Love me like you do (Gwaine x Lancelot | Lancelot/Gwaine)

Chapter 7

'Right, hold your leg still Lancelot. ' Merlin said sternly and began running his hands over Lancelot's ankle and whispering something under his breath in a foreign language. His eyes flashed gold for a moment and a feeling of cold ran up Lancelot's leg, he gritted his teeth until the pain ebbed and looked down at his ankle.

'Try and move it.' Merlin requested and the knight slowly twisted his foot to either side, curling his toes as he did.

'Does it feel any better? I'll have to do this everyday for the rest of this week, it won't be a drastic recovery but it will be a little faster than it would have been. '

'Yes it feels...good' Lancelot laughed and swung his legs over the table and placed them on the floor.

'Don't over do it.' Merlin said. 'You won't be able to work without your crutches still but it'll be easier for you.'

Lancelot gave him a grateful nod and placed his weight onto his good foot and made a grab for his crutches.

'And you'll have to take someone with you if you go out as well.' Merlin bit his lip nervously as lancelot swung his head to meet his eyes.

'What?'

'Well you still won't be able to go very far, stairs are still going to be a struggle and you'll need someone to help you around. '

'Merlin don't be a fool. I'll be perfectly fine.' Lancelot stuck his chin up defiantly, feeling rather childish but determined to release the reigns his injury had in him.

'I'm going to have to insist. ' merlin sighed. 'I don't do this out if spite you know. I just don't want you getting hurt. If you're not careful you could end up breaking your ankle all over again and all your recovery will he wasted.'

Lancelot hung his head and he felt Merlin place a hand on his shoulder. 

'Chin up you, it won't be long now. It'll take a week and a half most to heal and then you can be back out doing what you love best. '

Lancelot looked up to meet Merlins pale blue eyes and smiled.

'I can take you out for a little while now if you like? Arthur won't need me for a bit yet.' Merlin offered and took his hand of Lancelot's shoulder to get the crutches.

'I'd like that. '

***

With help from merlin, Lancelot stumbled slowly down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Lancelot ducked his head from the sun and Merlin let out a laugh.

 
'Has it been that long since you've been outside? '

'Well I've been outside, it just hasn't been particularly sunny or I've been dragged back in by Gaius and told I'm a danger to myself.'

Merlin's eyes crinkled at the corners and he grinned. 'That's Gaius. He's only doing what he thinks is best though. '

Lancelot nodded in agreement and Merlin began to lead the way out of the main gates. To the knights surprise it was hard work trying to get very far with crutches. He'd hobbled about on them in Gaius' chambers and around the castle but outside on rough terrain was making things a great deal more difficult.

 Merlin turned and saw him struggling and tipped his head to the side and gave him a sympathetic look. 'Maybe we shouldn't go so far today.'

Lancelot gritted his teeth and pursued. 'If Gaius had let me go outside sooner then I'd be used to it and it wouldn't be so difficult. '

'Well there wasn't always someone available to take you out. Not only could you have fallen over but if you were by yourself Morgana could have got to you.'