araneieiselTitle: Working His Way To A Second Chance
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Morgana/Leon background
Character/s: Arthur, Morgana, Leon
Summary: Expectation is defined as believing that something is going to happen or believing that something should be a certain way.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 523
Prompt: Camelot Drabble Prompt: Expectation
Author's Notes: This is a continuation of my Choices Series: http://archiveofourown.org/series/310104
As usual, not beta'd because A. I don't have one, and B. I write slow and obsessively re-read my work. If you find something wickity wack, let me know. Also, this series is based totally on Camelot Drabble prompts so I have no idea where it is going, if you have thoughts about that, let me know.
Arthur couldn’t have said what had gotten into him. He had never been inclined toward fanciful thinking but he couldn’t get Morgana’s words out of his mind. “There’s definitely room for second chances.” More than a couple of weeks had passed since Lance had said he would speak to Merlin but so far nothing had been forthcoming. Putting Lance on the spot again seemed wrong so Arthur came up with his own plan, well, not so much a plan as an idea or really more like a vague collection of thoughts.
A second chance with Merlin was something that simply had to happen. He felt desperately the need to make amends, and though hidden deep within his heart was a small sliver of hope that they would get back together, Arthur held no illusions. At this point he again wanted to be able to call Merlin his friend and was willing to do whatever it took. His problem though was that there was no way to just simply run into Merlin. They lived, worked and played in different parts of the city. The only place their lives intersected was through mutual friends who were still keeping them apart. That list included Morgana though he was willing to bet she would deny it.
Morgana had at first assumed that Arthur was turning up more regularly for cooked meals and company. He was after all a bachelor living in a hole-in-the-wall apartment by himself and she certainly wouldn’t begrudge him a place at her table. But before long it seemed that Arthur was always there and as much as they got on it still seemed weird. She would have paid more attention to it except she had her own crisis. Morgause was leaving, returning to France permanently.
Arthur could hardly believe it. He knew at once that this was what he needed. It really wasn’t much bigger than his current place, it had a bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and an entrance from outside. It was perfect. Morgana and Merlin were not just friends, they babysat each other’s children. This was how he was going to simply run into Merlin. Morgana had literally just returned from taking Morgause to the airport when Arthur approached her. She could solve his current housing problems, a clean, safe place to live that they weren’t tearing down in six months time.
She balked at first, “I don’t know what you have in mind but I am not going to be your maid, cook and laundress.” It took him a few days to assure her that he had no such thoughts, that he had been thinking he could help her in partial payment for rent. He would have to keep it quiet, clean and no bimbos for the girls to see. Negotiations were a constant back and forth that had Arthur worried for his plan until Leon entered the fray. “You know you are going to give in so just give in.” For the sake of all parties they put it in writing. Arthur wasted no time moving into the small apartment. Now all he had to do was wait.