Standing there, kissing Galehaut, surrounded by the scent of sandalwood and cloves, bathed in the warmth of the fire, was such a singularly perfect moment, he did not think he would ever forget it.He let go of Galehaut's hand and gripped his fine tunic instead, pushing up on his toes to deepen the kiss, taste and learn more of this beautiful man who'd surrendered a kingdom for him.Sacrificed family and honor, even though, in Lancelot's eyes, he'd made a brave and highly honorable decision.
Galehaut made a rough, hungry noise into his mouth and tore away, eyes half-wild as he looked at Lancelot like he was a solstice feast.He stepped back and gathered himself with visible effort."I'm sorry, I meant to make it clear to you that this is not required under any circumstances.I know full well the jokes that would have been made after my departure, the assumptions everyone has made, but I do not bed the unwilling.I truly wanted only to spend time in your company, which I did not think was too terrible a request."
"Galehaut, you asked if you could kiss me.If I hadn't wanted you to, I would have told you no.I'm also more than capable of defending myself," Lancelot added dryly."Your castle is surrounded by a moat of running water.I could reduce this place to rubble if I truly wanted."
"You used my name," Galehaut replied."I like that very much.Seeing you reduce my beloved home to rubble would be fascinating in an awful way."He took Lancelot's hand again and this time escorted him to the table an absurdly short distance away, pouring mulled wine for them both before taking his own seat."I'm terrified of water, you know.I'm too heavy, too much my giant blood, to float or swim well.Anything above my head is a death sentence.It's how my mother died."
Lancelot stilled in picking up his cup."Why in the name of the Waters would you have anything to do with me?"Nevermind that he'd just baldly stated his greatest weakness for Lancelot to do with as he pleased.The man was nearly stupid in his reckless trust."The most isolated peasant in the Isles who hasn't left their farm in forty years knows I am a child of the mystic waters."
Galehaut smiled faintly, staring at his freshly-filled plate but not touching it."I follow my mother's religion rather than that of the land as I'm told I should.We have an admonition, or saying, or whatever you want to call it, that says to always watch your fears, because you never know what you will find in them.I am earth-bound, save for the winds that heed me, but I have always watched the waters, and there I found you, beloved son of the Lady of the Lake."
"I don't know what to say.You're good at leaving me speechless."
Something shone, hot and bright, in Galehaut's eyes."I might not be able to get speech out of you, pretty thing, but I bet I can get other sounds before the next sunrise."
Lancelot smirked and finally turned his attention to his food."I will hold you to that."
Ghosts
"—lot?Lancelot!"
He snapped to attention."Sorry.Fuck.Sorry.Did I really zone out that hard?"
Merlin huffed, but thankfully only seemed amused."You were a million miles away.Good thing we didn't actually need you on guard duty."
Lancelot flushed with shame."Sorry."
"Don't be.We've been fine, and we all wanted you to relax anyway.What were you thinking about so hard?"
Cheeks hotter than ever, Lancelot confessed, "That first night with Gale, after his surrender.I've been trying not to think about him at all, because I can't afford to be distracted, but…"
"It's good to remind yourself why you're fighting, all the reasons not to give up the fight or give in to the darkness.Trust me, that night I cast the spell that resulted in all of this, Morgan and Arthur were at the front of my mind, along with bitterness that our victory had been stolen by such foul means, that we would never get the family we'd planned to start building.Everyone else too, of course, but they're the two halves of my heart."
Lancelot nodded and reached out to grip his arm in comfort.Soulmates were always romantic in the tales, but if a friend could be a soulmate, then Merlin was his.Literally, even, in a way, given the dark magic that now bound them.Galehaut was everything to him, but so were his friends, and Merlin his oldest friend of all.
"We'll get him back, whatever it takes," Merlin said."In the meantime, cling to those good memories.They'll keep you going."He smiled briefly, eyes glinting in a way that spoke of his incubus nature."I remember how you looked when you returned to Camelot with him beside you.Happier than I'd ever seen you and reeking of recent lust."
"You're so nosey," Lancelot said with a sigh.
"I can't help noticing the obvious.You should have heard all the bets going on."
"Oh, I heard about them, don't worry.Dred couldn't wait to tell me.Tristan was in charge of it all.Don't think for one minute I didn't throw him around the training yard, the crass little upstart.How Iseult deals with that every day—"
Merlin's laughter cut off his tirade."Well, he made out like a bandit, so I think he considered it a fair trade."
Lancelot huffed.Tristan had been his greatest trial—Tristan's uncouth mouth and his inability to keep it closed had been his greatest trial, to be precise.
"So you never did tell us, was Gale a perfect gentleman that night?"
"At first, yes, obviously.What he was or wasn't later on is still none of your damn business," Lancelot retorted.
"If you two are done gossiping," Arthur called out, "we're stopping here for a break."
"Why does that require I stop gossiping?"Merlin asked.
"Just get your ass over here," Arthur said.
Merlin gave Lancelot a flippant bow, or the best he could manage from horseback, before riding off to join Arthur and Morgan.Yeah, mystery there what Arthur wanted of him.
