Wrap Your Arms Around Me (merdred)

4. Arms of the Enemy

        THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR, causing Merlin's heart to race. He nervously played with his hands before sighing and getting up from bed.

Merlin hesitantly wrapped his hand around the knob and pulled open the door, slowly and steadily until it revealed the man he'd just been talking to. Mordred smiled slightly from the other side and walked in, shutting the door behind him. He frowned at the dark circles under the older boy's eyes and his messy raven hair, which was kind of cute but he wasn't going to say anything.

Merlin suddenly felt self-conscious of the state he was in. Even more so when he saw Mordred's eyes trail down his bare chest. He blushed slightly and moved to sit back down on his bed in attempt to hide it.

"You didn't have to come, I actually didn't even want you here," he mumbled sheepishly.

"Well I am so you'll just have to deal with it," Mordred told him matter-of-factly. "So, what did you dream about this time?"

Merlin paused, taking a deep breath. He leaned back in his bed and covered his hands over his eyes, "Arthur killing me."

Why? Why in bloody hell was he talking to Mordred, of all people, about his nightmares?! Gaius hadn't even gotten him to speak about them yet. Being with Mordred, talking to him, just thinking about him scared him so much. It made him vulnerable. But there was also a sense of comfort that came with all the worry and fright. He couldn't place it, but he felt so different around him. He felt like he could be himself; show his true colours.

To a certain extent, he could be himself. Mordred was the only other person like him that he knew of. He had a place in the castle and also had magic, exactly like Merlin. Maybe they weren't so different... No! What was he saying?! Mordred was destined to kill the king, they were nothing alike.

"You're panicking again, Emrys," Mordred said, noticing his shaking. "Why did Arthur kill you in your dream? Sometimes talking about it makes it feel a little better."

"He found out about my magic. No doubt the same thing would happen in real life. And my name is Merlin here, not Emrys."

"You think your king and friend would betray you like that? He would only ban you if anything, Merlin."

That's reassuring. He wanted to say but instead, he kept his mouth shut, staring at the ceiling above his head. "You should leave me."

"Will you not have another nightmare?"

"No, I won't be sleeping in the first place," Merlin replied with a small sarcastic chuckle. His remark sounded a bit sadder than intended.

"Merlin," he sighed, tossing him a pitiful look. "You need sleep. I've seen the way you've been acting lately. If you don't get sleep soon, your heart could fail you or you could risk something worse."

"That's hard to do when you have constant nightmares plaquing your sleep," Merlin snapped, turning over on one side.

"Alright, I'll leave you be then," Mordred sighed. He felt him get up and slowly walk to the door, pulling it open with a slight creaking noise. No! He couldn't go yet.

"Wait, Mordred..." He felt the man stop in his tracks and turn around, making a humming sound. "I- talking to you, i-it helps sometimes. Even just your presence does..." He stuttered and started to play with his hands nervously again.

"What are you saying?"

"C-can you just stay with me... for a little bit?"

He bit his tongue after he asked what he did. Stupid! That what he was! He was being completely and utterly stupid. Why would he ask that and why would Mordred ever accept it? And anyway, Mordred would be his enemy one day. They couldn't be friends. What in the hell was he thinking?!

To Merlin's surprise, Mordred let out a soft chuckle and lied back in Merlin's bed, resting his own head on the cot.

"I-I didn't mean in my bed!"

"Well you're just going to have to deal with it because I'm certainly not sleeping on the ground."

"No, no- I mean, I wasn't going to make you- I just hadn't thought of- I-"

Mordred hushed him and told him to go to sleep, a smile playing on his pinkish lips. Merlin blushed and turned the other so he wasn't facing Mordred. He whispered a spell and the candle to his side blew out.

Merlin's heart was practically beating out of his chest. The man who would one day kill Arthur was in his bed— oh, that sounded wrong.

Why did his mind and body feel okay with it? He didn't seem to care at all. If anything, he liked it. He began panicking at this thought. His breathing became heavy and he tried to even it out but he couldn't seem to make it go back to normal.

"Merlin," he felt Mordred's breath against his neck and his own breathing hitched at the sensation, "are you alright?"

Merlin nodded his head quickly and tried to focus on anything but the way Mordred's breath hit his neck. Suddenly, he felt something warm on his hip slowly trailing up.

Mordred felt his way up Merlin's chest, stopping when he had reached the heart area. He kept it there, feeling the beats in the warlock's heart. "Your heart keeps beating faster and faster. I'm really not that scary, Merls," he taunted in his deep voice. "I won't bite..."

Merlin didn't say anything, not even about the nickname, he just stared down at the way Mordred's hand was placed on his chest and the way his voice sounded at night when it was even deeper and huskier. He couldn't stop his face from flushing a heavy pink colour.

"Am I still helping?" Mordred whispered. Merlin stayed silent, turning his head to see Mordred staring at him with a devilish smirk. He quickly looked back when he found himself blushing. "You're an idiot," Mordred chuckled and wrapped his arm fully around Merlin's bare chest. He pulled him closer so their bodies were now together.

Merlin gasped at the contact of his back on Mordred's chest. If he hadn't felt his breathing before, he sure felt it now. His heart was practically beating out of his chest.

"Mordred," he shakily breathed out.

"Go to sleep," he mumbled back.

Dear god, Gaius would certainly kill Merlin if he saw them like this— or rather Mordred, since he seemed to be the one holding Merlin.

Merlin relaxed in the arms of the knight as their legs tangled together under the sheets. He ignored the butterflies in his stomach from Mordred's warm breath down his chest and the tingling sensation from below where his bottom touched Mordred's—

He also ignored the way his breathing hitched every time Mordred rubbed his hipbone or arm with his fingers. It didn't mean anything. It meant absolutely nothing. Right?

One thing was for sure, that night, Merlin fell asleep and received the best rest he'd gotten in years, whilst wrapped in the arms of the enemy.

~

Short chapter... but things are getting good! >:)