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Before Clary had become a Shadowhunter, she had been an artist. And even though she was now a Shadowhunter, she was still an artist, and always would be.
All Shadowhunters were artists of a sort, she supposed, all knowing how to draw runes, but Clary drew more than just that. She drew landscapes and portraits and designs for a comic with Simon. It was her passion, and whenever she had free time between running an Institute and fighting demons, she drew.
Her five year anniversary with her boyfriends, Simon and Jace, was coming up, and she wanted to draw something for all three of them.
“Do you think they’d like a portrait?” Clary asked Isabelle as the two sat in Clary’s room.
“Jace would,” Isabelle mused. “Not too sure about Simon.”
Clary thought about it and said, “He might.” She groaned. “I’m just trying to make the perfect present for them, and it’s so difficult…”
Isabelle gave her an encouraging smile. “You got this, Clary.”
“Thanks, Izzy,” Clary sighed. “I just hope you’re right.”
She ran over many other ideas, such as a whole painting of either the New York Institute or the city of Alicante, before finally, she gave up for the night. Isabelle had already long left by then.
Putting on her pajamas and settling into bed, Clary soon drifted into sleep.
One week left until their anniversary.
“Jace is clearly planning something,” Isabelle told Clary as they once again sat in her room, Clary struggling to come up with ideas. “He hasn’t told me what, though. Probably worried I’d tell you.”
“You told me he’s planning something,” Clary said. “I can see where his concern comes from.”
Isabelle lightly hit her shoulder, but there was not real anger behind it. “He’s told Alec.”
“Alec is his parabatai and does not talk to me enough to leak the information to me,” Clary pointed out. “Alec doesn’t talk much to Simon, either.”
“Lucky,” Isabelle groaned. She looked at the sketches beginning to form on Clary’s sketchbook. “Seriously, the Pandemonium?”
“It’s where we first met,” Clary grumbled. “Even if Simon couldn’t see Jace.”
Isabelle thought about it for a moment and then said, “You’re right. I think it’s kind of a good idea, actually.”
“Kind of?” Clary echoed.
“You have a good point about Simon not being able to see Jace, though,” Isabelle said. “How about the place where he did first see Jace?”
“Luke’s house,” Clary realized. “That- that’s amazing, Izzy!”
Isabelle grinned.
“But are you sure a picture of a house will be enough?” Clary asked, her spirits starting to dim.
Isabelle shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not really an artsy kind of person, you know. Besides, it’s your gift. You should be able to come up with something, right?”
Clary nodded. “Right.”
“Good luck,” Isabelle said, bringing Clary into a hug. Clary laughed and hugged her back.
And as Clary sat in her room, an idea began to form in her mind.
Luke’s house was an amazing idea, but there was one more thing she could add to that…
Over the next few days, Clary brought life to her drawing. It was at first a sketch, her trying to perfect how she wanted it to look, but soon, she moved to the canvas. She had considered just giving them a drawing on simple paper using colored pencils, but decided that a painting was better. Besides, a painting gave her enough room for all that she had imagined.
Clary drew Luke’s house, the lake shining in the background. She perfected the background. Then she began drawing Simon, and Jace, and herself.
She recreated the first time they met. She imprinted it all on a painting, then finally, the day before their anniversary, it was complete.
Maybe if she had had more time, it would have looked better. But it was still beautiful, and she hoped that her boyfriends would appreciate it.
The next morning, when she woke up, she realized that it was their anniversary.
“I’ve booked us reservations,” Simon said as Clary entered his room. Jace was already there, which made sense, considering the fact that he had just gotten back from patrol, though Clary wondered why he had chosen to sit on the floor. “At dinnertime, we’re going to eat luxuriously.” He grinned. “And, no, do not ask where I got all the money from. That’s another story. For another day.”
Clary grinned. “Alright.” She sat down next to Simon on the bed. “Thanks, Si.”
Simon smiled, a faint rosy tint on his cheeks. “I’m glad you’re happy, unlike the other person in this room.” He shot an exasperated look at Jace.
Jace mirrored the look back at Simon. “I’m happy, just tired.”
“Well, did you get anything?” Clary asked. “Izzy told me you were planning something.”
“I knew she would say that,” Jace sighed. “That’s why I didn’t tell her anything specific. I feel like she’s usually better at keeping secrets, but when it comes to you…” He looked at Simon. “Remember how your bow broke last month? And you haven’t been able to find a good one since then?”
Simon blinked. “Yeah, uh, thanks for reminding me.”
“I got you a new one,” Jace said. “A better one.” He grinned, then looked at Clary. “I got you a new sword as well. Now as good as Heosphoros used to be, but should still be amazing.”
Clary grinned back. “Weapons, huh?”
Jace nodded sagely. “Weapons are the best gifts one can give.”
“Well, you guys are going to need to come to my room to see what I got you,” Clary said. The two nodded and got up, and Clary lead them to her room. Opening her door, she threw the cover off her painting and looked at them. “What do you think?”
Jace and Simon both looked really impressed. “Woah,” Jace whispered. “That- that’s amazing.”
“I knew you could paint really well, but I feel like I’ve never actually seen anything this good before,” said Simon.
Clary grinned. The two got closer to look at the painting, and after warning them not to touch it (advice Simon already knew, but apparently not Jace, who had been reaching out toward the painting), she sat down on her bed and smiled at them.
So far, this was a great anniversary.