A/N This chapter references episode 4x05 (His Father's Son) but it is set after it, so just in case you want to refresh your memory, but it should be fine with out it.

"Rise and shine." Merlin said enthusiastically as he pulled open the curtains in Arthur's chambers.

The reply he got in return was only of Arthur grumbling back some sort of retort after rolling over in bed and burying his head into the pillow, trying to avoid the bright light that hit his eyes.

"Come on. You can't stay in bed all day." Merlin continued, as he pulled the sheets roughly from Arthur clutches.

Arthur felt the tug on the sheets and then the blankets pull off of him, and after the cold air of the room hit his back, he quickly sat up annoyed, and swung his legs off the bed saying, "Yes I can. I'm the king; I can do what I like."

"Like act like a baby." Merlin whispered under his breath as he threw the sheets back onto the bed behind where Arthur sat.

"I heard that." Arthur replied as he stood up from the bed, walking over to the dining table.

It had been a couple of months since Uther's death now, and all considering, Arthur was stepping up to the roll of king fantastically. He still had his bad moments, where the grief came out of nowhere, but Merlin had learnt he could help him through them as long as he was there. It took him some trying but Arthur had finally started letting him in again.

But when it came to ruling the kingdom, Arthur had been pushing everyone away, and after the day he had killed King Caerleon for trespassing on his land after Agravaine had convinced him it's what his father would do, what a true king would do, he had seemed even worse. Merlin had tried to get through to him, to let him take some of the burden, but Arthur had kept his distance, telling him he wouldn't understand what it is to make those decisions. But Merlin didn't stop at trying to get through to him, he only wanted to show him he had someone to talk to about everything.

When Queen Annis, king Caerleon's wife, had declared war on Camelot for Arthur killing her king, it seemed all was lost. Arthur had fallen deeper into Agravaine's clutches, and was ready to fight the war, but in the end, Arthur started listening to the people around him, to what Merlin was saying, and the true king in Arthur came through.

Arthur had decided to fight for himself, and fought in a single combat with the champion of the Queen's choosing. He fought in his own battle against the champion for what he had done to the king, and in the end, when he won the fight, he spared the champions life, and made peace with the Queen, it seemed Arthur had returned to himself. Finally becoming a king he wanted to be.

When they returned home from the battle victorious, Arthur had thanked Merlin for him trying to help, even going so far as to say he was right and he should have listened.

After that, things picked up, Arthur had started talking to Merlin again about his problems in the court, and Merlin had done his best to help. Merlin was just glad Arthur was letting him shoulder some of those burdens, and trusting him with his secrets.

Although Arthur may have overcome that problem, Merlin did want Arthur to be more outgoing again, he had noticed his lack of motivation when it came to just having some fun, and he knew if he just had his friends around him he'd be feeling a million times better in a second.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Arthur said slumped back in his chair at the table.

"What?" Merlin asked placing a plate in front of him, and then remembered what he was referring to. "Oh, you mean the dinner tonight."

"Yes." Arthur confirmed, picking up an apple from across the table, "It's not too late to cancel."

"No." Merlin said, stopping at Arthur's side and looking down at him. "You said I could invite them. Everyone's coming now."

Arthur grumbled and then replied up to him, "I have a new rule, you're not allowed to ask me something in bed anymore. You're at an unfair advantage."

Merlin smiled at that, he was right, he had purposely waited until Arthur was half asleep to ask him, but he knew it was for a good reason. "Just stop moaning, it'll be good for you."

Merlin watched Arthur slump back again, biting his apple, so he moved to sit at the table himself, since he had been spending nearly all his time in Arthur's chambers lately, he had caught up on all his chores, leaving him free to relax. Arthur watched him sit, and then pushed his plate out in front of him.

"You need to eat." Merlin said about to push the plate back.

"I am." Arthur said with a mouth full waving his apple, "and I can guess you've had nothing to eat this morning."

Merlin just shrugged in reply; he hadn't had time to eat yet, but he was starving. So Arthur replied, pushing the plate further in front of him, "Practice what you preach, Merlin."

Arthur smirked when he saw Merlin pick up the bread from the plate, like he didn't want to admit he was actually hungry, but instead he asked, "So, who have you invited to this meal tonight."

"Well, Lancelot and Gwaine said they're coming, but Leon and Elyan are on patrol duty so they can't make it."

"Great, a drunken Gwaine in my chambers, just what I need." Arthur said sarcastically, taking another bite.

Merlin ignored him and kept talking anyway, "Then Percival and Gwen are coming as soon as they stop work."

"Gwen? Is that a good idea, she probably hates me for how I've been to her over this year."

"She doesn't." Merlin answered, he still hadn't told Arthur that Gwen knew about them, he wanted to wait until Arthur was in a better place; he didn't want him worrying any more than he already was. "It'll be good to get back on good terms."

Arthur shrugged, and took another bite, and Merlin just hoped he felt better with his friend around him tonight. It wasn't that Arthur felt unhappy, but maybe lonely, ever since becoming king, he hadn't had free time to spend with his own with friends, and Merlin knew it was exactly what he needed, the last piece in the puzzle of getting Arthur back to himself.

"I'd still rather spend the night alone with you." Arthur said honestly in a quiet voice.

Merlin acknowledged the uneasy look on his face, and reached his hand over the table and gripped Arthur's hand in support, he just wanted to show him he still had people who cared about him. "Well, after everyone's left you'll get exactly that." He said, trying to make Arthur smile, and he succeeded when he saw his lips twitch upwards.

"Will I?" Arthur asked boldly, before pulling the hand Merlin was holding on his, forcing Merlin from his seat and around the table to sit on his lap.

Merlin let Arthur pull him to him, "Yes." He let him wrap his arms around his waist, with him still occasionally bringing his other hand to his mouth to bite the apple.

Merlin let his head drop, his forehead resting against his, this man, so complicated, why wouldn't he just let him help him and be quiet about it. Arthur tilted his head up and let his lips press against Merlin's, his fingers moving from around Merlin's waist and up his chest. He slipped his hand under Merlin's scarf and pulled the long chain out from under his shirt, playing with the medallion that hung on it between his fingers, as he kissed him.

When Merlin pulled his lips away, he looked down at Arthur's fingers, resting his head back against his as he watched. "For you." Arthur whispered to Merlin, agreeing to the plan, as he watched his own hand.

Merlin smiled shyly, his fingers drawing on the back of Arthur's neck, as Arthur looked up at him. They needed no words for what that look between them meant, a look of love, of promise, of something that said they would do anything for each other. Merlin pressed his lips back against his, smiling in appreciation through the kiss, then Arthur said quietly through the slow pure kiss, "A whole night not being able to kiss you though, how will I manage?"

Merlin chuckled against his lips, and replied, "I suppose I'll have to make up for it later." And that line made Arthur smirk.

...

The day had rushed by after that, Arthur had been stuck in council meetings, and then on the training field for the rest of the day, and Merlin had been helping Gaius when not telling the other servants what he wanted for that night. Arthur had said that Merlin should get someone else to do the food for the dinner, so he didn't have to leave to get anything and he could just sit with them, saying, "If I have to sit through this nightmare, so do you." Although Merlin just translated that as Arthur wanted him to be with him.

But when the time came, and they were sat around the table that night with their friends, Merlin saw Arthur's eyes change, he saw him laugh loud again, he saw him look at him with that spark in his eye, and he knew he was back, the old precious thing that was missing in him had returned. Arthur was whole again.

The king sat at the head of the table with Lancelot mirroring him at the other end, he kept Merlin close to him, with Merlin and Gwen sat next to each other on one side and Percival and Gwaine on the other, and having Gwaine back to lighten his day again reminded him of what he had been missing being king.

"… And then the next morning I woke up, in a stable, surrounded by dogs." Gwaine laughed as he finished his long story of how he nearly ended up being killed by King Bayard.

"And I bet that's not the worst place you've woken up in before, either." Lancelot said as he laughed.

"No, it's not." Gwaine said comically serious, as he looked around the table, "I've never told you about Gertrude."

"I don't think we want to know." Merlin said before Gwaine started his story, he could only guess what he would say, but he knew Gwaine and the stories he liked to tell.

"Aww, you're no fun." Gwaine said jokingly as he sat back in his chair, taking another drink from his cup of wine.

"I don't think Arthur wants to listen to your filthy stories tonight." Gwen said smiling, glancing up the table to Arthur, as she sat at Lancelot's side. Merlin had reminded her that he still hadn't told Arthur that she knew, so she was careful to keep her and Lancelot's relationship a secret. She had also filled Lancelot in the plan they were going to make, and Lancelot had agreed, there's not much he wouldn't do for Merlin and he would be happy to help.

"Well, not until I've had another drink." Arthur joked as he grabbed a jug from the middle of the table. They had finished their meal, and Arthur had sent the servant off with a bonus for helping Merlin out, and now it felt more relaxed as they just sat drinking. Arthur couldn't even remember the last time he had sat with his friend and just laughed, no formal dress, or kings to entertain, just having fun for the sake of it. He poured more wine in to his cup, before pouring the rest in to Merlin's at his side.

"Arthur loves my stories." Gwaine said patting Arthur on the shoulder from his other side.

"Yes I do, you're the only person I know strange enough to get into those situations." Arthur replied laughing.

"You're one to talk." Percival said smiling from Gwaine's side. "I've been told about the donkey ears." And at the finish of that sentence Merlin and Gwen burst out in laughter remembering that day.

"That… wasn't like…" Arthur stumbled to think of an excuse, but in the end he just gave in laughed along with them, taking their jokes.

After a while of bringing up old memories and a few more tales from Gwaine, the topic was brought to the present, when Gwen asked Percival, "I saw you with that market girl in town today, she's very beautiful."

"Yes, I suppose she is." Percival answered very aware of Gwaine beside him, nobody knew of their secret nights together, and frankly he wanted to keep it that way, besides he had no idea what Gwaine wanted from him, they had never talked about what it meant.

"Don't be modest. If you like her you should take your chance, anyway I could tell she likes you too." Gwen said, mistaking his uninterest for shyness.

"Nonsense. A man like Percival should have fun, no point settling down yet." Gwaine replied wrapping his arm around Percival's shoulder, saying anything to stop the topic of conversation, he didn't want to know what Percival got up to when he wasn't with him, it didn't bare to think about.

"You would say that." Lancelot joked, "Any woman in the city is willing to marry you."

"You flatter me, Lancelot." Gwaine teased back, falling back in his chair, and then continuing with a wink, "Are you one of those women?"

The grouped laughed as Lancelot threw a roll of bread at him saying, "You wish."

"Anyhow, I know quite a few ladies who have told me how the brave knight Lancelot, is the one they dream about." Gwaine said picking up his cup. "When are you going to find yourself a wife?"

Lancelot made a conscious decision to keep his glance away from Gwen, but that didn't stop him from taking her hand in his under the table as he said, "I'll know when she comes in to my life."

Merlin saw the smile play at Gwen's lips as she stared down at the table, and he couldn't help but grin, he was so happy to see them so in love.

"Quite right." Arthur said without meaning to, and when their heads turned to him he realised he had said it out loud. He stumbled for a second when he realised they were waiting for a response, and then said, "He's right, when you meet the person for you, you just know, there's no 'find' about it." As Arthur talked he felt Merlin's leg brush against his, and he couldn't help his eyes being drawn to his, then looking anywhere but his eyes when he saw that smile on his face.

Gwaine smiled at them, wondering how anyone couldn't tell who he was talking about and said, "Maybe you're right. I can see you with a dark haired, blue eye type myself, but I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Arthur ignored Gwaine's tormenting sentence, and just hoped no one picked up on it, even though he didn't know that everyone sat at that table knew about him and Merlin, even Percival knew after Gwaine had told him by mistake one early morning, but considering what he had been doing when Gwaine told him, he wasn't one to judge.

…

"Is he going to be okay?" Arthur asked, laughing at the singing Gwaine who was hanging on Percival's shoulder.

Percival pulled him out of the door of Arthur's chambers, a hand wrapped around his waist to keep him from falling over, "Yeah, I'll get him back to his bed, so he can sleep it off."

"I don't need sleep!" Gwaine all but shouted hanging on to Percival's clothes, trying to stand by himself and failing, before laughing at his own clumsiness.

They laughed as they watched Percival roll his eyes and drag Gwaine down the corridor, pulling him along when he stopped at some guards walking by and made a grand bow.

"I can't wait to see him at training in the morning." Lancelot laughed turning back to the group in the doorway.

"That should be fun." Arthur joked as Gwen walked to Lancelot's side, and then said, "You'll been fine walking Guinevere home won't you, I could ask a guard to…"

"No, it'll be my pleasure." Lancelot interrupted.

"I do know where I live, and I can walk myself." Gwen said smiling at the men.

"Now what kind of gentlemen would I be if I allowed that." Lancelot smiled offering his arm to her, and Gwen grinned as she looped her arm with his, nodding a goodbye to Merlin and Arthur at the door.

"Bright and early tomorrow!" Arthur shouted after them as they walked away.

Lancelot only replied, "Yes, my lord." As they disappeared around the corner.

Arthur smiled before turning around and closed the door behind him.

…

Percival had finally dragged Gwaine back to his chambers, and had managed to get him inside without waking the whole palace.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Gwaine's clumsy hands were on him, and his lips attacking his own. It wasn't anything Percival didn't expect, it was usual now for whenever they were left alone something would happen between them. But he did feel something different in Gwains kiss, something claiming and demanding.

He slid his hands under the shirt at Gwaine's waist, his hands gripping on his skin as he pushed him backwards into the room, tasting the wine on his tongue.

Gwaine's hands slid to the front of Percival's hips, pulling open his trousers, and keeping his lips now frantically claiming his.

When Percival felt the hand move into the front of his trousers, he felt himself still, and Gwaine's lips moved to his throat. He heard Gwaine mumbling something against his skin, but the fingers clasped around his hardening shaft were distracting him from them.

Gwaine continued forcing Percival backwards, until his legs hit the back of the bed and he fell to sit on it, pulling Gwaine's hips closer to him, staring up at him in a trance as the man's eyes controlled him.

Gwaine stared down at him, feeling the big hands still brushing his skin under to back of his shirt, and as he slowly moved onto his lap, straddling over his thighs, he made sure to keep that eye contact. He didn't know what made things different tonight than any other night they had spent together, but he wanted to make this count.

He moved his lips to his, wanting to feel the heat from his mouth, but he couldn't join them, he felt Percival's hands move up his back, and the shaky breath against his mouth, like he was waiting for him.

"You're mine." Gwaine felt himself whisper against his lips, with a tone of control in his voice that he didn't expect to be there; in fact he didn't even know the words had left his mouth.

"Okay." The word was returned from Percival, still clasping his body against his, and he felt the need radiate from his centre.

With that single word reply, Gwaine felt his lips return back to his, and then his hands back to pulling at his clothes, falling back on the bed. Whatever it was he needed to hear, in that one word he had got it.

…

"Ughh." Arthur groaned a tired sigh as he fell backwards, arms splayed on the bed, "Well, just this once Merlin, you were right, tonight was fun."

Merlin grinned, walking into the bedroom, hearing the happiness in Arthur's voice, he could hear that tone back in him, that thing that made him him.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much from tonight, I didn't think I would be able to unwind after everything, but you were right." Arthur kept talking leaning up on his elbows from the bed, looking at Merlin leaning against the column in his room.

"You've called me 'right' twice now, you must be drunk." Merlin joked and saw Arthur smile and sit up on the bed letting his feet touch the floor again.

"Come here." Arthur ordered dreamily, holding out his hand as Merlin walked over to him.

He drew Merlin between his legs and held his hands on his hips as Merlin looked down at him affectionately, he could have looked up at him all night with that look on his face. Merlin stroked his hand over Arthur's cheek as he studied him, letting his finger whisper over his neck, and his thumb brush against his jaw, he shook his head slightly as he thought of if he would ever get tired of his face, knowing it would never happen.

"What would I do without you?" Arthur murmured quietly, almost just to himself, as he stared up at him.

"Not much I suspect." Merlin smiled down at him, and saw him titter and pull him down to sit on his lap.

"Maybe." Arthur replied as he pressed his lip against Merlin's, and then pulled away to look at him saying, "What would you do without me?" And then kissed him again.

Merlin kissed him back, before answering honestly, "I'd be lost."

"No." Arthur said disbelieving, pulling him backwards with him so Merlin was lying on top of his chest, as he stroked the hair off of his forehead, "You'd be magnificent."

"I don't know." Merlin said closing his eyes, and bending his legs up so they didn't dangle over the edge. He felt Arthur's hands move to the bottom of his back, slipping under his tunic, and start drawing soft circles on his skin. They laid there for a moment, lost in the thought of how they would be if they didn't meet each other, if Uther had never made him Arthur's servant, it didn't bare to think about. Merlin gave a small smile when he thought of how boring life would be without him.

Arthur didn't like thinking about things like that, his life was so different to what he expected it to be a few years ago, but he didn't want it any other way, so he asked changing the subject, "Do you think Percival got Gwaine back to his room okay?"

Merlin chuckled against Arthur's chest thinking about Gwaine, and answered, "If Gwaine wanted anyone to carry him home, it would have been him."

"What does that mean" Arthur asked at Merlin strange choice of words.

"I just think maybe there's more to their story then we know." Merlin replied.

"Percival and Gwaine? No." Arthur said unbelieving.

Merlin smiled, Arthur was always so unobservant when it came to that matter, "I'm just saying we know Gwaine doesn't have a preference for which sex he loves, and the way he jumped to the rescue when Gwen talked about the girl in town, it wouldn't surprise me."

Arthur thought over what Merlin was saying, all the facts were there; maybe he was right again, he was making a habit of that tonight.

"Did you have a preference for sex before you met me?" Arthur asked, they had never really talked about any other relationships they had before this, except after Merlin had told Arthur about Freya, although he didn't mention about the fact she was cursed to be a Bastet, he left that out.

"Not really, I suppose I never really made a conscious decision, I liked who I liked." Merlin replied honestly.

"I did." Arthur said, and watched Merlin lean up to look at him, "I always thought I liked women, I guess you proved that wrong." He finished smiling at him.

"I guess I did." Merlin said leaning over him and letting his head dip to kiss him.

Arthur felt the self-assured smile come through Merlin's kiss, even if he hadn't meant to show it, Arthur knew Merlin liked the fact he was the only man he had ever had, or loved. He slid his hands back under Merlin's shirt, brushing his fingers lightly over his sides and felt the shiver run down his spine at the touch, before pushing him to the side and moving above him, pressing his thigh between his legs.

"Am I your only man?" Arthur asked biting lightly on Merlin's lip as he lifted his head to look at him. When he saw Merlin's eyes stutter and him pause, he asked, shocked staring down at him, "I'm not am I?"

Merlin smiled sweetly as he shrugged beneath him, before saying defensively, "But it was long ago, I didn't even live in Camelot then. And besides, I was young, it was just experimental."

Arthur smiled down at him, "But you were so skittish when I first kissed you, how can you be more experienced than me?"

"I think that was more to do with the fact it was you kissing me, and as I recall you were doing more than just 'kissing', and had me wearing a stupid dress, I wasn't in the most dominating position." Merlin replied rolling his eyes.

Arthur chuckled watching Merlin speak, his Merlin more explored than him, who would have known. Arthur moved his mouth back to Merlin's, murmuring against his lips, still smiling, "Who's better?"

Merlin tittered feeling Arthur slowly peck at his lips, trust him to get jealous of a quick fumble in a barn with a boy he had known for five minutes, but Merlin answered anyway, "You."

Arthur felt the flip in his stomach at that word, something about hearing Merlin say it made his head spin. He slid his fingers down Merlin's chest, kissing him as he moved his hand over the front of his trousers, whispering, "Did he touch you here?"

Merlin felt Arthur press his hips down against his leg as he started slowly stroking him through the material of his clothes, and he mumbled a yes in answer, still smiling at the dark look that had formed in Arthur's eyes.

Arthur pushed his hips down again, rubbing himself against Merlin's thigh as he moved his hand into the front of Merlin's trousers, grasping Merlin's shaft, saying, "Did he touch you like this?"

Merlin gasped at the tight grip of Arthur's hand as he moved slowly over him, hearing Arthur whisper in his ear sent his nerves on edge, and he brought himself to open his eyes just enough to nod a yes to his question.

Arthur smiled biting his lip, watching Merlin's lips parted and every few breaths him gasp up at him when he slipped his thumb over the head of his cock. He let his head drop back to kiss Merlin's jaw and neck, moving to his ear to whisper, "Did he make you come?"

Merlin's eyes screwed shut, Arthur's hand clasping tighter around him, and feeling the breath in his ear, he barely uttered the word 'no' back to him.

Arthur tried to hold back the arrogant grin that spread on his lips, so instead he kissed Merlin's neck, pushing his hips back down on him, taking away some of the pressure through the material of clothes, but he couldn't help but like to think he is the only man that has ever made Merlin orgasm, and that was good enough for him.

He felt Merlin's hand grip on to his upper arms, clinging to his shirt, and heard the gasp in his ear, a sound he would never tire of hearing. He reached his arm between his body and Merlin's, moving his hand into his trousers, gripping his own cock trapped in the confinement; he knew he would be happier taking their clothes off, but everything just felt too needy to waste time with removing layers.

Merlin felt himself twitch in Arthur's palm, and felt the hot breath against his neck, and knew Arthur was touching himself as he did him, and the image made him physical moan. He wanted to touch him, to kiss him, to feel him against him, but the thought of Arthur coming in his own hand at the sight of Merlin made up for the lack.

Arthur found the perfect pace with his hands, now lying on his side beside his lover, with Merlin twisting his head to connect their lips as he fucked his hand. Merlin openly moaned into his mouth, and couldn't stop himself from glancing at Arthur's hand in his own briefs, before his head fell back and he moaned back to the ceiling.

Arthur could see the look on Merlin's face and made sure to let him see the same feeling on his own, letting Merlin watch him as he stroked his own hand over his cock, whispering in his ear, "I like it when you watch me."

Merlin could barely contain himself, bucking his hips up into Arthur's hand, and lifting his head to watch, before falling back down to groan, feeling the heat of Arthur's mouth again.

"Are you going to come, Merlin?" Arthur whispered into his skin, kissing the soft spot under his ear, feeling his own orgasm on the brink. "Come just for me?" He knew he sounded arrogant but he didn't care, he wanted Merlin to fall under his words, to be the only man who could ever make his Merlin come from just a few words and his hand.

One more word in Merlin's ear and he was bucking into his palm, groaning as he came over Arthur's hand, and shamelessly watching the king's hand pull himself to his own orgasm, grunting against Merlin's skin.

When Merlin fell back against the bed, his eyes glazed staring at the ceiling, he felt Arthur pull his hand from his trousers, and sit up on the bed. The blonde pulled his shirt over his head, wiping his hands on it and threw it on the floor before turning back to Merlin, leaning back over him to join their lips. He kissed the servant, letting his tongue taste the wine on his own, and moved his hand under Merlin's shirt before leaning up to look at him, still grinning.

"Am I still better than him?" Arthur asked smiling.

"You're so cocky." Merlin said looking at the grin on his face.

"I'll take that as a yes."

…

The next morning Merlin had tried to sneak out early, when Arthur had woken up.

"I have to go." Merlin said trying to pull from Arthur's arms.

"Why?" Arthur said, pulling Merlin back into his hold as he tried to pull away, he could tell he wasn't really trying to pull out of his grasp, "Tell Gaius you have to stay with me today, we have important things to do."

"That's what I told him last week, and the week before, he's going to get suspicious the amount of time I spend with you." Merlin replied spinning around before Arthur grabbed his arm and pulled him back to him, while biting his lip and smiling down at him, oh yes, the old Arthur was definitely back.

"I'm the king." Arthur said down to him, grinning like a child.

"You're a… clot pole." Merlin replied pulling out of his arms again.

"Fine." Arthur said smiling as he watched Merlin walked to towards the door, "But you can't leave me all day without a kiss." He finished feigning a heartbroken voice, but his smile ruined the seriousness.

Merlin stopped at the door and turned around to see Arthur leaning against the table, looking up at him through his eyelashes. He rolled his eye at him, before giving in and walking over to him, "You really are an arrogant…"

But Arthur cut him off by pulling him into his chest and locking his lips with his, he felt his man servant mumble the end of his sentence before he melted into the kiss, his hands gripping onto the waistband of Arthur's trousers that he had pulled on when he jumped out of bed when he heard Merlin leaving.

Arthur couldn't keep the smile from his lips as he kissed him, his hands gripped in his hair, and his other holding his back, was it so selfish to not want him to go.

Merlin felt his world start to fall away again with Arthur's lips on his, and he found it difficult to register when the door had been opened behind them, until he heard the faint words in his senses.

"Sire?!" Leon asked glued to his spot and not knowing what else to say.

Merlin almost fell backwards at the word, and Arthur jumped up from where he was leaning, looking at Leon in the door way. "Leon?" Arthur asked his voice seeming higher than normal, before laughing shortly and saying, "This, that wasn't… what it looked like." And as he finished he realised how stupid he sounded just saying that sentence.

"No." Merlin laughed nervously in agreement, nodding at Leon, "It was… I fell."

Leon tried to hide a smirk that was playing at his lips, and asked unbelievingly, "You, fell?"

Merlin nodded slowly, knowing he wasn't believing a word of it, but he was committed now.

"He fell." Arthur said in agreement, looking at Merlin and then back at Leon, "And I helped him up."

"Right?" Leon said very obviously not believing a word they were saying, "I'll leave you to get back to, 'helping Merlin up'." He finished turning and closing the door, smiling at them as he left.

There was a pause before Merlin's said deadpan, "Well, that went well."

A/N Sorry for the little lateness on this chapter, everything should be back to normal now though and back to getting this out. I want to make sure I finish it for you guys , I've had the chapters in my head for so long now I just want to get them out.

Anyways, thanks for the reviews, follows, and favourites, as always you guys are awesome. A few replies –

FreaKiki – I know it was such a sad chapter, I knew I would have to write it, and I wanted to keep the grief there. I mean in real life grief doesn't disappear right away, that's why I carried it over to this chapter at the beginning because I did want to write it in somewhere, and do some sort of justice to it. It was one of my favourite moments between them too, it showed their relationship so well, I didn't want to change a word (apart from the handholding at the end, but in my head that happened anyway.) And Arthur will be finding out soon about everything. Thanks for reviewing

Meegan – I wanted to write Arthur pushing Merlin away in this chapter, I think after Arthur fights with the champion of Queen Annis he stops pushing him away. But also it's no fun writing them apart, so I don't like them being distant for too long.

DragonLover9865 – I'm just happy things aren't as gloomy anymore, things were getting way too unhappy, that's why I didn't want Uther finding out about them, it would have been way too much drama, and you're right he would have probably just died of an heart attack anyway lol. I wrote the Leon scene at the end for you, that's exactly how I think they would try to explain themselves, and of course it didn't go well, at least it was only Leon. XD

Jordan – I love your reviews, so we're even lol. And you're welcome, I'm glad I made you grin in chemistry, not an easy thing to do. And I know, it was so hard writing a sad Arthur, its heart-breaking, I'm just happy most people know about them now, so much pressure is off, (except for Arthur he doesn't know shit lol.) Yes. Give him all the cookies. (P.s. Me too, I wouldn't mind being Colin in that situation, but who wouldn't really.) :D