Metanoia

"I Should've Seen It Coming"

Arthur

With all of the experiences I've encountered, I should've seen it coming.
Merlin was encased between both the blankets me, giving heavy, yet relaxed breaths. My chin protectively rested on his curls. Inhaling, I basked in his presence. The royal soaps made an entrance, as I caught a whiff of lavender, smelling the scent with euphoria. Even with all of these current distractions, though, I still should have detected something.
The door cracking open—in an ajar state—where a silhouette then entered.
The footsteps quietly padding against the floor.
The sound of a dagger being unsheathed from its casing.
The moonlight casting an eerie glow onto the foreign figure when I suddenly looked up to face them.
"Merlin!" my voice came, as I tried to hop off the bed with quick motions, swiping the handle of the sword, as the unsheathed weapon suddenly made a presence.
Even with my strength and determination, I must've been an imbecile to think of a positive outcome. Merlin had told me I was paranoid.
But I wasn't perturbed.
I was right.
I should've seen it coming. Because then the gears that turned suddenly clicked in my mind, as everything that was once a haze was now crystal clear. The foreigner wasn't here to kill me; they were here for Merlin. Sprinting to the other side of the bed, before the man could give Merlin the cold touch of his dagger, I ferociously kicked the man's knees, sending him to the ground with a loud thump.
Merlin was now awake, struggling to see in the dark. One hand was outstretched. I wasn't sure if it was for his use of magic or battle to see. "Arthur!" he croaked harshly, seeing the glints of light bouncing off my sword.
I didn't reply. My weapon was still stuck to the person's neck. It was a man—somewhere around his late thirties, possibly early forties—with dark hair that tumbled to the ground from laying on the floorboards.
"Who are you?"
In the dark of the night, I could still see the malicious glare the person deflected back, the cracking of saliva telling me he was smiling. Something about him was familiar, though. My veins surged, as the foreigner suddenly threw me back with a blast of magic, their eyes now a hue of gold. It reminded me of Merlin—his eyes swimming in the metallic color, hand outstretched to meet open air.
But this wasn't Merlin.
This was his murderer.
"Arthur!" Merlin called again, a newfound adrenaline now seeping through his veins.
I watched as Merlin's eyes fled to the same color as the intruder's, as the two fought. My mind was in a haze, trying to focus. Attempting to register the current events, I rolled to my side, letting out a pained grunt. Heat escaped my head, as I gingerly put a hand to it, seeing a dark substance glint against the light of the night when I then pulled it away. "Merlin," I lisped, feeling the pain suddenly catch up with me. With lightheaded motions, I deliriously clawed at the floor, attempting to stand with a tremendous amount of effort.
Apparently even that wasn't enough.
I bit my lip to suppress the pain, watching with a hunched expression as the foreigner made an escape through the chamber doors, his cape flapping as he briskly ran. My eyes then saw Merlin run into the hallway, yelling at several guards to go after the intruder.
"Merlin," I mumbled, feeling his name rub warmth into my mind.
Merlin turned, spotting me on the ground, as he then raced to me, cupping my cheek with a delicate hand, wiping away invisible grime. "You're gonna be okay. It's going to be alright..." His mouth continued to let words of reassurance hit me.
"I'm not going to die, Merlin."
"S'alright," he murmured, taking me in his grasp, resting his head against my neck, holding me.
Just holding me.
And that's all I needed.
Love and affection everyone else couldn't give to me throughout the years. It was at this moment I realized that Merlin had done this all for me. He had killed my father, but for a purpose. What had my father done besides scold me for the entirety of my life? He was my father, but never gave me the care I needed to consume through my years without Merlin.
"I should've seen it coming," he whispered, sighing against my skin, placing his lips there to feel my pulse.
A lethargic smile wiped across my face lazily, as I drew my hand up into Merlin's hair, wanting the fresh smell of lavender to cross my senses once again. I curled a lock between my fingers, admiring the softness. My grin then cracked from sudden pain.
"Arthur-"
"Hush," I muttered, releasing a breath, my grip on Merlin's hair falling slack. I felt his warm breath run down my neck. He was here for me. Merlin cared. I smiled once again, the combination of pain and happiness draining me from consciousness. "My Merlin," I murmured, closing my eyes.

A/N: Hello everybody! First of all, thank you so much for 1k reads! The first book had an outstanding amount of support, but this book has a lot too—so I thank you all for that! Second, school has started this week, so my updates will be moved to later dates than before, meaning I will not update as often. Third, this was a short chapter, sO there is a possibility I will update sometime either today or tomorrow, so stay tuned! Lastly, I would really appreciate it if y'all would leave a vote or comment! The support means so much to me! Thanks y'all! Bye!