His friends aren't in the equation when it comes to Dee-Kay. He knew what they were going to say, especially Jiminy Cricket who sees his friendship with her as something toxic. Malice. He'll tell Adam, but when she's all better. She will be better, right? It's just leukemia.

Jiminy is starting to get to his head with all the talk about death. He's too smart for his own good, and Merlin doesn't appreciate his constant pessimism when it comes to Dee-Kay. It really baffles him how everyone seems to think she's dying when all Merlin sees is a girl. A normal girl with a little less hair. Well, sure, he kind of gave her false hope about curing her leukemia- but it seems to lift her spirit so why not?

Why not?

Merlin knocks, a bouquet of poppies occupying his other hand. Hopefully she won't notice the stench of cigarettes from him stress-smoking in the hospital basement. Wishful thinking helps- but his head comes down to a blunder when big, doe-eyes peeked through the opening door.

"Merlin!" She exclaimed happily- and loudly- that the nurses walking past gave them both a second glance. Only when the door is fully opened could he see the loneliness of her room; beige walls, one bed, one nightstand, one closed window. One girl. He noticed the lack of gifts and flowers. And parents. The boy tried not to think about it too much as he allowed himself in, placing the flowers on her nightstand next to some books and snack wrappers.

"It's messy- I don't really expect visitors." Dee smiled through her loneliness.

He shrugs, hand running through his messy mop of hair. "It's totally cool. Looking forward to keep you company." His green eyes traveled elsewhere, aimlessly scanning the room just to avoid those beautiful brown eyes. They're so hopeful; constantly reminding him to feel guilty for promising her something so impossible.

"Are you going to show me some magic tricks?" She asks, the sweet and sickly sound her mouth made felt like a pang in Merlin's gut.

"Uh-" The boy gulped, now casually walking around the room. "You know, I think my magic isn't all that great. Like, I'm actually really fucking bad at it. Clumsy hands, not good at distracting- let's do something else."

Her brows knit, and Dee-Kay sat down on her bed. Or more like slumped down. "Are you sure? I've been feeling so much better since we met. I almost felt like I'm cured, so you must've done something. You're a really good magician, in my opinion. A real wizard." Her pale lips knitted to a smile.

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. She's seriously expecting him to cure leukemia, just like how Tsar Nicholas expected Rasputin to cure hemophilia. Merlin could actually feel the cyanide, stabs, gunshot and freezing water engulfing his being right that second- he shrugged it off and replaced it with a smug smile. "Yeah, what can I say?" His voice sounded nervous despite the overwhelming dose of synthetic confidence.

The lights began to flicker, but Doe-eyes here doesn't seem to mind. She doesn't seem to care about anything; the lack of warmth in her room, the obvious smell of cigarettes, the fact that everyone is just waiting for her to die. Heck, judging from the fact that there are no gifts or guests, Merlin could guess that she's no more than a corpse to most people. Not Merlin though, as he continue to gag at how lively she is compared to him.

"So how come your room is uh.. empty?" Merlin gulped, trying to give the question an airy feel. It might be personal, who knows?

Dee-Kay shifted uncomfortably in her spot, eyeing the tube inserted into her skin before she lets out a giggle. "I don't wanna talk about it." Merlin shrugged, guilt very gently pricking his heart before the girl continued to speak. "What about you? Must be nice to be able to run around without dragging some metal pole. I don't even like going outside anymore- everyone has nicer things. I used to, too- I had really nice blonde hair. But chemo kills everything that grows too quick."

Ouch. That's it. "Sure, whatever. Dee-Kay, the second you're out of this hospital we're-" He gulped, shrugging. "We're going out. Like, out out. To the movies or something- whatever gay-ass tumblr couples do, we do. I'll buy you overpriced popcorn while we complain about overrated movies we both secretly like and then we'll chill on my sofa while reading-" He stopped to pick up a book from the stack on her nightstand, "The Secret Garden. What the fuck, but totally." He panted, sitting himself down on the bed. "Sounds good?"

Dee only gave him a witty snicker. "I don't even like Secret Garden that much." The girl stretched out to get another book; a black and blue paperback with a sturdier but more worn out feel compared to the mint condition of The Secret Garden. "I like Poe."

Merlin found his cheeks stretched; he cant help but smile. Who knew a girl so sweet could have a surprisingly morbid liking? Well, he sure likes surprises when they're like this. Though no bigger surprise should compare to Merlin, since he's full of it. The life he lived before he met Adam is an exact opposite to this one; lavish, abundant, wealthy. And without getting into detail, it's a necessary for Merlin to recite famous quotes by history's finest authors in his father's parties, even if just to impress his friends. Not that he ever liked to; part of why he ran away. Nonetheless, who knew that countless hours of nerd-literature lessons would ever help him get a girl. "Really? Which one?" He smiled. So close to tipping a fedora.

"Kind of all. Morella is really nice, but I also like some of his poems." The girl answered, fluttering the pages before she puts the book away.

Another coy smile, courtesy of Merlin. "And thus, joy suddenly faded into horror, as the most beautiful became the most hideous,"

"As Hinnom became Gehenna." Dee continued, her smile stretched out eagerly. "That's one of my favorite parts."

Merlin smiled. "Dude, we're like old people. Like the gross ones who act hip and pretend to like vaporwave." He spoke, though secretly proud of himself for remembering. This must be how Jiminy felt every time he opens that smart mouth; it's just that Merlin needs to actually exert effort to remember, unlike Jimmy.

The clock shows 10:00 P.M, and visiting time is supposed to be over. No nurse had checked on the incredibly sick girl, however, giving Merlin more time to spend with Dee-Kay.

"Do you memorize anything else?" She asks with great interest.

"Oh, you know-" Merlin spoke, his gesture as confident and coy as ever. "Just everything. But I know a few that you'll bust a nut over. Okay, so prepare to bust the fattest nut ever." He smirked, clearing his throat before standing up on her bed; shoes on the laundered white sheets.
"For Annie,"

"Thank Heaven, the crisis-

The danger is past,

And the lingering illness,

Is over at last-

And the fever called living is conquered at last."

His posture was stick-straight, with his eyes closed to show an expression of ingenuity and serenity. Dee-Kay bit her lips, eyes welling. She knew the poem too well, relates to it too well. Her fingers scratched aimlessly at each other without her realizing, and amidst the medley Merlin provided, she cuts in.

"And I rest so composedly,

Now, in my bed

That any beholder

Might fancy me dead.

Might start at beholding me,

Thinking me dead."

------x

AHAAHAHAHAHHAHA THESE TWO TRASH ARE POE FANTRASH WHAT A PLOT TWIST. No but seriously- I love Poe and /NEED/ someone in my story to be the same way. :"""<

It's dedicated to CaptainNautilus because I have -3 ideas about romance and had to read her stories to get an idea soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-. This is probably the wrong kind of romance anyway ahahahahahahahahhahashit.

But real talk, the next few chapters are gonna be focused on the chemistry between Merlin and DK, so if you came for Adam/Grace badboy-goodgirl shit like I'm so sorry these two are cute and I cant. Like this cant even be considered romance because they're children like do they even know what love is idek.

ANYWAY- Normal is gonna get updates too, but like super slow because the timeline and theories I put there are like fucked. The timeline is confusing even to me, and there's no aspect of time travel or anything, but it's confusing because two opposing things are happening at the same time without the other party knowing-sooooooooo ya. And idk, I feel more for Audrey that Phoebe's character needs to be angst on steroids and idk how.

So, rant over. Also should probably change the title to 'Sad Kids : acting badass but low key just angst-driven'. Jk lmao wot.

Kthxbai please don't lose interest I sweaaaarrrr its gonna get interesting. Ish. But don't make your expectations too high because I'm just a sad egg.