All my Heart Collection VI: Alternate Dimensions of Time
The Inevitable Change: Gwen’s angelic voice lures Arthur in.
You’ve Got a a Friend: They spend a magical night together before the summer’s end
Director Meets his Dame: She gets the part…and the hint of more.
High School Secret Favor: Sworn enemies, they’re not so separate in the night.
Mother Nature’s Son: Love & War
Under My Skin: He’s so bad for desiring another, lovesick bad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Inevitable Change
Written for: ag_fics Fic Battle 1.0
Prompt: ella_rose88- Arthur Gwen, 1920’s, Arthur reunites with Gwen after years apart at a club where she sings at…
Era: late 1920’s
Characters: A/G, talk of Uther
Rating: PG13/ angst / lyrical romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They said that the times were about to change. All that it’s a gas man, yeah, not going to last forever. Stocks were bouncing all over the place. Men were getting too lucky. Women paying with credit like it was going out of style. It was all getting so seedy, the ‘roaring’ times they called them. Oh the fabulous 20’s. Dames and their gents. Hoofing it up. Hopping from one club to another. Hanging on every jazz horn.
Change was just hovering in the air my friends. Change. And a reunion.
A new beginning, amid the coming horror.
His Daddy was Uther Pendragon, one of the richest men alive. Played the markets like a lover. Won every time. He owned about half the block, named his mansion, or what some called it, castle in the sky, Camelot. Arthur didn’t know about it. Something just felt so wrong, getting money that way while others gathered in the streets for a penny here, a nickel there. It made no sense really to him sometimes. So many filthy rich. So many dirty poor. No balance. Something had to happen.
Hands stuck into his pockets, black coat whipping around his form in the lamplight and wind, Arthur didn’t smile at the pretty girls wanting to get him to enter their club. Hear their snazzy band. Drink from their never ending bar that would have to close up if the prohibitionists ever got their way.
He just kept walking, shiny black shoes hitting the pavement in clipped staccato. The breeze blew at his hair, toying with his blonde whiffs as he spotted down the way some shabbily dressed kids, hands spread out for a few coins. Hoping to get just one little bite to eat. A man was yelling at them to get away from there. Soiling up his joint. Arthur skipped forward, protest hot on his lips.
“Leave them alone. They ain’t doing nothin’ to you.”
“And who do you think you are Mr. Big Shot-
The insult froze in the air. Just one look and he knew his blunder. Arthur gave him a cold sneer, before turning to the kids. “Here you go, bring home a feast.”
They stared at the crisp bills. Stared at him.
But Arthur was already on his way again, hearing something around the corner that was stinging his ears with wonder. He jogged across the street so fast he nearly got hit. The driver honked his horn irritably, calling out if he was out of his mind. Arthur had to wonder.
That voice. That satin lined voice. Couldn’t be. Couldn’t ever.
“When they begin
The beguine
It brings back the sound
Of music so tender
It brings back a night
Of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory of green”
His heart started to beat fast. His hands grew clammy. His throat clenched. His lips desired.
Down the brigade of clubs he rushed. Started to enter one after another, but each one was too lively, too jazzy.
This song, it was so different. So like a moonlit night on the shores of the ocean. Like traipsing through the sand barefoot. Like kissing the most luscious lips you’ve ever kissed.
This was…
The sweetest most ever bittersweet memory. One he never thought he’d find again.
But now…
One more club.
He got ready to vacate. Wrong one. Too silent. But it was just a pause in the music.
Just a pause of her voice.
Because then soon again he heard it. Now so much louder. So much clearer. Like magic falling through the sky it was passionate splendor.
“I’m with you once more
Under the stars
And down by the shore
An orchestra’s playing
And even the palms
Seem to be swaying
When they begin
The beguine”
The joint was filled with smoke and tawdry flamingos. He caught the name outside, Avalon Heights. More like Avalon Cheesiness. No matter. There was a mess of people at the front, all clamoring in to catch her singing. He made his way through, impatiently.
Last time he saw her, they were on the ocean’s sand. He was leaving, heading off to school so in the future he could take over his daddy’s business. She was hoping to one day make it big. You see, she was a singer. Wanted to be a star. But problems here and there. Her parents had barely a dime to their name. She’d have to make it alone. And so as he departed one way, she departed the other.
Just.
One kiss. One lock of lips. One look of wonder into each other’s eyes. Forbidden friendship turned to sudden love. He begged then the fates to bring him back to her. Not caring what his daddy said about her being nothing but a poor money grubber. Hating him for saying it. Because she never desired his money ever. She just desired him.
Like no other girl before.
No girl you see made his heart pound like she did. Pound like a throbbing drum.
He shoved his way through the men, as politely as he could moved through the women. Ignoring their complaints and looks of disgust. Just needing to get in.
Get close. Get to her.
“To live it again
Is past all endeavor
Except when that tune
Clutches my heart
And there we are swearing to love forever
And promising never
Never to part”
Finally he reached the stage to gaze upon her closed eyes. Those dark calescent orbs that look so deep into people were shut. His soul begged for them to open as now he knew for certain this was no mistake or fantasy.
This was her.
His heart was shaking so hard he had to gasp for breath. It had been too many tender years, five, six, maybe seven. Lost count a long time ago.
Hearing her voice he begged it to love him back, knowing he was nothing but a sap and yet uncaring. He always had that ‘kind heart’ she once said and pleaded him to never let go of no matter how hard his Daddy rode him. And so he never has. That’s why he cared about those kids outside. He wants something better for this world. Better than some living the high life while the rest bleed their fingernails out for a scrap of food.
Her sweet soft sexy voice strummed his body, fondled his chest. It reached down inside making him feel a man more than ever. It whispered to him forbidden promises of rapture to his heart.
“A moments divine
What rapture serene
To clouds came along
To dispense the joys we had tasted
And when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well what they mean”
She was wearing this dress of shimmering silver white. It was kind of tawdry, would look cheap on the hanger, but her body loved its every sway. She was more a queen than a simple lounge singer. She’s never been simple anyway. Fools were the ones who underestimated her, thinking they knew her, when they knew nothing. She’s got a way about her that always surprised and shocked him with delight.
He was just inches from the stage. Close enough to touch. He had no doubt that if he even tried, one of those muscled gents on the side would be on him in a flash. That one on the left end was the size of a bear. Best not to be foolish. He’d just for wait for her eyes to open and her lips to pause. He’d wait for her hips to stop slowly shimmying from one side to another.
A lull.
“So don’t let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire
Remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine”
She finished those words and then finally parted her eyes with a smile on her lips. She was so enraptured in the music, her band’s loving follow-up, but then it came. Her expression changed, growing in depth and wonder. Her eyes fixed upon him like he was bars of gold. He gestured just fractionally, feeling that rush of heat inside again, the drumming heartbeat.
She mouthed…
Arthur?
He smiled a tad.
Mouthed back.
Hello again Guinevere. Long time.
She lost it then, stepping back like she was stung. The band stared at her, the pianist reaching out for her arm, gesturing to the mike.
Arthur gestured also with a frown.
Easy baby. Don’t lose it now. Keep it cool honey.
He knew she was shocked to see him and he felt the same way. But she had to finish the song, couldn’t let it hang, so he kept gesturing smoothly for her to continue.
She moved back to the mike, regaining her composure like a pro would. The music once again took her away to that magical world, took him away really, where it was just her voice, her face. He watched with languish as she closed her eyes, crooning passionate vocals.
“Oh yes let them begin the beguine
Make them play
Til the stars that were there before
Return above you
Til you whisper to me
Once more darling I love you
And we suddenly know what heaven we’re in
When they begin the beguine”
Her eyes were still closed, her body, her heart bound to the music, the top of her breasts just a tease of her magical curves. Her dark locks of coiling hair played at her cheeks, pulled back enough to only give a whisper of their wildness.
His body yearns to hold her in his arms. His lips chapped to kiss hers. His eyes wanted her eyes to look just into his.
Let the song find completion. End this turmoil his impatience could barely take more of. He wanted to just wrap her solid into his arms. Taste her full deeply red lips.
“So don’t let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire
Remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine”
He barely heard the roar of applause. It was all about her face when she finally opened her eyes. So much secret anticipation on her lips.
*
When the song was over and she had vacated the stage he found his way to her purposely unlocked dressing room, after bribing a doorman for the path. It wasn’t hard with the large sums of cash he carried.
When he entered the room her back was solidly to him, but by her still stance he got the feeling she was waiting with anticipation. He took a step forward, and then another, biting down on his lip. He was charged with nervous excitement, wanting her to tell him that there was no other and that nothing had changed.
The song had to be real, not an illusion. She still thought of him the same, he hoped, remembered his kiss.
She still-
“Oh Arthur…” He heard her murmur passionately as he pressed into her back, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and clasped her close.
“Guine-vere.”
She turned around in his embrace, touching his enflamed cheeks with her fingers. “You’re so warm.”
He grasped them, holds them tight against his skin. “I have a fever.”
“What?” She asked with floods of concern.
He laughed softly, shaking his head, telling her plainly. “It’s you. Hearing you sing again. God, you’ve only gotten better. Honey you lit up that whole joint. Lit up my heart.”
Her lips moved against his. They fluttered over his mouth, her forehead creasing with pain. “I’ve missed you.”
He wiped the tears edging her eyes, muttering softly. “I…you.”
She kissed him again, but too impassioned, he suddenly clutched her arms, forced her back.
“What?”
“Is there anyone? It’s been so long. Is there-
“No.” She told him. Her tears did not heed this time. “No one that matters Arthur. It’s always been just you.”
“I love you.” He whispered with fragile happiness. “I never told you that. Before you left. Before I did. But I do Guinevere. Baby. I love you.”
The tear found her lip, making her taste the salt, as she whispered back. “I love you too Arthur, my darling.”
They kissed once more. And again. And more. And that night they made love in her apartment. Their passions rose to the ceiling. They cried out bittersweet ecstasy. All before the terrible storm. All before the morning dawned.
And the world came crashing down. Men jumped to their doom for the luck had faded out. The markets crashed. His Daddy was one of those men. But even as he cried for the uncertain future, knowing now he would have to be king of their marketing business, love was a splendid wonder. It wrapped around him as she held his shaking form.
As they greeted the inevitable change
The beckon of the tumultuous 30’s
Together.
~
Lyrics~Begin the Beguine~Cole Porter (song writer of the 20’s/30’s)
********************
You’ve Got a Friend
Written for: ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0
Prompt: railise- we didn’t get much sleep, but we had a lot of fun
Era: 1973 summer after Vietnam War’s cease-fire
Characters: A/G, Morgana, Merlin
Rating: PG / Song inspired: You’ve Go A Friend by James Taylor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There’s something magical about summer. Even more magical is spending summer on a beach. And more magical than that is a summer on the beach with new found friends.
It was that kind of magical summer that Arthur, Morgana, Merlin, And Gwen had in 1973. The four of them were working at one of those big beach clubs that the rich and famous attended for their vacations. It was a lot of hard work, but it was even more hard play.
The nights were the best. Who wanted to go to sleep when you had an ocean as your front yard? When the tide was your unpredictable lullaby? Sometimes quiet. Sometimes loud.
It was fun to sit around a big bonfire, extending your bared feet, letting them get tickled by the sand. To be in a circle of special people.
The four of them, at sixteen years of age, sat like that now. Merlin was fingering his guitar, singing in a strongly lyrical voice, while Gwen and Morgana provided the back up, and once in a while the mostly tone deaf Arthur, provided a line or two.
“You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again…
Winter, spring, summer or Fall
All you’ve got to do is call
And I’ll be there
You’ve got a friend…”
“So next year we’re all going to do this again, right?”
Morgana, wearing shorts, a bikini top, and jacket, asked from her seat beside Merlin, her hand resting upon his knee.
Gwen, in a summer dress cover-up and over it Arthur’s denim jacket, nodded strongly. Her head leant against Arthur’s shoulder, and his chin resting atop her head, she stated with lots of hope and belief, “Right on. We’ll all be back here again next summer.”
Merlin, who was in cutoff jeans and a striped shirt with long sleeves, gave agreement. “We’re friends for life now.”
Arthur, in khaki shorts and a dark red sweatshirt, felt the same.
“Okay, listen to me you guys alright? Us, the way we are, it’s like sitting around a round table. This is our table.” As they sat under the marine moonlight, he gestured to the orange blue flames they were surrounding. “Sitting here, like this, as friends, we’re all equal.”
“Far out. That’s deep.” Merlin muttered, with a bit of a teasing look.
But Arthur wasn’t done and as he sat so straight Gwen had to move away from his shoulder, they all dug that.
“It’s straight Merlin. You guys dig? I mean, it’s like the song man. Women.”
The girls laughed at that, exchanging smiling looks. And Arthur pulled in Gwen close against him, extending his hand to Morgana who took it, and then Morgana held Merlin’s hand. Merlin held Gwen’s. With feeling they listened. It didn’t matter what happened from here and now. This was the kind of friendship that would always be. They were brothers and sisters with each other now. It was deep and profound.
It was something about Arthur too. He could get people to listen to his commands. Meanwhile Merlin held this elderly wisdom almost. And yet bordering it was mischief. Morgana was probably the most daring of them, always enjoying doing something a little wild. And Gwen was their peace. Chill…one of her favorite expressions. And they’d all feel their equilibrium soaring in again.
It was fortunate during a time of change. Earlier in January the Vietnam War had finally ended for their side. It wasn’t as great as it was meant to be. Basically their troops came home with nothing more than a ceasefire. No victory. But at least no more death and draft too. Godfather was tops movie and Nixon was president.
“We’ve got friends. We’ve got each other, no matter how far, how wide the distance apart, we’ll be there, you for me, me for you. And that’s deep, right Merlin, you dig Morgana, Gwen? You with me?”
They all nodded, holding tight to each other’s hands.
Then they got up and on spur of the moment decision decided to be crazy. They swam into the ocean naked. They played Marco Polo. And when they got out of the water, they separated into pairs.
*
Arthur held Gwen in his arms, feeling her smaller ones returning the favor. She was just a little damp still from all their swimming. And only in her dress. He had on his sweatshirt again and shorts. “You’re such a groovy fox.”
She smiled up at him, and leaned forward, kissing his warm lips. “Mmmm…I hope you’re right. I hope we all see each other again.”
“We will.” He pressed in against her, kissing her forehead and tasting a bit of her curls, a bit of the saltwater that had sprinkled into them during their swim. “It’s all chill, right?”
She nodded to that. “Yeah…chill…”
***
The night moved onto day. The beach club would be in business for one more morning and they’d have to tend to their work. Crazy man after spending the whole night awake. But they were young and didn’t really care. Having too much fun with each other like they had all summer long. So they climbed up some of the dunes and gathered there together to sit and watch the sun rise. It was beautiful and golden.
Kind of like their round table of friendship. There really was no telling how often they’d see each other again. What might change during their final year in high school.
But the time of being a teen was never spent much looking into the future anyway. It was always living for the here and now. The moment.
*
“We’ll always be there for each other. Square…can everybody dig?” Arthur asked one last time as they gathered together in the sunny afternoon, after the guests had left, and their buses came to pick them up. They each had come in on separate ones, separate distances.
“Yeah…” Merlin and the rest said.
They hugged each other hard. Arthur hugged Gwen especially hard, telling her she was the foxiest chick he ever knew and that they’d write letters before next time.
*Before next time…
Friends…*
“Winter, spring summer or Fall
All you got to do is call
And I’ll be there…yeah
You’ve got a friend…”
********************
Director Meets His Dame
Written for: ag_fics MC 2
Prompt:-anonymous--Arthur is a director in 1940’s Hollywood and he’s looking for the next hit star for his Film Noir mystery film and Gwen walks in.
Themes used: fearless, virgin, director, mystery
Era: 40’s film noir
Characters: A/G, mention of Merlin
Rating: PG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She walks into my office
A dame and a half and I swear it gets lively down there if you get my meaning, Jack. Yeah.
Let in by my sometimes bumbling but trusty sidekick, Merlin.
The overhead fan plays with her wildly dark curls of hair. Hard to keep my cool, but I’m the most fearless director in the land of Angels so I cover it smoothly. “You must be Guinevere.”
“I am. And you-
I’m quick to the chase. “Arthur.”
“Well do I meet the part?”
“One thing.”
She leans in to the desk, broadly. “And what’s that Mr-
“Arthur. Just Arthur.”
“A little familiar don’t you think Mr. Director?”
“I like to be friendly.”
“Hmmm. Indeed.”
Not some all wet virgin, I go in.
Our kissers tangle.
I pull back after, seeing her keen smile.
“So do I get the part?”
Most beautiful mystery.
“That and more.”
********************
High School Secret Favor
Written for: ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0
Prompt: 2sam11- Arthur/Guinevere and passion. Movies.
Era: late 80’s/early 90’s {each works}
Characters: A/G
Rating/Warning: R / language, hints of foreplay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s the perfect destination. It’s the steam and the hot sweat of pre-summer. It’s kissing and pressing against each other. In back of his dad’s SUV. It’s the drive-in where the movie ceases to matter. Where bodies stroke, clutch and cosset. Where they meet each Saturday night. It’s all so clandestine.
Forbidden.
He’s Arthur Pendragon, head jock of the Camelot Knights. Class President. All his friends are at the top of the popularity pole. Everything he does is golden.
She’s Gwen Leodegrance. She abhors sports heroes. She runs the pirate paper: Albion Reports, that fights against the school’s bureaucracy. Her friends are considered outcasts. The bulk of the jocks and popularity kings fear her because she’s always so edgy, so damn clever.
If their junior class knew this was going on, that they met covertly at this run-down drive-in, oh they’d hear about it for sure. But no one knows, because no one from the school comes here. Just them. It’s shoddy. Has an old park with swings that rust at the top. The movie screens are barely sharp enough. Those radio things you put at the side of your car, always get interference, creating huge BLAH…brr sounds that make you just shove the thing away, giving up on knowing the dialogue.
It really is not the place you go to, to hear the movie or see it, and that’s fine with them.
This is not a sum of dates anyway. Nothing close. It’s just something that got started up after she accused him in her pirate paper of letting the sports team use up most the school’s money to fund the fucking footballs.
“Not true.”
“It is.”
“No it’s not. Be smart. Take back what you said in it. Alright? Honey, you don’t want to mess with this. I practically own this school.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Look.” He pressed her a little too hard into a wall then, seeing her eyes go big. Stupid of him. Picking on a girl like that. And so he let go. “I’m sorry. That was a shit-ass thing to do. But it’s just…”
And that was when she suddenly grabbed him, as they were in the dark, secluded and away from all the rest of the students, and she kissed him.
He laughed afterward, even though it felt so good. “Hey, this isn’t going to work. You and me.”
She looked him in the eye fiercely. “Who said I wanted to make anything work? It was just a spur of the moment thing, you arrogant jock.”
It kind of formed from there. They’d find hidden places around the school to test it out a little more, deeper kisses, hotter taste. Then that wasn’t enough. And so it turned to this. Cheesy movies. Cheesy drive-in. Sweat and lust in the back of his dad’s SUV.
“Mmmm…” He hears her murmur now as his deep tunneling kisses swallow away her sweet-tart lip gloss.
“Cherries.” He whispers.
“Yeah…oh…” He’s pressed hard against. They’ve yet to have sex of any kind, although a few times they’ve removed parts of clothing and gotten into some type of foreplay without the whipped cream of dessert. But each time they come it gets hotter, and their bodies grind a little more. She’s wearing short shorts and so her thighs are pressing against his Bermudas. She can feels where he’s hard, sometimes shies away from it, sometimes yanks him closer to her.
“Mmm…oh…”
“Ahhh…yeah…”
Her mouth comes up to his as he goes down lower, wetly kissing until it’s nothing more than like sucking a sucker and biting down because you’re too impatient to get to the best part.
“Oohhh…” Every sensation felt is him. She wants to keep it this way forever. Arthur’s body is lean, but muscled too and so it has bolster. She loves that really. Oh yeah. Maybe she despises his ways around school, his governing of it, but his firm chest, his sinew of arms, those hard worked thighs, that tight ass, he’s a sultry dream come true.
And beyond she loves unbuttoning the top of his shirts and licking his fine golden chest hairs. The push and the pull of his muscle…oh…that’s divine.
Fuck where her fingers are, clenching his lower posterior. If she gets too daring he’s going to have to swat them away. For now his hands mold her curvaceous body. His fingers press into the opening of her dipping halter and fondle the top of her breasts. Thank everything up above she isn’t some demure little polyanna. Maybe Gwen acts a little shyly at school, but in the back of his dad’s SUV, she is carnal exploration. Her breath against his cheek. Her hot air of lust. Oh he wants this always. No more sweet little prom dates. Just this everlasting fucking good drive to hot madness.
It is burning outside. Still a sticky hot 90 degrees. And yet it is 100 above inside the SUV. They can’t stop, rocking and pushing against each other. Pulling into. Her tongue rolling past his. Swallowing it all up like the most precious sweet candy.
Oh…maybe this could turn to something more?
Fuck it he doesn’t care.
She doesn’t either.
Not now. Not yet.
Just…keep
Coming to the drive-in.
Keep
coming
Keep not watching the movie.
Keep laying back.
Keep driving into each other.
All the way until the brink.
All the way to sticky sweet hot pleasure.
*High School Secret Favor.*
********************
Mother Nature’s Son
Written for: ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0
Prompt: railise- mother nature’s son
Era: late 60’s, Vietnam War
Characters: A/G, Elyan, mentions others
Rating/Warning: R / swearing, sex, war talk, tragedy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sixties were a drag and a half when you were one day from sealing your fate and some stupid hippie band was outside your college dorm window singing their hippie songs.
Lazy flower children doing nothing but crooning about love while they got high off their marijuana. Did they have any idea what it was like to be raised by Uther Pendragon? Pushing at you, pulling you to not be a disgrace, a coward. He glared at the packed suitcase.
Had it in the bag. Hitch a ride to Canada. Escape it. Not that he was afraid of a fight. He knew how to defend himself. But when some of his friends came back from the war {they were sure to win} without legs, missing arms, burns covering their face and the screams, the horrid screams they let out when sleep didn’t come, well that could make the strongest man quake in his shoes to not go to Vietnam.
“Brother…spare a dime for the homeless?”
Shit. He pushed past and down the stairs. Stupid hippy band was singing ‘Happy Together’ now, a man on vocals. Pissed Arthur off righteously. Had to be something in the campus rules that didn’t allow this.
Great. They were changing songs again. Now some-
Arthur stopped his rantings of thought.
He stopped altogether.
She was sitting upon the ground, fingering a guitar and letting the words come out from a pair of luscious lips. Her dark curls of hair, long and flowing, fluttered around her head in the light breeze. They were barely contained by a jeweled band. Her skin wasn’t really white, but not all that dark either. It was like this in between of finding the sun’s kisses.
Fuck…what was he thinking?
She kept singing it. ‘Mother Nature’s Son’ Pretty little Beatles ballad. Pretty the way she sung it anyway.
It was foolish, but he made his way forward. She didn’t dance around like some crazy tambourine woman. She just sang in that voice of angels with her eyes closed, so at repose, at peace. He wished suddenly he could have that kind of stillness.
“You mind stop staring at my sister? College boy.”
There was a sneer in that. A challenge. Arthur squared his shoulders at the man with the Afro hairdo and bell bottom jeans.
Suddenly she was there though, standing firmly, and yet quietly intervening. “Elyan, peace. He wasn’t doing anything to me." She extended her hand. “Hi…I’m Gwen. Do you want to join us?”
She was just inviting him in. So weird.
So weird even more that he accepted.
****
So weird beyond that 24 hours later they were lying on the ground together, naked under a pair of blankets.
“When do you go?”
He was pressing kisses upon her upper body. Talking in between lazily. Never felt so calm. So at peace.
Not until her.
Not until her had he ever thought of fucking upon the dried grasses of the woodlands beyond his school. Never had it felt so damn good. Making him shake for moments like everything was going to break, but then oh her sweet wetness around him, pulsing, loving.
“Day after next.”
She let out a pained sigh at that, caressing his face with her hands, her bouncing breasts teasing his skin awfully. “I wish you didn’t have to. You know what happens there? That’s why Merlin and Elyan, Gwaine and I…we sing to keep you boys home. Songs of peace and love. I know you think they’re silly. But too many have already perished. NO more. NO more war. No more.”
He lost it then. He buried his head into her arms. Sobbed against her round breasts. “I’m scared. I’ve hardly ever been scared in my life. But I’m scared now. Guinevere…I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go to that strange place that my friends come back from, never the same again. And some don’t even come back from. Some just rot there. But if I told him that, he’d call me a coward. He’d say I’m a disgrace.”
"Shhhh…oh Arthur…Born a poor boy country’s son…Mother Nature’s son…find me in my fields of grass…la la la…”
She rocked him in her arms then. And he whispered. “I love you.”
He had only met her hours ago, like a day, and yet they talked and talked, and then they fucked hard. Then soft. And now she holds him. And he cries. And she sings to him, strokes his hair back as he shakes violently in her arms.
“Mother Nature’s son…la…”
***
The day after next he goes.
After receiving many honors, after many love letters a year later his platoon is hit.
And he falls into nature. His blood like a river surrounding it.
*Mother nature’s son.*
********************
Under My Skin
Written for: ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0
Prompt: a_g_doren- Guinevere and Elena are good friends. What happens when Arthur, Elena’s date can’t take his eyes off Guinevere?
Era: 1940’s, pre-World War II
Characters: A/G, Elena, mention of Gwaine, Elyan
Rating: PG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, so this was wrong. He couldn’t help it though. The first time Elena introduced them he just couldn’t take his eyes off of her. It coursed through him, this need to get to know her, to touch her to…
Oh damn. He wanted to kiss her.
He wanted to kiss his date’s best friend who was accompanied by another. What was wrong with him? Arthur felt like tearing his hairs out. How could he be so easily seduced, and she barely even spoke five words to him. Hello…thank you…those kinds of things. And yet, oh baby, he wanted her to be his baby.
Crazy man, so crazy.
Just the thought of her. And his tongue started to tangle. She was not only in his mind, but dug deep within his skin. Usually a cool cat, he was perspiring now like some randy dandy loser. Every time he went to sleep he pictured her. At work she kind of just cascaded into the printing material. It was sickness, crazy love sickness.
“Arthur?”
Oh, was he found? Was his treachery now going to be blasted back at him by the lovely Elena?
“Did you hear me?”
Fixing his tie, he shook his head, trying to not look so crazily suspicious. It was one of those shindigs that the town sometimes had for charity and whatnot. Happening tonight at the famed Palace of Ascetir. It was the most happening club in town these days. And this night everyone was dressed to the nines, men in black tie, women in those glamour gowns that made men’s heads spin. A fantastic jazz, band, The Knights, playing in the background, everyone was hoofing it up on the dance floor.
And now Elena wanted to also. Oh man.
Look over there. She was dancing with her date. Oh that beautiful goddess.
Put him in the slammer. He had it bad.
So damn bad.
Eyes for another. Heaven was looking like a far away prospect. The pitchfork was teasingly gleefully.
“Yeah, let’s go dance.” He grabbed Elena’s hand spontaneously, seeing that the goddess was still out there. The goddess Guinevere. That was her name. Oh Elena told him that she and all their other friends just called her Gwen, but Guinevere he was first told by the woman herself, and well that stuck with him hard. Wouldn’t forget it.
Oh what a woman. The closer they got to her and the middle of the floor, those horns blowing in his ears, those drums beating a snazzy little beat, he witnessed it. She was a wearing a pretty little number, a satiny crepe evening gown of claret that barely let out her silver crystal heels. It tapered off her shoulders with thick bunching straps, but no sleeves, revealing her cocoa sun shaded skin. It flowed evenly downward and bunched right underneath her breasts, at her waistline with a black belt that had those crystal accents for a mock buckle.
How did he know all this? Well his mother was a designer of fashion. She would have loved a gown like this one. For Arthur, the finishing accent of crystal around her neck, earrings too, and a barrette that held back some of her curls of hair, she was just beauTIful. Yeah accent that TI.
“If you looked at me that way I’d say you were in love or complete infatuation.”
Arthur heard the threatening comment and turned to Elena. He started to protest, to say no, but then, he couldn’t do it. Elena was a beautiful woman, inside and out, just as caring of the less fortunate as the gorgeous Guinevere. That’s why they did the work together. And here he was acting like a total heel. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just met her and I-
“Gwen?” Elena asked with a tiny smile.
“Yeah. Honey, it’s nothing against you.” He admired her gorgeously golden gown, her vanilla skin, and how elegant she looked. “You’re the tops-
Elena quietly put her hand on his mouth, but her expression was not one of pain thank goodness, just acceptance. “Well surprise. Because I knew. I saw how you looked at Gwen when I introduced you two. It was like she was the only person in the room. Your eyes just couldn’t look away. I knew then. And so I let it go.
Until now.”
“Elena-
She pressed her hand against his chest. “Let me finish.”
He nodded with abashment.
“I didn’t bring you here Arthur tonight to be with me. I brought you to be with her.”
“What?”
Elena smiled warmly. “I’m a romantic. What can I say? Two birds fall in love and I can’t stand in the way of that.”
“But…she’s here with someone else. Someone-
Elena shook her head, drawing Arthur near. “That’s her brother, Arthur. Elyan. He agreed to escort her for the first part. And see over there…”
Arthur looked, seeing one of his good friends. “Gwaine?” He asked with shock. “What’s he doing here?”
Elena pointed to herself. “I invited him. You introduced us and after I already knew you had fallen for Gwen…well…he’s not so bad to gaze upon for one thing. He likes to have fun. And we enjoy talking…and tonight I’m imagining dancing. So uh…if you don’t mind…”
Arthur laughed, grasping her waist with fast meaning. “Elena you are an eleven on a scale of 1 to 10. I could kiss you.”
Elena smiled, putting it out there. “Okay, but on the cheek. I have a feeling you’d like to reserve the lips for someone else.”
“But what if she…I mean why would she have her brother only escort her for part of the time? Why is she here with him?”
Elena’s look was sly and firm. “Well Arthur you won’t know the answer to that will you if you don’t ask her. Now look. There goes her brother. She’s all alone. But she won’t be for long if you just stand here. A woman like Gwen, men flock to.”
“Like they flock to you too.” Arthur stated warmly, giving her that kiss on the check. “Thank you Elena.”
“Have a good time.”
“You too.”
They separated, Elena headed to the fun loving Gwaine, and Arthur moving toward the alone, but beautiful Gwen.
“Hello.”
She turned around to face him, smiling warmly. “Oh hello Arthur. I’m so glad you came to help. The children of Albion’s Hospital will benefit so well from people like you giving so much.”
Arthur shrugged. “Well you and Elena started it all.”
Gwen just nodded. Arthur bit at his lip, so nervous and not really sure why. He never got tongue tied with women, but this one…
“Um, I see your date left.”
Gwen stared at him for a moment and then laughed. “Oh Elyan, yeah actually he’s my brother.”
“I know.”
She looked at him questioningly and so Arthur told her, everything about him and Elena, how he liked her very much, but there was another woman who he couldn’t keep his eyes off. And so Gwen asked him who that was, and Arthur told her as the band began to play Frank Sinatra’s “Under my Skin,”
“It’s you Guinevere. It’s like you drove an arrow straight through my heart the first time I saw you. Never believed in love at first sight…until meeting you.”
Gwen stared at him for a long time and Arthur wondered if he just totally blew it. Panicking, he started to say, “Look, I know that maybe makes me sound like some nutjob, but really I’m not. I just felt that way when-
“Arthur.” She cut through his ramblings.
“Huh?”
“Kiss me.”
“What?” He asked
And she rolled her eyes. “Oh you silly man…KISS me. Or here…” She brought her hands up, circling his shoulders. “How about I kiss you?”
And so she did. She told him that she must be the same kind of nutjob because she felt exactly the same way. First meet. First love. And she nearly begged Elena to get him here tonight. And now that he was…
“I just want to dance all night in your arms.” She whispered when the kiss was over and they both were smiling with wonder, letting out ‘wow’s, their eyes hardly able to look away from each other.
“Your wish is my command…and pleasure.” He told her, and they moved against each other slowly, letting out sighs of contentment, and falling ever so deeply in love.
Oh he most definitely had her under his skin, and as for she, vice versa.