"Merlin?!"

Merlin gaped at the two men in his café.

"A-Arthur?"

Merlin had changed a lot in the three years Arthur hadn't seen him. He hadn't grown, but had filled out a bit. His tight shirt showed off his slim arms, which were clearly very toned. His chest and waist were slightly bigger, also toned. Merlin's hair was longer, wavy and just brushing his shoulders. His cheekbones were even more defined than they were when he was a teenager, and his jaw had grown stronger, with a dark layer of stubble over the top.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin's voice, deeper than before, broke his thought pattern.

"I..we…" Arthur cleared his throat, "We took a drive to the outskirts of town."

Merlin narrowed his eyes, "You were trying to find me?"

Arthur shook his head, "No! We wanted to relax after a business meeting. We gave up looking for you age- I mean"

Merlin's eyes widened, giving the same puppy-eyed, innocent look like he did when he was 19, but now on the face of a gorgeous young man. "Oh…" He muttered, blushing faintly.

Gwaine moved forward, "Mate, he didn't mean it like that. God, get over here!" He leaned over and grabbed Merlin's shirt, pulling him sideways to the opening in the counter, then into a hug.

The rugged man pulled back after a moment and looked Merlin up and down, "Jesus, Mer, look at you! Fucking hell, you've changed."

Merlin blushed a bit more and chuckled, "Yeah. Kind of what you would expect after three years. How have you been, Gwaine?"

Gwaine snorted and pulled Merlin into another hug, "Jesus Christ, I've missed you so much. I've been fine. Although…"

He pulled back and punched Merlin on the shoulder. The brunette jumped and began rubbing the target of the punch. "Ouch, what was that for?"

"For not coming to my fucking wedding!"

Merlin's eyes widened, "You got married?"

Gwaine grinned, showing the young man his ring. "Me and Perce. Happily married two years."

"Wow, Gwaine, congratulations"

Gwaine flashed a grin again, then looked at Arthur, who was still staring at Merlin.

Merlin followed Gwaine's gaze and his smile faded. "Hey, Gwaine, I'll get you a coffee. Then I'd…I'd like to speak to Arthur."

Arthur's head snapped up at the mention of his name and he forced back a happy smile while Merlin expertly made Gwaine a coffee.

Gwaine reached into his pocket but Merlin waved it off and shoved the cup in his hands. The rugged man exchanged glances with Arthur, before moving to sit down in one of the booths.

"Do you want to talk outside?" Merlin asked quietly as he moved to stand by Arthur.

Arthur nodded and began to walk outside, Merlin following him.

Outside, Arthur stopped and turned around when they were a metre or so away from the café window, luckily there was no one else in the café apart from Gwaine, so Merlin didn't have anyone to serve.

Merlin walked up to Arthur, stopping a few paces away, scratching his arm.

There was about a minutes silence, before Arthur decided to finally talk.

"Hey…"

"Hey."

Arthur sighed, stepping forward, "Merlin, I am so sorry. I haven't drank an alcoholic drink since that night. I regret everything so much. I couldn't sleep for ages, I couldn't stop thinking of you. I stopped going to University, until Gwaine managed to get me to go again. I haven't had a stable relationship at all since you went…"

"I know"

"And when I did get with anyone, I couldn't stop thinking of you."

"I know.."

"And I've missed you so much, Merlin. I always think of you, and whether you have forgotten me by now, or still love me or.."

"I know…"

"O-Or whether you couldn't find a new life or a job and ended up homeless and I…wait…" Arthur stared at Merlin, "What do you mean, 'you know'?"

Merlin gave him a sad smile and stepped forward, "Gwaine texted my old phone a month ago, to see if I was still using that phone-"

"And you were?"

Merlin sighed and scratched his arm, "No, but I couldn't get rid of it either. It was my only connection to everyone back home. I used to read every single text you or anyone else sent, but they started stopping, and eventually I didn't get any anymore…"

Arthur felt very guilty. "Merlin.."

"He texted me a month ago telling me how you were. He told me you would look sad when you thought no one was looking. You wouldn't go to any parties anymore, and kept checking your phone even though all of the guys were with you."

Arthur gaped at Merlin, "I'm going to kill Gwaine, why didn't he tell me he talked to you?!"

"Because I told him not to."

"Why, Merlin?"

Merlin sighed, "Arthur, honestly, I don't know…You really hurt me. I drove here and made a new life. I didn't even go out in public for a month and a half. When my savings were beginning to run out, I managed to get a job here" He gestured towards the shop, "I…kind of like it here."

"But, what about your friends? Your parents? Everyone misses you, Merlin."

"Everyone has got on with their lives. They probably don't remember me."

"They do, Merlin! Especially…Especially me."

Merlin looked up at Arthur, smiling faintly.

"I've miss you too, Arthur…" He said quietly.

Arthur smiled, not being able to help it. "Will you come home now?"

Merlin's smiled faded, "I…I have a life here, Arthur."

"No, you don't, Merlin. You don't have friends, anyone who loves you. Please…come home."

"Where will I work? Where will I stay?"

"With me."

Merlin's eyes widened and he began to scratch his arm again, "I, erm…Arthur…"

Arthur suddenly remembering something, "Oh…Merlin…you can't forgive me for what I did to you, can you?"

Merlin was silent for a moment, before talking so quietly, Arthur almost missed it.

"I've already forgiven you…"