Work Text:
There was little to say that Merlin was not having a good day. Of course, that was due to the fact that all in the matter of minutes he had popped from the fourth century to the fourteenth century and still seemed at a loss. That was to say Rome was not all that pleasant, nor was a deadly plague in which he scrambled out of there as fast as he could.
Rats were not his friends and that went back much farther than the plague. That rat stew still haunted him and he had eaten considerably far worse over many many years. Though the rats were beginning to sound rather appetizing as he didn't want to touch anything in that infested place and the Roman cuisines he had days past were just a tasteful memory.
His wish seemed almost met as one rat-infested place was switched with another rat-infested place. His face met an unruly wall that previously wasn't there before he crashed to the ground, his nose throbbing and the scurrying of rats making him just as quickly scurry away from them as they did him.
He moaned, a hand dabbing at his nose, looking for blood but dropped as he found none. His hand met the wall for a seek in balance to the now unstable world around. The rats and headache—quite literally—of unexpected walls quickly was overrun by the coal for air breath he sucked in.
His chest spasmed as he coughed and choked on what he could barely consider air. Though all considered, it was more pleasant than the smell of death and burning bodies.
He staggered out of the alleyway he seemed to have run himself into and began to look around. The streets were littered with horse-drawn carriages, women walked with umbrellas and clothing that accentuated their waists, while men wore tall hats or flat rounder ones accompanied by walking sticks and excess clothing hanging out the back.
"You look but skin and bones, old friend." An irritatingly familiar voice said.
He groaned and rolled his eyes, "oh you…" he turned on his heels instantly spotting the curly blond hair man. His back towards him, with a tall hat upon his head as he looked out over a medium fence, carefully picking out a small piece from the loaf of bread before tossing it out to ducks that swam in the pond.
"Lovely to see you too Merlin."
"You know when Kilgharrah explained all this, he never told me that a fifth-century knight with horrible fashion taste would nag me for millennia." He walked over and took the place next to the other man.
Leon scoffed, "Says the one still wearing a neckerchief."
"It keeps me warm, thank you very much, Leon." He leaned over the fencing and looked out at the ducks. "Besides, did you want traces of the plague to infect you when I came to give my old friend a hug?"
"You haven't given me a hug," Leon stated, an almost offended tone lacing his voice.
Merlin lazily waved his hand, "That's beside the point."
"Are you still mad about what happened with the pirates?"
Merlin let out a long sigh.
"Because that was entirely your fault for dragging me into that."
"Leon…" he groaned.
"Or was it the Vikings? He clicked his tongue and sighed. "I can never remember."
"Old age weakens the memory," Merlin teased.
Leon snorted, "Oh how I wish it did." He handed the last of the bread over to Merlin who tore it in half. Shoving one piece in his mouth while the other went to the ducks.
"Though, the plague doesn't sound much worse than what's going around here," He continued.
Merlin gave the surrounding place another glance before looking back to Leon. "What year is it?"
He hummed in consideration. "Take a guess."
"Well," Merlin started, "judging by your atrocious hat—
"Rude."
"And your useless cane," he continued, "I'd say sometime in the nineteenth century."
"Eighteen sixty-one, to be precise. Queen Victoria is her name, ruling monarch."
Merlin groaned, "Great I just got away from bloodthirsty emperors now I'm back to kings and queens."
Leon chuckled while Merlin turned around and rested his back against the fencing. He sighed, "Speaking of which, where is the Royal Prat in this life?"
"Come away," Leon tilted his head, "I'll show you where he lingers these days." He quickly pushed his cane aside and shrugged off his coat. "But first we need to get you some appropriate clothing," he put his coat over Merlin's shoulder's, "people are starting to stare." A hand was on the warlock's back as he was guided away through the streets of people and dark clouded pollution.
They walked for a bit before he was directed into a large but old looking building. The coat was pulled from his shoulders and hung up while people immediately came to assist at the snap of Leon's fingers.
He was dragged to a smaller room with Leon closely following behind. Rustling fabric, the click of the shoes against the floor, all coupled with the sound and smell of tea being poured made him pull in a sharp breath. His ill-fitting clothes were discarded leaving him in his underclothes, barer to the chill in the air and cool gloved hands that moved him around.
Though Leon looked mildly annoyed and amused all at the same time as always. The elder gave a smile and a toast in the air with a cup of tea as he sat in a chair opposite of where he stood.
Merlin huffed, "You always enjoy this part far too much." Measuring tapes were drawn over every diameter of his body. The final one came loose around his waist as the man rolled it up and walked off.
"Not my fault you like to show up in clothes Five centuries out of fashion or five centuries too soon."
"Like I have much of a choice," He retorted.
The man came back around as he handed a pile of folded up clothes to Leon before excusing himself from the room.
Leon turned and dumped them in his open arms. "These should fit, get changed."
He took them before he attempted to figure out the change of clothing behind the folding screen. "Not as simple as a tunic and trousers," He grumbled.
"I'm afraid not."
He fumbled for a while before stepping out with things still to be fixed properly. "I think I prefer the nineteen twenties men fashion than this—
"Ah—" Leon cut him off. "Remember our rules, no telling whatever me you meet, about the future."
Merlin grimaced, "Right." He had Leon in many instances and in some cases was the only person he had. But in the single burden of knowing the future and having to carry it with no one else's knowledge, still stayed.
He turned to the decorative mirror and started to fix himself up. Wrinkles pressed out beneath the pads of his fingers, and different accentuations of the fabric were shifted to his pleasure.
"I saw Gwaine the other day." Came Leon's voice along with a clink of the teacup as he set it down.
Merlin smiled. "How is he?"
"Well, there's a reason I saw him and didn't talk to him." He stood up. "Ever the man we knew. He was getting arrested."
Merlin looked over with a concerned expression.
"Temporarily of course," Leon reassured.
He shook his head. "Same old Gwaine then…"
"Very much the same."
Merlin chuckled, "And the others? Have you talked to any of those of magic, how are they adjusting to this life?"
"Mordred is with Morgana and Arthur at the moment."
"Oh?"
Leon nodded his head in agreement, "Oh."
"How old is Mordred?" He seemed to use the young Druid's age as his guide for everyone else and the events passed and to come.
"Can't be older than ten."
"Everyones young then." He turned towards Leon and held his arms out as he took a humorous spin. A cocked eyebrow and lopsided smile said all he needed it to say.
Leon gave him a fond smile. "Indeed." He stepped forward with his hands quickly going to work on missed wrinkles and Merlin's unabashed absent knowledge of how nineteenth-century attire worked.
"They took him in off the streets," Leon continued. "Mordred immediately recognized both of them, and so did Morgana, but of course, we're still explaining to him why he can't say anything to others who don't have magic."
"We're?" Merlin repeated.
"Only you can hold grudges for centuries, Merlin."
He sniffed, "I hold no grudges, I just find no harm in thinking what if we did tell Arthur, Gwaine, Gwen, those not of magic the truth."
"We'd be locked in a sanitorium, that'd be the harm."
"And if they believe us or it jogs an old memory?" He pushed.
Leon sighed as he folded out the last wrinkle. "Things are good Merlin, don't do something you'll regret."
Leon showed his back to him before he turned back around with two hats in hand. Both were similar in colour but one stood a bit taller than the other. "Pick."
He shook his head, "I'm not wearing that."
"You most definitely are."
"Well, you can't make me." Merlin crossed his arms over his chest.
"Are we playing that game again?" Leon asked incredulously
The stern gaze from Leon left Merlin cornered in an argument he knew he would never win. He sighed, "are there no less ridiculous hats?"
Leon placed both hats on the table before disappearing around the corner. "Like so?" He quickly pulled out a feathery monstrosity with a flourish that was well past ridiculous.
"Whatever," Merlin grumbled. The smaller of the two hats was plucked off the table and placed on his head as he once again followed after Leon.
"Where to?" He asked.
The hat, cane, and coat were quickly replaced back into Leon's possession at the door, all while a coat was handed to Merlin as well. He tugged it on and quickly stumbled out after the other man who was already hailing a carriage.
"You heard what I said earlier, you look like you haven't had a proper meal in ages."
Merlin snorted, "Because I probably haven't." The answer earned him a quick side-eyed look as clattering hooves grew to a stop in front of them.
"Get in." The door was drawn open as Leon pushed him in. His companion disappeared for a few seconds as muffled words were muttered, likely of an address, and the ring of falling coins could be heard, collected in the driver's hand.
Leon was quickly back in his visual presence with a firm shut of the door and the jumpy steadiness of the carriage that began in motion. They both seem to lack words to fill the air, but more so letting each other's easy presence do that. Merlin's attention, more bothered with the passing new city outside the window that demanded his curiosity.
Though the constant high click of Leon's watch flicking open kept catching his flickering eyes. The minutes marked by every springing open and forceful closure Merlin hardly needed a watch to know how much time had passed.
"Do you have to be somewhere?" He asked after the fourth time Leon curled in his fingers with a click and a resounding sigh.
"No, my days free," he smiled, "I made sure of it."
"What, were your Merlin senses tingling?"
Leon sniffed, "Something of the sort, I just had one of my hunches you'd pop in about this time."
Merlin tried his best to stifle a surprising yawn, his hand trying to block it from Leon's view, but failed.
"Do I bore you so much?" A faux offended tone partnered with his words.
Merlin shook his head. "Typically so, but not right now, just exhausted."
"You can rest at mine after we've gotten you caught up with the time."
"First day is always just hustle, hustle, hustle," Merlin complained. "Why don't we ever just lie in for a nap or go bird watching. You know—"
"We're here."
The door was thrown open before Leon exited, while Merlin sat with unsaid words to linger in his throat.
"Why do you never listen to me?" He said it more to himself in exasperation than to his companion far gone. He quickly exited the carriage and ran after the tail of Leon's coat he saw disappear into another building. "I liked you a lot more early on in the centuries," He ranted. "A lot more polite and—"
"Sit."
He was shown a table set for four in what he realized was a dining area. The chair was pulled out for him before he could protest and was seated across from Leon.
"Oh, thank you—but I'm not finished." He was quickly interrupted again by servers bringing and laying down a plate of food in front of him. "You're making it really difficult to be irritated with you right now."
Leon smirked. "Just eat."
"I don't have the energy to refuse." He abandoned his argument and focused his attention on shovelling food into his mouth.
Time passed before there was one final pop of Leon's watch as he gestured towards the open window. "You're three o'clock."
"My what?" Merlin muffled out with a mouthful of bread.
He lightly nudged his shin from under the table. "That way you idiot," Leon gestured out the window towards a woman standing in wait for something or someone.
The dark complexion and familiar face against the pale lavender dress she wore made him pause and swallow what was in his mouth. "Is that Gwen?"
As if to answer his question he saw the all too familiar blond king running before meeting up with Gwen. A blush filled look accompanied by a nervous flickering gaze told him they were still new. Their relationship, not yet affected by all that would come.
"They're trying to keep their relationship under wraps," Leon explained. "His father doesn't approve of him dating a servant."
He groaned, "Can't wait for that man to croak...again."
"Here," Leon straightened his posture as he reached into his coat and brought out a small box. It was in Merlin's hands while Leon watched in little anticipation as the ribbon was pulled undone and the box was opened.
"Get used to a watch again, in my experience of your time travelling habits you'll probably be more in the future after this."
Merlin turned the item over in his hand, seeing the engraving of his name and the current date. "Why the gift?" He asked, "Is it my birthday and I haven't noticed? You know I've done that before."
"No," Leon lightly chuckled. "It's a, would be yule present or Christmas as they celebrate now."
He groaned. "I completely forgot."
"I think you get a break, you were quite busy running away from rats and Romans."
Merlin chuckled, "Both of which are equally terrifying in their own way."
Leon snickered, "That's not all, this is the rest of your gift." He flipped around in his chair as he waved his hand towards Arthur and Gwen, who Merlin didn't even notice entered the same building they were in.
"Arthur! Gwen!" He called.
Both of their faces lit up as the couple waved and made their way over towards them. "Leon!"
Merlin could only stare while trying to keep his breathing steady, seeing the people he loved after so long once again. He must have spaced out as a hand pulling him from his chair quickly pulled him from his daze.
"I'd like you to meet an old companion of mine."
"Oh um… Merlin." He held his hand out with Arthur first to take it in a firm grip.
"Like the bird?"
He nodded, "Like the bird." Because that's all the name was. Not of a friend or even a servant but one he knew from a bird that was used to hunt.
"Arthur, pleasure." The man introduced himself with a lopsided smile. Merlin's hand lingered and almost instinctively chased after Arthur's as he pulled away. But they both quickly reclaimed their hands as he played it off as nothing.
"And this is—"
"Gwen," He said. Though he immediately realized his slip up, one which he hadn't done in centuries. He opened his mouth to fumble for an excuse of why he knew someone's name of which he was supposedly meeting for the first time but Leon quickly took over.
"Seems I tend to ramble a bit too much about those I love, huh Merlin?"
He frantically nodded his head, "Oh yes, indeed, he just never shuts up—"
He managed a smile as Leon lightly hit his shoulder. Arthur gave them a confused look while Gwen smiled and held out her hand for Merlin to take. He did so with a small bow and a quick peck left on her hand, "Charmed."
Once again he longed to hold her hand far longer than he was allowed to. Her fingers slipped through his as they had before in many past lives while he had no choice but to let go and weep their dead and buried presence.
He swallowed hard and straightened his posture while Leon cleared his throat and brought the attention back to him. "Come, take a seat."
"So Merlin, are you from around here?" His name felt like a warm hug off of Arthur's tongue yet at the same time, stumbled and foreign sounds. An old native language forgotten but familiar deep in one's heart.
"No, just visiting an old friend." He gestured towards Leon. "Why?"
"No reason, you just look a bit familiar, thought I've probably seen you walking the streets or something."
Gwen nodded her head in agreement. "You do look a bit familiar."
"Common face." He excused, despite every ounce of him that ached of wanting to say the truth.
He didn't trust himself to talk instead let Leon do most of it. Only throwing in a few words here and there to support along, but his gaze primarily stayed on the two in front of him. Young and no care aside from being in love despite what anybody else said.
"The time?" Came Arthur's voice after their plates were cleared and teacups were emptied.
"A quarter till three."
"We must leave." He got up and helped Gwen up as well. "My father."
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Merlin."
He nodded his head, "likewise." As he would meet him hundreds of times more in first meetings that never were first meetings.
"You must come by to meet my sister some time," Arthur said, "I have a feeling you two would get along very well."
He lightly scoffed at his words before smiling while Leon said his goodbyes. Both of their eyes followed the couple as they watched them safely get into a carriage.
"The hardest part is done with," Leon mumbled under his breath, standing up.
"It never gets easier." There was a comforting hand on his back as they both walked out of the dining place.
"Think you could handle the others tomorrow?" Leon's voice was the touch against the petals of a flower. Seeking something while being incredibly gentle so as to not hurt the other.
"You know where the others are?" He asked.
Leon nodded, "All except most of the kids. I figured most of them are still safe with parents or guardians until later on in their lives."
Merlin wished that were so true. "Hope so." They both shared a reassuring look as they stepped out into the heavy and chilly air. The weight hit his chest of the sharp cold and suffocating smoke as he readjusted his breathing.
People busy in the roads either working, selling, or simply strolling along to whatever new destination their feet led them. Leon got caught up with a man while trying to get a carriage for them.
"A penny dreadful?" Leon asked, seemingly unfazed. Yet he offered no time for Merlin to answer. Instead, he traded a penny from his coat for the paper story and handed it over to him. "Add to your collection of things you've acquired."
The words The Blue Dwarf were printed in bold black ink on the flimsy booklet of paper followed by an illustration. "I stopped collecting centuries ago, no time nor room for it. Just items, useless in the end," He provided.
He flipped through the few pages, catching the irony of the story and how quickly it reminded him of someone. "Give this to Mordred," he held it out to Leon, "he would like it."
"You can give it to him yourself tomorrow."
He caught the elder's eyes. "Do I have a say?"
"Do dogs fly?"
"You're asking the wrong person that question."
Leon gave him a knowing look with a chuckle as a hailed carriage once again came to a stop in front of them. They both boarded as he collapsed into the seats with little regard for gentleness. Not so much from the tiredness of the day but from lasting exhaustion that overlapped from days before. If days were being generous but weeks, years, decades, centuries, all hanging off him like branches of an old willow tree.
"I feel I breakthrough less and less every time we meet," Leon said as the wheels were turning under them and horses marched down cobblestone streets. "You've grown hardened, dear friend."
Merlin gave him a sympathetic smile. "It's what happens to old things, they harden and offer no value."
"On the contrary," Leon backfired, "they're the most valuable of all..."
He cared—they both cared, a lot. More than they could voice, despite their voices holding knowledge and spite of many many years. But they both learned it hurt to Love, to care…
"But enough of that…" Leon quickly changed the subject. "Where are you off to after here?"
"You know I don't have the greatest control popping back and forth between places of my choosing as I please."
"Usually has some influence though." He gave hope to Merlin's words that were a lack of desire cowered in his heart.
"If that were the true case, I'd be reliving the days in Albion over and over," Merlin replied. "Drag you along with me too."
Leon smiled, "And I might not protest."
The carriage soon came to a stop, Merlin exiting first as Leon tailed behind, but soon took the lead into what he called a place to live, but never home. Coats and hats were discarded at the door with one more gesture of caring as Merlin was taken to an extra room.
Seconds from when the door was open and when Merlin collapsed face-first onto the bed. A moan of pleasure from his mouth of the feathery softness made Leon chuckle. His own hands, busy as he removed Merlin's shoes for him and pushed them aside.
"Up," He commanded. Merlin did so, with all reluctance but let Leon do as he wished. The top layers he wore, removed for him while he tried to keep his head upright and eyes semi-open.
"Another day another… century, " He drowsily mumbled.
Leon shook his head as he folded Merlin's vest over his arm and pushed him with a tap to his shoulder, back down to the bed. "Get some rest, Merlin." He gathered the separate articles of clothing before making his way towards the door.
"Leon." Said older man stopped in the doorway with attentive eyes now back to him. "Thank you
He smirked, "As always. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow."
"Oh, I won't sleep that long." It was still midday with supper barely to be served in a matter of hours.
"Goodnight, Merlin."
"Yeah, yeah." He waved him off as the door shut tight. Though Leon's words would come to be right with an exhausted Merlin staggering to breakfast the next morning. Leon with a smug grin on his face while a muffled shut up would tumble from Merlin's lips.
Polarlys Sat 25 Dec 2021 06:17AM UTC
Comment Actions
VirusError Sat 25 Dec 2021 05:26PM UTC
Comment Actions
mumblemuse Mon 03 Jan 2022 08:16AM UTC
Comment Actions
VirusError Tue 04 Jan 2022 04:17AM UTC
Comment Actions
litinthyheart Mon 12 Jun 2023 11:43PM UTC
Comment Actions
VirusError Mon 22 Jan 2024 03:12AM UTC
Comment Actions
ElementalCrystal0821 Sun 25 May 2025 02:16AM UTC
Comment Actions