I forgot on the first post but I don't own the show. Otherwise Gwaine and Lancelot would be in more episodes.
"Merlin, I've been meaning to ask you a couple of questions, do you have a moment?" Arthur asked. He seemed hesitant and that was never a good sign.
"Yea, of course. What did you want?" Merlin focused his attention on his master, puzzled at the obvious discomfort in the man opposite of him.
"Well I don't really know how to ask this but I was just kinda wondering if you and if ummm he and uh did you, I mean you and um –"
"Arthur, you know you can ask me anything."
"?" it all came out as one giant word and it took Merlin a moment to register what Arthur had actually said.
"Uh, will it change things between us if the answer is yes? Because I could always lie to you if that's the case."
"I don't want you to lie," Arthur finally looked like himself as he was momentarily angry. "Wait, you did sleep with him?"
"The poor man had his hopes crushed because of the whole he's not a noble thing. He knew that Gwen was in love with you and that you had a soft spot for her so there was no winning on that front. He just needed someone to be there for him and I was the one person who was." Merlin was calmly explaining the situation to Arthur and motioning him to sit down on the bed.
"I guess that's fine. You are a good friend and it's not like you slept around before we were together." Merlin was hoping Arthur didn't notice his face because it took him a moment to replace the shock with a more suitable expression. "What was that look? Did you sleep around before we were in a relationship?"
It was Merlin's turn to look uncomfortable. "Define sleeping around?"
"Merlin, sleeping around would be sleeping with more than one or two people. Please tell me you weren't a whore before this relationship."
"I am and most certainly was not a whore. I never got paid to have sex with any of them."
"Them? How many Merlin?" Arthur stood up to face him, his voice very accusing.
Merlin answered in barley a whisper, forced to repeat the number to Arthur. "Four- that includes Lancelot, though."
"Four, you slept with four people other than me? Who was it? Gwen?" Arthur was waving his hands and pacing trying to digest this new and shocking information. Merlin had had multiple sexual encounters before him and he was beginning to wonder if made them mean less?
"Oh, no. She's in love with you and Lancelot, she didn't have room to have more than platonic feelings towards me."
"Well then who?"
"Morgana." The name hung in the air between them for sometime before Merlin continued, "That was before she got captured though, she kinda hates me now."
"What was she lonely too? Did she have no one else to turn to?"
Merlin looked a little uncomfortable too. "Well, yeah. She had found out she was magical and thought everyone in the kingdom would hate her. I was trying to show her that she could be loved with powers too, that she wasn't alone."
"You told her about your magic too? Am I the last one to know everything?"
"Of course I didn't tell her, if I'd of told her then she wouldn't have gone to Morgause and all this wouldn't have happened." Merlin took a deep breath. "Only Gaius, Mordred and Lancelot knew before you did. Oh and Freya."
"Did you sleep with her too?" Arthur just caught the look on Merlin's face before he hid it again behind his mask. "You did sleep with her. Wasn't she cursed?"
"Yes, she was cursed. She was a beautiful person who didn't deserve it. She was my first love and you killed her so if you wouldn't mind I don't want to discuss this with you." Arthur could see the tears starting to form behind his eyes.
"Oh Merlin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I didn't know. I'm sorry." He sat back down and began stroking Merlin's hair.
"It's fine. At the time I was gonna run away with her and leave you behind. I know now that it wasn't meant to be and that you mean more to me than she did but it still hurts."
"Of course it does but I promise never to be that hurtful again."
Merlin smiled at him. "Thanks, I'm glad I can be honest about things like this with you." He started to leave, about to finish the errand he was on before the conversation started when he heard Arthur's voice again.
"Merlin, that was only three people, who was the fourth?" Arthur was expecting another story of Merlin comforting someone in desperate need and thus was shocked when he heard Gwaine's name. "Why did you sleep with him? He doesn't have a sob story or any meaning to you like Freya, why him?"
"His smirk. He flashed one in my direction and I just couldn't resist." Seeing the look on Arthur's face, Merlin crossed the room and gave him a kiss. "It was before I thought I had a chance with you. Gwaine wanted me because he wanted to live life. Everyone else wanted me for comfort or because I was the only kind person in the world towards them. It was nice to feel like someone wanted me for me and now I have you. You make me feel that way so I don't have to look anywhere else."
"Good because you are mine now. No more frolicking with anyone who wants you for anything. You are mine only."
"Yes sire." Merlin flashed him a grin.
"Shouldn't you be polishing my armor or something?" Arthur said with a smirk as Merlin left the room.
It's just a look at all the pairings that have crossed my mind throughout the series. Merlin really does get around, if only in my head. Please leave a review