Wrap Your Arms Around Me (merdred)

6. Charcoal Roses

    MERLIN SLEPT SOMEWHAT PEACEFULLY in his sleep that night. He didn't have pleasant dreams, but they weren't intolerable enough to be called nightmares. To his surprise, he didn't wake up at all, and he was well-rested in the morning. Gaius called him down for breakfast before he had to leave to get Arthur his. They were able to share a warm meal together and a nice conversation.

He found it had been easier to talk to Gaius in the past two days-- it was easier to talk to everyone for that matter. And had it really been thanks to Mordred? He was perplexed at how a person could do so much for him. It must've been something else; maybe Gaius upped his sleeping draft somehow. Yeah, that had to be it.

Merlin erased all thoughts from his mind and went down to the kitchen to grab the king his breakfast. When he made it back up the stairs to Arthur's chambers, he pulled open the door, set the tray down and tore the curtains open. Arthur groaned and pressed his face into his pillow, "Five more minutes, Merlin..." he mumbled slowly.

Merlin rolled his eyes and walked over to the side of his bed. He smiled mischievously and ripped the covers off the sleeping man. Thankfully, he was wearing trousers.

"Mer-lin! You imbecile!" He yelled and jumped out of his bed. Merlin was smart enough to start running away by now. Arthur grabbed him by his scarf and pull him back. He took his pillow from off the bed and smacked his manservant in the head with great force. "Why do I still need to remind you," smack, "that this is not how a servant wakes his king!"

Merlin laughed and removed the pillow from his face. He tossed it back onto Arthur's bed as the king took a seat at the table and began eating his breakfast. "Grab that paper from the other side of the table."

The raven-haired man did as he said and snatched a tan paper from off the table. He looked at it in confusion. "What's this then?"

Arthur cocked a smile, "I'm glad you asked, Merlin. These are all the chores you are to have done by the end of the day. Since your pea-sized brain seems to forget half your responsibilities every single day, I took it upon myself to write it down on paper in a nice, looooong list," he smirked, popping a grape into his mouth.

"Well, actually, I have to run an herb trip for Gaius this morning. And you know how long those can take, sire."

"Remind me to tell that physician to get a new apprentice," Arthur grumbled.

"But then who would heal you next time you trip over a rock on a hunting trip and break your wrist?"

"That was one time, Merlin! One time!" Arthur finished his meal and Merlin helped him into his armour for training. "When do you leave for this herb trip?"

"Gaius wants me to find what he needs before noon so he has what he needs for the day"

"Alright, but take Sir Gwaine with you. He's too hungover for practice this morning anyway."

Merlin placed a hand over his heart in awe. "Does Your Prattiness actually care about me?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Believe it or not, I think of you as a friend," Merlin grinned happily at the king. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Merlin. I still want to punch you most of the time."

"I'm going to tell Gwaine."

"Don't you dare."

"We can all braid each other's hair and have sleepovers."

"Shut up."

Merlin snatched his satchel from his room and the list Gaius left out of all the herbs he needed. He walked outside to the stables and began to prepare his and Gwaine's horses. When he was adjusting the saddle on one of the horses, he didn't hear the footsteps behind him.