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Merlin hated these hunting trips. If not for the unnecessary killing of innocent animals then for the pointless fights they always found themselves in.
And despite Merlin continuing to point out to Arthur and his knights how often these attacks seemed to occur whether it be bandits, sorcerers, or wayward assassins, he as always, was ignored.
Which is how he found himself in the situation of being on his back yet again after throwing himself in front of his prat of a King from an oncoming blow from the staff of a sorcerer.
*
He came to slowly to the panicked voices of the knights. “Hey easy there Merls. Open those baby blues for me.”
“Honestly Gwaine now's not the time for your indignant flirting. We have to get him back to Gaius” Well at least he knew Arthur was alright, from his annoyed tone it seemed no one else was too badly injured.
“I told you this trip was a bad idea” he groaned as he managed to blink his eyes open to the sight of the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes on standing above him.
*
The sigh of relief Arthur let out wasn’t an unfamiliar one. It usually came after his stupid manservant had gotten himself into trouble and miraculously escaped by the skin of his teeth.
It never ceased to amaze Arthur that despite Merlin’s lack of training, armor, or any remote skill of the sword, he continued to risk his life for him. He tried not to dwell on the warm feeling that came over him whenever he thought about it too hard.
However that sweet relief quickly expelled from his body at the next words coming from his loyal to a fault manservant.
“Oh Gwaine, I knew you’d save me!” He cried before throwing his arms around the knight.
“Whoa there Merls” he managed to get out while pulling himself and Merlin back up to stand “don’t get me wrong, loving the attention but it was actually Percy who managed to run the bloody sorcerer through” he threw out while gesturing to Camolots biggest knight.
“But I’m sure he never would’ve been able to if not for your heroic efforts” He replied while gently pushing a piece of Gwaine's frankly inappropriately long hair for a knight back from his face.
“Ugh yeah” He managed to scoff out fighting the rising blush on his face.
“You feeling okay Merlin? You sure you didn’t hit your head too hard or something?”
“Although your concern for my well being warms my heart, I assure you I’m fine. Better now to be in your arms” Merlin replied with a dreamy sigh.
Now Arthur had felt rage before. He’d felt it the first time he lost in a tournament, he felt it when he realized Morgana’s betrayal, and he felt it for the magic that had killed his father. But he had never felt anything like the rage that overtook his body as he watched his most trusted companion lean in to kiss one of his knights.
“What the hell do you think you're doing!” He yelled out as he managed to rip Gwaine away from his clearly insane manservant.
“Wha- I didn’t- he was the one-“ he managed to sputter out before Elyan cut in “obviously the blow from the sorcerer was not as harmless as we thought”
“It would make sense sire, that some sort of spell was cast on Merlin that would cause him to behave this way,” Leon added.
“Oh so you're saying the only way Merlin could possibly love me is if he were under some spell” Gwaine argued. “Maybe he’s just finally come to appreciate my charming good looks” he added with a wink at Merlin who Arthur had currently tucked behind his back.
“Of course I love you, my heart!” Merlin cried out from behind him. “How could I not with your chivalrous actions, soulful eyes, windswept hair and sexy-“
“That’s enough!” Arthur cut off.
“Elyan and Leon are right. You’ve obviously been hit with some sort of love spell meant to make you think you have feelings for the idiot” he turned and said to his spelled friend.
“Hey” Gwaine called out offended.
But all Arthur could focus on was the contempt in Merlin’s eyes as he spat out “it’s not my fault that you can’t recognize the great love between us your highness.” Making the title sound like an insult in the way only Merlin could.
“I understand that you may be jealous that you're no longer the most important man in my life, but I’d expect you to be happy that two of your closest friends have found love with each other,” he added, less angry and more like a parent trying to soothe an upset child.
“Um Sire perhaps we shouldnt try to argue with him until we’ve brought him back to Gaius to look over” Leon, ever the level headed added.
“Quite right Leon” Arthur manages to grunt out, “Merlin, you're with me” he says marching back to his horse.
“Oh I rather think I’ll ride back with my heart”
This was going to be the longest ride of his life
*
“So?” He asks the second he sees Gaius emerge from Merlin’s room.
“Definitely a love spell, and a most potent one at that. I've managed to knock him out with a sleeping drought for now. I have to say he was quite inconsolable to be away from you Sir Gwaine.”
“Well who could really blame the boy.” The idiot replies with an eyebrow pump.
Seeming to ignore Gwaines' theatrics Gaius carries on “from what I’ve observed Sire it seems the spell was meant to hit you, making you fall in love with the first person you saw.”
“So you're telling me, if Merls hadn’t saved the princess over here he would’ve been spelled to fall for the witch” Gwaine interjected. “Well now I’m almost disappointed”
“Can you for once take something seriously.” Arthur finally snaps. “How long is he going to be stuck like this?” He tries not to sound as panicked as he feels on the inside.
“Oh I’m afraid for a spell this powerful there is no end date your Highness. The only way to be rid of it is with the cure”
“Ha see! No reason to get your breeches in a bunch princess, Gaius here will give good old Merlin the cure and he’ll be back to making moon eyes at you instead of me once again” Gwaine said, slapping his king on the back.
“Oh I certainly don’t have the cure” Gaius replied, raising his infamous eyebrow.
“What do you mean you don’t have the cure?!” Arthur belted out. “Surely somewhere in this damn castle there has to be something that can help him!”
“Well now I didn’t say that. I just said I don’t have the cure”
“Tell us what we can do to help Gaius. You know me and the princess would do whatever it takes to help Merls.”
Arthur for once actually found himself agreeing with the idiot. Although he’d never admit it out loud.
“Well Sire, with love potions and spells there is one universal thing that is guaranteed to work.”
“Whatever it is, name it. I can percure anything you’ll need to help him” Arthur replied, letting the slight note of desperation slip into his voice.
“The thing is, it’s not something you can acquire… it’s more something that must be done”
“Dammit Gaius we don’t have time for riddles just tell me how I can fix him!”
“True loves kiss”
Huh- wai- wha- ugh.
“What” he managed to strain out.
Looking him straight in the eyes with a stern face and a no nonsense tone Gaius replies “the only way to break the spell is with true love's kiss”
“Welp, that certainly disqualifies me seeing as I’ve already had the pleasure” Gwaine throws over his shoulder as he heads to leave the physician quarters.
“What do you mean? I managed to pull him off you before you could defile him in the forest”
Arthur almost shivers thinking about the disturbing image of his closest friend throwing himself at the flirt.
“Oh not that” he replies as he stops in the doorway. “I’m talking about the kisses he snuck in when you were too busy pouting on your horse riding home” he adds with a wink before quickly making his escape down the hall cackling.
“Wha- dammit Gwaine!” He yells after the knight.
He closes his eyes and tries to calm himself with the knowledge of the pure hell he’s going to put the idiot through come training tomorrow. And probably for the next month. Maybe the year.
“Well then Sire I’ll leave you to it” Gaius interjects his seething as he makes his way to his quarters.
“Leave me to what? You expect me to go out and find Merlin’s true love somewhere? How the bloody hell am I supposed to do that”
“No sire” Gaius replies in an exasperated tone. “I expect you to put us all out of our suffering and go in there to kiss the boy yourself.” He finishes while closing his bedroom door.
Arthurs not sure how long he stood there. It could have been a few mere seconds or hours but in that time he cycled through more emotions than he thought possible.
Him? Merlin's true love? Ha! Obviously not. The thought is ridiculous, hysterical even. He immediately knows it to be perpostures and untrue.
However the more he thinks about it the more upset he gets. Who the hell is Merlin's true love, and why aren't they here taking care of the boy.
Now Arthurs the first to admit his manservant is a bit of an idiot. Sure he's a terrible servant, the clumsiest man he's ever met, and frankly he seems to either have zero self preservation or a death wish, but aside from all that he's also the braves, kindest, occasionally the wisest, and most loyal person Arthurs ever had the pleasure of getting to know. Surly Merlin deserves to have his true love by his side, caring for and defending him. Listening to all his ridiculous ramblings about life, laughing with him about all his stupid jokes. If anyone deserves to find their true love it must be Merlin.
But what does that mean for Arthur? If Merlin does find this mystery person, they would most definitely get in the way of all the time he spends with his manservant. It's not as if Arthur is unaware that he and Merlin are unusually close. Obviously a King doesn't need one servant to do all the tasks hes assigned Merlin, but over the years he's gotten used to the boy. Though he's not so much a boy anymore now that he thinks about it. Throughout the 10 years hes been in Arthurs service he's certainly grown into quite the man.
With a better diet since having access to the kitchens, and all the heavy lifting he's gotten used to, Merlins filled out quite nicely into his adult body. His shoulders have broadened and he’s packed on some muscle, though nowhere near as much as Arthur has. He’s gotten more lax with cutting his raven locks, allowing them to curl and wave past his ridiculously endearing ears. And despite everything they've been through together his smile has widened and his blue eyes shine brighter than ever. Yes, Arthur thinks, His closest companion has grown into quite the strapping young man. A definite prize for whoever is lucky enough to be said true love.
Whoever they are, they better appreciate Merlin. If they’re going to be interjecting themselves into his and Merlin's relationship then they better be worthy of him.
But for the life of him he can’t imagine anyone actually fulfilling this role. They’d have to be an impeccable warrior to defend Merlin from all the trouble he gets into, though no one is a better fighter than he. They would have to be witty and have an excellent sense of humor, for Merlin loves to laugh, but no one is better at getting a chuckle out of Merlin than himself. They would have to understand how kind and compassionate his friend is and not take advantage of it. Certainly Arthur knows no person but they would be a most formidable opponent. He almost burns with jealousy at the thought of this impossibly perfect person stealing his closest friend away.
But who could possibly love Merlin better than he? The truth burns through him like liquid fire. No one in all of Albion could possibly love Merlin better than himself. They've been through everything together. Life and death, countless battles and wars, lost and gained family and friends together, been to hell and back. And yet Arthur knows that he could do it all again if Merlin was at his side. There was nothing he couldn't do without Merlin's unwavering loyalty and belief in him. Merlin had spent the last 10 years of his life devoted to Arthur and Camelot and now he’d make sure to spend the next 10 years returning that devolution.
But what if Merlin didn’t feel the same. He knew Merlin cared for him as his King and even his best friend but could he ever come to see him as a potential lover.
Arthur blushed at the thought. What would they be like together like that? Would it feel awkward and forced or more comforting and familiar like his short courtship with Guinevere. No, he couldn’t help but think it would be like their verbal sparring, like two magnets pushing and pulling against each other before they collide.
“Gwaine my love, are you there”
Looks like Arthur wouldn't get more time to contemplate this realization as he had a manservant to de-spell.
*
“Oh, Arthur”
Arthur couldn't help but feel hurt by the disappointment in Merlin’s tone.
“Is my love also coming?” Merlin asks, this time with a voice of rising hope, eyes shining bright with affection for a man Arthur would very much like to run through with his sword.
“Um no. Unfortunately sir Gwaine had to leave” Arthur answers, unsure how to proceed.
“Oh, well then I’ll just go find him” the spelled idiot replies while going to swing his legs off the bed sitting up.
“Ugh no wait! You can't do that!”
“I assure you I most certainly can and will my lord. My poor love is probably worried sick without me and I won't be parted from him.”
Jesus, this was going to be harder than Arthur first thought. Of course even while spelled Merlin was still as stubborn as ever.
“Uh well of course you can go see you-your h-heart. But first he wants you to do something.”
“What? What is it? Surely he knows all he must do is ask and it's his”
“Ok well” he interjects softly, sitting down on the small bed beside Merlin “before you two can be together he… wants… us… to…ugh… kiss…” He finished waiting for the man to blow up at him again in outrage. Instead he's surprised by the dejected look on his friend's face.
“I was afraid of this”
“What” he answers confused. “You were?”
“Of course. Obviously Gwaine doesnt think we can start our relationship until he's made sure I've moved on from my feelings for you”
Being a knight, trained to kill since birth, Arthurs had the wind knocked out of him more times than he can count. Numerous opponents have managed to do so. Some with broad swords, axes, maces, even their bare hands, though that was usually reserved for sir Percival during overzealous training sessions, but no one had ever managed to accomplish this with a few mere words.
“What, what feelings?” he whispered out, trying to make eye contact with his manservant, whose eyes seemed glued to the floor.
“The feelings I had for you the moment we met. Sure at first it was just attraction. Even though you were a right arse at the beginning it wasn't like I was blind. Honestly a blind man could probably see how beautiful you are. And I'm sure Gwaine would understand that because he's not insecure, not to mention he’s the sexiest man to ever walk the land of Albion”
“But” he continued on with a sigh, “then you had to go and risk your life for me and prove time and time again that underneath all your princely pratness you were actually this kind and thoughtful man who would do anything for the happiness and betterment of his people. You became a man I looked up to and respected, a man that I not only wanted to take to bed but one I would gladly devout my life to serving”
He finally looks up at Arthur, who can't begin to imagine how deep the flush on his face is.
“Of course he wants me to prove that I've moved on from my first love by proving it with an unsatisfying kiss. It’ll show him that it will be completely underwhelming and that there are no feelings between us” he finished nodding to himself before puckering up and leaning in towards the stunned King.
“Ugh wow ok” he replies, catching Merlin by the shoulders before he can lay one on him.
“How about you just sit back, close your eyes and I’ll do all the work. After all then it won't be you kissing another man but another man kissing you. Surely sir Gwaine would prefer that. “Don't you think” Arthur replies, slightly panicked, trying to calm his racing heart while processing all the information his clueless manservant just dumped on him.
“Oh good idea Sire. I can't tell you how much your support of our blooming love means, both to myself and sir Gwaine.” Merlin replies happily before sitting back ramrod straight with his eyes scrunched shut. “Just try to make it quick please”
“Of course Merlin, I’ll do my best.” He breathes out trying to calm himself down.
Arthur couldn't believe he was doing this. It’s not as though he’d missed the plushness of Merlin's lips before or how pink they were. How the bottom was slightly bigger while the top had a most pronounced cupid's bow. How they got slightly chapped in the colder months, or how their edges would curl slightly when he was pleased with something Arthur had said but didn't want to give him credit for it. But looking at them now, slightly parted and relaxed, Arthur couldn't help but think he’d never seen something so enticing in his life.
The first touch of lips was stiff. It was more of two mouths just touching than an actual kiss. Both men seemed frozen, afraid to move or even breathe, but then Arthur did. He let out the soft sigh he was holding as his lips slipped softly interlocking over Merlins cupid’s bow lightly pulling before giving the same treatment to the bottom one.
And then Arthur wasn't sure who moved first but suddenly there were fingers tangled in hair, and hands gripping cloths, pulling each other impossibly close, there were tongues in mouths and breathy moans coming from between spit slick lips, and then there was a manservant on his lap and for the life of him Arthur couldn't think of a single reason why they hadn't done this before.
He didn’t mean for this to happen, really. It was just supposed to be a quick kiss to relieve Merlin of the blasted spell but then he had to go crawling in his lap, locking his body to Arthur’s like it belonged their and letting out these breathy little whimpers, And could Arthur really be held responsible for slipping his arms underneath the mans parted legs and flipping them horizontal so he could press his whole body down onto the bed and finally feel Merlin in his entirety.
It was when Arthur began the exploration of Merlin’s enticing neck, seriously how had he never realized how long and slender the lillywhite body part was, that oxygen seemed to come back to Merlins brain and he realized that obviously he had missed something.
“Um Arthur” he managed to pant out.
“Mhm” was all he got in reply. It seemed Arthur’s mouth was too busy for a proper reply.
“Not that I'm not very happy about this new development, and believe me I am very happy. But um -oh god- what the hell is going on”
That seemed to get his attention. Finally detaching himself from what Merlin could only assume was his severely marked up neck, “what do you mean what's going on? We're kissing”. His king replied with that adorable face he made when he got confused.
“Yes thank you sire, I had managed to put that together” Merlin replied trying not to let too much sarcasm into his tone. “What I mean is why are we kissing? The last thing I remember was trying to shove your royal behind out of the way from that sorcerer in the woods”
“Oh” Arthur answers sheepishly detangilng his limbs and sitting up “well when you pushed me out of the way you were hit with a love spell to make you fall for the first person you saw”
“And what?!” He cries out sitting up “you just decided to go along with it and take the opportunity to snog me!” He says in an outrage. “There is such a thing as consent your highness and a love spell is certainly not it. It doesn't matter how much I was throwing myself at you, you should've locked me away somewhere until Gaius could find a cure!”
Merlin thought this is it. This is the moment he would die of embarrassment. Oh sure he’d come close a few times but the mortification of his spelled self forcefully and shamelessly throwing himself at his longtime crush and friend definitely takes the cake. God he’d never be able to look Arthur in the eyes again. Or the knights seeing as they were there when it happened. He’d have to move out of the castle or better yet out of Camelot. Sure he had basically zero skills and knew no trade but he was sure with enough determination and a little help from his magic he could make it on the road.
He was already planning his escape when Arthur interrupted his spiraling.
“Whoa! Hey! No, you weren't spelled to fall in love with me” he says shaking his head. “The first person you saw after being hit was Gwaine.”
Wait. What?
“Okay now I'm really confused”
“Well after you were hit Gwaine helped you off the floor. Unfortunately Percival had already slayen the sorcerer so by the time we realized you’d been spelled, which was almost immediately, she couldn't undo the spell, which meant we had to endure the entire ride home listening to you prattle on about how bouncy Gwaine’s hair is or how sexy his muscles are” Arthur manages to grumble out.
“And how does the kissing come into any of this?” Merlin asks slightly more confused than he is embarrassed.
And wow he doesn't think he’s ever seen Arthur turn that shade of red.
“Once we got you back to Gaius and finally managed to pry you off Gwaine he was able to tell us how to cure you.” Arthur explained “and well he said the cure was, um, he said it was, true love's kiss” he manages to get out before turning a whole new shade of red and apparently finding the spot on the wall behind Merlin’s head extremely fascinating.
“Oh” Merlin pushes out.
“Oh” Arthur confirms, nodding, still refusing to meet Merlin’s eyes.
It’s when Merlin lets out a snicker, Arthur finally looks back at him.
“What the hell is so damn amusing about what I just told you”
“Oh nothing much” he replies colyly with a mischievous grin starting to form. “Just that you totally love me, you girl” he gets out while pushing Arthurs shoulder away.
“What!” He screeches out, and now Merlin thinks it's actually impossible for a human being to turn so red “No, you're the one who loves me! Even when you were all spelled to love Gwaine, you said how attractive you find me and what a good king I make” he cries outraged.
“Yah but we already knew I was a girl, but you, your highness, I never knew you could be such a sap”
“I am Not a sap! You take that back” he points at Merlin enraged at being accused of having actual feelings. What an idiot. God he loved him, Merlin thought.
“No, sorry, can't. You're a sap. A total sap. Giaus told you that the cure was true love's kiss and like a true romantic you came in here to sweep me off my feet like a prince from one of Gwen's romance novels”
“Dammit Merlin I'm the King not some silly prince” He narrows his eyes. “And what does that make you in this story, the princess?” he adds smugly.
“Well better a princess then a queen” Merlin snorts amused.
And now Merlins confused again as a wave of calm seems to wash over his King. “No, not a princess, or queen” he replies. “The King's consort.”
“What”
“Do try to keep up Merlin” he says with a pompous attitude and his famous smirk “we've already agreed that you can't be a princess nor a queen, and you certainly can't remain a manservant so the King's consort it is”
WHAT?!
“Um Sire, are you sure you're not the one who's been spelled”
“I know you're a simple peasant but do try to use whatever brain power you have, however small it may be. Obviously it would be inappropriate for the King of Camelot to carry on with a mere servant, and it’s not as if we need to spend time courting, for we already know we're compatible. Honestly Merlin we've spent the last 10 years together. Do you really want to wait anymore before we make it official?” Arthur says like it's common sense and Merlin really is some simpleton.
“Wha- courting? Why would there be courting?!” Merlin squawks out, getting more riled up with every sentence coming from the King's mouth.
“Merlin I know I often joke of your simple nature but surely even you can't be that dense” Arthur patronizes him.
“Arthur” Merlin seeths out through clenched teeth “let's pretend I am simple ok. Explain to me very simply what you think is happening here.”
“Well I thought it quite obvious but alright” Arthur says managing to sound both exasperated and fond at the same time. Taking Merlin's hand he continues “I’m in love with you. I don't want to spend another moment of my life without you, and since you obviously love me, and really who could blame you, it only makes sense for us to marry” He finishes with a self satisfied smirk.
“So just to be clear” Merlin confirms “You're not only admitting to being in love with me, you're also demanding to marry me, instead of asking like a normal person, because you can't stand to be parted from me anymore?” He finishes speaking slowly to make sure he gets all that right.
Arthur takes a moment to think before answering “yes that sounds about right” he says with a stupidly endearing serious face.
“You really are a sap” Merlin replies with a growing smile.
“Merlin”
“Shut up?”
“Shut up”
“I love you too Sire”