The First Morning
Some mornings were better than others.
That particular morning, Arthur awoke when the early sunlight filtered through his window. It made a nice change to his normal, harsh awakening to the sound of his clumsy manservant stumbling around his room in the dim pre-dawn light. Once Merlin had lit the way with a candle, and ended up nearly setting Arthur's bed alight.
He'd set Arthur's bed alight last night, but that was different. Everything was different after last night.
Arthur lay there quietly, looking at the man beside him as he slept. Merlin looked so peaceful lying there, one arm flung out across Arthur's chest as if he were after that constant reassurance that Arthur was still there. His shock of sleep-tousled dark hair was dark against the pillow. It was probably going to stick up in all directions when Merlin woke. Arthur smiled at the thought. He resisted the urge to reach over and run his fingers through it because he didn't want Merlin to wake just yet.
When Merlin woke up then that deliciously comforting warmth that was emanating from his body would be gone. He would leave the comfort of Arthur's bed and, realising he was horribly late, go running off in search of breakfast for the prince.
Arthur didn't want breakfast. He wanted to keep Merlin there, retain their precious time together for as long as possible. He hoped this wasn't just going to be a one-off, but just in case it was Arthur wanted to commit it all to memory.
Merlin would probably trip over his own feet in his haste to get dressed. Arthur smiled as he imagined it. He had watched Merlin's ungainly progress around his room many times, seen him sprawling across the floor. Sometimes part of Arthur's meal would be sprawling with him, spreading across the floor.
Now Merlin was sprawled across Arthur's bed. He took up a lot of room, and Arthur wondered how Merlin managed to fit in the tiny little bed he normally slept in. His eyes were closed, his lashes dark against his pale skin, his mouth just very slightly open. Arthur could have stayed there watching him forever.
Still, Merlin would have to be woken soon. Someone would come looking for them, wondering why Merlin hadn't collected Arthur's breakfast or wanting to know why Arthur was late for whatever it was he was supposed to be doing that morning. Arthur couldn't remember what his itinerary was for the day, and he didn't particularly care.
Gently he nudged Merlin, who frowned in his sleep then rolled over, nestling closer to Arthur. He didn't wake, instead Arthur could feel Merlin's warm breath ghosting over his chest, and hear the faint little snuffles Merlin had started making.
"Merlin," Arthur whispered, and nudged him again. "Wake up."
Merlin snuggled closer.
"Merlin..."
That time it worked. Merlin's eyelashes fluttered briefly, he wrinkled his nose, then sleepily opened his eyes and gave Arthur a tentative smile.
It was the sweetest thing Arthur had ever seen, and he couldn't help leaning in for a kiss.
"Morning."
Merlin's smile widened as he pulled away, and Arthur wondered just how long they'd have before someone disturbed them.
"I'm late."
"And I'm the crown prince," Arthur pointed out. "Someone will bring breakfast. Stay."
There had to be some advantages to the position.
That particular morning, Arthur awoke when the early sunlight filtered through his window. It made a nice change to his normal, harsh awakening to the sound of his clumsy manservant stumbling around his room in the dim pre-dawn light. Once Merlin had lit the way with a candle, and ended up nearly setting Arthur's bed alight.
He'd set Arthur's bed alight last night, but that was different. Everything was different after last night.
Arthur lay there quietly, looking at the man beside him as he slept. Merlin looked so peaceful lying there, one arm flung out across Arthur's chest as if he were after that constant reassurance that Arthur was still there. His shock of sleep-tousled dark hair was dark against the pillow. It was probably going to stick up in all directions when Merlin woke. Arthur smiled at the thought. He resisted the urge to reach over and run his fingers through it because he didn't want Merlin to wake just yet.
When Merlin woke up then that deliciously comforting warmth that was emanating from his body would be gone. He would leave the comfort of Arthur's bed and, realising he was horribly late, go running off in search of breakfast for the prince.
Arthur didn't want breakfast. He wanted to keep Merlin there, retain their precious time together for as long as possible. He hoped this wasn't just going to be a one-off, but just in case it was Arthur wanted to commit it all to memory.
Merlin would probably trip over his own feet in his haste to get dressed. Arthur smiled as he imagined it. He had watched Merlin's ungainly progress around his room many times, seen him sprawling across the floor. Sometimes part of Arthur's meal would be sprawling with him, spreading across the floor.
Now Merlin was sprawled across Arthur's bed. He took up a lot of room, and Arthur wondered how Merlin managed to fit in the tiny little bed he normally slept in. His eyes were closed, his lashes dark against his pale skin, his mouth just very slightly open. Arthur could have stayed there watching him forever.
Still, Merlin would have to be woken soon. Someone would come looking for them, wondering why Merlin hadn't collected Arthur's breakfast or wanting to know why Arthur was late for whatever it was he was supposed to be doing that morning. Arthur couldn't remember what his itinerary was for the day, and he didn't particularly care.
Gently he nudged Merlin, who frowned in his sleep then rolled over, nestling closer to Arthur. He didn't wake, instead Arthur could feel Merlin's warm breath ghosting over his chest, and hear the faint little snuffles Merlin had started making.
"Merlin," Arthur whispered, and nudged him again. "Wake up."
Merlin snuggled closer.
"Merlin..."
That time it worked. Merlin's eyelashes fluttered briefly, he wrinkled his nose, then sleepily opened his eyes and gave Arthur a tentative smile.
It was the sweetest thing Arthur had ever seen, and he couldn't help leaning in for a kiss.
"Morning."
Merlin's smile widened as he pulled away, and Arthur wondered just how long they'd have before someone disturbed them.
"I'm late."
"And I'm the crown prince," Arthur pointed out. "Someone will bring breakfast. Stay."
There had to be some advantages to the position.