Gwaine stuck by Merlin as much as he could. He was concerned about the amount Merlin was drinking. Merlin practically lived in the tavern. The barmaid knew him by name.
A few hours after the rising sun opened, there were empty mugs cluttering Merlins table and the sink. Gwaine saw it as soon as he walked in. it stuck him deeply with guilt. Gwaine decided that he was the cause of Merlins drinking problem so he was going to stop it.
"Hey merlin." Gwaine said.
"Gwaine!" merlin cheered drunkenly.
Gwaine slipped into the chair beside merlin. He was quiet as he thought up what he should say. Then he watched merlin finish a mug in a couple of mouthfuls, and lay his head on his hands.
"Merlin, I know that it's earlier and it's too hard to think, but look at yourself. You're filling a pain with alcohol because it's too hard to go sober. I know. I've been there. But I thought that I should tell you, if it's not too late to say, I can put back all the pieces they just might not fit the same. Merlin, nothing's worth losing. Especially the chance to make it right. But As long as we live, time passes by and we won't get it back when we die so go and talk to Arthur. Come on!"
Gwaine hoisted Merlin up, and merlin shoved all his weight onto Gwaine. Gwaine tried to stabilise merlin but merlin flopped to the floor. His eyes remained shut.
Gwaine knelt down, assuming that merlin was asleep. He sighed and shook his head before he noticed.
Merlins chest didn't move like he was breathing.
Gwaine got closer to feel if Merlins breathing could be felt on his cheek. It couldn't. Gwaine pulled out his sword and held it under Merlins nose to check for vapour that never came.
Gwaine yelled in anguish and disbelief. He shook merlin as he yelled to try and wake him up. The barmaid screamed that he was dead and there was nothing anyone could do. Gwaine yelled that he wouldn't stop trying.
Gwaine hoisted merlin over his shoulders and ran to Gaius. He passed Gwen on the way, and Gwen noticed the tears forming in Gwaine's eye. As the knights were trained to believe that "no man is worth your tears" Gwen knew something was up. She couldn't believe what had happened.
When Gwaine and Gwen watched Gaius hover around merlin and do little tests, their fears were multiplied. Gaius looked down at his poisons. He counted them and sighed.
"My Mortems flower liquid is missing. I wouldn't be surprised if merlin has poisoned himself. It's terrible, yes, but we must think of how he is now. He's no longer in pain. Also I found his in his hand,"
Giuas handed Gwaine a note because he was fighting too many tears to read. Gwaine cleared his throat and tried not to cry. Gwen didn't try. She wept into Gwaine.
"It says I'll love him till I die. That poses the question, who's going to tell Arthur?"