Rescuing Merlin 4/4
Title: Rescuing Merlin
Author: KatelynnLynn
Rating: G
Warnings/Spoilers: Spoilers for 1.10, Moment of Truth
Summary: A series of one-shots written based on scenes/lines from Moment of Truth. Kind-of sequel to Rescuing Arthur.
“You shouldn’t have kept this from me, Merlin.”
Arthur seriously needed to come up with another line, especially when the subject was magic. Merlin could feel the ax coming down on his neck already.
The book in Arthur’s hands sat silent, mocking Merlin. He’d had a strange feeling from day one that the book was alive somehow. Now it seemed more alive than ever, taunting him from the livid prince’s grasp.
“What? Nothing to say, sorcerer?” Merlin shrugged at the venom in Arthur's voice, consenting defeat.
“Might as well run off to daddy, hadn’t you?” Arthur looked as stunned as Merlin felt. He hadn’t meant to say that, hadn’t even known he’d been thinking it. His mouth continued. “You know you should. You’ve been living the life of the perfect son all these years without a hitch. Why break your perfect track record now?” Surprise had been replaced by outrage on Arthur’s pale face.
“Merlin! What do you-”
“Oh shut up, you great prat.” Well, that definitely sounded more like Merlin. He tried to convey his real thoughts through his eyes. ‘Arthur…please…’ “You’re just afraid. Afraid I might do to you what you did to your mother.”
Merlin knew the blow was imminent; even felt that he deserved it, in a way. But the tears in Arthur’s eyes hurt him more than the fist had.
Both of them were expecting Merlin’s mouth to go on, for him to keep digging his already huge hole, but he didn’t.
Blessed silence reigned on them at last.
“How-How dare you… you speak to me like that!” Arthur was furious, and rightfully so.
“Arthur…”
“No. No, I don’t want to hear any more from you, you… you…” Not finding a vile enough word, Arthur simply kicked the magic book. Merlin picked the book up as Arthur stormed away, presumably to get Uther.
“I LOVED YOU!”
Arthur’s voice echoed down what Merlin was sure was every corridor in the castle. The book had dropped to the floor, startled from Merlin’s hands, and Arthur turned slowly, white-faced and shaking.
“What did you do to me?”
Merlin stared.
“I didn’t-”
“You made me say that!” Merlin shook his head, frantic.
“I didn’t…” His eyes fell on the book at his feet, and his stomach suddenly clenched. He reached for it again.
“Don’t you dare-” The moment Merlin’s fingers had brushed the cover, Arthur’s sentence changed halfway. “I loved you and you betrayed me. How could you do this to me, Merlin?”
Merlin took his hand from the book and stared into Arthur’s ashen face.
In a sudden blaze of fury and realization, Arthur was suddenly in front of him, magic book in hand.
“I didn’t mean to.” The words were suddenly spilling from Merlin’s mouth with no inhibitions. He wasn’t even thinking these things! “I love you, and I never meant to hurt you. God’s, I’ve loved you since the moment you wouldn’t shake my hand.” Arthur laughed incredulously, seemingly in spite of his anger. “You’re an arrogant prat and a daddy’s boy and a self-centered ass and I love you.”
Merlin, having had quite enough of this, grabbed the book from the silent prince’s grasp and chucked it behind his shoulder.
He longed to ask what was going to happen to him now, whether or not it would be the stocks again, or worse, the ax. Actually, Merlin thought that the second option was looking like a nice choice as the silence drug on.
He was too terrified to speak. So, it seemed, was Arthur.
And it figured that just when Merlin had worked up enough courage to say something, and had opened his mouth to do just that, Arthur would close his own mouth over Merlin’s, wrap his arms around him, and kiss him thoroughly.
Not that Merlin was complaining.
And, laying on the floor and completely forgotten, the magic book laughed silently.
Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4