Just a short oneshot I came up with and absolutely had to write down. Nothing special, but then again it's about Merlin, so it must be :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin
"You really are an idiot, aren't you Merlin?" Arthur asked, shaking his head.
Merlin looked up, confused. "What?"
Arthur stood in front of him, his arms crossed, looking down at Merlin, who was sitting on the floor and polishing Arthur's boots.
"What!" Merlin asked, confused.
"I told you, Merlin to make sure you were down at the training grounds after you cleaned my room and help me out of my armor so that I could go to my council meeting right after. Then you were supposed to muck out the stables, wash my clothes and boots and armor." Arthur said, annoyed.
"Oh, right," Merlin smiled, "Sorry about that. I forgot-"
"Yeah, so I noticed. I had to get some random bootlicker to help me out of my armor so that I could get to my meeting on time! Really, Merlin are you completely useless?"
This touched a nerve. After everything he had done Arthur was now calling him useless.
"No." He said, defensively.
"What?"
"I said no. I'm not completely useless, Arthur Pendragon! You of all people should know that."
Arthur raised his eyebrows, "Right, you are very good at mucking out the stables. I forgot."
Merlin jumped up, angry, "I am capable of doing much more than that!"
"Like what?" Arthur snorted, rolling his eyes. Merlin grew angrier.
"Like saving your royal backside, that's what!"
This time Arthur laughed. "If that was the case, it's amazing I'm still alive!" He said, sarcastically, still laughing.
"Yeah, you are actually." Merlin said, "You really have no idea how many times I have saved your life, do you?"
"Merlin...this is you we're talking about, right?"
"And this is the thanks I get! I have put my own life on the line more times than I can even remember, and all I get in thanks is a laugh and a sarcastic laughter? I have been poisoned more than once, I have tried to trade my life, I have fought in battles, I have fought griffins and assasins, and all sorts of sorcerers-including Morgana and Morgause! And I do all this for a kindom where simply being alive could get me killed because, did I mention, I'm a warlock! And what do I get for it? "Merlin you're an idiot, Merlin you're clueless. A simple 'thank you' would be nice every once in a while!" He was breathing deeply by this point. Arthur was staring at him, with an expression of shock and confusion and Merlin smiled, satisfied that he had whiped that smirk off his royal pratness's face...
...
...Merlin are you completely useless?" Merlin looked up at Arthur sighing. There was so much he wanted to say. For once he wanted to stand up for himself, to not have to hide behind the idiotic servant Arthur seemed to keen to characterize him as. He smiled as he imagined everything he could say, everything he wanted to say. But he knew it wasn't the time. Some day, Arthur would know. But that day wasn't today.
"Yes. I am."