"Wow. You really are very posh."
Arthur opens one eye to see Merlin sitting across from him in a leather chair that could easily classify as a couch, looking around with wide eyes.
"It's just a jet Merlin." Arthur says, closing his eyes again and relaxing. It is going to be difficult few days ahead. No reason he can't relax now, while he can.
"Just a jet? Oh sure. That's nothing. No big deal." Arthur can hear the eye roll in the tone without even needing to see it. "Except it looks like the poshest hotels I have ever been to."
"Poor tech geeks. They don't treat you all very well. But aren't you paid like, a ridiculous amount? I am sure a head of division is paid more than measly agents."
Arthur looks at him curiously, and Merlin has the decency to look sheepish and… was that a blush on his face. He couldn't help feel annoyed at himself for finding that adorable.
"Uh… yeah. I just don't know how to spend it. So it's just… accumulating in my bank account. I could say my next generation would benefit from it but well… I am an only child and not likely to have children ever…" He let the sentence trail off unfinished and just shrugged.
"Huh?"
Merlin looked at his confused expressions and raised his finger to point at himself and say, "Gay."
"Hmm. I didn't know that." Arthur plays it off even though he feels like smiling. He had hoped, but didn't know.
"Some secret agent you are." Merlin teased.
"Well. I would just need to teach you the ways of the rich."
"No thanks. I already feel like I am in a James Bond movie."
"Merlin." Arthur widened his eyes, "You have been working in MI6 for the last three years. I am afraid to let you know you have been in a James Bond movie all along."
"Oh. Someone fancies themselves to be a double-oh agent eh?"
"The name is Pendragon. Arthur Pendragon." Arthur delivers in his best cocky voice. He is rewarded by Merlin dissolving into the cutest laughter he has ever seen. Head thrown back, neck arched, a hand on his mouth and giggles coming out of his lips.
"You fit the part." He says when he calms down.
"Damn right I do."
"I mean. Blond. Arrogant. Not very good but main lead of his story so one has to make do. Stubborn asshole. Perfect fit."
"Oye." Arthur reaches across and smacks Merlin on his head, which just makes him giggle some more. Arthur dares anyone to stay affronted when faced with that.
"I suppose you would be the quartermaster then?" Arthur muses.
"Hmm." Merlin wonders, "I should be yes. Brilliant, young and resourceful. I wonder why I don't feel like one at the moment."
"What do you feel like at the moment?"
"A bond girl. Going to her doom."
"You fit the part of a pretty girl. Damsel in distress."
"Oi."
Arthur suddenly becomes serious, face changing into one of sincerity, "Don't you worry sweetheart. I won't let anyone hurt you. You are safe with me." He promises with his hand on his heart.
They stare at each other for a few moments and then start laughing. When their laughter subsides, Merlin says, "One thing is for sure though. Gwen makes one hell of a Moneypenny."
Arthur considers this for a moment, and then they both nod. Gwen was the best secretary any M could ever ask for.
Arthur closes his eyes again and tries to catch some sleep. With how sudden the trip was, and all the planning and the paperwork involved in the process, he did not manage to rest at all. Merlin sits silently for a while and then goes exploring. Arthur hears gasps and exclaims of appreciation every time Merlin discovers something he finds fancy, and he smiles without opening his eyes. From childhood he had been so used to the finesse that comes with being the son of a billionaire that Merlin's fascination with it is heartwarming.
Well, Merlin in general is heartwarming.
The first time they had met, Arthur had called Merlin incompetent because he refused to make him a gun coded to his fingerprint – 'because it's a stupid waste of time,' he claimed- and Merlin had called him a massive Prat who needed to earn any fancy gadget that Merlin would ever make for him and from the looks of things, that probably would never happen. They had instantly hated each other's guts and there was an outright war going on in the department with bets on who will murder the other one first. (Arthur was frankly disappointed he wasn't leading the bets, a trained assassin and all, but people were more scared of a scarf wearing nerd for some reason). It wasn't until Gaius had called them into his office that they had entered a tentative truce.
Over the last couple of years though, Merlin made him a finger print coded gun, a shoe with poisonous blade, a pen that was also a detonator, coolest guns anyone could ask for, and pretty much anything Arthur fancied. Merlin also ended up being the voice in his ear, the cameras watching him, and the guardian angel looking over his every mission. Arthur wouldn't have made it back from many of his missions without him- not that he would ever admit it.
He also succeeded in making himself irreplaceable. Arthur was sure he could not even be half the agent that he was without Merlin by his side.
It was a nuisance.
Merlin's smile was also a nuisance. His hopeless gullibility, his dimples, his blue sincere eyes, and unending loyalty… they were a distraction. A distraction he could ill afford in his field. The tech savvy genius had carved a place in his heart and was there to stay… the little shit. Arthur couldn't even hate him for it.
When the pilot announces they are going to reach their destination in half an hour, Arthur sits up straighter and Merlin comes back to the table, with an expression that means business.
"Considering I am your quartermaster and we are going in to a mission… Let's talk gadgets." Merlin's smile is smug. The idiot really does like his toys.
"Yay." Arthur mock cheers, and Merlin shoots him a glare.
Merlin, as usual, had come up with some frankly ingenious little devices. There was a tie pin that could double as a small explosive, cuff links, one of which acted as a sound recorder, the other caused short range EMF wave, short circuiting nearby electronics ,a watch that could release a shot that caused short term amnesia, and a pen that you could stab someone lightly with to sedate them.
"The clever thing about the sedative is, they won't fall asleep very quickly, and when they wake up, it would feel like a natural slumber. Helps you in getting away undetected." Merlin is rambling because he loved talking about his creations.
"And here is a ring." He says, taking out a small thumb ring out of the box he had stowed the gadgets in, "This red ruby in it, press it, and this would release a powerful laser, enough to melt through a couple of inches of metal."
"This last thing is for myself." He waves a key chain with an M written on it, and then opens the thing to show that it is a small USB. "I worked very hard on this. As we aren't allowed to take any of our equipment, and I would have to work on a fixed server to find out specifics of the castle, I needed this. It has different strings of data scrambling codes, so if I manage to access a system, I can cause all traces of my interference look like a glitch. It's a gamble. They might still pick up on it, but I hope it would be later rather than sooner." Merlin seems doubtful, but then shakes his head saying, "Well it's the best I got."
"Good work Merlin." Arthur pats his shoulder, and that makes the genius beam at him.
"Oh. I also got myself a ring. But the diamond inside mine acts as a small camera, rather than laser. There are a few other things, but these are the ones that I am most excited about." He exclaims happily.
"I am upset you did not make me any rocket cigarette or something."
"Meh. We don't need rocket cigarette. If you get bored of the weapons you have, we are going to a weapons auction. It won't be difficult to procure some I am sure."
"I guess you are right." Arthur shrugs. As much as he was fond of specialized weapons, he also had a knack of finding one when he needed.
"Well there is one problem." He hedges.
"What now?"
"There is no way of communicating with you. Any short range devices I might try to sneak in would be useless because of the jammers."
"Hmm. I am sure there is still a way of communication." Arthur decides.
"What's that?"
"The normal one. Talking." Merlin rolls his eyes at that so Arthur grins, "Merlin. We would be sharing a room. Going everywhere together. I am sure we won't miss the lack of ear buds."
"Yeah. About that…" Merlin hesitates.
"About what?"
"The room sharing?" Merlin starts. Arthur nods for him to continue. "Do we have to?" Merlin whines.
"You are going as my plus one. What do you think?" Arthur raises an eyebrow, and Merlin groans.
"Ugh."
"I am hurt that you would not rejoice at the prospect of sharing my quarters."
"Good for you."
"You will live." Arthur consoles.
"I am feeling more like a bond girl with every passing minutes. You know what bond girls rarely do?" Before Arthur can even open his mouth, Merlin finishes the sentence. "Survive. They rarely survive."
Arthur can't help laughing at that. Anxious Merlin was endearing.
The pilot announces that they are about to land. Arthur looks at Merlin and nods grimly.
It was time.
A/N: I have no idea what I am doing with this story ugh. Let me know what you guys think!