Fic: I've been waiting for this night Part 1/2
Finally finished my current project (and there are a whole lot more waiting where that came from :D) and I'm so happy! Got some great reviews over at AO3 (here you go <3) and I can't wait to start my next project :)
Title: I've been waiting for this night 1/2
Rating: PG/PG-13
Warnings: Implied/Referenced Drug Use
Word count: 4,5k
Summary: Merlin works at an advertisement agency when Arthur is appointed to be the foto model for the new campaign. And an additional tv spot. Too bad that the co-character already quits after two days and Merlin is the one who has to jump in. He quickly finds out that Arthur isn't a prat as he seemed to be, or is he?
‘I think you’re deliberately misunderstanding me!’ the customer snapped angrily and began to pace agitatedly in front of Merlin. ‘I said it should appeal to the youth! Your photos appeal to housewives in the Eighties at the utmost! If you don’t give me the photos I asked for next week, I will cut down our cooperation to a minimum, I can assure you that!’
Merlin ran his hands through his hair and sighed. ‘Cenred, please... the photos were exactly as your secretary wished them to be. You were the one who decided she had to be there so the photos would be just like you want them to be. Yes, the results showed that both housewives and adolescents react well to the photos but that’s hardly a bad thing, is it? It only increases your target group and thus your profit.’, he tried to appease the exasperated man in front of him.
‘That is Mister Lark for you, Mister Emrys! And don’t you dare try to tell me how to run my business! I’ll be back in a week and if I don’t like the new photos, our cooperation will be terminated and you will hear from my lawyer!’, Cenred snapped and marched out of Merlins office with a furious expression on his face.
As soon as the door snapped shut Merlin dropped his head onto the table and moaned. Great. Just great. And the day had started so well. The advertising agency where he worked had finally, after months of red figures, made some profit, even if only a bit.
But if Cenred terminated his contract, they would lose one of their biggest customers and the ruin of the agency would be inevitable.
What they really needed was to land a big contract. One that would give them the opportunity to even think of a future and possibly planning how to save the sinking ship. But without money it would be impossible.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and Gwen, his best friend and co-worker, stuck her head through the resulting gap.
‘Hard day?’, she asked and closed the door behind her after he had waved her in.
‘You have no idea’, Merlin muttered and run a hand once again through his hair. ‘Is that coffee?’, he asked hopeful as he spotted the big cup in Gwens hand.
Gwen grinned. ‘That’s coffee, yeah. But it’s for my best friend who works somewhere around here and whom I haven’t seen in days. There’s just this cheap copy that’s sitting here all the time, pretending to be a workaholic.’, she teased and Merlin felt his conscience tugging at him for neglecting his friends.
‘Gwen…’, he started but she stopped him with a wave of her hand.
‘Do you think I don’t know you’re trying to save the agency? Just as we all do. We’ll have time for chats again soon, don’t you worry. You have enough other things on your mind.’, she reassured him and finally handed him the cup of coffee.
Merlin breathed in the coffee flavour and sighed contentedly. ‘Ah coffee, my life essence’, he smiled. ‘You’re the best!’, he added and closed his hands around the cup.
Gwen shook her head. ‘Someday coffee will be your doom’, she prophesised.
Merlin fake-widened his eyes and shook his head. ‘Never!’, he stage-whispered but had to grinned as soon as he said it.
Before either of them could raise the subject of Cenred and the supposedly wrong photos, there was another knock on the door. Gwen opened the door and Merlin could see from his place the soft smile that immediately brightened her face.
‘Lance!’, she exclaimed and pulled him inside. The dark-haired man looked surprised to see them both but quickly recovered and kissed his fiancée softly on the cheek.
’Oh, hello. I didn’t expect to see you both here but that’s even better.’, he greeted them and slung an arm around Gwens waist. Merlin had to avert his eyes for a moment to gain control of his facial expressions. It wasn’t that he was jealous of either of them - his crush on Lance was years ago and even if he wasn’t as bent as the trees in the wind, Gwen would always be like a sister to him. But it had also been years since he had anything more substantial than a One-Night-Stand and it started to graze on his nerves. He was an addict to everything that was even the least bit romantic - he had helped Lance to plan out every Valentine’s day date he and Gwen ever had, for God’s sake! - and always having to be a side character and not the protagonist was making him feel slightly depressed with the years.
‘What’s up?’, he asked finally when he thought he couldn’t stay turned away any longer without being impolite to two of his oldest friends.
Lance’ face split immediately into a big grin. ‘I have amazing news!’, he said, waving his left hand excitedly. Merlin arched an eyebrow and waited patiently. The current situation of the agency didn’t really prompt him for any excited waving but if Lance was happy then maybe, maybe it was alright to let himself hope for a small miracle.
‘We’, Lance started and looked from Merlin to Gwen and back to Merlin again. ‘have a new big deal coming soon!’, he declared. Gwen and Merlin took one look at each other then they were whooping and cheering.
‘Really?’, Merlin asked breathlessly and jumped out of his seat. ‘You’re not kidding me? Oh please, tell me you’re not kidding.’ Lance looked at him with something akin to pity. He was one of the few people who knew how much the agency meant to him.
‘I’m serious, Merlin. Uther Pendragon asked for us personally.’, he said softly to him. Merlin’s eyes widened.
‘Uther Pendragon?! From Pendragon & Son? Wow! I thought they had all their ads done by Nimueh and her agency?’, he asked perplexed. Lance shrugged.
‘From what I heard there seemed to have been some quarrel between Pendragon senior and Nimueh. I don’t know any details, just that he terminated all ongoing contracts and decided to give us a chance. He wants to meet with us as soon as possible.’, Lance explained and Gwen let out a squeak.
‘You know what that means, right? This could be it! Our chance!’ She looked from one man to the other and waited for the message to sink in. Merlin let himself fall back down onto his chair and took a deep breath.
‘You’re right, Gwen. Maybe… maybe we really have a chance.’ He let himself give her a small, hopeful smile and she hugged him fiercely.
‘We’ll make it into something wonderful, you’ll see!’, she promised.
*
‘Merlin!’
‘Merlin!’
‘MERLIN!’
His head shot up so quickly that he feared his neck snapping.
‘What? I - ‘, he mumbled and looked around for orientation. He was still in his office but he must have fallen asleep if his heavy eyes were anything to go by.
‘MERLIN!’ The voice that woke him up was now just outside his door.
‘Yes, I’m - I’m awake’, he said, still tripping over words but at least more awake than moments before. Before he could get up and open the door, it was opened by someone else and a blonde girl stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips.
‘Where were you? We were waiting for you in the conference room but you never showed up! You-‘ Only then did she seem to acknowledge his dishevelled state and rose an eyebrow. ‘Did you fall asleep again yesterday?’, she asked gently.
Merlin blushed. ‘Um.. if it is morning, then yes, I suppose so. I’m sorry I missed the meeting, Ellie, I truly am. What time is it?’, he asked while running a hand over his face. It felt swollen somehow and warm from sleep.
‘It’s about 8:30. Look, why don’t you-‘
‘8:30? Oh fuck!’, he exclaimed and jumped out of his seat. He fumbled for the nearest file and ran around the desk. Next to Ellie, he paused, kissing her on the cheek. ‘Thanks for waking me up’, he said, then hurried out of the door.
At the lift he waited for a few moments, forcing himself to calm down for a bit, but since he was already late he didn’t bother waiting very long and spun around to take the stairs. Only there was a man behind him in a pristine white oxford shirt - freshly ironed too, Merlin noted miserably - with an equally flawlessly knotted grey tie. Merlin also noticed that the man looked more like a greek god than a normal human being, probably because of his soft looking blonde hair and the gorgeous jaw line. He was also holding a big cup of coffee. Or had been holding until Merlin bumped into him and the coffee was spilled all over his white shirt.
‘Oh my - shit, I am so sorry! Really, you have no idea!’, Merlin started to babble but the man only held up one finger and closed his eyes. His facial expression changed rapidly from angry red to an embarrassed pink and back to red again.
‘Do you have any idea…’ he began and Merlin gulped. He dared to take a look at his wrist clock and his heart sank when he saw the time. 8:37. Uther Pendragon was already waiting for over 15 minutes and if he was now less than eager to cooperate with the agency, Merlin couldn’t even blame him.
‘Are you even listening?!’, Greek God in front of him demanded and Merlin blushed.
‘Yeah, look, I’m really sorry. Look, why don’t you send the bill for cleaning to the agency? We’ll cover it, of course. But now I have to go. But I’m really very sorry!’, Merlin assured him and then he ran to the stairs. Maybe it was not the bravest course of action but there was so much that depended on the contract with Pendragon & Son that he felt like he could justify his escape. The man must think him a nutter and even if he saw him again, Greek God probably wouldn’t even look at him again.
When Merlin finally reached the floor where Uther Pendragon was waiting, he was covered in sweat and it was 8:45. Gwen was waiting for him in front of the lift. She took one look at him, then pushed him into her office and thrust a clean shirt in his hand.
‘Put that on. Lance is waiting with Mr. Pendragon in 432.’, she said and turned to leave the room.
‘Thanks. Gwen?’, Merlin asked before she could go. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be late.’, he said quietly while he undid the buttons on his shirt. Gwen sighed and turned around.
‘I know you didn’t, you daft creature’, she said softly and raked her hands through his hair. ‘Now it doesn’t look as if you just rolled out of bed.’ He smiled at her.
‘Thanks.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Hurry up now.’
Merlin changed shirts and then hurried out of the office. Room 432 was at the end of the corridor and through the milky glass he could already see Lance talking animatedly with a stoic man that was probably Uther Pendragon. Merlin straightened up and then entered the room.
‘Mr. Pendragon?’, he asked politely after he closed the door behind him. Uther stood and looked at him suspiciously.
‘Mr. Emrys, I presume. I don’t make a habit of waiting for my business partner. Either they are here or I am not.’ Uthers cold gaze assessed him and Merlin had to force himself not to shiver under his scrutiny.
‘Yes, I am very sorry. Another meeting took longer than anticipated. Shall we begin?’, he asked, ignoring that they hadn’t shaken hands. Uther seemed to think of those things as useless wastes of time so Merlin decided to go with his wishes. They needed him, after all, not the other way around.
The meeting progressed rather nicely until about half an hour later. Uther was just telling him that the photo-shoot had to be done with his son Arthur as the model and no one else and Merlin was more than happy to go along with that - professional photo models were rather expensive and to afford them was one of the biggest problems for the agency - when the gorgeous man from before burst into the room, albeit with a different shirt. Merlin’s eyes widened when he recognized him and got up immediately.
‘Listen’, he said, furiously now, because if this man just ruined the business deal with Uther then… ‘I know you’re upset about your shirt but that gives you no right to just barge into this room. Seriously, what are you even doing here?’, he asked exasperatedly.
‘Arthur’, Uther suddenly said behind him and oh god.
‘You’re-‘, Merlin started and stared at the gorgeous man. ‘Oh, no.’
Greek God looked smug for a second and crossed his arms in front of him. The top two buttons from his new shirt were open - aubergine this time, Merlin’s traitorous mind supplied helpfully - and it was a little snugger than the old one had been. As he crossed his arms, it seemed even more as if it would burst any minute. Merlin closed his eyes for a moment and tried to compose himself.
‘I did try to tell you who I am’, Greek God, no, Arthur said, then he went around Merlin to sit down next to his father.
‘Can we continue now?’, Uther asked, a tone of annoyance in his voice. ‘Since you already seem acquainted there is no need for an introduction.’ Merlin nodded mutely and sat down next to Lance once again who had watched the whole spectacle with a bemused expression.
‘Right, yes. You were about to tell me what your expectations for the shoot are’, Merlin said and Uther did just that. He told them in such detail he might as well just photograph Arthur himself but Merlin didn’t want to voice that. Come to think of it, Arthur did already look quite uncomfortable as if he didn’t like people talking about him as if he were an object. Well, Merlin had to admit, that he would have felt awkward and uneasy too in a situation like that.
Fortunately, the rest of the meeting went swimmingly and another forty-five minutes later Merlin had a signed contract with Uthers and his name on it on his desk. He felt giddy with relief and when Gwen came to ask how it went, he unceremoniously invited both her and Lance out for a drink after work. They were more than happy to comply, seeing as how they really hadn’t seen each other apart from work in weeks.
When evening came, a few other colleagues joined them in the local pub. Freya, the quiet graphic designer who Merlin knew had a crush on him ever since he interviewed her for the position two years ago, and Elena, of course, the best photographer he encountered since working at the agency, slid next to the three of them in the booth.
‘Hi!’, Merlin said happily to them and sipped at his pint. Freya just nodded shyly at him from the other end of the table but Elena had taken the seat next to him and grinned at him.
‘Hello there, stranger! Good day?’, she asked and he nodded.
‘Brilliant day!’, he empathized and she rose an eyebrow.
‘Oooh, do tell!’, she giggled and took a drink from her blue and green cocktail. Merlin shrugged.
‘We got the big deal, what’s more to tell?’, he asked. Next to him he could hear Lance mutter something under his breath and Gwen snorted un-lady-like into her coke.
‘What?’ Merlin looked confused to them. ‘What did I miss?’
‘Well…’ Lance looked half uncomfortable, half amused. Before he could answer, Merlin heard the most beautiful laugh on the other end of the pub. Intrigued he turned his head, fully expecting to take his chance tonight and just go for it, but as soon as he found the source, he dearly wished he hadn’t.
Arthur Greek God Pendragon sat just across him on the other end of the pub and laughed his stupidly attractive laugh. Oh god, why today? It definitely seemed that the fate was against him if he couldn’t even have just one night out without someone ruining it. At least he hadn’t seen Merlin yet, he was preoccupied with his two friends that were sitting at his table and one of them was animatedly telling them something.
Perhaps it was stupid of him - okay, it definitely was stupid of him but he was known to do stupid things, not that that was an excuse but just an explanation - but he couldn’t take his eyes of Arthur. He seemed entirely different now than he had when sitting next to his father. He had been stiff and full of arrogance, nothing like the relaxed man he seemed to be when in company of his friends. He definitely laughed more, Merlin noticed when the man with the waving hands started to tell another story, but who in his right mind would laugh in the presence of Uther Pendragon?
‘-rlin? Merlin!’ A voice interrupted his thoughts and Merlin blinked.
‘What?’, he asked, shaking his head a bit to try and clear it.
‘You were miles away! What were you- oh wow’ Ellie’s mouth snapped shut as she looked in the direction Merlin had been staring. Merlin closed his eyes for a moment to calm his fast-beating heart. He felt a strange jealousy at the thought of Elena finding Arthur as attractive as Merlin thought of him. She would have much more time with him as his photographer and she would get to make him do poses and maybe take his shirt of and then he would…
Merlin ripped his eyes open and swallowed his drink down in one big gulp. That was an image he definitely didn’t need in his head.
‘Merlin, who is that?’, Ellie asked and Merlin sighed.
‘Arthur Pendragon’, he muttered unhappily but to his surprise she just waved his answer away.
‘Not him! Him!’ She all but pointed at the man with the animated hand-waving.
‘Oh. Oh! Him! I have no idea.’, Merlin said, his heart feeling strangely light. She didn’t want Arthur! Not that he wanted Arthur… or that he cared for whoever Arthur wanted. But she didn’t want him so there would be no nude photo shoots and only professionalism and…
'Meeeerlin’ Ellie’s voice was torn between amusement and annoyance. ‘What is wrong with you today? Come on, introduce me!’, she ordered and his eyes widened.
‘What? Ellie, no! He’s a customer! I can’t just harass him in his free time!’, he hissed at her but she just rolled her eyes.
‘Ah, nonsense. Uther is your customer, he’s just the pretty requisite. Come on now, don’t be shy!’, she said and took his arm.
The problem with Elena was that for a girl she was really, bloody strong while Merlin for a boy wasn’t the strongest. That meant that she could easily haul him over to the table where Arthur and his friends were seated and she could still let it seem as if they were just friendly shoving each other.
Arthur didn’t notice them before they were right in front of the table and even then his friend with the hands greeted them first.
‘Well, hello there!’, he crowed and grinned lascivious at them, mostly at Elena though, Merlin noticed, who blushed a bit.
‘Um… hi’, Merlin said, looking at Arthur and trying, and failing, to look nonchalant. Finally, Arthur looked up and arched an eyebrow at Merlin.
‘Merlin, was it? Reduced to stalking your contract partners?’, he asked and Merlin furrowed his brow.
‘You’re not my contract partner. Your father is. And just so you know, I just wanted to introduce Elena here to your friend. My duty’s done.’, he said scathingly and was about to turn around when he felt a hand closing around his wrist.
‘Are you always this sensitive? Seriously, I was just kidding.’, Arthur said, shaking his head at him and Merlin felt strangely as if he was disappointed in him, as if he had failed some sort of test he hadn’t known of. He straightened up and glared at Arthur.
‘Well, maybe you’re not as funny as you think you are’, he remarked annoyed and ripped his wrist free but Arthur just grinned.
‘Oh I think I am’, he replied and then turned to introduced his two friends who had watched the whole scenario with bemused expressions. ‘That here is Gwaine’ He pointed at the hand-waving bloke who eyed Elena appreciatively. ‘And this is Leon.’ The other one had red hair and a beard and smiled friendly at them both.
‘Do you want to sit?’, Gwaine asked and Ellie readily complied while Merlin stood uncertainly next to her.
‘There’s room for everyone’, Arthur remarked and pointed at the two empty chairs that stood around the table.
‘I don’t know. I should get back to my friends. I just wanted to introduce her’, he said, raking one hand through his hair. Arthur shrugged.
‘Do what you must. I just wanted to be polite.’ He pointedly looked to another direction and Merlin felt a flash of annoyance surge through him.
‘Well don’t be polite on my account!’, he snapped. ‘Ellie, text me when you get home, please, yes?’ He didn’t wait for an answer but turned around and stalked back to his own table where Gwen, Lance and Freya were already watching him approach.
‘What happened?’, Gwen asked eagerly but Merlin brushed the subject aside, ordered a new pint and nursed it while his friends talked about other things. He knew they were throwing him many curious and some worried glances and he also knew that he was pouting but he didn’t care. There was something in Arthur that got under his skin and he wasn’t used to that. Sure, he had loved and he had been attracted to people but it was always slow and melting rather than these hot flashes of… he didn’t even have a name for it. It was obvious to Merlin that Arthur was a massive prat and that any feelings he might have developed over time would be wasted on him so he decided then and there to bury everything that might complicate his work with Arthur Greek God Pendragon. And the first step was to lose this stupid nickname, for God’s sake!
Merlin managed to stay out of the scrutiny of his friends right until Gwen and Freya decided to go to the loo before going home. He thought he had been quite sneaky in throwing glances at Arthur during the whole time but seeing as Lance outright asked him about it, he might have been less secretive than he had thought.
‘Eh…’ He didn’t have a clue as to what to answer Lance.
‘Do you like him?’, Lance asked and finally, that was a question he could answer wholeheartedly.
‘No! He’s a prat.’ Lance chuckled at that.
‘Alright then. So he’s an attractive prat, is that it?’ Merlin shrugged.
‘Maybe? Yeah alright, he is and he knows it.’, he scowled and then sighed. ‘Look, there’s nothing. I won’t let it interfere with our work, I promise.’ Lance sighed and then lay a hand on Merlin’s shoulder.
‘I know you won’t. But I worry about you, Merlin. You deserve some happiness.’, Lance murmured softly. Merlin averted his eyes.
‘You don’t have to worry. I’m fine. Worry about Gwen if you want to, she’s your fiancée.’, Merlin said, trying not to sound bitter about it. But Lance was always the one who could read people the best. He gently took Merlin’s face in his hands and turned it towards him.
‘You’re not jealous, are you?’, he asked concerned and searched Merlin’s face for something. Merlin quickly shook his head.
‘Not like… no. Seriously, no. Look, it’s okay. I’m fine. Please stop it here.’, he pleaded, desperately trying to end this conversation. Lance seemed to have found what he was looking for because he nodded and released him.
‘Just so you know - you might not be the only one.’, he said mysteriously and Merlin frowned.
‘What?’, he asked blankly. Lance nodded in the direction of Arthur’s table.
‘He’s watched you at least as often as you have looked at him.’ Then he went to pay and left Merlin alone with a flaming red face and the feeling that this night couldn’t end quickly enough.
*
In the days until the photo shoot, Merlin tried to think of ways not to be around the studio. He managed to come up with loads of believable excuses too but when the day came he just couldn’t stay away.
He crept around in the background, trying not to be seen by neither Elena nor Arthur but after five minutes Elena had already spotted him.
‘So what are you doing, creeping around like a creepy stalker?’, she asked him curiously while smoothing down her yellow dress. He had - Everyone had noticed her steadily increasing mood and Merlin knew it had to do with Gwaine. He was happy for her, he truly was, but that also meant that he would likely come out with them for drinks next time they went to the pub and where Gwaine was, Arthur was too and that was something he forbid himself thinking about.
‘I just wanted to see how the shoot was going’, he said but even as he said it he knew she wouldn’t believe him. She arched an eyebrow.
‘Then why don’t you sit in the first row where your seat is, Mister Emrys? I think it has more to do with a certain photo model that has you all hot and bothered.’ She grinned at him while he spluttered.
‘Ellie! I think Gwaine’s a bad influence for you! There is nothing going on between me and Arthur’, he said stiffly and determinately ignored the tiny voice in his head that said ‘Even if you wish there was’
‘But you wish there was’, Ellie crowed and Merlin stifled the urge to hid his face in his hands.
‘Ellie, for the love of God, shut up! Isn’t he around here, too? This is completely unprofessional!’, he hissed at her and she rolled her eyes.
‘Merlin, really, it’s not a crime to like someone. Just talk to him. He likes you, too! Actually he couldn’t shut up about you the night we were in the pub’, she told him conspiringly.
‘You’re already the second one who says that! Why are you saying things that are not true?!’, Merlin complained. ‘And even if, I do not like him! Why don’t you see that he’s an arrogant prat?’
‘Aw, but Merlin, I didn’t know you feel that way!’, a voice suddenly said behind him and Merlin closed his eyes for a moment against the rush of feelings. Arthur might be an arrogant prat with horrendous timing but his voice could sound like velvet if he wanted to.
‘Arthur!’, Ellie exclaimed surprised though Merlin could see the pleased grin on her face. He rolled his eyes.
‘What do you want?’, he asked annoyed. Merlin really had enough of people telling him he found Arthur attractive. If Arthur joined them now, he would be even more intolerable than he already was.
‘Just enjoying the company of people who think me as worth being hot and bothered about.’ Arthur smirked at him with that condescending grin of his and Merlin wanted nothing more than to punch the smirk off his face. Or kiss it away. Whatever was the fastest.
He decided not to deign Arthurs answer with a response and turned around to leave.
‘Don’t go, Merlin! You should have a look at how the photos turn out to be!’, Ellie cried, seemingly understanding that he had no interest in being teased any longer.
‘Yes, don’t go, Merlin. Whatever will I do without you in the first row, watching and drooling over me’, Arthur commented and that was when Merlin had enough. He flew around and all but pushed Arthur against the nearest wall.
‘You! Shut up now! I don’t like you and I don’t find you attractive in the least, no matter what my friends think! Get that in you thick head already!’, he snapped and then finally left without looking back.
In hindsight he shouldn’t have gone off like that, Merlin knew that. Arthur could go to his father and file a complaint which could be the end to the contract with Pendragon & Son. But it had also felt really good.
Title: I've been waiting for this night 1/2
Rating: PG/PG-13
Warnings: Implied/Referenced Drug Use
Word count: 4,5k
Summary: Merlin works at an advertisement agency when Arthur is appointed to be the foto model for the new campaign. And an additional tv spot. Too bad that the co-character already quits after two days and Merlin is the one who has to jump in. He quickly finds out that Arthur isn't a prat as he seemed to be, or is he?
‘I think you’re deliberately misunderstanding me!’ the customer snapped angrily and began to pace agitatedly in front of Merlin. ‘I said it should appeal to the youth! Your photos appeal to housewives in the Eighties at the utmost! If you don’t give me the photos I asked for next week, I will cut down our cooperation to a minimum, I can assure you that!’
Merlin ran his hands through his hair and sighed. ‘Cenred, please... the photos were exactly as your secretary wished them to be. You were the one who decided she had to be there so the photos would be just like you want them to be. Yes, the results showed that both housewives and adolescents react well to the photos but that’s hardly a bad thing, is it? It only increases your target group and thus your profit.’, he tried to appease the exasperated man in front of him.
‘That is Mister Lark for you, Mister Emrys! And don’t you dare try to tell me how to run my business! I’ll be back in a week and if I don’t like the new photos, our cooperation will be terminated and you will hear from my lawyer!’, Cenred snapped and marched out of Merlins office with a furious expression on his face.
As soon as the door snapped shut Merlin dropped his head onto the table and moaned. Great. Just great. And the day had started so well. The advertising agency where he worked had finally, after months of red figures, made some profit, even if only a bit.
But if Cenred terminated his contract, they would lose one of their biggest customers and the ruin of the agency would be inevitable.
What they really needed was to land a big contract. One that would give them the opportunity to even think of a future and possibly planning how to save the sinking ship. But without money it would be impossible.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and Gwen, his best friend and co-worker, stuck her head through the resulting gap.
‘Hard day?’, she asked and closed the door behind her after he had waved her in.
‘You have no idea’, Merlin muttered and run a hand once again through his hair. ‘Is that coffee?’, he asked hopeful as he spotted the big cup in Gwens hand.
Gwen grinned. ‘That’s coffee, yeah. But it’s for my best friend who works somewhere around here and whom I haven’t seen in days. There’s just this cheap copy that’s sitting here all the time, pretending to be a workaholic.’, she teased and Merlin felt his conscience tugging at him for neglecting his friends.
‘Gwen…’, he started but she stopped him with a wave of her hand.
‘Do you think I don’t know you’re trying to save the agency? Just as we all do. We’ll have time for chats again soon, don’t you worry. You have enough other things on your mind.’, she reassured him and finally handed him the cup of coffee.
Merlin breathed in the coffee flavour and sighed contentedly. ‘Ah coffee, my life essence’, he smiled. ‘You’re the best!’, he added and closed his hands around the cup.
Gwen shook her head. ‘Someday coffee will be your doom’, she prophesised.
Merlin fake-widened his eyes and shook his head. ‘Never!’, he stage-whispered but had to grinned as soon as he said it.
Before either of them could raise the subject of Cenred and the supposedly wrong photos, there was another knock on the door. Gwen opened the door and Merlin could see from his place the soft smile that immediately brightened her face.
‘Lance!’, she exclaimed and pulled him inside. The dark-haired man looked surprised to see them both but quickly recovered and kissed his fiancée softly on the cheek.
’Oh, hello. I didn’t expect to see you both here but that’s even better.’, he greeted them and slung an arm around Gwens waist. Merlin had to avert his eyes for a moment to gain control of his facial expressions. It wasn’t that he was jealous of either of them - his crush on Lance was years ago and even if he wasn’t as bent as the trees in the wind, Gwen would always be like a sister to him. But it had also been years since he had anything more substantial than a One-Night-Stand and it started to graze on his nerves. He was an addict to everything that was even the least bit romantic - he had helped Lance to plan out every Valentine’s day date he and Gwen ever had, for God’s sake! - and always having to be a side character and not the protagonist was making him feel slightly depressed with the years.
‘What’s up?’, he asked finally when he thought he couldn’t stay turned away any longer without being impolite to two of his oldest friends.
Lance’ face split immediately into a big grin. ‘I have amazing news!’, he said, waving his left hand excitedly. Merlin arched an eyebrow and waited patiently. The current situation of the agency didn’t really prompt him for any excited waving but if Lance was happy then maybe, maybe it was alright to let himself hope for a small miracle.
‘We’, Lance started and looked from Merlin to Gwen and back to Merlin again. ‘have a new big deal coming soon!’, he declared. Gwen and Merlin took one look at each other then they were whooping and cheering.
‘Really?’, Merlin asked breathlessly and jumped out of his seat. ‘You’re not kidding me? Oh please, tell me you’re not kidding.’ Lance looked at him with something akin to pity. He was one of the few people who knew how much the agency meant to him.
‘I’m serious, Merlin. Uther Pendragon asked for us personally.’, he said softly to him. Merlin’s eyes widened.
‘Uther Pendragon?! From Pendragon & Son? Wow! I thought they had all their ads done by Nimueh and her agency?’, he asked perplexed. Lance shrugged.
‘From what I heard there seemed to have been some quarrel between Pendragon senior and Nimueh. I don’t know any details, just that he terminated all ongoing contracts and decided to give us a chance. He wants to meet with us as soon as possible.’, Lance explained and Gwen let out a squeak.
‘You know what that means, right? This could be it! Our chance!’ She looked from one man to the other and waited for the message to sink in. Merlin let himself fall back down onto his chair and took a deep breath.
‘You’re right, Gwen. Maybe… maybe we really have a chance.’ He let himself give her a small, hopeful smile and she hugged him fiercely.
‘We’ll make it into something wonderful, you’ll see!’, she promised.
*
‘Merlin!’
‘Merlin!’
‘MERLIN!’
His head shot up so quickly that he feared his neck snapping.
‘What? I - ‘, he mumbled and looked around for orientation. He was still in his office but he must have fallen asleep if his heavy eyes were anything to go by.
‘MERLIN!’ The voice that woke him up was now just outside his door.
‘Yes, I’m - I’m awake’, he said, still tripping over words but at least more awake than moments before. Before he could get up and open the door, it was opened by someone else and a blonde girl stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips.
‘Where were you? We were waiting for you in the conference room but you never showed up! You-‘ Only then did she seem to acknowledge his dishevelled state and rose an eyebrow. ‘Did you fall asleep again yesterday?’, she asked gently.
Merlin blushed. ‘Um.. if it is morning, then yes, I suppose so. I’m sorry I missed the meeting, Ellie, I truly am. What time is it?’, he asked while running a hand over his face. It felt swollen somehow and warm from sleep.
‘It’s about 8:30. Look, why don’t you-‘
‘8:30? Oh fuck!’, he exclaimed and jumped out of his seat. He fumbled for the nearest file and ran around the desk. Next to Ellie, he paused, kissing her on the cheek. ‘Thanks for waking me up’, he said, then hurried out of the door.
At the lift he waited for a few moments, forcing himself to calm down for a bit, but since he was already late he didn’t bother waiting very long and spun around to take the stairs. Only there was a man behind him in a pristine white oxford shirt - freshly ironed too, Merlin noted miserably - with an equally flawlessly knotted grey tie. Merlin also noticed that the man looked more like a greek god than a normal human being, probably because of his soft looking blonde hair and the gorgeous jaw line. He was also holding a big cup of coffee. Or had been holding until Merlin bumped into him and the coffee was spilled all over his white shirt.
‘Oh my - shit, I am so sorry! Really, you have no idea!’, Merlin started to babble but the man only held up one finger and closed his eyes. His facial expression changed rapidly from angry red to an embarrassed pink and back to red again.
‘Do you have any idea…’ he began and Merlin gulped. He dared to take a look at his wrist clock and his heart sank when he saw the time. 8:37. Uther Pendragon was already waiting for over 15 minutes and if he was now less than eager to cooperate with the agency, Merlin couldn’t even blame him.
‘Are you even listening?!’, Greek God in front of him demanded and Merlin blushed.
‘Yeah, look, I’m really sorry. Look, why don’t you send the bill for cleaning to the agency? We’ll cover it, of course. But now I have to go. But I’m really very sorry!’, Merlin assured him and then he ran to the stairs. Maybe it was not the bravest course of action but there was so much that depended on the contract with Pendragon & Son that he felt like he could justify his escape. The man must think him a nutter and even if he saw him again, Greek God probably wouldn’t even look at him again.
When Merlin finally reached the floor where Uther Pendragon was waiting, he was covered in sweat and it was 8:45. Gwen was waiting for him in front of the lift. She took one look at him, then pushed him into her office and thrust a clean shirt in his hand.
‘Put that on. Lance is waiting with Mr. Pendragon in 432.’, she said and turned to leave the room.
‘Thanks. Gwen?’, Merlin asked before she could go. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be late.’, he said quietly while he undid the buttons on his shirt. Gwen sighed and turned around.
‘I know you didn’t, you daft creature’, she said softly and raked her hands through his hair. ‘Now it doesn’t look as if you just rolled out of bed.’ He smiled at her.
‘Thanks.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Hurry up now.’
Merlin changed shirts and then hurried out of the office. Room 432 was at the end of the corridor and through the milky glass he could already see Lance talking animatedly with a stoic man that was probably Uther Pendragon. Merlin straightened up and then entered the room.
‘Mr. Pendragon?’, he asked politely after he closed the door behind him. Uther stood and looked at him suspiciously.
‘Mr. Emrys, I presume. I don’t make a habit of waiting for my business partner. Either they are here or I am not.’ Uthers cold gaze assessed him and Merlin had to force himself not to shiver under his scrutiny.
‘Yes, I am very sorry. Another meeting took longer than anticipated. Shall we begin?’, he asked, ignoring that they hadn’t shaken hands. Uther seemed to think of those things as useless wastes of time so Merlin decided to go with his wishes. They needed him, after all, not the other way around.
The meeting progressed rather nicely until about half an hour later. Uther was just telling him that the photo-shoot had to be done with his son Arthur as the model and no one else and Merlin was more than happy to go along with that - professional photo models were rather expensive and to afford them was one of the biggest problems for the agency - when the gorgeous man from before burst into the room, albeit with a different shirt. Merlin’s eyes widened when he recognized him and got up immediately.
‘Listen’, he said, furiously now, because if this man just ruined the business deal with Uther then… ‘I know you’re upset about your shirt but that gives you no right to just barge into this room. Seriously, what are you even doing here?’, he asked exasperatedly.
‘Arthur’, Uther suddenly said behind him and oh god.
‘You’re-‘, Merlin started and stared at the gorgeous man. ‘Oh, no.’
Greek God looked smug for a second and crossed his arms in front of him. The top two buttons from his new shirt were open - aubergine this time, Merlin’s traitorous mind supplied helpfully - and it was a little snugger than the old one had been. As he crossed his arms, it seemed even more as if it would burst any minute. Merlin closed his eyes for a moment and tried to compose himself.
‘I did try to tell you who I am’, Greek God, no, Arthur said, then he went around Merlin to sit down next to his father.
‘Can we continue now?’, Uther asked, a tone of annoyance in his voice. ‘Since you already seem acquainted there is no need for an introduction.’ Merlin nodded mutely and sat down next to Lance once again who had watched the whole spectacle with a bemused expression.
‘Right, yes. You were about to tell me what your expectations for the shoot are’, Merlin said and Uther did just that. He told them in such detail he might as well just photograph Arthur himself but Merlin didn’t want to voice that. Come to think of it, Arthur did already look quite uncomfortable as if he didn’t like people talking about him as if he were an object. Well, Merlin had to admit, that he would have felt awkward and uneasy too in a situation like that.
Fortunately, the rest of the meeting went swimmingly and another forty-five minutes later Merlin had a signed contract with Uthers and his name on it on his desk. He felt giddy with relief and when Gwen came to ask how it went, he unceremoniously invited both her and Lance out for a drink after work. They were more than happy to comply, seeing as how they really hadn’t seen each other apart from work in weeks.
When evening came, a few other colleagues joined them in the local pub. Freya, the quiet graphic designer who Merlin knew had a crush on him ever since he interviewed her for the position two years ago, and Elena, of course, the best photographer he encountered since working at the agency, slid next to the three of them in the booth.
‘Hi!’, Merlin said happily to them and sipped at his pint. Freya just nodded shyly at him from the other end of the table but Elena had taken the seat next to him and grinned at him.
‘Hello there, stranger! Good day?’, she asked and he nodded.
‘Brilliant day!’, he empathized and she rose an eyebrow.
‘Oooh, do tell!’, she giggled and took a drink from her blue and green cocktail. Merlin shrugged.
‘We got the big deal, what’s more to tell?’, he asked. Next to him he could hear Lance mutter something under his breath and Gwen snorted un-lady-like into her coke.
‘What?’ Merlin looked confused to them. ‘What did I miss?’
‘Well…’ Lance looked half uncomfortable, half amused. Before he could answer, Merlin heard the most beautiful laugh on the other end of the pub. Intrigued he turned his head, fully expecting to take his chance tonight and just go for it, but as soon as he found the source, he dearly wished he hadn’t.
Arthur Greek God Pendragon sat just across him on the other end of the pub and laughed his stupidly attractive laugh. Oh god, why today? It definitely seemed that the fate was against him if he couldn’t even have just one night out without someone ruining it. At least he hadn’t seen Merlin yet, he was preoccupied with his two friends that were sitting at his table and one of them was animatedly telling them something.
Perhaps it was stupid of him - okay, it definitely was stupid of him but he was known to do stupid things, not that that was an excuse but just an explanation - but he couldn’t take his eyes of Arthur. He seemed entirely different now than he had when sitting next to his father. He had been stiff and full of arrogance, nothing like the relaxed man he seemed to be when in company of his friends. He definitely laughed more, Merlin noticed when the man with the waving hands started to tell another story, but who in his right mind would laugh in the presence of Uther Pendragon?
‘-rlin? Merlin!’ A voice interrupted his thoughts and Merlin blinked.
‘What?’, he asked, shaking his head a bit to try and clear it.
‘You were miles away! What were you- oh wow’ Ellie’s mouth snapped shut as she looked in the direction Merlin had been staring. Merlin closed his eyes for a moment to calm his fast-beating heart. He felt a strange jealousy at the thought of Elena finding Arthur as attractive as Merlin thought of him. She would have much more time with him as his photographer and she would get to make him do poses and maybe take his shirt of and then he would…
Merlin ripped his eyes open and swallowed his drink down in one big gulp. That was an image he definitely didn’t need in his head.
‘Merlin, who is that?’, Ellie asked and Merlin sighed.
‘Arthur Pendragon’, he muttered unhappily but to his surprise she just waved his answer away.
‘Not him! Him!’ She all but pointed at the man with the animated hand-waving.
‘Oh. Oh! Him! I have no idea.’, Merlin said, his heart feeling strangely light. She didn’t want Arthur! Not that he wanted Arthur… or that he cared for whoever Arthur wanted. But she didn’t want him so there would be no nude photo shoots and only professionalism and…
'Meeeerlin’ Ellie’s voice was torn between amusement and annoyance. ‘What is wrong with you today? Come on, introduce me!’, she ordered and his eyes widened.
‘What? Ellie, no! He’s a customer! I can’t just harass him in his free time!’, he hissed at her but she just rolled her eyes.
‘Ah, nonsense. Uther is your customer, he’s just the pretty requisite. Come on now, don’t be shy!’, she said and took his arm.
The problem with Elena was that for a girl she was really, bloody strong while Merlin for a boy wasn’t the strongest. That meant that she could easily haul him over to the table where Arthur and his friends were seated and she could still let it seem as if they were just friendly shoving each other.
Arthur didn’t notice them before they were right in front of the table and even then his friend with the hands greeted them first.
‘Well, hello there!’, he crowed and grinned lascivious at them, mostly at Elena though, Merlin noticed, who blushed a bit.
‘Um… hi’, Merlin said, looking at Arthur and trying, and failing, to look nonchalant. Finally, Arthur looked up and arched an eyebrow at Merlin.
‘Merlin, was it? Reduced to stalking your contract partners?’, he asked and Merlin furrowed his brow.
‘You’re not my contract partner. Your father is. And just so you know, I just wanted to introduce Elena here to your friend. My duty’s done.’, he said scathingly and was about to turn around when he felt a hand closing around his wrist.
‘Are you always this sensitive? Seriously, I was just kidding.’, Arthur said, shaking his head at him and Merlin felt strangely as if he was disappointed in him, as if he had failed some sort of test he hadn’t known of. He straightened up and glared at Arthur.
‘Well, maybe you’re not as funny as you think you are’, he remarked annoyed and ripped his wrist free but Arthur just grinned.
‘Oh I think I am’, he replied and then turned to introduced his two friends who had watched the whole scenario with bemused expressions. ‘That here is Gwaine’ He pointed at the hand-waving bloke who eyed Elena appreciatively. ‘And this is Leon.’ The other one had red hair and a beard and smiled friendly at them both.
‘Do you want to sit?’, Gwaine asked and Ellie readily complied while Merlin stood uncertainly next to her.
‘There’s room for everyone’, Arthur remarked and pointed at the two empty chairs that stood around the table.
‘I don’t know. I should get back to my friends. I just wanted to introduce her’, he said, raking one hand through his hair. Arthur shrugged.
‘Do what you must. I just wanted to be polite.’ He pointedly looked to another direction and Merlin felt a flash of annoyance surge through him.
‘Well don’t be polite on my account!’, he snapped. ‘Ellie, text me when you get home, please, yes?’ He didn’t wait for an answer but turned around and stalked back to his own table where Gwen, Lance and Freya were already watching him approach.
‘What happened?’, Gwen asked eagerly but Merlin brushed the subject aside, ordered a new pint and nursed it while his friends talked about other things. He knew they were throwing him many curious and some worried glances and he also knew that he was pouting but he didn’t care. There was something in Arthur that got under his skin and he wasn’t used to that. Sure, he had loved and he had been attracted to people but it was always slow and melting rather than these hot flashes of… he didn’t even have a name for it. It was obvious to Merlin that Arthur was a massive prat and that any feelings he might have developed over time would be wasted on him so he decided then and there to bury everything that might complicate his work with Arthur Greek God Pendragon. And the first step was to lose this stupid nickname, for God’s sake!
Merlin managed to stay out of the scrutiny of his friends right until Gwen and Freya decided to go to the loo before going home. He thought he had been quite sneaky in throwing glances at Arthur during the whole time but seeing as Lance outright asked him about it, he might have been less secretive than he had thought.
‘Eh…’ He didn’t have a clue as to what to answer Lance.
‘Do you like him?’, Lance asked and finally, that was a question he could answer wholeheartedly.
‘No! He’s a prat.’ Lance chuckled at that.
‘Alright then. So he’s an attractive prat, is that it?’ Merlin shrugged.
‘Maybe? Yeah alright, he is and he knows it.’, he scowled and then sighed. ‘Look, there’s nothing. I won’t let it interfere with our work, I promise.’ Lance sighed and then lay a hand on Merlin’s shoulder.
‘I know you won’t. But I worry about you, Merlin. You deserve some happiness.’, Lance murmured softly. Merlin averted his eyes.
‘You don’t have to worry. I’m fine. Worry about Gwen if you want to, she’s your fiancée.’, Merlin said, trying not to sound bitter about it. But Lance was always the one who could read people the best. He gently took Merlin’s face in his hands and turned it towards him.
‘You’re not jealous, are you?’, he asked concerned and searched Merlin’s face for something. Merlin quickly shook his head.
‘Not like… no. Seriously, no. Look, it’s okay. I’m fine. Please stop it here.’, he pleaded, desperately trying to end this conversation. Lance seemed to have found what he was looking for because he nodded and released him.
‘Just so you know - you might not be the only one.’, he said mysteriously and Merlin frowned.
‘What?’, he asked blankly. Lance nodded in the direction of Arthur’s table.
‘He’s watched you at least as often as you have looked at him.’ Then he went to pay and left Merlin alone with a flaming red face and the feeling that this night couldn’t end quickly enough.
*
In the days until the photo shoot, Merlin tried to think of ways not to be around the studio. He managed to come up with loads of believable excuses too but when the day came he just couldn’t stay away.
He crept around in the background, trying not to be seen by neither Elena nor Arthur but after five minutes Elena had already spotted him.
‘So what are you doing, creeping around like a creepy stalker?’, she asked him curiously while smoothing down her yellow dress. He had - Everyone had noticed her steadily increasing mood and Merlin knew it had to do with Gwaine. He was happy for her, he truly was, but that also meant that he would likely come out with them for drinks next time they went to the pub and where Gwaine was, Arthur was too and that was something he forbid himself thinking about.
‘I just wanted to see how the shoot was going’, he said but even as he said it he knew she wouldn’t believe him. She arched an eyebrow.
‘Then why don’t you sit in the first row where your seat is, Mister Emrys? I think it has more to do with a certain photo model that has you all hot and bothered.’ She grinned at him while he spluttered.
‘Ellie! I think Gwaine’s a bad influence for you! There is nothing going on between me and Arthur’, he said stiffly and determinately ignored the tiny voice in his head that said ‘Even if you wish there was’
‘But you wish there was’, Ellie crowed and Merlin stifled the urge to hid his face in his hands.
‘Ellie, for the love of God, shut up! Isn’t he around here, too? This is completely unprofessional!’, he hissed at her and she rolled her eyes.
‘Merlin, really, it’s not a crime to like someone. Just talk to him. He likes you, too! Actually he couldn’t shut up about you the night we were in the pub’, she told him conspiringly.
‘You’re already the second one who says that! Why are you saying things that are not true?!’, Merlin complained. ‘And even if, I do not like him! Why don’t you see that he’s an arrogant prat?’
‘Aw, but Merlin, I didn’t know you feel that way!’, a voice suddenly said behind him and Merlin closed his eyes for a moment against the rush of feelings. Arthur might be an arrogant prat with horrendous timing but his voice could sound like velvet if he wanted to.
‘Arthur!’, Ellie exclaimed surprised though Merlin could see the pleased grin on her face. He rolled his eyes.
‘What do you want?’, he asked annoyed. Merlin really had enough of people telling him he found Arthur attractive. If Arthur joined them now, he would be even more intolerable than he already was.
‘Just enjoying the company of people who think me as worth being hot and bothered about.’ Arthur smirked at him with that condescending grin of his and Merlin wanted nothing more than to punch the smirk off his face. Or kiss it away. Whatever was the fastest.
He decided not to deign Arthurs answer with a response and turned around to leave.
‘Don’t go, Merlin! You should have a look at how the photos turn out to be!’, Ellie cried, seemingly understanding that he had no interest in being teased any longer.
‘Yes, don’t go, Merlin. Whatever will I do without you in the first row, watching and drooling over me’, Arthur commented and that was when Merlin had enough. He flew around and all but pushed Arthur against the nearest wall.
‘You! Shut up now! I don’t like you and I don’t find you attractive in the least, no matter what my friends think! Get that in you thick head already!’, he snapped and then finally left without looking back.
In hindsight he shouldn’t have gone off like that, Merlin knew that. Arthur could go to his father and file a complaint which could be the end to the contract with Pendragon & Son. But it had also felt really good.