Three words

It was on a hot summer night that Mordred let the words "I love you" slip from his lips in a whisper filled with passion. He had never spoken them to anyone before and hardly realised he did so now. That was how wrapped up he was in all that was Merlin.

From the day Mordred had come to Camelot Merlin seemed to fear him and he always looked away in distrust, no matter how hard Mordred tried to prove himself. Earlier that day the two of them had clashed once more. Something deep inside Mordred had snapped. This was the last time, he no longer wanted to feel hurt by the reactions of the older man. Instead he challenged him by stepping into his personal space just to see how far Merlin would jump.

It surprised them both when Merlin held his ground and did not push him away. Their eyes met in defiance and neither was willing to yield to the other. Slowly the stare intensified and in spite of themselves their lips suddenly took what neither had realised they wanted until it happened.

Frustration turned into heated passion and fear made way for naughty whispers. It was in a matter of moments that they fell to Mordred's bed, with nothing between them but sweat and air. Finally Modred yielded and he found himself at the utter mercy of very talented hands. Spread on his belly underneath Merlin he lost all thought when their hips met time and time again until they found their release together. The three words were lost in Merlin's cry of joy…

Days went by before Mordred let the words "I love you" out by accident for a second time. This time he had been aware and deep down inside he had meant them. Even so he was keeping his fingers crossed Merlin had not heard them.

The two of them had been ignoring the other ever since the other night. Each time their eyes met Merlin turned away from him in awkwardness. Mordred did not blame him at all. What had happened between them made little sense to him too. How come his heart had fallen for the one man who did not trust him? It was probably better to forget about it.

Fate however had other ideas. Both lost in thought they had turned a corner on their way to turn in for the night inside the quiet castle. With unseeing eyes they bumped into the other quite literally and clumsily. Mordred's hands were on Merlin instantly to steady him without thinking. Their eyes met in annoyance at first and within the next moment they seemed unable to stop themselves from kissing the other. After they came up for air they walked off silently, both heading in the same direction.

Inside Mordred's chambers awkwardness almost turned into tension, but then Merlin stepped forward to kiss him fully on the lips once more. If clothes were ripped to pieces while they were taken off neither cared. Days of pent up frustration slowly turned into unexpected tenderness. Even more so than last time Mordred fell apart, drowning in all that was Merlin and holding on to him with all of his heart.

When Merlin pushed inside him for a second time in the long night Mordred realised he was lost. The words "I love you" tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them and for a moment it seemed Merlin halted. Then they both tumbled over the edge, with their magic glowing between them. Afterwards Merlin held him as he fell asleep. By the time the sun awoke Mordred the bed besides him was empty.

The third time the words "I love you" were spoken between them they fell from Merlin's lips, but Mordred was still asleep and he could not hear them.

Holding the sleeping Mordred in his arms had felt so very right. Yet Merlin could still hear the warning of the dragon who told him not to trust the young druid. He could still clearly see the vision the vates showed him, in which Mordred killed Arthur. All of it screamed at him not to allow himself to get close to Mordred and yet here he was, sharing a bed and quite possibly more.

Feeling every inch the coward Merlin snuck out of the warm embrace and slid off the bed to get dressed. It was probably best if he left before Mordred woke up. For one he did not want to pretend he hadn't heard the breathless "I love you". For another he hoped Gaius had not picked up on his absense just yet. He had no clue how to explain this to himself, let alone to someone else.

When Merlin picked up his scarf from the floor he looked at the torn mess it had become with a smile. They sure were in a hurry last night. At the thought he could not resist looking at the sleeping Mordred. The druid's black curls on the pillow and his naked form were quite a beautiful sight. He walked over to the bed to pull the sheets over Mordred, so he would not get cold. He kissed the young man's temple and whispered, "I am afraid I love you too, but I can't do this… I am so sorry".

Angrily he wiped at a stray tear and then he walked out of the chambers before he could change his mind.

The most important time the words were said between them it was in mutual agreement. Until then they had not really talked and Merlin avoided Mordred ever since the morning he walked out the door. He knew it was a harsh thing to do, but he believed he had no choice. As the days went by though he began to see how much it hurt Mordred and it broke his heart.

If he were honest to himself he had to admit he wasn't doing all that great himself. He missed the connection they shared and he began to despair at himself for tearing his own heart out all in the name of destiny. Could it be really true that the man who tried so hard to earn his trust would turn against him? Or was it more a case of that his own foolish rejection of love would come back to haunt him?

From behind a window he had seen Mordred step out into the night on the balcony. Pale moonlight shone into his face and to Merlin's sadness he saw loneliness in every fibre of his lover. Without thinking his feet took him out on the balcony as well. Mordred turned towards him and his blue eyes hardened. "What are you doing here?".

Merlin didn't really know, but his mouth formed the words he needed to say anyway. "I am sorry for what I did. I have been a fool". Hope filled both their eyes and slowly more words were spoken between them. Truths, hopes and wishes soon were revealed. Then all of sudden Merlin blurted out what he had been told, all of the warnings and dooming prophecies. Mordred fell silent in stunned sadness and amazement at the contrast to what he felt was in his heart.

They held each other when Merlin heard Mordred whisper, "I don't want that to be what the future holds for me. I cannot believe that it will be the truth, please help me stay away from that destiny".

"Look at me", Merlin insisted and when the blue eyes locked with his he said. "I will do whatever I can. I love you and I won't leave you".

"I love you too", Modred's words almost got lost in a passionate kiss.

They forgot the world around them as they made love beneath the stars. Merlin had locked themselves out of the castle so no one would interrupt them. They took their time and to show Mordred he trusted him he surrendered to him willingly. Never had Merlin felt so relaxed and at the same time utterly exhausted by the time they fell asleep in the afterglow.

It was a few mooncycles later when Mordred told Merlin he loved him in the gardens of the Camelot castle. What no one believed could be had happened. Peace had returned to the kingdom with the defeat of Morgana only a few days ago at the battle of Camlann. Tonight the people of Camelot celebrated inside the castle, but the noise was too much for the two of them and so they snuck out to enjoy their newfound freedom in the fresh open air.

Two pairs of blue eyes glowed golden as they lit the torches around them. Then they grinned at the fresh relief of not having to hide. "You did it", Mordred said softly and happily. He was met with a sheepish smile. Merlin clearly had a hard time still believing how easy it had been in the end to make Arthur see magic was not a bad thing at all.

Mordred had only heard the tales of the great Emrys saving the day by stopping Morgana from delivering the fatal blow to Arthur by using magic. It was all he needed to hear. Out of fear of his own destiny he had stayed away from Camlann and so the prophecies never came to be.

His relief had probably shone out of every part of his soul when the King and Merlin came came riding into Camelot side by side, with the most trusted knights behind them. They joked and laughed, as if Merlin revealing all of himself to them had changed nothing.

From far away Merlin had spoken to him in his mind and he'd told him that all those with magic were free to be themselves. The concept of that was hard to grasp for the both of them still, but their happiness had no boundaries. Merlin, or rather Emrys, had lived up to his destiny in spite of ignoring certain warnings. Their love had conquered all and was now stronger then ever.

To finally say "I love you" to Merlin without their destinies weighing over them filled them both with immense joy. The future of Camelot was safe and the best of their lives was still to come. They would be together for as long as they walked this earth. That was the promise they made to each other out in the garden, under the bright stars and the full moon.

It was definitely not the last time the three words were said between them.