Fic: Did you ever trust me? (6/?)
Title: Did you ever trust me? (6/?)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Merthur
Summary: Arthur is going through a hard time as the newly crowned King of Camelot, and everything seems to get harder and harder until he comes to discover the most shocking secret he could have ever imagined, greatly affecting his relationship with his beloved servant.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this (except for the plot) and none of this has really happened (that I know of).
**********
CHAPTER 6
“Arthur?” Merlin whispered after a while, but he only got a sleepy groan as response. “Do not fall asleep on me yet, you dollophead, I have to take care of your wound”
“It doesn’t matter” Arthur sleepily murmured, but Merlin knew he was dismissing him out of guilt -as he didn’t feel he deserved to be healthy if young Gilow couldn’t- and not just out of laziness.
“Well, it matters to me, so yes, I’m taking care of you” Merlin insisted, extricating himself from Arthur’s embrace to sit up. “Will you let me take a look?” Merlin pleaded, looking at Arthur the way he knew always got him his way with the King. And that time was no exception, Merlin thought with a smile, as Arthur sat up in the bed too and tried to remove his tunic, hissing with the pain caused by the movement of the injured arm. “Here, let me help you” Merlin offered, doing the rest of the work until Arthur’s upper body was exposed.
The young warlock wasted no time in getting closer to Arthur’s shoulder so he could thoroughly inspect the wound, and a sympathetic hiss left his lips before he was able to help it at the sight of such an offending injury in his lover’s body.
“It’s not that bad” Arthur said, knowing what Merlin must have been thinking without even looking at him.
“Isn’t it? How you are not writhing in pain right now is beyond me. And you thought I would let you go away with this without treatment? It’s quite a serious gash”
“It surely bled a lot” Arthur admitted, groaning when Merlin’s fingers caressed the wounded skin, however careful he was.
“Oh, I’m sorry, love” Merlin apologized. “It will have to be stitched. I’ll go get Gaius”
“Gaius must be busy with the wounded knights, who were far worse than I am, I don’t want to take him away from them. Can’t you do it?” Arthur pleaded, and he could see Merlin doubting before answering.
“Are you sure? I guess I could, but it’s not going to be as good as it would be if Gaius did it”
“Well, I trust you entirely” Arthur answered in all honesty, and Merlin felt the familiar jab in his heart whenever his lover placed all his ignorant trust in him.
“Alright, let me get the supplies I’ll need” Merlin announced, placing a gentle kiss on Arthur’s shoulder, next to the wound, and jumped from the bed to go to Gaius’ and pick everything he would need.
After Merlin quickly checked with Gaius that he had everything under control with the wounded men, and Gaius advised him how to take care of Arthur’s injury correctly, the young warlock picked everything he needed to sew the King’s shoulder. He debated giving Arthur a potion for the pain, as it was definitely going to hurt, but he knew it would take some time to take effect, and it would not be as effective as a little spell. He couldn’t know, of course, Merlin would make sure of that, but there was no way he was going to let his lover suffer if he could avoid it. So he picked a little empty jar from Gaius’ shelf and filled it with water and a little bit of colorant, intending to trick Arthur into believing it was the remedy what was taking his pain away. Arthur would never know, Merlin thought with a smile, but he wouldn’t have to suffer.
It was less than five minutes later that Merlin was back at Arthur’s chambers. Arthur had not moved from his place in the bed, and Merlin left everything next to him to take Arthur’s hand and make him move to the foot of the bed, where it would be easier for Merlin to work.
“This is going to hurt like the devil” Merlin warned him, placing the jar on his hand. “Here, take this, it will alleviate some of the pain”
Arthur took the vial from Merlin’s hand and swiftly took the cork off it and drank it all in one go. Merlin took the chance as Arthur drank to pull a little spell on him that would take away most of the pain without him noticing, and retrieved the bottle from Arthur’s hand, now empty of the plain water it had contained.
“It’s strange” Arthur commented, licking his lips as if looking for some kind of flavour.
“What?” Merlin asked, confused.
“Gaius remedies always taste horrible. This one didn’t have any taste at all”
“That’s because it starts to work immediately and you didn’t feel it, you silly” Merlin quickly made up, thinking how he could have kicked himself in the shin for not thinking about something as simple as that. Fortunately, Arthur was too hurt, too sad and too tired to care about it, and simply bought Merlin’s explanation. “Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be” Arthur answered, sighing shakily in apprehension for what was about to come, so Merlin gave him a quick but loving kiss on the lips to calm him down.
Merlin took a deep breath to calm his own nerves before starting. He had sewed some injuries before -as Gaius helper he was bound to be needed for things like that sometimes-, but never to someone so dear to him. Never to the person he loved most in the world. But it was alright, Arthur trusted him and he was not going to deceive him.
The young warlock started with the dreadful procedure and was relieved when Arthur only hissed slightly at the first touch: the spell seemed to be working alright. As he worked in silence, Merlin threw some furtive glances at Arthur’s face to see how he was fairing, but the blond was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice, and Merlin wished, not for the first time, that he could get rid of the pain in Arthur’s heart as easily as he had done with the one in his body.
“What do you see in me?” Arthur asked, all of a sudden, surprising Merlin with the odd question.
“Why are you asking me that? Have you still not understood you’re everything to me?” Merlin asked, apparently a little offended by the doubt he seemed to perceive in Arthur’s voice.
“I do know that” Arthur answered, and Merlin had to smile at Arthur’s confidence in his love for him. “I just don’t understand why”
Merlin’s heart ached again at Arthur’s frail self-confidence. People always saw Arthur as a proud, confident and strong warrior, maybe even too cocky sometimes. But it was only a facade to hide his true self. Only Merlin, and Gaius to some extent, knew how much Arthur questioned himself sometimes, how many insecurities were left on him after a lifetime of feeling like a failure because of an over-strict father.
“Maybe it’s the fact you’re the bravest man I know, and I don’t mean just in battle” Merlin stated, stopping his nursing for just a second to lovingly stroke Arthur’s arm up and down. “Or how intelligent, funny, sensitive and loving you are. Or maybe the fact that you have the biggest heart one could ever imagine”
“Are you sure I’m all that?” Arthur asked in a whisper, still not able to understand why Merlin seemed to love him so much. He was sure he had done nothing to deserve it.
“Yes, I’m completely sure” Merlin answered, without a trace of doubt, as once again concentrated at the job at hand.
“How?”
“Because I know you, Arthur. I know you better than I know myself and even if you can’t see it right now, you have to believe me. Do you think I would fall in love with a less than perfect man?” Merlin joked, and was happy to gain a little smile from his partner.
“How do you not get tired of me, always being so weak and insecure, always needing so much reassurance?”
“Alright, first of all, you’re not weak, alright? Have you not been listening to me at all? And do you think I would love you more if you never doubted yourself? If anything, I love you even more for letting me see this part of you you don’t let anyone else see. It makes me feel special”
“You are special” Arthur answered, with so much devotion in his voice and gaze that it was all Merlin could do not to burst out crying. “I could never have done any of this without you”
“Of course you could have. But I hope you never have to see it, because I want to be at your side for all eternity” Merlin confessed as he finished his job, taking the offending bloodied instruments away and going for the bandages to cover the wound.
“Believe me, if I have anything to say in it, you will” Arthur promised before stretching his neck to place a tender kiss on Merlin’s lips.
The tender union of lips soon seemed not to be enough, and both of them went for a deeper kiss, hunger for the separation of the previous day and the fear and anxiousness both had had to go through.
Arthur’s uninjured arm found its way around Merlin’s waist and pulled him to him, so when the kiss broke the King made a trail of kisses down the warlock’s jaw until it reached his neck.
“Arthur” Merlin protested, though not too firmly. “I have to bandage your wound”
“This is more important” Arthur whispered against the skin on Merlin’s neck, sending shivers all along his body with his breath.
“And what if it becomes infected?” Merlin asked at the same time that he threw his head backwards to give Arthur’s lips better access to his receptive neck.
“I’ll take the risk” Arthur answered, his voice husky with desire, as he made his way up Merlin’s skin again to capture his lips in a hungry kiss as he felt Merlin finally relenting completely and running his fingers all along his blond hair, gently pulling in a desperate need of bringing him even closer.
Arthur’s hands kept half caressing, half tickling, Merlin’s sides, until at last they needed the contact with his skin and found their way under Merlin’s tunic to the small of his back. Arthur smiled into the kiss at Merlin’s groan when his hand touched the sensitive area, but soon it was his own sound of pleasure he heard when Merlin gently sucked at the base of his neck.
They were so lost in each other that they barely heard the knock on the door. Merlin jumped from Arthur’s body like a spring and tried to hide his flushing as he played with the instruments he had just used, feigning taking care of them.
“Who is it?” Arthur asked.
“It’s Gwaine and Percival, Sire”
“Enter” Arthur allowed, and then he spoke more quietly to his lover. “Merlin, your shirt”
Merlin looked down on himself and noticed how his tunic was all crumpled and lifted up to the middle of his chest, so he quickly grabbed it and put it back in place in one strong pull.
“Well, you should see you hair...” Merlin answered, grumpily.
“If you didn’t always have such a fixation with my hair...” Arthur protested as he moved his fingers through his hair, trying to flatten it.
“It’s a nice hair” Merlin answered with a mischievous smile, and it was all Arthur could do not to fondly roll his eyes at him as the door clicked open and Gwaine and Percival made their way in.
“Arthur?” Percival asked as soon as he was in the room, never one for a lot of formalities. “Are you alright? Leon told us you had been hurt. He was worried about you”
“I’ll live” Arthur plainly answered.
“He’ll live if he lets me take care of that wound properly instead of playing down the importance of it” Merlin complained as he grabbed the bandages still laying on the bed, unaware of how worried and protective he had sound until he noticed Percival and Gwaine’s knowing smiles.
“He is lucky to have you, then” Gwaine joked, but Arthur took it seriously.
“I surely am” he answered, honestly, confidently, and Merlin looked at him in surprise before taking the bandages from the bed and starting bandaging the injured area at last.
“Where does this lead us, Arthur?” Percival asked, all joking aside in behalf of more important matters.
“To war” Arthur answered, simply, as he knew he didn’t need to say anything else. Gwaine and Percival, next to Leon, Elyan and Lancelot, were his most trusted knights, and few words were needed between them to know what the others were thinking. “You know there is no other option, right?”
“We know if there was something you could do, Arthur, you would” Gwaine answered, honestly, and Merlin smiled at the knights loyalty towards his lover, as he finally finished the bandage.
“So can I count on you?” Arthur asked them, though he already knew the answer.
“Nothing could keep us away from your side, Arthur” Percival solemnly promised, and Arthur just nodded at them, apparently too moved for words at the moment.
“Shall we convene a council with the knights for tomorrow?” Gwaine offered, not wanting their King to have to worry about anything else until next day.
“Yes, please, at first light” Arthur answered once he found his voice. “We’ll leave immediately after that. Have the men ready. We don’t have time to lose”
“Alright, sire. We’ll leave you to your rest now” Gwaine said with a smile as he gently pushed Percival to the door.
“Boys?” Arthur called them just as they were about to disappear, making them turn. “Just... thank you”
Gwaine and Percival only nodded and smiled in approval, and bowed their heads as a sign of respect before they made their way out.
Merlin turned to the silent King as soon as the door closed, and his hand found its way to Arthur’s fringe to caress it out of Arthur’s face.
“You seem tired” Merlin commented, smiling at his lover once Arthur’s face rose to look at him.
“I am”
“Are you alright?”
“Not really” Arthur answered with a sad smile as he laid down again in the bed, resting his head on the pillow with a tired sigh, and lifted a hand for Merlin to take, silently inviting him to accompany him, to which Merlin quickly complied. He laid down on his back and waited for Arthur to curl at his side, resting his head on Merlin’s shoulder and letting himself be engulfed in the young warlock’s embrace.
The excitement of the day soon started showing its consequences and Arthur’s eyes fluttered until he fell asleep, slightly tickling the skin on Merlin’s chest with his breath, making him smile fondly at his lover.
“I’ve got you, love. Sleep well” Merlin whispered against his forehead, his lips making contact with Arthur’s skin, his arm going up and down Arthur’s spine.
“You’ll stay?” Arthur’s voice, slurred by sleep, surprised Merlin for a moment who had thought his lover was already asleep.
“I’ll stay” he promised, and then he closed his eyes to accompany Arthur to the land of dreams. Tomorrow and the darkness it would bring would have to wait awhile yet.
A/N: And yes, so the war begins! I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to update as quickly as I've been doing until know, 'cause the chapters about to come seem much more difficult to write, but... I'll try my best!
Previous chapter
Read on FF.net
Read on AO3
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Merthur
Summary: Arthur is going through a hard time as the newly crowned King of Camelot, and everything seems to get harder and harder until he comes to discover the most shocking secret he could have ever imagined, greatly affecting his relationship with his beloved servant.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this (except for the plot) and none of this has really happened (that I know of).
**********
CHAPTER 6
“Arthur?” Merlin whispered after a while, but he only got a sleepy groan as response. “Do not fall asleep on me yet, you dollophead, I have to take care of your wound”
“It doesn’t matter” Arthur sleepily murmured, but Merlin knew he was dismissing him out of guilt -as he didn’t feel he deserved to be healthy if young Gilow couldn’t- and not just out of laziness.
“Well, it matters to me, so yes, I’m taking care of you” Merlin insisted, extricating himself from Arthur’s embrace to sit up. “Will you let me take a look?” Merlin pleaded, looking at Arthur the way he knew always got him his way with the King. And that time was no exception, Merlin thought with a smile, as Arthur sat up in the bed too and tried to remove his tunic, hissing with the pain caused by the movement of the injured arm. “Here, let me help you” Merlin offered, doing the rest of the work until Arthur’s upper body was exposed.
The young warlock wasted no time in getting closer to Arthur’s shoulder so he could thoroughly inspect the wound, and a sympathetic hiss left his lips before he was able to help it at the sight of such an offending injury in his lover’s body.
“It’s not that bad” Arthur said, knowing what Merlin must have been thinking without even looking at him.
“Isn’t it? How you are not writhing in pain right now is beyond me. And you thought I would let you go away with this without treatment? It’s quite a serious gash”
“It surely bled a lot” Arthur admitted, groaning when Merlin’s fingers caressed the wounded skin, however careful he was.
“Oh, I’m sorry, love” Merlin apologized. “It will have to be stitched. I’ll go get Gaius”
“Gaius must be busy with the wounded knights, who were far worse than I am, I don’t want to take him away from them. Can’t you do it?” Arthur pleaded, and he could see Merlin doubting before answering.
“Are you sure? I guess I could, but it’s not going to be as good as it would be if Gaius did it”
“Well, I trust you entirely” Arthur answered in all honesty, and Merlin felt the familiar jab in his heart whenever his lover placed all his ignorant trust in him.
“Alright, let me get the supplies I’ll need” Merlin announced, placing a gentle kiss on Arthur’s shoulder, next to the wound, and jumped from the bed to go to Gaius’ and pick everything he would need.
After Merlin quickly checked with Gaius that he had everything under control with the wounded men, and Gaius advised him how to take care of Arthur’s injury correctly, the young warlock picked everything he needed to sew the King’s shoulder. He debated giving Arthur a potion for the pain, as it was definitely going to hurt, but he knew it would take some time to take effect, and it would not be as effective as a little spell. He couldn’t know, of course, Merlin would make sure of that, but there was no way he was going to let his lover suffer if he could avoid it. So he picked a little empty jar from Gaius’ shelf and filled it with water and a little bit of colorant, intending to trick Arthur into believing it was the remedy what was taking his pain away. Arthur would never know, Merlin thought with a smile, but he wouldn’t have to suffer.
It was less than five minutes later that Merlin was back at Arthur’s chambers. Arthur had not moved from his place in the bed, and Merlin left everything next to him to take Arthur’s hand and make him move to the foot of the bed, where it would be easier for Merlin to work.
“This is going to hurt like the devil” Merlin warned him, placing the jar on his hand. “Here, take this, it will alleviate some of the pain”
Arthur took the vial from Merlin’s hand and swiftly took the cork off it and drank it all in one go. Merlin took the chance as Arthur drank to pull a little spell on him that would take away most of the pain without him noticing, and retrieved the bottle from Arthur’s hand, now empty of the plain water it had contained.
“It’s strange” Arthur commented, licking his lips as if looking for some kind of flavour.
“What?” Merlin asked, confused.
“Gaius remedies always taste horrible. This one didn’t have any taste at all”
“That’s because it starts to work immediately and you didn’t feel it, you silly” Merlin quickly made up, thinking how he could have kicked himself in the shin for not thinking about something as simple as that. Fortunately, Arthur was too hurt, too sad and too tired to care about it, and simply bought Merlin’s explanation. “Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be” Arthur answered, sighing shakily in apprehension for what was about to come, so Merlin gave him a quick but loving kiss on the lips to calm him down.
Merlin took a deep breath to calm his own nerves before starting. He had sewed some injuries before -as Gaius helper he was bound to be needed for things like that sometimes-, but never to someone so dear to him. Never to the person he loved most in the world. But it was alright, Arthur trusted him and he was not going to deceive him.
The young warlock started with the dreadful procedure and was relieved when Arthur only hissed slightly at the first touch: the spell seemed to be working alright. As he worked in silence, Merlin threw some furtive glances at Arthur’s face to see how he was fairing, but the blond was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice, and Merlin wished, not for the first time, that he could get rid of the pain in Arthur’s heart as easily as he had done with the one in his body.
“What do you see in me?” Arthur asked, all of a sudden, surprising Merlin with the odd question.
“Why are you asking me that? Have you still not understood you’re everything to me?” Merlin asked, apparently a little offended by the doubt he seemed to perceive in Arthur’s voice.
“I do know that” Arthur answered, and Merlin had to smile at Arthur’s confidence in his love for him. “I just don’t understand why”
Merlin’s heart ached again at Arthur’s frail self-confidence. People always saw Arthur as a proud, confident and strong warrior, maybe even too cocky sometimes. But it was only a facade to hide his true self. Only Merlin, and Gaius to some extent, knew how much Arthur questioned himself sometimes, how many insecurities were left on him after a lifetime of feeling like a failure because of an over-strict father.
“Maybe it’s the fact you’re the bravest man I know, and I don’t mean just in battle” Merlin stated, stopping his nursing for just a second to lovingly stroke Arthur’s arm up and down. “Or how intelligent, funny, sensitive and loving you are. Or maybe the fact that you have the biggest heart one could ever imagine”
“Are you sure I’m all that?” Arthur asked in a whisper, still not able to understand why Merlin seemed to love him so much. He was sure he had done nothing to deserve it.
“Yes, I’m completely sure” Merlin answered, without a trace of doubt, as once again concentrated at the job at hand.
“How?”
“Because I know you, Arthur. I know you better than I know myself and even if you can’t see it right now, you have to believe me. Do you think I would fall in love with a less than perfect man?” Merlin joked, and was happy to gain a little smile from his partner.
“How do you not get tired of me, always being so weak and insecure, always needing so much reassurance?”
“Alright, first of all, you’re not weak, alright? Have you not been listening to me at all? And do you think I would love you more if you never doubted yourself? If anything, I love you even more for letting me see this part of you you don’t let anyone else see. It makes me feel special”
“You are special” Arthur answered, with so much devotion in his voice and gaze that it was all Merlin could do not to burst out crying. “I could never have done any of this without you”
“Of course you could have. But I hope you never have to see it, because I want to be at your side for all eternity” Merlin confessed as he finished his job, taking the offending bloodied instruments away and going for the bandages to cover the wound.
“Believe me, if I have anything to say in it, you will” Arthur promised before stretching his neck to place a tender kiss on Merlin’s lips.
The tender union of lips soon seemed not to be enough, and both of them went for a deeper kiss, hunger for the separation of the previous day and the fear and anxiousness both had had to go through.
Arthur’s uninjured arm found its way around Merlin’s waist and pulled him to him, so when the kiss broke the King made a trail of kisses down the warlock’s jaw until it reached his neck.
“Arthur” Merlin protested, though not too firmly. “I have to bandage your wound”
“This is more important” Arthur whispered against the skin on Merlin’s neck, sending shivers all along his body with his breath.
“And what if it becomes infected?” Merlin asked at the same time that he threw his head backwards to give Arthur’s lips better access to his receptive neck.
“I’ll take the risk” Arthur answered, his voice husky with desire, as he made his way up Merlin’s skin again to capture his lips in a hungry kiss as he felt Merlin finally relenting completely and running his fingers all along his blond hair, gently pulling in a desperate need of bringing him even closer.
Arthur’s hands kept half caressing, half tickling, Merlin’s sides, until at last they needed the contact with his skin and found their way under Merlin’s tunic to the small of his back. Arthur smiled into the kiss at Merlin’s groan when his hand touched the sensitive area, but soon it was his own sound of pleasure he heard when Merlin gently sucked at the base of his neck.
They were so lost in each other that they barely heard the knock on the door. Merlin jumped from Arthur’s body like a spring and tried to hide his flushing as he played with the instruments he had just used, feigning taking care of them.
“Who is it?” Arthur asked.
“It’s Gwaine and Percival, Sire”
“Enter” Arthur allowed, and then he spoke more quietly to his lover. “Merlin, your shirt”
Merlin looked down on himself and noticed how his tunic was all crumpled and lifted up to the middle of his chest, so he quickly grabbed it and put it back in place in one strong pull.
“Well, you should see you hair...” Merlin answered, grumpily.
“If you didn’t always have such a fixation with my hair...” Arthur protested as he moved his fingers through his hair, trying to flatten it.
“It’s a nice hair” Merlin answered with a mischievous smile, and it was all Arthur could do not to fondly roll his eyes at him as the door clicked open and Gwaine and Percival made their way in.
“Arthur?” Percival asked as soon as he was in the room, never one for a lot of formalities. “Are you alright? Leon told us you had been hurt. He was worried about you”
“I’ll live” Arthur plainly answered.
“He’ll live if he lets me take care of that wound properly instead of playing down the importance of it” Merlin complained as he grabbed the bandages still laying on the bed, unaware of how worried and protective he had sound until he noticed Percival and Gwaine’s knowing smiles.
“He is lucky to have you, then” Gwaine joked, but Arthur took it seriously.
“I surely am” he answered, honestly, confidently, and Merlin looked at him in surprise before taking the bandages from the bed and starting bandaging the injured area at last.
“Where does this lead us, Arthur?” Percival asked, all joking aside in behalf of more important matters.
“To war” Arthur answered, simply, as he knew he didn’t need to say anything else. Gwaine and Percival, next to Leon, Elyan and Lancelot, were his most trusted knights, and few words were needed between them to know what the others were thinking. “You know there is no other option, right?”
“We know if there was something you could do, Arthur, you would” Gwaine answered, honestly, and Merlin smiled at the knights loyalty towards his lover, as he finally finished the bandage.
“So can I count on you?” Arthur asked them, though he already knew the answer.
“Nothing could keep us away from your side, Arthur” Percival solemnly promised, and Arthur just nodded at them, apparently too moved for words at the moment.
“Shall we convene a council with the knights for tomorrow?” Gwaine offered, not wanting their King to have to worry about anything else until next day.
“Yes, please, at first light” Arthur answered once he found his voice. “We’ll leave immediately after that. Have the men ready. We don’t have time to lose”
“Alright, sire. We’ll leave you to your rest now” Gwaine said with a smile as he gently pushed Percival to the door.
“Boys?” Arthur called them just as they were about to disappear, making them turn. “Just... thank you”
Gwaine and Percival only nodded and smiled in approval, and bowed their heads as a sign of respect before they made their way out.
Merlin turned to the silent King as soon as the door closed, and his hand found its way to Arthur’s fringe to caress it out of Arthur’s face.
“You seem tired” Merlin commented, smiling at his lover once Arthur’s face rose to look at him.
“I am”
“Are you alright?”
“Not really” Arthur answered with a sad smile as he laid down again in the bed, resting his head on the pillow with a tired sigh, and lifted a hand for Merlin to take, silently inviting him to accompany him, to which Merlin quickly complied. He laid down on his back and waited for Arthur to curl at his side, resting his head on Merlin’s shoulder and letting himself be engulfed in the young warlock’s embrace.
The excitement of the day soon started showing its consequences and Arthur’s eyes fluttered until he fell asleep, slightly tickling the skin on Merlin’s chest with his breath, making him smile fondly at his lover.
“I’ve got you, love. Sleep well” Merlin whispered against his forehead, his lips making contact with Arthur’s skin, his arm going up and down Arthur’s spine.
“You’ll stay?” Arthur’s voice, slurred by sleep, surprised Merlin for a moment who had thought his lover was already asleep.
“I’ll stay” he promised, and then he closed his eyes to accompany Arthur to the land of dreams. Tomorrow and the darkness it would bring would have to wait awhile yet.
A/N: And yes, so the war begins! I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to update as quickly as I've been doing until know, 'cause the chapters about to come seem much more difficult to write, but... I'll try my best!
Previous chapter
Read on FF.net
Read on AO3