Smuts/One Shots

confessions. (m + ap)

merlin didn't know what to do with his knew found knowledge.

arthur had just confessed his love for him.

and there he was, standing in the prince's chambers, not knowing what to say.

arthur was a mess. he was desperate for the boy to say something, anything. 

"sire, have you been put under a spell?" was all merlin could say.

"no, merlin, i haven't been enchanted. i fell for you the first time i saw you." arthur sighed, feeling defeated.

merlin moved so he was standing in front of arthur and took the prince's hand. arthur's eyes met merlin's and they both swore up and down that time truly stopped in that moment.

"i know what i feel, merlin. if you don't feel the same, it's -" arthur was cut off by merlin kissing him.

"does that look like i don't feel the same?" merlin chuckled.

"never cut me off again or i'll throw you in the stocks." arthur pointed at merlin, trying not to laugh.

"you'd never do that. you love me too much." merlin slid his hands from the prince's shoulders to his waist, rubbing circles on the royal's hips with his thumbs. 

arthur rested his head on merlin's shoulder. he wouldn't. everyone knew merlin was arthur's one and only weakness. uther tried everything to keep them apart. even he could see they had feelings for one another. they were too oblivious to realize it themselves, but they got there in the end. 

gwen and morgana had always tried to get merlin to say something to arthur. they knew he felt the same way. the serving boy had been all arthur would ever talk about. somehow, even if the conversation had nothing to do with merlin, arthur always found a way to bring him up. 

the only thing was merlin's magic. did arthur know? how would he tell the prince if he didn't? gwen and morgana knew, but that was because merlin is a klutz and slipped up in front of them. they never minded, of course, but that doesn't mean arthur's reaction will be the same as theirs. the prince could very well say something to his father and merlin would be executed. 

later that night, merlin headed to gwen's. he knew it was late, but he needed to speak with her. morgana was already there, as were lancelot and gwaine. gwen smiled at merlin when she opened the door, as did the others behind her. merlin sat at the table with his friends and slammed his head on the table.

"what happened, merlin?" gwen reached for his hand.

"arthur and i are a couple. he asked me earlier after i finished my duties." merlin revealed.

"why the sour face then? it's about time you two got together." morgana smiled.

"what am i meant to say about my magic? if uther ever found out, i'd be executed. i don't want to put the pressure of deciding between me and his father, the kingdom. that wouldn't be right." merlin sighed, finally looking around the table.

"i'm sure he wouldn't tell his father. i don't think he'd look at you in a different light, merls." gwaine  chimed in.

"but what if he does? what if he doesn't love me anymore after?" merlin scrubbed a hand over his face.

"then we'll kill him." lancelot shrugged.

"LANCELOT!" gwaine smacked his shoulder.

"i'm just saying." the knight chuckled and put his hands up in surrender.

merlin rolled his eyes and smiled at his friends. maybe it wouldn't be so bad if arthur hated him? he at least still had his friends. he thanked them all and headed back to the castle. gauis was there waiting for him. the physician informed merlin that arthur wanted to speak to him. merlin headed towards arthur's chambers, knocking before entering.

"ah, merlin. there you are." arthur threw the papers he was reading on the table.

"what can i do for you, sire?" merlin smiled.

"you can start by telling me how long you thought you'd be able to keep a secret from me." arthur's eyes were dark.

merlin felt his stomach drop. did arthur seriously know? merlin didn't move until arthur continued speaking again. 

"you didn't muck out the stables again, sweetheart." arthur's voice softened once he saw the color drain from merlin's face.

"oh. i'll go do that right away." merlin turned and rushed out of the room.

"merlin!" arthur yelled as he followed his lover.

merlin didn't stop running until he got to the stables. he hid in one of the stalls with the horses until arthur left. or so he thought. when merlin came out of the stall, arthur was standing right there. merlin had nowhere to go; the stables weren't very big and arthur had started closing in on him. the sorcerer backed up against the wall, not daring to look away from arthur's blue eyes.

"why did you run, love? they're just stables." arthur tucked a loose piece of hair back into merlin's fringe.

"i didn't run because of the stables." merlin tried to hold back tears.

"then why? you've never run from me before." the prince grew worried something was wrong.

"i have magic." the sorcerer whispered through the tears that finally fell.

"what?" arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"i was born with it. i only ever used it for you, arthur." merlin hung his head.

arthur backed away from merlin. he couldn't believe his best friend, his servant, the man he fell in love with, was a sorcerer. it wasn't that fact that made him upset, it was that merlin felt the need to hide that from him. then he remembered how much his father hated magic and it clicked. merlin was fearing for his life every day, but continued to use magic to protect arthur. 

merlin didn't say anything. he tried to leave the stables, but arthur grabbed his wrist and looked into his eyes. the prince felt his heart break seeing the tears in his lover's eyes. merlin used his free hand to wipe his eyes. arthur grabbed merlin's other wrist after he wiped his eyes.

"why didn't you just tell me?" arthur whispered.

"i didn't want to put you in a position where you'd have to choose between me and your father or the kingdom." the raven admitted.

"merlin..." arthur's voice faded. 

the sorcerer had a good point. there was nothing the prince could really argue with there. merlin smiled sadly at arthur before grabbing a shovel and started to muck the stables. arthur wanted to stop him, but he didn't know what else to say on the matter at that moment. the prince stopped merlin for a second by kissing him and left the stables.

merlin didn't know what to do. 

he finished his chore and headed back to his own chambers. gauis could tell he was upset, but with how fast he closed his door behind him, the physician let him be.