Merlin On Ice 8/9
Title: Merlin On Ice 8/9
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: Fluff! Utter, sappy fluff!
Summary: Figure Skating Merlin has a crush on Hockey Player Arthur (which might be returned.)
AN: There are absolutely no excuses. None. It's been 5 years. I had forgotten about this completely. My computer with the next part was destroyed (utterly, and quietly.) I moved. And then again. I have 5 cats now. And 2 dogs. But I still banged out part 8 in about two hours. I am working on the final part. I swear.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
Chapter 8
Saturday evening found Merlin and Morgana sitting in the women’s locker room, already changed into their leotards for the halftime show and waiting for the first period of the hockey game to end. They were, however, quiet for very different reasons.
Morgana was thumbing through a well worn copy of The Once and Future King, which she only enjoyed because she had a twisted sense of irony. Sitting nearly on top of her and gripping her arm tightly, Merlin was having a silent panic attack.
“The zamboni is not going to come to life, Merlin,” Morgana said calmly and she once again read the chapter regarding the Wart’s coronation not too long before which he cried a great deal. She had sniggered though the crying bits, which hadn’t helped Merln’s panic in the slightest.
“You can’t know that,” Merlin wheezed, his entire frame wracked with terror.
“Does your truck ever come to life,” Morgana said, flipping the page. “Your beloved truck which you drive each and every day and sometimes when you have nothing to do you sit in the bed of and stare at the clouds?”
“The radio sometimes jumps channels,” Merlin told her with a glare, as though that proved his point.
“The radio sometimes jumps channels,” Morgana repeated scathingly, not even putting down TH White. It was clear through her tone that she thought Merlin was being an idiot. “We’re going on the ice after the zamboni clears it; we’re not even using the same doorway. You will be safe from the zamboni, even if you accidentally manage to magic it to life.”
“Promise?”
Morgana did put down her book this time, folding the pages around her fingers so that she would not lose her place. She looked carefully into Merlin’s eyes. “Merlin, I know your unrealistic fear of the zamboni is not the real issue here, so just tell me what’s going on.”
“My fear of the zamboni is not unrealistic,” Merlin grumbled, standing up and wobbling a few steps away. He had forgotten to do up his skates, so he bent down and dutifully as well as very slowly, began tying the laces together.
“Merlin!”
“It’s your father,” Merlin burst out, standing up again. “Arthur said he’s supposed to be here today. What if he realizes? What if he gets angry?”
“Realizes what?” A new voice asked from the doorway, causing Merlin to squeal and spin around, which only caused him to tumble and fall.
“Father,” Morgana said smoothly, standing up and stepping towards him, gracing his cheek with a welcoming kiss when she reached him.
“What am I not supposed to realize?” Uther Pendragon asked, accepting the kiss from Morgana and walking back to the bench with her. Merlin scrambled backwards a few inches, cowering at both Morgana’s glare from behind her father, and Uther himself.
“That you-“ Merlin stammered, his mind racing for a good lie, and cursing himself for not being clever enough to come up with a decent one.
“Merlin, I’m not certain you are aware of what I know, but I am,” Uther said in a very arching voice. “I’m aware, for example, of how much this skating team means to your futures.”
“You are?” Merlin squeaked out.
“And I’m very aware of just how much of my money goes into this skating team, and just how much money and recognition one can win though these skating competitions.” Uther continued, staring at the boy still on the ground in a very sparkly outfit as though he were a bit dim.
“Ah - yes,” Merlin agreed, fighting - and failing - to bring his voice back down to a relatively normal pitch.
“And if you think I’m going to just ignore-“
“Father!” Morgana gasped out, her book falling out of her hand and landing near Merlin’s leg with a soft thump. Merlin stared in both horror and envy as the book very slowly edged itself towards Morgana’s duffle bag. Uther didn’t notice.
“Morgana,” Uther said sharply, before turning back to Merlin, who snapped his eyes away from Morgana’s book just as it crept into the duffle bag. “If you think I’m going to ignore the fact that you’re gay, Merlin,” Uther stated, quite calm, “then you’re right. I certainly don’t care about your sexual orientation. I just want you two to be successful. I know I haven’t been around much these last few years, but I have been very proud of your achievements. Both of your achievements.”
Merlin gaped at Uther, who was still looking at him as though not sure all the light were on upstairs. “I - yes, sir,” he stammered, internally pleased that his voice had dropped back down to its normal decibel. “Thank you, sir.”
“Of course, Merlin,” Uther said, with a very tight smile. The man turned back to Morgana, who was opening and closing her mouth very slowly, a bit shocked that she had not, in fact, seen that one coming.
“It was a bit obvious, you know,” Uther said gently to Morgana, when she finally sat back down. “You allow him into the changing room with you. You two have sleepovers still. I’m fairly certain that he picked out your leotards for this evenings event.”
Merlin giggled, slightly hysterically, before standing up off of the floor and staring down at the matching red flame patterned leotards they were wearing. “I did,” he admitted.
“Merlin!” The door to the locker room banged open and Arthur came running into the room. He was sweaty and disheveled and there was definitely someone’s blood on his jersey. “Merlin, the zamboni left the ice and they wanted me to tell you that you have about two minutes before you’re expected in the…” Arthur trailed off as he finally spotted his father sitting calmly on the bench with Morgana and Merlin.
“Rink.” He finished. “Father? Why are you down here?”
“Why is he down here,” Morgana snapped, standing up and storming towards her brother. “What are you doing here? This is the LADIES changing room Arthur! You’re not allowed in here! Get out!”
“Merlin’s in here!” Arthur protested, though he backed up a few steps to avoid his sister. “So is Father! Last I checked they’re not ladies either!”
“GET OUT!”
===
“Why was my father in the changing room with you,” Arthur asked Merlin as Merlin drove them aimlessly though town. The radio of the truck jumped back and forth between a classical music station with a very fast violin piece playing which made Arthur a bit anxious just listening to it, and an older rock station which was playing a cheesy love ballad.
“He wanted to tell me he knew I was gay,” Merlin admitted, executing a very slow left turn onto a dirt road and parking the truck about ten feet down the lane. “I thought I was going to die,” he admitted with a hysterical laugh. “Morgana’s book came to life and started scuttling across the floor like a crab. I thought he was going to see it and- I don’t know, burn me at the stake for having magic or something. He kept going on about how he knew I needed him and he knew how important this is to me and oh god, Arthur, was your dad propositioning me?”
Arthur snorted and Merlin pouted at him, to which the blond took his hand and drew Merlin a little closer across the bench.
“Doubtful,” Arthur said softly. “I’m pretty sure he’s asexual at this point.
Merlin wrinkled his nose a little bit at the thought of Uther in any sort of compromising situation and the radio station jumped to static as he attempted to wipe the thought from his mind.
“You were wonderful tonight,” Arthur said softly, walking his fingers up Merlin’s hip to rest on his belly. “And I really liked the outfit - red is my favorite color.”
“Is it?” Merlin asked sweetly as the radio jumped back to the love ballad.
Arthur huffed a laugh and leaned in for a kiss. “Mmm,” he replied.
Gods. Don't kill me.