Chapter Text
“Arthur! Stop trying to walk around! Giaus said three weeks at least,” Merlin yelled at the king.
“You can’t talk to me like that,” Arthur snapped back, annoyed because his servant was right. He couldn’t walk.
Arthur had got an arrow stuck in his leg when ambushed by bandits on a hunt. The tip had been lodged just under his knee and Merlin had to use magic to get it out while Arthur was unconscious. Along with getting an arrow most of the way into his leg, Arthur had thought it was a good idea to pull it out to continue fighting.
“Arthur, just lay down. Do you need any pain medication?” Merlin asked tucking Arthur further into his bed while glaring at him for resisting.
“No, Merlin, I’m fine,” Arthur said, wincing as he moved his leg.
“You're not,” Merlin corrected, “but, if you don't want medicine I won't make you take it,” he said shrugging and turning away. He smirked to himself knowing Arthur was about to change his mind.
“Wait!” Arthur called after his servant.
“Yes, my lord?” Merlin said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Ineedmedicine,” Arthur said quietly and quickly.
“What was that, my lord?” Merlin said, he wanted to hear Arthur admit defeat.
“I need-” Arthur sighed. “I need medicine,” he turned his head away from his friend.
Merlin pulled the small vial from his pocket, it contained a drought Giaus had made. He made his way over to Arthur’s bed and handed him the bottle. Arthur took it graciously. He uncorked it and drained it in seconds.
“Don’t need pain medication?” Merlin said, smirking.
Arthur just glared.
Merlin remembered something Giaus had said about the potion he made for the king. Something about it making him a little loopy for a few hours.
“You might feel a little loopy for a while,” Merlin reminded Arthur. He went back to cleaning the kings room
“I’m sure I'll be fine, Merlin,” Arthur said, shifting in his bed.
--------- 20 minutes later ---------
“Merlinnnn,” Arthur said, drawing out the word.
Merlin sighed to himself, “Yes Arthur,” He said, not bothering to turn around. He knew if he did Arthur would be making puppy eyes at him or pulling one of the other faces he makes when he wants something.
Merlin heard Arthur shift, he turned around to make sure Arthur wasn't getting up. Just cause he took medicine doesn’t mean he can't get more hurt.
Arthur, in fact, wasn’t moving to get up. He was moving to make room next to him.
“Merlin, can you get a book from the shelf, please,” He said, still adjusting his bed.
“Uhh, sure,” Merlin made his way over to the book shelf and picked out a book, he’s read it before but he thought Arthur might enjoy it.
He made his way over to Arthurs side and handed him the book. At this point Arthur was sitting in the middle of his bed, looking expectantly at Merlin.
“Here you go,” Merlin said, slightly confused at Arthur’s strange behaviour but he just decided it was probably just the medication.
Merlin turned to leave before Arthur stopped him by grabbing his wrist.
“Wait! Could you- will you read it to me?” Arthur asked, puppy eyes in full blast just as Merlin assumed.
Merlin was going to say no, he had chores he needed to do, but Arthur just looked so goddamn precious.
Suddenly Merlin found himself lying in Arthurs bed with a book in his hand and the king's head in his lap.
“Okay, um the books called ‘The Lost Queen of Camelot’. Once upon a time,” Merlin started reading.
The book was written for children, but Merlin thought the story was rather sweet. A young woman disappeared from her castle late one evening. She was kidnapped by an anonymous person. The kidnapper stays unknown until the end of the book when it's revealed she’s the queen's childhood best friend. The story is very captivating, it keeps you interested until the very last word.
Arthur had fallen asleep about 15 minutes ago but Merlin kept reading, he really did enjoy that book.
He finished the book after another 5 minutes and was about to get up to complete his chores, really he was. It’s just that Arthur was lying on him and it was so warm that he just sort of drifted off to sleep.
He woke up a few hours later, it was dark but the moon provided enough light that he could see the man whose arms were wrapped around him. He smiled when he saw it was Arthur, he tucked his head under Arthurs chin and fell back asleep.