CHAPTER – 3

"I don't want to do it now!" Gwaine said all indignant fists clenched and eyes burning.

Arthur opened his mouth about to say something which would no doubt make matters worse when Merlin intervened saying "Gwaine, you are almost two months along, you are going to have to make a public statement sometime"

Gwaine narrowed his eyes first at Arthur and then at Merlin before saying "That's exactly it, I'm only two months along, who knows if I'm even going to carry it up to term? I don't want to make a public statement now."

Arthur rose up then and no amount of protestations from Merlin could contain him then, "And what exactly do you mean saying you don't know if you are going to carry it to term?"

Arthur had a carefully guarded look in his eyes that said he was about to burst any moment now but Gwaine was never one to back down to any of Arthur's dominative tactics, how they'd lived for five years without killing each other was still a mystery to Merlin and everyone else who knew them.

Gwaine's looked and sounded nonchalant as he said "Just what I said, miscarriages are not uncommon, especially not in male pregnancy…"

Gwaine sat down on his bed then as Arthur stood and glared menacingly.

Gwaine gave his shit eating grin, the one that on a good day made Arthur roll his eyes exasperatedly and on a bad day sent him on a screaming rampage about how raving mad his husband was and how could he ever have been waylaid by that rugged handsome looks and ignored the completely less than stellar personality Gwaine had.

Just then someone knocked on the door before it opened to reveal Percival.

It was not just in Merlin's imagination that the room got a little colder at that as Arthur glared at Percy with cool blue eyes rightly in contrast to Gwaine whose smile had softened and turned genuine.

"Perce!" he exclaimed jubilantly knowing it would irritate Arthur and Merlin sighed and frowned, the situation just got worse and worse.

Percy bless him seemed to automatically understand that he wasn't welcome and said "I can come back at a later time."

"Nonsense! Arthur and Merlin were just about to leave anyways" Gwaine said giving a pointed look to them both as he beckoned for Percy to come inside.

Arthur ignored the look as Merlin knew he would and Merlin wondered if they'd have to sit through a highly awkward situation when Percy who still looked hesitant said "No Gwaine, I'll get that chocolate croissant from that shop down the street that you like…..just…I'll be back soon."

Gwaine made an unhappy face at that and shot an accusing stare at Arthur who in turn was fuming.

All Arthur could think was the fact that Percy seemed to be so comfortable around Gwaine's place, and apparently his husband was inviting another man into his bedroom willingly and of his own accord and Arthur was not stupid, he knew the way Percy looked at Gwaine, how was he supposed to believe nothing was happening between them when everything they did and said made it seem that Gwaine had found a nice replacement for him already?

"OH! This is rich! I knew you were a manslut really but to invite another man inside your bedroom when I am right here…"

It was Gwaine's turn to sigh as he said "Arthur, don't start…"

But Arthur was not in any mood to stop anytime soon and Merlin having understood that the situation was totally out of his hands subtly escaped the room.

"And he brings you chocolate croissants, what else does he do pray tell? Rub your feet, fuck you whenever you feel the need to spread your…"

"ARTHUR!" Gwaine shouted then rising up from where he'd sat on the bed, "Get the fuck out!"

"I don't think I will!" Arthur said tartly before he closed in on Gwaine in three long strides and put his hands tightly around Gwaine's waist.

"Are you mad? God, just fuck off, fuck off! I don't want to see your face"

"Did you sleep with him?" Arthur asked looking right into Gwaine's eyes and Gwaine tried and failed to wriggle out of Arthur's hold.

"That is none of your business" Gwaine spat.

"ANSWER ME!" Arthur bellowed loud enough to wake the dead which made Gwaine stop in his tracks and just glare at Arthur hard.

"What makes you think you have the right to ask me that anymore? We were about to get divorced! I am as good as a free man!" Gwaine gritted it all out from between clenched teeth.

"I am still your husband and I have all the bloody right in the world! Tell me, did you sleep with him?"

Gwaine kept mum about it and Arthur refrained from shaking him for an answer before he brought one of his hands up and carded it through Gwaine's lush hair, he pulled just enough to hurt before he tilted Gwaine's neck to make it accessible before he leaned forward and mouthed at Gwaine's neck the scent of Gwaine's cologne and sweat getting him aroused as he licked a stripe as Gwaine's breathing labored and he uttered cautiously… "Arthur…"

And then without warning Arthur bit making Gwaine yelp in stunned surprise and outrage as Arthur worried the pale skin on Gwaine's neck between his teeth soothing the bruise he'd given quite purposefully with his tongue before he pulled away and looked into Gwaine's face which was the picture of indignation.

Merlin barged in at just that moment alarmed at the prolonged silence before he saw Gwaine in Arthur's embrace and backed out saying "Sorry! Sorry!"

However as soon as Arthur was distracted Gwaine wriggled free of Arthur's grip and the next minute Arthur's cheeks turned with the force of the slap.

Cheeks smarting Arthur looked up to see Gwaine all ruffled up in anger as he barked "Get out! Get out before I knee you for that and don't be coming back if you know what's good for you…"

Now Arthur maybe dense and oblivious but he knew when he'd pushed Gwaine too far and when Gwaine actually meant his threats so he backed out but not before throwing a defiant glare in Gwaine's direction and looking satisfyingly smug as he eyed the mark he'd left on Gwaine which would no doubt unsettle Percy and warn him off of Gwaine.

"Just perfect! Really….you don't need anyone to make things worse for yourself do you?" Merlin asked as he paced the carpeted floor in one of the many parlors at the Buckingham Palace.

Arthur was sitting sipping coffee delicately from a china and appeared to be all at ease and not the slightest bit repentant about what he'd pulled that day with Gwaine.

Morgana was looking at them both in something akin to amusement and horror combined as Merlin narrated just what Arthur had done that day.

"Manhandling him like that…when he's pregnant to boot!" Merlin went on rambling and Morgana taking pity in her husband said "Merlin, let me talk to Arthur…you go rest…God knows you need it."

Merlin looked at her unsure before she gave him a patient and chastising glare which finally made him relent with a huff and he walked off leaving Arthur alone with Morgana.

Morgana turned to Arthur then and said "Sometimes I think you all must be the most thickheaded bunch of idiots I've ever known…"

Arthur didn't say anything to that, as Morgana had called him and others worse before.

Morgana then came and sat opposite to him and looked at him in that uncannily scrutinizing stare which made Arthur feel like he was being X-rayed.

"He could press charges for assault you know…" Morgana said conversationally.

Arthur blinked before saying "Don't be stupid, I hardly assaulted him…"

"No you just went all caveman on him at one mention of Percy"

"It was not just a mention, he was there in Gwaine's bedroom and probably"

"You are making unreasonable and totally unfound accusations again!"

"It's not unfound! You have no idea what they were like when I came back"

Morgana rolled her eyes and then asked "You know Gwaine don't you? At least to your dim capacity, what with being married to him for five years and all…"

Arthur didn't know where Morgana was going with this all so he nodded warily.

Morgana then continued, "You know he's belligerently honest and blunt and do you really think he'd have cheated on you with Percy and felt the need to remain silent about it? Hell if he was doing it to rebel against you he'd have flaunted it right in your face!"

Arthur considered Morgana's words, "He has a lot to loose from me knowing…"

"Arthur he believes he's already lost you! He's a duke's son and has a fortune all by himself! And if he was hiding it why would he be seeing Percy in plain sight all this time?"

"To throw me off!"

Morgana sighed, "Does it really matter? He says the baby is yours and once it's born you'll know for sure, what you should be doing is showing some remorse and begging on your knees for him to take you back."

At Arthur's indignant look Morgana threw a hand out to stop Arthur saying something any more stupid and said "You come back from a war late by two months and you tell no one what you were doing all that time, he could easily have thought you were cheating on him! And then when you do come back you accuse Gwaine of cheating on you and abandon him again to pick up the pieces after breaking his heart a second time! Do you know what it felt like all that year waiting for you and Merlin to make it back alive?"

"The only reason he hasn't divorced you is because you inadvertently got him pregnant, and if I were you I'd stop being a pompous prat throwing accusations and try very very hard to win back his favor….because let's face it you'd be pathetic without him and you know it!"

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