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On a cold night, so cold that the blood is freezing in your veins, so cold even the heart shivers, two figures meet in the dark. One with pitch-dark hair. Another with golden curls. Both have a tattoo on their forearm… but different ones. Ones that marked them for the whole world to see. An angel and a demon.
They share a kiss. Kiss sweet as a Halloween candy and wild as a forest fire. Honey and tenderness collected in one stolen moment. So fragile they were afraid the wind would break it. They dared to want more. To touch skin, to whisper to each other impossible promises and hope they will meet again on the next cold night.
And then it was gone.
This tender second was broken by the wind, stolen by the sky. The angel disappeared into the sun, the demon vanished into the darkness. They were nothing more than a ghost and a shadow now.
“Don’t start on this,” Kit groaned.
“Just go see him,” Ash said. “You lose nothing.”
“That’s not true,” Kit said. “I lose my pride and dignity.”
Ash rolled his eyes. “Like you have ones.”
“Hey! I have. Some.”
Ash sighed and slumped on the bed, facing Kit. “Just admit you’re still in love with him, go confess and be happy.”
“It’s not that simple,” Kit made a face. “Besides… I don’t know if he still has feelings for me.”
Ash snorted. “Yeah, right.”
Kit was silent. It was painful to remember his history with Ty. Not because there weren't happy memories. But because he knew how it ended.
His last night in Alicante. It was cold as ice but safe from the public eye. It was the last time he saw Ty Blackthorn. And the time when his tattoo changed.
Everyone had a tattoo that marked them as an angel or a demon. It was a common belief they are meant as soulmates signs. That you should find a wing that matches your own to find the love of your life.
Angels had a bird's outstretched wing. Its color varied from sky blue to silver and sometimes even white. They were often called ghosts because of their ability to bend with the light. They could disappear in the middle of the street and appear in their workplace a few minutes later.
The demon’s tattoo reminded a bat’s wing. They were often burnt orange, like a warm fire, sometimes goldish and rarely - black. Their power was often viewed as creepy and suspicious - vanishing in the dark. Often called shadows because of it. And the common believe they’re criminals and bad people.
But Kit knew these weren’t the only types of tattoos. There were different colors. People with two wings instead of one. People whose soulmate wasn’t romantic.
Ash, for example. His tattoo barely looked like a demon’s. The wing was too soft. Too smooth. The color was purple as the sky during sunset. But he still had the power of a demon.
Kit self consciously thought about his own tattoo. He touched his forearm, and even through the fabric he was still perfectly aware where it was exactly.
“Hey,” Ash said quietly. He put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t overthink it. Let’s go eat something, okay? Then we can check out that weapons shop.”
Kit smiled weakly. “Sounds like a plan.”
Ty was the fifth in the line. Next to him was Anush, sixth in the line. Ty didn’t know how many people were in it. It seemed endless.
They were waiting for someone. A teacher perhaps. But the room was small and foggy. All Centuries were quiet, unmoving. Even Anush who was usually shifting all the time. Ty tried to see the end of the line. He was one of the tallest so it wasn’t too hard. But he couldn’t see the faces of the ones that were too far away.
But then he spotted a head with golden curls. A sunbeam in the middle of a faceless crowd.
“No,” Ty whispered. He knew how this would end.
Uncontrolling his body, Ty moved. He left the line and started walking towards the blonde. Then faster. Then he was running. But no matter how fast he was, the person was slipping away. Like the shadows were devouring it every time Ty blinked.
Ty was running and running and running . But it was no use.
“Ty!”
Ty woke up, his body was frozen in place. It took him one long terrifying second to realize where he was.
“Ty!”
He sat up on the bed, blinking. He was sweaty. He was in Alicante. With his family. He was fine.
“Ty-” Dru appeared at the door. She frowned. “Did I wake you up? I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Ty said. I needed it.
“Just letting you know the breakfast is after ten minutes.”
“Thanks,” he said, getting out of bed. “Will come in a few.”
When Dru was gone, Ty grabbed the necklace from the nightstand. He traced the shape of it with his thumb. He knew every form of it, every little imperfection on it. With time it made him feel calmer than anything else. He took a deep breath. Ty put on the heron necklace and grabbed the clothes he had prepared in advance from yesterday.
In less than ten minutes he was at the kitchen’s door, staring at his family. Aline was cooking and Helen was next to her, laughing at something. Mark and Dru were playing with Tavvy who had sausage all over his face.
He was in the city for a few days already but he still found it strangely unsettling Julian, Emma and Livvy weren’t here. The way his home was a few years ago has changed. But it was familiar too. Probably much of the change was in Ty himself.
“Tibs,” Helen said, noticing him. She warmly smiled at him. “Good morning!”
“Morning,” he said and tried to return the smile. His thoughts were still circling around the nightmare. He sat on the table, facing Tavvy. He had grown a few inches. But when he looked at Ty his smile was the same.
It took a few more minutes before all of them sat on the table. Ty took a pancake from the main plate. Dru talked about her time in the Academy - which classes she liked more, about her friends. Her best friend was a girl named Thais she really wanted to introduce to the family.
It didn’t take long before they turned their questions to him. He tried to talk as much as possible about Anush and the classes but he was thinking about something else. Or rather someone. He managed to get out fast though, by saying he wanted to go to the weapons shop for a new dragger. It wasn’t a lie - he did want a new dragger. Just not only that.
Dru said she’ll go with him for new gear. Together they left the house. Ty was tapping on his steles in his pocket. Dru was doing most of the talking for which Ty was grateful. He was unusually distracted today.
“Here,” Dru said as they entered the shop. “The gear is on the second floor, I’m going there.”
“Okay,” Ty said. He turned to the weapons, checking out what was in stock. From the other side of the shop he heard laughter. He immediately turned towards it. Could it be…
There he saw the golden curls he dreamed about not long ago. His hair was a little longer now but messy as usual. The smile on his face was as bright as it was in his memories. Ty was frozen, the world stopped for a moment so he could watch him a little longer.
Kit still hasn’t noticed him. He was holding a spear, checking its top. Next to him was a white-haired boy who was talking to him. They were blissfully unaware they were watched.
Strange feeling filled his chest. Was this his boyfriend? Has Kit forgotten him? Moved on with someone else?
Pain boomed in his chest. He could feel the bitter taste of anger and hint of betrayal. Hating to admit it even to himself - but also jealousy. Jealous he couldn't move on like Kit, jealous he wasn't in the place of the white-haired boy but most of all - jealous he wasn't the one making Kit smile like that.
He turned away from them, his heart beating fast, almost painfully in his chest. He headed towards the second floor to find Dru.
“Ash,” Kit whispered as he watched the figure moving without blinking. “This is Ty.”
Ash immediately turned to see where Kit was looking. “Damn, your boyfriend is cute.”
Kit punched him on the arm. “He's not my boyfriend! And don't call him cute.”
Ash arched an eyebrow at him. “Okay. Your ex is a hot Centurion.”
Kit groaned. “Why do you make everything dirty?”
“That's not dirty,” Ash said. “Dirty would be-”
Kit put a hand on his mouth to muffle his next words. “Please don't.”
Kit took off his hand and Ash grinned. “Now go talk to him.”
“No.”
Ash rolled his eyes. “Are we having this conversation again?”
“Ash, he…” Kit made a face. “I have heard he had a boyfriend. He probably had gotten over it. What if-”
“Kit,” Ash interrupted him. He looked him in the eyes. “Stop overthinking. Just go .”
Kit took a deep breath. “Okay, okay. Maybe this wouldn't be a disaster.”
“We love positive thinking,” Ash said sarcastically.
“And,” Kit continued, ignoring him. “It won't hurt to just say hi, right?”
“Nope,” Ash said. “It's a pretty painless act.”
“Okay,” Kit took one more deep breath. He was getting dizzy. “I'm going.”
His body wasn't moving though. Ash impatiently pushed him towards the stairs that led to the second floor.
Kit grabbed the railing. Just say hi , he repeated while going upstairs. Don't overthink it, Herondale.
His mouth went dry when he saw Ty. He was at the gear section with Dru, telling something to her at which she smiled and nodded. He was even more handsome than he remembered. He was taller now and his haircut was different. He was moving with effortless grace that took Kit's breath away. Ty was so beautiful that Kit didn't know how he would even look away from him.
Don't overthink.
With a confidence he didn't feel, he approached them. “Hi!”
The siblings turned to him at the same time. Dru smiled.
“Kit!” She hugged him. “Long time no see!”
“Yes, haha,” Kit was trying to look at her but his eyes found Ty again and again. “Hey,” he smiled at Ty.
He didn't return his smile. “Hello.”
“So…” Dru looked at Ty, then at Kit. “I have a few things to do. But I'll see you later.”
“Okay,” Ty said, looking at her. He wouldn't look at Kit.
“Bye,” Kit said quietly. “Um. Well…”
Ty looked at him… Kit was shocked to see anger in his face.
“Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend? Why bother greeting us?”
Kit blinked at him. “ What? ”
Ty looked at the shelfs again. “If you already have someone else, why bother with me?”
“You… Do you mean Ash ?”
Ty shrugged. “Whatever is the name of the white-haired guy.”
“By the angel… Ty, he's not my boyfriend. Nothing like that - at least with him. If anything, he's like… my platonic soulmate.”
Ty looked at him again. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Kit self consciously crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Why do you get so angry anyway? You… You also had a boyfriend. I heard.”
Ty shook his head. “It wasn't like that.”
Kit suddenly got angry. Ty was the one who dated but he was angry at Kit when he thought he's doing the same?
“What was it, Ty?” he said. “You can move on but I can't?”
“No!” Ty said, running a hand through his hair. “This is not what I meant.”
Kit looked away. He never thought he would get upset for something like this.
Ty exhaled. “I tried to date, yes. I thought if I date someone totally different from you, I can get over you. But… it didn't work.”
Kit's heart was going to jump out of his chest. His palms were sweating.
“I… I have been with other people too,” Kit made a small step towards him. He couldn't stop himself. “ But I never got-”
At this moment, they heard screaming. It was from the first floor. Kit and Ty both headed towards the stairs.
“Get the fuck out of my shop!”
“I have done nothing wrong!” Kit recognized Ash's voice immediately. He ran faster.
Ash and a man who was probably the owner of the shop were arguing.
“What's going on here?” Kit said, standing next to his best friend.
The man's angry gaze turned to him. “You're a demon too,” he said with disgust. “Leave! Demons aren't welcome in my shop!” He had to have seen their auras if he immediately recognized them as demons.
“Why?” Ty asked. He was frowning at the man.
“Because I don't want fucking criminals,” he looked at them again. “Get. Out. Or else I would make you.”
Ash gritted his teeth. “Fuck you,” and nodding at Kit, disappeared into the shadows.
Kit looked one last time at Ty who looked almost as upset as him. He turned around and vanished into the dark after Ash.
“We won't shop in this store again,” Dru said, sounding as pissed as Ty felt.
After Kit and Ash left Dru and Ty had a fight on its own with the owner. They both were angry at him and refused to buy anything.
“Yes,” Ty said. He clenched his fists. “We won't.”
Without warning he stopped. Dry made a few steps before realizing her brother wasn't next to her. She turned to look at him, surprised.
“Do you know where I can find Kit?”
An hour later Ty materialized into a place called "Deep & Dark". It was a small club in the outskirts of the city. Ty hesitated before entering. It was a demon's place. It wasn't meant for him. Wouldn't he invade into a safe space?
He came to a solution. There was a girl on the door, smoking. Ty went to her.
“Hi.”
She turned her dark eyes to him and smiled a little. “Hey handsome.”
“Do you happen to know if a guy named Kit Herondale is here tonight?”
“Oh, yeah,” she said. Her tattoo shined in gold and red as she moved to pull from the cigarette. “Do you want me to get him for you?”
“If it’s not a problem for you, yes, please.”
“You’re cute,” the girl put out her cigarette and went inside.
Ty waited a few minutes. The night was cold but not like the one he saw Kit for the last time. There it was freezing with the desperation of an inevitable separation. This time he had the cold flame of hope.
“Ty?”
Ty turned to Kit who just got out of the club. He looked the same way he did in that shop.
“Hi,” Ty said with a tight throat. “We… we couldn’t finish our conversation.”
Kit ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah,” he said. “We didn’t.” He cleared his throat. “Do you want to come to my apartment? It’s nearby.”
Ty nodded, not trusting himself to speak again. They silently walked for ten minutes. Ty was watching Kit with the corner of his eye. He caught himself still holding his breath when he spotted his blonde hair.
Kit led them to a small building. No more than four or five floors. “This way,” he whispered. They got up to the upstairs, on the second floor. Kit unlocked one of the three doors there and let Ty inside. “Sorry, it’s kind of messy,” he said, while they took off their shoes. “Ash and I just got back in the city and we’re still unpacking.”
The apartment was small. There were a few boxes on the floor. Ty could see two closed doors in the corridor ahead. Kit led him into the kitchen. There were no table and chairs. Just a counter and a few washed utensils to the sink.
“Do you want something to drink?”
“Water,” Ty said. He leaned against the kitchen counter and just watched Kit. He was moving almost soundlessly, half of his face hidden in the dark. Ty remembered how he vanished into the shadows, becoming one himself and felt the urge to touch him to be sure he’s not another game of his imagination.
He put a cup of water next to him. Ty took it and drank a few sips. He couldn’t put it down - his fingers had to do something. Kit leaned against the counter too, avoiding looking at Ty’s face.
“Kit,” he said quietly. The other boy looked away. After a second he looked at Ty, his eyes bright and blue.
“Why did you go to the Scholomance, Ty?” he said. He clenched his hands into fists. “You disappeared . What happened? We said - we promised - we’ll be honest with each other,” his eyes filled with tears. “Now I see all the talk about soulmates is just rubbish.”
“Wha-” Ty made a step towards him. “I sent you a note then,” he said. His words weren't coming out fast enough. “I wrote to you the next morning I’m leaving for the Scholomance. I… Kit, I wrote that if you want me to stay, I’ll stay. But you never replied.”
Kit closed his eyes. “I haven’t gotten such a note,” he said with a raw voice. “When I heard from Dru you already left, I… I just packed my things and left the city.” With trembling hands he covered his face. “I can’t-”
“Kit-”
Kit slid down the counter until he touched the ground. Ty put down the water and rushed to him, repeating his name.
“I-” Kit couldn't finish his sentence. Tears were running down his face.
“Kit,” Ty grabbed his hand and put it on his chest. “Breathe with me. Breathe .”
After a minute of rapid, unsteady breathing, Kit inhaled deeply. Ty let go of his hand but Kit continued to squeeze his shirt.
Ty gently brushed his tears away and cupped his face. Their foreheads touched. He could feel Kit’s rapid breath on his lips. “It’s alright,” he whispered.
Kit's breath became slower. He looked at Ty then. Inhaled. Then leaned down and caught Ty's lips with his own.
It was a gentle kiss at first. Electrician ran down Ty's spine. He buried his fingers in Kit's hair, the curls he had dreamed about for three years.
Kit wrapped his hands around Ty's neck to bring him closer. The kiss deepened. Their lips parted, their hands became more urgent.
When they finally parted, they both were out of breath. Ty felt like he was flying. Kit closed his eyes for a second.
“No.”
Ty blinked. “What?”
Kit pushed him away and got up from the floor, running a hand through his hair. “We can’t.”
“Why?” Ty sounded as confused as he felt. He tried to find some logic in what Kit was saying but his thoughts were a mess. “What’s the problem? Have I done something wrong?”
Kit shook his head. “It’s not you, Ty,” he said. “We… I’m a demon, okay? And you’re an angel. That’s why we didn’t date openly a few years ago. Because our tattoos don’t match and people hate it when an angel and a demon, who aren’t soulmates, are together.”
“On our last night together,” Ty said, frustrated. “We had a fight exactly about this, do you remember? It’s not important what-”
“It’s fucking important Ty,” Kit interupted him. “Not everyone has a big, wealthy and accepting family. Some of us are alone and live a life where we’re ready to run any minute.”
Ty took a step towards him. “No-”
“I’m sorry,” Kit said with a raspy voice and vanished into the shadows.
Ash was standing in front of the Blackthorn manor. He tried to look as unnoticeable as possible. There were so many angels in this neighborhood.
Before he could knock though, someone else opened the door. A blonde boy blinked at him. He had one blue-green eye and a gold one. “How can I help you?”
“Hello,” Ash said. “I’m looking for Ty Blackthorn.”
“Oh,” the boy smiled. “I’ll show you where he is.”
He led them through the house, moving past a lot of closet doors. They stopped at the end of the corridor in front of a training hall.
“Ty!” the boy said. “A friend of yours is here!”
We’re not exactly friends, Ash thought but was wise enough to stay silent.
Ty Blackthorn turned to them. He had a dagger in his hand that he carefully left in its place. He approached them, a little sweaty. He looked tired. The blonde guy left them alone.
“You’re Kit’s friend,” Ty said.
“Best friend and roommate,” he tried to smile but he wasn’t sure he succeeded.
“Why are you here?” he asked. He was looking at his cheekbones.
“I came here for a little talk,” Ash said. “Kit told me what happened.”
Ty grabbed a towel from the near table. “So?” he said. “Kit and I aren’t together anymore.”
Ash sighed. He ran a hand through his hair. “I know. But I hate to see my best friend sad so I want to help.”
Ty shook his head. “No use. Kit… he doesn’t want me anymore,” his voice was carefully restrained.
“Just hear me out,” Ty looked at him. “Please?”
Ty nodded. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“When Kit and I met,” Ash said. “Some angel assholes were attacking me because I have dated an angel girl,” Ty squeezed the towel in his hand. Ash contained. “To be honest.. It's not unusual. Or surprising. That night Kit saved me. He looked like hell. And felt like shit. But he helped some random stranger because this is what he’s like.”
Ash went silent for a second. He still could picture that night clear as a day. Kit had looked so wretched. After the assholes were gone, Kit had spilled all his story about Ty. How they have gotten into a fight. Sometimes it was easier to thrust a stranger with your secrets.
“Some time after that,” Ash said. “I dated an angel boy. This time they beat both of us.”
Ty looked away. “This is horrible.”
“Yes,” Ash agreed. “It is. But there are people who have had it worse. Demons and angels who are dead because they dared to love someone who isn’t their soulmate.”
Ty clinched his hands into fists. “Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because I want you to see Kit's perspective,” Ash said. “He doesn't care he can be hurt. He's scared to death it can happen to you .”
Ty turned away from him. “This is not his choice. It's mine. He mustn't make it for me.”
“You're right,” Ash admitted. He went quiet.
“But?” Ty turned to him again. “There is usually a "but".”
Ash shrugged. “It's not my place to have this talk with you.”
He took out a paper out of his pocket. “Look,” Ash said. “Neither you nor Kit believe in soulmates, in the tattoo business. Not really. But I do. Our wings aren't random. And there aren't only two types of them. There are people with two wings. People whose wing matches with a few others. With different colors. And they are not unchangeable either.”
Ty stared at him for a long time. He looked at the paper Ash handed him.
“Here,” Ash said as Ty took it. “Kit had written it a little before your last night together.”
Then he turned around and left, leaving Ty to stare at the words on the paper.
When I see you from apart
All I can see is your little smile
When you watch the bees
And think
how beautiful you are
Your eyes shine with quiet happiness
Your hands are gentle with homeless animals
Your smile is the sun
In my universe
When I'm not with you
the sky isn't that blue
the moon isn't that beautiful
the honey isn't that sweet
I would be so lonely
without the grey color in your eyes
Which shine with light
of thousand stars
And even if your clever gaze
never meet mine
your touch warms me
from head to toe
P.S. I’m not much of a poet but you’re the type of guy that deserves a poem
Ty took a deep, shuddering breath. Tears were burning in his eyes. All the memories from three years stormed in his mind like a tornado.
Ty and Kit had dated three years ago, before Ty went to the Scholomance. He loved Kit. He wasn’t scared to say it. In the beginning they always met at secret places, mostly at night. They didn’t want anyone to know. On one side they were an angel and a demon who weren't soulmates. On the other hand, what they had was still new, so painfully fragile, they were afraid other people's eyes would break it.
The last time they saw each other, they had a fight. A bad one. Ty couldn’t remember the details anymore. But they separated, angry and upset with each other, almost broken up.
The next day he got a letter that he's accepted into the Scholomance. He didn’t know what to do. This was his dream. But he couldn’t leave Kit. Not like that. If at all.
He wrote him a note, saying that if Kit wanted him to, if he still loved Ty, he would stay. Ty waited for an answer as long as he could. He postponed the trip for days, waited until the last possible minute before going. But an answer never came.
He had tried to forget Kit. He dated guys who looked like him. Who acted like him. Who were completely different from him. But no one could compete with Kit. No boyfriend was good enough to replace him in Ty’s mind. And some point they all realized it. That Ty’s heart was already too full of another person to let others in.
A ghost was in love with a shadow but they could never touch.
Kit couldn't look at the kitchen the same way anymore.
It was a bittersweet memory now. He knew he did the right thing. Going back together would bring only more pain and sorrow. Kit didn’t want to go through the same thing he did three years ago.
He shouted to Ash he’s going out. He couldn’t stay in the apartment a minute longer. But when he got out of the building, he saw an unusual flash. The light paled to let a figure step out of it.
“Ty?” Whenever Kit saw an angel using their power he couldn’t help but think how accurate their nickname was. Ghosts . They were literally materializing from the air, just transparent vision for a few seconds.
Ty turned to him. “Kit!” And then Ty was standing in front of him, tall and handsome, a paper in his hand.
“I need to tell you something.”
Kit blinked. “Okay?”
Ty ran a hand through his hair and then picked up something that was hanging around his neck. The heron necklace
“You gave this to me,” Ty said, looking at it. “Three years ago you gave it to me and said it's the only thing you have left of your mum. And you gave it to me because you wanted me to have something important for you. To keep it safe,” Ty squeezed it in his arm. “To be honest, it was the other way around. It helped me during panic attacks, when I was stressed, when I was stimming to calm dawn enough to study. It was only because you gave it to me. It was important to me because it was important for you,” Ty stopped for a second. “The night you gave it to me - our last night together - my tattoo changed.”
Kit instinctively looked at Ty's right forearm. Where his wing tattoo was. He had seen it only a handful of times but it has always been light blue with a hint of silver.
But when Ty rolled up his sleeve to show it to Kit, both sides of the wing were bronze. Kit slowly rolled up his own sleeve to show his own. A leathery wing in warm orange and red. And with pure white color on both sides.
A matching tattoos.
Kit looked at Ty with wide eyes.
“All this time I thought only my tattoo changed,” Kit whispered.
“You see,” Ty whispered. “If we are strong enough we can change anything. Even your soulmate.”
“You can choose them,” Kit whispered in return, fighting tears and a big smile on his face.
Almost at the same time, Kit and Ty stepped closer to each other and kissed. They weren’t a ghost or a shadow anymore. They could touch.
The angel and the demon were warm now.