A/N: Okay, I'm so, so sorry for the wait – I know it's been a long time since I've updated this! I've been really busy with exams, and haven't had the time, but now they're over (finally!) I can return to writing fanfiction again :) Updates should be much more frequent from now on!

"So, what do you want to do today?" said Arthur brightly, beaming at Merlin from behind his large cup of tea. "I mean, it's such a nice day – I don't want to waste it! Do you want to go out and buy one of those ice cream things?"

Merlin sighed. It was a hot day, and the idea of ice cream was tempting. However, as he glanced out of the window at the long, overgrown grass in the garden, he knew that he couldn't put it off any longer. "Well, I need to cut the grass today, but we can definitely go out after that-"

"Cut the grass?!" Arthur repeated incredulously. "Why would you want to do that? It looks fine as it is!"

Merlin shook his head as he got to his feet. "Seriously Arthur, even you have to admit that it looks like a jungle out there."

Arthur sighed. "Fine. If you're really so boring that you would willingly spend a day outside cutting some grass when we could be eating an ice cream and spending the day enjoying the sun…" He shook his head and headed for the fridge.

"Your waistline will expand even more if you eat that!" Merlin called after Arthur, as he pulled a choc ice out of the freezer.

Arthur's indignant retort was lost as Merlin ran out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Smiling to himself, he made his way over to the old shed at the back of his garden where he kept the lawnmower. He winced as the door opened with a creak.

I really need to get a new shed...

"Merlin!"

Merlin swung round and found himself face to face with a beaming Arthur. Ice cream always put him in a good mood. He was holding an object aloft, and it took a few seconds for Merlin to work out that it was a pair of scissors.

He raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Why're you…" His voice trailed off as the reason dawned on him. "Oh, no, Arthur, you don't cut the grass with scissors!"

Arthur looked rather offended. "You don't?" He shook his head, a frown creasing his forehead. "Bit odd. I mean, that's not very logical, is it?" His eyes widened. "Wait a minute – do you use that shaving thing?"

Merlin laughed. "A razor? No."

"The vacuum?" said Arthur hopefully.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I doubt it, seeing as my vacuum is gone and I haven't had time to get a new one, because someone thought it was a good idea to smash it to pieces and throw it in the bin-"

"Merlin, that is no way to speak to me," said Arthur sternly, waving the scissors threateningly in Merlin's face. Merlin made a grab for them, but Arthur dodged out of the way and sprinted towards the house.

"More than a thousand years on, and still a prat," Merlin muttered, grabbing hold of the lawnmower and shutting the shed door.

The second that he turned the lawnmower on, he heard a crash from inside the house and Arthur came running outdoors again. "Merlin!" he roared over the noise. "MERLIN! We're under attack!"

Merlin turned the lawnmower off with a sigh. "Look Arthur, the noise was coming from this." He gestured to the lawnmower sitting at his feet. "This is called a lawnmower and it's what you use to cut the grass. Now will you please go back inside and leave me alone!"

"Why can't you just use your magic to cut the grass instead of that thing?" said Arthur blankly. "Unless this lawn thing is part of your magic!"

"Don't worry, it isn't," Merlin assured him. "Most people have them."

Arthur stepped towards him eagerly. "Can I have a go?"

Merlin eyed him with something akin to astonishment. "You're not scared of it?"

"I hate to rain on your parade Merlin, but I have never been scared of any of these things that you've shown me," said Arthur haughtily. "I've merely been…wary of them, that's all. Cautious."

"Right." Merlin grinned at him. "Of course. Cautious."

"Yes!" said Arthur indignantly. He turned his gaze down to the lawnmower sitting at his feet. "How does this thing work?"

"You press that button there to turn it on," said Merlin, pointing it out so Arthur knew exactly which one he meant. "Only make sure to press it when I actually tell you to!" he added hastily, as Arthur's finger hovered dangerously close to the button. "After you've turned it on…well, you just walk around the garden with it, I suppose."

"Sounds pretty dull," said Arthur unenthusiastically.

"Oh well then," said Merlin in relief, "if you think it sounds dull, than why don't you return to the house and eat another ice cream, and leave me on my own to get on with this?"

"Okay!" Arthur replied cheerfully. "I certainly wouldn't object to another ice cream!" Beaming, he headed towards the house.

As soon as the side door of the house leading into the kitchen swung shut, Merlin turned on the lawnmower, praying that Arthur wasn't going to come outside again. The next few minutes went much better than expected – Merlin caught sight of Arthur peering at him wide-eyed through the kitchen window, clutching a strawberry ice cream, but he didn't come outside, much to Merlin's relief.

As Merlin continued to mow the grass, he caught sight of an apple core lying on the lawn, and knelt down to pick it up, cursing Arthur and his laziness. He had told Arthur what a bin was many times, yet Arthur still expected Merlin to pick up after him. He had barely even straightened up when the door of the house banged open and a panicked Arthur flew outside, wearing a slightly maniac expression and waving a cricket bat above his head.

"GET OFF HIM!" he roared, and pushed Merlin down into the grass.

Merlin struggled to get up. "Arthur, you idiot, what are you do-"

There were several bangs as Arthur hit the lawnmower with the cricket bat. Foreseeing a disaster, Merlin dived towards him. "Arthur, stop it, you stupid-"

Arthur picked up the now battered lawnmower, and threw it over the fence. The noise of the lawnmower stopped completely, and Merlin felt his heart sinking. That was another of his things that Arthur had broken, for no reason whatsoever.

Arthur turned to face Merlin, looking delighted. "Don't try and thank me, Merlin," he said heroically, patting Merlin on the shoulder. "I know that you'll never be able to repay me for what I've done-"

"Arthur, what did you do that for you stupid idiot?!" Merlin interrupted furiously. "I was only mowing the grass-"

Arthur looked stricken. "I thought it was eating you!"

"You thought it was eating me!" Merlin repeated incredulously.

"Well, you were on the ground!" Arthur protested. "I thought it had attacked you when I wasn't looking!"

Merlin groaned. "Arthur, I was picking up an apple core!"

"You were what?!" Arthur looked revolted. "Merlin, that's disgusting! Get a fresh apple if you want to eat one – don't eat a rotten one off the ground!"

"Not to eat, you dollophead – I didn't want it getting caught in the lawnmower!" said Merlin impatiently. "Arthur, I think I may have underestimated your stupidness."

"Look, you can easily repair it using your magic!" Arthur exclaimed. "The situation isn't as bad as you're making out, Merlin."

Merlin bit his lip. "Well, I could, I suppose. Only it's in next door's garden now, and you know how much they hate us ever since that time you tried to attack the women because you thought she looked like Morgana…"

"That was a simple mistake," Arthur replied haughtily. "Anyway, if you really don't want to go next door to retrieve it, we could always-"

"Have an ice cream." Merlin finished off Arthur's sentence for him.

Arthur looked hopeful. "Well, yeah."

Merlin's face broke out into a smile. "Sounds like a good idea to me." He turned towards the house. "Race you to the fridge!"