Christmas Isn't Christmas Without You
Title: Christmas Isn't Christmas Without You
Pairing: Merlin/Morgana/Arthur
Rating: PG
Word Count: 785
Summary: Merlin, Morgana, and Arthur spend time together In the aftermath of the annual Pendragon Christmas dinner.
Notes: This is another stocking swap gift fic for shan_3414 who asked for OT3, I hope this is what you wanted bb! Happy Holidays!
“Well that was interesting,” said Merlin as he dropped onto the ground next to Morgana, who was leaning against the sofa and running her fingers through Arthur’s hair. Arthur was lying down with his head in Morgana’s lap and Merlin had to bend his knees over Arthur’s legs to fit into the space beside Morgana.
“Yeah well, it was better than last year anyway,” Arthur offered.
Morgana giggled, “That’s for sure, there was no shortage of wine this year.”
Merlin nodded in agreement. That was definitely true, and the three of them were proof. They had gotten so thoroughly sloshed that they had had to abandon their car at the Pendragon estate and have Uther’s driver take them home.
“At least he didn’t insist we play that dreadful game he brings out every year.”
Arthur waved an arm in Merlin’s direction, attempting to make contact but failing. Merlin reached out and closed his hand around Arthur’s, pulling their clasped hands to rest on his thigh. Arthur gave a happy sigh and spoke with eyes closed.
“I’ve never seen that game anywhere else, I’m fairly certain he had it specially designed to torture innocent dinner guests.”
“Mostly likely,” Morgana agreed, “But what about the new woman, Catrina. What are our thoughts on her?”
“She’s a troll,” attempted Arthur, although due to the combination of wine and sleep deprivation it came out more like, “sheeesarol”
Merlin dissolved into giggles, hiding his face in Morgana’s shoulder and Morgana gave Arthur a little slap on the arm.
“There’s no need to be rude, she wasn’t that bad.”
Merlin lifted his head and gave Morgana an incredulous look.
“Not that bad? I don’t think I saw her smile once the entire time we were there. Next to her, Uther looked positively jovial.”
“Yeah, Merlin’s right Morgana, I mean it is Christmas after all and she couldn’t even pretend not to be miserable?”
Morgana groaned in defeat, “Ok, you’re right, she was horrible. I tried to talk to her when you all abandoned me in the drawing room and it was worse than talking to a wall.”
Merlin grinned and laid his head against Morgana’s shoulder once more, closing his eyes. Merlin had lost track of how many Pendragon family Christmas dinners he had been to by this point. The first time he went he had been guilted into attending by Morgana. It was the first Christmas after her parents died and her first holiday living with Uther and Arthur. She had called Merlin and begged him to come to dinner with her and of course he had conceded and come along. There wasn’t much Merlin wouldn’t do for Morgana, or Arthur for that matter, but he knew that it went both ways. It had always been like that, just the three of them against the world. They were inseparable as children, and that hadn’t changed as they grew up. Other things had changed though, their friendship had grown into something more, their relationship becoming more than that of just friends, different than that family, it was something that none of them knew how to define. And so they didn’t. They just lived it, letting things happen as they would.
“Why do I keep letting you drag me to these dinners?”
Arthur snorted. “No one drags you Merlin, you come because you looooove us.”
Merlin pulled a pillow off the couch and threw it towards Arthur’s head. If he was honest with himself though, Arthur was right. He wasn’t sure when it had happened exactly, but sometime after that first dinner with Morgana, Merlin had just become a part of the Pendragon family Christmas dinner tradition. There was always a place set for him in the same spot every year, between Arthur and Morgana, and even his own mother knew not to expect him for dinner that night.
Merlin was jolted from his thoughts by the weight of Morgana’s head against his. He could tell from her breathing that she had fallen asleep and the quiet snores coming from Arthur’s direction meant he too had succumbed to the effects of the wine. Merlin smiled and closed his eyes again, snuggling against Morgana’s shoulder and giving Arthur’s hand a gentle squeeze where it still lay in his lap.
Dinner at Uther’s always managed to be barely tolerable, but it wasn’t dinner itself that kept Merlin coming back. It was this, this time afterwards, when the three of them were drunk on wine and the excitement of the holidays, when they cuddled together, limbs tangled, hands clasped, to unwind from the evening and just be together. Just be them, whatever that was. That was what Merlin loved most.
Pairing: Merlin/Morgana/Arthur
Rating: PG
Word Count: 785
Summary: Merlin, Morgana, and Arthur spend time together In the aftermath of the annual Pendragon Christmas dinner.
Notes: This is another stocking swap gift fic for shan_3414 who asked for OT3, I hope this is what you wanted bb! Happy Holidays!
“Well that was interesting,” said Merlin as he dropped onto the ground next to Morgana, who was leaning against the sofa and running her fingers through Arthur’s hair. Arthur was lying down with his head in Morgana’s lap and Merlin had to bend his knees over Arthur’s legs to fit into the space beside Morgana.
“Yeah well, it was better than last year anyway,” Arthur offered.
Morgana giggled, “That’s for sure, there was no shortage of wine this year.”
Merlin nodded in agreement. That was definitely true, and the three of them were proof. They had gotten so thoroughly sloshed that they had had to abandon their car at the Pendragon estate and have Uther’s driver take them home.
“At least he didn’t insist we play that dreadful game he brings out every year.”
Arthur waved an arm in Merlin’s direction, attempting to make contact but failing. Merlin reached out and closed his hand around Arthur’s, pulling their clasped hands to rest on his thigh. Arthur gave a happy sigh and spoke with eyes closed.
“I’ve never seen that game anywhere else, I’m fairly certain he had it specially designed to torture innocent dinner guests.”
“Mostly likely,” Morgana agreed, “But what about the new woman, Catrina. What are our thoughts on her?”
“She’s a troll,” attempted Arthur, although due to the combination of wine and sleep deprivation it came out more like, “sheeesarol”
Merlin dissolved into giggles, hiding his face in Morgana’s shoulder and Morgana gave Arthur a little slap on the arm.
“There’s no need to be rude, she wasn’t that bad.”
Merlin lifted his head and gave Morgana an incredulous look.
“Not that bad? I don’t think I saw her smile once the entire time we were there. Next to her, Uther looked positively jovial.”
“Yeah, Merlin’s right Morgana, I mean it is Christmas after all and she couldn’t even pretend not to be miserable?”
Morgana groaned in defeat, “Ok, you’re right, she was horrible. I tried to talk to her when you all abandoned me in the drawing room and it was worse than talking to a wall.”
Merlin grinned and laid his head against Morgana’s shoulder once more, closing his eyes. Merlin had lost track of how many Pendragon family Christmas dinners he had been to by this point. The first time he went he had been guilted into attending by Morgana. It was the first Christmas after her parents died and her first holiday living with Uther and Arthur. She had called Merlin and begged him to come to dinner with her and of course he had conceded and come along. There wasn’t much Merlin wouldn’t do for Morgana, or Arthur for that matter, but he knew that it went both ways. It had always been like that, just the three of them against the world. They were inseparable as children, and that hadn’t changed as they grew up. Other things had changed though, their friendship had grown into something more, their relationship becoming more than that of just friends, different than that family, it was something that none of them knew how to define. And so they didn’t. They just lived it, letting things happen as they would.
“Why do I keep letting you drag me to these dinners?”
Arthur snorted. “No one drags you Merlin, you come because you looooove us.”
Merlin pulled a pillow off the couch and threw it towards Arthur’s head. If he was honest with himself though, Arthur was right. He wasn’t sure when it had happened exactly, but sometime after that first dinner with Morgana, Merlin had just become a part of the Pendragon family Christmas dinner tradition. There was always a place set for him in the same spot every year, between Arthur and Morgana, and even his own mother knew not to expect him for dinner that night.
Merlin was jolted from his thoughts by the weight of Morgana’s head against his. He could tell from her breathing that she had fallen asleep and the quiet snores coming from Arthur’s direction meant he too had succumbed to the effects of the wine. Merlin smiled and closed his eyes again, snuggling against Morgana’s shoulder and giving Arthur’s hand a gentle squeeze where it still lay in his lap.
Dinner at Uther’s always managed to be barely tolerable, but it wasn’t dinner itself that kept Merlin coming back. It was this, this time afterwards, when the three of them were drunk on wine and the excitement of the holidays, when they cuddled together, limbs tangled, hands clasped, to unwind from the evening and just be together. Just be them, whatever that was. That was what Merlin loved most.