Merlin and Arthur pulled up outside the little cottage with a slanted thatched roof and pink walls in Arthur's four door black 67 Chevy impala. The sun was setting over the mountains in the distance, and painting the sky with a golden brush.
"Why did you want to go on holiday again?" merlin asked as he opened the boot.
"Because you've been stressed, and Gwaine's annoying and the boss has given me a week off!" Arthur explained as he unlocked the door, "so I thought, where's your favourite place outside of Camelot?! And here we are!"
Merlin hid his smile. It filled him with a warm and tingling sensation when Arthur remembered the simple things like this. His heart lifted and a smile curled on his lips even if he didn't want it to.
They had only been here before once. When their car broke not long into their official relationship. It was a sweet little village. No one know them but everyone remembered their last visit. They were happy, accepting welcoming kind people in this village. More liberal than people in the city, or even their home town. It had a lake on the other side of the forest under the mountain with beautiful waterfalls cascading from them. There was a river winding from it around the fields and farms. There were cows in the fields, and ducks, and sheep and babies as it was spring. There were country lanes moving with the land. There was a large hill, with a large tree underneath which Arthur had kissed merlin for the first time. It was a peaceful place. Exactly how he had imagined where he would have gone all those times he wanted to leave Camelot. Complete with the charming old lady in the old stone cottage who baked snacks and brought them to each house for free because she enjoyed spreading happiness.
Merlin shut the car boot. Arthur caught Merlin's bright blue eyes with his own matching coloured. "Come on in, I just got the fire started!" Arthur smiled. The sweet smell and familiar crackle of burning Wild cherry wood welcomed merlin into the quaint cottage. Merlin immediately walked through to the bedroom.
He was pleased to see the bed hanging from ropes still tied up. Merlin lept on it, and it swung. "A rocking bed, the sound of a crackling fire, and wild cherry wood burning? I love it here!" Arthur announced as he walked in. "it's perfect here. Let's never leave!" merlin said.
"It's not perfect yet!" Arthur said. Merlin looked up at him and gave him an unconvinced look. Then it became a smile because merlin was just too happy. "Now it's perfect!" Arthur smiled. Merlin shook his head laughing. "You're such a flatterer!" merlin laughed.
Later that night, Merlin and Arthur laid on the grass staring up at the stars piercing every available space of the dark cloudless to twinkle above them. They held hands as they did. "You see up there? That group right by the moon? Sort of like a dragon?" the raven haired merlin said pointing up, "that's the Pendragon constellation!" he said.
"Really?!" Arthur asked tilting his head slightly. A half smile curled on his pink lips.
"I don't know. Probably not. Should be though!" merlin admitted. Arthur burst into laughter. Merlin joined in. "hey, let's go on a picnic tomorrow!" Arthur suggested. "We'll go up to the tree on the hill!" he said.
"Why not then!" merlin smiled.
"It's beautiful here!" Arthur sighed contently. Merlin saw the chance for a really cheesy line, and he decided to take it anyway! "Anywhere with you is beautiful!" he said. Arthur laughed and agreed that it was the cheesiest line he'd ever heard.
Merlin fell asleep being cuddled close to Arthur and rocked by the bed. He felt warm and safe and happy. Especially to know the next morning he would wake up, and spend all day with the man he loved. Even if he hadn't said the actual words yet!