I have died every day waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I will love you for a thousand more.
It had been many years since Arthur had died, adn Merlin was feeling hopeless. The despair he felt when his best friend died had grown since that day. Every day he waited. Every day he waited for Arthur's return.
He never came back.
It took him a hundred years for Merlin to reallize that he loved him. By then, all of his friedns had died, too. Gwen, his other best friend, had been the lats to die. He had been there to hold her hand and give her the comfort her own husband could not. Would it be a betrayal to her to pine after Arthur? He did not want to betray her. He had been happy for them both when they married, even though it hurt. Merlin didn't even get to tell Arthur. Arthur would probably hate him for it, like how he did when he first revealed his magic to him.
When they started burning suspected witches, Merlin fled. He hid inside of a cave for many years like a hermit. He started to forget his friend's faces, but never Arthur's. Over time Arthur's face became the only thing that he saw when he closed his eyes at night. He was obsessed. Every night Arthur's goden features would shine in his head. He wantedto hold Arthur for one last time.
Just one more time.
One day Merlin was standing on the shores of Avalon. He had the appearance of an old man, though he coudl change what he looked like if he wanted to. In his hand he was holding an empty bottle of beer. He had taken up drinking after Arthur's death, and he wasn't even drunk yet.
"Where are you?" he cried, throwing the bottle into the lake. There was a splash, but instead of sinking into the lake there was a clunk. Merlin stared as something stood up from the water. He was soaking wet, and the sun was shining on his wet armor. There was a sword shining at his side, one that Merlin had polished hundreds of times before.
Arthur.
For the first time in a thousand years, merlin was actually able to smile. He grinned at Arthur so widely, and then he was hugging him. Only to be shoved into the water himself.
"What was that for?1?" Arthur yelled at him angrilly.
"Arthur," Merlin whispered questioningly. Standing above him was the man that he loved, and suddenly everything felt like it would be okay. Arthur was here. Arthur had finally come back. Merlin wasn't gonna be alone anymore, though he might still feel it because Arthur could never love him in the same way that he did.
Arthur glared at him befroe holding out his hand. Merlin took it. His best friend helped him stand up, and Merlin didnt fall into the water again. "Your back," Merlin whispered, and he hugged him tightly. This time, he didn't let go.
Fin.