Twelve Parcels in Silk

Present the Seventh: Do Not Avoid Me (Because I Love You)

It's been seven weeks since Arthur had first kissed Merlin and he wanted to make their relationship official. The problem was that every time he made a move to kiss Merlin in public or even hold his hand when sitting next to him during council meetings, he gets rejected. He'd been trying for a whole week, giving Merlin little touches in front of the knights and leaning in close when they are talking.

The first time he tried for a kiss Merlin simply turned his head away and exclaimed, "I'll go polish your armour!" Conveniently forgetting that Arthur was wearing his armour, later Leon had asked Arthur if Merlin was okay. He had then got a stern telling off from Gwaine because it was 'obvious that Arthur had worked Merlin to the point of madness'. He had nearly chopped off Gwaine's head with his sword.

He decided that he had to work it up and so in the middle of a council meeting, he reached to take Merlin's hand in his but instead found himself gripping a goblet of wine, Merlin's hand long gone. Arthur concluded that he must have aimed wrong so he took the goblet and drank a little.

Next he tried to put his arm around Merlin's waist when they were walking with Gwen down the hallway but Merlin suddenly raced forward to praise a painting. A very ugly painting. It was then that Arthur realised that Merlin was avoiding his show of affection in public and his heart seemed to deflate.

There were a number of possible reasons as to why Merlin doesn't want their friends (or anybody) to know about their relationship but somehow Arthur keeps thinking about how maybe Merlin doesn't want them to know because it won't last. Every time he kisses Merlin in private he thinks about how it might be their last, how Merlin might come in tomorrow and wake him up telling him that 'it was fun and all but I don't really fancy you like that'.

They hadn't gotten to the, ah, sex part of the relationship and Arthur doesn't want to have it just yet. One of his other musings is that Merlin simply wants to have sex with a royal and he's terrified that after the sex Merlin would just up and leave. He knows that Merlin isn't the kind to do something like that but he is still terrified of the thought of Merlin leaving him. When he used to have wet dreams about Merlin at night he now had nightmares about Merlin leaving him for someone better, someone nicer and someone who doesn't have trouble admitting his love for Merlin.

He had bought Merlin a new neckerchief, because for some reason that idiot always wears one (but they are good to hide the love bites). He had hope that Merlin would wear it tonight and he could escort him to the midwinter feast, but he was terrified that Merlin would reject him and laugh at his idea.

Sir Evyn had said that his Lady Kelly had loved the thought of him buying her a dress and that the mission to please his lady had been a complete success so Arthur thought he ought the try it himself. However he wasn't so sure that Merlin would want him to reveal their relationship and by the time Merlin arrived to his chambers in a stunning blue shirt and deliciously tight pants Arthur had thought of all the possible bad outcomes and scared himself to hell and back.

Merlin had taken one look at him and asked him what was wrong and before he realised it he was saying, "Why don't you want our relationship to become public?"

His mouth had turned traitorous when he had fallen for Merlin for now it said things all the time without his consent. Just the other day he had been watching Merlin tend to the fire and said 'your arse is truly amazing it makes me feel all kinds of wonders'. He didn't know where the words had come from because it didn't even sound like him (who the hell would say such a thing?) but he had blushed a furious red and dismissed Merlin before he made even more of a fool of himself.

Merlin was currently staring at him with his mouth hanging open, he looked to be in shock and Arthur swallowed, uncertain.

"I-I'm-I never said I don't want it to become public."

"Then why do you always avoid me when I try to kiss you or hold you when there are other people?"

Merlin was still staring at him in shock and he realised he might have been a tad loud and that Merlin probably didn't deserve to be yelled at, but he was so confused and he just wanted to know why.

"I just thought, that you know, you weren't ready for everyone to know. 'Cause you're king and all and I thought that maybe you wanted to break the news to your council slowly that you love a man and that man happens to be the most powerful sorcerer alive. It's a big thing and I didn't want our relationship to ruin everything."

"Our relationship could never ruin anything Merlin, you idiot! I don't care if those stuffy old lords don't like the fact that I love a man but it's my life and my kingdom so if they don't fancy it then they can leave!"

"You don't mean that."

Arther glared at Merlin who was looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"I can mean whatever I bloody want!"

"Arthur… that doesn't even make sense."

"It so does!"

The king was puffing now, as if he had just sparred with one of his knights. Merlin watched in amusement as his lover glared at him like a child who got denied sweets.

"Plus they'll be ecstatic that the most powerful sorcerer is allied with us."

Merlin gave Arthur another look that said 'what an idiot'.

"I'm already allied with you."

"But they don't know that!"

Merlin slowed his speech as if he was talking to a little child.

"Arthur I. Am. Your. Court Sorcerer. How can I not be allied with you?"

"Yes but now you'll be more allied with us."

Then the prat grinned at him as if he had just solved all the problems in their land. Merlin just gave him a 'whatever you say sire' look and turned to walk out the door.

"WAIT!"

Merlin jumped and turned back abruptly, tripping over his own feet and crashing to the ground.

"Ow…"

"Merlin!"

Arthur raced to help Merlin up and check for injuries, cursing himself for forgetting that Merlin has the skill to trip over his own feet.

When Merlin finally looked up at him, he found Arthur holding a piece of red silk in his hand. He immediately started searching the floor thinking that the present had fallen out in Arthur's haste to 'save' Merlin.

"Erh, what are you doing?"

"Looking for the present of course."

"It's right here…"

Merlin looked in the direction of Arthur's gaze and saw nothing but red silk in his royal pratness's hands.

"Oh… it's, ah, lovely Arthur…"

He furrowed his brow and gave Arthur a tentative smile.

"Well, try it on."

"Try what on?"

"The neckerchief!"

"Oh! It's a neckerchief… why did you get me a neckerchief?"

Arthur grinned and announced, "So that you can wear it for when I escort you to the feast!"

Merlin nodded once and said, "Right."

He decided not to question Arthur about the 'escorting' business because he was probably still sensitive about the whole 'revealing our relationship' thing.

"But Arthur.. I already have a red neckerchief…"

"But not a red silk neckerchief… right?"

He looked so uncertain that Merlin just grinned and cheerily said, "You're right! And I love it!"

Arthur grinned back and then helped Merlin put his new neckerchief on. While Arthur did that Merlin watched him with a loving expression, he loved the man in front of him and warmth blossomed in his chest as he saw how Arthur loved him back. In the end, Arthur didn't have to say the words 'I love you' for Merlin to understand that the annoying clot-pole of a man in front of him loved him with all his heart.

(The very next day King Arthur blurted out "I love you" to the Court Sorcerer of Camelot in the middle of a court session where a man and wife were arguing about lilies and cows)

Special thanks to Merthur Dreamer who wrote me a fabulous review that made my day :D Also thank you to those who have read this and stuck by, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint :)

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