Alternate Universe - Canon

Having the most powerful sorcerer who walks the earth as a lover, Arthur is faced with the problem that Merlin sometimes isn't home.

In the dim light of their chamber, Arthur was sitting on his table, his forehead rested on his hands and he was thinking about Merlin. He had been gone on his mission for months now. With no sign of him anywhere, it seemed less likely every day that he was never coming back. Arthur was never nowhere near admitting that out loud, but the thought was constantly in his mind.

And here in their chamber it was almost as though he could feel Merlin is there with him, and the idea of going elsewhere seemed like the loneliest thing he could imagine.

Arthur didn't know what caught his attention, his head jerked up and that was when he spotted him. He was standing in the doorframe to the chamber, still as a statue. Even with the dim light, there was not a single doubt in Arthur's mind who the man in front of him was. The problem was he didn't believe it. It wasn't the first time he had imagined seeing Merlin.

And now he was seeing Merlin again, this time standing right in front of him. It could have been a second or hours, he didn't know, but it was the vision of Merlin who broke the stillness. He took a hesitant step away from the doorframe.

"Arthur?"

When Arthur didn't answer, barely breathing, Merlin stepped closer. Even though he moved lightly, the king could hear his steps like they were amplified. His visions didn't usually include sound effects, but he didn't doubt that his desperation could make anything happen.

Merlin didn't stop until he was standing directly in front of his king and lover. He was so close that the expressions and lines of concern on the sorcerer's face were clear to him. His hand came to rest gently on Arthur's where he gripped the arm of the chair for dear life. He was almost numb, and he barely felt the contact, unable to move or drag his eyes from Merlin's face. Merlin slowly knelt down in front of him until they were eye level.

"Arthur."

Merlin's quiet murmur wasn't a question this time, but more of an affirmation that he was real. Suddenly, Merlin leaned over, threw his other arm around Arthur, and buried his head in his lover's lap.

For the first time, the fact that maybe he wasn't dreaming entered Arthur's mind. Afraid as he was to believe that it might be true, Arthur lifted his free hand and gingerly ran his fingers through Merlin's hair. Merlin felt so real and his warmth was surrounding him. Arthur closed his eyes against the tears he felt welling up, and breathed him in.

The sorcerer looked up at his lover and Arthur felt his lips move against Merlin's. Barely able to make out a sound, the king felt more than heard his whispered, "I'm sorry."

Arthur slid forward in the chair, bringing his body against Merlin's as he lowered his knees to the floor. He buried his face in Merlin's shoulder and wrapped his arms around his back. His fists clenched the fabric of his tunic, and every inch of him from his knees up was pressed against Merlin. The sorcerer wrapped his own arms around the king, holding him so tightly that it felt like he was in a vice. If he hadn't been so desperate for the contact, Arthur might have worried about bruises.

They stayed kneeling on the floor for a moment, and then Merlin moved to sit. Arthur stayed pressed against him, as though if an inch got between them the world would end. Merlin tried to turn him so that the king could rest in his lap, but Arthur was having none of it. Instead of turning to the side, he placed one knee on either side of Merlin's thighs.

Merlin's arms had relinquished their death grip, but his hands never left Arthur's body. They moved soothingly over the king's back, up to his hair, and finally one landed on his leg where it was pressed against him. The other rubbed gently on the back of Arthur's neck.

Arthur could feel his lover surrounding him, and he pressed his lips against the skin of Merlin's neck. His scent was overwhelming, and Arthur was positive that he couldn't have stopped himself from tasting him if the world depended on it. He opened his lips and just grazed the sorcerer's throat with the tip of his tongue. Pressed against his lover as he was, there was no missing the vibrations of a moan as Merlin reacted to the contact.

Merlin pulled away and just before a cold settled in at being rejected, Arthur felt the sorcerer's lips press warmly against his. He opened up, trying to taste more of Merlin. The sensations around Arthur were overwhelming, from the fabric of their clothes to the warm slide of Merlin's lips against his.

Merlin slid the tips of his fingers under the hem of the king's tunic, stroking his warm skin. Arthur moved a hand to cover Merlin's on his thigh, and at the same time he pulled his lips away from Merlin's. The sorcerer stilled immediately. The king didn't back away any further, he just leaned in to rest his forehead against Merlin's.

"Arthur, we can stop." Merlin's voice was rough. "We can-"

"Wait." Arthur, short of breath, covered Merlin's lips with his fingers, not backing away a bit. "Just one thing."

"Anything," Merlin murmured against his hand.

"Never again. I'm done."

After his words, tension shot through Merlin. Arthur could feel him become like a stone.

"Not with this idiot, this is so not done," he corrected the sorcerer's misunderstanding with a half smile on his face. Slowly the tension ebbed, and he continued. "You're never ever doing this to me again. I can't stand being left here not knowing. The next time I come with you!"

Arthur was still pressed up against Merlin, too close to see his face, but he had to make sure that his lover understood. He pulled back from his forehead and his lips hovered just a breath away from Merlin's.

"Got it?"

The moment dragged on, and Arthur thought for a second that just this once Merlin might actually tell him no.

"Yes, I got it, Prat."

The words were punctuated by Merlin's lips closing the gap between them.