Part 24: link
“Gwen, I’m freaking out,” Merlin’s frantic whisper comes through the receiver.
Gwen sighs. “First, stop whispering. Second, you’ll be fine, I promise. Mr. Gaius is a great person, I promise.”
“But he’s Will Fucking Gaius, Gwen!”
“Well, I don’t recommend anda addressing him thusly when anda meet him, but he’s actually very down-to-earth. Not superior atau posh at all. I promise. So breathe.”
“Okay. Okay. Okay. Leon has ordered me to stay out of the pub, anda know. He’s afraid I’ll break something.”
“Wise move. Now Merlin: your hair is… down?”
“Of course it is. I will be looking quite respectable today; anda won’t even recognize me.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. My mum is coming over and everything to make sure.”
Gwen laughs, slapping her hand over her mouth. Another line starts flashing and beeping. “Merlin, I have to go. Be here at 1:45.”
“My appointment is at 2…”
“1:45.” she repeats sternly and hangs up on him. “William Gaius’ office, Gwen speaking, may I help you?”
“Good morning, this is Marcus Ryan. Is Will available?”
“Hold, please.” Shit. Fucking shit. I’m only four chapters into his manuscript and he calls. Gwen hits the intercom button.
“Yes, Gwen?”
“Marcus Ryan on two, sir. Are anda in?”
He sighs. “Yes, I suppose so. And so are you.”
“What?”
“Transfer the call and come in here.”
“Yes, sir.”
“One moment,” she says to Marcus and transfers him back. Then she hits the meneruskan, ke depan button, takes a deep breath, and quietly enters Gaius’ office.
“—you’ve diberikan my manuscript to whom? Your bloody receptionist? What are anda playing at, Will?” Marcus Ryan’s irate voice is shouting from Gaius’ speakerphone.
“Marcus, I’ll thank anda to watch your tone. I can still pull the plug on this book of yours, anda know, contract atau no.”
“But…”
“And Ms. Degrance is now with us, so I’ll also ask anda to watch your language. Guinevere, I trust anda are familiar with Mr. Ryan?”
“Yes, sir. Mr. Ryan, it’s a pleasure to be working with you,” she says politely. Gaius rolls his eyes and smirks, but gives her a thumbs-up.
“Yeah, sure. Look, I don’t know what kind of game anda two are playing with me, but if anda bollocks up my novel the way Cooper did, I’ll…” he pauses, searching.
“Yes?” Gwen asks, waiting to see what kind of threat he can come up with. We are holding all the cards. This man is an idiot.
“I’ll take my manuscript to Knighthood, that’s what I’ll do!”
“Well, Marcus, if that’s how anda feel…” Gaius says indulgently, calling the man’s bluff. Knighthood is no threat.
There is silence on the line.
“Mr. Ryan, are anda still with us?” Gwen asks gently after a moment.
“Yeah.”
She looks over at Gaius, who gestures for her to continue. “Speak your mind, dear, it’s okay,” he whispers.
“I was only just diberikan your manuscript yesterday, and while it is a bit rough, it has potential.”
“Potential??” he sputters, incensed. “Look, missy…”
“No, you look,” Gwen says, losing her temper with this weed much quicker than she expected. “Just because anda had one successful novel doesn’t mean anda are Charles bloody Dickens! Now, I may be new at this, not even officially an editor—”
“Yet,” interjects Gaius, loudly enough for both of them to hear.
“But I know the written word. Probably better than anda do, judging oleh this manuscript. So either anda let me ubah your manuscript and take the saran I give to try and salvage this… thing you’ve written, atau I throw in the towel and use your manuscript to line my cat box, because as it currently stands, that’s pretty much all it’s good for!”
Her mouth snaps closed, and suddenly she realizes what she’s just said. She claps her hands over her mouth and looks at Gaius with wide, frantic eyes.
He is shaking with silent laughter, tears streaming from his bleary eyes, a handkerchief to his face.
The phone is silent. They know he’s still on the line is because it hasn’t gone dead with its tell-tale buzzing noise. And they can hear him breathing.
“Okay.” One word comes through the speaker. One defeated, gloomy word of assent. Gaius gives her a thumbs-up again.
“Very good. You’ll be hearing from me again when I’ve completed my first pass of your manuscript.”
“Okay.” He sounds like a chastised little boy. This must be what power feels like, Gwen thinks. I could get used to this.
“Good morning, Marcus. We’ll be in touch,” Gaius says, and promptly hangs up the phone. He raises an eyebrow at Gwen.
“Sorry.” She doesn’t know what else to say.
“What for? anda were brilliant, Gwen! I thought I was going to have a stroke from trying to keep my laughter contained!”
Gwen suddenly laughs. “I don’t know what came over me, sir, I just…”
“It was when he called anda ‘missy,’ wasn’t it?”
“I think so.”
“Let me see what you’ve done so far. With the manuscript.”
“Now?”
“Yes, go get it please.”
Gwen jumps up and scurries from the office, snags the manuscript, open on her meja tulis, meja (removing her special pen lovingly from it first, of course), and shoots back into Gaius’ office.
“Thank you. I’ll let anda know when anda can come get it back.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And Guinevere?”
“Yes?” she turns back.
“I loved the cat box comment.”
She giggles. “It’s actually Arthur’s cat, but he likes me better.”
“Of course he does.”
Gwen sinks back into her chair, her jantung still thumping with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Talk about trial oleh fire, she thinks, looking at the phone. No, I’ve been using the phone for personal calls far too much already. I’ll tell him later.
Half an jam later, Gaius’ voice comes through the intercom. “Gwen?”
“Yes?”
“You can come get this.”
“Thank you.” She enters his office again, and he holds it out for her.
She takes it from him, and he only nods at her. Approval? He’s so bloody cryptic sometimes.
“Gwen, page Ben Cooper for me.”
1:43. The lift dings and the doors slide open. A tall, slender man emerges in tailored black trousers, a crisp white kemeja open at the neck, and a dark grey sport coat. A black attaché case hangs easily from his hand. He has shiny black hair and shiny black shoes, and he looks completely dashing, even with the oversized ears and goofy grin.
“God, Merlin, anda look incredible!” Gwen gushes, coming out from behind the desk, embracing him in a tight hug, which he returns with his free hand, squeezing her hard.
“Thank anda so much, Gwen, anda have no idea how much I appreciate what you’ve done for me,” he whispers raggedly in her ear, the softness of his voice not disguising the emotion overcoming him at all.
She pulls away and wipes his eyes with her thumbs. “Now Merlin, anda can’t go in there looking like a giant puddle,” she smiles, joking to keep her own emotions in line, so touched is she oleh his admission and free affection.
“Okay,” she continues, squeezing his elbow. “Have a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
Gwen returns to her kursi and Merlin sits on a brown leather sofa selanjutnya to a potted plant. He watches as Gwen hesitates a moment, then presses the intercom button.
After a moment, Gaius’ voice comes out of the little speaker. “Yes?”
“Merlin Emrys to see you, sir.”
“Excellent. Five minutes.”
“Very good.” She looks over at Merlin.
“I heard.”
“Merlin,” she says, motioning him over.
“What?” he asks, wondering what’s up.
“He’s in there with the editor I may be replacing,” she whispers.
“He’s getting sacked?” Merlin whispers back.
“I don’t know. I’ve been dying out here since I got back from lunch and found out he was in there. They talked on the phone this morning, but he didn’t come up till recently.”
“So I’m not the only one spending the hari on pins and needles, then.”
“You’d better have a pint ready for me as soon as I walk through the door this evening.”
Merlin smiles. “We’ll both need one.”
“Or three…” she says, fidgeting with her new pen. The phone rings and she jumps. Merlin waves and goes back to his kursi to let her work.
“William Gaius’ office, Gwen speaking, may I help you?”
“I’m sorry, he’s in meetings until at least three. Is there a message?”
She picks up another pen and a berwarna merah muda, merah muda notepad and writes a name, number and message on the pad.
“Got it. Thank you, he’ll be in touch.”
She tears the sheet from the pad and places it in a tray to her left just as Gaius’ door opens. Merlin looks up to see a shaken-looking man emerge. He looks like he’s seen a ghost. Or has just been sacked, he thinks, trying not to grin.
Guinevere, to her credit, keeps her eyes trained studiously on the manuscript in front of her, twirling the pen between her fingers as she reads. atau pretends to read.
Ben Cooper strides to the lift, not looking at either of them, head meneruskan, ke depan and slightly downcast as he agitatedly stabs the down button.
There is a ding and the doors slide open.
“Merlin, quite a pleasure to meet you, young man,” Gaius says, stepping forward. Merlin sees that the older man uses a cane and stands immediately, coming up to meet him, saving him the walk.
“It is an honor, sir, a real honor,” Merlin says, trying not to gush as he reaches meneruskan, ke depan to shake the offered hand of the man he hopes will become his mentor.
“Please, call me Will,” Gaius says as he ushers Merlin towards his office door. “I presume there are lebih manuscripts in that case?” he asks.
“Yes. I have two more, sir. Will,” he corrects himself, feeling awkward doing so. He glances at Gwen briefly. Her head is still bent over her manuscript, but she is grinning from ear to ear now.
The door closes and Gwen drops her head onto the manuscript. She honestly has just been staring at the page, not membaca at all.
Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God…
“Gwen, would anda bring in some teh for Mr. Emrys and myself?” Gaius’ voice emanating from the intercom snaps her out of her moment of panic.
“Of course. Biscuits? It’s a bit early, but…”
There is a pause. “Yes, thank you.”
Guinevere enters Excalibur at the end of the day, a raw bundle of frazzled excited nerves. She is excited and terrified, thrilled for Merlin and for herself, but overwhelmed for them both as well.
“Guinevere! What is it?” Arthur asks, wiping his hands on a towel and coming over.
She throws herself into his arms, holding tightly.
“What’s wrong? Merlin berkata his meeting went well, but he wouldn’t say anything else except you’d have news. I’ve been having a series of jantung attacks all afternoon waiting for you; what is it, Sweet?” he asks anxiously, holding her, stroking her hair, and giving her small soft kisses as she clings to him. He can feel she is ready to just jump out of her skin.
“Ben Cooper was sacked today,” she says quietly.
“What?” Arthur pulls back gently and looks into her wide eyes. oleh this time Gwaine and Phyllis have stopped what they were doing as well, and all eyes are on Guinevere’s small form in Arthur’s arms.
“Ben Cooper. Mr. Gaius gave him his walking papers.”
“So that means…” he leads her, excitement growing in his voice now.
She nods. “Thursday, officially.”
Arthur wraps his arms around her and picks her up with a shout, spinning her in his arms.
“Arthur!” she exclaims with a laugh, forgetting herself, forgetting that she tries to use his preferred nickname when his friends are around.
He sets her down and studies her. Why isn’t she excited? “Guinevere, this is amazing! This is exactly what anda wanted; why do anda look like anda just walked in on your parents having a shag?” he asks, brining his hand to her cheek.
“It’s… so soon! I am completely overwhelmed.” She holds up her hand. “Look, I’m shaking.”
He takes her hand and lifts it to his lips, ciuman her fingers. “Let’s go get anda some guinness and something greasy to eat,” he says, bending to ciuman her lips now.
They turn to leave and Gwaine grabs her hand as she passes him. “I get to congratulate you, don’t I?” he asks.
“As long as anda behave yourself,” she says, smiling.
“Well, I never do that,” he says, but he gives her a warm hug and a chaste ciuman on the cheek while Arthur watches under an arched brow.
“Thank you, Gwaine,” she says. Phil steps meneruskan, ke depan and takes her hand for just a second, giving it a squeeze before dropping it and walking away.
“I can see anda smiling, Phil,” Gwen calls after her, earning her a raised middle finger from the other woman.
“Hey, she’s officially initiated now!” Gwaine cheers.
Arthur and Gwen laugh and head selanjutnya door to the pub. Justin opens the door quite respectfully for Gwen, and she cannot help noticing that the new bouncer looks like he is seeking approval from Arthur for his actions.
“Justin,” Arthur nods as he walks past.
“Hey, Drag. Miss Gwen,” he greets them.
“Miss Gwen?” Arthur asks her once they are inside.
“Don’t ask me, I’m as surprised as anda are,” she says. “Oof!”
Gwen is nearly tackled oleh a black blur that turns out to be Merlin, throwing his arms around her again joyously before he impulsively kisses her flush on the lips.
“Wow, um, hello, Merlin,” she says, stunned and blinking.
Arthur appears equally stunned rather than angry, and Merlin flushes bright red, realizing what he’s just done.
“Sorry, sorry… I don’t know what came over me! I’m just so ridiculously happy right now…” he stammers, and suddenly both Arthur and Gwen start laughing.
“Well, Merlin, considering I just kissed Drag not two menit ago, anda kind of just kissed him, too.”
“Gah!” Merlin exclaims, running behind the bar and grabbing a bottle of vodka. He bends his head over the sink, pouring some of the strong alcohol over his lips.
“That’s a bit excessive, I think,” Arthur komentar as they sit at the bar.
“Merlin, I know a lot of famous writers were drunks, but aren’t anda kind of putting the gerobak, keranjang before the horse?” Leon komentar casually, emerging from the kitchen.
Merlin stands again and puts the vodka back, wiping his face. “No one here drinks this shit anyway,” he komentar absently.
“Merlin?” Gwen asks sweetly, smiling at him.
“Yes?”
“I seem to be not having any Guinness,” she says, indicating the empty expanse of bar in front of her.
Arthur laughs as Merlin scurries to grab a glass for her. “Leon,” he calls.
“Yeah?”
“What’s on the menu tonight, my good man?”
“Actually, that’s why I came out. I wanted to tell Gwen that I tried one of the recipes in the cookbook she got me.” He looks at her now, smiling.
“Oh, good! This is turning out to be quite the day, indeed,” she says, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.
“Be right back,” he says, heading back to the kitchen.
Arthur looks sideways at Gwen, giving her a knowing smirk, then says, “Merlin. We need to celebrate both of your successes. Thursday, we’re going out.” He declares this as if making a royal decree.
“Oh, we are, are we? Where?”
“That is up to anda and Guinevere.”
“Szechuan Palace,” Merlin suggests.
“Chez Pierre,” Gwen suggests.
“Do I look like I’m made of money, woman?” Arthur asks, laughing as he lifts his glass to his lips.
“I was kidding.”
“I know.”
“Grenadier’s,” she tries another option.
“I hate that place,” Merlin makes a face.
“Really?”
“My mum got sick from their food once.”
“Perhaps not, then. Um, Luigi’s.”
“Maybe. Drag: tie-breaker. Italian atau Chinese?” Merlin asks.
He glances at Gwen, wishing he could ask her which Freya would prefer.
“Merlin, can anda help me?” Leon pokes his head out.
“Yeah, sure.”
Arthur looks at Gwen. “Thank God. Which one would Freya prefer, do anda think?”
Gwen sighs. “I really want some pasta, but Freya loves Chinese food.”
Arthur smiles and kisses her.
Leon and Merlin come out with plates. “Chili dogs,” Leon declares, setting the two plates he has in front of Arthur and Gwen.
“Oh my God, these look sinful,” Gwen gushes. Merlin sets their plates down on the bar as Leon disappears again, coming out with a tray filled with condiments.
“I didn’t know what anda all liked, so we’ll do it this way,” he says, setting the piring down in the middle of them. It has chopped onions, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, and hot peppers each in their own little dishes.
Guinevere immediately reaches for the cheese and bacon, Arthur chooses cheese and daging babi asap, bacon as well as the tomatoes, and Merlin dives immediately for the hot peppers. Leon has everything.
Gwaine saunters in just as they tuck in, the lads picking theirs up and biting messily while Gwen takes the tidier option of a pisau and fork.
“Ah, I see anda waited for me like one pig waits for another, as usual, and what on God’s green earth is that?”
Leon sets his dog down and disappears for 30 seconds, emerging with a plate for Gwaine. “Is your sister coming over?” he asks quietly.
“Don’t think so, sorry. She was grumbling something about her back and a hot bath,” he says, tunggu his chili dog up with all the toppings, heavy on the peppers.
“Still giving her trouble, hmm?” Leon asks, frowning.
“It always will, mate.”
“What happened?” Gwen asks.
“Car accident a couple years ago. Bloody lorry driver was falling asleep and sideswiped her, sending her into a wall. Wrecked her lower back,” Gwaine explains, his mouth full. “Holy shit Leon, I think I need to change my pants,” he adds, closing his eyes as he chews.
“How terrible,” Gwen says, taking a drink. “And yes, Leon, these are really good.”
“Phil was lucky, though, if he had been going faster, she would have hit harder and she probably wouldn’t be able to walk now,” Merlin adds.
“Oh, God, that’s awful,” she says, wondering if her recurring pain contributes to her less-than-sunny disposition.
“I know what you’re thinking, and she was already Mary Sunshine before the accident,” Arthur says. Leon flicks Arthur’s ear for that comment.
“Gwen! Oh, shit! I didn’t get to tell you!” Merlin suddenly exclaims.
“I know, anda haven’t told me anything about your meeting,” she says, turning towards him again.
“Sorry! anda were right, he is so amazing. Like anda said, not posh at all. Old, but sharp as a tack. And funny, I couldn’t believe it!”
“So it went well, then?” Gwen smiles, knowing that it did indeed go very well. She saw the contract.
“You know it did, Gwen. But I, um, insisted that anda would be my editor. Only you. That was my one stipulation.”
Gwen nearly spits a chunk of hot dog across the bar, and Arthur pounds her back while she coughs, recovering.
“It’s on the contract,” Merlin adds.
“Merlin! anda didn’t have to do that!” Apparently I should have looked closer at the contract.
“Yes, I did. I saw your edits, Gwen; he showed me. anda are brilliant and I trust you, therefore yours is the only red pen that will touch my work.”
Gwen leans across the bar and hugs him. “You will be much lebih enjoyable to work with then that twat Marcus Ryan,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “Oh! Speaking of him, I have to tell you…”
Part 26: link
“Gwen, I’m freaking out,” Merlin’s frantic whisper comes through the receiver.
Gwen sighs. “First, stop whispering. Second, you’ll be fine, I promise. Mr. Gaius is a great person, I promise.”
“But he’s Will Fucking Gaius, Gwen!”
“Well, I don’t recommend anda addressing him thusly when anda meet him, but he’s actually very down-to-earth. Not superior atau posh at all. I promise. So breathe.”
“Okay. Okay. Okay. Leon has ordered me to stay out of the pub, anda know. He’s afraid I’ll break something.”
“Wise move. Now Merlin: your hair is… down?”
“Of course it is. I will be looking quite respectable today; anda won’t even recognize me.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. My mum is coming over and everything to make sure.”
Gwen laughs, slapping her hand over her mouth. Another line starts flashing and beeping. “Merlin, I have to go. Be here at 1:45.”
“My appointment is at 2…”
“1:45.” she repeats sternly and hangs up on him. “William Gaius’ office, Gwen speaking, may I help you?”
“Good morning, this is Marcus Ryan. Is Will available?”
“Hold, please.” Shit. Fucking shit. I’m only four chapters into his manuscript and he calls. Gwen hits the intercom button.
“Yes, Gwen?”
“Marcus Ryan on two, sir. Are anda in?”
He sighs. “Yes, I suppose so. And so are you.”
“What?”
“Transfer the call and come in here.”
“Yes, sir.”
“One moment,” she says to Marcus and transfers him back. Then she hits the meneruskan, ke depan button, takes a deep breath, and quietly enters Gaius’ office.
“—you’ve diberikan my manuscript to whom? Your bloody receptionist? What are anda playing at, Will?” Marcus Ryan’s irate voice is shouting from Gaius’ speakerphone.
“Marcus, I’ll thank anda to watch your tone. I can still pull the plug on this book of yours, anda know, contract atau no.”
“But…”
“And Ms. Degrance is now with us, so I’ll also ask anda to watch your language. Guinevere, I trust anda are familiar with Mr. Ryan?”
“Yes, sir. Mr. Ryan, it’s a pleasure to be working with you,” she says politely. Gaius rolls his eyes and smirks, but gives her a thumbs-up.
“Yeah, sure. Look, I don’t know what kind of game anda two are playing with me, but if anda bollocks up my novel the way Cooper did, I’ll…” he pauses, searching.
“Yes?” Gwen asks, waiting to see what kind of threat he can come up with. We are holding all the cards. This man is an idiot.
“I’ll take my manuscript to Knighthood, that’s what I’ll do!”
“Well, Marcus, if that’s how anda feel…” Gaius says indulgently, calling the man’s bluff. Knighthood is no threat.
There is silence on the line.
“Mr. Ryan, are anda still with us?” Gwen asks gently after a moment.
“Yeah.”
She looks over at Gaius, who gestures for her to continue. “Speak your mind, dear, it’s okay,” he whispers.
“I was only just diberikan your manuscript yesterday, and while it is a bit rough, it has potential.”
“Potential??” he sputters, incensed. “Look, missy…”
“No, you look,” Gwen says, losing her temper with this weed much quicker than she expected. “Just because anda had one successful novel doesn’t mean anda are Charles bloody Dickens! Now, I may be new at this, not even officially an editor—”
“Yet,” interjects Gaius, loudly enough for both of them to hear.
“But I know the written word. Probably better than anda do, judging oleh this manuscript. So either anda let me ubah your manuscript and take the saran I give to try and salvage this… thing you’ve written, atau I throw in the towel and use your manuscript to line my cat box, because as it currently stands, that’s pretty much all it’s good for!”
Her mouth snaps closed, and suddenly she realizes what she’s just said. She claps her hands over her mouth and looks at Gaius with wide, frantic eyes.
He is shaking with silent laughter, tears streaming from his bleary eyes, a handkerchief to his face.
The phone is silent. They know he’s still on the line is because it hasn’t gone dead with its tell-tale buzzing noise. And they can hear him breathing.
“Okay.” One word comes through the speaker. One defeated, gloomy word of assent. Gaius gives her a thumbs-up again.
“Very good. You’ll be hearing from me again when I’ve completed my first pass of your manuscript.”
“Okay.” He sounds like a chastised little boy. This must be what power feels like, Gwen thinks. I could get used to this.
“Good morning, Marcus. We’ll be in touch,” Gaius says, and promptly hangs up the phone. He raises an eyebrow at Gwen.
“Sorry.” She doesn’t know what else to say.
“What for? anda were brilliant, Gwen! I thought I was going to have a stroke from trying to keep my laughter contained!”
Gwen suddenly laughs. “I don’t know what came over me, sir, I just…”
“It was when he called anda ‘missy,’ wasn’t it?”
“I think so.”
“Let me see what you’ve done so far. With the manuscript.”
“Now?”
“Yes, go get it please.”
Gwen jumps up and scurries from the office, snags the manuscript, open on her meja tulis, meja (removing her special pen lovingly from it first, of course), and shoots back into Gaius’ office.
“Thank you. I’ll let anda know when anda can come get it back.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And Guinevere?”
“Yes?” she turns back.
“I loved the cat box comment.”
She giggles. “It’s actually Arthur’s cat, but he likes me better.”
“Of course he does.”
Gwen sinks back into her chair, her jantung still thumping with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Talk about trial oleh fire, she thinks, looking at the phone. No, I’ve been using the phone for personal calls far too much already. I’ll tell him later.
Half an jam later, Gaius’ voice comes through the intercom. “Gwen?”
“Yes?”
“You can come get this.”
“Thank you.” She enters his office again, and he holds it out for her.
She takes it from him, and he only nods at her. Approval? He’s so bloody cryptic sometimes.
“Gwen, page Ben Cooper for me.”
1:43. The lift dings and the doors slide open. A tall, slender man emerges in tailored black trousers, a crisp white kemeja open at the neck, and a dark grey sport coat. A black attaché case hangs easily from his hand. He has shiny black hair and shiny black shoes, and he looks completely dashing, even with the oversized ears and goofy grin.
“God, Merlin, anda look incredible!” Gwen gushes, coming out from behind the desk, embracing him in a tight hug, which he returns with his free hand, squeezing her hard.
“Thank anda so much, Gwen, anda have no idea how much I appreciate what you’ve done for me,” he whispers raggedly in her ear, the softness of his voice not disguising the emotion overcoming him at all.
She pulls away and wipes his eyes with her thumbs. “Now Merlin, anda can’t go in there looking like a giant puddle,” she smiles, joking to keep her own emotions in line, so touched is she oleh his admission and free affection.
“Okay,” she continues, squeezing his elbow. “Have a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
Gwen returns to her kursi and Merlin sits on a brown leather sofa selanjutnya to a potted plant. He watches as Gwen hesitates a moment, then presses the intercom button.
After a moment, Gaius’ voice comes out of the little speaker. “Yes?”
“Merlin Emrys to see you, sir.”
“Excellent. Five minutes.”
“Very good.” She looks over at Merlin.
“I heard.”
“Merlin,” she says, motioning him over.
“What?” he asks, wondering what’s up.
“He’s in there with the editor I may be replacing,” she whispers.
“He’s getting sacked?” Merlin whispers back.
“I don’t know. I’ve been dying out here since I got back from lunch and found out he was in there. They talked on the phone this morning, but he didn’t come up till recently.”
“So I’m not the only one spending the hari on pins and needles, then.”
“You’d better have a pint ready for me as soon as I walk through the door this evening.”
Merlin smiles. “We’ll both need one.”
“Or three…” she says, fidgeting with her new pen. The phone rings and she jumps. Merlin waves and goes back to his kursi to let her work.
“William Gaius’ office, Gwen speaking, may I help you?”
“I’m sorry, he’s in meetings until at least three. Is there a message?”
She picks up another pen and a berwarna merah muda, merah muda notepad and writes a name, number and message on the pad.
“Got it. Thank you, he’ll be in touch.”
She tears the sheet from the pad and places it in a tray to her left just as Gaius’ door opens. Merlin looks up to see a shaken-looking man emerge. He looks like he’s seen a ghost. Or has just been sacked, he thinks, trying not to grin.
Guinevere, to her credit, keeps her eyes trained studiously on the manuscript in front of her, twirling the pen between her fingers as she reads. atau pretends to read.
Ben Cooper strides to the lift, not looking at either of them, head meneruskan, ke depan and slightly downcast as he agitatedly stabs the down button.
There is a ding and the doors slide open.
“Merlin, quite a pleasure to meet you, young man,” Gaius says, stepping forward. Merlin sees that the older man uses a cane and stands immediately, coming up to meet him, saving him the walk.
“It is an honor, sir, a real honor,” Merlin says, trying not to gush as he reaches meneruskan, ke depan to shake the offered hand of the man he hopes will become his mentor.
“Please, call me Will,” Gaius says as he ushers Merlin towards his office door. “I presume there are lebih manuscripts in that case?” he asks.
“Yes. I have two more, sir. Will,” he corrects himself, feeling awkward doing so. He glances at Gwen briefly. Her head is still bent over her manuscript, but she is grinning from ear to ear now.
The door closes and Gwen drops her head onto the manuscript. She honestly has just been staring at the page, not membaca at all.
Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God…
“Gwen, would anda bring in some teh for Mr. Emrys and myself?” Gaius’ voice emanating from the intercom snaps her out of her moment of panic.
“Of course. Biscuits? It’s a bit early, but…”
There is a pause. “Yes, thank you.”
Guinevere enters Excalibur at the end of the day, a raw bundle of frazzled excited nerves. She is excited and terrified, thrilled for Merlin and for herself, but overwhelmed for them both as well.
“Guinevere! What is it?” Arthur asks, wiping his hands on a towel and coming over.
She throws herself into his arms, holding tightly.
“What’s wrong? Merlin berkata his meeting went well, but he wouldn’t say anything else except you’d have news. I’ve been having a series of jantung attacks all afternoon waiting for you; what is it, Sweet?” he asks anxiously, holding her, stroking her hair, and giving her small soft kisses as she clings to him. He can feel she is ready to just jump out of her skin.
“Ben Cooper was sacked today,” she says quietly.
“What?” Arthur pulls back gently and looks into her wide eyes. oleh this time Gwaine and Phyllis have stopped what they were doing as well, and all eyes are on Guinevere’s small form in Arthur’s arms.
“Ben Cooper. Mr. Gaius gave him his walking papers.”
“So that means…” he leads her, excitement growing in his voice now.
She nods. “Thursday, officially.”
Arthur wraps his arms around her and picks her up with a shout, spinning her in his arms.
“Arthur!” she exclaims with a laugh, forgetting herself, forgetting that she tries to use his preferred nickname when his friends are around.
He sets her down and studies her. Why isn’t she excited? “Guinevere, this is amazing! This is exactly what anda wanted; why do anda look like anda just walked in on your parents having a shag?” he asks, brining his hand to her cheek.
“It’s… so soon! I am completely overwhelmed.” She holds up her hand. “Look, I’m shaking.”
He takes her hand and lifts it to his lips, ciuman her fingers. “Let’s go get anda some guinness and something greasy to eat,” he says, bending to ciuman her lips now.
They turn to leave and Gwaine grabs her hand as she passes him. “I get to congratulate you, don’t I?” he asks.
“As long as anda behave yourself,” she says, smiling.
“Well, I never do that,” he says, but he gives her a warm hug and a chaste ciuman on the cheek while Arthur watches under an arched brow.
“Thank you, Gwaine,” she says. Phil steps meneruskan, ke depan and takes her hand for just a second, giving it a squeeze before dropping it and walking away.
“I can see anda smiling, Phil,” Gwen calls after her, earning her a raised middle finger from the other woman.
“Hey, she’s officially initiated now!” Gwaine cheers.
Arthur and Gwen laugh and head selanjutnya door to the pub. Justin opens the door quite respectfully for Gwen, and she cannot help noticing that the new bouncer looks like he is seeking approval from Arthur for his actions.
“Justin,” Arthur nods as he walks past.
“Hey, Drag. Miss Gwen,” he greets them.
“Miss Gwen?” Arthur asks her once they are inside.
“Don’t ask me, I’m as surprised as anda are,” she says. “Oof!”
Gwen is nearly tackled oleh a black blur that turns out to be Merlin, throwing his arms around her again joyously before he impulsively kisses her flush on the lips.
“Wow, um, hello, Merlin,” she says, stunned and blinking.
Arthur appears equally stunned rather than angry, and Merlin flushes bright red, realizing what he’s just done.
“Sorry, sorry… I don’t know what came over me! I’m just so ridiculously happy right now…” he stammers, and suddenly both Arthur and Gwen start laughing.
“Well, Merlin, considering I just kissed Drag not two menit ago, anda kind of just kissed him, too.”
“Gah!” Merlin exclaims, running behind the bar and grabbing a bottle of vodka. He bends his head over the sink, pouring some of the strong alcohol over his lips.
“That’s a bit excessive, I think,” Arthur komentar as they sit at the bar.
“Merlin, I know a lot of famous writers were drunks, but aren’t anda kind of putting the gerobak, keranjang before the horse?” Leon komentar casually, emerging from the kitchen.
Merlin stands again and puts the vodka back, wiping his face. “No one here drinks this shit anyway,” he komentar absently.
“Merlin?” Gwen asks sweetly, smiling at him.
“Yes?”
“I seem to be not having any Guinness,” she says, indicating the empty expanse of bar in front of her.
Arthur laughs as Merlin scurries to grab a glass for her. “Leon,” he calls.
“Yeah?”
“What’s on the menu tonight, my good man?”
“Actually, that’s why I came out. I wanted to tell Gwen that I tried one of the recipes in the cookbook she got me.” He looks at her now, smiling.
“Oh, good! This is turning out to be quite the day, indeed,” she says, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.
“Be right back,” he says, heading back to the kitchen.
Arthur looks sideways at Gwen, giving her a knowing smirk, then says, “Merlin. We need to celebrate both of your successes. Thursday, we’re going out.” He declares this as if making a royal decree.
“Oh, we are, are we? Where?”
“That is up to anda and Guinevere.”
“Szechuan Palace,” Merlin suggests.
“Chez Pierre,” Gwen suggests.
“Do I look like I’m made of money, woman?” Arthur asks, laughing as he lifts his glass to his lips.
“I was kidding.”
“I know.”
“Grenadier’s,” she tries another option.
“I hate that place,” Merlin makes a face.
“Really?”
“My mum got sick from their food once.”
“Perhaps not, then. Um, Luigi’s.”
“Maybe. Drag: tie-breaker. Italian atau Chinese?” Merlin asks.
He glances at Gwen, wishing he could ask her which Freya would prefer.
“Merlin, can anda help me?” Leon pokes his head out.
“Yeah, sure.”
Arthur looks at Gwen. “Thank God. Which one would Freya prefer, do anda think?”
Gwen sighs. “I really want some pasta, but Freya loves Chinese food.”
Arthur smiles and kisses her.
Leon and Merlin come out with plates. “Chili dogs,” Leon declares, setting the two plates he has in front of Arthur and Gwen.
“Oh my God, these look sinful,” Gwen gushes. Merlin sets their plates down on the bar as Leon disappears again, coming out with a tray filled with condiments.
“I didn’t know what anda all liked, so we’ll do it this way,” he says, setting the piring down in the middle of them. It has chopped onions, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, and hot peppers each in their own little dishes.
Guinevere immediately reaches for the cheese and bacon, Arthur chooses cheese and daging babi asap, bacon as well as the tomatoes, and Merlin dives immediately for the hot peppers. Leon has everything.
Gwaine saunters in just as they tuck in, the lads picking theirs up and biting messily while Gwen takes the tidier option of a pisau and fork.
“Ah, I see anda waited for me like one pig waits for another, as usual, and what on God’s green earth is that?”
Leon sets his dog down and disappears for 30 seconds, emerging with a plate for Gwaine. “Is your sister coming over?” he asks quietly.
“Don’t think so, sorry. She was grumbling something about her back and a hot bath,” he says, tunggu his chili dog up with all the toppings, heavy on the peppers.
“Still giving her trouble, hmm?” Leon asks, frowning.
“It always will, mate.”
“What happened?” Gwen asks.
“Car accident a couple years ago. Bloody lorry driver was falling asleep and sideswiped her, sending her into a wall. Wrecked her lower back,” Gwaine explains, his mouth full. “Holy shit Leon, I think I need to change my pants,” he adds, closing his eyes as he chews.
“How terrible,” Gwen says, taking a drink. “And yes, Leon, these are really good.”
“Phil was lucky, though, if he had been going faster, she would have hit harder and she probably wouldn’t be able to walk now,” Merlin adds.
“Oh, God, that’s awful,” she says, wondering if her recurring pain contributes to her less-than-sunny disposition.
“I know what you’re thinking, and she was already Mary Sunshine before the accident,” Arthur says. Leon flicks Arthur’s ear for that comment.
“Gwen! Oh, shit! I didn’t get to tell you!” Merlin suddenly exclaims.
“I know, anda haven’t told me anything about your meeting,” she says, turning towards him again.
“Sorry! anda were right, he is so amazing. Like anda said, not posh at all. Old, but sharp as a tack. And funny, I couldn’t believe it!”
“So it went well, then?” Gwen smiles, knowing that it did indeed go very well. She saw the contract.
“You know it did, Gwen. But I, um, insisted that anda would be my editor. Only you. That was my one stipulation.”
Gwen nearly spits a chunk of hot dog across the bar, and Arthur pounds her back while she coughs, recovering.
“It’s on the contract,” Merlin adds.
“Merlin! anda didn’t have to do that!” Apparently I should have looked closer at the contract.
“Yes, I did. I saw your edits, Gwen; he showed me. anda are brilliant and I trust you, therefore yours is the only red pen that will touch my work.”
Gwen leans across the bar and hugs him. “You will be much lebih enjoyable to work with then that twat Marcus Ryan,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “Oh! Speaking of him, I have to tell you…”
Part 26: link