Title: Nightmare
Word Count: 545
Characters: Arthur / Lancelot
Disclaimer: I own nothing or no one. Lancelot follows me everywhere because he wants. I'm not forcing him to anything!
Warnings: Arthur/Lancelot Angst; Can be read as Implied Slash.
Author's Notes: English is not my native language and I'm still learning it; I'll be glad if you help me pointing at any error you find!
Any feedback will always be welcome, so please, let me know what you think!
Arthur woke up screaming Lancelot's name. Immediately, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder, and turned his sweaty face to the man lying beside him. Lancelot's eyes were sleepy but concerned.
"A bad dream?"
Arthur nodded.
"A nightmare. An awful one."
"The same you've had since you've heard about the Bishop's visit?
Arthur closed his eyes and sighed, those horrible images haunting his mind.
"Tell me." The knight's voice was no more than a whisper. "Tell me your dream."
Arthur sat in the bed and took a deep breath. Sensing Arthur's discomfort, Lancelot got out of the bed and kneeled in front of the man, placing Arthur's hands between his. He faced Arthur in the eye and kept his voice low, but stern.
"Please, Arthur! Tell me! Let me know what ails you; let me help you! Talk to me!"
Arthur nodded but remained silent, looking inside Lancelot's eyes while searching words to describe the awful images of his dreams. With his eyes locked with Arthur's, Lancelot sat beside him in the bed, never letting go of the Roman's hands.
"Tell me what you saw."
"I saw you." Arthur closed his eyes, uselessly fighting back the tears. His voice was trembling. "I saw you in a battlefield, lying in the ground. There was an arrow in your chest… I was kneeled beside you… crying."
Lancelot caressed Arthur's face, wiping his tears away.
"It's all right! It was just a dream. It's all right, now!"
"No!" Arthur shouted as he stood up and started to pace in the room. "It's not all right! You were dead, Lancelot! Dead! You've died protecting me, fighting my war! You've died for me!"
Before Lancelot had the chance to stand up and say anything, Arthur was kneeled in front of him, holding his both hands.
"Promise me it's not gonna happen! Promise me you won't do that!" Arthur's voice was full of pain, but Lancelot wasn't sure if he had understood Arthur's request.
"Arthur, what…"
"Promise you won't die for me!"
Those words took Lancelot off guard, and the knight shook his head.
"You know I can't promise that! How can you ask me such thing! I could never let you die!"
"Lancelot, please!" Arthur was now begging to his knight. "I couldn't bear a life with the weight of your death in my shoulders! No!"
"You're my Commander, Arthur! And you're my best friend! I love you, Arthur! And if my life is all I have to give you, then I'll give it gladly for you!"
Tears were now running free at Arthur's face, and the weakness in his voice was breaking Lancelot's heart.
"I'll accept your life only if you're alive to share it with me. Lancelot, please! Promise me if the time come, you will choose your life instead of mine!"
The pain in Arthur's eyes was too much for Lancelot to handle, and he knew this one was an argument he couldn't win. Lancelot took a deep breath, and cupping Arthur's face between his both hands, he chose his words carefully.
"I promise, Arthur, that if the time come, I will choose my life." Because you are my life, Arthur. Choose my life will be choose you.