"Arthur..."

"Yes Merlin?"

Merlin bit his lip, "You can't do that there..."

"Why?" Arthur grinned sadistically.

"Because, if you're too rough you'll tare me in two!"

"I'm just trying to make it exciting."

"Stop it already!" he begged, "You'll rip me!"

"Where? Tell me where Merlin?"

Merlin pointed to the part of the paper Arthur was doodling over, his marker, roughly pressed up against the page, was threatening to bleed through and tare the page. "There! On my head! Now, would you quit screwing around?"

The class project of the day was to draw your partner to the best of your ability. Arthur, being the prat he was, was scribbling all over his Merlin with the marker like a little two year old. Merlin shook his head, "You're going to get in trouble for that."

"Why? This is the 'best of my ability'" he grinned. "Besides," Arthur leaned back in his chair, the front legs lifting off the floor as he tossed his arms behind his head. "It's not like we get much for these projects."

"If it's okay with you, I'd rather not look like a yarn ball."

Arthur looked over to Merlin's paper, "Hey hey hey! I am not that fat!"

Merlin smirked, "It's how I personally envision you. It's not like I'm that far off anyway." he giggled, slapping his hand to Arthur's belly, and nearly bursting with laughter when the blonde started to lose his balance.

"Idiot." he chuckled.

"Prat." Merlin retorted.

The bell cheered gleefully and the class ended. Merlin and Arthur chucked their papers onto the small pile collected on Mrs. H's desk before heading for the door. "Merlin!" A happy voice rang. Gwen rushed him, practically jumping onto his back as she smiled. She snuggled into Merlin's face before giggling, "Merlin! The audition post sheet should be up by now, can we go check it pleeease?!" she whined.

Arthur laughed as Merlin tried to fend her off of, "Gwen..." he groaned, pushing at her shoulders.

"C'mon Merlin let's go check it out. I'd like to see if I made it anyway."

"Can't! I wanted to get to class early today." Merlin lied

Arthur squinted and leaned his face closer to Merlin, "You're not by any chance, nervous are you?"

Gwen took her stand next to Arthur, "Awe c'mon Merlin, don't be nervous. You did better then any of us."

"Well, except me." Arthur grinned, more joking then gloating.

Merlin shook his head, "Fine, but if I get my heart broken, I'm killing Arthur."

"What?! Why me?"

"Because I love Gwen more." Merlin stuck his tongue out.

He wasn't being truthful, but Arthur didn't need to know that. Sometimes he was a jerk, but Merlin couldn't help himself. It'd only been two weeks since they'd first met, but Merlin was harboring a secret crush on the blonde. However, the clueless prat deserved a little teasing at least now and then.

Arthur however, didn't seem the least bit phased, which disappointed Merlin a bit. The three made their way down the hall, standing at the auditorium doors at last. The pale pink sheet loomed on the wood, the three just staring at it from a distance. "So..." Merlin started, "I'm not the only nervous one huh?"

Arthur picked up his chest, "I'm not nervous."

"Prove it." Merlin snapped.

Gwen took Merlin's hand as Arthur slugged up to the door, glancing over the paper. He came back to the pack with a distressed expression on his face. He didn't look Merlin in the eye. "Look Merlin, those guys are just idiots, they're opinion is just-"

"God..." Merlin hung his head.

"I mean... those idiots actually gave you the part..." Arthur finished.

Merlin punched him hard in the arm. "You clotpole!" Merlin screamed, pounding his fists against Arthur's stomach.

"That's a new one..." Arthur grinned before catching up Merlin's wrists. "Would you stop hitting me now? Gwen and I got our parts as well. Guess that means we'll all be working together on this one." he smiled casually before turning back to Merlin.

Once calmed down, Merlin caught his breath. He hadn't meant to get that close to Arthur, who gripped his wrists tightly... They were... really close... Really really close. Were Arthur's eyes normally that blue? Subconsciously, Merlin's gazed darted from the blonde's eyes to his lips, then back again. Realizing it himself, Merlin started to desperately struggle from Arthur's hold. "Merlin?"

Saved by the bell. The class bell that is.

Merlin slipped his hands through Arthur's before darting off, not even bothering to say by to him or Gwen. "Hey, Merlin!" he didn't look back, he was too embarrassed. Merlin ducked into his class and took his seat, plopping his backpack onto the desk promptly before burying his face into it's lip.