(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]

"We should bring her. If she chews on Claudius' things he'll be upset."

[summerdude]

"Oh, good call. We don't want him upset with his stepdaughter," distracted, as he leans over to coax her into his arms and then onto his shoulder.

[onthewillowsthere]

"He talks about her. He asks me how she is. Yesterday he wondered if she'd like catmint from his garden in spring." This is proof that Claudius loves Dro, which is why he's telling Magnus.

[summerdude]

"He's a good stepdad," says Magnus, more purposefully this time. Secretly he's a little disappointed; Claudius got so flustered when Magnus called him Dro's stepdad to his face!

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad is completely oblivious to what Magnus is suggesting by use of the term stepfather, largely because he and Magnus are Dro's mothers, and they're not married -- if he did make the connection, he'd be equally as flustered as Claudius. As it is, he just nods; he likes the sprawling family they've created for Drosera. "He is good. He loves the rabbits too."

[summerdude]

"I've still got to meet them," Magnus says; as it turns out, he'll be running into them a little later that same day. "They sound really cute though." As they walk, Dro starts nuzzling her beak in his hair, and he tries not to squirm. "I wonder if more animals are going to keep turning up now?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"Is there another one you want?"

[summerdude]

"Just Alex," Magnus says, without even thinking about it, and then he has to stop and laugh at himself. "I'm sorry, man, I don't mean to be such a sad sack."

[onthewillowsthere]

He shakes his head. "You miss her."

[summerdude]

"Yeah," Magnus sighs. "Yeah, I really do." He makes a face. "It was kind of easier, thinking about what if I never see her again, before I saw her again. You know?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"I know."

[summerdude]

"If only he'd stuck around long enough for the double date," Magnus sighs, and then smiles as Drosera sticks her beak in his ear. "What's up, baby?"

[onthewillowsthere]

bug!!!!!!!! down down down bug eat bug!! she shrills.

[summerdude]

"Oh no," Magnus says, after he translates this for Galahad. It's impossible to be that morose when you have an excitable baby griffin hanging out with you. "Please protect us from the scary bug by murdering it to death." He kneels so she can scramble down his back to the ground.

[onthewillowsthere]

Dro is immediately on the bug, which appears to be some kind of house cricket, pouncing and snapping, letting it escape for a few seconds before snatching at it again with her bill.

"I'm glad you'll be safe outside. I was worried."

[summerdude]

"The local ecosystem is trembling in fear, but I will be so safe," Magnus says, starting to walk toward the kitchen again but slowly, so that Drosera can catch up.

[onthewillowsthere]

Eventually she sprints after them, the cricket vanquished and eaten. bug eat bug kill mama!!!!

Galahad eyes her.

[summerdude]

Magnus translates what she's said for him, and then tells her, "Yes, you did very well, Your Ferociousness. You saved us from the evil cricket. Will you protect us in the kitchen while Mama Galahad teaches Mama Magnus how to cook something?"

[onthewillowsthere]

protect!!! protect protect protect!!!!!

[summerdude]

"Very good. Do you want to follow us there, or do you want to ride on one of our shoulders?"

[onthewillowsthere]

ride mama!!!! Drosera flaps her nubby wings, as if she could swoop up onto Magnus' shoulder by herself.

[summerdude]

So Magnus scoops her up and helps her onto Galahad's shoulder, instead; he takes Galahad's hand, after that, and walks close enough that Drosera can stumble between the two of them if she's careful.

[onthewillowsthere]

When they get to the kitchen, Galahad takes down the cookbook he'd been looking through earlier, and flips to the recipe for rainbow cookies. He's unclear on why they're called cookies when they look like little cakes, but the combination of almond cake (he did love the taste of the one at their birthday, even though the texture was awful) and raspberry jam and chocolate is tantalizing and he's been wanting to make them.

[summerdude]

Magnus retrieves Drosera from Galahad's shoulder and replaces her with his chin, peering at the cookbook. "Oooh, love a rainbow cookie," he says, with great enthusiasm.

[onthewillowsthere]

"You've had them?" He brightens. "Are they good?"