[FIC] The Bloke with the Mystic Smile (Merlin/Arthur)
Title: The Bloke with the Mystic Smile
Created by: digthewriter
Fandom/Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: G
Word Count: 1090
Warnings/Content: Modern!AU. Glasses!Arthur. Year: 2022. COVID-times. Medical professionals.
Summary: They've only worked together virtually. What happens when they meet face-to-face... (Arthur in glasses.)
A/N: Cute. Fluff. Written for Fun. No drama. COVID times. Unbetaed. I might have got some-things wrong regarding mask-mandates and medical professionals b/c I live in the US. Please don't be mean. Also part of the enchanted_jae | JMDC No. 193 - amaze, extra, intervene.
Arthur's display picture on Twitter and Zoom showed his face, wearing a white collared shirt, and nothing else. He was smiling into the camera but it was one of those Mona Lisaesque smiles which Merlin found relatively intriguing, relatively paradoxical. He didn't know why he was intrigued by Arthur, but given how they'd never actually met in person, he paid no mind to his thoughts.
Arthur was a research assistant for one of the top doctors in the field. Merlin, being a Physicians Assistant himself, was often in the office to see patients and had only interacted with Arthur and his team online.
The day they all met for the first time, Merlin had once again found Arthur intriguing. Under his mask, he made small talk with all their colleagues, but had found Merlin in a corner and spoke with him for a good part of the evening. It hadn't helped that as soon as Merlin got to the pub for the social event, he'd had two cocktails and was running on half a plate of chips. He'd found the evening to be a blur, he remembered talking to Arthur all evening, but couldn't remember more than how they talked about medical school. Arthur grilled Merlin about the entrance exam, the classes he was taking, and how he had applied to many programmes; he didn't know which one would actually accept him.
Merlin's memory of that evening was simple. Arthur was eager, polite, and approachable. He'd also kept his mask on the entire time because he hadn't had anything more than one beer.
This wasn't the case when Merlin saw Arthur again.
Now, fully vaccinated and tested twice a week, the staff at the clinic weren't required to wear masks around each other in the break room. Merlin, leaning against the wall, was deep in conversation with Gwen when she waved at someone and yelled out their name.
"Arthur!"
Merlin's heart skipped a beat as he straightened himself and turned to look at the man, for what felt like, the first time.
Arthur smiled at them and started to walk up. He wore black, square framed glasses, which made the lightness of his skin pop. His eyes were a deep blue, which Merlin had known, but they appeared to be a more riveting ultramarine.
Many around them had relied more and more on contacts because the masks fogged up your frames, and it seemed Arthur had done the same. But now, working from the office with the mask-mandates slightly relaxed, Arthur chose to wear glasses.
In person, his skin looked soft, his face a lot younger than Merlin had imagined, and those frames which settled so perfectly well on his nose made Merlin swoon. It had never been like this before. He had to wonder what was wrong with him? He'd been around plenty of people who wore glasses, in fact, he preferred the no-glasses look in general. But Arthur? There was just something about the way he looked.
Looked in the frames. The way he looked at Merlin.
"It's your last week with us, right?" Gwen asked cheerfully, bringing Merlin back to the conversation and the present.
Merlin had known, somewhere in the back of his mind, that Arthur had been accepted to a residency programme and was going to resign his position to begin his training. They wouldn't be colleagues, so to speak, anymore.
Was Merlin ever even going to see Arthur again?
"Right. It is," Arthur said with a smile and looked strangely at Merlin. No doubt, because Merlin was the one acting as such.
"Right…" Merlin said, clearing his throat. "It's good… it's good to see you." Merlin wanted to reach over, caress Arthur's cheek with the back of his hand, and maybe slide his fingers into his hair. All the while, looking at Arthur, all the while Arthur looking back at him through those glasses.
Gwen's watch beeped, breaking yet another moment between them, and Merlin turned towards her.
"Oh, it's Lancelot," she said, tapping her Apple watch. A moment later, she was gone.
"Then there were two…" Arthur said in a soft tone. "Are you doing alright?"
"I… yeah? Me. Yeah…" Merlin said, struggling honestly. His heart had stopped beating.
"Okay," Arthur said with scepticism. "I'll see you later, then."
"Wait…" Merlin reached out with both words and his hands. Suddenly, he found himself grabbing Arthur's elbow. "I wanted to ask you something. And I mean… how are you? I haven't seen you in what like… six months?"
"That's right!" Arthur said with a small smile. "Not since the event back in…"
"Right. So, you're well?"
"Yes, thanks. And thanks for all the advice you gave me. It truly helped me with my application process and narrowing down what programme I wanted to select." Arthur smiled and touched his glasses, pushing them up a bit.
"That's a nice look," Merlin said, feeling proud of how he may have helped Arthur, even if Arthur was only being polite.
"What look?"
"The glasses."
"Oh," Arthur said, biting his lower lip, a hint of red tracing over his cheeks. "Thanks."
"What?"
"Nothing. I just… I am not used to compliments."
"Really?" Merlin released his grip on Arthur's elbow. He was aware he sounded shocked and maybe his response had been a bit more exaggerated because Arthur began to look defensive. "No, I mean… I'm surprised, is all. You're very…" Oh. Shit.
"Very?" Arthur asked, an eyebrow raised.
Merlin rolled his eyes. What was he going to do now, anyway? They wouldn't be working together again so he might as well say the truth. "Very good-looking, okay? Looking to catch more compliments than that?"
Arthur chuckled. "Glasses your thing then?" he asked, licking his lips.
"Not really," Merlin replied.
"Oh."
"But… maybe now. Maybe… on you."
"I…" Arthur seemed to be struggling for words. Merlin couldn't believe he'd blurted it all out and now he probably made the bloke dreadfully uncomfortable.
"Do you want to get a drink sometime?" Arthur asked.
Merlin's eyes widened. Was he imagining this? Did Arthur just… he did, right? Merlin didn't simply have this conversation in his head. Right?
"Sorry, I mean…"
"Yes!" Merlin shouted, extremely glad they were alone in the room. "Yes. I'd like that. A lot. After work. Today works?"
"Yeah!" Arthur said with some enthusiasm, and Merlin was glad for it. He hadn't been imagining it. "I…" Arthur hesitated for a brief moment, he bit the inside of his cheek, and added: "I'll keep the frames on."
END.
Created by: digthewriter
Fandom/Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: G
Word Count: 1090
Warnings/Content: Modern!AU. Glasses!Arthur. Year: 2022. COVID-times. Medical professionals.
Summary: They've only worked together virtually. What happens when they meet face-to-face... (Arthur in glasses.)
A/N: Cute. Fluff. Written for Fun. No drama. COVID times. Unbetaed. I might have got some-things wrong regarding mask-mandates and medical professionals b/c I live in the US. Please don't be mean. Also part of the enchanted_jae | JMDC No. 193 - amaze, extra, intervene.
Arthur's display picture on Twitter and Zoom showed his face, wearing a white collared shirt, and nothing else. He was smiling into the camera but it was one of those Mona Lisaesque smiles which Merlin found relatively intriguing, relatively paradoxical. He didn't know why he was intrigued by Arthur, but given how they'd never actually met in person, he paid no mind to his thoughts.
Arthur was a research assistant for one of the top doctors in the field. Merlin, being a Physicians Assistant himself, was often in the office to see patients and had only interacted with Arthur and his team online.
The day they all met for the first time, Merlin had once again found Arthur intriguing. Under his mask, he made small talk with all their colleagues, but had found Merlin in a corner and spoke with him for a good part of the evening. It hadn't helped that as soon as Merlin got to the pub for the social event, he'd had two cocktails and was running on half a plate of chips. He'd found the evening to be a blur, he remembered talking to Arthur all evening, but couldn't remember more than how they talked about medical school. Arthur grilled Merlin about the entrance exam, the classes he was taking, and how he had applied to many programmes; he didn't know which one would actually accept him.
Merlin's memory of that evening was simple. Arthur was eager, polite, and approachable. He'd also kept his mask on the entire time because he hadn't had anything more than one beer.
This wasn't the case when Merlin saw Arthur again.
Now, fully vaccinated and tested twice a week, the staff at the clinic weren't required to wear masks around each other in the break room. Merlin, leaning against the wall, was deep in conversation with Gwen when she waved at someone and yelled out their name.
"Arthur!"
Merlin's heart skipped a beat as he straightened himself and turned to look at the man, for what felt like, the first time.
Arthur smiled at them and started to walk up. He wore black, square framed glasses, which made the lightness of his skin pop. His eyes were a deep blue, which Merlin had known, but they appeared to be a more riveting ultramarine.
Many around them had relied more and more on contacts because the masks fogged up your frames, and it seemed Arthur had done the same. But now, working from the office with the mask-mandates slightly relaxed, Arthur chose to wear glasses.
In person, his skin looked soft, his face a lot younger than Merlin had imagined, and those frames which settled so perfectly well on his nose made Merlin swoon. It had never been like this before. He had to wonder what was wrong with him? He'd been around plenty of people who wore glasses, in fact, he preferred the no-glasses look in general. But Arthur? There was just something about the way he looked.
Looked in the frames. The way he looked at Merlin.
"It's your last week with us, right?" Gwen asked cheerfully, bringing Merlin back to the conversation and the present.
Merlin had known, somewhere in the back of his mind, that Arthur had been accepted to a residency programme and was going to resign his position to begin his training. They wouldn't be colleagues, so to speak, anymore.
Was Merlin ever even going to see Arthur again?
"Right. It is," Arthur said with a smile and looked strangely at Merlin. No doubt, because Merlin was the one acting as such.
"Right…" Merlin said, clearing his throat. "It's good… it's good to see you." Merlin wanted to reach over, caress Arthur's cheek with the back of his hand, and maybe slide his fingers into his hair. All the while, looking at Arthur, all the while Arthur looking back at him through those glasses.
Gwen's watch beeped, breaking yet another moment between them, and Merlin turned towards her.
"Oh, it's Lancelot," she said, tapping her Apple watch. A moment later, she was gone.
"Then there were two…" Arthur said in a soft tone. "Are you doing alright?"
"I… yeah? Me. Yeah…" Merlin said, struggling honestly. His heart had stopped beating.
"Okay," Arthur said with scepticism. "I'll see you later, then."
"Wait…" Merlin reached out with both words and his hands. Suddenly, he found himself grabbing Arthur's elbow. "I wanted to ask you something. And I mean… how are you? I haven't seen you in what like… six months?"
"That's right!" Arthur said with a small smile. "Not since the event back in…"
"Right. So, you're well?"
"Yes, thanks. And thanks for all the advice you gave me. It truly helped me with my application process and narrowing down what programme I wanted to select." Arthur smiled and touched his glasses, pushing them up a bit.
"That's a nice look," Merlin said, feeling proud of how he may have helped Arthur, even if Arthur was only being polite.
"What look?"
"The glasses."
"Oh," Arthur said, biting his lower lip, a hint of red tracing over his cheeks. "Thanks."
"What?"
"Nothing. I just… I am not used to compliments."
"Really?" Merlin released his grip on Arthur's elbow. He was aware he sounded shocked and maybe his response had been a bit more exaggerated because Arthur began to look defensive. "No, I mean… I'm surprised, is all. You're very…" Oh. Shit.
"Very?" Arthur asked, an eyebrow raised.
Merlin rolled his eyes. What was he going to do now, anyway? They wouldn't be working together again so he might as well say the truth. "Very good-looking, okay? Looking to catch more compliments than that?"
Arthur chuckled. "Glasses your thing then?" he asked, licking his lips.
"Not really," Merlin replied.
"Oh."
"But… maybe now. Maybe… on you."
"I…" Arthur seemed to be struggling for words. Merlin couldn't believe he'd blurted it all out and now he probably made the bloke dreadfully uncomfortable.
"Do you want to get a drink sometime?" Arthur asked.
Merlin's eyes widened. Was he imagining this? Did Arthur just… he did, right? Merlin didn't simply have this conversation in his head. Right?
"Sorry, I mean…"
"Yes!" Merlin shouted, extremely glad they were alone in the room. "Yes. I'd like that. A lot. After work. Today works?"
"Yeah!" Arthur said with some enthusiasm, and Merlin was glad for it. He hadn't been imagining it. "I…" Arthur hesitated for a brief moment, he bit the inside of his cheek, and added: "I'll keep the frames on."
END.