A/N:
So, now that it is MUCH cooler today, and I have been asleep for ages, I have had enough time to think of how this two shot ends! Don't forget reviews are pure happiness and I can't get enough of them!
There is a bit in this that may seem slightly slashy, but I assure you, this is deep bromance only. But you may read into it what you will.
Winter time in Camelot – Arthur and Merlin are out hunting in the snow and fall through the roof of a cave. This is when Arthur finds out the Merlin is severely claustrophobic.
CHARACTERS: Merlin & Arthur (because who can't get enough of bromance)
RATED: T (because I'm paranoid – and because Arthur says the 'F' word...naughty Arthur)
Featuring generous amounts of Angst (yay) some whump (whoo hoo!) Scared! Merlin & Arthur comfort!
THE ADVENTURES OF MERLIN
Small Spaces – part two
'C'mon Merlin, I won't laugh, I promise,' the Prince assured.
'I really, really can't stand small spaces.'
True to his word, Arthur didn't laugh. How could he, seeing Merlin look so dejected and utterly afraid? It shook him to his very core.
The Prince couldn't blame him for feeling so – he too had felt the cold fingers of dread clutch his heart upon waking up in such cramped and enclosed quarters.
Merlin shuddered and closed his eyes, trying not to look at his surroundings for fear of coming undone at the sight.
'It's alright, Merlin – I will get us out of here,' Arthur promised softly, his voice breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over the pair after Merlin's admission of terror.
The pale youth had flinched at the sudden noise, but opened his eyes briefly to give Arthur a wan smile.
'I feel like such a coward,' he murmured, running his long, graceful fingers through his sleep tousled hair.
Arthur gripped his friend's shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting fashion.
'I'm scared too, Merlin,' he confessed softly, feeling a blush creep into his cheeks. It wasn't every day the young Prince admitted to his own shortcomings.
This seemed to brighten the young boy somewhat, and Arthur couldn't help but feel a little annoyed that his bumbling manservant had managed to pull such an admission from him without uttering a single word.
'Thanks for trying – but you don't have to lie to make me feel better,' he said, drawing his knees to his chest with a wince. The movement pulled at the gash in his stomach, but the pain seemed to help take his mind of the situation, so he allowed it to run rampant through his body, thankful for the distraction.
'I am a Prince...I wouldn't lie in a situation like this,' Arthur responded after a time, watching his servant carefully as a pain shadowed his curved features.
Merlin scoffed. 'You wouldn't admit something like that to a mere serving boy,' he stated in disbelief.
Arthur chuckled, but there was no humour in the sound. 'And if you were just a mere servant, it would probably be true.'
Resting his cheek upon his bent knee, Merlin looked over at his master with inquisitive eyes.
The Prince continued. 'Don't think I haven't noticed your unwavering loyalty Merlin, and your willingness to die for me,'
Merlin sighed. 'Any one of the Knights would die for you Arthur, as is their duty to protect the future King of Camelot,' he muttered in reply.
'Yet it was not they who pulled me from the path of the dagger the very first time we met.'
Merlin cast his memory back to that day – the look on Arthur's face when he saw who had pulled him from danger.
'I still remember feeling somewhat impressed that you had the nerve to call me a royal arse, even knowing I could have you executed in a second,'
The young servant smiled. 'Stupidity on my part, I must admit,'
Arthur nodded. 'Yes, I agree. I could have killed you – and then where would I be?'
'Probably down this godforsaken hole without an idiot servant to distract from the desperateness of the situation,'
He nodded again. 'Speaking of the situation, how are you feeling? I mean, how bad is the pain?'
Merlin took a deep breath and lowered his legs back to the ground.
'It's bad – but good at the same time. It's a good distraction,' he responded, lying back and allowing his eyes to slide shut.
Arthur shuffled closer to the youth. 'You have to stay awake, Merlin. You may have damaged your brain more than it already is,'
''M tired, Arthur,' he said quietly, his head lolling.
'I don't care, Merlin. Open your eyes,' Arthur commanded, smacking his sculpted cheek gently.
He obeyed begrudgingly, slowly opening his eyes. His pupils were large and uneven, almost obscuring the magnificent cobalt of his irises.
'I think you may have – damaged your brain,' Arthur muttered, gripping his jaw, and peering closely at the boy, the look on his face akin to worry. 'What about that nasty cut?'
Merlin lifted his tunic from the wound so that Arthur could take another look.
With a wince of sympathy, Arthur probed the wound with deft fingers, trying to block out the whimpers of pain that came from Merlin's trembling lips.
'It's not too deep at least, I will have to-'
His gentle ministrations were cut off by a deep rumbling. Eyes widening, he looked up at Merlin, whose eyes mirrored the fear he was feeling.
The ceiling of their temporary prison shuddered, a shower of dust covering the frightened men.
'Fuck,' Arthur murmured, eliciting a small gasp of surprise from his manservant, who had never heard him use such common, dirty language.
The Prince scrambled forward and grabbed his servant firmly. 'C'mon, we have to move, the ceiling is coming down!' He cried, as the ceiling trembled violently.
With a resounding crack, the rocks slid lower and Merlin whimpered, flipping over and crawling after Arthur. They could feel the rough rock, scraping their backs as the space they had to move diminished.
A large boulder dropped, splitting in two as it landed where Merlin had just been sitting.
And just as quickly as it began, the trembling ceased, darkness was surrounding them once more.
Lying on his back, Merlin felt the rough rock brushing the tip of his nose – it felt like a tomb, and his breath hitched.
'A-Arthur?' he called softly, his voice tremulous. His heart was pounding, and his breaths were short and panicked.
A large, calloused hand gripped his own tightly.
'I'm here, Merlin,' he responded, squeezing reassuringly.
The touch did nothing to calm him as tears leaked from his eyes. His stomach clenched and he whimpered with the pain it brought.
'It's ok, Merlin...I see a faint light ahead...we can get out. I know we can!'
The young man tried to calm his breathing, but the lack of space and light sent him into blind panic.
Choking on his tears, Merlin began to tremble uncontrollably.
Buried alive...I've been buried alive.
'Merlin, come on, stay calm,' Arthur soothed, stroking his knuckles with his rough thumb.
'I c-cant...' Merlin gasped his mind racing. You're going to die down here...
A desolate sob escaped his parched throat, as he writhed in his tomb.
'Damn it Merlin! We don't have much air down here and you're breathing it all,' Arthur snapped.
He instantly regretted the sharpness of his tone at the sound of Merlin's painful sobs.
'S-sorry,' he managed, between great, gulping breaths.
Arthur shook his head and gripped his hand tighter. 'Can you turn over? Get to your hands and knees?' he asked.
There was a sound of shuffling, and pained grunt as Merlin flipped slowly to his stomach once more, facing his Prince. Their noses touched. Arthur could feel the wetness of his cheeks as their brows touched.
The Prince gently thumbed the ridge of Merlin's cheek, trying to offer some comfort to the distressed boy.
'I think we may have found the back entrance to the little cave you saw...we are so close Merlin, but you have to keep calm,' Arthur muttered, feeling the youth's head slide away to rest on his shoulder.
The young man shuddered and Arthur felt tears upon his exposed throat.
'C'mon mate, I know you can do this,' he encouraged.
After a moments silence, he felt Merlin nod slowly and calmed himself when he heard the boy take a deep shuddering breath.
'Ok,' Merlin said thickly. 'Alright...'
He steadied himself on hands and knees and waited for Arthur to turn in the cramped space.
Now that he had calmed himself enough to concentrate, he could see the light ahead that would be their saviour and slowly, the pair crawled forward. They didn't want to move suddenly for fear of bringing the ceiling down further.
Breath after shuddering breath, they crawled forth – the light ahead was growing, and Merlin knew they could make it.
Suddenly, Arthur paused, and Merlin collided into his rump.
'Come on Arthur, move your arse! I don't want to die with my face in it!' he admonished, giving him a small shove.
'Merlin,' came the gentle voice. 'How fast can you move on your hands and knees?'
The boy's eyes widened when he heard it – the ominous shifting of the earth.
'Pretty damn fast, if your fat arse wasn't in the way!' he cried, giving the Prince a sharp slap on the backside. 'MOVE!'
With speed that neither realised they possessed in such cramped quarters, they crawled as the space shrunk around them.
The light ahead was blinding now, and Merlin could feel his breath hitching again.
They ended up shuffling along on their stomachs, they space had diminished that much and Merlin sobbed in agony as the sharp rocks tore at his already injured belly.
He could feel the hot blood running down his abdomen, the pain reaching unbearable limits, but he didn't waver.
Arthur let out a short cry as they slid the remainder of the sloped tunnel and finally – blissfully – they fell through a large hole and into the cave that Merlin had seen.
They landed in a tangled heap upon the dirty ground.
'C'mon Merlin! We are not safe yet, GET UP!'
He tried to stand on trembling legs, but they collapsed beneath him.
Arthur extricated himself from the tangle of impossibly long limbs and gripped Merlin from under the armpits, noting the impossible amount of blood that shouldn't be coming from his manservant as he dragged him towards daylight.
Merlin struggled weakly but allowed himself to be dragged into the cold snow.
They had made it!
The pair watched with wide eyes as the cave collapsed – relief flooding their spent bodies as the trembling ceased.
With a huff, Arthur slumped into the cold ground, completely exhausted.
'I told you we would make it,' Arthur mumbled.
There was silence, and suddenly – Merlin laughed. Although the pain was great and he was so completely exhausted, he laughed and laughed and laughed.
Arthur peered at him, bewildered.
'You really are mentally afflicted aren't you, Merlin,' he commented. 'You nearly died, and you are bleeding! What in the hell is so funny?'
Merlin pointed, and slowly, Arthur's gaze followed the gesturing appendage.
Arthur couldn't help it – he began to laugh too.
They had been so close to home, not more than a mile away. Snow coated Camelot like icing on a cake – its flags fluttering in the gentle breeze.
The Prince climbed to his feet, then aided the injured boy, who was guarding his injury with a limp arm.
'C'mon idiot, let's get to Gaius,' Arthur said gently, allowing Merlin to lean on him for support.
'Oh and Merlin,' he began, but the young boy finished his sentence for him with a cheeky smile upon his lips.
I know, if I tell anyone about the fact you were scared, my headache and sore belly will seem like a holiday in comparison,'
Arthur shook his head and chuckled. 'Well, there is that...but what I was actually going to say was, don't you ever scare me like that again,'
Merlin nodded and allowed Arthur to guide him to the Citadel.
They were both sore and exhausted...but incredibly happy to be alive.
I hope you liked the ending! I can think so much better when it's not hotter than hell! When I woke up to a drizzly day, I found part two flowed so well. Rain is my muse!
The next prompt goes to Brocelande. AU to S05Ep9 - With All My Heart: When Merlin fell down the cliff, he seemed injured, but nothing came of it. He is far more hurt then he let on, and once the adrenaline of saving Gwen wears off, Arthur regrets not asking Merlin if he is OK. Because clearly, he isn't.
I have enough prompts for 6 more one-shots, so please drop me line! I love these ideas (Most of them have been ones I have thought of!) I live to make you guys happy, and I hope I am doing a good job! I have no plans of ending this anytime soon – and I am yet to see any smut...I may not do m/m or f/f but if you think Merlin needs some loving from an OC...it's just a thought! I have written Supernatural smut between Dean/Jo before (under my old penname of MizPredictable) and I don't think it was that bad.
And girls – if the fancy takes you, I will write you in ;p
I must confess I had an idea of a Merlin/OC/Arthur threesome...*embarrassed giggle* Yay for being the filling in a Merlin/Arthur sandwich! (Hey, I may be engaged, and I love my man to DEATH...but a girl can fantasize, can't she?)