If Alex Came Back We'd DEFINITELY Be The Local Power Couple [open post]

[summerdude]

Magnus has come to realize that nobody else in this entire place is presently in a relationship that has lasted nearly as long as his and Alex's. Shen Yuan's concept of "communication" "with" "Luo Binghe" is continuing to horrify him every time he thinks about it. What if there are other people who could use the advice of a sixteen-year-old twenty-five-year-old virgin who has been in a committed relationship for nearly seven years with someone to who he is probably widely known to have never verbally declared the undying depths of his love? (Gods, he hopes Alex figures out a way to do another little visit for their rapidly-approaching anniversary)

To that end, he posts an announcement sign over the welcome table, in the café, and on the door to the kitchen. It reads:

NEED RELATIONSHIP ADVICE OR FEEDBACK? Local Long-Term Relationship Expert Magnus Chase Offers His Aid.

He even lists office hours — an inoffensive parlor (meaning he can tolerate hanging out in it, and the door can close if people want privacy for their conversations) every other day for an hour, immediately following his Drosera hand-off to Galahad.

Comments

[sagramore]

Sagramore is bothering Magnus not so much because he thinks he needs the advice, as because it's been a minute since they last talked, and he has a daughter to show off.

Szarka is still really too young for anything but the most rudimentary of leash training, and she still doesn't have a collar that said leash could clip to, so he's been alternating between letting her follow him and carrying her around. In the three days they've had her she's already fully absorbed Sagramore and Laertes as her packmates, and her preference is for both of them to be with her, but she endures when it's only one or the other. She is enduring now.

More specifically, she's trying to herd Sagramore through the door he's already chosen to enter, jumping at his heels to encourage him forward.

"Good morning," he tells Magnus cheerfully. "You're providing a new service?"

[summerdude]

"The doctor is in," Magnus confirms, though he's pretty sure that of all the people here, Sagramore probably needs his advice the least (adult-shaped adult that he is). "What's up, dude, how have you -- oh my gods who is that?! Hi precious, I'm Magnus, who are you?"

[sagramore]

"This is Szarka, she's learning to come to heel."

She has begun to make that connection, and she tells Magnus ecstatically that she is indeed Szarka and Szarka means her.

[summerdude]

"Szarka does mean you," Magnus confirms, sliding off the couch so that he's more on a level with her. "Where did you come from? Are you learning a lot of new things with Sagramore?"

[sagramore]

She doesn't know who Sagramore is -- her conception of her fathers is very much of two great creatures who love her but whose names she doesn't know -- but she is learning things! She's learning how good food is and how to make her packmates happy and she loves them!

"Are you talking to her?"

[summerdude]

"Oh, yeah," Magnus says, glancing up at Sagramore. "I've been able to talk to animals for about seven years now. She says she loves you." He turns back to the puppy. "This is Sagramore. Your other dad is Laertes. I bet they love you too, like, a lot." #NotAllDads, or whatever?

[sagramore]

Szarka is delighted to learn that her fathers have names, and she chases her tail about it for several moments before plonking down on the floor.

"You might have told me that. I'm sorry, I'm rather absent-minded."

[summerdude]

"Oh, I probably didn't," Magnus shrugs. He offers a hand for Szarka to sniff; it likely smells strongly of Drosera. "It doesn't come up a lot in, like, casual conversation, you know?"

[sagramore]

"I don't know, if I could talk to Fenyes I'd probably tell everyone I met."

Cat-bird is a new smell combination for Szarka, and she starts barking.

"None of that," Sagramore says at once, motioning at Magnus to stand up and stop interacting with her.

[summerdude]

Despite his extreme lack of experience in both areas, Magnus knows enough about both kids and pets to know that you listen to whoever's in charge of them when it comes to interacting with them. He stands. "At least there's a couple of us here who can talk to Fenyes for you?" he says. "In case you need to." He nods at the puppy. "I've been working on socializing Dro — you heard about Drosera, right? The griffin baby me and Galahad found? Anyway, I've been getting her used to Hanguang-jun's rabbits so they know each other as, like, friend, and not predator and prey. So let me know if you wanna set up a playdate?" That's something people do with children, right? Playdates?

[sagramore]

She barks several more times, but quiets down at being ignored before flopping down tragically on Sagramore's boot. "Sorry, I don't want her barking all the time at everything. And yes, Qi Yan told me he could speak with Fenyes, which is rather marvelous. And yes, I've heard about Drosera. I suppose when Szarike is a little bigger that might be doable."

[summerdude]

Oh, good, Sagramore already knows about Qi Yan, so it's fine for Magnus to say, "The day the translator broke, me and Qi Yan just talked horse to each other to cope," which is one of the coolest facts he has -- but one he feels like he shouldn't tell anyone who doesn't already know about Qi Yan's ability.

[sagramore]

A delighted laugh. "Of course you did, that's perfect. Qi Yan is an absolutely excellent fellow. He's helping to look after Fenyes now she's with foal."

[summerdude]

"Oh right, you did say that she might be, huh." Magnus shakes his head, awed. "So many baby animals... No rush on playdates or anything, obviously, by the way. I just want Dro to recognize animal friends as friends, you know?"

[sagramore]

"Right, right, you want her ti distinguish between friends and food, I get the idea," with a laugh. "I think Szari can manage that in a week or so."

[summerdude]

"She really is so freaking cute," Magnus says, grinning down at her. "I see she has as many nicknames as Dro."

[sagramore]

"She has acquired her fair share already. Eh, Szarike? Szarkácske?" An excited yip; she lifts her head.

[summerdude]

"Are those all..." Magnus tries to remember the word. "Diminutives?" To Szarka, he asks, "Do you recognize all of them?" and then, to Sagramore, he adds, "Dro's name really just keeps growing. I think right now it's Her Royal Beakiness Princess Drosera Dinosaur Hungry Silly Baby Kitty McBirdface Magnahad the Fluffy-Pawed and Murder-Taloned of Shed Kingdom, First of her Name and Cutest and Most Ferocious in all the Worlds."

[sagramore]

"Quite a title! I'm impressed. Where is she today? --Oh, yes, all diminutives."

[summerdude]

"Huh? Oh, she's with her other mother right now."

[sagramore]

"I suppose there are advantages to not having to amuse a child every moment of your day," blithely. "Do you think she's going to nature more like an eagle or a lion? Or something else entirely?"

[summerdude]

"I don't know a lot about lions or eagles," Magnus admits. "But I found some stuff on griffins in the library, and it seems like it's definitely a combination."

[sagramore]

"And you can speak to her, as you do with other animals?"

[summerdude]

"Yep! Mostly all she says at this point is 'hungry baby!' and 'mama play!' and stuff like that."

[sagramore]

He laughs. "Ah. She's a child indeed."