Work Text:
Morgana pulled up to the Pendragon residence. The first thing she saw was the porch light shining at her through the dark. It beckoned her, and she immediately began to feel just how much she missed home. Leon was asleep next to her, softly snoring, with his head bobbing slightly as she passed over the less paved roads.
They had touched down in Camelot an hour ago and the airport had lost their luggage so they had to wait an additional two hours to locate it, only to find out that half of all the food items they had brought back from Mercia had been crushed. So she spent the next hour shopping around the airport replenishing her gifts. That had left her with two hours to get to her father’s home for the Thanksgiving dinner.
It had been over two years since she’s seen her family. Arthur had just graduated college and he was starting to take on the great and mighty beast known as Pendragon Appliances. She would have to ask him about how Uther was handling loosening his reins on the company. She could never see her father letting it go completely out of his hands, even for Arthur.
She parked the car and took the key out of ignition. Finally home. She lays her head against the headrest, allowing herself a moment of peace before the dinner and waiting for Leon to wake up. The man barely gets any rest. She closes her eyes a moment. It’s dark out and completely silent. The house stands before her, and to anyone else it might have seemed large and imposing, over the top, but to Morgana it was her home. She missed the days she would sit out on the balcony and read a book, or watch the stars.
She sees another car pull up on the other side of the drive way and sees a tall man with pale skin exit the car. She doesn’t recognize the figure. He’s got broad shoulders, yet he’s tall and slender. Arthur exists the other side and he’s carrying a casserole dish. She sees Arthur kiss the man’s lips. The figure turns toward the light on the porch and her eyes widen. It’s Merlin. Clearly he’d been to the gym. So much had obviously happened while she was gone.
Merlin pulls in close to Arthur’s face and he leans forward to give him a kiss, but his scarf gets in the way. Merlin’s gloved hands settles to caress Arthur’s face instead. Arthur laughs at him and holds his elbow out so Merlin can grab it as they walk towards the door. Well at least some things stayed the same. Thinks Morgana.
Next to her Leon stirs awake. He’s drowsy and drunk with sleep. “We here?” Leon’s voice is gruff and he clears his throat a couple times, then rubs the back of his neck.
“Yeah. We’re home.”
Leon smiles at Morgana and rests a hand on her stomach. She smiles at him and kisses him softly on the lips. “Ready?”
“Yeah. We got to tell Uther he’s a grandpa now.”
***
Arthur answers the door and before it’s open all the way Morgana collides into him with open arms. She squeezes him tightly and it takes Arthur a moment to react before he does the same. They stand in the middle of the doorway squeezing the daylights out of each other.
“Hey you two! Be careful my child isn’t squished.” Leon crosses his arms and Arthur is confused until the realization dawns on him. “You’re pregnant?”
Morgana is crying through the big grin on her face. “3 months.”
Arthur’s face lights up. “’Gana, that’s brilliant! Leon, mate, come over here!” Another round of hugging ensues and they are a big mess of laughter and smiles.
Arthur looks over at Merlin, who watches them with a bemused expression on his face. He joins them and congratulates the new parents too. “We’re going to be uncles, Merlin!” Arthur is grinning so wide and dopily. But the realization of what he’s indirectly said hits him. Merlin stares back at him with wide eyes and Arthur freezes, the smile falls off his face.
Nothing gets by Morgana and she pounces on them without hesitation. “Wait a second. You said uncles, plural, do you guys have something you want to say?”
“Damn it Arthur. And you were the one telling me, I don’t know how many times on the way over not to blow it. I guess I should have been saying that to you!” Merlin tries to look angry but Arthur walks over and kisses the frown off his face.
“I can think of several ways I can make it up to you.” Arthur gives him a mischievous grin.
Morgana clears her throat. “Ahem. Pregnant Lady and blushing Lord Leon are still in the room.”
“Oh. Right. Thanksgiving Dinner. We should probably do that.”
“Yeah. But afterwards I’m sure you could finish off with dessert in your old room. Consummate becoming uncles and all.”
“Morgana!”
“You started it!”
***
The places are set and the food is brought in. Uther is sitting at the end of the table. The 18th century glass Chandelier is a grand masterpiece and it’s hanging above them casting a twinkle over the dinner guests. The cutlery is all fine silver and the dishware is Ygraine’s old china. Dainty pieces with scalloped edges and a golden floral decal decorating the center.
When Uther finally shut the lid on his laptop so he could enjoy this Thansgiving dinner, he practically lept out to the dining room. He hadn’t seen Morgana in two years, and he was glad to see she was looking as radiant as ever. He eyed the slight bulge of her stomach, but he dared not say anything until she confirmed it. He had his hope though. He son-in-law Leon was a strong, determined, compassionate man that would be a spectacular father.
Uther looked at his own son, Arthur. It had been a while since Uther had seen him outside of the office, and all the stress of work. It’s been so long since he’s seen him act naturally, as his son, not his colleague. The way he had to keep a professional, business façade at work made him intimidating and perfect for his position, but it made Uther forget how much of a romantic, love drunk sod his son was. He basked in Merlin’s presence. It was a sight he never got tired of seeing. Merlin was a kind-hearted, hard-working, humble man that brought out the best in his son.
Uther made his way to the head of the table after he hugs and greets everyone.
“Sorry for the hold up. I had a client that needed a huge shipment that needed to be sent out. I won’t bore you with the details, but I will say that I am yours for the rest of tonight.”
“You better mean that, dad.” Morgana raises an eyebrow at him.
Uther nods without hesitation.
They take a moment to fill their plates. Filling up with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes with marsh mallows, and all the other foods they can fit on their plates. The clatter and sharp sounds of silver wear cutting, and moving around fill the room. No one is speaking.
Merlin nudges Arthur’s sides several times, but he ignores it. Morgana is piling a third helping of sweet potatoes on her plate and feigns shock. “I’m eating for two now.” Morgana raises her voice so it can be heard from down the table. Uther is still for a moment, then his eyes begin to run. He get up out of his seat and moving towards the two of them. He embraces Morgana and Leon. Morgana starts crying again. “Damn pregnancy hormones!” she yells and Uther laughs.
Uther makes his way back to his seat, but not before he sees Merlin’s mouth open wide. Arthur whispers to him a bit loudly. “I told you my dad wasn’t a robot.”
The rest of the dinner passes by with chatter about what to name the baby. Morgana wanted a boy, Leon a girl. The debate would have lasted all night, if Arthur hadn’t shouted that he was tired of their bickering and would they please shut up because he had an announcement to make. After which they promptly did.
Merlin turned pink as soon as the words left Arthur’s mouth.
“May I have everyone’s attention?” calls Arthur after he stands with a champagne flute in his hand and a spoon in the other. He lightly clinks it against the glass.
Everyone stares at him. Morgana looks between him and Merlin and smiles knowingly.
“Merlin, love, will you also stand up?”
“Of course.” Merlin is grinning so widely his face is practically in two.
“After a whopping total of sixteen years that I’ve been with this guy, there has always been one thing on my mind. When do I ask him to marry me? Apparently thirteen was too early…” Arthur eyes Morgana, remembering the conversation she had with Arthur so many years ago.
“Well, Morgana, we’ve both got our college degrees, so I guess you could say the time was finally right. Merlin and I are engaged,”
Whooping and clapping ensues and everyone is jumping out of their seats to clap them on the back and congratulate the two of them.
Uther has to hold back his own tears, he almost lost it more than once during dinner. He couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. His children were happy, in love, and he felt like the luckiest father in the world. He only wished Ygraine could be here to share this moment with him.