ic contact;

[psycholawgy]

You've reached Athena Cykes. I'm currently unavailable, but leave a message and I'll get back to you pronto. Danke! (voice/call → text → video → action)

Comments

a-ah.... how can i resist a plea like that /)///////(\

[sortileges]

[ He just has a lot on his mind. They aren't that much different in terms of age, but ages as in years they lived in before differ vastly. The fact that she invited him here to experience his first movie says something for that.

He isn't only learning about people, but every experience is completely different from what he'd get at home. ]

That's probably the nerves. [ There's no way he has a straight face, it's too embarrassing right now for that. There are probably some things you should keep to yourself in a situation like that, but instead he says: ] My palm is probably pretty sweaty by now.

[ To prove a point he lets her hand go, to rub his hands over his trousers, using that moment to swallow hard. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ you do that, merlin. athena moves to drink the rest of her juice, now with water since the ice has melted a bit in the glass.

now she feels normal. and it's good. she can't say the same for merlin, but at least half of the problem is fixed. more or less. she won't force him to feel better or anything, so she won't point out what his heart is saying for now.

they never ended up watching the movie. not that the movie is over yet, but even athena doesn't know why elle is wearing a playboy bunny costume now. ]

Out of curiosity, do you think that the only thing you should be doing is serve and protect Arthur?

[ because it seemed like it when he was talking about it. there's nothing she wants more from him right now but to get to know him better and understand how he thinks.

she's a nerd. ]

[sortileges]

[ It helps him calm down, and once she's done with his drink he shifts to take his own. At least the inside of his mouth isn't stinging as much now. He reaches up to rub the back of his neck with the hand not holding the juice while he sips. He doesn't finish it off, but he does take a few good swigs of the stuff before settling it down.

It gives him the time to think. ]

I really don't have the time for anything else. I help Gaius--my master, of sorts? He's more like a father to me at this point though--with gathering herbs or even help him with his patients but. Primarily... Arthur runs me ragged.

[ That doesn't exactly answer the question, but it's a close... start. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ she knows how it's like to work hard. though her own boss back in school was herself. she barely gave herself any time to rest since she was rushing that much to graduate. she also had to be at the top of her class, but that's just her being competitive.

so she gets it. somewhat. she doesn't know what it's like to be a servant or anything, but-- ]

Do you scrub the toilets?

[ because she does. at the agency. and it is the w o r s t. ]

[sortileges]

[ Athena, is this really the kind of question to ask right now? It's even worse when you consider the time period differences. He coughs into his hand now. ]

You mean like the ones here? They... didn't exist. You probably don't want me to explain how that works. Hygiene definitely went up in the past 1000 years. [ He bites his lip. ] He does make me tidy his room, clean his armor and muck out the stables though, yes.

[psycholawgy]

[ SHE IS JUST CURIOUS!!! :'( why is it wrong to ask questions. ]

Oh. [ she doesn't even hide her grimace. she has no idea what peeing and pooping was like in the dark ages, but she'll pass on knowing. ] Ick.

And you don't get any days off?

[ to spend in the tavern-- I MEAN ladhlafk ]

[sortileges]

[ There's no way he can't mimic that. ] I have to say, it's a lot better here for that.

[ No wonder he's squeaky clean now compared to when he first got here. ]

And not. a. one. The only days off that I get is when I'm dying, actually.

[ NOT IN THE TAVERN....... ]

[psycholawgy]

Dying. [ she has to repeat it before it the idea gets stuck in her head. she doesn't say anything about it, though, since he's still alive and everything.

so she thinks, anyway. ]

Well, at least you can have a ton of days off while you're here.

[ no... that's wrong, too. ]

So enjoy it a bit, I guess?

[sortileges]

[ He raises both his eyebrows at that. ] You did see my memories, though I suppose you cut off part way through.

[ Not dead. Nope. ]

And I'm enjoying it right now, aren't I?

[ Yeah. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ the images flash again in her head, and she has to rest her head back to make it all go away. but it doesn't leave, fully. widget changes from its default happy face to a sad one, crying in pain. ]

I remember. Your memories, I mean.

[ then she lets out a deep sigh. ]

And yes, I suppose... I hope you are, anyway.

[sortileges]

[ With the lights partially dimmed it's easier to notice the difference in Widget. It doesn't take long for him to reach out, his index and middle fingers lightly tapping under her chin. ]

Look, if I can live through all that then you can forget about it now.

[ And Athena????? Really?????? ]

There's just no pleasing you, is there? Are you going to make me say it multiple times? Is that what this is?

[psycholawgy]

[ she laughs through her nose, then shakes her head. she may have stiffened up at the contact, but she immediately shrugs it off. ]

I'll try.

[ while she's staring up at the ceiling, her sight begins to blur rather than focus on the light above them. so she blinks a couple of times for her eyesight to come back. ]

No. No. Sorry? [ is that what she's supposed to say? ]

[sortileges]

[ Rather than dropping his arm back onto the couch, he rests it on the back, wiggling his fingers over the top of her eyes while she's clearly blinding herself. His hand drops back after, but he shakes his head while he shifts. ]

Why did you ask anyway? [ Yeah he's just brushing the rest aside for now. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ ugh, merlin!! she swats that hand away. or tries to, anyway. ]

I just wanted to know.

I talk a lot about myself sometimes, so it's just fair.

[sortileges]

[ Tries to, but then his hand is flopping down on her face. ]

Did you want me to talk about myself more? [ His hand sure is just staying there -- thankfully this isn't the point Ai walks in. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ he holds him on his wrist and to lift the hand up to stare at his palm. ]

Only if you want to. [ a beat. ] I mean, that's why you have friends. So you can talk to them about what you're going through.

[sortileges]

[ His hand kind of flip flops for a moment before he gives up, though he does keep his eyes on that. ]

It's not something I'm used to. [ He clears his throat. ] I wouldn't even know where to start.

[psycholawgy]

[ she lets go of his wrist, and shifts in her seat to sit down properly. then she looks at him, a gentle smile on her face. ]

Well, it wouldn't make sense if you just started talking. Just- [ she looks up again, and then shrugs her shoulders. ] this is more difficult than I thought.

But it does feel nice to get to know someone you trust, right?

[sortileges]

[ He sinks down on the couch a little, hand flopping onto the couch between them as he studies her for a moment. ]

Mm. I don't know about that. The more I learn... [ But a wide smile is forming and yeah, that's a lie. ]

It is nice.

[psycholawgy]

[ it's good that he agrees, because what she had just said came from her heart. she grins at him in return. ]

See what I mean? And once you think you know enough, the things you do with them become even more meaningful.

[ she leans forward and stretches both her legs and her arms forward. ]

It warms my heart when my friends do something so touching.

[sortileges]

[ He lightly picks at the pocket of his trousers, not looking at her as she stretches out, it seems better than staring anyway. ]

When do you consider knowing someone well enough?

[psycholawgy]

When you can guess what they're thinking, or if you can finish each other's sentences.

[ hm, that's not all, but it's definitely perked athena up. talking about friendship makes her happy, ok ok. ]

Or when you don't have to tell each other that there's something wrong. They just know.

[sortileges]

You have a considerable advantage on that last one... it seems rather unfair.

[ Well, he isn't lying. ]

[psycholawgy]

It's not like I'm good at hiding what I'm feeling. So my friends are lucky on that end.

[ well, she's good at lying about being sad but OTHERWISE... ]

[sortileges]

[ Well she isn't lying there. ]

Considering the amount of times you've cried now-- [ He shifts and hooks one ankle over the other, stretching his legs out. ] --I really can't disagree with that.