Ringing the doorbell to Merlin's home, Merlin and Arthur waited outside for Hunith to open the door as the rain continued to pour, the mud beginning to be rinsed off parts of their skin.

Opening the door, Hunith's expression was somewhere between disgust but cheeriness, glancing from one lad to the other. "What happpened?"

"Have you seen the rain?" Merlin commented as the both entered the home, dripping wet.

"Well, yes I have now. But why are both of you caked in mud?"

Merlin trying to find an excuse from snogging in the field, came up with the words "Again, have you seen the rain?"

"Merlin, mud doesn't rain down. Have you boys been wrestling in the fields again?"

Adding some sarcasm, Arthur mentioned. "Well, mud doesn't rain up either!"

With Merlin giggling, Merlin said something truthful. "Mom, we've never wrestled each other before. I've never wrestled in my life." Arthur then would become himself again, teasing Merlin. "Well, with his scrawny body, you can see why."

"Oi!" Merlin protested, shoving Arthur, Arthur raising a hand in return as if to say 'Let's not do that again.'

Hunith ordered Merlin to change upstairs into nightwear, and to bring his uniform down to be washed. As for Arthur, he went in the direction of the bathroom, following Hunith, as she gave him a few towels to dry himself with. With Hunith downstairs, Arthur sneaked into Merlin's room, where Merlin stood in front of the mirror, now fully dressed.

"Sorry I mucked up your uniform. Your mother didn't seem the least pleased."

"Don't care. Actually, I do care about the uniform, but getting caked in mud was well worth it." Merlin crossed the distance and kissed Arthur, where they stood near the doorway for a few minutes.

"I need to phone my dad."


Waiting for Uther to arrive, Merlin was tucked up with his blanket, as Arthur brought two mugs over, handing one to Merlin. Arthur lifted the blanket, slipping under to snuggle into Merlin.

Merlin leaned his head on Arthur, muttering "Were you saying that I couldn't wrestle you because of my scrawny body?"

Arthur corrected Merlin. "You can wrestle me by all means, but no, it's not because of your scrawny body, even though you don't technically have one. I know there's muscles under that skin. I love you how are you are. I was only teasing."

"Good," was Merlin's reply.

Arthur was left puzzled as he sipped some cocoa, bringing an arm around so Merlin could nuzzle into Arthur. "What are you suggesting?"

Merlin thought of some ideas, but then mentioning them in front of his mother might not be a good idea, and left to one answer. "Well, say we're at camp and we are going to do wrestling, I could challenge you."

"Or do you mean wrestling by other means?" Arthur implied, Merlin going red.

"Shush you, my mom is here you know!" Merlin whispered, Hunith looking at the pair suspiciously.

The horn to Uther's car honked, signalling his arrival, and Arthur's cue to depart. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" Arthur asked as he was about to leave, both hanging by the entrance to the house.

"Well, maybe, but surely some point during the week." Arthur then took Merlin's hand in his, giving it a light squeeze as he left.


During the week, Merlin recieved some mail from Uther, illustrating the dates of camp, and the camp packing list, which would find its home on the fridge. The dates for the week there would be from 27th July - leaving on Friday, and returning on 3rd August. It was also the final week of college before the holidays, and all have been given summer projects over the holidays. According to Camelot College, the 'to be' 2nd year students were to return on 10th September.

It wasn't until Thursday that Arthur had the chance to talk to Merlin, and that was over lunch. Even though, I suppose you could say, that Merlin and Arthur were indeed now together, neither wanted to get carried away from what they already had, and Arthur knew that even though their friends would accept it, his dad certainly wouldn't.

Arthur felt though that it wasn't right to mention this over lunch, where the likes of Morgana could hear, even though she wouldn't go against Arthur, unless they were in a sibling brawl, and that's what he feared the most. He feared that if Morgana and himself had some form of an argument, Morgana would by accident spill the beans that he was in a relationship with Merlin. At the moment she didn't know, as did none of their friends, but somewhere along the lines, someone would catch on.

On the way to class, Arthur took hold of Merlin's wrist, and they headed towards a few benches in the quad outside, where few people sat having their lunch. Both sat down, Arthur expression a troubled one. Arthur hadn't been saying much, if anything, over the course of lunch, and Merlin was fearful. Merlin brought a hand to Arthur's cheek, trying to comfort his new lover. "Arthur, what's wrong?"

Arthur looked Merlin directly in the eye, catching Merlin's hand with his own, interlocking their fingers. "Merlin, I don't know how to say this, but we need to be careful."

This made Merlin even more fretful. "Arthur, tell me."

"I know none of our friends know this yet, about 'us', but I fear for Morgana."

"Why?"

"Every time we have one of our arguments, we always say things about each other that sometimes are true, sometimes not. Dad overhears them, and therefore finds out, and then deals with the matter. Dad doesn't take kindly to same-sex couples."

"Is that why you didn't kiss me last night when you departed?"

"Yeah. Dad's car was so close to the door and he could easily see, and then kill me once I got in the car."

"Arthur, I understand. Some people out there just don't understand that we're in the 21st Century and not the 19th."

"So, what do we do?"

"Well for one, don't tell Morgana, or don't allow her to see us like that together. Secondly, only tell people who we can actually trust, such as Leon or Lancelot, and thirdly, don't act so friendly at scouts."

"And what, keep a distance?"

"Well, not as much keep a distance, but don't hang around together as much. Make it look as if we have other friends as well, and just all hang out as a patrol."

"Okay, but when do we get to be ourselves?"

"Every other moment." Merlin leaned in to hug Arthur, Arthur opening up his arms to bring the ship into shore, Merlin then leaned up to kiss Arthur, and asked a vital question. "Does that feel natural to you?"

Arthur answered openly. "Yes, it feels that this should always happen. Does it feel natural when I kiss you, like this?" Arthur leaned down, and properly kissed Merlin, which seemed like it could go on forever, but in actuality, it couldn't of lasted for more than a few seconds, Merlin moaning when Arthur parted.

"Yes, I love you Arthur and I don't want that to change. I want to be able to kiss you anywhere, and not put any barriers in place."

"I know, and I love you too, but unfortunately, we're going to have to for now."

Merlin and Arthur sat there together for a few more moments, before Merlin checked his wrist watch, noticing how late they were. "Anyway, I need to go to class. I'll text you later." Merlin grabbed his shoulder bag up off from the floor, and pecked Arthur before heading off, Arthur going his own way.


Thursday had rolled on into the evening, Merlin finding a text on his phone as he hopped off the no.22 bus and walked the remainder of the way back into Ealdor with Will. For nearly the whole college year, it had just been the two of them, Merlin and Will, who had walked together. But for the last couple of weeks, a girl called Freya had made the duo into a trio. Freya was also a member of the senior section, and part of Morgana and Gwen's patrol, and since Glastonbury, had been seeing Will.

Reaching for his phone, Merlin read the text.

'Hey! Just saw a cloud and it made me think of you.' The message was clearly from Arthur.

'What?'

'The cloud is beautiful, as you are.'

'Aww, you're so cute. But please help me!'

'Why?'

'Will and Freya being all cute with each other. Can't take it anymore!'

'Leave 'em be.'

'You try having it every day for three whole weeks.'

'Try having it for a stinking year, especially when the boyfriend is in our patrol!'

'Oh my god, who?'

'Gwaine.'

'Can't help you at the moment but can help you tomorrow. Wanna come over tomorrow after college?'

'Yeah alright, haven't been to yours before.'

'Great. See you tomorrow.'