"Tell me you're not leaving that in there."

"Of course, he is. It's absolutely amazing."

Arthur glared at the brunet leaning over Merlin's other shoulder to stare at the artwork he'd drawn. "Gwaine, you wouldn't know good artwork if it jumped up and bit you on the-"

"Ahem!" Merlin nodded at the little boy across from them staring rapt at the three men. Morgana would never forgive them if they taught her son his first curse.

"Nose. Bit you on the nose." Arthur reached for the page but Merlin covered it protectively.

He matched Arthur's glare with his own as he made sure to protect the last page of his newest web-comic. "It stays. The Prince will spend an hour in the stocks for tormenting his poor servant."

Gwaine chortled, "Oh, Princess, you're in for it now." He clapped Arthur on the shoulder. "You know pissing off an artist is like pissing off a writer, right? They find ways of making the character they base off you suffer."

Merlin grinned up at Gwaine, "Now, surely Leon doesn't make you suffer that much."

"Did you read what happened to Oz in his last book? He dated an ogress." Gwaine's eyebrow was high enough that it rivaled Uncle Gaius' at his most annoyed.

"I wish I could disagree with you, Gwaine, but Oz does share some of your less charming qualities. Well, all of your qualities, I guess." Arthur sat next to his nephew with the baby food and a spoon at the ready. "Merlin, you might want to move your masterpiece before Mel decides to get some of his peas on it. Because it would be a true shame if you had to redraw it." Arthur's eyes rolled as he waited for his roommate to move the Bristol pad he'd been working on before he started feeding Melehan. "Gwaine, why are you even here? Don't you and Leon have a date tonight?"

Gwaine sat in the chair across from Mel and started making faces at him. "Yeah, but I needed to ask you a favor."

"Hmm?"

"Can I borrow your car?" Gwaine grinned at the quick look of fear that crossed Arthur's face. "I swear I'll be careful. I just want to take Leon out in style tonight."

"Oh, my gods, you're going to do it, aren't you?" Merlin grinned wildly and reached out for Arthur's arm, startling him into dropping the spoon and green peas all over his jeans. "I told you!"

Arthur glared at his friend as he tried to wipe the green goo off the jeans he'd just washed this morning, "Told me what? How much of a klutz you are?"

Merlin's wild grin hadn't diminished as he ignored Arthur's grumbling. "You are, aren't you, Gwaine?"

Gwaine laughed at the earnest puppyish look on his friend's face. "Yes, Merlin, I am going to ask my boyfriend to marry me."

"It's about damned time, Gwaine. You two have only been living together for two years." Arthur calmly wiped his nephew's face, ignoring Merlin's thrilled laugh and the weak punch to his shoulder. He leaned back in his chair and reached in his pocket, pulling out the keys to his car. "Scratch it, and there will be very few places on this planet you can hide, Gwaine. Hurt my oldest friend and there will be no place I won't find you." He held the keys out to the shaggy-haired brunet, who took them from him gingerly.

Gwaine's grin softened at the threat. "I have no intention of ever hurting him, Arthur."

"Good. For some reason the rest of our friends actually like you, and on some days you even approach tolerable." Arthur gave Gwaine a real smile. "Make my friend happy, Gwaine."

"I intend to, Princess."

I know I'm behind on The Stocks, but nothing is turning out right. This started out as a Stocks story, but obviously ended up somewhere else. I figured I should put it up just to get something up there that you guys might like.