This was supposed to be smut and went sideways. Oops.

War had been raging in Camelot for weeks, but in the Rising Sun, such matters were temporarily forgotten. The knights were all pleasantly drunk, they were actually getting to spend time with Arthur that didn't involve killing people or discussing killing people and best of all, Merlin seemed his old self again.

It had been a harrowing couple of weeks. Merlin never said or did anything too out of the ordinary, but he hovered around Arthur even more than usual. He obviously wasn't sleeping—the dark circles under his eyes gave that game away—and he hardly touched his food. Arthur had gone into full protective mode: keeping an eye on Merlin at all times, drawing him in and whispering soothingly to him, forcing him to eat something, and holding him at night. He would have ordered the knights to make sure that Merlin was never left alone, but Merlin was always at Arthur's side so that was already dealt with. Arthur had even become more affectionate among others: holding Merlin's hand or pausing to press a kiss to the underside of Merlin's jaw as they walked through the hallways, placing a hand on Merlin's knee when they sat together at the round table, and generally touching Merlin every time he could get away with it.

But as the days passed and Arthur remained hale and hearty, Merlin seemed to lighten up. It was gradual, and suffered a few setbacks, but now he was smiling and laughing along with everyone else. This in turn made Arthur more spirited, more carefree, and the evening had been the best any of them had in ages.

"Three," Arthur said, throwing the dice.

Everyone on his side of the table, including Percival and Leon, led the cheers. Arthur grinned at Merlin. "Feel free to retire anytime."

"Likewise."

"It's no disgrace for a man to lose to his king," Arthur said.

"And it's no disgrace for a man to lose to his spouse," Merlin replied. Over on Merlin's side of the table, Gwen and Gwaine made 'ooh' noises at Arthur. Both of them were fairly sloshed.

Merlin threw a handful of silver coins onto the table. Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Watch out, here we go."

Merlin put the dice into the cup, picked it up and shook his, blowing on it. His eyes flashed gold and he threw the dice. "Ten."

Everyone looked at the coins, saw that Merlin had guessed right, and Merlin's side of the table erupted into cheers. Merlin swept the coins to his side of the table, winking at Arthur. Arthur leaned in, voice low. "Enjoy this moment, Merlin… while it lasts." He picked up his cup of dice and shook it. "Twelve."

Merlin faked a cough to cover up his burst of magic, and Arthur rolled a four.

The tavern was filled with noises of either teasing or disappointment. Arthur glared at Merlin. "You put me off."

"What are you talking about?" Merlin looked the picture of innocence.

"You just coughed."

Percival glanced between them, and Gwaine laughed uproariously, certain in that moment it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. He ended up choking a little and Gwen and Leon had to slap him repeatedly on the back.

"I was clearing my throat," Merlin said, pointing at the offending part of his anatomy.

It probably didn't help that there was a faded hickey just below his Adam's apple.

"You just coughed," Arthur repeated. "Deliberately."

Merlin kept his face deadpan. "I knew you'd discover my secret in the end." His eyes glowed bright with mischief. "There's just no fooling you, my lord." Arthur kept his poker face. Merlin smirked. "Right."

He began picking up his coins one by one and stacking them carefully in the middle of the table. Finally he picked up the last one, contemplated it, and then threw it in with the others.

"It's like that, is it?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded.

Arthur swept his coins into the middle. Merlin picked up the cup with the dice, their eyes locking. Arthur didn't look away as Merlin shook the dice. He brought the cup to his mouth and blew on it, his eyes flashing gold.

Arthur was still staring at him.

Merlin threw the dice onto the table. "Twelve."

Gwen leaned over and saw the dice. "Twelve!" She crowed.

The tavern erupted.

Merlin grinned at Arthur as he took hold of his winnings.

Arthur's face remained unreadable.

"You did cheat," Arthur said, his voice muffled as he pulled his shirt over his head. He'd refused to get a new manservant once Merlin was his official consort, partly because Merlin refused to let anyone else be that intimate with Arthur and partly because it wouldn't have felt right to have anyone but Merlin helping him. Merlin refused to have a manservant because he knew how to take care of himself, thank you, unlike certain clot poles around here. Over time, Arthur had become a bit more self-sufficient, to the extent that he could do some of his dressing himself.

Combing his hair was still beyond his abilities.

"I did not," Merlin replied. Arthur frowned down at his hands, which were refusing to leave his shirt sleeves. Merlin came over and grabbed Arthur's wrists, holding them up so Arthur could see as Merlin undid the wrist cuffs. Arthur pouted.

"Then how do you explain your lucky streak?"

"Maybe because, I dunno, it's a game of luck?" Merlin replied. "Look, why don't you just admit that you didn't like losing in front of everyone?"

"That's not the problem," Arthur replied.

"So there is a problem," Merlin said, grinning.

Arthur stared at him for a moment, contemplating. "You said it as all luck."

"Yup."

"And you didn't cheat."

"Nope."

A grin slowly stole over Arthur's features. "Then you won't mind a little… private game, would you?"

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Are you saying what I think you are?"

Arthur went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a cup and set of dice, shaking them at Merlin teasingly.

"You're not going to lose more money to me, are you?"

"I was thinking we could make the stakes a little more interesting."

"Such as?" Merlin asked, approaching him.

Arthur indicated his shirt, which was still partially on. "Clothes."

"Five."

So far they had been pretty evenly matched. Merlin now wore nothing but his trousers, while Arthur had on his socks and sleep shirt but nothing else. Arthur threw the dice, which decided they didn't like him and ended up as an eight.

Merlin smirked. Arthur took off his socks.

"I still say you were cheating," Arthur said as Merlin picked up the cup.

"Whatever soothes your pride," Merlin replied, blowing on the cup and throwing the dice. Arthur watched Merlin's eyes carefully. "Ten."

It was Arthur's turn to smirk when the dice gave Merlin a seven.

"Pants it is, Merlin," Arthur drawled.

"You've still got your shirt, that's not fair," Merlin said, shimmying out of his trousers.

Arthur stared up at him, the pale skin and long lines of his body, and decided that he'd won the game anyway so why not move on to more important things?

Arthur leaned on his elbow, watching Merlin as he slept. Merlin's lashes were long and sweeping across his cheeks, his lips slightly parted and his skin pale. Arthur could see new worry lines at the corners of Merlin's eyes and mouth, some of which definitely weren't there a few weeks ago. Merlin's eyes, as could be expected for someone sleeping, were closed, the bright blue hidden.

Well, normally they were bright blue.

Arthur pressed his palm to Merlin's cheek, cupping his face gently and stroking the corner of Merlin's mouth with his thumb. "Do you have any idea?" He whispered. "Any idea what you mean to me?"

Merlin mumbled Arthur's name in his sleep, curling in closer to Arthur, seeking his warmth and touch even in slumber.

"You did cheat at dice, earlier," Arthur whispered. He knew.

He knew because when staring into Merlin's eyes during the winning throw, he had seen them flash gold.