Arthur first met Merlin in second grade. There was a small little "store" where you could buy glitter pens and erasers and the squishy pencil grips and Merlin was trying to figure out if he had enough change to get the rainbow eraser. Arthur thought he looked a little pathetic. He didn't know Merlin had asthma and couldn't go outside during recess, he just thought Merlin didn't like anyone which made him a meanie. But today he was sniffling sadly, rubbing his nose and trying not to cry that the older boys weren't letting him buy the rainbow. Arthur got the same feeling he did when he got to visit his mum in the hospital and she said she loved him, the same feeling he felt when he kicked the girl that was teasing his annoying younger sister, but it was a little different. Still, it was close enough so Arthur pushed through the taller kids so he was standing next to a pitiful Merlin.
"Hey, you leave him alone! He has enough change I'm sure of it!" Arthur tried his best to imitate his Papa's scowl but the taller boys were laughing at him now and he could feel his face growing warm.
"Fuck off twerp, he doesn't got enough change and if you run off like little babies we might let you keep your money" Merlin's eyes began welling up with tears and Arthur turned to him quickly, digging through his pockets as he did so.
"No no no Merlin don't cry, look I have a little bit of change see? Here give me the coins you have and you can pick out what you want okay? Anything you want just don't cry Merlin!"
Merlin handed his coins over that he kept in a red bandana he had turned into a pouch, still sniffling and looking at Arthur with wide eyes. "I can get the pretty rainbow?"
Arthur tried not to grin at how goofy and cute Merlin was. He was silly when he got all happy like that. "Yes Merlin, you can get the rainbow, and I'll buy you a ring pop too okay?"
Merlin's entire face lit up at that and he ran over to the rainbow eraser and snatched that and a cherry ring pop up and put it in front of the store lady with a huge grin on his face.
"Look my friend is buying me the rainbow! I'm going to marry him one day. That's what my mum told me happens when someone gives you a ring and Arthur is giving me this ring pop! Its cherry my favorite."
The woman just smiled gently and took the change and Merlin smiled and waved and grabbed Arthur's hand and practically skipped to home room. The funny feeling in Arthur's tummy came back but that's okay, he probably just didn't like cherry.