Merlin and Arthur walked into a large shop, where oddities ranging from Ouija boards to medieval swords and axes adorned the walls.
Arthur loved this stuff; he had been addicted to the Arthurian legends since he was a young boy. He walked up to a large shield that was crafted after the shields that had supposedly been used in Camelo and felt a surge of disorientating familiarity. He brushed his fingers over the fine coat. It was so real and so authentic, and he could see it on his arm as he fought away hundreds of enemies.
"See something you like?" Merlin asked as he came up behind Arthur. He had a huge grin on his face like he had just won the lottery.
"Yeah, but there's no way I can afford this." Arthur chuckled and held up the price tag that read $150.
"Hmm..." Merlin looked up at the ceiling contemplatively before walking over to the cashier. They talked for a few seconds before Merlin pulled something out of his wallet.
Arthur walked to them.
"What was that about?" Arthur asked as the cashier disappeared into the back room.
"I just bought you that shield," Merlin said all too casually, as if it were really nothing important. "And I'm having it delivered to my house so we don't have to lug it through security."
Arthur took a step back. "Merlin! You really didn't have to do that."
The cashier walked back and handed Merlin his card, and Merlin turned again to face Arthur. "I know, but I wanted to. I wanted to thank you for coming and not being such a spoiled prat." Arthur rolled his eyes and Merlin smiled. "It's been almost bearable having you here."
Arthur grabbed Merlin's head and put him in a head lock, nuzzling his hair with his fist.
"You know, Merlin," Arthur said while grinding his fist into Merlin and Merlin squealing uncontrollably, "I could be so much worse. Say uncle!"
"Uncle! UNCLE!" Merlin yelled, and Arthur let go with a laugh. They both took a few steps back, only to see the cashier looking at them both as if they were completely mad.
"... Right then," Merlin said, embarrassed, and he began walking backwards, awkwardly staring at the cashier before swapping his gaze to Arthur who looked just as embarrassed. Both Merlin and Arthur looked at each other and broke out laughing and proceeded to leave the store as if nothing had even happened at all.
"Brits are so weird..." said the cashier under his breath, and he sat on his chair as he watched after Arthur and Merlin walk down the street, arm in arm.
After a few hours of shopping, and Arthur reluctantly receiving gifts from Merlin, they made their way home. Merlin had his face stuffed into his ice cream cone with Arthur right behind him, his own nose deep into a bowl of Chili. Merlin turned around and started walking backwards so he could see and talk to Arthur.
It was 3AM, and they were unwittingly being followed by a group who had been eyeing them for hours, now. How could they have known, really?
"You know," Merlin said, his mouth still stuffed with ice cream, "this has probably been the best day of my life."
Arthur choked back on his Chili. He looked forward at Merlin, really appreciating, not for the first time, they time they had spent together. "I agree, Merlin," he responded.
They both smiled at each other and continued walking with the cool summer air on their necks, away from the bright lights of the shops and the restaurants and towards the large tower that was their hotel.
It was so quick that Merlin didn't even notice until it was too late. He felt a sharp object placed at his back just as his ice cream cone fell to the ground and he flung his hands back in defence, but there was a thick arm was around his neck. Merlin's eyes snapped to Arthur, who was also struggling against a man behind him.
"Stop fucking moving or I'll cut you mother fucking eyes out!" yelled the masked figure behind Merlin.
Merlin's heart was racing. He stopped moving almost instantly and watched helplessly as Arthur continued to fight back and struggle against the larger man.
"We want every fucking cent you have," said the man holding Merlin. Arthur stared at Merlin in shock, unable to believe he was being robbed.
Merlin's mind raced, strategically trying to find the most efficient way to effectively disarm his attacker, without killing him. He was trained lightly in karate and jujitsu but he didn't know if that would be enough. He's about five foot ten inches, about one hundred and eighty pounds. The weight on my left shoulder tells me that his right knee is either injured or weak; his balance is off... if I apply just the right leverage I could trip him up and manoeuvre around him. The blade at my back is about six inches from him, being held by his left hand, placed at just the right angle so that if he stabs me it'll hit my kidney. If he punctures my kidney I have about forty five minutes or so before I bleed to death, assuming he just nicks it, it could be a lot less if he gets a deep cut.
Arthur could feel what Merlin was doing. He knew. He was calculating an escape route. "Don't do it Merlin!" he yelled. His eyes were pleading, but Merlin was deaf to his wise words.
"Shut up!" the attacker said, and he struck Arthur in the back of the head.
Arthur drew his sword and turned around, fending off the attacked by parrying his blow, and he recoiled back and sliced through the bandit's stomach.
Merlin held out his hand, little bolts of lightning extended across the forest and struck a bandit in the chest. He weaved the lightning around, taking out one, two, three, four bandits.
Arthur flung the masked man over his shoulder and twisted his arm. He felt the bones of his elbow and shoulder twist and rip out of place. The masked attacker landed on his back, unmoving.
Merlin twisted his weight and brought his body back, before leaning into the arm around his neck and sliding under and out. He turned around on a dime and his palm collided with the attacker's throat.
Arthur pulled out his cross bow, already armed with an arrow and shot it at Merlin, zooming by his head and hitting the bandit behind him square in the eyes. Merlin gave Arthur a smile.
Merlin drew his leg up and brought it down on the attacker's weak knee. Merlin felt it crack and the attacker fell backward.
Arthur sheathed his sword and turned to face Merlin, his eyes wide.
Merlin watched as the attackers ran off into the darkness before turning around. Arthur was looking at him in surprise, and not with pride or triumph, but with fear.
Merlin looked down to see blood seeping through his shirt and fell to the ground. His knees made sharp contact with the concrete and he slouched forward, thereby exposing the six inch dagger buried deep into his back.
Merlin could feel heat on his neck. He opened his eyes slowly to see the light of dawn breaking through the window and then stretched his arms up. When he brought them down again, he hit Arthur in the face.
"Ouch, Merlin, watch what you're doing!" Arthur looked down at him. He was sitting against the head board of the bed and reading an old and tattered book.
Merlin turned over and cuddled up to him. "I'm sorry, sire," he said sleepily.
"Merlin, how many times do I have to tell you? It's Arthur. You're my prince now. You don't have to call me 'sire'."
"I know, but, it's just – weird – calling you Arthur and not sire," Merlin complained. He rested his head on Arthur's lap and buried his head in the crook in his thigh. Arthur wasn't wearing pants. Merlin liked that.
"Well," Arthur replied, "I guess four years of being my personal manservant does that to you..." Arthur's sentence trailed off. He looked at the opposite wall, thinking of all the times they spent together.
Merlin sat up and leaned into Arthur, kissing his neck. Arthur closed his eyes and stretched his neck away, trying to give Merlin the most room he could. Merlin's kissed and sucked and dabbed his tongue along Arthur's skin, tasting his flesh while his other hand ran circles on Arthur's shirtless body.
Arthur pulled back and looked at Merlin, and he gently leaned in, giving him a gentle kiss to match.
Merlin felt life flow back into him. His back hurt. He opened his eyes to a dark room, filled with an array of lights that looked something similar to a fair or a boardwalk at the beach. He couldn't see much around him except blobs of black and gray which exchanged outlines as they merged and contorted around him. What... what happened? Merlin thought to himself. He tried to trace his memory back to the last thing he could remember. Arthur... ice cream... Arthur... Arthur... robbed.
Merlin gasped and sat up. His back screamed in protest as he looked around frantically, but he ignored the pain. Arthur, Arthur, Arthur.
There he was. Merlin squinted, but he could see him in the corner of the room wrapped in his coat on a small chair. Arthur. Merlin had never been happier to see him. He felt safe again.
"Arthur... A-Arthur..." Merlin tried to call out to him, but his mouth was dry and he was weak. The pain in his back made it hard to breathe. Merlin gave up. He lay back into the tough hospital bed and let himself drift off to sleep.
"So... what now, sire?" Merlin asked.
"Now, we wait," Arthur responded casually.
Merlin picked up his pace in an attempt to keep up with Arthur and asked, "Wait for what?"
"Look, it's none of your business okay?" Arthur said irritably. "It's all royal counsel princely stuff and it doesn't concern you so can you please just do your job and leave me alone?"
Merlin looked hurt. He stopped following Arthur and kicked the dirt beneath his shoes. He hated when Arthur talked to him like that and made him feel small - like a fool.
Arthur turned around and looked at Merlin. He couldn't stand how insufferable he was but something about how he was standing, something about how he was pouting, staring at his shoes... He couldn't just leave him behind.
"Come on then, Merlin," Arthur called. "We're going to be late."
Merlin looked up and smiled. He giddily ran up to Arthur and stood by his side, entering the castle doors.
Merlin woke up to the sound of talking. He couldn't make out the voices but they were terribly annoying and he had a horrible head ache. His eyes opened to the blinding light of the day that scolded his eyes. He groaned in response.
"Oi, Merlin!"
Merlin fully opened his eyes and let the room come into focus. Arthur was up against his bed, leaning in close. Merlin could smell his minty breath, the scent of his hair, like lavender tea. Arthur's face was distorted by the morning glaze on his eyes but he could see that Arthur was smiling.
"Oh, my poor Merlin."
Merlin looked around Arthur to see his mother standing behind him, her face red and her make-up smudged like she had been crying. She walked past Arthur and leaned in to hug Merlin, who felt cold against her. Hunith started to sob.
"Mother, it's okay... really..." Merlin said lazily. She pulled herself back and looked him square in the eyes.
"Oh I know, the doctors said you'd be fine but... I mean... I could have lost my baby..." she sobbed into a tissue.
"Excuse me."
They all turned to the door. A doctor was standing there.
"Mrs. Bane, can I see you for a moment?" the doctor asked.
"S-sure..." she responded, and exited the room.
Merlin watched her leave and then looked back at Arthur, whose smile faded and looked hurt. His cheeks became red, his eyes already swollen, and his lips trembled as he turned his head away.
"Arthur," Merlin began. "Are you... okay?"
Arthur turned around and walked quickly towards Merlin. He wrapped his arms around him and held him close. Merlin gasped at the contact. Arthur is touching me, oh God, he's hugging me.
Arthur pulled away almost just as quickly with tears streaming down his face. His nostrils were flared and his hair was messy and sticking up in every direction.
"I... was worried sick!" he cried, and tried to regain his composure as he stood. "If I had just let them take the money... if I hadn't tried to be a hero then maybe you wouldn't be..." He looked at Merlin, helpless in a white gown in a hospital. He looked at the dark bags under Merlin's eyes, the IV drip hooked into his arm, the heart monitor beeping. "They told me," Arthur continued, "that if I had been just ten more minutes late... that I could have... that you would have..." He was in a full uncontrollable sob and all but collapsed onto the edge of Merlin's bed.
Merlin reached forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. He slowly rubbed Arthur's back and Arthur looked up at him. Merlin didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to even feel. It wasn't his fault. Merlin would have fought no matter what, but he was just happy that they both we're alive and that Arthur was here with him, now, in his hospital bed.
"It's not your fault," Merlin said after a few minutes. "It's the fault of whoever tried to hurt us."
Arthur turned his head away from Merlin as Hunith entered the room, the doctor entered behind her.
"Oh Arthur, good news!" Hunith exclaimed. "Apparently the knife didn't go as deep as the doctors thought, you're almost all healed up!" She was almost jumping for joy. Her tears had dried up and she was smiling, recovering just as quickly as Merlin had seemed to.
A few days had gone by. Richard was at important meetings all week so he couldn't fly in to see him, but Merlin was feeling much better. Arthur visited him every day, and they talked about everything. American football, real football, the city, but it wasn't until the third day until the real questions starting coming out. It was late at night, almost 11PM and Arthur and Merlin were sitting next to each other in Merlin's hospital bed. The doctors had let Arthur stay since he had nowhere else to go (the hotel had a policy that only guests could stay at the room if the registered occupant was there) and his mother had rented a hotel room nearby.
"How many girlfriends have you had?" Arthur asked, taking a bite of this amazingly delicious snack called Snickers. He looked over and saw Merlin blush and tilt his head down. "So is that... a lot then?" Arthur asked again.
Merlin turned to him, still red. "I haven't had... any... actually..." he said embarrassedly. He gazed up at the television and did his best to avoid Arthur's own gaze. "What about you... how many women have you shagged?"
Arthur spit his coffee back into his cup at the question. "Really Merlin?" he laughed. "Way to be subtle."
They laughed together. It felt good, Arthur thought.
"None," Arthur answered eventually. "There really haven't been any either. I don't know if it was the responsibility or the lack of a public school, but I just never... became interested." Arthur took another bite of his Snickers. How have I not had one before?
So... he's never had a girlfriend, or he's lying, or maybe he really is gay, but I doubt that I mean, I've been so obvious and that probably means he just wants to be friends or something. Jesus fucking Christ, why does it always have to be me, why do I always have to be the ugly one with the stupid ears and the dumb cheekbones and fall in love with people who would never love me back? Merlin thought angrily. He lifted his hands behind his head in frustration.
"Merlin... what's that?" Arthur asked, pointing to his forearm. Merlin turned in horror as he realized that Arthur was talking about his cuts.
Arthur looked at Merlin, a shade of anger and a tint of sorrow filled his face. Merlin and Arthur sat there for a few seconds before Arthur finally opened his mouth.
"Merlin... do you cut?" Arthur asked bluntly. The look on his face shifted to disappointment, and Merlin found it difficult to look into his eyes. Merlin turned his head in shame. He felt tears well up in his eyes. He felt all of his sorrow, all of his hate, all of his rage flow out. The whole point of those cuts were to keep him sane, dammit, but having them found out, he couldn't take it. Tears flowed down his face as he turned back up to look at Arthur, who was less than five inches from him.
Arthur leaned in and rested his forehead on Merlin's. He lifted his hand and rested it on Merlin's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "Merlin," Arthur whispered into Merlin's ear, his breath gently tossing the few locks of Merlin's dark hair behind him. "If you ever have anything you need to talk about, you talk to me, okay?"
Merlin nodded into Arthur's shoulder and let out a sob. Of course I would, but how do I talk to you about the fact that I think I'm in love with you? Merlin continued to cry and Arthur stroked his hair. Their embrace lasted for a few more minutes before Merlin pulled away.
"I'm getting tired," Merlin croaked, his voice raw and hoarse from crying. He looked up to Arthur with a half longing half depressing look. Arthur took this as a sign that he should probably leave him to himself. Arthur turned to get out of Merlin's bed but felt a hand on his arm.
"Will you stay in my bed with me tonight?" Merlin asked hesitantly, and then panicked when Arthur looked surprised. He didn't want Arthur to freak out and think he's gay or be weird so he manipulated the scene a bit with an added, "It just gets cold in here, and I really don't want to be alone tonight, you're like my best friend and I just... need some company. Is that okay?"
Arthur's gaze stretched deep into Merlin. Best friend. Merlin looked so broken, so sad. Arthur brought his legs back into bed and laid back beside Merlin, the bed was small but it was big enough for the two of them. "Alright," Arthur replied, "but only for tonight. And it's just because the chair is really uncomfortable. I'd much rather share my bed with swine."
Merlin looked down at Arthur and smiled and Arthur smiled back. Merlin lay back beside Arthur and pulled the blanket up over both of them. Together, shoulder to shoulder, they drifted off into the world of dreams.