Chapter 3

After his father died, Gwaine had tried to avoid nobility like the plague, and yet, there he was, in front of the king of Camelot, the man responsible for his mother's distress and more than likely for his father's death. In exchange for doing the right thing, Uther banished him from Camelot. No good deed goes unpunished..

His farewell to Merlin was short and simple. No use prolonging the inevitable. He figured he'd never see the raven-haired man again, which was a shame, but he was used to taking care of himself. He'd get by just as he'd done so far. Still, the regret in Merlin's eyes was real, and he appreciated it. "Just tell me one thing. Why do you stick by Arthur? Don't tell me he treats you well, because he doesn't."

Merlin smiled, looking a bit defeated. "I guess you could say it's my destiny to protect him." "Destiny? Soulmates and fairies, like that?"

"Our destinies are bound together, but he's hardly my soulmate", Merlin smirked. "Don't tell anyone I said these things. I only said it because you're leaving."

"Who'd believe me?"

Merlin shrugged. "Okay then." His gaze drifted back to face that of Gwaine's. "I hope to see you someday. At the latest when Arthur is king."

"Can't make that promise, who knows where I'll be tomorrow, let alone in many years' time?"

He winked at the younger man as he finally left. I've always been fine on my own.

Some blocks later, he turned to look back to the palace he'd just left. "Who am I kidding?"

Some time later at the Melee, he had some luck as a new servant was looking for his master, and didn't know what his new master was supposed to look like, and one can guess the rest. He arrived just in the nick of time, as Arthur wasn't going to hold his own for too much longer with the two magically masked men attacking him.

Merlin's heart nearly jumped with joy when he recognized Gwaine's signature fighting style. He didn't leave after all, he thought with surprising glee. He caught himself. Who are you Gwaine, and why do you make me feel everything at same time?

After the fight and Arthur's unsuccessful plead to the king, it was time for Gwaine to say goodbye, and for real this time. Merlin tried to convince him to stay but he didn't say what he really wanted to say, but instead used Arthur as a scapegoat. Stay for Arthur, you fight well with him and so forth. He could've just said 'I think you're a good friend, stay for me', but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"You fight your case well, my friend. It is difficult to turn you down. Alas, I must take my leave. Perhaps one day we'll meet again." Gwaine tapped him on the shoulder and left. Merlin watched him go from the window. 'Til a later time then.

End of Gwaine 3x4

The Eye of the Phoenix 3x8

Merlin should've been used to Arthur riding to his doom by now, but usually he could be at his side when the peril awaited the prince so he could protect him. Now that the stubborn-old prat had specifically forbidden him to come with him, he had to find someone else to help him. He knew just the man who could help, the question was whether he'd be able to find him. After going through exactly 33 taverns and one that turned out to be a brothel, he found Gwaine, plastered on a table. "Hello Gwaine", he flashed his signature grin. Gwaine looked up to greet his gaze. "Ah! Merlin!" he replied, as if he wasn't surprised at all. That's how it was with him, Merlin thought to himself, smiling despite his best efforts not to.

The escape that followed was also something to be expected of Gwaine by now. For a knight's son, he could be a little irresponsible, and he had gotten Merlin into trouble more than once. Still, I could never say I'm bored when you're around. Merlin observed his companion as they rode towards the Perilous lands. Gwaine was a handsome man, fit and a skilled sword-fighter. If he was different, he could be a knight right now, with several titles and for a wife he'd have his pick, as noblemen do. Maybe he already has a wife? Nuh. With his lifestyle...No. Well, I suppose it doesn't have to be a happy marriage..

"Is there something wrong?" Gwaine interrupted his thoughts.

"No, absolutely nothing. Why, why do you ask?"

"Because you have been staring at my face for the better part of an hour now."

Merlin nearly fell off the horse. "I have not!"

"Um, yeah you have. So spit it out."

Merlin sighed and let his shoulders slunk. "I was just wondering why you continue to live like this when you could have things so much better for you. You could be married and be a knight and so on. So why not? Unless of course, you already are married, in which case.."

"I'm not married. What could I offer a woman with the way I live?"

"You have plenty of good qualities! If you told Uther of your father, you could be a knight and any woman would want you."

"Including Gwen?"

"Well, maybe not her, but..why, do you really like her?"

"I was just kidding. I know she and Arthur share something special, so I'm not getting between that."

"Is there someone else you'd like?"

"You seem awfully intent on getting me a wife. Perhaps you'd like to volunteer?"

"I was just making conversation", Merlin tried, and turned to look elsewhere so Gwaine wouldn't see his face.

"You don't have to fix my life for me, Merlin. I like the way I live, and having you as a friend makes it even better. That's quite enough for me."

Merlin nodded. "I'll back off then." "Much obliged. I think we ought to camp there for the night", Gwaine pointed to a direction on the far left, "if it rains it won't flood us up there."

After setting up camp and the fire, they talked for a little. After a while, Merlin gathered up the will to ask the same question he'd asked Gwaine after he had helped Arthur and him in that tavern brawl. "Why do you want to do this?"

"Same reason as you: help a friend." Gwaine saw Merlin look surprised, and then try to hide it by looking away. "Arthur's lucky to have us."

"Not Arthur." Their gazes met. Merlin understood and saw the other man's grave stare. "I'd do the same for you", Merlin assured him.

"I hope so. You're the only friend I've got." Gwaine said.

"I'm not surprised", Merlin retorted with a faint smile. Gwaine laughed. Then, with a sudden movement, he threw one arm over the younger man, leaving him no other option but to lie down on the ground, with the slightly older man hovering over him. Gwaine brought his face to his. "What are you doing?" Merlin asked in a hushed tone, even though there was no one there to see them, except maybe the monsterbirds. He was breathing harder and his face was starting to blush. This could not end well.

Gwaine could barely hear him. What had started out as a joke had become a very real situation, and now that he had Merlin under him, he had absolutely no idea what to do next. Usually he didn't think much but rather followed his instincts, so he decided to do what he did best.

He covered Merlin's mouth with his own. He soon broke the kiss, to see how Merlin had taken it.

Merlin stared at him. He looked like he had seen a ghost (actually that probably wouldn't have scared him too much, but Gwaine didn't know that). He didn't seem angry or delighted. Just plain shocked.

"I'm sorry. You know I don't always think before I.. Are you alright?" Gwaine finally asked him, after several minutes of uncomfortable silence had passed.

"I. I. I'm fine. We should sleep now", Merlin, still seeming a little off, motioned towards the area they had cleared for sleeping. "Okay. Goodnight, then." Gwaine laid down and fell asleep almost instantly. Next to him, Merlin sat and thought about what had happened. He touched his lips, remembering the moment, then caught himself.

The next morning they didn't talk about the events of last night. If anything they acted more or less like nothing had happened. After they met Athur and saved his royal hiney (again), they all started looking for the trident together.

Then Merlin got himself locked up in the throne room.

Arthur and Gwaine tried knocking the door down, but it was clearly meant to last. Arthur found the mechanism of the door, but it took time to try to make it open the door. "You're sure there's no faster way to do this?" Gwaine asked him, tapping his leg. One benefit of his lifestyle was that he never or very rarely had to wait for anything. "I don't think so, so stay put and have your sword ready. Who knows what's inside by the time we get there", Arthur replied sternly, as if talking to one of his knights. "Why are you here, anyway?" "Merlin asked for my help." "Can't I go on one quest without chaperons?" "Apparently not."

Arthur sighed, then froze as they heard a click. The door opened upwards just enough for them to slide inside. They had expected the room to be filled with magical creatures and other enemies, so they were pleased to realize that Merlin had been quite safe on the other side.

Arthur patted him awkwardly on the shoulder and started looking for the trident. Gwaine saw that Merlin was a bit miffed by this, so he pulled him for a proper man-hug and patted him on the back. As Arthur found the trident and announced that they would get going that instant, Gwaine and Merlin stared after him and shared a smile.

As they reached the borders of Camelot, they once again bid farewell to Gwaine, who hadn't had a chance to talk to Merlin about the other night. He watched as the prince and his servant rode towards Camelot. "Maybe someday."

Arthur steered his horse close enough to Merlin's horse to punch Merlin lightly in the arm. "Hey. Gwaine said you asked him to come and help me. Why didn't you just get one of the knights back at court? Anyone of them would've been more than glad to help, I think."

Excellent question. "Because you were supposed to do this quest alone and if I'd asked a knight, he could've told Uther. This way Gwaine helped you but he wouldn't tell Uther if you paid him to, so..that's it."

Arthur nodded, already thinking of something else. Merlin, on the other hand was quite busy trying to work out an answer to the question. Logically, the reply he'd just given to Arthur was the correct one, but he hadn't exactly thought about that aspect when he had sought out Gwaine's help. He raised his fingers to his lips as he pondered, but he stopped when Arthur told him to hurry up or he'd be left behind.