Note: This was originally supposed to be only 2 chapters, but as I began writing what I thought would be the last chapter, I needed to establish that Arthur had a thing for Merlin that was more than a passing friendship. I wanted to keep going, but the chapter refused to continue. So, this.

BETA: TheSupernova

Chapter 2: Arthur Loves Merlin

Arthur was embarrassed to admit that he had quite a thing for Merlin.

That's not to say he didn't like Gwen. She was quite pretty, after all. A bit understated and plain, but that was part of her charm. When Gwen smiled, it lit up her face and Arthur loved to make her laugh.

He had been quite happy dating Gwen. She had been one of the only people in Arthur's life who saw him as a man, instead of a prince. This was a rare enough occurrence that Arthur had been immediately attracted to her.

Of all the other options Arthur had, between princesses or various socialites from the neighboring kingdoms, the worst were the ones Uther chose. Mainly because his father had the worst choice in women. Which was ironic, considering Uther had married Igraine.

Though Arthur was beginning to wonder if that hadn't been prearranged by someone else.

Regardless, it was up to Arthur to choose his Queen and Gwen seemed like the perfect candidate, regardless of her lack of nobility. Igraine had been from nobility, but the way she treated her servants and those around her with kindness and compassion had left an impression on Arthur.

Unlike his father, who treated everyone more or less as "subjects of the kingdom" which was, in its own way, dehumanizing.

The point being, was that Arthur liked Gwen and somewhere in Arthur's relationship with his man-servant, he ended up liking Merlin, too.

Arthur wasn't sure when it happened, but somehow Merlin went from "man-servant" to "man-servant and permanent bed-warmer".

The last part wasn't true (yet) but it was the closest Merlin was going to get to "lover"—unless the warlock chose to change genders and become Queen. Arthur immediately imagined Merlin in a dress and a cold shudder ran though his body. Wasn't that a terrifying thought?

No, Arthur liked Merlin the way he was (all gangly limbs, flat chest and big ears).

"So when did you know you liked him?" Gwen asked, while on one of her "dates" with Arthur.

They had traveled just outside the castle, near a sunlit lake at high noon. The picnic basket the royal kitchens had packed was untouched, as they were yet to fancy having lunch.

Gwen leaned against a tree, watching a shirtless Lancelot taking a swim. When Lancelot looked over, he waved to her and she returned it shyly, a blush forming on her cheeks. Arthur was lying on the ground looking up through the trees at the pure, blue sky.

"I'm not sure," Arthur said truthfully. "At some point he went from a 'thorn in my side' to someone I want to be 'inside'."

"Eww, Arthur!" Gwen said, pulling away. "That's crude, even for you!"

Her disgust was overruled by her laughing spilling forth.

"Well, its true," Arthur stated.

"And crude. I could have done without that imagery, thanks," she responded.

"You asked," he said with a shrug.

They were soon interrupted by Lancelot, who was walking up to them while towel-drying his hair.

Once he drew closer, Lancelot threw the towel aside and leaned over, kissing Gwen on the mouth. While they shared their (sickeningly) passionate moment, Arthur turned his attention back to the lake. The water was still, and the air almost stiflingly hot if it weren't for the shade provided by the nearby forest.

"Are you ever going to tell him?" Lancelot asked.

Gwen had curled up in Lancelot's arms, laying across his bare chest. She was being cradled in his arms.

"Eventually," Arthur responded.

Which was technically true—Arthur just had no actual plans for the near or distant future.

"He's eventually going to find out that we're not actually dating," Gwen said to Arthur.

"Everyone," Lancelot corrected.

"Right," she said. "You don't expect me and Lancelot to keep our relationship a secret forever?"

Arthur snorted lightly. "Of course I don't."

It's not a secret now. Arthur thought. One would have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to see the chemistry brewing between those two, even in brief passing.

Rumor was that those two were dating but were under the assumption that Arthur knew this full and well and had only begun dating Gwen just to throw the King off Arthur's back.

Which was, well, true. If Arthur chose a Queen, he wouldn't have to suffer from any more of Uther's hairbrained ideas at matchmaking; a strange, political marriage.

What amazed Arthur was how the rumors had spread to just about everyone except the people in question. Arthur excluded, of course.

The only reason Arthur still went on these dates with Gwen was that it was the only time he could get without his man-servant watching his back with eyes like a (magically inclined) medaling hawk.

The bonus was it gave Gwen and Lancelot time to be alone together (such as it was).

"I'm going to practice my magic," Arthur said, sick of the cooing and flirting going on next to him.

"Mmm," Gwen said, clearly distracted. "Have fun."

"I'm sure," Arthur said.

See, Arthur had quickly found early on that Merlin hated going on his and Gwen's dates. After Arthur realized he didn't love Gwen in quite the same way as Lancelot did, that's when Arthur realized it was the perfect opportunity to (somewhat) openly practice his magic.

Gwen and Lancelot would stand guard while Arthur went off and did magical-type things that he had no intention of letting Merlin find out about.

Of course, the ironic part was (as Arthur would find out later) was that not only did Gwen and Lancelot know about Arthur's magic, but they knew about Merlin's magic as well.

Which was probably what Gwen had meant when she told Lancelot (when she thought Arthur wasn't paying attention), "Those two idiots are going to be the death of us."