I wake up with my face in a crotch. To be fair, it’s one I’ve become exceedingly familiar with, but that’s beside the point (it may also help to know that it was clothed. If it weren’t, well... That’d be a completely different story). It’s warm. I look up to see a pair of inquisitive blue eyes peering down at me.

“It’s about time, Merlin. I tried moving you but you were sleeping sounder than a boulder and weighed as heavy as one, too.”

I can’t help grinning. The usual sassiness from the future king of Camelot. “Sure you didn’t just like my company?” I murmur back. The morning light is harsh so I snuggle back into his warm trousers.

Arthur makes a sound and pushes against my head.

“Nooo stop but you’re waaarm-”

“Merlin, we have someplace to be! Now get up!”

I refuse. His bed is pleasantly temperate and agreeable and he’s here and I’m happy. What reason would I possibly have to leave?

“The meeting with the king is in 15 minutes, you know.”

Oh, yeah. That’s one.

Dragging myself away from the heat, I pull myself off of the bed and into my shoes. I should comb my hair. And eat something. And probably change into something different, too. Where are we going again?

While removing my shirt, I notice Arthur looking at me strange. “What?”

“You don’t remember anything?”

I pause. Meeting... Meeting... “Er, no?”

He shakes his head and opens his mouth to say something, then changes his mind. “Never mind. Just get ready.” He’s already completely dressed and munching noisily on an apple before I even find my cloak.

"Where-"

He tosses it to me.

“Thanks.”

When we’re finally ready to go, I’m about to step into the hall leading to the throne room when Arthur grabs my sleeve and pulls me away. “It’s this way.”

I glance behind at the hallway. “Is he on loan?”

Arthur gives me a look; translated, it says ‘you’re not funny - stop trying to be’.

We walk behind the building for a few minutes, letting the bird’s tranquil chirping do the talking for us.  At length, Arthur stops us in front of a modest structure.

“We’re here,” Arthur gestures. It’s... a stable. I give him a questioning look, but he just points to the door. Curious, I open it and-

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY MERLIN!!”

I blink.

Arthur grabs my shoulders and gives me a more-than-normally-friendly hug. Between that, the huge mass of people, wondering how the barn got transformed into a suitable ballroom, and the immensely large and intricate cake in the corner, I can’t find a single word to say. “Ah...”

Sensing my momentary discomfort, Arthur steps into my field of vision. “I’ll give you my present first.” I couldn’t reply if I wanted to; Arthur grabs my sides and kisses me firmly on the lips in front of the whole crowd. They go wild with cheers and hoots at this unexpected embrace, and to be honest, I would too if my mouth wasn’t covered in his. I barely get to kiss him back before he breaks away and, taking my hand, leads me to the center of the room. “Let the celebrations begin!” He shouts.

For the record, I have no idea how I managed to forget my own birthday.