Just a little story that I thought of while waiting for my parents to pick me up. There's a small playground where I was, so I was sitting on the swings and thought of this, how it would be so perfect for Merthur, and well, this was born. The chapters will be really short since they're honestly just moments between the two, but the ones later will be longer… Uh, right, this won't be an underage relationship in case you're worried about that… Review if you like or dislike!
EDIT: I changed it so that it's in the present tense. It just feels more natural that way.
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The chains of the swings creak softly, drawing the small blond boy's attention. Shirking away from his mother, he ventures closer to the older boy swinging all by himself. He looks lonely, the boy decides, so he draws closer with the intention of befriending this mysterious person. "Hello," he whispers shyly. "My name is Arthur. Can I play with you?"
The creaking stopps when the older boy digs his heels into the woodchips, head shooting up with his bright blue eyes wide open and staring at Arthur. "You..."
Arthur tilts his head to the side curiously. "Me?"
The older boy chuckles, but Arthur doesn't like this laugh. It doesn't sound happy, like laughs were supposed to. It sounded so sad and depressed. Determined to cheer him up, Arthur hops onto the swing beside the boy. "What's your name, mister?"
A painful smile was etched upon the boy's face. "I have many names, but you…" He turns to smile at Arthur, this one filled with more happiness, and that made Arthur swell with pride at the idea that he had been the one to put the smile on this big brother's face. "You, Arthur, can call me Merlin."
"That's a funny name," Arthur pouts. "Isn't that the old magic man from Cal—Cami—Camiloot?"
Merlin smiles, pushing himself in the swings once more. The creaking continues. "Camelot."
"Yeah, that!" Arthur sticks out his chest, joining Merlin in the air. "I knew that."
"Of course you did," Merlin says seriously, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. The two continue to swing back and forth, and Arthur watches Merlin. Merlin has brown hair, short and curly. He also has bright blue eyes that seemed to be stuck on something in the distance, but when Arthur tries to find what Merlin was looking at, he doesn't see anything or anyone.
Arthur tries to start up the conversation again. "So, are we friends then? I want you to be my friend, but my daddy says that I need friends my age. How old are you, Merlin?"
Merlin looks even sadder at that question, so Arthur hates himself for making the older boy frown. "I don't know, Arthur. I've lost track."
"Nobody can forget how old they are!" Arthur cries out in shock. "I know my grandma's 89, and she hasn't lost track yet! She can't remember me, but we all know how old she is!"
"Well, there's nobody that knows me anymore." Merlin sighs, lowering his head so that Arthur can't see Merlin's pretty blue eyes.
"I know you," Arthur tries weakly.
"Yes, I suppose you do," Merlin breaths.
Arthur doesn't want to make Merlin sad. He really doesn't, so he holds out his hand for Merlin to grab as they swing. Merlin looks confused, but takes the six-year-old's tiny hand in his own. Arthur grins as they continue swinging and their paths slowly melt into one. "See, Merlin! I know you."
This time, Merlin laughs, and it's a genuine, resounding laugh that has the older boy closing his eyes and throwing his head backwards. Arthur beams. Merlin was laughing! "I suppose you do know me, hm?"
"Yup!" Arthur grins, relieved when Merlin returns it.
The two continue chatting, Arthur telling Merlin about his parents and how his father was never home. He tells him about Gwen, the nice girl that he had met on his first day of school, and how his cousin Morgana was mean to him during class. Merlin listens attentively, but never volunteers any information of his own.
Soon, the sun begins to disappear behind the trees and the light is slipping away. "Arthur!" His mother is calling, so the small blond boy slipps off the swings and stumbles across the woodchips.
Before he left, he turned back to Merlin. "Will I see you again?"
Merlin looks amused, but there is an underlying resignation in it as well. "I'm always here, Arthur. I never leave."
Arthur is confused. "What do you mean? Don't you have a home?" Merlin just shakes his head slightly, ceasing his swinging. "Why are you here then?"
"I'm waiting."
Arthur wants to continue talking to Merlin, but his mother calls him once more. With one final glance backwards at the boy, he races up to his mother and grasps her outstretched hand. She smiles at him fondly. "Who were you talking to, Arthur?"
"Merlin!" Arthur exclaims. "He says he doesn't have a home and that he's waiting, so he's always on the swing. He's lonely, Mommy…"
Ygraine peers over her shoulder, looking confused. "There's nobody there, Arthur dear."
