He wakes feeling dirty, more so in the physical sense than any other. With his first meeting of the day not starting until later into the day, Merlin his spare alone time to continue cleaning the house until he can no longer take the grime and has to wash, not only the bedclothes, but himself, as well. Then, he gets back to cleaning.
Just before he has to head out, the long awaited new refrigerator and freeze arrive. The delivery men seem nice, but Merlin's stressed mind isn't moving at the right speed and he has trouble understanding most of the situation. Throughout the entire ordeal, he feels his anxiety spike and he takes a brief moment to wonder if this increased adgeda is due to his lack of medications, or will he always just been like this?
The day overall isn't too exciting, but at least some of the weight from last night feels different – not quite lighter, but something else entirely.
By the time it is dark and Merlin and Arthur are getting ready for bed, Merlin takes out his laptop on does some research, looking into something nice to buy his mother for her upcoming birthday. He thinks she might like jewelry, so he starts there. A small while later, he mind drifts off to the ring his mother gave him when he was younger and following the biggest journey of his life up to that point without her. He can't remember how many days it has been since he stopped wearing the ring and considers putting it on, but he doesn't quite feel like it. Instead, he thinks next of the amber sun necklace he was going to give her two years prior, only to grow far too fond of it himself. He hasn't worn it at all this new year, he realizes. Getting up from bed and heading over to his dresser, he decided to resolve that.
Conversation is stilted between Merlin and Arthur, but they do manage to face one another in bed. Though they do not press their bodies together, they do settle for light touches.
Upon seeing the return of Merlin's necklace, Arthur, with the hand that has his own mother's ring on its thumb, gently plays with the silver charm. Merlin reaches up to play with Arthur's thumb ring at the same time. All in all, Merlin figures that clean bedclothes and tentative touches make for a well enough night and he resolves to end it by grazing Arthur's forehead with his own before attempting to drift off to sleep.