Author:
digthewriterTitle: How to not confess your feelings
Rating PG-13
Word Count(if applicable): 570
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Trope: Apocalypse -
TROPES BINGO CHART HERESummary: It's the end of the world and Arthur has come up with an interesting way to pass the time.
Warnings: Modern!AU.
"It's the end of the world and you want to fuck?"
Merlin's wide eyes-full of shock nearly made Arthur snort in response. He rolled his eyes and looked at Merlin as if he were the most exhausting thing ever. He was. Still, Arthur was always kind of crazy about the crazy ones.
"It's not like we can go anywhere else," Arthur said. "We're stuck here for a while. The city is shut down and all of it is just so sudden and I just figured, you know, why not?"
"That's sweet," Merlin said, scowling.
"Hey, I can't buy you dinner and flowers just now."
"And if we make it out of this mess?" Merlin asked.
"I promise a proper dinner and everything," Arthur said, grinning.
Merlin rolled his eyes and walked away from Arthur. Arthur watch him pace around, it's not like he had any place else to go. They were in the midst of their transportation duty when they came across the abandoned shelter and then they were locked in.
Arthur had wanted Merlin for so long and if they were going to die, he needed to know what Merlin tasted like; what he felt like. Sure, he wasn't the best at communication or confessing his feelings, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Merlin was rather offended than enamoured by Arthur's proposal.
"I'm sorry," Arthur said, eventually.
"What?" Merlin snapped.
"Just that... I'm not very good at these things and well..."
Merlin frowned more and it was obvious that whatever Arthur was saying was having the reverse outcome.
"Ever since the world changed," Arthur said, continuing on because it was better than to sit in the awkward quietness with Merlin, "I haven't stopped. You know? It's the apocalypse and the world is ending, the bombs are going off everywhere...I'm just not used to this. I'm not used to being a real person."
"A real person?" Merlin asked, sounding confused. "I thought you were military. You worked for disaster preparedness."
"Yeah. But we didn't think it would actually happen, and on top of that, I'm just not good with people. I don't know how to tell someone..."
"Tell them what?" Merlin asked when Arthur had been quiet for a minute. The derision in his voice hasn't entirely disappeared, still, it seemed to be dissipating.
"That I like them," Arthur said, finally. "I'm used to inviting him out to a pub or a nightclub and make my move then. This whole-real life, feelings clap trap isn't exactly my forte."
Merlin snorted. He came and sat down next to Arthur and shook his head. "Clap trap."
Arthur turned his face to look at him. He'd been staring at the floor whilst he tried to tell Merlin how he felt and looking into Merlin's eyes was a relief. He wasn't upset, nor did he look amused.
It was almost...relief.
Merlin placed a hand on Arthur's chin and with his index finger, pulled Arthur's face closer. "You're a fucking idiot, Arthur. Do you know that?"
Arthur opened his mouth to say something but whatever he was going to say didn't see the light of day because Merlin's mouth was on his and he was sliding his tongue into Arthur's mouth.
"On second thought," Merlin said when he pulled away from Arthur's face. "Fucking to kill the time doesn't really seem like that bad of an idea."
READ PART TWO