Merlin hadn't left her room since returning from Arthur's. She threw her coat and scarf in a corner, lobbed her boots at another and dropped to her bed, wrapping a blanket around herself. She just sat, unmoving; eyes fixed on the wall across from her. She couldn't shake the image of Arthur's anger-hardened face from her mind's eye and it was eating away at her from the inside out. She knew the risk she was taking in telling him but his response to her confession hurt her more than she had expected. She cursed her past self for not being honest with the prince from the beginning.
Texts from Gwen came hourly, wondering where she ran off to with no response. She knocked at Merlin's door and got no answer. After two days, Gwen finally opened the door without warning.
"For goodness sake's Lin wha-...are those storm clouds?" Gwen was gaping at clouds near the ceiling that had formed due to Merlin's mood. They were rumbling like a real on coming storm. Merlin looked up, made them swirl and fade away.
"A bit cliché, don't you think," Gwen said as she sat next to Merlin. "I'm guessing you told Arthur."
Merlin nodded. Her head felt heavy. "It didn't go well."
"He didn't lock you up in a psych ward like you expected," Gwen offered, rubbing Merlin's back.
"But you didn't see his face, Gwen," Merlin mumbled into the blanket. Tears threatened to come gushing from her eyes again. "He was so upset."
"Did he say anything?" Gwen asked.
"No, he just told me to leave," Merlin said.
"Well, I think he has something to say now," Gwen said, now looking at the door. Merlin followed her gaze to the open doorway where Arthur standing, looking statuesque. "Sorry, he asked me to let him in. You weren't answering your door." Gwen quickly exited the room before Merlin could object, closing the door behind her, leaving Arthur and Merlin alone. Arthur pulled the chair from the desk and set it in front of Merlin and sat down. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned towards Merlin. She avoided his gaze.
"I wanted to tell you," Arthur said after clearing his throat. "That I had my suspicions about your magic. There was something Gaius said the other night that made me wonder. And there was just something that I knew I was missing. Like I didn't know everything about you but couldn't quite sort it out. And there was the weird behaviour at times, which I now know the reasons for. I just want to know why you didn't tell me."
Merlin finally look dared to look at Arthur's face. His blue eyes were softer than when she had seen them last, almost comforting. "I didn't think you'd believe me."
"You should put more faith in your friends," Arthur replied.
"You mean to say that if I had told you months ago during our meeting at the coffee shop, along with hating peas, that I am a sorceress as well. You wouldn't have just laughed? Or called me a crazy person?" Merlin said sitting up slightly, tugging at the blanket around her. "No one believes in magic anymore."
"Well, I wouldn't have laughed," Arthur admitted. "But it would have been nice for you to be honest with me."
"I am so sorry," Merlin whispered.
"Well at least you finally came clean," Arthur let a little smile cross his lips. "Most people might not believe in magic, but I'm not most people. My father constantly has to deal with rogue witches and angry fairies."
"Angry fairies?" Merlin repeated.
Arthur nodded. "Made for an interesting Easter a few years ago. But I have met a few nice sorcerers over the years."
A silence settled in the room as they stared at each other. Merlin was definitely feeling better. Arthur leaned in closely, close enough for her to bob forward and plant a kiss on his perfect lips.
"Now you've got to promise, Merlin Emrys," Arthur said quietly. "That you will never cast a spell, enchantment or otherwise on me. Because if you do, I will be forced to put you in the stocks." He poked her nose and twisted his face in an attempt to look stern.
"I promise," Merlin stifled a smile. "Stocks? Hasn't that gone out of fashion?"
"I'm sure we have a few stashed around at the palace," Arthur said playfully. His eyes darted to her lips and lingered there. He sat back slowly and sighed. "Now would you come out of that blanket? You look pathetic." Merlin stood up slowly, legs tingling from not being used in a while, and untangled herself from the blanket and threw it on her bed. Arthur stood up as well.
"I also wanted to thank you," He rested his hands on his hips and he sucked in his chin. "For the life saying business." Merlin knew that Arthur didn't like thanking her again for saving his arse.
"You don't have to," Merlin insisted. "I was just looking out for you. I care-I mean, I couldn't let the heir to the throne die or become possessed. The country might need you someday."
"Well, thanks," Arthur said stiffly. Merlin, on a whim, rushed over and hugged him. He was nice and warm and smelled wonderful. She could hear his heart beating steadily in his solid chest. He wrapped his strong his arms around her, returning the embrace. He ran a hand down her hair a few times.
"Uh, Merlin," Arthur said after a moment. "I think you're making it snow in here." Merlin looked up to see snow drifting lazily from the ceiling.
"Oh," Merlin pulled away. "Sorry." She made it disappear quickly and smiled sheepishly. "I usually have my magic more in check."
Arthur smiled at her. "I would hope so."
The dynamic between Arthur and Merlin hadn't changed much, Merlin was happy to observe. The prince, however, had taken to asking why she does some things, like opening doors, like a normal person when she could simply use her magic. This got annoying.
"I don't always have to use it," Merlin finally said one evening after an exasperated sigh.
"But you could," Arthur pointed his pen at her.
"Has the phrase 'with great power comes great responsibility' graced those royal ears of yours?" Merlin offered.
"You sound like my father," Arthur said grumpily and withdrew his pen. But that seemed to finally shut him up. Merlin gave Arthur permission to let Gwaine, Percival, and Leon in on Merlin's magic. Gwaine, of course, came back the next day after hearing the news with a witch's hat from the fancy dress shop in town and plopped it on Merlin's unsuspecting head.
"There," He said with a big grin. "Now you at least look the part."
"Cute," Merlin said sarcastically and pulled it off her head.
February was the start of the new semester, which kept Merlin quite busy. In addition to her new modules, she had evening seminars twice a week. The other evenings she spent with Arthur and his crew. She saw little of Gwen as she was busy hanging out with Lance and Freya had her swim team friends. Merlin found herself alone with Arthur more often when they worked on course work at his room. Apparently Arthur felt with Merlin's magical abilities the guys could have a few nights off here and there. But he was quick to say that he could take care of himself and Merlin was just a back up defense. Merlin just rolled her eyes.
Spending so much alone time with Arthur was distracting. Merlin spent more time talking to him than reading her books and articles for lectures. He was more flirtatious with the guys gone. He would play with Merlin's hair -mussing it so it would look like a bird's nest when he was finished; tickle her sides, and steal her books and have her try to get them back. Since she wasn't allowed to use magic on him, Merlin had to resort to jumping up and down or crawling over Arthur to fetch whatever he had stolen, all while threatening to turn him into a toad or kitten. Sometimes she would send a book magically sailing his way and clunk him in the back of the head in an attempt to distract him. This prompted protest from Arthur, saying something like "No hocus-pocus, Missy!" They would eventually collapse into a fit of laughter when Merlin was finally victorious.
On the most recent game of Steal Merlin's Belongings, Arthur had somehow pinned Merlin to the floor with their faces very close together, noses almost touching. Merlin was breathing heavily and staring at Arthur, wondering why he hadn't awkwardly pulled away like he usually does when they get so close. Arthur blinked quickly, as if he had been lost in thought and rolled off Merlin. He handed her book and quickly went back to his own course work, leaving Merlin terribly confused.