Title: Catch me when I fall
Author: faydako
Fandom: Merlin
Spoilers: For Episode 1x13
Summary: Arthur wants to make sure Merlin will be there when he falls.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to the BBC, where as Merlin belongs to Arthur!
A/N: This story hasn't been beta'd so any mistakes will be my own, I'm relatively excited as this is my third Merlin Fic, I'm definitely on a role!
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Arthur stormed into his chambers, throwing his hunting bow furiously onto the table, not caring if it fell onto the floor or not. Merlin followed in behind him, clearly unaware as to why his master was so angry.
"How could you have been so bloody stupid?" Arthur bellowed as Merlin closed the doors behind them, Merlin looked up, confusion clear on the young warlocks features, as Arthur narrowed on him, anger and frustration clear on the young prince's face.
"Sire?" he asked his voice showing every sign of confusion over his master's current bad mood,
"Don't play dumb with me Merlin" Arthur snarled "Don't you dare" Merlin frowned
"I'm sorry sire, but I just don't know what you are on about" Arthur laughed cold and cruel
"You fell you bloody idiot, running from the beast, you fell and it could have..." the prince trailed off. So that's why he was so angry, Merlin thought to himself as he watched Arthur walk away from him, they had just returned from the hunt, where they had stumbled or rather the creature had stumbled upon them.
It was nothing like Merlin nor Arthur or his knights had seen before, with the body of a Lion and the head of a snake it was truly terrifying. Their weapons were useless against the beast, so Arthur gave the only order he could think of and that was to run.
Not daring to think twice about his master's actions, Merlin and the rest of the party had set of in a run back to safety, but the beast was lightening quick, focused on nothing but running Merlin hadn't seen the uprooted root and had tripped over spraining his ankle in the process.
The beast had sensed Merlin's fall and was merely meters away from the young warlock, hissing and swiping it paws but never quite reaching. He'd tried to get away, but fear had over taken his senses therefore had found himself rooted to the spot as the beast closed in on him.
With his heart in his mouth, Merlin closed had closed his eyes waiting for the beast to take that one last final sweep but it never came. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw Arthur standing above him the beast long gone, his face was furious but still he held his arm so he could get up. Brushing the dirt from his clothes Merlin turned to say thank you, but Arthur was already back with his knights.
"I'm sorry" Merlin whispered as he walked towards Arthur, who was now stood at the fireplace his arms stretched out along the marble, his head bowed as he looked into the empty fire crate. Closing the gap, Merlin walked behind him, wrapping his arms around the prince's midriff and resting his head on his back.
He felt Arthur sigh,
"Just try and be more bloody careful next time, if I ever lost you..." his voice cracked, Merlin swallowed hard removing the lump that had formed at the bottom of his own throat. Moving from his position Merlin ducked under the Prince so that he was facing him,
"You'd never lose me Arthur" the prince chuckled slightly,
"Let's bloody hope not" Merlin nodded in agreement, his lips hovering just a few inches from his master's, Arthur swallowed hard, and subconsciously licked his own lips.
"Just promise me one thing" Arthur almost whispered, Merlin sighed heavily not wanting to really go into a lecture when he was just about to snog his boyfriend senseless.
"Yes sire"
"Just be there, you know, ready to catch me when I fall" Merlin grinned and nodded taking that precise moment to capture the princes lips in his own. The only thing wrong about that promise was that Merlin had already fallen.