Where Reason Fades

Chapter 9

The next morning broke following the night, the bright sunlight bouncing off the glistering white snow and into the living room of the Royal Chalet. Awareness came to Arthur slowly and in gradually less pleasant parts. First, he was warm. That was nice. Then, there was a body laid over him like a blanket, which was also nice until he realised it had given him a dead arm. Also he had dribbled all over his cheek, his mouth tastd like a cat had died in it, and he had a crick in his neck.

"N'dun wan Merln hand tho" He heard someone mumble, and realised it was him.

Merlin.

The human blanket.

Arthur's eyes shot open and immediately screwed sut again as the blinding morning sun light shone through the windows reflected off the crisp snow outside and stabbed into his eyes like killing knives.

"Fuuuuuuuu-" he groaned and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Hnn? Aaahhh no." Merlin grunted and Arthur glanced down to see his face also screwed up in pain before he turned his face into Arhur's jumpered chest to hide from the light. Arthur blinked at him in surprise at this turn of physicality, and Merlin squawked and sat up, frantically manhandling Arthur as he struggled upright.

"Um." Something in Arthur's chest constricted at the sight of Merlin, eyes bright and cheeks flushed with half his hair sticking up at all angles where He'd been lain against Arthur al night.

"I guess that settles whose sleeping on the sofa" Arthur said with a rueful smile, his voice grating with disuse. Merlin huffed a laugh and looked away, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Just then, came a scuffling sound at the door, Merlin looked confuse, but Arthur smiled in happiness. Standing up, he walked towards the pine wood door of the chalet as he spoke.

"That'll be breakfast." He explained. Merlin raised his eyebrows in shocked delight. Then a thought occurred to the prince and he stopped by the door before he continued in an embarrassed tone.

"This might involve more romantic gestures." He said.

"I'll brace myself against the onslaught of rose petals," Merlin joked back.

Arthur opened the door and immediately regretted it. Flash lights were going off in his face and there was a cocophony of shouting from the swarm of people crowding around the door.

Your royal highness!! Arthur!! Is it true you split up with Sophia TirMor? What happened? Are you drowning your sorrows? Who are you here with? Is this a new relationship? Did you cheat on Sophia? Is it-

Arthur slammed the door shut and turned to lean back agains it in alarm.

"Gods." He could still hear them through the door. Merlin stared wide-eyed from the sofa.

"Right." Arthur's lips pursed into a thin like and he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Leon.

"Leon? Can you do something about...this?" He waved an expansive arm as though he could see him, then nodded after a brief moment and ung up. He looked to Merlin.

"So...I know I said you'd get a break but. We sort of have to go." Arthur rubbed the back of his head nervoucsly: this was not how he'd intended this holiday to go, and he didn't want to Merlin's dissappointment. Arthur was shocked to find that Merlin, instead of sulking, was grinning.

"Shame, I was really looking forward to that romantic breakfast," he quipped. Arthur froze, like the bird bath in the garden of the chalet, for a moment. Before catching Merlin's eye and the both of them bursting into fits of laughter at their situation.