MERLIN / MERTHUR ONESHOTS

Dancing

Arthur was out doing god knows , probably training or something, and Merlin was in his chambers .

Merlin was supposed to be cleaning Arthur's chambers , that is what a manservant typically does, however he wasn't - at least not exactly anyway.

Merlin had the main mess done , all he needed to do was polish the floor; Arthur seemed to be able to scuff it like no other.

But as Merlin does , he got distracted. Luckily for him , Arthur would never be able to tell the difference on the floor.

In his head he played music . His mothers music in particular, also the music he had heard from the feasts and festivals of Camelot.

To this music, he danced.

He allowed the internal music to fill his body , his heart and magic guiding his moves . He glided around the room , seemingly on another dimension ; and i guess , in some ways, he was.

He was working on a particularly complex piece when Arthur and the other knights walked in. Not that he had noticed them , he still was dancing ; allowing the music to flow , allowing himself to flow.

They watched him , not daring to speak , not daring to breathe. They didn't want him to stop , it was majestic , it was hypnotic, it was beautiful.

Who knew that clumsy , idiotic , can't do anything right Merlin , could do something so elegant , so precise and so perfect . It was unnatural , it was mesmerising.

The music slowed within in head and he slowed his frantic spinning with it . Finishing his routine in a simple position, his eyes still closed as he held his head up high .

Claps filled the room , claps that weren't from within his head . His eyes opened, wide with fear , wide with guilt . He hadn't meant for them to see that , he didn't want them to see that. Dancing was his and his alone.

"Can you show us more?"

Merlin only shook his head no , before removing himself from Arthur's chambers . He didn't go to his own, he wasn't that stupid ; he knew that they'd look for him.

Instead he went to one of the spare rooms of the castles , it's positioning allowing only the best lighting . In here he carried on his dance , allowing his worries to leave , freeing him . He liked to feel free.

Dancing made him feel vulnerable, it made him feel guilty. It was something that he kept to himself, no one was supposed to know . But now they did , now it wasn't his . He couldn't carry on , not like he used to ; it wasn't the same anymore.

He close his eyes as he sunk to the floor , the light dimming ever so slightly. He didn't cry , he just felt empty ...numb.

The door creaked open , a figure stood in it . This figure had his hand outstretched towards him , offering a hand , offering forgiveness.

"May i have this dance?"

Merlin nodded, his hand grasping the others . They held onto each other , and they moved . They moved in a way that was special to them , it was slow , it was delicate , it was theirs.

Merlin's head rested on the shoulders of the one he danced with , feeling drained , exposed.

The dancing slowed until it stopped.

"I'm sorry Merlin."

"...me too Arthur."

"I can be your music."

"We can dance?"

"We can."

"Thank you Arthur."

and with that they danced again.

They danced until nightfall.