Rapunzel

aeris444

Merlin’s face appeared on the screen. He smiled and Arthur spotted the bookshelves behind him meaning he was in his bedroom;

“Hey!” Arthur smiled, too. “How are you today?”

“Alone and confined.”

It has been Merlin’s answer for the past weeks.

Arthur had a sad smile. He missed Merlin a lot even if he voiced it way less than his boyfriend.

“I feel like Rapunzel, trapped, alone, in my tower with no contact with the outside world, waiting for my Prince to come and save me!” he moaned theatrically.

“Merlin… You are not really alone! You have Kilgarrah!”

Kilgarrah was Merlin’s cat. An old black grumpy beast that had always hated Arthur whatever Merlin said to defend him.

“I won’t say it too often as you’ll get a bigger head but his cuddles are nothing compared to yours.”

“I should have registered this conversation!”

“Isn’t it done by your security services?”

“Not on my personal computer, Merlin!”

“Does that mean we could…” Merlin didn’t finish his sentence but the way he wiggled his eyebrow told everything.

“Better not take the risk!”

“I miss that, too, you know.”

“Me, too.”

They sighed in concert.

“I… I could make you come.” Arthur suddenly said.

“I thought you say we shouldn’t.”

“No, not like that, your sex maniac! I could make you come here, at Highgrove! You are alone for more than two weeks so there is no risks. I can send someone pick you and…”

“And what about Kilgarrah?”

“You can take him with you, of course.” Arthur didn’t even hesitate.

“It’s… It’s very kind of you but… don’t you see the problem, here?”

“Your cat hates me?”

“Arthur… Your family doesn’t even know about me!”

“Oh, that… But my father is at Sandringham and my sister is staying at Anmer Hall with Leon and the kids.”

“And what will you tell the security service?”

There was a moment of silence and Arthur tried not to let his deception show. He hadn’t really thought about that.

“It’s okay Arthur. I understand and I knew what I was getting myself into when I kissed you that day…”

“But you deserve more, Merlin… We’ve been… together for nearly ten months now. Perhaps it is time for our story to stop being a secret.”

Arthur had thought about it a lot in the past weeks, even before that lockdown thing. He loved Merlin. He loved him enough to face the obstacles on their path.

“Arthur? Are you serious? Do you really think it’s the right time...for that?”

“Perhaps. People would have something else to talk about than the virus... “

“You’re really serious, then?”

“Yes, Merlin. I want to be with you through this ordeal… And all the others in our lives.”

“Wow… I…”

Arthur could see Merlin’s pink cheeks and the emotion in his eyes.

“So? What do you say?” Arthur asked.

“I… Yes?”

“Sure?” Arthur asked again, smiling at Merlin who smiled back.

“Yes… I… I’m okay to let the people of Britain now that I’m shagging their Prince!”

“I’m sure the press office will find another way to formulate that!”

“What a shame.”

“I love you, Merlin.”

“I love you, too, Arthur.”