Don't Go (BBC Merlin Fan Fiction)

Chapter four

  Later that day Arthur found out that Merlin had been switched as his patient for a while since the doctor that had him previously was going on vacation. Another excuse to be able to see Merlin made Arthur giddy with excitement, even though he wasn't due to come to the hospital for a few more days.

  Except Arthur didn't have to wait very long to see Merlin. He always occasionally visited Dragon Books, often saying that the library down the street never had books he liked, or just coming up with things he'd need from medical books and such. Doing this made Arthur start reading more than he normally did, his apartment starting to look like Merlin's house with dog-eared books piled up everywhere. 

  He also came to find out who Gwaine and Elena were, and found them to be joyful people. Gwaine often sported perverted jokes and eyed many of the women who came into the shop. Elena would throw her head back and laugh, along with giving Gwaine's arm a little shove when he saw someone appealing. Arthur seemed to think of the two as a couple, but they both shook their heads rapidly, claiming to only be good friends.

  Merlin had smiled at that as if it were an inside joke. Arthur just raised an eyebrow and picked up Lord of the Flies from a bookshelf. 

   "You're going to read that book?" Merlin asked.

  "I remember reading it in grade school, and thought it to be a good book," Arthur defended.

  Merlin walked towards a bookshelf that stood behind the one that Arthur was at, "I absolutely hated reading that book! Read this one instead." And Merlin handed Arthur a book that went by the title of Ender's Game.

  Soon Morgana had started to notice how Arthur would leave the hospital on his break instead of staying in his office like he usually did. He decided that she wanted answers, so one day Morgana pulled Arthur aside when she passed by him.

  "Arthur, I hope you realize how lonely I've been getting. I have no one to gossip to on our breaks now," Morgana said.

  "Oh come on. You have Leon. Aren't you dating him?" Arthur asked.

  "Of course I am! I just wanted to find out why you keep going down to the bookshop down the street."

  "I've made some friends, that's all."

  "How lovely! Why don't you introduce me to them this Saturday? I can bring Leon, Gwen, Lance, and Gwen's brother, Elyan. It'd be a fun group outing."

  "I don't know..." Arthur trailed off. He wouldn't mind the group get-together, but whenever he and Morgana ended up doing a group outing Gwen and Morgana always  managed to bring up the topic about trying to set Arthur up with someone. Their attempts always failed, of course, when Arthur said he didn't need someone. But no matter what he says he would never be able to shake off the tiny part of him that always felt lonely. 

  "It'd be fun and interesting. There's this new restaurant that opened up near the park. I think it's called Food for Thought or something like that," Morgana said, "Apparently you can draw on the tables."

  And with that said, Morgana left Arthur. He resumed his work.

****  

Inviting Merlin, Gwaine, and Elena wasn't hard. Arthur walked into Dragon Books after his shift at the hospital ended.

Elena was at the register and Merlin was out back in his office ordering books, from what Gwaine said, who was counting up the amount of money they had made that day.  

  When Arthur told the two about how Morgana planned a whole group outing in two nights (it was Thursday), they seemed excited.    

"Sounds like fun," Gwaine said," I enjoy any place that offers food and alcohol."    

"Plus," Elena added, "We'd all like to meet your friends."       Merlin walked into the room. "Hey Arthur," He smiled at him.    

"Hey. Everyone's going to meet my sister and her friends, who also happen to be mine, this Saturday at Food for Thought. Do you want to come?" Arthur asked.    

"Absolutely," Merlin said.    

"Thanks. Morgana would've thrown a fit if you guys never came," Arthur then left Dragon Books, for Merlin said that it was closing time.  

  Arthur drove back h ome to his apartment after leaving, excited for whatever Saturday might bring.