"It is too early." Merlin complained, taking a long swig of his Starbucks coffee.
"Agreed." Freya mumbled, adding her suitcase to the pile near the coach. She had recently cut her hair, and the choppy lengths stopped at her chin. It suited her, Merlin thought.
Merlin lead the way towards the back of the coach and took a seat, Freya joined him and immediately pulled her hood over her head. It was six in the morning, the cold morning air was making it's way onto the coach, and they were in for one long trip. It was the first week of April and the first year History students were on their way to Château de Pierrefonds.
Merlin hadn't gotten much sleep last night, his exam timetable had been emailed to him and his exams were all in the last week of May – in seven weeks. His studying had taken priority over his sleep. His studying had taken priority over a lot of things, actually, one of which had just walked onto the coach.
Despite how early it was and how tired Merlin looked, Arthur still managed to look like his usual perfect self. He swaggered over to Merlin and Freya, and he and Gwaine took the two seats in front of them. They peeked over the back of their seats and grinned at their respective other halves.
"Morning." They said simultaneously.
Freya and Merlin both glared at Gwaine and Arthur.
"Wow, not morning people, huh?" Gwaine asked.
Freya stuck her earphones in and shut her eyes. Sounding grumpy, she said, "I'm going to sleep for the next few hours, wake me up when we're there."
"So Merlin," Arthur said as Gwaine turned to sit back down, "Why didn't you answer my texts last night?"
"Erm..." Merlin skillfully avoided Arthur's gaze, "I was busy studying."
"Studying?" Arthur asked, horrified, "Please tell that's a euphemism for cheating on me, and not that you were actually studying."
Merlin silently pulled out his large history textbook and skimmed through it. He had covered quite a bit of it last night, but he still had so much left to go. He still didn't meet Arthur's eyes, "I'm not cheating on you."
"No, no, no." Arthur whined, "You can't study! You definitely can't study now!"
"Why not?" Merlin asked.
"One, you're only first year, your exams are easy." Arthur began, ticking off each finger as he spoke, "Two, you have eight weeks to study."
"Seven weeks." Merlin corrected, his eyes still focused on his book.
"Three," Arthur continued as though Merlin hadn't spoken, "I don't date nerds. Four, you're only first year! Your exams are easy!"
Merlin looked back up at Arthur blankly, "I'm not a nerd."
Arthur pssh-ed and waved his hand dismissively. His hair was soft and inviting and if they hadn't been in a public place, Merlin was sure he'd have ran his hands through it at least four times by now.
"And besides, shouldn't you be studying since this is your final year and it's super important?" Merlin asked, arching one eyebrow.
"I am studying, this trip is for my dissertation if you recall. And anyway, it's only-"
"Mr Pendragon." Marcus Holiday – one of Merlin's history lecturers – interrupted, "Is there any reason you're dangling over the back of the coach chair?"
"Just talking to my wonderful boyfriend, Sir." Arthur grinned.
"I'm sure your wonderful boyfriend," Marcus said, making Merlin blush with embarrassment, "Would be very upset if something were to happen to you, due to your complete disregard for personal safety."
"I was just-"
"Just sit in your seat correctly and stop talking back. You're a third-year, you should be more mature than this." Marcus snapped, tiring of Arthur quickly.
Arthur rolled his eyes at Merlin and Merlin stifled his laughter. Marcus watched eagle-eyed as Arthur moved to sit back in his chair correctly. Once satisfied Arthur wasn't going to move back, he walked back to the front of the coach, and began his speech.
"I trust, as a bunch of eighteen year olds, you don't need to be told how to behave. So I'll keep this short, don't be stupid and don't kill anyone. Understood?" After glaring around the coach, Marcus gestured to the driver, took his seat, and the coach set off.
Merlin leaned forward and whispered between the gap of Arthur's and Gwaine's chairs, "You should be more mature."
"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur hissed back.
"Mer-lin." Arthur whined in a sing-song voice, hours later.
"Arthur, if you say that one more time, I will be forced to punch you in the throat." Gwaine complained.
"Me too." Freya added.
"Me three." Merlin laughed.
"Then stop ignoring me." Arthur said to Merlin, him and Gwaine were leaning over the back of their chairs again. Marcus was oblivious to their reckless behaviour, or if not, he was just choosing to ignore them.
"I'm not ignoring you. I'm studying." Merlin said, turning the page of his book.
"Nerd." Arthur said.
"Agreed." Gwaine added.
"Shut up Arthur." Merlin said.
"Shut up Gwaine." Freya added.
The coach jolted and Merlin's head hit painfully against the window, waking him up. He moaned grumpily and repositioned so his forehead was leaning against the back of Arthur's chair. His arms wrapped around either side of the seat and found Arthur.
Arthur held Merlin's hands against his chest. He could feel Arthur's heartbeat beneath his shirt and shut his eyes again. Arthur began tracing a circular pattern along the top of his hands with the pad of his finger.
It would have been enough to put him to sleep, if the coach hadn't stopped abruptly. He kept his eyes clamped shut as Marcus announced their arrival and Freya wow-ed at the castle. Arthur kissed the tips of Merlin's fingers before releasing his hands and following the rest of the students off the coach.