A Personal Question
Author: ajsrandom
Title: A Personal Question
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Arthur, Merlin
Summary: Arthur asks Merlin a personal question. Merlin doesn't answer like he thought.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 427
Prompt: 612, Overture
Author's Notes: Slightly canon divergent. :)
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Arthur sat at his desk working on a speech while Merlin bustled around him, cleaning his chambers. He sat his quill down and thought for a moment. He looked at Merlin and a question came to his mind. It was on the personal side, but what the heck. He’d found happiness with Guinevere and wondered if Merlin had too. With someone besides Guinevere, of course. “Merlin, do you see women?”
Merlin stopped at looked at Arthur. “What kind of a dumb question is that? I see them all the time, going up and down the corridors, don’t I?”
Arthur shook his head. “That is not what I meant. I mean, do you have a sweetheart?”
Merlin’s grin disappeared. “I . . . I used to.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Maybe you can win her back. I find that grand overtures work wonders.”
Merlin put a hand on his hip. “I suggested that to you, remember?”
Arthur winced. “Oh, yeah. Well, it all worked out in the end, did it not?”
Merlin sighed. “This is one rift a grand overture wouldn’t repair. She’s not even in Camelot anymore.”
“Oh. Well, maybe you can find another sweetheart.”
“When do I have the time? You work me night and day, and when I do miraculously get a day off, I’m working with Gaius.”
“Merlin, you just keep coming up with excuses. I would like to see you as happy as I am. You’re my friend, after all.”
“Arthur, is this really the time for this? It’s a painful subject for me and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
Arthur examined Merlin’s face. He looked tortured. “All right, Merlin. I will drop the subject. But if you ever do want to talk about it, I will listen.”
“I appreciate that, Arthur, but I don’t think even you would understand. Now, if you don’t mind, please let me get back to work so I can have some kind of lunch today.”
Arthur felt stung, but he let that pass. “Okay, Merlin, I will not bother you for a time unless it is for something urgent. And please, go get your lunch now.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back to finish all this.”
“Go on.” Arthur made a shooing gesture. Merlin waved and left the room.
Arthur thought about what Merlin had said. What connection could he have made that he wouldn’t even tell him about? He sighed and picked up his quill. It was a mystery for another time. This speech wasn’t going to write itself.
Title: A Personal Question
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Arthur, Merlin
Summary: Arthur asks Merlin a personal question. Merlin doesn't answer like he thought.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 427
Prompt: 612, Overture
Author's Notes: Slightly canon divergent. :)
.............................................................................................................................................................................................
Arthur sat at his desk working on a speech while Merlin bustled around him, cleaning his chambers. He sat his quill down and thought for a moment. He looked at Merlin and a question came to his mind. It was on the personal side, but what the heck. He’d found happiness with Guinevere and wondered if Merlin had too. With someone besides Guinevere, of course. “Merlin, do you see women?”
Merlin stopped at looked at Arthur. “What kind of a dumb question is that? I see them all the time, going up and down the corridors, don’t I?”
Arthur shook his head. “That is not what I meant. I mean, do you have a sweetheart?”
Merlin’s grin disappeared. “I . . . I used to.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Maybe you can win her back. I find that grand overtures work wonders.”
Merlin put a hand on his hip. “I suggested that to you, remember?”
Arthur winced. “Oh, yeah. Well, it all worked out in the end, did it not?”
Merlin sighed. “This is one rift a grand overture wouldn’t repair. She’s not even in Camelot anymore.”
“Oh. Well, maybe you can find another sweetheart.”
“When do I have the time? You work me night and day, and when I do miraculously get a day off, I’m working with Gaius.”
“Merlin, you just keep coming up with excuses. I would like to see you as happy as I am. You’re my friend, after all.”
“Arthur, is this really the time for this? It’s a painful subject for me and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
Arthur examined Merlin’s face. He looked tortured. “All right, Merlin. I will drop the subject. But if you ever do want to talk about it, I will listen.”
“I appreciate that, Arthur, but I don’t think even you would understand. Now, if you don’t mind, please let me get back to work so I can have some kind of lunch today.”
Arthur felt stung, but he let that pass. “Okay, Merlin, I will not bother you for a time unless it is for something urgent. And please, go get your lunch now.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back to finish all this.”
“Go on.” Arthur made a shooing gesture. Merlin waved and left the room.
Arthur thought about what Merlin had said. What connection could he have made that he wouldn’t even tell him about? He sighed and picked up his quill. It was a mystery for another time. This speech wasn’t going to write itself.