An Unlikely Visitor
Pillow Talk
The floor was not comfortable at all, even though Merlin tried to place as many blankets there as he possibly could.
“Be a gentleman, Merlin. Give up your nice warm, cozy bed to the fish girl, Merlin. Figures.” Merlin whispered to himself as he tossed and turned on the floor.
Eilwen slept soundly on Merlin’s cot; making the occasional whining here and there.
This was completely unfair. Merlin was only trying to help a distressed foreigner, and look where it got him: sleeping on the floor of his own room! Not only that, but Gwen was obviously cross with him after the whole kiss situation. But they were only friends; why would she be getting all upset about something as trivial as that? And it wasn’t even like Merlin enjoyed it or anything. It wasn’t a real kiss; just a way for Eilwen to learn his language. And she obviously didn’t enjoy it, right?
“Nah, she couldn’t have.” Merlin said out loud. Maybe a bit too loud, because after he said that, Eilwen shifted on the bed. Merlin waited to see if he had woken her. After a few moments of silence, he figured he hadn’t. Until:
“Merlin?” came a soft whisper.
Oops.
No response.
“Merlin, are you still awake?”
Merlin shut his eyes and bit his lip. Should he answer her?
A pause. “I’m sorry, Merlin.”
Now this got his attention.
“Sorry for what?” he asked cautiously.
“For what happened today.” Eilwen replied.
“Like what?” Merlin played dumb.
“Kissing you, upsetting your girlfriend, and taking your bed.”
Merlin shifted onto his right side, facing the bed. “First, I forgive you for the kiss; second, Gwen is not my girlfriend; and third, I blame that on Gaius.”
Eilwen made a small giggle. “Your master can be quite persistent, can’t he?”
“You have no idea.” Merlin grumbled.
Eilwen also shifted on the bed. “And about your ‘friend’ Gwen; if she isn’t your girlfriend, why is she so upset with me?”
“Dunno.” Merlin replied honestly. “She gets a bit weird sometimes.”
“Ah.” Eilwen said, almost to herself. “I’m quite looking forward to tomorrow.”
Merlin suddenly realized what ‘tomorrow’ was. “Yeah.”
“I’ve always wanted to see what Camelot looked like on the inside.” Eilwen continued. “I want to see if it’s just like the records describe.”
“It is truly amazing.” Merlin replied, reminiscing about his own first encounter with the magnificent castle.
Another pause. “Thank you for being willing to show it to me. I hope I’m not being a bother.”
“Well, it sure beats watching Arthur for hours on end stabbing the hell out of inanimate objects.” Merlin realized, suddenly relieved at the thought.
Eilwen adjusted the covers on the bed. “Arthur. I wonder what he’s like.”
Merlin snorted. “Oh, he’s something alright. Just you wait.”
“Be a gentleman, Merlin. Give up your nice warm, cozy bed to the fish girl, Merlin. Figures.” Merlin whispered to himself as he tossed and turned on the floor.
Eilwen slept soundly on Merlin’s cot; making the occasional whining here and there.
This was completely unfair. Merlin was only trying to help a distressed foreigner, and look where it got him: sleeping on the floor of his own room! Not only that, but Gwen was obviously cross with him after the whole kiss situation. But they were only friends; why would she be getting all upset about something as trivial as that? And it wasn’t even like Merlin enjoyed it or anything. It wasn’t a real kiss; just a way for Eilwen to learn his language. And she obviously didn’t enjoy it, right?
“Nah, she couldn’t have.” Merlin said out loud. Maybe a bit too loud, because after he said that, Eilwen shifted on the bed. Merlin waited to see if he had woken her. After a few moments of silence, he figured he hadn’t. Until:
“Merlin?” came a soft whisper.
Oops.
No response.
“Merlin, are you still awake?”
Merlin shut his eyes and bit his lip. Should he answer her?
A pause. “I’m sorry, Merlin.”
Now this got his attention.
“Sorry for what?” he asked cautiously.
“For what happened today.” Eilwen replied.
“Like what?” Merlin played dumb.
“Kissing you, upsetting your girlfriend, and taking your bed.”
Merlin shifted onto his right side, facing the bed. “First, I forgive you for the kiss; second, Gwen is not my girlfriend; and third, I blame that on Gaius.”
Eilwen made a small giggle. “Your master can be quite persistent, can’t he?”
“You have no idea.” Merlin grumbled.
Eilwen also shifted on the bed. “And about your ‘friend’ Gwen; if she isn’t your girlfriend, why is she so upset with me?”
“Dunno.” Merlin replied honestly. “She gets a bit weird sometimes.”
“Ah.” Eilwen said, almost to herself. “I’m quite looking forward to tomorrow.”
Merlin suddenly realized what ‘tomorrow’ was. “Yeah.”
“I’ve always wanted to see what Camelot looked like on the inside.” Eilwen continued. “I want to see if it’s just like the records describe.”
“It is truly amazing.” Merlin replied, reminiscing about his own first encounter with the magnificent castle.
Another pause. “Thank you for being willing to show it to me. I hope I’m not being a bother.”
“Well, it sure beats watching Arthur for hours on end stabbing the hell out of inanimate objects.” Merlin realized, suddenly relieved at the thought.
Eilwen adjusted the covers on the bed. “Arthur. I wonder what he’s like.”
Merlin snorted. “Oh, he’s something alright. Just you wait.”