extent | duplicitynet

[ it's not like ragnor hasn't had time to prepare for this conversation, he's fine. he sits on nick's bed, still playing with the smoke, he makes tiny smoke crusaders fight each other. ]

Having my wrists bound. I hadn't given it any thought until you ended up handcuffed after the purity ball, so I suppose I owe you.

[ one little crusader stabs the other, and they fade into normal smoke. ]

I met Cy over the network, he seemed informed so I thought I'd ask. He had me text someone as a reassurance more than anything else. Any other questions?

( it's nothing so complex as ragnor's dancing figures, but nick watches his own cloud of smoke until it pulls back tighter, swirling much slower into a pattern. eventually it pulls tight enough to take the form of stars that drift slowly across the room, and nick smiles faintly as he tucks the joint back between his lips.

he has hundreds of questions, and he has none. there's probably only one that actually matters though. )

Is it helping?

Good job.

[ he says it gesturing at nick's stars with his joint. ]

And yes. I expected it to be harder than it's turning out to be, Cy is very good at keeping me from disconnecting.

He's good at what he does.

( it's a careful statement, as neutral a one as he can manage. the last thing he wants is to sour this for ragnor by association. he reaches up to pull his finger through one of the stars, and shortly after they all start to disperse back into the air. )

That's...you said you were captured. Is that why?

[ he knows about cy's anon post and he also knows nick is a risk-seeker, but it's fine. ragnor trusts cy as much as he can trust anyone. ]

Partly. You've noticed I need my hands to cast.

[ wrists and fingers, even the smallest spells require ragnor's hands to be free. ]

So if your wrists are bound, you can't do anything.

( he would vastly prefer to be a lot more high than this before any kind of serious conversation, but beyond a few quick drags as either of them speak, he's not actively trying to get blazed just yet. some things just demand more care than a very high nick is able to give.

that's something like growth, right? )

Has someone done that to you before, stopped you using magic like that?

Yes. That's how you capture a warlock.

[ he really isn't bothered yet, as far as he's concerned he's past the difficult part of the conversation. ]

It hasn't been an event every time, or even most of the times. This is a combination of a stint in captivity and the realization that this place could put me in handcuffs any time for any reason.

Like making out at the stupid ball.

( it's smart, really. anticipating your problem areas before the city forces you to deal with them in a much more unpleasant way. )

Is that why you think this city can't fuck with you, because you're already dealing with your triggers?

Ask me that one once the weed hits.

[ maybe he'll have an answer that's not depressing in ten minutes. ]

Smoke faster. It's not like we're going to run out.

( and it would be rude not to join him, so nick takes his own advice. it's probably the longest he's ever stayed quiet, barring that whole unfortunate incident with the gag, waiting until there's several lungs full of smoke drifting around the room before he pipes up again. )

Do you think it's better to just deal with these things head on, then?

Not always. I would rather avoid the problem altogether when possible.

[ he's feeling the effects now, lying back on the bed and playing with smoke figures as they fly up. ]

Here avoiding it isn't an option. And I don't want my problems to become Magnus' problems.

( if he pays enough attention, he can spin little rings around ragnor's figures like a hula hoop. it doesn't last long though, they more or less immediately start to dissipate when he starts talking again. )

Makes sense. How much did you tell him?

More than I had to.

[ the next time ragnor blows smoke, the puff takes the shape of cy's face, it only lasts for a couple of seconds, but it's a very accurate image, down to the dangling cigarette. ]

He's easy to trust.

He knows what he's doing. More than can be said for most people around here, probably.

( definitely, actually, but that's a whole can of worms they don't need to fall down today. )

Hey, do me.

[ ragnor starts giggling, straight up. it takes him a minute to calm down enough to send another puff of smoke.

he puts more effort into it, the smoke heavier, looking sharper. it takes the shape of nick laughing because ragnor likes it when nick laughs. ]

Oh my God, shut up.

( but nick laughs too, and he laughs when his own face laughs back at him, and he's still sniggering weakly even as he reaches up to swipe a finger through the smoke.

there's no way he's going to be able to pull together something quite so detailed, but he rises to the occasion all the same. nick gestures over to one of the many potted plants scattered around the room, where a new flower is starting to bloom in a lovely green. colour matched to ragnor to near-perfection, of course. )

All it needs is little horns.

[ nick's laughter sets him off again. he waves his hand and two small paper horns attach themselves to the flower. ]

There you go, magic.

[ he waggles his fingers, green sparks coming out of them. ]

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