The Causeway, Monday Morning

[bitchprince]

Arthur's mood had steadily darkened the longer he'd been on the plane. Not so much because the fact of being on a plane bored him, but because. Because something he wasn't going to say to anyone beyond Merlin when it got particularly bad.

Once again, he found himself craving graduation something fierce despite it all.

Anyway, it was with a foul, distant expression on his face that he started the walk from where the cab had left them on the causeway, back onto the island.

[[ primarily for those returning from England, but it's an open spot and an open post for anyone else who needs it. I'm done spamming you all now ]]

Comments

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

It probably wasn't helping much that Katchoo looked like she was going to smoke the entire way back up to the dorms, was it? It had been a long flight, she'd been watching Arthur's mood shift with the same kind of oddly detached fascination she used to have with developing Polaroids (and wondered if that hike in Caerleon had anything or everything to do with it), and as much as she wasn't likely to say so out loud she already missed the Welsh scenery.

Her own slightly-masked-by-smoke expression wasn't pleasanter by leaps and bounds, but that level of standoffish and irked at nothing in particular was par for the course for her.

[bitchprince]

"Well, we're here," quoth the Arthur, who had not intended for that to come out quite that sour. If simply on the grounds that he didn't, typically, do this.

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

"Aw, gee. You don't say." Katchoo made a point of exhaling away from him (and there was a concession she wouldn't make for just anyone, so you're welcome, Pendragon). "Let's all try not to fall all over ourselves with excitement now."

[bitchprince]

"Try not to say that too loudly. Merlin hasn't fallen over anything since yesterday," he muttered.

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

No power on heaven or earth or any other world/universe of your choice was going to keep Katchoo from smirking a bit at that. "It wouldn't be my fault today. Maybe."

[bitchprince]

See, and yesterday, when he'd heard, Arthur had cracked up for a straight five minutes despite Merlin's insistence that it wasn't funny (and that Arthur was a prat, but that was hardly new).

"That's truly inspiring, Katchoo," he said, rubbing at his forehead. "Have classes, by any chance?"

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

"Nah. Got my usual date with the squirrels tomorrow night, but class isn't until Thursday," she drawled. "And Friday. It's really a nice looooooooooong weekend for me any given week."

[bitchprince]

Arthur would have asked whether all of that free time didn't mean going insane, but it was Katchoo. He wasn't too sure about her sanity to start with. "I think I just missed salle practice," he said, sounding faintly disappointed.

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

As an artist she was arguably certifiable to begin with.

. . . although what with spending a lot less time brooding lately, it might almost be a legitimate concern.

"Is it gonna kill you to do it a few hours late?"

[bitchprince]

"Dinah will have class," he pointed out, "So there won't be an actual practice session. Just normal drills." Although yes, he did enjoy his schedule, thanks.

[thatsamilkshake]

Francine had spent about half the flight with her face buried in a book or Katchoo's shoulder, and half of it trying to smile yesterday morning out of existence by paying attention to anybody but herself. ...As long as she didn't look Merlin in the eye.

Of course, that narrowed the field a bit, and the remaining candidates were not helping with the smiling thing.

"At least it's not raining anything weird?" she offered as she tugged her luggage along behind her.

[bitchprince]

"That's a relief. I feel great now."

Much with the sarcasm, our boy.

[thatsamilkshake]

"On us?" she felt the need to point out, since they were, you know. Outside. Without umbrellas.

[bitchprince]

"Well, thank you. I hadn't noticed that." ...Arthur, be nice.

[thatsamilkshake]

"You don't have to get cranky with me." Even if his cranky sarcasm couldn't hold a candle to Katchoo's, in Francine's admittedly biased opinion. "I was just trying to..." Cheer him up, but Francine could imagine the reaction that would get. Also, to be honest, to distract herself from the fact that she wasn't craving graduation at all.

She didn't really have an ending for that, so she went, a bit floppily, with, "Never mind."

[bitchprince]

Arthur made a non-committal noise, setting his jaw. "Classes soon, I'd imagine," he said, scrambling for something remotely approaching polite conersation.

[thatsamilkshake]

"Tomorrow," she said, a little unsettled still, and a little grateful for that. "All of mine are on Tuesday." All two of them, yes.

[bitchprince]

"Back to the usual schedule," he agreed. "I hope the trip wasn't too much of a distraction."

[thatsamilkshake]

"From Five Thousand Ways Your Life Is Like Some Mythical Character's and Wow, Girls Drive You Nuts, Am I Right?" Francine shook her head. "I think I'll catch up."

Which is to say that for the first time in a long time, she kind of wished time spent away from Fandom could have been longer.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin might have been trying to hide behind luggage when it came to Francine. He was definitely doing it in regards to Katchoo.

He liked his manly bits. He didn't want them ripped off!

[thatsamilkshake]

Oh Merlin. Francine would never let Katchoo rip off your manly bits. Francine liked them too!

...Um. From a distance. In fond memory.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Very fond memory?

Merlin waved slightly before hiding behind his duffel again. Like the powerful wizard he was.

Who saw his ex and her girlfriend in flagrante delecto.

[thatsamilkshake]

Very fond memory.

Unlike, you know, yesterday morning.

Don't look him in the eye don't look him in the eye don't look him in the ey---- AAUGH! EYE CONTACT!

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Don't look down, don't look down.

OH GOD ALL HE COULD SEE WHAT KATCHOO'S HEAD.

[thatsamilkshake]

That might actually indicate minor recovery or successful repression, if it was only Katchoo's head his memory was concerned with.

Don't cringe don't cringe don't cringe don't... do that Venus on the half-shell pose OH FRANCINE.