Skydiving 10/10 part 2
‘Errrrrrrr, Gwen I don’t feel so good’ Merlin said as he stumbled out of the bar, Arthur and Gwen supporting him.
‘I think that might have something to do with the celebratory Sambuca you downed while we weren’t looking’ Gwen said, half exasperated, half amused.
‘She still loves me’ he said, punching the air and missing Arthur’s nose by centimetres, ‘she doesn’t want to break up’
‘Yes Merlin’ Gwen said gently as if speaking to a small child. She had obvious dealt with an intoxicated Merlin before.
‘Do you both want to crash round mine?’ Arthur asked, ‘it’s only a five minute walk from here’
‘That would be great’ she smiled gratefully
‘Come on Merlin’ Arthur said, shouldering most of his weight, ‘just keep walking.’
‘I really love you guys’ Merlin mumbled as he nearly tripped over his feet, ‘I’m so glad you found each other, you make him much less of a prat Gwen’
She laughed, ‘glad to have been of service’
Merlin fell silent for a moment, pondering something, ‘Gwen would you change your surname if you married Arthur?’
The pair of them nearly dropped Merlin who was hanging limply between them, both pairs of cheeks turning scarlet.
‘I haven’t really thought about it to be honest’ Gwen stammered trying to avoid looking at Arthur.
‘I was just wondering, ‘cause Arthur’s surname’s a bit weird and Gwen Pendragon just sounds rubbish’ he said shrugging, ‘though Guinevere Pendragon does sound rather impressive now I think about it.’
‘Errr’ Gwen said nervously, not sure of how to respond.
‘Sorry’ Merlin said, finally realising the awkwardness of the situation he had created, ‘tonight I was just thinking about how Uther will react when you guys get married and all’
Gwen choked on a lungful of air, ‘Jeez Merlin, it’s a bit early to be thinking about that’ she said quickly.
She didn’t miss the red flush that darkened Arthur’s cheeks.
‘How much further?’ moaned Merlin.
‘Not far’ Arthur replied.
‘I’m tired’
‘Snap’
‘I’m hungry’
‘So?’
‘Have you got cheetos at home?’
‘No’
‘But I want cheetos’ moaned Merlin. Arthur breathed an exasperated sigh.
‘Arthur does have ice cream at his though’
‘Really?’ Merlin said, his face brightening instantly.
‘Yes’ Gwen said calmly, ‘and if you are good until we get there you can have some, so no more whining ‘kay?’
‘Alright’ said Merlin before sinking into a sleepy silence. Arthur looked over at Gwen with admiring eyes.
‘Do you have sprinkles?’
‘No I don’t’
‘Ice cream isn’t as good without sprinkles’
‘I’ll remember that the next time you do my shopping for me’
‘I like ice cream’ Merlin said as he licked his spoon.
‘I figured’ Arthur yawned over his cup of tea.
‘Now put your bowl and spoon in the dishwasher Merlin’ Gwen instructed.
‘I don’t want to’ he said folding his arms and jutting out his bottom lip.
‘Merlin’ Arthur said warningly.
‘Fine’ he said standing up dramatically and flouncing over to the dishwasher and thrusting his dirty dishes inside.
He then made his way over to the sofa, ‘can I have a duvet please?’
‘What?’
‘A duvet for the sofa’
‘You can sleep in the spare room’
‘But Gwen’s sleeping in there’
‘She can sleep in with me’
‘You can’t have sex while I’m next door!’ Merlin shouted indignantly.
‘Keep your voice down’ hissed Gwen.
‘That is sooooooooo gross’ he said in a vehement whisper.
‘Just because we are sleeping in the same bed doesn’t mean we are going to have sex’ Arthur said reasonably.
Merlin let out a snort of laughter, ‘after the way you have been drooling over her all evening?’
Arthur and Gwen’s cheeks coloured in unison.
‘Sorry’ Arthur mumbled.
A smile tugged at Gwen’s lips.
‘See!’ Merlin exclaimed triumphantly.
‘I’ll take the spare bed, happy?’ Gwen said.
Merlin nodded with a yawn as he lay back on the sofa.
‘I’ll go get you some bed sheets’
‘I’ll give you a hand’ said Arthur, ‘the sheets are on the top shelf’ he added in explanation.
The second they entered the bedroom Arthur snapped the door shut and had her pressed up against it. His lips were fierce and hungry on hers. One hand was at the back of her neck, the other was wrapped tightly around her waist. He dipped her low and he felt her lips smile against his as she responded with great enthusiasm, her hands woven tightly into his hair.
They straightened up.
He trailed his hand from the nape of her neck to her cheek.
‘Sorry about that’ he said as he struggled to regain control over his ragged breaths, ‘but I’ve been wanted to do that since I saw you in that dress’
She blushed and smiled widely, ‘then I need to thank Morgana too’
‘You look beautiful tonight-’ then checking his watch amended ‘-this morning’
‘I mean not that you don’t normally’ he said quickly, ‘you know you always look beautiful, I just meant especially tonight, or this morning’
Her lips silenced him. ‘I love you’ she breathed against his mouth.
‘I love you too’ he grinned, his breath tickling her lips.
‘Damn Merlin eh?’ she laughed, raising one eyebrow.
‘I better go sort out the sofa’ Arthur said clearing his throat, just before a loud drunken snore came from the living room.
They bent over the sofa and their intoxicated friend who was face down in a pile of cushions, snoring vociferously, one arm dangling off the sofa, his knuckles brushing the carpet.
‘Out for the count’ Gwen confirmed.
‘You know what this means?’ Arthur said running a finger lazily down her spine.
‘That we need to get a sick bucket, a towel and to leave out some water for him’ she said as placed the duvet over Merlin’s sleeping form and moving his limp arm so it lay on the sofa beside him in order to prevent him from waking up with a severe case of pins and needles.
Arthur was only half disappointed by her reply, marvelling at caring nature of the women before him. And suddenly he could see her stroking their child’s forehead, not Merlin’s. She would make a great mother.
He shook himself mentally. What was he doing? He had been dating her, what, four and a half weeks? And he was already thinking about how their child would have her dark hair and his blue eyes. What the hell was wrong with him? He had been with Sophia eighteen months and these kinds of thoughts had never even crossed his mind. What was going on? And what was more, she wasn’t thinking about it.
‘Could you grab me an old towel?’
‘Sure’ he smiled half-heartedly.
He watched her tucked a snoring Merlin into his makeshift bed before straightening up.
‘Now where were we?’ she said pushing his jacket off his broad shoulders as she began to place brief teasing kisses up his neck.
He shivered as she slipped her hands up underneath his shirt and his body beginning to hum.
She pulled him into the bedroom by his tie, a dorky smile on his face, all concerns forgotten.
He knocked the door shut behind them.
She kissed him tenderly, tugging gently, invitingly, on his lower lip as she fumbled with his tie.
Then she broke away as his hands moved to the zip of her dress. She looked up at with her warm, almost vulnerable eyes, her fingers blindly unbuttoning his shirt. Not once did their eyes leave the others’. It was only as her dress slid gracefully to the floor that he broke their gaze, looking down briefly,
‘that dress is stunning on, but I think it might just look even better on my floor’ he grinned moving even closer to her.
‘Oh shit’ she said stepping out of the dress, ‘Morgana said I need to hang it up otherwise it’ll totally ruin the fabric’
He let out a half exasperated, half amused sigh as he watched her cross the room in only her underwear.
She looked through the closet, searching for spare hangers. Finding one she slipped the dress onto it as cool, firm hands slipped themselves around her bare midriff.
‘Sorry’ she said sheepishly as she placed the dress on the rail.
‘You’re very cute, do you know that?’ he breathed as he kissed the tender hollow behind her ear.
She closed her eyes and let out a soft ‘hhhhhmmmmm’ as her chest heaved.
‘God bless Merlin eh?’ he grinned, tugging gently on her earlobe with his teeth.
He felt her shudder against his bare chest; a low ‘uhuh’ was all she could manage.
She lay with her head on his chest, looking up at the ceiling.
‘I lied’ she said, knowing he was still awake.
‘Huh?
‘When Merlin was talking about us and the future and stuff’
She felt him stiffen beneath her.
‘I have thought about it’ she said quietly, ‘not in a creepy obsessive kind of a way, I don’t expect anything, but I have thought it in a vague, at some point down the line if things went well, kind of a way.’
She felt him relax and she could tell without looking at his face that he was smiling.
‘I didn’t want to admit it because I thought you might think I was a crazy nutcase or something’ she said into his chest, ‘but I thought I should probably be honest about it, that way you would at least know you were dating a crazy nutcase.’
‘And to think I thought I was the only crazy nutcase in this relationship’ he laughed in relief, pressing a kiss into her curls.
The doorbell rang.
‘No’ groaned Arthur as he rolled over.
The door bell rang again. And again.
A bleary eyed Gwen nuzzled his shoulder ‘Arthur, make the ringing stop’
‘Can’t you go?’ he moaned.
‘I’m not wearing anything’
‘Neither am I’ he protested.
The doorbell rang furiously.
Gwen looked over at the clock, it was seven ten.
She pulled the duvet over her head ‘Arthur this is your apartment, it’s going to be for you’ she reasoned.
‘But I-’ he began before Gwen pushed him in the back so hard he fell out of bed.
‘Oops’ she said, trying hard not to giggle at Arthur who was lying sprawled and ungainly on the carpet, ‘sorry’
He pulled on his boxers and a white t-shirt, his hair stuck up at bizarre angles, the shadows under his eyes clearly visible, a scowl on his face.
The doorbell rang again.
‘Alright, alright I’m coming’ Arthur mumbled as he struggled to find the door out of his bedroom.
He stumbled through the living room and over to the front door. But not before his early morning caller had rung the doorbell another eight times.
He pulled open the door.
He stared sleepily for a moment at the person on his doorstep.
‘What are you doing here? It’s just gone seven on a Sunday morning’
‘I see you’ve changed the locks’ said Uther Pendragon.
‘Yeah well I thought it might reduce the possibility of you turning up when you’re not welcome, though it doesn’t seem to be working so far.’
‘I own this place’ Uther snapped fiercely.
‘Actually the Pendragon Group owns it as I’m CEO-’
‘In name only’
‘That’s all that matters with regard to the contract.’
‘What’s going on?’ Gwen said, emerging from the bedroom dressed in t-shirt and trackies belonging to Arthur, having heard raised voices, ‘Mr Pendragon?’ she said, a little confused, as she saw the man on the doorstep.
‘Guinevere’ he said brusquely.
‘What’s going on?’ Gwen asked again.
‘That is what I would like to know’ Uther said, thrusting the newspaper in his hands at his son, ‘page six, read it’ he hissed.
Arthur flicked to the said page. His eyes found a large picture of him and Gwen dancing together the night before underneath the legend: ‘In Good Company.’
‘Oh no’ Gwen breathed as she began to read the article over Arthur’s shoulder.
‘EEEuuuurggggghhhh’ came a groan from the sofa, ‘what’s going on?’ Merlin said sitting up too quickly, making his head spin.
Arthur finished the page, he looked his father directly in the eye, ‘what’s the big deal?’ he asked with a shrug.
‘I’m sorry?’ exclaimed Uther.
‘Well the fact that Gwen and I are dating was bound to get out to the press eventually and to be honest they were far nicer about us than I was expecting.’
‘Yeah I wasn’t expecting them to be so positive about it’ Gwen agreed finishing the page too.
‘But they’ve made me the villain in all this’ Uther almost shouted.
‘I guess they decided that was the best angle for sales’
‘I want to know who is responsible for leaking this to the press’
Merlin staggered over to them.
He read the opening paragraph: ‘Whoever does not believe in fairytales clearly has never met this couple. In this modern re-telling of the classic Cinderella story Guinevere Leodegrance is cast as the beautiful heroine from humble beginnings while the male lead of Prince Charming goes to the CEO of the Pendragon Group, Arthur Pendragon. But like in all epic romances there are obstacles in the way, in this case the role is left to the classist prejudices of Uther Pendragon.’
Oh shit!
‘Merlin, are you alright?’ asked Gwen looking concerned.
‘I think I may have been the one to leak it to the press’ he stammered, one hand at his pounding temple.
‘You!’ Uther exclaimed.
‘It’s alright Merlin’ Arthur said quickly, ‘you have no right to be angry, he only told this reporter the truth’
‘How dare you! My reputation is on the line, the Board is convinced that you might attempt some type of coup and you think I have no right to be angry?’
‘You could just organise a press conference to straighten this whole thing out’ Gwen said calmly. Uther turned to her, the red in his face fading slightly.
‘Assuming of course that you are willing to accept our relationship both publically and privately’ Arthur added with a grin.
‘Of course’ Uther said bitterly.
‘And then we’ll happily tell the press that you’ve supported the relationship the whole way through.’
Gwen nodded in agreement.
‘So that’s my choice?’
‘Yep’ Arthur said, a half smile on his face, ‘it would have been nice for you to just be happy for us in the first place, but I guess that would have been asking too much’
‘Just give me some time to adjust’ Uther said, looking suddenly very tired, ‘and I’m sure I will have plenty of time in which to do so’ he said, directing this at Gwen.
She smiled gently back at him.
‘I guess I should be going’
‘Thanks Dad’ Arthur said in a low voice as his father turned to leave.
‘I’ll organise the press conference for Monday morning, that okay with you two?’
‘Great’ they said together.
Uther shut the door behind him.
When had his son grown up so fast? He had spent years telling Arthur to stop messing about, stop wasting his life on partying, to settle down, to mature and grow up. And in the month he had been away he had done just that and he was happier than Uther had ever known him. So why wasn’t he pleased? Because he hadn’t been around to see it, because Arthur’s growing up had had nothing to do with him, it had been because of the responsibility of the business and more particularly because of that girl.
‘Mr Pendragon?’ a voice said from the other end of the corridor. He turned around to face the way he had come. Gwen walked towards him.
‘We were wondering if you might want to come over for dinner on Friday night. Of course if you’re busy or you don’t want to that’s fine, we wouldn’t-’
‘Thank you Guinevere, I would very much like to’
‘Good’ she smiled widely, ‘and Morgana and Leon will be there too’
‘Leon?’
‘From accounting, you know, her boyfriend’
His expression told her quite clearly that he knew nothing about Morgana’s new boyfriend.
‘Sorry, I didn’t realise you didn’t know’ Gwen said quickly, her cheeks rather flushed.
‘When did this happen?’
‘While you were-’
‘Away’ he finished.
He turned to go.
‘See you on Friday’ she said as he pressed the button for the lift.
‘See you on Friday’ he said with a nod as the lift doors opened and he walked inside.
The doors slid shut.
That was the last time he ever went on holiday.
A/N: so yeah, that was the final installment of this fic. Sorry if the end was a total letdown, but i had a major case of writer's block on this, which, incidently is also my excuse for it being much later than normal. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read and commented, you guys have been great <3
‘I think that might have something to do with the celebratory Sambuca you downed while we weren’t looking’ Gwen said, half exasperated, half amused.
‘She still loves me’ he said, punching the air and missing Arthur’s nose by centimetres, ‘she doesn’t want to break up’
‘Yes Merlin’ Gwen said gently as if speaking to a small child. She had obvious dealt with an intoxicated Merlin before.
‘Do you both want to crash round mine?’ Arthur asked, ‘it’s only a five minute walk from here’
‘That would be great’ she smiled gratefully
‘Come on Merlin’ Arthur said, shouldering most of his weight, ‘just keep walking.’
‘I really love you guys’ Merlin mumbled as he nearly tripped over his feet, ‘I’m so glad you found each other, you make him much less of a prat Gwen’
She laughed, ‘glad to have been of service’
Merlin fell silent for a moment, pondering something, ‘Gwen would you change your surname if you married Arthur?’
The pair of them nearly dropped Merlin who was hanging limply between them, both pairs of cheeks turning scarlet.
‘I haven’t really thought about it to be honest’ Gwen stammered trying to avoid looking at Arthur.
‘I was just wondering, ‘cause Arthur’s surname’s a bit weird and Gwen Pendragon just sounds rubbish’ he said shrugging, ‘though Guinevere Pendragon does sound rather impressive now I think about it.’
‘Errr’ Gwen said nervously, not sure of how to respond.
‘Sorry’ Merlin said, finally realising the awkwardness of the situation he had created, ‘tonight I was just thinking about how Uther will react when you guys get married and all’
Gwen choked on a lungful of air, ‘Jeez Merlin, it’s a bit early to be thinking about that’ she said quickly.
She didn’t miss the red flush that darkened Arthur’s cheeks.
‘How much further?’ moaned Merlin.
‘Not far’ Arthur replied.
‘I’m tired’
‘Snap’
‘I’m hungry’
‘So?’
‘Have you got cheetos at home?’
‘No’
‘But I want cheetos’ moaned Merlin. Arthur breathed an exasperated sigh.
‘Arthur does have ice cream at his though’
‘Really?’ Merlin said, his face brightening instantly.
‘Yes’ Gwen said calmly, ‘and if you are good until we get there you can have some, so no more whining ‘kay?’
‘Alright’ said Merlin before sinking into a sleepy silence. Arthur looked over at Gwen with admiring eyes.
‘Do you have sprinkles?’
‘No I don’t’
‘Ice cream isn’t as good without sprinkles’
‘I’ll remember that the next time you do my shopping for me’
‘I like ice cream’ Merlin said as he licked his spoon.
‘I figured’ Arthur yawned over his cup of tea.
‘Now put your bowl and spoon in the dishwasher Merlin’ Gwen instructed.
‘I don’t want to’ he said folding his arms and jutting out his bottom lip.
‘Merlin’ Arthur said warningly.
‘Fine’ he said standing up dramatically and flouncing over to the dishwasher and thrusting his dirty dishes inside.
He then made his way over to the sofa, ‘can I have a duvet please?’
‘What?’
‘A duvet for the sofa’
‘You can sleep in the spare room’
‘But Gwen’s sleeping in there’
‘She can sleep in with me’
‘You can’t have sex while I’m next door!’ Merlin shouted indignantly.
‘Keep your voice down’ hissed Gwen.
‘That is sooooooooo gross’ he said in a vehement whisper.
‘Just because we are sleeping in the same bed doesn’t mean we are going to have sex’ Arthur said reasonably.
Merlin let out a snort of laughter, ‘after the way you have been drooling over her all evening?’
Arthur and Gwen’s cheeks coloured in unison.
‘Sorry’ Arthur mumbled.
A smile tugged at Gwen’s lips.
‘See!’ Merlin exclaimed triumphantly.
‘I’ll take the spare bed, happy?’ Gwen said.
Merlin nodded with a yawn as he lay back on the sofa.
‘I’ll go get you some bed sheets’
‘I’ll give you a hand’ said Arthur, ‘the sheets are on the top shelf’ he added in explanation.
The second they entered the bedroom Arthur snapped the door shut and had her pressed up against it. His lips were fierce and hungry on hers. One hand was at the back of her neck, the other was wrapped tightly around her waist. He dipped her low and he felt her lips smile against his as she responded with great enthusiasm, her hands woven tightly into his hair.
They straightened up.
He trailed his hand from the nape of her neck to her cheek.
‘Sorry about that’ he said as he struggled to regain control over his ragged breaths, ‘but I’ve been wanted to do that since I saw you in that dress’
She blushed and smiled widely, ‘then I need to thank Morgana too’
‘You look beautiful tonight-’ then checking his watch amended ‘-this morning’
‘I mean not that you don’t normally’ he said quickly, ‘you know you always look beautiful, I just meant especially tonight, or this morning’
Her lips silenced him. ‘I love you’ she breathed against his mouth.
‘I love you too’ he grinned, his breath tickling her lips.
‘Damn Merlin eh?’ she laughed, raising one eyebrow.
‘I better go sort out the sofa’ Arthur said clearing his throat, just before a loud drunken snore came from the living room.
They bent over the sofa and their intoxicated friend who was face down in a pile of cushions, snoring vociferously, one arm dangling off the sofa, his knuckles brushing the carpet.
‘Out for the count’ Gwen confirmed.
‘You know what this means?’ Arthur said running a finger lazily down her spine.
‘That we need to get a sick bucket, a towel and to leave out some water for him’ she said as placed the duvet over Merlin’s sleeping form and moving his limp arm so it lay on the sofa beside him in order to prevent him from waking up with a severe case of pins and needles.
Arthur was only half disappointed by her reply, marvelling at caring nature of the women before him. And suddenly he could see her stroking their child’s forehead, not Merlin’s. She would make a great mother.
He shook himself mentally. What was he doing? He had been dating her, what, four and a half weeks? And he was already thinking about how their child would have her dark hair and his blue eyes. What the hell was wrong with him? He had been with Sophia eighteen months and these kinds of thoughts had never even crossed his mind. What was going on? And what was more, she wasn’t thinking about it.
‘Could you grab me an old towel?’
‘Sure’ he smiled half-heartedly.
He watched her tucked a snoring Merlin into his makeshift bed before straightening up.
‘Now where were we?’ she said pushing his jacket off his broad shoulders as she began to place brief teasing kisses up his neck.
He shivered as she slipped her hands up underneath his shirt and his body beginning to hum.
She pulled him into the bedroom by his tie, a dorky smile on his face, all concerns forgotten.
He knocked the door shut behind them.
She kissed him tenderly, tugging gently, invitingly, on his lower lip as she fumbled with his tie.
Then she broke away as his hands moved to the zip of her dress. She looked up at with her warm, almost vulnerable eyes, her fingers blindly unbuttoning his shirt. Not once did their eyes leave the others’. It was only as her dress slid gracefully to the floor that he broke their gaze, looking down briefly,
‘that dress is stunning on, but I think it might just look even better on my floor’ he grinned moving even closer to her.
‘Oh shit’ she said stepping out of the dress, ‘Morgana said I need to hang it up otherwise it’ll totally ruin the fabric’
He let out a half exasperated, half amused sigh as he watched her cross the room in only her underwear.
She looked through the closet, searching for spare hangers. Finding one she slipped the dress onto it as cool, firm hands slipped themselves around her bare midriff.
‘Sorry’ she said sheepishly as she placed the dress on the rail.
‘You’re very cute, do you know that?’ he breathed as he kissed the tender hollow behind her ear.
She closed her eyes and let out a soft ‘hhhhhmmmmm’ as her chest heaved.
‘God bless Merlin eh?’ he grinned, tugging gently on her earlobe with his teeth.
He felt her shudder against his bare chest; a low ‘uhuh’ was all she could manage.
She lay with her head on his chest, looking up at the ceiling.
‘I lied’ she said, knowing he was still awake.
‘Huh?
‘When Merlin was talking about us and the future and stuff’
She felt him stiffen beneath her.
‘I have thought about it’ she said quietly, ‘not in a creepy obsessive kind of a way, I don’t expect anything, but I have thought it in a vague, at some point down the line if things went well, kind of a way.’
She felt him relax and she could tell without looking at his face that he was smiling.
‘I didn’t want to admit it because I thought you might think I was a crazy nutcase or something’ she said into his chest, ‘but I thought I should probably be honest about it, that way you would at least know you were dating a crazy nutcase.’
‘And to think I thought I was the only crazy nutcase in this relationship’ he laughed in relief, pressing a kiss into her curls.
The doorbell rang.
‘No’ groaned Arthur as he rolled over.
The door bell rang again. And again.
A bleary eyed Gwen nuzzled his shoulder ‘Arthur, make the ringing stop’
‘Can’t you go?’ he moaned.
‘I’m not wearing anything’
‘Neither am I’ he protested.
The doorbell rang furiously.
Gwen looked over at the clock, it was seven ten.
She pulled the duvet over her head ‘Arthur this is your apartment, it’s going to be for you’ she reasoned.
‘But I-’ he began before Gwen pushed him in the back so hard he fell out of bed.
‘Oops’ she said, trying hard not to giggle at Arthur who was lying sprawled and ungainly on the carpet, ‘sorry’
He pulled on his boxers and a white t-shirt, his hair stuck up at bizarre angles, the shadows under his eyes clearly visible, a scowl on his face.
The doorbell rang again.
‘Alright, alright I’m coming’ Arthur mumbled as he struggled to find the door out of his bedroom.
He stumbled through the living room and over to the front door. But not before his early morning caller had rung the doorbell another eight times.
He pulled open the door.
He stared sleepily for a moment at the person on his doorstep.
‘What are you doing here? It’s just gone seven on a Sunday morning’
‘I see you’ve changed the locks’ said Uther Pendragon.
‘Yeah well I thought it might reduce the possibility of you turning up when you’re not welcome, though it doesn’t seem to be working so far.’
‘I own this place’ Uther snapped fiercely.
‘Actually the Pendragon Group owns it as I’m CEO-’
‘In name only’
‘That’s all that matters with regard to the contract.’
‘What’s going on?’ Gwen said, emerging from the bedroom dressed in t-shirt and trackies belonging to Arthur, having heard raised voices, ‘Mr Pendragon?’ she said, a little confused, as she saw the man on the doorstep.
‘Guinevere’ he said brusquely.
‘What’s going on?’ Gwen asked again.
‘That is what I would like to know’ Uther said, thrusting the newspaper in his hands at his son, ‘page six, read it’ he hissed.
Arthur flicked to the said page. His eyes found a large picture of him and Gwen dancing together the night before underneath the legend: ‘In Good Company.’
‘Oh no’ Gwen breathed as she began to read the article over Arthur’s shoulder.
‘EEEuuuurggggghhhh’ came a groan from the sofa, ‘what’s going on?’ Merlin said sitting up too quickly, making his head spin.
Arthur finished the page, he looked his father directly in the eye, ‘what’s the big deal?’ he asked with a shrug.
‘I’m sorry?’ exclaimed Uther.
‘Well the fact that Gwen and I are dating was bound to get out to the press eventually and to be honest they were far nicer about us than I was expecting.’
‘Yeah I wasn’t expecting them to be so positive about it’ Gwen agreed finishing the page too.
‘But they’ve made me the villain in all this’ Uther almost shouted.
‘I guess they decided that was the best angle for sales’
‘I want to know who is responsible for leaking this to the press’
Merlin staggered over to them.
He read the opening paragraph: ‘Whoever does not believe in fairytales clearly has never met this couple. In this modern re-telling of the classic Cinderella story Guinevere Leodegrance is cast as the beautiful heroine from humble beginnings while the male lead of Prince Charming goes to the CEO of the Pendragon Group, Arthur Pendragon. But like in all epic romances there are obstacles in the way, in this case the role is left to the classist prejudices of Uther Pendragon.’
Oh shit!
‘Merlin, are you alright?’ asked Gwen looking concerned.
‘I think I may have been the one to leak it to the press’ he stammered, one hand at his pounding temple.
‘You!’ Uther exclaimed.
‘It’s alright Merlin’ Arthur said quickly, ‘you have no right to be angry, he only told this reporter the truth’
‘How dare you! My reputation is on the line, the Board is convinced that you might attempt some type of coup and you think I have no right to be angry?’
‘You could just organise a press conference to straighten this whole thing out’ Gwen said calmly. Uther turned to her, the red in his face fading slightly.
‘Assuming of course that you are willing to accept our relationship both publically and privately’ Arthur added with a grin.
‘Of course’ Uther said bitterly.
‘And then we’ll happily tell the press that you’ve supported the relationship the whole way through.’
Gwen nodded in agreement.
‘So that’s my choice?’
‘Yep’ Arthur said, a half smile on his face, ‘it would have been nice for you to just be happy for us in the first place, but I guess that would have been asking too much’
‘Just give me some time to adjust’ Uther said, looking suddenly very tired, ‘and I’m sure I will have plenty of time in which to do so’ he said, directing this at Gwen.
She smiled gently back at him.
‘I guess I should be going’
‘Thanks Dad’ Arthur said in a low voice as his father turned to leave.
‘I’ll organise the press conference for Monday morning, that okay with you two?’
‘Great’ they said together.
Uther shut the door behind him.
When had his son grown up so fast? He had spent years telling Arthur to stop messing about, stop wasting his life on partying, to settle down, to mature and grow up. And in the month he had been away he had done just that and he was happier than Uther had ever known him. So why wasn’t he pleased? Because he hadn’t been around to see it, because Arthur’s growing up had had nothing to do with him, it had been because of the responsibility of the business and more particularly because of that girl.
‘Mr Pendragon?’ a voice said from the other end of the corridor. He turned around to face the way he had come. Gwen walked towards him.
‘We were wondering if you might want to come over for dinner on Friday night. Of course if you’re busy or you don’t want to that’s fine, we wouldn’t-’
‘Thank you Guinevere, I would very much like to’
‘Good’ she smiled widely, ‘and Morgana and Leon will be there too’
‘Leon?’
‘From accounting, you know, her boyfriend’
His expression told her quite clearly that he knew nothing about Morgana’s new boyfriend.
‘Sorry, I didn’t realise you didn’t know’ Gwen said quickly, her cheeks rather flushed.
‘When did this happen?’
‘While you were-’
‘Away’ he finished.
He turned to go.
‘See you on Friday’ she said as he pressed the button for the lift.
‘See you on Friday’ he said with a nod as the lift doors opened and he walked inside.
The doors slid shut.
That was the last time he ever went on holiday.
A/N: so yeah, that was the final installment of this fic. Sorry if the end was a total letdown, but i had a major case of writer's block on this, which, incidently is also my excuse for it being much later than normal. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read and commented, you guys have been great <3