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A month. Merlin and Arthur had been together a month, and it had been the best, the most wonderful month in Merlin’s life. A year ago he never would have thought that his friend would become his lover, but that is exactly what happened one night when, for some crazy reason, Arthur decided to kiss Merlin right in the middle of playing WoW.
They were both still reeling over the change in their relationship and how absolutely brilliant it felt to kiss and fondle and fuck; which was why they’d agreed not to tell anyone else for a while. And Merlin liked it that way. It was as though he had Arthur all to himself, and what they had was their little secret to keep between them as long as they wanted.
So every time they all went out to a pub, or Morgana had one of her little get-togethers, Merlin and Arthur just acted like they always had—they bickered and teased, and talked, but didn’t hold hands or touch intimately or do any of the million and one things they did these days when they were alone together. It really made things all the sexier when they got back to one of their flats and couldn’t keep their hands off one another.
Merlin was sitting by Gwen at the coffee shop on a Thursday afternoon when Arthur called him.
“Just got out of the doctor’s office.” Arthur’s throat sounded even raspier than it had the night before when Merlin had been with him.
“What did he say?”
“I have to get my tonsils out.” Merlin could hear the nervousness underneath Arthur’s forced calm. “I have to check into the hospital tomorrow afternoon.”
“Well, that's probably for the best, don't you think? You’ve had three sore throats in the past month.”
“I know. I don’t want to, though.”
“It will be fine, Arthur. You’ll see.”
“Someone’s with you.” Arthur could evidently hear the restraint in Merlin’s voice.
“Yeah.” Merlin knew Arthur was scared—he hated hospitals, and Merlin wanted more than anything to coddle him. “Hey, want me to come by on my way home from work?”
“You’d better.” Arthur disconnected, and Merlin tried hard to wipe the besotted grin off his face as he turned to put his phone in his bag.
“What’s wrong with Arthur?” Gwen looked concerned.
“He has to get his tonsils out Saturday morning.”
“Who’s his doctor?”
“Uh…Chambers, I think.”
“That’s at Memorial, then. I’ll try to arrange it so I’m there when he has it done. I can probably switch shifts with Elena.”
“Yeah,” Merlin smiled. “That’d be great, Gwen.”
That night Merlin made certain he gave Arthur all the attention and pampering he required, which was a lot considering Arthur loved special attention. Arthur tried to cover the fact that he was a nervous wreck and pretended his sore throat was the only thing bothering him, but Merlin could see right through it. He’d always been able to read Arthur, and he found that was even truer now that they were lovers.
For that reason, Merlin planned to stay the night, but just as he was heading for the shower, someone knocked at the door.
“It’s your sister,” Merlin told Arthur before opening it.
“Merlin! What are you doing here so late?” Morgana breezed in on a waft of expensive perfume.
“I came by after work. I was, uh, just heading home.” He sent an apologetic look Arthur’s way.
“You can stay a bit longer, can’t you, Merlin?” Arthur’s eyes pleaded with him behind Morgana’s back before locking on Morgana’s bulging bag.
“Good God, Morgana, what do you have in that bag? A Saint Bernard?”
“It’s my overnight things, brother dear. I came to take care of you and get you settled at Memorial tomorrow. I know how you hate hospitals.”
“That’s sweet of you, Morgana,” Merlin said. “Isn’t it, Arthur?”
“But there’s no need…I know how busy you are. And I don't have to be there until one-thirty.” Arthur shifted where he sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of hot tea in his hand. “Merlin can stay with me, can’t you, Merlin?”
Merlin wanted to, but Morgana looked determined.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Arthur! He has work in the morning.”
It seemed they were heading into dangerous waters, so Merlin headed for the door.
“I’ll come by the hospital after work, all right?”
Merlin heard Arthur grumble something as he shut the door behind him.
****
Merlin didn’t much like hospitals himself, and he suppressed a shudder as he got onto the lift going up to the surgical floor. He was later than he’d hoped to be, the office having been busier than usual. He caught Gwen’s eye when the doors slid open, and she handed a chart to a man in scrubs before stepping around the nurses’ station and approaching him. She had on a pair of the vivid red hospital scrubs that all the nursing staff wore.
“He’s been a complete mess, Merlin," she said, tucking a pencil into the loose bun on her head. "He pitched a big one—tried to leave in his hospital gown with his arse showing for all to see.”
Merlin’s eyes slid down the hall to where he could see Leon in the hallway talking to Morgana. The thought of Arthur's bare arse had his cock coming to attention. He shifted his legs, trying to cover it.
“Is he okay now?”
“He’s been having panic attacks since before he walked in, according to Morgana. We finally had to give him something to calm him down, and he’s pretty loopy right now. Gwaine was calling him Princess—you know how he does—and Arthur demanded a crown. Lance found one for him in pediatrics, along with a book.” Gwen grinned. “It’s so funny, but at the same time, it’s hard to see him this way. Still, it’s better than the freak-out he was having.”
“Oh, shite.”
Merlin headed down the hall, wishing he’d been able to be there earlier when Arthur really needed him. When he reached Leon and Morgana, they both turned to look at him, Morgana smiling in a sort of exasperated way.
“How’s Arthur?” Merlin asked.
“Feeling no pain at the moment,” Morgana said.
“I don’t know what they gave him," Leon said, "but he’s going to be embarrassed about it later. From the way he's been asking for you, you'd think you hung the moon."
Merlin smiled smugly. "Didn't you hear? I did. And I'm a very popular fellow because of it." Leon rolled his eyes and Merlin walked past them into the room. Gwaine was seated in the chair by the bed, a large, shiny-covered book open in his lap. Since Gwen had prepared Merlin for it, he didn’t bat an eye at seeing Arthur propped up in bed with a little, pink, bejeweled crown on his head.
Gwaine looked up at Merlin's approach. “Thank God! The Calvary's here.”
“Hi.” Merlin gave Gwaine a smile before turning his attention on Arthur. “How are you feeling?”
“Merlin!” Arthur’s look was pure, besotted bliss.
Morgana covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.
“Told you he was coming, Princess.” Gwaine’s eyes twinkled. "Your Prince Charming is here."
“Shut it." Merlin playfully bumped his hip against Gwaine's shoulder. "I heard you’ve been having a time of it, Arthur.”
“I don’t like it here,” Arthur’s mouth turned down, and Morgana kicked Merlin in the shin with one pointy-toed shoe.
“Why’d you bring that up?”
“Sorry,” Merlin mumbled. He stepped closer to the head of the bed. “It looks like you’re having fun now.” Merlin wished everyone else would leave. It seemed unlikely from the look of it--they were camped out with food, drinks, a deck of playing cards, and Gwaine even had his computer open on the table beside him with what looked like a spread sheet pulled up on it. If Arthur were in his right mind, he'd find a way to get them all out, but as it was...
Gwaine began to read again, but Arthur leaned forward and petulantly pushed the book out of his hand.
“Enough.”
Gwaine shrugged and stood up to stretch. "Fine, your Majesty." He strode over to the window to look out, and Merlin took his empty seat just as Lance walked into the room with a couple cups of coffee.
Morgana lunged toward him as though he’d brought her pure nirvana in a Styrofoam cup. While she blew on it, trying to get it cool enough to sip, Merlin lifted his hand and laid it over Arthur’s where it rested on the bed.
“Okay?” he asked, voice low.
“Where were you?” Arthur pinned him with two dark blue pools of devotion, and Merlin's stomach flipped.
“I was working, remember? I tried to leave, but things kept coming up. I’m sorry.”
Arthur turned his hand over and laced their fingers together.
“I wanted you here.”
Morgana headed back to them, and Merlin tried to extricate his hand from Arthur’s, but Arthur wouldn’t have it.
“What’s wrong?” Arthur asked, lower lip trembling. “Don’t you love me anymore, Merlin?”
This brought a smattering of laughter around the room, and Merlin was relieved when Gwen walked in with Arthur’s dinner tray. She deftly raised the small table connected to the bed and set the food on it.
“Merlin, maybe you should help Arthur with his dinner. He’s kind of shaky from the meds.” She gave Arthur a bright, indulgent smile. “Eat up, now. Last meal before surgery tomorrow.”
Merlin rose from the chair to perch on the edge of the bed. Morgana flopped down in his place, her lips quirking at the sight of Merlin’s hand still clutched possessively in Arthur’s. Fortunately for Merlin, it was his left hand, and he was able to feed Arthur with his right. Arthur opened his mouth for each bite like a baby bird, eyes still pinned on Merlin's face.
“So, you like Merlin, do you, Arthur?” Morgana smiled slyly.
Arthur nodded and opened his mouth for the mashed potatoes Merlin proffered.
“How much do you like him?”
Merlin quickly shoved another, larger bite into Arthur’s mouth and gave Morgana an annoyed look, which she ignored. Arthur brought his hands up, still not letting go of Merlin’s left hand, and spread them wide apart as though to show Morgana the breadth of his feelings. A blush crept up Merlin’s neck. Uh, oh.
“We’re best friends, aren’t we, Arthur?” Merlin tried to sway the outcome as best he could, but he had the feeling that the jig was about to be up.
Arthur licked a blob of potato off his lips and smiled, bringing Merlin’s hand up to kiss It, eyes so luminous and full of love, Merlin’s heart clenched in his chest.
Morgana’s expression changed minutely before she looked speculatively at Merlin, and Merlin hastily brought a forkful of green beans to Arthur’s lips.
“Would you like to be more than friends with Merlin?” she asked, and Leon made a scoffing noise where he stood behind her, as though slightly amused at her antics but at the same time disapproving of the teasing.
“Al-ready ‘m,” Arthur said through his mouthful.
Morgana frowned. Merlin could practically see the thoughts weaving in her head.
Arthur looked at Merlin, again with the adoring eyes, and tugged at his hand. Merlin resisted, thinking, Arthur, you don’t want this. Remember? We’re keeping it our secret? He tried to convey this message with his eyes, but Arthur was oblivious.
Arthur was emphatic with his tugging, and hurt was beginning to climb into those dark blue eyes. Merlin couldn’t bear to deny him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Arthur’s mouth, tasting hospital food and underneath that, Arthur. He sighed and melted a little. When he pulled away, Morgana’s eyes were sharp, and Leon looked confused. Merlin heard Gwaine's chortle. He had no idea how Lance was reacting because he really couldn’t take his eyes off Arthur’s happy face, their fingers still entwined in Arthur's lap.
Merlin continued feeding Arthur like nothing at all had happened. When he'd finished and the tray was taken away, he stayed right where he was.
"Visiting hours are over!" Gwen walked in and injected something into Arthur's IV tube. "Night meds."
Leon stood and he, Gwaine, and Lance walked over to the bed.
"Rest up, Arthur."
"See you tomorrow. Eat lots of ice cream."
"Feel better."
Reluctantly, Merlin eased off the bed.
Arthur tugged at his hand. “I don’ wan’ Merlin t’ leave.” Arthur's voice was groggy.
“I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” Merlin sat again. “And I’ll be here when you’re taken to surgery tomorrow.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Merlin watched Arthur’s lids grow heavier and heavier until they closed completely, and he began to breathe deeply. When his fingers relaxed, Merlin withdrew his hand. He stood, brushed the hair off Arthur’s forehead, and quietly left the room.
Of course, Morgana stood waiting for him in the hallway.
“What exactly was all that about?”
“Arthur’s out of his head. Obviously.” Merlin pushed past her and strode down the hall, aware of Morgana's struggle to keep up with him.
“You kissed him.”
“He wanted me to. It was harmless. He won't remember it tomorrow.”
Morgana stopped at the lifts, but Merlin walked past them to the coffee machine.
“Aren’t you going home?” she asked.
“No.” Merlin shrugged. “I told Arthur I’d be here in the morning. I’ll sleep in the chair; Gwen said I could.” That was a lie, but Merlin knew Gwen would let him.
Morgana looked like she couldn’t decide whether or not to be suspicious. Merlin and Arthur had been friends a long time, after all.
“Well, seeing as you're staying, I guess I'll go home and get a few things done. I’ll see you in the morning.” Merlin breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped onto the elevator and the doors shut.
****
The drugs for Arthur’s surgery made him even loopier than what they’d given him for nerves. He lay on the gurney, a little cloth hat covering his head, and gazed goofily up at Merlin. Morgana had come back before daylight, looking as put together as she always did, Leon by her side-- a little less fresh, but bearing coffee. Merlin supposed they’d spent the night together, as they seemed to be doing more and more often lately.
“Arthur, you’ll be just fine,” Morgana told her brother with a pat on his shoulder. “We’ll be here when you come out. I love you.”
“Love you, too, ‘gana.” Arthur's eyes moved to Merlin. “Love you, Merl’n.”
Merlin couldn’t help it, and he really would have said it anyway, before.
“I love you, too, Arthur.” He smiled down at him and squeezed his hand, thankful that Arthur was going to surgery and no harm had really been done to their secret.
“Gonna show you how much w’n w’get home,” Arthur called as the orderly wheeled him down the hall. Merlin’s eyes widened, and he could feel Morgana and Leon staring holes into him. It could all still be put down to the drugs, though. Couldn’t it?
He turned and gave them a bright smile.
“Well, I guess now all we have to do is wait.”
Morgana slipped her arm through Merlin’s and led him back into Arthur's room.
“Yes. And while we’re waiting, we can have a lovely talk.”
The End.