Merlin's Bracelet // IC Contact (New)

[dragonspeak]

Arthur, you can't be serious. Oh, come on--ow!

[Merlin's voice, slightly muffled because of the distance at first, is much clearer when he speaks again
after a few seconds, though he sounds anything but cheerful. If anything, he sounds sullen.]

It's Merlin. Sorry I missed you. I'm probably at the hospital or... [here, he pauses,
then continues like the words are being dragged out of him in the most painful manner possible.] Or being useful for my amazingly skilled, patient, and forgiving master instead of
dallying about and picking flowers like the girl's petticoat I usually am.

[A pained moment of silence.]

Leave a message for me here and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

[Click]

Comments

[brainiest]

Oh, Mer-- [ She covers her mouth before she giggles, shaking her head. Oops? ] Well, it's complicated? I like this boy - they're both from my world, by the way - but I haven't exactly told him? And, um, one of his best friends arrived here and we joked about being married because of an offhand comment and it's sort-of... Stuff?

[ She shakes her head, groaning. ]

It sounds so much worse than it actually is, I swear! His name is Sirius - my, ah, husband - and it's all just one big joke. Ridiculous, really, I promise, I just... Don't know how to tell this other person. He's... Dead in my world? And about twenty years older than me...

[dragonspeak]

Sirius! He's er, the one with the hair. [The fluffy hair. Merlin sort of makes vague gestures around his head to convey it's fluffiness to her through hand-speak.]

Oh, right. Twenty years... I suppose that makes sense. He said he was a friend of Harry's father. [A thought seizes him.] His friend...?

[brainiest]

Yes, the hair. He'd be thrilled that his hair is what he's identified by, I'm sure.

[ His nickname is Scruffy McSexy, after all... But - she flushes, covering her face a little. ]

It's not James - gosh, no, he and Lily are - no. It's, um, it's Remus?

[dragonspeak]

Well, you did say it was complicated. [He grins at her unrepentantly.] How was I to know?

So...Remus. I remember him. He's a bit quieter than the others from their bunch, isn't he?

[brainiest]

[ She gives him a gently nudge, shaking her head - but she is smiling and, she supposes, it's an easy mistake to make. ]

He is. He's a lot like me, really, in the same way that Harry is far too much like his father for their own good.

[dragonspeak]

Yeah? [Merlin's curious to hear her thoughts on Harry.]

I'll admit, they do look a lot alike, but...they didn't seem all that similar in nature. Harry's always been...serious whenever I talk to him.

[Serious, and a bit anxious to help others, protect them.]

[brainiest]

Harry's had... A lot on his plate for his entire life. He hasn't really had much time to not be serious. I'd hoped that being here might have helped but with Voldemort around again?

[ She sighs, shaking her head. ]

When you really get to know him and see the side of him that's more like James... They're like twins, in their own way.

[dragonspeak]

War does that to people. [It's disheartening to hear that Harry's suffered from it, as well.]

I'll look forward to getting to know this other side of Harry. We could even cheer him up ourselves once...things get better.

[brainiest]

It does. It -- it was hard on all of us. Harry, Ron and myself. We had to do some awful things and we lost so many people...

[ But -- enough of that. It hurts to think about. ]

I know he'd be thrilled. You're kind of amazing, Merlin.

[dragonspeak]

Not as amazing as the lot of you, from the sound of it.

[Merlin jostles her shoulder, smiling. But she's right--enough of that.]

Are you ever going to tell Remus? I'd think he would be thrilled to have the affections of someone as lovely and brilliant as you.

[brainiest]

[ She gives him a Look, cheeks burning a dark red. ]

I - I really don't think so, not - not really.

[dragonspeak]

Why not? [He leans toward her, frowning.] Is it...the time thing?

[Because he can, admittedly, see how that might be hard to get over.]

[brainiest]

A little? I mean... It's strange. I know he's dead and I know so much about him because I'm from his future. Plus...

[ Ughhhh. She shakes her head, swallows the lump in her throat. ]

I know his future wife? But here none of that matters, not really, and we won't remember a thing when we go home.

[dragonspeak]

I think...I know how you feel a bit. [He hesitates.]

You know about us in your world...does. Does--Gwen ever come up in them?

[brainiest]

Gwen... Oh! Lady Guinevere? She was supposed to be Arthur's... Oh.

[ She reaches for his hand almost instinctively. ]

Is she here too?

[dragonspeak]

She was here a while ago. She's...back now. Er.

[Even thinking about this is making his head spin. He wonders what people even thought of their lives, if it was anywhere near this complicated in the stories.]

The first time she showed up as her younger self and--she fell in love with Lancelot. Arthur let her go. This time...she returned as Queen of Camelot.

[Merlin bites his lip.] Before that, the ball the gods threw for us? I think there was a curse or something. Arthur kissed both Morgana and I, and now I think he feels guilty because. [He glances at Hermione nervously. This is the part that still makes him uncertain, and he doesn't know how other people will take it.] Because, he might have feelings for both of us.

[brainiest]

Oh.

[ She only knows the stories, of course, of Lancelot, Morgana, Merlin and Arthur and their place in her world. There's the muggle view and the Wizarding view and all of it is different, probably words away from what Merlin knew as the truth. But she isn't particularly struck by the fact that he (Arthur, that is) likes two people; she's a little confused on the matter herself.

(What would Ron think of her feelings for Remus, after all?)

Squeezing his hand gently, Hermione shifts closer and tilts her head, wanting to offer comfort as much as support. None of this can be particularly easy on him. ]

Okay, so he likes you both. How, um, how do you feel about that? Does it bother you, that he likes you and Morgana?

[dragonspeak]

[Merlin slips down in his chair a bit, rubbing at the spot between his eyes. He exhales forcefully.]

No--it. It actually makes it. Easier. Morgana and I were already together, you see.

[How did his love life get this complicated? Oh yeah. Pendragons. That's why.]

Arthur must be torn. He was already skittish when Morgana and I tried to talk to him, and now his wife's here. Gwen--she's my friend, too. Before, it might have worked out when she chose Lancelot, but now? I don't want to take him away from her.

[He gestures a little lamely.] The time thing really does make things confusing, doesn't it?

[Can they go back to talking about Hermione now?]

[brainiest]

[ Oh, poor Merlin. And she thought her relationship - or, not, as it were - was complicated. ]

So you like Arthur and you're with Morgana, but Arthur likes you both despite being married?

[ She nods, taking a deep breath. ]

Right, so. Um. Have you tried talking to Gwen? I mean -- she might still fancy Lancelot, right? And, um, would she want Arthur to be happy? Or - I mean, does Arthur want to be with her? Because that's what should be decided first. They're married so they need to decide that before we can figure out the three of you, otherwise it'll end up hurting people.

[ Another squeeze of his hand, gentle, as her smile flickers across her face. ]

Gwen should be top of the list, see how she feels. If she doesn't mind then you can go ahead and - I don't know, tackle Arthur and force him to deal with his emotions.

[ Then, a grin. ]

It really does. How about this - if you talk to Gwen I will talk to Remus. Deal?

[dragonspeak]

There's sort of a ...mutual liking between all three of us, I think.

[As embarrassing as it is to say all of this, it's a relief to get it out, too.

A laugh bubbles out of him.]

I'd like to see that. Arthur's not very good about talking about his feelings.

[Merlin squeezes her hand in return, smile a lot lighter than it was when he first started talking.]

Deal.

[brainiest]

Then it should be alright, shouldn't it? Just talk to her and you can work things out.

[ Hermione smiles, nodding and sitting up a little straighter, expression softening. ]

We can both be brave and do this, right?

[dragonspeak]

[Hermione seems to have more faith in this working out than he does, but Merlin nods, determined not to let his own doubts cloud her hopes.]

Sure we can.

[One thing he's certain of, though, is that some time has already passed since the train's started moving. He hasn't had time to be nervous about the fight that's to come while he spoke to Hermione.

Merlin nudges her with his shoulder.]

Thanks...for listening.

[brainiest]

Anytime, Merlin, really.

[ She smiles, reaching out and taking both his hands, squeezing them both. ]

I'm here for you, anytime, okay? I promise.

[dragonspeak]

It's the same for me.

I know you and Harry have been through a lot already, but...if you need someone to listen, you need only ask.

[brainiest]

I appreciate that, I really do. I'll make sure to stop the 'Merlin's Beard' stuff as much as I can, too.