AN: Hi, sorry it took forever for me to post this, I've been super super busy with school, but here it is again :)
Also, thanks to my beta reader HoRnIe DeMoN for looking this chapter over!
"Good morning, sleepy head."
Merlin groaned as he stretched and slowly rolled his legs out of bed, preparing to throw a pillow at Arthur for waking him, and then blushing madly when he saw Morgana standing there, shaking her head and smiling at him as his face turned pink.
"Oh… hello," Merlin mumbled, quickly wrapping his blanket around himself and blushing more. "Um… What time is it?"
"Time for breakfast," Morgana declared, throwing a sweatshirt at him and then turning away. "Arthur thought you might be cold so he handed that over this morning. He and Gwen are waiting outside. Do you want to eat with them or do you have other plans?"
"Uh… I was planning to eat with Lance, Percy and Gwaine," Merlin admitted, however Morgana shook her head.
"Lance is eating with the Knights, though Gwaine told me he and Percy are free. He actually asked if you were eating with me and my brother, so I said sure. He plans to meet us downstairs," Morgana smiled, before handing Merlin his phone. "He texted you this morning."
"Oh…" Merlin nodded slowly, before nodding. "Okay, sounds good."
He watched as she stepped outside and then he hurried to get ready, yanking his sweatshirt on and then shivering a bit. Morgana was right, it was a bit cold.
With that, he stepped outside and smiled at Gwen, who nodded back.
"Well, let's go then!" Arthur declared, leading the way down the hall and keeping a keen eye on Gwen, however Merlin hurried to walk beside her and spoke softly.
"You okay?" he murmured.
"I'm absolutely fine," she replied. "Don't worry about me Merlin."
"I heard about what happened, sort of. I mean, not what happened, but that you and Arthur got separated," Merlin bit his lip.
"He found me just fine," Gwen replied, giving Merlin a positive, gentle smile. "Really. Nothing bad happened. Don't worry. Did you have a good time at the party last night?"
"I dunno," Merlin shrugged, slowly beginning to accept her story and believing that she was truly all right. "I don't know why you and Arthur attend them… I'm not going back if I can help it."
"Oh, that's too bad. I go for Arthur," Gwen smiled, stepping out of the way so Merlin could enter the elevator. "I might go back, we'll see."
"Hello all…"
Gwaine raised an arm in greeting as the elevator door opened up and the group stepped out, however the arm soon returned to his head and he groaned softly.
"He doesn't feel well after last night," Percy rumbled in his usual quiet voice. "It's good to see you Merlin. You alright after that?"
"I'm fine," Merlin shrugged. "Don't know why I'm the one everyone keeps asking."
The only reply to that comment was a soft laugh from Morgana, and then Merlin jumped as her hand slowly brushed his, however his smile widened and he brushed her back before giggling softly, which earned him a strange look from Arthur, before the other boy rolled his eyes and looked away.
"I heard they have crepes for breakfast," Gwen spoke up, smiling hopefully. "And scrambled eggs and bacon."
"The eggs aren't the only things that are scrambled," Arthur rumbled, sending a direct look at Merlin, however his voice was teasing, and Merlin smiled rather than letting it get to him.
"Oh shut up you prat," Merlin retorted, however he didn't mean it, and it seemed Arthur realized that because he simply chuckled before striding ahead.
"Seems like you and your roommate are getting along a bit better," Percy smiled. "Lance and Gwaine had a little problem, but it's not bad or anything. Gwaine just… Made a little mess last night and it upset Lance, of course. He's spending this afternoon with us, though, after Gwaine is feeling better."
"Yeah… Arthur seemed pretty worried about Gwen, from what I could tell," Merlin nodded. "Maybe he's not quite so terrible… I dunno, he seems complicated. I still don't like him, though, no offence Morgana."
"Oh, none taken," Morgana replied with a smirk. "You're right, my brother is quite a prat."
MMM
Breakfast went well, and soon after Arthur and Gwen left to spend the day together while Lance showed up and suggested the boys go hiking and explore.
"I'll just go find my sorority sisters then," Morgana told Merlin when he informed her of the day's plan. "We're getting ready for our own little party, quite different than the one you attended last night."
"Wait," Merlin hesitated, glancing at his friends before biting his lip. "Actually… My friends want to go hiking, but I… I thought maybe you could show me around the town? Just since Arthur mentioned you've explored a bit on your own already…"
"Ah, so you weren't drunk when you asked me out last night," Morgana smiled. "Well, alright. I suppose I can spare a bit of time for you."
"Great!" Merlin beamed, smiling like a little kid in a candy shop. "This'll be so fun! Where do you want to go? Could I see the town? Maybe we can get ice cream!"
"A little cold for ice cream," Morgana chuckled. "But I know a really cute coffee shop. They serve tea too, if that's more your cuppa."
"Okay," Merlin nodded, before slowly slipping his hand into hers, and beaming when she squeezed his hand.
"I, uh, I gotta tell the guys!" Merlin suddenly squeaked, and Morgana laughed softly as Merlin skittered away, and the older boys pat him on the back proudly. Merlin blushed once more, before he scampered back to her and smiled gently as she took his hand. They walked out to the road outside the campus and she led him down a little path toward the nearby town. Merlin's eyes shined with excitement.
MMM
"Morgana and Merlin seem to be getting on quite well," Gwen commented as Arthur popped a piece of chocolate in his mouth and hummed in agreement.
"I s'pose," he muttered once he was done chewing. "But she'll leave him soon enough, you'll see."
"Arthur!" Gwen cried, shoved him lightly, and he laughed, kissing her back.
"I'm kidding! Sort of… He's a bumbling idiot, I don't know what my sister sees in him," Arthur rolled his eyes.
"He's sort of sweet," was Gwen's reply. "Your sister is a lucky girl."
Arthur gazed at Gwen for a moment, chewing his lip, before nodding slowly.
"Yeah, okay," he murmured. "And I'm a lucky boy to have you."
"I wouldn't trade you for the world," Gwen replied softly, slipping her hand into his and snuggling close, watching a few geese land on the university's lake stretched out in front of them. "Thank you for coming here. I like this place a lot better than those parties, honestly, though I don't mind going."
"You should mind," Arthur huffed. "But don't worry, you won't need to go back."
"And why's that?" Gwen frowned.
"It's not safe, and if you ever got hurt I'd only blame myself," Arthur replied. "So I've convinced another girl, Vivian, to go with me. She's already dating another boy, don't worry, but I have to bring some girl and she seems to love those parties."
"Arthur, I can go with you!" Gwen cried suddenly. "Really, I don't mind!"
"Are you sure?" Arthur looked concerned, however Gwen nodded firmly. "Alright… We'll see Gwen. I just couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
"I can take care of myself," Gwen replied simply. "Here, have some more chocolate, and a cookie too. I bet Vivian can't cook like I can."
"No one can cook like you, Gwen," Arthur smiled, munching on the cookie in delight before hugging her gently, gazing at the lake and pondering what he would do at the next party.
MMM
"It's nice Merlin's got a girl," Gwaine spoke as he led his friends up a steep trail behind the campus. He, Gwaine, and Percy had been walking for some time, and though they were getting a bit tired, Gwaine still found a way to talk. His morning headache had disappeared, leaving him his usual, chatty self. "I wish I had a girl like Morgana! She's smokin'!"
"Gwaine!" Lance rolled his eyes, lightly shoving his friend. "I think it's nice too. It's cute. Merlin needs a girl in his life, little kid that he is."
"Cute? Now you sound like a girl," Gwaine laughed, however Percy suddenly shushed them both, holding a finger to his lips and pointing. Lance frowned and followed Percy's gaze, before he pulled Gwaine behind a tree and also stared.
Gwaine, confused, almost spoke, before he saw and quieted. Ahead of them was a clearing, with Val and some cronies standing in the middle, laughing and drinking.
"That kid doesn't scare me," Val was laughing. "His daddy might have power, but he's a kid. I'm a man."
"But aren't you worried? Leon seems to like him a lot!" One of the other boys was pointing out, frowning a bit. "If you don't get head boy, then we don't get anything either, remember? And our fathers expect plenty of us too!"
"Oh don't worry about it," Val shook his head lightly at the other boy. "Arthur Pendragon is not invincible. He has plenty of weaknesses. I discovered one last night. I won't let your daddy down, Ethan."
The other boys laughed raucously, patting Ethan on the back, who pushed them away and rolled his eyes, muttering that they thought no differently.
"Gwen..." Lance trailed off, before pulling his friends away and hurrying down the trail.
"Oh come on, I was having a good time," Gwaine sighed, however he made no move to stop and hurried along beside his friend. "So, maybe we're knights in shining armor too!"
"I don't know about the shining armor," Percy joked softly, poking the dirt on Gwaine's shirt from where he fell earlier, however he too hurried along, joining in on the mission to warn Arthur and Gwen about the possible impending danger.
AN: Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to come out with. What'd you think of this one? Please comment!
