A/N: And it is finally done! Honestly, the last couple parts even went up thanks to analise010 who nudged me and pushed me and then withheld HER OWN FIC from me. So clearly, I had to have it done asap. XD I'm planning a sequel of sorts to this, which will be up eventually so the end doesn't seem quite so abrupt. Enjoy the reunion and awkward kissing of doom!

The Queen had ordered a feast to celebrate the return of Camelot's most loyal protector.

Arthur mostly spent the entire day hiding in his chambers, leaving only when Guinevere ordered him, saying Merlin was due any minute. His arms decided the proper response was to cling onto his bed post for dear life, ignoring Guinevere's irate sighs and tugs on his arm.

"Arthur. You have not seen him nor written a word to him in the three months he has been gone. The least you can do is deign to show up the day he is due to return."

"I am King," he protested, wincing at the painful sharpness of Gwen's nails digging into his forearm. "I have very important appointments and...things."

"No, you don't. Arthur. Let. Go. Now – oof. Percival!"

Arthur stared at her in betrayed horror. Surely she wouldn't let one of the knights – however close to the king – witness such unkingly behaviour. Apparently she would, and she had anticipated Arthur being difficult – not that he was being difficult, mind – and had stationed Percival and Gwaine just outside their chamber door. He released the bed instantaneously, straightened his crown.

"Nothing to see here," he told them in his best battlefield voice. They looked unimpressed. "Just get to the courtyard," he added. Both of them cast twin smirks in his direction, but left with an appropriate bow.

Arthur was suddenly reminded of how Merlin never bowed.

He shook his head, decisively ignored Guinevere's smug smile and held out his hand for her, because betrayed or not, he was still a gentleman. Really.

There weren't as many people in the courtyard today as there were the day the delegation from Warthog visited. The people loved Merlin dearly, but not so much they would want to stand around waiting for him after only a few months of absence. He was gone much longer on war campaigns anyway.

What comfortable lives they must lead, Arthur thought spitefully, to be so unperturbed by his too-long holiday.

They waited. Arthur fidgeted with the hem of his cloak, restless with anticipation and something else he wasn't willing to give much thought to.

Merlin would be angry, he knew, and rightfully so with the way Arthur had treated his leaving. Like an overgrown prat, Merlin's familiar voice snarked in his mind. Maybe Merlin wouldn't question Arthur about his less than courteous behavior, but it was a vain hope. Merlin never let Arthur get away with anything if he could help it.

"When did he say he'd be here?" Gwaine asked, looking just as impatient as Arthur felt.

"He said noon," Lancelot said, utterly unaffected by the lateness of Merlin's arrival. "It is only half past. He will be here any minute."

"Um...what are you all doing out here?"

Arthur whipped around, heart in his throat at the familiar voice. A few of the other knights had drawn their swords at the unexpected voice as their king just stared dumbfounded. Because there, waiting at the top of the steps behind everyone else was none other than Merlin. Whispers spread across the courtyard, and Arthur knew they were discussing just how the court sorcerer had managed to slip past them.

"What the –"

"I've been looking all over the castle for everyone." Merlin looked at their stunned faces. "Have I missed something?"

"Merlin!" Gwen ran up the stairs and enveloped Merlin in an unrelenting hug. Arthur did not envy him, having been on the receiving end of Gwen's enthusiastic hugs more than once. "Where did you come from? We've all be waiting for you here!"

"Oh." He grinned sheepishly at them. "I suppose I should have mentioned I'd be traveling by the Floo."

Gwaine rolled his and slapped Merlin's back. "Good to have you back, Merlin. The castle's been ridiculously dull."

Arthur resisted the urge push everyone away and have Merlin all to himself. Only the knowledge that Merlin would frown at him disapprovingly kept him from doing so. He knew Merlin was already annoyed at him; there was no need to flare the aggravation further by behaving like the pillock Merlin always accused him to be.

He didn't get a single moment alone with Merlin for the rest of they day. Someone was always sidling up to them, curious about the north and the northerners; parents asking whether their child had settled down in their new home; knights and ladies of the court clutching at Merlin's sleeves to tell him how much they missed him; serving boys and girls flirting outrageously because 'oh! Your hair has grown, Merlin. So handsome, truly.'

Through it all, Arthur sat in the dining hall, scowling fiercely whenever anyone came up to him to comment on Merlin's new clothes – it's how they dress in the North, you see, one young lord said in a tone that might have been placating had he not been leering at how broad Merlin's shoulders looked in his new dark leather coat. Arthur glared at the lordling until he walked away, expensive clothes and all.

He pointedly ignored it when both Sirs Leon and Elyan tried to nudge him closer to Merlin, and even crossed to the other end of the room in order to escape their you are being childish looks. He tried to leave the celebrations early to avoid running into Merlin when some of the crowd thinned out. Alas, he was thwarted by Gwaine's firm hand around his upper arm.

Everyone left eventually until there was only just a few of his closest knights, Guinevere, and Merlin.

"Well...this is a nice cozy moment."

Trust Gwaine to try to lighten the mood – and fail.

"This has been an exciting day. I am exhausted, so excuse me Merlin, but I think I will retire to my chambers now. It's wonderful having you back. The castle felt lonely before." She leaned over and pecked him on the cheek lightly. "Goodnight, Merlin. My lord."

She left with Lancelot.

The rest of them trickled behind them like a herd following their shepherdess.

"So." Arthur cleared his throat, aware of how loud it sounded in the suddenly silent hall. "How was –"

"Shut up, Arthur. Just. Shut up."

He did.

"I wrote to you for months, and the best you could do were three measly lines telling me it would be nice? Nice. Do you know how it feels to send letter after pathetic letter and to realize that you don't even care enough to send one back?"

"Uh. I –"

"Seriously. Shut up."

Arthur stood frozen, incapable of moving because Merlin was striding at him angrily now, and it was best to just say or do nothing when Merlin was truly annoyed. He was expecting a sting of magic or a punch even, but what he had not expected in a hundred thousand years was Merlin reaching up to cup his hands around Arthur's face.

"You're an idiot."

"So I've been reliably informed," Arthur babbled because Merlin was close, much too close to him and his instinct was to always insult him. "By a completely incompe – mphg!"

Arthur may or may not have flailed, arms waving on either side because what. What was – Merlin was – there was kissing happening and all Arthur could do was stand there looking utterly stupid. Merlin was right. He was a cabbage head.

Then, belatedly, he realized Merlin was kissing him. With his lips. On Arthur's. They were touching. Heat flared up where Merlin's body pressed against him. His eyes were still open for some reason, as were Merlin's, who was looking back at him inquisitively. He looked like he was about to pull away, which Arthur most certainly did not want. He gulped, stalled his flailing limbs and settled them somewhat comfortably on Merlin's hips. Merlin's eyes immediately crinkled in that way they did when Arthur had done something really noble or really prat-like. It was the confidence boost Merlin needed apparently, because Arthur felt his tongue flicking against his pinched shut lips and Merlin was coaxing them open and – oh. It was warmer still, Merlin's tongue seeking out his own, awkwardly sliding against his teeth until it was just a wet slide of tongue against tongue and how long had Arthur imagined this? It was nothing like the late nighttime wondering, however. This was something else entirely...something real and so very Merlin that Arthur wasn't surprised when a surprised groan slipped out of his very occupied lips.

The soft noise startled Merlin into pulling away. He saw him smirk as Arthur chased after him, wanting more of that wet warmth. Merlin was, Arthur decided, truly evil and the only reason he was still in Camelot was because he just hid his evilness under all those sharp angles and dimpled smiles.

"Well. I suppose Gwen was right."

"What? Why are you talking about Guinevere. Stop it. Let's go back to what we were doing before you started talking about her." Arthur pulled fruitlessly at Merlin's coat flaps, but he just jumped out of reach, a wild grin playing across his reddened lips. He'd done that, Arthur realized, dazed in a way he never had been from just one kiss. "You are evil," he informed Merlin, and most certainly did not pout.

"Sorry, sire," Merlin said, although he didn't look very sorry.

Arthur told him as much, which earned a genuine Merlin smile that he had not since the day he got that blasted letter from Gryffindor. It made Arthur warm and tingly inside for an entirely different reason. Merlin walked back to him, arms stretched out to either side so Arthur could fit in between them. He took this opportunity of this new-found physical aspect of their relationship by pecking Merlin experimentally up his neck.

"And you said you hated hugs," Merlin teased. "Did you enjoy Godric's present?"

Arthur whipped back, horrified. "What? You mean that wasn't –" Arthur felt sick all of a sudden. Merlin hadn't – this was just – oh God.

"What? No. No, Arthur, you utter clot-pole. That was. Stop being stupid." Merlin kissed him full on the mouth in answer to everything Arthur was not asking out loud.

Arthur promised he was going to take back every single time he cursed Merlin as an oblivious idiot because if this was what came from years of obliviousness on Merlin's part, Arthur was completely fine with it.

He took charge of the kiss, because Merlin would never let him forget if he just stood there dumbly the second time around. He pushed against Merlin until he was pressed against the cool stone wall. Merlin spun them around – the bastard cheated, because there was no way in Hell Merlin had the physical capability to manhandle Arthur – so that Arthur was the one with his back to the wall. He let out a pathetic whimper he would never admit to when Merlin insinuated his firm thigh between Arthur's parted legs. Arthur couldn't say how long they stood there lost in each other, but it certainly felt too soon when someone gave an embarrassed cough.

It was a serving girl who had come to clean the hall. "S – sorry, sire. I'll just be going now, sire, and Sir Warlock. Um." She punctuated the end of each sentence with bows that got deeper and deeper the more she stammered. The poor girl left to room in a hurry, face blazing red.

Merlin's face was nuzzled in Arthur's neck. He could feel him shaking with silent laughter, and he joined in, the tense weight of everything they left unsaid leaving him for the moment.

"We should go up," Merlin whispered against Arthur's ear. "Your chambers."

Arthur nodded and led Merlin up by the most discreet route he knew. He chuckled, a little breathless when they were safe behind closed doors.

"I'm sorry," he blurted, eager to apologize and much more because Merlin was right. Arthur had been the biggest prat imaginable. "I just thought that if you wanted to go so badly then you'd stay there and then Godric was so bloody perfect with his Goblin sword and his stupid hair and red robes," he was babbling, but he didn't care. He needed to get this off his chest. "And then all you could talk about was what a beautiful castle that place was. I just figured it would be easier if I didn't say anything. My letters were mostly pathetic anyway, and if staying north was what you really wanted, who was I to –"

Merlin is on him in an instant, fingers flying to pin Arthur against the door. "You stupid, idiotic, foolish man." He punctuates each word with a kiss to Arthur's eyes, his nose, cheeks, and finally his lips. "Did you really think I could ever live there for ever? That I could stay away from Camelot or from you?"

"Gwen said as much," Arthur mumbled, heat spreading up his neck.

"You need to listen to her more often. Also... Godric's hair? Really, Arthur? You were jealous of Godric?"

"Was not." Arthur scowled at Merlin's chest and wished for his powers. That would show Merlin.

"I was always going to come back," Merlin said with a certain softness Arthur had never heard. "I just... "

"I know." Because he did know now. Maybe he had always known and had just been too stupid to realize. He sidled around Merlin to fetch something from his cupboard. It was his final apology, and though Arthur wouldn't forgive himself for having hurt Merlin, at least Merlin would have proof of how utterly pathetic Arthur had been without Merlin around to straighten him when he pouted too much. Arthur placed the box of letters in Merlin's hand. "Read them later."

Merlin placed it on the table with a knowing smile. "Tomorrow morning, perhaps? You can read them to me."

"Oh. Of course. I can come by your tower to – tomorrow and...what?" Arthur asked, affronted when Merlin began chortling.

"Arthur. I wasn't exactly planning on going back to my tower tonight."

Realization dawned on and he smiled, horrified at how shy he felt. King Arthur was not shy. He smirked at Merlin. "Is that right?"

"Mhmm."

"Well, then you should tell me how you plan on spending your first night back in Camelot."

"With pleasure."

Fin.