Chapter Text
Mordred made sure to keep clear of Merlin until Camelot. And in Camelot, he begged off training and Leon frowned, but allowed it. He didn’t exactly have a record of avoiding it, but with his wrist aching like it was, he’d be unfocused and a liability.
He stayed in his small room. There wasn’t much for accommodations for knights, a bed, some drawers and a desk for any paperwork and meals he took to the room. But it was the first time in a long while Mordred could call something his .
He laid in the bed, his uninjured wrist flung over his eyes, and his injured one resting on his stomach. He didn’t know how long he stayed like that before there was a soft rapping on the door.
He waited a moment, before groaning and sitting up. The rapping came again. Mordred shut his eyes tightly before reopening them and standing, crossing his room and opening the door.
Merlin stood there, and Mordred held onto the door, swaying slightly into it. “Merlin?”
Merlin ran his eyes over Mordred and he couldn’t help but feel like a specimen of some sort, and whatever Merlin saw, he didn’t like, “May I come in?”
Mordred shrugged but dropped his hand from the door and walked into his room, Merlin trailing behind until Mordred sat down on his bed, giving Merlin a look .
“Leon said you’re hurt. Why didn’t you tell me?” Merlin asked as he sat down on the chair next to Mordred’s bed.
Bloody Leon and his preceptiveness. Mordred shrugged, “Didn’t think it’d matter, my Lord.”
Which stings Merlin more than a stab actually, if the wounded sound he makes is any indication, “Mordred,” He says softly, “Can I see?”
Mordred hesitates before holding out his arm, “Landed on my wrist.”
“During training?” Merlin asked lifting his hand to hover above Mordred’s wrist, doing a magical scan without a sound.
Mordred hummed, “Ah, when you pushed me.”
Silence.
Merlin’s hands fall to his lap, “Wh… I’m sorry. I… I can handle a wyvern, it’s not exactly my first time with them. And this was only one , it’s… I never meant to hurt you, but it was hurting people and I needed to stop it.”
It sounded rough, like Merlin was holding back a sob.
Mordred shrugged, “Merlin, I’m a knight. I understand getting hurt in the field. Hell, you should have seen Arthur the first time he cut my shoulder during training, I know. It’s fine.” He didn’t sound fine, even to himself, but still.
Merlin laughed back the sob that threatened, “Yeah, you weren’t the one who had to listen to Arthur bemoan himself for days after.”
Merlin let his head fall forwards.
Mordred couldn’t help the guilt in his stomach churning when Merlin looked so sad.
He hadn’t meant to cause him distress. How was he making this worse ??
“I- Merlin-“ but whatever he was going to say was cut off from Merlin softly taking his injured wrist in his hand.
“Tell me, Mordred… Have you ever heard of the story of Vespasian?”
“Errr…” Mordred frowned and blinked a few times, “Who?”
“Well, doesn’t matter, I suppose. He came up with a good way of healing. Gaius only recently obtained a book about it… May I try it?” Merlin asked softly.
Mordred shrugged, as best he could with Merlin holding his wrist at least, and Merlin smiled brilliantly, “Theoretically, it’s the magic behind love and care. The book called it ‘kisses from a loved one’, though as long as there was a positive feeling behind it, it should work, as with Vespasian.”
Mordred’s cheeks burned as he nodded, “Right?”
Merlin dipped his head down and kissed his wrist, and Mordred didn’t know if it was magic but his entire body tingled, especially his wrist where Merlin’s lips had been.
Merlin’s eyes flashed gold once more and the Warlock smiled, “All better then.”
Mordred made a slight choking sound as he nodded with wide eyes.