The doctor looked at Arthur oddly before flipping through his clipboard of papers and charts once more, and then he looked back to Arthur again. Merlin, Richard, and Uther were in the room. Merlin didn't know why he was here, or why Richard had insisted that he tag along. Merlin had confessed many times before that he and Arthur weren't mates but Richard wouldn't here of it. They all, save for Merlin, were watching carefully as the doctor consistently shot back and forth from his charts to Arthur. This repeated until Arthur became really irritated.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or...?" Arthur said, perhaps a little too hastily. He cleared his throat and looked nervously up at the doctor, who was still eyeballing his charts.

"Well," the doctor started, a hint of bewilderment and confusion on his tongue, "from what the police have said about the fall, you shouldn't even be close to recovering - even the x-rays show that your arm was completely broken, but now its almost healed. It's only been a week! I haven't seen anything like this before, but I'm not one to argue -"

Arthur stared at him peculiarly but said nothing. When his eyes down to his right arm, he knew that he felt almost no pain inside the cast, whereas last week it felt like his arm was going to fall apart inside of it. He looked up at the doctor, then to his father, to Richard, and then to Merlin. His eye was caught there for a second, like a fish that just got a way, the tug of something strong, of something powerful. Merlin's eyes. They were so -

"Well, basically, the tests show that you can go home today. I would recommend at least a week of bed rest and at least a month before you start using that arm to do anything serious. If you have any problems or experience any worsening in pain, swelling, or fever, you call me right away, day or night, understand?"

Arthur's eyes came up at the word "understand". He hadn't really heard what he had said, but he nodded anyway. His eyes migrated around the room, trying his hardest not to look at Merlin.

"Thank you, doctor," Richard said. He gave Arthur a sympathetic look before facing the doctor to shake his hand.

"Anytime," the doctor replied, and he shook Richard's hand in return before walking out the door.

Uther walked over to Arthur and wrapped his arms around him. "My son, I'm so glad you're safe." He pulled back and looked Arthur in the eye. "Richard has agreed to pay all medical expenses," he said, and turned around slightly to nod at Richard. "Come, let's get you home. A proper rest is what you need right now."

Arthur could only nod in agreement.

They forced Arthur to be wheel-chaired out of the hospital, even to his distaste. Merlin followed behind, impatient as Arthur gimped his way into the car. Merlin slid in beside him, and there was an uncomfortable lock of eyes, which quickly ended with Arthur coughing and looking away, and Merlin blushing intensely.

The rolled up to the house a few hours later, the day slightly chilly but comfortable. Richard and Uther helped Arthur into the house and into his room, where they carefully laid him on his bed. Arthur felt pain swarm through his taut and sore muscles, but he relaxed quickly as the cool mattress enveloped him.

Richard spoke up. "Arthur, I'm so sorry for what happened, but I would like you to know that Merlin will be at your service until you're fully healed."

Merlin looked at him in surprise and Arthur looked at him like he was mad. Arthur and Merlin exchanged glances of disgust and confusion before Arthur spoke against it.

"Sir, please, that's not needed," Arthur pleaded. He wanted this to be as painless and as simple as possible, and he didn't think that having Merlin as his own personal servant wasn't the correct way to go about that. He glanced over to Merlin who looked like he was either going to cry, or throw up - or both.

Merlin began to open his mouth but Richard lifted a hand to preemptively silence him. "Please," he said, "I insist. Merlin will be at your hand and foot. Won't you, Merlin? Unless, of course, you don't want to go to on that trip in July like you had planned, hmm?" Richard leaned into Merlin a little and Merlin sighed and threw his hands in the air, leaving the room rather dramatically.

"Well, remember, if you need anything, just give him a call. Here's his number." Richard handed Arthur a small piece of paper, obviously ripped from a piece of printer paper. On it was Merlin's room number, his cell phone, skype number, and email. Arthur looked up at him, then to the paper, then to his dad, then back to the paper. He didn't know what he wanted; this could be a great way to exact some revenge, or maybe just an excuse to have Merlin arou -

"Now if you'll excuse me," Richard stated, almost out of place. He exited the room almost as dramatically as Merlin did.

Great. Arthur thought. I have to deal with him more than I need to... He sighed and picked up a book from his bookshelf, and decided to lay back and try to ignore all of the terrible things Merlin's family had managed to bring upon him.

Arthur fell to the ground. When he looked to his stomach, he saw blood. When he looked around him, he saw that the room was filled with the bodies of his friends. His knights. He looked around, again, for...

Merlin?

Arthur struggled, but he managed to make it into the hall of the castle. He walked for what felt like hours, feeling pulled. Needed. He didn't know where he was going, but he had to find Merlin, he had to find Merlin. He had to know he was okay.

Arthur entered the room above the castle, into the attic. There, on the floor, was the Court Physician Gaius, dead. He couldn't remember anything, he was so scared.

"MERLIN!" Arthur shouted.

No response came. No I'm right here, love.or, What are you yelling about you obnoxious clotpole? There was nothing but the wind against the castle and the gentle burning of the fire in the room.

Arthur fell to the ground, defeated, tears streaming down his face. He looked around before gently shutting his eyes.. He felt his life drain from his body, siphoned like water from well. The shadows of the room began to fold inwards on him, his mind unsettled but foggy, his heart racing but still, his eyes seeing but blind. The only sense that told him truth was the fleeting warmth and the hungering cold.

He was cold, so cold.

Merlin woke up to the sound of his phone going off. He twisted around to the alarm clock behind him. 6:30AM. Seriously, Merlin thought.

He opened his phone and read the text message and feeling irritable, he got up and slowly walked down the hall towards Arthur's room. When he got there, Arthur was facing away from him, apparently nose deep into a book, but his eyes snapped up to see Merlin standing there, staring at him with a glare that could pierce steel.

"Can you get me some... some water? Merlin?" Arthur asked politely. He met Merlin's gaze and Merlin's eyes softened. Arthur couldn't help but remember all of his dreams, the ones where he was in love with Merlin, where they were happy. Arthur reached over to his shelf and picked up a clear crystal glass where he then held it out to Merlin. "Please?" Arthur asked again.

Merlin couldn't help but smile. Something about this seemed so pure and perfect. He extended his hand and grabbed the glass. "Sure, of course. I'll be right back," Merlin said quickly.

Arthur sighed as Merlin left the room and put his face into his hands. He placed the book on his lap and laid back into the bed. What was he doing? He could feel something... something between him and Merlin, something he couldn't control, or understand, and he wasn't even sure that he wanted to understand.

Merlin returned a few minutes later with not only a glass, but a pitcher of water and various packets of water flavoring that he could find through the kitchen cabinets. He handed Arthur the glass and then held the packets up like they were something to be proud of. "I got you lemon, cherry, watermelon, grapefruit, orange, and blue raspb-"

"Blue raspberry," Arthur said quickly, interrupting Merlin. "That's my absolute favorite flavor of all time."

Merlin's eyes widened in excitement. "Me too!"

Merlin poured the packet into the glass and stirred it for Arthur, who was oddly staring not at what he was doing, but at Merlin's face. Merlin blushed with embarrassment and handed Arthur his glass. "Is there anything else you need?" Merlin asked.

"No... that's all," Arthur said, taking a sip from the delicious glass of liquid Merlin had made. "Thank you."

Merlin smiled and turned around to walk away.

"I'm sorry..." Arthur mumbled. Merlin turned around to see Arthur staring at his blanket. His eyes were heavy with guilt and sorrow as he brought his gaze up to meet Merlin's eyes. "I – I blamed you for everything that happened, I – I don't know why I did and I was wrong to but... there's something about you, Merlin. I don't want us to be enemies."

Merlin's face lit up like the morning sun and he blushed even harder than before. "I don't want to be either," he said. "Though. you still acted like a spoiled prat dollop-head."

"A... Dollop-head..." Arthur said slowly. "Well, at least I'm not an insufferable twat," he added conversationally, emphasising.

Merlin was going to say something incredibly witty and slick but he was caught by Arthur's eyes. They were so... blue... and big and beautiful, and the contrast with his hair – he couldn't help but be mesmerized.

"Hello, Merlin, Earth to Merlin!" Arthur said mockingly, waving his hands, trying to break Merlin out of his transe.

"Oh yeah, sorry was just... thinking..." Merlin replied.

"Well, like I was saying. Do you wanna... g – go somewhere? With me? Uhm... Later today, yeah?" Arthur sputtered out.

"Well, yes! Of course, sure!" Merlin said ecstatically, feeling his heart leap into his throat.

"Good," Arthur said. "Make sure you look presentable, which means comb your hair." Arthur chuckled. "I don't go on dates with just anyone, you know."

As Arthur stood up, Merlin's heart almost stopped with that word: Date. He was beginning to shake, and Arthur was walking closer and closer to him. Merlin looked up into his eyes.

"I am very picky about who I want a relationship with, because, I don't like to waste time, I'm not looking for a fuck," Arthur carried on, curling his fingers to run a lock of hair behind Merlin's ear. Merlin's skin broke out in goosebumps. "I'm looking for someone to spend the rest of my life with - I know its silly but I can't help it, I want to love and to be loved."

Merlin looked around the room, feeling embarrassed. When looked back up, Arthur was so close to his face.

So close.

His breath.

His face.

The gentle stubble on his chin.

It was all so perfect, so beautiful, everything was just - perfect.

Merlin swore he was dreaming.

Arthur swore he was dreaming.

Merlin woke up, covered in a thin layer of sweat. He looked over at his clock. 4:30 AM. It had been a dream. Merlin's eyes began to water. He felt so foolish. Of course Arthur wouldn't want to date him. Of course he wouldn't like the same drinks he did or notice him or want to be with him or – god damnit. Merlin leaned into his -

Arthur woke up, covered in a thin layer of sweat. He looked over at his clock, 4:30 AM. It had been a dream. Arthur's gaze shifted to his window, outside the moon was beginning to set and he saw the glitter of stars in the sky. Of course it had been a dream, he thought, just like the others. Merlin didn't like his favorite drink, Merlin didn't care about him - Arthur had made sure of that. Arthur had planted the seeds of destruction that he needed because he knew that nothing good would come out of a friendship or if Merlin was his boy -

Merlin couldn't help but cry at this point. He felt so alone and cold. He never before had a feeling like this, like disaster, like everything was going so wrong and there would be no way to fix anything. The tears grew cold on his face. He was sitting shirtless on his bed. The white sheets reflected the sheer isolation that he was in. Arthur was the was the wrinkled sheets, always moving and folding away, and Merlin was always chasing -

Arthur couldn't help but lay back down into his bed. His stomach was dense with the lead feeling of dread. He never before had a feeling like this, like catastrophe, like everything was going south and there wasn't anyway to change anything. He cuddled into his blanket, a few tears leaving his eyes and rolling into the pillow. He felt his isolation excel and consume him until he was a sobbing mess into his pillow. He didn't understand anything anymore. It was just Merlin - he didn't even know him, but that dream it was so -

Merlin got up and walked into his bathroom. He filled the sink with warm water and splashed some on his face before bringing himself to look at himself in the mirror. He felt so self-conscious about his face. Those pointy cheekbones, those large elephant ears, his scrawny texture, his ugly matted black hair. Merlin couldn't stand the feeling of being so small, so horribly small and so weak. He pulled out a small black case from underneath the sink and opened it. He removed a scalpel he stole quite some time ago and held it to his upper fore arm.

For once, seeing red wasn't so bad.

Arthur continued to lay in his bed. He was calming down now, sure that what he was feeling was just a ploy by his mind to find someone. He had been alone for so long, surely this was just his subconscious trying to trick him into being in love?

I'm infatuated, Arthur thought. It's nothing. Arthur pulled out his iPod and quickly scrolled for his new favorite song, something that would probably make him feel worse but better in the morning. Turning Tables –

"By Adele," Merlin whispered to nothing except his iPod. Merlin had wrapped his arm. Fifteen slices. Fifteen jolts of pain followed by rushes of euphoria. Fifteen layers of hate and abuse. That's how many it took to forget Arthur for just a second, to feel nothing but elated, to make everything feel as if it was right in the world. He put his ear buds in, and fell asleep to his favorite artist. The only woman other than his mother who could comfort him in the long tundra of teenage angst.

"Arthur. Arthur, wake up."

Arthur opened his eyes. It was daylight. Merlin was standing by his bed. The light was dawning through the curtains that Merlin had pulled back, letting in more light than Arthur would ever want in his life time, let alone so early in the morning.

"It's time to get up, sire" Merlin said, a grin stretched from ear to ear. He looked down upon the shirtless (and pants-less and undergarment-less, but Arthur purposefully slept that way, ever since - )

"Sire! Sire! SIRE SIRE SIRESIRESIRESIRESIRE!" Merlin droned on like the town idiot.

Arthur sat up in his bed, annoyed. He threw a pillow at Merlin in an attempt to get him to shut up. "Alright alright, already," he wined. "But I just fell asleep - "

"Like five minutes ago," Merlin finished the sentence for him. "It's what you say every morning, yes. Now get your arse up."

Arthur laid back down into his bed. He'd be damned if Merlin was going to tell him what to do. He felt something move around him, weight awkwardly shifted around and the blankets lifted up and then a hand and -

"Mmng!" Arthur groaned through his teeth. He opened his eyes saw the covers beneath him bobbing up and down. He felt the heat around him. He laid back and hissed as Merlin skillfully worked him over. Arthur grabbed the sheets and bucked his hips, his morning issues never ceased to leave him, and Merlin never ceased to relieve them. Arthur's thighs and groin became tense. One, two, three bucks of his hips and felt himself let go into Merlin.

Merlin crawled up from underneath the sheets and smiled at Arthur, swallowing audibly and grinning again. Arthur chuckled and felt Merlin's length against his leg.

"Merlin, is that a candlestick in your pocket? Do you know what the price is from stealing from the king?" Arthur joked.

"Sire, I would never steal from you, but then again you also know that these pants have no pockets... though they do have a very convenient opening in the front of them," Merlin said cockily and rather breathless. He leaned in. Arthur closed his eyes, waiting for the kiss, waiting to take Merlin into himself, waiting to show him just how much he loved him.

Beepbeepbeep

Arthur's eyes shot open at the obnoxious sound of his alarm. 8:00AM. He sat up gently, being careful not to abuse any of the muscles that had been damaged in the fall. He looked over at his desk and picked up his phone, where inside was the paper that Richard had given him.

Merlin.

He couldn't keep living like this. What was going on? Why did he feel this way? He closed his eyes in disgust and threw his phone across the room. It smashed against the wall and then landed on the floor, battery popping out and sliding somewhere off yonder. Arthur sighed into his hands and laid back down.

Merlin woke up gently. His arm was sore, but that was to be expected. He looked at the gauze. It was a little pink, but it looked like he hadn't bled through over night. He got up and quickly changed into a long sleeve shirt and his favorite scarf. Today is going to be a good day - it has to be, Merlin thought. He strode out of his room like he was the king of the world, even though his heart was telling him he was nothing more then a spec of dirt on the ground.