Forever and a Day - Merlin X Reader - Red Shoes

e l e v e n

A/N This is chapter 8 and 10 but from Merlin's pov (AKA an excuse for more chapters so I don't have to end this so quickly)

Merlin's bones ached as he opened his eyes. He was wet and sprawled on some grass, his head pounding. With a quick glance around, he saw Y/n laying right by him, her skin shiny under the sunset. He sat up, his eyes meeting three tiny wooden bears and one familiar big bunny. 

"I remember being on the rocks before I passed out again and... I was wet." Merlin began, confused. "Did you save us?" Merlin asked them. 

"No," one of the tiny bears said with a voice that belonged to a child. "We just brought you here after we found you on shore."

Merlin raked his hands through his hair and let out a shaky breath. 

"So who..." He stopped abruptly and his eyes fell on the ice princess's body laying next to him. He looked up to the wooden creatures. 

"You mean it was...?" 

The wooden bunny nodded before sitting down. Merlin's eyes glazed over as he turned to look at the princess right by him. She was covered in goosebumps and that cloak she always wore must have been soaking wet. 

"I'm going to get wood for a fire." 

It took only about ten minutes for Merlin to find a handful of logs that suited his needs and desires. He had hoped that by the time he came back, Y/n would have been awake. She was not, though, and Merlin found that to be a little stressful. 

The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up. 

She had looked too delicate- too peaceful in her sleep. Who was he to put an end to that? All he wanted to do was watch her dream. And he hoped that, maybe, she'd wake up while he's making the fire.

She didn't wake up. Not for a while. The sun had come down completely and the darkness had engulfed the night sky. Merlin's stomach was growling slightly, he wasn't used to going this long without eating. 

The fire crackled loudly at his feet. His hair had now fully dried and his clothes were only slightly damp. But he was tired and he desperately wanted to sleep.

A quiet moan clawed its way to his ears and Merlin tore his face away from the fire. 

"Y/n?" He said quietly as he scooted his body towards the passed out girl. As Merlin gazed at her, he couldn't help but notice how flattering she was. Her eyelashes rested against the curve of her cheek and cast a long shadow. Her nose was immensely adorable, and her soft hair fell gently against her face. His eyes trailed down, and he hesitantly lifted his arm.

She was so beautiful.

Merlin brought his hand up, the tip of his finger lightly falling against the skin of her lips. He trailed the shape of it daintily as his eyes flickered around her features. Slowly, he moved a piece of hair off her face and tucked it in behind her ear before he pressed his palm into her jaw, rubbing his thumb against her cheek softly. She leaned into his touch as if it were instinct. 

"Merlin..." She mumbled and Merlin drew back, only to notice she had only just spoken in her sleep. He hesitantly cupped her face again, his eyes searching her face once again. Merlin's heart pounded loudly. 

There was something so special about the girl in his hands. The butterflies in his stomach confused him and yet he couldn't help but enjoy the heat that spread across his face.

Merlin placed his hand on her shoulder and lightly shook it.

"Y/n," he said as softly as he could. Y/n inhaled a sharp breath but continued to sleep.