Nine Ladies Dancing

Merlin sighed as he and Arthur stood in the lift.

"What's wrong?" Arthur slipped his arm around his fiancé.

"Nothing, just nervous. Big offices scare me."

Arthur chuckled. "It's because you're at my workplace, with my work mates, isn't it?"

"Yeah. What if they don't like me?"

"Aw, just be yourself, they'll love you!" The lift opened and the music could already be heard from the room at the end of the corridor. Merlin and Arthur looked at eachother and smiled. They linked arms and entered the party.

The room was crowded and tinsel was tacked up around the walls. Music boomed out of speakers and people were everywhere. At the back a makeshift bar had been set up and was surrounded by a seething mass of people. Almost immediately, a tall, dark haired woman approached them. She had bright blue sapphire eyes and carried herself with an elegant grace. "Hello, Arthur!" She flung her arms around him.

Arthur pushed her off and forced his face into a smile. "Hello, Nimueh."

"Long time no see!"

"No, not since I moved floors" Arthur smiled and gestured towards Merlin. "This is Merlin, my boyfriend."

Merlin outstretched a hand awkwardly. "Hi, Nimueh was it?"

Nimueh chuckled "Hi. You're so cute!" She turned to Arthur. "Good catch." She smiled and sailed off towards eight other ladies, presumably her friends and resumed dancing.

"God I hate that woman" Arthur glared in her direction. "She's been hitting on me since she started here."

"Why didn't you tell her I was your fiancé?" Merlin's eyes were flicking from Nimueh to Arthur.

"Dad doesn't know we're engaged. I don't want him to; he'll go apeshit."

"Oh, I see. Okay. I thought you were getting cold feet!"

"No, I'm wearing thermal socks so my feet are toasty warm."

Merlin laughed and together, they walked towards the bar area.

Several hours later, Merlin and Arthur were squashed on one of the small sofas with three other of Arthur's friends and deep in a conversation about music. Merlin sipped his Bacardi and coke and looked at each person in turn. On his right sat Leon, who was tall and had long blonde hair. He sipped a large beer and laughed heartily at everything. Elyan, who he knew was Gwen's brother, but had only met twice sat next to him. Gaius, Uther's PA and trusted friend sat on his other side, quietly sipping at a juice and talking quietly with Arthur.

"So, Merlin, it's nice to see you again." Elyan turned to him and smiled. "Still working in that music store?"

"Yeah. It's a bit tedious but it brings money in."

"Yeah, it's the same story here."

Merlin smiled, and was beginning to feel relaxed. He noticed a guy who was sitting in the shadows, eyeing up every girl who passed and casually sipping a drink of some sort. "Who's that?" He nodded towards the man.

"Who? Oh, him. That's Cenred. Nobody really likes him; he's a bit of a perv. He works downstairs on the phones.

"Oh, he looks a bit menacing." Merlin drank the rest of his drink and set it down on the low coffee table.

"He is. Everybody tries to avoid him as much as possible."

"I'm not surprised!"

Elian chuckled and leant back on the sofa. "I hear you're with Arthur."

"Yep, you hear right!"

"Aw, that's nice. Nimueh must be crestfallen! She's been hitting on Arthur for years!" He chuckled. "Between you and me, I always had a feeling that wasn't the way he swings."

"Is he that obvious?"

"No, I just have a built in Gaydar!"

Merlin laughed, he forgot how much he liked Elian. "I should be offended by that!"

"Merlin, have you met Gaius?" Arthur leaned and called over.

Merlin smiled at Elian and turned to look at Arthur. "No, I don't think so" he smiled at Gaius. "Hello, I'm Merlin."

"Gaius" they shook hands. "It's so nice to meet you! Arthur doesn't half go on about you!"

"He does?" Merlin felt his ears going pink.

"Gaius! Stop embarrassing us!" Arthur chuckled. "Gaius is an old friend, Merlin. I've always known him as 'Uncle Gaius'"

"I remember when he was no heavier than a few bags of sugar!"

"I don't know why I haven't introduced you sooner." Arthur smiled.

"Well, we're acquainted now. Any friend of the Pendragon family is a friend of mine." Gaius smiled at Merlin.

"Oh, um, thanks" Merlin's ears were burning now, and he was sure they were glowing like Rudolph's famed red nose.

Suddenly, the doors banged open and Uther Pendragon entered, long coat tails flapping behind him. Everyone immediately silenced and the music was even turned down a little. Uther stood in the centre of the room and scanned everyone with a casual grace. "Everyone, I would like to make a speech." He took a moment to console himself, and began. "Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for working so hard during the past year, and I hope you all keep it up in the future." He smiled. "And I would also like to announce that we have made record sales this year" at this, a cheer went up amongst the crowd, but it was soon silenced by Uther's raised hand. "But the one person I should really be thanking is my son, Arthur. Without him working so hard with me none of this would ever have been possible. I hope he keeps this up, wherever he is in this room." At this a ripple of laughter spread round the room.

Several minutes later, Uther had finished his speech and everyone had resumed partying. Merlin yawned and knocked back another drink. Soon he started to feel light-headed, and decided it was time to stop. He then resumed a conversation with Elian about music and American bands.

"Arthur, I need to talk to you in my office. Now" Uther stood before Arthur, an angry expression on his face. Arthur set the drinks he was holding back on the bar and nodded to Gaius to carry them over to the table. He then followed Uther out of the booming party and along the corridor, the noise from the party gradually fading to a distant bass boom as Uther shut the door of his office. He turned to Arthur, a look of complete and utter anger on his face. "I hear you are engaged to Merlin. Is this correct?"

Arthur didn't know what to say. How had Uther found out? Who had told him? He sighed and broke under his father's angry glare. "Yes, father, I am."

Uther leant on the desks, shoulders shaking. He looked up at Arthur. "Why? WHY!"

"Because…Because I love him."

"Why didn't you tell me you're…"

"A fag? Go on, say it! I'm gay, dad."

"Your poor mother. What would she think?"

"She would be happy! Happy that I've found love, found someone who cares about me one little iota!"

"I care for you."

"No, father, you don't. All you care about is how much money you make, and how many sales we make. I never was anything to you apart from someone who could take over when you're too old to."

"No! That's not true!"

"It is, and you know it." Arthur went to the big window that spanned the length of the office and looked out at the dark sky with its millions of twinkling stars a million miles away. He leant against the cold glass and sighed. "This is why I didn't tell you. You can't accept who I am."

Uther came and stood next to him, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Arthur, I never meant to make you feel this way. I'm sorry."

"You're still angry, I can see it."

"I'm not, I'm disappointed, but not in the least bit angry anymore." Uther sighed and leant his back against the cool glass.

"Look, I'll go. I'll leave, if that's what you want. I know you won't be able to look at me the same again." Uther just grunted. "Ok then. I'll go. I'll stay away from here for a few days, let you heal a little." Arthur pushed himself away from the window with his arms and walked to the door. He paused and looked back to see his father had turned his back to him and was staring out of the window. He sighed and left the office.

Merlin said nothing on the way home; he knew Arthur was upset and it was better to say nothing until they got home. They drove silently through the darkened streets until they pulled up to the house, jogged down the steps to their basement flat. Arthur sighed as he shut the door and pulled Merlin into a hug. Merlin hugged him back and gently steered him into the bedroom, where he sat on the bed and burst into tears.

Merlin slowly rubbed Arthur's back and wiped away the tears.

"What did Uther say?"

"He was angry. Angry about us, and I don't think he's going to fully accept who I am."

"Oh, Arthur. I do, and I love you. Your friends love you."

"I know but I just thought he'd be happy for me, for once in his life."

"He was in his speech" Merlin gently cuddled Arthur, trying to comfort him as much as he could.

"Yeah but now he knows, so that won't count." Arthur sighed and yawned.

Merlin yawned too. "Ooh, I'm tired, and so are you. I can see it in your face. Come on, bedtime."

Several minutes later and Merlin and Arthur were in bed. Arthur put an arm round Merlin, leaned down and kissed him. "I love you, Merlin."

"I love you too" Merlin replied sleepily. And, in that small pocket of warmth and love, they both fell asleep.