Author: alafaye
Title: For Tonight
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Gaius
Summary: For tonight is just for them.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 581
Prompt: 167, Search
Author's Notes: This is a prequel to last week's drabble, Finally Inevitable.



Merlin raised his eyebrows when he entered Arthur's room. He had cleaned it yesterday, but now it looked as though it had been ransacked.

Arthur stood in the middle of it all, disheveled and frantically throwing things around.

"Can I help?" Merlin asked. He tried not to smile when Arthur jumped, but from Arthur's glare, he failed.

Arthur put his hands on his hips. "No. I...no. Where's Gwen? She was looking for you, it sounded important."

"I didn't see her," Merlin said. "I can look for her later. In the meantime--"

Arthur tapped his fingers. "No, just. Ah..."

"Wouldn't two eyes be better than one?" Merlin offered.

"No," Arthur growled and stalked toward Merlin. "Now, get out. Go...muck out my stables or something. Just go...somewhere else." He shoved at Merlin's shoulder, turning him, and pushed against his back.

Merlin looked over his shoulder. "Yeah, but maybe I can help you put it back together? We could find it then."

"Go, Merlin! That's an order."

The door slammed shut and Merlin blinked. "I was just trying to help," he muttered.

Sighing, Merlin considered whether he should go back in, but decided to instead find Gwen to see if she was looking for him. It might just be that Arthur had made it up to get him out of his rooms, but it was equally possible that Gwen really was looking for him.

He just hoped he could clean Arthur's room before Arthur yelled at him for it.

~~~

Gaius looked up from his book with a frown. "Merlin? I thought Arthur needed you."

Merlin shrugged. He hadn't been able to find Gwen, but he hadn't heard yet if Arthur had left his rooms so he was a bit at loose ends. "He's searching for something. Didn't want my help."

"Searching?" Gaius sighed. "That boy. Well, never mind that. You've been gone for a few hours and it's almost dinner time. Go on with you, he'll be wanting his dinner served."

Merlin sighed and turned around, shaking his head. He should've just stayed in bed today.

~~~

He stopped dead just inside Arthur's room. Not only had everything been picked up, but it was clean. Arthur had changed clothes and though no one else was in there, dinner for two was on the table.

"So, you won't need me tonight?" Merlin asked.

Arthur's smile faltered. "Well, it is our anniversary. Isn't it?"

Merlin's breath stuttered. "You remembered?"

"Gwen did, actually," Arthur confessed. "She reminded me last week. Two years."

Merlin smiled and closed the door. He put his hands on one of the chairs. "Two years, yes."

Arthur pulled the chair out and offered a small smile. Merlin blushed, but sat down. Arthur beamed. "Now, before we eat, I wanted to give you something. A present." He pulled out something from his pocket and presented them to Merlin. "I don't think we can actually wear them without anyone asking any questions, but I just wanted something, for us."

In his palm were two golden rings and as Merlin touched them, he could feel the magic in them. "Druids?"

"Gaius got them for me," Arthur said.

Merlin lifted one of the rings with a smile. Arthur took it from him, though, before he could really look at them, and slipped it onto his finger. "Just for tonight. For us."

Merlin repeated the gesture on Arthur's hand and kissed the back of his hand. "Thank you."

"Thank you," Arthur whispered and kissed his temple.