extent | duplicitynet

i mean
i could swing by now then

[ a portal opens then, very casually. Ragnor's in his room, stacking up stray notes. ]

Come in, then.

( nick eyes the very conspicuous burn mark on the wall as he steps into the room, but he doesn't say anything about it. he doesn't bring up anything about the last time they'd seen each other either – just pauses, awkwardly silent for a moment before clearing his throat. )

Okay. I think we have something kind of similar in my world so it shouldn't be impossible, but it's not my class of magic. I don't know if I'll be any good.

[ ragnor's not addressing it either, the portal closes one nick steps through and he motions at his desk.

It's runic magic, you'll be fine. There's the warlock one or the Nephilim one, Nephilim runes are angelic, so I can't use that one, but I'm confident one or the other will work for you.

[ there's also the hands-free kind, but that takes more expertise. ]

This is already giving me a headache.

( he's (mostly) joking, though it is something of a nightmare trying to navigate the differences in magic here. )

Let me try the warlock one. Heavenly magic is less reliable for me, back home.

You write the message first, then think of the recipient as you draw the rune.

[ he draws the rune to show nick, it's deceptively simple, half circles and lines. ]

Calligraphy matters but not as much as intent. A good fire message can get past almost any wards.

So you just...

( nick tugs a piece of paper over to himself, scrawls a very original "testing 1, 2" before copying the rune with a lot more precision. almost as if he's actually taking this seriously. )

...that?

Just like that, you infuse magic and intention into the rune and it will catch fire by itself and land on the intended recipient's hand. You can make the recipient vague, 'a friend' but it works better if you have a specific person in mind.

Huh.

( he tosses the paper then, taking up a new one and being far more secretive about what is being written down. he's careful with the whole thing this time, neat in the penmanship and neater in scratching out the rune onto the paper.

he stares intently at the folded up note between his fingers until the whole thing goes up in flames. if successful, ragnor will receive the very same note barely a moment later —

Sorry I was an asshole. )

[ he catches it, reads it and can't help the smile that blooms on his lips. ]

I accept your apology. And I am sorry too, I could have been better.

[ he's folding the note and putting it in his breast pocket, for safe-keeping. ]

You're worried, it's not– it makes sense.

( he ducks his head, suddenly fascinated with scrawling the same heart over and over. )

I could...probably stand to listen to your advice, some of the time. If it's something you really think is a mistake.

[ ragnor sits on the bed, leaving space next to him if nick wants to join him. ]

I don't want you to get hurt.

[ it's easier to admit than he thought it would, maybe he's growing sentimental in his old age. ]

( he moves over, sitting on the bed, and after a moment leans until he can knock his shoulder against ragnor's. or, his upper arm area, but it's near enough. )

I'm being careful, I swear.

Something you need to know about me, I am both paranoid and pessimistic.

[ he stops at that because the last thing nick does is for ragnor to dump all of his baggage on me. ]

Okay. So maybe...I can be a little more understanding, when you're concerned. And maybe you can...try to have a little more faith, when I tell you I think I have a situation under control.

( nick is historically not good at compromise, but occasionally it's worth the effort. )

That sounds fair.

[ it's what he expected from the beginning. ]

Better than what I'm used to. Magnus never listens to me.

Well Heavens forbid I'm as stubborn as Magnus is.

( he flips his hand, offers it up palm up between them. )

I'm not good at this. It just feels...weird. People caring about me so- loudly. But I do appreciate it.

[ he accepts nick's hand and squeezes it, maybe a little tighter than he means to. ]

I'm not used to caring. You're the first mortal I let myself grow attached to in centuries, you'll have to deal with some over-protectiveness.

There are probably worse places to have an over-protective warlock as a guard dog.

( he actually smiles then, sneaking a glance over at ragnor as he squeezes his hand right back. )

I don't really think you're annoying.

[ he laughs, very amused. ]

I am annoying. I've been on my best behaviour.

( ragnor laughs, and it means that nick laughs too, and some lasting tension finally unknots in his chest at the sound. )

Oh, so you're telling me it gets worse?

Of course not.

[ it does. ]

I have mellowed out in my old age.

What were you like, 'back in the day'? ( he's always curious to dig out more of ragnor's past, honestly. ) Do you like, remember?

I was a very happy child. My parents thought I was good luck and I tried to live up to that.

[ He says it in a completely deadpan tone, but it is all true. ]

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