There was something in the air that night
Arthur had been to this beach a hundred times before, but tonight, something was different. Maybe it was the warm weight of food in his stomach or the cool skin of Merlin's palm pressed against his, but there was something in the air that night.
"The stars are bright," he didn't fully realize he said that out loud until he felt Merlin giggling beside him.
"Fernandoooo," Merlin's voice floated through the air, flooding Arthur's ears and mind, drifting through every sense he had and really, he's never felt like this before.
"What?" the question was little more than a sigh. He vaguely felt someone--Gwen, it had to be--gently, slowly place a flower behind his ear. The perfume of the daisy weighed heavily on his nostrils, and for a moment couldn't hear Merlin over the smell. But the younger man's voice prevailed, Arthur finding himself nodding to a beat he didn't realize had been playing in his head.
"They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, Fernando. Though--"
Arthur's voice cut through the song, "S'not my name."
Merlin blinked. "Huh?"
"S'not my name," Arthur shrugged. "I'm not Fernando, I have no idea who you're on about."
"Alright then," Merlin paused, contemplating, then began again, his voice wavering as he stifled a chuckle, "They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, Oh, Arthur."
The giggles behind them made Arthur turn, glancing at the group circled around the bonfire. "Oh, Arthurrr," Morgana sang, swaying into Gwen. "Though we never thought that we could lose, there's no regrets. Oh, come on, Land, where's that guitar of yours?"
"The stars are bright," he didn't fully realize he said that out loud until he felt Merlin giggling beside him.
"Fernandoooo," Merlin's voice floated through the air, flooding Arthur's ears and mind, drifting through every sense he had and really, he's never felt like this before.
"What?" the question was little more than a sigh. He vaguely felt someone--Gwen, it had to be--gently, slowly place a flower behind his ear. The perfume of the daisy weighed heavily on his nostrils, and for a moment couldn't hear Merlin over the smell. But the younger man's voice prevailed, Arthur finding himself nodding to a beat he didn't realize had been playing in his head.
"They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, Fernando. Though--"
Arthur's voice cut through the song, "S'not my name."
Merlin blinked. "Huh?"
"S'not my name," Arthur shrugged. "I'm not Fernando, I have no idea who you're on about."
"Alright then," Merlin paused, contemplating, then began again, his voice wavering as he stifled a chuckle, "They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, Oh, Arthur."
The giggles behind them made Arthur turn, glancing at the group circled around the bonfire. "Oh, Arthurrr," Morgana sang, swaying into Gwen. "Though we never thought that we could lose, there's no regrets. Oh, come on, Land, where's that guitar of yours?"