for @merthurmicrofic | prompt : « flowers» 🌻 | ~375 words
"Arthur, what are these?"
Merlin stares at the light blue vase on the table, which had most definitely not been there this morning when they had breakfast.
"They're flowers, Merlin," comes the inevitable reply from Arthur. Merlin often wonders how on earth the man managed to rule an entire kingdom for three years, given how dense he can be sometimes. Although perhaps today, he is being deliberately evasive.
"I know that, you clotpole," Merlin says, rolling his eyes. "They're sunf–"
"Sunflowers, your favourites, I know." Arthur quickly finishes off the sentence before the words can leave Merlin's mouth.
"Since when did you remember my favourite flowers?" Merlin grins. "Sometimes I worry all that time in the lake's messed up with your head. You've never remembered my favourite anything before. Not even my favourite colour." He's teasing deliberately now, but Arthur's so easy to wind up, and Merlin must admit that he does look rather cute when he gets all flustered trying to defend himself. Merlin's expecting some sort of hurried response about how kings have so many more important things to remember, and so should not – no, could not – be expected to remember silly things like their manservant's favourite colour.
But, "Blue", is all Arthur says, the word quietly falling off his lips before he even has the chance to contemplate its meaning.
"You said you missed the sky in Ealdor," he continues, perhaps unaware that these words are not confined to his thoughts but being uttered in the mid-morning light of Merlin's kitchen. "You said there were too many buildings in Camelot. I didn't know what you meant til we went to Ealdor. The sky really was more blue there." Arthur's gazing into Merlin's eyes now, and the blue of his irises seems to merge with the sky-blue of his memories. He'd trade the whole sky in a heartbeat for just one more moment lost in those blue eyes.
"You're so sentimental," Merlin says, punching Arthur on the arm. "Come on, let's get the cup of coffee I promised you earlier."
It's only later that day, after the coffee has been drunk and the blue outside has faded to inky black, that Merlin whispers into Arthur's ear, in between kisses, "Thank you for the flowers."
