When you're in the half light, it is not you I see. And you live a half life, you only show half to me.
31st May 2019
"Is there anything you're keeping?" Morgana asked as she piled the majority of Arthur and Gwen's things into bin bags.
"I've already gotten everything I want" Merlin sighed. "You?".
"Already have it all" Morgana said quietly. "Well, you taking it all to the charity shop?".
"Yeah. So we should unpack then Harry Potter after?".
"Okay" Morgana agreed. "Prisoner of Azkaban".
"It's on" Merlin smiled. "Good luck with the baby".
"I'll need it" Morgana muttered as she looked over to him. He had pulled himself up on the sofa and was chewing on it while he jumped up and down. "At least I can make the formula".
"Touché" Merlin smirked. "Anyway, I'll be back soon".
"Good. If you want to watch Harry Potter then be quick. I don't know how long I can stand to look at those sodding clangers for". She briefly looked at the TV—CBeebies was on with Clangers while they made that strange ass noise and Amhar happily giggled at it.
"In the night garden is so much better" Merlin agreed.
"Don't" Morgana groaned as she put her head in her hands. "The theme tune makes me cry".
"I'll get some ice cream then" Merlin promised as he loaded all the bags into the car and went off to the charity shops in Camelot.
Amhar happily watched CBeebies while Morgana went around the kitchen and made up a bottle and put the baby to bed. After his bath and bedtime bottle he quickly settled so Morgana relaxed on the sofa with a glass of wine while she watched Netflix—opting for the funeral episode of Friday Night Dinner until Merlin returned thus starting Harry Potter. They were happily watching as they munched on popcorn or ice cream straight from the tub.
"We should probably unpack" Merlin commented as the film had ended.
"Of course" Morgana agreed. "Let's get on with it then". The boxes were piled around the house as they began to unpack—many of their old things such as books and plates. While a part of them wanted to keep all of Arthur and Gwen's things, most of their belongings had gone up into the loft while they decided what to do while their clothes had gone to the charity shop. While a lot of the things may have seemed generic—plates, cutlery and books—for Merlin and Morgana it made the world of difference as they settled in.
"Looks rather nice" Merlin remarked as they looked around the house. With a mixture of their own belongings and some of Arthur and Gwen's it had begun to feel like home.
"It does" Morgana agreed. "Right, now to unpack the clothes".
"Are we splitting half and half?" Merlin checked.
"Of course" Morgana rolled her eyes. "There's not many other ways we can do it".
"You're right" Merlin muttered as he opened up one of the boxes and piled Morgana's clothes on to the bed.
"Stop unpacking my things" Morgana frowned with a scoff as Merlin went through her things. "I know I'm lazy but I'm not that lazy".
"I'm being nice" Merlin shrugged as he reached into the box. "What the fuck is this?" He asked no one in particular as he felt something long smooth and silicone. Intrigued as to what it was, Merlin pulled it out and looked on in horror as what he saw.
"Merlin" Morgana hissed as she took her toy back and hid it in a drawer.
"Was Alvarr really that bad?" Merlin chuckled as he watched her hide the vibrator.
"He sure was" Morgana muttered. "Not that it matters. I mean I don't even talk to him".
"It's a miracle he turned up at the funeral" Merlin agreed as he went to unpack his own things. They opted it was best to unpack their own things after the embarrassment that had just occurred. They happily went on unpacking their belongings by themselves until they were interrupted by the doorbell ringing.
"Which arsehole had the audacity to come over at this time of night?" Morgana groaned.
"Probably your sister" Merlin muttered. "Isn't she coming back from the Bahamas today?".
"Yeah?" Morgana shrugged. "Although her flight wasn't due to land until ten. It's only nine".
"Probably not then" Merlin agreed. "I'll see who it is then". Merlin trudged down the stairs and opened the door. "Who the fuck are you?". He watched cautiously as some tall dark stranger grinned at the door.
"I am Guinevere's brother, Elyan" he grinned. "Where is she? On a date with a prat?".
"Dead" Merlin replied. "I suppose you'd ought to come in then".
"When did that happen?" Elyan frowned in horror. "How?".
"We didn't even know she had a brother" Morgana retorted as she walked down the stairs.
"I was at the wedding" Elyan shrugged. "Morgana isn't it? Arthur's baby sister".
"Yes cause I'm always the baby sister" Morgana rolled her eyes. "Pathetic. Where have you been the last Jesus knows how many years?".
"Travelling" Elyan replied. "Around the world".
"Too busy to keep in touch with your family?" Merlin retorted.
"Yes, actually" Elyan replied. "I just wanted to check in to tell Gwen some things. I'm in England for three months and then I'm moving to Thailand".
"Congratu-fucking-lations" Morgana rolled her eyes. "Oh and bye the way—you have a nephew".
"That's nice" Elyan smiled. "Well anyway I have to get off soon, lots to do. See you around".
"Bye" Merlin and Morgana muttered as they closed the door. They briefly looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"What was that all about?" Merlin laughed.
"I have no idea" Morgana agreed. "Although I think I can vaguely remember him. I can't be sure".
1st June 2019
"Pinch punch, first day of the month, no returns" Merlin grinned as he ran off.
"Slap and kick for being too quick" Morgana retorted as she chased after him and jumped on him after kicking him.
"Mama!" Amhar smiled as he watched the ordeal form the floor. "Mama! Dada!".
"Did he just say?!" Merlin beamed as he picked Amhar up. "You just said dada!".
"And he said Mama first" Morgana smirked.
"Mama!" Amhar beamed as he stretched towards Morgana. "Mama!".
"Mamas boy" Merlin rolled his eyes. "Anyway the post is here. Be right back". Merlin quickly returned with the post. An official document. Merlin sat down with Morgana as they opened it. The death certificate. It was verified that Gwen had ultimately died of internal injuries while Arthur had a head injury given that the airbag had failed to blow up on impact, and also that Arthur was on antidepressants for postpartum depression.
"Stupid fucking airbags" Morgana sighed as she punched the table. "Why did the stupid fucking airbag not explode? Just why".
"I don't know" Merlin sighed. "The stupid car. Stupid fucking car".
"What's the other letter then?" Morgana sighed as she wiped her tears.
"Well the insurance money has come through" Merlin sighed.
"Great, we're fucking rich" Morgana rolled her eyes. "Now what?".
"Let's do a holiday" Merlin shrugged. "We certainly need one".
"What, and take the baby?" Morgana scoffed.
"Why not?" Merlin shrugged. "Let's do it then".
"Which one then" Morgana laughed. "UK based at least. We aren't going on a plane with a baby".
"Butlins" Merlin suggested. "Seeing as we have a baby".
"Not enough trees" Morgana frowned. "Center Parcs. The Longleat one ain't far and it's rather big".
"Let's go for it then" Merlin agreed.
"You're going to fucking Center Parcs!" Morgause cackled down the phone as Morgana explained the situation.
"It looks good" Morgana replied as she scrolled down on the website. "Sauna and spa. Crèche for the kid. We're hiring bikes and whatnot".
"Brilliant" Morgause laughed. "Aw it's like you're a couple with a baby. It's cute".
"We're not a couple" Morgana scoffed. "Just raising him together".
"Sure" Morgause smirked. "I'll just say remember the condoms".
"Fuck off" Morgana frowned. "We requested twin beds not a double so... Anyway, I'll have to head of soon".
"First step!" Morgause continued. "This is adorable. Everyone knows it starts of with a good ol' Center Parcs break".
"I'd rather have Alvarr take it up the arse than sleep with him at Center Parcs" Morgana snorted.
"So you're a Mumsnetter then" Morgause mused. "This is going well".
"Isn't it supposed to be your birthday soon?" Morgana asked.
"It is" Morgause smirked. "Cenred's taking me up the Oxo Tower".
"Ew" Morgana cringed. "I'll leave you to it then".
"Bye!" Morgause smiled. "You know you love me".
Elyan came back the following day and met Amhar, before he had to go back to London doing god knows what. Over the next week it did indeed begin to feel like a home after all.
"It does feel like home" Morgana smiled as she rocked sleeping Amhar in her arms on the sofa.
"Yeah?" Merlin smiled. "I think so too. Do you know what else feels like home?".
"Do tell" Morgana smiled as she ruffled Amhar's hair.
"You" Merlin smiled as he kissed her forehead.
They may have seemed okay on the outside. Yet on the inside it wasn't. The anger. Sadness. The guilt. The guilt of surviving while Arthur and Gwen hadn't. Not wanting to believe it was true. How could they be gone? Just how? Yet things had come too far for them to go back. They just wouldn't be able to come back from this.
A/N: is it obvious that I hate clangers?!
FrenchBaguette: that's actually rather interesting to find out, I don't really follow the football so this was all just a guess lol! Saying that I do have a bit of a hatred for Arsenal :D