I Lived, Grinch! [open post]

[summerdude]

The first thing Magnus does -- with Alex's help -- after fully healing is board up the hole in the side of the greenhouse where the cheetah ran through. The second thing, once he learns the full scope of Dark (it's different at camp; he'd already taken out a ton of camp-appropriate food for when Galahad and Laertes couldn't make it out there, and so he and Alex have been fine on the eating front) is go to the greenhouse again to figure out what plants in there yield edible produce. (Also, he tries to scrub his blood off the table. It... partially works?)

Partly it's that he's still feeling weird after the whole affair. The season doesn't help, but he does feel closer to his own mortality than pretty much any point since he died for real the first time. Being around growing plants helps that. Mostly, though, it's because he doesn't want anyone to get, like, scurvy living on bushels of rice alone.

He doesn't want to overtax any of the plants, but some can be cajoled into fruiting. Right now, he's got his hand on a kumquat tree, and he's trying to convince it that it can speed up the growth process by a few weeks. Drosera is with him, 'helping:' she's found a dead leaf, and she's chasing it down the pathway between some plants. If anyone shows up -- either because they've heard of his near-death experience and want to check in on him, or just to hang out, or even because they're drawn by the way it looks like sunlight is coming from the greenhouse itself -- he'll be glad for the company.

Comments

[summerdude]

"Definitely for calligraphy. He might get, like, sad or whatever if we ask about the sword forms."

[lightbearinglord]

"For calligraphy," Lan Wangji confirms. That is what he meant in the first place. He doubts Galahad needs any assistance with improving his swordsmanship regardless.

[summerdude]

"Alex too?" Alex is artistic. She might like to do calligraphy on her pots or something.

[lightbearinglord]

"If Alex would like." There's a tiny pause, and then he adds, "Whatever you want."

[summerdude]

There's a lot of things Magnus wants, and even more things he wants to say, but even in the safety of Lan Wangji's arms, they feel difficult to ask for. To buy himself a little time and space, he says, "Well, you know what they say. The pen is mightier than the sword, or whatever." Then he pauses. "Brush? The brush is mightier than the sword?"

[lightbearinglord]

Magnus knows many things that Lan Wangji does not, including idioms from, presumably, far in the future, so he only agrees, serenely: "The brush is mightier than the sword." He might argue that they are equally mighty, and that the selection is a matter of the circumstances, but he keeps that thought silent.

[summerdude]

Magnus nods. "Hanguang-jun?"

[lightbearinglord]

"Mn?" Lan Wangji prompts, on the assumption that Magnus is about to, reasonably, ask for his freedom from this very extended embrace.

[summerdude]

But Magnus nestles closer. "I was really scared," he says, and then, very quietly, "I'm still really scared."

[lightbearinglord]

In that case, Lan Wangji resettles his arms around Magnus, slipping the hand at the back of his head to grip his shoulder instead. He gives himself another quiet moment before he answers, low and grim. "I was, too."

[summerdude]

"I don't..." Magnus trails off, pauses for a good few moments. "Want to imagine that it was on purpose."

[lightbearinglord]

"Nor do I." It may be lucky, just now, that Magnus is hardy enough to withstand the strength with which Lan Wangji is holding him. He would not allow himself this lapse of control with anyone but Magnus or Wei Ying. "I would promise your safety if I could. I can only promise my protection, for what it is worth."

[summerdude]

"It's worth a lot, da--sir." Magnus inhales. It is not a sniffle. "Thank you for not making an empty promise."

[lightbearinglord]

"You're welcome," Lan Wangji says, quietly. He would have preferred to make that empty promise, but not at the expense of the truth. "I'm here."

[summerdude]

"I know." Magnus squeezes him even tighter.

[lightbearinglord]

The inexorable grip Magnus has on him is comforting. He knows the way that corpses lose all their strength and vigor. Magnus is as alive as he can be. Lan Wangji focuses all his attention on settling his arms around him and on, for as long as he needs, maintaining the illusion of safety amidst all of his uncertainty and their shared fear.

[summerdude]

Magnus stays close for another few minutes, trying to relax but mostly clinging. Then: "Hanguang-jun?"

[lightbearinglord]

"Magnus?" Lan Wangji prompts him again.

[summerdude]

"Is there a way I can reach you fast? If I need to? That you know of?" He's working on options for reaching Galahad, but -- he wants to be able to get hold of Lan Wangji, too.

[lightbearinglord]

"After the corpses attacked, I gave Claudius a signal flare so that he can alert me if he is in danger. Wei Ying may be able to create another for you." It would ease him, to some extent, just as it eases him to know that Claudius carries his.

[summerdude]

"Can you ask him?" Magnus pauses for a moment. "And maybe one for Galahad too?"

[lightbearinglord]

"I will ask." Lan Wangji sets a hand at the back of Magnus' head again, stroking his hair. He asked for that, once; he may want it again now, whether he can say it aloud or not.

[summerdude]

Magnus does. He shudders, a little, and then relaxes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

[lightbearinglord]

There it is. Lan Wangji doesn't let go of Magnus, but he loosens his hold a small amount, to something more comfortable, easier. He continues smoothing Magnus' hair with that hand, even little motions.

[summerdude]

Magnus lets himself be quiet. The fear is crowding in on him again, but it's not hitting him like he was worried it would -- he knows he's alright, like this. Hanguang-jun is different from Alex and Galahad, but the effect of being around him is the same. It's not that it feels like nothing can get to him here, it's that he knows that if something tries, he has someone powerful in his corner who loves him. He lets his eyes drift shut and clings.