Chapter Text
“I can’t believe we have to spend the night in the forest,” Arthur said, staring at the twinkling lights of Camelot in the distance.
“For the eighth time, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t change the fact that we’re out here with no food, no blankets, and no supplies.” As though to illustrate his point, Arthur’s stomach growled loudly.
“If you’re so hungry, you could try to catch us something, or scavenge for food.”
“What am I supposed to hunt with? My sword and crossbow were with the horses. And I don’t know anything about what I can and can’t eat out here. Do you want me to get sick?”
“No, I want you to stop complaining.” Merlin dumped the armful sticks he’d gathered into a pile.
“What are you planning on doing with those? Because it’s much too wet out here to start a fire, even if we had the flint to spark one.”
Grasping a stick in his hands, Merlin snapped it in half and growled, “Do you want me to try to make things better or not? Because if all you’re going to do is bitch–”
“Bitch?!” Arthur sputtered. “I am a Prince. I don’t bitch. It’s my job to note issues and direct others on how to implement solutions.”
“Is that what you’ve been doing? Because it sounds an awful lot like bitching to me,” Merlin said. “If you’re so good at coming up with solutions, why can’t you think of one that will lead to you complaining less?”
“You know what, Merlin? You’re right. I should do something to take the edge off, make this miserable experience a little more enjoyable.” Stepping forward, Arthur leaned in toward Merlin. “Something like punishing you.”
“That’s not fun,” Merlin protested.
“Not for you,” Arthur replied. “But I’ve been having fun with it lately.” He smiled down at Merlin. “In fact, if I didn’t know you better, I’d think you’d want to be punished with how often you mess up.”
“I don’t mean to mess up so much, you know. I try, I really do,” Merlin said quietly.
“Well, clearly, you’re not trying hard enough. I’m not asking you to fetch me the moon, Merlin, I’m asking you to watch the horses. Any simpleton can manage to keep track of a horse.”
Fury swept his features as Merlin yelled, “If these things are so easy then what do you even need me for? Fetch your breakfast, mend your clothes, act as your target practice. If these things really are as simple as you say they are, then why does the great Prince Arthur need a simpleton like me?”
“I told you already. It’s because you’re fun.” Merlin frowned but Arthur stepped closer. “I’ve been waited on every day since the moment I was born. Anytime someone else makes a mistake, they apologize, they grovel, they beg for forgiveness. Not you, though. You make excuses. Try to convince me that the wrong way is right. Argue with me about having to do it again. It just makes it so much more enjoyable when I put you in the stocks or make you scrub the floor or whatever else I come up with to please me that day.”
“So you like when I do things wrong because you like punishing me?” Merlin said slowly. He shook his head. “There’s something wrong with you.”
With a smile, Arthur stepped forward. Merlin tried to take a hurried step back but Arthur reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt, pulling him close. “Do you see what I mean when I say that it seems like you want to be punished? I just told you how I delight in reprimanding you, and you insult me for it. What do you expect me to do with that? You’re literally asking me to do it.”
“You could let me go back to making the fire.” Merlin gave a hopeful smile.
“But then you wouldn’t learn anything and we can’t have that. Remember, you haven’t even earned the right to stand in my presence yet, but here you are. Another indiscretion I’m going to have to address.” In a single, practiced motion, Arthur shoved Merlin, causing him to fall roughly to the ground.
“Ow! That hurt, you asshole!” Merlin tried to sit up but Arthur put a boot to his shoulder and shoved him back down.
Clucking his tongue, Arthur said, “There’s that mouth again. So dirty. Does your mother know this is how you speak to your Prince?”
“Does your father know you like sticking your dick in other boys' mouths?”
Arthur couldn’t say anything, instead opening and closing his mouth like a fish pulled from water. Finally, he sputtered out, “If you ever mention that to anyone, you won’t have to worry about me punishing you anymore because you will never be allowed to set foot in Camelot ever again.”
“So he doesn’t know.”
Sinking to one knee, Arthur wrapped a warning hand around Merlin’s throat. “I said shut up about that.”
Merlin said nothing but the knowing look in his eyes and the smile that played across his lips enraged Arthur either way.
“You are the most annoying man I’ve ever met. Sometimes I wish I could turn you into a bug and crush you beneath my heel.” With a huff, he pushed himself off Merlin and stomped away a few yards, stopping to cross his arms and glare at the lights that were Camelot. Why had he let himself indulge in that fantasy? It hadn’t even been a day and already it looked like that decision was going to bite him in the ass.
The smell of smoke and the sound of popping and crackling finally pulled him from his thoughts. Turning, he blinked in surprise at the fire Merlin was kneeling next to, slowly feeding it sticks.
“How–?”
“Not completely useless, am I, Sire?” Merlin asked.
“I–No, I suppose not.” Arthur stepped closer to the flames. It was still a small fire, barely able to cast any warmth, but still it chased the damp from the air around them. “Thank you, Merlin.”
He didn’t say anything in reply, instead silently watching as Arthur sat across the fire. They were quiet for a long time, the only noise being the steady roar of the flames as the fire gradually grew. Eventually, Merlin cut the quiet by saying, “I’m not going to tell anyone, you know.”
Arthur said nothing, just stared into the flames.
“I’m bad at a lot of things, but I’m not bad at secrets. Believe it or not, there’s quite a few I’ve been keeping.”
“Like what?”
Merlin laughed. “I’m not that easy. My point is, I may be terrible at mending and cleaning and keeping track of your schedule, but you can trust me. If there’s one thing you can believe in, I hope it’s that you can trust me.”
“Thank you, Merlin,” Arthur said, though he didn’t look at him. He didn’t feel like talking anymore, so Arthur laid down and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep.
~ ~ ~
He woke later, though how much later he couldn’t quite say. The moon had risen high, which was good because the fire was burning low, not much more than embers now, allowing the cold and damp to settle into his clothes.
Sitting up, Arthur went to the pile of sticks Merlin had gathered earlier and started piling them on top of the spots of the fire still glowing orange. While he’d expected the fire to come back, the dampness of the wood seemed to be having the opposite effect, causing the last remaining bits of the fire to sputter and die. Arthur cursed softly and blew on the embers. They glowed brightly under his breath but didn’t catch, fading quickly anytime he stopped to take a breath. After several, long minutes Arthur had managed nothing but smoke and the feeling of being extremely light headed. Sitting back, he marveled at Merlin’s ability to start the fire earlier. He’d thought that if Merlin had managed it he would have been able to, but clearly it was more complicated than he thought. Perhaps he didn’t give his manservant enough credit.
Looking across the fire, Arthur noticed Merlin’s sleeping form, curled on its side and trembling slightly, and it was no wonder. Merlin usually wore the same thin, ragged clothing day in and day out, meaning they were all but useless against the cold. Arthur was also chilly but his thick leather pants and tightly woven shirt was a much better match against the damp.
With a sigh, Arthur rose and moved around to the other side of the fire, settling down near Merlin. Originally, he’d planned on just laying next to Merlin in hopes that their approximation would allow for shared body heat, but now that he was closer he saw how intensely Merlin was shivering, muscle spasms wracking his entire body. Arthur hesitated for a moment, then pressed himself into Merlin’s back, wrapping his arms around Merlin.
“Ar-Arthur?” Merlin’s teeth audibly clacked together.
He’d been hoping Merlin was asleep, but with how ice cold his skin was and how hard he was shaking, there wasn’t any surprise he wasn’t. “You’re cold,” was all Arthur said. Merlin nodded and they laid quietly until, slowly, Merlin’s body started to relax and the tremors disappeared.
“Thank you,” Merlin said. Arthur started to pull away now that Merlin was better but Merlin grabbed his arm. “I’ll get cold again.”
Arthur settled back in place, resting his cheek on Merlin’s shoulder blade, feeling the rise and fall of his back with each breath. It was, strangely, relaxing and his eyes slowly drifted shut.
~ ~ ~
When Arthur woke the next morning, he found himself flat on his back with Merlin sprawled across his chest, snoring softly. Arthur stayed still for a long moment, reveling in the warmth of Merlin’s body, but then he noticed how his dick was hard and straining against his pants. Shoving Merlin off of him, Arthur got up and said loudly, “Can’t be laying around all day, Merlin.”
Disoriented, Merlin laid on the ground, blinking in the morning sun before slowly sitting up. “Camelot’s not going anywhere.”
“No, but we were supposed to get back yesterday. We’re looking into all those animal deaths, remember? I need to ask my father and Gaius about the bodies we saw.” Arthur purposefully kept his back toward Merlin so he wouldn’t see how Arthur’s dick was clearly outlined in his pants. Behind him, he heard Merlin stand and stretch.
“Can we at least look for breakfast first? I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday.”
“Absolutely, Merlin. Who cares about the slaughter of a dozen animals and the potential danger of Camelot’s citizens when your stomach is empty?”
“I’m not trying to say that’s not important, but after all the walking we did yesterday and how far we still need to go, I’m going to need energy. Don’t pretend like you’re not hungry, too.”
“Of course I’m hungry! But neither of us deserve to eat until we’ve made it back.” Arthur’s dick was starting to soften so he turned and marched past Merlin, starting his way back to Camelot.
“Just because you’re a masochist doesn’t mean I am,” Merlin said to his back.
“I’m not a masochist,” Arthur growled.
“What do you prefer then?” Merlin asked as he started to follow. “Deviant? Sadist? Pervert?”
Arthur whirled around, grabbed Merlin, and shoved him against a tree. “Are you trying to piss me off?”
“Of course not, My Lord.”
“Then what are you trying to do?”
“Nothing, My Lord.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes, frowning at the smile that played on Merlin’s lips. Lips that looked so soft, so kissable…
“I’ll be more mindful about what I say in the future. I don’t want to get my mouth washed out again.” Merlin said this with such mock innocence it sent Arthur reeling. It was one thing for Arthur to independently want to shove his cock in Merlin’s mouth, it was a complete other for Merlin to ask for it.
Pressing himself closer to Merlin, Arthur growled, “You truly are a complete idiot, aren’t you? Even with everything laid out in front of you, you can’t act right. I’m at a loss for what to do with you.”
“I know something you can do with me,” Merlin said with a smirk.
“Are–are you flirting?” Arthur sputtered. Merlin shrugged. “Well, stop it or I’ll make you regret it.”
Releasing Merlin, he started back toward Camelot. Still, he heard Merlin say half to himself, “Promise?”
Turning back to him, Arthur pointed at him and yelled, “I know what you’re doing!”
“What am I doing?” Merlin asked, blue eyes wide.
“You’re acting like you like the things I’ve been doing so I’ll be less likely to do them the next time you mess up. Well, that’s not going to work on me. You’re getting whatever punishment I see fit no matter what.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Arthur felt like strangling Merlin, but seeing as he couldn’t do that he decided on the next best thing. “Take your clothes off,” he commanded.
Suppressing a smirk, Merlin did as he was asked, but his smile dropped from his lips when Arthur snatched his clothes from his hands and immediately tore at them, creating large rips in the cloth.
“What are you doing?” Merlin yelled.
“You only seem to truly learn your lesson when I humiliate you,” Arthur said matter of factly as he continued to tear the clothes to shreds, dropping the torn pieces to the ground. “Therefore, you can walk back to Camelot naked. Don’t worry, I’ll let you keep your silly little scarf, though, for all the good it’ll do you.”
Merlin said nothing, simply staring at the remains of his clothes on the ground, mouth slightly open.
Arthur reveled in the horrified look on Merlin’s face for a moment before saying, “Alright, let’s go. We’re wasting daylight and you said you were hungry, didn’t you? Start walking.” He started toward Camelot, slapping Merlin on the ass to hurry him along. Hesitantly, Merlin followed.