Sweeter Than Candy (Merlin/Arthur, PG)
Title: Sweeter than Candy
Author: bleedforyou1
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: PG
Summary: Victoria is out on another mission to control Arthur's love life.
Word count: 1,200
Warnings:
Note: Sequel to Cafe Boy so you should read that first!
“Do you like my outfit, Merlin?” Victoria’s voice called from the backseat.
Arthur watched from the corner of his eye as Merlin looked back, grinning widely. “Yes! It’s very pretty! You are so cute Ms Victoria I could just eat you up!”
“Merlin! You can’t eat me! I’m not food!” Victoria giggled and Arthur cracked a smile as he drove swiftly through the London traffic.
“Awww but you would taste mighty delicious!” Merlin cooed over her and apparently reached back with his gangly arms to tickle the girl. Her shrieks of laughter nearly caused Arthur to drive his car off the road.
“Okay! Okay, quiet you two! “Arthur yelled over the laughter. “We are almost there!”
They quieted for approximately one minute until Victory started chattering about how the leaves were changing colors now that it was fall and Merlin flailed about how happy he was because fall was his favorite season. They went back and forth like some strange crossing between adults and children as though they were the same age.
Arthur smiled to himself again. It was now four months since he had grown closer to his family. Four months since he met Merlin, the best relationship he’d ever had. Arthur liked to think he had become a better person since then, switching from something he didn’t want to do with his life, law, to something he loved doing, culinary school.
After parking the car, Arthur got out and helped Victoria out, despite her protests that she could do it all by herself. She fluffed her black coat and straightened her thick leopard scarf and Arthur rolled his eyes. He continued to think that Morgana was raising the most spoiled child in the world.
Merlin took one of Victoria’s hands when he got out and Victoria grabbed Arthur’s other hand so that she could drag them both into the building, keeping up a steady stream of conversation with Merlin the whole time. They got skates and finally got into the rink. Arthur was surprised to see that Merlin was actually quite graceful on the ice, even though he was clumsy off it. There he was; gliding across the rink and twirling Victoria around.
Arthur stayed near the wall the whole time, knowing he was way better on the grassy football field than he’d ever be here, so he simply stood back and watched, taking in his niece’s laughter and boyfriend’s grins.
Victoria came over a few minutes later while Merlin was skating laps like a freakin’ pro and she tugged on Arthur’s jeans.
“Hey there, you having fun?” Arthur asked her.
“Mhmmm,” she hummed, taking his hand. He let her pull him around the rink but he kept one hand on the wall.
“I love Merlin,” she said after a moment.
“Oh really? Well he is pretty amazing,” Arthur chuckled, looking over to where Merlin helped up some teenager who had fallen.
“Yeah, so I love him. Do you love him?”
Startled, Arthur slipped on the ice and fell on his arse. “Ouch! What I-- I-- Victoria! you can’t just blurt out questions like that!”
“Why not? Papa and Mummy say it all the time! And you and Merlin are like that! You kiss and hold hands just like them! And you told me the other day that Merlin was sweeter than candy and if someone is better than candy than you have to love them a lot obviously!”
Arthur blushed furiously and used the wall to stand up again. He shook his head and tried to explain. “Er, well, I mean-- I do-- I, I do lo--love him.” Arthur blinked. This was the first he had ever said it aloud. “But I just... You can’t just say that to someone.”
“Why not? You should! Whenever Papa says it to Mummy, she gets very happy and so you should tell Merlin so that he’ll be really happy!”
Before Arthur could respond, he saw Merlin skating over. “Hey! I saw you fall-- you okay?”
“Erm, yeah, I’m fine!”
“Oh good,” Merlin chuckled and shivered a bit. “It’s getting pretty cold. You okay, Victoria?”
“I’m good. This jacket is very warm. Thank you for the scarf Merlin! I love it!” She laughed, flipping her hair at Arthur before skating away.
What. Was. Morgana. Teaching. Her.
“Bloody too smart for her own good,” Arthur grumbled under his breath.
“Huh? What was that, Arthur?” Merlin asked, leaning in closer, teeth starting to chatter.
“Nothing, nothing,” Arthur replied quickly and took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around Merlin. He zipped it up and pulled Merlin’s hoodie down over his big ears and Merlin grinned widely, taking Arthur’s hand.
“Come on then.”
They skated around the rink together, and Arthur was grateful for Merlin allowing him to hold onto the wall because Arthur was not in the mood for bruises. They kept a close eye on Victoria,who was chattering to some new girl she apparently had made friends with in the span of two minutes. Kids-- it was so easy for them!
“Merlin...” Arthur said after a long moment of peaceful silence. “I have to, um, tell you something.”
Merlin looked at him and smiled, biting his lip and Arthur blinked. “I have to tell you something too, actually.”
“Oh, erm, okay you first,” Arthur said, slightly relieved. He had never loved anyone outside of his family before and was not really used to saying the words aloud.
“Okay, well, this is going to sound kinda odd but... how perfect you’ve been these last few months has got me thinking and... well seeing you put Victoria’s skates on and how you are around her kinda cemented my feelings for you. Somehow that smart niece of yours found out and she says I should tell you, so... I-- erm, I love you, Arthur. I’ve been in love with you for a while, but I’m sure now.”
Arthur stopped skating and clung to the wall, trying to calm his racing heart. He looked away from Merlin’s too-beautiful-and-hopeful-blue-eyes for a moment to catch his breath and he caught sight of Victoria. She was smiling at him and winked outrageously, throwing him a thumb’s up sign. He laughed breathlessly. Too bloody smart indeed.
“Arthur?” Merlin asked worriedly and Arthur looked back at him.
He pressed his hands to Merlin’s cheeks and leaned in to kiss his nose, pink from the cold. “I love you too, Merls. Oh, and I think you’re sweeter than candy.”
Merlin laughed and pulled him closer, kissing him hard enough to make Arthur’s legs go all wobbly.
“What would you two do without me?”
Arthur and Merlin broke away and looked down to see Victoria standing there with her arms crossed. They burst out in laughter and she rolled her eyes, skating away.
“Oh no you don’t-- come here Ms Victoria!” Merlin growled playfully, skating after her. He picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder and tickled her again.
Arthur grinned, his heart swelling enough to burst and he finally pushed away from the wall and ungracefully skated over, wrapping his arms around both of them.