Despite her best efforts, Gwen knew that this day would come eventually. She stepped out of her room, yawning and still half-asleep, only to see Morgana sneaking out of Merlin's. Cursing her weak bladder, her first instinct was to run back into her room, pretend she had been sleep walking, but Morgana Le Fay, socialite du jour, was above such petty concerns. It didn't matter that her hair was mussed up or that the left strap of her dress was hanging off her shoulder or that she had a bright, red love bite on her neck.
Taking a step towards Gwen, Morgana grinned, clearly uncaring that she had been practically caught in flagrante. "Gwen! I was just leaving." She tilted her head towards Merlin's room. "He's still asleep."
"Ah." And because Gwen's brain didn't work so well early on Saturday mornings, she asked. "Would you like some coffee before you go?"
Slipping her handbag off her shoulder and dumping it on the small breakfast table, Morgana nodded. "Sounds wonderful."
Gwen suspected all the awkwardness was completely on her side because after she made the coffee and the two of them settled down at the breakfast table, Morgana launched into a conversation about the latest gossip in the ultra-privileged world that she usually ran in when she wasn't in Merlin's cheap bed.
"Can you imagine the nerve of Catherine – oh sorry, Lady Catherine. Ever since she married Lord Odin, she's been flaunting her new title around. As I was saying, Lady Catherine actually went up to –"
"What – why are you still here?" Merlin opened the door, a frown etched deeply in his forehead.
"In case you forgot, Gwen is my best friend and we're having coffee. Care to join us?" Morgana's smile was pleasant, but Gwen was aware of an undercurrent of annoyance.
aMerlin ran a hand through his already messy hair and his frown deepened. "No. I'm going to shower."
Raising a hand, Morgana waved at him, laughing when he stomped into the bathroom.
"So, uh, you and Merlin."
"We're sleeping together. I know he doesn't look it but he's quite good in bed."
"Didn't need to know that," said Gwen. "You don't actually seem to like each other."
"Since when is that a pre-requisite for sex?" Something flashed in Morgana's eyes but it was gone too quickly for Gwen to get a handle on it. "We're two people who enjoy sex with each other. Dating was a daisaster but the sex – brilliant."
Gwen raised her eyebrows. "That's nice."
"You should try it. No-strings sex. It's very liberating. And after Keith, I think you need some liberation." Morgana grinned at Gwen. "How about that hot neighbour of yours? Arms like trunks, most likely, a body like a Greek god."
"I'm good, living my celibate lifestyle. No clingy men with self-esteem problems." Gwen sucked in a deep breath, trying to cool her cheeks and to get rid of all the inappropriate images in her mind. All these years of friendship and Morgana could still fluster her so easily.
Morgana patted Gwen's hand lightly. "If you ever need someone to warm your bed, I've a little black book I can lend you. Alright, I should go. Merlin is going to have a fit if I'm still here when he gets out of the shower. He's very fussy about lines and boundaries." Then she winked at Gwen. "Except in bed, that is."
"I didn't need to know that either!"
In response, Morgana laughed, her head thrown back, as she slipped gracefully out of the apartment.
"Is she gone?" asked Merlin a while later, as Gwen was washing up the coffee cups. "Oh thank god. Are we still going to the carnival? Because I really want some cotton candy. I've been dreaming –"
"I don't want to know about your dreams!"
The carnival was in full swing by the time Gwen and Merlin reached. Families and young, teenage couples were out in full force. Roller coasters rumbled in the background, accompanied by the screams of the riders. It was pretty obvious that neither Gwen nor Merlin were the target audience but that didn't dampen Merlin's enthusiasm one bit.
"Cotton candy, then a ride on the Big Loop, alright? I'll pay."
As much as she wasn't keen about going on Big Loop, Gwen found herself unable to say no to Merlin when he gave her that look. It was the same look he used when he asked about getting Aithusa. Eyes sparkling with glee, he dragged her over to the stall, bought candy floss – she was more sensible and got a hot dog – then rushed over to join the snaking queue of Big Loop, the largest wooden roller coaster, or so the sign said.
It didn't surprise Gwen one bit that Merlin got cotton candy all over his face. Pulling out a piece of tissue paper, she wiped off the pink strands from his cheek, shaking her head at him. He grinned in response and asked if he could try her hot dog. The queue inched forward and by the time they finished their lunch (cotton candy was totally lunch according to Merlin), they were second in line. Merlin was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, reciting to her facts and figures about roller coasters, most of which went over her head as she watch the coaster swing around corners and fly down steep slopes. She took Merlin's hand.
"I'll protect you," he said with a squeeze.
It was the safety bar which was more protection than Merlin, who let go of her hand and threw his hands up in the air the moment they started moving.
After the ride, they wandered around the fair for a while, avoiding crying, sticky children and teenagers wrapped around each other. Merlin won a small stuffed rabbit he insisted needed a place of honour in their living room. Gwen ate yet more snacks.
"Look, a fortune teller! Let's go in."
"You know they are all fake, right?" Still, Gwen let him pull her towards the tent, decorated apparently with everything vaguely mystical that could be found in Camelot.
Merlin shoved her inside. "You go first."
She expected a stereotypical looking fortune teller, equipped with crystal ball and maybe some cards. Instead she found inside, a bored looking teenage boy. His mess of black hair flopped over his eyes and he looked at her with as much interest as she found computer coding. With a wave of his hand, he gestured for her to sit and she did, gingerly, because the seat looked both fragile and a little icky.
"What do you want to know?"
"Are you sure you're a fortune teller?"
He wrinkled his nose. "You know it's $5 a question? Sure that's your question?"
She glared at him. She had been a relief teacher before and she knew how to handle mouthy teens. He held out a while, staring back at her before he finally broke eye contact.
"I'm standing in for my mum. You want your palm read or not?"
"Can you actually tell the future?"
He shrugged. "My mum thinks I can. Show me your palm."
The teen might look less than enthused about being the stand-in fortune teller but he certainly studied her palm carefully. His bored eyes met hers after a while.
"Well?"
"Your love life looks interesting. I'd choose the blonde over the dark haired one, if I were you. Oh, and you probably want to change your moisturizer. I use La Belle. It's very good for its price."
Merlin was in a mood after he exited the tent. Apparently, learning that the woman he was currently having a hot affair with would be the love of his life was not a good thing. Gwen didn't even want to try and understand the two of them. As long as there was no more poisoning incidents and as long as she didn't have to listen to their bedroom antics, Gwen was fine with whatever they were doing.
Dinner was cheese nachos and candy apples.
"We're going to suffer so much for this," said Gwen as she licked the cheese off her fingers. Evening was falling and the sky took on an orange hue. The evening breeze caressed her and she closed her eyes.
"It's worth it though," said Merlin. "We can eat healthy tomorrow. Salads."
Gwen smiled, her eyes still closed. "You hate salads."
"So do you."
"True." Opening her eyes, she looked at Merlin finishing his candy apple, and laughed. "You're a mess. Go wash your face."
Merlin took forever in the toilet and Gwen found herself watching some people play one of those shooting carnival games. One young man was doing very well and on his way to the first prize – a gigantic stuffed penguin. Caught up, like many other spectators, in the excitement, she squealed when he successfully made the shot that won him the penguin. She must have caught his attention, because he turned to look at her.
She flushed. He was very handsome with dark hair that curled against his collar and dark eyes that reminded her of thick chocolate. But mostly, he was looking at her with a smile on his face.
"I can't believe you have a giant penguin," grumbled Merlin.
"Your rabbit is still very cute," she said as she gave it a pat.
He rolled his eyes, then smiled at her. "My rabbit still gets a position of honour. You can hide your penguin in your room."
