[open]

[illgotten]

It's a nice day, as usual, and Mordred is in the Orkney garden; an altogether more modest affair than Percy's, but still requiring a good deal of work. He's switched back to the T-shirts, and his black hair is ruffled and damp. On the other hand, he looks more relaxed than he has for the past few weeks.

Comments

[thesunbird]

Telemakos has taken to coming to his house perhaps four or five times a month, bringing Athena along, to get good food and to lie in the warm sun and watch Mordred's family, and observe how different it is from Telemakos' own.

At the moment he is actually sound asleep on the doorstep, with the light shining down on his tuft of white hair, and his skin warm to touch, with Athena cuddled in his lap.

[illgotten]

Presently Mordred comes around the side of the house to wash off, and pauses at the sight of them. He splashes water over his hands and face, and then comes over and drips a little on Telemakos.

[thesunbird]

Who comes not-quite-awake with a sick intake of breath and rolls forward, his body curled around Athena, his head tucked under out of the way. His body is shaking, his balance is off.

[illgotten]

"Hey, hey--" Mordred wipes his hands on his trousers and drops down beside them. "Hey. Easy."

[thesunbird]

Telemakos makes a noise like a dry weeping, harsh.

[illgotten]

"It's okay, it's okay, easy, there. Christ, boy, be easy." A hand on his back, steadying.

[thesunbird]

"Don't--my hands--"

[illgotten]

"It's all right--" He catches himself, and switches back from Norse. "It's all right. For God's sake-- You're scaring your sister."

[princesstena]

Athena, startled out of her comfortable snuggle, is in fact threatening to scream, one hand flailing for her brother's hair.

[thesunbird]

He grasps for her with his one hand, blindly, still sobbing.

[illgotten]

"Kid." A hard grip on his empty shoulder, not with force, but undeniable. "Telemakos."

[thesunbird]

It shocks him back into himself, his name, and for one split-second he almost says --Ras Meder-- but he catches himself and pulls Athena close and stares up at Mordred, breathing heavily.

[illgotten]

Mordred stares back, his pale face gone a little chalky. "You all right?" in a quiet tone, not really asking.

[thesunbird]

"Better now. I didn't mean to," breathlessly, but at the same time with a kind of control. He's getting hold of himself, and is embarrassed, very embarrassed with himself.

[illgotten]

"I figured that." He draws back a little, carefully. "I'm sorry."

[thesunbird]

"It's all right. Excuse me."