"How's the renovations going?" Mithian asked as she gently jiggled the tea bag in her cup. An irrational flash of jealousy swept through Gwen. Even drinking tea, Mithian was the epitome of grace and beauty. No wonder Arthur was smitten.
Immediately ashamed of her wayward thoughts, Gwen quickly replied. "Not so great. Arthur has a lot on his plate and this means that Merlin and I have been working several weekends. And when we do have time off, Merlin and I are completely unproductive. We were supposed to strip the wallpaper from the study last week but we ended up making popcorn and watching Die Hard - Merlin's choice by the way." The thing was, as jealous as Gwen was of Mithian, she also genuinely liked the photographer. It was nice to have a friend in Camelot who hadn't been part of her past here.
"Arthur does seem to be very busy," mused Mithian, her long, elegant fingers absently stroking the table cloth. "He keeps you and Merlin busy too." As if trying to torture herself, Gwen imagined Mithian's fingers running against Arthur's collar bone before moving lower.
The deal she made with Arthur popped into her mind. "Arthur is very dedicated to his job."
"I noticed."
"He's also not like his father at all."
Mithian's fingers stopped moving. "Ok."
"And he's kind and principled and generous -" Gwen groaned inwardly. She was making a mess of this. "He's a good man," she ended, her cheeks burning.
"What are you doing Gwen?"
She sighed and hoped silently that Arthur wouldn't be too upset at her lack of subtlety. "You realise that Arthur likes you. A lot."
Mithian even blushed prettily. It was a good thing Gwen knew a lost cause when she saw one and didn't fancy herself in competition with Mithian. She would never measure up. "I know. He's not exactly kept it a secret."
"No. I think he feels you're not as interested."
"You two discuss me?" Thankfully Mithian sounded more amused than angry.
Gwen shrugged. They didn't really discuss Mithian, not after the day they made that deal. "You should give him a chance. He's a good catch."
"If he's such a good catch, why aren't you interested?" Mithian took a sip of her tea, her eyes on Gwen and for a moment, Gwen wondered if how she felt about Arthur was written all over her face.
"He's not quite my type. I prefer my men more ordinary."
Mithian frowned. "Like Merlin."
"Like Merlin," laughed Gwen as she pictured Merlin's indignation at being called ordinary.
"You've known Merlin for long? He's always talking about you."
"I've known him since we were babies. My mother used to babysit him." Gwen grinned teasingly. "Has he been telling you stories about me?"
Mithian's cup clattered onto the saucer and flustered, she shook her head. "Oh no! No! Merlin wouldn't say anything bad about you. It's always 'Gwen and I' this and 'Gwen and I' that."
"Hey, no. I was just joking. Merlin is a great friend. He's been a great friend to me and I don't know what I'd do without him."
For a while Mithian said nothing. Instead, she looked at her cup, seemingly deep in thought. Uncertain of what caused the change in atmosphere, Guinevere took a gulp of her tea and glanced at the little sign on the table advertising the specials at the cafe.
Afternoon tea special.
Buy one pastry and get a coffee on the house.
"About Arthur," Mithian suddenly said. "He really likes me?"
"Yeah. He does." Gwen took a breath to calm her racing heart. "He's a great guy -"
Mithian's lips lifted into a smile. "You don't have to sell him to me. You're right. Arthur is well-off, handsome, kind - what's not to like?"
Despite the fact that she'd just been trying to persuade Mithian to give Arthur another chance, her heart sank. It looked like she had just upheld her side of the bargain. She smiled brightly at Mithian. "Great. I hope you get to know him better. It'll be worth it." With every word she said, she felt a jab of pain. Desperate to change the subject, she continued. "How about I get the bill and we continue to check out bed frames?"
"Sure. Who knew bed frames were so difficult to shop for?"
This time, Gwen's smile was genuine. "Who knew. After that sales lady explained to us all the nuances invovled in purchasing a bed frame, I'm considering sleeping on the floor instead."
"How about a deal? We'll look for bed frames for another half hour. If we can't find any, we'll just give up, call it a day and go for a nice dinner somewhere."
"Sounds like a plan."
Guinevere was perched on a stool in her kitchen, watching with growing amusement as Merlin scurried around her kitchen, opening drawers and cupboards.
"Knowing where I stash my pots and pans isn't going to make you a better cook."
Merlin simply grunted and continued poking through her kitchen, the kitchen she'd to hurriedly clean yesterday after a long day of walking the mall looking for bed frames because Merlin decided that having their little cooking competition in Arthur's home would be giving him too much of an unfair advantage.
"What time is Arthur supposed to be coming? And who is he bringing as the second judge?"
"I have no idea who he is bringing," Merlin said.
"I invited Mithian."
There was a clatter, followed quickly by a yell, then a sheepish looking Merlin popped up from behind the counter, rubbing his forehead. "Bumped my head."
"You don't mind, do you? I thought it'll be good if Mithian saw that Arthur could cook."
Merlin's eyebrows shot up. "You actually believe Arthur can cook?"
"Well, I believe you can cook so I figure I owe Arthur the same." Gwen pursed her lips, trying not to smile as she remembered the last time Merlin tried to cook. Of course, they were still teenagers then and maybe Merlin had learnt to cook after all these time, but, Gwen was skeptical.
"You're taking this deal thing seriously."
"I promised Arthur that I would help him woo Mithian and you know I don't renege on my promises." No matter how much they hurt, she added silently.
"I hope Arthur holds up his end of the bargain. After you-know-who -"
"Merlin! You can say his name!"
"Ok, after what Jonathan did to you in Essetir, you've not dated at all."
Gwen shook her head and let out a bitter laugh. "Can you blame me?"
"Of course not," Merlin said quietly, slipping from behind the counter to her side and pulling her into a hug. "He was an ass and a jerk and he shouldn't be the reason you don't date."
"Yeah. I know." She sighed, then stepped out of Merlin's hug. "It's difficult." Merlin nodded silently, probably thinking that it was difficult because of what Jonathan did when it was really difficult because she was in love with someone unattainable.
She stilled at her thoughts.
"Are you alright? I'm sorry I brought him up -"
The doorbell rang, interrupting Merlin's words and snapping Gwen out of her thoughts. Quickly, she slid off the stool and went to the door, thankful for the interruption.
"Mithian! You're early." Gwen took the flowers and bottle of wine from Mithian, then ushered her into the ktichen.
"I know but I wanted to see your place and the renovations you've been doing - oh Merlin! Hi." For a brief moment, Gwen thought that Mithian sounded almost shy but she brushed it off. Mithian was always cool and collected. Grabbing a vase, Gwen arranged the flowers, leaving Merlin and Mithian to chat. As she heard the two of them discussing the best time to walk the White Mountains trail, Gwen smiled wryly. Getting along with Merlin would please Arthur tremendously.
Later, they left Merlin in the kitchen as Gwen brought Mithian around her house.
"You're right. You should do up your bedroom. All the browns and greys really isn't you at all."
"It was my brother's. I was really thinking about yellow and green. Remember that overly expensive bed frame with the iron wrought headboard?"
Mithian nodded. "A garden theme?"
"Something like that. What do you think?"
"It would be lovely, especially if you use that ledge you have over there to put some flowers or plants."
Gwen grinned. "My thoughts exactly. Of course, I'm terrible at keeping plants alive but I figure Merlin can deal with any live plants I acquire."
"Merlin." Mithian repeated.
"Yeah. I haven't told him yet though so don't mention it to him!"
"I -"
The doorbell rang again. From the kitchen, Merlin hollered that he would get it and within moments, Gwen could hear Arthur's voice and immediately her heart jumped and she smoothed down the dress she was wearing instinctively.
Mithian didn't seem the least bothered. "Merlin comes over often?"
"All the time! Sometimes I tell him that he should just move in. Come on. Arthur is here. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."
Mithian gave her a brief smile and they made their way back to the kitchen.
In his car, outside Guinevere's apartment block, Arthur had already given Gwaine a long lecture on how he should act with Guinevere. Now, as they stood in her small kitchen, he wondered if introducing Gwaine to her was even a good idea. Maybe Lance would have been a better choice. Lance took everything seriously and from what he'd heard from Elaine, he was a devoted and loving boyfriend. Didn't Guinevere deserve that? But Lance was always so intense and Guinevere seemed to be full of painful secrets. Gwaine, on the other hand, would be someone fun, someone who could put a smile on Guinevere's face.
"Remember, if you're not interested, don't lead her on," Arthur hissed as he heard someone approach the kitchen.
"I really have to meet this lady you're so protective over," laughed Gwaine. "And I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself."
He was just about to warn Gwaine again when Mithian stepped into the room. No one had told him she would be here and whatever he was about to say faltered on his lips as he stared at her. Dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, she was still a sight to behold. Then Guinevere popped in from behind, her curls bouncing freely around her face. She smiled at him and he tore his gaze from Mithian and grinned at Guinevere, pleased that she looked like she was in a good mood.
"One of you must be Guinevere," said Gwaine as he walked towards them, a deliberate swagger in his steps.
Arthur watched as Guinevere's eyes widened in surprise just as she reached out her hand to take Gwaine's. "That's me." Was her breathlessness a sign that she was interested in Gwaine? That was a good thing, he told himself firmly, ignoring the strange sense of discomfort that he was feeling. "And this is Mithian."
Gwaine shook Mithian's hand but Arthur could see that his eyes were firmly on Guinevere, who flushed under his gaze.
"I didn't realise you'd be here," Arthur stepped to stand next to Mithian.
"Gwen invited me. Said that it would be a good chance to have Merlin and you cook for me."
"I would cook for you any time."
Mithian turned to him, placed her hand in his and said quietly, "I might just take you up on that offer."
Whatever Guinevere said to Mithian, it was clearly working. Curling his fingers around hers, he tugged her over to the counter, where Merlin stood, imperiously waving a wooden spoon.
"Welcome all to the Merlin-Arthur cooking showdown!" Merlin said. "May I introduce our judges - Guinevere Thomas, expert pie baker and Gwaine Green, umm, expert -"
"Eater!" Everyone laughed and Arthur looked over at Gwaine who was standing almost plastered against Gwen. That was fast.
"So, I'm going to be making chicken pot pie and Arthur - what are you making?"
"Steak and potatoes."
"Brilliant. Since you're the neutral observer here, would you like to declare the competition started, Mithian?"
Her hand slipped from his. "Of course."
And just like that, Arthur found himself on the wrong side of a kitchen, staring at an array of pots and pans. Gingerly, he picked up a peeler and a potato. He'd just practised this last night. He could do this. Sucking in a deep breath, he frowned, gripped the peeler tightly and applied it to the potato.
"This," chuckled Gwaine, "was possibly the most eclectic meal that I've ever had. Yummy though, thanks to me."
In the end, neither he nor Merlin managed to cook a complete meal decently. He had left his potatoes to blanch for far too long and by the time he remembered, they had more or less dissolved into the water, completely unsalvageable. Merlin hadn't fared much better when he'd burnt his pie crust. Arthur had over cooked the steak and Merlin forgot to put salt in his pie. In the end, Gwaine had taken over the kitchen, surprising everyone with how he took whatever was left over and made a semi-decent meal out of it.
"I declare Gwaine the best cook," said Guinevere, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Gwaine. "I trust no one has any objections."
The rest of the dinner went by pleasantly. Talk flowed easily between the five of them and for a while, Arthur could simply enjoy being in the company of good friends and pretend that his life wasn't the mess it was.
"So, Mithian, I've seen your work before. You're good. Why leave all the bright lights for boring, old Camelot?" They were gathered in Guinevere's tiny living room, digging into ice cream that Arthur had the foresight to bring.
"Camelot has a charm of its own. Plus where else better to start a new career as a nature photographer?"
"Ah, well then, good thing you know Merlin." Gwaine slapped Merlin's back with a huge thump. "His idea of a good time is to walk around all the so-called nature sights in Camelot. I'm sure he can show you some great places."
Mithian's smile was tight and she nodded, making Arthur wonder if Mithian didn't like Merlin for some reason. Before he could think more of it, Mithian took his hand again and squeezed it. He slipped his fingers through hers and smiled warmly at her.
Eventually, the party had to break up. Guinevere stood at the door, cheerily waving them off. Gwaine whispered something in her ear and she laughed as pink stained her cheeks. Curiosity over what Gwaine whispered to her to make her laugh like that gripped him but he knew it was completely inappropriate to ask at this moment. Mithian slipped her arm through his and he turned his thoughts to her instead.
"I'll send you home?"
"I'd love that," Mithian replied. She turned back and he followed her gaze and watched as Merlin and Gwaine lingered at the door, chatting with a smiling Guinevere. Something dark churned in him but when Mithian's eyes turned back to him, he ignored it. "Perhaps you'll come in for some coffee?"
He should have, but for some reason, at her door, after he kissed her, he begged off coffee, claiming he was exhausted after all that cooking. As he drove back, he wondered if Gwaine was still at Guinevere's place and what she'd told Mithian that resulted in her sudden change in attitude towards him.
The weekend went by in a flash, much to Arthur's regret, especially when he arrived in the office on Monday morning to find a sullen Mordred waiting for him. Guinevere shot him a look of sympathy and pressed a mug of coffee into his hand. He smiled thankfully, then ushered Mordred into his office.
"Well?" Mordred threw his bag onto the sofa and flopped onto it.
Guinevere's concern about Mordred echoed in his brain. "How have you been?"
"What does that matter? Just tell me how the case is progressing."
"It matters because I care. Have you been going to school? How is your dad?"
Mordred scowled. "You know how my dad is. That assistant of yours called every now and then to check on him. And yeah, I'm back in school."
"Good. Anything you need?"
"I need you to actually do something about this case!"
"Alright, look, I know you are itching for me to confront Mercia Constructions but nothing good is going to come out of rushing it."
"There's slow and there's doing nothing. And frankly, I think you're doing nothing. Morgana said -"
Arthur slammed the folder in his hands down onto his desk. "I told you not to talk to Morgana!"
"You're not my father and you're not my boss. I can talk to whoever I want!"
"She has an agenda and that agenda isn't helping you. Let me deal with her -"
Mordred snorted. "Deal with her? She said she's been avoiding you because you're a wuss and she doesn't think that you'd have the guts to make proper use of the evidence she has."
Arthur bit his lip as anger bubbled in him. Coldly, he said, "I'm telling you again. Don't listen to Morgana."
"You don't get to tell me what to do."
"Mordred -"
He grabbed his bag. "I suggest you move faster on my case." Then before Arthur could say anything, he stalked out of his office, slamming the door in his wake.
Arthur rubbed his temple, trying to prevent the headache he could feel building. and picked up his phone. "Guinevere? Get Merlin and come into my office. Both of you."
After he relayed the meeting with Mordred, Merlin simply sighed while Guinevere furrowed her brows in concern. "What are you planning now?" she asked.
"I think it's about time we sat down with Mercia Construction. I want you to speak with Gili again and see if he's willing to give us a statement. He doesn't have to testify, not yet anyway. We can keep him anonymous for now. And Guinevere, I need you to call Morgana or Morgause again and see if you can persuade them to meet with us."
Nodding, Merlin left his office while Guinevere lingered.
"Is something wrong?"
"I just wanted see if you were alright." She peered at him. "Are you?"
"Yeah. I was being cautious with the case, worried that if it fell through, I'd look bad and Mordred would lose a chance of getting justice. I guess that approach didn't work. I just feel like I'm floundering here and you probably find it hard to believe but it's not a feeling I'm used to. I just don't want to let Mordred down. Life has let him down enough already."
Somehow, she'd moved closer to him and she placed a hand on his arm. "It'll work out. I know it will. I believe in you."
Arthur looked at her, at her earnest eyes, at the stray curl that fell across her forehead and at the slightly parted lips. She believed in him. How many people had ever said that to him before? Without thinking, he lifted a hand and rubbed his thumb across her smooth cheek. She blinked in response, then swallowed.
He kissed her.
Not on the cheek like he did on occasion.
Not like a friend would.
He kissed her full on the lips, tasting the sweetness she offered and revelling in the feel of her. His mind emptied of everything except for Guinevere and how perfectly she fitted under his lips.
For the last few hours, Gwen had done little except stare blankly at her screen. Sure, she made the phone calls she needed to make, ushered in clients who had appointments and put phone calls through to Arthur but she did them all automatically, without thinking. All that was in her mind was the kiss she shared with Arthur. She should have pulled away the moment his lips touched hers but she hadn't. She hadn't even protested. Instead, she'd closed her eyes and sighed against him, enjoying the feel of his lips moving against hers.
They broke apart eventually and immediately regret and embarrassment swept through her. Avoiding eye contact, she broke out of his hold and moved to the door.
"Guinevere -"
"That was a mistake."
"A mistake," he had repeated, and she could feel his eyes on her. She continued staring at the ground.
"A mistake. You are under a lot of stress - we are under a lot of stress and sometimes that results in bad decisions." She gulped and pressed on when he didn't say anything. "I mean we both know it didn't mean anything."
She heard him move, probably to his desk. "Of course."
"We should forget it happened."
"Yes."
"I'm going to go to my desk now."
"Of course. Guinevere -"
Her hand on the doorknob, she stopped.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you."
So he was regretting it already. "It's forgotten," she said, thankful her voice came out calmly. She looked back at him and smiled insincerely. His returning smile was just as strained. Quickly, she left his office, her heart pounding and the memory of his warm lips still playing in her mind.
She was still replaying the kiss in her mind when Merlin popped by. "Hey, lunch?"
Grateful for the distraction, she agreed easily.
The cafe was crowded as usual but they soon found a nice corner table to sit at. For a while, she simply let Merlin's general chatter wash over her until he stopped.
"Ok, something is wrong today. You want to talk about it?"
"I just didn't get enough sleep last night."
A teasing grin broke on Merlin's face. "Gwaine? He seemed quite taken with you."
Gwaine. He had been very charming and a whole lot of fun. On the spur of the moment, she'd agreed to meet up with him for tea on Sunday and she had to admit that it had been very enjoyable. "He was a lot of fun."
"Hmm," said Merlin meaningfully. "Everyone is getting hooked up around me. It almost makes me feel lonely."
It was her first genuine laugh in hours. "I just met up with Gwaine. It's nothing serious."
"But it could become serious, couldn't it?"
Gwen shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe?" Gwaine didn't strike her as the the long term commitment type but maybe, he would be just the guy to distract her from her feelings for Arthur. "You know what? I'm going to call him right now and see if he wants to have dinner with me tonight."
Merlin's eyebrows shot up but all he did was grin and give her the thumbs up.
As expected, dinner with Gwaine was both enjoyable and relaxing and for a good few hours, she didn't think of Arthur or that kiss.
"How about a walk along the river?" Gwaine asked as he helped her with her coat.
"Sure."
The night was cool and the moon hung low in the sky. They weren't the only couple strolling along the river. As they walked, Gwaine took her hand and tugged her closer to him. The warmth of his body enveloped her and Gwen had to admit that she enjoyed the comfort it provided. Surely it wouldn't be difficult to fall in love with him. They chatted easily about random events in Camelot, never delving into anything too heavy or personal.
Eventually, they were at her apartment. Gwaine smiled down at her. "I had a lovely time, Gwen. You're quite a wonderful person."
"I had a great time too." Determined to forget Arthur and that kiss which kept popping into her head at the most inopportune moments, she widened her smile. "Would you like to come in?"
She must have read him wrongly because he hesitated. Gwen was about to take back her invite when Gwaine cupped her face gently his thumb caressing her cheek. "Under other circumstances, I would have said yes easily. But you Gwen, are not the one night stand type and I happen to know there's someone else in your heart."
"What -"
"I saw the way you kept looking at Arthur that day during the cooking competition."
She forced a laugh, hoping that in the dim light, he couldn't see the blush on her cheek. "You're mistaken. I -"
"I don't think so. But, you know, it doesn't mean we can't go out and have fun together. And it doesn't mean I won't kiss you. After all, you are single now right?"
She nodded, unsure of what to say.
"And you wouldn't say no to a kiss?"
"No," she whispered, then leaned towards him. Gwaine kissed her.
It was pleasant and it was obvious that Gwaine was skilled but it wasn't the toe-curling, heart pounding kiss that Arthur had given her.
"Good night Gwen." He pressed another kiss to her cheek then disappeared down the corridor.
As she closed the door, Gwen smiled, her fingers touching her cheek. It was nice being desired by someone like Gwaine. Fun. She could do fun and maybe while she was having fun, she'll stop being in love with Arthur.
The atmosphere crackled with tension. Mercia Construction's lawyers sat at one end of the table while Arthur, Merlin and her sat at the other. It was a high stakes meeting and Gwen could see the lines on Arthur's face. Merlin looked less tense but Gwen knew better. The past few nights, the three of them had stayed up till late in the office, working through how they would approach this meeting. In between, they ate takeaway and Arthur tried to deal with Mordred's increasing unhappiness. On and off, Mithian would drop by with food for all of them and Gwen would try to ignore the affectionate look and touches between her and Arthur. Usually, she'd call Gwaine up and he'd pick her up and bring her out, laughing and teasing her till her mood improved.
"Rumour has it that you're working with your estranged sister," one of the lawyers said grimly.
Drumming his fingers on the table, Arthur shook his head. "You know what people are like. Rumours can spring out of nothing."
"Be that as it may, we know of Ms Pendragon's -"
"Ms LeFay. Morgana will kill you if you refer to her as Ms Pendragon." Gwen watched as Arthur smiled easily, acting as if he hadn't a care in the world when she knew it was exact opposite.
"Ms LeFay's interest in our company. Of course, she has it all wrong but we really rather she stop poking around in our affairs."
"If you think I have any control over Morgana, you clearly haven't done your research." Arthur smiled again. "Shall we get down to business then?"
Throughout the meeting, Arthur maintained the calm and confident facade with Merlin furiously taking down notes, contributing only a little now and then.
"We are willing to give Cerden a nice sum of money. The accident isn't our fault but we do feel sorry for his bad luck and we are a generous company."
Arthur laughed. "But I suppose you won't admit your guilt."
"As I said, it wasn't our fault. He was unlucky. A lawsuit would do neither party any good and you know that."
The discussion, amiable on the surface, continued for a long time with neither side willing to give up any ground. By the time the lawyers from Mercia Constructions stood and shook their hands, Gwen was exhausted and deflated. Things didn't look good for them at all.
"Well," Arthur said, tiredness in his voice, "that went well."
Merlin merely shook his head. "I'll concede that they are worried but once they work out that we're bluffing about working with Morgana, about having evidence, whatever upper hand we have is going to disappear. We need to take the deal."
"You're probably right. But we can't do any deals without Mordred's agreement and you know what he wants." Arthur sighed. "I need a break from this. How about some lunch?"
"Can't," muttered Merlin. "I promised my mom I'd go look at her sink once this meeting was over."
"Guinevere?"
She should say no. Really. But she didn't.
There was something about Guinevere, Arthur realised as they walked down to their usual cafe. Being with her, he felt as if he didn't have to put on an act, he could be himself. And no matter what was weighing down on his shoulders, when he was with Guinevere, they never seemed as heavy.
"Oh look!" Guinevere said suddenly, "Gwaine is here!"
His immediate reaction was one of annoyance, which didn't make any sense at all and he immediately attributed it to the lingering stress from the meeting.
"Guinevere!" Gwaine rose from his seat and kissed her lightly. "Arthur. Gwen mentioned the meeting so I thought I'd pop by and see how things went, give Gwen some support." He smiled warmly at Gwen, who smiled back at him.
"Don't you have to work?" Arthur was well aware that he sounded pissy but he didn't care. He'd expected to spend a nice half hour with Guinevere, not have to share her with Gwaine.
Gwaine merely grinned at Arthur. "Perks of running your own gym. Still, thanks for worrying about my gym Arthur. You're a good friend."
"Thanks for coming by." Arthur said with all the sincerity he could muster as Guinevere took Gwaine's hand, then settled down in the seat next to him.
"How about we get some lunch then?" asked Gwaine. "I'm buying."
Leaving Guinevere at the table, Arthur walked with Gwaine to the counter. "How's the case going?"
"Not so great."
"You should come by, punch some bags to relieve your stress." Flashing his signature smile at the young lady behind the counter, Gwaine placed his order before turning back to Arthur.
"I should. It feels like ages since I've been by." Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. "Frankly, a massage would be better."
"You should ask your girlfriend - Mithian was it? - to give you one."
"Is that what Guinevere is to you?"
Gwaine simply shrugged. "We've only been seeing each other for a week. Who knows what will transpire?"
"Don't hurt her," Arthur felt compelled to say.
"I think we're both quite clear on how we stand. I enjoy her company and she enjoys mine. And frankly, I don't think she'll appreciate your interference." Gwaine softened his words with a smile. Arthur bit back his retort. "Anyway, you coming to play football this Saturday? You've missed several weeks already and we miss you."
Arthur chuckled as he grabbed the tray of food that finally arrived. "Miss winning?"
"Oh please. We don't need you to win," Gwaine said.
"I've heard differently." He smirked at Gwaine who shook his head good naturedly.
Despite, Gwaine's intrusion, lunch was nice enough and by the time it was over, Arthur felt more relaxed and more positive. Outside the cafe, Arthur watched as Gwaine and Guinevere kissed goodbye, stubbornly ignoring the strange feeling that had taken up residence in his stomach since he walked into the cafe. He should be happy, he told himself firmly. Guinevere was smiling, laughing like he wanted. He turned away.
"I'm going back first," he yelled at them but aside from a quick nod from Guinevere, they ignored him, far too engrossed in each other. It was rude, he told himself, explaining the annoyance that had been haunting him the whole day. In the lift, he pulled out his phone and called Mithian.
Mithian excused herself from the table, smiling as she stood up. Arthur returned the smile. For all intents and purposes, his relationship with Mithian was going well. They went out regularly and he enjoyed her company. She seemed to enjoy his too. In fact, most dates were pleasant, lovely. Mithian, as he'd known from the very beginning, was everything one could want in a partner - she was gorgeous, smart and kind. So why did he feel so out of sorts and why was it every time he closed his eyes, the kiss he shared with Guinevere would enter his mind?
"Penny for your thoughts," said Mithian as she returned to the table. "Still worrying about your cases?"
"Yeah," he lied easily. "Sorry."
Mithian placed her hand over his. "I think it's great that you are so dedicated to your work. I admire that."
"Sometimes I wish that I could do more." This time, his thoughts drifted to Mordred. Mercia Constructions had offered a deal but refused to admit any fault, something that Arthur knew Mordred would insist be part of the deal. "Some days, I wish I could do something to prevent such things from happening, instead of just reacting to such things."
"Don't we all?" Mithian replied. "Are you free this weekend? I'm hoping to take a walk in Gedref, take some photos. The local tour magazine is willing to pay for some photographs."
"That's brilliant. You know, we should invite Merlin. He knows Gedref like the back of his hand." Arthur immediately noticed Mithian tense. "You don't like Merlin?"
Immediately, she shook her head. "Oh no. Merlin is great. I mean, he's nice and -" Her face reddened and a strange thought popped into Arthur's head but he shook it off. He and Mithian were perfect for each other. Even his father had said so, expressing great delight when he had bumped into Mithian and Arthur in the lobby of the law firm. It was the first time his father had shown approval of his choices.
"We could invite Guinevere too," he suggested.
Mithian brightened. "We could have a picnic. It'll be great!"
It would be, Arthur thought. And suddenly, for the first time, he was looking forward to spending time in the outdoors.
Mithian's hands lingered on his chest as they stood outside her door. Threading his fingers through her hair, Arthur tugged her closer and deepened the kiss. As she usually did, she invited him in. And as he did every time, he declined. Perhaps if Mithian looked disappointed, he might wonder more about why he never took her up on her offer. But she never showed any sign of disappointment and they never did anything more than kiss.
