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The hut they were staying in for the night was exceptionally small — not that Merlin or Lancelot minded, since they were thankful just to be able to have a roof over their heads for the night.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Lancelot said graciously, and they went to the room they had been told they could use. Merlin froze in the doorway when he looked in and realized the arrangement.
“Oh,” he said, although he really shouldn’t have been surprised since there was clearly no room for more than one bed in this place.
“We’ll share,” Lancelot said, and his suggestion was likely meant to be reassuring but it only succeeded in causing Merlin’s heart to speed up.
He glanced at Lancelot, hoping he wouldn’t notice how nervous he’d just become. Sharing a bed with him…
It was fine. He could be normal about this. So what if he’d been in love with Lancelot for years, ever since the first time they met? He’d hidden his feelings for him all this time, he could do it for one more night.
Even if he’d be spending it in the same bed as him.
It was fine! They both got ready to sleep and he slipped in and pulled the blanket up to his chin, trying his hardest to ignore Lancelot’s presence beside him.
“Goodnight, Merlin.”
“Goodnight, Lancelot.”
It took him longer than usual to fall asleep, all too aware of how close they were, but he managed to sleep through the night. He woke up earlier than he needed to, out of habit from having to wake Arthur every morning, but he was pleasantly well rested. It took him a moment to remember where he was, and he was surprised at first when his eyes fell on Lancelot before he realized they were away from home. He watched Lancelot, taking in the peaceful way he slept; he was always beautiful, but right now… it left Merlin breathless.
He wondered what it would be like, if Lancelot were to wake up and kiss him good morning, to run his fingers through his hair as he learned what he tasted of—
“Merlin?”
He blinked and when his eyes refocused, he realized Lancelot was now awake. He felt heat rush to his cheeks at having been caught staring.
“Yes?”
Lancelot held his gaze and Merlin wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he seemed to find it.
“Merlin,” he said again, but this time it was lower, sending a shiver through Merlin. “If there’s something you want…”
Merlin looked at him blankly. Surely he wasn’t implying what he thought he was implying. He must still be confused from just having woken up. “What?”
“There’s nothing you could ask for that I wouldn’t give you,” Lancelot told him, and Merlin’s breath caught in his throat. He was still worried he was jumping to a conclusion that he shouldn’t be making, but he couldn’t deny the way Lancelot was looking at him. His mind was racing at the thought that Lancelot wanted him; he had only dreamed about this, never thinking it would actually come to fruition.
He leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips and quickly started to pull back in case he’d misunderstood, but he didn’t get very far because Lancelot pulled him back in, kissing him properly. His eyes fluttered shut and he made a sound, acting on pure instinct while his brain struggled to catch up. “Lancelot…”
The pleasant haze of sleepiness had slipped away as he completely woke up and he tugged Lancelot even closer, deepening the kiss to memorize everything that he could about it.
He couldn’t get enough. He had been waiting so long for a moment like this one, he couldn’t quite believe it was actually happening. He had imagined it so many times, but nothing in his imagination even came close to comparing to the real thing — the feeling of Lancelot’s mouth against his, the way they fit together perfectly. Now that he had gotten a sample, he didn’t think he could ever go back to a world where he couldn’t kiss Lancelot. It seemed like he didn’t have to, though, because Lancelot was as eager as he was. He only pulled away when he was running out of air and absolutely had to.
“I’ve wanted to do that for years,” he confessed, and Lancelot took his hands, a smile forming on his face.
“So have I,” Lancelot told him. “I never wanted to presume you felt the same way, but…”
“I felt the same way. I feel the same way. Of course I do,” Merlin said, rolling onto his back with a laugh as he tried to catch his breath. “If only we had done this ages ago. We wouldn’t have lost all that time.”
“The wait was worth it. I would wait as long as I had to for you,” Lancelot said, watching as Merlin’s cheeks turned red at the words. He reached up to brush a stray hair out of Merlin’s face before glancing at the window, noting that sun was about to rise. “It’s still early. We don’t have to get up just yet.”
Merlin nodded. His head was still reeling from what had just happened. For most of the time they’d known each other, Merlin had struggled to hide his feelings for him, not wanting to push him away and ruin things between them. Lancelot had been his best friend, and he would never forgive himself if he lost him due to selfishness.
But he no longer had to hide because Lancelot apparently felt the same way, something he had never expected. He could hardly believe it, but he knew Lancelot had too much honor to lie to him about something like this. He suddenly felt elated as he tried to process the fact that this wasn’t a dream, that he and Lancelot had actually kissed.
Merlin settled back onto his side and this time, he didn’t have to put a respectful distance between them. He sidled right up to Lancelot and wrapped his arms around him, smiling as Lancelot returned the embrace.