Welp, I might just end up updating this every other Sunday... Mm, maybe only until school's over. *sigh*
o0o0o0o
When Arthur enters the park with his friends, he immediately feels Merlin's eyes watching him. When he finds Merlin, on the swing like he always is, he notices that there's a look in his eyes that's...different from before. There's something that makes him feel just a little bit guilty for going to the park with other people, but hadn't Merlin said last time that he should go play with his friends when Arthur had brought Leon?
So he does.
Gwen. Morgana, and Leon are with him, so he can't play the same game that he plays with Leon all the time with the girls along. Morgana refuses to the damsel in distress, so she becomes the evil witch while Gwen, reassuring that she doesn't mind, plays the princess trapped by the evil witch. Arthur is the mighty king sent to rescue the princess and Leon is his trusty knight. It feels oddly familiar, but Arthur ignores the nagging feeling as he parries a swing from the witch with his trusty stick.
He snatches glimpses of Merlin as he tumbles down the slide and when he climbs a tree to retrieve the scarf that Morgana threw up there, watching as Merlin smiles and bites his lip when he thinks Arthur isn't watching. Arthur doesn't understand why Merlin looks upon them wistfully. Hadn't he been the one to say that Arthur should go play with his friends?
It's as though Merlin is watching him all the time, but it's not really Arthur that he's watching. Arthur can't think of who else Merlin could be watching, because for all he knows, Merlin has never met Gwen or Morgana and he's never met Leon. However, he does catch Merlin's eyes locking onto Morgana's more than once. Morgana seems to be aware of it, and she shakes her head minutely, so Merlin looks away and continues staring off into the distance. Arthur doesn't like that it might be possible for someone other than him to see Merlin.
He doesn't want to dwell on the thought, so he pushes it to the side, concentrating on the game that he's playing with his friends. After all, one does have to think when the witch turns your best friend against you. He dodges the flying stick absentmindedly and charges at Morgana with a war cry.
She leaps out of the way, her eyes glittering with amusement. Sticking a tongue out at him, she grabs Gwen's hand and calls out, "Leon, to me!" Leon, who has been brainwashed with a handful of woodchips to the face, runs after her. It seems as though Arthur's only option is to chase after them, but he stays still and watches them for a second before running the other way to cut them off before they run laps around the playground, neither catching the other.
Arthur meets them with a triumphant "Got you!" The witch is crafty though, and abandons her hostages before making a hasty getaway via the slide. In order to save his friend and the princess, Arthur taps them each on the head thrice (Leon gets it a bit harder so that he knows not to betray Arthur like that again) and chases Morgana up the slide.
Even with his sneakers, the slide is slippery, so it takes a few tries before he gives up and chooses to take the stairs instead. It's a perfect idea, because Morgana has run to that end of the structure. He cuts her off before she escapes and brandishes his stick-sword at her.
"You can never escape, you evil witch!" Arthur yells, swishing the stick back and forth.
Morgana smirks. It's a smirk that makes everybody flinch, even the fifth graders. "Are you sure about that?"
"Yeah!" Leon calls out from down below. "Arthur will catch you in no time! He's the king!"
"Not if I can help it!" Morgana replies. She runs an opening and slides down a pole, landing on the ground with a small burst of woodchips.
The chase continues for another hour, switching off roles. At some point, Gwen becomes a sorceress and joins forces with Leon, who is a sorcerer fighting against Arthur and Morgana. Each of them have a chance to be good and bad so the girls aren't insulted that only they're the evil ones or the ones in need of rescuing.
Arthur successfully forgets about the glances that Morgana and Merlin shared.
o0o0o0o
It's only when Gwen's dad comes to pick up Gwen that they realize that it's time for lunch and that they need to leave. Arthur and Leon are supposed to walk home with Morgana since they don't live that far, but when Arthur sees Morgana walk over to the swings, he tells Leon to go ahead of them. Leon, being the best friend that he is, snickers and leaves.
He hides behind the rock climber, peeking through one of the foot holes. Arthur sees Morgana sit down on the swing next to Merlin and start swinging. Merlin follows her example and the two are silent for a minute before Morgana asks, "I see you've been spending your time wisely."
Merlin chuckles dryly. "It's not as though I've had much of a choice. Apparently being Emrys doesn't exactly account for complete immortality. This is my last time."
Morgana sounds shocked. "What do you mean, it's your last?! The rest of us still have—"
"I know." Merlin replies, resignation seeping through every word.
They're silent again, and Arthur aches to know what they're talking about. What do they mean, last time?
"It's good to see you so happy again. I was worried...after..." Merlin trails off.
Morgana laughs lightly and smiles at Merlin. "Yes. I suppose this new life was good for me. Some things never change though."
Merlin's eyes widen. "You mean, the dreams—"
"Yes. Since the world's not exactly coming to an end, they've been peaceful for the most part. Needless to say, there are no dragons or ghosts or other supernatural entities bent on destroying whatever peace there is, so... It also seems as though I'm the only one who remembers. Arthur and Leon and Gwen have no recollection of...back then."
"Perhaps it is for the best. They deserve another chance as well. It would be...too much for them." Merlin chuckles, eyes smiling as he grins at Morgana. "You always were the most clear-headed of us all. Always the practical one, hm?"
"And that's why you all loved me so much." Morgana declares.
"Only one of the many, Morgana." Merlin quips playfully.
Arthur watches the two banter with a burning feeling in his chest. He's glad that the two look so happy, but he doesn't like the familiarity that they seem to share. Morgana's never spoken about something like this before, and why did Arthur's name come up? Some of the things they're saying make no sense. They seem to be talking about a time that doesn't exist, with kings and dragons and ghosts. Even though Arthur is only seven, he knows that those don't exist anymore. His father has told him that much at least.
His attention returns to the two when he hears something Morgana says.
"About Arthur... Are you sure you want to do this?" There's melancholy there, overlaying concern.
"I'm sure." Merlin replies, but it's softer and slightly hesitant. Why wouldn't Merlin want to be friends with him?
Morgana skids to a stop, digging her feet into the ground and sending up a spray of woodchips. "Even after all of that? After..."
"Yes." Merlin's tone has no room for argument, and Arthur feels a small burst of joy in his chest. "Even after all of that. I went so long without him, Morgana. I can't do it again. I need him, no matter how short the time we have together."
"Merlin—"
"Morgana."
Morgana sighs and slides off of the swing, standing to face Merlin, who stops swinging and returns the gaze. She steps closer and wraps her small arms around his waist in what must be a bone-crushing hug because Merlin squeaks before returning the embrace. "I forgive you, you know. For..."
"Yeah." Merlin smiles, burying his face in her shoulder.
Arthur feels horrible about watching them during their private moment. It's clear that they're incredibly close, even though he's almost entirely sure that they've never met before today. It confuses him, because, how did they meet and how do they know so much about each other? Why has Arthur come up in their conversation? Arthur stays hidden as the gate creaks and Morgana leaves the park.
There's silence again, but the creaks start up as Merlin swings back and forth, the wind rustling his hair and clothing. Arthur sneaks out from under the structure and runs for the other gate that doesn't creak, out of Merlin's sight.
o0o0o0o
When he reaches the gate, he tries to make a break for it. He's stopped by the sudden harsh grip on his arm. Arthur is yanked backwards and jerked so that he's facing Morgana, who's staring at him with an indescribably expression on her face. He blanches, ripping his arm out of her grasp and darting his eyes back and forth as though he's searching for some kind of solution to his predicament in the bushes and benches. "I—"
"Save it. How much did you hear?"
Arthur gulps. "Um...everything?"
Morgana looks exasperated and rakes a hand through her long black hair. She crosses her arms and huffs a bit. "Well, this isn't exactly how I had planned for it to happen. It's Merlin's call from here on."
Grasping onto her arms, Arthur demands, "What is? What's going on, Morgana?"
She smiles at him fondly but firmly removes her hands from her arms. "It's not up for me to say. Merlin will tell you when he's ready. You're only seven, Arthur. Give it time. Don't you want to be friends with Merlin?"
"I do!" Arthur protests in frustration. "I just want to know how you and Merlin know each other! He told be that everybody else couldn't see him! Why can you?" He hates how desperate he sounds, but he needs to know.
"Give. It. Time." Morgana emphasizes, rolling her eyes. "I'll tell you a bit, okay?" Arthur nods excitedly. Anything is good. He just wants to know more about Merlin, about his not-so-new friend. "Merlin and I... We didn't exactly meet on the best of terms, but we became friends really quickly. He...worked under my brother. Half-brother, really, but technicalities aside. We've known each other for a long time, I'll tell you that much. We've had our ups and downs, but it's worked out. With time, of course. Satisfied?"
Arthur tries to interject and say that no, he's not satisfied, but the frosty look on Morgana's face stops him from uttering anything. Smiling, Morgana holds out her hand and Arthur takes it.
They walk back home in relative silence, parting when they're forced to turn to their respective streets. Throughout all of dinner, he promises to himself that he'll only ask of information from Merlin when Merlin is ready to provide it. He doesn't want to push and force Merlin to thell him everything. Arthur remembers what Morgana has said and tells himself that he is only seven and he wants his friendship with Merlin to last a lot longer.
It's only when Arthur lies back in bed that he realizes Morgana never answered his last question.
