Merthur One Shots

Gwaine the Matchmaker?

Okay, hey, hi guys. I just wanna say that, even though I don't respond to most of your comments (mostly bc I'm a naturally awkward person and I have no idea what to say) I rlly appreciate them and it makes my day every time. So lemme just thank you guys here than say it every time! You're the best! <3

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"Sorry I'm late!" Merlin spoke quickly as he entered Arthur's chambers and placed the food tray on his desk, where the blonde stood, watching him in a funny way.

"Not at all!"

"Uh, okay then?" Merlin tried to shake off the feeling that something was going on inside his prince's head, something that obviously wouldn't end well for him.

He moved to make Arthur's bed when his friend's voice stopped him.

"Sure you're alright? You're not sick, unsteady, ready to burst into song?"

"No, why?"

Without getting his eyes off his servant, Arthur angrily grabbed a paper from his desk and, with a final murderous look, he started reading, emphasizing the numbers:

"14 quarts of mead, 3 flagons of wine, 5 quarts of cider-"

"I can explain!" Merlin interrupted, realisation finally dawning on him. But Arthur continued:

"4 dozen pickled eggs", he finished while looking up at his friend with a look that was something between questioning, mockery, anger and, something the prince struggled to hide, amusement.

"That was Gwaine", Merlin explained with a smile of fondness on his face, thing that didn't go unnoticed by Arthur. The boy was growing to like the drunkard more and more. "He went to the tavern and he couldn't pay for it!"

"So you said I would?"

Merlin nodded with a masked cheeky smile before he took on a serious, dramatic face.

"You know, if I hadn't, that innkeeper, he would have strung us both up!"

"I fail to see the downside", Arthur answered, a bored look on his face. Oh, wasn't he going to have the two idiots pay.

"You said he would be given anything he needs", Merlin all but warned before turning around, deciding that the discussion was over.

"4 dozen pickled eggs?!"

Merlin turned back around at the prince's yell.

"I'm sorry." He really wasn't. He could barely contain his laughter.

He looked like he was about to add something else, but decided against it before he spoke again, eyeing Arthur in a weird way.

"I'll pay for it!"

"You most certainly will!" Arthur answered on a superior, warning tone.

×××

So now, Merlin was sitting in the throne room, an endless line of boots in front of him, while laughing at Gwaine's original insults for the royal prat.

"All jokes aside though", Gwaine said, the laughter dying out. "Why are you doing all this for the princess?"

"Princess?" Merlin smirked. "That's new!"

"I swear I ain't ever calling him anything else", Gwaine stated with a chuckle. "But seriously now, he doesn't seem to act any differently from all the other nobles, so why all this just for his sake?"

"True, he might be a supercilious, self centered prat who sometimes loses himself in the mad rush to please his father, but he has a kind and just heart. He cares for others truly and, looking past the arrogance, one could easily see that he's willing to give his life for what he stands for."