Work Text:
Merlin rushes through his flat, trying to find his other shoe.
He wouldn't put it past Aithusa to have taken it, the puppy takes everything she can find to chew on.
He finally finds it under the couch, but his moment of triumph is overshadowed by the clock alerting him he's spent too much time looking for the shoe, and won't get breakfast.
Cursing as he stands, he runs to shove everything he'll need into a waterproof bag.
The day is not starting well, to say the least.
He'd slept through the alarm, which immediately messed up his routine, then Aithusa has been extremely concerned about her lack of food, of course he couldn't find the jacket he was sure had been left on the back of the chair, and with the whole missing shoe debacle, there wasn't much hope for anything to go right.
At least he was ready in time.
And he did manage to grab an apple.
But when he realizes it's too late to call an Uber, and he'd be more likely to make it on time if he got started walking now, his apple-induced happiness drops.
It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't raining.
Yes, he has an umbrella, but the wind is blowing water everywhere.
He sighs and resigns himself to a soggy day as he opens the umbrella and steps out from the awning, glad he at least found his waterproof shoe.
Merlin does manage to get to work on time, and a free exercise session that he didn't ask for, so that's nice.
He shakes the water off the umbrella as he steps under the awning of Camelot Corporations, the company he's employed at.
He's hoping the routine he usually has can be reset, after the rocky start , but he doesn't even get to say hello to Gwen, as she's not at her usual desk.
He hopes he's not dripping everywhere for the cleaners to have to deal with, but as he slumps against the wall of the lift he does silently apologize to George for the puddle he's creating as he hears water drip onto the floor.
"You look awful." Is the first thing he hears upon the doors opening to Arthur Pendragon's office.
"I had to run through the rain, what's your excuse?" He shoots back, having long since stopped caring about talking back to the CEO, even though most personal assistants would get fired for it.
"Touchy. Did you not get enough sleep, or miss breakfast or something?" Arthur asks, again proving Merlin has no reason to care about his sarcasm.
"I'll have you for breakfast." Merlin mutters as he grabs the papers Arthur hands him and walks to his desk.
"Interesting proposition. I hate to say I'm busy this morning." Arthur says casually, pretending Merlin can't see his leg bouncing nervously as they slip into the more dangerous side of their banter.
This is the one routine Merlin is sure to never fail, always able to rely on Arthur having a comeback, but lately it's been getting more flirtatious than before.
Just an occasional comment here, a heavy gaze there.
Well, those have always existed.
Neither can deny the attraction between them, but neither are brave enough to address it either.
"Why did you run?"
"I was late."
"And you thought you could run faster than a car?"
"No, I thought I didn't have time to wait for an Uber.
"I wouldn't have fired you for being a few minutes late for a reason like that. If you catch a cold, you'll just be out longer."
"You may not have fired me, but you'd have done something prattish and I'd rather deal with the rain."
"Me? Prattish? Merlin, you must be confused!"
"I've never been more sure of anything at this job."
"So glad to hear how confident you are when proofreading before sending things to important clients."
"Everyone gets anxious about that! Because there's always the chance you missed something!"
"Great, now I'll be doubting everything I type. Thanks so much."
"I do what I can."
They work in relative silence for a while, the only sound being Merlin's clothes dripping onto the floor.
"I cannot get anything done with that incessant plopping sound!" Arthur exclaims after a while.
"I can't do much about it, Sir." Merlin says, always happy to use a proper title sarcastically.
"You're lucky I'm going to sister's after work, and she told me if I showed up in a suit she wouldn't let me in."
"Why does that make me lucky?"
"I brought extra clothes."
"So?"
"So you can put them on! And there will be no more dripping!"
"That's lucky for you, it doesn't bother me."
"Fine, continue sitting there sopping wet. If you mess up the ink on something you'll have to redo it."
"Ugh, just give them to me." Merlin grumbles as he walks over to Arthur's desk.
Arthur triumphantly pulls a duffle bag out from under the desk and hands it to Merlin.
"This is very unprofessional, you know." Merlin reminds him with an eyebrow raise.
"When have we ever been anything other than unprofessional? You called me a prat your first day."
"That's because you are one." Merlin leaves before Arthur has a chance to respond, changing in the bathroom and finding one of the cleaners to ask if there's a spare mop bucket he can let his clothes drip into.
When he returns to the office, Arthur doesn't say anything, just stares for a moment.
"What? You want them back already? I won't ruin it."
"No, it's just. I've never seen you in anything but work attire."
"Why would you have? Not like we go out for drinks or anything."
"Maybe we should. Make this unprofessional relationship even more so." Arthur tries not to think about how badly he wants that.
"I do not want to see you drunk, I doubt it'll be very pretty." Merlin says, trying to hide how much he'd enjoy going out with Arthur.
"Does that mean I'm pretty sober?"
"You're not hideous."
"Ah, how kind. Right back at you."
"Thank you. I've always hoped someone would call me not hideous."
"Well, isn't it your lucky day?"
"Oh yes. Best day ever."
Arthur mutters something Merlin doesn't quite catch, but thinks the end mentions "for me." and if Arthur is saying him getting drenched is a great day, then Merlin would feel like unraveling the lose thread on this nice red hoodie.
Unbeknownst to Merlin, sitting obliviously at his desk, Arthur is trying not to have a meltdown at the sight of Merlin in his clothes.
Though they are nearly the same in height, and what little difference Arthur does not think about, they aren't exactly the same in size otherwise.
So the hoodie hangs loosely off Merlin's frame, slightly exposing collarbones Arthur is slightly losing his mind over.
He doesn't even want to think about the jeans, but of course his brain supplies him with plenty of thoughts about that anyway.
Although the day has barely begun, he can tell he won't be getting much work done.
"Stop fretting. Your clothes will be fine. If you were so worried about me ruining them, you shouldn't have offered." Merlin says without looking up.
"What are you talking about? I'm not fretting."
"Then why do you keep looking at me?"
"I'm not." Arthur says, looking down for good measure.
"I can feel you watching me."
"Knowing how clumsy you are, you could manage to explode a pen on my favorite hoodie."
"I'll have you know, any pens I've exploded were faulty!"
"Maybe you should stay away from the pens today."
"Does that include Pendragons? Because I'd love a day off."
"Nice try."
"Worth a shot."
For now, Arthur's attraction is overlayed a bit with the worry that Merlin actually would destroy his clothes, but not worried enough to ask for them back.
Eventually Merlin stands and stretches, right when Arthur thinks he might get something done.
"I'm going for lunch and coffee. You want your usual?"
"Yeah."
"Would a 'please' kill you, dollophead?"
"Probably."
Merlin rolls his eyes and leaves the room, getting into the lift to be taken to the ground floor.
When it stops on a floor in between, Merlin knows he's in for a treat when Gwaine steps in.
"Well well well. Finally seduced the boss?"
"Gwaine! I didn't do anything!"
"Then how are you in his clothes?"
"I got rained on. He didn't like the dripping. It was just him being a prat, not even out of care for me."
"Sure. Was he acting different?"
"He was paranoid I'd ruin his stuff."
"So he kept looking at you?"
"Yes?"
Gwaine laughs, clapping Merlin on the shoulder.
"He definitely isn't just paranoid, Merlin. He thinks you're hot."
"I am. This hoodie is thick."
"Yeah, and so are you if you think that's what I meant. He's attracted to you in his clothes."
"And how would you know that?"
"Trust me. I know. Have fun with that!" Gwaine winks as he exits the lift at his stop, leaving Merlin completely shaken as he continues down.
Sure, the idea that he's wearing Arthur's clothes had made him feel many emotions, but he doubts it did anything to Arthur.
When he finally reaches the floor with the cafe, he runs into Gwen, who gives him a similar lecture, just less Gwaine-ish.
By the time he gets back to the office, at least five people have asked why he's in Arthur's clothes.
As he walks in and hands off Arthur's order, he intentionally brushes his hand, just to see what would happen.
Though it does backfire a bit, when he starts blushing.
But he's not the only one, so he's counting it as evidence the others are right.
"I had a very interesting conversation with Gwaine."
"Couldn't all conversations with Gwaine be described like that?"
"Yes, but this one especially."
"Why?" Merlin notices the way he swallows, and wonders if Arthur already knows where this is going, and whether he's welcoming of it.
"He seems to think you have a thing for me wearing your clothes."
"How could I have a thing for it? This is the first time it's happened."
"So you don't plan on sharing again?" Merlin's confidence that took the entire life ride to work up is quickly dwindling, but he isn't sure how to end this conversation without seeming like he has a crush on his boss.
Which he does. But Arthur doesn't need to know that.
"I wouldn't be averse to it..." Arthur mumbles, ducking his head.
"What does that mean?" Merlin is tired of this back and forth, and would really like a clear answer after all this time.
"It means I might be going a little crazy over the whole situation, but people aren't supposed to say that to their assistants!" Seems Arthur is tired of their game too.
"Why shouldn't they?"
"It's unprofessional?"
"Now when have we ever been anything but?" Merlin asks as he leans down, hoping he's reading this right.
As Arthur leans up to meet him, he thinks about giving Gwaine a raise, and that he is definitely not getting any work done, until their lips finally meet and he loses any and all thoughts that don't contain Merlin.
~
When it's finally time to leave, Arthur drives Merlin home since it's still raining, and his clothes are still damp, so he needs to keep wearing Arthur's, but Arthur's excuse of needing his clothes back falls short when he doesn't show up to Morgana's.
But he thinks he can handle facing her wrath for this, Merlin in his arms and Merlin's puppy sprawled across his lap.
Surely she would understand.