weatherfeatherTitle: A Thick Dollop(head) of Insults
Rating: E
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Percival, Leon, Gwaine, Elyan, Lancelot
Summary: Merlin gets himself trapped at the bottom of a deep well that's filling with water, and his magic is useless.
Warnings: attempted murder by drowning, trapped in a well, insults, blow job
Word Count: 1,203
Prompt: #261 idiot
Author's Notes: Erm, I've gone a little over on words. But I think you'll want the ending, so I can't be too sorry.
"Arthur! Down here! Fast, the water's rising!" Merlin shouts.
"Percival, Leon, help me grab these beams," Arthur says from somewhere above Merlin. Their voices and the drag of their feet echo loudly in the cave. Merlin's ears are ringing with their noise and the noise of the water rushing in on him in the well.
He hears a loud thud of wood on dirt, and then another of wood on wood. Merlin looks up to see two crossed beams high above him. He gets a mouthful of water for his effort, but the hope that springs up in his chest is worth it.
"Gwaine! The rope!" Arthur yells.
"Here, take this end," Gwaine says.
A moment later, one end of rope falls down the center of the well.
"Grab on, Merlin!" Gwaine shouts down the hole. "We'll pull you up!"
Merlin wraps the rope around his arm and holds onto the sweet relief for his overworked muscles for a few seconds. Then he starts kicking again so he can get his hands free to tie a loop at the end of the rope. When the knot is sturdy enough, he slips a foot through the loop and grabs on above it with both hands.
Merlin leans his head back and shouts, "Okay!"
Arthur yells back, "We're going to pull you up now! Hold on tight!"
With a sharp jerk, Merlin feels himself start to move above the water level. Four more pulls and his feet have cleared the water entirely.
Merlin clings onto the rope with his whole body.
It takes nearly ten minutes, but Arthur and the knights manage to pull Merlin out of the well in the cave without any major setbacks. When he is pulled over the edge, Merlin feels himself pass through Morgana's magical barrier at the surface of the well. He is sprawled on solid ground, but he shivers violently at the feeling of all his magic flowing back into him.
"Merlin, you idiot!" Arthur scolds, but he pulls Merlin up to standing by his armpits and then puts his Camelot-red cape around Merlin's shoulders. "What were you thinking following after Morgana like that? Of all the wooden-headed, foolhardy, witless, reckless, irresponsible--" Arthur's tirade is stopped by his own mounting blood pressure. His face is a ruddy red before he explodes with, "How could you be so gullible?!"
"Arthur, you should--" Elyan tries, but he gets cut off as Arthur keeps going.
"They really got your name right, Merlin, because you're a birdbrain! How are you such a simpleton?!"
Merlin, who finished shivering only to graduate to coughing, decides he can take Arthur's shouting sitting down. He grabs Lancelot's arm, but still practically collapses to the dirt floor.
Lancelot follows Merlin down. He kneels beside Merlin and rubs his back in large, soothing circles.
Merlin concentrates on breathing for a moment, then tunes back into what Arthur is throwing out.
"--blockheaded twit, and you can't--"
"Arthur," Merlin says quietly. Merlin reaches an arm out toward Arthur's restless feet in front of him. He gently lays his hand on the closest part of Arthur he can reach, which happens to be the side of a knee. "Arthur, I'm safe now. I'm out."
Nobody speaks for a moment. The only sound is of water still rushing into the deep well next to them.
"We should get going before that water flows over the top of the well and we're really in trouble," says Leon.
Percival looks distinctly uncomfortable at the idea of being any kind of submerged.
Arthur nods.
Gwaine steps closer to help Lancelot and Merlin to their feet.
Arthur watches Merlin for any signs of unsteadiness. When he is satisfied, he turns to the tunnel they came in through and leads their party out of the caves.
Once they're out, Merlin whispers a spell to make the magically falling water stop so it doesn't overflow the well and then keep flowing until the entirety of Camelot floods.
"There was no sign of Morgana in those tunnels," Arthur muses.
"And I don't see anything out here that would indicate she came this way," adds Leon.
"What do you want to do, Arthur?" Elyan asks.
Arthur looks to where Merlin is leaning against a large boulder. "Let's head back to Camelot," he says. "We have enough time to get back before sundown."
They walk the short distance to their horses, where they have a snack of jerky from the pouch on Merlin's horse. Arthur gives Merlin half of his, and a look of concern crosses his face when Merlin proves he is too tired to argue and actually accepts Arthur's offer.
They mount and turn their horses toward home.
--
When they're finally back in Arthur's chambers, Arthur turns around, grabs a fistful of Merlin's shirt, and pins Merlin to the wall beside his door.
"Arthur, you don't need to begin shouting again," Merlin says.
"I don't need to begin shouting again?! Merlin! You separated from the group and ran off to find Morgana alone and without permission or a plan or back-up! What were you thinking you'd do to her?! She's a sorceress, Merlin! If she hadn't decided to toy with you before killing you, you would already be dead! If we hadn't found you, you would be dead!" Arthur shouts.
"But you did find me, Arthur," Merlin says.
"I didn't see where you'd gone, and--," Arthur's breath hitches, "--and we couldn't find you."
"But you did find me, Arthur," Merlin says again.
"I nearly lost you," Arthur says, and the tears that were gathering in his eyes finally fall. He turns his head away.
Merlin puts his hand up to wipe the tears off. He keeps a soft touch on Arthur's face for a moment. Softly, he says, "Arthur."
Arthur turns his head back to Merlin and looks him in the eye.
Merlin wraps his arms around Arthur's neck. He holds on tightly, and Arthur hugs him back just as firmly.
Merlin puts his mouth against Arthur's ear and whispers, "Let me express my appreciation for you rescuing me." Then he slides down in Arthur's arms until his knees hit the floor. He reaches his hands up under Arthur's chain mail, padding, and tunic to find the tie of his breeches. He pulls the tie loose, grips the waistband, and pulls Arthur's breeches down to his knees.
From above Merlin's head, Arthur says, "Merlin, are you sure you regained enough strength for--"
Arthur is cut off by Merlin ducking his head under the folds of fabric and wrapping his mouth around Arthur's cock. Merlin's hands grip Arthur's thighs to the point of pain as he pulls Arthur's hips closer to him.
Arthur puts a hand out against the wall in front of him to steady himself when his knees start to tremble.
Merlin sucks him off with enthusiasm, and soon enough Arthur can feel his release mounting.
When it hits, Merlin keeps bobbing up and down Arthur's shaft as he swallows Arthur's release.
Arthur shouts, "Ah! Mmmm! Merlin, you're a genius!"
Merlin pulls off of Arthur to say, "That's more like it, you clod," but he's smiling.
Arthur falls down to his knees as well to kiss Merlin senseless.