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1.
Merlin smiled to himself. He was glad that Morgana had liked the flowers he'd picked for her. She had had a tough couple of months and Merlin didn't know how else to cheer her up. When winter had finally said his last good-byes and the flowers were standing strong and proud as a symbol for a brighter, sunnier, happier season, he knew he’d found the perfect gift. She was his friend after all and therefore, he had decided that she definitely deserved a little pick me up.
He'd spend over an hour picking out the most beautiful flowers at the edge of the forest and wasn't even discouraged, when Arthur almost caught him with them. Morgana's thankful smile and parting words, telling Merlin he was a good friend, had been worth it.
It was only that evening, when he walked into Arthur's chambers with his arms full of the prince's dinner, when Arthur briskly asked:
"So, where are my flowers?"
Merlin stopped for a second while laying Arthur's dinner out for him.
"Beg pardon, sire?"
Arthur shrugged and sat down, fixing Merlin with an intense look.
"Flowers. I saw you bringing some to Morgana's rooms; I figured you probably put them in all the rooms."
Merlin laughed and immediately cut Arthur off, when he tried to warn him about harbouring affections for the King's ward. He didn't need to know that Morgana was not the royal, Merlin had feelings for after all...
2.
"Gwaine!"
Merlin ran after the knight and immediately felt his ears blush, when he noticed he didn't only hold Gwaine's attention but also the attention of all the other knights competing in the tournament. He held out his left hand and presented the piece of cloth to Gwaine. The blue piece of fabric was glistening in the sunlight and so was the "G“, which was sewn into the fabric with silver thread.
Merlin was panting from his run to catch up with his friend, too much so to say anything and was glad, when Gwaine just took the cloth.
Gwaine's eyes softened, as he inspected the G. "Thank you, Merlin," he said and pulled Merlin into a tight hug. "This means so much to me."
When he released him, he gave Merlin one last smile before he ducked into his tent, getting ready for his duel. Merlin grinned, happy that he was able to fix the cloth for his friend, who had been truly broken up about it when he wanted to show Merlin the token of affection he treasured beyond measure and found out that several threads had ripped.
Merlin didn’t know who the cloth was from, but the way Gwaine kept smiling at it, it must’ve been from someone special, which made Merlin immediately volunteer to fix it. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know the first thing about sewing, reading up on it, the multiple times he stung himself with the needle… all of it worth it to help a friend. He was really happy he managed to fix it until the first tournament of the year as well as Gwaine could now wear it for the whole season.
Merlin was so happy with himself, that he didn’t notice a person coming to a stop right next to him before said person knocked his shoulder with theirs. It was meant to be playful, but it hurt enough that Merlin rubbed his shoulder as his eyes found Arthur’s face, staring ahead.
It took a few seconds, until Arthur broke the silence between them:
“Where’s my token of your affection, then?”
“Huh?” Merlin asked, now slightly irritated at the fact that Arthur wouldn’t look at him. It would be easier to read the prince’s mood.
“I’m assuming you’re giving them out to all the knights?”
Merlin suddenly understood the implications and thought about how it must’ve looked to the other knights when he’d run up to Gwaine like that. A blush started spreading over his cheeks and he immediately felt warm.
“I didn’t… I, I don’t… I mean it was just…” he trailed off because Arthur had already vanished into the knight’s tent.
Merlin squeezed his eyes shut and put his hand over his eyes for good measure. He’d only intended to help his friend…
3.
Merlin was solemnly trying to rub ointment into Sir Percival’s shoulder, when the knight groaned.
“Right there, Merlin,” he whined and Merlin increased his pressure. He always felt a little odd, touching people who weren’t Arthur like this but as the physician’s apprentice, it was his job.
Percival groaned again and Merlin blushed. Did he have to be so vocal? Even though the man didn’t talk too much in general, he sure was being quite loud when Merlin tried to relieve him of his backpains after the hard training of the day.
“Don’t you dare stop,” he almost moaned and Merlin squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t feel uncomfortable exactly, after all, they weren’t doing anything weird. He just couldn’t help but imagine how it would sound for anyone walking past the door and he hoped that nobody thought to walk past the weapons room at this moment.
“Merlin…” Percival whined again and Merlin pressed his knuckles deeper into the man’s shoulder.
Another sound of pleasure before the door opened with a bang and Merlin sprung away from Percival instantly.
“Oh, hello sire,” Percival grinned wickedly at the prince.
“Didn’t know you’d be here so late.”
Merlin chanced a look at Arthur, who looked slightly disheveled and flushed.
Percival chuckled and Merlin glared at the knight.
“Well, I was looking for my manservant, Sir Percival,” Arthur ground out and Merlin winced at the anger in his tone.
“I didn’t know you’d employ him for… whatever it is you employed him for.”
Percival rolled his shoulders experimentally and pulled his tunic back on.
“Much better, thank you Merlin,” he said with a wink before he left the armoury.
“He spends too much time with Gwaine,” Arthur sighed with his eyes steadfastly fixed on the floor.
Merlin went to wipe his hands on an old cloth to get rid of the ointment on his fingers and had to agree. It was unnerving how similar the two of them became.
“So, shall we get started then?” Arthur asked suddenly.
“With what?” Merlin asked, confusion clouding his features.
“I’m assuming you give out those kinds of satisfying massages to everyone who trained today?” Arthur raised his eyebrows.
Merlin laughed out loud in response.
“I already massage your shoulders way too often because you insist on getting hurt, you prat.”
He grinned as he left the armoury, proud of himself for not getting flustered by Arthur’s attempts to do just that. He looked back one last time and found Arthur shaking his head and grinning at the floor. With that, he knew that he’d given the right answer.
More by accident than anything else, Merlin had stumbled over a recipe for a cream that was used to soften the skin and to make it glow more. Merlin immediately thought of Gwen and her feelings for Lancelot. She kept complaining to Merlin that she didn’t feel good enough for a knight – which was complete and utter shite in Merlin’s opinion because couldn’t she see how much Lancelot adored her?
But he knew that part of her issue was with her hands, which due to their roughness was a dead giveaway for her status as a servant. Only a person working all day long, washing clothes and cooking dinner had this kind of roughness to them.
Without even thinking about it, he started brewing the cream for her, hoping that it would make her feel a little better about herself and maybe get her to touch Lancelot casually more often. He was quite satisfied with the result and was set on immediately bringing it to her.
He was glad, when he found Gwen in the middle of the market place, calling out to her.
She accepted the cream happily and got excited about it, before her smile vanished and she looked behind Merlin. Merlin didn’t even have to think twice about who he’d find there because for some reason, Arthur seemed to find him at any times of the day – like magic.
“Oh, how sweet,” the prince said with a smile. “Where’s my hand balm, Merlin?”
Merlin rolled his eyes in Gwen’s direction before turning to face Arthur.
“Why would you need hand balm?” he asked, cocking his head to the side and looking at Arthur inquiringly.
“You have servants to do the dirty work for you, you don’t need...”
Before he could continue, Arthur took one of Merlin’s hands in his own and brought it up to his face.
Merlin’s breath hitched at the casual touch and he couldn’t keep his eyes off the point where Arthur’s fingers were wrapped around his wrist in a soft hold.
Arthur studied Merlin’s hand before stroking over it with his own, then looking at his hand.
“Your hands are no rougher than my hands, Merlin, look!”
He pushed his palm in Merlin’s line of vision and Merlin tried as hard as he could not to let his eyes flutter shut at the feeling of Arthur’s other thumb rubbing slow circles on his wrist.
He concentrated on the presented hand and nodded.
“Indeed, sire, very rough. I will tell Gaius that you will be in need of one of his hand healing ointments and a good hand massage. He really gives the best ones, shall I?” he asked innocently.
Arthur huffed and let Merlin’s wrist go.
“Never mind, Merlin. I will see you later,” he mumbled and left.
5.
Merlin was still rattled by the way Arthur kept asking him for the things he did for others. Did Arthur really not see what Merlin gave to Arthur day in, day out? He chuckled softly as softly mumbled under his breath: “I would say I give my all to him but that just sounds dramatic.”
He sighed, when he finally admitted to himself that it was true. Whatever Arthur would ask from him, Merlin would do it. Wherever Arthur needed him, he would go. Even to his own ears, Merlin felt like his pining was getting a little out of hand.
He was just on his way to bring Sir Leon a remedy for his headache, when Arthur stopped him.
“What’s that?” he inquired.
“It’s medicine for Leon’s headache.”
“And where’s my-“
Merlin cut him off, laughing.
“Arthur, this is getting ridiculous. Do you have a headache?”
“Well not right now but-“
“See, then you don’t need medicine,” Merlin shook his head fondly.
“But,” Arthur stressed, “it’s always good to have on hand since I am burdened with you as a servant, one never knows when the headache will arise only that it surely will.”
He was obviously pleased with himself, crossing his arms and smirking at Merlin.
Merlin grinned openly, enjoying these little exchanges far too much for his own good at this point.
“Well then, I will be happy to fetch you one, once you do feel like you might be getting a headache.”
Arthur made a grab for the small bottle in Merlin’s hands.
“Oi, this is not yours,” Merlin said, outraged.
“Well, maybe I have a headache now, Merlin, and need it,” he made another grab for it and Merlin held it high over his head.
“I will get you one after I’ve brought this to Sir Leon,” he almost screeched.
Arthur tried to catch his hand and Merlin walked backwards, hiding the flask behind his back until he hit the wall.
“Arthur, don’t be a clotpole,” he said sternly, hoping that the flutter in his chest wouldn’t betray him.
Arthur stepped closer to him, grinning and effectively pinning Merlin to the wall. He reached behind Merlin until his fingers touched the medicine but Merlin was quick enough to transfer it into his other hand.
Only then did both of them realise how close they were. Their noses were almost touching, and Merlin’s eyes went crosseyed when he tried to look into Arthur’s due to the proximity.
Arthur’s grin died on his lips and when he heard footsteps, he quickly stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Bring, uhm, bring that to Sir Leon then and uhm... yeah,” he said and turned around abruptly. Merlin stayed in his position, leaning across the wall and felt his face heat. A moment ago him and Arthur were breathing the same air, his mind reminded him and he blushed even harder. It took him a couple of minutes to calm down enough to continue with his task of bringing Sir Leon his much needed medicine and thought that he might need one himself...
+1
Merlin simply couldn’t understand why Arthur felt the need to go hunting on the hottest day of the year. It was in the middle of summer and according to Arthur, it was the perfect time for a trip as all the animals would be out of their nests, enjoying their life. Merlin had argued that in that case, shouldn’t the animals be allowed to do just that, but Arthur had brushed him off.
They had been on horseback for hours before Arthur allowed a break at a river side. Merlin climbed down from his horse, who was just as tired and exhausted from the heat as he was. He could feel his own clothes sticking to his skin and he could only imagine how his horse felt under all its fur.
After dismounting, he walked around to the horses head and led it to the water. Just to be safe, he tied the harness to a tree and stroked her between her ears.
“Here you go,” he said softly, holding eye contact with the horse.
“I’m sure you must be thirsty, huh? It sure is hot today. But you’re doing so well, you’re so beautiful and strong,” he cooed and finally kissed the horse right between her eyes.
He smiled at her before he let her drink and turned around only to find Arthur staring at him.
He’d already tied his horse to a tree and Arthur’s majestic companion was already getting her fill.
Arthur crossed his arms and said:
“And where is my kiss?”
Merlin laughed because surely, Arthur wasn’t serious?
“Does your jealousy include animals now, too?”
But Arthur just snorted and turned around to walk away. Not before Merlin noticed the faint blush spreading over Arthur’s cheeks, though.
Smiling, he hurried after Arthur, then past Arthur and jumped on a small rock on the side of their path. Arthur walked up to him and frowned.
“What are you do-“
But Merlin cut him off by planting a kiss on Arthur’s forehead.
After what seemed like ages, he released Arthur and was quite encouraged by the fact that Arthur hadn’t pushed him away.
“Wha...” Arthur started and licked his lips subconsciously, “what was that?”
“Your kiss,” Merlin grinned widely.
Arthur slowly touched the spot where Merlin had kissed him with his finger tips.
“You just... you just kissed me!” he exclaimed and Merlin giggled.
“Yeah, well, you were being a clotpole about not getting enough attention so I figured I’d just give in.
Arthur was silent for a moment.
“You did this because you thought I wanted more attention?” he asked and grimaced.
Merlin sobered and his face vanished.
He slowly shook his head and climbed down from his rock so that they were looking at each other eye to eye.
“No, I kissed you because I always want to kiss you and you basically just invited me to do it.”
Arthur studied Merlin’s face for a moment.
“When you say you always want to kiss me... does that only go for forehead kisses?”
His voice cracked at the end of the sentence and Merlin could see how nervous Arthur was. It made him much braver than he ever thought he could be.
“I’d take any kind of kiss you would give me.”
Arthur’s eyes immediately fixated on Merlin’s lips.
“Even on...”
“Especially on,” Merlin grinned.
Arthur couldn’t help but smile back before taking Merlin’s hands in his.
“Can I... then?”
Merlin just nodded.
Merlin held his breath when Arthur’s face came closer and closer and the anticipation on feeling Arthur’s lips on his was immeasurable.
Before they were able to kiss, however, a loud crack sounded and Arthur groaned when a dozen bandits came storming towards them.
With one swift motion, Arthur pulled his sword out of it’s holder and squeezed Merlin’s hand.
“Trust me, when I’m finished with them, I’m going to kiss the hell out of you.”
