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As the wind flows away from the bandit he'd just tossed away from Arthur, Merlin looks to the man he'd just saved.
He thinks on how he'd known Arthur wouldn't be too happy about the whole situation, but he really thought it wouldn't be this bad as Arthur runs toward him with his sword drawn.
He probably shouldn't be so calm about the sight.
"Behind you, idiot!" Arthur shouts, which just confuses him more.
But he turns anyway, sighing when he realizes what Arthur was yelling about.
This wasn't a one bandit job, no. There's over a dozen of them creeping out of the brush.
"I hope you can manage to do that thing with more than one." Arthur says beside him, which really isn't helping Merlin's overloaded brain.
"Are you not angry?"
"We can deal with that later. Let's just survive until then."
"Good idea."
So they set to work.
A couple bandits run at the sight of Merlin's magic tossing their companions around like dolls, others decide to overwhelm the one without magic.
They quickly learn that was an even worse idea than directly attacking the sorcerer.
So they try to get Merlin's attention toward protecting Arthur, while another tries to sneak up and take him out.
But they learn that was a bad idea too when Arthur makes sure they don't get anywhere near Merlin.
When the bandits are finally gone, they move away from the battle scene and collapse near a stream.
"Why must we go hunting?" Merlin groans.
"I just wanted stew!"
"Yeah, and look where that got us."
"Finding out you have magic."
"Oh. Right."
"How long has that been a thing?"
"Since I was born."
"No way."
"Yes. I've been making things float before I could talk."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"How could I? I've seen you deal with moral dilemmas. It's not pretty."
"Choosing whether or not to kill you is not a moral dilemma, it's not even a choice!"
"Maybe not, but then you might try to banish me, even just for my own good, but then when I don't leave, you have to figure out what to do then. It was just easier to hide."
"I'd know you wouldn't leave! You're way too stubborn."
"Exactly."
"I assume all those times I barely survived something or just got lucky or whatever was you?"
"Yeah. You're a handful, you know."
"So are you!"
"Oh sure, which one of us is constantly chasing monsters?"
"Which one of us is hiding magic in Camelot?"
"Apparently we both are, now."
"What all have you done?"
"Oh, you know. Fought griffins, witches, bandits. Stopped assassins from killing you at every turn. Nearly died a few times."
"Nearly died?!"
"Drinking poison will do that to you. But you know about that time. I've been hit with magic, swords, serkets. The works."
"How are you so calm about this?!"
"I'm used to it. How are you so calm about the magic?"
Arthur grabs his wrist, holding the pulse point like he needs to reassure himself it's there, muttering that he's calm because he's more concerned about these near death situations.
"Why would you do all that?"
"Someone's gotta keep you alive."
"How did you get to this point though? That first time you saved me, was that a fluke and you just decided to keep doing it?"
"Dragon told me it's my destiny."
"Huh?!"
Merlin loosely explains what he knows of the prophecy, not acknowledging the way Arthur does not release his wrist.
"So you actually listened to someone's orders?"
"I didn't want to."
"So why did you?"
"You know how, when we first met, you said there was something about me? You're not the only one who felt it."
"I'm still confused."
"When are you not?"
"What sort of something do you feel?"
"Depends."
"On?"
"If you're being a prat or not."
"Right now, then."
"I feel happy that you're not going crazy about this, but also confused for the same reason."
"I can hardly believe it myself."
"So why aren't you?
"Would you prefer I did?"
"No, no. This is good." Merlin says, taking the risk to slip his hand up to where Arthur is now holding that, not his wrist.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asks, in a tone Merlin can't decipher.
He quickly regrets his risk, and starts to pull away, saying apologies and that he doesn't even know what he's doing, and no, he's definitely never wanted to hold Arthur's hand.
Arthur watches with an amused smile as Merlin tries to change the subject, turning to his defense mechanism of prattling about nothing.
He's so busy talking he hasn't even noticed Arthur didn't let him pull his hand away.
"You know, I've always wondered something." He interrupts.
"Huh, what?" Merlin asks, suddenly pulled out of the random story he'd launched into about the baker and the cook.
"If I kiss you, will you shut up?"
"What?!"
"Can I kiss you, and make you stop talking?"
"I don't know, I suppose you'd have to try to find out."
Arthur does just that, and it does indeed work.
"We should get back." He whispers when they realize the sun is going down.
"I don't wanna move."
"I'm not carrying you."
When Merlin starts floating, however, he seems to change his mind when he grabs him.
"What are you doing?!"
"If I can get the wind to work with me, I can just float around. It's pretty fun, wanna try?"
At first it looks like he'll refuse, but then he just says, "Why not?" with a shrug.
Merlin smiles and lifts them both off the ground.
It's a little rocky at first, but eventually they get started in the right direction.
"I'm never traveling another way ever again." Arthur decides.
"Good luck telling that to your father."
"Ugh, don't remind me. I'm already worried about how I'll handle being around him talking about how evil magic is."
"It's not fun."
"I'm sorry you have to listen to that. I'll try to send you away when it's obvious he's going to start talking about it."
"Thanks."
"I'm the one who should be thanking you! I'll never be able to repay you for all you've done."
"Sure you will, all I want is the entire kingdom."
"Ha ha. If the reward for saving my life once was to be my manservant, saving my life a hundred times would make you... Probably something that you already do anyway."
"Considering we already kissed, I don't think there's anything else I want."
"So we can't do it again?"
"Would you want to?"
"Obviously. I've wanted to for a long time. And now that I have, I don't want to stop."
"Me either. In that case, I suppose I can tell you another reason I've protected you."
"And what would that be?"
"I may, possibly, love you."
"That's good, because I may, possibly, love you too."
"Well there you go, no other repayment needed. Unless you want to give me an official title, like Dollophead Wrangler."
"Maybe something else."
"Clotpole Guardian?"
"Try again."
"No, I rather like that one."
"Surely you can do better."
"I don't think there is a better option. Unless you want to go with Prat Watch."
"We'll come back to that."
"Alright, but I'm not changing my ideas."
"Of course not."
They're within sight of the citadel now, so Merlin sets them on the ground.
"Before we go back, I want to say thanks for not freaking out. I'm sure it wasn't easy."
"Honestly I'm still in shock, so everything hasn't completely set in. I might get upset when it does, but I trust you. Besides, if you wanted to hurt me, you would have a long time ago."
"Yeah, probably. When I was first told I was supposed to protect you, I nearly refused the whole thing and killed you myself. You were a prat."
"I'm not anymore?"
"Not as bad. Of course, you most definitely are still a clotpole. Which is why you have me, the Clotpole Guardian."
"Thought I said to work on that?"
"I can't do any better, it's perfect."
"Sure, Merlin. I'll find a better title for you, one day."
~
Eventually, that title is Consort, which Merlin won't admit, but he does like it best.