𝑖𝑛𝑘𝘩𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑑

oh, he knows her. julian knows every single corner of her mind and soul ⸻ and his parabatai is one of the infinitely rare exceptions that can say the same thing about him. what might turn others away only brought them closer together and he would make this decision again and again, no matter how stubborn she can be. ❛ why is that so important to you? ❜ the question is sudden and he chuckles under his breath as he takes another sip of his coffee. ❛ you know how much i respect you, even when you do follow my orders. ❜ he has never once seen her as inferior and the angel knows he never would. hazel eyes linger on her features once she mentions falling stars and he narrows them before he glances at the sky above. ❛ think that's some sort of message? ❜ he wonders, frown deepening. ❛ my father mentioned something about angelic communication before, but... ❜ there are barely any records of it and why would the angels pick the devil's daughter? his train of thoughts gets interrupted by her words and he finds himself firing her a glare. ❛ it's not a good plan. ❜ aurora can handle vampires, sure, but there is more to it than that. if anything went wrong, they could have a daylighter on their hands. if anything went wrong, he would never forgive himself. jules tries to roll his shoulders to loosen some of the tension, but the movement freezes when her fingertips find his wrist. there is always that brief moment, a second where his body struggles to decide how it's going to react to being touched, but he allows it to linger. it's not enough to stop him from twisting his ring, but he appreciates it nonetheless. ❛ you know she'd help, i just... don't want to make this harder for her. ❜

the  question  is  sudden.  ❛  it's  in  my  blood.  ❜  a  rebel  angel  for  a  father  will  do  that.  he's  always  been  the  only  authority  aurora  truly  listens  to  ...  well,  him  and  her  parabatai  now,  with  julian  as  head  of  the  institute.  her  boss.  it  still  makes  her  smile,  tugging  her  scarf  closer  around  cold,  flushed  cheeks  as  a  breeze  cuts  through.  ❛  i  follow  your  orders  because  i  want  to.  ❜  not  because  of  titles  or  obligation  or  any  need  to  earn  respect.  it  feels  right.  ❛  and  because  you  follow  mine  too.  ❜  the  mutual  respect  they  have  for  each  other  existing  before  promotions  and  long  before  parabatai  vows.

❛  a  message  ?  ❜  a  frown  follows,  her  thinking  not  far  off  from  his.  ❛  i  doubt  an  angel  would  want  to  communicate  with  someone  like  me.  ❜  the  devil’s  daughter  would  be  a  ...  choice.  though  angels  have  never  been  simple  or  predictable.

she  lifts  her  coffee,  takes  a  slow  sip  of  the  warmth.  again,  she  knows  exactly  where  julian's  thoughts  are.  ❛  i  wouldn't  be  caught.  ❜  which  is  precisely  what  makes  it  a  good  plan.  there's  nothing  to  worry  about  if  they  can't  touch  her.  mismatched  eyes  stay  on  his  face  when  he  doesn't  pull  away  from  her  touch,  when  his  fingers  keep  worrying  at  his  ring.  ❛  she  would.  if  you're  worried  then  maybe  it's  best  we  don't  ask  for  now.  ❜  julian  knows  his  sister.  and  while  it's  in  his  nature  not  to  burden  others,  aurora  can't  help  thinking  the  same.  violet's  transition  hadn't  been  easy.  ❛  between  the  two  of  us,  we'll  figure  it  out.  ❜

cosimo does not need his abilities to believe that his daughter is being honest. she knows how much he despises lies, knows better than attempting to fool him instead of asking for privacy. a hum falls from his lips and he crosses his arms as he studies her features. ❛ i suppose stars could refer to our bloodline, but you do enjoy starlight. ❜ fire and drowning are more peculiar than that and he has no reason or rhyme for them just yet. ❛ a lot has happened on the streets of new york. knives and arrows could be tied to your parabatai bond. ❜ simple enough, but he circles back to the more complex aspects. ❛ is anything making you feel overwhelmed right now? so much so, it feels like drowning? or like you are ready to explode? ❜ the devil expects no answer, his questions merely aim to trigger her subconscious into figuring it out. ❛ so we are inviting your brother to family dinner. ❜ he grins when she challenges him, shaking his head in amusement. she's smart, too smart at times. ❛ aurora, please. ❜ cosimo rolls his eyes before he decides to accept her terms and conditions. ❛ alright. i will let you choose. what do you want for dinner? ❜

there's  no  point  in  trying  to  fool  him.  not  because  he's  the  devil,  not  because  he's  her  father,  but  because  ...  why  would  she  ?  she  loves  him.  trusts  him.  lying  to  him  would  make  no  sense  at  all.  aurora  considers  cosimo’s  reading  of  her  dreams,  head  tilting,  nose  scrunching  as  she  turns  it  over  in  her  mind.  ❛  i  ...  i'm  not  sure.  ❜  her  features  are  quick  to  twist  into  a  small  frown.  it  isn't  easy  for  her  to  name  her  own  thoughts,  to  pin  down  her  emotions.  it  frustrates  her  when  she  can't.

❛  okay.  ❜  a  sudden  ache  along  her  neck  has  her  rubbing  at  it  absently.  but  smiles  when  he  rolls  his  eyes,  accepting  her  conditions  without  further  argument.  ❛  i  want  gnocchi  alla  sorrentina.  ❜

and they never would ⸻ leopold and aurelina raised them better than that, though he still believes that her cooking is more than okay, either way. ❛ yes. there are all kinds of beings at school and they are her current hyperfixation. ❜ clearly. demanding howls from aurora and teaching her how to do them just right is proof enough, isn't it? ❛ you're welcome. ❜ always. despite the fact that there is no need to thank him. ❛ of course. you can let me know if you have any questions as well. ❜ the warlock offers before he goes on. ❛ you know what i could use right now? a milkshake. would you want one as well? ❜ he asks, pointing toward the kitchen.

aurora  nods.  ❛  i've  never  been  to  the  school  before.  ❜  never  had  a  reason  to  be,  though  is  curious  about  it.  it  must  be  safe  for  the  waynes  to  send  their  girls  there.  ❛  they  like  it  ?  ❜  they  must  if  celeste's  current  fixation  on  werewolves  is  anything  to  go  by.

❛  okay.  ❜  her  voice  lifting  just  a  little,  carrying  a  quiet  note  of  excitement.  she  loves  discussing  books,  especially  with  leopold.  and  now,  at  the  offer  of  a  milkshake  ?  she  perks  up  even  more.  ❛  yes,  please.  ❜  she  slips  the  book  carefully  back  into  her  bag,  unwilling  to  risk  a  single  spill  on  something  so  precious  before  following  him  to  the  kitchen.

❛ is that it? you suspect them of murder? ❜ that version of the story changes things and has little to do with looking suspicious, no? amir studies her for a moment and he cannot keep his expression from twisting into a frown. ❛ should you be trailing suspects on your own? ❜ it strikes him as dangerous, maybe even foolish ⸻ especially if the nephilim thinks them not only capable of it, but willing to kill. ❛ i will not pretend to know much about your kind, but i have rarely encountered one alone. ❜ a chuckle rumbles in his chest and he offers a rare smile. ❛ is that not their job? a podcast without talking would be rather quiet. ❜ so yes, it sounds like ridiculous criticism, but the vampire finds it entertaining. ❛ i also happen to believe that being enthused about your job helps tremendously... but i do understand how it could get too much. ❜

she  isn't  quick  to  give  away  shadowhunter  business.  but  word  of  the  killings  has  already  rushed  through  the  city,  and  aurora  sees  little  point  in  pretending  otherwise.  ❛  yes.  ❜  whether  the  vampire  ahead  of  them  is  the  murderer  is  another  question  entirely.  she  straightens,  lifting  her  chin,  trying  to  make  herself  seem  just  a  little  taller.  ❛  i'm  fine  on  my  own.  ❜  more  than.  though  the  second  (  if  )  something  happens,  she  knows  exactly  who  she'll  be  calling  for  backup.

whyever he is doing it, aleyna appreciates his silent acceptance over potential inquiries that would be difficult to answer ⸻ even if she wanted to. all she knows is that the faerie realm left its mark on her and she failed to shake it ever since. ❛ thank you. ❜ she breathes as she slips through the open door, stepping into the museum. ❛ oh, really? i do it more often than i'd like to admit. ❜ the joys of immortality with no responsibilities. the witch happens to have all the time in the world. ❛ a new exhibit sounds interesting. do you know what it's about? ❜

the  darklighter  dips  his  head  at  her  thanks,  falling  into  step  beside  her  as  they  enter  the  museum.  ❛  new  york  does  have  a  lot  of  art  exhibits.  ❜  this  one  just  happens  to  be  one  of  the  larger  buildings  for  it  in  the  city.  when  she  asks  what  the  exhibit  is,  his  lips  twitch.  ❛  ironically  ...  faeries.  ❜  which  should  make  things  interesting  for  both  of  them.  ❛  depictions  of  the  fair  folk  across  different  times  and  cultures.  ❜

and how could he possibly have full control over something so new? it's too soon, but that doesn't mean that rhys is not going to gain the control he longs for. ❛ annoying? ❜ the vampire echoes, raising his eyebrows. for a second there, it is easy to forget that his friend never needed to endure change before ⸻ at least not in that sense. amir, however, is familiar with it and maybe that is what offers him a certainty that the darklighter struggles to grasp. ❛ what is this, if not an opportunity to get to know yourself? ❜ he inquires as he looks up at him.

rhys  has  lived  through  change  after  change,  yet  didn't  change  much  himself.  centuries  passed,  ages  fell  away,  and  he  remained  the  same  ⸻  sun-kissed  and  stormbound.  now,  the  storms  are  still  there.  they're  just  held  differently,  folded  into  shadow.  it's  a  quieter  and  silent  thing,  and  somehow  heavier  and  stronger.  ❛  you  don't  think  i  know  myself  after  a  millennium  ?  ❜  the  darklighter  chuckles.  ❛  i  am  older  than  you  are,  my  friend.  ❜

stares  and  then  keeps  staring,  watching  the  other  fae  as  if  he'd  sprouted  five  heads  and  started  a  congo  line  through  the  park.  lips  curl  into  something  distasteful,  taking  in  the  water  dripping  that  was  still  a  good  distance  away  yet  simultaneously  too  close.  "  it  looks  like  you  tried  to  swim  and  forgot  how  to,   "  drawls,  unconcerned  by  it  as  long  as  he  stayed  away  from  her.  she  didn't  have  any  qualms  pushing  him  right  back  in  should  he  make  the  grave  error  of  getting  her  wet,  though  nailah  couldn't  help  but  to  ask, "  what  were  you  even  trying  to  do  ?  "

the  darklighter  chuckles  at  her  remark.  ❛  no,  i  didn't  forget  to  swim.  ❜  his  voice  a  little  deadpan  in  response.  he  couldn't  lie  ⸻  an  unfortunate  trait  carried  over  from  when  he  was  still  all  sunshine.  hand  shakes  out  droplets  from  his  dark  hair  (  a  safe  distance  from  nailah  )  before  steps  a  little  closer,  more  to  put  space  between  himself  and  the  water  he  fell  into.  ❛  trying  to  get  to  the  seelie  realm.  ❜  the  stretch  beneath  the  bridge  being  one  of  the  entrances.  ❛  appears  i've  been  barred  entrance.  ❜  why  the  seelie  queen  has  decided  now  of  all  times  to  deny  him,  he  isn't  entirely  sure.

❛ i'm sure that will happen someday. ❜ the devil could not sound more sarcastic, though the statement is far from true. aurelina may tease and taunt, but she has always shown him respect. there would be no friendship without it. ❛ you can't believe i said what in front of your child? ❜ he questions, raising his eyebrows at the pointed look. ❛ that her mother is giving me a hard time, because she believes i should work for her kindness? ❜ his tone sounds a little too innocent and the twitch in the corner of his lips betrays him, but no. lielle would not understand the statement or any pun behind it. he hums, meeting her statement with a single nod of his head. ❛ i do know. ❜ romeo never even seems to mind being the only boy. if anything, he probably enjoys the fact that the girls divert isabella's attention for a while as they all get to play. absentminded fingers keep running through lielle's hair as he nods once more. ❛ sure. violet might be out and about with the twins, but that means she can catch up on the much needed sleep. ❜ or spend some time with isabella and romeo, if he's mistaking.

that  is  the  only  way  you  can  tease  and  taunt  the  devil.  without  respect,  you  wouldn't  get  away  with  much.  ❛  i'm  not  going  to  repeat  it.  ❜  she  states  first  (  that  would  defeat  the  purpose  of  pointing  it  out  )  before  cosimo  continues.  ❛  you  know  exactly  what  you  were  insinuating.  and  not  work  for  my  kindness.  work  to  discover  my  dirty,  little  secrets.  ❜  it  slips  out  before  she  catches  her  own  words.  she  lifts  a  finger  immediately,  pressing  it  between  them  to  cut  off  the  tease  she  knows  is  coming.  ❛  don't  !  you  know  what  i  mean.  ❜

the  witch  rises  to  her  feet,  snapping  her  lunch  container  shut  as  she  crosses  to  the  counter  for  her  bag.  ❛  you  have  a  big  enough  place  to  find  somewhere  quiet  for  her  anyway.  ❜  if  the  twins  and  violet  are  home.  she  gathers  her  things,  slinging  the  bag  over  her  shoulder,  keys  in  one  hand,  the  wolfsbane  clutched  in  the  other.  ❛  ready  ?  ❜

❛ what tells you i'm not just amused at you being such an extrovert? ❜ leopold teases when she claims that he will want to marry her. all jokes aside, aurelina is not even all that wrong ⸻ he did know that he would want to spend the rest of his life with her, soon after they'd met. ❛ no rules. creativity is not supposed to have bounds, is it? ❜ blue eyes land on her face as she moves to his side and wiggles her fingers. it draws another chuckle from his lips and he stands up, taking her hand into his own. ❛ where are we going, future wife of mine? ❜

❛  oh,  i'm  not  normally  this  forward.  which  makes  you  special.  ❜  it's  true,  at  least  in  part.  aurelina  can  carry  a  conversation  easily,  has  always  been  willing  to  help  the  witches  in  her  community  when  they  come  knocking.  but  she  prefers  the  quieter  things  :  the  forest,  her  family,  her  own  company.  she's  just  simply  very  good  at  playing  the  extrovert.  which  is  what  makes  leopold  different.  because  from  the  moment  she  laid  eyes  on  him,  there  had  been  nothing  easier  (  nothing  more  instinctive  )  than  wanting  him  in  her  life.  ❛  the  best  kind  doesn't.  ❜  rules  have  never  been  where  real  creativity  lives.  not  the  beautiful  kinds.

she  smiles  when  he  takes  her  hand,  shifting  closer  so  she  can  loop  her  arm  through  his,  guiding  him  toward  the  cafe's  exit.  ❛  that  would  ruin  the  surprise,  wouldn’t  it  ?  ❜

and what is so wrong with going to hell? mundanes are the ones that insist edom holds the worst of the worst ⸻ a meager attempt to frighten their own kind, to make them follow rules invented by those who act all high and mighty. it is ridiculous to emilia, though she cannot blame her best friend for questioning her sanity as her life turned upside down. ❛ you would find a replacement. ❜ she purrs before she sips her wine. ❛ it would be cheap and tacky and you would deserve every second of disgust, for letting me perish in your husband's hellfire. ❜ chocolate brown eyes settle on the vampire's features and she shakes her head. ❛ no. ❜ the truth. even unseelies cannot lie. ❛ i really do not care, though i think you would enjoy it. you asked for total anonymity, that is something my realm offers. ❜

yeah,  what  is  wrong  with  hell  ?  fire  everywhere,  demons  trying  to  kill  you.  maybe  violet  would  finally  get  a  good  tan.  ❛  replace  you  ?  ❜  repeats,  mouth  gaping.  ❛  exactly  !  it  would  be  cheap  and  tacky  so  i  could  never  replace  you.  ❜  she's  far  too  used  to  being  spoiled  for  that  ⸻  though  there's  more  to  it  than  that.  ❛  so  for  my  own  sake  and  yours,  i  won't  let  you  perish.  ❜

violet  sips  her  wine,  appreciating  her  honesty  even  if  it  must  be  given.  ❛  i  think  it  could  be  fun.  and  ...  might  give  me  a  different  perspective  on  it.  ❜  she's  been  more  open  to  the  downworld  since  becoming  a  part  of  it  herself.  even  with  things  she  still  struggles  with.

❛ i shouldn't need help. ❜ for a moment there, aleyna cannot keep herself from feeling like a defiant child. how many times did she utter those words in the faerie realm? how many times did her sister take her by the hand and prove there is nothing wrong with accepting it? she knows better, she does, but her tolerance is at an all time low. ❛ which is not to say i don't appreciate your help. i always do. ❜ the enchantress breathes, softer this time, until she adds something else with a roll of her eyes. ❛ this wouldn't even be so messy without me feeling the urge to scratch his eyes out. i should consume more lavender again. ❜ calm her nervous system so he cannot get under her skin.

❛  stop.  ❜  she  says  quickly,  a  pointed  look  cutting  through  aleyna's  excuses  and  stating  she  shouldn't  need  help.  she  knows  exactly  what's  coming  next.  ❛  we  all  need  help  sometimes.  ❜  no  matter  how  powerful  or  not  someone  is.  ❛  and  we're  sisters.  ❜  that  alone  is  reason  enough  that  neither  should  ever  hesitate  (  or  feel  bad  )  asking  for  it.  ❛  there's  nothing  wrong  with  what  you're  feeling.  i  would  be  angry  too.  ❜

her  hand  tightens  on  aleyna's  as  she  digs  the  other  into  the  grave  dirt.  she  hears  it  ⸻  faint,  almost  lost  in  the  cold  breeze.  ❛  try  ringing  the  bell  again.  ❜  the  instruction  quiet.  the  chimes  could  coax  the  ghost  closer,  prompt  it  to  make  its  presence  more  known.

that's the thing, isn't it? their family raised them to believe that anyone who's not a shadowhunter is an enemy, with no reason other than the fact that demonic blood runs through their veins ⸻ but that's not how life works. a vampire can be so much more humane than a nephilim. a mundane can be so much more gruesome than a demon. violet is not the only downworlder in his life who's proving it to him, time and time again. it complicates things, forces him to question everything he's been taught, but julian would never choose to go back to life without them. ❛ no. it doesn't. ❜ and while he is far from squeamish ( he's seen enough corpses, taken enough lives ) this is something that gets him every single time. the smell of rot and decay is bad enough without burning flesh, but he would rather not carry them to the institute. jules rises to his feet now, hazel eyes meeting his sister's as his breath remains shallow. ❛ cream cheese sounds good, but nothing beats spicy mayo. ❜ and by the angel, he could use something that makes his mouth water right now.

a  lesson  the  montclaires  could  use.  that  all  shadowhunters  could  use.  neither  violet  nor  julian  ever  hated  downworlders.  if  they  did,  things  would  be  different.  but  it  doesn't  mean  they  don't  wrestle  with  parts  of  it.  how  could  they  not,  trained  since  birth  to  fight  them  ?  to  a  father  who  outright  hates  them  ?  with  a  mother  indifferent  to  everything  ?  and  now,  as  a  downworlder  herself,  violet  still  struggles  not  to  believe  she  needs  to  be  watched.

as  soon  as  her  brother  is  on  his  feet,  she  starts  toward  the  exit  of  the  alleyway,  city  lights  glowing  bright  as  they  hit  the  main  street.  ❛  you  and  your  spicy  mayo.  ❜  violet  likes  it  too,  just  not  as  much  as  him.  ❛  do  you  want  to  eat  there  too  ?  or  just  pick  it  up  and  go  to  one  of  our  places  ?  ❜

mismatched eyes drink her in once he hears her plea. ❛ that is a lot to ask. ❜ some would claim that it's impossible and cosimo himself wonders if he would disagree with them. ❛ i allow you to make an impact. is that not enough? ❜ his lips tug into a grin when she mentions his father, but it fades as she calls herself a lowlife downworlder ⸻ though he knows she's joking. ❛ would you stop insulting my wife like that? her lack of authority has nothing to do with her species, or her upbringing. ❜ the joke lingers, just like the brief silence that follows her question. ❛ you know exactly what's going to happen at home. ❜ the blond leaves it at that and takes his seat, already reaching for the menu while he shrugs. ❛ i suppose not. ❜ violet knows her brother much better than he does, but cosimo agrees anyway. ❛ i get it though. they are his family. i wouldn't want a thank you for watching his children either. ❜ let alone payment.

some  will  say  that,  but  violet  will  not.  even  if  she  (  once  again  )  knows  exactly  who  she  married.  ❛  that  means  there's  a  chance.  i'll  take  it  !  ❜  her  grin  is  triumphant,  if  only  for  a  moment  until  his  smile  fades  and  he  answers  her  comment.  ❛  i'm  not  insulting.  i  love  your  wife,  actually.  not  everyone  can  make  the  devil  fall  in  love.  ❜

she  hums  innocently  when  he  says  she  knows  exactly  what's  going  to  happen.  she  does.  just  doesn't  say  it,  pressing  her  lips  together  as  she  looks  down  at  her  own  menu  and  fails  to  hide  her  forming  smile.  ❛  i  think  i'll  get  a  gin  martini.  ❜  says  instead.  ❛  and  exactly.  he  adores  them  anyway.  ❜  and  they  adore  him  right  back.  ❛  but  maybe  we  bring  him  some  food,  in  case  he  needs  to  jump  straight  back  to  the  institute.  ❜