Chapter Text
August 2014
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, MAYA RAJESH loves mornings.
It's not that waking up early doesn't irritate her - on the contrary, it's one of her biggest pet peeves to have to wake up to the sound of an annoying alarm. It's the atmosphere which she likes. The soft sounds of traffic outside - sounds that don't even faze her after five years of living in New York - are what coax Maya out of her heavy slumber, clumsy hands fumbling at her nightstand as she gropes around for her glasses.
She supposes it's the calmness she likes, the brief period of quiet before the chaos of yet another busy day. A soft silence settles over the room as she slowly gets out of bed, tying her tangled hair into a bun. No one's really awake yet, at this time of day, except her and maybe her mom. It gives her a chance to recuperate, to mentally prepare herself before diving back into her day yet again. Maya straightens her pajamas quickly -which are one size too small and an embarrassing shade of pink - hating the way they've bunched up around her body from tossing and turning during her dreams.
Today is different, from the rest of the peaceful summer mornings that have transpired like this. It's her last day in New York before she heads off to England for the summer, as preparation for the year she's going to start at Hogwarts. The Weasleys have graciously agreed to take her in - old friends from when her parents used to live in the UK - for the remaining two weeks, three days of which will be spent at the Quidditch world cup. Maya isn't fully okay with this plan, obviously. She'd rather stay in New York with Alec, Izzy and the gang, but what can you do when your mother has the superpower of being able to guilt you into doing anything?
Halfway through when she's changing her clothes - into her favorite white-t-shirt and jeans with red converse - , a yeasty, sort of sweet smell wafts in from the kitchen, immediately making her look up from when she's tying her shoelaces. Maya frowns, as she wonders what it possibly might be. Her mother clearly doesn't have time to bake anymore, considering demon-hunting takes up most of her energy, and she rarely buys baked goods from outside. It's not like Nandini starves her daughter - in fact, she sometimes has to force Maya to eat when she accidentally skips a meal - neither of them really want to bake or buy things nowadays, since they're both so busy.
Maya quickly ties her hair into a ponytail, as she walks down to the kitchen. The sight that greets her is a welcome surprise - Nandini chatting with Magnus over a cup of chai, his green eyes lined with their usual splash of flamboyant gold eyeliner. His face stretches into a smile as he catches sight of the young girl, more dressed up than usual in her bright attire. Nandini looks at Maya with a stretch of pity, wondering what exactly she's putting her daughter through by sending her to Hogwarts.
"Look at you!" he gestures, proudly, "All dressed up for your last day in New York"
"It's not my last" corrects Maya, frowning, "I'll still be able to come home for summer"
"Still, none of us will be seeing you for a while"
"Not much today either," corrects Nandini, wryly,"The Lightwoods have her booked all day."
"Please tell me you'll be home by eight" interjects Magnus, an almost pained look on his face, "I finally managed to make dinner reservations at La Maison"
"The place with the amazing canapes and truffle dip?" questions Maya, excitedly. She's been wanting to go there forever, with her friends, but the reservations are very strict, and there's no way they'll let a bunch of teenagers in without prior notice.
"The very same. Your friends are welcome, but please, tell Alexander to wear something other than black" replies Nandini, expression downcast, "Half the time, he looks like he's attending a funeral"
Probably because he's been in the closet for the last five years.
"Are those....blueberry scones?" she questions, changing the subject to the basket of baked goods lying next to her mother.
"Catarina's" replies Magnus, taking one and sighing with pleasure as he bites into it, "I swear to Raziel, they get better with each batch"
"Agreed," she replies, as the sweet doughiness dissolves on her tongue. Nandini shakes her head at the duo, not even grimacing as she takes a sip from her cup of black coffee - her signature drink for every morning.
"I don't know how you can even stomach eating those" she says, to the two of them, "Full of sugar and whatnot-"
"Who hurt you?" asks Magnus, pointedly, sound slightly muffled by the piece of scone in his mouth.
"No one," replies Nandini, now scowling.
"You have no soul" Maya tries to state, pointedly, but due to the considerable amount of dough in her mouth, the words come out garbled, as she swallows, "I mean, how can someone not like scones?"
"Are we really having this discussion right now?"
"You started it by insulting perfectly good scones!"
"Magnus, are you siding with my thirteen-year-old daughter?"
"Who is almost fourteen, for your kind information!"
"I only side with the winners, Nandini"
"Traitor"
"Says the woman who passed out from two drinks, after promising to be my wing woman at the Hunter's Moon"
"That was one time!!!"
"Suuure..."
Maya rolls her eyes, sliding off of the barstool as she grabs her phone off of the counter.
"I have to go, anyway" she replies, nonchalantly, "Izzy will kill me if I'm not at the train station by -"
She checks her watch.
"Fifteen minutes ago - crap, I'm late!"
"Seven-thirty!" reminds Nandini, as Maya's about to rush out the door, a warning look in her eyes, "You can't go to La Maison in that"
Maya rolls her eyes, forcing down a sarcastic retort to appease her mother.
"Wouldn't dream of it, mumsie"
Nandini sighs as Maya leaves, the door accidentally slamming shut behind her. Magnus waits until she's well out of earshot to drop his smile, replaced with a grim look that cuts straight to the bone.
"How long are you going to hide this from her, Nandini?" he quips, placing his chai mug on the counter as he crosses his arms over his chest.
Her facade falls, grip tightening on her mug as a pensive expression appears on her face. Nandini's jade-colored eyes lock with Magnus's, the amount of ferocity in them frightening.
"As long as I bloody well can"
"She needs to know"
"What? That her father is a demon? Not like she hasn't figured it out already"
"You know damn well what will happen if you don't tell her the truth soon"
"She's thirteen. Let her be a kid, for once"
"The longer you hide it, the easier it'll be for him to get closer"
"Don't you think I know that?"
"You're clearly not realizing the consequences. She leaves tomorrow."
"Hogwarts is safe. He can't harm her if she has the amulet"
"Nowhere is safe unless she knows that her life is in danger. Letting her roam around New York, with the Lightwoods no less, it's a miracle she hasn't been kidnapped yet, or taken to-"
"What do you want me to do? Lock her in the house, make her repeat protective charms and spells - which she's already learned from you - shut her away from the world? Maya deserves her independence-"
"That's not what I meant-"
"She deserves a normal life, Magnus, like anyone else on this goddamn planet. That's what I'm trying to give her"
"You have to let her go, she's old enough, she'll understand-"
"No! I don't care about what's going to happen or what he'll do to me. I am not putting her in danger at any cost"
"End of discussion"
The swishing sound of skates on ice fill the cavernous room, carving circular patterns as the four of them glide across the floor. Maya laughs as Alec grips onto her for dear life, stumbling as his sister supports him on the other side. His face is red, short puffs of air escaping his throat as he stumbles along the ice, his parabatai not far behind.
"I - hate - you - all"
Both Maya and Isabelle burst into laughter at this, as the three of them finally reach the railing. Alec's cobalt eyes glare daggers at the two of them, wanting to cross his arms over his chest but holding onto the metal behind him for dear life.
"It's summer. Who comes to an ice-skating rink during summer?"
"Us" replies Isabelle, a hint of a smile gracing her features. Standing together like this, the three of them almost look like cousins - they're probably related on some level, considering the fact that Nandini comes from pure Shadowhunter lineage - with the same dark hair and blue eyes, though they're of different shades. The four of them (including Jace) are practically family, having grown up together since they were little kids.
Maya can't remember much of her life before moving to New York, the defining features of her existence having started right here in the. The few memories that she can recall are hazy, filled with blurry landscapes of the rolling British countryside, the weather muggy and cloud-filled. Her father also appears in some of them, laughing as he pushes her four-year-old self on the swing set.
She can barely remember what it was like to be with him.
Maya and her mother have always been a matching set, firmly locked together with a mixture of love and family bonds. They've been on their own for a while, almost ten years, in fact. She gets most of her features from Nandini - pitch-black hair, skinny, small build, high cheekbones, delicate facial structure. But her eyes are the one thing that set her apart from the rest of her family ; dark, dark blue, studded with silver flecks around the iris.
Eyes that look nothing like either of her parents.
She knows that he isn't her real father - simply a kind man who raised her as his own daughter. There are pictures of him all over the house, a tall, handsome man in a maroon sherwani on his wedding day, joined by her mother in a regal red saree. But Maya can't replace his position with anyone else in her mind, even if the memories she has of him are far and few between. Arjun will forever hold a place in her heart, a scar that's never really healed in the nine years that have passed since his death.
Nandini has never told her who her actual father was, only mentioned that he was a demon whom had been part of a one-night stand before her wedding. Maya has never questioned it, but she's always been a little suspicious of how tight-lipped her mother has been about the secret. She's brushed off her daughter's questions before, saying that she herself didn't know the name of the man in question. But curiosity has gotten the better of her over the years, making Maya's mind run in circles over the possibilities.
Not that she's ever voiced it out loud.
Alec and Izzy are the only people who she'd ever trust with something like that. It's not that she has something against Jace - they get along pretty well, actually - it's because of his slight prejudice towards downworlders, people with demon blood in their veins. Though he's never treated her differently because of it - she doesn't know why - Maya is scared to tell him the truth, that she's more of an abomination that people make her out to be.
That every horrible word the clave has said about her is true.
"Mini? You there?"
Maya immediately snaps back to reality, shaking her head to rid herself of the waterlogged feeling that's always there whenever she goes deep into thought. Izzy looks at her quizzically, as she returns to her usual demeanor, rolling her eyes at the embarrassing nickname that's been bestowed upon her due to her small size. Alec is unfazed, used to her moments of suddenly spacing out. The corner of his mouth curls into a smirk, as a familiar sight graces the three of them.
Jace is leaning against the railing on the other side, his dark blond hair pushed back with what suspiciously looks to be a shit ton of hair mouse. He appears to be chatting up a curvy brunette, her mouth in a maroon-lipsticked scowl. She looks to be exactly his type - dark, tall, intimidating, the kind of girl people would avoid on the street.
The three of them hush their laughter, quietly skating closer to watch the scene unfold. It proves difficult, since Alec has the clumsiness of a drunken troll on skates, but they manage to make it in time.
".....did you fall from heaven? Because you have the face of an angel"
"Classic" mutters Isabelle, rolling her eyes as Maya snickers, "I've heard him use that one about twenty times"
"Wait for it...." mutters Alec, as the three of them huddle closer together, trying to control their laughter.
"No, I crawled my way out from hell" replies the girl, scowl deepening.
Jace falters for a moment, before the lazy smirk comes back onto his face.
"Explains why you're so damn hot"
"Damn" whispers Maya, a low whistle escaping her lips, "You've got to admit it, he's smooth"
"The fact that Jace has had five girlfriends in a year bamboozles me" replies Alec, as the two girls give him a knowing look.
"What?" he questions, shrugging with feigned innocence.
"You're hopeless, Alec" states Maya, pointedly, turning back to watch the scene in front of them.
Isabelle doesn't let go of the topic, looking at her brother with a crestfallen expression on her face. Both of them know the real reason Alec's so abraisive towards Jace's relationships - it's the fact that he's in love with the boy himself. Both Maya and him have tried numerous times to get him to admit it, but he refuses.
And weirdly, Maya gets it.
If she was in his place, she wouldn't want to say it either.
"Guys, look"
The brunette girl rolls her eyes, as Jace is in the middle of another one of his "romantic" monologues. Without warning, she flings her hot chocolate directly onto his white t-shirt, the remnants of the scalding liquid steaming out from the paper cup.
"Here's a warning," she hisses, baring her teeth at a very shocked Jace, "Next time, take a hint, chump"
All of them burst into laughter the moment she left, Isabelle and Maya clutching onto each other for dear life as Alec bends over the railing in hysterics. Jace glares daggers at them, crossing his arms over his chest in an effort to cover the hot chocolate stain on his shirt.
"Man, rejection is so much more fun when it's happening to you" Maya finally manages to gasp out, as Jace rolls his eyes.
"Says the girl who's never had a boyfriend"
"You know how my mom is-"
"Why do I have a feeling that you'll start dating as soon as you get to - what's it called again, Hogwash?"
"Hogwarts"
"Yeah, right, that place."
"Ew, I have better things to do"
"Sure, like I didn't see that your search history was full of "Leonardo Dicaprio" "
"I'm human, Jace, not frigid"
Isabelle snorted at this, patting Maya on the head, as the younger girl glared up at her.
"You'll feel differently once you get there, I'm sure"
"Yeah, right. Like I'll be mooning over some boy"
"Please, she'd scare him off with one look"
"Exactly"
Maya smirks as Isabelle rolls her eyes, slinging an arm over her shoulder as they skate to the gate.
"How about we go get a milkshake at Eddie's to cure Jace's broken heart?"
"Shut up!"
Before Maya knows it, the day is over, the dark hues of dusk settling down on New York city. Isabelle forced her to change, into a simple, sleeveless dark blue dress that falls to her knees, with nude kitten heels. She walks into the restaurant alone, after a grim goodbye with her friends (which was short, considering they're planning to send her off in the morning). Her hair is curled, by Izzy of course, due to the Shadowhunter's insistence that she needed to "dress for the occasion".
If anything, Maya feels overdressed.
In a short while, she spots Magnus and Nandini sitting at a circular table in the corner, sipping white wine from thin-stemmed glasses. Her mother gives her a pointed look, about to admonish her for her lack of punctuality, but she falls short as her eyes catch Maya in her dress, an approving smile curving it's way across her face instead.
"I suppose this is Isabelle's work?" quips Nandini, softly, placing a gentle kiss on Maya's forehead, as a hint of a smile appears on her face.
"She wanted me to look like a decent human being"
"I disagree," states Magnus, smacking his lips as he took another sip of wine, "You look beautiful, muffin, as always"
"That's because of my genes" replies Nandini, proudly, as the warlock rolls his eyes.
"Suure..."
"Oh my god, Mina, get back here-"
Maya's face breaks out into a smile, as a tiny girl in a pink dress toddles over to her, reaching her chubby arms up so she can be lifted into Maya's lap.
"You didn't tell me Tessa was coming!" she replies, exactly the moment where a pretty woman in her twenties runs over to the table, purse swinging violently on her elbow.
"Well" replies the panting woman in question, brushing the nonexistent dust off of her pale blue dress, "It was supposed to be a surprise, but uh - that one there - " she points to Mina, "decided to pour the milk into the sink when we were about to leave"
"Dum-dum told me to!"
"This imaginary friend thing is getting completely out of hand, " replied Tessa, exasperated, as Maya laughs, shooting her a warning look, "It's not funny! - She once put my hairpins into the microwave because of the exact same reason!"
"I thought they were marshmawows!"
"Why would you think that, sweetie?"
"Because Mommy said that marshmawows go black once they're roasted!"
"If they were already roasted, why would you put them in the microwave?"
"Because Magnus told me to have high standwawds"
All eyes immediately flit to the warlock in question, who freezes midway through taking another sip from his glass.
"Don't look at me"
"One of these days..." mutters Tessa, giving Magnus a disapproving look as he rolls his eyes.
"Can you believe how grown up she is?" he states, gesturing to Maya, who blushes, "It feels like just yesterday, she was walking around with that old blanket - what did she call it?"
"George" corrects Maya, a little embarrassed at her childhood "companion" - a threadbare blanket that had once belonged to her father - Arjun, of course.
"Ahh yes," continues Nandini, fondly reminiscing on old memories, "She used to want to hear stories about my missions all the time - the kid-friendly ones, of course"
"Yeah, now I know the real ones" replies Maya, looking surprised at her mother's affronted look, "What? Maryse told me everything"
"And I wonder why you hang around with the Lightwoods so much"
"Especially Jace" states Tessa, suggestively wiggling her eyebrows as she takes a sip of her water, "You'd think there was something going on between you two, the way you act around each other"
Both Nandini and Maya choke on their respective drinks at the same time, as Magnus's eyes widen. Nandini tries to speak first, opening her mouth in indignation, but her daughter beats her to it.
"Ew! He's like my brother!" she groans, insides already squirming in disgust at the thought of dating Jace.
"Besides, she's too young for a boyfriend" Nandini finishes, shooting her daughter a pointed look as Maya rolls her eyes.
"You never know with them at this age" replied Tessa, mystically, "Once she gets to puberty, though, that's when all hell breaks loose"
"Oh my god-"
"Ugh, don't remind me" replied Magnus, lip curling in distaste, "They're so disagreeable when they get to that age"
"Stubborn"
"Rebellious"
"Noisy"
Maya rolls her eyes, as the adults around her immerse into conversation. Though they're mildly insulting her (or at least her future self), she fights a rueful smile as she looks down at the toddler in her lap, beaming up at her with a confused look.
"You going to miss me Mina?" she asks, softly, the child giggling as Maya gently boops her on the nose with her pointer finger.
"Nuh-uh!" replies Mina, laughing as Maya fakes a sad look.
"Really?"
"Okay, maybe a wittle bit..."
And for a moment, she genuinely feels at home.