When Uther woke the next morning, the first think he thought about was his son. Last night he kept thinking about what he had seen that afternoon and was being restless about the fact that Arthur had been keeping it from him. Then he was speculating when Arthur would ever trust him enough to tell it.

He sighed and got up to dress himself and putting on the sling that was casually hanging on the back of his desk chair. Like yesterday and the days before, he secured the sling tightly around him and made his way downstairs. All the while his mind couldn't stop contemplating about when Arthur would tell him. Maybe it would today? But Uther had told himself to not push his son about it. Because one thing he had learnt from the previous years was; push Arthur into telling something and he would only push you further away.

Uther made some tea and toast and sat down into his study. His mind wandered off, while his body went on automatic. He was, however, brought out of his thoughts when there was a firm knock on the door of his study and a voice calling out,

"Father? Can I come in? I need to tell you something."

It was Arthur and Uther could hear the waver in his son's voice. He held his breath.

Would today be the day?

~oOoOo~

Arthur stood in the middle of his room and was being nervous… and that was an understatement! He hadn't been able to sleep, because his mind was going through every single scenario that could happen after he told his father about his sexuality. Most of them didn't end well. He heaved a sigh, he'd just have to deal with it when that moment would come. He had been keeping it to himself for so long now, and he was fed up with it. His father had the right to know.

He glanced to his bed; a small weekend bag with some personal items in it was sitting on top of it. His motorcycle keys were lying next to it. If his father wouldn't respond well to the news, he would be quick to leave the house and to never return again. He hoped of course that it wouldn't come to that, but you could never be too cautious.

He got down on his knees and reached out for the old shoebox under his bed. In a sense, you could call it his memory box. Arthur sat down on his bed with the box on his lap and opened the dusty lid. There were all kinds of items scattered around, but he was looking for just one item in particular. One item that had helped him through every hard time in his life; one thing that reminded him so much of his mother. And you couldn't really miss it; when you would open the lid it was right there. It was his old and worn teddy bear. He picked it out the box and set the box down next to him.

He chuckled to himself as he sat there on his bed. Here he was, twenty-seven years old and clutching a teddy bear tightly to his chest like his life depended on it. He remembered how angry he was when he received the bear on his birthday. Who in their right mind would give their thirteen year old son a teddy bear anyways?

But it turned out that that same bear quickly became his most beloved and prized possession in the whole world.

He gave the bear one last tight squeeze in his arms before placing it back in the box. There was something else that he needed out it right now. Arthur started to rummage through the box, looking for that one special picture. He quickly found it. Safely put in a plastic bag to prevent it from getting damaged.

On the picture were his mother, his father and himself. He was just a tiny baby and the picture was probably taken a few minutes after his mother had given birth to him. "How I wish you were still here." Arthur mumbled to the picture, tracing his mother's features on the picture. "You would understand. You would make father understand."

After staring at the picture for a few moments, he gently placed it back in the box and stored it away under his bed again. When he stood up, Arthur contemplated whether to call Merlin and just tell him that he couldn't do it.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a frustrated growl. "Why is this so damn hard!" He muttered frustratingly to himself and plopped down on the side of his bed. His head fell into his waiting hands.

His head shot up when he heard his father's bedroom door open and close, and moments later he heard his father's footsteps on the stair.

Father's up. It's now or never!

Arthur inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly. He stood up and caught himself in the mirror. "You can do this Arthur." He said to his reflection, but the message was delivered with less confidence than he would've liked to.

Slowly he descended the stairs, stopping halfway to listen in which room his father was. He heard some shuffling in the kitchen before he heard another door open and close. "He's in his study." Arthur softly confirmed to himself.

While gathering all his courage, he got down the rest of the steps and slowly made his way to the now closed door. He inhaled one last time before raising his closed hand. Instead of knocking right away, he left it to linger in the air for almost a full minute. He could still go now and his father would never know, but he couldn't make himself, he needed to do this now or he would never have the courage to do it. He let his fist down, and three firm but soft knocks landed against the hard wood door.

"Father?" He could hear how creaky his voice actually was. "Can I come in? I need to tell you something."

Well there's no turning back now.

He startled when he heard his father confirm and slowly and feeling insecure he opened the door. He stepped in with slow movement and saw his father sitting behind his desk. They stared straight into each eyes for just a second before Uther pulled his gaze away.

"You said you wanted to tell me something?" Uther asked with a slightly creaking voice that could match his son's. As soon as he saw his son enter the room he just knew that today would be the day… or maybe he was just hoping so hard that today would be the day. He now knew he had to be patient and let Arthur take his time at whatever he wanted to say to him.

"Yes." Arthur said, gulping deeply. "I just don't want you to hate me for it. And even if you do, I willl leave and you'll never see me again."

Uther frowned and walked around the desk until he was standing in front of Arthur. He extended his left hand and placed it on Arthur's bicep. While looking deeply in his beloved son's eyes, he said, "Arthur what are you talking about? I could never hate you. Whatever it is... you can tell me."

Arthur's eyes started to roam over the whole room, he looked everywhere except to his father. He never would've thought this would be so freaking hard! If only Merlin would be here-

No! This was something he had to do alone.

Finally he set his gaze onto his father and he struggled to not immediately avert them again. "Maybe it's best if you sit down." Arthur suggested soft, pointing to the small sofa on the side of the room. When Uther sat down, Arthur continued to stand. In fact, he started pacing in front of the sofa and he nervously clenched and unclenched his fists. His palms were sweaty and his pulse was high.

He looked to the side towards his father, before quickly looking down to the floor again. Finally after what seems like hours, Arthur came to a stop in front of his father and swallowed into his dry throat. He opened and closed his mouth numerous times, but there wasn't a sound coming out.

Finally finding his voice, Arthur began. "I..." He looked up to the ceiling with his mouth slightly ajar and his tongue touched his upper lip. Then he lowered his head again and looked straight into his father's eyes.

The first thing Arthur noticed, was how his father was sitting there very calmly. His father hadn't even been asking why he was so nervous. Arthur ran a hand through his blonde hairs a couple of times, and as a result were now sticking up in various directions. He exhaled.

"What is it Arthur…?" Uther softly asked, he knew that what Arthur was about to tell must've been a huge burden for his son.

It hurt him to see his son like this. He knew he hadn't been the perfect father for his son the past years, and just the way Arthur was reacting now, was only more evidence of it. He couldn't believe that Arthur had been keeping it for him for so long, and it was all down to being afraid for his reaction. He could never, but he meant never, be angry at his son, whatever he would say or do.

Uther watched how Arthur struggled on how to start. His hands were all over the place, first they were roaming his forehead, then rubbing them on his neck and lastly his hands settled onto eyes. His breathing had picked up the pace.

"Arthur... please."

Taking one more encouraging breath, Arthur opened his mouth. His lower lip was slightly trembling… and then, the big secret blurted out in one breath. "I'm gay!"

Relieve flood over Arthur's whole body. Just those two small words had changed the wrung up feeling in his chest and now he was able to breathe again. He was able to live.

For just a fraction of a second a smile appeared on his face, but then he remembered that his father was still there. His eyes travelled from the floor where he had been staring at, and then to the sofa his father was sitting on. He was preparing himself to see a furious Uther on the sofa, but when he actually gazed up, he saw his father looking at him with a… smile?

Arthur blinked. No, that couldn't be, he must have imagined it. He looked at his father again and saw the man now standing up and starting to walk up to him.

Now I'll get it. Arthur thought when he saw his father coming towards him. His father stood probably only a feet away from him now and Arthur flinched and closed his eyes tightly when his father raised his left arm. Arthur was prepared for the impact….. but it never came.

Slowly Arthur opened his eyes. He was still cautious, but that feeling turned into confusion when he suddenly felt his father's arm embracing him.

Arthur was bewildered. There was no hitting, nor yelling, nor swearing.

How was that possible!

Arthur didn't know how to respond to the embrace. He and his father only rarely to none shared such a personal moment. At most his father would give him a nod with his head or he would shake his hand after winning a championship, but an embrace? That was just so alien to him, but he couldn't say that he disliked it.

With trembling hands, Arthur closed his own arms around his father's torso.

"Thank you." Uther whispered into his son's ear, tightening his embrace even more. They continue to stand like that for a couple of minutes, just embracing each other and nothing more. This was their father and son moment.

But Arthur needed to know more about his father's sudden acceptance and change in personality. He reluctantly pulled away. "You're not mad?" There was still a slight worried tone in his voice and he tried to keep the tears in. He was trying to force them behind the wall that he had put up during the past years, preventing him from sharing emotions.

Uther sighed sadly. "Arthur, come and sit."

When they were both seated, Uther placed a hand on Arthur's knee, who looked at the hand with small fear. "I'm not mad." Uther began, "How could I be mad when you're so happy about who you are? I realize now that you were unhappy just to please me and, Arthur, never do that again. Don't let your own happiness get into the way of what my opinion might be about it, because this is your life, not mine. You're supposed to be the one who says what, when and how something will happen."

Arthur couldn't quite believe his own ears. Did his father just accepted him. Accepted him for who he is, for what sexuality he has...

But Arthur was still wary. It just couldn't be, his father wouldn't accept that. It must be a trick!

Uther let his hand off Arthur's knee and placed it on his shoulder. He gave it a little squeeze. "Arthur, I know about you and Merlin."

Arthur's eyes became huge, almost to the point that they would pop out of their sockets. "I'm s-sorry. I-I c-can exp-plain." Arthur stuttered, but he was cut off by his father.

"You don't have to apologize. It is I who should. Oh Arthur I'm so sorry that you couldn't trust me enough to tell me –"

"I've wanted to." Arthur softly interrupted. His eyes were casted down to the ground.

Uther gave his son's shoulder another squeeze and Arthur was finally able to look into his father's eyes. Uther gave him a soft smile and then said, "I'm really sorry, that I made you feel that you couldn't tell me. I know I haven't been the best father these past years, but when I saw you and Merlin in the living room yesterday, something in me changed… for the better."

Arthur couldn't stop staring at his father. Shimmers of happiness were to be seen in Arthur's eyes while his father's eyes showed nothing but acceptance and apology.

"Arthur, I was making myself blind. I think I have known for quite a while, I just refused to believe it. You see, your mother…" Arthur looked at him with his eyebrows knitted together when Uther mentioned his mother.

Uther exhaled deeply. "Your mother knew about your sexuality from when you were only a child and when she told me, I wouldn't accept it, not even when the evidence was right before my eyes."

Uther smiled again. "But yesterday, yesterday was something different. I could not go and ignore it. I have watched you and Merlin and I could see how happy he was making you and that was really all it took for me to accept it. Arthur please, believe me when I say I do..."

Uther bit his lip. "I do admit, that I will need a little more time to be fully used to it, but Arthur please don't try and push me away. I am here for you."

Arthur shook his head with a big smile on his face. "I won't father... I won't!" He exclaimed with happiness before launching himself around his father's neck, hugging the air out of him.

"Watch the shoulder." Uther teased, patting him on the back with his left hand.

"Oh god, sorry!" Arthur pulled away from him. His smile still plastered on his face and he couldn't make it disappear, he didn't want it to disappear.

Uther chuckled lightly. "So when will I officially meet my son-in-law?"

~oOoOo~

Arthur was equally buzzing as the buzzer he had been pressing for the last sixty seconds. The speaker crackeled and then there was a deep growl coming out of the speaker. "Whoever this is, I don't want to buy anything. Go away… And stop buzzing!"

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled into the intercom. Arthur had jumped onto his motorcycle and raced to Merlin's apartment after he and his father had been talking. He was just so happy from his talk with his father and couldn't wait to tell Merlin the good news. Unfortunally, in his excitement he seemed to have totally forgotten that Merlin was sleeping, because he had a nightshift at the hospital last night and would have one again this evening.

"Arthur?" Merlin's groggy voice called out.

"Yes." Arthur answered, and then it hit him. "Oh my god, Merlin, sorry, I totally forgot that you were…" Arthur trailed off, but then he exclaimed, "But I have news!"

Merlin could hear the clear happiness in his boyfriend's voice. It wasn't hard to miss. He pressed the button and told Arthur through the intercom that he'd better come up.

Just as with the buzzer, Arthur could help to push the lift its "up" button multiple times in a row. He bounced on his feet and waited in anticipation for the doors to open and allowing him in. He gave the lift two more seconds before he would bolt up the stairs and run all the way up to Merlin's apartment. Just when he was about to, the lift landed on the ground floor and the doors binged open. Arthur stepped in and enthusiastically pressed number six.

He couldn't help to smile at every single person that entered the lift and he wasn't even annoyed about the fact that the lift had to stop at every floor to let people in. Arthur really didn't care, not today.

Finally Arthur arrived at the right floor and his anticipated walk towards Merlin's appartment turned quickly in a little jog, anything to get as fast as possible there. His frantic knocking on the door was quickly answered by the door swinging open and revealing a half clothed Merlin in the door opening. His torso was bare and his pajama bottoms sat low on his hipbones. Merlin had his arms crossed in front of his chest, his eyes were barely open and had clear evidence of interrupted sleep.

"Wow." Was the first thing Arthur mentioned when his eyes glide over the impressive torso in front of him. But when he saw Merlin's face, he knew he had to tell him what the reason was that he had been coming to Merlin's place with the speed light. He blurted it rapidly out.

"I've told my father this morning. Not just thirty minutes ago!" A smile spread widely over his face and he started bouncing again. The energy was just bursting out of him from all sides, but he was starting to feel guilty to have interrupted Merlin's sleep. Almost shyly, he said, "I couldn't wait to tell you in person. And I'm sorry to have disturbed your beauty sleep… not that you need one." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek. "Can I come in?"

Merlin rubbed his eyes in a sleepy manner, accompanied with a long yawn. Slowly he started to come back to his senses again. He blinked heavily couple of times and then finally turned his attention to his lover, who was clearly happy about… something. He smiled when he got kissed on the cheek and beckoned Arthur to come inside.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Merlin yawned once more.

Arthur huffed in a playful manner and squirmed his way past Merlin. He turned when he heard Merlin close the door and grabbed Merlin's hands in his own when they were face to face.

"Merlin, I've told my father this morning!"

And finally Merlin understood where his boyfriend's excitement was coming from. "And from what I gather, it went well?" Merlin asked leading them to the living room. He thought it was a stupid question, because Arthur wouldn't be acting this way if it didn't went well, but he just wanted to be certain of it, so he asked it cautiously.

"Oh my god, it went so good Merlin. It's like. Wow! This man I've seen today, well I haven't seen him in a long time. Merlin, he was happy for me. Happy! Actually… he was happy for us."

"Us?" Merlin squeaked. If there had been any sign of drowsiness, then that was completely gone now. "You've told him about us? Arthur isn't that a bit too soon?" The worried undertone in Merlin's questions was clear and Arthur gave a squeeze in their still entwined hands.

"Merlin, I haven't told him. He… actually saw us together in the living room, yesterday." Merlin's eyes widened in surprise. "No really, Merlin he's alright with it." Arthur quickly assured. "He told me that himself. Okay he told me he needed some time to adjust, but Merlin he wasn't angry or upset! He was genuinely happy for me… us."

Arthur let out a sigh of happiness and sat down on the couch with Merlin sitting next to him. Merlin placed his hand on Arthur's leg and saw that Arthur started to grin. "What is it?" Merlin said, barely holding back a smile himself.

"He wants to officially meet his son-in-law."

Merlin accidently squeezed Arthur's leg quite hard when he heard the last bit and Arthur squawked, but then laughed.

"He wants to meet me?" Merlin softly repeated. "But he already knows me!" His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly when he looked up to Arthur with confusion.

"Merlin, pleeaase." Arthur begged him and was starting to bounce again. It didn't matter to him that he was sitting on a couch. "He'll never get used to it if he doesn't see it with his own eyes." Arthur started to slightly pout

It took a few minutes of silence, but Merlin finally said,

"Fine." He knew he couldn't resist that face, at least not for long. "I'll come with you."

"Great!" Arthur stood up, pulling Merlin with him.

"What exactly are you doing?" Merlin questioned, trying to get Arthur to stop.

"Taking you to my father." The 'duh' was left unspoken but the tone of it was so evident to hear. "The sooner the better, don't you think?" Arthur beamed with contentment and continued to drag Merlin towards the door. Bu Merlin would have none of it and yanked his hand free, making Arthur turn in confusion.

"Don't you want to come?"

"Arthur don't get me wrong; I'm really, really, happy that your father took it well, but I just can't come with you right now."

"But–"

"No buts… firstly, I am not dressed and second, Arthur I have a long shift ahead of me in less than three hours and I really could use the sleep right now."

Arthur's face slightly dropped, but he could definitely understand Merlin's reason why they couldn't do it right now. And thinking of it, it wasn't perhaps the best idea to immediately throw it into his father's face, just about an hour after telling his father that he was gay.

He was just so over the moon that he couldn't think rationally anymore and he had almost forgotten again that his boyfriend had to work in a couple of hours.

"You're right, you're totally right Merlin." Arthur replied, and simultaneously started to shuffle his feet. Merlin caught it and started to snort for no apparent reason. In the past months that he had known Arthur, he had figured out that whenever Arthur started to shuffle, it could either mean that Arthur was about to drop a bomb on him, or that he wanted to ask something that he was nervous for.

"What is it Arthur?" Merlin asked, pulling Arthur out of his thoughts.

"Well, it's, em. If you want… you know there's-" Arthur was stuttering, but then swallowed and took a deep breath. He would just get it out. "I want to ask you to be my date to the annual banquet next Saturday. It's held for all the riders and sponsors. The banquet itself is not that big of a deal, but there will be press."

"O-kaaay?" Merlin replied with uncertainty in his voice. He wasn't sure where this was going to.

Arthur started to fidget at the seam on the bottom of his shirt. "Basically." Arthur began, "It will be my officially coming out to the press and the world. And Merlin, I can totally understand if you don't want to be in the spotlights, but I certainly hope you'll come with me."

"Oh." Merlin replied to that, letting himself slip onto the couch again. "Look, Arthur, I'm not sure."

"Merlin, I promise. The press won't bother you. They'll probably take a few pictures and will ask me some questions. There might be a chance that they'll ask you something, but I can deny them from asking you questions."

Arthur started to bite his lower lip as he looked at Merlin. He could clearly see that Merlin was thinking things over and he could only hope, pray now that Merlin would say yes.

It wasn't that the press gave him that much attention on a daily base anyways, but him coming out would probably spark their attention. But it wasn't like he was the first person amongst celebrities, and other people that might fit that category (such as Arthur), to come out. The press probably wouldn't even keep their attention on it for too long, before moving on to another thing that would grab their attention.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked when he hadn't heard anything from his boyfriend yet.

"I'll do it." Merlin finally answered, smiling up to Arthur who returned a same sort of smile. Merlin stood up and caught Arthur's lips against his own. When they broke, Merlin said, "I will go with you, only if you go now. I really need some more sleep, or I won't survive this evening and then I can't come with you." Merlin grinned when he saw Arthur rolling his eyes and led him to the door.

There, they shared a passionate kiss, before Merlin ushered him out of the door.

Merlin walked towards the windows and saw Arthur getting up on his motorcycle and driving away from the kerb. After sighing with happiness on how everything was going perfect in his life, Merlin made his way back to the warm and cosiness of his bed.

~oOoOo~

Merlin was in the middle of his night shift and was filling in some charts, when his colleague came towards him. "Merlin thank god I catch you. You free at the moment?"

Merlin looked up from the chart he was busy filling in, and saw that his colleague's work clothes were contaminated with vomit, or at least that's what it looked like to him. "Erm, yes I'm free now." He teasingly pointed to the man's wasted shirt. "I think you got a little stain there." He smirked when he caught the man's glare.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny Emrys. That John kid has been vomiting all over the place again. I was just in the line of fire at that very moment." His colleague sighed deeply. "Anyways, can you please take the patient in examination room three? I hadn't got time to examine him myself because of…" He looked down, waving his arms up and down in front of the soiled clothes.

Merlin was about to put his arm on his colleague's shoulder, but just in time pulled it back. His colleague made a face that only made Merlin chuckle. "Don't worry, you get yourself cleaned. So what's the case?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I didn't got time to check properly; something with his hand. The nurse at the front desk has written it all on the chart which you can find in the room. I'm sorry, but if keep smelling this vomit for a second longer, I will throw up myself." He walked away backwards and shouted, "Thanks Merlin, you're a life saver." Then he swiftly made his way to the personnel locker room.

"That's what I'm trained for." Merlin cleverly retorted to himself with a goofy grin and then made his way to the examination room.

He opened the door, and started to grit his teeth. Looking back at him was the man who caused his boyfriend so many problems.

"Gwaine." Merlin spat.