It was New Year's Eve, and Alec didn't know why they were making such a big deal about it. Magnus had always payed attention to the mundane traditions - maybe that was why they were in a mundane bar now, breathing in the musty scent of lip gloss and champagne.

Alec stepped outside into the cold night air. He didn't mind being in there as long and Magnus was by his side, but the heat could get stifling every now and then. He needed a breather.

Suddenly a tall figure drew up beside him. "Is everything okay?" Magnus's voice drifted towards him.

"Fine, really," Alec reassured him with a bright smile.

They stood for a moment in comfortable silence, taking in the lights of the city. Brooklyn seemed to be trying extra hard tonight to look beautiful tonight. "Another year..." Magnus said wistfully, more to himself than to anyone else.

Alec turned to face him, and wondered if he saw the glint of tears in Magnus's eye. Or perhaps it was just the streetlights reflected back; he didn't ask. "Time's different for you, isn't it?"

"It is," Magnus agreed. "A year can drag on so painfully, Alec. Or it can fly past in a second, and I try to catch it, but it escapes me." He paused, and took a deep breath. "You changed that. When I'm with you..."

Alec rarely found the High Warlock of Brooklyn struggling for words. He was pretty sure Magnus spoke more languages than he even knew existed, but right now, outside this mundane bar, he couldn't describe how he felt around him. It made Alec feel warm.

"...everything slows down." Magnus continued. "I can't explain it. It's as if I don't have to think about time anymore. There's now, and there's not now. Nothing else."

The noise from inside the bar grew steadily louder. Magnus smiled, and Alec got caught again by that dizzying feeling that an ancient, all-powerful warlock had given him the time of day. He hoped he'd get used to it one day.

"Five!" The crowds shouted. Alec looked to Magnus. Were they supposed to do something? Was it part of the tradition?

"Four! Three!" The countdown continued, and the noises of excitement rose to a crescendo.

"Two! One!" Alec almost staggered back as a pair of warm lips met his. After what felt like a lifetime but was only a second, they pulled away, grinning like schoolboys.

"It's the tradition," said Magnus.

"Oh." Alec blushed. "I thought you were kissing me...just because."

Magnus made a sound which was simultaneously exasperated and adoring. "I don't know what they teach you Nephilim these days."

"Oh, I don't know..." Said Alec sarcastically as they walked down the street, hands tangled together. "They teach us how to save the world, I guess? That's sort of important."

"What's more important," Magnus planted a quick kiss on his cheek, "is when to kiss your boyfriend on New Year's. They should put that in the curriculum."

"Sure." Alec smirked. It was like this: every look they shared was like an inside joke, accessible only to them.

Yeah. He could get used to this.