usefulanalysis | Cerealia Inbox

[ It actually takes five times of Merlin picking up and putting down his CereVice to maybe call Ema first because he can't think of how to start a conversation. Phones were never a thing for him, and the idea of not just going to see someone and to ask like this first is even more bizarre. No one would get anything done in his time if you went sending letters with messages to ask if you could meet instead of just going to the other person's place instead.

It's when he picks it up for the sixth time that he gives up, jamming it into his pocket with his card and access to the apartment then he's off out the door. The fact that all the apartments are in the same place makes it much easier when it comes to visiting someone. In the end it only takes around ten minutes to get there.

The only problem is that instead of hesitating in front of a piece of technology, he's not hesitating in front of the door. He presses both hands in front of his mouth, trying to think of the best reason for this visit. He knows why, of course. Just to talk. Get to know each other better. It's just hard to think of a social visit as alright when he's only really had to visit Gwen or Morgana when they were in danger or with a message from Arthur.

aka. He's a hot mess of nerves.

It's why instead of knocking normally, his head just drops forward to crash into the door. ]

How do people do this?

[Ema's just having a pretty ordinary little day, having come home from school a little early. The Chemistry teacher was pretty fed up with her going on tangents and had just said to take an A in the class and to just work on assignments from home today. Who's she to say no to that? Nobody, that's who. So she's just bopping around her living room, taking care of some housework, reading, and just hanging out. Pretty quiet afternoon, if you ask her.

But then, she hears a thump on her front door and looks up. Oh hell, that had better not be another ghost. Ugh, she's not sure she can handle another weird incident right now. Still, better safe than sorry! Getting up, she picks up her Ghost-Busting Vacuum and makes her way to the door, ready to bust like a pro when she hits the access button...

And outside is one Merlin. Staring down the end of a standing vacuum cleaner hose.]

OH! It's you!

[ If he knew more about ghosts it might be possible to tell her that they don't usually make noises like that, though he also would have no idea if CERES ghosts would be different anyway.

Either way, when the door opens and he comes face to face with a vacuum cleaner he wonders if he hit his head too hard. He steps back hurriedly, before any injuries happen, then looks down at the object in her hands. ]

I'm not that dirty am I? [ Thank you Shigeru for being the guy everyone needs to tell you how everything works or he would have been even more confused. ]

Unless you were expecting someone... else?

[She...lowers the vacuum cleaner and blinks up at him. And then quickly sets it aside and blushes because omg, what! She just pointed a vacuum at a person! How ridiculous!]

No! I thought, maybe...last time someone came knocking here it was a ghost.

[nobody said she had a whole lot of common sense, but it was true. She'd been visited by several. And they'd all ended up inside her vacuum, of course.]

So I thought maybe...but no...hah...[An awkward laugh.]

What's up? Something I can help you with?

[ It is a bit ridiculous. The way he has to bite his lip, a smile creeping up as he watches her discard it only proving that he's trying to hold back a laugh. ]

Do ghosts... usually knock, here? [ Merlin stop teasing her. ] I just wanted to see how you are. I guess you could say I'm still not used to the technology they have here so this... seemed like a good idea?

[ But maybe not if she's going to attack him with a vacuum cleaner?!?! ]

[She grins back, rubbing her neck sheepishly in a suspiciously Gumshoe-like manner.

Gosh this is embarrassing...

But, okay. She's got questions to answer. And that's just fine with her.]

Oh, they did last time. Though, maybe they wouldn't always. I dunno, not important.

[Reaching for his hand she tugs him inside.]

And that's just fine with me! Come on in. I was just sitting around and doing...pretty much nothing. It has been a few days, hasn't it?

[Rambling, as she do.]

Not important. [ He repeats it back, definitely laughing slightly this time. ]

I think I'd prefer that they knock though, rather than turn up unannounced. [ Ah, there goes his hand, along with his feet as he's pulled forward. ] You didn't have anything to do?

[She shakes her head and shuts the door behind him, pointing to a seat.]

Nope. I got out of school early, and I don't work today. You got lucky, catching me at home. Make yourself at home though.

Want a drink?

Well that's a first. [ He sits where she points though, giving the place a brief look over. ] Sure, that'd be great.

[ Just so it gives him time to take in the place. He even picks up a book she'd probably been using before, opening the pages. ]

[It's clean, well kept, not quite spotless, since there are a few books and an empty bag of potato chips sitting on the main table but that's probably recent. The book itself is a science journal, open to a page on chemical reactions of potassium.

Ema bops on over to the fridge and pulls out two bottles of soda, popping off the lids and returning to offer one.]

Has anyone given you soda yet?

[ He pulls the book closer for a moment, squinting at the page. Potassium wasn't isolated until way after his time so he really has no idea what he's reading. When Ema brings the soda over though he drops the book back onto the table, almost jumping. ]

Sorry, it was just... open.

[ He reaches for the bottle of soda, swirls it a little. ]

It's cold? Most of the drinks I've tried have been different types of tea. I had no idea there were so many.

[Grinning at him, she flumps down on the couch and takes a sip of her own drink. Some variant of Dr. Pepper, really.]

It's fine. It's just a book. Not like you're going through my diary or anything.

[Which was mostly notes, anyway, about everything. She'd calmed down a bit about that in Cerealia, but she still kept meticulous notes of everything.]

And yeah, there really are a lotta different kinds of tea. I really only like ice tea, myself, and this is way better.

I really wouldn't do that. [ That's a bit too personal for someone he's known... what a week? Even if a lot has happened in that time. ]

There's a lot of variety of ... everything. Even science, so much has happened since... You know. [ He stares at the book for a moment, and while he doesn't want the mood to drop he does add: ] Gaius would have loved to have seen something like that, I'm sure of it.

I know you wouldn't.

[She looks square at him, nodding her head.]

There really is a lot, I know. But it's kind of nice seeing a guy like you discovering things for the first time. It's cute. And it's refreshing too, seeing someone who doesn't take these little things for granted.

A bit difficult to take anything for granted when they make things so much easier. It isn't even as though I can't cheat a little either, like... [ He pauses then and leans forward, looking towards the book he'd dropped on the table before. Then, he whispers: ]Onhríne achtung bregdan.

[ His hand stretches out, eyes flash gold then the book is sliding across the table, pages flicking open until he finally lands elsewhere. ]

[Her eyes go wide at that and she claps her hands together excitedly.]

Oh gosh! I've never seen real magic before! [She doesn't doubt that it is magic, or that it exists because shit, she's talking to Merlin.]

That's the coolest thing ever!

[ Ah. He can't help the smile that crosses his face at her reaction. Mostly because even if people here have been positive about magic, it's still taking some getting used to. ]

I guess it would have been difficult to see anything when we were at the carnival, wouldn't it?

[What a good! She's positively beaming.]

Yeah. I know that you did something. But we were all wrapped up in being a ball, so I couldn't see. And the water? I was covered in gunk.

Thanks, by the way. You really helped me out.

It was difficult to aim for the reason too. You're probably lucky I hit the ground and not you. [ That isn't actually true... Merlin, stop. ]

But don't mention it. Whatever that thing was, I hope we never see it again.

Oh we probably won't. Most crazy things only happen once here.

[Thank...fully...]

Anyway! You came to talk about fun stuff, not work. So...hey, let's do that.

"Most crazy things" [ Ema that still implies there will be other things to come??? ]

But right. Though I wouldn't say that was exactly work either. I was dropping by to check you've been alright.

Yeah. Most. I mean, ViVID sure is crazy and it's not going anywhere.

[The weird video game...]

Oh...[she blushes just a little bit and nods.] Yes! Actually. I've been doing okay. Nothing really's happened here. I mean, nothing out of the ordinary.

That's really nice of you though, Merlin. I...appreciate it.

That place where we met, right?

[ He should probably go there again one day but um. Yeah. ]

Good. I mean, I haven't noticed anything weird yet so. [ A shrug. ]

Yep!

[A beat...]

Hey! Um. Would you...like to...ah...go out to dinner in a night or two?

[Sort of her way of saying "Hey. Thanks! You're pretty cool."]

[ Well, that's unexpected but definitely not in a bad way. He looks surprised, but then a small laugh slips out that's more like a puff of air. ]

Sounds great. I take it you're going to introduce me to something new again?

post-carnival; action

\o/

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