Every night since Arthur was three years old, he's dreamed of the boy with the golden eyes. He knows it's wrong how excited he is to see him, but he's only a dream, right?

He really didn't understand it. But, he wouldn't want it any other way, not that he'd tell Merlin.

Ever since he was three years old, he's been having the same dream of a boy.

When Arthur first dreamed of the boy, the boy was only a babe. He looked just he was just born.

Only being three himself, Arthur wasn't sure what to do. So, he just tried to pick up the child. Only his hand went straight through him. I guess touching isn't allowed.

It's always the same place he dreams about. It's a large field with trees surrounding them like a barrier. The skies are always sunny and bright and there is just enough breeze in the air.

Sometimes the boy would be there before him, other times he would get there first and wait for the boy to appear.

The first time he saw his golden eyes was the third night.

Every time, the boy would be sleeping, as a baby should be. On the third day, he was finally awake. Arthur just looked at the little blue orbs staring back at him.

Even as a young boy, he fell in love with looking into those eyes.

After a while, the babe started to try and reach for a flower. Right when Arthur was about to get it for him, the flower plucked itself from the ground and flew to the boy's little fingers. Arthur could only stare at the flower and the descending yellow color leaving the boy's eyes.

Arthur didn't sleep for two days afterward.

On the third night, his father called in Gaius to take care of him. When Gaius came, his father left and Gaius sat next to him.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Arthur knew his father would be angry if he talked about magic, but maybe Gaius wouldn't.

"Is magic bad?"

Gaius looked stricken by the question and took his time to answer while preparing Arthur a sleep tonic.

"Magic is a force that can be used for good and evil. Magic itself is not evil, but the hearts of men who use magic are evil. Do I make myself clear?"

"I think so."

That night when Arthur that night, he swore that this boy would be his secret, that he would never tell his father or anybody about the boy with the golden eyes.

As the boys grew older, Arthur learned that the boy's name is Merlin and that he was from a village called Ealdor. Arthur believed that was a place his mind made up, like Merlin.

Arthur couldn't wait until he could sleep to see Merlin. He would tell Merlin all about his day. The only thing he didn't tell him was that he was a prince. Arthur knew that Merlin was only a figment of his imagination, but he didn't want the boy to treat him any differently. As far as Merlin knew, Arthur was born in Camelot and lived with his father.

When Arthur was twelve years old, his father ordered him to raid a Druid camp. He wanted to tell him no, that magic wasn't as evil as his father portrayed. That there was a boy in his dreams that showed him it wasn't. But, all Arthur did was nod his head and did as his father told him to.

That night, Arthur dreaded going to sleep but knew he had to.

Even though Merlin was only nine at the time, he immediately knew something was wrong with Arthur. He wouldn't stop pestering him until Arthur broke.

Arthur told Merlin everything, from being a prince to his father's hatred of magic, to his latest adventure at the Druid camp.

Merlin's reaction was exactly as he expected. He didn't see Merlin for a week. Arthur knew that when he didn't sleep, he didn't go there. But, Merlin was only a dream, he didn't exist. Arthur wished he did though. Merlin was his only friend.

After the week, Merlin reappeared. He told Arthur that he forgives him, only if Arthur wouldn't lie to him again. Arthur promised he wouldn't. And he didn't.

That was until he turned fifteen.

Arthur was chasing Merlin around the field when he figured it out. He figured why he always couldn't wait to see Merlin, why Merlin was always on his mind.

He was in love with Merlin.

More importantly, he was in love with a boy from his dream.

At eighteen, he realized how much Merlin was affecting him.

He wouldn't look at any girl his father was presenting him to. Only one person filled his heart, mind, and soul. One gangly, big-eared boy who lived in his mind.

Out of frustration, he began lashing out at those around him. He made friends with the wrong people and bullied those lesser than him.

But around Merlin, Arthur was his true self. Merlin didn't need to know how he treated those around him.

When Arthur was twenty-one, he became more in love with Merlin than he thought possible.

Merlin turned from a boy into a handsome young man. He still had ridiculously big ears, too thin of a body, paler skin than his bedsheets, and an attitude his father would be flabbergasted at. But, that made Merlin perfect.

One day in the middle of summer, Merlin looked happier than he has ever had. He had this stupid grin on his face and couldn't stop fidgeting.

"What is it, Merlin?"

"I have a surprise for you!"

"A surprise? What could you possibly give me?"

"Well if you're going to be such a prat about it, maybe I won't show you."

"Please, enlighten me."

"Not now. Tomorrow."

"Fine."

Tomorrow came and Arthur couldn't wait.

That of course made him more eager to take his frustration out on his manservant, whatever his name was.

That morning, he had a fantastic idea.

Standing around the market area with his servant, he decided to play a little game.

Little did he know, someone was watching him in the shadows.

"Where's the target?"

He put as much arrogance into his voice as he could to get a laughter out of the knights around him.

"Over there."

Arthur couldn't help but hear the annoyance in his servant's voice. Nobody, but Merlin and maybe Morgana, are allowed to speak to him like that.

"It's into the sun."

"It's not that bright."

"A bit like you then."

Arthur grinned to himself hearing the knights around him laugh harder.

"I'll put the target on the other side, sire."

Ignoring him, Arthur turned around to grab a few blades.

"This will teach him."

Turning back around, Arthur began throwing the blades at the target his servant was running around with.

"Come on, run! We want a moving target practice."

After running of blades, he turned back around to laugh with his knights.

Arthur did not notice when his servant fell, nor did he notice when someone stopped his servant from picking up the target again.

"Hey. Come on, that's enough."

Arthur, just hearing the voice above his knight's laughter, begun to turn to see who would dare speak up to him.

"What?"

He stopped short when he saw who it was.

His mouth could've been open or his eyes wide, but he didn't care. Merlin was here!

Merlin was real?

No. Merlin was fake. He wasn't real. He couldn't be.

Taking a step forward, he spoke to the man in front of him.

"Who are you?"

"And here I thought you would be happy to see me since you never made the effort to come to me. I guess I see why now. You're too busy bullying those around you."

"Merlin."

He mockery bowed while looking right at him.

"The one and only."

If everybody else in the world disappeared, I wouldn't have noticed.

Merlin was real. Merlin's here. Merlin's in Camelot. Merlin has magic.

Merlin's in Camelot AND he has magic.

That idiot.

Not caring who saw, he grabbed Merlin's arm and began dragging him to an empty corridor he knew about.

"Let go of-"

"Shut up."

Thankfully, Merlin decided to listen to me this once.

It felt weird actually touching Merlin from years of years of not doing so.

He really is here.

When we finally got there, Arthur practically threw Merlin into there while angrily walking over to him. Every step he took forward, Merlin took one back.

When he finally reached a wall, Arthur continued walking up to him until he was a foot from his face.

"What the hell are you doing here!?!"

In a meek voice, Merlin responded.

"Surprise."

Oh. OH!

"This was the surprise?"

"Yes. Now I can see this was obviously a mistake."

"You have magic."

Taken back, Merlin scrunched his eyebrows together.

"Oh, really? I never realized."

"This isn't a joke! You must know Camelot's view on magic."

"What are you going to do? Turn me in?"

"What? Of course not."

"Good because you'll never be able to get me."

"I could take you apart with one blow."

"And I could take you apart with less than that."

Arthur knew that Merlin meant his magic, but he couldn't help that twinge in his trousers.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you."

"Yeah. But I'm your idiot."

Arthur couldn't help it. In all, it really was Merlin's fault. Nobody should have the power of being that cute.

In one swift motion, his lips were on Merlin's.

His lips were exactly what he expected. They were soft and smooth.

Merlin hesitantly wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck and kissed back.

From that day on, Arthur slowly stopped being a prat, with the help of Merlin of course.

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The End

I completely forgot about this one shot. I wrote it ages ago and just came about it.

I hope you all liked it!!