Day 2: Merlin, "Blanket"

[meatball42]

Title: Time Enough for Two
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: G
Characters/pairings: Merlin/Arthur
Warnings (including spoilers): Two guys in a relationship. MY EYES!!!!
Summary: All Merlin wants is to have some quiet time with his lover... what could be more important than that?
AN: Hey'all, onto day two! This counts for my advent challenge and also as my wish grant over at insmallpackages. The wish was 'Fandom: Merlin (BBC Series). Arthur/Merlin ficlet. Prompt: Blanket' and I think this turned out really well, especially since I was determined it would be-
Wordcount: 300 words exactly.


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It wasn’t easy being king. Merlin knew this, and yet he couldn't help but get annoyed at the fact that Arthur seemed to have no time for their relationship any longer. Even the day after Christmas Arthur was busy, writing missives to foreign kings and advising his nobles and allocating money for repairs to houses that had been damaged by snow. He'd even apologized and tried to make time for Merlin, but the kingdom needed a strong guiding hand right now. Merlin knew all this, yet he couldn't help but feel lonely and a bit angry as the bells announced midnight and Arthur had yet to come to bed.

The next morning Merlin awoke at his usual time, a bell after daybreak, and smiled before he'd even opened his eyes. Arthur's warmth was pressed against his back, they were both wrapped in thick blankets and they had the whole morning off. He got out of bed and started the fire, then collected the breakfast the castle servants had left outside the door.

He returned to their bed and examined Arthur's face. His lover's skin was even paler than usual and the area under his eyes was baggy and dark. Merlin looked toward the corner of the room where their unopened presents were piled. If he woke Arthur now, they could spend the entire morning alone, without any clothes to stitch or speeches to write or baths to draw. They could truly be a couple for a short while before duty called once again.

Merlin sighed and pulled the rumpled blankets up to Arthur's chin, stroking the gold hair that had spent too long uncut. Arthur needed his beauty sleep, Merlin decided. The presents would still be there once they finally had some time to breath. And so would Arthur.

AN: Hey'all, onto day two! This counts for my advent challenge and also as my wish grant over at insmallpackages