TW: References to suicide attempts/thoughts. (Not exactly that, but I thought I should leave a TW just in case.)

Leon was thoroughly unimpressed by the news that Merlin was hearing dragon voices. Merlin sat back in the restaurant booth with his arms folded over his chest, "I told you he wouldn't believe me."

Leon shook his head, "Merlin, I believe that you thought you heard something, but you've heard things that weren't there before." Leon reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of papers, "Here, why don't you read the news article I brought. I think it could be promising."

Arthur looked over at Leon, "Leon, I believe that Merlin really is hearing something."

Leon shook his head, "Sire, the dragons have been extinct for over a thousand years. Merlin and I were there when the last one died out. And Merlin, well," He looked over to Merlin, "Did you tell him about Samhain in 1025?"

Merlin put his face in his hands, "Leon, I swear to the gods, if you don't shut up right now –"

Arthur interrupted, "What happened on Samhain in 1025?"

Merlin lifted his face to glare at the former knight, "Leon, I will turn you into a toad if you don't keep your mouth shut."

Leon gulped, "Nothing. Nothing happened on Samhain in 1025."

Arthur glared at Merlin, "Merlin, what did we say about secrets?"

Merlin looked exasperated, "Don't I have a right to some privacy? I shouldn't have to tell you every little thing about the last 1500 years."

"No, just everything that Leon knows."

"That's almost everything!"

"Right, so what happened on Samhain in 1025?"

Merlin's face went red, "I thought you told me to make a human sacrifice so you could rise again."

The other patrons in the restaurant stared as Arthur shouted, "WHAT?"

Merlin shushed him.

Arthur whispered panicky, "Oh my gods. Merlin, tell me you didn't kill someone."

Merlin looked insulted, "What? No, of course not!"

Leon's face had gone red as he tried desperately to hold back laughter, "Merlin had other ideas about what that meant."

Merlin growled, "Shut up, Leon!"

Leon couldn't help himself any longer and was laughing openly now, "He stripped naked and swam out into the lake. Just floated there for hours yelling for you." Leon mimicked Merlin's voice, "Arthur! Arthur! I'm here! Come and get me you prat!"

Merlin hid his face behind his hands, mortified, "Leon, you arsehole,"

Leon continued his impression through his laughter, "Come on dollophead! Clotpole! I'm here so you can drag your fat arse out of the lake now!"

Arthur turned to Merlin, "You tried to sacrifice yourself to me? By floating naked on the lake and yelling insults at me?"

Merlin snapped, "Well you have one of the only weapons that can kill me. I thought if I irritated you enough you would rise up and finish the job yourself."

Leon suddenly stopped laughing. A moment of tense silence passed.

Arthur spoke, "You thought I wanted to kill you?"

Merlin shrugged, "I don't know. I heard your voice say you needed a sacrifice to pass through the veil. I thought I was the best candidate."

Arthur's voice trembled, "Merlin … how could you ever think -?"

He was interrupted as the waitress stopped at their table with a bright smile and a large tray of food. "Alright, I have a short stack with bacon. Eggs benedict with rye toast. And a bowl of hot porridge. Anything else I can get for you fellas?"

Arthur answered, "No."

"Alright well you just give me a holler …"

Arthur interrupted her, "We're fine."

The waitress walked away with an annoyed look. Merlin began voraciously eating his porridge, "Wow, this is really good. We should go out for breakfast more often. And this way I don't have to cook, and no one sets the house on fire. Brilliant idea coming here for breakfast. Absolutely brilliant."

They ate their breakfast and Leon made Merlin read the news article he had brought about fires in the Amazon rainforests. The two of them went back and forth about how, while this certainly was a distressing topic, this didn't seem to qualify as Albion's time of need.

Merlin spoke, "The prophecy says Albion's time of need, not the Amazon's time of need."

Leon countered, "Yes, but the rainforests affect the whole planet, so it is relevant to Albion."

"Yes, but I always thought the crisis would be a bit more local than that."

Eventually, Merlin agreed he'd think on it and Leon said he'd gather more information.

The day continued with Leon and Arthur training in the park for a few hours while Merlin read a medical research report on the use of laser interstitial thermal therapy in treating brain tumors. It wasn't until later that evening that Merlin and Arthur were finally home and Leon had gone back to the flat he was now renting.

Merlin stood a few feet away from the couch where Arthur sat, "So, what should we do for dinner?"

Arthur didn't respond, he just stared at the coffee table in front of him. Merlin approached him, "Arthur, is everything okay?"

Arthur spoke quietly, "Why would you ever think I could …" Arthur ran a hand through his hair, "That I could kill you?"

Merlin sat down next to Arthur on the couch, "You were gone a long time."

"I know."

Merlin continued, "And in that time I had better moments and I had worse moments. I heard voices and I got confused. And I suppose my desire to rest and my desire to see you live got a little jumbled at times. I want to be here, alive, with you, more than anything. But I would be lying if I said I haven't also thought about what it would mean for Excalibur to emerge with you. I am made of magic. No mortal weapon can kill me. But Excalibur could. I could finally rest."

Arthur couldn't look over, because he knew, he knew Merlin would have that look. He knew his Merlin would look old and fragile and sad and he knew it would terrify him. He knew he'd be seized once more with the fear of his love becoming dust.

He reached blindly for Merlin's hand instead and held it too tightly. "You're not going anywhere. I am here. I am alive. I am the Once and Future King and I am ordering you to live. I will throw that blasted sword into the fiery pits of hell if you even think about going near it. Is that understood?"

Arthur could hear Merlin's smile in his words, "Yes, sire."

Arthur relaxed his grip on Merlin's hand slightly, "Good."

They sat there for a while before Arthur chanced a look at his boyfriend. Merlin was himself, no dastardly look to scare Arthur out of his wits.

Arthur spoke, "Fish."

Merlin looked at him, "What?"

"I want fish for dinner."

Merlin smiled, "Yeah, okay." He gave his boyfriend a soft kiss before getting up and heading to the kitchen.