Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace || Demon On Your Shoulder || Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace
Title: Demon On Your Shoulder – The Split Soul's Soulmates
Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments
Disclaimer: All rights to the Shadowhunters show reserved to Ed Decter, the books the show is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: polyamory (m/m/m), alpha/beta/omega dynamics, soulmate AU, daemons, past child abuse, hurt/comfort, angst, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, f/f, m/f
Main Pairing: Magnus/Alec/Jace
Side Pairings: Lydia/Izzy, Simon/Clary, Luke/Catarina
Shadowhunters Characters: Jonathan 'Jace' Herondale, Magnus Bane, Alexander 'Alec' Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood, Clarissa 'Clary' Fray, Simon Lewis, Lydia Branwell, Madzie, Catarina Loss, Luke Garroway, Raphael Santiago, Maxwell Lightwood, Imogen Herondale, Valentine Morgenstern
Daemons: Aurea (Jace's Golden Retriever), Celestina (Jace's barn owl), Shyama (Magnus' panther), Minerva (Alec's snow owl), Dolios (Max's raccoon), Nagendra (Izzy's cobra), Timon (Lydia's lynx), Seraphina (Clary's robin), Adina (Simon's rat), Ares (Andrew's dog), Piedad (Raph's bat), Menelaus (Cat's lion), Regulus (Madzie's bunny), Lupercalia (Luke's wolf), Cornelius (Imogen's horned owl)
Summary: Everyone had a daemon, an animal-shaped manifestation of their own soul, and bore a picture of their soulmate's daemon on their body. Everyone, aside from Jace. Because Valentine split his soul, giving him two daemons – and took the one on his soulmate's marks. So even when he meets them and recognizes them by their daemons, his daemon doesn't match.
Demon On Your Shoulder
The Split Soul's Soulmates
Chapter 6: Family Issues
Family was messy business. Or maybe they were all just incredibly unlucky?
Jace hadn't even gotten to talk to his mother before she had been killed. Killed by his parabatai, possessed by a demon. Alec still beat himself up about it, as though he could have changed anything. He'd been possessed. Jace didn't blame him for these actions, neither did Clary or Luke.
Still, for the first time, Alec seemed to be making a genuine effort to get to know Clary. Out of guilt, perhaps also because Clary was now Jace's sister and that had changed things.
"Hey, kid," Luke's voice was warm. "I... meant to check in with you sooner..."
Jace looked up, startled. Magnus had his best friend Catarina over. Right. Catarina, who was Luke's soulmate now. To give them some privacy, Jace had retreated to the training room. Pausing, Jace leaned against the punching back, looking at Luke.
"It's okay. You don't have to," assured Jace. "You don't..."
"I don't owe you anything?" Luke guessed, eyebrows raised. "Kid... C'mere."
Luke sat down on the bench, patting the spot next to him. Reluctantly did Jace sit down next to him.
"I know that I'm not... your father, or anything, and it's complicated and slightly strange, but... I am Clary's dad. And you're Clary's brother. And I want you to be a part of our family," offered Luke in a gentle voice. "I've only known Catarina for a short time, but she is my soulmate. And Magnus is her family, though not by blood. Family doesn't need to be blood, they don't even need to have grown up together. You know that, deep down, don't you?"
Jace remained quiet, because he couldn't argue that. Alec, his beloved parabatai, Izzy, Max. They were his family, even if not by blood or anything binding. And he had come to think of Clary as his sister, despite not having known her for long. Still, the thought of someone picking him to be their family was something Jace struggled with. Now more than ever, with Valentine on the loose...
"I... don't know what it was like to grow up with Valentine as your father," Luke's voice was soft. "But I was... I was his parabatai. And I helped Jocelyn through her grief of losing him. She was his... soulmate. For better or worse, they were destined for each other. I know what it is like to love him and to be hurt by him, Jace. Better than... anyone else, aside from you. I... want to help you."
Jace's heart fluttered with hope at that. He hadn't considered that yet. That Luke had been Valentine's parabatai. Had trusted and loved Valentine, just to be betrayed and left for death. Jace found himself relaxing just a little bit. He wanted someone to talk about this with. It had never felt entirely right to talk to Alec about everything. Because it worried Alec, hurt Alec to know about Jace's pain, so Jace tried not to go into too much detail about the abuse he'd suffered. Yet Luke, he understood better than anyone what Jace had been through.
/break\
The loft was buzzing with life, a real party. It was what they all needed, Alec guessed. The last party they had – Isabelle and Lydia's wedding – had kind of blown up in their faces. And things had gone downhill after that. But now? Jace had been freed from prison and was safely living with Alec and Magnus, Jace and Clary had freed the angel Ithuriel from Valentine's captivity. Things finally seemed to be going their way. So Max's runeing ceremony seemed just the reason to celebrate.
"This is so—o cool," Max's eyes were sparkling as he ran through the loft. "And you really live here now? So you won't come back to the institute like at all?"
Alec winced slightly, but he shook his head. Max was old enough to not be coddled with lies.
"I don't think I will," Alec knelt down in front of Max. "I... finally found one of my soulmates. And we... I'm very happy with him, I want to get to know him better and I can do that best here, living with him. Because... Because we're so busy with this war and if I move back to the institute, there would be no time left for us to get to know each other. And we do want to find our third."
Not that he had said that last part aloud toward anyone yet. Not even Magnus, strange as that may sound. Actually, that was... very strange. How had Magnus and Alec not once thought about finding their third yet...? Shouldn't that be on the forefront of their minds?
"It's okay," Max was pouting, despite saying that. "I... I guess I get that. I still miss you though. Both of you. Why did you have to take Jace with you when moving out? That's not fair."
That made Alec laugh a little. Max had always worshiped Jace. Reaching out, Alec ruffled his little brother's hair affectionately. Mostly because he couldn't explain it. Max was so excited about receiving his first rune. Alec didn't want to disillusion his brother about what it meant to be a Shadowhunter just yet – what Jace had gone through at the hands of their own people that had driven him into Magnus' loft to seek refuge.
/break
Clary's life seemed in constant turmoil these days. Max celebrating his first rune was supposed to be a break, but much like the last break they were supposed to catch, it had gone sideways fast and hard. Iris, the witch Clary had foolishly enough sought out in an attempt to resurrect Jocelyn, had come to catch in the favor Clary owed. Tasking her with, and cursing her, to find a little girl named Madzie. Saving a child was one of those things they'd have done if asked, but now under the time-pressure and with Clary's potential pending death, thanks to the curse? That... made things harder.
It wasn't helpful that Madzie was with Valentine. Clary still didn't know how to comprehend this. That her father was alive and was a terrorist who had killed countless people, tortured countless people. Including her brother. All Clary wanted was some time to sit and digest everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks. Which was probably the main reason why she had done something as foolish as signing a contract with a witch without knowing the exact ins and outs. If she had been given time to mourn her mother, perhaps she would have listened to Magnus' warning.
/break\
Simon couldn't believe that he had gotten himself kidnapped and captured by Valentine. All he'd wanted to do was help his soulmate – because Clary had been cursed by a witch. Which was now part of their everyday life, apparently. All to find a little girl. Instead of being able to save her, Simon had gotten captured and Valentine used him against Clary. Making a video call to Clary and cutting Simon's throat on live TV. Hadn't she been through enough?
How could this monster do that to his own daughter? And, sure, yeah, Simon was painfully aware that it was happening to him, that he was currently bleeding out. But all he could think about was Clary. She was the most gentle and loving and big-hearted person he had ever met. She deserved to he happy. Instead, she had a father who was willing to cut her soulmate's throat in front of her.
That was the only thing on his mind even as he found his mind slipping. That the last time Clary saw him was him bleeding out. He didn't want that to be her last memory of him.
"It's okay, Simon. Drink from me," Clary's voice, so soft.
Without much thinking did he sink his fangs into the neck in front of him. And then he drank. And drank. And drank. Nearly killing her. Him. The first thing he registered when he felt his strength return was that Clary had shifted into Jace. Shadowhunter rune magic.
"Jace," Simon was struggling to catch up with Jace. "I could have killed you."
"I would have let you."
What was a gut-punch about that was how carelessly Jace said it. Like a fact. Like he could just throw his own life away like that. And at any other moment in time, Simon would have pulled the blonde aside and tried to talk to him about this – because that was Clary's brother. But everything seemed to be happening at once. Valentine was still at large, the institute was in danger. Simon had to let it slide for now, but he was terrified by the implications about Jace that he'd just learned.
/break\
The angel Ithuriel had sent Clary a vision. That was a sentence that required a drink for Magnus already. That only the demon-blooded child of Morgenstern could destroy the Soul Sword, while the angel-blooded one would be able to activate it. What Valentine wanted was to activate a terrible device to kill Downworlders. Magnus refilled his glass and filled another one.
"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart," Magnus put the second glass into Jace's hand.
"I nearly killed you. And Madzie. And Simon," Jace's hand was shaking. "So many died because of me today, Magnus. How can you say it wasn't my fault?"
"Because you were trying to kill yourself," Alec sounded so angry. "And if I had been there, I wouldn't have sanctioned that plan. You wanted to sacrifice yourself to destroy the Soul Sword."
"Also when I nearly died after Valentine cut my throat," added Simon. "I nearly drained Jace. That was... I'm sorry, Jace, but that was very suicidal of you too..."
After the incredibly stressful twenty-four hours they'd had, they had decided to regroup at the loft. Simon and Clary were laying curled together on the couch, the omega clinging onto her alpha after she'd nearly lost him. Now a Daylighter, apparently. Magnus filed that away for later though. Quite frankly, right now he did not have the capacity for that.
"I was trying to save your life. I was trying to save everyone," Jace snarled.
Jace's suicidal tendencies felt like another thing they should file away for later, at least for now. Not now, not with the entire group. But the two parabatai needed to talk about this. Magnus also filed away the part where he was far too invested in this. His own feelings, growing much more complicated by the day, were something he wasn't entirely ready to face yet either.
"I can't believe that Valentine used a little child to infiltrate the institute," Isabelle grunted and shook her head. "No, on second thought that seems very on brand... Still... How is Madzie?"
Madzie. Stolen from Iris for the purpose of infiltrating the institute so Valentine could destroy Downworlders. He'd lied to Jace, told him he had demon-blood so Jace would try to destroy the Soul Sword while in reality, Jace had pure angel-blood... and he had activated the sword. Killed innocent Downworlders. Magnus emptied his drink.
"I brought her to Catarina," replied Magnus after a moment. "She... She's going to need help to work through the trauma she'd suffered, but... I think she will be fine. She didn't even realize what was going on exactly at the institute."
Magnus' eyes wandered over to watch Isabelle and Lydia. Lydia sat behind her wife, braiding Isabelle's hair. A task, to distract Lydia. All of this, she should have gotten to prevent it. Lydia was supposed to be the head of the institute, but it had been taken away from her.
"On the bright side, Aldertree failed quite spectacularly, so he should be removed from his position as head, right?" asked Simon curiously. "And then Izzy and Lydia are in charge again?"
"Hopefully," Alec grunted his confirmation.
He was pacing behind the couches, Magnus noted. While Lydia sat with Isabelle and Clary sat with Simon. Alec didn't give himself to the comfort of his own soulmate, or of his parabatai. He kept pacing, tense and frustrated. Magnus wished he could help, but he knew he couldn't. What was going through Alec's mind, Alec had to face on his own for now. Even Minerva only watched him.
/break\
Jace found himself curled together on his bed that night, his face buried in Shyama's fur. He'd stopped questioning that days ago and just embraced the comfort he got. He was shaking with tears as the events of the day truly caught up with him. Until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Jace..." Alec's voice was so pained. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make a... scene earlier. I just... You have to start thinking about... the consequences your actions have. I can't lose you."
Jace knew that. If he died, he'd leave Alec with a broken parabatai bond. Slowly he turned toward his parabatai, clinging onto him and as he had onto Shyama. Alec's arms wrapped around him.
"It was just all too much," whispered Jace against Alec's neck. "I thought I had demon-blood. I killed people, if I meant to or not, they're now dead. And I just... I can't..."
"I know," Alec closed his eyes and hugged Jace tightly. "I know, Jace. But you're not alone."
"No, you aren't," agreed Magnus as he entered the bedroom. "Mind if I join you?"
Jace didn't know what to say to that. He'd fought Valentine. After Simon had nearly drained him, after he'd activated the Soul Sword with the intend to die with it, Jace had fought his father. One on one. Which had been its own traumatic experience, even without everything else.
"It's okay," Magnus' voice was so reassuring. "You're not alone."
Of course he wasn't. Jace's eyes found Celestina snuggled against Minerva. His death would dissolve Celestina. It would also devastate Alec. He hadn't been thinking clearly, at all.
"I'm sorry," whispered Jace once his mind cleared up some. "I just... I'm overwhelmed."
"And that's... that's understandable, Jace," Alec furrowed his brows. "I... I'm too. I mean, everything that's happened lately? Mom and dad being part of the Circle, losing their positions, the... I killed Jocelyn. Even if I was possessed, she died by my hands. Hodge's betrayal. Your kidnapping. Your imprisonment. One thing keeps happening after the other, I just... I... We need a break."
"We will catch it," promised Magnus with the smallest of smiles. "After we take care of this, we will go to a nice place somewhere with a beach and just... do nothing, mh?"
Jace swallowed hard as he watched Magnus and Alec. The two of them. Not Jace. Right? No, that wasn't what Jace wanted to think about right now. That Magnus and Alec had each other. Instead, Jace wanted to be in this moment, where both Alec and Magnus were here, in his room, in his bed, to comfort him. Just this moment, he just wanted this one moment.
/break\
Luke wasn't entirely sure how he had ended up with two additional children in the span of as many weeks. Clary's brother, no longer dead, and now a young girl harmed by Valentine.
"She's so... small," whispered Luke with a frown.
He'd tucked Madzie in and the girl was already deep asleep. Catarina laughed softly as she took his hand to pull him out of the bedroom. His beautiful soulmate. Not just on the outside. Catarina was someone who cared so deeply, who wanted to help people and did so daily. Though, she was also beautiful on the outside. Luke smiled, gently cupping her face.
"I know that this is a bit more than either of us signed up for, but for now... She needs a place to stay, at the very least," Catarina's eyes trailed over to look at the sleeping child.
"Well, in all fairness, I did bring two of my own with me, so..."
Luke took her hand and pulled her along toward the living room, where Clary and Simon sat. With Aldertree at the institute, Clary had moved in with Luke. Luke, who was currently living with his soulmate since the former Garroway-Fray household had been destroyed. And Catarina had taken it in stride. Of course she did. The two of them were soulmates; they both wanted to be there for others, help others. Luke smiled, even as he leaned down to kiss Catarina.
/break\
Alec was drawing symbols on Magnus' chest. The two of them were in bed together. Catching their breath, even just a little. Though Alec was still shaken from the runeing party – the magical hallucinations they'd suffered at the hand of Iris Rouse. And that felt like it had been a life-time ago already, thanks to the turmoil that had followed. He'd nearly lost Jace. Twice.
"Why haven't we been looking for our omega yet...?"
Out of everything that he could bring up, that he could be thinking about, it was somehow this. Because it was what it all came down to. Every thought that Alec had circled around Magnus and Jace, about his feelings for his parabatai and the strange way in which Magnus just accepted that. The fact that Alec was so content, right here, with Magnus and Jace, instead of out there, desperately searching for their missing third. Why weren't they...?
"Personally, I have come to live with the fact that fate has a plan," replied Magnus after a moment. "I had to. All these centuries I've spent waiting for you. And you came to me, all on your own. Just stumbling into my very loft, darling. I have faith that our omega will come to us too."
"Mh," Alec frowned at that. "I guess that makes... sense. Still, I just... I..."
"What is it, darling?" Magnus caressed Alec's cheek.
"You are... so understanding. I just... what if our omega isn't?" Alec turned to look at Magnus with troubled eyes. "What if they're disappointed that I... that I love someone else too...?"
"Alexander, my love," Magnus sat up and cupped Alec's face with both hands. "They're our soulmate. People often misunderstand soulmates as someone made to complete you. Like you are missing something without. But soulmates... they compliment each other, darling. We fit together. Your feelings, who you are, doesn't hurt me, because I love all of you. And I know that you love all of me. Our omega will also know that you love all of them."
Alec took a moment before he continued. "But... what about me loving all of Jace...?"
The smile on Magnus' lips was far too warm. "I... I think that with time, we should... act on it. He said himself that he doesn't care about finding his own soulmate, right?"
"What... What are you saying?"
The look on Magnus' face was serious. "You noticed how possessive Shyama is of Jace?"
"Hard to miss. She keeps grooming him and sleeping in his bed."
"Because I refuse to, according to her," Magnus huffed out a small laugh. "I've been developing feelings for Jace, ever since he moved in. And I'm unsure how, but somehow Shyama knew that even before I did. I think... you and I, we should be with Jace."
"...Huh," Alec blinked repeatedly. "What do I do with that...?"
Magnus laughed at that and leaned in to kiss his lovely beta. "It's okay. Not everything needs to be rushed, even if this war keeps throwing one thing at us after the other. We can not rush our relationship the same way. Take your time to consider. I... do think now would be the wrong time for Jace anyway. He's been through a lot... again. And so have you, quite frankly. You nearly killed yourself under the influence of Iris. I don't think that taking your parabatai relationship into a romantic direction is the right next step for either of you at this very moment."
"I guess that is true," Alec heaved a sigh. "But do you really think it will work...?"
"I actually do," offered Magnus, a soft smile on his lips. "Alpha, omega and two betas. Why not? Besides, I do deserve two lovely betas, don't I?"
"More like you're a handful and I need backup with you," countered Alec.
Surprisingly daring, it made Magnus smile even more. "Oh, I rather think that I will be needing our omega's backup to handle you two reckless little Shadowhunters."
"Who's to say that our third isn't another 'reckless little Shadowhunter'?"
Magnus laughed, a full, happy belly-laugh, before kissing Alec deeply. He didn't mind.
Author's note: That's it for canon continuity! Took longer than expected, but they crammed So Much Trauma into that bitch and I DO want all the trauma in there! So, from hereon out we go off show continuity. Starting with the return of Aurea next chapter. Time to rescue the puppy!