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Arthur had an awful day. Truly, it had been one of the worst.
He had woken up alone, Merlin already up and sheets cold. He did not have to look far for him, however, as he was vomiting into the toilet. Food poisoning. Arthur had wanted nothing more than to stay home and tend to his sick boyfriend, but he needed to go to work.
As soon as he arrived, Uther, had called him in to talk about the company's steady decline; asking his son what he thought they could do to stop Pendragon Corp.'s eventual crash and burn. However, every suggestion he made was shot down and he and his father quickly devolved into yelling at each other. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence, but it was never a fun way to start the day.
Then, of course, the day just went to shit from there. His newest secretary, Vivian, had made very obvious and unwanted passes at him all day even though he was both Very gay and very taken, thank you very much. But really, she was apparently either extremely thick, or was not at all bothered by both facts. Arthur had then had to endure several of the most boring board meetings of his career, following which Arthur held several meetings in his office with employees that his father requested be let go because of course that oh-so fun job fell to him.
That had all been before lunch.
After lunch, during which he had not had a chance to check up on Merlin, Arthur's day continued to be horrid, filled with more rows with his father, rows with Morgana who was also rowing with Uther, fighting off of rabid secretaries, and consoling some very adamant employees who did not want to pack up their belongings and leave the office.
Arthur’s shirt was crumpled and stained with the tears of the newly-fired as he packed up to leave. He looked out the window and grimaced at the sheets of rain that pounded them. He, of course, had made the stupid decision to walk this morning and would now be walking home in this. Typical. Lance and Gwen had already gone home for the day, and he still had enough pride not to beg a ride off of his father or Morgana. And, obviously, he couldn’t ask Merlin to bring the car around.
Arthur sighed and left the office, pulling his coat tight around him as he prepared to weather the hellish walk home. He fixed his gaze firmly on his shoes as he trudged, trying to ignore the water pounding down on his head and soaking his body.
“Arthur!”
Arthur whipped around, hearing his name called over the howling wind.
“Merlin?!” Arthur yelled back, astounded as his boyfriend came running up to him. He was pale with chill and still looked a bit green. He held in one hand, an umbrella, but it wasn’t doing him much good. The pathetic thing was broken and torn and let in much more water than it kept out. Merlin’s ebony hair was plastered to his forehead from the rain and he was thoroughly soaked through.
“You didn’t take an umbrella this morning when you left,” he said, holding out his other hand, which grasped a folded umbrella, this one in perfect condition. Arthur took the umbrella from Merlin, his hand brushing his boyfriend’s chilly fingers.
“You idiot,” Arthur chided, glaring at the sickly man. “What the hell were you thinking coming out in this when you’re sick?”
Merlin shrugged. “I didn’t want you to get wet.”
Arthur’s gaze immediately softened and he felt a warm feeling curl in his chest.
“Idiot,” Arthur murmured again, but more fondly this time as he unfolded his umbrella and took Merlin’s ratty one away. He pulled the lanky man close to him and they shared Arthur’s umbrella as they walked home together.
“So how was your day?” Merlin asked as they fell in step. Arthur opened his mouth to begin his rant on the shittiest day to ever happen, but then he looked at Merlin; soaked to the bone and still looking ready to throw up, but here. Just so that Arthur wouldn’t get wet.
“It was fine,” Arthur said easily as that warm feeling seemed to engulf him. Leave it to Merlin to make even the shittiest day ever just a little bit better.