Fic idea idk how to explain
Barty and Evan, no matter what universe they're in, what time they're in, their souls are tied together.
It's early 1200 BC Barty (then called Achilles) sets off to Troy with his close companion Patroclus (Evan). Barty wants glory, to have his name be known for the ages. He wants to be like the greats- Hercules, Jason, Theseus, he wants to be a hero.
Evan follows, because that's all he has known- Barty. Just Achilles. That's all he's known his whole life. He goes where Achilles does. That's the way they work. He just wants his lover. He doesn't care much for the glory aspect.
It's the 5th century AD, Evan (then known as the king Arthur) has a kingdom to lead. He has to be a great ruler, to do his best, to do his duty. Granted, he's a bit of a prat, but can you blame him? He grew up knowing he would inherit his father's kingdom.
His father, who banned the use of magic forever in their kingdom. Evan doesn't really care for magic but he's grown up fearing it because of his father's words.
Evan is used to be attended to, by servants and maids, what he's not used to is being insulted time and time again by his new servant, a scrawny man his age, with a mop of dark hair and a permanent scowl. His name is Merlin and though Arthur doesn't know that, he's known Merlin's soul in a previous lifetime.
Merlin, or Barty, take your pick, takes pride in trying to bring Arthur down a notch or two. He had grown up with no one but his mother looking after him. And here's Evan with the whole kingdom at his feet.
They end up alone more often than not. The more time they spend together, the less Merlin hates him. The more he starts to care and the more he starts to save his life with his magic.
Arthur's reading him poetry when they kiss for the first time. Slow and unsure at first. Full of fear. Evan runs away, only to kiss Barty harder the next time they meet.
One thing leads to another.
They're happy. Until Arthur dies. There's nothing Merlin can do, and believe him, he tries.
It's the 15th Century when their souls meet again. Barty's a sculptor, he carves marble like it's clay, he pours his heart into his art. He doesn't care much for the women of the city.
He grows up hearing about gods- Zeus, the king of gods, the one who controls the skies, Poseidon, the god of the sea and earthquakes, stormbringer, Hades, the god of the underworld, his domain is death itself. He sees paintings about them, the greatest artists of his age starting the renaissance. He doesn't know he'll be a part of history.
Barty hears about heroes as well, mighty Heracles, Theseus and the Minotaur, Jason and the Argonauts. He hears and reads about the Trojan war, about Achilles and Patroclus- a great warrior duo. But above all... lovers.
Inspiration strikes, Barty carves night and day. He doesn't have a model, he carves from memory. His memory now? Or his memory of a past life?
Patroclus, slowly but steadily comes to life under his tools. First his figure, then limbs, then face. Barty feels like he should know him.
He presses a kiss to the marble statue's cold cheek.
The next morning, he's alive. A bit confused, but surely enough, alive. Barty had prayed to the gods and some must have heard.
The thing about the statue is... it wasn't perfect. There were parts Barty glossed over, parts he procrastinated, parts he forgot. So the person who pops out oft he Patroclus statue isn't perfect either.
Except he is... at least for Barty.
And so it goes, again and again and again.
They're writers in one lifetime, forced to hide their love for fear of society. They write about one another. Only a hundred years from then would people discover it.
They're soldiers in one. Both in a war they try to hopelessly outrun. They drink with one another and fight and fuck and kiss and it's messy, everything is messy.
They're wizards in one. They attend a school of witchcraft. War is brewing there too. A blood purist, a supremist. Evan's parents are supporters. He wants to get out desperately. He doesn't have much of a choice. They've seen how this war tears and takes and kills.
Barty's father is no supporter of the Dark Lord, quite the opposite, actually. Barty joins anyway. Not because he thinks he's better than ones without magic parents, not because he agrees with what the Dark Lord says. But because Evan is there. And Evan needs him.
They've already lost Regulus. They only have each other.
Evan's an actor in one lifetime. Pretty face, sharp, striking features. He's quick thinking, charming, teasing and far too good looking for his own good.
Barty's a singer. Men, women, everyone practically throws themselves at him. His voice is like a siren's... pulling and pulling and pulling. He bares his teeth in every smile.
They meet at an award show of all places. They've both vaguely heard of one another.
Don't ask why their ties were switched, their hair disshelved, their suits rumpled when they walk out of the bathroom one after the other.
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