A/N - Good morning! These next two are short so you're getting two today! The second will be up this evening.
Thank you twaine and GuestM (yup, Karma is a bitch! Hehe!) for the reviews.
This one was really tricky to write for some reason...
No. 13 – Breathe in, Breathe out / Drowning
The light shone through the water in rays, glittering and fragmenting, brightness far above him.
Merlin tried to kick towards it, to follow the bubbles back to the surface but the weight of the water was pulling him down, the shock and pain of the fall hindering his movements.
The harder he fought, the more energy sapped from him. He tried to draw up his magic, but it was faltering, failing along with his strength. He was disoriented, his head was hurting. He'd fallen too hard, too deep.
His lungs were burning, constricting and screaming.
He needed air. He'd been down too long, there was nothing else he could do. He struggled for the surface, but it was too far away. Soon he wouldn't be able to hold his breath anymore. Black clouded his vision, interspersed by the dancing sparkles of sunlight through the water. He was going to die…
A hand grabbed his hand, flailing and grasping, hauling him upwards. Merlin was dragged towards the surface, the pressure of the water on his face trying to force its way into his mouth. He kept his lips pressed closed, his eyes stinging. Strong muscular arms wrapped around his chest. He was nearly there, the mirror-like shine of the surface only inches above him now.
His head broke the surface of the water with a rush of sound and he opened his mouth in a gasp. Too early, he'd been too keen to get air back in his lungs and water sloshed over his lips, catching in his throat and sending his lungs spasming.
He coughed and gagged as the man who'd pulled him out hauled him over the edge of a small boat. He collapsed in the bottom, water streaming off his clothes and hair. He clawed at his face, swiping the trailing drops away from his eyes and mouth. His breathing was still ragged, gulped in and coughed back out.
A large heavy hand landed on his back, gently patting and rubbing.
"Slowly, Merlin." The voice was calm, warm, safe. "Breathe in."
He fought to obey the familiar voice, sucking in air through trembling lips. His chest shook and jerked, his lungs trying to cough but he repressed it.
"That's it, breathe out."
The air rushed from him too fast, all the effort he'd put in failing as the cough tore from his aching lungs. The large hand was rubbing his back again, another arm circling his waist, pulling his back against a broad firm chest, holding him still.
"Nice and slow, Merlin, in… out…"
He felt the vibration of the deep voice rumble through his own chest. It was a familiar voice, the friendliness of it cutting straight to his heart. His memory struggled to find the owner, his head too woozy to place the steady quiet tone.
"Keep going, in… out…" he said before his voice rose to a shout. "I've got him, Sire, he's alive." There was a distant cheer and shout of a reply.
Merlin tried again, steadying his panted breaths in time with the man holding him. He felt the chest behind him rising and falling and concentrated on it. The slow easy movement was all he focussed on as he coaxed his abused lungs to match the rhythm.
"Carefully."
His lungs had stopped protesting, he let his body relax into the simple inhalation, exhalation. His head fell back onto the broad shoulder, tipping towards a kind face. A gentle smile.
Percival.
Of course, he should have known, only Percival exuded this calm, steady dependability. Slow and deliberate and gentle. Arthur would have been panicking, Gwaine impatient, Lancelot too careful, Leon apologetic and Elyan nervous. Percival just held Merlin to his chest and breathed, letting Merlin match his breaths as he turned the boat towards the shore.
A/N - Don't ask how Merlin fell in the water, I have no idea! Check back this evening for today's second upload.