A/N: Primrose's POV
He's kissing me.
That's the first thing I'm able to process as our lips collide. Well, that, and the fact that I'm kissing him back.
I should have seen this coming. The way Merlin was acting a few days ago, how protective he is of me. The risk I just learn he's taken for me. But still I'm shocked. And it only adds to the confusion, when Merlin pulls back seconds later, saying franticly, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, I'm so, so, sorry."
"No, Merle, it's alright," I say, walking towards him, but he keeps backing away like he thinks I'll hurt him, "I kissed you back and-" My voice trails off for a minute, but I decide to come out and say it, "I think I feel the same way."
Merlin's face falls even more. "That only makes it worse."
"Why?!" I demand, getting frustrated with his contrary behavior.
"Because they're sending us back!" He screams.
I'm speechless for a moment, unsure of how to respond to that, then at last I say, "That doesn't clarify anything, Merle."
"That doesn't..." Merlin begins in disbelief, sighs, then says, "Don't you see? When you hand us over to the Private Science Guild, they're going to send us back to our own time, and you won't be coming with us. I'll leave you, all by yourself again, and I am not going to be the next person to hurt you, and I can't hurt you, if we don't get close, at least not this way."
I actually take a few steps back the words hit me so hard. Suddenly it all becomes so clear. This was Merlin trying to protect me again. This time from himself. I open my mouth to speak again, but then there's a rustling in the woods.
We both turn around and see Arthur, looking rather pissed. Even though I know he didn't see anything I'm still a little worried about what he might have heard.
"There you are!" He shouts, differently angry, "I thought you two were right behind then I turn around and-you're not!"
"Sorry," I snort sarcastically, "We got a little sidetracked." I nod towards the body on the grown, still not sure if she's just unconscious or dead.
"Oh," Arthur responds, genuinely embarrassed, "Sorry. "
"It's alright, you didn't know," I say, trying to act like everything is fine, "Now, let's find our way back to the trail."
They show me the way they came and soon we're back on the trail. It sure is awkward, though. I make sure to stay as far away from the guys as possible. Still I keep looking back and them, or Merlin to be precise. A couple of times he almost spots me and I turn quickly so he can't see. One time he catches me and for a full minute our eyes meet. Then I turn away again, my heart about to beat out of my chest.
The whole next day is like back, and by the time we stop the night after I decide the first thing to do is take stock of my injures, mainly because my whole body has starts to ache. I'm scrapped up pretty good and there are some pretty nasty bruises on my arms, abdomen and knee, but no seriously injuries. As wipe at a smear of dirt and dried blood on my pants I realize I am flinty thought. I mean, it's impossible for me to bathe daily, the way I live, but I usually keep cleaner than I am right now. Then I remember there's a late nearby with fairly clean water. "Hey, guys," I say, getting up, "There's a lake nearby, I'm gonna go down there to clean up. I should be about fifteen minutes, okay?"
"Sure," Merlin says, at the same the time Arthur says, "Alright."
After five minutes of walking through dense woods I step out into a small clearing. In the center of this clear is a medium-size lake, a perfect circle of crystal water. Right now it looks like Heaven.
I run over to it and sit down one some rocks just to the side of the lake, begin to undress, laying my clothes on a nearby rock. When I'm completely nude, I pick my pants and put them in the water, scrubbing them, and a spray of brown spreads out into the water. I do the same with my shirt and even my undergarments. Then finally I step into the water myself while they dry, swimming away from the mess I've created.
While I scrub myself as clean as I can my mind drifts away to the situation with Merlin. He cares for me in a way that's more than just a friend, but he's right, this is only a temporary situation. But now that I've thought about it as even being a possibility I realize I might feel the same way. But that's ridiculous! I barely know the guy. But...I know something no one else does. But what is magic, anyway? Really? Oh, I just wish I could stay here forever and never go back!
And the, out of nowhere it occurs to me that if I stay in here for too long, Merlin will probably come looking for me. And if he comes looking for me, he will find me here, wearing nothing but the water, and I might convince him to join me. It might the worst thing to happen right now, but I realize I want it happen. So I start to swim again.
It takes about thirty minutes in the water before I hear someone coming through the trees. I swim back over to the rocks and look when the movement and is coming from, and out pops Merlin. "Prim!" He called out, looking around, "Primrose!"
I giggle a little. "Over here," I call out, and he turns in my direction. His eyes widen when he sees my state of undress-even thought he can only really see me from the shoulders up- and I laugh. "I told you I was going to wash up. "
"You also said you'd be fifteen minutes and it's been half an hour." Merlin retorts , walking up to the rocks.
"Sorry," I snort, swimming away playfully, "I must've lost track of time. "
Merlin just stares at me incredulously, before asking, "Well, are you going to get out now?"
"You know what?" I begin, grinning slyly, "I have better idea. Why don't you come in here and swim for a while?"
Merlin looks at me for a moment like he thinks I'm joking, then he realizes I'm not. "You're serious?" He asks.
"Yeah," I say shrugging, reveal bare, somewhat tanned shoulders.
His eyes move towards my clothes, still on the rock. "You're necked, " He said awkwardly.
"Yeah," I say, like it's not a problem, "So?"
"So?!" Merlin balks, "You're female, you're necked, I'm male, and-" He trails off.
"Oh, come on," I tease, "Live a little!"
Merlin doesn't say anything for a minute, but I can tell he's thinking it over. "Alright," He says, going over to the rock. He takes off his boots, and jacket, and dips a toe in the water.
"Uh, uh, uh," I say, "There's a dress code in this lake."
He's quiet for a minute, then he figures out what I mean. "You can't be serious." He groined.
"Yes, I can," I say, enjoying myself greatly, "Come, one, what are you trying to hide?"
Merlin sighs and takes off his shirt. Then he starts to get in again.
"Uh, uh," I repeat, "Not yet."
Merlin looks at me, espasperated.
"What if I turn away until you get into the water?" I offer.
"Sure," Merlin agrees, and I turn around. When I hear the sound of splashing in the water and see Merlin swimming to me. "Here I am," He says, sounding a exasperated, "So, now what?"
"What do you think?" I reply, "We swim!" I swim away from him, and Merlin follows after me saying, "Hey, come back here!"
The water's emboldened him, just like I knew it would. After his initial hesitation, he's now splashing around, splashing me with water, casing me around the lake, and making me chase him, a request I am more than happy to obielge, paying him back for splashing me as well. "Cut it out!" He playfully protest, laughing as he holds up his hands trying to protect himself from the spray I send at him.
"You brought this one yourself!" I screech, laughing too, as I continue my assault. Suddenly, Merlin ducks under the water. "Oh, come on!' I shout, "Get back here, you're not getting off that easy. " There's no reply. There's not even movement under the water. "Come, Merle," I say, thinking he's messing with me, "I'm serious, come back up, you can't hold your breath that long." And with sentence I start to panic. "Merlin?" I call out, "Merlin!" I'm about to go under when Merlin burst out of the water and grabs onto me shouting, "Got you!"
"That wasn't funny, Merle!" I shout.
"Them why am I laughing?!" Merlin replies.
"Well," I think, "Two can play at that game." Then I duck under the water and grab his ankle. He screamed bloody murder while I pull him under, but he's not complaining once he's down there. Mainly because he's holding his breath and then I plant one on them. Suddenly he's struggling against my grip and he comes back up and suddenly it's yesterday all over again. "What is your problem?!" I exclaim, following him up.
"You know what my problem is!" Merlin shouts back, "I've already-"
"Yeah, yeah," I cut him off, "You already told me you don't want to hurt me when you leave but you know what? I'm either gonna be hurt because I had you for a little while and I lose you or because I never had you and I'll always wonder what if and I didn't realize it until just now but I'd rather hurt because of the first option." I take a deep breath before saying, "So, Merlin, what's it gonna be?"
He doesn't answer me with his words, but instead with his actions, rushing towards me and taking me in his arms, kissing me again. This one's the best one yet, and last the longest, and I can't remember when I've felt so alive.
When he finally lets me go, he says, "You clean enough, yet?'
"I am," I say, "But I want to stay just little bit longer."
"Alright," He says, and we start to swim again.