blondecanary

Knocking on the door, Merlin glanced around the hallway. Maybe to make certain no pissed Princes were about to ambush him.

Surprised, Dinah scrambled off her bed, picking up Camille to keep her from escaping when she opened the door. "Merlin? Hi. C'mon in? 'S a little late..."

"Hullo, Dinah." Glancing in for a roommate, Merlin looked a bit sheepish. "I was wondering if I could stay the night. If it's not too much to ask of you and your roommate."

"Chad's with Teddy tonight, so yeah, s'fine." Dinah yawned a little, and waved him in, watching him as she closed the door. "What... why aren't you in your room?"

It's late. She's tired. Otherwise she'd realize she maybe doesn't wanna ask.

"Cal wanted Claire to stay over." Merlin looked distinctly uncomfortable about THAT.

"Oh. Oh." Dinah blinked, not needing that much info, now that she thought about it. "Umm, no worries then. Let me get you an extra pillow... They couldn't find somewhere else?" She paused. "No, don't answer that."

She handed over a second pillow, and pulled down Chad's comforter. "Make yourself comfy." A little weird, but she was used to sleeping in the room with Chad now, so. No big deal.

Merlin smiled, nodding thankfully. "Arthur's been in a foul enough mood as it is. I didn't want to ask to stay with him."

"Yeah, no reason to give the cranky crusader more ammo, hunh?" Dinah said with a smile. She rubbed her eyes. "Do you need me to set the alarm for you, I mean, do you have anything you have to get up for tomorrow?"

Like dressing people who fought Questing Beasts and couldn't get shirts over their heads right now?

"Other than dressing Arthur?" Merlin asked, sitting down on the floor.

Dinah slid down the edge of her bed to sit across from him, feet stretched out. She let go of Camille to roam and crawl over Merlin's feet. "So, do you have to be up at the crack of dawn to put His Royal Highness in his royal clothes, or does he sleep later on weekends?"

"Every day," Merlin replied, laying the blanket out and sort of slumping a bit. "It's not really a job with days off."

"There should be. Sundays. Boxing Days. National Holidays." Dinah frowned at him as Camille pawed the blanket. "What are you doing with that?"

"He doesn't have a day off being a prince, so I don't have a day off serving him," Merlin pointed out. "...getting ready for bed."

"I guess. Still though." Dinah frowned, too tired to be swift on the uptake. "Why would you do that when there's a perfectly good bed right there? Chad won't mind."

Chad didn't mind anything, really. And if he did, Dinah would be very sorry, and figure out a way to get him new sheets or a new bed or whatever.

"I'm fine where I am," Merlin said, waving her off. "It's certainly not the worst place I've slept."

Dinah scowled. "Alfred would tsk at me if I let you sleep on the floor by yourself. Nooo." She reached up and pulled her own pillow down. "You on the floor, me on the floor too. There."

"You have a perfectly good bed," Merlin pointed out, relaxing on the floor. "Don't be silly."

"You have a perfectly good bed," Dinah said, pointing at Chad's and flopping down on her pillow. "Don't be silly."

"My perfectly good bed is one story up."

Dinah giggled, and pulled her comforter down on top of her. Camille abandoned Merlin-stalking to pounce on her covers. "Should've brought it with you, then. I can loan you a toothbrush if you forgot yours."

Snorting, Merlin shook his head. "Goodnight, Dinah."

"Niiiiiiight."