Ok, warning now, this is probably going to be the most cheesiest thing you have ever read, it is my feeble attempt at writing slash more to see if i could actually do it more than anything else!

Merlin swallowed hard as he shakily raised his fist to knock on Arthur's door, subconsciously running his hand through his hair distractedly. He had spent months, no, years, working himself up to this moment, ever since the day he had met the royal prat. Having saved his life again and once more received no credit for his actions, the warlock had had enough. He was going to tell Prince Arthur everything.

"Enter." The voice he knew so well, the one he had heard raised in passion, anger, even hatred, bid him to enter. Trembling slightly in anticipation, Merlin obeyed.

Arthur was gazing out of his window as his servant tentatively stepped into the large room. Turning at the sound of the door, the prince looked astonished to see Merlin standing there.

"Everything alright, Merlin?" He asked, concern shining through his tone. Merlin gazed back at him, nonplussed. He didn't look that guilty, did he?

"You actually knocked." Arthur supplied, seeing the confusion on the boy's face. As Merlin began to pout in mock annoyance, the prince smiled, lighting up his face as he did so.

"Actually, Arthur…Sire…" Merlin began hesitantly, not certain how he should precisely come about bringing up the issue at hand. Despite having wanted to say it for such a long time, the warlock really didn't know where to begin, not with Arthur gazing at him so expectantly.

"Spit it out, Merlin."

"Ihavesomethingtotellyou." Merlin gabbled, instantly going bright red as Arthur raised his eyebrows. It was clear the prince had no clue as to what his manservant had suddenly announced. Cursing his nerves for running away from him, Merlin took a deep breath and tried again.

"I have something to tell you." He began, slowly. Arthur continued to just look mockingly at him, and Merlin found that, somehow, that gave him the confidence he needed. If the prince was going to mock him, then he would soon set him right.

"Before I say anything though, can you promise you won't think any differently of me?"

"Have we not had this conversation once before?" Arthur asked, a small frown appearing on the bridge of his nose as he remember Merlin's sudden plea for the prince not to change his opinion of the boy before they had managed to save Ealdor.

"This time, nothing can interrupt me. Arthur, I…"

"I know, Merlin."

"What?" Merlin all but yelped, his magic instantly rushing to his defence. But no attack came. Arthur just rubbed his hand wearily across his face. His heart racing, Merlin stared at him, his mouth dry. Should he try running for it? After months of working out how to tell his master about the magic coursing through his veins, Merlin had never suspected in a million years that the prince may already know.

"It's not hard to figure it out. The way you act sometimes, you are just so damn jumpy every time something happens. How you managed to keep it hidden from everyone else for so long, I have no idea, but you can't hide anything from me Merlin. So yes, I know."

"Erm…" Not sure what he was about to say, Merlin swallowed hard. Did this mean the prince would accept him for who he truly was rather than just the bumbling idiot he always treated him as?

"I also understand why you haven't told me," The prince continued, oblivious to the raging emotions he had just put his servant through. "You're just a servant; no one would believe you, no offence. The King would easily have you executed for something like that, and although it hurts it has taken you until now to tell me, I'm just glad you did."

"I don't believe it!" Merlin suddenly exclaimed, once more finding his voice as his feet split in two due to the wide grin. Seeing the servant look so delighted, Arthur smiled widely back, his own heart thudding rather fast. He had never dreamed this conversation would go as smoothly as this, he had always imagined some disastrous scenario in which Merlin would disappear forever.

"How-, no wait, I don't want to know how you found out. What about me now, Arthur? Are you going to hand me over to the king?"

Crossing the room, Arthur placed his hand reassuringly on Merlin's thin shoulder, feeling it tremble slightly under his touch.

"How could I turn you in when I feel the same way?"

"WHAT?" Merlin yelped, jumping away from the prince in surprise. Somehow, he had a slight feeling something may have got lost in translation here, for he was no longer sure what Arthur was talking about.

"Surprising, I know. I'm the crown Prince of Camelot, I can have any maid I fancy. And yet, somehow, Merlin, it is you, with your idiotic ways and appalling time keeping…"

Gaping at the prince, Merlin was acutely aware he was doing an accurate impression of a fish out of water, but he didn't care. Was Arthur saying what he thought he was saying? Merlin shook his head, bewildered. This was certainly not what he had expected when he had plucked up the courage to walk through that door ten minutes ago.

"I mean," Arthur continued, using one long finger to tip Merlin's chin back until he was looking the younger boy directly in the eye. "It's not as if you are confessing to be a sorcerer or anything stupid like that. Love is not something to be feared, Merlin."

"No, wait, Sire, you've got this all wrong!"

"Relax, Merlin, it's alright. I've already told you, you don't have to be frightened of admitting your feelings. It's perfectly natural, despite the fact that I'm the prince and you are just a servant."

"But…"

"Shhh. No more talking. Listen." Reaching out, Arthur grabbed one of Merlin's hands none too gently and held it over his chest, forcing the boy to feel to the pounding of his heart. Ever so slowly, he reached out his own hand and placed it over Merlin's heart, feeling the racing muscle beneath his palm. Smiling in satisfaction, Arthur smiled gently at the servant, who returned the gesture, if a little nervously.

"See. Nothing to be afraid of. But we are going to need to work together here. And for that to work, you have to be honest with me. Is there anything else you would like to confess too?"

"I'm a sorcerer?"

"Idiot." Arthur responded shortly, not for one second believing his idiot of a manservant. That seemed to be the response Merlin always came out with if it involved someone being in an awkward or dangerous situation. Shutting the door to his chambers, the prince didn't give the warlock a chance to say anything else.

See, cheesiness galore. No worries, i'm sticking with friendship in everything else, this was a test to see whether i could actually write it or not. Their friendship is soooo much easier to write than this!