So we meet again... (a merthur au)

Avast Thine Ale

When Arthur eventually arrived, his two friends had already started drinking. Morri was already enthralled in some story he was telling Finn, not paying any mind when Arthur set down to continue his story. Finn gave him a pat on the arm and a gesture for the bartender to bring another drink.

Arthur nearly drank half his mug in one gulp, glad for a moment to let loose. After going through his things and seeing a box of Eve's stuff left over from years before, he wanted desperately to forget he'd even saw it. He had almost forgotten her until he had seen the box. He finished off his glass and ordered another as he leaned against Morri's side to talk to them as the story wrapped up.

"I found a box of Eve's old things today. Was sitting in a box in the flat this whole time, I didn't even notice." Arthur muttered, his lip quirking downward on one side.

"Sorry, mate." Morri frowned, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder and giving a light shake as a vague equivalent of a comforting hug. Morri wasn't much of a hugger, but the gesture was welcomed. "What kind of things were in the box, or did you even look?"

"Some of her forgotten CDs, our picture, and maybe some clothes I would guess. I didn't really look, didn't want to." Arthur admitted, "Why would I want to?" Arthur heard the door open and shut lightly behind them, a cold chill being let in as he spun around, "Latch the damn door would y-- oh. Hey, Emrys."

"Arthur," Emrys sighed, clearly surprised to see him there. "I didn't know you would be here." He unwrapped his scarf from around his neck, face pale and his ears red on the tips from the cold.

"It's drinking night," Arthur supplied, gesturing to his friends. "Finnley, Morrison-- this is Emrys. We kept bumping into each other--like this, oddly enough-- so we started hanging out. Emrys, want to have a pint with us?"

"No," he chuckled, almost derisively. "I don't like to drink to be quite honest. I just came to get some bangers and mash, and go on my way."

"Eat at the bar with us," Finn offered, smiling. "Got a guest of my own comin' 'round soon. She's gonna feel like a third wheel, most likely. She doesn't drink much but wanted to tag along and meet the lads. Stay with us."

"Okay," Emrys smiled to himself, sitting beside Arthur. "As long as I'm not a bother."

"Never," Finn grinned. "Arthur, where have you been hiding him? He's got nice eyes."

Morrison tapped Finn on the shoulder and quietly shook his head as if to tell him to reel it in. Too much too soon for an unfamiliar face. Emrys smiled, though, much to Arthur's surprise.

"Thanks." Emrys even looked a little smug, "You're charming, I like you. Finn, right? Think you were on the phone yesterday when we were in the car."

"So that was you. Interesting." Finn side-glanced at Arthur slyly.

Morri flagged down the bartender, ordering Emrys his food and other round for the 3 of them. Emrys sipped on a glass of water as the three talked to each other, with occasional times of input for Emrys. Amy walked in, handbag clenched against her chest.

Spotting the group from the door, she smiled meekly and sat next to Finn, greeting them. Once she sat down, she curled up a little in her seat, rubbing her hands together to warm them. Morrison introduced himself, with his name and occupation then followed by Arthur and Emrys. Amy followed with hers, but shocking the group by admitting her first name.

"Amaryllis? Really?" Emrys asked, "Beautiful name, if not a little unusual."

"Says the guy named Emrys." Amy retorted, grinning with a mock-suspicious squint. "I'm named after a flower. You're the odd one."

Turning to the bartender, she yelled for a plate of fish and chips with a lemonade before pulling out a book and trying to find where she left off.

"Fair enough." Emrys nodded, finally receiving his cooked meal and digging in.

Arthur talked to his friends, Amy and Emrys talking to each other as they ate their food. The night was comforting, the five just enjoying the company.

...

Once it got late, they all got up to leave. Amy promised the group to go home with Finn and see him home safe, who was a little fuzzy but not drunk. She walked him out the door, holding his hand as she lead the way out.

Morrison was unphased, his stature typically able to handle their nights out drinking (but it helped he always sipped on water as he drank). Arthur, on the other hand, was plastered.

Emrys, realising this as Arthur nearly fell stumbling off his bar stool, he declined Morri's offer to take Arthur home and offered to do it himself. All but Arthur already paid to leave.

Morrison was about to insist when Arthur shook his head vehemently, words slurring "Too out of your way, Emrys can."

"I'll take him home to my place, my house is closer than his. He can crash at my place 'til morning, no doubt this hangover will be nasty." Emrys sighed, a little disappointed in Arthur.

Morri pulled him aside as Arthur paid his tab. "Don't be put out, Emrys. I know you don't know him well, but he isn't usually like this. He found a box of his ex's things today. He's really messed up about it, so he drank more than normal. You can understand, right?"

Emrys sighed shakily, "Yeah, more than anyone. I'm not put out, Morri. I've got this."

Morri thanked him and clapped his shoulder before saying his goodbyes and leaving.

"Guess it's time to go home then," Emrys laughed weakly, putting Arthur's arm around him to brace himself as he walked him out.

...

They walked in the dark for a half hour, closing the distance towards the closest tube station. In this time, Arthur nearly toppled them from nodding off three times, stepped on Emrys's foot twice, and threw up into a nearby bin.

When they got close to the station, though, the sidewalk ended. Taking care to walk on the left side, against traffic like he was taught, he let Arthur decide the pace. They had walked a good distance that would have been simple, had Arthur been sober, but alas.

...

They made it, eventually, to the tube with no problem and got off a stop before Arthur's. So began the brief walk on the street to Emrys's home. Arthur, after having a bit to nod off on the metro, was much more groggy and was having trouble walking even when leaning on Emrys. Emrys was so focused on trying to make sure Arthur wasn't tripping over his own feet that he didn't hear the car barreling towards them.

Arthur noticed it, a shocked look on his face as he instinctively pushed Emrys into the ditch as the car swerved. It seemed like slow-motion: the car noticing them, swerving, being pushed in the ditch, then narrowly missing the brunt of the car as the front corner hit Arthur in the hip and pitched him fast and hit his head hard on the concrete, blood oozing from the wound.

As Emrys felt tears sting his eyes, watching the dazed look in Arthur's face as the car kept driving. Denial sank in as he crawled on hands and knees to reach Arthur, trying to surpress his sobs.

"Arthur!? Arthur? Can you speak?" Emrys asked, eyes searching the road for more cars.

None.

The area rarely had any cars, most of the houses had commuters, so the car which hit Arthur was likely lost or not from around there. Figured.

"Call an ambulance, I'm bleeding." Arthur muttered, blinking slowly. He was sober now, but he hit his head hard and he was losing blood fairly quickly.

"Arthur, I've got this. Don't worry. I've got this." Merlin muttered, glancing up to locate his house two doors down.

"What? Call an-" Arthur scolded before passing out.

Merlin looked back to his home, back at Arthur, then at the cell phone he brought out of his pocket. He made his decision; he called the ambulance and stayed by Arthur's side.