Warnings: manlove. If it bugs you, you probably don't want to read this. Unless you're highly tolerant, like I am with dairy. Okay, that was odd..

Disclaimer: All rights belong to *google "merlin tv series" to see to

whom*. I'm just having fun.

I'd like to get back to S/P too but I don't have a lot of time and this seemed like the simplest way to ease pressure. I only recently started watching Merlin, but I have to say I love Gwaine. And Merlin.

Also, KC has been in an accident so now she's not in some episodes and it's weird. Get better soon.

Summary: Recap of Gwaine-episodes and what went on in people's,

especially Gwaine and Merlin's, heads during them. Obviously there's going to be added scenes, but in the beginning it's mostly just what you already saw. In chapter two we actually get into it. So essentially the first chapter is what happened in the episode, and in the second chapter we go into the mystical land of Avalon or AU, if you will :)

New heart, dear heart

(Gwaine 3x04)

Chapter 1

He probably wouldn't have even noticed the young man if there hadn't been that fight. In retrospect, he was eternally grateful that the brawl had taken place. Otherwise, they might not have met, or worse, met under less than favorable circumstances (as in him being brought in front of the king charged with some minor offense, which might have earned him a quick execution, considering that Uther wasn't exactly known as the kindest man in all of Camelot).

To get back to the present and not to get ahead of ourselves, he, Gwaine, had spent a relatively quiet night so far (for him, at least). He'd drunk some but nowhere near enough for it to have affected him much. He was just about to leave the tavern to find some better amusement, when he heard the man come in and ask the maid, Mary, for safemoney. The man handled her roughly, and Gwaine wasn't going to stand for that. His mother had taught him that women ought to be treated with respect. He was just about to go teach the blackmailer a lesson, only to realise that a man with blond hair had beaten him to it.

"Take your hands off her." The blond man spoke in a manner which indicated that he was used to giving orders, but that he was also ready to back his words up with force, if necessary. The blackmailer took a swing at the man, and the blond man ducked, proving that speed was also something he possessed.

"I'm going to make you pay for that", the blackmailer uttered, smiling, as he figured he had the advantage.

"I'd like to see you try", snickered a third voice. The blackmailer, the blond-haired man and Gwaine all turned to look at the source of it, a very young man with raven hair. Gwaine cocked his head to the side: the boy seemed interesting. He didn't have too much time to revel in this thought, however, as the blackmailer called his friends for help with a whistle. The raven-haired man, now alarmed and definitely not smirking anymore, instinctively sought the blond man's proximity. It wasn't too hard to guess that they knew each other, and also that the blond man was clearly the one who usually dealt with matters such as this.

"You had to open your big mouth, didn't you Merlin?" The blond man tried to sound annoyed, but he was clearly already so used to situations like this that he couldn't be bothered anymore.

Gwaine stood up. He was getting a strange energy from the young man, now identified as Merlin, and to find out more about it, he'd have to keep the man alive. "You two have got yourselves a bit of a pickle..haven't you?" He said and advanced next to them. "You should get out of here when you have the chance", the blond man told him firmly. Merlin looked at him sternly. "You're probably right", Gwaine replied, finished his drink and landed the first punch.

When the fighting started, it's pretty direct from there on out. Everybody fights until they can't fight any longer. Gwaine, being used to these kinds of fights where you never knew if the opponent had a stashed dagger or three in his pocket, evaluated whether the two men needed his assistance. The blond man was clearly holding his on, he clearly had skill and technique to spare. He could look after himself. Merlin wasn't doing too bad either, though his technique was more "no technique, just hit when you can". Surprisingly though, he wasn't entirely underhanded and Gwaine wondered how that could be. Then he saw a bench fly in the air, smashing against two men. He glanced swiftly (while he thought all of this, he was fighting three men, so window-gazing wasn't entirely recommended) to see who had thrown the bench. The blond man was in a different direction, and Merlin had been right next to the men, and he probably didn't have the strength to throw such an object at the drop of a hat. The bench seemed to have come from nowhere. Strange.

He finally got rid of the men he was fighting, and as he saw Merlin make his way behind the counter, he rushed towards him. He asked him to pass him the jar for him, as he wanted to surprise him. He took a drink and took a swing at a man who tried to attack him from behind. He turned back to Merlin. "What do they call you then?" he asked the boy, even though he already knew. Hey, it was polite. The younger man stiffly replied: "Merlin". Gwaine offered him his hand. "Gwaine. Pleasure to meet you." He saw Merlin's expression turn to a grimace, and he swung around to break the jar to another attacker's head. "Such a waste, huh?" He flashed the younger man his brightest grin and returned to the battle, leaving Merlin gaping after him.

The fight was nearing its end. There weren't many fighters left, but he saw a flash of a dagger and saw the blackmailer threaten the blond man, who was now on the ground. It probably wasn't his brightest idea ever, but he charged the blackmailer nonetheless. He was able to subdue him, but he saw and felt that the dagger had ended up in his leg. He tried to get up, but he lost consciousness and fell. His last thought as he succumbed to darkness was "maybe that was worth dying for."