A New World, 5 New Things (Merthur)

I'm Here Now

April 23rd, 2017. The day that Arthur's raised again.
Merlin was sitting next to the lake, an old man just waiting for a dragon's promise, an old man without nothing waiting for everything. "Why would this day be different?" he thought. Hundred of years, next to that lake, Avalon, the old Avalon. But it was his destiny. "Arthur... Today is a good day, please, I'm waiting... Like always."
And he didn't needed to wait anymore.
He didn't knew if it was a dream or he was just needing glasses but he saw the water start moving, making circles and a light began to appear. A man with a sword and blonde hair was in front of him. It seemed that nothing had changed and Merlin felt his heart beating fast.

-Arthur? - he asked, shaking.

-Merlin? Is that you? - finally a hug! A long one. - Why so old?

-Oh, I don't know... Maybe because I waited hundreds of years for you! Dollophead!

-Hundreds of years? What are you talking? Why... is everything different?

Merlin knew it wouldn't be easy explain everything... Cars? Cell phones? TV? Music? Clothes?! He waited all that time but he wasn't prepare for that. He said some words and Arthur fall asleep. Ah, magic. What a gift.

He took Arthur to his house, a simple one in the other side of the road. The decoration was really old and it looked like Gaius place, the only place he felt like home.
He left Arthur in his bed and made some tea. Both would need it.
A couple hours later he woke up and found Merlin next to a fireplace.

-A bit hot for that, perhaps?

-Arthur... Seat here with me, I made tea.

Without any question he did what Merlin said. The silence was painful for some reason, so much to say but they couldn't find the perfect words.

-Can you use your magic? - how weird was for him hearing that from Arthur? Quite a lot! Most of the time he didn't even remember that his friend knew that he was a sorcerer.

-For what?

-To change? Can you just be... the old Merlin? I mean, the young old Merlin? Is just weird see you like that.

-I don't know, I never tried, I never wanted it, to be honest.

-You like to be old?

-Helps me to forget everything, it's the only normal thing about me, I can't die but I  can get older.

-I'm here now and I told you, to be who you are, you will never be normal and that makes me happy. For me?

Merlin smiled. "For you?" he thought "for you I would do everything."

He murmured inexpressible words, not knowing that would work, and a second after he was young, again. He felt weird and sad.

-I failed you.

-Dont say that Merlin, it's ok, I'm here now and I will never leave you. Not again. Not now that my ugly man is back.

-I'm your ugly man?

-Yes, in a friendly way... Don't make this awkward! -  he smiled. Oh, that smile could change people, give peace to world, make the sun feel jealous of Arthur because he was the light in every place. If he didn't knew in the past, he knew now. Arthur was his destiny for so many reasons.

Merlin started explain that they where on 2017, that everything was different even if Arthur couldn't understand most of the things. He showed him a mug, the electricity, what Arthur called of sorcery, and a cell phone.

-You can speak with people using this...

-How?

-It's hard to explain... You write the number and you can speak with them...

-Yes, but how?

-Magic, dollophead! Now everything works with magic but no one knows so, shh, you can't tell them.

Arthur wasn't clearly convinced about it but he didn't want to be annoying or show that he couldn't understand something. He wanted to say that, in that moment, he only wanted to go hunting something, for a simple walk on the woods to a simple friendly fight with someone, one of the things he used to do in his time as a prince.... or a king. His friends, all dead now, he and Merlin were the last ones alive.

-Can we go outside? Please.

-Of course, we can go to a coffee...

-A what?

-You know, part of me wants you in that lake again... - both laughed because it wasn't true, Merlin couldn't be more happy - I will show you, just act normal.

He gave Arthur normal clothes: jeans, a t-shirt, a coat and helped him dressed, like always. Arthur felt good with that, the clothes were different, a bit more thigh but comfortable and after some time they left the house.
Merlin was right, as always, everything, everything was different! The houses, the smell, the people, the road and something that weren't horses on the road with people inside. Even the woods around that place were different.
They went to the coffee and the lady behind the balcony looked to Merlin with a strange expression. "She knows my face, but now I'm young again, she doesn't know that I'm the old man... And I never said goodbye."

-Sorry boy, your face... Do we know each other?

-I don't think so, probably you know my grandfather! Emrys? The old man always on the lake. - that's was a clever lie!

-Oh, yes, you really look like him! What a nice old man. I have something for him...

-Sorry to tell you this but he died, this morning, sleeping.

-Oh my God! I'm so sorry! - a tear start falling from her face - He was so nice, everyone here will miss him. I will make your coffee, sorry.

Merlin felt bad because of that but it was something he needed to to.

-That's wasn't good, what you did...

-He died, I told the truth.

The lady appeared with two coffees and smiled, they did the same. Arthur looked like he had afraid of the dark liquid on his mug but he tried.

-So?

-I guess I can live in this new world.

"It's good, really good, but can I really forget my past and live here?" he started thinking. He looked to Merlin and only then he realized that, with him, he could live anywhere, for Merlin he could try. He had everything he needed right there, in front of him. "One day at a time."