Neighbours again. But this life was so soon after the last, Arthur couldn't help seeing his children around town. They were in France again. The first time, Arthur found a fond smile stealing over his face as his daughter guided his grandchild around a puddle. Though at this point, his grandchild wasn't much older than himself. As soon as he found Merlin, he dragged him after their daughter, husband and children.

"Aren't they adorable?" Arthur grabbed six year old Merlin's hand. Merlin who was really Martin and Arthur who was really Artur.

Merlin smiled fondly, the old expression odd and out of place on a face so young. "Of course. They're ours."

Arthur flushed faintly. "We make pretty children, Merlin."

"I know."

"I want to talk to them."

Merlin glanced at Arthur in alarm. "We can't!"

"Why not?"

"Arthur! Because they'd probably recognise us!"

"I'm a boy this time around, Merlin."

"And so am I!"

"You're right... They'd probably recognise us by your ears alone."

"I'm not joking about this, Arthur?"

He sighed patiently. "And what are they going to do? Accuse us of being their parents despite the fact that they saw us die, buried us, and perhaps really just want to see us so maybe they see a bit more in two random children than they want to?"

"You think they miss us that much?"

Ruffling Merlin's hair, Arthur beamed "Of course. They loved us terribly."

Merlin nodded and they devised ways to subtly encounter their children and grandchildren.
Like take walks. Meet them at the park.

"You have lovely children," Arthur said.

Gwen turned, startled, looking down with no small amount of surprise at Arthur. She smiled hesitantly. "Well thank you. You're rather lovely yourself. Who are you both?"

Arthur coloured but replied steadily, "Artur. And this is Martin."

"How lovely. Are your parents about?"

"No, mam'selle. But we're fine. They trust us."

Her eyes widened. "Really."

"Yes. Honest," Merlin added earnestly with a bright smile.

Gwen blinked and rocked back on her heels. "Gracious. You look. Just." She smiled and shook her head. "Never you mind."

Merlin pinched Arthur's elbow.

Arthur continued smiling. "Well your family is lovely. Thank you for speaking with us. Fare thee well!" He dragged Merlin off behind him, Gwen's startled face and single shout of, 'wait but—' not holding them there.

"I knew that would be a disaster," Merlin moaned as they neared home.

Arthur tutted. "It was no such thing. You see how happy she was?"

"Of course!" But Merlin's expression softened into love, pride, and affection. "She's quite happy."

"I wonder if Elyan is still in Spain."

"A wander-lust like his namesake."

Arthur snorted. "At least he doesn't get into trouble like his namesake. God, that was always awful."

"Hullo boys! Would you care for a biscuit!" the baker's wife called as they passed.

Merlin grinned and darted forward for the treat, taking one for Arthur. "Merci beaucoup, Madame Bouillard!" He handed it to Arthur and then grabbed his hand and trotted back towards home.


As the two of them grew older, Merlin frowned more and more after their children and their grandchildren.

"Merlin, honestly, what is the matter with you?"

"We should move somewhere else," Merlin said finally.

"Mo—What? Move, Merlin? What for?"

"The older I get, the more Gwen looks at me. When Lance and his wife stopped by that one time almost a year ago, he couldn't stop staring at me when we came by for tea."

"Yes. So."

"Arthur, don't tell me you're really that dense. I know you're not."

Sighing, Arthur's grin left his face and he dragged a hand over it. "I know. I know. I don't... Merlin, I'm so attached to them. I can't..."

"Arthur, we let them go when we died. Granted, we didn't know that we'd still be around as they got older, but still. They see me every time they look at me. Which isn't surprising, seeing as I look exactly the same. And while I know it's not like they'll figure it out, it's just..." he shrugged. "I feel like it's cheating. Or teasing. It makes me uncomfortable."

He made a small noise of understanding, glancing around the sitting room before bending towards Merlin to kiss his forehead. "I know. But where—"

"India," Merlin replied with no hesitation.

"India? Whatever made you choose there?"

"It's far away, and we haven't ever been yet. I'd love to see it."

Arthur tilted his head consideringly. "Well. I suppose India it is then."

"Really?"

"What, did you think I wouldn't want to go?"

"Well. Sort of."

Rolling his eyes, he gave Merlin's hand a squeeze. "You know I'd go anywhere with you."

"It's reassuring to hear you say so." Merlin squeezed his hand back.


Breathing in the Indian air as they disembarked the ship into a bustling port, Merlin's smile was wide and eager. "Arthur, this is brilliant!"

His eagerness spreading to the man—young man really, they were seventeen and eighteen—beside him, Arthur laughed and nodded. "It is. I can't believe we've never come here before."

"There's lots of places we haven't gone before." He took Arthur's hand, wandering down the merchant aisles.

"Yes. We should find some place to stay."

Merlin nodded in agreement. "Yes. We'll know it when we get there."

"Channelling Morgana?"

"No. Never. Just a... a feeling, you know?"

With an indulgent smile, Arthur slung his arm around Merlin's shoulders as they turned a corner down another street. "Of course." Then. "Do you think we'll pick up Indian quickly?"

"I dunno. I hope so," the other replied, distracted.

"What are you looking for?"

Merlin pulled up short, Arthur moving past him awkwardly.

"Merlin!"

"Here," he breathed. "This is it!"

"What's it?" he grumbled, looking around.

"This building. We'll live here."

Arthur gave it a dubious look. "Why?"

"You'll see," Merlin said, a mischievous look in his eye. Knocking on the door, he somehow managed to convey to the owner apparent that they wanted the place. Then he was guiding Arthur up the stuffy stairs to a door.

A door.

Painted over brilliantly in reds and golds, a dragon twining around a sword.

"Merlin!"

Grinning with pride, Merlin said, "Well?"

"Well what? It's... I mean... God, Merlin, did you prepare this ahead of time?"

"No," he ducked his head, pushing the door open. "The rest I did, though."

Arthur gaped as Merlin pushed the door the rest of the way open, the entire room glittering with red and gold decour—the occasional blue and silver item (Merlin's 'colours') mixed in as well. The whole placed had gauzy drapes to cover the large open windows, deep-coloured wood chests and wardrobes and a large low bed filled with silk pillows and sleek sheets. All in all, the word Arthur would have to go with was 'sumptuous.'

"I take it you're impressed," Merlin drawled as he pushed past Arthur into the room, dropping his belongings.

"This is... This is amazing, Merlin!" Arthur spun around to see everything, looking into the nooks and corners before stopping in front of the bed. "You did all of this just now?"

"I did."

"I never cease to be amazed," he murmured, dropping his rucksack and flopping back onto the bed. "This is... Why don't we stay here forever..."

"Until we get bored of Indian cuisine and the city, at least," Merlin said wryly, dropping down onto the pillow-laden bed next to him.

"We'll go somewhere else?" Arthur said in surprise, propping himself on one elbow.

"Sure," Merlin shrugged. "Why not."

"Merlin... Is this wanderlust?"

"May as well. We should see the world, Arthur." He smiled.

Arthur smiled back. "We've got the time, haven't we..."

"To us then," Merlin said, raising a glass of not-there-before champaign. Arthur accepted it from Merlin's hand where another for himself promptly appeared.

"To us."