1 scene interaction

only 2 episodes where he interacts throughout, yet only with 1 other main

only 1 episode where he gets to talk to another main without alec there

no episodes where he talks to another main and alec isn’t mentioned

SEASON 3B

3x11: 1 scene with izzy

altho jace is in the room, he only to talks alec

3x12: NONE

altho jace/ luke are in the room, they only talk to alec

3x13: 1 scene with izzy

and 1 single line to clary, i guess

3x14: NONE

3x15: NONE

aside from 1 single line to simon, i guess

no, clary/ jace/ izzy unkindly questioning him being there doesn’t count

side note: making magnus be surrounded by a room full of racist-coded shadowhunters in s3 was… a choice. what was the point of that? it showed that apparently only laws have changed but not societal sentiment- outside of the main foursome- since s1 in their mindset towards downworlders. and then they had malec get married amongst these racists a few weeks later?? to show him being treated so disrespectfully (again in s3, so nobody’s mindset progressed outside of the 4) and be made so uncomfortable and then never have them show him any love or treat him as an equal later on (as an individual and not just as half of malec) was… a choice. a bad choice.

3x16: NONE

3x17: NONE

3x18: NONE

altho clary/ jace are in the room, they only talk to alec (and then when he’s sad over something that their 3a choices caused, they leave. in the same episode the writers have maryse say “we’re all here for you”…what a joke.)

3x19: NONE

3x20: NONE

altho izzy/ clary/ jace are in the room, they only talk to alec

3x21: NONE

aside from 1 single line to simon, i guess

no, saying only biscuit doesn’t count

3x22: NONE

altho it’s his wedding day, they don’t let jace/ izzy welcome him into the family but instead irrelevant max.

and altho it’s literally the finale, the ONLY person he gets to talk to is his rival. (side note, but lorenzo and underhill should NOT have been at the wedding after their awful treatment towards him. such two-faced people.)

final count:

10 episodes (the length of a normal half season) with NONE

2 episodes of only 1 scene interaction

0 episodes where he interacts throughout

1 scene where he get to talk to another main without alec there

in his 1 scene in 3x13, he talks to another main and alec isn’t mentioned

i think the point i’m making is obvious: the 3 white showrunners and mostly white writers almost never ever let magnus even talk to any of the other main characters. (he also goes three seasons without a single story arc with another main that lasts more than 1 episode. (no, the writers using luke as a mouthpiece to justify alec’s mistake in 2b does not count.) you know, like how alec had big long arcs with both clary and jace in s1, 2a, and 3a and izzy here and there. even maia, the most neglected character on this show, still got to regularly interact with simon and luke- 2 mains. even luke with his limited screentime, still got to regularly at least talk to literally all of the mains in all his group scenes.

and what about the 3 downworlder mains and alec?

well, altho alec and maia only had 2 scenes together, that’s still twice what magnus/ maia got, seeing as they only had the 1 scene together in 2a.

alec and luke had at least 3 scenes together in s1 that i can remember vs magnus/ luke only having 2 lines in 1x06. both duos had about equal in 2b.

in 3a alec/luke had 5 scenes together. magnus/ luke had none where they actually spoke to each other. in group scenes magnus only talked to alec.

in 3b alec/ luke had 3 scenes. magnus/ luke had none. plus luke told alec that he couldn’t go to his wedding, instead of telling magnus.

in s1 magnus/ simon had maybe 1 line. alec/ simon were interacting constantly throughout, i don’t remember how many scenes it was.

in 2a magnus/ simon had 2 episodes together. in 2b they had 1 scene but i don’t really count it since it was only to have it be literally everyone vs magnus. alec/ simon had 1 scene in 2b and none in 2a.

in 3a alec/ simon had 3 scenes interacting together. magnus/ simon had none where they actually spoke to each other.

in 3b all the fans complaining really paid off! 2 scenes in 3x15. 1 scene each in 3x17, 3x19, 3x20, and 3x21 for a grand total of 6 scenes. plus no talking- yet still in a scene together- in 1 other scene in 3x15, 3x17, 3x18, and 2 others in 3x19, for a grand total of 5, not counting the edom finale scenes. magnus/ simon only said 2 lines to each other in 3b.

not to mention alec stood next to simon in a nice two-shot in 4 separate scenes. it really reminded me of what they do with clary/ alec in group scenes. the writers don’t always give them a lot of dialogue together, but they’re sure to get that dynamic in at least visually. alec always has at least crumbs vs magnus getting nothing. where is that energy from the writers, directors, or fans with magnus and literally any main? really, where is it?

i mean, there was no reason for alec/ simon not to have scenes, but i’m so truly disappointed that this is where the fan effort was spent instead of lobbying for magnus to get to interact with even one main character other than alec, seeing as alec always already get to constantly have many, many, many duo and group scenes and big arcs with the 3 other shadowhunters. and now he gets to be more bonded with all of the main downworlders too instead of magnus with his own people. the writers are so so so wack.

also obviously magnus interacts with alec on a regular basis. the point is that’s it. malec is the main reason why i watch the show, so it matters a great deal, but when every other main is getting vastly more interactions, it’s a problem. also in nearly all of the episodes when alec has scenes with other mains- and magnus is not there- magnus is not mentioned. not so when it’s vice versa.

why not count any supporting characters you may be saying? because that’s not what i hear everyone demanding for alec or the others, is it? because he didn’t interact with raphael, his supposed son, in s1, or at all after 3x01 to the actual finale. because aside from her bringing madzie over in 3x11, catatrina and and him didn’t speak in 3b. she wasn’t even introduced until 3a (so 2 seasons w/o any friends.) they only spoke in 4 scenes total in all of s3. she was his best man, yet that’s not important enough to show on screen. ragnor was literally only 1 episode. who’s left- his jealous, bitter pathetic rival or his father who has obvious gross, creepy incestuous, jealous feelings for him. or alec’s mother, who only had scenes with him for the same reason maia/ jordan had all those scenes- to give them something to do away from the group/ main plotlines. why couldn’t magnus and maia had scenes together also or instead? and being bffs with his bf’s mom but not getting to even TALK to his parabatai, the person alec’s closest to platonically, let alone be friends, is truly beyond words. and also harry and matt are only 5 years apart (kat/ dom have more of an age difference) so i’m tired of the writers/ fans keeping alec in the playpen with his younger co-stars while magnus is separated to only older ones.

and also i just really don’t care about supporting characters. i see them as just taking screentime away from the mains, specifically the downworlder mains, who are already running on limited time. look at 3x13 when they want to do a whole heidi arc, who gets cut- magnus. or in 3x17 when they want to introduce helen and aline, i resented them right off the bat for getting twice as much screentime than magnus, a main character, in that important episode for him. throughout the whole show, whenever supporting characters are getting screentime, it always means magnus, maia, and luke are not. that’s not good.

some final thoughts, nearly every single malec fan spent the entire 9 month hiatus from 3a to 3b relentlessly saying alec needs interactions. as if he didn’t get huge bonding arcs with clary and jace in s1 and 2a and 3a. as if he doesn’t talk to and go places and do things with clary, jace, and izzy nearly every single episode, every single season since the beginning. mighty handy to not count the 3 of them when you want to cry “alec has no friends” every single day, as if he hasn’t had an enemy to friendship arc with clary 3 times in 3 seasons. as if he hasn’t had a dying, can’t live without you arc with jace 3 times in 3 seasons. as if he doesn’t hug jace twice more than magnus per half season. as if he doesn’t have izzy there to lean on and talk to. funny how siblings don’t count as friends when it’s mighty convenient that’s they’re the only mains to have siblings. i would kill, KILL, for magnus to be even talk to jace and izzy let alone be real friends, yet fans are taking their friendships with alec for granted, while simultaneously saying they’re robbed of the parabatai dynamic. that’s rich.

if alec having scenes every other ep, and melodramatic arcs every other half season, wasn’t such a guarantee the fans have learned they could count on, nobody would say that his siblings and clary don’t count. but everyone knew they could say that because we know it wouldn’t be taken away. i mean, look at the stark siblings in game of thrones. they never interacted, and the entire fandom cried about that being the most important friendships to show, but it wasn’t shown. this fandom needs to put things in perspective and stop taking the lightwoods sibs and the shadowhunters squad dyamic for granted and realize that magnus and maia don’t get even a minuscule fraction of that. also want to add that simon got plenty of constant sturdy dynamics too, with clary, jace, luke, maia, and izzy. and fans got their alec/ simon content and yet still so ungrateful. i beg the malecs to compare what magnus gets before complaining.

[tobythewise]

Malec, fake dating, office!!! 💙

Alec darts into Magnus’ office, closing the door behind him. He flops down into the chair across from Magnus, burying his face in his hands. 

“Well, good morning to you too, Alexander. Why yes, I am having a fabulous day. Thanks for asking.”

Alec finally looks up, scowling at his friend. “This is a code red situation,” Alec hisses under his breath. “Like, end of the world code red.”

Magnus straightens, looking at Alec in worry as he sets down the file he was just reading. “What is it?”

Alec looks over his shoulder at the door before turning back to Magnus. “It’s my mother.”

“Your mother? That’s all? Alec, you had me worried.”

“Magnus, you don’t understand! She’s going to waltz in here and make my life a living hell. She’s going to try to parade me through the office and try to get every woman here to hit on me because it’s time I settled down. God,” Alec whispers, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m so tired of it.”

Magnus raises his eyebrow at Alec, looking deep in thought. Too bad, just at that moment, the door cracks open and Alec’s mom is peeking inside. 

“Oh, there you are, Alec,” she says brightly, stepping inside. “What are you doing in here? Bothering Mr. Bane from his work?”

“No, I’m uh.” Alec’s brain stutters for a moment before he blurts out. “I’m having lunch with my boyfriend.”

Silence goes through the room as Magnus’ eyes stare into him. Finally, the tension snaps as Alec’s mom smiles in delight. “That’s so wonderful, Alec. Why didn’t you tell me you two were dating sooner! Magnus is a wonderful man.” Then she turns towards Magnus. “This means you’ll be joining us for dinner tonight, right? I’d love nothing more than to get to know you outside of work.”

“Oh, mom, I think Magnus is--”

“I’d be delighted,” Magnus jumps in to say with a wide smile. “Thank you for the invitation, Maryse.” 

“Well, that’s settled,” she says, stopping to kiss the top of Alec’s head. “I’ll see you both tonight.”

Alec goes back to rubbing at his face in anguish. To his surprise, a moment later, fingers are running through his hair and the tension he’s holding slowly fades. He looks up at Magnus, expecting anger or disappointed but all he finds are soft eyes. 

“It’s okay,” Magnus says gently. “But I expect you to take me out for a drink after family dinner tonight.”

“Yeah?” Alec asks, his chest fluttering in excitement and hope. 

“Yeah,” Magnus says, dipping down and kissing Alec’s cheek. “Now get back to work. I have a date tonight and need to finish going over these files before then.”

“Okay, I’m going.” Just before he leaves, Alec pauses in the doorway. “Thanks, Magnus.”

Magnus looks up and smiles. “It’s my pleasure, Alexander.”

[faejilly]

I was tagged by @la-muerta​ & @facialteeth​ & @thedivinemissema​ for the WIP/Title Game

rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and interests you and i’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it!

AND THEN  by @shadoedseptmbr​ @msviolacea​ & @ravenclawnerd​ for the “stories you want to write... but for some reason haven’t yet”

so this will be a mish-mash of both? The WIPs will mostly have blurbs in this case (to fit the second meme) but you are still welcome to ask follow-up questions, if you’d like ;) Assuming you make it through the list, it is uh. Not Short.

Anyone who would like to play with their WIPs, please consider yourself tagged in either or both of these. :D

Misc Fic Folder:

“untitled document” - where I’m working on fictober fills so I have word-counts for my GYWO tracker. I am not working on these because Brains Are Dumb and also Going Back To Work Is Exhausting

I made a file called “YULETIDE!” which has nothing in it but I’m determined to finish this year so that is definitely technically a thing in the Unending WIP List of Doom worth mentioning. (Tho obviously that’s all I could say even if I had started, because anonymous.)

“coda-fics, rewatch!” -yes, that exclamation mark is important! it’s to keep me motivated! (it didn’t work). Much like untitled, this is for putting stuff so I can do word count tracking even if I don’t know what I’m doing. Currently I think it just says “MARYSE” because I was working on my SH 1x6 coda-fic and then got distracted and haven’t typed anything up yet. (Yay notebooks? Boo notebooks? Not even sure at this point.)

WNIP (works not in progress) Folder:

“TOG” - I had one vivid mental image of how Nicky & Joe met (blood-stained evil smiles?) but then no idea for a follow-up story and also the fandom is insane and I’m not sure I want to deal with all of *gestures vaguely* all that

“Shan Xia Notes” -for a TTRPG that never quite got off the ground; she was a semi-tragic selkie who was still in love with the evil queen/lady who stole her skin and I got to play her for like one session and she was surprisingly chaotic neutral, which wasn’t at all what I’d been expecting. But the game never really got off the ground, so I never had enough info to really delve into writing backstory fic

“post-Kruschev” -Kruschev’s List was the last episode of Scarecrow & Mrs King, and I was debating writing an epilogue in place of the s5 we never got, to try and tie up some loose ends, but the fandom’s three old-ladies in trench coats and I never quite worked up the gumption to get it anywhere

“Code Realize warm as silk sequel” -there is literally nothing in this file except “SEX! Only a little angst” because I wanted to write some “we can’t actually touch each other” smut but never actually did. 🤷‍♀️

BioWare (also all Not-In-Progress Anymore)

“seb/adelaide”, “Theia” & “DAI Erana” -these WIP folders were cannibalized for ficlets for the last few times I did fictober, and while originally I had ideas for longer epilogues for all three of them, at this point I don’t think any of the remaining bits could support a story any longer.

”whispers in the dark” -Maia Ryder never really got much fic at all; the cancellation of any further Andromeda stuff was really disheartening, and at this point I’d have to play the game again, and I don’t think I’m gonna manage that any time soon

”TSP” -a Mass Effect 3 Shepard AU collab project that kind of went off the rails, and our mutual brains/lives never quite seem to line up so we can try and rebuild it ”Ngaio & Tane” -my one truly ruthless Shepard (Alliance background, who romanced Traynor) whose father Tane Shepard was, I think, in PsyOps, and I wanted to figure out their complicated relationship but never really did know where I was going with it

”JE Zu & Yaling” -so I’ve rambled about my Tragic Sagacious Zu Romance Thoughts regarding Jade Empire more than once (#Icy Yaling should have most of it) but apparently I want to yell about it more than I want to actually write it? Whoops.

”CI sequel: 5 times fic?” -Cruel Intentions is a kinkmeme fill that I started and then it sat for like five years before I actually finished it, and I liked the ending, but it does leave a giant fucking question mark in terms of how those people got from there to where they are after the game, and I kind of wanted to write a proper h/c fic rather than just... leaving them wallowing in all that trauma?

But I didn’t. I don’t even remember for sure how I wanted to frame the 5/1 of it all, besides it being something sad about allowing people to see you or touch you in some way. (Prayers maybe, since I think there was definitely some Sebastian & Fenris & faith stuff going on in there.)

“candles” -Merribela prompt fill that I never was happy with? Not sure what I might do with it at this point, so it’s just sitting there all sad and lonely and neglected-like.

Shadowhunters

pt1: WIP LIST ONLY

“Persuasion” -so I keep trying to write Persuasion AUs in many fandoms because it’s my favorite Austen, but I think I like it too much, I have no real solid concept of how I’d transform it, and if I don’t have anything else to say about different characters within that framework, I have no push to actually write anything? Also this SH version of it suffered from MASSIVE scope creep when I started outlining and it got too big for me to handle so I like, killed it twice? Whoops. This one is really probably never gonna happen.

“oosdt sequel” -I wanted to write more about the Forest That Eats People and Magnus & Alec as Guardians Between Worlds, and also some background Magnus’ Found Family & Lightwood Family Feels (maybe some clizzy?) and I left a Madzie plot-thread dangling from the first one on purpose even but I think this one had too many ideas and not enough focus so it’s sort of sprawling all over a doc with a lot of “???” in it

“procedural-ish” -this was originally going to be a sex-farce. and then it turned more serious. and then maybe kind of copaganda which was uncomfortable in terms of the Everything That Is The News in 2020, and then maybe it was more a Mafia AU and at that point I had self-inflicted tone whiplash and I wished the voices in my head were a little more forthcoming about their plans so I stopped before I brained myself on my computer monitor in frustration.

“I had rather a rose than live forever” -I started a reverse!verse Malec (Shadowhunter!Magnus, High Warlock!Alec) for bingo last year, and I couldn’t quite get it together in time, so I made a moodboard inspired by the bits I’d started instead. I may see if one of my prompts from Bingo this year help me finish it?

“fall fright fest (practical magic  au)” -exactly what it says on the tin! almost exactly a year old & neglected! IDEK ANYMORE (I talked about this one with the WIP meme last time tho: here)

“priest!kink theology?” -I thought it was gonna be smut? I like priest!kink. I have made other people like it and yell at me even! But then I kept diverging into demon!Magnus thinking about Priest!Alec’s faith and as usual, IDEK ANYMORE *laughs*

(If they’re remotely canon-adjacent or divergent, a bunch of these are in here because I need to rewatch the show to get the pacing/timing/tone right and I haven’t, and I don’t know why, because I enjoy the show, but BRAINS! Are Dumb! So I guess that’s it?)

“I do” -I have tried to write this damnable Malec arranged marriage fic like six different times. I have signed up for fic exchanges and bangs with it, I have rewritten massive sections, trying to change tone or structure or POV or whatever, and it basically comes down to they like each other too fast and I keep not gutting it enough to get back to a useful pace, but by the time I realized that I was on take six and kind of sick of it. I may get back to it eventually

“wing!fic” -canon divergent in early s1, trying to deal with the consequences of Simon’s kidnapping as the Truly Serious Event that it should have been. It uh. Got heavier than I expected with those consequences (considering it was originally just supposed to be Alec’s wings flirting with Magnus) and also see above re: rewatching for pacing.

“2x20 aftermath/date night/pandemonium porn“ -yes that is the actual wip title. It used to be “spite fic” because I was originally inspired by fighting against a lot of fic!Alec characterization that was clearly based more on the books and ATG syndrome than the Alec in the show, which is the Alec I know and like and want to read about. BUT, pacing and etc. again, I think. Also I have somehow entirely lost my knack for writing porn, which makes it difficult to finish something originally intended to be smut!fic. Or even teasing almost!smut.

“rubbish heap” -so this is about three different fics that I realized complemented each other really well so they’re now all in the same file as I try to turn them into the sequel of “with an if in its soul”. It includes amnesia, parabatai lore shenanigans, a s3 rewrite, and some truly awful Owl adjustments that make me wince in horrified authorly delight and pain. BUT, as with the other ones in this file, the scope is large and I normally write short-fic and I kind of just threw up my hands in exasperation. I may have to break it back up into the three different fics instead, if I ever actually want to write it. Them? But also I need to take better notes on s3 to make sure I have what I need in here.

SH Pt 2: Started posting or not yet in hiatus because it’s actually almost ready to be a thing in the real world! maybe!?

“kisses (firsts)” -I actually started publishing this one, a “series of firsts” that was supposed to be kind of relationship milestones and kind of an excuse for smut, and then there wasn’t that much smut and I lost momentum and also dear lords & ladies the timeline is stupid, wtf. I may not ever add to this one, tbqh. It doesn’t stop in a terrible place, and they’re all ficlets so they stand alone all right.

“clizzy epilogue” -this is blank atm, it’s more a reminder for me to keep poking away at my “girls who can’t breathe air, only fire” collection BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY GET TO THE CLIZZY AT SOME POINT

"mer!alec" -pts 2-4 of a series, but apparently having an actual plan gets in the way of me *writing* the thing, and I haven't managed to throw the half an outline far enough away from my brain to be able to write again. Or something like that.

"ibhww" -if broken hearts were whole is a soulmate fic I started a million years ago, and purposefully set aside to finish some other WIPs because I thought they'd be quick, and now it's just buried under two and a half years of regret and shame so it's hard to get back to it

"iafy" -i am for you is a delightful & frothy semi-epistolary fluff piece that also just lost momentum because Life & 2020 & etc. It's far and away the most popular thing I've ever posted on AO3, which also makes me feel weird sometimes, and I feel like the fact that there's no grand conclusion planned, just a bit more fluff and settling in, might end up being disappointing? Basically, it's the first time I think I've psyched myself out about reader expectations, and until I get over that I'm going to have trouble finishing the last couple chapters. (There really are probably only two more chapters though. IT’S SO CLOSE, I wish I could just... write it. And yet?)

“fake-hating” -I do not like fake dating as a trope that much, I just do not get it, but I love outside POVs and arranged marriages and there’s this delighful tumblr post about how they wished there was more fic about people who were together but had to pretend they werent’, and uh. This may be that? Eventually? I’m not exhausted by my failure to finish it yet, so it’s still in the regular folder rather than the hiatus folder, even though nothing’s been posted for it.

AND I THINK THAT’S IT?

Not as terrible as it could be, but still. MANY WORDS THAT MAY NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY. Posting the equivalent of one’s old ratty sketchbook is always a weird feeling. :D

[bidnezz]

No. 2, Malec pls

things you said through your teeth

“Bane,” Alec growls, fuzzy with static through the com in his ear. “Hurry the fuck up.”

With a roll of his eyes, Magnus clacks at the keyboard of the laptop in front of him, his fingers brushing across the letters with repetitive precision until he finds what he’s searching for. It’s encrypted, but Magnus knows this code, he’s seen this loop and he knows how to break it. A blueprint opens on the upper right corner of the screen, small and nearly identical to the one he had opened previously but Magnus’ eyes hone in on what he’s looking for.  

“There. It looks like the most recent layout was a cover up. There's another exit fifty yards away, two lefts and a right. They’re smart, but they don’t realize it’s me they’re dealing with.” Magnus sets his back straighter, feels the snap of his vertebrae as he puffs his chest in cockiness and he can see the roll of Alec’s eyes through the camera feed on the screen.

“If you spent less time stroking your ego and more time focusing, I’d already be out of here.”

Alec speaks through gritted teeth, low enough to be unrecognizable to anyone else, but the com in his ear catches the words and relays them through to Magnus’ with utter clarity. “If you want to talk about stroking I have a few thoughts that come to mind,” Magnus lilts, his lips quirking into a satisfied smile when he hears the huff filter through. There’s an art to working up Alec Lightwood he’s noticed, and Magnus is nothing if not an artist.

“Bane,” Alec repeats, and it’s not the tone of his voice or the indent of a frown on his brow that sobers Magnus up, it’s the gunshot that rings out in his ear.  

Two clicks and he’s got a view of the camera from around the corner where three surly men are sneaking through the intersecting hallway. “Three to your right, five-foot-eleven, armed. Looks to be two Rugers so don’t go for disarming. One shotgun.”

There’s only a grunt before he sees Alec crouching down in the screen of his laptop, and he crosses the short distance to the other side of the hallway. The computer whirs, pushes air through the fan in the only noise that fills the silence of the room. Magnus eyes are constantly moving, searching through the other feeds for any oncoming presence, but he always keeps Alec in his peripheral.  

“When we make it out,” he begins, his voice low and soft regardless of the fact that nobody but Alec can hear him, “Let me take you out for a drink.” Alec doesn’t comment on the inclusion of we, but there are more pressing matters at hand as the first man rushes around the corner of Alec’s hall.

A gunshot rings out through the com, piercing and thunderous, louder than the silent blip Magnus knows to be Alec’s. “If you get me out of here then maybe I’ll consider working with you again.” Alec breathes, heavy and ragged with his back pressed to the wall and his gun firm in his grip.  

“Why Alexander, I’m flattered you would consider me for your next mission.” Magnus’ eyes are flickering across the screen, triple-checking the blueprints and matching them to the layout on the cameras, but his eyes are always drawn to focus on Alec, to make out the subtle distinctions in his face at any given moment. He doesn’t miss the small tip of his lips in an almost smile, or the way it changes immediately to a frown.  

“I swear to God, Bane,” Alec warns, side-stepping closer to the corner of the hallway where the body lays on the floor.  

“You’d be out of here already if you weren’t stalling just so you could flirt with me.”

That comment seems to spark action in Alec, and Magnus watches as he pushes himself off of the wall to set two swift shots down the entrance. One of the men goes down with a yell, the gun in his hands clattering against the concrete of the floor, and the other falls silently with the only sound of his presence being the shuffle of his windbreaker as he descends. Magnus hears it all, hears the light footsteps as Alec walks around their bodies, hears the aggressive breaths that come through the coms as Alec follows his earlier direction unthreatened.

Magnus watches Alec twist the handle of the door that leads to his freedom and the heavy blow of his foot against it when it’s locked. And when Alec makes it back to the hotel room that they’ve set up their makeshift base in, he sees vividly the way those hazel eyes rake over him before they flick to the bed, and back again.

It’s a fleeting thought to push Alec down, to strip him of all his gear and weapons and pull the tension out of him with every twist of his hands. But Alec is quicker than the fantasy in Magnus’ mind, and the reality he receives is a firm nod and a “Good job, Bane,” before Alec is gone. 

Thanks Anon!!! I had a lot of fun writing this!

[nerdsagainstfandomracism]

(Bona fides: Chinese-American woman, queer, in my 30s, grew up evangelical Christian.) You've been frequently reblogging diversehighfantasy regarding AO3 recently. I unfollowed them a while ago b/c I was unhappy with their constantly slipping purity culture rhetoric into their anti-racist posts. What are your views on purity culture? Esp. regarding fans of color who've been harmed by both racism *and* religious/cultural purity policing? Asking honestly, not accusingly.

Hello! Mod P. is here. Well, this is a bit awkward, because Holly (DHF) is one of our mods here. Mod Finn, the founder of this blog invited both of us when she started the blog, but now that most of the other mods have left us (because of RL reasons, and lack of time), I’m the most active one here, and Holly is one of our silent mods. So, make of that what you will.

As for your question about purity culture / religious policing.

I’m an Asian woman (Kalmyk) in my mid 30s, disabled. I’m a Buddhist, not really religious – as in I follow some religious traditions that my family part takes, but mostly I’m rather illiterate regarding the whole Buddhist theology stuff (I’m more acquainted with the Christian mythology and theology in theory, for example, because it’s integral part of the Western culture). I grew up in a secular society, so I really can’t speak of the experiences of the people of color that grew up in a strict religious environment. Personally for me, in general, purity culture in a religious sense is an alien subject and I’m definitely against the idea of forcing it on others.

If we’re talking about purity culture in fandom spaces, we’ll have to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, because the white fandom / pro ship people usually mix everything into one pile, often with the intention to gaslight and shut the discussions about racism, and antiblackness specifically. Even on the fanlore page of “purity culture” description they pile up racism / homophobia etc.

I don’t know how you define the term “purity culture”, as for myself, I usually stay away from the discours, but as far as incest / pedophilia kinks, for example, it’s actively not my thing. Like, when I was in the TWD fandom, I blocked people who shipped Carl/Daryl or Carl/Negan on sight. Things like Winc*st or J2 is not my thing, but also ships like Winc*st or RPFs J2 don’t bother me personally, as long as they stay in their line (also, I don’t bother going to white fandoms like SPN), and don’t overlap into the racism / homophobia etc. sphere. I don’t care about RP shippers, as long as they stay in their corner, and don’t harass real people like wives or actors / etc. they deem as a “threat” to their fantasy ship.

That being said, we have to talk about nuances and context. For example, in the Shadowhunters fandom the people who shipped J*lec would present things as if they were being harassed by the “purity culture people”, who called their ship “incestuous” (because J@ce and Alec were raised together). I never used that angle in my criticism of the ship, I always criticized it for its racism and racialized homophobia, because all J*lec shippers are/were actively racist and anti-Asian towards Magnus, used very racist and orientalist rhetoric to discredit Malec and Harry Shum Jr. (the actor who portrayed Magnus). In short, whether J@lec is an incest or not, isn’t my concern, but the fact that it IS an inherently racist and a homophobic ship, that actively erases the canon narrative of a bisexual Asian character, does concern me.

Another example is Michael/Eleanor ship from TGP, from what I’ve seen, the ship is often criticized by the non Black / white fans because of the age gap between the actors or because of the father/daughter dynamics between the two. For my part, I couldn’t care less about either. What I do care about is the fact that most Michael/Eleanor shippers happen to be people who almost never ship characters of color or IR ships. I do care about the fact that this white crack ship actively erases the canon narrative of the Black male character.

I don’t support attacking the authors who write explicit sex scenes. But I do understand the criticism of MLM fetishzation coming from gay men in fandom. And I do understand criticism when fandom tries to discredit IR ships of ships of color in media and write them off as “bad lgbt rep” because these ships don’t have explicit sex scenes on screen, like their favorite white MLMs.

I do understand and support the criticism of the “slave fics” coming from Black fans.

And yes, I do believe that there needs to be some anti racist policy on AO3, that prevents fans of color, and Black fans specifically, from seeing racist fanworks in the threads of characters of color. I don’t want to see J@lec fics in Magnus Bane thread, where Magnus is an abusive asshole and Alec is saved by his “true love” Jace. I don’t want to see fics in Glenn Rhee thread, where Maggie cheats on Glenn with Daryl, while oblivious Glenn is right in the next room. I don’t ever want to see fics in Sam Wilson’s thread, where he is a slave owner and rapes and abuses the white MCU characters, or anything like that horrid that Finnpoe Jim Crow fic.

I don’t believe in “ship and let ship” idea, because racist shippers never stay in their lane, they’re always in the tags of characters of color / ships of color with their gaslighting and coded racist hate. I do believe that Franzeska’s infamous meta is a big pile of racist BS.

That being said, I’ve known Holly (DHF) for almost ten years now and I’ve never seen her being pro purity culture in any way.

(P.S. Idk what’s with this glitch and why this ask looks like this.)

[lynne-monstr]

where brave and restless dreams are won and lost

Written for the malec secret santa 2019, for the lovely @gaywoodandbine

Summary: Magnus is a witch. Alec is the witch-hunter tasked with bringing him in. (Two of these things are true, one is only half-true)

ao3 link

.

In the last remaining hours before first light, Alec crouches behind a precariously balanced pile of steel rebar and observes his target.

Magnus Bane stands in the middle of the gutted out building with his arms outstretched, a king of concrete and scrap metal. It should look ridiculous but even Alec, with his affinity for nature-based magic, can feel the power swirling in the air.

Blistering gusts of wind cut through Alec’s jacket like knives as he watches the ritual unfold. Though the building is sealed off by hanging sheets of tarp, it does little to ward off the winter chill. Alec’s fingers twitch in their gloves, aching to draw warmth from the earth deep below the concrete foundation.

He doesn’t so much as shift. He’s too close to his goal to surrender to something as trivial as discomfort. Not when there’s so much at stake. He sacrificed too much to get where he is now. The closeness of his family, his morals, his self-respect. One by one, they all fell to his ultimate goal.

If he concentrates, he can still see Jace’s face on that fateful day. His brother’s usual teasing and bravado was gone, replaced by grim determination as he shoved Alec aside and cast his last spell to keep Alec still. To keep him hidden and safe.

Jace’s parting whisper of, ‘It’s okay, Alec. It’s better this way,’ haunts him to this day.

‘It’s not,’ Alec had wanted to scream, but couldn’t. Not with the spell binding him. ‘I’m not worth it.’

The smooth tones of Bane’s voice snap Alec back to the present. He shakes off the memory, focusing instead on picking out the individual words of the ritual. When he does, he nearly gives away his position with a hastily muffled snort.

Bane is reciting the New York City building code.

An urban witch. Alec has never met one before. Growing up, he’d been taught that urban magic was rough and unrefined, a substandard form of witchcraft for those who couldn’t harness the raw power of nature. Looking at Magnus Bane, nothing could be further from the truth.

Alec refrains from rolling his eyes at himself. He can spend his time in frivolous debate on the merits of magic or he can focus on the mission, the first one he’s been trusted with since infiltrating the ranks of the witch-hunters.

No matter how beautiful this man and his magic are, it isn’t enough to save him.

“I’m sorry,” Alec whispers to the concrete ground. Perhaps it’s enough to give his apology by proxy, spoken to the medium of this witch’s magic rather to the man himself. Alec hopes so.

Drawing his bow, Alec readies an arrow tipped in magic-suppressing poison and fires.

.

Magnus is sunk deep in his own spell, electricity in his blood and the bustle of early morning traffic in his veins. The ebb and flow of a city that never truly stops. All of it rushing into his lungs and bringing fresh waves of power in its wake. And something else. Something that pings on the edge of his senses, a tang of vinegar in a freshly uncorked bottle of wine.

He doesn’t know what brings him out of the ritual, only that it does. He heeds the warning of his magic, the growing itch under his skin, and opens his eyes to the sight of an object flying straight for him. An arrow unerringly seeking his heart.

Not his heart, a distant part of him notes. His shoulder. Whoever is after him wants him alive.

Magnus’ eyes flash yellow. The hue of blinking neon. Double lines on dark asphalt. Taxis trailing a cacophony of horns as they weave through overcrowded streets. He throws himself to the ground just in time to hear the arrow soar past, his hands scraping open on the loose gravel. His blood seeps out and the city rushes in to fill the void.

Wild magic flickers at his hands, called by the spilling of blood. He twirls his wrist and the pile of steel beams on the other side of the building collapses in a ringing clatter. The sounds of cursing follow.

The shadow of a man stands to his full height amidst the strewn pile of steel rebar. Even in the dark, the swoop of his impressively large bow blooms from his body like wings. An avenging angel crashed down to earth.

Magnus has never put much stock in angels.

“You must be a new recruit, I’d remember a build like yours,” he taunts. An attack like this could only come from a witch-hunter, and if this one is arrogant enough to try and take Magnus on his own home turf, he’s about to learn a very painful lesson. “It’s been a long time since one of you people dared to come after me.”

He expects another arrow. What he doesn’t expect is a gust of clean wind that knocks him clear off his feet.

The world spins and he grasps for power that’s gone slippery in the face of such distilled natural magic. Magnus recoils even as he rolls to his feet. The witch-hunter is a witch. His mind races, trying to process the impossible. The witch-hunters hated their kind for the gifts they possessed, for the sacrifices they were willing to make to wield their magic. It was a hatred borne of fear, of the unknown. For a witch to join their ranks was unthinkable.

Magnus dodges another attack. ”Why are you doing this?” he shouts across the empty space. “You must know they’ll put you down the moment they learn what you are.”

He doesn’t get an answer.

Being in the heart of a city, Magnus should have the upper hand but this witch came prepared. The man reaches into a pocket and pulls out a pinch of dirt from a small pouch. Time seems to slow as he flings the earth to the ground.

The moment it lands, the building’s concrete foundation shakes apart, small cracks growing into larger ones.

Magnus dances out of the way to keep from being swallowed, and not in the fun way. The power from his interrupted ritual has run dry and so has the boost he’d gotten when he scraped his hand. He bounces lightly on his feet and prepares to fight the mundane way while he preps another spell. Looks like all his years of Tai Chi practice are going to pay off. Balance and flexibility aren’t just good skills for the bedroom.

Several large, thick vines snake up from the widening cracks, writhing in the air.

“Kinky,” Magnus calls out to his opponent, watching the vines come at him. ��I like that in a man.”

He dodges on nimble feet, keeping one step ahead of the vines as he reaches for his athame. To be fair, calling it an athame is generous. On a shopping trip many years ago, Magnus had seen one of those tiny pocket knives disguised as a lipstick and became instantly enamored. But that’s the beauty of magic. It’s the perfect marriage of tradition and interpretation. And so Magnus gets to see the scandalized look on the faces of other witches when he pulls out his lipstick knife.

Correction. He got to see it. He won’t get to see it anymore if the witch-hunters get their hands on him.

He doesn’t know what their organization did to recruit a witch to their cause, but it can’t be anything good. Magnus needs to escape, if for no other reason than to let the rest of his people know how much danger they’re all in.

The first vine breaks through his defenses and winds tight around Magnus’ wrists, jerking them apart and sending the matte gray lipstick case flying. Another set of vines encircles Magnus’ chest and creeps up his legs, tethering him to the ground.

Once he’s fully ensnared, the witch-hunter steps forward into a dim pool of emergency lighting.

Magnus’ mouth runs on autopilot as he tests the strength of the vines. It’s a good distraction for the panic threatening to claw up his throat. “This is a bit much for a first date, don’t you think? I’m afraid I have to insist on dinner and a safeword, first.”

The man’s eyes widen before his expression shutters shut. “It has to be like this.”

What a crime for such a plush mouth to utter such garbage. Magnus scoffs, even as he continues to struggle. It’s a waste of effort but it makes him feel less useless. “No it doesn’t. Lie to yourself as much as you want but don’t give me that crap. You’re hunting your own people and that’s a choice.”

“I have to.” A wave of grief flits across the man’s face so quickly that Magnus nearly misses it.

The acerbic response dies on Magnus’ tongue and he kicks himself for being too caught up in his own emotions to see the truth. Because why would a witch betray their own people? This young man is either power hungry to the point of self-destruction or being blackmailed.

Magnus has his money on the latter. “What do they have on you?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I’m the one who’s going to die for it. I’d say it matters a lot.”

The verbal blow lands perfectly and his attacker’s pretty face freezes. If Magnus was a better man, he might feel bad about the manipulation but if he learned anything from growing up on the streets and leaning witchcraft on his own, it was that if he didn’t fight for himself, no one else would.

“It’s my brother,” the man whispers, not meeting Magnus’ gaze. “They took my brother.”

“And you think they’ll give him back in exchange for me? You’re a fool.”

The man shakes his head. “I know they won’t. But wherever they take you, that’s where he’ll be, too. I have to find him.”

Dread lodges in a tight ball behind Magnus’ sternum. The fate in store for him isn’t a pleasant one. Even so, he can almost understand. There isn’t much he wouldn’t do for his own patchwork family. “I can help you if you let me. I’ve fought them before and I can do it again. We can find another way.”

Hope flares in the other man’s eyes but it’s extinguished just as quickly. Despair races through Magnus as his attacker pulls out another arrow. He can sense the poison on the tip, the way his magic tries to shrink away from the substance.

Magnus’ mind races, searching for anything he can use, anything that will stop what’s about to happen. The sharp point of the arrow descends towards Magnus’ unprotected neck just as a last-ditch idea forms too late.

The arrow stops in mid-air.

Magnus doesn’t waste the opportunity. Words spill from deep within his chest, echoing like the clanging of steel on steel. He throws the last dregs of his magic into the words and hopes it’s enough to work on a witch who isn’t bound by city rules. His voice booms in the dead of the night, echoing around the deserted site.

“Special authorization must be granted to work after hours. You must apply for an after-hours variance. If you do not have an after-hours variance, all work must cease immediately.”

It isn’t magic, not really. Magnus calls on the city and it comes to his aid.

As if from far away, Magnus can hear the sounds of traffic, the unceasing horns and the pounding rhythm of footsteps on concrete. The shouted cursing and the chatter of conversation. The music wafting out from bars and strip clubs. The thud of the subway snaking its way in all directions like living, metal tendrils of lifeblood. It builds from a roar into a deafening crescendo, pulsing in time with Magnus’ racing heart until it spills forth in a loud crack.

The witch-hunter is thrown backwards, crumbling to the group in an unmoving heap. His handsome features go slack and he doesn’t get up. The vines holding Magnus loosen their grip and wither, sinking back into the ground.

Magnus runs.

He takes the unconscious witch-hunter with him.

.

Alec wakes as he always does, to a familiar litany of failure. Jace is gone. Isabelle is in hiding. He’s alone and it’s up to him to bring his family back together. For a blissful moment, he can almost pretend that’s all there is to it.

One thought topples into the next like falling dominoes and the full sense of his failure comes crashing down. His family. Jace. Magnus Bane. He had one shot to fix things and he ruined it.

Alec bolts upright, the fight he lost settling into his mind like the first crisp fall of leaves. He takes in the unfamiliar room around him. The clean lines and large windows. Modern architecture and exposed brick. Not a plant in sight.

The urban witch. He’s in the home of his enemy.

“Alexander Lightwood.”

A lifetime living under his parents’ strict rules keeps Alec from doing anything as embarrassing as startling when Magnus Bane appears from nowhere. Not nowhere, he realizes, studying the layout of the living room. From some sort of hallway.

“How do you know my name?” Alec asks, playing along until he gets a better feel for the situation.

“Magic.” Bane’s smile would be flirty if not for the sharp curl of his lip. “Actually, no. I picked your pocket.”

Alec pats down his clothes, alarm replaced by confusion when he feels the familiar bulge of his wallet.

Bane responds without missing a beat. “I gave it back.”

Despite himself, Alec is a little bit charmed. And trying not to think about where Bane had to put his hands to get at his wallet. Which is when he realizes that it isn’t his money or identification he should be concerned about. He was carrying something far more important. Panic quickens his breath and he struggles not to let it show on his face.

He must fail, because Bane’s smile widens and from behind his back, he pulls out a familiar cloth pouch.

For witches like Alec and his family—natural witches, they liked to call themselves—being in the heart of a city is like trying to do magic with dampeners. There are small patches of tree lined streets, flocks of pigeons, small parks, weeds valiantly trying to grow even in the most developed of places, but using it is the magical equivalent of drawing well water from a dirty, shallow puddle.

Clutched in Bane’s manicured hand is the dirt from the Lightwood family estate, Alec’s conduit to the woodlands and lakes of his childhood home.

“Looking for this?” Bane asks.

Even his gloating is elegant. Alec hates him a little bit. “That’s mine.” Alec leans forward before he can stop himself.

“Not anymore. Perhaps you should have thought of that before you turned against your own kind.” Bane claps his hands once, “Let’s talk, shall we.” He settles himself into a disturbingly bright blue side chair and turns to face Alec on the couch.

In Alec’s experience, talk means something more along the lines of interrogation or execution. He doesn’t take the flashy witch in front of him as the type to soil his expensive furniture but it would hardly be the first time Alec’s wrong about someone. Cut off from his natural witchcraft, he feels exposed and vulnerable and very alone.

His hands clench into fists. Jace is counting on him and so is Isabelle. “What’s there to talk about? Are you going to kill me or not?”

“Not all of us are so cavalier about killing other witches.”

Denial is on the tip of Alec’s tongue, and it trails a bitter line down his throat as he swallows. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t intend to kill Bane or that he hesitated in the final moments, caught by an overwhelming sense of wrongness. He would have gotten over it, shoved down the sick feeling in his gut and done his duty.

His fingers flex against the throw blanket next to him. It’s a cotton blend, the soft material against his fingers soothing to his magic.

He could draw strength from it with the right incantation and a little spilled blood. Not for the first time, he’s grateful for the rigorous training his parents put him and his siblings through when they were children. Most natural witches specialize in a certain type of magic, and while Alec prefers the soil of the earth, he can draw power from nearly anything. He’s at a disadvantage here in his enemy’s lair but he’s far from helpless.

“Nothing to say?” Silence falls between them and then completely unexpectedly, Bane’s laughs. The force of it shakes his entire body, his chest and arm muscles straining against his tight Henley. “I suppose I should thank you. I had suspected your employers were after me for quite some time, and now I know for sure.”

Alec scrambles to adjust from potential impeding execution to unexpected humor. How many times was this urban witch going to surprise him? Alec should hate it in the same way he hates everything he can’t plan for, but he can’t deny the thrill that runs down his spine.

“What will you do?” Alec asks. It’s meant as an accusation and a challenge. What is Bane going to do with Alec? Instead, the words come out sounding like concern for Bane, as if the two of them are old friends rather than enemies.

For a strange moment, Alec wishes it were true, they they had met under different circumstances. What would it be like to combine their magic, opposite forces joining together into something new? Alec feels a pang of regret that he’ll never know.

Perhaps Bane hears it too because he squares his shoulders, a strange combination of fierce and resigned. “What I always do. Survive.”

A rush of shame beats against Alec’s chest at the part he played in tonight’s events. Another crests hot on its heels—because even if he had the chance to overpower Magnus Bane and bring him in, Alec’s not sure he could go through with it. Not now that the other man is more than words in a file.

He isn’t sure whether that makes him a good person or a terrible brother. Maybe both.

“I wasn’t going to go through with it,” Alec blurts out, and immediately regrets it. When Isabelle used to tell him to be more open about his feelings, he didn’t think she meant to his enemies. “I know it doesn’t mean much but it’s the truth.”

For the first time, the smile on Bane’s face is real. “I figured that much out. I don’t take just anyone home, you know.” The man honest-to-god winks before adding, “But I appreciate the sentiment, Alexander.”

Something flutters in Alec’s belly. Before he can think too hard on it, movement catches the corner of his eye. Never has he been more grateful for a distraction. He reacts without thinking, his hand reaching out to catch an object in mid-air. He looks down at it and blinks.

His earthen pouch is in his hand.

Power surges through his veins and he stifles a gasp. With effort, he tears his eyes away towards Magnus, slouched his chair like a king in a castle rather than a lone man in his modest apartment. There’s amusement in his eyes but beneath the arrogance is something else, something that softens the harsh planes of his face.

“Why?” Alec asks. His fingers curl protectively around the little pouch.

It doesn’t make sense. Why would Magnus give him this? Alec had been caught by surprise during their first fight but he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice if they came to blows again. Magnus has no real reason to trust his words; he could easily be signing his own death warrant with one act of kindness.

Except Alec knows he isn’t.

“A witch’s power is a precious thing,” is all Magnus says before getting up from his chair to show Alec to the door. It’s a clear dismissal but any reluctance Alec feels is overshadowed by the surprise of seeing his bow and quiver hanging in the entraceway. Alec shoulders them both, half expecting Magnus to protest but unsurprised when he doesn’t.

Magnus sends him off with a final parting shot. “You’re not the only one who’s lost someone to them. If you wanted my help, you could’ve just asked. Remember that in the future.”

Alec hears the echo of those words for a long time after he leaves the loft behind.

.

By some miracle, he isn’t punished by his superiors for his complete failure of a first mission. Instead of assuaging his fears, it puts him on high alert. What if someone figured out his connection to Jace and was silently tightening the net around him? What if they were biding their time in hopes he’d lead them to Isabelle?

An attack never comes and Alec eventually stops holding his breath. Right up until he overhears a conversation in the research lab.

“…taking another run at Magnus Bane. Not even he can fight off a dozen of us.”

Alec flattens himself against the wall as the pair leaves, too lost in their chatter to notice him. The pounding in his chest crescendos in his ears as the voices fade. He can pretend he never heard it. If he plays his cards right, he can arrange to be here when they bring Magnus in. Surely his conscience would be appeased if he isn’t the one to capture Magnus. His original plan to find Jace can proceed.

He knows before the thought finishes that it’s a lie.

In his mind’s eye he sees kind eyes and magic that gleams like fresh neon. A man whose response to being attacked was a soft, ‘If you wanted my help, you could have just asked.’

Alec doesn’t stop to put on his jacket. He walks to the nearest oasis of greenery and kneels in the dirt. His fingers sink into the freezing ground, pulling the familiar power of the earth into his hands. On a crisp breeze, his message drifts towards a loft in Brooklyn.

‘Whatever you’re doing tonight, cancel it. It’s an ambush.

PS – you said I could just ask for your help. This is me asking.’

The message should feel like the end of something. Like he’s giving up on his family, like he’s abandoning the only people he’s ever loved. But as Alec gets to his feet, he feels renewed hope spring to life in his chest, a tiny sapling pushing its way into the light.

He can’t save his family alone and he doesn’t have to.

With that thought, another piece falls into place. He isn’t doing his sister any favors by keeping her sheltered from the fight. Eventually she’ll lose patience and leave and when she does, Alec won’t be there to watch her back. Before he can change his mind, he sends off another message, this time to Isabelle.

A laugh bubbles up in his chest as he imagines introducing her to Magnus Bane. He has a feeling the two of them will get along a little too well. When he finally gets back to the Institute, he feels lighter than he has since this mess started.

This isn’t an end, it’s a beginning.

[enkelimagnus]

I Need You To Take Over Tonight

Magnus x Alec / 4981 words / Rated E

D/s Malec fic. Name-calling, throat fuck, ruined orgasm, anal sex, etc. 

Read on AO3

'I need you to take over tonight. - MB'

The text was clear. Alec couldn’t help but wonder exactly why Magnus needed some of their special TLC, but he was not against taking over. He never was against taking over control for Magnus, and let Magnus enjoy the pleasure of submitting to him. If Magnus needed him tonight, then he would give him everything he could.

'We’ll have to talk about the exact reasons why. I’ll be taking over when I come home directly. Have dinner ready. Prep yourself, and have your black lace panties on under your clothes. - AL'

Alec swallowed, trying to focus back on the paperwork he needed to sign. Some specific status reports he had to sign off on before they were sent back to Alicante. His mind was definitely focusing more on what he would do with Magnus when he came home.

Magnus seemed to be in need of control more than anything, so, unless he started disobeying, they would stay away from impact play. The first thing he needed to do when he got home was getting a collar on Magnus anyway. And then they could keep it relatively simple. Blowjob, sex, some bondage and a hint of choking. Maybe a ruined orgasm.

Alec shifted, hand moving to adjust himself. He was growing hard now. Of course he was. The scenarios playing out in his head were way too pleasurable not to. The door was closed anyway.

Alec leaned back into his chair, undoing his pants and sliding them down slightly. He took out his cock and spit into his hand, getting some kind of wetness going so he could bring himself to full hardness.

He closed his eyes, summoning the image of Magnus crouching under his desk, knees resting on a small cushion, lips stretched wide around Alec’s cock. Disheveled, staying as still as he physically could. Alec wrapped a hand around his cock and started stroking himself.

In his mind, Magnus started moving slightly, eyes mischievous. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be blowing him, only warming him. He knew he was being a bad boy. He was searching for punishment. A naughty little sub, still dressed in the nice day clothing of the High Warlock, blowing him to get a spanking.

Alec groaned at the idea of Magnus submitting to him in his every day clothing. Or even better. His power suits. The outfits he wore to feel as powerful as possible. And Alec would fuck him with that on. Watch him beg, with that on. Tie him up, with that on. Fuck.

He saw himself, Magnus bent over the desk, underwear and pants off, Alec fucking him with harsh powerful thrusts. Whispering in his ear how he loved how much of a whore the High Warlock of Brooklyn actually was. Magnus could only answer with muffled cries, the lace panties he’d been wearing shoved in his mouth as a makeshift gag.

And still, his Magnus was such a screamer, letting out filthy sounds as Alec fucked him like the beautiful, wonderful whore he was, over the desk of his office.

Alec came over his hand, groaning Magnus’ name. Thank the Angel for the Soundless Runes on the walls of the office.

He wiped himself off, cleaned everything up, and focused back on the paperwork. He had something very very pleasant to go home to, and he wanted to be done as soon as possible. Magnus needed him. And he wanted Magnus.

It took Alec less than a couple of hours to finish everything and leave the Institute. He texted Magnus that he was leaving, and started to walk towards the subway station. He’d gotten used to mundane transport. And it gave Magnus some more time to get ready.

It took him half and hour or so, and he was punching in the code to walk into the building and get to the apartment. He could feel a bit of restless energy starting to curl up in his bones. It happened regularly, when he was anticipating a big scene and taking on his dom role. It all dissipated the second he took control.  

Behind the door, in the apartment, Magnus was finishing getting everything ready. He’d been exhausted all day, tired of the amount of decisions he had to take for everyone around him, and he just wanted some time to just lay down and feel.

His favorite plug was nestled in his ass, his ass covered with the black lace panties with a hole for his hole. He’d put his day clothes back on, nice slacks, and shirt, and the vest, with the suspenders hanging down. Dinner was on the stove. Make-up was on. Everything was ready. He swallowed.

The key turned in the lock, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. Alec was home. He could finally get to relaxing under Alec’s expert domination. The door opened and Magnus licked his lips.

"Magnus?" Alec’s voice resounded in the hallway, and Magnus walked towards him.

He didn’t say anything, just let Alec pull him close and kiss him. Alec’s hand settled on his waist and the other on his ass, and he kissed him firmly. Magnus sighed and leaned against him, gently kissing back.

"You look good. Are you ready?"

Magnus nodded. "Yes, Mr Lightwood."

Alec hummed happily. "Angel, it’s so sexy when you call me that, baby. Get to work now." He patted his head.

Magnus sighed, feeling the tension leave him as he got on his knees. He found the buckles of Alec’s thigh holster easily, and unbuckled them. The leather was a little worn and it slid out easily between his fingers. He loved doing that. Being on his knees and taking the holster off. Alec watched him, gaze not faltering until the holster was off, and Magnus stood up again, putting everything on the table in the hallway.

He looked at Alec again, awaiting what would come next. Alec looked back at him fondly. "Such an obedient little sub tonight," he praised, reaching to caress Magnus’ hair gently. "Let’s eat something, and you will tell me why you need me. Go set everything on the table while I go get something from the bedroom."

Magnus nodded and left Alec, going to the kitchen. The table was already set for two, but there was still things to get from the kitchen. He plated the two plates of food, and brought them to the table, in the living room. He was setting them down when Alec came back.

Magnus turned to him with a curious raised eyebrow. He smiled when he saw what was in Alec’s hands. One of his collars.

He had several different ones, for all occasions. There was a tall posture one that they got out when Alec thought he needed some training sessions, a light pink and black one with bows, lace trims and a bell, various leather ones with different sized rings and different levels of decorations, and some metal ones. A couple of the metal ones passed easily as necklaces.

The one Alec carried with him today was a simple black leather one, rather tall, with a large ring in front of it.

He motioned for Magnus to come closer, and to kneel at his feet. Magnus obeyed, looking up at him with anticipation. He tilted his head up, feeling the slightly colder leather get in contact with his neck. He shivered, cock growing harder, when he felt it lock into place, and Alec moved back.

"You always look your best like this. On your knees, with your collar on. Ready to serve me."

He slid a finger in the ring and pulled, making Magnus get up. Before going to the table, he pulled him closer and kissed him again, this time deeper. Magnus kissed him back, opening his mouth for him to deepen the kiss. He closed his eyes and let the feeling of Alec’s strong hands on the small of his back and the back of his head and the feeling of the leather collar resting on his neck, tight enough for him to feel it without being choked guide him.

Alec pulled back, and before Magnus had time to take a step towards the table, he turned him around, and brought him back against him. Magnus groaned when he felt Alec’s semi-hard cock against his ass, grinding back a little.

"Stop it," Alec ordered, and Magnus obeyed.

Alec’s hands travelled down, undoing Magnus’ pants so he could reach in, under the lace, and take a hold of his cock. Magnus gasped at the contact, shifting a little. It felt great. It felt great to have Alec’s hand on him. But dinner was going to get cold.

"Dinner’s…"

"Well you’ll just have to get to it quickly then," Alec whispered against his ear. "Warn me when you’re about to come."

Alec started stroking him hard and fast. Magnus groaned loudly at the pleasure burning through him suddenly, as quick as the pace Alec was giving him. He jerked him off furiously, only with occasional precum drops to soften the burn of his dry hand against his sensitive skin. Magnus bucked his hips. The dryness was almost painful but the handjob was pleasurable, and he closed his eyes.

He leaned back against Alec, hips jerking into Alec’s hand regularly. Alec’s cock was hardening behind him.

"Come on, Magnus, we do not have all day," Alec growled against his ear and Magnus moaned out loudly. He was getting close already. Alec’s arm held him in place while his other hand was still jerking him off, and the regular impatient comments quickly added the push he needed.

"I’m coming now," Magnus warned before he started to come. Right when he felt his balls tightening and his body start to ejaculate, Alec’s hand stopped. Alec’s hand retreated and Magnus had a pitiful scream, his come leaking out in his pants, as Alec zipped him back up.

His body still ached for release, his skin still tender from the dry handjob, and Alec was kissing his temple and moving away. Magnus looked at him.

Alec chuckled at the earnest look in his sub’s eyes. "Eat something. You’ll get a real orgasm later, baby. For now, this was all that I wanted for you." He said firmly, sitting down at the table.

Magnus slid down on the seat in front of him. He felt the plug in his ass as he sat down, the toy pressing deeper inside of him. Soon enough, it would be Alec’s cock. Mr Lightwood’s cock. He definitely could wait until then.

The ruined orgasm flipped a switch in him, making him let go of the last of his tensions, the last of his anticipations. It felt good to sit down now, and start eating the still warm food.

"It’s delicious, Magnus," Alec complimented.

Magnus thanked him, and went back to his food. If he was being honest, right now, he only wanted Alec’s arms around him. He wanted to be wrapped in Alec’s warm embrace, and held, but he knew he wasn’t going to get that yet. He’d still want some contact though.

"Now, Magnus, tell me why you need me tonight," Alec ordered.

Magnus sighed. He reluctantly started talking, knowing he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. This was Alec’s order.

"I’ve had a long day. Too many decisions to make. I want you to take my control away for a minute. Be the one who makes the decisions for me. I just want to be free of all of it for a while."

Alec smiled. "Thank you for sharing, my love. You’re doing amazing." He promised, reaching for Magnus’ hand and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "When we’re done eating, I want you to go brush your teeth and take off your clothing. The only thing that you are keeping are your panties, alright, baby?"

"Yes, sir," Magnus whispered.

"Good boy, Magnus," Alec replied, and took a sip of the water.

They ate in relative silence for a while, until Magnus took the last bite of his food. Alec was done shortly afterwards. He nodded at the man in front of him. "You can go now, I will bring the dishes to the kitchen. And you know the rules, no magic. I want it all done by hand, while you think about what it means."

Magnus nodded and walked towards the bathroom. He turned the light on and took his toothbrush, and started brushing his teeth. He was probably going to get to blow Alec. He was making him clean his mouth so bits of food wouldn’t end up on his cock when he was deepthroating him.

He finished brushing his teeth and took off his clothing, carefully folding them down on the chair in the bathroom. Soon, he was only wearing the black holed panties, the butt plug and the leather collar. He looked at himself for a moment. The panties were still wet from his earlier ruined orgasm, and he’d seen a stain on his pants from that too.

Soon, his makeup would be smudged, his lips a bit puffy and his hair messy. Soon, he would truly look like Mr Lightwood’s slut. A shiver ran down his spine at the idea.

He quickly made his way back to the dining table. Alec had positioned the chair in the middle of the empty space, and he was sitting there, waiting for him. He was holding a short black leather leash in his right hand, and some rope in the other.

"Here, slut," he called, and Magnus walked up to him. "Turn around."

Magnus obeyed, turning to face away from Alec. He felt him grab his hands and tie the black rope tightly around his wrists, tugging to make sure they were well tied. He shuddered, as Alec muttered 'perfect' under his breath.

"Knees." Magnus scrambled to his knees facing him, kneeling in between Alec’s legs. The leash was attached to the ring on Magnus’ collar.

Magnus looked up at Alec, waiting for an order, something. Alec was still fully clothed, not even his cock out, the hard-on forming a sizable bulge in his pants. Magnus could see it, almost taste it already. There had always been something incredibly arousing about the size of Alec’s cock bulging in his pants.

Everything about Alec was rather proportional. He was tall. And had big hands. And his cock was just as big as Magnus had imagined when they’d met. Just as big, and just as wonderful, always making Magnus feel so full. He swallowed.

"What do you want from me, Mr Lightwood?" Magnus asked curiously.

Alec pulled on the leash. Magnus jerked forward, until his cheek was coming in contact with the fabric of Alec’s pants. Alec manhandled him into position a little more, and soon Magnus’ face was right next to the bulge his cock was making, just resting on his leg.

"Here," Alec said. "No moving now."

Magnus nodded obediently, and sighed softly. Alec started caressing his hair gently.

"This is where you belong," he whispered. "All the decisions, all the choices, are mine. You are mine." Alec said.

Magnus exhaled loudly. The rest of the worries slipped out of him as he closed his eyes, and rested his head against Alec’s thigh, next to Alec’s cock, in complete submission.

"Repeat now, Magnus," Alec asked.

"This is where I belong. All the decisions, all the choices, are yours. I am yours," Magnus whispered, slipping deeper in. He was starting to feel weightless. Alec’s bulge smelled of his cock. He wanted it in his mouth.

"You’re such a good boy. You are my good little slut. You belong on your knees. You deserve to be fucked by my cock."

"I want your cock, Mr Lightwood," Magnus replied. "Please allow me to submit to your cock."

Alec’s cock twitched in his pants. Magnus’ voice sounded almost high. Alec knew he was getting deeper into submission now. He knew that Magnus was forgetting the worries and the tensions. He could see his relaxed shoulders, his relaxed body, just surrendering to Alec. Angel, it was the most powerful of sights.

"You are Magnus Bane, High Warlock, and you are a slut, begging to submit to my cock." Alec whispered, caressing Magnus’ hair again.

"I am Magnus Bane, High Warlock, and I am a slut begging to submit to Mr Lightwood’s cock," Magnus replied. "Please allow me to submit to your cock, Mr Lightwood."

Alec took a deep breath. Fuck. He’d thought he would have Magnus stay in place like this, just resting next to his bulge for much longer, but the words and the pleas were turning him on too much. And Magnus had been a very good boy. He deserved a reward.

"Suck me now, Magnus," he ordered.

Magnus immediately moved, undoing Alec’s pants to take out his cock. Within 30 seconds, his lips were wrapped around Alec’s hard throbbing cock, and he was starting to suck. Alec groaned, grabbing at his hair.

“Angel, Magnus, your mouth was made to suck my cock,” Alec growled, and Magnus looked up at him.

His eyes were wide, unglamored, staring into his with golden intensity. The pupils that were usually slanted were now wide, threatening to take over most of the iris. Only a thin circle of the gold currently remained.

“Holy shit,” Alec cursed. “You’re loving this, you little whore.”

Magnus’ moan vibrated around Alec’s cock, and Alec couldn’t keep his hips from thrusting into the tight warmth of Magnus’ mouth.Magnus made a small gagging sound, and moved back for a second to settle down and get back to sucking him off.

Once he was back on, Alec grabbed at his head to keep him more in place and started to push in deeper. Making Magnus deepthroat him this way was one of the most pleasurable things Alec could imagine.

Magnus choked a little from time to time, as Alec pushed his length deeper and deeper into him, pushing into his throat. Magnus’ lips were stretched widely around Alec’s cock, eyes watering. Alec almost groaned when he saw the tears starting to smear the makeup.

He bottomed out, and quickly pulled out, letting Magnus take in some air.

“You’re so beautiful like this. You’re doing so good,” Alec praised, looking at him softly.

Magnus sighed a little, happily leaning against the soft touch of Alec’s hand against his cheek. He opened his mouth again, taking him deeper on the first go, and quickly getting back to the point where his nose was pressed up against Alec’s pubes.

He tried not to choke or gag, and mostly succeeded, until Alec grabbed his head again, and started moving. He stayed deep in, only pulling out a little to give small thrusts. Magnus was overwhelmed by the girth and length, his mind zero-ing on the big cock that made him choke and gasp for hair.

His hands struggled against the rope, trying to reach up to push himself away. Alec groaned his name loudly, and let him go again. Magnus stumbled back a little, taking in a ragged big breath.

Alec watched him fondly, reaching to wipe away some of the stray tears. “Come on, baby, you’re doing amazing. Another round, and I’ll probably come, okay? And then we can go to bed and I’ll fuck you good and make you come for me.”

Magnus swallowed and moved back closer, taking a deep breath and opening his mouth. This time, Alec thrusted in all the way almost immediately, and then started his small thrusts. He held Magnus’ head in place again, and Magnus’ eyes rolled up for a moment.

He was so full. He was so full and so happy, and the taste of Alec’s gorgeous cock was filling his mouth, and the smell of him filled his nose. He could barely think about anything but the strong hold on his head and the big cock fucking into his mouth.

He felt drool down his chin, heard the sputtering and choking noises, but he let Alec fuck his mouth. He closed his eyes and let him, feeling him quicken his pace as his orgasm neared, and soon, Alec slammed in, and came down his throat.

Magnus swallowed every drop, face smashed against Alec’s crotch, Alec’s loud groans of pleasure resounding in the room. He was released soon after, coughing. Alec’s cock was wet from his saliva and part of his come, and Magnus quickly went back to lick it all clean.

“You’re such a good boy, Magnus,” Alec praised, caressing his hair. “Angel, you’re the best boy I’ve ever seen. Taking my cock so well, I’m so proud of you.” Alec said, pulling on the leash to bring Magnus up.

Magnus settled on Alec’s lap, a bit dazed from the intensity and violence of the throatfuck he’d just gotten. Alec wiped away from of the small tears, then brushed his thumb over Magnus’ slightly swollen lips.

“I almost wished you hadn’t swallowed so good, I would have loved to see my semen all over your face, Magnus. Caught in your goatee, onto your lashes, making you look so slutty...” he whispered. “But you were such a good boy, swallowing it all like the good cumslut you are…” He kissed the side of Magnus’ face.

Magnus curled up against him, sighing happily. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re very welcome, baby.”  

They stayed like this for a short moment, until Magnus stopped panting. He was still pliant, Alec’s arms holding him upright. Alec watched his sub’s beautiful face, all flushed and bearing the marks of how well he’d served his cock.

His wrists were still tied behind him, and it made Magnus’ muscular chest puff out on display. His gorgeous muscles were a little strained, large biceps occasionally contracting as he shifted in the bounds. The collar was still dark over his flushed golden skin.

Alec stood up eventually, pulling Magnus up as well, carrying him. Magnus’ legs wrapped around Alec’s waist. “Let’s get your ass fucked now, baby.” Alec smiled, and walked towards the bedroom. He put Magnus down on the bed, and took off his own clothing.

He took the leash in hand again, watching him with a smile. The leash was perfect with this. Watching Magnus crawl towards him with his hands in his back, pulled by the leash, was perfect.

Magnus’ cock was hard and leaking in the black panties, and Alec smirked at that. “I’m surprised you didn’t come from the throatfuck, Magnus.” He said, watching him.

“It was an amazing throatfuck, Mr Lightwood, but I wanted to be good for you,” Magnus replied. “I know i’m not allowed to come without your approval.”

Alec cooed, reaching to gently caress his cheek. “What a good boy. You deserve a reward now. I was thinking of putting a cockring on you, but you’ve been so good that I’m just going to fuck you and let you come whenever you are ready.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Alec walked to him, caressing his hair and pulling on it gently. “You’re so beautiful. I’m so lucky to have you as a sub, Magnus, so lucky that you chose to submit to me.” He sat down on the bed next to him, bringing Magnus close. He gently kissed him.

When he pulled back, Magnus’ eyes were glowing with love and adoration and Alec kissed him again.

“Now, show me that ass of yours,” He instructed, and Magnus shifted, getting on his knees and presenting his ass to him.

Alec caressed his asscheeks, pulling the panties down, and taking them off, leaving only the plug. He grabbed at the firm flesh, feeling the muscle clench under his grasp. He smiled. “Angel, your ass is perfect.”

He pushed Magnus to get in front of the headboard. He undid the rope that held his hands back, letting him move his arms a little. He threw the rope to the side, and moved to fix the leash to the headboard.

Alec moved back, hands caressing Magnus’ sides and arms as he did, until he positioned himself on his knees behind Magnus. He gently pulled on the plug. Magnus whined softly as the plug pulled and stretched at his rim when Alec took it out.

He grabbed the lube and his stele. His cock was quick to harden again after he activated his stamina rune and gave himself a quick handjob. He covered himself in lube, before he pressed closer to Magnus’ ass.

“Relax now, baby.” He said softly, before starting to thrust inside of Magnus’ tight, warm hole.

Magnus groaned loudly, keeping himself relaxed as much as possible as Alec pushed his cock inside of him. Almost every time, Magnus felt some kind of surprise at the size of it. It was as if he forgot in between fucks, exactly how well Alec stretched him, how full he felt when he was inside of him.

Alec bottomed out, and he stayed there, waiting for Magnus to adjust. It felt so big, so full, it hurt a little, but the pleasure of feeling him like this, so deep and big inside of him overpowered every single hint of pain he could feel.

Alec pulled out almost entirely, leaving Magnus empty, and for a second, he could have cried. Soon, Alec was thrusting in again. This time, he went in hard and strong, thrusting his entire cock in one hard thrust, making Magnus cry out at the sudden fullness.

“You’re so big,” he muttered, biting his lip. His eyes caught sight of the leash that was, symbolically more than literally, keeping him tied to the bed, and he moaned, cock twitching and leaking out pre-cum.

“Take it all, baby,” Alec groaned. He pulled again, halfway, and thrusted back in immediately after, the first in the series of pounding thrusts that he started.

Magnus was soon getting plowed by Alec’s hard thrusts, groans and moans punched out of his throat as Alec grunted behind him. He wasn’t going to last for long, and he knew it. It was too good, those powerful motions, the friction on his prostate, and the feeling of being fucked, fucked full of Alec’s cock.

He heard the sound of runes being activated, and suddenly the thrusts got harder even, Alec’s grip on his hips got stronger, bruising. He’d activated the strength rune. Magnus shuddered in pleasure.

Alec’s voice dissolved in one filthy grunt, dirty words barely registering to Magnus as he was pounded hard, cock thrusting in and out of him almost brutally. The occasional ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ were called, words that Magnus loved hearing, loved hearing as a reminder of his place.

Mr Lightwood’s whore, taking his big cock so well.

Magnus groaned loudly, and came hard, shouting Alec’s name, sight blanking for a second. His hands buckled and he found himself head into the pillows. The leash tugged his neck back up harshly.

Alec chuckled behind him. “Poor baby, came so hard that he fell.”

Magnus felt him rearrange them, taking the leash back into his hand. Soon after, with Alec’s hard cock still deep inside of him, Magnus was laying on his stomach, his come wet against his skin, with Alec laying on top of him. Alec’s arm snuck around Magnus’ neck, holding him in place as he started thrusting in and out of him again.

Magnus groaned at the stimulation of his oversensitive hole. Alec picked up the pace again, short hard thrusts going deep into Magnus. Magnus just laid pliant under him, still boneless from his orgasm, and waiting for Alec to come inside of him.

He loved the feeling that he was just being used for Alec’s pleasure, and that his orgasm didn’t mean much, as long as Alec came. He knew that it wasn’t actually the case, but laying there now, taking Alec’s cock over and over, spent and trapped under Alec’s tall body, made him feel so used.

Alec eventually came, with one last brutal thrust making Magnus whine. Magnus sighed happily, feeling the big cock twitch inside of him as he released himself. He couldn’t really think of any better situation. He was spent, he was used, he was happy, in Alec’s hands, satisfied, from the amazing orgasm.

Alec pulled out, making Magnus pout from the sudden emptiness of his hole. Alec chuckled. His chuckle sounded a bit tired. “Don’t worry, love.” He whispered, pressing the plug back in. “All plugged now. Full and with nothing leaking.”

Magnus turned around in his arms, looking up at him. He could feel the exhaustion creep up to him now, and Alec’s arms were so warm and strong. He wanted to curl up against him and sleep forever.

“Hey, Magnus, stay with me for a second, okay?” Alec asked, and Magnus hummed, nodding. Alec unclipped the leash from the collar, and smiled at him.

“Yes.”

“How are you feeling?” Alec asked, reaching to cup Magnus’ cheek.

“I’m great. Nothing hurts. Everything’s okay. This was what I needed.” Magnus whispered. His body felt so heavy. He wanted to sleep now.

“Do you want me to take off the collar, or do you want to sleep with it? Either way, the scene is over, and I will not be expecting any servicing tomorrow morning or during the night, if you keep it.”

Magnus hummed. “Take it off,” he whispered. He loved the feeling of the collar, but right now, he just wanted everything off, and to sleep.

Alec smiled, and took off the collar, throwing it to the side of the bed. He pulled the sheets up, arranging them around Magnus. Magnus sighed happily, looking up at his boyfriend, at the love of his life, and smiling. “Can I go to sleep now, Alexander?”

“Of course, my love.”

Magnus fell asleep almost immediately.