#but i saw a bunch of pictures and thought: that’s ty blackthorn

[ofstarsandmoonlightt]

Tiberius Nero Blackthorn ”glass, twin, apple, whisper, stars, crystal, shadows, lilt”

[highladyfey]

Kit and Ty fluff, a bit of angst..and also an attempt at a seance

http://archiveofourown.org/works/11604327

Blackthorn Manor was silent. A sort of silence that only occurred after death – Kit knew it all too well, the same silence enveloping him after his father was murdered. He led in his room, staring at the light cream wall, too afraid to close his eyes. He couldn’t stop seeing it; Ty clutching Livvy’s pale body as she lay bleeding out onto the dais. Kit had run from the room with Magnus as soon as Kieran had disappeared with Diego; the noise and screams leading the way to the council room. When he saw Livvy lying there, her shirt stained a deep red everything else had disappeared. He tried to move his feet; run to them both and wrap his arms so tightly around Ty it hurt. He knew Ty must have needed it- he knew Ty’s whole world must be falling apart and Livvy was no longer there to ground him. But he hadn’t. He had slumped to his knees and watched as the other members of the clave pulled Livvy from a sobbing Ty and took her away, he watched as Ty reached for his twin; his sobs echoing through the now quiet room. But Kit was frozen, then after watching Ty’s soul break and shatter, he felt his feet move as he was pulled up and ushered toward the other Blackthorn children; an older woman telling them they were going to be taken to the Manor.

Now here he was. Though, sleep wouldn’t come and Kit didn’t much feel like staring at the wall all night. His heart ached with grief and his body felt heavy; sadness enveloped him in a way he didn’t think was possible since the death of his first and only family member. Kit wandered through the halls of the old house, its décor almost eerie in the darkness. The doors all looked similar; large and wooden but he recognized the one he had now stopped in front of. It was tall, taller than him, and a deep brown colour. It was Ty’s room; the one he had run to and locked himself in upon arrival.

He knocked once but was met with no answer. He tried again, louder this time and with more force, then the door creaked open. Kit pushed inside, “Ty?” He called out softly. “Ty, it’s K-” but he cut himself off when he heard the shower running. He noticed the room then; what he was sure was once impeccably tidy was now a disaster. The books from the shelfs were heaped in a pile near the window; clearly having landed there after being thrown. The pictures and stationary on the desk had been swiped off and were now littered across the floor. Panic rose within Kit. He walked towards the bathroom door “Ty” he said through the wood. A sob came from the other side. Kit steeled himself, breathing in deeply. “Okay Ty, I’m coming in.” He pushed open the door before he could change his mind.

Ty was stood under the shower; his clothes still on and plastered to his skin. His dark hair stuck to his forehead and water dripped down and off his nose. Kit thought, in another moment, he might have noticed how beautiful Ty looked. His dark shirt clinging to his muscled torso and his lips parted. But this wasn’t the time for that moment, Kit reminded himself as he stepped towards the shower, the room already filling with steam from the hot water. “Ty” he asked again but the boy just moaned; the sound reminded Kit of a wounded animal. Kit cursed under his breath and stepped towards Ty cautiously, as if he would be spooked, and into the stream of water.

Kits hands hung awkwardly by his side as he watched Ty, the other boys blue-brown eyes staring intently at them. Kit moved his hands, Ty’s eyes following the motion, and placed them upon Ty’s shoulders. “Ty please. Tell me how to help.” Kit made his body tense, allowing Ty to punch Kit as hard as he could if he needed, after seeing the destruction in his room, but Ty slumped forward and pressed his forehead to Kits shoulder; his wet hair brushing Kit’s cheek. Ty’s fists bunched in Kits shirt then; as he whispered “hold” so quietly Kit almost didn’t hear. Kit remembered what Ty had needed on the roof; to be held and grounded- to find comfort in the sensation of pressure upon his body as his mind whirled. So, Kit wound his arms around Ty’s shoulders and held him as firmly and closely as he could. He pushed Ty until the other boys back hit the wall and Kit pressed him into it, hard. Ty pressed his forehead further into Kit’s shoulder and his grip on Kit’s wet shirt was so tight Ty’s knuckles were turning white. Ty’s body continued to shake as he cried, Kit’s heart breaking for him with each shudder of the other boy’s shoulders. Kit pulled back slightly, wanting to look Ty in the eye but he pulled on Kits shirt, tugging Kit back towards him until virtually every part of their bodies were pressed together. Kit locked his hands around Ty’s shoulders; showing him that he wasn’t leaving. He wouldn’t leave Ty, not now. Not ever a voice in Kit’s mind echoed.

They stood there for a while; the water eventually turning cold and Kit reached to turn it off. They were both soaked through, his own blond hair stuck to his neck and cheeks and his shirt clung to his body. He gently pulled away from Ty, walking backwards to allow him some room. But Ty made no movement, his wet hair dripping down his face. Kit pulled on Ty’s fingers, his head tilting upwards to meet Kit’s gaze. Kit led Ty from the bathroom and into the bedroom, sitting him at the edge of the bed while he hunted for some dry clothes.

As he looked, Kit heard a wet slap and spun to see that Ty had peeled off his shirt and thrown it to the floor. “Livvy is dead” Ty said. His tone morbid and voice raw from crying. Kit abandoned the hunt for fresh clothing and moved towards the bed. He knelt in front of Ty, his palms resting on the boy’s wet legs. “Yes.” Kit replied. There was no beating around the bush with him. “It’s my fault.” He spoke, without inflection. Ty’s head was tilted downwards, and Kit grabbed his chin; forcing him to look up. He held Ty’s face harshly enough that Ty would feel it but not enough to hut, “No.” Kit told him. His grip becoming a bit more forceful. “It is not your fault Tiberius Blackthorn. Do not ever think that.” But Ty shook his head, drops of water from his hair spraying onto Kit’s cheeks, “If I hadn’t had invited Anabel to come, there would have been no trial and Livvy would still be alive.” Kit opened his mouth to reply but Ty surged forward and grabbed Kits shoulders, his eyes darting back and forth across Kit’s face; as if he had just figured out the answer to his problems. “Kit. Can you see her?”

Kit recoiled, falling out of Ty’s grasp and bracing his arms behind him as he landed on his backside. “Ty..it…it” Kit had never in his life been lost for words. “I don’t think it works like that. I don’t know how I saw Jessamine. I don’t know how to see Livvy.” Ty’s face fell. “But Kit, could you try?” Kit felt like he’d been punched. Ty’s eyes were so hopeful for that one second, so different from the boy he saw moments before emerge from the steaming bathroom. He couldn’t deny Ty this. “Yes. Okay.” Ty’s lips tipped up into the slightest of smiles. “But not right now.” Kit added, “you need to sleep.”

Kit found Ty eating in the Library of Blackthorn Manor the next morning, alone and looking appropriately glum. He slowly came up beside Ty, and slid down the side of the book case to sit next to him. They were so close their knees touched and arms brushed, but Ty didn’t complain or move to pull away. “I was looking for books on how to create a séance or conjure a ghost.” Ty said, his now empty bowl discarded on the floor in front of him. He folded his hands over his knees and pulled them to his chest. “Like how the mundanes do it in all those horror movies Dru watches.” Kit didn’t think it worked that way, and he said as much. A quietness enveloped them, Ty clearly trying to figure out how to make this work and Kit trying to figure out how to tell him it wouldn’t. “Candles” Kit blurted. Ty’s head snapped towards him; a crease forming between his brows. Kit swallowed, unnerved by the other boy’s intense stare “we could try candles. At least, that’s what they use in films – to summon ghosts.” Ty seemed to consider it before nodding and moving towards one of the cupboards in the library. Kit followed and they began to rifle through them, Kit only half paying attention to the task at hand as his mind wondered to how he would break the news to Ty that he had failed; that he couldn’t see Livvy.

Twenty minutes later the two boys were sat opposite each other, legs crossed and knees touching – surrounded by a circle of lit candles. Ty took Kit’s hands in his, squeezing his fingers as if in reassurance. “Okay.” Kit blew out a breath “here goes nothing.” Shutting his eyes, Kit tried to clear his mind and focus on Livvy. Her long dark hair, her rosy cheeks, her slim form. “Livvy Blackthorn. If you are there, please…” he thought of all the mundane films he’d seen, what they usually asked ghosts to do. “Please give me a sign.” He finished. He cracked open his eyes, meeting Ty’s hopeful stare. Kit passed his gaze over the room but it was to no avail; Livvy wasn’t there. Kit felt foolish and he began to remove his hands from Ty’s, a blush forming on his cheeks. But Ty gripped his wrist, “please” he pleaded, “try again?” Kit glanced at Ty’s fingers wrapped around his wrist, and then slowly raised his gaze to meet the boy’s in front of him. He nodded quickly.

“Livvia Blackthorn. If you are there-” The candles blew out. The pressure on his figures intensified as Ty gripped them, Kit flung his eyes open – half expecting Livvy to be stood in front of him. Though, again, the room was void of all ghosts. Kit pressed his palms into his eyes, pushing down until bright colours burst into the darkness. A cold chill swept over his left arm and Kit removed his hands swiftly, dragging his eyes to meet the empty air beside him. Though it was no longer empty.

Livvy Blackthorn, well what looked like a pale and translucent version of her, sat beside him; grinning. “I knew you could do it” She muttered. Kit must have looked horrified because Ty shook his shoulders, but he was too afraid to look away; lest Livvy disappear.

“Is she here Kit? Can you see her? Kit, Kit? Are you okay? Ki-” “Yes Ty. She’s here.” Kit choked out the words, “it worked?” Suspicion and confusion flooded Kit’s voice, but he couldn’t deny it; Livvy was sat next to him. Livvy was here.

“How? With Jessamine, she just…showed up. How did I summon you?” But Livvy shook her head, Kit noticed then that she was much more pale than Jessamine had ever been and that her form was blurred around the edges. She must be about to “cross over” as Jessamine had called it. Kit didn’t know how much time they had left. “Ty. I think Livvy will…she won’t be here much longer. You need to say whatever it is you wanted to, now.” Ty clearly didn’t know where to look, his gaze flittering from left to right. Eventually, he settled it onto Kit. “Livvy. I’m sorry. I know you wanted to be parabati and I kept pushing you away, but I want you to know that, after this was all over I was going to ask you to be my parabati. I didn’t want to go to the sholomance anymore, not after Zara and the centerions, and I wanted to be your partner, your equal.” A tear slipped down Ty’s cheek and Kit linked his fingers with his. “She knows” He told Ty, and Livvy smiled sadly - her form becoming even more translucent. “She says she loves you.” Kit repeated “and that she is sorry to leave you. All of you.” Kit waited for Livvy to speak, to say everything left unsaid between her and her twin. But she was silent.

“Kit?” She spoke softly, Kit looked at her in return. “we could have been good friends I think.” She went to grasp his arm but her hand went straight through, she barely had one foot in this world anymore – Kit could see that. Her cheeks were pale and her hair was beginning to lose its colour. “We are Livvy” he spoke, his eyes trained on her disappearing body. Ty sat patiently, listening to a one-sided conversation as Kit did not repeat her words. Her form flickered then, disappearing for a second before returning. “I think this is it.” She confirmed, her gaze trained above the two of them. “Take care of Ty. Of Julian – if he needs it. Tell him…Tell him I’m okay and that I lo-” but she was gone.

“Thank you” Ty said after a long moment of silence. “For this and for..for the other night.” Kit nodded, words betraying him as he gazed at Ty; he glanced down at their still touching knees and interlocked fingers. Kit began to withdraw his hands but Ty held on, leaning forward ever so slowly as he pulled Kit towards him. Ty’s eyes were glassy from crying and Kit felt so protective of the other boy in that moment, he knew that no matter what he would never let Ty feel pain like this again. Even it meant he had to bear it. Kit hadn’t realised how close they had gotten, until Ty’s breath fanned out across Kit’s cheeks. “Ki-”

“Ty-” Julian suddenly burst in the room and Kit silently cursed him for breaking whatever was about to happen. Kit pulled his eyes away from Ty but didn’t pull entirely back, and squeezed Ty hands once more; letting him know he wasn’t going anywhere. The eldest Blackthorn had dark circles under his eyes and they looked puffy from crying. Julian began to walk towards them but Ty turned away from his older brother; releasing Kit. Kits brows narrowed in confusion but he stood and walked towards the other side of the room where Julian waited, “How is he?” Julian asked, his voice a low whisper. “He won’t speak to me. To any of us.” Julian told him, his gaze shifting between him and Ty. “I’m glad you’re here. I think…” he shook his head, his shoulders dropping. “God, I think that if you weren’t here Ty wouldn’t be either. I’m sure he would have left for LA by now.” Kit wanted to gape at him, there’s no way Ty was staying for him. Julian glanced over Kits shoulder quickly then squeezed the top of his arm. “Thank you.” He said quietly before leaving, his eyes softening and it reminded Kit of his father so much that he couldn’t help but wince. He watched Julian walk down the corridor to where Dru was staying, then returned to the floor next to Ty.

Kit found himself in Ty’s room again that night, they both sat leaning against the headboard, their knees tucked up to their chests. Kit had come to his room a little after midnight; mostly to check if Ty was sleeping, but a little because he just wanted to be near him. He had found Ty awake, curled in a ball atop his bed and Kit had just moved to sit beside him, silence surrounding them both. “I’m afraid to sleep.” Ty announced after a long while. “I will dream of it. I did after the Dark War; for weeks. I dreamt of the blood and death, and I know when I close my eyes I will see Livvy being stabbed with that shard of the Mortal Sword. Straight through the heart.” Kit winced. Though he was told how it happened, he didn’t actually see Livvy die. He thanked whoever was listening for that small blessing. “Aren’t you tired?” Ty asked, as if only just realising that Kit was staying up with him too. But Kit shrugged, “I am afraid. When my dad died I sometimes dreamt of it. Of the whites of his ribcage and the dark red colour of his blood.” Kit stopped, realising Ty was probably traumatised already and a detailed summary of his father’s death wasn’t going to help. But Ty was staring at him intently, absorbing every detail of Kit’s words. So, he went on; telling Ty about how much it hurt to lose his dad, how he hated the Shadowhunters when they first brought him hear, how seeing Julian interact with his siblings made him resent his dad a little for never loving him that much. Ty listened while he talked, his head leaning against the head board and his shoulder leaning against Kit’s.

At some point the sun began to rise, bringing with it the bird calls of early dawn. Kit stopped talking after what felt like hours, his head rolling to the side to find that Ty was asleep. They had shifted somewhat whilst Kit spoke, and he was able to remove himself from the bed without waking Ty. He moved quietly to the door, glancing behind himself as he pulled it open. Ty slept soundlessly on the bed, his mouth slightly ajar and hair falling onto his forehead. Kit smiled, despite what had led them to this moment, Kit was grateful to see Ty this way. Peaceful. Reluctantly, he slid his gaze from the other boy and noiselessly slipped through the door.

[jinareads]

LET’S TALK: Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

I've finally finished Lord of Shadows, the second book in The Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and hilarious, and I don't think I've felt that empty (in the best way possible) since I finished Clockwork Princess.

Trust me, you DO NOT want to read this if you haven't read all of the Shadowhunter books by Cassandra Clare.

Summary:

Lord of Shadows continues after Malcolm Fade's death, which has given rise to a bunch of Teuthida demons in Los Angeles. Jace and Clary visit the Los Angeles Institute, and since they can't stay because of a top-secret Clave mission to Faerie, a group of Centurions (graduates of Scholomance, an elite Shadowhunter school) arrive to lead the search for Malcolm's body and stop the sea demons. We're then introduced to Perfect Diego's friends, who are definitely less than friendly--and Diego doesn't look so perfect now, either. His recently rekindled romance with Cristina comes to a screeching halt when we find out that he's engaged--and with the heavily prejudiced Zara Dearborn, who wants to take the Los Angeles Institute for herself and for the Cohort (an anti-Downworlder hate faction of the Clave). And in the middle of all this, Emma, Julian, Cristina, and Mark go on a very illegal rescue mission to the Unseelie Court to save Kieran, who has been sentenced to death for the death of Iarlath (this is the Faerie who whipped Emma, nearly to death). And so they save Kieran, and are unexpectedly rescued themselves by a member of the Seelie Court and Mark's aunt, Nene. Here, the Seelie Queen shows Julian what's going on in Los Angeles: Arthur Blackthorn, in his last lucid moments, has decided to sacrifice himself to Malcolm, and a successfully revived Annabel awakes to kill Malcolm and take the Black Volume of the Dead. The Seelie Queen then offers the team her soldiers to help defeat the Unseelie King alongside the Clave--but more importantly to Julian, she says that she knows a way to break the parabatai bond--in exchange for the Black Volume. And so Julian and Emma go to Malcolm's cottage, while Ty, Livvy, and Kit venture off to Blackthorn Manor in hopes of discovering more about Annabel. An ancient and deadly group called the Riders, as ordered by the Unseelie King, are now tracking the Blackthorns to bring back the Black Volume to the king, and at the end of a battle that nearly kills all of our main characters, Annabel appears. Julian persuades Annabel to testify in front of the Clave and turn over the Black Volume in exchange for Blackthorn Manor and reinstatement of her honor, and everyone travels to Alicante via a portal that Magnus Bane opens up (with great difficulty, since his powers have been used thus far to help heal and protect the Blackthorns). So the Blackthorns, Emma, Kieran (who will also testify against the Unseelie King), Annabel, Alec, and Magnus are all in Alicante, awaiting the trial that will determine the fate of the Los Angeles Institute. Following Magnus's suggestion, Emma and Julian go to Robert Lightwood (the Inquisitor), asking that he send Emma into exile to deaden the parabatai bond. Robert agrees, and shortly after, the trial is underway. This is where everything falls apart: Annabel is unexpectedly questioned under the Mortal Sword, Magnus collapses due to his hidden sickness, Annabel kills Robert with the Mortal Sword, Annabel kills Livvy, and Emma shatters the Mortal Sword with Cortana. The book ends, with Julian clutching yet another member of his family lost to him.

Okay, so it's really hard to summarize what happens in Lord of Shadows because it is a MASSIVE book--both in terms of page number and plot content. So much happens in this book, and I want to discuss some of the finer details a little bit further.

favorites:

Emma's humor.

“‘You’re my mother’s sister?’ [Mark] said incredulously. ‘I think they usually call that your aunt,’ said Emma. Mark gave her a dark look.”

“‘I am Sabnock of Thule. How dare you stand before me, ugly human?’ ‘How personal,’ [Emma] said. ‘I’m hurt.’“

“‘In all our lives there has only been one thing we have sought and not found.’ ‘A sense of humor?’ Emma suggested.”

Kit's mundane knowledge. Things like cancer and autism aren't talked about in the Shadowhunter community, and it’s so interesting to see Kit react to their dangerously traditional way of rejecting mundane medicine and treatment.

Diana's history. Cassie did such a beautiful job in allowing the reader into Diana's past, and we finally learn her secret: Diana is a transgender woman. Since mundane medicine is forbidden by the Clave, she was living in mundane society until the war, and is now living as her dead sister, Aria. I love that we got to understand why Diana refused to become the Head of the Institute, despite her absolute love for the Blackthorns and Emma. 

Gwyn ap Nudd. I was 100% intimidated by Gwyn until he started making his moves on Diana, and their interactions turned into some of my favorite moments. Especially when he casually quotes Shakespeare.

Some idiot put “Will H.” on all the rare first editions in the library.

Cristina. I can’t believe I almost forgot about Cristina!! I was really into the whole Mark-Cristina-Kieran thing going on in the book and how Cristina and Kieran were very patient with Mark figuring out what he wanted. Also, I loved how irrelevant Diego was to Cristina after she found out about Zara (ok I know he had good intentions with the whole thing but whatever)

what the fuck:

Clary’s (impending) death. CASSIE CAN’T DO THIS TO US I THOUGHT WE WERE SAFE AFTER CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE

Sidenote: Ok, Jace technically died during TMI--we can totally bring her back nbd

Cortana. Cortana cuts through a lot of stuff that normal weapons shouldn’t be able to cut through--exhibit: the death of one of the seven riders (which was actually thought to be impossible). Also, I didn’t even consider that one of the Mortal Instruments could be destroyed. Does this mean Cortana can now compel people to tell the truth???

Theory: Can Cortana somehow cut the parabatai bond, since it can apparently cut through everything?

Annabel’s murderous rampage at the end. I 100% did not expect her to kill everyone at the end???

Tessa and Magnus. WHAT IS WRONG WITH TESSA AND MAGNUS??? The whole time Magnus was working his magic, I was getting worried because while he’s one of the most powerful warlocks we know, HE HAS LIMITS. And they kept. pushing. him.

tears:

Livvy’s death. I HATED that this happened to the Blackthorns, especially since they’ve already lost so much and they only had each other left. At the same time, I kind of saw it coming, especially with Kit entering the picture. I’m really glad that Kit and Ty have formed a relationship so that Ty will have someone to support him through this in the next book.

Robert’s death. I finished the story with Robert and Michael in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy after I finished LoS, and it was SO MUCH MORE DEVASTATING that he died. Not only did Emma and Julian lose the one person who could’ve helped them through the whole being in love with your parabatai thing, but just THINK OF ROBERT AS HE HEARD THEIR STORY. Robert can’t go back in time and make it up to Michael, but he could’ve helped another pair of parabatai

Jon’s death. I really didn’t mind this until the last couple stories from TFTSA, but it def hit me when I thought of him and Marisol, and how little time they had together.

Arthur’s death. I ALMOST FORGOT THIS HAPPENED. Arthur has such a twisted history, with his imprisonment in Faerie while his brother fell in love (please read TFTSA). I honestly felt so sad that Julian had to take on the responsibility of being a father and Institute head at such a young age, but I’m so glad that Arthur had a final moment of awareness--I hate that he sacrificed himself, but it was beautiful that during his moment of clarity, his mind focused on saving the people he loved the most.

things that I don’t know how to feel about yet:

Jaime. I’m still really not into him or Diego yet, despite all their talk of good intentions. His interactions with Dru made me think of the Nate-Jessamine relationship for some reason??

Sebastian + Seelie Queen child. I’ve seen this theory around the internet so many times, and I am worried. I am worried because of Dru’s little trip to Faerie involved a BOY WITH WHITE-BLOND HAIR AND GREEN EYES--aka Ash. And he asks about his mother; could it be that the Seelie Queen is hiding him away from everyone else, trying to keep him a secret? Or maybe he’s been kidnapped by the Unseelie King?

And it’s mentioned that he’s around 13, but let’s not forget that a day in the human world was 7 years for Andrew and Arthur when they were trapped in Faerie.