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Alec was fast asleep when he felt a gentle tap to his shoulder. He tightened his grip on Magnus and shuffled closer.
He felt the gentle tap again, and then again.
Alec sat up and rubbed his eyes.
When they focused he noticed two little eyes at the corner of the bed.
"Raf?" He whispered as he gently unwound himself from Magnus' sleeping form.
"Are you okay, bud?" Alec whispered
Rafael shook his head urgently and said "fuego!"
Alec knew enough Spanish to muddle by. His newly adopted son knew a lot English but was still only getting used to speaking it all of the time.
"Fire?" Alec repeated. He already knew what was happening and remained calm. He got out of bed and took Rafael's outstretched hand. Rafael led him back to his bedroom he was sharing with little Max, the light was on. Max was fast asleep on his back, every other little snore that escaped his mouth was accompanied by a little flame.
"Fuego!" Rafael said as he dragged Alec to the iron crib.
Alec smiled down at the little blue toddler.
"Raf, remember how we told you that Max is a warlock little Papa?" Alec said gently as he got down on his knees to Rafael's height. Rafael nodded. "Well" Alec continued "sometimes when Max is asleep on his back he makes little flames. We don't know why, it started when he was teething, so that's why he sleeps in an iron crib, it can't go on fire. Everything in his bed was made by the iron sisters, they're special so nothing will go on fire. You're quite safe, and so is Max." Rafael looked stunned but nodded.
"Do you understand?" Alec asked and his newest son nodded.
"Look." Alec said and he stood up again, he reached into Max's crib and gently rolled him into his side, as he did the toddler stopped snoring at once and no more flames ignited.
Rafael laughed and Alec laughed too, he was relived that his son wasn't scared of little Max.
"Do you want to go back to bed?" Alec asked and Rafael eyed his bed across the room and then looked back at Alec.
"Or... do you want a drink?" Alec offered
"Si, please." Rafael nodded.
"Okay, lets go." Alec put his hands on Rafael's shoulders and walked him from the room, turning the light off as he went.
Soon enough they were both cross legged on the floor, drinking milk and eating toast.
Alec watched Rafael get up and move closer to him and his heart pounded. So far Rafael had been distant and this was only the first night he'd officially moved in with them. They'd spend everyday with him while he stayed at the institute but this was day number one of officially being a Lightwood-Bane.
Rafael, shuffled closer to Alec again and then moved onto his lap. Alec wrapped his arms around the little boy, he didn't speak, he was afraid incase he scared him off. Eventually Rafael began tracing Alec's runes with his little fingers, he looked up at Alec with curiosity.
"Those are my runes." Alec said gently "do you like them?"
Rafael nodded and then pulled up the sleeves of his pyjamas.
"You'll get runes too, one day." Alec added and he smiled when Rafael's eyes lit up.
"Max?" Rafael said
"Max is a warlock remember?" Alec replied "he has magic like Papa, but you'll have runes like me."
"When?" Rafael asked
"Not for a few years yet." Alec answered. "Then you'll be a big, brave Shadowhunter."
Rafael looked a little sad and pulled his sleeves down.
Alec watched as he traced his runes again.
"Well." Alec said suddenly "we could draw some on..."
Rafael smiled widely and nodded.
"Okay." Alec said quickly. He moved Rafael from his lap and went to the box where they kept Max's colouring pens.
He came back and sat across from Rafael who had already taken off his pyjama top in excitement.
With precision, Alec drew the first rune on Rafael's chest with a black felt pen. He filled in the lines and nodded at his work.
"There you go. Your first rune!" Alec smiled and Rafael beamed.
"Here!" Rafael pointed to his forearm and Alec began drawing the second one.
"What's all this?" Magnus said from the door way.
"Runes, papa!" Rafael said
Alec looked apologetically at Magnus who didn't look annoyed at all to find his parter and child on the living room floor at 3am.
"Wow!" Magnus said "is this a shadowhunter party or can I join?"
"I dunno, Raf?" Alec joked "what do you think?"
"Sit!" Rafael said hitting the floor beside him.
Magnus obeyed and sat down with a smile.
"Look!" Rafael said excitedly as he showed Magnus his 'runes'
"What one is your favourite?" Magnus asked and Rafael pointed to Alec's iratze.
"That's a good one." Magnus agreed "my favourite is this one." Magnus traced the dark rune on Alec's neck and Alec smiled back with a knowing smile.
Rafael took Magnus's arm and began to draw the deflect rune. It was a little wobbly and Magnus smiled as Rafael stuck out his tongue in concentration, copying from Alec's one.
"Blue like Max!" Rafael said excitedly as he coloured it blue.
"Blue like Max." Magnus agreed, his eyes suddenly a little wet.
Alec smiled at his love and at his newest son. Life was perfect.