Archive of Our Own

It was a normal day. It felt like a normal day.

The bell rang at 8:45am to signal fifteen minutes till classes start.

Arthur had been running late and as he hurried down the bustling corridor his eyes finally landed on a mess of dark hair.

“Merlin!” He breathed a sigh of relief as he reached his boyfriend.

“You made it!” Merlin grinned. They stared, smiling awkwardly at each other. Doing anything else would attract too much unwanted attention.

Arthur played anxiously with the straps of his backpack. “Um, shall we head to class?”

“Sure!” They both had English first, one of their only classes together.

Their hands accidentally brushed several times as they walked side by side. Arthur suppressed a shy smile and glanced for Merlins reaction in his peripheral. Merlin was frowning slightly but after a second, he had composed himself again.

They reached the class just as the 9am bell rang. Most of the class was already seated and Arthur fully intended on sneaking through to take their seats at the back but the second they opened the door every eye turned on them. Arthur tried to ignore them as he found his desk, but he couldn’t help trying to make out what people were muttering under their breath. He was brought back to reality when Merlin fell into the chair beside him, and their knees brushed.

Merlin seemed too busy taking out his books and searching for his pen to have noticed the uneasy atmosphere. Arthur decided he probably had nothing to worry about.

It was only once the teacher had set them off on their task and, ten minutes in, Arthur hadn’t written anything that Merlin looked up. This time Merlin moved his arm over to tap Arthur’s wrist with his pinkie.

“Are you okay?” He asked gently. Arthur startled slightly but nodded with what he hoped was a convincing smile. Merlins concerned eyes lingered on him a little longer as Arthur forced himself to touch pen to paper.

As they left the class Arthur felt as though everyone was watching him again. Probably because they were. Merlin didn’t seem ready to let go of his strange attitude and, as they walked the little way together to their next classes, he pulled Arthur into an alcove out of the way of the crowded corridor.

“What’s wrong?” Merlin asked, hand resting on Arthur’s arm, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles.

Arthur shrugged. “A bit of an anxious day I suppose.”

Merlin frowned sympathetically. It was a good excuse, Arthur had days like this sometimes. Days where he just felt more anxious than others. He never knew what caused them they just… happened. Maybe that’s what was happening today.

“Will you be okay? I’ll see you at break?”

Arthur nodded, trying to convince himself. “Yeah… yeah, I’ll be okay.”

Merlin smiled softly. “Okay then.” He subtly glanced around to check no one was watching them before lightly pecking Arthur on the nose. “Text if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

Merlin slipped away to join the flow of the corridor. Arthur stayed hidden a little longer, taking a few calming breaths. Once the corridors had cleared, he finally emerged and made his way to his science class.

“Oi! Pendragon!” Arthur froze in place as the voice echoed down the empty hallway. He turned slowly to face three boys he recognised well. Val, Cedric and Edwin were sniggering at him. Val, always the ringleader, inched closer, Cedric and Edwin following timidly behind.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. It had been a while since Val had tried to torment him. “What do you want Val?”

“Rumour is that you kiss boys now.”

Arthur’s heart sunk. So that’s what all the staring was about. Arthur clenched his jaw and stood his ground. There was no way he would let them see how scared he truly felt.

“Aww was it Emrys? Did he turn you gay?” Val spat the last word, causing Arthur to flinch. He hadn’t heard it with such aggression since… since Val had picked on Merlin last year. That’s when he’d befriended Merlin. He couldn’t believe he used to hang out with these bullies.

Deciding it would be safer to say nothing, Arthur turned and stalked away.

“You’re no fun anymore.” Val sneered.

Arthur turned in the opposite direction to the science labs and stormed straight into the bathroom, slamming the stall door behind him, and sinking down against the back of the door. He scrubbed furiously at his eyes as he tried to even his breathing. He was not going to cry.

It was just a rumour, a baseless accusation. There was no evidence of Arthurs sexuality and especially none on his relationship with Merlin. They had been so careful there was no way anyone could have found out and the only people who knew had sworn they wouldn’t say anything.

Arthur trusted all their friends. Well, he didn’t trust Gwaine, but this was a situation he was sure even Gwaine would take seriously.

It had taken a lot for Arthur to come to terms with being Bisexual. Even now he was still adjusting to his friends knowing. Things had gotten a lot easier once he’d told his dad and sister. His father in particular, as Arthur had been sure he’d take it terribly. They’d been so supportive and once he’d revealed that Merlin was his boyfriend, Merlin had been welcomed in with open arms. In fact, he spent a lot of time at Arthurs house now. It was the only place they felt they could be themselves.

Arthur hadn’t realised how long he’d sat there for until the next bell went off signalling break time. His limbs ached as he moved to stand. He left the cubicle and stared at himself in the mirror. His hair was a ruffled mess from where he’d run his hands anxiously through it for the last hour and his eyes looked more dull than usual. Merlin would definitely notice.

He began to cross the school to the picnic benches where he always met Merlin. The warm air of the day was a welcome distraction as he crossed the field, and he was beginning to feel a little more composed when something collided with his head.

Arthur whipped around to where the football had come from to see several boys from the year above. He only recognised one of them, Julius Borden, but he’d never spoken to him before, he just knew he was on the sixth form football team.

“You’re supposed to catch Pendragon.” Julius yelled. What was it with everyone calling him by his last name? “Guess you forgot how to do that now that you suck dick.”

Arthur glared and made to ignore them and walk away when one of them grabbed him by the hood of his coat.

“Running away so quick, eh?”

“No.” Arthur retorted before he could stop himself. “I just don’t have time for your stupid games.”

“I see how it is.” Once again it seemed this group also had a ringleader. “You’d rather run off to your pathetic little boyfriend.”

“What?” The stone in Arthur’s stomach felt impossibly heavy.

“Well, it’s a bit weird how you went from being so popular to spending all of your time with that nerd, isn’t it?” Julius laughed and it caused the blood in Arthurs veins to run cold. “He’s a nobody. Man, I wouldn’t even realise if he just disappeared one day and never came back.” The rest of the gang jeered in agreement.

The anger in Arthur threatened to bubble over. “Say that again and you’ll regret it.” Arthur said gruffly, risking a step closer to them.

“Ha! Really?” Julius prodded. “What exactly is someone like you going to do?”

Arthur stepped even closer and shoved him backwards with some force. Julius looked momentarily stunned before composing himself with a scowl. “You want to fight do you?” He growled.

Arthur found himself taking more steps back as Julius advanced on him. Arthur didn’t want to fight. He’d just gotten angry and was immediately regretting it. As he backed away, he hadn’t put much thought into where the football had gone after hitting him until he tripped and went falling onto his back hard against the grass. There was a painful crack that sounded horribly like his ipad in his bag as he made impact with the ground.

Julius smirked in triumph as though this had been his plan all along. The others crowded him now and one of them grabbed his bag and threw it aside. “People like you don’t belong here.” Julius snarled and suddenly what had felt like banter at Arthurs expense became dangerously aggressive.

Alarm bells rang in Arthur’s head and his instinct was to get up and run but as he made to move another of the boys trapped his arm down with his foot.

“You’re disgusting.” Julius spat. It was just the same way Val had spoken earlier. Arthur couldn’t help the tears that sprung to his eyes. He wished beyond everything that they wouldn’t notice but to no avail. “He’s turned you soft Pendragon.”

Arthur had fully expected more pain to come as he struggled again. The look on the boys faces certainly told him as such but just as he braced himself someone stopped them.

“What’s going on here?” The boys immediately backed off as one of the breaktime supervisors came hobbling towards them. “Go on, clear off and do whatever you’re supposed to be doing right now. Breaktime is over.”

Arthur scrambled to get up as the boys dispersed, grumbling under their breaths. He flexed his arm and winced at the pain.

“Are you alright young man?” She asked, picking up his bag and handing it to him. Arthur nodded numbly but the tears that finally escaped didn’t convince her. Her eyes turned to the ugly bruise already forming on Arthur’s arm. “Come, I’ll take you to first aid.”

Arthur would usually protest but the thought of sitting in a quiet room away from everyone else was appealing right now.

He must have missed the bell because the corridors were deserted as everyone had gone to class. He briefly worried about what Merlin would have thought. Would he think Arthur had stood him up? He didn’t have much time to dwell on it before he was pushed into a chair at reception and another lady, this time with a kinder face, was handing him an ice pack.

He sat for a while, staring blankly at the wall until the first aid lady (her lanyard read Miss Caerleon) interrupted his thoughts. “Will you be ready to go back to class now? I can walk you, so I know you get there safe.” She must’ve already been told what had happened or at least what the supervisor had seen.

“I—” Arthur didn’t want to go back to classes. In fact, what he wanted most was to curl up in a ball of blankets and forget about the day altogether. Preferably with Merlin holding him but beggars can’t be choosers. He shook his head.

“Do you want me to call your parents?”

Arthur swallowed back tears. He wished his mum was still here. He nodded anyway and waited for her to leave the room and take the call. What were the chances of Uther picking up while he was at work anyway?

“Your mum didn’t answer but your dad said he’ll be on his way as soon as he can get out of work.” Miss Caerleon explained. Arthur let the tears stream down his cheeks at the mention of his mother. Clearly no one had had the chance to change his emergency contacts yet.

It was only about twenty minutes later that Arthur was pulled from his daydreaming by the sound of Uther Pendragon in the reception. Miss Caerleon insisted Arthur keep a wet paper towel over his arm (completely pointless) and then encouraged him out of the room until he was face to face with his father.

Uther’s expression crumbled with one look at Arthur. He thanked Miss Caerleon for her patience, took Arthur’s bag from him and then put a reassuring arm around his sons shoulder as he led him from the building.

~ ♛ ~

Merlin snuck a glance at his phone again once he was back in the corridor.

“He still hasn’t responded.” Merlin sighed.

Gwen frowned. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“I know and I would usually brush it off, but he was really anxious this morning. I’m just a bit scared.”

They made their way to the cafeteria to meet their other friends. They grabbed a table and five minutes later Lance was joining them. He looked nervous as he sat down beside Gwen.

“Merlin…”

Merlins heart sank at the look Lance was giving him.

“I just heard some of the year 12 football guys talking about Arthur. And not in a good way.”

“What? Does anyone know where he is?”

Lance shook his head. “No but I think he may have been outed. The things they were talking about seemed to suggest that.”

“Fuck.” Merlin grabbed his phone and dialled Arthurs number as fast as he could. It went straight through to voicemail. “Fuck!” Merlin repeated, slamming his phone onto the table.

“Can you track his location like you usually do when he doesn’t answer your messages?”

Merlin had never reached for his phone so quick as he opened Snapchat and looked for Arthur. Merlin breathed a massive sigh of relief.

“He’s at home.” He announced, already getting up from the table and grabbing his bag.

“Where the hell are you going?” Gwen asked.

“To see him.” Merlin said like it was obvious.

“How on earth are you going to do that?”

Merlin shrugged. “Sneak through the sixth form entrance.

“That’s the dumbest idea you’ve ever had Merlin.” Gwen frowned.

“I know but I can’t just let him suffer alone. I didn’t want to go to P.E. anyway.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Fine. Make sure he’s okay for us.”

“Do you have enough money for the bus?” Lance asked, always the mother hen.

Merlin nodded. “I always have an emergency visit Arthur stash.” He grinned as wide as he could in that moment and then left before they could stop him.

It was surprisingly easy to sneak out of school, Merlin was a little worried. He’d thought that after all the drama regarding his coming out last year, everyone now knew who he was. Turned out, to the sixth form office staff, he was still invisible.

He had to run to beat the next bus to the stop and once he was on, he sat anxiously at the front, foot tapping rapidly. He was constantly checking his phone in case Arthur happened to reply to his messages, but Arthur hadn’t even read them yet.

It was a five-minute walk from the bus stop to Arthur’s house. Merlin had been to Arthurs so much recently his feet practically walked him there without a thought.

A sudden wave of nerves shocked Merlin as he walked up the long drive to the front door. What if Arthur didn’t want to see him and that’s why he hadn’t texted him? Merlin couldn’t lose Arthur for something like this. Arthur needed him. Merlin would have done anything to have someone like Arthur when he’d been outed.

He rang the doorbell and waited anxiously.

The door opened a crack and Merlin was met with piercing green eyes. Then it opened wider, and Morgana Pendragon greeted him. Merlin smiled and gave a little wave; he was still slightly terrified of Arthurs older sister.

“He’s in his room.” She said before Merlin could find any words.

“I—um, thanks.” Merlin tried to string together a thank you. Morgana smiled weakly, not an expression he was used to seeing on her, and gestured for him to come in.

The Pendragons house was huge, much bigger than Merlins. The first time he’d visited, Merlin had gotten lost and ended up in Uther’s office when following Arthur’s directions to the bathroom. Now though, now he knew exactly where he was going, and after kicking off his shoes in the hallway he hurried up the stairs, taking a left to Arthurs room at the end of the corridor.

He knocked once and listened for a reply. When none came, he pushed the door gently open to peak in. He couldn’t see Arthur but there was a mound of blankets on the bed that looked suspiciously Arthur shaped.

“Arthur?” Merlin called softly. The mound shifted a little and then there was a large sniff. Merlin moved round the bed until he could see Arthur’s hair and forehead sticking out from under the blankets. He knelt beside the bed, so they were at eye level and reached out a hand to card through Arthurs exposed golden hair.

“It’s just me Arth. It’s just Merlin.” He whispered.

The blankets lowered to reveal blue watery eyes, a red nose, and a wobbling lip. They looked swollen from where Arthur had been anxiously biting them to shreds. Arthur seemed to burst into a fresh wave of tears at the sight of Merlin.

“Hey, sshh, it’s okay.” Merlin soothed as he took Arthur’s hand under the blankets and brushed his tears away with the other. Once Arthur calmed down a little, Merlin took a fresh tissue and wiped his boyfriend’s nose and then dabbed his cheeks dry. It looked like Arthur had been through a lot of tissues considering the amount that lay strewn over the carpet and bed.

“Budge over a little.” Arthur shuffled back to make room for Merlin, and he climbed up to lay against the cushions with Arthur. Arthur lifted the blankets to let Merlin in and finally Merlin was able to pull Arthur into his arms.

“I don’t understand how it happened.” Arthur sniffled. His voice was so small and pitiful, Merlin tightened his arms around him.

“Me neither.” Merlin sighed, pressing a kiss against Arthur’s hair. “It just seems to… happen.”

“How did you deal with this?” Arthur asked, lifting his head slightly so he could look at Merlin. “Before you met me?”

“I guess I just dealt with it until it all blew over.” Merlin wasn’t exactly sure his way of coping could cause much inspiration.

Arthur looked defeated.

“It will.” Merlin said determinedly. “It will blow over Arthur.” Arthur didn’t look convinced. “And you won’t be alone. You have me and all our friends who support us.”

“I don’t feel ready. I wasn’t prepared for this.” Arthur sobbed.

“I think maybe you’re more ready than you think. I know it’s been difficult to accept yourself and not everyone will accept you, but maybe this could be a good thing.”

“How?” Arthur whined.

“When I was outed, sure it was awful, but it was also freeing. To finally just be yourself, no longer worried people will find out your big secret. It relieved a lot of anxiety for me in that respect. Now… I can forget what people think of me and get on with my life.”

Arthur was silent for a bit. “Maybe.” He murmured into Merlins chest. Eventually he sat up and wiped his eyes. They flickered briefly to the alarm clock on his bed and then back to Merlin. “Did you skip school to be here?”

“Mhmm.” Merlin nodded sheepishly.

“Merlin! You have that assessment in a few days. That’s important.”

“You underestimate how important you are to me.” Merlin replied.

Arthur looked scandalised for a moment, but he couldn’t hold it as tears started to spill down his cheeks again. Merlin pulled him back in for a hug, peppering kisses into his hair.

“I love you so much Arthur.”

Arthur mumbled something that sounded like “I love you too” into his shirt. That was when Merlin noticed the angry purple bruise on Arthur’s arm.

“Arthur, what happened!?” He asked. Arthurs eyes lowered to where Merlin was staring.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

“Just… leave it okay. I’m fine now.”

Merlin wanted to protest but then there was a knock on the door and the next thing they knew, Uther was entering with two mugs.

“I made you both some hot chocolate.” He said with the softest smile Merlin had ever seen on him. He came over and placed them on the bedside table. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like Merlin. Call for me if you need anything okay?” He looked specifically at Arthur for his last point. Arthur nodded tearily and Uther left again, leaving Arthur in Merlins care.

Merlin turned to Arthur who was still staring at the closed bedroom door.

“You okay?” He asked. Arthur nodded.

“I think so.”

Merlin smiled. “Do you want to watch something. There’s this new Netflix show I think you’ll love.”

“Is it mindless fluff?”

Merlin smiled brightly. “You know me so well.”