Three Years and Six Months (1/2)
Title: Three Years and Six Months (1/2)
Author: pasty_pants
Rating: R/NC-17
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Warning: Excessive use of flashbacks, AU and split into two parts due to length.
Words: 12,000
Summary: It only took three years and six months to get to that point, but it was definitely worth the wait.
A/N I was congratulating a co-worker who got engaged, and all the sudden the thought occurred to me “What if Merlin and Arthur got engaged?” Thanks to my wonderful beta, penarddun, who put up with my bad sentence structure, my Americanisms, my complete misunderstanding of how gay marriage works outside of the state and improper use of commas. I <3 you (despite the haggis incident and not letting me have my Russell Tovey until I finished the fic >.>) and this fic would have been crap without you.
Note: Sorry but I have no idea how to connect the two parts together, or how to tag O.o
“I’m bored.” Merlin muttered out of the corner of his mouth to Gwen, who stood next to him eagerly people watching.
“You know, most people would love to be at a party full of movie stars.” Gwen smiled and nodded to a popular talk show host.
“Most people aren’t dating Arthur Pendragon.” He frowned as he continued “great way to spend our anniversary; at his father’s party.”
“Arthur has to go, he’s going to be the CEO of Camelot Productions someday, and then you guys will get to shag in his Dad’s chair like you’ve always wanted.” Gwen smiled innocently, nodding her head towards her best friend Morgana who had just entered the room on the arm of the latest big movie star.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Merlin said stiffly, “and I’ll remind you that what is talked about in private lunch discussions remain in private lunch discussions.” Merlin adjusted the tie of his suit, the one he wouldn’t have owned three years before, when he was just a struggling writer living in a crap flat with five other guys. “Besides, it’s not the shag I’m looking forward to, although I’m sure it will be brilliant. Arthur promised me a surprise before dashing off to work this morning. I want to see what it is.”
Gwen smiled; she had a feeling that the surprise was the chair promise. Morgana disentangled herself from the man who was practically drooling all over her. Merlin envied the way that she had everyone wrapped around her finger, including him.
“Hello Merlin! I’ve just finished your book! I loved it. I can’t wait to see what our favourite prince and sorcerer get up to next!” She said with a wink, knowing full well what inspired his increasingly famous series. “When will you write a script for Camelot? They would love to have a movie written by you, it would do so well!”
“If I tried to write a movie, I’d have to work with Arthur and then I’d have to kill him. He’s bad enough to live with; he has to have everything clean and done his way.” he said with a playful grin.
“Like you mind!” Gwen scoffed.
“Oh no, here comes that guy the one who stares at my breasts while he talks about all the movies he’s worked on.” Morgana whispered to Gwen and the pair of them groaned as Merlin smiled. Seeing his escape in the form of his gorgeous blonde boyfriend, surrounded by people talking, Merlin decided to make a run for it.
“I think I’m going to go talk to Arth- shit.” The crowd dispersed to reveal Uther, standing next to his son.
“Haha. You have to deal with him too.” Gwen said quietly, as the man came to a stop in front of them.
“I hate these parties” Merlin muttered under his breath as true to form, the man began to ramble on, eyes fixed to Gwen and Morgana’s chest.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Most couples have an adorable story to go with their cuteness. They whip the story out when they’re at parties, finishing other stories to the laughter or the collective “awww.”
Merlin and Arthur did tell their stories at parties but only when they’re completely drunk. Often times their versions contradict each other and they end up arguing with each other on how it really went. The drunk arguing then dissolves into doing improper things in corners or in closets.
According to Merlin, he was having a crazy day at his job. He worked at a café as a barista (a title he always hated) and all the way into the afternoon, people were coming in droves to get drinks. One blonde (extremely hot) male customer even yelled at him because there was too much cream in his coffee.
He had dropped some kind of drink and it was too busy to clean it up. It was like an old cartoon when he slipped on the drink tossing the (luckily iced) drink he was holding into the air, smacking the blond man in the face. The dark drink dripped down the man, soaking the crisp white shirt and the jacket he was holding. The man had a look of shock and anger on his face.
According to Arthur, he calmly and quietly pointed out to the (incredibly stupid) barista that the drink was wrong. After resolving the dispute and getting a new drink, the barista was still angry. When Arthur was about to walk away the tall skinny man threw a drink at him. Of course Arthur had no choice but to point out that the man had got his shirt (which cost more then the barista’s entire outfit and he said so) wet and dirty.
“You bloody idiot! You’ve ruined my shirt!”
“I’m sorry! It was an accident!”
“Accident my arse! Do you know who I am?”
“A prat?”
“I could have you fired!”
“So you’re a giant prat then.”
After that point, it became a matter of pride that Arthur came in every day at some point (he lived right around the corner) to annoy Merlin. While Merlin also considered a matter of pride to not to apologize again; the first time he apologized because he was truly sorry to spill the drink on the stranger, but after realizing what a prat he was Merlin was no longer sorry.
It was two weeks before Arthur came in just before closing and kept nagging Merlin as he cleaned up. Arthur just wouldn’t shut up as Merlin cleaned off the table and disassembled the machine to clean it. An hour later Merlin was about to lock up the café and Arthur was still going on. Merlin had no choice but to push Arthur behind the counter and snog him senseless.
Three years later it’s the only tactic that seems to work.
XXXXXXXXXXX
“Father, there’s Merlin, I need to talk to him.” Arthur said, his eyes very happy that he managed to convince Merlin to buy that suit.
“Arthur, you can ravish your boyfriend some other time, now it’s time to do business.” Uther said distractedly. All Arthur wanted to say (whine) was that the only business he wanted to do involved Merlin bent over something.
Instead Arthur smiled and nodded, moving away to talk to a director, then to some other writer (or was it a musician?) and slowly worked his way across the room to where Merlin stood with Morgana, Gwen and that creepy Mr.Anderson from accounting.
He wrapped his arm around Merlin’s waist. “Sorry, I need to steal Merlin for a moment.” He said in his ‘I’m being polite because my Father is in the room and will get angry otherwise’ voice. Spotting Morgana and Gwen’s looks of sheer horror he quickly added “I think my father is looking for the two of you.”
Without another word, Arthur dragged Merlin towards the balcony. They walked over to the secluded part of the balcony that wrapped around the side of the mansion.
Merlin smiled as he saw the pond on the side of the house, he leaned slightly over the railing, casting a look back to Arthur.
“Look! Ducks!”
Arthur smiled in return as he watched his boyfriend stare out at the pond. He mentally went over the speech he had created in front of the mirror over the last week as Merlin slept on their large bed, drooling over Arthur’s pillow.
Merlin, the last three years of my life have been wonderful, the best in my entire life. And it’s not because of the success I’ve been having, or the new apartment or anything like that. It’s because of you. You hit my life like a tornado and totally changed everything. Before you, no one lasted a week and I can’t imagine my life without you. I can see us getting old and still arguing about whether or not you threw that frappacino at me. With our adoptive children’s kids running around. That’s another thing, I want to adopt kids with you. I know you’re probably worried but I’ll talk you into crossing that bridge when we get to it. For now, Marry me.
Instead, his voice caught in his voice as Merlin turned around to lean against the rail and smiled at Arthur.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Merlin said with a grin that showed he assumed that Arthur didn’t want to talk at all.
“Here.” Arthur put the ring he had been carrying in his pocket for almost three months on the rail. With a confused look on his face Merlin picked up the box and opened it to look at the silver band inside. It was thin, and it had a twisted part in the middle.
“Is this…” Merlin trailed off, staring wide eyed at the ring.
“Yes.” Arthur fought to keep the nervous feeling in his gut down, keeping his face stony.
“You mean…”
“Yes.”
“Really?” Merlin’s voice hit a pitch only dogs could hear, Arthur smiled widely
“Just say yes Merlin you know you want to.” Arthur said Merlin’s name like an insult as the smile on his face widened.
“Yes, no-one else will want the position.” Merlin said with a smirk, wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck to pull him into a kiss. Their lips were centimeters apart when Merlin muttered “But I am not the girl in this relationship, I’m going to get you a ring too.”
The kiss was innocent and Arthur quickly pulled away in order to take the box back, pulling the ring out to slip it onto Merlin’s long finger.
“Are you sure you’re not the girl? You do seem like it.”
“Shut up and kiss me you prat.”
XXXXXXXX
According to Arthur, they didn’t start dating right away. For the first few weeks they were more like fuck buddies who occasionally had dinner or saw a movie together.
Of course Merlin, who had been in an established relationship before, knew what they were.
It was a Sunday morning the first time Arthur figured it out.
He stood in Merlin’s bathroom, with Merlin’s annoying roommate Craig pounding on the door. “ARTHUR! Some people have work to get to!”
Arthur was mesmerized by the toothbrush he had bought the week before sitting in the same cup as Merlin’s.
Merlin opened the door a tiny bit and slid in, just incase Arthur was naked (because he was the only person that got to see Arthur naked.)
“Is there something wrong? Craig is complaining, he has to be at work 20 minutes ago apparently.” Merlin arched an eyebrow at the confused look Arthur gave him. “What?”
“Merlin… are you my boyfriend?” Merlin laughed in response.
“It’s a good thing that you have your looks and that fierce stepsister, because you are slower then a tortoise on weed. Come back to bed, let Craig have the bathroom.”
Finding no fault in the plan, Arthur followed his boyfriend down the hall to spend the rest of the morning doing things he would never tell his Father about.
XXXXXXXXX
“Oh Gods. Oh Lord, you’re engaged?” Gwen practically shrieked as they sat in the very same café that Merlin had thrown coffee at Arthur by accident/on purpose
“Well, yes. We’re getting a Civil Partnership. The ceremony, the cake, Arthur pledging his love and commitment in front of all our family and friends.” Merlin grinned stupidly, looking at the ring that had “My life, My love” inscribed on it in old English The only phrase Arthur could remember.
“Merlin, you’re going to get married!”
“I still have to find a ring for him though and set a date, find a place, a cake. That sort of thing.” Merlin knew that Gwen understood he was asking for her assistance. He cast his best puppy eyes towards her.
“That sort of thing.” Gwen said definitively as if Merlin was stupid. “You’re going to need help.”
“Obviously I’m marrying a control freak. He’s going to set it up; he probably already knows what dress he’s going to try to talk me into wearing. It’s not going to work. I won’t be drunk at my own wedding. My Mother will be there after all.”
“Of course, you can’t wear a dress when your Mother is around.” Merlin nodded as Gwen continued to say “Except that didn’t stop you when you were five.” She looked at him through her eyelashes as she continued to stir her coffee.
“I shall no longer be confiding in you.”
XXXXXXXXXXX
The first time Arthur met Gwen, he was a little drunk. Though saying Arthur was a little drunk was akin to saying Bush was a little stupid. The pair of them had told their best friends about their relationship, but by no means did they endeavor to introduce their new significant others to the women in their lives.
One of Merlin’s flat mates had crossed a very strict line. He had skipped three months rent, his money disappearing somewhere between the bank and the apartment. (“It’s all those prostitutes I tell you, man can’t find a woman by his own damn self and he’s got to waste it all on women with herpes.” Merlin’s favorite roommate Will had said.) The man in question had decided that it was best that he moved back into his mother’s basement for the time being, and the rest were happy to see him go.
Craig had decided to throw a “goodbye Edwin!” party set for the day after Edwin left. And of course, both Gwen and Arthur were invited. Arthur opted to bring his friend Lancelot as support for when he met the infamous Gwen, and instead Lancelot convinced Arthur to play drinking games. Gwen was late to the party due to a late shift at the second job she held at the time.
The first time Gwen and Arthur met, Arthur threw up on Gwen, who graciously helped Arthur locate the bathroom before showering and stealing Merlin’s clothes. Merlin was helping his roommates clean up the living room until almost 5 in the morning, wandering in his own room to find his boyfriend, best friend, and random guy he hadn’t been properly introduced to yet curled up in his bed.
There was nothing Merlin could do but push Arthur over and lie down between him and Gwen.
XXXXXX
“You proposed? And he accepted?” Morgana let out an uncharacteristic shriek of delight as Arthur set the table.
“Yes, and I’m going to need your help to tell Father and Hunith when they come over tonight.” Arthur cast a worried glance to Merlin in the kitchen.
“You’re telling them both at the same time?”
“It was the only night that they were both free.”
“Nothing bad will happen, Uther will call me Marvin, congratulate Arthur stiffly while my Mother goes on and on about how she knew that we were two sides of the same coin since the day I brought him home.” Merlin said, bringing the casserole to the table.
“Don’t be silly Merlin he called you Marvin last time, It’s going to be Mark today.” Arthur pulled out the wine glasses as he smiled to his boyfriend.
“Do you think he’ll get his name right in the future where men can deliver babies?” Morgana said distractedly, drawing both the boys confused looks to her. “You two would have beautiful babies, Arthur would carry of course, Merlin doesn’t have the hips for it.”
“I hate you so much sometimes.”
XXXXXXX
The first time Merlin met Uther it came a bit of a shock. Seeing as Uther came over to his son’s flat to discuss an issue with a film, and instead found Merlin and Arthur naked on the couch.
The silence was so tense that they could all hear the lube squeaking as it slowly slipped out of Merlin’s hands.
Cool as a cucumber, Arthur sat up, pulling a blanket around him and Merlin.
“Father, this is Merlin, my boyfriend.”
XXXXXXXX
They sat at the table, the five of them pushing various foods around their plates as the awkward silence permeated the room.
“So, Merville, I hear that your latest book has hit the best seller list here and in America.”
“Australia too.” Merlin added, attempting to eat with one hand as he hid the other (and the ring) under the table.
“That is wonderful, I loved the dedication you wrote in it.” Hunith chimed in, beaming at her son.
“Have you read it yet?” Gaius said, turning to the surprisingly quiet Arthur.
“Not yet, I have a hard time reading books when I already know the ending and random background information and the way it would have ended. I do own a copy though, and I do love the dedication.” Arthur said with a wry smile, the ending had changed when he and Merlin were on the couch about five seconds from shagging and Merlin realized that the prince couldn’t see in the cave and the sorcerer had to produce light from where he was stranded high above him. Merlin left Arthur hard and horny on the couch to immediately attack his laptop with the idea.
“How would it have ended?” Morgana smiled, knowing this story full well.
“I wouldn’t want to ruin it, Father hasn’t read it yet.” Arthur said, glaring at Morgana.
“No offence but I doubt I will be able to anytime soon, we have a busy year ahead of us and -“
“Good Lord Merlin! What is that on your ring finger?” Gaius stared at the finger in question, eyebrow arched. Merlin looked struck, his fork halfway to his mouth and his ring glinting obviously in the light.
“Well that’s kind of what we invited you all over here for,” Arthur said, smiling wide as he took Merlin’s other hand. “We’re going to get a Civil Partnership.”
As expected, Gaius quickly smiled in approval, Hunith gasped and jumped up to hug her son, and Uther nodded towards Arthur with a small smile on his face that distinctly said ‘I’m proud of you but I won’t tell you until there are fewer people in the room.’
Which Arthur was completely okay with, as he turned to accept Gaius’ congratulations.
XXXXXXXX
The first time Arthur met Hunith was a lot better then the ‘naked on the couch’ episode. It was Christmas of the first year that they were dating, and as per usual Arthur had spent Christmas Eve at the gala thrown by Camelot productions to bring all the actors, producers and other big name people together. For a change, he allowed Merlin to drag him out to the country the next morning.
They crunched up the walk, adding footprints to the ones set in the freshly fallen snow as Merlin carried a tray of something and Arthur carried several boxes. Arthur almost dropped the boxes when Merlin just opened the door with no key.
“Mother! I’m home!” Merlin shouted with a smile, setting down the food and toeing off his boots.
“You don’t lock the doors?” Arthur asked in a confused voice.
“Not during the day, no.” a light voice said from behind him, he spun to see a woman who looked a lot like Merlin but shorter and wearing an apron. “You must be Arthur, I’ve heard so much about you.”
Instead of shaking his hand, she quickly gave Arthur a hug, before taking his load and bringing it into the living room to place it under the tree.
“Thank you for inviting me to your home.” Arthur managed to say, it sounded like more of a question then a statement.
“You boys can go put your bags upstairs.”
“Okay Mum.” Merlin said as he already started to jog up the stairs. Arthur followed slowly as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. As he walked up the stairs it was like watching Merlin grow up, as the pictures on the wall progressively showed more grown up and (supposedly) mature Merlins through the years.
“You were really fey when you were in school weren’t you?” He said as he came up behind Merlin in his room.
“If you say so.” Merlin plopped onto the queen-sized bed, Arthur began to look closely at the cluster of pictures attempting to occupy the same space on the wall. He instantly recognized one he saw in Will’s room. Will and Merlin had their faces smashed together, cheek to cheek as they took a picture. They looked like grinning idiots about to go off and do something stupid, which they probably did do. It was Arthur’s favorite picture of them.
“I can’t believe you’ve known Will since birth, you’re so… different.” They had dropped Will off at his own house down the street before arriving at Hunith’s.
“Lifelong friends don’t need stuff in common, they have each other.”
“I don’t have any lifelong friends.” Arthur said, sauntering over to Merlin who still lay on the bed.
“What’s Morgana then? Chopped liver?”
“Very annoying.”
“You’ve lived with her since you were four. I hate to break it to you but you’re lifelong friends with Morgana.” Merlin thought for a second as Arthur climbed on the bed over him, straddling Merlin’s upper legs. “You’ve also known Lancelot for a long time…”
“Oh shut up.” Arthur leaned down to press his lips against Merlin’s smiling mouth. His hands braced the bed on the side of Merlin’s head, as Merlin’s arms wrapped around his waist. Merlin tugged on his belted trousers for a moment before sliding his hands upwards and under Arthur’s shirt.
“My Mum is downstairs; if we’re going to do this here we’re going to be quiet about it.” Merlin muttered against Arthur’s mouth, his hands snapped the button of Arthur’s trousers open and slid down the zip.
He grinned devilishly as he slipped his hand inside, finding the warmth there, as Arthur moaned. Merlin wrapped his long fingers around Arthur, quickly finding the rhythm that the blond enjoyed.
Using Arthur’s distraction, Merlin flipped them over making Arthur lie on the bed with his legs hanging down the side. He slid down to the floor between Arthur’s legs and quickly freed him, wishing time would go slower so he could savour this.
Merlin wrapped his mouth around the head of Arthur’s cock, his hand gripping the rest of it. Arthur threw his head back and bit his fist to keep from moaning Merlin’s name too loud. He felt like an incredibly dirty teenager again, fooling around with his boyfriend while his boyfriend’s mother innocently made food downstairs.
It was on the feeling that he was a dirty teenager that Arthur came embarrassingly quickly into Merlin’s mouth. Merlin grinned as he gulped loudly as if to tease Arthur.
“Oh please, like you would last long if you were in a similar situation.”
“You just love the threat of people walking in, it’s why you’re always round my place.”
“Arthur! Merlin! You can open one present before dinner!” Hunith shouted at them from downstairs.
“Coming Mum!” Merlin said as Arthur frowned. “We’ll finish this later. Promise.”
XXXXXX
Even with the insane amount of cards, and the bouquet of flowers refilled every week, Merlin hated this room. The walls were too white and the light gave it a surreal look. The only sounds in there were his breathing, Will’s breathing, and the quiet beeping of the heart monitor.
Merlin sat in the worn chair next to Will’s bed. He leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees, and his chin on his fist.
“Hullo there, sorry I didn’t visit on Sunday like I usually do. Mother, Gaius and Uther came to visit.”
Did any of them walk in on you and Arthur? You really should cool it when they’re around. Merlin could easily conjure up the response Will would have given him. Along with the look that easily said ‘I know what you two do all the time, don’t try to deny it!’
“We had some news to tell them you see.” Merlin leaned forward to add the recently published book to the previous one. “It’s so important that I… well, I can’t believe I’m doing it.”
Merlin bit his lip, silently urging Will to wake up. He didn’t want to tell his best friend that he was going to officially spend the rest of his life with one man while his best friend couldn’t congratulate him, or be angry at him. Will wouldn’t even be able to accept or deny Merlin’s offer to make him best man.
“Will, I’m going to get married.” The statement hung in the air with each beep of the machine. Merlin brushed the hair out of Will’s eyes as he fought back the tears in his own.
“You’d better damn well wake up before it happens, or I swear I’ll be forced to repeat the whole ceremony. Okay?” Will continued to say nothing and Merlin bit his lip as a tear streaked down his cheek.
Merlin had the urge to jump up and shake his friend awake. So they could go to the pub down the street and celebrate properly. He hated this room and he hated that everyday the chance of him ever going to a pub with Will became slimmer and slimmer. He leaned over the rail and kissed Will’s forehead, a move that would have usually resulted in Will pushing him away and calling him a bumlord.
Without a backward glance, Merlin quickly left the room.
XXXXXXXX
“You’re getting published?” Arthur said incredulously over his bowl of ice cream, Will nodding happily next to him.
“Yes! They looked it over and they’ve told me that they love it and they can’t wait to start editing it!” Merlin was grinning from ear-to-ear as he quickly grabbed Arthur and pulled him in for a quick kiss. The taste of chocolate ice-cream stuck to him as he stepped away.
“Excuse me homos, hetero sitting right here!” Will said, stealing Arthur’s ice-cream as the man in question pulled Merlin closer to himself.
“Congratulations!” Arthur threaded his fingers through the hair at the base of Merlin’s head, pulling him in for a deeper kiss. “How do you plan on celebrating?”
“That’s what we did all last night, why didn’t you pick up your phone?”
“I was in Cardiff on business.” Arthur stole his bowl back from Will, “besides most of your messages included inspiring renditions of various songs from the seventies and eighties. Wonderful voices but I think you should keep your day job, just in case.”
“But Arthur…” Will stood up, posing in a ‘heroic’ way, “Weeeeeee are the champions, yes we are the champions! No time for Losers ‘cus we are the champions of the worlddddd.” With the last (horrible) note hanging in the air, Will spun out of the room. He left Arthur and Merlin holding each other in the dining area of the small kitchen.
“Are you sure he’s straight?” Arthur said with an arched eyebrow as Merlin laughed.
“He’s straight, but I’m sure if Freddy Mercury was still alive he’d go for him.”
“Of course,” Arthur slid his hand down Merlin’s back, nudging his way into the jeans riding low on Merlin’s hips. “So do you want to celebrate properly?”
“How so?” Merlin’s hands wandered to the front of Arthur’s shirt, unbuttoning slowly as he waited for Arthur’s response. Arthur leaned in to brush his lips against the shell of Merlin’s ear.
“Paris, tonight.” He whispered, smiling against Merlin’s ear.
“What? Paris? Really?” Merlin pushed Arthur away, “but tickets and a hotel-“
“Don’t worry, I’ve already got it all set up.” Arthur said, hoping that Merlin would take his statement at the face value. He was disappointed.
“You’ve already got it set up? But how did you-“ Merlin broke off mid-statement and began to blush. “Oh, I’m such an idiot!”
“That you are, but it’s okay, I’ll put up with it for awhile yet.”
“Sorry,” Merlin curved his hand around Arthur’s neck, pulling him into another kiss.
“A whole year together and we haven’t christened the kitchen yet.” Arthur mumbled into Merlin’s lips before picking him up and setting him on the counter.
“Exhibitionist.”
“Happy anniversary.”
XXXXXXXX
“What’s wrong with lilies?” Arthur finally said, fighting the urge to slam his fork down and whine like a little child to Uther. Father! Morgana’s being mean!, his leg itched to stamp on the ground like a little girl.
“Arthur, lilies are the flower of death.”
“I don’t want roses!”
“Then have daisies!”
“Daisies? At a wedding? I’m going to fire you as wedding planner.”
“Lilacs.”
Arthur and Morgana both turned their heads to look at Merlin, who was leaning back in his chair with an empty plate in front of him.
“What?” The pair asked simultaneously.
“Let’s just do lilacs so you guys will stop arguing and we can go.” Merlin cast a glance around the crowded bistro, “people are starting to stare.”
“You really want to walk down the aisle holding a bouquet of lilacs?” Arthur arched an eyebrow, quickly picking up his sandwich and taking a bite.
“No, I want to stand at the altar with a rose in my lapel or something like that. If anyone will be walking down the aisle its you.” Merlin glared at Arthur as he stole his chips
“So, we don’t need floral arrangements?” Arthur asked, smacking Merlin’s hands away.
“We’re Merlin and Arthur, not Merlina and Aretha.”
“Roses and lapels it is.” Morgana began to cut her fried fish.
“See how that was settled in twenty seconds? You’d never survive with out me.”
“That’s why I’m marrying you.” Arthur said with a smile as he tugged on Merlin’s ear, leaning across the table to pull him into a quick and passionate kiss, as the less subtle patrons of the restaurant stared.
XXXXXX
On their second anniversary, Merlin spent the morning sweaty with Will. Lifting boxes and carrying them into the posh apartment building. They joked as they emptied the car and put the boxes along the walls.
“How come Arthur isn’t helping you move in?” Will finally asked, when they got the last box labeled “clothes” and put it away.
“He’s working all day; some movie star is having a snit about a scene where he has to wear a shirt or something like that.” Merlin shrugged, pulling the solitary coke out of the fridge and handing it to Will.
“Who would have thought, that you would be dating a big time producer. And I’d be dating a model.” Will winked as he opened the coke, following Merlin into the hall and into the elevator.
“You haven’t even gone on a date with her yet. I’m just happy I talked Arthur into a middle ground. His flat was way too large for the two of us. Between you and me, he hated it there.” Merlin opened the door of the building, the sun streaming into the slightly dim lobby. He gestured for Will to walk out first.
“Well, now that you’ve moved out, I’m going to find some other place to live, or replace Craig with someone. I can’t handle that bloke alone.” Will and Merlin quickly got into the car, and Will pulled out into traffic.
“Maybe you should kick Craig out then.” Merlin grinned mischievously, “replace him with those models you keep talking about.”
“Right, think of all the money I’ll save on replacing the food my current roommates steal from me! I’ll be able to buy a new car!” Merlin’s laughter and response was cut off by the screech of wheels against the pavement. Pain pierced his leg as the sounds of screams and breaking glass surrounded him.
The light was suddenly too bright, Merlin screwed his eyes shut, as the pain in his leg began to travel upwards.
“Will?” the sounds reaching him began to sound oddly muted, screaming, crying, someone shouting in a phone for an ambulance.
“Will? Say… something… please?” The effort to talk was becoming too much, and before he knew it Merlin slipped into unconsciousness.
Author: pasty_pants
Rating: R/NC-17
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Warning: Excessive use of flashbacks, AU and split into two parts due to length.
Words: 12,000
Summary: It only took three years and six months to get to that point, but it was definitely worth the wait.
A/N I was congratulating a co-worker who got engaged, and all the sudden the thought occurred to me “What if Merlin and Arthur got engaged?” Thanks to my wonderful beta, penarddun, who put up with my bad sentence structure, my Americanisms, my complete misunderstanding of how gay marriage works outside of the state and improper use of commas. I <3 you (despite the haggis incident and not letting me have my Russell Tovey until I finished the fic >.>) and this fic would have been crap without you.
Note: Sorry but I have no idea how to connect the two parts together, or how to tag O.o
“I’m bored.” Merlin muttered out of the corner of his mouth to Gwen, who stood next to him eagerly people watching.
“You know, most people would love to be at a party full of movie stars.” Gwen smiled and nodded to a popular talk show host.
“Most people aren’t dating Arthur Pendragon.” He frowned as he continued “great way to spend our anniversary; at his father’s party.”
“Arthur has to go, he’s going to be the CEO of Camelot Productions someday, and then you guys will get to shag in his Dad’s chair like you’ve always wanted.” Gwen smiled innocently, nodding her head towards her best friend Morgana who had just entered the room on the arm of the latest big movie star.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Merlin said stiffly, “and I’ll remind you that what is talked about in private lunch discussions remain in private lunch discussions.” Merlin adjusted the tie of his suit, the one he wouldn’t have owned three years before, when he was just a struggling writer living in a crap flat with five other guys. “Besides, it’s not the shag I’m looking forward to, although I’m sure it will be brilliant. Arthur promised me a surprise before dashing off to work this morning. I want to see what it is.”
Gwen smiled; she had a feeling that the surprise was the chair promise. Morgana disentangled herself from the man who was practically drooling all over her. Merlin envied the way that she had everyone wrapped around her finger, including him.
“Hello Merlin! I’ve just finished your book! I loved it. I can’t wait to see what our favourite prince and sorcerer get up to next!” She said with a wink, knowing full well what inspired his increasingly famous series. “When will you write a script for Camelot? They would love to have a movie written by you, it would do so well!”
“If I tried to write a movie, I’d have to work with Arthur and then I’d have to kill him. He’s bad enough to live with; he has to have everything clean and done his way.” he said with a playful grin.
“Like you mind!” Gwen scoffed.
“Oh no, here comes that guy the one who stares at my breasts while he talks about all the movies he’s worked on.” Morgana whispered to Gwen and the pair of them groaned as Merlin smiled. Seeing his escape in the form of his gorgeous blonde boyfriend, surrounded by people talking, Merlin decided to make a run for it.
“I think I’m going to go talk to Arth- shit.” The crowd dispersed to reveal Uther, standing next to his son.
“Haha. You have to deal with him too.” Gwen said quietly, as the man came to a stop in front of them.
“I hate these parties” Merlin muttered under his breath as true to form, the man began to ramble on, eyes fixed to Gwen and Morgana’s chest.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Most couples have an adorable story to go with their cuteness. They whip the story out when they’re at parties, finishing other stories to the laughter or the collective “awww.”
Merlin and Arthur did tell their stories at parties but only when they’re completely drunk. Often times their versions contradict each other and they end up arguing with each other on how it really went. The drunk arguing then dissolves into doing improper things in corners or in closets.
According to Merlin, he was having a crazy day at his job. He worked at a café as a barista (a title he always hated) and all the way into the afternoon, people were coming in droves to get drinks. One blonde (extremely hot) male customer even yelled at him because there was too much cream in his coffee.
He had dropped some kind of drink and it was too busy to clean it up. It was like an old cartoon when he slipped on the drink tossing the (luckily iced) drink he was holding into the air, smacking the blond man in the face. The dark drink dripped down the man, soaking the crisp white shirt and the jacket he was holding. The man had a look of shock and anger on his face.
According to Arthur, he calmly and quietly pointed out to the (incredibly stupid) barista that the drink was wrong. After resolving the dispute and getting a new drink, the barista was still angry. When Arthur was about to walk away the tall skinny man threw a drink at him. Of course Arthur had no choice but to point out that the man had got his shirt (which cost more then the barista’s entire outfit and he said so) wet and dirty.
“You bloody idiot! You’ve ruined my shirt!”
“I’m sorry! It was an accident!”
“Accident my arse! Do you know who I am?”
“A prat?”
“I could have you fired!”
“So you’re a giant prat then.”
After that point, it became a matter of pride that Arthur came in every day at some point (he lived right around the corner) to annoy Merlin. While Merlin also considered a matter of pride to not to apologize again; the first time he apologized because he was truly sorry to spill the drink on the stranger, but after realizing what a prat he was Merlin was no longer sorry.
It was two weeks before Arthur came in just before closing and kept nagging Merlin as he cleaned up. Arthur just wouldn’t shut up as Merlin cleaned off the table and disassembled the machine to clean it. An hour later Merlin was about to lock up the café and Arthur was still going on. Merlin had no choice but to push Arthur behind the counter and snog him senseless.
Three years later it’s the only tactic that seems to work.
XXXXXXXXXXX
“Father, there’s Merlin, I need to talk to him.” Arthur said, his eyes very happy that he managed to convince Merlin to buy that suit.
“Arthur, you can ravish your boyfriend some other time, now it’s time to do business.” Uther said distractedly. All Arthur wanted to say (whine) was that the only business he wanted to do involved Merlin bent over something.
Instead Arthur smiled and nodded, moving away to talk to a director, then to some other writer (or was it a musician?) and slowly worked his way across the room to where Merlin stood with Morgana, Gwen and that creepy Mr.Anderson from accounting.
He wrapped his arm around Merlin’s waist. “Sorry, I need to steal Merlin for a moment.” He said in his ‘I’m being polite because my Father is in the room and will get angry otherwise’ voice. Spotting Morgana and Gwen’s looks of sheer horror he quickly added “I think my father is looking for the two of you.”
Without another word, Arthur dragged Merlin towards the balcony. They walked over to the secluded part of the balcony that wrapped around the side of the mansion.
Merlin smiled as he saw the pond on the side of the house, he leaned slightly over the railing, casting a look back to Arthur.
“Look! Ducks!”
Arthur smiled in return as he watched his boyfriend stare out at the pond. He mentally went over the speech he had created in front of the mirror over the last week as Merlin slept on their large bed, drooling over Arthur’s pillow.
Merlin, the last three years of my life have been wonderful, the best in my entire life. And it’s not because of the success I’ve been having, or the new apartment or anything like that. It’s because of you. You hit my life like a tornado and totally changed everything. Before you, no one lasted a week and I can’t imagine my life without you. I can see us getting old and still arguing about whether or not you threw that frappacino at me. With our adoptive children’s kids running around. That’s another thing, I want to adopt kids with you. I know you’re probably worried but I’ll talk you into crossing that bridge when we get to it. For now, Marry me.
Instead, his voice caught in his voice as Merlin turned around to lean against the rail and smiled at Arthur.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Merlin said with a grin that showed he assumed that Arthur didn’t want to talk at all.
“Here.” Arthur put the ring he had been carrying in his pocket for almost three months on the rail. With a confused look on his face Merlin picked up the box and opened it to look at the silver band inside. It was thin, and it had a twisted part in the middle.
“Is this…” Merlin trailed off, staring wide eyed at the ring.
“Yes.” Arthur fought to keep the nervous feeling in his gut down, keeping his face stony.
“You mean…”
“Yes.”
“Really?” Merlin’s voice hit a pitch only dogs could hear, Arthur smiled widely
“Just say yes Merlin you know you want to.” Arthur said Merlin’s name like an insult as the smile on his face widened.
“Yes, no-one else will want the position.” Merlin said with a smirk, wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck to pull him into a kiss. Their lips were centimeters apart when Merlin muttered “But I am not the girl in this relationship, I’m going to get you a ring too.”
The kiss was innocent and Arthur quickly pulled away in order to take the box back, pulling the ring out to slip it onto Merlin’s long finger.
“Are you sure you’re not the girl? You do seem like it.”
“Shut up and kiss me you prat.”
XXXXXXXX
According to Arthur, they didn’t start dating right away. For the first few weeks they were more like fuck buddies who occasionally had dinner or saw a movie together.
Of course Merlin, who had been in an established relationship before, knew what they were.
It was a Sunday morning the first time Arthur figured it out.
He stood in Merlin’s bathroom, with Merlin’s annoying roommate Craig pounding on the door. “ARTHUR! Some people have work to get to!”
Arthur was mesmerized by the toothbrush he had bought the week before sitting in the same cup as Merlin’s.
Merlin opened the door a tiny bit and slid in, just incase Arthur was naked (because he was the only person that got to see Arthur naked.)
“Is there something wrong? Craig is complaining, he has to be at work 20 minutes ago apparently.” Merlin arched an eyebrow at the confused look Arthur gave him. “What?”
“Merlin… are you my boyfriend?” Merlin laughed in response.
“It’s a good thing that you have your looks and that fierce stepsister, because you are slower then a tortoise on weed. Come back to bed, let Craig have the bathroom.”
Finding no fault in the plan, Arthur followed his boyfriend down the hall to spend the rest of the morning doing things he would never tell his Father about.
XXXXXXXXX
“Oh Gods. Oh Lord, you’re engaged?” Gwen practically shrieked as they sat in the very same café that Merlin had thrown coffee at Arthur by accident/on purpose
“Well, yes. We’re getting a Civil Partnership. The ceremony, the cake, Arthur pledging his love and commitment in front of all our family and friends.” Merlin grinned stupidly, looking at the ring that had “My life, My love” inscribed on it in old English The only phrase Arthur could remember.
“Merlin, you’re going to get married!”
“I still have to find a ring for him though and set a date, find a place, a cake. That sort of thing.” Merlin knew that Gwen understood he was asking for her assistance. He cast his best puppy eyes towards her.
“That sort of thing.” Gwen said definitively as if Merlin was stupid. “You’re going to need help.”
“Obviously I’m marrying a control freak. He’s going to set it up; he probably already knows what dress he’s going to try to talk me into wearing. It’s not going to work. I won’t be drunk at my own wedding. My Mother will be there after all.”
“Of course, you can’t wear a dress when your Mother is around.” Merlin nodded as Gwen continued to say “Except that didn’t stop you when you were five.” She looked at him through her eyelashes as she continued to stir her coffee.
“I shall no longer be confiding in you.”
XXXXXXXXXXX
The first time Arthur met Gwen, he was a little drunk. Though saying Arthur was a little drunk was akin to saying Bush was a little stupid. The pair of them had told their best friends about their relationship, but by no means did they endeavor to introduce their new significant others to the women in their lives.
One of Merlin’s flat mates had crossed a very strict line. He had skipped three months rent, his money disappearing somewhere between the bank and the apartment. (“It’s all those prostitutes I tell you, man can’t find a woman by his own damn self and he’s got to waste it all on women with herpes.” Merlin’s favorite roommate Will had said.) The man in question had decided that it was best that he moved back into his mother’s basement for the time being, and the rest were happy to see him go.
Craig had decided to throw a “goodbye Edwin!” party set for the day after Edwin left. And of course, both Gwen and Arthur were invited. Arthur opted to bring his friend Lancelot as support for when he met the infamous Gwen, and instead Lancelot convinced Arthur to play drinking games. Gwen was late to the party due to a late shift at the second job she held at the time.
The first time Gwen and Arthur met, Arthur threw up on Gwen, who graciously helped Arthur locate the bathroom before showering and stealing Merlin’s clothes. Merlin was helping his roommates clean up the living room until almost 5 in the morning, wandering in his own room to find his boyfriend, best friend, and random guy he hadn’t been properly introduced to yet curled up in his bed.
There was nothing Merlin could do but push Arthur over and lie down between him and Gwen.
XXXXXX
“You proposed? And he accepted?” Morgana let out an uncharacteristic shriek of delight as Arthur set the table.
“Yes, and I’m going to need your help to tell Father and Hunith when they come over tonight.” Arthur cast a worried glance to Merlin in the kitchen.
“You’re telling them both at the same time?”
“It was the only night that they were both free.”
“Nothing bad will happen, Uther will call me Marvin, congratulate Arthur stiffly while my Mother goes on and on about how she knew that we were two sides of the same coin since the day I brought him home.” Merlin said, bringing the casserole to the table.
“Don’t be silly Merlin he called you Marvin last time, It’s going to be Mark today.” Arthur pulled out the wine glasses as he smiled to his boyfriend.
“Do you think he’ll get his name right in the future where men can deliver babies?” Morgana said distractedly, drawing both the boys confused looks to her. “You two would have beautiful babies, Arthur would carry of course, Merlin doesn’t have the hips for it.”
“I hate you so much sometimes.”
XXXXXXX
The first time Merlin met Uther it came a bit of a shock. Seeing as Uther came over to his son’s flat to discuss an issue with a film, and instead found Merlin and Arthur naked on the couch.
The silence was so tense that they could all hear the lube squeaking as it slowly slipped out of Merlin’s hands.
Cool as a cucumber, Arthur sat up, pulling a blanket around him and Merlin.
“Father, this is Merlin, my boyfriend.”
XXXXXXXX
They sat at the table, the five of them pushing various foods around their plates as the awkward silence permeated the room.
“So, Merville, I hear that your latest book has hit the best seller list here and in America.”
“Australia too.” Merlin added, attempting to eat with one hand as he hid the other (and the ring) under the table.
“That is wonderful, I loved the dedication you wrote in it.” Hunith chimed in, beaming at her son.
“Have you read it yet?” Gaius said, turning to the surprisingly quiet Arthur.
“Not yet, I have a hard time reading books when I already know the ending and random background information and the way it would have ended. I do own a copy though, and I do love the dedication.” Arthur said with a wry smile, the ending had changed when he and Merlin were on the couch about five seconds from shagging and Merlin realized that the prince couldn’t see in the cave and the sorcerer had to produce light from where he was stranded high above him. Merlin left Arthur hard and horny on the couch to immediately attack his laptop with the idea.
“How would it have ended?” Morgana smiled, knowing this story full well.
“I wouldn’t want to ruin it, Father hasn’t read it yet.” Arthur said, glaring at Morgana.
“No offence but I doubt I will be able to anytime soon, we have a busy year ahead of us and -“
“Good Lord Merlin! What is that on your ring finger?” Gaius stared at the finger in question, eyebrow arched. Merlin looked struck, his fork halfway to his mouth and his ring glinting obviously in the light.
“Well that’s kind of what we invited you all over here for,” Arthur said, smiling wide as he took Merlin’s other hand. “We’re going to get a Civil Partnership.”
As expected, Gaius quickly smiled in approval, Hunith gasped and jumped up to hug her son, and Uther nodded towards Arthur with a small smile on his face that distinctly said ‘I’m proud of you but I won’t tell you until there are fewer people in the room.’
Which Arthur was completely okay with, as he turned to accept Gaius’ congratulations.
XXXXXXXX
The first time Arthur met Hunith was a lot better then the ‘naked on the couch’ episode. It was Christmas of the first year that they were dating, and as per usual Arthur had spent Christmas Eve at the gala thrown by Camelot productions to bring all the actors, producers and other big name people together. For a change, he allowed Merlin to drag him out to the country the next morning.
They crunched up the walk, adding footprints to the ones set in the freshly fallen snow as Merlin carried a tray of something and Arthur carried several boxes. Arthur almost dropped the boxes when Merlin just opened the door with no key.
“Mother! I’m home!” Merlin shouted with a smile, setting down the food and toeing off his boots.
“You don’t lock the doors?” Arthur asked in a confused voice.
“Not during the day, no.” a light voice said from behind him, he spun to see a woman who looked a lot like Merlin but shorter and wearing an apron. “You must be Arthur, I’ve heard so much about you.”
Instead of shaking his hand, she quickly gave Arthur a hug, before taking his load and bringing it into the living room to place it under the tree.
“Thank you for inviting me to your home.” Arthur managed to say, it sounded like more of a question then a statement.
“You boys can go put your bags upstairs.”
“Okay Mum.” Merlin said as he already started to jog up the stairs. Arthur followed slowly as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. As he walked up the stairs it was like watching Merlin grow up, as the pictures on the wall progressively showed more grown up and (supposedly) mature Merlins through the years.
“You were really fey when you were in school weren’t you?” He said as he came up behind Merlin in his room.
“If you say so.” Merlin plopped onto the queen-sized bed, Arthur began to look closely at the cluster of pictures attempting to occupy the same space on the wall. He instantly recognized one he saw in Will’s room. Will and Merlin had their faces smashed together, cheek to cheek as they took a picture. They looked like grinning idiots about to go off and do something stupid, which they probably did do. It was Arthur’s favorite picture of them.
“I can’t believe you’ve known Will since birth, you’re so… different.” They had dropped Will off at his own house down the street before arriving at Hunith’s.
“Lifelong friends don’t need stuff in common, they have each other.”
“I don’t have any lifelong friends.” Arthur said, sauntering over to Merlin who still lay on the bed.
“What’s Morgana then? Chopped liver?”
“Very annoying.”
“You’ve lived with her since you were four. I hate to break it to you but you’re lifelong friends with Morgana.” Merlin thought for a second as Arthur climbed on the bed over him, straddling Merlin’s upper legs. “You’ve also known Lancelot for a long time…”
“Oh shut up.” Arthur leaned down to press his lips against Merlin’s smiling mouth. His hands braced the bed on the side of Merlin’s head, as Merlin’s arms wrapped around his waist. Merlin tugged on his belted trousers for a moment before sliding his hands upwards and under Arthur’s shirt.
“My Mum is downstairs; if we’re going to do this here we’re going to be quiet about it.” Merlin muttered against Arthur’s mouth, his hands snapped the button of Arthur’s trousers open and slid down the zip.
He grinned devilishly as he slipped his hand inside, finding the warmth there, as Arthur moaned. Merlin wrapped his long fingers around Arthur, quickly finding the rhythm that the blond enjoyed.
Using Arthur’s distraction, Merlin flipped them over making Arthur lie on the bed with his legs hanging down the side. He slid down to the floor between Arthur’s legs and quickly freed him, wishing time would go slower so he could savour this.
Merlin wrapped his mouth around the head of Arthur’s cock, his hand gripping the rest of it. Arthur threw his head back and bit his fist to keep from moaning Merlin’s name too loud. He felt like an incredibly dirty teenager again, fooling around with his boyfriend while his boyfriend’s mother innocently made food downstairs.
It was on the feeling that he was a dirty teenager that Arthur came embarrassingly quickly into Merlin’s mouth. Merlin grinned as he gulped loudly as if to tease Arthur.
“Oh please, like you would last long if you were in a similar situation.”
“You just love the threat of people walking in, it’s why you’re always round my place.”
“Arthur! Merlin! You can open one present before dinner!” Hunith shouted at them from downstairs.
“Coming Mum!” Merlin said as Arthur frowned. “We’ll finish this later. Promise.”
XXXXXX
Even with the insane amount of cards, and the bouquet of flowers refilled every week, Merlin hated this room. The walls were too white and the light gave it a surreal look. The only sounds in there were his breathing, Will’s breathing, and the quiet beeping of the heart monitor.
Merlin sat in the worn chair next to Will’s bed. He leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees, and his chin on his fist.
“Hullo there, sorry I didn’t visit on Sunday like I usually do. Mother, Gaius and Uther came to visit.”
Did any of them walk in on you and Arthur? You really should cool it when they’re around. Merlin could easily conjure up the response Will would have given him. Along with the look that easily said ‘I know what you two do all the time, don’t try to deny it!’
“We had some news to tell them you see.” Merlin leaned forward to add the recently published book to the previous one. “It’s so important that I… well, I can’t believe I’m doing it.”
Merlin bit his lip, silently urging Will to wake up. He didn’t want to tell his best friend that he was going to officially spend the rest of his life with one man while his best friend couldn’t congratulate him, or be angry at him. Will wouldn’t even be able to accept or deny Merlin’s offer to make him best man.
“Will, I’m going to get married.” The statement hung in the air with each beep of the machine. Merlin brushed the hair out of Will’s eyes as he fought back the tears in his own.
“You’d better damn well wake up before it happens, or I swear I’ll be forced to repeat the whole ceremony. Okay?” Will continued to say nothing and Merlin bit his lip as a tear streaked down his cheek.
Merlin had the urge to jump up and shake his friend awake. So they could go to the pub down the street and celebrate properly. He hated this room and he hated that everyday the chance of him ever going to a pub with Will became slimmer and slimmer. He leaned over the rail and kissed Will’s forehead, a move that would have usually resulted in Will pushing him away and calling him a bumlord.
Without a backward glance, Merlin quickly left the room.
XXXXXXXX
“You’re getting published?” Arthur said incredulously over his bowl of ice cream, Will nodding happily next to him.
“Yes! They looked it over and they’ve told me that they love it and they can’t wait to start editing it!” Merlin was grinning from ear-to-ear as he quickly grabbed Arthur and pulled him in for a quick kiss. The taste of chocolate ice-cream stuck to him as he stepped away.
“Excuse me homos, hetero sitting right here!” Will said, stealing Arthur’s ice-cream as the man in question pulled Merlin closer to himself.
“Congratulations!” Arthur threaded his fingers through the hair at the base of Merlin’s head, pulling him in for a deeper kiss. “How do you plan on celebrating?”
“That’s what we did all last night, why didn’t you pick up your phone?”
“I was in Cardiff on business.” Arthur stole his bowl back from Will, “besides most of your messages included inspiring renditions of various songs from the seventies and eighties. Wonderful voices but I think you should keep your day job, just in case.”
“But Arthur…” Will stood up, posing in a ‘heroic’ way, “Weeeeeee are the champions, yes we are the champions! No time for Losers ‘cus we are the champions of the worlddddd.” With the last (horrible) note hanging in the air, Will spun out of the room. He left Arthur and Merlin holding each other in the dining area of the small kitchen.
“Are you sure he’s straight?” Arthur said with an arched eyebrow as Merlin laughed.
“He’s straight, but I’m sure if Freddy Mercury was still alive he’d go for him.”
“Of course,” Arthur slid his hand down Merlin’s back, nudging his way into the jeans riding low on Merlin’s hips. “So do you want to celebrate properly?”
“How so?” Merlin’s hands wandered to the front of Arthur’s shirt, unbuttoning slowly as he waited for Arthur’s response. Arthur leaned in to brush his lips against the shell of Merlin’s ear.
“Paris, tonight.” He whispered, smiling against Merlin’s ear.
“What? Paris? Really?” Merlin pushed Arthur away, “but tickets and a hotel-“
“Don’t worry, I’ve already got it all set up.” Arthur said, hoping that Merlin would take his statement at the face value. He was disappointed.
“You’ve already got it set up? But how did you-“ Merlin broke off mid-statement and began to blush. “Oh, I’m such an idiot!”
“That you are, but it’s okay, I’ll put up with it for awhile yet.”
“Sorry,” Merlin curved his hand around Arthur’s neck, pulling him into another kiss.
“A whole year together and we haven’t christened the kitchen yet.” Arthur mumbled into Merlin’s lips before picking him up and setting him on the counter.
“Exhibitionist.”
“Happy anniversary.”
XXXXXXXX
“What’s wrong with lilies?” Arthur finally said, fighting the urge to slam his fork down and whine like a little child to Uther. Father! Morgana’s being mean!, his leg itched to stamp on the ground like a little girl.
“Arthur, lilies are the flower of death.”
“I don’t want roses!”
“Then have daisies!”
“Daisies? At a wedding? I’m going to fire you as wedding planner.”
“Lilacs.”
Arthur and Morgana both turned their heads to look at Merlin, who was leaning back in his chair with an empty plate in front of him.
“What?” The pair asked simultaneously.
“Let’s just do lilacs so you guys will stop arguing and we can go.” Merlin cast a glance around the crowded bistro, “people are starting to stare.”
“You really want to walk down the aisle holding a bouquet of lilacs?” Arthur arched an eyebrow, quickly picking up his sandwich and taking a bite.
“No, I want to stand at the altar with a rose in my lapel or something like that. If anyone will be walking down the aisle its you.” Merlin glared at Arthur as he stole his chips
“So, we don’t need floral arrangements?” Arthur asked, smacking Merlin’s hands away.
“We’re Merlin and Arthur, not Merlina and Aretha.”
“Roses and lapels it is.” Morgana began to cut her fried fish.
“See how that was settled in twenty seconds? You’d never survive with out me.”
“That’s why I’m marrying you.” Arthur said with a smile as he tugged on Merlin’s ear, leaning across the table to pull him into a quick and passionate kiss, as the less subtle patrons of the restaurant stared.
XXXXXX
On their second anniversary, Merlin spent the morning sweaty with Will. Lifting boxes and carrying them into the posh apartment building. They joked as they emptied the car and put the boxes along the walls.
“How come Arthur isn’t helping you move in?” Will finally asked, when they got the last box labeled “clothes” and put it away.
“He’s working all day; some movie star is having a snit about a scene where he has to wear a shirt or something like that.” Merlin shrugged, pulling the solitary coke out of the fridge and handing it to Will.
“Who would have thought, that you would be dating a big time producer. And I’d be dating a model.” Will winked as he opened the coke, following Merlin into the hall and into the elevator.
“You haven’t even gone on a date with her yet. I’m just happy I talked Arthur into a middle ground. His flat was way too large for the two of us. Between you and me, he hated it there.” Merlin opened the door of the building, the sun streaming into the slightly dim lobby. He gestured for Will to walk out first.
“Well, now that you’ve moved out, I’m going to find some other place to live, or replace Craig with someone. I can’t handle that bloke alone.” Will and Merlin quickly got into the car, and Will pulled out into traffic.
“Maybe you should kick Craig out then.” Merlin grinned mischievously, “replace him with those models you keep talking about.”
“Right, think of all the money I’ll save on replacing the food my current roommates steal from me! I’ll be able to buy a new car!” Merlin’s laughter and response was cut off by the screech of wheels against the pavement. Pain pierced his leg as the sounds of screams and breaking glass surrounded him.
The light was suddenly too bright, Merlin screwed his eyes shut, as the pain in his leg began to travel upwards.
“Will?” the sounds reaching him began to sound oddly muted, screaming, crying, someone shouting in a phone for an ambulance.
“Will? Say… something… please?” The effort to talk was becoming too much, and before he knew it Merlin slipped into unconsciousness.