Merlin led the way down the winding path of the dungeon towards the Great Dragon's cell. Arthur followed with his sword attached to his hip, but his hand stayed wrapped around the hilt in preparation for an attack. What kind of attack Arthur expected was an unsettling thought…

Getting past the guards was much easier with Arthur by his side. One order from the prince and they scurried away for a break, leaving the two alone under the impression that Arthur was teaching his servant another 'lesson'.

Merlin sighed to himself and picked up a torch from the wall, bringing them down the last bend before their destination.

"Where are we going?" Arthur prodded his side, breathing down his neck. The proximity would actually be comforting if he could ignore the threads of tension knotting down his back. "I haven't been to this part before. It's supposed to be closed off. Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see. Just please…I know you don't trust me but…" Merlin just barely peeked over his shoulder to add, "Don't run away." He realized how odd that must have sounded to Arthur but would not allow him any time to reconsider. He kept moving and hoped that Arthur's pride and bravery would keep him following with minimal trepidation.

When they reached the end of the path and the edge of the cliff they saw the large and dark cell, completely empty.

"I don't understand," Arthur shook his head. "What are you showing me?"

Merlin lifted the torch, followed the chain from the rock to the ceiling, and saw the dragon on his usual perch. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Arthur and listened as the sound of wings grew closer and the rocks crunched under a great weight. Arthur's face widened in absolute shock, white as a ghost, and he pulled his sword in preparation as Merlin breathed out, "Arthur, this is the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah."

"D-d-d-d-dragon? A dragon?" Arthur seemed to have lost the ability to breathe as he stared at the great beast before him, squinting in the limited light. He held his minuscule weapon in front of him and cautiously herded Merlin behind him. His instinct to protect could not be easily broken.

"Ah, the young Prince Arthur," boomed Kilgharrah who bowed his head in greeting. "I was wondering when we would meet."

"That's…" Arthur gulped loudly in an attempt to breathe again. "Not possible."

"Do you not trust your own eyes?" Kilgharrah leaned towards them to get a better view. "You are shorter than I expected."

"It's a dragon," Arthur quite honestly looked the closest to fainting Merlin had ever seen him. "A talking, living, breathing…dragon."

"Yes," Merlin answered with his eyes shifting between the two. Arthur seemed stuck in his shock and Kilgharrah seemed simply amused.

"Under Camelot," Arthur reiterated, looking behind him as if to check that he was still in the right place and hadn't magically relocated. Well, alright, he had a point to check.

"Uther has much to tell you," Kilgharrah's echoing voice resonated past the astonishment and Arthur snapped back to him.

"My father? He wouldn't keep this from me. A dragon? In the dungeons of Camelot? He wouldn't-" He adamantly shook his head and spun to Merlin, his sword leading his turn and acting as his pointer. "Have you put a spell on me? Is this a trick?"

Kilgharrah interrupted Merlin's defensive stuttering, "The only one playing tricks here is you, Arthur. You are lying to yourself because you have been lied to your entire life. Only time will help you accept the world as it truly is in its entirety. For now, look inside your heart. Trust your judgment. After all, clear judgment -especially in times of duress- is a necessary quality for that of a young prince and future king. I am as real as the sword in your hand."

Arthur's gaze fell to his sword in utter befuddlement, as if he were just now realizing how useless it would be in a fight against the Great Dragon. "Right." He slowly lowered it to the ground as he continued to stare.

Merlin stayed to the side of the cave and let him figure it out on his own. After all, what was the worth of the word of a liar?

Arthur blinked a few more times before he accepted the reality around him and turned to Merlin, harsh and diplomatic as ever, "Alright. Why am I here? Why have you brought me here?"

Merlin finally spoke, "I did not make up the prophecies." He looked sideways for some sign that the Great Dragon would be even remotely helpful. "Kilgharrah has told them to me."

"Is that true?"

"Merlin and I are one of the same," Kilgharrah answered Arthur's question. Thank the Gods. "We are both creatures of the Old Religion. I try to share my knowledge when it is required or requested."

"I tried to tell him all you have told me," Merlin spoke to the dragon and ignored the look Arthur was giving him for being snubbed. "I'm afraid he does not believe anything I say to be true. I have failed. I've lied to him…for too long."

"Trust is easily won, easily lost, and almost impossible to regain," Kilgharrah agreed. "The path to a strong future is built on honesty. It is a path you must find together."

Merlin wanted more than anything to see Arthur's reaction to that piece of wisdom but he was too afraid to look. Instead, he curled his hand painfully tight onto the wood of the torch and pushed on. "I thought if I introduced you to him, he would see I am not lying about the prophecies. That he could see Camelot is truly in danger."

"We both know it is more than just Camelot at stake."

Kilgharrah's warning provoked Arthur to speak again, "So the prophecy about Camelot and this primal dark? That is real?"

"Primal Dusk," Kilgharrah corrected. "And yes. I am afraid the terror and destruction caused by this ancient evil is quite real."

"And of us?" Arthur went on, apparently believing him –the living, breathing, talking dragon- over Merlin. "What are we meant to do?"

"Your destinies are intertwined. Two sides of the same coin; the knowledge and wisdom of the great sorcerer Emrys and the bronze and valor of the once and future king."

Arthur glared at Merlin quickly, having picked up on one of the many things Merlin omitted. To be fair, he did warn Arthur that he would not want to know his destiny. As if Arthur would listen to him. "The once and future king? What does that mean?"

"Time will tell," Kilgharrah's smile did nothing to ease the tension.

"That is not very helpful."

"Tell me about it," Merlin mumbled.

Arthur ignored him. "When you say our destines are intertwined…what does that mean exactly?"

Kilgharrah explained with all the patience of an ancient being, "Albion will be created by the two. One without the other and there is no future."

"And Albion is?"

"A united land of peace, where all can live freely and without fear. A legendary place where all are accepted."

"I create that?" Arthur gasped and shrunk backwards toward the hall.

"You both do. Together."

Arthur snapped his attention to Merlin but Merlin could not give him comfort in time. Arthur's wide eyes disappeared as he spun on his heels and purposefully marched back up to the land above.

"Arthur?" Merlin called hopelessly. He hoped for a longer conversation than that. "Arthur, where are you going?"

"The prince is stubborn but he will understand," Kilgharrah tried to reassure him. "In time. But you do not have that time now. You cannot wait for him to reach peace or the world will be thrown into chaos. Go after him. Do what you must."

"Thank you," Merlin gave a final bow before running back up the path and throwing his torch back into its slot. Arthur was there, pacing back and forth with a hand on his chin. "Arthur?"

"A moment," Arthur held up his hand and continued to pace.

Merlin watched him move back and forth and back and forth. It was making him rather dizzy but, then again, he was already lightheaded.

After a few more moments of watching Arthur think, he couldn't take it anymore. They had enough tension and angry silence between them that day already. He sucked in a breath and cautiously said, "You're taking all of this rather calm. I expected a lot more hitting. A couple of death threats really."

Arthur smiled at his attempt at humor but it was not because he found Merlin funny. Arthur never found Merlin funny. He told him to stop attempting to joke plenty of times.

Arthur slowly turned to face him and he groaned. This particular smile almost always led to Merlin's misery and he knew it.

"That's because I just remembered the last time we were in the dungeon and I had to send my guards away." He sounded far too happy, overly cheery. "Do you remember?"

"Yes, when Gaius was locked up and you-" Merlin stopped as he remembered the scrape of knuckles on stone, the weight of Arthur's body pinning him to the wall, the cold of the cell floor, and where that all led.

The last time Arthur 'taught him a lesson' he ended up with a black eye so bad he needed Gaius' stinky green paste -all so the guards wouldn't question their real reason for visiting the cells behind Uther's back. "Oh no."

"Oh, yes."

Merlin sucked in a breath and held his face forward. Behind clamped teeth he turned a cheek and pleaded, "Just try not to break my nose please. I can't afford any more injuries right now."

Another few moments of crushing his eyes closed and no punch landing, he opened one, just a bit, and found Arthur glaring with his fist in the air but he did not move. Arthur's lips twitched and his fist shook but he did not throw the punch. "No. I can't." He dropped his arm and shook his head. "It's neither fair nor honorable of me to punch you when I am this angry."

Merlin let out the breath he was holding just in time for Arthur to spin and say, "Then again-".

A mighty sting spurned Merlin's cheek where Arthur's open palm slapped him, sure to leave a giant red handprint behind.

Merlin gasped and touched the burn but Arthur only turned to walk back to his room. Merlin followed, using a great deal of willpower not to trip him into the nearest wall and return the favor. The guards laughed when they saw him, as they always did, and the two walked the rest of the way in fuming silence.

After what happened in the dungeon, Merlin was surprised Arthur hadn't thrown him in a cell yet. When they reached the door he expected Arthur to change his mind and turn him away -even though Merlin had more he wanted to say. Instead, he let Merlin walk right in.

The door clicked and Arthur rested his forehead against the wood for a few more moments of silence. This was becoming an uneasy pattern.

"Arthur?" Merlin gently called.

Arthur sucked in a sharp breath and spun to him. "All this time, you knew. You didn't tell me. All of this. Albion and intertwined destinies and prophecies and my father lying to me. Who hasn't lied to me?" Arthur quickly held up a hand. "Don't try and answer that or I swear to the Gods I will punch you this time." Merlin stayed painfully silent as he let Arthur resume. "You withheld information from me. Before we left on this journey, you could have told me about what we were truly facing. You put us in danger. How many times have you knowingly done that? How many times have you risked our lives for your lies?"

After an edgy, lengthy silence where Merlin was sure Arthur would not continue he calmly said, "If I could have thought of a way to tell you that made sense I would have."

"Nothing makes sense anymore. I thought I knew things. I thought I understood my life, my responsibilities. I have many already and now this, and you. I thought I knew you."

"I'm still the same person."

"I thought I could trust you! Out of everyone…you were the one I trusted most."

"Everything I tell you now is the truth."

"But you can't change the past."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Arthur, his gaze watery and distant, sighed and fiddled with the sword still in his hand. "I will save Camelot. No matter what it takes. It is my duty. But after this is over, I never want to see you here again." Merlin started to shake his head as Arthur opened the door, inviting him to take his leave. After all the dragon told him, he was still asking him to go? "Whatever destiny you think you have, find a new one."

The door suddenly slammed closed and locked beside Arthur, never needing to be physically touched. Arthur sprung back, lifted his sword and turned to Merlin who growled, "No."

"Merlin, did you just-"

"Yes, I did." Merlin could both see and feel his hand shaking as he pointed and raised his voice. "And you can hate me all you want but don't ask me to leave you again. I am not losing you."

Arthur snarled, "You never had me to begin with."

"You're an idiot. Has anyone ever told you that?" Merlin's eyes flashed again and he felt a weird sense of pride at the shock on Arthur's face as the prince stumbled away from the door and into one of the chairs by his table.

"Stop that!"

Merlin shook his head as he crowded Arthur's space, locking him into the chair. "I care about you, you great bit imbecile! Now, I am sorry. I am. And I will never lie to you again and you will still hate me but I'm still going to care about you! You're my friend and so much more. Prophecy or no prophecy, I won't let anything happen to you whether you let me or not. You don't have a say. I'm not going to find a new destiny. You are all I know or want. You are it. Nothing you say will change that."

Arthur was fuming at this sudden bold side to his subordinate, "I will order you to-"

"No you can't!" Merlin's laugh sounded crazy even to him. "You banished me. You're not my prince anymore. I don't have to listen to a word you say."

"I'll have you locked up."

"You won't know who I am," Merlin wigged his fingers and shook his head. "Magic, remember?"

"Stop making this harder than it needs to be!"

"It's not hard! I'm staying and that's final!"

"No you're not!"

"The only way to get rid of me is to kill me. Are you going to do that? Are you going to kill me because I'm a sorcerer? Murdering the innocent, just like your father?!"

He went too far.

That pushed Arthur over the edge, enough to make him jump from his chair –magic or not. His sword instantly pressed against Merlin's chest and he slowly backed him into the opposite wall with deadly precision.

"Say that to me again," he dared.

"All I want to do is help you. You hate magic, that's fine. Understandable. But you're not a murderer."

"We'll see if you don't stop talking," Arthur warned as he lifted the blade and slid it against the side of Merlin's exposed neck.

Merlin shook under the hard, cold metal but did not shy from it or Arthur's sudden bruising grip on his arm. "You're a better man than you're father ever will be."

Merlin could feel his luck pushing as Arthur started to quake. He could hear the shaky blade scraping the stone next to his ear and Arthur had somehow managed to slip closer, pushing against him with his arm bent to keep the sword level, firmly trapping him in.

"Stop! Talking."

"You're the best man I know," he decided to rush his honesty forth while he had the chance, letting how he felt soak into every word. "The bravest, the most honest, true-hearted, noble, warrior. And I hope what I've done to you won't impede your judgment in the future-"

"Stop!"

"Because you are what this kingdom needs. What the future needs. What I need. And it is because of that-"

"I said stop!"

"That I will fight for you even if you don't want me to."

"Shut up! Shut-"

"Even though you hate me, I will love you-"

"SHUT UP!" The metal loudly scraped again and Merlin could feel his heart leap to his throat as Arthur's furious, red face leaned over him, shoving him back hard against the wall.

Arthur panted in the space between them, stealing Merlin's air as he gasped, "Stop saying I-" Arthur gave a pained sigh and slammed his forehead into Merlin's, forcefully pinning him back while cutting all eye contact. "Don't say-"

With a clang, the sword resting on Merlin's shoulder fell to the ground. It was replaced by Arthur's hand scraping into his side, pulling his arms in tight as he pressed against him harder, his forehead still drilling him back, and shaking him against the stone.

"Stop saying you love me. Stop saying I hate you." Arthur pulled away with a pained gasp, just enough to slam into him again. "I loathe you. You made me feel this way. Then you- It's not fair, Merlin. You made me love you, then you took it away."

"I'm sorry," panted Merlin. That was all he could do.

"Was it even- did you…Do I even feel this way because…Or is it magic? Did you-"

"I didn't. I would never use my magic to change you or the way you feel. I promise."

"You didn't even want to tell me."

"I wanted to," Merlin quickly corrected, rubbing his head along Arthur's as that was all he could reach. "All I wanted was you. I still want you. I want you."

"No sorcerer can have me," Arthur painfully ground their pressed heads together and both ignored the tears that fell between them.

"You don't mean that." Merlin tried to brush his nose against his, anything, but he kept shying away. He was out of reach. "I'm me. I'm still just Merlin."

"Stupid...clumsy...Merlin."

Every slow syllable that pierced the small gap spun across his lips and loosened them just enough to where he could whisper, "Prat," barely breathing.

"Idiot."

Merlin's breath hitched when he felt his lips covered in a bruising slam, banging him into the wall again. Arthur pinned him as he crashed the driving force of his open mouth down and shoved it into his. Merlin opened his mouth for only a second and Arthur was already boring his tongue into him, forcing him to open more.

Merlin cried out in shock as Arthur yanked him harder, lining up the length of their bodies with brutal force and accuracy.

With a whine, Merlin bent his arms towards Arthur and blindly groped until he managed to twist his fists into his shirt and pull him even closer, springing new heat into Arthur's vigorous desire.

Arthur rocked hard, thrusting his hip into his side and lifting him to the tip of his toes. He pulled his tongue from Merlin's source of constant chatter and dragged his teeth over his lips, pulling Merlin's head down and forcing him in two different directions.

A small whimper left Merlin's throat and then things truly escalated.

Hands were everywhere. Arthur grabbed his legs, already barely touching the ground, swung Merlin off his feet and pressed him into the wall. Merlin curled his hands into Arthur's back and fisted his shirt, pulling his thighs tight around his hips and quickly keeping pace with Arthur's hungry mouth.

Arthur was everywhere. The taste, the smell, the muscles –it was a luscious, intoxicating blend that he was drinking up faster than his clumsy build could keep up. He desperately needed this. He was starving for it. Arthur was an all-encompassing whirlwind and he yearned to be swept up.

The adrenaline that had been pumping all night doubled as Arthur gave a predatory growl and lurched forward. His tight erection firmly pressed into the dip of Merlin's thigh and they both gasped for air.

Merlin's back scraped up the stone as Arthur chomped on his lip and licked down his jaw, frisking his way to the pulse point and clamping his teeth into the soft skin. Merlin hissed when the immediate pain sucked to the surface with the blood Arthur drew but it didn't last. His body continued to pulse as Arthur secured his grip, shifted to obtain better access to the exposed skin, and bucked into him, grinding their bodies together.

His body was electric, taken over by an incompressible, suppressed desire that had been building ever since the last time they touched. Phantom hands and memories were replaced by real nails and stone grating against every inch of sensitized skin. Arthur's domination was more than welcome to take him over.

It was burning so hot, spiraling from his core in shockwaves -fueled by contact, need, and the purest anger that could only come from a loved one.

Nothing could have prepared him for when he opened to him and sank down just enough for the angle to be right and their firm cocks to press against each other. It was as if they were on an entirely new plane, invented just for this moment, just so he could feel this swallowed up in fire by the storm that was Arthur.

They hummed behind panting breaths as Arthur pulled them together again, slamming into him and into the wall over and over. He bit his way to Merlin's shoulder and chomped so hard that Merlin swore he could feel the skin break.

If only he could feel anything other than the abundant carnal excitement.

He moaned when he felt Arthur's tongue swirl over the new bruise and give him a rather forceful smack into the stone so he could better reach this new fixation.

Black and blue. He was going to be completely black and blue.

Merlin gave a deep groan and yanked Arthur to him, circling every limb around him until he was the one trapped.

Hasty movements from uncontrollable spams made the sensation grow. His head fell into the wall with a thud and he moaned at the ceiling over shallow breaths he tried to take as Arthur recklessly pulsed against him.

In a flash of a dizzy moment, Arthur spun them around and hauled him in the direction of the bed. He threw him down on the mess of sheets and jumped on top. Merlin felt the wind knocked out of him as Arthur's full weight landed on him, forcing the bed to bump into the wall behind with a whack.

Arthur's mouth was soon back to his neck, biting the untouched side just as harshly as the sensitive mess on the other.

Oh gods, he would look so beaten after this. Destroyed by Arthur's mouth. Everyone would know what he had done. He wouldn't be able to hide it. But they wouldn't know who committed the act with him.

Every mark was a claim for Merlin's knowledge only. A claim that he was still Arthur's. Even after all this, he would forever be Arthur's.

He could feel it sinking straight to his bones and oh, it felt so satisfyingly deep. Arthur was seeping into him, burrowing into his neck and those teeth were digging and massaging into his muscles. Pain was nonexistent. Every pull was dragging him under, melting him to the core. This forever would be enough.

He jerked at the pop of wet skin and a growl in his ear. "Where's your scarf?"

"Scarf?" Merlin could barely breathe, let alone think.

"It's stupid," Arthur growled again and a hot tongue penetrated Merlin's mouth before he could answer.

Merlin could do nothing more than hold on as Arthur rode his body. Up and down he slid and rolled until he was too frustrated with the layers of clothes slowing them down. Merlin felt him leave with the gust of air that left his lungs and the prince made quick work of his shirt and belt, batting away Merlin's hand when he tried to reach out.

"Undress," Arthur commanded fervently and Merlin was happy to shuck all layers from his skin in a heady haze of buckles and ties until he was lying naked on the bed.

There were bruises new and old along his front –he couldn't imagine what the wall and Arthur's shoving did to his back. Catching his eye was the bright pink scar caused by Arthur's sword sprawling from his stomach to the underside of his ribs to a place he could not see. He wondered what Arthur would think but that was soon answered when a hand roughly grabbed his trailing fingers. Arthur's entire hand covered the skin, almost able to hide the entire line.

Arthur was unreadable. He was frowning with his eyebrows drawn together –his usual face for annoyance and frustration- but his body was a quavering mess and his eyes were dark and lustful.

The intensity of his gaze drew Merlin in and pinned him without need for contact, making his heart thump loudly in his chest. Pools of pink patches patterned his skin, a new one visible with every spasm. Each toned muscle shone with the slick of his sweat. Hair stuck up in random directions from where Merlin wrapped his hands tight. His chest labored up and down to try and pull the thick air of the room into his lungs, feeling the physical excursion of tossing Merlin around.

Yes. He needed this. They both needed this.

The world was too great a problem, too great a responsibility. The crushing knowledge of their destinies needed a scapegoat. Merlin had always used Arthur, leaned on him, relied on his presence. Arthur needed this. Arthur needed him. It was just too big and the least Merlin could do was give him the break.

Just a beat.

Just a moment.

Merlin wanted to reach through the fog. He wanted to feel the way Arthur moved, the way he came undone, the way their bodies danced –gliding and resisting- until he finally let it all go. Until he came apart and released this pressure pressing down on him.

He didn't have the chance.

Arthur's palm was still splayed over his scar as his second hand fitted into the indents if his ribs and flipped him onto his front, forcing him into the mattress.

Merlin groaned when he felt his member scratch against the rough fabric that lay under the usual sheets. If only he had gotten to fixing the bed. His hands were stuck under his stomach and he wasn't sure it was in his best interest to try and move them. There was nothing he could do for it. He didn't really want to. Arthur was in control here and it would stay that way.

Arthur was soon on him, pushing apart his legs and thrusting a wet finger against his entrance making his heart pump with blood that cycled straight back to his cock.

The finger felt like a welcomed stranger as it forced itself inside. He expected it to hurt since he had not stretched in so long but his body was buzzing with so much excitement that he could not feel a single pang. All he could feel was Arthur shifting behind him and the pull of his legs and spread of his arse cheeks to open for him. He heard the loud groan come from Arthur as he pushed back onto his fist and swallowed his finger whole.

A second finger pushed against the taut ring of muscle, sooner than their normal preparation but Merlin greedily accepted it all the same. He wiggled his body and cried out when he felt the rough scrape against the sensitive tip of his weighted cock against the mattress. Arthur responded with a hand pulling at the back of his thigh, gripping him tight and holding him open as he added a third and twisted them inside.

Merlin pushed off his spurned cheek and tried to catch a glimpse of the man behind him but his neck couldn't bend that far back. Arthur growled and he cried back into the mattress, his teeth pulling against the surface, his hands fumbling under his body, as Arthur pulled from him.

In an instant, those fingers were replaced with a stiff, hot rod pushing consistently hard and fast until Arthur entered his body.

Merlin moaned at the filling sensation and curved to him, rolling his hips into the mattress and eliciting a pleasing pull from the heat pooling in his abdomen. He was so hot with want. His soft walls clamped around the stiff member vibrating against him. Every twitch from Arthur's cock sent an agitated pulse up his spine until he was a trembling wreck, moaning Arthur's name like an enchantment that would bring him long sought relief.

Arthur moved just as quick as he was allowed, pulling back as far as he could and roughly slamming back inside.

Merlin could finally feel him.

The warmth of his body, the thrash of his muscles, and the glossy slide of the grind. Merlin cried out with every thrust and Arthur repeatedly pommeled into him, snapping their hips together and panting in his ear.

Too soon the sensation stopped.

No one was rubbing against his walls. No one was pinning him down. No one was grazing his flesh.

Merlin whined but Arthur did not leave him. Instead, he silently pulled at Merlin's hips and adjusted him until he was on all fours, kneeling in front of him. Arthur shifted and wrapped his hands in the dips of Merlin's hips, curling his nails into the soft flesh above the bone, and rested the luscious tip of his dripping cock against his swollen hole.

One snap, one smack, and Arthur was back where he belonged.

Merlin gave an agonized scream of pleasure and arched his back as he was pushed and pulled repetitively. He was riding Arthur's cock as Arthur stayed still, the strong arms of a knight leading him, playing with angles, controlling his every move.

Merlin pushed back with his shoulders and pulled his legs apart to give him more, to feel his cock pushing further and further, seeing just how far inside his body could take him.

Arthur's hands curled tighter, sure to add more bruises and scrapes onto the total, until the sound of slapping skin and Merlin's stifled moans behind a locked jaw filled the air.

Arthur suddenly pushed at the small of his back and forced him to curve his back down again, the pressure keeping him from arching. When Arthur bended into him, Merlin gave an unhinged yell as that angle directly thrust Arthur's head into the spot inside that could make any man's knees wobble.

Arthur harshly trailed his nails up Merlin's back and pushed at the place between his shoulder blades until his elbows buckled and Merlin's face was in the bed again, his arse still hopelessly shaking against Arthur's cock.

Arthur held him there with a firm grip as he pulled out, tantalizingly slow, enjoying the view of his dick slipping slick from his body as Merlin's hands rapidly scratched at something to grab. He hummed so loud Merlin could feel the vibrations trailing through him and more indecent sounds escaped his throat before he snapped back inside.

Merlin had to bite the bed to keep from yelling but that did nothing to hide it from Arthur. His throbbing cock slapped against his stomach as Arthur rocked him, gyrated his hips, and shook the bed with the intensity of his thrusting until Merlin couldn't take it. His muffled shouts penetrated the dense air and Arthur's grunts grew louder.

"Is this what you wanted?" Arthur groaned over the growing sounds but Merlin was not able to answer as he continued to drive into him. "You wanted me. Like this."

Merlin made some sort of noise but Arthur was thrusting too hard for him to think of anything other than please and yes. He wasn't sure if those thoughts vocalized but the way Arthur was splitting him open made him think they did.

The ache was starting to spread through his backside and his muscles tensed. His body quivered and his stomach started to twist as the burn began to consume. His flustered hands scrambled to push himself up, presenting himself to Arthur, and let his groans roll.

"Arthur-"

With one more harsh push Merlin was sent over the edge, screaming loud as he came. Without the touch of his dick, he buckled beneath Arthur and the other boy continued to push and pull his loose body on his still firm cock at his own will.

Arthur did not give his oversensitive center a break until he reached his own peak. He shuddered behind him, coming hot and slick inside of him, collapsing on the bed next to him. He rolled over, pushed Merlin down, and harshly licked and bit Merlin's back, directly over the scratches and bruises he made near his spine.

Completely annihilated, that was how Merlin fell asleep.

Merlin woke to a band of string instruments playing outside Arthur's window. His eyes fluttered open and he found himself half on and half off Arthur's big bed, the sheets spread over his body near falling off.

Last night was…wow. He had not expected that.

He turned to see how Arthur was dealing with it all, but he wasn't there. That was expected. The sting of waking up alone still hurt.

He slowly pushed his body towards the edge to search for his clothes and groaned. His entire body ached. It felt like he went a round with every single one of the knights. And lost. Badly.

Sitting was a terrible idea. He quickly hopped up from the stretching ache and tried to find his clothes.

That's when he saw Arthur. He was dressed in his trousers, sitting at the table with his hands holding up his head and a distant look in his eyes.

"Arthur?" Merlin gently called.

Arthur snapped his attention to him and quickly strode across the room. Merlin flinched but all that came was Arthur's arms wrapping him up, hugging him gingerly close, and resting his head against his hair.

Merlin smiled into his shoulder and gradually curled his arms around his back, breathing in deep and closing his eyes, prolonging the temporary relaxation and appreciating the comfort.

Arthur's hand started to pass over the pains that trailed over every inch of his body. He cupped his shoulder and rubbed down his spine, his fingers gently pressed against his neck and he turned to kiss Merlin's head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Merlin hugged him tighter and shook his head, "It's alright."

"No. No it's not. There is no excuse. I would execute someone if they treated you the way I just did. And then to apologize for it the morning after...it's not enough. You have my word, that will never happen again. My promise is not a way to escape it. I take full responsibility. I just need you to know that you deserve more respect than I have shown you. And that I am sorry."

A long pause followed where they just stayed in each other arms and let the music outside fill the space.

Merlin's small out of place chuckle had Arthur asking, "What?"

"The music."

"It's to uplift spirits before the impending battle. People sing and dance. I'm-"

"Exactly."

"Hm?"

"You said before- um. Never mind."

Merlin slowly felt his body start to sway as Arthur nudged his feet and rocked him in a circle. Merlin smiled against his skin again and burrowed his nose into his shoulder as he gently turned with him.

The song was a quicker beat than they were moving but they were fine with the pace they kept.

"I won't forgive myself," Arthur breathed against his ear. "I shouldn't have…I just wanted something to…I just didn't want to feel the way I did. I hurt you. It was unfair of me to use you."

"I wanted you to." Merlin squeezed him tight and pulled back enough to look him in the eye as the continued to circle. "I forgive you."

"You have bruises, Merlin. Have you seen yourself?" Arthur was clearly trying not to yell as he ran a hand over Merlin's front and started to finger the scar lining his side.

"I'm a big boy, Arthur." Merlin grabbed his hand and cupped it with his own. "If I wanted you to stop, I would have said so. Or I would have made you. My magic is good for something you know."

"I lost control. Why would you-"

"I'm here for you, however you need me. No, I won't be your punching bag but what we were doing wasn't exactly punching. Actually, I quite enjoyed it."

"Now you are making excuses."

"No, I just know that everything piled up on you and it was unfair of me to think you could handle so much."

"I could handle it."

"My backside says otherwise," Merlin smirked but Arthur gave him the unamused frown. "Sorry, poor joke. It's really alright."

Arthur pulled his hand to Merlin's cheek and brushed his thumb over his lips and jaw. They slowed their dance until they were standing still again and Arthur leaned his forehead against Merlin's, his thumb lazily making patterns on his lower lip. "You couldn't trust me."

"I trust you with my life Arthur." Merlin kissed the pad of his thumb. "You have your father, your kingdom, your destiny. Your life is worth much more than mine. It's my burden to bear."

"Do not say that. My life is worth no more than the next man's or yours." Arthur pulled his other hand to Merlin's neck and gently rested against the bites he made as Merlin slumped against him. "And this burden is not just yours anymore. We have to be together to defeat this evil."

"You're coming with me?"

"I'm sure if I didn't you'd find a way to screw everything up."

"Arthur I-" Merlin's chatter stopped with the press of Arthur's lips.

A slow and soft kiss caressed him and he opened up to it gratefully. He held him tight and smiled in the still of the morning until they broke apart with a sigh.

"I'm still mad," Arthur whispered. "Furious, actually. At myself and at you. But I had time to think and I understand why you did it. If our roles were reversed, I'm not sure I would have done it much differently. But…I still find it hard to trust you."

"I'll do everything I can to earn your trust back."

"As long as you stick to that promise, I think I can forgive you."

Merlin nuzzled further into Arthur's shoulder and clipped the tear that fell from his eyes before he could notice. "Thank you."

Their arms limply circled again as they rocked their feet and continued their long promised dance.

AN: That was not the make-up sex. That was the angry sex. But I will try to deliver on the make-up best I can.

Thank you to every one of my reviewers. (And, you know, favs/follows. Reviewers just hold a special place in my heart.) Your recent conversations with me have been absolutely wonderful. They really make me want to give you guys the best story possible ;)