youjustgot | IC Inbox

[The thing about traditions is that they have to start. There has to be a first time, and a second time, and so on and so forth, before it really becomes a tradition. Of course, if you miss the first go-round, it always seems like your first time— so Merlin doesn't have the background to expect that, a year after the first time she'd done so, that Maya would choose to turn back into a demon.

So he might be expecting a completely different monster to knock on his door when Maya returns, though the knock is just as playful as ever. A rap-tap-tap-tap, and Maya calls—]

Merrrrlin~ You're not asleep already, are you?

[If there's one habit Merlin can never break, it's his need to be a giant nerd. The room Maya has so gracefully given him has quickly turned into a cozy little copy of his study back home. Books piled here and there, literal strings of talismans decorate the top of his walls almost as if they were magical Christmas decorations. Some are even slapped on his bed posts, even though he knows deep in his heart they're completely powerless.

And Merlin, of course, spends his nights hunched over at his desk, scribbling away notes by candlelight. Whatever he's working on now is immediately halted as he slams the book shut and turns his attention towards the door that's now rap-tapping at him.]

Sleep is for the weeeeaaaak~

[His voice mimics her own tone. Even while he's nerding out, no one ever say Merlin doesn't play.]

[Ah, then it must be fine to slide his door right open! Which Maya does, bright grin on her face— one that doesn't fade even as she marvels at all his decorations. It's charming, haha, because charms, get it— anyway, it's really endearing when someone has a style like this, and on top of that it isn't a mess. Merlin's got just as colorful a personality as the people back home Maya'd met.]

Wow, you've really made yourself at home, huh?

[Wings fluttering behind her in a strange stretch, Maya tiptoes in Merlin's way, as if her new form isn't something to be surprised by. Her hands are full, strings of pearls looped over her wrist, small skeins of dyed and natural flosses in between her fingers.]

It looks so magical in here!

[Merlin can't help but preen to himself when Maya immediately compliments his silly room. Even with the lack of actual magic, he can't help but swell with pride that he can somehow still make it look magical. Sitting up straighter in his chair, giving himself a little happy wiggle, he finally swivels towards her so she isn't just talking to his back.]

Yes, well, I do pride myself in—

[DEMON?! THAT'S A DEMON!! IN HIS ROOM!! Well, if there's one way to realize your protection charms don't work, this would certainly be it. Merlin leans away from Maya so hard that he goes tumbling backwards in his chair. The startled nymph can only then scramble up against the nearest bookcase before he points at her with a shaky finger.]

Dear lord, what's happened to you?!

[Maya stares after him with wide eyes, both startled and... kind of impressed.]

Wow. I guess I didn't realize you were a climbing vine...

[Oh, right, he asked a question! Maya walks around in the tiniest, silliest circle to show off her hair and wings, then strikes a pose that... really doesn't look like much, considering her hands are still full. She's somehow still holding on to all that string with her first two fingers making peace signs—oh, right, it's a lot easier to hold on to things without webbed hands.]

I'm a different monster this month! I did it last year, too. Surprise!

You did this?

[Merlin eyes her suspiciously from the safety of his bookcase, back still pressed against it like he wants to fold up and become one of the books on there. At the very least, he has no doubt this is Maya and not some horrible demonic doppelganger.]

...on purpose?

[Oh, that's not quite the reaction she was expecting. On purpose??

Her wings are the only thing to really emote, her eyes still wide with surprise; the weird cartoony bat wings behind her spread wide but droop low at the same time.]

...Yeah? It's fun.

Nanami does it all the time. Switching monsters, I mean.

[Ah, yes, Nanami. He still doesn't really understand why they do that either, but at least their transformations seemed innocent and fun. There's a difference between a happy horse person and a DEMON.

The drooping wings do little to convince him this is as fun as she seems to think it is, but he at least doesn't feel his heart's trying to beat its way out of his chest anymore. He huffs, trying to put his thoughts together in a way that won't come out as offensive.

He fails.]

But why willingly make yourself a demon of all things?! I...I need a minute...

[Excuse him while he starts to pick up his chair.]

[Ah, and there it is, the thing that makes her brows match the droop of her wings. Eyes low and unamused, Maya puffs out her cheeks in a pout.]

Because it's fun,

[She asserts, again, as though he didn't hear her the first time.]

I mean, look at me! I'm super cute and I can fly. Usually.

[Actually, she doesn't feel nearly as strong as before this time... but it's just the first day!]

[Hmph. He glances up at her after heaving up his chair, equally unamused. Without a word, he turns back to his desk, picking out another one of his notebooks. This one, however, is all about Ryslig's different monsters, and he's quick to shift through the pages before finally getting to all his notes about demons.

Silently, he slides his finger down the pages, only to stop and finally say some actual words.]

"Ryslig's demons are just as capable of being as wicked as any other demon. More than any other monster, they're susceptible to forgoing their human nature and acting out their darkest desires."

[Closing the book loud enough that it gives a nice SNAP, he looks back up at her disapprovingly.]

I'm sure that sounds like fun and games to you, but it sounds like an absolute nightmare for me.

[She already liked to push his buttons as a mermaid, he can only IMAGINE what a DEMON Maya would want to do to him. Sure, okay, he's met some nice demons on the network, but he doesn't live with them!!]

[Maya's wings snap further downward, pointing to the floor, in time with that book's snap.]

You're such a fuddy-duddy,

[She grumbles, her pout still just as puffy, though she's lowered her face almost as if in— shame? No, she looks too irritated for it to be that, but still...

Tail whipping like a cat's, Maya's wings flutter up once again as if to stress her point when she asserts;]

I'm not wicked! I just want everybody to have fun!

And that's not any different than before!

Oh I am not!

[Merlin punctuates by slapping his notes back onto his desk.]

I just don't want YOUR fun to come at MY expense! Which, let's face it, will probably be far more tempting with a tempting demon psyche!!

[If Merlin had a tail, it'd probably be whipping just as much. Alas, he is a flower.]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable worry to have, and I'm tired of having my feelings get brushed aside for being "no fun." I'll have you know I am very fun. The most fun, in fact! OOHHH all the fun I used to have!!

[But Maya just pouts even harder, her face lowering more, her eyes raising— the puppiest-eyed she can manage, given the nature of her eyes and all. Clutching her materials to her chest, she whines—]

You— should really stop judging other monsters based on narrow-minded cultural assumptions!

You don't even know why I came to see you yet.

[....Stupid demon puppy eyes. Merlin sighs aggressively, knowing damn well that she's right. It's not like he hasn't judged people aggressively before and got into a bunch of trouble over it. He puffs out his own cheeks as he rolls his eyes, the only way he'll concede that she's right.

He has a bad habit and he knows it.]

I assumed it was to show off your new form?

No... Well, okay, maybe a little.

[But she sees how well that's gone!]

But thats assumptions for you!

I need your help. I've only got two hands, after all.

[and she wiggles the materials and pearls in those hands to demonstrate.]

I thought I could count on you to keep a secret.

You want me to keep a secret...for you?

[That is...certainly a lot of trust.

And kind of feels a little weird.

Seeing as all he does is keep secrets from her.]

I mean...I suppose I could, but I don't understand why you didn't ask Hanna first...?

[Don't they know each other better?]

I can't surprise Hanna if I tell him the secret.

Did you know? I met Hanna and Adrian both a year ago, when I first turned into a demon!

[her wings perk up, flappin a little, but ineffectively so. She seems cheery again already, clearly pleased with what she's recounting. She has lost so many friends in being here... And Hanna and Adrian cant replace the empty rooms in her heart left by people like Sonia and Makoto, but they can certainly redecorate.]

I made a contract with Adrian back then, so, it's time to renew! And this time I've got something to mark the occasion!

[she grins, wiggling her materials again—]

Or I will... If I have someone to hold the strings for meeee~

Ah, I see, is that who I am? The designated string holder?

[Still, he can't deny that this is obviously very important to her, even though his spine trembles at the idea that people have been stuck here for over a year. A part of him worries that Nanami's "where do you see yourself in five years?" thing might actually become true...

So fine, no more jokes. Merlin takes a seat in his now corrected chair and sighs as he holds out his hands.]

Very well.

[practically bouncing on tiptoe, Maya finally moves from the place she was rooted to before and kneels on the floor in front of Merlin.

She immediately takes the string of tiny oblong pearls off her wrist and leans up to hang them over Merlin's shoulder with a 'hold this', before she starts to measure one of the lengths of twine around his wrist.

She holds it sort of... Nowhere near the size of his wrist the first time, estimating the size of Adrian's big ol honkin' paws, before measuring eight more loops of it, snapping the end with her teeth.]

You know, you don't have to be like Giorno about all this.

If you still don't like me, you can say so. I'm all grown up now after all.

[she says it like she's joking, but meets his eyes with a curious look before she says—]

I can take it.

Wha—?! S-stop that!

[He can't believe she's saying that, even after their friendship handshake! He puffs out his cheeks again, letting her put her pearls or whatever all over him as he tries his best to do whatever it is she needs.]

I just don't like demons. [WHICH DOESN'T REALLY SOUND MUCH BETTER.] ...whiiiich I realize is a me problem and not a you problem. I'm trying, alright? I'm...actually quite proud of myself for not attacking you on sight.

Yeah, you know? Me too. That probably wouldn't have gone well for either of usm

[Demon powerless or not, she has that minotaur strength still, and it probably sucks to get whacked with a scared minotaur arm.]

I know... We don't know a lot about each other yet. But I've been a spiritualist for years! I can handle whatever demon has to throw at me, emotions-wise.

[she sets aside the string again, measuring another length much closer to Merlin's wrist, and then preparing a third right around it—]

...and I would never, ever use it to hurt my friends.

[She clasps her hands around his wrist and that length of twine, making sure he's looking at her when she urges—]

I promise.

I'd even make a contract over it!

Oh, yes, a demon contract, because those always go over so well!

[And then Merlin is hit immediately by regret and hurries with the backpedaling.]

You see?! It's like a reflex!! I don't mean to, it just...comes out!

[it... Probably isn't helpful that this time, Maya snorts, trying to hold back a laugh.

But when Merlin insists—see?!— she can't stop herself. She has to let go of Merlin's hand to cover her mouth, wings aflutter as she giggles.]

That's— crazy! You did the same thing as me!

IC Inbox

July 2-3 cos it's night

omg it's night

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

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~