Chapter Text
Arthur was definitely having one of those mornings.
One of those mornings where the mere thought about getting up was a horrible chore, where when he needed matching socks he couldn't find some and the kind of morning where he just wanted to pour himself a cup of much needed coffee only to find that he'd run out of milk.
He cursed under his breath before making his way out of his flat with two differently coloured socks (one was black, one was a very dark blue – no one would notice, right? RIGHT?) and made his way to the coffee shop around the corner. No way he would be able to face his father's wrath at the firm without his daily dose of caffeine.
“Ahh, for f-” he bit his lip and struggled to get his phone out of his suit pocket as it had started ringing rather violently just as he wanted to cross the street.
“What is it Morgana?” he asked, eyes firmly on the passing cars, wishing they would slow down so he could make his way across.
“Good morning to you, too,” his sister said happily.
“I'm just calling to confirm your attendance on Saturday.”
Arthur groaned.
He hadn't forgotten. He wished he had though. His sister was getting married. To his best mate no less.
“No need to make distressed noises, Arthur. It means a lot to Leon that you come.”
“I know and I will, you know I will.”
“He still thinks you're angry with him.”
“I know, he keeps bringing it up at pub night. It's been four years, Morgana. I am absolutely 100% fine with you two canoodling. I should think you know that by now.”
“I know,” she said sounding bored.
“Tell that to your fiancé, then,” Arthur mumbled while seeing his opening and sprinting over the street in a hurry. The coffee shop was already in sight and his heart skipped a beat at the promise of a tall Cappuccino in his hand. A treat he didn't indulge in too often.
“Will do. And Arthur?”
“Mh?” he asked absent mindedly, while reaching for the coffee shop's door.
“Bring a plus one, will you? I'm worried about you.”
He rolled his eyes before hanging up. He didn't have time for this. She started to sound like a broken record. Just because he wasn't in many serious relationships. Okay, one. And okay, it had lasted three months. And alright, it had been three years ago, didn't mean she had to worry about him.
He joined the queue of people and waited his turn before ordering himself his coffee and a muffin – it was that kind of a day. He then proceeded to walk to the end of the long display of sweets to wait for his order, when he spotted him. All thoughts about his own failed relationships forgotten because for once, this one wasn't his fault, this one was Morgana's.
At one of the small tables sat Merlin, Morgana's ex-boyfriend. Arthur would deny it in a heartbeat but he felt a slight flutter when he looked at him. There had always been something about him even if he was loathe to admit it. The two of them had never gotten on very well and Arthur didn't think they had ever had a normal conversation that had not ended in a shouting match. Should he go over?
Merlin was sitting in one of the over large arm chairs, nursing a hot beverage wearing a jumper two sizes to big which looked absolutely cute dorky. He was wearing his thick-rimmed glasses he only wore when he was too tired or too comfortable to put his contacts in and Arthur did absolutely not find the sight sweet. Nor did he like the way Merlin yawned and mussed up his already very bad case of bed head he was sporting. It looked absolutely adorable ridiculous.
Arthur shook his head and took his order from the offering barista with a smile and a “thanks” before walking over to Merlin's table. He slowly edged closer from behind, careful not to make himself known until he was able to peek over Merlin's shoulder.
He was reading poetry. Arthur rolled his eyes. Figured. Nerd.
Slowly, he leaned down until his mouth was at a level with Merlin's ear and he then softly blew a breath of air against the other man's ear who immediately jumped in his seat.
Arthur roared loudly with laughter and Merlin turned around glaring at him.
“Oh, it's you,” he growled.
Arthur wasn't irritated by his tone however and sat down in the armchair across from Merlin.
“What do you want?” Merlin grit out between his teeth.
“That is not very nice Merlin, I just came over to say good morning.”
“By startling me half to death, you idiot.”
The grin on Arthur's face grew and threatened to take over his whole face. Maybe this day wasn't so bad after all. Merlin glared at him for another second, before getting back to his book. Arthur obviously couldn't have that.
“So, Merlin. What's new,” he asked with a mouthful of muffin, “I haven't seen you in a while.”
Merlin shook his head ever so slightly and marked his place in his book with his finger.
“I saw you just last week,” he paused and then added under his breath: "much to my dismay."
Arthur considered this. It was true, even after Merlin and Morgana broke up, Morgana tended to invite Merlin to pub nights, which Arthur did find kind of strange. Even Merlin and Leon seemed to get along pretty well. Shouldn't there be more animosity between the three? Seeing as Morgana and Merlin were ex's and all of that?
Arthur swallowed slowly and answered:
“True, but we didn't talk, did we?”
Merlin closed his eyes for a second as if he was dealing with an extremely complicated child.
“Well, just because you didn't talk to me doesn't mean I didn't have to hear your voice all night. You sure like to hear yourself talk, don't you?”
Arthur knew that he should be offended. He did. But instead, he just laughed again.
He took a sip of his coffee and found Merlin studying him.
“Are you coming to Morgana's wedding on Saturday?” he found himself asking.
Merlin snorted and fiddled with a loose thread on the armchair.
“No? Why would I go to my ex-girlfriend's wedding?”
Arthur shrugged and took another bite of his muffin.
“Well did she invite you?”
Merlin nodded, eyes still on the armchair, clearly uncomfortable.
Suddenly, Arthur was struck with an idea.
“Let's go together.”
He announced.
Merlin's eyes grew impossibly wide and his lips formed a perfect little o.
“Let's do what now?”
“Come on,” Arthur urged, weirdly excited.
“She keeps nagging me about bringing a date, yeah? Leon keeps being super uncomfortable because he's my mate and he started shagging my sister so let's turn the tables.”
Arthur felt as if he'd fallen into a bubble of complete silence. For a second, he couldn't hear the clatter of the cutlery against the plates around him, nor the chatter of the other people or the noises of the coffee machine because it was only then when his brain caught up with what he'd just said. What it had sounded like. What he'd propositioned.
Merlin was staring at him, seemingly not blinking as if in shock.
“You, what? Have you completely lost your mind?” he finally asked.
Arthur grinned sheepishly.
“I don't mean it for real, Merlin. I just want to give them a taste of their own medicine, yeah? Imagine us showing up together, dating. Well, fake-dating obviously. They stop pitying you, they stop pressuring me, we are going to have a laugh – bing bang boom evening over and we can go back to... this,” he gesticulated between the two of them.
“We hate each other,” Merlin clarified, watching Arthur intently.
Arthur rolled his eyes.
“Well, yeah and we can go back to that.”
Merlin kept watching him intently but Arthur could see his resolve crumble.
“Why?” Merlin finally asked.
Arthur shrugged.
“Call it boredom, call it irritation, call it temporary madness, I don't give a fuck.”
Merlin nodded slowly.
“So what, we'll be like... boyfriends for the wedding?”
“Yeah, like... boyfriends, fuck-buddies, whatever you choose I'll go with it.”
Merlin bit his lip for a second, seemingly contemplating the offer.
He finally held out his hand.
“Deal, Pendragon. But only because if I hear one more person ask if I'm okay, I swear, I'll go mad.”
Arthur grinned mischievously and shook Merlin's hand firmly.
“Deal.”
Maybe his sister's wedding wouldn't be as dull as he'd initially thought it would be. If he was completely honest with himself, this was the best idea he'd ever had. Morgana would have an absolute fit, Leon would hopefully come back to his senses and behave normally towards Arthur and the sweetest, most rewarding feeling of all: he would watch Merlin be uncomfortable all weekend. Not only because he would be forced to be by his side, pretending to stand him but it would be absolute torture to watch the woman he once loved – still loves? Get married to another man. Arthur almost couldn't contain his glee. And if there was an extra spring in his step on the way to the firm, well, then that was nobody else's business.