Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of the characters. Hence the fan fiction.

"I'm sorry," Arthur sighed, in a sort of matter-of-fact tone that he often used, perhaps something that had become a habit after all his years of training to be a prince.

"S-Sorry," Merlin repeated, his face twisting into a dorky, self conscious smile. "What do you mean?"

Arthur exhaled again, and above his heart pounding in his ears Merlin wondered if Arthur was annoyed at Merlin again. Perhaps he hadn't performed his duties as a servant? Maybe Arthur had only been joking or trying to relieve the boredom and Merlin had simply taken it the wrong way? But then why was he apologising?

"What I mean, Merlin," Arthur continued, crossing his arms and nodding a little as he spoke in that way that Merlin loved. "Is that I...well, I obviously made you uncomfortable. So...I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Merlin mumbled an awkward smile still tight on his face. "So...I guess we should be getting back," he added, uncomfortably gesturing to the door. But he stopped frozen in his movements in seeing the thoughtful expression on Arthur's face. Suddenly, Arthur had stepped forward, and pushed Merlin around, and back against the wooden door.

"Merlin...did you like what I was doing earlier? Because you seemed to be enjoying it..."

"Maybe you'll have to do it again and see," Merlin replied, a thrill pulsing through him as he whispered the words into Arthur's ear.

"Like...this?" Merlin's whole body fizzled with adrenaline as Arthur leaned in to kiss Merlin, his lips opening slowly over Merlin's, caressing them for the first time and Merlin lost his grip on everything around him, he was spinning up to his own planet with Arthur.

"You're an idiot Merlin," Arthur breathed as they broke off briefly to recover oxygen. "If you'd told me you felt like this earlier...we could have been..."

"Doing it earlier," Merlin panted a little as he finished the sentence. "I thought I was just your idiot servant," he murmured, as both the prince and the peasant boy stood, flushed, against the door, Arthur's expensive red a contrast against Merlin's simple brown jacket and blue neckerchief.

"I thought…it was obvious," Arthur exhaled in a breath. "I had to do that…for my father…the whole castle…" He lifted his hand to make eye contact with Merlin again, holding this time, and Merlin was no longer aware whether he was even breathing.

"But…all those times I went along on your hunting trips, and you didn't say anything…" The words came out of Merlin's mouth just as they sunk into his brain, and he remembered the disappointment after each trip.

"I thought it would be clear by now Merlin." Arthur tilted Merlin's chin gently up with his hand, forcing Merlin to look into his eyes. Those brown irises, that had always seemed so cold before, were now glowing. All the emotions Arthur had been so good at covering up, or brushing aside, Merlin could now see as clear as daylight. This prince he has assumed to be arrogant and cold-hearted was actually more vulnerable than he had ever realised, just too afraid to reveal his true feelings in front of his strict father.

"I love you, Merlin," Arthur whispered tearfully.