Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Note: Just got into Merlin. Hurt!Merlin and Guilty!Arthur is my absolute favorite, so expect a bit of that.

At first, the fact that Merlin was falling asleep randomly was terribly inconvenient. Not to mention improper. So you can imagine Arthur's reaction when he walked in on Merlin seated on his chair in his room with his bed sheets strewn across the bed and along the floor. Face smashed against his desk, snoring softly.

Needless to say, it was mildly satisfying when Merlin was startled awake by Arthur's clearing of his throat, startled to the point where the other boy had fallen out of the chair and ended up sprawled by Arthur's feet. It had also been mildly concerning at just how utterly disoriented Merlin had been, but Arthur figured the boy had merely stayed up all night doing…whatever it is Merlin did whenever he wasn't tending to the prince.

Thoroughly embarrassed, and still a bit sluggish, Arthur watched – now seated in his chair – as Merlin called him an annoying prat with no regards to anyone but himself and made his bed. Arthur had replied, in turn, calling Merlin lazy and incompetent. The usual banter.

Save for the fact that Arthur could tell, as he usually was able, that Merlin's usual energy had diminished considerably. Despite the small nap the boy had decided to take in his chair.

Come to think of it, and Arthur had gone on musing about his friend well after Merlin had stormed out to fetch him his lunch, the fact that Merlin had fallen asleep in what seemed like mid-action, it didn't seem likely that Merlin had decided to take a nap so much as pretty much just passed out.

Of course, it simply meant that Merlin needed more sleep and sure enough, Arthur would have a stern talking with Merlin once the other returned, about time management and just what was unacceptable when it came to performing as a manservant to the prince.

The second time Arthur found Merlin, apparently having randomly fallen asleep once more, it was at the bottom of the stairs, Arthur's armor scattered across the floor by the steps. At first, and Arthur wouldn't admit it later, his heart had jumped to his throat because of Merlin's position – had the clumsy idiot fallen and broken his neck?

Building himself up to a frenzy because here lay his dead manservant, Arthur had been about to call the guards, or Gaius, or maybe even his father, because surely the King had enough authority to call back someone from the dead – and that's probably when his thoughts were reaching into the realm of hysteria – Merlin had let out a snore.

Thoroughly peeved, concern diminishing into annoyance and frustration, Arthur had nudged the sleeping boy's side with his foot, eyes narrowed.

This time, Merlin didn't wake quite as quickly as he'd in his room two days prior, but rather, it took quite a bit of nudges with his foot and then calling out, "Merlin!" in a very calm, not at all sort of worried tone, for the other boy to shift and groan, eyes opening slowly.

It was relatively difficult for Arthur to maintain the glare in his expression when Merlin was looking up at him as if he barely recognized him, confused and muddled and squinting at Arthur as if he were a dragon. It was relatively difficult, actually, for Arthur to keep from picking Merlin up off the ground and giving him a good shake. And also, maybe, calling Gaius to demand why his manservant was falling asleep in the middle of the hallway, at the bottom of the stairs.

Later, once Merlin had shuffled away, mumbling colorful offending language with his arms full of the armor he'd dropped, Arthur would have to keep himself from shuddering at the prospect of Merlin having fallen asleep at the top of the stairs, in mid-step.

Concern melted back into the annoyance, and Arthur wondered if maybe he should have a talk with Gaius.

Well, he probably didn't have to. Merlin would probably get some proper sleep now that Arthur had given him a proper lecture about not falling asleep in places that weren't in his own bed.

Hopefully.

When Arthur walked into the stables to see exactly what it was that was taking Merlin an entire three hours to clean muck up that usually only took him about an hour or so, he was mildly surprised at himself for still being surprised that Merlin had fallen asleep. Another one of those bouts he'd been having, then.

Annoyed, mostly because the stables didn't even look liked Merlin had started, Arthur had stomped – fairly loudly – over to Merlin and grabbed the other boy by the wrist, to tug him up off the haystack.

The annoyance disappeared as soon as it'd risen up, replaced by something akin to fear when Arthur realized that Merlin was cold. Like, well, a corpse. Eyes widening slightly, as Arthur noticed that Merlin was taking very, very slow breaths, he shifted his grasp, crouching a bit, to Merlin's wrist.

His own heart nearly thudded to a stop when he couldn't find what should've been a pounding pulse. Rather, fingers pressing a bit harder on the other boy's wrist, Arthur found a faint, irregular pulse, almost as if Merlin's heart were skipping every other beat.

Later, Arthur would compare Merlin's heartbeat to that of a knight losing too much blood, too quickly. To that of a knight that Arthur knew he was losing.

At the moment, however, Arthur found himself speaking, voice coming out in a much higher pitch than intended, but no need for anyone to know about that.

"Merlin! Merlin!? Wake up, this isn't funny!"

Merlin groaned, shifting and wrist turning in Arthur's grasp, but as the other boy started to awake, the pulse started picking up, increasing in pace and strength – back to that of a healthy, living, not dying boy.

"A-Arthur? Arthur, what..?"

Arthur was still holding Merlin's wrist when his manservant came to altogether, blinking at Arthur sleepily and confusedly and Arthur didn't let go of the other boy's wrist even after he'd gotten Merlin to his feet, steering him all the way to Gaius' chambers.

"He's been falling asleep nonstop and it's very inconvenient! He gets nothing done or everything done very late and you must do something about it, Gaius, this is getting ridiculous and out of hand!" Arthur's voice was loud and back to being aggravated, as Merlin sat in the chair by the table.

Even as Arthur stood next to him, he could see Merlin nodding off, starting to doze, and he forgot about the rant he'd been on, worry spiking at the idea of Merlin starting to die again because that was clearly what had been happening earlier and it wasn't that Merlin was falling asleep - he was dying and, completely ignoring Gaius, Arthur picked Merlin's wrist up with one hand, maneuvering in front of Merlin. His other hand came up to lightly pat Merlin's cheek, and Arthur was once again struck by just how suddenly cold the other boy had gotten – as if touching a corpse, and that sent enough chills down Arthur's spine to last at least three months.

"Merlin? Merlin, you with me? Merlin, stay awake, wake up! Gaius!" Merlin's eyelids were flickering, as if the other were trying to stay awake, and in a last attempt, Arthur looked at the elder healer desperately, eyes wide.

Gaius stepped into action, eyebrows furrowing in both concern and confusion, and batted Arthur away and back, providing Merlin with his full attention.

Arthur stood, watching Merlin as if his friend were fading – which he very well might be, and felt that very same fear – maybe even terror – at the idea of Merlin not waking up this time around.

"Is it sorcery, Gaius? Some kind of witchcraft?" Arthur wasn't sure why he was whispering, but maybe it had something to do with the fact that if he actually used his voice it would probably shake.

Gaius gave Arthur a very strange look, one that Arthur couldn't quite discern, and then looked back at Merlin.

"Sire, perhaps you should leave."

That was neither an answer or an explanation and thoroughly unreassuringly stated. Which of course, prompted Arthur to straighten up a bit and step closer to Merlin, the servant still snoring uselessly.

It really did just seem as though the other were sleeping. Despite the temperature of his skin and erratic heartbeat.

"So it is sorcery then? We must tell my father." Arthur declared, with as much authority as he could muster into his tone. At least there was something he had control over.

"Shut up, 'thur," came a mumble from the couch and Arthur glanced over at his friend, shifting and rubbing at his eyes as he sat up.

"Merlin, my boy," Gaius softened his voice considerably, moving to Merlin's side and pressing the back of his hand to Merlin's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better now, thanks," Merlin answered, before stifling a yawn with the back of his hand.

Feeling a bit out of his element, as if caught doing something he perhaps shouldn't be, Arthur folded his arms over his chest.

"What is wrong with you, Merlin? I demand that you tell me." His tone was petulant and even Arthur wanted to wince at the sound of it.

Merlin's impossibly blue gaze caught his own and Merlin stared at him a bit confusedly.

"Nothing, sire." Merlin replied slowly, and Gaius shifted to Arthur's right.

"I'm not stupid, Merlin," Arthur let the annoyance creep into his tone. "You have been fainting all over the place and you go cold and your pulse-" Arthur cut himself off, feeling as though he'd given too much away.

Merlin was giving him a look now, and it was quite like the one Gaius had given him earlier. Except, on Merlin's face, Arthur recognized it as careful, assessing.

Almost distrustful.

"I'm fine, Arthur." Merlin said, and thoroughly exasperated with the entire situation, Arthur dropped his arms and clenched his fists.

"You better well be, or I'll see to it that you're put in the stocks."

With that, Arthur pushed the nagging thoughts to the back of his mind, turned on his heel and stomped out of Gaius' chambers.

Fine, like he cared anyway.

Please review, it would mean a lot!