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Arthur studied the orange curved letters on the wall next to him. Splotches of colour (were they supposed to resemble flowers, he wondered) were sprinkled across the pale yellow wall.
He shifted on his tall stool, equally as colourful as the background in a vibrant orange. He was beginning to regret his clothing choice, a white polo and high waisted jeans. It was rather boring, compared to the show’s set. Not that it would matter.
A woman ran up to him, put some finishing touches on his makeup that he’d been unable to refuse.
“It’s for the cameras, you need to look good through the screen,” the makeup lady had said to him.
Not that that would matter either. Nor the haircut his sister had forced him to get a few days before.
Arthur ran his hair through his hair again, before the makeup lady slapped it away. Although Arthur logically knew his blonde mop was still quite long, it still felt unusually short.
“No touching.” The makeup said and tried her best to fix whatever Arthur had messed up. Then she went on to the man to his left, nr 3.
Arthur folded his hands in his laps and took a deep breath. He still couldn’t believe Morgana had convinced him to embarrass himself on TV like this.
He’d never been on TV before. He didn’t have any plans on coming back in the future, either, but in a few minutes he would be, and it was too late to back out now.
It seemed simple enough, answer some questions asked by a stranger and hope said stranger on the opposite side of the curved wall was 1) attractive, 2) found you attractive and 3) got on well with you . That is, presuming they chose you over the other two guys competing for their affection.
Arthur wasn’t all too optimistic about his chances.
With a head still reeling with thoughts, they began the taping of the show. The host, Jim Lange, introduced them:
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Tonight we have three new contestants here tonight hoping to win the heart of our bachelor. Contestant nr 1, contestant nr 2….” The camera swooped across the stage and focused in on Arthur. He was caught off guard, but gave it a nervous wave either way. “And contestant nr 3. This is: The Dating Game!”
The crowd cheered enthusiastically.
“You know the rules: Our eligable bachelor or bachelorette asks questions to our anonymous contestants before closing a favourite at the end of the show to take on a date, on expense of the show, of course. And here is our lovely bachelor coming now. Please welcome: Merlin!”
Arthur applauded along with the audience, even though he could not see the bachelor he assumed had just stepped behind the divider.
“Take a seat my boy.” Jim greeted the bachelor.
They exchanged a few words. Jim asked his to introduce himself (Merlin, 23 - same as Arthur), if he thought he’d find a good match in one of the contestants (hopefully) and wether he was nervous or not (a little). Arthur clung on to every Word, Trying to built up a visual of this Merlin in his head.
The voice wasn’t too deep, but had a richness to it. There was an ease to the way he spoke, a lightness and confidence, and it sounded like he was genuinely smiling around every word. There was the slightest Irish lilt to it, which only made it all the more attractive in Arthur’s opinion. Most of all he sounded kind.
“Well then, Merlin. I hope you are prepared. It’s time to ask your first question, and let the Dating Game begin!” Jim concluded.
And so the questions began. Age, name, occupation and income were off limits (23, Arthur, Lawyer, a lot.) but otherwise anything was game.
They started with general questions for all of them: ”What are your hobbies?”
C1: Cooking, reading, photagraphy.
C3: Playing guitarr, trying out new bars and resturants, concerts and vintage
Arthur replied: ”I’m quite an outdoorsy person. I enjoy hikes and fishing once in a while. Let’s see… I play Tennis and run a lot. I like history documentaries and uh… I like Sudoku.”
Arthur was already cringing at himself. The other guys seemed a lot cooler than him, and he’d made himself sound like a grandfather within a minute.
Arthur was suddenly a little grateful that Merlin couldn’t see them. To Arthur’s left C3 was dressed in a leather jacket and looked he fell straight out of the Rolling Stones magazine, and to his right C1 looked like a hot professor you would drool over during university lectures.
It wasn’t so much that he minded if he wasn’t picked, but that he didn’t want to look bad on national television.
“I’m a guy who likes to have fun and try new things. Where would you take me on our first date?” Merlin asked. “Contestant nr 1?”
Arthur was searching his brain for a perfect answer, but came up short. He heard C1 talking about some museum that also does wine tasting, but all too soon it was Arthur’s turn.
He thought about lying for a moment, but then decided against it: “I have to be honest, I’m not the most spontaneous person. I’d be open to do a lot but would probably like to do some research beforehand. But for a first date I have a great lasagna and a better tiramisu recipe that we could make and get to know each other over some wine.”
“Alright, and Conestant number 3?”
Arthur ignored the way C3 snickered at him, before giving his own answer: “ I’ll take you to a dive bar with a live band and we’ll stay out dancing until morning.”
Right. That sounded more fun, probably, than cooking. Arthur had suggested a date that consisted of glorified housework. Why hadn’t he just proposed deep cleaning the fridge while he was at it?
There was a few more questions for the group, Which Arthur answered to the best of his abilities: Did they believe in Love at first sight? (Attraction yes, love no. It had to be built up.) What were they looking for in a guy? (someone kind and funny, outgoing, who wouldn’t be too intimidated by his older sister - who would hate him for saying this btw.) What’s your ideal Sunday? (sleep in, drink coffee and do the crossword, go for a run and watch a film in the evening.)
”This one is for contestant nr 2. You said before that your sporty, but all your answers seem kind of homey. Your ideal Sunday, for example. How would you describe yourself?”
Arthur let out an awkward chuckle. “I guess I’m a bit of both, yeah. I have a dog, so I’m a little limited to where I can go, unless I bring her with me. She runs and goes on hikes with me, and sometimes we’ll go camping in nature reserves or the Scottish highlands as ften as we can, and… I’m sorry, I made it sound like I’m in a relationship with my dog, didn’t I?”
“No, I like dogs. It’s a plus. If you can keep a dog alive you can probably keep a boyfriend alive in the wilderness.”
“Oh, do you enjoy the outdoors too?” Arthur asked.
Merlin let out a little laugh. It sounded lovely. “Not really, no. But I´d be willing to try. What´s your dog's name?”
“Lucy.” Arthur smiled. “She´s a Saint Bernard. Used to be this tiny, little thing but now she’s gigantic. I feel bad having her in a tiny flat.”
“Well then,” Jim’s voice interrupted. Arthur had nearly forgotten they weren’t talking one on one and that this was, in fact, a dating show with multiple participants. C3 glared at Arthur. C1 ignored him. “Why don’t you ask another question, Merlin?”
“Right,” Merlin cleared his throat. “Contestant number 1….”
Arthur listened to Merlin’s voice as he asked C1 about what he valued in a relationship (respect, yada, yada, yada) and C3 what he would change about himself (Nothing, apparently.) Arthur tried to come up with his own answers to the other contestants questions, and wondered if Merlin would be pleased with them. He wondered how Merlin looked, what Merlin would think about how he looked.
“Contestant number 2,” Merlin started. Arthur sat up a little straighter. “I’m a person who values my family and friends a lot. How would you impress them?”
“I’d probably bribe your mother for her affection with a bouquet of flowers and say: ‘Mrs. Emerys, thank you for having me. You have raised a wonderful son. He speaks very highly of you’ and I’d give your father a firm handshake and say: “Mr. Emerys…” followed by something about how I have heard about his skills in something-or-other that you have told me about beforehand.”
Merlin chuckled on the other side of the wall. Arthur smiled.
“And then?” Merlin asked.
“Well, after I’d asked for the recipe for the dinner she would hypothetically have cooked, and your mother had told me to ’please call her by her first name’ and ’of course she´d be happy to give it to me’, I’d bond with you father about something until he said he liked this one and gave me his sign of approval.”
“And friends?”
“I’d pay for the first round at the pub and charm them just like I charmed you. Hypothetically.” Arthur finished. Although he was hoping more and more this wasn’t so hypothetical.
“That might just work.”
Arthur could hear Merlin smile around the words.
Two more rounds of questioning, a few more glares from C3 and the silent treatment from C1, and Jim asked Merlin the dreaded question: “Who will it be? Contestant number 1…” the camera paused at C1 as he looked into the camera and took off his glasses. “...Contestant number 2…” Arthur was once again unprepared for the camera thrusting in his face, but he kept his composure and gave it a smile. “...Or Contestant number 3?”
Merlin was silent for a short moment. “I have to be honest Jim, it’s not a very difficult decision. I have no idea if it would work out, but at the very least I’m interested in getting to know this person a bit more.” He said. “Although all three contestants are very interesting characters, I think I have definitely clicked more with one than the others.”
Arthur took a deep breath. His heart was beating as if he’d been running a marathon. He would not be disappointed if it wasn’t him, he lied to himself.
“The contestant I have chosen is… contestant number 2.”
Arthur’s heart nearly stopped. Did he hear that correctly? Was he dreaming?
On the other side of the wall Jim chuckled and said: “I Can’t say I’m surprised, Merlin. Now then! Are you ready to meet him?”
He assumed Merlin nodded as
“Alright then, Contestant number 2, come out and meet Merlin!”
Arthur nearly fell as he stumbled off his chair. His hands were suddenly impssibly more sweaty than they had been during the entirety of the show. He wiped his palms on his pants and ignored the cameras focusing on him.
He focused on walking as straight as he could. Left foot, right foot, just like that. Don’t trip, he told himself.
The moment he stepped past the curved wall and locked eyes with a pair of clear, blue eyes, a voice in the back of his head said: Of course.
There was no question that this gorgeous brunette with cheekbones that could cut glass was Merlin. A voice that lovely voice would only belong to an equally lovely and handsome man.
Arthur once again struggled making his brain work properly, and after an amount of staring that would probably be considered rude and boring TV, Arthur managed to walk over to Merlin. He knew he looked as starstruck as he felt.
Merlin reached his hand out. Arthur clasped it in both of his hands without hesitation.
“Merlin” the brunette introduced himself with a nervous smile, “And you are?”
“Arthur,” Arthur breathed.
“Arthur…” Merlin tested, smile broadening. “Nice to meet you, Arthur. Officially.”
Arthur was still holding on to Merlin’s hand. He realised a little late he should have already let go.
“Sorry I-” Arthur cleared his throat. He ran the hand that had just held onto Merlin through his hair. “I think I have to change my answer about love at first sight.”
There was a sweeping “awwww” from the audience.
Shit, he’d forgotten about the microphone underneath his shirt. And the live audience, staring at them behind his back. He’d been preoccupied with those stormy bue eyes.
“Sorry, that was corny.” Arthur said, apologetically.
Merlin gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t apologise. I like corny.”
*
Once, a few months into their relationship, Arthur had asked Merlin: “So what was the real reason you picked me?”
Merlin had laughed at Arthur’s serious tone. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you seemed like a really good, decent, guy.”
“Oh no, don’t. I’m drowning in your flattery.” Arthur deadpanned.
Merlin smiled and kissed Arthur on the nose. “I told you not to take offence. But if it helps, your good looks were a definite plus. I couldn’t believe I had picked the most handsome guy in the lineup, let alone in Camelot.”
“It doesn’t.” Arthur lied, although it definitely does. Whoever said flattery gets you nowhere was lying.
Arthur cupped his cheek and leaned in for a kiss. Just then, Lucy barked at them up ahead.
“Come on, better not keep Lucy waiting.” Merlin said and pecked Arthur on the lips, before detaching himself. Lucy barked again, and walked over to her and sat down by her feet, scratching her behind her ear.
Arthur looked after them, where Merlin and Lucy were now trudging side by side up the trail leading further into the hills of the Scottish highlands.
Merlin turned around and looked back at Arthur, shielding his eyes from the sun with a hand. “Coming?”
Arthur grinned broadly. He was forever in Morgana’s debt, but he couldn’t make himself mind at all.
“Right behind you, darling.”