Merlin was very much alive. (Lancelot said so himself.)
Arthur and lancelot headed down to see him immediately. He opened the door to his room, discovering Gwaine, Gwen, and Percival talking to Merlin and siting in various places in the room. Gwen was perched at the end of his bed, giggling. "You made it!" Gwaine said, swinging a hand on his shoulder.
"What's this?" Arthur asked quietly, getting an uneasy feeling from all of the people.
"Our best friend was dying, you don't think we won't be here to cheer him up?" He was right.
"Arthur," Gwen said with a smug smirk on her lips, standing up and pointing to Merlin so he couldn't see. Arthur nodded, sitting on the bed slowly and smiling at him.
"Arthur." Merlin said, hands resting on his crossed legs.
"Merlin," He couldn't help but grin wider. He was okay now. He was safe. "You're better!"
"Yes, I am. I'll be back to working tomorrow-"
"No, you won't."
"I'm fine, really."
"Really? Because you said that once before and I believed you, which didn't turn out well..."
"Arthur."
"Alright, alright." He huffed a breathy chuckle, putting a hand on top of Merlin's, which rested on his knee, fingers dancing delicately over his pale skin.
There was a long moment of silence when Gwaine piped up, "Should we, uh, go, then?" Arthur raised his other hand, wafting it in agreement.
As they left Gwaine had pushed Percival down the stairs for not letting Gwen through, to which he replied, "Well if were letting ladies go first then Lancelot should've gone before us." Lancelot punched his arm, and Gaius yelled at them to go somewhere else before they started fighting. Merlin rolled his eyes, putting his other hand atop Arthur's. He turned back to Merlin, looking at his hand then back into his eyes with a small smile.
"Gaius used magic, then." Merlin said softly, looking down at his hands.
"Did he?"
"You're okay with this?"
"He saved your life," Arthur said softly, leaning closer to him. "I would have done anything to get you back."
"Wake up, Arthur!" Merlin yelled, swinging the blinds open with a whisk and turning around with a half smile. Arthur groaned, flopping over and shoving his face in his pillow. "Everything's laid out on the table. I have to go run an errand for Gaius and I'll be back as quickly as possible." Arthur sat up as Merlin walked past the bed.
"Uh, Merlin?"
"Yes?"
"Goodmorning." He said with a smile. Merlin smiled back and continued out of the room.