For hobnailedboots, who asked for "Merlin, something to do with Merlin visiting the library a lot?"
"Arthur!"
Arthur Pendragon turned. Running down the hallway towards him was Gwen Smith, sweetest girl in the school and his ex. Normally Arthur avoided his various ex-girlfriends and boyfriends like the plague, but Gwen was the exception; she could never hold a grudge, she was too kind. Arthur stopped and waited for her to reach him.
"Gwen?" he asked. It was the last day of the autumn term and everyone was heading home; he was surprised she had not already left with her boyfriend, Lancelot.
"Arthur," she said. "I was wondering if you could do me a favour…" she gave him a pleading smile. Arthur shrugged.
"Sure, what is it?" he asked. Gwen held out a couple of books.
"Could you run these over to the library?" she asked. "They were due back today, and I've only just remembered – but I've got to go, Lance and I have a train to catch." She bit her lip.
"No problem," Arthur said, taking the books from her. "Just hand them in at the desk, right?"
Gwen nodded and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Arthur!"
With a cheerful smile she turned and ran back down the corridor, calling "Merry Christmas!" back over her shoulder. Arthur shook his head, smiling, and headed towards the library.
x
Relationships, Arthur reflected, were all about give and take. If you wanted to have something from the other person, you needed to give them something in return.
That, in essence, was why he was currently hiding between two long shelves of the university library, on the last day of the autumn term, waiting for a certain dark-haired, pale-skinned, big-eared assistant librarian. Merlin had got the job the week before, and no one had been surprised – Merlin spent more time in the library than he did in his own flat, but then given the state of Merlin's student accommodation, Arthur could hardly blame him. His housemates were unfriendly, and the place itself was small and grimy.
There was the sound of soft, respectful footsteps. Arthur flattened himself against a shelf. Merlin passed the end of the row and Arthur tiptoed after him, waiting for him to stop in front of some books. He got behind him, and reached his hands around to put them over Merlin's eyes. Merlin sighed, but not angrily.
"Oh no, someone has covered my eyes," he said dryly, "I wonder who they could be."
Arthur grinned. He wasn't going to let Merlin's sarcasm spoil his fun.
"You have to guess," he said cheerfully. He all but felt Merlin roll his closed eyes.
"Hm, let me see. Gwen?" Merlin asked.
"No," Arthur responded immediately. Merlin laughed.
"Are you sure? I think these hands are distinctly womanly…"
Without the use of his hands, Arthur settled with giving Merlin a gentle kick on the back of his leg.
"Guess again."
"Um… oh, I know!" Merlin said, innocently. "Gaius?"
Gaius was the head librarian, and from what Arthur could tell, a grumpy old goat. Arthur raised his eyebrows.
"Merlin, if Gaius is doing this sort of thing to you on a regular basis, I think maybe you should report it."
Merlin turned around at that, gently swatting at Arthur's arm.
"Don't be mean, he's a nice man."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to complain that I didn't guess?" Merlin said, smiling as his arms slid around Arthur's neck, fingers reaching to run through his blond hair. Arthur had a witty response in mind, but it faded away as most of his thoughts did when faced with Merlin like this. He shook his head a little. Merlin leant a little closer and Arthur's arms went around his waist.
"Merry Christmas, Arthur," Merlin murmured before their lips met, and Arthur was suddenly very, very glad that there was nobody else around.