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[foundfate]

["I want to be free of the ghosts to see. That is my wish: to not be burdened by them anymore."

"Unfortunately, I cannot grant that wish. But I can send you to someone who can grant it."

That answer gave Watanuki jack-all to go off of, though, and he was left standing in a field of pink flowers looking absolutely befuddled. How had he gotten there? Where was he in the first place? The flowers seemed to go on forever, and all that was around besides them was a floating tower in the sky.

Well, that seemed like Watanuki's best chance at getting an answer, so he tried to step in that direction, but found that his legs were tangled up in the flowers. He fount this out by tripping, somehow, and ending up face-first in the flowers with a yelp.]

What- why are they-

[Oh, to be tangled up in the Garden of Avalon. His sins weighed him down, and he didn't even know it.]

Comments

[myrdd]

[There we go! Back to cooing at the bird. Here, have more petal-seeds.]

I'm sure you will.

The tower will be safe. [It'll be easy to seal off a few meandering passages for a small newborn bird.] The garden has no predators, either. The only risk to this one going down there is if its wings aren't strong enough.

[That's a long flight from the ground to the Tower's lowest window!]

Not that it'll be an issue if you accompany this one for a bit of a walk. I can bring you back here once you're done.

[The scenery might not change, but it's still quite beautiful. Plus, the little one may as well start acclimating itself and absorb more ambient mana. It'll need all the energy it can get should it be loaned to Chaldea.]

[foundfate]

You know, I don't think I've gone down there since I arrived. Maybe it would be good to walk down there for a bit.

[He could see if the flowers will grab at him again, at least. And there's the added mana benefit, though Watanuki isn't thinking about that specifically.]

Alright, I'll try it. Maybe the name will come to me then too.

[myrdd]

Very well. Gardens are good for thinking.

Time to wake up~!

[He extends his hand. If Watanuki takes it, he and the bird will find themselves on the ground, exactly below the Tower's spiral base.

What Merlin does take for granted is that they're in his student's dream space, not his own. He fully intended for Watanuki to have that walk on his own, but will Merlin's consciousness somehow be brought along for the ride?]

[foundfate]

[Of course he's taking that hand. And poof! He's off to the garden.

Dream shenanigans definitely mean Merlin can come along as well, as they explode into the flower bed with a flurry of cherry blossom petals.]

...eh? You wanted to come too?

[He's assuming Merlin came on purpose.]

[myrdd]

[Well. He hasn't been down here in a very long while, even if it's within the gate's confines.

Merlin looks quite flummoxed until he hears Watanuki's expression, to which he responds with a reflexive smile.]

Ah, I had no specific intention in mind. This is all you.

[There's an odd twist somewhere in his chest and tingling on his skin. Ohhh, this sensation of surreality. Marvelling at Watanuki's progress will catch up to him later once he's wrapped his mind around being down here in some capacity.]

[foundfate]

[See, Watanuki doesn't consider this quite as much of a marvel as Merlin does. Rather, he sees it as a sign of his lack of control. He should have been able to magic his way down to the garden without dragging along extra people, but he's still not quite there yet it seems.

Watanuki is sheepishly apologetic about it at least, and Merlin will get a mumbled apology.]

Sorry, I still keep doing that don't I?

[It's almost like a kid holding onto a security blanket, in a way. Watanuki still hasn't learned to let go and stand on his own.]

[myrdd]

[Oh, none of that.

Merlin ruffles Watanuki's hair. Far easier to focus on compared to the sensation of being out and about in Avalon.]

Chin up. You're making yourself look shorter than you actually are.

[In Merlin's eyes, his student's increasing confidence does, actually, make it apparent they're the same height. In some instances, Watanuki even seems taller than him. Must be all that sincerity acting as a growth booster.]

I don't mind if that's what you're worried about. Rather, finding myself outside the Tower like this is unexpected.

[foundfate]

[It must be in how he carries himself, because he hasn't grown that much taller in the last couple years. He's filled out though, and his teenager look is definitely losing its roundness and becoming something more like what you would see in a young man. He might even be handsome, when he outgrows his awkward teenage years. Only time will tell.

He goes with the change of topic though, relieved to step away from talk about his lack of control with his magic. He's trying, but it's still hard to control.]

How long has it been since you last walked in the garden? I don't think I've seen you down here once since I arrived.

[myrdd]

[In some matters, there's no need for Clairvoyance. Merlin knows the makings of a beautiful man, although he can't put a finger on when he first start noticing that potential. Maybe it was over dinner, or the times spent at the observation deck. Or, perhaps, all those moments when Watanuki began to marvel at the results of his own magecraft.

The moment of discovery is a wonderful thing.]

Haven't tried walking down here since I put up the tower. [He casts his gaze upward, clasping his chin. Here, the open sky doesn't change much.] Around fifteen hundred years, give or take.

[Said matter-of-fact.]

[foundfate]

[There is. A long pause there. And then:]

You look pretty good for fifteen hundred years old.

[He's not flirting, but it is partially a compliment and partially surprise. While he does know that Merlin isn't fully human and likely has a long life because of that, he didn't expect it to be THAT long. And it's a bit surprising.

It also brings other questions to mind, though he needs to think of a proper way to ask them.]

have more signs of wata's crush on gil surfaced between then and now?

[myrdd]

[What's with the pause? Watanuki can't have forgotten that the European middle ages happened at least a thousand years ago! Although he can be forgiven for not knowing that Arturia's reign specifically occurred at the beginning of the supposed "Dark Ages," named as such by a few unimaginative scholars who thought civilization, human life and what-have-you ground to a complete halt when the Roman Empire collapsed. Rude. The scholars, not Watanuki. Moreover, if there's someone to be blamed for the link between King Arthur and the High Middle Ages, that would be Malory and his ilk.]

Oho. Yes, that's what I like to hear.

[This, in comparison, is a milder, more amusing topic. A prelude to something potentially heavier, perhaps, but compliments are still welcome.]

Tell me more. Feel free to go into detail and skip the empty flattery.