Boy in the bubble (Modern Merthur AU) (Discontinued)

Chapter two

Disclaimer: I do not agree with or accept any homophobic remarks used in this story! They are there for content reasons only!

Merlin slips in his ear buds as he leaves his last class of the day, deciding whether to head home or not. It was garanteed that is where his mother will be, but Gaius would be worried if he weren't to turn up. So Merlin started the slow walk home, dragging out the time it took to get there.

"Oi Faggot!" A voice called from behind, a voice Merlin was completely oblivious to.

Oblivious until the owner of the voice grabbed at his shoulder and shoved him against a rough brick wall at the side of the pavement.

Startled, Merlin fumbled to remove his ear phones and stuff them into his blazer pocket of his black and red uniform.

"No one. Can. Know." Arthur stated accusingly. Face centimetres away from Merlin.

"W-What?" Came Merlin's stammering, still partly terrified response.

"You," Arthur said, sticking a finger in Merlin's face, "can not let on to anyone that... that you're tutoring me."

Merlin pauses a moment before, "why? What you going to do if I decide I want to?"

Arthur's heart beats rapidly, while fresh terrified anger takes over his body, and his hand raised instinctively, coming from afar right to Merlin's face, sending an echoing sound of a hard, open-handed palm meeting the soft, delicate skin of Merlin's cheek.

Almost instantly Merlins expression changes from the look of being threatened to the emotionless face he had been practicing since his first year in school.

"Is that all you've got? Go on hit me harder! Do you think I'm not used to it?" Merlin paused to pull up his shirt, revealing a bruised, scar plastered chest, "LOOK AT ME! Look what you and countless others have done to me!"

Arthur's face visibly dropped and his eyes strayed in a futile attempt to control himself.

"Hey I'm talking to you!" Arthur yelled as Merlin made an attempt to leave while Arthur was distracted.

In one smooth motion, Arthur had Merlin's shirts collar wound in his fist and was slamming him backwards into the wall.

Five quick pounds to the face, it was something Merlin was used to after years of torment but it didn't make it hurt any less. Then, he was on the floor, stomach being blown in by a relentless boot. Pounded over and over again. Curling in on himself until the world blacked out.

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2 hours later...

It was almost 6:50 when Merlin got home and checked his batted phone '6:48'. He was so late and going to be in so much trouble. With an eerie creek, the old metal gate to Merlin's small home creeped open, and Merlin limped up to the beaten front door. An almost unrecognisable, shaking hand reached his for his keys and attempted to slide them into the lock. Merlin fell against the door, too exerted to turn the key. He shrivelled up into the corner of the door way and let the tears he has held back for so long fall, streaking his face as he cried; he cried because his mother didn't care, because he was beaten and bruised, because his father had left him, because the only person that truly loved and cared for Merlin wasn't supposed to and finally because bully after bully ridiculed him for who he was. He cried till he felt sick, till his face was as red and spotted as his abdomen, then, taking a deep breath he pulled himself to his feet, wiped his eyes and opened the door feeling the familiar twinge in his wrist telling him it was either broken or severely twisted. He pushed the remainder open with his foot to avoid further pain and limped his way to the living room, taking a hesitant seat in front of a laid out tray, his picked up the fork and cut into the chicken breast, it was was cold but that didn't matter, Merlin ploughed it into his mouth without a seconds thought, scooping more onto his fork, using the food as a weight to keep the pain down.