New Plan, Step One: Provide For My Community [open]

[summerdude]

Magnus needs something to change, so when a Mansion calendar helpfully informs him that it's International Falafel Day back on Earth, he goes to the library for some cookbooks, and then to the kitchen.

He lays out ten different falafel recipes. He gathers the ingredients they list, as best as he can understand them. He has canned chickpeas and fresh chickpeas and dried chickpeas and chickpea flour and box mixes of falafel that say 'just add water!'

Cripes.

"I can do this," he says, peering at the assorted recipes intently for a good ten minutes, and then takes the dried chickpeas over to the sink to rinse and soak.

Comments

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji releases a breath and looks down at Magnus. From this angle, the dark smudges beneath his eyes are all the more visible. He arranges his arm firmly around Magnus. "Tell Galahad you miss him," he adds, a final command for now. And then he drops another decisive kiss to the top of Magnus' head.

[summerdude]

"Yes sir, Hanguang-jun, sir," Magnus says, warmed. He sighs deeply, and wills himself to relax another few degrees. "Thank you."

[lightbearinglord]

The feeling of Magnus' body losing a modicum of its tension coaxes some almost undetectable relaxation from Lan Wangji in turn. He can only imagine how the path ahead might wind as they try to find and corner Aornis. There are hours left before they can take that falafel from the refrigerator again. Perhaps it will serve them both well to spend that time peacefully together.

[summerdude]

"Hanguang-jun?"

[lightbearinglord]

"Mn?"

[summerdude]

"It'll get easier soon, right?"

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji doesn't answer immediately. There are too many things yet unknown. Aornis' location, her likelihood of killing again, how far her powers truly extend. But they have come astonishingly far from where they began on the day of Shen Yuan's death. Claudius has everything in writing, and Lan Wangji trusts him without reservation. He will help Magnus with the plant body; Lan Wangji will place the spirit in that body. And time smooths over most edges, in its inexorable way. "Yes." He gives Magnus' arm a squeeze.

[summerdude]

Magnus nods, relaxing another few degrees. "I'm sorry."

[lightbearinglord]

"Why?" He is puzzled enough by the apology that it is a genuine question.

[summerdude]

"You've been overwhelmed and I've been, like. Moody, or whatever."

[lightbearinglord]

"You have been overwhelmed, too." And it is not Magnus' job to look after Lan Wangji's mood or workload.

[summerdude]

"Still," he says, insistent.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji can be just as stubborn. "You are not responsible for me."

[summerdude]

Magnus doesn't like hearing that, actually! He wants to feel like they're responsible for each other. Maybe not in the same way Magnus and his mom were responsible for each other, but also not in the same way he and Galahad are responsible for each other. He tries to explain, "I care about you and how you're doing and if and how I affect that. So I'm sorry. You've been worried."

[lightbearinglord]

Magnus' sincerity strikes him, like something sharp but much gentler than a blade. He has been worried. He will remain worried. Again, he lets go of a single breath, with care, and tries to explain himself. "You said I'm like a father to you. A father should not burden his children with what burdens him."

[summerdude]

"Yeah?" Magnus says, warmed. "Well, you're my friend, too, and anyway, I'd apologize to my mom whenever I was stressing her out, too."

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji has no choice to relent, feeling an answering warmth. At times, he is completely uncertain about best to navigate this relationship. Magnus is an adult, and yet he is not. He sees Lan Wangji as a father, but Lan Wangji is wary of being a father to anyone. "Things will get better."

[summerdude]

"Good," Magnus sighs, resting against Lan Wangji's side.

[lightbearinglord]

The warmth persists, whether it is a result of Magnus' usual summery aura or merely of his physical presence, solid and alive where he is trusting Lan Wangji to hold him. After a long, quiet moment, Lan Wangji relaxes his posture just enough to rest his cheek against the top of Magnus' head.