Merlin was having a lovely weekend. Arthur had woken up first, as usual, and decided that instead of whacking Merlin over the head with a pillow or shoving him out of bed that much more persuasive methods were in order. Re: Blowjob.

Then they decided that really, they were about to deal with five visiting kings and be bored out of their minds (Merlin) and having to watch every little thing they said or did (Arthur), so they deserved a little treat. Re: Breakfast in bed.

Merlin had to stay by Arthur's side while the kings arrived and were greeted (which he didn't see Uther's manservant doing but he wasn't about to complain) but once Arthur led the kings inside Merlin had a good few hours to himself. Re: Using magic to do the chores.

After that there had been a lovely chat with Gwen about the risks of pranking Lady Vivian, who even had Arthur beat for sheer arrogance, and an equally entertaining talk with Arthur, who had, ever since the tournament and his stay at Gwen's house, become her self-appointed protector in all things involving class differences and chivalry.

Merlin suspected this had something to do with Gwen's threats to Arthur's anatomy should he break Merlin's heart.

Anyway it was all going wonderfully, and Merlin didn't even mind getting to bed much later than Arthur (all the servants were working double time for the visitors). He got up early to take care of his temporary extra duties, still in high spirits, and returned to the room to find Arthur already up and gazing out the window.

"Good morning!"

"Never have you been more right, Merlin." Arthur's grin was oddly dreamy. "It is the sunniest, the most fragrant, the most beautiful morning I've ever seen in my life."

Hmm. Okay. Odd. Even odder was the fact that Arthur was actually wearing clothing.

"You're dressed."

"I'm the future King of Camelot, I do have some skills, you know."

Merlin snorted. "Indeed, you are very skilled at getting people to do things for you." Like, you know, hand jobs in the tub and running errands and saddling horses.

"That is your job. But today my job is to woo."

And that was when Merlin's lovely weekend came to a crashing halt.

"To what?"

"To woo. I wish to make a proclamation of love."

Merlin blinked. All right, so proclamations of love were usually made to the one that you loved, but Merlin had a feeling they were already past that stage in their relationship. "I don't need any wooing."

"Not you," Arthur replied.

Merlin wracked his brain. Wooing was usually directed at the object of one's affections, yes, but sometimes the term was used when declaring one's love for a person in a public manner—in other words, to declare one's intentions to the court.

Oh no.

"I thought you wanted to keep things secret?" Merlin reminded him.

"Why would I want to do that?" Arthur replied.

Merlin closed his eyes, counted to ten, and remembered to breathe. "Well, what will you tell your father?" Hey, Dad, I'm fucking my manservant and also I gave him flowers once but I don't like to mention it because I'm an emotionally stunted clot pole?

"What does my father matter?" Arthur said.

"Well, that's one way of approaching things." Merlin calculated the chances of Uther ordering him beheaded versus merely exiling him.

"So, I need your help in expressing my feelings," Arthur went on.

No way, he'd never have guessed. "Of course."

An awkward pause descended.

"So," Arthur said. "Any ideas on how to win a lady?"

That was when Merlin's jaw hit the floor.

"I'm going to kill him," Gwen fumed.

"No, no, please don't," Merlin protested, getting between her and the door. "I'm sure there's an explanation for it."

Both Gwen and Gaius stared at him, waiting for said explanation.

Merlin swallowed. He couldn't explain it, but something wasn't right. If Arthur didn't care for him anymore, if he'd really fallen head over heels for Vivian, then surely he would have kicked Merlin out of bed or said something or even acknowledged they were in a relationship in the first place? Arthur had acted as though he and Merlin had never even been together. And then there was the strange, dreamy look on his face and his sudden urge to be romantic and to "woo". Previous to this morning, Merlin wouldn't even have been sure that Arthur knew what the word woo meant.

Gwen was not moved by these explanations. "I'll only break his nose," she protested, struggling to get past Merlin.

"I happen to like his nose!" Merlin replied. "And the rest of his face!"

"What I don't understand is how it happened so suddenly," Gaius mused. "You told me that only yesterday he dismissed her as rude."

"Well don't look at me," Merlin replied. "I didn't cause him to fall in love."

Gwen paused in her crusade to break Arthur's limbs. "You kind of did, actually."

"Yes, with me, not with her!" Merlin waved his arms, trying to get his point across.

"If Arthur professes his love for Vivian, Olaf will kill him," Gaius pointed out. "Surely Arthur knows that?"

Merlin sighed and nodded. "See, he said it was his job to woo her by the end of the day."

"And it's your job to stop him."

Suffice to say, Merlin did not stop him. Now, Arthur was in a fight to the death with King Olaf. And he was losing.

The weekend had definitely taken a turn for the worst. Which was saying something, because a few hours ago when Vivian and Arthur were furiously kissing on Vivian's bed and his magic hadn't worked, Merlin was pretty sure it was the worst moment of his life. First, because Arthur was his and Vivian could keep her sticky hands off him. Second, because re: death match.

"This can't go on," Gaius whispered to Merlin as he finished bandaging up Arthur's broken rib. "The fight's not fair. Arthur's head is in the clouds."

"I don't know what to do," Merlin replied.

Gaius fixed him with the Eyebrow. "Then find someone who does."

The Great Dragon, Merlin realized, had a twisted sense of humor. Upon being told the predicament, the giant lizard just started laughing. When he finally calmed down enough to speak, all he said was, "This is magic indeed."

Yeah, no kidding. "Everything I have tried has failed."

The Great Dragon sighed in exasperation. "From what you tell me, the spell has captured his heart."

Merlin nodded. "And his heart is controlling his brain."

"There is no magic that can break this enchantment."

Merlin's heart sank. "There must be."

"It has too great a hold."

"I cannot let Arthur die!"

"Patience, young warlock," the Great Dragon advised. "The solution lies in a force greater than you or I can understand, a force that has puzzled many minds…"

"Please, I have very little time."

The bastard kept stalling. "…a force…"

"Just tell me!"

The Great Dragon laughed again. "Why, it is the greatest force of all! Love!"

"Love?" Was he in a fairytale now?

"You must find the person Arthur truly loves."

"And then what?"

"One kiss from her… or him," the Great Dragon smirked at Merlin. "Will break the enchantment, and he will desire Vivian no more."

Merlin burst into the tent where Arthur was leaning against the tent pole, trying to stand. "Ah, Merlin. Finally going to wish me good luck?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "No, you prat."

Arthur's brow furrowed. "Well, honestly, that's rather rude."

Merlin took a deep breath. "Then let me make amends."

He surged forward before he could lose his courage, praying that he was right, that Arthur really did love him. At first he got no response. Arthur seemed surprised but he was only standing there, not kissing back. Merlin felt a lump grow in his throat and he started to pull away, but then he felt Arthur's lashes brush against him as Arthur closed his eyes, and—oh thank God—Arthur started kissing him back.

He looped his arms around Arthur's neck, not even minding being crushed against Arthur's armor because Arthur was kissing him back, he was kissing him back, and he never, ever wanted the moment to end.

They pulled apart just enough to be able to breathe, and Merlin smiled at the happy, dumbfounded look on Arthur's face. Suddenly Arthur cringed, doubling over, and he had to lean against Merlin to stay upright. "What am I doing?"

"You're in a fight," Merlin whispered. He cupped Arthur's face in his hands. "To the death. And you're losing."

"But—"

"There's no time to explain." Hopefully there would be time later. "Just…" Merlin swallowed. "Live for me, Arthur. That's all I ask right now."

Not only did Arthur live, but he showed yet another glimpse of the great king he would become, showing mercy and wisdom. But the best part was afterward, when Arthur strode out of the arena and into his tent, and marched right up to Merlin and kissed him again.

The goodbyes went fairly well, all things considered, although Lady Vivian was still under the enchantment. Merlin just hoped she had a secret boyfriend back home or something to cure her of it.

"My heart will remain," Vivian called as her father dragged her away. "And I hope to join it soon."

"Not too soon," Arthur said out of the corner of his mouth, waving uncomfortably.

"No," Merlin agreed. "Might conflict with your one true love."

Arthur looked at him. "What?"

"You heard me. I have proof."

Arthur sighed. "There'll be no living with you from now on, will there?"

Merlin grinned. "Nope."

In the end, it wasn't too bad of a weekend after all.

The dialogue in the show was already perfect, so I felt no need to really change it.