Hi!

This chapter and a majority of the chapters to follow will be longer than previously chapters.

Enjoy :]

There might have been a time
When I would give myself away
Ooh, Once upon a time
I didn't give a damn
But now here we are
So whataya want from me

One of the perks that came with working at a restaurant was taste testing. The beautiful, absolutely wonderful opportunity to try everything that came out of the kitchen oven. At any given time during his shift, Merlin could be found sampling a delicious chocolate torte, blueberry swirl cheesecake, lemon meringue pie, or good old fashioned apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. Yeah, life was good in the kitchen.

"Merlin, you're needed in the dining area."

Unless, of course, Merlin had to do actual work.

The tired, young man dutifully grabbed his violin. He liked his job. When a couple embraced over a performance of Rachmaninoff or Mendelssohn or even an original concerto, Merlin's heart filled with hope.

But nothing could replace capturing the attention of an overcrowded stadium with a single note.

Merlin trekked out to the dining area to meet his boss. The old man was a friend of his father and a music enthusiast. He had taken a chance hiring Merlin, and he would forever have Merlin's gratitude.

"You called, Gaius?"

"Yes, Merlin, my boy." Gaius placed his hand on Merlin's elbow, leading him towards the entrance. "There is a young man here to see you. He says it's important."

Merlin could feel his heart sink at the sight of familiar, perfectly conditioned, blond hair.

"I'm giving you 10 minutes, which is very generous. I'll just keep your violin for now." With that, Gaius left with his employee's only possible improvised weapon.

"And what exactly do you want?" Merlin growled.

The queasy look on Arthur's face made holding on to anger hard.

"I just *mumble mumble*"

"What was that? I didn't quite here you."

"I came to apologize." Arthur managed to say without looking at his feet. "The other morning, I was just having a bad reaction to being surprised. I don't normally have drunken one-night stands."

"It was hardly that." Merlin snorted. "I wasn't the drunk one. Hell, I don't even drink."

The wheels began to turn in Arthur's head. "If you weren't drunk, then why did you sleep with me? That's a bit unsavory."

"What would you have me do? You came to a party drunk of your ass. You were all over me, spewing some crap about 'two sides of the same coin'." Merlin explained. "Morgana asked me to take you to your room. You asked me to stay. It was late. I was tired. So sue me."

"So we didn't sleep together." The blond man looked skeptical.

"We literally slept together, but we did not engage in sexual intercourse."

Relief flooded over Arthur's face. "Fantastic." Light blue eyes blinked owlishly at Merlin. "Not that you wouldn't be a good lay or anything; it would just make this a whole lot more awkward."

"Make what awkward?" Merlin watched the other man pull out a business card.

"I wanted to invite you out. Don't worry; it's nothing formal or particularly intimate. Morgana and I were going to have lunch with some friends and I would like for you to come. Just as a chance to get to know each other; maybe become friends."

Merlin took the card and watched his new "friend" walk off. It was only then that he realized Arthur never actually apologized.

"What a bastard." He sighed.

It messed me up, need a second to breathe
Just keep coming around

Song: Whataya want from me-Adam Lambert

Tried to keep my promise with the whole '24 hours' thing. I say i came pretty close.