(no subject)
Title: Library, Part 2
Fandom: Merlin (pairing: Arthur/Merlin and Gwaine/Merlin)
Rating: PG
Summary: Merlin was only supposed to help show Arthur around the new school. He didn't sign up for detention and he most certainly did NOT sign up to fall in love.
Notes: Written for Lilybell's Fanfic Contest-A-Palooza on Tumblr. Inspired by the picture here
The weekend was not long enough for Merlin. Monday came too soon and even though his bruise faded away he still had the wrist brace. The only comfort was that Arthur had a scar, right above his eyebrow. They didn’t look at each other all day. The only reason Merlin knew that Arthur wouldn’t ditch him after lunch was because of Gwaine.
Will wasn’t sympathetic at all, only giving Merlin a pat on the back and stealing a brownie. Gwaine wasn’t really helpful either but he threatened to castrate Arthur if needed. Merlin appreciated the gesture but when lunch was over the head cook came out, grabbing both him and Arthur and dragging them to the kitchen. They were given one bucket filled with lukewarm soapy water and two mops.
Leaving the kitchen, armed and ready, they pushed the tables to the side, stacked the chairs up and started mopping. Merlin, having done his fair share of housework knew exactly what to do and it wasn’t that bad. He glanced at Arthur who was ferociously attacking the floor, slowly backing up to a corner.
“You might not want to do that,” Merlin said, a bit too gleefully.
“Shut up,” Arthur said, slamming the mop down hard, “I know how to mop a floor.”
“No, really-”
“I will mop your face Merlin shut up.”
Merlin laughed a bit and continued his own mopping. Sure enough, five minutes later, he heard a shout. Looking up Arthur had, naturally, mopped himself into a corner. He held his mop tight and looked around, as if a path of dry ground would appear to him.
“I told you,” Merlin grinned.
“How do I get out?” Arthur said, his voice tight with tension.
“You don’t.”
“Merlin!”
Merlin considered just leaving him there until the floor dried. Letting him stand there for twenty minutes while Merlin finished the floor and left. Oh it sounded good. Merlin sighed. He might be mean but he wasn’t that mean. Even if it was Arthur.
“Take off your shoes,” Merlin said, “And socks. Walk backwards to me and mop where you step.”
“No.”
“Alright you’re stuck there,” Merlin continued to mop.
“Wait!”
Merlin looked over again and saw Arthur groan. Arthur slid out of his shoes, pulled his socks off and toed his way across the wet floor, mopping his footsteps behind him. There was a really wet spot right behind Arthur and with him distracted by mopping Merlin did the only thing that came to mind.
He walked fast, but not too fast, and when Arthur’s foot slid on that wet spot Merlin was there, catching Arthur. They slid for a bit, Merlin’s heart pounding. Once they regained their footing Arthur turned to look at Merlin, still surrounded by his arms.
“You just… saved me.”
“Not really,” Merlin shrugged, “It was just a fall.”
“You didn’t have to catch me,” Arthur said, “If I were you I wouldn’t have caught me.”
“Good thing I’m not you then.”
“Really,” Arthur’s voice was so sincere that Merlin looked up into those blue eyes, “Thank you.”
Merlin felt a flush build on his cheeks. Embarrassed now, he let go of Arthur, picking up his mop, “Come on. Let’s finish.”
The two boys finished the mopping and put the bucket and mops back where they belonged. They collected their stuff from the kitchen and went to their next class. They didn’t say anything but the silence wasn’t awkward or oppressive. In fact, if it wasn’t for Merlin still blushing from catching Arthur, he might have said the silence was comfortable.
He might have imagined getting used to it some day.
~
Detention with Arthur wasn’t as bad as Merlin had thought it would be. He showed Arthur how to properly mop a floor without getting trapped. He told Arthur about how he lived with his mum in a tiny flat because they couldn’t afford anything else. How his father left him as a child. He talked about Will and how they met as friends and have been inseparable every since.
“What about Gwaine?”
“What about him?” Merlin’s eyes went down to his feet.
“How did you meet him?” Arthur leaned against his mop, eyes riveted on Merlin’s face.
“He kind of.. fell at my feet,” Merlin admitted.
“Was it love at first sight?” Arthur asked, “Did he sweep you off your feet?”
“No,” Merlin kicked at him, “It’s just that I liked him and he liked me and… we thought we’d give it a try, you know?”
“Do you love him?”
Merlin opened his mouth to speak and stopped.
“What about your family?” Merlin asked instead, “You haven’t told me anything about them.”
“Nothing to tell,” Arthur stood up straight and left for the kitchen.
Merlin watched as Arthur walked away, taking note of the tense shoulders.
“Arthur,” Merlin called out, “Arthur… I’m sorry.”
Arthur’s shoulders drooped a bit and he turned back to Merlin, “It’s okay.”
The next day Merlin leaned on his mop and watched Arthur do all the work. Arthur talked while he mopped. He talked about his late mother, his father and stepmom Catrina. Finally he talked about his half sister Morgana. The two of them were always at odds but they still loved each other. He talked about his few girlfriends, Sophia and Vivian, and his best friend Leon. He was so caught up in Arthur’s life that he didn’t realize the whole floor was mopped up until Arthur pulled him up to the kitchen.
~
“You still haven’t told me about Gwaine,” Arthur said as they mopped side by side, “What’s he like?”
“He’s your roommate.”
“He’s never around and I don’t think he likes me.”
“Well you did get into a fight with me,” Merlin laughed, “He may never like you.”
“Can’t have that,” Arthur said, “Can’t really hang out with you if Gwaine’s always there.”
“It can be just you and me,” Merlin suggested, “Saturday? Lunch?”
“Are you asking me on a date?” Arthur gently bumped their shoulders together.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Merlin bumped back, “I’ve got a boyfriend, remember?”
“So a friendly lunch.”
“Something like that.”
“I’m up for it.”
Arthur flashed him a crooked smile. Merlin grinned in return, his cheeks hot.
~
Gwaine cornered Merlin after school on Friday, taking him by the waist and pulling him close.
“Busy tomorrow?” Gwaine asked, “Got to celebrate your freedom after all.”
“I am busy tomorrow and I’ve got detention all next week too.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Gwaine stepped back.
“Arthur and I were going to get some lunch,” Merlin said.
Gwaine stepped back even more, his eyes open and wary.
“You and Arthur?” Gwaine was near speechless, “I thought you guys hated each other.”
“He’s not as bad as I thought,” Merlin shrugged, “He’s a pretty cool guy once you get to know him.”
“Alright so… lunch, just the two of you.”
“Are you jealous?” Merlin laughed, “It’s just lunch Gwaine, I’m not going to propose or anything.”
“Alright, go for it,” Gwaine shrugged, “Next Saturday you’re mine though.”
The two of them walked to Gwaine’s room and Arthur was sitting there, leafing through a textbook. He glanced up at them and made to leave.
“Hey, lunch tomorrow,” Arthur said, “Where at?”
“Anywhere?” Merlin shrugged, “I’ll meet you here around noon and we’ll go somewhere.”
“That sounds good to me,” Arthur gave Merlin that crooked smile and left the room.
Merlin felt his cheeks heat up and it wasn’t because of Gwaine’s face in his neck.
Part 3
Fandom: Merlin (pairing: Arthur/Merlin and Gwaine/Merlin)
Rating: PG
Summary: Merlin was only supposed to help show Arthur around the new school. He didn't sign up for detention and he most certainly did NOT sign up to fall in love.
Notes: Written for Lilybell's Fanfic Contest-A-Palooza on Tumblr. Inspired by the picture here
The weekend was not long enough for Merlin. Monday came too soon and even though his bruise faded away he still had the wrist brace. The only comfort was that Arthur had a scar, right above his eyebrow. They didn’t look at each other all day. The only reason Merlin knew that Arthur wouldn’t ditch him after lunch was because of Gwaine.
Will wasn’t sympathetic at all, only giving Merlin a pat on the back and stealing a brownie. Gwaine wasn’t really helpful either but he threatened to castrate Arthur if needed. Merlin appreciated the gesture but when lunch was over the head cook came out, grabbing both him and Arthur and dragging them to the kitchen. They were given one bucket filled with lukewarm soapy water and two mops.
Leaving the kitchen, armed and ready, they pushed the tables to the side, stacked the chairs up and started mopping. Merlin, having done his fair share of housework knew exactly what to do and it wasn’t that bad. He glanced at Arthur who was ferociously attacking the floor, slowly backing up to a corner.
“You might not want to do that,” Merlin said, a bit too gleefully.
“Shut up,” Arthur said, slamming the mop down hard, “I know how to mop a floor.”
“No, really-”
“I will mop your face Merlin shut up.”
Merlin laughed a bit and continued his own mopping. Sure enough, five minutes later, he heard a shout. Looking up Arthur had, naturally, mopped himself into a corner. He held his mop tight and looked around, as if a path of dry ground would appear to him.
“I told you,” Merlin grinned.
“How do I get out?” Arthur said, his voice tight with tension.
“You don’t.”
“Merlin!”
Merlin considered just leaving him there until the floor dried. Letting him stand there for twenty minutes while Merlin finished the floor and left. Oh it sounded good. Merlin sighed. He might be mean but he wasn’t that mean. Even if it was Arthur.
“Take off your shoes,” Merlin said, “And socks. Walk backwards to me and mop where you step.”
“No.”
“Alright you’re stuck there,” Merlin continued to mop.
“Wait!”
Merlin looked over again and saw Arthur groan. Arthur slid out of his shoes, pulled his socks off and toed his way across the wet floor, mopping his footsteps behind him. There was a really wet spot right behind Arthur and with him distracted by mopping Merlin did the only thing that came to mind.
He walked fast, but not too fast, and when Arthur’s foot slid on that wet spot Merlin was there, catching Arthur. They slid for a bit, Merlin’s heart pounding. Once they regained their footing Arthur turned to look at Merlin, still surrounded by his arms.
“You just… saved me.”
“Not really,” Merlin shrugged, “It was just a fall.”
“You didn’t have to catch me,” Arthur said, “If I were you I wouldn’t have caught me.”
“Good thing I’m not you then.”
“Really,” Arthur’s voice was so sincere that Merlin looked up into those blue eyes, “Thank you.”
Merlin felt a flush build on his cheeks. Embarrassed now, he let go of Arthur, picking up his mop, “Come on. Let’s finish.”
The two boys finished the mopping and put the bucket and mops back where they belonged. They collected their stuff from the kitchen and went to their next class. They didn’t say anything but the silence wasn’t awkward or oppressive. In fact, if it wasn’t for Merlin still blushing from catching Arthur, he might have said the silence was comfortable.
He might have imagined getting used to it some day.
~
Detention with Arthur wasn’t as bad as Merlin had thought it would be. He showed Arthur how to properly mop a floor without getting trapped. He told Arthur about how he lived with his mum in a tiny flat because they couldn’t afford anything else. How his father left him as a child. He talked about Will and how they met as friends and have been inseparable every since.
“What about Gwaine?”
“What about him?” Merlin’s eyes went down to his feet.
“How did you meet him?” Arthur leaned against his mop, eyes riveted on Merlin’s face.
“He kind of.. fell at my feet,” Merlin admitted.
“Was it love at first sight?” Arthur asked, “Did he sweep you off your feet?”
“No,” Merlin kicked at him, “It’s just that I liked him and he liked me and… we thought we’d give it a try, you know?”
“Do you love him?”
Merlin opened his mouth to speak and stopped.
“What about your family?” Merlin asked instead, “You haven’t told me anything about them.”
“Nothing to tell,” Arthur stood up straight and left for the kitchen.
Merlin watched as Arthur walked away, taking note of the tense shoulders.
“Arthur,” Merlin called out, “Arthur… I’m sorry.”
Arthur’s shoulders drooped a bit and he turned back to Merlin, “It’s okay.”
The next day Merlin leaned on his mop and watched Arthur do all the work. Arthur talked while he mopped. He talked about his late mother, his father and stepmom Catrina. Finally he talked about his half sister Morgana. The two of them were always at odds but they still loved each other. He talked about his few girlfriends, Sophia and Vivian, and his best friend Leon. He was so caught up in Arthur’s life that he didn’t realize the whole floor was mopped up until Arthur pulled him up to the kitchen.
~
“You still haven’t told me about Gwaine,” Arthur said as they mopped side by side, “What’s he like?”
“He’s your roommate.”
“He’s never around and I don’t think he likes me.”
“Well you did get into a fight with me,” Merlin laughed, “He may never like you.”
“Can’t have that,” Arthur said, “Can’t really hang out with you if Gwaine’s always there.”
“It can be just you and me,” Merlin suggested, “Saturday? Lunch?”
“Are you asking me on a date?” Arthur gently bumped their shoulders together.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Merlin bumped back, “I’ve got a boyfriend, remember?”
“So a friendly lunch.”
“Something like that.”
“I’m up for it.”
Arthur flashed him a crooked smile. Merlin grinned in return, his cheeks hot.
~
Gwaine cornered Merlin after school on Friday, taking him by the waist and pulling him close.
“Busy tomorrow?” Gwaine asked, “Got to celebrate your freedom after all.”
“I am busy tomorrow and I’ve got detention all next week too.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Gwaine stepped back.
“Arthur and I were going to get some lunch,” Merlin said.
Gwaine stepped back even more, his eyes open and wary.
“You and Arthur?” Gwaine was near speechless, “I thought you guys hated each other.”
“He’s not as bad as I thought,” Merlin shrugged, “He’s a pretty cool guy once you get to know him.”
“Alright so… lunch, just the two of you.”
“Are you jealous?” Merlin laughed, “It’s just lunch Gwaine, I’m not going to propose or anything.”
“Alright, go for it,” Gwaine shrugged, “Next Saturday you’re mine though.”
The two of them walked to Gwaine’s room and Arthur was sitting there, leafing through a textbook. He glanced up at them and made to leave.
“Hey, lunch tomorrow,” Arthur said, “Where at?”
“Anywhere?” Merlin shrugged, “I’ll meet you here around noon and we’ll go somewhere.”
“That sounds good to me,” Arthur gave Merlin that crooked smile and left the room.
Merlin felt his cheeks heat up and it wasn’t because of Gwaine’s face in his neck.
Part 3