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[youjustgot]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, MERLIN. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 135.18.129.14 *** Merlin has joined 135.18.129.14 <merlinofcourse> ⌁˚⊹ You have reached Prince Merlin ⊹˚⌁ <merlinofcourse> I know how to use computers now~

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< luvrboy > Evening of September 14 | MerHanna AU

[sharpiewielder]

[08:12:04] < luvrboi >: honey bunny?
[08:12:45] < luvrboi >: sugar plum?
[08:13:23] < luvrboi >: theres only so many ice cream flavors :p
[08:13:55] < luvrboi >: just pick one and come hoooome <3

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

Um, strawberry?

[If it wasn't for all the weird shit going on, Merlin miiiiight be confused. I mean, don't get him wrong, he IS, but at least he's prepared to be confused.]

Did you mean to send this to Maya?

[sharpiewielder]

nnnooo? she's already here lol we're waiting on you, silly sleeves :P did you already forget what you went to the store for?

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

There is nothing silly about my sleeves, thank you very much.

What are you even talking about? Does she KNOW you're...doing...whatever this is?

< luvrboy >

[sharpiewielder]

why is everybody acting SO WEIRD TODAY
first maya and now you??
like you both forgot our date :C

but no she's right here, she waiting with me! on you!
you said last night you were gonna get ice cream and snacks on your way home from work???? you really dont remember? :/

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

....I agreed to a three person date?

[Or at least, some other version of he did. My, this other Merlin is certainly...daring. And single, by the sound of things.]

Well, Hanna, there's just a few problems with all of this. One, I can't drive, so you or Maya...or both of you...will have to pick me up. Two, I'm married. Iiiiii don't date anymore.



...Do you really remember us dating?

< luvrboy > text for merlin | action for maya

[sharpiewielder]

..........
............
............

you're what

[Back at home, Hanna straightens up suddenly at the table, golden eyes wide and round as he leeeeans back from the laptop.

Did he read that right?]

...nofuckinway...

>to action

[missleadingquestions]

[Maya looks up from the pint of ice cream she's already started digging in to. It isn't strawberry, at least—]

What's up?

[sharpiewielder]

[takka takka taptap tak]

He's said he's married.

[Hanna frowns, hastily tying his glimmering mer-curls back into a messy bun.]

He's fucking with me. He's gotta be fucking with me.

[He laughs, but considering how screwed everything has been today, he's also terribly distraught by the idea that this could actually be true?? Come on, Foggy Baby don't take this from him!!]

[missleadingquestions]

Oh, really?

[Maya pops her spoon out of her mouth, setting the ice cream aside so she can grasp Hanna's wrist and take his hair tie from him, intending to finish the bun herself.]

I guess that makes sense.

I never got his whole story when I met him.

He didn't wanna tell me anything.

[Which is why it's so weird that he's so friendly now—]

[sharpiewielder]

[She can probably read the messages from over his shoulder, and he doesn't seem to care. He lets her take the hair tie and go at it, too wrapped up in replying to thank her properly at the moment. Sorry boo--]

No-- no, no, nonono, come oooon-- [He whines, typing back as fast as his delicate little fish fingers will let him.]

If this is a joke, it's the worst one ever!! This isn't! Funny!!

[missleadingquestions]

[Once that bun is fixed, Maya leans over Hanna's shoulders, draping herself over him. It's easy enough to fall into, and she knows it'll calm him down at least a little. It always worked on Dandy, after all.]

You're gonna get all worked up over nothing, you know. Things go weird every month!

[sharpiewielder]

[He reaches up for her arms almost instantly, leaning back into her and squeezing his eyes closed with another pitiful whine.]

I know they do! But did She have to go and make it personal this time?

[At least she's willing to entertain his melodrama and know that he's still mostly okay. It would be the full Shut Down that she'd really need to worry about. But instead he's just trying to turn more in his seat so he can properly snuggle into her.]

Can't we have like one chill month? Please?

[missleadingquestions]

[Oh! Okay! She's fine with this. She shifts too, so that her tail hangs off the couch and so that her legs are kind of around Hanna, almost like he's sitting in her lap.]

It could always be worse?

[She offers, for little comfort. From absolutely no experience definitely totally;]

The three of us could have all been split up, you know.

[sharpiewielder]

[ 08:20:43 ] < merlinofcourse >:If you truly are with some version of me, then you should know I would NEVER play when it comes to romance.

[Hanna reads the message once. Twice. Three times before it becomes a blur.

"It could have always been worse."

Maya's words echo alongside Merlin's voice in his head. They could have all been split up, that's true. At least he still has Maya. But he doesn't want to say that, like it's some sort of consolation prize. She's more than that, and he knows she knows that, but this whole idea is still just... too much. He can't even figure out how to put it into words.

Instead he just snuggles up to Maya and squeezes her tight, ignoring the awful tension threatening to squeeze his throat shut. It's fine. They'll... get through this. And everything will go back to normal! It always does.

...usually.

Eventually he'll message him back but. He. Just. Needs a moment. Sorry Maya.]

[missleadingquestions]

[Ah... There's his answer. So, the three of them really are all from different timelines.

Well, so far, this has been a pretty good position for her to wake up in. It's been awfully lonely with no one else in this manor for well over a year now. This Hanna and this Merlin, they're both really nice to have around. Her heart aches for this Hanna, alone in this world like this.

So she doesn't mind letting him hold her tight, or linking her fingers around his middle.]

Hey... it'll be okay.

[Her voice is soft and gentle, almost a whisper, as she tries to comfort this sweet and pretty fish boy in her arms.]

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

Married? I'm married. At least, back home I am. And despite everything, I still like to honour that.



Please don't tell me you don't remember that. Oh lord, OF COURSE you wouldn't!! Out of all the things to change about me!!

< luvrboy >

[sharpiewielder]

since when?!?! to who!?
no i dont remember that because it wasnt true LITERALLY THIS MORNING

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

Princess Snow White, actually, but!! um, probably not what you want to hear.

Hanna, I've been trying not to make a big fuss about it since you've been so...happy, but um......I remember YOU as a...kelpie. Ha, crazy, right? I...thiiiiink something might've. Happened. Like, Ryslig-happened.

< luvrboy >

[sharpiewielder]

[On his side of the computer, he's practically wilting, wailing internally. Absolutely wounded.

And now for more reasons than just In Another World My Boyfriend Is Married. HE WAS A HORSE??!!?!]

this is the worst prank you've ever pulled on me
are you still mad about the shorts???? is that what this is about???
you know it doesnt mean "like milk"!

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

See, now I'm positive something happened, because I have NO idea what "the shorts" is referring to.

...Aaaaand I really don't want to, if they make ANY version of me think of milk.

I apologize, Hanna, but I don't believe I'm the Merlin you're so...enamored with??? Not that I can blame your excellent taste, I'm actually a little tickled that even in alternate timelines, people can still get Merlin'd. ;)

< luvrboy >

[sharpiewielder]

:C

you sure? like for real?

like hahahaha its such a good joke merlin, i laughed i promise! you got meeee ahahhaah

[Sure, it probably is some weird Ryslig Happening, like there has been biweekly for the last fog-knows-how-long, but this one SUCKS. But...it's just as likely that it's not a Happening and Merlin is just putting his whole florussy into gaslighting him over those silly shorts.

Hanna wouldn't put that beyond him in any universe.]

you can stop playing now! you got me SO good!

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

[Hm, just how close was Hanna with this other version of him? He's acting like he's almost in...denial? Merlin can feel his face heat up, the more he thinks about it, the more he has to realize that this version of Hanna is actually...smitten with him. So much so that it doesn't look like he wants to lose him.

He'll just have to try and ignore the fluttering in his chest, he's just...flattered...is all. It's cute! It's not like he isn't used to people crushing on him back home, and it isn't like HIS version of Hanna feels this way.

...Right?

Still, he can't give him the wrong idea. If this nonsense is to last the month, he'd rather set his boundaries now before someone's heart gets broken.]

If you truly are with some version of me, then you should know I would NEVER play when it comes to romance.

< luvrboy >

[sharpiewielder]

[Unfortunately it's too late for that. Of course, it isn't Merlin's fault... Just Ryslig deciding to play some dirty jokes on Hanna this time around. That's all!

It does mean that it takes forever for him to respond again though, needing a little while to get his head back on straight and figure out the best way to navigate out of this awkward situation...]

yeah no yeah, you're right. merlin would never play about matters of the heart. 8']

okay well LOL ignore that whole thing then! hope i didnt make things too weird for you haha

[It's soooo much easier to play it casual over text than it is in person. At least this Merlin won't have to feel bad. That's the last thing any version of Hanna would want.]

<merlinofcourse>

[youjustgot]

[Ah, he was wondering if he'd ever get a message back. Merlin didn't think he was THAT scathing, but the silence let him stew in his thoughts for awhile. It really must be hell to be in love with someone, only to have them not remember any of it at all. What if Snow ever showed up and didn't remember him as her husband? He'd be absolutely crushed... Fish Hanna must truly be suffering...

Then again, a Merlin who hasn't been married must've arrived beforehand, which would mean he was still cursed... A cursed Merlin to arrive in Ryslig completely cured without learning a single thing would be absolutely unbearable to be around, and now he worries about fish Hanna's taste in men...]

Well that is all very well and good, but I am STILL stranded in Bavan until either one of you picks me up!!