A/N : Answering Christina review (thanks honey!), I feel I should explain something… Morgana is clueless of course, but she does care a great deal about Arthur, she's just... unaware of him as an attractive man. She is a happy girl, beautiful and flirty, but she is also shy and tender. Given Arthur never flirted with her, she never looked beyond their 'sibling' relationship. When Freya starts to ask question, suddenly she stops and looks. But it's going to take more than that ;)
Thanks for all the reviews your appreciations mean a lot!
Chapter 7
The hot shower helped with the strained muscles of his back but the tight knot in his neck refused to disappear. Arthur grunted. She had done it again. She had played nice and cooked and curled against him like a cat, and she had him sleeping on the couch again, when all he wanted was his bed and a long restful sleep. Hell. All he wanted was to be in bed with her and definitely not sleep.
Arthur rubbed one hand over his face and decided against shaving. One of the advantages of running your own business is you can make your own hours AND the dress code.
His neck stung when he stretched to reach the cupboard. Arthur gave up the idea of coffee and grabbed his keys. Surely Merlin would know some doctor who could squeeze him between two patients, before the pain drove him completely crazy. He felt so tired…
His mug was all prepared by the full coffeepot. Arthur nearly kissed his friend for it. Merlin was chatting happily.
"Freya's a chiro. She'll patch you up in no time."
"Great. Can you call her?"
"Already done. She's waiting for you at 6 tonight."
"Merlin, Freya is a wonder. Marry her."
Merlin beamed and blushed furiously. Arthur envied his happiness, and felt bad for it. Merlin was his best friend, and he should be more than glad he had found someone who put such glee on his soul.
Noticing Arthur's gloomy face, Merlin's bright smile faded, a little.
"How did you hurt your neck?"
Something snapped inside Arthur at the question. Or maybe the sound in his head was the pieces of his heart shattering. The half-filled cup made its way back on the counter, coffee threatening to go overboard.
"She can do anything, ask anything, and no matter what, I'm running to clean up her mess."
Silence was the best answer Merlin could come up with. Arthur often complained about Morgana's behaviour because they both loved to bicker and annoy one another. Once in a while, the fight was serious, but he cooled down as soon as she called, which she always did. Arthur really looked tired, and dangerously pissed. This time was a serious one.
"I don't even know why I let her torment me like that. I must be the stupidest man on earth."
"I would not say stupid…"
Fiery blue eyes narrowed on Merlin before he finished his sentence. His friend gulped his tea with a contrite smile. Arthur was still fuming.
"She's a player! First good-looking guy smiling her way and she's a goner, especially if he has trouble writing all over him!"
"What happened?"
The question deflated Arthur partly, and he crashed into his desk-chair, groaning.
"Nothing! Nothing happened. She was feeling like playing house yesterday. And of course afterward it was too late for her to go home. So Morgana took the bed, and I slept on the couch. Again."
He surfed over the part telling about how delighted he had been to see her at his doorstep. He was exhausted, physically and emotionally. Arthur absently wiped a strand of hair from his forehead.
The gesture was generally synonym of anger draining away. Merlin's smile changed drastically, the innocence turning into mischief.
"Maybe she likes being in your bed…"
"Thanks Merlin, I really needed to hear that now."
Okay, maybe he misinterpreted the whip… Merlin poked at Arthur's shoulder.
"Nope. What you need is a date."
Arthur just smirked.
"Wow, you must really be tired."
"Why do you say that?"
"You are not arguing."
Finally the anger flew completely away and good-humour made his way back in the blue eyes fixed on Merlin.
"Well, when you're right, you're right. But I didn't agree to one of your dates…"
The laugh distracted Merlin from his work. Arthur was reading at something on the internet, with a big grin on his face, visibly amused.
"What are you doing?"
"She's good…"
Merlin grabbed the computer to check what Morgana had sent this time, vaguely annoyed with Arthur's volte-face. Only hours before, he was ready to send her to hell, and now, he was praising her once more. He was about to remind his friend about stiff necks and heartbreaks when his mind connected with his eyes :
"Arthur, what's that?"
"FanForum_net. This particular forum is about Werewolf, the TV show."
A fan named LeiaM had posted a long diatribe about some boring-pointless-ridiculous episode; her list of adjectives seemed endless.
"Maybe I should ask her on a date."
"Who?"
"Her. LeiaM."
Merlin opened her profile and read it quickly.
"You must be kidding me."
Surprised by the tone and his friend's frown, Arthur insisted:
"Why not? We exchanged a couple of emails, and we chatted too. She seems interesting."
"What's her name?"
"I don't know. Yet. I'll ask her."
"You'll do that."
Merlin handed the computer back, his mind working in overdrive.
Leia was the Star Wars' Princess, Luke Skywalker's twin-sister and the foster daughter of Senator Bail Organa. LeiaM Organa.
How could Arthur have missed that? And did Morgana know her ShiningKnight was Arthur? Suddenly, he hoped like hell to be wrong OR not to be in the room when they both found out.
LeiaM : 'Hey… Sorry about yesterday.'
ShiningKnight : ' *pouting*'
Morgana laughed.
LeiaM : 'Will you forgive me?'
ShiningKnight : 'Eventually. How was your friend?'
LeiaM : 'Great! My best friend could not find a better girl.'
Arthur suppressed a satisfied grin. So the (in)famous friend was a girl… He remembered Merlin's question.
ShiningKnight : 'Cool. Will you tell me your name?'
Morgana gulped. He was taking things one step farther. The mystery was so nice, why ruining it with reality? A devilish part of her was tempted to make him sweat it a bit longer… and see if he accepted the challenge. Another part was talking with Arthur's voice, lecturing her about how dangerous this could be. What if he was not the gentleman he seemed to be? She hesitated. If she gave her name, he could find out who she was, where she lived… Her first name was not that common and Camelot was a small city. For once, she listened.
LeiaM : 'My name is in my name.'
ShiningKnight : 'Leia.'
LeiaM : 'You'll have to work harder than that, My Lord. What about you?
Arthur smirked. Two could play this game.
ShiningKnight : 'My name is in my name… Amelia?'
LeiaM : 'Keep trying. Galaad.'
ShiningKnight : 'You're not even close. Ali? I loved your review by the way.'
LeiaM : 'It cradled me to sleep in no time. The way it goes, I hope Erik will turn evil for good, and kicks everybody's ass, especially that pseudo-detective. Tristan?'
ShiningKnight : 'Maybe they'll do a 'Dallas' and Erik will wake up to discover he was just having nightmares about becoming a monster. Ela?'
LeiaM : 'They'll loose me for good if they do that. Justin?'
ShiningKnight : 'Justin? Seriously?'
LeiaM : 'Don't you read comics? Sir Justin the Shining Knight?'
Arthur smiled. She was nearly there… He had taken his nickname after the comic.
ShiningKnight : 'Come on, tell me your real name.'
Morgana backtracked.
LeiaM : 'I'm not ready. Sorry.'
Arthur frowned, deceived. She was playing with him. But of course she couldn't know he was honourable, and would never hurt her. At least she had some common sense into her...
ShiningKnight : 'I didn't mean to put you ill-at-ease. Let's talk about something else. Chocolate or caramel?'
LeiaM : 'Chocolate of course. Can't believe you had to ask. How many languages do you speak?'
ShiningKnight : 'Sadly only one. Though some posts over here might add to my skills. Cats or dogs?'
The answer caught her attention. She had heard that complain about SMS and broken English before from one person in particular … Morgana opened a Google search-page, her eyes narrowing in concentration. She typed mechanically while going through the article.
LeiaM : 'Cats. U?'
ShiningKnight : 'Definitely a cat person. What was the last book you read?'
LeiaM : 'The magical circle by Katherine Nevill. Fascinating story about family keeping secrets, and lying to one another. I recommend it. What about you?'
ShiningKnight : 'Please don't laugh. Harry Potter.'
LeiaM : 'Dear old Harry… I feel bad because I am to abandon you again. It's late and I'm blinking like a owl.'
ShiningKnight : 'A very cute owl I'm sure. Good night..'
LeiaM : 'Good night, then. Justin.'
ShiningKnight : 'Nice try. Sweet dreams.'
Morgana closed her chat and disconnect, before she reread the wiki-page she had found about the comic-book character. Sir Justin, revived from his prison of ice, had taken the civilian alias of Justin Arthur. How many Arthurs lived in the area, were watching the same shows her Arthur was, or where at the concert at the Castle just days ago? Arthur loved cats. And he had borrowed Merlin's copy of the last Harry Potter. Good Lord, she was flirting with Arthur.
