My Camelot Romance (A Merthur Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

He took it back. He hates Camelot. Maybe not "hate" but he knew it was too good to be true. When he found out that all the boys had to shower together and change together, he was very uncomfortable. He knew they'd have to share bathrooms and showers, but he expected walls of some sort between every one of them. Maybe curtains even. Not just an open wet room with 12 showers, male genitals and dripping bodies. If they saw any of his scars or bruises they'd ask. Both the ones caused from others and those caused by himself. He didn't want to think about it. Not now. But he couldn't, when all the boys rushed down to the bathrooms.

He ended up standing in a corner clutching his shirt. His back was pressed against the white tiles, staring uncomfortable around him, yet keeping his vision to the floor. He was feeling hot and cold at the same time. And dizzy. And nauseous. Well... If he puked that would probably be a good enough reason not to shower. "Merlin?!" He turned to the voice and dear god, he was not ready for what greeted him. Arthur was walking towards him, slowly and confidently. A white towel was wrapped around his waist. His six-pack was well shaped and clear and his chest and shoulders broad. He had a suave smile dancing on his lips and his eyes was playful with a certain spark. Suddenly Merlin felt weak to the knees and very insecure standing there in an oversized grey Twenty One Pilots t-shirt and a pair of blue boxer shorts. Arthur kept on walking until they where merely 10 inches from each other. Maybe even less. "Aren't you gonna shower?" Merlin didn't really know where to look. He would usually look down, but in these circumstances that would've been a bad idea. He looked at the walls next to him. "I... I didn't know it would be that..." He did a gesture to the showers while trying to find the right words. "... Open" Arthur laughed that warm, full hearted laugh he has, which morphed into a sympathetic yet mocking awe. He did a little pout and so did Merlin in response. Of course a much more angrily and nearly not even close to one as gorgeous as the one in front of him. Arthur continued. "Is Merlin afraid of showing off his body." The door wasn't that far away. It was even on the same wall as Merlin was currently pushed up against. He could go for it. Run. Run upstairs, pack his bags and never return. But before he could even finish his train of thought, Arthur's hand landed on his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "You know you can talk to me right?" Merlin didn't look at him. Arthur sighed. "I know we haven't known each other for a long time, but I really want to help in any way I can." Merlin still didn't look at him. The silence was long. Even though boys were shouting to each other and water was running in the background, to these two boys it was almost dead silent. For to them, only the man in front of them was what really mattered.

Eventually Arthur sighed and let go of Merlins shoulder. He began walking to the bench on the other side of the room where his clothes lay. "There's usually no one here at 10pm" he said over his shoulder. And finally Merlin looked up. Arthur's eyes was apologetic yet understanding. "Why are you helping me?" Asked the skinny boy from Ealdor. "I don't know." Said Arthur. He then turned and walked back to the skinny boy. His eyes almost turned into two lines as he looked the boy up and down and pointed at him with his finger. "There's something about you Merlin. I just can't put my finger on it." Merlin flashed him a smile. "Is it because I'm so insanely adorable?" Arthur rolled his eyes but still laughed. "Or maybe it's because I'm so charismatically handsome." Arthur shook his head, but was still smiling. "Shut up Merlin." The look the two boys shared was warm and almost familiar. They were speaking like they've know each other before. Like they had known each other for ages.

After the prolonged eye contact and the shared smile, Arthur spoke. "You know if you go to the room now you got time to change before any of the others get there, if getting naked in front of us is a part of your problem." Merlin bowed his head a little and looked at the blonde in front of him through his bangs. Arthur raised his eyebrows and gestured to the door. "Go!" Merlin flashed him another grin before backing to the door while bowing in the process. "Yes your Royal Dollophead." Once again Arthur pointed at him with a sharp finger and flashed him a stern look that was still soft in some way. "You've already changed my name once today, I'm not gonna let you do it twice." Merlin chuckled and disappeared out the door. Arthur was still looking at the door after Merlin had vanished.

"What was that all about?" Said the familiar voice of Percival. "Was that a bit of romance I spotted there?" Said Gwaine mockingly. "Oh is Arthur gonna get some tonight~" sang Elyan mockingly as he bumped Arthur with his elbow. "Hm who knows. Maybe read him some poetry." Hummed Lancelot to himself. "Poetry?!" Exclaimed Leon with a surprised and over dramatic tone. "Arthur loves poetry." Said Will in the corner and all the boys laughed when they remembered the incidence in English literature, when Arthur was reading a very dirty story some of the boys had found out loud to the others, making them laugh because of the overdramatic love making and the well chosen words. When the teacher came in and asked what they were doing, Arthur panicked and said they were reading poetry. The teacher got quite surprised and repeated his answer with a questioning tone. Arthur, who was simply too embarrassed, stuttered out the phrase: " I love poetry" And the boys have been mocking him for it ever since. And to make matters worse, he always have to read out loud in poetry class.

"You know..." Said Gwaine and looked over at Arthur. "... According to the tales you are actually suppose to marry the servant girl Gwen and not the sorcerer Merlin." Arthur shook his head and put on his grey t shirt that matched his black boxer briefs. Percival came up next to his significant other and circled an arm around his shoulders. "Yes, but if he did that Lance would kill him." Lancelot made himself look like a knight as he held the shampoo bottle up in front of him as a sword as he said the next phrase very dramatically. "You shall marry Gwen over my dead body!" Arthur laughed out loud and said between breaths. "I think it'll be over my dead body in that case. I know how much you love her, you'd practically kill to keep her safe." Lancelot turned into his charming and slightly shy self as he put the shampoo bottle back into his toiletry bag. "I'd do anything for my fiancé" "WHAT?!" Screamed all the boys and nearly slipped on the bathroom floor to get over to Lancelot in such a hurry. "Have you proposed to Gwen? Already?" Asked Will surprised. Lance simply shrugged. "It's not a real proposal, but we've both agreed that when we are old enough and have enough money we will get married." Gwaine nearly curled himself around Lancelot in an attend to woo him. "Can I be your brides maid?" The man with brown hair laughed and turned to his friend. "you can be mine if I can be yours". Percival wrapped his arms around Gwaine and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The boy with shoulder long brown hair turned around in the stronger mans arm and kissed him softly on the lips. Afterwards they all got dressed and returned to their room. Merlin was fast asleep, still wearing his Twenty One Pilots shirt and boxer briefs. He was curled into a ball on the bed. Merlin looked so small, so innocent. His duvet was on the end of the bed by his feet. Arthur sighed and wandered over to him. He grabbed the duvet and foldet it over the sleeping form on the bed. As he did so he noticed that his boxer shorts had creeped up a little on his thighs and he seemed to notice... scars? Why did he have...? Arthur knew he couldn't creep over Merlin and look at something so close to the groin area. At least not for so long. He foldet the duvet over the skinny, pale body and walked over to his bed. He decided to ask Merlin about it in the morning. Once he found a good way to do so.
But he never did.