Chapter 11. Listen…do you want to know a secret?

Disclaimer: Merlin & its characters are the property of BBC / Shine ; This is a work of fiction and any similarities to real persons is purely coincidental =)

AN: Unbeta'ed so all mistakes are mine. Again, thanks for reading and leaving feedback.


The lads are in the middle of preparations for shooting a forest scene when Arthur finally arrives on set.

"Hey!" Gawaine greets Arthur as he finally makes his way to the group.

"Sorry for being late…" he apologizes. "We only got back this morning and I had to go to the hotel to shower and change first…"

"We?" It is Merlin who pounces on the blonde actor's choice of pronoun.

Arthur doesn't answer and avoids looking at either one while making a big production out of taking the strap of his laptop bag off his shoulder.

The two Irish actors share a look before Merlin continues on. "We missed you yesterday."

"Uhm…I had to go somewhere." Arthur is still refusing to look at them and takes his time putting his bag on one of the lawn chairs set up for them.

Gawaine notes the change in pronoun choice with a small smile. "Did you manage to talk to Elena?"

Arthur's head snaps up at this. "Elena?" He asks.

"She was here to see you…"

"Really?"

"You mean she wasn't there in your room when you arrived?" Merlin scratches his head as he says this.

"What?" Arthur's voice came out in a strangled croak.

"Oh…I just assumed…"

Gawaine cuts off his fellow Irish actor, "I think she might have left already…she had a noon flight remember?"

"Oh yeah…I forgot about that…"

"Maybe she left you a voicemail?"

"I…uhm…I …" his worlds stumbles over each other, "I left my phone in the hotel…I wasn't able to charge it last night…"

"Oh…is that why we weren't able to call you?" Merlin asks innocently as he tries to get more info from his co-star.

"Uhm…yeah…that's…that's right…"

"I wonder if Michael saw Gwen before he left…" Gawaine nonchalantly wonders aloud while glancing to see how their co-star reacts.

"What?" The speed with which Arthur turns his head to look at and ask them startles Merlin.

"Uh…Michael came by yesterday looking for Gwen…" he explains.

"And?" There is an edge to the question.

"And we couldn't contact Gwen so we had a drink with him."

"With Elena." Gawaine supplies helpfully.

Arthur's eyes widen at this. "You had a drink with Michael AND Elena last night?"

Both Merlin and Gawaine nod as they wait for the next question.

When none is forthcoming, Merlin offers, "Didn't Michael say he'll be dropping by Gwen's room before he leaves today?"

"What?"

Gawaine pretends not to hear Arthur's question. "Oh yeah…maybe they're talking now."

Arthur looks to be struggling with something before he finally asks Gawaine. "Uhm.. can I borrow your phone?"

Gawaine looks at him quizzically. "Are you calling Elena?"

"Yeah…sure…I guess I should…"

"Are you alright?" Merlin asks as Arthur reaches for the phone that Gawaine is holding out to him.

"What? Yes…yes of course….Would you excuse me for a while…I'm just gonna call…" He offers to them just before he walks away.

"What was that about?" Leon asks.

Merlin and Gawaine just shrug.


"Wait!" she gasps as they both take a breath. And promptly loses her train of thought as she feels him trail kiss down her chin…

to her neck…

her shoulder…

lower…

It is when his lips nudges the fabric of her blouse down one shoulder that she pulls his head up so they land on her own lips instead. Although they've shared tons of kisses off cam while shooting series four, she had drawn the line at getting too intimate with him and they've never shared a room much less a bed before. She could feel him smile through their kiss at her move to distract him.

"Too much, huh?" He asks as he lifts his head momentarily and stares at her.

She blushes at his question and tries to pull him back to her so as to avoid answering him. He resists and she lowers her eyes to evade his intent stare. She whimpers as he slowly moves to disentangle himself from her and she knows that she's ruined the moment.

"Hey…" he whispers to her as he gently lifts her up so that she is sitting on his lap. "It's okay…"

"But you're…" she trails off unable to continue and lift her head up to meet his gaze.

He chuckles at this as he lays his chin on top of her head. "It'll go away…don't worry about it."

"I'm sorry…" she offers.

"Don't be. I should be the one apologizing." He tightens his arms around her as he says this. "I didn't mean to push you…"

"No…I really am so…"'

"Guinevere, stop. You should never apologize for that…least of all to me."

"You don't think I'm a prude?" She teases him to hide her discomfiture.

"I'm not into you because of that…" he explains.

She smiles at this. "Are you sure? Cause I've often caught you leering at the twins…"

"Twins?" He asks, confusion evident in his voice.

She laughs. "MY twins…"

"Your wha…" He stops as he finally realizes what she means. "You call them your twins?"

"What? It's as good a euphemism as any…" she answers.

He chuckles at this. "I didn't think it was that obvious…"

"What? That you liked my twins?" She teases him. "How could I not notice when you kept looking down my dress whenever I curtsey before you."

"In my defense, the neckline of your dresses did keep getting lower and lower."

She giggles. "They did, didn't they? Blame costume."

"Nah! I enjoy them far too much to complain."

"I bet you do…"

They share a companionable silence.

"Arthur…"

"Hmmm?"

"Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"What is this? What are we?"

It is then that he lifts her head up so he can look at her eyes. "We are whatever you want us to be…" he answers simply.

"Friends?" She asks.

There's a pause before he answers. "If that's what you really want…"

"More than friends?"

"I'd like that more than anything…"

"Lovers?"

He sighs and lays his forehead against hers gently. "You know we don't have to be if you're not ready. I really don't mind waiting."

"Thank you." She whispers.

"No, Guinevere, thank YOU!" he whispers back.

"For what?"

"For giving me another chance."

"Arthur…"

"I lo…"

But she covers his lips with her hands. "You don't have to say them…"

He removes her hands and tells her, "But I do. I want to."

"Arthur…"

"Guinevere." He admonishes her.

She stills in his arms. "Why do you say my name like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you…"

"Like I want you? Like I need you? Like I …"

"Please don't…"

"Like I love you?"

She gasps.

"I do you know. I love you."

"But we've never even…"

"It doesn't matter. I didn't know for a long time but…I now know that I love you. That I'm in love with you."

"I…"

"Ssh…YOU don't have to say it back…"

"But…"

"I can wait until you're really ready to say it…"

"I…"

His lips steal away the words from hers.

She lets him.


"Come on answer…" Arthur mumbles to himself as he waits for Gwen to pick up. It had better not be a male voice that answers her cell.

"Gawaine?" Gwen's sleepy voice answers.

"Damn!" Arthur thinks as her voice gives him ideas. "No, it's Arthur…"

"Oh…hi…"

He can't help but grin when he hears the smile in her voice. "Enjoying your lie-in?"

"I was…" she teases. "But some guy just woke me up with his phone call…"

He heaves a sigh of relief when he realizes she's alone. "Did you tell him off?"

"I should…"

"Hmm…maybe he had a good reason to disturb you?"

"You think? What could that be?"

"Well…maybe he just wanted to tell you that he misses you…"

"Do tell…"

"Or…maybe he just wanted to know if you're missing him too…"

"Maybe…"

"Or maybe, he's wishing he didn't have a shoot today so he could spend the day with you…"

"Ooh…that would have been lovely…"

"How are the twins?" He asks just to hear her laugh.

She doesn't disappoint him. "Bloody hell Arthur! I shouldn't have told you about that…"

"Too late…." He laughs with her.

"Don't you have some scenes to do?"

Arthur looks behind to see if they're calling for him already. "They're still setting up."

"Have you told them?"

"I wasn't sure if you wanted them to know. We never got around to talking about it."

"Arthur! We're ready for you…" someone shouts from behind him.

"Sorry… I need to go….they're calling for me…"

"Okay…I'll talk to you later?"

"I'll head to your room when we get off?"

"Sure."

"Love you."

He doesn't give her time to answer and hangs up.


It is only after they had finished shooting his scenes with the lads that Gawaine finds the time to check his cellphone for messages. He is surprised to note that instead of Elena's number, his call register lists Gwen's number as the last call. He tries to hide the smile that breaks out at this but must have failed because Percy looks at him and asks.

"What's with the smile?"

He looks at his co-star and just shrugs. "Oh…I just thought of something." He offers and proceeds to send a text message to Morgana.

Percy just nods and looks at his own cellphone.

His phone buzzes in his hand and he checks the incoming message from Morgana.

"Going to Gwen's room now"


"So…where did you hie off to yesterday?" Gawaine asks while they're being driven back to their hotel after finishing for the day.

"Oh…just went shopping…"

"For what?" It is Merlin who asks.

"Stuff…"

"What stuff?" Gawaine persists.

"Just stuff. Why the interest in my shopping habits?" Arthur's gruff answer makes the others turn to look at him quizzically.

Merlin and Gawaine try to hide their mirth. "Who did you go shopping with?"

"No one."

"Oh…we thought maybe Gwen came with you?" Merlin continues to bait him.

"What?" Arthur's startled reaction confirms their theory that he had been with Gwen. "Of course not. Why would you think that? You both know she's been avoiding me like the plague since…"

"You mean since you kissed her?" Leon teases him from the front.

Arthur doesn't answer and avoids their collective gazes by staring out the window.

"We're here…" Percy announces as they finally arrive at the hotel.

Arthur takes his time getting his things.

"Hey, you want to go with us to the pub later?" Elyan asks as they get off the van.

"Oh…I think I'll turn in early…" Arthur begs off.

Gawaine raises an eyebrow. "Tired from your shopping trip?"

"Shut up Gawaine!" Arthur scowls at him.

Gawaine just laughs unrepentantly as he walks alongside Arthur and Merlin.

They are in front of the elevator when Arthur backs away from them suddenly.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh… I forgot something…"

"I'll go with you…" Merlin offers.

"No!" Arthur's vehement response surprises the group. "I mean, it's fine…you all go on up ahead…"

"If you're sure…"

"Yes, I'm sure…"


Arthur sighs in relief as soon as the elevator doors close in front of him. Gwen's room is two floors down from all their rooms so he moves to take the other elevator. He wishes they'd gotten around to discussing whether they would go public or not last night but there's time enough to do that later. He can't help but smile in anticipation as he rides the elevator up to her floor.

He is about to knock on her door when it opens suddenly.

"Arthur?"

"Morgana!"