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 3: Michael's Return
Simon was freaking out. And not just 'oh god this exam is going to kill me I didn't study enough' levels of freak out, but 'my soulmate may be involved with drugs or something and shit I think I'm dying' levels. One night out, one night of going to a club to celebrate Clary's eighteenth birthday and their lives were changed forever. Clary's mom, abducted and who knew where, Clary herself now the daughter of a terrorist instead of a war hero, and Simon? He'd gotten himself abducted by vampires, because sure why not. Vampires were real, apparently.
"Hey there. You doing okay, Si?" Clary's voice was soft, even as her words were ridiculous.
"How would I?" Simon made a distressed noise, but gladly sat down next to her. "This is a lot."
Clary reached for his hand, squeezing it softly. "I know. I'm... I know."
Her daemon – Seraphina, a cute little red robin – hopped off her shoulder to instead cuddle up to Simon's daemon. Adina was a rat. Now, rats had a bad reputation, but they were actually very intelligent little creatures. And pet-rats were clean, not dirty! Adina was very pretty and soft. When the two of them cuddled up like that, it made Simon feel at ease. Because his daemon and his soulmate's daemon, the manifestations of their souls, were comforting each other.
"At least Luke's not a traitor, right?" Simon's voice was weak. "I mean, we can do this – whatever it is – as long as it's all three of us, together. And your new... friends."
Super not a fan of the Shadowhunters so far. The blonde wanna-be Captain America was kind of arrogant, the ridiculously tall one was just rude and kept talking down on Simon. The only nice one was Isabelle, who was an omega just like Clary. The two girls had instantly bonded with each other and Simon thought Isabelle was nice too. She took the time to explain stuff to him.
"Jace promised to help. We'll find my mom and... and things will be normal again."
Clary didn't sound very convinced herself. Neither was Simon. How could anything get back to normal ever again now that they knew magic was real? Jocelyn was a demon hunter, Luke was a werewolf – right, that was also a thing, the only father-figure Simon had in his life since his own dad died was apparently a werewolf. Their lives were forever changed.
/break\
Magnus was trying very hard not to smile as he watched from just outside the living room. Lucian Graymark had been badly hurt in the fight that made him the new Alpha of the New York pack. While Magnus' magic was good, with the demanding little Shadowhunters who wanted to know everything, he'd decided to instead contact his friend Catarina, since she was not just a warlock but also a nurse. And perhaps he'd had a hunch too. There was something about the wolf daemon that seemed familiar and when Catarina arrived, Magnus' suspicion was confirmed. Luke was her soulmate, that was the wolf she had been searching for so long.
And now she was sitting next to him, gently holding his hand and smiling happier than Magnus had seen her in a very long time. Her mighty lion daemon laid curled together around Luke's wolf, as though he was protecting the wolf from further harm. Magnus smiled softly, pleased.
"Magnus?" Alec sounded sleepy as he approached the warlock from behind.
Mh. Alec looked cute all sleepy like that. Magnus' smile grew and he wrapped an arm around his beta's waist to pull the other close. Not to kiss. They hadn't kissed yet. But just to feel his warmth. A reassuring hug. This was still very new, to the both of them, and they were still getting used to each other. They'd talked so long that Alec had fallen asleep on the couch on the balcony and Magnus hadn't been able to bring himself to wake his lovely soulmate.
"Would you like a coffee? Do you drink coffee?" Magnus frowned at that, pausing for a moment. "There's so much about you I want to know, darling. Are you hungry?"
"Coffee. Yes," Alec grunted and rubbed his eyes. "I gotta call Jace, he must be worried..."
Jace. The parabatai. The other one with an owl daemon. Magnus was curious to learn more about that one too. After all, his soulmate had chosen to tie his soul to this blonde beta. That meant Jace was very important to Alexander and that meant he was now also important to Magnus. Because anyone and anything important to his soulmate would be important to him.
"You do that while I put on a coffee for you," Magnus smiled, so tempted to kiss his soulmate.
While Alec headed back outside to call his parabatai, Magnus crossed the living room. He cleared his throat to gain Catarina's attention – it seemed Luke had succumbed to sleep, which was as well, he had a lot of healing to do. She looked up at him with wonder. As though she couldn't entirely believe that Luke was real, that the daemon was real. Magnus could relate to that feeling.
"Would you like a coffee, or something to eat too? I gather you'll be here a while longer."
"Yes. Coffee and maybe a snack. This was... more draining than expected," Catarina sighed, running one hand over her face. "Thank you. For calling me. For finding him."
Magnus simply smiled in return, knowing that words couldn't measure up.
/break\
Isabelle was not used to taking on responsibilities. She knew that she had managed to dodge most thanks to her big brother, but said big brother was currently very preoccupied with the discovery of his soulmate. Handsome, powerful warlock alpha Magnus Bane. Quite distracting, apparently. With Alec trying to get to know his soulmate and Jace out very single-mindedly focused on trying to help Clary, responsibility within the institute suddenly fell onto Isabelle.
Which included welcoming the new envoy of the Clave, who was sent to replace the Lightwood parents as the heads of the institute. A bit of an ungrateful job, to welcome the envoy and try to play nice when this person was quite literally sent to destroy their family's legacy.
That was, until the envoy actually arrived at the institute. Disguised as Valentine, to show how easy it was to infiltrate the institute. But then the glamour dropped and the most gorgeous blonde woman stood before Isabelle. And just as Isabelle was about to introduce herself, the blonde's daemon walked in, slow with nearly lazy steps. A large, beautiful lynx... and Isabelle was lost for words.
"Woah," Max sounded excited as he pushed past Isabelle. "Looks just like yours, Iz."
That shook Isabelle out of her stupor and she quickly offered her hand to the stranger. "I... I am Isabelle Lightwood. Welcome at the New York Institute."
"Lydia Branwell," Lydia smiled s she accepted Izzy's hand, shaking it.
The smile on her lips froze up as she saw the snake slithering over Isabelle's shoulder. Nagendra wanted to see for himself, it appeared. The two women just stood there, frozen in motion, staring at each other's daemons. Faintly, Isabelle noticed Lydia's scent. It was comforting. An alpha, but not overly musky or spicy in scent. Just... right. Nice. Isabelle didn't know what to do with that.
/break\
"I need a drink. I don't know who else does, but I absolutely need a drink."
Magnus turned away from the group with a flourished motion. Entirely too much had happened in the past week alone. Alec's sister made a noise that indicated she could use a drink too. Alec just sat sunken into the couch, looking tired. He was absentmindedly caressing an owl that wasn't his. Magnus had noticed that the first day already, how comfortable the parabatai's daemons were with the respective other Shadowhunter. The betas could freely touch each other's daemon.
"I'm sorry, Clary," Jace's voice was a sullen whisper and he wasn't looking at the redhead.
Clary, she sat next to Isabelle, with Isabelle's arm wrapped around her. After taking a drink for himself and passing one along to Isabelle, Magnus sat back down on his soulmate's other side. His pretty beta was very soothing to him and Magnus felt just a little better being next to Alexander.
"Will he be alright?" asked Clary in a soft voice, seeking out Magnus.
"I can't promise you that, biscuit," replied Magnus honestly. "He died. Dying is... it's a hard thing to get over. But my son is now the new clan-leader and I'm sure he will take good care of the newest fledgling. He'll adjust to being a vampire, you just... have to give him time."
Magnus couldn't imagine. Clary's soulmate had died. Died and become a vampire. Of course, when given the choice of letting Simon die for good or saving him by turning him, Clary had chosen to keep her soulmate around. Whether that was the right call would show later on. Magnus reached a hand out to rest in Alec's neck, massaging it soothingly. Though it wasn't all bad news. Isabelle, it seemed, had also found her soulmate. The envoy of the Clave, a Miss Lydia Branwell.
It made Magnus feel like all of this was fated. Him and Alexander, Luke and Catarina, now Isabelle and the one the Clave sent to replace her parents as heads of the Institute. Like they were all entangled in each other's strings of fate and like all of this was much, much bigger than it seemed.
/break\
Jace felt like he barely got time to swallow, much less to digest, anything that had happened in the past two weeks. It was one thing after the other and it had all started with him wanting to help a half-orphan so she wouldn't become a full orphan. Now the Lightwoods were no longer in power – through no fault of Jace's; these were the consequences to their own misdeeds as Circle members, as it turned out – and Isabelle was getting ready to marry the new head of the Institute. Her soulmate. Because oh, marriage, now that would secure that the Lightwoods would stay in power.
It felt rushed and strange to Jace, because Lydia Branwell was a total stranger. But then Isabelle was a firm believer of the soulmate bond, she thought this alpha was her alpha, meant to be hers as she was meant to be Lydia's. Soulmates. She was genuinely excited for this wedding.
Meanwhile, Jace found himself at the Jade Wolf, together with Clary and... his dead father. No longer dead. Just one gut-punch after the other and Jace no longer knew how to roll with them.
"He's alive," whispered Jace in a broken voice, staring at the man.
Him and Clary had followed the portal shard that Clary had gotten from her mother, just to find Michael Wayland held captive in Chernobyl. They'd rescued the man, of course. But Jace could see it in Clary's eyes too, that she knew this wasn't as happy an occasion as one would think. He'd told her, about the falcon. Just a fraction of the pain Michael had caused for Jace.
"Jace," Clary's voice was as much of a whisper. "Are you okay?"
He couldn't believe how fond he'd grown of her in such a short time. She was a friend, maybe something more, though Jace wasn't entirely sure what more. He just knew that he was glad to have her, especially right now. He felt so strangely disconnected from his parabatai, ever since Magnus Bane had entered their lives. Their... soulmate. No. Not Jace's. Just Alec's. And Alec had every right to want to get to know Magnus. Alec had more important things to deal with right now than be a shoulder to lean on for Jace. Even though Jace wasn't sure how to breath right now.
/break\
Alec didn't even know where he was supposed to be right now. Who he was supposed to help. Isabelle had been arrested, for freeing Meliorn after the Seelie had been captured, and now she was standing trial. And Alec's wonderful soulmate had volunteered as her lawyer. Meanwhile, Alec's parabatai had apparently just encountered his supposed dead abusive father.
"Jace!" Alec's face was twisted into concern as he rushed over to them. "Are you alright?"
There was something hurt to Jace's expression. Not physically, but emotionally. Haunted. And so very much like the young boy who'd first walked into the institute all these years ago. Without even having to think about it, Alec opened his arms for Jace and wrapped the other beta in a tight hug.
"It was Valentine," Clary's voice was faint and she looked pretty beaten too.
"What was?" Alec looked at her in confusion, even as he steered Jace toward the blonde's room.
"Michael Wayland," replied Clary. "It was Valentine."
Alec furrowed his brows deeply. "So Michael isn't... back? Valentine was playing tricks?"
"No, I mean..." Clary frowned. "Michael Wayland has been dead since the Circle War. Valentine... my father... has been posing as Michael all these years. Jace's... father... is back. But he's not... Michael Wayland. I don't... think... Jace is alright. And I... I have the Mortal Cup."
Alec paused at that, staring at her. They'd had the tarot card, but not the physical cup.
"Go. Go find Lydia Branwell, I only left Izzy's trial because of Jace's text."
Clary nodded sharply, leaving Jace in the capable hands of his parabatai. Without thinking about it, Alec pulled Jace closer, in a protective manner. They finally reached Jace's room. Once inside, Alec sat down on Jace's bed, pulling the blode down right next to him.
"Parabatai?" Alec cupped Jace's face to make him look up. "Are you alright?"
The way Jace nuzzled into Alec's hand always made Alec's heart flutter. Betas weren't as dependent on physical comfort as omegas, but when it came to Jace, Alec had always made an exception. Partially also because Jace seemed in need of physical comfort. Jace shook his head in a jerky motion and leaned forward to bury himself in Alec's chest. While he hugged his parabatai, Alec's eyes found their daemons. Minerva had followed Celestina up toward the barn-owl's nest above the bed. They were snuggled together, as close as always. Alec had never seen the barn-owl this upset though. Usually, she was the strong one, strong for Jace. Also a reflection of Jace's soul that could withstand all of this pain. To see her so affected...?
"It's going to be okay, Jace," promised Alec, gently caressing Jace's back. "I'm here. I got you."
That was always all it took for Jace's walls to come down. A sob wrecked the other beta and Jace started clinging tightly onto Alec. This man, this awful man who had hurt Jace so much... To think that he was also the most wanted terrorist of their world...? And... And he was Clary's father. That meant Jace and Clary were siblings? Alec wanted to ask for certain confirmation, but Jace seemed far too messed up right now to answer. But that was it, that explained so much.
/break\
"She's his sister," Alec had barely entered the loft as it just slipped out.
Thankfully enough, his alpha mostly looked and smelt amused. He smelt at ease. That was nice. A nice change, after Alec had spent the past couple hours comforting a very upset Jace. He wished Jace would get to smell this at ease too. Maybe Magnus' calm scent could sooth Jace too...? That'd also be nice. But it was also silly. Magnus was his alpha, not Jace's alpha, so why would he have any effect on Jace? Just wishful thinking on Alec's part, mh?
"Who's related now? It's a nice change, so far all news were 'and here's another soulmate', so..."
Magnus smiled as he stepped aside and led Alec into the loft and toward the living room. Minerva couldn't be bothered waiting, she simply flew past Alec and right over toward the beautiful black panther lounging in front of a fireplace (that Alec was fairly sure hadn't been part of the loft the last time he'd been over?). Shyama rolled over enough to allow the owl to sit with her.
"Clary and Jace," replied Alec. "They're... siblings. Valentine, he managed to hide from everyone because he took Michael Wayland's identity. Jace is... Jonathan Morgenstern..."
Magnus looked surprised at that, sitting down slowly. "Well, you people don't do anything half-way either, mh? Can we just have one day without major news? So I could perhaps take my lovely soulmate out on a date or something...?"
That made Alec flush brightly. A date? He'd never been on a date before. The thought made his heart flutter. He'd like that, even though he didn't know how he felt about being public. They were soulmates, yes, but Alec had grown up in this inherently homophobic society and the thought of being out in public with Magnus? It made him nervous.
"You could... maybe... come to my sister's wedding?" Alec's blush didn't die down. "I just, I mean I don't know about... telling people. But you've helped us so much, I'm sure that Izzy would like to have you attend her wedding? If you... don't mind that I'm not..."
Magnus reached out to grasp his hand, the sweetest smile on his lips. "Alexander, I'm okay to take this at whatever pace you need. I don't expect you to kiss me in the middle of the institute in front of your parents, okay? But I would love to be a part of this, since it's important to you, mh?"
Perhaps it was because Magnus was smiling at him so warmly, or it was the fact that Magnus brought up kissing, but suddenly Alec felt himself leaning into Magnus with his head tilted. Magnus met him halfway and their lips touched in a chaste, soft kiss.
"Thank you," Alec's voice was breathy. "For being... patient. And amazing."
/break\
Isabelle was laying on her bed, curled together. Her head was resting in her alpha's lap. Truly, Lydia's scent was so comforting to her. A bit like cinnamon but darker and with a hint of chili. Lydia ran her fingers through Isabelle's hair in a very soothing manner. The whole ordeal – the arrest and the trial – had taken its toll on Isabelle. And that was on top of everything else. Simon had died, he'd become a friend quickly and then he'd died and turned into a vampire. Clary had managed to retrieve the real actual Mortal Cup – and saved Isabelle's hide. Even though Clary was the one who'd found it, it meant so much to Isabelle that Lydia had delivered it before the inquisitor. Because it'd been a show of her alpha being there for her.
"You make me feel... understood," whispered Isabelle softly. "I always wondered what kind of person my soulmate was going to be. I didn't entirely expect an eloquent diplomat, but honestly seeing you at the trial, holding your head high against the inquisitor...? That was... amazing."
"You're my soulmate," Lydia smiled, twirling one of Isabelle's curls around her fingers. "That means the world to me. I got your back, whatever happens, I will have your back."
Good. That was very good. Especially now that they knew Jace's father was Valentine. The Clave was angry and looking for a scapegoat – Isabelle had been their last target, but Jace, son of Valentine, and Clary, daughter of Valentine? The target practically painted itself onto their backs.
/break\
Simon had died. Actually died. That wasn't something he'd expected to happen. Even less so to wake up from it and turning into a vampire. The woman who'd manipulated him with her vamp-magic and who had started the process of turning him into a vampire was gone now. Instead, Raphael Santiago was clan-leader and had taken Simon into the hotel.
"Here," Raphael placed a hot cup in front of him. "You have to feed. I know you're not used to the taste yet, but you will get used to it. The faster you do, the quicker you'll get to see your soulmate."
"Thank you," Simon felt more motivated by the mention of Clary.
This was his new home now. A hotel where vampires lived. It'd be safer for his family, Raphael had said. For now, Simon had no other option than to trust this vampire. His new mentor into this world. Magnus' son and Magnus seemed trustworthy so Simon hoped he could trust Raphael too.
Author's note: Not a lot of Malace this chapter, but we do have to set the stage and damn so many things happened practically all at once on that show. Now that we HAVE set the stage, it's time for my favorite part - Jace's abduction and the consequential moving-in-with-Magnus!
Alas, bit of bad news. Because August is Writer's Month and I want to participate in the month-long daily prompt event and I can't stem 31 oneshots AND four chapter updates in a month, so all my multi-chapter fics are on a brief hiatus next month and will be back on schedule in September (though there will be some Malace in Writer's Month to tide you over ;D)