Title: Moments
Author: Writing2Death
Rating: PG
Warnings: Um, unbeta-ed. Also, modern!au
Notes: Written for Magi's Merlin, who had a really crappy day yesterday :(
Prompts used were: Table; Wine; Boiling Water; Shirt
Summary: Arthur comes home to a surprise from Merlin. It's a good thing not all surprised go as planned.

Now, please enjoy :)


Moments

Sometimes Arthur really, really likes his job. Other times, times like right now when he's driving home in what seems like never ending snow at midnight, he really, really doesn't. It's cold and miserable outside, and the feeling is just intensified at how ugly his day had been. No one likes having to shoot someone on the job, even if he was saving someone's life in the process. It just isn't something he likes doing.

Arthur yawns and pulls his coat up over his ears as he gets out of the car and is hit in the face with a hundred suicidal snowflakes at once. He fumbles with his keys at the door for a minute before finally managing to open it. The rush of warm air makes him sigh as he shakes off his coat and hangs it up.

Arthur freezes the moment he realises he can hear something coming from the kitchen. Is that – music? At midnight? He runs a hand through his hair and pads over to the source of the noise.

Merlin is standing barefoot in his kitchen in pyjama pants and one of Arthur's t-shirts, attempting to uncork a bottle of red wine. There's a pot of something (Arthur is assuming pasta) boiling on the stove, and the table is set with candles.

When Merlin notices him standing there, he freezes, and then smiles hugely. "I'm not finished yet. It was supposed to be a surprise."

"At midnight?" Arthur finds himself asking, desperately trying not to laugh as Merlin pouts.

"Maybe?" Merlin asks, looking seriously at the stubborn bottle of wine. "I wanted to –" he breaks off and sighs. "You probably just want to go to bed."

Arthur smiles at him. He crosses the kitchen and flips the knob on the stove off, moving the water off the burner. "Bed?" he asks, taking the bottle out of Merlin's hands and setting it safely on the table. He places his hands on Merlin's sides and presses his nose under Merlin's jaw and whispers, "Yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean we have to sleep."

"Sleep?" Merlin asks, breath hitching just a little bit, "Not too sure what sleep is … right now."

"Good," Arthur says, pulling away slightly, "because there will be a lot of not sleep."

"Okay," Merlin agrees readily, following Arthur down the hallway. "I suppose I can live with that."

End.