Awake three hours before his alarms are set to go off, Merlin can't bring himself to fall back asleep. Sniffling, he listening to the noises of his upstairs neighbors for a time. The parents, he thinks, must be getting up for work while the children – three? four? five of them? – must be readying themselves for school.
The noises finally dwindle down two hours later and Merlin still lies awake on his back staring up at the ceiling. At one point, he turns his head towards the window on Arthur's side of the bed and notes the sun peaking in. The sun always rises through Arthur's window and sets through Merlin's. Merlin could probably right a whole poetry book on his thoughts about that and about the way the golden rays of the sun shine down on Arthur. It encircles his head like a crown.
Taking a peak at the clock, Merlin decides half an hour before his alarms is enough time to turn over and grant Arthur's sleeping form light, loving touching. Arthur always smiles so softly at Merlin when he wakes Arthur like that.
Merlin is tired. His eyelids ache under the weight of sleep's heaviness, but he still can't manage to fall back asleep.
Fifteen minutes later, eyelids fluttering and the corners of his mouth starting to twitch upwards, Arthur starts to show his first signs of wakefulness. When Merlin slowly glides a fingertip down the side of Arthur's nose, Arthur finally opens his eyes and grants Merlin the ever-loving smile he's been waiting for. Smiling back, Merlin trains his fingers down to Arthur's lips and Arthur takes his time kissing each and every fingertip. When he gets to Merlin's thumb, Arthur nibbles on the pad of skin before opening his mouth just enough for Merlin to slip the digit in for Arthur to suckle and bite.
Pushing the thumb out with his tongue, Arthur asks, "How long before our alarms?"
"Ten minutes," Merlin replies, checking the clock.
"Been up long?"
Merlin doesn't really see the point in lying – Arthur knows Merlin has trouble sleeping – but he doesn't quite feel like admitting to just how much sleep he's lost.
"A while, yeah."
Arthur hums in response, but other than a momentary considering look into Merlin's eyes, he doesn't comment on the matter further.
"I'm going to kiss you now."
And Merlin can't help but smile at that.
"Took you long enough."
The rest of the day fairs unwell for Merlin. Head dull, ears ringing, he tries to stay as conscious and focused as he can in his stuffy, overheated workplace. But at one point, the sound of a loudspeaker goes off in his head and ears alone – and he knows no one else hears it because he jolts and gains odd looks from it – and in the next moment finds himself seeing spots of colors and feeling like he might topple over.
When he relays this information to Arthur, Arthur predictably worries.
"You need to see a doctor."
"Arthur-"
"Please," and that brings Merlin up short. "It would make me feel better if you would."
Merlin opens and closes his mouth a few times before swallowing and meeting Arthur's concerned gaze.
"If it happens again-"
Arthur sighs.
"No, really. If it happens again – and you know that I will tell you if it happens again – then I will go see a doctor. I promise."
Arthur holds Merlin's gaze for a brief silence before closing his eyes and nodding. Placing his hands on Arthur's cheeks and pressing his lips to Arthur's a few times over, Merlin coaxes Arthur's gently gaze upon his again.
Solemnly, he swears, "I promise."
Arthur still can't help but to worry.