One night, just a few days after Arthur's birthday, they were making dinner. Which, really meant Gwen was making dinner, Arthur was trying to help her and Merlin was just sitting in the dinning room, minding his own business. There was a knock on the door and being that Merlin was the only one not busy, he was the one who had to go open it. Every time someone came around unexpected Merlin always feared it was John K again, back to ruin their lives more. But this time it had only been Elyan. It was kind of odd to see him, he didn't really stop by normally. He looked excited though, as he greeted Merlin with a hug, which was also odd, and followed Merlin into the kitchen.
"Elyan!" said Gwen, laying the stirring spoon she had been holding down and hugged her bother, too.
"Boy, Gwen. Are you always here?" he asked, with amusement. "Maybe you should get a boyfriend."
Gwen laughed and both Merlin and Arthur felt rather uncomfortable by this. Merlin could tell Arthur was, by the way his eyes widened and he wasn't quite sure what to do with his hands for a moment. Merlin walked closer to him, as Gwen continued talking to her brother. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd stop by, I'm leaving out of town for the next few weeks," Elyan explained. "I was going to stop at yours next, but since you're here. I didn't want to leave without saying bye."
"Where are you going to?" asked Merlin now, the rest of what Elyan said, about him not wanting to leave without saying goodbye. That might seem odd to other people, but they really had grown up very close. No one went anywhere without at least telling the other side of the family. Merlin had always liked that.
"Mum's let me borrow the car, I told her I wanted to see the world a bit, see what I'm missing...before," Eylan shrugged and pulled a face. "She makes me start school again."
"A road trip?" asked Gwen now, sounding exited for some reason. To Merlin, this seemed entirely stupid. "That sounds like fun!"
"Yeah," Eylan grinned when he knew people liked his idea. "You lot could come, I've got room in the car. Not you, Gwen, you're a bore," Elyan said. "But Merlin...Arthur, you could come?"
"No, I have an interview next week, I can't go," said Arthur. Merlin nodded, just because he had no intentions of agreeing to go either. That was until Gwen started talking.
"You know, Merlin...you should still go," she said, and Merlin and Arthur both looked over at her, shocked. "It would be fun and Elyan really shouldn't go alone."
"Oi, I'd be fine on my own!" complained Elyan. "I just thought it'd be fun."
"It would be fun! You two have never went anywhere togethe,r just by yourselves before," said Gwen. "Oh sure, we've been on plenty of family vacations, but you've never gone and done anything just the two of you..."
Merlin huffed, not sure what to say. He spent time with Elyan alone all the time, they weren't even blood brothers and they still called themselves brothers, so did it really matter if they had never been on a vacation just the two of them before? He had never been anywhere with just Gwen either, so why did it matter?
"I can't, I have school," said Merlin and Elyan sighed and then patted him on the back.
"That's cool, I'll be fine on my own," he said. "If you don't mind...can I hit the loo?"
"Sure, said Arthur now. "Just up the stairs, to the right."
"Thanks," Elyan walked off and Gwen watched him go. Once he was gone, she turned to Merlin.
"Merlin, you should really go with him," she said, more sternly now. "It's been so long since you've done anything for yourself. All this year you've been so focused on Arthur and I...you're still young, you deserve a little fun on your own."
"I really do have school, Gwen...I mean, I can't just go. I can't leave Arthur either," said Merlin now. Really, he didn't want to go, he didn't know why she pushed this so hard. It would look weird anyway, for Merlin to go on a trip without Arthur, she needed to think of the process.
"Oh," Gwen waved her hands, as if Merlin's worries didn't matter to her at all, which they probably didn't. "You know I will take care of Arthur." That wasn't what Merlin meant at all. Arthur was a grown man, he could take care of himself. "I'm sure Arthur wouldn't care if you went. Right, Arthur?"
"To be honest," Arthur spoke again, and he didn't look at Gwen when he said it. He only looked at Merlin. "I don't want him to go. I don't like the idea of him in a car for a long, expended period of time, and with Elyan driving. Who knows what would happen..." Merlin didn't really know what that meant. What would happen? Nothing, but Merlin listening to Elyan complain and then fail to pick up girls. He was good at both of those things, and not much else. "But Merlin can make up his own mind. If he wants to go, I'm not going to stop him."
"I don't want to go," said Merlin and Arthur nodded, his eyes landed on Gwen now, who was frowning.
"He doesn't want to go, Guinevere."
The two continued cooking now. The gravy Gwen had been making was burnt now and she was both pissed because of this and because Merlin hadn't wanted to go with Elyan. Whom was still in the bathroom ten minutes later. Gwen was none too quiet about her displeasure in Arthur not agreeing with her that Merlin should go. Even though Merlin had gone back to the dinning room, he could still hear Gwen talking, as if she were in the room with him.
"I don't know why you don't want him to go," Gwen was saying and the real reason she wanted Merlin to go was becoming very clear to him now. "We could have two whole weeks alone...wouldn't that be amazing?"
"We're alone all the time, Guinevere," said Arthur and his voice was very deep and very much like he was getting annoyed with her.
"Yes, but all alone, Arthur?" she commented and Merlin wanted to slap her. He wouldn't, but the nerve of her put his stomach in knots. She didn't care if he did something for himself for once, she just wanted the house to herself so she could have Arthur alone. It was disgusting.
"I don't want him in a car traveling alone with your brother, going God knows where, doing God knows what," said Arthur now. "Elyan is not very trust worthy. He could drink and drive, run off the road...run out of gas. Anything could happen!"
"Merlin wouldn't let any of that happen, Arthur," said Gwen now, and she was using such a sweet tone of voice. Like she was trying to coax Arthur into taking off his pants right there. "You know he's smarter than that...besides, think of all the fun we could have with an empty house?"
"Merlin's safety is a lot more important to me than having sex with you... "
It was dead silent after that, for several seconds. Merlin didn't move. He had his turned-off phone in the palm of his hands, ignoring it. Listening with strained ears. "I see..." finally said Gwen, dangerously cold now. "I didn't know you felt that way..."
"Don't twist my words, Guinevere," said Arthur now and his voice had stayed the same, the same level of annoyed. "You know what I mean!"
"Oh," said Gwen and her voice was still cold, but not very quiet anymore. Fifteen minutes and Elyan was still in the bathroom. "And what do you mean, Arthur? That my brother means more to you than the health of our relationship?"
"You seem to forget that, that brother of yours is my husband!"
Oh good, they're fighting now....Merlin rolled his eyes.
"In a fake marriage!" seethed Gwen.
"A fake marriage that is keeping me here for you!" said Arthur, angry. "And...even if it weren't, Merlin's life should mean more to you than sex!"
"Of course you think it's only about sex!" yelled Gwen. "What about the intimacy? When is the last time you showed me any kind of love?"
"Every fucking day!"
"Oh...in your tiny mind you do!" retorted Gwen. "You show me nothing now, not even respect anymore. You at least used to show me some decency!"
"Are you...insane?" said Arthur now and instead of answering, Gwen could only be seen running out of the room, in full on rage, spoon covered in gravy still in hand. She gave Merlin a very dirty look at she passed and then the front door could be heard slamming shut. Merlin had to think, that was a really good spoon...gone too soon.
Arthur came out of the room then, his face was red with anger and he shook his head. He looked over at Merlin and Merlin smiled at him. He didn't know what else to do. Arthur too walked out now, and went up the stairs, probably to his room. This left Merlin alone with the second burnt gravy and cold meat pies to clean up. Meanwhile, twenty minutes later, Elyan was still in the bathroom.
Merlin cleaned the kitchen, not really hungry anymore anyway. He was upset that Arthur was upset, and he was angry because clearly his own sister cared very little about him, which was already obvious as it was. Not that he thought anything bad would happen on the trip with Elyan, but beyond that, Gwen could at least pretend she understood Arthur's concerns, even if she didn't care. The truth was, no matter how, Gwen just wanted to be rid of him, and Merlin couldn't stomach that fact, he didn't honestly understand why Arthur even dated her. Granted, they wouldn't be married if Gwen and Arthur weren't dating, and Merlin had to assume Arthur wouldn't want to be married to him if they were to break up. Merlin knew they wouldn't break up though, they never did, but it was a troubling thought. What would happen to Merlin if they did? He had given up almost everything to do this...before just for Gwen, but now kind of for both of them, or maybe mostly for Arthur. He couldn't' say which was true while angry. But, what would happen to him? He was too afraid to know the answer, to ask Arthur this question. Instead, Merlin just continued to clean up the uneaten dinner.
Twenty-five minutes later, Elyan emerged from the staircase, Merlin had honestly forgotten he was even still here at all. "What'd I miss?" he asked, as he walked back into the kitchen, happily. Merlin only glared at him. "...what?"
(A/N: Hello, so just quickly I wanna say I am extremely tired, and I just felt like nothing I was reading made sense, but like when I read this chapter last night it did, so I hope it's just me, but if there are any mess-ups or words that don't make sense, excuse me. I just wanted to get this up for you all. I like to try to stay consistent with updating. But, anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's a little longer than most. It asks an important question, would Arthur want to be/stay married to Merlin if Gwen wasn't in the picture? Hmm...who knows! ;p)