The 5th Day of Christmas

The OT3 are getting together to get the apartment decorated for the big dinner. When a relative shows up at Penn Advertising with news for Arthur will it ruin everything? As always enjoy and don't forget to comment.


The 5th Day of Christmas

Guinevere

Grand Design was where it had stood since 1923, a grey stone building on 47thand King Drive. It was one of the few shops to remain in the community long after its affluence and strength had drifted away. It had seen the rise of Chicago's black middle class and thinkers leading up to the civil rights era and the decay that had come to the area after. Guinevere watched the young white couple studying the wall of photographs and plaques. The woman read something and looked at her.

"Your store has been here for nearly a century. You just don't see that anymore." She smiled a sort of simpering, annoying smile that far too many Americans used these days.

"Nope."Guinevere did not smile back but kept her face open and pleasant. "Is there something I can get for the two of you?"

"Not sure," the man faced her now. "We're new to the neighborhood and thought we would have a look at this shop and see if we could find a Christmas gift."

"Well please look around. We have a special on holiday jewelry; most of it has sold out already and I'll be right here if you need anything." She forced a smile and went back to cleaning fingerprints of the display case.

There was a jingle and Gwen looked up to see Elyan standing in the doorway leather coat zipped up to his neck and knit cap pulled down over his ears.

"It's actually gotten cold out there."

"Elyan, I'm really, really glad you came to close the story This is a huge help I really appreciate it."

"No biggie. I know how important this dinner is for the three of you.

"You're a good little brother." She kissed him on his cheek and gave his arm an affectionate squeeze.

"I see you're ready to go." He glanced at her coat and purse waiting patiently behind the counter.

"Yeah," she admitted.

"All right well let me go put away my stuff and you're outta here."

Out of all of her family Elyan was the most supportive of their relationship. Elyan and Arthur had gotten along almost immediately, referring to themselves as brothers before she'd even graduated college. More than once Gwen had thought that Elyan had been more upset by Arthur's deception than she. Yet he'd only accepted her and Merlin as a couple when they'd taken Arthur back. She'd asked him about this once and he'd given her a surprisingly thoughtful answer.

"Well you're my sister and I'm protective of you and I had my doubts about you and all these white guys but I watched Merlin take care of you this past year, watched Arthur do his best to take care of the both of you as much as you'd let him…I don't think a man is going to throw away something he's worked so hard for, the three of you aren't likely to find what you have with anyone else. I see that and I think Arthur sees that."

She'd been too surprised by his answer to speak.

"Besides, grudges, I can't keep 'em but Dad and Janine are gonna give Arthur all the hell and difficulty he needs to keep himself in line. I figure if you guys are gonna have any kind of chance someone in the family has got to be on your side so that's my job."

Elyan came from the back then.

"You're a good brother you know that." She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.

"That's means I'm getting an awesome Christmas present right?"

"Thank you Elyan and stop by when you close up. We all want you too."

"Well I do have a date after so probably not tonight but I'll see you all before Christmas."

"Oh now I wanna get all the details but-" Gwen glanced at her watch. "I have to go. Thanks again little brother."

It was just three o' clock when Gwen hurried out of her shop and to her car.

Merlin

"Hey, come with me Clark Street Ale House, Gold Mask is playing."

Merlin stared at Will over the wall of his cubicle more than a little tempted.

"Can't we're decorating the apartment for Christmas dinner." They'd all agreed to leave work at three and head straight home. Gwen had just sent a text telling them she'd ordered Giordano's for dinner tonight.

"Christmas is more than a week away," Will complained.

"Yeah but getting everything together takes time."

Will studied him a slight frown creasing his brow.

"Ya' know Merlin having a boyfriend and a girlfriend is lots of work I'm sure and this is last minute but we used hang out."

"We still hang out."

"Do we?" Will challenged.

"Well we-" He stopped. They were supposed to have hung out this Sunday but he and Arthur had ended up driving out to the sticks to get that Christmas tree and the weekend before that he'd ended up helping Arthur's IT department solve a programming problem and the weekend before that when Arthur and Gwen were out on their date Merlin had just been exhausted. Working backwards Merlin realized he hadn't hung out with Will in over two months.

"You're right Will and you've been a good friend. I'm gonna figure out something."

"Okay."

"You could come help with the tree?"

"Nahh I'm going to see Gold Mask. Tell Arthur and Gwen I said hi."

"I will. Have fun Will." Merlin grabbed his coat and messenger bag and hurried out the door.

Arthur

"I finally got us a meeting with Caerleon Event Planners," Kay smiled. "When they realized who you were Arthur they were actually excited at the idea of working with you."

"Of course they were," Arthur grinned fiercely. "People's minds are more and more open, conservatives are dinosaurs." He didn't have to drop her name for both men to know who Arthur was speaking of.

Kay nodded. "I'm just glad I decided to come and work for you, could never have locs working for your mother."

Arthur glanced at the short starter locs and could hear his mother's disapproval clearly in his mind. "Traditional grooming that won't appear slovenly to our clients is what's best."

He'd been a little surprised when Kay had contacted him about employment, they hadn't exactly been friends. But Kay had been the head of marketing at Penn Real Estate, his mother had not been happy to loose him. Penn Advertising could offer Kay something Pendragon Real Estate never would.

"Bedivere is looking forward to coming to the Christmas party."

"I'm looking forward to meeting him." Arthur shut down his computer. It was nearly three, time for him to head home. Merlin and Guinevere would be waiting for him. "We'll schedule a meeting to review our proposal for their advertising." Arthur got to his feet thinking.

"We should have a resources meeting too. If we do get their business we'll need more staff and resources that should be part of the proposal," Kay suggested.

"Good thinking." Arthur smiled at the other man and fired off a quick text to admin requesting both meetings be scheduled. Ruth replied a moment later saying he had a visitor.

"Good work Kay, excellent really." He grabbed his coat from the door and folded it over his arm, determined to get rid of whoever this unexpected guest was.

His guest turned out to a handsome suited man with a five o' clock shadow and L'Oreal commercial hair. He was also really familiar. Arthur strode over to the unexpected guest and extended his hand.

"Arthur Pendragon."

"I know it's been years Blondie and my mug hasn't been splashed all over Youtube but you don't recognize your cousin Gwaine."

Arthur felt his jaw drop even as the corners of his mouth quirked upwards.

Gwaine took his hand and pulled him into a shoulder clasp of a hug before straightening to his full height.

"You were so short and skinny the last time I saw you." Arthur said

"Yeah well you've grown up too." Gwaine said taking a long look at him.

"So what are you doing here? How long are you gonna be in town?"

Gwaine's smile faded.

"Not long. I came to see you actually. There's some stuff we need to talk about. How about we get a beer?"

Arthur found himself hesitating. He was supposed to be going home to help Merlin and Guinevere with the tree. Gwaine looked so serious and he hadn't seen his Aunt Anna or any of her kids in over a decade.

"It's important Arthur and this isn't a conversation to be had over cell phone or email or Facebook or something."

"All right, one beer right?"

"Yep."

Arthur shot a quick text to Guinevere and Merlin telling them he was going to be a little late. Gwen was always pushing him to get in touch with his mother's relatives anyway.


Arthur read the letter again. He'd been devastated when Aunt Anna, Gwaine, Morrie and Gahris hadn't come to his 13th birthday party; of course his mother had lied about the reason used it to make seem like there was something wrong with him. He massaged his forehead with the palm of his hand and snagged the nearest waitress.

"Grey Goose double."

She looked indignantly at his hand until Arthur flashed the Amex black.

"Is that everything?" Arthur asked Gwaine.

"No," Gwaine said his lips pursed, "but maybe we should talk about this later. When Mom can travel and talk to you about this herself."

"No," Arthur shook his head, "I want to know everything you came to tell me tonight. I don't want to do this again in three months."

The waitress brought his drink and he took it straight from her hand and downed it in one quick shot before placing the shot glass back on her tray.

"Another."

He didn't notice the looks that either the waitress or Gwaine gave him.

"And your fried appetizer platter." Gwaine looked at Arthur. "You're gonna eat. I'm not taking you back to Merlin and Guinevere sick."

Arthur shrugged.

"And a pitcher of water please," Gwaine said.

The waitress hurried off.

"All right so if Aunt Anna cares so much why didn't she write, call or send cards?"

Gwaine sighed and his shoulders sank just a bit.

"She did for a while."


"Maybe we should get started." Gwen surveyed the apartment.

"Yeah," Merlin washed their plates.

"He's more than a little late." Gwen glanced out the window, five o'clock and it was already dark. "He should have been here an hour ago."

"Did you call him?"

"Yes Merlin." She frowned at the irritation in her tone.

"He'll be here. It's probably a work thing."

"Yeah probably, I'm gonna get started."


"That's what she doessss, cut off the money. She's good at that. You shouldn't trust rich people." Arthur said to the waitress. "They don't really know how to deal with people so they use money to control them. I should know," Arthur pointed to himself. "I'm rich and I do it too."

"So that means I'm gonna get a big tip?" She grinned at him playing along.

Arthur laughed,"Yeah."

"Thank you for your patience darlin'," Gwaine said to the waitress.

She shrugged. "It's nothin'. He's pretty upset, you guys haven't tried to grope me or anything and you're tipping well, so ya' know."

"Well thank you none-the-less."

"My mom is a bitch!" Arthur announced to the bar and knocked back another double.

"Drink some water Arthur or I won't tell you anything else."

"He's like my mom," Arthur's head tilted a little far too one side "only he uses water instead of money."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"I'll look after him, in fact…" Gwaine scrolled through Arthur's contact list.

"He's not like my mom," Arthur shook his head and poked out his lips. "He doesn't want me to get sick."

Arthur took his water glass and blew bubbles in it.

"Guinevere and Merlin are gonna be mad."

"I'm sure they'll understand." Gwaine said.

"Nope, thin ice. I'm on it. This dinner is important." Arthur slapped his palm on the table for emphasis.

Gwaine disconnected as it went to voicemail.

"They'll understand."

"I don't understand," Arthur said thoughtfully. "Why did my mom start this in the first place?"

"You remember Pamela and James?"

"Yeah," Arthur smiled he wouldn't ever forget them.


"This is ridiculous," Gwen sat the box of garland down. "Merlin stop."

Merlin settled the bulb into place and turned to face her.

"It's six o'clock. Arthur's not here, we haven't heard from him in over two hours and he's more than a little late. So just stop we're done."

"But it needs to get done Gwen."

"Yeah and if Arthur really cares then he needs to do it. Otherwise we'll end up doing it and that's not okay.

"Gwen come on this is important."

"It is and if Arthur can't do his part…"Gwen got up from where she was kneeling on the floor and walked away from Merlin. Arthur had made that wonderful promotion and now what was he doing? She started as she felt Merlin's hands on her shoulders.

"He probably just had some work thing and when he gets here we'll remind him that there are things more important than money."

"Yeah," she faced him. "You really think it's a work thing?"

"Well we're both here aren't we?"

She chuckled. "I'm being paranoid huh?"

"A little bit but if you weren't being paranoid then I would have to be. Sit down on the edge of the couch okay."

"Okay."

She did as Merlin said and he settled himself behind her. A moment later Merlin started massaging her shoulders and she sighed. The annoyance melted out of her as his long fingered hands kneaded through the tense tight muscles of her shoulders. She was with Merlin. She wouldn't let irritation with Arthur mess with that. When her tension had eased and her shoulders felt loose and soft Merlin slid his arms round her waist and place a soft little kiss on the back of her neck. Gwen settled into the circle of his arms with a pleased little sigh.

"I owe you an apology Merlin."

"For what?"

"When we were out a couple days ago and you wanted to talk about your worries about our trio I snapped at you and now here you are being perfectly kind and wonderful. I don't deserve you."

"Well that's true."

"You're supposed to talk to Arthur like that not me." She turned in his arms and swacked him on the shoulder.

Merlin grinned at her in his childlike way. "You said it not me."

"Well," she cocked her head to side and eyed him with her own small teasing smile."I should make it up to you." Gwen got to her feet and faced him smiling seductively.

"What did you have in mind?" Merlin smiled that small closed mouth secretive smile he sometimes used and leaned back into the couch.

Gwen straddled his lap her dark brown eyes locked on Merlin's eager blue ones. She kissed his sweet soft lips, his neck, kissed the little dip between his collar bones and felt his pulse throb under her lips as his hands cupped her buttocks and pressed his burgeoning hard on against her.

"I think this is a good start." He muttered.

Gwen slid her hands under his shirt running fingers over slim taut muscles and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Definitely gonna make it up to you." She ran her tongue along the shell of his ear and nipped his lobe. A satisfied smile took over her face as he shuddered beneath her.

"Please do."

They were gonna have a good night with or without Arthur.

"You feel better?" Merlin eyed her with a smile.

"Yeah." She kissed Merlin and reached over onto the end table beside the couch for her phone. She'd put it on silent, figuring if it was Arthur he could just wait, when she saw four missed call from him, no text, no voicemail that started to worry her a bit. It rang again, from Arthur and she answered.

"Heyyyy Guineeeeverrrreee."

"Are you drunk?" She sat up.

"Jes a littllle."

"Arthur you slurred little-"

"Excuse me," a deep, rough voice cut her off. "I'm Gwaine, Arthur's cousin, Anna is my mother."

"Anna's son." Gwen said and saw Merlin look at her quizzically.

"Yes please don't be angry with Arthur. We're downstairs in a cab.

Gwen frowned they had better not need money.

"I just need your help getting Arthur upstairs."

"We'll come down give us a few minutes."

"What's going on?"

"Arthur is downstairs with some cousin of his, Gwaine." Gwen started looking for her clothes. "He's drunk apparently."

"What?" Merlin's eyes disappeared as he frowned.

Guinevere pulled on her camisole and sweater and tossed Merlin the pull over he'd been wearing.

"Do you know this Gwaine?"

"No but Arthur mentioned Anna a couple times in college I think."

Merlin found his boxers and pulled on his jeans.

"Did he ever mention this Gwaine?" Merlin picked up Gwen's panties from where they'd been dropped. "Here."

"Thanks. I don't remember the cousins." Gwen shimmed into her skinny jeans. "He talked about his 13th birthday, Aunt Anna was supposed to come but they never did. He's still pretty upset about it. I told him he should try and get in touch with his cousins; it's not their fault if their mom is being ridic." Gwen pulled on a boot.

"No I guess not."

"Let's go meet this Gwaine."


"You shouldn't be mad at Arthur. There were things we needed to discuss, family things. I thought a couple drinks would make it easier." Gwaine's eyes drifted toward the living room. "No one was supposed to get falling down drunk and Arthur wasn't supposed to be this late."

"You seem sober enough."Guinevere glared at him.

"When I saw how drunk that one was getting," Gwaine pointed a thumb toward the living room. "I decided to take it easy."

"So your Arthur's cousin?"

"Yeah, Aunt Graine cut ties with us just before Arthur turned thirteen. She said mom was a bad influence on Arthur but that wasn't it at all."

"Of course," Merlin muttered.

"And you just show up now?" Gwen asked. Not at all sure what to make of this cousin who showed up with bad news and brought Arthur home falling down drunk.

He smiled though.

"Arthur asked the same thing. Aunt Graine had control of the family money until recently; she threatened to cut us off we didn't keep away and Mom couldn't work."

"Rich people are shit," Gwen muttered. "I'm going to check on Arthur."

Guinevere stared down at Arthur who lay on the couch snoring drunkenly. Arthur rarely drank and he almost never got drunk. Even when they were in college at parties he got tipsy, mellow, he'd only been drunk a handful of times in all the years she'd known him. Normally she tolerated Igraine for Arthur's sake. There were moments like now, when Arthur came home falling down drunk because of how much his relationship with his mother hurt him or thinking about the fact that Arthur still held out hope for reconciliation with his mother even though she'd disinherited him; in these moments she hated Igraine.

Arthur hiccoughed and shifted onto his back. Gwen sighed and settled onto the edge of the sofa.

"Arthur," she stroked his hair back from his forehead, "what did that witch do to you? I wish I could go back in time and care for you, hold your hand through every rough moment and reassure you that it really will be okay."

"Guinevere," he opened his eyes and smiled at her pure and sweet. She felt her heart swell just a bit. "When did you get here?"

"You're at home," Gwen sighed.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

Arthur looked around, realized where he was and his smile widened, almost like a child's.

"Well c'm ere."

Arthur's arm came round her waist to pull her down on top of him and Guinevere placed restraining palms on his chest.

"Your cousin is still here."

"Oh," he thought about that for a moment. "I just want to hold you Guinevere. Is that too much to ask?"

"No never."


Merlin chatted a little while longer with Gwaine in the kitchen. The other man was in town for a few more days before flying home Boston for the holidays. He invited Gwaine to join them for dinner before he flew out of Chicago; obviously this cousin was important to Arthur even if he hadn't seen him in over a decade.

"I think that's a good idea," Gwaine said. "Youtube doesn't do either you or Guinevere justice."

"You saw that?" Merlin felt his face getting hot.

Gwaine fought grinning and lost "The whole family has seen it. Nice right hook Merlin, Blondie deserved it."

Gwaine gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze.

"Here's my card. You guys feel free to call."

"Thanks." Merlin showed Gwaine out and went into the living room.

He surveyed the half decorated room. The white carpet and white, the fire place with the fake log, Arthur and Guinevere asleep on Gwen's lavender couch, condom wrapper that Gwaine had so tactfully ignored. Merlin threw it away and his eyes went back to his two loves asleep on the couch. The couch wasn't big enough for him to join them but he didn't mind so much. Instead he covered them with a blanket and gave them a kiss each on the forehead before getting out his lap top. Merlin got comfortable in the living room recliner. It was early yet and he could get some work done.


A/N- In the show Arthur and Gwaine are not related however in many of the legends Gwaine is Arthur's nephew by way of half sister Morgause, sometimes called Anna Morgause. I wanted to give Arthur more family but give us a Gwaine/Arthur friendship between equals. So Anna Morgause becomes Igraine's sister instead and Arthur and Gwaine are cousins.