Prompt 170: Pacing and Waiting
Author: alafaye
Title: Pacing and Waiting
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur, background Lancelot/Gwen
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Lancelot
Summary: It's finally time.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 487
Prompt: 170, expecting
Author's Notes: Simple and sweet.
Arthur was calm, sitting and reading something--work, Merlin was sure.
He was biting his nails, pacing. He couldn't stop.
And he hated that Arthur could just sit there, like their lives weren't about to change.
A nurse walked past, but not from the direction of the delivery room. She was going toward it. Merlin watched, breath caught in his throat, but there was nothing.
Nothing like there had been nothing for the last...had it really only been an hour?
Merlin started pacing again.
"She's fine," Arthur said.
Merlin ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't stop pacing. "But it's been an hour, Arthur! What if something went wrong?"
Arthur sighed and put aside whatever he had been working on. He patted the seat next to him, but Merlin shook his head. Arthur rolled his eyes. "A bit more time is nothing after eight months."
"But she's in there, right now, and...Arthur, I've read some stories. There's a lot that can go wrong!"
"And Gwen has had three healthy children already," Arthur reminded him. "Our little one is going to be the same. Now come sit down. You're driving me crazy."
Merlin blinked and saw...well, Arthur did look tired. He had been pulling extra hours--because of his upcoming paternity leave? Merlin bit his lip and couldn't stop himself from looking toward the delivery room again. Arthur stood and crossed to him, putting his hands on Merlin's shoulders. "It's going to be okay. The pregnancy has been a breeze and she went into labor within the time frame the doctor gave us. It. Will. Be. Fine."
Merlin opened his mouth, but Arthur kissed him. With a sigh, Merlin closed his eyes and as the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against Arthur's. "It's just...our little girl, Arthur. She's coming."
Arthur grinned. "Yes, she is. But she's like us--she'll take her time."
Merlin breathed deep and bunched Arthur's shirt in his hands. "But what if something's wrong? What if that's why she's taking so long?"
Arthur ran his hand up and down Merlin's back, but said nothing. Merlin swallowed hard, worried more now--what if Arthur's silence was because he agreed?
More footsteps. Merlin couldn't move, locked now in Arthur's embrace, a little circle of two waiting for a third to make them complete.
"There's the expecting fathers," Lancelot joked, wearing the blue cover things he had to wear. He was smiling. "They're cleaning her up, but you can hold her in a bit."
Merlin's breath left him in a rush and he spun so hard that Arthur went with him. They stumbled, grabbing each other to keep their balance, while Lancelot laughed at them. "Come on, you two. Come meet your little girl."
Their little girl. Oh, god.
Arthur huffed a small laugh. "Well, dad, shall we?"
Merlin chuckled. "Yeah." And then, stronger, because, well. "Yeah."
Their little girl.
At last.
Title: Pacing and Waiting
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur, background Lancelot/Gwen
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Lancelot
Summary: It's finally time.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 487
Prompt: 170, expecting
Author's Notes: Simple and sweet.
Arthur was calm, sitting and reading something--work, Merlin was sure.
He was biting his nails, pacing. He couldn't stop.
And he hated that Arthur could just sit there, like their lives weren't about to change.
A nurse walked past, but not from the direction of the delivery room. She was going toward it. Merlin watched, breath caught in his throat, but there was nothing.
Nothing like there had been nothing for the last...had it really only been an hour?
Merlin started pacing again.
"She's fine," Arthur said.
Merlin ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't stop pacing. "But it's been an hour, Arthur! What if something went wrong?"
Arthur sighed and put aside whatever he had been working on. He patted the seat next to him, but Merlin shook his head. Arthur rolled his eyes. "A bit more time is nothing after eight months."
"But she's in there, right now, and...Arthur, I've read some stories. There's a lot that can go wrong!"
"And Gwen has had three healthy children already," Arthur reminded him. "Our little one is going to be the same. Now come sit down. You're driving me crazy."
Merlin blinked and saw...well, Arthur did look tired. He had been pulling extra hours--because of his upcoming paternity leave? Merlin bit his lip and couldn't stop himself from looking toward the delivery room again. Arthur stood and crossed to him, putting his hands on Merlin's shoulders. "It's going to be okay. The pregnancy has been a breeze and she went into labor within the time frame the doctor gave us. It. Will. Be. Fine."
Merlin opened his mouth, but Arthur kissed him. With a sigh, Merlin closed his eyes and as the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against Arthur's. "It's just...our little girl, Arthur. She's coming."
Arthur grinned. "Yes, she is. But she's like us--she'll take her time."
Merlin breathed deep and bunched Arthur's shirt in his hands. "But what if something's wrong? What if that's why she's taking so long?"
Arthur ran his hand up and down Merlin's back, but said nothing. Merlin swallowed hard, worried more now--what if Arthur's silence was because he agreed?
More footsteps. Merlin couldn't move, locked now in Arthur's embrace, a little circle of two waiting for a third to make them complete.
"There's the expecting fathers," Lancelot joked, wearing the blue cover things he had to wear. He was smiling. "They're cleaning her up, but you can hold her in a bit."
Merlin's breath left him in a rush and he spun so hard that Arthur went with him. They stumbled, grabbing each other to keep their balance, while Lancelot laughed at them. "Come on, you two. Come meet your little girl."
Their little girl. Oh, god.
Arthur huffed a small laugh. "Well, dad, shall we?"
Merlin chuckled. "Yeah." And then, stronger, because, well. "Yeah."
Their little girl.
At last.