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Despite how Merlin had abhorred being Arthur’s manservant at first, at this being his destiny – to slave and protect the arrogant ass of a prince – Merlin was quick to find that they held a certain … connection, to each other. After months of knowing Arthur, and knowing what the prince was really liked, Merlin slowly began to fall in love with him.
And that frightened Merlin. Because, how could he love Arthur, who was Uther’s son and shared his father’s view on magic? And, how could they ever be together because they were two men? Arthur was going to be King. He’d need a wife, someone who could produce heirs. Not Merlin. It could never be Merlin.
But, despite knowing this, Merlin couldn’t help loving his prince. His Arthur. Nobody would ever understand Arthur the way Merlin did, he knew that.
Despite knowing this, Merlin couldn’t help but crave for Arthur to love him back.
Because, despite his rough exterior, Arthur seemed almost sweet at times (something Merlin would have laughed at if anyone had told him this in the first month of knowing Arthur). Arthur was loyal, and wanted justice. He was fair.
He would be a great king, and Merlin would have to be at his side as a manservant, not as a lover or an equal. It was unfair.
For months, Merlin kept his affections a secret. Arthur never noticed, but Merlin did catch the prince staring at him with an odd expression, one Merlin couldn’t quite place and it was always quick to disappear. Sometimes Merlin would spot it when the prince was first waking up, or when he was bathing, or even when Merlin was doing something particularly stupid or clumsy. It was always odd moments.
Though, they still bickered, and Arthur still threw things at him. But, it was nice. Merlin relished in it, knowing that this was probably as close as he would ever get to having a romantic relationship with Arthur.
*.*.*.
Then, one day during the hunt Arthur had dragged him along to – just the two of them, Arthur had claimed that he wanted to test his skills and see if he could catch things without the patrol, to which Merlin had retorted why did Merlin have to come as well – after Arthur had gotten a hare with his bow, he turned to Merlin with a wide grin, the one that made Merlin’s heart pound, and strode over to him, wrapping an arm about Merlin’s shoulder and pressed a kiss to Merlin’s temple, bragging something which Merlin couldn’t hear over his heartbeat in his ears, and then released Merlin and strode off to collect his prey.
Merlin was left behind, standing and staring after Arthur in confusion, blood heating his pale cheeks and turning them red. What was that? Arthur had never done that before. Sure, he pulled Merlin about by an arm around his shoulder, and he’d captured Merlin in a headlock to give him a noogie when Merlin was feeling down, but he’d never given him a kiss before.
Merlin was still just as confused when Arthur returned with the hare in one hand, and the bloody arrow in the other and a grin on his face.
“Come on, Merlin! Don’t just stand there! Go make the fire and water the horses!” Arthur called as he made his way to the stream to clean and skin the hare.
Blinking himself out of his daze, Merlin did as he was told, and watered the horses and tied them to trees, and then went off and collected firewood. Merlin used the time to try and pull his mind from the kiss.
Arthur had just been happy about the kill, Merlin told himself sternly, it was nothing. Arthur was still acting casual, so, clearly, it hadn’t meant anything to the prince.
Sighing, Merlin raised a hand and pressed his fingers to his temple for a moment and closed his eyes, recalling the feeling of Arthur’s lips pressed there, and then shook his head, determined. If Arthur was acting like it was nothing, then so should Merlin!
With his armful of firewood, Merlin made his way back to the horses and started setting them up so he could start a fire to cook Arthur’s catches from today. It was too late to head back to Camelot, but that was alright. They weren’t expected back until tomorrow.
Merlin was humming softly to himself as he set up the fire and set it alight carefully. By the time Arthur came back, there was a nice warm fire and the sun was almost set.
“You’re not normally so cheerful on hunts,” Arthur commented as he skewered his kills and set them over the fire.
“We’re going home tomorrow,” Merlin told Arthur with a grin, to which the prince rolled his eyes.
“You’re such a girl, Merlin,” Arthur sighed, but there was a fondness in his tone that made Merlin ignore the insult and settle for huffing softly.
*.*.*.
In the morning, Merlin woke to the feel of something soft and warm on his forehead, and Arthur murmuring softly, “Wake up, Merlin, we need to head out.”
Merlin grumbled softly, but woke before Arthur decided to go back to his usual tactic of waking Merlin – which generally involved kicking.
Sighing, Merlin opened his eyes and blinked in surprise at the close proximity of Arthur’s face and that odd expression Merlin still had yet to figure out.
“I’m up,” Merlin grumbled softly.
Arthur ruffled Merlin’s hair and then stood. Looking around, Merlin was surprised to see everything already packed up.
Merlin blinked in dazed surprise, and looked at Arthur, who was fixing the straps on his horse, and decided not to mention it lest it never happened again.
Why was Arthur suddenly being nice to him?
*.*.*.
It was a few days later, when they were safely back in Camelot and Arthur had made no odd moves of affection, and Merlin was clearing the muck out of the stables when Arthur appeared in the doorway.
Merlin didn’t notice him at first, grimacing and grumbling as he worked on the disgusting chore, and jolted in surprise as arms wrapped around him from behind and a firm body pressed against his, a face pressed into the back of his neck.
Merlin recognised Arthur instantly, almost instinctively, and opened his mouth to ask what he was doing, heat rushing to his cheeks and heart pounding, when Arthur spoke first.
“My father is trying to get me to be interested in some princess,” Arthur spoke softly, his breath warming the back of his neckerchief as well as part of his neck, “But all I can think about whilst he speaks of pretty princesses and doting wives is you. I don’t want someone who will simply bow to my every needs. I want someone who’ll argue with him, talk sense into me, keep me from doing stupid things even if I am the king.”
Arthur sighed, shifted slightly and pressed a kiss to the back of Merlin’s neck. “You. You’ve been invading my mind for months. I can hardly think of anything else. You and your frustrating-ness and your stupid grin and your pale skin. Your stubbornness. And don’t think I haven’t caught how you look at me. You like me too, don’t you Merlin?” The words were spoken directly into the skin of Merlin’s neck, which made him shiver and his eyes close.
“Y-you sure sound certain of yourself, you prat,” Merlin managed to stutter out, and Arthur chuckled.
“Well?” He persisted, “Do you like me or not.”
“Like’s a bit of an understatement,” Merlin grumbled, dropping the shovel and turned to look at Arthur.
Arthur’s grip tightened around him and the prince looked down at him, his gaze unusually serious and solemn, as it usually was light when it was just them.
Arthur nodded slightly and then smiled, tugging Merlin’s head down slightly and pressed their lips together gently. Merlin melted into the kiss, placing his hands lightly on Arthur’s hips and kissing the prince back, a feeling of euphoria filling him. Arthur shared his feelings! Well, maybe not all the way, but it was good enough for Merlin.
Pulling back slightly, Merlin was beaming happily, and Arthur looked at him and chuckled softly before bringing him in for another kiss.
*.*.*.
That was the beginning of stolen kisses and moments. In between the pillars in the walk ways, and in closets and Arthur’s room (mostly Arthur’s room). Merlin had taken to waking Arthur every morning with slow, soft, sweet kisses.
One morning, Merlin entered Arthur’s room in a rush. He had a plan, and he needed to get there quickly. He swept in, placed Arthur’s breakfast on the table, set out Arthur’s clothes, and then went over and opened the curtains. “Rise and shine!” Merlin called, going over and pulling down Arthur’s many blankets as the prince grumbled.
“Your breakfast is on the table and your clothes the end of your bed. Your father wants to speak with you in an hour,” Merlin said, collecting the chamber pot and then striding towards the door, before pausing and grinning at Arthur, “I’ll be back after your meeting!” and then walked out, leaving Arthur looking confused and adorably sleepy.
Merlin rushed to clean the chamber pot and left it in the kitchens for now, and then went to the training field, waiting impatiently.
Gwaine showed up after a few minutes and Merlin grinned at him happily, hugging his friend before pulling back and chatting excitably to him, trying to organise a surprise present for Arthur’s upcoming birthday. Gwaine didn’t question why Merlin was so eager to please Arthur, and was actually very helpful and promised to help where he could.
Merlin was unaware of Arthur in the background, unable to hear what they were saying, as when they were finished, Arthur was gone to meet with his father, and Merlin was exceptionally pleased as he started his chores.
*.*.*.
That was the first day since they’d became a couple that Arthur didn’t visit him during the day. Merlin was confused, but brushed it off.
When dinner came, Merlin brought it up, whistling softly, still exceptionally happy, to Arthur’s room. He knocked once before entering, and stopped still at the mess he saw.
“What’s all this?” Merlin questioned with fond exasperation, and Arthur stepped out from where he was getting changed behind the screen and glared at him.
“It’s what happens when my manservant isn’t here to clean after me,” Arthur huffed, disappearing again.
Merlin frowned slightly, making his way cautiously to the table and cleared off a space and then set down the tray (of Arthur’s favourite dinner) and then turned and chuckled. “Then I guess I’ll be in here cleaning for quite a while,” Merlin said in amusement, starting to clean things up.
He hummed softly as he put Arthur’s clean clothes back into their draws, and put the sheets and pillows back on the bed, and put the dirty clothes in the basket for Merlin to take down later to clean.
“Where did you disappear off to this morning?” Arthur asked, and there was something off about his voice, something Merlin couldn’t place but he ignored it, smiling softly as he remembered was he was planning for his prince.
“Oh, just doing some errands,” Merlin told Arthur, waving his hand dismissively.
“Really? I didn’t send you on any,” Arthur said, and Merlin turned to see Arthur watching him with a small frown.
“My errands don’t always have to do with doing your bidding,” Merlin chuckled.
Arthur was silent for a few moments, contemplating, as he moved over to the table. Merlin straightened and looking about the chambers and then gave a nod. All better and clean once more.
“You’re awfully cheerful,” Arthur said, a hint of suspicion seeping into his tone, and Merlin turned to face him, and smiled, walking over to him.
“Am I not allowed to be cheerful?” Merlin asked playfully as he gave Arthur a soft kiss on the lips.
“Not when I’m not the cause,” Arthur sulked, and Merlin chuckled.
“How do you know you’re not?” Merlin questioned.
“Because I saw you, Merlin,” Arthur said, pulling Merlin down onto his lap, “With Gwaine. Laughing and smiling and you hugged him.”
Merlin blinked. Then he chuckled. “And you think I’d cheat on you with Gwaine?” Merlin asked in amusement, kissing his prince’s nose.
Arthur wrapped his arms about Merlin’s waist and asked cautiously, “You’re not cheating on me?”
Merlin shook his head. “No.”
“Then what were you doing, Merlin?” Arthur asked, curiosity evident in his tone.
“I can’t tell you that,” Merlin said, and picked up a grape and held it to Arthur’s lips, pleased when the prince opened his mouth and ate it.
Arthur swallowed and frowned at Merlin. “But why not?” Arthur persisted.
“Because it’s a surprise, you dollophead!” Merlin informed Arthur with a fondly exasperated sigh.
Arthur sighed, and raised a hand, wrapping his fingers around the back of Merlin’s neck and pulling him down for a slow, sweet kiss. Merlin melted into it eagerly, twining his fingers into Arthur’s soft blonde hair and closing his eyes.
*.*.*.
The next day, Merlin was up bright and early, and thanks to Gwaine’s help, everything was ready. Merlin let Arthur sleep in slightly longer than usual whilst he made sure absolutely everything was prepared, and then jumped on Arthur’s bed after opening the curtains.
“Come on, sleepy head! It’s your birthday, wake up already!” Merlin half-sang teasingly, pressing kisses all over Arthur’s exposed face.
A sleepy smile came over Arthur’s lips and he captured Merlin’s lips and kissed him deeply. Merlin pressed into it eagerly, and then pulled away.
Half an hour later, and they were on the horses, heading away from Camelot and into the surrounding woods. Merlin led Arthur to a clearing where a picnic was all set out, with a basket filled with food and presents, as well as cushions so they could lean on.
Merlin and Arthur spent the day with each other, kissing and talking and eating and Arthur opening Merlin’s presents. He’d gotten Arthur a ring, that he’d gotten inscribed to have the word Forever with a heart on either side. It was silver and absolutely gorgeous, and so worth all the money and effort he’d spent buying it. He’d made Arthur his favourite pie and he watched happily as Arthur took the first bite.
Later that night when they’d returned, after dinner and baths, Merlin made to leave as usual, but Arthur grabbed his arm gently. “Stay,” he implored softly, his blue gaze pleading.
How could Merlin resist that? With a small smile, Merlin nodded.
So, they climbed into bed together, and Arthur wrapped his arms tight around Merlin and brought him in close, resting his forehead against the back of Merlin’s neck and whispering softly, “Mine. My love.”
Merlin smiled happily. “Yours,” Merlin agreed softly. “Love you, Arthur.”
With a content noise, Arthur fell still behind him, and Merlin listened to his even breathing for a while before falling asleep, content in Arthur’s arms.