"Arthur?"
"Merlin…" He sighs, dragging his eyes over to his servant's. His ears were still heavy with the sound of swords and screams. It had been a long day full of heavy weight for his shoulders to carry.
"Forever. I'll always be by your side, if and when you need me."
Arthur opened his mouth but closed it right back. It always surprised him when Merlin said things like that. And yet, by now it shouldn't have. He trusted Merlin. He was the only one he truly trusted. He'd been through the worst betrayals lately, but still he had his faithful servant. He gazed at him with such loyalty. Arthur wondered what he'd done to deserve him. And why he stayed like this despite how badly he was treated. And the king did admit how badly he treated him. "As if that amounts to anything," he responded, meaning the complete opposite. He saw Merlin get it and hide his smile. That was all that really mattered after all.
"You're a royal prat," he complained, annoyance carefully placed in his voice, but eyes grinning.
"And you're entirely incompetent." Arthur felt the corners of his lips twitch up slightly.
"At least I'm not lazy like you."
"What did you say?" He threatened, grabbing his servant's head by the inside of his arm and ruffling the dark short hair without much force, just feeling the soft locks sweeping between his fingers. When he finally let go, Merlin's goofy grin appeared, making him feel on top of the world. "Thank you, Merlin. You always have this way of cheering me up."
