I Turn, Um... Uh... Sixteen? For The Tenth? Time???? [open post]

[summerdude]

It's Magnus's birthday and he is a man with a surplus of plans. And many, many plastic recorders.

He's still a little overstimulated from the birthday party Galahad got Claudius to throw for the two of them — he loves all his friends, but that was a lot of people in one space, most of whom were also feeling many, many things about their visitors — and so it's been a quiet few days. Sunny is still a little subdued, so they've been having muted hangouts in the mornings; Galahad, also overstimulated from their birthday party, has fortunately been on Magnus's wavelength about just sailing around aimlessly on the Big Banana with many snacks and very little conversation during their daily hangs for the past few days. He drags himself to sword practice with Lancelot once or twice, has his weekly dinner at Hanguang-jun's, spends a great solo afternoon cleaning out Little John's cave in case anyone else wants to use it at some point, and lets Alex tease him into wrestling and, um, other stuff after dinner basically every night.

But on this, the twenty-sixth anniversary of Magnus's actual birth, most of his energy has returned to him. He's made birthday dinner plans with just his immediate family (and also Alex and Hanguang-jun) at their house for the evening. He's had his liveliest morning of the week. And with his newly regained energy he's found critical supplies for his afternoon: a roll of duct tape, several trash bags, eight recorders, a handful of hollow pens, and a dream. He's sitting cross-legged in the middle of the Mansion's lawn, a look of grave concentration on his face, as he makes little holes in a bag, duct tapes two recorders and one pen here and there, and then seals it all up.

And then he takes a deep breath, fits his mouth to the hollow pen, and blows the bag up. When he places it under his arm and squeezes, he's gratified to find that his makeshift bagpipes work perfectly. And he still has supplies for a couple more!



I know everyone is still busy with visitor's day so feel free to take your time on this one... but I would love to ultimately have a ton of Chaos Thread Opportunities.

Comments

[bymyheelies]

“Some of us do not have that luxury,” he says drily. At least it sounds like he’s cheering up a little?

“It was a duel. He insulted my friend.”

[summerdude]

"Ah, so you have a consistently contentious vibe."

[bymyheelies]

“Tybalt’s family has a feud with my friend’s. They fought for their family’s honor.” He waves a hand, dismissing that. “‘Tis entirely stupid, and yet.” He died for it.

[summerdude]

"Yeah, that kind of thing always is." Magnus makes a face. "I'm sorry, man."

[bymyheelies]

“Oh, don’t worry. I told them they were all fools. ‘Tis well.”

[summerdude]

"Good." Magnus squints at him and tilts his head. "Hey, you know what? Can you keep a secret?"

[bymyheelies]

Mercutio gives him a mildly bemused look, but nods. “Ay, I can.”

[summerdude]

"You should come by the camp tomorrow night after dinner."

[bymyheelies]

“Very well. Why?”

[summerdude]

"So, sometimes me and Alex and Gu Xiang do this thing. Have you ever heard of a Molotov cocktail?"

[bymyheelies]

“I cannot say I have.”

[summerdude]

"Oh, dude," Magnus says, breaking out into a grin. "I bet you're going to love 'em. There's this rocky spot with no plants way out past the main beach and it lights up so cool."

[bymyheelies]

“Thou hast certainly intrigued me.”

[summerdude]

"You like blowing stuff up, right? You seem like the kind of guy who likes blowing stuff up." Magnus knows that incendiary devices like Molotov cocktails aren't technically blowing things up, but to him, they scratch the same itch.

[bymyheelies]

He manages a brief laugh. “Ay. Claudius is teaching me alchemy.”

[summerdude]

"So you'll love a Molotov cocktail," confidently.

[bymyheelies]

“I do love both a cock and a tale, ‘tis true.” At least he’s cheering up some; though he may also be saying he just loves roosters a lot.

[summerdude]

"Bruh," Magnus huffs, but he's glad that Mercutio is looking cheerier.

[bymyheelies]

Mercutio just gives him a wink. “Perhaps I meant a rooster.”

[summerdude]

"Fresh outta those," Magnus laughs. "Though maybe I should look for one... I bet Dad would be thrilled."

[bymyheelies]

"Mayhap thy bagpipes will tempt one near, and you may bring him home." Assuming there are wild roosters roaming about the woods, of course.

[summerdude]

"A goat and rooster-summoning trashbagpipe... I like the way you think."

[bymyheelies]

He gives an over-dramatic, flourishing bow. "You've my thanks."

[summerdude]

"Yeah, yeah... oh! Your bagpipes. So you take the, um, hollow pen you've chosen. To blow on," Magnus says, refusing to flush. "And your two recorders. And you attach them all to the bag, so that they're the only places for the air to go."

[bymyheelies]

Mercutio merely waggles his eyebrows; because the joke has already been made. The promise of explosions later has indeed cheered him up at least a little, though, and he nods. “What must I attach them with?”