i only see you in sleep,

where nothing is real

and time doesn’t exists

“I love Guinevere,” Arthur said after a moment of pondering, taking a swig of wine he rather shouldn’t be taking, given how he was already baring his heart to Gwaine, of all people. “She is my chosen one, the one I want to rule alongside me, the Queen of Camelot. Merlin is… a part of me. Like my own extension. I don’t think about him being there, I assume that he will be - and if he’s not, I miss him like a limb, or an organ.”

Gwaine snapped his fingers as if having an amazing idea. “He’s your brain, princess!”

Arthur’s face contorted in rage, but when he aimed a punch at his most loud-mouthed knight, he missed and slumped to the side. “’S treason, Sir Gawaine.”

Gwaine just laughed and settled back more comfortably.

After another moment of silence, he sighed. “Do you never worry you’d have to choose, someday?”

That had Arthur’s face darken into a bitter grimace, and suddenly, their silence felt smothering.

“I already did, didn’t I?” An inquiring sound from Gwaine had him elaborating. “On one of my dates with Guinevere, I once told her I’d take Merlin with me if I’d ever leave Camelot. We’d become farmers, I said, and I’d have him do all the work.” Arthur smiled fondly, before searching Gwaine’s eyes with his own hazy, blue ones. “Merlin’s place is always at my side. There’s no role, no title, no name for it; but he’s there.”

Then, the smile dropped from his face. “Or at least in my mind.” Feeling drained, Arthur stared into the fire. “We have to find him. I can’t return home without him.”

“No,” Gwaine agreed, throwing back the last wine in his waterskin. “And we won’t.”

Prompt - Blood loss

The mission was simple all Keith and the other paladins had to do was buy Kolivan and a few other blade members some time to break into the Galra ship. Easy right? Apparently not.

Keith had gotten separated from the group during the first fight when they arrived. Keith had been running in what felt like circles for god knows how long but as he turned a corner he was met with five druids. The druids pointed their magic directly at Keith who drew his blade ready to fight. The magic from the druids sliced up his legs with no mercy, by the time Keith had gotten close enough to the druids to strike he was too weak to hold himself up. In one final sweep one of the druids sliced Keith’s legs from under him, he let out a scream and slumped to the ground.

Keith must have lost consciousness for a few moments because when he opened his eyes the druids had disappeared, Keith felt at his head to call for help but of course, his helmet was on the other side of the room.  He used the little strength he had left to pull himself towards his helmet. Keith managed to reach his helmet but the energy he used to get to it was all he had left because before he was able to put it on he was slipping into darkness again, consciousness slipping from his grasp.

The paladins had attempted to check in with Keith after realizing he was missing from the team. They feared the worst and well they were right too because on the other side of the huge galra base Keith was bleeding out. Pidge was able to lock onto Keith’s armor’s signal and the paladins followed quickly behind her.

The paladins first saw Keith’s unconscious body sprawled out on the floor but it was lance who noticed the pair of legs on the opposite side of the room and the trail of blood that ran between Keith and the legs. Once lance informed the team the paladins were quick to move into action.

Once Keith was safely inside the castle Coran concluded that the druids had used magic to cause the damage and although Altean tech is progressive it does not possess the ability to re-grow limbs. Coran also mentioned that if Keith was to survive he would need a blood transfusion the pod could sustain him for now but not forever. Lance Knew what he had to do, he informed Coran that he could give Keith a blood transfusion because he was an O blood type and could donate to anyone. With the green light from lance Coran raced to gather the amount of blood Keith needed. Once the blood had been collected Coran removed Keith from the healing pod and hooked him up to the machine pumping Lance’s blood into Keith’s veins. After what felt like forever Coran came out of the med bay informing the paladins that the blood transfusion was successful and that Keith could now finish healing in the healing pod. Shiro and lance both let out a large breath they hadn’t noticed they were holding.

Kolivan was the first of a few blades that came to see Keith in the healing pod. Kolivan approached the pod slowly easing down next to it, he placed his head and right hand on the outside of the pod and a single tear escaped the corner of his eye. The paladins watched on confused by the sudden and rather out-of-character show of emotion shown by Kolivan. A masked blade stood beside the paladins and explained that he and a few other blades had noticed an unusual bond forming between the two.

———– Two weeks later ———–

Kolivan hadn’t left the castle of lions med bay since Keith had arrived even appointing Thace as temporary head of the blades in his absence. Coran had announced this morning that Keith would be exiting the pod this afternoon now that his wounds had fully healed and the paladins began crowding around the pod. All the paladins jumped at a sudden low growl escaping who they can only assume were Kolivan’s lips as they grew closer to the pod. Before anyone could mention the growl the pod slid open allowing Keith to fall into Kolivan’s waiting arms.

Coran had ushered everyone out except Kolivan who refused to leave Keith’s side and allowed Keith to settle before telling Keith the news of his now missing legs. The other paladins held their breath on the other side of the med bay doors awaiting the reaction of the news. The hallways where silent for a brief moment before a pain filled sob echoed through the castle followed by soft purring which seemed to be coming from a much older and ruff voice than Keith’s. Kolivan was seen purring softly to Keith which seemed to calm the sobbing boy drastically.

{ WORD COUNT - 819 }