Merlin did text to say he was at home, but the text was brief and his phone was then switched off. The next morning as Merlin hadn't put his phone back on Arthur decided to call round to see his boyfriend. He got there at eleven, in case Merlin had decided on a lay in. Will answered the door and let him in. Merlin was in the shower, so Arthur sat and waited, he was going to ask Will if he knew anything but thought the better of it.

Merlin walking in about ten minutes later and didn't seem very pleased to see Arthur. Will sensing he wasn't wanted went to his room and left the two men to it.

"I'm sorry if I upset you yesterday Merlin, but when I saw the bruises and realised they were made by fingers I was worried." Arthur spoke first.

"I told you not to worry; you don't have the right to demand I tell you everything. I don't want that, I don't want you to run my life Arthur." Merlin said he was clearly still upset.

"I don't want to run your life but if you saw bruises like that on me you'd want to know about them." Arthur was trying to be reasonable. "Its concern Merlin, not some sort of control." He paused and things clicked. "Is that what this is all about, that chap you were seeing before, the one who wanted to control your life?"

"I stopped seeing him because he didn't want me to have a life, he wanted to control me, know everything, and I don't want that." Merlin said. Arthur noticed Merlin was looking very uncomfortable.

"I don't want to control you Merlin, but I do want to care for you. It was him wasn't it?" Arthur asked he moved toward Merlin and seeing the other man was getting upset he put his hands on Merlin's shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"Yes, he stopped me in town, and when I went to leave he tried to stop me. I didn't realise he'd bruised me until later." Merlin paused "He wanted me to go back to him; I told him I was seeing you and he said a few things. You didn't need to know I sorted it." Merlin looked at Arthur. "So leave it will you."

"I will this time, but if it happens again I want you to tell me…please. I know you can look after yourself, but that doesn't mean I can't care." He kissed Merlin lightly on the cheek. "And you don't need to run away, I want to be there for you so please don't push me away."

"Ok" Merlin pulled away and looked at Arthur "you are serious….about us I mean?" doubt was in Merlin's eyes and voice.

"Very, I've never been more serious in my life, so whatever that jerk said ignore him. Look Merlin, for the first time ever I'm in love, I might go over the top sometimes, but I'm learning a whole new set of rules so cut me some slack." Arthur said to his lover.

"You love me?" came the hushed tones of Merlin who sounded shocked.

"Yes you idiot! I thought you knew that."

"How could I, you never told me" Merlin sounded indignant.

"Look you've stayed at my flat; I phone you every day, surely you knew how I felt." Arthur hadn't realised that Merlin didn't know.

"But you never said, how could I know, if you never said. You're a complete prat you know that don't you."

"Oh Merlin! If I'm a prat, you're an idiot. Arthur looked into Merlin's eyes and smiled "I love you."

"Well I love you to! So now we both know, can I kiss you?"

"Go away you two, and leave me in peace before I throw up!" Will shouted from the corridor. "Everyone else knew, so why didn't you?"

Merlin and Arthur laughed "Come on, love lets go to my place where we can talk without someone listening in."

Once the two men realised that they both felt the same way things moved forward quite quickly, and they no longer hid their feelings from one another.

Over the next month Merlin spent more and more time staying over at Arthur's Penthouse. So much so that Arthur's father got to hear of their relationship. And on one of the regular Thursday night meals that Arthur and Morgana, together with Leon, went to Uther's house, Uther raised the matter of his son's love life.

"It has come to my attention that you have a lodger in your penthouse." Uther said the word lodger like it was something disgusting. "Surely you have enough funds not to take in strangers."

"Merlin is neither a lodger nor a stranger father."

"No he's your sisters PA, an employee." Uther said again as if it was something less than human.

"So if you knew that why did you say he was a stranger, Merlin is my boyfriend father, as well you know." Arthur tried not to get drawn into an argument.

Uther looked at his son in disgust. "It's about time you stopped this nonsense, it was bad enough when you picked up strange men, but to go into such an unnatural relationship is worse."

"Father I told you years ago I was gay, so it's no surprise to you, I also told you it wasn't something I was going to 'grow out' of. My personal life is my own."

"It will ruin your career" Uther's voice started to rise.

"I hardly think so; I am the youngest person ever to be called to the bar, something you haven't even congratulated me for. My employers know of my 'perversion' as you call it. The only person who isn't pleased for me is you. Now either accept Merlin, or I won't be continuing with these evenings." Arthur was as stubborn as his father.

"He's a nice person Uther, Arthur and Merlin are happy." Morgana butted in. Leon wisely kept quiet.

"I suppose it was you who introduced them! Hardly a catch, not only a man but your employee, I would have thought you would have discouraged this Morgana not egged him on." Uther glared at his daughter.

"You father are a snob, now if you don't mind I'm going. I won't be here next week. In fact I don't expect I will be here again." With that Arthur walked out and his sister followed.

"Goodnight Sir." Leon said as he followed the siblings out of the door.

"Well done Arthur, mind you, if you're not coming Thursday's neither am I!" Morgana told him. "We won't face him by ourselves neither of us likes coming anyway."

Arthur has disappointed at his father's reaction, he had expected it, but all the same he had hoped he would have come to understand, and be happy that his son had found someone to love. It had hurt that Uther hadn't even mentioned his success in his career choice; he knew his father was aware, at least now he could spend his Thursdays with Merlin.

The next evening there was karaoke at the Dragon's Lair and Arthur agreed to sing for the first time much to everyone's surprise. They were even more surprised when they heard Arthur choice of song. He stood up and took the microphone and looked straight into Merlin's eyes. "This is for the best thing that ever happened to me" and then he started singing.

When no-one else can understand me
When everything I do is wrong
You give me hope and consolation
You give me strength to carry on
And you're always there to lend a hand
In everything I do
That's the wonder
The wonder of you
And when you smile the world is brighter
You touch my hand and I'm a king
Your kiss to me is worth a fortune
Your love for me is everything
I'll guess I'll never know the reason why
You love me like you do
That's the wonder
The wonder of you

By the time Arthur had finished singing he was in front of Merlin and down on one knee. He looked up at Merlin "Merlin you're truly the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I would like to ask you to marry me."

Merlin had tears in his eyes that he was trying hard not to let fall. He was so overcome he couldn't speak for a moment and Arthur thought he was going to say no.

"Yes please" Merlin finally said as he threw himself into Arthur's arms and kissed him.

"You great sop" Gwaine's voice could just be heard over the cheers from the rest of the pub.