All the Light I Cannot See

Twelve

It took Arthur aback when the door swung open, it really did. Especially seeing Merlin all the way across the small room, sprawled over the bed like he'd been there for hours. For a moment, Arthur was struck with the thought that there was someone else in the room, that it was a setup, but dismissed the thought when Merlin sat up, blank eyes carving straight through him.

"Merlin, I'm scared."

The words startled Arthur, and completely threw Merlin. In the eternity after those words, Arthur came to realize how much he had meant them, without even knowing it himself.

"I'm scared, you know," he continued, moving closer to Merlin. "I don't know who to be. Prince Arthur? This is 2018, Merlin. Can you imagine how that would go?" Arthur chuckled for a moment, letting some of the tension in the room ebb away before sobering up. "But I can't ignore that part of myself anymore than you can hide your magic. It's a road we have to walk, and I don't know where it's headed. Nothing in my life has prepared me for you."

Now he was at the edge of the warlock's bed, and Arthur reached out towards Merlin, hands finally steady. Reaching out, he took Merlin's hands in his, and for the first time in centuries, things felt right. Complete.

Merlin stood up, hands still firmly clasped in Arthur's, and sunk into him, letting go of the Pendragon's hands in order to properly hold him, his face buried in Arthur's chest, remarking how he had never imagined a future in which Arthur wasn't clad in armour but deciding that this was a fine substitute.

Two halves of a whole.

"I missed you every day," Merlin whispered quietly, partly hoping the words would be muffled by the fabric of Arthur's shirt.

It was quiet for a moment, and Merlin thought perhaps Arthur hadn't heard.

"I know."

At that, Merlin laughed. "You can't die in my arms and then fucking Han Solo me!"

Arthur pulled away for a moment, searching Merlin's eyes. "You're right. I love you. And I've always loved you."

Then, pulling Merlin back in, he whispered, "It was my destiny."