[Even machines think twice after a tussle with her, Merlin. She'd definitely defeated her stove the previous day and shut it's mouth up with that reinforcement trick she learned from Archer.
Rei huffs a laugh and reaches out to give him a quick hug, pushing him towards the couch.]
I think it's you that you should be worrying about. I mean, what happened happened, and that's all there is to it. You can't change it, even if you want to.
[She'll sit even if he doesn't.]
I'm glad to see you though, even if I wish you were safely at home.
Though he does move towards the couch when nudged in that direction. It's nice to be back in a way, even if things did end well back home too. Things are optimistic enough. ]
[ But that isn't the main point really, he wrings his hands together awkwardly. ]
At first... I was disappointed. Uther had driven him to living in a cave. Chased away from my mother to the point that he would have been unrecognizable to her but-- he agreed to help.
I didn't know before, anything about him. My mother would never say anything. It turns out that he was a Dragonlord. The last one, actually. But then...
[ He trails off, and the use of past tense, of stopping and his eyes dropping to the floor probably says it all. ]
Morgana turned against the King and he's... Well, Uther's bad enough now that Arthur is taking charge. He isn't officially the King yet but... [ Shrugs ] He knighted Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan... right before the battle with Morgana and Morgause.
[She returns a moment later with a tea tray laden with steaming kettle, cups, and various teas and additives he can sort out on his own. All she does is pour the water, and give him an expectant nod.]
[ He watches her quietly while she sorts out the tea, not moving just yet though. His hands twitch, and it's clear he's deliberating over something. Finally, he asks: ]
[ His own eyes avert when she actually looks him in the eye though. ]
You don't remember this place while you're there, so if... If. [ He swallows, pulls a face as he struggles to think of how to phrase this, but he just needs the clarification from someone -- and he trusts Rei to keep this to herself. He takes the tea, not adding anything, and blows on the surface to help cool it. ]
If you meet someone there, is it classified as betrayal?
[ He doesn't look at her still, staring at the tea. ]
[Rei cocks her head to one side, stirring a little honey in her drink as she considers what he's saying. That's a big question. And it's one she's only recently thought about, though completely in reverse. She'd definitely slept with Soleil, and definitely been out with her at least once since then. She knows Minako won't be bothered, that Minako wants her to be happy, and that's all there is to that. But...it's a little different with Athena. Athena Cykes is not nearly so generous as Minako Aino, and she's much more possessive.
Which is why her answer is a little guarded, and a little bit worried.]
I...don't believe so. But Merlin, what happened?
[Because this could change things, shake things up in a big way.]
[ She is, but she's at least understanding in that this world is separate. He has 0 plans to actually tell Athena any of this, but he just needed to ask for his own piece of mind. With things like love, he isn't a cruel person. Other things? Sure. He poisoned Morgana to save the Kingdom after all, but this is different. Even if he met Freya, his feelings before he had gone back home were just as real. It's a bit difficult to swallow everything now, even if time has passed and he's ...
Well, he's sort of seen Freya again. She gave him the sword. But she was still gone, when it came down to it. ]
There was... [ He definitely struggles though, like he hasn't really talked about this before. ] ...someone, a while ago. Not long after I went back, I think. A druid girl who had been left by her group. She'd been caught by a bounty hunter and... I couldn't just leave her there but-- [ But. He fell in love, they fell in love. He just leaves that hanging in the air though. Ah. ]
[Rei's fingers curl around the cup, and she has to sip to keep herself from sighing. This could be an absolute disaster, if Merlin plays it wrong. If...apparently...she plays it wrong, too, since she's being trusted to keep this a secret even without him saying it. He knows better than to do that to Athena. It does, however, make Rei wonder just how their relationship is going to go. And if it does end badly (and this is a sign that it might), makes her question just how deep she's going to be stuck in the middle.]
You love this woman, don't you?
[She doesn't say much more than that for now, because what else can you say? She needs to know what her friend's been through, and she needs to know what she's dealing with.]
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Rei huffs a laugh and reaches out to give him a quick hug, pushing him towards the couch.]
I think it's you that you should be worrying about. I mean, what happened happened, and that's all there is to it. You can't change it, even if you want to.
[She'll sit even if he doesn't.]
I'm glad to see you though, even if I wish you were safely at home.
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Though he does move towards the couch when nudged in that direction. It's nice to be back in a way, even if things did end well back home too. Things are optimistic enough. ]
I wouldn't say safely at home.
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[Rei remembers and she has to ask, just...because it's important. She never forgets a reading, and she has a guess about his logic for coming here.]
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[ Which is telling on how much time has passed for him. ]
More complicated than I thought it would be. [ A beat, then: ] I met my father.
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[Rei seems really intent on that point, sitting up straighter and focusing entirely on him.
At least until he says the word father. That makes her flinch a little.]
What was...that like?
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[ But that isn't the main point really, he wrings his hands together awkwardly. ]
At first... I was disappointed. Uther had driven him to living in a cave. Chased away from my mother to the point that he would have been unrecognizable to her but-- he agreed to help.
I didn't know before, anything about him. My mother would never say anything. It turns out that he was a Dragonlord. The last one, actually. But then...
[ He trails off, and the use of past tense, of stopping and his eyes dropping to the floor probably says it all. ]
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[She understands the feeling, and she can sympathize. AT least, if her first guess is probably right.]
he passed, didn't he?
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But it's... passed on. [ He glances up at her then, hands moving to rest on his legs instead. ] Making me... the last Dragonlord.
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[Rei reaches her hand out, setting it on top of Merlin's hand.]
Sounds like a hefty responsibility. I'm sorry.
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Not really, Kilgharrah's the last dragon in existence. It means I can control him now though, that's how eventually he stopped attacking Camelot.
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[Rei understands power and the temptation to use it. All too well, in fact. But, he's a better person than she is, most of the time.]
How long ago was that, for you? It sounds like things have changed a lot.
[He feels a little older, at least, as she settles in and leans slightly on him.]
I think you put on a little weight.
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[ Meaning he has done before. Ah. ]
Long over a year. A lot happened.
[ Though he does shift a bit to pull her into a half hug, looking at her offended when she says that. ]
What are you trying to say?
[ Though he has been eating better now ]
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[whereas she isn't]
What else happened? Camelot is alright, yes?
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[ Please... CERES fattened him up enough. ]
Morgana turned against the King and he's... Well, Uther's bad enough now that Arthur is taking charge. He isn't officially the King yet but... [ Shrugs ] He knighted Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan... right before the battle with Morgana and Morgause.
That was before I came back.
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So you're coming back on the eve of a big battle?
[That's hard, but then not unexpected. Morgana is....not well liked by the stories.]
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[ True that... but he hadn't been prepared for it. ]
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Is there anything I can do for you?
[The kettle whistles and she hops up, annoyed that she'd forgotten.]
Just a moment, but...yes, question. I'm listening still.
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He pauses, picks at his trousers at his knee. ]
Not exactly, but... I wanted to ask you something.
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Anything, Merlin.
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Have you ever been back home since you got here?
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No. I haven't. Why?
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You don't remember this place while you're there, so if... If. [ He swallows, pulls a face as he struggles to think of how to phrase this, but he just needs the clarification from someone -- and he trusts Rei to keep this to herself. He takes the tea, not adding anything, and blows on the surface to help cool it. ]
If you meet someone there, is it classified as betrayal?
[ He doesn't look at her still, staring at the tea. ]
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Which is why her answer is a little guarded, and a little bit worried.]
I...don't believe so. But Merlin, what happened?
[Because this could change things, shake things up in a big way.]
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Well, he's sort of seen Freya again. She gave him the sword. But she was still gone, when it came down to it. ]
There was... [ He definitely struggles though, like he hasn't really talked about this before. ] ...someone, a while ago. Not long after I went back, I think. A druid girl who had been left by her group. She'd been caught by a bounty hunter and... I couldn't just leave her there but-- [ But. He fell in love, they fell in love. He just leaves that hanging in the air though. Ah. ]
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You love this woman, don't you?
[She doesn't say much more than that for now, because what else can you say? She needs to know what her friend's been through, and she needs to know what she's dealing with.]
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