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It was time for bed in the Emrys household. And with the end of each day, Merlin was told a bedtime story. It was one of his favorite parts of the day. No matter how it had gone, he could count on Hunith reading him to sleep.
Tonight Arthur was over and even though he was a “big kid” at seven years old he secretly still loved getting a bedtime story. She knew him well enough to know that he often hid his love of them because he was too shy to ask Hunith to read to him as Uther rarely did. On the rare occasion that Arthur did ask his dad, he would get an annoyed sigh followed by him saying something along the lines of, “Arthur read yourself a story, you’re too old for me to read to you.” Then Uther would dismiss him and go back to his work, leaving Arthur feeling ashamed at himself for being so childish. Hunith knew that he always looked forward to these bedtime readings when he visited and she was more than happy to comply.
“What should we read tonight boys?” Hunith had settled the boys in for bed. She didn’t know why she bothered to set up another bed for Arthur as he always just ended up sleeping on Merlin’s. But Merlin always insisted that Hunith make a separate bed for him because he always ended up stealing all the blankets in the middle of the night, making him wake up cold. Merlin could be a rather unrelenting child so it was best not to argue with him, Hunith reasoned.
“Sleeping Beauty!” yells Merlin. Hunith was sitting on the edge of Merlin’s bed facing the boys who were currently cuddling each other. Merlin’s body was curled into Arthur’s chest and he faced Hunith eager to hear her read. Arthur had placed both his arms around him and rested his head on Merlin’s. Hunith smiled at them, “Arthur? Is Sleeping Beauty okay with you?”
“I guess so. Merlin always compares me to Prince Phillip.” He looks down at her son fondly and kisses his forehead.
“Mommy before you start reading can I ask you a question?” Merlin’s cheeks are blushing as Arthur starts to caress his face.
“Honey, you can ask me whatever you want.”
“Why are there no fairytales about a boy falling in love with another boy?” Merlin voice is soft as he says the words, like he knows, this question requires more than a simple answer.
Hunith clears her throat. She hadn’t anticipated that. “Well, I believe it’s because when these fairytales were written, most people didn’t think that people of the same gender should be able to fall in love.”
“But I love Arthur with all my heart.” Merlin emphasizes the word love and looks up into Arthur’s eyes. Arthur blushes and mouths, “I love you too.” they gaze into each other’s eyes for several moments before Hunith speaks and gets their attention again. “I know that sweetie and I believe that those people were foolish to think that.”
“I agree.” Merlin says proudly. Arthur nods his head in agreement.
Hunith leaves the conversation at that, anymore and she would have ended up in a rage of emotion, probably saying a few choice words that were not suitable to a child’s ears in regards to the people who discriminated against same-sex couples.
---
In the morning Arthur awakes to find a bed devoid of Merlin. He still feels disoriented from sleep and keeps sweeping his hand up and down Merlin’s side of the bed, feeling no Merlin.
Arthur remembers climbing in shortly after Hunith had left, laying next to Merlin to sleep.
He also remembers being punched in the arm after he took “too much” of the blanket. Arthur doesn’t even realize he’s doing it sometimes, he started to say, but Merlin just sighs and presses his body right up to Arthur’s so that they could both share the blanket. This arrangement works quite well for both of them they find.
How Merlin had managed to leave without Arthur knowing was a mystery. He would have at least made a racket of noise as he exited his room, bumping into or stepping on one of the many toys that were strewn around the floor.
Arthur climbs out of bed and goes to search for him.
He finds Merlin at his art desk creating something very colorful and made of paper.
“Merlin? What are you doing?” Arthur made his way over to him to look at his art project.
Merlin was so engrossed in his work he hadn’t heard Arthur approaching him, but he immediately uses his body to cover what he had been working on. “Arthur! Go back to sleep! This is a secret project! Leave now!”
“Why can’t I see it? Please sweetie? I promise I won’t tell anyone what it is.” Arthur does his best pout, he knows Merlin can’t resist it.
“Absolutely not! It’s not ready! I’ll show you when I’m done.” Merlin knows Arthur is trying to persuade him with his puppy dog pout, but he will NOT fall for it. He makes a point of avoiding to look at Arthur.
“When will you show me?”
“Tonight. I promise.”
---
Night falls, and its story time again. Hunith goes to the book shelf to pick out a couple of books to read. When she turns around, Merlin isn’t sitting on the bed. “Arthur, what is Merlin up to?”
“I don’t know. He just ran off saying he forgot something.” Arthur shrugs his shoulders.
Down the hallway she hears the sound of running approaching the room, followed by Merlin’s voice, “Wait! I want to read the story tonight!”
Merlin rushes in carrying a very colorful stack of papers. It’s stapled together on the side with ten different staples and the pages are all slightly varying in sizes. It’s clearly Merlin-made and he couldn’t be more excited to show it off. “I made a story and I want to read it to you guys!” Merlin face is full of excitement.
“Are you ready for the surprise Arthur?” Merlin is grinning widely, body shaking with anticipation.
“Yes! Finally!”
Hunith is pleasantly surprised and eager to hear it.
Clearing his throat and sitting up straight Merlin began:
Once upon a time there was a very very very preety printz who lived in a big cassle.
Da printz had a lot of frends, but sumtimes he cud be a bit of a prat.
“Hey, am I the prince?”
“Shhhh! Arthur don’t interrupt me.”
Da printz had nice yello hair that lookd like da sun and blu eyes dat looked like the cee.
But da printz had a bad curse that turned him into a big mean dragon at night.
Wen he wuz a dragon everywon wuz scared of him. Dee only thing that cood save him was troo luvs kiss.
One day a sooper awsum cool boy named Merlo hurd about the mean dragon.
The town peepol told Merlo to kill the dragon becuz it scared da villajurs.
Merlo was veri brave so he agreed to do it.
Just wen he wuz about to kill the dragon, he noticed that the dragon looked a little bit like the printz.
Then the sun roze in da sky and the dragon turned into a persun.
But not just any person. Da Printz!
Merlo was so shoked. He almost killed da printz! He wood have never forgave himself if he killed him.
Merlo walked near the printz and saw dat he was asleep.
Da Printz was even more booteefool up close.
Merlo thought he was da most preeti boy eva. So he kissed the printz on da lips.
Just den da printz opened his eyes and looked at Merlo. They fell in love enstantlee.
Den day got marrreed and livd hapilee eva after. DEE END.
Hunith had tears in her eyes. That was the sweetest most adorable thing she had ever heard.
“Mommy, why are you crying? I didn’t make a sad story.” Merlin’s eyes were wide and he looked at his mom in puzzlement.
She walked over to him and gave him a hug, then turned to Arthur and told him to join in. Hugging for a while until Hunith spoke. “Honey, that was the most beautiful and touching story ever. I loved it very much, baby.”
Merlin’s answering grin was almost reaching both ends of his face. “Thank you Mommy! What about you Arthur? Did you like it?”
“It was the best fairytale ever! And you made the characters in love like us!” Arthur then proceeded to kiss and tickle Merlin all over.
“Okay guys, calm down. You both have school tomorrow!” She couldn’t quite get the grin on her face to subside.