Arthur groaned for the third time in the last ten minutes.
"Are you okay?" Merlin asked.
"Hm, fine" Arthur replied, looking straight at his laptop.
"Is your laptop being a pain again?"
Arthur hesitated before replying, "yeah something like that"
Merlin knew that if anything was being a pain, it certainly had nothing to do with Arthur's laptop.
Not saying another word, Merlin got up and wandered off to make a drink and returned with a mug of Chamomile tea for Arthur.
"What's that"? Arthur asked curiously.
"Chamomile tea" Merlin replied, "good to help calm things down" he added as if he had some idea about what was going on.
"Thanks" Arthur said before going back to facing his laptop.
Merlin tried not to look over and check if Arthur had drank any of the tea, when that plan failed he tried not to worry when he knew that Arthur hadn't touched the tea which was now stone cold.
Over the next couple of days this pain wasn't going away, if anything it was getting worse. Arthur was losing weight dramatically while Arthur's hand kept hovering near his stomach, never once leaving it alone.
What really alarmed Merlin was the fact that whenever Arthur thought that Merlin wasn't looking he was grimacing in pain; in addition to that Merlin had also observed Arthur's lack of appetite which was judging by Merlin's information decreasing every day. Merlin knew that he had to confront Arthur about it before it was too late.
The following day, was a Sunday so that would usually be spent watching TV and lazing about. It was the perfect time to confront Arthur about thispain.
"Arthur" Merlin started, wanting to get Arthur's full attention before he bothered to carry on talking.
Arthur turned his head to look at him; Merlin picked up on Arthur's facial expression as he turned to face him.
"Arthur I was just wondering is this pain about the laptop or you"?
"What do you mean"? Arthur questioned in a cross tone.
Merlin sighed "I mean you keep having your hand near your stomach, is it painful?" he asked while pointing at Arthur's left hand which was covering his stomach.
Arthur hesitated, "It's... just itchy" Arthur lied which didn't impress Merlin.
"Itchy? You don't have your hand on your stomach 24:7 when it's itchy" Merlin said accusingly, now fed up with Arthur's pathetic excuse.
Arthur stood up and yelled at Merlin, "You have no right to question my actions!" he then added equally angrily "just keep your nose out of it!" Arthur then stormed upstairs.
Merlin stared at the ceiling for a good majority of fifteen minutes while thinking of the current situation between him and Arthur. Merlin would definitely not keep his nose out of this, when he sees a friend fading away from an illness that they clearly want to hide Merlin is on their case like a puma. In reality it may not be Merlin's place to question Arthur, but at times like this, what his place was didn't matter to him as much.
To keep out of Arthur's way, Merlin spent most of the night researching stomach pain and possible weight loss, he was more than horrified from what his research had told him.
The next day was almost unbearable for Merlin. Arthur had seemed to have forgotten about their minor argument from last night, but Merlin certainly hadn't. Holding in everything that Merlin wanted to say to Arthur was utter torture.
The irritating urge to blurt everything out had got the better of him. "This is pathetic!" Merlin shouted forcefully.
"What is"? Arthur questioned innocently, which only got Merlin angrier.
"The reality of the situation that you seem to be blocking out!"
"What are you talking about"? Arthur replied clearly not knowing where this would lead.
"How bad is your stomach"? Merlin blurted out, letting his brain speak for him.
"Its fine" Arthur said flatly.
"I've got eyes Arthur and I'm not the fool you think I am" Merlin retorted.
Arthur was quiet for a moment before saying "It doesn't concern you "in a low voice.
"Oh that's a good explanation"! Merlin shouted before adding "Well I obviously won't worry now will I "? Merlin was being mean and he knew it, his anger was too much to control at the moment in time.
"There's nothing you can do about it, so drop it" Arthur snarled.
Merlin's rage suddenly exploded "I won't drop it and you know why!" he yelled and kept yelling before Arthur had a chance to answer his question, "because I can't stand to sit back and watch a friend who is clearly in pain, destroy themselves with hiding and lying about it until it becomes life threatening!". His last sentence was said with such force that it made Arthur jump and hide his face.
"Arthur"? Merlin asked with a hint of anger still in his voice. Merlin was shocked to see that there was a single teardrop rolling off Arthur's cheek.
Merlin calmed down instantly and walked over to Arthur putting an arm around him. "Hey" he said gently, wanting Arthur to look at him.
"Hurts" was the only sobbed response he got from Arthur who was leaning over and clutching his stomach.
"Tell me please" Merlin pleaded.
Arthur told him through his sobs, "It's been there for at least a week and I've tried every remedy that I know and it just won't go away".
Merlin rubbed Arthur's shoulder before saying in a much more gentle tone "you should have told me ".
Arthur looked at the floor in guilt and shame.
Merlin wiped the tears away from Arthur's cheeks with his thumb while making soothing noises to help calm Arthur down.
"Tomorrow we are going to see a doctor about your stomach and-"Arthur cut him off, beginning to sob again, "No, no please don't, promise me promise me you won't Merlin" Arthur sobbed, clearly getting distressed over Merlin's plan.
"Okay, okay calm down we won't see one yet alright"? Merlin said, handing Arthur a tissue.
Arthur nodded in agreement.
Merlin didn't have the heart to talk about that particular subject anymore that day.
However the following day when Arthur came clumsily down the stairs he looked like hell, dark circles beneath his eyes and his body language was screaming out exhaustion.
"You didn't sleep" Merlin said nearly accusingly. All Arthur did in response was nod, ashamed about how soon Merlin noticed the second he made an appearance.
Feelin sympathy for Arthur, Merlin decided to make Arthur some soup as it was the least he could do to try and make his friend feel a tiny bit better.
After spending an hour in the kitchen Merlin placed the soup in front of Arthur which earnt him a confused look.
"It's tomato soup, I don't like seeing you not eating but you can treat it as a drink rather than food" Merlin said, hoping that it would be enough to convince him.
To his surprise it was, Merlin was more than delighted to see that Arthur had drank nearly all of the soup. Merlin made a mental note to feed Arthur more soup in future.
After a loud burp Arthur commented on the soup by saying it was gorgeous, all Merlin could do was smile and for the record it was the widest smile he could remember.
When it came to bed time that was when Merlin figured out that Arthur's stomach pain was already getting serious.
Merlin was woken up by the sound of someone creaking down the stairs. Merlin went into Arthur's room to find that the bed hadn't been slept in. He almost instantly went down the stairs two at a time, not wanting to waste anymore seconds on not knowing the true state that Arthur was in.
Merlin went over to the living room light and switched it on, to reveal Arthur lying on the sofa, hiding his face into a pillow.
"Arthur, what are you doing"? Merlin asked softly.
"Can't sleep" Arthur mumbled.
"Why are you sleeping down here of all places"? Merlin asked innocently.
Arthur decided to come clean, "It's closer to the toilet" was all Arthur was able to let out.
Merlin suddenly realised what Arthur had meant, it had also become clear about why he didn't want Merlin to know about it in the first place.
"Arthur" Merlin said in gentle disappointment.
Before Arthur could say anything his face was haunted by a look of nausea. Arthur had managed to say "oh no" before Merlin scanned for a bucket for Arthur. Unfortunately Arthur couldn't wait that long and in his rush to get up; his was uncontrollably sick on Merlin's lap.
Arthur's eyes went wide before his next words came tumbling out, "Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry".
"It's alright, you couldn't help it" Merlin said reassuringly.
Arthur wouldn't be comforted, he tried to get up but his weak and shaky legs wouldn't hold him.
After Merlin had cleaned up the sick, Arthur was sat upright on the sofa shaking, Merlin wasn't sure if that was because of the aftermath of being sick or that he was scared stiff.
"Sorry" Arthur mumbled after a while.
"Don't apologise" Merlin replied.
"You can go back to bed if you like" Arthur offered.
Merlin shook his head, "no, I really can't, you need looking after" Merlin stated.
"Are you saying that you want to look after me"? Arthur questioned.
"Yes" Merlin admitted before adding "you need someone and I want that someone to be me".
Arthur gave him a surprised look.
The next sentence just came out of Merlin before he even registered what he had just said "do you need a hug"?
"Please" Arthur said in almost a whisper.
When they hugged Arthur clung on to him, "I'm not well" he admitted properly for the first time.
Merlin ignored the lump in his throat when he said "I know".
From that night on wards, their friendship changed into something much more. They started to spend a lot more time with each other, dreading the day that they might be pulled apart. Arthur seemed to cling to Merlin for comfort more easily and regularly as if he was trying to reassure himself that Merlin wasn't going to disappear or perhaps that Arthur himself wouldn't vanish.
They never spent one evening apart; fear had made them desperate for each other. Some nights when Arthur is too ill to sleep, Merlin talks to him till morning as well as massaging his hair and stroking his face.
"I'm sorry Merlin, I know this is too much" Arthur said randomly one night.
Merlin clutched Arthur's arm while speaking in a firm tone, "don't say that, it's not too much".
Arthur's next words were heart shattering, "I'm sorry that I haven't treated you the way you deserve to be treated".
Merlin pulled him into a fierce hug, "don't ever say that, you are my best friend you have treated me well".
The next day was the day when they had decided was time to see a doctor. At first Arthur was petrified but he soon realised that if he didn't sort this, he was in danger on encountering the more severe consequences.
"Mr Pendragon" A doctor called.
Arthur had to go in alone as they didn't allow other people to be in the room when they were testing, Merlin promised that he would be waiting for him in the waiting room.
When Arthur finally emerged from the room, Merlin was told that he was allowed into the room to speak with the doctor.
"Well"? Merlin asked carefully.
"According to our tests it most likely an H. pylori infection and if the tests confirm this then we will put him on a proton-pump inhibitor along with antibiotics and he'll be fine" the doctor said reassuringly.
"Can you repeat you last sentence" Merlin requested.
The doctor smiled then repeated what he said, "He'll be fine".
That deep breath Merlin took was the first breath in weeks that he felt he had let out properly.
The doctor left the two boys to their little chat before returning.
"Feeling better"? Merlin asked happily.
"Yeah, I do actually" Arthur replied honestly.
Merlin wanted to shout it out at the top of his voice as well as cry with happiness and tell Arthur that he had hit the road to recovery.
They both looked into each other's eyes before Arthur said "Thank you Merlin for everything, I need to tell you something".
"What"? Merlin asked.
Arthur leaned into Merlin and their lips met, this was the kiss that they were going to cherish forever as this was the moment that was going to be remembered for as long as they lived.