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[megafandombandgeekgirl]

Merthur One Shot- It started with a touch

Merlin and Arthur’s friendship had always been…physical. It started small, with Arthur punching Merlin’s shoulder or Merlin throwing something at the prince. The longer they knew each other, the more touching was involved.

Everyone who watched them thought they were mad. How could Merlin be so complacent with Arthur’s shoulder pats or playful shoves? And how could Arthur get away with being so close to Merlin? Neither of them seemed to mind it and it wasn’t bothering the others so on it went.

Eventually the playful shoves and smacks deepened into arms around one of their shoulders and neck or a teasing remark turned into blows and wrestling on the ground (Arthur always won those, mind you, but Merlin didn’t seem to mind. He enjoyed seeing the prince happy).

The knights started tuning out the behaviors, instead making bets about how far it would go and knowing amongst themselves that it was just how Merlin and Arthur were; best friends, companions, two sides of the same coin. One day though, the knights watched the boys and even they couldn’t ignore what they saw.

Merlin had said something stupid (again) undoubtedly about the prince’s superior strength and skills. And Arthur being Arthur, who never let someone bruise his pride like that, not even Merlin, demanded an arm wrestling match.

So the knights all watched as the prince and his servant set about to having “arm wrestling matches”, each boy’s hand gripped tightly around the other. Arthur won every single round, of course, but Merlin was okay with that. Eventually, the matches went from being a competition to the two of them joking, talking, fighting with their hands still locked, never letting go, content to remain connected in that one small way.

Gwaine had rolled his eyes at the knights knowingly and Percival reluctantly handed over a gold piece, having lost the bet. Leon and Elyan and Lancelot all shook their heads too, each passing money to the other knights in the circle. For some of them had bet against Arthur and Merlin falling in love. And the others…well they knew it from the first touch.

Now every time Merlin and Arthur are in public, their “fights” always turn into lingering touches; an arm around a waist. A grip upon a shoulder.

A hand within a hand.