kageygirl: (arthur off-center)
[personal profile] kageygirl
I come bearing fic! Which for a while I was despairing of ever typing again.

780 words, PG-rated, Merlin/Arthur-ish because, hi, have you seen the show? (If you haven't, why the hell not?) Post-ep (and therefore spoilers) for 1x07, "The Gates of Avalon." Huge thanks to [livejournal.com profile] suzvoy and [livejournal.com profile] shetiger for making sure I still knew how to speak English.

Summary: Truth be told, Merlin's actually getting worse at it.



This Whole Deception Lark


The lake does not give Arthur up easily. When the cold still waters release his bootheels, he shudders all over, and only then gasps in a deep breath, though he does not truly wake.

Merlin nearly cries out in relief, kneeling with Arthur on the rocky ground. He attributes it to the head wound.

~

Camelot suffers more strange noises, more things falling over, more doors opening and closing with no one behind them that morning. Merlin's not quite up to glamours, but he distracts the guards and servants he cannot avoid with anything that comes to mind, and makes it to Arthur's chambers with none the wiser (though possibly more confused about their sudden clumsiness).

Gaius is waiting there for him, and he helps Merlin settle the sodden prince into the chair by the fire. "I didn't want Morgana asking any questions in case you came back--" He looks Merlin up and down. "--looking something like that."

"It's a long story," Merlin says. He closes his eyes and breaks the spell that made manhandling Arthur back though the woods and the castle easier, and then staggers as his headache surges to the fore of his attention.

"Sit down before you fall down," Gaius says, sternly but not unkindly, and he maneuvers Merlin into another chair. "I'm going to reassure Morgana, send her back to her room, and I'll be back with some dry clothes and some herbs to boil for vapors."

"I'll be here," Merlin says faintly, trying not to jostle his head, lest it decide to fall off. Through slitted eyes, he watches Arthur breathe from across the room.

~

They strip Arthur down and sponge the lake-waters off him before settling him in bed, because there will be no sense in trying to misdirect him if he wakes up smelling of algae. Merlin's not usually this familiar with the prince, but his aching head and creeping exhaustion make it all seem slightly surreal.

Something about Arthur's bare toes makes him giggle, and Gaius stares at him in concern.

"I'm all right," he says, trying to hold in his inappropriate mirth.

"I wouldn't go that far," Gaius says, and his look of mingled disgust and affection makes Merlin laugh all over again.

"Well, I will be," he says, and Gaius settles a warm hand on his shoulder in silent agreement.

~

He hides Arthur's clothing for the time being and sets to cleaning his armor with magic. For once Gaius does not raise a single disapproving eyebrow, though he does caution Merlin to be quick about it. "Enchantments can wreak all manor of havoc with the mind," Gaius says from his seat at Arthur's bedside. "There's no telling what Arthur will remember."

Merlin looks up from the weed he's trying to pull free of Arthur's hauberk. "I'm still not sure why we can't we just tell him the truth. Well, leaving out the part about me, I mean."

Gaius's mouth draws into a frown, and he shakes his head. "As I would not trust Uther's judgment with Morgana's secret, I would not trust his forbearance if he found out Arthur had been ensorcelled. We need to decide upon a story, in case he remembers very little."

"A story. To explain why he can't remember anything." Merlin lights on a fantasy he's had more than once, and he grins over at Gaius. "Can we say I hit him with a big stick?"

~

Gaius has gone for something to ease Arthur's headache, and Merlin is trying to ease Arthur into his clothing, but Arthur is pained, panicked, and more than a little bewildered, and he's not really aiding the cause. He stops pacing so suddenly that Merlin nearly bumps into him with the coat he's been trying to proffer.

"We need to come up with a story," Arthur says, and Merlin can't quite choke down a laugh. Arthur whirls on him, then raises a hand to his head and grimaces even as he glares at Merlin. "This isn't funny. If my father finds out what an idiot I was, he'll have me thrown in the stocks."

"Oh, no, we definitely wouldn't want anyone getting thrown in the stocks," Merlin says, giving Arthur a mild look. He holds up the coat again, and Arthur shrugs it on with a wince, and Merlin considers bring up potatoes but decides that not doing so will be his last good deed for the day.

No matter what kind of look Arthur gives Merlin, that's it, he's gone above and beyond. He's completely done.

The very next moment, a servant knocks on the door to summon Arthur before the king.

***

Date: 2008-12-01 08:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lynnmonster.livejournal.com
Oh, hooray! This was absolutely lovely, and what totally sold me on it was Merlin's inappropriate giggle. *g*

Date: 2008-12-08 03:59 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (arthur shoulder fierce)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Hee, thank you! I liked the giggle, myself. *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 08:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stealth-rose.livejournal.com
heeeee. I love that Arthur and Merlin are in sync, even when they have different motivations to be so. :)

Date: 2008-12-08 04:10 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary helen will)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Thanks! Well, they ARE two sides of the same relationship coin and all... *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 08:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thehoyden.livejournal.com
Toes! That part was wildly charming. I really liked this - and your Gaius voice is pitch-perfect.

Date: 2008-12-08 04:16 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary will henry dorks)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Oh, thank you so much! I'm so glad you like it. *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 08:31 pm (UTC)
ext_18558: (Default)
From: [identity profile] rainchild.livejournal.com
Gah, Merlin is so cute. And I love how committed he is to Arthur, even though he's still hurt from the attack.

Date: 2008-12-08 04:20 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (arthur shoulder fierce)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Thank you so much! You know, nothing says love like letting yourself get sent to the stocks... over and over again. *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 08:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marn-barn.livejournal.com
Aww, this was lovely. Extra points for using the verb "ensorcelled" :P

Date: 2008-12-08 04:21 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (arthur anxious)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Hee, thank you! *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 08:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] greensilver.livejournal.com
Yay, you wrote Merlin! \o/ Aww, boys. *g*

Date: 2008-12-08 04:22 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary helen will)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Aww, thank you! *g* I love them SO much. &hearts

Date: 2008-12-01 09:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] merelyn.livejournal.com
Hee, so cute!!

Date: 2008-12-08 04:22 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary henry thumbs)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Aww, thank you! *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 09:24 pm (UTC)
ext_31419: (Default)
From: [identity profile] ximeria.livejournal.com
*sniggers*
Lovely character voices and a nice tip of the hat to how many times Merlin's ended up in the stock because of Arthur XD

Date: 2008-12-08 04:23 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (pirate fish (FSM))
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Thank you so much! *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 09:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darkseaglass.livejournal.com
I loved this! Merlin was perfect. Thank you!

Date: 2008-12-08 04:23 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (shep fuck you smile)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Oh, thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. *g*

Date: 2008-12-01 09:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fadagaski.livejournal.com
Oh oh oh, that was AWESOME. Utterly wry and humourous. Love the Gaius-Merlin interraction, and the fact that Merlin's HEADWOUND is still around. :D

Date: 2008-12-08 04:24 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (arthur shoulder fierce)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked it. (There's nothing like a nice deep SWIM for a CONCUSSION.)

Date: 2008-12-08 09:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fadagaski.livejournal.com
YES. Totally wasted opportunity for some srs H/C imho. Glad to see you took full advantage!

Date: 2008-12-01 09:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nel-ani.livejournal.com
It seriously feels like another piece of the ep. \o/ Wonderful!

Date: 2008-12-08 04:25 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary henry thumbs)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Aww, thank you! *g*

Date: 2008-12-02 01:21 am (UTC)
celli: a woman and a man holding hands, captioned "i treasure" (Merlin/Arthur)
From: [personal profile] celli
FINALLY. *pouncehugs you*

It's awesome! Perfect Merlin POV--the giggling! the stick! the potatoes!!!

Date: 2008-12-08 04:27 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (pvp ale & whores)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
EVENTUALLY I GET OVER MYSELF.

Thank you, hon! *hugs*

Date: 2008-12-02 01:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] solar-cat.livejournal.com
You is writing Merlin! This makes me very happy! And also, fic = <3! Joy all around! \0/

Date: 2008-12-08 04:32 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary helen will)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Hee! Thank you so much, hon! *g*

Date: 2008-12-02 02:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fiercynn.livejournal.com
Aww, poor Merlin! This is so awesome and happy (even if Merlin may not be).

Date: 2008-12-08 04:33 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary henry thumbs)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Oh, thank you so much! *g*

Date: 2008-12-02 06:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jade-dragoness.livejournal.com
This fits so perfectly with the episode!

My favorite bit was that Merlin came up with the part about him hitting Arthur with a stick because this is one of his long held fantasies. Haha!

Brilliant!

Date: 2008-12-08 04:33 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (arthur shoulder fierce)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Hee, thank you! I'm so glad you liked it. *g*

Date: 2008-12-02 06:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] d-o-y.livejournal.com
Something about Arthur's bare toes makes him giggle, and Gaius stares at him in concern.

"I'm all right," he says, trying to hold in his inappropriate mirth.

"I wouldn't go that far," Gaius says, and his look of mingled disgust and affection makes Merlin laugh all over again.

"Well, I will be," he says, and Gaius settles a warm hand on his shoulder in silent agreement.


This had me laughing like a loon far to early in the morning :P

Date: 2008-12-08 04:34 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (sanctuary helen will)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Yay! I'm so glad--thank you. *g*

Date: 2008-12-07 11:54 pm (UTC)
ext_1345: (Default)
From: [identity profile] dubhartach.livejournal.com
Heh! Very funny.

Date: 2008-12-08 04:34 am (UTC)
ext_2331: (arthur shoulder fierce)
From: [identity profile] kageygirl.livejournal.com
Thanks! *g*

Date: 2008-12-09 11:05 pm (UTC)
intermezzo: (Merlin:Arthur)
From: [personal profile] intermezzo
Merlin is so cute! :)

Date: 2008-12-18 01:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] twisted-vergule.livejournal.com
Light and delightful!

In fact, I'd go so far as to call this enchanting. That is mainly because, though I had resisted valiantly up to this point, I'm grabbing the first episode even as I type.

Your fic!magic is powerful m'lady.

Date: 2009-01-03 02:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] penknife.livejournal.com
Oh, I really like this! Very them.

Date: 2009-01-19 07:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elke-tanzer.livejournal.com
This is adorable, and dovetails so nicely into the ep... I'm thinking this interlude is now part of my personal fanon. :-)

Date: 2009-02-06 09:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] archaeologist-d.livejournal.com
LOL trying to come up with a story. Very cute.

Date: 2010-04-11 02:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crinklysolution.livejournal.com
Adding to my favorite fic list...
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