He had just dropped Amy and Rory of back to their home and as he was walking to the Tardis, he saw him. That grizzled blue eyed old man with a thick long bushy white beard and a long cane. And that man saw him too. The Doctor sighed. It wasn't like The Doctor didn't like him it was just… the man hated him.
And he could always spot The Doctor. Regardless of how many times The Doctor had changed his face, and even without an introduction. He. Always. Knew.
The Doctor looked up and the man jerked his head to a close bench. The Doctor almost smiled, it was as if he was ordering him around.
He trudged along until he got side by side with the old man until they sat on the bench side by side in silence. Each one just staring in front of them at the steady stream of cars that drove past.
The Doctor even spied a look at the Tardis, thinking to himself that he could make a break for it and get in before the old man realised, he had ditched him. But The Doctor didn't in fact he sat back and relaxed.
"Which face is it now, Doctor?" his voice deep and dripping with impatience. The Doctor turned to face him. The old man's face was tight and composed.
"Oh, so you know it's me?" The Doctor said feeling the need to annoy the man beside him. The man turned his head slowly and stared at The Doctor not saying another word, The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the severe expression on the old man's face, "Well since you are so curious, Merlin. It's number eleven." The old man grunted like a boar in acknowledgement… or was it annoyance? He did after all say his name.
"Why are you here, Doctor?"
"Why so curious?"
"Usually when you are around trouble is afoot and I'd rather not get involved in your problems."
"Afoot? Wow Merlin you are getting old. Young people don't say that anymore." Merlin didn't even acknowledge he spoke. They sat in silence, before The Doctor decided if it was fair for Merlin to ask questions he would to, "Why are you here?"
"I live here." Merlin finally answered him.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "So far away from-."
"I've travelled the world, Doctor. I've been a lot further away than London." Merlin spoke.
"Right. I thought you'd want to stick around that area. He is your des- argh! What was that for?!" He couldn't even finish his sentence before Merlin had jabbed his cane into his foot.
"If I am to be lectured in responsibility by any person. The last person would be you, Doctor! Are you still traveling with companions?" The Doctor didn't respond, "I would have thought you would have learnt by now that all you do is cause them harm." The Doctor stood up, he wasn't going to listen to this, he took a step but the man spoke once more, "Sit back down, Doctor we have not finished."
The Doctor scoffed, "I know what you want. You want the answer to your question, don't you?" The man said nothing, "Yeah well I can't give you that answer." The man breathed heavily out of his nose and his hands tightened around his cane.
"Can't or won't?" Despite their differences, The Doctor did pity Merlin. The time between their meetings went quickly for The Doctor but for Merlin, they went very slowly.
They met a long time ago. A very long time ago. Merlin was a broken man then and even though it had been a millennium since their first meeting and he was hardly any different. Still quick to annoy. Very brash. Very aggressive and very brutal. The Doctor couldn't blame him for that. But it didn't mean he had to like him.
But the answer remained. Merlin was a fixed person in time. The Doctor could not alter with him. Couldn't change a thing about him. Or tell him any information he could use. Even talking to him now was dangerous. It could destroy the future. But also, The Doctor ignoring him could lead to catastrophe. So, The Doctor made sure to keep a list of things to say when Merlin asked him difficult questions.
"I asked you a question Doctor!" The Doctor shook his head.
"Sorry I was… doesn't matter. Look I can't. I just can't!"
"Why not? You always say that and you never tell me why?"
"Because again I can't. It's difficult to know what I can and can't say. But if I tell you anything, it will not end well!" The Doctor warned.
"So what? I am supposed to wander in obscurity never knowing when." The Doctor didn't say anything, "Does it even happen?" Again, The Doctor said nothing. "Such an asshole. And you wonder why I hate you?" The man murmured out his voice dripping with venom.
"I'm sorry."
"Sure." The man stood up and stood next to him, "Come back to me when you inevitably lose those companions of yours so I can say the say the same thing. Except when I say it, I'll actually mean it." The man spat at the floor and hobbled away. The Doctor blinked and felt a gust of wind as the man disappeared from sight.
The Doctor exhaled deeply and rubbed his forehead before finally making his way back to the Tardis.