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“You are absolutely kidding me, Merlin. When did you wear this? When you were twelve winters old? Back in Ealdor?” Arthur complained as he tried (and miserably failed) to get into one of Merlin’s trousers.
To be fair, Merlin had picked out a rather tight pair on purpose but the image presented to him - Arthur in nothing more but briefs and a pair of trousers that barely got past his knees - was absolutely worth having to replace the trousers due to ripped seams later.
Merlin had to fight hard not to burst into laughter immediately and put on a straight face.
“You might want to keep away from those meat pies in the future, my lord,” he recommended sternly and Arthur tried charging at him but thought better of it when he realized that he couldn’t exactly walk like this.
“Oh you little rat, now come here!” Arthur commanded while Merlin had to hold on to a chair to keep himself from losing balance while laughing so hard it made his stomach hurt.
“My lord, you have never before looked quite as regal,” Merlin managed to get out before he started giggling again and Arthur angrily pushed down the pants and came charging at him.
Merlin started dashing for the door but was caught as he was reaching for the handle.
“Now, where do you think you’re going?” Arthur asked him and pulled him back to the center of the room where he threw one of his tunics at him.
“Get changed now, Merlin. We haven’t got all day and I want to make sure we won’t be noticed, so hurry,” Arthur demanded and Merlin grinned, taking in the way Arthur looked with barely hidden admiration. He smirked to himself and pulled his own shirt over his head to change into Arthur’s.
What Merlin couldn’t see was how Arthur used every moment that Merlin’s head was caught up in his shirt to eye his manservant up and down. Arthur smiled cheekily to himself before turning away and picking up Merlin’s trousers to chug at his head.
“Now, give me a wider pair, will you? I won’t walk around Camelot naked,” Arthur demanded and Merlin managed to untangle himself.
Arthur couldn’t help but smile softly upon seeing Merlin in his tunic. It suited him extraordinarily well and Arthur wondered whether he should give Merlin some of his clothing.
“We won’t get around doing this anyway, Arthur. Take these pants and stand still for a moment,” Merlin demanded now and Arthur knew what was coming. He was thrilled.
Merlin raised his hands, looking slightly comical with only Arthur’s tunic and his briefs on and the trousers twisted in Arthur’s hands before gliding out of his hands and onto the ground, where they seemed to urge him to put them on.
Meanwhile, Arthur had watched Merlin, had admired the way his eyes shone in a way only the stars could and almost said something stupid before his flying pants had interrupted his thoughts.
Arthur stepped into them carefully and was just a tiny bit impressed when they fit perfectly now.
“Great use of magic, Merlin,” Arthur mocked him. Merlin shrugged.
“Might not waste it on saving your life next time, Sire,” he said innocently and Arthur tried not to look affronted. He wasn’t. Maybe, he was.
“Don’t look so scared, Arthur. I could never not save you. Would leave me without a job, wouldn’t it?” Merlin said and smiled at Arthur like an idiot. Because it was true. He would always save Arthur.
Arthur seemed happier at that as well and grabbed the shirt Merlin gave him to wear. It fit better than the trousers since Merlin’s shirts were always rather loosely fitting, still Merlin tweaked it a bit with his magic and made sure to give Arthur a neckerchief as well.
Arthur had simply enjoyed the way the magic had crawled over his skin and prickled the hair upon his arms. He loved Merlin’s magic. And in a strange, corny way he felt like Merlin’s magic loved him, too.
Merlin went ahead and tightened the way Arthur’s clothes fit on him as well. He then turned towards the chainmail and sighed.
“You know I really don’t want to wear this,” Merlin complained and Arthur stepped up right next to him.
“I’ll help you put it on, Merlin. And the way I know you, you know a way or two to make it more comfortable that you have never told me,” Arthur accused him jokingly and Merlin shrugged innocently.
“You just have to ask nicely,” Merlin grinned and turned to face Arthur.
“Let’s go then. We don’t have all day, do we?”
Arthur grabbed the first piece and was surprisingly efficient in dressing Merlin. Merlin, who had never been on the receiving end of such services, found that it wasn’t that easy to be touched by Arthur like that.
He kept on flinching away accidentally whenever Arthur touched exposed skin. Arthur seemed not to notice it or he ignored it deliberately. Still, Merlin tried to keep it together and not embarrass himself any further.
When they were finally done and Merlin put on the belt to carry Excalibur, Arthur carefully took it out of his hands and closed the clasp himself, then put Merlin’s hand upon the hilt of the sword.
“Remember it’s there alright? It might help stay undercover longer if you keep in mind that you have another weapon beside your magic,” Arthur instructed with a quiet voice and Merlin swallowed, looking at their joined hands and back into Arthur’s face.
“Thank you?” he replied quietly. Arthur smiled softly at him.
“You don’t need to thank me. I still owe you plenty,” Arthur replied and let go of his hand to hug him. Merlin stilled, confused and overwhelmed by the way it felt to hug Arthur.
He put his arms around Arthur’s torso then as well and god, he hated how the chainmail dulled the sensation. Still, his heart started racing and it felt so, so right to finally be holding him.
“Is everything alright, Arthur?” he whispered into Arthur’s neck and he could feel him nod.
“You just mean so much to me, Merlin. I need you to know that,” Arthur replied and let go of Merlin, taking a step back.
“I know we are going to be fine, we always are. But I don’t want another day passing where you don’t know that you are the most important thing in my life, Merlin,” Arthur said, an open, honest smile on his lips and Merlin’s face split into a joyous grin.
“I mean, I knew that,” he started and Arthur shook his head, stepped towards him again and cupped his cheek in one hand. Their lips connected with the faintest touch but it was enough to make Merlin wish it never ended.
“Arthur, why?” he asked, when Arthur had pulled back once more and he wasn’t even entirely sure what he was asking. Arthur still seemed to have a reply.
“Because you, Merlin, are my voice of reason and my guidance in the dark. You have protected me against foes and enemies and against myself. I trust you with my life and I swear, I will protect yours. I don’t ever want to be without you, Merlin,” he concluded and the smile that crept on his lips made Merlin’s heart fill with a bubbly warmth.
“Who am I to deny you a wish, Sire?” Merlin asked cheekily and Arthur grinned at him.
“See? We’re perfect for each other!”