"You were right. It isn't anything fancy."

"It has potential."

"I only wonder how much," Merlin said, as he cast his gaze around the house.

It had walls a nasty shade of brown and boarded-up windows and a floor that needed scrubbing. The rooms felt empty and cold, and far too big. It hadn't been inhabited for years, and no-one wanted to live in the run-down home. That was why it was going cheap.

"You really don't like it?" asked Gwaine.

As Merlin stood in the old kitchen, Gwaine sighed and hugged him from behind, arms around his waist. Merlin leant closer, getting comfortable.

He tried to look at the house as Gwaine saw it. It was big, for one, big enough for a whole family in fact (though the likelihood of a few little pairs of feet about the house was highly unlikely, unless they found out it was infested with mice). The walls were ugly, but once they'd been whitewashed, they would look bright and fresh. The floor only needed a wash, and Merlin had done that enough times. And though it was empty now, it wouldn't be once some furniture was in it.

"No," said Merlin, considering it, "It's not too bad. Just have to do a bit of spring cleaning, is all."

"It's not spring."

"Then we can get in there early!"

"It's going to be a lot of work, isn't it?" said Gwaine, groaning.

"Do you want this or not?"

The knight kissed him on the cheek, stubble brushing against his smooth skin.

"You know I do."

"Good!" said Merlin, jumping away from him, "We'd better get started then!"

An hour later, and the house was full of volunteers. Lancelot was helping Merlin scrub the floor, Leon and Elyan were painting the walls, Percival was using his powers of obliteration and tearing down the wooden planks nailed across the windows, and Gwaine was piling them up neatly, a job also known as Making Sure Percival Doesn't Destroy Everything. As the elites of the YFDC stormed their way through the house, Merlin found it hard to believe it was New Year's Eve tomorrow, and only a handful of days had passed since Yuletide. So much had changed since that fateful evening. The New Year was going to be a new stage of life, for him, for his friends, for the whole of Camelot. Merlin scrubbed the floor quite happily. True, his knees were sore, his back ached and his arms were sticky with soap, but he did have a good view of Gwaine from where he was kneeling at the far side of the room.

Lancelot nudged Merlin.

"Eyes down, Merlin," he said playfully.

The servant did as he was told, embarrassed that he couldn't hide his emotions from anyone anymore. Not now he and Gwaine were… what should he call it? Sweethearts? Lovers?

"So," said Lancelot quietly, though there really was no need to be so secretive due to the sounds of scrubbing, nailing, ripping and talking that filled the room, "How are you and Gwaine?"

"Good," Merlin said guardedly.

"Just good?" Lancelot said, adding cheekily, "Isn't he, er, satisfactory?"

"Satisfactory?" Merlin asked, confused.

"In bed."

Merlin dropped the brush. Why does everyone think that Gwaine took my virginity? He actually hasn't. Merlin and Gwaine's relationship was a lot more innocent than everyone seemed to think it was. There had been hugs, there had been kisses, but only a few of both and nothing more (other than some truly shameless flirting from Gwaine's part). Merlin could tell that Gwaine was practicing restraint. Gwaine knew that all of this was new for the manservant, and was letting him take his time. Merlin was grateful for his unspoken understanding. But sometimes he did just want Gwaine to stuff that and take him. Gwen was the only one who believed that he hadn't done that already, because Merlin had reluctantly promised to tell her when it happened. He didn't know what was scarier – his first time or telling Gwen about it.

"We, er, haven't, erm, well…" he stammered.

Lancelot grinned.

"Oh he is. And more than just satisfactory, going by the colour of your face."

Merlin tried to speak, but his mouth couldn't form a sentence properly.

Lancelot smiled disarmingly.

"You are happy, aren't you Merlin?"

Merlin knew that he was serious.

"Yes," he breathed, "I think I'm happier than… I've ever been. I know that sounds weird, but it just feels so right, like I belong with Gwaine. I can't describe it, it's just the most… I don't, I, uh –"

"I was looking for a short answer."

Their eyes met and they laughed.

"But seeing as you went on so long, little lovebird, I know you truly are happy with him."

"So, how are you and Lily?" Merlin asked, after a pause.

Lily was the pretty sister of the little girl Lancelot had danced with at the Yuletide Feast. He'd told Merlin that after he'd danced a few rounds with her kid sister, Lily had consented to dance with him, despite turning everyone else down.

"I don't know. Little Sophie says that she fancies me."

"She's probably right," Merlin said, a hint of teasing in his voice, "Children can see these things."

"They're children, Merlin, not matchmakers."

"Cupid was a baby."

"And you just act like one."

"I do not!"

"Mmm, considering what you do with Gwaine, I'd have to agree with you on that score."

Lancelot elbowed Merlin again, and a nudge war began, during which very little of the floor was scrubbed.

"Are you two scrubbing that floor?" Leon called, a paintbrush in one hand.

"Yes, mum," Merlin and Lancelot chorused.

"Do you have to keep on calling me that?" Leon asked, exasperated.

"Yes," everyone said.

Leon pouted and attacked the wall with his paintbrush while the others watched on, smirking.

There was a knock on the door, accompanied by a call of: "Hello!" The door swung open and a woman stood in the doorway, carrying a basket.

"I brought you all some lunch."

At the word 'lunch', everyone dropped what he was doing, suddenly ravenously hungry.

"Thankyou very much, miss," Leon said politely.

Everyone else merely grabbed a bread roll from her basket, occasionally with a mumbled 'thanks'.

"Please, call me Alice," said the old woman kindly, adding, "And that includes you, Gwaine."

"What's he been calling you?" Elyan asked.

Alice shot Gwaine a dark look.

"Nana," she said coldly.

"It was affectionate!" Gwaine objected.

"I'm not that old!"

"Well," said Gwaine, munching at the bread, "You kind of are."

Alice thought about it.

"I guess so. I am old enough to be a grandmother!"

She laughed.

"People must think I'm crazy. A woman my age, about to be married. And for the first time!"

"Oh no," Leon said with feeling, "Merlin told me your story. I found it deeply moving. The way you never gave up hope is so inspiring."

Alice blinked.

"Thankyou for that contribution," she said, a little lost.

"You'll make a beautiful bride," said Lancelot.

"I've never seen Gaius so happy," Merlin added.

"Yeah, you're quite a catch, Nana!" said Gwaine, spoiling the mood somewhat.

"Thankyou my dears," smiled Alice, adding less kindly, "And Gwaine."

"We're all looking forward to the wedding," said Elyan.

"I love weddings," sighed Leon, "So romantic. I might cry."

"Why?" asked Gwaine, "Because it's so happy, or because the decorations aren't right?"

Everyone chuckled, remembering Leon's devotion to the Cause as leader of the YFDC.

"I'd better be off," said Alice, seeing that the lunch had been demolished in the space of half a minute, "I have a lot to do."

"Thankyou for the food," said Merlin gratefully.

"Oh, you're welcome. Anything I can do to help you get him out of the house."

Him was of course Gwaine.

"Goodbye, my dears," said Alice, "And Gwaine."

The boys called a goodbye to Alice (Gwaine using the term 'See ya, Nana!'), before resuming their work.

"I can't believe Uther let Alice stay in Camelot," said Lancelot, as he and Merlin restarted cleaning the stone floor, "After what she did."

Merlin shrugged.

"He was grateful Gaius nursed him back to health," he said, "Not that many people thought he'd ever recover. But look at him now. He's good as new."

It was true. Uther's health had stayed steady, with very little improvement, under Gaius' care, but after the Yuletide Feast he had come on in leaps and bounds. Perhaps it had something to do with a talented healer called Alice. It was a fitting atonement, Merlin thought. When Uther had offered Gaius any reward he liked in return for his service, he only asked for one thing – he wanted Alice's name to be cleared. Uther agreed, and now the couple were finally getting married in the spring.

"But by law she should be burned at the stake," said Lancelot.

"By law, Gwaine should be banished from Camelot under pain of death. By law, you shouldn't be a knight," said Merlin, "It seems not all laws are just."

Lancelot laughed.

"Since when were you so wise, my friend?"

Somewhere between the road out of Ealdor and here.

"So tell me, wise Merlin," said Lancelot, "If Gaius and Alice are getting hitched, and you and Gwaine are getting off, why aren't you moving in here?"

Merlin sighed. He wanted to do just that, even more so now he was here, and everything was starting to come together. The thought of living with Gwaine now they were together was, well, terrifying and exciting and fun. Merlin was afraid to ask. Everything was working out for him and Gwaine and he didn't want to spoil it by rushing. Living together permanently seemed like a big step. Merlin wasn't sure if they were both ready for… all it would entail.

"I don't know," Merlin said, "I do want to. I'm just a little nervous about it all."

"It's obvious that's what you both want," said Lancelot, "Just you're afraid to ask and he's afraid to offer."

It was the same when it came to going further, only Gwaine was afraid to ask, and Merlin was afraid to offer. Though it was obvious they both wanted to.

"Gwaine doesn't want to pressure you," Lancelot added, "He's a thoughtful lover, Merlin – well, he might not have been in the past, but he is to you."

"I think you're the wise one, Lancelot," said Merlin, "Understanding the intricacies of love."

"I think you understand the practical aspects of it a little better."

Merlin hit him, but it was only a light tap. He knew how good a fighter Lancelot was.

"I'll ask him," Merlin decided.

"Awh," said Lancelot, clapping a hand on Merlin's shoulder, "I'm helping you make your love-nest!"

"Less giggling, more scrubbing," said Leon sternly.

"Yes, mum."

By the end of the day, the house was finished. Once the basic building tasks had been done, Merlin had sent Leon to market with nothing more than a budget Gwaine had agreed on and the vague instruction to buy furniture. Leon really was the best person to send – he was organised, and decided on what he needed and bought it. He even managed to negotiate a few prices down. After all, being a knight of Camelot did have its perks. He returned with a cartload of things and money to spare. As they arranged it all round the house, it was clear that he'd bought just the right sort of thing – practical and well-made, nothing too fussy or extravagant. Well, actually, there was one extravagant item – the bed. It was huge, and had to be dismantled just to get it into the house and up the stairs.

"It was on sale," Leon explained as they tried to fit it back together again, "So I got in quick."

Merlin decided to pretend he believed that story, as the truth was doubtless far more disturbing. He made the bed, as Arthur's was about that size and he did it all the time, and because Percival had offered to do it and that would just end in feathery carnage.

The whole house was much cosier by sundown. Lancelot had cleaned out the chimney (something he later came to regret when he emerged completely covered in soot), and Percival had been trusted to light a fire with the planks of wood he'd torn off from the windows. Merlin had put a pot of soup on to cook, and now the house was full of warmth and the smell of the simmering stew. There were still a lot of things to sort out – cutlery, crockery, curtains, rugs, bedsheets, towels – but already it felt like home. Gwaine promised the army of knights that he would buy them all a drink or three down the tavern soon, and they departed happily, after a sterling day's work.

Merlin did not leave with them. He lingered behind with the pretence of checking on his soup. Gwaine bent down and kissed the top of his head as he sat by the fire, and Merlin caught his hand and stood up to kiss him, and somehow ended up sat on Gwaine's lap.

"Do you like it better now, then?" asked Gwaine.

"It's great. It feels… like home."

Merlin hoped this would give Gwaine a nudge.

"It is your home."

That was easy.

"You'll always be welcome here, Merlin."

OK, maybe not.

"Mmm, it is kind of crowded back at home at the moment," said Merlin.

"Well, hopefully it won't be now I'm gone."

Gwaine really seemed to be missing the hints tonight.

"I don't know. You know what they say, two's company, three's a crowd…"

He was dropping hints so heavily it was like throwing a brick at Gwaine's head.

"Well then," said Gwaine, "You come over any time you like. Give Gaius and Alice a bit of space."

Stuff the hints, I just want to throw a brick at Gwaine's head.

"We could have dinner," Gwaine added.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"And… breakfast?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"Oh no. You don't want to miss out on Gaius' breakfasts. I hear he makes a mean porridge."

His skirting round the question annoyed Merlin. Up until now, there hadn't been any opportunity for anything to happen. (Well, there had, but Merlin responded in the negative to the "There's a broom cupboard over there…" line.) Now there was the opportunity, but Gwaine seemed to lack the motivation.

"Just Gaius and Alice are going to be married soon," Merlin went on, "They might want me gone for a bit more than an evening. Like, a week or something."

Gwaine shrugged.

"I hope you don't mind sleeping on the floor. I've only got the one bed."

"It is a very big bed though…"

"You seem very forward tonight," said Gwaine, "Does DIY really do it for you or something?"

"No," said Merlin, "You really do it for me."

"Good answer."

Gwaine played with Merlin's neckerchief, as had become his habit.

"So do you want to tell Gaius you're moving in with me?" he asked casually.

Merlin hit him on the shoulder.

"I don't believe you!" he cried, "You knew what I was trying to ask all along and you acted like you were all innocent!"

Gwaine laughed.

"I'm sorry. I just really like it when you're suggestive."

"That's no excuse!"

"Well, are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Going to tell Gaius you want to move in with me?"

Merlin thought about it.

"I could tell him tomorrow."

"When do you think he'll let you go? End of the week?"

"Probably," said Merlin, "But he doesn't have to know yet…"

"What?"

Merlin looked down innocently.

"I could just, I don't know, not come home tonight. Wouldn't do any harm."

"Won't Gaius come looking for you?" asked Gwaine.

"No. He knows I'm with you."

"Surely that means he'll just worry more about your personal safety."

"True, but it also means he won't come looking. Not after what happened last time."

Gwaine smiled.

"I like your way of thinking."

"Even though it means someone doesn't want to see you naked?"

"Mmm. It's New Year tomorrow," said Gwaine, "We've got to stay up 'til midnight to see it in."

"That's quite a few hours away," Merlin said slowly, "We'll have to do something to kill all that time."

"Play party games?"

"I was thinking something else…"

Merlin walked his fingers up Gwaine's arm.

"Oh?" asked Gwaine.

Then Merlin gave him a look with those big blue eyes of his.

"Oh. Oh…"

Gwaine looked at him seriously.

"Really? I don't want to push you or pressure you or penetrate you," Gwaine stopped and widened his eyes, "I don't mean that last one, I er, oh dear, ha, sorry, er, about that, I…"

Merlin laughed. For once it was Gwaine slipping up on his words, not him.

"I meant that, I er, wasn't trying, uh, I wanted to, not," Gwaine stumbled on, getting more and more flustered, "You see, I was, mm… oh stuff it, let's be having you!"

Gwaine gave up and kissed Merlin hard. The boy, a little taken aback, jumped in surprise, and the chair overbalanced. They landed on the floor, Gwaine falling onto Merlin with a heavy thud.

"Hello," said Gwaine, who had landed inches away from Merlin's face.

"I don't think chairs like us," Merlin squeaked, trying to catch his breath.

Gwaine didn't really help as then he resumed kissing him. Merlin squeaked urgently until he stopped.

"What is it?" asked the knight breathlessly.

"It's just, you've got a bed," said Merlin, "Maybe… we should use it?"

"Good idea."

Gwaine stood up and hefted Merlin up after him, swinging the boy into his arms.

"And you did just clean that floor," Gwaine added, running up the stairs with him.

Taking the house into consideration wasn't really the sexiest thing, but it worked well enough for Merlin.

Gwaine threw him down on the bed and lay down beside him, holding him close.

"OK," said Gwaine, "I, er, I guess you don't… know much about this."

"A little."

"Well, I'll be gentle. And if you want to stop or –"

And that was when Merlin did something Gwaine really wasn't expecting. Gwen's embarrassing talk with him really did come into its own. She said he could surprise Gwaine – and that he truly did.

Merlin felt a thrill when he woke up. Sunlight was streaming through the open window, resting prettily on the man next to him. He felt Gwaine's arms pulled around his body, his leg resting between Merlin's. Gwaine's smooth hair was sprawled over the bedcover. Merlin couldn't resist the urge to touch it. He'd found out just how soft it was last night. For a second, he almost thought that it was perfectly innocent, like that first time they'd woken up together… And then he remembered. It really wasn't innocent. Merlin grinned to himself. No, it was perfectly filthy. Gwaine stirred, his eyes opening.

"Merlin?"

"Good morning."

Gwaine rubbed his eyes, slow to wake up.

"Merlin…" Gwaine breathed, "I, er – did we just –?"

"Yeah."

Gwaine smiled.

"Mmm. I remember now."

He rolled over, onto Merlin, and looked down at him.

"Where the Hell did you learn that?"

Merlin shrugged. The truth wasn't really all that sexy, so it was probably best to keep an air of mystery around it.

"Well, however you learnt it, we are doing that again."

Merlin smiled.

"I love you."

It was Gwaine who said it first. Merlin's heart squeezed with happiness.

"I love you too."

He meant it.