purpleandgray | (no subject)

Merlin could play the king easily enough. He had a life long practice at it. It's just not what he feels is him. (And yet it is. He's just not comfortable with that side of himself.) And actually, the idea of Dean finding his picture attractive made Merlin pause for a brief spell. He never really considered himself hot or much of eye-candy. He was reasonably okay looking. Yeah, that's Merlin in a nutshell for you.

He grabs an umbrella from the rack before they slip out of the door and leave his flat behind. "No, that's too much," he laughs. "I like speed sure, but I'm in no hurry to break the speed of sound. Won't a Harley be uncomfortable for a trip, though?" He imitated the way hands would come horribly high while driving that kind of bike. "You'd imagine that your hands would be hurting after a while."

Outside Dean pressed close to fit under the umbrella with Merle and just to enjoy being pressed close. Even though it was fall it was warm in New Orleans, a lot warmer than New York. Dean was glad he wore a tank top with a light flannel over it with the sleeves rolled up. If it got too warm he could take the top layer off.

"Not every Harley has the high handlebars. Mine are more down here." He demonstrated where his hands would be on his bike which was not high or ridiculous as what he showed. "It's actually very comfortable. Well, I find it comfortable."

Not everyone he had ever dated like his motorcycle. Dean tried not to hold it against dates but seriously it was great and they were wrong.

Merlin wore just a simple button down with jeans. Gray and faded blue. And he was delighted to get Dean squeezed under the umbrella, even if he could have made sure that the rain would not fall on them even without. The heat and rain together created a bubble of humidity that seemed to wrap around a person like a wet blanket.

"The rain will blow off before we're done with dinner," Merlin said as he wrapped one arm around Dean's waist while they squeezed closer together under the umbrella and hurried down along the street. He didn't bother calling a cab, the place they were going to was also in the French quarter and walking was both quicker and easier.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Merlin replied. He liked bikes. Had a healthy respect for them after Despil had given him a ride. A few rides later he still managed to feel inclined that bikes could be fun even if he had almost lost his life several times. But Despil used his contraptions to travel the universe, not just shadow Earth. "I'll look forward to a ride."

"I promise we'll have fun."

He would need a little time to plan where they'd go but as long as the weather wasn't too frigid they could go and have a good time.

Dean looked around them as they walked. He had only seen New Orleans from pictures. It was different to walk along the streets. He could feel the magic of the place, old and steady, but also fast and dancing from all the years of Mardi Gras and the carefully cultivated perception of a party town. It was vastly different from New York which always seemed to race along as fast as it could.

"So, where are we going?" he asked, pulling his attention away from the city and back to Merle. "Do I get to know now?"

"There's this little restaurant called Eat that I've come to like. It's just around the corner," Merlin replied, shrugging one shoulder mildly. "Nothing that mysterious about it. But I'll keep withholding information if that makes this date more exciting," he murmured the last playfully near Dean's ear.

The restaurant was indeed just around the corner, a small venue with white and sand front, a hand written sign of the day's special menu. Merlin closed the umbrella under a second story balcony and opened the door for Dean.

"After I figured we could stop for a drink and some live music."

"I like the name." Dean rubbed a hand through his hair to get out any rain and then stepped inside. He was mindful of his shoes and wiped his feet. He didn't want to track water in a nice, quaint looking restaurant. It smelled amazing inside and Dean's stomach rumbled happily at the idea of filling southern food.

He waited for Merle and the hostess who got them to a table. "I thought I was providing the live music," he teased. "That's why I brought the guitar."

"It's very self evident, isn't it?" Merlin liked the lack of pretentious air that so many other restaurants had. The food was always good, service spotty but never lazy and he could come in with paint spotted clothes and a book, and no one would look at him like he was committing a crime against all the sense of propriety by not dressing to the nines when all he wanted was something to eat.

It was a habit that Merlin sometimes forgot to watch out for. When they got to the table, he pulled a seat for Dean like his brother had drilled into his head from early age that a gentleman does for his companion. He grew up to old fashioned customs that have surprisingly nothing to do with either disrespect or respect. Sometimes used for fishing out apologies, a national sports of a kind.

The hostess took their drink orders and left them with the menu. Merlin glanced at Dean over his menu, smiling behind it. "well, I don't mind having you all to myself earlier than I thought."

It was really old fashioned of Merle but Dean was amused. It was really rare anyone did that these days for women or men. He sat down and scanned the menu. Everything sounded good. He wasn't an expert in Southern food but he knew there was a lot of butter and that made food good.

"I guess it depends on how long you'd like me to stay," he said, also sneaking a peek over the top of his menu. "We can go see some music and then have a private concert. You just have to send me home late."

How far this would go tonight was up in the air. So far, Merle had been very respectful and polite about everything. Dean's dates were usually more forward but he didn't mind the slower pace. He wanted everyone to be comfortable while they were out and he was pretty comfortable with flirting and taking it easy.

Merlin hasn't done any dating for a long while. He honestly has no idea how people in today's shadow Earth act. He merely works around the issue, ignoring it completely when he can and does what he wants. Which goes happily hand in hand with spending time together and getting to know each other. Dean is someone he would like to be able to call to after ten years and have a pleasant conversation about magic at least if nothing else.

His eyes curved a bit, his grin hidden behind the menu but the wrinkles around his eyes saying a thing or two about it. "You could spend the night," he said laughingly. "Your home is basically next door." Or at least it was with magic.

"What kind of music do you like?" he asked suddenly. There always seemed to be some jazz club or another with live music to offer but what else was there? He didn't honestly know.

Spending a night was a big step forward but Dean wasn't bothered by the idea. He remembered Merle's bed being very comfortable and large and lavish. He would happily bed down in it again without any objections. Maybe this time Merle would join him.

"I'm pretty open to every type of music," he said with a laugh. "Seriously, if it's good I'll listen to it. There are some things like scream rock and really hardcore rap that I don't enjoy but most genres there's at least one song I like."

Honestly, with how much he loved music Dean should've been a muse or siren or something instead of a sorcerer. It was another one of those things that got him through his rough, lonely childhood. When the world sucked he had music to turn towards and comfort him. "So, take me to your favorite place and I bet we'll have fun."

"Makes sense." Merlin nodded while scanning the menu quickly before putting it away. "I feel the same way about art and software. Of course there are favorites but it would be such a narrow selection if I'd only limit myself to those."

And to understand any walk of life as thoroughly as one usually wanted with their chosen passion, focusing only on a limited selection of it would be quite boring and hardly give a good idea of entirety of the practice.

The hostess came over to bring their drinks and take their orders for food. A lot of the selection Merlin had tried before and he picked one that he already knew he would like.

"Would you like to travel outside NY if you had more time?" he asked when they had the table for themselves again. Unlike most of his questions, this one came with a whole conversation that might or might not take place depending on Dean's answer.

Perhaps he was being a bit of a tourist but Dean got himself gumbo. This probably wouldn't be his only chance to try authentic New Orleans gumbo but why take the risk? He wanted to experience it while he had the chance, just in case something went wrong dating Merle. It could happen.

"Maybe. I've always wanted to see other cities and get a feel for their magic, maybe learn some new tricks," he said with a shrug, idly drumming a finger against the table. "But again, all my money's in the club and right now I can't afford world wandering. In a few years I can probably start thinking about that."

As long as nothing went wrong. Dean knocked his knuckle against the table, knocking on wood, because he didn't take stupid chances. Things were good now but he wasn't going to tempt fate by saying they would always stay that way.

"So, theoretically, you'd be interested in a dinner date, say in London next time?" Merlin asked curiously, unable to stay still so he fiddled with his fork while talking, balancing it on one of the spikes. Laws of physics say it probably shouldn't stand up like this but Merlin knew better than to trust those laws.

"Or somewhere more exotic? I want to make sure you will talk to me again if I whisk you away to another world for an afternoon or to Russia in the 18th century, or something like that."

Not everyone would find that entertaining. Look at Julia. Not that Merlin had taken her to anywhere. Maybe he should have. She might not feel inclined to stab him.

"Hey, as long as I don't have to work you can whisk me away to anywhere," Dean said with a laugh, ducking his head at a sudden burst of bashfulness. Jesus, a date in London. It was insane to think he was dating a guy who could with a wave of his fingers take him anywhere in the world.

Magically he was way out of his league.

"Let's work up to time travel though. My magic sort of relies on modern technology." Without it around Dean wouldn't be completely powerless but he would be weak. It would be terrifying to go back in time and not have access to the power he relied on. It was absolutely the scariest idea to him. He hadn't been without magical power since he was thirteen. "But London sounds cool. Pretty much anywhere but LA and I'm good for travel."

Mobility was important. Merlin didn't like staying still for too long.

His lips curved into a calm smile as he watched Dean, wondering if it was just too much for the man. Or would be? He didn't know. Hopefully not.

"It's not time travel, per se. The universe includes all possible parallel worlds to yours. So there are countless versions of shadow Earth in countless different time periods. It's a bit of a mess. But basically it means that by stepping a bit on the side from here, you could be living the yesterday's world. Two identical worlds cannot exist but two almost identical worlds can and do exist.

"But duly noted."

No to travel between the worlds. At least for now.

Merlin leaned in to slosh a bit of his wine against the sides of his glass before taking a sip.

"Is it London or something else rather? Stockholm? Rome?"

Edited 2016-10-15 05:21 (UTC)

"It's anywhere," Dean said with a laugh as he ran his hand through his hair. He didn't know how to explain it. "I'd go anywhere because I've never expected to travel that much. I sort of figured I'd stay in New York for the rest of my life. Most of my power is tied up in the city itself anyway."

He felt like he was rambling a little and so stopped to take a breath and sort through his thoughts on how to explain himself to Merle.

"A sorcerer like myself can form a symbiotic relationship with the city they live in," he said, gesturing with his hands. "When I'm in New York I'm stronger because the city gives me some of its power. A lot of sorcerers who connect like that never leave their cities. They're protectors. I'm more a... promoter. I get magical people to New York who help make New York stronger."

"So, New York gets more powerful the more of you there are?" Merlin asked curiously. He didn't know the brand of magic that Dean practiced and it was fascinating learning more about it. Every shadow had its own set of rules. He hadn't been in this particular shadow Earth all that much. In others, yes, but this one was still a bit of a mystery.

Like discovering a world again. It was why he liked traveling.

He thought that it would be interesting to see if Dean could download parts of his power onto the mechanical devices that he could so easily manipulate. Merlin had a bit of experience in mixing and matching machinery and magic. He would have to introduce Dean to Ghostwheel.

"We should have a brainstorming session about your brand of magic one day. It's an interesting field. I'd love to know more about it."

"No, no, the population as a whole gives the city its power. Everyone who lives in New York gives something to the city." This was why Dean didn't teach sorcery. He didn't know how to put into words what he did and how he did it. His mentor had been really good at it but Dean felt his magic more than logically thought about it.

He really wished he could explain to Merle just how it worked and all the technical aspects of it but he didn't know how to say what he was thinking and what he knew.

"I think we just figured out date number three," Dean teased because well, it seemed like date two was going really, really well. He thought it was worth pushing his luck. Merle seemed to be into him. Dean chopped that meant a date three was going to happen. Maybe by then he could get the other man to kiss him a little.

Merlin nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. Definitely, a realm with its own rules. He liked it. It would give him more to work with, more to discover in a long run. And he desperately wanted it to be a long run.

Dean's teasing had him looking over at the man with arched brows, a mild surprise first reflecting in those light eyes, then amusement, then fondness as they wrinkled at the corners with the smile spreading over his mouth. Definitely, there hopefully would be some kissing later.

"I'll pen it down," he said around that smile but didn't get any further than that as their waitress returned with their orders.

Dean took the time to chat with the waitress. Food service people got fucked over by customers all the time. He saw it every night with his bartenders getting shafted on tips and people being assholes. He made sure to be nice. Then he took his first bite and wow it was spicier than he expected but it was good.

"Wow, this is amazing," he said after his mouthful. "Spicy but in a good way. You picked well, my friend."

He was going to look a little ridiculous getting flushed over spicy food but he didn't care. It was worth it for the delicious food and enjoyable company. Merle really was fascinating and strange and charming and handsome.

Merlin always tipped well. Money was hardly an issue. Not that one could make it out of thin air when one was the king of Chaos but he was a part owner of a successful software house, Luke had finally managed to convince him to join that project and Merlin hadn't regretted it for a second. The waitress gave him a smile when she left. They usually would stay and chat with him when he came here alone. He was a regular customer and never brought anyone. Next time he already knew he would be asked about Dean.

"I come here probably once a week," Merlin admitted as he picked up his fork and dug in. He liked to support a small local business as well, not big chains where money moved in a completely different style. And the food was excellent.

He didn't say much more than that, though. Chewing doesn't exactly make good company for words. Besides he had something to do while watching Dean's face flush gradually as he got towards the bottom of his plate. (Adorable.) If Dean didn't make much noise during the meal, they could be spending it all in comfortable silence. Merlin had no problem talking with his eyes, every now and then meeting Dean's gaze with his, smiling.

Every now and then Dean would glance up and see Merle watching him. Since he was smiling and bright eyed about it Dean figured it was going well even though they weren't talking just eating. It was rare he liked silence. Dean was used to constant noise either from New York or music or the club. Silence usually meant sleep or boredom. This was nice.

When he finished his meal he sat back and nudged the plate away from him with a contented sigh. "Alright, that's going to keep me going for days. Southern food is so filling."

But in the best way. Dean might need to do an extra round of yoga and take a long walk through the city to burn calories off but it was worth it for a belly full of warm, good, and hearty food.

It was rather filling. Merlin had that amberite appetite that meant he could finish a whole serving for five all on his own if he happened to be hungry. But that was just how it went with his family. It was unlikely that either of them could fit in much in the way of dessert so he didn't bother suggesting any.

"I guess burning some energy would be in order then?" Merlin asked with a small grin. "Drinks for dessert in a jazz club on the way home?"

He lifted a finger at the waitress when he caught her eye and she nodded. It would take a moment for the bill to arrive in any case.

For Merlin the fact that they could share a silence was more valuable than comfortable conversation. He could get along with almost anyone. It was part of what he had learned to do while playing the part of a king. Diplomacy and easy interaction. Silence, though, was trickier.

"A little walk after dinner isn't a bad idea," Dean said with a little shrug. "Give our stomachs a chance to settle."

He drummed his fingers on the table for a second watching Merle signal the waitress. For a moment he wanted to offer to pay the bill but the date was Merle's idea so maybe he should let him? That was how these things worked right? Dating just kept getting more complicated.

"So, next time we're out I'll cover the bill and drinks?" he offered with a little smile.

Curious, Merlin looked up at Dean from his wine glass, brows arching in question. Money was a no issue for him and he had been raised to pay when he took someone out. So many things were different in the modern society.

"If you especially want to," he said with a mild shrug. "But it's not a problem." He didn't want to offend, he really didn't, but understanding the rules and the unspoken social norms of dating was definitely not that easy for him. "I'll admit that I don't honestly know what's the custom here. I'm not trying to suggest that you can't or won't. I figured, you paid last time, tonight's on me." It sounded a bit like a suggestion. Or a question. Money was such a delicate issue. He was not loaded with mountains of cash or anything but he did have rather good incomes and used merely a morsel of it on living expenses. His dad's lawyer friend had helped him to set up a system with a private accountant who took care of his taxes and saving plan and everything.

He let one elbow come to rest on the table and propped his chin on top of his palm. "Honestly, if I seem like an idiot with some stuff. It's mostly because my experience from shadow Earth and your customs is almost half a decade behind its time."

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ugh, lost this tag to browser closing on me

bad browser

rubbish, I also know virtually nothing about Nola so I'm so sorry if I get something horribly wrong.

That's okay I've never been, lol

I've never been to the states. C:

it's not all that great here, lol

lmao, where would it be? It would be warmer in Nola. D: Freezing in here already.

Chicago where it's chilly and windy and getting to be cold

Arctic zone! Finland. 8D Ice on the roads. Good times.

You win

what did I win? ice? D: DON'T FEEL LIKE WINNING

probably not, lol

well. : |

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