Written for polychromator for the merlin_santa exchange on LJ. Happy New Year

Merlin and Arthur meet by complete accident, and when I say accident I mean Arthur accidentally runs over Merlin's foot with his car.

Arthur hears a yelp (though Merlin will always maintain it was a very manly cry) and quickly slams his foot down on the brake. Slowly, his eyes slide to the side mirror and cringes when he sees a man on the ground beside his car, holding his leg, clearly in pain.

As soon as the car door is opened he's assaulted by the sound of "You prat!" and resists the urge to shut the door again.

"Didn't see you there, terribly sorry," he responds and wonders to himself why he's talking like a character in Pride and Prejudice.

"Are you blind?" The man shouts, "You could have killed me!"

"But I didn't," Arthur grins. "Dodged a bullet there, didn't I!"

The man glares, "I'm hurt you idiot, the least you can do is drive me to the nearest hospital."

Arthur frowns, "But I was on my way to..." The man's glare hardens and he knows the man's injury is the only thing keeping him from jumping up and strangling Arthur. "Hospital, right," he climbs out of the car and helps the man into the passenger seat, keeping his fingers crossed that the man wasn't bleeding and therefore ruining his leather upholstery.

"Merlin Emrys," The man finally says when Arthur pulls away from the curb.

"What's that?"

"My name," Merlin replies through gritted teeth.

"Oh, Arthur, Arthur Pendragon," Arthur returns, glancing in Merlin's direction. He was actually quite nice to look at when he wasn't scowling at Arthur.

"Well Arthur, Arthur Pendragon, I suggest you keep your eyes firmly on the road, we wouldn't want to run over any more unsuspecting pedestrians would we?"

Arthur's next task is supporting a limping Merlin all the way from the car park to the A&E waiting room. He can't help but be impressed by Merlin's repertoire of curse words, a different one with each step.

He watches as a chair is wheeled out for Merlin to sit in, watches as he's pushed through a set of double doors and then waits. He doesn't like waiting, he's known for his impatience, but for a reason unknown to him, he drops into an uncomfortable plastic chair and picks up a year old copy of woman's weekly magazine.

He's deeply engrossed in an article about how to drop a dress size in a week when he hears Merlin. "What are you still doing here?"

Arthur looks up, takes in Merlin propped up on crutches, his left foot strapped up tightly. "You still need a lift home right?"

"I was just going to call my flatmate, Will, get him to pick me up."

"Well I'm here already, go on, think of it as my apology,"

Merlin raises an eyebrow, "Seeing as I haven't heard the words I'm sorry come from your lips, I guess I'll have to."

Anyone else would have seen Merlin's comment as the cue to apologise. Arthur chooses instead to get up and make his way towards the car park.

Merlin grits his teeth and reluctantly follows after, his new crutches clunking with each jerky step. Arthur has the car purring when he finally reaches it, the passenger door open waiting for him. "Where's home?" Arthur asks before Merlin's even sat down.

"Second star on the left and straight on till morning," Merlin quips, dropping down into the seat and throwing his crutches onto the back seat, narrowly missing Arthur's head. Arthur sends him a look of confusion and Merlin rolls his eyes "About five minutes from where you ran me over."

"Are you ever going to let me forget about that?"

"Well seeing as I plan never seeing you again after today, I think your chances are good," Merlin snaps.

"You know I feel very bad about all this, I drove you to the hospital, sat next to an eighty year old woman on one side who I'm pretty sure sneezed and wiped her snot on my jacket and man on my other side who spent the whole three hours I sat there looking at me like I was his next meal and now I'm driving you home, which I didn't have to do. The least you can do is be civil."

Merlin is too taken aback by Arthur's comment to respond. Technically Arthur was right, he had been surprised to find Arthur had waited for him, an unexpected kind gesture from Arthur; on the other hand, Arthur was completely insufferable. Handsome but insufferable.

"You didn't have to wait," Merlin agrees, "Thank you."

"I am sorry," Arthur says and Merlin believes him.

After detailed directions, Arthur pulls into the car park of a block of flats and parks as close to the entrance as possible. "You okay from here?"

"I could do with a hand up the stairs, I live on the third floor and the lift's been broken for weeks," Merlin admits.

"I suppose I can do that," he climbs out of the car, circles around it and helps Merlin out of his seat. "Just lean on me, I played cricket and rugby for Cambridge you know"

Merlin squashes every snarky comment that rushes through his mind and sags against Arthur. "What about my crutches?"

"I'll bring them up afterwards."

Ten long minutes and one flight of stairs later, Merlin's good leg is aching from putting all his weight on it and Arthur's hand around his waist is sending his core temperature sky rocketing.

"Maybe I should just carry you."

"Don't even think about it."

"You're like a twig, I think I can manage," Arthur scoffs and before Merlin can stop him, he's being swept off his feet like a damsel in distress.

"I feel ridiculous," Merlin groans in embarrassment, which evolves into a groan of agony when Arthur carries him around the corner and Merlin's strapped foot bashes against the wall "Argh! Do you have something against me?" He cries.

"Oh hush, it was an accident."

"So you say," Merlin narrows his eyes at Arthur. "It's thirty four."

"What?"

"Flat number."

Arthur looks up, spots thirty four and heads towards it. "Keys?"

"In my pocket, if you let me down I can-"

Arthur gives no warning because he puts Merlin down and Merlin's eyebrows disappears into his hairline when Arthur slides a hand into Merlin's front pocket.

"Woah, what the hell are you doing?"

"Getting your keys," Arthur answers, pulling his hand out when he finds nothing and pushes it deep into another pocket.

Merlin slaps Arthur's hand away, before his body reacts to the groping, "I still have use of my hands you idiot," he reaches into his back pocket and yanks out a set of keys.

Once inside, Arthur helps Merlin over to the sofa and even grabs a cushion and sticks it on the coffee table for Merlin to prop his leg up.

"I'll go get the crutches," Arthur disappears, leaving Merlin twiddling his thumbs until his return.

"Hey, can you press play on the answering machine for me?" Merlin asks as Arthur bursts through the door, crutches under his arm. His eyes follow to where Merlin is pointing and reaches over to the side table where the machine sits, red light blinking.

"Merlin, it's your mother, just called to remind you to bring that shirt with you tomorrow, I think I've found the right colour thread to fix the buttons, call before you set off okay? Love you."

Merlin curses. There's no way he'll be able to drive to his mum's house, he's not even supposed to be moving his leg at all. He would ask Will, but he knows he has work tomorrow and certainly wouldn't be able to take a day off at such short notice. How is he supposed to tell her he won't be able to make it for her birthday?

"So," Arthur claps his hands, "Crutches are right there beside you, TV remote is in reach, anything else you need?"

Merlin stares, an idea slowly forming, along with a devious grin.

Arthur looks back suspiciously, "What?"

"You got plans tomorrow?"

Arthur glares at Merlin as he climbs into the passenger seat "I had plans you know," Arthur tells him.

Merlin's crutches once again get thrown in the back and he lifts his satchel over his head and drops it on the floor beside his feet, "You owe me remember? I could sue you for millions," Arthur raises an eyebrow "...Thousands then,"

Arthur sighs dramatically, "And how long exactly will I owe you?"

"You drive me to my mum's, you play nice and you drive me home again, then we're even."

"Promise?"

"You want me to pinky swear?" Merlin retorts. "Just drive."

Arthur rolls his eyes, "Maybe I should have arrived in a limo, full chauffer's uniform."

Merlin doesn't know how to respond to that and chooses instead to look out of the window.

After an awkward twenty minutes of silence Arthur can't take anymore. "You want to play a game?" He suggests.

"A game?" Merlin parrots.

"Yes, a game, A contest with rules to determine a winner, you have heard of a game right?"

Merlin ignores Arthur's sarcasm, "What kind of game?"

Arthur shrugs, "I-spy?" Merlin doesn't look impressed. "Twenty questions?" Arthur glances at Merlin before returning his gaze to the road "I don't know any others."

"What do you do?"

"Huh?" Arthur's surprised by the question which seemed to have appeared from thin air.

"Just curious, you drive a Mercedes, it's got to be something good,"

"Well I...I don't really do anything," He answers. "I inherited from my father when he passed away."

"Explains you driving like a maniac on a Tuesday afternoon," Merlin grins. "You should do something."

"Why?"

"I write," Merlin explains, "Not published yet but it doesn't stop me. Even if I die without publishing a single book, I will still have created something; there will be something left of me when I'm gone."

"That's why you write?"

"I write because I love writing," Merlin answers with a shrug. "Don't you have anything you love to do?"

Arthur's mouth opens but no words come out. He loves visiting exotic locations spending inordinate amounts on frivolous items and partying to excess, but none of those things seemed the kind of things you'd do to leave a legacy of some kind. "I don't know," he doesn't create anything with his money, he just uses it, wastes it. "What kinds of things do you write?"

"Fantasy...dragons and sword fights, armour clad heroes and beautifully dangerous heroines. What kinds of things do you read?" Merlin responds.

"The news on my Blackberry," Arthur quips, "Certainly keeps me on the edge of my seat."

Merlin snorts, "That doesn't surprise me...take the next left."

Arthur does as he's told, flicking on the indicator and turning into the road on the left. "How much further?"

"About ten minutes."

Arthur nods and sensing more uncomfortable silence, quickly searches for something to say, "So... you write."

Merlin raises an eyebrow, "We've established that."

"Is that all you do?...I mean, what else do you like to do, in your spare time, as a hobby, when you're not writing."

"Well, I could spend hours in a second hand book store," he answers, confused by Arthur's sudden babbling. "And I'm taking an evening course in photography."

"Fascinating."

Merlin's sure he's being sarcastic until he looks over at Arthur and sees the genuine interest on his face. "I'm not very good yet, only been to a couple of classes, mostly just taken photos of trees and a bowl of fruit."

"Left of right?"

"What? Oh, right, then right again," Merlin sits up a little straighter "House number eleven," The pair fall silent again for the short three minute journey to the house. Arthur pulls into the drive way and looks up at the small traditional cottage, with smoke billowing out of the chimney and rose bushes lining the garden path.

"Cute, you grow up here?"

"I know it's not the mansion I'm sure you're used to."

"I think I would have preferred this," Arthur says and Merlin swear he hears him sighing wistfully "Our house was all dark scary corridors and furniture you couldn't sit on."

Merlin chuckles, "Come on," he reaches in the back for his crutches and turns back to find his door open and Arthur waiting for him. "Thanks," Merlin says softly as Arthur's hands steady him on his feet. Arthur's breath is warm against his cheek and he can't stop the shiver than runs down his spine. Before he can start hating himself for letting Arthur affect him he hears his mother calling.

"Merlin!" He lifts his eyes and sees Hunith flying down the garden path towards them. "What happened?" Her worry unmistakable.

Merlin glances at Arthur, surprised to see guilt in his eyes "Just an accident," He answers quickly "Tripped and fell, nothing serious," he reaches for his mother and hugs her tightly, "Happy birthday mum."

"Thank you honey," Hunith pulls away and turns to look at Arthur, "And who's this?" She smiles.

"This is Arthur, he's uh, a friend," Merlin says, not wanting to explain the full story to his mother.

"A friend huh?" She winks, "Nice to meet you Arthur."

"You too Mrs Emrys, Merlin has said nothing but nice things about you."

Merlin has said nothing about her.

"It's all lies," She blushes, "Now come on inside both of you, can't have you standing around on crutches can we."

Merlin is lead into the house with Arthur to his left and his mum on his right, both keeping pace with him. Once inside, he drops down into an armchair and lets out a long sigh of relief. "It's good to be home."

"Tea? Coffee?" Hunith offers whilst simultaneously throwing a blanket over Merlin and plumping up his cushions.

"Would kill for a cup of tea," Merlin replies.

"And you Arthur?"

"I'll make the tea Mrs Emrys, it is your birthday after all," he smiles politely.

"Oh Arthur," Hunith melts, "Please, call me Hunith."

Merlin has no idea who this man sitting in his living room is. The Arthur he knows is rude and inconsiderate.

"Sit," He orders, "I'm sure I can find everything I need."

With Arthur out of earshot, Hunith grins at Merlin, "That one's a keeper."

"What? No, I told you, just friends," Merlin quickly denied.

"Yeah yeah, and I'm the Queen Mother."

"Well that makes me the Queen doesn't it?" Merlin sticks out his tongue and laughs when Hunith mirrors him childishly.

"I'm serious Merlin honey," Hunith says once the laughter subsides, "You seem good together."

"Mum you've known him for five minutes, wait until you've known him a little longer before passing judgments on my love life."

"Well I hope I do get to know him a little better, you must bring him for Christmas,"

Merlin groans in defeat and is only saved from more conversation on that particular subject by Arthur returning with a tray, three mugs of black tea, a small jug of milk and a pot of sugar.

"I wasn't sure how everyone took their tea," he explains as he puts the tray down on the table.

Before taking a sip of his tea, a thought occurs to Merlin and he resists the urge to swear, "Your present! I left it in Arthur's car."

"I'll fetch it," Arthur offers, putting his own mug down on a coaster.

"Aren't you a dear," Hunith sighs and smiles at Merlin.

"Stop it," Merlin glares. "I know you're inventing the names of our future children," he hisses.

"I don't know what you're about," She replies, though Merlin knows her too well to believe her. Her voice says nothing; her eyes say Austin and Rebecca.

Arthur appears, Merlin's leather satchel gripped in his hand. He hands it over to Merlin for him to dig out the poorly wrapped present.

"Some things never change," Hunith laughs as she takes possession of the present which was about seventy percent cellotape and thirty percent recycled Christmas wrapping paper. She opens it as carefully as possible and coos at the framed photo inside "A bowl of fruit, beautifull Merlin, thank you," She leans over and kisses him on the cheek, "I'll have to find somewhere to hang this up later."

Merlin doesn't miss the look of amusement on Arthur's face.

They eat sandwiches for lunch, little triangles filled with egg mayonnaise and the crusts cut off, with a bowl of salt and vinegar crisps and a slice of pork pie each. Merlin eats his sandwiches in one bite and washes it down with cloudy lemonade. Arthur eats his own lunch more politely and doesn't forget to thanks Hunith for a wonderful meal.

The afternoon is spent playing card games and Merlin loses every round of rummy. Hunith wins every round and Merlin's convinced Arthur let her win. More tea is drunk, chocolate biscuits consumed and then at four, Merlin reluctantly admits out loud it's time to leave.

"Thank you for having me Hunith, I had a great day."

Hunith hugs Arthur tightly, "You're welcome back any time Arthur, I mean it."

Merlin hops towards them, "Okay, break it up you two," Resting his weight on one leg, he loops an arm around his mum's neck and pulls her into an awkward hug. "I'll call when I'm home," he promises.

They pull apart and Hunith shakes her head, "You forgot that shirt didn't you."

Merlin blinks, "I'll post it."

Arthur chuckles, "Okay, let's get going."

Merlin's eyes widen when he feels Arthur's hand at the small of his back, not pushing him forwards, just supporting. Hunith stands in the doorway and watches until they're both settled inside the Mercedes. She waves manically at them until the car is out of sight.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Arthur Pratdragon?"

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about, The Arthur I know, drives over unsuspecting people and generally acts like an idiot."

"I can be nice!" Arthur pouts. "I meant what I said to your mother. I had a good day."

"But...but," Merlin splutters

"And I like you," Arthur admits, blurting it out like a confession.

Merlin freezes, "What?"

"You're...different, you call me on my behaviour, most people I know just encourage it."

"You like me?" Merlin breathes, "As in...?"

"As in, maybe, when your foot is better we could go out for dinner," Arthur shifts in his seat, looking nervous.

"Okay," Merlin finds himself saying. He has to admit, whilst the Arthur he first met was insufferable, the Arthur he's come to know has been the perfect gentleman. Merlin can't help but see the handsome, polite, caring man Arthur's become right in front of his eyes and he can't deny the rush he feels anything Arthur's hand touches him.

Arthur lets out a long relieved sigh, "Okay," he repeats. "Good"

The rest of the journey is taken in silence, but this time it's anything but uncomfortable.

Outside Merlin's flat, Arthur once more helps Merlin out of the seat and hands him his crutches.

"You need help getting to your flat?"

Merlin shakes his head, "I'll be okay."

"Sure?"

Merlin nods, "Where's your phone?"

Arthur pulls his Blackberry out of his pocket and hands it over. He watches with a widening grin as Merlin inputs his own number into the phonebook before handing the phone back. "Thank you for today."

"No problem."

"I don't think we're even though."

"No?" Arthur frowns.

Merlin shakes his head. He lets go of one crutch and reaches out for Arthur grabbing a handful of his jacket to yank him forwards. Their lips collide and Arthur's shock frozen lips soon melt against Merlin's. Arthur's lips are soft but strong and Merlin's brain almost short circuits, his eyes sliding shut and pleasure coursing through his body. It ends with Merlin wanting more, unconsciously following Arthur's lips as he steps back.

"Now we're even," Merlin says, his voice just a whisper.

Arthur's unable to wipe the smile from his face, "Good night Merlin."

"Call me!" Merlin shouts as Arthur climbs back into his car.

Arthur calls the next day.