Sempiternal [Merthur]

Tƿeġen

"Gaius! Gaius!"

Merlin burst through the door, his voice hoarse and out of breath from running all the way home. His body ached, and his legs were on fire, but he didn't feel a thing at that moment. Joy was overpowering every other emotion in his body. Arthur was back and that was all that mattered.

He had left Gwen at campus, seeing as she wanted to explore and familiarize herself with her new surroundings, but Merlin couldn't, or rather wouldn't, think of school in that moment. His mind was clouded over with thoughts of Arthur, of his past, and of what the future could hold. After all the waiting, he had finally come. He almost couldn't believe it himself, and he'd seen the prince with his own eyes. The run home was merely a blur, his only goal to reach Gaius.

Merlin screamed Gaius' name again, slamming the door behind him. The older man hurried to the living room from his study, worst-case scenarios clouding his mind as he heard the boy screeching from the doorway. But when he came into the room, he didn't see broken bones or Merlin's body slowly conforming to that of a toad, like he had witnessed too many times before. Instead, he saw on the young man's face a smile that seemed like a ghost of something long ago, and a glimmer in his eyes that shone brighter than ever before.

He let out the breath that he was holding, giving the boy a stern look. "What in God's name is it Merlin? I thought the house was on fire again!"

"Ok, Gaius, that was legitimately one time and that wasn't even magic related nor was it my fault," Merlin said with a smile on his face, his hands out in defense. Gaius rolled his eyes, repeating his question. The boy just smiled wider.

"He's back."

"Merlin, please, who's back, we've talked about completing your sentences."

The younger boy laughed as the physician looked at him, still puzzled. Merlin's heart felt like it was soaring in his chest, a weight finally lifted from his shoulders. He then walked over to the couch, jumping on it and laying down, Gaius' eyes still on him (thinking that Merlin was downright intoxicated).

"Arthur's finally back, Gaius."

Gaius blinked twice, letting the information process. He then took a seat himself across from the boy who had his head in the clouds. A small smile crept onto his lips as well, but he wouldn't let hope grow too large too fast. In his many years, he had learned to not get excited. It was almost too convenient for him, finding Arthur when hope was nearly gone. He hoped that it wasn't the case.

"Merlin, are you sure it was Arthur?"

"Of course I'm sure, I think I'd know the face of Arthur Pendragon better than anyone else would. Gwen saw him too, if you don't believe me."

"But did you two come in contact?"

"You mean did I touch him?"

"Well, I didn't want to say it like that, but yes. Did you?"

Merlin's eyes sparkled again and he sat up, not being able to be still for long. "Yeah, yeah I did. And I got the visions."

And to Gaius and Merlin, that was the most important thing. Getting the visions. Whenever Merlin touched a person who was from Camelot, the visions would begin, like the brain was trying to piece together the fact that something seemingly from a book of fantasy was actually a forgotten past. The visions would continue for days, weeks, or even months until the person accepted that past as their own. It seemed that if they didn't, madness would soon be their new companion. But that only happened once before.

The sorcerer and his guardian both were quiet for a moment. The two had been waiting for this for years, and it was surreal to finally live to see it. 'What a time to be alive', as people would say.