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

Chapter three

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

"Merlin!" Freya; Merlin's only friend at this school, called shrilly as she bounded up to him from behind.

Throwing her arms around his neck she practically tackled Merlin into a hug, not missing the way he winced when her hand fell to his chest.

"oh... bloody hell Merlin. What happened to you?" she asked once Merlin turned around, eyeing his broken face, finger touching the cut on Merlin's lip and brushing up to the one on his cheek.

"Nothing..." He replied glumly, shaking her hand away.

"No," she stopped him as he tried to walk past her, grabbing his arm to keep him in place, choosing to ignore his soft cry this time, "seriously Merlin. Who did it this time? Was it Leon? Percival? Arthur...? I swear to god if it was Gwaine..." she stopped, noticing the way Merlin stared off, ignoring what she was saying completely.

Gwaine had been their friend, one of Merlin's best at this wretched school, but he had gone off, joining Arthur's posse.

"Omg it was, wasn't it..." Freya said, anger pooling in her blood.

"It wasn't Gwaine, Freya..." he said defeatedly, "it was Arthur, now can we please go to form?"

"I'm gonna kill him..." she said as they walked slowly to their class, along the ray of colourful lockers that littered the hall way, breaking the silence.

Merlin laughed, not because it was funny but because he knows Freya would, given the chance. He side hugs her for a moment before letting go, a silent way of telling her not to.

~~~

For the first time in a long time, Arthur Pendragon and his gang purposefully ignored Merlin for an entire day, most likely going from Arthur's orders. Even Gwaine who sometimes sends a sad smile his way before grimacing and playing hateful, didn't even acknowledge his existence.

Maybe it wasn't a good thing, but Merlin took it as one. Used it as a time to relax and finally, kinda, enjoy a day at school.

In fact if it hadn't have been for his issues at home, Merlin would have classed this as a good day. However, like all good things in Merlin's life (since his dad left, at least) it had been screwed up by something. That 'something' being his mother. 

~~~

"Gaius? I'm back from school!" Merlin called, the same way he did everyday.

He wouldn't allow his mother and her neglecting ways to effect his life anymore.

"Merlin..." Gaius called, wearily but happily, "How was school?"

Merlin realised, morbidly, that when Gaius asks this question, like clockwork everyday, he must be expecting the same dreary response, and sometimes even have to sit through the detailed description of how Merlin received his patchwork skin that time.

Thats why, today, when Merlin came home, he was happy to say for the first time that, "School was okay! Almost good!"

The old man looked momentarily stunned, "Good?" he asked, almost as if he thought he somehow misheard the young lad.

"Almost. Yeah." Merlin smiled, before jogging up the stairs, stopping briefly to call back to Gaius, in a tune that would indicate he were saying something cheerful: "Tell Hunith not to return." and then continuing to sprint -almost skip the rest of the way up the stairs.

~~~

Merlin spent the evening relaxing, having done his homework in his school's library at lunch, bathing in the peace that had been his day. He sank down onto his small, single bed, a long creak seeping from its old wooden frame. He sighed, but it wasn't a bad sigh, if anything it was one off content. His pasty, cracked, white walls that usually made him feel isolated and adrift, today seemed to add to a peaceful day, although, in his mind, he knew it would not be the same tomorrow.