Always Maybe

Lunch

When Merlin went to school on Monday, he felt like something was different. He caught Arthur looking at him a few times, but Merlin pretended not to notice. If he played it off like it was nothing, that would mean that it meant nothing. He couldn't allowed himself to dream or to even think that Arthur would ever reciprocate feelings for him. Arthur had made his position quite clear.

"Blondie's giving you goo goo eyes," Gwaine chuckled during lunch. They were sitting inside because it was raining, and Arthur was only a table away. His blue eyes were definitely piercing the back of Merlin's head.

"Is he now?" Merlin asked with a smile. He turned and then made eye contact with Arthur, who promptly blushed and looked away.

"Not anymore," Lance replied with a smile.

Morgana walked up to their table with Gwen at her side. Merlin looked back at Arthur and noticed that he was sitting with his rugby pals. Merlin thought it was weird because he always sat with Gwen. They were dating, afterall.

"Hey," she smiled. Merlin faked a smile and the two girls sat. The three boys looked at each other uncomfortably but tried to play it off like they weren't utterly disgusted with Morgana Pendragon, the biggest bitch in Camelot.

"Not sitting with Arthur?" Gwaine asked. Merlin kicked him under the table. 

"No, he's in some funk. Hardly says a word," Gwen explained confoundedly.

"That's not like him at all," Merlin said.

Gwen nodded with a frown painting her beautiful face. "I know," she sighed.

"Wonder what's gotten into him?" Lance wondered aloud. Merlin was secretly wondering if he was the person in the closet at Morgana's party, but he decided that Arthur wouldn't have kissed him in the first place, so no. It hadn't been Arthur. That didn't even make any sense.

"Well, Morgana, you live with the bastard. Got anything to add?" Gwaine asked.

Morgana shrugged. "I don't know. He started acting weird after my party, but I figure it's just 'cause Gwen wasn't there," she said. 

Merlin sighed and picked at his food. Something was wrong with all of this. Something was not right but Merlin didn't know what and it was killing him.