"Its bedtime, Max."
The stubborn toddler just shook his head mutely. Ever since Max had upgraded from his crib to a big boy bed, he had been rather reluctant to sleep in it. Magnus sighed.
"See it's easy," Magnus said, as he laid down in the twin bed. Magnus patted the space beside him on the bed trying to encourage Max to join him. Max reluctantly got up into the bed but as soon as Magnus made to move Max made to follow.
"You are supposed to stay, Max," Magnus said. "It's bedtime."
Max banged his little fists hard on the space beside him. Magnus smiled and resigned himself to a snuggle. He didn't really need to work after all, right?
Magnus lay down next to his son who snuggled up close to him. Magnus put his arm around Max and closed his eyes. Moments later Magnus felt tiny warm hands on his face. He opened his eyes to see Max both hands outstretched touching Magnus's face as if he were a blind. As if he were trying to see his papa's face with just his fingertips. Max's fingers running over Magnus's eyelashes. Moving over his eyebrows and pulling slightly at the hairs. Magnus couldn't believe the slight but overwhelmingly powerful feelings those small hands were creating. Tingling sensations were running all over him. Gentle family feelings of warmth and unconditional love.
Magnus started singing softly. It was a lullaby his mother had once sung to him four lifetimes ago. Max's hands slowly became heavy with sleep. His small blue arms lay over Magnus's chest now still. Max's eyes closed, his breathing slowed, and he fell asleep.
Magnus didn't move. He closed his eyes as well not willing to give up his moment just yet. He could sleep in a twin bed with a toddler if he wanted to right?
Magnus was somewhere between awake and asleep when he heard the door creak open and saw a beam of light split the room.
"Magnus."
"Shh," Magnus whispered back. "He's asleep." Magnus gently disentangled himself from Max's sleeping form and left the room gently closing the door behind him.
"Did I hear you singing?" Alec asked softly as the warlock turned from the door to face him.
"Yes," Magnus said.
"I didn't recognize it," Alec said.
"It was a lullaby my mother used to sing to me," Magnus said. "It isn't in English."
"You never told me about it," Alec said, but he was smiling so Magnus figured he wasn't going to get a lecture about the thoroughness of his journals.
"I didn't think I remembered it," Magnus said.
"Can you translate it for me?"
"I am not sure," Magnus mused. "Though it is must like other ancient lullabies. That is to say, it's about death and destruction."
"And you decided this was appropriate for the two-year-old?"
"It's not like he knew what the words meant after all. You do know that Ring A Around the Rosie is the great plague in London called the black death? Oh and Rock A Bye Baby is basically about a baby falling out of a tree."
"Okay I get your point," Alec laughed.
"That's not all," Magnus continued as they walked back into the living room. "Ba Ba Black Sheep is about racism and taxes. Three Blind Mice is about corrupt some Bishops who wanted to overthrow the Queen. And The London Bridge is Falling Down… well, that one is rather obvious."
"I am going to go out on a limb here and say it's about a bridge falling down," Alec said, sniggering.
Magnus pulled out his phone. Alec blinked at him.
"What are you going?"
"Googling it."
"Why?" Alec asked. "Weren't you there when the silly song was written."
"Google says the song is most likely based off a bridge the Vikings destroyed in 1014 so I wasn't born for about six-hundred years."
"Five hundred and ninety years," Alec corrected him. Magnus rolled his eyes.
"Okay technically yes," Magnus said. "But you'll excuse me for rounding."
Alec chuckled. "I guess I still love that I know the exact date is all."
"Still really?" Magnus said. "You have had all your questions answered for years. And that still makes you happy."
"Yep," Alec said.
"Alexander Lightwood," Magnus said. "I don't know what I am going to do with you."
"Oh you know," Alec said. "Just live with me, raise a child with me, and love me for all time. Nothing too fancy."