InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "That's your mishigoss"

Arthur Pendragon (a_royal_prat) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2010-01-23 00:55:00

Entry tags:

arthur pendragon, merlin

Who: Arthur and Merlin
What: Arthur belatedly grows a conscience
When: Evening
Where: Merlin's room
Rating: Low
Status: Incomplete

This had the potential for absolute disaster. The poorly wrapped package was wedged awkwardly beneath Arthur's arm as he took out his keys to unlock his door. It was mere coincidence that he heard a familiar voice, grumbling, from the other end of the hall. Arthur paused, glancing down to confirm his initial thoughts. Merlin was trying to enter his own room, dropping things as fast as he was picking them up. Arthur knew this opportunity would unlikely come at a better time and strode down the hall, catching Merlin's keys as they fell through his fingers.

"You'd think you would learn to keep a better hold of these."

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youngmagician
2010-01-23 06:36 am UTC (link)

Merlin smiled and shrugged, stepping aside so Arthur could get the door for him. It was that or try and take the keys back and do it himself, which would probably result in dropping everything else in his arms on Arthur instead. Papers, books, a couple groceries, and a couple other bags of random little things. He figured Arthur would rather just get the door.

"I do have a clip for them on my belt, but it's hard to unlock the door with them attached to my hip." He explained casually, glancing at the oddly wrapped box the blond held under his own arm. Merlin thought nothing of it though, something for Gwen he assumed. Once the door was open he wandered in, setting his bags and boxes on the counter, beginning to unpack.

"Coming in? Or where you going some where?" Merlin called, looking back for a minute. Arthur would have to come in, at least long enough to give his keys back, and Merlin would more then likely distract him by showing off the things he'd bought. The one he was the most proud of -- finally getting a much needed backpack.

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a_royal_prat
2010-01-23 04:22 pm UTC (link)

Arthur pulled out the package and held it uncertainly as he followed Merlin in. It was an odd feeling, being impressed with Merlin, but damnit, it wasn't like he ought to feel guilty about it. Merlin could be clever if he wanted to be. That was all there was to it.

He set aside the poorly wrapped gift and dug into the bag, withdrawing the items and lining them up on the edge of the counter. Things were less likely to get lost that way.

Clearing his throat uncertainly, Arthur nudged his gift across the counter toward Merlin with a pointed look.

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youngmagician
2010-01-23 05:14 pm UTC (link)

Merlin helped pull his things out of the different bags, ripping the tags off his backpack (which was surprisingly plain, just dark gray and blue, but there were a handful of cute little pins in one bag to be stuck on it later. Afterward he opened a pink bakery box with two oversized cupcakes.

"Want one?" Merlin asked before looking again to the box being pushed towards him. Was the gift actually for him? His birthday was last week, and he hadn't really expected anything. He didn't think Arthur had even noticed. Which honestly hadn't bothered him that much. Merlin hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of it, and Conner's gifts had been more then enough.

"For me?" He waited for a second and started to pull open the paper a little bit excitedly.

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a_royal_prat
2010-01-23 05:29 pm UTC (link)

Arthur stared at the large, overly frosted, cupcakes with distrust. Nothing, he decided, nothing that sweet should ever be going near his mouth, or Merlin's for that matter.

He shook his head.

Had Arthur not been keeping half an eye on his gift to Merlin, he may have entirely missed the thing being torn from the packaging. If he needed further confirmation that, yes, getting Merlin something, even late, was a good idea, here it was in flying paper.

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youngmagician
2010-01-23 05:49 pm UTC (link)

Merlin grinned as the paper came off and let him see the picture on the box underneath. What was a walkman? He lifted up the box, reading the side -- FM radio and cassette player. It was a music thing! Not exactly what he'd been talking about when he wanted a music player, he thought they were all small MP3 things (whatever a MP3 is), but this looked cool too. Late or not, Arthur had noticed both his birthday and what he'd mentioned wanting. Arthur was lucky there was a counter between them because Merlin was seriously considering forcing another (mildly awkward) hug on the prince.

"Thank you, Arthur." He grinned and started to pull the walk man from the box, making sure the instructions did NOT get lost because he'd have no idea how to work anything from this time without those little manuals.

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a_royal_prat
2010-01-23 05:52 pm UTC (link)

Merlin had that look about him again, the one that warned of impending hugging, the sort that made Arthur feel the need to sigh in a long-suffering manner, when, in fact, it wasn't nearly that bad. When Merlin managed to restrain that urge (which Arthur could say he was grateful for as there were still large, frosted cupcakes to contend with), and thank him, the band that had slowly been tightening around Arthur's chest loosened with a silent snap and Arthur rested more comfortably on his elbows.

"You like it then?"

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	youngmagician 2010-01-23 06:55 pm UTC (link)
	"Yes. You really didn't have to, but I do like it. Thanks." He set down the walk man for a minute. He cut one of the cupcakes in half for himself, and got a glass of milk. For Arthur, since he didn't seem to interested in the sweets, he pushed over a bowl of fruit. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_royal_prat
2010-01-24 12:56 am UTC (link)

Arthur picked up an apple and bit into it, observing Merlin's movements from the corner of his eye. He couldn't put a name to the low pleasure he got from seeing Merlin happy, and he knew, without having to refute anything, that Merlin understood, as well as Arthur, that yes, Arthur had needed to get Merlin something to acknowledge his birthday.

"You're welcome."

The walkman would not have been his first idea had he not spied it on a merchant's table while out walking, but he was glad he'd purchased it.

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youngmagician
2010-01-24 01:26 am UTC (link)

Merlin pulled himself up to sit on the counter after he finished the cake, opening up the folded manual for the walkman. Tapes would probably be a little hard to find, but until then he could listen to the radio too. Merlin played with the buttons a bit until Arthur finished the apple, and smiled over at him again. "How have you been? I've been working a lot, and haven't had the time to really come by and pester you. Still have everything you need?"

Everything was a little more casual then it had ever been between them, even if Merlin had the habitual feeling of guilt for not getting into Arthur's room to make sure everything was as he needed. Gwen was probably taking care of it all, but -- somehow it was different. Being attended to by a girlfriend was not the same as a servant/friend/whatever he was to Arthur. Aside from that though they did act a little more like proper friends, which was nice, and Merlin needed it after finding out Severus had vanished a few days prior.

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a_royal_prat
2010-01-24 05:00 am UTC (link)

"You'll be shocked to know I'm perfectly able to restock my cupboards with edible food." Arthur nudged Merlin's knee with his elbow and grinned. What he didn't add was that he missed having Merlin at arms reach, it was strange not having him within grabbing distance whenever anything happened, mundane or otherwise.

He wondered if having his shadow removed would be any odder.

"Some of us would take your continued absence as a mercy."

Some of them who weren't him. But Merlin should sense the well intended joke for what it was, no matter how infrequently they saw one another.

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youngmagician
2010-01-24 05:15 am UTC (link)

Merlin chuckled and shrugged. He knew it was all joking. After all, Arthur said himself he didn't like it when Merlin was quiet. "I didn't mean just food. I took care of more then that."

He decided not to list things off like making sure his clothes were clean, in tact, and ready for the weather, no holes in his shoes, sword and armor he arrived in still tended to just in case, cleaning up his room, and all sort of little things to make the place better or things easier for Arthur if he could. A lot of which he was (mostly) happy to do.

"Aside from that though. I mean, what have you been doing to keep busy?" Merlin did kind of worry. Arthur never seemed to adapt to all of this as well as he did. He wasn't as naturally curious and eager to try everything this place had to offer.

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a_royal_prat
2010-01-25 08:02 pm UTC (link)

"I walk." Arthur hadn't intended the flippant tone his answer had taken, but there it was. Gwen worked. Merlin worked. Arthur walked. It wasn't as if he didn't wish to find employment of some sort, it was more that he found no need to do so. If a reason occurred, then he would. Simple as that.

"There's too much of this city that we know nothing about. It's better than staying indoors."

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