Title: Wheelbarrow of love (because lame titles are hilarious)
Series: Merlin
Characters/Pairings: Gwen, Lancelot, Merlin, Arthur, Morgana. (Totally Lancelot/Gwen, Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/Morgana, Merlin/Arthur and probably some others I don't even know about.)
Words: 1000
Summary: He is concerned, not smiling his usual Merlin smile, and tells her something about Arthur and sleeping curses that are broken by kisses.
Notes: First Merlin fic, and practice at writing drabbles. Also, done in an attempt to procrastinate on Human Bio work. You have officially been warned that this might be a little out of character, among other things.
Lancelot comes to her one day seeking a place to hide, and Gwen being Gwen hides him away in her home. He is a gentleman about it; he sleeps on the floor, admires her cooking and cleans up a little while she's off working for Morgana. He's nothing like Arthur, and the differences make her heart ache. Lancelot never tries anything, not a kiss, not a hug. It's like Lancelot sees a sign on her forehead that claims her as Arthur's. Her heart belongs to Lancelot and nothing will change that. When he leaves it's like he was never there.
One day Merlin comes flying into Morgana's chambers to talk to Gwen. He is concerned, not smiling his usual Merlin smile, and tells her something about Arthur and sleeping curses that are broken by kisses. He says something about 'true love' and leads her through the castle to Arthur's chamber. Gwen isn't really sure that her kiss will wake the prince; it's not that she doesn't love Arthur; it's that she loves Lancelot more. Without voicing her concern she enters the room, walks up to the sleeping prince, leans down and places a chaste kiss on his lips. Nothing happens.
Merlin doesn't seem too surprised by the outcome, he merely wanders off in hopes of finding Morgana and figuring out if there's some other way to bring Arthur back to the world of the conscious. Why Merlin believes Morgana would have the answers is beyond Gwen, but Gwen thinks it's probably because Morgana is smart and Merlin admires that. Gwen watches Arthur as he rests; even if it is some curse he still seems very peaceful. She wishes she could've woken him, wishes that Gwen had been all that was needed. Merlin returns with a frown. Gwen is sent away.
Uthur will not allow Morgana to visit Arthur, Uthur doesn't visit either. He is weary that such a curse may be contagious and that Morgana may catch it from being in Arthur's presence. Morgana sends Gwen to check on the prince constantly. Merlin is always in the room when Gwen enters; he cleans and goes about most of his usual jobs as if nothing has changed. He never smiles that silly grin of his though. He greets Gwen kindly, tells her nothing has changed, that they've made little to no progress and carries on with his chores. Gwen leaves quickly.
On the fourth day Gwen is sitting in the room watching Arthur when Merlin enters. He starts his chores but when Gwen goes to leave he asks her to stay.
"I think he likes your company" Merlin tells her. Gwen stays, when someone knocks on Arthur's door Merlin moves quickly to open it. Morgana is on the other side, without wasting a moment she kisses Merlin. Gwen can feel something powerful between the pair; magic and something else. Suddenly Morgana pulls away, whispers something and closes the door. Gwen can hear her arguing with some guard. Merlin looks at her.
He moves towards her, hand out stretched, asking her to hold it. Gwen takes it, without question and Merlin walks towards Arthur.
"Think of Lancelot," Merlin tells her and Gwen complies. She can feel that powerful force that was between Merlin and Morgana at her fingertips, it grows stronger and she thinks it's something other than magic that causes it to. Merlin looks at her with eyes that shine gold. He turns to Arthur, leans down and places a kiss on his lips, just like Gwen did. He pulls away just as Arthur's eyes start to open. The prince awakes.
Gwen moves to the door and opens it to find Morgana having an argument with Sir Leon. The pair turn to look at her, something about her must tell them all they need to know because Morgana quickly moves to enter the room. As her lady enters the room Gwen turns around to see a sleepy and confused looking Arthur and Merlin with his silly grin. She hasn't seen him smile in days and the smile seems to brighten the room.
"Stop grinning like an idiot," Arthur says when he turns to look at Merlin. Arthur smiles a little himself.
"How'd you do it?" Gwen asks Merlin, she really is curious.
"We focused as much love into one kiss as possible," Merlin tells her. "I was like a wheelbarrow of love." If Arthur were involved in this conversation he would probably be making fun of Merlin by now. Even Gwen has to resist the urge to and she isn't the making fun of type.
"You love Arthur?" Gwen asks.
"So does Morgana," Merlin retorts. Gwen looks at him with disbelief. "There are different types of love," he explains. "It was Morgana's idea."
"She just made you the wheelbarrow of love?"
"Were you thinking about Arthur while you were kissing Merlin?" Gwen asks her lady.
"A little, but I was mostly thinking about Merlin," Morgana admits.
"I was mostly thinking about Lancelot," Gwen whispers, if Morgana hears she isn't surprised. "Who do you think Merlin was thinking about?" Merlin is too complex a puzzle for Gwen to crack, Morgana is wise; maybe she has figured him out.
"I think he was thinking about everyone," Morgana replies. "If Arthur asks what happened, tell him he awoke because you kissed him." Gwen doesn't like the idea of lying, but she will, Morgana asked.
"Guinevere," Arthur greets as she enters the room, Merlin is doing some chore for Gaius; he asked Gwen to take Arthur his lunch. Arthur doesn't question her presence. "Do you know how I awoke from my enchantment?" The question does not catch her off guard, her answer is prepared.
"I kissed you, sire, it awoke you from your slumber," she informs him.
"No you didn't," he whispers and she pretends not to hear. Arthur has kissed her before, so maybe he felt Merlin's kiss and realised it wasn't Gwen's; or maybe he could feel the magic coursing through Merlin's veins.