Merlinfic: The Bus Stop 14/??
Author: destiny_chicken
Title The Answer Is Found
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: Arthur/Merlin
Character/s: Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine
Summary:Merlin visits Gwaine in I.T., where the mystery of the missing approval is solved. Merlin takes an important step in his relationship with Arthur.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 963 this chapter
Author's Notes Thank you to inspired_being for beta'ing my story.
Merlin stuck his head into the darkened office and addressed the man seated behind three flickering computer screens, "Are you Gwaine?" The man turned his head toward Merlin and answered, "Yes. And you are?"
Merlin recognized the long hair and scruffy beard from the football match the day. "I'm Merlin. I've been filling in as Arthur Pendragon's P.A."
"Ah yes, Arthur called to say you'd be down.” Gwaine gave Merlin a once over with his eyes and then asked, “Did I see you at the match yesterday? Don't tell me His Highness had you working there?"
"Oh no, I just came out to see the team play." Well, mostly to see Arthur, but Gwaine didn't need to know that.
Gwaine smiled at him. "Good to have another football fan around! So, what can I do for you?" he asked.
"It's for Arthur really. We need to know who made a specific manual ledger entry. Do you have access to that kind of information?" Merlin asked hopefully.
Gwaine rolled his eyes. "Of course, I’m the administrator of the Financial databases. Which specific transaction do you need to know about?"
Merlin gave him the details and Gwaine's fingers started flying across his keyboard. In a matter of moments, Gwaine frowned at the screen. "That record’s locked. That’s very unusual. Fortunately, I can unlock it." More typing ensued and then Gwaine let out a long, low whistle. "What are you and Arthur into, Merlin? This entry was made last week not in 2011. And the user ID that entered the transaction is owned by Mordred Druidan."
Merlin sucked in his breath and blew it out slowly. "Can you document what you've found? Mordred is auditing Arthur's expenses and he is claiming Arthur failed to approve this expense in January of 2011. It looks like Arthur's suspicions were right: Mordred has faked the entry in the ledger."
~~~
Merlin reported Gwaine's findings to Arthur immediately. "What are you going to do now, Arthur?"
"I think I'll play dumb with Mordred so he doesn't suspect anything. Then at the meeting with my Father, I'll expose Mordred's scam. I'll have Gwaine on hand to confirm the fabricated ledger entry."
Merlin frowned. “You'll have to act panicky when you meet Mordred at 11 tomorrow though. So he doesn't get suspicious and try to destroy any evidence. How good an actor are you?"
Arthur grinned, "I can do 'panicky' with no problem." He then proceeded to furrow his brow and tighten his lips. His eyes flit nervously from side-to-side.
Merlin laughed. "Don't overdo it! Or you'll have him thinking you've gone psychotic or something. What you say to him will probably be more important. Meanwhile, I'd better spend the afternoon searching through the files again just to keep up the appearance that we've not found anything."
"Good idea, Merlin. I'll come out and check on how you are doing a couple of times, shouting at you to show how worried I am."
"No need to get carried away with the shouting. Once will do," Merlin cautioned. He was struck by how much he was enjoying working with Arthur, who treated him like a partner more than an underling. And so far nothing had seemed to change since they’d been dating, except maybe Arthur not insulting him as much as before. That he could live with. Maybe it was time to take another step?
"Arthur, would you like to come to my flat for dinner on Friday? I make a pretty good vegetable lasagna." Merlin felt it was his turn to offer the next date, but he couldn't afford a fancy restaurant, so a home-cooked meal it would be.
Arthur was surprised by the offer, but pleased. Merlin was opening up to him more and more. Inviting him to his flat was a significant step. "You think you are going to convert me, eh? Over to the vegan side?"
"For one meal, at least. I know that I can cook this well. I don't know that you'd want to eat any meat dishes if I cooked them. So, how about it? Are you adventurous enough to eat a vegan meal?"
"Never let it be said Arthur Pendragon is afraid of vegetables!" Arthur declared with a toothy grin. "I'm game. What time on Friday?"
Merlin's grin spread from cheek to cheek in response. "How about 7:15?"
"That works for me. I know your building, but what’s the flat number?"
"It's 3A. Oh, but there's no elevator. Will you be able to manage the stairs with your crutches?"
"By Friday, I probably won't need these crutches, maybe just a cane. But either way, I'll make it up to your flat."
~~~
Merlin spent the rest of the day shuffling through folders of receipts, purchase orders, requisitions and invoices, pretending to search for the information about the software licenses purchase. Around 3 P.M. Arthur emerged from his office on his crutches, yelling for Merlin, who had just started his break and was in the break room.
"There's no time for breaks, Merlin. You've got to find the documentation for the software purchase, or we are going to fail this audit." Arthur certainly had the attention of everyone within shouting distance. Word would get back to Mordred through someone, no doubt.
Merlin didn't have to fake his unhappiness at having his break interrupted. He returned to his desk with a begrudging look at his boss. "That's all I’ve been doing today, Arthur. Hunting for that software purchase approval. I haven't found it anywhere. Are you sure you approved it?"
"I must have, for that high a value. It has to be somewhere in the files."
"Well, I'll keep looking," Merlin stated to end their play acting, while Arthur nodded and hobbled back to his office.
~~~