Revelations: Merlin fic; Merlin/Gwaine
Title: Revelations
Author: erikssiren
Fandom(s): Merlin (BBC)
Characters/Pairings: Merlin/Gwaine, pre-slash
Rating: PG
Warnings/Spoilers: Spoilers for 4x07
Summary: Gwaine discovers Merlin's secret. Basically an AU of the last third of the most recent episode.
Author’s Notes: So I wrote this just after watching the episode, under a lack of sleep and the influence of the slightest bit of alcohol, so please excuse if some of it doesn't make sense. I also had no beta for this so I apologize if there are any mistakes in that regard.
Light from another's torch flickered against the cave walls as Merlin had begun down yet another tunnel, hopelessly lost. Was this the third or fourth left he had taken? He was frustrated and exhausted; his glimpse at how readily Arthur had turned his back on Gaius had drained the small bit of hope that had refused to die and finally Merlin had begun to wonder if the Albion he had dreamed of would ever arrive.
Moving quickly, Merlin ducked into a nearby alcove and tried to make himself as small and quiet as possible, tucking his limbs tight against his chest and slowing his breathing as the flames grew brighter. A shadow passed over the rocks, distorting the image of a man into something like the monsters Merlin was afraid of as a child, when the slight chink of chain mail against armor slowed his heart's frantic beating. Gwaine.
Merlin waited until the knight came into his view before letting out the other man’s name in a whisper. Gwaine whipped around, staring into the dark corner Merlin had hid before breaking into a smile.
“Merlin! Thought you were lost,” he said. “I know I am," he added with a laugh. Merlin joined in, forgetting for a quick moment that Gaius was dying or dead and it was all because of him. The shuffle of feet approaching behind him quickly stopped their laughter and they ran in the opposite direction, Gwaine brandishing his sword and torch as they rounded each curve, Merlin’s fingers itching with a spell just below the surface, ready for another attack. What was it that bridge keeper had said about magic and strength?
Endless moments passed and suddenly they found Gaius in a large room, Agravaine leaning over an unconscious (not dead, please not dead) physician, a knife to the older man’s throat. Blind rage filled Merlin, an anger that had been simmering since the traitor gave a smug glance his way after whispering poison in Arthur’s mind.
“Agravaine!” Gwaine shouted, Merlin stopped at his shoulder, seething. The king’s uncle tried to explain he way out of the situation, but the sorcerer could barely hear his words over the rush of blood in his ears. His vision blurred slightly with magic and it took the sing of Gwaine’s sword in the air to realize the situation had been taken care of already. Agravaine was slumped on the ground and Gwaine’s face was dark with betrayal when rushing footsteps reached beyond Merlin’s cooling anger.
“Quick, take him!” Merlin said, helping Gwaine lift Gaius off the stone table. “Quick!” He added at the confusion on Gwaine’s face. “I’ll take care of them.” But before the knight could protest or even follow directions, Morgana ran into the room, followed silently by a man in strange robes.
“No!” She cried and it was a though Merlin had slowed time, just like his first banquet in Camelot. He saw her eyes flash golden, hand outstretched at Gwaine and he acted without thinking, stepping in front of the knight and Gaius, ancient words spilling from his lips in a hoarse cry, hand thrusting out and eyes burning with magic. Morgana flew back, head striking a red wall as she landed, knocking her unconscious. The strange man quickly knelt, speaking awed words in a strange accent as he pledged his allegiance to Merlin’s future…to Merlin. A strange feeling welled in his chest, quickly edged out by the panic that he had performed magic in front of Gwaine. Gwaine, who was still silent behind him and who remained quiet as Alator left and they struggled with Gaius out of the cave and Gwaine who said nothing as they returned to Camelot.
Cold dread filled Merlin with every silent second, making his brain sluggish for a solution. What did he do now? Lancelot had accepted him easily enough, but Merlin and Gwaine never really discussed magic, not specifically at least. He seemed to take the Fisher King quest in stride though maybe he had been like Arthur, blind to what was right in front of him.
Merlin didn’t have a chance to question the knight between their arrival in Camelot and Arthur’s apology. Though there had been a teasing note to his demands, Merlin set out on the tasks Arthur had ordered him to, hoping the menial work would help him suss out what to do about Gwaine. He hadn’t told Arthur, that was obvious, but how long would that last? His worried thoughts trailed to Agravaine (who had somehow survived Gwaine's attack and returned to Camelot) and what to do. He hadn’t pushed the issue with Gaius, but that didn’t mean Agravaine would do the same. In fact, Merlin was counting on the fact that the traitorous adviser would probably do everything in his power to turn Arthur’s faith from both Merlin and Gaius, it was the only way to prepare for what was next. He could only hope this incident had steeled the new king to any future assault on their friendship.
“There you are.” Gwaine’s soft voice made Merlin jump, the armor he had been neglecting to polish rattled in his lap. Merlin’s eyes flickered briefly to the knight, the glance too brief to read any emotion in his face. He stared down at the dull breastplate, afraid to look up.
The wood bench he sat on creaked as Gwaine settled in beside him and slid across the well-worn seat so they were pressed together from shoulder to foot, the warmth radiating from the other man filling Merlin's body and replacing the dread that had begun to consume him since their trip home.
“I understand,” Gwaine whispered and Merlin’s head shot up involuntarily. He had expected questions, accusations, anything but the gentle tone he received.
“Understand what?” Merlin’s voice sounded shaky and not at all like himself. Gwaine moved closer, if it was even possible, and gently shoved the armor to the floor so he could rest his hand on Merlin’s.
“Everything. Well,” he added with a shrug that reverberated through the warlock’s entire body. “Almost everything. I see now how you were able to chuck a whole pile of plates in that brawl,” he laughed. “I think I understand how those wyvern avoided us and why you were the only one in the Fisher King’s throne room. And I understand how you've escaped death every time you’ve faced it.” Unconsciously Merlin flicked his wrist, turning his hand and their fingers slotted together. It was a line they had tread since their first meeting and for some reason they made an unconscious decision in this moment to cross it.
“Then you understand,” Merlin said, his voice suddenly low and warm. “Why I have to keep it hidden. Why I have to let everyone believe I’m a fool.”
“Will it be worth it?” Gwaine asked urgently, fingers squeezing Merlin’s tightly. “Will everything you’ve suffered be worth it?”
“Yes,” Merlin answered without hesitation. Then, he added with a shy smile, “Even more if you’re with me.”
Gwaine’s answering grin said everything they hadn’t spoken and hadn’t needed to be said.
Author: erikssiren
Fandom(s): Merlin (BBC)
Characters/Pairings: Merlin/Gwaine, pre-slash
Rating: PG
Warnings/Spoilers: Spoilers for 4x07
Summary: Gwaine discovers Merlin's secret. Basically an AU of the last third of the most recent episode.
Author’s Notes: So I wrote this just after watching the episode, under a lack of sleep and the influence of the slightest bit of alcohol, so please excuse if some of it doesn't make sense. I also had no beta for this so I apologize if there are any mistakes in that regard.
Light from another's torch flickered against the cave walls as Merlin had begun down yet another tunnel, hopelessly lost. Was this the third or fourth left he had taken? He was frustrated and exhausted; his glimpse at how readily Arthur had turned his back on Gaius had drained the small bit of hope that had refused to die and finally Merlin had begun to wonder if the Albion he had dreamed of would ever arrive.
Moving quickly, Merlin ducked into a nearby alcove and tried to make himself as small and quiet as possible, tucking his limbs tight against his chest and slowing his breathing as the flames grew brighter. A shadow passed over the rocks, distorting the image of a man into something like the monsters Merlin was afraid of as a child, when the slight chink of chain mail against armor slowed his heart's frantic beating. Gwaine.
Merlin waited until the knight came into his view before letting out the other man’s name in a whisper. Gwaine whipped around, staring into the dark corner Merlin had hid before breaking into a smile.
“Merlin! Thought you were lost,” he said. “I know I am," he added with a laugh. Merlin joined in, forgetting for a quick moment that Gaius was dying or dead and it was all because of him. The shuffle of feet approaching behind him quickly stopped their laughter and they ran in the opposite direction, Gwaine brandishing his sword and torch as they rounded each curve, Merlin’s fingers itching with a spell just below the surface, ready for another attack. What was it that bridge keeper had said about magic and strength?
Endless moments passed and suddenly they found Gaius in a large room, Agravaine leaning over an unconscious (not dead, please not dead) physician, a knife to the older man’s throat. Blind rage filled Merlin, an anger that had been simmering since the traitor gave a smug glance his way after whispering poison in Arthur’s mind.
“Agravaine!” Gwaine shouted, Merlin stopped at his shoulder, seething. The king’s uncle tried to explain he way out of the situation, but the sorcerer could barely hear his words over the rush of blood in his ears. His vision blurred slightly with magic and it took the sing of Gwaine’s sword in the air to realize the situation had been taken care of already. Agravaine was slumped on the ground and Gwaine’s face was dark with betrayal when rushing footsteps reached beyond Merlin’s cooling anger.
“Quick, take him!” Merlin said, helping Gwaine lift Gaius off the stone table. “Quick!” He added at the confusion on Gwaine’s face. “I’ll take care of them.” But before the knight could protest or even follow directions, Morgana ran into the room, followed silently by a man in strange robes.
“No!” She cried and it was a though Merlin had slowed time, just like his first banquet in Camelot. He saw her eyes flash golden, hand outstretched at Gwaine and he acted without thinking, stepping in front of the knight and Gaius, ancient words spilling from his lips in a hoarse cry, hand thrusting out and eyes burning with magic. Morgana flew back, head striking a red wall as she landed, knocking her unconscious. The strange man quickly knelt, speaking awed words in a strange accent as he pledged his allegiance to Merlin’s future…to Merlin. A strange feeling welled in his chest, quickly edged out by the panic that he had performed magic in front of Gwaine. Gwaine, who was still silent behind him and who remained quiet as Alator left and they struggled with Gaius out of the cave and Gwaine who said nothing as they returned to Camelot.
Cold dread filled Merlin with every silent second, making his brain sluggish for a solution. What did he do now? Lancelot had accepted him easily enough, but Merlin and Gwaine never really discussed magic, not specifically at least. He seemed to take the Fisher King quest in stride though maybe he had been like Arthur, blind to what was right in front of him.
Merlin didn’t have a chance to question the knight between their arrival in Camelot and Arthur’s apology. Though there had been a teasing note to his demands, Merlin set out on the tasks Arthur had ordered him to, hoping the menial work would help him suss out what to do about Gwaine. He hadn’t told Arthur, that was obvious, but how long would that last? His worried thoughts trailed to Agravaine (who had somehow survived Gwaine's attack and returned to Camelot) and what to do. He hadn’t pushed the issue with Gaius, but that didn’t mean Agravaine would do the same. In fact, Merlin was counting on the fact that the traitorous adviser would probably do everything in his power to turn Arthur’s faith from both Merlin and Gaius, it was the only way to prepare for what was next. He could only hope this incident had steeled the new king to any future assault on their friendship.
“There you are.” Gwaine’s soft voice made Merlin jump, the armor he had been neglecting to polish rattled in his lap. Merlin’s eyes flickered briefly to the knight, the glance too brief to read any emotion in his face. He stared down at the dull breastplate, afraid to look up.
The wood bench he sat on creaked as Gwaine settled in beside him and slid across the well-worn seat so they were pressed together from shoulder to foot, the warmth radiating from the other man filling Merlin's body and replacing the dread that had begun to consume him since their trip home.
“I understand,” Gwaine whispered and Merlin’s head shot up involuntarily. He had expected questions, accusations, anything but the gentle tone he received.
“Understand what?” Merlin’s voice sounded shaky and not at all like himself. Gwaine moved closer, if it was even possible, and gently shoved the armor to the floor so he could rest his hand on Merlin’s.
“Everything. Well,” he added with a shrug that reverberated through the warlock’s entire body. “Almost everything. I see now how you were able to chuck a whole pile of plates in that brawl,” he laughed. “I think I understand how those wyvern avoided us and why you were the only one in the Fisher King’s throne room. And I understand how you've escaped death every time you’ve faced it.” Unconsciously Merlin flicked his wrist, turning his hand and their fingers slotted together. It was a line they had tread since their first meeting and for some reason they made an unconscious decision in this moment to cross it.
“Then you understand,” Merlin said, his voice suddenly low and warm. “Why I have to keep it hidden. Why I have to let everyone believe I’m a fool.”
“Will it be worth it?” Gwaine asked urgently, fingers squeezing Merlin’s tightly. “Will everything you’ve suffered be worth it?”
“Yes,” Merlin answered without hesitation. Then, he added with a shy smile, “Even more if you’re with me.”
Gwaine’s answering grin said everything they hadn’t spoken and hadn’t needed to be said.