Today's progress on the next Immortal Instruments story:
“There are exactly five thousand active Institutes in the Mundane world,” Izzy says with the tone of someone quoting a book or, since apparently there’s an Academy for Shadowhunters, maybe a lecture. “Totaling a population of just above fourteen and a half millions of Nephilim. The oldest of them is the Institute of Geneva, established in 1544, and the most recent is the New York Institute, reclaimed by Reese and Rob Ligthwood in October of 1999 after a century and a half of inactivity. Cue: the teacher looking like they smelled shit on their shoes and the rest of the class staring at me.”
Izzy’s tone is light, even when she gets to the last part of her speech, but Clary can’t help but wonder how much of it is a facade. It would be one thing if the Lightwoods had chosen to come here, but according to their children, the entire family was meant to die here. What was it like, growing up in the middle of people who were all too aware that your existence went directly against the wishes of your government? Somehow, it doesn’t seem like a few stares were the end of it. Clary wants to say something nice, maybe words of sympathy, but Izzy barrels over the silence:
“It’s not supposed to be one family. The smallest Institute after ours is in Yukon, and they’ve got about a hundred and fifty people stationed there. They house four different families in total, children and the elderly included.”
“Well,” Clary can’t help but breathe, “you sure know your stats.”
“Yeah, there’s a project from the Beijing and Moscow Institute to digitalise and mutualize our informations to they’re accessible to every other Institute at once, and I’m part of the team that sorts through what gets complied and making it searchable… basically I do a lot of metadata organization, tagging books, all that stuff. It’s a bit gruelling, but it’s already helped solving some tough cases. Part of the reason Mama retired from helming our Institute this year is so she can help with the project full time—that’s why she and Baba are in Istanbul with our brother right now. Mama’s attending committee meetings to decide how they’re going to handle the database—I lost you.”
There’s not really any room to deny it, so Clary doesn’t even try.
AN: It was such a beautiful day. But then Simon’s PA Kelly happens, and everything goes sideways. Particularly since Simon had planned on a lusty afternoon. And then that asshat in NY he thinks of as his best friend decides to resurface after Simon has suffered the indignity of being quite so completely blown off. This again on the same day that Simon already has plans for said lusty afternoon. TWs: Whomp. This chapter heavily features drunkenness, angst, a triggered character, coping mechanisms, dissociation. More TWs: Long chapters. Wondering if large blank spaces are typos. Disappointment at the lack of sexytimes. A whopping Zero horny purple demons on the smut-o-meter. Zip. Nada. Masterlist || ao3 || Prev || Next wip!
Chapter 9: Let the slings and arrows commence
————/Billy/————
“This place sucks for scandalous road sex,” Simon declares. “The scenic overlooks keep getting looked-over. And there’s nowhere to, like, run into the trees, or behind a bush or something.”
“Behind a bush?”
“I’m speaking figuratively. Or metaphorically. Whatever. That’s not the point.”
“No? Seems to me that’d be precisely the point.”
“Don’t distract me with your distractions, Delaney. I mean, even the Jersey Turnpike has rest areas and truck stops.”
“Are you saying that you prefer this Jersey…thing?”
“Jersey Turnpike,” he says, as if it’s obvious.
“Whatever. You prefer the roads in this Jersey place over the Amalfi Coast?”
“Only for scandalous road sex,” he answers.
“So you’ve made a study of this sort of thing, have you?”
“No, but I’m willing to start,” he promises, the cheeky monkey.
The expression is priceless. “If you could see your face, mate. You look like you’re salivating.” Simon, you sly dog.
“Bother you?” he asks innocently. Less sly dog, more wolf now.
He can blow my house down any day. “Who am I to stop yer man gettin an eyeful?”
He’s staring at my bits without a lick of shame. “An eyefull as fuck.” And that shuts me mouth right the fuck up. But it’s grinning.
————/Simon/————
“Absolutely not! No fucking way! Don’t even think I’m caving on this, Kelly.” To truly drive home the point, I’m angry-pointing at her as if she can actually see it.
“Johnny wants a meeting. And you want to hear this, Simon. Serious,” she emphasizes in that supposedly ‘English’ accent it took me years to understand. (Who even knows where the Midlands are? Do they even exist? Like in real life?) She remains undaunted. “Listen to me, you knob! Wear a suit, yeah?”
“Why does it have to be in person? And who wears suits?” Nuh-uh. Nope. No way. This can’t be happening. “Can’t we just FaceTime or whatever?”
“Si-mun. It’s important. And besides, you’re on a fuckin panel. And you fuckin forgot. Because you’re a twat.”
“Oh my god, when is it? Fuck! SHIT!” I’ve dropped my phone scrambling to pull up my calendar. “Grrrrrraarrrrr!” What? It felt like something to roar over.
Kelly interrupts my roar. “Panel’s morning after tomorrow, half nine, yeah? But you got less than twenty four hours to get to Johnny’s meeting.”
“What?! Kelly! What the fuck!”
“The fuck is this, Simon: The panel’s on your schedule. You’re the one who said yes. You’re the one who’s suddenly back in Italy — for a week — with no call! Until you want in to a party. A party in another fuckin country, you prick! Why are you back in ITALY?!!! I am so fucked off at you right now.”
“Well, I’m fucked off at you right now, too! Whatever that means, I mean it. Even though everything you just said is right. God I hate that!”
“God I hate you! You’re such a dickhead. When were you planning on coming back to me?”
See? She loves me. Even when she hates me. Even in that barely intelligible accent.
Everyone I care about says horrible words to me as a habit, and it makes me feel loved? There’s gotta be something seriously wrong with me.
“Do I even rate a visit?” she demands.
See? She love/hates me. Angrily.
The phone vibrates against my face.
“Aw, Jesus fucking Christ, Helena Handbasket!* I’ve got another call. And I totally don’t want to talk to him, either. Sort of like how I didn’t want to talk to you, my own personal pet harpy. Text me everything, like you already planned to, whatever bye.”
I take a calming breath. I really, really don’t want this call right now.
Ugh.
“Chase. It’s been a minute.”
“I know, feels like a year, man,” he exclaims jovially. He’s jovial. Fuck him. “But don’t worry about it,” he continues. “I get it. You’ve been with Lisa. I’ve been with Lily. We’ve all succumbed to the ‘practically married’ lure of contentment and hibernation.”
“Inaccurate. You fell into domesticity. But me? There was never any domesticity to fall into. And Chase? Never speak her name to me again.”
“Wait, what?”
“Like I said, it’s been a minute,” I remind him, voice flat.
“What happened? Fuck man, I’m-” He pauses. “Hang out with me tonight. We have shit to catch up on.”
“You think?” I’ve just realized I don’t want to tell him a damned thing. And anyway, “I can’t tonight.” He doesn’t get details or explanations after blowing me off for a year.
And the thing that really pisses me off is that I love Lily! Always have. He knows this. It’s not like I didn’t want to hang out with them as a couple, and they know that. Because I fuckin introduced the pair of them! They just disappeared off the face of the earth. When I really needed my best friend. I am so pissed at him right now, it might just be the last nail in the coffin of my happy day. “Look Chase, I gotta go.”
“No, wait! I-“
“Later bro.”
I don't want to leave Italy!!! I DON’T! WANT! TO LEAVE! ITALY!
“Arrrrrgh!” I turn to Billy, “Can we put that song back on and put the top down?” I’m already pressing the button, aaaaaaand? The top is down.
This calamity doesn’t get to ruin the most awesome day of my adulthood.
Um.
Wow.
Is that an overstatement?
I literally can’t remember the last time I felt so good, so positive, so yes!!! It just feels right. God, does it feel right. I don’t know how to process my reaction to this thing that’s happened with Billy. Best day I can remember? That’s some fucking heavy shit.
“What’s all this, mate?” Billy hesitantly asks. “Who are these people and why?”
“My agent wants a meeting. In person. Wants me to come back. Johnny doesn’t usually need a face-to-face, and wearing a suit? I’m somewhere between suspicious and intrigued.”
“Sounds uncomfortable.”
“And the worst part? I literally forgot about NY Comic Con. I always cosplay Comic Con. It’s the only time I ever get to be a vampire. (D, because obviously.) And even more worst? I forgot I’m on a panel, and that’s just irresponsible. That’s my career.”
“Oh, right.”
What’s going on with his voice?
“Right. And now Chase remembers I exist after like a year of silence. And all I can feel about it is pissed. I want my happy vibe back,” and the moment I take a breath, “Shitfuckfuckinfuck!!!” because the phone’s vibrating again. “What the actual fuck?!” I ask the Medi/Tyrrhenian sky.
With no answer from that quarter, I turn on Kelly. “Kelly, what the fuck.”
“Shut up and listen, you dick. I’ve chartered a jet from Naples. You’re coming home.”
She hung up on me! “I don’t-” I drop my head back against the head rest and roar “FUUUCK!” at the Medi/Tyrrhenian sky.
“That’s a lot of fucking,” Billy says, unhelpfully. He nudges my arm. “What do you need, Simon? What can I do?”
“Damn, that’s- Why do you have to be so awesome all the time? So annoying.”
“Simon, you barely know me.”
I feel like I’ve just been slapped in the face by his seriousness.
“That’s not true,” I say, softly.
“No, hang on, hold up, that came out wrong.” He squeezes my hand. “You haven’t known me long enough to see my bad bits. That’s all I meant.”
“Ok. Accurate. I guess.”
“So what do you need?” he asks again.
“Long term parking at the airport. Is that a thing that exists here?” I ask.
And because he’s aiming for perfection, he replies, “Let me drive yeh.”
“That’s way too much to ask. We’re almost home.” The word ‘home’ just kinda rings out, hanging there in the fresh silence.
A few minutes later, Billy pulls off into the hotel’s courtyard, makes a big u turn, and asks, “Want to run in and get your stuff?”
“Nah. Let’s just go,” I sigh. “Walking into that room? I’d never want to leave.” And I really don’t want to lose a minute of this absolute rush of a crush I’ve got on this guy, and the high of actually getting to have him.
That is, getting to have him for all of a hot second, at most. I mean, seriously, what the hell? God just punched me in the nads with fate.
“I can’t believe how completely I forgot about Comic Con. That’s like, I mean it’s kinda, um, part of my bones. My frickin identity. Happiness that sort of mushrooms up into the atmosphere over the Javitz Center at the same time every year. My very bones should have been screaming at me really loudly to remind me. And I just didn’t hear them this time.”
He nods once. Why did the vibe just get all weird?
Ok, then. This is an obvious cue to start babbling.
“Yeah. I have zero reason to be invited, but I guess they want a voice for the young people. I’m supposed to talk about what it was like getting started so early.” Pfff.
“Like it’s my job to convince them all to be graphic novelists or some shit. Which in itself makes no sense. I am not a graphic novelist. My books have only ever been prosaic print books. I mean I would almost-kill to have somebody turn them into graphic novels. And even more almost-murderous for manga.” I shiver, theatrically.
Then it occurs to me, “Oh my god, I’m a character. Holy fucking shit, can you imagine a manga me??? That’s just fucked up!” I reprise my theatrical shiver. Instead of squealing, which is what I really want to do.
“Yeah. And this year I’m on the schedule? Being real-me on a stage with a microphone, ‘educating’ this community? The community I treasure as my family of choice, even if they’re all strangers. My esteemed fellow aliens, vampires, superheroes, plushies, hardcore manga and anime perfection, I salute you! Transformers, Horus Heresy with chainswords and shit. I AM VAMPIRE HUNTER D, FOR GOD’S SAKE!!! I feel like a fraud.”
Oh no, I’m not done yet. “Allow me to repeat, I have zero reason to be included. Something about being confident enough, trusting myself to find an agent and a publishing deal, blah blah blah. I dunno, maybe it kinda makes sense, kinda.”
“Mmm,” is all I get back.
Now all I can think about is this weird, sour pall hanging over everything. In the car at least. I think it would be impossible for the Amalfi Coast to have a pall. Except when Vesuvius erupts. Obviously. That’s a big, hot, body-melting pall. (So? I’m scared of volcanoes, I’m not ashamed.)
Oh please, stop my brain from trying to fill the awkward silence growing between the two of us. It feels horrible and I want it to go away.
Oh God, I can feel it coming, the babbling turning into incessant nervous chatter. It’s somewhere between word vomit and lactose intolerance. Sentences become explosive diarrhea of the brain, and particularly unpleasant word-gas that lingers with a foul smell. Gross, right? Yeah, gross.
“Yeah, and I have to find out how badly Johnny wants to kill me right now. Oh my god. The two people who hate/love me most in the world. And I have to see them both this week. There will be blood. Lots of it. Mine. More.” Yes, I am still talking. “This sucks! Worst timing ever. Why doesn’t God want me to get laid?”
Billy doesn’t laugh like I’d hoped. Instead, he’s gone all stiff. Definitely something I said. His grip tightens on Lola’s steering wheel. This is weird. Why is he being so weird? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be anything but gregarious and positive. Now he’s just kind of gone invisible on me. Blank. Like he’s not even there.
“I’ll have Leo mail your things back to yeh,” he offers.
Huh?
Why?
“Huh? Why? I’m confused. If anything, I’ve needed more stuff, not less.”
“Well, if you’re leaving…..And you have to…..” and he just sort of trails off at the end. Then after a beat, he mumbles to himself. “I should have known.” The mumbles turn to grumbles. “Never fails. Never fuckin fails.”
“I know, right? Murphy’s Law.” Then it occurs to me, “Murphy must have been Irish. And stout.”
He doesn’t take the bait.
“Right, well, it’s been really fun, Simon. More than fun. Seems like such an inadequate adjective for, well, you know what I mean.”
“Huh?”
“It’s just- I’m glad I got the chance to know you a bit better, before yeh had to be goin.”
“Oh! Is that what this is? Billy?”
He waits in silence, a look of blank resignation on his face.
“I’m coming back!”
He pauses, like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. But nothing drops. “You are,” he states, as if I’m about to correct him.
“Of course I am, you idiot! How’d you put it? ‘Thick as pig shit’?”
Finally he glances over at me. He looks distinctly grey. Not his hair, I mean his face.
Oh frack. I think I really fucked this one up. Fucking Kelly! She gets me all worked up with her bald-faced contempt for my input and ineptitude.
“Billy. Look at me for a sec.”
As he glances over, I say, “I’m coming back. I wouldn’t just run off after what happened. You should at least know me better than that, Delaney. And anyway…” I have a bit more difficulty spitting this one out. “I like y- Us. I like us. You. What happened. I’m-”
Then a horrible thought arrives. “Do- I mean, do you want me to go?” comes out kinda quietly, sounding straight-up cowardly.
“Course not!” he almost bellows.
The fuck? “Hey.”
He doesn’t answer.
“Good,” I say softly.
“Good? What’s good?!” I can see him folding in on himself.
“You don’t want me to go away,” I admit even softer.
“Course not!” he yells once again.
“Hey,” I try again. “Billy, pull over.”
“Where? And anyway, you’d be late for your flight.”
Maybe he really does need reassurance. Who knew such a beautiful man could be bothered by concerns of the ego, just like the rest of us. “Hey. I don’t want to go, ok? Know that, ok?”
“Yeah, ok.” So unconvincing. Maybe he really didn’t go to theatre school.
“Billy! Come back this instant!” I use Ma’s voice, cuz maybe that’ll work on him like it works on me.
“Where do you think I am?”
“Behind your face!” I exclaim.
Tables? Turned.
“Ha. Ha.” He looks annoyed. He’s annoyed with me.
I decide some hand-holding might make a difference. He holds on tight.
I bring his hand to my mouth and brush my lips across the fingers. “I hate when people use this line, but I’m using it anyway. You can’t get rid of me that easy. Meh. Takes at least a round of antibiotics to affect that kind of change.”
“Ok,” he whispers.
“You know, maybe it’s a good idea that we have some alone time. I mean, it’s been an insane 24 hours.”
“Yeah,” he answers.
“Maybe we need to process,” I offer.
“Yeah,” he answers.
Wow, his mopes are just as epic as mine. We are going to have to talk about this. Eventually. Probably.
But for now, “I’m really not psyched about leaving, just so you know. I’d keep you in bed all day and all night, leaving Vittorio in the dark, so you lose your job and have to come back to New York with me. It’s all part of my sinister plot.” I lick his palm and finally get a snort.
“Animal, that’s what you are!” He can’t help cracking a smile.
“What’s this really about?” I ask quietly.
He lets the silence stretch on, but I can tell he’s just formulating an answer.
“I don’t know,” he finally admits. “When are yeh goin back? Like, leaving-leaving. For real.”
“I dunno, actually. I have thought about it a couple times. But every time, I just banish the thought. It’s a terrible idea. Going home.”
“Why?”
I roll my eyes quietly. “You know why.”
“Oh,” he says, a little pink emerging on his cheeks.
“Oh, what?”
“Just…good.” His voice is a little bit like cracked pavement. It’s been through an ordeal and now it’s got fissures. “I don’t want this to be over the day it started. It’s not enough time.”
“Facts,” I echo. And I decide that, since there will be no quickie, I should scoot a little closer and lick a stripe up his neck.
His nostrils flare as he sucks in a breath. I test the plumpness of an earlobe with my teeth. His hands grip the wheel more tightly, knuckles whitening.
“Simon,” he says in a warning tone. But I just peel one hand off the wheel and suck on a finger. Not something I’ve done a million times before. Just seemed like a good idea.
“Giving me a highway handy is…” He takes a deep breath. “…is just going to get us killed. But sucking on my fingers is good. Go on ahead doin that, if you still feel like it.”
I giggle. He sounds full of, um, I guess, affection? And that’s how my chestal region feels. Affection. Affected. But the rest of me is definitely feeling his fingers with my tongue.
————/Billy/————
Why is my heart pounding so hard in my chest? It’s…
I literally feel unable to speak at the moment. I’ve barely registered the fact that I've been sat here at the curb and there’s a busy airport in front of me. All I really have in my head is motion and colour.
I’m still stuck on the seconds before Simon walked away. He took my face in both his hands and pressed his forehead to mine. My mind’s been constantly racing around madly, lookin for something concrete to cling to ever since he… And the ferocity we had in holding onto each other, hard. Breathin together.
He could tell something was wrong, which clearly means I have to be better. Try harder. I’m slipping, and that way lies madness. Depending on people. Countin on ‘em. “You need to be better than that, Delaney. Control yerself, yeh great eejit. Then just breathe. Just breathe.”
A car’s horn sounds behind me, and I realize that it’s been over twenty minutes since Simon got out the car and walked away. That horn startled the fuck out of me. I don’t think taking up prime curbside is the most considerate thing I could do.
Pullin out.
Red light, Billy, red light. Am I permitted to turn right on red here? I have to pull over again. It’s just
Um
My head feels woolly and I’m staring into space, rather than the road.
“What are yeh playin at, Delaney. Just look at the state of yeh. Mind on the road. Mind on the road!”
And I never even got to kiss him. Find out how he tastes.
Um. “I need a pint.”
I really need a pint.
And someone who speaks the way I do. Kieran, and that’s yer man. Kieran. He’ll pull me a pint while talkin like an Irishman would do.
Um
Pint.
Pint, Billy, pint.
A Guinness it’ll be. Something thick, something a bit like a coffee milkshake had sudsy sex with the darkest of darkest beer.
“Black Rose it is, then,” I sigh the sigh of a thousand parched men.
Dissociation. That’s the term. Disappearing behind your face a while, starin out into the middle distance. The void. It’ll make a man’s face go slack, leavin him looking forlorn for all the world to see, and none the wiser for it.
I feel heavy. Like I’ve gained a stone in weight and all it wants to do is compress and compress and compress me until I’m naught more than a crushed can of Fosters.
Lady Madonna, children at her feet. (Especially Irish and Italian children, because we’re all catholic.) Maria’s voice has led me to the right place, but she can’t be bothered to make me stand and go in.
My body feels odd. Like it’s only partially awake.
“Guinness.” It’ll fix what ails yeh. Because Guinness is good for you. Truth in advertising! All the vitamins and grains a lad could ever want in a meal. Consider it room temperature barley and hops soup. So thick you could chew it if yeh liked. Oh lord yes.
I gots to shake this off. No use dragging others down with me. I tense and release, tense and release until the body wakes up, and I can shake off this… whatever it is I’m feelin at the moment.
“Shake it off, buddy. It’ll be all right. All right? Shake it off. Get your head in the game.” I even give it a physical try, shaking it off like a dog shrugging off fleas. You can’t really see them, but they’re there and they’ll drive that dog mad with memories. “It’s going to be all right.”
I promise myself it’ll be all right.
Game face.
————/-/————
I clear the door, and already Kieran’s callin me over. “Billy! Howeyeh?”
“Couldn’t stay away, mate.” I like this guy. I mean, not in that way. Oh lord, I need a pint. “What’s the craic?”
“The craic is what’s at the bottom of a pint.”
“And what’s at the bottom of a pint?” I’m askin.
“Another pint.”
Laughin, I promise him, “Truer words. I’m gonna borra that, and fair warnin.”
“Free to use as fit to use,” he nods. “You’re one for Budvar, that right?”
“Ta, mate. But for tonite, a Guinness, and do us a favor, mate. Keep ‘em comin. Don’t let my glass stand empty. Just keep ‘em comin til I’ve drunk the lot. It’s been one a them sort a days, d’you know what I mean.”
I’m numb. That’s what it is. I recognize it. It’s this sort of blankness. I can’t think clearly, and the clock ticks along too slowly.
I’m hollow. It feels empty here in the space beneath my rib cage.
Each good Irishman knows his way round sadness, givin it its own familiar pet name, inviting it in to sit a spell and make itself comfortable by the fire, spot o tea, givin it a room to sleep in, then devourin it, swallowin the pieces down whole.
Right, Delaney. Back in the game, back in the game.
Checkin my reflection in the mirror, I look well enough. I’ve had no comments tossed my way, such as the favorites: “Are you ok?” “What’s wrong?” And the worst of the lot, “Is there anything I can do?” Fuck that.
Posture up, Delaney. Slap a smile on yer face, and not a one will have a clue. No clues, none the wiser. Breathe. Deep breaths.
I scan the place. “Nice one, Barry’s here. I’ll shout him his next, yeah?” I can see him down t’other end of the bar tryin it on with a beautiful Italian girl - who, apparently, can’t understand whatever it is he’s tryin to say. She rolls her eyes and leaves him standin there gawping.
The man could likely use a hand.
“Save me Barry!” I shout full throated down the length of the bar.
Up snaps his head in confusion. When he finally spots me, his face splits into a wide smile. “Billy?”
“Melonfucker! If it isn’t that bastard Barry. Cuff ‘im and bring ‘im here, he owes me money!”
“Melonfucker?” Kieran asks, as Barry’s takin his place next to me at the bar.
“I loved my mother. Just can’t bring myself to say the real thing. But sometimes a man just needs that many syllables in an expletive. So, melonfucker it is. Howeyeh? All right, man?”
“Yes,” Barry answers with an elfin crinkle to his eyes, like the whole world is smilin back at him.
“What are you on, mate?” I ask, givin his arm a nudge.
He looks at his shoes a second, and smoothes the top of his hair. Then, with a conspiratorial look, “Just a little high. Just a little. W-want a hit?”
“What sort o’hit we talkin ‘bout here?” I clarify.
“Here,” and he passes me a thin little spliff.
“Um, Kieran? This ok with yeh, mate?” I ask, cos there’s not a lot o pubs as would be fine with this.
Kieran shrugs a shoulder, and Barry grins a bit harder when I take it.
“Never have been to Wales, Barry, tell me all about it.” I make m’self comfortable. Might could do with a bit of Barry’s amicable blandness while I’m so messed up about what I got up to last night.
Huh.
First time it’s come to mind that it’s not just Simon leavin as has me messed up. It’s also what we got up to. In every detail of what we got up to. I’m feelin messed up, and more besides.
I am. I don’t want to be. But I am.
I pass the spliff back to Barry.
It all happened so suddenly, and so intensely. And then poof, he’s gone. Feel as though I’ve been hit by the bus for Sorrento.
Shitting my pants, more like. What the fuck?! I can’t just, I mean it was, like, last night. And this morning. And here I am, at a-
If I can just have a couple nonsensical, nothin-serious nights. Maybe gettin really drunk. Dunno, it could happen. Barry passes the joint back to me, and I fill my lungs.
I mean, if Simon doesn’t come back, at least I’ve found my local. “I’m shoutin this round, mate. Nah, Barry. Don’t argue with me, just let me buy yous a fuckin beverage, Beverly.”
————/-/————
“What’s up wit you, you mopey fuck?” Kieran bumps my arm. I’m lookin at the clock and think I must’ve been starin into space a while, cos it’s suddenly 2 hours into the evening.
“Because we’re men. And the moment called for it,” I raise my pint and chuckle to myself. Appears Kieran has no answer for that.
I like it when I’m stoned and then the alcohol kicks in. It’s that point between tipsy and toppling to the dirt, when the two substances race to catch up with each other. So, not quite soused, but yet still very much on the verge of being oh so very fucked up.
“Hammered. Tanked. These are words my American friend uses at times like these. Or times like 4 shots from now.” Probly just snorted again. Can’t help it and don’t want to.
“It’s early, yet.” Kieran points to the glowing bar clock. It shows half six. “Slow it down a bit maybe.”
“Oh, I’m going bit by bit tonight,” I promise him. “D’you know what I mean, like appreciating each and every single hop and barley as it goes down.”
“Not quite what I was goin for, but-“
“Sure’n the last 24 hours wasn’t at all what we was goin for,” I mutter to myself. “But happened all the same.”
“What was that?” Barry leans closer. “Didn’t hear you.”
I take a long, slow breath and shrug, “Sorry, just an old song I used to know.”
Kieran and Barry are doin some sort of silent conversatin with their eyebrows, while I polish off this pint. I’ve always envied that kind of telepathy between friends. But they can’t compete with our eye caterpillars. “The two of yous make a cute pair.”
Um…
Wait. Did I- “Wait a tick, that came out wrong. Not like you’re a couple or- Em, I meant cute, like mates are cute.” Fuck, Delaney, shut your mouth’n stop talkin out of it.
They’re lookin at me with concern, and no small wonder. I’ve caught a babbling case of simonitis. Spreads with repeated contact. Another reason to wear a condom, younglings. Wrap that shit up.
Kieran leans his forearms on the bar. “Right, like I said before, what’s up with you? You don’t seem like the same man what come in two nights past.”
It’s true. “I’m not. The same man as was here two days ago. Fuck me, that’s a weird thought to try and swallow.”
Kieran looks at me like a mother hen would do. “Billy? Where you stayin mate?”
“Don’t know. Sleep it off in the car or something. It’ll work itself out.”
He doesn’t much like my answer, nor is he impressed with my lackadaisical delivery.
“You’ll sleep at mine,” says Kieran, waving away my arguments. “You could do with a kip, couldn’t you. Is all I’m sayin.”
“You’ve only just met me. You don’t barely know me, either, man.” It’s just plain fact. He doesn’t, does he.
“I know well enough. Remindin me of myself, you are. Myself in darker days.”
Ah, misery loves company. “Oh right? You’ve had somebody like that come along, have you?”
“Like what?” asks Barry, sounding confused.
“Like yesterday.” I almost slosh Guinness into my eye, gesturing with my pint in an animated fashion. “Like yesterday you were one person, and now today, you’re not. You’re nearly certain it’s down to a person or thing and then that came along and now it’s not.”
“Not what?” Barry’s lookin worried. “Was he making sense before?”
“Acourse I was,” I say. “That’s an easy question. You’ll need to throw me a harder one than that, Beverly.”
“All right, then-” Barry begins.
But not fast enough to beat Kieran’s “Who is she? Where’d you meet her?”
“Oh it’s like that, is it. Go on why don’t yeh, Cupid, yeh wee blighter. Straight to the heart of it. Well I’ll tell yeh, lads. Nobody I didn’t already know.”
Kieran ‘hmmmm’s thoughtfully, takin my measure as though I’m a puzzle for solvin.
“I don’t know, it’s a bit like,” and I scrunch my shoulders as I look for the words. “And then it’s too late. You know it’s gonna happen but you don’t know when. You have no idea, and you make the first move! You!” I point right at Kieran for emphasis.
“And then you’re a totally different person, am I right?” I nod my head. “You lot are here with me, the one that I am now. Before, it was me, before me now.”
“Quite the philosopher,” says Kieran, wiping down a glass with a funny expression. He should write it on the bathroom wall, like all the best bar poets do.
I need to make a toast.
“Gentlemen, a toast. To you two gentlemen.” They hold their pints aloft. “For bein there then and here now. Thanks for helpin me work through this. I think I just needed to say it out loud. And now I have. Thanks, lads,” I smile at them, and throw an arm over Barry’s shoulder like we’re old mates. “I needed an ear. Or four,” I chuckle.
Somehow they both get that this is genuine. Which is good. Yes. Good.
——/-/————
“Right, it’s better that I tell everyone knows so that I’m a little drunk. Just for being responsible purposeness, yeah? I mean they deserve to know. I’m sure they’ll be all right with it.”
“Who?” asks Kieran.
“Remind me, Billy,” says Barry. “How long did you say you’ve been in this situation?”
“What’s that? I didn’t. Say, I mean.”
The world is making this, “wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wah-wah” sound. “I feel like I’m on drugs. Why do I feel like I’m on drugs? Ohhhh, it feels like nitrous. Wah-wah-wah-wah.” I look up and I have no idea what I just said or why. “Hi. Heya.” Wait, that’s not Simon. Hm, when’s he supposed to be here? I’m looking around for him. He’s not spottable at the mo. But I *think* he’ll be here right now. Right? “I’m confused.”
“Yes,” says Kieran. “Yes, you are.” He hands me a pint of ice water. Quite refreshing really.
“Billy,” says Barry, smoothing his hair in that nervous gesture of his. “So you’re with- um, that man Simon? His boyfriend.”
I snarf my beer. Not out my nose, saints preserve us. “Boyfriend? Um. Er. That’s um. That’s. Why do you say that?” I am definitively taken off guard. And so bluntly. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
“What, aren’t you?” asks Kieran.
“What - boyfriends?” I can feel my chin still falling toward the floor. They can tell it’s an honest reaction, so now it’s even more awkward.
Redirect. “There’s a song I need to hear. Is there something that will make that happen?”
They both look pretty taken aback. Cultural social lesson for the future. Thou shalt not dj.
“What’re yeh thinking?” Kieran asks.
“Just one song. But you must make an oath you’ll make everyone sing, or it’s worthless.”
Kieran thinks that’s funny. But also odd. He shrugs, “Which one is it?”
“Don't be laughin at me for bein trite, it being Bono and the lads, but I need Beautiful Day. Like you don’t even know.”
It comes on, and Kieran hollers, “Alright you lot! You know the words! Let your grandad hear us in Galway.” Happily, everyone yells some variation of “ok,” but it all sounds like “fuck yeah” to me.
All in all, it works out pretty well. “You thought you found a friend to take you out of this place. Someone you can lend a hand, in return for grace. It’s a beautiful day.” That sounds about right. Next thing I know, the chorus riles em up and there’s a great amount of beer-sloshing to dodge.
“It’s a beautiful day. Don’t let it get away.” But I did. I let it get away. Aaaaand now, despite an entire pub of folk practically shoutin about beauty, I’m depressed.
Me? Depressed? When I’m this drunk? Not likely. I snort. That’s just bonkers. A scoff is the best that thought deserves. And maybe a Bushmills.
“Bushmills on the rocks, Jeeves.”
“You from up in the North then?” Kieran asks. “Don’t much sound it.”
“Spent some time there.” Redirect, and anyway, I’m curious. “Why am I so high?”
Barry turns his implish little face to me, and passes me a fresh spliff.
————/-/————
‘Baby, I’m wasted. All I wanna do is drive home to you. Baby, I’m faded. All I wanna do is hm hm hmtown. Baby, hm’sumthin, sumthin sumthin la la la, beep boop beep-boop.
“Reckon I like this pub. Ye Olde Black Rose. La Rosa Nera in Italiano,” I say to no one in particular. “Sometimes it’s good to just make a declarative statement, know what I mean.”
“I heard that declarative statement, and I thank you mate,” Kieran gives a big-hearted grin. Which has now refocused over my shoulder. “Barry, you goodfornuttin. Harp? Budvar? Harp?”
“I don’t like Bud very much,” says Barry, the strange little man. He speaks in that halting, almost nervous way of his. He also frequently speaks in declarative statements, which most people shy away from, by and large. I’ve decided I like that about him.
“Don’t yeh dare be askin me fer a Black and Tan,” Kieran warns. “Try sayin something like our Billy here, makin a strong declarative statement bout how well he enjoys our fine drinkin establishment.”
“And I do, at that,” I affirm. “‘Cept, maybe the clientele are a bit, well, y’know…” and I balance my hand side to side.
Kieran gives me a dry smile and passes Barry his pint, allowin me a moment to down another shot of tequila.
Wonder what a Welshman’s doin down Mediterranean way. They’re a cold water lot. “You livin here, then, Barry? This your local?”
“Yes, I do. And y-yes, it is.”
I decide we need to get some facts straight. I announce, “Now, I’m not one for swallowin, but-” and halt my progress. I’ve suddenly gone blank. “Wait. What was we talkin bout?”
“How far into your night are you, Billy?” Kieran asks instead of answering. That’s Irish Barkeep for, ‘Seems like you might’a had more drink than you can handle, Billy.’ “What sort of day you have, mate? I’ve seen a face or two like yours is now.”
I’ve no doubt he has done, bein a bartender and such.
“My day.” I try to laugh, but all I emit is a snort and a burble. Way too much goin on in my head. Too much goin away on planes. Too much touch. Too much of the way he smells. Too much suckin on fingers. Just far, far too much o’ life to hold in one head alone.
What was we talkin bout? Oh…holdin my drink. “Are yous lot aware that I am an Irishman? Yes, yes you are.” I wait for encouragement to continue. “How could yeh dare to impugn my honour thinkin I don’t know how t’hold my drink.? Yeh think they’da let me outta Ireland if I couldna hold my drink? Embarrassment to my country, kin and kind.”
The room spins. “What was we talkin bout? I feel like they’re right there just beyond me,” I sigh.
“What’s right there?” Barry asks.
“Words, man. Words!” Then I remember something else, too: “Beer!”
“What happened, Barry?” Kieran stands in front of him, wipin down the counter, talkin low so they think I can’t hear. “All I did was walk a few steps to help those two lovely ladies, then back again to find we’ve reached nothin but babble. It’s like we’re only getting one side of the conversation. You farin any better than that?”
“Am I?” Barry asks in surprise. “No,” he says emphatically.
“Well, lads,” I step in. “Here’s the truth. I did have a, uh, night last night.”
I wait for some signal that they heard and understood me. They did, so I continue.
“Here’s the thing. I was out with someone. Someone I’ve, em, y’know, been talkin to. But we was only ever mates. Ever. Never figured for more than that, know what I mean. But suddenly, somethin happens and boom, everything in my life is unrecognizable to me now.” I might could’ve turned a tad morose in my old age. “It felt like everything I’ve ever wanted.” Lovely. Another sentence out my mouth without originatin in my brain. “But with hi- them? Never, ever occurred to me. Not once!”
“Looked so fuckin fit, d’you know what I mean? Dancin that way and all I could do was watch. You know? Just watch. But then everything I wanted became mine,” I continue. “I had it all in my hands, and I wasn’t wastin a moment of that time on ‘what if’ and shyness. I mean lads, I think you know me well enough by now. Don’t yeh?”
They both nod emphatically.
“I wake up. Both of us wake up and can’t keep our hands…our…” I sigh. “The desire was there. It was just — everywhere. Can barely keep from havin a horn everywhere I go. But, like, it’s different when something that might be real is on the line. Know what I mean.”
Again, they nod emphatically.
“I just-“ Spit it out, kid. “I mean-“ Not doin much better. Out with it. “I just don’t want to go back to how it was before. Friends. I want to level up. And that, lads, is some deeply terrifying shit.” I can feel my eyes widen. “Maybe not for some, but that’s the way of it for me.”
I stare at my reflection in the bar mirror. I still look like me, even knowin all that transpired. I can’t have changed that much. I don’t look horrified. Which is good. But a bit stressed? That I am. And maybe a whole lot worried. My eyes look distinctly hollow and haunted. “It was so good,” I mumble.
“She’ll be back, mate. The girls love you,” Kieran grins conspiratorially at Barry, then back to me. “I bet you can’t beat em back with ennathin but your stick, know what I mean. Can’t keep ‘em off you, can you?”
“I have no response to that question,” I laugh. “It’s true. I know I’m a man whore, for certain, it’s true. But it might be I’m a one-man man whore.”
And the room sets itself to spinnin.
————/-/————
Masterlist || ao3 || Prev || Next wip!
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*Helena Handbasket is one of the very best characters TJ Klune has ever written. And now I’ve adopted Ms. Handbasket as my favorite expletive. It’s a phase. Meanwhile, you should drop everything and go read the first 2 books in the At First Sight series. (Tell Me It’s Real, then The Drag Queen and the Homo Jock King.) I basically created Simon from the afterglow of that series. Go forth and discover TJ Klune. Right now. Go.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 5/?
Fandoms: Super Mario Bros. (Video Games), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Bowser/Luigi (Nintendo), Mario/Princess Peach (Nintendo), Luigi & Mario (Nintendo), Bowser Jr. & Luigi (Nintendo)
Characters: Luigi (Nintendo), Mario (Nintendo), Bowser (Nintendo), Princess Peach (Nintendo), Toad (Nintendo), Bowser Jr. (Nintendo)
Additional Tags: Fluff, Happy Ending, Gay Luigi (Nintendo), Self-Esteem Issues, Scared Luigi (Nintendo), Luigi has a crush on Bowser (Nintendo), Good Parent Bowser (Nintendo), Sweet Bowser (Nintendo), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change, How Do I Tag, Mario has bad ideas, Slow Burn
Simon Lewis x Reader
Reader escapes a sticky situation with Simon’s assistance.
TW: attempted assault, stalking
Note: I decided to write Vamp!Simon because I haven’t done it yet. And though I know the damsel in distress trope is tired, I love the idea of having a supernatural partner who could whoop some ass on my behalf. I guess I’m a little basic in that sense lol
You locked the door to your shop, pulling your jacket more snugly around your shoulders in the chilly night air. You had let time get away from you again, but people just kept coming into your store and you didn’t want to kick people out. After all, finals were coming up, and people needed their herbs and talismans.
You glanced at your watch. 12:26AM. Damn.
You thought about calling your boyfriend to come and escort you home, as this part of Brooklyn could get a little rough after hours, but you didn’t want to bother him. He was probably busy right now anyway.
It was just as far to your place as it was to the nearest subway station and wasn’t far enough to be worth calling a Lyft, so you set off at a brisk pace down the sidewalk. Your eyes kept darting to the left and right as you walked; you didn't want to give anyone the opportunity to approach you from the alleys you passed. Unfortunately, despite your attempts at vigilance, that’s precisely what happened. You were only human, after all.
“Hey girl,” a deep voice said from the shadows, making your heart leap in your chest.
“Hello,” you said without pausing. You never wanted to be impolite, something that perhaps could get you in trouble someday.
Someday was now.
As you walked, you heard the sound of heavy boot steps falling into place behind you. Shit.
You attempted a quick glance behind you without breaking your stride, and could only see the darkened shape of a man following you. He trailed a few yards behind. Your heart was in your throat now, and you had to resist the urge to break out into a run. What if he’s just going somewhere and I run away from him like some kind of asshole, you frantically thought to yourself. This is a public sidewalk after all. However, you couldn’t quite convince yourself.
“Where are you going lady?” Said a voice from behind you. It was the same voice from before, and it was closer. This time you squeaked audibly in your alarm.
“J- just heading to meet my boyfriend,” you said, and you couldn’t keep the tremor from your voice. You could see the streetlamp that marked your intersection ahead. Once you turned onto your street you would be safe as it was a well-lit main drag. Only two more blocks…
The events of the next few seconds were a blur.
“What’s the hurry?” the voice asked, and you felt a firm hand on your shoulder. You screamed. You dimly registered a sort of whoosh, and in retrospect you couldn’t be sure if it was a sound you heard or a sensation that you felt. You turned around, but the man behind you had disappeared. You saw nothing in the shadows, only the light giving way to darkness down the sidewalk. You thought you heard the faint sounds of a scuffle, a sharp cracking noise that resembled the sound of a twig snapping, and then only silence. Out of the darkness a shape materialized. Simon?
Your boyfriend stepped into the light, eyes blazing. “Simon!” you cried, and you ran to him. You threw your arms around him, relishing in his reassuring solidness. “Oh thank god, I was so freaked out!”
“I can see that,” he said, smirking down to you. “I was just coming by your work to see if you were done and I could smell you. I could literally smell your fear.”
“That’s...not sexy,” you said, and Simon chuckled. “But I’m glad you came by when you did. I don’t know what that guy was gonna do.”
“I have an idea,” he replied wryly, glancing over his shoulder at the darkness. “I could smell that too.”
“What… oh.” you said, your blood running cold.
“Don’t worry about him.” Simon said, his words clipped.
“Simon,” you said, your voice hushed. “Did you just kill a guy?”
“No,” he replied, and he actually sounded a little disappointed. “But he won’t be using his hands for a while. Let’s go.” He threw an arm around your shoulders as you started walking together down the sidewalk.
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked. “I would have come to walk you home.”
You shrugged. “ I didn’t want you to have to come and rescue me. I figured you had more important things to do.”
“Hey now,” Simon said, stopping you, and you looked up at his face. His expression was earnest. “I never have more important things to do than be with you.” You melted against him a bit at his words. He could be so sweet, your Simon.
“And that’s even when your safety isn’t on the line,” he added with a smirk, but then his expression turned serious. “I will always be there for you, you know that right?”
“I know…” you began, looking away. He cupped your chin and gently turned your face again to look at him.
“No, I need you to know that. I will always protect you. You’re the most important thing in the world to me.” he said. His expression was hard but his voice was soft.
“Oh Simon,” you said, your voice quiet. “You mean everything to me too.”
He pressed his lips to yours, and you answered his kiss, opening to him. The two of you kissed in the shadows, and you were not afraid.
“Should we call someone? About you-know-who back there?” you asked.
“Nah, he’ll wake up in the morning in a world of hurt. He’s lucky I just ate, otherwise I might not have been able to control myself.” You saw a dark glint in his eye at that and oddly enough, it sort of turned you on.
Finally you had arrived at the corner of your street. “What do you want to do now?” you asked. “Do you want to go home or go out somewhere?”
CONGRATULATIONS FOR 1K BROO!!!♡♡♡ you deserve more and more are on the wayyyyy😋😋 can I get a 🖊 "you are family" for magnus, isabelle, jace? Thanku so muchhh🥰🥰🥰
Omg, thank u so muchhh, Lava!! 😍💕
I hope you like it 🥰🧡
• Prompt “You are family”
• Friendship: Magnus, Isabelle & Jace
Join the celebration!
China, Shangai 2010
Magnus was laying on the couch, silently, staring at the ceiling. It had been two weeks since they arrived in Shangai. And five days since Magnus’s magic became unstable. But what Magnus could not understand was how his old friend Ragnor Fell was alive?
Unless Shinyun had —
Magnus was interrupted by his thoughts when he heard the doors opening, and two different footsteps coming inside. Moments later two tall figures hovered above Magnus.
It was Jace and Isabelle. Jace eyed him curiously - reminded Magnus of Tessa, but he shouldn’t be suprised, considering they are related - but there was something in his expression Magnus couldn’t read. Meanwhile Isabelle‘s face was unreadable.
He sat up, suddenly worried if something happened to Alec or Max.
“Did something happened to —“ Magnus was cut off by Jace, “No, everyone is alright,” Magnus relaxed. “We just wanted to check on you.” Magnus blinked in suprise. While Isabelle and Jace sat down next to him.
“We know Ragnor is your old friend. It is not easy to see him alive, especially when you thought he was dead?” Isabelle raised her eyebrows. “And with your magic growing unstable… We are worried.” Jace nodded in agreement.
“Did you discovered why is your magic unstable?” Jace asked.
“No,” Magnus shook his head. “Nothing yet. But hopefully I will soon.” He hesitated. “I think it has something with my father.”
Jace and Isabelle exchanged looks, “Have you told Alec?”
“I did.” Magnus nodded. “There is a portal opened. Here in Shangai. A portal from Edom..”
Isabelle and Jace’s eyes widdened in disbelief, “But how?” Isabelle demanded. “I thought the portal from Edom, was closed forever.”
“And it was closed. But Ragnor is able to do the spells about it. And Shinyun is probably helping him.” Magnus suspected both Ragnor and Shinyun were controlled by someone. Specifically, what he thought is they are somehow controlled by Asmodeus.
“We’ll figure it somehow,” Jace mused. “If not… Well, we can have a lot of fun, if we go to Edom again. If there would be a need for us to go there.” He said cheerfully, his gold eyes sparkling.
Magnus narrowed his gold-green eyes, “Jace, this is not a —“
“Jace, stop joking about going to Edom again.” Isabelle snapped, and shuddered. She turned to Magnus, “But he is right, that we’ll figure it out what to do. ”
Magnus shook his head, and sighed. “I shouldn’t bother you with problems I have with Asmodeus —“
“You are not bothering us, Magnus.” Jace shook his head, his face suddenly serious. “You are a family, if you need our help, we’ll always be there.” Isabelle nodded in agreement, with smile, and reached out squezzing Magnus’s hand. “You are family to us, Magnus. And have been for the past 3 years. You shouldn’t be suprised.”
Magnus never expected that to be said by Jace Herondale or Isabelle Lightwood. He would have expected to hear that from Alec, but no one else.
“I never expected that to be said from Jace Herondale or Isabelle Lightwood.” Magnus remarked amused.
Jace groaned, “Don’t get used to that. Because this is probably the only time I am going to say this.”
Isabelle snorted, causing Jace to turn towards her, and glare. She held up her hands in surrender, “It is not good to lie, Jace.” She smirked, and Jace threw a pillow at her.
Magnus watched the two siblings arguing, chuckling. He never expected to be part of Shadowhunter family. Much less Lightwood family. But he couldn’t have found much better people then them.
Thank you to the Kit Herondale Cult for giving me ideas for this. Sorry it took me so long i was a bit busy and sorry its so long, i couldn’t stop writing once i started! Tagging: @themostawesomehuman @friendlyneighbourhoodreader @lily-chen-deserves-better @everysquareinch hope you enjoy!
Jace stood in his room, leaning against the four-poster bed. He was nervous. This wasn’t something he usually liked to admit, but he was getting better at it. These were his own thoughts anyway, so no one was going to know. He was going to propose to the love of his life, most would say its natural to feel at least a little anxious, but not Jace. He was the best Shadowhunter of his generation and he purposefully kept up the ‘I don’t care about anyone or anything’ facade because it fit the title, and it was a shield to hide behind. His thoughts were running away with him now, and he needed to get a grip on himself.
Just then, Alec and Izzy popped up from behind the door. They both were holding huge bundles of flowers and Magnus was right behind them. “Everything is ready!” Izzy chirped, she almost seemed more excited than Jace did. She shouted, “Simon, get the cake, will you?”. Simon came running into the room with a huge cake box in his hands. Jace had everything planned down to a T. Nothing could go wrong.
“Uncle Jace, Uncle Jace!” screamed an excited voice. Jace looked down to see Max and Rafe close behind, his two favourite nephews. Granted, he didn’t have any others, but Max and Rafe looked up to him, something that made him feel warm inside. He would never admit it though. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” Rafe said. He acted like he was annoyed but Jace had seen him giggling with Max earlier and fixing their already pristine matching suits.
He wasn’t sure why so many people were tagging along other than the fact that he wanted them to be there, and he was sure Clary would as well.
Magnus had portaled Jace there earlier to drop off the decorations and glamour where he would be proposing from mundane eyes. They were going to use magic (including the special glitter fountain Magnus had set up, and Jace had reluctantly agreed to), and Jace didn’t need prying mundane eyes asking questions.
“Hey, Max, Rafe! Did you miss me?” He asked, “Yes, yes, yes!” Max exclaimed and Rafe rolled his eyes but his lips tugging at the corners gave him away. “Have you got everything?” he asked the room in general, and Izzy produced a checklist and pen from her jean pocket. “Cake? Check. Decorations? Check…” She kept muttering.
Isabelle was wearing a tight, black dress that came almost to her knees with matching heels and some light makeup. Jace was wearing casual clothes so as not to look suspicious. He and Simon were similarly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Magnus was in his usual glittery attire and he had clearly picked out Alec’s outfit out as well, otherwise he would never wear something that looked this new.
Izzy proclaimed everything to be ready and Jace called Clary. Trying to sound casual, he said,” I’m taking you on a date tonight, be ready by 5,” and hung up before he could lose his nerve.
Time skip to 5
Jace picked Clary up and drove her to the institute where Clary kept asking where they were going and Jace answered with it’s a surprise. She looked gorgeous like she always did in a t-shirt, jeans and a leather jacket. Magnus was waiting for them outside, and he quickly created a portal for them. Jace held Clary’s hand and a few seconds later they found themselves in Venice.
Clary recognised the place immediately. “Oh, Jace!” she exclaimed. Jace and Clary had come here once, when Jace was still controlled by Sebastian, and Clary was trying to save him. He would be forever grateful to her for that, for believing he was still him through it all.
“I wanted to erase all the bad memories here.” Jace explained,” and perhaps recreate the good ones.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Clary blushed. He was referring to the time he stole a canoe and kissed her feverishly on the boat. It felt like a dream. He jumped onto a canoe and motioned for Clary to follow. When she hesitated, he taunted,” Relax, it isn’t stolen, I’m glad to see you have so much faith in me.” Clary rolled her eyes, laughed, and climbed on.
The boat was in relatively good condition, painted black with oars at the back. Jace untied the rope holding it and let it drift by itself down the stream. He wanted to savour this moment with Clary, and it wouldn’t kill the others to wait for a while.
He sat beside her and they talked about life for a while. They hadn’t seen each other in a few days because both their schedules had clashed, and it was nice to just chill for a bit. And if Jace was a nervous wreck inside, no one needed to know. They had reached where he wanted to take them, and they jumped off at the shore after Jace tied the canoe up at the dock.
They probably would have gotten some weird looks if they weren’t glamoured, but then again, maybe not. This was a tourist city, who knew what weird stuff went on here.” Clary, I have to ask you somethi -" Jace heard Clary scream and he whipped a seraph blade out.” Gabriel!” he half shouted, and he saw it light up. He lunged at the Kuri demon with a ferocity. It had bitten Clary, and Jace knew it was poisonous. She would need an iratze, and soon, but when she tried to get her stele out, it rolled onto the street and into the canal.
Clary shouted,” Look out!" just as a demon tried to get him from behind. Jace drove his blade in an arc, but only managed to slice it and get demon blood on him and Clary. He knew Clary wasn’t armed, so it was up to him to defeat them. He drove a blade into the abdomen of one and it collapsed, going back to whatever hellish dimension it came from. He skewered the other on his blade and dropped it into the canal, where it disappeared before it could sink to the bottom.
Jace ran to Clary and checked her calf. The cut was very deep, and his stele had gotten lost somewhere in the fight. Despite her protests, or rather because they sounded so weak, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to where the engagement party was going to be. Magnus was going to be there, and he could heal her. By the Angel, he was going to propose to her right when that demon attacked. Jace groaned inwardly, clearly the world hated him.
His suspicions were confirmed when he entered the brightly decorated ground floor of the building and everyone jumped out at them and shouted, “Surprise!”. Clary jumped in surprise in his arms and it took a second for everyone to realise that he was covered in demon ichor and something was wrong. Then Magnus lunged towards the snack table and cleared some of the snacks away.
Jace put Clary down gently and pointed to her calf silently. This had all been his fault, why hadn’t he thought of a demon attacking them, they were shadowhunters for Heavens’ sake, it was their job to slay demons. He knew Clary was going to be okay, Magnus had almost healed her, and she wasn’t looking so pallid anymore. Still, his perfect plan had been ruined. “Dad, is Auntie Clary going to be fine?” Max whispered to Alec. Rafe sidled up to him and ruffled his hair to comfort him. He was just a child.” Of course,” answered Alec, and said,” You know your papa can heal almost anything, this is nothing for him.”
Max breathed a sigh of relief.” Good, because I like her,” and Rafe nodded his agreement. Magnus was done and Clary sat up on the table and smiled at Jace, she seemed mostly fine now, and said,” You were going to ask me something before, what was it? It seemed important.” Jace walked over to stand to her and sank down on one knee. He fished the box out of his pocket and opened it facing her.
Everyone, including Izzy and Simon, stared as he opened the box and Clary gasped at the ring inside. It was made of pure gold, and very plain, but when he had gone ring hunting with Simon and seen this, he had instantly known it was perfect, and Simon had agreed.
"I know this isn’t ideal, and I’m sure you were hoping for a better proposal. I had this whole thing planned out with Church jumping out of a cake, but if there is one thing you’ve taught me, its that there is no perfect moment to do something. So, what I’m saying is, Clary, will you marry me? Marry me and be Clary Herondale or take whatever last name you wish. Marry me and I’ll be yours and you’ll be mine."
Clary had tears streaming down her face.” Yes, yes, a million times yes!” she choked out. Suddenly, Chairman Meow and Church jumped out of the glitter fountain Magnus had set up earlier and were carrying a cake that kept magically afloat right above their backs. It was protected so it wouldn’t get glittery and they brought it over to the table. Jace picked it up and put it on the table.
A while later, Jace slipped away from Clary’s side and walked over to Alec, who was next to the glitter fountain. He said in a serious voice,” Alec, I need to ask you something,” he got down on one knee and pulled out a second ring box, and he opened it to reveal a cheap plastic ring with candy on it. He had a grin on his face when he said,” Will you be my suggenes? The Romeo to my Juliet?” Alec rolled his eyes and muttered an unenthusiastic yes, but Jace didn’t fail to see the faint gleam in his eyes. Alec was tearing up!
Jace dropped the grin and hugged him.” Seriously, Alec, you’re the only one I’d want to be walking beside me.” Everyone else walked up next to them and Max and Rafe threw themselves at him in a fierce hug. Jace thought that maybe this was a perfect day after all.
First time posting a fic on here! This one is about Simon proposing to Isabelle, which we heard about at the end of Lady Midnight but sadly never got to see. Enjoy :)
Standards
Read on AO3 here
When Simon had left the apartment that evening to meet Isabelle at Veselka, he’d had no plans other than inhaling some borscht and strolling around the East Village with his girlfriend. But the minute he’d stepped into the restaurant and seen her poring over the menu, fiddling with her necklace, he’d known something about the night was special.
After dinner, as they walked their way to the Brooklyn Bridge, she shimmered. Her silvery dress smoothed over her body like water, covering all of her skin from neck to wrists. Only the slice between the hem and her thigh-high boots revealed rune-bearing skin. Simon knew she loved her thigh-high boots – sexy and perfect for concealing weapons, she always said, and Simon couldn’t disagree. She wrapped her fingers around his, her wrist glinting with what looked like a bracelet that coiled all the way up to her elbow, but which Simon knew to be her preferred method of mass destruction.
Simon couldn’t, for the life of him, take his eyes off her.
She stopped talking about some upstart recruit and twisted toward him. “What’s up with you?”
“What?” He blinked, shaken out of his trance. “Uh, nothing,” He thumbed circles across her palm.
“I guess…” Well, It had been a while since they’d spend time together. Simon had been at the Bangkok institute for two days and since he’d gotten back that afternoon, Isabelle had been wrapped up in training the fresh New York recruits. It wasn’t the longest they’d gone without seeing each other, but she’d been texting him every day and Simon had developed a craving for her that made his skin yearn for hers.
“I guess I missed you,” he said eventually, leaning forward, wanting to close the gap. At the last minute, she shifted, her hand twisting in his. Simon’s eyes flew open as she thrust him aside and the whip slinked off her wrist, coming to life.
Simon smelled the demons before he saw them. Isabelle’s head was turned to the sky, and Simon saw what she was looking at – two Shax demons, leaping off the bridge’s cabled, their pincers flailing as they jumped. Over the East River, the wind must have carried their scent away. Simon cursed – he’d been trained better than this.
Isabelle strode forward to meet them, Simon close behind her. His seraph blade was alight in his hand as he helped her slash, jab and slice at the demons, but he didn’t need to. She was almost a blur, only visible through her electrum whip curling through the air and the silk of her inky hair as it floated around her. Ichor sprayed everywhere. Before Simon had gotten more than a few cuts in, the demons were collapsing in on themselves at their feet.
Isabelle stepped forward into the place where the demons had been, her heels stomping on the concrete. She was covered in ichor – it soaked her boots, darkened patches of her dress that clung to her body. She seemed to be expanding, filling all of Simon’s vision, growing like an Angel rising out of a lake. Marks glowed through her thin dress, and with her river of hair caught in the wind, she looked like an explosion igniting from within.
“Damn demons,” she muttered, the whip snaking back up her arm. She wrapped hands around Simon’s torso, eyes alight from the fight, and smiled. “I missed you, too.”
Simon felt the words forming in his mouth before he’d even processed them.
“Marry me,” he said, breathless from the constricting of his chest.
Her hands fluttered at his waist. “Simon?”
Simon swallowed. “Marry me, Isabelle. I mean – do you – do you want to?”
She gaped. Simon recalled that there was always something satisfying about surprising Isabelle. Maybe it had to do with how her mouth opened and closed like a fish.
“You – you’re ridiculous!” Her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. “We just fought off a pair of demons! By the Angel, I’m covered – soaked in ichor –” She seemed to be gasping, for breath or words, Simon couldn’t tell. “– and I’m a mess, and this really isn’t my best outfit, Simon!”
He ought to have blanched, but the firmness of her hands on his waist made confidence bloom in his chest.
“I know,” he said, although he really thought she never looked better than after a fight, and pulled her closer. “Marry me.” He stared at her, giving her time and willing her to realise that this was real.
He saw the visible change on her face. After all this time, seeing Isabelle raw and unhidden still made Simon count his blessings.
Instead of replying she crashed her mouth against his (to hide the beaming smile that had been about to revel itself, Simon suspected). She kissed him, and it felt like it always did, but also like the promise of something new. That’s Isabelle, Simon thought, comfort, excitement, and full of surprises.
“I love you,” she said, drawing back. Simon got lost in her dazzling smile.
“Is that a yes?”
She just kissed him again, pressing her body against his until they were leaning on the railing, the East River swirling below. Her hair swirled all over him in the wind, and for a moment he was surrounded, completely, by Isabelle. Simon had been in the presence of Raziel himself, but the silk of Isabelle’s hair and the curves of her body pressed against his did things to him that heavenly fire never could. Her mouth was hot, her fingers had already slipped under his shirt, Simon had begun fiddling with the hem of her dress, and he had gotten so worked up that he was in half a mind to just draw some glamour runes and go at it, right here on the Brooklyn Bridge.
But she drew back a fraction, and looked at him in a way that Simon want to rip her beautiful dress to shreds.
“For you,” she said, lips deliciously swollen, “it’s always a yes,”
Simon was reminded for the millionth time since he had met her that Isabelle’s true superpower was not exacting deadly vengeance with her whip – it was her ability to turn his world into liquid.
He wanted to kiss her again, so badly, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself this time. Instead, he pulled her into a cab and did his best not to think too hard about her promise of the best engagement sex of his life.
As he desperately tried to unlock the door to their apartment, still excruciatingly far away from her, Isabelle turned to him.
“Did you plan this?”
“What do you think?” Simon tried to keep his voice steady.
“Well, there was no ring,”
“Hey,” he said, finally having gotten the door open and pulling her in, “you did say you had no standards left.”
And it really was the best engagement sex of his life.
