(17)
He hadn't heard from her in months. He'd known Morgana wasn't one for sweet talking or even small talk, but he missed her. He could have cared less if it had been about how boring her life was, or yet another attempt to set him up with some girl that she knew he'd absolutely hate. His roommate, Sophia, peeked in.
"Waiting for a letter from Morgana again?" She asked, sighing. He glared at her. It seemed that people here were unusually nosy when it came to private lives, but Sophia was the worst.
"She's going to webcam me this afternoon," he informed her icily. She laughed then sobered when she realized he wasn't joking.
"What time?"
He glanced at his watch. "In five minutes, actually." Anticipation seared through his veins. He propped up the webcam, pausing to check his reflection in the mirror. He'd grown a bit taller, his face a bit more defined. He'd gained a bit of weight too, but most of it was muscle. "Sophia," he asked, feeling silly already. "I'm attractive, yeah?" Sophia considered him for a moment.
"Really attractive," she said softly, and there was something about her tone that made him look at her sharply. She was gazing at him predatorily, and Arthur couldn't help but feel a bit intrigued. He hadn't had a proper relationship since Vivien and really, it wasn't like him and Morgana were seeing each other, were they?
"Sophia," he started, wondering what would be the best way to propose a relationship between him and his roommate.
"Way ahead of you," she said softly, and kissed him. It was a good kiss, warm and fuzzy feeling, although none of the electricity and edge he got from kissing Morgana. It was a change, but a nice one. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten that his webcam had already been turned on until he heard someone clear their throat.
"Ahem," Morgana said. "Hope I'm not interrupting a very serious makeout session."
Arthur blushed, pulling away from Sophia. "Uh, Morgana. Meet my roommate, Sophia."
"Girlfriend," Sophia corrected, tightening her grip on Arthur. Arthur frowned, but then an overwhelming wave of agreement flashed over him. "Yeah, uh girlfriend."
Morgana eyed Sophia suspiciously. "You're Arthur's girlfriend?"
"Oh don't get all jealous," she said, smirking. "Are you one of Arthur's exes as well? Or does Arthur not know how you feel about him?"
Morgana flashed Sophia a threatening glare. "I'm Arthur's sister."
"Adopted sister," Arthur cut in, feeling like this was very necessary information to remember, considering that he had, after all kissed Morgana a few months ago in a less-than-brotherly way.
"Adopted sister," Morgana conceded. "Besides, Arthur and I are perfectly platonic." Sophia rolled her eyes.
"Yes, yes, I'm very sure." She sounded sarcastic though, even to Arthur's ears.
"Sophia, darling! Do you mind getting me my books from Mr. Kilgharrah's class? I think I… left them there." Arthur felt a little bit more than awkward at the moment, and Sophia's presence wasn't exactly helping. She kissed his cheek.
"Fine," she said. "I'll be back soon, mkay?"
"Arthur!" Morgana whispered frantically, once Sophia had left the room. "You can't date her, for fuck's sake!"
"Why, Morgana? Jealous, are you? It's not the first time is it?" He could see Morgana practically bristle at that. Arthur, 1; Morgana, 0.
Morgana leaned in towards the webcam, brushing off his comment. "I had a dream... all those years ago, do you remember it?" Arthur's brow furrowed. "You died. And... And in the dream, she- she was the one that killed you. Arthur! You have got to listen to me, please!"
Arthur was already turning off the webcam. What did she know of love anyways? It wasn't like she'd ever loved anyone but herself, that he was sure of.
(He doesn't spot the silver glint of the knife, not until Sophia drags it into his flesh. My heart, he thinks idiotically, she's going to break my heart.
He hears screams and he thinks that oddly, they aren't his own. It's a female's scream, wailing and broken-hearted, yet hauntingly beautiful. Arthur's distantly recalls beautiful sirens and he tries to call out to the mysterious screamer, but finds that he can't even breathe. Oh, he thinks. I'm dying.
Arthur Pendragon lays abandoned, but this is not the way he is destined to die.)
(Arthur, he hears. He hears his name repeated over and over, and he tries to rise to the surface, he tries to claw his way back, but the weight is too much. He is Atlas holding the Sky, and is unable to put it down.
He listens in silent agony to tortured pleading, hearing how the name Arthur sounds on this anguished woman's lips, and he prays, he prays for strength to rise back from the dead. What kind of hell, he wonders, is this?
I love you, the voice says. I love you goddammit, Arthur Pendragon, the voice says. Arthur's propelled to the surface, his heart beats faster and faster and the words push him upwards, breaking his trance.
I love you, the voice had said.
His eyes open. "Morgana.")
Morgana checked him out of the hospital, her eyes mysteriously bloodshot. "Don't ever do that again," she yelled. "Don't you dare, ever leave me like that again." She sniffled, and Arthur awkwardly squeezed her arm.
"Actually, if I'm correct, I think I almost died, so don't I deserve some kind of-"
Morgana stood up straight. "Arthur Pendragon, you were stabbed by your crazy bitch of a girlfriend whom I warned you against. And you have the nerve to tell me that I should give you some kind of special treatment?" Arthur crossed his arms.
"Fuck you. Besides, how the fuck did you even get here so fast?"
"I was visiting you. Just to make you hadn't fucked everything up yet, but of course that's impossible for you not to do, isn't it?"
They screamed, they yelled, and they kissed. The stars quietly realigned themselves and the world allowed itself to spin again.
("Go on a date with me." He finally gets the nerve to ask her, his hands nervously tapping on the wall.
She looks at him in mild amusement. "A date? Now why on earth would you want to go on a date with me?" It's a serious question however, a question that he can think of a thousand answers to. This morning, her hair is piled up on top of her head and her t-shirt's threadbare in a way that goes straight to his groin. He refocuses his eyes on hers and prepares to tell her that he's madly in love with her.
"Because you love me," he says instead, immediately cursing his mouth for being such a coward. He watches the muscles in her neck tighten.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" She turns around with a false calm demeanor, wiping her hands on a dish cloth.
Arthur groans. He knew it was an unfair card for him to play, but dear god can't she ever just admit some things for once? He'd heard her when he was dying, for Christ's sake! "You told me. You said it yourself when I was dying." She opens her mouth in protest, but Arthur keeps talking. "Don't you dare lie to me, especially about this. Just tell me the truth for once, for once in your life, tell me the damn truth!"
She shoves past him, knocking over a plastic vase, and letting it smash on the floor. "Fuck you Arthur; I'm leaving, fuck, I'm leaving, okay?" She trips over a broken shard, and he grabs for her, hands firm and strong, holding her.
Her body's warm and pulsing and he pulls her close to him. Her eyeliner's slightly smudged and her cheeks are flushed like they always are when she gets mad at him. His mouth is set in a firm line and this time, this time he can't let her get away, this time he won't let her leave.
"And maybe," he says seriously. "Maybe, I'm a little bit in love with you too.")
(They end up making out in the backseat of Arthur's ridiculous sports car before they can even get to their dinner reservations.)
There's a knock at the door and Morgana rose up to get it. "You have a visitorrrr," she sang. Arthur grinned at her, as he watched her twirl around in a mixture of mini-pirouettes and leaps.
"Just answer the damn door, Morgana." Arthur began to put on his trousers and laughed when he saw that she was still in her bra and panties. "Fuck, Morgana. Whoever's on the other side is going to very surprised when they see you." Morgana rolled her eyes.
"Well then, let's see who the lucky guy is, shall we?" Her eyes were animated, brighter than he's ever seen her before. Her hand turned the doorknob and swung it open.
(The room has never felt so cold before.)
author's note: CLIFFHANGER. I KNOW. SORRY ABOUT THAT BUT I DO LOVE A GOOD CLIFFHANGER. anyways, you know the deal, reviews are great so and so forth.
