Title: A Good Egg

Pairings: Arthur/Merlin

Spoilers: A wink towards most of the series I suppose.

WARNINGS: Someone might die from the sheer randomness and fluffiness!?

Disclaimer: Merlin not mine *sob* It's the BBC's though I want to rob them and get away with Bradley and Colin ^_^

Summary: Merlin's hiding something and Arthur wants to know what.

Notes: My little gift for Easter. Something that isn't dark, angsty or involves death… yeah I might be ill! Completely historically inaccurate but hey who cares this is Merlin after all! ^_^

"Come on. Out with it." Merlin gave Arthur a very blank look. Arthur gave a 'you really are an idiot' sigh, crossed his arms over his chest, put his weight onto one leg, raised an eyebrow and waited. Merlin fidgeted, not able to look Arthur in the eye. "We can stand like this all day and I'm fairly certain I would come off better for it. Now, either you can tell me what's wrong or I can put you in the stocks and then you can tell me what's wrong. Either way you are going to tell me, as what ever it is, it's making you more useless than usual." Merlin twisted his fingers nervously.

"There's nothing wrong, as you say."

"So why are you being such a big girl then?" Arthur watched as a rather fetching pink rose up Merlin's neck and decided to sit on his ears. Finally, Merlin put his hand in his pocket and then held it out to Arthur. The Prince raised his hand and felt the object Merlin held fall into it. Merlin turned and tried to make a hasty exit. "Wait." Merlin froze, but didn't turn back. Blue eyes scanned the object in his palm as he held it up to the light.

"Really, sire, I need to… uh… go and clean something… uh… big and it will probably take me all day and I have to get started or-"

"Merlin, this is an egg."

"Your observation skills still astound me, sire." Merlin gave one of his usual retorts but the normal, playfulness sounded a little strained.

"There's a painting of, what I'm guessing is me, on it."

"Uh, yes, sire." Now Merlin sounded as if he couldn't quite get enough air to his lungs.

"Merlin, did you do this?" Arthur watched as Merlin's head fell and his shoulders slumped. The reply was so quiet, he nearly missed it.

"Yes." Arthur smirked.

"You really are a girl." He very nearly took it back when he saw the hurt in Merlin's eyes, as his manservant looked back over his shoulder.

"The children asked me to join in. I could hardly say no." Arthur silently nodded. He wasn't about to admit that actually it was sort of sweet, as he imagined the gangly frame that was Merlin, sit at the table with a bunch of children, painting eggs. He could even imagine Merlin's pink tongue poking out between his lips in concentration; a habit Arthur had noticed when he was doing something that needed all his attention. Arthur ignored the twist in his stomach that the image gave him.

"Why me, Merlin? Are you trying to suggest I'm egg shaped?" He looked down at himself just to prove his point.

"Not at all, sire. I was just told to paint something I liked." There was an awkward pause as Merlin realised what that implied. He looked away again as his ears flushed red once more. "Look, you obviously don't like it. I'll just take it away and you can forget about it." He walked over to Arthur to grab the egg from his hand. Arthur grabbed his wrist with his free hand. The prince waited until Merlin looked at him.

"My egg." Merlin stared right into Arthur's eyes, suddenly realising how close they were.

"Yes, sire." Arthur let go of his wrist and for a brief moment they just stood looking at each other before Merlin turned away a little flustered. "Well, I've got to go and do lot's of servanty stuff."

"Yes, try and be useful for once." Arthur smirked and watched as his manservant retreated out of his room.

He didn't realise that Merlin was still there when he smiled down fondly at the little painted egg and stroked it softly.

"Mine," he whispered.