It's one of Magnus's now-visons, that much is clear. He hasn't had one since Alex got here -- he hasn't tried to pass out in the way that typically generates them, because if he wants to see her, he just has to roll over and open his eyes.
Late-morning sunlight is dappling through the leaves of a copse of birch trees, in a far reach of the garden that Magnus rarely goes. But there are three people there. He moves in closer, and realizes: One of them is Galahad, his hair an aurora, intermittently gilded and shadowed by the pattern of the shafts of sunlight. In his lap is Magnus himself, asleep.
"Wow," Magnus remarks, leaning in close. "Do I really look that awful?"
Nobody answers, obviously -- only Loki can consistently tell when Magnus is there -- so Magnus turns to inspect the third person.
It's clearly Shen Yuan -- he's wearing the clothes he was when he died -- even though he looks... different than he did when he was alive. Closer to the body growing under the pavilion. He's approaching Galahad-and-sleeping-Magnus, and as Magnus watches, he settles down next to them, leaning in like he's about to start chatting. He slips one arm around Galahad's shoulders, and joins Galahad in stroking sleeping-Magnus's hair with the other.
As he watches, his sleeping self's mouth forms those words, too. Shen Yuan's spirit stiffens, then looks around, but when Magnus waves, he doesn't show any sign of seeing him. His mouth moves -- Magnus can't hear what he's saying.
It's okay. Magnus has other ways to reach him. He settles in to watch Shen Yuan's ghost for as long as this vision can last.
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Late-morning sunlight is dappling through the leaves of a copse of birch trees, in a far reach of the garden that Magnus rarely goes. But there are three people there. He moves in closer, and realizes: One of them is Galahad, his hair an aurora, intermittently gilded and shadowed by the pattern of the shafts of sunlight. In his lap is Magnus himself, asleep.
"Wow," Magnus remarks, leaning in close. "Do I really look that awful?"
Nobody answers, obviously -- only Loki can consistently tell when Magnus is there -- so Magnus turns to inspect the third person.
It's clearly Shen Yuan -- he's wearing the clothes he was when he died -- even though he looks... different than he did when he was alive. Closer to the body growing under the pavilion. He's approaching Galahad-and-sleeping-Magnus, and as Magnus watches, he settles down next to them, leaning in like he's about to start chatting. He slips one arm around Galahad's shoulders, and joins Galahad in stroking sleeping-Magnus's hair with the other.
Magnus's heart pounds. "Buddy?" he says. Shen Yuan's ghost doesn't answer. "Shen Yuan?"
As he watches, his sleeping self's mouth forms those words, too. Shen Yuan's spirit stiffens, then looks around, but when Magnus waves, he doesn't show any sign of seeing him. His mouth moves -- Magnus can't hear what he's saying.
It's okay. Magnus has other ways to reach him. He settles in to watch Shen Yuan's ghost for as long as this vision can last.