Arthur's return

Noticing

The next morning Arthur woke up first, it took him a few seconds to realise where he was but soon felt a weight on top of him, he looked down and saw messy raven hair resting on his chest. Merlin was lying on top of him, his head on Arthur's chest, his arm clung around him holding him tight and his legs intertwined with Arthur's.
Arthur didn't want to move, he was relaxed and comfortable, he felt at home for the first time since he woke up in that lake. He looked down at his friend, he looked so peaceful but his face showed clear signs of hurt, he just wanted to take all that pain away, he couldn't bare seeing merlin upset. He slowly put his hand to merlins cheek and rested it there, a few seconds later merlin was shuffling awake.
When he was finally awake Arthur couldn't hold back a small laugh when merlins hair was in all different directions and he still had his eyes half shut, "good morning Arthur" merlin croaked out. The second Arthur heard merlins sleepy morning voice he just wanted to kiss him right then and there, 'wait no he's my friend, And a man' Arthur thought to himself but was soon taken out of his thoughts when merlin smiled and snuggled back into Arthur clearly having still not woken up properly, "good morning merlin"

Over the next few weeks Arthur started to notice little things about merlin, it's almost as if merlin is an entire new person since Camelot, he is still sarcastic sassy merlin but there is so much more to him now.
He noticed how merlin barely says two sentences before his coffee in the morning but the second the liquid touches his lips he is wide awake and a dopey smile is plastered on his face, he noticed how merlins hair is always extremely messy in the mornings but extra fluffy. He noticed how when merlin wasn't working he wore either black or grey joggers and a range of coloured hoodies but when he did work he would wear black jeans with a colourful button up t shirt and a jacket, he was confused why merlin wore jewellery but he liked it, it suited merlin well, he wore a range of rings and some chains across his neck from time to time. He also noticed how merlin has painted his fingernails black, they aren't perfect and are chipped around the edges but that didn't matter to Arthur. He noticed how when merlin has the chance to he will paint, draw or read a new book he has got and when he does he often has a hot chocolate, of course with whipped cream and mini marshmallows on top. He noticed how every time they watched a movie together merlin would always fall asleep before it can finish. He noticed how his favourite food is waffles with ice cream but he rarely has them because he says no waffle can amount to the ones he had on his trip in Belgium. He noticed how merlins favourite place is the botanical Gardens with a butterfly farm, when merlin took him there he noticed how all the butterfly's seemed drawn to merlin, which he couldn't blame them for, everyone who meets merlin falls for his charm, they were landing on him in various places, one being on his nose which he found unbearably cute. He noticed how merlin picks up every bit of litter he comes across and mutters angrily something about "looking after our planet if we want to keep living on it". He noticed how merlin loves animals with all of his heart, all animals, there could be a snail on the pavement and merlin will pick it up and place it on the nearest leaf, because of merlins love for animals he has always wanted to rescue and puppy and a kitten but he complains he never has time. But the most important thing Arthur noticed about merlin was the way he held himself to others, back in Camelot merlin was a servent therefore could not speak out of turn and let lords and ladies treat him however they seemed fit, well everyone but Arthur apparently but he loved that fact about merlin, but now if someone insults him he doesn't let them walk all over him, he speaks up for himself but not in an outburst of anger, he is a person of reason and finds a way to get them to apologise, he also noticed that merlin stood up taller and more confidently like how the knights would back in Camelot, (he would have made merlin a knight when he was king,he was the bravest man he has ever met after all but he couldn't bare the idea of not seeing merlins face when he woke up shouting 'rise and shine' everyday ) he liked this merlin.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked when awkwardly standing in the doorway of merlins room, "yes Arthur?" Merlin was lying on his bed drawing "what does it mean if someone starts to take notice to someone else in ways they didn't before?" Arthur now fidgeting with his hands "what do you mean?" "Oh uh don't worry it's not important" Arthur then scurried out of merlins room.