Merlin/Bruise balm

[runaway_smith]

Elyan leans against a tree and takes in the battlefield.

The sun is setting over the fallen soldiers but all Elyan can think is: thank the stars that I'm alive.

He can see his fellow knights gathered by the tents and he limps over to them, tired and aching but thrumming with the adrenaline rush of a fight well-fought.

Comments

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

Gwaine is celebrating a battle well won in his traditional style - the ale is already uncorked and flowing freely. Sat on the ground in front of the tent he's been sharing with Elyan, he's drinking heavily, sloppily raising the bottle in his friend's direction as he sees him approach.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan leans on Gwaine's shoulder, lowering himself to the ground beside his friend.

"Saved one of those for me, Sir Gwaine?"

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Plenty more where this came from," Gwaine reassures his friend, before even going so far as to offer out the bottle for Elyan to drink from.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan takes the bottle and nudges Gwaine affectionately. "Sharing your ale? Did you take a blow to the head?"

"Next it'll be a hand-fasting at Midsummer," Percival says cheekily, rousing laughter from the others.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Not likely," Gwaine laughs along, taking the bottle back as he slumps further down the side of the tent.

"I can't think of anything worse."

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan grins. "Could be Leon."

The older knight shakes his head, allowing them their joke, then walks away to make sure the camp is ready to bed down for the night. Elyan allows himself to lean against Gwaine, the ale already working on his exhausted body, even if his mind is still racing.

"You fought well today," he says.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"I am very good," Gwaine agrees, causing Percival to laugh as he gets to his feet.

"Good night," he says to his friends, before following after Leon.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

"Ego on you like a castle," Elyan grouses good-naturedly, glad they're finally alone. He knows he has to let off steam before he can even think of sleeping and Gwaine's always willing.

"But you are very good." Elyan's hand comes to rest on Gwaine's thigh, an invitation to more.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Everyone else seems to have turned in for the night," Gwaine comments, looking around and finding them alone.

"Just the two of us," he adds, hand resting over Elyan's at his thigh.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan struggles back to his feet, wanting to be away from prying eyes. The knights' liaisons are hardly a secret, but he'd still rather the relative privacy of their tent.

"Come to bed, Gwaine," he says, holding out his hand.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Coming," Gwaine grins, letting Elyan help him to his feet and swaying after him into their tent.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan lets the tent flap fall behind Gwaine before prising off his boots and starting on his armour. Camelot's knights may be a fine sight, but not all of them have a Merlin to help them into bed.

"I need a manservant," he complains.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Here," Gwaine offers his help, starting to unbuckle Elyan's armour without permission. It's not that he's the most helpful of people, normally, but he's loathe to miss out on any opportunity to get another person naked.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan's not going to complain about Gwaine's hands on him.

Impatient, he leans forward and plants a kiss on Gwaine's lips.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

Kissing back, Gwaine's grinning from ear to ear when he pulls back.

"Between you and me, I think we have the best tent on the field."

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan sheds the last of his armour and then sets to work on Gwaine's.

"It's good to know you won't be wandering off to find better lodgings."

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

Truth be told, Gwaine would happily spend each night in a different tent, but he's not so much of an idiot as to tell Elyan that. He appreciates that the other man has feelings.

"Leon's never been that interested," he jokes instead. "And there's no getting between Merlin and our prince."

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan's under no illusions about Gwaine's fidelity, but it doesn't mean he wants him to tour the army camp. He'll take whatever Gwaine's willing to give him.

"Not without being run through." Elyan considers who else might fall prey to Gwaine's charms. "There's Percival."

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Percival's sharing a tent with Leon," Gwaine reminds Elyan, thinking that explanation enough. He's not cruel enough that he'd be willing to turf Leon out into the night for his own satisfaction.

They're not going to be here for long, especially now that the battle is over. He can live with monogamy for the time being.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan pulls off the last of Gwaine's armour. "Don't make me sleep with Leon. He snores."

He steps closer to Gwaine and inspects him for bruises and wounds, making sure the knight is in a fit state to be loved.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"Not a mark on me," Gwaine promises, reaching for Elyan's shirt to tug it off over his head.

"I'm rather good, remember?"

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

"You are," Elyan agrees and allows Gwaine to strip him.

He's glad that Gwaine's in one piece - he couldn't bear to lose another of their number and, if he's honest with himself, especially not Gwaine.

"Anything else you're good at?"

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

"I can be naked in the blink of an eye," he brags, loosening the laces of Elyan's britches and leaving his friend to push them away.

[runaway-smith.livejournal.com]

Elyan raises an eyebrow. "You'd better show me this trick then."

Pointedly ignoring his own state of undress, he starts work on Gwaine's clothing, working off his tunic and kissing the skin revealed.

[sir-gwaine.livejournal.com]

Tugging at the laces of his own britches, Gwaine shoves them away in one quick movement, stepping out of them before Elyan's got his tunic off over his head.

"Are you impressed, Sir Elyan?"