AN: Just a little drabble. I don't own Merlin.

"Come on, Gwen," Merlin whined as the car rounded the corner. The cheap lime green neon lights blinked, before the going out altogether. It flashed "Poop Palace," a lovely name for a skating rink. Especially one situated in the middle of nowhere.

"Oh stop being a pansy," she retorted, pulling into the parking lot. A very empty parking lot, Merlin noticed. "You're here to be my support. I couldn't possibly come to a skating event by myself. Then I'd look like a loser."

"And coming to a skating event just to stalk a guy isn't weird?"

Gwen laughed. "Merlin, you so owe me. Think of this as karma."

Unfortunately, Gwen was right, as much as it pained Merlin to admit it. He let out a sigh and followed Gwen inside. How bad could roller skating really be?

"AH!" Merlin let out a very unmanly scream as he toppled to the floor, grabbing Gwen's wrist at the last minute and bringing her down with him. It turns out that roller skating wasn't just bad; no, that would be too kind. It fell under the realm of cruel and unusual torture, somewhere in between Celine Dion concerts and shopping with Gwen and Morgana.

"I should've known better than to bring you," Gwen said, attempting to get back up.

Merlin clamored to his knees. "I thought you knew what you were getting yourself into." Gwen gave him a hand, which did little good. Turns out that Merlin had less control over his long limbs while on wheels than on land. With much care, he pushed up, rolled two feet and promptly fell back down. To give her credit, Gwen made an attempt to stop, but fell down next to him. Merlin couldn't say as much for the third car in their pile-up.

The man was skating quite fast, and skating circles around Merlin and Gwen's abilities. He called over his shoulder, laughing at something one of his buddies had said and didn't see their little debacle. Flailing, he crashed right on top of Merlin.

"You idiot," the guy spat, his blonde hair slightly tousled, his red t-shirt slightly hitched up, revealing a vast expanse of golden skin. "Who taught you to skate? A monkey?"

"Now there's no need to be such a prat." Merlin pushed himself away from the attractive man.

"I'm being a prat," he repeated. The man looked shocked that Merlin would even dare to call him such a name. "I'm not the one who has been flailing across the rink this whole night, often taking down casualties like myself."

Merlin found his heart pounding loudly in his chest. "Have you been watching me?"

For the first time, the man looked dumbstruck and was left fumbling for words. "Well it's hard to miss you with ridiculous ears like that." He then scrambled to his feet and sped off.

And Merlin just watched him go. He's never seen him before. Not at Albion High School or at the mall or at the grocer's.

"What did you say to Pendragon?" Gwen crawled over to Merlin.

"Who?"

She jerked her head over to the guy, who was currently leaning against a wall with a pretty blonde. Yet his eyes flitted over to Merlin every so often. "Arthur Pendragon. Jock and grade A asshole."

Gwen's face lit up as Lance du Lac skated up to them. Merlin didn't understand why Gwen and Lance weren't dating; they were perfect for each other. Gwen insists that guys like Lance don't go for girls like her.

Merlin thinks that Gwen's a fool.

"Hey guys! Need help?" Gwen stared at him, slightly in awe, but then gave him her hand. Lance grinned and helped her up. They were painstakingly cute. "I'm glad you were able to come tonight, Gwen."

Gwen giggled. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Lance flashed her a smile and took off.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Merlin mimicked in Gwen's high-pitched voice.

"Oh shut up, you klutz."

"My fair knights and maidens, it is now the time you've all been waiting for," Gwaine announced. Merlin let out a groan. Knowing Gwaine this wouldn't end well. "The couple skate."

"Now, I want you all to circle up." The crowd followed his orders. Merlin stumbled next to Gwen, who was trying not to appear to be frantically looking for Lance. She caught his eye across the circle and smiled. "This isn't gonna be your usual couple skate. It's complete luck of the draw."

"Look at the person across the circle from you."

A pack of butterflies erupted in Merlin's stomach. Across from him was the one, the only, prat himself Arthur.

"Meet your new date."

Of course. The fates have such a sense of humor.

And then the anarchy began. Guys in particular, yelling that they didn't want to be fags. Gwaine cleared his throat. "It appears that some are not as secure in their masculinity as they'd like us to believe. Just suck it up, you fuckers."

Arthur skated over to him. "God help us if we make it around this rink once without falling."

"I can't make any promises."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "You enjoy being difficult?"

"Only to you." Arthur didn't respond. Merlin took a deep breath. "Look, sorry about earlier."

"Let's just get this over with."

Merlin felt a jolt of pure desire as they intertwined their fingers. He loved the feeling of Arthur's fingers in his; the roughness of his callused fingers, yet his soft palm. How had he never seen Arthur before tonight? "So, I'm Merlin."

"Arthur," he said, gruffly. This didn't mean anything to him, Merlin realized. He just didn't feel the same attraction that was coursing through Merlin's veins.

Gwaine, of course, put on a cheesy 80's love song. God forbid he make the situation even more awkward than it already was.

Merlin began to stumble, but two strong hands seized him. Arthur smiled. "For the love of God, Merlin, how can you even walk without falling?"

A grin spread across his face. "Trust me, it take talent to be this clumsy."

After their second lap around, Merlin could feel Arthur start to relax. He stopped listening to the catcalls his friends were making and seemed content just to talk to Merlin. It wasn't as awkward as Merlin had expected. Turns out that Merlin never saw Arthur because he went to Camelot Prep, the snooty school down the road. He and a couple of friends decided to crash with Lance. They continued to skate around together even though couple's skate was long over. Merlin told him how he grew up with Gwen and that his mother would never let him near sports of any kind.

"Probably for good reason," Arthur chuckled.

It was surprisingly easy talking to Arthur. Sure, they didn't have much in common, but for some reason that didn't matter.

It did matter, however, when the lights went back on. Arthur sprung away from Merlin, like he was contagious, and not the guy he just spent the last hour talking to. Merlin mentally kicked himself. He was so stupid for believing that he and Arthur could even be something resembling friends.

Merlin sat down in a booth and pulled off his skates. "Arthur, did you finally get sick of the fag?" Merlin's ear's perked up. He glanced around the corner and saw Arthur in the center of his friends.

Arthur laughed. "Oh come on. It was just some pathetic charity case. I felt bad for running into him earlier."

His friends muttered disagreements. "You guys know me, I like chicks."

A big guy with large biceps slapped Arthur on the back. "We know, mate. We just like yanking you chain."

Arthur snorted. "Like I could ever like a fag like that."

The blood drained from Merlin's face. He snatched up his shoes and ran outside. Gwen, however was nowhere to be seen. Flipping open his phone, he found three missed calls from Gwen, saying that she and Lance went to get ice cream and asking if he could hitch a ride home with someone else.

The problem was, Merlin didn't know anyone else. Well, at least not enough that he felt comfortable bumming a ride from them. And after hearing what Arthur just said? A walk would do him good.

He pulled his jacket tighter as he started walking down the country road. The faint lights of Ealdor sparkled in the distance. Usually he wouldn't mind walking home; in fact he actually enjoyed it. The country was free of the constraints of the city; the air smelled sweeter, the wind not as harsh, the sky clearer. The stars glistened above him.

A car approached behind him, slowing down as it pulled up next to him. It was ostentatious and red. Loud music blared from the speakers. The driver rolled down the window. "Need a ride?"

Arthur. Merlin wanted to snap. Say that he didn't want to freak Arthur out with his "queerness." But Merlin couldn't do that. So he flashed Arthur a smile that didn't quite make it to his eyes and shook his head. "Nah, it's not that far."

"Where do you live?"

"Ealdor."

Arthur slammed on the breaks. "Merlin, that's at least fifteen miles away." Merlin shrugged. "Come on, let me drive you home."

"No, Arthur, it's really okay."

"Don't be stupid! It'll take you hours."

"Seriously. I'm fine."

"Stop being stubborn and get into the damn car."

"I wouldn't want to your charity case. After all, I am the fag." There, Merlin said it. But it didn't give him as much satisfaction as he thought it would.

Arthur didn't say anything for a moment, but just stared at Merlin, who shoved his hands into his pockets and resumed walking. He took a couple of deep breaths, trying desperately not to start crying. People could be cruel, he knew that, but this knowledge didn't lessen the sting of disappointment. Just breathe, he told himself.

He heard a car door slam. "Merlin, wait!"

"Why should I?" Merlin muttered under his breath. He kept on walking.

"Seriously!" Arthur seized his arm and pulled him to a halt. Before he knew what was happening, Arthur pulled Merlin to him, crashing his mouth onto Merlin's. All coherent thoughts fled from his head. And then he started kissing Arthur back.

Merlin pulled back. "What is this?"

Arthur took a deep breath. "I kinda like you."

Then it dawned on Merlin. "You're in the closet."

Arthur hung his head, not meeting Merlin's gaze. "I can't come out. I just… I can't. At least not until I go off until college."

Merlin didn't press him. Arthur had social constraints that Merlin couldn't even imagine. And from what Arthur told him tonight, his father wasn't the most open minded person. "So, you pretended to take pity on me because you're embarrassed?" Of me, Merlin added silently.

"No! God no!" Arthur grabbed his hands. "I don't know how to explain it, but I'm drawn to you for some reason." He gave a dramatic sigh. "God help me. I'm attracted to a complete idiot." Arthur looked like he didn't know what to say next. "You have to understand, this is the first time I've done anything like this. And I just don't know how to act. And then my friends started on me and I just panicked and I don't know what to do because I really like you but I don't know how to come out to any of them. And it's—"

Merlin kissed him. "For some reason, I like you too. And I get it why you don't tell anyone. Do I like it? No. But we can work on that."

Arthur's head perked up. "'We?'" Merlin slid his hand into Arthur's and smiled. "You're going to be a real piece of work, aren't you Merlin?"

"You have no idea."