Title: Check off my Christmas list.

Pairings: Arthur/Merlin

Prompt: Santa Baby – Urtha Kit - Ddraigcoch

WARNINGS: Fluff

Disclaimer: Merlin not mine *sob* It's the BBC's though I want to rob them and get away with Bradley and Colin ^_^

Summary: Merlin has written his Christmas list.

Note: Day 21. Again, apologies for the lateness. Coz 20 took so much work it had a domino effect and has made all the others late too! Me bad! Sorry! Others will follow as soon as I can manage! I will try and get them all done tomorrow (Christmas pressie) if I possibly can but I'm round my parents so I'll do my best!

Merlin was lying in a pool of books and paper. It looked as if there had been a whirlwind in the room that had its eye over Merlin. Arthur looked down at the mess and was dying to say something but he knew Merlin would tell him it was 'organised chaos'. Arthur had to agree that although there didn't seem to be any order to the piles, Merlin never lost any of his work and always managed to find what he wanted. It was only when Arthur had tried to 'tidy up' that Merlin lost things. He had very quickly learned not to mess with Merlin's notes.

His lover didn't appear to be studying though. With the end of a biro in his mouth, Merlin was concentrating on what Arthur guessed was a list. He wasn't surprised to see the random doodles down the side margin though. Arthur could tell how bored Merlin had been in lectures to how many doodles there were and what they were of. He had been most concerned when he had found scribblings of what appeared to be Merlin hanging himself off of a tree. That had been a very bad lecture apparently and the tutor had told him off and he had been feeling rather sorry for himself. Arthur had made sure to make him feel better.

But Merlin wasn't in lectures, which suggested that he was either bored or thinking. He was concerned if it was the latter as Merlin thinking always seemed to end in trouble. Merlin wrote one more thing on the list before sitting up right.

"Finished I guess." He looked down at the list with a frown, and then got up, handing the piece of paper to Arthur. "What do you think?" Arthur ran his eyes over the piece of paper, trying to ignore the snowflakes, robin and what he assumed was a reindeer down the margin.

'Dear Santa.' The top line read. Already Arthur sighed.

"Merlin, aren't you a little old to believe in Santa?" Merlin looked away from him and Arthur watched his blush spread from his ears, down to his checks and flow slightly own his neck. It was rather attractive on him.

"It's just… no, I won't say. You'll only think me more idiotic than usual." Arthur dropped the list to his side.

"Come on. Tell me." Merlin looked at him a little nervously,

"Last year," Arthur swallowed, ah, last year, that he did remember very well, "Mum got me to write a list to Santa. I only wrote one thing on it. But come Christmas day I got that one thing." Arthur's voice was almost a whisper when he asked his question,

"And what was that one thing?" Merlin smiled a little shyly.

"You." Arthur gave a thoughtful smile and raised the list once more.

'I have been a very good boy this year and have looked after the present you gave me last year.'

"Yeah, right. Who are you trying to kid, Merlin? Good my arse."

"I thought your arse did think I was rather good actually. I never heard any complaints, moans maybe, but never complaints." Arthur raised an eyebrow but found he couldn't quite argue that logic. He turned back to the list again.

'So for Christmas this year I would like…' Arthur braced himself. 'A Bugatti Veyron, a private yacht with a pair of jet bikes at the back and a Jacuzzi, a mansion, a brilliant job when I finish uni…' The list went on becoming more and more unbelievable as it went, to becoming things that were impossible to give like 'my mum to be truly happy' and 'Arthur to keep getting on with Uther'. It was a sweet thought but it was nothing more than a hope. Arthur sighed heavily.

"Merlin, you do know you're never going to get any of this, don't you?" Merlin gave a sad little smile and shrugged his shoulders,

"Yeah, I know, but you can't blame a guy for trying. But in all honesty, what I really wanted, I got last year anyway." Arthur didn't know what to say to that. Instead he pulled Merlin into a hug and kissed his cheek.

"Me too." Merlin smiled. It was worth such small comments to see Merlin smile like that.

"Right, I'll be right back. Just got to sort some stuff out." He left the room leaving Arthur alone with the list. His eyes scanned the sheet once more except this time he noticed two little words at the bottom. Two words he hadn't seen last time. He looked at the door with surprise as if Merlin had still been standing there. He lowered his arm again slowly.

Arthur remembered Merlin's face at Uther's party with Gwen and Lance's announcement and suddenly it made sense. Perhaps that one thing wasn't as unattainable as Merlin thought. He had wanted to prove to Merlin how much he cared, it would be perfect.

The answer had been given to him by Merlin's own hand. He felt a smile creep across his face. He would have to make a few phone calls but that wouldn't be a problem… he hoped.

He just truly hoped he was doing the right thing. When Merlin returned, Arthur acted as if nothing had changed and Merlin put the list on the mantle piece. Arthur looked at the innocuous sheet of paper and smiled to himself.