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000
Morgana threw the third black dress onto her bed and shook her head. What was wrong with her? It wasn't like she'd never been on a date before and she had spent a lot of time – alone – with Gwaine a few days ago at Leon's. Who was she kidding? She knew what the problem really was. Inspite of herself, and of the promises she'd made, she was falling in love with Gwaine Lee, a self-assured bad boy and determined flirt, a man who was too sure of himself. She'd known such men before and that was when she'd promised herself that she would give them a wide berth and stir clear of them but she now Gwaine was making her rethink all those promises.
She could admit, although grudgingly, that she had been relieved that Gwaine had had business taking him out of town for the two weeks that Gwen had been in Italy; she'd needed the time to think, to get her life back on course not that she'd had the chance to. Gwaine had called her every night and after a few days Morgana had begun to look forward to his voice being the last thing she heard before she slept.
She was a coward. But, she consoled herself, cowards lived longer, or so the saying went. Whatever. She was confused. She really wanted to see Gwaine to spend time with him, but when he'd called to invite her to Leon's the other night, she'd told him that Gwen would be joining them, although Gwen hadn't yet returned at the time, that Gwen needed her. Gwaine had been very good about it, and he hadn't once complained or even seemed to resent Gwen's presence.
She was been excited in the morning when he'd called to invite her to dinner and he'd even invited Gwen along, if Morgana still needed to keep an eye on her, but Morgana had told that Gwen wouldn't be joining them, and Gwaine had laughed making her laugh as well.
Now, less than an hour, she glanced at her bedside clock, fifty seven minutes to be exact, before Gwaine was due to pick her up, she was in a panic. She couldn't decide what to wear and she was actually worried that she'd made a mistake agreeing to dinner and that something would go wrong.
"Wear the green dress."
Morgana looked up at Gwen's voice. "Really?"
"Yes," Gwen smiled at her, "it brings out your eyes and you look amazing in it."
"Okay," Morgana went to her wardrobe and got the green dress out.
"And stop obsessing," Gwen ordered her, "Gwaine seems like a great guy and he adores you."
"I'm not obsessing," Morgana denied immediately, "I was just choosing a dress. What makes you think he adores me?"
"He told me so," Gwen told her, "when I asked him what his intentions towards you were."
"You did not."
"Yes, I did," Gwen assured her, "I was looking out for you, like you did when I was dating Lance and you better not ignore my advice like I did yours."
Morgana hugged her friend. It was the first time Gwen had said Lance's name since she'd returned home. "It will be fine."
"I know it will," Gwen agreed.
"Speaking of, who were those guys you were sitting with last night after you said goodbye to me?" Morgana asked.
"I run into Arthur and some friends of his," Gwen replied.
"I see." Morgana smiled. "So, you and Arthur, huh?"
"I know what you're doing," Gwen told her, "but this is about you and not about me."
"It could be about both of us," Morgana said.
"Well, it's not," Gwen said, "so get ready, already, Gwaine will be here soon."
000
Gwen picked up the TV remote and flicked through the channels. Finally she settled on a whodunit, it would keep her occupied for almost two hours and then she would sleep.
The ringing of the doorbell got her to her feet. She hoped that whoever it was would not stay long. She was in no mood for entertaining.
"Hello," she said breathlessly. Arthur was standing outside her door.
"Guinevere, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."
"No," Gwen replied, she had wondered if she would see him after the other night. They hadn't really had a chance to talk, she had had a good time with his friends but they hadn't made any plans and Gwen wasn't really sure how she felt about seeing him now.
She opened the door wider and let him in.
"I decided to chance it and drop in unannounced," he said as he followed her in. "I hope that's alright."
Gwen was staring at him. He'd entered the flat, gone through the tiny hallway and was standing near the door of the sitting room taking in the room. He could see that she must have been half-lying on the sofa watching TV. Maybe he shouldn't have dropped in, he told himself; it probably hadn't been a great idea.
"You know what, Guinevere," he started, "you've probably had a long day, I know I have, and you're tired and in no mood for entertaining. I should go… I shouldn't even have…"
"No."
Arthur turned to face Guinevere, his heart was pounding so loudly in his chest, and he'd probably misheard. "No?"
"I don't want you to leave, Arthur," Gwen told him, "unless you want to, that is."
Arthur smiled at her. He'd barged in on her evening. Until he'd arrived at her door, he hadn't even considered the possibility that she may not be home or worse still that she had visitors. He had wanted to see her and he'd driven out to her flat – never mind that she'd actually never told him where she lived.
Guinevere smiled back at him and in that moment she realised that she actually didn't want him to leave – that his showing up at her flat unannounced was the best thing that had happened to her all day.
"I don't want you to leave," she repeated hoarsely, as much for her own benefit as for Arthur's.
Arthur's smile widened and without thinking about it he closed the distance between them and reached for her hand; his fingers barely touched hers. He would have leant in and kissed her but she spoke.
"Arthur…you mean a lot to me," she said softly, her voice trembling. She could see that her words were not being taken in the way she'd meant them, because his smile faltered. "What I mean is… I have feelings for you too. But I have just come out of a very bad relationship, and these … feelings are much stronger than I have ever felt before, and so very new, and I honestly have no idea what we're doing here, and I'm not sure where this is going, and well…" She took a deep breath and reached out and touched his cheek. "I don't want to lose you, Arthur."
Guinevere had barely finished speaking when Arthur pulled her into the circle of his arms and hugged her fiercely. He cradled her head against his chest and sighed deeply. Then he dropped a tender kiss on her forehead.
She raised her head, seeking his mouth and sealing her lips to his. Guinevere had the feeling that Arthur hesitated for a few seconds before he lowered his head to hers again, brushing his lips against hers, tentatively at first, then more firmly as she responded.
They had kissed before but this kiss seemed to signal a new step in their relationship, like they were finally beginning something fresh. It felt so good. So right. It was right and good but Guinevere couldn't help but feel her fears returning, forcing her to pull away.
Arthur couldn't believe Guinevere was breaking off their kiss and he groaned involuntarily. "Guinevere…"
Guinevere stepped out of his embrace and took two steps back. They needed to talk. Before things went any further. Before she found herself in a similar situation to the one she'd been in just a few weeks ago.
She cleared her throat, she needed to shake off the haze that had taken over her mind, but she couldn't let go of Arthur completely. Instead she contented herself with sliding down her hands from his chest down his arms and lacing her fingers with his.
"Arthur, what are we doing?"
"I don't think I understand that question." He smiled lazily at her. "I thought it was clear what we were doing. Unless, of course, we're doing it all wrong."
"Be serious, Arthur," Guinevere begged him. "What is happening between us is great… more than great even…" she sighed and decided to tell him what was really bothering her. She looked him directly in the eyes and whispered, "What if it doesn't work out?"
Arthur wished he could tell her that it would work out that he would love her forever, longer even but he knew that this wasn't the time to be flippant, especially considering what she'd been through. From what he knew of her, she wasn't one to give her heart lightly and Lance's betrayal must have cut her deep, so he had to choose his words carefully.
They had something powerful. Strong. Kissing her, holding her in his arms, was wonderful beyond his wildest dreams. Arthur could honestly have spent the rest of the evening and night kissing her but Guinevere's concern was genuine.
"Guinevere, ever since your wedding, that night that we spent together, I made myself a promise" he told her, "that I would be there for you, no matter what, that I would be your friend and more, that I would be everything you needed me to be."
"Really?" Guinevere was looking at him in shock. "You promised yourself that? Then?"
He shrugged. "It's what you do when you love someone."
They stared at each other in silence after his words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that," he told her.
"What exactly?" Guinevere asked him.
"I… meant what I said," Arthur told her, "but I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. You probably just want us to be …friends."
"I do want us to be friends," Guinevere told him, "and whatever happens I do hope that we shall always be friends. But I really hope that we can be friends and more. So much more."
Arthur gently removed one of his hands from hers and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Guinevere," he said intensely. "I know you need time." He took a deep breath and added. "I love you, and I'll wait for you."
Guinevere had thought that hearing another man telling her that he loved her would have her running for the hills but instead she went back into Arthur's embrace and rested her head against his chest. She wasn't ready to even voice or admit what she felt for him but she was happy and content for now. She would analyse what this all meant later. Somehow she didn't feel the urge to respond to his declaration of love; she was sure that Arthur wasn't going to walk out of her life because she hadn't reciprocated. Somehow, without rhyme or reason, she trusted Arthur and she knew that whatever she was ready for was enough.
They smiled at each other.
000
Morgana entered the flat at 1:00 am. She hadn't been out that late in years nor had quite as much fun. The light was still on in the sitting room – she hoped Gwen hadn't sat up waiting for her. Her friend was going to tease her; Morgana had almost refused to come out of her room when Gwaine had arrived to pick her. She had been convinced that that the evening was going to be a disaster. She entered the sitting room, ready to defend herself, to own that Gwen had been right, and stopped short and then she smiled to herself.
Guinevere and Arthur were asleep on the sofa.
000
