I don't own Merlin sadly, it belongs to the BBC

Summary: When Merlin moves into his new house the first person he meets is a cheeky thirteen year old boy, as he introduces himself properly he meets the boy's father, Arthur. Merlin quickly learns where the boy gets his cheekiness from

This is just a oneshot I thought of, hope you all like.

Warnings: Light malexmale, AU, Rated 'M' as there are swear words in this

I apologise in advance for any mistakes I may have made.

Thirteen year old Adam was kicking his football about in the driveway, "get ready dad." He laughed before kicking the ball.

Arthur Pendragon jumped up as the ball headed towards him and stopped the ball, laughing as he threw it back to his son. "Need to be better than that." He said just as he saw a removal van pull up along with a blue car that parked up, he watched as a man his age got out with jet black hair, smile on his face as he talked to the removal men.

"Dad!" Adam shouted but it was too late, the ball hit Arthur at the side of the head, he ran over to his dad who shook his head. "I shouted you but you didn't answer."

"It's alright son, come here a minute." Arthur said as he crouched down, "we have a new neighbour, get on my shoulders and look over this fence."

Adam laughed and did as he was told.

Merlin walked up the driveway and stopped when he saw a head pop up at the top of the fence. "Well hello, I must say you are awfully tall for someone so young, what are you? Thirteen? Fourteen."

"The first."

"Ah."

"You married sir?" Adam asked.

"Adam!" Arthur hissed.

Merlin laughed. "I am guessing you are on your dad's shoulders? Is his head alright? That football you kicked hit him pretty hard."

Adam smiled, "where there is no sense there is no feeling I say -ah!" Adam gasped before dropping out of sight.

Merlin walked down the driveway and peeped around the corner to see a blond man stood there, the boy in front of him with his arm over the boy's shoulder and resting on his chest. "I am Merlin Emrys I am your new neighbour." He said with his hand out.

Arthur shook his hand first, smiling at the brunet. "I am -"

"I know who you are Arthur Pendragon, I knew I wouldn't forget you, I see you named him Adam."

"I did." Arthur frowned. "How do you know who I am?"

Merlin looked over his shoulder and saw his sister Freya get out of her car before telling what's what to the removal men. "Ah my sister has arrived, I will only be shoved out of the way by her if I go back now, mind if I come in for a cup of tea?"

"Yeah!" Adam said, "mind if I go and introduce myself to your sister and offer help? I won't be nosy promise."

Merlin laughed. "Of course you can, all I ask is you keep away from my work things."

"What are your work things?" Adam asked.

"I am a doctor."

"Ok doc. See you later dad." He said and ran down the drive.

Arthur sighed. "Sorry about him, I keep telling him not to be so forward with people he doesn't know but he has always been like it."

Merlin smiled. "That's okay, better to be like that then close yourself off from everyone. No milk and one sugar in my tea."

Ten minutes later found Arthur and Merlin sat at Arthur's kitchen table, both of them having a hot drink before them. "So." Arthur started. "How is it you know me? I am sure I would have remembered meeting you."

"I know you as it was what happened after what happened to you that made me change jobs."

"So you wasn't always going to be a doctor?"

"No. I was." Merlin cleared his throat. "I was one of the many students that was there when your wife gave birth."

"Ah. A woman not surviving the birth put you off then?"

"No. What my teacher at the time said afterward. Since becoming a doctor I have delivered over two hundred babies and lost only three mothers and one of those she was dying, she was told if she carried to term with her other illness she wouldn't survive but she refused treatment as it could have affected the baby, I was happy that she had a girl and her husband named her after her mother."

"Wow Merlin."

Merlin smiled. "Looking at that picture of you and your son playing in the driveway and messing around is that a regular thing?"

"It is, we are always playing and play fighting and messing around, I was determined to give my son the childhood I didn't have, my mother died shortly after I was born, father threw himself into his work and had nannies raise me. Me? I switched jobs so that I could work from home so I could be a full time dad while earning to pay for what my son needed and was always there for him never missed anything."

"That is amazing Arthur, you look same age as me, are you Thirty four?"

"Thirty five. May I ask what that teacher said after my wife died that made you switch jobs?"

"He said such a waste, mother now gone, given your age you are just a kid yourself so he gave it six months before the baby was left parentless and in care. That angered me, I couldn't work under and learn from a man so cold, I told him exactly what I thought of him and walked out, next day I signed up to become a doctor, took me three years more but I got there, been a doctor ten years now and love it."

"Wanker, I remember him as well, looked down his nose at me and my wife."

"Were you married long?"

"Not even a year, Adam was conceived on honeymoon. Lisa was a great woman, she never failed to put a smile on someone's face, she gave me Adam and I will always love her for that."

Merlin looked closely at Arthur. "She was more friend than lover."

"She was. We started out as lovers and still were when we married, we were married within a few months of meeting."

"You decided to become friends halfway through your marriage?"

"Yes. We said we wouldn't divorce until after Adam was born, but we still remained great friends, close friends."

Merlin reached across the table and placed his hand on Arthur's. "I am sorry for your loss Arthur."

"It's okay." Came a voice from the doorway.

Both Merlin and Arthur turned their heads to see Adam standing there. "Mum would have wanted dad to move on, it's about time he did." Adam said staring at both of their hands.

Merlin pulling back, he cleared his throat. "I better go and check on that sister of mine."

"Oh yeah I came back to warn you, she has picked out the biggest bedroom and said that is hers for when she decides to stay."

Merlin laughed and tapped Adam on the head. "I don't think so, thank you for the warning." He said before looking at Arthur. "And thank you for the tea," he smiled before leaving.

Arthur had just sat down handing his son his fry up breakfast and tucking into his own, sticking his fork in his sausage when a knock sounded at the door.

"Who is here at this time of the morning?" Adam asked.

"The time son is just after ten, you only think it is early as you have not long been up, trying getting up at six like your old man here." Arthur answered as he walked to answer the door, fork in hand.

Merlin looked up as the door opened and saw Arthur standing there, fork in hand with a sausage at the end of it. "Morning, I just wanted to let you know work starts on my driveway this afternoon."

"Oh?"

"Yes I am having that fence down and having a small wall built there instead, not a tall wall, no higher than our knees."

"Oh that's great news, my son and I have always hated that tall fence, the old couple that lived there before you wouldn't have it taken down, even in the state it is in, I even offered to pay to have it taken down and something else put in its place but no, the old man did nothing but insult me, yet I have done nothing to him, his wife was alright, did nothing but flirt with me even well into her eighties!" Arthur laughed. "Glad they have moved."

Merlin smiled. "Yes Gran and granddad are like that."

"Oh fuck I am sorry I didn't mean-"

"No no, I didn't want them living here their age, they wanted to retire and live by the coast, they never could afford it, so I bought their house and told them to go and do what they have always planned. They are in their eighties but I have never known anyone move so quick, within a week they had a place down the coast and were at a pub overlooking the beach enjoying the scenery. So you don't mind about the fence coming down?"

"No not at all."

Merlin smiled as he looked Arthur up and down. "I will leave you to it then, nice sausage Arthur, if I hadn't just had my breakfast my mouth would be around that." He smirked as he left.

"Was he playing on the word sausage meaning your cock dad?"

Arthur turned and saw his son there. "You were listening? Get indoors, cheeky sod," he added shoving his laughing son indoors and closing the door behind them.

Later that afternoon Adam stepped out the front door and getting on his swegway he started to go up and down the driveway, watching men work as they took down the fence and started to get it ready for the wall.

"Hey kid don't get in the way."

"The only way that would happen is if you came over here, I am on my own driveway."

"Aren't those illegal, no cheek or I will report you." The man said.

"Try it old man." Adam laughed.

Just then Merlin came out with a tray of hot drinks. "Here we go."

The man who was talking with Adam walked over to Merlin, "I don't envy you living here, I have only known that kid there five minutes, cheeky sod he is, you ought to watch out for him."

Merlin looked over at Adam who gave him a cheeky smile. "He's harmless." He said as he walked over to Adam and started to talk with him.

Arthur got up from his desk when he heard Adam laughing and looked out of the window and couldn't believe what he saw, Adam was standing there with a grin on his face and Merlin, Merlin was on his son's swegway.

Merlin stepped off it. "I don't see what all the fuss is about myself, and pay no attention to that worker, he can't report you for that if you are staying on your own property." He said, looking up he saw Arthur quickly back away from the window. "Tell your dad he isn't as discreet as he likes to think when looking at me."

"Merlin... Do you like my dad?"

"Of course, what isn't to like. See you later Adam."

With the small wall now being up and being in the middle of summer on his days off if it was nice Merlin spent his time in the front garden at a table and bench, either reading or relaxing.

"You do know it will be easier if you just walk over there and ask him out don't you dad." Adam asked.

"Of course I do, but it isn't that simple, I mean, you were there when I asked him out, he just laughed and said maybe,"

"He won't say no though will he? I mean you are both always flirting."

"We need to sit and talk and then move in closer."

"I get it dad." Adam laughed. "I have an idea."

"Oh yeah?" Arthur asked as he fired his water gun wetting his son who laughed and squirted back before running down the garden.

Merlin looked up when he heard laughter and saw Arthur and Adam running around squirting each other with water, he smiled as Arthur squirted his son and then hid behind a tree. Merlin placed his book down and picking up a water balloon he made he stood up and threw it hard hitting Arthur at the back of the head.

Arthur jumped when he felt something hit the back of his head before becoming soaked, he jumped out from behind the tree and turned to see a laughing Merlin, he just opened his mouth to say something when Adam beat him to it.

"Found you!" He laughed and squirted his dad.

"Not fair Merlin helped you." Arthur said as he dropped his water gun and took off his wet top. "And seeing as you only won by Merlin helping I say game over," he looked over his shoulder to Merlin. "If you wanted to see me wet you only had to ask."

Merlin blushed and stammered before clearing his throat and walking back over to his book.

Arthur grinned at Adam who gave a thumbs up. "Right then kiddo, takeaway I think."

That weekend Merlin was in his front garden mowing the grass when Arthur pulled his car onto the driveway and hurrying out he opened the passenger door and lifted his son out and passed his keys over letting Adam lock the car up. "Come on son we need to get some ice on it."

Adam winced. "I thought it was heat dad."

"I don't know! I will look it up, let's get you comfortable."

Arthur had just placed Adam on the settee when a knock sounded at the door. "I will be right back son."

"Merlin?" Arthur asked when he opened the door.

"Can I see Adam? Please I want to help."

"Of course, sorry I didn't want to bother you. He fell playing football, he can't put weight on his ankle, he can move in a bit so I know it isn't broken."

Adam sat still while Merlin looked at his ankle and then placed something cold on it after wrapping it up. "Keep weight off it Adam lad, you have badly sprained it, as you can move it your dad is right."

Arthur thanked Merlin and saw him to the door before closing it and walking into the kitchen to see his son standing beside the freezer getting an ice cream. "I fake an injury and you just show him to the door dad?"

"We can't have one thing leading to another with you in next room son. No, I need to get in his house if I get in his house and one thing leads to another then it will be fine as we will be alone."

Adam laughed. "How are you going to get in his house if he doesn't invite you in."

"He will if something happened to me."

"Oh?"

Arthur smiled.

It had been two weeks since then and in those two weeks Arthur and Merlin had flirted and even shared kisses but he was never invited into Merlin's home.

Merlin pulled onto his driveway and took his bag indoors, he stood on the doorstep and watched Arthur and Adam on the driveway, "just try it dad!" Adam laughed.

Merlin smirked, Arthur trying a swegway, now this he had to see, leaving his front door open Merlin slowly walked over to father and son.

"Okay but hold on to me, don't let go."

"I won't dad." Adam laughed as he helped Arthur keep his balance as he stood on one, "that's it dad, now go a little forward."

Arthur gingerly let go of his son and only managed a few feet before he fell off the thing. "Ow!" He hissed, holding his leg.

Merlin hurried over and dropped to his knees. "What are you doing trying one of those things at your age" he said as he touched Arthur's leg. "Come inside my house let me take a look at you."

Arthur jumped up. "At last I thought you would never ask, come on I will race you." He said and ran in Merlin's house.

Merlin looked at Adam. "I am guessing there is about as much wrong with his leg as there was your ankle." He laughed.

"You knew I was faking it?"

"I am a doctor of course I know, looks like your dad got what he wanted, are you alright on your own for a while?"

"Yeah, I am off to my mates." Adam said as he picked up his swegway and ran off the drive.

Epilogue

Merlin pulled the van up on the driveway and got out and smiled at Arthur who came jogging out of the house. "Right then I have got the final boxes in the back of the van from my house, well, old house."

Arthur kissed Merlin as he opened the van's back doors, "you do know that if you had waited we could have just carried all of these over the wall, instead we have had to pay for a van that will carry your things only next door."

"Well yes but I wanted that fence down when I was there as I could see you more, those who have bought the house I had to fight them for it, they got wind of my grandparents selling, I do not like them at all, and you know what I am like, if I don't like someone you should know that they must be not very nice people. Why do you think a six foot fence has gone up our side, they can't touch it." He laughed.

"Now then, this has got books in it, you are a very nice strong man, you carry this one."

Arthur laughed and picked up the box, carrying it into the house he saw Adam come out holding his swegway. "You alright carrying that? Not too heavy?"

"Nope."

"Well then put that down and help Merlin, sooner we have van unloaded the sooner the driveway is all yours."

Within an hour the van was empty and Merlin had gone to take it back while Arthur put boxes in certain rooms that was labelled.

Adam looked up when he saw Merlin drive onto the driveway in his own car and opened the garage doors, smiling when Merlin smiled and nodded at him when he drove past and pulled up in the garage.

Getting out Merlin closed the garage doors and walked over to Adam. "Can I have another go?"

"Of course."

"Good, watch your dad come out, he is watching us at the window." Merlin said as he got on, he spun around a few times before falling off it.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted as he ran out of the house, he hurried over and picked Merlin up. "You called me six months ago for going on one of these at my age and you are just as bad."

"I know, there is also nothing wrong with me, I faked it just like you did six months ago, but now you have me in your arms you can carry me indoors."

Arthur laughed. "Stay on the driveway son." He said as he carried Merlin inside for them both to start unpacking.

Adam started to go up and down on his swegway before he slowly started to spin, slowly getting faster and faster before he stopped and cursed, moving up and down the driveway again he started to try and spin once more.

"Oh for fucks sake." Arthur growled as he looked out the window before heading to the front door.

Merlin hurried to the window and seeing Adam spinning on his swegway he hurried after Arthur.

Arthur hurried over to his son and grabbing him by the waist he quickly pulled him off. "Are you stupid?"

"Dad I nearly had it! I am going for a record."

"What record is that? Seeing how many times you can spin before being violently sick!"

"No I am fine, there is a record for how many spins you can do and I want the record."

"Try another record son. Come on, let's go and help Merlin, I need you on my side, he wants to redecorate our bedroom."

Adam laughed, "I don't blame him, your bedroom dad is like a bachelor pad, you no longer are one."

"Exactly." Came Merlin's voice, "come on, I put a pizza in, lets eat before starting again."

It was the next day when Arthur went out and Merlin was mowing the front garden, Adam was going up and down the drive when he saw a car slowly drive up to the driveway, the car was turning to pull into the driveway next door, moving further down the driveway he saw a woman about his dads age narrow her eyes at him before disappearing out of sight.

Adam hurried over to Merlin. "Dad help me up, I wanna see."

Merlin froze at Adam's words. "What did you just call me?"

Adam rolled his eyes with a smile. "Well you are as good as aren't you! Please, that woman gave me a look."

Merlin left the lawn mower running and hurried over to the fence, helping Adam get on his shoulders he stood up.

Adam placed his hands on the fence and looked over to see a man getting out of the car and hurrying around to open the door for his wife who seemed to have a permanent look of disgust on her face. The woman got out and looked around before spotting Adam.

"Get down from there you nosy little child!" she snapped.

"You started it, looking into the driveway, looking at me like that, now I see that is your normal look," he said before looking at the man. "Why did you open the door for her?"

"Because my husband is a gentleman, and gentlemen open doors for ladies."

Adam nodded. "That still doesn't explain why he opened it for you."

"Why you disobedient malicious child!"

Merlin hearing hurrying footsteps quickly got Adam down and ran over to the lawnmower and continued to cut the grass.

The woman turned the corner and walked up the driveway, glaring at Adam who gave her a cheeky grin and marched up to Merlin. "You there, stop that at once."

Merlin hearing her continued to mow as if he didn't hear her or even see her, he turned the mower towards the woman and mowed the grass making it go everywhere and causing it to splatter the woman with wet grass, Merlin only looked up when he heard her squeal. He turned the mower off. "Oh hello, what were you doing standing so close?" he asked as the woman tried to brush the grass off but with it being wet only stained her clothes.

Adam seeing all this shouted over. "Fancy a woman like you having grass stains, I bet that is a first!"

Merlin tried his hardest not to laugh. "Can I help you?"

"Is that your child?"

"No he is my lovers child."

"But a man lives here, a blond man I remember when I wanted that house off you."

"Arthur is my lover and father to Adam."

"You mean I am living next door to filth!"

"Now you know how we feel when we heard you were moving here!" Adam called out just as Arthur pulled onto the driveway.

"Father!" Adam hurried over over and hugged Arthur, "that woman called me names and filth, am I father?"

"You are nothing of the sort!" he said as he looked up to see the woman with her nose in the air. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I am your new neighbour. Mrs Smythe."

"And your first job is to come and upset my son!, You have reduced a thirteen year old boy to tears!" he snapped hugging his son close to him.

"He was cheeky, to me and told me I wasn't a lady."

"He is right, Ladies do not go calling children making them cry, get off my land."

Mrs Smythe huffed. "My husband will hear of this," she said as she walked off the driveway.

"I couldn't give a shit!" Arthur called after her before stepping back and wiping his thumbs across Adam's cheeks. "Lets wipe away those invisible tears," he laughed.

Merlin laughed, "you ought to have heard it and seen it, but that wasn't the best thing."

"It wasn't?"

"No, Adam called me dad!" Merlin beamed hugging Arthur.

Adam smiled and joined in the hug, "well you are aren't you, why shouldn't I call you it?" he laughed.

Merlin smiled and hugged his family tighter, his family. Finally, he had a man he loved and now a son, all he wanted and all he thought he would never have.

The end.

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