I don't own Merlin sadly. It belongs to the BBC
This is the one shot sequel to 'Matters Of The Heart' it is a Christmas story for my friend Kenya1234 I hope they enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Merry Christmas! :D
Light malexmale. AU. Rated 'M' for safety :D
Summary: Sequel to Matters Of The Heart. After Merlin moved in Arthur realised he never wanted to be without Merlin and enlists his friends help in how to ask Merlin to marry him, having no idea Merlin is planning the same, who will ask who first?
I apologise in advance for any mistakes I may have made :D
Merlin walked into the pub they always meet up in and saw Leon at the bar with Gwaine and Percival ordering drinks, looking around he saw three tables all pulled together and saw the rest of them. Well, everyone except Arthur, walking over, tapping Leon on the shoulder on the way letting his friend know he was here he sat down at the table and said hello to everyone and waited for Leon, Gwaine and Percival join them.
Once they were all seated Elena spoke. "What is it you wanted us all here for before Arthur came Merlin?"
Merlin took a deep breath, "I want to ask Arthur to marry me -" he was cut off by the squeals from the women around the table; once they had quietened down he started again. "I want you all to help as I have no idea how to ask him. I want to ask him at Christmas. Any ideas?"
They all sat there thinking until Morgana spoke. "How about on Christmas day, surrounded by all the family and friends?" she suggested.
"I like that; I have asked Uther and Ygraine here as I want to ask their permission to marry their son."
As if on cue Uther and Ygraine walked through the door and looked around before joining everyone at the table. Merlin stood up. "Can I get you both a drink?"
"No thank you Merlin, we have only just popped in, tonight is date night and Ygraine here wants to go to the cinema." Uther answered.
Ygraine turned and looked at her husband. "Keep up with that tone and there will be no back seat."
"I didn't want to hear that." Morgana said sipping her juice as she stroked her protruding stomach. She and Leon had started trying for a baby as soon as they got back from their honeymoon and within one month she had gotten pregnant, she was now five months pregnant and bigger than normal as she and Leon found out only a week before they were to have twins, one of each.
Merlin stood up. "I would like permission from you both to ask Arthur to marry me."
Ygraine beamed and pulled Merlin close, "you have it love, we look on you as a son anyway, I just know Arthur will say yes."
Uther shook Merlin's hand. "When are you to propose?"
"Christmas day when we are surrounded by friends and family but I don't know how to propose."
"How about you give the ring to me." Ygraine said. "I am making Christmas puddings this year with Hunith, one each for everyone, instead of putting money in Arthur's I will put the ring in for you."
"Yeah, I like that, and I will by his side and ask him once he finds it, thank you."
Just then Arthur walked in, hands together blowing into them before rubbing them together.
"It's getting really cold out there now." he said as he walked over to them all.
He held his hands out to Merlin who took them in his and started to rub them to warm them up.
"Mum? Dad? What are you both doing here?"
"We are just going; we stopped by for a quick drink before going to cinema." Uther said. With that he and Ygraine said bye to them all and left.
They all stayed at the pub and it was only when Merlin got a call and decided to take it outside did Arthur lean over the table. "I need to talk to all of you quickly before Merlin comes back. I want to ask Merlin to marry me. I want to do it on Christmas day but don't know how."
Morgana smiled. "I am pleased you are now in your own place and feel ready for this brother, you must love Merlin very much."
"Very much? Morgana I love Merlin with all that I am. Any ideas on how I can ask him to marry me? I want to do it on Christmas day when we are surrounded by friends and family. I want something different though, not just to drop to one knee."
Morgana smirked. "Mother is doing each of us a Christmas pudding this year, how about you give her the ring you are to use to propose with and ask her to put that in Merlin's pudding."
Arthur beamed. "Fantastic, thank you sister." he said, hugging Morgana.
When Arthur went to the bar to order another drink Gwen leaned across to Morgana. "You can't do that! Don't you realise they are going to propose to each other on the same day at the same time in the same way!"
"Yes. Good right?"
"I am looking forward to Christmas this year." Arthur said as he held Merlin closer to him. Merlin who had his head resting on Arthur's chest looked up.
"Oh? Why?"
"Will be better than last year, no arguing and fighting."
Merlin laughed when he remembered the year before and how he had told Morgana it was him who told Ygraine everything. He kissed the blond on the chest. "I am very much looking forward to this Christmas."
Both went to sleep with a smile on their face that night, not realising they were both looking forward to Christmas day for the same reason.
Two days later they were all around Arthur and Merlin's place, blokes watching the football the women upstairs in one of the spare rooms watching a dvd, at halftime they had shouted Merlin upstairs, he had kissed Arthur telling him he wouldn't be long and that was two hours ago, the men were now sat around the kitchen table playing poker, so much money in the middle.
"I'm out." Percival said as he placed his cards down, leaving just Arthur and Leon playing the game.
Arthur looked down at his cards, he had two pair. "I see your twenty and I raise you fifty."
"Fifty?"
"Yes Leon, it will cost you fifty to see my cards Leon."
Just then the women came walking into the kitchen giggling at a very drunk Merlin who stumbled. Morgana stopped when she saw what they were playing and the money on the table, she leaned forwards slightly and looked over her brother's shoulder at his cards. "Oh what a lovely looking pair." she said.
Leon seeing his wife bent forwards in a low cut top smiled. "Took the words right out my mouth." he said before placing the money down. "Full house."
Arthur slammed his cards down. "That isn't fair Morgana told you what I had."
"Of course I did," Morgana said as she picked up the money, "we are to have two babies in a few months; this can go towards things for your niece and nephew."
Arthur growled low in his throat before he saw Merlin, he rounded on the women. "Why did you get him drunk?"
"Drunk Merlin is fun." Elena laughed.
Arthur shook his head, poker forgotten and walked over to his boyfriend. "Merlin love."
"Poker, I like when we play strip poker, better than winning money."
"Merlin." Arthur said, trying to get Merlin to quieten as Gwaine and Percival started to laugh.
"We have been watching a film about poems and such. They were too mushy for me though. I like the one granddad told me better." he moved away from Arthur and swayed slightly as he tried to stand straight. "There once was a man called Reg, who went with a girl in a hedge, when along came his wife with a big carving knife and cut off his meat and two veg." he giggled, making everyone in the kitchen except Arthur laugh.
"Get it Arthur, meat and two veg? His bollocks and cock. Hmm speaking of cocks when do I get yours again, I am still lo-"
Arthur slapped his hand over Merlin's lips. "Everyone thank you for coming but not for getting Merlin drunk go home, goodnight."
Elyan being the last out heard Merlin as he shut the door. "Was I naughty? Going to spank me?"
Elyan shook his head and looked at his sister. "Why did you get him drunk for?"
Christmas day soon arrived and Merlin and Arthur despite looking forward to the day were both so nervous and tried not to let it show, everything had to go perfect today. They woke up and after showering they headed to Uther and Ygraine's house for the day.
Before they knew it dinner had been eaten and Ygraine and Uther came in carrying trays that were full of Christmas puddings, Merlin was that nervous staring at Arthur's pudding that had just been placed in front of him he didn't notice Arthur looking nervous as the blond stared at his pudding instead of his own with an equal look of nervousness on his face.
"Okay, dig in!" Ygraine announced, hiding her amusement at the two men before her.
Neither touched their food, waiting for the other to begin eating. This continued for a few seconds before Arthur used his fork to point at Merlin's food.
"You going to eat that?"
"'Course I am." Merlin said indignantly. "I was just waiting for you to start."
"Why?" he asked suspiciously.
"Because I'm polite. Just giving you the chance to be rude, as always."
Arthur rolled his eyes, "Well, maybe this time I wanted to be polite and let you begin first. Go on."
"No, you go first."
"No, you-"
"Are we really going to get into an argument about this? Eat your damn puddings!" Uther snapped, going back to his own.
"Father," Arthur shot him a glare, talking through clenched teeth, "you know how I would really like to change my ways, do not ruin it. Okay?"
Uther put his hands up in defense, "Hey, sorry. Just saying, if one of you doesn't start eating soon, nothing is going to happen."
Both Merlin and Arthur shot horrified looks towards Uther, watching as his face suddenly turn into a mask of pain as Ygraine kicked him roughly under the table. Turning back, Arthur eyed Merlin for a moment.
"Same time?" he asked.
Hesitantly, Merlin nodded, watching intently as Arthur put his spoon in, copying his moved exactly. It seemed like a final competition between two opposing teams, each watching the other carefully, neither taking their eyes off the other's spoon as it moved between pudding and mouth.
Arthur hit something hard as he moved his spoon back in, moving it around to bring it up and out. His eyes widened as it reached eye level, pudding dripping off as it revealed an unmistakable shape.
At the same time, Merlin had brought another spoonful up to his mouth, the feeling of something that did not belong landed smartly on his tongue. Moving the contents around his mouth, he swallowed the pudding and stuck out his tongue, looking down to try and see what he had a suspicious feeling was not burnt pudding.
"Merlin?" Arthur asked in a small voice.
"Arthur?" he asked at the same time, moving his hand to take the ring off of his tongue.
He gave a small, teary laugh, "I bet you this was Morgana's doing."
"You were going to propose?" Merlin asked.
"I was." he nodded, his voice small. "It seems like you were going to as well."
"I still want to." Merlin said softly.
"Well someone say something. Ask him laddie, the answer is obvious if Arthur has the same idea." Dragoon said.
Arthur started to panic slightly, he had gotten much better and in control and feeling like his old self again except for times like this when he was afraid of rejection.
Taking a deep breath, Arthur moved silently from his chair, moving to Merlin and getting down on one knee. Moving his hand up, he stroked the smaller man's pale face, running his thumb over a soft cheek bone. Merlin's tear filled eyes met his own, ring in his shaking hand.
"I thought-I thought-" Merlin stuttered, Arthur shushing him with a small smile.
"We think very much alike, don't we?" he whispered, thumbing the ring in his own hand, eyes searching Merlin's shocked own. "How were you to propose if you're going to get all emotional?"
"I didn't-I wasn't-" he began.
Arthur gave a small laugh, "Would you have even been able to get the words out?"
"O-of course I would have!" Merlin sniffled. "I was-was perfectly fine proposing to you, but I didn't-I didn't think you would come so far as to propose to-to me!"
"Sh," Arthur soothed, "calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down, you clotpole!" Merlin exclaimed. "Stop-stop procrastinating and-and ask me already."
"Someone's impatient." Arthur murmured, smiling softly up at the man before him. "If you insist, but I don't know if you'll be able to handle it, I sort of had a small speech planned."
"Arthur." Merlin groaned.
"Hush you. Now then, Merlin Emrys, when we first met I was not the man you made me today. In fact, I was no short of an utter mess. One could say I was broken, a hollow shell that roamed the earth no place to go, no reason to really even live. The day I met you, everyone saw the change as I began to come back to life, people watching as you took your time and formed me, molded me into the strong, dependable man I am now. You took these capable mechanics hands and worked on me like you work on one of your cars, so sure and capable. I was something that belonged in the scrap yard, and you, being the person you are, refused to put me there, telling yourself in your mind over and over again, 'I can fix this.' And you did.
"Without you, I do not even want to imagine the person I would be right now, where I would even stand. The whole point of being with someone is not just for love, it is because they are the one person on this earth who makes you a better person. You see my flaws, and yet you don't see them as flaws, you see them as my perfection. Instead of the chink in my armour, they are my armour. My friends used to say that it would take a miracle for me to be the man I was; now they say I can never let my miracle go, because everyone sees you for exactly what you are. My Miracle.
"So, Merlin, will you please do me the honour of standing by my side in body and soul, from now until forever? Will you marry me?"
Merlin opened and closed his mouth, knowing what he wanted to say, but not seeming to be able to get his tongue to work. He bobbed his head frantically, nodding in answer to Arthur's question, ignoring everyone as applause erupted around the table.
Throwing himself to the floor, he wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck, pulling away only to watch as the older man slipped the ring onto his finger. Burying his head in Arthur's shoulder, he whispered choked out "yes's" into the other's ear. Arthur pushed him back once more, pulling their faces together so their lips could finally meet.
Snatching the ring in Arthur's hand, Merlin fumbled to calm himself, grabbing Arthur's hand in his own.
"I'm not-I'm not down on one-one knee l-like you, and I-I don't have a beautiful sp-speech, but will you-will you-will-"
Arthur laughed, "You're a mess, my love." he whispered. "Yes."
Merlin just nodded in agreement, deciding he really couldn't talk right then, and put the other ring on Arthur's finger. Arthur pulled him in for another hug, never wanting to let go because he had never been happier in his entire life. He never would be unless Merlin was there at his side. Forever.
The end!
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