Arthur and Merlin went in and started to unpack. Merlin was amazed by the amount of clothes he had. "Are these really all mine?"
"Well they won't fit me and anyway it's less than half of what I have. We need to get you more, for a start you haven't got anything for the winter." Arthur smiled at the look on Merlin's face.
I don 't recognise anything in this room, do I have anything from before I knew you?" came the pensive comment.
"Well clothes and things from two years ago, your last memories, would be worn out by now! There is a box of personal things in your bedside table that you brought with you, and all your books in the office." He was told.
"It's a pity I didn't keep a diary" Merlin muttered to himself.
Arthur was out of his sight and it was just as well, he wondered whether Merlin had kept a diary or journal. He ought to check if he got the chance, clearly it wasn't a normal practice. If there was anything about like that it could muck things up completely. As they finished and before Merlin looked in his bedside cupboard they heard Hunith call them.
They went and sat in the kitchen and ate the meal Hunith had cooked for them. Then they spent the evening relaxing in front of the television. It wasn't long before Merlin was beginning to flag and slowly he leant against Arthur, who in turn put his arm around the younger man and Hunith couldn't help but think how good they looked together. At ten o'clock Merlin was dozing off so Arthur suggested they go to bed. Once they went into the room Merlin took some sleeping pants from the draw and went into the on suite to change and get ready for bed. Once he came out he looked at Arthur and asked:
"What side of the bed do you sleep on?"
"I normally sleep by the window" Arthur told him as he went in to get ready for bed. Arthur decided to get ready in the on suite not wanting to make Merlin feel uncomfortable by stripping off in front of him. Once he was ready he walked back into the bedroom and switched off the main light before getting into bed. Merlin was led on the edge of the bed as far away from the middle as he could get. Once he had switched off the bedside light Arthur spoke to Merlin "Come into the middle Merlin, I don't want you falling out. I will only touch you if you want it, but I was hoping you would just let me hold you" He heard Merlin take a deep breath before the mattress started to dip as Merlin moved closer to Arthur.
Arthur gentle put his arm out and round Merlin's waist and spooned in behind Merlin's slighter form. They led there in silence until Arthur felt Merlin relax and then his breathing evened out as he fell asleep. Arthur led there for some time until he too fell asleep. In the morning Arthur woke up first and after holding Merlin for a bit longer decided to get up and let the other man sleep on. He could hear Hunith moving about and wanted to talk to her.
Arthur found Hunith in the kitchen and went in and had a cup of tea with her. After some general talk about how they had slept Arthur asked his mother in law "Did Merlin keep a journal or diary?"
"Not to my knowledge, why?"
"It was something Merlin said and I thought if he had then when he read it he would know what had happened. I might look later." Arthur told her.
"It might help if he did; if his memories do came back at least he will know it was an agreement he willingly entered into" Hunith told him. "Don't worry too much Arthur Merlin is happy with you or he wouldn't have come here."
With that Hunith decided to take her son in a cup of tea "He needs to eat, he can always sleep later if he needs to. Merlin loves his pancakes for breakfast, I know it's an American thing but would you like some?"
Arthur looked at Hunith "What no bacon and eggs!" before adding "I'd love some Hunith thank you"
Merlin came into the kitchen a bit later his hair all damp from his shower and hugging himself.
"Are you cold Merlin? I can put the heating up if you want" Arthur told him.
"No just woke up, I'm fine. Is that pancakes you're cooking mum?" he asked with a grin.
"Yes dear and I brought some maple syrup when I move in" Hunith looked at her son fondly. "But tomorrow its eggs and bacon for Arthur"
Merlin looked at Arthur "You don't like pancakes?"
"I do when I'm in New York but it's not a UK type breakfast. You normally had toast in the morning here" Arthur told him.
The following four days followed the same pattern with Arthur and Merlin building their relationship with Hunith being there as support. Merlin started to help her with the cooking and found he had a talent for it. So much so that he decided he might retake the lessons he had done before. Merlin also started to think about his medical training. It seemed unless he got his memory back he would have to start again and he wasn't sure how his recent spleenectomy would affect things. No one was willing to discuss it with him this early in his recovery so he put it to one side.
After four days Hunith started to go back to her home at night and gave the men more privacy. The first night they were on their own Merlin and Arthur felt more at ease and kissed and gradually became more passionate it was clear that things were going to finally get more intimate when Merlin stopped Arthur, he admitted to being nervous "I know we must have but … I can't remember and I hadn't before….." he stuttered going redder as he spoke.
Arthur looked at Merlin before replying "You were a virgin when we married and you still feel like one now is that what you're trying to say? Look Merlin I loved being your first, but now I get to be your first all over again, just trust me" Arthur had to take a deep breath he hadn't thought this through, he had always thought because of Merlin's past he might never have had sex before but of course Merlin thought they had been happily married!
Merlin nodded "I trust you" he paused and for the first time looked Arthur in the eyes "I love you, do you know that"
Arthur's breath hitched and he broke into a huge grin "I wondered if I would ever hear that from you, Oh Merlin I love you, I love you so much it hurts" after that there was no stopping them they took things slowly and the sex they had was better than Arthur could have dreamed of. They really were made for each other, there was now no going back they couldn't get enough of each other and spent the rest of the night tangled together. When Arthur woke next morning as saw the wonderful man by his side he woke him as he kissed every scar line and marl on Merlin's white skin.
Merlin woke half way through "What you doing" he asked sleepily.
"Kissing you better of course" Arthur said as he continued his trail of kisses until he reached the end when he moved back to Merlin's neck. It was late before they got up that morning. In fact they didn't stir until Merlin realised his mother was due at the flat in half an hour.
Arthur got called into work for a few hours after lunch as something important needed his urgent attention so Arthur left Merlin with his mother, while she was cooking he decided to have a lie down, he still felt drained day and had got used to having a nap for a couple of hours. After he woke he sat on the edge of the bed for a minute or two before going back out to the lounge. It was then he remembered Arthur saying he had some personal effects in the draw. So Merlin decided to look through them to find out if there was anything from the past two years that might spark a memory. He found a box in the bottom draw that he recognised. Merlin had had the same box for years; it contained all sorts of odds from his past. Carefully opening it he started to look through the contents. There were photos from his childhood, a couple of him and his father, a group photo of them all and several of him as he was growing up, including one when he won his scholarship to Harvard. In another pile was his birth certificate, his passport, visa to stay in Britain and another envelope. It was sealed but he decided to open it and see what was inside. As he unfolded the paper he realised it was an official document and he started to read it, as he did he couldn't believe what he was reading. It was a Pre Nuptial agreement between Arthur and himself. Carefully folding it up he returned to box to the draw without looking at the rest of the contents.
Merlin was still sat there when Arthur returned home. Arthur had quietly entered the room thinking Merlin was asleep, so he was surprised to see Merlin awake and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Oh your awake, how are you my love?" Arthur went to kiss Merlin but as Merlin looked at Arthur something in his expression made Arthur pause "What's the matter?"
"I was looking though my photos and things earlier, I thought they might bring something back" Merlin said his voice flat.
"And did they?"
"No but I found something else, something I couldn't remember, and it answered some questions but gave me some more."
Arthur went to sit down next to Merlin but the other man glared at him so he stayed where he was. "What sort of questions"
"Like why would I have a pre nuptial agreement with you, Oh I realise why and I doubt if I would have married you without one, but why had I written on the envelope 'I did this willingly so why does it feel like a prison sentence. This will be the longest five years of my life' Why did it state I got nothing unless our marriage lasted five years? Isn't that how long your father's will say you had to be married for?" Merlin looked at Arthur. "Was your Aunt and Uncle telling the truth, was that all our marriage was a marriage of convenience." Merlin paused "I think it was, otherwise why would it say if it did you would pay for my medical school, all my living expenses, as well as one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. After all it was very specific" Merlin looked at Arthur his eyes full of hurt. "Tell me was last night a first for us? Or was the agreement that we would be fuck buddies, I don't think so, so did I lose my virginity to a sham" Merlin's voice was bitter. "Well was it. It wasn't until I started to think things through ….last night you said you didn't think you would ever hear me say that I love you, why was that? No lies please, I want the truth, whatever our agreement I think I deserve that."