Note: (small) time jump since last chapter.

It has been three weeks since hearing about Uther's injury. A lot had happened, his father had his surgery and was unpleasant to be around for the first week and a half, but the last week his father had lightened up tremendously and was actually pleasant to be around.

But during the first give or take two weeks, Arthur spent a lot of time with Merlin and fell even more in love, if that was even possible! He stayed over more and more, telling his father that he would stay over at 'a friend', which made him feel let down of himself that he couldn't even state that the friend he was talking about was Merlin. But mostly he was disappointed about himself that he still couldn't tell his father the truth, but he was building up to that moment.

When he stayed over they slept together in one bed, but did not sleep together. He was just not up for it and Merlin had told him that it was okay. He did talk to his psychiatrist about it and she gave him some valuable advice that he had taken in consideration.

Arthur walked into his father's bedroom. His father was sitting on his bed, a few pillows propped behind his back and papers all scattered around him. His right arm was securely fitted in a sling that went all around his torso and back, strapping his arm closely to his chest, making it difficult to move it.

His father moved his head up when he heard the bedroom door opening and saw his son standing there. He gave a soft smile. He noticed that the moods of his son had changed the last weeks, he somehow seemed happier, even though Arthur was still mostly closed off towards him. Maybe one day they were able to talk properly to each other, but for now, Uther was content at knowing that his son was happy, whatever the cause might be.

"Father, I'll be out this evening. If you need me, you can call me." Arthur turned around, but turned back for one second to add, "And don't forget to do your exercises."

He laughed and ducked when his father threw –rather poorly- a cushion towards him. Uther shook his head in amusement.

"Who're you going too? I thought Leon had a meeting tonight."

"Father, I do have more friends besides Leon. And yes he has a meeting." Arthur thought hard, consider the opportunity to give his father some hints already, so his father could get used to the idea of him being around Merlin. Determined to do so, he answered, "I'm actually going out with Merlin."

He subconsciously started to fidget with his fingers, anxiously waiting to his father's response. He did try to keep his face in a mostly neutral expression and just hoped that his father wouldn't get angry. He inwardly reprimanded himself for thinking that way, it would just look like a mates night out, not something more.

Arthur had a mini heart attack when he saw his father furrow his brows, but his respond didn't indicate any disgust so Arthur could breathe again.

"You mean doctor Emrys? I didn't know you were friends." Uther stated.

Arthur inhaled and thought carefully about the next few words, all the while, he tried hard to stop the fidgeting with his hands. "Erm, yes. We started to, er, hang out after I met him in the hospital. And the last few weeks, when he comes here to check upon, we talk for a bit."

Arthur stopped there, for now it was enough information to let his father adjust to.

Uther said nothing about him spending time with Merlin (but that might come when he finds out) and wishes him a nice evening. Arthur was okay, for now, and after a quick goodbye he made his way to the garage where his beloved motorcycle is parked.

~oOoOo~

Arthur found his way easily now to Merlin's apartment building. When he walked, humming, into walks into the building he saw someone, a man as far as he could see, departing from the lift and the man was struggling with three boxes stacked on top of each other. Being the helpful man he was, Arthur rushed towards the person's aid. While he picked the top box, he said, "Here. Let me... help you.. with that." Arthur could clearly see the person now and it made his eyes narrow and he not yet let the box drop from his hands, but he managed to put it gently down.

"Gwaine, what the hell are you doing?"

Gwaine smiled almost in delight and put the two remaining boxes down on the ground. He dusted himself off when he stood straight. With one cocked eyebrow he said, "Well if you have to know, my mansion is finally finished, so I can move out of this small accommodation at last." He added a little twirl of his hand to emphasize his surroundings. "More importantly, what are you doing here? Finally decided you want me back?"

Arthur scoffed. "Over my dead body… besides, it's none of your damn business what I'm doing here."

Gwaine took a small step forwards, making Arthur subconsciously take a step back. Gwaine pouted. "Now, come now. You'll have to stop being like that…" He took another step closer. "But of course, how could I forget. I'm sure you're here to visit that worthless guy. Don't bother he's nothing special… if you know what I mean." Gwaine chuckled and Arthur's hands itched to punch the guy just for good measurement, but he remained calm.

"Again, none of your business." Arthur did start to become agitated by Gwaine's presence. "And don't talk about Merlin like that! You know damn well nothing happened between you two."

Gwaine laughed. "Oh right, yes. Merlin that's his name. Completely forgot about him after the party, he's just not worthy of my time. Not unlike you." Gwaine reached forward, stroking one finger on Arthur's lower arm, but it was immediately swatted away.

Arthur did his best to keep his cool, after all he had promised Merlin that he wouldn't get into any more fights with Gwaine. "And you're not worthy of mine, so move aside!" Arthur had enough of Gwaine and walked forward, and when Gwaine didn't move, he purposely collided onto his shoulder, making Gwaine almost lose his balance.

Gwaine didn't fall though and he caught Arthur's wrist, turning him around to face him. "Oh how much you've changed in a year." Gwaine chuckled, he stroked Arthur's knuckles with his thumb and looked up to Arthur with a cocked head. "Tell me, have you even told your father about us?"

Arthur knew that Gwaine was obviously trying to get him angry, and Arthur felt that he was close at succeeding in it.

"You disgust me!" Arthur exclaimed, yanking his arm free.

Gwaine's eyebrows raised. "Oh dear, I'm sensing a déjà vu." He nodded his head, a sly grin on his lips. "Yes, I've definitely heard you say that to me before. Remember love." Gwaine reached out and stroked his index finger over Arthur's chin, who immediately batted the hand away with a low growl.

"Never call me that again, and never touch me again!"

"And the déjà vu keeps coming! Seriously Arthur, are you still not over what happened a year ago. It was just some harmless sex." Gwaine feigned interest in his nails, studying them closely.

Arthur could just control his natural instincts to beat the living crap out of Gwaine at the last second. He blew out a breath of air to calm himself, even when it helped nothing at all. "Harmless sex... harmless sex!? You. You fucking raped me!" Arthur gritted through his teeth and tried to keep his volume down. He didn't want to attract the attention from people further down the hallway.

"Ugh." Gwaine rolled his eyes. "Don't overreact Princess. I hardly did anything because of that damn friend of yours interrupted us."

Arthur silently apologized to Merlin in his head before sending a well-deserved punch to Gwaine's face. He stalked away and did not even think to give Gwaine a second glance. He was just done with the man, he had influenced his life enough and the only time he wanted to see Gwaine again is when he was lying in a coffin. So basically, never ever again.

Gwaine got down on one knee while watching Arthur walk away from him. He was panting and grabbed his chin between his thumb and index finger and wiggled it from side to side to see if there was anything broken. "I guess I should've seen that one coming." Gwaine muttered between breaths. "But you'll be mine again Arthur, you just wait."

~oOoOo~

Arthur knocked on Merlin's door after he had collected himself. In order to do that he had punched some walls on his way to Merlin's apartment and he had been grumbling under his breath, but for now he was calm.

His hand was red and maybe slightly sore, but nothing that worried him. For now he had stuffed his hand in the pocket of his leather jacket and he knew that if it would start to hurt, then, well, he would have a doctor at his dispose. Arthur grinned to himself and seconds later the door opened.

Merlin looked delicious, his clothes clung in all the right places and his hair was so deliciously… random. That was the only word that came up. Arthur stepped forward, claiming Merlin's lips in a perhaps a bit too hard kiss. But Merlin didn't seemed to notice, or at least didn't seemed to mind. He returned the kiss just as enthusiastically.

"Why are you so chipper about?" Merlin asked, stepping back to let Arthur fully enter his home.

Arthur grinned and shrugged off his jacket, making sure that his fist was mostly covered by his sleeve. Arthur hung up his jacket on one of the pegs. "Nothing, just happy one month anniversary Merlin." He leaned in again to kiss Merlin and when he drew back, he pulled a small rose from his back that he had hid in his other pocket. It might've looked… girly, but he really, seriously, didn't care right now and Merlin picked the rose out of his hand without questioning it, so all was good. In fact, it made Merlin grip his shirt in his fist and tugged him towards the kitchen.

"Oh my god, Merlin, it smells amazing. What are you cooking?" Arthur opted for bringing Merlin with him to a nice restaurant, but Merlin would have non off that. He wanted to cook for Arthur, something he was not the greatest in, but liked doing.

Arthur was now following his nose and opened the door to the kitchen. In there he stopped and looked around. The table was set out beautifully, even topped off with candle light that was illuminating the whole room. Romantic music was softly playing in the background and the pans on the fire were bringing forward that wonderful aroma he smelled just moments ago. Arthur's mouth fell open, he was amazed by how much effort Merlin put in. He had to be careful or he would tear up and cry out of joy. He was just baffled by it all, never did anyone do something like this for him. And if someone did (which was not even coming close to what he was exposed to now) they only did it because they wanted something out of it.

"Merlin…" Arthur breathed out after finally finding his voice. "You didn't have to do all of this."

Merlin's eyes sparkled in return. He was happy with Arthur's reaction, he had been stressing to no end all day long, he even called his mother and sister for tips. Noted, it might be cheesy, but who cares.

Merlin stepped behind Arthur and wrapped his arm around Arthur's waist and pecked a kiss in the nape of his neck. "Happy anniversary." He whispered in Arthur's ear and it sent shivers all over Arthur's spine.

Merlin puts the little rose in a small glass filled with water and sets it in the middle of the table. Merlin gestured to one of the chairs and Arthur sat down. Meanwhile Merlin bustled around the kitchen and within seconds he had a whole plate of food placed in front of Arthur.

Merlin comes back with a plate of his own. Both plates were filled with a huge piece of steak that was placed on a little bed of what, by the looks of it, seemed to chicory. There were some various other vegetables and to make it complete, there were little potatoes on the side. Arthur's mouth started watering, this was just his kind of food, just raw and easy and nothing too difficult. This was simplicity at his best.

"Well, bon appétit." Merlin tried with his best French accent.

Arthur grinned "I didn't know you spoke French?"

"Oh, I don't." Merlin laughed. "This is probably the most French I can say."

~oOoOo~

"Oh please, let me do that." Merlin looked up surprised when Arthur pulled the dirty plates from his hands and walked up to the counter with them. Merlin still looked surprised when Arthur turned to look over his shoulder and sniffled.

"What? I think it's only fair. You cooked, I wash. Now go sit in the living room or something, I'll be done in a sec." Arthur turned the faucet open and waited for the water to get warm. He took that time to look in every cabinet, before at last spotting a scrub brush and some soap.

He squirted a big amount of soap in the now hot water without looking because Merlin came to stand next to him with a kitchen towel in his hand. Arthur just completely forgot the soap and water and soon found it almost as high as his stomach.

Acting on instinct, he turned the knob of the faucet, only to find out that he turned the wrong way and even more water spurted out and splashing all over the counter and, inconveniently, all over himself. Merlin was finally to his rescue and turned the water off and had to push his lips tightly together to not laugh out loud at the sight in front of him.

But when Arthur turned towards him, drenched and arms hanging in squares, he just couldn't hold back anymore. He even had to take a seat from laughing that hard. "Arthur… you look…" Merlin almost choked due lack of breath and managed to finish, "like a drown puppy!" He started laughing some more.

Arthur sighed, but when he saw Merlin laughing he found himself laughing shortly after too. It took a few minutes for them to regain their breathing under control and Merlin got up from his chair and took Arthur's hand. He lead him to his bedroom and passed him some clothes that Arthur just sneaked in over the past couple of weeks.

"Now let me do the rest of the clearing up, okay?" Merlin teased and ducked when the wet t-shirt came flying towards him. He looked back to Arthur and got a glimpse, or well the full glory, of Arthur's well-formed back and torso. His muscles just seemed to be in all the right places. He sighed. "Dear lords."

He would love to touch Arthur like that, just feel him close, but he had made a promise to Arthur. He would let Arthur set the pace and he would faithfully follow it. But when that kind of sight was just in arms reach, then it became so hard to keep your distance.

Arthur noticed his boyfriend looking and took a deep breath. He could do it. He closed his eyes just briefly; you can do it.

Arthur slowly made his way to Merlin, eyeing him up and down. Merlin wasn't fully focussed by the time Arthur pushed him against the wall and attacking his neck. He was too caught up in his minds with all the things he could and probably would do to Arthur when their intimate moment finally begins.

"A-Arthur, you –umpf- don't have to-"

Arthur only half listened. He nipped and licked and kissed his way up to Merlin's neck. Barely humming at Merlin's words, until his mind started to register what Merlin was trying to say. He drew back just a little bit. "It's okay." Arthur's whispered.

"Arthur, I don't want to pressure you."

"You aren't." Arthur reassured, but he wasn't hundred per cent certain. He wanted this, he wanted this so badly, but the question was whether he was up to it. Already his heart was starting to speed up, but in the situation he was now, it could've meant anything.

He saw Merlin giving him a hesitant nod and slowly Merlin bent forwards, capturing Arthur's lips against his own. His hands were first settled at Arthur's biceps, but as their kissing intensified, they slid in a slow pace down, until they were resting on either flank, just above Arthur's waistband.

He was caught up in the moment and his hands went to the button, but just like last time, Arthur pulled away. And was nearly in tears. Merlin saw Arthur turn away from, hands flying up to his face and Merlin could only feel remorse. He knew he shouldn't have acted that quickly.

"Arthur, I'm sorry!" Merlin cried, reaching out for his partner who was now seating on the bed, his body shaking. Merlin stepped closer. "Arthur, talk to me. Please." Merlin whispered, sitting down on the bed, but he kept a small distance between himself and Arthur. He wanted that Arthur would come to him on his own time, but this was something that wasn't just going to solve itself over a cup of tea. There was something deeper going on, and Merlin needed to know what in order for him to help Arthur.

"It's not you." Arthur shook his head, his voice wavering. "It's not you." He said again.

"Then what, who? Arthur, please talk to me."

There was a heavy silence in the room, and then, Arthur sucked in a shaky breath. "Gwaine." Arthur said with a sob.

Merlin frowned. "Gwaine?"

AN. Chapters will be more heavy from now on.

I had one of the crappiest birthday in history! Can you drop some reviews to cheer me up?