-Well if you look at that! I'm still alive and am uploading! Enjoy some fluff! But be warned. This one is LONG-

Until all the petals fall

Magnus paced around his room in a circle. The sparks of his magic just at his fingertips. He was overthinking. He knew he was. On his table lay a dying rose. Remnants of a good memory that now seemed to be fading too quickly for his liking.

This had all begun almost 8 months ago; Magnus, Alec, and the boys had all cuddled in together to watch Beauty and the Beast for maybe the fifteenth time and had gotten to the part where Belle discovered the rose when their youngest son, Max, sprang up from the couch.

"Papa! Papa!" he yelled out and was quickly hushed by his older brother Rafael who, although wouldn't admit it in public, was actually rather fond of this movie.

"Papa" Max said out again in his best whisper. Which to be honest was only one octave quieter than before. "Look at the rose! It's a special love rose!" he pointed at it excitedly.

"Right you are my little blueberry" Magnus laughed and pulled the little warlock into his lap and cuddled him. He was quiet for maybe another minute before he started again. "But papa! Why does the rose die?"

"because the movie says so! Now hush Max" snipped Rafael.

Alec let out a laugh and wrapped his arm around their shadowhunter son. "Rafe. It's ok. He's little. He's going to have questions."

"But dad! Can't he have questions AFTER the movie?" he groaned and rolled his eyes.

"How about we pause the movie. We can answer Max's question and you can run to the bathroom, because don't think I haven't noticed that you keep bopping in your seat!"

Rafael's cheeks burned a little red, his dad knew him too well, but the movie was getting to one of the best parts! Of course, he'd wait to go potty!

"Go on! The best part will still be the best part when you come back." Added Magnus and with a flick of his hand paused the movie and the little boy shot off down the hall. "Now ask your question Maxie, you have until Rafe comes back and then we have to be quiet because it's the nice thing to do" reminded Magnus.

"Well...." Started the little one. "the rose means love. Right?"

"yup"

"and it lasts a long time. Why does it die. Papa? Won't love be strong enough?" he asked up his bright eyes peering into his father's own.

"Alexander, darling, would you mind answering that question for him?" Magnus asked over to Alec not really sure how to go about it."

"Sorry." Came a silken response and a head against his shoulder. "That's all yours Papa."

Magnus thought it through some more. "well little one. In this case the rose is important because it tells him how much time he has to FIND love. If the rose was meant to signify love it would last longer I can assume." 

Max seemed to process this answer. "So. If they have a flower for love it should last forever? Because love is forever right?" asked the boy again.

"Indeed. Using that logic, it should my little blueberry. Now quiet down. Your brother is back we can talk about it more after the movie."

This seemed to placate him and the movie went on, the tale as old as time, ended the way it should and Rafael scampered off to get ready for bed. A curious little blue child, however, stayed behind.

"Daddy!" he said this time as Magnus smiled that this time Alec would get the curious boy's question.

"Yes?" he responded, grabbing the boy into his arms.

"Do you believe in love magic?" he asked sweetly

"I believe in the fact that I love your papa and you and Rafe very much" he answered simply.

"but do you believe you can love forever? Do you think you can love papa and me and Rafe forever and ever and ever and ever?"

"and ever. And ever. And ever. And probably after that too" he laughed and kissed the boy's cheek which brought along giggles that melted both his and Magnus' hearts.

"okay!" he announced clapping his little hands together and sparks between his chubby little fingers.

When he opened them, a gorgeous rose was in his hands. "Now you and Papa can have this one forever!" he announced handing it to his dad. A little yawn parting his lips.

"Thank you, baby boy. I'm sure it will last forever" he said, handing the rose to Magnus before taking the little one off to bed.

Magnus smiled. "Forever huh? I will hold you to that Lightwood!"

"I intend to keep that promise too Bane" he replied back.

It had all been simple. A cute little rose. Now just shy of eight months, Magnus was perplexed. The rose had never wilted. Never a petal fallen. It had remained perfectly fresh as the day Max conjured it. It had. At least till this week. This week. The petals had fallen first one. Then another two days later. It was now Thursday and the rose seemed to be reaching its end. The bulb of the poor thing sagged, and a dull brown had begun to creep into the remaining petals.

Magnus had tried magic to repair it, but had been unable to. How could their perfect love begun to wilt? He continued his pacing. Alexander would be home soon. How would he explain this to him? How would he explain it to Max who had made it a habit to run into the room almost every day to check on his 'forever' rose? Magnus had been good at distracting the poor boy, but soon there would be a moment it would be discovered.

What had happened? Had Max's magic begun to fade? Had their love begun to fade?

Magnus ran his hands through his hair in frustration. What could make something that survived for so long begin to die now? He reached for the rose, the poor plant echoing how he seemed to feel inside. He knew his feelings for Alexander hadn't changed at all. Had his changed towards him? He threw that thought out at the sound of keys at the door.

Alec had been awfully busy this week. Almost every night he'd spent it at the institute worrying about something or the other. Was that it? Was work taking his love away?

"Mags! That's where you are" he said entering the little office where Magnus was currently pacing a hole into the floor. Magnus panicked and put his hands and the decaying rose behind his back.

"Hello Alexander" he said almost sadly. Alec quickly catching it and going to his side and putting his hand on his cheek.

"You don't look too good. What's wrong?" he asked gently. Already preparing to destroy whatever it was that had caused this in Magnus.

"Alexander. Do you still love me?"

Alec stepped back in utter shock. Seriously? Where had this come from?

"Of course," he stammered. "Magnus, you know I love you. Forever. What's wrong darling? What happened?" He said in concern.

"But do you still love me as much as you did when we first got together. When we got married. When Max and Rafe came along?" he asked out sadly. His fears and doubts spilling past his lips.

"Magnus! What's going on? Of course! That hasn't changed. That will never change! Talk to me. What is happening, are you alright? What's behind your back?" he asked his system on complete red alert.

Magnus gave in. "Our rose is dying. If our love is forever. Why is it dying?" he asked out pathetically and brought his hands forward. Alec stared down at his palms and the dying flower. Another petal falling off. The pair stared in silence as the petal fluttered down to the ground.

That's when Alec laughed. A good hearty laugh. One that shook his core and tears built up around his eyes.

"Is that what this is about?" he said in between hysterics that Magnus could not understand.

"How can you laugh? So, you admit your feelings have changed?" he cried out in protest and hurt.

"My feelings have not changed Magnus" he said once he began to recover his composure. "What has changed is that flower." He said simply, as if to answer the question.

"I know it's changed. It's dying!"

"Oh Magnus. For being the smartest person I know, you have some dumb moments." He reached out and took the flower from his hand. Tossing it over onto the table and grabbing Magnus' hands.

"Mags. All of them have died. It's a plant. That's what they do" he chuckled.

"All of them? What do you mean?" he asked still mystified.

"Magnus. I've been switching the flower out with a new one every 3 days or so. I've been busy this week, I'm sorry, I'll get a new one first thing tomorrow."

"You've been what?!"

"Every time the flower began to wilt. I've run down to the corner shop and bought a new one and replaced it. At this point Larry gives me a pretty good deal on single roses. He only charges me a dollar versus the dollar ninety-seven he charges everyone else. You haven't noticed it?" he asked with a smirk on his lips.

"Alexander! EIGHT MONTHS! You've been buying a rose every three days for EIGHT MONTHS?"

"Yup" he said, not really comprehending the big deal. "The rose is meant to last forever, it isn't physically possible, so I've made it happen. Are you mad? I'm sorry?"

Magnus leaped into his arms and kissed him hard. "Not mad. I'm sorry I panicked. I love you so much. I just got so worried that our love could begin to wilt."

"Magnus. You silly warlock. That is not possible. Won't happen." He said with a smile and the pair retired to their room to further clear up any doubt.

The next morning Max ran into the room and jumped on the bed waking Magnus up from his sleep.

"Papa! Papa! The rose! The rose! Come look!" he said out as Magnus sat up in bed and wandered behind the excited boy. On the table in the kitchen a bouquet of two dozen of the most gorgeous roses he'd ever seen.

"They multiplied papa!" came the excited boy. Alec in the kitchen cooking breakfast. 

"Good morning Papa" he said as Magnus joined beside him and stole a small kiss.

"Why so many today Papa?" Max asked quietly.

"I can answer that one sweetie." Came Alec's response. "I extra loved your papa today, so one rose couldn't possibly contain it"

Max didn't question it further. Magnus on the other hand wrapped his hand around Alec's waist and snuggled in close. 

"I hope you don't mind if next week you only have one rose" whispered Alec. "Replacing that many might draw suspicion" he said with a smile.

Magnus cuddled in closer and reached up to kiss his cheek. "One is fine. I don't need that many to tell me you love me I already know you do."

Alec smiled. "Good. And don't you forget it."

-★Thoughts? Comments? :D Let me know what you think! Don't forget to ★ Also are there any prompts/topics/or scenarios you'd like for me to try writing? Let me know!-★