Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin *sigh*

Oh gods, I hate playing tag was all Merlin could think as he ran through the forest. His heavy breathing, the snap of twigs under his feet and the rustle of leaves seemed to echo through the trees. The footsteps behind him were getting louder by the second. He's going to get me Merlin thought as he looked over his shoulder. This wasn't the best of things to do when he was walking, let alone running, so the next thing he saw was the ground. It wasn't any softer than the last time he'd fallen on it which had only been a few minutes ago.

"Damn!" was all Merlin could mutter before a heavy weight was suddenly on his back. A laugh erupted from the body on top of Merlin. "You're so bad at this!" Arthur chortled. Merlin could almost hear the grin in his voice. "It's not my fault, you're a knight!" Merlin whined back at Arthur.

"Maybe I should just send you on more chores across Camelot," Arthur pretended to think aloud "Although you probably wouldn't have to travel that far, Merlin." Merlin sighed as much as he could with a heavy prat seated on him. "Can you get off now?" Merlin asked, trying to somehow bend his arms backwards and push Arthur off. "What's the magic word?" Arthur asked. Merlin could think of several different words and not all of them magic. When Arthur mistook Merlin's silence he spoke again "I um…I was joking…you just have to ask." Arthur was still getting used to the whole magic thing.

Merlin smiled "I know. Now will you please get off?"

Arthur grinned cockily, getting his bravo back and stood up. "You're it," was all the warning Merlin got before Arthur ran off in the other direction. Rolling his eyes, Merlin ran after him.

As he ran Merlin had time to reminisce. He thinks of the first time he and Arthur played tag. It had been pouring with rain, but Arthur still wanted to go on a hunting trip. When none of the knights had volunteered to come with him, he'd gone off in a fit of anger mumbling things about the principle of it all and how he could do the trip alone, because obviously Merlin doesn't count as someone.

The hunting trip had lasted five days. Four days of eye spy in a forest full of green and brown can only go so far, so on the fifth day Merlin had suggested a fame of tag. It had been incredibly fun, but also incredibly messy. They'd come back to the camp with mud soaked clothing and shivering bodies. While Arthur had gone to the river to bathe, Merlin had stayed to wash their clothes.

Merlin being the, as Arthur always insists, idiot that he is had decided that it was safe to use magic. When Arthur had come back earlier than Merlin had guessed he would, looking all clean and wet, Merlin had stopped and stared even though he'd been half way through a spell. Arthur had gaped, took in a few breaths and walked straight past Merlin to where his sleeping roll was. Merlin gulped and finished silently and manually washing their clothes.

Later that night Arthur finally spoke again. "Why?" asked the blond, fighting to keep his voice under control. That single word nearly broke Merlin's heart. So many different answers sprung to mind. "It's not my fault," was what he'd blurted out.

"Not your fault? It's magic! I…I don't know what to think…you're…almost amazing, Merlin," Arthur had managed to say.

Merlin looked, his blue eyes open wide. "Amazing?" That certainly wasn't the word he'd thought Arthur would use.

"Fantastic if you prefer. You've hidden your magic from me and you're using it for laundry! That is so…so…you!"

Merlin's face had turned from shocked to pleased to guilty in the time of a few seconds. Most would have laughed, but not this prince. Instead he'd watched the taller boy intently, scrutinisingly as if seeing him for the first time.

"I may have used it for other things…" Merlin trailed off, biting his full lips. Arthur crossed his arms "Go on." So Merlin did. He told Arthur of all the times he'd had to save him. Arthur felt quite the idiot.

"Aredian was right then."

"Yeah," Merlin said, waiting for the inevitable explosion. But it never came. Merlin looked up to see Arthur staring at him intently. His beautiful features were screwed up as he struggled for words. "Thank you," he finally said, deciding simple was best.

Merlin's heart nearly skipped a beat and he brought the other boy in for a hug. "You're not going to have me killed?" he asked cautiously.

"No. Who would wash my socks then?"

Merlin laughed, long and relieved. He smiled a peaceful grin. The boys sat there, hugging for a moment before Merlin spoke. "Is that the only reason?" he asked, voice sounding like he was talking to a scared animal. "Among others," Arthur admitted.

That was all the reason enough for Merlin to gently pull Arthur's chin into a short, chaste kiss. He'd pulled back to almost immediately have his head cupped and his mouth claimed.

When the kiss ended, Merlin had grinned against Arthur's mouth. They'd ended up staying awake most of that night.

Back in the present, Merlin had fallen over. Thinking about spending the night with your lover wasn't the best thing to do when chasing after said person. In front of him Arthur laughed, hearing Merlin cursing on the forest floor. He ran back towards him and laughed again. "Must you always fall over when we play tag?" Arthur asked, putting out his hand to help Merlin up.

"Yes, because it means I get to do this," Merlin said, pulling Arthur's outstretched hand, so the other boy was on the ground with him.

"Idiot," Arthur huffed.

"Prat," Merlin said back fondly. Sighing, Arthur pulled Merlin in for a slow and passionate kiss. Merlin responded keenly and couldn't help, but think about how much he loved playing tag.

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