Title: Edge of the Unknown - 01
Author: elirwen
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: PG
Genre: mpreg, hurt/comfort, canon!era
Word Count: ~1300
Beta: none
Warnings: well, there's mpreg :D
Summary: Merlin would do anything for Arthur, even unconsciously. And that's how he ends up pregnant.
Masterpost: http://elirwen.livejournal.com/27545.html
A/N: I've been obsessed with mpreg stories for some time, but this is my first time actually writing one. There just needs to be more mpreg in this fandom. :D
I started writing it on an angsty note and then it suddenly turned into fluff (again). I'm hopeless like that... :D
I borrowed the title from Linkin Park's Iridescent where it caught my attention. :)
I might write sequel. Sometime later...
Excerpt:


Read @ ao3


"I hate doing this to you," Arthur says, looking Merlin in the eyes.

"What? Kissing me?" Merlin asks, frowning.

"Not that. I hate keeping you a secret. I hate all that looking for a suitable bride."

"Have you talked about it with your father?" Merlin asks, sliding his hand under the material of the shirt on Arthur's back.

"Camelot needs an heir, Merlin. There's nothing to talk about," Arthur answers, his tone resigned.

"I wish I could help you," Merlin murmurs.

He kisses Arthur's cheek and drags him towards the bed.

"Let's forget about everything, at least for one night."

* * *

Merlin knows something isn't right after a week of vomiting few times a day. Gaius's remedies for upset stomach aren’t working, but Merlin keeps telling him the exact opposite.

* * *

Weeks run by in a tired haze with Merlin grateful for a lack of nausea. And then one day, he notices a small bump forming on his belly.

All the thoughts, funny at the time, about being pregnant come back with a vengeance and leave Merlin reeling.

Is something like this really possible?

* * *

Another week and Merlin is just a ball of nerves. He knows he needs to tell Arthur at some point, but the thought terrifies him. What will be his reaction? He doesn't believe Arthur will kill him, but will he banish him?

Merlin caresses his belly, an unconscious movement he developed in the last few days, and triess to ignore the slight discomfort in there as he sets towards Arthur's chambers.

* * *

By the end of the day, the discomfort grows into a steady tension accompanied by sudden short flashes of pain. It makes Merlin slower than usual and he feels the control over his emotions slipping, tears prickling at his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Arthur asks from where he’s sitting at his table. "You've been jumpy all day. In fact, you've been acting weird for weeks."

"It's nothing," Merlin answers, his throat tight.

Arthur is silent for a while, probably trying to burn a hole in Merlin's head by his stare alone.

"You're going to help me train tomorrow," he says eventually.

"I can't," Merlin blurts out as another hot spike of pain shoots through his abdomen and he has to steady himself by leaning on the bedpost.

"You're keeping something from me," Arthur says and Merlin can hear him standing up from his chair. "Tell me," Arthur orders and Merlin is too far gone to not obey.

"I'm pregnant."

A short pause.

"What? Are you mad?" Arthur asks, clearly convinced Merlin does suffer from some mental affliction.

"I'm not," Merlin says, suppressing a sob.

"You're a man. Men don't get pregnant."

"But I did. Do you remember when you said you hated keeping me a secret but that Camelot needs an heir? And then how I told you that I wished I could help?"

Arthur nods.

"It happened that night," Merlin says, but Arthur still watches him with disbelief so he grabs his hand and leads it under his shirt, placing it over the bump. "Don't you feel it?"

"It's nonsense," Arthur says and pulls his hand away. "You can't just wish to bear a child. Unless..."

"Unless?" Merlin asks, hopeful.

"Unless there's magic involved. But magic corrupts. Nothing good can come of it."

Merlin winds his arms around his belly protectively. He can't meet Arthur's eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

"You..." Arthur gasps. "Was this all just a part of a plan? To get a sorcerer to rule over Camelot?" he shouts.

"No," Merlin breathes out, shaking his head, unable to say more as another wave of pain crashes through him.

"What do you want from me?" Arthur yells, forcing Merlin's face up to look him directly in the eyes.

"I've only ever wanted to make you happy," Merlin forces out through a fog of pain.

Arthur lets go of him and his gaze turns a bit softer, or so Merlin likes to think.

"I'm sorry for everything. I can leave, go back to Ealdor, if you wish," Merlin says. "Soon, there will be nothing I could give you," Merlin adds quietly, sad and tired.

"What are you talking about?"Arthur asks, his tone urgent.

"I think I'm losing the baby," Merlin says, the words said out loud making it even harder to bear.

He doesn’t expect neither the panic on Arthur's face nor his next words.

"I did this," he says, looking horrified. "You need to lie down."

He is crowding Merlin's space again, leading him towards the bed.

Merlin curls on his side, grateful for the warmth of the blanket Arthur spreads over him. He hears Arthur telling someone to get Gaius and then he is back, carding through Merlin's hair in silence.

* * *

Merlin must have dozed off because the sound of Gaius's arrival startles him.

"It's Merlin," Arthur says before Gaius can ask. "It's my fault. I yelled at him and now he's..."

"He doesn't know," Merlin interrupts him.

"What don't I know?" Gaius asks.

"Merlin is pregnant."

"Sire?" Gaius asks, raising his eyebrow.

"He's telling the truth," Merlin says. "It has to do with magic."

Gaius's eyebrow rises even higher.

"How long?"

"Four month, but I think I'm losing the baby," Merlin says, his voice shaking.

"Show me."

Merlin uncovers his belly reluctantly, and Gaius starts prodding at it, earning a few hisses of pain from Merlin.

Arthur is hovering nearby, obviously not knowing what to do with himself. He sits on the side of the bed after a while, watching Gaius work.

"It wasn't your fault," Merlin says. "I haven't been feeling well since morning."

"You should have told me ages ago," Arthur said.

"I realized it only a week ago."

"I meant the other thing."

"I should have. Sorry," Merlin says, a small pained noise escaping him at the press of Gaius's fingers on one particular spot.

"The organs are in a bit different positions, but other than that I don't see any problems. There'd never been a male pregnancy so I can't tell for sure, but I think your body is simply adjusting, making space for the fetus to grow. Also, the stress could have made the situation a bit worse. I'd suggest bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy."

"No way, Gaius, I'll die from boredom," Merlin whines.

"It's the best for both of you. I'm going to give you a calming potion to ease the pain and help you sleep," Gaius says. "Would you help me get him to his room?" he asks Arthur.

"He can stay here. Better not to move him," Arthur says.

"Hey, I'm right here. Don't I have a say?"

"No, not really," Arthur says. "You're stuck with me now. I'll have to find a way to break the news to father and convince him that you were hit by a stray curse," he adds, lost in his own planning.

"He's going to kill me," Merlin says, his eyes wide.

"Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't let him," Arthur says, breaking no argument.

"Drink this. It should take affect rather quickly," Gaius says and hands him the flask filled with clear liquid.

Merlin gulps it down, grimacing at the taste.

"I'll come check on you in the morning. Have a good night," says Gaius.

"Good night," Merlin says, crawling deeper under the blanket.

"Sire," Gaius says, nodding in Arthur's direction and left.

When Gaius is gone, Arthur joins Merlin on the bed.

"No sleeping yet. You need to take off some of your clothes," Arthur says, tugging at Merlin's neckerchief.

"I'm tired," Merlin grumbles.

"Come on, at least the jacket," Arthur says and Merlin lets him help him shrug it off.

"Satisfied?" he asks, lying back down.

"Not quite," Arthur says and worms his way under the blanket, spooning Merlin from behind. "Now it's better."

"But don't think I'm not angry with you about the lying. You have a lot of explaining to do," he adds.

"Sure," Merlin says, not really listening.

He feels Arthur's palm settling over the bump on his belly just before he falls asleep.

Chapter 02 - Time to Face the World