ONLY FOR YOU // Merlin/Merthur Oneshots

a brush with death

<< so ok this is a writing prompt one! where both characters are stuck together and about to die, so they hold each other and comfort each other and all that. character A starts panicking bc he don't wanna die, and so character B calms them and says they'll be safe on the other side.

kinda angsty but don't worry they don't die. >>

Merlin frowned, pacing the perimeter of the small tower they were trapped in. 'They' meaning him and Arthur. It was getting rather annoying, really, being caught by angry sorcerers and nearly getting killed.

This was a bit different. The sorceress had promised that they were going to die in this tower. Merlin wasn't doubting her words; leaning out the window, he could see the flames slowly climbing the tower. They would be burned alive.

However, she then said that if their hearts met one another, then they would be saved.

Like he knew what that meant.

There was a beat of silence, when Merlin finally stopped pacing and just stared out of the window, at the horizon. And then Arthur just had to go and break it, of course.

"Merlin," he drawled from his position on the ground, back pressed against the cold stone wall, knees drawn up but relaxed.

"What, Arthur," Merlin snapped, whipping around to glare at Arthur, bristling. He relaxed after a moment, sighing and shaking his head. "Sorry."

"... What is bothering you? You're acting like a caged wolf," Arthur said with a frown, narrowed eyes resting on Merlin.

"It's just... The sorceress, she said that we had a chance to escape," Merlin said, leaning against the open window, placing his hands on the sill.

"She did, didn't she. Yes, she said something about... Our 'hearts meeting with one another', or something like that." Arthur nodded.

"Exactly. And she expects us to know what she meant by that," Merlin said, shaking his head. "Great."

"Well, can you think of any other way to get out of here? We're going to have to figure out something." Arthur rocked his head back a bit, thumping it against the wall.

"Yes, I know," Merlin said, kicking his heel against the wall. "But other than that cryptic message, the witch didn't tell us anything."

"Other than the fact that if we didn't escape, we would die because of that fire that's climbing the tower," Arthur said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So... We need to figure out what she meant by 'hearts meeting one another'."

Merlin shook his head silently, pushing off the sill and returning to pacing the tower. He frowned, reaching out a bit with his magic, testing the limits of the tower. 

There seemed to be a barrier a couple feet from the outside of the wall. That's why he was able to lean out of the window, but he wouldn't be able to leave. He'd just fall right into the flames roaring at the base.

Great. If only there wasn't a barrier. He'd be able to knock Arthur out, then fly away, out of this cursed place. He glanced over at the king, who was tapping his head repeatedly against the wall.

"Are you trying to create a tunnel down to the ground? Because if not, you should help me come up with something close enough to having out hearts... do the thing. Yes." Arthur opened his eyes and stared at Merlin, who stopped pacing once addressed.

"I think you're getting brain damage from thinking too much, and hitting your head on the wall," Merlin snorted, arching an eyebrow at Arthur. It was unsettling how much he looked like Gaius.