FIC: Champagne from a paper cup (is never quite the same) 3/4
23 January 2011
Merlin felt like shit. His head was pounding, he ached everywhere, and no matter how much water he drank, he couldn’t stop the inside of his mouth from feeling like it was lined with cotton. He could’ve used his magic to make himself feel better-it wouldn’t be the first time he’d used it to cure a hangover-but he didn’t want to. Suffering through it was his penance for being such a complete, utter idiot.
Not only had he gotten pissed and slept with Arthur, he’d also sneaked out of Arthur’s flat in the wee hours of the morning like a bloody coward.
Fuck. Why was he so stupid? The least he could’ve done was stay and wait for Arthur to wake up so they could figure this mess out. But he’d panicked, and he’d always been rather a flight-not-fight sort of person.
If he was being honest, he hadn’t been completely out of it the night before. Oh, he’d been pissed, but he could’ve stopped Arthur, could’ve been more adamant about it. Arthur had been far more pissed than he was, it wouldn’t have been too hard to put him off.
But he hadn’t wanted to. He’d wanted Arthur so much, and his body had seized on the easy excuse to have him. Fuck, he’d practically taken advantage of him.
He had no idea what he was going to say once he saw Arthur again. He’d gotten to the stadium early to pack his supplies for the road match tomorrow, and he’d been hiding in the training room ever since.
“You look like shit.”
Merlin flinched at Gwaine’s loud voice. “Keep it down, would you?” he asked, sinking onto a chair and cradling his head gingerly. Fuck, he felt awful. He’d forgotten what it felt like to be this hung over. Gwaine chuckled.
“That bad?”
“You have no idea,” he said, peering up at Gwaine. “Why aren’t you hung over? You drank more than I did.”
Gwaine, for the first time since Merlin had met him, looked uncomfortable.
“Ah. Well, you see-the thing is-I had a bit of time to sober up before calling it a night.”
Merlin blinked at him, uncomprehending, until it dawned on him. Elena. He squawked out loud, pointing an accusing finger at his friend.
“You said no hanky panky! You promised!”
Gwaine put his hands up, placating. “No, no, there wasn’t any hanky panky. I swear. Even though, technically, I never promised.”
“Gwaine,” Merlin growled.
“We just talked, all right? We were both feeling a bit peckish, so we went to get some food, and before I knew it, it was getting to be light out and she had to get some sleep before work.”
Merlin eyed him carefully. He looked unusually earnest, and Elena really was capable of handling herself if he’d tried anything untoward. He finally sat back with a sigh.
“Sorry, sorry. I’ve just known her forever and I get a bit overprotective.”
Gwaine smiled. “She is something, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Merlin said, “and if you hurt her, I will kill you.”
Gwaine just eyed his slender build critically.
“Well, not me personally, obviously. But I am not above hiring someone to do it for me. Percival, maybe. He’s always looking for an excuse to hit things.”
“Duly noted,” Gwaine said, his lips quirking as he looked around. “Where’s Arthur?”
Merlin’s stomach plummeted down into his chucks. “No clue,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I made sure he got settled all right and then went home.”
“Really? That’s all?” Gwaine asked, sounding expectant.
“Yes, that’s all. Now,” Merlin said, trying to change the subject, “make yourself useful and take this out to the bus.”
Gwaine rolled his eyes, but he bent down and grabbed the supply bag. “You’re spending way too much time with Arthur. You used to be so sweet.”
“Off you go,” Merlin said, ignoring the two-fingered salute he got in reply. “I’ll be out soon, just need to lock up.”
“I’ll save you a seat,” Gwaine called back over his shoulder as he left. Merlin let out a sigh, sagging back against the wall. Enough of this shit, he thought-he’d never survive a three-hour bus ride in his current state.
He let his magic slowly wash over him, healing his aching muscles and soothing his headache. When he felt more human, he stood up and turned back to the supply cabinet. After it was all closed up, he gave a tug on the padlock to make sure it’d taken.
Behind him, he heard the door click shut and then lock. He froze, dread creeping down his spine and making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He turned slowly to see Arthur leaning against the door, his hands hidden behind his back.
Oh fuck, he thought. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Hi,” he said, eyeing Arthur warily when he didn’t respond right away. He’d gotten quite good at reading Arthur’s moods, but his face was completely neutral. Merlin instinctively moved back toward the wall, putting two massage tables between them. He wasn’t much of a match for Arthur, but he figured if Arthur had to climb over obstacles to get to him, he had a better shot at escaping.
“You left,” Arthur finally said. “I woke up, and you were gone.”
Stupid, stupid Arthur. Did he always have to be so direct? Couldn’t he just pussyfoot around and be passive aggressive like a normal person?
“Yes,” Merlin eventually replied, “but I-“
“I was angry at first,” Arthur continued, ignoring the attempt at an explanation. Which was good, considering Merlin didn’t really have one. “But then it occurred to me that you might have misunderstood what happened. You are a bit thick, after all.”
Merlin wasn’t sure which part of the statement to respond to, so he went with an utterly brilliant, “What?”
“So, I figure it’s best that we get any misconceptions out of the way as soon as possible,” Arthur said in that posh tone he put on when he wanted to appear completely confident.
He pushed away from the door and headed toward Merlin, whose legs had completely seceded from his brain and refused to move even an inch. Arthur stopped in front of him and studied him for a long moment. When all Merlin did was to stare back at him, Arthur rolled his eyes.
“You really are such an idiot. I don’t know why I put up with you,” he said, and then he grabbed Merlin’s face and kissed him.
Too surprised to kiss back at first, Merlin just stood while Arthur’s mouth pressed against his. Eventually he relaxed into it, nearly boneless with relief. Not only was Arthur not angry, but he appeared to actually want this, even sober.
They kissed enthusiastically, wrapped around each other, until there was a banging at the door.
“Oi!” Gwaine yelled from the other side, “we’re ready to go, hurry up!” He paused, and then, “And tell Pendragon that if he doesn’t release you, I’m going to make him sit next to Morgana!”
“Coming!” Merlin said quickly, his voice a bit too high for his liking. Arthur gave a filthy chuckle.
“Not yet, you aren’t,” he said with a grin, “but there’s always later this evening at the hotel.”
Merlin pretended to think about it, near giddy at the possibility.
“Yeah, all right, then. I can deal with that.”
9 March 2011
Goals Needed to Break Record: 8
Being with Arthur was nothing like Merlin expected.
He’d thought…well, he hadn’t thought about it, really, because it wasn’t something he’d ever have expected would happen. But had someone asked him what he thought it would be like to be in a relationship-type thing with Arthur Pendragon, he certainly wouldn’t have imagined this.
They had a lot of sex. On the rare occasions that Arthur had days off with nothing to do, Merlin holed up with him in his gigantic flat, not leaving the bed for anything other than food and bathing.
When Arthur wanted to hide, he stayed at Merlin’s. He complained constantly that it was too small, and that the neighbourhood was terrifying, but that never seemed to stop him from sneaking in and falling asleep in Merlin’s bed when Merlin was otherwise occupied.
Elena teased him constantly about having found his Prince Charming, and then he’d tease her back about her budding romance with Gwaine, and everything promptly went to hell from there.
It had gotten to the point where Merlin was considering telling Arthur about his magic. He’d almost done once or twice, but had chickened out at the last minute. He didn’t want anything to ruin this yet, whatever it was.
Simply put, he was happier than he’d been in a long time-possibly ever. It was easy to get caught up in Arthur to the exclusion of everything else. After all, they’d spent a lot of their waking hours together before, but now that they were sleeping together…well, they were sleeping together. On days when Merlin was at the stadium, there was hardly a moment when Arthur was out of his sight. And he liked it.
Except now he found himself just eight weeks out from his exams, and he was seriously behind on his revision. So behind that he took to having panicked fits whenever he thought he could get away with it, usually when Arthur wasn’t around. He didn’t want Arthur to know, because then Arthur might do something drastic, like withhold sex in an effort to motivate Merlin.
But Arthur was going out with Gwaine tonight, and Merlin was free to pace around his flat with his notes, which made him feel marginally better. Arthur had invited him, of course, but Merlin had wanted a night in, determined to at least start catching up.
The thing about Arthur, though, was that since they’d started sleeping together, he found the word “no” completely incomprehensible.
Which was why, when Merlin flung the door open at half nine, Arthur and Gwaine were both standing there, dressed for a night out. Merlin took a moment to admire the sight before slumping against the doorframe.
“I said no,” he said, weary. Pacing was absolutely exhausting work.
“What on earth happened to you?” Arthur asked, pushing Merlin aside and walking into the flat. He turned and eyed Merlin critically, reaching up to flatten his hair. Merlin leaned into the petting.
“I told you, I have to catch up on revising.”
“Can’t you do that tomorrow?” Arthur asked, dangerously close to pouting.
“No, I cannot do it tomorrow,” Merlin said, stomping into his living room. “It’s all your fault that I’m behind anyway.”
Gwaine let out a whistle as he took in the disaster that was Merlin’s sitting room. Papers littered practically every surface, including the floor.
“Your system is very, uh, unique,” he said, stepping gingerly between sheets of paper. “How’s it working for you?”
“What would you know? You have no idea how difficult this is!” Merlin said, shaking a stack of notes at him. He was feeling a bit hysterical-he needed to get them out of there. The desire to ignore all of this for yet another night was growing.
Gwaine put his hands up in surrender.
“All right, crazy eyes, calm down,” he said, obviously trying not to laugh. Merlin just scowled at him. Behind him, Arthur sighed.
“Merlin,” he said, placing his hands on Merlin’s shoulders and steering him toward the sofa, “you need to relax or you won’t get anything done.”
“Sorry,” Merlin grumbled as Arthur pushed him onto the sofa. “I just didn’t realize how behind I am. I’m panicking a bit.”
“You don’t say,” Gwaine said. He missed Merlin’s two-fingered salute as he’d dropped to the floor and started shuffling through the papers around him.
“All right, change of plans,” Arthur said briskly, clapping his hands. “We are going to help you get all of this organized, and then you are going to figure out a game plan.”
Merlin blinked up at him. “What? What happened to going out?”
“I think we can survive one night in, don’t you, Gwaine?” Arthur asked pointedly.
“Sure,” Gwaine answered, making a face. Merlin felt a slight pang of guilt.
“You really don’t-“
“Shut up, Merlin,” Arthur said, jabbing at his phone. “There. Percy’s on his way as well.”
Merlin gave Arthur a watery smile before looking at Gwaine.
“You could call Elena. She should be home by now.”
Gwaine brightened considerably at that, pulling out his phone. Arthur sat down next to Merlin and started collecting the papers Merlin had strewn across his large coffee table.
“Thanks,” Merlin said quietly, nudging him with his shoulder.
“Funny as it would be, can’t have you going off the deep end,” Arthur said, affecting the business-like tone he used when he didn't want to acknowledge that he’d done something nice because he cared.
“Of course not. What would you do without me?”
Arthur gave a bit of a splutter at that. “I survived perfectly fine without you for twenty-three years, thank you very much.”
“No, you didn't,” Gwaine cut in. “You’ve only just become tolerable since Merlin came along.”
Arthur’s cheeks pinked a bit, but he was saved from answering by the buzzer.
“Now who the hell could that be?” Merlin certainly wasn’t expecting anyone else, and it was far too soon for either Percival or Elena to arrive.
Arthur stood up. “It’s Percy. He was almost here when I texted.”
Merlin narrowed his eyes, following Arthur to the door. “You told him to meet you here, didn’t you? To help you drag me out for the night.”
Arthur grinned, leaning in and giving Merlin a quick peck on the lips. “Would I do that?”
“Yes,” Merlin said, a bit flustered. He and Arthur had spent quite a lot of time kissing recently, but Arthur was surprisingly prone to random displays of affection, and it still knocked Merlin off kilter.
“Merlin!” Percival boomed as soon as the door opened. Merlin shrank back, recognizing the look on his face. He’d grown rather fond of carrying Merlin about, and Merlin spent a large portion of his days at the stadium hiding from the massive keeper.
“No! Don’t!” he yelled, trying to get away. He failed, of course, and wound up tossed over Percy’s broad shoulder. Percy let out a whistle, taking in the mess.
“What on earth?”
“Don’t ask. Can you put me down now, please?” Politeness was usually the way to go with Percy. Struggling did nothing. It was rather insulting, really.
“Oh, right,” Percy said, immediately setting him down. Arthur led him back over to the sofa and sat him down.
“All right. We’re going to get some dinner and get this all sorted out.”
“Okay,” Merlin said, smiling up at him. “I’ll call Ellie and have her bring the food on her way.”
“And then no more panicking?”
“No more panicking. Well, at least until tomorrow.”
“Well,” Arthur said, sighing, “I guess that’ll have to do.”
Hours later, his notes sat in a tall, organized stack on the coffee table, ready for him to start his revision. Gwaine and Elena had departed a while earlier, looking for some privacy. Percival was asleep on the floor by the telly, wrapped around one of Merlin’s sofa cushions. Surprisingly, he’d proved most helpful of the bunch, ploughing on when the rest of them were prone to fits of slacking off.
Arthur and Merlin were stretched out on the sofa, Merlin on top, his head resting on Arthur’s chest. Arthur’s fingers were carding through his hair, and the quiet atmosphere was making him rather sleepy.
“Thanks,” he eventually whispered, rubbing his cheek against the soft fabric of Arthur’s shirt.
“Mmm,” Arthur said, sounding half asleep himself. “You should’ve told me how bad it was.”
“It’s my own fault,” Merlin said around a yawn. “I’ll just have to be more careful.”
“No failing out of uni when you’re so close to the end,” Arthur said. “I refuse to support you while you laze about all day.”
“As if,” Merlin said, poking Arthur in the side, ignoring the way his heart sped up at Arthur’s words. Not for the first time, Merlin wondered what this was, and whether it felt as serious to Arthur as it’d started to feel to him.
Arthur squirmed away from the touch and locked his arms tighter around Merlin, turning them so that Merlin was trapped between Arthur and the sofa.
“Go to sleep,” Arthur said, yawning against Merlin’s hair.
“I have a bed, you know,” Merlin said, though he shifted around until he was more comfortably tucked against Arthur.
“Too far,” Arthur replied, and Merlin listened for a few moments as his breath evened out as he dropped off to sleep.
Content, he closed his eyes and followed suit.
19 March 2011
Camelot United vs. Ealdor City
Goals Needed to Break Record: 6
“Go, go, go, go!” Merlin yelled as Arthur ran down the pitch, kicking up dirt in his wake. It had been a difficult game, both sides unable to get any real chances around each other’s defenders. They were nearly out of stoppage time, and if Arthur scored now, Camelot would surely win.
Merlin held his breath as Arthur moved toward the goal. He kicked the ball hard, but the keeper anticipated it and was able to bat it away. It went right to Lancelot, who kicked it back toward Arthur, but a bit high. Arthur jumped up out of the sea of players surrounding him and headed the ball neatly into the net.
Merlin jumped up and cheered with the rest of the crowd. They were in Ealdor, yes, but when it came down to it, everyone wanted Arthur to break the record. The goal sealed the win for Camelot, and when Arthur spotted him in the sea of people on the sidelines, Merlin was still grinning like a loon.
“You didn’t have to come, you know,” Merlin said as he rang the doorbell. “I know the lads wanted to go out and celebrate.”
They were crowded together on Merlin’s mum’s doorstep, and Merlin felt Arthur’s shrug.
“Didn’t feel like it. Besides,” he added, “who’s going to make sure that you don’t get yourself into trouble?”
“Arthur, if anyone’s an expert on keeping me out of trouble, it’s my mum.”
“Great!” Arthur said, rubbing his hands together. “I can’t wait to hear all about it!”
Merlin bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to smile. Arthur had surprised him by wanting to tag along. When he’d asked why, Arthur had just shrugged and said he was in the mood for something quiet.
Merlin knew that wasn’t really the reason; sometimes, when Merlin spoke about his mother, Arthur got a bit of a wistful look on his face. Merlin knew he’d grown up without a mother. Everyone knew-Arthur’s life had been front-page news for as long as he could remember. The fact that Arthur wanted to meet his mum was actually rather touching.
Merlin was also pleased because it meant they got to spend time together. He’d been so busy the past few weeks revising and interviewing for positions in the fall that he’d not had much time to see Arthur. They still slept together most nights, but Merlin was often too exhausted for anything more than that. But tonight he didn’t have to worry about any of that; he could just enjoy being with Arthur and spending some time at home.
Or, he could, if Hunith would answer the door. He rang the bell again, holding it down this time. It was bloody cold out.
“Don’t tell me your own mum is standing you up,” Arthur said, sounding far too delighted. “That would be horrifically sad.”
“You could always go back to the hotel, you know,” Merlin replied, shoving Arthur hard enough that he nearly stumbled off the step. He was saved from the retaliation by headlights pulling into the drive behind them.
Hunith got out of the car a moment later, a big smile on her face. Merlin grinned back, hopping down the steps to go meet her.
“I thought you’d forgotten about me,” he said as she pulled him into a hug. He pressed his face against her hair and inhaled the familiar scent of her shampoo. It really had been too long since he’d seen her.
“Rubbish,” she said, pushing him away and looking him over. “I had to run out and get some extra food for dinner.”
Merlin had called ahead to let her know that Arthur was coming along. He’d never come out and told her that they were seeing each other, but he was pretty sure she suspected as much.
“That’s good,” he said, going into the back seat for the grocery bags. “Arthur eats like a horse.”
“I do not,” Arthur immediately protested, even though he most certainly did. “Please don’t listen to him,” he continued. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Emrys. I’m sorry if my coming along put you out.”
Merlin rolled his eyes as Arthur turned on the charm. Hunith just smiled.
“It’s quite all right. I probably could’ve done with some extra anyway; Merlin eats like a horse as well.”
Arthur’s face lit up in a delighted grin. Before he could say anything, Merlin shoved some of the bags at him.
“Go on, make yourself useful.”
“Don’t be rude, Merlin,” Hunith chided as she led them up the walkway. “Arthur’s a guest.”
Behind her back, Arthur shot him a triumphant look. Merlin shook his head sadly.
“I can already tell how this night is going to go.”
Contrary to Merlin’s expectations, the night was actually quite lovely. Hunith made Merlin’s favourite, a huge roast complete with Yorkshire pudding, and they both had several helpings. They’d washed up while Hunith got dessert ready, a homemade banoffee pie that Arthur swore was the best he’d ever had.
Arthur had won Hunith over completely, regaling her with football tales and funny stories about things Merlin did. He was too full and content to be bothered by it, though, so he hadn’t objected to that bit.
The bit he did object to, however, was the heated looks Arthur kept shooting him when Hunith wasn't looking. At one point he’d slumped down in his seat, seemingly relaxed after all the food he’d eaten, and his foot had found its way into Merlin’s crotch, rubbing lightly against his cock. Merlin had gone hard embarrassingly quickly, and the bastard had kept his foot there, pressing lightly just often enough to keep Merlin helplessly aroused.
They’d made their way upstairs after Hunith went to sleep and had promptly fallen into Merlin’s childhood bed. Arthur had quietly admitted during one of Hunith’s trips to the loo that he’d been thinking all night about fucking Merlin there, and it had taken nearly all of Merlin’s willpower not to drag him upstairs right then and there.
Merlin was sprawled out on his back with Arthur on top of him, straddling his thighs. He’d already fucked Merlin, pinning him face down against the mattress as he drove into him, but he’d pulled out right when Merlin had been about to come.
Now his hand was wrapped tight around Merlin’s cock, stroking it slowly, keeping Merlin right on the edge. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Merlin tried to arch up and move in time with his strokes, but Arthur's weight kept him in place.
Frustrated, Merlin’s eyes drifted down to Arthur’s cock, which arced up toward his belly, thick and full.
“What about you?” he asked, his voice husky with arousal. Arthur shifted, spreading his knees a little wider.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked, leaning forward and placing his free hand by Merlin's head. Merlin thought for a moment before reaching down and grabbing Arthur's hand, drawing it away from his cock and moving it to Arthur's. Arthur looked down in surprise.
“You want me to--?”
“Mmm,” Merlin said in agreement, arching his back. “I want to watch.”
Arthur sat up, getting Merlin’s legs out from under him and settling between them, pushing one out to the side to spread him wider. Merlin gave him a lazy smile, reaching down to graze his fingertips up the length of his cock. Arthur loved it when he touched himself.
Predictably, Arthur’s gaze drifted downward to watch, and he wrapped his hand around his own cock. Merlin rubbed his fingertips over his slit, spreading the moisture that had gathered there. Arthur snagged his wrist, drawing the hand up to his mouth and licking the precome off Merlin's fingers before sucking them into his mouth.
“God,” Merlin breathed, torn between watching Arthur's mouth and his hand, now stroking up and down his cock. He tightened his grip on his own cock, drawing Arthur's attention. Arthur gave his fingers one last lick and released them.
Merlin let his hand fall to his belly, watching the way Arthur moved his hips, thrusting into his fist. He was starting to let out breathy little moans, his free hand coming down to cup and roll his balls. He closed his eyes, his breaths starting to come faster now.
Merlin was getting closer, but he wanted more. He reached his still-wet fingers down between his legs, brushing over his balls and then pressing down lower. He pressed them against his hole, still loose and slick from when Arthur had fucked him earlier.
He thought about how Arthur's cock had pushed into him, stretching and filling him. Merlin pushed both fingers inside, letting out a loud moan at the stretch.
“Fuck,” he gasped, his fingers sinking all the way in. Arthur's eyes snapped open, looking at his face before glancing down at the hand between his legs. His rhythm broke momentarily, his eyes wide.
“Are you--?” he started, still staring at Merlin's hand as he fucked himself. “Oh fuck, you are--”
He cut himself off with a groan and froze, face twisting as he started to come. Merlin felt the hot splashes land on his belly, his hand and cock, and he had to release himself. He didn't want to come just yet, though he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.
Arthur was panting above him, his hand moving slower now, drawing the last of the pleasure out of his cock. He slumped forward a bit and rested for a moment before looking down at Merlin.
He took in Merlin's disheveled state, the bottom half of his body painted with Arthur's come, his fingers still buried inside himself. His cock twitched even as it started to soften, and he moved quickly, gently tugging at Merlin's hand until his fingers slid out. Arthur leaned down and licked up the underside of Merlin's cock, swirling his tongue around the head, mixing his own come with the fluid already there.
Merlin pushed his hips up, one hand grabbing at Arthur's hair as he took Merlin into his mouth. The other jammed a pillow over his face to moan into as Arthur sucked him, long, deep strokes up and down his cock. When Arthur's thick fingers replaced his own inside him, Merlin came, jerking helplessly as he held Arthur's head to his groin.
He came for what felt like forever, Arthur dutifully swallowing every last bit before pulling back and taking a deep breath through his nose, still sucking at the head of Merlin's cock. Merlin pushed him away when it became too sensitive, mumbling something under his breath that even he didn't understand. Arthur's breath tickled his inner thigh as he chuckled.
“What was that?” he asked, looking just a bit smug.
“Shu'p,” Merlin said, feeling boneless and drowsy and wonderful. Arthur crawled up and settled on top of him, resting his forehead against Merlin's.
“Good thing we decided to stay tonight,” he said, curling around Merlin and letting out a huge yawn. “I don’t think I could move if you paid me.”
Merlin nodded his agreement as he turned into the weight and warmth of Arthur's body and let it drag him into a deep sleep.
6 April 2011
Mercia vs. Camelot United
Goals Needed to Break Record: 5
Merlin watched as the Black Knights of Mercia filed off their team coach. He thought the name rather fitting, given the players’ surly dispositions as they marched toward their dressing room.
He could already tell it was going to be an ugly game-the two teams had a nasty rivalry between them. Percival had been going on for days about bashing in heads and crushing skulls and whatever else it was that people with large muscles did to those they didn’t like.
Supporters were already starting to file into the stadium, and there was a sense of anticipation about them as well. The two prior matches had been away, and Arthur hadn’t scored in either. Everyone was expecting a breakthrough today.
Arthur himself was on edge about it. They’d arrived together, and Merlin had left him running drills over an hour ago. Merlin wasn't sure what everyone was so nervous about; Arthur only needed five more goals to break the record and nearly two months to do it. He had plenty of time.
On the way back to the training room, he ran into Leon, who was filling up two large sacks with footballs for the pre-match warm up.
“Ah, Merlin, just the man I wanted to see. Help me carry these out to the pitch.”
Merlin arched an eyebrow. “You wanted to see me to help you carry these?” he asked, but he took one of the sacks anyway.
“Well, you are a bit of an expert on balls, aren’t you?” Leon asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
“Only Arthur’s, mate, only Arthur’s,” Gwaine chipped in as he appeared next to them, bumping Merlin with his shoulder. He could feel himself turning bright red, which made Gwaine hoot with delight.
“I’m going to tell Elena that you snogged that barmaid,” Merlin threatened as he hefted the sack over his shoulder.
“But that was just one time,” Gwaine protested as he followed Merlin and Leon toward the pitch. “And before I even met her.”
Merlin was about to reply when there was a bit of commotion up ahead. He spotted Arthur, Elyan, and Percival talking to some of the Mercian players.
"Uh oh," Leon said, speeding up his stride.
"What's wrong?" Merlin asked, trying to keep up because bloody hell Leon's legs were long.
"Valiant," was Leon's answer. Gwaine, too, was rushing toward the crowd of players, leaving Merlin behind.
“Bloody footballers,” he muttered, reaching down to pick up the sack Leon had abandoned and then hurrying to catch up. He got there just in time to see two of the Mercians restrain the third, presumably Valiant, who was leaning heavily toward Arthur.
"You're an arrogant shit, Pendragon," Valiant was saying. "You'd do well to watch yourself, or you'll get what's coming to you."
Arthur just laughed.
"Tell me," he said jovially, "how's Sophia? You'll give her my love, won't you?"
Merlin frowned. Who the hell was Sophia? Valiant's face turned an interesting shade of purple right before he lunged at Arthur, breaking free of his teammates' hands. Leon, Elyan, and Percival all moved to intercept him, but the other Mercians managed to wrestle him under control.
"Save it for the pitch," one of them said, shooting a hateful glare back at Arthur.
"Oh, I will," Valiant said, smiling in a way that Merlin did not like. At all.
Arthur, however, didn't seem all that concerned. He'd spotted Merlin, and his face brightened into a more genuine smile. He took in the sacks that Merlin was still holding and barked out a laugh.
"I bet those things weigh more than you do."
Merlin scowled. "Sod off."
Arthur laughed, walking toward him. He grabbed took them and passed one each to Leon and Gwaine before sliding an arm around Merlin’s waist.
“Not sure you have time for a quickie now, Pendragon,” Gwaine said, smirking. “Might want to save your energy for the pitch.”
“Oh fuck,” Merlin muttered, hiding his face against Arthur’s shoulder. They were in a restricted area, so there was no danger of anyone overhearing them, but it was still weird that people talked about his and Arthur’s relationship so openly.
“Don’t you worry about my energy,” Arthur boasted, but Merlin could hear the smile in his voice,. “I’ve got plenty. Right, Merlin?”
“You are all complete wankers, and I hate you,” Merlin replied as he pulled away from Arthur’s embrace. Leon, because he was a gentleman and didn’t enjoy embarrassing Merlin nearly as much as Gwaine and Arthur did, shuffled Gwaine off toward the pitch.
Arthur backed him into a small alcove and leaned in to kiss him. Even though he was a prat, Merlin really wanted to make out with Arthur for a bit, but he also wanted to know what had just happened.
He turned his head. "Who's Sophia?"
Arthur pulled back a bit, frowning. “What?”
“You told what’s-his-face to give your love to Sophia. Why did that make him so angry?”
Arthur cocked his head. “Merlin, are you jealous?”
“No, I’m well aware you’ve been pulling anything with a pulse for several years now. I’m just curious.”
“She’s his fiancé,” Arthur said, sighing and running a hand through his hair. “We fooled around for a bit last year.”
“Was she his fiancé at the time?”
“Yes.”
“No wonder he was so cross,” Merlin said. It came out a bit more sharply than he’d intended-he knew Arthur wasn’t nearly as bad as he used to be, but it still annoyed him when he found out new examples of what a cock he’d been.
“Don’t give me that look,” Arthur said. “I didn’t know it at the time. As soon as I found out, I ended it.”
“Oh,” Merlin said, placated a bit. “Well, you still shouldn’t have taunted him. He looks a bit mental; who knows what he’s going to do now?”
“Merlin, are you worried about me?” Arthur teased, the open affection in his eyes making Merlin feel a bit breathless.
“Oh, shut up,” Merlin replied, kissing him so that he wouldn’t have to admit that yes, he was a bit worried, because he loved him and that was what people in love did. They hadn’t talked about it, but they would soon, Merlin had decided, and Merlin would tell him everything. He didn't know exactly what this was to Arthur, but he had his suspicions, and he didn’t want to keep secrets anymore.
They kissed for a while longer before Arthur pulled away, looking suddenly serious.
“You know that I’m not, right?”
Merlin blinked, feeling a bit kiss-stupid. “What?”
“What you said before,” Arthur clarified, his grip on Merlin’s hips tightening a bit. “About me pulling-well, you know I haven’t been, right? Not since-“
Merlin kissed him to shut him up, his heart thumping heavily in his chest.
“I know,” he said eventually, when they’d parted to catch their breath. “I’m not, either.”
“Well, obviously, Merlin,” Arthur drawled, digging his fingers into Merlin’s side and making him squirm away, laughing. “Who else would put up with you?”
Merlin smiled and let Arthur kiss him again.
He’d just stepped out onto the pitch when Gaius found him.
"There you are," he said to Merlin, raking his eyes over his nephew. Merlin really hoped he didn’t look like he’d just had the life snogged out of him, but from the look on Gaius’s face, it was an empty wish. "I've been looking all over for you."
"Sorry, I was-ehm, helping Arthur," he said lamely. Gaius cocked an eyebrow.
“Yes, I’m sure you were,” he replied, but continued before Merlin could melt into a pile of mortified goo. "I just wanted to let you know that you're on your own for a few hours today."
"What? Here?"
"Yes, Merlin," Gaius said, "here. There's an emergency case at the hospital, and they've called me in to come take a look."
Merlin knew that Gaius still consulted at the hospital--he was one of the top orthopaedic surgeons in Albion, after all.
"Doesn't Uther object to you leaving everything to me?"
"Given the quality of your performance and the progress Arthur has made under your care,” he said, not quite able to keep the disapproval out of his tone on the last bit, “we agreed that you're capable of handling things on your own for a few hours."
"You mean that's what you told him, and without any proof to the contrary, he was forced to agree."
Gaius's lips twitched. "Hush. You'll be fine; the emergency medics are on site should you need any help. I shouldn’t be more than a few hours.”
"Okay," Merlin said, and Gaius paused to look at him.
"You're certain that you're all right with this?"
Merlin shrugged.
"Sure. What could possibly go wrong?"
The club was on fire. From the opening kickoff, they dominated Mercia's half of the field, completely overwhelming their defenders. By the time Arthur scored the first goal in the eighth minute, the crowd was whipped into such a frenzy that they erupted into a deafening roar, shaking the stadium to its foundations. Merlin cheered right along with them, tensing in anticipation every time Arthur had the ball.
By the time the first half was over, Camelot was up three goals to nil. Right before the whistle blew, Merlin escaped to the clubhouse so he could be ready if needed. Everyone was in high spirits, though--Arthur was full of restless energy, pacing about the room despite Merlin’s efforts to get him to calm down. Merlin eventually let him be, not wanting to disrupt his concentration.
The second half started much the same way, but Mercia was more aggressive in their defence. Things got a bit heated, a bit dirtier, but Camelot kept pressing.
Finally, Arthur broke past two defenders, spinning neatly around Valiant and bearing down on the keeper. He beat him high on his right side, the net billowing out behind the ball.
Merlin jumped up and down, cheering along with the other personnel. The fans started chanting Arthur's name as play continued, and it was so easy to get swept away watching Arthur that Merlin almost missed it when it started.
Lancelot had just passed Arthur the ball and he was coming down the right side of the pitch, just past the midfield line. One of the Mercian players was charging him from the side, attempting to bump him off the ball. Arthur was bigger, though, and managed to shake him off.
Out of the corner of his eye, Merlin spotted Valiant sprinting down the field in pursuit, eyes locked on Arthur and rapidly closing the distance between them.
The look on his face made Merlin's stomach twist, and he didn't think twice before taking off at a full run, sprinting along the side of the pitch. He couldn't interfere with the players, but if he could just get close enough to somehow warn Arthur--
"Arthur, behind you!" he yelled as Valiant put on a final burst of speed.
Miraculously, Arthur actually heard him, or maybe someone else on the pitch called out to him, because he looked quickly behind him and got rid of the ball, passing it to Gwaine, who continued up the field.
Arthur slowed down, but Valiant didn't. "Look out!" Merlin screamed, out of breath, hoping his voice would carry over the noise of the crowd.
Arthur turned to the side just as Valiant went down into his tackle. Arthur tried to jump up out of his way, but he was too late; Valiant's studs smashed into his left ankle.
Merlin skidded to a stop, stunned. From where he was standing, Merlin saw the impact and the way Arthur's ankle turned unnaturally just before he came toppling down onto the pitch, and he knew, he knew, that Arthur's ankle was broken.
Horrified, he watched as Arthur rolled onto his side, screaming in agony as he clutched at his leg.
"ShitshitshitshitshitSHIT," Merlin yelled, taking off again. Thankfully, he'd run far enough down the pitch that he reached Arthur quickly, shoving people heedlessly out of his way. He dropped down onto the grass next to him, his heart trying to crawl its way up his throat.
"Arthur," he said, pulling his hands away from his leg. There were dark spots on his red socks where blood was starting to soak through. "Arthur, hold still, all right? I need you to hold still."
"Merlin," Arthur gasped, his hands coming up to grab at Merlin's jumper, "it hurts. It fucking hurts," he said, practically sobbing.
"I know,” Merlin said gently, “I know, but I need you to stay still for a minute, okay?" He glanced up at the players that had gathered in a circle around them, shielding them from view. "I need my bag," he said. "I brought it out with me after the half--it should be somewhere around the players' entrance. And have the paramedics bring the stretcher. We'll need it to move him once I've braced his ankle."
"Is it broken?" Gwaine asked quietly, voicing the question that everyone in Albion had to be asking. Arthur's season was over; his bid for the record was finished. He felt Arthur's grip on him tighten.
"I don't know," Merlin lied. "We won't know until we get some imaging done."
Arthur made a choked sound beneath him, grimacing, his face going white with pain. Without thinking twice, Merlin placed a hand on his knee, feeling his magic flare up strong and hot inside him. He gave Arthur enough to dull the pain so he could strip and splint the ankle without causing too much agony.
Lancelot returned with the ready pack and the paramedics, who moved to take over.
"No!" Merlin snapped, waving them away. "I'll take care of him. I just need you to help me get everything off so I can splint it." He looked up at the players gathered around them. "Give us some room."
Knowing that Arthur's ankle would swell the minute he got his boot, sock, and shin pad off, he quickly dug through the ready pack and prepared everything before nodding to the paramedics.
He looked down at Arthur. "I'll cut through the sock to get that off, but the boot will hurt. Just try and relax, all right?"
Arthur nodded, taking a deep breath. He draped one arm over his eyes, but the other stayed clutching Merlin’s jumper. Merlin kept one hand on Arthur's knee, willing the magic down his leg to the injured joint.
Regardless of Merlin’s attempts to numb it, Arthur sucked in a sharp breath when the paramedics got his boot off. Merlin waited impatiently for the other paramedic to cut through Arthur's sock, pulling off his shin pad as soon as it was feasible. He got his hand directly onto Arthur's ankle and actually felt Arthur sag a bit in relief as the pain receded to a manageable level.
He splinted it as quickly as he could, making sure that the ankle was stable before calling for the stretcher, keeping his hand on Arthur's foot as they transferred him onto it.
"We'll take him straight to the imaging room," Merlin said. "Find the technician; he should be on call. Also, someone needs to call Gaius."
They hoisted Arthur up and started carrying him toward the exit. Merlin stopped to grab his pack, but the minute he let go, Arthur cried out in pain, sending a spike of panic through Merlin.
"Someone bring that," he called back over his shoulder, catching up to the medics and latching onto Arthur once more.
Their progress was slow, trying to keep from jostling Arthur too much. Merlin took the time to note what was going on around them. The stadium was silent, though the fans broke into relieved applause when Arthur wearily raised a hand to acknowledge them.
Still, there was something in the air--a sadness, almost--as though everyone knew that it was over, that there would be no more for them to celebrate after this night, not until next season.
They made it to the imaging room without a problem. Morgana met them at the door, her eyes worried as she took in Arthur's leg.
"Both the technician and Gaius are on their way," she said. "What else do you need?"
Merlin glanced down at Arthur, who had his arm flung over his face again, hiding from all the people milling about trying to get a look at him. His throat worked rapidly as he swallowed again and again.
"Honestly? A little peace and quiet would be great," Merlin said. "There's nothing to be done until the technician gets here, but I'd rather keep him as calm as possible."
He didn't add that he was sure Arthur didn't want people seeing him in his current state, but Morgana seemed to get it anyway. She nodded, a determined glint in her eye.
"I'll keep everyone away. Uther will want to see him, but I'll figure out a way to hold him off for now."
"Thank you," Merlin said. Morgana squeezed his arm briefly before leaving. He turned to see the paramedics transferring Arthur onto the x-ray bed.
"You should have the ambulance ready," Merlin said. "I suspect they'll want to take him to hospital to confirm what they find here. I'll stay with him until everyone gets here."
The paramedics left, closing the door behind them. Merlin locked it before shrugging out of his coat and using the sink in the corner to wash his trembling hands. He was looking for a cloth to dry them when Arthur spoke.
"It's broken, isn't it?" he asked, sounding eerily calm. Merlin looked over at him. He’d sat up and was staring unseeing at a spot on the wall.
"I don't--"
"Don't you dare lie to me, Merlin," Arthur said, his gaze moving to Merlin’s face. Feeling helpless, Merlin nodded. "Fucking Valiant," he said, and then a loud, "FUCK!" exploded from him, making Merlin jump.
"Arthur, it's all--"
"I swear on my life, Merlin, if you tell me it's all right I will get up off this table and beat you, ankle be damned."
"Fine," Merlin snapped, angry--at Valiant for doing this, at Gaius for not being here, at himself for being so bloody helpless."What would you rather hear? That your season is over? That there's no chance you'll break the record now?"
He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, because he loved Arthur and the last thing he wanted to do was cause him any more pain just because he was in a fit of temper.
"Yes," Arthur said simply, "because it'd be the truth." He let out a loud laugh, a little hysterical, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist. "I can just imagine the look on my father's face. He'll find a way to make this my fault, you'll see. I should've had my head up, I should've been more aware, do I have any idea how many people I've let down? How I've let him down?"
Arthur was babbling, his body practically shaking from the adrenaline.
"That's the worst bit, you know," Arthur continued, "the fans. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm disappointed, but everyone's been so excited, and now they've been cheated. I just--"
Arthur's voice broke at the end, his hands coming up to cover his face. Merlin looked down at the floor, pretending not to see the tears leaking from the corners of Arthur's eyes, knowing Arthur would want it so.
He couldn’t stay away for long, though, moving to Arthur’s side and sitting a hip onto the table next to him. He put a hand on Arthur’s leg, trying to comfort him.
It seemed to help, a bit, because Arthur’s breathing lost its harsh sound. He wiped at his face before leaning forward and resting his head against Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin immediately began carding his hand through Arthur’s hair, heedless of the sweat and dirt that made it clump around his fingers. He rested his cheek against the top of Arthur’s head and closed his eyes
It wasn't fair, he thought, that Arthur had had this taken away from him. It would've been a less bitter pill to swallow had it been an accident; those were, after all, the perils of the game. But to have it end out of a deliberate act of spite--and there was no doubt whatsoever in Merlin’s mind that Valiant had meant to break Arthur's ankle--it was just wrong.
Merlin's magic prickled under his skin, adding its own protest, wanting to set things right. He knew that he shouldn’t-that it could, probably would change everything. But then he thought about Arthur, this stupid, arrogant prat that he loved, who was still crying quietly, not for himself, but because he’d let so many people down, and he made his decision.
He pulled away slowly, putting his hands on Arthur’s shoulders to put some distance between him. There must’ve been something in his expression, because Arthur blinked rapidly a few times before frowning.
“Merlin, what-“
Merlin leaned in and kissed him, hard. Arthur made a surprised noise, but Merlin pulled away before he could either reciprocate or protest. He slid off the table and started unwrapping the binding he'd used to secure Arthur's ankle.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asked, his voice hoarse.
“Do you trust me?” Merlin asked, pausing and looking Arthur dead in the eye.
“Of course I do,” Arthur said, like he thought Merlin was stupid for even asking. “But what-?“
"I'm going to try something," Merlin said, holding the ankle steady while he removed the boards, "but I need you to stay absolutely still, no matter what, okay?" He waited until Arthur nodded before proceeding.
Merlin examined the ankle quickly--it was definitely broken, turned at an odd angle and swelling up rapidly. Merlin knew he was running out of time, so he'd have to work fast.
His magic pushed forward into his hands, guiding them both to Arthur's ankle. He hadn't attempted anything this complex before, but he knew the end result he wanted, so he just held that in his mind and let the magic work, trusting that it would know what to do.
He gritted his teeth as it surged through him: hot, stronger than he'd ever felt it. It flowed unchecked into Arthur, swirling around the injured joint, mending the fractures to the bones and knitting the damaged tendons back together.
Merlin could see it, feel it working, and he concentrated all his energy on pulling it back before it healed Arthur completely. There was no way he'd be able to explain that.
When it finally receded, pulling back into Merlin's body, he opened his eyes to find Arthur bracing one arm against the wall, staring at him in shock. His ankle was still swollen, but less unnaturally so--more consistent with a bad sprain. The shallow cuts from where Valiant's spikes had gotten under Arthur's shin pad were still there, but they wouldn't keep Arthur from playing. He'd still have to stay off it for a few weeks, but that was better than a season-ending injury.
"What was--what did you--?" Arthur spluttered, eyes wide, but then there was a loud banging at the door. Merlin stumbled to answer it, feeling utterly drained, and opened it to find Uther Pendragon, Gaius, and a man he assumed to be the x-ray technician all stood on the other side, glaring at him.
"Why was this door locked?" Uther bellowed, making Merlin wince. A headache blossomed behind his eyes.
"Sorry," he muttered, dropping into a chair near the door. "Don't know how that happened."
The three men all swarmed around Arthur, who was still staring at Merlin incredulously. Merlin rested his head against the wall, too tired to do anything but stare back blearily.
He couldn't focus enough to listen to what was going on. Gaius was examining Arthur's ankle under Uther's watchful eye. They spoke in hushed tones, Gaius looking more and more perplexed as the minutes passed. Eventually, they both looked over at him.
"Merlin, could you come here please?" Gaius asked, his tone laced with censure.
Merlin really, really wanted to say no, mainly because he wasn't sure his legs would support him. But he had a feeling that Gaius had figured out what he'd done, and he'd only be making it worse for himself. He got up slowly. When he was sure he wouldn't fall over, he moved to join them.
"Are you all right?" Gaius asked when Merlin swayed on his feet a bit, concern momentarily overtaking his anger.
"Fine," Merlin said. "Adrenaline's wearing off, I suppose."
Gaius arched an eyebrow. "Tell us exactly what happened," he said, "from the beginning."
Arthur’s gaze had finally moved from Merlin and he was now staring resolutely at his foot.
"I saw him--I saw Valiant coming," Merlin said. "I saw him, and I ran down the side of the pitch and yelled to warn Arthur. He turned and tried to jump out of the way, but it was too late."
"So it was intentional," Uther growled, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It looked that way, yes."
"And after that?"
"I was close enough that I was able to get to Arthur immediately to stabilize his ankle. I got the splint on right away, and then the paramedics brought him back here."
"They tell me you refused to let them help you treat him," Uther said, giving Merlin an appraising look.
He felt his face flush, remembering the way he'd snapped at them, the fear and anger that’d made him feel fiercely protective of Arthur. "I thought it best to have as few pairs of hands involved as possible," he said. "There was only so much that could be done at that point, and I was perfectly capable of doing it myself."
Uther made a thoughtful noise. "Arthur, do you have anything to add?”
Arthur blinked slowly, and Merlin could see his posture setting, becoming more rigid. He looked at his father and then at Merlin, and for a moment all Merlin could feel was blind panic. There was nothing in his eyes when Arthur looked at him, and Arthur hadn’t looked at him like that in a very long time. Merlin was suddenly certain that Arthur was going to tell them the truth.
But all he said was, “From what I remember, that’s what happened.”
Uther turned to Gaius. “Well?”
Merlin's uncle took a deep breath. "It'll need to be confirmed by the x-ray, of course, but it appears, miraculously, that all the bones are intact and it is merely a bad sprain."
Arthur was still watching Merlin with that odd, blank expression, and it was starting to make him uncomfortable. He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.
"Amazing," Uther said, placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "From the way he went down, I was sure it was broken."
"I've always found him prone to melodrama, myself," Merlin offered before he could stop himself. That earned him a glare from both Pendragons and an eye roll from his uncle.
The technician interrupted them. "Ready when you are," he told Uther, who nodded.
Merlin took the opportunity to try and make a getaway. "I'll just go wait outside," he said, eager to escape for a moment to regroup.
"I think I'll join you," Gaius said, turning to the technician. "I'll be along shortly to examine the film."
Merlin resigned himself to the lecture that was sure to come. He let Gaius pull him into a small alcove off the main corridor, where he proceeded to cuff Merlin round the back of the head, hard.
"Ow," Merlin said, rubbing at it while trying not to glare at his uncle.
"Stupid boy," Gaius fumed. "Tell me you didn't do what I think you did." When Merlin didn't answer, Gaius sighed. "Merlin, what were you thinking?"
"It wasn't fair, all right?" Merlin said, trying to keep his voice down. "If he'd gotten hurt on accident, that'd be one thing, but Valiant did it on purpose. I was just setting things right--restoring the balance of nature, or something."
"Merlin--"
"He was so upset, Gaius. He started carrying on about disappointing the fans and then he was crying. I couldn't let it end that way, I just couldn't."
Gaius’s face softened, but only a bit. “Merlin, I know that there’s something going on between you two-“
Merlin blushed. "It’s not even about that,” he said, lying. “It’s not about me, or even just about him. I mean, isn't that what you told me? Why should an arse like Valiant take this away from everyone?"
Gaius stayed quiet, waiting, until Merlin admitted, "All right, yes, fine, my-feelings had a bit to do with it. I just--he should be out there right now with his teammates, you know it as well as I do."
"Be that as it may," Gaius said, "you cannot go around performing miracles, Merlin, not without attracting attention."
"I haven't!" Gaius just arched an eyebrow. "Until tonight, anyway."
Gaius conceded that point with a reluctant nod. "Well, by some complete miracle, none of the cameras appear to have gotten a clear view of what happened."
Merlin blanched. Fuck, he hadn't even thought about the cameras.
"I'm sorry, Gaius, I really am. I know I promised, but I--"
Gaius waved a hand, cutting him off, all his anger seeming to drain out of him, leaving him looking tired. Merlin felt a pang of guilt. "While I don't agree with what you did--at all--your intentions were admirable," he said, putting a hand on Merlin's shoulder.
Merlin managed a small smile, grateful that his uncle was trying.
"Come on," Gaius said gently, "let's get back and see what's going on."
Merlin sank back into the chair he'd abandoned as soon as they were back in the room. He looked down at his watch. Not even an hour had passed since it happened, but it felt like years.
Gaius eventually came back with Uther, his face grim. Merlin's heart thumped worryingly in his chest. What if, instead of helping Arthur, he'd done some sort of irreparable harm to his ankle? It hadn't felt wrong, but if it all went to hell, he had to find a way to fix it; he supposed he could always--
"Well," Gaius said, "the x-ray has confirmed my initial diagnosis. No bones are broken, though an MRI will be done at the hospital to assess any damage to the surrounding area. Knowing Arthur, I suspect this won't set him back more than a few weeks."
Merlin slumped back against the wall in relief. He could deal with injured tendons, he thought, could help them along if Arthur wanted, and--
He cut off that line of thought as Gaius's eyebrow shot up, as though he knew exactly what Merlin was thinking. Abashed, he just said, "I'm relieved to hear that."
Uther stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Arthur said that he heard you. On the pitch, trying to warn him about that...that cretin," he said, his lip curling up in a sneer, "and that that was the only reason he was able to move out of the way to avoid a more serious injury. That, of course, and your quick response. So, thank you."
Merlin blinked, avoiding his uncle's eyes. "I was just doing my job, sir, but I appreciate that."
Uther nodded, all business again. "Gaius and I will be accompanying Arthur to the hospital for his MRI. Morgana is staying behind to deal with the media. I suspect she'll need you to be available to answer questions. I'd also like you to give a statement to the police. I plan on pursuing criminal charges against Mr. Greene."
Merlin nodded, resigning himself to a long, sleepless night.
Chapter 4