we are friends forever now

Verse: modern AU, reincarnation fic. Very short.

"Cupcakes," Arthur announced, "are the best invention ever." He proceeded to lick the chocolate icing off his fingers, making obscene noises.

"They're even better than apples," Gwaine breathed reverently, inspecting his third from all sides. "And cheese, for that matter. Or cheese that tastes like apples. Or apples that taste like cheese."

"I WANT IT!" Gwen leaped toward Gwaine, reaching out for the cupcake, but Merlin managed to haul her in. "Slow down there, Gwen. I think you've had enough."

So maybe introducing the reincarnated versions of Arthur, Morgana, Gwen, and everybody else to cupcakes a few minutes after they all rose from Avalon wasn't exactly the brightest idea Merlin had ever had.

"Yes, Merlin, four miniature cakes with mountains of icing on top of them does count as enough," Morgana scoffed. He recognized her attitude as that of the treat-your-body-as-a-temple vegan nut, which complemented Gwen's sugar monster. "Why are cupcakes the only food you have in your house?"

"The only cooked food I have in my house," he corrected. He'd just so happened to be baking when his neighbour had knocked on the door and yelled, "Mr. Emrys, there are weird people out on the lake!"

The 'weird people' had turned out to be his friends from so many, many centuries ago. Merlin had managed to get them all into his house and prevent his neighbours from calling the police just in the nick of time- Arthur had already started waving Excalibur around.

He didn't like thinking about the consequences of reincarnation. It meant that it was a time of need, and he was kind of scared of that.

But for now...

"Morgana, keep out of my cupboards!"

"I WANT THE CUPCAKE!" Gwen shrieked.

"It's mine!"

"I WANT IT!"

"Chocolate is good," Arthur said wonderingly.

There was a smushing sound, and Gwen stopped shrieking.

"Merlin, Morgana just wasted a cupcake on Gwen's face!" Percival complained.

"Merlin, Morgana just smashed a cupcake into my sister's face!" Elyan tattled.

"She wanted a damn cupcake!"

"Poor cupcake," Gwaine said.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "You guys do not measure up to the legends at all."

That was the wrong thing to say.

"There are legends about me?" Arthur asked, finally done with licking his fingers.

"You're a pompous ass in them," he answered.

"No, I bet I'm a handsome hero who saves beautiful damsels!"

"That's me, you idiot," Gwaine corrected.

"Gwen, stop licking the icing off your face!" Morgana squealed. "That's so gross!"

"But it's so yummy," she whined.

At the moment, Merlin kind of hated cupcakes.

Please R&R. ~jedikhaleesi