#Part 2 of 7

[magicalsniper]

The Legacy of Magic

5,853 words | Teen | Part 2 of 7 Author's AO3: MagicalSniper Story Link: The Legacy of Magic Part One Part Three Part Four

Summary: Balinor, summoned by Uther to negotiate with the Great Dragon Kilgharrah, witnesses the devastating aftermath of the Great Purge of Magic and is forced to escape Camelot, leaving behind a pregnant Hunith. Years later, his son Merlin, who struggles to conceal his magic, becomes fast friends with Prince Arthur. Their bond is tested when Arthur learns the truth about Merlin’s magic, but his loyalty to Merlin remains steadfast, though their relationship is marred by the weight of secrets and struggles for the safety of magic users in Camelot.

Chapter Two: The One Where Arthur and Merlin Become Friends

Hunith’s fingers trembled as she accepted the small woven basket filled with vibrant herbs from the errand boy. She hugged the basket to her chest to keep it from tumbling to the floor and closed the door firmly with her hip. The scent of rosemary and thyme enveloped her as she meandered through the Physician’s chambers and placed the basket haphazardly on the table beside the tinctures she had filled before the interruption. She began to fill the rest of the empty vials absentmindedly, accidentally overflowing one of them in her distraction.

“Careful with those tinctures, Hunith,” Gaius chided gently, noticing her distraction. “A single drop too much, and you’ll have the King dancing a jig rather than resting.”

“Maybe it’ll lighten the bastard up,” she muttered to her brother, moving the vials out of the way to clean up her mess. “Heaven knows we could all use the laugh.”

She wiped her hands on her apron and reached for the small vial of wheat and barley she had prepared a week prior, unable to wait any longer to see the results. She had read in one of Gaius’s medical books that if a woman thought herself pregnant, she would urinate over the seeds of wheat and barley over several days. If it grows, the woman is likely with a child.

Her thoughts wandered to Balinor and the passionate night they had shared not two months prior as she brought the vial close to the candlelight. If she were indeed pregnant with his child, what would that mean for her future, given the danger of having a magical offspring in Camelot?

“It’s a boy,” Gaius said softly, coming up behind her to look at the vial where the seedlings were leaning towards the candlelight. 

She glanced down at the vial; indeed, the barley seeds had sprouted.

“And it’s… Balinor’s child?” Gaius asked in a light tone. 

Hunith threw Gaius a nasty look over her shoulder, causing him to cover the teasing smile that crossed his face. It was no secret that she had been good friends with Uther and Balinor since childhood. There was no shortage of rumors among the castle and lower village that she had been warming the King’s bed since the death of Ygraine. Unfounded, of course, but that didn’t stop Gaius from teasing her about it every now and then. 

His face took on a more serious expression. “Some might say…” Gaius paused, weighing his words, “... that ending this pregnancy might be safer for all involved.” 

Hunith’s hands found the hem of her dress, twisting the fabric as she pondered his words. “Safer, perhaps,” she shrugged and sighed heavily. “But I cannot. This child is more than just Balinor’s. If Balinor has no more children, this child is the last hope for the Dragonlords— I cannot allow that to be extinguished.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” Gaius said with a nod and a warm smile. “We shall keep this secret safe for as long as possible.”

~o0o~

By the sixth month of her pregnancy, Hunith was glowing with the promise of new life— a new life already proving to be as mischievous as magical. Not an hour passed without vials toppling over unexpectedly, books fluttering like birds taking flight around the chambers, and quills dancing across tables in a bizarre waltz.

“Merlin, stop that!” Hunith scolded, despite knowing that her words would fall on deaf ears. “He’s not even born yet and is driving me crazy!” she muttered, slamming her hand down onto the book she had been reading as it tried to fly away.

"Perhaps it's best if you remain out of sight for the time being," Gaius suggested, righting a floating tome with a sigh.

“Lovely.” 

~o0o~

Yet, even the best-laid plans of mice and men— or, in this case, physicians and their assistants, go awry. There was a grand tournament during the Spring equinox where all of Camelot had gathered. Hunith had become stir-crazy, now eight months pregnant, and had, against her better judgment, allowed herself to venture into the stands to watch the tournament, her presence masked by the throngs of spectators. Or so she had thought.

She was dressed in a loose dress that disguised her baby bump, never being more grateful that she didn’t show as much as many others did that late in their pregnancy. She would have been fine, with no one the wiser, had Uther, sitting in the middle of the stands, not caught her eye as she made her way towards Gaius, who was a few rows behind him. 

Uther had raised an eyebrow at her and motioned with his head that she should sit beside him and young Arthur, who was kneeling on his own seat, blue eyes wide with wonder as he watched the jousting tournament. 

She merely gave him a tight smile and shook her head. He likely thought she was trying to deny the request to keep the rumours at bay because Uther merely rolled his eyes and motioned with his head again, causing her to sigh heavily and approach him. 

“Morning, Sire,” she said ‘sire’ in the most sarcastic tone she could muster, causing Uther to roll his eyes again and scoff at her. “And Arthur, how are you doing?” She cooed, reaching over to smooth his hair from his eyes. 

Arthur, then three, grinned up at her, his two front teeth missing due to him falling from one of the castle statues earlier in the week. “Aunt Hunith! Are you sitting with us!? Did you see what the Black Knight did just now? It was so cool!” He reached over and hugged her waist, his face nuzzling her belly. Arthur pulled away and frowned at her belly, “Did you get fat?”

“Arthur!” she scolded, firmly pushing on his shoulders and glaring down at him. “There are two things you never ask a lady— her age or if she gained weight.”

Arthur pouted, “I’m sorry, Aunt Hunith.” 

She sighed heavily and leaned down to kiss his forehead, pulling him into a hug. “I forgive you.”

Uther watched the exchange with a small smile, frowned at her, and scanned her body until his eyes rested on her stomach. He licked his lips and looked nervously at her, “Are you?”

“Would I be pregnant and not tell one of my oldest friends?” She asked him softly. 

He gave her a sad look. It wouldn’t have even been a question eight months ago, but he could tell she’d been pulling away since Balinor’s disappearance. “I’d protect you if… if you were, as long as it wasn’t…” Balinor’s, it went without saying. Uther had no tolerance for magic, even from his oldest friends, not since Ygraine had passed.

“Would you have me killed if it were, Uther?” Hunith challenged, pressing the side of Arthur’s face into her hip and covering the other side of his face with her hand so that he wouldn’t hear their conversation. He hardly noticed, as entranced as he was with the knights below. “Have Arthur watch his aunt die right before his very eyes?”

Uther’s lips tightened into a straight line, and he could not meet her eyes. “I… I…”

“I’m not pregnant, Uther,” she lied after a minute of watching him trying to come up with a response, her hand stroking the side of Arthur’s face as she let go of him. “No need to go light the pyre.”

“Good, good, good… good,” Uther cleared his throat and patted the bench beside him. “Join me, please? I’ve missed you.”

“Careful, Uther,” Hunith said dryly. “You don’t want everyone to start thinking you have feelings.” 

He huffed out a laugh and gently pulled her into the seat that Arthur had vacated, “You’re ridiculous.”

They sat in companionable silence, cheering in all the right places, making idle chatter between rounds, pulling Arthur down from the rails when he became so into the tournament he almost fell off it. It almost felt as it had when they were kids and would watch the tournaments together. 

Unfortunately, it became too similar to the tournaments they used to attend as kids—the ones where Balinor would enchant the knights to do things when they grew bored.

One minute, they were watching a run-of-the-mill round; nothing seemed out of the ordinary until a knight began to charge valiantly across the field with his lance poised. He'd been suddenly flung off his horse and landed, not with a noble crash but with a tumble that turned into an inexplicable, hand-standing dance across the field.

Hunith froze, having felt the invisible burst of magic that rippled through the air. He looked over to Uther, hoping that he hadn’t felt it as well. Time seemed to stand still as gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd, the spectacle turning heads and raising brows, but it seemed as if no one else thought it was due to magic or felt the pulse. 

Her heart raced, her cheeks reddened with a mixture of embarrassment and fear. She swallowed heavily, ice water in her veins, and laughed a bit hysterically. “R-remarkable balance, that one.”

Uther studied her with narrowed eyes, causing her to fear that he had felt where the magic had come from before his face smoothed, and he turned back to the arena, where the knight had since been released from the spell and was brushing himself off. “Indeed.”

Hunith leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath, her heart pounding as she realised how close she had been to being discovered. She looked down at her stomach with a frown. She was going to have her work cut out for her.

~o0o~

In the backroom of Gaius’ chambers, a young Merlin pressed his nose against the cool glass pane, eyes wide as he observed the bustling castle life below. He took particular interest in the junior knights who were running back and forth from the armoury to the training grounds. He couldn’t help the impish grin that overcame him before he wiggled his fingers in a silent incantation that sent swords and shields flying from the alarmed teen’s hands. He cackled as they ran around like chickens without their heads, trying to catch the weapons that continuously danced out of their reach. 

He watched as the laundress and her assistant carried a load of royal laundry towards the fields to hang and sent it flying across the fields, the sheets moving as if they were playful ghosts, chasing the two women across the grounds. 

He caught sight of an abandoned bucket of water and poured it over the heads of suspecting royals as they toured the grounds. He ducked out of sight when King Uther turned towards the Physician’s chambers, bemusement on his face as the servants rushed towards a screaming Princess Eleanor.

Gaius stuck his head into the room and raised an eyebrow at him after a deafening screech of hers regarding the state of her hair. “Merlin,” the man chided, exasperation clear in his tone. “You don’t seem to be doing your studies.”

“Not my reading and writing, but I am practicing magic!” Merlin’s playful grin fell slightly, and he sighed, “Yes, Uncle.” His voice lacked any remorse, the twinkle in his eyes betraying him. “I’m just so bored. Why couldn’t I go collect herbs with Mommy?”

“What happened the last time you collected herbs with Hunith?” Gaius asked.

Merlin muttered under his breath and kicked at the floor.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“I enchanted King Uther to fall and trip into the fountain,” Merlin looked up, his eyes flashing. “But he was being so mean to his poor manservant!” 

“Why don’t you come help me make some tinctures?” Gaius suggested, “And then we can practice a couple of spells from your spell book.” 

Merlin gasped in excitement and raced down the steps into the main chambers, “Come on, Uncle!”

“This child will be the death of me…” Gaius muttered, following his nephew’s excited calls.

~o0o~

At times, the call to leave the chambers was too strong, and Merlin would escape when his mother and Gaius were distracted. Usually, Merlin would find himself in the stables, feeding and brushing the horses for the stablehands. 

Other times, he would sit on the hill a little away from the training grounds and watch Prince Arthur practise his swordplay with his wooden sword and shield. He moved with grace and power, commanding attention even with his small stature. Merlin’s fingers would twitch; he longed to join in on the laughter of the Prince and his friend Leon, to be a part of something grander than whispered spells and shadows. Or, maybe he just really wanted to mess with the Prince. He really wasn’t sure.

Then, there were times when Merlin would be chasing Gwen across the castle grounds, and he would look up to see Arthur perched on the Library sill, his golden head bowed over a tome. Arthur would raise his head, and for a breathless moment, their worlds would touch— but all too soon, Arthur’s attention was drawn back to his studies, and Merlin would often be tackled to the grass by Gwen. The moment tended to be quickly forgotten and replaced with pleas and squeals of laughter as she would mercilessly tickle him until tears formed in his eyes.

~o0o~

It was the morning of Hunith’s birthday, during Merlin’s seventh summer, and Merlin was determined to get her a present. Early that morning, he had slipped out of the Physician’s quarters when his mother and Gaius were distracted by two knights who had caught fever and a rash the evening before. 

It had taken him a while to get to the market, and he took the long way so that Gaius wouldn’t see him out the window, but it had all been worth it. The market was a kaleidoscope of colours and smells, with vendors hawking wares from stalls draped with the brightest of cloths. 

He moved purposefully, ducking between patrons as he searched for the perfect gift. He had been close to giving up when his eye caught sight of a wooden figurine. It seemed to glow a subtle gold as he approached, and he couldn’t help but be entranced by it. The figure was that of a dragon standing on its hind legs with its wings unfurled. 

It was perfect.

His mother loved telling him tales of dragons and the brave Dragonlords who tamed them. He dug out all the money in his pockets and counted it out, frowning when the man told him he was one silver coin short. 

“M’sorry, Lad,” the man said softly as Merlin pulled his hands back and shoved the coins back in his pocket.

“Thank you,” Merlin muttered as he turned away from the man, tears gathering in his eyes. He began to walk away when a strong hand closed over his shoulder. 

Merlin froze and turned slowly. His eyes traveled up the tall man’s body until he got to his face. Upon recognition, he flinched back. He would have fallen if one of the knights behind him hadn’t caught him. “K-King Uther!” He gave a clumsy bow and kept his eyes trained on the ground, freezing under the man’s scrutiny. He knew he was in big trouble. 

The one major rule his mother and Gaius had was that he was never to be seen by Uther. “Erm, erm…” he bowed again, for lack of knowing what else to do. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to get in your way.”

“You weren’t in my way,” Uther said, kneeling down to his height. Merlin fidgeted as Uther studied his face, sharp eyes focusing on his eyes, nose, and lips before flickering to his eyes. His lips tightened into a straight line before he asked, “You were looking at that dragon figurine?”

Merlin’s eyes widened, and looked back at the stall before turning back to the King, “Y-yes, sir. I wasn’t trying to steal it, I swear! I just wanted to get my mommy a gift for her birthday today, but I was one coin short.” Tears welled in his eyes again, and his hands shook as he tried to take deep breaths to calm himself. 

Unable to look Uther in the eye, he looked over the man’s shoulder and gulped audibly when he spotted the pyre that had been used to execute a young woman accused of magic not a day earlier. He clenched his shaking fists to keep his magic at bay and forced his eyes back to the ground.

Uther frowned thoughtfully at him and looked over to the stall with the figurine before he stood, ordering Merlin to stay where he was. Merlin kept his eyes trained on the ground, wondering what punishment he would get for getting in the King’s way when the dragon figurine slid into his blurry peripheral view. 

He sniffed and rubbed his eyes before looking up at the King in disbelief. He took the dragon gently in his hands, his eyebrows knitted tightly together. “I… I,” he placed the dragon under one arm and dug into his pocket for his money, handing it over to Uther. “I can work for the rest,” he said quickly, his cheeks burning red with embarrassment.

Uther gently took Merlin’s hand and pressed the coins back into it, giving his hand a slight squeeze.  “Tell Hunith that I wish her a very Happy Birthday.”

Merlin’s teary eyes, if possible, widened further, “I-I, yes, Sir.” He shoved the coins back into his pocket and hugged the dragon to his chest, bowing deeply. Only when he was walking away did he think he should have asked how Uther knew it was a present for Hunith.

His heart beat wildly in his chest as he tried to put as much space between him and the King as possible. He weaved through the bustling market with the dragon clenched tightly in his hands. Merlin had to get home before he ran into anyone else he wasn’t supposed to.

In his haste, Merlin didn’t notice the figure emerging from a tent to his right until they collided. The impact sent him sprawling on the ground, the figure skidding away from his outstretched hand. 

“Watch where you are going, you idiot!” The voice, despite being young, was sharp and authoritative. 

Merlin groaned and looked up to see none other than Prince Arthur glaring down at him from under his blonde fringe. He scrambled to his feet and brushed dirt from his green tunic. “Sorry,” he muttered distractedly as he searched for the figurine. “I didn’t see you.”

“Clearly,” Arthur stood tall, even at the tender age of nine. He was the very image of princely disdain, his blue eyes cold as he looked down at Merlin. “You should pay more attention. You could have damaged my armor.”

Merlin snorted. The ‘armor’ was a simple child’s chainmail, something even Merlin could afford to buy from any toy stall. “A real tragedy that would be.” His eyes brightened as he spotted the figurine and went to pick it up, examining it for any damage.

Arthur’s eyebrows rose, “Do you always talk back to your betters?”

Merlin looked around, feigning confusion, “I don’t see any of my betters here.” He couldn’t help himself. The Prince was rubbing him the wrong way.

“You insolent—” Arthur began but stopped abruptly, his gaze narrowing on Merlin. “I know you. You’re that boy Gaius is always yelling at, the one that skulks around the grounds.”

“Skulks?” Merlin huffed. “I prefer ‘strategically positioning myself,’ thank you very much.”

“More like strategically causing trouble,” Arthur countered. “Are you the one behind those weird things happening?”

Merlin froze, his hands squeezing the dragon tightly in his hands. “Of course not,” he lied. “Magic is bad,” he said the practiced words with conviction.

Arthur rolled his eyes as if he’d heard that a million times before, which was a high possibility, given who his father was. “Just stay out of my way if you know what’s best for you.”

“Right, wouldn’t want to interrupt your quest for the perfect hair,” Merlin said dryly, rolling his eyes as Arthur caught sight of himself in a puddle and was fixing his hair in his reflection. 

Arthur’s eyes shot up to his, and his jaw tightened. “You’re impossible.”

“I can’t be impossible. I exist,” Merlin shot back with a grin.

“I am the Prince of Camelot. You will show me some respect!” Arthur's voice was sharp, his fists clenching at his sides.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Respect? Is that what they call it when you demand people bow down to your royal highness?”

Arthur stepped closer until his nose was practically pressed against Merlin’s. “You would be wise to watch your mouth.”

“Or what? You will have Daddy throw me in the stocks?” Merlin shrugged, “I wouldn’t mind. It faces the flowers, and they’re so pretty.” 

Arthur opened his mouth to retort but then paused, studying Merlin. A flicker of something else crossed his features for a moment—was it amusement? “You’re… so weird.” 

“Arthur!”

“Goodbye, Prince Arthur.” He scurried out of the way as Arthur grabbed him, cackling as he went. 

Once he was a safe distance away, he stopped beside a house and looked behind him. He watched as Arthur walked towards his father, and he, too, stopped to turn back.

~o0o~

 Merlin’s footsteps echoed against the stone floors of the Library as he moved through the towering shelves, searing for the book Gaius had sent him to find. The air was thick with the scene of parchment, ink, and leather, and dust particles danced in front of his eyes in the morning's rising sun. 

“Stupid text…”

Merlin stopped at the corner of an aisle and peered around the corner. Prince Arthur was hunched over a hefty tome, muttering to himself. His brow was furrowed in concentration while his lips moved, his finger tracing the words he struggled to read.

He ignored him and continued to the next row, where the medical texts were. He looked for the red leather-bound book with a frown. When he noticed it wasn’t on the bottom four shelves, he began to scan the upper levels of the shelves. And there, about a meter and a half above his head, was the book that he needed. “Of course,” he muttered and looked around. 

There were several scribes sitting at a table in eye line, and he knew Arthur was by the shelves in front of the one he stood at. Then there was Geoffery, who tended to wander through the Library without rhyme or reason. He’d have to do it the old-fashioned way. 

He grimaced as he gripped the dusty shelf above his head and pulled himself up, his fingers slipping on the thick grime coating it. He tried again, this time knocking several books off the shelf and falling onto the floor. 

“SHH!”

He glowered at the scribe glaring at him and jumped to his feet, wiping his sweaty, dirty hands on his breeches. He took a deep breath and tried again but struggled to get a solid foothold on the cluttered shelves, his feet continuing to slip on the accumulated dust and items. 

“What are you doing?”

Merlin gasped as he lost his balance one shelf away from the book he needed; he closed his eyes as he made contact with the person below him, sending both of them falling to the floor with a loud crashing sound, throwing up a cloud of dust which was sucked deep into their lungs, causing the both of them to cough and sputter. 

“Get off me!” Arthur growled, shoving Merlin off him. He coughed some more as he stepped up and brushed himself off. “What do you think you were doing up there!?”

Merlin winced and held his arm to his chest as he struggled to his feet. “I was getting a book for Gaius.” He tried to straighten his arm and grimaced, causing Arthur’s eyes to widen.

“Did you break your arm?”

“Probably just sprained it. I’d be crying if it was broken,” Merlin admitted as he took the long red scarf off his neck and twisted it into a makeshift arm sling like he had seen Gaius and his mother do many times before. 

Arthur scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, “That is what you get for being an idiot. There’s a ladder on the other side that you could have used.” He raised an eyebrow at Merlin before disappearing and reappearing with the sliding ladder, waving his hand at it. “See?”

Merlin scowled and watched as the Prince slid it over to where he needed it, “Yeah, I see it.” He gripped onto the side and hoisted himself up, shaking slightly from his tentative hold on the ladder. “... Thanks.”

“Oh, my god,” Arthur muttered, pulling Merlin down to take his place. “What book do you need?”

“I don’t need your help,” Merlin said stubbornly.

“I have to get back to my studies, and if we keep it up, Geoffery will throw us both out. Now, which book is it?” 

Merlin sighed heavily, “The red leather one, up there.” 

Arthur quickly fetched the book and handed it to him, glancing curiously at the title. “C-ca-nons Lie bra Med ci nae.” he scowled as he stumbled over the words, “Here, take the stupid thing. I have work to do.” 

“Canonis Liber Medicinae,” Merlin corrected smoothly, accepting the book in his uninjured hand. “It means the ‘Canon of Medicine’.”

Arthur was already walking away, “I don’t care.” 

Merlin, unable to help himself, followed Arthur back to his table. “Can you not read? How is that possible? You’re a prince! I’ve been reading for two years already, and you’re three years older than me!”

“S-shut up!” Arthur’s face burned red with embarrassment. “I have much more important things to do than sit on my butt all day and learn to read and write, unlike some people.”

“Yeah, because that's exactly what we all want in a future king—an illiterate,” Merlin said dryly, waving the book in his hand. “Thanks, I guess.” He glanced at the book on Arthur’s table and recognized the story Arthur was working on. “That’s a good story. I’ve read it loads of times.”

Arthur growled and picked up his quill, hurling it at a cackling Merlin as he fled from him.

“Idiot,” Arthur muttered, sinking back into his chair and resting his head on his folded arms.

~o0o~

A week later, Merlin was back in the Library, not because of an errand for Gaius, but to spy on Arthur. He was standing an aisle away, pretending to examine the spine of a book while he listened to Arthur’s muffled sounds of frustration. 

He sighed heavily and put the book back on the shelf, shaking his head. He felt terrible for the other boy; from the sounds of it, he was still on the story he had been reading the previous week. 

Merlin slid into the chair across from Arthur, kneeling to see across the table. “Do you need help?” He asked, cocking his head to the side to better see Arthur’s face.

“Go away,” Arthur snapped without looking up, his voice laced with embarrassment. “I don’t need help from a peasant.”

“Okay,” Merlin shrugged and jumped off the chair. He returned to where he knew there were several copies of Aesop’s Fables and pulled one from the shelf, flipping through its pages. “A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. “ Merlin paused as he listened to the muffled sounds of stifled vexation that continued from Arthur. “A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across—”

Realizing that Arthur would not ask him for help, Merlin sighed and returned the book before flopping onto the chair beside Arthur.

“Look,” Merlin said, pulling the book toward him with a gentle tug. “It’s really not that hard once you get the hang of it.” He pointed at the first two words, enunciating them slowly and clearly. “The Gnat. See? You start with the letters and sound them out.”

Arthur eyed him with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. He sat silently glaring at Merlin for what felt like minutes, his shoulders tense as he stared down the other boy. However, Merlin merely smiled softly at him, and Arthur soon relaxed. “But Gnat sounds like Nat, not g-nat like it’s spelt!” 

“It can be confusing at times. Our language comes from a mix of different ones, so the rules sometimes don’t make much sense…” Merlin scrunched his nose, “At least, that is what Mommy says.”

Arthur sighed before looking over his shoulder and leaning in close to Merlin. “Fine, you can help me,” he conceded, his voice barely above a whisper. “But if you were to tell anyone about this…”

“Who would I tell?” Merlin said with a giggle. “Who would believe me if I said that Prince Arthur couldn’t read and needed my help to teach him?”

For the first time, a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Arthur’s mouth, and the tension between them began to lessen. Together, they bent over the book, and under Merlin’s subtle guidance, Arthur began to stumble less and less with each new sentence. 

And if Merlin had forgotten that he had snuck out and needed to be back before Gaius and his mother had returned from the lower town and was subsequently grounded from leaving the Physician’s chambers for the next week, well, it was worth it. 

~o0o~

The following weeks found Arthur and Merlin huddled in a corner of the Library. Heads pressed together as they poured over Arthur’s study books. Merlin had also taken to the habit of bringing his own study books to get some of his work done. If one were to listen in, one would hear the sound of hushed voices and the occasional giggle as Merlin walked Arthur through the finger points of literacy. 

“Try again; go slower,” Merlin encouraged, leaning on his elbows, half his body on the table, as he looked at the book Arthur was reading from. 

“Knight… hood,” Arthur pronounced carefully, and with a triumphant lift of his chin, he looked to Merlin for approval.

“Put it together, knighthood,” Merlin corrected gently, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at the other boy. “You’re getting better! Soon, you’ll be able to read all the stories people will write about your adventures!”

Arthur grunted, a small smile on his face. “I guess I have you to thank.”

“You thanking a commoner?” Merlin quipped, his smile turning into a full-on grin.

“You’re right. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Arthur retorted, but the warmth in his voice belayed his words.

Their tutoring sessions became an unspoken routine, but they didn’t confine themselves to the dim candlelit library. Outside, under the vast blue sky, their friendship continued to flourish. 

After they would study in the Library, Merlin would follow Arthur to the training grounds. He would watch, eyes wide with wonder, as Arthur and the other junior knights went through their rounds. He’d cheer when Arthur would get the better of his opponent and run over to him in worry when he didn’t, although he wasn’t above playful ribbing when the occasion called for it. At the end of Arthur’s drills, Merlin would be there with a giant smile and water for the sweat-soaked prince. They would sit together and watch as the older knights trained, their laughter mingling with the metallic armor ring as the knights practiced.

“Could you imagine me in all of that?” Merlin asked one day, gesturing to the knights. “I’d probably fall over from just trying to lift the sword.”

Arthur snorted, “You’d fall over from just the chainmail. If you had a sword, you’d probably wind up skewering yourself.”

“Ha-ha, you’re so funny,” Merlin replied with a roll of his large eyes. But he frowned, his gaze lingering on the knights. He might not be able to be a knight, but he did wish he could learn a way to protect everyone without the danger of exposing his magic. A wistful expression crossed his face before he shook it away.

When the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the castle grounds, Arthur and Merlin found themselves playing hide and seek among the hedges and statues. Merlin would cheat, using his magic to rustle the bushes or create a whisper of wind, consistently leading Arthur in the wrong direction. 

“Got you!” Arthur shouted triumphantly when he finally discovered Merlin, jumping on the boy’s back and wrestling him to the floor. 

Merlin elbowed him off and jumped back onto his feet, “Maybe next time you’ll be able to find me before my sneeze gives me away.” 

“I was buying you time,” Arthur said with a huff and the crossing of his arms over his chest. “Next time, I won’t go so easy on you!”

“If you say so, sire,” Merlin said mockingly before squealing and dodging Arthur’s grabbing hands. “Come on, one more round. I’ll even let you prove how ‘easy’ you were going on me.” 

Merlin's laughter filled the garden, a sound as bright and mischievous as the twinkling stars beginning to emerge in the deepening blue of the evening sky. He darted behind a grand statue of Camelot's founder, his breaths quick and light, his heart pounding with the exhilaration of innocent play and newfound friendship.

“Come on, Merlin! I know you are using your tricks again!” Arthur’s voice carried an edge of feigned annoyance, but the laughter in his voice was unmistakable. 

“Tricks? Me?” Merlin called back, peeking out from behind the marble statue. “I’m just being resourceful.”

“Resourceful,” Arthur repeated dryly, although his lips curled into a reluctant smile. “I will figure out what you are doing.”

“Good luck with that,” Merlin muttered, a silent incantation slipping past his lips, causing a nearby shrub to rustle. 

"Ha! There you are!" With a triumphant shout, Arthur lunged towards the sound, only to find his hands grasping at empty air while Merlin slipped away once more, chuckling at the prince's expense.

They ended their game as the dinner bell rang through the castle, both breathless and flushed from laughter as they slowly made their way up the castle steps. 

“Another win for me, then?” Merlin quipped, a playful gleam in his eyes.

“Only because you are as slippery as an eel,” Arthur said with a scoff. “Seriously, Merlin. I will find out you one day.”

“Maybe,” Merlin conceded, his gaze turning toward the horizon where the fields of barley and rye swayed in the breeze. 

“Definitely. You’re too much of an idiot to keep it secret for much longer, whatever it is.” Arthur grabbed Merlin around the neck and pressed his knuckles to his head, making the younger boy squeal. As they ran through the corridors, their shared laughter echoed off the ancient stones, a harbinger of the adventures yet to come.

Part Three

[ask-de-writer]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK

@inhumaninterest READ, LIKED and REBLOGGED

FRIEND AND THE IMPERIAL EGGS, part 2 of 7

An MLP Fan Fiction

[hinamie]

I don't want to regret the way I lived

[egophiliac]

I'm still processing 7-13, in the meantime have this super quick thing! of all the things that happened that I didn't expect, one of 'em certainly was a not insignificant subplot revolving around Silver unintentionally committing international mail fraud.

[reunitedinterlude]

nose pressure (1, 2, 3) // for @planetsonlali

[ohmyglobwhatthefrickamievendoing]

The fact that izzy apparently just hangs out in stede's room doing his own thing is so funny because what's he gonna do when stede&ed start fucking?? they're gonna have to lock him out of the bedroom like the family dog that's yowling at the door

[sandyjns]

Favourite JoJo characters as weezer as chiikawa

[sara-the-wizard]

Soul Sync Mode. "TM"

:Announcement at the bottom!:

*Explosion sound*

Also...

Chapter 7 Part 2 of the I Care comic is coming out this Saturday at 9:00 A.m.! (CT)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

ACE CRIES IN HIS DREAM OHHHH THE DEVELOPMENT FOR ACE MY HEART HURTSSSSSS b4 ace would have deflected yuu going oh it was a joke when i said you can message me if you feel lonely and now b7 ace is actually being more honest going dont say that i'll feel bad MS RAVEN IM ALL OVER THE PLACE

AND NOT MOST OF THE BOYS' DREAMS REVOLVING AROUND THEM AND THEIR FAMILY/DORM MATES BUT ACE'S DREAM HERE IS LITERALLY ABOUT YUU??? U TRYNNA TELL ME SOMETHING??? OUGHHH MY HEART IS IN PAINNNNNN AND THE TANGLED EVENT COMING SOON THEYRE OVERFEEDING MEEEEEEE

[Referencing the JP Feb 2025 schedule; you can read my thoughts on book 7 chapter 12 part 2 here!]

I wasn’t expecting Ace to get a unique crying expression but here we are 😂 Pretty proud of myself for calling that Ace’s dream would address these oddly dismissive comments from back in 7-17:

It’s so Ace of him to be blunt when calling others out but also having trouble being honest about his own feelings. Those lines in 7-17 definitely read as deflecting and being in denial to me. That’s just how Ace chooses to cope with his problems.

You can even see this same mentality carrying through into his new crying expression… See? He’s still trying to smile and laugh, even through his tears. (Your one true love, by the way, is coincidentally described by Ace in Ghost Marriage as being “someone you can laugh and cry with”!)

fbskwbuwnsma I find it really funny how people were theorizing that Malleus would OB over the threat of Yuu going home when he ended up OBing over the thought of losing Lilia… Then it turns out that Ace is the one centering Yuu in his foremost desires 😭 I mean, I know Ace made that long trek back to Sage’s Island back in book 4, but so did Deuce and Deuce didn’t dream of Yuu staying—only Ace did. This is most likely the result of Ace not properly processing his feelings in the waking world (because of his deflection and denial), despite deep down valuing his friendships with Yuu, Deuce, etc.

Come to think of it, it makes sense that Ace’s dream ended up taking place during summer vacation on the Stitch island… because Stitch talked about ohana—family, which means no one gets forgotten or left behind. Ace’s dream is to be able to move forward (ie the summer after the end of their first year)… with all of his friends and NRC family. That includes his Heartslabyul classmates (yes, even his tyrannical dorm leader that he always complains about) and his friends at Ramshackle.

I can see why this would feed the brain rot of Ace yumes www It really slots in with the “I-It’s not like I care about you or anything, idiot! (jk I care so much)” kind of trope. And his dream taking place on a remote island screams “stereotypical beach fanservice episode”. Bro just keeps slotting in sk well with all the classics… Wishing all Ace yumes fun with this update ^^

[somnoir]

Children of Diana - Part 2

Part 1 | Masterpost

Diana had not intended to reveal the existence of her children so soon. But thankfully, Daniel and Dante seemed to agree that it would not be too troublesome for her colleagues to know of them.

She is grateful, at least, that no one suspects Diana Prince to be a mother of three. Instead, the world knows only that Wonder Woman has taken on two young male apprentices. The distinction, while subtle, grants her a measure of control over the narrative. It is, admittedly, a confusing time for some—especially her fellow heroes.

As expected, Batman is the first to approach her.

“You have partners?” he asks, his tone softer than usual, lacking the usual gruffness.

Diana smiles, tilting her head. “Yes. Though from what I understand, they are younger than your Robin.” She pauses, recalling the bright, determined child who first wore the mantle. “The older one is close in age to when Robin first came to be.”

Batman nods, understanding. “Do you require any assistance or advice on the matter? I am willing to offer guidance on mentoring young vigilantes. Though I must admit, I will be lacking in the powers department.”

Diana appreciates the offer. Even she struggles to fully anticipate the depths of Dante and Daniel’s abilities—so fluid, so unbound by the laws she has known. But she appreciates the helping hand nonetheless.

“Thank you, Batman.” She grins. His identity remains elusive, but she respects his privacy. More than ever, now that she has children of her own, she understands why he chooses to remain an enigma when so many of their colleagues have unmasked.

“It’s no problem.” He shakes his head, his cape shifting slightly with the motion. “You may bring them to the Watchtower at some point. Preferably once they’ve received enough training.”

Diana arches a brow, smirking. “The same way you brought Robin?”

Because, of course, Robin had not been formally introduced. The boy had snuck in, startling many before being caught by Kal—moments before he nearly ambushed his own mentor.

Batman grunts, displeased yet faintly amused by the memory. “Hopefully not.”

“I will try,” Diana laughs.

She eventually finds herself back home, where Dante and Daniel are suffering as per usual, trying to wrangle their adventurous infant of a sister to not float out the window. Like usual.

Diana steps into the room just in time to hear the chaos unfolding.

“Hi, Di!” Danny greets, far too cheerfully for someone currently wrangling a two-year-old with the strength and determination of a seasoned warrior. His eyes flicker green before he turns back to the little troublemaker currently biting the windowsill. “Can we borrow your lasso?! Or buy a leash?!”

Diana raises a brow.

“Ellie, stop biting the damn furniture! You’re too young to be traveling the world, damn it!” Dante shouts, trying to pry his sister away from the open window.

Ellie, utterly unbothered, swats at him with surprising force. “No! Wanna go to Greece! Lemme go!”

“You’re not going into the ocean, dammit!” Dante snaps back, only to yelp when Ellie plants a solid kick to his face.

Diana watches, unimpressed but unsurprised, as Dante stumbles. That moment of lost balance is all Ellie needs—wiggling free, she makes a determined beeline right out the window.

Diana sighs. Enough of that.

She catches Ellie by the waist with ease, pulling her back into the penthouse before she can so much as dangle a foot into open air. “Not yet, little one,” Diana says, tone firm but gentle. “As your brother said, you are far too young. Perhaps when you are eight, like Daniel, I shall permit it.”

Ellie whines loudly, puffing out her cheeks and attempting to push against Diana’s hold. It’s adorable, really—her tiny hands barely make an impact against Diana’s chest. Realizing resistance is futile, Ellie huffs and goes limp in her mother’s arms, a dramatic display of defiance.

Diana is unfazed. With one arm, she holds Ellie effortlessly, and with the other, she reaches out to help Dante up.

“Did I take too long?” she asks, amused.

“If you did, she’d already be by the coast,” Dante grumbles, rubbing his face and glaring at Ellie, who resolutely avoids his gaze.

Diana chuckles. It is never dull in this household.

Wraith and Phantom make their entrance as they always do—silently, effortlessly, and unmistakably theirs. They do not linger in the shadow of the League as sidekicks often do, nor do they stand beside any other hero. They are with her and her alone.

The League, naturally, takes notice.

Their presence is striking, their power undeniable. Even their attire contrasts sharply with Diana’s own. Where she stands adorned in gold, red, and blue, they are shrouded in black and white, their cloaks shifting like the cosmos itself. Danny—Phantom—wears the void, an expanse of endless cold that seems to devour the light around it. Dante—Wraith—holds within his cloak the heat of a dying star, the fury of a sun on the brink of collapse.

And then, of course, there are their abilities.

Dante calls forth fire from the earth with a mere flick of his wrist, the ground obeying his command as flames rage in his wake. Danny summons ice from the sky, turning the battlefield into his frozen domain. Opposites in nearly every way, yet when they fight, it is seamless, an unrelenting force that none can withstand.

Barry whistles, watching as Wraith effortlessly hurls the latest villain skyward, only for Phantom to snatch them mid-air and slam them back into the ground with a force that rattles the street. "Okay, lady, you've got two concerningly powerful kids there," he laughs, though the nervous edge in his voice betrays his unease.

Batman, ever observant, merely nods. "Exceptional technique," he notes. "Did you train them yourself?"

Diana crosses her arms, watching as Phantom and Wraith move with fluid precision, their synergy as natural as breathing. "Somewhat," she admits. "They had exceptional mentors before arriving in this world, but I had to reteach them certain things after their transition."

Superman drifts closer, eyes narrowing slightly as he watches the two finish subduing their opponent. Yet their work is not done—Phantom immediately turns to the civilians, kneeling to comfort frightened children, his expression softening. Wraith, meanwhile, sets to repairing the damage they’ve left behind, a flick of his hand mending fractured pavement.

"Amazing," Clark murmurs. "So they’re from another world?"

"Another dimension," Diana corrects, carefully choosing her words. "They were sent here for their well-being. It would be best if you do not pry into their origins. It has been... difficult for them. Leaving home was not their choice."

A quiet understanding passes between them.

After a beat, Batman hums. "Would it be beneficial to introduce them to the others? The Titans, perhaps? They are younger than most of our younger heroes, but it may help them to have peers outside of us."

Diana watches as Wraith floats down beside Phantom, producing a small, unharmed kitten from seemingly nowhere and handing it to a tearful child. The girl’s sniffles quiet as she clutches the creature, Phantom ruffling her hair with an encouraging smile.

A rare warmth spreads in Diana’s chest.

She considers Batman’s words, then smiles. "That would be nice," she agrees. "It would make my day knowing my apprentices are given the chance to make friends."

Althought the prospect would solely depend on the boys' decision. Ellie would join in the vigilantism soon enough but for now...

"Παιδιά! Ελάτε εδώ!" (Kids! Come here!) Diana beckoned them towards her and the two half-ghosts were quick to move. Wraith floated towards her while Phantom slipped into a portal appeared at her side.

"Batman suggested I introduce you to the younger heroes. The Titans—they are led by Batman's protoge, Robin."

"The colorful one?" Phantom's face was hidden but Diana could tell his face was already scrunched up.

"Yes," she sighed, "The colorful one."

"I wanna meet them!" Phantom eagerly said, "Isn't your sister there? Can we meet her too? Ooh! And a speedster!"

Again, Dante looked utterly aghast when the speedster was mentioned.

Alas, this will do.

Masterpost

[mxchibomb]

Content. MDNI 18+

friend of jolyne! reader who has a crush on her dad. friend of jolyne! who selfishly meets her dad in his office after she falls asleep.

 pushing your tired legs over his big shoulders made your stomach drop and your cunt pulse. he was in great shape, washboard abs pressing against your soft tummy and his thick arms bulging while he towered above you. 

 you whined needily as he slid his red, wet tip against your sopping hole. he only spread your wetness along your sensitive, puffy folds.

 you were dripping in your own slick, squelching disgustingly as he bullied his way into your tight pussy, pushing past the ring of muscle with a girth you've never experienced before. a whimper ripped from your throat as he took his time to bottom out, pulsing veins dragging against your hugging walls. ohー he was so big. fat, pudgy tip pushing right up against your cervix when he finally made his way all the way in, forming that cute little tummy bulge you knew all too well with him. you always seemed so innocent around jolyne until you had him stuffing you full of every inch he had. and you've never felt so filled.

 black hair wet with sweat, his usually pulled back hair falling forward. dew drops of bodily secretions hanging off its threads and his skin in a film of clear wetness. he was so hot. beautiful.

 "so.. tight." his thick eyebrows scrunched, cerulean eyes peering at your weak body in his secure hold. your ankles wobbled with his harsh thrusts by the sides of his head, nails digging crescents into his nape as you held on for dear life.

 "jotaro- too good, fuuucckkk.." he wasn't scared to tear at your poor body, his sweet little rag doll. relentless thrusts having your whole body jerk and you call out his name each time he slammed against your squishy, soppy walls. your poor, aching throat struggled to keep your cries at bay, eyes reaching all the way into the depths of their sockets.

 "any louder and jolyne will find out you're fucking her father." it was half genuine, half teasing. you could hear that naughty barely smirk of his. jotaro was a little nasty. mocking you for being so loud on that fat cock of his. and with a cock like his came arrogance.

 " 'm sorryyy. fuucckkー"

 you felt your muscles stretch as his calloused hands pushed your shaking knees all the way to your ears to pound into your loud cunt, pushing the limits of your weakened body. you've felt him deep, now you felt him deeper. his wide hips pushing into the backs of your thighs roughly and his pelvis hitting yours with echoing 'plaps!' it hurt, but it hurt so good. and you were just soaking him.

 "god, yesss. 'm cumming !" 

 "you're makin' such a mess." he grunted huskily, taking note of the loud sloshes of your dewy pussy soaking into the towel he put underneath you on his office couch. he could feel the pulse of you around him, your slick creating a thin sheen of liquid along his shaft and a white ring around the base.

 he was seemingly unphased, but you could see the panicked bob of his adams apple as he swallowed and his neck strain to contain his wild grunts as he feverishly fucked into you. your greedy cunt squeezed him so deliciousy, tugging and pulling to just keep his cock inside of you.

 your mouth was just as dirty as your pussy, with slobber pooling out of both, a wet tear falling from your cheek.

 " 'taroooo" one more time, you could feel it coming. he leaned down, eager lips chasing your soft, pink pillows of a drooling mouth. flavored by cigarettes and expensive beer, spit swirled in a nasty kiss, tongues dancing in a needy tango. your hips swirled underneath him and your thighs shivered, heaving against his hot mouth.

 "cummin' again !" your high pitched, whiny pleas muffled against his spit soaked lips. 

 "i know." he stated like a fact, the slightest of coos cheering you on to let go. your fingers dug deep against his scalp, tugging harshly at his black semi curls.

 "oh fuck" he inhaled sharply as you squeezed him like a vice, clenching cunt in a bear grip. "with a pussy like this, I would've given you a baby if i didn't have jolyne. she's just pulling me in." fuck that sounded good and if you thought you couldn't get any wetter, that phrase alone started another series of loud gushes. you whined, squirming away from him in sensitivity. "she likes the idea of that." he hummed with a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. he was talking to your pussy like she was talking for you. he always knew what you liked, what got it going.

 "maybe next time." he purred, interrupted as a groan tore itself from his throat. his soaked cock pushed into you a few more times before pulling himself out to slam his heavy weighted cock against your sticky folds. thick, heavy cream flew out in short spurts to decorate your twitching clit like a splatter painting. he panted from the physical exertion, coming down from his high as he massaged his slowly softening cock against your white painted slit, threatening to push his cum inside of your exhausted hole.

"still going shopping with jolyne tomorrow?" he asked, soft kisses kissing over your shiny skin covered in both your sweat and his. you hummed tiredly in a yes, arms falling from his nape to rest gently upon his broad built shoulders. "i'll send money to your account."

 you shook your head in complete exhaustion, tapping your fingers against the pink star on his left shoulder to remind yourself to keep your consciousness.

 "don't need to do that." you whined softly as his strong arms lifted you from your position, your legs finally falling from the high position they were once at. a large hand came to sit you upright, but your poor, tuckered out body only slumped back against the back of the couch. hiding his smile, he ruffled your hair.

 "i'll get you some water. we need to get you back to jolyne's room."

trying out new writing styles until i find one i like <3

[bloody-starr]

im back again

[ask-de-writer]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK

@wind-the-mama-cat for READING, LIKING and REBLOGGING

FRIEND AND THE IMPERIAL EGGS, part 2 of 7

An MLP Fan Fiction

[thevoidstaredback]

How To Balance Your Daytime and Nighttime Activities So That You Don't Burn Yourself Out More Than You Already Have

It had been a long few minutes since he'd opened the door and there were a lot of questions running through Dick's head. Most pressing of which was how this kid seems to have information he should not have.

"How did you..?" he asked, but the words wouldn't leave completely. There's so much he wants to know, so much he wants to ask.

"How do I what?" Danny tilted his head like the child he seems to be is.

"How do you know?" Dick knows he sounds weak. There's no hiding that, but there are a lot of implications in what the kid has said so far and none of it is painting a very happy picture for him.

"Oh!" Danny had the audacity to smile, "You want to know how I know you moonlight as a vigilante!" And of course he knows. Dick knows he knows, but he'd held a little bit of hope that the child Danny was mistaken. Danny's smile softened a bit as he explained, "Your hair and voice match up in both jobs almost perfectly. Not to mention your build and how you hold yourself. There's also the matter of your overall vibes, but that's not something living beings can normally pick up on." Excuse him? "Well, not living humans, at least, so no worries on that end!"

"Excuse me?" Dick was fairly sure his heart just stopped beating for a moment there.

"Anyway, I was a hero back home for a while, too. I know what it's like to have to walk the tightrope between maintaining a civilian cover and a hero persona. I know how it feels to have to keep secrets from everyone because anyone who knows will be in danger." he rambled, Though, admittedly, our circumstances are quite different. I was working as a hero all hours of the day as well as going to school. You only have to worry about properly balancing between day and night jobs. Either way, me having more to bounce between just makes me al the more qualified to help you!"

Oh. Oh he did not like that. He didn't like a single thing that just came out of the kid's mouth. Because that's what he is, a kid. "Are you...Are you alright?"

"Not in the slightest," Danny admitted with an even smaller smile. Then, it brightened, not quite to a grin, but to something similar, "But I'm here to make sure you are."

He gets points for being honest, but Dick felt his heart shatter. He knew for a fact that he'd never worked with this kid before. He also knew that the Justice League didn't know about him. If they did, he would've been picked up and dropped with either the Young Justice team or the Titans.

Dick wasn't going to ask why he became a hero because that's not his place. It's more of a 'third mission with the team' kind of questions, anyway. Most of the heroes didn't have many options when they took up the mantle. Asking what Danny can do is a more appropriate question, but he wasn't going to ask that, either.

"Now that that's out of the way," Danny turned a few pages from the table of contents to another one that was topped with 'Why Sleep Scheduling Is Important' in the blue glitter pen that Dick was starting to suspect he favored. "You're not getting enough sleep. Following you around - no one's been able to find me for a while, so don't worry about that - for the last two weeks has given me some really worrisome information on you."

Dick was worrying. He was worrying a lot and even more questions were coming to the forefront of his mind.

"Your dayjob is as an officer on the Bludhaven Police Force, or BPD for short." He was looking over the page he'd turned to very aptly and Dick realized that the kid had notes written on him. "The average hours per week for police across the country is forty hours. Gotham and Bludhaven are the exceptions. As a member of the BPD, you work a solid two days and two hours. Six nights a week, you work as Nightwing from eight in the evening to three in the morning. The last day, you take off, which is good. No deserable pattern, so good on you for that. Regardless, that's seven hour nights and ten hour days, with one day off and one day on call as an officer. Seven hours are now left in your day for personal time, eating, and sleeping. That's not a healthy way to live."

Oh, god, the kid had honest to god notes on him! What the hell!

Danny didn't even skip a beat as he pulled Dick's attention back to him and his binder. "I've drawn up a schedule for you to follow." The back of the page had a meticulously drawn schedule, complete with blocks of time to eat, sleep, work both jobs, travel, personal time, and still have a bit extra left over. It was titled 'Ideal End Result' in green marker. "Drastic changes right away will only affect you negatively, so we're starting off smaller." The next page over had another schedule titled 'Where To Begin'. "I've only pulled one hour from your Nightwing hours because I know important that time is to you and the city. I am, however, going to be having you submit an appeal to your boss to cut back your hours from fifty a week to forty a week. That way, you'll only be working eight hours a day and not ten. You'll still be on call for one day, and you'll have that last day off. Altogether, you'll be going be going from working seventeen hours a day to fourteen hours a day. Nine in the morning to five in the afternoon, and eight in the evening to two in the morning. Not including breaks at work or travel time. It opens up a few more hours for you to sleep!"

"You really think the chief is going to pull back my hours?" Dick raised an eyebrow in question.

"He will if he knows what's good for him."

"You know I can arrest you for that threat, right?"

"Yeah, but you won't." And, damn it, he's right.

Although, there was now another thing he had to know. "How to you plan on enforcing this schedule of yours?"

Danny seemed to have been waiting for this. He got a gleam in his eye as he pulled a black folder from his bag, not breaking eye contact with Dick. He placed it on the table and pushed it across. "Congratulations, it's a boy."

Part 1 Part 3

[egophiliac]

this is the moment that broke me

[shittybundaskenyer]

frolicking, skedaddling, creechuring