{For Iris, so she can feel better... ^_^}

Disclaimer: I'm not Cassandra Clare thus own none of the characters.

The importance of a family ring

Magnus was lying on the couch, absently petting the Chairman who was sleeping on his lap. It was getting late and Alec still wasn't home… Having to deal with clients all day, Magnus was dog-tired but he couldn't sleep, instead he was staring anxiously at the clock every few minutes. He was itching to call him, to see why he is so late, but worry stopped him from doing it. What if he was fighting demons and had forgotten to mute the phone? He could be distracted by the ringing and end up hurt… or worse. He sighed for perhaps the hundredth time that evening.

"Alexander… Where are you…?" he whispered to the empty loft.

More time passed, and just as the tiredness began to overwhelm him, his golden-green eyes closing and his head drooping sleepily, he heard the key turn on the lock. "Alexander!" he jumped up, both his fatigue and Chairman, who fell to the floor with an indignant meow, forgotten. Magnus ignored him running to the door, reaching it just as Alec opened it and stepped in."Alec!" He called and jumped at him, hugging him tightly. The Nephilim froze in surprise for a moment, not expecting the "attack", but soon recovered, eagerly returning the Warlock's hug, then slumping into his arms, burying his face on the crook of the older man's neck sighing.

"I'm home…"

"My Alec…" Magnus whispered before letting go of the boy and taking hold of his shoulders, keeping him at arm's length, studying him. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He demanded anxiously, looking at him up and down, searching for any sign of wounds, then letting go of his shoulders and running his hands over his chest.

Nothing. He seemed unscathed.

"Are you okay Darling?" he asked again after Alec didn't answer his question. The Shadowhunter just smiled at him looking extremely tired.
"I'm fine Magnus, don't worry…" The Warlock frowned. Something was completely off… He took Alec's head in his hands, leaning in touching their foreheads and noses, a gesture he knew Alec loved.
"Baby… What's wrong?" he whispered looking deep into his eyes that looked so sad, for some yet-unknown-reason that Magnus swore he would discover and fix. Alec sighed, leaning closer to him, wrapping his arms around his neck.
"It's nothing… I'm just tired…" This could have worked, except Magnus knew him too well. He could tell it wasn't just that.
"Alexander." He warned, letting him know he wasn't buying it, and to his surprise, Alec flinched at the sound of his full name.

Magnus' eyes widened in understanding. 'So that's it… Damn Lightwoods…' He thought, gently running his thumb over the boy's cheekbones. "What did they do, Sayang?" Alec only sighed closing his blue eyes, leaning into Magnus' touch.
"It's nothing…" he tried again, but his lover would have none of it.
"Alec…" he whispered again, letting go of his face and hugging him tightly to his chest, kissing his raven hair, noticing it was damp by the rain falling outside. The Shadowhunter slumped against him once more, finally feeling at home.

After a few minutes, or maybe hours, Magnus gently disentangled himself from his Nephilim. Alec automatically tried to hug him again, to lose himself in the Warlock's arms, and in his scent; to forget everything and feel whole again. Magnus chuckled softly at the Shadowhunter's child-like gesture, reaching out for him, and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"C'mon baby… Let's go sit down." Alec wanted to argue, to just stay there a little bit longer, but finally nodded, taking the hand Magnus offered him and following him. Magnus led him to the couch, where he sat down pulling Alec on him making him lie down and cradling his head on his lap. Alec smiled curling up like a cat and sighed happily as Magnus started to run his slender fingers through his hair.

"Now Sayang…*" The Warlock said after a while, when Alec was totally relaxed. "Tell me what happened." Alec sighed dejected. "Mags…"
"C'mon baby, you know you can tell me anything."
"I don't want you to be worried… It's nothing. My parents were just being stupid again…"

The Warlock raised an eyebrow in question but didn't interrupt him, so Alec went on, taking Magnus' hand in his own, and fidgeting with the ring, on his ring finger. "They noticed my ring was missing, and asked me about it, wondering if I lost it, so I told them I gave it to you." He snorted at his own words, "They hadn't even considered that." He said, annoyance lacing his voice.

Magnus' hands in his hair froze, as he waited anxiously to hear the rest of the story, and Alec whined lowly at the loss of his caress. "Don't stop…" Magnus immediately resumed his movements, smiling sweetly down at him, and offering him a small smile in return Alec went on, frowning again as he started speaking. "So they started lecturing me on the importance of the ring and stuff…" he sighed; "Like I didn't know everything already…" He looked in Magnus' eyes, holding his gaze and said fervently. "I know. Giving away your family ring to someone, means they are the one. It means there will be no one else for you, ever again. It means you love them more than yourself and want to spend the rest of your life with them. It means, that from there on, they, will be your family."

While he spoke Magnus stared at him, his green cat-eyes wide, surprised at the boy's sudden change of tone, tears of happiness gathering in his feline eyes. When he was done, Alec kept looking at him, wondering if he would say something or if he should just tell him what happened next, but the Warlock's silence made him nervous and he added to his previous statement.

"If… If they want?"

Magnus laughed at that, getting out of his daze and hugged him tightly, "I think we have already established that darling…" he said, and then whispered into his ear, his warm breath against his skin making him shiver "I love you so much…" Before the boy could react, he let go, and pressing a kiss on his forehead urged him on. "Go on… What happened next?" Alec was looking up at him, his blue eyes glazed over. He shook his head to clear it and went on.

"When I told them I was perfectly aware of what the ring means and that there will never be anyone else I will want to wear it, they changed tactics and said I was too young to marry."
"Sayang…" Magnus spoke hesitantly, not sure what he should say, but then Alec turned to face him, cutting him off, his blue-eyes blazing.
"But that's bullsh*t and they know it! You know it too, right?" He raised his voice angry, not at Magnus, but everyone else. His parents, the Clave, all that ancient beliefs designed to make them unhappy. Magnus was looking at him dumbfounded, since Alec rarely got so angry or swore, and since he wasn't getting an answer the boy went on. "Shadowhunters do marry young, maybe even younger than me! This is just a stupid excuse, because…" His energy faded along with his anger, and he turned his blue eyes away from Magnus "Because…" he whispered again, but left his sentence unfinished, biting his lip, trying to hold back tears of frustration.

"Because they don't want you to be with me…" Magnus finished the sentence for him softly. It was no surprise; he knew that already. He just wished they would accept it and stop causing his Angel distress. Said Angel looked up at him, his blue eyes wide, not expecting him to say that.
"Mags…" he whispered reaching out to touch his face; "I'm sorry… You know, I don't care what they say… Sure, I wish they would accept it, but if they don't, too bad for them. They can lose another son." He paled slightly at his own words, realizing what he said, but pursed his lips, not taking anything back.

"Oh, darling…" Magnus said, leaning down to kiss him softly. Alec wrapped his arms around his neck holding him there and kissing him breathlessly, setting fire to the kiss.
When they finally broke apart for air, both breathing heavily, eyes glazed and cheeks flushed, but still staying close, noses touching, Alec whispered; "Why don't we go to bed? I could use some distraction…"

His mischievous smile made Magnus' heart speed up in his chest, even more than the kiss had caused it to. "Your wish is my command…" he whispered back, and in a swift motion, he picked the Nephilim up in his arms, getting up from the couch.
Alec giggled at his eagerness, holding on tightly "Maagsss let me down! I can walk!" he scolded but didn't really sound reprimanding considering he was laughing as he said it.
Magnus laughed too, delighted to see Alec happy again "I don't think so Sayang. I like it better that way! Now hold on to me…" he said, heading to the room, kissing the giggling Shadowhunter's hair. "And as for being able to walk… Let's see if you can say that when I'm done with you." He added, gently putting him down on the bed, and looming over him, and Alec's laughter turned into a coughing fit as he looked up at him with wide eyes and cheeks blazing red.
"Magnus!"
"What? You asked for a distraction didn't you?" The Warlock said, batting his eyelids, the picture of innocence.
"Oh shut up…" Alec told him smiling, regaining his composure and pulling him down for another kiss.

Everything was going to be just fine…

So, what did you think? Was it good?

After After Note: Thank you for the Reviews and sorry for the omission on my part.

*"Sayang" means Darling/Beloved in Indonesian. (I had seen it used so much I forgot it wasn't canon xD I am really sorry!)