poly_chromatic | 26th Spell ~ [Voice]

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26th Spell ~ [Voice]

[ 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? ]

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[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.]

[ 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. ]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

[And Charlie will just follow the mass of animals headed his way, trying her best to step around them and not trip over the mess of scales and fur and quills. When she spots Merlin, she stops long enough to make sure it really is him before heading over and wrapping her arms around him.

Her head rests on his shoulder and her fingers curl in his shirt. She's not about to let go any time soon. And she's not about to say anything, either because this is a lot and she's not sure what to say. So she just holds him.]

[ Merlin was headed to Ealdor. There was no other place he could go after something like that. But he never reached it before he was here again, and he's been holding it all up and in, forcefully tucked away and locked in with a heavy lid, just so that it wouldn't burst because the idea frightened him. So where else to go if not home?

Home.

Home is his mother's arms, they're what he... had left. This, the City, made that matter a little more complicated. But his mother's arms are what he was waiting for, warmth and love and comfort. And this is it.

So it all crumbles. Charlie's arms go around him and suddenly he breaks, entirely without meaning to, suddenly his cheeks are wet from tears, suddenly he's shaking and gripping desperately onto the back of her shirt, suddenly he's sobbing like he never allowed himself while pushing the boat out onto the lake. ]

[She'd never heard him sob before. Not like this so she's instantly worried and that worry leads to protectiveness. Her arms tighten briefly, as if trying to shield him from whatever's hurt him so much but she knows she can't entirely.

She simply lets him sob, fingers running softly through his hair, one hand rubbing between his shoulders.

She doesn't try to silence him. This sounded like the kind of sobbing that just needed out. Instead, her hand reached out for the doorknob of their room, pulling him with her as she made her way through the door. She shuts it behind him and resumes holding him.

When she's sure it's okay to say anything, her tone is soft.]

Tell me what's happened.

[An unsaid 'if you want' at the end.]

[ He doesn't let it all out, doesn't finish, as such. Once they've moved and he's past the initial surprise that lead to him being incapable of stopping it at all, he forces himself to shut the floodgates with a great amount of power, something insane that he's even shocked he has at this point. Somehow, he manages to reduce it to trembling and shaky breathing, all too soon but he can't. He can't break. It hurts too much.

She asks what's happened and he almost can't keep it at bay, but he manages that too, by some miracle. He wipes at his eyes, takes a deep breath to try and calm it but it rather has the opposite effect. Never mind, then. ]

It--

[ There's not really a point to not saying it. Everyone's going to know, anyway.

He wonders what the legends say. The legends everyone know about. ]

Arthur, he--

[ But of course the words won't actually come out. ]

[She understands, though. He doesn't need to say anything and she doesn't need to remember the legends. She knows her husband well enough to understand. Her breath catches in her throat and her eyes close for a moment, a subtle shake of her head as if she doesn't want to believe it.

But Merlin wouldn't lie. Why would he? Never about something like this, either.

Her hands frame his face for a moment, thumb wiping away faint traces of tears off of his skin. It's the least she can do. Once again, she's at a loss for words and almost feels like she's failing him because of it.]

Merlin.

[She's not going to say she's sorry, even if she is. It just always sounded so wrong to her. When she was younger, she remembered cringing when people found out her father died and said they were sorry. So she just rests her forehead against his, trying to be there.]

What can I do for you?

[That, at least she can say. She wants to help him so badly.]

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

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

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.

Four years?

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

Welcome back, though.

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

It was... one year before that.

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

Lots of time to keep track of.

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

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

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?

Edited 2013-06-04 06:15 (UTC)

Not the first time for me either.

[ He doesn't need an "I'm sorry", doesn't really want any either because it makes no damn difference, however sincere it might be. This is better, especially when his guard dropped completely without his consent. Even if she would protest it, he doesn't want to just drop it all on her, not like this. But it's for his sake too; he's not sure he'll ever be okay if he lets it all go.

He doesn't know if he'll be okay even if he doesn't.

He shakes his head because he doesn't know. There's nothing to be done, really. So he stays there, breathes with his eyes burning behind his eye lids. And shakes his head. ]

Gwaine, too...

[ And he feels so heavy. ]

Edited 2013-06-04 06:32 (UTC)

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

Gwaine. [God. She met him. She didn't speak to him for long because it was one of those weekends, but she'd liked him. A lot. Partly due to his importance to Merlin and partly because she enjoyed having him around.

This news hurt to hear, partly because of that and partly because of her husband.

She knows he's holding back but isn't sure why he's doing it. She wants him to let it go, but it's up to him. Maybe now isn't the time. Maybe there will never be a time when he does it, but she's right there.

Charlie's hands reach for Merlins, her fingers lacing through his.]

We should go away for a few days. So you can get your bearings.

[And possibly recover somewhat, if that's possible. He needs the peace, she thinks, and with the City being what it is at the moment, maybe time away will help.]

What do you think? The City's been...weird, anyway. Curses last longer than usual and tend to be more dangerous. I think I need a vacation, anyway.

[Plus there's time for them to be a couple again.]

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

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

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

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26th Spell ~ [Voice]

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