A/N: Hi. I'm back for a short while. MERRY CHRISTMAS! With the 12 weeks thing, that is totally not true I think... I guessed.

Don't own Merlin.

Merry Christmas!
~Usachan!

"Merlin, what is this?" Arthur asked, staring at the pine tree with many doubts about Merlin's sanity. Merlin ran around excitedly from the other side of the tree and was bouncing up and down.

"Santa's coming!" Merlin practically shouted at the prince. "Now, help me decorate this tree!" Merlin shoved some of Arthur's laundry into his hands, then skipping back to the tree to hang up more clothes.

"Are these my clothe- why are they wet?!" Arthur dropped the wet clothes on the floor then rounded on Merlin, "And who in the bloody hell is Santa?!"

"He brings gifts to the good people in the world on Christmas Eve." Merlin explained, Hanging up his blue scarf on the tree, "sorry, Arthur, but I'm afraid instead of presents, you'll get nothing but the leftovers from the stables." Merlin joked as he dodged Arthur's flying laundry.

"So, Merlin, why do you celebrate this holiday anyway?" Arthur asked. The two boys had made themselves comfortable in front of the fire in Merlin and Gaius' shared living quarters, next to the tree.

Merlin looked over at Arthur and shrugged, "My mom said it was because she believed that if you had something to look forward to each year, then we wouldn't feel so sad for the rest of winter. She said it's to celebrate being around for another year."

"Really? I think it must be more than that." Arthur thought aloud, his eyes glazing over and his head tilted to the side. "I think that it means something to be happy about. People don't have a lot to be happy about in the winter season, so we created a holiday to distract from the hardships of winter." Merlin pulled the blanket around his shoulders closer to himself as he glanced at Arthur.

"That's a horrible reason. I think it gives us hope that good things will come soon. Winter ends twelve weeks after Christmas."

The two boys spent the evening arguing about what Christmas could mean until they finally fell asleep in the middle of the floor, using each other as pillows.

"Uther, it seems Arthur is with Merlin right now." Gaius whispered as they entered the chambers. The two men looked at the sleeping boys with quiet amusement.

"Well, it seems that they tired themselves out thinking about Christmas." Gaius chuckled as he set the two wrapped gifts underneath the tree, trying not to disturb the boys.

"What are those?"

"Presents for Arthur and Merlin." Both men chuckled at the sleeping boys once more.

Merlin stared up at the sky in the late evening light. He remembered the things he said about Christmas all those years ago when he first celebrated in Camelot. He chuckled sadly at all the answers he said and never did once think to say what he really knew Christmas meant.

Merlin changed his appearance with magic, so he would look just as he did all those years ago. He smiled down at the water, "Hey, Arthur. I've had a long time to think about this and now I know what Christmas really means. I just thought you'd like to know." No response, as usual. "Well, I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure it means a time to be with people close to your heart, the people you miss." Merlin sighed heavily before continuing, "I miss you, and everyone else. All I want for Christmas is you to be here." Merlin nodded at the water then walked away, back to his lonely apartment on the lonely Christmas Eve night.

Merlin had been jolted awake from his dream by a rather loud bounding on the door. He looked at his watch which told him the time was just after Midnight.

"Coming! I'm coming!" Merlin hopped off his couch and opened the door.

Merlin saw the face before him and couldn't believe his eyes, it couldn't be him. Merlin was crying by the time his knees hit the floor. "You're not real."

"Of course I am. I couldn't be here if I wasn't." Arthur chuckled. He knelt down and placed a firm hand on Merlin's back, "Merry Christmas, Merlin."