A/N: Oh my Emrys! Thank you, everyone, for all the favs, the reviews, and the watches. I got eighteen e-mails about watches and reviews; the most I've gotten in one day for all the stories I've written in the almost two years I've been on this site! I say again, thank you~!

Ahem… but, you didn't click on this story to hear about my issues, you probably want to know about that meeting….

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC, and not I. 1985 belongs to Bowling for Soup, and not I

Shuffle & Repeat

A Modern Merlin AU

By Athens Eternal Maiden

And consultation by Ninja Gwomp

Chapter Two: 1985 [Bowling For Soup]

"And, with that, let our first meeting of the year begin!" Everyone simultaneously surged forward to sit at the table in front of them. The table itself, ironically, wasn't round at all; it was a rectangular table, at the head of which Morgana sat on one side, and Arthur at the other. Everyone sat down around them, Merlin shouldering in between Gwaine and Gwenivere, saving the poor girl from Gwaine's sad attempt at flirting, and Gwaine himself from Elyan's wrath when he saw that his friend had almost begun hitting on his little sister.

"This year, Arthur and I have strong reason to believe that Agravaine has begun to target our father's position as head of the university." There was a general murmur of disbelief and shock at this revelation, but Morgana silenced it with a wave of her hand. "He will start to review all professors and employees of the school next Thursday, and his student inspections at the end of the first quarter. He will be looking for any flaw that could get anyone loyal to Uther expelled, and, we must not let that happen. My father is harsh at times, but, at least he lets the students be. Agravaine will be a thousand times worse, and, will make the school more like a prison than a place of learning."

"So, what's the plan to stop him?" Leon asked, and, the entire room fell silent in wait for a reply.

"We do what we do best," Morgana replied coolly. "We lie low, and give him no reason to suspect us. We'll divert his plans as covertly as possible, if the possibility arises. After this one, we will only have meetings off campus; far off campus. On the second weekend of each month, we will meet at a coffee shop about twenty-five miles from campus. That should put sufficient distance from us and the school so that Agravaine or one of his lackeys doesn't follow us."

"Um, slight problem," Merlin said quietly. Morgana looked at him. "What is it?"

"I… I can't drive." The Knights looked as if they were about to burst out laughing, and Arthur did.

"You're in college, and you can't drive?" he said through gasps of breath. Morgana shushed him.

"Don't make fun, Arthur; you didn't get your license until a few months ago." She scolded.

"Yeah, but, at least I have mine!" he countered.

Morgana rolled her eyes, and turned back to Merlin. "You and Arthur are roommates, right?" she asked. Merlin nodded. "So, he can drive you."

Suddenly, Arthur was not amused. "Oh, bloody hell no, Morgana." He said, getting up out of his seat. "I'm not driving that anywhere!"

"Yeah, I'm a person, thanks." Merlin muttered. "It's fine, Morgana, I can just catch a bus or something."

Morgana shook her head. "No, you won't, Arthur needs to learn to show a little bit of kindness now and then. He'll drive you-"she glared pointedly at her brother. "-and that's final, Arthur. Do you hear me; Merlin's done nothing to you, so, you should give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Easy for you to say Miss 'Hug-a-tree-and-save-the-purple-spotted-pineapple'," Arthur muttered, just quiet enough Morgana couldn't hear. Percival sniggered.

"So, I guess that's all I have to say about that," Morgana said, standing up. "And, it's getting pretty close to curfew anyway. So, meeting dismissed. Have a good evening, you all, and keep your eyes open." Everyone dispersed, leaving in groups, and going in different directions. In the end, they would all double back to their dorms, but, did this so that to the casual observer, there was nothing linking them. Arthur and Merlin went straight to their dorm, walking silently the entire way, Arthur's face pensive and brooding. Merlin dared not say anything, in fear that he would be punched in the mouth for doing so.

As it turns out, Arthur had indeed left his keys in the dorm, so, Merlin let them in, Arthur pushing past him and flopping onto the bed. Merlin went silently over to his own bed, and, had just pulled open his laptop, when the intercom in the hall crackled to life. "Attention students," an oily voice blared, leaving no room for debate. "This is your co-dean, Professor Pendragon speaking. As many of you know, we have a curfew in place here at PendragonUniversity, and it is strictly enforced. Monday through Friday, all students must be in their dormitories by ten pm. If you are not in your dorm by this time, without authorization from a professor or other staff member, you will be disciplined accordingly. Tonight, any outside will be pardoned until midnight. However, after that time, no other pardons will be issued. You have been informed. All students outside, please no begin making your way over to your dorms." The intercom shut off, and Merlin turned to Arthur.

"I assume that was your uncle?" Merlin said, and Arthur grunted in reply.

"Yeah, it was. But, I'd much prefer it if you didn't call him that; he's not my most favorite person in the world, and, I honestly don't enjoy the fact that we're related at all. "Merlin nodded.

"Point taken." He yawned. "I'm going to get ready to turn in."

Arthur went back to checking something on his phone. "Whatever."

Wanting to try something, Merlin said: "And my hair's on fire."

"That's nice." Arthur said eyes still glued to the screen.

"I killed my grandmother last night."

"Good to know."

"There's a giant moth monster eating your left foot."

"Fantastic." Merlin sighed, grabbed his toothbrush, and headed to the common bathroom that connected their room to another. Merlin had no clue who the other occupants were, but, hoped they had no plans of walking in on him. The last thing he needed was humiliation at the hands of another person today. He finished changing, and went back out. Arthur was still doing something on his phone. "G'night then," Merlin said, turning out the light on his side of the room, and turning so that his back was to Arthur.

"Whatever," Before falling asleep, Merlin vaguely wondered if that was his catchphrase.

The next morning, Merlin was awakened with an air horn to the ear. "Oi!" he shot up straight in bed, much to the amusement of The Knights and Arthur, who were all surrounding his bed, howling with laughter. "What's the big idea?"

"We tried to wake you normally, mate, but you were snoring like chainsaw!" Elyan said. "Morgana's decided that we were all going out today, to welcome you and Gwen into the group."

"Everyone else is ready," Leon said. "So, you'd better hurry. When Morgana wants to shopping, there's nothing short of divine intervention that will stop here from going right then and there!"

"Just let me get dressed," Merlin said. He got up, and, they were all just standing there. "That means 'please leave so I can get dressed'."

"Ah, right, we'll just… wait outside, then." Percy said, and, they all went out into the hall.

Sighing and shaking his head, Merlin began sifting through his clothes, throwing on a dark t-shirt, jeans, and his ever present neckerchief- a red plaid one, today. He had acquired quite a collection over the years; he'd worn them since he was in sixth grade, when he had gotten a nasty cut on the back of his neck, and didn't want people to stare at it. Now, they were as much a part of him as a limb was.

Grabbing his wallet and keys, and sliding on a pair of tennis shoes on the way out, Merlin joined the rest of the guys in the hallway. "All set," he said.

"Let's go then!" Gwaine said, pointing dramatically towards the door to the stairwell. "Onward, Knight of Camelot! Let us ride on to where the noble ladies of the realm wait!" Laughing, they all ran to the stairs, whooping and cheering all the way down, and probably waking the whole building in the process. When they reached the student parking lot, Morgana and Gwen were sitting on a wooden bench. Gwen smiled as she saw them approach. She tapped Morgana, who seemed to be engrossed in a book as thick as an oak tree, on the shoulder when they arrived.

"You ready to go, boys?" she asked, closing the book, and marking her page with her thumb.

"You'd best believe it!" Gwaine said. Morgana smiled "Okay, do we have car plans?"

"Percy, Elyan, and Sir Chatterbox are riding with me," Leon said, twirling his key ring on one finger.

"I'm riding with Gwen, and Arthur and Merlin are going on his bike, so, I guess we should get on the road. You all will be following Gwen and me; we were up all night planning this." This side of Morgana was much unlike that which Merlin had seen at the meeting, she was happy, and nearly bouncing with joy. As they all began to walk to their cars, something clicked with Merlin.

"Wait, did she say bike?" he gulped, turning even paler than usual. "Bike, as in motorcycle?"

"Yeah," Arthur replied. "Why, are you scared of them or something? If so you can just hitch a ride with Morgana and Gwen; I'm sure they wouldn't mind having one of their own along."

"No, just making sure," Merlin lied. When he saw the cursed contraption, though, it took all of his will power not to run back and hop in Gwen's little Volkswagen. He grabbed a helmet, and got on behind Arthur.

"You going to hold on," Arthur said "Or are you going to take your chances on flying off?"

Merlin looked around, and finally asked out of exasperation: "What the bloody hell am I supposed to hold onto on this cursed contraption?"

Arthur looked at him funny. "Um, how about the driver, like all passengers on a motorcycle?"

Merlin gaped for a moment, before closing his mouth abruptly, blushing and stuttering out a reply. "I-I think I-I'll take my chances with falling off,"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a girl's petticoat, Merlin," he sighed. "I'm just asking you to hold onto my waist, no to bloody make out with me." Merlin's face turned a deeper shade of red at the thought. "Now, hang on, or you're going to start dragging the road." Arthur put down the visor on his helmet, and started up the motorcycle. Just as they began to move, Merlin began to lose his balance, and instinctively hugged himself close to Arthur's back. He continued to blush, sensing the smirk on Arthur's face.

Weaving in and out of traffic, even passing Leon and the others a few times (much to The Knight's chagrin), it didn't take them long to catch up with Morgana. When the girl's car stopped all of the sudden Arthur had to stomp on the breaks to stop them from crashing into the back of the car. Merlin scuttled off, whipping off his helmet, throwing it at Arthur, and ran over to the nearest trash can, surging his head down over it just in time to avoid vomiting on the sidewalk. He stood there, heaving for a moment, and the rest of the group crowded around him in concern and amusement. "Are you okay, mate?" Percy asked, patting him on the back heartily, and nearly sending him to the can again.

"Yeah," Merlin said, wiping his mouth on the back of his arm. "Just motion sickness; it didn't used to be this bad, but, I guess I'm not used to weaving in and out of traffic."

Arthur rolled his eyes, and Morgana whacked him on the back of his head. "You poor thing," Gwen cooed, patting Merlin gently on the shoulder. "I don't think I could've done it either, don't worry." Arthur huffed, and made gagging motions. Gwen shot him a glare. "Oh, that's very mature, Arthur.

"Are you sure you're okay," Gwaine asked, genuinely concerned. He had always been like the older brother Merlin had never had; annoying, but, always there when he needed him. "I haven't seen you throw up that much since you had that bout of food poisoning last summer."

"Ugh, don't remind me of that," Merlin groaned. "I'm never going near another oyster again!"

"You didn't eat them before," Gwaine snorted.

"And, see what happened when I did?" Morgana laughed.

"C'mon, boys, we've got places to go today!" she scolded playfully. "We're on a tight schedule."

"That schedule includes breakfast, I hope," Merlin said. "I didn't get to eat yet."

"Yeah, none of us have." Leon put in.

"I know, you weren't supposed to," Morgana said "And, no, breakfast is not in the plans." A collective groan rose up from the boys, but, Morgana waved it away with the dismissive flick of her wrist. "Oh, don't be spoil sports; there's a reason!"

"Where are we, anyway?" Merlin asked, looking around to see if he could figure it out. All around him, the city streets roared with life. They could have been in London, except for the fact that Big Ben was not to be seen on the horizon. So, that option was out.

"Same place we've always been, except not on campus. Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"We're still in Camelot?" he said, flabbergasted. When he and Gwaine had driven up the day before, all he had seen were back roads and dirty gas stations. He had no clue that Camelot could be such a bustling metropolis. Morgana nodded.

"Yeah, this is the town centre." Morgana said. "It's the most developed part of the town, besides the campus. There aren't really many residential homes; it's mostly just a place for university students to hang out. There are a lot of restaurants and shops, and a theater down a few blocks. That's where we're going first, there's a morning showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show, and, it's a tradition for the Round Table to go there for the first weekend of the year." Merlin mentally spazzed out when she said this. He'd seen Rocky Horror more times than he could count, and, loved it to death. Arthur, for once, seemed to share this sentiment. "Gentlemen," he announced "Get ready to Time Warp!" The Knight assumed a military-like stance, barking simultaneously: "Sir, yes sir!"

"Not just Time Warp," Morgana said. "We're doing a-"she paused, as if for a drum roll that nobody but she could hear. "-read along!" Everybody looked at her, confused.

"What on God's green earth is a 'read-along'?" Gwaine asked.

"It's when you speak- as well as sing- the parts along with the character assigned to you." Morgana said, pulling out a neatly printed sheet of salmon colored paper. "Gwen and I were working up a list lat night: Arthur is going to be Rocky, "

"As if anyone else could play a blonde with an empty head," Gwaine muttered.

"Eddie will be Percival, I will be Doctor Frank-n-Furter-"Morgana went on, but, she was interrupted again, this time, by Merlin.

"Isn't he a guy though?"

Morgana huffed. "Yes, but, we don't believe in gender roles here, Merlin."

"Okay, just checking."

"As I was saying, Elyan will be Riff-Raff, Gwen will be Magenta and Colombia, Leon will be Doctor Scott, Percy will be Eddie-"

"Why do I have to be the guy they eat every year?" Percy whined.

"Because, I said so," Morgana retorted. "And, the next person that interrupts me will be kicked all the way back to the university. Got it?" Everyone nodded. "Splendid. Lastly, Gwaine will be Brad, and Merlin will be Janet." Merlin's eyes widened.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa- I'm the female lead?" he spluttered.

"Yeah, Gwaine said you'd be okay with it, since you know all the parts anyway. He said you've been watching Rocky Horror every year for Halloween since you were ten." Morgana said nonchalantly. Before Merlin could protest anymore, Morgana cut him off. "Now, come on you all; the movie's about to start."

Merlin sighed, but went along anyway. After all, it was a good movie, and Janet wasn't the worst character to play; he could have been stuck with the Criminologist, and everyone hated him.

By the time the Round Table got situated in the theater, the lights had already begun to go down. They were the only ones there, since most everyone else had probably decided that they had better things to do with their lives than watch a movie about a singing transvestite.

When the Criminologist came on screen, the entire group began to boo and hiss, as it was customary when watching that movie. The first scene began, and the oddities of the story began to unfold. By the time Eddie came in on his motorcycle, everyone was enjoying the movie immensely. Merlin no longer minded that he'd been given a female role, and was singing loudly when his favorite song- Touch-a Touch- came on, not even really being affected by the fact that he was singing to Arthur.

The movie finally ended, and, they were all howling with laughter. As they stood to leave, Gwen tapped Merlin on the shoulder. "You did awesome." She said. "I can't believe you knew every part!"

Merlin smiled. "I love that movie; my mum and I used to watch it all the time."

When they got out of the theater, Morgana finally told the boys what they wanted to hear. "Boys," she said "How does an all you can eat buffet sound in place of breakfast?"

The Knights cheered, and Arthur hugged her. "Oh my God, Morgana finally!"

"Just don't eat too much," she warned. "Because you'll be toting all shopping bags for the rest of the day,"

"Whatever! FOOD!" Morgana sighed, and motioned for them to follow her. Merlin and Gwen lagged behind a bit, discussing Merlin's strange obsession with scarves. ("I don't know what it is," he said. "I've just worn them ever since then." "Maybe it's a physiological thing." "Maybe,")

When they got to the restaurant, Arthur and his Knights took off like bats out of hell, grabbing plates and speeding through the buffet tables. Merlin felt them whizzing past as he made his own plate, eating lighter than theirs, in fear that he would still have to drive back to the university with Arthur.

Merlin was the last to sit down, scooting as far away from the ravenous athletes as possible. Gwen and Morgana were already discussing what classes they were taking, and Merlin was content to sit in silence and listen, smiling the entire time.

After the Knights had had seconds (and thirds… and fourths… and fifths…), Morgana declared it time to get back to the university, and they reluctantly left. Merlin sat precariously on the back of Arthur's motorcycle once again, gripping onto the back of the blonde's jacket for dear life.

They got back to the university just as the sun was starting to go down, and the boys bid their adieus to Morgana and Gwen as they parted ways. Morgana had informed them that the next day was know as the Round Table's "Last Supper"- an all day study fest before the beginning of the year, so that the members can prepare for what's to come. Arthur and Morgana had access to the syllabuses ahead of time, so, they made it their duty to stat one step ahead of the professors most of the time.

Merlin quickly got ready for bed, and turned in quickly, his stomach still doing flip-flops from the ride back. Arthur did the same as he'd done the night before- messed around on his phone, doubtless texting some lady-friend, as he was notorious for doing. "G'night Arthur," Merlin yawned.

"Good night, Janet."