Spilling Over for tygermine
Title: Spilling Over
Recipient: tygermine
Author: slantedknitting
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: Arthur/Merlin
Summary: Arthur was standing there, minding his own business and stirring his coffee, when some idiot knocked into him and caused him to spill half his hot drink all over himself.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 4k
Author's Notes: Thank so much to Mya for betaing. Happy Holidays, tygermine!
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.
Arthur was standing by the cream and sugar when it happened.
He was there, minding his own business and stirring his coffee, when some idiot knocked into him and caused him to spill half his hot drink all over himself.
“Shit, sorry,” the man said. “Sorry. Sorry. Ah, shit.”
Arthur just stared down at the dark stain spreading across his shirt and trousers. He pulled the fabric away from him skin, trying to spare himself getting too wet.
“Here, let me-” The man grabbed a handful of napkins and started dabbing at Arthur’s chest.
Arthur sighed and looked up at the man. He was smiling nervously, clutching a fistful of napkins that were doing mostly nothing to mitigate the damage. He was thin, wiry, and his fingers were long and bony around the napkins.
The man glanced up at Arthur’s face, and Arthur bit down a reaction. He was gorgeous. He had bright blue eyes and his wavering smile was showing off the rather handsome way his face lit up. His cheekbones were high, sharp, and what Arthur could see of his jawline under his scruff was enticing.
“Sorry,” he said again. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Arthur heard himself say despite the fact that it was not all right. He was going to have to go back home and change and end up being late for work. He knew he should have worn a jacket. “Just… watch where you’re going next time, yeah?”
“Yeah.” The man chuckled. “Yeah.”
Arthur nodded and, giving the man one last look, took his remaining coffee and headed home to get properly cleaned up.
~~~~
It was a week later when it happened again.
Not the spilling coffee all over himself-Arthur had been extra careful since the incident-but seeing the man at the coffee shop. He was standing in line, tapping away at his mobile as he waited his turn to order.
Arthur stepped up behind him and gave his best opening line. “It’s you.”
The man looked around and blinked at Arthur as if he’d never seen him before. “Sorry?”
“You knocked into me last week,” Arthur said. “Right over there.”
The man’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit! I mean-right. Sorry about that. Again. Sorry.”
“You did rather ruin my morning.”
He went a bit pink, which wasn’t a bad look on him. “Sorry.”
“Care to make it up to me?”
The man blinked again, and Arthur found himself smiling. He liked seeing this gorgeous man wrong-footed. The nervous smile was back, spreading wide across his face.
“How…”
“You could buy me a coffee,” Arthur said. “As long as you don’t spill it this time.”
He laughed. “Right. Yeah, of course. My treat.”
They reached the counter and gave their orders, then stepped to the side to wait.
“I’m Merlin, by the way,” the man said, holding out his hand. “Thanks for letting me make it up to you.”
“Arthur. Don’t thank me yet, we still don’t know you won’t knock my drink over again.”
Merlin grinned, his eyes crinkling, and Arthur turned away before he could get caught staring. Something about the man-Merlin-was so inviting. He seemed friendly and happy and like he genuinely didn’t mind that Arthur was imposing. Arthur hadn’t met a stranger like that in eons. Usually everyone was very concerned with sticking to themselves and avoiding anyone else. Merlin was different, and Arthur was intrigued.
He tried to come up with something else to say, anything else to keep the conversation going, but then their drinks came and he realised there was no more reason for them to stay standing there chatting. He had to get to work, and he assumed Merlin did as well.
“Thanks again,” he said, lifting his cup as in cheers.
“Oh, no problem. Sorry again for the other day.”
Arthur nodded and paused, not wanting to leave just yet. “I’ll, er… see you around, yeah?”
Merlin nodded, smiling broadly. “Hope so.”
Arthur turned and left, feeling exceptionally warm, and definitely didn’t find his thoughts straying to that smile as he drank his coffee on his way to work.
~~~~
That weekend, Arthur took a walk around his neighbourhood to pass the time, and he found himself gravitating towards the coffee shop. He wasn’t exactly thirsty, and he didn’t really need the caffeine, but he went in anyway, telling himself it was for the warmth and not the potential company he definitely wasn’t hoping to find. He was just going to go in, order something hot, and go back out again. Simple. It wasn’t like Merlin was going to be there.
But Merlin was there, sitting in an armchair by the windows and reading a book. The sun was shining in his hair, bouncing off his cheekbones, bathing him in a golden light. It made for quite the pretty picture.
Arthur tried not to stare as he got in line to order. Even if he was, though, Merlin wasn’t noticing. He was engrossed in his book, his eyes glued to the pages, only occasionally looking up to find his coffee and take a sip. He looked cozy and relaxed, and Arthur wondered what he was reading. Would it be something practical like some kind of non-fiction, or would it be a high fantasy escapism, or maybe it would be some brilliant literary piece?
He wondered what Merlin would do if he interrupted him. Maybe they could strike up another conversation. Or maybe Merlin would want to continue focusing on his book.
When Arthur had his drink in hand, he decided there was only way to find out what Merlin’s reaction would be. He stepped up to the chair opposite Merlin’s and cleared his throat. “Mind if I sit?”
“No,” Merlin said without looking up. Then, he glanced up and grinned. “It’s you!”
“It’s me,” Arthur said, pleased, as he sat down. “How are you?”
“Great.” Merlin put his book down without marking his page. “Didn’t expect to see you on a weekend.”
Arthur took a sip of his coffee to try to distract from how he couldn’t stop smiling. It seemed like Merlin had been thinking about running into him, too. “I live nearby,” he explained.
“Me, too.” Merlin looked between Arthur and his coffee a few times. “Know any good dinner spots around here?”
“There’s a nice Italian place,” Arthur said, not entirely following the conversation. “Got a hot date coming up?”
Merlin smirked. “That’s what I’m hoping for, yeah.”
He kept his eyes locked with Arthur’s, and Arthur could feel his cheeks heating up.
“Lucky bloke,” Arthur said, and Merlin’s eyes lit up.
“Is that a yes?”
“I don’t believe there was a question.”
Merlin laughed. “No, I suppose there wasn’t. So… would you like to go to dinner with me? I promise I’m not as clumsy with wine as I am with coffee.”
Arthur wondered how bad it was that he would say yes even if he knew Merlin was bound to dump red wine all over him.
“I’d love to,” he said.
They sat in happy silence for a moment until Arthur remembered that he’d interrupted Merlin.
“What are you reading?”
Merlin held out his book, but it wasn’t anything Arthur had heard of. Based off the cover, it did look to be like some kind of fantasy with pirates and dragons.
Smiling, he said, “I’ll let you get back to it. Can I give you my number?”
“That’ll probably help with the dinner thing, yeah.” Merlin handed over his mobile, and Arthur added his number. He resisted the urge to text himself from Merlin’s mobile so that he’d have Merlin’s number too, knowing he’d be too tempted to reach out as soon as he left the coffee shop.
“Text me,” Arthur said, passing the mobile back to Merlin. “Or call. Whatever.”
“I will.”
Arthur forced himself to stand. “It’s been good running into you,” he said. “Now that it’s not so literal.”
Merlin grinned, and Arthur left with his coffee, and this time he didn’t try to stop his thoughts from lingering on Merlin’s smile.
~~~~
Arthur arrived at the restaurant first. He stood by the door for a few minutes, watching pedestrians out on the pavement. It was unseasonably warm for the time of year, but people were still bundled up against the mild chill. Arthur himself had on just a jacket, and he found himself nervously picking at the sleeves as he waited.
He hadn’t been on a proper date in ages. He liked to consider himself too busy, too dedicated to his job, but the truth was that he was just too picky. It was rare he came across anyone who warmed him the way Merlin did.
And it wasn’t just the smile, although that was definitely a big part of it. Merlin seemed nice, open, fun, and Arthur wanted to know more.
“Hey,” Merlin said as he opened the door and came in. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You’re full of good impressions,” Arthur teased.
Merlin pretended to be offended, but he was laughing.
They were seated and given menus, but Merlin didn’t seem especially concerned with his. He set it down on the table and crossed his arms over it, giving Arthur a long look.
“Yes?” Arthur asked, uncomfortable with the scrutiny.
“Tell me about yourself.”
“You don’t want to decide on what you’re going to order first?”
“I’m local, too, remember? I’ve been here before,” Merlin said, waving a hand dismissively.
“Are you one of those people who just orders the same thing every time you go to a place?”
“No, I’m getting what I didn’t get last time. Are you one of those people?”
“I might be,” Arthur admitted. He didn’t really need to look at his menu, either. He’d only been here once before, but he’d enjoyed what he’d had and had been looking forward to ordering it again.
Merlin smiled. “What’s something else about you?”
“I… don’t have much of a head for wine.”
“Well, I’m not going to force you to drink any,” Merlin said, “but do you mind if I…”
“No, not at all.”
“Good. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome?”
Merlin chuckled, his expression soft. “All right, so you always order the same food, you don’t like wine, and you’re awkward on first dates. Not a bad list, so far.”
Before Arthur could defend himself, the waiter came over to take their orders.
“What do you do with your time?” Merlin asked once they were alone again.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, do you have a job? Hobbies? Family? Anything you’d like to share?”
“I do finances for an AIDS charity,” Arthur said. “My hobbies include being interrogated by men who ruin my best trousers. And I have a sister who, if informed I was going on a date, would probably show up just to very I wasn’t lying.”
Merlin looked amused. “Do you not go on very many dates?”
“No. Do you?”
Merlin shrugged. “I wouldn’t say so, no.”
“What do you do, then?”
“Graphic design. And I like reading, as you saw.” The waiter returned with Merlin’s wine, and Merlin held up his glass, locking eyes with Arthur. “Here’s to colliding with sexy blonds.”
He took a sip as Arthur laughed, and then he started telling Arthur all about the book he was reading. Eventually their food came, and Arthur told Merlin about his life over their entrees, talking about his co-workers and their antics, about his sister and her meddling. Merlin told Arthur about his own work, about his very sweet-sounding mother, about his friends who hadn’t yet stopped making fun of him for his disastrous first encounter with Arthur.
“They probably also think I’m lying,” he said, dragging his fork through the remains of the Alfredo sauce on his plate. “It does sound a bit ridiculous when you say the whole story out loud. And I’m truly sorry for ruining your best trousers.”
“Worse things have happened. Luckily they weren’t my only pair.”
“Were they quite ruined?” Merlin asked, looking properly abashed. “Like, you tried washing them and everything?”
Arthur shrugged. “I could probably pay to have them properly cleaned, but I can’t be bothered. Honestly, I have too many clothes, anyway. I’ve nearly run out of room for them.”
Merlin smirked and drained his wine as the waiter came to take their plates away. They skipped dessert in favour of talking a walk, circling a nearby park a few times until the sun was properly down and the temperature started dropping. The stars were out, the city lights dim in the park, and it felt romantic, but Arthur was starting to shiver.
“I wouldn’t normally offer,” he said, taking in the way Merlin was wrapping his arms around himself to keep warm, “but my flat’s just there, and it’s not as cold as this.”
“I wouldn’t normally say yes,” Merlin said, smiling against a gust of wind, “but it is rather chilly.”
Arthur led the way, and then they were stood in his kitchen with Arthur putting on the kettle and Merlin looking at all of his fridge magnets.
“You didn’t mention you like to travel,” he said, trailing his fingers over a few of Arthur’s souvenirs.
“Love it, actually. What about you?”
“Never really had the funds,” Merlin said, flashing Arthur a smile. “Where’s your favourite place?”
Arthur came over to look at his magnets. “Greece is lovely,” he said. “France, too.”
“Parlez-vous français?”
“Un peu.”
Merlin smirked and turned to say something else but stopped, looking surprised at how close Arthur was standing. Arthur thought about taking a step back, giving Merlin his space, taking it slowly, but something in Merlin’s gaze kept him rooted to the spot.
“I’d like to go to France one day,” Merlin said, his voice low.
Arthur could hear the water starting to boil in the kettle.
“I think it would agree with you,” he said, and his gaze slipped to Merlin’s lips. “You’re lovely, too.”
Merlin broke into a smile, his nervous one, and Arthur stepped away to get their tea ready.
He didn’t know what he was doing. He liked Merlin, and he wanted this date to go on, but now that they were alone in such an intimate setting, he didn’t know how to handle it. He wanted a kiss, badly, but he didn’t want to make a move too soon. He didn’t want to ruin such a nice evening.
“Do you want milk or-” Arthur turned to hand off one of the mugs and found Merlin standing just behind him. “Oh,” he said, taking in the way Merlin’s ears went red as he moved even closer.
Merlin leaned in for a kiss, and Arthur sighed against his lips, aching to get his arms around Merlin’s back, to hold him, to press against him, but his hands were full of tea.
“Arthur,” Merlin said, his voice muffled against Arthur’s lips.
“Yeah.”
“Put down the mugs.”
Arthur chuckled and properly broke the kiss to set their tea down on the countertop. He turned back around and, grabbing Merlin by the waist, stepped in for another kiss. Merlin got a hand in Arthur’s hair, the other on his back, and Arthur opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.
Merlin made delicious sounds as they explored each other, his sighs and quiet moans flooding Arthur’s ears and making him ache for more, for the kiss to never end.
It did end, though, with Merlin nipping at Arthur’s lower lip before leaning back.
Arthur kept his eyes closed, feeling tethered, tied to the floor and to the moment and to Merlin.
“Arthur,” Merlin breathed.
Arthur swallowed and opened his eyes, taking in Merlin’s pretty flush and his shy smile and his red, wet lips.
“I’ll take that tea, now.”
Arthur grinned and gave Merlin a quick peck before handing him his tea. They went to the living room and sat on Arthur’s sofa, flipping through channels with the telly on mute as they talked about more of Arthur’s travels.
“I really would like to go to France one day,” Merlin said, slumping a little lower on the sofa and balancing his mug on his leg.
It wobbled a little, and Arthur reached out to take it.
“It really wouldn’t do to have our first date end on such a scalding note,” he said.
Merlin chuckled. “It’s empty!”
Arthur checked that it was true. “Still,” he said, getting up to put their mugs in the sink.
When he came back, he saw Merlin was standing by the door with his jacket on. “Time to go?” he asked, wishing the night could continue but knowing reasonably that they would have to say goodbye at some point.
“Afraid so. Thanks for the tea.”
“Of course. Anytime.”
They stood there a moment, gazing at each other, and then Merlin stepped in for a long, slow, honey-sweet kiss that Arthur melted into.
“I’ll see you again, yeah?” Merlin asked, stepping back.
Arthur had to stop himself from moving forward and capturing Merlin’s lips in another kiss. Merlin was so warm, so soft, so perfectly wonderful, and he wanted more.
“Yeah,” Arthur said. “Text me. Or, I’ll text you.”
“One of us will get there first.”
Arthur smiled and reached out to hold Merlin’s hand. “You all right to get home safe?”
“It’s not a far walk.”
“Good.”
Merlin gave his hand a squeeze and then turned to let himself out. “Let’s do this again sometime,” he said cheerily, as if they hadn’t already agreed to that.
Arthur had to laugh. “Yeah, let’s.”
Merlin’s smile softened, and he gave Arthur a quick kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Arthur watched as Merlin walked down the hall, down the stairs, and out of sight.
He waited ten minutes and then sent off a text, impatient and lonely.
Home?
It took another five minutes, but eventually Merlin responded.
Home. About to shower and crash. Thanks for the tea :)
Anytime. Thanks for not spilling it all over my floor
You’re most welcome!
Sweet dreams
Merlin responded with a kissing emoji, and Arthur kept glancing at it as he got himself ready for bed.
~~~~
Arthur woke up to a series of texts from Merlin.
This coffee shop sure is lonely in the morning.
Fuck, you’re asleep, aren’t you?
Sorry if this wakes you up
Or maybe you sleep with your mobile on mute like a smart person
ANYWAY I was just thinking of you
And I guess I wanted you to know?
I’ll stop now
Arthur pulled a pillow over his head and grinned into it, his heart bursting.
Merlin had been thinking of him. And been a charming buffoon about it to boot.
When he had his face under control, Arthur pushed the pillow aside and replied.
You didn’t wake me up, no worries. I’m glad you were thinking about me, that’s quite a nice thing to wake up to
Merlin’s response came quickly.
You’re only just waking up?? Not a morning person?
Not on the weekends, no
Fair, I guess
Arthur set down his mobile to get started on his day. After he was cleaned and fed, he grabbed his mobile again and settled on the sofa. He pulled a blanket around himself and snuggled up in the corner, wondering if he could tempt Merlin over for more tea.
What are you up to today?
Reading
That wasn’t a great opening for asking for company, and Arthur wondered if he should restrain himself and try to schedule another dinner date for them instead.
But I’m getting bored with it. You?
Arthur grinned.
Right now I’m cuddling with the sofa cushions. Very exciting stuff
That’s one way to keep warm
I can think of a better way
Yes?
Come over?
Merlin didn’t respond right away, and Arthur wondered if he had pushed for too much too soon. He composed an apology in his head and was just about to type it out when Merlin’s text came in.
I’ll be there in 20
Arthur grinned and went to tidy up the kitchen from the breakfast he’d made. Then he folded up and set the blanket on the back of the sofa. He made his bed. He cleaned off the sink in the bathroom. And he dusted off the telly.
Finally, his mobile beeped with another message, letting him know Merlin had arrived. He buzzed Merlin in, and there was a knock on his door a minute later. Arthur opened it, and Merlin immediately leaned in for a kiss.
“Morning,” he said, lips still brushing against Arthur’s.
Arthur tugged him inside and pressed him against the door, closing it. “Morning,” he said before going in for another kiss. Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur’s neck, pulling him closer.
Arthur was on cloud nine. Merlin was warm, eager, and his hands started wandering up to Arthur’s hair, down to his back, and Arthur’s skin was sparking. Merlin’s lips were soft but keen, his tongue teasing, his kisses full of longing and desire. Arthur wanted it to go on forever.
Eventually, though, Merlin pulled back. “Morning,” he said again.
Arthur smiled and pressed another kiss to Merlin’s lips. “Morning.”
Merlin gave a happy sigh, and Arthur wondered if maybe they could just spend the whole day like this, wrapped together with nothing to do besides more kissing.
Then Merlin stepped away to take off his jacket and scarf.
“Is it cold out?” Arthur asked, taking in the colour on Merlin’s cheeks.
“Can’t remember.”
Arthur chuckled and grabbed Merlin’s hands, pulling him in for another kiss.
“I think you said something about cuddling,” Merlin said, voice low and soft.
“And staying warm.”
“Sounds lovely.”
Arthur led Merlin over to the sofa, and they sat close together, thighs and shoulders pressed together. Merlin pulled the blanket down, covering them both, and then grabbed hold of Arthur’s hand underneath it.
“Can we watch a Christmas film?” he asked innocently.
Arthur couldn’t help but laugh. “What, right now?”
“Yeah. ’Tis the season, after all.”
“’Tis,” Arthur agreed. He grabbed the remote, and eventually they settled on The Muppet Christmas Carol. “I don’t think I’ve seen this since I was a kid,” Arthur said, wrapping an arm around Merlin’s shoulders.
Merlin leaned into him, giving his hand a squeeze. “It’s really good. I promise not to sing along.”
Arthur has to smile at the thought of Merlin singing to himself. “I wouldn’t throw you out if you did.”
“Good.”
Tugging Merlin closer, Arthur leaned back on the sofa and tried to focus on the film. His eyes kept drifting back to Merlin, though, especially whenever something amusing happened. He liked seeing Merlin smile, liked feeling Merlin chuckle against him, liked filtering the film through Merlin’s reactions.
He thought back to their first interaction, when Merlin had collided with him, ruining his clothes and his morning. It had been such an innocuous interaction, and it might have ended there. Instead, here they were, curled up together on Arthur’s sofa and enjoying the holiday season together. Arthur couldn’t believe how lucky he was.
“What are you thinking about?” Merlin asked, and Arthur realised he’d stopped paying attention to the film.
“You,” Arthur said truthfully.
Merlin grinned and pressed a kiss to Arthur’s shoulder. “Good.”
“It is,” Arthur agreed. He pulled Merlin a little closer and turned back to the telly, imagining all the things he and Merlin could do the rest of the afternoon once the film ended.
“We should watch Muppet Treasure Island after this,” Merlin said as the film started winding down.
“That’s not very Christmassy,” Arthur pointed out.
“No, but it’s still very good.”
“Fair enough.”
“Thanks for indulging me.”
Arthur grinned. “Honestly? It’s kind of delightful.”
“I’m very delightful.”
“Mhm,” Arthur said, giving Merlin’s hair a kiss.
Merlin grinned and cuddled closer, wrapping an arm around Arthur’s middle. Arthur returned his attention to the film, still feeling exceptionally lucky that he had found someone like Merlin to spend the season with.
Recipient: tygermine
Author: slantedknitting
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: Arthur/Merlin
Summary: Arthur was standing there, minding his own business and stirring his coffee, when some idiot knocked into him and caused him to spill half his hot drink all over himself.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 4k
Author's Notes: Thank so much to Mya for betaing. Happy Holidays, tygermine!
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.
Arthur was standing by the cream and sugar when it happened.
He was there, minding his own business and stirring his coffee, when some idiot knocked into him and caused him to spill half his hot drink all over himself.
“Shit, sorry,” the man said. “Sorry. Sorry. Ah, shit.”
Arthur just stared down at the dark stain spreading across his shirt and trousers. He pulled the fabric away from him skin, trying to spare himself getting too wet.
“Here, let me-” The man grabbed a handful of napkins and started dabbing at Arthur’s chest.
Arthur sighed and looked up at the man. He was smiling nervously, clutching a fistful of napkins that were doing mostly nothing to mitigate the damage. He was thin, wiry, and his fingers were long and bony around the napkins.
The man glanced up at Arthur’s face, and Arthur bit down a reaction. He was gorgeous. He had bright blue eyes and his wavering smile was showing off the rather handsome way his face lit up. His cheekbones were high, sharp, and what Arthur could see of his jawline under his scruff was enticing.
“Sorry,” he said again. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Arthur heard himself say despite the fact that it was not all right. He was going to have to go back home and change and end up being late for work. He knew he should have worn a jacket. “Just… watch where you’re going next time, yeah?”
“Yeah.” The man chuckled. “Yeah.”
Arthur nodded and, giving the man one last look, took his remaining coffee and headed home to get properly cleaned up.
~~~~
It was a week later when it happened again.
Not the spilling coffee all over himself-Arthur had been extra careful since the incident-but seeing the man at the coffee shop. He was standing in line, tapping away at his mobile as he waited his turn to order.
Arthur stepped up behind him and gave his best opening line. “It’s you.”
The man looked around and blinked at Arthur as if he’d never seen him before. “Sorry?”
“You knocked into me last week,” Arthur said. “Right over there.”
The man’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit! I mean-right. Sorry about that. Again. Sorry.”
“You did rather ruin my morning.”
He went a bit pink, which wasn’t a bad look on him. “Sorry.”
“Care to make it up to me?”
The man blinked again, and Arthur found himself smiling. He liked seeing this gorgeous man wrong-footed. The nervous smile was back, spreading wide across his face.
“How…”
“You could buy me a coffee,” Arthur said. “As long as you don’t spill it this time.”
He laughed. “Right. Yeah, of course. My treat.”
They reached the counter and gave their orders, then stepped to the side to wait.
“I’m Merlin, by the way,” the man said, holding out his hand. “Thanks for letting me make it up to you.”
“Arthur. Don’t thank me yet, we still don’t know you won’t knock my drink over again.”
Merlin grinned, his eyes crinkling, and Arthur turned away before he could get caught staring. Something about the man-Merlin-was so inviting. He seemed friendly and happy and like he genuinely didn’t mind that Arthur was imposing. Arthur hadn’t met a stranger like that in eons. Usually everyone was very concerned with sticking to themselves and avoiding anyone else. Merlin was different, and Arthur was intrigued.
He tried to come up with something else to say, anything else to keep the conversation going, but then their drinks came and he realised there was no more reason for them to stay standing there chatting. He had to get to work, and he assumed Merlin did as well.
“Thanks again,” he said, lifting his cup as in cheers.
“Oh, no problem. Sorry again for the other day.”
Arthur nodded and paused, not wanting to leave just yet. “I’ll, er… see you around, yeah?”
Merlin nodded, smiling broadly. “Hope so.”
Arthur turned and left, feeling exceptionally warm, and definitely didn’t find his thoughts straying to that smile as he drank his coffee on his way to work.
~~~~
That weekend, Arthur took a walk around his neighbourhood to pass the time, and he found himself gravitating towards the coffee shop. He wasn’t exactly thirsty, and he didn’t really need the caffeine, but he went in anyway, telling himself it was for the warmth and not the potential company he definitely wasn’t hoping to find. He was just going to go in, order something hot, and go back out again. Simple. It wasn’t like Merlin was going to be there.
But Merlin was there, sitting in an armchair by the windows and reading a book. The sun was shining in his hair, bouncing off his cheekbones, bathing him in a golden light. It made for quite the pretty picture.
Arthur tried not to stare as he got in line to order. Even if he was, though, Merlin wasn’t noticing. He was engrossed in his book, his eyes glued to the pages, only occasionally looking up to find his coffee and take a sip. He looked cozy and relaxed, and Arthur wondered what he was reading. Would it be something practical like some kind of non-fiction, or would it be a high fantasy escapism, or maybe it would be some brilliant literary piece?
He wondered what Merlin would do if he interrupted him. Maybe they could strike up another conversation. Or maybe Merlin would want to continue focusing on his book.
When Arthur had his drink in hand, he decided there was only way to find out what Merlin’s reaction would be. He stepped up to the chair opposite Merlin’s and cleared his throat. “Mind if I sit?”
“No,” Merlin said without looking up. Then, he glanced up and grinned. “It’s you!”
“It’s me,” Arthur said, pleased, as he sat down. “How are you?”
“Great.” Merlin put his book down without marking his page. “Didn’t expect to see you on a weekend.”
Arthur took a sip of his coffee to try to distract from how he couldn’t stop smiling. It seemed like Merlin had been thinking about running into him, too. “I live nearby,” he explained.
“Me, too.” Merlin looked between Arthur and his coffee a few times. “Know any good dinner spots around here?”
“There’s a nice Italian place,” Arthur said, not entirely following the conversation. “Got a hot date coming up?”
Merlin smirked. “That’s what I’m hoping for, yeah.”
He kept his eyes locked with Arthur’s, and Arthur could feel his cheeks heating up.
“Lucky bloke,” Arthur said, and Merlin’s eyes lit up.
“Is that a yes?”
“I don’t believe there was a question.”
Merlin laughed. “No, I suppose there wasn’t. So… would you like to go to dinner with me? I promise I’m not as clumsy with wine as I am with coffee.”
Arthur wondered how bad it was that he would say yes even if he knew Merlin was bound to dump red wine all over him.
“I’d love to,” he said.
They sat in happy silence for a moment until Arthur remembered that he’d interrupted Merlin.
“What are you reading?”
Merlin held out his book, but it wasn’t anything Arthur had heard of. Based off the cover, it did look to be like some kind of fantasy with pirates and dragons.
Smiling, he said, “I’ll let you get back to it. Can I give you my number?”
“That’ll probably help with the dinner thing, yeah.” Merlin handed over his mobile, and Arthur added his number. He resisted the urge to text himself from Merlin’s mobile so that he’d have Merlin’s number too, knowing he’d be too tempted to reach out as soon as he left the coffee shop.
“Text me,” Arthur said, passing the mobile back to Merlin. “Or call. Whatever.”
“I will.”
Arthur forced himself to stand. “It’s been good running into you,” he said. “Now that it’s not so literal.”
Merlin grinned, and Arthur left with his coffee, and this time he didn’t try to stop his thoughts from lingering on Merlin’s smile.
~~~~
Arthur arrived at the restaurant first. He stood by the door for a few minutes, watching pedestrians out on the pavement. It was unseasonably warm for the time of year, but people were still bundled up against the mild chill. Arthur himself had on just a jacket, and he found himself nervously picking at the sleeves as he waited.
He hadn’t been on a proper date in ages. He liked to consider himself too busy, too dedicated to his job, but the truth was that he was just too picky. It was rare he came across anyone who warmed him the way Merlin did.
And it wasn’t just the smile, although that was definitely a big part of it. Merlin seemed nice, open, fun, and Arthur wanted to know more.
“Hey,” Merlin said as he opened the door and came in. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You’re full of good impressions,” Arthur teased.
Merlin pretended to be offended, but he was laughing.
They were seated and given menus, but Merlin didn’t seem especially concerned with his. He set it down on the table and crossed his arms over it, giving Arthur a long look.
“Yes?” Arthur asked, uncomfortable with the scrutiny.
“Tell me about yourself.”
“You don’t want to decide on what you’re going to order first?”
“I’m local, too, remember? I’ve been here before,” Merlin said, waving a hand dismissively.
“Are you one of those people who just orders the same thing every time you go to a place?”
“No, I’m getting what I didn’t get last time. Are you one of those people?”
“I might be,” Arthur admitted. He didn’t really need to look at his menu, either. He’d only been here once before, but he’d enjoyed what he’d had and had been looking forward to ordering it again.
Merlin smiled. “What’s something else about you?”
“I… don’t have much of a head for wine.”
“Well, I’m not going to force you to drink any,” Merlin said, “but do you mind if I…”
“No, not at all.”
“Good. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome?”
Merlin chuckled, his expression soft. “All right, so you always order the same food, you don’t like wine, and you’re awkward on first dates. Not a bad list, so far.”
Before Arthur could defend himself, the waiter came over to take their orders.
“What do you do with your time?” Merlin asked once they were alone again.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, do you have a job? Hobbies? Family? Anything you’d like to share?”
“I do finances for an AIDS charity,” Arthur said. “My hobbies include being interrogated by men who ruin my best trousers. And I have a sister who, if informed I was going on a date, would probably show up just to very I wasn’t lying.”
Merlin looked amused. “Do you not go on very many dates?”
“No. Do you?”
Merlin shrugged. “I wouldn’t say so, no.”
“What do you do, then?”
“Graphic design. And I like reading, as you saw.” The waiter returned with Merlin’s wine, and Merlin held up his glass, locking eyes with Arthur. “Here’s to colliding with sexy blonds.”
He took a sip as Arthur laughed, and then he started telling Arthur all about the book he was reading. Eventually their food came, and Arthur told Merlin about his life over their entrees, talking about his co-workers and their antics, about his sister and her meddling. Merlin told Arthur about his own work, about his very sweet-sounding mother, about his friends who hadn’t yet stopped making fun of him for his disastrous first encounter with Arthur.
“They probably also think I’m lying,” he said, dragging his fork through the remains of the Alfredo sauce on his plate. “It does sound a bit ridiculous when you say the whole story out loud. And I’m truly sorry for ruining your best trousers.”
“Worse things have happened. Luckily they weren’t my only pair.”
“Were they quite ruined?” Merlin asked, looking properly abashed. “Like, you tried washing them and everything?”
Arthur shrugged. “I could probably pay to have them properly cleaned, but I can’t be bothered. Honestly, I have too many clothes, anyway. I’ve nearly run out of room for them.”
Merlin smirked and drained his wine as the waiter came to take their plates away. They skipped dessert in favour of talking a walk, circling a nearby park a few times until the sun was properly down and the temperature started dropping. The stars were out, the city lights dim in the park, and it felt romantic, but Arthur was starting to shiver.
“I wouldn’t normally offer,” he said, taking in the way Merlin was wrapping his arms around himself to keep warm, “but my flat’s just there, and it’s not as cold as this.”
“I wouldn’t normally say yes,” Merlin said, smiling against a gust of wind, “but it is rather chilly.”
Arthur led the way, and then they were stood in his kitchen with Arthur putting on the kettle and Merlin looking at all of his fridge magnets.
“You didn’t mention you like to travel,” he said, trailing his fingers over a few of Arthur’s souvenirs.
“Love it, actually. What about you?”
“Never really had the funds,” Merlin said, flashing Arthur a smile. “Where’s your favourite place?”
Arthur came over to look at his magnets. “Greece is lovely,” he said. “France, too.”
“Parlez-vous français?”
“Un peu.”
Merlin smirked and turned to say something else but stopped, looking surprised at how close Arthur was standing. Arthur thought about taking a step back, giving Merlin his space, taking it slowly, but something in Merlin’s gaze kept him rooted to the spot.
“I’d like to go to France one day,” Merlin said, his voice low.
Arthur could hear the water starting to boil in the kettle.
“I think it would agree with you,” he said, and his gaze slipped to Merlin’s lips. “You’re lovely, too.”
Merlin broke into a smile, his nervous one, and Arthur stepped away to get their tea ready.
He didn’t know what he was doing. He liked Merlin, and he wanted this date to go on, but now that they were alone in such an intimate setting, he didn’t know how to handle it. He wanted a kiss, badly, but he didn’t want to make a move too soon. He didn’t want to ruin such a nice evening.
“Do you want milk or-” Arthur turned to hand off one of the mugs and found Merlin standing just behind him. “Oh,” he said, taking in the way Merlin’s ears went red as he moved even closer.
Merlin leaned in for a kiss, and Arthur sighed against his lips, aching to get his arms around Merlin’s back, to hold him, to press against him, but his hands were full of tea.
“Arthur,” Merlin said, his voice muffled against Arthur’s lips.
“Yeah.”
“Put down the mugs.”
Arthur chuckled and properly broke the kiss to set their tea down on the countertop. He turned back around and, grabbing Merlin by the waist, stepped in for another kiss. Merlin got a hand in Arthur’s hair, the other on his back, and Arthur opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.
Merlin made delicious sounds as they explored each other, his sighs and quiet moans flooding Arthur’s ears and making him ache for more, for the kiss to never end.
It did end, though, with Merlin nipping at Arthur’s lower lip before leaning back.
Arthur kept his eyes closed, feeling tethered, tied to the floor and to the moment and to Merlin.
“Arthur,” Merlin breathed.
Arthur swallowed and opened his eyes, taking in Merlin’s pretty flush and his shy smile and his red, wet lips.
“I’ll take that tea, now.”
Arthur grinned and gave Merlin a quick peck before handing him his tea. They went to the living room and sat on Arthur’s sofa, flipping through channels with the telly on mute as they talked about more of Arthur’s travels.
“I really would like to go to France one day,” Merlin said, slumping a little lower on the sofa and balancing his mug on his leg.
It wobbled a little, and Arthur reached out to take it.
“It really wouldn’t do to have our first date end on such a scalding note,” he said.
Merlin chuckled. “It’s empty!”
Arthur checked that it was true. “Still,” he said, getting up to put their mugs in the sink.
When he came back, he saw Merlin was standing by the door with his jacket on. “Time to go?” he asked, wishing the night could continue but knowing reasonably that they would have to say goodbye at some point.
“Afraid so. Thanks for the tea.”
“Of course. Anytime.”
They stood there a moment, gazing at each other, and then Merlin stepped in for a long, slow, honey-sweet kiss that Arthur melted into.
“I’ll see you again, yeah?” Merlin asked, stepping back.
Arthur had to stop himself from moving forward and capturing Merlin’s lips in another kiss. Merlin was so warm, so soft, so perfectly wonderful, and he wanted more.
“Yeah,” Arthur said. “Text me. Or, I’ll text you.”
“One of us will get there first.”
Arthur smiled and reached out to hold Merlin’s hand. “You all right to get home safe?”
“It’s not a far walk.”
“Good.”
Merlin gave his hand a squeeze and then turned to let himself out. “Let’s do this again sometime,” he said cheerily, as if they hadn’t already agreed to that.
Arthur had to laugh. “Yeah, let’s.”
Merlin’s smile softened, and he gave Arthur a quick kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Arthur watched as Merlin walked down the hall, down the stairs, and out of sight.
He waited ten minutes and then sent off a text, impatient and lonely.
Home?
It took another five minutes, but eventually Merlin responded.
Home. About to shower and crash. Thanks for the tea :)
Anytime. Thanks for not spilling it all over my floor
You’re most welcome!
Sweet dreams
Merlin responded with a kissing emoji, and Arthur kept glancing at it as he got himself ready for bed.
~~~~
Arthur woke up to a series of texts from Merlin.
This coffee shop sure is lonely in the morning.
Fuck, you’re asleep, aren’t you?
Sorry if this wakes you up
Or maybe you sleep with your mobile on mute like a smart person
ANYWAY I was just thinking of you
And I guess I wanted you to know?
I’ll stop now
Arthur pulled a pillow over his head and grinned into it, his heart bursting.
Merlin had been thinking of him. And been a charming buffoon about it to boot.
When he had his face under control, Arthur pushed the pillow aside and replied.
You didn’t wake me up, no worries. I’m glad you were thinking about me, that’s quite a nice thing to wake up to
Merlin’s response came quickly.
You’re only just waking up?? Not a morning person?
Not on the weekends, no
Fair, I guess
Arthur set down his mobile to get started on his day. After he was cleaned and fed, he grabbed his mobile again and settled on the sofa. He pulled a blanket around himself and snuggled up in the corner, wondering if he could tempt Merlin over for more tea.
What are you up to today?
Reading
That wasn’t a great opening for asking for company, and Arthur wondered if he should restrain himself and try to schedule another dinner date for them instead.
But I’m getting bored with it. You?
Arthur grinned.
Right now I’m cuddling with the sofa cushions. Very exciting stuff
That’s one way to keep warm
I can think of a better way
Yes?
Come over?
Merlin didn’t respond right away, and Arthur wondered if he had pushed for too much too soon. He composed an apology in his head and was just about to type it out when Merlin’s text came in.
I’ll be there in 20
Arthur grinned and went to tidy up the kitchen from the breakfast he’d made. Then he folded up and set the blanket on the back of the sofa. He made his bed. He cleaned off the sink in the bathroom. And he dusted off the telly.
Finally, his mobile beeped with another message, letting him know Merlin had arrived. He buzzed Merlin in, and there was a knock on his door a minute later. Arthur opened it, and Merlin immediately leaned in for a kiss.
“Morning,” he said, lips still brushing against Arthur’s.
Arthur tugged him inside and pressed him against the door, closing it. “Morning,” he said before going in for another kiss. Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur’s neck, pulling him closer.
Arthur was on cloud nine. Merlin was warm, eager, and his hands started wandering up to Arthur’s hair, down to his back, and Arthur’s skin was sparking. Merlin’s lips were soft but keen, his tongue teasing, his kisses full of longing and desire. Arthur wanted it to go on forever.
Eventually, though, Merlin pulled back. “Morning,” he said again.
Arthur smiled and pressed another kiss to Merlin’s lips. “Morning.”
Merlin gave a happy sigh, and Arthur wondered if maybe they could just spend the whole day like this, wrapped together with nothing to do besides more kissing.
Then Merlin stepped away to take off his jacket and scarf.
“Is it cold out?” Arthur asked, taking in the colour on Merlin’s cheeks.
“Can’t remember.”
Arthur chuckled and grabbed Merlin’s hands, pulling him in for another kiss.
“I think you said something about cuddling,” Merlin said, voice low and soft.
“And staying warm.”
“Sounds lovely.”
Arthur led Merlin over to the sofa, and they sat close together, thighs and shoulders pressed together. Merlin pulled the blanket down, covering them both, and then grabbed hold of Arthur’s hand underneath it.
“Can we watch a Christmas film?” he asked innocently.
Arthur couldn’t help but laugh. “What, right now?”
“Yeah. ’Tis the season, after all.”
“’Tis,” Arthur agreed. He grabbed the remote, and eventually they settled on The Muppet Christmas Carol. “I don’t think I’ve seen this since I was a kid,” Arthur said, wrapping an arm around Merlin’s shoulders.
Merlin leaned into him, giving his hand a squeeze. “It’s really good. I promise not to sing along.”
Arthur has to smile at the thought of Merlin singing to himself. “I wouldn’t throw you out if you did.”
“Good.”
Tugging Merlin closer, Arthur leaned back on the sofa and tried to focus on the film. His eyes kept drifting back to Merlin, though, especially whenever something amusing happened. He liked seeing Merlin smile, liked feeling Merlin chuckle against him, liked filtering the film through Merlin’s reactions.
He thought back to their first interaction, when Merlin had collided with him, ruining his clothes and his morning. It had been such an innocuous interaction, and it might have ended there. Instead, here they were, curled up together on Arthur’s sofa and enjoying the holiday season together. Arthur couldn’t believe how lucky he was.
“What are you thinking about?” Merlin asked, and Arthur realised he’d stopped paying attention to the film.
“You,” Arthur said truthfully.
Merlin grinned and pressed a kiss to Arthur’s shoulder. “Good.”
“It is,” Arthur agreed. He pulled Merlin a little closer and turned back to the telly, imagining all the things he and Merlin could do the rest of the afternoon once the film ended.
“We should watch Muppet Treasure Island after this,” Merlin said as the film started winding down.
“That’s not very Christmassy,” Arthur pointed out.
“No, but it’s still very good.”
“Fair enough.”
“Thanks for indulging me.”
Arthur grinned. “Honestly? It’s kind of delightful.”
“I’m very delightful.”
“Mhm,” Arthur said, giving Merlin’s hair a kiss.
Merlin grinned and cuddled closer, wrapping an arm around Arthur’s middle. Arthur returned his attention to the film, still feeling exceptionally lucky that he had found someone like Merlin to spend the season with.