Can't-Sink-This-Ship's One Shots

Another X On The Calendar

Pairing: Merthur
Ahh nothing like insomnia to motivate me into writing fan fiction am I right? Lol here you go you're welks
WARNINGS: SLIGHT ANGST I'M SORRY THIS SONG GAVE ME FEELS (The Calendar by Panic! At The Disco if you're wondering) BUT DONT WORRY THERES FLUFF AT THE END
Also I don't write the name of my Jewish deity out, so with G/d, just swap the / with an O.
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They say if you don't let it out
You're gonna let it eat you away
Merlin wept bitterly as his best friend and love of his life lay dying in his arms. What would he do? He couldn't live without Arthur.
Suddenly, a bright light enveloped them. A familiar face appeared before him and smiled lovingly.
"Gaius?" Merlin said, confused. Gaius winked.
"Try 'G/d.'"
The light vanished entirely, enveloping him in darkness.
When he opened his eyes, he was in a bed. A very soft bed. Softer, even, than Arthur's bed, and Arthur was the king himself. He sat up and looked around. He was in a room with a desk and a bookshelf. On the desk sat an odd metallic contraption, along with a weathered old book. Merlin decided to try his luck with that.
"Dear Merlin,
I guess you know who I really am now. It was bound to happen sometime.
Welcome to the year of our lord 2015! You will be quite confused, so I wrote a manual to operating the machine beside you. It will give you the answers to anything you could possibly want to know. However, if you see: "Beautiful Girls Who Want To Meet You," it's a scam and it will destroy that machine. Don't click on it.
You're probably very confused. Let me just explain one thing first.
I occasionally come to Earth to help a pair of star-crossed lovers find peace. In your case, I sent you to a setting where two men can be married without bigotry from their fellow men. (A/N: shout out to Obama, June 26 2015!!!!)
You will find your love when you go for a cup of coffee.
You'll understand soon enough.
So, to move on with operating this machine!
Now, open your mouth wide, and squint your eyes. Don't you feel like a fool? You look like one too.
You're rolling your eyes, I can feel it.
Press the power button, which looks like a sideways "c" with a line coming out of it. Wait two minutes. Speak the incantation: "hei googel" and ask away.
Note: the little rounded white thing is your clicker (the left button,) and those cubes with letters painted on them can be pressed to write the letter on them.
Good luck!
Gaius"
Merlin sighed, shaking his head at the old man. It was time he began learning about his new setting.
I'd rather be a cannibal, baby
Animals like me don't talk anyway
Feel like a nebulous chaser of faith
Arthur had gotten pretty good at this new life of his. He had a job, he had stylish clothing for the time, and, most importantly, he had his memories. He could remember all of the stupid things he had said to Merlin, and all of the things he wished he had told him the first time.
He guessed that that was what second chances- and second lives- were for.
He truly loved the idiot. He should've said that more often. Everyday, multiple times a day, often enough for the slight blush to never truly leaves those high, prominent cheekbones.
Why hadn't he? Oh right, he was scared of rejection and had an ego the size of Camelot.
Well, that hadn't really changed, but now he knew Merlin wouldn't reject him. They needed each other.
The weathered old book where he had found his instructions had said he would see Merlin again in a month's time. It had been three weeks and six days.
Pray I could replace [him]
Forget the way [his] tears taste
Oh the way [his] tears taste
Put another X on the calendar
Merlin had been so heartbroken. Arthur could see it in his eyes. On one hand, he was glad Merlin cared about him. But on the other hand, that left him with the ultimate responsibility- keeping Merlin as safe and happy as humanly possible.
He was glad of the task. He would do it better than anyone else could, after all. And Merlin deserved the best.
Summer's on its deathbed
There is simply nothing worse than knowing how it ends
Merlin was failing at this one simple task. He couldn't figure out what he was supposed to do to "turn it on."
If he couldn't operate this machine, it was doubtful that he would ever find Arthur. And he needed to find Arthur. He had to know that he was alive, at the very least.
Watching Arthur die would haunt him for the rest of his life.
And I meant everything I said that night
I will come back to life
But only for you, only for you
Arthur figured that only Merlin could possibly care enough to want him back with the living. He was kind of an arse, after all. Adversely, Merlin was probably the only one he'd come back for. Life sucked, especially for the new heir of Camelot. Responsibilities stacked on top of keeping his relationship with Merlin a secret... It was almost more than he could bear.
But apparently, in this time, it is accepted. He could attest to that personally. His coworker, Monica, had asked him about his love life, and he had said that, once, almost in past life, there had been a man... But he hadn't seen that man in a long time.
Hey, it wasn't totally a lie!
Monica must have seen something in his eyes, because she asked if he still loved that man. He said yes.
The world may call it a second chance
But when I came back, it was more of a relapse
Merlin said the incantation, and the machine displayed a rectangle with the word "Search" on it. He clicked on it and typed in "coffee." Instantly there was a lot about "Starbucks" so he decided to click on it.
Find one near me
He realized he didn't know where he was.
Use current location
What sorcery was this, that it knew his location?
A map popped up and it didn't seem very far, he could get there by walking in only a few minutes.
Suddenly, the book beside him flipped open and read:
"PUT ON SOME DIFFERENT CLOTHES OR YOU MAY GET UNWANTED ATTENTION AND WAIT A WHILE ITS 5AM NO ONE IS AWAKE"
He found what looked like some very odd clothing and struggled to put it on. Finally, though, he managed to change into what the modern world knew as jeans and a red henley, and boots. He kept his neckerchief.
(A/N: lol he won't stick out at Starbucks in that getup)
Then, after waiting a while, quite impatiently, he headed out. It took him a while to find the front door, but when he did, the streets were so wide and hustle-bustle-y that he quite honestly felt at home. Sure enough, the two-tailed siren soon came into his line of sight.
Arthur. Arthur. Arthur.
Anticipation's on the other line
And Obsession called while you were out
Yeah, it called while you were out
Arthur, on the other hand, was watching the clock. Today was the day.
Five o'clock. The store was open for business. Six o'clock. The morning herd was just beginning to take their orders, and Arthur struggled to keep a friendly smile on his face while he waited anxiously for that sweet, wonderful face to stick out in the crowd.
"Arthur, could you go restock the cream? We're already out." Monica asked him, and reluctantly, he complied. Of course, his timing was incredible. At that exact moment, Merlin entered the store, looking around expectantly.
Arthur came back, carrying a new carton of cream... And stopped dead in his tracks.
"Merlin." He murmured breathlessly, heartbeat speeding up. Merlin looked up, and as they locked eyes, he smiled- that stupid, sweet, punch-me-in-the-face-you're-adorable smile. Suddenly, people could not get out of his way fast enough. He ran to his love and kissed him deeply before hugging him.
Around them, people applauded at their reunion.
"I missed you." Merlin smirked at this.
"Why wouldn't you?" Arthur chuckled. Any other time he'd take the bait, but right now he was too drunk on Merlin's presence, having missed him more than Merlin knew.
Asleep in the hive
I guess all the buzzing got to me
"Arthur- oh my! Is this that guy you were talking about?" Monica asked. Arthur sheepishly met Merlin's eye and nodded.
"Awwwwwww!!!!! That's so cute! You know what, Arthur? Take a day off. And tell me everything tomorrow!" Monica waved them off, and resumed dealing with the morning crowd.
The rest of our life
At night, your body is a symphony
And I'm conducting it
Merlin and Arthur walked hand-in-hand, and Arthur led Merlin to his apartment.
"Welcome home." Arthur kissed his cheek as he opened the front door.
He didn't realize just how much he missed Merlin until he was here, and that pain was gone.
Only for you
Only for you
Only for you
Only for you
Merlin straddled him on the couch and covered his face with kisses. Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist.
"I love you." Arthur murmured. Merlin smiled at him and kissed him.
"I love you too." Lord, he had missed this. He wouldn't let it slip away a second time.
They said if you don't let it out
You're gonna let it eat you away
Merlin kicked him awake that night.
"Merlin-" he stopped when he realized that Merlin was still stuck in a nightmare.
"Arthur." He whimpered.
Wordlessly, Arthur wrapped his arms around the other man and kissed his neck. Merlin stilled and his breathing patterns became more slow and stable.
"Don't worry; I'm never letting you go."
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A/N: Are you dead yet? Are you squealing?
I know I am, but probably in a bit of a lower pitch than you. Haha tenor-bari's for the win! (That's a lower level of voice ranges btw)
Ok go back to whatever you were doing lol bye
-Matt