Merlin fic! Merlin/Arthur rated NC-17

[silver_etoile]

Title: Like You (Only Sweeter)
Author: silver_etoile
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur, Arthur/Elena, past Gwaine/Arthur
Disclaimer: All characters belong to history and/or the scyfy network, and the TV show, Merlin.
Summary: Modern!AU. With Arthur’s impending marriage to Elena, and Uther breathing down his neck about the upcoming company merger, the stress seems insurmountable, but then Arthur meets Merlin, a children’s party magician who throws a wrench in all his plans. Torn between duty and desire, Arthur is left with a choice to make, but will it be the right one?

The intercom buzzed just as Arthur set aside the contract for the upcoming merger on top of the ever-growing pile on his desk. His coffee mug had already left a stain on the first paper but it was too late to worry about that.

Rubbing his face, he scrubbed at his tired eyes as Gwen’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“Your sister is on line one.”

“Half-sister,” he mumbled to himself before pressing the button and saying, “Thanks, Gwen.”

The little light on the phone blinked repeatedly until he bit back his groan and picked up the receiver.

“M-” he started to say, but she cut him off before he even had the chance.

“Don’t even think of skipping out on the party tomorrow,” Morgana snapped and Arthur squeezed the bridge of his nose, willing himself to have patience.

“You called me,” he reminded her, though that didn’t seem to make a difference, especially considering he had spent the whole last hour coming up with excuses to get out of his niece’s sixth birthday party. The prospect of spending hours with twenty sticky children wasn’t his exact idea of fun.

“Sophie Anne is expecting you,” Morgana replied as though he hadn’t said anything. Arthur highly doubted his niece expected anything from him other than a lavish gift which he had yet to buy. He honestly hardly had time to go shopping for children’s presents in addition to all the merger work and planning some ridiculous engagement party that Elena had in mind.

He was lucky if he had ten minutes to himself these days between Elena and his father.

“I’ll be there,” he assured her, although it was the last thing he wanted to do. He had thought, given that they no longer lived at home and hadn’t for several years, that he wouldn’t have to have anything to do with Morgana anymore. Somehow, though, she’d managed to stay in his life, only making things worse most of the time.

“Are you bringing Elena?”

“Yes.” Arthur tried not to sigh audibly, twisting the ring Elena insisted he wore despite the fact that they wouldn’t be married for months. His father fully approved of the gesture - not surprising since he had orchestrated the whole thing.

“Well, tell her to be on her best behavior.”

At least there was one thing he and Morgana agreed on, though he would never say it to her face.

Instead, he forced a pleasant smile onto his face despite that she couldn’t see him.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and hung up the phone before she could demand anything else.

With a puff of air, he sunk his head into his hands. He couldn’t even begin to think of the party, not when his desk was littered with pages about the merger and his father would poke his head in every five minutes to make sure he was doing everything right.

Leaving university and coming right into the Pendragon Corporation had been the logical step, the next step in his life so far paved out neatly for him by his father. It also meant he had no breaks from work and was saddled with most of the responsibility in the merger. Uther said it was meant to help him show his capability to the other employees, but Arthur suspected it was a test. Uther always liked to test him in one way or another, to show his loyalty to the company.

He was determined not to fail.

In a last-ditch attempt to feel more organized as the day waned outside his seventh story window, he swept the papers into a pile on the corner of his desk. He wiped the layer of dust off his computer screen and tossed the collection of pens back into the chipped mug. The calendar on the wall had the next day, Saturday, circled with Sophie Anne’s birthday written on it. Gwen must have written it down.

His back cracked as he stood up from his black rolling chair and rounded the desk to the door. His office, despite having a window, was small compared to his father’s, crammed with a desk and two chairs. His degrees hung on the wall but they never seemed to make him feel accomplished when he looked at them.

Swinging on his jacket, he left his office. Gwen’s desk was just outside, perfectly organized with a bright stack of post-it notes in the corner. The rest of the office was an accomplishment in beige, from the walls to the floor.

“Sir,” Gwen said the minute he stepped from the office, her dark, curly hair bouncing as she rose from her seat and pulled a bag out from under the desk. She held it out to him. “It’s a first-edition copy of the Velveteen Rabbit, for Sophie Anne.”

Sometimes even Arthur could be surprised as he peered into the bag. “You’re the best assistant, Gwen.”

She smiled. “I know.”

Turning, she resumed her seat, sweeping her flowery skirt underneath her and crossing her legs. Arthur buttoned his jacket, holding the bag between his teeth.

“Go home, Gwen,” he said as he got it on. “Someone should enjoy their weekend.”

Gwen’s sympathetic smile wasn’t unexpected as she shut down her computer. “I’m sure it won’t be that terrible. It’s only a few hours. And Elena will be with you.”

It was a credit to Gwen’s character that she actually found Elena pleasant, so much so that Arthur couldn’t bring himself to point out the obvious, but instead, he just nodded and smiled.

“Yes, Elena will be there,” he agreed.

Gwen pulled on her jacket and flipped her hair from under the collar. “You’ll be just fine,” she assured him, and Arthur desperately wanted it to be true, but he couldn’t say anything to the fact, so he merely smiled.

“Get out of here, Gwen,” he said instead. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Have a great weekend,” she said as she left, and Arthur took a few minutes to lock the office and trail her to the elevator, by which time she was long gone.

As he rode it down, his phone vibrated with a text in his pocket, probably from Elena. Instead of checking it, he clasped his hands together and hummed the theme song to Gilligan’s Island.

*

“We’re only going to stay half an hour maximum,” Arthur muttered to Elena as they stepped through the door into the large foyer, colourful balloons looking completely out of place in the stark white entrance way, like a small museum. Morgana kept a pristine house.

Elena didn’t seem to be listening, though, lighting up at the sight of the ribbons strung along the walls. This was going to be a long afternoon. He clasped her hand in his, though, to keep her from running off and becoming one of the children that he could already hear from the sitting room.

“Arthur, Elena.” Morgana appeared, impeccably dressed in a black lace gown that had to be entirely too revealing for a children’s party. Her long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders and she had a smile on her face as she approached them, air kissing Elena and barely embracing Arthur. Arthur handed over the gift Gwen had bought, and Morgana took it. “The rest of the guests are in the salon.”

“Do you think they’ll have cake?” Elena asked, pushing aside a blond curl and looking around eagerly.

Morgana’s house towered over them, a large manor just outside the city. There were horses in the back that Morgana never bothered to ride, and her husband was hardly ever home. Arthur thought Morgana preferred it that way.

As he led the way through the house to the salon in the back, Arthur reminded himself to be a polite guest. Even if he and Morgana had never quite seen eye to eye on many issues, especially on how Uther chose to run their lives, he could survive one afternoon. Morgana had revolted at a young age, moving out as soon as she could and keeping Uther on a tight leash afterwards.

Elena exclaimed giddily as they entered the room where the children and adult guests were gathered. Morgana never skipped out on an opportunity to throw a party, be it for a six year old or otherwise.

Sophie Anne was easily distinguishable from the other children with her jet black hair, just like her mother’s, and pale skin, and not least for the dress so sleek it could belong to an adult. No ruffles adorned it, no garish colours that might be present on any other child’s birthday dress. It was sophisticated, just like everything else in the house.

“Uncle Arthur!” she cried as she spotted him, darting over and pausing before holding out a tiny hand to shake his. What was Morgana teaching her? Arthur thought as he took her hand and smiled at her.

“Happy birthday,” he told her, watching the smile spread across her face, a tooth missing at the front.

“What did you bring me?”

“Now, now, Sophie Anne,” Morgana interrupted, entering in behind them, two glasses of wine in her hand, which she handed to Arthur and Elena. “It’s not polite to ask such questions.”

“Yes, Mum,” Sophie Anne replied immediately, clasping her hands behind her back, rocking slightly and smiling up at Arthur.

“Go play with your friends,” Morgana instructed her, and Sophie Anne turned without a word. Morgana turned to Arthur and Elena with the same smile that always seemed cold to Arthur. “She can be such a handful.”

Arthur wasn’t sure they were thinking about the same child as he watched Sophie Anne chatting to her friends. If he ever had kids, he would hope they were half as well-behaved as her.

The thought of kids made his stomach churn, though, and he forced himself to focus on what Elena was saying.

“…Wanted a spring wedding, but Arthur made a fuss about it being cliché, so we’ve moved it to October.”

“Yes, Arthur always did want to be unique.”

Again, Arthur didn’t like the way Morgana’s smile never met her eyes. He tried to remember when that had changed, but the exact moment escaped him.

“Where is Cenred?” Arthur asked abruptly, watching Morgana’s face for a change, but nothing flickered as she raised her glass to her lips.

“Business trip to France,” she replied. “Such a shame it had to fall this week.”

“Yes,” he murmured into his glass.

“You two enjoy yourselves,” Morgana said a moment later, glancing around the room. “Hors d’oeuvres are on the table. There will be a magician later.”

“Ooh,” Elena said excitedly, but Arthur gulped down a bit too much wine and coughed.

*

Arthur escaped to the kitchen somewhere between Elena spotting the build-your-own cupcake station and Morgana cornering him to talk about the merger and what Uther was planning with it.

There he found his old Uni football mate picking the olive out of his glass and sucking the alcohol off it.

“Last I heard, you were shacking up with Gwaine,” Percy said, picking his teeth with the toothpick and flicking it into the shiny trash bin by the door. “What happened? He even more narcissistic than you?”

Arthur frowned as he glanced up from where he’d been checking his reflection in a brass pan that hung on the wall of the immaculate kitchen. He swept his sandy blond hair away from his eyes, attempting dignity after Percy’s remark, but Percy just laughed.

“And now you’re engaged to that blond muppet out there. Does your dad just completely ignore that you like blokes?”

Arthur didn’t defend Elena being called a muppet, although it might have been a bit harsh. She had always reminded Arthur more of Goldilocks with her curls and excessive naivety. His mind turned instead to the conversation he’d had with Uther a few months back.

“Gwaine is simply not suitable for an heir to PenCo,” Uther said, tugging on his driving gloves and rummaging for his keys as Arthur stood obediently before him. “He’s irresponsible. He drinks. He’s a boor, Arthur.”

But he was pretty, Arthur thought before checking himself and focusing on his father moving around the office, getting ready to head to a meeting.

“Now, Elena, on the other hand-”

“Is a woman,” Arthur interrupted, barely flinching at the severe glare Uther shot him for interrupting.

“Is the daughter of Mr. Godwyn, and with the merger coming up, joining the two companies in marriage is the best way to show a united front to our competitors.”

“But we barely know each other,” Arthur pressed, hoping his father would somehow see how nonsensical this plan was.

“You’ll have years for that.” Uther grabbed his umbrella and smiled tightly at Arthur. “So it’s settled. We’ll plan for a spring wedding.”

Arthur sighed, eying Percy’s drink and wondering where he had found the hard liquor for it. He could use a good, strong drink.

“Uther does what he thinks is best,” Arthur replied finally.

Percy snorted but said nothing. A part of Arthur agreed with him, knowing that he would never be happy with Elena, but there wasn’t much he could do about it at this point. The wedding plans were already in motion and he was slated to take a series of what would surely be simpering engagement photos next week in Hyde park.

“There you are!” Elena bounced in, curls flying, and if Arthur hadn’t known better, he would have thought she was the older sister of one of the children. “The magician is here!”

She grabbed Arthur’s hand and tugged him away from Percy. Percy gave him a mock salute as he was yanked from the kitchen and back to the salon.

The children appeared to have doubled in number now and they were all gathered together in front of the hearth. Elena clapped her hands excitedly and Arthur bit back a groan. As a child, he’d had enough clowns and magic shows that they generally left him feeling completely unimpressed.

Morgana stepped in front of the children, one look silencing any excited babble. She cleared her throat and tossed back her hair.

“Remember to be polite,” she instructed them as though she was talking to a tour in a wine cellar. “And welcome Merlin the Magician.”

Merlin, Arthur thought with a chuckle as a man a few years younger than him stepped up in front of the children, a wide smile on his face, and something stirred deep inside Arthur. Merlin and Arthur. It had a nice ring to it.

No. He shook his head sharply, hand tightening over Elena’s.

That didn’t stop him from appreciating Merlin as Merlin began his show, pulling flowers out of thin air and handing them to Sophie Anne, who flushed bright red at his grin. Arthur could see why.

Merlin was beautiful, and not beautiful in the traditional sense that people tended to categorize Arthur as. He was a dark pretty, with dark dark brown hair and clear blue eyes that shone brighter as the children laughed at his tricks.

“Isn’t he good?” Elena whispered a few minutes later as Merlin pulled a white rabbit out of a hat.

“Yeah,” Arthur murmured, his eyes on Merlin’s hands, his long fingers, and wondering what else they could do.

He blinked a second later as he realized Merlin’s eyes were on him, but Merlin looked away.

“Now, I need a volunteer from the audience,” he said, casting around at the children all jumping with their hands in the air. “How about the birthday girl?” He pulled Sophie Anne up, and Arthur thought it might have been the first time he’d seen her shy with anyone as she tugged down the hem of her dress and twirled back and forth in place. “So you’ve been good this year, haven’t you?” he asked.

Sophie Anne glanced up first at her mother and then nodded at Merlin.

“Well, that’s good! Wouldn’t want a naughty birthday girl or else I might find some coal back here.” He reached behind her ear, pretending to be tugging something out. “Oh, I think it’s stuck. Come on, kids, I need some help.”

The kids cheered him on as he pulled and grunted, at last stumbling back with a five pound banknote in his hand.

“Look what I found! You must have been a really good girl!” He handed Sophie Anne the note and flashed her another winning smile. “Wait!” He caught her before she started to turn, grabbing something from behind her back. “You’ve got a treasure trove in there, Sophie Anne!”

Arthur watched the children’s eyes light up as Merlin came back with a handful of lollies and handed them out. He smiled to himself when Merlin finished and the children all clambered to talk to him.

“Alright,” Morgana interrupted finally, drawing them away from Merlin, who looked content to chat with them all day. “It’s time for the horseback rides.”

In a split second, the children abandoned Merlin and made a beeline for the door. Elena was right along with them but Arthur hung back, watching Merlin begin to pack up his things.

“That was a quite an interesting show,” he said finally, and Merlin glanced up from where he was bent over his bag. It took a great deal of self-control not to stare at Merlin’s ass, but Arthur managed it. The press of Elena’s hand was still warm in his palm, and he clenched his fingers against it.

“Oh, thanks.” Merlin’s face lit up with another wide grin. That same feeling stirred in Arthur’s chest but he pushed it away. “Did you want a lolly too?”

Arthur smiled despite himself, crossing his arms over his chest. “No, thank you.”

“Suit yourself.” Merlin grabbed one out of his bag, and inside, Arthur could see that the sack was filled entirely with lollipops. Merlin unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth. “So you’re a parent?”

“No,” Arthur said quickly, shaking his head. “No, I’m Sophie Anne’s uncle.”

“Well, she’s a great kid.”

Arthur didn’t bother agreeing. “Is this your day job?”

Merlin paused, a small smile curling the corner of his mouth as he inspected Arthur, taking in the impeccable suit he had chosen for the occasion since anything less would have been frowned upon by Morgana. Arthur knew what he was thinking - the same thing Gwaine had said when they broke up - that he was a posh stuck-up ass like his father.

“Just doing it to get me through my postgrad,” Merlin replied finally, sucking on the lolly, and Arthur thought that he really shouldn’t do that. “And I like the kids.”

“Oh yeah, kids are great.”

Merlin must have heard the hesitation in Arthur’s voice because he laughed.

“You don’t have to like them. That’s my job.”

Arthur smiled back but immediately wondered what he was doing. Here he was flirting with Merlin when Elena was just outside. Just once he didn’t want to have to think of his responsibilities, especially not when Merlin popped the lolly out of his mouth, lips red and shiny, and ran his tongue over them.

He had to get a grip.

“It was good to meet you,” he said abruptly, clearly surprising Merlin, whose eyebrows furrowed slightly. “I should get back to the…” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely towards the back lawn.

“Yeah,” Merlin agreed, though, with an easy smile. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show.”

“Yes, thank you,” Arthur said jerkily. He turned from Merlin and passed Morgana at the door. She leaned against the frame and merely smiled at him as he passed, the warmth never quite reaching her eyes.

*

The Pendragon Corporation had been around for over a hundred years, as Uther liked to tell Arthur quite frequently. They were the number one security system company in the whole of Britain. They provided everything from simple security cameras to high-tech systems in every crevice of the house. The upcoming merger with Godwyn meant adding in new technologies to heighten their levels of service.

They had a reputation to uphold and Arthur, as he was due to inherit the business once Uther retired (if that ever happened. Arthur was beginning to doubt he would ever let go), was responsible for it.

It was that thought that ran through his head as he sat alongside Uther in the conference room, listening to Leon’s talk about yearly sales goals and customer satisfaction.

The notepad in front of him, the one supposed to be filled with notes and questions, was half-full of doodles of a faceless man alongside drawings of concentric circles that Gwen had told Arthur were supposed to help release stress. He had scoffed at the idea but his paper was now covered with them and he barely realized he was doing it until Uther leaned over and muttered in his ear.

“I didn’t send you to Oxford so you could doodle during briefings.”

“Sorry, Father.” Arthur set down the pen, forcing himself to focus on Leon, but his mind kept wandering.

He thought of Elena, Elena’s father, and the look Uther had given him when he had balked at the idea of marrying her. He had tried to argue that he was too young to marry, but at twenty-six, he had to admit that even that wasn’t the best excuse he could have come up with. Uther had dismissed the real reason - that he had almost no interest in women, especially one like Elena, who, despite her friendly nature and general disposition, had to be missing a few screws and who got excited at the idea of cake.

At the party, Elena had spent most of the time chatting to the children rather than the adults. Not that that was completely unacceptable, but Arthur had thought that if he was going to be forced to be married, his father could have at least chosen someone with more ambition than going to Corsica on their honeymoon.

“Do you agree, Arthur?”

Arthur blinked as all the eyes at the table swiveled to him and Uther in particular waited for his response.

“Er,” he said, casting a glance around the table, and at the other end, Owain nodded imperceptibly. “Yes, I agree.”

“Good,” Uther said, clapping his shoulder. “I’ll call Godwyn with the details.”

Chairs scraped as everyone rose, and Arthur caught Leon’s arm as he passed. “What did I just agree to?”

Leon frowned, confused. “The official announcement of the merger and your and Elena’s marriage tomorrow. The date’s been set for October sixth.”

Arthur felt a swoop in his stomach but he nodded calmly and released Leon’s arm. “Of course. I’m just going to nip back to my office before lunch.”

“Sure,” Leon agreed, and Arthur took a second to reconcile himself before leaving the empty conference room. The Pendragon offices took up the whole of the seventh floor. From his office, Arthur could just see the tip top of the London Bridge. The carpet in all the conference rooms was red with golden chairs and the dragon emblem hand-stitched onto every one. Uther spared no expense when it came to appearances.

Down the hall lined with photos of predecessors, Arthur headed to his office, stepping around the doorframe to where Gwen’s desk sat outside his door.

“Oh,” Gwen said, halfway up from her chair as he entered. “I was just about to go on lunch unless you need me to stay.”

“No, no,” Arthur said, secretly grateful that he might have a moment alone. He paused, watching Gwen glance at the clock anxiously. “Going to lunch with Lance?”

A blush coloured Gwen’s cheeks at the mention of her boyfriend, and Arthur still found it quaint after all these months that she blushed at the mere mention of him. He never felt that way about Elena. Any mention of her made him want to pinch the bridge of his nose and hold back a sigh.

“Yes, Lance is coming with a friend.” She seemed to force back the flush as she reached for a pile of letters on her desk. “The post came.”

Spam mail, Arthur thought as he filtered through the envelopes.

“Jesus, Gwen,” came a voice from the door behind Arthur, “you didn’t say you worked at the poshest building in London. I bet the door handles are made of gold.”

“Hello, Merlin,” Gwen replied, completely ignoring his commentary, and Arthur’s head snapped up, eyes locked on the man standing in the doorway to his office.

Merlin looked the same as he remembered, though it had only been a few days since he’d seen him. He saw the flicker of recognition in Merlin’s eyes.

“Where’s Lance?”

Merlin waved off down the hall. “He’s holding open the elevator for some people.”

Gwen sighed fondly. “I’ll go find him.”

She left without bothering to introduce Arthur, not that he needed it. Merlin watched her down the hall, craning his neck until she had to be gone. Turning back, he smiled at Arthur, who hadn’t moved, fingers clenched over the letters in his hand.

“Arthur,” Merlin said, and a shiver ran down Arthur’s back at the way it rolled off his tongue. “Arthur Pendragon. Heir to the Pendragon Corporation throne.”

Arthur forced himself to throw the letters on the desk as if he wasn’t actually restraining himself from checking Merlin out from head to toe and inviting him out for a drink.

“When you say it like that, I sound like an ass.”

“Nah, just a prat.” Merlin’s grin widened.

“You didn’t seem to think I was a prat the other day.”

Merlin shrugged. “Didn’t know who you were then. I just thought you were another of those estate-owning clot poles with stables and giant libraries.”

“Is that any better?” Arthur wrinkled his nose at the thought. It wasn’t exactly uncommon for people to assume he was a rich asshole. “I’ll have you know that my flat is quite simple. No stables or libraries.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Maybe I’ll just have to show you some time,” Arthur said without thinking. It came so naturally, and with Merlin, he couldn’t seem to help himself.

Merlin licked his lips slowly, eyes crinkled from his smile, and Arthur got the feeling he didn’t mind being hit on so blatantly at all, or else he found Arthur amusing.

“Merlin!” Gwen’s voice came down the hall. “Are you coming?”

“Be right there!” Merlin called back, eyes never leaving Arthur, even as Arthur stuck out a hand automatically.

Merlin took it after a second, shaking it firmly.

“It was good to see you again,” Arthur said, switching abruptly back into business mode, which seemed always to be his default setting, even around gorgeous guys with crystal clear blue eyes.

“Yeah,” Merlin agreed, his fingers trailing against Arthur’s palm a few seconds too long before he pulled his hand away. “You too.”

As he left, Arthur dropped his hand, clenching a fist over the tingling on his palm. Shaking his head, he forced himself to turn and leave thoughts of Merlin and his smile behind.

*

Arthur’s flat was, in fact, quite modest, at least compared to the home he had grown up in.

Opening the door, he stepped inside and tossed his keys onto the knee-height table that he always managed to trip over after a night out. The door swung shut behind him and he pulled off his jacket, glad to sink into the sofa and push aside a layer of pillows that he hadn’t picked out.

He had picked out the flat - after his father’s approval, and it had been Uther who hired an interior decorator for the place, saying that there was no way his son would live in a squalid flat. The living area had too much furniture, too much furniture that he wasn’t supposed to sit on or use except for it to look nice. Mostly, he just used the sofa and watched the telly when he had enough time to sit down and relax.

Sinking down, he sighed loudly into the empty flat, glad to be alone. It wasn’t often that he got time to himself. Lately, Uther had been breathing down his neck over every single detail relating to the merger and the impending wedding. The thought had him reaching into his pocket and turning off his mobile. He just needed some time alone.

Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the couch and tried to clear his mind. Morgana said it helped relieve stress, but he suspected she only did it to manipulate Cenred into doing her bidding.

He didn’t want to think of Morgana, though, and he tried to focus on something else. The wedding planning had begun, and as much as he didn’t want to be involved, he got the feeling that wouldn’t be the case. A wedding planner had been hired, though Arthur doubted Elena had been involved in that decision. She was more concerned with if she’d be able to sleep in on her wedding day.

If only those were Arthur’s only concerns.

Elena’s face morphed as he sat there with his eyes closed, letting the warmth from the radiator wash over him. For spring, it was still relatively chilly out most days, but flowers and trees had started to bud, turning the grey city into something softer.

The pastels melted into the bright colours of the balloons at Sophie Anne’s birthday party. Pinks and greens and blues. The blue was almost the same colour as Merlin’s eyes, Arthur thought vaguely, Merlin’s face swimming before his closed eyes.

Merlin wasn’t exactly his usual type - a bit too bony, a bit too sarcastic, a bit too bookish. There was something about him, though, about the way his smile filled his whole face, like he was always stopping himself from making fun of Arthur.

Unconsciously, Arthur spun the golden band on his finger as he smiled at the thought of Merlin, the press of his hand earlier. Arthur was seized by a sudden urge to call up Gwen and ask for Merlin’s phone number. He wanted to know what it would feel like to get off Merlin’s old, brown leather jacket and get to the skin underneath. It had been months since he’d had any more contact with a person other than hand-holding. He doubted very much whether Elena had ever been with anyone and he dreaded the thought of the wedding night.

A night with Merlin, he bet, would be much more interesting.

His fingers stopped twisting the ring and he opened his eyes, staring down at it.

He couldn’t ask Gwen for Merlin’s phone number. He was engaged. The official announcement would be made tomorrow, whether he wished it or not. And besides, even if he wasn’t, he couldn’t ask Gwen to do that. He certainly couldn’t ask Morgana either, though he was sure she would be all too happy to provide it for him.

“All for your happiness,” she would say, but the feeling of dread would settle in Arthur’s stomach as she said it.

Rubbing his face, he took a deep breath. It would be better to forget about Merlin all together. His father certainly wouldn’t approve.

He twisted the ring one more time before dropping his hands and pushing himself off the couch to call in some take-out.

*

Arthur stared down at the speech in front of him, typed words blurring together, but he raised his gaze to the circle of press people holding out microphones, cameras flashing to his left and right. Uther stood off to the side of the platform, hands clasped in front of him and giving Arthur the look that meant he better not mess up. Elena stood beside him, fiddling with a ribbon on her dress and dropping up and down on her heels.

Arthur cleared his throat and glanced at the speech again. He hadn’t written it, and he didn’t know who had.

“I’m pleased to announce,” he said, the words sticking in his throat, and Elena twirled the ribbon around her finger. “That the Godwyn offices will be joining with Pendragon Corporation to further improve and strengthen the company. In addition, I’d like to take this opportunity to announce some special news. Elena and I will be getting married in October. We’re very excited.”

He wasn’t sure his tone reflected it, but Uther nodded slightly as the cameras flashed and reporters clambered to ask questions. Luckily, Uther stepped up to the podium and took over.

Arthur wasn’t listening to what Uther said, too busy concentrating on the smile on his face, keeping it from slipping into a grimace.

He only felt relief when the reporters were herded out and he could kiss Elena on the cheek as she and her father left. Sometimes he didn’t understand all the pomp and circumstance, but the Pendragons were a very old family and that meant traditions needed to be upheld.

Back in his office, he took his chair and held back his groan at the pile of papers covering his desk. At this rate, he would have grey hairs by the time he was thirty.

“Gwen,” he said, pressing the intercom button. “Can you bring me a double cappuccino?”

It was only a few minutes before Gwen stepped inside, carrying a mug of something steaming.

“Tea,” she said, setting it on the desk. “To calm your nerves. And because you’re not a jumped-up American businessman.”

Arthur would have protested, but the relaxing scent of tea wafted up from the mug and less caffeine would probably do him good.

He pulled the cup to his lips, blowing the steam off the top. Gwen turned to leave.

“Gwen,” Arthur said before she could slip out the door. “How was your lunch yesterday?”

“Oh.” Gwen’s ears went pink, and he knew it had to be because of Lance. They were so in love it was almost nauseating. “It was fine, thank you.”

“Your friend,” Arthur went on, watching the flush recede as Gwen got herself back under control.

“Merlin?”

“He’s a bit strange.”

To his surprise, Gwen laughed. “He’d take that as a compliment, I think.”

Arthur wasn’t sure how to take that. “How do you know him exactly?”

“I’ve known him since year three. His mum and my dad were good friends.”

Arthur nodded. “He mentioned something about postgrad.”

He didn’t know why he was fishing for information, but a little part ached to know more about Merlin, and a treasure trove of information was sitting under his nose.

“Yes, he’s studying for his Doctorate at King’s College. He’s just mad about medieval history. Could never work out why.”

“Medieval history?” Arthur asked skeptically. “What exactly…”

Gwen shrugged. “Perhaps he wants to work for the British Museum or else be one of those old professors on documentaries. He never seems to settle.”

Arthur hummed to himself, taking a sip of his tea.

“Is that all, sir?” she asked after a moment, and Arthur nodded quickly.

“Yes, sorry, you can get back to your work.”

Gwen flashed him a smile and left. As the door closed, Arthur leaned back in his chair. He had told himself to forget about Merlin, but he just couldn’t, not when the only interesting thing in his life was what colour the flowers should be for the wedding.

Merlin was far more interesting and far more attractive than flowers.

He had lunch with Elena in a few hours, though, so no more contemplating what it would be like to get Merlin alone. Instead, he pushed his chair up to the desk and finally got to work.

*

Over the tall, brown buildings, the London Eye rose on the riverbank in the distance. Students hefting large bags trudged past, not taking notice of Arthur standing in the middle of the pathway.

He had never been to King’s College, not directly anyway. He had probably passed it hundreds of times over the years but had never stopped to take it in.

The main building looked like many of the buildings in London, made of brown stones and with a stone courtyard in front, fountains shooting up from the ground. Glancing around, Arthur wasn’t even really sure what he was doing there. He wasn’t sure what he was doing except that instead of going straight home from the office, he had taken a detour and found himself in the middle of a courtyard.

He walked along the fountains until he found himself in a leafy, grassy area where benches sat underneath trees. For once, the sun was out, though it was sinking along the horizon in the west.

Merlin probably wouldn’t even be there, Arthur told himself firmly, wishing his legs would listen and turn away from the college instead of keeping his path alongside the trees, eyes scanning the area. He should just go home right now, turn on the telly, and eat the leftover take away. He had work to do anyway.

Even that didn’t prevent Arthur from turning into another lane.

At the flash of a familiar dark head of hair, Arthur’s heart tripped over a beat as his gaze swiveled around to a man sitting on a bench with his back to Arthur. His head was bent down towards his lap, book bag slumped on the ground at his feet.

Arthur didn’t think twice before crossing the grass and coming up behind Merlin. As he got closer, he could see Merlin had a foot propped up and a book the size of a tome open in his lap. A light breeze ruffled his hair, and Arthur smiled at the way his ears stuck out.

“Anglos, Saxons, and Jutes, oh my,” Arthur said, watching Merlin jump a few inches off the bench in surprise.

Merlin swiveled to look up at him, confusion flitting across his face for a second before his eyebrows furrowed and he closed his book slowly.

“Are you stalking me?”

“I could ask you the same,” Arthur replied, moving to the front of the bench. Merlin’s eyes never left him, and Arthur could swear the smile was back at the corner of his mouth.

“Well, I was here first,” Merlin pointed out, grabbing his sack and shoving his book into it.

“Let’s just call it even.”

Merlin really smiled this time, nodding for Arthur to sit down, but Arthur hesitated.

“Fancy getting a drink?” he asked before he could stop himself, before business-mode took over again and he shook Merlin’s hand.

Merlin seemed to think about it for a second, but then he jerked his shoulders. “Sure.”

He rose from the bench and together they headed away from the college and into town.

“I know a place nearby,” Merlin said as they walked. “All the Uni kids go there.”

“Uni kids?” Arthur asked doubtfully. He wasn’t exactly university age anymore, and he would probably stick out like a sore thumb.

“You don’t look that old,” Merlin said playfully, knocking his elbow as they walked.

“Thank you. I appreciate it,” Arthur deadpanned. “How old are you anyway?”

“Twenty-five.”

“And you’re still in postgrad?”

Merlin shrugged, turning the corner. “What can I say? I love the smell of books. Oh, it’s right up here.”

Merlin led the way to a crumbling corner pub, the windows darkened and the door creaky on its hinges as Arthur pulled it open and let Merlin in first.

Inside, it wasn’t much cleaner, with heavy wooden tables stuffed against the walls and a long counter on the back wall. It was still early, so that meant fewer people.

As they ordered pints and took a table in the back corner, Merlin dropped his sack on the floor and shoved it under his chair.

“Just so you know, I’m kind of a lightweight.”

Arthur eyed Merlin’s tall but thin frame, taking a moment to appreciate the curve of his collar bone under the thin tee shirt he wore, revealed when he pulled off his jacket.

“Kind of figured.”

“Sod off,” Merlin said, but he smiled anyway and grabbed his drink, turning the handle to face him. “So why are you stalking me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Arthur replied, grabbing his mug and raising it to his lips. “I was simply taking a stroll.”

“Where I happen to study?”

“You were there, yes.”

“Hmm,” Merlin commented thoughtfully, clasping his fingers around his mug. “And what would your wife think of this?”

“Wife?”

Merlin reached over, touching the ring on Arthur’s hand, and Arthur pulled it away almost immediately. Merlin said nothing, arching knowing eyebrows at him.

“No,” he said quickly. “No, I’m not married…yet. I’m engaged. It’s an arranged thing-marriage.”

“Right,” Merlin replied, “and how does your fiancé feel about you chatting up blokes?”

Guilt pinched his stomach and Arthur took a gulp of his drink. Merlin merely watched him and waited for the answer.

“I don’t know if she knows, but if she does, she ignores it, like my father.”

“When’s the wedding?”

Arthur ran a hand through his hair, his good mood waning. Of all the things he wanted to discuss with Merlin, Elena was not one of them.

“October.”

Merlin nodded, more to himself than anything. “So do you want to get married?”

Arthur almost smiled at the naivety of the question. “That doesn’t matter. I’m getting married whether I want to or not. It’s my responsibility to uphold the family honor and carry on the Pendragon legacy.”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

“It can be. That’s why it’s nice to forget about it sometimes.” He took another gulp.

Merlin finally took a drink, licking his lips afterward, and Arthur wished they hadn’t gotten onto the subject of Elena and his father. There were so many better things they could discuss, or they didn’t even have to speak at all.

“Is she the only one you can marry?”

“According to my father.” Arthur sighed. “Not that I’ve ever been with anyone I thought I would marry either, but I had hoped I would get a say. The last bloke I was with was certainly nothing my father approved of.”

“Do you even like girls?” Merlin asked, a curious smile back on his face.

“They’re nice to talk to sometimes.”

Merlin laughed, much to Arthur’s surprise, and he was glad to see the crinkle back in his eyes. Merlin should never look serious, he decided.

“Have you told your father that?”

“He can be stubborn,” Arthur said, twisting the mug in his hands. “He just wants what’s best.”

“For you or the company?”

Arthur hesitated. He needed to drink more. “The lines aren’t always clear.”

Merlin nodded and took a sip. “True. And sometimes things just get more complicated even when you don’t mean them to.”

Arthur glanced up, gazing at Merlin across the table. Merlin didn’t look upset, and he bit his lower lip as he met Arthur’s gaze.

Arthur was fucked.

*

Arthur was enough of a gentleman that he managed to shut the flat door behind Merlin before crowding him up against it. All he wanted was to get Merlin’s jacket off and get his collarbones under his mouth.

Merlin didn’t protest at all as his back hit the door, the handle jutting into his back, and Arthur felt him shift away from it.

“You’re engaged,” Merlin said as Arthur shucked off his jacket and tossed it over a chair behind him.

“To a woman I hardly know,” Arthur replied, covering Merlin’s mouth with his own to stop any more logical reasons why they shouldn’t do this. To his relief, Merlin melted into him, hands sliding up to Arthur’s shoulders as Arthur’s own hands continued their exploration of Merlin’s body, grazing over his hips and under the edge of his old shirt.

Merlin’s body was lithe under his hands, long and lean, inclining into his touch as Arthur got lost in the feel of the body beneath him.

Angling his body forward, Arthur spread Merlin’s legs, body pressing his against the door as their mouths slid together, tongues chasing each other. He could feel every breath Merlin took, the increasing thud of his heartbeat against his, how Merlin’s lower lip dragged against his.

Arthur’s hand slid up Merlin’s stomach, catching the hitch in his breath as he rubbed his thumb over a nipple beneath the shirt.

“Uh, Arthur,” Merlin breathed into the kiss, and Arthur felt that in the twitch in his dick, a longing washing over him to just get Merlin naked already so he could lavish attention to his bare skin.

He pulled Merlin away from the door, flush against his body, and a thrill ran through his stomach as Merlin twined his arms around his neck and kissed him hard.

It had been months since he’d been with anyone and he hadn’t realized how much he missed it, how much he missed the press of a warm, hard body against his, hands sliding into his hair, teeth sinking into his lower lip as he tugged Merlin past the sitting area towards the bedroom.

They missed the doorway and hit the wall, but Arthur couldn’t bring himself to care as Merlin groaned against his mouth, hands scrabbling at the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and off. Arthur pulled back from the kiss to let it pass over his head, and when Merlin tossed it away, he caught Merlin staring at his chest, a hungry spark in his eye this time.

Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to Merlin’s jaw, lips brushing against stubble starting to sprout. He felt more than heard Merlin’s exhale in his ear. Merlin’s fingers barely clung to his belt, scraping against his stomach, almost as if he couldn’t concentrate on his grip while Arthur’s mouth moved down his jaw, licking and sucking the skin until he reached the spot behind his ear.

Merlin’s knees almost gave out when Arthur latched onto the soft patch of skin, but Arthur grabbed him by the waist and hauled him upright, squaring his shoulders against the wall. Merlin had to weigh a good few stones less than him, and his body moved easily with Arthur.

“Christ,” Merlin breathed, shifting under Arthur and pushing his hips against him.

Arthur still had on slacks from the office, and he could feel the rough slide of Merlin’s jeans against his cock. It hardened rapidly with each thrust from Merlin, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the friction and the heat filling him.

Arthur didn’t reply - he’d never been a big talker in bed, and even as he kissed Merlin again, tongue dipping into his mouth and tracing the roof of his mouth, a flicker of unease crept in. The tiny twist of guilt in his stomach hadn’t gone away, but he didn’t want to stop now, not now that he had Merlin whining underneath him, hands running over his chest as they kissed, barely pausing for breath.

“You need fewer clothes on,” Arthur murmured finally, reaching for Merlin’s shirt and pulling it up.

Merlin smiled in response, licking his reddened lips and letting Arthur strip the shirt off.

Merlin was just as thin as Arthur had suspected, not at all like most men Arthur had been with. Gwaine had been thin, but he’d still been fit and strong. Arthur doubted Merlin could even lift his book bag.

Still, there was something beautiful about him, and not just in the way he smiled at Arthur and reached out to brush his hair aside.

Pushing aside the strange twinge deep in his gut, Arthur slid his hands over Merlin’s hips as he moved in to suck on his collar bone, the thing he’d been coveting since Merlin had taken off his jacket in the pub. It was the first time he’d gotten Merlin down to only one layer of clothing, and really, only two articles remained if they ever got through the bedroom door.

He heard the clunk of Merlin’s head as it hit the wall, the breathy exhale, and then Merlin’s hands were in his hair, dragging him up to his mouth. Merlin was a fantastic kisser, Arthur decided, nipping at his bottom lip and crowding him into the wall.

Arthur wasn’t thinking about Elena or the merger or his father. He thought only of getting Merlin out of his trousers and naked underneath him.

His hands fumbled with Merlin’s belt, distracted by the curl of Merlin’s tongue in his mouth.

“Ah!” Merlin broke the kiss, glancing down as Arthur got the belt apart and reached for the zipper. “Arthur.”

The word came out breathily, and Arthur nearly groaned in response, heat rising on his skin the closer he got to finding his release, to finally being with someone other than his hand. His breathing came shorter, faster, and he glanced up at Merlin, meeting his eyes and pausing.

“Do you want to stop?” he asked, mouth brushing over Merlin’s neck as he breathed in Merlin’s scent, heady and heavy, mixed with sweat and anticipation. He could swear Merlin shivered beneath him as he dragged his hand along the outline of his cock, pressed against his trousers.

“No,” Merlin replied, hardly a whisper.

That was all the confirmation Arthur needed, and he dragged Merlin away from the wall, walking him backwards into the bedroom until the back of Merlin’s knees hit the bed and he fell backwards.

No time was wasted now as Arthur yanked off Merlin’s jeans, leaving him only in his underpants. It almost didn’t surprise Arthur that the pants were red polka-dotted.

He didn’t take the time to poke fun at Merlin, though, much too interested in what was underneath, and when he finally glanced up, it was to meet Merlin’s amused smirk.

“Oh, shut up,” Arthur said without thinking, kicking off his own trousers and settling over Merlin instead, his considerably-heavier weight sinking into him.

Merlin only continued to smirk, and Arthur had the uncontrollable urge to wipe it off his face.

He really only knew one sure-fire way, and instead of telling Merlin to shove off, he dropped to Merlin’s chest, lavishing attention with his tongue along his collar bone first, sucking until he pulled away to reveal a blossoming red flower along the bone. Sliding down, he circled around a nipple, listening to the hitch in Merlin’s breath.

Merlin’s body melted beneath him, his hands curling into the luxurious cover on the bed. Arthur had never particularly liked the dark blue of the cover, but against Merlin’s skin, he gained a new appreciation for it, especially the way it crinkled in Merlin’s grip.

The nipple hardened under his tongue, red and hot as he sucked on the skin.

The heat that started in his stomach spread out further, his cock hardening as he moved further down, his fingers hooking underneath the waistband to Merlin’s polka-dotted underpants. He was so close, and Merlin wasn’t stopping him. Merlin wanted this as much as he did.

He pulled the pants down slowly, revealing more and more until Merlin lay completely naked beneath him, exposed to him. Merlin didn’t seem embarrassed at all, and nudged Arthur when he paused a moment too long.

“Are you just gonna stare at it?”

“Prat,” Arthur muttered, and Merlin’s smirk returned.

The thing was that Arthur was usually on the receiving end of these, and the prospect of taking Merlin into his mouth made his heart beat a little faster than normal, made his hands shake more than they should.

He wasn’t nervous. He was just out of practice, but that would never stop a Pendragon from doing something, and Arthur was nothing if not persistent.

Besides, he had Merlin at his mercy, and if he wanted, he could make this last all night. The thought sent a shiver of desire through him and he wasted no more time contemplating his own actions, pushing Merlin’s thighs open and licking the head of his prick.

Merlin let out a soft groan above him, and Arthur pushed further.

Merlin’s cock was hard and heavy as he slid his hand up the length and rolled it between his palms, feeling the weight, the hot skin as he rolled his tongue over the tip and sucked.

Merlin’s response came almost immediately - a sharp breath and a twitch. Arthur’s hand tightened over the base of the prick, holding him still from pushing into his mouth as he slid in deeper.

Having a cock in his mouth wasn’t a new thing, but it had certainly been a while since he’d been here. He wondered what it would feel like with Merlin going down on him, his smirk stretching over his shiny cock, choking him until he came.

Arthur reached down, palming himself and trying to adjust against the bed.

Merlin was making noise, too much noise, but it didn’t matter. Arthur didn’t care, and each hum and whine shot through him like lightening.

His hands pressed Merlin’s hips to the bed as he slid his hand away, moving in deeper, licking over Merlin’s prick and listening to the choked exhale he got in response. Merlin couldn’t be too far away, and his cock only seemed to harden as Arthur sucked, moving in and out.

Squeezing his own prick, he moved faster, his jaw starting to tire. Pulling back, he ignored Merlin’s confused and disoriented noise and licked his reddened lips, taking the opportunity to admire the man beneath him.

Merlin’s eyes fluttered open, half-lidded, eyelashes brushing against his cheeks as he stared down at Arthur.

Arthur’s mobile chose that moment to ring shrilly, filling the room, silent apart from heavy breathing, and all Arthur wanted to do was run his hands all over Merlin’s body and suck on every part of his skin until Merlin was a blubbering mess with no trace of a smirk on his face.

For a second, time seemed suspended as the mobile rang and Arthur swallowed. It was somewhere on the floor, in his slacks’ pocket.

“You going to answer that?”

Arthur knew he should. It was probably something important, something he would regret not answering later, but with Merlin right there and the blood thudding in his cock, the heat rising on his skin, he couldn’t bring himself to turn away.

“No,” he replied, grabbing a pillow from the bed and tossing it down. The sound muffled and the ringer stopped a few seconds later.

Crawling up, he smoothed his hands up Merlin’s chest, sliding to cradle his jaw and pull him into a long, drawn-out kiss that Merlin followed through, chasing Arthur’s tongue as their lips slipped together.

Arthur broke the kiss abruptly, rolling Merlin over onto his stomach and pressing a kiss to the top of his spine before stretching over to the nightstand. Inside, he grabbed out the box of rubbers, barely used since he’d bought it. He shook one out and tore it open.

Merlin didn’t speak as he prepared himself, grabbing out the lube and coating his fingers with it. Merlin only moved when Arthur slid a hand under his hips, guiding him onto his knees. His cock twitched at the sight of Merlin’s ass in the air, waiting for him, ready to be taken.

He ignored the nagging feeling the phone had left and stroked a slick finger down Merlin’s hip, moving around to his entrance.

There was resistance with the first finger, but Merlin didn’t protest. He couldn’t see Merlin’s face, but he guessed from the way his head was bowed towards the bed that he had his eyes shut. His breathing was measured, stuttering at the second finger Arthur slid into the tight muscles.

He didn’t want to waste time, though, and Arthur didn’t let Merlin adjust too much before removing the fingers and repositioning him. Merlin’s knees sunk into the covers, and Arthur kept a grip on his hips as he pressed his cock inside.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he let out a long breath as he sunk into the hot, tight muscles of Merlin’s ass. It had been so long, so long since he’d been able to be with someone like this. What made it even better was when he opened his eyes to Merlin’s dark hair, his ears poking out adorably, and the way the muscles in his back moved when he stretched against him.

Biting down on his lip, he started to move, building up a slow, burning rhythm that rocked the headboard and ripped through him with each thrust, each push inside Merlin.

Merlin’s fingers dug into the slippery silk of the bedcover, and Arthur heard his muffled moan, hidden in the pillow. The muscles tightened and Arthur heard himself curse.

It wouldn’t be long, and he didn’t want to postpone the release any longer than he had to. He wanted to do this every day, with Merlin gasping beneath him, a pretty pink flush on the tops of his shoulders and probably along his cheeks too if he could see.
“Christ,” Merlin muttered, hand reaching back to grip Arthur’s thigh, pulling him in harder, faster.

Arthur couldn’t hold on, couldn’t keep the control he always held in every situation, and he heard himself curse a second time, louder this time, as he let go and came, hips still moving against Merlin.

Heat washed over him, covering his whole body as his release took him, arms shaking as he forced himself to let go of Merlin’s hips, slumping over his back for a second as he tried to gather himself.

He barely registered Merlin dragging his hand over his stomach and down to his prick that was still hard as a rock.

“Finish what you started,” Merlin said over his shoulder as Arthur struggled to stay upright, plastered to Merlin’s back. He would probably squish him if he didn’t stay up.

He let Merlin guide his hand, running along Merlin’s prick and stroking him until Merlin twitched and Arthur felt wet come on his fingers. Normally, he would have immediately grabbed a towel, but instead, Arthur only felt the comfortable after-glow tugging on him as he slipped down onto the bed finally with a sigh.

Merlin scooted away from the wet spot on the bed, turning around to face Arthur. Arthur rubbed at his forehead tiredly, wanting only to fall asleep and not deal with any of the consequences this would surely bring.

He opened his eyes at Merlin’s hand brushing his hair back again.

“You’re not going to pull a quid from behind my ear, are you?”

“I don’t think you need the money,” Merlin replied, flicking his ear instead and propping himself up on his elbow.

Reluctantly, Arthur pushed himself into a sitting position. His mobile buzzed with a new voicemail on the floor.

He shouldn’t have done it, he thought, scanning down Merlin’s body beside him. He should have just left well enough alone. It was too late now, though.

He didn’t want to think about his mistake, though. He would rather concentrate on how good Merlin looked with his hair mussed, the dull flush receding from his cheeks, the shine still in his eyes as he smiled at Arthur, like Arthur hadn’t done anything wrong.

“I could probably pull flowers out of somewhere if you wanted me to,” Merlin said, and Arthur groaned, unable to stop himself as he pulled Merlin’s mouth to his. He wanted to taste him again, one last time before he had to stop this.

“Why are you a magician?” Arthur murmured against his mouth. He had to savor this moment before he ruined it all, but he’d already ruined something, he knew that.

“Because my name is Merlin.”

Arthur could feel Merlin’s grin against his lips.

“And because medieval history doesn’t leave much room for pocket money.”

Arthur kissed him again, just because he could, reveling in the way Merlin leaned into it, didn’t protest or pull away. He had to stop, though, as much as the thought wasn’t appealing.

Pulling away, he shook himself. He had to get a hold of himself.

“What?” Merlin asked when Arthur looked away from him and slid off the bed. “What’s wrong?”

Arthur grabbed his trousers and pulled them back on, uncovering his phone and glancing at the screen and Uther’s number flashing under the missed calls.

“I’m sorry, Merlin,” Arthur said finally, tucking the phone away. “I shouldn’t have-I’m, I’m engaged.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Arthur tossed Merlin’s jeans over to him on the bed. “Even if Elena was a terrible person, I still shouldn’t disrespect her like this.”

Merlin’s expression changed slowly, from confusion to understanding, and he nodded once. “Oh.”

“It’s not that I don’t like you,” Arthur hurried to say, his stomach twisting with guilt at the quiet acceptance on Merlin’s face. “It’s just, she deserves better than that and so do you.”

“I understand,” Merlin said finally, voice light, and Arthur frowned.

“You do?”

Merlin slid off the bed and started pulling on his jeans with his back to Arthur. It took all Arthur’s self-control not to say “screw it” and push Merlin back onto the mattress. Instead, he watched Merlin button his trousers and turn around.

“I do.”

“You’re not upset.”

Merlin shrugged. “I knew what I was getting into. Elena’s a lucky girl.”

Arthur stared as Merlin went to the door and retrieved his shirt from the floor. That hadn’t exactly been the reaction he’d expected.

“Wait,” he said, hurrying from the bedroom and across the living area to where Merlin paused by the front door, hopping to get his left shoe on before leaving.

“Yeah?”

Arthur searched Merlin for a second, looking for signs of anger or sadness, but there appeared to be nothing.

For a second, Arthur didn’t know why he’d stopped Merlin.

“We could still be mates,” he said a second later, though why he said it, he didn’t know. Mates was the last thing he wanted to be with Merlin, especially when half a smile appeared on Merlin’s face, almost as if he were amused by the suggestion.

“Mates?”

“Yeah, you know, go out for drinks, go to museums? Do you like museums?”

“Do you like museums?”

“They’re alright, I-”

Merlin laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”

Arthur didn’t know if it was a compliment or not. “Er…”

Merlin paused. “Yeah, we could be mates.” Rummaging in his sack, he came out with a crinkled piece of paper and scribbled a mobile number down. “Ring me sometime.”

“Okay,” Arthur agreed, and Merlin shook his head, smiling to himself as he opened the door and left.

His fingers trembled as they closed around the paper with Merlin’s number on it. His heart beat faster than normal as he turned. His mobile buzzed again with the voice message and all fluttery excitement died at the vibration. They would just be mates. He could do that.

Part Two>>