There can be no place for our love in Camelot [MERTHUR]

The notebook

Merlin shortly returned to officially being the prince's man-servant and secret boyfriend whilst Kevin went back to the kitchen. The new few weeks in Camelot flew by quickly, between the arguments Arthur had with his father and the countless days he spent doing romantic things with Merlin nothing really important happened. Although Uther was becoming ever more angered at his son's relationship with his man-servant and the slow decay of his kingdom with him on the throne he still decided to do nothing.

Arthur knocked loudly on the small, brown door that belonged to Merlin and Gaius. Once he heard someone telling him to come inside he opened the door and let himself in.

"Merlin?" The prince called to the empty room, smiling to himself as he remembered the time he won back Merlin in this exact space a few weeks ago.

"I'm just in the room upstairs; you can wait in my bedroom!" Merlin shouted as something upstairs fell to the ground, causing a loud crash and startling the prince.

After Arthur mentally thanked the gods that no one saw him jump, he tried to act cool, "Whatever you say!" The prince smiled before following his boyfriend's instructions and walking into his bedroom. "Is Gaius home?" Arthur shouted upstairs as he looked around the small but empty room. He noticed that he couldn't actually see anything that was really personal to Merlin, sure there were a few books lying around and a shelf of different plants but there was nothing that really belonged to his boyfriend.

"He's gone down into town to pick up some herbs, he'll be back shortly" Merlin replied, his voice even further away now. The prince just nodded as he continued to search through Merlin's room, he wouldn't call it snooping but 'taking an interest in his boyfriend'. He picked up two books on the table; 'Sir Lancelot and his steed' and 'Magic in the dungeons'. Arthur nodded curiously before putting them back down as he decided he would go upstairs and meet Merlin up there instead but before he could a little black book under the pillow caught his attention. The prince smiled as he remembered the notebook that he had given Merlin a few weeks ago. He knew he shouldn't look, it was like the only thing in this whole room that was personal to Merlin and he clearly didn't want anyone to see it if he hid it under his pillow but he just couldn't resist. The young knight desperately wanted to know what his boyfriend ended up using the notebook for.

Arthur then suspiciously looked out the open door to make sure Merlin wasn't there and to double check he called out to him, "Merlin, you still up there?"

"Yeah, sorry. I'll be down as soon as I can" Merlin answered as something else crashed to the ground. Arthur started to wonder what Merlin was doing up there but he quickly chucked that aside as he picked up the notebook. It was no longer empty, it was worn and the front cover was a little torn but he didn't mind. The prince opened the book and started to read his man-servant's messy but cute handwriting, 'I love Arthur because when he laughs, he throws his head back and his whole body shakes in the most adorable way'. The Pendragon frowned in confusion but felt his heart warm as he turned the page, 'I love Arthur because when he's training he likes to show off in front of me. He won't admit it but I know he does'. Arthur started to blush, it was most definitely true and he soon realized that nearly every single page in this notebook had a reason why Merlin loved him. 'I love Arthur because he's a clot-pole.', 'I love Arthur because he gave me this notebook when I couldn't work', 'I love Arthur because apart from Gaius he's the only person to actually treat me like a human being and not some low-life peasant', 'I love Arthur because he always knows how to make me laugh', 'I love Arthur because although he likes to pretend he doesn't have a soft, romantic side... he totally does.'

"You weren't meant to see that" Merlin confronted, now standing in the doorway. The prince jumped and nearly dropped the book on the floor.

After the prince recovered for the second time today he commented on the notebook, "This is all very sweet." Arthur smiled proudly as he flicked through the pages barely glimpsing the sweet words now.

Merlin sighed, "It was personal though, Arthur." The prince then put the notebook down on the nightstand table and took a step closer to his boyfriend.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone through your stuff, but I'm actually glad I did because what you've written is so incredibly endearing and... It's just beautiful." Arthur blushed, trying to get his feelings out.

"I was going to show you eventually... you know, to show you my appreciation and stuff..." Merlin trailed off, staring at his feet. The knight walked over to him and grabbed his one of his hands, sweetly entwining their fingers together.

"I love Merlin because of that goofy smile he only smiles for me" Arthur begun, placing his hand on Merlin's chin and forcing him to look up at him. "I love Merlin because he always leaves a very girly but very beautiful flower on my meal trays" Merlin laughed as he stared lovingly at his prince. "I love Merlin because he always looks after me when I'm sick" Merlin's cheeks flushed even redder and he grinned at his boyfriend. "I love Merlin because he's a great kisser" The prince suddenly flirted confidently. The man-servant made an oh-really face and to prove his point Arthur pulled him up and kissed him passionately.

"Perfect" Arthur complimented as they broke apart. Merlin just laughed it off and hugged the prince, trying to hide his impossibly red cheeks in his chest.

"Arthur..." Merlin murmured against the prince, "I love you, you clot-pole"

"I love you too dollop head" Arthur laughed into Merlin's hair.

"Turnip head" Merlin retorted, playfully hitting the prince in the back.

"Merlin, I'm home!" Gaius called as he swung open the front door and walked in. When he saw the two boys in the strong embrace he couldn't help but comment, "Get a room you two."

"We have one!" Merlin laughed as he used his leg to close the door behind them.