Hello, everyone! I'm back with a new chapter of this story! (Finally!) I've been super busy with school (it's exam week - oh, joy! *rolls eyes*) and with other stories but I finally decided to write up this chapter.
Since summer is coming around quickly, I'll probably be able to update this story more often - thank you so much for sticking with it! I'm sorry to say that this chapter isn't my best - again, I've been very busy and this was sort of a last-minute thing. :/
However, I hope you all enjoy it!
It was another hot day outside.
Another hot, wretched day in the middle of July with absolutely nothing to do.
"I'm bored."
"Mm-hm."
"Are you listening to me?"
"Mm-hm."
"Merlin!" Arthur threw a clump of grass at his friend, who was laid out on a blanket. "Answer me!"
Merlin yelled out in surprise and batted away the grass from his face. "What was that for?" He asked indignantly.
Arthur pouted, rolling over on his stomach to face the dark-haired boy. "You weren't talking to me!"
Merlin frowned. "Yes, I was," he argued.
"Mm-hm doesn't count." Arthur retorted and sat up. "Why aren't you paying attention?"
Merlin yawned. "It's too hot to pay attention to anything." He mumbled in an uncharacteristically lazy, tired voice. He closed his eyes. "Wake me up when it's winter, will you?"
The young prince lightly smacked Merlin's lip, causing the boy to cry out and sit up. "Will you stop it?" Merlin asked furiously, rubbing his lips. "It's summer and it's hot and we're both tired!"
"You're tired. I'm bored." Arthur replied loftily, crossing his arms. He bounced up to his feet and gestured wildly at Merlin. "Come on, you'll feel much better if we begin running."
"Bet you I won't." Merlin replied stubbornly.
Arthur sighed and pulled at Merlin's hands, forcing his friend to stand up. "Let's go get some water, then," he said. "After we drink something, you'll probably stop being a…zombie."
Merlin blinked. "A zombie? Is that really the best you could come up with?"
"At the moment, yes! You're the one who's supposed to think, remember?" Arthur replied, heading back inside the house. He heard Merlin laughing lightly in response and with a swing of the doors, the two boys were met with a cool blast of the air conditioner.
Merlin groaned happily, closing his eyes. "Air conditioner – best invention ever," he said with a sigh.
"Mm," Arthur murmured in agreement, already walking over to the kitchens for water bottles. "But it'll feel better if we go outside a bit longer."
Merlin groaned and leaned against the doorframe. "Do we have to?" He asked tiredly. "It's so hot outside and –"
"It's not that bad!" Arthur said, throwing a bottle over to Merlin. His friend didn't even lift his hands to catch it. Arthur sighed as the bottle rolled around Merlin's feet.
"Really – just a couple of more minutes and then we can stay inside, alright?" The prince said, leaning over to grab the water bottle. He placed it in Merlin's hands and turned around, opening his own bottle.
Arthur heard Merlin twisting the cap open and for a second, Merlin was silent.
Then, Arthur felt cold water running down his back. He yelped in surprise and whirled around to see Merlin holding up his water bottle triumphantly.
"What'd you do that for?" The Pendragon asked furiously, squirming around as the water slithered down his shorts.
"That was payback." Merlin replied cheerfully, taking a quick gulp of water.
Arthur twisted his lips into a scowl and tossed his own water bottle in the air. He caught it and smirked, "We'll see about that!"
Arthur dove at Merlin, bottle still in hand. The dark-haired boy cried out and ducked to the side. "Arthur! Come on, you threw grass at me and you were being a prat about staying inside!" He yelled, running out of the kitchens.
"But you poured water on my back!" Arthur retorted, chasing after him. Merlin scampered up the stairs, giggling, and leaned over the railing.
"You were being annoying!" The boy shouted and quickly dove away from the railing as Arthur climbed up the stairs.
"Come back here!" Arthur shouted, holding his water bottle over his head. He heard Merlin let out a shriek and grinned to himself. "I'm gonna get yoooou!"
"No, you won't!" Merlin shouted, taking a quick turn around a corner.
Arthur didn't reply – instead, he rounded the corner and jumped on top of Merlin. Of course, Arthur's water bottle was knocked out of his hand, but the events that followed after were worth it.
The dark-haired boy let out a shout of surprise and the two wrestled each other in the hall, covered in sweat and water and even some lint from the carpet underneath them.
"You're such a prat!" Merlin shouted as Arthur clambered on top of him.
"Well, you're a girl's petticoat!" Arthur retorted. He managed to grab his water bottle and twisted off the cap with a large grin. "Any last words?" He asked teasingly.
"Arthur! No – hey!" Merlin sputtered as Arthur dumped the water over his face. "I – urgh!" Merlin squirmed from underneath Arthur's grip and finally, the prince jumped off of him with a triumphant smile.
Arthur tossed the now empty water bottle between his hands. "Did you learn your lesson, Merlin?" He asked innocently as the dark-haired boy sat up.
Merlin rubbed the water out of his eyes and let out a small laugh. "Yes, I did – that wasn't fair, though!"
Before Arthur could reply, a door opened in the hallway. The two boys automatically turned their heads to the person who was walking out of the room.
"What were you two doing?" Morgana Pendragon asked, her mouth dropping open. "There's water all over the carpet!"
"Wrestling." Arthur replied coolly, running a hand through his hair. "Girls aren't allowed."
Morgana harrumphed. "Oh, yeah?" She asked. "I could beat you up any day, Arthur."
"Can you beat him in a water fight?" Merlin asked suddenly. Arthur turned to his friend with a sly grin. The dark-haired boy smiled back and turned back to Morgana, who was staring at the two with narrowed eyes.
"I dunno – I never tried, I guess…" Morgana's voice trailed off as Merlin grabbed Arthur's empty water bottle.
"Arthur, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Merlin asked in an unusual, lofty voice.
Arthur grinned and clasped his hands together. "Of course, Merlin." He replied.
Minutes later, the servants of the Pendragons were trying to wrestle Morgana and Arthur and Merlin away from each other – it appeared that they had tried to pour water over the poor girl.
A/N: Yes, yes, I know - I had said that Arthur and Merlin would be in their swim trunks in the previous chapter, but I got lazy and thought up a different scenerio-ish instead. XD
This situation was actually inspired by something that happened in my Mandarin Chinese class the other day (I take Mandarin Chinese and Latin as my foreign language classes in school,) and these two guys were chasing each other around with water cupped in their hands. It was so funny - of course, my Mandarin Chinese teacher was less-than-pleased, but I thought it was neat. Of course, I imagined this little scene for Merlin and Arthur. XD
As always, please drop in a review! I'll allow constructive criticism, but no flames, please!
Next chapter : Fourteen years old Arthur is running for his life from the paparazzi - who would have known that they would chase him around at such a young age? Luckily, Merlin is there to help him!
