(Almost) Everything Is Comin' Up Chase [closed post]

[summerdude]

Magnus, triumphant, has finally managed to make some old bamboo sprout. With Drosera fed recently enough that she's not complaining of hunger and resting in her new favorite perch (lounging on his shoulder tucked right against his neck, her beak tangled in hair that is once again getting long), he sneaks it into the Mansion, hides it in a large gift-bag a closet gives him, and hangs it on Claudius and Galahad's doorknob with a quickly-jotted note that reads Claudius, What next? - MAGNUS CHASE.

Then, since he's already inside, he figures, why not wander around until he finds someone to talk to?

Comments

[onthewillowsthere]

It definitely will, and Galahad signs Thank you quickly. Then, after petting Dro for a few moments so he can think, he signs, He hit me because I hurt him and he didn't know who I was. That's what everyone does there. In Camelot. I was upset because I thought he should know me, but Shen Yuan figured out he was from a different time, and then he found me and said he was sorry. He doesn't need to do anything else for me. He gives Dro another stroke and then adds, I know you hate when fathers are bad, but he doesn't feel like my father. My father was a different person.

[summerdude]

Magnus hesitates. Different how?

[onthewillowsthere]

Always angry. Proud. Unpredictable. He hated me because of my mother. He hesitates; it's one thing to tell Claudius in a heated moment, and another to tell Magnus when he's sitting here, calm, trying to wind up the thread of his father's legacy. My mother raped him twice. The second time he went mad and wandered in the woods for two years. This was before I came to Camelot, but everyone said he was different before that. More like he is here, I think. When I knew him he was... he wasn't kind to me. Or anyone.

[summerdude]

There's a lot in that. It certainly helps contextualize at least one of the things Magnus saw in Lancelot's memories, and he shifts a little, uncomfortable. Partly because there's a small, loud part of him that's thinking 'this is BETTER?! But he's already so awful!'

He shoves that to the side for now. Girl Code. You can't hate the scrubs your friends like so much that they don't go to you when they need to talk about him!!! Do you want a relationship with him?

[onthewillowsthere]

This is a question he knows the answer to with far less need for consideration, although he thinks it should probably be harder to answer. It doesn't matter. I don't dislike him. I don't even know him. He's just here.

[summerdude]

So does it matter if I -- Magnus stops himself from signing 'hate.' -- don't like him?

[onthewillowsthere]

You don't have to like him. I just wanted you to know that it's all right between me and him.

[summerdude]

Magnus is quiet and still for another long moment, watching Drosera start to weave her way around Galahad's feet. Galahad should absolutely have exactly whatever sort of relationship he wants with everybody he knows. That's, like, a no-brainer. Thanks for telling me, he says, and then, because it's not like he's ever going to lie to Galahad, I don't think I can forgive him though.

[onthewillowsthere]

He tilts his head slightly, and pokes Dro with his foot -- she immediately flops down on her back and grabs his shoe with all four feet, claws and talons all. Because of me? Did he do something else to you? It's still a surprise to find that his disastrous first meeting with Lancelot matters so much to Magnus, even though it seems to matter that much to Claudius, too.

[summerdude]

"I, like" Magnus says, and then shakes his head. I try not to share people's private stuff with anyone else, he signs, a little imploring. No matter what it is or who they are. I... He pauses. He feels like maybe he does need to explain, at least a little bit. Galahad knows about what happens when Magnus heals people. Galahad... I saw his memories. I saw...

[onthewillowsthere]

He frowns. "What did you see?"

[summerdude]

"I saw him attack my best friend, for one," Magnus says -- a little obstinately, it must be said.

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad presses his lips together in the way he does when he's displeased. Did you see me knock him down?

[summerdude]

Magnus nods. Yeah. I saw that too.

[onthewillowsthere]

He gives Magnus a look like well, then, and has to remind himself of his argument with Claudius -- he hasn't explained enough yet. Just because Magnus knows him so well doesn't mean he knows everything.

Magnus. I've killed people.

[summerdude]

Yeah, I know. Or at least, he'd figured. Galahad is, like, really good at fighting, and he comes from a time when people didn't just fight for funsies. So have I.

[onthewillowsthere]

It doesn't matter if I wanted to. It's how everything is answered. If someone hurts you, or takes something you want, or if God tells you to. It's just how things are. If we were in Britain -- he did what anyone would do. It wasn't about me.

[summerdude]

Magnus presses his foot against Galahad's, mindful of Drosera, who chatters her displeasure with the move. Too bad, Dro, Magnus wants the physical reassurance of touching his best friend, and he can't hold Galahad's hand if they're talking like this! Valhalla too, he says. Attack first, questions never. And then he hesitates. He hit you first. But that's not even the point. He puts his hands to his sides, holding onto the desk, as he tries to sort through his thoughts.

[onthewillowsthere]

He presses his foot back against Magnus', and waits for him.

[summerdude]

The first thing Magnus filters out is, You're mortal, which really is also the crux of tons of his fears about, like, so many things here.

[onthewillowsthere]

After a moment, he gets down on the floor with Drosera and Magnus, settling closer to him so they can lean against each other. Somewhat mollified, Dro climbs onto their laps.

[summerdude]

"Yes, hello Silly Baby," Magnus says, pulling a toy mouse out of his pocket and holding it up for her to swipe at. He leans more heavily against Galahad. "I have, like. Issues, or whatever. With dads. As you know." I also don't, like. Buy 'that's just how things are done' as a good reason for things to happen.

[onthewillowsthere]

I know. I told Claudius -- I want to choose different. I don't want to be a weapon in God's hand.

[summerdude]

Magnus leans his head on Galahad's shoulder. I know, man, he says. We're Choice Guys now, not Fight Guys..

[onthewillowsthere]

He could choose something different here too, and as much as he thinks himself indifferent to Lancelot, there's something a little hopeful in it.