A Righteous Return - AU - Locked to seaweed_writes

[ihadabadday]

Once Upon a Time in a kingdom far away and filled with magic and dragons, there was a King and his Wizard. Together they did great things, bringing peace to the world and to its people. They were the best of friends, as close as any two men could be. Until one day the King was gravely injured defending his Wizard...

He gasped as the arrow struck his shoulder. Just between the gap in his armor. Too low to be anything but fatal. He knew that. But he was the King of England. He wielded Excalibur. He would not go down with out a fight. Of course /he/ would call him foolish for this. For defending him in this way. He was a sorcerer, a wizard, after all.

His knees gave out as the blood loss started to affect him. He barely noticed as strong arms came around him.

"It's okay." He assured the man, "You'll be okay. If... I'll return." He coughed a bit, feeling the pain. But it was all okay. His friend. His Wizard was alive. He pressed Excalibur into the man's hands.

"Return this to the Lady of the Lake. Please. It needs to be safe." He knew what would happen if it was in the wrong hands.

He didn't have much time. He knew that. He reached up and touched his Wizard's face. "Find me again." He managed before he closed his eyes, arm falling limply to his side.

The King of the Brits, of England, was gone.

---

John shot up in bed, gasping for breath. He pressed a hand to his face and took a deep breath. Another nightmare. So many had piled up over the years. Loosing Arthur, the two Great Wars. Even recent events were enough to make him frightened. He got out of bed and walked over to the window. After opening the blinds, he stared out at the blinking lights. Albion had changed so much in recent time. Just the past hundred years alone. He let out a sigh.

There had been one time in all these years the had started to feel Arthur return. During the second Great War... The need for him was great then than it had been years earlier during the first. He pressed a fist to the window and sighed. "Arthur, we need you..." There was the unspoken, I need you. It was always unspoken. He had never dared tell the King. He couldn't, not when he had a Queen that adored him so and who he adored in return.

He let out a long held breath and looked back out to the night sky. He didn't need this flatshare, but it was convenient to be around people again.

---

He had been living with Sherlock Holmes for three months now. Just long enough to know he could stand the man, but not long enough to really know how he felt about the man. Other than... Okay.

John had left Sherlock lying on the couch when he went off to work. The A&E. He loved working in emergency medicine. He could help people and keep an eye out for Arthur and the Knights.

Of course, this was the day when a psych patient broke out and started to wave a scalpel at everyone. John stepped in front of a nurse only to get stabbed in the neck. He put his hand up to press against the wound, trembling. Oh, shock. He slowly sunk to the ground as he heard his coworkers starting to swarm.

And it was about fifteen minutes later that Sherlock's mobile started going off.

Comments

[ihadabadday]

John just smiled innocently at that as he took a bite of his crispy basil chicken. He reached over and stole a piece of Sherlock's curry, popping the piece in his mouth.

"You're welcome." He laughed, "You quite enjoyed buggering me to completion."

He took another bite and then shrugged. "I've had worse pain, and hell, I'd let you bugger me all day long if it meant keeping us inside."

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock knew that they couldn't stay inside all the time. They needed to look for the knights. And he knew that John knew this as well, but he didn't bring that up. He didn't want to ruin this moment.

To repay him, Sherlock used his chopsticks to steal a piece of John's chicken as well. He hadn't tried it before, but he made an almost sinful noise as he chewed and swallowed it. It was exquisite. He made a note to order that next time.

And you enjoyed being buggered over the table and on the couch. We are going to defile this entire flat if we keep going like this." He chuckled and went back to his curry. "Don't think that the idea of buggering you on every single surface of his flat is not appealing, or bending you over all day."

[ihadabadday]

He knew, he understood. John knew there was a duty that they needed to take care of. Finding the Knights, stopping whatever it was that woke Arthur.

John laughed when Sherlock stole a piece of his chicken. He honestly didn't mind. He was glad that Sherlock was eating.

"I did. Quite a lot. I would like you to tie me to our bed and bugger me with toys, your fingers, tongue, cock..." He said casually, "Until all I can do is spread my legs for your pleasure."

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock almost choked on a piece of chicken. "You are going to wear me out, old man." He joked with a smirk and a smile. John, for his part, looked like he was about 5 years older than Sherlock, though he knew better- now.. so it was a joke that worked on a couple of levels. Those were the kind Sherlock liked best, the intelligent jokes. And he knew that John, unlike most people in his life, would understand it

"I think we might need to take a short raincheck for those things. But be warned, John. I WILL remember, and I WILL be returning to this conversation another time."

He was quiet for a few moments, before he dropped a bomb of his own. "And what if I said that I wanted you to do the same to me?"

[ihadabadday]

He laughed and smiled at Sherlock. He liked that the man joked with him, teased him. It was comforting and reminded him that he wasn't alone.

"I will cash that raincheck for you anytime." John told Sherlock.

He paused and then smiled. "Then I will do it. I promise."

[seaweed_writes]

A slight blush flushed Sherlock's cheeks, at the thought of John actually dominating him. He tended to be a dominant personality, in pretty much every portion of his life, but the thought of giving into John, and letting him fully take over made him shift a bit on the couch. Having John ride him was wonderful, but he wondered what it would be like to actually have John inside of him.

That made him shift again.

"I don't want to make you, if you don't want to, John." He knew John liked to let Sherlock take control. "Don't do it because I want you to, do it because you want to."

[ihadabadday]

He paused and set down his chopsticks. John looked at Sherlock. "I'll try anything once. We can try it and if I don't like it, I'll let you know."

John reached out and cupped his cheek. "I love you and want to make you happy."

[seaweed_writes]

The look in John's eyes. He knew that the man was absolutely serious. He believed John when he said it.

But his heart skipped when John said those three little words. This was so new for both of them. And it wasn't that Sherlock didn't care for him, and love him, but it was harder for him to say those little words.

"John.." He said softly. It was all he could say and he was quiet for a moment before he repeated the word. "John." What was it about this man that drove him to speechlessness? No one else in his life could render him speechless like John cold in three little words.

[ihadabadday]

He leaned over and kissed Sherlock. "It's alright." He whispered to him, "Lets finish dinner, our film and then lets go take a shower. And then go to bed."

John pulled back and then continued to eat his food.

[seaweed_writes]

In this case, going to bed actually just meant going to bed.

The rest of the meal was mostly a companionable silence. Sherlock made a couple of smartarse comments about the documentary that had still been playing even though they hadn't been watching it.

Sherlock finished first, and he sat quietly while waiting for John to finish. When he was done, he took the plates in and washed them off, then went into the bedroom and threw the soiled dressing gown in the hamper. He walked naked into the loo and started the shower, stepping in and sighing happily at the hot water hitting his sore muscles.

"Ahhhh."

[ihadabadday]

John finished his food and then cleaned up the living room. He stashed the leftovers in the refrigerator and turned off the film.

He went into their room and stripped off his clothes. He placed them in the hamper and went to join Sherlock in the shower.

Wrapping his arms around the man's waist, he pressed himself against him. Not sexually, just wanting to be close to the man.

[seaweed_writes]

It was rather distracting to have John in the shower, of course he would never refuse John sharing a shower, or a bed, or anything else.

There was some kissing, and a little soft groping, but nothing overly sexual, more exploratory. They took turns washing each other. Sherlock groaned when John massaged the shampoo into his hair, his hair and scalp had always been quite sensitive, for better or worse.

When they were done, Sherlock toweled off John, taking his time to get very part of him, then let John towel him. He took his hand and led him back into the bedroom, giving him another kiss as they started to settle under the covers.

[ihadabadday]

John had left the flat in the middle of the night, once he was certain that Sherlock was out. He was walking down the street, a wool coat pulled close around him. He was following a sense of something.

A knight perhaps.

Or something more.

Perhaps the dragon? He hoped it wasn't Morgana. But he had to do this without Sherlock.

[seaweed_writes]

A flap of wings, and the dragon landed in the abandoned alleyway. He shifted himself into his human form, and then lifted the veil of invisibility. He had felt the presence of Arthur in London, but it had taken him a few weeks to find him in this large city. He had known about and had been watching over Merlin, without Merlin's knowledge for many years now. It had been tough to use magic stronger than Merlin's so that he wouldn't be detected, but so far it had worked.

But something was coming and now was the time to let down the disguise

He walked out of the alleyway, a couple of blocks from where Merlin was walking, and walked in a pattern to intercept John.

The watcher was even more ancient than Merlin, and had been guarding and watching over the man in the guise of Mike Stamford since Merlin came back from Afghanistan. It was time to reveal his full form.

"Oi, John! fancy seeing you here!" Mike said, for now still using his shielding magic to cover his true form. He would drop it soon enough.

[ihadabadday]

There it was again. That tingle of magic that had been coming over him since he had returned from Afghanistan. He had come out to follow it, to figure out who this was.

He paused when he saw Mike Stamford come across him. Odd.

"Mike. How good to see you..." He said with an arched eyebrow. In the middle of the night? Odd.

[seaweed_writes]

"Had to get away from the wife and kids. My youngest is teething." He smiled and spoke in his thick accent. He could read the look on Merlin's face. He hadn't gotten this old without being able to read people well, probably even better than the great Sherlock Holmes, but of course no one could ever know that.

"I know an all night cafe. Wanna join me for a coffee? My treat!" The owner of the bar was another immortal dragon, and there was a back room where they could speak in perfect privacy. A sound spell kept anyone at all from hearing what was going on. That was the reason it was open both day and night, it catered to the very few old and immortal beings who needed to congregate from time to time.

And they made a very good latte, to boot.

[ihadabadday]

John was quiet for a moment and then nodded. "Sure. Why not. I sometimes need places to go to escape Sherlock." He laughed.

He walked with Mike to the cafe, mind racing. There was something going on in London. He hated it. He hated the idea of not knowing. He wanted to protect Sherlock and London.

He sighed and rubbed his face as he followed Mike.

[seaweed_writes]

"Ah, is he at his mad experiments again? Still borrowing toes from poor Molly Hooper?" The ancient one knew about Molly as well, but best play that close to the vest for now.

They made some small talk until they reached the cafe. The owner looked like a typical middle aged Londoner, a bit stocky around the middle, and a retreating widow's peak of hair. But he was using the same magic to cover who he really was.

His eyes went slightly wide when he saw Mike walk in with John. He knew who John REALLY was, and realized what was most likely about to happen.

:"Ah, Mike. Yer usual table?" The man asked in a rather thick Cockney accent.

"Yes please. Thanks, Sean. And two large lattes, please." The two drinks were served up a few moments later, then Mike led them to what looked like the door to a closet. Sean had a spell on it that only he or the other immortals could open it. It also worked as a safe room if needed.

Mike opened the door to a small room with a few tables and chairs some shelves with provisions, including food and toiletries on it, and another door in the back.

"Take a seat, please. We have some things to talk about." Mike closed the door (which magically sealed behind him) and then sat down.

[ihadabadday]

"Who are you?" He asked, feeling the magic in the air.

"Are you just wearing my friend's skin?" He asked coldly.

John had his hand behind his back, gathering a spell in it.

He didn't trust a lot of people and he had trusted Mike Stamford. If this wasn't Mike and just someone wearing his face, he was going to bring this place down around their heads.

[seaweed_writes]

"I'm Mike Stamford, your old Bart's buddy!" He said, not afraid in the least. He could of course tell that Merlin was working on a spell, but he knew he could counter if, if he couldn't explain fast enough.

"I can assure you that I am not wearing anyone's skin but my own." Well, it wasn't a total lie. He had been Mike Stamford for many, many years now, he wasn't imitating anyone, but he wasn't showing his TRUE skin, either.

"You know, I could ask the same of you, Merlin the Magician." He said, still as Mike, though the accent was dropping slightly.

"Ic i becnāwe hwa unc fristmearc." He said, in old English.

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"I'm Mike Stamford, your old Bart's buddy!" He said, not afraid in the least. He could of course tell that Merlin was working on a spell, but he knew he could counter if, if he couldn't explain fast enough.

"I can assure you that I am not wearing anyone's skin but my own." Well, it wasn't a total lie. He had been Mike Stamford for many, many years now, he wasn't imitating anyone, but he wasn't showing his TRUE skin, either.

"You know, I could ask the same of you, Merlin the Magician." He said, still as Mike, though the accent was dropping slightly.

"Ic i becnāwe hwa unc fristmearc." He said, in old English. <I know who you are.>


He made sure the entire time that he smiled, and showed that he was no threat, as he spoke, he continued to sip on his latte.

[ihadabadday]

The spell faded and.... And... He sat down and stared at Mike.

"You have fucking got to be kidding me."

John rubbed a hand over his face, shoulders trembling with barely contained laughter. After a moment he looked up.

"Ered?" He asked.

[seaweed_writes]

Mike.. Ered laughed, and immediately dropped his stealth spell, though he still kept the body of Mike Stamford. There was no room to show his true form in this small room.

He clapped John on the back and put his latte to the side for the moment. "I knew you'd get it eventually." He went back to his normal speech, a more old, northern English lilt, though a bit of Stamford still showed through, he'd had to keep that accent for so long, that it was hard to just totally drop.

"Truly, I have been Mike Stamford this entire time. It was a good way to watch over you from a short distance." His smile faded a bit. "I apologize that I have not made myself known before, but for many years, there was no reason to. Now, there is. I know that you found Arthur, and Galahad, and that you are on the search for the others. I am not allowed to truly assist, I am only a watcher, but I can try to help in small ways, as I can."

[ihadabadday]

"I don't know what's coming Ered." He said after a moment, "I don't know... And it terrifies me. I can't tell if it's something new or Morgana. Or..."

"You think after all these years, I would have an answer." John laughed and then got up. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath.

The blonde sighed and looked at Mike. Ered. His friend.

"I don't know what to do."

There were times when he would go to the dragon when he wasn't sure.

[seaweed_writes]

Ered sighed. He was a Watcher. He was not allowed to say what he knew. He could help steer him in the right direction, but he could not interfere, lest he suffer the wrath of the Ones above him.

He would not survive.

"You are on the right path, my friend." He said simply. "It is a good plan, to try to find the Knights. As they come to you, more will be revealed." He paused and took a sip of his drink, then moved his head around and shifted his shoulders.

Oh, how he desperately needed to fly again. He'd been able to take flight for a few minutes to find Arthur, but that had only scratched the surface of his need. He wanted to feel the wind in his scaled and around his wings.

After a moment, he settled back down again.

"Arthur, this will not be easy, and I cannot guarantee that all of your Knights will survive, but a grave danger is coming, and you will ll be needed." He sighed. "I'm sorry, that is all I can say about that." He knew he was skirting the laws saying as much as he did, but he would be punished, he knew, he hadn't said too much.

[ihadabadday]

John sighed. "Why can't they just be at peace? Why can't they be allowed to live their lives? Why must this cycle perpetuate over and over?"

"Why can't I die? Why are the Old Ones doing this to us? Why? No one believes in the old ways any longer. Everyone believes that Arthur and his Knights are myths. Thay I'm a myth!"

"What if I just took Arthur and fucked off somewhere not England? What would the Old Ones do then?"

John was trembling as he sunk down into a chair, dropping his head into his hands. Oh God he was tired.