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)

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[psycholawgy]

[ he's said it countless of times, but it always feels so warm, and it makes her feel so giddy whenever he tells her to stay with him.

she wonders why that is.

her voice goes hushed again. it makes their little bubble more special. ]

Okay. I won't go. [ and she returns the squeeze. ]

[sortileges]

[ He does, at least, give her a smile for that. It's only small, but uterrly genuine. Like even if he's still struggling through this, there isn't anywhere else he'd rather be and he wishes she'd understand that. ]

Come closer?

[psycholawgy]

Can I?

[ of course you can, athena. he asked. she doesn't wait for him to answer but she does roll over closer to him again. tonight sure has been Something. ]

Better?

[ now that her hand is tugging on the side of his jacket, anyway. ]

[sortileges]

[ Well, he didn't burst into tears like someone, so it's fine. She just needs to remember ye olde days were a lot more conservative and ... just different.

As soon as she rolls closer though he's shifting to drape his arm over her waist, pressing his hand against her back. ]

Much [ She should be able to hear it too, that the sadness is definitely disappearing and changing into something much more content. Just as he'd told her last time. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ she does hear it, and it makes her feel a lot better. it's strange how sometimes it's the heartbeat that can make her feel better and not actual validation or words... but that's athena for you.

she shifts until she's in a much more comfortable position, lying on her side and just facing him. ]

Hey. What is it like, anyway? In your world... when you like somebody?

[ see? at least she's trying to understand now. ]

[sortileges]

[ Well to be fair, it's probably the most honest reaction she's going to get from someone who, despite sucking at saying certain lies, can lie rather well. Or at least avoid the truth well enough to count as lying.

His head dips down a bit at her question and he bites his lip, but he tries to keep his eyes on her. ]

Slower. From what I've seen here, anyway, it's slow. It depends on your rank as well but ... for someone like Arthur if it's someone he shouldn't be with you have to meet in secret. If it's a match, to another Princess or something, one visits the other and discussions are had and treaties are made. Often there isn't any love involved at all.

[ It's easier to talk about Arthur first, he avoids mentioning Gwen, but still... ]

For someone like... [ me ] ...you'd take them out so many times, on picnics or on horse rides. Just talk. It would probably be weeks before you kiss and then maybe after a certain amount of time you'd... [ he looks up, not looking her in the eye ] get married. Different people would take the last step at different stages, I wouldn't really know how long.

[psycholawgy]

[ she nods when he explains, getting a bit more of his perspective this time around.

she nuzzles up against him again. please give her the attention she needs, merlin. ]

Things are fast.... now, I guess. I mean, fast compared to how it is in your- Camelot. [ a pause. and then she looks up at the fake sky above them. ] First, it's just hand-holding, and then it turns into kissing, and then making out, and then people do- [ she clears her throat. this... this is hard to say out loud... ] the deed. [ hopefully, he gets what she means. ]

Some people get married right away, but it usually takes years for boyfriends and girlfriends to marry.

[sortileges]

[ He's obviously read the word dating before, heard it... and looked up its significance but the actual step-by-step guide to how she (and nearly everyone else in this place, honestly) see how this works is a little... well it's definitely helpful but it's also hard to digest. He doesn't know all the terminology Athena is using, but he wants to learn for her.

To make this easier. ] If you love someone, why would you wait that long?

[ Ah........ ]

And... [ Well okay, he can understand the deed to an extent, but there's something else there he isn't certain of. ] What does "making-out" mean? Living with someone? [ Making it work out? is it short for that?????????? Modern slang...... ]

[psycholawgy]

[ merlin, what a stupid question! she could go on and on about couples arguing or even pre-nuptials but... ]

Because sometimes, things may not work out. My father... he left my mother, you know? After they got married. [ it's a sad story, and her smile wavers a little. ] True love isn't real for some people.

[ the sad fact.

she cants her head at the question, though, and then she laughs. ]

No, silly! It's when you kiss someone deeply... passionately. . . [ and this has begun to be embarrassing for her, too. so she rolls to the other side to face the other way. ] And your hands move in places.

[sortileges]

[ Well, really his father left when he was still really young as well but-- ]

My father left too, but ... [ It's hard to explain. ] it doesn't mean they didn't love each other once.

[ Though okay, how does she expect him to know this and how does her rolling over help anything? His arm is still curled over her and he has to slide it lower to make sure it isn't... too high. It's a lot more awkward on this side. ] Places?

[ What do hands have to do with kissing? Though thankfully he isn't asking that question aloud. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ MERLIN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE OF BEING ASKED THIS QUESTION.

christ...

christ!! ]

When... things get steamy, you'd want to do something else beyond kissing. Like. . . touching... each other.

[ and then she rolls around, flailing. oh my god that was so embarrassing LET HER DIE NOW PLEASE ]

[sortileges]

[ How is he supposed to know when he only has pure thoughts?!

Though even with how she's flailing around like a lunatic (no matter if his arm is over her and he ends up flailing a bit to try and free it) he's still not entirely sure right away what she means. ]

Touch...? [ Each other. Ea--




The fact that he goes silent probably tells her that he understands now. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ so...

yeah... silence...


she'll wait for merlin to gather his bearings as she just covers her face from embarrassment.

she can't believe she just had to explain what making out is. ]

[sortileges]

[ It's a very long silence as he tries to work out if he can even touch her when he kisses her now, honestly. There are too many blurry lines in this and he has no idea where is crossing a line so he just.......... keeps his arm flopped on the floor between them, staring at his hand.

It's probably one of his longest silences in his life............ Sorry Athena. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ thank athena for being the most awkward ice breaker, then. ]

You don't have to- I mean— It's not needed— I mean. . .

[ what does she mean?! ]

[sortileges]

[ What does she mean, exactly?

Though that isn't the issue, he's more concerned with something else. ] I haven't -- have I? [ Okay, now what does he mean? ]

...Though you'd probably say, wouldn't you?

[ This is so confusing, isn't it... Two bumbling idiots. ]

[psycholawgy]

Haven't what?

[ god, this is so confusing. her head's starting to spin... why did they have to talk about this? why did athena have to be so forward? she just wanted to make it known that she likes him. a lot. ]

[sortileges]

I don't think I've... done that have I? Touched you... somewhere I shouldn't have?

[ H e l p

Really, yes, Athena why did you have to open your mouth on this... He's been very careful though, but they did sleep curled up on the roof and what does he know? ]

[psycholawgy]

[ she just shakes her head, still facing the other way. she just wants to go to sleep; escape this conversation. how can she be so stupid? why does she always mess things up? ]

You haven't. Don't worry.

[ unless you wanted to touch her in case their kissing really did end up being passionate, then... then... maybe she wouldn't mind it. ]

[sortileges]

[ Okay, she's spending way too much time looking the other way by now. He tries to shuffle forward, peering down at her as his hand flattens in front of her. ]

Then what are you so embarrassed about? [ He isn't smiling or laughing though, he's more concerned that she won't face him. Though... ah.



Is it...? ]












Do you want me to?

[psycholawgy]

[ she's!!! still!!! not looking!!! her cheeks are so red right now, and she just closes her eyes in hopes of escaping. ]

If things took a turn... in that direction... I- wouldn't mind. . . Because I like you.

[ and... ]

[sortileges]

[ Thankfully the darkness of the room hide most of the red in her cheeks but he can see her eyes are shut. The room is incredibly silent, which means even if she's whispering her words sound loud simply because of what they are.

He didn't expect them. Doesn't expect them, no matter how many times they might be repeating in his head.




And now even he's thinking about it now, with his mouth feeling parched (because how else would it be after this?), fingers digging into the floor before he pulls his hand back to instead rest it against her arm, sliding gently up and down over his jacket, but then he's shifting so he can lean to kiss her from the side, kissing at the skin under her ear, next to her jaw and neck. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ HOW DO YOU WORK SO FAST, YOU LITTLE SHIT. athena squirms a little bit but just lets him kiss her that way. her nails dig deep into the floor, as well, not exactly sure what to do.

she might know what making out is, but good lord. she's never done it before.

are they even going to do it now? is there a signal? is merlin just kissing her for the sake of kissing her? what is going on... she wishes she could just knock herself out. that would be so much easier. . . ]

Merlin, what-- [ are your intentions? she'd like to ask, but... she lets out a loud breath of pleasure instead. it tickles. ]

[sortileges]

[ Look it doesn't feel fast with how long it takes him to lean down and also to leave the kiss. His mouth feels hot, lips scorching where they brush her skin. Instead of pushing too much though, he leans back after. ]

Instinct. [ Is all he says for a moment, trying to her time to consider everything as well. ] Do you trust me?

[psycholawgy]

[ she's silent for a while, just staring at him and looking into his eyes. ]

I'm- [ seriously, do you have to answer something like that? she's had trust issues in the past but that was because of the masks... but. . . merlin's a friend above all else, and she trusts him with her life. ] Of course, I do, silly. Why would you ask that?