Merthur One-shots

A Truly Terrible Idea

Summary: Merlin is only supposed to drop off some files at the marriage counseling office. He does not expect to get couples therapy. With a guy he doesen't even know.

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The office of the marriage counseler was on the second floor of a brick building that looked out of place between the towering houses of Notting Hill.

Merlin checked the name on the doorbell again - Doctor Smith, couple therapy - before pressing it. Only a few seconds later the door buzzed, letting him in.

The walls of the receptionary were painted in a baby pink and lined with framed pictures that depicted couples, smiling happily but superficially into the camera. Merlin had to suppress wrinkling his nose. Surely, seeing posed picturebook couples would solve the problems in your marriage immediately.

A woman was sitting behind a high, bubblegum-coloured counter, chattering excitedly on a phone. The waiting area was empty except for a young guy in an expensive looking suit who stood leaning against a wall in a manner that screamed ‘I’m too cool to sit down and also, I’m super hot and I know it’. Sadly, it was kind of true.

Merlin stepped to the counter and started to search for the documents in his bag which he was supposed to drop off on his uncle's behalf. He found them - only slightly wrinkled - but before he could even open his mouth the secretary lifted a finger and gestured for him to wait. She then continued her call that clearly had nothing to do with her job.

Impatiently, Merlin rocked on the soles of his feet. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do today, but he was tired from work and missed his small flat, shabby as it was. And he literally only had to tell the woman that the letters were from Gaius’s accounting company and then he could leave.

When the secretary’s conversation moved on from the dinner plans this evening to what she should wear to the party next weekend (“I look atrocious in green”) Merlin let his eyes wander through the room. Suit-guy was scrolling on his phone and Merlin wondered whether he had problems in his marriage. When the guy lifted his gaze Merlin quickly looked away.

A door next to him opened and a middle aged woman with pinned up, dark hair and black rimmed glasses peaked into the waiting area, spotting suit-guy and Merlin.

She smiled openly. “You’re here, perfekt. I already waited for the two of you. Come in, come in.”

She gestured towards the room.

Merlin, although a bit confused, followed her. Gaius had told him to give the documents to the secretary but maybe the therapist herself dealt with things like that and she would just take the letters before having an appointment with suit-guy, who came in right after Merlin. He also looked slightly puzzled but Merlin blamed that on the actual counseling room which was designed even worse than the receptionary. There were two yellow sofas that hurt looking at and at one of the walls a big canvas announced ‘Love is the greatest adventure of all' in bubbly writing that looked as if someone had just discovered different internet fonts.

The woman rustled through a file. “Just have a seat, please,” she said without looking at them. Merlin, still confused, sat down on the edge of the sofa.

Maybe Gaius had forgotten to tell him about something else she wanted to talk about concerning the financials. Not that Merlin could help her with that, he just occasionally helped out his uncle. And what was suit-guy doing in here with them?