[ ic; contact ]

[pratentious]

[This time, the recording starts with a long, drawn out sigh. Then, surprisingly, it's still Merlin's voice that rattles off the voicemail in tones of long-suffering.]

Hello, you've reached King Arthur Pr--Pendragon. He isn't here to answer your call because he's incredibly important and busy. If you leave a message here with me, I'll make sure he gets it because I am a good servant--and friend-- [he adds the last bit in a rush, accompanied with a thwap!, an 'ow!' and an 'I heard that,' then forces the rest of the words out through gritted teeth] and will do anything my master asks of me.

[A couple seconds pass, then Merlin speaks again, this time sounding a bit further away, like he isn't speaking into the bracelet anymore.] There, happy now? If you ask me, the other one is still better-- Shut up, Merlin. It's time to do yours next. Wait, what --

[ click! ]

Comments

[text]

[dragonspeak]

[Unfortunately for you, Arthur, someone's learned the beauty of caps lock.]

YOU ARE SUCH A PRAT

[text]

[dragonspeak]

THE PRINCE OF ALL PRATS

1/several...

[dragonspeak]

THE

[dragonspeak]

GREATEST

[dragonspeak]

ARSE

[dragonspeak]

EVER

done

[dragonspeak]

IN THE HISTORY OF CAMELOT

WOW MERLIN SOMETHING GOT YOU UPSET OR SMTH???? also 1/2

[pratentious]

[ Unfortunately for you, Merlin, someone still only knows how to use the video function.

But the only video you get is an empty frame with howling laughter coming from off-screen. ]

2/3 I LIED

[pratentious]

[ Until you eventually get a teary-eyed Arthur, fighting back a cheeky grin with one arm wrapped around his chest and the other covering his mouth as he walks back into view.





And then doubles over in another fit of laughter. Crying, Merlin. He is crying. ]

THERE DONE

[pratentious]

[ Aaaand he's back with a last wistful sigh, wiping a tear from his eye. ]

Chin up, Merlin, or Kirkland and I'll have to reevaluate your status as a male.

[text] sometime much, much later

[dragonspeak]

[Hey, Arthur. Guess who's not in the mood to talk to you?]

go away

[ still video orz ]

[pratentious]

[ Arthur DGAF about your ~moods~, Merlin. ]

Where are you?

[text]

[dragonspeak]

[Whatever, ~your highness~.]

in Asgard

[Yep, he's being difficult. Deal with it.]

[ video ]

[pratentious]

Your endless wit never ceases to amaze, truly. Now tell me where you are.

[text]

[dragonspeak]

Wittier than, you at least.

Why.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

Why do you think, you --

[ Breathe, sire. Breathe. ]

So that I can find you. Clearly.

[text]

[dragonspeak]

[Fine, you prat.]

The park in Baldr. Next to the lake.

[ video - 1/2 ]

[pratentious]

[ If he looks a little bit visibly relieved to actually get his location, you're imagining things. ]

I'll be there in ten - [ A pause ] - seven minutes.

[ → action ]

[pratentious]

[ And because Arthur is a man of his word, but also a bit of an overachiever, he manages to get there within his seven minute promise. But he's not out of breath because he did not very nearly run to get here. No sense of urgency, whatsoever.

Which is why he plops down beside Merlin casually, feet stretched out in front of him and propping himself up on his arms behind him, just close enough to brush his shoulder against Merlin if he wants to.

He doesn't. Not yet.

He doesn't speak for a moment, and when he finally does, it's quietly, softly. Attempting to break the silence with comfort and familiarity. ]

It's nice out here.

[dragonspeak]

[It's such an off-topic thing to say, when they both know what's weighing on their minds, that Merlin can't help but snort in reply.]

Nice enough.

[He selects a smooth pebble from the ground and attempts to skip it across the water--rather awkwardly, since he's still sitting.]

[pratentious]

[ The snort chills him more than the brisk air, and Arthur can't even bring himself to poke fun at Merlin's failed attempt of skipping stones. He merely watches as the last ring smooths out into the water before speaking again. ]

It's Freya, isn't it?

[dragonspeak]

[Arthur gets a long, quiet sigh before Merlin gives in and nods. There's no point hiding it when it was terribly obvious already. And he's seen the two of them talking before.]

You guessed it.

[pratentious]

[ Arthur stays quiet, eyes narrowing slightly at the water. ]

I didn't know.

[ But it seems there's a lot he doesn't know. Volumes, volumes of volumes, and it feels like Arthur is always one step behind everyone else even though they claim to be following him. He picks up a stone and only manages to skip it twice before it sinks. ]

She told me who she is. Was. Before I -

[ Before he slew the beast she turned into. Before he cut her down, and she was the reason Merlin was so dodgy. She was his sweetheart and he killed her and he didn't know. ]

[dragonspeak]

It's... [Merlin stops himself. No, it's not all right. It's not fair that Freya, one of the kindest people he's met, would have to suffer through the curse and be killed for it. It's not fair that he couldn't even help her when she needed it. It's not fair that Merlin lost his quiet future before it'd even started.

But...it also wouldn't be fair for Merlin to blame Arthur.]

You didn't know. You were just protecting the city.

[pratentious]

[ He snorts, a dry and ugly laugh of sorts. ]

I was, and I'd do it again it meant saving innocent lives, but that's not exactly a comfort.

[ Arthur knows he's hurt people that didn't deserve it before - or rather, that only deserved it out of an indiscriminate fear that he doesn't even entirely buy into - but this is different on a thousand different levels, and not different at all at the same time. For all the time he's spent questioning his actions, it seems his time here is spent questioning those questions, and it's nearly unbearable.

But this isn't about him. This was never about him and it shouldn't be about him, because he isn't the one that was wronged. The blood is on his hands and he'll bear that mark forever, but the loss shows on Merlin's where there is nothing in his hands at all.

Because Arthur took it. And Merlin will bear that forever. ]

Did you love her? Or - I suppose, do you still?