Title: Wipe Your Eyes
Author: Sasusc
Fandom: Merlin
Characters: Merlin, Arthur
Words: 487
Summary: Based off of Maroon 5's song "Wipe Your Eyes" (Slash). Arthur attempts to comfort Merlin.
Series: 365 Days of Drabbles, Day Three
Looking at Merlin was killing him. He did this to him. He was the one that had him withdrawing from the world around them. Maybe he hadn't taken the whole magic thing that well… Maybe he should have dealt with Merlin a little better… How was he supposed to know that Merlin would have gone off on his own and risk his life for him? For someone that had just banished him from their sight in a fit of unjust anger?
Now Merlin lay huddled on the thin bed with silent tears and dead eyes. His kneeling down in front of the man didn't even register with him. It was breaking his heart looking at his friend… No, not just a friend…a lover.
"Merlin," he whispered.
Merlin all but stopped breathing.
"I… I'm sorry, Merlin." His hand trembled as he reached up to Merlin. Arthur gently ran his thumb across his exposed cheek to wipe the tears away. "You have to breathe. It's going to be okay." He stretched forward and laid a kiss on his lover's forehead. "It's my fault. All of this. And I'm sorry that I didn't handle it well. I was hurt…angry that you hid things from me…that you didn't trust me with your secrets." He caressed Merlin's pale cheek, wiping more tears away. "I should never have sent you away. And you're an idiot to go off and face that sorcerer on your own."
There was a shift in Merlin as he slowly woke from his deaden state. Arthur noticed it and felt hope fill his heart.
"Merlin!"
Merlin's tears were no longer silent. Arthur dragged Merlin off of the bed and into his lap, wincing slightly has he landed hard on the wooden floor. He ran a hand through Merlin's dark hair while the other one rubbed at his back.
"I'm here, Merlin. I'm here." Arthur couldn't help the tears that escaped his eyes. "I won't ever send you away again. I won't ever let you doubt how much I care for you."
Merlin clung to Arthur. Minutes, hours passed as the two held on to each other. He couldn't be sure how long they stayed like that. He had soaked Arthur's shirt with his tears. He pulled back slightly.
"Arthur…"
Arthur brought both of his hands up to cup Merlin's face. He searched Merlin's face for answers, not quite sure want he was looking for. Merlin's watery smile had him dragging Merlin's face to meet him for a desperate kiss.
"You're an ass, sometimes," Merlin commented softly.
"And you're an idiot…all the time."
"Prat."
Arthur pulled him tightly into his arms, burying his head into Merlin's neck. He knew there were more things they had to figure out…that there was much more they needed to do to fix their relationship but something told him that they would be okay; they could work through this and come out tougher for it.