Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters.

Story: Based on the episode "Excalibur" with alterations to scenes and dialogue. Merlin/Arthur. A bit fluffy.

Under the cover of darkness, Merlin crept swiftly along the stone walls of Camelot's castle, the night chilling him. There it stood. The Black Knight.

"Cume hay forbearner!"

A ring of fire blazed along the ground towards where the ghostly figure stood rigid like a statue, engulfing him in flames. Yet when the flames died down, it still stood. Merlin's expression morphed into one of horror. Mortal magic could not kill it. It turned to look at him, that battered helmet somehow more terrifying than what Merlin had imagined its own face to look like. Merlin ran.

"Merlin, you know that conversation we had about knocking...?"

Merlin was so distraught he didn't even register Arthur's words. The Prince was practicing his sword strokes. For tomorrow.

"You have to pull out."

"And why's that?"

"Because he'll kill you."

"Why does everybody think that?"

"Because they're right! Just pull out. You're the Crown Prince. Nobody wants to see you die over some stupid challenge."

"I'm not a coward."

"I know that! I've stood there and I've watched you overcome every fear you've ever faced."

"That's what's required of me."

"It doesn't make it any less amazing," Merlin replied, then wanted to bite his tongue. Arthur didn't know how Merlin felt about him. He had to stay focused.

"I'm not backing down," Arthur said in a low voice, once he had recovered from Merlin's comment.

"If you fight him, you will die."

"I'm not listening to this," Arthur muttered, continuing to practice his lunges with his sword.

"I'm trying to warn you Arthur!"

"And I'm trying to warn you, Merlin!" Arthur's voice rose to a shout and he pointed his sword at Merlin. The servant boy's eyes welled up, and he turned, and ran from Arthur's room. The Prince sighed, and dropped his sword onto his wooden table with a clatter.

"Damnit!"

He walked over to his window, and saw the Black Knight stood in the courtyard below, stiff. Firm. Arthur had tried, but he realised now that Merlin had been right. He was going to die.

He might have been staring at that Black Knight for ten minutes, or an hour, when Morgana arrived.

"I don't want you to fight tomorrow."

"You're worried about me?" Just as Morgana opened her mouth to speak, he found himself saying "Merlin was too."

"Everyone, is worried about you Arthur! Please, I'm begging you."

"I have to do this. It's my duty, Morgana." He lowered his foot from the windowsill, and turned to look at her.

"I understand." She turned to leave, then half turned back to him. "He loves you, you know? Merlin, I mean."

Meanwhile, Merlin, having acquired a sword from Gwen that her father had made, was striding purposefully down the dark corridors of the castle, to where the dragon resided beneath. There, Excalibur was made. As Merlin made his way back up to the castle, he turned a corner, and literally bumped into Arthur. The sword fell to the floor.

"Merlin?"

"S-Sorry." With the sword in a red cloth, he made to leave, but Arthur grabbed his arm.

"Wait."

A heartbeat of silence, in which Merlin wondered if Arthur knew just how much he loved him.

"I wanted, to apologise. It, well, it was wrong of me to yell at you. You were just looking out for me."

Merlin turned back, and felt electricity sizzle between him and the Crown Prince through the darkness.

"Do you forgive me?" Arthur's voice was low, on the surface meant to sound like a semi casual question. The vulnerability Merlin could hear underneath made him act impulsively.

"No."

"You...don't forgive me?"

"You're wrong." Now Merlin had started he couldn't stop. "I wasn't just looking out for you, it was more than that. I love you." His defiance ended, and in the silence, his heart began to thump faster and faster.

"You love me?"

Merlin's throat was completely dry now, all he could manage was an unsteady nod.

"Well, I...I love you too, Merlin."

Amongst the heart pounding Merlin took in the gentle reply. Arthur had said his name, and not drawn it out in that exasperated way he usually did. Though Merlin loved that anyway. But he'd always imagined that Arthur had come to do it out of affection not exasperation, because he so badly wanted to believe that maybe Arthur could love him too. And he did.

"What's that?"

Merlin glanced at the sword in his hand.

"It's a sword. I had it made for you...for tomorrow," he replied, wondering how they had gone from confessions of love to regular conversation. He dared to make eye contact with Arthur again, and felt a flush cause his cheeks to burn hotly. Arthur's confession was still radiating from his blue eyes, and it burned right into Merlin's soul.

"That's really thoughtful, you didn't have to do that." Arthur stepped closer to him. He took Merlin's hand in his, leaned in and kissed him. It happened in a remarkably simple and straightforward way, for something that blew Merlin's mind. Arthur was slow, unhurried, and Merlin melted into his arms, wishing he would never stop. After a minute or so, he pulled back.

"Thanks...for worrying about me."

Merlin nodded, wondering if the redness of his face was visible even in the semi darkness. He pressed the sword into Arthur's hands, and they said goodnight.

Merlin floated all the way back to his room.