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Merlin woke up with a start.
05:07 read his clock on his bedside table. Another nightmare, meaning another day for Merlin to start his day from the early hours of dawn.
'Right,' he got up from his bed after catching his breath. 'I should shower.'
That was how Merlin was spending his days lately. Lately as in, these past two months. Ever since that God-awful car crash, he'd been cooped up in his home, healing, as his doctor stated. Though he could function normally now, save for a few 'ouches' here and there. Those pains were normal. But even his magic could not heal his wounds and lingering pains as quickly as it used to. The world had progressed, and modernized, leaving little to no space for magic to blossom, save for himself. Even Kilgarrah and Aithusa left him a long time ago. Sometimes Merlin wonders if he was the only magical thing left in this world.
He used to go out to that one lake every few times, calling out, shouting, to whatever person could hear him- if they could hear him. No one replied. Dead silent. He stopped going after the Second World War.
After showering, sitting on his bed, and catching up on his Instagram feed, he got a message from his friend, Roseanne.
RoseANNE: heeeeeeey how r u? feeling better? x
RoseANNE: was gonna ask if u were down to go to the mall with me today, but issfine if u cant, i understand <3
RoseANNE: and pls tell me u changed my contact name already, U KNOW how much i hate it!!!!!!@$%^&&%@
Merlin actually made some friends. Sure, he mourned them after their death, but he did not stop himself from making friends. He did not want the fear of losing them to stop him from becoming friendly and getting to know people. At least, he did not lose this part of himself. 'Yet.' The dark thoughts to Merlin said. But he quickly disregarded that.
Me: Hi I'm good. Yes, I am getting better, I'm practically already healed.
Me: Sure, when do you wanna go, Roseanne:))))))))))
RoseANNE: MERLIN!!!!!!!!!!! u mean asshole:( anyways, is 12 pm fine with u?//
RoseANNE: ??*
Me: Yes, fantastic. Which mall do you prefer?
***
NOT SO FANTASTIC.
Merlin was having a very big dilemma. The bus he usually took was getting renovated, so there was no other way for him to go to the metro station except for his car. Merlin thought it would be fine.
But after he sat in front of the wheel, he did not think so anymore. It had been two months since he drove, two months since that damned car accident. 'Grow up, Merlin. You’ve faced dragons for God's sake.'
And so, he drove. Albeit wearily and out of practice, he got out of his rural area and got close to the city.
The traffic lights signaled red and he stopped right at the front. And then his actual panic hit him. His hands got clammy, sweat formed on his forehead, and he realized that he could not breathe normally anymore, and nothing was stopping his heartbeat from accelerating too high and he was suddenly on that road again.
As if some force took him back to that place again, his car reeling out of control, speeding way too much, more than the limit. It was dark so he could not see that much, but even the neon traffic lights, he missed. He did not see the red light, and it was too late for his fucked-up head to make sense of things. And then? He could not feel anymore. Everything was numb.
Numbnumbnumbnumbnumbnumbnu-
Bright lights above him. That was when he started to feel things. Mostly pain nearly everywhere. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, and there were hands everywhere, it was too much, too much for his mind to make sense of anything, so he passed out from the extremity of it.
***
"Oh God, please. Breathe with me."
"Mate, can you hear me? Deep breaths. Please breathe."
"You're safe, you're safe, nothing bad is happening, just breathe with me. Inhale... One, Two... Exhale. Inhale..."
'What's happening? Why is it too bright? Why am I on the rock ground in the middle of the road? HUH in the... Road?'
The gradual calming of his erratic heart and steady breaths were what made Merlin come back.
He realized that he was, in fact, sitting in the middle of the road, in front of his car door, but in a safe zone, as police officers were standing near his car with their police motorbikes. And there was a figure, or a man sat down next to him, calming him down, from what he assumed was a panic attack.
"There you go! You're back. Though, I have to say, you are not allowed to drive right now before getting a quick check-up from your doctor or from the hospital." The man said with a warm smile plastered on his face, and suddenly Merlin could not think anymore.
He froze on the spot. There was no mistaking that voice. That voice he longed to hear for many centuries. He looked up to the face belonging to that voice, and it was him. That blonde mop of hair, just as it was.
'It's him. It's him.'
Arthurarthurarthurarthurarth-
"Ar..thur?"
A pause. The smile on the man's face turned upside down. He took on a confusing look.
Merlin could not help it. He extended his arm, shaky hands barely touching Arthur's jaw. He could not believe it. He had to make sure he was real and not a hallucination. And the faucet of his eyes broke down, and he felt like he could finally move again.
A
"Arthur it's really you?" Arthur could hear the disbelief in the man's voice in front of him.
"Yes… I'm Arthur. And who are y-?"
His question was cut off by arms tackling him to the ground.
Ouch!'
Said arms went around his shoulders, his cheeks, his jaw, his neck, his back, and suddenly there was a human perched up on his thighs, and a black mop of hair right under his nose- and that was it. That was when it clicked.
The feeling of rightness of this all.
The way that every single piece inside of him went into place.
The way he knew this man was the puzzle piece to all his questions.
The smell of herbs and earth right up in his nose.
Herbsherbsherbsherbsherbsearthearthearthearthearth- and he just knew that this was the man who had been in his dreams ever since he was a child. His subconscious could smell the faceless man from a mile away. He just knew there was no mistaking that this was Merlin. His Merlin.
At that point, two police officers were trying to drag Merlin away from his lap, but he was glued to Arthur. And Arthur did not want to let go. Ever. He wrapped his arms around the small frame of his warlock and tightened them.
"Leave my soulmate be." Arthur knew it was not the officers' fault, but he could not help the venom from dripping into his words. They stepped away immediately.
"Merlin." He said with full determination and confidence, his name sounding like home on his tongue.
***
They were in Merlin's car, driving up to Arthur's place.
"Soo, you know this guy?" One of the police officers, also a good friend of his, asked with a cheeky smile while driving, watching him and his koala from the rear-view mirror.
"Yes, you can say that," said Arthur, smiling down at Merlin who was still latched onto Arthur, in the backseat, sleeping.
***
Bonus Scene
Same Day
"So, Merlin, mind telling me who this guy is?" Roseanne asked after stepping into the unfamiliar home of this unfamiliar person standing next to Merlin.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Arthur cleared his throat and extended his only available hand (Merlin was holding the other one). "I'm Arthur Pendragon. Previously known as King of Camelot, and now known as the head of the Specialist Firearms Command. Or in simpler terms: I'm Uther Pendragon's son. "
Merlin and Arthur could not help the grins on their faces at seeing the shocked face of their new company.
"You mean... You're Merlin, as in the wizard, and you're the bloody king????"