Arthur took off for the forest to, as he delicately put it, take a piss, leaving Merlin to find them a spot. All the benches at the picnic tables were already full, so he settled on a log slightly aside of the group. Gwen appeared beside him even before he opened his pack.

“What's with the hand-holding?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said.

“Did Arthur tell you how much he loves you and that he wants to be with you forever?” Gwen said with a dreamy expression.

“What? No! We were just talking.”

“So you asked him out and he said yes,” she said, bouncing on the log.

“No! We talked about our absent parents, okay?” Merlin hissed at her.

“Oh... I'm sorry...” Gwen said and laid her arm over Merlin's forearm. “But you still looked cute.”

“I'm not some cuddly animal.”

“You so are.”

“I don't know why I put up with you,” Merlin said, face buried in his hands.

“Arthur's coming. I'll go back to Lance. He's got my lunch,” she said and went without waiting for an answer.

* * *

Arthur truly emerged from the woods with a few other boys in tow. They talked to him and laughed and Arthur didn't look a little bit happy. Merlin saw him turn around and snap at them and, judging by their fading smiles, Arthur was probably using his famous glare. They started backing away from him and joined the others at the tables.

Before Arthur could continue on his way, Vivian was by his side. She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him aside. She wasn't yelling, but her body language spoke about anger. Arthur stopped her at some point and said just a few words. That was when she slapped him and rushed to her friends without a single glance back.

“What was all that about?” Merlin asked him as soon as he sit down next to him.

“Vivian had a fit about the way I was treating her. That I was ignoring her all day and then holding hands with you. I told her she's not my girlfriend and never would be,” Arthur said with a grin.

“And the guys before?”

“They were laughing at us because of the hand-holding. I explained them that it's none of their business.”

“So, you don't regret it, then,” Merlin said, looking at the ground, suddenly finding the scattered leaves fascinating.

“Of course I don't. I wouldn't do it, if I didn't want to.”

Merlin felt the familiar warm feeling spreading through him and he smiled at Arthur, who watched him with a question in his eyes.

“You didn't mind, did you?” he asked.

“No, it was nice,” Merlin said quietly and felt his cheeks heating up.

Arthur took his pack back from Merlin and fished out his sandwiches.

“Eat your lunch. Can't let you waste away. I promised to Hunith, remember?” Arthur said with a poke to Merlin's side.

“You tell me at least three times a day. How could I forget?” Merlin said, but bit into his sandwich.

“Happy?” he said with his mouth full.

“Idiot,” Arthur said with a smile.

* * *

Merlin looked in the direction of the table, eyes widening in surprise.

“Morgana's sitting next to Val. What the hell?”

“I noticed too. I doubt it's coincidence,” Arthur said.

At that moment, Morgana made a wide gesture with her arm, sending Valiant's opened bottle of water to the ground.

“Here we go,” Arthur said, looking absolutely unsurprised.

Then she started apologizing to the git.

“What?” Merlin said, unable to believe what he just saw.

She fished out her bottle and practically forced Valiant to take it.

“What?” Merlin said again, while Arthur started laughing beside him. Merlin eyed him suspiciously.

“You'll see soon enough, if she did, what I think she did,” Arthur said, before bursting into laughter again.



Day Five - Part Three