[SPOILERS FOR SEASON 5]

This fic is based on the scene in 5x01 where Arthur & Merlin are travelling to Ismere and staying for a night as guests of Queen Annis, after Merlin has been showing off his juggling skills and they're together in a guest room getting ready for sleep.

! SLASH !

Merlin was still lost in thoughts, staring at the fireplace with unseeing eyes when Arthur crawled under the sheets behind him. He couldn't care less that he didn't get a bed for himself since he was sure he wouldn't get sleep anyway, his worry for Arthur's wellbeing was crushing him at the moment and he felt so helpless that it felt almost like he was constantly drowning. Now that they were far from Camelot he didn't have even Gaius to talk about the vision he had seen about Mordred killing Arthur in a battle, and Kilgharrah's words about Merlin being the only one able to keep Arthur safe didn't really make the situation any better. The responsibility and worry was almost unbearable and he couldn't say a word to anyone, especially not to the person in question, King Arthur.

Merlin sighed for about hundredth time and immediately regretted it when he remembered he should try to act normal and stop moping so visibly, Arthur had already been asking what was bothering him many times and since he couldn't really tell it was getting harder and harder to come up with excuses so he wouldn't have to tell the truth.

He had lost the track of time by now, the fire in front of him was almost hypnotizing and in some weird way also comforting. Even though he didn't have a bed to sleep in, it was at least warm and dry and he finally decided to try to get some sleep. He took off his ragged jacket to make it a pillow and laid down on his side on the wooden bench he had been sitting on, facing the warming fire and tried to get as comfortable as possible. He had just closed his eyes when he could hear Arthur moving on the bed.

"Merlin. You're not going to sleep there, on the bench?" Arthur said lifting his upper body so he could see Merlin.

"Well, yes. It's fine really, I'm used to sleep on hard surfaces by now and it's at least warm and dry so I ain't complaining." Merlin answered not bothering standing up or even opening his eyes now that he was feeling quite comfortable where he was.

"Merlin." Arthur said again. "Come here, this is a huge bed and there's enough space for two, you really don't need to sleep on a rock hard bench if there's a bed in the room, servant or not. And God knows we need all the sleep we can possibly get as it's going to be hell of a day tomorrow when we leave, so get your bony ass up here right about now?"

Merlin could hear Arthur laying back down and adjusting himself for a good position, and Merlin couldn't help the grin that lingered on his lips for a few seconds. First of all Arthur, the King of Camelot, just asked, pleaded, him to share a bed with him, and secondly how did he know about the bony ass, he has been checking it out?

Merlin got up and walked to the bed, kicking his boots off and leaving his jacket on the bench. It wasn't like he hadn't slept against Arthur many times before on their journeys all over the Kingdom and beyond it, but never before had they shared a bed together. Although they had been practically cuddling themselves in the past trying to fight off the cold chilly night air, it had always been because of the extreme conditions they had been in and it was for the comfort of them both. This time was so much different, even though they were not going to cuddle, they would be sleeping together, in a same bed, without current extreme weather- or other conditions forcing them to do it.

"Are you coming or not? You waiting for me to change my mind or what?" Arthur mumbled sleepily and Merlin finally stopped overthinking and climbed on the bed, laying down carefully beside Arthur trying to move as less as possible so he wouldn't be bothering him too much. Merlin was facing the ceiling and trying to keep still, when usually he would be tossing and turning around trying to find a nice position to sleep in (or more like the weirdest position to sleep in, as Gaius had once commented.)

"You can relax you know.. Try to get some sleep." Arthur said after a while and now his voice didn't sound so sleepy anymore, more like concerned or… Affecionate?

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just… not used to this. I don't think I've ever slept in a bed this soft or huge." Merlin said back apologetically, turning on his right side so he was facing Arthur's back now. Arthur let out a dry laugh and then went silent again. For a while Merlin actually thought he had fell asleep although he couldn't hear the familiar snoring (which he loved to interrupt every morning in Camelot when he came to wake the King up for the morning routines.) But when Arthur suddenly spoke quietly, Merlin opened his eyes as if he could hear better with his eyes open.

"You know Merlin, I do care about you… Really much actually."

And Merlin was left speechless, was Arthur talking in sleep or was he in fever or what? He did never speak so gently about Merlin and he had never admitted that he actually cared about Merlin or his wellbeing.

"Arthur…" He started carefully, since he didn't actually have any idea what to say. He was more like checking if Arthur was even awake or maybe Merlin was just hallucinating because of lack of sleep and proper food recently.

"No seriously, I do." And Arthur's voice was much clearer now, like he had got more confidence out of nowhere or like the matter was something he really needed to get out of his mouth. Merlin was still at a loss for words so he just stared at Arthur's back, until the back was changed with Arthur's face when he turned around so he could see Merlin.

"I know I don't usually say things like this, but the recent events have really made me think… The importance of the people around me and how things can change in seconds… Like you've pointed out many times by now, Morgana is really powerful and an enemy we have to take seriously. So what I'm trying to say…" Arthur's voice died away and he wasn't looking at Merlin's eyes anymore and Merlin felt like he should reassure him somehow, to tell him everything's alright and he understands… Because he really did understand what Arthur meant, he felt the same way, had felt for many years already. He wasn't stupid, he knew he was in love with the King of Camelot and he also knew it would be unrequited forever, but as long as he could be beside Arthur he was happy, as long as he could protect him, joke with him, just be with him, he was happy.

And now, now it seemed like Arthur was finally trying to return the feelings for him. It wasn't like they hadn't shared many private moments before where they felt and also most likely looked like a married couple, but for the first time Arthur was actually trying to speak out his feelings for Merlin, and Merlin got this huge urge to just hug the other man in front of him. He was too afraid to break the spell of the moment though and restrained himself, only reaching out with his hand so he could squeeze Arthur's arm gently, trying to telepath his own feelings for him without any words being used, and when Arthur glanced the hand and then locked their eyes together again, Merlin was quite sure he had succeeded and he indeed could do telepathy.

Arthur's eyes were a pool of mixed emotions right now and Merlin couldn't decide which one was the most visible; relief, excitement, worry, desire… Merlin moved his hand gently, caressed Arthur's arm which was covered by his red tunic, and they're gaze was still held which made Merlin's lips suddenly go really dry. He licked them nervously and saw how Arthur was distracted by it as his gaze lingered on his lips now, and when they're eyes met again Merlin could finally decide what was the most visible emotion in them; desire. And as he was still trying to process that thought in his mind, Arthur had closed the already small gap between them and locked their lips now instead of their eyes and Merlin responded almost immediately. Even though he was surprised that Arthur actually kissed him, he had kind of been waiting for this. And if not waiting, at least hoping. As the kiss continued and Merlin tried not to pass out of the excitement and passion, he thanked all the gods in heaven in the back of his mind, because this must be what kissing should be like, not the quick awkward ones that were shared between him and Freya many years ago.

When Arthur finally pulled away, only few inches so they were still close, Merlin could feel his hand on his hipbone, sliding it under his shirt and caressing the soft skin.

"Well, you really have a thing for servants…" Merlin teased and got a huff and "Shut up Merlin" back, and he giggled at Arthur's (cute) pouty face. Arthur pushed Merlin on his back and kissed him again, maybe to stop him from giggling or talking or both, and succeeded quite brilliantly.

Finally they pulled apart, Arthur backing away on his own side of the bed and laid on his back, while Merlin stayed where he was, trying to catch his breath and gather his thoughts.

"Come here?" Arthur asked, lifting the cover so Merlin could come under it too, next to Arthur. Merlin needn't to tell twice and he rested his head on Arthur's arm and his hand over Arthur's torso like hugging him.

"I love you, Merlin." It was only a whisper, but Merlin had goose bumps all over him in an instant.

"I love you too, Arthur." He whispered back and felt a kiss pressed on his forehead. That night he slept more peacefully than ever before.

~The End

(if you want to imagine some sexy times here just listen to this… youtu. be/OZDEiNdvtcA)

Match by ofVerona

Don't want to say it out loud
Not sure I like how it sounds
But I need you so much
That's it's breaking me down

So I'll say it now
Before I get too proud
When I think of your touch
I want to live in your mouth

Think you reached this message in error
When you lie in the dark, know that I see

It was good for me
With your thigh on my knee
Your hand in my hair
We were everywhere
It was good for me
Pure ecstasy
Both pleasure and pain
Rolled into the same

(You know it was good for me)

Do you know what you've done
Do you know who I've become
Was an angel I think
With a devilish side

Think I need to hear a forever
When I lie in the dark
Just know that I see

It was good for me
With your thigh on my knee
Your hand in my hair
We were everywhere
It was good for me
Pure ecstasy
Both pleasure and pain
Rolled into the same

I was the match
I was the match
I was the match
That lit you on fire

I was the match
I was the match
I was the match
That lit you on fire