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

Chapter Thirteen

That day they kissed was the last time Arthur came to school for two weeks, but it wasn't like the other times, Arthur wasn't panicking. Merlin knew this because they had been texting, frequently.

'Hey.' It was Arthur again, 'Can't make the study lesson tonight.'

Merlin pulled out his phone and smiled, 'Yeah I guessed. lol. What's up?'

'Not well is all. How's school?'

'Meh, a wee bit boring. I think your clan is lost without you, haven't beat on me since you've left.' Merlin text back.

'WHAT?!?! I gave them specific instructions TO beat you up! I'll be having a word with them...'

'HA HA HA, very funny clotpole!' Merlin smiled, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

"MERLIN!" Freya shouted from beside him, "Good Gravy! Glad to have you back. I thought we'd lost you to comatose then." She smiled, nudging him.

"Sorry, just texting." He replied and Gwen popped her head round the side of Freya's shoulders.

'when the bloody hell did she get here?' Merlin thought.

"Have you heard from Arthur? He hasn't been replying to my messages since he's been off school." She said, a small pout on her delicate mouth.

"Nope, not a peep, sorry Gwen." He lied, if Arthur wasn't texting her back he had his own reasons for it and Merlin wasn't about to expose him.

"That's alright, he'll be back at school soon enough."

"Fingers crossed." Merlin said in a sing song voice, trying to sound sarcastic earning a small chuckle from both girls, "Anywho, which way you walking Frey?" He said, waiting at the side of the road to cross.

"I'm going straight home today." she chirped.

"Alright, bye. Bye, Gwen."

"Bye, Merlin." Gwen smiled, just as Freya called, "Adios mi amor, Te echarè mucho menos." In a poorly put on Spanish accent and touching her heart, while walking backwards bumping into crowds of people.

Merlin laughed as people gave Freya dirty looks as she bumped into them clumsily before crossing the road and heading home.

Once he got back he went into the small dining room and began to clear away the tutor stuff he had gotten out just encase Arthur was feeling better and came in today.

Half-way through packing it back into the box he decided that he would take Arthur some soup, must be pretty badly ill to be off for two weeks and Merlin felt bad for him.

He prepared some chicken noodle soup and went round, calling to Gaius that he was going round to a friends.

~~~

It wasn't an immensely long walk to Arthur's but Merlin wishes he had a coat as the season was verging on winter now.

When he got to Arthur's road he had to closely inspect each house as they all looked the exact same in this part of town; neat gardens, multiple cars, large, white, tall and with a fountain in the massive front yards.

However, when Merlin reached Arthur's he knew that he reached Arthur's because the boy was sprawled out at the foot of the door with a man towering over him, a man Merlin recognized from the news as Uther Pendragon, holding a beer bottle in hand screaming at his son who lay clawing himself backwards on the ground. Behind Uther stood a delicate girl, a few years older than Merlin and Arthur and she was crying and begging Uther to stop but he continued to scream and kick at the poor boy.

Merlin ran up, pathetic soup flask in hand and began shouting at Uther to stop which caught the attention of the whole family. Uther stepped back from his son and Morgana looked too shocked to move, Arthur on the other hand just jumped up, grabbed Merlin's wrist and began running in the opposite direction of his house.

When they were far enough away to know Uther wasn't chasing them Merlin stopped, bring Arthur to a halt as he did so.

"What was that? Are you okay?" Merlin asked, breathing labored from panic and too much exercise, he had tears in his eyes and was frantically searching Arthur's body, feeling at his arms and face to check for injury.

Shaking him off, Arthur span on his heel and went to sit on the set of sings in an unused play park.

"I'm fine." he said when he was sitting down on one of the old swings.

Cautiously, Merlin came forward and sat on the swing next to Arthur's, "Is that the right and wrong? Speaking out?" Merlin asked, recalling their conversation from two weeks ago.

Swiftly, and quietly, Arthur replied, "Yep." but that was all Merlin got out of him.

Arthur was covered in bruises, head to toe and the sight made Merlin's eyes well with tears, how long had this been going on? How long had Arthur been staying off of school to hide the bruises his father patterned him with?

They sat in silence for a while, Merlin would have put it down to fifteen minutes round about.

"Why you here?" Arthur said and the brunette startled.

"If you think I'm leaving now-" Merlin started but Arthur cut him off.

"No I mean - why did you come to my house?" He asked, his voice was almost angry but like it was too sad to sound full of rage.

"You said you were sick." Merlin sniffed, "I brought you soup." He laughed, it was merely a breath on his lip but a laugh none the less, before tears flooded his eyes and he couldn't stop the questions he bombarded upon Arthur, "Oh god! Jesus! Are you okay? Why? When? How long? You could have told me, I could  have helped!" He cried but Arthur just sat there, bruised and silent.
He took a calming, shuddering breath, "are you okay? Like actually okay?"
Arthur met Merlins eyes, and nodded slowly, "I'll be fine." He said.
"Yeah you will! Wanna know way?" Merlin exclaimed, with tears still tracking his cheeks, and Arthur allowed a small smirk to claim his face and he nodded for Merlin to continue, "because I'm not letting you go back to your house. As of today... you're living with me!"

AN:

A second update? Who am I?

Am I taking this too fast? I just didn't want to have to write another boring filler chapter where nothing happens so TADA! This was going to happen inevitably within the next few chapters so why not now?

I want to add: I am not a professional but if anyone of you need to talk about anything that comes up in this fic don't hesitate to reach out to me, I know that this story touches upon some serious issues and sometimes people just need someone to talk to so I may be a bit socially awkward and lack experience in like everything but I'm here if you need to talk ♡

I hope you enjoyed! Please vote and comment. All your comments are brilliant, I love each and every one, they're all so funny and kind and I just can't 😭 thank you so much for support and I hope you like where I've taken this because... too fast? Let me know, unpublish is always an option. 🙃

Byyyyyyeeeee ...