The Big Book Of Merthur

Oneshot: The Imitation Game AU

...and the act becomes hollow.

"Ambrosius? Come on. Don't be such a kike about it." Valiant Mercia's gloating voice burrowed through the floorboards.

"Leave him to bloody rot." Another of Mercia's friends spat, and I could hear footsteps trailing away from where I was trapped. The sound of the classroom door closing followed shortly after. I was drained. I couldn't move. There was barely enough space to breathe, but not as nearly as enough strength in me as I needed to try and push the floorboards away.

I didn't learn this on my own, of course. I had help.

The creak of the classroom door as it reopened sliced through my train of panic-induced thoughts. Hurried footsteps raced over, stopping above where I was imprisoned under the floor.

Arthur helped.

"Merlin?" A crisp, but anxious voice travelled down to me. The floorboards prevented me from seeing who it was, but I could recognise that voice positively anywhere.

"A-arthur?" I rasped, engulfed in newfound relief.

Immediately, the floorboards above me began to loosen, and after a few tugs, they were pulled free. Arthur's sturdy hands wound around my waist and hoisted me up, and proceeded to wipe the dust off my clothes.

"Merlin, are you alright?" His vibrant blue gaze found mine, and my heart jolted when I saw genuine worry swimming in them. Aside my mother, no-one had ever looked at me in such a manner.

"I'm-I'm fine." I stammered shakily.

"They're getting worse, Merlin." He sighed, leading me out of the classroom.

"They only beat me up me because I'm smarter than they are." I grumbled.

"No, they beat you up because you're different."

"Mother said I'm just an odd duck."

"And she's right." Arthur gave out a small chuckle, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling back. "But, you know Merlin, sometimes it's the very people no-one imagines anything of, who do the things no-one can imagine"

A warm bubble settled into the pit of my stomach. It was a new feeling, having someone believe in me, having someone not see me as the scrawny know-it-all who existed to be bullied.

"Thank you for that." I said in a small voice. Arthur's face softened, clearly touched by my words.

"My pleasure." He replied.

Ever since last week, Arthur had helped me when I found myself in particularly tight spots with the bullies. Heaven knows why he bothered. Even before, he'd been the only student at school that hadn't laughed at my mishaps, but I could never have foreseen that he'd actually do something about it. But why he did it mattered only a little. I was simply grateful that he'd wanted to help, that he cared.

                                                                              ***
Arthur's POV

"What's that you're reading?"

I looked up from the book in my hand, and turned my head towards Merlin.

"It's about cryptography."

"Like secret messages?"

"Not secret. That's the brilliant part. Messages that anyone can see but no-one knows what they mean. Unless you have the key." I replied excitedly.

A soft breeze trailed over us and rustled the leaves of the tree we were sitting under. The sound of the other students running around were strangely secluded from us, as if we were in our own little world, disconnected from everything else that made life miserable.