InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "the cub caught the lion's prey"

Merlin (hiddenwarlock) wrote in utr_logs,
@ 2011-09-12 21:23:00

Entry tags:

arthur pendragon, merlin

Who: Merlin And Arthur
What: Merlin explaining that he has a kid and has to move out.
Where: Palace
When: Before the cartoon plot
Warnings: No

Merlin wasn't looking forward to this. There was going to be a lot of Arthur laughing at him and then he was going to be unhappy when he said he'd have to move. All together a lot of unpleasant-ness that he didn't want to deal with.

He found Arthur in his study and knocked on the door frame, peeking in. He might have knocked really quietly, almost hoping he wouldn't hear it.

(Post a new comment)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 03:33 am UTC (link)

Arthur rarely spent time in his study. Horseback riding, dinners with diplomats, public appearances, the occasional awkward date with Gwen.. That was up until now, at least. Now the Queen was pushing him to go to law school. Arthur had gotten the acceptance letter before he even realized the Queen was serious about it. Apparently in this world, people thought princes should actually have skills apart from jousting.

A few weeks in, and the homework was already piling up. Arthur was sitting at his desk, surrounded by very thick books. He dropped his head to the table, regretting other people's choices in his life.

He heard the faint knocking at the door, since there was literally nothing else interesting in the entire world. "Please be anything but a textbook!" he called to the door without lifting his head.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-13 03:56 am UTC (link)
	Merlin looked almost like he had gotten caught there doing something he wasn't suppose to. "Hey. I am not a textbook. But you're probably busy. And I should probably come back later..." He looked busy. Very busy. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 03:59 am UTC (link)

"No! No, no, no. Come back now. Inside. Not busy, look." Arthur swept the book off the desk and onto the floor. If he looked at any more words, he was pretty sure his brain would liquify and drip out of his ears.

"How are you? What interesting things are happening outside of these dusty old pages? Bring me news from the outside world!" True, Arthur had only been in the study for a few hours today, but it felt like weeks.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hiddenwarlock
2011-09-13 04:19 am UTC (link)

Merlin walked inside. No getting out of this. Those poor books. He had to resist the urge to just make them stop falling and put them back on the desk. He looked at Arthur. "I'm okay. Doing... okay. We have some new arrivals. Two new people that are...interesting and yeah." He looked around and picked a book off the shelf. "Oh, I don't think I've read this one, can I borrow this?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 02:19 pm UTC (link)

Arthur gave Merlin a look like he was crazy. Granted, he didn't know what was in that particular book, but at this moment, all books were the enemy. "You want.. Yes. Take it. It's yours." The more books Merlin took, the less Arthur had to read. Well, it didn't work quite like that, but Arthur was happy to give it a try.

"New people? Anyone we know?" Arthur was feigning interest in that royal sort of 'Of course I care about all my subjects as individual people' sort of way. Arthur cared about Camelot, and wanted it to be a good, fair kingdom for his people. But the people who were most important to him--Gwen and Merlin--were here already. He wasn't sure what other new arrivals could really excite him.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-13 03:23 pm UTC (link)
	Merlin looked at the book. It was some history of the country, which really was something he would read. Good. But not nearly as distracting as he had hoped. "Not exactly. Sort of. Uh, it's complicated. It's a man named Gaius and a girl named Amy." He really was not looking forward to this. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 03:28 pm UTC (link)

Arthur's eyebrows shot up. "I remember Gaius," he said, as if it were silly for Merlin to think he would forget. Arthur had been a healthy boy, but growing up he had still been sent to the court physician more often than he would've liked. He was fond of the man, though, and appreciated everything Gaius had done for Morgana when the girl was having trouble sleeping.

"That's good! I'm sure Father will be glad to hear it." Uther had always trusted Gaius. And it was good for Merlin, as well. Gaius had taken Merlin in. Arthur and Merlin hadn't talked about it, but Arthur wouldn't be surprised if Merlin considered Gaius to be a father-figure. "I don't remember an Amy, though.." Arthur said, wrinkling his brow a bit. Should he?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-13 03:33 pm UTC (link)
	Merlin shook his head, "It's not that Gaius. He was named after that Gaius, or will be named after Gaius. Oh this is...not good." He took a deep breath. He looked at Arthur, just pleading silently that he could just understand and not laugh. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	camelotprince 2011-09-13 03:37 pm UTC (link)
	When Arthur was confused, he tended to quickly seek an explanation like a blind man poking around with a stick. He wasn't really the quiet, contemplative type. "Gaius had a son?" That would make the most sense. Though it was surprising that he wouldn't have told Uther about it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-13 03:40 pm UTC (link)
	Merlin turned around and started walking around the small office. "No. Apparently I will. They're both from the future, Gaius and Amy, and they're my son and daughter." He looked back at Arthur. He knew he was going to crack up laughing and he was contemplating throwing the book in his hand at him if he did. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 03:49 pm UTC (link)

When Merlin turned back to look at Arthur, he looked like his brain might have stopped working. His brows were wrinkled in confusion and he was blinking, as if hoping the movement might get the wheels turning again.

"You.. what?"

It really shouldn't have been that difficult a concept to understand. Time travel was obviously a fact of life. They were in the future, it shouldn't be surprising that people around them came from the future. Still, Arthur was comforted in knowing that his group of people were from the same time period--give or take a month--in their own little bubble. This was a clear violation of the bubble.

Merlin was a father? Arthur had barely gotten used to the idea of Merlin having a girlfriend!

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hiddenwarlock
2011-09-13 04:25 pm UTC (link)

Well, it was slightly better than him just busting out laughing. "Uh, apparently it happens here from time to time. People from the future just show up. Gaius is 19 and Amy is 4, which is apparently strange since she's supposed to only be a few years younger than Gaius. But they're both from a while in the future. Gaius won't be born for a good 5 or 6 years, I'm not really sure on the math." He stopped rambling to look up at Arthur, which he had been avoiding the entire time.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	camelotprince 2011-09-13 04:38 pm UTC (link)
	"So..." Eventually the signals in his brain would start firing again. "You.. You have kids," he repeated before starting to laugh. It wasn't mean-natured; he really didn't want to make fun of Merlin. It was just all so absurd. Merlin had an adult son and a four year-old? Imagining Merlin with a toddler was just comical. What next? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-13 04:42 pm UTC (link)
	It wasn't unexpected, but he couldn't bring himself to throw the book at him. "Yeah, Uncle Arthur. I have kids." Now was the even harder part. But he could wait for Arthur to stop laughing. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 04:49 pm UTC (link)

"Sorry, just.. You," Arthur took a minute to compose himself. Eventually Merlin would grow up, and it did seem like Nimue and Merlin had been getting pretty serious. It wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility for them to eventually decide to have kids. It was just so hard to picture.

"Uncle... Ha!" It was all so ridiculous. He shouldn't laugh, though. He would eventually like to marry Gwen and have a son. He had no idea what he would do if one showed up now, though.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-13 06:38 pm UTC (link)
	Merlin smiled. It was ridiculous, really. Not the idea thar he would eventually have children, but that they were here now. He started laughing with Arthur. He'd been taking this so seriously and it was good to laugh about it. "I also, apparently, had a beard. Amy was very confused." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	camelotprince 2011-09-13 07:55 pm UTC (link)
	"A beard!" He was trying to stop laughing, but Merlin was making it very difficult. Arthur chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "All right. So. Kids. A little one. That's... How is that?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hiddenwarlock
2011-09-13 09:14 pm UTC (link)

Merlin shrugged, "It's new. Nimue loves it. She loves kids. She's going to look for a bigger place, so the kids can live there. And." he paused and looked away a bit, "She wants me to move in with her. So I can help with the kids and all that. And I know it would be a big change, but it's not like we wouldn't still be hanging out, just I'd go home at the end of the day." It was said a little quickly so he could get it out before Arthur interrupted.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-13 09:50 pm UTC (link)

"Huh." Arthur was pretty surprised by the idea of Nimue liking kids. The interaction he had with her had been pretty tense, mainly with him being mocked viciously by her. He couldn't imagine the woman with children.

"Oh," he said when Merlin had finished. Well, it did make sense. Merlin couldn't very well live in a different place from his children. Everything seemed backwards, though. "Well. Right." He liked Merlin staying with him. True, Arthur had mainly asked because he was insecure about getting enough time with Merlin, but he'd actually grown to like it a lot. Back in Camelot, Merlin spent most of his day at the castle before going back to Gaius' house. It could be like that. But with kids.. He would be even more busy.

"Are you marrying her?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hiddenwarlock
2011-09-13 10:20 pm UTC (link)

He hadn't been expecting more of a response, but the lack of words was a little discouraging. And the last question caught him off guard. It wasn't that he hadn't been thinking about it, the time just hadn't been right. Now he was moving in with her and taking care of kids. It did seem like maybe they should get married, but was 'should' a good reason to propose? "Uh. It was part of the plan, eventually. I just... well I didn't really expect the kid thing and the moving in part to come on so soon, you know."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

camelotprince
2011-09-14 12:48 am UTC (link)

"Ah," Arthur said as if he understood completely, though he wasn't sure he did. If--God forbid--Arthur had a future child appear, he would propose to Gwen nearly immediately. He would be a nervous wreck, but it would be a near automatic reaction.

"It's like you're an adult," Arthur said, looking a little unhappy. Wasn't Arthur supposed to become an adult first? He was going to be the king! "So... you really have to move out? I know you need to be there for the kids, but.." He frowned.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

hiddenwarlock
2011-09-14 01:01 am UTC (link)

Merlin shrugged. It was just... awkward. "I just worry that if I propose right after this she'll think that's the only reason I'm proposing, you know? I mean, it should mean something more than that, right?"

Merlin smiled a little, "I guess I am an adult." He hadn't really thought of it that way, but sure, why not? "And yeah. I mean, Gaius said... well in the future we all lived here. But that's probably not a good idea right now, so I should move out so I can be with them."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	camelotprince 2011-09-14 01:20 am UTC (link)
	Arthur shrugged. He didn't exactly see the problem. "You're asking the wrong person. I'm just lucky my father isn't trying to arrange a marriage with a princess from a neighboring kingdom anymore." "Really?" That sounded like something that might work. "Here? Why isn't it a good idea? What about the guest house? Do you think that's enough room?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-14 01:31 am UTC (link)
	Merlin combed his hand through his hair, "That was getting a little old." He looked a little unconvinced. "I mean, there's more than enough room, it's just... you and Nimue never really got along. I didn't want to cause any problems." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	camelotprince 2011-09-14 01:40 am UTC (link)
	"I'll be stuck in this study most of the time," he said, gesturing wildly at the books. "And really, the guest house is basically standalone.. If we wanted to avoid each other, we could. But we probably don't get along because we never talk, right?" Possibly? Maybe? "We could get to know each other." He sounded a little unsure, but he was willing to try. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	hiddenwarlock 2011-09-14 01:55 am UTC (link)
	Merlin shrugged, "I don't see why it wouldn't work." He smiled, "I'll talk to Nimue. See what she thinks. I'm sure Gaius and Amy would appreciate it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	camelotprince 2011-09-14 02:39 am UTC (link)
	Arthur smiled. He was a bit nervous, but hopeful. The world wouldn't end if Merlin moved out, Arthur knew. The prince wasn't completely unable to take care of himself. Still.. Merlin made him happy. Arthur was a better person when he had him around. "Good... Let me know." Arthur smiled. (Reply to this) (Parent)