(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?

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[lightbearinglord]

Less than half an incense time later, Lan Wangji returns with an armful of exceptionally small rabbits. Xiaoxue, the more timid of the two, is tucked into the crook of his elbow such that his face is hidden in Lan Wangji's robe; Danding is nestled alongside his brother¹, nose twitching with interest and bright black eyes already on Magnus as they reenter the room. He does stop after a step or two, his own eyes on Drosera.

¹Are two rabbits of the same breed but different coloring, conjured simultaneously out of the same hat by a careless angel, siblings? Who can say?

[summerdude]

"Oh, they're so tiny," Magnus says, eyes huge. He wants to reach out for them, but he keeps a hand steady on Drosera's back and the other gently stroking the feathers of her chest. "See, Dro? They're friends. Family. Like Mothwing! They're also hungry babies, okay? Just like you. Understand?"

To the rabbits, he says, "Hi! I'm Magnus. This is Her Royal Beakiness Princess Drosera Dinosaur Hungry Baby Kitty McBirdface Magnahad the Fluffy-Pawed and Murder-Taloned of Shed Kingdom, First of her Name and Cutest in all the Worlds. I know she might look scary but we come in peace."

[lightbearinglord]

Presumably startled by hearing a human he can actually understand, Xiaoxue peeks his head out. Then he spots Drosera. Oh, no, thank you! His face promptly returns to Lan Wangji's sleeve and its silken safety.

Danding, somewhat more stoic about the situation, twitches his nose at rapid speed and stares with wary interest at the tableau presented to him. Murder-Taloned doesn't sound very peaceful!¹

Lan Wangji, meanwhile, simply maintains his position a few paces away from Magnus and Drosera. Perhaps a slow introduction is best. Namely, one slow enough that Drosera's beak and claws come nowhere near the rabbits on this particular day. He does shift his arms such that he can stroke Xiaoxue's head, however.

¹There's a reasonable chance the rabbits sound British, given their source.

[summerdude]

"Murder only to little fishies," Magnus says reassuringly. "Right Drosera?"

Dro is watching the rabbits with avid interest. baby food??? she asks, then makes a small little chattery noise. baby friend!!!

"Baby friend," Magnus confirms. "Tell you what, Dro, you can eat anything that tries to hurt them, okay? You can protect them."

[lightbearinglord]

A little flicker of amusement crosses Lan Wangji's expression. "Then Drosera and I will share a goal," he notes. Naturally, the care and protection of these rabbits is of the utmost importance.

Xiaoxue still has his face tucked away, but Danding's ears are slightly up, an expression of cautious interest. We're not fish! This is presumably a general agreement that Drosera is perhaps not going to eat them specifically. Lan Wangji, unaware that his rabbits are talking, only continues gently stroking poor Xiaoxue's head.

[summerdude]

"Of course you're not fish," Magnus says. "You're an incredibly cute and off-limits for eating bunny. What's your name?"

[lightbearinglord]

"Xiaoxue," Lan Wangji answers for them, and then pets Danding's cheek as he says, "Danding."

At this, Xiaoxue pokes his head out again, his nose also twitching, and says, What he said! They most certainly know their own names. Lan Wangji talks to them, often, when nobody else is around.

[summerdude]

"Hi Xiaoxue," Magnus says, with a grin. "Do you wanna meet Dro?"

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji, slightly skeptical, looks at Drosera and does not move just yet. "You are certain of her?"

Only if she knows we're not fish! This from Danding, his nose and whiskers now twitching at an absolutely absurd speed.

[summerdude]

"She knows you're not fish," Magnus says, still carefully stroking Drosera. "Right, Dro?"

Drosera cocks her head and peers at him with one eye. fish wet, she says, like he's some kind of idiot. friends dry.

"Yep, she knows." He glances up at Lan Wangji. "She won't attack."

[lightbearinglord]

Trusting Magnus, although still a little wary on the whole, Lan Wangji nods and closes the remainder of the distance between them. With the rabbits still in his arms, he kneels, such that Xiaoxue and Danding are in range for Drosera to investigate or Magnus to touch.

[summerdude]

Drosera lifts her head and peers at the rabbits, squirming in Magnus's hold. He loosens his grip but doesn't let go of her, watching as she rolls over onto her back, extending one talon toward the rabbits. But, like, in a nice way? mama play friends play??? she asks.

"She wants to play," Magnus tells the bunnies.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji very much has his eyes on that talon, although he looks briefly at Magnus when he speaks. "Rabbits are timid," he says. "They may take some time to become comfortable with that." He will consider this to have been a resounding success of a meeting if neither rabbit panics completely. Indeed, both are simply staring at Drosera, flattening themselves a little into Lan Wangji's arms.

[summerdude]

"Hey, Hungry Baby, I have an idea," Magnus says. Keeping a hand on her back, he leans over to rummage through his backpack for one of her toys. This one is shaped like a fish, not a mammal. "Why don't you show Xiaoxue and Danding how nicely and gently you play with your toys?"

mama play??

"Yes, mama will play, too," Magnus says. He picks the fish up gently and strokes its fuzzy side. "See? Mama's playing."

Drosera gives him a doubtful look. She stretches her wings out, twisting her body again, and then bats at the fish with a talon. It's rambunctious but it's not violent? That's probably the best they can hope for.

[lightbearinglord]

The rabbits remain quiet and wary, but Danding, at least, is longer quite so flat as he and Xiaoxue continue to watch Drosera. Lan Wangji does the same. As he said, they will require time. He settles into a cross-legged position from where he had been kneeling and sets the rabbits into his lap, one hand gentle on the back of each one, for soothing purposes. "Magnus, you may touch them gently if you would like. Drosera, be patient."

[summerdude]

"Oh," Magnus demurs. "I probably smell like Dro. Um, are you guys okay with me petting you anyway?"

[lightbearinglord]

Xiaoxue lifts his head just the slightest bit, still notably on guard with his ears forward. Let us smell you first?

[summerdude]

So Magnus reaches a hand forward, careful and slow, keeping his other hand soft on Dro's back, stroking the fluff that Galahad has assured him will one day look more like feathers.

[lightbearinglord]

Danding is the first to begin sniffing Magnus' hand, but Xiaoxue joins him a moment later, noses and whiskers quite busy with the investigation. Lan Wangji lifts his hands to let them shuffle forward, and watches as their ears slowly settle into less cautious positions back against their heads.

"You may touch them," he advises after a protracted moment, and neither rabbit protests.

[summerdude]

So Magnus runs careful fingers over the tops of first Danding's head, then Xiaoxue's. "They're so soft," he marvels.

Drosera squirms in his lap. baby soft!!!

"Yes, you too," Magnus allows, scratching the itchy spot where her feathers meet her fur.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji observes this with his own feeling of softness tucked away quietly, because he still paying very close attention to everyone present at this gathering. "They are soft," he agrees, though, and then he pets Danding's cheek with two fingers to show that they like to be stroked there particularly.

[summerdude]

Magnus glances up at Lan Wangji, then mirrors the motion with Xiaoxue.

[lightbearinglord]

Friend, Xiaoxue opines, leaning his small face into the touch, and Danding agrees, although he's still snuffling at Lan Wangji's fingers himself. Rabbits aren't the most mentally complex creatures in the world, but they are terribly sweet.

[summerdude]

"Friend?" Magnus grins, stroking carefully. "Even though I have a tiny griffin daughter?"

mama play???

[lightbearinglord]

"They like anyone who is gentle with them." Lan Wangji pauses, considering. "Can you feed them in front of Drosera? They also like those who feed them."