fic: Arthur/Merlin, before the storm hits
Before the storm hits | Arthur/Merlin | PG | 509 words | in which Merlin wants to save Camelot and Arthur follows him.
When Merlin had left the castle in the middle of the night, he hadn’t counted on the fact that Arthur might actually follow him. Merlin had just made a fire and sat down on a log, when Arthur arrived, angry in the face. Merlin immediately leapt to his feet.
“Arthur!”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Merlin?” Arthur was in his face before Merlin could react in any way. Merlin didn’t back down; he wasn’t going to be intimidated, especially when he was doing this for Camelot, for Arthur.
“I was -”
“And do not think about lying because I know.”
“You do?” Merlin looked in Arthur’s blue eyes, shadowed by the night, and felt dread creep up on him. He wasn’t saying what he thought he was saying was he? “I’m going to save Camelot.”
Arthur clenched his fists. “You can’t do it alone. The witch will kill you.”
“Not if I play my cards right.”
“What cards? All you got is a wild magic, even if you’re rumoured to be the best warlock around, she may easily outsmart you. And let’s not forget about the army.”
Merlin blanched, and unconsciously took a step backwards. “What?”
Arthur looked at him like he couldn’t believe that he didn’t know and then frustrated with the situation ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Yes, I know about your magic, damnit. Why’d you think I was so angry with you for the past weeks?” he couldn’t quite look Merlin in the eye after admitting that.
“Frankly, I don’t know. It could be for numerous reasons, which could wary from not polishing your armour, sire, to - apparently, finding out about my magic,” there Merlin wavered on the last word, still shaken, “and not ever mentioning it or reporting to anyone.” He ended on a whisper that carried in the relative quietness of the night like a punch to Arthur’s gut.
“Merlin, you should’ve told me.” Arthur said after a while and shrugged, the fight draining out of him.
“When? When you ordered me around? When pretended to not see me? When you -”
“Enough! I’ve the same right to be angry as you do. Let’s put it to rest.” Arthur offered but Merlin didn’t answer, his head turned away from him. “Merlin?”
“I’ve got a question for you.”
“Okay. Ask.”
“Why didn’t you confront me about it earlier?” Merlin glanced at Arthur to see his reaction to his question.
“I felt betrayed and shocked. I guess I was stalling because I thought by avoidance it was going to go away. Of course, it didn’t and when I saw you leave tonight the weight of it hit me all at once.” Arthur minified the gap when he noticed Merlin suppress a shiver. Arthur dared to take Merlin’s barely warm hands in his and pull him back by the crackling fire.
“I’m sorry, Arthur.” Merlin whispered, looking down at their joined hands.
“Don’t be… Merlin.” Merlin’s eyes met Arthur’s and, feeling bold, Arthur leaned in and kissed Merlin squarely on the lips.
When Merlin had left the castle in the middle of the night, he hadn’t counted on the fact that Arthur might actually follow him. Merlin had just made a fire and sat down on a log, when Arthur arrived, angry in the face. Merlin immediately leapt to his feet.
“Arthur!”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Merlin?” Arthur was in his face before Merlin could react in any way. Merlin didn’t back down; he wasn’t going to be intimidated, especially when he was doing this for Camelot, for Arthur.
“I was -”
“And do not think about lying because I know.”
“You do?” Merlin looked in Arthur’s blue eyes, shadowed by the night, and felt dread creep up on him. He wasn’t saying what he thought he was saying was he? “I’m going to save Camelot.”
Arthur clenched his fists. “You can’t do it alone. The witch will kill you.”
“Not if I play my cards right.”
“What cards? All you got is a wild magic, even if you’re rumoured to be the best warlock around, she may easily outsmart you. And let’s not forget about the army.”
Merlin blanched, and unconsciously took a step backwards. “What?”
Arthur looked at him like he couldn’t believe that he didn’t know and then frustrated with the situation ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Yes, I know about your magic, damnit. Why’d you think I was so angry with you for the past weeks?” he couldn’t quite look Merlin in the eye after admitting that.
“Frankly, I don’t know. It could be for numerous reasons, which could wary from not polishing your armour, sire, to - apparently, finding out about my magic,” there Merlin wavered on the last word, still shaken, “and not ever mentioning it or reporting to anyone.” He ended on a whisper that carried in the relative quietness of the night like a punch to Arthur’s gut.
“Merlin, you should’ve told me.” Arthur said after a while and shrugged, the fight draining out of him.
“When? When you ordered me around? When pretended to not see me? When you -”
“Enough! I’ve the same right to be angry as you do. Let’s put it to rest.” Arthur offered but Merlin didn’t answer, his head turned away from him. “Merlin?”
“I’ve got a question for you.”
“Okay. Ask.”
“Why didn’t you confront me about it earlier?” Merlin glanced at Arthur to see his reaction to his question.
“I felt betrayed and shocked. I guess I was stalling because I thought by avoidance it was going to go away. Of course, it didn’t and when I saw you leave tonight the weight of it hit me all at once.” Arthur minified the gap when he noticed Merlin suppress a shiver. Arthur dared to take Merlin’s barely warm hands in his and pull him back by the crackling fire.
“I’m sorry, Arthur.” Merlin whispered, looking down at their joined hands.
“Don’t be… Merlin.” Merlin’s eyes met Arthur’s and, feeling bold, Arthur leaned in and kissed Merlin squarely on the lips.