Here's part two of yesterday's chapter, enjoy!
Warning: slash.
Arthur waded through the crowded room, drink in hand as he kept an eye out for one of his friends, or Morgana. It was nearly 11 on Christmas Eve, and Arthur was trying to enjoy himself. However, he found himself dwelling on the events earlier today. Freya had nearly begun to cry in the middle of the mall, and he had been clueless on what to do. A random stranger had dealt with it better than he had!
Arthur groaned, ignoring the strange looks he received from the surrounding people. He didn't know what to do with children- his own father was hardly a role model, it was a miracle he and Morgana turned out as well as they had. Lost in his thoughts, Arthur stopped paying attention to where he was going, until he walked into something- hard- and found himself on the ground, lying on top of someone.
Arthur went red and immediately helped the other man up. "I am so sorry, sir, wasn't looking where I was going- you!" He interrupted himself in surprise, staring at the person he had knocked to the ground. Dark hair, bright blue eyes, and large ears that stuck out- Arthur recognized him instantly.
The dark-haired man stared at him curiously, eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out why the man in front of him looked familiar. "Sir?"
"You're the man from the mall, earlier. The one in the elf hat." The confusion cleared from the other's man face as he recognized Arthur. "You're the one from the Santa exhibit- Freya's guardian."
"Arthur" He clarified for him, sticking his hand out. "And you are?" Privately, he notes that the man used the word "gaurdian" instead of father, and wonders for the millionth time that day what Will had written on the paper.
"Merlin" The younger man shook Arthur's hand- he had a firm grasp- and grinned at him. "Nice to meet you"
Arthur suddenly noticed everyone nearby staring at them. "Come on, let's go outside. Less people to start tall tales there."
Merlin laughed, but followed Arthur outside to the garden, which was lit faintly up with white lights. The two men leaned against the wall, watching the people inside mingle.
"So, how do you know Morgana?" Merlin asked Arthur.
Arthur looked at him suspiciously as years of black ops training kicked in. "How do you know I know Morgana?" He asked.
Merlin gave him an odd look. "Because this is her party?" He responded in a voice that rang with unvoiced "are you and idiot?"
Arthur felt very foolish. "Oh. Yeah."
Merlin burst out laughing, and Arthur scowled at him. "Idiot"
"Prat" Merlin responded automatically. "You never answered my question."
Arthur shrugged. "She's my half-sister." Beside him, Merlin started coughing, dropping his drink. "Are you ok?" Arthur reached over to thump him on the back , but Merlin waved him.
"I'm fine, I just- you're Arthur Pendragon?" Merlin spluttered. "Co-owner of Pendragon mall? Morgana's brother?"
Arthur nodded slowly. "Yes- is that a problem?" He tried to sound menacing, but ended up just sounding, to use Merlin's word, prattish.
Merlin shook his head, a small smirk at the corner of his mouth. "No, no not a problem." He grinned conspiringly. "I just never knew the great Arthur Pendragon was so clumsy."
"I am NOT clumsy!" Arthur said loudly.
"Are you sure? Because last I checked, you knocked into ME back there."
Arthur glared playfully. "Don't be stupid, that was all your fault."
"Was not!"
"Yes it was, Merlin."
"Prat."
"Idiot."
"Clotpole"
"What on earth is a clotpole?"Arthur asked, staring at the childish man in front of him (he choose to ignore his own childish behavior.)
"In two words?" Merlin was grinning that grin again, the one that meant he was up to something, but Arthur couldn't help himself.
"Yes."
"Arthur Pendragon" Merlin said gleefully. Arthur punched him lightly in the shoulder.
"You've only known my name for two minutes; you can't use it to insult me!"
Merlin rolled his eyes and stole Arthur's champagne glass, sipping it as he stared at the house. For a while the two stood in companionable silence before Arthur asked the question that had been on his mind all day.
"What did Will write on the paper?" He asked Merlin softly.
Merlin sighed, still not looking at him. "He asked Santa to take a letter to their parents- in heaven." He gave Arthur a meaningful look. Arthur looked down at the ground, guilt and sympathy filling his chest.
"It's none of my business but- are you their uncle, or cousin or something?" Morgana had never mentioned to Merlin a relative's death, but then again they had only known each other for a few short months, and she was much closer with Gwen.
Arthur shook his head. "No- they don't have any more relatives. Their father was in the army with me, and asked me to take care of his family."
"What part of the army?" Merlin asked, curiosity aroused.
Before Arthur could stop himself he was spilling out his life story to Merlin; his rough relationship with Uther that lead him to enroll in the army after college, despite his degree in business, his work (what he could share of it) in the Special Forces, how he met Lancelot and became fast friends, holding the dying Lance in his arms as he promised to take care of his family, Elaine's death and him taking in Will, Freya, and Mordred, how he switched from active duty to a desk job and helped Morgana run the family business on the side. How worried he was that he wasn't doing a good job, that Mordred hardly spoke since the funeral and Freya cried herself to sleep every night, and Will didn't trust him.
"You're a good man, Arthur Pendragon." Merlin said quietly when he had finished. Arthur shrugged. "I just did what any person would" He brushed off Merlin's words. "What about you?" He looked at the dark-haired man.
Merlin shrugged. "Not much to tell. Grew up in a small town. Got my major in creative writing. Working at the Incense store in the mall until I can make it big in the written world. Currently staying with Gwen until I find a place of my own."
"And saving little crying children, of course" Arthur smiles.
Merlin shrugs again. "All in a day's work"
They spend the next few hours talking, and by the end of the night, Merlin is invited to Morgana and Arthur's New Years Eve party a week later, where he meets Freya, Mordred, and Will again and charms them over instantly with stories and magic tricks. By the time that party is over, Merlin has been invited to live with Arthur, since"you clearly are too much of an idiot to find a place, Merlin." Merlin tries to refuse, but Arthur sends Freya over with puppy dog eyes, and next thing he knows Merlin has moved in.
The months pass, as the children and Arthur slowly become closer, and the kids open up more. They still miss their parents, but they've become used to their new lives, and even enjoy it. Merlin worked on a story that he wouldn't tell Arthur about, but the kids loved it (Merlin had bribed them all not to reveal anything to Arthur, much to is irritation.) and Arthur and Merlin did their best to ignore their growing feelings for each other.
They last five months before they break. It was the night of Arthur's 29th birthday, and he was cleaning up from dinner as Merlin put the kids to bed (Arthur loved to tease Merlin how domestic he was, which always ended in the two of them fighting with whatever happened to be nearby, be it pillows, shoes, or once, Freya's princess dolls.) Merlin had returned and given him that grin, wishing him a happy birthday, and before Arthur could stop himself he was kissing Merlin fiercely, and Merlin was returning the kiss. Arthur doesn't know how long it lasted before they break apart, surprise and happiness on both of their faces.
They don't want to disrupt the children's lives anymore than they already have, though, so they don't do anything else, and for the next few weeks they stay a little farther apart than normal. Until Arthur comes home one day to find Will, Mordred and Freya glaring at him. When he asks why, Mordred, in a bout of uncharacteristic bluntness, asks why Arthur and Merlin haven't figured out they're in love yet. While Arthur tries to splutter out an answer (had they really been so obvious?) the three children roll their eyes and drag him to Merlin's room, where he was busy typing at his laptop, and nearly shove him at the dark-haired man, who yelps in surprise.
Arthur shuts him up by kissing him, much to his, Merlin's, and the children's delight.
Two Updates in one day! Hmm. Ending was a bit short, but oh well. I'm happy with it. As always, a giant thank you to Haliesenka, Sheila90, tchutchu94, MrKlonam, , Butterflysparkle1012, MoonlitIvy, Gumi Takehara, and LadyDragonIchi favoriting/following Magic-Lit Flames, and to Willow99 and Forever Day, who reviewed, your support is greatly appreciated. Reviews and Requests are always appreciated, and ENCOURAGED. Come on, guys, almost 1000 views and only 2 reviews? I want to know what you guys think of the stories, too long, badly written, too angsty, too short, too OOC? And requests will seriously be needed once the holidays are over, I can't come up with new ideas every other day.