Notes: So, it seems to have taken me an awfully long time to post all of this. Thank you for all the alerts, the favourites, and the reviews. You have no idea how much they mean to me. I hope you enjoy this final little bit, and, again, I implore you to check out bloodsongs' glorious art for this fic, over on ao3 (archive of our own dot org / works / 1422589).

All the love in the world, Peach x

X Epilogue X

Arthur lost count of the days an eternity ago, stopped keeping track of the mornings he wakes up beside Merlin, the nights where a quiet I love you from his best friend of nineteen and a half years is the last thing he hears before sleep. Of course, every other week he gets woken up by a toddler who has yet to master sleeping through the night, but if getting Merlin means getting Mordred too (and Merlin was very insistent that it did, after that first kiss in the library - I love you, Arthur, he'd said a second time, the conviction in it almost making Arthur weak at the knees, but if you ever ask me to choose between you and my son, I'll- okay, I'll take that as- yeah, no talking, fine, just-), Arthur can live with it.

It's been forever, he thinks, since his life with Merlin started, and it's been no time at all.

Things with Morgana aren't simple and straightforward, not the way they were before, but no one is stupid enough to think that they could be. It's awkward, she's sometimes cold with him and with Merlin, and every now and again she puts up an argument about leaving Mordred with them when it's Merlin's week, just because she can; Arthur thinks it's probably because she wants to prove to him that she can still make Merlin jump through hoops to please her, and tries very hard not to blame her for it. She's trying, as much as Arthur and Merlin are, and that is all any of them can do.

The parcel that arrives on their doorstep with the post this morning is unexpected. It's nothing fancy, nothing big, nothing like the extravagant gifts Morgana gives for birthdays and Christmases and other random occasions when she sees something one of them might want. It's definitely her writing on the address label – though he doesn't know why she felt the need to post whatever it is rather than just hand-deliver it when she drops Mordred off with them tomorrow – and it's Arthur's name on it, only his.

Arthur opens it without bothering to wait for Merlin to get up and come downstairs, using a key from in the bowl by the front door to cut through the unnecessary amount of tape his sister puts on every single thing she wraps.

He barely glances at the box inside, dark blue velvet, instead putting it and the keys down, unfolding the letter from his sister and reading it slowly.

My dearest little brother, he reads, and immediately fights the urge to correct her, even if a) she's right and b) she's not here to hear him do it.

My dearest little brother,

I know diamonds aren't to your usual taste, but this is yours. It belongs to the one who holds Merlin's heart, and that's you. Don't tell him you have it, if you can; I don't want to have to explain this to him.

You, though... Arthur, you will understand. This, like Merlin, is yours. It always has been, and always will be. Thank you for letting me borrow them both for so long.

All my love to both of you,

M

"Morning," Merlin says, the stairs creaking under his feet. "Whatcha got there?"

Arthur glances at the letter once more, then folds it in half, then half again, sticking it in the pocket of his jeans. "Nothing," he says, smiling as he turns to his lover. "Just the post."

Merlin's answering smile says he doesn't believe a word Arthur's saying, just as clearly as actually telling him that would, but that's fine. There are things that matter more than this.

"I love you," he says, pressing his lips to Merlin's, just a peck, threading a hand through his hair.

"I love you, too," Merlin answers, and the kiss he offers Arthur in return is a lot more than a peck, tongue and teeth and a warmth that means more to Arthur than anything in the world.

Beside the keys to his and Merlin's home, Merlin's mother's engagement ring sparkles.