.021 - i'm sorry arthur has nothing public to say about that flood :c

[onceandfutureprat]

[Arthur is a restless sleeper. And half the time he ends up curled around a pillow just to have something to hold. While that habit will probably be a good thing in his marriage, it's not really that great when the person he's got an arm around is Morgana. Because they were kids yesterday and he let her sleep in his room because hers wasn't suitable and it wasn't as though either one of them would've accepted sleeping on the floor.

So he's holding her like she is his wife, and he's not awake enough to realize that it's all wrong.]


[Private to Merlin]

Lord Merlin, hm?

[Private to Scrad/Charlie]

I apologize. For my behavior towards you in the flood.

[Private to Arya]

Would you like another lesson in your swordplay?

Comments

Private

[takeyouapart]

Felt like a change.

Private

[onceandfutureprat]

[There's every chance that Arthur had been planning on bullying him like normal but this takes a sudden turn for the serious.]

Is that what you want?

Private

[takeyouapart]

[What.]

What?

No. I - no.

Why would you ask that?

Private

[onceandfutureprat]

You'd rather continue as my manservant?

Private

[takeyouapart]

[A pause, then:]

Until the day I die.

[spam]

[youwillgotohell]

[All wrong. But she actually slept through the night, no nightmares, no visions, only a REM cycle she was sorely in need of. So when she starts to stir next to him, she doesn't fully grasp that she is not in her room, or that someone's arm is around her.

And let's face it, the bed smells like clean sheets and Arthur, and as much as she hates him now, as much as she wants him dead for so many different things, she had equated this smell with being safe for years. And it's hard to knock sense memories like that.

She does kick him accidentally, though, and the jarring finally makes her open her eyes. It's a sleepy, unfocused confusion that lets her recognize that this isn't her room without immediately leaping out of the bed.]

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

Ow, Guinevere. [Arthur retreats just a little, and it occurs to him that her hair feels all wrong. It also seems weird that Guinevere would kick him, because he's the restless, snoring like a pig one in this marriage.]

[spam]

[youwillgotohell]

[Well she was very awake now. Morgana kicks him hard this time, turning just enough to shove him away so she can scramble off the bed. For a moment she just stares at him because what the hell, but of course the past few days come flood back and she wants to scream. She's actually so unbearably angry that she can't quite form words yet, so take advantage, Arthur.]

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[Arthur yelps when she kicks him again, and that's enough to wake him up fully. It hits him like a stone wall and he feels sick, and like he needs a hundred baths, and kind of like he wants to jump off the side of the Barge.

It doesn't help that he isn't wearing a shirt right now.]

... It was the flood. [It sound stupid even to him, but. What else can he say? Sorry I was nice to you as a child? Sorry I assumed you were Guinevere but she's the only woman who's ever been in my bed? Please don't kill me in a fit of magical rage?]

[spam]

[youwillgotohell]

[She wouldn't mind hearing any of that, honestly.]

Oh the flood, [she sneers, mocking him because OBVIOUSLY IT WAS THE FLOOD ARTHUR.] Of course, the flood--

[And she is picking up a pillow and just throwing it at him, be glad she's too skeeved out to think hey this is a perfect chance to kill him.

And honestly, she's angrier at Merlin; of course he would do everything right the second time around, when it doesn't matter.]

You - you--

[She wants to insult him but she can't find the right words, so Morgana lets out a wordless not-quite-a-shriek sound, because how do normal people deal with anger.]

[Private]

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

I was older.

[How do you talk about this. :c]

[Private]

[onceandfutureprat]

[Lmao you also looked like his sister :c]

I remember.

Is that a yes?

[Private]

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

[EVERYTHING IS WEIRD.]

Yes.

[A beat]

Nymeria's coming too.

Re: [Private]

[onceandfutureprat]

Fine by me.

[spam]

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

[And she's heading for the gym, Nymeria walking along side her and occasionally running ahead when she catches a scent she wants to explore. Arya's brooding, though, and she's silent when she walks into the gym.]

[Spam]

[wedonot]

Charles really was in need of some distraction after the flood. It wasn't that it had been bad, really, but it really, really hurt to know that he'd been entirely serious about going to rescue Erik, but he'd never have the chance and things would still be the same as they always were. And it wasn't as if the flood had been a new revelation on that front, because Charles knew that if he'd known, he would have tried to do something to help, but it was another thing entirely to promise he'd come get him out, and to see what things would be like if he'd succeeded, how things might have been different.

So he'd left Erik to brood and re-repress all those memories without complaint or argument, and while he'd check on him later to make sure he wasn't being entirely self destructive and letting himself give into depression, he was looking forward to the distraction of Arthur trying to beat the crap out of him with a sword. He'd dumped his stuff back in his room, showered and changed out of his pajamas and headed down to wait for Arthur in the gym.

[Spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

Arthur thought that he'd learned years ago to hide what he was thinking. And for the most part that was true, he could easily slip a mask on that hid thoughts from his face in court but his actions usually betrayed him. He wore his moods like the crest on his cloak, for everyone to see, and generally no one in Camelot dared to question him about it.

He strode into the gym, pulling Excalibur from its spot on his hip. "Ready, Charles?"

[Spam]

[wedonot]

Unfortunately, they weren't in Camelot, and even if they were, Charles probably wouldn't have much issue with asking questions and poking at him a bit, because that's how he worked.

But for the time being, he was a little wrapped up in his own angst, and instead forced a smile and acted like everything was totally normal.

"As I'll ever be, I suppose. What are we going to learn today?"

[Spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

That's how Merlin worked too. And that was how the little worm had gotten so close to him, and yep, not thinking about Merlin anymore right now. He twists the sword in his hand, and approaches the other man.

"I think your blocking could use some work."

[Spam]

[wedonot]

Don't worry Arthur, despite being a meddler, he's learned his lesson about you and his telepathy, so you're not going to have him snooping around picking up on your Merlin angst. Also, he already knows there are major issues in that camp right now, so.

"Alright." Charles adopts a defensive stance. "Ready when you are."

Not private

[twoheadsofcabbage]

Which one were you?

[Scrad asks.]

augh fine, not private

[onceandfutureprat]

More than one person attacked you?

all your dirty laundry aired!

[twoheadsofcabbage]

Oh, you.

[Scrad says.]

Pfft. Yeah right you're sorry.

[Charlie accuses.]

you two are a pain in his ass

[onceandfutureprat]

[He's maybe a little relieved that like, no one else tried to kill them :c]

I am. I... wasn't the most humble of children.

Two pains

[twoheadsofcabbage]

What's humble got to do with tryin' to slay us?

[Charlie grumbles.]