A/n: This chapter was written by Miroslav. And this brings us up to real time (real time posting being what has been occurring over on Dreamwidth). From here on out you can expect only one chapter a day. 'Day' is defined loosely as that space of time after we wake up and before we go back to sleep.
This chapter is also a good place to explain that nearly every named character in this story is from a classic British legend/tale/play/ballad/etc or a representation thereof. You have a pick of two reasons: the Doylist 'well if we're stealing from one we might as well steal from them all' or the Wastonian 'Merlin's magic affected far more people than he'd ever anticipated.' In this case, Finn and his friends are from Robin Hood (primarily the recent BBC version). In other chapters you either have or will meet characters from Romeo and Juliet, Tam Lin, and Quest for Camelot.
Anyway, back to the chapter:
In which Arthur loses a game of basketball, but gains something else.
(Gwen/Arthur, David/Ambrose)
Friday, December 16, 2011
Nearly everyone was already at the court when Arthur showed up-he spotted both Percy and John immediately, since they towered over the rest. It was Gwen he looked for first, though he tried not to be obvious about it. Unfortunately, Gwen was nowhere in sight. Arthur tried to ignore the pang of disappointment.
"Arthur!" Finn called, wearing his usual cocky grin. "Ready to lose?"
Arthur rolled his eyes as he peeled off his gloves, stuffed them into his coat pockets, and hung his coat on ones of the posts. "We'll see who leaves with their tails between their legs," he tossed back, and then headed over to where David, Percy, Ambrose, and Gavin were already clustered together by the opposing bleachers.
"Gwen just called. She and Elliot will be here soon," Ambrose said before Arthur could so much as say hello.
"Did I ask?" Arthur said, hearing the defensive note in his voice too late. He frowned at the series of amused looks the group gave him. "And hello to you too, Ambrose. No flag or poster to cheer David on?"
"I was going to do a 'Kick their asses, David!' poster, but David thought that seemed tacky," Ambrose said solemnly as David chuckled. Then he grinned. "Oh! Ria and John's wife are here to cheer everyone on. Her name is Alice. She performs with Elle, apparently, and she brought cookies for everyone."
"Well, that explains the crumbs on your shirt," Arthur said, and resisted the urge to snicker as Ambrose frowned and looked down at his spotless shirt.
"Very funny," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'm telling her to not let you have any."
"I think I'll survive without a cookie," Arthur said, adding a little sarcastically, "And she knows Elle, you said? Not Gwen?" He glanced at the other team even as Gavin laughed and said, "No, she knows Elle. Though you never know, this seems to be a very small city, she might know Gwen too."
There was Ria, sitting on the bleachers; she was either ignoring Finn and Shaw frowning at each other over her or momentarily resigned to their bickering. A woman who had to be Alice was smiling up at John. John was giving her a soppy look in return.
Arthur looked away, feeling unaccountably irritated when his gaze was met with David and Ambrose leaning into each other, clasping hands and looking besotted. He rubbed his hands together; they felt itchy, suddenly, doubtless from the shift from the cold outside to the warmth here.
David, who'd been smiling at Ambrose, glanced past Arthur and grinned. "Gwen!" he called.
Arthur's head whipped around instinctively, his heart skipping a beat. He ignored Ambrose's barely muffled snicker. Everything he'd been planning on saying to Gwen fled his mind at the sight of her.
Gwen smiled at the group, looking amazing in a black coat and a bright purple scarf and cap. "Are we late?" she asked as she unwrapped the scarf from around her neck.
"No," Arthur said, or tried to. It came out as a croak. He cleared his throat. "No, you're right on time," he said, louder. She smiled at him, expression the same warm look she'd worn when she'd wished him good-night and gone into her apartment.
"Was traffic bad?" David asked.
"Yes," Elliot said emphatically as Gwen shook her head and said, "No." She laughed and nudged Elliot lightly in the side. "Elliot's still adjusting to city driving," she explained. "He'll get used to it."
"Is everyone here?" Aden asked, bouncing lightly on her feet. She darted in a quick circle around Will, the man shaking his head and looking amused as she did so, and grinned a shark's smile. "If so, let's get warmed up and get this game started."
Arthur clapped his hands together, grateful for the distraction from Gwen. "Okay, fifteen minutes to warm up, and then let's start the game," he declared, ignoring Ambrose's muttered, "Yes, sir, of course, sir."
Gwen sat next to Ambrose, linking arms with him and murmuring something into his ear that made him laugh.
Gavin took a step towards the court, and then hesitated, glancing back at Gwen and Ambrose. He frowned, as though wanting to say something. "Gwen," he started to say, an odd note in his voice. "Afterwards, can-"
Arthur grabbed a basketball from the box the gym always left out. "Gavin, catch," he said. It wasn't until Gavin caught the ball and grunted a little that Arthur realized he'd thrown it a little too forcefully. He winced a little, torn between apologizing and pretending it had been a slip of his arm.
Gavin stared at the ball for a second, and then back up at Arthur. His expression was a little baffled. After a moment, Gavin narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "Thanks," he said without inflection, beginning to dribble the ball back and forth for a few seconds before passing it to Percy. "Percy, remember, law of God says you're not allowed to be injured today, so watch yourself."
"The law of God?" Percy repeated with a puzzled frown, passing the ball back.
"Elle," Gavin said, and Percy grinned.
When Arthur glanced back at Ambrose and Gwen, both were giving him odd looks he couldn't read. Arthur looked away, and busied himself with stretching. Stretching seemed like a great thing to do right now.
Two quarters into the game and tied, Arthur had to admit they were pretty evenly matched. Elliot turned out to be almost as quick on his feet as Aden, David was sticking to Will like glue and not letting him anywhere near Aden, and with Percy and John going toe to toe and canceling each other out, that left the game really down to Gavin and Arthur versus Finn and Shaw.
At least Gavin hadn't let the incident with the ball affect his game- he continued to throw the ball to Arthur when Arthur was open. The only thing that seemed affected was that Gavin's usual trash-talk hadn't made an appearance today.
Arthur faked left and then went right as Shaw fell for the feint. He darted past the other man, dribbling the ball quickly down the court. Finn came at him then, his eyes narrowed with concentration. Arthur just grinned at him and feinted like he was going to go low and past him.
When Finn didn't fall for it, going so far to smirk and say, "Nice try," Arthur took a quick step back and simply threw the ball. The ball sailed over Finn's head as he leaped for it, his fingertips just skimming its underside, and then landed in Gavin's waiting hands.
Gavin dribbled once, twice, then shot.
"Go, Gavin!" Ambrose cheered as the ball went in.
"Nice shot," Arthur said, but Gavin only shrugged and turned away from him, clapping Elliot on the shoulder. Arthur inwardly winced. He'd have to man up after the game, actually talk to Gavin about what was going on. Or at least apologize for trying to concuss him with that basketball.
"Okay, end of the quarter!" Gwen called, holding up the stopwatch.
Arthur stopped where he'd been jogging back up the court. He rested his hands briefly on his knees and tried to catch his breath. Sweat stung his eyes.
"Are you okay?" Gwen asked.
He blinked up at her, surprised that she'd come onto the court. She smiled back, a little tentative. "I'm fine," he said, straightening and trying to look as though he hadn't just been gulping for air.
Gwen wore an unconvinced expression, one that was somehow more familiar and steadying than her cautious look. "You're going to get dehydrated if you don't drink something," she said, offering him a water bottle.
"Thanks," he said, twisting the cap off and taking a quick sip to ease the dryness of his throat. Then he took another bigger swallow, wincing as more sweat stung his eyes.
"Here," Gwen said again. When he lowered the bottle, she was offering him a small piece of fabric. "It's a handkerchief," she explained, mouth twisting into a self-conscious smile that didn't suit her at all.
"Thanks," he said again, accepting it.
Their fingers brushed and once again he felt that tightness in his chest that had nothing to do with exercise and everything to do with the woman standing in front of him. He looked at the handkerchief. It was white with a few purple flowers and the initials GS stitched in one corner. It also looked handmade.
"It's nice. I don't want to ruin it," he objected, trying to push it back into her hands.
Gwen laughed, self-consciousness replaced by amusement. "Sweat's ones of the things handkerchiefs are made for," she told him, pressing the handkerchief to his forehead. She was standing close to him, near enough that he could smell the perfume she had on, a light, airy scent that reminded him of spring.
His eyes started to close, and he forced them to stay open. "If you say so," he said.
"You'll never get that handkerchief back, Gwen," Ambrose called from the bleachers. "Arthur never returns anything."
Arthur let out an exasperated breath. "I lost a book of his once in high school and he's never let me live it down," he told Gwen. "Never mind that he's lost so many things of mine that I've given up counting."
Gwen's hand was still on his forehead, her fingers cool where they continued to hold the handkerchief. This close, he could see the way her lashes fluttered and the slight wrinkle of her nose as she laughed. "I don't let Ambrose borrow my things," she said, stepping back. "Well, nothing important, at least."
Arthur pressed the handkerchief gingerly to his forehead, dabbing at where he could feel sweat collecting and feeling vaguely ridiculous.
"Ria!" Finn said, loudly enough that both Arthur and Gwen jumped. "Ria, my lady love," he continued, affecting a plaintive, old-fashioned accent, "why don't you give me a token of your esteem? A lady must give her beloved some sort of favor-"
Favor. The last word rang through Arthur's head like a bell. He closed his eyes, a wave of dizziness washing over him. It was loud all around him, a roar in his ears like the bleachers had filled with people coming to watch the-
"Arthur?" Gwen's voice was warm with concern.
He opened his eyes and there she was, close enough to touch, her worried smile creasing her forehead and darkening her eyes. "Gwen," he breathed, feeling unaccountably relieved. He let the bottle and the handkerchief fall, took Gwen by the elbows instead, tugged her closer as her eyes widened.
Arthur kissed her. Her lips were dry beneath his, and motionless. After a second though, Gwen made a little sound in the back of her throat and kissed him back. He clutched at her arms, dizzy with some realization he couldn't put a name to. "Gwen," he murmured against her lips, his mouth savoring her name like a long anticipated taste. "Gwen, Guine-"
Someone's wolf-whistle split the air, and Arthur came back to himself, releasing Gwen and jerking backwards. They started at each other, both breathing hard. Gwen looked a little stricken.
Arthur's face burned. What had he just done? He didn't kiss women he'd known for less than a week! "Gwen," he said, his voice sticking in his throat. "I'm sorry, I don't know what-"
"It's okay," Gwen said breathlessly, but she was searching his face like she had during their first meeting. "What were you about to call me?"
"I was saying Gwendol-" Arthur said, and then stopped, frowning, because that hadn't been the name that had leapt to his lips as he'd kissed her. "I have no idea," he said, baffled.
"I," Gwen said, and took a deep breath. "I think I'm going to go sit back in the bleachers."
"Gwen," he said, but she was already backing away. He frowned after her, then realized his shoes felt damp. He looked down, realizing that the water bottle had spilled, the handkerchief and his shoes soaked.
When the game was over, 14 to 11, with Finn making the last-minute winning shot as usual, much to Arthur's exasperation and Shaw's apparent annoyance. "Show off," he thought he heard Shaw mutter as Finn lifted his arms above his head and grinned at Ria.
Arthur couldn't really bring himself to care too much about the loss, though, not when he was already turning towards the bleachers. He almost tripped over his sneakers because sometime between the start of the final quarter and now, Gwen had vanished.
"Gwen left a minute ago. Said she was going to meet Elliot at the car," Ambrose said, frowning and watching Arthur closely as Arthur kept his expression neutral. Apparently he failed at that, because Ambrose's frown deepened. "Arthur-"
"A word?" Gavin said. He had his arms folded against his chest.
"Uh," Arthur said, looking to Ambrose for help.
Ambrose was already retreating, the coward, grabbing David's hand and saying something about seeing them at the party. David offered both Gavin and Arthur a puzzled good-bye and followed.
"Good game," Arthur heard Percy say.
"Yeah, too bad your team fell apart in the third quarter," Aden said with a quick laugh.
"Outside?" Gavin said, and Arthur sighed. Well, might as well get this unpleasant conversation over with. He followed Gavin into the cold twilight. Gavin was silent for a moment, and then huffed out a breath. "Okay," Gavin said, turning to face him. "Explain what I've done to offend you, because I've been wracking my brain and coming up with nothing."
Arthur blinked. Apparently he stared for a bit too long because Gavin's expression soured.
"Don't play innocent. You're making digs at my past and then ignoring me all through the second half. We could've won if you hadn't seemed intent on pretending I didn't exist on the court!"
"I," Arthur said, wincing. "Look, I just- you're dating Elle."
Now it was Gavin's turn to stare. "Yes, and?"
"And you're all over Gwen! And trying to get her alone!" That hadn't been what Arthur meant to say, but the words rang through the air.
Gavin squinted at him. "This is about Gwen?" he asked, a little disbelieving. "What, do you think she and I are-" Gavin laughed, but it was humorless. "God, just because I liked one-night stands back in the day doesn't mean I'm going to cheat on Elle. And Gwen would never break up a relationship! What do you take us for?"
"Sorry," Arthur said. Frustration and confusion made him run a hand through his hair and begin to pace, back and forth in front of Gavin. "I don't know what I was thinking-"
"Look," Gavin said, and a bit of his good-natured humor had returned to his voice, "I realize both Gwen and I are irresistible, don't think I didn't notice that kiss you planted on her, but-"
"I don't know why I did that!" Arthur snapped. Apparently his bewilderment was obvious, because Gavin frowned. "I just- I don't kiss strangers! Not someone I've just met, no matter how pretty she is, but I looked at her and for a second it was like I'd lost her and finally found her again-"
"Have you been having dreams?" Gavin interrupted.
Arthur blinked, thrown. "Dreams?" he said, staring at Gavin.
Gavin grimaced. "No, never mind, stupid question," he said hastily. He rubbed at his chin and sighed. "Arthur, I don't know what to tell you other than Gwen and I are just friends. I, well, Elle is—besides, I am pretty sure I saw Gwen kissing you back. If you ask me-"
"No one did," Arthur said, having regained his footing enough to sound dry. "And I'll handle Gwen myself." He hesitated. "Just- sorry if I was a bit of an ass."
Gavin snorted. "Arthur, you're always a bit of an ass," he informed him, and then clapped him on the shoulder. "Give Gwen a couple days and then ask her out. She likes this particular bistro. I'll get Elle to text you the name of it."
"Who says I'm asking Gwen out?" Arthur protested.
Gavin just shook his head and walked back into the gym, calling, "Alice, I can't wait to see you in the show. I hear you're going to be singing?"
"I am not singing!" Alice said in apparent exasperation. "You can tell Elle I said so!"
Arthur stood outside for a moment, shivering in the cool night air. He made a face to himself. He turned to go back inside and grab his coat when Elliot came out, stumbling to a stop at the sight of him.
They studied each other for a moment, then Elliot said evenly, "You know, I'm sort of regretting taking you up on your offer to help me unpack."
Arthur felt his face warm. So Elliot had either seen the kiss or heard about it from someone else. "Gwen and I are would have met eventually," he said, and then raised a hand when Elliot opened his mouth. "That wasn't an argument. Just…apologize to her for me? I was out of line."
Elliot eyed him for a moment, then snorted. "You were," he agreed, then squared his shoulders. "Look, Gwen's my best friend, I've looked after her since kindergarten. I know I don't have a say in her relationships but if you jerk her around or try another stunt like that before you get to know her, I will do something about it."
Despite the threat, Arthur felt his lips twitch into a smile. Still, first Gavin, now Elliot. And he was certain Ambrose was going to be sending him about twelve texts once he got home, all about Gwen. He nodded and met Elliot's gaze. "Understood," he said.
Arthur went back inside, wincing at the warmth of the gym flooded feeling back into his fingers and cheeks, made his skin itch. He reached for his coat, rummaging in the pockets for his gloves. Instead, his fingertips touched a different fabric. He blinked and pulled it out.
It was Gwen's handkerchief, still a little damp from the water spill. He held it in his hands for a moment, staring at the intricate stitches that made up the GS. "Gwendolyn Smith," he found himself saying under his breath, and the name felt…right, but not, all at the same time.
He shook his head and tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket, ignoring the itch in his fingers to raise the handkerchief to his nose and see if Gwen's scent lingered. For one thing, that was just a little bit creepy. For another, the water had probably rid the handkerchief of all traces of Gwen.
"So," someone said, and Arthur quickly tucked the handkerchief back into his coat pocket and turned to face Finn, who was grinning at him. "Didn't know you had a girlfriend, Arthur. You should've introduced us!"
"She's not my girlfriend," Arthur said automatically.
Finn laughed. "What, was that kiss your way of asking her out?" He made a mock-thoughtful face. "You'll have to tell me if it works. Maybe I should try that with Ria-"
"Enough," Shaw said with a roll of his eyes. "Quit being a pest."
"I'm not being a pest," Finn argued. "I was-"
"Asking questions that were none of your business?" Shaw asked, talking over him. "Of course you were, because boundaries are a foreign concept to you-"
"Oh, this coming from the guy who-"
"Walk me out?" Ria asked, appearing suddenly at Arthur's side. She shot him a conspiratorial smile. "I think those two might be a while."
Arthur found himself chuckling. "You're probably right," he agreed, putting on his coat and then helping Ria with hers. Even as they left, Finn and Shaw were still arguing, both a little red-faced. "And people say Ambrose and I are bad," Arthur said, shaking his head.
Ria laughed, wrapping her arms around herself. "They're both just…opinionated," she said, apparently striving for diplomacy. She laughed again at Arthur's raised eyebrow and then held up a hand, calling out, "Taxi!"
"You're getting a taxi?" Arthur frowned. In this neighborhood, getting a taxi to actually stop would take at least a half-hour or so. "I can drive you home," he offered. "I have a town car that's due to come around in…" He checked his watch. "…about five minutes."
"I don't want to inconvenience you," Ria protested, but Arthur shook his head. He liked Ria; she also had to suffer through their fathers' events while obviously wishing to be with their friends far, far away from the businessmen schmoozing their way through the dances and dinners. Though he really didn't understand her taste in men.
"I insist," he said. "Otherwise you'll be here for an hour trying to get a taxi."
Ria smiled. "Thank you." She looked up at him, a mischief light creeping into her face. "So, if you do want to talk about Gwen, I'm all ears," she told him, and then laughed at his grimace. "Or we can talk about something else- whatever you prefer."
Arthur let out a slow breath, considering. Unlike everyone else in his life, apparently, Ria didn't seem to know Gwen. It might be nice to talk to a neutral party. He tried to figure out how to word things so he didn't seem like a complete freak. After a moment, he shrugged and gave up. "Well, the thing is, I just met Gwen on Sunday," he said.
"Oh, Arthur," Ria said, laughing. It wasn't a mean sound, though, mostly startled. She smiled at him. "I take it she's someone special?"
"Yes," Arthur said with a sort of bone-deep certainty. "She is."
Ria linked her arms in his. "Tell me everything you know about her," she commanded, and Arthur did.