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Merlin was bored. Very bored. So bored he wished he brought one of his textbooks and really, when you’re at a sports game the last thing you should want to do is to study (and besides, when studying becomes more attractive an option than the bloke you’re sitting by, you know you’re in trouble).
The problem was, he was on date with one of Gwen’s coworkers. The first date, dinner a week before, had been awkward. At the time Merlin wasn’t sure if it was just first date awkward or more so he had been willing to give Valiant a second chance. Now though, he was sitting through his uni’s basketball game and being thoroughly ignored; Valiant had been on the phone for more than twenty minutes and he didn’t appear to have any plans of hanging up.
Merlin stared down at his shoes, his long legs stretching out into the isle. He wondered how he had let Gwen talk him into dating a man that turned out to be so horrible. He knew she was concerned about him. His last boyfriend, a nice but commitment phobic man named Gwaine, had broken up with him more than four months ago when he was worried they were becoming too serious. Merlin hadn’t made any attempt at dating since, too hurt to properly move on. For the first few months Gwen understood. After three, she had begun to gently point out attractive men they would pass when walking between classes or when they were out at the bar, but Merlin had always shrugged them off. Now, Gwen was growing much more insistent that he let himself move on and get back out there. He had sighed, knowing she was right but resenting her just a little for her pushiness all the same, and agreed to meet Valiant. For the past hour he had done nothing but wish he hadn’t agreed to a second date.
The first half of the game ended and the both Camelot and the Essetir teams exited the court. Upbeat music began to play as workers brought out and began to set up small trampolines for the half time show. The large screens showing an animation of large kissing lips and red hearts caught Merlin’s attention as the Kiss Cam began.
The first couple shown was a cute older man and woman who shared a large grin before pursing their lips in a quick peck. The second couple was two college students, both wearing Essetir clothing. Their kiss was less than chaste and the camera quickly switched before too much could be seen. The third couple…
The third couple was Merlin and Valiant.
Merlin took a second to think how do they know we’re together? before he awkwardly smiled and gently nudged Valiant’s arm and gestured towards the screen. Valiant shrugged him off and kept talking into his phone. Merlin tried again to the same effect. The camera moved on to a new couple and Merlin blushed, embarrassed. He sat back, leaning on the armrest away from Valiant and wondered if he should just leave.
The Kiss Cam continued. Three more couples shared cute kisses and the camera was back on Merlin and Valiant, trying again. Merlin quickly looked away from the screen and nudged Valiant harder. “Valiant,” Merlin hissed, trying not to move his lips. No response. Merlin made his voice more firm, ignoring the blush that he was sure was taking over most of his face and said, “We’re on the Jumbotron. Kiss me.”
Valiant finally acknowledged Merlin but not in the way that Merlin had wished. “I’m on the phone,” he said, gesturing to it with one hand. He glared at Merlin before turning away once more.
Around Merlin a few people booed but Valiant didn’t seem to notice, or at least not realize they were booing at him. Merlin sat back in his seat and put his head in his hand, hoping that the camera had moved on but not wanting to check. He took a deep breath in, held it for ten seconds, then harshly exhaled before looking up.
A couple wearing Camelot red were now kissing, the man dipping his girlfriend as far as the hard plastic chair would allow. The camera switched and the couple smiled before the girl grabbed her boyfriend’s face and quickly planted a smooch on his lips. Switch and a boy smiled shyly before leaning over and kissing a prettily blushing girl on the cheek. Switch and Merlin and Valiant were once again on the screen.
Merlin took a second to think Jesus Christ don’t these people take a hint before he whipped sideways and began to shake Valiant’s arm. Valiant shook him off like a cow shaking off flies. Before Merlin could try again a large hand caught his arm from the other side and hauled him back and out of his seat. A dragon’s hand. Or paw? Merlin idly realized he didn’t know what the correct dragon terminology was but he was sure that a dragon hadn’t been there a second ago.
So surprised was Merlin that he didn’t immediately realize it was Camelot’s mascot, a dragon named Kilgarrah. Kilgarrah stepped around Merlin and grabbed Valiant’s arm before leaning down in his face and loudly roaring to get his attention. Valiant finally looked up, eyes wide with shock and his mouth hanging open. The hand holding the phone slowly lowered as Kilgarrah dumped what looked like a large souvenir cup of water on Valiant’s head. The mascot then dropped the empty cup in the gasping man’s lap. Kilgarrah roared again before turning to Merlin and quickly closing the distance between them.
One arm quickly wrapped around Merlin’s shoulders and the other scooped under his knees, easily lifting Merlin in a bridal carry and quickly running them up the stairs. Merlin threw back his head and laughed as the crowd cheered them on, the Kiss Cam having been trained on them the whole time. Kilgarrah took him all the way up and out onto the main concourse, out of the eyes of their watching audience, before gently putting him down and reaching up to remove his large fabric head. A blond man Merlin thought looked vaguely familiar was revealed.
“Hello,” the man smiled, extending a hand/ paw. “My name is Arthur. I think you were in my calculus class last semester.”
Merlin nodded and gave a sharp laugh, still confused about what had just happened. “Hi Arthur. I’m Merlin.” He shook his head in confusion and laughed again. “You do realize it’s usually a handsome prince that saves someone from the dragon, not the dragon that does the rescuing?”
Arthur threw back his head in a full bodied laugh of his own. “Well Merlin, I had to make due. Besides, I think that he was more of a dragon than I am. And anyway, who say’s dragons can’t be heroic?”
Merlin smiled. “It certainly does seem like Kilgarrah was rather heroic.” Merlin looked down at his shoes and shoved his hands into his pockets before looking back up at Arthur through his eyelashes. “Thank you for saving me.”
Arthur gave a smirk. “Anytime. Now these things,” the blond man shook his hands/ paws, “don’t exactly allow me to wear a watch but it’s probably time for me to go. Gotta dunk a few hoops soon. Do you want to come with?”
“Only if you’ll come with me,” Merlin quickly responded. When Arthur looked confused Merlin once again blushed and added, “After the game, I mean. We could get ice cream or coffee, or I know a pretty awesome taco place. I’m buying. I just,” he paused for a second, unsure how to finish the thought. “I just want to thank you.”
Arthur’s lips twitched in amusement. “It’s a date.” He shoved the fabric head back on and twisted it until it sat right, then extended his arm and gave a bow, his large fabric wings dipping a second later. “After you.”