Chapter Text
Merlin went to check his email, just in case one of the places he had put in job applications to had sent him something, and saw a new message in his inbox.
the_real_emrys,
Your reviews on several of our products have recently come to the attention of our company and would like to speak to you about joining our marketing team or doing freelance work posting reviews for more products. Please contact us at 07700 900461 at your earliest convenience to discuss this further.
Thank you,
Gaius Wilson
Head of Human Resources, Pendragon Inc.
Merlin read the message through again to make sure he wasn’t just imagining it. After the third time reading the email, he scrambled for his mobile and started to dial the number. He took a deep breath, then hit send.
The phone rang a couple times, then a voice answered, “Hello, this is Pendragon Incorporated Human Resources. You’re speaking to Gwen. How can I help you?”
“Er, hi. I’m Merlin Emrys. I received an email from a Gaius Wilson saying to call him at this number about a job…?”
“Er, yes. Just a moment.”
While he was on hold, Merlin opened a new tab and searched for the Pendragon Inc. holiday ad from a couple years ago for probably the 100th time. It was one of those classic heart-wrenching but ultimately sweet ads that were everywhere in December, but this one held a special place in Merlin’s heart. It depicted a teen boy coming out to his family as gay and being kicked out. The boy turned to a friend for a place to stay. As it flashed through a few years, the boy grew and gained a decent size group of friends with whom he was depicted spending a few holidays. Then he and one of his friends kiss. Flash forward again, the friend - now boyfriend - proposes. And the final scene was one of the couple a few years in the future with two kids. They are just finishing the candle-lighting blessing over a menorah when the doorbell rings. It’s all the friends from previous holidays. The scene is overlaid with the text “Family is about more than biology” and the Pendragon Inc. logo.
Merlin’s mum hadn’t kicked him out, but it had been difficult for her when he came out. She was worried about her son not being accepted by society and incidentally made him feel like he wasn’t accepted by her. But they eventually talked and sorted things out, and she moved past her initial fears and misgivings to become wonderfully accepting.
“Hello…” a voice cut through Merlin’s thoughts.
“Oh, hi. I’m Merlin Emrys, er, the_real_emrys... from Amazon. Not that I’m from Amazon, but that’s my username on Amazon, and you emailed me, and… I should stop babbling now…”
“Hello, Merlin. I didn’t expect to hear back from you quite so soon. But as I mentioned in the email, we’re interested in hiring you for our marketing team. With the holidays approaching, it’s good to get fresh blood and new perspectives in the mix.”
“Yes, yes, I’d love to work for Pendragon Inc.”
“We’ll need you to come in for an interview, Gwen can help you set up a time, but many people here like your reviews, and internet traffic has noticeably increased for some of our products after you reviewed them.”
“Thank you.”
“See you soon, Mr Emrys, I’ll let you set an interview date with Gwen.”
“Hello again,” Gwen’s cheery voice greeted him. “So, Mr Wilson said to schedule you an interview. Does Wednesday at noon work for you?”
“Er… Sure, that’ll be fine.”
“Okay. We’ll see you this Wednesday at noon. Have a great day!”
“You too,” Merlin said before ringing off. He stared at his mobile for 5 minutes before his growling stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
***
Time seemed to have both slowed to a crawl and rushed forward suddenly leading up to Wednesday. It felt like it had been ages since the email, and yet it also felt so sudden, like Merlin had barely had time to breathe. He didn’t feel prepared at all, but he put on his nicest shirt and jacket and took the tube to the Pendragon Inc. headquarters.
When he arrived at the front desk he was greeted by a familiar voice, “Hello, how may I help you?”
The nametag confirmed for him that his was Gwen. “Hi Gwen. I’m Merlin. We spoke on the phone the other day. I’m here for an interview.”
“Right. Nice to meet you Merlin. Just take the lift to the 23rd floor. Mr Wilson’s office will be straight ahead and clearly labeled.”
“Thanks!”
Merlin got in the impressively shiny and fast lift and did as Gwen has instructed. Mr Gaius Wilson’s office was indeed obvious when he stepped out onto the correct floor.
He knocked a bit hesitantly on the office door.
“Yes, come in,” a voice responded.
“Hello, I’m Merlin. I’m here for an interview.”
“Merlin… I thought you weren’t supposed to be here ‘til Wednesday.”
“It is Wednesday,” Merlin replied, confused.
“Oh, well, come in. We can get started.” He pushed a few papers aside, not really managing to clear any of the clutter and grabbed a folder that Merlin could see his name written on.
Merlin didn’t remember much of the interview. It went by in a bit of a blur, but suddenly he was being given paperwork and being informed of his first day of work and office expectations.
***
Arthur leaned his head back and laughed out loud at the absolutely absurd Amazon review he had just read. It was for a product his father's company produced, a laptop desk that attached to a steering wheel (Arthur wasn’t really sure how that idea had ever made it to production, but his job was just to market the things, not to make them).
Perfect for doing schoolwork at the last minute. It fits my laptop perfectly. Now I can finish papers as I commute to my uni. No more rushing to finish before I leave the flat and arriving late to class.
Also useful for jotting down your grocery list, meal prep on the go (it doubles as a cutting board), resting your head while stuck in traffic, emailing your boss that you’ll be late because you’re stuck in traffic, and so much more. Absolutely worth the money. You will not regret this purchase.
It was the first review listed for the product, and a quick search told him that it had made it onto a list of the Top 10 Funniest Amazon Reviews. The author had written a number of other humorous product reviews, and Arthur spent far too long reading every single one. He wished he knew who the man who had written them was. He thought he might be a little bit in love with him. It had been a long time since he had laughed that hard.
***
As Merlin stepped out of the lift on his first day of work at Pendragon Inc. he ran straight into a blond man who was walking past.
“Oi! Watch where you’re going!” the man said angrily.
“Sorry. Sorry,” Merlin replied. “I’m a bit clumsy.”
Blondie just replied, “yes, you are,” rather haughtily.
Merlin could feel his face turning red, and he fought to keep his voice under control. “I’ve already apologized,” you prat, he thought, “who do you think you are? Mr Pendragon?”
“No. I’m his son, Arthur.”
“Oh,” Merlin said. “That explains what a prat you are.”
“OI!”
“I’m Merlin, by the way. I was just hired to join the marketing team.”
“Ah. Your desk is over there. Don’t bother me, and I won’t bother you. And for the love of all that is holy, watch where you’re walking in the future.”
***
A few weeks into his new job, Arthur still didn’t seem to like Merlin very much, but the other members of the marketing team were great, and Merlin had become friends with them easily.
“Hey, Merlin,” one of the friendliest of his coworkers, a man named Gwaine, called, “you wanna come to the pub with us after work today?”
“Sure, I’d like that.”
At the pub, Gwaine and Merlin and another of their colleagues, Leon, met up with Gwen and her girlfriend Morgana. And, to the surprise of pretty much everyone, Arthur.
“I finally managed to convince my little brother to join us,” Morgana said when he arrived. Merlin hadn’t realized they were related, but no one else seemed surprised.
Arthur didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about being there, and he didn’t do more than nod a greeting to Merlin. But as the evening waxed on, he loosened up a bit and his conversation with Leon turned from somewhat awkward small talk to more friendly banter.
Finally Merlin heard Leon say, “I think it’s time to head home for the evening. We’ve got a meeting bright and early tomorrow.”
“You’re right,” Arthur said and they both got up from their seats. Leon headed for the loo, and Arthur made his way to the door.
Merlin had just stood to leave as well, and they exited the pub together. As they stepped into the zebra crossing, Merlin saw a car come around the corner too quickly. He grabbed Arthur and jerked him back onto the sidewalk, causing Arthur to fall into Merlin and knock both of them to the ground. But the car sped through where they had been standing moments before.
“Merlin,” Arthur growled as he got to his feet, “you idiot. What are you doing?”
“You’re welcome,” Merlin replied snarkily. “Did you not notice the car that almost hit - ouch!”
Merlin’s left ankle didn’t want to support his weight, and it buckled under him as he tried to walk.
“Sorry, and thank you. Really,” Arthur said sincerely, as he wrapped an arm around Merlin’s shoulders to support him. “How far is your flat?”
“Just get me to the tube station. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not just going to leave you at the nearest tube stop and hope for the best. You can barely walk, idiot. You can come home with me. I just live around the corner.”
“You don’t have to -”
“This discussion is over, Mer-lin. You’re coming with me, and that’s final.”
***
Arthur’s flat was a bit posh, but it had a homey lived-in feel that made Merlin feel at ease. Arthur directed him to the plush red couch helped him sit.
“Er, I’m just going to grab you something to sleep in,” Arthur said awkwardly as he backed away down the hall. “The remote for the telly is on the end table. I’ll - er, I’ll be right back.”
For lack of anything else to do, Merlin turned on the telly and found a rerun of Doctor Who to distract him.
Arthur reappeared a moment later in sweats and a t-shirt, carrying another set of sweats and tee for Merlin. Arthur helped him to the toilet where he could get changed and clean up a little.
The shirt, Merlin realized as he unfolded it, advertized some sort of charity event that Pendragon Inc. had hosted a few years prior. Merlin remembered hearing about it then; the money raised had gone to a couple different LGBT organizations. Along with the adorable ad, it was one of the things that made him really like Pendragon Inc. He was grateful that the large company seemed to do more than casually offer words of support, but backed their support of causes with a portion of their huge profits. And as an employee, he appreciated the equal benefits for same-sex partners and thorough anti-discrimination policy.
When Merlin was finished changing, Arthur helped him to the guest bedroom and wished him a good night before disappearing to his own room. It was a bit awkward, but the bed was comfortable and Merlin slept surprisingly well until his mobile alarm woke him in the morning.
His ankle felt significantly better in the morning, and he managed to get around by himself as he dressed and shared a slightly awkward breakfast with Arthur. They walked to the office together, and Merlin thought they might be on their way to becoming friends.
***
At the next pub night, Arthur came again, and he and Merlin actually chatted for some time. Arthur was mocking, but Merlin could tell now that it was just part of Arthur being friendly. The hard edge that their early interactions had held was all but gone now.
At one point, a tipsy young woman walked by and fell into Merlin’s lap, planting a badly aimed and sloppy kiss on his chin.
Arthur laughed out loud at the sight, but Merlin quickly recovered from the shock and discomfort and helped the woman up, and held her at arm’s length saying, “Sorry, I’m gay. You’re not really my type.”
The woman giggled and mumbled something that sounded like “worth a try” and fell into the arms of her friend who had finally made her way across the pub. “Sorry about Elena here.”
“Oh, it’s no problem,” Merlin said awkwardly.
“Well, that was entertaining,” Arthur said.
If Merlin’s face hadn’t been red before, he was sure it was now. But somehow they managed to resume their previous casual conversation, and Arthur seemed to forget about the incident. But Merlin wondered if Arthur had heard what he said to Elena. Not that his being gay was a secret, but he also didn’t really talk about it at work. And he had a steadily growing crush on Arthur.
***
“Are you watching that ad again Merlin?” Leon asked one day.
“Yes. It’s cute, okay? I just really love it.”
“Maybe you should let Arthur know that,” Leon said. “It was his idea, his vision, and he pushed it through and convinced his dad to run it.”
“Arthur did this?”
“Yeah. And he organized the entire charity event a few Christmases ago. His dad didn’t want anything to do with it, but Morgana and Arthur united and made it happen. That was around the same time Morgana came out as bi and started dating Gwen. Uther wasn’t very happy about it, but he realized that he was going to lose both his kids if he kicked her out, so Pendragon Inc. became a massive supporter of LGBT rights.”
“I didn’t realize…” Merlin and Arthur’s friendship had been growing, but this revelation really made him see Arthur in a different light. He might be a prat occasionally, but he was apparently an incredibly supportive brother.
***
One day, not long before Christmas, Uther Pendragon made an appearance in the marketing department. He was there to make a brief check in and announce the upcoming company holiday party. He greeted each employee by name, and when he finally got to Merlin, he said, “Ah, and Mr Emrys, I believe. The new hire that Gaius brought in.”
“Yes, sir, thank you,” Merlin replied.
Arthur, standing near his father, overheard the name, and turned suddenly to look at Merlin.
Once Uther had left, Arthur asked, “Emrys? Your name is Emrys?”
“Er… yes. I didn’t think it was a secret…?”
“But you’re the_real_emrys. The hilarious Amazon reviewer.”
“Yes. That is me. I assumed you knew. That’s why I was hired.”
Arthur was definitely sure he had a significant crush on Merlin now. Not only was he a surprisingly fun friend, but he was the mystery reviewer Arthur had been in love with for months.
***
Arthur still hadn’t said anything about his crush by the day of the holiday party a couple weeks later. He knew he had probably been a little more stilted and awkward towards Merlin since the revelation, but he couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face when Merlin arrived wearing a rainbow Hanukkah sweater with flashing lights.
Arthur ducked away from the awkward small talk with his father and made a beeline for Merlin.
Merlin was waylaid by Gwaine on his way to greet Arthur.
Gwaine had clearly already been at the alcohol and was wearing a set of reindeer antlers with jingle bells. He threw an arm across Merlin’s shoulders and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Merlin smiled widely and shoved him away, wiping his cheek off with his sleeve. He spun around and ran straight into Arthur, not unlike their very first encounter.
“Hi,” Arthur said, seeming unusually shy.
“Hi,” Merlin replied.
“Er, do you want to dance? With me?”
Merlin blushed and nodded, taking Arthur’s offered hand.
They moved onto the dance floor and realized they neither of them had any talent for dancing whatsoever. They laughed and awkwardly flailed their limbs to the beat for a moment before Merlin collapsed onto Arthur, still laughing, resting his head on Arthur’s shoulder. The music morphed into a slow song, and Merlin felt like the world was moving in slow motion. He lifted his head and met Arthur’s eyes, just inches away. Like something Merlin had seen in a movie, their heads moved towards each other until their lips met. And their noses bashed together and they began laughing all over again. Their second attempt at a kiss was much more successful.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur as they spoke to friendly coworkers, holding hands the entire time, blushing whenever their eyes met.
And when they left, Merlin went with Arthur back to his flat for the first time since the car incident. But this time, Arthur pulled Merlin by their joined hands into his own bedroom.
They fell into the king size bed kissing. Merlin slid his hand up under Arthur's shirt as the kisses became more heated, but Arthur pushed him away gently, creating a bit of space.
“Er, sorry. This is nice, but I’m asexual. I like kissing, but I don’t know about anything more. Could we - er… could we maybe just cuddle tonight…?”
“Of course,” Merlin said, kissing Arthur one more time, a loud smack on the lips, before snuggling down into the plush blankets and wrapping himself around Arthur like an octopus.
In the morning, they laid in bed, just wrapped in each others warmth, exchanging lazy kisses until they finally got up in search of coffee.
“So,” Merlin broke the silence, “would you like to get lunch today? With me?”
“I think I would like that,” Arthur replied. “There’s a nice quiet café across the street.”
“It's a date,” Merlin said, punctuating the sentence with a kiss to Arthur’s lips.
“It's a date.”
***
Over the course of the next few weeks and months Merlin and Arthur learned where their boundaries and limits were, what they enjoyed doing together, and generally how to be together. They learned how they fit into each other’s lives and into each other’s space.
By the next December, Merlin had moved into Arthur’s apartment. They spent a large portion of their time at home curled around each other on either the couch or the bed, kissing lazily and just sharing each other’s space. Or else sitting across from one another at the table or at opposite ends of the couch, their feet entangled.
“Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech ha-olam…” Merlin sang as Arthur smiled fondly at him, humming along. The flames of the menorah candles and the fairy lights wrapped around the Christmas tree in the corner filled the room with light, and Arthur and Merlin shared a kiss before they began to eat their dinner.