Originally written for kinkelot over on livejournal- challenge: amnesty 1 (using previous prompt: restraints)

The gift

"Arthur! Come with me."

Arthur frowned at Morgana. "Where?"

"Just come with me," she said, rolling her eyes. "I want to give you your birthday present."

Arthur sighed at hearing those words leave Morgana's mouth. She had a knack for finding the most ridiculous gifts and he almost dreaded finding out what this one was. He didn't particularly like birthdays in the first place, wishing he could just skip the day altogether. His father always insisted on a lavish banquet to celebrate, filled with important guests that he didn't know. He found the whole thing just a little embarrassing, from the banquet to the extravagant but unusable gifts that everyone brought. It was his birthday so why couldn't he do what he wanted? Just once he would like to slip away quietly and spent the day with his friends or with the knights, away from being the Prince.

Sensing his reluctance, Morgana took his hand and dragged him through the corridors. She opened the door to his chambers and led him inside.

On the bed, Merlin lay, his wrists bound to the bedposts. He was naked except for a large, strategically placed bow and a blindfold. Arthur stared for a moment, unsure of what to say. Eventually he glanced at Morgana, standing beside him, grinning widely.

"I know, I know- it's just what you always wanted," she said. "You could thank me, you know."

Arthur didn't. It was true that he had dreamed of something similar to this for a long time now, having Merlin naked and in his bed. Recently he found himself becoming increasingly infatuated by his servant. Why, he wasn't sure; Merlin was pale and skinny, and his ears were way too big. He usually went for men more like his Knights, strong and muscular, but although Merlin didn't fit his usual type, he still wanted him. What he didn't want, however, was this. The sight of his servant and friend lying there, tied up, made his blood boil.

He turned on Morgana and pushed her out of the room, closing the door behind them.

"I cannot believe that you've done this!" he said angrily.

Morgana looked genuinely confused. "But I thought you'd like it," she protested. "Arthur-"

He shook his head. "Just go."

Arthur stormed back inside the room, feeling guilty for taking another look at Merlin's helpless form. It just wasn't often that he caught a glimpse of Merlin without his usual layers of clothing.

No, he told himself. This wasn't right.

He went over to the bed and carefully removed the blindfold before reaching up to unfasten Merlin's hands.

"I'm sorry."

Merlin frowned up at him, not making any effort to get up even though his restraints were gone.

"Why are you sorry?"

Arthur went to get retrieve Merlin's breeches and shirt from the pile of folded clothing on a nearby chair.

"I never thought that Morgana would do something like this," he said, handing Merlin the clothes. "I promise you that I will deal with her later. Would you please put those on," he asked, seeing that Merlin had made no move to.

The younger man's face fell. "You don't want me?"

Arthur sighed; now he felt like a total shit for putting that look in Merlin's eyes. Merlin shrank away from Arthur, refusing to meet his gaze, curling his arms around himself. Arthur was still furious, but that was something he couldn't avoid. Merlin brought out his protective instincts in a way that no one else did. It didn't matter that he nagged and hassled Merlin more than anyone, the point was that he was the only one allowed to do so.

Now, he saw the mixture of embarrassment and rejection on Merlin's face and all that Arthur wanted to do was pull him into his arms and make it go away. He wouldn't, however, not after Morgana's stupid little stunt.

"I can't believe she made you do this," he muttered again.

"Is that why you think I did it?" Merlin asked in disbelief, tugging on his breeches and grabbing his boots, still avoiding meeting Arthur's eyes. "I need to leave. Now."

"Merlin, you-" But the other man was gone.

Arthur sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the door, still swinging shut in Merlin's wake. The thud as it closed sounded awfully final to his ears. Well, he decided, he wasn't going to leave it like this. Getting to his feet, Arthur set out to find him.

He couldn't believe he was doing this, he thought ten minutes later. He was searching high and low for his servant, for goodness' sake; Princes did not do this kind of thing. Then again, Merlin wasn't just his servant, was he?

He finally found Merlin in the last place he would have expected; Morgana's bedroom. He had all but given up, resorting to breaking his silence with Morgana to ask if she had seen him.

She opened the door and glared when she saw who it was. "I ought to slam this door in your face," she said, moving to do just that.

Before she did, Arthur caught sight of Merlin sitting by the window. The younger man was slumped in the chair, looking miserable. Gwen was sitting next to him and she also glared when she saw Arthur.

"Merlin, can I talk to you, please?"

"He doesn't want to, not after how you acted!"

"Morgana, keep out of it. This is all your fault in the first place! He's not some toy for you to pimp out whenever the fancy takes you."

"How dare you! I would never-"

Merlin suddenly got to his feet, striding over to them.

"She didn't make me do it! I thought- Well, it doesn't matter what I thought, does it?" he shrugged his shoulders. Arthur opened his mouth to speak but Merlin cut him off. "Don't. I got the message loud and clear before; you didn't want me and I made a complete fool of myself. Please don't make it any worse."

Knowing that Morgana wasn't going to let him inside, or make this easy for him, Arthur reached in to grab Merlin by his arm and haul him out of the room. Ignoring everyone's protests and the two women following them, Arthur reached his chambers, keeping a tight hold on Merlin's arm, and led him into the room, leaving Morgana and Gwen outside.

"You said she didn't make you do it?" Arthur frowned. "So why?"

"Because I thought that you liked me, but I get it now. I'm just a servant, aren't I? Don't worry, I'm never going to do anything like that again; I'll be gone from Camelot by morning."

Arthur felt his chest tighten at the thought of Merlin leaving; that was the last thing he wanted. He knew it was now or never.

"Merlin, I did- I do- want you. Believe me, I do," he said. "I thought that Morgana had pushed you into it, sending you to me. I hated the thought of you being treated like that." The other man still didn't look convinced. "And you're wrong," Arthur continued. Reaching out, he clenched his fist in the front of Merlin's shirt and dragged him close. "If you were just a servant to me, do you really think I would have spent the past hour looking for you?"

He knew that Merlin was about to start arguing again and so shut him up the only way he could, by closing his mouth over the other man's and kissing him. After a moment, Merlin relaxed and hesitant arms wound around Arthur's waist. It was all the encouragement that Arthur needed, taking the kiss deeper. Then he pulled back.

"Merlin, do you really want this?"

Merlin stared at him, an amused smile on his face. "This specifically? Standing here talking when you're meant to be kissing me?" he asked.

Arthur sighed. "You know perfectly well what I mean. I need to hear you say it, that you want this and you're not just doing it because I'm the Prince."

That earned him a snort of laughter. "You know, it's a wonder your crown still fits over the size of your ego."

Of course, Arthur thought, it had been a stupid question. Merlin grumbled whilst doing his chores, insulted him at every turn and generally showed little or no respect for Arthur's position. He rarely did anything he didn't want; did he really think that Merlin would sleep with him just because of his status or some misplaced sense of obligation?

It made a pleasant change to have someone trying to get close to him because they wanted to, as opposed to looking for bragging rights that they had been in the prince's bed.

Grasping the hem of Merlin's shirt in his hands he stripped it off quickly, tossing it aside, before removing his own. He felt feather-light touches over his skin as Merlin traced soft fingertips along the lines of his torso. As their lips met once more he slipped his hand down the back of Merlin's breeches, getting a handful of Merlin's arse.

Suddenly, he broke away and looked over his left shoulder, glaring. Merlin frowned as he too heard the low whispering.

"What is it?"

"More like 'who'."

Arthur stooped to pick up a boot from the floor near his closet and threw it with precision aim at the door, knocking it shut. There was a squeal and a muffled curse from Morgana and then Gwen's voice, followed by some giggling.

"I'll never hear the end of this," Arthur told him with a sigh, casting one last glare in the direction of the door.

He had no idea how long the women had been spying on them, or how much they'd seen. Feeling Merlin's lean body against his, however, the worries vanished as he stripped away the rest of their clothing. Being cautious this time, Arthur went and locked the door, before reverting his attention back to Merlin. He turned just in time to catch an armful of naked manservant as Merlin pounced on him.

Arthur manoeuvred them toward the bed and pulled Merlin down on top of him. Clenching his fingers in Merlin's hair he kissed him again, hungry and desperate, as his other hand got a grasp of that skinny arse. Merlin wriggled against him, making happy little sounds that drove Arthur crazy.

"What do you want, Arthur?" Merlin asked, giving Arthur's neck a lick before moving back up to kiss him again. "It's your birthday so you get whatever you like."

He saw Arthur's expression close off a little, his cheeks flush.

"Arthur? Whatever it is, you never have to hide from me," he said softly.

Arthur looked away, mumbling something. At Merlin's urging, he sighed, turning back.

"I want you to fuck me."

Merlin smiled. "Yes sire."

"Now you call me sire," Arthur grumbled. He'd never be able to hear Merlin call him that again without thinking of this moment. Probably lucky that Merlin rarely called him it then, he thought. The rest of his musings vanished as he felt the cool slick finger enter him slowly.

"Oh Lord. More."

Merlin obliged, adding another digit, moving deeper with each stroke. Arthur spread wider for him, pulling his knees up to his sides as soft groans escaped his lips. Removing his hand Merlin quickly replaced his fingers with his cock, sliding into Arthur.

"Arthur, open your eyes. I want you to see me."

Brilliant blue eyes met his and he saw the unbridled desire there, the want, the need. The feel of the snug heat around his cock, of Arthur's muscles clenching around him, mixed with that desire, almost sent him over the edge right there and then.

Merlin leaned down to press a kiss to Arthur's lips before beginning to move again.

x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Arthur awoke in a tangle of limbs, a warm masculine body wound around his, Merlin's face pressed into the crook of his neck. As he shifted he felt a slight ache as stretched muscles protested, a sign of a damn good afternoon. His movements must have disturbed Merlin as the other man stirred, propping himself up on his elbow to smile down at him. Arthur reached out, cupping the back of Merlin's head with his hand and pulling him down for a kiss.

Soon, he'd have to get ready for the party he knew that his father was throwing for him but it didn't seem so bad now. He could put up with the fuss for a few hours because he knew that afterwards he could come back here, where Merlin would be waiting.

He was beginning to like birthdays.

x~x~x

End.

Author note-

Just a quick note for anyone who asked- I've been given a provisional release date for my book, 28 Hours, to be released in paperback. It is due in October 2010 (currently it is only in ebook format). I'll update when I get an actual day for release.

I've also just done my first author interview for Gemstone Reviews! If anyone wants to take a look, there is a link to it through either my author livejournal or website on my profile page.