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New York welcomed Spring with a joy that was almost forgotten after years of seclusion. People stopped their daily activities in favor of hiding, but Nature continued to grow and thrive. Wild bushes, trees and flowers sprouted everywhere within and between abandoned buildings and cracked asphalt. Since they could only raid at night, there wasn’t a lot of opportunities to appreciate the new scenario. But now that everything was slowly getting better, they could take their sweet time to look.
Humming, Magnus sat at the front stairs of the Institute while holding a steamed cup of tea, and finally relaxed. Things are better, everyone has been working a lot, and it was good to take a break outside without the worry of getting bite by some zombie. He certainly would be satisfied to just bath at the sunlight and admire the peaceful scenario, thus he wasn’t expecting to have his view updated ten times over with the sight of his boyfriend driving around the perimeter.
After years of trips by only foot and hopping from building to building, Alec was relearning how to drive with the dedication of a true soldier, the same way he did everything else. It was truly endearing, but Magnus was curious as to why he was so adamant to drive again. There weren’t many vehicles available yet, and usually Simon or Luke were the ones to drive them everywhere.
Once they let Jace try. It’s still not a good idea to let him drive.
~*~
The day Magnus finally figured out the mystery of why Alec was so focused on his driving skills was the same one they left the Institute for the first time by themselves. And not for a mission or work or one of their visits to Hotel DuMort. Alec had a surprise.
Magnus hated surprises, yet humored his boyfriend.
“Oh, c’mon!” Alec honked, but the group of zombies just fumbled around due to the sound, not exactly leaving the crossroad. “Fuck,” he hit the steering wheel with his forehead, feeling frustrated. This wasn’t going accordingly to his plan.
“You know, you could just run over them. They won’t die anyway.” Magnus suggested, but the teasing in his tone was very obvious.
“God, no.” Alec straightened his posture, horrified. “You have been spending too much time with my siblings, especially Jace.”
Magnus just shrugged, giving a cheeky smile. Alec rolled his eyes, but smiled too.
Looking at the rear mirror and knowing that there wasn’t traffic, he decided to do the best next thing – he drove up onto the sidewalk at right to avoid hitting any undead.
“Oh my, Alec Lightwood breaking the law,” Magnus honestly to God giggled. “I thought you were one of those stick up in the ass type of guys. You know, the law is hard but it is the law.” He waved one hand, trying to not laugh again.
“We are surrounded by zombies, fuck the law thank you very much,” Alec growled, narrowing his eyes. Then, a smirk slowly spread through his lips. “And I prefer another thing in my ass.”
“You made a sex joke?” Magnus turned to him, almost horrified. “Who are you and where is my boyfriend?”
Alec laughed, and instead of joining him, Magnus just stared at him with soft eyes. Alec’s laugh was one of those precious things few people had the privilege to testify, and he would never take that for granted.
He was so enamored by that amazing man.
~*~
They arrived at a botanic garden hidden behind an old movie theater building at Upper East Side. The glass structure was overgrown by all types of plants and flowers. There was even a whole space with herbs and plenty of space to grow vegetables.
“How…” Magnus muttered, his eyes widen by that magical place.
“I don’t know, maybe there was someone living nearby that kept taking care of this place. I found it by accident while Jonathan was taming the zombies here. It’s a safe place now.”
Magnus wandering around, taking each detail from floor to ceiling. One detail caught his attention, though. He crouched and touched the scratches on the floor.
“These are new. Also, it’s too clean for a place abandoned.” He arched an eyebrow to Alec, who just shrugged innocently.
“Well, there may be or may not some junk around.”
Realization hit Magnus on full force.
“All those times you sneaked out the Institute alone…”
Alec bit his lower lip and nodded a bit shy.
“Oh, Alexander.” Magnus got up and approached his dear boyfriend. “You continue to surprise me.”
“In good ways, I hope,” Alec whispered and shortened the distance, meeting Magnus’ lips. They kissed at a slow pace, just savoring that endearing moment in a bubble the others liked to call The Malec Effect.
When they parted, Magnus still had his eyes closed, and Alec couldn’t help but steal a quick peck from his glossy lips.
“I found a cabinet full of films inside there,” Alec pointed at the movie theater. “We could come once or twice a week and watch something as soon as I finish fixing the projector. And, uh, I saw a pool table near here. We could play?”
“Alexander.”
“And you can bring Cat one day. While you two are here to sort out those herbs you like so much, I can take Madzie to a park. I think there is one two streets down. Maybe we could just walk? Or if you want, we—”
“Alec!”
Alec finally snapped his mouth shut, but Magnus wasn’t angry. He was… amused?
“I’m happy that you are already planning our second, third, maybe even our tenth date, but slow down, love.” He caressed Alec’s cheek, then rested his hand at the back of his neck. “We aren’t caged anymore. The world is our oyster, Alexander.”
Nodding slowly, Alec released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
“It’s just… I feel like we have wasted so much time already. If I wasn’t so afraid, maybe we could…” He trailed off, lowering his head.
Gently, Magnus tipped his chin up, and when Alec finally looked at him again, the only thing he found was an unutterable amount of love.
“We could, but we wouldn’t. I know you, Alec. I admit I wanted it many times, but I also knew it wasn’t the best moment.”
“It was already bad having to worry about my siblings and my mother all the time. Even Clary, Simon and Jonathan. If something happened to you… That day when you were badly hurt, if you… You…” Alec had to bite his lip hard to avoid a sob, but Magnus wouldn’t have any that. He gently touched Alec’s lips, silently asking him to not hurt himself.
“You are a leader, but you never avoided a mission. Do you know how many times I spent the nights praying for your safe return?”
Alec felt himself blush, and had to clear his throat to try and change the topic.
“Hm, this is okay? I wanted to give you flowers, but I’m terrible at choosing, then…” He waved around.
“Instead of a single flower, you gave me an entire garden. You, Alexander Lightwood, are the most romantic and sweeter man I’ve ever met.”
Blushing more, Alec let himself to truly smile, being awarded by an equal dashing smile from Magnus.
“I’m one lucky man.”
“Not as lucky as I am.”
Naturally, their lips met again. It was a small, tender kiss. Full of love, full of promises.
Full of time.