Hey guys!

Sorry that it's been so long! I've had so much to do, but I'm not going to make any excuses. I know the last chapter didn't end on much of a cliff-hanger, but I'm sorry for making you wait so long!

A few of you were asking about Mordred, and no, there is going to be no more drama with Mordred, I promise. It's all about Merlin and Arthur now, as we're already nearing the end of the story! There's now about five or six chapters left, so I wanted to ask you guys a question.

I'm thinking of writing another Merthur fic after this one. It'll be loosely based on the plots of the movies Timer, and In Time. Only loosely, so you wouldn't have to have seen either of them, to understand the plot. I haven't seen Timer anyway, I just liked one of the ideas mentioned in it. Anyway, if you'd be interested in that, let me know?

Enjoy!

Megz

oxox

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The next day, Merlin rushed into Science class. He already knew he was late, and there was only a few minutes left of the lesson. He'd overslept, as his alarm clock had run out of batteries. He was still putting on his tie, as he threw himself through the door, and into the class. His blazer was hanging off of his shoulder, and his hair was sticking up on end. He heard a small eruption of laughter begin, as the teacher raised a slightly amused eyebrow. Merlin shrugged, handing in the late mark paper he'd been given, before wandering over to his seat.

It was the first time he'd seen Arthur since they'd kissed, and Merlin could feel a blush creeping up his neck. Still, Arthur said nothing, simply continued to stare ahead, as Merlin sat down next to him uncomfortably. Arthur was leaning forward in his chair, hands clasped in front of his mouth, as if he were in deep thought. He didn't seem to be paying attention to the lesson, as always, so Merlin had to wonder what was going on. Normally, he would've at least greeted him by now, or called him an idiot for running in late.

"Arthur?" Merlin leaned over to whisper to him. Arthur turned slightly, putting his hands back on the desk. Merlin raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Is something wrong?"

Arthur shook his head, turning back to face the front of the classroom again.

Was that it? Arthur wasn't even going to tease him, or insult him? And he wasn't even going to acknowledge what happened between them either? It didn't make any sense. Merlin wasn't exactly an expert in relationships, but he knew enough about them to know that, after you kiss someone, you can't just ignore them. Usually, when you kiss someone, it means that you like them, that you have feelings for them. It felt like every time he and Arthur took a step forward in their . . . friendship, Arthur decided to take two steps back again. And it was getting hard for Merlin to keep up.

"Are you going to talk to me at all?" Merlin tried again, leaning forward.

Arthur didn't even look at him this time, he simply shrugged, pretending to be scribbling something in his notebook. Merlin probably would've stopped there, if he wasn't so bloody confused. He peered over Arthur's shoulder, wondering what he was doing in his notebook that was apparently so interesting. But Arthur nudged Merlin away, turning his back on him even further. Merlin grabbed his shoulder, trying to force him to look at him, but Arthur was stronger.

He didn't understand. He'd thought they were on the same page for once. He'd thought that all of this was over, and that they'd worked through everything, and come out the other side. What had changed in the space of two days?

Merlin tried to think. Was there anything he'd done that might have annoyed Arthur? Anything he might've done to anger him at all? He couldn't think of anything. The last time they'd seen each other, was when they'd kissed. So why Arthur wasn't talking to him, Merlin couldn't understand, as it was obviously some problem that he had with Merlin, despite him not having done anything whatsoever.

"Arthur, you can't just -" Merlin began, but was interrupted by the sound of the school bell ringing, signalling the start of break. He gathered his books, shoving them back into his bag, as Arthur did the same. The teacher dismissed them warily, and Arthur stormed out of the classroom.

But Merlin wasn't done just yet. He slung his back over his shoulder, and took off after Arthur, pushing his way through people in the hallways. For once, he wanted to get a straight answer out of Arthur, something that never seemed to happen. And Merlin felt like there was something he was missing. Something that Arthur wasn't telling him. Something that he was hiding. And Merlin wanted desperately to know what it was. And he swore, sometimes, he was so close to getting it, but then it slipped away again. And Arthur thought Merlin was the enigma.

The part that Merlin found hardest to understand, was why Arthur wouldn't even explain to him what was wrong. Did he think Merlin was just going to leave it there, and forget about it? Did he think Merlin would let him get away with that? After everything they'd been through?

That was when Merlin was struck with a thought. A terrible thought, that he knew he shouldn't have been thinking. What if none of it had been real? What if he'd been right, when he'd wondered if it was all just a game? Maybe Arthur had just been messing with him, to see how far he could get? And maybe the kiss had been that step too far. Maybe Arthur had freaked out, and decided to end the whole incredible facade, before it went too far?

Or what if . . . what if it had been real, in the beginning, before Arthur had gotten to know him properly? What if it was the kiss that had changed his mind? What if that was when he'd realized that he deserved someone so much better than Merlin? Or that Merlin just wasn't good enough for him?

It didn't even bare thinking about, either of them, and Merlin didn't want to be thinking about it. It was better just to hear the truth, otherwise, his thoughts might just consume him, and he might even begin believing them. And that was bad, very bad.

"Arthur!"

Merlin called out, causing Arthur to turn round. A tall, blonde head, among a sea of people. Arthur seemed to think for a moment, pausing among the people. He looked as if he was about to walk away again, and looked as if he was thinking very hard. The time it took him to pause, was enough to allow Merlin to get at least a little bit closer.

Just before Merlin was about to approach him, Arthur gestured, before disappearing behind a corner. Merlin followed him instinctively without even giving it a second's thought. He watched as Arthur walked ahead of him, trying to refrain himself from shouting at him. He wanted to give Arthur the benefit of the doubt, and believe that he would tell him the truth, once they were alone.

Arthur turned, at the end of the hallway, his arms crossed. He leaned against the wall, waiting for Merlin to catch up with him. And Merlin couldn't help but think that, even as angry as he was, he'd never seen anyone look more attractive. Arthur ran a hand through his hair, and Merlin couldn't help but remember how those hands had felt in his hair. On his waist. And how Arthur's lips had felt against his -

"What do you want, Merlin?" Arthur asked, and Merlin couldn't believe he even had the nerve to look annoyed. Arthur's tone snapped Merlin right out of his reverie, and back into reality. And Arthur was annoyed at him! If anything, it should be the other way around.

"I want to know what the hell is going on!" Merlin yelled. He didn't think he'd started that angry, but the look on Arthur's face as if it was his fault, had just made him lose it completely. Merlin wasn't even a particularly angry person at the best of times, but when he cared about someone, or something, that was when he got really angry. He may not be an angry person, but he was certainly a passionate one. And this was something he certainly felt passionate about.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Arthur replied, looking down at the floor. Suddenly, all the anger was gone, and Arthur just looked . . . sad. But Merlin wasn't finished.

"Yes you bloody well do, and don't tell me for even a second that you don't!" he cried, and Arthur shrunk back a little. Merlin was well aware he was getting a bit too angry, talking a little too loudly, but honestly, he didn't think he cared anymore. "Or have you completely forgotten the last forty-eight hours? I'll fill you in then, shall I? Let's see . . . your sister, and my best friend, invited me over to your house, in a plan to get you and me together. You let me stay there, and when you walked me home, you kissed me. You kissed me, Arthur, not the other way around. I'm not the one who should be explaining myself!"

"I . . . it's complicated," Arthur said, still not looking Merlin in the eye.

"Was it all a game?" Merlin asked quietly, and Arthur almost missed what he said completely.

"What?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

"Was it all a game? See if you could get close to the poofy little village boy? See how much you could mess with him, see if the rumours were true? Who set it up? Or was it all your idea? You know what, I bet it was, wasn't it? See how long it'd take to break me? Or were you just looking for someone to boost your ego? Well, which was it?" Merlin yelled, getting increasingly angrier. Once the words were out, it seemed that there was no stopping them, they just kept spilling out of his mouth, as if he had no control over them at all. "It was a game, wasn't it? Batting my heart around like a rubber ball, playing with my feelings for your own amusement. Maybe you were just bored, and thought you'd go looking for your own fun -"

"Stop it!" Arthur yelled, taking a step towards Merlin, but Merlin wasn't backing down.

"Which. One. Was. It?!" Merlin spat, his breathing becoming ragged, both from ranting, and from pure nerves.

"None of them! This isn't a game, Merlin, I can't believe you'd even think that!" Arthur replied, stepping back, and running a hand through his hair again. God, how Merlin longed to touch that hair again.

"How could I not? What with you changing your mind every fucking two minutes!" Merlin bit back, and Arthur sighed. Both of them were breathing raggedly now, and Merlin's eyes were dark with anger. "Could you just tell the truth for once in your life, Arthur? Just tell me what's going on, because I don't see the point if you're just going to keep shutting me out like -"

Merlin was cut off by Arthur's lips on his.

And he had to admit, it wasn't the worst way of getting him to shut up.

After a good few minutes of Arthur "shutting Merlin up", the raven-haired boy started to come to his senses again. Although kissing Arthur was like . . . well, there were quite literally no words to describe it, Merlin knew it was just Arthur's way of avoiding the conversation, and Merlin still wasn't about to back down just yet. Arthur still hadn't given him an answer, and Merlin could tell by the way he was kissing him, that he was still angry. But his kisses were tinged with something else. Desperation, and . . . even a little sadness. Merlin couldn't take it any longer.

With all the strength a boy of his stature possessed, Merlin shoved Arthur back against the wall, breaking the kiss.

Both of them were really gasping for breath now, and Merlin's eyes were drawn to Arthur's perfectly ruffled hair that he'd been running his fingers through just minutes before. He wanted nothing more than to kiss him again, but he knew that he couldn't. He had to get the answers that he deserved. Not before he caught his breath though, which was proving quite difficult. Whenever he was around Arthur, it was like the air had been sucked out of his lungs, and he'd just been left to fend for himself.

He leaned back against the opposite wall, and he saw the expression on Arthur's face soften once more. Merlin didn't know what was worse, seeing Arthur angry, or seeing Arthur sad. He decided it was the second. Seeing features that perfect, that wonderful, that beautiful contorted into an expression of such sadness, it just seemed wrong. Not only that, but it was almost a little heart-breaking.

"I never lied to you Merlin, not about how I feel about you," Arthur whispered, walking over to where Merlin stood. He reached out a hand, but Merlin shook his head, stepping away from the blonde.

"Neither did I," Merlin replied, and Arthur looked at him, confused. He could feel the 'but' coming already. "But none of what's happened between us means anything if you can't be honest with me. That's all I ask, is that you're honest, that's it. But it seems you can't even do that. Just tell me what I did wrong, so that I can fix it."

"You didn't do anything," Arthur murmured, looking down at the floor.

"Well then what's the problem?" Merlin asked, stepping back towards Arthur. It was getting harder and harder for him to walk away. He lifted Arthur's head so that he was looking him in the eye.

"I . . . I can't . . ." Merlin dropped his hand, and Arthur shook his head. "I'm sorry Merlin, I wish I could tell you but . . . I can't . . . I'm sorry, I . . . I have to go."

Merlin stepped back, letting Arthur walk away. The blonde shot him one last pained look, before making his was back down the hallway, leaving Merlin stood there alone, his back to the wall.

As he watched Arthur disappear back down the hallway, Merlin buried his head in his hands. Sometimes, he wished he'd never even gotten involved with Arthur, not that it had really been his choice in the first place. If it wasn't for Mordred and Morgana, Arthur and Merlin probably could have carried on as they were, insulting each other, and trading sarcastic comments. Merlin didn't think he would've preferred it that way, but it sure as hell would have been a lot less complicated.

He just hoped that all of this was worth it in the end, because otherwise, he really didn't see the point. It wasn't worth going through all this confusion, pain, and suffering, if something good wasn't going to come out of it in the end.

As Merlin sat at the end of the hallway, unable to find the motivation to move, he pulled out his phone. If there was one person who could make sense of all this, it was Morgana. Ever since he'd first met her, no matter how annoying, over-confident, and occasionally selfish she could be, she was always the one that Merlin went to when he had a problem. She was always there for him, and always had the solution, no matter what the problem was.

What's going on with Arthur?

Why? What's going on?

If I tell you, will you promise not to freak out?

Promise.

We kissed.

You WHAT?! When? Where? I want details, Emyrs. Was it good?

We kissed, a few days ago, outside my house. And yes, it was good.

So you kissed, you enjoyed it . . . I'm failing to see the problem here.

You and me both. He just got really angry all of a sudden, and started ignoring me. I confronted him about it, and he said it's not my fault, but he can't talk about it. He kissed me again, but then he looked really sad and walked away. It doesn't make any sense.

Hang on, he's coming towards me now, let me ask.

~ Five minutes later. ~

So what is it?

I'm sorry Merlin, but I can't tell you.

You have got to be kidding me.

I swore to him that I wouldn't tell you. Honestly though, I don't see how you haven't gotten it by now.

What are you talking about?

Merlin, you're the smartest person I know, you'll figure it out eventually.

Figure what out?

Morgana?

Hello?

Well? What did you think? I know it wasn't my best, but honestly, I got major writer's block with this chapter. It's been a while since I've written anything, but I promise you it'll be better soon. REVIEW! :D