Iâve never written before in my life but this has been an ear worm in my head since the first instance of the hive mind in vol. 1. It is definitely shit work but Iâm trying out new things in 2026 so here you go.
Possible spoilers but also headcannon?
Donât read if you havenât seen the finale
Will knew what it felt like to burn, to have his flesh crack and tear as the flames seared his skin. He knew what it felt like to be shot, the way the bullets slammed into his chest in a way that would leave him sore for days. He knew pain, was intimately familiar with the way his body sang and his mind crumpled under the weight of it. Every time he thought âI donât know if I can take thisâ and every time he could, he had to. He was never given a choice in his pain, he had it forced upon him each and every time. He always survived. With nothing but the memories of his pain to tell him it was real. He knew pain. He didnât know this.
He didnât know what to do with the oppressive fear Henry felt. The way it coated his throat and burned through him. Or the anger that came with it. So much rage and pain and none of it was his. His body didnât belong to him anymore. Just a vessel. For him.
He felt it the moment it happened. Could feel the pressure against his back the way it pierced and popped and burned. He knew what it was to burn but not like this. The fear coating his throat came back up as blood and black sludge. He frantically felt for where he knew the pain was knowing it was in vain because the pain was never his. He was just a tag along.
As he coughed and gagged on nothing and everything all at once he felt sorrow for the man Henry could have been and the childhood Will could have had. This thing had taken it from both of them and here they both were. Suffering.
He spluttered on more of the viscous liquid coming from deep within and felt his momâs hand rubbing his back her soothing words trying to ease his pain. He didnât know how to tell her that it wasnât his. He didnât know how to tell her it was.
Will knew what it was to burn and now he knew what it was to die. The way the world seems to slip away as your body slows, his breathes coming fewer and farther in between the gagging and coughing. He wanted to tell his mom thank you, for never giving up on him. To tell his brother he loved him, it would be okay. To tell his friends that they were his most precious memories. But his body wasnât his. Even in death his pain didnât get to belong to him.
His mom had finally figured out that this wasnât like the other times, he wasnât merely watching this time. Her hands were frantic on his face her voice muffled but panicked. He longed to tell her it would be okay but his mouth couldnât move to form the words.
As the boom echoed across the abyss Willâs body hit the ground, hive mind vanquished.
A group of downworlders choosing to trust in Alec over Clary, Izzy, and Jace. Alec getting recognition for 'his people' slowly but consistently improving relations, making compromises, and keeping promises vs pretty talk that promises the world but will strike you in the back for speaking against them.
Okay so like this went in such a different direction than I thought it would. I really donât plan out the fics before I write them. Plots have never worked for me.
I see where the veins of the fic are going and try to flow along with them. So Iâm not really sure how this ended up over 4k words of unplanned randomness but i hope you enjoy it
Like half of this fic was a complete accident.
â
Izzy seems shocked, the first time a seelie informant ignores her red lipped and heated smile.
Instead they head to Alec, and then stick by him. Watching the rest of the shadowhunters warily until Alec escorts them out of the institute and thanks them for their information.
âWhat was that?â She hisses and Alec doesnât understand what is confusing for her.
âMy job?â He asks, flatly but he offers the benefit of the doubt and when she sends him a glare and flounces her hair before stalking off, he squints in her direction. âI thought Izzy was still with Simon, is she looking for something new?â
âNo idea, buddy.â Jace says but he also is looking a little putout and so Alec ignores it.
If he paid attention to every alarming thing his siblings and their entanglements did, he wouldnât have time to breathe.
â
It happens again and again until even Clary is getting upset and Alec doesnât get it.
âIâm more approachable! I have a better personality!â He hears Jace complaining at one point as Alec escorts a werewolf to Catâs hospital so he can show her to the magical ward.
Alec once again ignores them as Izzy gestures to herself, âhave you seen my outfit today?â
And Alec rolls his eyes because his siblings are ridiculous, thinking that people who are scared or in danger are going to focus on appearances.
And Alec knows heâs the least approachable looking, but thatâs never been why heâs becoming the preferrence.
âTell Magnus thank you.â The werewolf tells him, like it was Magnus who escorted her pregnant body to the hospital rather than Alec.
âI will.â Alec promises, because in all honesty, this has nothing to do with him and everything to do with Magnus.
Heâs not being picked because heâs the most approachable or the strongest looking shadowhunter, or because of his personality. And heâs certainly not chosen for his position of authority.
Alec is picked because heâs Magnusâ.
And Magnus will never allow what belongs to him to hurt what he protects.
And Alec works hard.
Not to be trustworthy himself, because itâs not his place to be.
He strives to never break the trust Magnusâ people have in Magnus.
The trust that Magnus put on the line when he declared Alexander a safe haven for his people.
And Alec will do whatever he needs to never, ever take this honor for granted, or to hurt Magnus by damaging it.
Because it isnât that Magnus was declaring that Alec is friendly to downworlder.
He is declaring that he trusted Alec â Magnusâ Alexander â to never purposefully harm anything that was under Magnus' authority.
Itâs not about Alec as a person.
Itâs about what he means to Magnus.
And Alec is going to protect this, the strongest of Magnusâ declarations of devotion.
And if that means showing up at three in the afternoon to a traffic accidentâ
â half asleep and with pillow creases on his cheek from how quickly he got there â
â because when heâs being asked for specifically, by a very frantic werewolf who unsuspectingly went into labor in a cab, accidentally causing a crash and risking the exposure of the shadowworld.
Alec goes.
He leaves Magnus sleeping because Magnus has his own job and he trusts Alec to this.
Because a great deal of Magnusâ authority relies on his reputation and Magnus is not someone easily reached.
So Alec goes and he gets her there safely while his team covers up what caused the crash and then he activates his iratze so his fingers can heal as theyâre broken and rebroken and heâs honestly relieved.
Heâd rather have dozens of his bones broken over and over again than have to catch a baby from a stranger's vagina, but he would do it.
If he had to.
For Magnus.
âOh thank fuck.â Alec barely manages to get out. Heâs kneeling next to the werewolf, holding her hand with his jacket on the floor in case he needs something soft and cleanish.
Apparently they âhad to waitâ which Alec thinks is hardly fair when her water broke while he was carrying her spasming and forcefully transforming body.
He is burning every article of clothing heâs wearing as soon as he gets home.
Alec gets to his feet and launches across the room, trying not to be too queasy.
âItâs not that bad.â Cat mocks him after the werewolf is magicked calm and wheeled away, and she is smirking at him.
âI wouldnât touch a woman even if she had a dick.â Alec says dryly, because seelies have no shame and think threesomes should be offered like candy, âbut itâs always so much worse when itâs that.â And Alec gestures with a grimace, âmagical babies are so much less gross.â He mutters and Cat laughs, smooth and light and comforting after his trauma.
âBabies born from cannibalism, murder and soul destroying power are less gross?â She asks and Alec nods empathically.
âCat, I have vaginal fluid over most of my body.â And Alec grimaces, âunless Magnus ever got bored of his genitals again, this was never going to be an issue I ever had to deal with. Itâs part of our private vows.â
âOh?â Cat asks like sheâs humoring but Alec can tell by the sudden gleam in her tired eyes that she is thriving on his trauma.
âNo traumatizing Alec with baby launching parts.â Alec paraphrases and he still feels a little lightheaded. âWhen Magnus asked me if I was willing to take vows that might set me against the clave, we spent months on it. Going over everything. Every pro and con. And Magnus promised me that while I might have to commit treason, I would never, ever have to deal with stuff like that.â Alec nods decisively, âIâm telling Magnus you kept his promise for him. And that you deserve a day away at the spa. Just the two of you, Iâll watch Madzie if you want.â
And Cat smiles at him, real and warm.
âYou know, I didnât think it would work. Magnus telling people youâd protect them in his stead if they could reach you.â Cat admits and Alec nods, just quietly pleased that sheâs recently given permission for him to use her nickname. âBut it seems that heâs getting wiser in his old years. Maybe itâs your youth that brings it out in him.â
âIâm going to tell Magnus you implied he is a cradle robber, again.â Alec says, but heâs fighting his own growing smile and Cat is grinning at him.
She reaches out slowly and Alec pretends to duck, butting into her hand like itâs an accident and she gets in a quick ruffle.
âIâd like that.â Cat admits, âif you remind him to bring the good stuff. Even magical spas have weak drinks.â She pauses and looks at him considerably and then adds, âMadzie would love to go to the aquarium again. She threw a fitââ and when Alec raises a pointed brow Cat laughs and adds, âa very quiet fit, but still a fit. Apparently riding my shoulders isnât the same as riding yours. She wants you to lift her so she can be up near the sharks and fish.â
And Alec nods, a soft smile on his own face even if his shirt is growing tacky and cold from the⊠disgusting evidence of new life.
Itâs a slow thing, their friendship.
Theyâre always polite for Magnusâ sake but they both love him too much for it to be enough.
And they all love Madzie and she loves all of them, so they need a genial if not warm relationship.
But Alec is terrible at these things so he gratefully lets Cat lead the path of their friendship and he simply follows.
Itâs a big deal for a downworlder. Letting a shadowhunter touch them or touching one. Itâs a big deal, Cat letting Alec watch her daughter without Magnus.
Shadowhunters are born to be weapons.
Alecâs body, right down to his bone and blood, is designed and trained and tempered into pure danger.
And the clave doesnât suffer their warriors to be sympathetic, or empathetic.
Alecâs bare hand is just as dangerous as any blade and unlike shadowhunters, who get to live and die and inflict more pain and trauma in a vicious cycle without consequences.
Warlocks have to live and remember and adapt to never getting justice and always watching the shadows for another glowing blade.
And Alec will never forget the pain in Magnusâ eyes when he explained why some nights, he has to ask Alec to wear a long sleeve turtleneck or a glamour over his runes.
The bad nights, where Magnus is troubled by memories and worried heâll wake and see runes and think âenemyâ instead of âmineâ.
And Alec stays still and pliable those nights. Covered up with fabric or magic and lets Magnus direct how much they touch and how far they go.
Magnus always marvels at his willingness to adapt to his needs.
And it only makes Alec want to do better, to be better and help heal every single hurt that life has carved into Magnus.
But he keeps his hands where Magnus tells him and he kisses as softly and adoringly as he can when heâs kissed and in the mornings, itâs a little better.
Alec stays still if he wakes first, letting Magnus set the pace for their day and canceling plans if needed.
And he waits to see if Magnus will go to the shower first or sit and slowly strip Alec.
They both always know Alecâs awake at that point, but Alec keeps his eyes closed and his breath even.
And Magnus slowly uses his magic or hands or both to bare Alecâs runes.
And Alec aches to hold Magnus, to thank him for loving Alec inspite of how painful it sometimes is, but Magnus doesnât want to hear that.
It wonât help.
So Alec bites his lip and lets fingers trace over his runes as Magnus makes sure every rune is in its proper place.
Because even though they sometimes bring up old unhealed hurts, Alec knows that Magnus loves every part of him. Has proven it with mouth and words and kisses as heâs decorated and claimed each angelic mark.
So Alec doesnât press, doesnât promise.
He just nods, because this is supposed to be something nice, not stressful.
âI have several days where I'm allowed to be disconnected from the Institute.â Alec shrugs as he talks, âeven my phone goes off and Magnus typically hits me with a spell that redirects fire messages. Itâs rare but we worked out protocols for it after they almost ruined our anniversary. I can use one, for this.â
Itâs a promise that Alec will ensure Madzie never has to see or meet or look at any shadowhunter Cat hasnât personally vetted.
âYouâre very accommodating about this.â Cat says instead of answering and Alec sighs and grimaces when he goes to rub his face and remembers whatâs tackily drying on his hands.
âNot really. I mean, the institute isnât what I would consider a vetted and safe place for her yet.â Alec sighs and closes his eyes, ignoring the hiss of magic and giving Cat a grateful smile as he feels the grime disappear.
He doesnât like asking for favors and it would be awkward to make an official request for something so small to a newly budding friendship but the cleanliness is a relief.
âIt could be years before I have enough respect and control and loyalty over every shadowhunter. It might never be completely safe. And I know you got her right after the event, you know what she was like. What she went through. What she was forced to do there. I donât want her going there ever again unless we know that the worst sheâll get is a papercut because she tried to color my archives.â Because Alec still remembers how desperate Madzie was to save him, even being threatened and blackmailed and all because theyâd shared a quiet smile.
âSheâs been asking to visit you there.â Cat admits, âher therapist thinks she might need to walk through it. To process and get past that trauma. Sheâs not ready to talk about Rouse yet.â
And Alec sighs and he pinches his nose and is relieved when the pressure of his head ebbs a little.
âOkay.â He mutters, âokay I can work with this.â
Cat is giving him a weary but amused look, like sheâs exhausted by reality but enjoying his attempts at fixing it.
âOkay. I need to have Magnus come check out the core. We never did a followup after the leylines. And it really is volatile, the clave has reports about it dating back months. I can order an official, clave sanctioned lockdown. It means only myself and my personal team are allowed out of our rooms. Everyone else is sealed into their own rooms with location monitors so sabotage canât happen.â
Alec ignores the incredulous look heâs getting.
âA lot of shit happened because we didnât have the right protocols and everyone ignored what we did have.â Alec admits roughly, âso Iâve changed a lot of things. The clave is tentatively letting me, since no one wants to outright argue after the last time they tried to sanction me.â
Magnus had been furious at the attempt and was Alecâs self-appointed advocate. Jia and Imogen both still wince when Alec mentions the love of his life.
âSo, after your spa day. Because youâre definitely going to need one after whatever happens and sheâll need a good one before. We can do it. Issue a lockdown. Give Madzie enough time to process a walkthrough and then youâll get her out of there so Magnus and I can actually do what we need.â
âAnd your team? Are they loyal? Do you trust them with her?â
And Alec looks at Cat and he grins, dark and feral and furious that he has to protect the child he loves from his own people.
âThey know that if they so much as allow Madzie to be hurt in their presence, Iâll take the tripled equivalent of it out of their flesh.â And Alec grins even wider, his lips curling around his maw, âMirai is my second-in-command and would sacrifice every member of our team and herself to preserve my life and authority. And they all know that I would sacrifice all of them for Magnus, for Madzie.â And he looks at Cat, whose loss would crush Magnus, âand for you.
âMy team doesnât love me, they respect me. They honor me. If they die they want it to be for my cause and in my stead. And itâs what I need, because love can be very fickle. Youâve never met any of themââ because Alec knows that Cat is trying to ask if his siblings and Clary are a part of his personal team.
They are not.
âBut they know the very basics of your identity and Madzieâs and why youâre so important to me. Iâll send you their files later. The unredacted ones.â
The ones even the clave doesnât have.
âIâll review it. But if I ask for it, will you be able to keep them away without tipping off anyone else?â
Alec nods, âthey can stay in our war room if needed. Itâs a new addition, Madzie wonât need to see it. Magnus can seal some of my energy to my tablet so you can use it and watch where each shadowhunter is. Will you need to bring her therapist with her? Magnus will have to trip the wards so their presence isnât detected.â
The only other person who knows who Madzieâs therapist is, is actually Magnus.
Even Cat doesnât know for sure.
Alec knows she vetted a group of shadowworld trauma specialists and then gave the only copy of the list to Magnus after they sealed a complicated geas that made her forget the contents.
Thereâs too much a risk of someone wanting the information Madzie has from Rouse and from Valentine.
So they keep it secret.
So that Madzie is safe.
âThis is going to be so incredibly illegal.â Cat mutters but she looks relieved and a little less stressed despite how many clave rules theyâll be⊠bending.
âEven the portals from Idris go offline.â Alec tries to offer reassurance, âthe risk of angelic power backlash is too much of a risk. If anyone catches on to your presence, we say we needed a healer on hand and you couldnât get a babysitter. No oneâs going to be stupid enough to press and not a single person is going to assume itâs happening because of Madzie or her therapy.â
And they wouldnât because Cat had made her opinion clear on the subject of Madzie being any of the claves business.
Mainly that she was not in fact, their business.
And Magnus and Alec had backed her up.
âOkay. Let me talk to Magnus, and I think if weâre doing this, I'm going to change my mind. I donât want to, but I think I will need to see all of your memories of her before she came to me.â
And Alec has to suck in a deep breath. Because he offered months ago and the option has been in limbo, Cat worried and unsure if it would help or make things worse.
The door to the maternity ward opens and Alec blinks, astonished that the baby is already born to interrupt their discussion.
Mother and child look thankfully clean, but Alec is still understandably wary as theyâre wheeled over to him.
âDo you want to hold her?â The woman asks, eyes glowing as she smiles adoringly over her babe, âmaybe Magnus Baneâs magic on you will bless her.â
âIs sheââ and Alec grimaces, âsafe?â
And the new mother bares her teeth in offended disdain but Cat just snorts, âyes Alec, the baby is clean. You wonât have to touch ah, what was it you called it earlier, oh yes. âBaby launcher fluids?â You wonât have to touch those again anytime soon.â
And Alec flushes because Cat is paraphrasing and then heâs being laughed at by two women and one of them got very intimate with him medically and the other emotionally.
He scoops up the baby, relieved that sheâs clean and warm and healthy and he pets the soft downy hair.
âYouâre going to grow up to be very strong.â He soothes as he rocks back and forth on his heels, âand maybe youâll grow up to have a chocolate allergy but thatâs okay. Unlike what Magnus insists, chocolate is not the superior flavor. And even if it was, youâre going to be able to taste sunshine on your tongue and see in the dark andââ he watches the baby yawn and marvels as a little fist sleepily clutches his finger. âAnd Magnus is going to keep your home safeââ he finishes, feeling a little lame because his brain is short circuiting at the strength in the little fist.
âAre all babies this strong or is it just werewolf and nephilim ones?â Alec asks before he can think better of it, he doesnât see the amused looks pointed his way. He tries to wiggle his finger free but the babyâs face bunches up and Alec freezes.
âCatââ he whispers, âdo magic. Quick. I canât tell how much strength to use. What if I break her?.â
And Cat stares at him for a solid minute before she turns, leans against the wall and starts cackling.
Alec counts in his head, trying to keep his breathing as even and slow and possible. Babies are sensitive and if werewolf newborns are anything like nephilim ones, then they come with a set of instincts to protect them.
âPlease take your baby back so I donât wake her up or break her.â He whispers desperately and he gets instead a belly deep laugh and he pettily hopes she wakes up her own baby with all her damn howling.
He stands there, still as he can until Cat finally takes pity and rescues him.
However heâs still holding a grudge and he mutters to her, âyou better remember to tell Magnus about what to bring yourself. I am going to conveniently forget.â
It doesnât make him feel any better when Cat insists on opening a portal and then she shoves him through to the loftâs front door.
âAlexander?â Magnus asks sleepily when Alec finally gets into their room and Alec sighs, trudging over for a kiss before he remembers that magic aside, heâs not actually showered.
âI need sterilization.â He says and misses Magnusâ outstretched hand and startled gaze. Alec is too busy complaining to Cat via text that he canât take a decontamination shower at Magnusâ and now he has to worry about infecting the loft.
She sends back twenty crying laughing emojis and a kissing heart and a middle finger emoji and Alec gives up.
âYou're taking Cat out for a spa day.â He yells as he strips his clothes, still grumpy but sincere in his promises. âBut if she asks you for the good stuff to drink, make her work for it!â Because Alec is learning to be petty right up there with Magnus, who is the best.
And Alec is a devoted student.
Alec is very content with himself as he uses his stele to draw a rune so his clothes begin to burn.
Magnus is standing in the doorway, staring at Alec in what he thinks might be shock when Alec finishes.
Which is fair.
Alec is still pretty shook himself.
âClean first.â Alec promises, because in staying away heâs also denying himself kisses but he wonât subject Magnus to being equally infected.
And then Alec shuts the shower, draws a locking rune on the glass door for good measure and turns the water as hot as it can go.
Magnus is saying something muffled and Alec ignores the flare of his skin as itâs beaten by scalding angry water and just starts dumping bottles of soap over himself.
He manages to get what he feels is decently clean, and then Magnus is ignoring the locking rune, vanishing the entire shower door as he gets an arm around Alecâs waist and hauls him out of the lava masquerading as lava.
âWhat then actual fuck, Alexsnder?â His amazingly wonderful and incredibly magical Magnus is saying.
âWhy is Cat sending me so many emojis? And what does she mean when she says you have occupational trauma?â
And Alec groans because he will forever be haunted.
âI love you.â He tells Magnus, âso much. But please, babe. I will literally happily go back to Edom or commit treason for you, but I cannot handle that again.â
Alec is too relieved at being clean to notice all the things he normally picks up.
So he doesnât stop Magnusâ frantic call to Cat or Magnusâ horrified amusement at whatever she tells him.
âMy poor, traumatized darling.â Magnus says and he presses his mouth to Alecâs forward.
Alec can feel his lips wobbling and he graciously ignores that itâs humor and not sympathy.
âI am.â Alec grumbles, tucking himself closer to Magnus, âtraumatized. It was traumatic.â Alec lets out a little mournful sigh, âI really liked how much you liked me in those pants.â
âThey could have been washed.â Magnus reminds him and Alec scoffs.
âThey. Were. Contaminated. If Iâd realized she was going to send me here, I would have refused. I wanted to decontaminate before I came home.â
âHow about I draw us a bath?â Magnus asks and he kisses Alecâs shoulder. â
Alec nods and then sighs, âMagnus?â He asks and Magnus immediately makes a listening noise as he sets up the tub. âCan I have a full night's sleep before you never let me live this down?â
âI would never torment you with such a horrific experience.â Magnus lies, like the liar he enjoys being.
Alec gives a deep sigh and Magnus chuckles and kisses his forehead. âFor your heroic actions in the face of such dangers, I will give you a full forty-eight hours and I wonât share Catâs delightful puns until then.â
âHow luxurious.â Alec mumbles and heâs falling back asleep, against Magnus and in the water.
I think that how Five got diagnosed was after a particularly bad anxiety attack, five reluctantly let Allison drive him to get a diagnosis and just got more and more panicked being told he has ptsd, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, memory issues, etc. by the end, heâs hiding his face in his knees in the backseat and while Allison is driving, Five just quietly asks, âam I broken?â Because unlike everyone else, Five never left the world of Reginaldâs abuse, he just got thrusted into another version of it. He doesnât know that itâs okay to not be okay because if he wasnât okay then Reginald or the commission or the apocalypse itself would tear him to shreds.
i was super writer's-blocked so this was a good little refresher.
I wanted to make it longer, but I knew if I did I'd just keep writing forever. So! Without further ado, âšangstâš
---
After the appointment was over, five seemed⊠off. First off, he hadn't spoken a word since the diagnosis, which wasn't always a red flag; sometimes he just went nonverbal because he was tired or upset, but this seemed different. He looked as though the second he opened his mouth, he would burst out in tears. Second off, instead of climbing into the passenger seat like usual, he slowly made his way into the backseat opposite of her, and hugged his knees to his chest, hiding his face. she wanted to ask what was wrong, but he'd had a long, rough day (severe anxiety attacks, finding out that he had several different mental disorders, it must have been really exhausting; she was content to let him rest for a while before sorting anything else out). She didn't want to bother him. That is, until she heard a quiet and tired voice ask her:
"Ally... am I broken?"
She could feel her heart shattering. He was supposed to be strong, resilient, powerful number five⊠but he sounded so devastated, so small.
"What? Five, of course n-"
"There are so many things wrong with me, AllyâŠ" he said softly, almost a whisper, while his voice threatened to break.
"FiveâŠ" she didn't quite know what to say. He sounded so sure of it, so very certain that he was broken beyond repair, and it just wasn't right.
"I mean I knew I wasn't perfect but I didn't think-" his voice broke, and he started sobbing.
"Ally w-what if I c-can't be- be fixed? Will I just b- be like this forever? I can't-" he cut himself off with more sobbing.
Allison couldn't comfort her brother while driving in the middle of the road, but she just couldn't stand to see him like this⊠She quickly pulled into a nearby fast-food restaurant parking lot.
With the car parked, she got out and went to sit next to five in the back seat.
"Five? Look at me," she softly encouraged. As he followed her instructions, she gingerly cupped his face in her hands.
"You are not broken. Maybe there are some things wrong with you, and maybe you need help, but you have never been broken. Just a little⊠cracked. Ok? And it's ok to not be ok. Hell, look at the rest of our family. Look at me! We're all damaged, but nobody is beyond repair. Even you, five," she reassured, gently stroking his face with her thumbs.
Another sob shook him, as he desperately dove into her arms.
"I don't want to be broken anymore," he cried.
"Oh, sweetheartâŠ" she cooed, hugging him back.
She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, while rubbing small circles on his back. She sighed. "Don't worry, five. We'll fix you."
He buried his face further into the crook of her neck. "Really?" He asked, his voice rough from crying.
"Of course we will⊠You don't have to be alone anymore."
---
Ok this is my first time posting a fic on Tumblr and I haven't put this one on ao3 (yet?) but idk, if anyone wants more of this lmk, i can write another chapter
script #4. stranger things spec. y'all know the deal.
this one goes out to jancy nation.
context: set midway through season 5, will, mike, lucas, and dustin went behind everyone's back and tried to sneak into a hawkins-lab-type military compound where el has gone to "better" her powers via govt. assistance. their rescue mission goes awry and they only make it out alive because steve happens to be in the right place at the right time.
there's something inherent in the act of caring for someone;
and in my endless old guard brain rot this takes the form of:
- nile helping booker with therapy/ alcoholism. essentially being the go-between for him and the others during his "banishment" (I don't think it would last the full 100, and I've seen some gorgeous fics on the subject).
-it is customary to cleanse with water or sand before praying salat (I'm basing this off of research and a fic that had extremely good research with footnotes and all); and in Christianity- assume the priest Nicolo canon- washing of feet and in general is a very devotional act. it's something the disciples do, Mary Magdalene washes JC's feet with her tears and dries them with her hair, so it's all in all a very Big Thing.
in my mind, Nicolo would wash Yusef's feet as like.... his little way of saying "you are everything to me, you are holy and divine and a gift and I would do anything for you if you only asked it of me".
because, in my mind at least, joe is the wordsmith. Joe gives the speeches and writes poetry, and Nicky uses acts of service to show his devotion. Nicky cooks food, and finds baklava with varied recipes, and cuts the guards hair (it started as him fixing Andy's horrible chop in the 1670s, and ended as a way for him to show his family he loved them. he spends weeks holed up with the shitty tablet nile insisted on, learning how to do braids and care for her hair, the same way he'd watched Yusef's mother care for his sister's until he knew how to comb out the snarls and sand his beloved got caught up in). I just think Nicky seems the type to show affection in being there for someone, and that with as much religious guilt as this fandom loves to give the man, it would be sweet to see it as a tie in to his love and devotion to Joe. because Nicky absolutely believes it was God or fate that brought them together, and that loving Joe is the ultimate good he will ever do.
.... idk I thought it was cute but I'm drunk
- Andy pushes people. she's brash and ruthless, and loves so fiercely. there's a reason Joe jokes (never to her face) that Andy is the momma bear of the group.
she has Nile train until her muscles are screaming and numbing and screaming again, several times over.
she takes guard duty at night, a vigil she has in the kitchen, around the entire safehouse, and ends outside each bedroom or in the common sleeping area, listening for quiet breaths.
she trusts her team to take care of themselves, of each other.
but they are all so young to her, ageless and once a god.
Andy pushes them because they rise to it, Nile better with the sword every day, her languages coming along well with nightly dinners where conversation only takes place in that week's dialect.
- Booker I feel like will have quite the complex after he's un-banished.
he goes out of his way to make sure their safe houses are Safe. he takes over learning everything he can from medical courses, emt training, textbooks; to learn how to take care of Andy in her new mortal state.
he spends three weeks researching proper nutrition and gets his hand chopped off the one time he tries to insist on a healthy alternative to sweets.
Booker spends months teaching Nile new languages, how to blend into a crowd, how to work in the underbelly of cities and make friends in unlikely places.
deep down, he knows he's trying to train her to take his place. And as much as she lacks the eye for detail and intuition of what changes to make to forged papers, she's learning. (Joe's the one to corner him about it, grappling and fighting and screaming until Booker quiets, in a close headlock, his back to Yusef's chest, and stills. Joe shushes him, and then says, animosity gone for the first time in a while, "you're my brother. I love you, and I'm so sorry we failed you. but we are a family, Book, we are a family.")
it's slow moving, but eventually booker admits his forgeries are better than Nile's. that maybe he should stick around a bit longer, until she has some practise.
Wiccan and Hulkling are minding their business when they get a call from their handphone app. As they arrive at the diner, they saw that only America Chavez had turned up because the other Young Avengers are either too busy or had refused to answer the call as it came from Loki, the trickster god and former teammate. Despite their reluctance, the three Young Avengers - Hulkling, Wiccan and America Chavez had to race against time to save Loki from the Scorned Exes.Â
Looks like this Young Avengers story might be a tribute to Gillenâs Young AvengersâŠ.Â
the thought of everyone trying to save will from vecna with the wrong song will be my hope /every/ single time. its such a great idea and perfect symbolism to how distant hes become to everyone. the idea that instead of all the good memories he has with his friends, it just plays all the /bad/ ones over a song hes grown out of. over should i stay or should i go. the song that, yes, helped him through the upside down but in the grand scheme of things now, is just the anthem of his sorrow and trauma.Â
another thought being that jonathan angrily puts boys dont cry into the walkman, noticing how little his best friends actually know about him. jonathan possibly even making a comment directly to mike about how hes needed him all this time and how he failed him. how jonathan had to go out of his way to tell will to âhave funâ at the roller rink bc he knew how badly he was being left out. just jonathan best big brother, essentially.
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