Merlin kept his beard, more than often to look older. It wasn't long and distracting, it was really just a small stubble, a five o'clock shadow. It was usually the first thing people noticed about him and he liked it that way, however, upon going on a date with a Pendragon, his co-worker's advised him to shave it off.

"What happens if he wants to score?" Freya joked as she pushed chairs in. "That hair on your face will get in the way."
"If he doesn't like it, then we don't have to go out." Merlin replied.
"But, when it's shaved...it makes you look a lot younger." Kara, who was wiping tables, encouraged. "Trust me!"
"I can't shave it now." Merlin sighed.
"Well, you've got an hour." Freya said.
"Hey, I'm not going to try to look my best for someone I hardly know, I mean...why ask me out anyway?" Merlin shivered a bit. "Does his family know he has an interest in guys?"

"Probably not." Freya shrugged. "It's highly uncommon."

Arthur examined himself in the bathroom of his flat. He wanted to make sure he looked amazing for Merlin. His hair was shaggy, but he didn't think that the brunette would mind that. He wore nice slacks and a nice long sleeved shirt. He made sure that his breath smelt nice in case he had plans in mind to sneak one on Merlin and he made sure that he in general looked nice.

Seconds later, his phone rang. He took it from his pocket and cringed when he saw that it was Morgana who was calling. "What?" He asked, his voice was void of all emotion.

"We're having dinner tonight with one of father's good friends. This man, is the CEO of a nation wide company, and he has a daughter about your age. Father wants you two to meet, I believe a marriage is_" "Sorry, but you'll have to tell father I'm booked for tonight."

"What?"
"Bye Morgana." Arthur tapped the end button and placed his phone in his pocket.
Whatever Uther , Morgana or anybody else had in store, he just wasn't going to be apart of it. He had plans in mind for something that didn't concern them.

He sighed, and propped himself on his expensive bathroom counter.
He hated the life he was born into, he hated that he had to live with his life being chosen for him. The fact that Uther, wanted him to marry a woman he didn't know made him angry inside.

If only he could escape from all of it, but the media would be on his back. He didn't have a life of his own. It was publicly displayed, and mostly Uther and Morgana were to blame for that. The way the indulged in telling reporters every single thing that happens in their lives.

He wanted it to be over, he wanted to live the life of a normal person, but that was all shattered when his dad divorced his mother. He was forbidden to ever see her again and that deeply affected him.

So going out with Merlin, a normal person, a real person, was the only piece of true reality Arthur had left, and he planned to keep it that way.
_

Bye Seven fifty, Merlin saw Arthur's car pull up.
He braced himself as the man entered the restaurant and smiled. Merlin felt his cheeks go read when Arthur pulled him into a strange embrace before releasing him and placing his hands on Merlin's shoulders.

"I have a place in mind." Arthur said. "You're dressed nicely enough."
"I thought we were eating here." Merlin protested.
"No, I want to take you somewhere that you'll remember on your first date." Arthur grabbed Merlin's hand and took him outside.
Merlin waved at Freya and Kara before vanishing into the car.

"So, can you tell me a bit about yourself, something I don't know." Arthur asked as he started the car. "I can tell you're from Ireland."

"Yeah." Merlin said. "I moved when I was younger, to England...Ireland wasn't the best place for my mother and I...after my father left things just went downhill."

"What's your Religion? I heard that was a problem in Ireland."
"Oh, I'm Catholic...that was a terrible problem. We lived in a protestant area." Merlin smiled. "You ask a lot of questions."

"I'm a curious person." Arthur said. "I'm curious about you."
"Well can I ask a question or two?" Merlin jokingly replied. Arthur nodded.
"Tell me about yourself, your life must be amazing, compared to mine." Merlin sighed. "True?"
"Somewhat..." Arthur shook his head. "You know, you actually have it lucky. You can choose the life you want, if I still lived with my father, he'd take my life from me...he still tried."

"What does your mother say?" Merlin asked.
Arthur tensed up and sighed. "She and my father were divorced when I was very young. I was forced to stay with my father, any my illegitimate half sister. Funny thing about it is while my mother and father were married, he was sleeping with Morgana's whore of a mother and now the two are married. I can't stand that woman, and I can't stand Morgana. I left a while back and now I live alone in my flat, but like I said my father tries to control me, but I don't let him."

"I'm sorry." Merlin said. "Do you ever visit your mother."
"I would, but I can't find her...and my father would disapprove of it." Arthur frowned. "What about you?"

"You already know about me...at least a bit. My mother and my friend Gwen's parent's died in an accident, leaving Gwen and I behind. One of my mother's friends used to pay us monthly but he died, so now we're kind of poor." Merlin chuckled. "After I graduated Highschool, I got a job and now I have to support my...family, I guess. But we're not together."

"You didn't go to college?"
"Didn't have enough money."
"What grades did you make?"
"I was Valedictorian...I got scholarships to a few different Universities, Kingston and...Oxford." Merlin paused to shake his head.
"You never went, did you?" Arthur sounded sympathetic.
"I couldn't leave Gwen, or Mordred."
"Mordred, when or how did he come about?" Arthur asked curiously.

"When he was twelve, he attempted to break in our house and steal something from us. Since then, he's lived with us, we pay for him with whatever we get." Merlin smiled. "So, that's why I can never leave."

"That's not fair though." Arthur protested.
"I'm sorry, but my life isn't like yours, it is very limited."

"Is Arthur, not coming for dinner tonight?" The young woman asked Morgana as the two sat at the table.
"No, Miss Sarah_" "Just Sarah." The woman, blond hair and pink cheeks smiled.
"No Sarah, he said he has plans." Morgana managed.
"I thought a proposal was of the essence." Sarah said, looking at Morgana, and Uther.
"It is, I just have to let Arthur know." Uther said. "Our families will prosper when the two of you are married." Uther lightly touched Sarah's arm. "I've already made the arrangements and I've signed the papers for my son. I just require his signature and your signature and then the wedding will be official."

"I would love to have you as a sister-in-law Sarah." Morgana took a sip of her wine.
"I could not agree more."

"Here it is." Arthur had quickly rushed to open Merlin's door before helping him out of the car. "Launceston Place." Arthur softly squeezed Merlin's shoulders.
"It looks expensive." Merlin said.
"It is, I told you it would be someplace special." Arthur replied.

Arthur grabbed Merlin's hand and tried to pull him, but he just stayed. "I can't go in there." Merlin protested. "I don't belong, I'd be out of place."

"Don't, make me carry you in." Arthur joked as he tugged on Merlin's sleeve. "It'll be fine, trust me."

When the two entered the extravagant restaurant, Merlin felt the AC hit him like a storm wind. It carried the smell of thick leather seats and artificial scents of fruits.

A waiter, who looked much happier than Merlin did, quickly ushered the two to their seats and then asked them what they wanted to drink. Merlin, who was always used to ordering water since it was free, was the first one to state his answer.

"Come on, why not a wine?" Arthur urged.
"No thanks." Merlin pressed. "It's...I shouldn't be drinking it."

The waiter left the two to themselves for a while.
"So how do you like it?"
"It's okay, people seem to be giving me strange looks." Merlin's shoulders sagged. "Can't imagine why."
"Ignore them." Arthur said as the waiter returned with their drinks. They quickly ordered their food, which Arthur picked, then again they were left alone. Merlin became wary of the well dressed expensive men and women staring at him. They were judgmental glares, as if saying he didn't belong there.

"Merlin." Arthur had rubbed his hand. "Don't even pay any mind to them."
"It's hard not to." Merlin sighed. "I don't belong here, I'm not one of them. I'm not one of you."
"Don't say that." Arthur took Merlin's hand. "You are real, you are you Merlin." For a second, Arthur brought Merlin's hand to his lips and Merlin thought he'd go for a kiss.

Arthur's phone rang, causing him to softly place Merlin's hand on the table.
"What?" He sounded angry.

His face changed as the speaker on the phone, a woman spoke to him, without warning he had pressed the glass screen and placed it in his pocket.

"What is it?" Merlin asked.
"Nothing." Arthur stopped, causing Merlin to look rather shocked.
"I'm sorry," Arthur apologized. "I didn't mean to get angry."

Merlin blushed a little bit before looking up at Arthur. "It's fine." The Waiter arrived and place their food on the table. It was a dish that Merlin hadn't ever seen, so he was very curious about it.

People around stared at Merlin as he tried to make sense of the small bit of steak and salad on his plate. "Am I supposed to eat this?"

An audible laugh was heard from the booth behind them, which made Merlin sheepish.

"He doesn't even know how to eat." It was a high pitched female voice and Arthur could only imagine that they were the spoiled daughters of some rich man.

"I know, why is he here?" Another girl asked.

Both Merlin and Arthur could hear the girls mocking him.

Merlin vividly remembered getting into fights with children like this when he was younger, but he knew he'd only be asking for death if he hit one of the girls. Without warning, Merlin stood, thanked Arthur and walked out of the restaurant.

Arthur's eyes opened wide, as well as the two girls who mocked him. They hadn't gotten a good look at him before and when they saw him they were surprised by how attractive he was.
"Sorry!" One of the girls said to Arthur.
He only ignored them and headed outside in the snow, where Merlin seemed to be walking away. "Merlin!" Arthur called out. "Wait!"

Merlin only continued to walk faster, all the way to the street where he could haul a taxi.
Like always, Arthur caught up to him and grabbed his arm. "Merlin, I'm sorry_" "It's not your fault, those two were right." Merlin continued to try to pull away.

"Let me drive you home!" Arthur yelled.
"No! We shouldn't do things like this, you're rich, you're a noble I'm poor, I don't need to be around you! I'll ruin your title!"
"You think I give a damn about my title?" Arthur asked as he turned Merlin around to face him. "I've been trying to escape what I am for years, and years, and years! You are the only bit of true reality I have and if you leave now..." Arthur stared at Merlin. "Please. I like having you around."

"Will you take me back to my restaurant so I can go home?" Merlin asked.
"Yes." Arthur said, at the same time wondering why he would not just take Merlin home.
"Okay."

The two got into the car and drove back to the restaurant where Merlin got out. Before Merlin left he turned around and faced Arthur. "I really, did enjoy tonight...maybe we can do it again some other time."

"That would be great." Arthur said. "Really great."

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