The Salle, Monday Morning

[bitchprince]

His father hadn't shown up all weekend.

Things had returned to normal.

Arthur could breathe again (and stop hiding staying at a strategic location with plenty of options in terms of diversion-from-the-sorcery). Of course, that meant that the Monday morning schedule had to be observed as routine, and therefore, he was there (as was Merlin), going through a drill that was meant to promote efficiency, not show.

Not chopping anything up today, no.

[[ open salle as always ]]

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Not chopping at all. Truly.

"Having fun?"

[bitchprince]

"It's not about having fun," Arthur retorted, but he was going to take that as his cue for a break, lowering his weapon. "It's about keeping up your own personal discipline."

[thatsamilkshake]

~Still here. So are Katchoo and ...the island.~

[thatsamilkshake]

~I can never repay you for saving my life, but consider not introducing my mother to you this weekend to be a Thank You card.~

And in no way because she'd decided both she and the island couldn't deal with Marie vs. two blondes.

[bitchprince]

I'm sure I could've handled your mother, he returned, pausing in his effort (because swords and phones did not make good bedmates), but thank you for the consideration.

[thatsamilkshake]

He would never Get It until he did meet her, Francine had the feeling, but she had to try anyway because she was just. that. dumb stubborn ...way.

~...Ask Merlin.~

[bitchprince]

Merlin seems to have survived it, and we both know he has the self-preservation instinct of a mad badger.

Pot, kettle, etcetera.

[thatsamilkshake]

~Oh, she thinks Merlin's *adorable*. She's right, but at this point she'd think anybody not-Katchoo was adorable.~

[cutsthestrings.livejournal.com]

Fiona was not here to pester Arthur.

Fiona was here because her uncle Aaron had brought her a gift, besides the tessen that was even now stored away.

A (http://www.chineseyoyo.org/) diabolo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabolo).

Of course she came to the salle to try it out and practice. It had absolutely nothing to do with needing a comforting place right now. Totally not because she had to do something repetitive to move her mind away from other things. Completely nothing to do with the news from last night. Oh no, she was here to yo yo, dammit.

[bitchprince]

The meeting did not go well, Arthur surmised. Well, sometimes you have to hide these matters.

Projection, never.

[thatsamilkshake]

~True. But sometimes you have to stop lying to people.~

She kind of figured he'd get that, situations involving execution aside.

[bitchprince]

There was a difference between lying to people you cared about and lying to your fa-- parent by omission that was.. well, important, all right?

I suppose.

[thatsamilkshake]

Yes, it was called The Hypocrisy of Being A Teenager and Francine was wellll aware of that difference.

Which is why the guilt over trying to decide where 'the parent who hadn't abandoned you' fell on the scale of 'people you cared about' was a little less than half the reason she'd finally come clean with her mother.

~I'm not going to hide Katchoo like I'm ashamed of her.~

[bitchprince]

I never said you were ashamed of her, he countered, Just that there are certain issues that could be private.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Like meditation," Merlin supplied.

[bitchprince]

"Yes, except actually worthwhile," he said, sinking down on the bench next to Merlin.

[thatsamilkshake]

~I know you didn't. I wanted *her* to know that.~

[bitchprince]

You're staying, at least?

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Just because you haven't learned how to sit still and think doesn't mean it's not worthwhile," Merlin replied dryly.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

EVErything all right??

[bitchprince]

"Oh, I can sit still and think just fine," he retorted, "I just call it 'lazing about'." He leaned back. "So..."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"So?" Merlin looked at him out of the corner of his eye. Had they been more genre savvy, Arthur would be yawning to put his arm over Merlin's shoulder now.

[bitchprince]

"About last week," Arthur plowed on, straight to the point, as was his wont. Seriously. His wont. "Does the offer still stand?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah was here because swords made sense, compared to her family at some points, and because Helena wasn't here to practice with. Which gave her a sharp pang even though it was a relief, too.

Too wrung out even for hi, she waved at Arthur and Merlin, and bee-lined for the practice swords.

[bitchprince]

No talking. Arthur could live with that. His, "Dinah," was extra loud for the occasion, and he practically swaggered in her direction. "Chosen to come back after the weekend," he said, "Good."