When it finally comes, the seduction is both slow and fast at the same time.

It begins with Arthur calling for Merlin just hours after he's first dismissed him – no, it begins a few months prior, when the Prince watched his servant willingly drink from a cup that he knew to be poisoned, to save him. For him.

It progresses as all things do in nature, but Merlin doesn't acknowledge it even though he's well aware of it. He pushes it away into the corner of his mind, along with half-formed apologies and stuttering explanations and pretends to forget all about it until he's called for and even then, he's not sure what it means.

When Merlin knocks on Arthur's door he receives no answer so pauses and waits three heartbeats before pushing the door open and steps inside, and in the night's balmy air Arthur is dressed in the same tunic and trousers as before and he's standing right in the middle of the room, gazing out of the window, hands slack at his sides.

He looks around as he hears Merlin enter and his servant shuts the door without being told because by now he knows Arthur, knows when he's in a sort of private mood or wants to discuss something. So he waits for him, waits to find out what he's been sent for but Arthur says nothing and just continues to stare at him as though he's only really just seeing him.

Merlin's about to ask if he wanted him here to ask him something or just to stare when Arthur finally turns and takes a step forward then hesitates, his mind working as he glances down briefly and then something inside resolves itself and his feet bring him completely across the room to him where he stops, inches away.

And then he stares again, blue eyes flicking back and forth all over Merlin's face and there's no sound at all but their breathing, out of time and slightly too fast because that little corner of his mind that he's kept at bay is creeping back into his consciousness and he's not sure what to make of it.

Arthur's hand isn't quite as steady as his eyes when he raises it to the warlock's face and his fingers reach out and touch his neck, thumb pressing gently against his jaw and then slipping down to rub over his collarbone and still Merlin says nothing, scared of what might come tumbling from his lips, so he just looks down as Arthur's knuckles brush his cheek. But Arthur's hand is strong on his chin and forces his face up, gazes locking blue on blue and Merlin really looks at the Prince for the first time in a long while.

And then with even realising it, his own hands are moving up as though of their own volition, one resting on Arthur's shoulder and the other curving around the base of his neck, fingers brushing his hair and he can feel Arthur's eyes on him even as he stares at the other man's throat, and the silence between them is heavy and the air thick. When Arthur moves forward just that little bit, eyes flicking downward, copying him seems the logical thing to do so there's no surprise when their lips touch, fleeting and brief and then apart.

They're still breathing at odds to each other when Arthur's other hand finally comes up and pushes itself into Merlin's hair and pushes together their heads but not their lips, foreheads pressed skin to skin and Merlin could swear that Arthur's trying to inhale him or something because his eyes are squeezed shut and he's breathing deeply. His arm drops down to wrap around the warlock's back and he pulls him in, pushing his face into his shoulder. Merlin's not entirely sure what's going on but the corner in his mind that's quickly gaining ground is perfectly at ease with this so he goes with it, moves his own arms to grip the Prince's tunic and waits, waits.

And Arthur does eventually pull back, slowly, and then comes one of those rare genuine smiles that he seems so reluctant to share but it's quickly gone, because he's kissing Merlin again and there's now no doubt in his mind what's been hiding for this long time. His hands are clenching and unclenching all over Arthur's back and he's out of control now, and Arthur's hands are burning on him.

He knows what happens now – the dragon's been telling him all along.

He breaks the contact and waits for Arthur to make the next move.