Worthy

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Summary: arthur loves merlin. merlin doesn’t think he deserves it. spoiler: he does.

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“i love you, merlin”


arthur and merlin had just finished making out in arthur’s chambers after making eyes at each other - like lovestruck teenagers might i add - all throughout a council meeting. 


now, merlin was (completely inappropriately) sitting on arthur's table, polishing his armour. arthur watched merlin do such a simple task in awe because, well, he loved him. 


merlin looked up at arthur and scoffed “what?”


“i love you.”


i look that you might call dread settled over merlin’s face. 


“no you don’t.”


arthur cocked his head in confusion. 


“yes, i do,” he laughed. 


merlin got off the table wordlessly and started towards the door but arthur caught his arm. 


“what- merlin! have you nothing to say?” arthur cried.


merlin opened his mouth to speak but turned back to the door wordlessly. 


“no, we’re going to talk about this.” arthur dragged merlin to the middle of the room, standing between him and the door. 


“i tell you i love you and that’s all you have to say? you needn’t say it back, but why must you deny my love for you?”


tears flooded merlin’s eyes but they didn’t fall “you don’t love me,” he snapped. “you can’t,” merlin whispered to himself. 


“what?” arthur asked breathlessly. 


“all that i am,” merlin whispered


“what- your magic?”


merlin stared wordlessly.


“you know that doesn’t matter to me.”


“ no ” merlin said, distraught. 


“your magic is beautiful,”


“ no 


“just like the rest of you.”


“stop, please,” merlin said, tears streaming down his face


“no, i won’t stop. because-”


“ don’t 


“because i love you. all of you. because all of you is worth loving,” arthur said, holding merlin’s face in one of his hands. 


merlin stared, teary eyed. his eyes wide in disbelief. 


“ i love you, ” arthur repeated. “and i’ll tell you again and again until you believe me.”


“i love you”


*


merlin and arthur lay in bed a few days later, lost in each other’s eyes. arthur’s hands tangled in merlin’s thick black locks. 


“i love you,” arthur whispered.


and merlin believed him. so he said it back. because he did. he loved him. 

By spricp on ao3

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