Hello again! I'm really enjoying writing all this Merdred. Makes me feel better.

Onwards.

Part 3

"I've never seen you before," said the pretty girl who sat at the counter every morning since Mordred had been taking the odd shifts as opposed to the usual ones where he encountered Merlin. To be honest, it hadn't been Merlin's fault really. It was more of Mordred's fault for allowing it to happen. He should have known that Merlin would chalk it up to meaning nothing when Mordred wasn't really the type to kiss someone he didn't care about.

"You've been in here two other times this week, both of which you were greeted by Morgause," Mordred responded drily. The girl smiled slightly.

"So you did notice me," she said smoothly and with interest. Mordred stared at her curiously.

"It's what I'm paid to do," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. She tucked a loose strand of her hair behind one ear.

"Well, as a probable regular, I'll let you know my name is Mithian," she smiled at Mordred again, and he merely bobbed his head in response as he moved toward the register at the jingle of the front door. To Mordred's surprise, it was Merlin. Mordred already knew that Merlin never stopped by the shop at this hour, that's why he'd chosen the shift in the first place.

Mordred raised an eyebrow and asked, "The usual?" Merlin looked confused for a moment before nodding.

"When do you get off?" he asked, and Mordred froze, his cheeks turning bright red. He looked back at Merlin, his hands sliding into his pockets to hide the way that they were shaking.

"Two," Mordred answered softly, and Merlin smiled at him, which made Mordred feel a little unsure of what to expect though he got the feeling Merlin would try to pretend that their kiss never happened, which was really the opposite of what Mordred wanted. He wanted it to mean something as girly as that sounded.

A minute later, Mordred was giving Merlin his cup of coffee, and Merlin was leaving with a mysterious wave. Mithian giggled once he was gone.

"So that's why you're not interested," she grinned, and Mordred sighed. Mithian was pretty, and he would try to date her if he wasn't already in love with Merlin. Mithian leaned forward on her elbows, giving Mordred a devious smile, "How long have you two...?"

"No, we're not," Mordred responded quickly, shaking his head. Mithian grinned.

"So, you both are interested but won't admit it then," she replied. Mordred frowned slightly.

"Merlin's not-"

"So he glared at me for no reason then?" Mithian pointed out with a sassy tone, and Mordred smiled slightly.

"But he-"

"Likes Arthur, I know. He did back when I was dating Arthur a year ago," Mithian responded, and Mordred was a little surprised that she even knew that, "Looks like things have changed though." Mordred gazed at Mithian a little warily, but she gaze a wide grin that somehow reassured him.

"Quit worrying, 'Dred," she said with a laugh, "You're a real catch, even if you don't see it yourself." Mordred gave Mithian an odd look at the nickname she had given him, but he didn't continue to try and fight with her either. Mithian obviously wasn't going to back down.

Two o' clock rolled around, and Mithian was long gone by then. Mordred was a little surprised to find that Merlin hadn't appeared by the time he was clocking out, and Gwen was coming in with hair tied into a sloppy bun with stray hairs everywhere that told Mordred she had pulled another all nighter.

"Sure you don't want me to stay and help?" Mordred asked her warily, but Gwen waved him off with the air of a true royal. Mordred could only smile as he stepped out of Morgause's Coffee with his phone already in hand. He figured he could swing by the grocery store before heading home although it was a little out of his way and a hassle every time.

"Mordred!" someone shouted, and Mordred stopped, looking up and around him until his eyes landed on Merlin, who was running toward him.

"Merlin...?" Mordred trailed off a bit, gazing at Merlin in confusion. He had finally convinced himself that Merlin wasn't coming. So he ended up surprised despite himself. Merlin grabbed at Mordred's wrist as if he was afraid that Mordred was going to go somewhere.

"Wait..." he panted, bending over in attempt to catch his breath, and therefore releasing his hold on Mordred. Even so, Mordred waited on Merlin.

"You didn't have to run," Mordred said, mildly embarrassed, and Merlin straightened with a serious expression.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said with squared shoulders, expecting Mordred to be angry, but Mordred smiled bitterly instead.

"It's not your fault," Mordred replied, and more than one person had given them looks as they walked on by. It irritated Mordred how people felt entitled to listen in on the business of others. Merlin looked confused by this though.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, and Mordred started walking toward the grocery store and expecting Merlin to follow.

"It's just not your fault," Mordred repeated, not really knowing how to explain it without admitting the whole of torch-holding. He glanced toward Merlin, who looked just as confused as before, but hadn't yet said a word. Mordred let the silence fall between them easily because he hadn't wanted to talk about the incident just yet. They came to the grocery store, and Mordred cast an awkward glance toward Merlin.

"I've gotta..." Mordred trailed off, and Merlin sighed.

"I don't want what happened to make things awkward between us," Merlin spoke up suddenly, and Mordred didn't know what to say for a minute.

"Me neither," Mordred sighed finally, and a smile quirked up on Merlin's face. Mordred his his hands in his pockets again.

"I... I don't kiss anyone without it meaning something," Mordred added finally, and Merlin's eyes widened suddenly.

"Do..." Merlin started, squirming a bit with hope and embarrassment, "Do you mean that...?" Mordred sucked in a deep breath, trying to keep himself from getting flustered.

"Ye-yeah," he answered after a beat, and Merlin turned bright red.

"So you," Merlin swallowed, "You like me?" His voice rose an octave as he said this, and Mordred would have laughed if he wasn't so embarrassed himself.

"...yeah," Mordred answered in a tiny voice, and Merlin's face lit up with a grin.

"I think I like you too," Merlin said after a beat, and Mordred's eyes widened in surprise. Mordred looked away for a moment before carefully turning back toward Merlin, who was still grinning at Mordred.

"You're really embarrassed, huh?" Merlin looked a little smug as he reached toward Mordred to cup his face and pull Mordred toward him. Mordred stumbled forward, taken by surprise, and Merlin pressed their lips together in a short, chaste peck. Mordred smiled then, still leaning close to Merlin.

"Come on," Merlin chuckled, his breath tickling Mordred's face, "You've got to pick up some groceries, right?" Merlin slid his hand into Mordred's, causing Mordred to blush some more. He was embarrassed about essentially everything, and it tickled Merlin to no end.

Thanks for reading. A review would be awesome!

~Minatu