Unnecessary Confessions
Title: Unnecessary Confessions
Author: Llama1412
Universe: BBC Merlin
Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Uther
Disclaimer: Characters from BBC Merlin and the Arthurian Legends do not belong to me.
Summary: Modern!AU. Arthur has to tell Uther about his relationship with Merlin.
Oh god. What was he thinking? This was an awful idea, why had he ever thought that this might be a good idea?
His father was going to disown him. No, kill him. Hire an assassin and have them drag him out into the desert and leave his corpse to rot.
"Didn't you say that your father had never expressed any anti-gay ideas?" Merlin asked, sliding a comforting hand up his arm. They were sitting in the reception area outside his father's office where the secretary was sending him dirty looks for his panic attack.
"He hasn't. But still, I'm his only son. He'll want grandchildren and heirs and he's going to hate me for not giving them to him!"
"If he killed you, as you're so worried about, then he wouldn't get grandchildren anyway. Besides, you know I'd never let anyone hurt you."
Arthur looked up, raiding his head from his knees, and gave him a watery smile. "I know," he murmured, hand cupping Merlin's cheek.
Merlin twisted to press a kiss to his palm just as the secretary called out that Uther was ready for them.
"Ohshitohshitohshit. We don't have to do this, you know. We can come back later. It's not running away, simply life-preservation. C'mon, let's go home while we can still afford the rent." Arthur stood, tugging Merlin in the direction of the exit.
"We're going in, Arthur, and you're going to tell him." Merlin reached up to grasp his face between his hands, "I don't love you for your money. I don't care if we can't afford the rent. We'll find somewhere else. Hell, we'll live on the streets. I don't care. But we're not hiding anymore, okay?"
Arthur had never looked more vulnerable than when he was staring into Merlin's eyes with ill-concealed terror.
"He's your father. I'm sure it'll be fine. If he can't accept that his son is the most amazing person on the planet, then he doesn't deserve you. But if he's the man you think he is, the man you respect, then it'll be just fine." Merlin kissed him briefly. "All right?"
Arthur nodded, swallowing. "You won't leave me?" he confirmed.
"Never."
"Okay. Then I can do this." They shuffled forward, the secretary blatantly glaring at them for wasting her time.
"Arthur?" His father looked at them in vague surprise. "I have down an appointment with an M. Emrys."
"Ah, that's me," Merlin smiled shyly. "Arthur got me an appointment."
Uther cocked an eyebrow. "Was there something you needed?"
Arthur cleared his throat. "Yes, actually." He grasped the back of a chair to keep his hands from shaking. "I have something to tell you."
After a pause in which it because apparent he wasn't going to speak. Uther prompted, "yes?"
"I - I'm," he licked his lips, "Father, I'm gay. I've proposed to Merlin and we're getting married next year. We'd like you to be there."
Uther blinked. A small, contained smile spread across his face. "Of course. Congratulations. I'm delighted to find that you've met someone. But why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Um..." Arthur gaped. "What?" he asked weakly.
Merlin rolled his eyes, smiling and winding an arm through Arthur's elbow. "He was worried about what your reaction to him dating a man might be, sir."
"Why? Arthur, I realize we don't always communicate as well as perhaps we should, but I realized you were homosexual when you were seven and told Morgana that the prettiest person in your class was Brandon."
Merlin burst out laughing, leaning against Arthur. "Told you there was nothing to worry about," he teased. Arthur just looked nonplussed.
"If you're going to be joining the family, we must get to know one another." Uther stabbed the intercom button, "clear my schedule. I'm taking an early lunch."
"Yes, sire," the secretary's crisp tone crackled with the static.
Uther turned back to them, rising to fetch his coat. "Tell me, does Morgana already know? I'm sure she'd love to help plan the wedding."
Arthur stood there, shocked, until Merlin tugged him out, maintaining the grasp on his elbow and answering Uther's questions cheerfully.
His father hadn't disowned him. His father had known all those years. "Fuck," he murmured, earning a swat from Merlin, but a beaming smile was already unfurling across his face. He'd told his father and had been accepted. It had all worked out fine.
"Told you," Merlin whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Uther held the door for them as they headed off to the restaurant.
Author: Llama1412
Universe: BBC Merlin
Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Uther
Disclaimer: Characters from BBC Merlin and the Arthurian Legends do not belong to me.
Summary: Modern!AU. Arthur has to tell Uther about his relationship with Merlin.
Oh god. What was he thinking? This was an awful idea, why had he ever thought that this might be a good idea?
His father was going to disown him. No, kill him. Hire an assassin and have them drag him out into the desert and leave his corpse to rot.
"Didn't you say that your father had never expressed any anti-gay ideas?" Merlin asked, sliding a comforting hand up his arm. They were sitting in the reception area outside his father's office where the secretary was sending him dirty looks for his panic attack.
"He hasn't. But still, I'm his only son. He'll want grandchildren and heirs and he's going to hate me for not giving them to him!"
"If he killed you, as you're so worried about, then he wouldn't get grandchildren anyway. Besides, you know I'd never let anyone hurt you."
Arthur looked up, raiding his head from his knees, and gave him a watery smile. "I know," he murmured, hand cupping Merlin's cheek.
Merlin twisted to press a kiss to his palm just as the secretary called out that Uther was ready for them.
"Ohshitohshitohshit. We don't have to do this, you know. We can come back later. It's not running away, simply life-preservation. C'mon, let's go home while we can still afford the rent." Arthur stood, tugging Merlin in the direction of the exit.
"We're going in, Arthur, and you're going to tell him." Merlin reached up to grasp his face between his hands, "I don't love you for your money. I don't care if we can't afford the rent. We'll find somewhere else. Hell, we'll live on the streets. I don't care. But we're not hiding anymore, okay?"
Arthur had never looked more vulnerable than when he was staring into Merlin's eyes with ill-concealed terror.
"He's your father. I'm sure it'll be fine. If he can't accept that his son is the most amazing person on the planet, then he doesn't deserve you. But if he's the man you think he is, the man you respect, then it'll be just fine." Merlin kissed him briefly. "All right?"
Arthur nodded, swallowing. "You won't leave me?" he confirmed.
"Never."
"Okay. Then I can do this." They shuffled forward, the secretary blatantly glaring at them for wasting her time.
"Arthur?" His father looked at them in vague surprise. "I have down an appointment with an M. Emrys."
"Ah, that's me," Merlin smiled shyly. "Arthur got me an appointment."
Uther cocked an eyebrow. "Was there something you needed?"
Arthur cleared his throat. "Yes, actually." He grasped the back of a chair to keep his hands from shaking. "I have something to tell you."
After a pause in which it because apparent he wasn't going to speak. Uther prompted, "yes?"
"I - I'm," he licked his lips, "Father, I'm gay. I've proposed to Merlin and we're getting married next year. We'd like you to be there."
Uther blinked. A small, contained smile spread across his face. "Of course. Congratulations. I'm delighted to find that you've met someone. But why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Um..." Arthur gaped. "What?" he asked weakly.
Merlin rolled his eyes, smiling and winding an arm through Arthur's elbow. "He was worried about what your reaction to him dating a man might be, sir."
"Why? Arthur, I realize we don't always communicate as well as perhaps we should, but I realized you were homosexual when you were seven and told Morgana that the prettiest person in your class was Brandon."
Merlin burst out laughing, leaning against Arthur. "Told you there was nothing to worry about," he teased. Arthur just looked nonplussed.
"If you're going to be joining the family, we must get to know one another." Uther stabbed the intercom button, "clear my schedule. I'm taking an early lunch."
"Yes, sire," the secretary's crisp tone crackled with the static.
Uther turned back to them, rising to fetch his coat. "Tell me, does Morgana already know? I'm sure she'd love to help plan the wedding."
Arthur stood there, shocked, until Merlin tugged him out, maintaining the grasp on his elbow and answering Uther's questions cheerfully.
His father hadn't disowned him. His father had known all those years. "Fuck," he murmured, earning a swat from Merlin, but a beaming smile was already unfurling across his face. He'd told his father and had been accepted. It had all worked out fine.
"Told you," Merlin whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Uther held the door for them as they headed off to the restaurant.