You Say Overkill, I Say Due Diligence [open post]

[summerdude]

Magnus copies the sign onto seven different pieces of paper. It reads:

WANT TO LEARN NEW SKILLS? ME FREAKING TOO. I (Magnus Chase) Will Trade Lessons In Any Of The Following For Something You Know:

• ASL (Alf/American Sign Language)


• Camping (pitching tents, campfire safety, celestial navigation)


• What To Do If You Find Yourself Lost In The World Tree Yggdrasil


• Pickpocketing (But only if you promise to use it for good (stealing ONLY from dickhead rich people) and ONLY if you have to!)


• Swordfighting for Beginners (I am intermediate but Jack is advanced and he can help!)


• What It REALLY Feels Like To Die (NOT ADVICE!!!)


• (Trans)Gender Identity and Fluidity (from the perspective of a cis guy) (Alex-approved content only)


• What To Do If The God You're Talking To Is Super Obnoxious Particular


• Why Falafel is the Best Food in the World

All skills welcome! But if you know any of the following I am especially interested: Cooking, Geometry, How To Declare Your Love To Your Partner, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Balancing a Budget, Writing Poetry, Social Studies, Codebreaking.

(Sorry but I will not learn pottery from anyone but ♥Alex Fierro♥. I hope you understand.)

PS if there's enough interest we can maybe do full classes where everybody gets to take turns teaching and learning?

He adds a note about the areas where he can most frequently be found and then posts one sign in each of the two kitchens he's encountered, one by the welcome table, one on the door to the greenhouses, one in the library, one on his bedroom door, and one by what he believes to be the most-populated lounge. Then, with a great deal of eager anticipation, he goes about his day.


[A note from Magnus's typist: Open indefinitely!]

Comments

[summerdude]

"Nina!" Magnus puts down his latest experiment -- adventures in trying to teach himself to knit; it's going terribly but he's having a great time, and the lake is beautiful today -- on a nearby rock and stands, dusting himself off. "How's it going?"

[ravkanwitch]

Nina's been in a pretty good mood lately, after letting things lie with The Darkling-- or should she call him Aleksander? --and seeing him help against the undead in the uprising also cemented that it was the correct decision.

"Honestly, really great," she says, slightly surprised by herself. "How about you?"

[summerdude]

"I've been better," Magnus says, with a self-deprecating grin. "The zombies made me realize that, turns out, I didn't miss fighting."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina nods, sympathetic. "I don't really miss fighting, but Grisha have to use their abilities, otherwise our abilities weaken. I haven't really used mine since I've come here so now I feel amazing - but I hope that was the only time you'll have to fight-- oh, before I forget why I came here, I think I owe you a lesson in flirting! Or... it could be something else."

[summerdude]

"I'd love to learn about flirting," Magnus says. He glances around -- there's a nearby bench, and he tilts his head toward it: a question.

[ravkanwitch]

Nina heads toward it, tilting her face up towards the sky as she does, soaking in the sun; she’s not much of a ‘do something outdoors’ person but definitely a ‘do very little outdoors’ sort.

“Start with the basics?” She asks, suddenly a little nervous. Flirting isn’t exactly something that’s tangible, but she’ll try her best.

[summerdude]

"Oh yeah, I'm a total novice," Magnus says, completely unselfconscious.

[ravkanwitch]

"Right," Nina says, thinking very seriously about where to start, since this is very serious business. "I think the first step is to be able to read someone at a glance. What do they like? What's their personality like? If they're shy and you're too loud, it won't end well at all. It's not... changing your personality to flirt with them, it's knowing how to make the most flattering approach."

She suddenly turns slightly mischievous. "You should pick someone that we both know here. I'll tell you how I would flirt with them."

[summerdude]

Magnus considers the question seriously. His first instinct is to say Laertes -- the guy gives off the vibe of someone who would probably respond easily to flirting, if someone tried -- but Laertes is married to Sagramore now, and that feels like crossing some boundary even though Magnus will never use this stuff on anyone here. This, therefore, also rules out Sagramore, Claudius, Lan Wangji, and Galahad. Gu Xiang would probably be too much of a challenge. Qi Yan, too, in a different way.

He decides to pick Shen Yuan, who is dating someone, but who he also thinks might be a tough but possible nut to crack. His mouth says, "Janet?"

[ravkanwitch]

Nina laughs a little, delighted by Magnus's choice. "One of my favorite people here," she says. "Janet is tough and prickly but I think she very secretly has a soft heart... You have to go bold with her. I think she really likes being complimented on both how she looks and what she's able to do, especially her magic. Compliments are usually the way to go."

[summerdude]

"That's basically what Claudius said about diplomacy, too," Magnus says, thoughtfully. He wonders -- are diplomacy and flirting the same type of thing?

[ravkanwitch]

Nina tilts her head. "Honestly, it is pretty similar. I was undercover before I came here and... it's all about learning how to talk to people. Convince them and charm them."

[summerdude]

"Samirah's form of diplomacy is being immensely smart and capable of anything, including being capable of killing you with her pinky finger," Magnus says, proud of his friend.

[ravkanwitch]

“That’s Zoya as well. She’s my commander. She’s not much for true diplomacy and would probably rather face down an entire Fjerdan army herself than flirt with someone,” Nina smiles, then refocuses herself. “Right. Flirting. Where were we?”

[summerdude]

"Boldly complimenting Janet," Magnus supplies.

[ravkanwitch]

"Boldly complimenting Janet," Nina repeats to herself, then she laughs a little. "This wasn't the best idea. It's tougher than I thought to teach someone how to flirt. Eye contact is important. Touch, if they're open to that - just touching their arm or their shoulder meaningfully. Sometimes I give them a sly little glance as well. Other than that... it's all about reading people and connecting with them." The wheels are turning in her head a little. "How about this... if you ever want to flirt with anyone here - or if Alex shows up and you want to do something special - I can help coach you through it. It's better if I know the target."

[summerdude]

"Oh, I don't want to flirt with anyone here," Magnus says. "I'll take you up on that Alex offer, though. But I am kind of curious to hear how you'd flirt with everyone else here."

[ravkanwitch]

She laughs a little, then gives him a fake imperious look. "Next victim, please."

[summerdude]

This time, Magnus goes with his first instinct. "Shen Yuan."

[ravkanwitch]

"Be Luo Binghe," Nina says, as solemnly as she can manage, though she's actually trying very hard to not laugh. "You know I have many wives, Shen Yuan," she says, in what's actually quite a good impression of Luo Binghe, "but the only wife I want is you. May I please make you some delectable dinner and charm you?" She tosses her hair a little. It would, perhaps, seem rude from any other source but Nina is irrevocably, absolutely fond of her good friend and that shines through her impression.

[summerdude]

Magnus cracks up at that. "Gods, Nina," he says, shaking his head between peals of laughter. "That's... that's really good."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina ducks her head for just a split second, pleased. "It helps that I know him pretty well. That was more an impression than assessing how to flirt with someone, though... anyone else?"

[summerdude]

"How about you pick someone this time and tell me how you'd do it, and I guess who they are?"

[ravkanwitch]

"That sounds like fun," Nina says and now she's deep in thought for a moment. "For this person, I don't think I would ever actually do it - but if I did, it would have to be a very gentle flirtation. A lot of compliments, a lot of questions and interest in what they're doing and thinking, a lot of thoughtful gifts. I wouldn't jump right in. Slow, careful steps."

[summerdude]

Slow and careful makes Magnus think of Galahad, but he's not certain the other stuff fits. "Tress?" he guesses, remembering how she liked to explain her spores.