Flashfic: As Thunder Follows (Merlin)
Summary: The dead don't always rest. Post series one.
AN: Written for dailyprompt's sober prompt. Thanks to my invaluable beta, bewarethesmirk.
As Thunder Follows
"Actually," Merlin said, "I'm totally sober."
"Right."
"No, really."
Arthur didn't sigh, but he did shove Merlin just enough to off-balance him and send him stumbling into the wall. "Yes, I see. Perfectly sober."
Merlin pressed his forehead to the stone and closed his eyes. The hallway was dim with faint moonlight falling through the high windows.
"If you're going to be sick, I'm leaving you here."
Merlin shook his head. "You wouldn't." And then he blinked, staring out at nothing Arthur could see. "Do you believe in ghosts, Arthur?" The question was soft and serious.
"Of course not." The idea was laughable. He took Merlin's elbow and tugged him along, not warning about the first step and letting Merlin trip because there was a limit to his patience and as often as not Merlin was on the wrong side of that line.
Even like this, loose and pliant with drink, Merlin was still argumentative.
"But you've seen the dead walk. Well, he spent more time standing. So you've seen the dead stand. And ride a horse. And kill people."
Arthur didn't particularly like that subject. "That was magic. Magic does all kinds of unnatural things."
The stairs that curled up to the physician's chambers were shallow and Merlin kept misjudging the height in the dark, stumbling.
"Must you be hopeless at everything?"
Merlin laughed and it sounded odd. "You don't know me. There are things I'm good at."
"I know you are perfectly capable of breaking your neck on one short flight of stairs." He leaned Merlin up against the wall by Gaius's door and stepped back. Merlin stared at him intently, like he was waiting for something more. "Surely you don't expect me to put you to bed."
Merlin smiled a little. "I'll manage." His gaze drifted back down the corridor, focussing in on a particular point. "You don't know me, Arthur."
Arthur crossed his arms. "And frankly, at times like these, I'm just as glad not to. You are one of the strangest, most irritating people I've ever met. I'll thank you not to get drunk again. It reflects badly on me."
"And we wouldn't want that." It was one of Merlin's usual mumbles, only a little slurred and slightly louder. And then Merlin looked at him, eyes dark and serious. "I don't regret it, whatever the consequences."
Arthur couldn't keep back the laugh. "You'll feel differently in the morning." He shoved Merlin's shoulder. But lightly. "You always swear off wine."
Merlin's expression did something funny and then he ducked his head, smiling unevenly. "Yeah. Um. Thanks. For..." Merlin waved vaguely at the stairs.
"Oh go to bed, Merlin." Arthur turned away but could feel Merlin watching him, so he paused and looked back. "It's a door. You put your hand on the latch and push."
Merlin grimaced. "I'd worked that part out."
If Merlin wanted to stand in a drafty hall all night that was his affair. "Don't be late tomorrow. Or I'll make you muck out the stables, hangover or no."
Merlin nodded and didn't move. Christ, whatever.
A good servant was supposed to be invisible, not a horrendous bother. He'd tell Merlin so tomorrow, loudly and at close range, and watch him try not to wince.
Halfway down the stairs, he thought he heard Merlin say a quiet, "Hello," to who knows what in the darkness. But Arthur didn't try to explain half the odd things Merlin did and said, and he was willing to let one more thing slide.
AN: Written for dailyprompt's sober prompt. Thanks to my invaluable beta, bewarethesmirk.
As Thunder Follows
"Actually," Merlin said, "I'm totally sober."
"Right."
"No, really."
Arthur didn't sigh, but he did shove Merlin just enough to off-balance him and send him stumbling into the wall. "Yes, I see. Perfectly sober."
Merlin pressed his forehead to the stone and closed his eyes. The hallway was dim with faint moonlight falling through the high windows.
"If you're going to be sick, I'm leaving you here."
Merlin shook his head. "You wouldn't." And then he blinked, staring out at nothing Arthur could see. "Do you believe in ghosts, Arthur?" The question was soft and serious.
"Of course not." The idea was laughable. He took Merlin's elbow and tugged him along, not warning about the first step and letting Merlin trip because there was a limit to his patience and as often as not Merlin was on the wrong side of that line.
Even like this, loose and pliant with drink, Merlin was still argumentative.
"But you've seen the dead walk. Well, he spent more time standing. So you've seen the dead stand. And ride a horse. And kill people."
Arthur didn't particularly like that subject. "That was magic. Magic does all kinds of unnatural things."
The stairs that curled up to the physician's chambers were shallow and Merlin kept misjudging the height in the dark, stumbling.
"Must you be hopeless at everything?"
Merlin laughed and it sounded odd. "You don't know me. There are things I'm good at."
"I know you are perfectly capable of breaking your neck on one short flight of stairs." He leaned Merlin up against the wall by Gaius's door and stepped back. Merlin stared at him intently, like he was waiting for something more. "Surely you don't expect me to put you to bed."
Merlin smiled a little. "I'll manage." His gaze drifted back down the corridor, focussing in on a particular point. "You don't know me, Arthur."
Arthur crossed his arms. "And frankly, at times like these, I'm just as glad not to. You are one of the strangest, most irritating people I've ever met. I'll thank you not to get drunk again. It reflects badly on me."
"And we wouldn't want that." It was one of Merlin's usual mumbles, only a little slurred and slightly louder. And then Merlin looked at him, eyes dark and serious. "I don't regret it, whatever the consequences."
Arthur couldn't keep back the laugh. "You'll feel differently in the morning." He shoved Merlin's shoulder. But lightly. "You always swear off wine."
Merlin's expression did something funny and then he ducked his head, smiling unevenly. "Yeah. Um. Thanks. For..." Merlin waved vaguely at the stairs.
"Oh go to bed, Merlin." Arthur turned away but could feel Merlin watching him, so he paused and looked back. "It's a door. You put your hand on the latch and push."
Merlin grimaced. "I'd worked that part out."
If Merlin wanted to stand in a drafty hall all night that was his affair. "Don't be late tomorrow. Or I'll make you muck out the stables, hangover or no."
Merlin nodded and didn't move. Christ, whatever.
A good servant was supposed to be invisible, not a horrendous bother. He'd tell Merlin so tomorrow, loudly and at close range, and watch him try not to wince.
Halfway down the stairs, he thought he heard Merlin say a quiet, "Hello," to who knows what in the darkness. But Arthur didn't try to explain half the odd things Merlin did and said, and he was willing to let one more thing slide.