Hey Guys, this is just an idea I've written the first chapter for, If you think I should write more on it please tell me and I'll carry on... Thanks xxx

Merlin and Arthur Modern Day (AU)

Chapter One

"Honestly what is the big deal?" Gwen raised an eyebrow at her friend. "I would work with him, that's for sure," She eyed up the tall, blonde, handsome man leaning against the teacher's desk laughing with one of his friends, with lust in her eyes.

"Because, Guinevere, He's a Prat." She hit him. "What was that for?"

"Merlin, you don't even know the guy. How could you possibly know he's a Prat? Plus, you've been watching him just as much as I have, don't try and deny it. It's just a science project." He sighed and thrust his head into his hands, rubbing his temples. "Plus," She added, almost vindictively, "You have to."

***

Dr Gaius was usually a nice teacher, he was old and reasonably strict, but the man seemed to understand people's boundaries, when he knew the class was struggling he would explain things further, when he sensed individual students we're struggling, he would help them separately, and he would never chose the partnering, knowing it would cause disarray.

Or so Merlin thought.

"Right class, I want you to do a project for me on nano-technology and buck-minster fullerenes, in pairs." Merlin nudged Gwen with his elbow and she smiled and nodded. "You will have 2 weeks to do so, and I have chosen the partners already. I'll put them on the board." Gwen shrugged and he sighed deeply.

Now the class was small, 10 students, as it was an after school class for the higher ability who were aiming for the best grades, so the table Gaius had drawn up on the board was easily read by the whole class.

Owain and Morgana (Gwen smiled at her friend, knowing Morgana had a crush on Owain)

Leon and Sophia

Gwen and Lancelot (Merlin heard the infatuated girl to his right squeal, Gwen liked Lance even more than Morgana like Owain!)

Cedric and Rachel

Merlin and Arthur

Merlin and Arthur. Merlin let his head hit the table with a soft bang, leaving Gwen to roll her eyes at him.

***

"So," Merlin looked up at the boy staring down at him. "You're my partner then?" Merlin looked around for his friend to find she had left him to go off and flirt with Lancelot.

"Yeah, that's me I guess." The young man stared down at him with piercing blue eyes, his golden hair flowing down his forehead over his eyes; Merlin had the sudden urge to push it out of the way but managed to restrain himself somehow. Gwen was right, Merlin did like Arthur, well, he thought he was attractive at least. But he still thought he was a Prat.

"Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Oh no, of course not," Merlin tucked his chair in so Arthur could take the place which had previously been filled with Gwen. Opening his book with care, Merlin began searching for a starting point for their project. They hadn't done much on nano-technology; Gaius expected them to do most of the research themselves.

Merlin had a feeling he was being watched.

He glanced sideways quickly to the other boys book, which lay unopened on the table, and from what he could see, Arthurs torso was turned towards him, so it was quite likely that this guy was watching him, he felt immediately self conscious.

Running a hand through his dark mop, he turned to face the blond sitting next to him. He looked him in the eye and then glanced down at the unopened book. "Are you not going to look?"

"No." He stated, not looking away from him. Merlin felt himself blushing again, looking down to his own book.

"I'm not going to do it all myself."

"I know that, but I can tell you for a fact that there is nothing worth reading about nano-technology in what we have done in these books and if you look around, no one else has even bothered to look." Merlin raised his head again, looking round the classroom. Sure enough, all of the other students were sitting on tables, chatting and using this time to get to know their partner better.

"Oh." He closed his book slowly, but refused to meet Arthurs piercing gaze.

"Do you not want to work with me?"

"Mm?"

"It's just I've seen you around Morgana and... urm... whatsit, Gwen, and you seem really chatty and friendly, but I'm getting the cold shoulder, what's that about?" Merlin found himself blushing again, resting his head in his hands in hope that his companion wouldn't notice.

"I'm just, shy."

"Well, I'm not, so I don't really know how to handle shy people..." Arthur scratched his chin. "How about you tell me about yourself?" Merlin raised his eyebrows before sighing deeply.

"My name's Merlin, I'm 17, I was born in Ealdor, I..." Merlin struggled, his life wasn't exactly interesting. "I don't like sports... Urm, I like cheese?" I like cheese? He cringed and Arthur laughed loudly, causing some people to glance over.

"Well that's good to know!" He shook his head in humour. "Well, I'm Arthur, I'm 17 too, that slag over there is my half sister," He gestured to Morgana, who was flirting shamelessly with Owain, "I do like sports, my father is the headmaster. And yes, I'm bi." He clenched his fists slightly. "And if you've got a problem with that..."

"No, no that's, that's fine." Merlin bit his lip; he had a bit of a speech impairment when he was nervous.

"Good," Arthur looked relieved but his fists were still clenched. "I hate it when people hold things like that against people."

"Yeah, me too." This was true; Merlin had been in exactly the same situation. Well, not exactly the same as Merlin was gay, rather than bi and he had always known it. Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"So, your father is the head. That's, nice." Merlin shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yeah. Great." Arthur let out a sharp laugh, free of humour. "He's the only reason I'm in this stupid class. I hate science, but my father wants me to get straight A's in everything, and I'm on a B."

"Oh, well, a B is good. I'm on a B in Maths." Merlin smiled but Arthur stayed frowning at his book.

"It's good, but it's not good enough." He was bitter, it scared Merlin slightly. Arthur sighed. "Sorry, I'm just really pissed off by it all."

"Yeah I understand." He didn't understand at all but the conversation was getting awkward. "Urm, so how's this going to work?" He wrung his hands together under the table, "Are we going to get research off the internet and stuff ourselves and do the whole thing in class or..." Merlin cleared his throat.

"No, I think we'll have to meet up in the library or something, we won't have enough time in class."

"Oh well, okay then..." Merlin smiled to himself, not because he liked him of course, but Arthur was quite pretty.