SUMMARY: Set between S3 and S4. Gwaine finds out who his best friend really is after yet another attack on the knights while out hunting. Merlin puts his friends feelings first and Lancelot is not happy. No slash just friendship. Reveal fic of sorts although its probably more a post reveal tbh.

This is my first fic ever! So I would like as many Reviews as possible to for feedback to see how it is and whether people think i should carry on with it. It should be about 3 or 4 chapters when its done, but im not sure as I need to type it all out still. Please review and follow. I don't have a beta and I am very impatient so I apologise if there are any mistakes. Enjoy!

Merlin was exhausted. It had been a very long day. They had been hunting in the woods and had managed to attract trouble yet again. He had had to use his magic to save them again. And Arthur had not noticed again. He really was the most unobservant prat, not that he was complaining. Unfortunately, not everyone was as unobservant as him, not this time anyway. He supposed if he had to pick one of the knights to find out accidently it would have been Gwaine but it had been a nervous few minutes as they stared at each other trying to decide whether or not either of them was suddenly going to try to murder the other. Or at least that's what Merlin thought was going through Gwaines mind as he had looked hurt, confused, angry and scared all at the same time. When eventually Gwaine came to his senses by being clapped on the back by a very relieved that they had survived again Leon, it seems he had decided to let the matter slide. For now. As Merlin was packing the camp up and saddling the horses ready for everyone to get back to Camelot, because even though it was now becoming a regular occurrence for these knights it seemed that everyone still thought it best to get back to the citadel, Merlin heard the almost whispered "we'll take about this later" as Gwaine walked past to mount his horse.

Merlin had spent the next 2 hours in a very tense balance between being silent so as to not draw attention to himself, in case Gwaine suddenly changed his mind and he had to deal with everyone finding out, and trying hard to keep up any banter coming his way so as, again, not draw attention to the fact anything was wrong. By the time he had got back to Camelot and was securing the horses in the Kings stables he was, as previously mentioned, exhausted. And however much he wanted to believe the small voice in his head that told him, as he saw Gwaine dismount and walk away as if nothing had happened, that this was over, he was sure this was not the end of it.

As he made his way up to Arthurs chambers to help the Prince change out of full armour, he was caught half way by said Prince and dragged with him to the throne room for an audience with the King. Merlin had been terrified, trying to squirm out of Arthurs reach until he realised that Arthur had meant that he, Arthur, had an audience with the King to inform him of the attack, not that he, Merlin, had an audience with the King because Gwaine had decided to tell everyone after all.

It was a long time later that, after he had seen to all the Princes needs and brought his supper, he returned to Gaius' chamber hoping to get some advice as to how to deal with Gwaine when he remembered that Uther had said that Gaius had been sent to a local village to deal with an outbreak of an illness that the King had no intention of letting get to Camelot. He stopped outside the chambers, annoyed with himself at forgetting that, and wondering if there was anyone else he could talk to that might be able to help. He briefly thought of Lancelot but decided against it as Lancelots chambers in the knights wing was way too close to Gwaines for comfort and he wanted to avoid this meeting as long as possible.

He entered the main chamber, walking across to put his bags in his room, he nearly made it to the steps up to his door when he realised he wasn't alone. Spinning round, and nearly knocking many potions and vials Gaius had obviously been working on off the table, he spotted Gwaine. Standing by the Fire, which he realised had been lit. By who? Not important Merlin. He looked at Gwaine standing there watching him and was so very unsure as to what he was supposed to do now. As Gwaine was making it quite clear he was expecting Merlin to be the one to break the silence.

"You lit the fire?"

What? Really? Out of all the opening lines you went for that? Stupid Merlin, Stupid!

"It was cold" Well at least Merlin wasn't the only one stating the obvious. And seemingly ignoring the whole reason both of them were standing here staring at each other in silence.

Then all of a sudden, Gwaine broke. Words started streaming from him as if he had all the time in the word to think of questions and only a minute to say them all.

"You have magic? I mean I know you have magic, I saw you. You used magic? Why? I mean I know why you saved Arthur, but why? I mean he is a Prat you keep saying so and yet you saved him? Why didn't you tell me? Does anyone else know? How long have you had magic? Or practiced it or whatever you're supposed to call it? I mean I get it if you're only just starting to learn it, that would make sense as I mean you didn't tell me and you would have told me right? Of course 'cause I'm your friend, and you trust me, I mean well I trust you. I assume you trust me and if you only started learning it then of course you wouldn't tell anyone. I mean you'd want to be able to actually do something before you go around telling people you have magic. HA. But I mean why? We're in Camelot! Gods merlin you're so stupid! I know Arthur calls you an idiot but really! It's punishable by death! Only death! Why would you suddenly start learning magic for?"

"er…." Merlin paused not quite sure where to start after firstly being surprised at Gwaines thought process and obvious lack of menace towards him. He was elated. Gwaine didn't hate him for his magic! But then as the questions progressed he had started to wince at the words. Gwaine believed he would have told him, that if he hadn't then he obviously didn't trust him. Then as the subject turned to the inevitable its punishable by death Merlin had lost any coherent or calming argument and the silence stretched once again between them.

After a moment. "ER! ER, is that it? That's all you're going to give me!" Gwaine was not happy and his voice was getting alarmingly loud and it was his worry about other people hearing that finally spurred him into speech.

What felt like years later, Merlin was lying, yes, exhausted on his bed. Having spent the last few hours answering all, or at least most of, Gwaines questions. About his magic, when he'd used it, how many times he'd saved them all, how many times he'd saved Arthur, how stupid Arthur was that he had never noticed. But the one thing that had seemed the most important thing to Gwaine, and that Merlin had kept repeating, saying how hard it was to explain and talk about it was that he had never told anyone in Camelot about his magic. He had explained that he had obviously had to tell other sorcerers that he had magic to stop them from attacking but apart from people of magical origin, he had never actually TOLD anyone of his magic and that it was extremely hard to do. He had explained as well that obviously some people found out, as was bound to happen with people he was so close to, like his mother and Gaius. But he had never told anyone.

And Gwaine had eventually decided that Merlin having told him was an achievement, even though he had found out himself. And had thus declared he had to celebrate in the tavern. Merlin only just managing to decline and get Gwaine to leave of his own after promising he would never tell a soul was now exhausted lying on his bed finally drifting off to sleep. He was completely unaware of the problems his now very drunk friend was causing across town in a very crowded, very public tavern. You see the problem with Gwaine was that he was a VERY honest drunk.