Disclaimer: Oh, I think you all know how it is...

Well, as promised, I bring you Arthur/Merlin comfort. Hope you enjoy it, even if it does go slightly OOC at times and please review - I still like to know how I'm doing and what you think. :)

Eight

"Merlin?" It was Arthur who opened the door, not Gwen as Merlin had suspected.

"Arthur," Merlin replied, steadily.

"Merlin, are you-" he paused, as he laid eyes on the room, "What happened here?"

Merlin blushed slightly and looked down sheepishly, "I...I might have got a bit angry," he admitted.

"Oh," Arthur replied, stepping into the room. "Just a bit then," he surveyed the damaged room, silently wishing that he knew how to clean so that he might help. "How are you?" he asked, immediately regretting it as he realised what a stupid question it was.

"Fine," Merlin replied, but deep down he knew it wasn't true. The letter had confirmed that Gaius had been happy, but he still mourned for the sudden loss of his carer.

Arthur sighed. "No you're not, Merlin. You're not fine. None of us are," and Merlin nodded in accord; he was right.

"Why are you here, Arthur?" Merlin asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"Well it was either me or Gwen," Arthur said, pausing to question his mentioning of Gwen. "I…uh met Gwen on the way up here and told her... told her what happened," he continued with a slight nervous stumble as Merlin didn't respond. "I thought you could do with my... comfort instead. Gwen would have just... she just wouldn't have helped alright," he said, confused at how he couldn't give his servant, his friend, a straight answer.

"Arthur..."

"Look, I just wanted to be here for you, alright. I thought maybe you wanted me, but if you want Gwen to comfort you instead I'll send her up," Arthur cut in, a slight anger in his voice.

"Arthur, I do want you here and... thank you," Merlin replied earnestly before ducking his head. He had long known of Arthur's uncomfortableness when it came to strong emotions and talking about them. "I just didn't think you would come. I know I'm only a servant."

"Don't ever say that," Arthur commanded him, a little too harshly. "You are my friend, Merlin. Much more than just a servant." And the two of them shared a small smile. There was another pregnant pause, during which Merlin returned to staring at the floor and Arthur shifted uneasily from foot to foot.

"He's not really gone," Arthur began and for a moment Merlin thought the Prince had somehow read Gaius' letter.

"What do you mean?" Merlin looked up with a frown, ignoring the sting of tears once again in his eyes. Arthur replied by gesturing to the chairs so that they might sit.

"He's still here, watching over us," he said, as they sat down; side by side and relatively close together.

"I know," Merlin gave a weak smile thinking back to the letter once again. He briefly considered showing it to Arthur, but it also contained hints of his being a sorcerer and he just wasn't quite ready to admit that yet.

Arthur smiled, somewhat uncomfortably. If he noticed Merlin's tears he said nothing. "You know, now that I'm here and having said all that stuff about comforting you; I don't really know what to say."

Merlin gave a watery grin; it was exactly as he expected. "I kinda figured."

The Prince grimaced and rubbed a weary hand across his face. "Sorry."

"But, I wouldn't have it any other way," Merlin admitted, taking note that Arthur was actually apologising for something. However, his master's next action was the one which surprised Merlin the most. The Prince slowly wrapped his arm across his servant's shoulder, causing Merlin to stiffen awkwardly, before relaxing into Arthur and the embrace, contented.

"I should probably inform my father," Arthur mused, feeling more than comfortable with his arm wrapped around Merlin.

"You haven't told the King yet?" Merlin sounded surprised.

"No," Arthur shook his head, "I came straight here... with the exception of bumping into Gwen."

"Oh," Merlin didn't quite know what to say.

"Don't worry about it," Arthur reassured him. "You needed me," and suddenly Arthur sounded less kind and more like his usual smug self. Merlin smiled, despite himself and rolled his eyes. Typical Arthur.

"Was that a roll of the eyes I saw there, Merlin?" Arthur asked, mockingly.

"Nope."

"I think it was," Arthur pushed. "Definitely."

Merlin sighed, "Fine, I rolled my eyes. At you, as always."

"Me?" Arthur, widened his eyes in mock innocence and Merlin gave a proper laugh.

"That's more like it," Arthur smiled. And Merlin returned the smile, felling content, despite the situation. Gaius was not physically there, but he was watching and Merlin knew it. Besides, he had Arthur.

Unbeknownst to either Arthur or Merlin, Rose stood in the doorway, watching them; a smile gracing her lips. She had stayed with the Doctor as he scanned the area. Watching as he did so in a slower more respectful way, considering what had happened. Leaving him to it, she had found her way back to Gaius' quarters, where she had hoped to find Merlin.

Rose's intentions had been to comfort the young sorcerer herself, but had arrived to find Arthur had beaten her to it. Without disturbing them she listened and watched, her smile widening as she realised how close they were. Despite the master/servant facade, they were clearly the closest and best of friends.

"I should probably get back to cleaning this," Merlin gestured to the room and Arthur nodded.

"And I have to inform my father."

"Good luck with it," Merlin replied earnestly as they stood up together.

Rose took this as her cue to leave and she tiptoed out of the doorway, carefully making her way done the stairs.

"Merlin," Arthur began as he prepared to leave, "I'm here if you need anything."

The young warlock nodded, humbled, knowing exactly what Arthur meant. It was an offer of comfort, of friendship whenever he needed it. Something Merlin had not expected from the Prince. "Thank you," he replied, closing his eyes against the tears which he felt welling up again.

"Oh, no, don't cry again," Arthur told him, fearfully, reaching a hand out to place on his shoulder.

"I'm not crying," Merlin said stubbornly. "I don't cry. Especially after you said I looked like a girl when I cry."

"A girl!? I never..."

"You did."

"Oh, ok... yeah, I did," Arthur admitted, looking down. "But I didn't really mean it."

"Sounded like you did," Merlin said.

"Oh that's not fair," Arthur pouted and Merlin laughed. The Prince smiled inwardly - he had succeeded at making Merlin happy. "Anyway... I had better go. Father will need me,"

"Of course," Merlin nodded, picking up the broom once more.

"I could get another servant to clean this if you wanted..."

"It's fine, Arthur," Merlin replied. "Honest. Besides, I want to do it."

Arthur nodded, understanding, "I'll catch up with you later then."

Merlin gave a small wave and watched as Arthur disappeared. He had just set about picking up the pieces of another shattered jar, when the door opened again and Gwen entered.

"Merlin, I just heard..." she trailed off, rushing forward to embrace the shocked servant. Merlin barely had time to register it was her, before he was enveloped. "I'm sorry."

"Gwen, that's... that's...can't breathe!"

"Oh god, I'm sorry," Gwen said, pulling out of the hug and wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

"It's fine, Gwen. Really."

"I thought you could have done with some comfort. Arthur told me you -"

"Actually, Arthur's already been... And it actually worked," Merlin smiled and Gwen's face dropped.

"Really?" Gwen frowned as though trying to picture the Prince comforting someone. Merlin nodded. "Wow."

The young warlock let out a short laugh, "I know."

Gwen smiled at him, "You are, ok, though."

"Yeah... I will be," Merlin told her. "As soon as I get this cleaned up."

"I can you help you... if you want," Gwen offered. "Morgana won't need me until later."

"Thank you," Merlin smiled gratefully, after a second or two of considering. And he handed her a spare broom.