(16)

Smoke. It's the first thing he smelled on her as she walked in, skirt a little too short, top a little too off-kilter. She walked with gravity and he watched her smile at him, taunting and alluring.

"Father's going to kill you," he announced brusquely.

"Why?"

He laughed, and it's cold and toneless and utterly unlike him. "For going out so later, and dressed like that." He motioned to her skimpy clothing. Morgana didn't even flinch. He cleared his throat. "So, who is this new boy of yours?"

"Jealousy," her voice strange and utterly devoid of warmth. "Is such an unattractive trait on a man." She left the room, hands twirling and legs lifting, as if being carried away by the devil himself.

It's not until he heard her door slam that he remembered to breathe again.

"Mr. Alvarr," Arthur said, opening the door, ready to ask him if there was any extra work he could do to get an A in his class. His voice is cut short and he saw the black hair tumbling down her back, the way her hands wrapped around his neck, and he felt suddenly very, very sick.

Something within him felt incredibly woozy and he heard the door slam distantly as he closed it. It was almost like he had a headache, except the pain was much more distinct. All the late night meetings suddenly made sense, all the over the top clothing, and the way she barely seemed to glance at him nowadays.

He broke out into a run and didn't stop until he was exhausted and sweaty. Once he was home, he climbed into his bed, wondering if it was possible for an angel to also be the devil.

"I refuse to apologize," Morgana said stiffly, watching as Arthur glared at her. "What I do with people is my business and mine only." Arthur simply glared at her for a while then returned to his book.

Morgana rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to get hurt Arthur. Alvarr's an adult and so am I."

You're only sixteen, he wanted to shout. Instead, he just gave her a clenched smile. "Alvarr's a shit name."

She rested her hands on his shoulders. "So's Pendragon," she murmured hotly in his ear.

(Uther finds out because Uther always finds out, and Morgana's utterly distraught. Arthur finds her curled up on his bed when he gets home, using his sheets to cover her broken form. He doesn't ask any questions, simply kissing her forehead and assuming a cross-legged position underneath her. "It's going to be okay," he murmurs.

She tries to laugh, but it gets stuck in her throat. "It's not just that, Arthur." He looks at her inquisitively, his mouth slightly parted in confusion. "Alvarr," she says quietly. "He has a wife."

"Alvarr's a shit name," he whispers into the nape of her neck. She traces the bone along which his cheekbones seem to sharply jut. "I prefer Pendragon," she says, and there's something that feels suspiciously like butterflies in Arthur's stomach.)

(Uther tells Arthur he's sending him to an elite boarding school in Ireland and Arthur doesn't protest, although he's aware of Morgana's disapproving gaze. Uther waves him a firm goodbye on the day he leaves, and instructs Morgana to drop him off at the airport. Once Arthur's about to board, Morgana grabs his hand, turning him around to face her.

"You're too soft for your own good, Arthur Pendragon." She kisses him on the cheek, but there's something like longing in her eyes.

He only nods and is about to turn away, but changes his mind at the last second. It takes about a second for his lips to connect with hers and Arthur thinks he's homesick already.)