Summary: TV business pundit Uther denounces gaydom, but his fencer son has an adoring fan.
A/N: Been meaning to do a modern AU for some time. Finally inspiration struck! Arthur as a champion sport fencer - obvious!
The Foible (Part 1: The Fan) by frostygossamer
* foible (noun)
* 1 A minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character.
* 2 Fencing: The part of a sword blade from the middle to the point.
Billionaire businessman Uther Pendragon lolled in his chair, and smirked at the show's host, as he was introduced to the studio audience in flattering terms.
"Welcome to our show, Sir Uther. I mean Lord Pendragon", the smarmy host greeted him.
"Glad to be here", Uther replied, grinning insincerely, and crossing his legs to pointedly avoid the wayward hands of his fellow guest, the popular and flamboyantly gay choreographer, Spencie.
Arthur clicked the remote petulantly. If he had to watch one more minute of his father's egotistical celebrity roadshow, he would probably throw the blasted thing through the TV screen.
He took a deep breath and went on with his packing. The championship was starting in a few days, and he wanted to have everything organised for a smooth and relaxing journey. He was going to arrive good and early this time, and get in plenty of practice, get himself into the 'zone'. Recently he had been finding the whole fencing circuit thing too much. He was thinking of getting out, packing it in. Maybe he was getting too old.
He sighed. It wasn't easy being the son of the famous celebrity businessman Sir, now Lord, Uther Pendragon. He could so easily have just done nothing after he finished university, just lived off the old man. But he loathed the bastard. And that was why he'd taken up fencing. It was something he had got into at public school, and it was something he could succeed in in his own right, nothing to do with his father.
It was kind of a lonely road. It wasn't exactly a rockstar lifestyle. Fans didn't flock around fencers the way they flocked around footballers and tennis players. It was a discipline that few people could be bothered to understand, let alone follow.
Not that dear Dad wasn't always trying to fix him up with some woman or other. Usually some filly with a title. Dad would have loved to have had a real title, not just the one he bought with business services to the last Government. But Arthur wasn't that into marriage really. He preferred to be footloose. Or at least that's what he liked to think.
His father suspected he was gay. He knew that. He didn't care what the old man thought. He could think what he liked. And it pleased Arthur a little to annoy his chauvinist father with the uncertainty. Uther Pendragon did not like gays. He had made it plain in the press and on TV that he couldn't stand them and what he called their 'artistic', 'limp-wristed' ways. That dancer on the TV tonight would be making his flesh crawl, he knew. That's why they'd been invited on the show together. He chuckled.
But Arthur was straight, definitely.
('o')
Uther had come down to see his Harley Street man, for his regular quarterly check-up. Dr. Gaius MB FRCP MRCS was a grey-haired, tweed-wearing, pipe-smoking physician of the old school, and had been a friend of Uther's for many years.
After they'd gone through the motions of the check-up, the two men sat down to enjoy a brandy and a quick catch-up, during the course of which Uther happened to mention that his son would be taking part in a fencing tournament in Canada soon. Dr. Gaius asked how he was doing and Uther replied that he was worried about him.
"His heart doesn't seem to be in it so much these days", he said. "I think he may be considering throwing in the towel."
"Oh, what a shame", Dr. Gaius replied. "My nephew will be so disappointed."
"Your nephew?", Uther enquired. He didn't remember Gaius mentioning a nephew before.
"Yes", Gaius responded. "My sister, you know, the one who married a welsh rugby forward, her boy. His name is Merlin. I have a photo of him on the mantle."
Uther glanced up at the picture of a slight, pale youth. "His father played for the Caerleon Dragons, didn't he? He doesn't take after him then", he quipped.
"No", Gaius chuckled. "But he is very interested in fencing. He's quite a fan, has been for years. In fact, when I mentioned the other day that I would be seeing you, he asked me if I could get him young Arthur's autograph. Is that any sort of a possibility?"
Uther was putting on his coat. "Of course", he said. "Give me his name and address and I'll see what I can do."
Gaius scribbled his nephew's details on the back of one of his business cards and passed it to Uther.
"He needs a bit of cheering up right now, young Merlin", he explained. "He's been out of steady work since he finished university. Good jobs are hard to come by."
Uther sighed inwardly, Gaius wasn't very subtle about his angling for a position for his nephew.
"I'll pass this on to Personnel", Uther said, waving the card as he stepped into the street.
('o')
A few days later young Merlin Emrys was sitting on a chair on the opposite side of Lord Pendragon's desk at UPTRAD, fidgeting nervously.
"Now what can you give to UPTRAD", Uther asked.
"Well, I have my degree. I'm a hard worker and I'm very reliable", Merlin volunteered. "And I don't mind long hours. Or travelling."
"Would you consider a post as a Personal Assistant?", Uther asked unexpectedly.
Merlin was surprised. That sounded good. He was expecting something more junior, if anything.
"Well, yes", he replied. "I certainly would."
"There would be travel involved", Uther explained. "And you would have to be available 24/7."
Merlin nodded. "No problem", he assured him.
"Good", Uther exclaimed. "You're hired!" He shook the youth's hand vigorously.
Merlin waited, unsure as to whether he had been dismissed or not yet. He started to rise from his chair.
"Oh, just one more question", Uther continued casually. "Not that it affects this job offer, of course, but are you gay by any chance?"
Merlin hesitated. He knew Lord Pendragon's very public opinions on homosexuality.
"No", he declared positively.
Uther looked him up and down. "Of course", he responded. "Expect to hear from Personnel in the next day or two."
Merlin scurried from the room, relieved the interview was over so quickly. He popped into the pub round the corner, for a quick half to settle his nerves, and phoned his mum. She was overjoyed to hear that he had finally landed a job.
('o')
That is why Arthur found his car to the airport already occupied, when it arrived at his flat to pick him up.
"I'm your new Personal Assistant, Merlin Emrys", Merlin informed him cheerfully, as he got in.
Arthur wasn't exactly pleased to see him. "I suppose this is my father's idea", he griped. "He's always telling me I need an assistant. I'm sick of telling him I'd rather travel alone."
"Lord Pendragon just thought that, if you had someone to handle your logistics, you know travel, accommodation, meals and so on, it would give you more time to concentrate on your sport. That's all", Merlin explained.
"That's never all with my father", Arthur grumbled. "He has a hidden agenda with everything. He just wants to keep tabs on me."
"I resent that", Merlin complained. "I'm here to help you. That's it. There's no need to be ungrateful."
Arthur sighed. "It's not your fault. I'm sorry, Merlin. Just ignore me."
He leant back and closed his eyes as the car whisked them both to meet their plane.
('o')
Merlin treated Arthur to a full rundown of his life on the plane, while Arthur tried to pretend to sleep. He was still talking when they touched down in Montreal.
When they got to the hotel Arthur discovered that Merlin had booked them a suite. It had two double bedrooms.
"So I'll be nice and handy", Merlin explained.
As soon as they had unpacked and visited the hotel cafe for a quick bite to eat, Arthur was anxious to get down to the gym and put in a few hours of practice. Merlin wanted to carry his bag and practice foils, but Arthur wanted to go alone, and get some peace for a while.
"I need to concentrate on my exercises", Arthur insisted.
Reluctantly Merlin stayed behind. He spent the time running over Arthur's schedule for the days ahead.
When Arthur returned from the gym late, Merlin was in his own room watching TV. He had taken the hint. Arthur helped himself to a drink from the mini-bar and went to bed.
('o')
In the morning, Arthur was woken bright and early by the sound of Merlin singing. Merlin popped his head around the door, and grinned when he saw that Arthur was already awake.
After a healthy breakfast in the hotel restaurant, there was some paperwork to get through at the tournament venue, so Merlin went along with Arthur to sort that out, at Merlin's insistance. Arthur then went back to the gym, to spend some practice time with the other members of the British team. When he returned to his suite later, he found Merlin cooing over his autograph book.
"I got everyone on the German team this year. Last time I missed out on Parsifal. Remember how he went home early with some sort of tummy bug?"
"You were at the tournament last time?", Arthur asked, surprised.
"Oh yes, I always go", Merlin said, beaming. "I'm a big big fan. Didn't your father tell you?"
"No", Arthur replied. "I had no idea."
"Oh, I've been a fan for years. Well, Uncle Gaius gave me a poster for the World Fencing Federation Championships to cover a crack in my bedroom wall at Uni. I collected photos of the entire British team."
"I was probably on that poster", Arthur said wistfully.
"Yes, I know", Merlin agreed shyly. "And you looked very nice in your fencing whites. I've been following your career ever since."
Arthur looked him in the eye. "You're a fan? You're not a stalker by any chance, are you?"
"Not really", Merlin answered. "Not anymore, anyway. Now I'm a friend, right?"
Arthur shook his head in disbelief.
"My dad certainly knows how to pick them."
TBC
A/N: And now for the tournament. Please read on.