A.N: I am the the absolute worst! I know that... I'm so sorry! I've been so busy lately with real life that I haven't been able to write as much as I would like to. And I hate using that excuse because that is exactly the same excuse that everyone uses... but it's true. I really hope y'all haven't given up on me though. This story has gotten a pretty incredible reception and I really hope this chapter lives up to all of your expectations. There's a lot of Arwen in this... and I promise I've already begun working on the next chapter which promises to have a lot of Merthur... at least the beginnings of what is supposed to be one hell of an epic friendship. I can't wait to write that! I also know a lot of you will probably dislike Lance in this story, but before you do, I want you to try to picture yourselves in his shoes... try to imagine what's going on through his POV... and it kind of really sucks... because despite his status and even history with this girl whom he loves so fiercely, he knows he's never going to be the one for her... remember there are no real villains in this story. I'm trying to keep this as realistic as I can... we always have those people who upset us so much that we "villainize" them, but in the case of M2D4, everyone thinks they're doing the right thing. Of course, that's not always right... the ends don't always justify the means... and some people don't need to be protected as fiercely as we think *cough Gaius cough*, but it doesn't mean their hearts aren't in the right place. Anyway, without further ado... here it is... Chapter 5 shouldn't take as long as this did. I've written out the beginning of it in my head already... And I think you all will like it... Especially those who have been asking me about the Merthur friendship... ;)
Chapter 4
He lifted his bag higher on his shoulder and walked into Camelot. The small gym had been built since before his own father could walk and it was falling apart, but that didn't matter to Arthur. It was home. It was the one constant thing in his life. His father used to train there and now he did too. He nodded a greeting toward Leon who had inherited the gym from his own father. The two of them had been friends since childhood.
"Arthur, it's been a while…" Leon smiled brightly. "What brings you about these parts?"
"I need a place to train…"
Leon frowned. "Are you fighting again?"
"Never stopped…" Arthur shrugged placing the bag at his own feet. "I don't really have a choice though… do I, Leon?"
"If you would just contact your father… I'm sure he would-"
"My father hasn't spoken to me in years…" Arthur let out a snort. "Not since-"
"Morgana… I know…" Leon nodded sadly. "She wouldn't have wanted to see you like this… you know that, don't you?"
"She doesn't exactly get a say in my life…" Arthur shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. "Anyway… is it okay if I train here…? I have a fight coming up…"
"You know I don't condone any illegal fighting, Arthur…"
"Please, Leon."
"I couldn't turn you away, Arthur." Leon said sadly. "Even if I wanted to... This is as much your home as it is mine."
"Thanks, mate."
Leon nodded. "Anytime…"
"I'll be out of your way…" Arthur frowned. "No one will even notice I'm here."
"You're not a social pariah, Arthur. Despite the fact that you think you are." Leon shook his head. "You're free to train here whenever you'd like."
"Thank you."
"What are friends for?"
He eyed her from the corner of the room with a scowl. He'd witnessed her exchange in the courtyard with the mysterious man the day before. Lance didn't know his name but he did know that he didn't particularly like the way she held his hand. Or the way he looked at her. He frowned. Gwen was no longer his. He had no say in what kind of people she chose to associate herself with. And if he was truly honest, he'd be able to admit that she was never truly his. But first that addict Merlin and now this. He had to protect her. Even if he was the only one who cared to do so.
She looked up from the pages in front of her and smiled softly at him. He felt the corners of his lip twitch. She was sitting with that strange Merlin at the piano. They were going over the music for the play no doubt. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe comfortably when someone bumped into him.
"Sorry, mate." the person mumbled and ducked into the room.
Lance narrowed his eyes at the back of the familiar head. He watched him as he passed by Merlin and Gwen. Merlin grinned as Gwen smiled softly. Lance even noticed her blush. He growled from his position at the door. Like hell he'd let this go further than it already had.
He pushed himself off the door and walked further into the room. He sat in the chair next to Gwen and put his arm on the seat she was in. Looking up at the blond man, he smiled smugly.
He watched proudly as the mystery friend Gwen and Merlin had recently made walked toward the art supplies in the room.
Gwen didn't even notice him as she continued talking to Merlin when Gaius walked into the room.
"Oh good… everyone is here…" he glanced at Arthur standing off to the corner. "Class, has everyone met Arthur, yet? He'll be joining us this semester. Arthur is an Art Major and he has graciously volunteered to create the set for this year's play."
Arthur waved shyly before sitting on the ground and getting to work quickly ignoring the hushed whispers among the group.
Gwen stood up and walked toward him. "Don't worry about Gaius…." She whispered squatting down next to him.
"He's doing it on purpose…" Arthur mumbled looking up from his paint supplies. "He knows I don't particularly enjoy having all the attention on me."
"You could have fooled me…" she smirked balancing herself on the balls of her feet.
He grinned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You just walk into the room and have an air about you…" she shrugged. "You like the attention…"
He shook his head. "That's not true."
"It isn't?"
"Well," he shrugged with a knowing smirk. "Perhaps a little."
She laughed. "I thought so."
He watched her quietly mesmerized by her laugh.
"What?" she asked. "Do I have something on my face? A pen mark? We've been writing the music for the play and I bet I wrote all over myself…"
"No…" he stopped her."It's your laugh."
"It's annoying, isn't it?" she grimaced. "I get it from my mum… or so my dad says."
"No… it's definitely not annoying…" he blushed.
She bit her lip. "Thanks…"
"I… uh… I have some sketches for you to see… Or Merlin…" he tripped over his words. "I worked on them yesterday… and last night…" he pulled the sketchpad out of his backpack and handed it to her. He watched her as she looked through what he had been working on the day before. "What do you think?"
"Arthur!" she gasped sitting down in front of him. "These are amazing! This is exactly what I imagined!"
"I used your pictures…" he shrugged. "You like them, then?"
"I love them." She looked up and grinned brightly. "You really were the right man for the job."
He pulled at his hair awkwardly. "Thanks."
"I'll let you get to work then…" she said handing the sketchpad back to him. "You've got your work cut out…"
He brushed his hand against hers when he took the sketchpad back and felt the same electrical current run through him that he'd felt whenever she was around. "I'll see you around, then?"
"Yeah…." She smiled. "I guess so."
She stood and turned, walking away to sit on the bench next to Merlin. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Merlin leaned into her whispering, "What was that about?"
"I don't know…" she whispered back. "Maybe he's finally coming around…"
Merlin grinned. "Do you… fancy him….?"
Gwen pinched his side hard until he yelped and scooted away from her. "No… I'm just being friendly. Like with you, Merlin."
"You were never that friendly with me…" Merlin shook his head.
"I was never your type." She gave him a smug smirk.
"That is true." He agreed. "So you do fancy him?"
"He's nice enough…" Gwen shrugged. "I don't understand why he doesn't have more friends…"
"Maybe he doesn't want any…" Merlin shrugged.
"Maybe you're right…" she nodded with a sad smile. "But whether he wants any or not, I think he needs some… maybe you should talk to him… befriend him…"
"Yeah… alright…" Merlin smiled as he looked over her shoulder. "But you should probably know…"
"What?"
"He hasn't stopped looking at you since you came to sit next to me."
She snapped her head toward Arthur and blushed when she caught him staring. He lowered his eyes to the ground quickly. Gwen turned back toward her best friend. "Alright… that was a bit awkward."
Merlin laughed wrapping his arm around her. "Not at all…."
Arthur had tried really hard to not watch her throughout rehearsal. He couldn't help it. He'd be painting and occasionally catch himself looking over his shoulder at her on the small stage in the theater room. He was sure he caught Merlin giving him a smug smile a few times. He watched the group pack up their things and file out of the room after a long and tedious rehearsal thanks to their professor.
"Bye Arthur…" Merlin waved as he and Gwen shuffled out the door.
He smiled at her causing her to smile softly as she followed Merlin.
"She's out of your league, mate…. You might as well not even try…."
He looked from the pile of sketches he was shoving into his bag. "Excuse me?"
Lance lowered himself to his eye level. "Gwen…. She's out of your league. Do you even know who her father is?"
"Hadn't really asked…" Arthur mumbled standing up straight. "Whatever implication you're trying to make, mate, you're way off."
Arthur walked away from the scowling man in front of him.
"Am I?" Lance asked his retreating figure. "Because I caught you staring more than once…"
"I was watching the rehearsal." Arthur shrugged. "What's it to you?"
Lance smiled knowingly dusting Arthur's shoulders. "Just stay away from her…. She doesn't need rift raft in her life, mate."
Arthur pushed his hands off him and glowered.
"Well, seems like you're a feisty one…." Lance laughed. "All the more reason to stay away…"
He gave Arthur's shoulder a pat before leaving him alone in the room.
Gwen walked into the theater room and gasped. It had been a few days since Arthur started working on the set and he'd been working really hard to get it done. The set currently in front of her was of 1930's London. He'd drawn cobbled streets and old-fashioned cars against a backdrop of really close buildings. She smiled softly. It looked just like she'd pictured it in her head.
"You weren't supposed to see it yet…"
She turned toward the shy voice in the corner and smiled. "It's beautiful."
He shrugged shyly. "It's not completely finished yet. Just a few more finishing touches and I can get started on the nightclub set."
"This is amazing…" she breathed. "It's exactly like I imagined it."
"I'm glad you like it…" he smiled broadly.
"I do…" she continued. "Has Merlin seen it yet?"
"You're the first person to see it actually…"
She smiled softly. "Really?"
He nodded. "It could be used for both day and night scenes. A spotlight backstage would easily turn this into a day set…"
"That's incredible, Arthur!"
"Can you help me close this curtain so no one else sees it yet…?" he nodded toward backstage with a smile.
"Of course…" she climbed onto the stage and followed him toward the pulley to close the curtains.
Between the two of them, they were able to tug the ropes and pull the curtains closed. Arthur stood behind her pulling down as Gwen tugged up. She could feel the hard muscles of his chest against her back and felt her skin flush. She closed her eyes with a shudder.
Arthur looked down at the short girl in front of him and leaned into her curls. He could feel the wild strands tickling his cheek as he breathed in her scent and closed his eyes with a shudder.
Once the curtains were closed, she turned around in the circle of his arms to face him. He looked into her eyes with a quiet expression. She lifted her eyes toward his and bit her lip. They leaned toward each other until they were a hairs breath away from one another when the stage lights turned on causing them to jump apart. They turned toward Merlin and Gaius. Gwen and Arthur blushed lowering their glances to the ground.
"We didn't think there was anyone else here…." Merlin said with a grin.
Gaius frowned. "What are you doing here, Arthur?"
Arthur cleared his throat. "One of the sets is nearly complete. I wanted to show it to you before I began work on my next set…"
"It's really amazing, Gaius! Wait until you see it…." Gwen cut him off excitedly.
Gaius glanced toward Arthur, ignoring her. "Thank you, Arthur… but this is a private meeting."
"Gaius…" Gwen and Merlin both started.
"No, it's okay…" Arthur cut in. "I better go anyway… there's somewhere else I need to be…."
"You sure?" Gwen asked.
He nodded his head. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye Merlin…. Professor Gaius…"
The old man watched his retreating figure as he jumped off the small stage and disappeared from sight.
"That was rude, Uncle Gaius."
Gaius ignored Merlin and walked toward Gwen. "Why were you here and alone with him, Gwen?"
"I was early for the meeting and he was here…." Gwen shrugged. "He was really excited to show you the set and you just chased him off…" she shook his head. "I thought you'd personally picked him to do this…"
"He was… picked personally for this, I mean."
"Then why do you treat him as if he is some common criminal?" she countered.
"I…"
Merlin narrowed his eyes. "Gwen, don't mind my uncle… he's grown to become senile…"
Gaius glared at his nephew.
"It's fine…" Gwen frowned. "You just owe him an apology the next time you see him…"
Gaius nodded at her retreating figure and glanced at Merlin with a frown. "I thought I told you that you both need to stay away from him…"
"Gwen is her own person…" Merlin shrugged. "And Arthur's a good person… give him a chance… you might actually come to find that you like him…"
"Doubtful." Gaius mumbled.
Merlin patted his shoulder before following Gwen's lead. "Never if you don't give it a chance."
Arthur walked onto the field and frowned. He'd almost kissed her. And if it wasn't for Merlin and Gaius, he probably would have. He sighed quietly before finding Gwaine and walking up to him. "I'm here. Sorry I'm late…"
"It's fine…." Gwaine shook his head. "I'm surprised you made it out at all."
"I've been busy the last few days…" Arthur shrugged. "But I'm back now… just point in me in the right direction."
"You'll be fighting him…" Gwaine nodded toward his opponent.
Arthur saw his size and snapped his head toward his bookie. "He's at least a foot taller than I am! If not more!"
"You were late, mate…" Gwaine said. "Beggars can't be choosers."
Arthur groaned. "Fine. What are my odds?"
"Not good…." Gwaine cringed. "He's as a big as a skyscraper but you're fast…"
Arthur stretched his neck out with a frown. "Let's do this then…"
"If you happen to win by some miraculous chance, then your winnings should more than make up for your recent absence." Gwaine grinned. "There's your incentive."
"Thanks, mate."
"That is, if you win…"
Arthur rolled his eyes and took off his shirt. He walked into the circle where his opponent was waiting for him. Arthur looked up at him with a weary face and shook his head crouching into position. When his opponent got his first hit in, almost immediately, Arthur realized this fight wouldn't be like the others.
