Your Tears On These Sheets

Chapter 1

Merlin was fine. He's always been fine. That's what he tells himself anyway, because in truth, it's been a long time since he's felt fine.

Things changed when Arthur Pendragon joined his school.

***

The teacher was taking the register when said new student rushed into the room. Merlin looked up from his sketchbook. He could already tell that this person was a prat by the way he held an air of confidence around him. Without even apologising, he made his way to an empty seat. Trust Merlin's luck to be sitting next to that very seat.

Mr Bois didn't looked impressed.

"Would you care to introduce yourself, I doubt everyone here knows who you are?" the teacher pursed his lips.

"Me? Oh sorry," the new student stood up and made his way towards Mr Bois. He offered his hand to the teacher. "I'm Arthur."

Mr Bois looked at Arthur's outstretched hand, seeming very displeased. "Just Arthur?"

"Of course."

"Nice to know we have someone who likes the sound of their name too much. Mr Pendragon, go and sit back down."

Arthur's smile faltered at the mention of his surname. Of course someone like him would have a surname like that; they were posh, condescending prats. Over dramatically, Arthur slouched back into his seat, clearly enjoying the attention of the class. The popular group that dominated his year were going to like him, Merlin could just tell. It was fine though, he could deal with one other arsehole verbally attacking him because everyone thought that he was gay. Not that he was, but not that he wasn't. Merlin was more confused than anything, but confirming it would be like sentencing himself to a hell of horror.

Merlin spent most of tutor submerged in his thoughts, and it wasn't until the sound of the bell and the scraping of chairs when his eyes focused again.

He made his way to class, making his route irregular. For some reason, the new boy was following him. If Merlin wasn't in a rush, he would've shown the other where his first class was, but Merlin was set on making sure to not get bruised on the first day of term. He didn't want to worry Uncle Gaius again.

"Hey, Merls," someone shouted. Merlin knew who it was. He ignored them. "Oh don't run away!"

It took a lot of Merlin's willpower to not answer back. If one word came out his mouth, he knew that finding a way to not get hurt would become less likely. Too many times had Merlin walked into class only a few minutes after gaining a bruise of some sort. None of the teachers ever seemed to notice and if they did, they just didn't seem to care. His classmates would either look at him with pity or disgust. Merlin hated it.

Most of his breath was drawn out of him from the force of his back being slammed against the wall. Valiant's hand was tight around his throat. Behind Valiant, was Edwin and Cedric, with their arms crossed and smirks adorning their faces. At least the other jerks weren't here. Merlin could see the new boy standing at the side, just watching, but looking a little confused and lost. If he had not have acted so stuck-up in tutor, Merlin wouldn't have felt angry at him.

"You really need to understand that the whole point of me provoking you is for you to fight back."

"You don't... you don't exactly make it fair." Merlin croaked. The deathly grip tightened, and Merlin could feel his lungs protest at the constraint on his neck. He was going to have to put on his neckerchief after this to hide the bruises.