Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There is something so ethereal about camping. Crackling fires, the smell of wet grass, the cold air against your face as you lie on your back and gaze up at the stars. Merlin has been camping with his father since he was a little boy. 

It has only been a couple of years since Balinor died. After his death, the camping stopped - it hurt too much to go to the same spots without his father, even if he missed the experience dearly, almost as much as he missed Balinor himself. It was only when Hunith, his mother, told him they were packing up and leaving Ealdor and all the memories behind that he regretted not taking more opportunities to get back out into the open for an experience that he and his father both used to love. Merlin said goodbye to the few friends he had in Ealdor and just like that they were moving to the much busier, much more crowded city of Camelot, where Merlin could see no trees... No river... No flowers... Nowhere to be one with nature and attempt to be close to his father again for the first time since he died.

Camelot, he has noticed since arriving, is a lot more urban and populated than Ealdor. The people are a lot ruder and the rules are a lot tighter. The only upside to this entire move is that his mother promised he'd finally be able to go to a better school. Merlin's great uncle Gaius, who they will be staying with until they can find their feet in this new place, works at Camelot High School as a medic and managed to pull a few strings in order to allow Merlin to enroll immediately. A part of him cannot wait to start, cannot wait to get to know the new friends inevitably waiting for him. Summer has been a very long, very exhaustive period this year, what with the move, his mother trying to find a new job, and Merlin having no friends whatsoever in this new place. Soon that will change.

It has to. 

As a treat, on the last day of summer before the start of school, Hunith agrees to let Merlin explore the city. He begged her to let him go, desperate to escape great uncle Gaius who keeps trying to teach him how to dissect copious amounts of animals if he should ever need to. He spends the entire afternoon seeking out any woodland space with the potential to be a future camping spot. That would be an amazing way to make friends. What teen doesn't love the outdoors?

When he finally finds the perfect spot - a spot so perfect he is fully tempted to just sleep here tonight instead of returning home, tent or not - of course someone else has already pitched a tent there. He tries to back away, but it’s too late: they’ve seen him.

”Oh, hello,” a boy around his age says.

The boy is tall, his blonde hair matted to his forehead. He is crouched down next to his tent, hammering one of the pegs into the ground. The muscles in his arms flex and he turns to smile up at Merlin, who suppresses a blush.

”Uh, hi,” he replies. “I’m sorry to interrupt, I was just exploring.”

Blondie stands and shrugs. “That’s okay.” He grins at Merlin and swipes an arm towards his tent. “What do you think?”

Merlin’s eyes scan over the tent. ”Nicely done, for being on your own,” he says. It’s true - the tent is standing in a way that Merlin would never have been able to get any of his own tents to stand in. For as much as he loves camping and nature, let it be known to all those that care that Merlin Emerys cannot pitch a tent to save his life.

“Thanks. Took me a while though.” The boy raises an eyebrow at him. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

“I’m new,” Merlin says. “Just moved.”

”Where from?” blondie asks, reaching for his bottle and taking a deep gulp of water.

As nice as he seems, Hunith and Balinor were nothing when Merlin was younger if not absolutely consistent in their efforts to teach him about stranger danger. Even if this boy could possibly be the only friend he’ll make before the summer is out, it’s too sketchy to initiate a friendship with a stranger in the woods where no one can hear you scream. Even Merlin isn’t that stupid.

Merlin sighs. “I have to go. Sorry again for interrupting.”

Merlin begins walking deeper into the trees only to hear the boy laugh, stopping him. “Wouldn’t go that way if I were you.”

”Why not?” Merlin asks, irritation creeping into his voice.

”Skinny thing like you? The bears will tear you apart in seconds,” the blonde boy smirks.

”There aren’t any bears in Camelot,” Merlin says firmly. But it only takes moments for the doubt to set in and for him to add, “... are there?”

The boy’s smile reaches his twinkling, kind and soft blue eyes. “I don’t know. But I wouldn’t go any further, in case you find out the hard way.” He raises a suggestive eyebrow and Merlin bites his lip.

Back in Ealdor, there were no attractive boys. There were plenty of girls, but all of the boys around Merlin’s age were either tragically straight, tragically like brothers to him, or tragically idiotic. Now, 18 and in Camelot, he has the chance to stretch his wings a bit more in the fields of attraction and relationships. He told himself time and time again during his last few days in Ealdor that Camelot would bring many new opportunities for himself and his mother, and if moving would give him a possible chance to meet cute boys like this one, then he should embrace the change.

”I’d hate to be torn apart by a bear before I can even start my new school,” Merlin laughs.

“Ah yes, you said you were new. Will you be going to Camelot High or somewhere else around here? Or will you be going to one of those posher places uptown?”

Merlin crosses his arms over his chest and raises a single, inquisitive eyebrow. “Do I look like someone that’d go somewhere posh to you?”

The boy takes in his appearance. Merlin is wearing an old pair of crummy shoes and a ratty blue t-shirt that used to belong to his dad. There are holes in his trousers and his red neckerchief is frayed.

The boy at least has the decency to shrug. “Well I don’t know what your life is like, do I?”

I could tell you, Merlin almost blurts, trying really hard to stop himself from blushing again. I could tell you everything. 

Another thing that often drove any boys away from him back in Ealdor: Merlin has a tendency to attach himself to anyone who shows kindness. His therapist told him that it was something to do with the lack of support he’s had since his father died and his mother had to start working more hours. That the lack of support manifested itself into a need for companionship and warmth. Merlin had laughed in her face.

Now he’s starting to see what she meant.

He shivers involuntarily as a soft breeze blows around them. “I better be getting home,” Merlin says.

“Be careful,” the boy replies.

”Of what?” Merlin asks. 

”You know,” the boy says, and leans in to whisper conspiratorially to Merlin. “The bears.”

Despite himself, Merlin laughs. “Noted.” He waves at the boy. “Bye.”

”See you around.”

It is only when Merlin returns home, bag fully packed for school the next day, that he realises he forgot to ask for the boy’s name.

Chapter Text

It took a solid half an hour for Merlin to convince his mother to let him take the bus to school.

At first, the answer was no. “Not when your uncle Gaius has a perfectly good car to take you in and you’re both heading to the same place.”

”Mum, I love you, I love uncle Gaius, but if I arrive on my first day in the car of a staff member, I will literally die.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Merlin,” his mother responded, although she started to look quite worried. Even she remembers the horrors of high school.

”Please please please please - “

”If I let you take the bus,” Hunith sighed, “You promise you’ll let uncle Gaius bring you home in the car?”

”Yes, whatever, just please don’t let my first appearance in that school be in the school medic’s car,” Merlin begged. He turned to Gaius, who had been listening. “No offence, uncle Gaius. I’d 100% ride to school with you if kids weren’t arseholes.”

”Merlin!” His mother shouted.

Gaius, however, let out a hearty laugh. “He’s right, Hunith. Some of the kids in this school are - “ 

He opened his mouth to likely swear but at Merlin’s scared look and Hunith’s sharp one, he shut it.

”I’m sure you have nothing to worry about,” Hunith said, kissing Merlin’s cheek. “Have a good day. Try and make friends.”

”I’ll try,” he said. “Not sure if it’ll be easy though.”

Hunith scoffed and ruffled his hair. “Rubbish! You’re a complete catch and an absolute sweetheart.”

”You have to say that though,” Merlin groaned.

”I don’t think so. No one tells me what I can and can’t do, what I have to do and what I don’t have to do, not even my son. If I tell you you’re a catch, you best well believe it, young man.”

Merlin grinned. “Thanks.”

”You got everything?”

He gestured to his backpack and his ten thousand files and books. Truth be told, Merlin has always been a bit of a nerd, but he wears that with a stamp of honour.

Hunith beamed. “Very good. Now you better go, you don’t want to be late.”

Merlin nodded, waved goodbye, and headed outside for the bus, trying to push down the feeling of dread already threatening to overtake him.

~~~
By the time Merlin gets off the bus and steps foot on the school premises, he already has a fully fledged list of absolute imperative things that he has learned that he must remember.

Rule number one: Never ever ever sit at either the front or back of the bus if you can help it. The back is for the popular kids, where you clearly don’t belong, and the front is for losers, which you do belong to but you don’t want everyone to know that. The middle is the safe option - make a beeline for it immediately upon getting on the bus.

Unaware of this before now, Merlin ended up near the very front of the bus with a bunch of wide-eyed kids who he suspects were high on something, although he’d never say so out loud, and a few kids who appeared to be talking to themselves while downing litre flasks of coffee.

Rule number two: Accept that you will, at least once, get a spitball stuck in your hair. If you can accept this, you can move on swiftly and life will be easier for you.

Alongside this, he also learnt that spitballs are, without a doubt, the hardest thing in this universe to dislodge from any given surface.

Rule number three: Don’t stare longingly at attractive boys - it is likely they won’t appreciate it, and on the off chance they do, what will you do then? You have the romantic skills of a goldfish.

This rule, at least, he already knew, but he enforces it in his mind anyway. It might be the most important one of all.

Camelot High is a huge school with great big double white gates. The building itself stretches several stories high. There is a fountain in the courtyard and picnic benches everywhere, and in the distance Merlin spots some bleachers overlooking a huge green Track field, the one place he'll be avoiding in every way he can - even back at Ealdor, he sucked at sports. Students mill around everywhere, chatting and laughing. Merlin takes in the way they walk and their clothes: the boys wear letterman jackets or leather jackets, their hair slicked back with grease or just left loose, their trousers either pulled too high or hanging too low on their waists. The braver, more outgoing females sport crop tops or leathers jackets of their own, their hair styled outrageously in bobs or perms, while the more timid girls wear cute white blouses and long skirts that sway against the floor.

Merlin looks down at his own clothes. A ratty white secondhand button-down shirt topped off with a black cardigan and high-waist trousers with black unpolished and scuffed slip-on shoes to complete the look. His mother told him he looked smart and handsome, but now he knows the truth: this entire look screams bully me, I'm poor. It'll be a wonder if he even survives his first day.

Merlin weaves in and out of the crowds of students, quickly making a beeline for reception. Gaius told him to head there first to get his timetable and so he could be directed where to go. He approaches the desk and coughs lightly at the woman behind it. The woman looks up and smiles. "Can I help you, dear?"

"I hope so. This is, uh, my first day," Merlin replies. 

"Welcome to Camelot!" the woman says enthusiastically. She ruffles around for a moment and then produces some papers. "You'll have to fill out these forms."

"Oh, okay," Merlin says. This, at least, he can do - assessing fine print, filling out forms, signing his name. "Do you have a pencil, please?"

"Yes, dear, here you go," the receptionist says, handing one to him.

"Wow, thanks, everyone is already so nice here," Merlin says brightly. He bends over the desk to fill in the form and completely misses the worried look the receptionist shoots him.

Beside him, he hears a small voice say, "You must be the new boy!" Merlin twists his head and sees a girl standing beside him, smiling softly. Her dark brown hair lies in curls against her shoulders and the pink jacket she is wearing compliments her light brown warm skin tone beautifully. Suddenly, her smile drops and she blushes. "Not that I was eavesdropping! I - um - I just happened to overhear."

Merlin fills out the rest of the forms and the receptionist pushes a timetable towards him in return. He turns away and grins, sticking out a hand at the girl. "I'm Merlin. Nice to meet you."

The girl looks at his hand like it's some kind of wild animal before accepting it cautiously. "Guinevere. But everyone calls me Gwen."

Merlin nods. "People tend to just call me idiot, but Merlin is great too."

Gwen laughs. "Well aren't you just a breath of fresh air."

"That's what people tell me," Merlin shrugs. He begins walking out of the reception area and Gwen follows. "So..." he starts awkwardly. "This is Camelot."

"Yep!" Gwen says. "You'll love it, trust me."

"I hope that's true, I'm so nervous."

Gwen moves closer and looks over his shoulder at his timetable. "Oh hey! Looks like we're in the same class."

The rest of Merlin's worries trickle away. Not only has he made a friend before lessons have even started, but she's also in his class! That means he won't have to brave navigating via a map. "You have no idea how happy that makes me," Merlin says, laughing with relief.

Gwen, however, blushes deeply. "Oh, I uh, that's flattering, Merlin, but we've only just met and I'm more into those kind of 'big, strong, save the world' type men, and you seem ..."

Merlin realises the confusion immediately. He finishes for her, "I seem... What? Not like that? The truth is I'm actually in disguise."

Gwen laughs, but she still looks awkward. "Well, yeah, you..."

"I'm gay, Gwen."

There. Ripping off the plaster, quick and swift. Coming out all over again had been one of the main worries Merlin had about starting a new school. He had no idea whether people here would be as accepting as they were back in Ealdor and had even resolved to keep quiet about it for a while until he could assess the situation and see whether it would be safe for him to come out in this new environment. But something about Gwen's kind nature and soft smile puts him instantly at ease. 

"Oh!" Gwen says, sounding slightly surprised, but Merlin also notices the relief that flickers across her face. "I see, that's wonderful."

"You're complimenting me on my sexual orientation?" Merlin chuckles. 

She looks at her shoes but Merlin playfully nudges her and she shrugs sheepishly. "I'm a complete disaster, just ignore me," Gwen whispers.

Merlin tuts and pats her on the arm. "I'm sure that's not true. You seem absolutely like the kind of person who is just a normal-level-amount of disaster," he assures her. "I'm the disaster here, to be honest, so I'd appreciate it if you helped me find my way to class."

Gwen beams. Already Merlin tell they are going to be good friends. "Come on, this way."

~~~

Everyone knows that Arthur Pendragon owns Camelot High, but it never hurts for him to remind students of that whenever the new year starts. Arthur and his friends, The Knights of Camelot, are feared enough and left alone, partly because Arthur's father, Uther, is the principal. While that may be true, Arthur likes to think it is because of his dazzling good looks and just the fact that he is, in most cases and most ways, better than most of the people in this school. There is no need for Arthur to cut through the crowd to find his friends - the crowd parts for him. He shrugs his leather jacket further onto his shoulders and smooths back his greased blonde hair, catching sight of Gwaine and the others standing around in a corner near the bleachers.

Arthur cups his hands around his mouth and yells, "Hey, losers!"

Immediately, Gwaine turns and gives him a two-fingered salute, while the rest of the Knights - perky Lancelot, serious Leon, quiet Mordred, overexcited Elyan and soft Percival wave at him. Arthur rolls his eyes, ignoring them, and instead offers Gwaine a fist bump.

"Arthur, my man," he says. He pops the collar of his leather jacket and speaks around his chewing gum. "Where you been all summer?"

"Just camping and stuff, you know how it is," Arthur replies smoothly, taking a cigarette out of Gwaine's pack and lighting up. He leans against the wall and blows smoke from his mouth. "The old man said I had to start getting outdoors more."

"He still hoping you'll have a magical turn around and become a jock this year?" Leon asks.

"You know it," Arthur replies. "He thinks he can control my life? Screw him. He acts like royalty sometimes."

Gwaine smirks. "We'll prepare a letterman jacket immediately for you, my liege," he says sarcastically, sweeping forward into a bow.

Arthur elbows him in the ribs. "Well what about you, smartass? Where have you been all summer?"

"Working," Gwaine scowls, taking a drag from his cigarette and running a hand through his oily long dark hair self-consciously. "Saving up to buy me some wheels.”

Mordred grins. “Hoping to pick up some girls that way?”

“I’ll pick up more girls than you ever will in a single lifetime even without a car, you little shit,” Gwaine says, but he is laughing. “As a matter of fact, I already met someone this summer.”

Percival rolls his eyes. “I bet you’re just saying that.”

”Guess you’ll never know because I’m not gonna share the details,” Gwaine retorts. 

“Hey, what about you, Arthur?” Elyan chimes in. “Did you meet anyone this summer?”

Arthur thinks of the raven-haired boy with the electric blue eyes and the frayed red neckerchief that he met yesterday in the woods. He should have asked for his name. He hates that he didn’t ask for his name.

”I did,” he replies haughtily, averting his eyes and putting out his cigarette.

The Knights wolf whistle and laugh, poking at him and elbowing him, begging him for details, asking how it happened.

”What’s her name, Arthur?” Gwaine asks.

Her. Always assuming it’s a her.

”Well I don’t know that, do I,” he scowls, trying not to let it bother him.

Elyan smiles. “So you just hooked up? It wasn’t a serious thing if you don’t know her name?”

“Is that all you lot think about?” Arthur asks.

The other Knights shrug and Arthur swears at them. Thankfully, they let the matter drop and turn around to holler at some groups of girls walking into school - the Sorcerers, the biggest geeks of Camelot High: Morgana, Morgause and Freya.

"Ladies!" Gwaine hollers.

Morgana, beautiful as ever with her long black hair loose and her face bright with makeup, sneers at him. “Oh, look who it is, girls - didn’t think they’d let trash like you back this year, Gwaine.”

He grins and sidles up to her, draping an arm around her shoulders. "What can I say, people just like seeing my pretty face around this school."

Swiftly, Morgana elbows him in the ribs, causing his arm to drop from her shoulders. She dusts her hands together and smirks as he winces. "Really?" she says sarcastically. "Because right now, you're looking a little constipated to me."

Wheezing, Gwaine replies, "Screw... you..."

She drops him a wink. "You wish, Sir Knight."

Behind her, Arthur notices that the other girls are looking scared for their lives. So they should. Morgana is attractive enough that she can get away with all her comments towards Arthur and his friends, and while she may be the smartest person in school and a member of the Sorcerers, she does not flaunt it like the other nerds, who Arthur and the rest of the Knights put into place.

Arthur tugs at one of Morgause's braids. "Run along now," he snaps. "Wouldn't want to be late on the first day and damage your perfect pristine record of attendance."

Scowling, Morgause grabs Freya by the arm and pulls her along as they march into school. Morgana is on their heels, shooting a mean look over her shoulder at them. Arthur simply waves with his fingers. When they are gone, he turns to his friends, huffing with laughter. 

Gwaine, however, is staring after Morgana with big eyes. "She is so hot," he breathes.

Leon, Percival and Elyan all nod in agreement. Meanwhile, Arthur, Lancelot and Mordred stay silent. Why Mordred holds his tongue, Arthur has no idea - he is a very private boy, but he does not particularly warm to authority, which is why Arthur deemed him a perfect fit for The Knights. However, he knows Lancelot does not react because he only has eyes for Guinevere Thomas, Morgana's best friend and another Sorcerer. Arthur likes to ignore that fact daily: the Knights and Sorcerers of Camelot High do not fraternise. Luckily, Lancelot has kept his attraction to himself, as obvious as it is.

It is plain to see how beautiful Morgana is; Arthur is not blind, and his attraction towards boys (secret as it is) does not lessen his attraction towards girls. But the Knights hate the Sorcerers, and vice versa, and no amount of desire will ever change that. Besides, he's always viewed Morgana as a particularly irritating presence who hangs over his group like an unwanted fly, buzzing around incessantly and getting away with it. She flirts enough with Gwaine, but she treats Arthur like her annoying little brother. It is infuriating and makes Arthur glad he is an only child.

The Knights hang around the entrance to the school sometime longer, smoking and laughing, ducking when teachers come outside to inspect the grounds for lingering students. It is Lancelot, in the end, who suggests that they go inside.

Arthur cuffs him around the back of the head. "You gone soft, Lance?" he whispers.

"No, but you don't want your dad to suspend us again, do you?" he scowls in reply.

Last year, Uther deemed the behaviour of Arthur and his friends so disruptive and outrageous that he suspended all of them but Arthur for almost a month. Arthur, being his son, got away with it without punishment, but he received the lecture to end all lectures. Arthur's friends had been more than angry that he would not be receiving punishment alongside them, but they got over it; after all, it is not Arthur's fault that Uther treats him like he is superior to everyone else. Uther rules the school with an iron fist and believes any mistake that Arthur makes reflects back on him as principal, so Arthur simply does not get punished for anything. Unfortunately, even though his friends did not completely abandon him after the incident, they seem to have grown more wary this year - especially Lancelot.

"Fine," Arthur says with an eye roll. He smooths back his hair with a comb once more and then jerks his head towards the school entrance, gesturing for the other Knights to follow. He bursts through the doors, Gwaine by his side and Lancelot, Percival, Leon, Elyan and Mordred tailing them. As soon as he steps inside, he can see heads turning and girls swooning.

It's good to be back.

Chapter Text

All in all, Merlin's first morning at Camelot High has been an unmitigated success thus far. The first good sign is that he was not forced to stand up and tell his new class about himself when he entered the room, which he had nightmares about doing all summer. In all honesty, no one seems to care that there is a new kid at all; people so far have paid him about as much attention as he got paid back in Ealdor - that is, apart from Gwen.

Gwen has stuck by his side all morning like glue. Merlin wondered whether that was because she has no other friends. He asks her about it during math class and she just laughs at him kindly. Even if you imply Gwen has no friends, she still won't get mad at you. She is kindness incarnate on legs. If Merlin were straight, he'd literally be in love with her.

"Of course I have friends," she laughs. "They just aren't in this class. I'll introduce you to them at lunch."

"Anything I should know about them?" he asks nervously. Better to be prepared in case he offends someone the moment he opens his mouth. Merlin has been known to do that. His mother often tells him he has no filter.

Gwen grins. "They're extremely smart. But Morgana... She doesn't like it when people outdo her academically."

"Well she has nothing to worry about there," Merlin reassures her, bending back over his book to focus on his work.

Gwen glances over his shoulder at the sums he is penning down and frowns. "I'm not so sure about that."

"What makes you say so?" Merlin asks, frantically scribbling. Maths has never been his favourite subject - that would be physics, but he is good enough at it. 

"Merlin, this class started five minutes ago and you're already three quarters of the way through the sums."

Merlin shrugs. Okay, so maybe he’s a maths and science prodigy, he was told just as much back in Ealdor, but surely this Morgana girl is way smarter. Besides, Merlin has never had any clever friends; they'll get along swimmingly. Finally, if he hits it off with Gwen's friends, he'll have an intellectual equal.

Lunch finally arrives and Merlin has to stop himself from clutching to Gwen's arm like a small child would hold onto their mother in a busy parking lot. Teenagers swarm the cafeteria, chucking food, laughing loudly, shoving and pushing in the dinner queue.

Gwen sees the worried look on Merlin's face and shoots him an encouraging smile. Merlin shoots her a shaky one back. They grab their food - Merlin opts for a plain, safe salad, while Gwen grabs a burger - and he follows her outside to the picnic tables. Normally, when given the choice, Merlin would never ever eat outside when it comes to school. Outside is where you're out of eyesight of a teacher; outside is where the mean kids decide to descend upon you and steal your food and your money. At least, that's what used to happen back in Ealdor. Here, Merlin has the suspicion that no matter where you go, there will be someone to make your day worse, whether you're inside or outside. He spies a big group of boys hanging out near the bleachers in the distance, clothed in leather jackets, and he rolls his eyes. In every school, you can always pinpoint the group you should avoid and be wary of - Merlin has just found this school's.

They approach a group of three girls around one of the picnic tables furthest from the cafeteria. Gwen sits down next to a small girl with light messy brown hair and kind eyes. Across from them, two meaner looking girls sit side by side, dark-haired and blonde. Merlin hovers, but Gwen insists that he sit down between her and the kind-looking girl. He hesitates, but the girl nods her confirmation, budging over to make some room for him. Sighing, Merlin does as he is told and takes a seat, averting his eyes. 

"Girls, this is Merlin," Gwen says excitedly. "He just moved here from Ealdor."

The dark-haired girl narrows her eyes in Merlin's direction - Merlin would bet a million bucks that this is Morgana. "Oh, really," she purrs, staring at him. "How are things down under?"

Merlin sighs. He's heard that people from up here look down on Ealdor. "Fine, thank you," he says through gritted teeth, tucking into his food.

Gwen notices the tension and laughs awkwardly. "Well, uh, Merlin, this is Morgana. And that's Morgause - " she gestures to Morgause, who grins at him wickedly, "And Freya," she finishes, and the girl next to him smiles warmly. Merlin notices with amusement that this group of friends clearly has the good cop, bad cop vibes: Morgana and Morgause to scare people, Gwen and Freya to convince people that they aren't as bad as they seem.

"How you liking school so far, Merlin?" Freya asks, smiling at him.

"It's... Interesting," Merlin settles. He stabs a potato with his fork.

Morgana is watching him with interest. "What classes have you had?"

"We had history then maths," Merlin replies.

"How'd you find them?" Morgana asks.

"Well enough," Merlin shoots back, shrugging. "I've never been a fan of history but I'm pretty good at maths."

"How good?" Morgana inquires.

Merlin struggles to feel like he is not undergoing some kind of academic interrogation. He looks at his hands and does not respond. Gwen jumps in instead. "Top of the class already," she whispers. Merlin does not raise his head.

Morgana arches an eyebrow. "It's a shame we aren't in the same class," she says nonchalantly. "I'd probably beat your ass."

"Yes," Merlin replies dryly, "I'm sure you would." Gwen really wasn't kidding when she said this girl does not like it when people outdo her. Perhaps she has a fragile ego.

Morgause opens her mouth to speak but she is interrupted by another blonde girl behind them. "Hi!" the girl says cheerfully, and Merlin notes the moment when both Morgana's and Morgause's eyes roll so far back into their head he is surprised they do not get stuck.

Morgana plasters on a fake smile and turns her head to face the girl. "Elena! Hey there."

Elena squeezes in between Morgana and Morgause, much to their distaste, and she grins at Merlin from across the table. "I'm Elena! Welcome to Camelot High!"

Merlin smiles back and reaches across the table to shake her hand. "Merlin. Nice to meet you."

She retracts her hand and looks at each and everyone of them, excitement brimming behind her eyes. "Guess who just got nominated for student council vice president!"

Morgana and Morgause exchange a smirk before Morgause says flatly, "Oh, no idea."

"Me!" Elena cheers. "Isn't this so exciting?"

"Well, we wish you luck, don't we?" Morgana says, looking around at them all.

Gwen almost chokes on her food. Freya pats her back helpfully. "Yes, absolutely," she says weakly.

"Thanks!" Elena cries happily. "Nice meeting you, Merlin!" And with that, she springs to her feet and leaves them alone.

Morgana rubs her temples and speaks slowly. "That girl is too joyous for everyone's own good."

"Whatever she's on, I want some," Morgause snickers.

Gwen leans across the table to speak to Morgana while Merlin turns to Freya to compliment her on her nails. "Hey, Morgana," Gwen whispers. "What do you think of Merlin? Think we could let him become a Sorcerer? He's smart enough."

Morgana rubs her chin thoughtfully. "I don't know. Maybe too smart. Too quiet, as well. I already have my hands full keeping the Knights off you girls' backs, never mind someone else. Look at him, Gwen," Morgana says incredulously, gesturing in Merlin's general direction as he chats to Freya. "The Knights will tear him apart."

"All the more reason to keep him around," Gwen says resolutely, pulling away and sitting back in her chair.

Merlin notices the thoughtful, pensive look on Morgana's face and the concerned one on Gwen's and desperately grapples for some kind of ice breaker. "So... Uh... What did everyone do this summer?"

Gwen’s face lights up at the question. “Oh, I helped my father! He’s an engineer, he does lots of metalwork. I love working alongside him. He was doing a big project over the summer so I was in the workshop most of the time, helping him.”

Freya smiles. “I just spent my time with my family too, like Gwen, just I can’t make metal.”

Merlin looks at both Gwen and Freya and decides that he has never met two people more wholesome in his entire life. They seem to like him, too. Hunith will love them.

”What about you, Morgana?” He asks. “Morgause?”

Morgause runs her fingers through her hair. “I just went shopping. I joined a fencing class too but I was no good at it, so I quit.”

Morgana, on the other hand, shrugs casually and leans back in her chair, kicking one leg over the other and sighing. “If you want to be the best, you have to do whatever it takes to get there - I studied.”

Merlin raises an eyebrow. “In the summer?”

”Yeah, dumbass,” she snaps. “I do what it takes to rise to the top. One day, I will rule this school in place of Arthur Pendragon, I swear it.”

”Arthur Pendragon?” Merlin inquires.

Freya shivers. “The biggest jerk ever.”

Wow. If Freya thinks he’s a jerk, then he must be. Somehow, Merlin just knows that Arthur is one of the leather jacket clothed idiots making a fool out of himself over by the bleachers, though it is impossible to figure out which one of the fools he may be. 

“All the hottest boys have to be jerks,” Merlin grumbles. At the looks on their faces, he supplies, “Consider that my coming out - ta da.”

Gwen, who already knew, just continues to eat. However, Morgana, Morgause and Freya simply nod. Freya offers him a soft smile, Morgause grins and Morgana doesn’t even react in any way other than nodding. She flexes her fingers and steeples them against her chin.

”Tell us about your summer, Merlin.”

”M-mine?” Merlin stammers. “There isn’t much to tell. I moved to Camelot, did lots of unpacking and explored the city.”

”What did you find when you explored?” Gwen asks eagerly. 

Merlin laughs. “Nothing that would interest you, you probably know all the best spots.”

“Humour us, Merlin,” Morgana says.

Merlin relents. He wants these girls to like him, after all, and if that means engaging in stereotypical girl talk, then so be it.

He bites his lip and thinks back to last night in the woods.

”I met a boy.”

~~~

Arthur leans back against the bleachers overlooking the football field and rolls his eyes as Percival, Leon and Elyan point and laugh at Will Wyvern below them as he almost trips over a football helmet. Will is a jock, which means he's basically asking for them to tease him, although Arthur tends to not get involved as much as he can - not because he doesn't give a shit, like Gwaine, or because he does give a shit, like Lancelot and Mordred, but simply because Will has never done anything to him. His mind is elsewhere, stuck on last night and on high cheekbones, raven hair and blue eyes...

Will scowls at them from the ground as Percival yells, "Try hopscotch, Wyvern, you might be better at that!" before collapsing back into a fit of laughter alongside Leon and Elyan.

Lancelot sighs. "That poor boy has done nothing wrong."

Gwaine's head pricks up. "You saying he should be left alone, Lance?" There is a challenge in his voice, daring Lancelot to rise up and accept.

Lancelot does not reply to that, although Arthur knows he wants to. Lancelot has always been the noblest and kindest out of the Knights, but even he would not dare to stand up to Gwaine and defend a jock. Instead, innocent as ever, with no idea that his words are like sucker punches to Arthur's chest, he says, "Hey, I want to hear all about that girl Arthur met."

At this, Gwaine shoots up in his seat, grinning wickedly, cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth. "That's the best idea you've had in years, Lancelot." Gwaine waves the other boys over. "Hey lads, Art's gonna tell a story!"

The boys clamber over the chairs and smile up at Arthur. Elyan's eyes glitter. "This about that girl? What was her name, again?"

Arthur clenches his fists around the hem of his leather jacket, setting his jaw. "I told you, I don't know," he whispers.

"Riiiiiggghhht," Percival laughs. "Because she was a one night stand, yeah? What'd you do, just have your way with her then dump her?"

"You are a sick man, Percy," Arthur says through gritted teeth. "And no... No, it wasn't like that at all."

It wasn't much of anything at all. It was ten minutes of friendly conversation, banter and flirtatious smiles. But when he saw Blue Eyes - which he has dubbed the nameless boy - something clicked into place. It was the ka-thud feeling your heart makes when it recognises something it wants; the words 'do I know you?' that your brain forms when it comes to the conclusion that a missing part of your soul has found its way back to you.

Lancelot nudges him. "Come on, Arthur, you can trust us. What was she like?"

Arthur grins just with remembering the boy's face. He was the prettiest person he's ever seen. "Alright, alright!" he laughs. "I'll tell you!"

I'll tell you, but no one has to know I'm not telling the truth.

"'Atta boy!" Gwaine cheers.

"She was... A blast," Arthur starts, and plunges into his story
~~~

The girls squeal. "Ooo, Merlin! What's his name?" Freya asks.

"It... It happened so fast," Merlin admits. "I only met him yesterday. I didn't get his name."

Morgana snorts and raises an eyebrow. "Then why are we even talking about this?"

Gwen says, "Morgana! You of all people definitely can't say that." She only receives a shrug from Morgana in return.

"He was so cute, though," Merlin sighs, resting his cheek on his hand and staring into space.

The girls smirk at one another and prepare to listen.

~~~

"She was crazy for me," Arthur exaggerates. "Couldn't get enough of me."

The Knights jostle his arm and jeer. "I bet she couldn't, you dog," Elyan chuckles.

The boys begin to howl like dogs and Arthur scowls at them good-naturedly, throwing up his middle finger.

"Please," Gwaine says sarcastically, leaning back against his seat, "Tell me more."

~~~

"He was so beautiful," Merlin breathes. "Definitely out of my league."

Freya touches his arm. "Don't say such things."

"I'm serious. I'm poor and messy and have nothing going for me," Merlin says matter-of-factly. "He looked like the kind of guy who probably owns about five cars."

Morgause's head perks up from the table - she hadn't been listening until he mentioned a boy with a car. "Really?" she asks with interest.

Morgana rolls her eyes.

~~~

"It started when I saved her life," Arthur says casually, like it's no big deal. "Warned her about bears in the woods, and... Well. Who can resist a Knight in shining armour?"

"But... There are no bears in the woods," Mordred points out.

Arthur crosses his arms and smirks at the other boy. "Yeah, well, it's not like she knew that. She's new in town."

~~~

"He was kind of a show off," Merlin continues. "Although, I don't think he was trying to be."

"How's that?" Gwen asks.

Merlin smiles at his feet. "He was boasting about the tent he pitched."

Morgana's tongue sticks out through her teeth as she considers this. "I don't understand men," she says scathingly. "What's so great about a tent?"

Defensively, Merlin replies, "Well, generally, tents are just tents, but... It's quite nice coming across a cute boy who likes camping and is strong enough to put up his own."

"Oh my God," Morgana says unkindly. At the look on Merlin's face, she sighs. "Go on, then, continue the story."

"Yeah, please, tell us more, Merlin," Gwen begs, eyes gleaming. 

"You're such a romantic, Gwen," Morgause teases.

Freya jumps in quickly to her rescue. "There is nothing wrong with a bit of romance."

"Was it love at first sight, Merlin?" Gwen asks, ignoring Morgana and Morgause.

Was it?

~~~

The lies roll of Arthur's tongue easily now. "After that, it was easy to convince her to stay with me. We went for a walk and then made a campfire."

Leon smiles. "Girls like walks and romance by the fire. Bet she was like putty in your hands, ay, Art?"

The next lie is leaving his mouth before Arthur can bite down on his tongue. "Let's just say that, in the end, the fire wasn't the only thing keeping us warm."

The boys wolf-whistle and Arthur forces down the feeling of guilt rising in his chest.
~~~
"It definitely felt like love at first sight," Merlin admits. Not that he's particularly experienced in matters of love, but it feels right to say so. His mother would probably call him a fool, in the nicest way possible. After all, he only spoke to the boy briefly.

But there's the feeling in his chest... The one that feels hollow and full all at once.

Isn't love supposed to make you a fool?

Chapter Text

Gwaine elbows Arthur in the ribs. "Hey, Art, look who it is," he says, pointing.

Arthur grins and jerks his head, gesturing for the Knights to follow. He cups his hands around his mouth and hollers, "Hey, Eugene!"

Eugene freezes on the stairs. His face falls as the Knights surround him. "H-hi guys!" he squeaks nervously, pushing his glasses up on his face.

Percival smirks and grabs him by his tie, yanking him down the rest of the stairs. "How you doin', hm?" he asks, mockery lacing his voice. 

The rest of the Knights laugh, all except Lancelot and Mordred, who look around, anxiety written across their faces. One of these days, Arthur expects them to step in and put a stop to things, but so far that has never happened. They are noble people, but they are also loyal.

Arthur gives Eugene a little push. "Where you off to, Eugene?"

"Just, ah, to class. The bell - "

Arthur rolls his eyes and gestures to the nice day outside. "Class? On a day like this?"

"I have to get to class," Eugene mumbles. "The sun isn't even that bright today."

"A bit like you, then," Arthur says, and he laughs alongside the other lads. He raises a fist and shows it to Eugene. A part of him knows he is being unkind, unreasonable, and that he never usually tends to get involved in acts like this, but the events of lunch and thinking of Blue Eyes has riled him up more than he expected it would, leaving him angry and ready to hit something or someone. "You want me to make everything bright for you, Eugene?" Arthur whispers, making a show out of his raised fist.

Percival, Leon and Elyan cheer while Lancelot and Mordred exchange a worried look. Gwaine simply leans against the wall and watches the entire thing unfold.

Eugene swallows, eyes wide. "Please don't," he says.

Arthur opens his mouth to reply but a voice from behind cuts him off. "Hey. Come on, that's enough."

Arthur stiffens. Now he's hearing things? Surely it can't be...

Without turning around, he says, "What?"

"You've had your fun, my friend."

Arthur is so shocked that his grip on Eugene loosens. The scared boy bolts away. Percival makes to move after him but Arthur holds out a hand, stopping Percy in his haste to follow. He takes a moment to control his breathing, ignoring the weird looks the other Knights shoot him.

"Do we know you?" Gwaine asks nonchalantly.

"Oh, I'm Merlin."

Arthur spins. He has to see - has to know.

And of course, it's him. Blue Eyes - or Merlin. Standing next to Guinevere Thomas, who's eyes linger on Lancelot, her mouth down-turned in a frown of disappointment.

Merlin notices Arthur facing around and his eyes widen in horror. "You?" 

Gwaine raises an eyebrow at Arthur. "You know this freak?"

Arthur almost confesses right then and there. But Merlin is looking at him with such disgust, and the Knights are looking at him with such confusion, that he finds that the words he wants to say roll out differently when he opens his mouth. "Of course I don't," he snaps at Gwaine. "Never seen him before in my life."

He watches as Merlin's face twists into a contorted mask of fury. He balls his fists. "Don't you dare," Merlin spits. "Don't you dare tell such lies."

Arthur's heart tightens in his chest but he ignores it. "Get out of here, stupid," he says threateningly. 

"I wouldn't speak to me like that if I were you," Merlin says. His voice is dangerous and bold, it sends a wave of want all through Arthur's body, curling up at the pit of his chest, almost making his knees give way.

"Why?" he laughs, pushing past the fluttery yank in his navel. "What are you gonna do?"

Do me, preferably, Arthur neglects to add.

Merlin gives him a vicious look, eyes flaming with anger and hurt. "You have no idea."

Arthur snorts with laughter. Yes, Merlin is adorable and the prettiest boy he's ever seen in his life, but he's thin as a stick and his limbs are gangly; he looks like he has about as much strength in his entire body that Arthur has in a single pinky finger. If it were anyone else speaking to him right now, they'd have already been punched. Even Gwaine is starting to shoot Arthur interested looks, where he would usually just decline to get involved. 

"Be my guest!" Arthur shouts over his beating heart, right in Merlin's face. "Come on!" he says, giving him a little shove. "Come on! Come on."

Beside him, Gwen cries, "Merlin, don't." She turns to Lancelot, looking at him pleadingly. "Let us go. Class has started, he won't do anything else. Will you, Merlin?" Lancelot just casts his eyes away from her. As Arthur expected he would. Loyalty outdoes love every time.

Ignoring Gwen, Merlin extends his arm, hand curling into a fist as he aims right for Arthur's face. It is easy enough for Arthur to duck the blow and grab his arm, twisting it behind his back. His own chest is pressed against Merlin's back as he holds his arm there and he bites his lip. 

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Merlin yells, squirming. "I swear I'll tell the principal that you're a bully - "

"I'm Arthur," he whispers in Merlin's ear. The whole thing is rather intimate and Arthur feels that yank in his stomach again. It is only the sound of his friend's laughter that keeps him focused. "Arthur Pendragon," he adds, and he knows the exact moment Merlin recognises his mistake. ""I'm the principal's son, so good luck with that." He lets go of Merlin's arm and shoves him away roughly. "It's your first day, so I'm gonna let this slide. Get out of my sight."

Merlin crosses his arms over his chest and stares at Arthur like he held Merlin's dreams in his hand and crushed them. Perhaps he did.

Merlin nods, accepting defeat, and loops his arm through Gwen's. A stab of envy drives through Arthur and one look at Lancelot is enough to realise he feels the same.

As Merlin leads Gwen away from them, he brushes past Arthur and under his breath, low enough so only they can hear it, he mumbles, "Too afraid to let them know you're a good person?"

Before Arthur can retaliate, he is gone.

~~~

“You shouldn't have done that, Merlin. You’ve made yourself a target for them."

They are in English, sat side by side, eyes glued to the blackboard. They arrived twenty minutes late, but luckily Gwen produced a hall pass from her bag as an excuse, and explained that Merlin did not have one due to it being his first day. Mr Kilgharrah only sighed, fixed them with an irritated look, then merely told them to take their seats and endeavor to catch up on the missed work in their own time. It seems everyone is irresistible to Guinevere Thomas' charm, even teachers.

Mr Kilgharrah circles the classroom, handing out worksheets. Merlin takes his with a smile and a thanks, then he turns to Gwen when the teacher is out of earshot, providing her with what he hopes is a confident look, even though every bone in his body that believed in love is now starting to break, a perfect portrait of broken to go alongside his shriveled heart. It was stupid of him to think that someone as beautiful as Arthur could ever be like him - could ever like him. Merlin, what, constructed an entire idea about the kind of person Arthur was based on ten minutes of one-on-one conversation in the woods? Ten minutes when both of them had their guards down? Another thing he'll have to tell his therapist when his mother finally finds him a new one - that he's now stupidly fantasising about things.

"I'm glad I did it," Merlin bites back, scribbling on his lined paper furiously. Romeo and Juliet today - bloody typical. William Shakespeare probably didn't have to deal with this kind of crap.

"Don't get me wrong," Gwen rushes, biting the end of her pen in thought, "It was very brave. No one has ever stood up to Arthur before. But... There's a way of things. A system."

"Oh really?" Merlin asks dryly.

”Okay, look,” Gwen says. She turns her paper over and draws a single vertical line across it, from top to bottom. “See this? Consider this the Camelot High social ladder.” She draws a line at the very top of the page and writes ‘The Knights - Arthur, Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, Leon, Elyan and Mordred’. “This is the top of the social ladder,” she begins. “Arthur and his friends rule this school, mostly on account of Arthur being Uther’s son, but also on account of the fact that they’re what you’d consider “cool”, with their leathers jackets and greased hair and all the rest of it.” She fixes Merlin with a look and then draws another line at the very bottom of the page, before writing ‘The Sorcerers - Morgana, Guinevere, Morgause, Freya, Merlin (?)’

Merlin raises an eyebrow. “Why is there a question mark next to my name? And why are we at the bottom of the scale?”

“One, because you’re technically not a Sorcerer yet - “

”What, is there some sort of special password or something?”

” - two, we’re at the bottom because that’s where we belong in the grand social scale of things. We’re the geeks, the brainiacs, the people that actually make this school a school. The other kids, the ones who have no future, don’t like that, obviously. They’d much rather we either be jocks - a pastime they can understand - or nothing at all. The actual jocks are in the middle of the scale. Even they can’t climb as high as The Knights.”

“But - but that’s not fair!” Merlin splutters, at his wit’s end. “Arthur is an ass. He doesn’t deserve the respect he gets.” Reaching out, Merlin promptly writes ‘and Arthur’ at the bottom of the scale on Gwen’s paper. 

Gwen shrugs and, point made, gets back to her work. “That’s just the way it is. We don’t interact with The Knights on pain of death. Only Morgana gets away with it. Gwaine has some kind of crush on her.”

“Right...” Merlin says, putting two and two together. “There’s still something I’m not quite getting, though.”

“What is it?” Gwen asks. Merlin hesitates but she presses him.

”If Morgana gets away with it because of Gwaine...” he says slowly, “Why don’t you get away with it because of Lancelot?”

Red creeps over Gwen’s face. “I don’t know what you mean.”

”Right,” Merlin says, sighing. “Of course you don’t. How silly of me. I suppose the way he was looking at you is just a coincidence, then.”

“Merlin,” Gwen hisses, and she tugs on his sleeve hard. “You can’t just... Say things like that. The rumours - “

”It isn’t a rumour if it’s true, Gwen.” He touches her wrist subtly and comfortingly. “You know, it’s alright. You can tell me. He was one of the only ones from what I saw that wasn’t tormenting that poor boy.”

Gwen rests her hand on her cheek and stares straight ahead. She looks wistful and sad, but there is no mistaking the look in her eyes that tells Merlin he’s right about her and Lancelot.

”Nobody... Knows,” Gwen says uncomfortably. “It’s like I said. Our groups don’t interact. Besides, I’m still mad at him, he shouldn’t have let it go ahead. Poor Eugene.”

It takes everything in Merlin not to charge out of this classroom, find The Knights and scream at them for making Gwen upset. No one upsets Gwen and gets away with it. Merlin has only known her a day and even he understands that.

After a moment of silence, Gwen says, “Hey, Merlin?”

”Hm?”

”What did you mean when you called Arthur a liar when he said he didn’t know you?”

Oh, shit.

Seeing no way out, no escape, Merlin groans. “Arthur is the boy I met in the woods.”

Gwen gasps. “You’re absolutely sure?”

”Of course I’m sure. You don’t see many people walking around with perfect faces like that, do you?”

“Merlin... Arthur is straight.”

Merlin shrugs casually, trying not to let Gwen see just how much he hates life right now. “Doesn’t matter anymore. Even if I was attracted to him then, I am most certainly not now.”

Gwen looks pensive. “It is strange, though.”

Exasperated, Merlin says, “What’s strange? Life? William Shakespeare? Me? Because I agree with all of the above.”

Gwen pokes him in the cheek with her pen. “No. The fact that Arthur made no sign that he knew you. He lied.”

”Probably realised how much of a freak I was,” Merlin mutters. “But hey, whatever, it’s not like I care.” Please don’t believe me, I care, too much. “He’s shown his true colours and for that I’m glad he’s lying about having met me. I don’t want to be associated with him. He’s... An idiot,” Merlin finishes breathlessly.

Gwen nods and they fall into a companionable silence for the rest of the lesson. When the bell rings once again and everyone begins to pack up, she taps him on the shoulder. “There’s a sleepover at my place tonight. You can come, if you want.”

”Yeah?” Merlin asks. “Think I’ll be allowed?”

”Sure. Even if you weren’t gay, my parents would still be okay with it, they know about Lancelot, obviously.”

”And what will Lancelot say?” Merlin asks tentatively.

Gwen collects her files up from the table and rests them on her arms. “What Lance doesn’t know won’t hurt him. I’m mad at him, remember?”

Merlin chuckles. “Of course. Here, let me help you with some of those,” he says, taking a few folders out of her arms.

Gwen beams. She speaks quietly, so no one can overhear them. “Arthur really is missing out, Merlin. You’re a perfect gentleman.”

”Shhh,” Merlin hisses. “We don’t want word of that getting around. Boys will start falling at my feet,” he says sarcastically.

They both laugh and walk to their next lesson.

~~~

At the end of Merlin’s first day at Camelot High, he almost forgets that Gaius will be taking him home after he promised his mum he’d only get the bus this morning. He says goodbye to Gwen and she promises to text him the details about the sleepover tonight after he has a chance to go home and pick up some clothes.

Gaius’ car is almost in sight, with no Gaius by it, when Merlin is waylaid and pulled around a corner against his will.

”What the actual - “

”Hi,” Arthur says, and he gives Merlin a crooked grin.

Merlin blinks at him blankly. “No.”

Arthur tilts his head to the side in confusion. “No?”

”No,” Merlin says, placing more emphasis on the word. “We’re not doing this. Absolutely not.”

Merlin turns on his heel to walk away but Arthur grabs his arm and tugs him back. “Merlin, no, wait, please.”

”Why should I, Arthur?” Merlin asks wearily, trying not to let Arthur saying his name take effect.

Arthur stares at his feet, running a single toe over the path bashfully. “I just want to talk to you.”

Merlin squints at him, eyes narrowed, and crosses his arms. “You have two minutes. Start talking.”

“So... Camelot High,” Arthur says awkwardly.

”Clearly. One minute.”

”It has not been a minute already - “

”Thirty seconds - “

”Fine!” Arthur cries. “Fine. I... Wanted to apologise.”

Merlin pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. "You really don't get it, do you?" At Arthur's puzzled expression, he scowls. "Arthur, not only were you bullying someone when I saw you, you also lied about knowing me - "

"Well, I hardly do know you," Arthur mumbles.

"That may be true," Merlin admits, "But that's not why you lied, and you know it."

Arthur extends an arm and presses Merlin gently in the chest so his back is against the brick wall. "Be careful, Merlin," he whispers. "I've been trained to deal with wise asses like you since birth."

Merlin raises an eyebrow. "And how long have you been training to be a prat?"

"Don't..." Arthur sighs. "Don't do this."

"Why? What you gonna do, Arthur? Get your daddy to protect you?" Merlin snorts and bats Arthur's hand away from his chest. "Please - I've been dealing with your kind since birth."

"My kind?" Arthur inquires.

"Bullies," Merlin spits, and he yanks himself away from Arthur, turning his back on him, wishing more than anything that he could stay. 

"Don't run away. I want to be your friend," Arthur suddenly blurts, stopping Merlin in his tracks.

Merlin squeezes his eyes shut and gently hits his forehead with his fist in frustration. "Don't run away?" he repeats venomously, without turning around. "From you?"

Arthur makes a kind of strangled noise and Merlin almost gives in right then and there. He keeps his feet firmly planted to the ground. He has three rules when it comes to boys: one - don't fall for straight boys. Two - don't fall for bullies. Three - don't fall for boys who are so colossally out of your league it's laughable. Unfortunately, Arthur fits into all three of those categories.

But by god, does Merlin want to  turn back around to face Arthur, to push him up against that wall and break every single one of his rules. Over and over again.

"I said I was sorry," Arthur says. "I want to get to know you. We hardly got to talk in the woods yesterday. If I'd known you'd be enrolling here..."

"What would you have done?" Merlin asks. "If you'd known?" he laughs bitterly. He's being unfair, but he doesn't really care. "Would you have told your friends I was cool? Snatched me up before I could make friends with the Sorcerers?"

Arthur, idiot that he is, rubs the back of his neck and says, "Well... Yeah."

"Oh my god," Merlin huffs, pulling his hand down his face as he laughs, unable to quite believe how someone can be so stupid. "In... In what universe is answering that question with 'yeah' the right thing to say?" Merlin fixes Arthur with a hard glare. "I'll have you know I like those girls. And I don't care if you don't think I'm cool - I bloody well think I am and that's enough."

Arthur reaches for Merlin, eyes wide with regret. "Merlin, I'm sorry, I didn't mean... Please. Give me a chance. I'm a nice guy, I swear."

"It's too late," Merlin mumbles. He glances in the direction of the car park. Gaius is by the car now, waiting idly. "I gotta go."

"Merlin - "

"Do yourself a favour, Arthur, and stay away from me."