"I don't want to be like him."

Merlin shook his head gently. "No. And you won't be. You'll be better." The king's head was resting in his lap. This wasn't the first time Arthur was like this. For the past six nights, Arthur had been begging his manservant to stay in his bedroom chambers and comfort him while he tried to fall asleep. He stopped sleeping with Guinevere, as she did not bring any comfort to him. Merlin was fairly certain Gwen did not even notice Arthur's pain. It made him angry, but as he was told, the moon hides in the Sun's shadow. He wouldn't let Gaius give him Sleeping Draughts in fear of being looked down upon, or Merlin to ask for them either. Merlin didn't do anything Arthur didn't want no matter how much he denied it.

"You don't know that, Merlin." he sat up. His arms were shaking and his face was wet with tears. The bags under his eyes were prominent. "You can't say what you don't know," he whimpered.

He smiled weakly. "I know you. You're a good man, Arthur. You'll make everything better."

Bloodshot pale blue eyes stared at him curiously. "What are you hiding from me? Please don't say nothing," he finally whispered, his voice hoarse and soft. "I know you're hiding something. It must be important because you tell me everything. But you don't tell me now... and I don't like that."

Merlin wish he could say everything.

I love you. I loved you since the day I met you, and I can't bear to see you and Gwen--or anyone, really-- together even though I love you both and it hurts so much. I've been lying to you. I have magic, I'm a Dragonlord, but I can't tell you anything because everyone told me not to. I can't tell you anything because I'll put you in danger and I can't make you chose. And it's horrible because sometimes I wish I could just push you against a wall and kiss you till the world ends, but I can't because you're in love with someone else.

Instead, he shakes his head. "Nothing," he said, with hopes that he gave a reassuring smile.

Arthur took his hand and held it gently in his. "You'll tell me one day. Promise?" His big blue eyes blinked.

Merlin cried in pain inside. He sounded so small, so innocent, so pure. He closed his eyes. "Yes." His voice noticeably wavered. "I'm sorry."

He smiled. "You can trust me." With that, he rested his head on Merlin's shoulder and fell asleep there. When he tried to lay the sleeping king down at his bed and leave the room, he felt the familiar soft hand reach for his.

"Stay?" It was more of a question than anything.

"Yes."

The two fell asleep together, with one tucked in the other's arms safely like a older brother would do to their sibling.

If Merlin's heart wasn't already broken and smashed into pieces, it would have shattered that night. The warlock stared at the sleeping prince's face. One would not have thought his was the king of Camelot-this was a mere boy, an innocent person with too much responsiblity. Arthur didn't feel the tears that landed on his head that night. He was too focused on the lazy warmth he was wrapped in to feel anything else.

The both of them slept better there than they had for the past month. They didn't know it would be the best in their lives.

*.*.*.*

(A/N): *sighs* I'm working on a big-brother Arthur piece for the Merthur Bromance people... for now, this is all.