Chapter Text
“I can’t do this,” Arthur says, his voice distant.
“What?” Merlin looks up from his notes in alarm to see Arthur staring soulessly at his laptop.
“This degree. Career. It’s—it’s too much, too different from what I was expecting. Maybe if I’d known exactly what it entailed earlier I never would’ve chosen this degree but I didn’t. And now that I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like in the real world, in this field, I don’t want to do it, Merlin, I regret it so badly but it’s too late.”
“What do you mean it’s too late? You’re still young, love, you have lots of time to change your mind,” Merlin says encouragingly, trying to calm down the panic he can see Arthur working his way up to.
“No, I’m already in my final year. In two semesters, I’m going to graduate—provided I survive it. I’m stuck in this field now.”
“Hey, no, that’s not true. You can do something else, lots of people get degrees in one thing and then do something completely different with their life.”
“No, you don’t understand, my parents have spent so many thousands of dollars on this, how am I supposed to tell him it was all for nothing?” Arthur asks hysterically, his eyes wide and scared as he tugs at his hair.
“You tell them that you aren’t happy,” Merlin decides firmly. “You tell them that it’s not what you expected and you can’t spend the rest of your life in this field. Your parents love you, Arthur, and all they want is for you to live your life the way you want to. Finish out the degree if you can, and then you can either go back to do another one or you can explore your options or whatever. It’s up to you.”
“I don’t want them to be disappointed in me,” He whispers shamefully, his beautiful blue eyes even brighter with the gloss of tears gleaming over them. “They can love me and still be disappointed.”
Merlin sighs, moving to sit himself in Arthur’s lap and hug his head to his chest. Arthur goes easily, wrapping his arms around Merlin’s waist as he pulls him closer.
“They might be disappointed that you don’t follow in their footsteps, but they would never be disappointed in you. They’ll get over it in time, especially once they realize how much happier you are on a different career path,” Merlin promises, gently stroking Arthur’s back.
“Do you really think so? I’m so scared they’re going to react badly if I–” Arthur bites his lips.
Merlin tilts his head back. “If you what? What do you want to do?”
“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“I already think that,” Merlin points out. “Tell me.”
“I want to be a fitness trainer and teach self-defense classes,” Arthur confesses, face burning as he looks away.
Merlin smiles softly, picturing his boyfriend in that role perfectly. “I think you’d be great at that,” He tells him honestly.
“My dad will flip. Politics has money in it, this doesn’t.”
“Maybe so, but you’re old money. It’s not like you’re running out of cash anytime soon,” Merlin grins wryly. “Besides, I really do think you’re better suited for this. Politicians are all stone cold facades and heartlessness and that’s never been you. You’ve always been the knight in shining armor type. Honorable and protective and all about helping everyone who can’t help themselves.”
“You really think so?” Arthur asks hopefully. “You’re not just saying that?”
“Of course,” Merlin smiles softly. “If I thought you were being ridiculous I wouldn’t encourage it but I really do think this is the better path for you. And I’m sure your parents will, too.”
“I’ll think about talking to them.”
-
Yet, despite his promise, an entire semester passes with Arthur slaving away at his courses miserably, not a word about a potential career change being uttered to his parents. Merlin starts to lose hope that Arthur would ever get past his fear of disappointing them and learn to put himself first.
-
But then, over the winter break, he opens his front door only to be immediately pulled into his boyfriend’s arms and spun around.
“They’re not mad!” Arthur grins.
Merlin blinks at him in confusion but is helpless against the tug of his lips, Arthur’s happiness contagious.
“I’m going to finish out the semester because it’s the last one left so I might as well, but we’re also going to look into some options for me to get qualified to be a fitness trainer,” Arthur continues and Merlin’s jaw drops as he processes Arthur’s words.
“You’ve told your parents?”
“I did!”
“I’m so proud of you, baby!” Merlin laughs, hugging Arthur. “I’m thrilled that everything worked out. Were they angry?”
Arthur smiles. “No. Not at all, my mum was just sad that I didn’t feel like I could tell them I hated politics earlier. But it’s all good now and they aren’t disappointed, at all. They’ve actually been really supportive.”
Merlin leans forward to kiss him since he doesn’t know how else to express the happiness welling inside him.
“We should celebrate,” He gasps when he pulls back for air.
“We should. Immediately,” Arthur agrees, his voice rough as he bodily drags Merlin inside.