The Same Coin-Merthur

Truth

Merlin sat up in his bed with a splitting headache. The blinding light from the window didn't help. He shielded his eyes against the suns rays as he slid out of bed, careful not to stand up too fast.

Outside of his bedroom, he found Gaius working on a potion.

"Ah Merlin. You're finally up I see," he says, not looking up from his work.

"Do you have a tonic for headaches Gaius?" Merlin says as he searches the shelves with hundreds of tiny bottles.

"It's on the second shelf. The blue tonic." He says pointing behind him.

Merlin grabs the nearest one to him, not noticing the other blue bottle set only a couple inches away, and downs it in one gulp.

Gaius holds out his hand for the bottle "give it here. I'll makes some more later." But he frowns when he looks at the container. "Merlin... this isn't the right tonic. It's that one," he says pointing to the other bottle.

"Then what the hell did I just drink?" Merlin questions.

Gaius murmurs the name on the bottle and flips through a few pages in a nearby book. "Ah! It looks like you just took a potion that makes the drinker susceptible to telling the truth. Perfectly harmless."

"Gaius you gotta tell Arthur I've been taken ill. I can't risk him finding out about my magic!" Merlin exclaims. "How long is this going to last?"

He checks the book again. "The effects will last two to three hours, or at most a day."

"A DAY Gaius? How am I supposed to avoid him for a day?"

"I'll tell him you're ill. Just try to stay here for today so nothing slips."

Gaius walks through the door and Merlin shouts after him, "and DONT tell him I'm in the tavern!"

—

"He's in the tavern isn't he?" Arthur replies when he gets the news.

"No Sire. He's really been taken I'll." Gaius persists with the lie.

"You wouldn't lie to me Gaius?"

"No Sire."

"Ok. You may go. Once Merlin feels better send him to me."

Gaius curtseys and leaves Arthur's chambers.

—

"Hello Merlin. Do you know where Gaius is?" Gwen walks through the door.

"He's telling Arthur that I've been taken ill." Merlin slaps his hand over his mouth.

"Merlin... What's wrong?" She questions after seeing the boys odd behavior.

"I accidentally drank a truth potion and I can't lie." Merlin says, his face still stricken with shock as the words seemed to pour out of his unsuspecting mouth.

"Oh my god. You're really not lying are you Merlin?" She walks closer.

"No. I wish I was."

"Why is it you are afraid to go to Arthur?" She pushes further.

"I'm afraid I'm going to.... tell him something." Merlin sighs, thankful that he was able to not completely reveal everything. He was still technically telling the truth, just withholding some information.

"Well, whatever you are afraid of telling him. I think he'll be okay with it." She says, "And when you see Gaius again can you please tell him I was looking for him?"

Merlin nods and she thanks him before walking out of the room.

—

Merlin is convinced this potion has a slowing affect on time, because this day is going by glacially.

Until he heard a voice that made his stomach drop.

"MERLIN!"

Again, Arthur yells from the hall before barging through the wooden door. Merlin was convinced that the door would one day fly off its hinges.

"Merlin." He sighs. "Have a nice day at the tavern did you? Now it's time for you to return to your work." He grabbed Merlin by the shirt collar and took him to his chambers.

"What were you doing at the tavern anyway?" Arthur asks after explains all the tasks he set out for Merlin to do around his room.

"I- I wasn't in the tavern." Merlin tries to fight the potion, to no avail.

"Then what were you doing?" Arthur, curious and a little concerned for his friend. Something was clearly wrong with Merlin.

"I was... avoiding you." Merlin slumps his shoulders over.

"Why would you ever avoid me?" Arthur is now seriously concerned. "I'm your friend."

"If I told you. You'd hate me." Merlin says, attempting to stray away from the inevitable reveal of his magic.

"Merlin. You can tell me anything." Arthur places a hand on Merlin's shoulder in an attempt at reassuring the boy. "Seriously. Tell me what's wrong."

Merlin could feel Arthur's blue eyes prying at him. He could feel the pull of words on his lips. The feeling of dread as the words came out of his mouth.

"I... love you." Merlin whispers. He doesn't even realize what he's said until Arthur takes a step back at the reveal. His blue eyes are wide with shock.

Merlin didn't even consider this as an option. He thinks the magic reveal might have been easier.

"You.." Arthur trails off, with his mouth still hanging open.

"I'm sorry Arthur. I've spoiled everything. I never meant to ever say anything."

Merlin looks up to see Arthur closer, his face inches away from his own.

"I love you too, Merlin." Arthur says as he closes the gap between them.

Their lips were connected for only a moment, but Merlin's worry from the entire day disappeared into Arthur's warmth.

"Stay with me." Arthur whispers into Merlin's ear.

"Always."