Hiding

Chapter 19

Arthur beamed at those words. Maybe everything would be okay after all.

"I love you too."

Merlin had definitely heard everything Arthur had said. He was afraid that Arthur would do what he did again. If Arthur continued to send Merlin away, no declaration of love would fix Merin's broken heart. He supposed he knew why Arthur did it. It was a feeble attempt at protecting him.

Still, Arthur needed to learn that Merlin would do anything for Arthur. It was his destiny to do so, and he would still give his life for Arthur if destiny didn't demand it. Arthur didn't need to protect him. If he was constantly sending Merlin away, how could Merlin protect him? He needed to be with Arthur.

Merlin could forgive Arthur this time. Arthur wasn't so thick that he wouldn't know he was forgiven if Merlin told him that he loved him. Arthur would know. So he said the words and got them in return. Maybe, just maybe, if they could get out of this particular pickle, everything would turn out the way it should. The way destiny intended things to be.

Both men fell asleep to that calming thought.

X

Unfortunately, destiny isn't always easy. The next morning, they woke up late into the day, having been exhausted by the events of the day before. They found that, in the night, they'd drifted closer to each other, and by the time they awoke, Merlin was curled into Arthur's chest with Arthur's arm wrapped possessively around him.

It took the pair of them several minutes to wake up fully. Merlin was the first to recognize their position, and, reluctant though he was to move, they needed to be getting up. He found, however, that Arthur's hold on him was tight, and he couldn't move from his position.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked softly, trying to see if Arthur was awake.

"Mm?" came the confused reply.

"Arthur, I can't move."

"You—what?"

"Your arm. I can't move."

Arthur looked around for a second before his eyes landed on Merlin's face, which was on his chest.

"Oh. Right, yeah."

Arthur removed his arm from Merlin, who rolled over on the bed to put some distance between the two of them. All was quiet for a few moments as the pair collected their thoughts.

"Arthur, I think we need to talk." Merlin was the first to break the silence.

"Yes, perhaps we do." Arthur's reply was short and indifferent. He had no idea what Merlin was going to say, but he was determined to let whatever happened next be of Merlin's choosing; he had lost the right to make decisions in this relationship the moment he ordered Merlin away.

Merlin chose his words carefully—he knew Arthur well enough to know that Arthur was going to be all noble—yet again—and let Merlin decide what they were to each other from this day forth. He sat up and faced Arthur, who copied him.

"Arthur, I love you. I love you so much that it hurts sometimes. I truly do. And I know you feel the same about me. I was...irrationally terrified that you didn't love me after you sent me away." Merlin chuckled slightly. "For goodness sake, you saved me with true love's kiss. I don't think that I ever really doubted that you loved me. But I was afraid that... that you'd send me away again."

Merlin sighed and lifted his hands to cup a silent Arthur's face. "Arthur, if I am to stay with you, I need you to promise, truly promise, that you won't send me away like that ever again. Because if you do, Arthur, I will leave you, and we will never go back to this. Ever. My heart can't take it, Arthur.