hopeful
emrys_mkTitle: Can One Ending Be Another Beginning?
Rating: PG-13
Characters/pairings: Merlin and Arthur
Summary: Merlin and Arthur live far apart, but where there's a will, there's a way, and our boys always find a way.
Words: 1000
Warnings: one curse word
Prompt 179: New beginnings
A/N: Part three of my reincarnation series, Merlin and Arthur Live Again.
Saturdays were once Merlin's favorite day of the week. Mondays through Fridays were school days, boring and filled with information Merlin didn't think he needed, but Saturdays were his and Arthur's day.
Were
Not anymore.
Merlin stared out the window and watched a boy and girl playing at the house across the street. His mum had told him their names were Will and Freya. They looked to be having fun. The last time Merlin had fun had been three weeks earlier. He'd had no idea at the time that his life was about to be turned upside down forever.
"Merlin? His mother called from the hall. "I did a fry-up… your favorite," she said, her voice sounding overly happy, as if she were attempting to bribe her depressed son to come out of his room.
Merlin rolled his eyes. If his mother thought a fry-up would cheer him up, she was mental. He didn't want to be cheerful and act as if everything was alright... but, he was hungry, and his mother had gone through the trouble of making a big breakfast when her usual morning fare consisted of cereal. Merlin knew it wouldn't be fair to act like a little shit all the time. It wasn't her fault that his best friend now lived six hours away.
Merlin knew that the fault was his. Had he just kept his mouth shut about his dreams, he and his family would never have left their warm and familiar house that they had lived in since Merlin's birth, but he had acted like, in Arthur's words, a girl, and told his parents his fears.
Now his best friend was too far away and Merlin didn't think it possible that he'd ever be happy again. His father had told him that he'd make plenty of friends and that in no time he would thank him for moving them. Merlin shook his head. His father hadn't a clue.
~*~
Arthur stood in front of the house where his best friend had lived less than three weeks earlier. It looked sad and empty. There were no cars in front, the red and blue bicycle was gone, the cardboard sign that had hung from the large oak tree that had Merlin and Arthur's Tree House: Girls Aren't Allowed on it was no longer there, and the biggest difference--the one that Arthur had yet to accept--was that if he knocked on the door, Mrs Emrys wouldn't answer and invite Arthur inside and tell him Merlin was waiting for him.
"It's getting dark, Arthur. You should come in," said his father from their front door. "Your mother says supper is ready." Without waiting for a reply, he closed the front door.
"I'm not hungry," Arthur whispered to no one, but he knew that mattered little, so he trudged through the wet grass and skulked into his house, resigning himself to the fact that Merlin was truly gone and never coming back. He fell into his chair in the dining room and stared at his plate of fish and chips. Somewhat shocked, he looked up at his father. His mother occasionally made this, but only ever for Merlin and him, because it was their favorite food… other than strawberries, that is. Arthur's father did not at all care for fried food, so that this was what was on all three of their plates brought a small smile to Arthur's face. He knew his parents were trying to help him, and he appreciated the gesture, even if it wouldn't bring him what he truly wanted. All he wanted was Merlin.
"Your father has something for you, Arthur," his mother said as she sat down.
Arthur spotted the letter as soon as his mother spoke and his face lit up. "Is it from Merlin?" He reached for it when his father nodded and handed it to him. "May I read it now?" he then asked, thinking he couldn't wait a second longer to rip open the letter and devour whatever it said, but if his father said no, he would have to wait. He sighed, sure that no would be his response, so when his father nodded, Arthur's heart sped up and he opened the envelope, but stopped when his father cleared his throat.
"Your mother went through the trouble of making your favorite meal, Arthur, one which you know I am not fond of, so I suggest you not let your mother's effort to cheer you up be for naught."
Well, that was a fairly pointed directive, so Arthur knew that as much as he wanted to read the letter, he had to eat first, at least if he didn't want his father's glare focused on him. He quickly ate what was on his plate and washed it down with a glass of milk, asked to be excused, then ran to his room with the letter and plopped down on his bed to read what his best friend had to say.
Arthur,
I miss you. It is too quiet here. Mum and Dad have told me to make new friends, and there are two kids that live across the street: Will and Freya. I know I can't avoid them forever--at least that's what my dad says, but I don't want other friends. I just want you. Yesterday was Saturday and all I thought about was all the Saturdays we played together. We had so much fun together, didn't we? Arthur, I hope you make other friends. I know you will. But please never forget me. I know Mum is going to make me be friends with Freya and Will, but they'll never be as good a friend as you were and are. Who else would hug me while I cry and tell me that my dreams weren't true? And who else would tell me that they will never love any other friend like they love me?
I miss you, Arthur
Your best friend,
Merlin