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

Chapter Twenty Five

A perfect weekend turned into a perfect week and another weekend after that, school turned into a blur but each opportunity they were presented with they took. Study sessions at home were more intimate - but life went on and in school the two had to continue to keep as distanced as they could.

When a second week rolled around Arthur expected, and wanted, it to continue on as normal - or as it had been - and for the most part it did. Meetups where held in the bottom floor bathroom where people rarely went, study sessions happened twice a week but quickly turned into make-out sessions, inconspicuous brushing of pinkies as they passed each other in the halls, Arthur's camouflaged attempts at getting his friends to be anywhere that Merlin wasn't.

And really Arthur should have felt guilty when, in the haste of a young love, he didn't realise Gwen wasn't in school one day, and then the next, but he didn't because he was still too caught up in Merlin - her absence nor his guilt never crossed his mind - until she was standing outside the school gates.

"Arthur!" She called, jogging up to him. She didn't look the part of the prestigious Guinevere he knew and despite himself he found that he was already reaching out to lay a comforting hand on her arm.

Her hair was thrown into a ponytail that looked as though it had been constructed messily, days ago. Under her eyes were heavy black circles, from lack of sleep and drooping, old mascara. She wasn't wearing her usual dress, uniform or skirt but tracky bottoms and an oversized jumper. She looked broken.

"Hey. What's up?" He asked, his tone was soft and he was sure to be gentle - he may want something other than Gwen but he wasn't a monster. She was clearly hurting.

"I need to talk to you. Please." She said, her voice was raw and tears scratched her eyes.

"Sure. What? What is it?" Thoughts seeped into his mind, he panicked, "Is - is it the baby?"

It must have been subconsciously because as soon as it happened his hand dropped from its place where it had landed on her stomach.

"No. No, the baby's fine. But... but - my dad - it's my dad, he found out --" She was trying so hard not to cry that Arthur would be a monster if he didn't swipe away the single tear that leaked down her cheek, "He found out and ... and he kicked me out, I can't go home. He won't let me - he's ashamed... I need to go somewhere - I can't be homeless. I wouldn't ask... I really wouldn't if it wasn't important - and if it wasn't under our circumstances - but please, Arthur, can I come and live with you?"

Merlin? Gwen? Merlin? Gwen? Merlin? Gwen? Merlin? Gwen? Merlin? Gwen?

An  endless cycle that had been repeating in Arthur's mind since the day Gwen had told him about the baby. About their baby.

He knew the right answer. The one he had to choose. He didn't expect now would be the time he had to choose it. 

"Yeah... yeah of course." He needed to hold it together, "I just need to go somewhere quickly to grab something. It'll only take a second I have my car."

A civil conversation in which he could explain everything: the baby, why he hadn't said anything, why he had to leave, why it was the right thing to do, how he had pretended before and he could pretend again.

His mind raced, not only with thoughts of leaving Merlin but also thoughts of going back to the house he once lived in, to see his father again. 

He had hoped for that - for his 'only a second' to really be more and then he would pick Gwen up but as he began walking to his car, Gwen followed and he knew his civil conversation that he planned to draw out for as long as he possibly could would really only be a quick second when Gwen slid into the passenger seat beside him.