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Merlin was running late. That much wasn’t new, he pretty much arrived late to Mr. Gaius’s first period class every day for the entire year. If it wasn’t his ancient car acting up in the morning, he had slept in after helping Hunith with the restaurant all night, or he hadn’t gone to sleep at all after pulling an all nighter to finish a new drawing that had to get finished.
What made today special was that Arthur had sent him a ‘911’ text, which Merlin had seen far too late. Now Merlin was tearing through the streets of Albion, breaking more than a few traffic violations to get to school. To his surprise, he didn’t have to look long for Arthur. He pulled into his regular parking space next to the track, and jogged over to where Arthur sat, on the back entrance steps to the school.
Arthur looked up forlornly at the sky, chin in his hands, not even glancing over at his best friend as he plopped down beside him.
“What was the ‘911’ about?” Merlin panted, slightly out of breath.
“Oh, that?” Arthur muttered, “Was a mistake.”
Merlin couldn’t believe his ears. The ‘911’ was not a move employed lightly, only reserved for the most dire situations, like when Gwen broke up with Arthur at Junior Prom for Lance, or if Mr. Gaius gave one of his famous, un-do-overable pop essays which Merlin almost slept through.
There had never been a mistaken '911'. Arthur must be lying, Merlin determined, and he didn't like it. Arthur didn't lie to Merlin about '911's. Merlin was about to needle Arthur more, when he caught sight of his utterly heartbroken eyes.
He patted Arthur's shoulder, "C'mon, let's get to class before Gaius sends a search party."
Arthur nodded solemnly, and dragged himself up.
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Arthur seemed to perk up later, and Merlin felt relieved to see his normal cockiness return by the end of fourth. However, Arthur began to worry him again by the time lunch rolled around. Or rather, the stunning lack of Arthur at their lunch table, already filled with their friends.
Despite the devastation junior year, Gwen, Lance, and Arthur still managed to remain close, though Arthur had employed a strict no-PDA policy. He slid in next to the pair, across from Percy and Leon.
"Where's Arthur?" Merlin asked, mouthful, before munching down on even more of on Hunith's amazing BLT's.
"Cutting-" Percival said hurriedly, immediately receiving dirty looks from Lance and Leon.
"He's cutting lunch?" Merlin asked, mouth still full.
"He said he had an important, uh, project to finish before 3," Gwen cut in, and Percy suddenly flinched on the other side of the round table.
"Yeah," He said slowly, "Important project."
"Huh, ok. Is that where Gwaine is too?" Merlin returned to his sandwich.
"Yup!" Gwen said, a little too loudly, "Gwaine and Arthur are working on a project."
"Speak of the devil," Lance said, loudly calling to Gwaine, strolling in, "How did your project with Arthur come along?"
"Oh, the project? Swimmingly, everything is all set." Gwaine sat down, automatically leaving a space next to Merlin.
"What's the project for?" Merlin asked, more interested in his food than the answer.
"The project? Oh, it's for, math, it's for math."
"I didn't know we had a-" Merlin started, before Gwaine cut in.
"It's for extra credit, i'm, uh, failing math and Arthur was helping me."
"Then where is he now?"
"He's, uh, finishing up?"
"He's finishing up your project for you?"
"What can I say, he's a helluva guy!" Gwaine said, slamming his hands down on the table, making everyone jump.
Gwaine closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
He turned to Merlin, and gave him a forced smile, "Make sure you get to the parking lot by three today, Arthur said he wanted to show you something.
"Sure thing," Merlin said, slightly wary, but everyone else seemed to decompress.
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"Shit,"
Merlin heard Gwen mumble under her breath, as she stared at the sudden cloud burst outside. When it rained in Albion, it didn't just pour, it soaked, it drenched, it drowned.
"Oh yeah, it's gonna be a nightmare getting home," Merlin whispered, before getting back to his chem quiz.
Gwen just shook her head, and covered her eyes with her hands.
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Merlin rushed to his car, red hood up, dodging the rapidly forming puddles, on his way to Kili. Arthur said it was lame to name his car, but Arthur nicknamed his own house Camelot, which was arguably much more lame.
Arthur himself was standing still in the rain, just staring at Merlin's car when Merlin showed up, oblivious to the downpour which soaked him through.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Merlin knocked his shoulder into Arthur playfully, causing him to notice Merlin for the first time.
"I, uh, was waiting for you." Arthur said, running his hands through his hair.
"Yeah," Merlin fished his keys from his pocket, "Gwaine said you wanted to show me something,"
Merlin opened the door, stepping in some orange, papery mess, and got in Kili, before leaning over and jiggling the handle, until the passenger side door opened, and Arthur slid in.
"So," Merlin started, while trying to scrape the orange disaster from his shoe.
"I, uh, was going to show you, uh, a mural I found?"
"A mural! What happened to it?" Merlin was always desperate for inspiration, he loved seeing local art.
"It washed away," Arthur murmured quietly.
Merlin deflated, "Shit."
He began backing out, automatically setting out for Arthur's house, though it was big enough for some to get away with calling it an estate. He turned up the radio, trying to lift Arthur's mood, because the boy was outright sulking next to him.
"It was just a mural," Merlin tried.
"Yeah, you're right," Arthur said, without much conviction, not even raising his head to look at Merlin.
Merlin gave up coaxing anything more out of his petulant friend, content to ramble on mostly to himself about the bakery expansion Hunith wanted to install in their restaurant. Through the corner of his eye, Merlin saw Arthur perk up again slowly.
Merlin eventually pulled into the long driveway, his ancient beast coughing and sputtering, next to Morgana and Arthur’s shared Rolls Royce. The pair dashed across the wet grass, Arthur losing his footing halfway down the lawn and falling over his own feet. Merlin turned around, and couldn’t suppress the peals of laughter that came out, when Arthur stood up, revealing a giant muddy streak across his ass. Once he started, it was impossible to stop, Merlin actually doubling over, ignoring the shower drenching him.
Unfortunately for him, he was laughing too hard to see Arthur barrel straight at him, until his two hundred pound friend knocked him to the ground.
"Stop laughing Merlin," Arthur pinned him, planting his knees on either side of him, and Merlin could feel mud seeping into his jeans, but nothing could stop his laughter. .
Arthur reacher forward to pin Merlin’s wrists, and Merlin tickled under his arms before he could grab hold. Arthur shrank his arms back, and Merlin threw his shoulder at Arthur’s torso, until their positions were entirely reversed.
Merlin planted himself firmly on Arthur’s torso, and refused to move until Arthur’s cheeks were rosy from laughter.
“Now, aren’t you feeling better about the stupid mural?” Merlin asked after Arthur gave up his struggle.
Merlin regretted it immediately, Arthur’s face turning grim instantly.
“Get off of me.”
Merlin rolled over instantly, and scrambled to his feet after Arthur, who was quickly making his way inside.
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Merlin always felt self-conscious walking through Arthur’s main entryway. The high ceilings and white marble screamed cold and professional, two words that also perfectly described Arthur’s father. Merlin made a bee-line for Arthur’s room, his feet squelching on every step, the sound amplified across the walls.
“I-uh- I have to take care of something in the kitchen, i’ll be up in, uh, twenty minutes,” Arthur called over his shoulder, not waiting for Merlin’s response, going so far as to shut the door behind him.
Merlin couldn’t help feeling affronted, Arthur had been acting like an ass all day. He trudged up to Arthur’s room, kicked off his dirty shoes in the corner, and sank onto Arthur’s carpet. He rubbed his butt into the tan plush with a little more emphasis, trying to rub some mud off out of spite. Merlin actually managed to doze off, Arthur’s ‘911’ text had cut into his usual first period nap. He woke up to the smoke detector screaming. Marlin scrambled to his feet, and nearly tripped down the stairs, his socks skidding on the hardwood, in his dash to the kitchen.
Merlin saw Arthur, struck slightly dumb in front of the stove, smoke pouring from its mouth. Merlin plucked the fire extinguisher from the pantry, hip checked Arthur out of the way, and blasted the oven.
Merlin dropped the extinguisher, and turned to find Arthur slumped on the floor, head in hands.
“I’m cursed,” Merlin heard Arthur mutter.
“Alright, what the hell is going on with you today,” Merlin stood over Arthur, and pried his face from his hands, before pulling the boy up.
“You’ve been sulky and distant all day, and i’m fucking tired,” Merlin crossed his arms, feeling for all the world like a sitcom Mom about to have a heart to heart.
Arthur looked resolutely to the side, and Merlin sighed.
“If you’re going to continue acting like a child, i’m leaving.”
“Wait,” Arthur grabbed Merlin’s sleeve.
Merlin turned, and arthur ducked his head down, and ran his hand through his hair.
“Willnomnefree?”
“What?” Merlin leaned in close, forcing Arthur’s head up.
“Will you go to prom with me?” Arthur couldn’t even meet Merlin’s eye, his face was nearly as red as his shirt, and he was fidgeting so much Merlin was sure he was going to bolt at any second.
Merlin didn’t have to think about his answer, he tugged at Arthur’s shirt and crushed their lips together inelegantly, and soon it was over too quickly, too awkward. It was long overdue. It was perfect.
“Of course, you ass,” Merlin said, after pulling back.
The smile on Arthur’s face could’ve outshined the sun.
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Merlin wasn’t sure when his name became inseparable from Arthur’s. It was far before they had gotten together, and in all honesty, Merlin couldn’t have seen their future any differently. As they swung around the dance floor, Merlin knew he would always be Arthur’s, and Arthur always his. He dutifully ignores Gwaine's catcalls from the side, putting his head on Arthur’s chest. Merlin sighed. They were destined for different colleges, different lives, but the future couldn’t take away this moment from them. Arthur leaned his chin on Merlin’s forehead, and they swayed until the last song.