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Merlin and Arthur were out hunting with the other knights, at first it was a normal hunt like usual but then they heard it. Heard a frightening laugh coming from all the corners of the forest they were currently in.
The first thought of everyone there was to sheath their swords and get into formation around Arthur to protect him. The first thought for Arthur was to push Merlin behind him to obviously get him out of harm’s way; it was a repeating occurrence, him protecting Merlin and Merlin somehow protecting him in the end. Not that he would admit that, but he still doesn’t understand how his harmless dumb servent gets him away from danger when’s he hurt.
Magic?
He’s considered that, thought about it for a very long time but the pieces just don’t fit. For one, he’s known Merlin for a very long time, they’ve been friends since he was a dumb prince (yes, he was dumb) so he’s ought to have known if his closest friend was a magic user right? Second and foremost, Merlin is too dumb to hide such a big secret like magic. Third, Merlin is….well he’s something really—maybe just a dumbass but he’s very loyal so he doesn’t want to think that Merlin has been betraying him, not exactly betraying but a small small betrayal for not trusting him.
“Arthur we should end today’s hunting” Merlin spoke, inching closer to his back, he was scared—another thing to add to the list of ‘why Merlin doesn’t have magic’.
“We haven’t even caught anything good though”
“Does that matter?” Merlin questions with an annoyed tone, not waiting for an answer he continues, “Arthur I’d rather we have catch nothing than getting in another magic mess”
“But where’s the fun in that Merlin?” Arthur grins like a maniac, he loves when Merlin’s all frightened up—maybe that’s not good, but…
“I agree with Merlin my lord, maybe we should head back” Leon
“You too Leon? Oh c'mon live up a bit”
“Yeah Leon man up” Gwaine teased Leon like always, making the other knights snicker. Merlin on the other hand was dead serious—he always was when it came to magic or Morgana, which are the same.
“Let’s leave now” Merlin said as he got out of the safe formation, picking up Arthur’s bags and walking ahead, everyone followed suit as Arthur quickly caught up to Merlin.
“Merlin, how many times should I tell you to not go ahead of me when there’s danger?!” Arthur half yelled annoyed, Merlin was a total fool who sooner or later would get in some grave danger.
“Arthur I think it’s the other way around, you shouldn’t get hurt”
Merlin replied back as he shoved and walked ahead of Arthur, that little shit.
Arthur pulled him back by his shirt, “stay behind you idiot” he said before Merlin pulled him back too, “no, you stay back my lord ” he said before everyone tripped on seemingly nothing.
——
“Merlin you bloody fool , I told you not to go ahead of me!”
“Yeah yeah”
“But do you ever listen to me?”
“Not always, it’s fun not listening to you” Merlin replied to the rhetorical question unwillingly. What? He did not want to say that.
Everyone around them stopped and stared, did Merlin just say that? Merlin? Merlin the manservant of Arthur’s? Merlin looked equally scared, he did not mean to say that–not willingly.
“Okay, Merlin, what did you just say?” Arthur asked, maybe this had to do with Merlin taking the spell hit that was meant for Arthur.
Merlin spoke again, unwillingly, “It’s fun not listening to you and seeing you all pissed off”
Gwaine laughed as he patted Merlin’s back, “Merlin have you finally grown some balls?”
“I don’t know”
“You don’t know what?” Leon asked.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me! I keep speaking unwillingly”
Merlin looked frightened, everyone could see that and Arthur too.
“Arthur take me to Gaius, he’ll know what to do, please” Merlin added before he got out of the circle of people and started walking with Arthur’s bags.
—-------
“Gaius!” Arthur called out as he slammed open the door dragging Merlin in by his collar. Gauis looked horrified at first because why was Arthur barging in like he had found out about Merlin’s magic? What trouble had Merlin stirred up this time?
“Yes my lord?” He replied, putting away his book and taking Merlin from Arthur’s grasp.
“That fool” Arthur started, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, “got hit by a spell”
Gaius looked horrified once again but this time it looked like he wasn’t that surprised, he shouldn’t be really, this is the normal for them–both Arthur and Merlin are fools who keep getting hit by stupid spells but he won’t say that to Arthur, only Merlin.
“What is it this time?”
“Okay look” Arthur said, turning to Merlin, “Merlin, why don’t you listen to me?” Arthur asked, waiting for the same absurd reply he had gotten earlier.
“Cause it's too funny to see you all pissed and I love messing with you and-” Merlin stopped his mouth by stuffing his mouth with his scarf.
“You see now?” Arthur asked Gaius, and it looked like Gauis had already understood the situation.
“So he has gotten hit by a truth spell?”
“Yes and as much as I want to take advantage of this situation, I won’t because I respect his stupid privacy.” Arthur said, crossing his arms and looking at Merlin, the latter had mouthed a small ‘thank you’.
“I’ll figure something out” Gauis said.
“Okay good, but I still need Merlin okay?”
“Sire-”
“Merlin c’mon let's go” Arthur didn’t let Gaius continue and dragged Merlin out, “Merlin just because you got hit by a spell, by your own stupidity, doesn’t mean that you’re excused from your duties as my servant”
Merlin looked at him with a baffled expression, as if he was expecting a thank you from him. Arthur scoffed and glared back, “and what the hell were you thinking jumping in front of me?”
“Saving your royal ass” Merlin spoke before he could gag himself, Arthur looked at him—well glared at him with a priceless expression, “-my lord” he finished, like adding that would make any difference to his sentence.
“Merlin, tell me”
“Arthur seriously don’t” Merlin said frowning, Arthur was definitely going to mess with him now despite what he had said in front of Gaius.
“No, tell me, do you usually want to insult me?”
“Often yeah, but I keep it in” Merlin’s mouth betrayed him, “Arthur shut up!”
“Oi, did you really just tell me to shut up?”
“Yes obviously you, do you see anyone else around us?”
That shut Arthur up, probably because he was fuming with anger.
“Arthur you’re making me say these” Merlin said before getting slapped on his head.
“Shut up Merlin and ready my bath!”
“I’d ought to drown you one day in it” Merlin muttered before walking behind the screen.
Arthur once again looked baffled, “Merlin I heard that” he said, hoping Merlin would somehow apologise but who was he kidding.
“Yeah no shit Arthur”
“Merlin!” Arthur knew Merlin for ages yet never has he ever seen Merlin act like this before, should he be sad that this is what Merlin usually wants to say? But to be fair, Arthur does provoke him in many ways so he really can’t blame him.
“Arthur get your arse in the water quickly” Merlin called out for him and seriously, what a dirty mouth Merlin had! “Sorry!” Merlin yelled and then shut his mouth.
“I thought so, but God Merlin, you should really control your mouth—“ that was a very dumb thing to say considering the situation they were in right now and Merlin just gave him a glare as he stopped his mouth from talking.
“Merlin you should take a bath too you stink”
“Give me some free time and I will” Merlin replied and then shut his mouth from talking anymore nonsense.
“Merlin I don’t know what you’re talking about, you always get free time and you’re always drinking somewhere.”
Merlin frowned, this was bad, very bad.
“Arthur I don’t drink” He says and Merlin knows he’s dead, he’s going to end up saying too much and revealing too much and then Arthur might send him to Uther and then the next thing he knows; he’s getting executed!
“So what do you do when you’re not serving me Merlin?” Arthur turns to look at Merlin, who now is frowning and shaking.
“I save you”
Arthur fully turns his body to look at Merlin who stood behind him, “you save me? How and when?”
“ Arthur please” Merlin shakes more and Arthur can see the fear in Merlin, what the hell? What was Merlin so scared off?
“I save you with my magic” Merlin finally says, tears forming in his eyes and he backs away from Arthur.
…..
All Arthur can think about is how Merlin is crying and that Merlin is scared that Arthur might do something to him. He could never.
“Merlin…”
“I’m sorry Arthur, I promise I use my magic to save you and I don’t use it for anything bad”
“Merlin”
“Please don’t send me to Uther, I don’t want to die” Merlin says, backing away more and now Arthur has gotten up from the bath and has wrapped a cloth around him, walking towards a scared and fearful Merlin.
“Merlin! Stop it!”
And Merlin stops talking and backing up, “God do you seriously have no faith in me? Do you really think I can send you off to your death because you use magic to save me? I’m not heartless!
“I don’t understand Arthur”
Arthur comes closer and takes hold of Merlin’s hands, “Merlin…I can’t lose you”
“What?”
Arthur sighs, “Merlin, I….can’t live without you”
Merlin looks in awe as Arthur tells him that he’s his whole world, “I love you Merlin” Arthur says hugging him and making him wet with the water he had on his chest.
“I love you too Arthur, and I too can’t live without you, your destiny is my destiny.” Merlin whispers softly and Arthur smiles back and gently leans in for a gentle kiss. It has always been Merlin hasn’t it? The piece that completes him? Makes him whole?
He hasn’t loved anyone like this after his parents.