A/N: This is a completed fic so it should be up fast. I've also written about 35k of another (canon era!) fic I'm hoping to share soon :)
This story is loosely inspired by a cheesy film. I blame Netflix and whatever shoddy algorithm they use for recommendations.
"There's something sickly sweet about two blond people dating each other, don't you think?"
"It is mildly nauseating," Gwaine agrees.
Gwen snorts and takes another sip of her beer. The tide of golden liquid drowns the couple in question from view, but she squeezes her eyes shut anyway.
It doesn't work. She can still see Arthur's arm wrapped around Vivian; they're smiling at each other in adoration and he places a tender kiss on her forehead.
How could this have happened?
The seven months Gwen spent volunteering overseas had given her the perspective she needed. She'd been all but ready to come clean about her feelings for one of her best friends, only for their reunion to be co-opted by some kind of meet-and-greet for his new girlfriend.
The universe, it seems, is having a laugh.
"It's just the honeymoon phase, Freckles."
"Hmm?" She pulls the pint glass from her lips too quickly and has to swipe her hand over her mouth to catch a few dribbles.
"Chin up," Gwaine thumps her on the back as she swallows. "I give it a year."
Gwen gives him a double take, her eyes widening. That long?
He splits a grin and takes a swig of his beer before donning his leather jacket. "Come on, I'll take you home."
A year, she thinks.
A year is an awfully long time.
""""
It doesn't take long for Gwen to run out of excuses.
If Arthur isn't constantly inviting her to dinner parties and mini-holidays with all of their paired off friends, then Vivian is pouting and telling her she simply must come along.
"I hear there will be loads of hot men!" she beams conspiratorially, and Gwen resists the urge to roll her eyes. Vivian is still new to their circle of friends, and she doesn't seem to understand Gwen yet, though not for lack of trying.
"No kidding," Gwen tries and fails to sound enthusiastic.
But it's Arthur, pinching her side with friendly affection, that does her in. "Come on Guinevere, have some fun with us."
She's captured in one of his dazzling smiles, and not for the first time she fools herself that it's just for her.
"Alright then," she says, putting some bravado into it. "But I'm gonna need a fair lineup of at least ten firemen to choose from."
They laugh, Vivian clinging to Arthur, both of their eyes sparkling.
""""
It is fun, playing volleyball in the pool with her mates; eating nachos and drinking beer over a game of poker; marathoning Star Wars films until half of them have fallen asleep.
That is, until she catches how they whisper inside jokes to each other in passing; how he tucks her hair behind her ear and nuzzles Vivian's perfect button of a nose; how she occasionally slips the phrase 'My Arthur' into a conversation and can't resist casting a proud smile in his direction.
Gwen doesn't blame her, not really.
If Arthur were hers...
But he isn't.
So she tries her very best to have fun with them. She keeps her heart light and ignores the burning lump in her gut.
"So what do you reckon, Greedo or Han?"
Gwen startles as Arthur's voice whispers next to her. His warm breath puffs against her ear, raising goosebumps down her neck.
He's slipped between Gwen and a sleeping Merlin on the floor, and she glances over to see Vivian and Freya sleeping with their heads together like perfect angels on the couch.
She pretends to be offended as she side-eyes him. "I'm insulted by the very question."
Arthur chuckles. "Should have known. You've always had a thing for Han. I can't trust you not to be biased."
Gwen swats his leg. "I think you'll find you've had a thing for Han for just as long, if not longer."
Arthur's expression sombers. "It's true, I think it's the hair and the vest. Don't tell Viv-Ow! Will you stop that?"
She laughs as he kicks at her small feet and she kicks back.
Soon they're fairly jabbing and tickling each other until Merlin groans in protest when he gets knocked by Arthur's elbow.
They giggle, covering their mouths and staring at each other.
Two bottles appear in their line of sight and they both take them, unquestioning. Gwaine hovers over them with a wry smile.
"Billiards, anyone?"
"Yeah, I'll take you," Gwen replies, then looks to Arthur.
He's smiling but it fades, and he glances over at his girlfriend's sleeping form. "Nah, you two go ahead."
Gwen gives him a small pout and he pokes her in return. "You're much better than I am. Go on, beat that Irish bastard."
She giggles and Gwaine tugs her up to join him.
""""
Gwen is laying in the sun next to Freya, who's nervously mumbling about skin cancer while she rummages in her bag for her oversized tube of sunblock.
"Alright girls? Coming for a swim?" Merlin's head rests on his arms at the edge of the pool.
"My sunburn will be even worse if I go in there!" Freya laughs nervously.
"Ah, but your pasty white boyfriend is doing just fine," he grins at her.
Before Freya can respond, Merlin's completely hammered by a splash of water from Arthur's direction.
"You arse!" he shouts, laughing as he kicks away from the ledge to exact revenge.
Vivian squeals and Gwen tilts her head to see Gwaine holding her high in the air, threatening to throw her in as she begs him not to.
He casts her in without mercy and the men laugh. Catching Gwen's eye, Gwaine flexes for her with a wink.
She chuckles and tilts her sunglasses down, pretending to check him out. Secretly, she is sort of checking him out.
It's kind of hard not to.
But he's Gwaine.
""""
Later, they all make dinner together.
Arthur and Vivian start stir-frying something over the stove while Merlin and Freya chop up the vegetables. Gwaine's sitting with his feet up at the table and a beer in his hand, as ever.
Gwen's been put on salad duty, and she takes the job seriously. She swats Arthur's hand away when he reaches over her shoulder to pick at the salad.
He just laughs and persists, and she tries to tell him that there won't be any left but she can't keep herself from laughing at his continued attempts.
The meal is delicious, but Gwen can't finish because she's seated across from the golden couple, who are feeding each other.
Merlin and Freya are having a debate about something esoteric, but from what Gwen can tell they seem to be agreeing.
Gwaine kicks her foot and when she makes eye contact with him he's rolling his eyes. She manages a weak smile and looks at her plate, pushing the remaining food around.
They decide to turn in early, since they've stayed up a few nights in a row. Gwen thinks she'll channel surf for a while yet, saying goodnight to Arthur and Vivian as they retreat to their bedroom, hands linked, door shutting firmly behind them.
She stares blankly at the television and her thoughts taunt her; make her restless. She gets a glass of water from the kitchen, and as she leans against the counter she sees a flicker of warm light in the distance through the patio door.
Setting the glass down, she grabs a half-empty six pack out of the fridge, and sets out toward the small beacon.
It's dark, and the sky is nearly cloudless. She can't see stars like this at home; not with all the light pollution.
The ocean's waves are drawing and sighing against the shore, and she plods barefoot through the sand to join Gwaine and his pathetic fire.
"You did it wrong," she says after she settles next to him, and she takes a small piece of driftwood to poke the logs into a more effective formation.
He just huffs a laugh and watches the fire grow healthier. "Show off."
She raises a bottle to him in a toast before taking a sip.
They watch the fire in silence, entranced by the patternless dance of the flames.
It's a good silence.
She feels good with Gwaine. Uncomplicated.
"How're you doing, Kid?" he drawls after a while.
She just frowns and tilts her head from side to side. "Been better, but can't complain much."
His arm locks around her head and pulls her against his chest, and he drops a kiss onto her messy curls. They stay like that for a while, letting the warmth of the fire and the sighs of the ocean wash them in comfort.
"It used to bug me too," he says, and she's not sure if she's heard him right over the waves. "But at some point I decided not to let it."
She sits up to look at him, but he's still looking at the fire.
Her heart sinks when she sees his expression. He's not jovial like always; his eyes don't twinkle, except for with firelight, and the corners of his mouth are turned down slightly.
She sees hurt there, and her expression softens as she realizes that she's not the only one who's having a hard time.
Reaching over slowly, she tilts his face toward her, his short beard rough against her hand.
She sees it now as his eyes meet hers, and she wonders how he hides it so well.
Leaning forward, she presses her mouth to his experimentally. He freezes for a moment, but then his hand comes up and he threads his fingers in her hair.
Their mouths open to each other easily to deepen the kiss.
Gwen isn't sure what she feels in that moment, but for once she is not thinking about Arthur.
As Gwaine's grip tightens on her waist, she thinks maybe he's not thinking about Vivian.
""""
She wakes suddenly, frowning as the details of the dream she was having fade rapidly into vague impressions.
Someone's snoring next to her and she feels a weight over her waist.
It's Gwaine's arm. She looks down to confirm that they're both still dressed in the previous night's clothes.
Her first instinct is to wiggle out from beneath him and crawl away in shame, but as the seconds pass she is running out of reasons why she should.
Instead she lays her head back down and lets herself relax against him, finding the warmth of his hardened body next to her comforting.
She sinks back into sleep, but it is dreamless.
It's his shifting beside her that wakes her again some time later. They exchange a look but there is no awkwardness, just understanding.
Gwen thinks perhaps she never knew Gwaine before.
They crawl out of bed slowly and straighten their clothes, Gwen grabbing a few items to take with her to the shower.
When they exit the bedroom they find everyone awake and busy making breakfast. Merlin is at the table eating cereal, while Arthur and Vivian are in the kitchen making a fry up.
It gets quiet when they enter, and Gwen realizes she's holding Gwaine's hand. She feels three pairs of eyes fixed on her.
Her eyes flit to the only ones that matter.
Arthur's expression is unreadable apart from the smallest pout of his lips, but she meets his gaze, her own lips parting.
There's a light squeeze of her hand, and a flutter of movement draws her attention to Vivian, who is hanging on Arthur's shoulder with her eyes glued to Gwen and Gwaine's joined hands, her face lit up in a victorious grin.
Then Gwen hears the clink of Merlin's spoon against his bowl and the spell is broken. Everyone continues what they were doing, and Gwen tugs her hand gently away from Gwaine to go to the shower.
They exchange secret smiles as they part ways.
The bathroom door opens abruptly just as she places her hand on the knob, and Freya emerges wearing a towel and carrying a bundle of clothing. She gives Gwen an apologetic smile for surprising her and sneaks off to her and Merlin's bedroom, wet hair sticking to her back.
Gwen closes the door behind her with a sigh. She can't decide if she's relieved or scared or completely insane.
She strips off her clothes quickly and steps into the shower, turning the temperature as hot as she can handle.
As she lets the water stream over her head and down her body, she recalls Arthur's face in the kitchen, like a snapshot in her mind.
The lump in her gut feels a tiny bit lighter.