Monster ➳ Merthur

Lover

eek here we go

this is literally going to be mostly fluff and I'm ready

I want to cry I love snow fights

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Arthur awoke to find himself wrapped around a scrawny body, with his face nestled into soft black hair. It took him a moment to realize why he was in that position, his thoughts groggy from having just woken from sleep. Once he saw Merlin's face tucked into his chest, however, he immediately smiled in realization. Absentmindedly, he ran a hand up and down Merlin's side, feeling his gentle breaths as he took each one. The boy's eyelids twitched, groaning in his sleep as he pulled himself closer to the warm body that held him. He sighed contentedly before falling into a deep sleep once again.

Arthur thought about what had happened the night before, how he'd found Merlin, brought him food and warmth, discovered his secret, and told him he would never be a monster in his own eyes. He finally felt the weight of all that had happened on his shoulders, because how would he possibly get Merlin back into Camelot without raising suspicion? There was no way Arthur was leaving without him, not after all he'd done for him. He vowed to get Merlin back to the city and ensure his safety.

Unconsciously, he ran his hand through Merlin's hair, feeling the softness of it on the palm of his dry hand. A breeze flew through the cave, and he could feel the cold chill of winter air from just outside. The fire had long since gone out, and the only warmth Arthur now had was Merlin's body wrapped around him and the few blankets on top of them. It wasn't enough, though it should have been, and when another few wisps of wind came into the cave, he shivered.

He must have woken Merlin with his movement, because Arthur heard a yawn and then his most important source of heat was moving away from his body. Merlin's eyes opened, to see Arthur pursing his lips in a frown, and he immediately smiled before pressing his lips to Arthur's in a chaste kiss. Whatever Arthur had been frowning about, he immediately forgot about it as he very quickly became lost in the feeling of Merlin's lips on his. Pulling the boy closer, Arthur reveled in the warmth of their bodies pressed up against each other.

The night before, they'd shared many kisses, from Arthur comforting Merlin through his tears, to the two of them rolling around the cave floor, attached at the lips, unable to let go. Merlin was special to Arthur, even after only having known him for a single night. Throughout that single night, they'd come to know more about each other, and Arthur had locked up every single thing Merlin had told him into his head so he wouldn't forget a single detail.

He pulled away from Merlin, who looked at him with a mix of confusion and sadness. To reassure him, Arthur placed a hand on his cheek and ran his thumb across the edge of his sharp cheekbone. Merlin was a gorgeous soul, Arthur decided, unable to stop himself from smiling when the boy's cheeks turned pink. It let him forget about the world beyond them; all they needed was each other.

Sadly, he knew that though his raging heart was telling him to take Merlin and run away to the countryside where they would never be disturbed, they needed to return to Camelot. Merlin was still injured and needed a place with stability for his caring, not a prince who had nowhere near the skill of a physician. Once they arrived, Arthur would take him to Gaius immediately, to be taken care of as he should. And then...

And then he didn't know what he would do. Merlin was illegal in the eyes of his father, and his mere existence was punishable by death. How would he keep his magic a secret? Arthur couldn't force him to do that, not after what he'd been through. After being called a monster, he never wanted Merlin to go through something like that ever again. If only Arthur was able to have his father's mind changed, or make him understand that magic didn't make the person. The more he thought about it, the more the idea of running away felt more plausible...