“So all of those times I thought I was saving Camelot and winning honor for the realm…I was really getting myself knocked out so that you could do it?” Arthur couldn’t seem to keep the bitter disappointment out of his voice. He flung his sword to the corner of the room and let the pieces of his armor clatter to the floor as he pulled them off.
“Oh for the love of -” Merlin cut himself off before starting again. This self-esteem counseling session wasn’t exactly how he expected this to go. “This isn’t about you. Or rather, isn’t about me doing your job.”
“We should just crown you royal prince and heir to the throne,” Arthur muttered.
“God, Arthur. You really don’t get anything, do you? I’m not brave or terribly smart. I’m not diplomatic. I don’t know what you know. But I love you. And so I occasionally save your ass. But Camelot doesn’t need me. They need you. So stop worrying about actually using your servant every once and a while and get to being a prince.”
The room was silent for awhile, the tension of recently released magic and frustration humming quietly in the background. Merlin hung around being annoyed for awhile, but just as he was getting fed up and ready to leave, Arthur finally spoke.”
“You are brave. And smart.” Arthur took a deep breath. Merlin kept his eyes on the window off to the side. “And whether or not Camelot needs you, I do. And not just to save my ass.”
“You really do need me quite a bit for that though,” Merlin said, grinning.
Arthur scowled and grinned good natured. “I firmly believe you have dramatically exaggerated the frequency at which that occurs.”
“Have not! Ask anyone!” Though to be fair, there was no one who knew the answer but Gwen, a sore subject; Morgana, a treacherous and bitter pill; and Gaius – whose death was still to close to the surface for Merlin’s comfort.
“How’s about we go find some monsters, then, and you can prove it,” Arthur tossed a sword to Merlin who caught it more deftly than Arthur had imagined he could.
As they raced off, Arthur said so quietly he thought Merlin wouldn’t possibly hear – “I love you too.”
Merlin smiled.
