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Merlin was curled up in the corner of the room resting his head on Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur was playing some sort of medieval combat game on his Nintendo DS, and Merlin was cheering him on. They were both attending Albion Summer Camp along with many of their friends from school.
Will was sitting on the beanbag next to theirs. “Gee I sure wish I had someone to cheer me on.” Arthur stuck his tongue out at Will and said, “Find someone else then Merlin’s taken!”
“I can cheer for both of you. Go Will!” Merlin says, but doesn’t take his eyes off of Arthur’s game.
“Just forget it Merlin. Don’t pay any attention to me. Your other best friend!” Will lets the subject drop; getting Merlin to play with him when Arthur was around was about as likely as Will having a girlfriend.
Just then Freya came over to him. “Hey Will! I’ll cheer for you. What are you playing?” He makes room for her to sit next to him.
“Medieval Combat.” Will liked Freya. She was funny and they always had a good time when they were together.
“I love that game. Can I have a turn after you?”
“Sure.”
Twenty minutes later Will had his butt handed to him when Freya surpasses him by many levels. “Wow. You’re quite amazing!” Will exclaims. Freya blushes. “Thanks Will! I feel like coloring now. Do you want to join me?”
“Not yet. I have to beat you first!” Will was not going to be bested by Freya. No way.
“Good luck with that!” Freya winks at him and leaves to join Gwen and Percival at the art corner of the room.
---
Merlin watches the whole encounter. He knew how Will liked Freya even if he didn’t want to admit it. Sometimes he caught him staring at her and noticed how his grins were a bit wider when she was around. Merlin knew the signs because that was how he was with Arthur.
“Arthur. I have something very important to tell you. Stop playing.” Merlin crowds into Arthur’s space blocking his screen. Arthur hears the unmistakable tune signaling the character’s death and gives a great sigh.”I was just about to beat that level!”
“No you weren’t you had a tiny bit of strength left and were trapped by eight Saxons. You would have died any ways clotpole.” Merlin pecks his lips and rolls his eyes at him. “Besides I have a mission for us.”
“Us?” Arthur puts down his game and turns to Merlin.
“Will likes Freya and it’s obvious that she likes him back so I say let’s make it happen.” Merlin whispers.
“Excuse me?” Arthur is confused. “Why do we have to be the ones to do that?”
“Shhhhh! Because they would never admit their feeling for one another. I just know that they are in love.”
“That’s all well and good, but where do I come in?” Arthur lowered his voice.
“You’ll talk to Will about Freya because he’d never believe me if I told him, he’d just think I was talking nonsense. If you talk to him there will be more of a chance that he’ll believe you, since you’re serious and all.” Merlin states matter of factly.
“Sounds simple enough. What are you going to do?”
“I’ll talk to Freya about Will. They’ll be together in no time. Will can finally stop sulking and glaring at us when we kiss. It’ll work out for us all, you’ll see.”
---
Arthur made his way over to Will. He couldn’t believe he was actually following Merlin’s plan. It wasn’t as far-fetched and crazy as a typical Merlin plan was, so he’d agreed. But what was he supposed to say about Freya that would convince Will to ask her to be his girlfriend? He had no experience with those kind of things. Merlin and him kind of just happened. One minute they were fighting the next they were kissing.
He had to admit that their first encounter wasn’t the best of memories. Arthur had snatched a toy away from a younger kid, (it was a foam knight’s sword Arthur had wanted for the longest time, he really couldn’t help himself) and the next thing he knew a small boy with dark hair and big ears tackled him and grabbed the toy back. He gave it back to the kid who smiled back at him.
Arthur was about to take it back when the small boy blocked him. Looking down at the kid, he’d immediately understood what it meant to feel like jelly. His insides had been squirming and his face got hot.
“Apologize to Will. You great big--” The tiny and mighty voice commanded. Then the boy faced him.
Whatever insult he had been about to give never made it past his lips and they kind of just stared at each other for a while. Arthur remembered hearing Will’s voice in the background saying, “Are you serious? He’s obviously not the prince you thought he was Merlin! He’s a royal prat is what he is!” and thinking that the boy in front of him was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen and also the bravest for standing up for his friend.
Arthur stepped closer to him. Merlin made no sign to move. “You thought I was a prince?”
“Maybe. You’re sort of handsome enough to be one.” He’d said, staring at the ground. “But I thought you’d be nicer.”
And just like that Arthur lifted up Merlin’s chin and kissed him on the mouth. That was it. No grand plans or third party interferences. They had been together ever since.
Arthur believed that if Will and Freya were meant to be they would have been able to get together on their own, but Merlin insisted that day might never come. So for the sake of love, and Merlin, he agreed to help, but he had no idea how to go about doing it.
He starts by clearing his throat. Will doesn’t seem to notice him, still intent on playing his game. Arthur tries again a little louder. “What is it Pendragon? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of my game?” Will doesn’t look at him.
“No I guess I missed that. Anyways we need to talk.” Arthur starts.
Will sighs and puts his game away. He glares at Arthur and crosses his arms. “If you’ve done anything to hurt Merlin I won’t help you get him to forgive you, you have to do that yourself.”
“No! Trust me if it was that you’d be the last person I’d go to for help! It’s about … well…Freya.” Arthur studies Will’s face as he says her name, noticing how he suddenly perks up.
“What about her?”
“I think she has a crush on you.” Arthur pauses waiting for Will’s reaction.
“Who told you that? Was it Merlin? I bet it was. He’s always trying to get me to ask her out. He sent you to tell me didn’t he? Well there’s no way I believe it. Nice try Arthur.” Will starts to walk away.
Arthur grabs Will’s Nintendo DS and moves it out of Will’s reach. “Fine! I promised Merlin I would get you to talk to her so you go and tell her you like her or this will be the last you ever see of your Nintendo!” Maybe this wasn’t the right way to get Will to talk to her, but Arthur had his methods, and Merlin wasn’t very specific. “You will talk to her and you will tell her how you feel!”
“You are such an… ass! And no way!” Will starts chasing Arthur around the room to get his game back.
“Language! Will go to the back of the room and sit in the time out chair for 10 minutes. You know not to use bad language in class.” Mrs. Du Lac stern voice abruptly stopped Arthur and Will from running.
“But Arthur stole my game he should be punished too!” Will exclaims shooting furious glances in Arthur’s direction. “Ass” he mumbles under his breath.
“Will do as you are told or you will be there for 20 minutes.” Mrs. Du Lac replies.
“This is so fuc—“ Will started to yell, but Arthur quickly clamped his hand over Will’s mouth. The idiot had a death wish thought Arthur. “Shut up, you’re just going to get more time and you won’t be able to talk to Freya.” Just then realization hit Arthur. This was Will’s way of avoiding to talk to her. It was pretty clever he had to admit, but no way was he getting out of it. He would make sure they spoke together.
“Arthur you have 10 minutes as well for running around the class.” Mrs. Du Lac says. Arthur groans and Will grins.
---
Merlin made his way over to Freya. She was drawing pictures of mermaids and fish, using tons of crayons. She was talking to Gwen about something.
Merlin wanted nothing more than to make Will and Freya a couple. He had seen how the two of them always talked and laughed with the other and it was obvious to see how much they liked each other. Will was reluctant to admit it, but Merlin knew Will better than he knew himself. And he liked Freya a lot, he was afraid of being rejected by her so he pretended he didn’t like her.
Freya was a bit harder to read, but Merlin believed that the attraction was mutual. For one thing she never turned down hanging out with Will and she talked about him with such a look in her eyes that Merlin knew she felt the same.
Merlin also noticed a couple things about them. The way they would stare at each other across the room and then quickly avert their eyes if they met. Merlin watched for these tiny details because he knew that despite Will’s whining about how much Merlin and Arthur kissed, hugged; generally how they acted together; he noticed a bit of sadness in his eyes that he masked with annoyance; but Merlin was no fool. Will was feeling a bit lonely and no matter how much he tried to hide it, the look always came back.
He understood that what he and Arthur had was unusual compared to his friends and even grown up married couples. They were “two sides of a coin” as his mother called them, bound to each other and impossible to exist apart. No matter how much time he spent with Arthur it was never enough. Soul Mates. Merlin loved that word. He had heard it referred to by some couple on one of Morgana’s shows. He thought the word was perfect for them because though they were young it didn’t matter, their souls had found each other and there was no turning back.
So maybe Merlin was a bit naive in thinking that it would be easy to get Will and Freya together. But Merlin was determined to bring them happiness, and once his mind was made up it was nearly impossible to be changed.
He sat down in the chair next to Freya’s. “Wow. Freya I really like your picture. It’s beautiful.”
Freya turned to him and smiled. “Thank you Merlin. I love drawing sea creatures. There is something super cool about them isn’t there?”
“I couldn’t agree more. They are the best. Do you fancy Will?” Merlin eagerly awaits her reply and stares at her unblinking.
“What do you mean?” Freya looks at him as if he’s out of his mind.
“Fancy. As in do you like him more than a friend?”
“Well…yes… I mean no… I mean a bit more than a friend. But it doesn’t matter he doesn’t like me that way.” Freya looks down at her drawing.
Nearby Gwen laughs out loud. “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Of course he does!”
Percival nods his head in agreement. “He does talk about you a lot and you talk about him a lot too.”
“Talk to him. I have a feeling he has something to tell you too.” Merlin says.
“I don’t know guys, what if I tell him I like him and he runs away or worse what if he laughs at me?”
“Then I’ll personally kick him you-know-where.” Says Merlin. “He won’t though he’s madly in love with you.”
Freya blushes.
They walk back towards the bean bags, but Will and Arthur aren’t there anymore.
“Where did they go?” Merlin searches the room for them and then his gaze zeroes in on the back of two heads. One blond and the other brunette way across the room in none other than the time out chairs, facing the wall.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Merlin rolls his eyes and turns to Freya.
“What did he do this time?” Freya wonders.
“I’m pretty sure whatever it was they were both equally responsible.” Gwen reasons.
“So I guess we’ll have to wait.” Merlin says.
---
At long last the timer for the end of timeout rang. And it was all Merlin could do not to drag Freya and Will together and make them confess their feelings.
“I’m not sure going to time out was part of our plan.” Merlin whispers into Arthur’s ear.
“Well I didn’t do it on purpose. Let’s just make them get together already.” Arthur answers. “Will, didn’t you have something to tell Freya?” asks Arthur quite loudly.
So loud, that the whole room turns to look at him. “Will has something to say to Freya, class.” Well everyone was listening now, so they couldn’t hide any longer.
“Freya…”
Merlin squeezes Arthur’s hand. “This is it. They are going to do it.”
“About time.” Arthur puts his hand around Merlin’s shoulders.
“Freya…”
“Just ask her out already!” The majority of the class shouts.
Merlin turns to Arthur in shock. “Everyone knows!”
“Will everyone leave me alone!” Will yells. He turns away from Freya with his face turning just shy of scarlet.
“I LIKE YOU! Okay? I like you, I like you, I like you! Is that good enough for everyone?” Will shouts, but then he turns to look at Freya and seeing the look of alarm on her face Will immediately feels his stomach drop, she didn’t feel the same way?
Freya stays silent for a couple seconds before she finally breaks her silence by saying, ”I like you too.”
At which point Merlin and Arthur both leap with joy, jumping up and down and hugging each other in celebration. “We did it!” Merlin exclaims. “Yes we did!” Arthur beams.
“What do you mean you guys did it?” Freya eyes them skeptically.
“Uhhh… nothing. Just ignore us.” Merlin quickly pulls Arthur away before any more questions can be asked.
“Okay so now that we’ve sorted out Freya and Will I think we should try to bring Gwen and Lance together now.” Merlin reasons.
“Very funny. There is no way I’m doing that again. Besides look.” Arthur points across to Gwen who is currently holding hands with Lance.
“Wow. I guess love is contagious?” Merlin is about to rejoin their friends when Arthur holds him back.
“I am sure getting an urgent need to kiss my true love right about now.” Arthur says and Merlin happily obliges.