So we meet again... (a merthur au)

Ships in the Night

He tried to remember the poem Merlin had read to him, but focused on his memory of Merlin's pained face as he read it.

...

The return of memory began with a feeling, a coldness, before he could close his eyes and see the battleworn ground around him.

Loomed over him, crying, was Merlin-- a heartbroken, crying mess. This was missing, his death as King Arthur. It was still in pieces, but the pieces were so vivid now.

"I can't live without you, Arthur!" Merlin whispered desperately, dragging him along, straining his strength.

King Arthur was barely mentally coherent at this point, going in and out, but begged with his eyes for Merlin to stay, to be the last thing he sees, "Thank you."

While King Arthur's thoughts should have been on his wife, whom he did love but differently than this, his entire being in that moment clung desperately to Merlin. Merlin, whom Arthur was convinced was his soulmate, if such a thing were to exist. Arthur memorized in his last moments how Merlin looked, his pain and regret. He had nearly mouthed the words of love he felt, but they felt too heavy on his lips. Then, he slipped away.

...

His body, which seemed to feel the weight of armor and death in residual energy from the memory made him attempt to dig deeper in his mind. He began to mutter aloud, disturbing Wade who watched with silent interest.

"America. Hospital. Tuberculosis. I was Artie then... Died of TB after a few years under Mer-- Emrys's care... Remember, damn it! Why can't I--"

...

This one seemed to come more slowly than all the others so far, it was as though slowly breaching the surface of a pool of water. First he could smell must, feel sweat sliding down his face in streaks, body wrenching in pain, nausea with every swallow-- then, it was as though he opened his eyes within the memory. A cool hand was pressed against his cheek, slender fingers trembling.

"Artie... Why must you always leave me to face this world alone?" Emrys sobbed, his hair unkempt and greasy.

"Doctor Emrys, I must say, your bedside manner needs work," he felt himself say in a raspy whisper, humorous despite its frailty. "Let a dying man have his pleasures, eh?"

"Artie, I wish you wouldn't make fun at a time like this..." Emrys smiled despite himself, wiping the tears from his face.

"Emrys?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." Artie whispered, eyes finally misting over. "You know that, right?"

Emrys swallowed hard, nodding briskly, "Of course."

"Will you remember our promise? No matter how long it takes?"

"Even if it never happens?" Emrys exhaled sharply.

"Don't think like that," Artie became serious, "Believe in me, will you?"

"I will... because it's you." Emrys shuddered, reaching out and kissing him longingly on the lips.

He moved back and held Artie's hand as he smiled peacefully, watching Emrys. Over the course of the next half hour, Artie finally closed his eyes for the last time.