So I really like doing magic-reveal fics... It's a lot of fun.
"You have…magic?" Arthur raised his eyebrows, his disbelief loud and clear in his expression. He had to be joking. The mere thought of his servant in a pointy hat made him want to laugh hard. It was just absurd.
"Yes."
Merlin looked completely serious. Had he been out drinking again? That must have been it. Because surely, certainly, he knew better than to say such things. "Merlin, you trip going down the stairs almost every week, you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to the rest of you. There's no way you have magic."
"I'm just clumsy," he said quietly.
"Well if you're really a sorcerer, then show me," Arthur spoke smugly, a smirk emerging on his face. Maybe Merlin would flail around for a bit trying to levitate something. That would be amusing. And humiliating. He wondered how long that would go on before it got old.
Merlin gave him a meaningful look full of so many different emotions. The only two Arthur managed to pick out from the rest were pain and sadness, but before he had time to think about it, Merlin's eyes were flashing gold.
The whole room changed, holding the feeling of nature and purity. Dragons flew around the room, forests came to life, Camelot was in the center thriving, the people were happy, laughing even. Then he saw himself amongst them with Merlin walking right beside him. They were laughing too and teasing each other. Merlin gave the small him a little shove and he hooked his arm around his neckerchief neck and messed his hair up with his other hand.
The scene left Arthur without words. It was beautiful. Absolutely amazing. But it was magic. Merlin had magic. Merlin was a sorcerer. Merlin. His best friend. Merlin!
Arthur grabbed onto the edge of the table to keep himself steady. The shock could have brought him to the floor. Merlin of all people was practicing magic. Arthur trusted him more than anyone. Why would he do this?
Arthur gathered as much strength as he could to find Merlin's eyes. Merlin was crying, no sobbing. His now blue eyes were shut tight, his clenched fist sinking into his nose, his teeth clamped on his lips so hard they drew blood. Arthur felt as if his heart had just shattered completely in his chest.
"Merlin-" Arthur started to speak, not really sure what he was going to end up saying, but before he could, Merlin bolted from the room.
Arthur didn't know what to do. He wanted to run after Merlin, but he needed time to think about it all. What could he even say? He needed answers. How long had Merlin been doing this? How could he when he knew it was illegal? Was Merlin betraying him? Betraying Camelot? Nothing made sense anymore. He thought he knew Merlin. He thought they would never change. This would make everything change. Everything. How could this be happening? Why?
Arthur threw himself onto his bed and buried his face into his pillow. A few tears slithered down his cheeks as he felt like he was choking. He was confused and hurt. Merlin's eyes flashing gold appeared in the darkness between Arthur and his pillow. This couldn't be happening. Was Merlin still Merlin? Or was he a horrible lie?
Arthur saw the magic in his head. The little people, the dragons, Camelot…him and Merlin. It felt so right, so beautiful, so perfect. And Merlin created it with no words at all, just his eyes. It had no evil. It was nothing like the magic he had seen. It was good. It had to be.
The king's head spun for hours, like a tornado sucking everything up. He was afraid. What if Merlin was like Morgana? The thoughts like that one made him sick. He needed to know if Merlin wasn't who Arthur thought he was. He needed to know desperately.
'Arthur?'
Arthur fell off his bed from the jolt of surprise his heart gave him. "Merlin?" How could he just come back like this? He wasn't done thinking. Hell, he couldn't process it or understand it at all.
'Arthur?'
Arthur looked around his room but was greeted by no one at all. Suddenly that worried him.
'Arthur?'
Was the voice in his head?-No that was ridicu- should he try talking back?
'Yes? Merlin?'
'I'm so sorry.'
That was it. Goddammit, he had to find that idiot. He needed the answers as bad as he needed air. "Where are you?" He mumbled as he got up and tramped toward the door. Had he left Camelot? Was he with Gaius? Was he hiding? Was he- there he was.
Merlin was sitting right beside the door to Arthur's chambers. His back was against the wall and his knees were cutting into his chest. He'd had his head buried until he looked up to find Arthur standing there.
"You've been here this whole time?" Arthur inquired hoarsely.
"How could I leave?"
Merlin's face was red and blotchy from tears and there were still more coming down.
Arthur swallowed hard. How could nothing have changed? Merlin was still being Merlin. He gave the magician a half smile and sat down next to him. "Are you cold?"
"What?" He tensed, eyes wide.
"You were shaking."
"Oh…"
Arthur took off his jacket and placed it over Merlin's shoulders. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "So how long have you had magic?"
"Forever."
"Forever?"
"Yeah, I was born with it."
Arthur stared. "I-I-I didn't think- that can't be possible. People practice it. They can't be born with it." He couldn't believe it.
"I'm a warlock, Arthur. A creature of magic."
"So all this time…"He looked down at his hands. Now he was shaking too.
"Can you understand why I didn't tell you?"
Arthur didn't say anything. He wanted to hear Merlin say it even though he was pretty certain he knew. Of course he could understand. He would've been killed if he'd said anything or done anything. No one wanted to get killed. But was that the only reason? Was it because he couldn't trust Arthur? Was it-
"I didn't want to lose our friendship. I didn't want you to think differently of me. I didn't want you to feel hurt or betrayed. I didn't want to be burned alive or you to run me through with your sword, I didn't want you to have to make that decision and live with pain and anger. I didn't want you to hate me. And I still don't want any of those things, Arthur." Fresh tears were falling from Merlin's eyes but now he was finally looking at his king.
Arthur looked back and found himself choking again. "You're not going to change?"
"I'm the same as I've always been. I'm still Merlin, Arthur. I'm who you know me to be."
"Then none of those things will happen. Please don't ever change."
"I won't."
Arthur managed to give him a weak smile.
"So you don't hate me?" Merlin asked tentatively.
"I don't think I ever could."
Merlin smiled.
"No more secrets," Arthur ordered.
"Well then I've got loads to tell you."
"I've got time."