"No, I'm not dressing up in a stupid costume."

I look at Arthur is my best pouty face that I know he can't resist.

"Please. It's Halloween."

"You're like a five year old child."

"Fine. I'll ask Morgana to dress up with me while you go to your popular party."

I unhook my arm from Arthur's and begin walking in the opposite direction.

"Ugh! Fine!"

Ignoring him, I continue walking with a smirk on my face. Every year since we met, we've always dressed up together, whether it was in a group or couple.

*Seven Years Ago*

"Come on Merlin! It will be fun!"

I look down at the football costume with disgust.

"I don't play football."

"I know. But we're doing a group costume with the others and they wanted to do football."

I glance back up at Arthur and see how excited he is. I don't want to ruin this for him.

"How about you just go. I'll stay home and hang out."

Feeling embarrassed, I look back down and fiddle with the hem of my shirt.

Arthur stays silent for a while, so I do too. I feel bad because I'm just not in the mood for Halloween this year. I just was to eat candy and watch movies with Arthur and Morgana.

"No."

Looking up, Arthur grabs the uniform and shoves it into my arms.

"You're going to get dressed up with us and you will go trick or treating and you will enjoy it. Then, we will come back here and exchange Halloween candy with Morgana."

"But-"

"No buts. Go try on the uniform."

Giving up, I go and try on the uniform.

Who would've guessed that I actually had fun that year?

While I'm walking away, I can feel him start walking up to me.

Arthur was right about one thing, sometimes I am a five year old child.

Without looking back, I take off. I know I won't be able to run too far without being caught, but I'm hoping the suddenness will give me an advantage.

I can hear the pounding of feet behind me, I try to run faster, but I'm already beginning to have trouble breathing. Curse my lack of ability to run.

Suddenly, I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist and spin me around. I can't help but let out a laugh and lean into the touch.

When I'm finally placed on my feet, I turn around to see Arthur there, grinning at me.

"What?"

"Nothing. Now, let's go get these stupid costumes."

*Two hours later*

"I'm completely stuffed. Seriously, I can't eat another bite."

"You barely ate anything! How can you be full already?"

I look down at my half eaten croissant. I then look at Arthur's two empty plates of pizza.

"We all don't have a stomach capacity like yours you know."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No. I just said you have a large stomach capacity."

While looking down, I hear a grumble of a protest and I slightly laugh to myself and shake my head.

Arthur can get so defensive sometimes.

Bing.

Turning my phone around, I notice I received a text from Mordred.

'Hey, what's up? Are you free tomorrow after school to work on the homework?'

"Who's that?"

Looking back up, I see Arthur looking at me questionably with a certain glint in his eye. Jealous prat.

"Nobody that concerns you."

Arthur clenches his teeth together before he continues talking. He is just too easy sometimes.

"And what were you and mystery person talking about?"

Giving him a small smile, I reply.

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Let me guess. Mordred texted you to meet at the library after school to study."

What.

"H-how could you possibly guess that!"

"Every Monday he misses practice for a study session."

Unknowingly, a smirk appears on my face.

"Are you jealous?"

"N-no. Why would I be jealous? Mordred is Mordred and I'm me. If anything, Mordred is the one who should be jealous."

"Of course."

*A few hours later*

"Sounds like Arthur is jealous to me."

"That's what I said! But, he's too much of a prat to admit it."

Spinning around, I flop onto Gwen's bed and sigh.

"Well, have you done anything to make Arthur jealous?"

"What? Of course not! He means the world to me."

Giggling, Gwen responds.

"Of course. Your heart is too pure to ever to something to purposely hurt Arthur. Maybe he feels like you need protecting."

"Why would I need protecting?"

Gwen gives me a sad look and I understand.

"You know why Merlin. How is it there anyways?"

Besides Arthur, Morgana and Gwen are the only other ones that know of my home situation.

"It's been better. I've been spending more and more time at Arthur's, so that helps. Also, dad has been spending more time in the hospital with mom. So, he hasn't been home for a while."

Glancing back at Gwen, she gives me a small smile. I love Gwen and the calming presence around her.

"That's good. How has your mom been doing?"

"She's been doing better. I haven't seen her in a while, but I called the doctor and he believes that the new medication is working."

Giving me one last look, Gwen squeezes my shoulder and gets off of the bed.

"I'm going to make us some hot chocolate, just how we like it. Then, he can continue our gossip session."

Without waiting for a reply, Gwen shuts the door and walks away.

Gwen has always been able to cheer me up after a heart to heart.

*Twelve years ago*

"NO! You can't take me! I'll have you arrested!"

I watch from my bedroom window as the people in the white coats take away my mommy.

They caught mommy taking her medicine and got angry. Then, mommy put up a fight and now they're taking her away. I don't know why they got angry about mommy taking her medicine. She says she needs it to live. Sometimes, she takes it in a pill, or she crushes it up and breathes it in. It looks weird, but she says it's special medicine.

The nice lady in the white jacket told me to go to my room and mommy would be back in a little while. So, I did what she said.

After they all left, I went back downstairs to see daddy. He was very mad when the people showed up, but he didn't show it.

I see him leaning over the kitchen table. He seems to be breathing very hard.

Slowly, I walk up to him and touch his arm.

"Dadd-"

In one quick motion, I suddenly find myself looking at the ground, with a stinging cheek.

"This is all your fault!"

"So unfortunately, we ran out of cinnamon sticks. I just put in extra chocolate fudge on top."

Putting on a fake smile, I reach out and grab the steaming cup of hot chocolate. There's a good amount of whipped cream on top with the chocolate fudge drizzled across.

Even though I know I shouldn't eat this, one treat won't harm anyone. I'll just eat a little less tomorrow.

"Thank you. Cinnamon sticks next time."

And anyways, how can I break our tradition?

"So, how are you and Lancelot doing? When do you think he'll pop the question?"

"I don't know. When do you think Arthur will pop the question?"

"Knowing Arthur and how he expresses his feelings, he'll probably just assume we're going and not even ask."

Hearing a loud gasp, I look up at Gwen. She's looking at me like I've grown three heads.

"What? Did I spill hot chocolate on your bed or something?"

"Of course Arthur will ask you!"

"It's just prom. Besides, he's already my boyfriend. It's only natural that we'd be going together."

"Merlin Emrys! You know Arthur will do a big asking for you. You'll only ever get to go to prom once."

"Unless your immortal."

"You've been reading too many books."

"Probably."

"Anyways, I think Lancelot will ask me over dinner. He's a bit of a romantic that way."

"Romantic you say."

I wiggle my eyebrows at Gwen and she playfully slaps my arm.

"Knock it off. You know, for someone who looks so innocent, you have a dirty mind."

"I didn't say a thing."

Bing.

"Let me guess, that's Arthur now professing his love to you."

"Shut up. It's probably just Arthur check-"

I stop short when I see who texted me.

My dad.

'Home now.'

How two words can immediately send a shiver down my spine.

"I- I have to go."

I put my untouched hot chocolate down on the nightstand and begin gathering my stuff.

"Wait Merlin! What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'll text you later. Don't worry. Bye."

With one last look before I shut the door, I see Gwen staring confused at my untouched hot chocolate.

As fast as I can, ignoring my lungs, I run the three blocks back to my house.

I wonder what happened. Dad was just visiting mom. Maybe something happened to her. Or maybe dad is just angry and needs a release. Maybe I should've just ignored the message and stayed.

No. He would've just gotten angrier.

Suddenly, I feel my phone buzzing. Looking down, I see Arthur's name pop up on the screen.

Dang it. Gwen must've called him. I turn off my phone and continue running. One more block.

Turning the last corner, I stop short.

There's a weird car in front of our house. But, that's no weird car. I would remember that car anywhere.

Breaking into a sprint, I run up to the car.

"Mom?"

I see the brown haired lady turn around with a big grin on her face.

"Merlin."

I feel myself being embraced by thin arms.

"You're getting so skinny! Doesn't your father feed you anymore?"

"I'm a growing boy. But, what are you doing here? It's been ages since you last came."

Mom steps out of the embrace and takes a step back.

"The doctors says the new medication is working good and I've had a good track record for a while. So, your father is taking us on a vacation this week! Go pack your bags!"

Wait what? Since did we have money to go on a vacation?

"What do you mean? Where are we going?"

"We're going to the cabin!"

"But, I have school."

"Don't worry sweetie. Your father called and explained. You'll get your work next week."

I'm going to get so behind. But, if it makes mom happy.

"Okay. Let me go pack my stuff."

"Good. One more thing."

I turn around and put my eyebrows up.

"No internet. And I know you have a phone, so give me it."

Well this trip will be a bummer.

Putting on a fake smile, I take out my phone and hand it to mom.

"Thank you. Now go pack! We're leaving in ten minutes."

I turn around and run into the house. Why didn't dad say anything?

When I open the front door, I come face to face with the man in question.

"I expect you said hello to your mother."

"Of course. She told me to go pack now."

"Then pack."

Knowing better than to ask him to move out of the way, I take a step to the side and let him pass.

Once he walks pass me, I quickly run up to my room and begin packing. Mom said ten minutes, that means dad said ten minutes, and that means I have ten minutes to pack and be outside.

Grabbing the essentials, like shirts and pants, I shove everything into my backpack.

Two minutes to spare. Perfect.

I quickly throw my bag over my shoulders and run down the stairs, only to run into him again.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was-"

"Listen here boy."

While looking at the ground, I feel a hand wrap around my wrist, tightly.

"During this trip, it's about making your mother happy. You keep a smile on your ugly face and act like the happy kid your mother believes you to be. If you don't, there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now go wait in the car."

Letting go of my wrist, I quickly run to the car and sit in the back seat.

Why are we going on this trip? Usually when mother comes back to visit every once in a few years, we just eat dinner and she goes home the next day. How did she convince them to let her out a whole week and a vacation?

There's a pit in my stomach that saying I'm forgetting something. I've got my shits, pants, toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, shoes. What am I missing?

Arthur!

I never called Arthur back! He's going to be so worried. And Gwen. I just ran out on her with no explanation.

I need to call them! I need-

"Ready to go?"

I look up to see mom getting into the car. Looking to the driver's side, I see dad getting into the car.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Mom gets a big smile on her face while pulling out a book.

"Great! Here we go!"

As we drive away, I look out the window, longing to jump out of the car and run away.

Sorry Arthur, you're just going to have a wait a few days. Please don't try and worry to much. I'll be back. At least you won't have to dress up in a stupid costume this year.

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Word Count: 2269