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Merlin pulled his kneed to his chest, sitting in the corner of his couch. Wrapped around himself, he had a heavy quilt. The rain was heavy outside his cabin, but it was usual for where he lived. He wasn’t sure when it wasn’t raining anymore.
He liked it, though.
It matched his mood.
Merlin sighed softly, cradling the hot mug of tea in his hands close to his chest. It’d been a long day…
He still worked—in a school, now. Taught English. It was better than reliving history over and over and teaching things he knew were twisted lies. His students, though, had been a bunch of hellions that day. Winter break was coming up and they were getting antsy.
Why he chose to teach children instead of adults would never be answered. In fact, the choice would haunt him every day.
He should have chosen university.
Soft, sock-covered, footprints echoed through the quiet cabin and Merlin tensed. His hands tightened around the cup in his grip.
Then, strong arms around around his neck from the back, hands resting against his chest as a face buried itself in his hair. Merlin relaxed.
He let out a sigh of relief, slumping down slightly. “Arthur…” he murmured, “you startled me.”
“I just woke up,” Arthur mumbled against his hair, the words of a language long dead rolling off his tongue. His voice was still thick with sleep, and Merlin couldn’t help but smile at it. “You look upset…”
“Just tired,” Merlin told him, voice barely a whisper.
“Want me to make you some toast?” It was such a soft, genuine offer, Merlin almost wanted to cry. Then, memories of the first time Arthur tried to use the toaster and he grimaced.
Merlin tilted his head back to look at Arthur. “You know I love you, right?”
“You can just say no,” Arthur snorted, moving to press a kiss to his forehead. “I won’t be mad.”
Merlin’s lips pulled into a small, fond smile. He wouldn’t, either. He said he wouldn’t be mad, and he wouldn’t be. He would whine and demand to be let to try but he wouldn’t be mad. It was amazing… Gods, Merlin had missed him so much, and now he had him back, and he was…just like when Merlin lost him.
“I know,” he sighed, “I know, and I appreciate that. I do love you, though. Have I told you that today?”
“Mm, let’s see,” Arthur hummed, “this morning when we woke up, this morning when we had breakfast, this morning in the shower, this afternoon during lunch, this afternoon before my nap—”
“Okay, I get it, I say it a lot,” Merlin said, laughing. “I just…I never said it enough…before.”
“Ah, ah, I thought we weren’t talking about then.” Arthur clicked his tongue and straightened up. “It’s time to focus on the now, I think you said after a week of sulking in misery and memories?”
“I hate when you do that—use my own words against me.”
Arthur just laughed as Merlin pushed himself out of his couch and walked around to Arthur after setting his tea on the coffee table. He dropped his blanket to the ground and tugged Arthur into his arms, resting his head on his shoulder.
“Merlin?” Arthur asked, mildly concerned. “Is everything alright?”
Merlin hummed. “Have to grade homework…”
“Oh, that’s why you’re sulking? Because you have to work? Typical,” Arthur snorted. “Good to see some things haven’t changed.”
“Oi,” Merlin grunted, pinching Arthur’s side as he lifted his head to glare at him “Watch it. I’m the one who controls the money now—I have your chocolate.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes before huffing softly and slumping down, winding his arms around Merlin’s waist. “Fine. Could I watch?”
“You want to watch me grade?”
“I can’t go out, so…”
“Fine,” Merlin sighed. He rolled his eyes affectionately at the way Arthur’s face lit up. “If you get in my way, though…”
“I won’t,” he swore, squeezing Merlin’s waist gently.
Merlin leaned in and gently pressed a quick, chaste kiss to Arthur’s lips. His heart flipped at the happy noise it drew from Arthur.
“Good!” Merlin grinned, wiggling out of Arthur’s arms, excited to let Arthur into the part of his life that kept him going before Arthur rose from the lake—even if he didn’t quite understand it, still.
He grabbed Arthur’s hand and laced their fingers, grin widening when he saw the eager look in Arthur’s eyes.
“Well,” he said, starting to tug Arthur out of the living room and to his small office, “Come on, then!”
It had been a long day…but gods, he was so glad to get to spend it with Arthur once again…