Fourteenth Unused Utility Belt | Video, forward dated to tomorrow morning

[hellofist]

[Cass has always been something of a tosser and turner when it comes to sleeping, but for the most part it's cut down in the time she's been sleeping in Merlin's bed. It still happens every now and then, mostly when she's finding a new way to sleep, so it's not really that surprising when she turns over and smacks her communicator hard enough to knock it onto the floor.

The surprising part? It turns itself on. Good morning, Bargians! You now have the view of what's under Merlin's bed and the sounds of someone waking up.]

Did you... hear thud?

[There's the sound of someone else waking up and some 'I forgot how to talk overnight' mmphing noises.]

No…? Did you? [A short pause.] Stupid question, sorry.


[And now there's rustling sheets, the blanket that was hanging down from the bed gets pulled up a little as Cass rolls over.]

Allowed those in morning. Brain's still... waking up. Sleep good?

Yes, I did. [There is what you could probably call a kissing noise but it's muffled; his voice goes a bit quieter.] Better, now. You?

[The answer doesn't come right away, the only thing that can be heard is a content sigh and the sounds someone making herself very comfortable.]

Told you, always sleep better... with you there. But, guess we have... to get up, now.

[She doesn't sound very enthusiastic about this idea.]

Not yet. It's only…I…don't know what the time is. [Merlin stifles a yawn.] Shouldn't it say on your…

[The bed creaks a little as he leans over, then back.]

I think you knocked your communicator under the bed, hold on.

[A long, thin hand and the hem of a white tunic appear at the edge of the camera frame as he does some rummaging around the mess of clothes and books.]

[When he doesn't find it right away, Cass goes on her own search. More leaning and creaking and then-]

Found it.

[The perspective shifts to show Cass propped on her elbow, one side of her hair mussed from sleep, before she passes the communicator over to Merlin so he can tell them what time it is.]

Thanks.

[He's sitting up now, still a bit untidy; it is briefly apparent that under his old timey tunic he's wearing black pyjama bottoms with a yellow Bat-symbol on the left leg.]

Oh, that's not bad, it's -

[Something becomes apparent and he blinks, then blushes unflatteringly and turns the camera toward the wall in defence of Cassandra's modesty even though she's basically fully dressed.]

- erm. Turned on.

[Cass sounds very, very amused when she speaks.]

Should say good morning, Merlin. [Taking her own advice, Cass leans so she can look into the camera and waves, completely ruining the point of Merlin's directing the communicator away from her.] Morning, Barge!

[There is an extremely muffled sound that might be 'good morning' from where Merlin has his spare hand over his face, just about visible in the periphery, and then the feed stops recording.]

Comments

[takeyouapart]

[oh]

You don't remember?

[onceandfutureprat]

[Ha, way to hit on the guilt that he didn't remember Arya at all until he saw her last night.]

Apparently not.

[takeyouapart]

Nothing at all?

[It's practically rhetorical. Cass is out of shot but sitting next to him holding his hand, and as he asks this his hand goes sort of weak and dead in hers.]

[onceandfutureprat]

I don't remember you having a girl, if that's what you mean.

[takeyouapart]

[Yeah no let's discuss that later.]

Where are you?

[onceandfutureprat]

[What if we discuss it now >|]

My room.

aaand Ren said we could fill her post with [spam] so this is fine

[takeyouapart]

[There are so many other things to discuss, Arthur. And now he's giving his profuse apologise to Cass and making his way to Arthur's cabin, and yes he is still wearing his sleep tunic and Batpyjama bottoms and no shoes.

And no, he isn't knocking either.]

perfect [spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[They've definitely had words about knocking before coming into his room. He remembers that. Arthur's frowning at the communicator when Merlin comes in, because he thought he'd had it figured out but maybe that was just luck.]

I see you've forgotten how to knock.

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

[It's like Merlin hasn't even heard him, he's just staring. His eyes flicker momentarily to Arthur's midsection and of course he knows that things will be different if Arthur ever returns to the Barge for the very last time - if he has that break in his chainmail, that red stain - but he can't. He can't not look.]

What was the last you saw of Camelot?

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[Arthur rolls his eyes a little when Merlin doesn't even bother to apologize for bursting into his room with no manners. He sets the communicator aside, figuring it out can wait (or more likely, he'll make Merlin show him how to use it again) and turns to face Merlin better.]

What kind of question is that?

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

[He pushes out a breath so fast and hard he can almost hear his lungs creaking in protest. He still doesn't know if this is the same Arthur, exactly, never mind if he has any of his memories, or - ]

Please, Arthur.

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

We just returned from Ismere. What's this about?

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

[Ismere. The Diamair, then. Their counter with Morgana - with Mordred - ]

This isn't your first time here, Arthur. You've been here over a year - you have an inmate assigned to you, Arya - you truly remember none of this?

Re: [spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[Arthur shakes his head slightly. It gives him a headache to think about his time here versus his time in Camelot. And how that works exactly.]

I didn't until she kicked me last night. I don't know how to explain it, Merlin. I know I've been here. But I can't tell you hardly anything that I did.

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

[It's hard not to listen to this and hear that Arthur remembers Arya but not him. Like his presence here is incidental. But he swallows that down, doesn't let it show on his face.]

Your memories will right themselves in time. Mine did.

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

Obviously it's not all right. [There's a pointed look down at Merlin's bare feet here. Who runs around with no shoes and without knocking, honestly.]

How long exactly have you been here?

Re: [spam]

[takeyouapart]

Just short of three months. [He checks himself.] Three months since I was last in Camelot. Altogether it's...it's been a couple of years.

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[Arthur nods slowly, but really doesn't know what to make of that. Because he can't fathom how it works, and the only explanation he has is that it's due to magic and that makes him more uncomfortable than he already is.]

Arya said I've been gone a month. Why did I leave?

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

You didn't - leave, exactly. There was no reason for it. Some people vanish from the ship without intending to, and return just as unexpectedly.

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

Don't be stupid, Merlin, there's always an explanation. Magic brought me here, didn't it? It could easily be responsible for why I disappeared. [Sorry bro, but all that raging acceptance of magic because of you from before? Is totally not present right now and it shows in his entire being.]

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

[It does. And it's hard to reconcile his utter, all-encompassing relief at Arthur's return with his mostly-encompassing desire to turn around and walk away because he can't do this again.

He schools his features into an expression of cheerful dubiousness.]

If you say so, sire.

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[He doesn't think anything of it.]

Are you ever going to explain exactly what you were doing this morning or not?

Re: [spam]

[takeyouapart]

[His smile fades.]

It's private, Arthur.

...regardless of how public we managed to make it.

[spam]

[onceandfutureprat]

[Funny because Arthur grows a smile now.] Oh come on Merlin, I want to hear all about your girl.

[spam]

[takeyouapart]

Her name is Cassandra and she can speak for herself.