Arthur's Chambers, Tuesday, So Early In The Morning It's Technically Night
Arthur
Arthur had not looked pleased to be interrupted by Gaius et al in the middle of a perfectly good brood.
He was looking even less pleased a few minutes in.
"You want me to what."
Katchoo
"Yeah, it's crazy," Katchoo volunteered, expression utterly unreadable. (It was the best way to mask the desire to hyperventilate.) "We know."
Merlin
"We have the antidote!" Merlin insisted, picking up scattered bits of clothing and armor around the room.
Look, it was nervous energy, okay?
Arthur
Arthur practically choked on his tongue. "An antidote?!" he said. "Why do we need an antidote?!"
Merlin
Oh dear. "That's not important!" Merlin insisted, about ready to hide in the cupboard now.
Francine
"Because it's the only thing Gaius has that will make you look like you're dead and not just screwing around pretending," Francine said, because somebody had to be practical.
Katchoo
"Which is the only way it's got a chance of working," Katchoo added.
Possibly inching over to keep herself between Merlin and the cupboard. Shh.
Arthur
"It's the only way," Gaius added, solemnly. "We have to make your father cry."
Arthur groaned, and pulled away from the wall he'd been leaning against. "It won't work," he said. "He doesn't care about me any more."
Francine
Francine took a second to frown in indecision, counted the people in the room, and gave in. "Excuse me," she said to, well, Gaius, since he was the only one who would be remotely surprised, "But I've been wanting to do this for a week."
Which would be when she went in for the hug.
Arthur
"Franci--"
He stopped mid-admonishment.
Slid his arms around Francine in return, and squeezed her maybe slightly harder than he'd admit.
He already felt like his pride had been shattered into a thousand pieces; this might as well come next.
Francine
"Of course he cares," she said in a low voice. "He's under a spell." And if worst came to worst and he really was that much of a jerk, she'd kick him in the shins until he cried anyway. "So shut up and drink the poison so we can fix it."
Katchoo
Yes, excuse Katchoo for a moment while she barrelled in from the side to pile onto the hug.
"Idiot," she said quietly, voice cracking in that telltale way that meant more clearly than usual that it was a term of endearment. "You think we'd go through with a plan like this just for giggles?"
Merlin
"Potion," Merlin corrected awkwardly. "And... it has to work, Arthur. Would I really put you in that sort of danger otherwise?"
Arthur
"I suppose n--"
Arthur paused (mid-awkward-hug) to throw Merlin a look (over Francine's shoulder) full of offended consternation. "Perfectly safe, you said to me!"
[[ nfb, ooc-okay, and taken from Merlin episode 2x06 'Beauty and the Beast, Part 2'. wait for the ocd, continued in the comments ]]