duplicitymemes | TDM #17

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«tdm

TDM #17

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy.

This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses.

To counteract the discovery of the Deceit Gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the L.I.E.S. program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the Deceit Gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from L.I.E.S. after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues.

... and you're here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity.

After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a clear plastic top and pants along with clear plastic boots to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of orientation.

If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You're a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your high rise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You're a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you'll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms.

Enjoy your free time until orientation! Participation is mandatory by all new and old arrivals.

The weather is rather wet and rainy. Very, very rainy.

» » » ALL ABOARD

It's time for the monthly Duplicity train tour. Seats are in pairs and randomly assigned to Dominants and Submissives alike. Traveling from Fiddler's Square, the train journeys through various parts of the Up, showcasing society and examples of lifestyle. Along the way, frequent stops are made; a variety of passengers can be seen exiting and entering the doors. A Dominant with a kneeling Submissive takes a seat near the front of the train at one stop. A small group of Submissives board and sit closer to the LIERS at another, all seemingly content in their roles. As the tour continues through the Up, the train passes close to the Market and White Wall Bridge and zips by North Park before heading into the Down and bypassing Red Wall Bridge and South Park.

The train makes a "final" stop at Riddler's Square, where inhabitants of the Down are instructed to return to their temporary housing. Those who live in the Up are permitted to stay on the train and revisit the same locations while returning.

« « « RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

(cw: aphro, dub-con, violence, marking)

Ice and chilly weather have begun to give way to rain instead, with overcast skies and dark clouds a seemingly constant sight. While the overabundance of rain is an annoyance and comes with the usual series of problems, such as leaky ceilings, mold growth, and gutters or storm drains overflowing, this time the rain carries with it another problem altogether. A weather advisory warning is broadcast to every device, as well as on news networks and radio. The rain, at least for a few days, is not ordinary rain. Whether you're in the Up or the Down, when the water hits clothing it eats away at it. The more water it absorbs, the more the material disintegrates until the wearer is left naked.

When the rain comes in contact with skin (or is ingested) the effects seem to differ depending on where you are in Duplicity. In the Up, it's relatively harmless and merely has an aphrodisiac effect, leaving individuals feeling hot and bothered, more sociable and touchy feely.

Those in the Down, however, are not so lucky. As the rain seeps through the soil from the Up, it ends up laced with toxins, causing a range of less pleasant side effects for anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. Aside from the aphrodisiac, those who get caught in the rain may develop an uncomfortable, itchy rash, leaving them looking rather spotty for a few days. Those who can't resist scratching at themselves will find a newfound pleasure to the relief it brings and start to crave the feeling or sight of similar marks. In worst case scenarios, individuals will become addicted to marking themselves and others, perhaps even to the point of breaking skin.

Effects may last for several hours after exposure and will stack with repeated exposures. In all cases, getting off will bring temporary relief but will not alleviate the symptoms entirely.

Plastic coverings seem to be unaffected by the rain and, as word spreads, the Natives in Duplicity form a mad rush buying up umbrellas. Unless a character is lucky, they may find themselves unable to purchase - or even borrow - one. Theft of umbrellas becomes widespread in the Down, often escalating to violence, and even the Up isn't safe from thugs trying to steal and resell this suddenly hot commodity.

There's another side to all of this, however. Due to the shortage of umbrellas, it isn't uncommon to see Dom/Sub pairs sharing umbrellas together. If anything, it's encouraged as a means to strengthen their bond. Enterprising Subs and Doms alike may even sell their "services" to escort individuals who would otherwise end up soaked.

« « « SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME

(cw: substance abuse, altered states, coercion, fluids, physical body changes)

A new "holistic" pharma company named SQuIRT is opening up in Duplicity and is paying a pretty penny for people to trial run their new line of supplements. These supplements are supposed to increase a person's vitality and energy levels, but the side effects are what the company is really looking out for.

Some of the side effects aren't so bad and could include:

Prolonged erections
Lactation in both men and women
Size enlargement of breasts or genitals
Copious amounts of ejaculate or sexual fluids
Sudden interest in previously unexplored kinks

While others might find their own reaction to be a little more severe:

Shrinkage of breasts, genitals, or entire being
Inability to cum
Uncontrollable hair growth or hair loss
Temporary loss of one or more senses
Spontaneous weeping

Subjects must take the supplements for at least a week, otherwise they'll receive no compensation for their troubles. All new arrivals will find themselves automatically enrolled in these trials, whether they want to be or not, and expected to report to the clinic. Of course they don't have to take the supplements, but the payout is certainly enticing, especially for those unfortunate enough to be branded Submissives.

« « « STICKY FINGERS

(cw: violence)

Crime runs rampant in the Down as always but now, with the nastier side effects of the rain creating an ongoing problem, some unsavory types are sneaking their way into the Up where the effects aren't so hazardous.

The result is an uptick in crime in places that are usually considered safe. Be careful how you carry yourself - and your valuables. Those who look like easy pickings may find their pockets empty. Cameras in public areas are being vandalized as well, while homes and businesses are seeing a rise in graffiti. Most of the graffiti is merely obscene, but some is outright seditious. Good luck explaining the latter to the authorities if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One of the smaller gangs that has a presence in the Down is taking particular advantage of the rain's disruption to expand their territory into the Up. Known as the Bulldogs, their members are young men and they have a reputation for violent muggings and assaults - mainly targeting Submissives. They loiter in groups near the train and the elevator between the Up and the Down to ambush the alone and unwary. At night, they also prey on those walking home from bars or clubs who may not fully have their wits about them.

In addition to beating up their victims for money, some of the Bulldogs are engaging in an informal competition over who can steal the most umbrellas - with bonus points awarded for whatever else they feel like. LIERs are worth double points by default, so watch out!

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

Please read carefully.

On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but assignments OOCly are still randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right". When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass". This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice.

To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide:

Players can choose whether to assign their character as a Dominant or Submissive on this TDM for the Door Pass for March Applications only. For May's Application round, threads started here may be used as samples however they will not be eligible for a Door Pass in May. Characters will need to use a thread from May's TDM, using those Door Pass rules, for an application after the March round.

To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new TDMs with different designations for fun!

THERE WILL BE NO APPLICATION ROUND IN APRIL

Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have a good time!!

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Jace tilted his head. "Why? If we're not really each other's parabatai, why would you want to listen to me? I'm not a charity case," he said stiffly.

He shook his head and shrugged. "Cold shower would probably do me some good right now," he said bluntly, and headed into the tiny bathroom to clean up. He washed up, scrubbing all his skin carefully, and then rinshed the rain gear off and left it to drip dry in the bathroom over the drain. He shrugged into his clothes, and then stepped back out to the room.

He put his stele in his pocket, and the ring in his jacket, and the sword hilt in the belt that had still been in his jeans. Finally, he felt a little more like himself, and slicked his hair back, sitting on the bed heavily, and putting his head in his hands for a long minute. "Alright. Tell me what else I need to know," he finally said.

Alec made a dismissive sound. "You're my parabatai. I felt the minute you showed up. You just might be from a slightly different universe. You're still Jace. Just maybe a difference or two."

The bald statement had Alec blushing, but luckily Jace had already left, so he didn't see.

Alec texted Magnus and Izzy while he waited and hesitated, but didn't text John. It was a longer conversation than he wanted to have in texts.

When Jace came back, Alec pockets the device and watched him, frowning as he cradled his head. "You've got the basics from what they told you. What else do you want to know? The food they serve here in the cafeteria's usually fine - makes the Institute seem gourmet though. But anything at an event or on the street, be careful of. Talk to people if you don't end up contracting with Magnus. Find someone who you can get along with." Alec sighed. "And don't bother trying to keep anything secret. This place knows everything, and once in a while it just puts it up on the network for you."

Jace blinked at Alec, confused all over again. "So. Wait. We are, or aren't, because you're making it sound like it doesn't matter and now it does?" He grimaced. "I felt it as soon as I woke up here. It's why I fought them so hard. I couldn't tell if something was wrong with you or not."

Jace sighed. "So the food, air, water, almost anything can be drugged, especially if it's an event put on by the city, which I'm guessing is usually mandatory in some way anyways? Besides the required... quota," he said, making a face. "I'm pretty sure Magnus is not going to want to contract me, he doesn't like me THAT much. Also, wouldn't that bother you?" Jace asked, confused a little that Alec was so casual about Jace being contracted to Alec's boyfriend. Lover. Dom. Whatever.

The last bit though, made his face go white and his shoulders tense up. "What? What do you mean? What secrets?"

"We are, or we wouldn't feel each other. I just think it might be ... I don't know. Slightly different realities. Things like that happen here. It's not enough that you're not still Jace and I'm not still me, or we wouldn't be bonded." Alec shook his head. "I'm fine. It's been ... I couldn't feel anything but I could feel where you weren't. Like always reaching for you but never finding you. Magnus helped dull it until you showed up, but I still felt it."

Alec shrugged. "Not the air, usually. And not all the city events are mandatory. Some are." Alec looked just to the left of Jace. "You don't have to sleep with someone you contract with. Most people do - it makes quota easier. But you don't have to. Ragnor is contracted with Magnus and he doesn't. Izzy too." He didn't answer the second part.

Alec saw that pale tension. "I don't know. You never know what they'll pick. Some people, it outs that they're not human. Some people get their histories plastered on the network. I-" Alec stopped and then sighed, since Jace obviously knew if he was somehow dating Magnus at home. He wondered who else Magnus was dating there. "It told everyone I was attracted to men when I hadn't told anyone that before. Not out loud, Izzy had figured it out once. You can't really know what it'll pick up on or say."

Jace frowned slightly. "So. Do we act like we are, or we aren't?" Jace knew which he would prefer. It felt like Alec. Maybe from different times in their lives, but it was still Alec. But he wasn't going to force it, either. He unconsciously let his hand move to hover over where his bond rune was, but left it alone for the moment.

Jace wasn't stupid. He'd known Alec nearly his whole life. He maybe didn't catch every single clue about everything all the time, but he knew an evasive, shifty Alec when he saw one. He narrowed his eyes a little as he listened to Alec talk. "But you do," Jace finally said quietly, as he strung things together. "You don't mind it here," he finally said, his tone oddly flat.

Jace shrugged a shoulder. "It wasn't exactly... a surprise. At the wedding, I mean. It was kind of a relief, actually, you were marrying Lydia for all the wrong, very stupid reasons, so Izzy and I were both glad about it. Your mom was more pissed about it being a Downworlder than Magnus being male."

He swallowed, hard, running a hand over his face. "So. What. Confess your secrets before the city does it for you? Fuck."

"We are," Alec said. "We'd know if we weren't. There just might be a few differences." Like this Jace being less than straight, unless he was just ... talking.

Alec went stiff, expression shutting down into the kind of stony disapproval he tended to default to when he was feeling too much and didn't know how to shut it down well enough. It wasn't a face he made often here anymore, but Jace didn't know that. It was one he'd seen a lot around Clary, in the early days of meeting her, in Jace's timeline. "I didn't say that."

He wanted to ask why Jace was so surprised or dismayed that Alec slept with Magnus here, if he was dating him, had turned down ... Lydia Branwell for him? (He couldn't add on thinking about how his mother reacted right now. That was for later anxiety.) But Alec didn't.

He just shrugged. "That's what most people say to do. You can take your chances, you might get lucky. The upside is that no one here really cares. They've all seen what gets said. Mostly they just say the people who write it are dicks and are ... nice to you about it."

"Okay." He took a deep breath, some relief obvious on his face. "Okay. Good. Because I honestly don't know how to act around you otherwise. You're... the one constant in my life right now. Even back home."

Jace arched a brow and then he smiled a little, seeing that stern stupid look. His smile was gentle, not mocking, the one he saved just for Alec. "No. But you're not denying it either, and you're going all stiff and starchy, so." He tilted his head. "Why? Are you worried I'm going to be mad or something?"

It wasn't about like men, or sleeping with men. That wasn't Jace's issue. It was being drugged into it, tricked into it, ordered into it. Hell. Jace liked sex. He liked sex a lot. He liked sex more than he thought was normal, actually, but that was another issue.

"Fuck," Jace said, under his breath. "So if I don't tell. It'll come out. And you'll see it anyways? You. And Izzy? And Magnus? Pretty much anyone I know here?" Jace bit his bottom lip, rocking a little in place, clearly freaked out by that idea.

"You've known me since we were kids. You know how to act around me," Alec said.

Alec grimaced, arms folding over his chest. "You hate everything you hear about this place. I didn't think you'd exactly love that I didn't feel the same way." He had reasons. And there were things he hated about it. He just didn't know how to exactly explain. Or if he should.

"We can try not to look. But sometimes it's hard not to. Someone will mention it, or you'll look upset and we'll want to know why ..." Alec shrugged. "If you tell me not to look at something, I won't."

"Yeah, but not with this whole, different timeline, different universe bullshit? Ugh. It makes my head hurt. So I'm going to ignore it. Don't care. You're my parabatai, period. Problem solved," Jace said firmly.

Jace made a face and sighed. "Alec. I literally just got here, got stripped down, got told I am going to have to let someone control my life within three months, and I have to have required sex with people on a regular basis or I get punished." He spread his hands out, looking helplessly at Alec. "I haven't found anything to like yet." He scrubbed his hand over his face. "If you have? Okay. That's... it sounds odd to me, but you're not stupid, and you have excellent judgement. So explain it to me. Maybe it will help me? Or don't, if it's too private." He had no idea how he felt about hearing about Alec's maybe sex life. He had a feeling the answer is complicated.

Jace smiled wryly. "Thanks. But I mean, once it's out. It's kind of out, right? Even if you don't read it, someone's probably going to be like, oh hey, I heard you're best friend likes to be used as-" he stopped and cut himself off, and shut up quickly. "There was definitely something in that fucking rain, Alec."

"Yeah. That's easiest. Magnus and Ragnor are from entirely different realities and if you spend five minutes in a room with them, you'd never know it," Alec said dryly.

"I know," Alec said. "I'm not expecting you to to just drop in and love it. No one does. I didn't either. I still don't. Most people hate the rules, the system." He shrugged uneasily. "The reasons I like it aren't really going to help you out, Jace."

Alec straightened from where he leaned against the wall, more for something to do than anything else. "Yeah. It's worse in the Down. In the Up it's just a little ... it'll just turn you on a little if you're out in it for too long. It won't eat through your clothes." He wondered how Jace had been about to finish that sentence, but at the same time he didn't want to know, because it wasn't his right to know, and he was better off not.

So Alec wasn't going to tell him. Great. Jace made a face at him, because he wasn't stupid either and he knew that Alec wasn't telling him things for a reason. He just didn't know the why and he didn't like it. He also wasn't really in a position to ask. So, he hesitated for a minute and then shrugged. "Okay. But do you want me to find out from you? Or the city?"

Jace rubbed at the backs of his hands, where the water had hit the most, and frowned. "Is it supposed to itch?"

"I'm not hiding anything. I'm trying not to throw you into the city when you just got here," Alec said defensively. But he grimaced, going quiet a minute before speaking again.

"The set up is crap, everyone knows it. No one likes it, no matter how they're assigned. I don't like it either. But when I got here, there was no one from home but Magnus. And I'd never met him until I got here. No Clave, no Lightwoods. No one knew me or expected anything of me. No one cared what I did or didn't do or if I failed, except for the city caring if I didn't follow the rules. The worst things about me weren't anything to anyone here. I could want things. People. And the people I wanted wanted me back." Alec shrugged again. "I missed home, Izzy, you, Max. But I liked that part of it. I might have had to sign a contract and I might have a mark I didn't put on myself. But I had freedom I never had at home, for a while. And I met people I care about." He looked away at nothing in particular, uncomfortable. "So that's what I like. It doesn't mean I like everything."

He looked back, frowning a little. "I don't know. The rain is pretty new. We can get you back to Magnus, he can look at it."

Jace stared at Alec for a long minute. "Okay?" He blinked, and realized that Alec was maybe expecting him to be disappointed or angry at him. "Alec. You get to do what you want, and no one's judging you for it, so there's nothing wrong with that? I'm more concerned with the whole getting drugged into it, or someone ordering you to do something you don't like? Magnus and uh, whoever else... is good for you? You're happy? Then I'm happy for you." Jace had no idea really, because he was still new, but what Alec was describing didn't seem too extreme, either.

He made a face, taking a deep breath. He felt flushed and oddly inclined to just blurt things out. Things he had no business telling Alec. "I think that's why they made me a submissive. They figured out my secrets."

He sighed. "Alright. So how do we get back without losing my only change of clothes? You sure Magnus wants me back there? I can stay here, Alec. I don't want to be in the way of... whatever you've got going."

Alec did turn a little red at that. "The drugging is ... part of what you learn to avoid as best you can. Unless you don't want to. Sometimes if you realize going in it's not ... bad." That red was getting a little deeper and Alec cleared his throat. "Magnus is good for me, and for Ragnor and Izzy. There's three of us in the house, Jace, you're not going to get in the way of anything. Just ... you don't have to stay if you don't want to either." There was company pretty often.

Alec shook his head. "It doesn't work like that," he promised quietly. "It's random. There's people who are submissives who aren't ... prone to it, and people who are Dominants who would rather never have to be. The city just picks."

"We can either put the plastic back on you and just run for the train, it's not far and my jacket's spelled so it'll hold up a while. Or I can call Magnus and ask for a portal."

Jace coughed a little and politely didn't look at Alec while he blushed. "It's the not knowing part that bugs me, Alec. Like. Recreational. Uh. Use. For, you know. Enhancement. Is different." Which... sounded like Jace KNEW that already, somehow. Jace didn't know which would be best, honestly. He wanted to see Izzy, to make sure she was okay, maybe talk to Magnus, who would tell him more about this place than Alec was, probably.

Jace cleared his throat, blushing still. "So. Liking to be choked while you get fucked is not a factor then. Got it." And then groaned and turned BRIGHT RED, and covered his face with his hands. "Aw SHIT." There was DEFINITELY something in that rain.

"I get it," Alec said. "But you start to ... figure out where it might be, most of the time. And it helps if you're around Magnus, or Ragnor, or someone else who can portal. If something happens, they can get you out quickly." And directly to a bedroom. He didn't get using it for recreational reasons ... prior to here. And even when he'd had it, it had still been accidental. He just hadn't minded. But he wasn't Jace. Alec had lived like a monk before Duplicity. Jace hadn't.

Alec sucked in a too-loud breath, letting it out again. But his voice was mostly even when he did answer again. "No. What you uh, like isn't a factor in how you're assigned. It's just ... what the city wants and what door you go through."

Jace honestly just wanted to sink into the floor or under the bed, or something, and never come out. "Angel. Alec. I swear. I don't know why I keep blurting stupid shit out. I'm sorry. Shit. I never meant to tell-" he cut himself off again. "Okay. Well. If you say so. Because I clearly have bigger issues than that right now."

He hummed and pressed his lips together. "I'm kind of afraid to talk now," he admitted quietly.

"Stop, it's fine. It's the rain." Alec gave him a thin smile. "Besides, you were just telling me to tell you so it didn't come out, right? It doesn't matter. What you like is your business, Jace. It's not like I didn't know you liked sex. You weren't me." Jace had been dedicated to his duty too. But he hadn't made it his singleminded focus the way Alec had because he wasn't using it as a way to carve out parts of himself.

"Don't worry about it. But you don't have to. Just ... nod if you want me to call Magnus or get up and put on the plastic if you want to go for the train."

Jace made a sound that was sort of a laugh, sort of a groan. "Yeah, but that was you telling ME, not the other way around when I haven't even figured out half my own shit," he said. He shot Alec a look. "But you do, though. Like sex? You just..." he laughed a little. "You were just always really bad at flirting, Alec. Like, terrible."

He shut his mouth again, because he was just fucking things up more. He nodded vehemently. He didn't want to risk anymore contact with that fucking rain.

Alec snorted. "You think I've figured out mine?" he asked dryly. "I'm still working out things every day." He looked aggrieved. "How was I terrible at it? I never DID it," he complained. He shrugged, blushing again. "But yeah. I do."

Alec took out his phone to text Magnus, going back and forth a few times before motioning to Jace to follow him. "He'll portal outside the housing building, come on."

He led Jace downstairs and waiting for the now-familiar whoosh and flare of color and energy that was Magnus' portal, then nodded at Jace to dart through. Alec followed him.

They emerged in the family room of Swallow Wood, portal closing behind them and Magnus waiting. "We're in the Up now, this is Magnus' house," Alec explained to Jace. "This is Jace, my parabatai. He already knows you - he's from further in the timeline, like Izzy. And maybe a little different universe, we're not sure."

Magnus rose from the couch just as both Shadowhunters stepping through the portal, the whole whirling mess snapping shut behind them with a wave of his hand.

Magnus smiled at both of them, though his look was more reassuring towards Alec and simply warm towards Jace. He remembered bits of Jace only from Alec's memories, from that time not so long ago when their minds were linked and when thoughts and feelings crisscrossed between them. He knew how much Jace meant to Alec, but also how scared he was of Jace finding out about him. But, judging from the state of them, there appeared nothing to be feared on that note.

"Figures," he says with a wry look. Everyone was just popping up from the future now.

"Well, for my part, it's a pleasure to meet you, Jace. And I took the liberty..." He trails off and steps aside, showing off the coffee table which currently had a bottle of scotch and three glasses on it.

"I figured you might need a little something."

"Angel bless you, Magnus," Jace said, with obvious warmth and gratitude in his voice. From his demeanor, he was obviously much more comfortable and familiar with the warlock than Magnus was with Jace.

The introduction made him pause though and he smiled a little wryly at Magnus. "I appreciate your helping me out. This has been... an eye-opening introduction to the City," he said. "I'm glad Alec had someone to look out for him, too."

Alec watches Jace go for the scotch and gives Magnus a grateful smile, but doesn't beeline for him to kiss him or lean against him, or anything, keeping just a little distance between them. Jace knows about him and Magnus - at home apparently and here - but he's not used to being free around Jace. Izzy knew, even if he never was overt around her either. Jace is different. Alec couldn't let him know and definitely hadn't been able to let him see - for obvious reasons. Old habits are hard to get past.

"He's been helping Izzy, too. He's kind of everybody's fairy godfather," Alec says wryly, giving Magnus a fond smile. It's not like he DOESN'T notice all the clothes that appear in his closet.

"Do you think it means something, that all these people from home or the past are showing up all the sudden?" he asked Magnus.

Magnus follows Alec's lead when it comes to greeting and comfort. On the one hand, he knows how the Shadowhunter feels about his parabatai. It's... complicated and Magnus understands now wanting to put his sexuality, relationships, feelings on display like that. But it also stands to reason that Jace should be the focus of this moment, making him feel comfortable. Magnus isn't about to distract from that by demanding a hello kiss.

He snorts at the mention of "fairy godmother." "I certainly am getting paid less to take care of wayward Shadowhunters than I would be back home," he says. But it's all in teasing. He doesn't mind, at all. He only needs to be paid by the assholes, not those that treat him with respect and love. They get everything he has.

He frowns at Alec's question however. "If it means anything, it means more pain. And awkwardness." He sighs a little and looks to Jace.

"I'm sure Alec's mentioned to you already how this place works. The focus on sex, the punishments for rule-breaking, the little... strange festivals and events that occur. This many people from our world in one place? Feels like trouble, for sure."

Jace isn't blind. He notices how Alec doesn't move close to Magnus, which is weird, but he tries to remind himself this isn't home, and things don't work the way they did at home. Maybe Alec isn't allowed to be openly affectionate with Magnus here, which would be incredibly fucked up, considering what he's experienced in the city so far.

The idea of Magnus as a fairy godmother though makes him snort in amusement. "That is not the way Magnus uses glitter, and I've yet to see wings. Plus, Magnus isn't as tricky as the fae."

He sips the alcohol while Magnus talks, grimacing at the reminders. "Great. Because that's at least five, no six, that Ragnor guy texted me too. All of us from at least very similar universes, even if there is differences along the way. Definite trouble." He made a face. "The rain is definitely been... altered. I'm blurting out shit I'd never normally say out loud already," he said, studiously not looking in Alec's direction.

TDM #17

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