A Tale of Two Arthurs 1/3

[kathkin]

There was nothing, Arthur thought, quite like waking up to Merlin sprawled all over your sofa. He was on his stomach, one foot dangling off the edge, out from under the blanket. Arthur tucked it away again, very carefully, trying not to tickle him, then tip-toed away into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, he woke Merlin up with a little shake, gentle, fond. He sat up, bleary-eyed, stared around the living room as if he didn’t know where he was, then said:

“Ohh, right. That happened.”

“Yeah,” said Arthur. “I brought you some tea!” He handed Merlin the mug (he’d spent most of his time in the kitchen trying to decide which mug he’d like best, actually. He’d gone for Snoopy in the end).

“Thanks,” said Merlin. “What time is it?”

“About eight, I think,” said Arthur. “You sleep okay?”

“Your sofa is surprisingly comfortable,” said Merlin, sipping his tea. “And I should call my Mum, she’ll be wondering why I didn’t come home…”

“She probably thinks you got lucky,” said Arthur.

“Maybe I should just let her think that,” said Merlin. “If I tell her I met my alternate-universe husband she’ll think I’ve finally lost it.” He wiggled out from under the blanket and swung his legs out. He was wearing his boxers and one of Arthur’s old t-shirts, hanging huge on his skinny frame.

“I’ve been thinking,” said Arthur. “I think we should just forget about that, maybe. Try not to have this be the weirdest relationship ever.”

“Not really a relationship yet,” said Merlin. He took another sip of his tea, inspected the mug. “Is that Snoopy?”

“Yeah,” said Arthur.

“I love Snoopy,” said Merlin. He rubbed his eyes. “I should probably go soon, I guess.”

“Want to go out again tonight?” said Arthur. “We can do whatever you want. We don’t have to go out to another restaurant. We could stay in. I’d cook for you, but I suck at that, so we could just -”

Merlin kissed him gently. Trailed his fingers down the side of Arthur’s face. “You,” he said, “talk way too much.”

“I’m just really scared I’m going to fuck this up,” said Arthur. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, I swear to God.”

“I’ll pick you up around seven,” said Merlin.

Arthur frowned. “What are we going to do?”

“You’ll have to wait and see,” said Merlin, with a little smile.

KA!Verse

2003

Arthur had always had a temper. It wasn’t his fault. It was the fault of the stupid stupid universe and all the people in it who were so very determined to piss him off at every opportunity.

Like the skinny man with the ridiculous ears who was simultaneously trying to help Arthur up, wipe coffee off his shirt with a handful of napkins, and move the strap of his laptop bag out the way.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” he was saying. “That was -”

“Oh, just - get off me!” snapped Arthur, shoving him away into the table. “And just shut the fuck up, alright? Clumsy idiot.”

“I said I was sorry!” protested ridiculous ears. “I’ll buy you another coffee, alright?”

Arthur took a step forward. Ears leaned back away from him. “You can pay for my dry-cleaning,” he said. “Have you got any idea how much this suit cost?”

Ears gaped at him. “I said I was sorry,” he said. “Wanker.”

Arthur was about to answer when he remembered that he’d been on his way to work, actually, and shit, was that the time? “This isn’t over,” he said through gritted teeth.

He thought he heard a snigger behind him as he marched out, but that would just be stupid. No-one laughed at him.

B

Merlin’s plan for their second date seemed to involve hiking up a hill, which Arthur did not approve of, then producing a bottle of cider and a box full of brownies when they got to the top, which he approved of very much.

“So I spoke to my tutor and told her I was going to switch back to Arthurian lit,” said Merlin. “And she kind of freaked out a bit, cause I’ve been working on this for three and a half years, so it’s kind of insane, but she came around eventually.”

“That’s great,” said Arthur. “Really great. What kind of nuts are these?”

“Macadamia,” said Merlin. He handed Arthur the cider. “You get a great view of the sunset from up here.”

“Not sure I think it’s worth the climb, personally,” said Arthur. “But you are, so I’m good.” He grinned. Merlin frowned back.

“This,” he said, “this is all kind of insane, actually. I mean, you already know me, but I hardly know you at all.”

“Alright,” said Arthur. He pulled himself a little further up the hillside to perch next to Merlin. “Ask me anything.”

“Well, now I can’t think of anything,” said Merlin.

“Go on, try me,” said Arthur. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

“Anything?” said Merlin.

“Anything.”

“Okay,” said Merlin. He took a deep breath. “How do you feel about… whips?”

“Whips,” said Arthur flatly.

“Yes,” said Merlin. “Whips. In bed.”

“Oh, come on!” said Arthur. “You are so not into whips. I was married to you, remember?”

“Maybe not in that universe,” said Merlin. “But in this universe, I just love whipping people.” He stared at Arthur for a long moment, completely straight-faced, then turned his head away and began to laugh.

“I’m serious,” said Arthur, nudging him. “Come on.”

“Alright,” said Merlin. “What do you do when you’re not at work?”

Arthur frowned. “I don’t know,” he said. “I see my friends. I work out. When I was a kid I used to make model aeroplanes.”

“I used to have little model knights,” said Merlin. “I painted them. But I didn’t have anyone for them to fight, so they just used to sit at their round table and gossip.”

“My teddy bear used to fly my aeroplanes,” said Arthur. “I wish I still had them, actually. My Dad threw them out when I left home.”

“Did you go to university?” said Merlin. Arthur nodded. “Here?”

“Um,” said Arthur. “No. Cambridge, actually. I studied economics. You?”

“History and English Literature,” said Merlin. “I had to sell most of my books, though. And my laptop.”

“Don’t you have a grant or something?” said Arthur.

Merlin nodded. “It ran out. And my thesis kind of ground to a halt.”

“It’ll go better now,” said Arthur. “Trust me. It seemed to be going great. In the other universe.”

“I don’t suppose you knew what I was writing about?” said Merlin.

“Um,” said Arthur. “Ah. Something about Chrétien de Troyes. That’s all I remember.”

“I think I can work with that,” said Merlin.

KA

He ran into ridiculous ears again, walked right into him in the middle of the street on his way back from work one evening, and it wasn’t Arthur’s fault at all, of course.

“You!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, God,” moaned ridiculous ears. “Not again.”

“Will you just look where you’re fucking going?” snapped Arthur. “You stupid - ” He raised his hands, balled them into fists.

Ears flinched, suddenly looking properly terrified. “Oh God,” he said. “Please don’t hit me. I’m sorry. I’m really tired and I just want to get home and make myself some hot chocolate, alright?”

“Fine,” said Arthur, lowering his hands. “You’re not worth it anyway.”

“I’m glad you could educate me on my worth,” said ears, deadpan. He pushed past Arthur and stalked away.

And had Arthur taken a few seconds longer, he probably would have vanished away into the distance and the crowd, and that would be the end of it. But as it was, he turned around just in time.

“Wait!” he said. “Wait. You’re right. I’m sorry, I was being rude.”

Ears blinked at him, dumbfounded. “Um,” he said. “Yeah. Just a bit.”

“I can buy you a drink or something,” said Arthur. “If you like. Or a hot chocolate.”

He honestly expected ears to say no - he did look tired, after all - and he’d only wanted to make himself look a little better. But ears smiled, walked back a few paces, and took a hold of his wrist. “Okay,” he said. “Come on, then. I know a place that does the best hot chocolate.”

So there was hot chocolate - and it was delicious, it really was - and then there was a bar, and there was sharing of woes, and there were far too many shots, and the walk home seemed so very long. They ended up collapsed against a lamp post, Merlin - because that was his name, not Ridiculous Ears at all - giggling like a little girl.

His ears weren’t actually that ridiculous at all, now that Arthur thought about it. They had a sort of glow in the light from the lamp post, translucent. He rubbed his thumb down the edge of one thoughtfully. Merlin shivered.

“I think we should be friends,” Merlin announced. “It’ll be fun. We can meet up and complain at each other. Even if you are a giant wanker.”

“If I’m a giant wanker it’s only cause I have a giant -” Arthur broke off, gestured, then broke down laughing. Merlin clung to his shoulders, panted against his neck.

“You’re really gorgeous,” he said.

“I know,” said Arthur. Merlin drew back a little stared at him, smiling slightly, and his lips just looked so soft, Arthur could help but kiss him, it wasn’t his fault, not really.

For a moment or two it was nice, soft and shivery, Merlin’s hand running up and down his back, but then it hit him, what he was doing, he was fucking kissing another man, and he was flooded with sudden burning disgust. He pushed Merlin away, vicious.

“Get,” he gasped out. “Get off me. Get the fuck off me.”

Merlin looked bewildered. “You kissed me,” he said. “At least I think you did.”

“No,” said Arthur. “No. I’m straight. I like women, alright? So you can just get your filthy gay hands off me!” He pushed Merlin away again, even though he was already away. Arthur wanted him further away. He didn’t want to see him again, not ever.

“I’m bisexual, actually,” said Merlin, trembling.

Arthur took hold of his faded t-shirt and shoved him again, harder this time, sent him sprawling backwards onto the pavement. “Don’t touch me,” he said. “Don’t come near me, yeah?”

He turned and marched away, head reeling with fury. He thought Merlin might have called after him, but he wasn’t sure.

B

Merlin didn’t like restaurants. He liked his dates to be a little less conventional. He took Arthur to tiny little cafes with weird pictures on the walls and all-natural organic food on the menus, weird films in subtitled French, bars with old newspaper instead of wallpaper. He never protested when Arthur paid for everything, but he wanted to. Arthur could see it in his eyes.

“I have the money, you know,” he said one evening while they were walking home.

“You don’t have to worry.”

“I don’t like sponging off other people is all,” said Merlin. “Besides, it’s not like I’m the woman.”

“Oh, you totally are,” said Arthur.

“You have a girlier face,” Merlin retorted. He took Arthur’s hand. “I’m okay, alright? It’s nice. Everything’s nice.”

They slowed to a gentle stop at a street corner. “Want me to walk you home?” said Arthur.

“I think I can manage,” said Merlin. “It’s only just down the street.”

“Very well,” said Arthur. He brought Merlin’s hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.

“As my lady commands.”

Merlin laughed.

KA

Arthur had hoped that would be the end of it, that he would never have to see Merlin again, that the little curl of shame in his stomach would just wither away to nothing and he could go back to normal, but then he saw him again, on the same street, even. It was November, getting to be cold, and Merlin had a little woolly hat pulled down over his ears.

At first, he completely ignored Arthur, even when he called out a greeting, so Arthur followed him, ran up behind him and grabbed his elbow.

Merlin tugged it away and glared at Arthur, hot and furious. The curl of shame began to unwind.

“Look,” said Arthur. “I’m sorry, alright? I am so sorry. I was drunk, and I was freaked out, and I’m not normally like that, and I’m sorry.”

“I’m not sure sorry quite cuts it, Arthur,” said Merlin. “You fucking homophobic cunt.”

“I’m not,” said Arthur, heart sinking. “I swear I’m not. I’ll prove it to you, alright? I’ll do anything you want. I just don’t want you thinking of me that way.”

“I don’t want anything from you,” said Merlin.

“I like you,” said Arthur. “I don’t know what it is, but I really don’t want you to think I’m like that, because I’m not like that. I don’t want to be like that. I swear to God.”

Merlin turned his face away.

“Can we just start again,” said Arthur. “Please?”

B

They had been dating for a month or so when it took a turn for the better.

They were in Arthur’s flat, curled up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and a stack of DVDs. Merlin had insisted they watch The Sword in the Stone, said it counted as research. He’d started out at the other end of the sofa, but it hadn’t taken him long to drift over, to snuggle up next to Arthur, head on his lap.

“My thesis is going great now,” he said. “I swear I’ve got more done in the last month than I have all year. It’s like you’re my muse.”

“I’m just awesome like that,” said Arthur.

Merlin sighed, squirmed a little. “I watched this film so many times when I was a kid,” he said. “I liked it cause it had Merlin in it. I used to try to grow a beard.”

Arthur laughed. “I used to hate it because they made King Arthur into such a little wimp.”

On the screen, little wimpy Arthur was wearing a crown that was far too big for him.

Merlin shifted a little more, then sat up, disentangling himself, and said: “I have something I want to say.”

“Go on, then,” said Arthur.

Merlin took a handful of popcorn, as if to fortify himself. “I think we should shag.”

“I - what?” said Arthur.

“I think we should shag,” said Merlin. “Tonight would be great, but any time soon, really. I think our relationship would go in a good direction if we were to shag.”

Arthur stared at him.

“I’m sorry,” said Merlin. “I’m not good at talking about sex, so I though I’d just be direct - hey!”

Arthur had launched himself across the sofa, tackling Merlin around the waist, and for a moment it seemed to go swimmingly well, until,

“Jesus, Arthur! The popcorn! The popcorn! Oh no…”

The bowl clattered off the sofa onto the wooden floor, popcorn flying out in all directions, a great soft shower. Merlin lay back against the cushions and laughed.

“Oh, God,” he said. “Oh, you complete…”

“I’m going to be picking popcorn out of my rugs for weeks,” said Arthur, wondering.

“It’s in my hair,” Merlin choked out. Then he was off again, eyes falling closed.

Arthur waited till he got his breath back, then kissed the tip of his nose. “In case you hadn’t realised, I fully agree,” he said. “I think we should probably take this to the bedroom, though. It’s more comfortable. Also less popcorny.”

“I don’t know,” said Merlin. “I do like popcorn.” His trailed his fingers through Arthur’s hair, smiling to himself.

KA

For a few weeks, everything seemed to go fine. But then they had a few drinks too many, got thrown out of a pub, and ended up back in Arthur’s flat.

Merlin’s skin was very soft. His ears were lovely to suck on. He made the most delightful little moans. They were in bed before Arthur had time to think about what he was doing.

He managed to think what the fuck, what the fuck, and this is bad, this is very bad, but then Merlin did the most wonderful thing with his tongue and his head was spinning and it was so good, too good, he didn’t know how much he could take.

When he woke up the next morning, he crawled into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet, gasping for air, eyes stinging, throat burning, and he knew, he knew he couldn’t stand it any more.

He woke up Merlin, shaking him roughly, tugged the covers off him, left him shivering in the sudden cold. “What?” he said, voice thick with sleep.

“Get out,” said Arthur.

“M’sorry?” said Merlin, blinking up at him.

“Get dressed,” said Arthur slowly. “And get out of my flat. Now.”

Merlin still didn’t move. He looked exhausted. Lazy little sod, Arthur said to himself. Then Merlin’s eyes widened. “Oh God,” he said. “Did we -”

Arthur collected his clothes from the floor, threw them at him in a bundle. “Get. Out.”

“Arthur,” said Merlin, scrabbling to sit up and cover himself at the same time.

“Arthur, I know you’re freaked out, but we can talk about this, we don’t have to -”

“Get the fuck out of my flat,” said Arthur. “I don’t want to talk about this, alright? Not ever. I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to see you.”

“You don’t mean that,” said Merlin, voice weak, shaking.

“Being around you,” said Arthur. “Makes my skin crawl. I’m straight, alright? I’m fucking straight, so stop hanging off me. It’s disgusting.”

Merlin’s mouth fell open. “Oh, you complete -”

“Don’t you dare,” said Arthur. “Don’t even try it. Just get out.”

Merlin glared at him, long and hard, then tugged his shirt over his head, dressed himself briskly.

The sound of the door slamming seemed to echo around the empty flat.

B

The DVD menu was still playing in the background, incongruous. Merlin made the same noises Arthur remembered, little pants and gasps, hot and damp against his ear. He worked his way down his neck, his shoulder, lingering on the spots that made Merlin moan. His hands were sliding up and down Arthur’s back, clinging onto him.

“Oh, God,” he said as Arthur’s tongue slid behind his ear. “Oh God, right there.” He turned his head to the side.

“I love your ears,” said Arthur. He sucked gently on the lobe.

“What,” said Merlin. He paused, swallowed. Arthur could feel his throat working. Oh God. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t care,” said Arthur. “Anything. Everything.” He breathed in Merlin’s scent one last time, then drew back reluctantly, unzipped his jeans. And that was awkward, because Merlin decided to help, clumsy shaking fingers interlocking with Arthur’s, and he was going to protest, he was, but then they slipped down inside and wrapped around him and for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

“Hang on,” he choked out. “Let me get them off.”

Having Merlin spread out naked beneath him was even better than he remembered, because this was his Merlin, his Merlin who wanted him, who wasn’t thinking of some other Arthur, some better Arthur. They lay pressed close together, Merlin’s eyes screwed tight shut, just touching each other, a little clumsy.

Merlin’s fingers were long and tight around his prick, firm, stroking and toying until he groaned and his hips jerked forward. He brought his other hand down, cupped Merlin’s balls, squeezed gently, and Merlin cried out, he actually cried out, and said, “Oh God, oh fuck, I can’t, I -”

He was still and silent beneath Arthur for a heart beat, then his head fell back and he choked out Arthur, Arthur, Arthur as he came, hot and wet, fingers tightening around Arthur’s prick, so good so good so good, and the sight of Merlin, Arthur’s name on his lips, was more than he could take.

“I take it all back,” Merlin said after, with Arthur sprawled on top of him, face pressed against his neck. “We are amazing. That was - fuck, that was bloody phenomenal.”

“You just wait till we have a chance to practice,” said Arthur.

Merlin moaned, then pushed at Arthur gently. “Give me some space, yeah?” Arthur rolled away, lay on his side and watched Merlin breathe.

“Just so you know,” Merlin said. “We are doing that again later. As soon as I think I can move, we’re doing that again.”

“God, yes,” Arthur moaned into the pillow.

KA

He lasted five days. Five days before he was outside Merlin’s flat, banging on the door, demanding to be let in.

“I’m sorry, alright?” he shouted. “I didn’t mean it, I was just scared. I’m scared, Merlin. And I’m so fucking sorry, I really am. Now let me in so we can talk about it, yeah? I changed my mind, I want to talk.” Silence. He banged on the door again, frantic now. “I know you’re in there, Merlin, I can hear you moving about. I have to see you, I miss you so much. I can’t stop thinking about what happened. I fucked up, and I’m sorry, and I miss you, and please, please let me in.” There was a sound, like a footstep, maybe, then more silence. “For the love of God, Merlin, open the fucking door!”

One of Merlin’s neighbours, an elderly woman walking a tiny little dog, chose that moment to come up the stairs, gasped and gave him a shocked look. “You got a problem?” said Arthur. “Do you?” She whimpered and hurried away, almost tripping over the lead.

“I’m ready to talk now, Merlin,” he said. “I’ve been a complete twat about this. Just give me another chance. One more chance. Please?” He pressed against the door and listened with all his might, but there was nothing. “Fine. Be like that.” He took a few deep breaths. Told himself to walk away. Then he banged on the door again. “Come on, Merlin! I’m sorry! I’ll do anything you want, okay? Anything. Just talk to me. Please?”

The silence seemed to stretch on and on. He couldn’t breathe. Somewhere on the other side of the door, the floor creaked. That was all. He took a few deep breaths, gulped down air, then said, “Okay. I’m going, alright? You know where to find me, yeah?”

He got maybe half a dozen steps down the hallway before there was a click and a little jingle of chain behind him. He stopped, hardly daring to turn around.

Merlin was wearing his pyjama trousers and an ancient-looking t-shirt, bags under his eyes, his hair even more of a mess than usual. He stared at Arthur for a long, sad moment, then nodded his head, beckoned him inside.

Once the door closed behind them, Arthur started to speak, started to apologise again, but Merlin held up his hand. He was trembling. “No,” he said. “Okay? This is it. I’m not going to let you fuck with me any more.”

“I’m sorry,” said Arthur. “I’ll do anything to make it up to you. I swear.”

“Anything?” said Merlin. Arthur nodded. “Okay. Go out with me.”

“What?” said Arthur.

“Go out with me,” said Merlin. “On a date. In public.” Arthur gaped at him. Merlin raised his eyebrows. “Didn’t think so,” he said, reaching for the latch on the door.

“No,” said Arthur, catching him by the wrist. “No, Merlin - I just want to be with you, alright? I think. I don’t know. I don’t know what I am any more. I’m kind of scared. But, look,” he took Merlin’s hands, entwined their fingers. “You have my solemn oath that if I ever, ever fuck with you again, you can beat my face in with a shovel. I won’t fight back, I promise. I’ll just take it.”

Merlin turned his face away to laugh.

“I don’t know about you, but what I actually remember of the other night was kind of amazing,” said Arthur. “I fucked it all up. I’m so sorry. But you won’t regret it this time, alright? I promise you won’t regret it if you give me another chance.”

Merlin stared at him. He stared back.

“One more chance,” he said eventually. “Okay? Just one.”

Relief flooded through Arthur, like a wave. His knees felt weak. “Thank you,” he said. “You won’t regret it.” He reached out, wrapped an arm around Merlin’s shoulders and held him until Merlin’s arms slipped around his waist and squeezed back.

B

Arthur woke up the next morning with the sun on his face and Merlin curled up next to him in his boxers and one of Arthur’s t-shirts, makeshift pyjamas. He rolled over, looped an arm around Merlin’s thin waist, and just dozed like that for an hour or so.

It was Saturday. He could stay like that all day if he wanted to (and there was a tempting thought, it’d been a long week at work and all).

He was woken up again by Merlin’s breath tickling his eyelids.

“Morning,” said Merlin.

“Mmm,” said Arthur. “Hi. You sleep okay?”

“Your bed is - very comfortable,” said Merlin, kissing him gently. “And last night was pretty tiring.”

“Last night was fantastic,” said Arthur, running a hand up and down Merlin’s shoulder, tracing the sharp angles of it. Merlin moaned.

Then they had sex again. Because it was Saturday, and because they could. It was going on lunchtime by the time Merlin shook him awake.

“You’re dressed,” he said, blinking.

“Yeah,” said Merlin. “You had practically nothing in your kitchen except baked beans and bread and ready meals, so I went out. I’m making French toast, you want some?”

“Give me a minute,” said Arthur. “I’ll be up soon.” Merlin nodded, headed for the door. “Wait,” he said.

“Hmm?” said Merlin, one hand resting on the doorframe.

Arthur rubbed his eyes and braced himself. “Can I ask you something?”

“Depends what it is,” said Merlin.

“Move in with me,” said Arthur quickly.

Merlin stared at him, shifted about awkwardly. “You know, that wasn’t really a question,” he said.

“Yeah, I know,” said Arthur. “And I know it sounds kind of stupid, because we’ve only been together a month or so, but it’d work, y’know? I mean I’m closer to the university, and you’re, well, living with your mum.”

“Um,” said Merlin. “I’d have to get back to you, I guess. I mean I can’t just -”

“I know,” said Arthur. “Just think about it, yeah?”

KA

Their first date was in a pizzeria. Merlin reached the corner outside Arthur’s flat twenty minutes late, looking pale and breathless and panic-stricken, his rucksack still hanging from one shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I had a really hectic day.”

“It’s okay,” said Arthur. “I wasn’t worried you weren’t coming or anything.” There was an awkward sort of pause.

“Well, I’m here now,” said Merlin. He smiled. “So, where are we going?”

“Just follow me,” said Arthur, beckoning. “You’ll love it. I promise.”

But Merlin was strangely quiet once they reached the restaurant. He studied the menu with a little frown on his face, monosyllabic when Arthur asked him questions. By the time the waiter had come twice, and Merlin had kept asking for more time, it was starting to get kind of annoying. And more than a little nerve-wracking.

“Is something wrong?” said Arthur. He wanted to order. He needed a drink.

“No,” said Merlin. “It all looks great. I’m sure it’s great.”

“Then what’s the problem?” said Arthur.

Merlin bit his lip. “It’s just,” he said, “I can’t really have pizza.”

“What?” said Arthur.

“Well, I’m allergic to tomatoes,” said Merlin. “I don’t know if they do a tomato-free pizza, there’s nothing on the menu, but we could ask, I guess.”

Arthur took his head in his hands. “And you didn’t think to say anything earlier? Like, before we went into the restaurant?”

“Well, you looked so nervous about it,” said Merlin. “I didn’t want to upset you.”

“I’m not nervous,” said Arthur. “I don’t get nervous.”

“Everyone gets nervous,” said Merlin. “S’okay.” He flicked through the menu again. “I could just get garlic bread I guess. That should be alright.”

“I’m sorry,” said Arthur, taking his hands away from his face. “I fucked up again.”

Merlin put his menu down and took Arthur’s hand. “No, it’s okay,” he said. “You didn’t know. You’re trying, at least, yeah?” He smiled.

Arthur leaned forward, lowered his voice. “Does that mean if I eat tomato you won’t be able to kiss me later?”

“Yeah,” said Merlin, with a little shrug. “Sorry.”

Arthur closed his menu. “To hell with this. Let’s go find somewhere else, yeah?”

Part Two