26th Spell ~ [Voice]

[destinedtobeunpopular]

[ There's silence for a while, one of hesitation, like he turned the recording on without having really decided if he wanted to. But, eventually, Merlin sucks in a slow breath. ]

How long have I been gone? I... can't remember what the date was last because--

[ Pause. ]

Does anyone even remember me? It's been... four years since I was here. For me, that is. It's all a little... fuzzy. I'm. Merlin.

Just Merlin.

[ Nothing else. Nothing special. What was really the point with anything? With him? What is he doing here? ]

Comments

audio:

[charring]

[She hasn't given up hope, but hearing his voice stops her in her tracks. She had been doing stuff in the garden, pulling out weeds and picking vegetables ready for the kitchen but fuck that.

That's her husband. Still, he said things were fuzzy so maybe he didn't remember her?

God, if you're listening...]

A month and several days. Where are you?

[Whether he remembers her or not, she's coming to find him.]

audio:

[destinedtobeunpopular]

[ He knows that voice. Of course he knows it. He connects it to home and warmth and love and comfort, he could never forget that. Like his mother's arms.

It's fuzzy, but that's not the sort of thing you forget. ]

I think... The house. Has to be.

[ Their house. Their and... Arthur's. ]

Re: audio:

[charring]

[And Charlie just starts laughing for so many reasons. She's laughing because if she doesn't, she'll start crying and she hardly does that. She's laughing because the relief is overwhelming that he's back.

And she's laughing because she's outside the house. So there's no reply from her. Just the sound of her running outside, the back door of the house opening and slamming. Where are you, Merlin? Your wife needs to actually see you.]

audio: -> action:

[destinedtobeunpopular]

[ He's confused for a moment at the laughter, but he understands it when he hears the back door. And he's outside the front door, but he quickly moves to open it and head inside, and. Stops, right inside it because he doesn't know where he's supposed to go. He can't remember the layout of it or where the back door is just yet because it's been so long and he feels out of place.

So he'll just let Charlie find him. ]

[medials]

Four years! And I thought I'd been away for a long time.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

It was... one year before that.

[ And basically he doesn't know what's happening. ]

Lots of time to keep track of.

[medials]

Wow. This place really doesn't want you to forget.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

No. It likes me, apparently.

[missrosetyler]

Hello again. Blimey four years? That's a hell of a gap. Um, welcome back I suppose?

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Yeah, I suppose. Thanks. Uhm... Sorry, I know I know you, but I can't recall your name.

[missrosetyler]

Oh. Well that's alright. My name's Rose. Rose Tyler. Been here for a while myself.

[coyote_walking]

It's only been about a month here.

I'm Mercy. You used to work for me and you still have a job if you want one.

It's... good to have you back, Merlin. You've been missed. A lot.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Yeah, I remember you. A bit difficult not to when I saw you almost every day. Thanks.

[coyote_walking]

True, true.

And, of course, no pressure. Come by whenever you want. I imagine Charlie won't let you out of her sight for some time.

video;

[oceantrauma]

Four years?

Merlin-san, for us it's just been a few weeks. I was gone for a month myself.

Welcome back, though.

video;

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Thank you, Ken.

[ A part of him was hoping it had been longer and there were fewer people he knew around. Not that he doesn't love everyone he's met, it's just that... it doesn't help, in this case. He would almost enjoy not knowing a single soul, at least for a while. He had been so uncertain about doing this call, but he also felt he needed to know. ]

How are you?

video;

[oceantrauma]

I'm...still floundering a bit. But I'm well enough.

Are you happy to be back with Charlie-san?

[valentineluke]

Not the first nor the last to experience a 'time change'.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Not the first time for me either.

[paving]

Four years? That's a really long time. How did you manage to get out the last time?

[destinedtobeunpopular]

I didn't manage it. It was the deities' doing.

[paving]

Why do you think they did that?

video;

[majorcrotchgrab]

About time you got back. Charlie's been upset without you.

video;

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Yeah. They're not very nice on her, are they?

video;

[majorcrotchgrab]

More so the fact that you were completely gone from the City had her upset, I think.