Confessions
"Merlin!" Arthur called as he stood by his bedroom window, looking over the bustling courtyard. He shut his eyes in annoyance and looked at the door.
"MERLIN!" He bellowed a second time. It was just like his petty manservant to go missing at a time like this. He sighed, and turned back to the window in defeat as he waited for Merlin to arrive. As he observed the patrol returning from their rounds, the door swung open with a bang, and his clumsy manservant stumbled in. The man looked like he was still half asleep and Arthur sighed, glaring at him.
"Yes sire?" Merlin asked innocently as he ruffled his hair and tried to make himself look half decent, and not like he'd just been dragged backwards through a bush. His breathing was heavy due to his invigorating morning run through the castle, to his King's chambers.
"I need you to go to Geoffrey and get some very important documents." Arthur said, enunciating the 'very important' as you would with a small child.
"I need them for my meeting with the council this afternoon."
"Well actually-" Merlin started, but he was stopped by a loud yawn that escaped from his mouth. He frowned and wet his lips with his tongue, and tried again.
"I was going to clean your chambers. You can't even see the floor near your bed, Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air with exasperation. He'd almost forgotten what the floor looked like when it wasn't covered in Arthur's discarded clothing.
Arthur shook his head and turned to the other man, with a smile.
"Well, you can make yourself busy after you've got me the documents. And you might want to hurry up... You look like you're about to keel over, and I'd rather have the documents before you pass out, and not after." He went on, turning to his desk and shuffling some things about until he found what he was looking for.
Merlin grunted, and looked at Arthur, then at the clothes on the floor, and back to Arthur once more.
"I didn't sleep much last night you see, but not that you care. As long as you get your very important documents." He muttered, mimicking Arthur's tone and earning his second glare of the day. Ignoring the King's piercing gaze, he rushed over to the pile of clothes and began to pile them into his arms, before any rats decided to build a nest in them.
Arthur stared at Merlin for a moment before sighing gently.
"You know I'm not that heartless. This meeting will decide the fate of Camelot. It needs to go perfectly." He said, as he crossed the room and bent down, picking up a top and some socks, grimacing. Continuing with gathering the clothes, he looked up at Merlin, who had frozen and was gaping at him with wide eyes.
"What are you doing?" Merlin asked in astonishment.
"And here I thought you weren't a complete idiot," He sighed, and stood up with his arms full of his clothes. "I'm helping you." He stated, matter of factly.
"Are you ill?" Merlin asked, smirking and tugging at the clothes in Arthur's arms. He frowned and gave up when Arthur held them closer to himself, and raised an eyebrow. Merlin pouted slightly, and then proceeded to put his armful of clothes in a woven basket on the table, and held it out to Arthur.
"Ha ha, very funny Merlin." He said, shaking his head. He followed Merlin across the room and dropped the clothes into the basket that was held out before him, before taking it off Merlin.
"I am capable of doing laundry you know." Arthur said as Merlin watched him, smirking still.
"Well why don't you?" Merlin replied, pulling the basket out of Arthur's tight grip and clutching it in his own arms. He yawned again, and rubbed at his eyes that started to water. He saw Arthur frowning at him with concern, and he shook his head.
"I'm fine, I'm just tired. I'll do these and then get your papers. What am I getting, exactly?" He asked, stepping backwards towards the door and waiting for an answer. Biting his lip to stifle another yawn, and looked away.
Arthur growled and took a few steps until he was standing right in front of Merlin.
"Merlin, I am ordering you to go home and get some rest. I'll get the papers myself." He persisted, pulling the basket from Merlin's grasp again and giving him a stern stare.
"I couldn't possibly make you walk all the way to the library to get your own things!" Merlin said with mock terror. He grinned and looked at his King, expecting him to be glaring. He was surprised to see Arthur smiling at him fondly, with a hint of annoyance in his expression at Merlin's constant teasing.
"I will not have you collapsing from exhaustion." Arthur said simply, with authoritative tenderness.
"You sound like you actually care." Merlin said, laughing. He stopped as he saw that Arthur really wasn't going to let this one go.
"I'm fine, Arthur." He insisted, smiling.
"You say that, yet you're still swaying. Now go and get some sleep before I drag you back to your bedroom and tie you down." He said as he put the basket back on the table. Merlin raised an eyebrow and blushed ever so slightly. He looked down to the floor, sighed in defeat and then turned to head out the door reluctantly.
"Finally." Arthur mumbled, following Merlin out his chambers and into the hallway. He closed his door behind him gently.
"Where are you going?" Merlin asked, glancing over his shoulder at Arthur as he walked past the guards and towards his own chambers.
"I'm making sure you do as I say, and get some rest. Don't think I was joking about tying you down." He teased, and Merlin laughed.
"You make it sound like a bad thing." He mumbled under his breath, biting his lip and hoping Arthur hadn't heard his comment. Arthur arched his eyebrow at the comment, and smirked. Stumbling, Merlin made his way through the hallways, with Arthur following close behind. When they got to the physicians chambers, Merlin went straight to his room. Arthur thanked every higher power that Gaius wasn't there, and once they were both inside Merlin's small box room, he closed the door and proceeded to spin Merlin around and pin him to the wall. Merlin's breath caught in his throat.
"What are you doing?" He asked, wetting his lips with his pink tongue as he looked up at Arthur with wide, innocent eyes. Arthur's smirk deepened as he leaned in closer to whisper in Merlin's ear.
"What was that comment, earlier?"
"Nothing."
"I don't think it was nothing, Merlin." Arthur teased lightly, grinning.
"Do you want it to be something?" Merlin asked, smirking as Arthur pulled back slightly
"Yes." Arthur said simply, before connecting their lips softly. Merlin gasped as he felt Arthur's lips against his own. He responded quickly by moving his right hand to tangle in Arthur's blonde hair, whilst his other hand rested on his King's waist, pulling him close. He let his tongue swipe over Arthur's bottom lip, and he bit down gently, receiving an appreciative noise. When they pulled away, Arthur chuckled.
"So I guess it was something?"
"It's been something for a long time, Arthur." Merlin mumbled in reply. Blushing, he pressed a gentle kiss to Arthur's lips, before pushing him away and pulling off his jacket and shoes with a yawn. Arthur smiled and then turned to go to the door.
"Do you have to go?" Merlin asked. He climbed under his sheets and lifted them up on one side, as an invitation.
"But I- Oh hell, the meeting can wait." Arthur said after a moment's hesitation. He clambered into Merlin's tiny bed, and after a lot of shuffling and nearly falling on to the floor, they arranged themselves in a tangle of limbs that allowed them to both lay down comfortably. Arthur wrapped his right arm around Merlin and let his left arm rest over his stomach and hold Merlin's hand tightly. Merlin was sprawled on his chest, nuzzled into his neck with his legs wrapped around Arthur's.
"You don't know how long I've wanted this." Arthur said softly, smiling.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Merlin asked quietly.
"I'm the king, and you're a manservant. And my father," He paused, frowning. "I was scared to admit my feelings for you."
"I understand." Merlin said as he leaned up to kiss Arthur's cheek softly, before resuming his previous position on Arthur's chest.
"What about you?"
"You're the king. I didn't think I'd have a chance in hell." Merlin told him, laughing quietly. Arthur smirked and kissed Merlin's head.
"I love you, Merlin." He mumbled fondly.
"Really?"
"Yes. I have for a long time now." Merlin grinned at this, and then nuzzled into Arthur's chest.
"I love you too, you clotpole." He replied as he pressed another kiss to Arthur's lips, before closing his eyes and drifting into a peaceful sleep, cradled in his King's arms.