I Up My Boyfriend Game With The Help Of My F̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ Bother Figures [closed post]

[summerdude]

Magnus shows up to the kitchen earlier than the agreed-upon time, since he's actually really excited to fold tamales (and learn how to prep the individual components thereof) with a couple of his favorite people. When he gets there, he remembers having to teach Galahad about hand-washing, and thinks about the fact that both Sagramore and Lan Wangji are from old-timey places. When they arrive, they'll find him scrubbing down the countertops, making sure they have a clean workspace.

Comments

[lightbearinglord]

It would never once occur to Lan Wangji that anyone would consider his silence suspicious or unusual, so he lingers in it. Sagramore seems to have this in hand, and even if not for the topic of conversation, he would enjoy working quietly with others talking around him. He starts on the green chile and cheese tamales.

[summerdude]

"Yeah, maybe," but Magnus doesn't sound particularly chipper about it. Still, he folds another few tamales with a singular focus.

[sagramore]

Sagramore copies what Magnus is doing with the tamales. As ever, he's quick to pick up things that have a physicality to them, and his biggest problem is that he tends to overfill the husks.

"I think it's more likely that Alex will come when he's ready to come, from what you've told me of him."

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji watches Sagramore momentarily, to be certain he doesn't need help or further guidance. Unsurprisingly, he does not. Once he is sure of that, he glances at Magnus with a tiny frown. If his hands were clean, he might go to him and squeeze his shoulder or even pull him into a hug. As it is, the best he can do is mimicking part of the exchange he just witnessed between Magnus and Sagramore, deliberately pressing his arm to Magnus' shoulder. He doesn't have the ability to make anything that he does look casual or accidental; from him, it's an obvious gesture of offered comfort.

[summerdude]

Magnus, of course, immediately leans gratefully against Hanguang-jun. He's aware that his moods have been more mercurial of late, as more time passes since he last saw Alex. He's pretty sure he has to just let it happen and eventually things will improve. He's with two guys he likes a lot and respects completely, so that helps!

Eventually, he pulls away from Lan Wangji and folds another few tamales.

[sagramore]

And there's another husk that won't fold properly closed! Sagramore works in companionable silence for as long as he can, but at some point he's going to start talking about Fenyes' pregnancy again, he can't help it.

[lightbearinglord]

Between the three of them, they really are producing a prodigious quantity of tamales at a respectable rate. As always, Lan Wangji is perfectly happy to work in complete silence. Once the pork filling is used up, he takes a break from folding to begin cleaning up after that, washing the pot so that they'll have room on the stove for steaming.

[summerdude]

"Here," Magnus tells Sagramore. "Maybe half a spoonful less of the filling?"

[sagramore]

"I suppose that's reasonable." He scoops some of the filling out of the one he's just done.

[lightbearinglord]

With Magnus and Sagramore's voices as a pleasant backdrop, Lan Wangji washes that pot. "Magnus," he says, then, serious as ever. "Would it be appropriate to steam some of the tamales so that you can test the flavor?"

[summerdude]

Magnus stops in the middle of saying, "Hey, did you hear about Constantinople--" and looks at Lan Wangji. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea! Maybe one of each, before we get too far ahead of ourselves?"

[sagramore]

"I've heard a fair amount about Constantinople," he remarks, before glancing over.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji nods, so as to prevent himself from interrupting them any further. Presumably, with a moment of searching, the kitchen cabinets will see fit to provide a tamale steamer. He sets to work on getting some water boiling in the bottom.

[summerdude]

"You know they changed its name?"

[sagramore]

"Aziraphale told me that. Istanbul now?"

[summerdude]

"There's a whole song and everything," Magnus says, and gives Sagramore a shit-eating grin before singing the first two lines. His voice is... fine. Decent. Not great, but not terrible. Mostly on-key? Then he wrinkles his nose. "Jack knows all the words."

[sagramore]

"I think I need to hear it from Jack. I still don't understand why they changed it, Aziraphale told me also that Istanbul isn't anyone's name."

[lightbearinglord]

With the steamer in place and the burner on, Lan Wangji has little to do but listen to Magnus and Sagramore. Luckily, this is a pleasant occupation. It will remain pleasant as long as Jack does not make an appearance and begin singing.

[summerdude]

"Constantinople was someone's name?"

[sagramore]

"Constantine the Great, if I remember correctly."

[lightbearinglord]

A little surprised at himself about it, Lan Wangji actually has something to say. "The Roman Empire?"

[sagramore]

"He was Roman emperor when it was named for him. By the time I lived there the empire was called Byzantium."

[summerdude]

Magnus sighs. "I gotta add 'more history' to my list of things to learn," he says.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji is not leaning against the counter, because he does not lean unless he is drunk or coming home to Wei Ying after a very long day, but he has tucked himself up beside it to keep an eye on the steamer. "It is easy to lose oneself in the library here. I intended to research the meaning of Claudius' name; that is what led me to the history of Rome. Young master Grantaire spoke of the classical mythology of his world, too. I could have spent days reading those volumes alone."

[sagramore]

"Christ, he's a wonder, isn't he?" in a voice that's rich with both fondness and admiration. "I was supposed to learn all those things when I was a boy but I hated them so I never really put any effort in. He must love it all. He has a thousand and one references at his fingertips at any given moment."