Rosslare, Ireland - Ferry Dock, Tuesday Afternoon

[bigdamndestiny]

So, the cruise had been lovely when they'd gone, but this--this was home.

Sort of.

And he was going to see Eire for the first time and be able to brag all about it and show off his real accent except not, but it would be there. Deep down, he'd know.

And he'd hardly gotten sick on the ride over at all!

"I think that went well!"

[[For the prince with him]]

Comments

[bitchprince]

"You think everything goes well," Arthur pointed out, graciously, squinting up at the sky to consider the weather. "But I suppose it will do. You could have spent less time over the side of the ship."

Ah, optimism, how you existed for Arthur to grind you under his boot.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"The boat was moving a lot." Fierce seasick wizard.

[bitchprince]

"Yes," Arthur said, thoughtfully, "The light trembling sensation it gave off every hour or so was terribly daunting."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oh, sod off," Merlin grumbled, looking around at the town ahead of them. "Where should we start?"

[bitchprince]

"I talked to Portalocity while you were out," Arthur said, smirking at him. "We should be getting a portal down in Cork tomorrow morning, so I suggest we start to make our way there." Beat. "I don't suppose you could get some horses around here..."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin perked up at that. "We could ask."

[bitchprince]

Now if only Portalocity had listened to Arthur's loud arguments with regards to getting them back to the proper Albion...

"Let's see about that, then," he said, starting off at a determined pace.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"We could always walk if not." Because it couldn't be that far, right?

Right?

[bitchprince]

It would only be a day and 15 hours' walk! That wasn't much.

Really.

"Or we could take another train, Merlin," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "Unless you plan to have us miss our portal."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"It wouldn't be too bad to," Merlin said, looking back at the sea. "To stay a bit longer."

[bitchprince]

"It seems like Fandom is our only way of leaving for home, if it'll let us," he said, following Merlin's gaze with a forlorn expression. "Perhaps next time we can come longer. And bring Morgana. She deserves to get a spot of home, too."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"She'd like it," Merlin said, nodding enthusiastically. "And Fr--"

Right now.

Perhaps not so soon, yes?

"She'd like it."

[bitchprince]

Not so soon, no.

Arthur glanced back at him with a quick twitch of his lips that might have actually approached a smile intended to soften that fact. "She might," he allowed, "It's less--"

Realising he didn't have a good word to end that sentence with, he shut his mouth again, and now it set in a solid line.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Yes." He hadn't the faintest what he was agreeing with.

[bitchprince]

Well, that was good.

Arthur exhaled, bumping Merlin's hand with his for half a second he might or might not deny. "We should get going," he decided, "Enjoy it while we can."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"And look for horses," Merlin prompted, shuffling with the far too expensive and modern bag he now sported.

[bitchprince]

"And look for horses," Arthur agreed, stealing a glance at Merlin's new trousers. "Say, did I ever wind up showing you those pictures from the carnival?"

Embarrasing Leto would be a brilliant way to lift spirits here.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"You took pictures?" Merlin asked, oblivious to looks at his trousers. They didn't fit right!

Because no one explained that skinny leg jeans were supposed to do that.

[bitchprince]

Arthur flipped open his phone, scrolling down to an image of Leto looking Very Displeased Indeed, what with sitting in a dunk tank and all.

... He had also inadvertently won Merlin a stuffed doll of some kind, but Arthur was still speculating on how far those ovaries of his went. He held up the phone.

And glanced at Merlin's trousers again. Good investment, that, and a little better on his mood.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Well. If Arthur ever wanted to cheer him up...

"You did that?"

[bitchprince]

"There's more," he replied, pressing on to the next picture, which was Leto, thoroughly dunked, looking absolutely miserable.

And flailing like a little girl, if you asked Arthur.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Have I mentioned how much I adore you lately?" Merlin asked, focus entirely on the lovely pictures.

[bitchprince]

"Not nearly enough," Arthur returned, flippantly, focus entirely on the trousers. Dammit all, they were distracting.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Finally looking away from the phone, Merlin glanced over at him. "Thank you."

[bitchprince]

Arthur shook off any thoughts with regards to that, and shrugged once, a light smile on his face. "If it'll stop you moping," he said, graciously, which was Arthurian for so many things explaining it all in the narrative would take a while.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin snagged his hand for one quick squeeze before offering the phone back. "I mean it."

[bitchprince]

Arthur took the phone, putting it back where it came from.

Ah, earnest thanks. His Achilles heel. "Feeling better?" he inquired, warring with the instinct to grab Merlin's hand more firmly before he realised he'd already done it.

Oh, come on.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Much." Merlin glanced around before leaning in to kiss him on the corner of his mouth. "I--you know."

[bitchprince]

They were in public.

A mostly empty public.

Where no one gave a shit, it seemed.

Huh.

"I know?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly. Dense was always a good look on him.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad you're here," Merlin managed a bit nervously.

[bitchprince]

Corner of Arthur's mouth? Twitching back up towards a smile. "You too," he said, with an effective (and slightly affectionate, but hush on that) little roll of his eyes. His fingers made a not-quite-so-tentative slide to get tangled up with Merlin's. "And someone's got to make sure you don't wander off into the sea or something equally daft. And I'd rather you don't, if it's all the same."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Doing a smashing job so far," Merlin assured him, taking the offered hand.

[bitchprince]

"Of course I am," Arthur said, tilting his head up, "I am the Prince of Camelot, skinny thing like you, I can just haul you up by those trousers of yours."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin rolled his eyes. "They're too small, you know."

[bitchprince]

"I think they're just the right size," Arthur assured him, glancing rather expressively thataway.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"You would," Merlin replied, dragging him toward the town proper.