Deafening Silence

Nature's Part to Play

"I suppose. However next time, I instruct you to tell me. You had me concerned." Arthur made sure he said that to Merlin's face to get the message through, not really caring that he just admitted he was genuinely concerned for him. Merlin chuckled and gave a sarcastic "Yes, my Lord." as he thought he saw 'next time...tell me'. Arthur, satisfied, went to sit down at his desk to look for some papers.

Merlin took that as a sign to continue his jobs and proceeded to do so. He settled on making sure everything was orderly in Arthur's wardrobe.

As he grabbed at a few tunics to put back in their rightful places, Merlin found amusement in how Arthur had messed up his own wardrobe overnight.

"Something funny?" Arthur fondly asked from his desk. Merlin didn't turn around in time to lipread his master's words and so Arthur repeated himself. The raven-haired man read his lips clearly despite the buzzing that he could still hear.

"Yes, I find it amazing how you manage to mess up your wardrobe when it was only yesterday that I sorted it."

Arthur was rummaging through various papers whilst listening to Merlin's jab at him. Now, it was he who found something funny.

"Come now, Merlin. You know I do that 'cause you enjoy sorting it so much." Quipped Arthur, knowing full well that if any other servant had said that, he wouldn't be as amused.

From the small distance they were away from each other, all Merlin could see was 'enjoy it' fall from Arthur's lips and he pretended to act shocked.

"Me? Enjoy it? Hardly. They are your clothes, after all." He replied daringly and spun to see Arthur's reaction and response. Merlin saw Arthur say 'very funny' and gave a smile to the King as his reply.

Arthur tried to concentrate on finding his papers for the council meeting that afternoon but found himself more focused on Merlin. He was only placing Arthur's own tunics back in the wardrobe, it wasn't much to spectate. But to Arthur, there was. His scruffy oddball of a manservant was there, after all. Just doing his jobs as normal. He tried to snap out of what was probably a trance but Merlin did it for him by speaking.

"The knights were good today." Merlin said as he shut the wardrobe door, finished with his task. He noticed that the King's bed was still a little crumpled and went to fix that.

"Ah, yes. You were judging me." Luckily for Arthur, Merlin managed to pick up the majority of what he'd said.

"Indeed, I was," Started Merlin whilst smoothing out the royal bed. "I admired your fight with Gwaine the most."

The mention of Gwaine suddenly made Arthur feel slightly uncomfortable. He had to tell Merlin that the knight in conversation knew, otherwise Gwaine would certainly let Merlin know himself. He knew he had to be honest with him, like he was when he wrote down for Merlin the reason why he told Guinevere.

"I think he thought he was going to beat me." Replied Arthur, trying to get a joke in before he told Merlin the truth. He noticed that his manservant was facing away adjusting his bedsheets again after giving him a smile. Merlin hadn't quite been able to deduce what Arthur had replied with and so just smiled, assuming it was a light-hearted jab at Gwaine.

"Merlin?" Uttered Arthur still sat at his desk. The man in question turned as he was able to recognise his name through the buzzing; it was possibly the only word he recognised without reading any lips. Merlin stood and faced Arthur, pillow in hand. To be honest, the bed really didn't need doing again since it would only come undone that evening. He was faffing about since his royal pratness hadn't really set him any particular task which Arthur didn't seem to care about. Merlin gestured that he was listening, at least, to the best he could.