Hair splitting 11/11
Author: bunnysworld
Title: Hair Splitting 11/11
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Summary: It’s not all rainbows and flowers
Warnings: Fluffy drama?
Word Count: 6885 overall
Beta: Thanks to issy5209 for the great job!
Notes: This is the sequel to Hair. And it’s all k_nightfox’s fault who nagged me long enough to write it. And she bribed me with cookies, too. Oh, and the title is her fault, too. *nodnods*
To keep himself from watching the coverage of the event, which was televised on some gossip channel, Merlin decided to have an all-night hair event at the new salon and his customers took to it. They were all booked until close to midnight.
At around eleven, Freya took it upon herself to serve coffee to everyone and Merlin threw her a thankful look. He meant to keep himself busy. But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t tired. She fiddled with the remote of the tv sets, mumbling something about needing to know the results of the footie game day. Merlin rolled his eyes but let it go. He knew that she was an avid supporter of Chelsea and if he took the pleasure of being glued to the radio for game reports from her by making her work, he could at least give her a little checking of the results now.
His head snapped up when he heard a familiar voice booming over the speakers.
“Switch channels!” Leon - who had been on an important appointment for about three hours and only had come back a short while ago - said, a bit more bored than infuriated.
“Can’t,” Freya replied, pushing the buttons of the remote a little less quickly as she could have. “Seems the battery is dead.”
“Hand me that thing.” Leon reached for the remote but Freya held on and they struggled - a little less than they could have - before they both let go of the device. Which promptly fell into a sink where the water was running. “Oops.”
Merlin didn’t really hear any of that, his eyes were fixed on the screen, where Arthur walked over the red carpet, stopped and smiled for the cameras and then turned to a reporter.
“Arthur, congratulations.”
He never looked better. For a fleeting moment Merlin wondered who did his hair. All blond, some highlights, blue eyes shining, a wide smile on his face. Arthur looked happy. There was a stab somewhere near Merlin’s heart and he could hardly breathe. Arthur had indeed moved on.
“Thank you.”
“There is one question that everybody would like to ask you. Why now? After four years of you denying, you suddenly come here and…”
Before the reporter could go on, Arthur smiled gently. “If you could wait with that question for a few more minutes.” He patted the front of his jacket. “I think it will be all clear after the gala.” With that, he threw the camera another look and turned to enter the building.
The blood rushed in Merlin’s ears as a quirky young girl explained that this was footage from earlier and that they’d now show Arthur’s explanation that they taped a bit earlier that evening. He wanted to leave, needed to get out, but his feet wouldn’t move and he couldn’t stop staring at the screen.
“…but I can’t accept this, it wouldn’t be right.” He heard Arthur say as he held up a plaque.
Arthur stepped closer to the microphone.
“For the first time in my life, I admitted to myself that I like men.” Merlin blinked, Arthur had admitted that much earlier, why else would they have been together. But okay, this was an official speech. And now he’d missed half of what Arthur had said.
“…but it wouldn’t be right to accept this as ‘bachelor’. I apologize if anyone was under the impression that I am single. Well, due to unfortunate events, I am at the moment.” He looked at the camera and Merlin knew that look was just for him.
“I have been a fool to be too much of a coward to be myself. And thereby I drove away the only person I love.” He handed the plague back before he continued. “And I hope to correct that mistake soon. So I’m sorry, but I hope to work things out between him and me and then I will be off the market again.” Arthur winked as the cheers erupted.
Merlin’s scissors clattered to the floor and his knees gave way. Leon was at his side and steered him to an empty chair and Freya handed him a cup of tea.
“Good news, eh?” Leon grinned.
“I…I don’t know…maybe…”
“Maybe what? He just outed himself for the whole world to see and he said he loves you. What are you waiting for?” Freya crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him a stern look.
“Maybe he wasn’t talking about me. He looked so happy and confident on the red carpet. He must have found someone new.”
“He hasn’t.”
Merlin’s head shot up once again at the voice and there he stood. Arthur. Looking like he had on TV just moments before - Merlin knew that the coverage had been taped and all this took place a while before, but his mind provided images of Arthur jumping right off the screen into the salon - in a beautiful three piece suit in a dark blue, holding a single red rose.
“And he won’t. Since he…since I already found the one I want to be with. If that one can forgive me for being such a…,” a small smile tugged at the corners of Arthur’s lips, “clotpole.” His eyes searched Merlin’s as he continued. “I love you, Merlin, and I’m really sorry for not seeing what I did to you. It was selfish, I know that now. I hope you will forgive me.”
Merlin just sat in shock, not even noticing that Leon had rescued the tea cup from his hands, and stared at Arthur who just looked at him with big puppy eyes.
“What are you waiting for?” Freya hissed and nudged him in arm.
“Arthur, I…” Merlin didn’t know what to say. After all those weeks of missing, of longing, of wanting, of denying himself what he wanted most, of trying to convince himself that they were better apart, all of this was a bit too much.
“Alright,” Leon dished out his most queenly voice, including a gesture with limp wrist. “If you don’t want him back, I’ll take him.”
Everyone laughed and Merlin got up and stepped close to Arthur. Damn, he had missed his smell, too.
Arthur still had that expectant look on his face. “I was an arse, Merlin. Punish me all the way you want, but please…”
He didn’t get any further before he had Merlin’s arms around his neck and felt Merlin’s lips on his.
When Merlin broke the deep kiss, he touched foreheads with Arthur. “Oh, you will be punished for this,” his eyes sparkled, “but maybe not right now.”
Arthur had wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist. “I can wait.” He smiled but then got serious again. “I know I will have to work on myself to get to do it right. I hope you’ll help me?”
Merlin nodded. Yes, he would help Arthur getting it right. If something went wrong ever again, he wouldn’t wait for months before he’d voice his concerns. He would say it right away and he expected no less from Arthur.
“How about…” Arthur stole another kiss, “we start right now?”
“By doing what?”
“A limousine is waiting outside to take us to Pedro’s. And if you want, we can go clubbing after dinner. We’re on the guest list of several clubs, so you can choose.”
“You know…” Merlin smiled widely. “I’d much rather have some take-out from Pedro’s and go home.”
Title: Hair Splitting 11/11
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Summary: It’s not all rainbows and flowers
Warnings: Fluffy drama?
Word Count: 6885 overall
Beta: Thanks to issy5209 for the great job!
Notes: This is the sequel to Hair. And it’s all k_nightfox’s fault who nagged me long enough to write it. And she bribed me with cookies, too. Oh, and the title is her fault, too. *nodnods*
To keep himself from watching the coverage of the event, which was televised on some gossip channel, Merlin decided to have an all-night hair event at the new salon and his customers took to it. They were all booked until close to midnight.
At around eleven, Freya took it upon herself to serve coffee to everyone and Merlin threw her a thankful look. He meant to keep himself busy. But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t tired. She fiddled with the remote of the tv sets, mumbling something about needing to know the results of the footie game day. Merlin rolled his eyes but let it go. He knew that she was an avid supporter of Chelsea and if he took the pleasure of being glued to the radio for game reports from her by making her work, he could at least give her a little checking of the results now.
His head snapped up when he heard a familiar voice booming over the speakers.
“Switch channels!” Leon - who had been on an important appointment for about three hours and only had come back a short while ago - said, a bit more bored than infuriated.
“Can’t,” Freya replied, pushing the buttons of the remote a little less quickly as she could have. “Seems the battery is dead.”
“Hand me that thing.” Leon reached for the remote but Freya held on and they struggled - a little less than they could have - before they both let go of the device. Which promptly fell into a sink where the water was running. “Oops.”
Merlin didn’t really hear any of that, his eyes were fixed on the screen, where Arthur walked over the red carpet, stopped and smiled for the cameras and then turned to a reporter.
“Arthur, congratulations.”
He never looked better. For a fleeting moment Merlin wondered who did his hair. All blond, some highlights, blue eyes shining, a wide smile on his face. Arthur looked happy. There was a stab somewhere near Merlin’s heart and he could hardly breathe. Arthur had indeed moved on.
“Thank you.”
“There is one question that everybody would like to ask you. Why now? After four years of you denying, you suddenly come here and…”
Before the reporter could go on, Arthur smiled gently. “If you could wait with that question for a few more minutes.” He patted the front of his jacket. “I think it will be all clear after the gala.” With that, he threw the camera another look and turned to enter the building.
The blood rushed in Merlin’s ears as a quirky young girl explained that this was footage from earlier and that they’d now show Arthur’s explanation that they taped a bit earlier that evening. He wanted to leave, needed to get out, but his feet wouldn’t move and he couldn’t stop staring at the screen.
“…but I can’t accept this, it wouldn’t be right.” He heard Arthur say as he held up a plaque.
Arthur stepped closer to the microphone.
“For the first time in my life, I admitted to myself that I like men.” Merlin blinked, Arthur had admitted that much earlier, why else would they have been together. But okay, this was an official speech. And now he’d missed half of what Arthur had said.
“…but it wouldn’t be right to accept this as ‘bachelor’. I apologize if anyone was under the impression that I am single. Well, due to unfortunate events, I am at the moment.” He looked at the camera and Merlin knew that look was just for him.
“I have been a fool to be too much of a coward to be myself. And thereby I drove away the only person I love.” He handed the plague back before he continued. “And I hope to correct that mistake soon. So I’m sorry, but I hope to work things out between him and me and then I will be off the market again.” Arthur winked as the cheers erupted.
Merlin’s scissors clattered to the floor and his knees gave way. Leon was at his side and steered him to an empty chair and Freya handed him a cup of tea.
“Good news, eh?” Leon grinned.
“I…I don’t know…maybe…”
“Maybe what? He just outed himself for the whole world to see and he said he loves you. What are you waiting for?” Freya crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him a stern look.
“Maybe he wasn’t talking about me. He looked so happy and confident on the red carpet. He must have found someone new.”
“He hasn’t.”
Merlin’s head shot up once again at the voice and there he stood. Arthur. Looking like he had on TV just moments before - Merlin knew that the coverage had been taped and all this took place a while before, but his mind provided images of Arthur jumping right off the screen into the salon - in a beautiful three piece suit in a dark blue, holding a single red rose.
“And he won’t. Since he…since I already found the one I want to be with. If that one can forgive me for being such a…,” a small smile tugged at the corners of Arthur’s lips, “clotpole.” His eyes searched Merlin’s as he continued. “I love you, Merlin, and I’m really sorry for not seeing what I did to you. It was selfish, I know that now. I hope you will forgive me.”
Merlin just sat in shock, not even noticing that Leon had rescued the tea cup from his hands, and stared at Arthur who just looked at him with big puppy eyes.
“What are you waiting for?” Freya hissed and nudged him in arm.
“Arthur, I…” Merlin didn’t know what to say. After all those weeks of missing, of longing, of wanting, of denying himself what he wanted most, of trying to convince himself that they were better apart, all of this was a bit too much.
“Alright,” Leon dished out his most queenly voice, including a gesture with limp wrist. “If you don’t want him back, I’ll take him.”
Everyone laughed and Merlin got up and stepped close to Arthur. Damn, he had missed his smell, too.
Arthur still had that expectant look on his face. “I was an arse, Merlin. Punish me all the way you want, but please…”
He didn’t get any further before he had Merlin’s arms around his neck and felt Merlin’s lips on his.
When Merlin broke the deep kiss, he touched foreheads with Arthur. “Oh, you will be punished for this,” his eyes sparkled, “but maybe not right now.”
Arthur had wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist. “I can wait.” He smiled but then got serious again. “I know I will have to work on myself to get to do it right. I hope you’ll help me?”
Merlin nodded. Yes, he would help Arthur getting it right. If something went wrong ever again, he wouldn’t wait for months before he’d voice his concerns. He would say it right away and he expected no less from Arthur.
“How about…” Arthur stole another kiss, “we start right now?”
“By doing what?”
“A limousine is waiting outside to take us to Pedro’s. And if you want, we can go clubbing after dinner. We’re on the guest list of several clubs, so you can choose.”
“You know…” Merlin smiled widely. “I’d much rather have some take-out from Pedro’s and go home.”