Chapter 4: What Gaius Had to Say

"Merlin," said Gaius to the newest addition to his departmental staff. "you really should watch the way you speak to Arthur. It's not very respectful."

Relieved to have the monthly staff meeting over and done with, Gaius had abandoned his lukewarm coffee, made a pot of tea, and insisted that Merlin tidy up his office. The junior conservator had done this in a rather haphazard fashion whilst Gaius regaled him with stories of "the old days," when a much younger Uther spent as much time in New York as he did in London, and Arthur and Morgana--"two of the prettiest children you ever saw"--played amongst the antiquities in the storage rooms when Uther wasn't looking.

"I think he secretly likes it that I'm the only person here who talks back to him, that is, except for Morgana," Merlin replied, gulping down his scalding tea. "You should hear the way he talks to me."

"He may come across as arrogant at times, but we all cut him a little slack." Gaius responded. "He's under a lot of pressure. But he's more than capable. He'll be an excellent Director when Uther eventually hands over the reins. I've known him since his infancy, you see."

"Since his infancy." Merlin had to stifle a guffaw at the thought of a baby Arthur with nappies and a teddy bear.

"Of course I've known your mother even longer," Gais went on. "and it came as quite a surprise to me when she emailed me that her son was coming to New York to work at the Institute. Uther had been very closed-mouthed about it. She asked me if I would keep my eye on you, and I promised her I would. So you'd be doing us both a favor if you try to fit in here and not turn the place on its head."

"I behave myself and keep my head down," Merlin protested, but Gaius was not deceived by the innocent look on the young man's face.

"Merlin," he said severely, waving his teaspoon to emphasize his point. "you're amazingly gifted. I've not seen anything like it before. You're a mere fledgeling but you have the best eye and the best hands of anyone in the business. However--don't think I haven't heard about those pranks you pulled at Cambridge and the Courtauld. There are professors there who quake in their shoes when they hear your name."

"Um." said Merlin, whose cheeks and ears had begun to turn pink. "It's not my fault if I was better at what they did than they were."

"All the same..." Gaius mumbled, "To get back to the original subject...just do the best work you can, and, if you can manage it, be helpful to Arthur. He could use a friend in this cutthroat, competitive field that we're in."

"A friend...Gaius! He's my boss, and he doesn't want me as a friend."

"I shouldn't be saying this, but," Gaius went on somberly, "perhaps you should be aware of certain things. He doesn't trust people easily, and I can't say that I blame him. You know he was raised without a mother. Uther was...well, let's just say that Uther was a remote father. People have always tried to take advantage of Arthur because of the family's wealth and connections. Others pursue him for his looks. There have been a number of women who've, hem," Gaius coughed self-consciously, "chased him, not because they wanted to get to know him, but because they wanted a bit of rich, gorgeous arm candy. So he may have many admirers, he may have had many lovers, and he always has many hangers-on, but he has few real friends. And now that's quite enough revelation for one day. Let's get back to work."

Merlin had been listening with his chin on his hand, his expression unreadable. Now he stood up, nearly knocking over his empty mug, and gathered his notes from the meeting.

"As long as he likes my work," he said cheerfully, "I don't care that he doesn't like me."

Gaius had begun to feel quite fatherly and protective towards this oddly endearing lad now working under his tutelage, and the last thing he wanted was for bad feelings to develop between him and the Assistant Director.

"As soon as Arthur gives the go-ahead on the Mary Magdalene," he sighed, "you can examine her in the Objects Conservation studio. There's plenty of room in there, and Will certainly won't mind. And for God's sake, don't assume that Arthur doesn't like you. Although you certainly seem," he snorted, "to have gotten under his skin."

As though on cue, there was an authoritative rap on the door, and Gaius opened it to find Arthur standing there, a curious smirk on his face. He had donned a well-cut, dark grey blazer (Gaius hated to guess at the price of such a garment) and looked quite stunningly handsome.

"I have a spare half-hour," he murmured, addressing Gaius but glancing past him at his companion. "before I meet with the people from the alarm company. I thought I might look at the Magdalene statue in Gallery One with Merlin, and he can tell me how much work he feels it will need."

Merlin gave a barely audible sigh as he put down his papers for a second time but when he spoke, both his voice and manner were on the edge of deferential.

"Okay." he said. "Let's go."

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Arthur watched with a kind of fascination as Merlin took notes. He had put his glasses back on and was standing less than a foot away from the Mary Magdalene sculpture, talking under his breath as he jotted things down.

"Body shows considerable insect damage. Areas of surface wood loss in the right shoulder, right arm, and hair. Flaking surface found in conjunction with insect damage. These surfaces are in danger of falling off. Base of the figure is also damaged and therefore unstable."

"Well?" Arthur asked after a moment of silence. He stepped closer to peer at the marred surface of the wood, and closed his eyes involuntarily when he felt Merlin's warm breath on the side of his face as he turned to respond.

"We...I...can stabilize it temporarily, in a matter of one to three days. More extensive work would, erm, require more time."

Arthur glanced at his electronic pocket calendar. "I'll ask the technicians to take her downstairs next Monday, when the museum's closed."

"That would be great." Neither of them looked the other directly in the face and neither mentioned their verbal exchange of less than an hour ago. Merlin removed his glasses and fiddled with them absently.

A pair of students, a muscular boy in a football jersey and a bosomy young girl, strolled through the gallery, paying little or no attention to the art. Every few steps, they stopped to kiss frantically.

The Assistant Director and conservator rolled their eyes.

"When I was their age," Merlin muttered, "I would have been terrified to snog in a museum."

"Are you joking?" retorted Arthur. "When I was their age, I thought museums were the best places to snog--you didn't have to worry about running into schoolmates there."

Merlin chuckled and that wayward lock of hair fell over his right eyebrow, making him blink. Arthur bit his lip and restrained himself from reaching out and brushing it back into place. As it was, he could admire the contrast of the midnight blackness with the milky pallor of that angular face.

He must be that milky pale all over.

Imagine snogging Merlin in a museum.

For a moment Arthur allowed his imagination to run riot, something he almost never did.

That silly striped rugby shirt. I'd like to see him dressed in black, it would suit him. I'd like to see him dressed...

I'd like to see him undressed, actually.

Stop it, Arthur! You're his boss. He works for you. You do not sleep with your employees! Company policy! Common sense!

Besides, it wouid probably scare him to death if I even tried...

"All right, Merlin," Arthur said in as impersonal a voice as he could muster. "I'll speak to the technicians about moving her--" he gestured to the sculpture, "on Monday."

"Cool," replied Merlin, ducking his head in gratitude. There didn't seem to be anything else to say about the matter, so they turned and left the gallery, eyes focused straight ahead, or on the sculptures, or on the art hanging on the walls--anywhere but on each other.