On Thursday they all decided to go to the fair. Arthur agreed simply because he couldn't take any more sympathetic sorrows drowning from Gwaine. Gwaine complained about the plan until he was promised time in the beer tent. In the end Arthur had found the situation with Sophia to be less awful than he anticipated and advantageous.
Not only had Lancelot and Gwaine got photographs and sent him the incriminating pictures, Gwaine had also sent them to his own phone and then passed it on to everyone in his contacts list, with a less than flattering message about Sophia. In Gwaine's case the contacts were numerous, and the majority female. Arthur didn't return to his humiliation but to sympathy and women all over the place; which was probably Gwaine's aim. Gwaine often pulled by using Arthur as an unwitting wingman, snagging the girls Arthur wasn't interested in, even the ones he liked chatting to, or Gwaine got in there first. In his own way he was good looking, and charming. He had snared more than a few away from Arthur before he had even got a look in.
As they walked through the bright lights of the fun fair Arthur found himself rather unconcerned. He didn't love Sophia and even if she had any real feelings for him beyond attraction Arthur had been aware she had also liked being linked to him. A Pendragon; someone who had money and status.
He knew if he had broken it off, and at some point he would have had to, she could have painted him out as a bad guy, garnering unwarranted sympathy. This way Arthur could walk away, embarrassed but mostly unscathed. The whole thing made a note in the gossip column of one magazine but that was all that stirred beyond the university and Arthur walked through the fair feeling refreshed and happy. He planned to travel home tomorrow, early enough that he could pick up Merlin from his second day from school. That had been an interesting conversation with his father, when Uther had asked him.
"Yeah, I can do that," Arthur had said. "What time does he finish?"
"Two o'clock but if you run late he can wait with the receptionist."
"Okay."
Then there had been a pause.
"While you're there, have a look at the place," Uther said.
Arthur stopped propping the phone between his shoulder and jaw while he worked on a project and sat back, taking the phone to listen properly.
"I thought you did that."
"I did, but look in regard to Merlin. It could be because he was without one of us for an afternoon but Hunith sounded concerned to me when I asked her."
"About what?"
"She picked him up on his first day and he seemed a little out of sorts. The school is good and I know that, I looked into it. Your view will be the same but with a little more empathy perhaps."
Arthur sat back and sighed down the phone at his father.
"What do you mean?"
"Hunith is overprotective of him, she might see the despondency as something more than it is."
"So, you think there might be something more?"
"I was well assured by the deputy headmaster that things would be handled."
"Okay, I will text when I set off and speak to you when I see you."
The conversation lingered with Arthur, but he didn't let it bother him as he went out with Gwaine, Leon and Lancelot. The noise and lights of the fair settled him, and the stalls distracted them as they stared, eating hamburgers that would no doubt make them sick the next day. And Gwaine stuffed as much candy floss as possible into himself. Arthur walked, lifted his head and paused as he looked up at the nearby stall.
"Oh, right," Arthur said. His friends forked off towards the shooting range and Arthur paid a pound for six basketballs.
"Sorry mate," the stallholder said as Arthur got four out of the six. He would have won a little something if he had got five, but he needed six for what he wanted. Arthur reached for some more change to have another go and then decided on another tactic. He turned away from the stall and shot through a small aisle to where Gwaine and Lancelot were shooting ducks. Lancelot's aim went wild when Arthur grabbed him, Gwaine crowed in triumph as his shot went true.
"I need you now!" Arthur informed Lancelot dragging him away.
"Can I finish! I bet Gwaine I could beat him!" Lancelot said as Arthur hauled him away.
"How much for?"
"A beer, but it's the principle of the thing! Especially with Gwaine!"
"I'll pay it, you get to show off your aim anyway," Arthur said dragging him to the relevant stall and pointed upwards.
"I want you to win that bear!"
Lancelot raised his eyebrows as he looked at the fluffy purple bear, with a white belly decorated with a rainbow.
"There is something seriously psychological about this," Lancelot said as Arthur paid the money over to the stallholder, who looked faintly amused.
"It's for Merlin," Arthur said. "He's loaning Morgana's at the moment."
"Couldn't you just buy one?" Lancelot said as he aimed and hefted a ball through the net.
"I want to win one for him," Arthur announced. Lancelot glanced at him, smirking a little as he said.
"Oh, so you're planning to take the credit as well then?"
He turned back and hefted a second ball through the net. A few people paused to watch Lancelot's attempt. Even the stallholder kept half an eye on proceedings.
"No, I'll say that you did the work," Arthur said. "But it was my idea."
Lancelot raised his eyebrows.
"Concentrate on what you are doing!" Arthur ordered him.
Turning back Lancelot hefted two more with accuracy into the net. Arthur chewed his lower lip, he wasn't entirely sure why the urge felt so intense, but he wanted that teddy bear. He held his breath as Lancelot, probably deliberately, went through a rigmarole of carefully aiming. It was something he didn't really need to do, he was that good, but he enjoyed winding Arthur up for a moment. Behind him the small crowd almost held their breath, cheering as the fifth one landed in. Lancelot made a show of the last one, throwing with a flourish and the crowd gasped as the ball teetered on the edge before slowly toppling through the hoop. Lancelot turned and smiled at Arthur smugly.
"What are you looking so smug for? That's what I wanted you to do! We'll have that teddy, mate," Arthur added to the stall holder who handed over the purple bear with a smile.
"You owe me a beer!" Gwaine said bouncing over to them, his sugar rush having sent him a little hyperactive. "Leon took your place but he couldn't hit a barn door even if he was tied to it!"
"I only missed two!" Leon objected.
"I was required for an important mission," Lancelot informed Gwaine. "And Arthur owes you the beer."
Arthur fluttered his eyelashes at Lancelot, while wrapping his arm around the teddy. "You're my hero!"
Lancelot's eyes flared open but his curse was muffled as Arthur suddenly grabbed him by the nape of the neck and leaning over kissed him on the mouth. Neither Leon or Gwaine were quick enough to get their phones out and take a picture; although in the end Gwaine got a rather good one of a bright red Lancelot socking Arthur none too gently on the ear.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
It was a pain worth suffering, if nothing else Lancelot remained rather flushed for a good hour or so, and the teddy now sat on the passenger seat of Arthur's car. Arthur felt a flicker of excitement, he could show Merlin his prize when he picked him up from school. He had texted Uther to let him know he was on the way and then he could work out if there was anything wrong.
Arthur indicated and turned into the school's car park, carefully slotting his car into a space in the visitor's section. As he got out he patted the teddy bear's head, shoving it a little lower in the seat so it couldn't be easily seen.
"You stay here," he ordered the inanimate object. "We can surprise Merlin when we get to the car."
Getting out Arthur carefully locked up and looked the building over. The private school looked very well maintained, and exclusive looking. Looking around he noticed several neat signs which directed people about the place. He followed the arrow that sent him down at pathway that would take him to the reception area. He glanced around as he walked along, a few of the students turning to look at him, and some of the teachers doing likewise. Arthur ignored them all and turned around the corner, following a second sign to a glass fronted area, which he guessed was the reception.
That proved to be right as he got through the door and looked around, smiling as he saw Merlin. He stood next to a large desk, on which sat a plaque that said, 'RECEPTION'. Behind said desk sat a thin woman with glasses resting halfway down her nose. She looked up, raising her eyebrows as she looked Arthur, her eyes moving up and down to assess him.
Merlin shuffled a couple of steps forward, towards him, halting as the woman snapped at Arthur.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm here to collect Merlin."
At the cue Merlin came forward a little further, not giving the reaction that Arthur expected. His alertness to the situation increased as the woman glanced down at Merlin, a sneer crossing her face as she stared at him. Arthur kept his eyes on her so when she looked back up he could make it quite clear that he had seen her face. He held her gaze for a moment before looking down at Merlin, who now stood in front of him.
"Merlin, what's the matter?" Arthur asked. Merlin looked up, managing something of a smile. Arthur reached out a hand and Merlin's slid up into it. Taking him firmly Arthur looked up again at the receptionist.
"Thank you," Arthur said, a little sarcastically. She stared back at him. Arthur turned and took Merlin out of the door, he trailed along next to him, head down slightly. As they went out and reached the corner, where the pathway turned towards the car park Arthur paused again to repeat himself.
"Merlin, what's the matter?"
The dark head rose and Merlin lifted his free hand, holding up the action figure of Arthur's that had been his favourite toy, who was now missing an arm and a sliver of plastic from his shoulder.
"Oh."
Arthur took the toy off Merlin and looked it over. Merlin stared up at him, chewing on his lip slightly.
"It's doesn't matter, we can get another one. Do you still have the arm?"
Merlin nodded, reaching a hand round to a pocket in his little backpack. Arthur leant over and rummaged, taking the damaged arm out, carefully holding it in the same hand as the toy. Then he looked down at Merlin and shrugged.
"No one will be angry Merlin. It's just an accident."
Merlin continued to stare up at him and Arthur felt a stirring in the pit of his stomach. The sensation increased as a group of students ambled past, one turned to look at Merlin before whispering something to his companions. Whatever the boy said caused some giggling. Arthur's eyes narrowed and he glanced down at Merlin again. Merlin's eyes widened as Arthur slowly crouched down, so he was more on a level with Merlin.
"Merlin," Arthur said, taking the hint of what Merlin might be trying to get at. "Did someone else break Action Man?"
There wasn't any particular outward response, but as Merlin bit down on his lip Arthur got the feeling he wasn't far off.
"Did they do it on purpose? To be mean."
Merlin continued to gnaw but then he slowly gave a slight shake of his head and then followed up with a nod, looking incredibly sorry for himself, reaching up one hand to swiftly wipe at his left eye. Arthur felt a small bubble of fury rise up. He couldn't be entirely sure of Merlin's gestures but guessed that whoever had done it might not have meant to break the toy but they had probably taken it from Merlin. He wouldn't have given it to anyone willingly.
Reaching round he tucked the arm back into the small pocket of Merlin's rucksack and stood up. He kept hold of Merlin's hand and turning the little boy round they headed back the way they had come. Merlin trailed behind him slightly, but Arthur strode on, opening the door to the reception area again.
The snotty woman behind the desk, as Arthur had dubbed her in his mind, blinked in surprise as he stormed back in.
"I think I need to speak to Mr Collins."
Uther had advised Arthur of the deputy head's name, the person he had dealt with directly.
"I'm afraid the deputy head master isn't available," Mrs Snotty announced, snottily. "He's away this week."
"Then I'll speak to the headmaster."
"He is also not available, Mr Richards is very busy."
"So am I," announced Arthur. "Now you get hold of him, or I'll go looking for him, love."
Arthur bit his tongue almost literally to prevent himself from calling her a snotty cow. Mrs Snotty looked down her nose at him, which was rather an achievement considering she was sitting and he was standing. Then she glanced at Merlin, who had at some point shuffled behind Arthur.
"Is there a problem Catrina?"
Arthur turned at the sound of the very plummy voice.
"Mr Richards?" Arthur drawled the name in a tone that caused the older man in front of him to rile. Which meant Arthur knew he had the man he needed to speak to. Arthur didn't wait for any sort of acknowledgment, instead he ploughed on.
"I think I need to have a serious word with you in regard to your policy on bullying."
"You'll find we do not tolerate such things."
"Really?" Arthur drawled, holding up the toy. "This was broken deliberately, or so Merlin tells me."
Merlin had pressed himself as tight to Arthur's legs as he could, looking up at Arthur with wide eyes. Richards regarded Merlin for a moment and then looked back up to Arthur.
"I'm not aware of such an incident being reported. What was the name of the student who allegedly did this?"
That was tricky. Arthur looked down at Merlin. "Merlin was in someone in your class?"
Arthur felt Merlin's head move from side to side.
"Did anyone see it happen? A teacher?"
Merlin's head moved up and down. Arthur turned and looked back at the head teacher. He also watched Merlin's reaction carefully. Arthur felt Merlin clinging to him, using him, Arthur presumed, for both comfort and as a shield.
"Surely the teacher should have done something?" Arthur reasoned.
"Which class? Which of the new students is this?"
Mrs Snotty had started to look increasingly snotty, if such a thing was at all possible.
"Merlin Emrys, from the special class. The one that Mr Collins dealt with, the boy that doesn't talk, the boy with..."
Arthur's eyes narrowed as Mrs Snotty tailed off, her hint obvious. Richard's raised his eyebrows and turned back to Arthur.
"We keep track of any recorded incidents. It could be the child started the confrontation."
"What? Because he's got magic. Is that what you are going to base your argument on?"
Richards stared at Arthur in shock, hearing the aggression in his tone. Arthur felt furious. They hardly seemed to concern themselves with it, because Merlin had magic.
"There is no need to be aggressive, Mr..."
Arthur grinned wolfishly. "There's every need, and it's Mr Pendragon."
There were times Arthur hated his name, who he was, and his family line. And there were times, such as this one, when saying it caused such a reaction he couldn't help but love it. Clearly the head teacher had not realised exactly who his deputy head had dealt with. Uther had been careful to keep any mention of his name confidential. It would be an easy way for reporters to track Merlin otherwise. The head teacher's eyes widened, Mrs Snotty had the decency to look shocked, and no longer snotty. That left Arthur a little irritated, but he decided he had done enough.
"And if you think I'm aggressive, wait until my father comes to deal with you."
Arthur left it at that. He could feel Merlin quaking slightly. He probably didn't feel very keen on confrontation.
"Come on Merlin," Arthur said, his voice turning calm again. He led Merlin out of the reception area and down the pathway again. Arthur walked swiftly, wanting to shake off the anger and the tainted feeling he had developed. Merlin jogged along next to him, Arthur glanced down to check his progress, catching Merlin gazing up at him, face filled with wonder. Arthur smiled at him, Merlin smiled back.
They didn't stop until they got to the car. Arthur turned to face Merlin, looking down at him.
"I'm going to tell dad, and you are not going to be coming back here. We'll think of something else."
Merlin gave another smile, still gawping, as if he could hardly believe what Arthur had just done. Without thinking Arthur opened the passenger door of the car. Merlin gave a little squeak.
"Oh, yes, that's kind of ruined that," Arthur said having in his fury forgotten the teddy. Reaching in he hauled it out, and held it out to Merlin. It looked almost as big as him.
"This is yours, so you can have your own. And you don't need to worry about keeping him indoors, you can get him as mucky as you like."
Merlin's face looked endearingly comical as he stared at the bear, then as Arthur offered it out Merlin launched himself forward, wrapping both arms around the big fluffy toy with another excited squeak. Merlin's face eventually popped up from the fluff and his shining eyes stared up at Arthur adoringly. Falling forward Merlin pressed himself, bear and all against Arthur's legs. Arthur chuckled.
"I'm glad you like it, I had to get Lancelot to help me win him. You'll like Lancelot, we should name the teddy after him."
Merlin huffed happily.
"Come on," Arthur said patting his head. "Let's get away from here."
He got Merlin into the backseat, with him still clinging to the teddy and then clambered into the front. Turning around he looked at Merlin.
"Merlin, did whoever broke him break Action Man because he knew you had magic?"
Merlin's face dropped a little but he shook his head while his lower lip wobbled a little.
"They didn't see you do anything?"
Merlin shook his head.
"Was it just because you were new?"
Merlin gave a little shrug and seeing his face lose all it's shine Arthur decided to leave it alone. Instead he pulled out his phone and went into his contacts to make a call.
"Uncle Gaius?"
"I just wondered," Arthur said after he heard Gaius' response, "does it matter if we come over in an hour or so? Or do you need to see Merlin for his check up straight away?"
Arthur listened again, turning to wink at Merlin.
"No, we're going for a treat first. Okay, I'll see you when we get there."
Arthur rang off and then went to speed-dial. "One more, then we will go and do something nice."
Merlin looked happier. Arthur listened as his phone rang.
"Dad. Hunith was right about it. I'll talk about it later, but in my opinion Merlin doesn't come back here and we think of something else," Arthur listened again, and then said. "I've already called Gaius, Merlin and I are going somewhere nice first, then we'll head over to him. I'll talk about it later, when we get back. Okay, see you then."
Arthur debated turning his phone off, but decided against it just in case his father wanted to contact him again.
"Right then, you, me, garish Lancelot teddy and one armed Action Man are going to Macdonald's."
Merlin frowned, and it was only when they got there, went through the drive-through and parked up in the car park with Arthur clambering into the back with Merlin to have a picnic, did it occur to Arthur that Merlin, until that point, had no idea what Macdonald's was.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
When Gaius opened the door to them that had certainly changed. Merlin practically waddled over the threshold he was that stuffed. He had both arms wrapped around the teddy.
"Good God!" Gaius exclaimed, taking one of the bear's ears, and inclining his head to look the toy up and down. "What the devil is this thing?"
Merlin's head peered round the teddy's and he smiled up at Gaius. Arthur, following along behind, answered for Merlin.
"I got it for him. Well, Lancelot did anyway, at the funfair."
"Is Lancelot colour blind?"
"No, course not, at least I don't think so. I've never asked him."
Gaius glared steadily at Arthur. "I do believe I was making a joke."
"I know," Arthur said with exaggerated patience and got a clout round his ear for his trouble.
"Don't be cheeky," Gaius informed him. "Come on then, although I would have thought that taking Merlin for a treat after seeing me would have been more appropriate."
Arthur gave Merlin a little push to send him in the direction of Gaius's front room. Although he no longer officially practiced Uther still used Gaius as the family doctor. He could rely on him when it came to delicate family matters, which now included Merlin.
"You weren't the horrible thing today," Arthur said extracting the teddy from Merlin's grip. "School was, Merlin's not going back."
"Oh?"
"Long story, let's not talk about it, we went to Macdonald's, didn't we Merlin."
Merlin beamed again.
"I dread to think how much you gave him to eat," Gaius said to Arthur. Glancing down the old man snorted with laughter as Merlin blew his cheeks out like a hamster's.
"Let's just hope you're not sick then, he's supposed to be on a special diet."
"I know, Hunith's been giving him sensible stuff for two weeks."
"I suppose a treat won't hurt then, shirt off then Merlin."
Merlin had already wriggled out of his jacket and tugged at his jumper dragging it over his head and stretching the neck. Arthur reached down to help him with his shirt buttons and he pulled Merlin out of his clothes. Arthur grimaced a little. Merlin's rib bones still pushed against his white skin, and his arms had gained a little flesh, but not as much as Merlin really needed.
"Right now," Gaius said rubbed the end of his stethoscope to warm it up. Merlin reared back a little, pulling a face as Gaius placed it on his chest.
"Breath in," Gaius ordered. Merlin obliged and then released it when Gaius told him, going through the rigmarole as Gaius listened to his breathing and heart. Then he took his blood pressure, stood him on some scales to check his weight and ran through several other boring things. During that Arthur had wandered off to make coffee for himself and Gaius and warm milk for Merlin.
When he came back with the tray Merlin had settled in the big armchair and Gaius had turned his television on to some children's cartoon. Merlin watched avidly, television being another thing he had probably been denied in the 'care home'. Arthur always mentally put inverted commas around that phrase.
Merlin took his glass of milk in both hands and sipped at it.
"I'm amazed he can fit anything else in there," Gaius said. "Be careful giving him treats, his system might not be up to it yet."
"I think it probably is, Hunith has been diligently feeding him up."
"That's because I gave her a diet sheet and she will follow what I tell her," Gaius said. "With you, or Morgana, that sort of thing isn't so simple. Still the odd treat won't hurt him. I'm still not sure about that teddy bear though."
Merlin, who had drunk his milk and put the glass on the nearby table, widened his eyes and wrapped his arms protectively around his new toy. Arthur glared at Gaius in disapproval.
"You leave him alone," he warned.
At the same time, Arthur wondered how much a new Action Man would cost.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Balinor guessed it wasn't a burglar. No intruder would be that noisy as he heard a burst of swearing from the garage. He had just been about to put the lights out in the small apartment he and Hunith lived in when he had noticed a light burning in the garage. He had gone off to investigate with Hunith telling him to be careful. Balinor generally heeded the warning, but it was unnecessary. Despite the house holding treasures and expensive items they had never actually been burgled, and there was nothing of interest in the garage.
Except Arthur, hunched over the workbench with a spotlight on whatever he was doing and a pair of tweezers in his hand.
"What the devil are you doing?" Balinor asked. Arthur nearly fell of his stool in shock as he turned, his eyes excessively wide in a pair of magnifying goggles. He blinked and lifted them, blinking again to adjust his eyes.
"Don't do that!"
"Don't lurk in the garage at half eleven at night," Balinor countered. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to fix this arm back on!"
"Wouldn't it be easier to buy a new one?" Balinor asked.
"Probably, just as it would have been easier to buy Merlin his own teddy. It's the principle of the thing. This is the one he likes, and I don't think he feels it's really his, so I need to fix it."
"How?" Balinor asked peering over his shoulder, which caused Arthur to sigh in irritation.
"I can fix the bit of shoulder, but I don't know about the arm, the joint bit is ruined."
"I might have a metal pin that could fix that back on, hang on."
It was not a job that two people could work on easily, but between them Arthur and Balinor coped with personal space invasion, differing opinions and the rogue gnat that interrupted them, having also presumably seen the light. Forty minutes later Arthur crept up the stairs and creeped even more into Merlin's room carefully settling Action Man on the bedside cabinet, sitting him so he couldn't fall and hurt himself again. He got the second shock of the night as Merlin, in a nest of pillows and two teddy bears sat up.
"Oh, Merlin, don't do that."
Merlin didn't seem to care, instead he looked at the toy. He had a nightlight in the room, so could see clearly.
"Almost good as new, you probably shouldn't move the arm," Arthur warned him. Merlin sat up some more and then launched himself at Arthur wrapping his arms around his neck, snuggling close to him and almost falling into his lap, giggling in delight. Arthur hugged him back.
"You're going to have to hug Balinor, he helped as well. You can wait until the morning though." Arthur felt quite convinced that Merlin would, if so inclined, get up and hunt the other man down right then and then. Then Arthur's eyes widened, and he was sure he imagined it since he was tired and a little stressed out.
Which was why, he didn't tell anyone what he thought had happened.