Merthur One-shots

You Left Me, Come Back

Summary: "You left," Arthur said with a groan of pain. "You left, Merlin, you left and I was alone and I didn't know what to do."

Merlin cursed. "Arthur, can we please talk about this later? You're bleeding to death here."

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"You left," Arthur said with a groan of pain. "You left, Merlin, you left and I was alone and I didn't know what to do."

Merlin cursed. "Arthur, can we please talk about this later? You're bleeding to death here."

There was a huge, gaping hole in Arthur's side, bleeding profusely. Arthur had been thrown against a tree, and a sharp rock sitting next to it had cut him open. Merlin was pressing down on the wound with his jacket, which already partially soaked.

With blood.

He had already gotten rid of the sorcerer who had harmed Arthur, who, like an idiot, was riding through the woods, alone, with no knights or protection

"And the moment you heal me you'll leave again?" Arthur blinked back tears, and Merlin couldn't tell if they were because of the pain or because he left.

"Arthur. You're hurt, please just let me heal it."

"No. not until you tell me why you left."

Merlin exploded.

"I left because no one needed me anymore. Gauis had his new apprentice, Gwen and Lancelot had each other, Gwaine had Percival, and you-"
Merlin's voice broke, and tears filled his eyes. "You didn't want me around anymore, you kept saying that there were better servants around, and you were falling in love with Mithian, you didn't need me. And, well, I-"

Arthur frowned. "I'm not in love with Mithian! And Gauis has been worried sick over you, he hasn't been able to sleep and is taking on too many patients. Gwen cries herself to sleep every night, Lancelot told me, and he and Gwaine think that it's their fault you left.

"And me? Ask anyone, I've been moody and snappy and George is upset because I won't let anyone enter my room. I question every decision I make, because after you left, there is no one to reassure me and tell me that I've made the right choice. There's no one I can make faces at during council meetings and no one to whisper secrets to over a cup of wine." Arthur took a deep breath. "So if you think I don't need you, or want you, there is definitely something very wrong with you."

Merlin blinked. "Oh."

"Yes, Merlin, oh. Now can you hurry up and heal me? I'm dying here."

Merlin blushed. "About that... I can't exactly heal you with herbs and poultices. You didn't let me finish."

"Finish?"

Closing his eyes as to not see Arthur's reaction, Merlin said, very, very softly, "I'm a warlock. I have magic."

Merlin felt Arthur going stiff under his arms, and then Arthur relaxed.

"Okay," he said. Merlin couldn't make out what he was thinking, but he knew Arthur was weakening with blood loss. "Okay. Heal me with magic, then."

Merlin cracked open an eye. "Really?"  

Arthur scowled, but it didn't have any bite to it. "Hurry."

Merlin took a deep breath, and removed his jacket from Arthur. He shuddered at the sight of the bloody wound, and placed his hands on either side of it.

Closing his eyes, Merlin let his magic flow out of him and into Arthur. 

~~~
Arthur felt the wound heal. He saw it, too. His flesh grew back, his muscles knitted themselves together and his skin stitched itself back together, leaving no mark or scar. The whole process took around a minute, and when Arthur looked at Merlin, gold was fading from his eyes and fear was written in every line of his body.

Arthur smiled, he hoped, reassuringly. "I'm not gonna kill you. I always knew there was something special about you, Merlin."

He could see the relief in Merlin's eyes. "I'm sorry. For lying to you, and leaving."

Arthur grunted, trying to sit up. Merlin noticed and moved to help him.

"Why did you leave?" Arthur asked, when he was settled comfortable against a stump.

Merlin hesitated. "I- I was scared. And I felt unwanted, and you- you were falling in love with Mithian and I couldn't watch that."

Arthur scoffed. "I'm not in love with Mithian, Merlin. I'm in love with someone else entirely."

"Then I'm going to stay away from you, and Camelot. You can pursue the person of your dreams without me or my feelings getting in the way."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "I can't pursue the man of my dreams when he's planning on staying away from- what was it again? Ah, yes, me and Camelot."

"What?" Merlin's mouth hung open.

Arthur chuckled. He placed a hand on the back of Merlin's neck, and slowly brought him closer.

"I'm in love with you, idiot. You being a warlock does complicate things, but I've had a draft of the magic repeal sitting in my drawer for god knows how long and I think it's time I finally made it official."

Merlin gasped as the full reality of the situation hit him.

Arthur loved him.

Arthur was repealing the magic ban.

Arthur looked unsure, which never happened. Merlin grinned, then. His smile lit up his whole face and he brought his face closer to Arthur's.

"Love you too," he whispered, and closed the distance between them. 

By great_reader121 on ao3