Third Floor Common Room, Wednesday Afternoon

[bitchprince]

Despite Merlin's sudden turn towards actual servitude, which had worn off rather quickly and suddenly this morning, and the difficult conversation with Liir the previous day, Arthur was feeling almost pleasant today. Stop the presses.

When he found the common room empty, he promptly took a seat in a chair that didn't look too uncomfortable. He looked around a bit, popped one of the dried fruits he'd taken from his room into his mouth, and hoped no one would come in to put the Tee Vee on.

He might have been in a good mood, but that didn't take away that this place was noisy enough as it was.

[[ open common room! ]]

Comments

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

So, it wasn't his floor. So what? He'd been passing by, saw someone supremely botherable and stopped his walking.

"You look content," he said from the doorway.

[bitchprince]

"Hannibal," Arthur greeted. He bit down on another date, swallowed it, and looked up. "Come to practice the smart mouth again?"

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"What, on you?" Hannibal asked, smirking. "Maybe. You asked me that quick. I almost think you want me to practice."

[bitchprince]

"No," Arthur said, dryly, "I've merely met you."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Sarcasm," he said, stepping inside, "is the mark of a talented man. Your mouth is just as smart as mine."

[bitchprince]

"Well, I am exceptionally clever," he said. Arthur made himself more comfortable in his chair, bringing up one foot to nudge at the table. "As for you, I'm not so sure."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Well, it's good to see you don't make judgments based on how little you know me," he said, taking a seat opposite Arthur. "Don't judge a book by its cover. I could be exceptionally clever as well."

[bitchprince]

"I doubt it," Arthur said, shooting him a look across the table. "Although you're a brave idiot, I'll give you that." Why, look. Praise. Sort of.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

Hannibal raised an eyebrow at the sort of compliment and then smiled. "Gotta be brave if I'm not smart, right? Gotta have some saving grace. Though, I think I am smart but with occasional lapses of common sense."

[bitchprince]

"If you have lapses of common sense," Arthur pointed out, "Then smart is hardly the word. Suicidal courage might be a better one." On that note, he took another date.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"I'm almost flattered that you've taken that much notice of me, Arthur," Hannibal said, smirking.

[bitchprince]

"Don't be," he said, dismissively, "I wiped the floor with you while injured, of course I remember that." Arthur supported the edges of a smirk himself.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"You wiped the floor with me while injured with a weapon unfamiliar to me," he corrected. "That means nothing but you're better at swinging sticks than I am."

[bitchprince]

"It's not my fault you lapsed in common sense in that regard," Arthur said. Not smugly. Oh no. "That'll teach you to call me a coward."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Oh yes, because I so learned my lesson," he said dryly. "You can swing a stick. But what about other methods?"

[bitchprince]

"I've been trained to kill since birth, I really doubt that'll help you any," he snorted.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"You must have been such a boring child," Hannibal said and shook his head.

[bitchprince]

"Hardly," Arthur replied, his eyes flaring for a moment with... something or other. But that wasn't a statement enough to kick a fuss about. "Don't confuse me with you."

Really mature there, Arthur.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I could never do that." Hannibal buffed his nails on his shirt. "I'm much better looking than you."

[bitchprince]

"In your dreams," Arthur snorted, flicking the date in his mouth. "But if you really insist, we'll see about other styles of battle once my arm is healed."

Merlin would not stop nagging if he didn't wait. He'd get a headache.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"What, you don't think I'm good looking?" Hannibal asked, trying a different tact.

[bitchprince]

"You're not hideous," Arthur volunteered, "I suppose. What, are you feeling insecure?"

And there was that smirk again.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"You read a lot into things," he said and clicked his tongue. "Curiosity. And besides, neither are you. Hideous. Far from it."

[bitchprince]

"I knew that," he said, dryly.

Oh, how he knew that. "Although that's kind of you. Don't worry, I'm sure some maid will find you pretty enough to carry you over the treshold."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Again, reading into things," he said. "What gave you an idea I wanted to be carried anywhere?"