Maryse and Robert were ecstatic to see their grandchildren again, even though it hadn't even been a week since they last saw them. Jace and Clary were the same, and after greeting everyone and catching up they sat down to have lunch.

After lunch it was time to open their gifts.

Max and Rafael had tons of them. Their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles had all gotten the kids everything they wanted.

Magnus and Alec got Max a book he saw and loved, and Rafael a new pair of light-up sneakers, enchanted by Magnus to shine with all the colours of the spectrum and never run out of batteries. Their grandparents, aunts and uncles got Max more books and a fake pirate sword and ship, and Rafael an mp3 player full of his favourite Spanish lullabies. Both also got a bunch of new toys.

Afterwards Maryse and Robert left with Clary and Simon to bring desert. The rest stayed in the library, sitting beside the fire. The children were playing with their toys while the Lightwood siblings and Magnus were relaxing drinking coffee and tea.

Rafael turned to Magnus to ask him something about one of the games and then he noticed.

"Papa why do you have daddy's ring?"

"Oh my. What sharp eyes my little one has." Magnus said grinning proudly.

"I'm not little!" Rafael exclaimed pouting.

"But why?" Max asked joining in too.

"Because, when a Shadowhunter like daddy finds the special person they want to spend the rest of their life with, they give them their family ring." He explained in a gentle voice, smiling softly.

"Then why weren't you wearing it before?" Max asked unimpressed. He already knew his parents couldn't live without each other.

Alec chuckled softly since the question was aimed at Magnus and he was off the hook thinking of something to answer.

Magnus looked at him narrowing his eyes, understanding at once why he was laughing.

"Because…" He started saying, thinking.

~o~

Since he was still looking at him, Alec could see the exact moment the idea occurred to him.

Magnus looked away from the kids, at his fiancé and his cat-eyes shone with mirth as he gave Alec that beautiful, yet dangerous smile of his that always meant trouble, determined to get back at his beloved for abandoning him to fend for himself against the tough question.

"Why don't you ask daddy?" He told Max sweetly. "He's the one who gave it to me after all."

Like laser point, both children's attention snapped back to Alec.

"Why?" Rafael asked.

"Did papa do something good?"

Jace and Izzy appeared behind both boys suddenly, closing their ears.

"Too much information." Jace said.

"Jace!"

"They don't need to know what Magnus did. We can already see some proof of it." Izzy said pointedly looking at her brother's neck.

Alec turned crimson. "IZZY!" He exclaimed shocked, automatically bringing his hand up to his neck to touch the hickey there. He hadn't noticed it was half over his neck line.

He turned to Magnus waiting for him to say something but the Warlock was too occupied with trying to breathe through hysteric laughter to answer. Judging by his usual response to stuff like that, maybe it was for the best too.

Before he could say something more either, the kids squirmed shaking Jace and Izzy off.

"What don't you want us to hear? Tell us! What did papa do?!"

"Fine, fine…" Alec sighed softly and decided to go with the truth. "Papa didn't do anything. I just didn't know if he would want it… That's why I didn't give it to him before." He muttered looking at Magnus.

"That's silly!" Rafael exclaimed.

"Rafael!" All four adults in the vicinity exclaimed.

"But it is!" Max backed his big brother up. "Anyone can see papa adores daddy! Couldn't you?" He told Alec who stared at a loss for words.

Magnus laughed. "Yeah, couldn't you?" He echoed in his ear, draping himself over Alec.

"I guess I could…" Alec said.

"Even a 5-year-old could see the truth better than you sayang." Magnus sighed dramatically. "Can you see it better now?" He told him, a gentle smile on his face. "Do you finally know? If I want it?" He added taking his hand and kissing the ring there.

"Maybe…" Alec teased smiling brightly.

"You two are disgusting." Jace butted in shattering their little bubble.

Alec turned to glare at him and saw him grinning like mad too.

'I'm really happy for you.' His eyes said, so Alec spared him and just smiled back.

"Aren't you surprised?" He asked instead.

"Please." His parabatai said. "You two are practically married already. Have been for some time now."

Magnus chuckled. "Fair point."

"I guess." Alec agreed too smiling at Magnus, his eyes full of love.

"Definitely married." He said again but they ignored him, too busy smiling at each other.