Merlin knew who it even before he had made the second guess himself and this time, he knew without a doubt, he was right. He filled in behind Morgana, his other best friend, and sat down on the cold bleachers. He looked out over the football field and took in the bright lights, and chanting of the crowd, the fans of the high school and the rival school yelping and hollering, and then there were the football players of course. Merlin grinned and shook his head as Arthur, always the peppy one, did a backwards flip as he graced the field. He shook his helmet high and looked over to where Merlin knew he knew they were all sitting. Arthur gave Merlin a wink and a smile before he bounded off. Merlin wanted to cry or curse, either one.

"Why don't you just tell him that you like him, Merlin? It would save you and him to a whole lot of trouble." Morgana whispered in his hear with a knowing look as she shoved a chip into her mouth and crunched down.

Merlin watched Arthur run over to Leon, another team mate and a distant friend of Merlin's and Gwen's, and swing his arm around his shoulder and Leon ruffled his hair and Arthur beamed. So then was that it, Leon was the person?

"Because I value my friendship more with Arthur then anything. I mean sure, we are both, well you know, but I just don't want…I know it would work out, I know it would, but that doesn't mean we both would feel it."

"Oh, Merlin you have no idea….Then why go through all this trouble to find out who he likes because wouldn't it hurt?"

Merlin watched as Arthur yelled hike and the ball was thrown to him, he ran with it, his feet hitting the ground at full speed, before he was tackle to the ground and the whistle was blown. Merlin watched him get back up and shake his head, "Because I would rather know who he likes, who he is in love with, because then I know that I can stop feeling so damn giddy around him and so hurt filled. Knowing would hurt because it wouldn't be me he likes but still it would be like salvation to know too."

He watched as Arthur threw his hands around Leon's shoulders and the other man leaned it, laughing. Merlin slouched lower in his seat, and closed his eyes because he wasn't so sure if he liked the idea of Leon being the one.

Merlin went inside the locker room where he knew Arthur was. He could hear the yelling voices of the Bears, the name of the school's team, from the stone walls. They had won, of course, as usual and this time it was not different the amount of yelling and cheer was given to the boys. Merlin slipped inside, peeked around the wall and watched as Arthur, clothed save his crisp, sharp chest, yawn rubedb a hand through his hair. Merlin let his eyes wonder and his mind sigh as Arthur threw a wad of messed up paper at Leon who laughed at Arthur but went silent upon seeing Merlin. Arthur made a noise and turned his head over his shoulder and something flashed in his face before he let a smile come over his face and he leaned against the locker.

"Hey, Mer," he said and Merlin let his gaze flicker between the two men before he came out from behind the wall.

"Hey, Arthur," he turned to look at Leon who was watching Merlin with an amuse and almost studying expression," hey, Leon."

"What are you doing back here?" Arthur asked, " I thought you and Morgana where going over to her place with Gwen?"

Merlin thought back to the black haired and white skin girl who had bullied him into doing this. And here he just wanted to go back to Morgana's house, watch a movie, and complain how he thought it was Leon who was the person.

"I was but then we won," he flashed a big smile and Arthur laughed and come over and ruffled his hair and Merlin let himself savor the moment and shot a look at leon who was throwing on his shoes, " but we wanted to know if you wanted to go and get something to eat or something?"

Arthur thought for a minute," Cool! I could do with some food. Just give me a minute."

He reached into his locker and grabbed his hoodie and paused when Leon said his name, " great work out there, mate, I'll see you around right. Then maybe we could talk some more of that, um, problem because….it seems you have it bad."

Arthur looked down and muttered something and Leon patted him on the head and said bye to Merlin and left. Merlin bit his lip and wondered what is was about as Arthur resumed dressing. Merlin took a deep breath, " Arthur, the person…..it's not Leon is it? Or any one on the team…because I'll line them up one by one if I have to….."

Arthur looked up at Merlin and stepped closer and leaned forward some to where Merlin was back against the wall and Arthur loped both hands around Merlin's neck. It was quite for they were the last two left. Merlin licked is lips and looked up at Arthur and into his eyes.

"No, no, it's not a person on the football team, but it's a guy." Arthur smiled and shifted his weight, " in fact I spend a lot of time with them, they make me happy, make me laugh, they affect me as you say to where I can't think or speak most of the time, thought I gotten better at it. "

"Who is it, Arthur?" Merlin whispered not wanting to lose the moment, it was so right. He could just reach up and touch his lip with…

"You have one more guess left, Merlin, think hard."

With that Arthur pulled away, smiled, and left Merlin to stare at the close door behind him. Merlin slouched against the wall and took a deep breath. Could the person be…..himself? could Arthur be in love with him…..?

Please review!