Summary: A fill for a prompt on kinkme_merlin community.

Prompt: Arthur/Merlin-Merlin is very bothered by how Arthur's lips are constantly chapped.

Warnings: sassy Gwen?

Luscious

Chapter Three

Gwen was having a wonderful day. The sun was out but not too alarming and the people in the lower town were cheerful about the upcoming festival competition in a few weeks time.

That was why, when strolling with her latest clean linens, a wheezing sound caught her unaware.

With a bit of unease in her stomach, she crept toward the towering basket ahead and peaked behind them.

"Merlin?!" she said with some shock, her head jerking back from it's tilted position, causing her hair to bounce in all directions.

Merlin was hunched over, his lower back leaning against the wall behind him and his arms wrapped around his stomach.

"Oh my god Gwen!" Merlin gasped out, "is it possible to hyperventilate through your ears?!"

Gwen's hands went up to her mouth in shock, and well, in humor as well though she'd never tell anyone.

"Goodness Merlin, what on earth happened to you?" She questioned, reaching out to gently rub on Merlin's back.

Merlin's mouth snapped shut through his wheezing and a steady shade of red invaded his face.

"I-umm…well you see-I…I don't really know what I was thinking. I just happened."

Merlin's face looked devastated and his hands moved away from his sides to clutch his hair.

"Goodness Merlin, I've never seen you this way. Not that you look bad or anything. I mean, you aren't hurt are you? What did you do?"

Gwen's words came out in a jumbled mess and her gentle strokes to Merlin's back steadily grew in speed throughout her rant.

Merlin looked up to Gwen, his expression unsure.

"Well…I did something….to Arthur."

"Oh is that all?" Gwen said, straightening her posture after picking up the basket of linens she had dropped in haste.

"Honestly Merlin, the two of you bicker and fight more than wild wyverns. If it's so bad, stay huddled here like a child for another hour. I'm sure he'd appreciate you not doing your duties in the meantime."

With those words, Guinevere had turned and disappeared down the alley with a skip in her step. Merlin blinked with wide eyes after her before sighing and following her subtle advice.

His stomach fluttered with butterflies not knowing where Arthur could be at the moment so he quickly made his way through the castle to the one place he wouldn't go.