Arthur's Armor

Disclaimed (or I would be rich and everything would be Merthur)

As is usual, angsty and short.

I don't even know this timeline. It's a little wonky.

Arthur had beautiful armor.

Beautiful armor for a beautiful man…

Merlin shook the thought free and returned to the armor. He had polished it so often it shone constantly, even after a battle. He oiled the joins so that when Arthur moved, it followed his actions perfectly.

Yes, when he moved, the armor followed every curve of Arthur's muscles, hugged his body close…

Merlin sighed. He had thought that polishing the armor manually would get his mind off of this, distract him. But it seemed to make it worse.

Actually, if he had to admit it, everything made it worse. Arthur was everywhere: in the way that Gwen laughed, the food that Merlin ate, even the stupid clothes that Merlin had to wear. There was no escaping him.

Even when Merlin tired, there was no escaping him. Their destinies were intertwined; they were two sides of the same coin. Merlin had no doubt that, without him, Arthur would be killed in a day. Probably twice in the same day, knowing the prince's luck.

Why couldn't I be intertwined with someone less handsome? Merlin groaned, resting his head on the table, the armor polished. And then that word, intertwined, led Merlin to those very thoughts he was trying to avoid.

"Dammit." He muttered, picking up the (immaculate) armor. He dropped it off at Arthur's room and skulked around to the kitchens. Maybe he could get some food or something.

But then he heard Arthur's voice and froze. A girl (Gwen he could tell, it was Gwen, of course it was) giggled. Merlin turned around and went to his room, a knot in his chest. Luckily, Gaius was out.

Ever since Arthur and Gwen had… well, become closer, Merlin had been avoiding him. Both Gwen and Arthur had tried to talk to him about it, but he refused. He could handle Gwen, and he could handle Arthur (oh, he wished), but what he couldn't handle was them together.

Arthur knew he was jealous, but he assumed it was of him. After all, Arthur had started the rumour that Gwen and Merlin were in love. Se he expected Merlin to be jealous when he and Gwen fell in love.

And Merlin was jealous, furiously jealous, pathetically jealous, but of Gwen.

Gwen, who was sweet and gentle and Merlin's friend. Gwen, who, even though she was a servant, had a better chance with Arthur because she was, at least, a girl. While Merlin was not. Not even close.

So, while they were friends, he hated her.

Because it was Gwen who had Arthur's attention, Gwen who had Arthur's time, Gwen who had Arthur's heart.

While all Merlin had was his armor.