Everyone get’s their soul mark around 16, it’s just common fact.
When Alec turns 16 he scours his body for anything, a small blemish, anything to let him know where his soul mate will first touch him but he can’t find anything.
He’s always feared this day, but before he was worried that it’d be a large handprint or something else that let others know he was gay.
Now he worries he doesn’t have a soul mate at all.
His family tries to console him, that maybe he’s a late bloomer, that maybe his mate isn’t born yet and that’s why he hasn’t gotten one.
That idea is almost worse that he’d be that much older than his mate.
It’s almost 3 months before he realizes he does have a soul mark, it’s just in a place he’s been studiously avoiding.
He’s in the shower, trying to block out the thoughts that always come to him there when he happens to glance down and something looks, strange.
Trembling fingers reach down and brush away the thick hair before he gasps.
He tells himself its just water from the shower streaming down his cheeks, but even he can’t believe that.
It’s hard to see, and afterwards he has to go steal a mirror from Izzy just to be able to see it better, but once he can see more he realizes what it is.
Most people’s marks show up on their hands, handshakes, high fives, things like that being first touches.
Next most common are things like arms, face and back, then less common legs, feet, chest, etc.
Least common are what are called the sexual marks, when your soul mates first touch is somewhere like a breast, your ass, your genitals.
Alec would have never guessed his soul mark would be the shape of lips around the base of his cock.
The moment it fully hits him he finally gives in to the urges he’s fought so long, because he can’t stop thinking about what it means, who it means.
of course he also wonders how in the world the first touch of his soul mate is him being blown.
He can’t imagine any future where he’s confident enough that his first touch with someone is like that.
Some nights he wonders how it’s going to happen and it both scares and thrills him.
It’s barely two weeks before Jace can’t take noticing Alec’s shy, private smiles when he thinks no one is looking and corners him about it.
Alec doesn’t want to admit it at first, but finally he tells Jace, who as usual is incredulous.
“There’s no WAY your soul mark is a stage 3. NO way!”
Alec, feeling the need to reassure himself it’s real, show just the very hint of it to Jace who promptly loses his mind.
“Your soul mark is LIPS around your COCK!”
Unfortunately his parents happen to hear Jace shouting this which leads to some absolutely mortifying discussions.
After that things slip back to normal, although he always feels the weight of it in others gazes if they know, wondering if he’s going to be some kind of slut that he has a mark like that.
Alec waits and waits, hoping that somehow his mate will find him without any outward mark and his own closeted status, but by the time he’s 24 he’s still a virgin and not out to anyone but his sister so he’s kind of given up hope.
And then Jace begins dating a girl named Clary and starts dragging Alec with him to meet her friends.
They aren’t soul mates, and Alec feels like it’s a waste to get that invested, but he’s trying to be supportive for his brother.
Clary’s best friend, Simon, has just recently met his soulmate Raphael and the group, consisting of them, Alec, Clary, Jace, and then Raphael’s friends Magnus and Meliorn sit around talking when the topic of soul mark comes up.
Jace’s mark is a hand print on his face, which everyone thinks is hilarious and, knowing Jace, seems fitting that his mate would slap him.
Clary’s is the more common hand mark from a greeting.
Simon and Raphael had SImon’s wrist and Raphael’s neck.
Melliorn also has his entire hand marked.
Only Magnus and Alec are left and before Magnus can say anything Jace buts in.
“If we’re really talking interesting soul marks Alec has-”
Alec roughly shoves Jace “Shut up.”
“Oh come on. It’s the best soul makr I’ve ever seen. Well, half seen since you won’t let me see the rest of it.”
“I’m nto showing my brother my...” Alec starts before stopping himself, groaning as he’s already given too much away.
“Show your brother what exactly? Alexander, do you have a sexual mark?” Magnus asks, voice playfully coy.
Alec tries to deny it, but Jace is grinning and nodding like a madman and Alec tosses a pillow at his head.
“Oh I HAVE to know what it is now Alec!” Simon is practically rabid to find out and Alec is pretty sure he’d rather die than discuss this.
“If you don’t tell them I will.”
“You’re a horrible brother.”
“My mark is me being slapped, and yours is what yours is, tell me who got the rough end?”
Sighing Alec finally gives in. He dutifully avoids everyone’s gaze as he begins.  “My mark is... A pair of lips...”
“Where?” Magnus asks. Â
Magnus himself has his mark on his lips, but it’s covered up by lipstick at the moment, so it piques his interest.
Not that he thinks Alec is his soul mate, the man is so stuffy that he has to be straight.
Alec groans, glancing to Jace who is on the verge of tears with silent laughter.
“It’s a pair of lips around... Around my cock. Like my mate is giving me a blowjob...”
There’s a roar of laughter as the entire group breaks out over this revelation.
“And she must be really good too, because I’ve seen Alec in underwear, he’s a big boy to be lips at the base.”
Jace actually gets punched in the arm at that by Alec, but Magnus doesn’t miss the weird twitch Alec gives off when Jace says “she”
“Laugh it up, at least I’m getting sucked off by my mate...” Alec finally says, trying to salvage some of his reputation, even if he can’t believe he’s just said that.
Once everyone calms down Clary turns to Magnus, “So what is yours Magnus?”
All eyes turn to him before Magnus smiles and grabs a napkin.
“Funny enough, mine is also lip related,” he says with a smirk. Slowly he wipes away his bright purple lipstick to reveal dark soul marks covering his entire lips.
Alec can’t help but gulp and cough, because while he could clearly just be kissing his mate, there’s no mistaking that Alec has always known his own soul mate would have to have their soul mark covering their lips.
And, well, Magnus is the most gorgeous man he’s ever met, evne if he’s done his best to barely look at him.
Except now that he’s heard that he can’t do anyhting but look at him, having to pry his eyes away.
Magnus eventually catches him and he looks away, feeling heat creep into his cheeks, but when he glances back Magnus is still staring at him.
Alec is thankful that Raphael says he needs to go soon after, and since he drove most of them here, that means they have to leave.
Everyone exchanges pleasantries as they prepare to leave.
IN an attempt to be a little shit, Meliorn gently pats Jace on his cheek as he leaves with a playful “see you around blondie.”
It’s only a moment later when Jace and Meliorn both freeze as Meliorn walks away that everyone stops to stare at them.
Jace is touching his face with just his fingertips, right over his soul mark.
As they watch the mark begins to fade.
Meliorn turns around looking confused, his hand raised as his mark is fading at the same rate.
“I’m not even gay, what the fuck?!” Jace shouts as he turns to Meliorn.
Meliorn just smirks, “Wouldn’t be the first straight boy I’ve turned.”
Alec is, not surprisingly, the most shocked of anyone that isn’t Jace, since he’s never even heard Jace mention another man was attractive as a joke.
“This... Cannot be happening,” Jace says, looking from Meliorn to Clary
“Like, it has to be a mistake right, right Alec?”
Alec just stares at Jace, then to Meliorn and back to Jace.  “Uh, I’ve never heard of a soul mark disappearing without meeting your mate and having it touched.”
“If its any consolation, plenty of people don’t realize their latent bisexual tendencies until later in life,” Magnus says, “I mean I’ve always known I was a raging bisexual, but it’s not as easy for others.”
Hearing that definitely make Alec’s stomach flip, but he tries to ignore it.
“But, if I was gay I could do so much better...” Jace says, let down..
“Like I’d have picked a puny blond white fucboi as my mate?” Meliorn says, but he’s grinning.
“Shut it you asshole!”
“Oh I’ll make you I’ll shut your entire mouth up I’ll...” Jace stops, realizing he’s gotten right in Meliorn’s face.
“Uh... I, what I meant was, um,” Jace panics, but before he can do anything to back away Meliorn grabs him and kisses him hard.
For about 3 seconds Jace seems like he’s going to bolt, then he very clearly moans and grips Meliorn’s arm and kisses back.
Alec’s jaw drops, Clary looks like she’s about to cry, Magnus and SImon are both cheering and Raphael looks bored.
When they finally break apart Jace looks dazed, it takes him a minute to process before he turns to the group and simply says “Well, I’m definitely Bi.”
Clary actually starts crying then, running off and Magnus gives one last lingering look at Alec that makes Alec’s heart beat faster before running after her.
Alec goes home alone, laying in bed wondering how both he and Jace didn’t realize this. He tells Izzy only enough that she knows Jace broke up with Clary at the party and that Clary, who she still hasn’t met, was inconsolable.
The next day he sees Jace trying to sneak in the house before breakfast and he opens the door for him and hands him some coffee.
“Really? The first night Jace? Yesterday you didn’t even think you were attracted to guys.”
Jace has hickies all over his neck, along with what look like bite marks.
“What can I say, I’m a fast learner.” He winks at Alec and takes a long swig of coffee..
“Besides, like you can talk Mr. my girl is gonna suck me off the first time we meet.”
“I mean she’ll be your girl after it happens.”
“No, I mean. It’d be my guy. My soulmate has to be a guy, I’m gay Jace.”
“Why do you sound more shocked to find out I’m gay than you did to find out you yourself were bi?”
“Because you’re... You! You're like, the straightest person I know!”
“I’m not sure how to respond to that”
“YOu know what I mean, most gay guys are all sparkly and fun and sexually liberated and shit.”
“Way to stereotype Jace.”
“I’m just saying you don’t seem gay.”
“Well I’m sorry Im not constantly sucking a cock Jace but I mean... I am gay.”
“What in the world did I just walk in on?” Izzy asks, rounding the corner into the kitchen.
“uh, Alec was just, um” Jace stammers, trying to cover for his older brother.
“She knows I’m gay JAce, its fine.”
“Oh thank God,” Jace sighs. Then, “Wait, you told her and not me!”
“I figured it out, it’s not that hard.”
“Funny since Jace just called me the straightest person he’s ever met.”
“Well, I mean, if you just took everything you did at face value, sure, he’s right.”
Alec turns to Izzy with a stern look.
“I’m just saying, it’s a very convincing façade you’ve created Alec.”
“Well anyway, I guess that means we’re down to only one straight sibling,” Jace says, laughing.
“Yes, it’s a pity only women have to deal with you Jace.”
Alec and Jace both share a look then turn back to Izzy.
“Oh come on, please tell me you both didn’t think I was straight!”
“Gaydar machine really, really broken,” Alec says, patting himself down like he’s lost it.
“Hey at least you knew you were gay Alec, you should have caught this, I’m new to this shit.”
That makes Izzy turn to Jace, “What does THAT mean?”
Jace smirks, and it’s only then Izzy realizes his soulmate mark is gone.
“Oh my god, your mark is gone! When, who?”
“Last night. His name’s Meliorn. I call him Mel.”
“HIS name! You’re Bi?”
Jace laughs, “I mean I always said I was everyone’s type, I just didn’t know everyone was my type.”
Alec groans along with Izzy at that joke before he realizes.  “Wait, so none of us are straight?”
“Wow, our parents are REALLY going to be angry when they find out.” Alec says.
“Totally unfair I’m going to take the brunt of it since I met my guy first.”
“Please, you literally got to find out you were Bi the moment it happened, I’ve had internalized homophobia since I was 11,” Alec deadpans.  “Get on my level.”
“I mean we can just all, tell them together? They still have one shot at a straight kid with Max I guess.” Izzy looks both nervous and excited about the prospect.
“The odds aren’t looking good for Max,” Jace says, and they all crack up before hugging.
