#i said Both. get fucked with that heart attack percival

[firepassed]

MORTAL

pain. the pain that hits her form even before she drops to the ground from her elemental form. she feels herself loose balance, but she's determined, and she stands her ground. never in her life has keyleth felt this much pain. shes died before, yes, but that felt like suddenly blink her eyes, unable to open them, then nothing.. then an ache. this? this felt like she’s been ripped apart.

is... is that what's happening? is she dying? what will the rest of vox machina think? will they be able to feel it? and what will happen to her people?

no... no she's taken hits like this before. certainly this feels different then anything she's been attacked with before, but she knows what she's doing. even if she's a little out of practice, she's got things to do, and people to protect, her eyes briefly shifting out to orym's mercenaries, trying to see what they are doing, how they are, expecting the attack on her to be ending and that she will be able to patch herself back up but she doesn't get the chance.

-another strike. she's, the voice of the tempest, the half-elf, is on the ground, and still being hit and hit time and time again. she feels blood filling her throat and the world spin, her hands grasping on the ground to try her best to keep awake and aware, trying to fight without fighting, even as her vision is beginning to blur. blurring vision or not, it's hard to deny the sudden chill in the air, hair standing up on her arm, then the sight in front of her.

...vax? coming to walk her into the beyond? then why is he...?

" don't you even dare. "

an unconscious answer. he's here. he's protecting her. beyond the veil the champion of ravens is here for her. with her.

somehow, though it felt as though it was slowing, her heart began to thunder inside of her chest and she feels herself steadying, trying to heal herself so that she might stand and stand beside him, though she does not even have a chance to note that it's not working as it should as suddenly her vax'ildan is screaming. and transforming... and is gone... her entire being wants to scream, to shout to cast, to do something to save him---

but she can't even move to react-

and then she wakes, the memory having her mind aching and pounding in her head, and though the tempest still feels weak, and as she stands her legs shake threatening to give out on her she moves and gets to work.

it felt as though she is still being torn open, like the blade still carves into her, cutting into her mind, body, heart and soul. blood still drips from the five deep gashes all over her body, she can taste it in her mouth, feel it soak the loose bandages that had been wrapped around in attempts to do to what arcane healing could not, she feels the sweat dripping from her head, hopefully something she's bringing about on her own as she sits on the floor, besides her open window, and not her getting rest as she knows she ought to. in her lap, a notebook, in her hand, a feather, hand shaking as she tries to think on what to write other than to my most dear friends...

how is whitestone?

something happened?

is everything okay after the solstice?

are you both safe?

vax is -

im sorry it's all my fault

i am afraid and scared and beyond that, extremely angry and i think i might die and you need to know something before i do

frustration bubbled inside of her, hot tears prickling at her eyes that drips from her eyes, one hitting the paper a second after a spot of deep red hits the paper, keyleth muttering a curse as she rips out and crumbles up the letter and lets it join the pile that is on the ground. for a moment, she lets her head rest in her hands, not caring if ink spilled on her face, not caring about anything as she tried her best to keep herself together and unable to do so, instead staring at the empty ledge that is unfamiliar, but echos the very feeling she feels inside of her chest.she sniffs. she swallows, and tears still slip unashamed, unembarrassed, wondering if perhaps with the blood still seeping gently from her wounds if perhaps the matron might give her fucking ear with the blood still seeping on the occasion from her wounds. wouldn't that be amusing?

' if you kill me now, i will despise you even more than already. and i will throw everything in my power at you when you come to collect me. ' do. she thinks and she scoffs, her eyes looking beyond as though she might see a raven, familiar or not but again, there's nothing. it doesn't matter. so she instead tries something else to offer. ' if you kill me now, you will never get him back. you need me .' the thought making a smirk stretch on her lips, the goddess of death having something they both understand about each other now, the main difference between them being she is going to do anything and everything that she can even if she must keep true to her duties.

and one of those duties is to vox machina, to her family. and so again she writes---- and when she finishes, she goes through the motions to send it, snowdrop and a blue hyacinth inside the envelope alongside the letter .

dear percy, i know you both are very busy almost constantly but something has happened. i would come to you to make things easier on everyone, but i know not if i can at the moment. i need your help. i need vex's help. and i might need vox machina's help but i know i for sure need the both of you here as soon as you are able. write back if you can, when you can. keep safe. i love you both so very much and give my love to the children. - keyleth

send MORTAL for a scene from my muse's past in which they had a brush with death, either themselves or someone close to them

[thebisexualdogdad]

Arthur's younger brother dating Gwaine ?

Co written with @inhumanshadows

· Arthur loved the idea of his little brother being with Gwaine, there was no one he trusted more than his knights

· But Arthur made sure Gwaine knew if he ever hurt you he'd have him thrown in a cell

· The classic overprotective big brother speech

· Morgana was in a similar boat but she said her piece much more calmly than Arthur

· Arthur doesn't let you come to swords training anymore because you distract Gwaine and almost got him pierced by Leon

· You settle for watching from a window in the castle

· “Wouldn’t you rather be down closer to the field to watch your knight train?” Morgana asks

· “Arthur thinks I’ll distract him from training.”

· "You do have a way of charming him off of his feet... And out of his pants" 

· "Oh hush Morgana, like you haven't had your way with Guinevere while she's supposed to be working" 

· "Fair enough"

· “And let’s not forget our dear older brother has definitely charmed the pants off of Merlin.” 

“And he thinks no one knows.”

· Merlin peaking his head around the corner

· "Did i hear my name?" 

· Both you and Morgana "nope!" 

· Uther on the other hand is not quite as supportive of your relationship

· Granted you don’t give a horses ass. You just chalk it up to Uther being a scared asshole

· You also don’t care cause you’re happy with Gwaine

· Uther will roll his eyes whenever he sees you together so you kiss Gwaine just to make your father mad 

· And of course Arthur has yelled at Uther multiple times for not being supportive of you

· You know have chats with Morgana about stupid Uther in her chambers

· “He’s just an old fart. And he’s scared of things he doesn’t understand.”

· "If only he knew all three of his children were as he puts it, sinners" 

· "Arthur will come out on his own terms and when Guinevere is ready so will i" 

· Gwaine ended up proposing to you when Uther tried forcing you into a marriage with a princess from another kingdom

· Uther was all “I will not stand for this!” 

· And you told him that you didn’t give a fuck and if he really loved you he would rather see you happy

· Arthur and Morgana are so proud of you

· Meanwhile Uther looks like he’s ready to have a heart attack

· By the time the wedding comes around it's the biggest news in Camelot

· Everyone attends and Uther still hasn't completely come around but he's compliant enough to at least give a nice toast to you and your new husband

· Arthur is on the verge of bawling his eyes out while Morgana pats his shoulder

· “I know Arthur... our little brother is growing up.”

· “I just can’t believe he got married before I did!” Arthur sniffles

· "Well maybe if you just asked Merlin for his hand already" she says with a side eye

· "Don't start with me Morgana" 

· Gwaine takes you on a honeymoon to a town on the coast

· You guys have a small cabin to yourselves and pretty much spend time in bed or on the beach

· Gwaine of course makes an awful “swords crossing” joke the first night

· "I married a dork" 

· "Well you're stuck with me now love" 

· "Shut up and take me to bed my dear husband"

· “As you wish... husband.” Ans Gwaine has the biggest grin ever on his face

· When you return to Camelot everyone is cheering for the newly wed couple which makes you tear up

· Gwaine wipes the tear from your eye before you both walk hand in hand back to the Palace

· Gwaine is still super romantic even after courting you

· He'll bring you flowers for no reason, make you breakfast in bed and shine your armour and sword without you asking

· You of course try and do the same for him and he loves it

· Gwaine also offers to give you extra sword training after everyone is gone

· Which really means he’s horny and wants to fuck

· Percival once walked in on you guys getting busy in the armory and just sighed and turn around 

· Arthur was also on his way in but Percival calmly stopped "you don't want to go in there"

· “Don’t tell me they’re...” Arthur sighs

· “‘Fraid so your majesty. Didn’t know Y/N could dominate so well...”

· Arthur makes a gagging noise. “Well best leave them alone...”

· As happy as Arthur is to see you happy he is not so happy with the amount of times he's heard you guys having sex when he walked by your bedroom chambers

· He momentarily wonders if it’s cause similar scenarios may have happened with him and Merlin, but quickly brushes it off

· He does however ask Merlin if he knows a soundproofing spell

· And of course Merlin thinks it’s for them. “You think we’re too loud? Or do you have some fun stuff in mind?”

· "Not for us! Well maybe for us but I meant Y/N and Gwaine... You might as well do Morgana's room too, Guinevere has been staying the night quite often recently"

· “Ah... yeah. Um should be easy enough. I’ll just need time to do some research

· “Thank you Merlin.”

· When Gwaine gets hurt in combat you always play doctor until he gets better

· It’s a lot of cuddling and making sure he doesn’t try and move and reopen his wounds

· He'll tell you he's fine and then wince when he tries to get up 

· "Alright tough guy I'm ordering you to bedrest for another two weeks"

· “Darling you can’t be serious...”

· “Wanna make it three?”

·"No dear" 

· "That's what i thought"

· You smiled and tucked him into bed

· “Rest now.”

[foragergnome]

drops my lord fly headcanons on you all at once....... I'm 98% sure I forgot someone, so I'll just add to this list later. meanwhile, enjoy :)

ralph

- when he's angry or excited, his voice gradually speeds up until you can't even understand him anymore

- "wanna see me climb that tree really fast, do a flip off of it, swing from a branch, and land on the ground on my feet? okay then close your eyes."

- talks in his sleep. usually small mumbles, but when its intense, it could be full on yelling.

- adhd

- abandonment issues

- has a dark and self-deprecating sense of humor

- can be very sarcastic

- he's surrounded by idiots

-  pyromaniac

- doesn't like to cuss, but does so when he feels it is necessary

- sensitive nose and hearing

- not straight. denies it tho

jack

-  perfectionist. has very serious OCD

-  the rich kid

-  takes his problems out on other people, especially those who seem like a lower class

-  also has some family issues. both parents are high-class. his father has very bad anger issues

-  sarcastic, but only when in a bad mood

-  he is very protective of the choir tho and cares about them immensely

-  picky about food

-  cusses a lot, but not around his family

-  absolute beaut when it comes to singing

-  very loud when talking. you could probably hear him on the other end of the hall. "oh, boy, here comes Jack Merridew and his choir."

-  acts like he doesn't care. he probably does

-  looks like he could kill you. doesn't have the guts to

-  biromantic :)

simon

-  absolutely loves animals

-  also likes plants too

-  gets distracted very easily

-  loves to share

-  a very good listener

- his favorite season is the springtime. he loves the colors and the weather, and the bees that come out during that time.

-  has some family issues back at home

-  the smartest out of the choir boys

-  despite this, he says a lot of things that make no sense whatsoever and then never elaborates on it

-  "walking into choir practice and seeing the stupidity there is like waking up to pancakes and orange juice! :)"

-  best friends with roger, maurice, and robert

-  diagnosed with vasovagal syncope (in which there are periods where his heart rate or blood pressure will suddenly drop. the reason why he faints a lot. usually happens under overwhelming situations)

piggy

-  infodumper. usually infodumps about candy and the history and the choice of colors for the wrappers

-  sit down with piggy and he'll probably immediately spitball fun facts to you

-  gets embarrassed easily

-  a boy scout

-  mumbles a lot. talks to himself.

-  has serious anxiety. this typically triggers his asthma

-  smarter than everyone. like ralph, he, too, is surrounded by idiots

-  big sweet tooth.

- very clumsy

-  lost his father to the war. his mother left after that, afraid she wouldn't be able to take care of him.

-  tries to look aggressive. fails immediately.

-  short short short short s

roger

-  a bully, this one is

-  currently going through his emo phase

-  you'd think his parents would like morticia and gomez addams from the addams family, but they're actually really happy and bright people

-  also has two little sisters (they're twins)

-  he never talks about his family

-  collects rocks and crystals

-  the only living things he can tolerate are snails and simon.

-  quiet. only talks when he needs to talk

-  very interested in the history of dead people

-  looks up to Jack for his confidence. follows him around, usually

-  (in a strained voice) "Death makes worms of us all."

-  G notes everyone

-  joined the choir because his father encouraged it. actually ended up really enjoying it, and he can sing very well

samneric

-  very, very close to each other. they can definitely sense when one or the other is in pain or in danger

-  argues about who is older and who is taller

-  sam is definitely the smarter, gentler of the two, while eric is more on the rebellious side

-  they stick together as much as possible

-  made nametags on the island because I said so.

-  but they like to confuse people and switch their nametags sometimes

-  "wow, it's very nice to be in your shoes, sam. but I'm afraid we're going to have to switch our names back because I think ralph is going to throw himself off the mountain if we keep this up."

-  they both smile a lot. it can be kinda creepy sometimes.

-  definitely finish each other's sentences, but only when they can actually sense that it needs to be done.

-  sam is a dog person, eric is a cat person

-  sam has more anxiety than eric does, probably because eric is always putting himself in danger and sam doesn't know what he would do without Eric.

maurice

-  nonbinary (he/they/xe)

-  gnc af

-  neurodivergent

-  had long hair before the island, and got it cut before the plane ride. it got long again, tho.

-  usually follows roger and Jack around

-  talks really fast. usually hard to keep up with him, but he'll slow down once you ask him to.

-  super clingy

-  gets flustered when someone tries to hold his hand, tho

-  the class clown. but somedays he's also calmer and quiet

-  roger likes the calmer maurice better

-  sometimes joins roger in the bullying, but stops when it gets to be too much

-  very good at singing, but can sometimes have trouble staying in time

-  collects old postage stamps

-  has the personality of a puppy.

-  "brb guys! I have to go pee with excitement!"

-  "CHRIST MAURICE STOP SAYING THAT"

bill

-  also gnc. he's just so casual with his outfits that sometimes he'll wear skirts and dresses and things

-  more on the calm, collected side. but can be chaotic when in the mood :)

-  "blimey, robert! look at that goose over there!"

-  mimicks animal noises

-  cusses a lot. but does it so calmly and smoothly that it sounds natural

-  mama's boy

-  he and robert are usually seen sitting in the back, talking with each other.

-  claims he's been in the war. he hasn't.

-  percival's older brother

-  "its days like these when I just don't give a fuck."

-  blind in one eye

-  because he is blind in one eye, his perception of depth sucks.

-  he runs into doors and trees and walls a lot.

robert

-  has a very broad knowledge of plants

-  also very knowledgeable about ants, for some reason

-  mom friend

-  born in canada. moved to the UK at a very young age

-  bestest friends with bill and simon

-  gets queasy very easily

-  has some anxiety

-  self-conscious about his singing voice. that's why he never takes the solos

-  "I joined the choir because Bill joined the choir. I didn't think I would have to actually bloody sing in this godforsaken classroom."

-  encourages maurice's and roger's antics

-  likes his tea and coffee scorching hot

-  has a panic attack when they first landed on the island. bill and simon had to calm him down.

-  claims he has a disease that's contagious, which is how he gets away from social interaction

[coinofstone]

5x12 The Diamond of the Day pt 1

Final two episodes! Big finale! Why am I making myself cry in the middle of the afternoon! Both eps in this post.

I do love that they made Arthur a sore loser

Enter treacherous white woman #2. Srsly it was lazy writing when they did it for Mordred, it's worse now with Gwaine.

I do love the actual Round Table war room discussion but a) why isn't Merlin seated at the round table and b) why does Leon have so much goddamn faith in Camelot's walls? Like??? You literally said the same thing last year and yet Camelot *did* fall when Agravaine brought an army through the tunnels!

Poor Aithusa. Kid's had a rough life.

I do love Arthur responding to Merlin presenting him with all his supplies ready - which he prepared without his magic mind you - with suspicion 😂

But then he calls Merlin a coward and it's sad

Katie has such a great voice. That entire thing in the cave from her taunting to her laughter to the spell, it just just beautifully played.

Whole ass battle to prepare for and Arthur is just walking around moping cuz Merlin isn't there

So, Merlin's father-vision telling him he's magic itself and he just needs to believe in himself to get his magic going again, does this mean he *didn't* need to go to the cave to get it back? Cuz it seems like he needed to recharge in the cave itself, his injuries were healed when he woke up. That seems like magic cave stuff to me.

Also that "always have been and always will be" - I'm taking to mean 'always have been' in the sense that since he's 'magic itself' even before he was born, his magic existed in other, intangible forms, like we are all stardust etc. But now that he is, he will always be, aka he will not die.

Arthur waking up with his wife in his arms and Merlin's name on his lips, jumping out of bed to act on dream-info.

Balinor telling Merlin to trust in what will be.... like bitch that is literally not how this ends.

5x13 The Diamond of the day pt 2

You know that gif of the cat knocking everything off the table? That's literally Merlin shooting lightning at everyone from his perch on the ridge.

I have a lot of snarky things to say about Merlin coming out of the cave in full Dragoon gear and riding a horse instead of teleporting like the other witches but I'ma keep that to myself.

Mordred is a bitch and Aithusa has terrible aim. At least Aithusa's loyalty to Morgana makes sense.

Arthur said oh shit I'm magic - oh wait no it's that old man again

He also straight up "No! Bad dragon!"-ed Aithusa

Y'know, for all I've watched this episode and screamed about Arthur's death, I don't think I've ever focused on the exact moment he gets stabbed before.

Mordred catches him from behind and he meets it, no fault there. But as soon as he realizes his assailant is the knight who turned on him and joined Morgana, what does he do? HE LOWERS HIS FUCKING SWORD

He leaves himself wide fucking open and vulnerable and Mordred seizes the opportunity. I understand wanting the moment of recognition for Arthur, but on what planet is a trained warrior going to drop his sword mid-attack because he recognizes his attacker as a dude who only just recently decided to forsake him? It's soooooo dumb

There was a whole sequence a few episodes back where Mordred and Arthur are sparring, the point of it was to show that Mordred has become a skilled swordsman. So what exactly was the point in having Mordred run Arthur through as soon as Arthur idiotically lets his guard down? This should've been a meticulously choreographed sword fight, with Mordred getting the upper hand and sticking Arthur properly. Not this nonsense. Look at Arthur's FACE! Oh, Mordred... 👉👈 do you maybe wanna be friends again- STAB ... guess not

Uther's been rolling in his grave but he's taking an extra tumble watching Arthur forget all his skills and training in that moment.

I do appreciate Arthur getting Mordred back though. Like that moment of merciless anger followed by the hurt and regret playing on Arthur's face, warring with surety and responsibility. It was good.

I've rewatched the big confession scene about 16 times just now.

I don't quite understand why Merlin took Arthur to the woods to begin with. Instead of bringing him to the med tent in the battlefield or back to Camelot. What was the reason?

Merlin saying it feels strange (to use magic freely in front of Arthur) and him just going 'yeah' completely deadpan makes me laugh every time.

I really feel like Arthur's head should be elevated at a further incline if he's going to be fed.

Gaius refusing to outright expose Merlin as the sorcerer but nonetheless letting Gwen figure it out on her own warms my heart.

My God Arthur is sitting there dying, feeling betrayed about his best friend 'lying' to him, and still he can't stop himself from looking at Merlin's mouth.

Percival summoned MUSCLE POWER

Hey um random but why does Gwaine even know where Merlin and Arthur are headed? Why would Gaius tell him?

Arthur looks at Merlin so lovingly after he's killed Morgana 😭😭

And now he's literally grabbing at the man's hand 😭 "just hold me, please"

That's gotta be the gayest death scene in television history. If you can watch that without thinking Arthur puts his hand on the back of Merlin's head because some part of him wants to bring him down for a kiss, or that "just hold me, please" is in any way shape or form a 'bros' thing, and certainly not at all an intentional mirror/callback to Isolde dying in Tristan's arms, then I'm afraid you are what we professionals refer to as a dumb-as-nails fucknugget, more commonly phrased as 'willfully ignorant'.

"All that you have dreamt of building has come to pass" yeah except for the whole, y'know, magic still being illegal thing.

I've said this before, but, while I'm sure there was a determined intention to have Arthur die in his armor, probably in some kind of attempt to make sure the audience knows he's died a warrior's death, I *really* think it was kinda stupid that Merlin never removed it, despite Arthur being weak, despite the fact that there was something like five days between him getting stabbed and him actually dying, despite that for the duration of that time they were traveling or hiding out. Merlin managed to produce a cloak to put on Arthur, why did he need the full armor on that whole time? Like even if they left the chainmail on, those plates on his shoulder were just getting in the way, and it looked quite uncomfortable.

Also not for nothing but Lancelot got like, every flower in the forest surrounding lush verdant greens in his death boat, Arthur gets a bunch of sticks.

It suddenly occurs to me, watching this now, that the reason Leon/Percival is such a common side pairing in Merthur fics, is because these two motherfuckers are the only original Knights of the Round Table to survive the series. 🤦‍♀️ I dunno how I failed to notice that before now. My stupidity amazes me.

I'm *really* glad they decided to do this scene with Gwen wearing the Pendragon red dress instead of the black mourning dress. Yes she looks fabulous in it but it's more the symbolism than the 'reality' - with Gwen wearing her house's colors it represents a continuation rather than a finality. Camelot will go on, Gwen will undoubtedly end the war on magic and with Morgana dead (and frankly, I think by now she already brought about the death of all the angry incel type rulers in Albion) there stands to reason her reign will begin with a period of peace, possibly longer than Arthur's. We kind of have to assume that the 'time the poets speak of' is, inevitably, Gwen's reign - which only came about through Arthur's death. It's a little bit toooo subtle in my opinion, but at the same time, I understand the need for the focus on Merlin and Arthur - after all, this show was their journey - not leaving much time to focus on Gwen and Camelot in the aftermath of Arthur's death.

I will just say, the first time I watched this that fucking truck scared the ever living shit out of me. I also just immediately, viscerally hated that scene and declared it invalid - but I think it was because the truck made me jump out of my skin. It has since grown on me, particularly once I started reading 'Arthur Returns' fic.

Everything beyond this point is post-series spec and headcanon, so if that's not your jam you can exit safe in the knowledge that as usual, if there's anything worth commenting on in the S5 extras, I will create a separate post!

For those interested, my go-to post-series fic is We Begin Again by katherynefromphilly I fully headcanon this series as the continuation of the series.

I have a lot of thoughts about Gwen and Merlin post-Camlann.

For one, poor fucking Gwen. She's lost her father, her brother, and her husband, all by what, age 30? That's rough. And who knows what happened to her mom, that was pre-series and I don't think it was ever mentioned.

Merlin, dear god poor Merlin. First of all, I just wanna say straight off that my instinctive headcanon about Merlin was that he never returned to Camelot. I couldn't really say why exactly. I just don't think he could stand being there after Arthur's death. But practically speaking, Merlin's still got Aithusa to deal with, that dragon needs some godsdamned house training asap. He's still the last Dragonlord, it's reasonable to assume he'd immediately take that on considering Aithusa is partially responsible for Arthur's death (the sword Mordred killed Arthur with, only succeeded in killing Arthur because it had been forged in Aithusa's fire-breath) so he's either going to attempt to train the bad behaviors out of Aithusa, or...well...

The only thing is, I do not believe Merlin would abandon Gwen, or Gaius. So my hc is inherently flawed. I do think Merlin probably spend a couple months with his mum, and I do think he ultimately settled near lake Avalon waiting for Arthur's return.

But I do wonder, what must their relationship have been like? Gwen, surely, would've sought his guidance in establishing laws governing the use of magic. And surely, peace cannot last indefinitely, so Merlin absolutely would've defended Camelot and protected Gwen. There's just no way he could've completely turned his back on them, but I doubt he could bear living in Camelot. And Gwen is both strong and practical enough to get on without him there 24/7, even though I'm sure she'd miss him.

I also think she would've found love again. Whether with Leon, as many people hc, or someone else not in the series.

ANYWAY.

Thanks to everyone who came on this journey with me. I will post comments on the extras if I have anything worth saying - and I think I'll do a master post linking all these episode posts after I clean them up once I get time to sit at a computer and do so. Until then! 💙💚

(Gif source) (h/t @shut-up-merlin)

[my-whumpy-little-heart]

Persistence - 10

@badthingshappenbingo square “Attacked in their sleep”

(white dots are requested, red dots are filled. Request with an ask, specific story or character optional)

Find the masterlist for this series here! We’re finally back with the other crew this chapter. We haven’t seen them in, like, four chapters so you can read chapter five if you need a refresher on what they’ve been up to.

Tag list (ask to be added or removed): @whump-tr0pes, @burtlederp, @castielamigos-whump-side-blog, @doitforthewhump, @shameless-whumper, @endless-whump, @theycomeinthrees, @faewhump, @lonesome--hunter 

CW: consensual and nonsexual nudity, dealing with emotions in an unhealthy way, ambush, mild gore in descriptions of bleeding, death, misguided killing? sorta? it’s complicated.

“See you in the morning,” he spat, slamming Floyd’s head against the wall and adjusting something on his collar before leaving with the rest of the soup and muttering to himself on his way out.

“Enjoy your nap.”

(Meanwhile, back on The Thief’s Halyard)

Ray wiped the sheen of sweat off his brow, stepping into the cabins. It had been a long day after the sleepless night that preceded it, and the coming night would only feel longer. It didn’t seem like anyone else around him could feel it, but the atmosphere had changed drastically since Floyd… wasn’t there.

The blue skies were grayer, and the sun crossing the sky was a scalding reminder that time was still passing. The pep and joy so commonly passed around the ship dissipated into vague anxiety and what seemed like fear at Ray’s presence.  But that didn’t matter so much. Every moment they spent on this blind pursuit was another moment that anything could be happening, really, and it was taking time for that to settle in with everyone.

He hadn’t been hit that hard by the situation. He was still himself. Nobody had any reason to think otherwise. He’d been a little more domineering since Floyd’s disappearance nearly two days before, but it wasn’t a major change. He’d always been a strong captain before this.

He wasn’t so sure why, despite all that, Clara had flinched away from his hand on her shoulder earlier.

Or why the majority of his crew wouldn’t make eye contact when they spoke.

He went out of his way to be down to earth and friendly. Nothing had changed about that.

He shook his head and cleared his thoughts when he stepped in front of Mabel’s door. No time for that now. Ray raised a hand to knock three times and turned the handle to let himself in since she couldn’t, or at least shouldn’t, get up to open it on her own. 

Inside, Mabel was laying down on her bed with Clara sitting by her side, hunched over a stool, expression tight with what looked like anxiety. Both raised their eyes as he stepped in. He felt like a silence had fallen because of his presence.

“Mabel, Clara,” he inclined his head to each of them, offering a tight smile which neither returned. “...am I interrupting anything? I can leave just the way I came and be back later.” There was no response for a few seconds and he was just about to leave anyway when Clara spoke up.

“No, you’re alright! I was just going to change Mabel’s bandages,” she said quickly, waving him in. Ray obliged with a small nod, closing the door gently behind him before taking a seat next to where his quartermaster lay. She lifted a hand for him as Clara peeled back heavy blankets to reveal her bandages, and he clasped it in his own. 

“Oh, do you mind…?” she glanced between Mabel and Ray, just then processing that she had opted to stay bare under the covers. 

“Ray’s fine. It’s been a long time since he was in the business of touching women, hasn’t it?” Mabel tilted her head, voice lifting to a light, joking tone. He didn’t seem to hear her at first, eyes foggy and staring off into the distance.

“...what? Oh, no, not for almost thirty years since I survived off of my mother’s milk,” Ray chuckled, but it was flat and forced. 

“Right,” Clara nodded as she peeled off Mabel’s bandages and got to work cleaning excess blood and re-wrapping the wound.

“So,” she winced at a cloth pressing against her side, reigniting the pain there, “how have things been with the crew? Everyone hard at work out there?” 

“Oh, you know, smooth sailing and all that,” Ray smiled sadly, but it melted off of his face, “everything’s sort of dreary, but it’s alright.” 

He squeezed Mabel’s hand and felt her squeeze back, fingers tracing silently over his, and lingering in the space where his left pinkie was missing. A wound from battle years ago that she had helped take care of. She’d taken care of him then, but he needed to take care of her now. He was doing all he could to deal with every other situation, so the least he could do was be a comforting presence and shove everything else down in the back of his mind where it belonged.

“But, well, I did catch James doing something pretty odd earlier,” Ray smiled again, and it stuck genuinely as he thought back to just hours before.

“Did you now?” she grinned, thrilled to hear gossip about her fellow crew members. No matter how much all of them bonded and shared with each other, they’d always have secrets that Ray and Mabel were eager to find out. They never encroached too far on the crew’s privacy, but sometimes it was too captivating to ignore.

“Of course. So we know that him and Edith definitely have something going on, but as it turns out…” he rambled on and on about how James obviously had an eye for Edith, but he’d been writing a letter to a former love, apparent in the swirling hearts drawn carefully across the front of the envelope. Mabel was wrapped up in his tale, but Clara evidently tried to tune it out as she worked. When she was finished Ray dismissed her, to her clear relief.

They chatted for a while after that, but evening came and soon a dark night swallowed the gentle light from the window. Ray left her to sleep, went back to his own quarters, and worked at his desk for hours into the night, a single candle burning the midnight oil.

                              ——————————————————

Ray woke later in the night with an aching soreness in his neck and his head pressed up against a hard surface that was decidedly not his pillow. His eyes fluttered open to see the wooden grain of his desk, illuminated only by the soft glow of a steadily burning candle. He’d fallen asleep while working.

It wasn’t surprising, given the minimal sleep he’d had for the past few days, but it was dangerous. Ray stood to meander over to his bed, forgetting about the candle as swiftly as he’d remembered it.

It struck him as strange when he felt a pressure on his legs and the chair rose along with him, but he didn’t realize exactly why until he felt the press of a blade through his clothing.

“Captain Raymond Bates of The Thief’s Halyard, sit your ass right the hell down!” someone shouted, and he balked at the vulgar command. He raised his hands in a silent surrender but didn’t sit. Looking down, he noticed that the chair was bound to his legs around his thighs, but not his ankles. A clear oversight considering he could still stand up, and his attacker seemed quite distressed that they’d forgotten this detail.

Assured by their mistake, he turned around and lowered his hands when he came face to face with two individuals. He couldn’t make out much in the dark, but the one on the other end of the sword, now pointed at his chest, was a tall woman with unkempt long hair. The other appeared male but had the same wild mane. Certainly not any major military force, then.

“Sit down! I won’t ask you again,” she growled, pressing the swordpoint harder into his chest. This lady definitely wanted something from him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t kill him with a careless, rage induced blow. Slowly, Ray sat back in the chair.

“Who are you and what do you want?” he asked, voice deliberately light and collected. 

“Nobody you know. We just want the reward out for bringing your crew to justice and spearing your ugly ass head on a pike,” her eyes gleamed as she said it, but Ray was more concerned by the alleged reward for his crew than he was by the implication that she planned to kill him.

“I didn’t know I’d offended anyone so recently. Care to elaborate?” he asked. She shook her head with a smile.

“We know people,” the woman shrugged, “and they said they’d pay a handsome fuckin’ sum if we took out the children tugging at their coattails. So, you and your assistant are going to help us gather everyone up. If you don’t, we kill all of them.”

It took him a few seconds to realize what she meant, and even longer to realize there was only one person he’d been remotely bothering recently. How Percival had managed to get people on his trail already was beyond him, but they were here now and they were out for blood. He clenched his jaw before he could express too much and looked back up at her.

“Alright, I’ll help you. I look strange tied to this chair, though.” She looked him over for a second in consideration, called the other man standing guard back over, and sheathed her sword. 

“Fine. Just don’t you fucking dare try anything, got it?”

“Yeah. No funny business. Got it.” He moved his hands out of the way as she came closer, grasping the back of the chair. She bent her knee and reached for where the rope was knotted.

Just as she did, Ray shot up and spun, whipping her across the face with the chair legs. She cried out and scrambled to defend herself, but he quickly backpedaled and pinned her to the wall with the chair pressing hard into her chest. The woman was stunned temporarily, but by now the man had realized what was going on and rounded on him with his sword drawn. 

Ray raised his fists but realized there was no way to get a hit in past a blade, especially while still pinning someone to the wall. He spun again instead, deflecting the sword and knocking the man off balance. He careened towards the wall as Ray stumbled, almost tripping over himself as he tried to fetch his own rapier.

The chair tied around his thighs became more of a hindrance at that moment, weighing down his weary legs and dragging him even further off balance. By the time he was able to pick up his sword and draw it, the man was already upon him with the woman not far behind. 

Ray heard crashing down the hallway as he fought, swinging desperately at his opponent as he was slowly cornered. He felt strikes hit his arms, but no flare of pain came even after the blood flowed and stained his shirt. 

He took a step backwards, but the chair only pressed harder into his back as he realized he’d been run up against the wall. His bed to the left and the other wall to the right created the perfect trap, and he cursed himself for falling right into it. 

He was hopelessly overwhelmed, but at that moment a figure appeared in the doorway and rushed in. At first he thought it was another attacker, but they quickly shoved the woman to the side, pounding her head against the ground with an ear splitting crack that made the other man whirl around in surprise. Ray took his chance, plunging the rapier through his chest and pulling it back out just seconds later. 

Blood sprayed from the wound and he grimaced, looking past the body as it fell to see Mabel staring back at him. The first thing he noticed was the blood staining her dark skin, shimmering in the dim light of the candle. The second thing he noticed was that she was still nude except for the sword belt wrapped hastily around her waist. The third thing he noticed was that he could only see this because he still hadn’t blown out his damn candle. 

The adrenaline quickly faded when neither of their attackers rose from the floor, and Ray was frozen until his legs nearly buckled under the continued weight of the chair. He sat down, reaching for his knife on the nightstand to cut the ropes still holding him down. 

“Are you… alright?” Mabel asked, her voice rasping and not quite awake. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m… yeah, they attack you too?” he said, sawing quickly through what turned out to be fairly low quality rope. The fibers were rotted and stiff, loosely wound around each other. Ray made quick work of the makeshift bindings.

“Yep. Just one scrawny little thing; I knocked him out and ran to you,” she explained, helping him up once he freed himself. “Was the chair… what was the chair…?”

“They tied me to it,” Ray laughed, “told me they wanted to kill me, and I hit them with it. Probably should have let her untie it first.” 

“Maybe,” Mabel mused mockingly, only snapping out of the trance when they heard footsteps from somewhere outside. “Shit, okay, there’s probably more of them. Obviously. You: sword. Me: uh- clothes?”

“Yeah, just-” he cut himself off, gesturing loosely to the dresser where he kept the few spare outfits he’d accumulated over the years. Mabel slipped on a shirt and pants, a little too short on her but enough to do the job. The two slipped out of his room and scanned the hallway where there were no other attackers. They headed to the deck where they spotted the smaller schooner sailing alongside them and two sailors climbing from its deck to theirs. 

“Halt, both of you!” Ray shouted, sword drawn and pointed at the pair. They froze, apparently not expecting two armed enemies to be staring them down. The second figure clambered over onto the deck and drew their own sword, but didn’t move to engage yet.

“We already dealt with your friends, so just put the weapons down and we might let you go with your lives,” Mabel said, flashing a dark glare that glowed in the moonlight. They seemed to pause for a second, deliberating in silent glances before they conceded and lowered their blades to the ground. 

It almost seemed too easy, but they were amateurs after all. Confidence and determination without any skill or record to back it up like someone of real stature would. There was a reason a name like Percival could have men shivering in their boots even when the bastard was thousands of leagues away, after all… 

Ray focused back on the present and not the burning rage stewing in his gut, fixing a glare instead on the pair before them. The pair whose crew had almost murdered him, almost taken his friend, along with his crew, his family. Without a second thought, he stalked forward, drew back his rapier, and plunged it right into the neck of the attacker closest to him. He twisted the blade with a menace, watching, enraptured, as blood spurted and splattered over his face. 

After taking a final look at terror filled eyes in the darkness of the night, he kicked them in the chest and watched as they fell off of his blade to the ground, spasming and screaming silently in their last moments of life. Then he turned to the second one, a maniacal grin contorting his face.

They bent down and scrambled for their sword, but they couldn’t even grasp it before Ray’s plunged through their gut and pulled back out again with a flourish.

Then Ray stabbed him again. And again. And again.

Below him in the darkness, through his eyes, it was Percival bleeding out into a puddle and choking on the fluid that bubbled up his throat. He was dying and dying and he was dead, unmoving. He was gone, and Floyd was somewhere safe and sound like he was always supposed to be, like he always deserved to be, and everything was okay now.

A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped, eyes wide with madness and fury as he spun to see another figure in the darkness.

“Ray? Ray, hey, it’s Mabel. Are you here? Are you with me?” Mabel spoke low, her voice shaking with something he couldn’t recognize. His breath shuddered and he peered up at her, then looked below him at the man he’d just mutilated. Unseeing, unmistakably blue eyes stared up at him underneath the wounds he’d just inflicted.

Blue eyes. Not orange. Not haunting, and intriguing, and mesmerizing. Not Percival.

“I…” Ray trailed off blankly. “I’m here. I think I’m alright I just- I don’t know what came over me…” His voice grew thick with clouded emotions, eyes tearing up in shock.

“No, listen, it’s alright. We’re gonna have to talk about this, but right now we need to keep everyone safe. That’s what you wanna do right? Keep these people from taking anyone else away from us?” 

Slowly, languidly, Ray nodded.

“Right… you’re right.”

Next part

[silverynight]

Gramander/NRH sound of music with NRH kids but instead of Maria teaching music it's Newt teaching about how creatures are good.

Percival's son Credence (who's only four years old) meets the consultant magizoologist while he's at his father's work. The Director doesn't approve of Newt being so close to his son and has a heart attack when he finds them inside Newt's case, surrounded by dangerous creatures.

They both have an argument about magical creatures in which Graves growls something about Credence being in constant danger when he's with Newt and the magizoologist stares at Percival in shock, before narrowing his eyes.

"I would never put Credence in any kind of danger," Newt mumbles and Graves can see he's pissed and hurt and he regrets what he said immediately.

Credence is crying now and Newt takes him in his arms to call him down, talking to him with such kindness and love, Percival feels even worse for what he said.

He knows he's been harsh on Newt because he has feelings for him, but has been trying to deny it since the beginning.

"It's okay, Credence. Now go with your Dad, okay? I'll be alright. We're not angry with you, I promise."

After that Newt avoids Graves as much as he can; he still talks with Credence, but not as he used to and he always does it when Percival is watching.

Credence doesn't return to the case and the kid is feeling miserable ever since.

"So... you fucked it up," Seraphina tells him during lunch and Percival snarls at her.

"Don't..." He grumbles, upset. "Okay... How do I fix it?"

"Beg on your knees," she chuckles.

"Very funny, Seraphina."

***

He talks with Newt the next day, he apologizes almost immediately, surprising the redhead.

"Credence wants to learn more about magical creatures and spend more time with you," Percival says and adds, blushing: "I'd like that too."

Newt beams at him and the next day, the three of them are inside the case; the magizoologist starts giving them a tour and Percival can't help but to listen to him in awe.

From that day on the three have lunch inside the case; Percival's attraction turn into love really fast and he doesn't actually know what to do.

So Queenie takes care of Credence one day and Percival gathers all his courage to get inside the case alone.

"Where's Credence?" Newt immediately asks, looking as beautiful as always. His hair is a mess over his head, but Percival loves it that way.

"Queenie is keeping an eye on him..." Percival clears his throat. "I wanted it to be just you and me this time... Like a date, if you want."

"I'd love to," Newt mumbles, freckles disappearing under the blush on his cheeks.

A few weeks later Credence starts calling Newt Mummy and Percival starts looking for the perfect engagement ring.

***

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[agentdagonet]

For the Eggsy sees Ghosts series. Roxy and Merlin's deaths in Golden Circle.

So, you’ve created a monster. For now, have this version, where everyone lives. Cos, you know, the whole series is telling moments in both directions. I promise I’m working on the one that’s more canon-aligned, but figured you’d like this humble offering in the meantime.

Already up on AO3, feel free to subscribe for when I eventually get to finishing/posting the second version.

Eggsy wasn’t really sure if he should be thanking or cursing whatever strange powers-that-be gave him his ability to see ghosts, most days. For a few reasons, actually, starting with not everyone stayed behind, obviously, and often the people he wanted to see most were those who moved On without pause. Which meant that he didn’t always know if he was waiting for a ghost or should be looking for an injured friend, in the wake of tragedy.

And, unfortunately, tragedy was far too easy to come by in Kingsman; this made the concern a constant thought in the back of his mind.

He’d been at dinner with Tilde’s family, pretending to know a lot more than he did because that was the only way he could remain in her life, when James had simply appeared where he hadn’t been a moment before. His face was contorted in a way Eggsy knew spelt disaster, and a moment later Alistair was just beside him, shock in every line of his features.

Needless to say, Eggsy had made his excuses and practically ran from the room before locking himself in the first bathroom he stumbled across.

‘Fuck, Perce, I am so sorry-’

‘Save your apologies, Eggsy and get your arse back to Kingsman.’ James had never spoken to him so curtly, and that alone was enough for him to spring into action, sprinting out the door while sending an automated text Tilde’s way. Kingsman, sorry, got to run was definitely not the sort of text Tilde enjoyed receiving, but it was a common enough one to have been added to his automatic responses- and it was one of the thousand reasons they hadn’t succeeded romantically.

He didn’t really want to think about the source of James’ stress, but as Kingsman flickered in and out of his periphery he couldn’t help but keep note. Percival, Bors, Kay, Geraint, Lamorak, Bedivere, Pelleas, Dagonet-

‘Shit,’ Eggsy had already set the jet to make its way to the Manor as quick as possible, and had pulled a set of glasses from a cabinet with shaky hands, ‘come on, come on, come on.’ He flicked through channels at a frantic pace, not letting himself connect the static he kept running into with the ghosts surrounding him. At least that’s what he told himself.

He landed next to a crater, smoke and dust still billowing up from within, and scanned the rubble with disbelieving eyes. Kingsman (no, he corrected, the mansion) was gone. Nothing but dust and smoke and the taste of ash on the wind.

‘-ggsy… Eggsy! Get your arse over here.’ Eggsy shook himself to awareness and found himself bounding toward James without consciously deciding to do so. He followed his gesture with his eyes, and found himself looking at a handle and a mostly-covered door. There was a faint thudding, and for a moment Eggsy was convinced that he was hearing rubble fall like chunks of iceberg into the sea, before he connected the sound to the source.

‘Fuck,’  Eggsy breathed before leaping into the crater, heedless of the sharp debris, ‘hold on, hold on, I’m coming!’ He yelled the last, hoping beyond measure that the definitely-panicking person trapped within could hear him. Would know that someone was coming for them. He didn’t let himself guess as to who had survived the attack while he moved anything he could nudge away from the door, didn’t let himself listen to the murmering behind him even as it grew with more voices, more layers, more-

The door swung open, would have hit Eggsy full on had he not been able to jump out of the way. Well, more trip backward over something he hadn’t been paying attention to in his bid to remove himself from the trajectory but either way he was (mostly) unharmed as someone came out, coughing. 

‘Galahad, are you there?’ It sounds like it’s coming from far away despite the glasses still being on his face. It’s said with the kind of resignation Eggsy’s heard from telemarketers, from people passing flyers on the kerb. The one that says “I’ve been at this for a while, I know you won’t answer, but I have to keep trying.” Merlin’s voice was in his ear, Harry was supposed to be watching Daisy for the day at his mum’s place back at the Estates. He’d never been more thankful for his mum’s stubborn streak than he was at this moment, somehow certain that the manor was the least of Kingsman’s losses, going by his spectral entourage. He’d flown here straight from Sweden as the behest of James and Percival which now that he let himself think about it could only have meant that-

A small, solid, body knocked him right back off his feet and tears (and no small amount of sweat, and perhaps a bit of blood) soaked through his shirt at an alarming rate. He ran a hand from the top of the head pressed to his sternum to their neck, both to check for swelling and just to reassure himself that they were solid. Present. Real. Alive.

‘I’ve got you,’ Eggsy whispered, hiding his own tears in her hair, as the embers of Kingsman continued to die around them.

—

Eggsy stared at the laptop blankly, Harry sat beside him in a similar state, and Roxy in their ears trying fruitlessly to get their attention. The battle had been over for a handful of moments, but they hadn’t known what to do afterward. They’d thrown a man into a meat grinder (and who that person was had Eggsy’s stomach twisted into pretzels. He’d doubted Harry after everything and what kind of an agent, let alone friend, did that make him?) and saved the world and now that all was said and done they were able to… stop. 

To let themselves realise what had happened, what they had lost, from the bombing of the mansion to their breaking in to PoppyLand and-

‘The fuck are you mourning for, you daft prick,’ Eggsy steeled himself to turn and face a ghost he never wanted to meet. Just another in the seemingly endless list of people he’d lost in the last couple weeks. James and Percival were back with Roxy on the jet, the rest of Kingsman had thought better of following them into battle, correctly assuming that they would be a distraction far more than they could be a help. ‘I’m right here.’

‘You lucky bastard.’ Harry replied, and Eggsy forgot to breathe for a moment.

‘I was trying to tell you, Eggsy- Merlin’s vitals didn’t stop, though they did flicker for a bit. He’s stable, if a bit shorter than he was before his rousing performance.’ Roxy’s voice was shaky, tight, the way it got in the midst of crying and Eggsy felt no shame in adding his tears to the lot.

‘Galahad?’ Eggsy took a steadying breath before turning toward Harry, and thus Merlin. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t Harry on his stomach like a teenage girl at a slumber party, resting on his elbows next to Benny and Jet’s doggy doors and Merlin-

Merlin was a sight that Eggsy could have gone without seeing. His suit was torn and dirty, he had a multitude of cuts, his fingers were bloody (fresh blood, new blood, from dragging himself from the explosion) and his legs. Well. They weren’t. Eggsy wasn’t sure if he wanted to throw up or faint but neither was an option, and without conscious thought he had thrown himself from the stool and slid to the side not occupied by Harry. He lifted a shaking hand as if to touch him, to reassure himself that Merlin was alive, but it seemed that Eggsy’s arrival had been enough for Merlin to allow himself to lose consciousness.

‘Hamish!’ Eggsy and Harry reacted in sync, as they had been their entire time in PoppyLand, one hand each going to Merlin’s shoulders and the other to the small of his back, and moved as one to the counter. They unceremoniously knocked the briefcase-laptop over the edge, neither caring that the fall was broken by the madwoman’s body, and set Merlin down as gently as they could.

‘How are we getting him home?’ Harry didn’t answer, face pale and eyes wide, one hand resting not-so-casually over a pulse point. With how it was trembling it likely wasn’t very useful, but Eggsy was never one to tell others how to cope.

‘You need to fix his tourniquets, but I have medical assistance on the way.’ Roxy whispered in his glasses, and both men spring into action- Eggsy grabbed a couple aprons that were hanging nearby and tore the ties clean off as Harry checked the makeshift-triage while glaring at the dirty stumps as if they had mortally offended him. Which, honestly, it wasn’t that far off- the loss meant that they hadn’t imagined the explosion, but it also meant he was alive-

There was a flicker of blue, so quick Eggsy was convinced he imagined it, but then it happened again and Eggsy’s heart went into overtime.

‘How long ‘til help gets here, Rox?’ Eggsy cursed in his mind, not wanting to alert Harry to the precarious situation before them. Not wanting to make it any worse than it already was. This was his burden to bear.

‘Fifteen minutes out now, Galahad.’ Eggsy nodded to himself, and leant forward to pull the strips of cloth from Harry’s hands. Harry continued to look back and forth from Merlin’s face and the remains of his leg, watching for any signs of further distress, but Eggsy busied himself with pulling the cloth taut and steadily ignoring the rhythmic blue that he immediately knew matched the pulse Harry was desperately monitoring.

He’d never hated his ability more.

He’d been there for someone coming Back, he’d been there for someone moving On, had spoken to ghosts centuries old who had long since forgotten what they had come Back for, he’d been there for all the moments in between; but he had somehow managed not to be there as someone struggled to Stay. 

Eggsy looked around the room for something, anything, that would help more than the haphazard tourniquets they’d fashioned. There was a first aid kit in the corner, but knowing Poppy it would only have what the 50s considered necessary for a kit and as much fun as that could be it wouldn’t solve Merlin’s problem. It wouldn’t even vaguely help.

But that could. It was a stretch, it wasn’t made for this, but anything was worth a shot at this rate.

Eggsy ran to the first aid kit, and on the shelf next to it were packets of Statesman Alpha Gel. Three or four sets, wrapped in gaudy yellow fabric with fucking bows but they were there and Eggsy snatched up the lot before sprinting back to Merlin and Harry.

‘Harry. Oi, Harry,’ He looked up from where his finger had been running along the seam of the tourniquet, ‘think this’ll help?’ Eggsy dropped them to the counter before pressing one to Harry’s chest

‘Well,’ Harry began, throat obviously tight but trying to play it off, ‘I’m fairly certain that legs aren’t quite as complicated as brains so it should stabilise him at the least.’ 

Eggsy wanted desperately to be doing anything else, but pulled the elastic stuff firmly across the open wound before stabbing the plungers just below the tourniquet and Harry did the same. Eggsy let himself crumple gracefully back into a bar stool when it looked like everything would hold, and Roxy let them know that Merlin’s vitals were slowly stabilising. He watched with bated breath as the elements merged, as the gel seemed to do what it had when he’d used it on (traitorous) Whiskey only a short while ago. 

What was it about Kingsman that fucked with time passing?

‘You did good.’ Eggsy looked up and locked eyes with his dad, the man was on the other side, forearms resting on the counter top, and Eggsy gave him a shaky grin before he reached a hand out to Harry, and pulled a limp hand into his own and squeezed it tight.

‘We win. Shit’s fucked, but we’ll figure it out as we go. Together. Ain’t that humanity’s great superpower? Teamwork? We’ll get it done.’

Prompt me, send me random asks, let’s chat!

[msjr0119]

Hold On

Part 10- I remember

Nobody got injured at the Homecoming ball, they all get separated into different safe houses- for safety.

Riley and Drake had confirmed that they had feelings for each other, however Drake believed Riley should be with Liam. Heartbroken, she moves back to New York. Only keeping in touch with Hana, Maxwell and Olivia.

Riley meets lawyer, Nate Cooper and begins a relationship with him. In Cordonia, Drake begins to court Kiara.

Nine months after Riley had left Cordonia- there is a reunion, but not the reunion the friends had hoped for.

*Characters belong to Pixelberry*

If you are under 18 please do not read this series. If you do, you are consenting that you are over the age.

Series warnings: Suicide, domestic abuse, swearing, stabbing, smut 🍋 If any of these triggers affect you do not read!

Tags- @annekebbphotography @burnsoslow @drakesensworld @ladyangel70 @bbrandy2002 @butindeed @bascmve01 @kingliam2019 @pedudley @captain-kingliamsqueen @drakewalker04 @duchessemersynwalker @insideamirage @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @kozabaji @texaskitten30 @ibldw-main @kimmiedoo5 @nikkis1983 @dangerouseggseagleartisan @gnatbrain @walker7519 @lodberg @cmestrella @choices97

LOTS AND LOTS OF DIALOGUE IN THIS PART.... SORRY NOT SORRY

******

“M-Max?”

“Riley?”

“Riley, it’s really you! You’re awake! I’m so happy to see your sparkly eyes open, blossom.”

“Where... what....”

“Hold that thought Ri. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t go.... please... help”

“Ri, I’ll be literally a second. I need to find someone. Then I’m all yours. Not literally. Oh you know what I mean...”

Maxwell ran out of the room, searching for the nurse, searching for anyone! He ran into Bertrand and knocked the coffees over- the hot liquid nearly scolding his brother.

“Maxwell Percival Beaumont! Do you know how much hassle it has taken me to get these?”

“Sorry B, she’s awake... she’s awake....go to her. She sounds confused. I’ll get the doctor or nurse...”

Bertrand abandoned the coffee and ran into the room. Not really thinking about the safety and possibility of people slipping on puddle of the milky liquid. Riley looked anxious- tears were running down her cheek. She couldn’t move- she was feeling numb.

“Lady Riley! You’re awake. I’m so happy you’ve come back to us.”

Riley didn’t respond, instead Bertrand noticed her eyes roaming the room- tears now uncontrollably falling down her face. Her chest rapidly rising up and down. Maxwell returned with the nurse and Doctor.

“Miss Brooks, my name is Dr Hutchinson. I am so glad you are awake. Do you know where you are?”

“Uh... the hospital?”

“Correct. Do you remember why?”

“The Hudson... I... I jumped.... I panicked... I changed my mind... I.... “

Then men looked at each other. They were grateful for whoever saved their sister’s life. She regretted it. She had changed her mind. The Doctor interrupted her, she didn’t have to elaborate on the answer. She remembered the jump, she remembered the river. No other information was required at this time.

“Very good Miss Brooks. You’re memory is still there which is a good sign. Are you in any pain?”

Riley shook her head, she was just blinded by all the bright lights shining in her face.

“We will keep you in for a couple of days. Continuously check your observations. Then we will consider discharging you. Do you have any questions?”

“I... I have no.. nowhere to go.”

“Blossom! You have your home in Cordonia. With us. You’re our sister. We will look after you...”

Riley avoided the question- looking at both men with sorrow in her eyes. She reverted her gaze towards the doctor- worry in her ocean blues.

“Where’s... Where’s Nate?”

Nate is she fucking serious?

“Mr Cooper, has been held in custody Miss Brooks. You don’t have to worry about him. Our main priority is your health and your recovery. You will also be required to speak to the police at some point. But we will delay that for as long as possible. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Very good. I will leave you to rest. If you need anything don’t hesitate to call us for assistance.”

Riley forced a smile and nodded- thoughts still lingering about what to do once she was discharged. The brothers thanked the staff as they exited the room. Both turned smiling at their sister impersonating the Cheshire Cat.

“So... are you coming back with us? We will look after you blossom...”

“I agree Lady Riley. You are part of our house. I will do everything in my power to look after you. I promise.”

“Guys... I can’t come back. This ... this is my home... “

“Ri, everyone at your real home has been here. Waiting for you to wake up. Liv even nearly physically killed Nate.”

“WHAT?”

Riley’s blood pressure, began to rise. Maxwell and his stupid mouth.

“Don’t worry- she only broke his nose.”

“What the fuck Max? Why would she do that?”

“Lady Riley, you know why! Please calm down.”

Bertrand insisted. She had only just woken up. She had already had a heart attack due to the stress of jumping in the river. He didn’t want a repetition of that.

“He’s going to kill me.”

“No. No he’s not. And I don’t think Liv would allow him anywhere near you anyway. She scared the shit out of him. He’s going to jail for all the hurt he caused you and Leo. You have people who care for you and love you in Cordonia. We’ve all been here. Even Drake and Liam.”

Hearing their names, broke Riley’s heart. The two men that loved her but also let her go were here- when she needed people to support her. Hearing what Olivia had done, made Riley regret leaving her best friend- Liv obviously cared a lot about her to do that.

“Please don’t mention Drake and Liam again Max.”

“Ri, they both love you. Liam has been a wreck. Ever since he found out he hasn’t left your side. He has even been brushing your hair. I don’t think I could do as much of a good job but I’ll try.”

“Why would he brush my hair? In fact don’t bother answering that. What about Drake? Kiara?”

The brothers both looked at each other. They felt the need to tell her truth, before she found out from someone else- someone else who would cause another shitstorm.

“Drake knows the truth about you know what, he’s heartbroken. He’s blaming himself for everything. And Kiara wasn’t here. Everyone but Kiara, Penny, Maddy, Neville, Rashad and Tariq were here. Even Bianca Walker was here. Although she was only really babysitting Bartie.”

Bertrand nodded, in agreement with Maxwell. She needed to know exactly who was there for her in her time of need.

“Yes. We all love you Lady Riley. You belong with us.”

“I... I can’t give you an answer right now. I’m sorry. I think I should try and rest.”

******

The Brothers watched Riley slowly fall asleep again. Maxwell became the protective brother- checking that she was still breathing. Petrified that she wouldn’t wake up. They had promised to contact everyone in Cordonia with any updates. However, with Riley not fully committing to coming back as of yet, they was unsure whether to do it this soon.

“Max, I promised our King I would let him know. Obviously she doesn’t need stress, and with them all coming back that would cause more stress. But if we let him know and tell him that we will bring her back the minute she is discharged he may stay there?”

“B, he is in love with her. He will come no matter what we say. And we can’t force her back. She seems to not want to come back. Maybe it’s all the drugs she’s on- she’s not thinking straight. I’ll call him.”

*****

Liam was focusing on catching up on paperwork in his study. Doing something, anything to try and keep his worried mind off Riley. Bastien knocked on the door, hesitating whilst opening it quietly.

“Sir, Lord Maxwell is on the phone.”

Liam snatched the phone off his guard, panicking, thinking that it was bad news. He had a lump form in his throat before answering.

“Max? Any news?”

“Hey Li, well you know the typical fairytale where a Prince kisses a Princess and she wakes up blah blah...Well they should really rewrite that scenario. Because this time it was a Lord who miraculously awoke the Princess up.”

“Max, shut up with the riddles. This is serious. What’s going off?”

“I just told you, Liam. I kissed her on the cheek. Then bam- she woke up.”

“Oh...She’s.... she’s awake?”

“Yeah, she was a bit confused. But yeah, now she’s talking a bit better. Had a bit of a panic attack when I told her about what Liv had done..her blood pressure shot through the roof....”

“Max I’m coming now! Hang up.”

“Li, wait! Don’t come just yet. The Doctor said she doesn’t need anymore stress. When... when we mentioned you being here with everyone and Drake she didn’t want to know. She’s just in shock, I assume? She’s fallen back to sleep now- don’t worry I’ve been checking that she’s breathing. They are discharging her in a couple of days- we will return with her. I can ask her to ring you if you want?”

“I suppose so. Tell her I’m thinking about her.”

“Will do buddy.”

Liam’s heart sunk, knowing that she had woken up once they’d all left. He knew he could trust the Beaumont’s- he just wished he was there beside her.

*****

Riley woke up a few hours later. She explained to the men that she was feeling much better- considering what her body had been through.

“Hey Ri, Liam says he’s thinking about you.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah. He still loves you to bits.”

“Could’ve fooled me... and don’t even say what you are going to say next Max.”

“Why what was I going to say?”

Riley’s eyebrows rose up. Even in her situation, Riley believed she wasn’t stupid. She could usually read Max like an open book.

“You was then going to mention something about Drake.”

“No actually.. For once Riley you were wrong. I was going to ask if you wanted to speak to Liam. He’s been worried sick about you. If you don’t want to that’s fine.”

“Sorry, I just assumed with you telling me that Drake knew about the baby ... I just assumed you was going to mention him. Pass me your phone then... dial his Majesty’s number.”

Maxwell looked at Riley in utter shock. He did not expect her to want to talk to Liam- especially when she asked him not to mention his name before. Riley couldn’t hold a grudge against him for how he treat her- she now realised that life was too short to do that. Deep down she did still love him. Unlike Drake, Liam was thinking about her safety and his country- where as Drake was just thinking with his dick.

*****

“Max? Is everything alright?”

“Hey....”

“Ri?”

Riley paused, not knowing what to say. Not knowing how to say anything. She didn’t want Liam to worry- she cared about him still considering the past circumstances. In a way, she felt guilty dragging him away from his King duties due to her selfish actions. Feeling this way, made her think she owed him an explanation at the very least.

“Ri? Are you there?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m just... I’m just a bit tired- all these drugs are making me feel sleepy. Thank you by the way.”

“What for?”

“I heard that you’d make a fantastic hairdresser.”

“Heh.. well I didn’t want you waking up with tangled hair. Don’t get me wrong, you’d still be beautiful with tangled hair... it’s so good to hear your voice. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too. Thank you for being there for me.”

Liam smiled for the first time in days. Relieved that she was finally awake- his heart couldn’t take anymore strain. Talking that way to him made his heart beat faster. Tears sprung from his eyes, he was so happy that she decided to call him.

“You gave us all a scare. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry Liam. I don’t know what I was thinking.... the minute I jumped.... I panicked. I shouted for help. I saw two men jump, then it was all a blur. I woke up... I’m sure Maxwell kissed me.”

“Don’t apologise, please. You don’t need to. And that he did. He obviously has the magic touch, as you didn’t respond to my kiss...”

“You... you kissed me?”

“I’m sorry Riley. It was just natural instinct. Every time I held your hand I kissed it... hoping that you would wake up. You decided to wake up the minute we all left you, you know.”

“You don’t need to apologise. Maybe Max should have kissed me before huh? I’m going to hang up. It’s been nice catching up Li. I’m sure you’re busy.”

“Never too busy for you. I’ve been worried about you. I miss you- I know I said it before. But I truly do.”

“Still a charmer I see, your Majesty.”

“Only for certain people Ri. Are you going to visit us? Come back? If not, I can visit you? It devastated me, thinking we’d lost you. You’re my friend Riley, I love you.”

“I don’t know Liam. I’m sorry, I was stupid. I was depressed- it’s not easy to admit that. I was a coward. I’m going to go. Love ya too. Talk soon.”

Riley hung up. She felt like she could have continued talking to him, but she decided to hang up. Why? He still loves me.. I still love him.. I should have never got involved with Drake or Nate.

Liam had mixed emotions after the phone call with Riley. Happiness, relief, sadness. He knew she said “love ya too” in a friendly way- he wished it was more as a friend. He realised that he didn’t deserve her forgiveness. I love you more Riley.

[conchstellations]

watching the 1963 LOTF movie for the first time: my reactions

lets go me!! i wanna watch but i cannot focus on JUST watching a movie and the minecraft server i usually play on is down, so i decided to write my reactions bc ive seen people do it for other movies and why not. also i wanna look back in the furture when i watch again bc why not. pls dont judge me. lets go team

-yo wtf is the choir so creepy when they sing like okay

- piggy is adorable and i’d kill for him

- music when they first arrive on shore: creepy, but that could just be cause i know its boutta go from 0-100 real quick

- we got our first suCKS TO YOUR ASSMAR

- PIGGY’S LAUGH IS SO CUTE IM LEGIT GONNA SOB WHEN HE DIES WTF

- Percival? so cute

- did jack fuckin make em sing as they approached? legend. icon. love the flex.

- i love how sad the choir kids all look. theyre all so fuckin done.

- god pls forgive me for laughing when Simon just fuckin collpased

- god simon is adorable

- imma cRY stop making fun of piggy

- jack just fuckng casually scratching his nose with his knife like okay flex again

- holY SHIT MAN HOW MEAN CAN U BE SIMON WAS LOOKING AT THAT

- stop attacking pigman i stg

- i, myself, as a hermit crab owner, am kinda sad :( leave them alone they are trying to be in sand 

- im gonna cry simon is so cute with his lizard friend i love him sm

- could the plane not see the kids running on the island? maybe im wrong. idk

- i rly wanna hug ralph :( hes so upset about the fire

- yo the whole cult pig chant thing was creepy but when u hear actual kids say it? terrifying. no thanks.

- a+ acting piggy but alos i fuckin love u so its ok

- k fuck u jack. fuck u. also, simon’s voice is so sweet when hes like “here have ur specs” and he hands them over so nicely like God simon ur the best ur so valid sweetie

- jack that was a fake ass apology.

- u better bring em back ralph. he makes his tone a lot nicer with piggy than he does with jack which i appreciate

- ur slurping is fckin nasty. poor piggy. also thank god for simon which i have saud before many times, and will say again many times.

- get em ralph. call that assembly. they suck.

- god, percival is bby. imma pretend that hunter is maurice like in the book and thank the lord for him as well. finally, a hunter does something valid. way to go.

- is that my dumbass squid boy? i love him

- jack shut tf up and stop being mean to piggy challenge

- simon is so precious and whomever said “no” like that does it again imma beat ur ass wtf hes telling the truth. insert that jesus meme here, which applies in many ways.

- jack and ralph argue. again. wow whom the fuck knew. thats all they do jesus they just bicker forever. also, have i said fuck jack rights? because fuck jack rights. piggy has the funmkckin conch

- wow ralph sim n piggy are so valid. love em. cherish em.

- love samneric too, theyre adorable

- ralph is putting jack in his place again and again, whcih is very appreicated and thsank u ralph.

- simon i love u.

- ralph’s smile is orecious af

- no clue why they put the camberly thing in but glad they did bc more piggy content

- oh simon, i love u sm but honey u got a big storm comin

- cue more jack and ralph bickering. also, if i was ralph i would not fumckin climb a mountain with the verified psychopaths but i mean maybe thats just me

- ahhhh.... the corpse

- “boys armed with sticks” THERE WE GO RALPH THATS MY BOI

- i like how dramatic the scene is where jack dips

- siMON

- okay ummmmm lotf is creepy as shit thanks

- choir trying to be tight and kill pigs n shit then go back to singing practice? yeah right losers ur fuckin nerds

- simon pls just go back to ur lizard and ignore the pig pls

- i am not ready 

- love how theres like a grand total of 6 people in ralphs tribe lmao

- go ralph!!! ur so valid sweetie

- ralph i stg... go home... ur vibes are rancid rn

- SIMON FUCJDJIN RUN NOW

- his screaming is so awful... it hurts my heart

- simons body drfiting out while the creepy choir song plays is so sad wtf especially with the glimmer or the creatures or whatever like its just sad

- piggy i love u but we BOTH know that was murder.

- as much as raph sucked for killing simon i wanna give hm a big hug

- mkkay accident? maybe, MAYBE i can get behind. but he was FUCKIN INNOCENT PIGGy

- okay fuck jack rights

- awe pigGY 

- SIMON BUILT THAT SHELTER

- oh wow rock throwing 

- lemme just say: respect ralph rights. hate him for killing simon but u can tell he respects piggy cause when hes yellin at the choir hes all mean but he is nice and tells piggy to wait cause he knows hes worried

- he even gives him the conch to make him feel better!

- FIUCK GET EM RALPH GOD I LOVE U UR SO VALID HUN

- DAMN RIGHT HE IS U TELL EM RALLPH

- u tell em piggy

- okay that was so uncool. who the fuck said that was ok

- OKAY THAT SHOT OF THE BODY BEING TAKEN AWAY WHILE RALPH WATCHES IS SO RUDE

- im sorry for laughing but ralph just seeing what happened and just dipping is so fucjncj funny

- sam and eric are such real ones and i appreciate them as well

- mmkay that cutfrom the coast guard to the island in flames is so funny

- poor percival

- ralph looks so upset. imma cry. like hes legit shking. not ok

aleight i did it. it wa sso sad. i think imma watch the 1990 movie another night cause ibe heard its funny af

ummmm tl;dr, i love simon, i love piggy except for after simons death, jacks a bitch and so i roger, and ralph is valid af. i didnt really see the characters that way in the book, like i imagined ralph was blonde and simon was nothing like that kid, no matter how cute he was. good movie tho!!!!

thats about it. if u read this idk why u did but thank u. if u wanna know where i watched just look up google drive lord of the flies and its there for free! ;000 

[funeral-clown]

@demibuckybarnes

it’s jdox

it’s got some smut

it’s got some banter

it’s got some daddy kink

it’s got a whole bunch of girls names

it’s got sins against the pizza gods

read it if you want

The handle of the door dug into his back through the thin cotton of his shirt, leaving JD wincing. He was more concerned with his front, however, where Dr. Cox had him pinned, snarling, hands furled into tight fists around his shirt. The position exposed a frankly embarrassing amount of belly to the cool air. At least he was wearing a shirt, unlike the growling man currently pinning him to the wall.

“Cassandra,” his mentor grit out, “What in the hell were you thinking, dropping in unannounced on my one day off this week?”

JD started to stammer out a response, only to be roughly jostled into silence.

“Let me to that one for ya there, sweetheart. ‘Oh, how I miss my stud of a resident! He must be lonely, up in his apartment with his scotch and his flat-screen tv and his premium sports cable package! I should go annoy him, thus taking away any chance of him drinking himself into the sweet oblivious void where the hospital, it’s patients, and most importantly I do not exist!’ Am I somewhere close, precious?”

JD sulked.

“I just thought you might want a buddy. You have my back in the hospital, and I have yours-”

A sharp whistle cut him off.

“For the last time, Cassiopeia, I don’t “have your back.” I do my job, which is to make sure you don’t kill all your patients! And it’s a damn exhausting effort! So forgive me for wanting a few hours to myself to drink scotch, watch hockey, and put my hand down my pants-” at this JD’s gaze shifted downwards to his sweats-”eyes up HERE sunshine- without any life or death disasters looming over me or sparkly Disney-princess eyed fan girls looming behind me! Now give me one good reason not to kick your ass.”

JD fluttered his eyelashes. Perry growled and shook him again.

“I’ll pay for pizza?”

There was a pause. His eyes narrowed, considering. After what felt like an eternity, he grunted and let him go. JD let out a small breath of relief, giddy at the chance to bond.

“Fine, but we’re getting pineapple and anchovies and I won’t hear you bitch about it.”

“Anchovies on half?”

“You’ll get anchovies on all of it and you’ll like it!”

“Fine.”

JD rolled his eyes and dialed the number as his dubiously enthusiastic companion returned to the couch.

“There’s beer in the fridge.”

“I thought you were drinking scotch?”

“Correctamundo, I am, in fact, drinking scotch. You, however, are a degenerate upon whom fine liquor is wasted. So you will be drinking beer.”

JD grinned.

“Thanks, Perry. Thoughtful of you to provide a drink, knowing I hate whiskey and all.”

The teasing lilt was not missed by his irate companion, who scoffed before crossing his arms.

“I just refuse to see good booze go to waste on the ungrateful. Now go get your pansy water. And hey! Newbie!”

JD froze halfway to the fridge and looked back.

“No more first naming me. We are not friends, we are not buddies, I am your superior, and it’s Doctor Cox, Big Dog, or, since this is my house, My Lord. Got it?”

JD nodded resolutely.

“You got it, Doctor Per-Bear.”

He cackled and ducked away from the pillow sent flying at his head with a snarl.

“First strike, Deirdre.” 

Still quietly laughing, he grabbed a beer and returned.

“So! Who’s playing?”

“Mouth shut, eyes open, princess. You’ll figure it out.”

“What, no rant about the grand history of the sport?”

“Here’s a rant for ya. If you open your mouth again before the pizza gets here, I’m going to spit in your beer like all the waitresses at the bar do.”

“Ha! Jokes on you, I drink appletinis at the bar!”

“Strike two. And now if you talk, I’m going to kick your ass and throw you out.”

JD took a sullen sip and dramatically gestured to his closed mouth.

“Ah, sweet relief. If I’d known how absolutely giddy it would make me to hear you not speak, I would have bribed the Janitor for duct tape ages ago.”

JD stuck his tongue out. He got a raised eyebrow for his troubles.

“Problem, Betsy?”

He shook his head.

“Awww, buck up there, kid. Tell ya what, if my team rallies by the next period, Daddy might just let you have a sip of his scotch like a big girl.”

JD rolled his eyes and took another drag of his beer.

“Thirsty?”

He shrugged.

“Fine, but you better enjoy it. Little girls like you can only have so many. I’ve met your brother, and I’m not letting another lightweight Dorian crash on my couch.”

JD grinned.

“What? Ohhhhh, did I allllllmost call you by your name, there, Suzy? Don’t worry, Newbie, it won’t happen again.”

JD did his best to project his internal thoughts through his eyes.

“Can’t tell if you’re pissed off or turned on. See, that’s the face Jordan makes when she’s angry, and when she’s angry, I usually get laid. But. Well. Hate to ruin your dreams of a white picket fence, but that’s just not happening, Francesca. I’m not the settle-down type.”

JD gave up on projection and simply flipped him off.

“Thatta girl.”

Perry cuffed him roughly behind the head and grinned.

They both watched silently, drinking their alcohol, until the pizza finally arrived. JD looked to Perry, who gave a small grunt and gestured to the door, eyes glued to the screen. JD paid for the food abomination and chattered lightly to the pizza delivery man, just because he could. The sense of his mentor’s growing frustration only heightened the glee he took in finally communicating with another human being. 

“Darlene! Let the nice hostage go, he has places to be tonight!”

Smiling awkwardly, the man took his tip and left.

“Just had to rub it in there, huh, Newbie?”

“I learned from the best, Big Dog.”

The small snort he got in response was accompanied by the tiniest of smiles. Progress, that was almost laughter. Perry must have already been half tipsy when he got here.

“Well come on, sweetheart, you gonna bring the pizza over here like a good little bitch, or am I gonna have to ask the service for a new french maid?”

“Shall I get you a refill too, sir?”

“That’s more like it.”

JD rolled his eyes and acquiesced. 

“Jordan must really be into dirty talk.”

Perry froze, slice halfway to his mouth.

“Come again?”

“I mean. You’re always calling people names, and getting weirdly descriptive. She must be into it, if she keeps coming back to you.”

His eyes hardened.

“Jordan, mythic bitch that she is, is into a lot of things. Namely, making me miserable. None of which is your business, considering, oh, we’ve BOTH slept with her, and I spend my every waking moment trying to forget her little experiment with lesbianism. No, you know what? We’re all friends here. Why dontcha go ahead and tell me there, princess, does scissoring actually work, or is it just in porn?”

“Just porn.”

Perry’s eyes bulged.

“You are perilously close to losing speaking privileges again.”

“You asked!”

“I have seen your penis, unfortunately, I think we could all safely assume it was a rhetorical question.”

“I only know because Elliot told me.”

“You know what? I could actually stand to hear more.”

“Sorry, Doctor Cox,” JD said smugly, “I don’t kiss and tell.”

“So you frenched a lesbian.”

“Well she said she wanted to be sure!”

“And she decided to go about that by kissing the most effeminate man alive.”

JD pouted.

“I’m not the most effeminate man ALIVE.”

“Darla, you’re a bad wig and a touch of mascara from being a full on drag queen on a butch day.”

“Yes, I get it, I’m a girl, eat your pizza.”

“Damn right you are,” Perry muttered, and continued to do just that. 

JD grabbed another beer for himself, but as he began to sit, a foot shot out to occupy his space. 

“What now?”

“They’re doing a piss poor job out there. Change seats with me.”

“Seriously?”

“Do you want to get kicked out?”

At this point the threat sounded half-hearted. For all his bluster, they were having a good time, easy banter tossed back and forth over pizza and booze. Perry had been planning to spend another evening alone, and while he might have fooled himself he preferred it, the half bottle of scotch warming his belly loosened his facade enough that he could admit, if only to himself, that he didn’t half mind the company. His eyes skated over to JD, settling himself into the warmth Perry had left, mouth wrapped around the neck of his beer, eyes staring off into nothing. He’d been lonely. Now he got a seat warmer and free pizza. It could be worse.

“It’s toasty over here. Like I’m being warmed in a Cox Oven.”

JD’s head tilted tellingly sideways as Perry groaned and threw another pillow at him.

“Alright, Mary Beth, that’s where I draw my line!”

A look of delighted mischief crossed his companion’s face.

“Pillow fight!”

“Wait, fuck, no, the game-”

His protests were cut off by a blunt fluffy force connecting with the side of his head and pushing him against the couch cushions. Damn it, he couldn’t take that lying down. It was on.

Game ignored, Perry launched a full scale feathery assault. Laughing, JD returned volley with his own attacks. They stood up and clashed together, pillows laying mighty blows, hockey game forgotten. JD ducked behind the couch for cover, striking out when his opponent peeked over the edge. Snarling, Perry slammed him with a displaced couch cushion. 

It was clear there was only one recourse if victory was what he hoped to achieve.

“EAGLE!” JD cried, and leaped through the air, tackling Perry over the arm of the couch and against the ajar cushions beneath. His eyes went wide as he went down, bowled over backwards into a soft and pillowy landing. Panting, shaking with laughter, JD beamed down at him.

“I win!” he crowed, and something about the moment, him perched on his chest, the unabashed joy, the rising heat from the exercise, the flushed faces and sparkling eyes, made Cox feel something. 

Not something for the first time. Feel is perhaps not the correct word. As he stared up into the joyous expression on his opponent’s face, he let himself acknowledge something he had been feeling for a while.

Fondness.

Percival Cox was fond of him.

In an instant, he felt it, recognized it, accepted it, and moved on. Fondness aside, victory in the hands of the enemy was unacceptable.

“You think so, huh, Sally Ann?” he murmured, panting himself, eyes half slits.

“Uh, yeah, I totally took your ass down.”

He scoffed, hands coming up to JD’s waist.

“Did not.”

“Did too!”

“Did not.”

JD’s breath caught as Perry’s hands squeezed.

“D. Did too.”

He smirked.

“Betcha can’t do it again.”

“Wh. What?”

Startled and off balance, it was easy enough for Perry to lean up, closer, lips nearly brushing against the curve of his cheek, and murmur, “I said. I bet. You can’t. Topple me. Again. Layla.”

JD froze.

“Um-”

Moving quickly, Perry flipped them over onto the floor, pinning him underneath. He grinned viciously.

“HA! I win. Now. Tell me who’s the greatest.”

JD grumbled, still taken off kilter.

“Newbie, don’t make me tickle you.”

“No!” JD squirmed underneath, trying to buck him off. It felt. Interesting.

“Then who’s the greatest?”

Pouting, he gave up the struggle. It was almost disappointing.

“You are.”

“And who can never be defeated?”

“You!”

“And who just kicked your girly little ass all over this living room?”

“I don’t know if I would put it like that, exactly, but-”

Perry brought his arms together to be held down with one hand, letting the other tease at the sensitive skin on his stomach. JD squealed and started squirming again.

“Fine! You did! You totally kicked my girly ass!”

“And that makes you?”

“.....Really thirsty?”

“Sally.“

JD sighed.

“Your bitch.”

“There’s my girl. Now, I’m not letting you up until you say ‘Doctor Cox, you’re the strongest, smartest, sexiest man alive, and I’m so, so lucky that I’m your bitch.’ Got that?”

“I’m not saying that!”

“Why not? It’s the truth. Not like you weren’t thinking it.”

“Can’t I just bark like a dog again?”

“MMmmmmmmnope! Not quite the level of humiliation I’m going for, sugar.”

“Fine! And then you’ll let me up?”

“Swear it on my father’s grave.”

JD grit his teeth.

“Doctor Cox.”

“Yessssssssss, Lacy?”

“You are the strongest. Smartest. S.”

“Say it.”

“Sexiest man alive.”

“God, it’s so good to hear the truth come out. Annnnnnnnd?”

JD gave a last token effort to release himself from his banded grip. Perry simply pressed down on his wrists.

“And I am so, so lucky to be your bitch. You asshole.”

Perry hummed thoughtfully.

“Gonna have to deduct points for the ad-libbing, there, Georgia, but overall a fine performance.”

“Now let me up!”

Perry grinned.

“Confession time, Samantha. I hate my father.”

“Wha-”

He was cut off by his mentor’s tongue in his mouth.

Oh.

Oh.

Well okay then.

Groaning, he opened his mouth wider to let him in deeper. He tasted like scotch and anchovies. It was the single most disgusting mixture JD could possibly think of. But his dick was still more than happy with the change of procedure. Pushing against his hands, he tried to press further into him, but even with the distraction Perry held firm.

Very firm, if what was rubbing against his thigh was any indication. Gasping, JD broke away for air, Cox’s lips chasing after, sliding across the corner of his mouth, his cheek, beneath his ear, down his throat, leaving small painful nips along the way that made JD’s skin tighten and burn.

“Is that your ego, or are you just happy to see me?” he choked out, giggling when Perry growled against his ear.

“Try stroking it and find out.”

“I w. Would love to, there, but I, uh, fuck.” Perry sucked a bruise into the base of his throat, half purring. “I can’t seem to get use of my hands.”

“Don’t need ‘em,” Perry muttered, nosing at his hairline while JD pressed kisses to his face, “Like you right where you are.”

“Perry,” JD whined, trying again to release his hands with futility, “Wanna touch you.”

A sharp bite tugged at the lobe of his ear.

“What’d I say about first names, there, sunshine?”

“But-”

He cut him off with his mouth. Perry quickly decided that this was his new favorite way of shutting him up.

“No first names for you.”

“Well, I am NOT calling you Big Dog when you make me come.”

“Is that what I’m gonna do, Beryl?”

“Come on, I’m already half way there!”

Snickering, Perry ground down hard. They both moaned harshly into each other’s skin.

“Ah, the enthusiasm of the young.”

“N-nnn. Not. Not that young. Jerk.”

“Your creative use of insults has clearly proven me wrong here.” Perry let the hand on his stomach palm JD through his jeans, the heel of his hand rubbing hard on the bulge underneath. “You’re not young. You’re a child.”

“What,” JD moaned as his hips thrust into his hand, “And you’re my Daddy or something?”

Perry froze.

JD bit his lip.

“Doctor Cox?”

He blinked.

“Doctor Cox, I’m sorry, I went too f-”

Definitely his favorite way to shut him up, he decided. Perry finally let go of his arms to tear at his pants. JD brought his hands down to help, only for a dark growl to let out until he brought them back over his head.

Snarling, he finally got them unbuttoned and unzipped, drug them down over JD’s thighs and off his body before pushing his own sweatpants down.

“That what you’re into? Huh?”

His hand wrapped firmly around JD’s dick, pulling him out of his boxers and stroking roughly.

“Don’t know why I’m surprised. Always following me around, daydreaming. This what you wanted?”

JD let out a small whimper at the rough handling.

“This it? Dumb new kid with big lost eyes. You just want Daddy to take care of you? Huh?” 

He stroked faster.

“Well? You gonna be a good girl? Tell me the truth,” he licked at his nipples, biting, “Or you’re getting punished. Can already tell you need a. Ha. A firm hand.”

JD’s teeth ground together as he tried to focus on anything but the building tension in his balls.

“Yes,” he hissed, “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yessss, please, more. Daddy, please.”

“Good girl,” Perry crooned, “So good, asking so nice, making me proud of you, go ahead. Get the first one out of your system, princess. Because when I finally fuck you,” JD whined, “When I finally pound that ass like you always dreamed of, I want you to last more than five measly minutes.”

JD let out a small shriek when he came. Perry stopped to admire his handiwork, boxers and shirt now tacky with semen. His hand was a mess. He held it up, smeared it against JD’s face.

“Lick it.”

JD’s nose scrunched up but his tongue still slipped out, lapping away obediently.

“There ya go. Pretend it’s one of those suckers you’re always stealing from pediatrics. What kind of a sick fuck actually takes candy from babies?”

JD nipped at the webbing between his fingers, eyes alight with teasing.

“Oh, carry on.”

JD’s tongue swirled around his palm, between his fingers, tracing the lines on his hand and sucking it clean.

“There ya go, sweetheart. Just like that.”

He wrapped his lips around two of his fingers, suckling gently. Perry moaned at the sensation, thrust them deeper in.

“Ohhhhh, you’re giving me ideas, Kara. Look at you take it, huh?”

He slid in deeper, to the back of his throat.

“If I weren’t so hard up right now I might even take you up on that. But I have other plans.”

His fingers made a popping sound coming out of his mouth, and JD’s lips were slick with spit.

“I’m pretty good at it, you know.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. I got a lot of practice. You know, in college.”

“That the only thing you got practice in?”

JD laughed and shook his head.

“Don’t worry, baby. One of these days, I’ll sneak you into Kelso’s office and you can just go to town. My treat. But right now? Turn over and spread ‘em. I’m gonna go grab some lube.”

JD hesitated.

“Something wrong?”

“It’s just, uh. You know. I didn’t actually expect this, coming over. I didn’t really. You know. Prepare, or anything. And we just ate pizza. With anchovies. Could we. Maybe save that for another night?”

His eyes softened.

“Well, obviously. You’re gonna be coming over a lot more often now, anyways.”

“I am?”

“You are. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Newbie,” Perry gestured to the tv, “But my team won. I think you might be good luck, so we gotta recreate this. Every time.”

JD smirked.

“This exactly?”

“Well,” Perry grinned, “The spirit of it anyway. Now. If I’m not fucking you, and you’ve already gotten off once...”

“Pretend it’s a sucker I stole from a baby?”

“There’s Daddy’s girl.”

JD beamed.

Damn it, he really did look like a Disney princess.

Perry’d have to get him a tiara.

[hayleysstark]

Queenie here with a Merlin crossover idea: HTTYD!! How would Merlin and the other characters act in this AU? Would Kilgharrah and Aithusa be Merlin and Morgana's dragons, or would they have different species? Would Arthur and the knights have dragons, or would they be dragon hunters? If that's the case, I can see Merlin being a secret dragon rescuer/vigilante like Valka, and slowly helping Arthur see that dragons are not dangerous. Merlin and Hiccup would get into so much trouble lol

 O O F O OF O O F O O F THIS ENTIRE ASK WAS A PERSONAL ATTACK. A PUNCH STRAIGHT TO THE CHEST. A SILVER BULLET TO THE SKULL. QUEENIE I LOVE THIS SO MUCH IM CRYING. HICCUP AND MERLIN ARE THE CHARACTERS WHO HAVE MY HEART FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER AND IF THEY BOTH INHABITED THE SAME UNIVERSE, THEY WOULD BE T O O P O W E R F U L AND HAVE TO FIGHT TO DETERMINE THE ALPHA. ((((((the alpha actually turns out to be the Light Fury, the most powerful of them all.))))))

OKAY OKAY OKAY SO!!! I’m assuming this would be set in the How to Train Your Dragon universe, rather than the Merlin one, as you mentioned multiple dragons, dragon hunters, and dragon rescuers, and there really weren’t enough dragons left in Merlin to need dragon hunters and rescuers. 

Merlin bonding with Kilgharrah ((y’all know what im thinking mm-hmm im thinking ICONIC FORBIDDEN FRIENDSHIP SCENE IS WHAT IM THINKING a n y w a y s sorry abt my life)) makes a lot of sense, and Morgana and Aithusa would just be absolutely unstoppable as a duo, you cannot change my mind, but I’m not sure the dragons from Merlin would work in the How to Train Your Dragon universe - in Merlin, dragons are proud, vain, fiercely independent creatures that don’t seem to need humans, companions, they don’t even seem to need dragonlords, in spite of the obvious bond between a dragon and his dragonlord. Whereas in How to Train Your Dragon, the dragons are generally benevolent creatures, very loyal and protective, and usually won’t hurt you unless you hurt them, or offend them in some way. So while I absolutely love the idea of Merlin and Kilgharrah, and Morgana and Aithusa, I don’t really think it’d work?? Just personal opinion though!!

I think Merlin would likely wind up with whatever species he happened across first, to be honest - he could befriend a brick wall if you left him alone long enough, it seems inevitable that he, a creature of magic, wouldn’t bond on instinct with every single dragon he sees, to tell you the truth. But based on his personality, I would give him something dangerous, but not necessarily flashy or rare - think the Triple Stryke, or maybe a Changewing. Something sleek and pretty and aerodynamic, something independent and a little bit ruthless like himself, but certainly not anything as remarkable as a Night Fury.

For Morgana? A Deadly Nadder or a Monstrous Nightmare is my first, knee-jerk answer to that question - like her, Deadly Nadders are fearless and proud, and, like her, Monstrous Nightmares tend to have fierce tempers when wronged - but when I stop to think about it, the one that stands out to me the most is a Death Song. Deadly even to its own kind, quick to go on the defensive, and viciously territorial, just like Morgana herself.

Arthur and the knights would absolutely start out as dragon hunters, under orders of King Uther to find and kill any of the creatures remaining in Camelot, but Merlin - who is INDEED a dragon rescuer/vigilante, DAMN, Queenie, you have me fucking PEGGED ghjhghfgb - slowly convinces them to give dragons a chance. With his help, they realize dragons aren’t actually the mindless, bloodthirsty beasts Uther’s always said they are, and though Arthur takes far more time to come around than the rest of them, eventually they all bond with and ride dragons of their own as well.

AND WE’RE GONNA TALK ABT THE KNIGHTS’ + ARTHUR’S DRAGONS TOO YOU CAN’T STOP ME YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF. 

OKAY OKAY OKAY so Leon, having worked almost exclusively as a dragon hunter for most of his life, would be more than a little nervous actually bonding with one of the creatures - I know I certainly would be! - so it’s safe to say he’d naturally gravitate toward something laid-back and easy to train, like a Gronckle, but I think a better bet for him would actually be a Singetail? A very old Singetail, though, something at least several hundred years into its lifespan, something very sturdy, and dependable, the kind of dragon that’s settled down by this point, and lost its taste for irresponsibility. Very old Singetail for Sir Leon!! He’d see the poor thing, walking with a limp and its scales turning silver at the edges with age, and he’d just fall the fuck in love, lmao.

Of course I’m going to say Monstrous Nightmare for Gwaine. Of course I am. It’s literally perfect.

Percival would definitely get a Gronckle, or at least one of its relatives in the Boulder Class family!! The Boulder Class dragons are usually known for being  the strongest breeds, and I’m not sure any of the other classes could carry him, or even hold him, with all his muscle, but more to the point, most Boulder Class dragons, with the exception of the Whispering Death ((and even then, the Whispering Deaths aren’t inherently bad or anything, just prefer the company of their own kind)) all seem to be the friendliest of the dragons. Percival’s as friendly and easygoing as they come, so of course he’d bond with a relaxed and carefree Gronckle - but a laid-back Rumblehorn or Quaken would also be a good bet for Percival!!

And Lancelot would bond hard with a Deadly Nadder. Oh, would he bond hard. But if you want something more exotic, a Razorwhip or a Flightmare might be a solid guess, too!! Female, of course. Whatever dragon he gets, it’s going to be a female, and he is going to spoil the FUCK out of her, and call her his “beautiful girl” and love her, and give her everything he has, aND CAN YOU TELL I REALLY LOVE SIR LANCELOT BECAUSE I DO. I DO. MY HEART BEATS FOR ONE (1) HONORABLE KNIGHT. 

And Arthur,,,,,,,,,,, OOF, this is going to be hard. I really do want to say a Night Fury?? I really do. I really, really do, but I don’t want to change any canon in the How to Train Your Dragon universe, which states pretty clearly that Toothless is the last of his kind, and there are no more. So. No Night Fury for Arthur, but if there could be, he’d definitely bond with one of those. Failing that, I suppose a Skrill, a Rumblehorn, maybe a Thunderdrum or Scauldron, wouldn’t be too bad of a bet for him!! Skrills are dangerous, beautiful, quick to hold a grudge and slow to let it go, known for their temper. They make formidable enemies, without a doubt. Sound familiar? But Rumblehorns and Thunderdrums are stubborn, unyielding sorts of dragons, a lot like Arthur, and of course Arthur would bond with the dragon that doesn’t listen to anyone. Scauldrons are pretty solitary, slow to bond with others, and like to be left alone, so that’s also a very good pick for Arthur!

Ultimately, though, I don’t know. A Skrill or a Rumblehorn is my top for him!

 O O F IM SORRY THIS GOT SO LONG but also you brought this on yourself why did you ask abt Merlin and Hiccup WHY did you ASK abt my tall snarky pretty boys w/ their dragons WHY did you DO that to me??

fghghgb I promise I’ll get to the rest of your asks soon!!

[imnotcameraready]

If Villains Baked Cookies — Chapter 3

A/N: it’s been a Fuckin While, welcome back to this!!! 

Word Count: 3295

Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit y’all, curses, cursing, minor character death (not anyone significant to the storyline), suggested abuse, suggested trauma, swords, knives, panic and panic attack — if i forgot any pls let me know!!!

Pairings: im realizing that this is platonic Moceit and then platonic Analogince, with like. light versions of platonic DLAMP given that they’re a famILY

Characters: Deceit, Patton, Virgil, Logan, Roman, Thomas, AND EMILE PICANI :^) and Percy the Printer™

read on AO3!

Prologue — Chapter 1 — Chapter 2

@rebelrewriter

enjoy!

Sir Virgil Malory wasn’t exactly a knight, per se. He never liked the shining armor and giant swords, both of which would clang together in an incredibly distracting way. No, Virgil prefered the shadows, the quiet, soft leather shoes and a few small daggers hidden in his coat.

He was forced to undergo the knight training, though, as the youngest of four brothers who had all grown to be high ranking knights. His father, before he died, expected all of them to carry on his own legacy of being one of the King’s war advisors.

When he was sixteen, just before the last year of his knightly training, he was pulled aside by one of the King’s aides. Of course, his heart was beating in his neck, he was sweating buckets, what had he done to make the King mad? Why did he need an audience with the King? And the aide didn’t tell him anything until they got to the small war-planning room.

With JUST the King in it.

“Sounds terrible, being locked in a room with a royal,” Roman interrupted, feet kicked up onto the table.

Virgil shot him a glare. “It is pretty terrible when I’m locked in a room with you,” he stuck his tongue out at Roman, who made a sound crossed between a squeak and a gasp in indignation.

“Virgil? Keep going?” Thomas asked, wrapping his own cape around himself as well.

“Fuck, uh, yeah.”

“No more interruptions, Roman,” Logan raised an eyebrow and cast a side glance at him, “And get your feet off of the table. Patton would be furious.”

Deceit rolled his eyes while Roman grumbled quietly, sitting up proper. “Like Patton’s capable of being furious,” he joked, voice soft.

Thomas still didn’t like how his tongue flicked when he spoke.

Virgil cleared his throat, and Roman’s grumbling quieted.

The King had called Virgil into the room not to reprimand him, but to extend an offer. His army had enough knights who fought with swords. He needed more who could fight in the shadows. Who could sneak into an enemy’s tent and slit their throats quietly.

Yeah, it was a weird gig. Seemed to go against all of the knights’ mantra of honor and dealing with things in battle, but the King was serious. He talked a lot about how not everything could be settled out in the open and how not everything could be known to the public. I didn’t like it at all but….I wasn’t really cut out to be a knight, anyway. I said yes.

Training was, well….similar? I don’t know how much y’all wanna hear.

“Just, like….I dunno. Whatever you see fit?” Thomas asked.

He had started slowly slipping off his armor, but kept his dagger and sword strapped to his person. His choice to keep his weapons didn’t escape Deceit’s gaze, he kept noticing the god’s eyes following him. Thomas really, really didn’t like him.

Virgil just watched Thomas a little harder. He seemed to want to retaliate, but a nudge from Roman distracted him. “No more third person?” he cocked an eyebrow, leaning across both of his arms and the table, grinning cheekily up at him.

“Eh, that wasn’t gonna last anyway,” Virgil rolled his eyes with a huff, “I’m not a storyteller.”

I’m gonna skip training. But basically, uh, I learned how to throw knives, make poisons, climb walls, you name it.

My brothers knew I had a special job, but they didn’t know what it was. We lived in the same house, nearby the castle, which was technically my eldest brother’s house since his family lived there. They always asked what I was doing and what the King wanted from me but I never told. The King’d said that….anyone I told would be killed.

My brothers sucked, but I didn’t want them dead.

I was knighted when I was seventeen, and then I started getting sent out on jobs. Never with anyone, never during the day. The royal family always claimed I was a war messenger. That appeased my brothers for the most part, but the oldest one….Percival. Percy. Percy never really trusted that description. He never went after me, though, but I could always see that he just didn’t accept that.

When Patton was first being challenged by the King, I was almost sent, actually. There were only a few of us war messengers, all assassins, and I’d just returned from another job. Because I was fresh home, the King sent someone else. I didn’t know his name or anything but I remember how scared we all were when he didn’t come back.

The King sent someone else to poison Patton’s crops, and they came back. Succeeded.

News traveled fast, though, that the. Well. He was called a murderer then, and everyone was saying that the murderer’d run. Fled into the hills. And everyone was calling for the King to send a party against him.

The pressure went on for only about a year before the King caved. He said he sent a single knight against the murderer to best him in combat. The King sent me. He told me it didn’t matter how I did it, but that I just needed….he wanted me to bring Patton’s dead body back.

Virgil now looked down at the table, brow furrowed, angry at the memory. Thomas glanced up at Logan and Roman, noticing that they seemed surprised. Thomas hadn’t been asked to bring the body back, either. It might have been a custom that died with time.

Even Deceit was looking at his own lap, humming quietly along with the wind chime.

It was a tense, uncomfortable silence.

“Whew!” Thomas’ head snapped up at the sound of the side door opening. Patton walked in, wiping his hands on a towel. “Left was really milkin’ it today!”

Only Deceit chuckled. Virgil lowered his head onto the table, the hood of his cloak falling over his head. Logan groaned.

Patton seemed confused at what he’d walked into. He looked around at them all and opened his arms. “What’s wrong, kiddos? I hope that pun didn’t moove you!”

“We’re just, um….” Thomas looked up at Logan — he seemed to be the task manager.

Logan met his eyes and sighed. Despite only being here for a few hours, Thomas was already getting the hang of being here. Truth be told, he’d already made up his mind. Of course he was staying. But he didn’t want to be just stagnant. Not after all that he’d heard about the king.

“We are listening to Virgil explain how he arrived here. Are you….aware, of why he came?”

Patton grimaced as soon as Logan said “explain.” He stepped to Virgil’s side and gently rubbed his back. “Yeah, I remember when Virge arrived! He, uh….well, he was real determined!” he smiled, a little too cheerily for the topic, “But Deceit wasn’t havin’ any of that.”

“Sorry,” Deceit grumbled, “It was fun.”

Virgil sat up. “Sorry,” he mumbled, wiping his face, “I’ll keep going.”

“Don’t wipe too hard, you’ll smudge your angsty make up,” Roman retorted, voice lacking the bite it’d had earlier, “You don’t have to continue if you don’t want to.”

Virgil looked up at him and they seemed to share a moment. Patton kept rubbing Virgil’s back, also watching Roman, then Logan. Scanning around, making sure his children were okay, Thomas reckoned. He was a little surprised when Patton’s eyes landed on him, too. He gave Patton a tiny smile, which Patton returned thrice as large.

“Well, this is a good time to, uh, air out the dirty laundry. I’m gonna cut up the brownies while you kiddos talk?” Patton patted Virgil’s shoulder one last time before walking around the table, towards the kitchen area.

Thomas watched him and Deceit share a look, too, though it was a little different from the other. He couldn’t tell how. Was it an increase in tension? Determination? Seriousness?

It must have communicated something, because Deceit rolled his eyes away and glared at Virgil’s back. “I cannot pick up the story, Virgil, if you would like,” he offered.

Virgil shook his head and faced Deceit. “No, nah, it’s….it’s okay. It’s way in the past anyway! And, ‘sides, I kicked Roman’s ass harder,” the last part was punctuated with Virgil pointing to Roman with his thumb over his shoulder.

Roman, however, snorted. “The only thing you kicked, Angst-fest, was the dirt after our glorious battle!”

“You started crying over your ripped cape, but go off,” Deceit said, checking his fingernails and digging the dirt out from under them.

“You little—”

“Shut it! Alright, so…..”

The whole chosen one thing wasn’t big back then, but everyone kinda knew about me being sent off. I didn’t say bye to my family or anything, either. Those assholes didn’t care.

“Virgil! No swearing!”

“Jeez, sorry Patt.”

The King set me up with everything, rations and money and weapons and all that jazz. It only took about a week to ride here, too, since it was the first time and none of the opportunists’d settled into where they are now.

Like, you know. Logan talked about having to fight a sphinx, when he first came. I’m sure you had to fight some things like that too. Creatures and peddlers and thieves set themselves up along the path, see if they can kill the Chosen One and loot their body. Or they just wanna swindle you out of money and goods.

None of that was there when I went. It was real easy, until I got to the mountain.

I ran into Patton first, while he was building the barn, actually. With like, his hands. I didn’t think he was the warlock but, well, did any of us? I asked what he was doing all the way out here, he said he lived here. He’d just moved. He was kinda jumpy, but like, that’s valid. He asked why I was here and I told him….I told him I was here to meet a warlock. Lied, and said I was here to discuss a truce with the King.

Patton flipped out. Super excited and all.

Here, Virgil gestured to Patton. “I dunno, do you wanna….pick up the story?”

Patton shot him a small smile and brought a plate of brownies to the table. As soon as he set it down, Roman grabbed one and began nibbling on it. Logan thanked him and took one as well, and then Virgil, who was still staring at Patton.

He leaned on the counter besides Deceit, who wrapped an arm around Patton’s shoulders. He took a deep breath.

“I thought it’d be the end of being chased around. Maybe I’d get to farm and-and go back down to the town. I missed having neighbors. But, like….at that point, it’d been a year. A little over a year of working with Deceit’s magic. And, since it’s tied to preservation and honesty, I could….I could hear you lying. It’s weird, but I could hear it, but I wanted to believe it so badly,” Patton shrugged.

“That means it wasn’t a dumbass idea,” Deceit grumbled.

Patton laughed behind a hand. It seemed no one was going to mention that Deceit had sworn. Logan raised a hand, but Virgil grabbed it and lowered it slowly, all waiting for Patton to continue. It only took a few moments before his hand dropped, arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Yeah, um. That wasn’t my brightest, I’ll admit,” Patton’s voice was airier, “I let Virgil in. We sat in the kitchen. We….I think I was just rambling at you.”

“You were telling me about the chickens you were raising,” Virgil added, eyes flickering towards Deceit.

“And I didn’t interrupt. You had a knife in your sleeve,” Deceit met Virgil’s gaze.

Virgil looked down at the table and nodded. “Deceit, uh….we had a fight.”

All was quiet, Virgil staring at the table and fidgeting with his sleeves, but Deceit leaned off of the counter behind himself. “Do you not want me to show it?” he offered, sincerity clear in his voice.

Virgil stood up, head snapping up to Deceit. “Don’t,” he leaned forward on the table, nostrils flaring, knuckles tight on the table’s edge.

Roman stood up, too, and — where the fuck did he get that sword? He stuck a sword between the two of them, holding up his off hand towards Virgil’s chest.

On instinct, Thomas stood as well, drawing his own sword and holding it out to mimic Roman. “Woah, woah, calm down, everyone. If that’s—if that’s where the story ends, then that’s fine, right?” Thomas glanced up at Roman for support, who nodded, then at Logan.

Logan….didn’t move. He was just watching Patton, who was standing behind Deceit, seemingly stricken. Thomas watched, too, as Patton blinked a little. He moved slow, like how one would when approaching a scared animal.

“....Dee. Don’t do it,” Patton grabbed Deceit’s arm, tugging him back a little.

Deceit didn’t break eye contact with Virgil. Just watched him quietly, the second eyelid over his snake eye blinking slowly. Virgil was matching his glare and seemed only a few seconds away from ripping Roman’s arm away from himself.

Yet he broke first, looking down and away. The room’s tension dropped, Roman spinning around and sheathing his sword. He held Virgil’s shoulders carefully and asked if he was okay. Patton pulled Deceit backwards into his arms, holding him tight and asking the same. Thomas himself just….watched. Slowly sank back into his seat, leaned backwards. Logan patted his arm and Thomas turned up towards him.

“I hope you can excuse the tension,” Logan’s voice was quiet, probably hoping to not be heard by the others, “They have a lot of history.”

“They. Deceit and Virgil, I’m guessing?” Thomas whispered back.

Logan nodded, fixing his glasses as he glanced back up at Deceit. “Deceit is fairly tame, for a forgotten deity, but he is incredibly protective of Patton. Given that Virgil was assigned to kill him, Deceit….well. I don’t know much of the story myself, but I do know that Virgil was defeated in hand to hand combat. Multiple times. They get along fair enough now but I assume those memories are still difficult to sit with.”

They both looked up at the sound of Roman tugging Virgil toward the door. Thomas couldn’t see much of Virgil, wrapped beneath his thick patchwork cloak, but the one hand he could see was gripping Roman’s white tunic tight enough to turn his hand just as white. A murderer. It was still a little hard to process, this teenager was supposed to be a hardened murderer. Roman held the door open with his foot and carefully ushered Virgil out. He caught Logan and Thomas’ eye as he hurried out and mouthed “We’ll be back,” before letting the door close behind himself.

Now, Logan and Thomas directed their attention to Deceit and Patton. They’d shifted, Deceit sitting on the counter, Patton holding his hands tight.

“He’s very human, all things considered,” Logan murmured just loud enough for Thomas to hear, “If you’d like….I can show you to your room for the night.”

Thomas looked at him. Logan was watching him as well, blue eyes piercing behind those glasses.

He reminded Thomas so much of the librarian, Emile, but with a different level of power. When Thomas had been chosen he went to Emile, only to be held in the tightest hug he’d ever felt. There were rumors in their village, there are always rumors, that Emile had the Gift of Sight and that he’d been able to see what happened to his brother. The same piercing eyes, the same knowing gaze. They held Thomas in his spot so well that he almost forgot he wasn’t standing in the library’s foyer, about to ask Mr. Picani if he’d ever climbed a mountain.

“....I….”

“I know you’ve made your decision, Thomas. Regardless of your desire to announce it or not, there are still a few hours until dinner and you may find it best to rest,” Logan’s face folded into a small fond smile, “Besides, Patton has been arranging your room for the past decade.”

They’d been expecting him. Of course they had, if the Chosen One was a generational tradition lasting over the past hundreds of years.

The thought made Thomas’ blood boil. He’d trained for years to protect Tomasphere but the more he learned about the royal family….

He hoped Logan couldn’t see his anger. Thomas smiled back, more unsure. “Um. Yeah, sure,” he followed Logan as he rose and tucked in his chair.

“Patton,” Patton turned to look over his shoulder at Logan and Thomas, “I’m going to take Thomas to his room. Roman and Virgil are outside.”

“Wait,” Deceit’s hand — Thomas’ fists balled tightly as he saw that there were claws, claws on his scaled left arm, just like the claws that gripped his throat only a few days ago — pulled Patton’s shoulder to the side, “I can tell Virgil totally wants to finish the story, so I shouldn’t step in. Thomas’ isn’t staying, ergo the story shouldn’t be finished.”

Logan frowned at him, opening his mouth to interrupt, then closing his mouth as he tried to decipher the circle speak. Thomas watched him, deferring in a moment of fear, but Logan only shook his head. “I don’t think that will be necessary—”

“Virgil didn’t get his ass handed to him so bad, and it definitely took less than a week for him to fully recover,” Deceit rubbed the back of his neck, “It….I’m completely proud.”

“Dee, it’s okay.”

“I didn’t break his spine. He—Patton, sunlight, he—Patton.”

Deceit’s eyes flicked toward Thomas, whose fists clenched even firmer, and then down to the table. His shaking shoulders were hunched just enough for Patton to pull him back to his chest and for him to rest his head in the crook of Patton’s neck. “Now, Dee, you were different. That was a few centuries ago, and you were different. Things’re better now,” he rubbed the deity’s back, running a hand through his dark brown hair, “Things’re better.”

“I don’t know, Patt,” Deceit’s voice was muffled but held a distinct change in tone.

Thomas wanted to watch, something in him wanted to bear witness to this honest side of Deceit. He hadn’t been sure about Deceit’s sincerity since he’d met him, certain that there were backward statement and some very obvious lies, but, well, Thomas couldn’t exactly tell. The sentiment of his sorrow, though, and the tone. The tone of his voice. Was he being honest?

But Logan’s hand gripped his arm and tugged.

“Thomas. Let’s go,” his voice was firm, and Thomas couldn’t help but obey.

He followed Logan out of the kitchen and left Patton to calm the upset god. He followed Logan into a smaller room, furnished with a fully-made bed, a small desk, a wardrobe, and a candlestick in a lantern already glowing. It seemed quaint, like moving into a new room, but Thomas could already tell that it was meant to be “home.” He dropped his satchel onto the desk and looked up. There were stars drawn onto the ceiling in golden ink, an “R+L” in the corner paying homage to the artists.

If Logan expected some sort of reaction, he was sorely disappointed. Once he saw the bed, Thomas knew he was done for, as the weight of how much he’d gone through during the day finally crashed onto his shoulders. He took a few steps toward the bed, collapsed onto it and, within mere seconds, was asleep.

[coinofstone]

4x03 The Wicked Day

We're only three minutes into this episode and Arthur's giving Merlin a universally recognized chin-tip of recognition while he is willingly being tied to an upright spinning wooden board, with his arms secured above his head and his legs slightly spread. Yea, there's absolutely no reason for that to make anyone think of Arthur being fastened to a St Andrew's cross, none at all.

Also what is with this show having other ppl shove food in Arthur's mouth

All the knights are clapping and laughing but Percival's looking at the spinning wooden rig like he's having some Thoughts™️

Merlin escorting a drunk Arthur back to his room, where Arthur proceeds to begin undressing himself, is a scene played for comedy - 'haha Arthur's drunk and walking around with his pants down' - but literally all I see is domesticity.

I love drunk!Arthur but I also like Uther with the long hair.

I really like the fight scene with Uther and the baddie, not just bcuz Tony looks good - but because it is giving Uther a bit more agency back. They've never been clear on what his deal is. Gaius has a line in the first episode that makes it sound like depression. Arthur has a line that makes it sound like Alzheimers. Uther's on-screen behavior could go either way, or could be a little of both. I don't really think it's supposed to be definitive. The swordfight, I think, is entirely keeping with both theories. He was asleep when Arthur entered the room, he would've been exhausted after the exertion of attending a feast with such lively entertainment (considering he spends his days staring out a window, that's a big effort for him). The fighting would've woken him up, and even if he were experiencing sundowning, his sword skills would've been ingrained in him since youth, muscle memory like. And there's always the whole, 'super parent' thing, the surge of adrenaline from seeing your kid in danger leading to extraordinary feats. Regardless, it's an improvement over the despondency in the last few episodes where his character was mostly reduced to scenery.

I love Merlin but he's a fucking idiot.

Fair warning, this is probably going to be an unpopular opinion. Merlin is being a self serving manipulative little shit by encouraging Arthur to use magic to heal Uther, presenting himself as a sorcerer to do so, and then claiming his 'price' for healing Uther is, essentially, freedom and equality for all magic users. First of all, as a FRIEND, Merlin should be aware of Arthur's state of mind. Arthur's lived his entire life wondering about his mother who died giving birth to him. Merlin knows how big of a thing it is for him, if it weren't he wouldn't have nearly killed Uther in S2 when he discovered her life was the price for his. NOW, he's just watched his father get stabbed in the heart while saving Arthur's life, on his birthday.

I don't care how much you dislike Arthur, you cannot deny the trauma here. There's no way Arthur doesn't live with a degree of melancholy surrounding his birthday, knowing that it's also the anniversary of his mother's death; and you can't tell me that hasn't been amplified exponentially since he learned the truth from Morgause and confronted his father. Whether he believed Merlin's last minute save that Morgause had been lying and that she conjured an illusion to fool Arthur, is immaterial. You can't un-ring a bell. In his heart he'll always question, he'll always carry the weight of knowing that there's a chance his own life came at the cost of his mother's. And there is no way this doesn't come bubbling up at his birthday every year. They even attempted to show him being 'grumpy' at the start of the episode, Merlin is enthralled by the entertainment that's shown up for his celebration, Arthur would really rather not deal with it. It's not because he's not easily entertained, it's because his birthday isn't something he particularly feels like celebrating. Add to that, now, in the evening after his birthday feast, he's incapacitated by a sedative in his drink and he gets attacked by an assassin. His father saves his life and gets stabbed in the process, a mortal wound. Arthur shouldn't have even been in Uther's chambers! If he hadn't been, Uther wouldn't have been near the fight - he wasn't the target, Arthur was. This is a huge trauma for Arthur, his father paying the price for Arthur's life with his own on the anniversary of his mother unwittingly doing the same thing! Major, massive trauma! Psychological disaster! Merlin, as Arthur's friend, should know that.

I'm not saying Merlin was wrong to go all dragoon again - wanting to conceal his identity so he doesn't reveal his magic is understandable. Merlin's willingness to use magic to save Uther is also ... expected, if not entirely understandable. He's saved Uther many times, this time is only special in Uther wasn't attacked by magic and Arthur asked him directly for assistance with getting someone to use magic to help him. That's a big first.

My problem is with Merlin trying to demand a price from Arthur at all. Even as dragoon. Obviously, I want equality for magical ppl in Camelot. Obviously, I understand Merlin wanting the same. But it does not make sense for Merlin to look at his friend, who is in pain, who is desperate, who is acting unlike himself, and say 'this is exactly the right time to make him promise me to end the war on magic.' He could've said, 'I will do this, but remember this when you are king. Remember when you saw magic used for good.' and that would've been fine. But the fact that he extracted a price from Arthur, in exchange for helping Uther, the fact that he made it a transactional agreement: that's Merlin taking advantage of Arthur in his weakest moment, full stop. And that's entirely out of character for Merlin. It very much comes across as like, 'I've got him right where I want him' which is THE most antithetical thing POSSIBLE to Merlin & Arthur's relationship.

And yes, for all my ranting I do understand that this was part of a plot point to pit Arthur further against magic, to cement his belief in his father's hardline stance against it, to prevent the show from having to prematurely address the issue because Merlin no longer has a reason to hide. It was intended to keep the conflict going, so that they could continue the series with that narrative, and I understand that. Buuuut the same exact end could've been achieved without Merlin eliciting a promise from Arthur when he's clearly under duress.

And speaking of things that don't make sense, why would Gaius hide the enchanted necklace he found on Uther from Arthur? Surely he would want Arthur to know that his attempt had been deliberately thwarted?

Commentary by Alice and Colin

Bit confused by Alice's comments about Uther. She says she didn't think it was a mental illness, but more like he's 'worn out'. She also says Tony had nailed it and that they'd both had experience dealing with older relatives. I don't really understand what she's trying to say at all. Anyway, she wanted him to have an excellent sword fight scene and I think she's succeeded in that.

It's Colin's first time seeing the episode cut so they aren't doing a whole lot of talking unlike 4x01 where Alice and Katie just talked throughout the entire thing.

Alice says there's a drinking game on the internet - drink every time someone gets blasted back by magic. Colin legit said

The end bit where Arthur and Merlin are talking in Arthur's chambers, Colin says it's like what Merlin thought might've been his best chance has become his worst nightmare.

Alice is so proud of the shot of Arthur coming out of the room where Uther's body is laid out with the rising sun in the background streaming through the window, giving him Apollo vibes.

That final moment of Arthur being crowned king. Colin was clearly genuinely impressed with it and told Alice so, she said she was really very lucky to be given that scene to do.

[multifandom-damnation]

They watched Grog cut down enemy after enemy with his axe in a wall of carnage as he laughed.

They watched Vex fire arrows from the sky like a goddess, hidden in the tree brouths and darkening sky.

They watched Vax dodge the bullets fired his way from his friend’s own creation and fling his daggers into enemy skin.

They watched Keyleth survive attacks and cast spells like she had never been knocked down.

They watched Scanlan’s grin grow as strong as the spells he was casting as he cleared out the battlefield alone.

And Percy… They watched him fall.

I’m sorry you guys, I really tried to make this good. As soon as I watched the ep I knew I had to write something but guys… I’m sorry. It’s not very good. I’m so annoyed haha, this took ages. A lot of the dialogue it from the actual ep (all of it I think??) and I know it’s gonna be shitty so maybe just take that into account before you read it xx

They watched him fall.

They watched him fall the first time, watched the necklace break and shatter, watched him get back up. Watched his hands shake so badly his shots missed, watched him growl in silent fury.

The second time, they watched as Ripley shot him with his own creation, watched as he fell to his knees, then face down, watched the burning holes Ripley fired meet their mark, piercing into him, Orthax raking his claws of shadow across his chest. Watched the blood pool around his body like a cape and head like a halo he never asked for.

They watched as his body stopped moving, watched his chest stop rising. Kynan reached for him, turned him over, watched as his eyes stared blankly at the sky. The trickle of blood running along the side of his face and into his hair, dying it red.

Keyleth screamed as Vex flew down on her broom in a fit of fury and fear. Grog roared bloody murder at the spot Ripley once stood, Scanlan with his hands in his hair and silent tears down his face. Vax stood, motionless, in the centre of the crevasse, daggers dangling limply in his fingers, his legs giving out and falling to his knees as he stared at the women he loved most running over, crying next to their friend.

Scanlan moved to grab his sword, Grog yanking the Chain of Returning back a little harder than was necessary, catching his axe in a bone-shattering grip. Keyleth stands, shaking hands covering her face, Vex next to Percy on her knees in the glass, checking his pulse and shaking him. “Can you do anything? As a Paladin?” She cried to her brother, who just shook his head and placed it slowly in his hands.

The zip!, had them turning to where Scanlan and Grog stood. Grog’s axe raised high above his head, froth foaming and falling from his lips. Scanlan’s hand was up, purple energy crackling around his fingers as they watched a purple bubble form around Ripley, encapsulating her in Otilukes Resilient Sphere. She looked around, placing her hands up against the sphere. “What? What the heck is going on?”

“You can curse,” Scanlan snarled, walking closer towards her. “It’s ok. You’ve killed one of us.” He turned back to his group, his friends, his family, now minus one. “Everyone gather around her.” He shouted, waving his sword to get everyone’s attention.

Looking up in shock and horror, Vex shook her head. “I’m not leaving Percy.”

“I’m going to drop this thing, and we’re all going to fucking kill her together.”

“No…” Keyleth mumbled, shaking.

Vax finally brought himself to his feet and turned his back to his brother, dead on the ground, and faced the bitch that took his family from him. “Yes, we are.”

Ripley fired at the wall, throwing everything she had at the barrier, to no effect. She slammed her shoulder into it, shouting, raked her fingers across it, nothing. The dark shadow of Orthax rested below her, under the sphere, trying desperately to get to her.

Scanlan slowly walked over to her, sword in hand. Vax started walking as well, Keyleth catching up and reaching down with a shaking hand to place hers in his. Grog readied his axe. “Vex!” Scanlan shouted.

“No, I’m staying. I’m not leaving Percy.”

“But- “

“I’ll shoot her at a distance!”

Grog put his body right against the orb, Keyleth on his side. Scanlan made his way closer, calling out over his shoulder. “Vax, you with us?”

A moment of heart-wrenching silence and Scanlan almost turned back, “Yes.” Quietly, a breath on the wind, but full of fury. Kynan walked over and joined them as well, as far away from Percy as possible, on the other side of the orb, hands folded on his chest, head bowed.

The bard looked around at the rest of his family. “Ready?”  Keyleth’s hands were shaking, but she turned to face Scanlan when he spoke. Her eyes brimming with free-flowing tears.

Grog snarled. “When you are.” His axe was raised high, and his eyes were red with an unbridled fury.

Scanlan met the eyes of his family, met the tearful eyes of Vox Machina and with whatever energy he had left: “For Percy.”

With her hands pushing against the orb, Ripley tried with all her might to get free, but her spells wouldn’t work, her bullets wouldn’t pierce, her sharp words were dull, her screams fell on deaf ears.

“Percy’s killing you right now,” Scanlan told her, meeting her eyes and her awful twisted grin, teeth too sharp and eyes too brave. He would have to take care of that, the determined look that fooled her into believing that they would ever let her leave the island alive after what she’s done. “Not us.”

He dropped the spell, and they all attacked.

They watched her as she fell in a tangled heap of blood and vines and arrows, watched as her now detached arm fall by her head as Vax sliced if from her body, watched her insides spill out from Grogs cut in her navel, watched her neck snap from Keyleth’s Grasping Vine, watched the blood leak down her face from the bleeding de Rolo crest Scanlan had carved into her, a permeant memory of who she had taken from them.

The shadow of Orthax shudders, wavers, then dissipates, leaving the battlefield silent and frightfully empty.

The twins scouted the cave a mile off. Keyleth cleaned Percy’s cuts, washed away the blood he seemed to be drowning in and weaved flowers through his hair. Grog collected the guns from the corpses littered around the battlefield, standing on their heads until the skulls crumpled like tin-foil. Scanlan came back with a hard onyx figurine in his hand, Kynan walking shyly behind him, and the gnome looked like he was on the edge of screaming.

The twins returned, both trying to hold back tears, Vax with his arm slung around his sister and her head on his shoulder, just as Scanlan summoned the mansion and they all made their way inside with Percy resting in Grogs arms.

It was Vax who shyly suggested that they have a blanket fort, that they all sleep in together with the others’ breathing and heartbeats loud and strong in the room, comforting each other if one woke up screaming from a nightmare with Percy’s name on their lips.  The servants brought all the blankets and pillows they could find and a long ornate table. They put Percy on the table, and Vex covered him with a blanket, a pillow behind his head, and they could almost pretend he was just sleeping, would wake up once Vax stuck a slimy finger in his ear or Grog poured ale on his face.

Fireflies danced above their heads as they fell asleep, and they stared at them in an effort not to reach a hand out to grab their friend, who was just sleeping if they pretended hard enough.

The walk through the sun tree was fast, but the walk to find Pike was agony.

Percy was slung over Grog’s shoulder, the rest of Vox Machina trailing like an armoured guard around them. Whispers, gasps, crying, screams, muttered prayers, half-hearted laughter, begging Pelor to bring Lord Percival back, and Vox Machina stopped and spoke to none.

Serenrae’s temple seemed so far away.

A guard stopped them, eyes bright and mouth a large cheerful grin that reminded the group too harshly of Ripley’s twisted smirk. “You’ve returned! I- “His eyes drifted to Percy’s limp body hanging off Grog, and the words died in his throat before he could say them. “Oh.”

Vex rubbed her arms and leaned forward. “Someone should get Cassandra.” She said quietly, fighting back the tears.

Pikes face once they reached the temple made Grog bite his lip hard enough to taste blood, for Vax to look away, for Scanlan to say nothing.

“I knew something was wrong.” She whispered, brushing hair out of her face. “Where is he?”

They found Orthax feasting on the tattered and ruined soul of Percy and Keyleth severed the thread. Pike called for Serenrae. Vex begged him to come back to them.

The ceremony was hard, it was long, it was horrible, but with a torrent of crows and Vax’s wings outstretched over Percy’s prone body as though they were his own, Percy took a breath, and the holy light lifted filled the room as he opened his eyes.

He was tired, so very tired, and it had felt like a century since he had seen his friends with a beating heart of his own, but they only said it had been a day? It didn’t feel like a day. His eyes were heavy, his lungs filled with jagged glass, and Percy had the suspicion that if they were to open him up to look, he would be filled head to toe with bullets and black glass.

Even Vax who Percy knew didn’t like him- couldn’t stand him, who Percy cared very much for but hoped that Vax wasn’t foolish enough to care the same for him, was looking down at him with tearful relief with his hand in Percy’s hair and his fingers pulsing with holy light. Percy thought it must have been bad.

Cassandra came in soon later and he could almost imagine he had seen her a few days ago and not the years it felt like.

Using his gun as a crutch, he hobbled his way towards the castle, the imposing white towers blocking out the sun.

They watched him sit quietly while they talked, watched the cogs turn in his head to formulate plans, watched him start to say and stumble. Grog took a step behind him so he would hit the Goliath instead of cold hard ground and Keyleth put her hand on his arm to keep him steady.

Gilmore handed back their items and yawned, stretching his hands above his head. “Is there anything else you want me to look at before I go to bed? Because- it’s late.”

“What time is it, Shawn?” Vax asked calmly, looking at Percy out of the corner of his eye.

Looking up at the sky, Gilmore tilted his head. “Nine?”

“Nine,” Vax repeated quietly, looking at his sister, who nodded. Then louder: “Percival, you should go to bed.”

Percy sighed, pushed his hair out of his face. “Soon. I am not quite ready for sleep, and we have a lot to talk about.” They watched ideas of the up-and-coming battle flit between his quickly darting eyes and watched his lips tighten. “We need to have a discussion. Perhaps in the morning?”

“Yes,” Vex sighed, quietly, walking towards him and placing her hand on his other arm. “We should sleep. You should. You look very tired.” It was meant to be soothing, but she felt- the others watched- him flinch, a fleeting look of fear crossing his face and gone in an instant.

“We can have this conversation tonight; I’m just going to be feeling miserable for a while.” Desperately searching for any reason to not be alone, not to be secluded, isolated in his room with memories and him after being reunited with his family after an eternity, and his eyes searched their faces for any trace of pity, any form of giving in.

Shaking her head, Keyleth looked him in the eyes, and Percy looked away. “I don’t think that’s a wise idea.”

He tried, he really did, and they watched him fight, even though his eyelids were dropping and his head was sinking down to rest on his chest, watched him stumble and lean back on Grog, watched him try desperately to keep all his friends with him. But he needed sleep.

His voice quavered, and he blocked out the rest of the conversation, his head clouding with the never-ending darkness that filled him the last time he slept, those years he spent with his eyes closed and his heart stopped. His eyes opened, the darkness gone, caught the last snippet of the conversation. “It’s true, but Percy needs to get the fuck to sleep, seriously.” Vax placed his hand under his chin, lifted his face, his wings blocking out the sun from hitting Percy’s face.

Vax watched the human’s mouth open and close, words stuck in his throat. “I must admit, I… fear sleep at the moment.” Vax rubbed his thumb across his friend’s jaw as he took a shaking breath.  Percy’s eyes met his, tired and fearful.

Blocking out the rest of the others, Vax moved his hands to his shoulders, blood speckled, the fabric tarnished and unravelling, and squeezed. Percy slowly looked at him with eyes almost begging him to understand. “Nobody wants to talk to you right now. We want you to go to sleep. We’re going to go have a drink and a fabulous time. We’ll see you in the morning.”

Stumbling back to his room, Percy mentally kicked himself for not insisting he stay, not forcing himself to go with them to whatever bar they found in Whitestone, not staying in the company of his family after so many centuries of being alone with… him.

He fell face first in bed, fully dressed, fully armed, and fell into a dreamless sleep filled with the horrifying darkness and heartbreaking silence that filled with nothing but the familiar dark cackling and his pained screams, could swear that someone was waiting for him in the cold, empty, dark.

His friends came home that night, slightly drunk and tired, tiptoeing by his door as if they would wake him up, Vex sneaking in to replace his note, Vax to check his pulse and his body for holes, Keyleth to brush his hair out of his face and to tell him to get some sleep, they would be there in the morning. Cassandra entered at some point in the night and didn’t leave until many hours later, but they didn’t question it, and found Percy in the morning under the covers, in his favourite pyjamas, his guns where he is most comfortable and his clothes folded neatly or handing up in his closet.

Even the deep angry, red speckled holes in the fabric seemed to be stitched back together.

They kept their eyes on him afterwards, always had him in their sight. Even after the meeting with Rishan, his attempt at pious and calculated words failed him, his voice heavily laced with tiredness and his body giving up on him, using Grog to stand upright.

But they watched him fight, during the battle with the Frigid Doom. His shots went wide often, his aim off and scattering against the icy wall behind. His thoughts were muddled and he wasn’t sure what to do when Yenk climbed up the wall to tear into him, bleeding dark red onto the platform.

Even so, Percy reasoned with the green dragon and bargained, words strong and determined although inside, his tongue was tied into a knot, his stomach a heavy lead weight and his heart a painful stab wound as his clouded mind struggled to form the right things to say.

Back at the castle, he’d fall asleep standing, swaying into Keyleth or Grog only for the Goliath to carry him back to his bed. His mind was always going as fast as his bullets from the barrel of his gun, plans and strategies rolling around like rocks down a mountain, tumbling over each other in a panic to reach the bottom first, his words faster than his lips and his brain even faster still, Scanlan playing a tune on his shawm or his flute until his eyes fluttered closed. Keyleth would gently guide him back to his room with his half-closed eyelids, Vex would whittle arrows while Percy made bullets until his fingers were numb, Vax sat quietly with him, back to back, touching for the first time willingly and openly since the tomb as they cleaned their weapons and whispered about memories, Cass working him to the bone in the study until his hands were covered in charcoal and ink, wax caked under his nails from the wax seals and his hair a mess from where his sister had been running her fingers through it.

Every night, he still dreamt of the millennia he spent with Orthax, the terrible pain as he writhed and screamed in the smoky black grasp with the claws that pierced his skin and poisoned his blood with corruption, spirit tattering like parchment set aflame and the laughter/screaming of the voice that haunted his dreams for years. Sometimes he dreams of the Briarwood’s and the begging and screaming of his siblings, his parents, his caretakers, the glint of Sylas’s teeth and the bubbling laughter of Delilah as she hung off of her husband’s arm, purple death swirling around her fingers. Other nights it was Ripley, with her questions and her fingers and her tools, her smile as sharp as the dagger in her hand and her mind as strong as the chains that bind his legs and his arms.

It took a long, long while, but after a time, he stopped waking up screaming, stopped missing as many shots. His gun stopped giving off as much smoke with every fire. He stopped falling asleep on his feet. Vox Machina watched their brother grow stronger again, watched his change, watched him be the brave de Rolo he always was.

They watched him rise.

[msilet]

Co-op Mission (1/2)

Ship: Merlahad (Harry Hart/Merlin), side ship 00Q (James Bond/Q, hinted at / pre-relationship)

Summary: James Bond is sent over to Kingsman to assist Harry Hart on a mission. James is impressed (and jealous) of all the tech Harry has. Harry is not happy about how much attention James is paying Merlin. 

( Inspiration came from KM: TSS and KM: TGC where Merlin armed Harry (even amnesiac Harry) to the teeth and even gave him his jacket in the deleted scene and Harry basically got what he wanted while James Bond in was sassed by Q and got (almost) no toys in Skyfall and Spectre. )

AO3 link in case you want to read there: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502606/chapters/33503520

Story under the cut:

It's almost noon when Harry arrives at HQ, late as usual, and sees the message. It isn't really his fault, this time, just like most of the other times, he thinks, but Merlin always nags him about being punctual. Joke's on him; Harry is Arthur now, what is he going to do, fire Harry? Arthur outranks Merlin, fortunately.

"Come see me, I have a mission for you," the message says. Short and concise, which is just how Merlin communicates. It's not often that Harry has a mission anymore, being the head of Kingsman. Also, him lacking an eye and thus having a skewed depth perception isn't very convenient for field works. They have figured out a way to work around that, which is to pair him with another agent and have them covering him when needed. He hates it, of course, but Merlin threatened to take him completely off the field and that shut him up quickly.

Harry runs through the currently active missions by Kingsman quickly in his head and realises that every single available agent is out somewhere. Lancelot and Percival are off to the Middle East doing reconnaissance, Galahad and Tequila are in South America trying to stop a weapon smuggling ring. The fact that Merlin wants to give him a mission puzzles him. Who's the partner? Definitely not Merlin. After the shit that happened at Poppyland, Harry would personally chain Merlin to his desk and weld it down to the floor if Merlin even thinks of going out there again.

He arrives at Merlin's office and knocks on the door. He used to just barge in, but once he almost got hit in the face by Merlin's prototype prosthetic leg flying off the work table straight toward him. From then on, he always knocks on the door to confirm that it's safe to enter.

"Come in," Merlin calls out from the other side of the door. Having the permission, Harry slowly pushes the door open, just in case.

"Good morning, what do you have for me?" he greets. Merlin doesn't look up from his screen, fingers still dance across the keyboards as he tells Harry to come over.

"Remember our talk with MI6 last week?" Merlin finally stops typing and turn his chair to look at Harry, who's leaning on his table. "We have ourselves an agreement and a mission."

"Really? Why was I not informed?" Harry frowns.

"They called this morning. You would have been part of the meeting, if only you were here," Merlin reprimands.

While Harry has the good sense to say he's sorry and hopes that he didn't miss something important, he has full faith in Merlin. Between the two of them, Merlin has always been the brain of the operation. Besides, to be entirely honest, he feels secretly relieved that he didn't have to sit through another gruelling meeting with M, the head of MI6. Harry can't explain why but he always feels uneasy when dealing with the man.

"What did they say?" he asks.

"They have a free agent they can send to us, he needs to get some field work in after recovering from an injury. We are to receive him today, brief you both and then off you go tomorrow."

Harry shrugs. "A bit of a rush but no matter. Who are they sending over?"

"007."

"The 007?" Harry is surprised. Not only did MI6 agree to their request for cooperation, but they are also sending over their best agent. This mission must be more crucial than he thought.

"The 007," Merlin confirms. "What do you know about him? They didn't give me much other than his codename."

"Of course. Many mistakes me for him. As if." Harry says, slightly annoyed; Merlin looks amused.

As 007 would be arriving at the tailor shop in an hour, they decided that it's time for them to get on the underground bullet train so that they can be there as the other agent arrives.

They have been drinking their tea at the front of the shop when they spot a very well-dressed brunet carrying a suitcase. He enters, "I'm here to pick up order 6144 for the Riverside residence."

Harry stands up first and goes to the man, "Your order of seven suits are ready and waiting for you in the back room."

Merlin, who has been sitting with his back against the front door and has his view blocked by Harry, stands up and turns around to see the famed Double-Oh-Seven. He squints, thinking that the man looks familiar, then suddenly, he gasps, "James, is that you?"

007 comes closer to look at Merlin better while Harry turns around just in time to witness the scene unfolding in front of him. As the MI6 agent apparently also recognises Merlin, he walks quickly to Merlin and pulls him into a hug. "Eachann!"

"James, you have changed so much!" Merlin squeezes 007 before he releases him and holds his face in both his hands, turning it slightly left and then right. "Fucking Double-Oh-Seven, eh?"

"And you're Merlin! I can't believe this. Three days ago I didn't even know this organisation existed, now I see you heading it. And you no longer have hair!" James smiles widely, his eyes twinkle.

Before Merlin can reply, Harry clears his throat loudly. "Excuse me, can anyone tell me what's going on here?"

Merlin turns to Harry and smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry, this is James. James and I were friends since we were children. We met again when we both went to college in Edinburgh, shared a flat and learned judo together. When he joined the Royal Naval College, we lost contact. James, this is Harry Hart, also known as Arthur. He's actually the head of Kingsman, not me."

007 extends his hands out to Harry. "Pleasure to meet you. The name's Bond. James Bond." Harry walks over to shake his hand and notices just how blue his eyes are. Nice assets, he thinks. "Harry Hart."

"Nice to meet you, Mr Hart."

"Harry, please. Mr Hart was my father."

"Harry, then. Call me James."

Satisfied with how the two men behave, Merlin waves both of them toward the changing room. "We shoudn’t stand around all day, let’s get going."

For an agent of MI6, Britain's fabled organisation, James Bond is easily impressed. As far as Harry can see, Bond has been as amazed to see Kingsman's tech as Eggsy on his first day. He keeps asking Merlin about this and that and Merlin is so pleased to explain things to Bond. Even though Harry walks beside them at all time, he feels like the odd one out, forgotten. Rationally, he can't blame Merlin for being happy to have someone caring about his tech. Kingsman staffs and agents are all used to Merlin turning tech into miracles with his "magic", they no longer ask questions or feel amazed. At this point, if Merlin claims he is able to turn lead into gold, they would all believe him without a second thought. Secretly, however, Harry is a little miffed. He has heard about 007's charm before but it sure is annoying to witness up close.

They lead Bond to Merlin's office where the computers are, instead of the standard meeting room. When there, Bond opens his suitcase, takes out a folder of everything MI6 has on the terrorist organisation and hands it to Merlin. Apparently, they are planning an attack on a scale never seen before right in the heart of London, aiming for a high number of casualties. A few locations are marked as a possibility, and the intel needs to be cross-referenced with what Kingsman has and what Eggsy has been able to gather lately. Merlin sets the computer to scan all the documents and then compose a full file automatically.

He turns to the two agents behind him. "Right, my computers will need an hour or two to process all the data as well as cross-checking with our internal database and what they can find online. In the meantime, James, can you show me your equipment? I need to know the status of people I'm sending out on the field."

Bond nods, pulling out his Walther PPK and lays it on the table. Then he takes off the watch and put it next to the gun."

"This is to shoot people, this," he points at the watch, "can be set to explode. I have a tracker implanted."

"That's it?" Merlin asks, incredulously.

"That's all I need." Bond shrugged, trying to act nonchalant but Harry, being a field agent for decades, knows that he just appears like he doesn't care.

"Did you manage to piss off someone higher up at Six?" Harry jokes.

Bond sighs, "They said the world of espionage has changed. Battles are fought and won with computers and codes now. I'm just the muscle who does the dirty work."

"Who says that?" Harry, a field agent himself, feels hot under the collar just hearing those words.

"Many people, friends, foes. Q." Bond says.

"Q?"

"His quartermaster," Merlin interjects. "While I agree that technology is making big steps forward in espionage,  we still dearly need the human touch. Come with me," he turns around and gestures for Bond to follow. Bond picks up his gears and put them back on before walking bristly up to Merlin's side. Harry tags along anyway, because who's going to stop him?

When they are there, Merlin unlocks the door by scanning his fingerprint and retina. The moment the lights inside the room are turned on, Bond looks like a child on Christmas being told that he can eat all the sweets. Merlin appears so damn proud of himself, spreading his arms out in the middle of the room and grins, "Welcome to the Kingsman arsenal."

Bond almost runs Merlin over to get into the room. He looks around, "This is amazing!" he exclaims.

"Let me show you some of the toys we have here," Merlin says, still having that grin. He picks up a lighter and throws it at Bond, who catches it easily. "Don't open it, that's a hand grenade. It blows up ten seconds after activation, giving you just enough time to get away." Merlin walks a few more steps to another shelf and says to Bond, who follows closely after him like a puppy. "Bulletproof suits, made to measure, excelled in both form and function, made by the greatest tailors Savile Row has to offer."

Bond touches the fabric reverently, "MI6 needs to buy from you. I wouldn't have been almost killed on top of a moving train wearing this."  

"At the moment, we only have Kingsman uniformed style and colour,s but given a formal request, we can reconsider." Then, Merlin gestures to the shoes nearby, "Oxfords, with retractable titanium blades coated in poison at the front, activated by clicking your heels together. Pick a pair. And here are Bremont watches, they can shoot darts to either knock someone unconscious or erase their memories of recent events. Can be programmed to hack pass certain security systems, too."

"Did you make them?" Bond asks, and when he sees Merlin nods, he praises, "I always knew you were great, just not how great. MI6 should have snapped you up."

Harry coughs loudly, "Excuse me?"

Merlin, knowingly, cut in, "I'm flattered, but my heart belongs to Kingsman."

Bond winks at him, "If you change your mind, we're the first in line." Merlin laughs out loud at the cheesy song lyrics and Harry secretly fumes.

Merlin doesn't see that, because he already turned and is walking excitedly to the farthest wall of the room "I haven't even shown you the most interesting things yet, James, come over here!" and again, Bond follows him. Merlin stops in front of a wall and has an almost evil grin on his face. "Here come the weapons!" he says as he scans his whole hand on the glass. The two panels slide open to show a wide range of weapons from handguns, rifles to swords of all sorts and... umbrellas.

"What are those?" Bond points at them.

"Rainmakers-"

"Those are off limit," Harry interrupts Merlin. Merlin turned his head to look at Harry, wanting to object, but when he sees Harry grimacing, he decides to let Harry have his way.

"What do they do?" Bond doesn't let it go. He'd be a shit agent if he doesn't investigate things through.

"The fabric is bulletproof and acts as a shield, the inside surface is also a screen, showing you the enemy on the other side and their statistics. The tube is a double barrel gun that can fire shotgun shells or stun bullets. The handle is where you can switch between the two options. There are others functions as well-"

"Are you kidding me?" Bond asks, incredulous.

"Not at all, when you are on the field with Harry, you will see the Rainmaker in action. It's his signature weapon."

Bond turns to look at Harry for a few seconds, then shakes his head, "You lucky bastard."

Harry glares, but Bond has already turned his attention back to an oblivious Merlin, who tells him to pick a few things he likes. Bond ends up with a new pair of shoes, a new watch and a semi-automatic rifle plus the "lighter" that Merlin threw him before.

"No handgun? No suits?" Merlin asks. Looking at the stuff Bond lays out on the table.

"Not wearing your uniform, Eachann. Both M and Q would have my hide. As for handguns, I prefer my Walther PPK," Bond smiles, patting at his side where the gun is being kept, "it's coded to my palm print. My very own personal statement." He turns his head just enough for Harry to see him winking, "Harry's not the only one with a signature weapon."

"Interesting," Merlin muses, "Only you can use the gun?"

"Yes. It's the first thing Q gave me when he started being my Quartermaster. I lost the original in the belly of a Komodo dragon, though. The current one is a replacement," he smiles fondly, "He was very upset." Bond takes off his own watch, grinning, "I should return this to him in one piece. He detests me enough as is."

Merlin takes the watch and put it on a small tray, handing it to Bond, along with a bigger tray for the new toys. "I expect my stuff back after the mission too, James. Don't you dare ruining them."

"Yes sir, I'll try my best!" He salutes mockingly.

Merlin simply nods, unimpressed, and checks his watch. "I think we can slowly make our way back to my office. The computer should start returning results soon."

They arrive at Merlin's office with time to spare so they settle down and Merlin makes each of them tea. The program Merlin wrote for Kingsman promptly notifies them that the whole folder has been uploaded to the database and cross-referenced to all available sources, including the most hidden parts of the Dark Web. It also gives them the locations that have the highest probability of being a target for the attack based on the gathered information.

"So, the highest probable location that the terrorists will want to attack is around Piccadilly Circus, where it is extremely crowded during rush hour and close enough to both Number 10, Downing Street and the main tourist attractions to get attention."

"The gal of those terrorists, thinking they'd pull it off in on the most secure parts of London," Bond snorts.

"What those bastards don't know is that they are within walking distance from our Kingsman Tailor Shop," Harry chuckles, "This one is in the bag." Bond nods arrogantly while Merlin rolls his eyes over the two overly confident agents. Harry continues, "We need to find out where they group up before the attack and stop them. Merlin, any information on that?"

"My software has pulled CCTV footage as well as images from satellites monitoring the area. Two places are ranked above the rest. You will have to check each. One is a garage and the other is a warehouse for the shops nearby. At least one of the terrorists might have been planted as employees to get access to those places. We will find out where exactly tomorrow, there is intel about a trial run."

"Pull up employee files of all the stores nearby and do background check, please," Harry requests.

"Way ahead of you."

After that, they discuss possible infiltration methods and which route they will need to take to each location. Merlin will be monitoring both of them and they will change route accordingly. After going through the plan of action twice, they decide that it's enough. Merlin suggests that Harry should go back to his unfinished works and then go home early today so that he can actually show up tomorrow. Harry is sure he saw Bond's eyebrows shot up in amusement when he heard Merlin alluding to Harry's tardiness. Before he can even think of throwing a snarky remark, Merlin already tells Bond to follow him to his temporary quarter and leaves Harry there, clearly dismissed.

A few hours later, Harry knocks on the door of Merlin's office again.

"Come in," Merlin answers as he continues to stare at multiple monitors in front of him.

"I'm heading out. Are you going home any time soon?" Harry asks.

"I'm staying here tonight. Have to look through the database again to see if the computer missed anything. Then I will have to brief Eggsy's team at 1 AM and Roxy's team at 5 AM."

Harry sits down sullenly on the side of Merlin's desk, his arms crossed in front of him. Merlin decides to ignore him for a while, knowing full well that Harry can't take not having his voice heard for long. Harry looks increasingly pissed off as the minutes tick by. Finally, Merlin sighs, looks up and asks, "What is it, Harry?"

"You don't need to be here to brief the teams."

"I should. No matter how strong my private firewalls are, they are not miles ahead of military-grade like what we have here. With the sensitive info that both teams are gathering, I'd prefer if no one can sniff out any data."

"You just want to stay here because Bond is here," Harry blurts out.

Merlin is utterly confused by Harry's statement that it momentarily robs him of any words. He just sits there, squinting his eyes at Harry. "What the fuck are you on about?"

"Don't pretend you didn't notice him following you around like a puppy and looking like you hung the moon," Harry huffs.

Merlin goes from starring at Harry to dropping his head onto his hand, facepalming. He takes off his glasses, rubs his eyes and then puts it back on. "I am too busy for this."

"But-"

"Harry, we are married. I'm your fucking husband!"

"But," Harry bites out as if the words he wants to speak offend him personally, "he is extremely handsome and fit, and you two lived together, and-"

Merlin looks at Harry as if he's daft, "First of all, I'm not sure if James likes men. When we lived together, he disturbed my sleep almost every single night with a new girl he brought back, to the point that I threatened to poison his food. Second, if he did, you would more likely be a target than I am, we were like brothers, it would be so," he scrunches up his face, "gross."

Merlin moves up from his seat to sits next to where Harry is and put an arm around Harry's waist, pulling Harry closer to him. When he speaks again, he makes sure to keep his voice soft, "Last, but not least, I am not leaving you for any beefcake out there making eyes at me. I love you."

"You were so nice to him, I hardly ever saw you being like that with anyone," Harry, still pouting, "and he was hanging onto your every word too."

Merlin chuckles, "I wanted to show off a little, alright? Not just because of the quasi-sibling rivalry, I also wanted to show an MI6 agent how great Kingsman is. As for James, he probably was having you on, seeing how prickly you were. From where I was standing, it looked more like he was flirting with you, anyway."

Harry, now deflated, starts blushing and looking down at his shoes. "I'm sorry."

Merlin lifts his hand that has been at Harry's waist up to wrap around his shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss on the temple. "I'm sorry for ignoring you, too. I was too busy the last few days and then got a little over-excited seeing James."

"It's not your fault," Harry denies, "It's my damn insecurities. I saw a young, attractive and agent and I suddenly became irrational. I kept thinking that you had no reason to keep me over him."

Merlin tries really hard to contain his laughter but Harry can feel him shaking, he asks, irritated, "What?"

Merlin actually lets himself guffaw, "By that logic, Harry, I would have dumped you for every single agent joining Kingsman after you, Eggsy included," he says with tears in his eyes.

Harry's expression is a mix of horrified and offended, "Please never say that again," he whines.

Merlin, still smiling, just hugs Harry closer with the arm on his shoulder and tilts Harry's head up with his free hand. "You vain drama queen! Have you looked into the mirror lately? You are still one gorgeous man. Sometimes I have to stop doing whatever I am doing just to look at you," he pauses, touching the blackened side of Harry's glasses, knowing exactly what tends to bother Harry, "including the eye, it reminds me of how I almost lost you and had you back. And," he kisses Harry's forehead, "even if you become the worst-looking man on earth tomorrow, I'd still love you like I always have."

"I love you so much," Harry says with a contented sigh.

"I know, although it's nice to be reminded sometimes," Merlin grins, "I love you too." He places a quick kiss on Harry's lips, "But you want to go home and rest, love, I need you at your best tomorrow to show James what we are all about. And be here on time."

"Yes, Quartermaster," Harry rolls his eye, "Your wish is my command." He hops off the table, kisses Merlin and saunters off.

Fin. 

Note: Eachann means “horse” because Mark Strong’s nickname in Chinese is “Strong Horse” and he likes it lol.

If you like this, consider dropping me a review and/or kudo on AO3 too :)

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Merlin x Reader Headcanons

I have a bunch of ideas for this story, but I can’t seem to make the story come together, so here’s the list of headcanons!

You meet Hamish in the late 1980s, when he’s still getting his feet on the ground with the Kingsman and you’re on sabbatical after a particularly rough mission with your own agency

You met in a crowded cafe one lazy Saturday morning. There were only a few seats open - all of them included sharing a table with someone - and the cute guy in the sweater and glasses reading the morning paper seemed the most friendly

He gladly accepted your company - your nervous smile and apologies for inconveniencing him touching his inherently parental heart

You two clicked instantly

You were both old souls in young bodies

You were intelligent, caring, and sincere people, which was a rare find

After finding out you, yourself, were a bit of a nerd, Hamish asked if you wanted to go see a new science-fiction movie with him, since none of his friends were interested

You eagerly agreed, happy to have a new friend and even happier that the new friend was a cute and sweet nerd

Your relationship picked up from there, and by the time the year was out you two were living together in a flat in London

Neither of you knew of each other’s occupations. Hamish knew you were on sabbatical, and you knew that he worked in information and technology, but that was it

You were the first to find out. As a secret agent, yourself, you recognized the signs in the abnormally long work hours, the flimsy and repetitive excuses, and the “weight of the world” look in his eyes when he’d come back home after a long few days away at work

You didn’t know what to do with the information

Relationships were nearly impossible in this job, anyway. 

Intra-agency dating was severely frowned upon

You really probably shouldn’t date civilians

Inter-agency dating got people killed

All in all, you had no excuse letting this go on for as long as it had

You had no idea how you were going to make this relationship work, but you couldn’t bring yourself to end it

Hamish was one of the best things in your life. 

Nothing made you happier than waking up with him in the morning. 

The world was never as bright as when he smiled. 

No music sounded as sweet as his laugh. 

No one understood you so naturally like he did.

How the hell were you going to end that?

As it turns out, you wouldn’t have to

A few weeks after you put the pieces together about Hamish’s double-life, he (and the rest of the Kingsmen) found out about yours

Percival thought it was odd that Merlin’s relationship was so perfect. It was almost too perfect. As though it were designed that way

Galahad didn’t want to question his friend’s happiness, but couldn’t quell Percival’s unrest

They found your connection to another agency. Not an enemy, but there were no friends in the spy game

Arthur was convinced you were using Merlin for information and was terribly cross

Merlin had never felt so embarrassed, ashamed, and hurt in his life

He loved you more than he thought possible, and didn’t want to believe a word of it, but the evidence was right there, and he wasn’t naive enough to believe it was all a coincidence

He confronted you about it when you came home that evening after running errands

You greeted him with a bright, innocent smile and a bouquet of lilacs - his favorite flower

It killed him

The smile fell from your face when you saw the look on his

He knew. 

“Ya’ve known all this time?”

“No! I just figured it out a few weeks ago!”

“So why didn’t ya tell me?!”

“I didn’t know how to without risking you responding exactly like this!”

It was your first real fight. You both hated it

You hated the look he gave you - as though he’d never love you again

He hated the tears streaming down your face and the strain in your voice

“Ya need to leave,” he said, knowing full-well what Arthur was capable of. “Get out of the country. Don’t come back.”

He refused to look at you when he said it, and you knew that was it.

You swallowed your remaining sobs and packed a quick go-bag

You stood in the doorway of your shared flat, turned back just enough to see the man you loved with all your heart sitting on the couch, eyes burning holes into the floor

“I love you,” you whispered, desperate to hear him say it back.

‘Please,’ you thought, ‘even if it’s a lie. Please.’

He was silent.

You left.

You weren’t gone more than 30 seconds before Hamish broke down into gutwrenching sobs

Harry found him in an old pub two days later, drowning his sorrows in some very expensive scotch 

Merlin was never the same after that. The jokes, the smiles, the warmth was gone. 

Neither of you moved on.

You convienced yourself that this was the lesson your romantic heart needed. Relationships weren’t meant for people like you. If a relationship so perfect as what you and Hamish had couldn’t survive this job, there was no point in trying with anyone else

Merlin, to put it simply, knew that you were the love of his life and that no one could fill that void, so why bother?

You focused your time and energy on your job, burying the feelings you’d never given yourself the chance to mourn

Merlin would sometimes daydream about coming to home to you after bad days and just holding you, reveling in the love you two shared

He tracked you down after his charge died ‘97, but couldn’t work up the courage to contact you

He almost made the call after Valentine, but convinced himself that it’d been 30 years, and he was likely nothing more than a distant memory to you at that point

You wished that were true, tbh

Your paths crossed again in Cambodia

Ginger had called you - as you were now one of the highest ranking members of your agency - and asked for your help, which you gladly provided

That thing that happened in Cambodia totally didn’t happen, because fuck canon

Merlin had never been happier to see you than in that godforsaken forest

You, on the other hand, were all business, just as he was the night it ended

After all, this is work; it isn’t personal

The lot of you managed to neutralize the threat, and Merlin nearly had a heart attack every time he lost contact with you

Your romantic heart wanted to believe that this meant he still loved you, but your analytical mind refused to give into temptation

It hurt too much before, and you refused to be hurt again

After Poppy was handled, you all returned stateside to regroup 

Your agency and Statesman agreed to help Kingsman rebuild

You went over to Scotland to oversee the process, which Merlin was conflicted about

Professionally, it was good to get Kingsman up and running again, but he wasn’t sure about the new direction

Personally, he was thrilled to have you back in his life, but died a little bit inside every time you looked at him with a blank face in place of once-loving eyes and bright smiles

Everyone who wasn’t you two, however, could clearly see that the love was still there

Eggsy worked on Merlin, convincing the older man that all hope wasn’t lost

Harry worked on you, trying to break down some of the defenses you’d spent decades perfecting

“Merlin doesn’t hate you,” he’d told you on multiple occasions. “He never has, and he never will.”

“Pretty sure he does,” you responded flatly, blinking back the tears that the memory of that night, of his silence, brought back.

Merlin spends months wooing you, determined to win you back

You have a new bouquet of flowers in your office every Wednesday, a callback to the fresh flowers that you’d always have on the coffee table in your shared flat

You’d find exclusive merchandise from some of your old favorite movie, television, and book series waiting for you, with inside jokes or even just “thought of you” written on a card

After a few months, it was really starting to get to you

You felt yourself yearning for Hamish, for his love, and for the relationship you shared for the first time in 30 years

You had to put a stop to it

You agreed to go on a date with him, if only to prove to him (and yourself) that the feelings he was expressing weren’t grounded in reality, but a manifestation of the stress he’d been under the past few years

“Nostalgia,” you’d said. “A longing for simpler times. There’s nothing more to this than that.”

Hamish looked at you with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“Prove it.”

You couldn’t prove it.

The date - the first real date either of you had been on in 30+ years, was wonderful.

An early movie to set the tone for the eveing

(Sci-Fi, of course)

Takeaway at his place

Booze and 80s classics the rest of the night

It was how you’d spent some your favorite nights with him. Carefree, loving, comfortable, intimate, and easy. 

Perfect.

You admitted that there might  be something worth looking into, and you swear you’d never seen Hamish smile so big

You two moved in together not 6 months later

Hamish has been carrying around a ring since the day you moved in, waiting for just the right time to ask

You were the love of his life, and he didn’t plan to let you go again

A/N: Hot dog, that got longer than I anticipated. In all fairness, though, Merlin needs a little more love, so there ya go.