[Fic] The Pentagram Sacrifices [Part 7]
| Masterpost | Part Six | Part Eight |
Somehow in the past month or so, Merlin had finally developed a rhythm between teaching his classes and working with Arthur. Several times a week in the evenings, he found himself at Scotland Yard. Usually, poring over files of evidence and taking notes surprisingly in companionable silence across from Arthur.
Sometimes Arthur would drag him off for more interviews, something about fresh eyes Arthur had explained. Merlin called bollocks and had replied that Arthur just wanted him to suffer along with him. Arthur had given him an amused grin, “So I’ve been found out. What are you going to do about it?”
But Merlin liked coming along, it was nice to see Arthur in his element. And it was infinitely better than having to stare at books all evening hoping he could figure out whatever magical thing or person that was leaving dead victims across London. The Council hadn’t been much help and both Uncle Gaius and Tally had been cryptic.
And every once awhile much to Arthur’s grumbling, Merlin tagged along with Leon or Gwaine while they followed up on leads. It was the most Merlin could do. The markings seemed like a dead-end and he would be more useful on the field if they were really dealing with magic. That and wait for the other shoe to drop.
So when Arthur doesn’t show up at the location they were meeting Merlin knew something was wrong.
Arthur had said he was coming in half an hour when he had called Merlin to meet up with him and two hours later he still hadn't shown up. And it wasn't helping that his magic was feeling restless, making his skin feel too tight. Merlin still hadn't figured out why his magic always seemed to react to Arthur, but something must have happened to Arthur.
He glanced at his wristwatch again. 8:02 looked back at him. Pulling out his phone, he tried calling Arthur again.
Arthur Pendragon. Leave a message.
“Hey, it's Merlin. It's been two hours you prat. If you had planned on standing me up, you're doing a great job. Next time I'm definitely going to tag along with Gwaine instead.” Merlin paused, the sinking feeling growing worse by every passing second, his voice serious “Look Arthur, please just call me back as soon as you get this.”
He dialed the station next, hoping that Arthur just forgot the time on the case. In the weeks that Merlin had gotten to know him, he knew how single-mindedly he knew how single-minded and focused Arthur was when he was on a case to the point that he had started worrying about the pinched looked around Arthur's eyes.
There had been a few times that Merlin suppressed the urge to reach out and somehow ease away that tension on Arthur's face. He had caught himself before he did, frustrated that the only thing he could do was try to bully Arthur into getting some sleep. Merlin had been surprised at how natural that had felt and Leon had given him grateful nod whenever he managed to get Arthur to leave the office the same time he was leaving.
“He left almost three hours ago to meet you,” Gwaine said. “Isn't he with you?”
“No,” Merlin replied, panic rising, “He hasn't shown up.”
“That's not like the Princess to stand you up. And you said you can't reach his phone?”
“It keeps going to his voicemail,” Merlin said moving across the street to hail a cabbie.
“Merlin, it's probably better if you went home," And something in Gwaine's tone told Merlin that he didn't believe Merlin was going to listen to him. "I'm going to get rest of the lads who aren't working and see if we can find out what happened to Arthur. It's probably nothing. He might' have gotten side-tracked-”
But Merlin had already hung up on Gwaine as he gave the cabbie directions to head to Scotland Yard. The fierce sense of despair, the sharp flash of panic nearly caught him by surprised, but he should have known better. In the past few weeks, he finally accepted the strong feeling of loyalty and protectiveness he felt towards Arthur.
He wasn't sure if he would be able to track Arthur, but Arthur had been at the Scotland Yard last and Merlin had nothing else to go on.
As soon as the cabbie turned the corner leading up to the Scotland Yard, Merlin felt the lingering magical disturbance in the air and he knew it had to be related to Arthur.
He quickly handed the cabbie a handful of notes, not waiting for change as he hurried up the street, his magic prickling against his skin. He could almost taste the anger and grief from the aura that was left behind. As he followed the trail, Merlin had to stop himself from imaging Arthur's body being disemboweled and laid out like the last victim.
The trail disappeared half a block up the street.
"Oh fucking bugger this," Merlin half-shouted, ignoring the looks passersby were giving him. Arthur was in danger and he didn't know how he was going to find him. Please be alright, Merlin thought as he frantically tried to see if he could catch the trail again, but he had no luck.
Briefly he debated if he should go to the Council for help. But he wasn't sure if the Council would be able to help him, and that's not including how much half of them hated anything to do with Pendragons. And some of them probably wanted Arthur dead as a way to get back at Uther Pendragon, especially if all the rumors regarding the Nimueh and Arthur’s mother.
As if sensing Merlin's panic, his magic started to spiral out of control and a second later the streetlight up the street went out.
Merlin’s magic for some strange reason had always reacted to Arthur. It was reacting even now as he tried to figure out what to do next. If only he could somehow track Arthur. Wait, he thought, going over his last thought. Maybe if I focused my majic on just Arthur, I might be able to find him.
He ducked into an alley a few meters away, not wanting to cause another scene and especially not when he wasn't sure how his magic would react.
Merlin never need words like other sorcerers, his magic was instinctual. And he focused all of that on fidning Arthur.
It took a few minutes of focusing when he felt a sharp pull towards the south. Hoping against all odds that his magic would not lead him astray, he hailed another cab since despite the strong connection, he was still unsure how far Arthur really was. The cabbie gave him a strange look when he was told to just drive, Merlin ignored him while occasionally giving directions to turn depending on where his magic tugged him towards. Nearly an hour later, they were near the riverfront among what seemed to abandoned buildings, made even more creepy by shadows from a moonless night.
For the past few minutes the cabbie had been shifting uncomfortably in his seat and kept on glancing in his rear-view mirror to give Merlin suspicious looks.
Merlin took pity on the man, “You can stop here.”
Arthur’s presence hit him in the face as soon as he got of the cab. The trail was much stronger here and he couldn't ignore the pull of the magic even if he wanted to.
As he drew closer to the riverfront, he could sense a much darker magical presence.
When he finally found Arthur, he was slumped unconscious behind a woman who had been casting, her eyes were silver with magic as she turned towards him. This was the serial killer? he wondered. He looked for traces of death magic and there didn’t seem to be any.
The woman looked around his mum's age with the same dark hair streaked with gray, but none of Hunith's kind eyes and easy smile. The bitterness covered the woman like a shroud and there was almost a steely resolve in her eyes that didn't hide the sadness.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked as he tried peer around her to see if Arthur was okay.
“Uther Pendragon has to pay for his crimes.”
Merlin stared at her in confusion.
“What?”
"A son for a son."
It took Merlin a few moments but he was finally able to connect the dots as he realized just who the woman was standing in front of him.
He had been about to start sixth form and Uncle Gaius had been visiting when news about a young sorcerer, barely eighteen was being charged with arson in a high profile case. The barrister in charge of the trial had been Uther Pendragon. Later, Merlin had heard from his mother that the “poor boy had been killed during a fight” within a few months of being sent to jail.
"You can't blame Arthur for what his father did."
Merlin knew how the magic community felt about Uther Pendragon. And he could see how easily that those feelings could spill over to seeing Arthur in the same light. Even I did a little, he thought as he edged closer to the woman. Merlin pushed back the guilt of having done the same thing initially when he had found out he was working with a Pendragon. He glanced at the slumped form of Arthur behind the woman, noting the bruising and swelling on his face.
“His father accused my son of arson because for the simple reason that he hates magic. And my poor innocent child,” the woman’s voice broke, “was sent to prison for no reason other than that man's hatred towards everything with magic.”
Merlin could understand her grief. He wasn’t sure what he would’ve done if their places had been switched. But he couldn't let her hurt Arthur.
"So like Uther, you're going to condemn someone innocent? Arthur's just as innocent as your son was."
"Uther Pendragon needs to learn what it means to lose a son."
“You’ve got to stop this. This isn’t going to bring your son back,” Merlin tried to argue.
But she looked resolute, “I know. But it doesn’t matter as long as I have my vengeance.”
“I won’t let you hurt him,” Merlin said fiercely, the gold light of his magic flowing from his fingertips and the woman took a step back. He could hear Arthur groaning in the background finally coming awake.
“You would use magic to save him? The son of a man who would have hunted and killed us in a different time?” she replied angrily, her eyes flashing silver.
“It doesn’t matter because Arthur is good and innocent. I would do anything to protect him.”
Merlin was shaken by his words. But as he stared down the woman, ready to strike, he accepted the truth in them.
From the corner of his eye, he could see large tentacles moving in their direction. There was a loud crash as waves of river water splashed onto shore. Horrified he turned to look at it as it came closer.
"You made a deal with the Afanc," Merlin said in shock as he watched Arthur's form being hauled into the Thames. But his magic was already reacting. His hands already moving as magic swirled around him.
The first blow of magic glanced off the creature. And Merlin look to where Arthur was hanging, limp.
He started shooting bolts at the Afanc, and finally one hit it’s eyes. The Afanc let out an inhumanly loud noise that reverberated against his ear drums. Wincing he watched as Arthur hung precipitously close to being slammed on the pavement before the Afanc pulled him back into the river.
“No you don’t,” Merlin muttered as forced as much power he could into the next bolt, his magic crackling around his fingertips. And with the next two hits, the Afanc let out a painful wial and pulled back to retreat. Merlin tried to reach Arthur as the Afanc let him go, but before he could even get to the water, the woman let out an angry yell.
He had stupidly forgotten about her in the moment. He dodged and ducked as he tried to avoid the surges of magic she was throwing at him. She was trying to draw this out. And Merlin couldn’t let that happen. Arthur needed him, and in an a rather anticlimactic way his next aim hit true and the woman fell.
Merlin didn't even glance at her slump form, as he jumped into the river without any hesitation. Once the Afanc had let Arthur go, Arthur had started sinking, unconscious. It had already been a few minutes.
And it had taken Merlin a precious few seconds to finally reach Arthur and grab him by the arm. He had to fight the undertow and the fact that both of them were being dragged down by their clothing. He grasped Arthur around the shoulder, lighten the load with magic as he swam to the shore.
Pulling Arthur up against, he frantically checked Arthur to see if he's breathing. His face was turning blue and he felt so cold to touch. No, please, please, please. Ran through his mind as he took his pulse. For a moment, he couldn’t find it in his panic but then he did. He could feel the weak but steady beat of his pulse.
It didn't look he was breathing though and Merlin firmly pressed down on Arthur's chest repeatedly as he tried to remember how to give CPR. But a moment later, Arthur started coughing up water and with a gasp opened his eyes. Merlin let out a shaky breath as he looked down, greedily drinking in the sight of Arthur being alive.
“Hey,” Merlin said softly as Arthur stared up at him blinking, his hands carefully cradling Arthur's face, his thumb running along the edge of Arthur's cheekbone.
“How are you feeling?”
Arthur blinked up at him more, “I didn’t think--” he starts, “Did you---”
“She’s unconscious but alive,” Merlin said, his thumb still moving back and forth against Arthur’s cheekbone.
It was only when Arthur reached up that Merlin realized what he had been doing.
But Arthur wouldn’t let him pull away. Even in the dark, his eyes glittered with some unspoken emotion.
“Thank you,” and Merlin was taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. Arthur finally let go of his hand, sitting up.
Merlin stood up awkwardly, unsure, “Didn’t think you even knew the words.”
Arthur huffed out a laugh and started coughing, Merlin looked at him in concern but was waved off, “It's a one time deal.”
“Prat,” Merlin said rather fondly, surprising the both of them. Arthur quirked an eyebrow, a smirk playing around his lips. Merlin averted his eyes, knowing his cheeks were flushing red. Luckily the wailing sirens saved him from embarrassing himself further.
Merlin wasn't sure what to do once the constables finally arrived with an ambulance not far behind. They had placed Mary Collins under handcuffs, but not before Merlin told one of the constables that he needed to let Gaius know.
After they had been reassured he was fine, someone had shoved a cup of lukewarm tea in a Styrofoam cup into his hands--some off taste version of Darjeeling. He was then handed a warm blanket and told to sit off to the side.
Gwaine had pulled Arthur towards the ambulance, Arthur had thrown a fit, his voice raising several octaves, “I’m bloody fine. You can see I’m fine. I don’t need to go to the bloody A&E.”
Arthur had then looked at him and Merlin grinned as Arthur seemed to plead that Merlin somehow save him from Gwaine’s unwanted attention.
Merlin shrugged his shoulders helplessly, and Arthur shot him an irritated look as he was pulled to the ambulance and covered in a blanket.
He watched as Arthur was checked by one of the paramedics. The way he tilted his head when he was answering Leon’s question. Merlin watched as his face turned serious. The way guilt flashed across his face for a crime that he didn’t commit. The way Arthur’s shoulders slumped. The half-smile he gave Percy when he was handed a cup of tea.
Merlin watched until Arthur looked at him again. The distance meaningless between them. Watched as Arthur quirked his head in question. Felt his own lips curve into a smile in response and watched the blinding grin in return.
::::
| Masterpost | Part Six | Part Eight |
Somehow in the past month or so, Merlin had finally developed a rhythm between teaching his classes and working with Arthur. Several times a week in the evenings, he found himself at Scotland Yard. Usually, poring over files of evidence and taking notes surprisingly in companionable silence across from Arthur.
Sometimes Arthur would drag him off for more interviews, something about fresh eyes Arthur had explained. Merlin called bollocks and had replied that Arthur just wanted him to suffer along with him. Arthur had given him an amused grin, “So I’ve been found out. What are you going to do about it?”
But Merlin liked coming along, it was nice to see Arthur in his element. And it was infinitely better than having to stare at books all evening hoping he could figure out whatever magical thing or person that was leaving dead victims across London. The Council hadn’t been much help and both Uncle Gaius and Tally had been cryptic.
And every once awhile much to Arthur’s grumbling, Merlin tagged along with Leon or Gwaine while they followed up on leads. It was the most Merlin could do. The markings seemed like a dead-end and he would be more useful on the field if they were really dealing with magic. That and wait for the other shoe to drop.
So when Arthur doesn’t show up at the location they were meeting Merlin knew something was wrong.
Arthur had said he was coming in half an hour when he had called Merlin to meet up with him and two hours later he still hadn't shown up. And it wasn't helping that his magic was feeling restless, making his skin feel too tight. Merlin still hadn't figured out why his magic always seemed to react to Arthur, but something must have happened to Arthur.
He glanced at his wristwatch again. 8:02 looked back at him. Pulling out his phone, he tried calling Arthur again.
Arthur Pendragon. Leave a message.
“Hey, it's Merlin. It's been two hours you prat. If you had planned on standing me up, you're doing a great job. Next time I'm definitely going to tag along with Gwaine instead.” Merlin paused, the sinking feeling growing worse by every passing second, his voice serious “Look Arthur, please just call me back as soon as you get this.”
He dialed the station next, hoping that Arthur just forgot the time on the case. In the weeks that Merlin had gotten to know him, he knew how single-mindedly he knew how single-minded and focused Arthur was when he was on a case to the point that he had started worrying about the pinched looked around Arthur's eyes.
There had been a few times that Merlin suppressed the urge to reach out and somehow ease away that tension on Arthur's face. He had caught himself before he did, frustrated that the only thing he could do was try to bully Arthur into getting some sleep. Merlin had been surprised at how natural that had felt and Leon had given him grateful nod whenever he managed to get Arthur to leave the office the same time he was leaving.
“He left almost three hours ago to meet you,” Gwaine said. “Isn't he with you?”
“No,” Merlin replied, panic rising, “He hasn't shown up.”
“That's not like the Princess to stand you up. And you said you can't reach his phone?”
“It keeps going to his voicemail,” Merlin said moving across the street to hail a cabbie.
“Merlin, it's probably better if you went home," And something in Gwaine's tone told Merlin that he didn't believe Merlin was going to listen to him. "I'm going to get rest of the lads who aren't working and see if we can find out what happened to Arthur. It's probably nothing. He might' have gotten side-tracked-”
But Merlin had already hung up on Gwaine as he gave the cabbie directions to head to Scotland Yard. The fierce sense of despair, the sharp flash of panic nearly caught him by surprised, but he should have known better. In the past few weeks, he finally accepted the strong feeling of loyalty and protectiveness he felt towards Arthur.
He wasn't sure if he would be able to track Arthur, but Arthur had been at the Scotland Yard last and Merlin had nothing else to go on.
As soon as the cabbie turned the corner leading up to the Scotland Yard, Merlin felt the lingering magical disturbance in the air and he knew it had to be related to Arthur.
He quickly handed the cabbie a handful of notes, not waiting for change as he hurried up the street, his magic prickling against his skin. He could almost taste the anger and grief from the aura that was left behind. As he followed the trail, Merlin had to stop himself from imaging Arthur's body being disemboweled and laid out like the last victim.
The trail disappeared half a block up the street.
"Oh fucking bugger this," Merlin half-shouted, ignoring the looks passersby were giving him. Arthur was in danger and he didn't know how he was going to find him. Please be alright, Merlin thought as he frantically tried to see if he could catch the trail again, but he had no luck.
Briefly he debated if he should go to the Council for help. But he wasn't sure if the Council would be able to help him, and that's not including how much half of them hated anything to do with Pendragons. And some of them probably wanted Arthur dead as a way to get back at Uther Pendragon, especially if all the rumors regarding the Nimueh and Arthur’s mother.
As if sensing Merlin's panic, his magic started to spiral out of control and a second later the streetlight up the street went out.
Merlin’s magic for some strange reason had always reacted to Arthur. It was reacting even now as he tried to figure out what to do next. If only he could somehow track Arthur. Wait, he thought, going over his last thought. Maybe if I focused my majic on just Arthur, I might be able to find him.
He ducked into an alley a few meters away, not wanting to cause another scene and especially not when he wasn't sure how his magic would react.
Merlin never need words like other sorcerers, his magic was instinctual. And he focused all of that on fidning Arthur.
It took a few minutes of focusing when he felt a sharp pull towards the south. Hoping against all odds that his magic would not lead him astray, he hailed another cab since despite the strong connection, he was still unsure how far Arthur really was. The cabbie gave him a strange look when he was told to just drive, Merlin ignored him while occasionally giving directions to turn depending on where his magic tugged him towards. Nearly an hour later, they were near the riverfront among what seemed to abandoned buildings, made even more creepy by shadows from a moonless night.
For the past few minutes the cabbie had been shifting uncomfortably in his seat and kept on glancing in his rear-view mirror to give Merlin suspicious looks.
Merlin took pity on the man, “You can stop here.”
Arthur’s presence hit him in the face as soon as he got of the cab. The trail was much stronger here and he couldn't ignore the pull of the magic even if he wanted to.
As he drew closer to the riverfront, he could sense a much darker magical presence.
When he finally found Arthur, he was slumped unconscious behind a woman who had been casting, her eyes were silver with magic as she turned towards him. This was the serial killer? he wondered. He looked for traces of death magic and there didn’t seem to be any.
The woman looked around his mum's age with the same dark hair streaked with gray, but none of Hunith's kind eyes and easy smile. The bitterness covered the woman like a shroud and there was almost a steely resolve in her eyes that didn't hide the sadness.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked as he tried peer around her to see if Arthur was okay.
“Uther Pendragon has to pay for his crimes.”
Merlin stared at her in confusion.
“What?”
"A son for a son."
It took Merlin a few moments but he was finally able to connect the dots as he realized just who the woman was standing in front of him.
He had been about to start sixth form and Uncle Gaius had been visiting when news about a young sorcerer, barely eighteen was being charged with arson in a high profile case. The barrister in charge of the trial had been Uther Pendragon. Later, Merlin had heard from his mother that the “poor boy had been killed during a fight” within a few months of being sent to jail.
"You can't blame Arthur for what his father did."
Merlin knew how the magic community felt about Uther Pendragon. And he could see how easily that those feelings could spill over to seeing Arthur in the same light. Even I did a little, he thought as he edged closer to the woman. Merlin pushed back the guilt of having done the same thing initially when he had found out he was working with a Pendragon. He glanced at the slumped form of Arthur behind the woman, noting the bruising and swelling on his face.
“His father accused my son of arson because for the simple reason that he hates magic. And my poor innocent child,” the woman’s voice broke, “was sent to prison for no reason other than that man's hatred towards everything with magic.”
Merlin could understand her grief. He wasn’t sure what he would’ve done if their places had been switched. But he couldn't let her hurt Arthur.
"So like Uther, you're going to condemn someone innocent? Arthur's just as innocent as your son was."
"Uther Pendragon needs to learn what it means to lose a son."
“You’ve got to stop this. This isn’t going to bring your son back,” Merlin tried to argue.
But she looked resolute, “I know. But it doesn’t matter as long as I have my vengeance.”
“I won’t let you hurt him,” Merlin said fiercely, the gold light of his magic flowing from his fingertips and the woman took a step back. He could hear Arthur groaning in the background finally coming awake.
“You would use magic to save him? The son of a man who would have hunted and killed us in a different time?” she replied angrily, her eyes flashing silver.
“It doesn’t matter because Arthur is good and innocent. I would do anything to protect him.”
Merlin was shaken by his words. But as he stared down the woman, ready to strike, he accepted the truth in them.
From the corner of his eye, he could see large tentacles moving in their direction. There was a loud crash as waves of river water splashed onto shore. Horrified he turned to look at it as it came closer.
"You made a deal with the Afanc," Merlin said in shock as he watched Arthur's form being hauled into the Thames. But his magic was already reacting. His hands already moving as magic swirled around him.
The first blow of magic glanced off the creature. And Merlin look to where Arthur was hanging, limp.
He started shooting bolts at the Afanc, and finally one hit it’s eyes. The Afanc let out an inhumanly loud noise that reverberated against his ear drums. Wincing he watched as Arthur hung precipitously close to being slammed on the pavement before the Afanc pulled him back into the river.
“No you don’t,” Merlin muttered as forced as much power he could into the next bolt, his magic crackling around his fingertips. And with the next two hits, the Afanc let out a painful wial and pulled back to retreat. Merlin tried to reach Arthur as the Afanc let him go, but before he could even get to the water, the woman let out an angry yell.
He had stupidly forgotten about her in the moment. He dodged and ducked as he tried to avoid the surges of magic she was throwing at him. She was trying to draw this out. And Merlin couldn’t let that happen. Arthur needed him, and in an a rather anticlimactic way his next aim hit true and the woman fell.
Merlin didn't even glance at her slump form, as he jumped into the river without any hesitation. Once the Afanc had let Arthur go, Arthur had started sinking, unconscious. It had already been a few minutes.
And it had taken Merlin a precious few seconds to finally reach Arthur and grab him by the arm. He had to fight the undertow and the fact that both of them were being dragged down by their clothing. He grasped Arthur around the shoulder, lighten the load with magic as he swam to the shore.
Pulling Arthur up against, he frantically checked Arthur to see if he's breathing. His face was turning blue and he felt so cold to touch. No, please, please, please. Ran through his mind as he took his pulse. For a moment, he couldn’t find it in his panic but then he did. He could feel the weak but steady beat of his pulse.
It didn't look he was breathing though and Merlin firmly pressed down on Arthur's chest repeatedly as he tried to remember how to give CPR. But a moment later, Arthur started coughing up water and with a gasp opened his eyes. Merlin let out a shaky breath as he looked down, greedily drinking in the sight of Arthur being alive.
“Hey,” Merlin said softly as Arthur stared up at him blinking, his hands carefully cradling Arthur's face, his thumb running along the edge of Arthur's cheekbone.
“How are you feeling?”
Arthur blinked up at him more, “I didn’t think--” he starts, “Did you---”
“She’s unconscious but alive,” Merlin said, his thumb still moving back and forth against Arthur’s cheekbone.
It was only when Arthur reached up that Merlin realized what he had been doing.
But Arthur wouldn’t let him pull away. Even in the dark, his eyes glittered with some unspoken emotion.
“Thank you,” and Merlin was taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. Arthur finally let go of his hand, sitting up.
Merlin stood up awkwardly, unsure, “Didn’t think you even knew the words.”
Arthur huffed out a laugh and started coughing, Merlin looked at him in concern but was waved off, “It's a one time deal.”
“Prat,” Merlin said rather fondly, surprising the both of them. Arthur quirked an eyebrow, a smirk playing around his lips. Merlin averted his eyes, knowing his cheeks were flushing red. Luckily the wailing sirens saved him from embarrassing himself further.
Merlin wasn't sure what to do once the constables finally arrived with an ambulance not far behind. They had placed Mary Collins under handcuffs, but not before Merlin told one of the constables that he needed to let Gaius know.
After they had been reassured he was fine, someone had shoved a cup of lukewarm tea in a Styrofoam cup into his hands--some off taste version of Darjeeling. He was then handed a warm blanket and told to sit off to the side.
Gwaine had pulled Arthur towards the ambulance, Arthur had thrown a fit, his voice raising several octaves, “I’m bloody fine. You can see I’m fine. I don’t need to go to the bloody A&E.”
Arthur had then looked at him and Merlin grinned as Arthur seemed to plead that Merlin somehow save him from Gwaine’s unwanted attention.
Merlin shrugged his shoulders helplessly, and Arthur shot him an irritated look as he was pulled to the ambulance and covered in a blanket.
He watched as Arthur was checked by one of the paramedics. The way he tilted his head when he was answering Leon’s question. Merlin watched as his face turned serious. The way guilt flashed across his face for a crime that he didn’t commit. The way Arthur’s shoulders slumped. The half-smile he gave Percy when he was handed a cup of tea.
Merlin watched until Arthur looked at him again. The distance meaningless between them. Watched as Arthur quirked his head in question. Felt his own lips curve into a smile in response and watched the blinding grin in return.
::::
| Masterpost | Part Six | Part Eight |