Making Other Plans, Part 5 (Merlin/Arthur)
Title: Making Other Plans, Part 5
Author/Artist:
digthewriter
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Word Count: 980
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Content: Modern!AU
Summary of fic: Life is what happens to us while we're making other plans.
A/N: Unbetaed. AO3 LINK. Written for
ficlet_zone challenge: episode titles (the X-files)- "Irresistible"
Cenred sat down first. He chose the seat facing the windows, and Arthur sat across from him. His view was of the bar, and Merlin. Merlin wasn't looking at him though; he was chatting with the barman.
"So, have you been here before?" Cenred said and Arthur half-heard him. "That's okay, I'll ask the waitress when she gets here. Where is she…?" He turned around to look for someone as Arthur continued to glare at the bar area.
At Merlin.
Who was looking at his phone, sipping his drink, and laughed at something the barman had said.
What was it about him that was bothering Arthur so much? Was it just he was a total stranger who'd made Arthur feel so stupid? But when Arthur was speaking to him, he didn't feel stupid. If anything, he felt relaxed. At ease. Like he wanted to be able to trust the man, share all his secrets with him. Drag him home and make him Arthur's.
Arthur shook his head. He wasn't some caveman; he needed to stop thinking like this.
Eventually, Cenred's attention was at Arthur again and he asked all sorts of questions to which Arthur gave half-hearted answers. They ordered a drink and their food, and Arthur's attention returned to the bar.
Another man approached Merlin and Merlin stood up to shake the man's hand. The man pulled Merlin towards him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Arthur wasn't sure but he thought Merlin looked awkward.
They sat together - the seat where Arthur had originally been sitting and the man placed a possessive hand on Merlin's shoulder. Was this the man Merlin was waiting for? Merlin didn't know who Arthur was but he was looking for someone. Was this Merlin's blind date but-the man was older and he was acting like Merlin was his property and-
"Oh," said Arthur.
"Right?" Cenred said in agreement. Evidently, he'd been going on and on about his life and Arthur had obviously not been listening.
"So what do you think? Is that business plan solid?" Cenred asked.
"Tell me more…" replied Arthur and Cenred was off again.
You let me believe a lie…"
"That's what I get paid for…"
Ten minutes later, their food arrived.
"You know, I've been going on and on about myself but you haven't said a word. Tell me more about Arthur Pendragon," Cenred said as he cut into his steak.
"Not much to tell. I work for Pendragon Industries. I do his bidding. He hates my best friend, and wants me to settle down with someone who would run after him like a puppy because I refuse to do so." Arthur shrugged and popped a chip in his mouth. He wished he'd order something stronger than a cider.
"Well, the old man's not going to live forever," said Cenred.
"I'd rather not live my life hoping someone would die so I can be free," Arthur said curtly. His eyes darting back to the bar to find Merlin and the other man.
The man had just kissed Merlin on the lips, and when he'd pulled apart, Merlin had smiled at him. It wasn't the same endearing smile he'd given Arthur, but it was close. And then, again, Merlin tugged on his ear.
The man said something and Merlin nodded with a smile. Arthur watched as the man paid the tab and they both stood up.
Arthur had no idea what possessed him to stand up also but he was not going to let this happen. He was not going to let Merlin leave with a man who looked like he was twenty years older. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a bunch of notes.
"What are you doing?" Cenred asked, sounding confused. "I was just in the middle of telling you-"
"Right. Yeah. You were. But you and I both know this isn't going to work out. You're trying too hard."
"What do you mean?"
"You're acting like an arse, talking about yourself the whole time, and you know I haven't been listening to you at all. I have no idea what your game is, Mr Cenred Oscar Wright, but you're not interested in me. I'm not interested in you. So have another drink or two on the Pendragon industries." Arthur placed the notes on the table, gave Cenred one quick nod, and walked away.
… … …
When he approached the bar, Arthur saw as the older man lean into Merlin's ear again and say something. Merlin had had no reaction to it but with the way the man's hand curled around Merlin's neck, Arthur had an idea of what the man might have said.
"Excuse me," Arthur said, and cleared his throat.
"Yes, young man?" the older man said.
"Sorry, but this isn't happening. He's not going anywhere with you."
"Excuse me?" the man said, and at the same time Merlin spoke, as well, "What the fuck, Arthur?"
"You heard me. You're not going anywhere with him. I saw you first."
"Listen, young man-"
"Exactly," said Arthur. "Young man. This is a young man. Why don't you find someone your own age, or I'll find out who you are and destroy your life."
"Arthur, this is highly unnecessary-"
"Let's go," Arthur grabbed Merlin by the wrist and pulled him away.
They walked, as Arthur dragged Merlin, and went all the way out of the restaurant, down the lobby, reached the doors.
"What the fuck, man?" Merlin said, yanking his hand away from Arthur's grip. "What the hell do you think you're doing."
"How much?"
"What?"
"How much for the night?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You can't afford me."
"The hell I can't." Arthur offered his hand to Merlin, waiting for Merlin to take it. Eventually, he did. "My car's this way." They walked out together, with Arthur having every intention to take Merlin home with him.
This entry was originally posted at https://digthewriter.dreamwidth.org/617987.html. Thanks for reading
Author/Artist:
digthewriter
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Word Count: 980
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Content: Modern!AU
Summary of fic: Life is what happens to us while we're making other plans.
A/N: Unbetaed. AO3 LINK. Written for
ficlet_zone challenge: episode titles (the X-files)- "Irresistible"
Cenred sat down first. He chose the seat facing the windows, and Arthur sat across from him. His view was of the bar, and Merlin. Merlin wasn't looking at him though; he was chatting with the barman.
"So, have you been here before?" Cenred said and Arthur half-heard him. "That's okay, I'll ask the waitress when she gets here. Where is she…?" He turned around to look for someone as Arthur continued to glare at the bar area.
At Merlin.
Who was looking at his phone, sipping his drink, and laughed at something the barman had said.
What was it about him that was bothering Arthur so much? Was it just he was a total stranger who'd made Arthur feel so stupid? But when Arthur was speaking to him, he didn't feel stupid. If anything, he felt relaxed. At ease. Like he wanted to be able to trust the man, share all his secrets with him. Drag him home and make him Arthur's.
Arthur shook his head. He wasn't some caveman; he needed to stop thinking like this.
Eventually, Cenred's attention was at Arthur again and he asked all sorts of questions to which Arthur gave half-hearted answers. They ordered a drink and their food, and Arthur's attention returned to the bar.
Another man approached Merlin and Merlin stood up to shake the man's hand. The man pulled Merlin towards him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Arthur wasn't sure but he thought Merlin looked awkward.
They sat together - the seat where Arthur had originally been sitting and the man placed a possessive hand on Merlin's shoulder. Was this the man Merlin was waiting for? Merlin didn't know who Arthur was but he was looking for someone. Was this Merlin's blind date but-the man was older and he was acting like Merlin was his property and-
"Oh," said Arthur.
"Right?" Cenred said in agreement. Evidently, he'd been going on and on about his life and Arthur had obviously not been listening.
"So what do you think? Is that business plan solid?" Cenred asked.
"Tell me more…" replied Arthur and Cenred was off again.
You let me believe a lie…"
"That's what I get paid for…"
Ten minutes later, their food arrived.
"You know, I've been going on and on about myself but you haven't said a word. Tell me more about Arthur Pendragon," Cenred said as he cut into his steak.
"Not much to tell. I work for Pendragon Industries. I do his bidding. He hates my best friend, and wants me to settle down with someone who would run after him like a puppy because I refuse to do so." Arthur shrugged and popped a chip in his mouth. He wished he'd order something stronger than a cider.
"Well, the old man's not going to live forever," said Cenred.
"I'd rather not live my life hoping someone would die so I can be free," Arthur said curtly. His eyes darting back to the bar to find Merlin and the other man.
The man had just kissed Merlin on the lips, and when he'd pulled apart, Merlin had smiled at him. It wasn't the same endearing smile he'd given Arthur, but it was close. And then, again, Merlin tugged on his ear.
The man said something and Merlin nodded with a smile. Arthur watched as the man paid the tab and they both stood up.
Arthur had no idea what possessed him to stand up also but he was not going to let this happen. He was not going to let Merlin leave with a man who looked like he was twenty years older. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a bunch of notes.
"What are you doing?" Cenred asked, sounding confused. "I was just in the middle of telling you-"
"Right. Yeah. You were. But you and I both know this isn't going to work out. You're trying too hard."
"What do you mean?"
"You're acting like an arse, talking about yourself the whole time, and you know I haven't been listening to you at all. I have no idea what your game is, Mr Cenred Oscar Wright, but you're not interested in me. I'm not interested in you. So have another drink or two on the Pendragon industries." Arthur placed the notes on the table, gave Cenred one quick nod, and walked away.
… … …
When he approached the bar, Arthur saw as the older man lean into Merlin's ear again and say something. Merlin had had no reaction to it but with the way the man's hand curled around Merlin's neck, Arthur had an idea of what the man might have said.
"Excuse me," Arthur said, and cleared his throat.
"Yes, young man?" the older man said.
"Sorry, but this isn't happening. He's not going anywhere with you."
"Excuse me?" the man said, and at the same time Merlin spoke, as well, "What the fuck, Arthur?"
"You heard me. You're not going anywhere with him. I saw you first."
"Listen, young man-"
"Exactly," said Arthur. "Young man. This is a young man. Why don't you find someone your own age, or I'll find out who you are and destroy your life."
"Arthur, this is highly unnecessary-"
"Let's go," Arthur grabbed Merlin by the wrist and pulled him away.
They walked, as Arthur dragged Merlin, and went all the way out of the restaurant, down the lobby, reached the doors.
"What the fuck, man?" Merlin said, yanking his hand away from Arthur's grip. "What the hell do you think you're doing."
"How much?"
"What?"
"How much for the night?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You can't afford me."
"The hell I can't." Arthur offered his hand to Merlin, waiting for Merlin to take it. Eventually, he did. "My car's this way." They walked out together, with Arthur having every intention to take Merlin home with him.
This entry was originally posted at https://digthewriter.dreamwidth.org/617987.html. Thanks for reading