riverviewlogs | monthly mingle: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

Entry tags:

monthly mingle: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: monthly mingle: the festival of light
when: The month of January.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

festival of light

In the days leading up to January 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The Festival of Light. This holiday is in celebration of the end of the Quarantine's short-lived winter and serves to welcome the new year. The traditions associated with The Festival of Light involve fireworks every weekend of the month, a days-long formal ball that with an open invitation to everyone in the city, and lighting magical candles and incense with loved ones and new friends alike.

a celebration of the end of winter and the new year

As the Capitol World stops blocking the path between the sun and its moon, the snow melts and the rains of early spring begin to fall and the residents of the Quarantine gather together to celebrate the new year. New beginnings are honored as the sky is lit with fireworks to banish the cold and dark of winter, and residents share the light and warmth of the new year with each other by sharing candles and incense with fellow residents. These traditions are steeped in magic, like many other things in Riverview, and have certain magical emotional effects on participants. Additionally, over the weekend of January 5th - 8th, the Government will be hosting a formal ball to welcome the New Year, which is open to all residents and offers food, drink, dancing, and other activities, as well as places to stay the night and relax or 'relax' with friends.

i. fireworks

One of the main traditions of the Festival of Light is to brighten the sky to welcome the new year, and as always, the Government of Riverview and various other city entities including businesses and various organizations and clubs, have gone all out to light up the sky. Each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the month of January, residents can gather outside on the beaches or park, or indoors at various observation lounges set up on city rooftops for the occasion, to watch elaborate, beautiful fireworks displays.

Outdoor observation is facilitated by use of rented forced-air umbrellas that make viewing the fireworks without having to squint into the rain or peer out from under a traditional umbrellas easy. Curl up with a friend or lover under an umbrella to watch the fireworks displays. Temporary indoor observation lounges have also been set up on most of the rooftops of buildings in the city, if the outdoors isn't your thing. The lounges can range from simple transparent-roofed spaces with rustic benches and hot cocoa to elaborate, fancy bars or restaurants with food service, music, and dancing. Some of the lounges may even have themes, whether they're 18+ adult or just quirky. Let your imagination run wild - if you can think of it, someone in the city's probably set one up.

ii. lighting up

Throughout the city, residents will find booths and special sections in their favorite stores set up with stands displaying magical incense and candles in a wide variety of colors. These are traditional trappings of the Festival of Light, the original and ancient tradition that's built up into the modern celebration as residents know it. Most prolific are the candles - ranging from tiny tea lights to large pillar candles, they are inscribed with the word 'glow' in a variety of different alien languages, including some that residents might recognize. The incense comes in small variety of dusky, earthen colors, each with a different scent and effect, all clearly labeled.

Candles are meant to be lit with one or more other people, and when this tradition is observed properly with a candle inscribed 'glow' - the wick lit by two or more people at the same time, and held together between them for a minimum of 30 seconds - every participant will feel and see certain magical effects. As the candle is held between the participants, they will start to see each other's skin glow, seemingly lit from inside, and as the glow increases, all participants will start to feel an emotional lightness. Stress and despair will slowly dissipate, giving the participants a temporary feeling of absolute contentment, warm and happy. The effects last from 5 minutes to a full 24 hours, depending on the number of people who participate and the length of time the candle is held between participants (more participants or longer timespans will increase the length of the effect), and effects are cumulative - lighting a large number of candles with different people will cause the effect to draw out for longer.

Incense is something usually lit in private, at home or a small gathering at a friend's house, and in recent years as the celebration has become a bit more modernized and commercialized, at the Glow Ball. There are a few varieties of incense with different psychological effects, all of which are pleasant and take strongest effect when the incense is lit with one or more other people, and enjoyed long enough for the whole stick to burn down. Orange and yellow incense will increase feelings of affection and openness, sienna red incense will do the same but also induce arousal; blue-grey incense will make it easier to share and ease grief and sadness, while grey-purple will lull participants into an easy sleep with pleasant dreams.

iii. glow ball

Every year during the Festival of Light, the Government of Riverview hosts a formal ball called the Glow Ball on the first weekend of the month - this year, it spans from nightfall on Friday January 5th until dawn on Monday January 8th. The ball is a relatively new custom, but has quickly skyrocketed to one of the most anticipated events of many residents' year. Similar to the castle-themed maze during Hygge, the Glow Ball is hosted inside a beautiful golden palace erected in the City Center that is much larger on the inside than it appears to be on the outside. While there is no specific theme to the ball, many residents take it as an opportunity to really glow in a wide variety of ways, all up to each person's imagination.

The palace is magically-augmented to be lavish, comfortable, and fully-stocked at all times, and features a banquet hall with ample and frequently-replenished food, a bar and lounge area for attendees to get a drink and sit for a while, a beautiful grand ballroom as well as several smaller ballrooms with different styles of music, a swimming pool with hot tubs, a garden, and smaller private vestibules that feature a pillow lounge, incense selection, and a small bedroom where residents can rest or enjoy each others' company in private.

NOTE: New characters are welcome to join in with the party, even if they haven't had time to prepare. Any new arrivals who come to the party in the clothing they arrived in will be whisked up by a fussy light golem or attendant who will fit them with a nice set of clothing for the evening so they can enjoy the festivities.

dinner and dancing

The banquet hall is ringed with tables that offer a buffet food catered to the time of day - breakfast in the morning, light food in the afternoon, lavish dinners in the evening, and desserts, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, and snacks available all night. With ample seating at group tables, residents can share a meal with friends new and old. The bar and lounge has several large free bars staffed by glowing, ethereal light golems that never tire and never get an order wrong, and offers seating at tables and in cozy dimly-lit booths. Riverview's drinking age is 14 years old.

The grand ballroom is themed golden this year, with the walls tiled in gold and featuring a dance floor of white marble veined with gold. The grand ballroom has classical, traditional dance music playing for those who want a classy formal dance. There are four wing ballrooms that feature different genres of music for residents who enjoy alternate types of dancing, with the genres consistently rotating - whether you like punk, country, rock, pop, or any other type of music from any planet or country, it's likely to be playing in a wing ballroom at some point. Schedules are posted outside of each door and there are four genres per wing ballroom per day.

swimming and gardens

Another feature of the Glow Ball is the beautiful swimming pool - warm enough to be comfortable but cool enough to be refreshing, the outdoor pool has both flower petals and the season's glow candles floating on it, a champagne service offered by light golems, and tables to sit and enjoy a drink and conversation while drying off. There are also small hot tubs ringing the swimming pool where residents can soak away the aches and pains of the day. The pool offers change rooms where speaking a magical incantation (helpfully posted on the door) will change the occupant's formal clothing into an equivalent swimsuit, and will change it back (and dry the occupant) after the dip has been taken.

The gardens are also available for any attendees who want to get a bit of fresh air. With beautiful flower-lined winding paths under a perpetually starry sky and ample candles hanging from the trees and edging the paths for visibility, the gardens are a scenic and relaxing place to take some time away from the light and get some air.

privacy

For residents who want a little private time or want to spend more than just an evening at the ball, there are small private vestibules scattered throughout the palace. Featuring a lounge area with pillows and lap tables for eating, and a comfortable queen-size bed, each room also has a vanity whose drawers hold both suitable pajamas for sleeping in and (in 18+ rooms only) supplies for intimacy ranging from massage oils to packaged toys. And most importantly, each room is fully stocked with a selection of the season's incenses for use in private.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up the mod-posted prompt to create a Communal Housing floor mingle. Or, if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during the Festival of Light, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Jakub Grygier; image ii: Shutterstock; image iii & iv: credit unknown

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

~Fireworks~

Jace has found a nice lounge pretending to be a club. Transparent roof, music, dancing, drinks, bodies moving to the bump and grind. Fire works over their heads and a room full equally dazzling energy. It's the perfect place to get lost of get social with a bunch of strangers.

~Glow Ball~

Someone refuses to dress up for this: Black boots, Black leather jacket, Black fitted long sleeve. His hair has gotten longer, not pulled back tonight, and he's got a bit of scruff on his face from not shaving for a few days.

1. Piano Playing

Jace can be found at a piano playing this song and this song. Will add more in comments below later.

2. Pool - Nude

Jace is very comfortable with his body.

Edited 2018-01-06 23:06 (UTC)

Alec wasn't sure who was playing the piano, but he had an idea of who it might be. Hanging back in the doorway, he watched and listened as his parabatai played one song, then another. Both seemed to be sad choices, ones that Alec would have considered Jace playing before his memories had been altered or when he'd been dealing with all the emotional trauma in New York.

Eventually, he wandered over to the piano, sitting down beside Jace. "I still can't believe that no one caught you teaching me to play."

"It was easy." Jace grinned, cocky and happy to have Alec sitting next to him. He couldn't help himself. Even if he wasn't allowed he couldn't stop the elated sensation of love and warmth that exploded inside of him whenever he was close to Alec. "I'm stealthy, smart, and tackling you to the floor was more believable than the wild child teaching the good child how to play the piano."

He finished the song he'd been playing when Alec sat down and almost instantly began the next.

Rolling his eyes at the grin, he couldn't hide the affection in his expression even if his parabatai's ego could be annoying. "You tackled me because you liked tackling me. Just like you enjoyed pushing me out of the rafters." But Jace was right. The distraction had worked whenever Maryse or Robert had entered the music room. Hodge may have guessed the truth, but he'd never mentioned it or done anything to separate them.

He began to speak, but Jace began another song so instead he sat beside his parabatai, listening to the song he'd chosen.

Under your spell again
I can't say no to you
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand
I can't say no to you

Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly
Now I can't let go of this dream
I can't breathe but I feel

Good enough
I feel good enough for you

Drink up sweet decadence
I can't say no to you
And I've completely lost myself and I don't mind
I can't say no to you

Jace played, staying quiet through most of the song, but there was an affectionate smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He knew this song well, had listened to it over and over again recently. It was one of the songs he'd discovered at the music store when he and Alec went shopping together.

Even if Alec knew the song he doubted he'd guess the emotions behind the lyrics. Alec had Magnus. Jace had had Clary. And despite knowing how Alec had felt about him, he knew there was no way Alec would think Jace would feel the same.

The thought made his chest ache and he actually fumbled a note before catching himself.

"I do like tackling you." He had meant to say did, but when he looked at Alec he felt his heart beat hard against his chest. "You improved exponentially once I started pushing you. I needed you by side...in battle." He looked away, back to the piano keys and realized he'd stopped playing. "You distracted me." He complained, glancing at Alec, trying not to smile.

The song wasn't one that Alec recognized but he knew that it had to be one that Jace was fond of. He was enjoying playing it too much to be one he'd learned out of curiosity or just to challenge himself. Which was why it was strange that his parabatai missed a note. It wasn't obvious, but Alec knew that it took a serious distraction to cause Jace to make a mistake while playing.

The thought brought back an unpleasant memory and he almost wrapped an arm around Jace's shoulders, but he didn't want to interrupt while he was playing. Hopefully the error wouldn't cause any kind of flashback involving 'Michael'.

Relaxing when Jace began to tease him, he pretended to scowl and scooted over so he could reach the keys easily. "Of course I did. Not knowing when you might send me flying was great motivation." Giving Jace a pointed look, he set his hands over the keys. "It's my turn." Taking a slow breath, he remembered Lily's lessons, ignoring a rare flash of homesickness, before beginning to play.

Jace was a little relieved Alec hadn't seemed to notice the whole tackling comment, but mostly he was trying to catch his breath. And trying to decide if he should move over to give Alec more room. But Alec seemed to be comfortable enough to play and play well.

It was great piece.

Even better when Alec added a twist he'd never heard before. It was mesmerizing and beautiful and he couldn't take his eyes off Alec's face. He was enjoying himself. More than he'd ever seen Alec enjoy himself playing the piano.

All thoughts of teasing Alec about motivation disappeared and all he could think about was actually tackling him and kis-nope!

Closing his eyes, Alec tried to remember everything that Lily had taught him. Jace had been his first teacher, but after he'd become friends with the vampire and she'd noticed his interest in music, she'd started giving him lessons. It'd been strange at first, both of them knowing they weren't supposed to be friends, but it'd been one of those details that had somehow allowed them to bond.

He'd already known Fur Elise, but she was the one who had shown him other ways to play it. Alec couldn't improvise the way Lily could, but he could recreate what she'd taught him.

When the song drew to an end and the last notes faded away, he looked at Jace, smiling wistfully. "Sometimes wonder what we would have done if we'd had more choices."

Choices weren't something he'd ever imagined or thought of having outside picking a weapon or a good leather jacket. Choosing Alec as his parabatai had been the one and only choice he'd ever truly made for himself. It wasn't until recently that he found he liked baking and building things. He suddenly had choices that never would have been possible back home.

But it wasn't cupcakes or music boxes that came to mind when Alec spoke of wondering what they would have done. It was Alec. Jace wondered if Alec had more choices growing up would he have felt the same. Would they be parabatai? He certainly would have been happier. Jace liked seeing Alec so very happy.

"Shadowhunters who hunted by night and played Mozart by day." He had to wonder... "Do you sometimes wish you hadn't been born Nephilim?" He smiled softly and searched Alec's eyes, already answering his own question. "No. You never would have met Magnus."

And Jace couldn't imagine never having met Alec.

"What choices would you have made if you could have made them?"

Slowly, Alec began to play a soft melody, another from a bygone era that Lily had taught him, while considering Jace's question. "I would have loved to be able to play Mozart whenever I wanted instead of when Robert and Maryse were away." A few more notes, ones that sounded melancholy for a moment before Alec forced himself to start playing something more lively. "I wonder if they thought music would make me more gay."

It was something Alec had wondered for awhile, considering some of the things Izzy had told him about their childhood and his own memories. Robert may have apologized for his behavior but that didn't wipe away years of neglect and making Alec feel like less because of a preference he had been terrified to put into words. "I might have met Magnus. From what he's told me, he dated Mundanes more than Downworlders and he never dated Shadowhunters until me." Laughing softly, he glanced over at Jace. "Being a Mundane might have made him more willing to date me."

But they would have had the same problems. Immortality would have been the third person in their relationship. "If I wasn't Nephilim, I also wouldn't have met you. You would have went to another family or I would have been part of a mundane one instead of a Lightwood."

The music shifted to something slower, simpler, while Alec debated different answers. "I'm not sure. I wouldn't have hidden my love of music. I might have learned another instrument. Maybe I would have went to college like Izzy." Which he didn't remember but it was obvious that she had attended at some time. "Maybe even have a Mundane job." Shifting so Jace could begin to play if he wanted, he gave his parabatai a curious look. "What would you do if you could make any choice? We can do almost anything in this world."

"I don't think you can be more gay. You're married to a man who wears glitter like it's a second layer of skin." Jace smirked and then rolled his eyes at Alec. "Being a Mundane would have driven you crazy. Bored out of your mind."

He didn't want to think about Alec being anything other than Alec. He liked him exactly the way he was sitting here next to him. From the day they met he liked Alec. He imagined Magnus would love Alec either way, Shadowhunter or Mundane. He imagined Magnus would have found Mundane Alec playing music somewhere or practicing archery. Maybe Alec and Simon would have been friends in another life where Simon wasn't a vampire and Alec wasn't a Shadowhunter.

The thought of living in that world, alone without the few people he had in his life now, terrified him.

"I wouldn't be who I am without you."

Jace listened to the notes for a moment and then joined in, playing something to compliment Alec's music.

"What instrument?" He also wanted to know what Alec would do in college. Books. Something to do with books. And then he pictured Alec wearing Mundane clothes and carrying cooks, talking about classes and tests, the way Simon had before things had changed. But when he tried to imagine himself in that world all he could see was Shadowhunter. "I've already made a few choices. Baking. I build things. I work as a perimeter guard."

He was quiet for a moment, fingers dancing lightly over the keys, his arm brushing against Alec's.

"If I could...." He doubted it would ever be possible. "I would start a family." He shrugged. "But that isn't happening. Not anytime soon or ever."

"There has to be a reason why they wanted me to fit the straight stereotypes when I was just a kid." By the Angel, he'd been ten when he'd met Jace. What had he done at that age that made Robert so paranoid that his eldest son might turn out gay? No matter how often he tried to figure it out, he'd never recalled one event that could have made Robert paranoid about Alec's sexuality. "And glitter does not equal gay. Technically he's bisexual."

Jace might be right. He might have been bored as a mundane but if he'd never known the difference... and now, sometimes he wondered about a 'normal' life or at least one that didn't revolve around weapons and fighting.

"I wouldn't be the person I am if it weren't for you. You were the first one to truly believe in me. Everyone else expected me to be less." But Jace never had. He'd encouraged Alec to focus on his strengths and to find ways to keep up with one of the best Shadowhunters of their generation.

"Maybe guitar. If I'd been a normal teenager, drums to annoy Robert and Maryse." But he probably wouldn't have, even if they'd all been Mundanes. Alec still would have been afraid of being outed so he would have done everything possible to be respectable according to their parents' rules. Pausing, he thought of the things Jace had been trying lately. The apartment was now full of tools and cookbooks. "I haven't really tried anything new since we arrived here. But there's things I'd like to do. I think."

The idea of having choices was too new for Alec to really consider seriously. "Why can't you start a family? If I can have one someday, so can you. And if I have one, then you'll have a family too."

Jace considered the idea of labels. Gay. Bisexual. Straight. Shadowhunter. Mundane. Downworlder. Like boxes. He'd lived in a confined space of limits and expectations, like Alec. Their potential to be anything else suffocated almost to death.

He knew Valentine would beat him bloody if he knew.

Everyone expected him to be exactly what they expected and anything else was an impossibility. His value established when he held his first seraph blade.

But Alec had looked at him differently.

"Do you...believe a person can change so much...they..." Jace licked his lips and wished he had something to drink. "You see. It wouldn't work, you being a Mundane, because we never would have met and then neither of us would be who we are today. Gay and....bisexual?"

Shit.

"If you buy a set of drums I'm moving to another building." He teased, picking a random melody to play to keep his shaking fingers busy. "Are you and Magnus thinking of adopting?"

That would actually be pretty awesome. Uncle Jace. But he wanted to be a father more than anything. Maybe for all the wrong reasons. To prove he could be a good father, better than his own.

Knowing that Jace was struggling with something, Alec began to play, accompanying the notes his parabatai played almost as well as they fought together in battle. "I believe they can change," he said slowly, his voice quiet so it didn't interrupt the music or cause Jace to shy away. "I think we've all proven that."

His fingers never changed the careful pace that he set so that he could match Jace, considering the rest of his parabatai's words. Bisexual. That should have been more of a shock, but after seeing how Jace had drifted to Simon when he'd been hurting and the fond exasperated looks he gave Simon, Alec wasn't as surprised as he expected. "We probably would have still have met and we'd both still be gay and bisexual."

Jace had also checked Magnus out... not that Alec blamed him. Magnus could throw most beings out of their sexuality related denial when he dressed to impress.

"I won't start playing the drums." The promise gave Alec time to think about something he hadn't really discussed with Magnus but he had the feeling he knew his husband would eventually agree to. "I've thought about it, but that was before Magnus. It was one of the only ways I could imagine having children. Either adoption or being an uncle to you or Izzy's kids."

Jace stopped playing, his fingers hovering above the keys as he turned to stare at Alec. So very close and warm and not his. Whatever he had been expecting this wasn't it. Alec was so accepting and calm. Maybe he expected anger, disbelief. Something. After the way Alec had felt about him...but then that was the reason wasn't it?

Alec didn't feel the same way anymore. Alec had found true love with someone who was far more deserving.

Forcing his attention back to the piano he had to rub his palms against his jeans before attempting to compliment Alec's playing with his own.

"Have you talked to Magnus about kids?"

He could picture it in his head. Alec and Magnus with kids.

Noticing that Jace was focused on him, Alec fought back a blush. Why was he reacting that way? He hadn't blushed over Jace since before they were parabatai. And why was Jace looking at him like that? Did he expect Alec to be angry over him being bi? Maybe when he was younger, it would have hurt, but Alec knew that it took time to understand certain aspects of yourself.

Since Jace was trying to match his playing, he began slowly picking up another song. It wasn't one Alec normally played, so it was slower than the melody was usually played.

He barely stumbled over a note as he let out a sound of disbelief. "We've only been married a few months a half of that time we spent with our memories altered. It's a big decision and it'd effect all of us, not just Magnus and me."

This wasn't a song he was familiar with so Jace did his best to follow Alec's lead until he couldn't. He rested his hands on top of the piano, leaning forward, but careful not to block Alec from playing.

"You and Magnus will be great parents. I vote yes on kids. I'm sure Izzy will say yes, too."

It would be perfect. Alec and Magnus in love. Married. Having kids. He was happy for them. He really was.

"It's a big decision, but you can't make a decision at all until you two talk about it. Start negotiations now and in a few years you could have Gideon and-Does Magnus have a middle name?"

There was still so much about Magnus Jace didn't know and so much he knew he would never know. He rubbed his eyes and straightened up and nudged Alec's elbow, starting to play a song that suddenly came to mind.

Alec faltered slightly when Jace stopped playing, but continued on with the song. He hadn't thought Jace would know it. Even before he'd owned a record store, Jace's knowledge of Mundane music was more limited than his. "It's not something I want to rush into. It's still the honeymoon phase and I don't think either one of us is over what happened during the wars." Meaning, Alec wasn't ready after losing Max a second time.

His fingers stilled on the keys as he turned to give Jace a slightly disgusted look. "I would not name my son Gideon even if he's probably one of our less offensive ancestors." Magnus hadn't told him much about the other Lightwoods, but he had a few ideas about them. "Green eyed monsters," he muttered under his breath. At least Gideon had been willing to marry a Mundane girl.

"I doubt warlocks have middle names." Technically, Alec wasn't even sure what Magnus' real name was, but he'd never say that to anyone but his husband. As Jace began to play, he was about to tease him for not knowing 'Let it Be' when he began to mentally recite the lyrics.

Oh.

Pretending that he didn't know the song, he began playing with Jace, concentrating on the keys so that his parabatai wouldn't realize he knew the lyrics that went with the song.

"Don't rush. Just...start a conversation." Jace suggested. And then laughed at the look on Alec's face.

He had no idea what he meant by green eyed monster, unless he meant jealousy, but given the context he doubted that. He also realized he didn't know what Alec meant by his less offensive ancestors.

Mangus probably knew.

Maybe he was the green eyed monster.

And maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you.

The words were so clear in his head. A song he'd found at the music store and had listened to far too many times he knew every note without ever having seen the sheet music.

He stopped half way through the song. "I can't remember the rest of the song. It's your turn."

He was starting to realize how impossible it was to pretend everything was going to be fine as long as he could be happy for Alec and Magnus. It didn't matter how he felt if they were happy. But it did matter and he couldn't let it. He couldn't ruin their happiness because he couldn't control his emotions.

"I like Gideon, but if you hate it..." He shrugged.

"Eventually, I will, but not right away. He may never have wanted kids or gave up on it." Centuries of assuming he could never have children might mean that Magnus wouldn't want them. At least not without time to accept that it was possible.

As he played, he tried not to think about the lyrics, but he couldn't help wondering if there was more meaning to them than most beings would assume. Magnus had suggested that Jace had feelings for him, but Alec hadn't believed him. Now he wondered if his husband was right. If he was... By the Angel, what would they do if Magnus was right?

Jace stopped playing, pulling Alec from his almost-panic. Automatically, he played one of the jazz pieces Lily taught him that he knew by heart. "I don't know if I like it or not. It might be better to choose a non-Shadowhunter name." If anyone suggested Jonathan, it would automatically be a no. "Gideon married a Mundane woman. I think he's how we're related. Him or his brother."

"How who is related?" Jace asked curiously, grateful Alec had started playing something he didn't recognize and was not a hopeless romantic song about being love.

He was starting to think his father had been right about love and he'd misunderstood the part that love didn't destroy everyone, just him and the people he loved.

"Just don't think of naming any child after me. You should ask Magnus about names." He smirked, knowing he was being a brat about pushing Alec to talk to Magnus. Just one more push and he was done.

He didn't have to push Alec towards Magnus. They gravitated to each other naturally. And they would have the talk when they were ready.

"Just don't pick a name so Mundane even Mundane's dislike it. Like...Bob."

"We're related. We're distant cousins or something. Not just how all Shadowhunters are related. Your family married into mine." At least that's what he assumed from the things Magnus had told him. There may have been more intermarrying over the years, but he knew of that connection in London. "I look like your great great something grandfather."

The next few notes turned out angrier than Alec intended as he thought of Camille and how she'd easily manipulated him by mentioning the family resemblance and Magnus' attraction to men who matched a certain type.

"There are more than enough Jonathans in our reality. I'm not adding another." But he wasn't going to discuss children with Magnus yet. Not until they were more settled.

Wincing as he missed a note, the song jangling to a halt as he thought of what Bob could be a nickname for. "I am not going to name a child after my father."

Jace couldn't stop staring at Alec, muted shock and his thoughts racing. "We're related?"

What was it with him and falling head over heals lusting after family members? By the Angel, he was going to spend the rest of eternity burning with the demons he'd killed. They could all laugh at the Nephilim who couldn't fall in love with someone who wasn't family.

"You look like..." It felt like Valentine was standing right behind him, whispering in his hear. Reminding him of things he'd almost forgotten. Or had pushed far back into the past. Far enough he'd actually started to think they weren't true.

"I think I need...I need a drink. And some air."

"Yeah. In the 1800s your family married into mine. You know how the families intermarry." It was something common among Nephilim. The only part of it that was strange to him was the fact that he resembled Will instead of Jace.

"Magnus knew your great great grandfather," Alec added softly, starting to play something more melancholy as he thought of how he'd almost ruined things because of his jealousy over a man who had been dead for decades. "His name was Will. Magnus' ex used him to help me destroy my relationship with Magnus."

Not almost destroy. Destroy. Alec knew that his jealousy and resentment had cracked the foundations of the relationship. It'd had to be rebuilt almost completely to get them to a point where they were happily married.

Looking up from the keys, he almost said something about Jace promising not to drink, then realizing his parabatai wouldn't listen even if he reminded him. "You go ahead. I'll stay here a little longer."

By the Angel, how could he leave after hearing that? How could he leave at all? He couldn't. Not when Alec was playing something horrible and not arguing with him about wanting a drink.

This wasn't about him. He wouldn't make about himself. He'd promised more than simply not drinking and no matter what he was feeling he wasn't going to walk away.

So he gently elbowed Alec's arm to make him miss the keys and took over the piano, playing a song he'd already played once before, but it felt relevant at the moment and it was one he knew without having to think.

Only this time he didn't just play, he started singing. Only for Alec. He had a point-two points-to make, one he'd share and one he was sure he couldn't ever share. Not without destroying everything.

monthly mingle: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

Jace Wayland | Shadowhunters | OTA

Glow Ball - 1

Re: Glow Ball - 1

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