Disclaimer: I didn't write this I took it from a LJ Thread but am posting it here to make it easier to read. I also do not own the characters.

Everybody at South High loved Merlin Emrys. Everybody. Including Dr. Gaius who hated everybody and insisted that the entire student body call him doctor not "Mr" or "Principal." Everybody knew him, or knew somebody who was tight with him, and they all agreed that Merlin really was great. He had an easy way about him, an effusive adoration for all things, an endless but not oppressive enthusiasm. He could charm anybody with his clear blue eyes and his smile like summer sunshine, and he could usually do it without opening his mouth. Teachers were delighted by him, the drudgery of their day brightened by his eager answers and strange questions. Nobody could quite follow the twisting garden paths his brain happily tripped down, but they were usually charmed by the attempt. Merlin could have used this power for personal gain, but it literally never occurred to him. He had a perfect 4.0 because he earned one, cheerfully working through the tedium of his homework and turning everything in on time with careful, neat writing (except for the year when his mother had been ill and he became distracted and sullen, he never received a failing grade).

Merlin knew just about everybody through his extracurricular activities. He ran track and cross-country and usually won his meets. He was on the swim team and played intramural water volleyball. He lettered in Forensics in his junior year, played Puck in a very well-received production of A Midsummer's Night Dream, and was voted class president three years in a row. He volunteered for the semi-annual blood drive, and was always the one selling tickets to dances during lunch. He read the school announcements every morning at 8:30 and dropped band because it conflicted with running, not because he wasn't a fantastic saxophonist (he also had a lovely voice, but the old dragon who led the chorus scared him too much and he never plucked up the courage to try out. When he admitted as much to Will, it quickly made it around the school that even Merlin, great though he may be, was frightened of Mr. Kilgarrah. Instead of being a point against Merlin, the student body collectively cultivated a deep dislike for the choral program).

It would have been easy to hate Merlin, except for the fact that it was completely impossible to hate Merlin. He smiled at everybody in the hallway, introduced himself to the kids who were all wrong angles, randomly passed out the candy he always kept in his pockets, and told raunchy jokes in the back of homeroom.

Arthur had basically loved him since kindergarten when Merlin happily handed over his graham cracker and carton of milk. Arthur had only asked because he was feeling mean like when he tormented the cat, and Merlin hadn't been upset at all. Just happy that he could do something to make Arthur happy. It hadn't been the start of a great friendship or anything-Merlin already had a best friend, a boy from his neighborhood-but Arthur hadn't forgotten it. In elementary school, they never had the same teacher. Not in six years. Arthur had contented himself with sitting on the edge of the playground, watching Merlin over the edge of the book he'd brought outside with him.

In middle school, they had several classes together. Merlin tended to sit in the front and center of class, making himself the center of attention without a hint of self-consciousness. Arthur tended to sit in the back corner, thick glasses perched on his nose (thanks to astigmatism in both eyes), uncomfortable and awkward in clothes that never seemed to fit him right. It was difficult to concentrate on math or anything else when Merlin was right there, one of the first to go through puberty, his voice strange and gravelly and far too fascinating to Arthur's ears
In high school, their lives diverged as they had in elementary school. Arthur took the easiest classes he could, including rudimentary courses reserved for students with special issues. Arthur didn't have any special issues, except for the fact that he felt stupid in the other classrooms, always struggling to keep up with pointless math, strange chemical formulas, and the completely irrational need to dissect every little fucking thing in English. He liked sports, and if he had to read, it was usually something about war. World War II was his favorite, but he liked the Revolutionary War too and he hated that they never talked about interesting things in history class. Who cared about the dates? What did dates tell you? Why not talk about strategy and sneak attacks and decisions that were just fucking crazy but actually worked in the end?

Merlin took honors and AP courses and distance learning classes from the local university.

Sometimes Arthur saw Merlin at school sporting events, but Merlin stuck to very solitary sports (what was more lonely than crosscountry?) and Arthur only played team sports. He liked working as a member of a team, liked the way each game of football or soccer or basketball was like a battle. It didn't matter how dense he was then-his body knew what to do.

Besides all that, Arthur had never been a fraction as popular as Merlin. Even the other jocks didn't like him that much, mostly due to Arthur's reputation for cutting remarks. His crooked mouth would screw up in a sneer and he'd say something cruel then laugh and say just kidding, like that would sooth the sting his words caused. Only he never really sounded like he'd just been joking, and for the most part, Arthur couldn't keep his disdain to himself. Except for Merlin, Arthur was his own favorite person. He might not be that bright, but he could throw the ball from one end of the field to the other with deadly precision, and his dad was rich.

Being the quarterback for the football team wasn't as sweet as it looked in the movies. The whole town didn't worship him, the teachers didn't care if a failing grade meant he couldn't play, and the principal didn't break rules for him. The head cheerleader didn't want to date him, he didn't have a scholarship waiting for him, and he never got to be on the front page of the local paper. Soccer didn't open any doors to special treatment either.

Being gay and completely in love with the class president didn't improve Arthur's life. The few girls who would fuck him didn't interest him at all, and as far as he knew, there wasn't another gay boy in the entire school. He tried to compensate for this by spending at least sixty percent of his waking hours watching hardcore pornography and jerking off. The other forty percent of the time, he fantasized of his favorite scenes with Merlin as one of the participants.

Merlin didn't have a girlfriend. That fact was prominent in Arthur's mind for most their high school career but it became a matter of particular urgency their senior year. Merlin never had a steady date, but that fact seemed particularly glaring to Arthur after the Homecoming dance and the Sadie Hawkins dance when Merlin had gone stag (but he had been Homecoming King so he at least got to dance with the queen). Arthur wasn't typically one for dances himself, but he'd been obligated to go to Homecoming and Vivien had asked him to the other to make some boy jealous, and since she was buying dinner, Arthur figured he had nothing to lose.

Arthur fantasized about asking Merlin to the Halloween dance and the winter formal. Harmless fantasies that never went anywhere because Merlin was so far out of his league that Arthur thought it best not to embarrass himself (not to mention the fact that Merlin was probably straight). But it was nice to think about wrapping his arms around Merlin and swaying to some oldie from the Goo Goo Dolls and knowing every person in the room was watching them with jealousy. It would be like starting a game, except better because Merlin was tangible, unlike a football score. In the end, Arthur had attended neither dance and heard through cafeteria gossip that Merlin had gone with a group of friends to both, but lacked a date.

During winter break, Arthur broke his leg in Aspen, effectively ending his high school basketball career. Soccer would be questionable as well. Arthur foresaw miles and miles of free time on his hands and started to wonder if maybe he should try to talk to Merlin. Not ask him out or anything stupid like that. Arthur would sooner die than see Merlin looking at him with an earnest, awkward smile as he explained that he didn't really like boys. Arthur was certain Merlin wouldn't be rude about it, which would only make the whole thing more terrible. No, no, Arthur just wanted to spend a few months basking in Merlin's warm presence while he nursed his injury and killed time until June when he would finally be free.

That was why in Arthur did the unthinkable when Merlin announced they were looking for volunteers to help decorate the gym for the Valentine's Day Dance and signed-up on the piece of paper posted outside the main office.

The signup sheet said to be in the gym on February 13 (Valentine's Day was on a Saturday this year) at three-thirty. Arthur was determined not to be the first person there. He didn't want to stand around awkwardly while he waited for people to drift into the gym, especially since they were using the smaller gym that was close to the weight room, and the chances of running into his former teammates while surrounded with pink balloons, cardboard hearts, and crepe paper were just too great. He ran that risk no matter what, but at least if he waited until Merlin showed up, he'd be with Merlin. To that end, he casually wandered through the side entrance at a quarter to four and found Merlin already fighting with the crepe paper while Gwen held the ladder and Lance and Will shouted at him for being such an idiot.

"Shut up. I've done this like a hundred times before."

"No, Lance has."

"I did it for the Halloween dance."

Gwen peered up at her friend who was now rather perilously balanced right at the top, reaching for the light fixture that, to Arthur's memory, had never been used as part of the decorations before. And with good reason.

"No, you didn't. Merlin why are you being so stubborn about this?"

"Because I don't want the Valentine's dance to be lame this year."

"You think crepe paper is going to make or break the dance?" Lance asked, looking over to Gwen as if to say can you believe this guy?

"One more inch. If I could just…reach…"

"Merlin! Merlin be careful!"

Arthur had quickened his pace when he noticed Merlin was wobbling at the top, but he began to run (awkwardly with his fucking cast) when he saw Merlin's long arms flailing back. They pinwheeled as Merlin struggled to keep his balance, and for a second it almost seemed to work. It may have worked if Merlin lived in a cartoon, rather than just look like a cartoon rabbit with his big ears and eyes, but he didn't. The ladder clattered as Merlin fell away from it, and Arthur dove the final feet, getting himself under Merlin just in time to break the boy's fall. He envisioned himself getting his arms under Merlin's body and catching him effortlessly and painfully.

In reality, they both crashed to the gym floor in a pile of limbs and shouts. Arthur's broken leg flared with pain and tiny tears spilled from the corners of his eyes. Merlin was on top of him, his face just an inch from Arthur's, his cartoon-rabbit-eyes even wider than usual and so blue that for a moment, Arthur forgot about the fact that he wanted to cut off his own leg to stop the pain. At first, Arthur couldn't hear anything except the rapid thump of his heart, and then Merlin released a shaky breath and the world sped up again.

Lance and Will pulled Merlin off Arthur—"Come on you got to let him breathe-" and Gwen crouched down next to Arthur's shoulder, her face full of concern. "Are you all right? Oh my god, I can't believe you broke his fall. Where did you even come from? Lance, did you see where he came from?"

"How's your leg, mate?" Lance had a rich English accent to go along with his brown eyes and great smile and perfect body. He played lacrosse and water polo but his real passion was diving. Arthur had woodshop with him their junior year, and he liked Lance well enough. Except for the twisting vines of jealousy he felt every time he saw Merlin and Lance walking side by side, teasing each other, laughing like they were the two funniest guys in the world.

"It hurts."

"Yeah, I bet. It just gave out. Do you want me to help you up?"

"No…no, I think I want to lay here for a bit."

"Fair enough."

"Oh my god!" Merlin broke away from Will and crawled over to Arthur's side. "Oh my god, are you okay? You saved my life. I would have died if you weren't here to catch me. Thank you."

Arthur had fifty pounds on Merlin, but the other boy lifted his shoulders off the floor with hardly any effort and pulled him into an unexpected and very enthusiastic hug. Arthur held himself stiffly, but the heat from Merlin's tight body worked into his muscles and he didn't quite relax, but he definitely enjoyed the contact more. He awkwardly returned the hug with one arm, using the other to brace himself against the slick floor. Merlin smelled like pumpkin (maybe it was nutmeg).

"I'm just glad I was here on time."

Merlin finally released him, sitting back on his heels. "What were you doing here? I mean, that's pretty lucky for me."

"I…" Arthur rubbed the back of his neck and wished Merlin would stop staring at him like that. "Well, I signed up to help decorate."

"You did?" Merlin scrambled across the floor and snagged his bag. Gwen, Lance, and Will all sort of hovered, waiting to see what Merlin would do, though Lance kept shooting worried glances at Arthur's leg. "Oh, you did! Your name's right here! Fantastic!"

"Yeah, I don't know if I'll be any help now." Arthur gestured at his leg and tried to swallow the tight knot in his throat. "I'm…actually in a lot of pain."

"Oh." Merlin gave a guilty start and hopped to his feet. "Lance, come on, let's help get him down to the nurse's office."

"You don't have to do that," Arthur protested. "Really. I'll be…"

"Look, I owe you for saving my life. Seriously, my head would have splattered on the floor like a watermelon."

"Eww, there would have been brains all over the place."

"And blood all over the decorations," Lance added.

"We could have used it to decorate his funeral," Will pointed out.

Gwen slapped his arm. "Don't be disgusting. We couldn't use pink hearts for Merlin's funeral."

"What would you suggest? Black hearts?"

Merlin brightened at that. "With black crepe paper. And you could play the Smiths or something."

"Why save that for your funeral?" Will asked. "Why don't we just do that for tonight's dance?"

"A Goth Valentine's Day?" Merlin shrugged. "Sounds good to me, but now we don't really have the time or the budget to change everything. Plus, Gaius wouldn't appreciate it."

"He'd love it if you did."

"Um, guys?" Lance gestured at Arthur, who was still on the floor and trying not to look as stupid as he felt. "Maybe we could discuss Goth Valentine after we've helped Arthur."

Merlin smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Here, Lance you take the other arm. Between the two of us we should…"

They did. But it was difficult and awkward and Arthur's body tried to ben in ways it shouldn't. Gwen collected the crutches he'd abandoned in his rush. He held himself steady, but Merlin still insisted on walking with him.

"I should probably have my head examined while I'm there. So…you're Morgana's brother, right?"

"Half-brother."

"Ah. How is she doing?"

"I don't know. After she moved out for school we haven't really kept in touch."

"Oh, I'm sorry. But she's at least liking school, right?"

Arthur shrugged. "I guess so."

"Does your leg hurt? Man, we never get volunteers, and then when we finally do, I almost kill you. I'll understand if that was the first and last time you offered to help."

"Well, like I said, I'm happy to help." This was the longest conversation he'd ever had with Merlin, and he couldn't think of anything to say. "I'll just have to stay off my leg."

"How do you feel about tying strings to balloons?"

Arthur didn't like anything about it, but Merlin's smile was encouraging and it was meant for Arthur, and Arthur alone. This was more than Arthur ever dared to hope for. Besides, he did commit to helping, and clearly those three needed it.

"I am great at tying strings to balloons."

"Great!" Merlin slapped the back of Arthur's back then pulled his hand away quickly. "Um, sorry. I'm not trying to knock you down again, I promise."

Arthur forced himself to smile, and it even looked genuine despite the pain. If he spent another hour with Merlin, the boy probably would kill him. But then that'd just mean he'd spent his last hour on earth with Merlin, and Arthur couldn't complain about that. And as he learned on the football field, sometimes you just have to play through the pain.

"Oh, Merlin, he's cute."

"I know, right? I'd fall off the ladder again if I thought he'd catch me."

Gwen covered her mouth to stifle a giggle and snuck another glance at Arthur, who was surrounded by about a million pink and white balloons. He was the most focused, determined person in the room, blowing up three balloons per minute, every minute.

"Don't you think we have enough? You could probably tell him to stop."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"If you keep shouting, he'll know we're talking about him."

"Oh, sorry." Merlin ducked his head closer to Gwen's. "Look, if I tell him we have enough balloons, he might leave. I don't want him to leave. I can't even believe this is happening and he's here."

"Why don't you ask him if he's going to the dance tonight?"

"You want me to ask Arthur Pendragon to the dance?"

"No. Ask him if he's going. Then if he doesn't plan it, and he probably doesn't, invite him. Tell him you can give him a free ticket for admission."

"I'm not going to ask Arthur to the dance with me."

"Why not?" Gwen demanded.

"Because he probably doesn't like boys. I've never seen him at one of the Alliance meetings."

"Please, this is Arthur. He probably doesn't even know there is a GLBT Alliance. He only goes to the pep rallies because Coach Kanen makes him. I mean, you said it yourself, the fact that he's here at all is pretty weird."

"Maybe he's here to try to get close to you."

"Oh, no he's not," Gwen protested, but Merlin could tell she was blushing. "Invite him out for coffee at least. Or that concert you're going to tomorrow."

"No, I can't do that. He'll think it's a date if it's on Valentine's day."

"It would be a date. That's the point. What's the worst that can happen if you ask?"

"Yeah, what's the worst that can happen?" Lance asked, putting his arm around Merlin's shoulders. "You two talking about Arthur?"

Merlin groaned. "Does everybody in the gym know we're talking about Arthur?"

"Your voice carries in here."

Merlin looked stricken. "Does it?"

Lance laughed. "Yeah, but you were whispering and he is pretty engrossed by those balloons. I'm sure he didn't hear you. Gwen's right. You should ask him out."

"Don't start with me."

"You should go on at least one date before you graduate."

"I agree, but that doesn't mean it should be with him," Merlin said, trying not to look over his shoulder at the boy in question. Arthur was so pretty that sometimes Merlin went ten minutes out of his way just to catch a glimpse of him. Merlin had always harbored a little crush on him, but the previous summer, Arthur had put on an extra twenty pounds of muscle and his complexion and cleared and now he was perfect. Perfect.

"Don't you like him?"

"Oh, I like him plenty. But, guys, it's not that easy. What are the chances that the most gorgeous person I have ever met is not only gay, but likes me, too? They're impossible. It's so impossible that we're crazy people for even having the conversation."

Gwen growled. "Merlin Emrys you are impossible. He volunteered to decorate the gym. Nobody does that. We don't even do that. We'll actually lose marks if we don't take care of this stuff. But he's here blowing up every pink balloon in the city. He's got to be doing that for a reason."

"I already told you. He's interested in you."

Lance frowned. "He better not be."

"He's not. Just try, Merlin. How much will you regret it if you never even try?"

"How much will I regret it if I do try and he tells me to go fuck myself?"

"Merlin, nobody would ever say that to you," Gwen promised him.

"Arthur might. He told Mr. Neff to go fuck himself right in the middle of class. Remember that?"

"He was thirteen at the time, Merlin. Maybe that was a phase he outgrew." Gwen reached out and clasped his hand. "Look, do you want to go out with him?"

"Yes."

"And do inappropriate things to his body?"

"Gwen!"

"Well?"

Merlin felt his face turn pink. "Yes. Though I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Everything. So since we've got that established, march over there and ask him to meet you tonight after the dance. Simple as that."

Merlin very much wanted to, but it was not as simple as that. He realized he was gay in fifth grade, and though he didn't try to keep it a secret, he didn't flaunt the fact. Especially around the boys he wanted to kiss, in part because he couldn't think of anything as nauseatingly terrible as making himself vulnerable enough to be utterly crushed under a boy's heel. So he never approached anybody, which meant that while he had a full social calendar, he was still behind just about everybody else when it came to milestones. Like first dates and his first kiss.

"Just go talk to him."

It was the only way to get Gwen off his back, so Merlin squared his shoulders and crossed the gym. The rest of the decorating committee and part of the student government showed up around five to help with everything, and they had pretty much all worked around Arthur without talking to him or even asking why he was there. Arthur, for his part, didn't seem to mind being ignored. He didn't go out of his way to get noticed.

"Hey. How goes the balloons."

Arthur looked up, then startled Merlin by flinging his arms wide and pushing his shoulders back. Merlin tried to cover the fact that Arthur had scared him with his massive stretch, but he was distracted by how nice Arthur's shoulders looked when they were flexed like that.

"Good. But you mind if I stop? My fingers are starting to cramp up."

"Oh, no, that's fine. Honestly, this is more balloons that we've ever had for a dance. Usually we just get distracted by sucking on the helium. Lance sounds particularly hilarious." Merlin raised his voice an octave and spoke in the worst English accent imaginable. "He talks like this." He coughed and shook his head. "Actually, he sounds nothing like that. That was terrible."

"You shouldn't do that, you know."

"What?"

"Inhale helium. It's not good for you."

"I didn't know that. Is that how you resisted temptation?"

"I didn't find it that tempting."

Merlin blinked. He could understand finding the inner strength to stop oneself from sucking on the hose, but not even wanting to? Weird.

"I just wanted to thank you again for volunteering. You did a great job. Maybe you could help us with the prom?"

"Yeah, maybe."

Okay, so far so good. Merlin was staying on point, he wasn't drooling, and Arthur seemed comfortable with talking to him. He also didn't appear to hold the earlier accident against him. Merlin's stomach was still clenched in an uncomfortable knot, and he figured the only reason he hadn't needed to change his pants was that there hadn't been time to shit himself when he realized he was falling. It all happened too fast.

"Look, me and Gwen were talking and…what are you doing tonight after the dance?"

"Um…" Arthur balanced himself on his crutches and looked over to where Gwen was not-so-subtly watching them. "Look, I'm flattered but…I'm not really interested."

"Oh. Okay." Merlin felt the hot rush of humiliation crawling up his spine, but he refused to give in to it. So he'd just experienced his first rejection. It wasn't that bad. Arthur had been polite about it, and maybe things wouldn't be too terribly awkward between them. Not that there were things between them. "Are you heading out? Can I carry your bag to your car? It's really the least I can do after all your help today."

"No, I've got it. Look, tell Gwen I'm sorry."

"Tell Gwen…" Arthur thought Merlin had been asking for Gwen? Arthur thought Merlin was asking for Gwen! "Yeah, sure I will."

"Thanks. Enjoy your dance, Emrys."

"I'm going to take all the credit for the balloons."

Arthur smiled. "I don't always need all the glory."

Merlin was struck speechless by the smile. He couldn't really move, either. He watched Arthur limp out of the gym and turned back to Gwen's, whose encouraging smile had faded to a perplexed frown.

"He doesn't want to date you!" Merlin announced.

"What? You weren't asking him for me."

"I know, but he thought I was, and he turned you down!"

"Merlin, please stop sounding so happy about the fact that a very pretty boy has no interest in me. It's disturbing."

Merlin tried to wipe the smile from his face, but he couldn't. Not completely. "I'm sorry, but look, maybe if he's not interested in you, he might not like girls."

"Not every straight boy in the school is interested in me."

"Not only because Lance would kill them. But secretly? They all want you. Besides, Arthur probably doesn't even know you're dating Lance."

"I think you're grasping at straws."

"I thought you were supposed to be encouraging me in this insanity."

"I am. What are you going to do?"

Merlin grinned widely. "I don't know. I guess I've got to get his attention."

"Five minutes ago you didn't even want to ask him on a date."

"I know, but he smiled at me. And Gwen, his smile is…" Merlin sighed, gaze turning distant as he thought about the wonder that was Arthur's smile. And his nose. Merlin had a thing for noses, and Arthur's was rather exceptional. Not to mention his eyes, or the way his hair brushed across his forehead. And there was the fact that Arthur had saved his life, and who wouldn't find that a turn on?

Arthur beating a hasty retreat was a little disheartening, but he'd never been the most social person. As long as he didn't run away on Monday when Merlin tried to talk to him, everything would be good.