aeris444Title:Proposals
Rating:G
Pairing/s:Arthur/Merlin
Character/s: Arthur, Merlin
Summary: Arthur is nervous... He want to ask Merlin something but he doesn't know how.
Warnings: Mpreg
Word Count:633
Prompt:76. Nervous
Author's Notes: Thanks to
derenai for beta-reading it! It's part of my Surprise seriesArthur looked at Merlin. His friend… His lover was fast asleep next to him in their bed. For weeks now, Merlin hadn’t slept in his own bed and his room was slowly becoming a nursery. And Arthur was quite happy like that. I liked having Merlin close to him during the night. He liked the soft kisses they shared in the morning and the more passionate ones, too.
The king gently stroked Merlin’s hair. For once, he was the one who had a hard time finding sleep. He was nervous.
Winter had definitely settled in Camelot. In a few weeks, spring would come. In a few weeks, the baby would be there. Merlin’s baby and his, in some way, too.
Arthur's hand settled on Merlin’s swollen belly. The baby was calm and he didn’t feel any movement, just the softness of Merlin’s skin. It was barely marked, probably thanks to Merlin’s magic.
Arthur put a little kiss just under his bellybutton.
“Hey, you,” he murmured, “Not long before we meet, now…”
The king kept stroking his lover's skin, careful not to wake him up though.
“I’m quite impatient, you know. But you have to stay in there as long as you need to.”
Yes, Arthur was impatient, afraid, too. He had never taken care of a baby and he wanted to do his best. He wanted to make the baby and Merlin happy.
“I’m sure you’ll be a beautiful girl! Or a brave boy! But, if you prefer, you can be a brave girl, too! And a beautiful boy…”
Arthur thought the baby was going to be beautiful. It was Merlin’s child after all… And Gwaine’s. Arthur’s heart clenched at this thought. Yeah, it was Gwaine’s baby, even if, sometimes, he was happy to forget it. He was not the father of this child and he wouldnever be.But he could be like one…
He had already thought about it but he wasn’t sure how Merlin would react to this proposition. But now, their relationship had grown tighter. Perhaps it was the right moment.
“Hey… I know I’m not really your Daddy but… Would you like me to be?”
“Arthur?” Merlin asked, his voice hoarse from sleep.
“Merlin? Sorry… I didn’t wanted to awake you.”
“It’s alright… What are you doing?”
Arthur didn’t know how to answer. He was feeling nervous again. What if his proposal was offending Merlin? But he felt Merlin’s hand cover his on his belly.
“Arthur? Tell me what’s keeping you awake in the middle of the night?”
“I… I was talking to the baby… I needed to ask him something,” Arthur confessed, not daring to look directly at Merlin and keeping his gaze focused on their entwined hands.
“And what did you ask him?”
“I… I asked him – or her – if he wanted to be my ward.”
Arthur's voice was barely more than a whisper but he knew that Merlin had heard him when he felt Merlin’s hand grip his more tightly.
“And… What did the baby said?”
Emotion was audible in Merlin’s voice and Arthur finally found the courage to look at him. He was smiling. Arthur was reassured.
“I think he’s alright with that…”
“Great.”
Merlin leaned toward Arthur and kissed him.
“So… You want it, too?” the King checked when they ended the kiss.
“Arthur… Of course I want you to have a place in this child’s life and… Making him your ward would be wonderful! I… I didn’t know if you wanted it, too.”
“We’re both idiots! Of course, I want to be a part of his life…”
Another smile and another kiss were Merlin’s answer.
And if Arthur had another proposal in mind, it would have to wait a little. For now he just wanted to relax and sleep, cradling Merlin in his arms.