Morcalivan_Merlin_ThisIsWhy.pdf

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This is Why (the Dictionary Invented the Word No)

Arthur/Merlin | R | 22 286

In order to win back the affections of an ex, Arthur has gotten himself caught up in a bet to transform the socially awkward into

the socially acceptable. Features evil!Sophia, clueless!Merlin, hippy!Hunith and bit-of-a-tart!Will (in short: the highschool!AU

that steals the plot from the She's All That movie)

morcalivan @ caliofthecastle

Written for au_bigbang | Betad by cassierua

Arthur forced himself to smile and nod at the girl who waved at him in passing. There was absolutely

nothing about her that would have made him look twice. He didn’t even know her name, for Christ’s

sake, and there she was, expecting him to acknowledge her presence. She wasn’t the first one, either. Not

even for that day. Ever since The Incident , as he liked to refer to his rather public break-up in the school

hallway earlier that week, everyone had started acting differently around him. Nice, when before they

would have been too intimidated to make eye contact.

“Your stock has plummeted,” Sophia said when he pointed out his predicament. “Gwen dumping you, for

your best friend at that, has made you more human to them, more accessible.”

He mulled her words over, no answer for it. An excited hush fell over the crowd hanging around the lawn

in front of the school, all of them sitting or lounging much closer to Arthur’s preferred spot than they had

ever dared before. He knew what he would see even before looking, and sure enough, there they were:

Gwen and Lance walked up with their arms linked together, laughing at some private joke while barely

able to keep their eyes off each other. He hoped they would trip and fall going up the stairs.

The thought lasted only a second and then left him feeling guilty. Well, not over wanting Lancelot to fall

and scrape his much too handsome face, because really, what sort of knob stole his best friend’s girl?

Gwen though, completely different story. Sure, she had broken his heart, but she was just such a

sweetheart that it was difficult building up sufficient hate. The public element of the break up hadn’t even

been her fault.

Gwen noticed him staring and smiled; that sweet, shy quirk of lips that had first made him see her as more

than just Morgana’s shadow. Even after everything it still had the power to make his heart beat just a little

faster.

He received a sharp elbow to the ribs.

“Ow! For fuck’s sake, Soph.”

“Mooning is not going to bring her back. Opposite in fact, it makes you even more pathetic. You see that

girl over there?” Arthur followed her motions to see a short, skinny girl with hair so white it had no

colour at all and thick spectacles that made her eyes look thrice the normal size. She grinned and waved

cheerfully at them. “If you keep this up, she’s going to think she has a shot at you.”

Arthur shuddered. “So what do you suggest?”

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“You have to get back into the dating game and show everyone that Gwen didn’t trample your heart.”

“Date whom? It’s not like there are that many options open.” At least not at his social station. There were

only two other girls who came close to Gwen’s level of popularity and neither of them Arthur had any

interest in getting up close and personal with. Hell, Morgana was practically his sister! And Sophia… just

no.

“I remember her being nobody before you took an interest.”

For the first time Arthur stopped casting nervous looks around and turned to face Sophia. She was sitting

so close she was nearly on his lap and there was a dangerous gleam in her eyes. He took a moment to

reconsider her, she was certainly beautiful enough to slot seamlessly into his life, but she made a habit of

playing games with people and discarding them when they ceased to amuse her or stopped being useful.

She did, however, speak the truth. Aside from Morgana no one had even known Gwen existed before

Arthur started dating her. That everyone wanted to be her friend now was his doing. Which she had a hell

of a way of repaying.

“You’re right,” he said at last. “I can turn any girl into a princess.”

“You know what would work even better? Get all the girls really foaming at the mouth when you walk

by?”

The gleam was still there, even gleamier now, if such a thing were possible. Arthur swallowed, not sure

he even wanted to know what was going on in that noggin of hers.

“Going gay,” Sophia continued, unconcerned about his lack of response.

“I… what?”

“It’s very trendy these days, you know? Girls love it.”

“Girls like poofs?”

“You have no idea. Not only is it hot, but you know that thing about a guy only being gay because he

hasn’t met the right girl yet? Everyone wants to be that girl.”

Arthur stared at her speechlessly, unable to wrap his brain around what she was saying. “You’re off your

trolley! I am not getting close to another bloke’s tackle.”

Sophia rolled her eyes and shifted away until her back was pressed against the tree as Arthur’s was. “Suit

yourself if you don’t want to be the hottest commodity in these halls.”

“I am the hottest commodity.”

“If you say so.”

He growled. How dare she imply that? He was Arthur Pendragon! He was the star player of just about

every sport activity hosted, he maintained his spot as top in his class (through very careful use of minions

who let him copy from them, but that was hardly the point) and not to sound arrogant, but he had eyes, he

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saw himself in the mirror. Not to mention, with the amount of money his father pumped into the academy,

he practically owned it. He did not need to prove himself to anyone. He didn’t.

“Say I was mental enough to consider this scheme, which I am not, but say I was, do any gays even go

here?”

Sophia shrugged nonchalantly, but Arthur had known her too long not to notice the way she bit the inside

of her cheek to keep from showing excitement. “Are you saying you’re not hot enough to turn any guy

into a bender?”

“What? No! I never said that.”

“So you think you are hot enough?”

Arthur snorted, unwilling to admit to any such thing. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one would believe this,

you know, that I’m suddenly into blokes.”

“You’re right, there is no way you are smooth enough to pull that off.”

“Like hell I’m not!”

“No, you’re right, forget it, you can’t do this.”

“Care to wager on that?”

It was possibly the wrong thing to suggest, if Sophia’s manic grin was anything to go by, but before he

could take it back, she was shaking his hand and making him promise a future favour if he failed. He

could not imagine anything worse.

“To be fair, I should pick the victim. Just to make sure it’s not someone you already have sway over,” she

hastened to add when Arthur wanted to argue.

It was too late to wimp out now. “Fine.”

Sophia practically crowed, her eyes sweeping the brainlessly chattering student body. Her finger circled

and dismissed one random guy after the next. Then it stopped. “Him.”

Afraid of what he was going to see, Arthur looked over. Sure enough, she was not pulling any stops to

beat him at this. “Dumbo? Absolutely not.”

“You did say anyone .”

Arthur sighed and stared at the kid. Skinny and odd looking, with ears that stuck out like satellite dishes.

With absolutely no dress sense and the worst case of table manners ever seen. If ever there were an

impossible task, then this was it. “Fine.”

“You should go ask him out then, before some other hot stud scoops him up.”

He snorted, unable to imagine anyone ever finding that walking disaster attractive. At least the

competition would be easy and no doubt Dumbo would be simply over the moon to have someone of

Arthur’s stature even look in his direction. Hell, he might even piss himself with joy.

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Arthur slipped his sunglasses on and shifted to make himself more comfortable. “You should never rush a

master at work. Besides, are you that eager to have me win?”

Merlin startled out of his daydream at the heavy thump of books seconds before someone slid into the

chair next to him. He sneaked a peak from the corner of his eye, just enough to make out a ridiculously

expensive watch on an arm that could force his head into a toilet bowl.

He hunched his shoulders and turned a fraction away, opening more space between them and thinking

invisible thoughts. Even so, he could feel the weight of the stare directed at him. He rubbed his feet

together, managing to work his shoe laces loose, and his pencil fumbled out of his fingers.

The body next to his shifted and Merlin cringed. Instead of the expected shove, a hand popped into view

right in front of his face. It was well formed, as far as hands go; broad palm, strong fingers, perfect nails

that weren't as bitten to the quick as Merlin's own. A gleaming silver ring encircled the index finger. A

finger that was now moving, rolling something between it and its fellows. Oh right, his pencil.

"Thanks," he muttered, heat creeping up his neck.

"You’re welcome." Oh god, what a voice! Low, warm and if Merlin were anyone else, intimate. Yet with

an amused, mocking lilt.

Merlin took a chance and looked up. The sun filtered in from behind the boy, stinging Merlin's eyes, but

there was no way he wouldn't recognise the blonde hair, blue eyes and perfect jaw. Or the lips, curling up

at the corners. Hell, blast and damnation!

"Hi," Pendragon said, leaning in even closer to bump Merlin's shoulder with his own.

Shite! "Uhm, hey?" Merlin responded, more a squeaked out question than an actual greeting. The grin

that had been threatening to break spilled over Pendragon's face. It tempted and teased and Merlin could

feel the flush all the way to his scalp now. Could such a thing contribute to early male pattern boldness?

He didn’t even know if there was a history of it in his family. Sure, his Uncle Gaius had a full head of

hair, but having never met his biological father, there was no way to be certain.

Merlin looked away, casting a hasty glance around the class room to see if anyone noticed the interaction.

To see if any of Pendragon's lackeys were watching. It smelled like a trap. Like failure and humiliation.

Also a little like fear. It was a smell Merlin knew well.

"I'm Arthur," Pendragon continued, cool as you please and just, what the fuck?

Merlin jerked his head in a quick nod. As if there were anyone in Sixth-Form who didn't know him. Still,

best to humour the man while planning his escape. It shouldn't be too difficult to confuse him and slip

away, considering all the balls to the head Pendragon must have taken during the testosterone infused

male bonding experience known as sports. Merlin could be sneaky. He could sneak with the best of them.

He could out-sneak anyone. Well, everyone except for that utter twonker Geraint who Merlin was

convinced had superhuman psychic-level geek tracking skills.

"You know, it's generally considered socially acceptable to respond with your own name during an

introduction."

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"I..." Merlin's looking for an exit reached frantic proportions. Itchy sweat beaded on the back of his neck

and his hand ached from the white-knuckled grip he had on the desk. The bell rang, signalling the end of

class, as well as the school day. His limbs felt heavy with relief, as well as his bladder, which reminded

Merlin that he really, really needed to empty it before he made a bigger fool of himself. And then he

would hide in the loo for at least an hour, which would hopefully be enough time for Pendragon to get

bored with this game.

"Gotta go," he mumbled and raked his belongings together, wincing at the sound of paper tearing. He

tripped over his untied shoelaces on his way out, sending him knocking into two girls and then a desk. His

thigh burned where a sharp corner clipped him, but that was nothing against the heat in his ears when

laughter popped up in the wake of his destruction.

Fuck my life , Merlin thought to himself, hobbling down the hall as quick as he could.

“Not hooked our little prey yet, then?” were the first words Arthur heard when he entered the car park.

Sophia leaned back, her skirt riding up ridiculously high on her crossed thighs. Her lips curled around the

tip of a cherry red ice lolly in a way that she no doubt thought was titillating. All Arthur could focus on

was the fact that she had her arse planted right on the bonnet of his new car. “I’ve told you before,

don’t—” he began, but she quickly cut him off.

“Don’t be a bore, Arthur.” She slid off the car, one hand pressed to the gleaming silver paint job, leaving

sticky trails behind.

He buffed at the smear with the arm of his jacket, only letting up when the shine was restored. Not even a

month old and already the car meant more to him than most people he knew.

“Well?”

“Well what?” he asked, turning to look at Sophia again. She was not known for her patience and might

even resort to drastic measures if she felt she was being ignored.

“I notice you are all alone.”

“Stating the obvious, one of the many services you offer.”

Her eyes narrowed in warning, reminding Arthur to watch himself. As frustrated as he was about the

brush off he had received, he couldn’t take it out on Sophia. She hadn’t been wrong about his influence

not being as far reaching as it had always been, and already he had reason to question how many of his

friends were really his friends, he had to hold on to any of them he could. Besides, his father had business

dealings with Sophia’s father and there would be hell to play if Arthur threw a spanner in the gears. He

cleared his throat. “All part of my method.”

“Your method is to strike out?”

“My method is that of a slow seduction.”

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