âȘââ« AN EXHAUSTED SIGH escapes the Magus of Flowers as he settles into a cafe. Cappuccino in hand. Hopefully, the caffeine would help wake him up - it felt like ages since he felt fully rested.
   Being at partial strength, Merlin didnât have all of his powers yet. It meant he had a hard time âFEEDINGâ properly as well... It was beginning to wear down the GRAND CASTER, a little at a time. âI need a nap.â Merlin whimpers, his eyes half-closed. Would he even be awake long enough to finish his drink? Perhaps some company could help...
WARM AND FUZZY MEME!
SEND AN EMOTICON FOR MY MUSEâS REACTION TO:
đš YOUR MUSE SHARING A DESSERT WITH MINE
đ YOUR MUSE CELEBRATING MINEâS BIRTHDAY WITH MINE
â YOUR MUSE BRINGING MINE A WARM DRINK
đŽ YOUR MUSE MAKING DINNER FOR MINE
đ» YOUR MUSE TELLING MINE A SPOOKY STORY BY TORCHLIGHT
đ YOUR MUSE COMFORTING MY MUSE DURING A SCARY MOVIE
đ YOUR MUSE PROPOSING TO MINE
đ¶ YOUR MUSE REVEALING THAT THEY ARE PREGNANT WITH MY MUSEâS BABY
đ YOUR MUSE GIVING MINE A KISS (SPECIFY WHERE)
đ YOUR MUSE GIVING MINE A HUG
đ YOUR MUSE TAKING MINE TO THE AQUARIUM FOR THE DAY
đ YOUR MUSE âSAVINGâ MY MUSE FROM AN âENORMOUSâ BUG
đ YOUR MUSE BRINGING MY MUSE FLOWERS
đ± YOUR MUSE AND MY MUSE PLANTING A GARDEN TOGETHER
đ YOUR MUSE CUDDLING MINE AS THEY SETTLE DOWN TO SLEEP
đ YOUR MUSE TAKING MINE STARGAZING
â YOUR MUSE COMFORTING MINE DURING A THUNDERSTORM
â YOUR MUSE SLATHERING MY MUSE IN SUNBLOCK
â YOUR MUSE SHIELDING MY MUSE FROM RAIN
â YOUR MUSE THROWING A SNOWBALL AT MY MUSE
đ§ YOUR MUSE CLIMBING INTO THE SHOWER WITH MINE
đ YOUR MUSE âSAVINGâ MY MUSE FROM AN âENORMOUSâ MOUSE
đ YOUR MUSE RUNNING A BUBBLE BATH FOR MINE
đš YOUR MUSE DRAWING/PAINTING A PORTRAIT OF MY MUSE
✠YOUR MUSE CHALLENGING MY MUSE TO A GAME
đž YOUR MUSE PLAYING MUSIC/SINGING FOR MY MUSE
đ YOUR MUSE SENDING MINE A LOVE LETTER
đ YOUR MUSE GIVING MINE A GIFT
đ YOUR MUSE COMFORTING MINE AFTER THEIR HEART IS BROKEN
†YOUR MUSE DECLARING LOVE FOR MINE
đ YOUR MUSE TELLING MY MUSE THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS BE FRIENDS
  âȘââ« AS SOMEONE WHO devoured the emotions who were around them as his general sustenance, he couldnât help but notice the stranger. Oh dear. What⊠an odd boy.
    Though he knew plenty of people who had a good front for when they interacted with others, it was rare to feel such a deep and developed mental barrier. Even from SERVANTâs, such a thing was rare. âYouâre a bit of an oddball, arenât you?â Merlin chuckles out the words, somewhat curiously.
    He was well aware that the other was on HIGH ALERT, likely a new arrival still. Somehow, he suspected that even though heâd murmured those words from his position laying on a bench â sunbathing a bit like a cat (CAT NAPPING?), as the other had been passing the COTES WARDâs Eternal Cherry Blossoms.
  Instinct never once failed her - intuition proved to be once more correct about his own nature. A death god to the uncommon, the origin of nothingness. Still, despite ( him probably ) knowing her offensive move, Shiki had to admit she was caught off guard that he didnât dodge. Why? Why would he go that far for the sake of showing a glimpse of genuineness she never expected from anyone? Probably she looked like a brat whoâs throwing a tantrum right now but the fact someone has been following her is truly âŠ
  â why didnât you avoid that? if you are a magus that should be as easy as breathing. â did she feel slightly bad? no. did she feel guilt? no. and she wonât, sheâs certain that much. Knife is now concealed inside her own obi, arms crossed in dissatisfaction. Truly, she hates dealing with people like this, people who make her doesnât know what to do even though all she needs is to accept. In the end, stubbornness could only give birth to one victor; at it is him.
  â anyway I know youâre not normal, to begin with, but so far only you behave like a decent person despite being a magus. â Decent? No, thatâs not the correct word, in the end Shiki still feel she couldnât deal or like with this kind of people, let alone working together for a long time unless he proves his worth like Touko. Personally, Shiki could tell heâs far more adequate compared to Touko but trust is something he must earn and not granted easily.
  â anyway, go ahead. what do I need to do so you can finish your job as soon as possible, â trying to get rid of him as quick as possible is her main quest - maybe steeping her personal space for a bit should work for the sake of greater good. â maybe we should get to somewhere more secluded, as far as I know, magus hates revealing their stuff in public after all. â and he doesnât look like a type of person who loves to flaunt his ability. in that case, Shiki is being considerate and simply following service operation procedure.
  âȘââ« AT THE VERY least it appeared his attempt hadnât been entirely in vain. Though she looked vexed, she no longer looked like she was going to attempt to storm off on him anymore. Good. He was grateful for the attempt to calm her down now, so? He smiles a little. It was a tired expression, especially with blood oozing out between his fingers â however? It was already slowing.
   Being a âSERVANTâ â well, sorta â had itâs benefits. Even if his parameters were limited at this time, it appeared that she hadnât particularly used any sort of ability or anything to damage him with. He would recover.
   âYou got me. I could have dodged, youâre right. Iâm actually a somewhat famous swordsmanship instructor as well. But⊠I feel like you wouldnât give me the chance to talk then.â Merlin admits. There was no reason to be difficult about this. This was the first chance she was giving him to genuinely speak, so? He wasnât about to waste it with flowery words or playful speech. âI figured⊠I ought to show you how serious I was about this.â He explains, looking somewhat apologetic. She was the one who had cut him, but he looked sorry. The truth was, he didnât like to upset people. Generally being around others helped them calm down, that was one of the things he was good for. So? Having riled her so badly sat poorly with him.
    However, her response made him somewhat gleeful. It was a hard-won battle, but he was grateful that she would at least allow him this much. He smiles, nodding a little then. âThank you. I will do just that, but⊠yes, please. Letâs duck out of the publics eye a little, if you wouldnât mind? I somehow believe I might draw attention otherwise.â He continues, awkwardly laughing. Both because of the magic and the whole, you know, him bleeding thing. âAs soon as weâre in private, it should be a relatively simple matter, Miss. And Iâll have it mended in a jiffy.â He was grateful the damage to her outfit wasnât worse â if this was what sheâd done because heâd upset her doing so little, he was beginning to wonder the danger he have genuinely found himself in.
    Well, it was a little late to worry about such things now. He was simply grateful that he was going to be able to fix the situation heâd somehow caused. âI think I know a fairly decent spot, not too far from here.â He offers, gesturing â a small offer to lead, however, he stops for a moment, frowning. âUnless⊠you have somewhere youâd prefer?â After all, heâd caused the situation. Heâd at least allow her this much control over the situation, especially since heâd harassed her into this much already.
<<NUMBER1FAN>>
ahah, really you donât need to worry about me! iâm fine! that was one time, i swear! but, thank you for the tea recipe⊠that really helped me out!
<<NUMBER1FAN>>
thatâs right! weâre doing quite well at the moment, though⊠i did end up embarrassing her in front of a school mate the other day! >< thatâs what i get for not knocking!! itâs fine, itâs fine. i feel like i took a chunk out of her street cred, though. kids still have street cred, right?
<<NUMBER1FAN>>
ahh but that aside, everythingâs peachy! the clinicâs doing well, but nothing too serious has happened lately. itâs been very peaceful, really.
(i bet something badâs going to happen. itâs always calm before the storm)
   Admit that heâd been careless enough to let himself be pushed back? Admit that he wasnât exactly in the mood to shatter the hearts of those whoâd taken solace in his presence for weeks now? This part-time work was more trouble that it was worth at times.
   It was embarrassing to say the least, but Arjuna could recover. Would recover, rather. Such was expected of him, and at the end of the day this was no more than the same sort of trifling matter heâd had in the past. A soft aroma of violet and petunia and who knows what else wafted from the man in front of him. That unmistakable aura⊠â
   Any Servant would notice it this intoxicatingly close. Magic.
  Arjuna brought a hand to his face, internally battling with whether he should confide or not. But then, after a momentâs pause â âYou have my thanks.â For shooing off the woman pestering him? His groupies were surely around the corner gossiping about such a handsome man taking up his time, but â no matter. â⊠though it was not so much that I wouldnât be able to handle it alone, truly. To which I ask⊠what is your true purpose here? Looking for a certain title? I can assist, of course.â A try at humor.
  âȘââ« âNo thanks necessary. Such formalities are uncomfortable for me anyways â itâs nice to be able to help an ally, however. I havenât seen you sense Chaldea.â
    THE MAGUS HALF-HUMS the words, curious. After all: It was unusual for him to see SERVANTâs taking upon themselves part-time jobs. In fact, it almost reminded him of the SINGULARITY that remained fresh in his memories, where humans and SERVANTS both worked day and night to save humanity. In URUK was the only time he had seen humans and servants living in such close quarters with little distinction between the two. Seeing his fellow servant had taken up a part-time job here on this mysterious island? It wasâŠ
    Charming? It reminded him of his time in the SINGULARITY, and heâd rather enjoyed it there, so⊠âI suppose you can say my purpose here is simply to greet you again.â Merlin replies, laughing softly. âLibraries are actually something of a specialty of mine. Iâve been here several times prior, but I suppose Iâve never seen you on the clock before. I was charmed by the sight, and then I saw you having some trouble. Youâve acquired quite the fanclub, you know. I wouldnât be surprised to find they have a blog about you.â He adds, chuckling a little at the thought â after all? A blog was exactly where heâd had many fans prior.
  Vivaldi had recently tried a sugared coffee drink and having found it enjoyable decided that today while she felt like absolute garbage she needed another one. This new heart of hers was still leaving her tired and anxious and she needed something that tasted good to make her feel better.
  However, she hadnât anticipated being grabbed by someone as she left the shop her drink also taken from her she honestly squeaked in surprise her eyes widening as the man who grabbed her took a snowball to the face.Â
  Oh, he had saved her! That could have been her had he not stepped in. Her newly gained heart racing she took her drink back. It took her a moment but as the snow slid down her face it dawned on her she knew him.
  "Thank you.â She at least wanted to thank him first.
  "You scared us. You could at least give a woman a little warning next time or something!â It was mostly the fear talking at the moment because although she would often yell it was uncommon to hear her cry out in fear.
  âȘââ« ANY OTHER TIME and Merlin likely would have teased the other happily about her little âsqueakâ â after all, Merlin at his base was a bit of a tease and a flirt. But being the ball of anxiety he was, and the fact that heâd still managed to see a vision, one of someone he actually knew no less? Well, heâd had to intervene. And now, he was dripping snow from his face, his heart was racing, and he felt bad for making her panic.
   âSorry, sorry. There⊠T-There was really no time to explain, you know?â
    He felt bad. Which was⊠a foreign emotion all of itâs own. It certainly wasnât one he would have ever picked for himself to use, so it wasnât one he was familiar with. Guilt was something he was unaccustomed to, yet since the moment heâd opened that gift⊠âIf I had stopped to try to explain, you would have been hit instead, and probably⊠would have g-gotten that drink all over you.â He explained, hoping she would understand why he had skipped the formalities and simply went to giving her a hand immediately.
    Even if they both looked a little like theyâd had a mini heart-attack over the endeavor. What a pair they were right now.
    â⊠are you okay? I didnât s-scare you too⊠badly did I?â Last he remembered running into Vivaldi, she wasnât the type to startle easily. Unless⊠she too had received an unusual gift? Which, at this moment, he wasnât too sure was impossible. This seemed to be a very unusual ISLAND.
     â ïŽż THE ANCIENT KING HAD FOUND HIMSELF SPENDING MORE TIME with the Magus of Flowers as of late. Despite the otherâs antics posing an annoyance from time to time, he still found the otherâs company agreeable, especially when compared to many of the other residents of this strange city. The two of them had formed⊠something akin to an alliance? Having âsummonedâ Merlin once before, the King of Men occasionally found himself considering the mage a vassal of sorts. Or perhaps even something like an advisorâŠ
    Not that he required the otherâs help, of course. It was likely heâd merely grown accustomed to having Siduri around back in Uruk and Merlin was acting as a reasonable substitute.
    At least, that was the reasoning he provided for himself.
    Though there was a chill in the air, Gilgamesh noted absentmindedly, after having sent the other off to fetch him something to drink. Glancing around the small roomâ( honestly, who designed these bedchambers? They were entirely inadequate! )âserpentine eyes spotted the signature cloak worn by the infamous mage. The colors werenât so much to his tastes, but it would likely prove acceptable for the time being.
    Draping the fabric over his shoulders, the king pulled the hood over his head as to help keep himself warm. As he did, the distinct smell that was undoubtedly Merlin washed over him. Floral, unsurprisingly, and Gilgamesh found himself wondering if this was the scent of Avalonâs unique blooms. Beyond that however, there was a hint of something more exotic and alluringâdue to his half-breed blood, perhaps? Everything about an incubus was meant to entice their prey and lull them into a daze. It made sense that even their scent was another weapon in their arsenal.
    When the Caster in question returned with a bottle of wine, Gilgamesh couldnât help but be inwardly amused at the otherâs expression upon seeing the King of Uruk draped in his cape and hood. The half-breed was quick to recover however, offering an earnest compliment accompanied by an amused spark in his own eyes. The contemplative expression on Merlinâs face had the faux magus wondering if the other was appraising himânot that Gil could fault him for it. He was the epitome of both human and godly beauty, having been designed as such.
    And that brief, almost hungry glint in the otherâs gemlike eyes did not go unnoticed.
    As Merlin hurriedly moved away to pour each of them a glass of wine, the regal man felt his lips twitch in amusement. How long had it been since the other had last âfed?â Or was it this scenario that had the half-breedâs incubus instincts acting up?
    Deciding to grace the mageâs question with an answer, he explained nonchalantly, â Thereâs a chill in the air today. I used your cloak to amend the problem. â Though the cold was likely due to both the time of year and that he hadnât bothered to switch into his modern clothing. Excessive amounts of heat tended to make him drowsy, thus why his usual garments of choice displayed⊠more than he generally allowed most mongrels to see.
    Still, Merlinâs offer to allow him to borrow the mantle took him slightly by surprise. â Is that right? â he inquired with an almost playful lilt in his voice. â Would that bring you some amount of satisfaction, Kingmaker? â he teased. â Seeing this King of Men don your cloak whensoever he visits? â
  âȘââ«Â âIs that so? I guess I hadnât noticedâŠâ
   THE HALF-BREEDS REPLY is half-hearted at best. Truthfully? The chill in the air was the furthest thing from his mind at this particular moment. Though heâd become used to spending these times together, truth be told â since arriving at this MYSTERIOUS ISLAND he could hardly work to gather energy the way he often used to. For the half-incubus this was about as surprising as it was enthralling. His ears were perked now, his lips tilted in a perfect smile, thoughâŠ
    He was ATTEMPTING to pretend that the situation was of no interest to him, but? Given the mysterious glint he was almost certain heâd seen in the NEAR-GODâs own eyes? He wasnât so sure heâd escaped unnoticed.
    ESPECIALLY once the other begins speaking again: Calling out the MAGUS of FLOWERS near immediately, even if he left some of it unsaid, it was clear that the other had noticed his examining gaze⊠âAh, so⊠you caught me than?â He responds a cheerful tone breaking through his attempt to be nonchalant. So his attempt to hide his nature came off to weak, did it? It really had been some time since he had fed, hadnât it? There wasnât a single cell in his body capable of embarrassment, however, so â âYes. It would, actually.â He admits, âYou do look quite tasty draped in milk-white robes. With your physic and confidence, you wear them beautifully. I had originally thought that white might pale your complexion. However? It only brings out your natural tones.â Merlin replies, offering the other a cup finally. âIâd be flattered to have you wear them at your leisure. Itâs, truly, my pleasure.â
   With that, unabashed, the Flower Mage winks â smiling brilliantly at his guest & companion.
   THROUGH, truth be told, he still ached to close the distance a little. Curiosity itching at his fingertips and eating away at his thoughts. He still longed to now what the other would feel like through the robes â whether their simple perfection would hide the others surprisingly pristine physic, or if it would only entice him to continue to explore â however! He needed to keep himself in check. He didnât want to discourage the others visits, and heâd grown used to the others company.
    ( ⊠and though loneliness wasnât something MERLIN often considered, he wondered if driving the other away accidentally would elicit such a natural, negative, feeling. )
  Momo took a moment to look at the man who had kindly offered her food. She didnât recall having seen him anywhere before, he had one of those faces that she definitely would have remembered. Regardless she was still thankful for his kindness.Â
  "If you are sure. Thank you âŠâ It was in this moment that Momo realized neither of them had introduced themselves so she didnât actually have a name to call him by. Not surprising since he had only just approached her with the food after all.
  "Not everyone around here would have that kind of mentality."Â
  She had noticed that compared to her home that most people here did things expecting to be paid back all time time. It wasn'tâ that people werenât like that where she was from. Itâs just that there was quite a bit more doing things just to be kind.
  Momo just hoped she hadnât accidentally insulted him by offering to pay him back. He certainly didnât seem to mind. So, it must not have bothered him too much.Â
  "I pushed myself a little far when practicing today. When I arrived her they imposed a limit on my quirk and I foolishly attempted to push past it. Not only did it not actually work but left me with the symptoms I get when I do overuse it."Â
  This was probably way too much knowledge to be giving a complete stranger, but he didnât seem like a bad person and definitely didnât strike her as someone who was here to hurt her. Also since he probably wasnât from where she came from it was doubtful he even understood what she was saying in the first place. So Momo wouldnât be too surprised if he asked a few questions.
  "I should be fine once I eat and manage to replenish the lipids I used. So no thereâs really no need to worry about me. Itâll just take a little time and some rest.â
   âȘââ« âI am certain.â
   MERLIN INSISTS IMMEDIATELY, he would have no room for disagreement in this situation. He wasnât always a benevolent sort but when he did act out to help someone else, he would hate for them to feel as though they owed him. Merlin absolutely despised formalities and having someone feel as though they were indebted to him sounded more tiresome than it was beneficial. He simply helped of his own free will, and he would insist on that.
   However, as the youth began to explain the situation, the MAGUS could only look more confused. Tilting his head ever-so-slightly to the side as his GEM-like eyes focused on her. He supposed he understood a little: The ISLAND had imposed limits on his own abilities as well, thatâs true⊠though he was curious about some of the terms sheâd used. âWhatâs a⊠quirk?â Merlin knew the âTERMâ well enough â usually it meant something unusual that one did. For Merlin, people might say his quirk was his âFRESH AURAâ that caused others to be around him, and the fact that he had a tendency to flirt with⊠way too many people. But, he somehow figured it couldnât be a personality trait, with how she used it in a sentence. âIâm glad to hear that youâll be alright though. You looked rather exhausted, truth be told.â The Magus continued, nodding a little.
    Though, he stops for a moment â the same realization coming upon him that had come upon her. Oh, yes. Names. Formalities and all that⊠he was poor with.
    âAh! Yes, yes. Iâm Merlin, by the way. What can I call you, Miss?â Ah, silly GRAND CASTER. He knew very well that SERVANTâs rarely gave away their true names, however? That didnât really matter to him. After all, he had only ever been playing the âPARTâ of a SERVANT, choosing to work in service of CHALDEA. So? He didnât often follow the same rules the others did.
     â ïŽżÂ IT WAS RARE FOR THE CASINO OWNER to be called to the floor. He went out of his way to spend time there of course, as he took monitoring his guestsâ experiences quite seriously. However, for a guest to be so dissatisfied that they demanded the right to speak with him? That was almost unheard of.
    Given which of his workers had contacted him, however, Gil had an inkling as to what this was likely aboutâŠ
    As he arrived at the table in question, the blond was about to approach his employee to gain a better understanding of what had transpired when the hysterical woman all but threw herself in his path. Sharp, garnet eyes narrowed dangerously at the mongrelâs actions. Who the hell did she think she was, demanding answers from him?!
    â My workers are all professional, â he spoke, his tone sharp. â I handpick each of them myself after a series of interviews. â And they were grueling interviews at that, bordering on interrogations if he were being honest. It wouldnât do for his employees to crack easily under pressure, given how taxing serving the casinoâs guests could be. Casgil had been impressed with Merlinâs performance and hired him soon after.
    â Merlin is an indispensable member of the casino staffâwhat he is plays no part in that decision. Now then,â he continued, narrowed, serpentine eyes alight with fury, â not only have you effectively wasted my precious time, youâve also dirtied my carpet and left a foul taste in my mouth. You will get out of my casino before I have my security team forcefully escort you out. I havenât yet decided whether or not Iâll charge you with assault for having thrown a drink at one of my employees, but the sooner you remove yourself from my sight, the better it will bode for you. â
    Bypassing the agitated woman, Gil effectively signaled the end of their conversation, instead turning his attention back to its initial target: Merlin. Retrieving the handkerchief from his breast pocket, the blond offered it to the other to help dry his face and bangs. â That filthy cur didnât get ice in your eyes, did she? â he questioned, knowing full-well the woman could, and likely would, overhear the slight. Merlin didnât seem to be too worse for wear, though his prism-colored eyes appeared somewhat red and irritated. From salt, perhaps?
  âȘââ« IT WASNâT SURPRISING for him to see the woman in shock from how Gil decided to speak to her. Most people didnât speak to him directly, and those that did? Rarely spoke to him in such a manner first and foremost. She looked shocked and offended at first, however? The more he spoke, the more something akin to nervousness, maybe even fear crept into her eyes. He couldnât blame her. Gil had a fierce personality which harbored no restraint for those who disrespected him or the kingdom heâd built for himself. Likely, with how sheâd just spoken to him? She would never be allowed on the premises againâŠ
    This was both a relief to the BARTENDER and a frustration, however. As it meant heâd just helped cause the loss of a frequent customer.
    But, he would be lying if he didnât say he was flattered by the casino owners words. Rarely did he get to hear him speak so bluntly on the matter â but it was good to hear his compliments all the same. And to have the other bypass the woman who had treated him like such dirt was almost gratifying. She looked entirely flabbergasted and irritated beyond belief. However, as Gil approached him, Merlinâs gaze shifted towards him instead. Deciding if the other had dismissed her so completely, she probably wasnât worth his paying attention to any further ether. With that, he takes the offered handkerchief without complaint â a grateful smile playing at his lips. âSalt only, it seems. I forget how much the sours in those can sting, though.â Merlin responds, working to dry his pale hair and remove traces of the salt from his face as well. He didnât want to get anymore of it into his hair. âThough this uniform is destroyed, Iâm afraid. After waiting this long without being allowed to try to clean it out with club soda, the stain is quite permanent. Do you think we could call someone over to cover for me, while I change?â Merlin took more pride in his job than to continue to serve others while looking less than one-hundred percent.
    Though, without looking, he could hear the woman storming out now. It appears his managements last insult towards her didnât sit well with her. But? He was still grateful all the same.
    He just wished he hadnât had to trouble the other like this. He would have continued to handle the situation on his own if he could have â it wasnât as though he couldnât put up with a little verbal abuse from customers. If he couldnât, working at a casino would have been a huge mistake. However? âIâm really sorry about the trouble, Gil. I tried to calm her down on my own, butâŠâ But some people would not be settled, especially with the prejudice against non-humans running wild for as long as heâd known. After all, that was something his mother had taught the shut-in about long before heâd decided to embrace the outside world â and certainly long before heâd decided to get a job. âThank you for coming so quickly.â
  âȘââ« FOR A MOMENT it took him a while to figure out what all the fuss was about â why where the humans and non-humans of this Island in such a tizzy at the moment? There seemed to be something in the air, but given that he has less of his own powers than usual, he had a harder time deducing it. Until he started recognizing the signs. Red decorations in shops. Signs in the shape of hearts. Special deals on flowers â bundles and bundles of them.
   âAh~! Valentineâs Day.â Merlin observes, laughing quietly to himself. Humans were so silly. Finding little things like this to celebrate alongside of their loved ones.
   The part he found the silliest though was that he didnât understand why they needed a specific day to do this. Couldnât they just⊠celebrate their love, specially those in a relationship, any day they felt particularly blessed to be with the other? Or did they need reminders to feel special? He couldnât tell, but? He was grinning all the same.
   With that in his mind, he drums up a small text to forward to some of his contacts. Curiosity in his features:
âȘÂ TOÂ âââ ;; ANYONE â«Â
âȘ FROM âââ ;; MERLIN â«
Anyone have plans for Valentineâs Day?
Just curious on how it works around here~
Never been in a modern-ish world for the holiday before.
Care to share?
Pretty sure the last time I enjoyed the holiday...
Chocolate started coming to life in the form of people I knew??
  âȘââ« A TWINKLE OF mischief appears in the GRAND CASTERâs eyes when he sees the other â it appeared he hadnât been noticed yet himself, so? He wouldnât waste this opportunity.
   Careful footsteps put him behind the young Chaldean MASTER, the young hero heâd gotten to know through the SINGULARITY â he made no sounds, and was careful that his footsteps didnât bring him too close too fast. He didnât want the other to sense him because of his AURA, ether. He wanted to surprise the young human.
   So, as he reaches him, MERLINâs reaches his hands to cover the otherâs eyes.
   Itâs a careful gesture, all in all. The GRAND CASTER didnât want to hit the young MASTER with his layers of sleeves or anything like that â it certainly wasnât meant to hurt him, only to surprise him. Merlin, being the half-human, half-incubus, he was? Thrived off-of mischief. So? Once his goal had been accomplished, the MAGUS of FLOWERS leans forward to whisper into the youths ear â âGuess who?â Grinning from ear to ear.
   Now the question was this â Would the young MASTER play along? Or would Ritsuka/GUDAO call him out immediately? Now that he was close enough to touch the other, there was a good chance he would be able to smell the ever-blooming flowers that followed the AVALONIAN BOUND magus. Plus: He remembered hearing that he had a very distinctive voice, so⊠heâd see. Regardless, he was happy to find the other again. It was always good to run into an ally and friend.
    Itâs never really struck her before, that with the way things tend to be, even if demons or half-demons run into each other, become familiar with how their like feel, that the same canât be said for their opposites. After all, thereâs rules against that (usually). Rules that most of the Upstairs isnât keen on bending, much less outright breaking.
     Out of the two of them, she realizes, sheâs the bigger anomaly.Â
     âMost normal folk canât really tell, which Iâd bet is as lucky for you as it is for me, yeah?â Her smile turns wry, eyes looking toward the people surrounding them. âDonât usually do too well with âdifferentâ, these guys, God bless âem.â Not that sheâs been bothered to hide what she is of late, but itâs still not something she outright advertises unless someone needs a talking to. Then again, how longâs it been since she gave one of those? She really canât remember.Â
     Shaking herself from her self-contained reverie, she looks him over, wondering how heâs lived that long but⊠well. Thereâs all sorts around, arenât there?Â
     âNot lookinâ too shabby for a thousand,â she hums, curiosity evident in her expression. âThough Iâm not too sure how often ya run into demons where youâre from, thereâs not many of my sort, far as Iâm aware,â she begins somewhat sheepishly, a hand up from her hip to ruffle through her hair. It drops, and then is shoved forward, an offering and a greeting. âAinât really rude tâ wanna keep yourself informed though, I donât think. Iâm Amrita, anâ Iâm like you, but opposite, more or less. Which is tâ say, my dadâs an angel, instead of a demon. Nice tâ meetâcha mister.â
  âȘââ« AN EXCITED LAUGH escapes his lips at her words â truly? She wasnât wrong. Often times he found himself blessed with the fact that those around him bore limited knowledge on what he was. He felt, somehow, it might upset them to figure out what he was exactly. Especially when he was a creature that fed off the emotions of others, and the emotions he âportrayedâ were fragments and pieces of the emotions heâd been around prior.
   It was a little like figuring out which things were your favorites and putting them on display. It made his emotions âgenuineâ but also not his. He simply claimed them as his own, figured out which emotions heâd enjoyed most, and what sort of person he wanted to be â and bam! Put it on display.
   Most would be uncomfortable to know such a thing. So? She wasnât wrong. âYeah.â He admits, chuckling a little again, as a mischievous grin makes itâs way to his lips. âThose who know are few and far between, luckily. If everyone knew? I somehow doubt they would be overly comfortable.â Merlin continues, smiling at her warmly. Though most of his emotions were âREPLICAâsâ of the emotions heâd devoured prior, there was a genuine warmth in his face when it came to talking about humans. He often considered himself a GUARDIAN and a WATCHER of humanity. It was both is favorite hobby and something heâd come to love after his time with humans, back in the days of the ROUND TABLE. âHumanâs are such charming creatures. But, they can become⊠very confused when faced with things they donât understand. And confused humans tend to get very uncomfortable. Self-defense mechanisms and all that.â He continues, swirling his replacement staff slightly in the air.
   However, her compliment earns her a confident grin from the prism-haired magus.
   âShould I pick up one of those silly shirts? The ones that say âfoxy grandpa?ââ And watch the ENTIRE ROUND TABLE precede to pretend not to know who he was? Because that would be hilarious. âAh! A half-angel! How absolutely charming!â Merlin couldnât be more excited to hear that â in fact, if she took a good look at him, she might even see his pointed ears flick up somewhat in excitement. He had never run into someone like her before, and despite their opposite natures? He somehow felt that they should be alright â after all: They were both half-lings. How often did that happen? With that, he uncovers his own hand from his layers of robes, taking hold of her offered hand. âAmrita, hmm? Itâs a pleasure to meet you! My name is Merlin. My mother was a human woman and my father was an incubus.â
   From the moment he was BORN - no. No, âcreatedâ until now, his entire existence had been that of one who didnât quite belong. He was beginning to understand that now. Being forced to understand that now. It appeared heâd been played. Though heâd lived a life, though he believed heâd created a niche for himself in this mismatched little world⊠it appeared that was all an illusion.
   And that cruelty broke his heart.
   When heâd been faced with the reality of the situation, when he split off from the ORIGIN â his original self â and been forced to accept that the situation was different then heâd expected? Heâd run out of panic. Scared about seeing a dual version of himself. Scared of the impossibility that presented itself to him. Scared about what it might mean about him. About this. About everything.
   BUT MORE SO THAN THAT â his heart ached.
   He wanted to see his friends again. He wanted to find them, wanted to see if they were alright. Was it the same for them? Where they suddenly facing this strange twist of reality?
   What of his boss?
   Gil had been a dear friend of his for some time now. He was a man who was difficult to please, but it truly felt like an accomplishment when you did. Earning his praise, working at his side, had been something of a great accomplishment for the former shut in. Heâd become comfortable with the man⊠theyâd been companions. Coworkers. Friends. He wanted⊠he wanted to see him right now. He wanted to verify what was happening. And he wanted to be sure that he was alright as well.
   What of Gilgamesh? The troublesome but complex customer who was related to his boss?
   Hector? What of his dear friend â what of his job, his animals? Would they really never talk again? Have coffee together again? Was this... the end? Really?
   What of his FANS online? His friendships and companionship theyâd formed? He adored each of them â he tried to get to know them, tried to be a good inspiration and friend to them all. What of his NUMBER1FAN, would he be alright? He always beat himself up too much â held his own standards for himself too high. What would come of this for him? Would he be alright?
   When it came down to it, he couldnât run. Though panic had caused him to flee, he walks instead towards the CASINO which had been a second home to him now. Would it still be there? He actually wasnât so sure it would. Things were⊠complicated right now. His head was buzzing. In his eyes he could feel the beginnings of frustrated tears. He didnât have the REAL Merlinâs abilities. He was neither a spell caster nor anything particularly special. He simply was inhuman. He simply was a living person who had done his best. Played the CARDS heâd bent dealt.
   When he arrived? He went inside and found a familiar computer to access his blog. LOGGING ON to his â or was it the others â blog for the last time he types up a quick message.
I wish I had better things to say at a time like this.
I wish I had something to offer everyone.
I know weâre all confused.
I know things are going to be a little weird.
âŠ
I just want to let you all know that your support has meant the world to me.
I donât know whatâs happening.
I donât know why.
But Iâve loved each of you for your support.
Your friendships.
Your trust.
I wish I could have offered you more in turn right now.
I have little to offer though.
I just have one thing I really want to say to you all now:
I really hope we see each other again.
 I donât know if anyone is going to see this.
I donât know where you all are right now.
But I hope from the very bottom of my heart?
That youâll all be safe.
   From the MOMENT he posts that message on the blog â he leaves the casino and settles onto the steps. Settling outside of the CASINO which, for the first time in his recollection⊠seemed quiet. He would wait. After all, the ORIGIN of HIMSELF would arrive soon enough.
   Somehow he didnât doubt that he would at least see the message posted on the BLOG. Perhaps he would even respond â
   âHow very different we are.â
   When the words are spoken, the âHUMANâ double looks up from his spot. A small, quirk of a smile, playing at his lips than. âDo you truly think so?â
   Even from the distance that separated the two of them, the âhumanâ could feel the difference. He could feel his own anxiety dissipating a little as the other approached â his aura flooding over him, and easing his tension a little. It was⊠an odd sensation. However, it helped ease away the pain heâd been feeling⊠it helped ease away his heartache.
   âWithout a doubt.â The MAGUS of FLOWERS replies, sighing openly with a frown. âFirst off, I had no intentions of setting that blog back up â you havoc wreaker. In my timeline, Iâve already been found out for it. It truly does little good to bring it back up. And yet, here you are.â He exclaims, gesturing towards the settled young man â who couldnât help but laugh at the others discomfort. âDigging up a fossil of a thing, and activity using it. Shame on you! Iâm going to get scolded for this laterâŠâ
   The human smiles. Laughing a little at the others discomfort. Laughing at the SUPERNATURAL magus in front of him. It was⊠ridiculous.
   That even though the other didnât MAKE SENSE, even through the other felt like something that shouldnât exist⊠he was the REAL DEAL. The âHUMANâ Merlin could tell even now. And it was frustrating. Endlessly frustrating.
   âI suppose youâre right. We are differentâŠâ
   âThatâs what I said! You have been running around, playing games ââ
   âI havenât been playing.â
   The REAL Magus frowns a little then. Having been interrupted by the other, he stops. Gem-like eyes locking on the living counterpart. Watching the clone for any sort of continuation before nodding a little. â⊠youâre right. Iâve seen your memories. I know what your existence was like.â The ethereal man starts, exhaustion seeping into his tone as he waves his staff in the air. Perhaps the gesture was meant to be something of a shrug? âYou baffle me. You could have lived alone â you could have watched the world unfold from the safety you were given. Yet you abandoned that gift to make yourself a part of the world you know you didnât fit in. I donât⊠understand you.â
   âI wanted to know the world. I wanted⊠to make friends. I loved my life here. Even with things as stupid as they were⊠I loved this place. From the bottom of my heart.â
   His tears finally spilled from his eyes than.
   â⊠I loved this place. I loved⊠these people. I donât⊠I donât want to lose that.â
   The other was finally silent. Whatever play he was going through, whatever frustrations heâd wanted to vent himself, he stopped. Allowing the other to speak, though he wore an expression that could only be read as blank. Unsure.
   âIf youâve seen my memories, perhaps you know that. But⊠I would give anything for life to just continue as it was.â
   â⊠I canât promise that.â
   â⊠of course you canât.â
   âI have come to offer you all I can. Itâs not much. But⊠itâs the only thing I have to offer you. So that you might still be able to live a happy life.â With that, the white-clad stranger â whose face mirrored his own, stepped forward. Pulling his cellphone out of his robes.
   The âHUMAN CLONEâ frowns a little. Unwilling to remove himself from the steps of the place heâd worked prior. Refusing to leave the spot where heâd first begun working with the public â settling with himself and becoming more confident in who he was. It was a place where heâd learned to not let the world define who he was and what he was worth â perhaps that was why heâd risk the supernatural creatureâs wrath by saying what he would next.
   â⊠do you even know what it is to be happy, Merlin?â
   The otherâs EYES widened sharply then. A look of near-panic running through them as he paused in his steps. His entire body stopping so suddenly, he might even look as through heâd been injured. â⊠I loved this place. I loved this people. If⊠If there is a chance I can see them again? That⊠That I can keep living this life? Then I wonât fight you. I wonât run. You can do what you want. I just⊠it sucks, you know? It sucks to know that I might lose everything. AndâŠâ A bitter laugh escapes his lips than, âitâs worse knowing I might lose it to someone who doesnât know how to appreciate what he has.â
   âŠ
   AFTER THAT POINT there was no more conversation. With the otherâs agreeing to remain still, Merlin made his approach. Using the (APP) as instructed, to send his duplicate to a place that MIGHT offer the other the life heâd worked so hard towards.
   For a moment, however, the MAGUS of FLOWERS stands there just looking at the APP on his phone.
   He knew about the others VIRUS. He knew that the other absolutely wouldnât have survived if he had done nothings â and he knew that to preserve his own life, he would have to send the other away. Self-preservation had won-out, and Merlin had been forced to hunt-down his duplicate. He was grateful the other hadnât fought him, and yetâŠ
   It left a bitter taste on his tongue.
   Though heâd seen the otherâs memories, though he was well aware of what they were, he couldnât feel them the same way as the other did.
   All of his emotions were duplicates themselves. Fragments of the others he chose to surround himself with. Pieces of emotions he just liked, and so⊠handpicked to represent himself. In many ways, right now? He felt like the FAKE.
   . . . he felt like a villain.
    â⊠I pray that whoever set up this application was speaking the truth.â The words were sighed out, exhaustion overtaking his features. An unfamiliar ache of his own filling his chest, as his eyes focused on the machine in his hand... almost longingly. A sensation both foreign and familiar⊠but, for now? His troubles were over. Werenât they?
  âȘââ« AS THEY LINGERED at the cliffside, and the words had fallen from his lips, he then became quiet. Frustration burning away at the inside of his eyes â as they lingered on the STARâs above. It was far past the simple days were people believed STARâs to be eternal. And yet, the romance of those thoughts remained.
    Perhaps it was because he wished something lasted forever that had caused him to say this.
    After all: Even what was meant to be an ETERNAL ENTRAPMENT had turned into something as simple as this â being summoned to another world, to another situation â another crisis. And yet, even their STRUGGLES remained confused. Jumbled. And his memories, though accurate, were not accurate for all. He found himself struggling day-in and day-out, trying to keep up with the whiplash that this place offered. Even for someone as EMOTIONLESS as you could claim he was.
    He had no true emotions. He was a mirror of those he surrounded himself with. So? Was even this FRUSTRATION his? Or was it the mopping of someone else that heâd happened to take along with him⊠When his companion speaks up, his gem-like eyes shift over. Pale sapphire seeking out the others ruby eyes, before cringing a little at the otherâs words. He was right, of course. YEARS of EXISTANCE on the (REVERSE SIDE) of the world proved the very words the other spoke in reply to his own words⊠â⊠I suppose youâre right.â He murmurs, a tortured smile taking place on his lips as he glances back up at the stars.
   What HURT right now? He couldnât place it.
    Perhaps it was HOMESICKNESS? Perhaps it was the fact that he was near the people heâd been separated from, now? ⊠he didnât know. He was unfamiliar with the ache he carried right now. âNo, no. I know you are. Of course you are.â He murmurs, allowing his eyes to close as he sighs a little. Attempting to sound relaxed now, though a tinge of pain remained. âIâm just being crazy as usual it seems. Forgive me. I must be losing my edge since arriving here.â
   Despite his UNORTHODOX existence, he could be a bit of a ROMANTIC at heart. This occasionally causes a conflict with his true nature â and perhaps was the human side of him wreaking havoc on his unusual heart. âSorry.â
   The last word was whispered with an unusual, unfamiliar, pain lingering within it. It spoke eons and yet also stood still. He wanted to explain how he felt â he wanted to UNDERSTAND this pain. And yet, he couldnât. Even in his own ERA, he hadnât understood the particulars of certain emotions. Or the FEAR of LOSS. Was that was lingered like a storm over his heart now? What was he fearful of, however? He had nothing back â he couldnât even get the COURAGE to approach the people he felt he owed explanations to⊠What was it that tore this unfamiliar emotion through his chest?
