Dear to Me
Original Post
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: mention of Merlin
Summary: Arthur is pouty when feverish. Early S3.
Word Count: 509
Prompt: "Arthur is jealous of Merlin and Gwen's friendship"
A/N: For ag_fics Team Fic Battle.
"You never skulk about the castle with me."
Arthur's pout had crossed royal territory and was on its way to reaching legendary status. Gwen suppressed her sigh, reminding herself that he was wounded and feverish and not thinking clearly. "I do not 'skulk,' my lord," she said patiently, tying off the fresh bandage on his chest.
"You skulk," he muttered, almost accusingly. "You and Merlin, always skulking about."
Gwen pursed her lips as she tried to come up with a way of denying that without having it be an outright lie. "We... pay attention to things that are happening, that's all."
"I like to pay attention to things," he said petulantly. "I have to. It's basically my job."
"Right..." How many times had she and Merlin had to act without Arthur discovering what was actually going on?
"You like him better than me, don't you?"
"What? No!" Gwen gave a quiet laugh. "Merlin's a dear friend. And, you are also dear to me," she said carefully.
"As dear as Merlin?"
This would be irritating if he was not sick; as it was, she was actually finding it rather adorable. "You are each dear to me in different ways."
"I think you've got secrets with him." Arthur's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
She burst out laughing at that. "Oh, do you?" Not that it was untrue, but the way he was expressing it was too much. Shaking her head, she said softly, "You and I have secrets, too."
He visibly pondered that. "They're good secrets," he allowed. Then, he looked at her in surprise. "You do not have secrets like that with Merlin, do you?"
She patted his shoulder, taking care not to touch anywhere that might be sore. "No, my lord."
"You could at least use my name," he grumbled. "You use Merlin's."
"Merlin is not heir to the throne of Camelot," she reminded him, picking up a cool cloth to dab over his forehead.
"I'm not only the heir. I'm also just me."
Gwen lowered her hand. "I know that."
"I know you know that. Which is why I also know he's dearer to you than I am."
She sighed fondly. "Fine. Arthur, you are as dear to me as Merlin."
He was briefly appeased when she used his name, but then scowled. "I would be dearer to you."
Biting her lip whilst she pondered, Gwen finally decided he was unlikely to have a clear memory of this when he recovered, anyway. She leaned over and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "You are, Arthur."
That fully appeased him, and he beamed at her.
"Now, you should get some sleep." She tucked the sheets around him as much as she could without hurting him.
His eyelids were already drooping, but he murmured, "Promise you'll skulk with me when I'm better?"
Not having the faintest clue what circumstances would possibly allow for that, Gwen nonetheless replied, "I promise. We will skulk all over the castle."
Despite his wound and the fever it had brought on, Arthur fell asleep smiling.
*
Rating: G
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: mention of Merlin
Summary: Arthur is pouty when feverish. Early S3.
Word Count: 509
Prompt: "Arthur is jealous of Merlin and Gwen's friendship"
A/N: For ag_fics Team Fic Battle.
"You never skulk about the castle with me."
Arthur's pout had crossed royal territory and was on its way to reaching legendary status. Gwen suppressed her sigh, reminding herself that he was wounded and feverish and not thinking clearly. "I do not 'skulk,' my lord," she said patiently, tying off the fresh bandage on his chest.
"You skulk," he muttered, almost accusingly. "You and Merlin, always skulking about."
Gwen pursed her lips as she tried to come up with a way of denying that without having it be an outright lie. "We... pay attention to things that are happening, that's all."
"I like to pay attention to things," he said petulantly. "I have to. It's basically my job."
"Right..." How many times had she and Merlin had to act without Arthur discovering what was actually going on?
"You like him better than me, don't you?"
"What? No!" Gwen gave a quiet laugh. "Merlin's a dear friend. And, you are also dear to me," she said carefully.
"As dear as Merlin?"
This would be irritating if he was not sick; as it was, she was actually finding it rather adorable. "You are each dear to me in different ways."
"I think you've got secrets with him." Arthur's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
She burst out laughing at that. "Oh, do you?" Not that it was untrue, but the way he was expressing it was too much. Shaking her head, she said softly, "You and I have secrets, too."
He visibly pondered that. "They're good secrets," he allowed. Then, he looked at her in surprise. "You do not have secrets like that with Merlin, do you?"
She patted his shoulder, taking care not to touch anywhere that might be sore. "No, my lord."
"You could at least use my name," he grumbled. "You use Merlin's."
"Merlin is not heir to the throne of Camelot," she reminded him, picking up a cool cloth to dab over his forehead.
"I'm not only the heir. I'm also just me."
Gwen lowered her hand. "I know that."
"I know you know that. Which is why I also know he's dearer to you than I am."
She sighed fondly. "Fine. Arthur, you are as dear to me as Merlin."
He was briefly appeased when she used his name, but then scowled. "I would be dearer to you."
Biting her lip whilst she pondered, Gwen finally decided he was unlikely to have a clear memory of this when he recovered, anyway. She leaned over and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "You are, Arthur."
That fully appeased him, and he beamed at her.
"Now, you should get some sleep." She tucked the sheets around him as much as she could without hurting him.
His eyelids were already drooping, but he murmured, "Promise you'll skulk with me when I'm better?"
Not having the faintest clue what circumstances would possibly allow for that, Gwen nonetheless replied, "I promise. We will skulk all over the castle."
Despite his wound and the fever it had brought on, Arthur fell asleep smiling.
*