Does This Count As Arts and Crafts? [closed]

[summerdude]

In the wake of Dark, Magnus takes a day or two to dig camp out from the snow drifts with Alex, then presents himself, finally, for lessons with Hanguang-jun.

They've been talking about it for a while, him and Hanguang-jun and Galahad — since Magnus first got weird about Galahad becoming Hanguang-jun's student. By now, he pretty much knows he's not going to stop feeling weird about stepping into a lesson with the two of them — even one totally unrelated to sword stuff — so he might as well rip off that proverbial bandaid.

He's a largely punctual guy, a trait recently intensified by Sunny's interest in making plans to hang out in one week and Magnus's role in keeping her calendar, but there is still a lot of snow to fight through to get to the Mansion's doors. He's a little breathless when he sweeps into the agreed-upon room, raking melting snow out of his hair with his fingers.

"What's up, my favorite comedians?"

Comments

[lightbearinglord]

Naturally, Lan Wangji has been here, and prepared, for approximately an incense time prior to Magnus' arrival. The room they have chosen is merely his own familiar study with its bamboo mats on the floors, the incense burner tucked into the corner, the low desk at which he sits to write or read. Its only addition for the day is a second desk for his students' use. Afternoon sun paints the room, golden already with the shortness of winter days.

With Galahad perfectly on time, the two of them are waiting in companionable silence when Magnus clatters in. Lan Wangji looks up and gives him a glance of mild but easily-perceptible fondness.

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad smiles. He's found smiling has become easier and easier around Magnus and Claudius, and now it's something he almost never thinks about; it feels like the right expression for his face to make with these two expressive people he loves. Moreover, he's grateful that Magnus has finally agreed to this lesson, which he'd suggested months ago. Perhaps the cracking earth he'd felt opening up between them is finally settling back into place again, and won't split after all.

Magnus, he signs.

[summerdude]

Galahad! Magnus signs back. He curtsies politely to Hanguang-jun just in case that's the vibe, swipes one more chunk of snow out of his hair, and wipes his hands on the side of his hoodie. "Um, where should I sit?"

[lightbearinglord]

"Beside Galahad. Take off your shoes." The added desk should fit the pair of them side by side, and Lan Wangji has already set out inkstones, inksticks, brushes, xuan paper, and a pitcher of water.

[onthewillowsthere]

He's been watching Lan Wangji's preparations attentively, and he shifts over slightly so there's enough for room for Magnus to kneel beside him (is this how it would have felt if he had had friends when he was a child? Would he have learned side-by-side with other students? Is this how Magnus learned before his schools because intolerable?).

[summerdude]

Magnus kneels down to remove his shoes, which are much more suited to springtime hiking than the depths of winter but which are still water-resistant and well-broken in, and then scoots on his knees over to Galahad, where he sits cross-legged. He gives Galahad a little sideways hello cuddle and surveys the implements. "Will we be able to, um, even recognize characters?" He's learned, like, ten with Uncle D's secret Chinese lessons in the tower -- which is just enough to finally truly clock that a ton of the text around here is automatically translating into English for him.

[lightbearinglord]

"Mn. For today." Lan Wangji nods toward the study wall behind Magnus and Galahad, where a neat series of talismans is stuck to the wall, far more neatly than the hand that drew them would have affixed them. "Young mistress Nina lent her assistance to Wei Ying and to me. Text will remain as written."

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad looks up curiously. He knows Nina has some power over death, but how that intersects with the talismans on the wall is a mystery. The priest who visited the nunnery to teach him scripture never liked it when he asked questions, but Lan Wangji is a different sort of teacher, so he asks. "What did she do?"

[summerdude]

"Wait, do her language skillz," and of course Magnus pronounces the 'z,' "extend to, like, language magic? ...I mean, science? Of the itty bitty variety?"