Title: Affectionate
Author: Llama1412
Universe: BBC Merlin
Characters: Arthur/Merlin
Disclaimer: Characters from BBC Merlin and the Arthurian Legends do not belong to me.
Summary:
Modern!AU Merlin wouldn't have expected Arthur to be the affectionate sort.
When he'd first met Arthur, Merlin had gotten the impression that the man was very standoffish, distant, not the type to express affection if, indeed, he could even feel such a thing.
His first interactions with Arthur hadn't done much to dispel that impression. With his perfectly cut business suit and his high-class interests and just his general disdain of other, Arthur looked like he'd turn out just like his father, cold and uncaring.
Merlin hadn't expected to have any influence over Arthur. All he'd wanted was to do his job, get his pay, and then get the hell away. He wasn't sure when that had changed, when it because desirable to be around Arthur, when he went out of his way to do so.
But somewhere along the way, Arthur began seeking him out as well, began inventing excuses to be around him. And eventually, a relationship became the only natural progression of what they had.
And yes, Merlin knew Arthur'd changed, softened around the edges, but he still hadn't expected Arthur to be able to confess his love or use words like "darling" or "sweetheart". And really, it shouldn't matter. Things like those were overused, clichéd, trivial. Merlin didn't want them anyway.
That was why he was in no way overjoyed when Arthur was the first one to confess to him, when Arthur would wrap his arms around him in the kitchen and call him "darling", when he'd come in late and Arthur would greet him with a smile, a kiss, and a "love you".