"What on earth are you doing?"
Merlin comes down the stairs, wondering where his king had run off to, when he spots him at the kitchen table, hunched over a piece of paper with a pencil. His brow furrowed in concentration.
His head snaps up when hearing Merlin and stops scribbling at once. "Merlin, you're awake already?"
He makes his way closer to Arthur when he notices it's not a piece of paper Arthur is writing on but a notebook, one he's never seen before. He frowns at Arthur then they both look at the clock. "Mate, it's already 11:00. Why are you awake before me? You never are."
The notebook closes and Arthur rolls his eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about Merlin." He stands up, pats Merlin on the head as he passes him going back towards the stairs while leaving Merlin confused and half naked in the kitchen.
He's also hungry. And in need of a coffee. Or several.
He shakes his head and walks more into the kitchen going over to turn the coffee machine on when he notices his green Yeti already full of coffee. He furrows his eyebrows and takes a sip.
He pulls it away from his face and grins.
"Merlin." Arthur says as he comes back into the kitchen but this time fully dressed in a red shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans that look very nice on him if Merlin does say so himself. "I want to do something today." He leans against the counter as Merlin sips his coffee again, eyes going back to Arthur's face.
He swallows, placing his coffee cup back on the counter. "Okay, what did you have in mind? Also thank you for the coffee." He places his hand on Arthur's arm, giving it a squeeze getting a shy smile in return.
"I hope it's how you like it, I tried to remember." He says shrugging and the thought of Arthur paying attention to him enough to remember what he takes in his coffee makes Merlin's heart stutter in his chest and a warm feeling take over him.
"Hey Arthur?"
Blue eyes meet his own. "Yes?"
"I love you."
Arthur grins softly at him and leans in, covering Merlin's lips in a soft kiss that makes it feel like the world has stopped in that moment.
Kissing Arthur is always earth stopping.
"I love you too. Now please go get dressed." He mumbles against his lips causing Merlin to chuckle. He pulls back and places a hand on Arthur's cheek before pulling back fully and walking back towards the stairs.
He passes the couch where Lilith is laying on her back, sleeping with a blanket wrapped around her. He rolls his eyes as he makes his way upstairs towards their room.
He gets out a fresh pair of jeans, boxers and shirt and takes a quick shower before getting a pair of socks out and putting them on as well. He shakes his unruly hair out and frowns at it in the mirror.
Maybe he should get a hair cut.
He goes back downstairs and sees Arthur eating an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. "Should I get a haircut?" He asks running his hands through his hair, frowning.
Arthur looks up from the laptop he's got open, must have gotten it while waiting for Merlin. He's probably on google searching up more random things.
Merlin looked at the search history and Arthur has a wide range of things he's googled from pancakes to different parts of the world and to how to build a house videos on YouTube. It's a strange combination but normal for someone who has no idea what most things are these days still. He looks past Arthur's quirks now. Well these ones anyways.
"A haircut? Why?" He says frowning. "I like your hair the way it is, but if you want to cut it then be my guest." He walks over to Arthur and glances at the laptop and it's a Reddit quiz on which Supernatural character you are. Of course it is.
"Well it's gotten long hasn't it?" Merlin asks and Arthur pets Merlin's head like he's a dog- or a dragon in this matter. Merlin swats his hands away. "It's a little unkempt at most times."
He grins at him. "Merlin, it's your hair. I'll love you either way. I mean I may have a hard time if you take it all off and go bald but I'll love you still." Merlin laughs and shakes his head.
"I would never go that far so don't worry." He says walking over and taking a pink hoodie that was hanging off the back of the couch and pulls it on over his black shirt. "What did you have in mind today?" He flops down on the cushion, nudging Lilith over.
Arthur comes into the living room, laptop in hand now closed and places it in the middle of the coffee table. "I mean, we went the museum, and we went to a fair and we've done other things as well...we don't have to do anything big like those. I just don't feel like being cooped up right now. I'd love to go hunting honestly. I miss just going out and being surrounded by woods and my knights, even if we didn't catch anything; just getting away for a while was always a joy."
Merlin groans. "God am I glad that's over with. I don't miss that, the hunting part that is. I do miss the getting away part though, that I agree with you on." Arthur rolls his eyes and Merlin looks at him from the couch.
"I have an idea." He says and stands up, he and Arthur get their shoes and coats on, grab their coffees and head out, locking the door behind them. They make there way towards the truck, Merlin pulling his beanie on his head doing so.
They climb in and put the seatbelts on. Merlin smiling to himself when Arthur does it right the first time. He starts the engine and looks at Arthur, gently biting his lip. "It's going be a little bit of a trip if you're up for it."
"Of course." Is all Arthur says and Merlin pulls out of the driveway, turning the music on softly as Arthur watches out the window as the world passes them by.
They drive through town quickly and head off to the country side again, going down roads and turns that Merlin hasn't been on in a very long time. Arthur never has and Merlin's not sure how he feels about this trip he chose.
They drive along the highway that's stretched along the lake, you can see the Isle Of The Blessed in the distance, covered in a blanket of fog as usual.
Arthur watches it as they go. Merlin would love to know what's going on inside his head right about now, but he leaves it as it is.
The drive is quiet and nothing but the sound of the radio fills the truck, some song called Lonely Ones is playing. They keep driving for over just two hours before Merlin turns down a road and parks the truck by the woods.
Arthur gives him a weird look when Merlin lets out a breath and looks at Arthur before taking off his seatbelt and getting out, Arthur follows.
Merlin can see Arthur look around in confusion, probably wondering why he's parked out by the woods in the middle of nowhere.
"Come on then." Merlin motions and Arthur trails after him going into the woods, on a trail that looks like it hasn't been walked on in a very long time.
If you don't watch closely you could easily get lost and stray off but Merlin knows exactly where he's going and where to step.
"Merlin...." Arthur says slowly and Merlin makes a humming sound. "Where are we going?" He asks and Merlin stops, turning to look at Arthur's confused face. He gently takes his hand and they keep walking.
"Somewhere." Merlin says.
Arthur would love to know what's going on in Merlin's head right now.
Arthur notices the farther they get from the truck and closer to there destination the more Merlin becomes tense and fidgety, glances at everything as they walk. Arthur looks around as well, but confused.
He doesn't know where Merlin is taking him, but he trusts Merlin with his life, both of his life's at this point.
Arthur can see in the distance the trees start to clear and he can't help but be thankful because he was getting worried Merlin was going to get them lost or something.
But Merlin is also a magic being who has a dragon as a pet so Arthur wasn't sure what he was worried about getting lost for honestly.
They come to the edge of the woods and come to a clearing with some hills around them. Merlin stands still for a moment before walking forward slowly, Arthur's hand tightly in his as Arthur tries racking his brain as to where they are.
An odd feeling takes over him as he walks with Merlin to the middle of the clearing.
"Where-?" Is all Arthur gets out before Merlin let's go of his hand abruptly and wraps his arms around himself, even though it's a warmer day out, with the sun shining and beating down on them, most of the snow gone and melted by now.
Merlin glances at him from where he's been staring in the distance. "You don't recognize this place?" Arthur shakes his head. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to remember either honestly. This is Camllan."
And all the air left Arthur in that moment. He looks around at his surroundings with new eyes, now seeing the battle that once happened, that once took his life from him. The battle that had killed him and ripped him away from the people he had held dearest to him.
"I should have known he was going to try and get to you." Merlin says into the silent air around them. Arthur frowns at him. "I knew he wasn't to be trusted and yet I let my guard down and you ended up paying the price for my foolishness all those years ago." He continues on.
Arthur doesn't know what to say.
Merlin doesn't let him get a chance anyway. "I was warned by many, I tried to keep him away but then he became a knight and I had thought that maybe the prophecy was wrong this time, that it was just a stupid test to see." Merlin looks down and angrily wipes his tears away. "Come on."
Arthur follows him while still glancing around, taking in the area that took his life and many others that day. The ground is stained with blood of his men and his enemy's. You just can't see it after all the time, it's seeped into the ground.
They walk some more and come to an open area with some building ruins and Merlin sighs. "I haven't been back in a long time Arthur." He says placing a hand on one of the crumbling ruins next to him. "It's still hard and you're even with me." He says giving a wet chuckle. He clears his throat. "This is what people see of what's left of Camelot." Arthur's head snaps up from where he was watching Merlin and looks at the ruins with wide eyes.
He walks towards the crumbling stones and place his hand on it just like Merlin had done moments ago. He can feel it in his bones, this is home. Was his home.
He closes his eyes and leans his head against it. Taking in the roughness of it against his forehead. Grounding him, he feels like he's floating away.
He glances at Merlin who has his face turned towards the sky now. His home is wherever Merlin is.
Merlin is his home.
"Some people don't even believe that it was real, that it existed. That we existed." Merlin says from beside him and they walk more. Arthur looking around trying to picture everything that has faded from this time period. "We're something of legends and myths you and me. Even with these ruins here, people are sceptical." He then gives Arthur a cheeky grin. "If only they knew huh."
He rolls his eyes and Merlin grabs his hand and they walk forward a little before Merlin comes to a stop. He looks at him. "Even with you gone, I made sure Camelot was okay. As best as I could. Even when everyone was gone and it was just me and my thoughts I kept an eye on the place as much as I could." Arthur gives him a confused look before seeing Merlin's eyes go that beautiful golden colour and Merlin says something in a language that Arthur can't even begin to understand. But he thinks it sounds beautiful coming from Merlin.
Then Merlin walks forward and pulls Arthur along with him and the air ripples around him as he sees more of his castle than before. It's in bad shape and half of it is in shambles but it's more then he would even expect to be around anymore.
He turns to Merlin. "You kept it hidden all these years?" Merlin kept it safe, locked away from prying eyes and greedy hands. Even when he himself didn't know what he was doing, his magic did.
He nods. "It was your home, our home. I wasn't going to let it get taken from me as well." He says walking towards the stairs that would lead them to the main entrance. "I haven't been back here in probably forever at this point." He says and Arthur doesn't blame him. Merlin looks over at him as they climb the stairs, carful not to misstep on the crumbling steps. "It was hard. Just keeping it here, waiting for you to return. And when I realized that wasn't happening anytime soon I put a spell over it to hide it from everyone, magic or not."
Arthur puts his hand on the door and gently pushes it open, a loud groaning sound echoing around them as it opens. Arthur steps in and it feels like he's stepping back in time. There are things he remembers. Small tables with vases on them still sit in the hallway, stuff still hanging on the walls, all of it covered in dust from being in the same place for so long.
He turns around and sees Merlin staring at him with a sad expression from the door way. "What's wrong?" He asks stepping towards Merlin.
Merlin finally steps in and looks around with eyes that look like they have seen more than enough, which I guess in his case they have.
"It's just.... Seeing you here again. In the castle in those clothes is tripping my brain out, and I've seen weird things in my life but this has to be one of the weirdest." He says giving Arthur a smile while seeming to shake himself out of his own mind for now. "The museum has some of your stuff, things I couldn't get to before others had found it and well, it's now in the museum so you know how that ended up."
"Yeah." Arthur days and they slowly walk towards what would have been the throne room and they come to a stop at the round table in the middle of the room. Something in Arthur's chest aches at the sight, his gaze going over it to the chair sitting covered in dust.
His throne.
He walks around the table, his fingers dragging along it, creating trails where his fingers are picking up the dust. He walks up to his throne and puts his hand on it, sighing he turns and sits down on it, gently as he gets covered in dust.
He leans his head back against it as Merlin comes over, his Jean jacket open and his pink hoodie on full display. Arthur thinks back to what Merlin had said, how it was surreal for him to see Arthur here in these clothes.
He feels the same, same staring down at Merlin, in his outfit and his stubble and curly hair that's all over the place and his accent that gives Arthur tingles all the way to his toes. His hands in his jacket pockets, watching Arthur with carful blue eyes.
Merlin then kneels all of a sudden. "Long live the king." He says into the empty room and Arthur feels breathless with it.
He slowly gets back up when Arthur stands up and walks towards him. He gets in front of Merlin and grabs his face, crashing his lips with his own, kissing him like he's a drowning man and Merlin is the air he needs to breath.
He pulls back after several moments, but doesn't go far. "I've always wanted to kiss you in this room, in front of everybody." He says softly and kisses him again and Merlin happily kisses back.
Merlin is the one to pull back this time and leans his forehead against Arthur's. "Long live the king eh?" He says then laughs as Arthur shakes his head rolling his eyes at him.
He looks back at the table. "Think we could fit this somewhere at home?" He asks jokingly but at the look on Merlin's face he doesn't know if it came across as a joke to him.
Merlin looks at the table and shrugs. "I mean, we could always find a place for it if you didn't want to leave it behind here." He says and Arthur's mouth goes a little dry. The round table at his and Merlin's home.
He would ask how but he's learned long ago to not question something a whole lot when Merlin sets his mind to it. And he has a feeling Merlin is determined to bring it home.
Merlin walks over to it and places his hand on it, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath he opens his eyes as they flare gold and he says something in that language again and the air around the table shimmers and as Arthur blinks the table is gone. A dust mark is the only indicator that something was there to begin with.
"What did you do?" Arthur asks as Merlin smiles.
"It's at home." He shrugs and takes Arthur's hand in his again as they keep walking back out and down a hallway that would lead to the kitchens. They go in and Arthur needs to stop being shocked by everything being covered in dust after all this time.
Pots and pans line up the counters and they make there way out after poking around for a little. They come to stairs that are crumbling and they both look at each other before carefully making there way up, most of the wall is gone here so it's open and they can see down in what used to be the court yard.
They walk down the hall, avoiding holes and crumbling walls. They open the first door on there right and it opens to Arthur's old chambers.
Arthur feels something in his stomach shift and his chest get tight as he looks around. His bed is stripped of his sheets and blankets, because those are obviously at the museum along with some of his other stuff that Merlin couldn't save from people.
He slowly walks over and pulls back the tattered curtain to let some light into the room after all these years. Dust particles fly in the air around them and he sees Merlin leaning against his bedpost like he used to when they would have chats in his room about everything and nothing.
He walks away from the window and over to his desk, his quill and ink have long dried up but still sit on the desk, waiting to be used again. He goes over to his wardrobe and slowly opens it, looking inside most of his shirts are gone, only a shirt or two hang off hangers. He reaches out and touches the thin fabric, warn from use and then not being used for years.
"You okay?" Merlin speaks up for what feels like the first time in forever.
Arthur looks over to see Merlin now sitting in his chair that he kept near the fire. His one knee pulled up and he leans his cheek on it. "Yeah. Just feels like a weird dream, you know?"
"Yeah." He hears Merlin mumble out into the quiet room. "I understand how you feel."
Of course he does.
Merlin always get him. He always understands, even when Arthur didn't at the time.
"Is your room still intact?" He asks and Merlin shrugs, looking away.
"Not sure. I haven't had the heart to go back in that direction sense.... Giaus." He says standing up from the chair, brushing the dust off himself and that reminds Arthur that he is also covered in dust from sitting on the throne, so he brushes himself off as well, following Merlin out of his chambers and down the hall to where the court physicians room was.
They walk in silence, the halls empty saved from the ghost from the past and the two men who both can feel there hearts in there throats as they walk the halls of there old home.
The home now in shambles and sitting in silence.
There's lots of holes in the walls in this part of the building making Arthur's heart clench even more. They come to the door and he sees Merlin freeze up at the already ajar door.
This must be so hard on Merlin, hard on both of them obviously but Merlin had to watch it all fade away over time. Everyone he knows and loves fade away into just memories that he had to hold close to his chest in order to function properly, to never be able to share the stories with others in fear they would look at him differently or lock him up.
The door creaking open brings Arthur back and he watched as Merlin slowly steps inside. Arthur following.
Arthur will always follow Merlin just as Merlin had always followed him.
They go in and Arthur takes in the scattered papers and broken glass all over and the dust. Some of the jars on the shelf have stuff in them still, but not a lot. Most are black and empty.
All the books Giaus had are scattered all over, Arthur watches Merlin's face for any signs that this is getting to be to much for him. He watches as Merlin makes his way around the place, touching everything he can and looking at random papers that are still legible on the desk where Giaus would work.
Merlin makes his way over to the steps that lead to where he would stay. Arthur slowly follows and walks in behind Merlin. The small bed in the middle of the room looks so sad compared to the bed they share at home now, it looks sad even compared to the bed Arthur had upstairs.
"I should have gotten you a new bed." He says randomly and Merlin startles before bursting out laughing. "What? Look at this thing, it's pathetic, no wonder you were such a lousy servent, a new bed probably would have solved so many issues with that."
Merlin continued to laugh and shake his head. "Arthur I didn't care about my bed, I mean I guess a little but it wasn't all that bad." He says shrugging and walking over to open his own wardrobe, Arthur glaces in next to him and sees the same thing as Arthur's upstairs, just a shirt hanging. "Not sure why I opened it when I know I took all my clothes with me when I left."
"You took all of your clothes?" Arthur asks confused.
Merlin raises an eyebrow. "I didn't have many pieces of clothing Arthur. I could fit it all in a bag and then some." He chuckles at Arthur's face. "Oh come on, don't look at me like that. I was a peasant farm boy after all, I had nothing when I showed up really. Only a few shirts and pants and stuff."
"That's awful."
Merlin rolls his eyes. "Yes, your concerne for my well being for when we first met is comforting thank you. I mean you're a couple hundred years late but thank you anyways."
"Shut up Merlin."
"Yes sire."
They both look at each other and laugh. "Come on." Arthur says leading Merlin out of the room and back out into the hall.
They make there way back out to the court yard and head over to the training grounds, hand in hand.
"If only we did this back when everyone was alive." Merlin says and Arthur could just imagine everyones reaction.
"Merlin they probably wouldn't be shocked at all. They probably knew how we felt before we even knew it ourselves." He says and Merlin chuckles nodding his head.
"Yeah Gwaine wasn't that surprised when we did get together finally." He says and Arthur wonders briefly how Gwaine would feel coming back here after all this time.
"Come on." Merlin says breaking the silence that has settled over them. "We should be heading back. Plus our coffee is still in the truck."
Arthur rolls his eyes but smiles fondly as Merlin drags him back the way they came, but not before placing the spell back over Camelot so that only the broken pieces are left for the public eye.
They go back through the battle grounds hand in hand and back into the woods, on the path that will lead them back to the truck. The sun is shining down on them through the trees and Arthur feels comfortable.
They get to the truck and climb in, both taking a big sip of there coffee, after Merlin heats it up just a little more with a few whispered words.
They start the long trek back home, both feeling achy from what they just went through and what they saw, but they also feel peaceful. Arthur grabs his hand and he squeezes it back.
"Now all we have to do is find out where we're going to put the round table." Merlin says and Arthur laughs, looking over at the idiot he loves so much.
His idiot who is thinking about a table he magically made go back home.
"I wonder what Holly will think of it." Arthur says.
He gets a grin in return. "I mean at least we'll have enough table space for everyone at Christmas."
"Shut up Merlin."