Man of Ice

Part Two

Merlin gratefully sips the water that Arthur offers to him, grimacing as a dribble leaves his mouth due to his shaking. Arthur is quick to wipe it away, cupping Merlin's face as he does. Confused eyes look back at Arthur, who can feel a blush, that he will deny if asked about, spring to his cheeks. Another shiver rakes violently over Merlin, his body knocking into Arthur's where they lay. " 'S cold,'' Merlin mumbles throatily, breathing shallow in his chest. Arthur nods, stoppering the waterskin -- it wouldn't do to let Merlin have too much and be sick -- and placing it beside his head, near them should they need it.

"Excellent observation Merlin," Arthur tries to add as much usual bravado into his haughty tone, but he knows it is lacking, especially as his voice cracks over the words; "Didn't think you had it in you." A small smile graces Merlin's face, his amusement plain as he mouths prat, until his body shakes, pulling a wince to his face as his teeth clatter together. Arthur sombers, watching Merlin fight against the cold, confused as to the sudden onslaught of shivers the other man is plagued with.

His confusion must be clear, as Merlin grunts out a hoarse response. "Sh-shivers," he can barely force the word out of his mouth over a stutter, "are good, means...means body trying to...trying to get warm." A pained sigh leaves Merlin's throat when he's finally finished his sentence. He clutches his arms against his chest, huddling against himself. Arthur can't fight the urge to pull Merlin flush against his chest, doesn't want to fight it -- propriety be damned. He feels Merlin tense against him, before sinking into Arthur's embrace with a soft sigh, which Arthur feels against his own neck. "Wha' happened?"

Arthur softly rubs the parts of Merlin's back that aren't injured, trying desperately to force heat into them. "We were hunting, do you remember that?" He feels Merlin nod, slightly, against his collarbone, before he continues. "We had just taken down one boar, when another came barreling after us and spooked your horse. It chased you through the forest," here Arthur pauses, taking a fortifying breath. He feels Merlin squeeze him slightly and smiles, feeling more than hearing Merlin's muffled response.

"Don' remember tha'"

Arthur hums, recounting the tale, "Your horse must have sensed the water, because she stopped running...she just stopped, so suddenly, and you went flying over her, like some sort of ragdoll in the wind. You broke through the ice when you fell and didn't come back up. I had to jump in after you." Arthur can't help pulling Merlin even closer, under the guise of keeping him warm, "It took me so long to find you," he whispers into the raven colored hair as tears form unbidden in his eyes. "By the time I got you out... you weren't breathing. Merlin...you died. I did everything I could think of to bring you back, would have done anything...for you." Arthur doesn't miss the way Merlin's breath hitches against his neck. Pulling away slightly, he stares into Merlin's tired, pained blue eyes, "What's wrong -- where does it hurt?" Merlin huffs, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he shakes his head minutely, before he places himself back in Arthur's embrace, warm puffs of breath at Arthur's neck.

"Tell me," Merlin whispers out, lips moving against Arthurs skin, sending shivers down his own spine at the contact. Arthur tries to clear his head, but with Merlin so so so close, yet still not close enough, it was a challenge. The contact was...distracting, to say the least.

Barely above a whisper, he replies, "I beat on your chest, trying to... I don't know, force your heart to pulse, for you?" He grimaces, hating how small, how weak, his voice sounds, even to his own ears, and can't imagine how pathetic it must sound to Merlin... brave, idiotic Merlin. "I've seen Giaus do it," he defends, " when knights have taken their final breath... it worked for some, and I prayed it would for you."

Merlin chuckles against his skin, warm gusts of air fanning out, bringing a blush from his throat to the tips of his ears. "Is that why I feel like I've been tram...trampled by one of your war-horses?"