Just Whistle
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: Just Whistle
Rating: PG
Pairing/s:
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Merlin just couldn’t get the hang of those stupid hand signals that Arthur kept using on the hunt. He suspected that Arthur was making them up as they went along.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 620
Camelot Drabble Prompt 518: Deliberate
Author’s notes: none
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
---------------
When Arthur did those complicated hand gestures while hunting, looking like he was throwing some kind of fit all the damn time when he could have just said what he wanted, Merlin swore that the git was doing it on purpose.
To make Merlin look bad in front of the knights.
It didn’t take much. Early on, when Merlin had just started his job, instead of explaining things, the prat would rabbit on and on about how Merlin was an idiot, that this – Arthur would curl his hand and point to the right – meant go around the rocks, that a different gesture meant something else entirely. Complicated and unnecessary when words would work even better and Merlin didn’t end up being the butt of their jokes.
Unfortunately, no matter how much Merlin tried to learn Arthur’s hand signals and he did suspect that Arthur was making them unnecessarily difficult just to annoy Merlin, it was nearly impossible.
Merlin was certainly more intelligent than those stupid knights of Arthur’s and Arthur himself could use a few extra braincells. Besides, growing up in Ealdor, Will and he used to have secret handshakes and bird calls to signal each other all the time, especially when Old Man Simmons was looking for them or Will scurrying off to avoid chores.
Finally, he’d had enough.
He began making up his own hand signals – starting with the two fingered salute which got him into a bit of trouble and a night in the dungeons because fathead Arthur actually knew what it meant.
But Merlin was nothing if not persistent. By then, he’d figured out most of Arthur’s stupid gestures and Merlin added a bird call to it.
The first time, Arthur said, “We aren’t here for a whistling contest, Merlin. Now pay attention.”
Merlin grinned. “It’s easy to whistle, dollophead. You just put your lips together and blow.”
Rolling his eyes, Arthur snapped, “I know how to whistle, you idiot.” He gave Merlin a little shove. “My signals are perfectly attuned to the hunt. Unlike you.”
“Your signals are shite… err…. impractical,” Merlin shot back. “Mine can be heard past boulders and trees. No line of sight needed. Yours only work if someone is looking at you… which makes sense. Feeding that huge ego of yours. Ohhhh, look at me, I’m the prince.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Are you asking for another night in the dungeons?”
“Will it get me out of this stupid hunt?” Merlin said.
“Nope, although I can make it two nights,” Arthur said, still scowling but with just a hint of laughter, the prat.
“Fine,” Merlin grumbled, then let out a defiant whistle and hurried out of Arthur’s reach.
-------------------
Merlin thought that might be the end of it. He refused to back down, but Arthur just shook his head and ignored the whole situation. But then, Sir Leon asked Merlin to teach him some of the bird calls and Sir Owain started using them, too, and before you could say leech tank, all of the knights were combining hand and sound cues.
Even Arthur when he thought Merlin couldn’t hear him. The wanker.
But at least Arthur - although the prat wouldn’t admit it because he was that much of an arse - was starting to see that Merlin might not be totally useless after all.
So, when Merlin suggested a secret handshake, one where messages could be tapped out on skin, where no one could overhear them plotting, especially useful when tied up together or thrown into a rival king’s dungeon, Arthur didn’t dismiss it out of hand.
Plus it would be fun to teach Arthur a few naughty words and watch him blush.
Merlin couldn’t wait to get started.
Title: Just Whistle
Rating: PG
Pairing/s:
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Merlin just couldn’t get the hang of those stupid hand signals that Arthur kept using on the hunt. He suspected that Arthur was making them up as they went along.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 620
Camelot Drabble Prompt 518: Deliberate
Author’s notes: none
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
---------------
When Arthur did those complicated hand gestures while hunting, looking like he was throwing some kind of fit all the damn time when he could have just said what he wanted, Merlin swore that the git was doing it on purpose.
To make Merlin look bad in front of the knights.
It didn’t take much. Early on, when Merlin had just started his job, instead of explaining things, the prat would rabbit on and on about how Merlin was an idiot, that this – Arthur would curl his hand and point to the right – meant go around the rocks, that a different gesture meant something else entirely. Complicated and unnecessary when words would work even better and Merlin didn’t end up being the butt of their jokes.
Unfortunately, no matter how much Merlin tried to learn Arthur’s hand signals and he did suspect that Arthur was making them unnecessarily difficult just to annoy Merlin, it was nearly impossible.
Merlin was certainly more intelligent than those stupid knights of Arthur’s and Arthur himself could use a few extra braincells. Besides, growing up in Ealdor, Will and he used to have secret handshakes and bird calls to signal each other all the time, especially when Old Man Simmons was looking for them or Will scurrying off to avoid chores.
Finally, he’d had enough.
He began making up his own hand signals – starting with the two fingered salute which got him into a bit of trouble and a night in the dungeons because fathead Arthur actually knew what it meant.
But Merlin was nothing if not persistent. By then, he’d figured out most of Arthur’s stupid gestures and Merlin added a bird call to it.
The first time, Arthur said, “We aren’t here for a whistling contest, Merlin. Now pay attention.”
Merlin grinned. “It’s easy to whistle, dollophead. You just put your lips together and blow.”
Rolling his eyes, Arthur snapped, “I know how to whistle, you idiot.” He gave Merlin a little shove. “My signals are perfectly attuned to the hunt. Unlike you.”
“Your signals are shite… err…. impractical,” Merlin shot back. “Mine can be heard past boulders and trees. No line of sight needed. Yours only work if someone is looking at you… which makes sense. Feeding that huge ego of yours. Ohhhh, look at me, I’m the prince.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Are you asking for another night in the dungeons?”
“Will it get me out of this stupid hunt?” Merlin said.
“Nope, although I can make it two nights,” Arthur said, still scowling but with just a hint of laughter, the prat.
“Fine,” Merlin grumbled, then let out a defiant whistle and hurried out of Arthur’s reach.
-------------------
Merlin thought that might be the end of it. He refused to back down, but Arthur just shook his head and ignored the whole situation. But then, Sir Leon asked Merlin to teach him some of the bird calls and Sir Owain started using them, too, and before you could say leech tank, all of the knights were combining hand and sound cues.
Even Arthur when he thought Merlin couldn’t hear him. The wanker.
But at least Arthur - although the prat wouldn’t admit it because he was that much of an arse - was starting to see that Merlin might not be totally useless after all.
So, when Merlin suggested a secret handshake, one where messages could be tapped out on skin, where no one could overhear them plotting, especially useful when tied up together or thrown into a rival king’s dungeon, Arthur didn’t dismiss it out of hand.
Plus it would be fun to teach Arthur a few naughty words and watch him blush.
Merlin couldn’t wait to get started.