Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin and the only thing I gain from this piece of writing is the satisfaction of knowing that, though Merlin's adventures on television have come to an end, they shall never truly be over in my heart or my imagination... Aaaaaand now I've made myself sad...

31 Days of Christmas

Day 13:
Mistletoe

Fic:

"Sorry, you want me to do what to Merlin?" Arthur demanded of a smirking Morgana, eyes wide as he glanced between his just as shell-shocked manservant and her.

She just shook her head and pointed up, casting his eyes and Merlin's upwards to the doorframe. There was some odd plant hanging above them, green and leafy with some strange berries scattered through-out it. It meant nothing to Arthur, but when he glanced back at Merlin whose face was suddenly pale and eyes wider than wide, he knew Merlin knew what it meant. Why Morgana had said…

"You heard me, Arthur. You have to kiss him." She repeated, watching them expectantly. She had called Arthur into her room just moments ago, had said he needed to bring Merlin and come quick because something was wrong. Thinking the worst, he had come rushing in with his sword ready, but she had halted them at the door, told him to put his sword away and made him and Merlin stand together in the doorway, her face gleeful and almost evil.

And then she had demanded that Arthur kiss Merlin.

Of course, she hadn't really expected that to work, had she? Because, even though there was no denying that he had thought of it before, a prince did not kiss his manservant. It just was not done.

So why was Morgana standing here telling him that he had to?

"And why would I do that?" he asked, hoping no one had heard the quiver in his voice, hoping Merlin couldn't tell how he was aching to do just as Morgana asked and then some.

"Because of that plant," she gestured upwards again and then turned to Merlin. "You know what it is, don't you, Merlin? You've been studying under Gaius for so long now that you should." She grinned again as Arthur turned to him as well, his request of an explanation poised in his features.

"Erm, yeah," he rubbed his neck like he always did when he was embarrassed or sheepish, his cheeks tinted a light pink. "It's mistletoe."

"So? What does that mean?" Arthur demanded, still not understanding what was going on. Of course, he was being counter-productive to what he actually wanted, but he couldn't admit that that was something that he wanted. He couldn't give Morgana that satisfaction.

"It's, uhm, a plant that the druids have always thought to be sacred," he said vaguely. Druids? What did Morgana think she was doing hanging such a plant in the castle? His father would throw quite the fit if he knew…

"And?" Morgana prompted.

"And there's, uhm, a tradition that stemmed from that."

"And that tradition would be?"

"If you and another person are caught underneath it… you're supposed to… kiss them or bad luck will befall both of you." He finished, eyes shying away from Arthur. Morgana turned her gaze back on Arthur then, expectant and triumphant.

"That's just… silly superstition. Nothing more." Arthur shrugged, scoffing slightly.

"Right, and how often have silly superstitions come back to haunt you when you've ignored it in the past, dearest Arthur?" Morgana crossed her arms, still looking rather pleased with herself.

Arthur wondered then, whether he was mad at her or actually happy with her for pulling such a stunt. She probably thought she was going to embarrass him, make him do something he did not want to do at any cost to his personal well-being. How could she know, after all, that he had wanted to kiss Merlin from the moment he had stood up to him, had defended that boy he had been bullying with his old friends, had held his own in an actual fight against him the time they met after that?

She couldn't know, of course. She was just being her usual self, trying to cause Arthur some sort of grievance.

"Just kiss him and get it over with, Arthur. I won't tell if you won't." Morgana promised with a sly wink.

Arthur shot her a look, but, after a few more minutes of her goading and Merlin blushing, Arthur sighed and turned to Merlin, gave him an almost apologetic look, cupped his face carefully, gently, and then pulled him close to him, melting into a kiss that would not have been were it not for Morgana.

Merlin sighed against him, and Arthur pretended not to hear it when he pulled back, quickly shifting his gaze from Merlin to Morgana before giving her his well practiced annoyed look. He stalked away from her and her giggling then, Merlin lagging behind just a bit.

Right, that would not be happening again. Not in front of Morgana, anyway.

Which is why he later asked Merlin to hang some of that mistletoe in his room as well—because it actually looked pretty cool to him, even if it was some odd druid plant. Whatever.

And when he happened to catch Merlin under it time and time again afterwards… Well, he couldn't very well have bad luck befall the crowned prince of Camelot and his faithful manservant, now could he?

Fin.