FIC: THE ONE WITH THE STEP-FATHER AND THE SON WHO IS IN LOVE
Title: The One With The Step-Father and the Son Who Is In Love
Rating: R for language
Warnings/Spoilers: None that I can think of
Length: 1,885 words
Author's Note: This has to be my favourite story line in "Love, Actually". So I hope I did it justice! Concrit is always welcome!
Summary: That Merlin was upset was only natural - Gaius would have been even more worried if he wasn’t, the child had loved his mother fiercely.
That Merlin was upset was only natural - Gaius would have been even more worried if he wasn’t, the child had loved his mother fiercely. But Gaius didn’t know what to do anymore. He had had a vague notion that yes; maybe someday he would have liked to have children, but then he met Hunith, and look she had an absolute rascal of her own! And Gaius had taken to Merlin when he first met him, had adored him even while courting Hunith, and continues to love him as if Merlin was his own.
It was just that he thought Hunith would still be here to love Merlin as well, stepping in when Gaius is unable to figure what on earth he’s supposed to be doing with a twelve year old boy who thinks an idea of a good time is exploding things with his mind or with controls connected to a tv.
And now Hunith is gone, Gaius is alone and Merlin curls more and more into himself each day, exhaling sadness with every breath.
“His mother is dead,” he tells Morgana, as she sweeps the shop front and he tries to figure out why the cashier is jammed for the umpteenth time. “He’s got every right to mope and sulk, but what if it’s not just that? What if he’s doing drugs as an outlet for his grief, or because of peer pressure? What am I going to do if he goes into fits at the dinner table? My back isn’t what it used to be, I wouldn’t be able to carry him anywhere.”
Morgana rests a hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his self-pity. “Gaius, you love the boy and he clearly loves you. So stop being ridiculous and talk to him. Far worse people than you have been fathers.”
*
He remembers being twelve, and how difficult everything was even without the death of a parent. And Christ, Merlin hasn’t even reached high school yet. Even breathing was dramatic at high school. Thank God for small mercies.
They’re sitting on a bench in the park and Merlin gets halfway through eating a massive cone of chocolate ice cream, before Gaius musters the courage to speak.
He wipes the dripping chocolate from the end of Merlin’s ear (and how on earth did it even get on there?) and finds hope in the small smile Merlin shoots him and says, “We need to talk.”
Merlin turns to face him, all sharp elbows and the beauty of Hunith’s eyes. He’s at the gangly stage right now, but sooner or later he’ll grow into his limbs and turn out to be good-looking (growing into the ears, Gaius is not so sure about). That’s another worry for another time, though. “What’s wrong?”
“You do know you can come to me at anytime?”
“Yeah,” says Merlin, looking confused.
“I was just wondering if anything was the matter. Is it - is it just your mother, or something else? Has anything happened at school, are you being bullied? Anything I can help with?”
To his surprise, Merlin blushes and looks down at his shoes. Gaius looks at Merlin’s shoes, too, in case this was some sort of twelve-year old code he wasn’t aware of.
“Do you really want to know?” mumbles Merlin, “Even if you won’t be able to help at all?”
“Yes, of course! What is it?” asks Gaius.
“The truth is,” stutters Merlin. “Well the truth is, I’m in love.”
Gaius gapes for a bit, before he realises that Merlin is waiting for a response. “Sorry?”
Merlin looks worriedly at him. “I mean I know I’m supposed to be upset about Mother all the time, and I am! But the truth is, I’m in love and there’s nothing anybody can do to help me.”
Gaius laughs at out sheer relief, but quickly shuts up once Merlin shoots him a scandalized look. “Aren’t you a bit too young to be in love?”
“Of course not!”
“Alright then,” Gaius sighs. “But I don’t understand why you have to be so depressed about it.”
“Gaius,” says Merlin seriously. “I am forever chained to the feeling of sheer agony that is love, as I pine for someone who will never like me. Why wouldn’t it be agonising? I'm fucked.”
Gaius opens his mouth, but then reconsiders. “No, you’re right. That is agonising.”
*
“It’s somebody at school, yes?”
Merlin pauses in the process inhaling of his pasta, and fiddles with the fork. “Yeah.”
“So, I was at school once, too. I know how this goes. Tell me about it. Is she - he a friend of yours?”
Merlin fiddles some more, before saying, “He thinks I’m stupid. And even if he didn’t, there’s no way he’d ever notice me other than someone to push around, because he’s the most popular, good looking boy in school, and all the girls want him.”
He looks up at Gaius’ frown and hurriedly adds, “I mean, he’s not a bully. Well, he was when he moved here at the beginning of the year, and then I yelled at him for ordering Lancelot around, and he's hated me ever since. But he’s really nice to everyone, now. And I really, really like him.” Merlin pouts and plays with the tablecloth. “And he’s really sweet, like when he gave the orphaned girl all of his lunch money, and he pretends to be all tough, but he’s incredibly sweet, really. But he’d rather die than admit it in public.”
Gaius gives the boy the benefit of the doubt, because Merlin would never defend anyone who didn’t deserve it. He quirks a smile at Merlin’s expression.
“Well you’re basically done for, aren’t you?”
He laughs and ducks the forkful of spaghetti flung in his direction.
*
“How’s your love life going, by the way?”
“Oh, we don’t want to talk about that!”
“No, seriously,” urges Merlin. “We only talk about mine!”
“Merlin,” sighs Gaius, “there was only your mother. And that’s it.”
“Oh. I think - I think that it’s like that for me, too. Like Romeo and Juliet. He’s “the one” for me.”
“Without all the dead bits.”
“Yeah.”
They both sit in silence for a while.
“Unless of course, Megan Fox decides she wants her wicked way with me.”
“Gaius, that is absolutely foul!”
*
“Alright,” says Gaius. “Option One: you ask him out.”
“What? Impossible.”
“Option Two: try and make friends with him.”
“Gaius,” Merlin says forlornly. “Arthur is a golden god. He wouldn’t want to be seen with me.”
“Fair enough. Option Three: We kidnap him, tie him to your bed and let him out only once he’s agreed to marry you.”
“Well, I have considered that option.”
“And rejected it, because…”
“Because,” frowns Merlin, “he’s Uther Pendragon’s son, and I don’t want you to get beaten up by an ex-wrestler.”
*
“Gaius!”
Merlin bursts into the pharmacy, startling Morgana and the elderly lady hunched over the painkillers.
“Gaius, I have a plan!”
“Praise the heavens,” Gaius cries, as he walks up to where Merlin is bouncing. “Tell me about it.”
“Magicians!”
“Magicians?”
“Yeah,” beams Merlin. “Everyone is really impressed by them, and you know the talent show coming up? I can do my, you know -“ he waggles his fingers, “and I’ll impress Arthur and boom! Maybe he’ll fall in love with me, and we’ll have Cambodian babies!”
“Right, good work. Now bugger off and let me work in peace,” says Gaius, grinning to let Merlin know he’s joking.
Merlin’s out of the door in a flash, whooping as he goes. Morgana shakes her head in amusement, and the old lady clutches Panadol to her chest and sighs, “Aah, young love.”
*
Gaius is incredibly excited for talent night. Merlin is good at his magic, mostly because he was born with it, and he’s a natural crowd entertainer. But he’s even more curious to see Arthur, because all he knows is that Arthur used to be a bit of a bully, is supposedly extremely good looking, and has a father who could turn people into pretzels if he wanted.
He doesn’t even have to look very hard for Arthur, because when Merlin is halfway through his act (and people are incredibly impressed, Gaius is proud to say) he asks for volunteers, then sort of goes red and picks Arthur, who bounds up to the stage and pounds Merlin on the back as a friend would.
After Merlin’s made half of Arthur invisible, the latter grins at Merlin in such a genuine manner that Gaius instantly likes him (Merlin of course, seems to be struck dumb until Arthur is off the stage, before he regains his wits and continues on with the rest of his act).
When Merlin finishes off with a burst of confetti and bows, Gaius doesn’t even care if he’s being an embarrassing parent as he stands up and whistles loudly, because he’s really bloody proud of his son and he wants everyone to know.
*
Gaius hugs Merlin tightly and wishes Hunith was able to see him and the shiny trophy he was carrying. “You were brilliant! Next thing you know, you’ll be on Britain’s Got Talent!”
“Thanks, but it- it didn’t work.”
“What?” asks Gaius, “Why on earth not? He volunteered to be put under your spell, didn’t he? If that isn't true love, I don't know what is!”
“Yes,” says Merlin, face scrunched up, “But he didn’t tell me he liked me, or -“
Gaius hears a noise, and looks up to see Arthur scuffing his shoe, peering anxiously at Merlin. Gaius smiles at him, and sees him shyly grin back.
“Hello, Arthur,” he say, as he nudges a bright red Merlin towards Arthur.
“Hey,” stutters Merlin, stumbling a little and blushing so hard once Arthur steadies him, that Gaius is afraid he’ll explode a blood vessel.
“Hey,” says Arthur, softly. “I liked your act, it was very cool.”
“Really?” Merlin brightens immediately, and then wilts. “But the hat made my ears look even more stupid.”
“I like your ears. Anyways,” say Arthur, clearing his throat. “I better-“
“Wait!” says Merlin desperately. “Do you - do you, want to come over, sometime?”
And Gaius knows instantly, from the way Arthur smiles brilliantly and starts babbling about things they could do together, and the way he gazes intently at Merlin, that Uther probably has to listen to an “Ode to Merlin Emrys and His Ears” every day, while wishing he could turn somebody into a pretzel.
Arthur’s holding Merlin’s hand in his, fingers interlaced and talking about pudding, while Merlin stares at their interlocked hands with the air of someone who’s about to faint. Gaius hides a smile, already imagining the talk he’s going to give them in a few years’ time, and their horrified, blushing faces.
“Yeah, I should - Merry Christmas, Merlin.”
“Merry Christmas, Arthur.” Merlin beams back. He waves at Arthur until the latter gets into his car, and even then keeps smiling as Arthur squashes his face against the back window and grins back at Merlin.
He turns back to Gaius, all red cheeks and sparkling eyes, and Gaius thinks, oh Hunith. If only you could see your gorgeous boy, now.
Merlin runs back for a hug, and Gaius smiles into his hair.
Everything was going to be alright.
Rating: R for language
Warnings/Spoilers: None that I can think of
Length: 1,885 words
Author's Note: This has to be my favourite story line in "Love, Actually". So I hope I did it justice! Concrit is always welcome!
Summary: That Merlin was upset was only natural - Gaius would have been even more worried if he wasn’t, the child had loved his mother fiercely.
That Merlin was upset was only natural - Gaius would have been even more worried if he wasn’t, the child had loved his mother fiercely. But Gaius didn’t know what to do anymore. He had had a vague notion that yes; maybe someday he would have liked to have children, but then he met Hunith, and look she had an absolute rascal of her own! And Gaius had taken to Merlin when he first met him, had adored him even while courting Hunith, and continues to love him as if Merlin was his own.
It was just that he thought Hunith would still be here to love Merlin as well, stepping in when Gaius is unable to figure what on earth he’s supposed to be doing with a twelve year old boy who thinks an idea of a good time is exploding things with his mind or with controls connected to a tv.
And now Hunith is gone, Gaius is alone and Merlin curls more and more into himself each day, exhaling sadness with every breath.
“His mother is dead,” he tells Morgana, as she sweeps the shop front and he tries to figure out why the cashier is jammed for the umpteenth time. “He’s got every right to mope and sulk, but what if it’s not just that? What if he’s doing drugs as an outlet for his grief, or because of peer pressure? What am I going to do if he goes into fits at the dinner table? My back isn’t what it used to be, I wouldn’t be able to carry him anywhere.”
Morgana rests a hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his self-pity. “Gaius, you love the boy and he clearly loves you. So stop being ridiculous and talk to him. Far worse people than you have been fathers.”
*
He remembers being twelve, and how difficult everything was even without the death of a parent. And Christ, Merlin hasn’t even reached high school yet. Even breathing was dramatic at high school. Thank God for small mercies.
They’re sitting on a bench in the park and Merlin gets halfway through eating a massive cone of chocolate ice cream, before Gaius musters the courage to speak.
He wipes the dripping chocolate from the end of Merlin’s ear (and how on earth did it even get on there?) and finds hope in the small smile Merlin shoots him and says, “We need to talk.”
Merlin turns to face him, all sharp elbows and the beauty of Hunith’s eyes. He’s at the gangly stage right now, but sooner or later he’ll grow into his limbs and turn out to be good-looking (growing into the ears, Gaius is not so sure about). That’s another worry for another time, though. “What’s wrong?”
“You do know you can come to me at anytime?”
“Yeah,” says Merlin, looking confused.
“I was just wondering if anything was the matter. Is it - is it just your mother, or something else? Has anything happened at school, are you being bullied? Anything I can help with?”
To his surprise, Merlin blushes and looks down at his shoes. Gaius looks at Merlin’s shoes, too, in case this was some sort of twelve-year old code he wasn’t aware of.
“Do you really want to know?” mumbles Merlin, “Even if you won’t be able to help at all?”
“Yes, of course! What is it?” asks Gaius.
“The truth is,” stutters Merlin. “Well the truth is, I’m in love.”
Gaius gapes for a bit, before he realises that Merlin is waiting for a response. “Sorry?”
Merlin looks worriedly at him. “I mean I know I’m supposed to be upset about Mother all the time, and I am! But the truth is, I’m in love and there’s nothing anybody can do to help me.”
Gaius laughs at out sheer relief, but quickly shuts up once Merlin shoots him a scandalized look. “Aren’t you a bit too young to be in love?”
“Of course not!”
“Alright then,” Gaius sighs. “But I don’t understand why you have to be so depressed about it.”
“Gaius,” says Merlin seriously. “I am forever chained to the feeling of sheer agony that is love, as I pine for someone who will never like me. Why wouldn’t it be agonising? I'm fucked.”
Gaius opens his mouth, but then reconsiders. “No, you’re right. That is agonising.”
*
“It’s somebody at school, yes?”
Merlin pauses in the process inhaling of his pasta, and fiddles with the fork. “Yeah.”
“So, I was at school once, too. I know how this goes. Tell me about it. Is she - he a friend of yours?”
Merlin fiddles some more, before saying, “He thinks I’m stupid. And even if he didn’t, there’s no way he’d ever notice me other than someone to push around, because he’s the most popular, good looking boy in school, and all the girls want him.”
He looks up at Gaius’ frown and hurriedly adds, “I mean, he’s not a bully. Well, he was when he moved here at the beginning of the year, and then I yelled at him for ordering Lancelot around, and he's hated me ever since. But he’s really nice to everyone, now. And I really, really like him.” Merlin pouts and plays with the tablecloth. “And he’s really sweet, like when he gave the orphaned girl all of his lunch money, and he pretends to be all tough, but he’s incredibly sweet, really. But he’d rather die than admit it in public.”
Gaius gives the boy the benefit of the doubt, because Merlin would never defend anyone who didn’t deserve it. He quirks a smile at Merlin’s expression.
“Well you’re basically done for, aren’t you?”
He laughs and ducks the forkful of spaghetti flung in his direction.
*
“How’s your love life going, by the way?”
“Oh, we don’t want to talk about that!”
“No, seriously,” urges Merlin. “We only talk about mine!”
“Merlin,” sighs Gaius, “there was only your mother. And that’s it.”
“Oh. I think - I think that it’s like that for me, too. Like Romeo and Juliet. He’s “the one” for me.”
“Without all the dead bits.”
“Yeah.”
They both sit in silence for a while.
“Unless of course, Megan Fox decides she wants her wicked way with me.”
“Gaius, that is absolutely foul!”
*
“Alright,” says Gaius. “Option One: you ask him out.”
“What? Impossible.”
“Option Two: try and make friends with him.”
“Gaius,” Merlin says forlornly. “Arthur is a golden god. He wouldn’t want to be seen with me.”
“Fair enough. Option Three: We kidnap him, tie him to your bed and let him out only once he’s agreed to marry you.”
“Well, I have considered that option.”
“And rejected it, because…”
“Because,” frowns Merlin, “he’s Uther Pendragon’s son, and I don’t want you to get beaten up by an ex-wrestler.”
*
“Gaius!”
Merlin bursts into the pharmacy, startling Morgana and the elderly lady hunched over the painkillers.
“Gaius, I have a plan!”
“Praise the heavens,” Gaius cries, as he walks up to where Merlin is bouncing. “Tell me about it.”
“Magicians!”
“Magicians?”
“Yeah,” beams Merlin. “Everyone is really impressed by them, and you know the talent show coming up? I can do my, you know -“ he waggles his fingers, “and I’ll impress Arthur and boom! Maybe he’ll fall in love with me, and we’ll have Cambodian babies!”
“Right, good work. Now bugger off and let me work in peace,” says Gaius, grinning to let Merlin know he’s joking.
Merlin’s out of the door in a flash, whooping as he goes. Morgana shakes her head in amusement, and the old lady clutches Panadol to her chest and sighs, “Aah, young love.”
*
Gaius is incredibly excited for talent night. Merlin is good at his magic, mostly because he was born with it, and he’s a natural crowd entertainer. But he’s even more curious to see Arthur, because all he knows is that Arthur used to be a bit of a bully, is supposedly extremely good looking, and has a father who could turn people into pretzels if he wanted.
He doesn’t even have to look very hard for Arthur, because when Merlin is halfway through his act (and people are incredibly impressed, Gaius is proud to say) he asks for volunteers, then sort of goes red and picks Arthur, who bounds up to the stage and pounds Merlin on the back as a friend would.
After Merlin’s made half of Arthur invisible, the latter grins at Merlin in such a genuine manner that Gaius instantly likes him (Merlin of course, seems to be struck dumb until Arthur is off the stage, before he regains his wits and continues on with the rest of his act).
When Merlin finishes off with a burst of confetti and bows, Gaius doesn’t even care if he’s being an embarrassing parent as he stands up and whistles loudly, because he’s really bloody proud of his son and he wants everyone to know.
*
Gaius hugs Merlin tightly and wishes Hunith was able to see him and the shiny trophy he was carrying. “You were brilliant! Next thing you know, you’ll be on Britain’s Got Talent!”
“Thanks, but it- it didn’t work.”
“What?” asks Gaius, “Why on earth not? He volunteered to be put under your spell, didn’t he? If that isn't true love, I don't know what is!”
“Yes,” says Merlin, face scrunched up, “But he didn’t tell me he liked me, or -“
Gaius hears a noise, and looks up to see Arthur scuffing his shoe, peering anxiously at Merlin. Gaius smiles at him, and sees him shyly grin back.
“Hello, Arthur,” he say, as he nudges a bright red Merlin towards Arthur.
“Hey,” stutters Merlin, stumbling a little and blushing so hard once Arthur steadies him, that Gaius is afraid he’ll explode a blood vessel.
“Hey,” says Arthur, softly. “I liked your act, it was very cool.”
“Really?” Merlin brightens immediately, and then wilts. “But the hat made my ears look even more stupid.”
“I like your ears. Anyways,” say Arthur, clearing his throat. “I better-“
“Wait!” says Merlin desperately. “Do you - do you, want to come over, sometime?”
And Gaius knows instantly, from the way Arthur smiles brilliantly and starts babbling about things they could do together, and the way he gazes intently at Merlin, that Uther probably has to listen to an “Ode to Merlin Emrys and His Ears” every day, while wishing he could turn somebody into a pretzel.
Arthur’s holding Merlin’s hand in his, fingers interlaced and talking about pudding, while Merlin stares at their interlocked hands with the air of someone who’s about to faint. Gaius hides a smile, already imagining the talk he’s going to give them in a few years’ time, and their horrified, blushing faces.
“Yeah, I should - Merry Christmas, Merlin.”
“Merry Christmas, Arthur.” Merlin beams back. He waves at Arthur until the latter gets into his car, and even then keeps smiling as Arthur squashes his face against the back window and grins back at Merlin.
He turns back to Gaius, all red cheeks and sparkling eyes, and Gaius thinks, oh Hunith. If only you could see your gorgeous boy, now.
Merlin runs back for a hug, and Gaius smiles into his hair.
Everything was going to be alright.