Worry (Merlin, M)

[groundcontrol]

Hello :) I’m back with a little drabble-ish/one shot thing that I whipped up bc I cannot get enough of these two lovelies :) It’s short, it’s plotless fluff, but it’s hopefully enjoyable!

“HRSHHHooo!”

Merlin’s back was to Arthur as he pulled clothing from his drawers, and so the prince could not see the servant nod to himself. He’d thought that was coming. Arthur’s voice was always a little gravelly with sleep in the mornings, but that morning his voice was raspy and lower in pitch, and Arthur seemed to be clearing his throat to no avail. One more sneeze, Merlin resolved as he smoothed down Arthur’s tunic, and he’d say something.

“Heh’ISSHH’uhhh! Mmm… Snf! SNF!”

“Bless, sire,” Merlin said, handing Arthur his shirt and taking in Arthur’s ruffled, bleary appearance. His nose, pinkish and glistening, twitched a bit. “Are you feeling alright?”

Arthur rolled his eyes and shrugged out of his nightshirt. “I’m fine, Me-eh-Merlin.” His breath hitched as he shirt came over his head, and he crumpled into it, pressing it to his face. “Hehh’KMPFF!”

“Great, I have to wash that now, disgusting sod.” Merlin snatched the fabric away from Arthur and made a face.

Arthur laughed, his eyes twinkling despite their tiredness, as he donned his tunic. “It’s not as if I have a handkerchief. Snf!” Arthur rubbed his nose on the back of his hand, then on the cuff of his sleeve when that didn’t satisfy him.

“All you have to do is ask for one,” Merlin huffed, already stalking to Arthur’s bureau to fetch the item. “Or heavens forbid, look for one yourself.” Merlin pulled a handkerchief out from layers of cloth and brandished it at Arthur, who was still scrubbing at his nose with his shirtsleeve.

“Stop it, Arthur,” Merlin said, tossing the prince the handkerchief. “You’re just messing up that shirt now.”

“Have to keep you busy some-hh-how. Ah’TSCHHOO! Hih’RSHH’uhh! Ughh…” Arthur buried his nose into the handkerchief and gave his nose a productive-sounding blow. Once he had finished, he peered at Merlin through watery eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that, Merlin. I’m fine.”

“You’re sneezing is really convincing me.”

“Can’t a man sneeze without it meaning anything?”

“Maybe. But not that much. And your voice is all raspy and stuffy-sounding. And you keep clearing your throat.”

Merlin draped Arthur’s coat around his shoulders, and Arthur submitted. “Fine. Maybe I’m getting a little chill.”

Merlin nodded, all of the worry tumbling out of him that had been bound up in his chest since he had first gotten an inkling of the prince’s illness “I’ll send for Gaius? Do you want to get back in bed? A fire? Something hot to drink?”

Arthur rolled his eyes briefly before they squeezed shut and he pitched forward into his handkerchief. “Hehh’KSSHH!” He wiped his nose and headed toward the door. “I have a council meeting to attend to.”

“B-but you’re ill!”

“I’m fine,” Arthur said pointedly, before his voice caught and he began to cough, the sound rough around the edges. Even he knew the coughs didn’t lend credence to his argument, for he blinked a bit, sheepish, before looking up at Merlin.

Merlin worried his lip between his teeth. “Arthur…”

“Merlin…” Arthur parroted back, mocking.

Merlin huffed. “Well excuse me for taking an interest in your health, sire.”

“I have a cold, Merlin. I'm not dying.”

“Would you tell me if you were? You have a track record for claiming you're fine and then passing out.”

Arthur grabbed Merlin by the wrist and placed the servant’s palm against his forehead. Merlin swallowed fiercely around the butterflies produced by the contact. “There. I'm not feverish. Happy now?”

It was true, and so Merlin conceded, still feeling a bit warm himself. “Fine. But I'm still having Gaius make you up a draught. You sound awful. And you're going to bed early tonight.”

“If it means I'll be rid of your mother henning even sooner, I should be delighted to,” Arthur said, before snuffling into the handkerchief once more.

[blackrose]

😍❤️❤️❤️

[beatlelover22]

Ohhh man!! I hope you continue this! You really write both the characters very well ❤️ 

[lsbn]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS absolutely exactly what I wanted to see tonight! Any chance you'd continue this? :)

[facet]

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Edited October 31, 2019 by facet
Removed by user.