#one easy answer

[roseglass]

@maleccrazedauthor Why can I see Mouse doing this?

[singingwordwright]

A Separate Peace (sequel to One Easy Answer, complete) tumblr posts masterlist

Gorgeous cover art courtesy of @beyondthehunt Originally betaed by @roseglass with some final (eventual) copy-editing by @bonibaru

A Separate Peace (sequel to One Easy Answer) a Malec AU by @maleccrazedauthor

(Also on AO3)

Chapters: 28 Word Count: 104,900 Rating: Mature Premise: Arranged Marriage AU, Canon Divergent starting at Ep 1x12

Description:

Alec and Magnus married to unite the Shadow World and prevent a war. Falling in love was just a happy coincidence.

Now enemy and ally are getting harder to tell apart. Alec’s career is hanging by a very thin thread, they both have to prove to the rest of the Shadow world that they can deliver on their promises, and parties within and without are plotting to dismantle the alliance they’re trying to build.

Can a marriage just starting to find its feet handle the strain of the choices they must make and the secrets they must keep?

Notes:

This story starts only a few hours after One Easy Answer ends, with Magnus and Alec’s wedding. It’s highly recommended you read that story first, but if you decide not to, here is some necessary context:

Magnus and Alec never began dating in season 2A, because Magnus never interrupted Alec’s wedding. Alec called off the wedding, but the next day saw Magnus kissing Camille and stopped speaking to him entirely.

It’s now roughly three months after the Downworld massacre that took place in episode 2x10.

Because Alec wasn't talking to Magnus, Magnus never told Alec about Raphael and Izzy. Therefore Alec never interrupted them in 2x09, which led to Raphael almost feeding too much that night. This also means Raphael never had any reason to confess his feelings for Izzy.

Izzy managed to kick her yin fen habit on her own after nearly dying when Raphael fed too much, and has been focused on finding proof that Aldertree was in collusion with Valentine.

The Shadow World is on the brink of full-scale war, with increasingly violent skirmishes between Shadowhunters and Downworlders, who have been denied justice for the massacre.

Kaelie Whitewillow committed her attacks on Shadowhunters in the ~3 months prior to One Easy Answer. The Clave's draconian response to those attacks is what prompted Alec to take drastic measures to try to reach peace with the Downworld.

To establish peace locally, Alec has proposed a council of representatives from all five Shadow World factions, but the Seelie price for considering the treaty is that Alec marry a Downworlder. Despite their rocky history, Magnus volunteered.

Valentine is in custody in Idris, Victor Aldertree has disappeared and is believed to have taken the Soul Sword. However, his disappearance was staged in such a way that it cast suspicion on Alec, and now Lydia has arrived from Idris to investigate the matter.

One Easy Answer was written during the hiatus between season 2A and season 2B. As such, it didn’t take into account the plot developments or timing of season 2B. And to be quite honest, a lot of the canon of 2B simply doesn’t work in the world established in One Easy Answer. Some plots, such as the body-swap storyline with Magnus and Alec, wouldn’t be feasible because Alec would see through it with ease, and because Valentine is incarcerated in Idris. Likewise, the plot where Alec lies about the Soul Sword wouldn’t work, because Alec as characterized in One Easy Answer is much more dedicated to unifying the Shadow World, even at the cost of his standing with the Clave.

The Kaelie/Shadowhunter murder/Downworlder profiling plot of 2x13 has been worked into the backstory retroactively to take place before the events of One Easy Answer, and serves as a catalyst for where that story begins.

So while One Easy Answer was only slightly canon-divergent, A Separate Peace is hugely canon-divergent.

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight

Please, if you’ve enjoyed this fanfic, consider buying some of my books, or buying me a cup of coffee!

[singingwordwright]

HOLY SHIT. I DO NOT HAVE WORDS. I JUST READ YOUR ONE EASY ANSWER SERIES IN ONE SITTING AND I AM THRIVING. THE WRITING WAS PERFECTION, PLOT HAD ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT, THE CHARACTERS WERE PERFECT. THESE 2 FICS RUINED MY FUCKING LIFE. I LOVE IT. I CANT TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I REREAD A SCENE. AND THE ENDING OF A SEPARATE PEACE! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S NEXT. THIS CANON DIVERGENCE AU IS SO CREATIVE AND ENTHRALLING. THANK YOU SO DAMN MUCH FOR WRITING THIS! I'M SO EMOTIONAL,IT'S JUST SO INTENSE OMFG

OKAY I LITERALLY JUST SENT A MESSAGE ABOUT READING YOUR ONE EASY ANSWER SERIES BUT I NEED TO EXPLODE FURTHER. MAGNUS' DECISION AND ALEC'S REACTION WAS FLAWLESSLY WRITTEN. I SAW BOTH SIDES AND I FELT WHAT THEY FELT!!! I JUST THINK IT'S SO WONDERFUL AND IMPRESSIVE HOW YOU MADE ME FEEL THE INTENSITY, THE HOPELESSNESS AND RAGE AND HIGH STAKES THAT ALL THESE CHARACTERS ARE DEALING WITH. I'M SO INVESTED IN THESE CHARACTER ARCS AND PLOTS AND I REALLY HOPE WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A PART 3!!!

LOL PT 3 TO MY WAXING POETIC ON THIS SERIES BECAUSE I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW JUST HOW MUCH I ENJOYED IT (AS IF YOU DON'T KNOW ALREADY??) BUT THERE WERE SO MANY PLOT TWISTS I WASN'T READY AND ALEC AS A CHARACTER IN THIS SERIES IS SO ENTHRALLING. HIS DECISIONS AND REACTIONS AND EMOTIONS ARE AMAZINGLY WELL DONE. I JUST THINK YOU'VE DONE SUCH A MAGNIFICENT JOB SHOWING THAT HE WILL BE PUSHED SO FAR. IT MAKES ME THINK OF THAT "HEAVY IS THE HEAD THE WEARS THE CROWN" AND IT MAKES ME SO FUCKING EMOTIONAL

OKAY PT 4 IS THE LAST ONE. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW EVERY TIME ALEC SNAPS AT THE CLAVE I FUCKING THRIVE. I'VE NOTICED THAT ALEC AND MAGNUS TALK. ALEC DOESN'T HIDE THINGS AND IT'S SUCH A NICE CHANGE OF PACE FROM THE SHOW. I NEVER THOUGHT OH NO ALEC'S GONNA BE A DENSE DUMBASS WHEN READING YOUR FICS. THAT COMMUNICATION IS FUCKING APPRECIATED AF!! I'M SO GLAD HE IS A REAL LEADER AND THAT THE DOWNWORLD (MOSTLY) TRUSTS HIM NOW. As a last note, the phrase "The plasticine veneer of cheer" was amazing lol!

Wow this is the first time someone’s come at me with a caps-shouted reaction this long and happy!

Thank you so much, nonny! I hardly know what to say, but I very much appreciate the praise, and yes I definitely intend for there to be another story after A Separate Peace, barring any unforeseen disasters in my life that prevent me from writing it.

Most likely, unless I find a way to slot part 3 in between 2b and an unknown 3a the way I did by slotting One Easy Answer between 2a/2b, the next installment will have to wait until after season 3a, at the least. That’s so that I can figure out which show canon works in my AU and which needs to be scrapped and what events/developments I can established without being completely contradicted by the show. I know it’s weird that I don’t just say “screw show canon” and write what I feel like writing, and to some extent I DO do that, but I like to have show-canon “benchmarks” along the way to keep things somewhat parallel, and also I think working AROUND show canon actually challenges me to tell a better story. There were some developments in A Separate Peace that just wouldn’t have happened (or been as good) if I wasn’t riffing off show canon.

I’m so thrilled the story provoked such an ardent reaction from you, and I hope to hear from you again once the next installment is written!

[singingwordwright]

“A Separate Peace” Ch7 Sneak Peek

Because I’m impatient to begin sharing this story

“With all due respect, Inquisitor,” he said carefully, “if our ultimate goal is peace rather than the same sort of violent subjugation of the Downworld that Valentine would prefer, we need to be respectful and responsive to the fact that the Downworld factions have legitimate grievances. The most pressing matter right now, of course, relates to the deaths of over a hundred of their friends and loved ones in Valentine’s massacre. After all, we have a duty under the Angel and the Accords to protect and defend Law-abiding Downworlders, not merely force them to toe the line.”

She gave him a narrow look. “And what is it you suggest then, Mr. Lightwood? I take it this unorthodox alliance you’ve made with the High Warlock of Brooklyn isn’t sufficient to quell the unrest?”

“My marriage was the price of getting the Seelies to even sit down at the negotiating table,” he said, keeping his voice level. “And again, with all due respect, Inquisitor, my name is now Lightwood-Bane.”

She blinked slowly, the first hint of a reaction other than disdain she’d given him since their conversation had begun. “That’s not a name recognized by the Clave.”

“No, it isn’t. And I understand it may take time for the Clave to agree to allowing any formal use of my married name. But whether the Clave recognizes it is immaterial. The cost of getting the Seelies to consider treaty talks was that I make a marriage—to a Downworlder—that I respect and honor the same way I would a marriage to another Shadowhunter. I can hardly claim I met that condition if I disdain my husband’s name.”

She studied him for a long moment, and Alec wondered if his refusal to flinch or be ashamed had impressed her. “Very well, Mr. Lightwood-Bane, what is your suggestion for how to settle your local Downworld problem?”

“The Downworlders’ first demand is that Valentine be handed over for execution in accordance with their laws. I have explained to the faction leaders that it isn’t possible, and because they recognize the importance of recovering the Mortal Cup, they have agreed to shelve that demand—” He drew a deep breath. “—on the condition that Valentine is brought to New York to stand trial here, a trial to which they are permitted attendance, so that they can witness him facing justice.”

[singingwordwright]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 11/11 Fandom: Shadowhunters (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Characters: Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane, Jace Wayland, Isabelle Lightwood, Maryse Lightwood, Meliorn (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Raphael Santiago, Lydia Branwell Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Marriage of Convenience, Post-Episode: s02e10 By The Light Of Dawn, Courtship, Politics, Slow Burn, Praise Kink if you squint, fluff with a few feels along the way

Summary:

Magnus warned Alec he wouldn’t ask again.

And he didn’t.

Alec called off his wedding, but the next day walked in on Magnus with Camille and hasn’t spoken to Magnus since.

Now, months later, relations between the Shadowhunters and the Downworld are growing increasingly turbulent as the Downworld blames Jace for Valentine’s massacre of dozens of Downworlders.

It’s up to Alec, as Head of the New York Institute, to forge a peace that could save thousands of Downworlder and Shadowhunter lives—even if it means re-evaluating everything he once thought mattered.

Multi-chapter fic so I’m not posting the text here on Tumblr. Click on the link to read on AO3.

Beta-read by lifelong BFF @roseglass.

There is also a Russian translation in the works by Jumik89. Please signal boost that if you can!

BUY ME A CUPPA COFFEE!!

[singingwordwright]

Are we going to be seeing more of Magnus in a 'Seperate Piece'. Because so far it's been all about Alec and the Clave. Even when Magnus is featured, it's in relation to one of Alecs problems. The massacre affected the downworld more than the Clave and yet the only thing your fic mentions is the Clave and Alec.

I admit, there is a lot of Alec content in A Separate Peace because it does deal so heavily with Clave politics and events inside the Institute, and those are issues Alec needs to navigate on the journey to becoming the leader he needs to be. So that’s just where a lot of the story is going to be happening.

Magnus has his own plotline he’s involved in, so he’s by no means passive, but it’s something that unspools a lot more gradually. It’s a little shrouded in mystery until the reveal, and as a result, I CAN’T get into his POV too much or too often, because there’s big chunks of information that Magnus has but it’s just not time to reveal those yet.