A.N. Once again I do not own Merlin.
"Hey Arthur, we're going out to get drinks. Do you want to come?" Gwaine offered. They had clumped by the elevator.
"No, I've got to go home." Arthur finished packing up his briefcase.
"Bring Merlin," Percival said. He stood beside Gwaine, towering over him.
"We've got Mordred to take care of." Arthur argued.
"Come on Arthur." Gwen said. Lancelot's arm was slung around her shoulders. "Leon could take care of him."
"I'll talk to Merlin about it." Arthur sighed. Resistance to his employees schemes was futile.
"Out of curiosity, when you two say goodbye on the phone, do you say I love you or are you not at that stage in your relationship yet?" Gwaine teased.
"Not quite there." Arthur snarked.
"But you're working up to it then?" Gwaine prodded.
Arthur didn't address that. " Leon,are you willing to babysit?" He asked.
Leon shrugged, "I'd much rather babysit Mordred than Gwaine tonight." Gwaine grinned like a kid that got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
Arthur called Merlin who agreed to a night out. He took Leon back to the apartment and used the opportunity to drop off his briefcase.
"Are you sure he's going to take care of Mordred well?" Merlin asked.
"Leon is one of my best employees. Mordred will be fine. " Arthur assured.
"I have both your numbers, I'll call you if there's any problems." Leon added.
"You deserve a night off." Arthur told Merlin.
"My nights off aren't usually spent out." Merlin whispered.
"So? You already know most of the people we're going out with." Arthur pulled his coat on. Merlin followed suit, pausing to add a red scarf.
Their destination was a pub not too far from their apartment called The Frog. Arthur had been there a few times before with Gwaine. This was after they got banned from Snake Arms Pub. It was dimly lit with dark wooden floors that matched the bar. The tables were a different kind of heavy wood. The walls were a faded green paneling with various scuffs and charcoal streaks. The mixture of alcohols fought with the rain outside to perfume the air.
"There they are!" Morgana shouted when Merlin and Arthur entered. Gwen rushed over and dragged them to the table.
"Hey!" Lancelot cheered. Gwaine raised his half full pint glass in greeting.
"Hi, uh most of you know Merlin." Arthur gestured towards Merlin.
"Hey." Merlin waved to the ensemble of Arthur's co-workers. Both Percival and Elyan introduced themselves to Merlin.
Morgana rose. "I'm going to get another round, what do you drink?"
"Scotch." Arthur said.
"I know about you." She turned to Merlin, "What do you want?"
"I don't drink much." Merlin said.
"Beer's good." Gwaine said. His letters had already begun to slur together. Percival laughed.
"That works."Merlin said. Morgana left to order the drinks at the bar. Arthur made sure Merlin sat away from Gwaine. Merlin made sure to sit between Arthur and Gwen. Merlin was fairly certain that she wouldn't be talking to the group much with Lancelot there but he was cautious.
"So Merlin, where do you work?" Percival asked. "We hear good things about you but not specifics." He was polite, overwhelmingly considered harmless by everyone at the table.
"I work as a realtor from home and an archivist at night for the library." Merlin replied.
Morgana came back with the drinks. Gwaine leaned into Percival, conversing with Arthur. Percival accepted the contact without pausing his conversation. " Do you enjoy it?" Percival asked.
"Which job?" Merlin took a sip of his beer. It was bitter but not the worst he'd ever had.
"Either." Percival moved the arm Gwaine was prodding.
"They're good jobs. Sometimes tedious, but what job isn't." Merlin left out the part about his co workers and the general mindlessness of the archivist job. Half of polite conversation was knowing what to exclude.
"Gwen and Lancelot act like that at the office too, Arthur hasn't noticed." Percival said. He pointed at the couple. Merlin was sitting next to Gwen but they hadn't talked all night. She was too busy gazing into Lancelot's eyes.
"He's not the most perceptive sometimes." Merlin said, a smile crept onto his face.
Arthur must have heard their conversation. "I'm perceptive with Mordred." Arthur interjected.
"Somewhat." Merlin corrected.
"Well, yes." Arthur paused. "But it's enough."
"Yes, congratulations on your sufficient parenting skills." Merlin teased.
"How old is Mordred?" Percival asked.
"10 months old now," Merlin said.
They maintained conversation though quite a few more rounds of drinks. The words slurred together sometimes but most of what was being said was understood.
"We're heading out," Lancelot told the table. Gwen was wrapped around his arm. "We'll see you Monday."
"Bye." Gwaine slurred. He set his chin on Percival's shoulder and grinned.
"What?" Percival asked.
Gwaine reached up to boop Percival's nose but kept his hand up. "You'rrre cuuutte" He slurred.
Percival chuckled, "You're drunker than I thought."
"I'm cuuutte toooo." Gwaine pouted.
"I already knew that." Percival said. He moved to envelop Gwaine in his arms. Gwaine grinned again.
"They're together?" Arthur asked Merlin in a loud whisper.
Merlin giggled, also very drunk. "Yeah."
"And we're cute together." Gwaine added.
"A little." Merlin agreed. He dissolved into giggles.
"Are you?" Percival asked. The giggling stopped abruptly. Merlin and Arthur jumped apart from each other. Or as well as they could in their drunken state. Merlin nearly toppled over, sending Arthur into action, pulling on his shirt to steady him.
"Arthur lives in denial." Gwaine told Percival. "They're just roommates." He added with a wink.
"We aren't together." Arthur stated. "Are we Merlin?"
Merlin shook his head. "No I don't think so."
Gwaine laughed. "See, denial."
"Is anyone up for another round?" Morgana asked.
"No, we're fine." Percival said.
"Maybe I should go home." Merlin said. He examined his empty glass.
"Yeah, let's go home." Arthur agreed. He stood up. "Bye guys, see you Monday."
Merlin stood up but tripped and fell into Arthur. Arthur caught Merlin easily. He steadied Merlin, giggling. They walked home, leaning on each other for support.
"Hi Leon." Arthur greeted when they returned to the apartment.
"Hi." Leon returned. "Mordred is asleep."
"Thank you." Arthur slipped Leon a few bills on the way out. He turned to Merlin who stood in the middle of the living room. "Goodnight Merlin." He didn't move. "Go to bed."
Merlin frowned and flopped down on the couch.
"I'm going to bed." Arthur had already shed his coat and shoes.
"No." Merlin protested. "Stay with me." He flailed his arms. He still wore his coat and his scarf was on loosely.
"You're drunk Merlin, you need to go to sleep." Arthur reasoned.
"So are you." Merlin combated. "Just stay here." Merlin made room on the couch.
While Arthur was closer to sober than Merlin, he was still drunk in his own right. So, with lowered inhibitions, Arthur sat beside Merlin. "Only for a little." Arthur agreed.
Merlin immediately leaned into Arthur. "Don't leave." He hummed. "Stay."
"I will Merlin, for a little." Arthur ran his fingers through Merlin's soft coal colored hair.
"Don't leave." Merlin repeated. "Not like Freya."
"I won't." Arthur assured. Merlin smiled and buried his face in Arthur's chest. Arthur could feel Merlin continue to talk but he couldn't make out the words. Arthur snaked his arms around Merlin as some kind of hug embrace.
Eventually, Merlin relaxed in Arthur's hold. "I like you." Merlin said. He was banking on Arthur not remembering tomorrow. He probably wouldn't remember this tomorrow either.
"I like you too Merlin." Arthur murmured. Merlin grinned. Arthur leaned forward.
Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the proximity. Or the fact that Arthur had wanted this for almost a month now. Whatever the reason, he was doing it. Arthur was kissing Merlin. He tasted like the beer from earlier, bitter and malty. Merlin was soft, his lips smoothly moving against Arthur's. It was right, they agreed on a messy, rushed pace and slippery tongues until they parted. They were out of breath and out of the comfort zone they had so carefully constructed.
Merlin met Arthur's blue eyes and smiled. "That was good," Merlin murmured. "We should do it again sometime."
"Yeah," Arthur laughed. "We should."
It wasn't clear when they passed out but neither of them made it to their own bed that night. In the morning they woke up as a mess of limbs with killer headaches.
"G'morning." Merlin mumbled into Arthur's chest.
"Morning Merlin." Arthur grumbled.
Merlin rolled off the couch and by extension Arthur." Last night-"
Arthur cut Merlin off, "don't mention it." He sat up. " Excedrin or Advil?" Arthur moved towards the bathroom, clutching his head.
"Doesn't matter." Merlin replied. He moved to the kitchen. "I'll make breakfast."
Arthur returned to Merlin with a few white pills. "Here." He wrapped his arms around Merlin and buried his face in Merlin's shoulder. Merlin smelled nice, a little like the pub but mostly like rain. Arthur almost couldn't help that he kissed Merlin's shoulder.
"Arthur, what are you doing?" Merlin laughed.
"Seducing you." Arthur retorted. "Is it working?"
Merlin laughed. "Already has." He turned around and pressed a soft kiss on Arthur's lips.
A.N. (This kind of note isn't liable to happen again)In between posting this chapter and the last one I watched the finale for the first time I was ill prepared but hopefully that didn't seep into the story. I am getting my wisdom teeth removed soon so my semi-regular updating may be thrown off next week.