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

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

I didn't know that.

[He murmurs a thanks for the plate - with, yes, his finest creation. Seriously though Cass, he's going to eat maybe half of this.]

Do you have any plans today?

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[It's okay, she'll eat the other half. And maybe, possibly, she's fidgeting a little. This will be new news because it's still new for Cass, it's only been decided recently.]

Um... reading lesson, later. Not til afternoon, though. Free til then.

[She's embarrassed over the fact that she stopped at all more than she is that she's asked for help, but it's become clear she does need help.]

You? Have any... important Infirmary duties?

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

I'll have you know all my Infirmary duties are important.

[But then he cracks a smile, warm and pleased that she's taking that step although he doesn't want to embarrass her by saying it outright. He knows she can tell he's proud of her.]

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[She grins back at him, reaching over to pat his knee.]

Don't worry, Merlin. Know you're... most important person, on Barge.

[And pride isn't something she sees often directed at her, as much as she craves it from Bruce and sometimes, her father. Seeing it in Merlin, though? There might not be a way for anyone to beat that.]

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

[He laughs.]

Is your plan to give me such a big head I cannot fit it through the door?

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[Great, now she's pictured it and it's made her laugh, too. If she were Arthur she'd make a joke about a bigger head balancing out the size of his ears, but she isn't. She's much nicer.]

Maybe. Then you'd be... stuck in here forever, with me.

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

[He smiles around a sip of his tea.] I can imagine worse fates, my lady.

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[She'd be lying if she were to say she'd have anything at all against that, so she just smiles at him and sweeps a baconpancake through way too much syrup.]

Never answered, though. Do you? Have plans?

Re: [Spam]

[takeyouapart]

Not really. I do have work later, but other than that...nothing much, as usual. Just more waiting for the Admiral to assign someone to me. [It's been months now, which he knows is to be expected (and it's not as if he's all that keen to get his deal and just leave), but he still feels like he's just marking time and it's not what he's used to.]

[Spam]

[hellofist]

Told you before, should find hobby. Still want sword lessons? Could be fun.

[Then again, Cass is one of those weirdos that thinks waving sharp things around is a fun kind of thing to do. Whether it's actually fun for Merlin is another thing completely, but it's possible Cass is just looking for more reasons to spend as much time with Merlin as possible.]

Or, um... could help me. With, um... reading stuff.

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

[He barely even hesitates. When he thinks now of his relative inability to use a sword, he thinks of the ambush in the woods when he was travelling to the Crystal Cave, of screaming at Gwaine for help, of powerlessness against a foe that he could have normally dispatched with a blink of the eye.

It's not a feeling he enjoyed, and he knows the Admiral likes to strip people like him of their abilities when landing at port.]

Both. Let's do both.

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[Well, that gets a beaming smile out of her. She doesn't like the shadowy things she sees in him that prompt such a fast reaction, she knows they aren't good, that it's rarely good to need to learn to protect yourself, but she's glad he will be and she's glad it's with her.]

Good. Still have stuff... we can use, in my room. Since... gym is less fun, now. Can start when you're ready.

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

Let's give it half an hour? This is about three times as much breakfast as I'm used to and I'd rather not be sick in your room.

[Spam]

[hellofist]

Didn't mean- right this second. Will let you digest. I'm a nice teacher.

[She won't even throw lances at him or make him keep pushing until he feels like dying, either.]

[Spam]

[takeyouapart]

Perfect.

[He smiles across at her, only vaguely paying attention to his communicator when it pings with a new message - and then he hears his name being hollered at him, and he goes pale.]