Las Challenge 4 - Voting
LAS Challenge Four Voting
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*Guidelines from thefuturequeen's LAS Competition.
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The prompt was: Valentine's Day is just around the corner and Gwen cannot wait to celebrate it with her boyfriend Arthur. It's going to be their first Valentine's Day as a couple. Gwen is EXPECTING a Valentine's Day SURPRISE or DATE from Arthur. But there's a problem. Arthur thinks Valentine's Day is SO overrated.
Voting closes Wednesday, February 23, 2011 @ 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (World Clock)
#1. Valentine’s Day is February 17th (G, 999 words)
Gwen slumped further into the sofa, glancing up at the clock one more time. She’d spent a small fortune on the strapless mini dress and the extra sexy heels, but Arthur was late.
His text said he’d be home soon. An hour ago she’d convinced herself that he was dragging out the surprise because he knew how tantalizing it would be and the wait would only make her even more excited - and eager to please.
Finally! The knock came that she had been waiting for all night. She couldn’t believe what was on the other side of her door as she gawked, openmouthed, at the fisheye scene in the peep hole.
“What are they doing here?”
“Gwen, you look amazing,” Gwaine said, far too salaciously and in blatant disregard of Arthur’s presence. Merlin told himself that on any other day he would just roll his eyes at the spectacle, but this was Valentine’s Day and despite his earlier prodding, Arthur had been stubborn in his beliefs.
Arthur playfully shoved the nearly drooling Gwaine to try to break his stare. It was useless he decided. “Gwen, didn’t you get my-”
The door slamming abruptly in his face was not what he had planned for their evening.
“If you even say a word,” Arthur said, staring at the door with a finger pointed at Merlin. His mouth snapped shut in response.
Arthur thought he’d go out for drinks with the guys, and then have them stop by to say hello and afterwards he and Gwen would be alone, like every other Friday night.
It was obvious now that she had other plans.
“You really aced this one, mate.”
Arthur just shot Gwaine an icy glare. He turned and knocked softly at the door, speaking Gwen’s name and shamelessly begging her to let him in. There was no answer after several pleas. “It’s just a stupid holiday, Gwen.”
It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to say or the most endearing, but the words had fallen from his lips.
There was a loud thud against the door. All three men flinched backwards. Another loud crash, more flinching and something else hit the floor.
“I think that means you’ll be sleeping with us tonight,” Gwaine said.
The old lady across the hall peered out at the noise. She huffed at them and then slammed her door too.
“Maybe you should call her instead,” Merlin suggested.
Arthur tried, but got the sweet voice of his Guinevere telling him to leave a message. He wished she would open the door and speak to me like that now.
“Did you even discuss plans for tonight?” Merlin asked. “I mean…,” he started again, hands on hips.
Arthur really wasn’t in the mood to hear Merlin say he was right.
“Ah, perhaps now is not best time for that,” Gwaine supplied. Merlin squinted skeptically at him. Arthur sighed, relieved that Gwaine came to his aid. “Besides, if you help him get Gwen back, how am I going to steal her away from him,” he finished, grinning.
Arthur almost punched him.
***
“So it’s only been two days?” Gwen nodded at Morgana’s question. “Really? Because he looks like hell,” she said.
Gwen couldn’t stifle the grin or the satisfaction. “He deserves it.”
“I suppose so, but I don’t think he’ll last much longer. You should see him Gwen. Death’s door and everything,” she said laughing.
***
Arthur stood a few feet from Gwen. All around them in her apartment were three days worth of his apologies. At least she hadn’t thrown them away. It seemed that Gwaine might have been right, because although he had spent all sorts of money, Gwen was still ignoring him and only an expensive bribe to Morgana had gotten him this far.
“I promise never to hurt you again, Gwen. I am so, very sorry.”
She didn’t speak, instead her body screamed for him to leave and that he wasn’t forgiven, yet.
“Gwen, please, just wait here,” he said moving to the door scuffed in the places where she threw things at him he had yet to identify. He stopped and then turned to look back at her. “Don’t bolt the door, please,” he said, paranoid.
More eye squinting and folded arms. His stomach fell as he edged out the door. Bravely, he returned with the furry ball whimpering close to his chest.
“I got him for us.”
He felt the tension leave his shoulders as Gwen’s face finally relaxed, eyes widening, lips threatening to part. Her hands went to her mouth. She’d wanted a puppy for months, had been dropping hints for weeks.
She finally closed the distance between them to take the bundle from him and pet its head as it yelped happily and tried to give her kisses. She was still ignoring him, but she was giddy and no longer wishing him away.
“I forgive you,” she said a moment later, locking eyes with him. She pressed up on her toes to kiss him. His lips opened to welcome a deeper embrace until they broke away, laughing, feeling the rough, wet tongue of her latest gift lapping at their chins.
“I feel awful,” she said, putting the dog down. It scampered away and Arthur pulled her into him, grabbing her at the waist.
“You did too much. I think I owe you for all these presents,” she teased.
He smiled knowingly. “Maybe you could wear the dress again?” he suggested softly.
“No,” she said firmly with a smirk that hinted that she was more than considering the request.
Arthur began leading her farther into the apartment, in the direction of her bed.
“What about just the shoes?”
“That sounds very naughty,” she said, squealing as Arthur lifted her from her feet and unto the bed.
The puppy yelped at them from just inside the room.
“Not in front of the children,” Gwen said arms wrapped around his neck.
Arthur scooped up the dog and put him outside.
He turned. “Now, where are those shoes?” _____________________________________________________________________________________________
__
#2. A Little Research, (PG-13, 973 words)
"Merlin tells me you want some big, surprise date on Valentine's Day."
Gwen paused, and then began rolling the stem of her wineglass between her fingertips. "He did?" That discussion, while not strictly made in confidence, also wasn't something she'd intended to be passed along.
Arthur waved his hand. "Yeah, but I knew he'd got it wrong again, don't worry."
Setting her glass down on the table, Gwen eyed him. "What do you mean?"
With a shrug and a careless grin, he replied, "You're too good for all that rubbish. I mean, come on, it's just the card and candy companies-- and florists, don't forget the florists-- cashing in on everybody who's gullible enough to fall for it."
"It is," she said slowly. That was actually a question, but he missed the nuance.
"Right! See, I knew you were better than that."
"'Better than that'?" Gwen repeated. "'Too good for' it? For what, hoping you'd do something special for me?"
The surprise on Arthur's face almost made her relent.
Almost. Not quite.
"Remind me: how did we spend Christmas?"
Clearly baffled as to why she was asking, he answered, "Visiting my dad."
"And New Year's?"
"With your brother... why?"
She was speechless for a moment. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe I wanted to have a day just for us."
"Our anniversary's in March," he pointed out.
"Actually, it's April 3rd," she corrected.
His jaw set. "That's practically March."
"So, I have to wait until 'practically March,' but really April, to do something romantic with you, when there's a day specifically set aside for it this month? Thanks so much."
Arthur's eyebrows went up as he stood. "We could skip it altogether."
"Skip what?"
"All of it." Pulling some bills out of his wallet and tossing them on the table, he said, "Let me know if you decide to grow up." With that, he turned and stalked out of the restaurant.
The words were like a slap. Gwen studiously did not look around to see who'd overheard the argument. Blinking back tears, she pulled on her coat and followed him out the door.
*
"I am going to kill you," Merlin ground out.
It should've been hard to make out what he was saying, with his face smushed against the coffee table like that, but somehow Arthur heard him loud and clear.
"Sit up and help me figure out how to fix this," he snapped.
His roommate did the first, but wasn't as cooperative with the second. Judgment and sarcasm dripping heavily from his voice, he said, "Here's an idea: call her and say, 'Sorry I was an ass.'"
"I can't do that." Arthur picked at a loose thread on the arm of his chair.
Merlin dropped his face back down again, obviously disgusted. "Why not? You are an ass."
"I know." With a miserable sigh, Arthur smacked his hand down over the thread. "I made her cry. An apology's not enough."
Sitting up once more, Merlin peered at him. "How'd you know that? I swear I didn't say anything this time."
"I waited to make sure she got a cab, and saw her. She told you she cried?" That she was talking about it made Arthur feel even guiltier.
"No, Morgana did, when she called and said she was going to murder you."
"Fantastic," Arthur muttered around another sigh. With his sister, conveniently also Gwen's roommate, ready to end his life, that made all four of them-- and he deserved it. Jumping to his feet and beginning to pace, he said, "You know how I am at romantic things."
"Utter crap," Merlin confirmed, sounding almost cheerful about it. Arthur glared.
"So, help me fix this."
Rising, Merlin said, "Sorry, you're on your own with this one."
As Merlin snagged his keys off the hook by the door, Arthur asked, "Where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here." About to close the door behind himself, Merlin stuck his head back in. "I'm only saying this for Gwen's sake: the internet's your friend."
"At least somebody is," Arthur mumbled as the door shut.
*
"Who really did all this? Was it some special offer from the hotel?" Gwen asked suspiciously, taking in the candlelit suite, the gourmet dinner on the table, and the roses laid out around the hot tub.
Attempting to hide his nerves, Arthur leaned against the doorway as he watched her reaction. "I ordered the dinner. But, the rest of it was me."
"There's no way you came up with this." She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at him. If he was honest, Arthur was amazed she was even here to see it; he owed Morgana for convincing her to accept his invitation.
"I did some research." He was not about to admit that he was now known as "Prince Arthur" around certain romance-oriented websites.
Her obstinate expression faded as she glanced around again. Then, peering more closely at something, she went over to the hot tub. "Lavender oil? This is my favorite brand."
He smiled a little smugly. "I remembered that one; no research needed." Growing serious once more, he said, "I'm sorry. I was an ass." Thank God Merlin wasn't here to hear that.
"Yeah, you were," she agreed. Beginning to smile, herself, she took off her jacket and tossed it on a chair. "Still, I can't massage myself with that oil." Kicking off her shoes and slipping the straps of her dress down her arms, she amended, "Not well, anyway." The dress hit the floor.
So did his jaw, when he saw what she had on underneath the dress-- or rather, what she didn't have on. "I'd be glad to help with that."
"Good." Walking up to him, she draped her arms around his neck. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Happy Valentine's Day," Arthur murmured fervently, as Gwen pulled him down for a kiss.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
#3. From My Head To My Heart (PG-13, 1000 words)
Warnings: Mild Language and sexual innuendo!!
-
Gwen wakes up on Monday morning to the shouting and angry voices in the street below her apartment-stretching, she yawns and turns over to touch the pillow where Arthur’s head had been the previous night. She smiles thinking about how perfect this day was going to be.
~
“So, I bought some flowers for my girl for Valentine’s Day,” Gwaine announces in the locker room after practice, “some of us can’t afford to lavish our girl in nice things,” seeing Arthur out of the corner of his eye.
Ignoring the jab at his wealth, Arthur answers, as he dresses, “I think Valentine’s Day is an overrated holiday anyway, I didn’t plan anything special.”
As if it were a joke, everyone in the locker room laughs hysterically. Even Merlin, the team’s water boy, is laughing with tears in his eyes. Arthur only glares at his teammates and says, “I don’t see what’s so funny.”
Gwaine says between fits of laughter, “Oh, you have something special alright,” he makes an obscene gesture grabbing imaginary hips and thrusting forward, “but you’re too much of a gentleman to say so.”
“Dude, seriously, she’s my sister,” Elyan cuts in, “I don’t need to hear about this kind of talk.” He pushes Gwaine into the locker; retaliating Gwaine pushes back harder. They were prepared to fist fight right there and then.
Looking at these guys, Arthur has no idea what to say to them. “Really? You guys, that’s not funny,” he adds, “I’m not very excited about Valentine’s Day whatsoever, thanks.”
Everyone gasps. Gwaine and Elyan forgot their squabble, and everyone got dressed in silence.
Arthur was only too happy for the quiet.
~
Arthur meets Gwen at her locker before her third class of the day. With only a brief kiss on the lips, they risk no punishment from the nosy professors that might happen to walk by and detect them.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Gwen smiles at Arthur.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too,” Arthur answers, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the redundancy.
Opening her locker, Gwen pulls out a box, smiles to herself, and turns back towards Arthur. “I was going to wait until we got home, but I can’t wait,” she hands Arthur the flattened square box in her hand, “I saw this the other day, and I thought of you.”
With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Arthur opens the box to see a silver chain dangling a dragon also in silver. That sinking feeling has suddenly become a lump in his throat, he can’t tell Gwen that he didn’t get her anything when this is already one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for him.
“Before class starts,” Gwen breaks into Arthur’s train of thought, “I was wondering if you got anything for me today.” She looks up into his eyes expectantly. It makes him feel ten times worse.
He mumbles under his breath, “I’m sorry, Guinevere.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m sorry I don’t have anything for you, Gwen,” Arthur raises his voice and hangs his head in shame.
“You’re sorry? You forgot our two-month anniversary,” Gwen’s voice becomes sad and choked; she’s trying not to cry, “I thought we could do something nice today.”
Arthur makes a move to comfort her, but Gwen backs away. His answer is less than comforting, “I appreciate the love and thought behind your gift, Gwen. I wasn’t even thinking about our two-month anniversary. My mind wanted to get through this Valentine’s Day without a big to-do.”
With a gulp, Gwen turns on her heels and runs down the hall towards next class, she yells over her shoulder, “Keep the necklace, I don’t care, you’re a jerk.”
That only makes Arthur feel worse.
~
All day Arthur gets the look from guys and girls alike, word spreads like wildfire in school. Everyone probably thinks he has been a real douche to Gwen, and his appetite left him before he could finish his lunch.
Walking home, he trudges through the front door of his family’s large house, skulks into their theater size living room, and plops face down on the oversized leather couch.
Arthur screams into the armrest, and his father walks into the room with concern on his face.
“What seems to be the trouble, Arthur?” Uther asks, sitting down on the chair besides the couch facing Arthur.
“I’m an idiot, I don’t deserve a girl like Gwen,” Arthur mumbles into the couch cushion.
Uther rests a hand on his chin. “Can you say that without the cushion in your mouth?”
Lifting his head, he says again, “I’m an idiot, I don’t deserve a girl like Gwen,” fiddling with the dragon necklace in his pocket, he pulls it out.
“What is that?” Uther asks, contemplating the box in Arthur’s hand.
He opens the box to show Uther its contents. “It’s my present from Gwen for Valentine’s Day. She put so much thought into this day, which was conveniently our two-month anniversary as well, I feel like a jackass for spouting off about the overrated holiday.”
Uther looks at his son with caring sympathy. This was never his strong suit. “If your mother were still alive, she’d know what to do in this situation.”
“Is that the best you can come up with?” Arthur asks, “I could have deduced that much.”
Without another word, Uther left his son sitting alone. He returned about five minutes later.
“I may not be the best father to you, Arthur, but this is the best I can do.” He hands Arthur the object in his hand.
~
“What do you want, Arthur?” Gwen asked from her window.
“Can you come down, I want to apologize in person.”
Gwen grumbles as she leaves the house. Looking at Arthur, she asks, “Yes, can I help you?”
“I’ve been an ass, Gwen, I’m truly sorry,” he pulls out his father’s box, “this necklace was my mother’s. I want you to have it.”
Gwen’s eyes well up with tears as she leaps into Arthur.
“I forgive you.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________
#4. Kisses Are A Better Fate Than Wisdom (G, 998 words)
Arthur hates Valentine's Day with the simple logic of a seven-year-old. It's boring, no fun, and full of mushy stuff.
“You're just stupid,” his sister Morgana tells him as the child minder corrals them and their friends towards the table to make Valentine's Day cards for each other.
“You're stupider,” he tosses back, plopping into his seat and staring with abject annoyance at the sheets of construction paper, tubs of glitter and glue, and safety scissors.
He looks to his right, at Merlin, who is cutting a heart out of his paper, his tongue sticking out from the corner of his mouth. Just beyond him, Gwaine's eating the glue, Elyan's pretending the paste sticks are toy soldiers, and Lancelot's already made three perfectly-shaped love hearts.
Glumly, Arthur sits properly in his seat, only to be greeted by Gwen, sitting across from him. Normally, he'd be happy to sit across from Gwen, whom he finds very pretty and once plucked up the courage to tell her so during tag. She'd flushed but stammered, “Thanks, you too,” and then they had to run because Gwaine was closing in.
But now he sees a stack of hearts lie next to her. Great. She takes one heart, slathers some paste on top, and then dumps her hand into a tub of glitter. “Isn't it great?” she exclaims to Morgana. “I'm gonna make the prettiest cards for everyone.”
Morgana smiles back at her. “That's a lot glitter!”
“No, I like a lot of glitter,” Gwen insists, sprinkling it onto her heart. She dusts her hands off, takes a crayon, and scrawls in the middle - To Dad. Love, Gwen.
“How pretty!” Morgana says. Arthur scowls.
“That's real nice, Gwen,” Merlin says. Then he turns to Arthur, and says, loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Are you gonna make one for Gwen?”
Gwen jumps, surprised, but there's no mistaking the hopeful glint in her eye, even as she ducks her head and her face darkens with an embarassed blush. Arthur's scowl deepens.
“I hope Daddy likes it,” Gwen decides to say instead.
“He will, he's your dad,” Lancelot says. His mood worsens.
“Ta.”
“He's going to think it's stupid because it looks ugly and this holiday is stupid,” Arthur declares.
All heads turn to him and Arthur lifts his chin challengingly, meeting Gwen's rounded eyes. If he can get her and everybody else to shut up about this stupid day, then good. “It's dumb. D-U-M. Dumb.”
But to his amazement, Gwen calmly puts her finished heart on the bottom of her stack of Valentines. She stands up and says, voice shaking, “I think you're just mad because you don't have anyone to give a Valentine to. Just because you're not nice doesn't mean you get to rain on my parade.” She stands up, twin plaits bouncing, and grabs her Valentines. Then she marches around the table to Leon and presents him with his card. “Happy Valentine's Day.”
“Thanks,” Leon says, flushing bright pink.
She smiles cheerily, then proceeds to hand out cards to everyone seated at their table. The last ones are for Merlin, who says happily, “Thanks, Gwen!” and for Morgana, who says, “Thank you!” and then sticks her tongue out at Arthur.
She doesn't give him one, and doesn't look at him as she tidies up and heads over to the corner to play with the dollhouse.
Gwaine turns to Arthur, mouth full of glue. “Buuuuuuurn!”
Arthur sits back in his chair. “I don't care,” he announces, although a hot flare of shame tickles his neck.
Morgana raises her eyebrows, then heads to the dollhouse. “I don't!” he insists.
Merlin just continues cutting his love hearts. “You're very mean,” he says, simply.
The other boys say nothing and continue making the cards. Arthur sighs and looks at his stack of art supplies. In the corner of his eye, he can see Morgana and Elena dressing the dolls and chattering to a dejected Gwen.
*
Gwen takes Elyan’s hand and together the two of them sit on the last step, waiting for Dad to pick them up. Elyan snuggles close because it’s a bit cold.
“Can we get hot chocolate when we go home?” Elyan asks.
“Yes, brr,” Gwen agrees.
She feels a tap on her shoulder and turns around, expecting it to be Morgana. Instead, it’s that naughty boy Arthur, with his hands behind his back and a sneer on his face.
“What do you want?” she says angrily, standing up. If he’s going to have another go at her, she’ll teach him. Even if he is posh and rich. This is her favorite holiday, because it was Mum’s favorite holiday, before she went to Heaven.
“Here,” Arthur says, thrusting out his arms. His hands crumple the large card. On the front is a stick figure, his line of a mouth in an upside-down U. “Go on,” he grumps. “It’s yours.”
Confused, Gwen takes the card and opens it. Inside is a red love heart, and inside the heart are the words: “Sorry. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh!” Gwen says, realizing Arthur's expression isn’t so much disgusted at her but angry at himself. “Thank you!”
Arthur nods and jams his fits inside his coat pockets. He’s rather pink.
Gwen grins, then hops up the step so they’re eye-to-eye, before kissing him on the cheek. Arthur’s eyes widen before he scrunches up his now entirely-red face. He trips up the steps back into the building.
She laughs and sits down on the step next to Elyan again, slipping the card into her backpack. When she looks up, Elyan’s got his stink-face on. “You kissed him!”
“So?” Gwen says, then grabs him and starts peppering his face with kisses too, even as he shrieks and laughs at her to stop.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
#5. Expectations (PG, 844 words)
Merlin tucked one hand behind his back, fingers crossed, as he looked Gwen straight in the face and lied.
"Of course Arthur has got plans for Valentine's Day. He'd have to be an enormous prat to do anything otherwise," he said with a grin, hoping that the obviousness of that statement wasn't as obvious to Gwen as it was to him. "Besides, I didn't think you'd be into all of this?"
Blushing, Gwen rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm not, usually. But this is the first year Arthur and I have been an actual, 'tell all out friends about it' couple. I just wanted it to be special."
Merlin nodded. "I understand," he said, crossing his toes as well as his fingers now. "And I'm sure Arthur does, too. You'll see."
Gwen smiled in return, her brown eyes lit up with excitement. "Thank you, Merlin. You always know what to say."
Patting him fondly on the arm, Gwen turned on her heel and walked out of the office that Merlin and Arthur shared, leaving Merlin with a very guilty look on his face.
***
Arthur returned to the office half an hour later and found Merlin ripping through the phone book as if his life depended on it.
"Nice to see you working hard, Merlin," Arthur noted dryly, sitting down behind his desk and picking up the memo that had been left there. "It's a nice change for you."
"I am looking for the number for that florist we used that one time to send Morgana flowers, because your girlfriend is expecting a special Valentine's Day present, and I know you have not bought her anything," Merlin replied, ignoring the jibe, as he continued his frantic search.
"That was you? Huh. I thought Gwaine had finally cracked. Anyway, what do you mean, my girlfriend is expecting a Valentine's Day present? Gwen doesn't go for that commercial crap." Arthur said, attempting nonchalance but failing miserably.
Merlin looked up from the phone book, and rolled his eyes. "Arthur, every women goes for this commercial crap. Even Gwen. Trust me."
A hint of concern gracing his features, Arthur gaped at Merlin for a moment before shaking himself together. "Nonsense. Gwen isn't like most women. She's different."
"Mmm-hmm."
Merlin tore a page out of the phone book with a loud rip, and handed it to Arthur wordlessly. "If you want to take that risk, go right ahead. I take no responsibility for what comes next."
Picking up his coat off the back of his chair, Merlin crossed the room, pausing at the door. "I'm off to get Freya's present. I, unlike you, know what women want." He ducked out the door just as Arthur glared, waving a hand in goodbye.
For his own part, Arthur frowned at the page Merlin had stuffed in his hand, his brow furrowed. He looked up at the calendar, where February the fourteenth had been circled with red marker. "Surely not," he said to himself, tapping his lower lip with his finger in thought.
***
Gwen pushed open the door to her and Arthur's bedroom and gasped, as a heavy cloud of black smoke escaped through the open doorway. She gaped at Arthur, who was running around the room, red-faced, with a fire extinguisher. Charred remains of red rose petals were scattered across the bed and the floor, and a large burn mark on the top of their dresser suggested that something more than candle wax had been spilled.
"Arthur, what - ?"
Arthur, squirting the last of the extinguishing agent across the floor, looked up, panting. He groaned aloud when he really took in the scene, and his face fell as he saw Gwen.
"Oh Gwen, I'm sorry! I was lighting candles and the curtain caught fire," he said mournfully, gesturing at the now smouldering lace curtains. "So much for the Valentine's Day surprise."
Her mouth still agape, Gwen gasped again. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried more about Arthur than her curtains.
"I'm fine," Arthur replied, pouting. "Your present isn't, though," he went on, pointing at an equally smouldering pile of ash, amongst which Gwen could see bits of gold ribbon and white paper.
Gwen crossed the room and, reaching up, cupped Arthur's face in her hands. "I don't care about that, Arthur," she said, reaching onto her toes to press her lips to his. "As long as you're safe and the house is still standing," she laughed.
Arthur wrapped his arms around Gwen's waist, his grin slipping from his face. "It was a great present, too! Tickets to see the Knights game next week!"
Her smile fading from her face very slightly, Gwen nodded, slowly. "The Knights game?"
"Yeah," Arthur said glumly, his pout becoming more and more pronounced. "They were non-refundable, too."
Gwen pulled Arthur into a closer embrace, nestling her head into his chest, and tried to hold back her triumphant smile. "That is such a shame," she muttered, crossing her fingers as she wrapped her arms around Arthur's neck. "Maybe I'll organise the Valentine's Day surprise next year."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
#6. Pizza and Wine Rating: (PG-13, 832 words)
Guinevere checked and double checked everything around her small flat. She made sure the candles were preset for later in her room, made sure the rose petals and roses were still fresh in the kitchen, and then finally made sure she looked perfect in her bathroom.
Tonight was going to be perfect. It was her first Valentine’s Day with Arthur and she couldn’t wait to see what he had planned for her. Just as she was day-dreaming about what he was getting her, her phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hello love, I’m on my way over,” Arthur said.
“Great! I am all set,” She said and she heard him laugh on the other end.
“Good, tonight’s going to be amazing.” And with that he hung up.
Not too much later, there was a knock on her door and she took a deep breath and went to answer the door.
“Happy Valen…”Guinevere’s smile slipped from her face when she saw Arthur in her doorway.
Arthur was dressed in his jeans, the Camelot Dragon’s red footie jersey and he had box of pizza in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
“Wow, Guinevere, you look absolutely stunning,” Arthur commented looking her over in her slinky red dress and heels and her curls piled messily on top of her head, “Aren’t you a bit over dressed for the footie game?”
“What footie game?” She asked shocked.
“The Camelot Dragon’s versus Ealdor Elephants? We were going to watch it together remember? I have a bet going on with Merlin that my team will beat his brutally tonight.”
Guinevere closed her eyes and tried to count to ten to calm her anger and embarrassment.
“Is everything alright?” Arthur asked concerned.
“I thought that game was next Sunday?”
“No, today the 14th. Wait…oh bugger.” Arthur said and he leaned his head against the doorframe realizing what today was, “Please tell me you aren’t dressed because of what today is?”
“Yes Arthur, in fact I am, because I thought my boyfriend of four months might actually want to celebrate Valentine’s Day with me!” Guinevere exclaimed and she stormed back into the kitchen.
Arthur just rolled his eyes and just followed her.
“Guinevere, I honestly forgot and really, I am not a huge fan of the holiday myself. I find it commercialized and rubbish.”
“HA! And that’s coming from the future heir to the Camelot Hotel Franchise, talk about commercialization.”
“Don’t throw my family life into this, it has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day,” Arthur said placing the pizza down on the counter with the bottle of wine.
“It has everything to do with it! You are so selfish that you don’t even think of what other people might want!” Guinevere said as she threw the roses in the trash bin, “Did you ever once think when you were out passing shops selling Valentine’s specials and such, if I celebrated the holiday or even thought of surprising me with anything?!”
“Did you expect me to surprise you with something tonight?”
“YES!” She screamed, “You are such a selfish bastard and you only care about your stupid footie game! If you think the holiday is such rubbish, why don’t you just leave?!”
Arthur blinked at her and then scowled and straightened his shoulders.
“Fine, I will. You can keep the pizza and the wine, call me in the morning when you’re not being such a pain in the ass.”
And with that Arthur left her in the kitchen and slammed her front door shut.
Guinevere ripped off her heels and threw them across the room out into her living room. She stormed over to the pizza mumbling incoherent cursing against Arthur Pendragon and opened the box. She gasped at what she saw inside.
There wasn’t pizza inside, but a message and a box. The message read “Happy Valentine’s Day” in little chocolate hearts. Guinevere opened the box to reveal a bracelet that had little diamond hearts all around it.
She started to head for the door to catch up to Arthur but stopped when she saw him standing in her living room.
“I hoped you would open that before our take out got here,” Arthur smiled.
She ran to him and hugged him, “Thank you so much!”
“I knew the game was next week, Merlin reminded me what today was and he and Morgana told me how much you like the holiday, so I put my own feelings about it behind and got you something.”
She leaned up and kissed him deeply on the lips and he responded quickly.
“You are such an ass,” She whispered against his lips and he laughed.
“But I’m your ass.”
He then kissed her even more passionately and deeply and pulled her down on the floor.
“How long till the take out gets here?”
“Probably 30 more minutes, why?” Arthur asked and Guinevere just grinned.
“Because you deserve your Valentine’s gift from me now.”
And with that, she pulled him towards her bedroom.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
#7. The Art of Keeping Secrets (PG-13, 667 words)
“Everything alright?” Arthur asked as Gwen hung up the phone.
“It’s just Morgana,” she answered, crawling back onto the sofa next to him. “Three different men asked her out for tomorrow night and she’s trying to figure out who to accept. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if she just gave up entirely and hung out with Morgause.”
Arthur snorted. “This is why Valentine’s Day is such a sham.”
“Why do you say that?” Gwen asked with a scrunch of her nose.
“Because it pressures people into thinking they have to be with someone that day. And then people who are alone, like Morgause after she wisely ended it with Cenred, are meant to feel like shit even though they’re sometimes better off without the other person.”
“Yes, but what about people who are in relationships?”
“I’d say it’s almost worse for them, because then they feel like they have to do something special and romantic and that everything has to be perfect, even though it’s no different from any other day of the year.”
“Well someone could say the same about Christmas. And birthdays.”
“That’s different. Those are legitimate holidays.”
“Valentine’s Day isn’t legitimate?”
“Well the whole thing is really rather silly isn’t it?”
Gwen pursed her mouth for a moment, trying to contain her irritation. “My parents’ first date was on Valentine’s Day. I wouldn’t have called that silly,” she said in a clipped tone.
Arthur sighed. “Gwen…”
“But you’re entitled to your opinion. Let’s just finish the movie, okay?”
~~~
“You and Arthur have any plans tonight?”
Merlin rolled his chair across the aisle, popping his head around Gwen’s cubicle.
“It certainly doesn’t seem like it,” she muttered.
“Why not?”
“Arthur seems to think that Valentine’s Day is silly.”
“And you haven’t said nearly the exact same thing to me in years previous?”
Gwen sighed. “It’s just… this is our first Valentine’s Day together.”
“After, what was it, three years of Valentine’s Days where the two of you were dancing around each other, pretending you shouldn’t be together? Making February 14th seem extra lonely from the fact that you couldn’t be with the person you wanted to be with?”
“You could say that,” she whispered.
Five minutes later, Merlin was halfway through composing a text that began with “You utter twat” when his phone buzzed.
Need your help with Gwen tonight.
~~~
Gwen came home that night to candlelight and Arthur standing by her set dining room table.
She shut the door, fighting the smile she felt breaking out on her face. “I thought you didn’t like Valentine’s Day.”
“I had to throw you off the trail somehow,” he said with a grin. He kissed her cheek and turned her to help with her coat.
“So you knew I suspected?”
“You suspected?”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “You’ve been a bit secretive for the past week, the whole time with this twinkle in your eye like you had a surprise for me. It’s why I was so irritated when I found out I was wrong.”
Arthur chuckled nervously. “Guess I can’t hide anything from you, Guinevere.”
“Nope,” she giggled and kissed him.
~~~
“How’d last night go?”
“Good,” Arthur answered. “Thanks for lending me your copy of Gwen’s key, Merlin.”
“No problem. Maybe next year you won’t wait till last minute to arrange a date with her.”
“I suppose so.” Arthur tapped his pen against his desk for a moment, before blurting out, “Am I bad at keeping secrets?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, Gwen said she suspected that I was keeping a secret from her.”
Merlin laughed. “If you’re talking about the ring you’re ordering her, then yes, you’re terrible with secrets.”
Arthur’s face turned pink. “How did you know about that?”
Merlin smiled and fished the wrinkled jewelry catalogue from under his seat cushion. “You’re so jumpy when someone walks in on you unexpectedly.”
Arthur glared. “You haven’t told Gwen, have you?”
“Of course not,” Merlin answered. “Unlike you, I’m great with secrets.”
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Skips exercised: eurydice72; jusrecht; flute_genevive
* Thank you SO MUCH to those who submitted their entries for this fourth challenge. We have two who didn't submit their stories.
* I am so sorry if I messed up any of your fonts ie. italic fonts. I tried my best to keep your fonts. :D
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