Hello! I'm back! Sorry about the wait, life's been kind of crazy but anyways here you go. I hope you're still interested after the long break and that you like it :)
As usual, comments are love and make me write faster!

Thanks for your patience 3

Merlin sat on his bed doing homework. Yeah that's what he was doing, solving second degree polynomial equations, not thinking about Arthur.

He was most definitely not thinking about how Arthur had looked in the dim moonlight, his usually perfectly neat hair mussed from digging around the cabin, his black Armani v-neck clinging to his abs, and his pants resting low on his waist letting a small patch of glistening skin peak through.

Merlin also wasn't thinking about looking into Arthur's beautiful blue eyes as he leaned forward, or the way his lips felt on Merlin's. And because he wasn't thinking about that it wasn't reminding him of the first time Arthur kissed him, and how hot it was. Because if Merlin had been thinking about all of this it would have set free some pretty intense emotions, emotions he had buried after Arthur kissed him the first time. Emotions that, despite his efforts to stop them, had grown so much deeper every time he saw Arthur and saw that elusive sweet and caring side.

No; Merlin was better off doing math, because if he acknowledged those feelings he'd also have to acknowledge the heart break that came along with the fact that Arthur didn't feel the same for him. The second kiss had been just like the first, a dare. It also explained all of the weird events of the night, Gwaine wasn't playing a trick on them rather Arthur's friends were setting him up, seeing if he'd complete the dare. Arthur obviously wasn't in on the set-up but had figured it out and did what he had to do.

Part of Merlin wanted to hate Arthur, for playing with his feelings, but logic won out. He knew Arthur wasn't trying to hurt him, he knew Arthur wouldn't intentionally do that ever again. But Arthur didn't know how Merlin felt about him (heck, even Merlin didn't know until recently) so it was just a game to him. And at least his friends were smart enough not to set it up to happen in front of anyone, they had learned their lesson from that one.

Merlin didn't really understand what they got out of it, sure the first time Arthur kissed him it was meant to humiliate them both. But this time? Was it just to make Arthur do something he didn't want to? Merlin guessed that, for a straight guy, kissing another bloke probably was a pretty bad dare. Merlin was probably just the only gay guy they knew.

Merlin finally put away his math homework, giving up on concentrating, and sighed. He'd give anything not to have to go back to school on Monday and face Arthur. He even briefly considered telling his mom he wanted to be home schooled, but then she'd worry to death over what happened to make him change his mind. Besides, home school sucked. Or at least it wasn't Merlin's thing; he needed to be around people and couldn't stand having no one besides his tutor to talk to.

"Uh hey, I got your favorite" Arthur said, holding out a Dr. Pepper to Merlin as he sat down beside him at the lunch table.

"Thanks" Merlin said off handedly without even looking up. He had been avoiding Arthur all day, well as much as you could avoid someone who follows you around constantly. This mainly consisted of doing his best to grab a seat far away from Arthur, and talking to other people constantly so that Arthur couldn't start a conversation with him.

Arthur wasn't making matters any easier; he was just being sooo nice. Which bothered Merlin for two reasons, first off Arthur was acting apologetic which sucked because Merlin, well he really liked Arthur and enjoyed the kiss so he wished Arthur has no reason to regret it and feel bad about it. Also it worried him that maybe Arthur was on to him, that he might know that Merlin was hurt by the stupid dare and why.

Merlin knew he was just making things more obvious, that he should just suck it up and act normal, pretend nothing happened. But he just couldn't, he was too hurt too not show it.

"So do you know what you're going to do for your science project?" Arthur asked but before even waiting for an answer he sucked in a deep breath and leaned in close to Merlin, "look, about the other night…"

"I have to… um… do something… for class" Merlin said, cutting Arthur off, as he clumsily scrambled out of his seat at and took off.

Merlin was sitting below some trees behind the school when he heard foot-steps behind him.

"So, anyone hiding in the forest pretending no one knows that they go there to get high?" Gwen asked, standing behind him her hands in her pockets.

"Nope, not today, but lunch isn't over yet" Merlin answered without turning around as Gwen sat beside him. He should have known she'd find him here, as they often hung out there, making up their own fantasy worlds or just reading comic books.

"Arthur's worried about you, thinks he scared you off."

"Nice segue" Merlin replied.

"Did he, scare you?" she inquired.

Merlin shrugged, then sighed "… I think I might like him Gwen… really like him," he said sadly. "And I know he doesn't feel the same… so it's just going to take some time."

"Merlin!" Gwen practically squeaked, "he kissed you! Twice!"

"Bbut it was just a game, a dare" he replied. "And how do you know about the second kiss?"

"Wait you think the second kiss was a dare? Merlin you're really smart, but sometimes you can be a complete idiot… Oh and I saw, at the party… I wouldn't have interrupted but I was worried about you, after the whole flashback thing."

"I'm not an… How could it not be some sort of game? What other explanation is there for the 'giant dog' and the whole set up?" Merlin asked, not expecting an answer.

"Oh" Gwen said, before looking down guiltily. "Umm…well that was kind of my fault… A plan… to you-know, give Arthur some time alone with you… I'm really sorry about scaring you."

"I… wait, that was all you?" Now that he knew it kind of made sense, that was exactly the type of thing Gwen did, she liked to set people up. "…Did Arthur know about it?" Merlin couldn't stop his mind from spinning with the possibilities.

"Well he didn't know the exact plan, but he knew I was going to try to set you guys up" she said with a small smile.

"…Oh"

"He likes you, Merlin."

"But he's straight" he argued.

"Well you'll have to talk to him about that, but we both saw him after the first time he kissed you. He didn't look too straight then" she couldn't help but smile as she spoke, maybe this would work out after all.

"He's a jock, I'm a nerd… We don't even have anything in common, he's rich, I'm poor."

"Ugh!" Gwen threw her arms up in exasperation. "Stop making excuses. If you want to have something with Arthur, then try for it. Be your normal stubborn self!"

"Hmm…" Merlin suddenly stood up and walked back towards the cafeteria, just as the bell rang.

He found Arthur just as he was leaving the table.

"So, you have one of those girly moments yet?" Merlin asked with a smirk as he slid up next to Arthur.

"Not yet… Maybe I'm just more manly than you" Arthur answered, his voice smiling broadly at Merlin.

"Really? So which on of us is it who has Taylor Swift on his ipod?" Merlin shot back as they sat down at their desks.

Arthur glared, "I told you, Morgana uploaded that… Anyway, I bet you have loads of embarrassing music… probably even some musicals" Arthur accused as the teacher came in, ordering the class to quiet down.

"Why don't you come over and take a look for yourself… tonight" Merlin whispered, his voice confident even as his heart raced and his hands trembled.

"How…"

"Is there something you would like to share with the class, Mr. Emrys and Mr. Pendragon?" The teacher asked, cutting Arthur off.

"No sir," they said at the same time.

Merlin was trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach and actually focus on his work when a paper slid in front of him.

'I have practice after school, how does 7:00 sound?'

Merlin smiled as he passed back his own paper,

'7:00 sounds fantastic.J'