Epilogue

Merlin feels cool pillows against his face, but his body is warm beneath the sheets. His legs are intertwined with someone else's. Their hands are wrapped tightly around his waist, his own thrown haphazardly above his head and across the other's chest. Merlin blinks lazily, confused at the blaring song ringing through the air. A grumble passes his lips and Merlin buries his face into a warm shoulder. There's a groan from next to him and Merlin simply elbows him in the side. "It's your turn to hit snooze, Merlin." He hears and his eyes open to the familiar voice. Arthur is looking back at him, his eyes bleary with sleep. The song keeps playing in the background as Arthur pushes close to press a kiss to Merlin's lips, their mouths pillowed soft and warm together, the very essence of a good morning. When he pulls away, Merlin is smiling, but Arthur is back to turning to his side, throwing a pillow over his head. "I told you the runaway alarm clock was a bad idea."

Merlin leans back into the pillows for a second, that feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach as his heart conducts its symphony. The words slip past his lips, and he sees Arthur smile. "I love you too, you lazy oaf. Now go turn that bloody thing off, and come back to bed. I miss you." And how could Merlin deny Arthur that? He's never really been good at denying him anything, if he's telling the truth. Besides, Merlin wants to hold Arthur close and not let him go until morning - if then.

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart
(i carry it in my heart)
e e cummings