Merthur One-shots

Would You Believe Me

Summary: After Merlin is stung by the Sekret in S3E2 he tells Arthur the truth for once when he asks where he’s been. Well, what if Arthur actually believed him.

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Merlin could almost feel the enchanted chain still around him. It was like a phantom etched into his skin that he could not shake. He hadn’t had time to look, but he was sure that there were fresh bruises in its place along his whole body.

Still that pain didn’t compare to the remnants of the Serket poison that lingered in his blood. The dragon had healed him, sort of, and his own magic had done enough to allow him back on his feet. That didn’t mean that his whole body didn’t feel like it was still on fire. If he had stopped long enough to allow Gaius to examine him, he might have at least gotten a draft to reduce his fever or maybe settle the bile sitting in his throat.

But there was no time for that. There was no time for anything. Arthur would be awake any moment and Merlin had been gone long enough. He had no idea how he was going to explain being missing for an entire day. These things usually sorted themselves out in the moment. Merlin never was great at coming up with lies (although anything was better than Gaius’s stupid tavern excuse). That was later Merlin’s problem.

Current Merlin’s problem was climbing the stairs to the prince’s chambers. Every step jostled his throbbing head. His lungs protested the strain after nearly dying only a few hours ago. He sure felt every bruise now as he forced stiff limps to bend and push from one step to the next. By the time he reached Arthur’s door he was ready to pass out once again.

Sleep was a far-off dream for Merlin. Something that could come after he helped Arthur save Camelot. There was so much he had to do. He and Gaius had already helped the King, but he needed to get Arthur ready. Then he needed to stay at his side to make sure he was safe through what came next. This was so not the job he’d signed up for when he became Arthur’s servant.

“Why does a lowly servant continue to risk everything for Arthur?” Morgause’s question repeated through his mind. “You know the answer, yet you’re not telling me.”

Oh, he knew the answer alright. He got his answer every time he opened Arthur’s door in the morning and saw his prince sleeping peacefully in his bed. Merlin was the only one allowed to see Arthur in such a state and he cherished those few moments between walking in and opening the curtains. Arthur always looked so peaceful, and the gods save him if Arthur ever heard, adorable.

Yesterday Merlin had nearly died. He never would have seen this again if not for the dragon. So, maybe he might have taken a few extra moments to soak in the sight as he walked to the window. Or maybe it was because it seemed Arthur had made a right mess of his chambers in Merlin’s absence. Either way it definitely wasn’t because he could barely get his body to move anymore.

A part of Merlin wanted to curl up into Arthur and hold him tight after coming so close to being lost to him forever. Yet, he knew Arthur would never accept such affection. He would never accept Merlin at all if he knew the truth. So why did he keep serving him?

Merlin knew the answer and felt foolish for it. That’s why he hadn’t told Morgause, or one of the many reasons why he hadn’t answered her. It was pathetic to be so in love with a man who would never see him, would never believe in him the way Merlin believed in Arthur.