Expecting

[clea2011]

Author: clea2011
Title: Expecting
Rating: G
Pairing/s: None
Character/s: Arthur, Merlin
Summary: Arthur never really looked forward to his birthday.  He knew what to expect. 
Warnings: None
Word Count: 169
Author's Notes: Written for camelot_drabble prompt 170 - 'Expecting'.  Horribly quick and rushed.  Big bang to finish! Sorry!

Disclaimer:Merlin is owned by the BBC and Shine. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Don't send us to the dungeons.

Expecting

Arthur never really looked forward to his birthday. He knew what to expect.

His father was always either in a bad mood or just sad, because it was the anniversary of Arthur’s mother’s death. There were plenty of presents, although Arthur knew it was his father’s assistant who was sent out to buy them.

His friends at school looked at the expensive gifts enviously. They all wished they were Arthur.

Merlin loved his birthdays. He knew what to expect.

His mother always baked a special cake that sank in the middle but still tasted good. His friends came round for tea, because Hunith couldn’t afford to pay for them all to go to the cinema or bowling or something equally exciting, so they watched an old video instead and made fun of the bad special effects, and laughed so much it hurt.

Sometimes the mean kids at school made fun of him when they heard he only had a few inexpensive gifts. None of them wished they were Merlin.

Comments

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

I liked how different others looked at them from a distance.

[adsullatta.livejournal.com]

I love the contrast between how each of the boys see their circumstances and how they are perceived by those merely observing the surface details. Arthur has all the material wealth while Merlin is the one who actually possesses what's important in life.

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I really liked the contrast between these two boys birthdays and how Arthur's envied and Merlin's pitied but, really, Merlin has what's really important.

I have a feeling Arthur would envy what Merlin has.

[fififolle]

Huh. People are pretty stupid, really. Poor Arthur. Great fic.

[aeris444.livejournal.com]

Well done! The contrast between Arthur and Merlin but also between reality and what other thought was striking!