The Fomorroh Incident had been, by mutual decision, kept between the three them. So it only made sense that Gwaine would be rather put out that Merlin apparently didn't care for his company anymore. "Filthy fingers," he'd said. For all that they'd been through and all the friendship they'd built, Gwaine had filthy fingers whose sole purpose it seemed was soiling the Princess's dinner. But Gwaine was not one to give up, especially when it came to Merlin.

Therefore, it was with a little apprehension and twice as much determination that Gwaine reached out to Merlin in an attempt to fix whatever had happened to their previous friendship. He'd gone to find Merlin in Gaius' chambers when he'd heard of the old man's disappearance. Merlin wasn't around so he decided to wait, sitting anxiously on one of the benches and grabbing something to keep his hands busy.

Gwaine looked up when the door creaked open and his eyes met the frozen form of Merlin. He gave a small smile, unsure as to whether or not his presence would be welcomed. A mask came over Merlin's usually cheery face as he closed the door; his expression turned blank and his voice chilly as the winter.

"What are you doing in here?"

Gwaine then tried his usual tactic to lighten the air, tried for some amount of levity. "Got bored of playing soldiers," he paused to give a more serious look at Merlin, "And I'd thought I'd come and see how you were."

"Busy." Was the terse reply. Merlin moved passed Gwaine without a second glance. Gwaine swallowed as he looked at Merlin's back. He was confused as to why his best friend—hell, his lover—was acting so coldly towards him.

"Doing what?"

"What do you think?!" Merlin burst out. Gwaine fought to not show his surprise at the outburst and calmly interjected, "Looking for Gaius."

Merlin opened one of Gaius' books and glared back at him, "I know everyone thinks he's a traitor, but he's not. He's been abducted, Gwaine," he continued in a plaintive voice, "He may even be dead."

Gwaine gave a self-deprecating smile and stood to leave. Merlin obviously couldn't stand to be around him anymore. "Probably don't need my help then."

Merlin didn't answer but instead looked down at his thumb with a considering look, then back up at Gwaine, hope flickering in his eyes. "Do you know what this is?"

Gwaine spared it a glance from across the room. "I might do." He said jokingly. Perhaps there was hope yet.

Merlin scowled and turned back to his book. Perhaps not then. Distressed, Gwaine dropped the cheerful pretense and stepped closer to his friend. "Here. Let me see."

Gwaine ran his thumb along Merlin's, picking up the reddish dust that covered it. He sniffed at, immediately knowing what it was. "That's iron. Where'd you find this?" He asked curiously.

Merlin avoided the question. "That doesn't matter. Does it help us?"

Us, not me. That was enough for Gwaine. For now. He quickly took a seat, eager to be of some help to his friend. "Iron ore's pretty rare in Camelot. In fact, I've only seen it once. On patrol."

"Where?" Merlin asked anxiously.

"Ah, Ridge of Kemeray. They've been hewing iron from the rocks there for hundreds of years."

"What are we waiting for then? Let's get going!" Something alighted in Merlin's eyes and he jumped up, gathering his pack and several of Gaius' bottles and herbs. Gwaine's mouth twitched a small smile as he watched Merlin hop about the room gathering supplies.

He was encouraged by his display of inclusion. Hopefully, their friendship wasn't as over as it had seemed these past few weeks. Make no mistake though; Gwaine would be having a talk with Merlin soon about his treatment of their relationship. He was going to get to the bottom of Merlin's strange behavior if it killed him.

They'd been riding for what seemed like hours, neither speaking except to consult the raggedy old map. It was highly unusual for both of them.

"So I've been thinking…"

Merlin interrupts, "Oh thinking, really you have?"

Gwaine shoots Merlin a sharp look. "Why are you acting like this Merlin? I know you're worried for Gaius; I am too. But this started before he was abducted. I mean these past few weeks. You treated me as if you detest the very sight of me."

Suddenly, Merlin brings his horse to halt and his eyes wheel on him with a look of surprise and perhaps a touch of regret.

"Detest you?! Gwaine, no… You're my best friend, Gwaine; I couldn't detest you any more than I could detest my own mother!"

"Nice to know you think of me as you do your mother," Gwaine shoots back wryly. Merlin gives a small laugh, and the sweet smile that has been absent since Gaius' disappearance comes back.

"You know what I mean, you prick," then his expression turns uncertain. "I know I've been a little… distant lately. But with Gaius missing I just – he's like a father to me Gwaine. I have to find him."

After a moment of seeing Merlin wilt at the mere thought of losing Gaius, Gwaine sighs and nudges his horse so they are beside each other. He grasps the back of Merlin's neck rubbing lightly at the tuft of hair there.

"We'll find him Merlin. I promise you that."

The smile Merlin gives him is breathtaking, the affection and gratefulness to Gwaine shining right through. "Thank you for doing this Gwaine."

If Gwaine were a lesser man he might have blushed as he said, "You know I'd do anything for you Merlin. Anything at all."

Lucky for both him and Merlin, Gwaine was not a lesser man.

They'd found Gaius—mostly unharmed, though quite exhausted from the whole ordeal—and Merlin now had another ally against Morgana. Things were especially looking up, and he wasn't even bothered when Arthur cheated him out of a morning off. Well, not too bothered at any rate. The nights were still his after all.

Speaking of knights…

The hesitant smile plastered to Merlin's face turns into a full-blown real one as he meets the cheeky expression of one Sir Gwaine leaning in the doorway to the his chambers.

"Fancy seeing you here, my friend," and for a second his expression turns serious, "How's Gaius?"

The relief from finding his mentor safe and bringing him back shows clearly on Merlin's face. "Good. He'll be a few days off his feet, but I expect he'll be back to badgering me to collect herbs in no time."

They share a fond laugh at that. Practically everyone in the castle knew that Gaius only sent Merlin out to collect herbs when he wanted to get the young man out of his hair for a bit.

Their mirth falls into a comfortable silence. A silence which Merlin breaks with a nervous, "So…"

Gwaine tilts his head, looking Merlin up and down, appraising him.

"Would you like to come in?"

Merlin hesitates. They both know what Gwaine's really asking. He bites his bottom lip.

"I wasn't sure if you –"

Gwaine's hand comes up to hold his chin, a gesture that should be emasculating, yet somehow makes Merlin look stronger.

"I thought you had grown weary of our… friendship. I only want what makes you happy Merlin, but if you don't want to…. that's alright."

"I want you, Gwaine. I do. And I only hope you can forgive me for what terrible friend I've been these past few weeks. I'd understand if you didn't want me as your… lover anymore."

Gwaine could have answered him verbally. They could have gone back and forth like this all night, and he knew that in the end Merlin would still be left wondering if he'd created rift too big to fix. So Gwaine does the only thing that he is sure can ease Merlin's mind. He tilts Merlin head back, moves to frame the sides of his face in his hands and give the other man the slowest, most passionate kiss he can.

Merlin almost immediately melts into him, his lips parting with a breathless moan. When Gwaine pulls back, Merlin's eyes are glazed with arousal. He smirks, one hand curling around the back of Merlin's neck as he pulls the unresisting man into his chambers. Hands grasp at ties and tug at frustrating fabric, eager to get each other as naked as possible.

Merlin doesn't wait before Gwaine's trousers are even half way down his thighs before sliding down and taking his leaking member in his mouth.

"Merlin." Gwaine groans, carding his fingers through Merlin's hair. Merlin looks up at him, smiling as much as he can around Gwaine's cock. Gwaine huffs a laugh and tugs lightly on the hair on the back of Merlin's neck. "I'd be a fool to give up that mouth of yours."

Merlin chuckles, the vibrations of which wipes the small smirk right of Gwaine's face. Merlin hums smugly, bowing his head to take Gwaine in again. His lips slick down the shaft, nose burying itself in the patch of brown hairs that cover Gwaine's lower belly. He swallows around the thick length inside him, tickling his tongue along the large vein as he drags his way back up.

Almost of their own accord, Gwaine's hips start to rock gently, seeking more friction, more heat, more wet. Merlin pulls back and holds, lets Gwaine fuck his mouth as the knight becomes more desperate to reach orgasm. It only takes a few more strokes into the wet unresisting heat of Merlin's mouth before he pulls out completely and comes in thick white stripes over Merlin's waiting lips.