Laying in the clearing under his heavy knights' cloak, Arthur could hear Merlin's teeth chattering. It didn't help that the forest seemed to decide it wanted to be deathly quiet that night, so he heard every rustle of leaf and fabric Merlin's made in sharp relief. Finally, he couldn't stand to listen to him anymore, so he rolled over to face his manservant and stretched out an arm to untuck the red fabric from himself. "Merlin. Come here already," he called, holding his arm up so the fabric draped out over it, open in invitation.
Merlin turned to look at Arthur with shock, "Are you sure sire?" He said, but he couldn't help but gravitate towards the inviting warmth.
"Positive," Arthur said quickly, shifting his arm a little to indicate impatience. "I can't sleep with you being cold over there. Now hurry up, the warmth is escaping." Merlin hurried into Arthurs side, curling up under the warm blanket.
When Merlin curled against him Arthur couldn't help but put back a little, muttering a soft, "Christ, you really are freezing" and draping an arm over his waist to put him closer. He paused a moment, then shifted to sit up enough to start rubbing at Merlin's shoulders and upper arms with his hands. "Seriously. You're making me cold."
"I'm sorry." He said, biting back a moan as Arthur touched him.
"No you aren't," Arthur scoffed lightly, continuing for a few more moments before he was satisfied and shifted to lay down fully again, pillowing his head on one arm and curling the other back over Merlin's waist.
"What are you doing." He asked as Arthur drapped an arm around him.
"What does it look like?" Arthur asked back plainly, tugging Merlin a little closer. "Really, it amazes me how dim you can be sometimes."
"Why?"
"Because as much as I don't understand it, you are my manservant and I actually rather like you," Arthur explained, his eyes half-closed.
"Of course you like me, we're mostly friends Arthur."
"Mostly?" Arthur asked, cocking one eyebrow. "You wound me, Merlin."
"You're a king, I can't be you're friend."
"Oh, so you can be friends with a prince but not with a king," Arthur snipped quietly, rolling his eyes. "You're a mess of contradictions, you know that?"
"Do you want to be my friend." He said, rolling over.
"You're an idiot," Arthur said instead of answering the question, though his voice was fond.
"I'm aware."
Frowning, Arthur asked, "When did you get so self-deprecating? Last I checked you knew when I was only teasing."
"You inform me of my own stupidity quite often."
Stop it," Arthur said, frowning harder. "What's gotten into you, Merlin? You're acting strange."
"Am not."
"Yes, you are. Tell me what's bothering you"
"Nothing's bothering me Arthur."
"Don't lie to me, Merlin. Normally you insult me back."
"Maybe I'm just tired."
"Merlin," Arthur said, his voice warning. "Tell me what's wrong."
Merlin looked up at Arthur, his eyes wide but he shook his head. "I can't tell you." Brow creasing in worry, Arthur gave Merlin a slightly confused, slightly hurt look. "You can tell me anything," he insisted.
"I can't lose you."
"You won't," Arthur assured, keeping his voice soft and gentle.
"Arthur, I'm in love with you."
Arthur paused for a minute, shocked, then leaned forward to press his lips to the corner of Merlin's mouth. "Then you have me."
"What?"
"Idiot," Arthur mumbled fondly. "I'm in love with you, too."
"But I'm just your manservant."
"You haven't been 'just my manservant' for years."
"I'm still just a sevant."
"Not really," Arthur contradicted. "You're a servant in name only."
"Then why do I do you're chores?"
"Because that way I get to keep you close."
"You're not playing around with me here are you?"
"Of course not," Arthur said immediately, alarmed. "I'm not that cruel."
Merlin nodded, leaning forward and kissing him softly.
Arthur sighed lightly, tightening the arm still over Merlin's waist and kissing back. "Arthur." He moaned
"Hush, love," Arthur said quietly and kissed him again, drawing his hand down over Merlin's hip and then back up. Merlin wrapped an arm around Arthur's neck, his fingers playing in the man's hair. Smiling into the kiss, Arthur shifted his hand to play just underneath Merlin's tunic, rubbing circles onto the skin there. He broke away then, whispering a quiet, "Love you".
"Love you too."
Grinning, Arthur pecked Merlin once more then let his head rest of his crooked arm again. "Get some sleep. We've an early morning."
"What if I don't want to sleep?"
"Something else you'd rather be doing?"
"Very much so."
"Oh, then please, do tell."
He just pressed a kiss to Arthurs neck. "I want you."
"You have me," Arthur repeated, tilting his head up a bit to offer his neck. "Whatever you want, you can have."
"I've never been with anyone before. I don't know what to do."
Pleasantly surprised, Arthur smiled gently and shifted to wrap both arms around Merlin's slim frame. "Let me teach you?"
"Please do."
"I shall," Arthur replied, beginning to place light, suckling kisses along the side of Merlin's throat.
Merlin groaned, pulling Arthur to roll on top of him, Arthur settled easily over Merlin, propping himself on one elbow and sliding the other hand underneath Merlin's tunic. "Relax," Arthur hushed, massaging his hand in slow circles, slowly moving higher, until he eventually ran out of patience and just tugged the tunic over Merlin's head. Nodding his approval, Arthur dipped his head to trace a trail down Merlin's throat with his tongue, stopping only to kiss a dusky nipple and then pause, looking up and waiting to gauge the reaction it garnered. Grinning, he dipped his head to suck lightly, swirling his tongue around the nub a few times before switching off to give the same attention to the other.
"Arthur, gods."
"Mhmm," Arthur hummed lightly, pleased, then continued kissing his way down Merlin's body. "What do you want me to do, love?" he asked.
"Do something."
"Not specific enough," Arthur said with a slight laugh. "I could just return to kissing you with that order."
"Touch me, or something."
"I am touching you," Arthur teased, shifting the hand that rested on Merlin's side. He didn't pull further, though, instead moving to pick at the laces of Merlin's trousers.
"Please Arthur, stop teasing."
"I am," Arthur soothed, pulling the trousers halfway down Merlin's hips once he had the laces undone and immediately wrapping a loose hand around Merlin's cock.
Merlin groaned out loudly, no one's hand had ever touched him but his own, Still grinning and reveling in the knowledge that he was the first to do this to Merlin, Arthur leaned down to tongue his cock, sliding his hand up and down the bottom half. Merlin moaned, his hands flying to Arthur's hair. Resting his weight on an elbow, Arthur slid his free hand into his own trousers, letting his mouth sink down to take in more of Merlin and suck lightly as he started to stroke himself.
Merlin reached his hand to slap Arthur's arm. "Don't touch yourself."
Raising an eyebrow, Arthur pulled off Merlin to give him an amused smile. "Excuse me? Why not?"
"I want you to cum in me, not on the ground.
"You want everything tonight, don't you," Arthur stated more than asked, surprised for the second time that night. He had planned on sucking Merlin off and getting to actual sex back in Camelot, on a bed, but he wasn't about to deny a request like that.
"I've wanted you to long to deny myself now."
"Fair enough," Arthur agreed, reluctantly releasing his own cock and shifting up Merlin's body to press three fingers to his lips. "In that case, love, then suck."
Merlin nodded eagerly, sucking on the fingers Once he was satisfied, Arthur pulled away to move back down to his previous position. He started suckling on the head of Merlin's cock again, at the same time as he slipped the first finger into his tight channel. Thrusting the finger in and out a few times, he added a second after a moment, keeping his eyes on Merlin's face to watch for any sign of distress as he moved his fingers gently, carefully spreading them apart each time he pulled out. Chuckling, Arthur obliged and added the third finger, licking over the palm of his other hand and reaching to spread spit over his cock at the same time.
"I need you Arthur."
"Shh, soon, I promise," Arthur said, pushing his fingers in and out a few more times before removing them completely and moving up to kiss Merlin. "Ready?" he asked, using one hand to press the tip of his cock to Merlin's entrance. The boy nodded, holding his breath. At the confirmation Arthur started pushing in, groaning low in his throat and letting his head fall to rest his forehead on Merlin's shoulder once he was fully seated.
Merlin let out a cry, it was stretching but he could deal. Arthur reached to tug at Merlin's cock lightly, hoping to override the slightly painful penetration with pleasure as he started to work his hips slowly and shallowly.
"Love you Arthur."
"Love you too, Merlin," Arthur replied, moving to kiss Merlin again, gradually letting his thrusts pick up speed and strength.
Merlin groaned out loudly, "So good."
"God, so gorgeous," Arthur mumbled as he looked down at Merlin. "Amazing, my Merlin, you feel so good."
"Your Merlin, I like that."
"You'd best, I'll be using it often," Arthur said, laughing slightly breathlessly.
"In front of the knights."
"Yes," Arthur assured, pumping his hips quickly. "Have to make sure they, ah, know who you belong to after all."
Merlin groaned, "Possesive."
"Extremely," Arthur agreed, panting lightly and reaching down between them to pull at Merlin's cock again.
"I'm close baby."
Groaning loudly at the name, Arthur dipped to kiss Merlin again, then dropped to pant against his throat. "Come on," he prompted. "Let me feel you cum, mine." Merlin let himself cum all over their chests, his arse clentching. Arthur shuddered as he felt Merlin clench all around him, Arthur groaned through his own orgasm, filling Merlin's arse before letting himself drop to rest some of his weight on Merlin.
"Love you."
"Love you too," Arthur replied, resting a moment before rolling over onto his back, pulling Merlin to lay on his chest.
"Don't leave me okay?" He said, rolling over slowly.
"I'm not going to leave you," Arthur assured, stroking his fingers through Merlin's dark hair. "Why would I do something like that?"
"Because I didn't tell you the truth."
"Truth about what?" Arthur asked, slightly confused. "About being in love with me?"
"No, its something worse."
"Merlin," Arthur said lightly, "Nothing can possibly make me leave you."
Merlin nodded, slowly sitting up as he lit up their little campsite with a blue ball of light. Arthur sat up, following Merlin's example, and drew the cloak up over both their shoulders. He only smiled at the little blue ball of light, leaning forward to kiss Merlin's lips gently. "I had wondered when you would trust me enough to tell me."
"You knew?"
"You're a terrible liar, and I'm really not oblivious, love. You're incredibly obvious about it, especially since I've become king."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I just..I couldn't lose you."
"Hush," Arthur gentled, leaning forward to wrap his arms around Merlin and bring him close. "It's okay. I understand. You're not going to lose me, Merlin. Never."
Merlin smiled, "I wouldn't let you leave."
"There you go, then," Arthur soothed. "Nothing to worry about, my warlock."
"I love you, my king."
"I love you, as well," Arthur replied, smiling softly. "Now, come on. We really do need to get to sleep. We head for home tomorrow." Arthur curled himself around Merlin, holding him tight to his chest, sighing quietly in happiness and contentedness.
"So safe in your arms."
"I'll always keep you safe," Arthur murmured, already started to slip into a sleepy haze. "Just as I know you will me."
"Always?"
"Always," Arthur repeated, mumbling a last quiet "Love you" before he was asleep.
Merlin snuggled into the warmth, glad he finally got over himself as he fell alseep