Author's Note: Honestly, I love love love Merlin modern fics. So here's my first attempt. It's AU (ArMor, obviously), and told through Gwen's POV. So I hope you guys read, review and enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or the characters.
Loud music blared and screeched in Gwen's ears, and she winced as she tried to block out the annoying scream of club music playing in the popular Sword in the Stone pub -the very same one Arthur was thinking of buying- that somehow had everyone dancing. Nursing her tequila in a pair of tanned hands, she strained her neck to look around the club, trying to find out just where Arthur had disappeared to. He had promised her that he'd spend some alone time with her while Merlin and Morgana tried to shake off the stress from this harried week at the company. Gwen was lucky she was just Arthur's assistant; at least she didn't have to pore over countless of memorandums and reports regarding the new product Camelot Ltd was trying to get into the market; that was poor Merlin and Morgana's job. All she had to do was accompany Arthur to boring board meetings and make sure he attended every scheduled event, and even those were easy, seeing as they were both together.
The small smile on her lips died as she finally caught sight of her elusive boyfriend. He was currently on the dance floor, swaying to the music that had suddenly turned to a mellow tune, complete with an orchestra and a female's low voice crooning about love and breakfast and wine. Weird. But that wasn't what bothered her. Arthur could dance for all he wanted, but the dark beauty in his arms right now was what irked Gwen.
Oh she loved Morgana, had been best friends with her the moment they met 6 years ago. She was witty, sharp, friendly and not one to stand nonsense; they fitted together perfectly, Gwen the shy, kind girl who was the girl next door, and Morgana the sassy, sophisticated I'll-eat-up-every-man-in-my-way woman who every man drooled over. She had never been jealous at how men seem to fall over her best friend's feet whenever they went out, so why was she so flustered about Arthur and Morgana dancing?
It certainly wasn't anything out of the ordinary, after all the two grew up together and Arthur even let his surrogate sister braid his hair when they were children. Gwen had never minded their close relationship, never felt shunned or abandoned at witnessing the casual kisses on the cheek or hugs and caresses that seemed so innocent, so why was she so bothered now?
Maybe it was the way his strong, calloused hands skimmed over the gentle curve of Morgana's hips as she sashayed coyly away from him, only for Arthur to gently catch her back and spin her close to him, a tender smile on that luscious mouth where a smirk usually lay. She grinned mischievously, content to be captured by him just this once as she leaned close and whispered something into his ear that made his glacier blue eyes darken till an almost feral-like gleam shone through even the dark gloom of the club.
Gwen's heart ached. He hadn't ever looked at her like that, not even when he kissed her and told her he loved her, not when they went on romantic dates and he acted like the perfect knight in shining armor. Sure, they'd just been together for a few months now, but Gwen thought that maybe, just maybe they had something special going on, that extra sparkle that made happily-ever-afters come true. When Arthur and Gwen touched, a soft tingle of electricity always ran through their fingers up to her trembling hands, and she had always believed that it was something no other couple had, something that was purely theirs. She refused to think about the now barely-there tingle every time they held hands or whenever she accidentally brushed her fingers across his hands or shoulders. And she most definitely refused to think about whether that spark between Arthur and Morgana was stronger than their own.
She caught sight of Merlin, sitting at the darkest edge of the bar, looking sympathetically at her. Gwen mustered a brave smile, but by the wonky salute Merlin gave her with a tip of his glass, she was sure he could see the regret behind the smile. People never gave him enough credit for being observant, they didn't know how Merlin's sharp eyes would flick occasionally to the sides even as he smiled dopily and apologized for tripping over someone's bag, seeing nothing and yet everything at the same time. She turned back to the still dancing couple. With the fireworks practically exploding between Arthur and Morgana, the man she loved and her best friend, Merlin definitely knew something was changing.
"Gwen!"
A happily panting Morgana made her way to her best friend, flopping down onto the seat next to her as she smiled winningly at the barman, ordering vodka. Gwen couldn't help but smile at her; it was good to see her relaxed for a change after witnessing her running from meeting to meeting with Merlin at her heels, papers flying as she repeated again and again how the product should be marketed. Morgana smiled back and raised her glass in a mock salute at her.
"To annoying best friends who drag you out onto the dance floor without warning."
Gwen grinned, she trusted Morgana. Even if she loved Arthur, she wouldn't interfere with his relationship with Gwen. Downing her shot, she raised her empty glass. "I'll second that."
And as the girls drank and chatted about their work and friends and love and Arthur, as Gwen saw Arthur staring at Morgana longingly, as she tossed her glorious mane of ebony hair laughing, as Merlin could only smile on helplessly at the scene his friends made of themselves, Gwen knew only one thing. Maybe it was time to start changing things.
Excusing herself from Morgana who had turned to chat with Merlin, Gwen made her way over to her boyfriend, bracing herself for the inevitable burn that would soon follow. Following the affectionate glances Arthur kept throwing at Morgana's direction, she crossed her fingers and took a deep breath. She prayed that she was making the right decision and even as she let herself be pulled into Arthur's half-hearted embrace, the image of a man with dark hair and a roguish smile crossed her mind in a flash, along with his heated whisper of "Call me", Gwen finally convinced herself that she loved Arthur enough to let him go, and that he was worth all the heartbreak that was to come.
And as she released Arthur from the promise she was sure he'd follow to the end though his heart was not in it, Gwen felt her heart flutter like a bird released from its golden gilded cage to see the grateful beam and kiss and –God have mercy, was that a tear she felt fall onto her cheek from Arthur's closed eyes?- the most sincere 'thank you' from the man she loved and let go. Grinning like a giddy little school boy, Arthur practically ran over to where the woman he truly loved was and sweep her up in a fierce kiss. Gwen giggled, oh Arthur, as she took out her phone and stared at the screen. 5 missed calls.
Her hand hovered on the 'call back' icon for 'Lancelot du Lac' even as the delighted sound of laughter and congratulations floated over to her. Determined, she pressed 'call' and waited with bated breath for the husky voice to pick up.
Maybe there was someone for everyone after all.