Sorry for the short chapter, the next one will be much longer!


Chapter 9

After Will left, Merlin and Arthur got dressed quickly, putting on a pair of trousers and an old shirt, and Arthur made pancakes as Merlin made coffee.

"It's a good thing you can cook better than you can make coffee" Merlin laughed and Arthur snorted.

"I told you already, I have amazing skills in everything but coffee."

"And I told you already, you only wish for it to be true, love."

Arthur looked up at the use of the pet name, but Merlin was putting pancakes in his plate, and obviously didn't realize what he had said, so Arthur said nothing, but he couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face.

"Why are you smiling?" Merlin asked, chuckling.

"Uh? Nothing."

Merlin laughed and began to eat again.

Later, as Merlin was taking a shower, Arthur got outside and found the cop who had been following them at a distance since they showed the picture the stalker had taken of them to the police. He told him about the text, and that he feared the stalker would attempt something soon. The man nodded, and said he would keep an eye open.

Feeling a bit reassured, Arthur went back in and decided to join Merlin in the shower.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking a shower. You take too bloody long."

Merlin let out an outraged noise, but stepped aside so Arthur could get some water. He ended up pushing him under the water and embracing him from behind, leaving chaste kisses down his jaw and neck. Arthur arched in his touch and laughed, before grabbing his arm to pull him so that they were face to face.

"Come on, I'm gonna rub your back."

"You know, you're quite hot when you're wet" Merlin said once they were out of the shower and drying themselves.

"Only when I'm wet?" Arthur arched a brow, pretending to be outraged.

"Why, yes. We don't want to that head of yours to get even bigger, do we?"

Arthur rolled his eyes.

"My head is still less big than your arse."

"Oi! You prat!" Merlin shouted, elbowing him in the ribs as Arthur laughed.


They spent the next few hours cuddling in front of a movie, before Merlin dragged Arthur outside to go shopping. Arthur grumbled, saying he wasn't a girl and didn't want to go shopping, but Merlin needed new pants, and promised him he would let him take them off him if he came to the shop. That decided Arthur, who then seemed much happier at the prospect of going to the mall.

They stayed there the afternoon, and left when Merlin couldn't stand Arthur's whines anymore. He called him a child, which made Arthur sulk, and Merlin had to kiss his pout away before they went back home.

"I'm sure Gwaine is waiting for us with a huge banner saying "finally"" Merlin joked when Arthur and he got up the next morning to go to work.

Arthur and nodded. "Yeah, sound like something he'd do. I'm sure Morgana would give him a hand."

Merlin chuckled and handed him a cup of coffee.

"You have to take your own car today" Arthur said after a while. "I've got an appointment with Annis at Caerlon's and I'm not sure I'll come back to the office afterwards."

"Yeah I know, should I remind you I'm the one who handles your schedule?"

"Right. You don't mind though, do you?"

"Mind what?" Merlin asked, turning away from the sink to look at Arthur.

"That I'm your boss. I mean, I know we haven't forbidden colleagues relationships, but most people look pretty badly at boss and employee relationships."

Merlin chuckled and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Arthur's waist.

"Arthur, you know I don't care. As long as you don't start to think you can boss me around at home too, that is."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss him, running a hand through his blond hair.

"Come on, we're going to be late."


When they arrived at the office, there was no banner, but Gwaine did shout loudly that they had finally gotten together, and everyone started to clasp their hands, making them both feel pretty uncomfortable.

Arthur rolled his eyes and said he had too much work to do to stay and listen to Gwaine's stupid lines, but he really just wanted to stop the embarrassment.

Morgana joined him shortly after, and sat on his desk.

"So, brother dear, how was your day off?"

"Amazing. Well, apart from when Will burst in the house and started to make a scene, that is."

"He did? Wow, I didn't think he was stupid enough to do this. I mean come on, it's obvious it's the worse way possible to try to get Merlin back."

Arthur glared at her.

"Not that Merlin would take him back in any case, but well, you know."

Arthur rolled his eyes again, as he often did in presence of Morgana.

"Yeah, thank you Morgs. Anyway, how's Hunith doing?"

"Amazing, she says she's never stayed in a house that big. She loves London. And I think she might have fallen a little bit in love with you as well, though I can't see why. Must be running in that family."

"What did she say?"

"I'm definitely not going to tell you everything; your head is big enough, dear. But basically, she might be starting to plan your wedding."

Arthur chuckled.

"I thought she wouldn't like me, to be honest."

"Why? Because of your reputation? Or because you're stupid?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes and she chuckled.

"Don't you have work to do, you witch?"

She shrugged, and left the room.


After working and eating with Merlin, under the annoying shouts of Gwaine and the few people who had decided to join him as they left, Arthur left for his appointment.

Gwaine stopped near Merlin's desk, and Merlin looked up at him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering, did Will the tosser try to get in touch with you?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, I just thought he would. You know I can break his jaw if he's annoying you and Arthur, right?"

Merlin laughed.

"Yeah I know. But don't worry, I get it."

"So he did try something?"

"He came in the house without even knocking first" Merlin admitted. "Though I think that finding me and Arthur in bed might convince him to never do that again."

Gwaine threw his head back in laughter.

"He found you shagging Arthur? God, I would give anything to see his face!"

Merlin chuckled and pushed him off the desk.

"Come on, we've got work to do."


A while later, Merlin was cleaning up his desk briefly so he would be able to leave work.

He got in the elevator, not taking his eyes off his phone, and jumped when he heard someone clearing his throat. Looking up, he frowned and sighed when he recognized Will.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, glaring at him.

"I figured you wouldn't let me in if I came home again, so this was the only way I could see you." Will shrugged, pressing the button to stop the elevator.

"Alright, listen. I do not want to see you, or talk to you, or even hear your name, is that clear?"

Merlin pressed the button, and let out an annoyed sigh when the elevator stopped again.

"Will, for God's sake, leave me alone."

"Arthur doesn't care about you, you know that, right?"

Merlin snorted, but didn't answer.

"Could you please start the elevator again?"

"Why? You have something to do?"

"Yes. I want to go home and make passionate love with Arthur, and then go to the restaurant, and have sex again. You're ruining my plans, so please press that damn button."

"No."

Merlin huffed, and shoved Will to the side to get to the stop button. Will tried to keep him from getting to it, but winced and leaned back against the wall when Merlin hit him in the ribs, where he had been shot years ago.

"Merlin!"

"I told you to press the damn button." Merlin said coldly, and they remained silent until the doors opened. They both got out, and Merlin had every intention to storm off the building and to his car, but Will stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Look, Merlin, I get that we're not together anymore, but… Not so long ago, you loved me. How can you hate me so much now? I haven't done anything…"

"Anything? Will, you pushed Arthur in the stairs."

"I didn't mean for him to fall and you know that!"

"But you saw he was unconscious, and you didn't even stop to make sure he was alive! You could have killed him, and you didn't care. I can't love someone so heartless", Merlin spat, and he left without a second thought, ignoring Will's shouts, begging him not to go home. He shook his head and got to his car, but stopped at Will's next words.

"There's a bomb in your house!"

Merlin turned to face him, scowling.

"You really don't have anything else to make up? That's pathetic, Will."

"Merlin, please, I'm not kidding. Don't ask me how I know it, but your house will explode when someone will open the door, so please don't go."

Merlin was about to laugh it off, but something in Will's look made him stop. He really looked serious, and worried. Then, there was that text Arthur had received. Could that stalker have posed a bomb in his house?

" How do you know?"

"I can't tell you, but please, Merlin…"

"How. Do. You. Know?"

Will didn't say anything, and Merlin was about to insist when he realized what time it was. Arthur's appointment was over, which meant he probably was already heading home by now. Merlin glared at Will and got in the car, quickly getting his phone to call Arthur, who didn't pick up.

Getting more and more worried, Merlin started the car, ignoring Will's pleas and big gestures, and drove towards the house. He tried calling Arthur again, but in vain. When he got into his street, his house was still standing, which could either mean Will had lied, or that Arthur wasn't there yet.

He parked the car in the street, a few meters away from the house in case it was actually about to explode, and spotted a familiar blond head getting out of his own car, in the alley in front of the house. Merlin shouted his name, but Arthur didn't hear him. He started to run towards the house, still calling him. Arthur seemed to finally hear him, and he turned to him, smiling and waving to him. Merlin saw him take his key out and his eyes widened.

"Arthur, wait!"

Arthur turned, frowning, and started to walk to him quickly, but he had already turned the key in the lock, and the door started to slowly open. The next thing Merlin knew was that all he could see was fire and people coming out to see what the noise was, and Arthur was nowhere to be seen.

"ARTHUR!"He shouted, and fell to his knees.