[ Merlin's nodding is a slow, subtle thing, because he's nervous, too. But he also can't help but look at Justine during the moments when she's happy — reading, or the one time she'd come back to their room and gushed to him about the castle library, or when he'd gifted her a little wooden trinket of a bookmark — and think that there's always been someone worth knowing, in there. It's just that it's buried under— other things. Fear, maybe. Like how some of Merlin's own softness is occasionally buried by duty or reactive anger. ] Yeah. Yeah, I think we could make something out of this.
[ Justine doesn't flinch away from his fingers resting on hers, and Merlin feels relief wash over him. The remaining irritation from earlier seems swept away in it.
So he's a bit alarmed at that request, at first. The initial expression on his face is naked betrayal, but then his eyebrows go up as he realizes— ] Why, what— oh, right, sure. I'll just, uh— [ He takes a step back, fingers still lingering on Justine's, before he laughs ah shakes his head and finally takes his hand away. ]
It really is too hot out here, so I hope you're telling the truth. [ There's mischief in his face now, as he waits for the door to be shut so he can be let in. ]
comin back again
[ Justine doesn't flinch away from his fingers resting on hers, and Merlin feels relief wash over him. The remaining irritation from earlier seems swept away in it.
So he's a bit alarmed at that request, at first. The initial expression on his face is naked betrayal, but then his eyebrows go up as he realizes— ] Why, what— oh, right, sure. I'll just, uh— [ He takes a step back, fingers still lingering on Justine's, before he laughs ah shakes his head and finally takes his hand away. ]
It really is too hot out here, so I hope you're telling the truth. [ There's mischief in his face now, as he waits for the door to be shut so he can be let in. ]