Mad For You (2/3)
Yes, it's a Neville misquote, I'm not good at titles! Anyway, I wrote this quite quickly, kept forgetting to edit it. And here it is, my Merlin/Harry Potter crossover, all based on the revelation from Pottermore that "Merlin was a Slytherin". Enjoy!
Title: Mad For You
Author:
weepingwillow9
Disclaimer: Merlin is very definitely not mine
Characters: Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Gwaine, Morgana, Elaine(OC), Gwen, Morgause, Cenred, and others
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin/Lancelot/Gwaine, Morgana/Elaine(OC)
Warnings: Menage a quatre, bad Harry Potter references, and a little bit of Gwen hate (for totally legitimate reasons, please see S4 E1+2)
Spoilers: None, I reference some episodes, but not so much that it'll plotspoil
Rating: NC-17
Length: 19788
Summary: In which there is magic, quidditch, and much obliviousness
Part One
Morgana meets Elaine in the Potions room as usual.
“Textbook?” Elaine says, and Morgana fumbles in her bag. But instead of a book, she comes out with a slab of chocolate about the same size.
“Morgana…?” She passes the chocolate over to Elaine, holding it up so she can see the icing that says Thank You, Elaine!
“You did say to pay you in chocolate.”
So Elaine starts laughing, eyes wide, and takes the chocolate.
“Thank you! But you really, really didn’t need to.”
“I know… but that’s how much you doing this means to me.”
Elaine quietens, and puts the chocolate down slowly, carefully, an almost hesitant smile on her face.
“Thank you. But I meant it, you didn’t need to, I get a lot out of this too.”
And Morgana isn’t going to push, but maybe, just maybe Elaine means something similar to what she’s feeling. And that makes her smile wider, secret, hiding it from Elaine under the pretence of setting up the cauldron.
Elaine takes a breath, deep, Morgana notices it over the sound of the fire. And then there’s a touch, warm and barely there, on her arm, turning her, and Elaine leans in and reaches around her and holds her. Morgana breathes in, holds the feeling, the smell of her hair, and breathes out, to let her go.
“I’m going to have a party over the Christmas holidays. Want to come?”
She isn’t, she hasn’t planned anything. But she’ll square it with Uther easily, because he’s hopeless to deny her something like that. Because she can’t bear that long without Elaine, and they’re not really close enough to invite her round just together. Morgana has a feeling she might say no, to protect herself from falling, or from Lance’s worry.
“I’d love to,” Elaine says, surprised.
“Good, I’ll give you details when they’re finalised.”
Elaine beams, and Morgana realises just what a wonderful but wonderfully stupid idea she’s had.
*
Gwaine rakes his eyes over the Slytherin table, looking for a Merlin to flirt with, but then. Then he sees him, and he has his tongue down Edwin’s throat, and bile wells up from Gwaine’s stomach. He heads over to Gryffindor table, as if that was his original destination, sitting a little way off from the two supposedly happy couples. When Morgana walks in he waves her over to sit with him.
“So… Merlin and Edwin… how long’s that been brewing?”
She spins in her seat, eyes wide, hair flying, until she spots them.
“It hasn’t. It hasn’t been brewing at all.”
Suspicious, Morgana stands up, slowly.
“I had wondered. I’d thought maybe I could ask him out but… well, that’s not happening if he’s going out with Edwin now.”
“You were?” Her eyes lock onto him, and Gwaine finds himself frowning.
“Yes… problem?”
“Hold that thought.”
Without so much as a goodbye, Morgana walks off, heading for where Merlin seems to be having the back of his throat explored.
It’s not what he thought a kiss would be, exactly, but it’s nice enough. He’d prefer another tongue pushing its way around his mouth, but it’s all Merlin’s going to get, and he’s going to have to be happy with that. That is, until Morgana gets a hold of the sleeve of his robes and pulls him backwards.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Merlin?”
Merlin, confused, turns up to look at her, about to protest because Edwin’s hand had been crawling up his thigh and he’d been about to suggest an alcove. But she’s got her angry battle-Morgana face on, vengeance and retribution incarnate, so he stays quiet. Edwin, however, gets the full force of her glare, sitting and withdrawing under his scars and the table, seeming a lot smaller than he is.
“You, Merlin, are coming with me. And Edwin, you can consider yourself dumped. Merlin’s been feeling a little weak in the head recently.”
They both open their mouths to protest, and all Morgana has to do is hold up one finger to silence them. Clenching the other fist, she gives Merlin’s robes a good tug, pulling him out of his seat and frogmarching him all the way to the nearest broom cupboard.
“And what exactly was that meant to achieve?”
“They’re all straight,” he whines, mouth dangerously close to a pout.
“So you thought you’d just go out with the one guy you know to be gay, even though he’s insufferable and wants to test out his insect magic on me?”
Morgana has her hands on her hips, and her voice lowers, like it does when she’s about to do something frightening that Merlin really doesn’t like.
“Sorry, Morgana,” he mutters, “I wasn’t really thinking. Just wanted someone, you know?”
“Oh, baby, of course I know,” she says, voice turned soft, gathering him in to her, “But you know what? You’re lucky I like you, or else I wouldn’t tell you that Gwaine was going to ask you out.”
“He- what- hang on, he was?”
“I think you’ve got some explaining to do, darling.”
*
Lance aches. And yes, Elaine’s sprawled over his lap and the parts of the chair that he’s not occupying, and that doesn’t help because she’s the wrong person, but that’s not it.
The problem is Merlin. Because Lance had thought he was straight. With the amount of time he spends with the beautiful Morgana, anyone would think he was hoping for an in. But now, obviously not.
And Lance can’t help but think that it could have been him kissing those full lips, holding all the energy and laughter and rightness that is Merlin close to his chest. Except that it would never be him, because he’s too afraid to ask. Afraid that Merlin would say no, or that his life and his friends, which he happens to like, would be different. It doesn’t make it any easier to remember, though, the way Edwin’s hands were all over Merlin, rough and proprietary, when Merlin deserves gentleness and love.
And of course there’s Arthur and Gwen now. The final nail in the coffin for the hope that Lance should never have had of being his, and of being able to call Arthur’s bravery and shield of arrogance his own in turn, of being able to prise it out of Arthur’s fingers and find the man inside, whole and not just in glimpses.
There’s still Gwaine, but there’s no way of telling what he’d say to advances from Lance. Because he flirts with just about everyone, and the only way to work out who he actually likes would be to measure the amount of flirting and, well, only Gwaine himself or a stalker would be able to do that. And it’s a pity, because he’s gorgeous and fun and so very overconfident, but under it he’s such a perfectly caring person.
And the ache just grows the more Lance worries it. Elaine’s got a wizarding chess game going with Morgana, who she’s somehow managed to coax into the disused classroom with them. They’re supposed to be working as a team against her, but Lance can’t concentrate. Whenever Elaine leaves a move down to him, their pieces are cut down, viciously hacked to pieces by the black knights.
*
Ravenclaw play Slytherin that weekend. It’s a matter of points, to see how high the teams will sit in the rankings, because there’s no way Ravenclaw can win now Gryffindor have beaten them. But Elaine still manages to instil some sense of competition into her team, and they troop out onto the pitch for her to shake hands with Merlin. He seems distracted, and Elaine can only assume it’s due to his breakup with Edwin. Thankfully he’s no longer on the team, since Simkins has made a full recovery. That could have been awkward. So Elaine squeezes his hand a little harder than usual in reassurance before they mount their brooms.
It’s the last game before winter falls heavy, before the weather is too bad for any more Quidditch to safely be played. They begin in a high wind, whipping the players robes around them in streams like banners or ribbons. It steals the crowd noise, making it easier for Elaine to zone into the game and the position of the quaffle and the players around her. She scores twice, three times, before the rain starts in earnest. Though Slytherin has the quaffle, she pulls her wand out and casts a few spells to keep her warm and relatively comfortable. In this weather, the snitch will be hard to spot and the game will drag out.
Still, it isn’t long until her hair’s plastered to her head, her ponytail heavy and painful when it whips at her when she changes speed or direction too quickly. The clouds thicken, and the pitch darkens, the wind picking up. She scores again, but it’s too dark and too noisy for her to see or hear the bludger heading towards her.
It collides with the back of her head and she goes unconscious immediately, dropping from the sky like a stone. She’s limp as she falls, from higher than the top of the stands, since play had spiralled up and up into the sky.
In the stands, Morgana watches in horror. Before she knows what she’s doing, she’s standing, and screaming, arms outstretched in front of her, and Elaine slows to stop mere feet from the ground. The rest of the crowd cranes to see if she’s alright, and the match pauses in the air above them until Ravenclaw remembers exactly what Elaine would do to them if they gave up without her and fly the quaffle straight to the Slytherin hoops.
Morgana pushes between spectators, jumping two steps at once, sprinting onto the pitch to Elaine. She plucks her out of the air, kneeling on the sodden ground and cradling Elaine to her, stroking her hair back. It’s only when Lancelot arrives next to her that she realises that she’s been murmuring a litany of no, no, Elaine, come on, Elaine.
“Madam Pomfrey’s on her way,” he tells her, crouching next to her and checking Elaine’s pulse. It seems fine.
He studies Morgana for a moment, then nods, almost to himself.
“When she’s well again, I’ll end this. Treat her well, Morgana.”
“I-” her eyes are wide and blessed when she looks up at him, “I will.”
The moment is only broken when Madam Pomfrey breaks them away from Elaine, bustling around her, checking her, before lifting her in the air like a stretcher, taking her to the hospital wing.
“You can visit in a few hours. Until then, I have work to do.”
*
When Elaine comes round, it’s to the sight of her team gathered round her and Madam Pomfrey telling them, sternly, only five minutes then out, the lot of you, she needs rest.
“Hey,” she croaks, “Who won?”
“Slytherin,” her Keeper tells her, “But it was close. Merlin was just too quick with the snitch.”
“It’s alright, I’m sure you did well without me. You’re a great team.”
Her voice sounds weaker in her ears than intended, so she falls quiet and smiles, watching a slight commotion at the back of the crowd. Lance, Morgana, Arthur, Gwaine and Merlin push through the team, and stand over her. Lance takes one hand, loose, in his, and Morgana squeezes her other tight between both of her hands.
“Hey, sweetie,” Lance murmurs, leaning down to kiss her forehead, and Elaine smiles, but never takes her eyes from Morgana.
“You’re awake.”
“Yeah.”
“How’re you feeling?”
“Apparently much better than if someone hadn’t slowed my fall.”
Morgana blushes a little, averting her eyes.
“What is it?”
“That was me.”
Elaine squeezes her hand back, softly. Morgana looks back up, and all Elaine can see in her face is embarrassment, because she’d clearly not meant to say.
“Thank you,” Elaine tells her.
The moment stretches on, Morgana’s lips just slightly parted, eyes locked on Elaine, Elaine lying still and fixed on Morgana. And then Madam Pomfrey’s shooing them out, and their connection shatters.
“She does need to sleep, you know.”
“You’d better get well soon, Elaine,” Gwaine calls, and Elaine’s left to fall back into sleep with a smile on her face.
*
Merlin takes Gwaine’s hand and tugs him away from the others, down a narrow corridor, as they’re leaving the hospital wing.
“I think I owe you an apology.”
“Oh?” Gwaine frowns, thinking back, trying to place a time when Merlin’s done something that would warrant an apology. He can’t place anything.
“Morgana told me you were going to ask me out, before my stupid thing with Edwin.”
“Oh, no, that’s fine!” Gwaine says, half laughing, half shrugging, “Water under the bridge, mate. You’re not interested, that’s no reason for a-”
Merlin’s lips silence him, pressed firm and unmoving against his, hands gripping his shoulders. Gently, hesitantly, Gwaine moves his still parted lips over Merlin’s. That brings out a shaky little sound, caught between a whine and a moan, so Gwaine does it again, and nibbles a little on his bottom lip for good measure. And then Merlin’s pressing himself up close, mouth open and tongue searching. It doesn’t last long, just enough for Gwaine to want more.
“But I am interested. And I was an idiot, because I thought you were just being nice, because why else would you want to flirt with me?” Merlin tells him, eyes wide.
“Merlin, you’re gorgeous.” He blushes a shade of pink that has Gwaine only wanting him more. Gwaine cleares his throat. “Merlin, will you go out with me?”
“I thought the answer was pretty obvious.”
Gwaine takes hold of his waist and pulls him back even further into the corridor.
“Oh good.”
*
The entrance into the Ravenclaw common room is easy to negotiate, for those who know where it is. And Morgana knows - there’s little in the castle that gets past her. She’s good at riddles, so she solves the one the knocker gives her easily.
All conversations stop when a Slytherin walks into their space, and Morgana rolls her eyes.
“Please. I’m only here to see Elaine. Where is she?”
“You can’t be here,” one of the prefects tells her.
“I can and I am. Madam Pomfrey said she needed to be watched, and frankly I only trust myself to do it. I’m not going to hurt any of you by being here, so you may as well just get on with showing me to my friend.”
A Prefect smiles, and he beckons to Morgana.
“Her dormitory’s through here. Take care of her.”
Morgana’s too hurried to grace that with an answer, just climbs the few stairs and heads straight for Elaine’s bed. Nimueh’s perched on the edge of the bed, fingers curling through Elaine’s hair, and there would be nothing wrong with that except that Morgana’s so jealous that she got there first. And not only that; she doubts that Nimueh wants any more than to get into Elaine’s pants. She’d have a beautiful girlfriend and the popularity that comes with dating the Quidditch Captain. And Morgana can’t let that happen, because Elaine deserves so much more; someone who loves all that she is, someone like Morgana.
Well, really she deserves better than Morgana, but since Morgana’s there she’ll try and be all she should for Elaine.
“Hey, sweetie.”
“Morgana?” Elaine asks, eyes opening slowly.
“Yeah, it is me.”
“But you’re a Slytherin!”
“Hush, I’ll tell you about it later.”
She takes the side of the bed opposite to Nimueh, and Elaine’s hand and attention.
“I’ve come to look after you.”
“You shouldn’t have. I’m fine.”
“You’re not, sweetie. And I don’t trust anyone who’s not me to keep you safe.”
“Well, you did stop my fall.” Elaine smiles, fond, and turns to Nimueh. Her smile is imperceptibly colder. “Morgana’s come all this way, and I know you have work to do. Go on, we’ll manage without you.”
Nimueh has no real choice but to leave, shooting Morgana a glare on her way out. Morgana smiles sweetly, then turns back to Elaine.
“Thank you, she was driving me insane.”
“I’m glad. Not that she was annoying you! That you don’t like her.”
Elaine laughs, quiet and thoughtful.
“Yeah, she can be a bitch.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Just sleep. Madam Pomfrey says to wake me up every hour.”
“I can do that,” Morgana says, and falls quiet. When she’s sure Elaine’s asleep she leans in and kisses her, just softly, just on her forehead.
“Get well soon, love.”
*
Lance could kick himself, when he hears about Gwaine and Merlin. He’s managed to misjudge a guy he’s known and fancied for years, and another, whose signs were there for anyone to read. His only consolation is that he has no way of telling if they liked him in the slightest.
It’s more and more difficult to keep up the pretence, though, as time goes on. Elaine and Morgana seem linked inextricably together, especially after the Quidditch accident. Watching them, Lance knows that he can’t continue to keep them apart, but a selfish part of him clings to the shield that Elaine provides. He hates that part of him; it disgusts him that he can’t just be content with her happiness. And in the end, that’s why he ends it with Elaine.
She still sits on the Gryffindor table in preference to Ravenclaw, and they’re still close, so nothing really changes except the touching.
*
It’s winter cold before Arthur’s resolve brittles like the frost bitten leaves, and he allows his friends’ words inside, and realises the truth of them. It’s cruel to Gwen to lead her on, to let her hope for something he can’t ever give. Besides, Merlin and Gwaine have revealed they’re gay, and the world hasn’t collapsed around them.
He finds Morgana, and prepares himself for a lecture.
“I’ve been an idiot,” he tells her, voice low so he can pretend he’s not saying it.
“You’re gay,” she says, and Arthur’s shocked enough to let the rest of the conversation just run by him. She’s clearly been thinking since they last spoke about Gwen.
“I- um- yeah, but Father would never-”
“Oh, damn your Father, and damn the consequences! It’s you who matters, Arthur. And if you want something, you can bloody well go for it!”
Arthur would argue. He really would. But, though it’s against everything he’s ever believed, ever thought he needs from life, Morgana seems to make sense. Besides, she’s just seen through all his defences as easily as if they were glass.
Something in his face must show his confusion, because Morgana softens.
“Hey. How would you prefer to spend your life; with your father disappointed in you, or with you disappointed in yourself?”
He sees her point, and almost smiles. After all, his father’s disappointment is a constant. He may as well live his life the way he wants it.
“I suppose I’ve got a relationship to end.”
“Yes, you have. Be tactful.”
He heads off, to look for Gwen.
*
Two days before the end of term and the Hufflepuff house table has only just stopped glaring at Gryffindor.
“What did you do, Arthur?” Elaine asks, head twisting to check for thrown knives.
“I don’t know! I was really nice about it, too.”
Gwaine rolls his eyes, because nice for Arthur isn’t nice for everyone else. But he probably did try his best, judging on the look of complete contrition that’s been plastered to his face for the past two weeks.
“They’re a protective lot,” Lance reminds him, soothing, “You wouldn’t have had to do much.”
“Just dump one of their own,” Elaine teases, “That’ll get them riled up.”
She smiles over at Arthur, soft, and he relaxes a little. Because nothing’s really changed. He hasn’t actually come out yet, but not having a girlfriend and knowing he’s gay is alright, it hasn’t got him snogging the first guy who walks his way, and all his friends still like him.
Morgana smiles at Elaine like she said the kindest and most tactful thing possible, a look which everyone seems to notice but Elaine, far too interested in the muffins to notice anything else.
Gwaine pulls Merlin into his lap in the lull, and Merlin squeals a little from shock. Lance and Arthur sigh, but so quietly that no one would notice over the commotion from Gwaine and Merlin’s ensuing tickle fight.
“You’re all coming to the party, right?” Morgana asks, voice raised slightly, eyes on Elaine in particular.
They all say yes, or at least nod. Morgana smiles. It should be good. She’s been planning it ever since the idea first hit.
*
Camelot, the Pendragon family home, closer to a mansion than a house, is covered in a five inch blanket of snow when the guests start to arrive. Thankfully the roads have been kept clear, or else most of the muggle born portion of Morgana’s friends would be helpless to get there. The rest are travelling by Floo powder, arriving in the huge fireplace in the entrance hall, which could by all rights be blocked off and act as a room itself.
Elaine steps out of the blaze of green fire, broom under one arm and bags falling off her other shoulder. She’s one of the few invited to stay overnight after the party and, knowing her as Morgana does, she’s probably brought far too much. Before Elaine trips and falls and hurts herself, Morgana sends George the house-elf off to her, walking over herself.
“Elaine!” She catches a satchel and hands it to George, “So glad you’re here!”
“Thank you,” Elaine says, bending over to George’s height and smiling at him, before turning to Morgana and throwing her arms around her. George, in his neatly tied scarf and tiny blue shirt, makes an almost surprised noise and smiles up at Elaine, before disappearing off with her bags, taking especial care.
When Elaine pulls back from her, Morgana can get a good look at her outfit. And she’s beautiful, in a navy blue dress and red heels.
“Not too sailor?”
“Far too beautiful to be too sailor,” Morgana tells her, and Elaine blushes.
“I don’t know, I could have sworn you were the beautiful one.”
Morgana grins, spinning in her amethyst dress, skirt and sleeves catching the breeze as if she could fly away. Elaine’s breath catches.
“The dress does wonders,” Morgana tells her, conspiratorial, “Now go and enjoy yourself, everyone’s through the door on the right. Lance’s parents got him here hours ago, poor thing, and he needs to be kept busy.”
When Morgana turns back from watching her go, she’s dismayed to see that Nimueh seems to have got hold of an invitation that gets her past the wards set up on the chimneys. But nothing can go wrong because of her. Morgana will make sure of that. She has plans, after all, and they will not be ruined.
*
The party is loud, mainly a little bit drunk, and thrumming. It’s in the main hall, only slightly decorated by Morgana with floating stars up in the vaulted wooden ceiling. In one corner of the room, Merlin and Gwaine are dancing close together, lips only leaving each other’s for breath or to kiss elsewhere. Morgana assumes that one of their rooms won’t be needed, but she doesn’t mind too much, since hopefully by the end of the evening she’ll have something similar, and there’s no need for jealousy.
She has it planned perfectly. Because she knew she’d be unable to resist Elaine at the start of the party, and asking her to dance straight away would seem a little creepy, she’s given herself a cue on the playlist. Half an hour of mingling, and then she’s allowed to look for Elaine. Which she does, after getting a couple of drinks from the kitchen, as an opening.
She walks out into the hall, only to see Elaine wrapped around Nimueh, lips and hips locked, closer even than Merlin and Gwaine. Her drink falls, and it’s a dangerous slippery mess, but Morgana doesn’t care, just heads straight into the kitchen to hide.
It’s another ten minutes until Merlin goes to join her.
“So. Elaine’s snogging Nimueh.”
“At my party! How could she?” Merlin slides up onto the counter next to Morgana and pulls her into his shoulder, stroking through her hair.
“It’s not like her at all, really, is it?”
“It’s not fair!”
Merlin sighs, pushing her away.
“You’re not listening, Morgana. It’s out of character. Which means…?”
“Something’s wrong…?”
“And who’s going to save Elaine?”
“Me?”
“Yes, Morgana, you. Can’t have me being the only one in a relationship, now, can we? Now, smell this.”
Merlin holds out the glass next to him to Morgana, and she takes a sniff, immediately regretting it. It smells overly sweet, like roses, and it’s definitely not something she’s been offering.
“That was Elaine’s glass,” Merlin tells her.
“A love potion?”
“Yes.”
“Merlin, you have to help me, I need an antidote!”
“No, you don’t. It’ll wear off eventually.”
“But Merlin!”
Merlin smiles, pulling her into a hug.
“If I made you an antidote, I’d be saving Elaine, not you. Besides, I have a boyfriend to snog. Better hope El’s tuition is paying off!”
Morgana glares at him, mostly not meaning it, as he walks away. As soon as he’s gone, she slides off the counter and runs off to tell Arthur he’s in charge. Since that goes well, really well, save for the actually wanting to get control of the house back again when she returns, she heads off upstairs to unpack and set up her cauldron, exactly how Elaine taught her.
*
Lance sidles over to Arthur, because he has no one else to ask.
“Why’s Elaine snogging Nimueh?”
“Morgana muttered something to do with a love potion.”
“Oh. Right.”
It’s reassuring, in a way. Because no one wants to see Elaine going out with Nimueh, that would mean having to hang out with her, and it wouldn’t exactly be the best of relationships for Elaine to be in. Nimueh’s too self-serving for her. But in another way, Lance almost wishes it were real. Because it was alright, watching her kiss a girl, leaving him exposed and unprotected. And he wanted that to have been the real thing.
Looking over at Lance, Arthur supposes the thing to do would be to kiss him, or at least ask him to dance. He’s gorgeous, in a blue shirt and grey jeans and a thoughtful look, and definitely kissable. But, unlike in all the films, there are complications. There’s the way Lance’s eyes keep drifting over to Elaine, almost like he misses her. And there’s the fact that Arthur’s too fucking scared of what his father would say. So he doesn’t.
Instead he returns the glare from Morgause and her minion-slash-fuck of the week, Cenred, and goes to get another drink.
*
Morgana grabs Arthur’s elbow as she leaves the kitchen and spins him round.
“But I want a drink!”
“You have more important things to be doing,” she tells him, marching him back into the room, “You have a Nimueh to distract.”
“But I-”
“Would love to do your sister and your dear friend Elaine a favour, alright?”
Arthur narrows his eyes, looking down at the glass she’s holding.
“What’s in that? You’re not going to accidentally poison El, are you?”
“I’ll try not to, but if I do, you know where Uther keeps the bezoars.”
Her voice is so wonderfully dry, and Arthur laughs.
“Alright. I’ll get Nimueh.” And he shakes Morgana free, going to grab Nimueh by the wrist.
“I don’t remember my sister giving you an invitation.”
He drags Nimueh away, and Elaine’s about to follow her, eyes wide, when Morgana manages to intercept.
“Hey sweetie. Nimueh asked me to tell you that she’s sorry she has to go, but she wants you to drink this.”
“Did she?” Elaine asks, voice high, taking the glass from Morgana.
“She says you’re to drink it all.”
And so Elaine does, downing it pretty impressively in one.
Morgana catches her when she falls, cradling her close to her chest.
Though the party goes on around them, everything seems quiet for Morgana, trained on every sound Elaine makes.
And then she breathes, deep and slow, and Morgana can force herself to stop panicking.
“Morgana? Did I just- oh, fuck, I did, didn’t I, and in front of everyone as well, that was about the single most stupid thing I have ever done, I’m really such an-”
It carries on, a low level of noise that Morgana just has to laugh her relief over. Except that she really needs to speak to Elaine, and the usual methods of shutting her up are failing. And Elaine’s just there, and she can’t resist it any more, so Morgana leans in and kisses her, soft and fleeting, before she sobers.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, I was taking advantage and it won’t happen again.”
“No. No! Do it again. That is… if you want to?”
Morgana grins, and leans in again.
It lasts for longer this time, lips still sealed against each other’s, because Morgana’s not sure how much more she can take, until Elaine’s mouth opens on a gasp and she licks in. They have to pull apart for breath soon after, sitting on the wooden floor, foreheads pressed together.
“We should probably get up. Dance or something.” Morgana gives Elaine a little tug upright, and she goes with her, with a sigh.
“Yeah, I suppose we should.”
They hold each other more than dance. This has been too long coming to do anything else, really.
*
By the fireplace, Arthur pulls his wand out of his pocket, pointing it firmly at Nimueh.
“I asked you to leave.”
“I don’t want to.”
Lance walks up next to him, twirling his wand between his fingers.
“I really think you should go.”
Neither of them send any spells her way, just stand there with folded arms until Elaine walks up between them.
“Really? You give me a love potion and you have the audacity to want to stick around? How dare you.”
She pulls her wand, too. And even Nimueh can’t fail to see that she has no chance, one person against three, and three of the best duellers of the school. She takes a pinch of Floo powder and drops the rest.
“Whoops.”
She throws her Floo powder into the fire, steps in, and speaks her address, disappearing with her middle finger still held up to them all.
Morgana wraps her arms around Elaine’s waist, resting her chin on her shoulder.
“You were great, El. Come back to dancing?”
As an answer, Elaine twists in Morgana’s arms and pushes her back into the hall.
*
Merlin pulls Gwaine upstairs long before the party’s finished. Upstairs, they can feel the music more than hear it, and only the baseline. Merlin knows the house well, has been visiting in the holidays since first year. So he knows exactly which room he’s in, and leads Gwaine straight to it.
“Hey,” he laughs, tugging on Merlin’s hand before he gets into the room, “What about my things?”
Merlin just laughs.
“Morgana’s not stupid, they’ll be in here.”
Gwaine smiles, dirty, and heads straight for his rucksack, pulling out condoms and lube and waving them at Merlin.
“Wow, someone’s presumptuous.”
Gwaine gives Merlin his best disapproving frown until Merlin pulls the condoms from his own bag.
“What can I say? You’re hot?”
Gwaine laughs, advancing on him.
“So are you, Merlin. So are you.”
He pushes Merlin back onto the bed, covering his mouth in kisses, and his body in Gwaine.
It’s not exactly the most co-ordinated, or the best, but it’s good enough. There are complications with belts and socks and elbows caught in tops, but they manage to get naked, remember to lock the door and how to work a condom, manage to get the lube open. After a whispered argument about who’s going to top, which reveals that neither of them really want to, but ends somehow with Merlin managing to persuade Gwaine to, they get Merlin opened up and relaxed. It involves a lot of giggling, and perhaps even more kissing, but somehow they get it right. They both come too quickly, moving slow and a little frightened of hurting each other, and overwhelmed by the trust and the hot-wet-tight-ness of it all.
Gwaine rests his head over Merlin’s chest, over his heart, as they come down, and they sleep close together, wrapped in each other’s arms. And both of them are too wrapped up in how good it feels to be aware that there’s something missing, something that would complete it all.
*
Elaine stays by Morgana’s side all evening, even while Morgana’s seeing off the guests who aren’t staying, even when she’s yawning near constantly and should really be in bed. Morgana points this out, but she waves it off.
“Don’t you want to show off your new girlfriend to everyone?”
And Morgana can allow that, because a warm ball of something she doesn’t want to put a name to but strongly suspects is love swells at that little bit of confirmation, so she pulls Elaine closer and waves at the next person who’s leaving.
And then someone’s broken their shoe, so Morgana runs off to help hunt for the heel, leaving Elaine alone and exposed.
She smiles to Morgause, because she’s Morgana’s half sister and it’s what’s expected. But instead of smiling back, Morgause just walks straight up to her, scowling.
“You break her heart, and I’ll break you.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Elaine bristles, and Morgause leans forward, eyes raking over her.
“I don’t approve of you.”
“Duly noted.”
“Morgause!” Morgana calls, falling into her arms. Strangely, she’s now smiling, “You’ve met Elaine!”
“I have.”
“I thought you were staying!”
“I can’t,” she looks at Elaine as if she’s the reason, which maybe she is, but it’s not due to hostility on Elaine’s side, “But you all have fun.”
“Oh, we will,” Elaine tells her, watching the green flames engulf her and Cenred, who follows after her like a dog.
Strangely, Elaine feels a lot more awake after that encounter.
They get changed into their pyjamas, still nervous of each other’s bare skin, and clean their teeth in Morgana’s ensuite. Elaine’s room is across the corridor from Morgana’s, but she never makes it there, pulled down to Morgana’s bed when she’s barely wiped the toothpaste from her mouth. They kiss the mint from each other’s mouths, learning the curve of lips, the line of teeth, the press of tongues.
They fall asleep like that, bedside lamp still turned on, barely a breath between them.
Part Three
Title: Mad For You
Author:
weepingwillow9
Disclaimer: Merlin is very definitely not mine
Characters: Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Gwaine, Morgana, Elaine(OC), Gwen, Morgause, Cenred, and others
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin/Lancelot/Gwaine, Morgana/Elaine(OC)
Warnings: Menage a quatre, bad Harry Potter references, and a little bit of Gwen hate (for totally legitimate reasons, please see S4 E1+2)
Spoilers: None, I reference some episodes, but not so much that it'll plotspoil
Rating: NC-17
Length: 19788
Summary: In which there is magic, quidditch, and much obliviousness
Part One
Morgana meets Elaine in the Potions room as usual.
“Textbook?” Elaine says, and Morgana fumbles in her bag. But instead of a book, she comes out with a slab of chocolate about the same size.
“Morgana…?” She passes the chocolate over to Elaine, holding it up so she can see the icing that says Thank You, Elaine!
“You did say to pay you in chocolate.”
So Elaine starts laughing, eyes wide, and takes the chocolate.
“Thank you! But you really, really didn’t need to.”
“I know… but that’s how much you doing this means to me.”
Elaine quietens, and puts the chocolate down slowly, carefully, an almost hesitant smile on her face.
“Thank you. But I meant it, you didn’t need to, I get a lot out of this too.”
And Morgana isn’t going to push, but maybe, just maybe Elaine means something similar to what she’s feeling. And that makes her smile wider, secret, hiding it from Elaine under the pretence of setting up the cauldron.
Elaine takes a breath, deep, Morgana notices it over the sound of the fire. And then there’s a touch, warm and barely there, on her arm, turning her, and Elaine leans in and reaches around her and holds her. Morgana breathes in, holds the feeling, the smell of her hair, and breathes out, to let her go.
“I’m going to have a party over the Christmas holidays. Want to come?”
She isn’t, she hasn’t planned anything. But she’ll square it with Uther easily, because he’s hopeless to deny her something like that. Because she can’t bear that long without Elaine, and they’re not really close enough to invite her round just together. Morgana has a feeling she might say no, to protect herself from falling, or from Lance’s worry.
“I’d love to,” Elaine says, surprised.
“Good, I’ll give you details when they’re finalised.”
Elaine beams, and Morgana realises just what a wonderful but wonderfully stupid idea she’s had.
*
Gwaine rakes his eyes over the Slytherin table, looking for a Merlin to flirt with, but then. Then he sees him, and he has his tongue down Edwin’s throat, and bile wells up from Gwaine’s stomach. He heads over to Gryffindor table, as if that was his original destination, sitting a little way off from the two supposedly happy couples. When Morgana walks in he waves her over to sit with him.
“So… Merlin and Edwin… how long’s that been brewing?”
She spins in her seat, eyes wide, hair flying, until she spots them.
“It hasn’t. It hasn’t been brewing at all.”
Suspicious, Morgana stands up, slowly.
“I had wondered. I’d thought maybe I could ask him out but… well, that’s not happening if he’s going out with Edwin now.”
“You were?” Her eyes lock onto him, and Gwaine finds himself frowning.
“Yes… problem?”
“Hold that thought.”
Without so much as a goodbye, Morgana walks off, heading for where Merlin seems to be having the back of his throat explored.
It’s not what he thought a kiss would be, exactly, but it’s nice enough. He’d prefer another tongue pushing its way around his mouth, but it’s all Merlin’s going to get, and he’s going to have to be happy with that. That is, until Morgana gets a hold of the sleeve of his robes and pulls him backwards.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Merlin?”
Merlin, confused, turns up to look at her, about to protest because Edwin’s hand had been crawling up his thigh and he’d been about to suggest an alcove. But she’s got her angry battle-Morgana face on, vengeance and retribution incarnate, so he stays quiet. Edwin, however, gets the full force of her glare, sitting and withdrawing under his scars and the table, seeming a lot smaller than he is.
“You, Merlin, are coming with me. And Edwin, you can consider yourself dumped. Merlin’s been feeling a little weak in the head recently.”
They both open their mouths to protest, and all Morgana has to do is hold up one finger to silence them. Clenching the other fist, she gives Merlin’s robes a good tug, pulling him out of his seat and frogmarching him all the way to the nearest broom cupboard.
“And what exactly was that meant to achieve?”
“They’re all straight,” he whines, mouth dangerously close to a pout.
“So you thought you’d just go out with the one guy you know to be gay, even though he’s insufferable and wants to test out his insect magic on me?”
Morgana has her hands on her hips, and her voice lowers, like it does when she’s about to do something frightening that Merlin really doesn’t like.
“Sorry, Morgana,” he mutters, “I wasn’t really thinking. Just wanted someone, you know?”
“Oh, baby, of course I know,” she says, voice turned soft, gathering him in to her, “But you know what? You’re lucky I like you, or else I wouldn’t tell you that Gwaine was going to ask you out.”
“He- what- hang on, he was?”
“I think you’ve got some explaining to do, darling.”
*
Lance aches. And yes, Elaine’s sprawled over his lap and the parts of the chair that he’s not occupying, and that doesn’t help because she’s the wrong person, but that’s not it.
The problem is Merlin. Because Lance had thought he was straight. With the amount of time he spends with the beautiful Morgana, anyone would think he was hoping for an in. But now, obviously not.
And Lance can’t help but think that it could have been him kissing those full lips, holding all the energy and laughter and rightness that is Merlin close to his chest. Except that it would never be him, because he’s too afraid to ask. Afraid that Merlin would say no, or that his life and his friends, which he happens to like, would be different. It doesn’t make it any easier to remember, though, the way Edwin’s hands were all over Merlin, rough and proprietary, when Merlin deserves gentleness and love.
And of course there’s Arthur and Gwen now. The final nail in the coffin for the hope that Lance should never have had of being his, and of being able to call Arthur’s bravery and shield of arrogance his own in turn, of being able to prise it out of Arthur’s fingers and find the man inside, whole and not just in glimpses.
There’s still Gwaine, but there’s no way of telling what he’d say to advances from Lance. Because he flirts with just about everyone, and the only way to work out who he actually likes would be to measure the amount of flirting and, well, only Gwaine himself or a stalker would be able to do that. And it’s a pity, because he’s gorgeous and fun and so very overconfident, but under it he’s such a perfectly caring person.
And the ache just grows the more Lance worries it. Elaine’s got a wizarding chess game going with Morgana, who she’s somehow managed to coax into the disused classroom with them. They’re supposed to be working as a team against her, but Lance can’t concentrate. Whenever Elaine leaves a move down to him, their pieces are cut down, viciously hacked to pieces by the black knights.
*
Ravenclaw play Slytherin that weekend. It’s a matter of points, to see how high the teams will sit in the rankings, because there’s no way Ravenclaw can win now Gryffindor have beaten them. But Elaine still manages to instil some sense of competition into her team, and they troop out onto the pitch for her to shake hands with Merlin. He seems distracted, and Elaine can only assume it’s due to his breakup with Edwin. Thankfully he’s no longer on the team, since Simkins has made a full recovery. That could have been awkward. So Elaine squeezes his hand a little harder than usual in reassurance before they mount their brooms.
It’s the last game before winter falls heavy, before the weather is too bad for any more Quidditch to safely be played. They begin in a high wind, whipping the players robes around them in streams like banners or ribbons. It steals the crowd noise, making it easier for Elaine to zone into the game and the position of the quaffle and the players around her. She scores twice, three times, before the rain starts in earnest. Though Slytherin has the quaffle, she pulls her wand out and casts a few spells to keep her warm and relatively comfortable. In this weather, the snitch will be hard to spot and the game will drag out.
Still, it isn’t long until her hair’s plastered to her head, her ponytail heavy and painful when it whips at her when she changes speed or direction too quickly. The clouds thicken, and the pitch darkens, the wind picking up. She scores again, but it’s too dark and too noisy for her to see or hear the bludger heading towards her.
It collides with the back of her head and she goes unconscious immediately, dropping from the sky like a stone. She’s limp as she falls, from higher than the top of the stands, since play had spiralled up and up into the sky.
In the stands, Morgana watches in horror. Before she knows what she’s doing, she’s standing, and screaming, arms outstretched in front of her, and Elaine slows to stop mere feet from the ground. The rest of the crowd cranes to see if she’s alright, and the match pauses in the air above them until Ravenclaw remembers exactly what Elaine would do to them if they gave up without her and fly the quaffle straight to the Slytherin hoops.
Morgana pushes between spectators, jumping two steps at once, sprinting onto the pitch to Elaine. She plucks her out of the air, kneeling on the sodden ground and cradling Elaine to her, stroking her hair back. It’s only when Lancelot arrives next to her that she realises that she’s been murmuring a litany of no, no, Elaine, come on, Elaine.
“Madam Pomfrey’s on her way,” he tells her, crouching next to her and checking Elaine’s pulse. It seems fine.
He studies Morgana for a moment, then nods, almost to himself.
“When she’s well again, I’ll end this. Treat her well, Morgana.”
“I-” her eyes are wide and blessed when she looks up at him, “I will.”
The moment is only broken when Madam Pomfrey breaks them away from Elaine, bustling around her, checking her, before lifting her in the air like a stretcher, taking her to the hospital wing.
“You can visit in a few hours. Until then, I have work to do.”
*
When Elaine comes round, it’s to the sight of her team gathered round her and Madam Pomfrey telling them, sternly, only five minutes then out, the lot of you, she needs rest.
“Hey,” she croaks, “Who won?”
“Slytherin,” her Keeper tells her, “But it was close. Merlin was just too quick with the snitch.”
“It’s alright, I’m sure you did well without me. You’re a great team.”
Her voice sounds weaker in her ears than intended, so she falls quiet and smiles, watching a slight commotion at the back of the crowd. Lance, Morgana, Arthur, Gwaine and Merlin push through the team, and stand over her. Lance takes one hand, loose, in his, and Morgana squeezes her other tight between both of her hands.
“Hey, sweetie,” Lance murmurs, leaning down to kiss her forehead, and Elaine smiles, but never takes her eyes from Morgana.
“You’re awake.”
“Yeah.”
“How’re you feeling?”
“Apparently much better than if someone hadn’t slowed my fall.”
Morgana blushes a little, averting her eyes.
“What is it?”
“That was me.”
Elaine squeezes her hand back, softly. Morgana looks back up, and all Elaine can see in her face is embarrassment, because she’d clearly not meant to say.
“Thank you,” Elaine tells her.
The moment stretches on, Morgana’s lips just slightly parted, eyes locked on Elaine, Elaine lying still and fixed on Morgana. And then Madam Pomfrey’s shooing them out, and their connection shatters.
“She does need to sleep, you know.”
“You’d better get well soon, Elaine,” Gwaine calls, and Elaine’s left to fall back into sleep with a smile on her face.
*
Merlin takes Gwaine’s hand and tugs him away from the others, down a narrow corridor, as they’re leaving the hospital wing.
“I think I owe you an apology.”
“Oh?” Gwaine frowns, thinking back, trying to place a time when Merlin’s done something that would warrant an apology. He can’t place anything.
“Morgana told me you were going to ask me out, before my stupid thing with Edwin.”
“Oh, no, that’s fine!” Gwaine says, half laughing, half shrugging, “Water under the bridge, mate. You’re not interested, that’s no reason for a-”
Merlin’s lips silence him, pressed firm and unmoving against his, hands gripping his shoulders. Gently, hesitantly, Gwaine moves his still parted lips over Merlin’s. That brings out a shaky little sound, caught between a whine and a moan, so Gwaine does it again, and nibbles a little on his bottom lip for good measure. And then Merlin’s pressing himself up close, mouth open and tongue searching. It doesn’t last long, just enough for Gwaine to want more.
“But I am interested. And I was an idiot, because I thought you were just being nice, because why else would you want to flirt with me?” Merlin tells him, eyes wide.
“Merlin, you’re gorgeous.” He blushes a shade of pink that has Gwaine only wanting him more. Gwaine cleares his throat. “Merlin, will you go out with me?”
“I thought the answer was pretty obvious.”
Gwaine takes hold of his waist and pulls him back even further into the corridor.
“Oh good.”
*
The entrance into the Ravenclaw common room is easy to negotiate, for those who know where it is. And Morgana knows - there’s little in the castle that gets past her. She’s good at riddles, so she solves the one the knocker gives her easily.
All conversations stop when a Slytherin walks into their space, and Morgana rolls her eyes.
“Please. I’m only here to see Elaine. Where is she?”
“You can’t be here,” one of the prefects tells her.
“I can and I am. Madam Pomfrey said she needed to be watched, and frankly I only trust myself to do it. I’m not going to hurt any of you by being here, so you may as well just get on with showing me to my friend.”
A Prefect smiles, and he beckons to Morgana.
“Her dormitory’s through here. Take care of her.”
Morgana’s too hurried to grace that with an answer, just climbs the few stairs and heads straight for Elaine’s bed. Nimueh’s perched on the edge of the bed, fingers curling through Elaine’s hair, and there would be nothing wrong with that except that Morgana’s so jealous that she got there first. And not only that; she doubts that Nimueh wants any more than to get into Elaine’s pants. She’d have a beautiful girlfriend and the popularity that comes with dating the Quidditch Captain. And Morgana can’t let that happen, because Elaine deserves so much more; someone who loves all that she is, someone like Morgana.
Well, really she deserves better than Morgana, but since Morgana’s there she’ll try and be all she should for Elaine.
“Hey, sweetie.”
“Morgana?” Elaine asks, eyes opening slowly.
“Yeah, it is me.”
“But you’re a Slytherin!”
“Hush, I’ll tell you about it later.”
She takes the side of the bed opposite to Nimueh, and Elaine’s hand and attention.
“I’ve come to look after you.”
“You shouldn’t have. I’m fine.”
“You’re not, sweetie. And I don’t trust anyone who’s not me to keep you safe.”
“Well, you did stop my fall.” Elaine smiles, fond, and turns to Nimueh. Her smile is imperceptibly colder. “Morgana’s come all this way, and I know you have work to do. Go on, we’ll manage without you.”
Nimueh has no real choice but to leave, shooting Morgana a glare on her way out. Morgana smiles sweetly, then turns back to Elaine.
“Thank you, she was driving me insane.”
“I’m glad. Not that she was annoying you! That you don’t like her.”
Elaine laughs, quiet and thoughtful.
“Yeah, she can be a bitch.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Just sleep. Madam Pomfrey says to wake me up every hour.”
“I can do that,” Morgana says, and falls quiet. When she’s sure Elaine’s asleep she leans in and kisses her, just softly, just on her forehead.
“Get well soon, love.”
*
Lance could kick himself, when he hears about Gwaine and Merlin. He’s managed to misjudge a guy he’s known and fancied for years, and another, whose signs were there for anyone to read. His only consolation is that he has no way of telling if they liked him in the slightest.
It’s more and more difficult to keep up the pretence, though, as time goes on. Elaine and Morgana seem linked inextricably together, especially after the Quidditch accident. Watching them, Lance knows that he can’t continue to keep them apart, but a selfish part of him clings to the shield that Elaine provides. He hates that part of him; it disgusts him that he can’t just be content with her happiness. And in the end, that’s why he ends it with Elaine.
She still sits on the Gryffindor table in preference to Ravenclaw, and they’re still close, so nothing really changes except the touching.
*
It’s winter cold before Arthur’s resolve brittles like the frost bitten leaves, and he allows his friends’ words inside, and realises the truth of them. It’s cruel to Gwen to lead her on, to let her hope for something he can’t ever give. Besides, Merlin and Gwaine have revealed they’re gay, and the world hasn’t collapsed around them.
He finds Morgana, and prepares himself for a lecture.
“I’ve been an idiot,” he tells her, voice low so he can pretend he’s not saying it.
“You’re gay,” she says, and Arthur’s shocked enough to let the rest of the conversation just run by him. She’s clearly been thinking since they last spoke about Gwen.
“I- um- yeah, but Father would never-”
“Oh, damn your Father, and damn the consequences! It’s you who matters, Arthur. And if you want something, you can bloody well go for it!”
Arthur would argue. He really would. But, though it’s against everything he’s ever believed, ever thought he needs from life, Morgana seems to make sense. Besides, she’s just seen through all his defences as easily as if they were glass.
Something in his face must show his confusion, because Morgana softens.
“Hey. How would you prefer to spend your life; with your father disappointed in you, or with you disappointed in yourself?”
He sees her point, and almost smiles. After all, his father’s disappointment is a constant. He may as well live his life the way he wants it.
“I suppose I’ve got a relationship to end.”
“Yes, you have. Be tactful.”
He heads off, to look for Gwen.
*
Two days before the end of term and the Hufflepuff house table has only just stopped glaring at Gryffindor.
“What did you do, Arthur?” Elaine asks, head twisting to check for thrown knives.
“I don’t know! I was really nice about it, too.”
Gwaine rolls his eyes, because nice for Arthur isn’t nice for everyone else. But he probably did try his best, judging on the look of complete contrition that’s been plastered to his face for the past two weeks.
“They’re a protective lot,” Lance reminds him, soothing, “You wouldn’t have had to do much.”
“Just dump one of their own,” Elaine teases, “That’ll get them riled up.”
She smiles over at Arthur, soft, and he relaxes a little. Because nothing’s really changed. He hasn’t actually come out yet, but not having a girlfriend and knowing he’s gay is alright, it hasn’t got him snogging the first guy who walks his way, and all his friends still like him.
Morgana smiles at Elaine like she said the kindest and most tactful thing possible, a look which everyone seems to notice but Elaine, far too interested in the muffins to notice anything else.
Gwaine pulls Merlin into his lap in the lull, and Merlin squeals a little from shock. Lance and Arthur sigh, but so quietly that no one would notice over the commotion from Gwaine and Merlin’s ensuing tickle fight.
“You’re all coming to the party, right?” Morgana asks, voice raised slightly, eyes on Elaine in particular.
They all say yes, or at least nod. Morgana smiles. It should be good. She’s been planning it ever since the idea first hit.
*
Camelot, the Pendragon family home, closer to a mansion than a house, is covered in a five inch blanket of snow when the guests start to arrive. Thankfully the roads have been kept clear, or else most of the muggle born portion of Morgana’s friends would be helpless to get there. The rest are travelling by Floo powder, arriving in the huge fireplace in the entrance hall, which could by all rights be blocked off and act as a room itself.
Elaine steps out of the blaze of green fire, broom under one arm and bags falling off her other shoulder. She’s one of the few invited to stay overnight after the party and, knowing her as Morgana does, she’s probably brought far too much. Before Elaine trips and falls and hurts herself, Morgana sends George the house-elf off to her, walking over herself.
“Elaine!” She catches a satchel and hands it to George, “So glad you’re here!”
“Thank you,” Elaine says, bending over to George’s height and smiling at him, before turning to Morgana and throwing her arms around her. George, in his neatly tied scarf and tiny blue shirt, makes an almost surprised noise and smiles up at Elaine, before disappearing off with her bags, taking especial care.
When Elaine pulls back from her, Morgana can get a good look at her outfit. And she’s beautiful, in a navy blue dress and red heels.
“Not too sailor?”
“Far too beautiful to be too sailor,” Morgana tells her, and Elaine blushes.
“I don’t know, I could have sworn you were the beautiful one.”
Morgana grins, spinning in her amethyst dress, skirt and sleeves catching the breeze as if she could fly away. Elaine’s breath catches.
“The dress does wonders,” Morgana tells her, conspiratorial, “Now go and enjoy yourself, everyone’s through the door on the right. Lance’s parents got him here hours ago, poor thing, and he needs to be kept busy.”
When Morgana turns back from watching her go, she’s dismayed to see that Nimueh seems to have got hold of an invitation that gets her past the wards set up on the chimneys. But nothing can go wrong because of her. Morgana will make sure of that. She has plans, after all, and they will not be ruined.
*
The party is loud, mainly a little bit drunk, and thrumming. It’s in the main hall, only slightly decorated by Morgana with floating stars up in the vaulted wooden ceiling. In one corner of the room, Merlin and Gwaine are dancing close together, lips only leaving each other’s for breath or to kiss elsewhere. Morgana assumes that one of their rooms won’t be needed, but she doesn’t mind too much, since hopefully by the end of the evening she’ll have something similar, and there’s no need for jealousy.
She has it planned perfectly. Because she knew she’d be unable to resist Elaine at the start of the party, and asking her to dance straight away would seem a little creepy, she’s given herself a cue on the playlist. Half an hour of mingling, and then she’s allowed to look for Elaine. Which she does, after getting a couple of drinks from the kitchen, as an opening.
She walks out into the hall, only to see Elaine wrapped around Nimueh, lips and hips locked, closer even than Merlin and Gwaine. Her drink falls, and it’s a dangerous slippery mess, but Morgana doesn’t care, just heads straight into the kitchen to hide.
It’s another ten minutes until Merlin goes to join her.
“So. Elaine’s snogging Nimueh.”
“At my party! How could she?” Merlin slides up onto the counter next to Morgana and pulls her into his shoulder, stroking through her hair.
“It’s not like her at all, really, is it?”
“It’s not fair!”
Merlin sighs, pushing her away.
“You’re not listening, Morgana. It’s out of character. Which means…?”
“Something’s wrong…?”
“And who’s going to save Elaine?”
“Me?”
“Yes, Morgana, you. Can’t have me being the only one in a relationship, now, can we? Now, smell this.”
Merlin holds out the glass next to him to Morgana, and she takes a sniff, immediately regretting it. It smells overly sweet, like roses, and it’s definitely not something she’s been offering.
“That was Elaine’s glass,” Merlin tells her.
“A love potion?”
“Yes.”
“Merlin, you have to help me, I need an antidote!”
“No, you don’t. It’ll wear off eventually.”
“But Merlin!”
Merlin smiles, pulling her into a hug.
“If I made you an antidote, I’d be saving Elaine, not you. Besides, I have a boyfriend to snog. Better hope El’s tuition is paying off!”
Morgana glares at him, mostly not meaning it, as he walks away. As soon as he’s gone, she slides off the counter and runs off to tell Arthur he’s in charge. Since that goes well, really well, save for the actually wanting to get control of the house back again when she returns, she heads off upstairs to unpack and set up her cauldron, exactly how Elaine taught her.
*
Lance sidles over to Arthur, because he has no one else to ask.
“Why’s Elaine snogging Nimueh?”
“Morgana muttered something to do with a love potion.”
“Oh. Right.”
It’s reassuring, in a way. Because no one wants to see Elaine going out with Nimueh, that would mean having to hang out with her, and it wouldn’t exactly be the best of relationships for Elaine to be in. Nimueh’s too self-serving for her. But in another way, Lance almost wishes it were real. Because it was alright, watching her kiss a girl, leaving him exposed and unprotected. And he wanted that to have been the real thing.
Looking over at Lance, Arthur supposes the thing to do would be to kiss him, or at least ask him to dance. He’s gorgeous, in a blue shirt and grey jeans and a thoughtful look, and definitely kissable. But, unlike in all the films, there are complications. There’s the way Lance’s eyes keep drifting over to Elaine, almost like he misses her. And there’s the fact that Arthur’s too fucking scared of what his father would say. So he doesn’t.
Instead he returns the glare from Morgause and her minion-slash-fuck of the week, Cenred, and goes to get another drink.
*
Morgana grabs Arthur’s elbow as she leaves the kitchen and spins him round.
“But I want a drink!”
“You have more important things to be doing,” she tells him, marching him back into the room, “You have a Nimueh to distract.”
“But I-”
“Would love to do your sister and your dear friend Elaine a favour, alright?”
Arthur narrows his eyes, looking down at the glass she’s holding.
“What’s in that? You’re not going to accidentally poison El, are you?”
“I’ll try not to, but if I do, you know where Uther keeps the bezoars.”
Her voice is so wonderfully dry, and Arthur laughs.
“Alright. I’ll get Nimueh.” And he shakes Morgana free, going to grab Nimueh by the wrist.
“I don’t remember my sister giving you an invitation.”
He drags Nimueh away, and Elaine’s about to follow her, eyes wide, when Morgana manages to intercept.
“Hey sweetie. Nimueh asked me to tell you that she’s sorry she has to go, but she wants you to drink this.”
“Did she?” Elaine asks, voice high, taking the glass from Morgana.
“She says you’re to drink it all.”
And so Elaine does, downing it pretty impressively in one.
Morgana catches her when she falls, cradling her close to her chest.
Though the party goes on around them, everything seems quiet for Morgana, trained on every sound Elaine makes.
And then she breathes, deep and slow, and Morgana can force herself to stop panicking.
“Morgana? Did I just- oh, fuck, I did, didn’t I, and in front of everyone as well, that was about the single most stupid thing I have ever done, I’m really such an-”
It carries on, a low level of noise that Morgana just has to laugh her relief over. Except that she really needs to speak to Elaine, and the usual methods of shutting her up are failing. And Elaine’s just there, and she can’t resist it any more, so Morgana leans in and kisses her, soft and fleeting, before she sobers.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, I was taking advantage and it won’t happen again.”
“No. No! Do it again. That is… if you want to?”
Morgana grins, and leans in again.
It lasts for longer this time, lips still sealed against each other’s, because Morgana’s not sure how much more she can take, until Elaine’s mouth opens on a gasp and she licks in. They have to pull apart for breath soon after, sitting on the wooden floor, foreheads pressed together.
“We should probably get up. Dance or something.” Morgana gives Elaine a little tug upright, and she goes with her, with a sigh.
“Yeah, I suppose we should.”
They hold each other more than dance. This has been too long coming to do anything else, really.
*
By the fireplace, Arthur pulls his wand out of his pocket, pointing it firmly at Nimueh.
“I asked you to leave.”
“I don’t want to.”
Lance walks up next to him, twirling his wand between his fingers.
“I really think you should go.”
Neither of them send any spells her way, just stand there with folded arms until Elaine walks up between them.
“Really? You give me a love potion and you have the audacity to want to stick around? How dare you.”
She pulls her wand, too. And even Nimueh can’t fail to see that she has no chance, one person against three, and three of the best duellers of the school. She takes a pinch of Floo powder and drops the rest.
“Whoops.”
She throws her Floo powder into the fire, steps in, and speaks her address, disappearing with her middle finger still held up to them all.
Morgana wraps her arms around Elaine’s waist, resting her chin on her shoulder.
“You were great, El. Come back to dancing?”
As an answer, Elaine twists in Morgana’s arms and pushes her back into the hall.
*
Merlin pulls Gwaine upstairs long before the party’s finished. Upstairs, they can feel the music more than hear it, and only the baseline. Merlin knows the house well, has been visiting in the holidays since first year. So he knows exactly which room he’s in, and leads Gwaine straight to it.
“Hey,” he laughs, tugging on Merlin’s hand before he gets into the room, “What about my things?”
Merlin just laughs.
“Morgana’s not stupid, they’ll be in here.”
Gwaine smiles, dirty, and heads straight for his rucksack, pulling out condoms and lube and waving them at Merlin.
“Wow, someone’s presumptuous.”
Gwaine gives Merlin his best disapproving frown until Merlin pulls the condoms from his own bag.
“What can I say? You’re hot?”
Gwaine laughs, advancing on him.
“So are you, Merlin. So are you.”
He pushes Merlin back onto the bed, covering his mouth in kisses, and his body in Gwaine.
It’s not exactly the most co-ordinated, or the best, but it’s good enough. There are complications with belts and socks and elbows caught in tops, but they manage to get naked, remember to lock the door and how to work a condom, manage to get the lube open. After a whispered argument about who’s going to top, which reveals that neither of them really want to, but ends somehow with Merlin managing to persuade Gwaine to, they get Merlin opened up and relaxed. It involves a lot of giggling, and perhaps even more kissing, but somehow they get it right. They both come too quickly, moving slow and a little frightened of hurting each other, and overwhelmed by the trust and the hot-wet-tight-ness of it all.
Gwaine rests his head over Merlin’s chest, over his heart, as they come down, and they sleep close together, wrapped in each other’s arms. And both of them are too wrapped up in how good it feels to be aware that there’s something missing, something that would complete it all.
*
Elaine stays by Morgana’s side all evening, even while Morgana’s seeing off the guests who aren’t staying, even when she’s yawning near constantly and should really be in bed. Morgana points this out, but she waves it off.
“Don’t you want to show off your new girlfriend to everyone?”
And Morgana can allow that, because a warm ball of something she doesn’t want to put a name to but strongly suspects is love swells at that little bit of confirmation, so she pulls Elaine closer and waves at the next person who’s leaving.
And then someone’s broken their shoe, so Morgana runs off to help hunt for the heel, leaving Elaine alone and exposed.
She smiles to Morgause, because she’s Morgana’s half sister and it’s what’s expected. But instead of smiling back, Morgause just walks straight up to her, scowling.
“You break her heart, and I’ll break you.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Elaine bristles, and Morgause leans forward, eyes raking over her.
“I don’t approve of you.”
“Duly noted.”
“Morgause!” Morgana calls, falling into her arms. Strangely, she’s now smiling, “You’ve met Elaine!”
“I have.”
“I thought you were staying!”
“I can’t,” she looks at Elaine as if she’s the reason, which maybe she is, but it’s not due to hostility on Elaine’s side, “But you all have fun.”
“Oh, we will,” Elaine tells her, watching the green flames engulf her and Cenred, who follows after her like a dog.
Strangely, Elaine feels a lot more awake after that encounter.
They get changed into their pyjamas, still nervous of each other’s bare skin, and clean their teeth in Morgana’s ensuite. Elaine’s room is across the corridor from Morgana’s, but she never makes it there, pulled down to Morgana’s bed when she’s barely wiped the toothpaste from her mouth. They kiss the mint from each other’s mouths, learning the curve of lips, the line of teeth, the press of tongues.
They fall asleep like that, bedside lamp still turned on, barely a breath between them.
Part Three