Fanfic: (Don't) Regret the Mistakes - Epilogue
*Two Years Later*
Merlin packed up his gear, carefully placing his guitars in their travel bags, coiling the leads and packing away the loop pedal. After nearly eighteen months of jamming and writing songs, their three piece band Fissure had performed two gigs. This last gig had gone well, not letting the occasional mistake and misfire affect them, but they'd just kept on playing until they'd all gotten back in time again.
Merlin helped pack the stuff away in his bandmates car, ready to go home. His life was so different now to what it had been two years ago, when he'd been sure that an unfortunate incident involving a client was going to incarcerate him for more years than he would ever want to endure. Somehow, Inspector Mithian Norton had collated Merlin's medical examination results, his version of events, and Noller's prior track record of violent assaults and had managed to convince her Chief Inspector not to press charges against Merlin.
His relief that day, as he was released with Gaius as his companion, had been complete, and he knew he would never enter All The Pretty Things, or any other brothel ever again.
He'd stayed with Gaius for two months, looking for work. When he found a job as a bartender and general dogs-body at a sticky-carpet, grungy venue, he felt right at home, and ready to enjoy being around people again. The fact that music was performed most nights there, gave him a push to revisit his music, and work towards getting a set together.
Now, more than two years later, he pushed open the door to his flat, and was grateful for so many things that were now normal in his life.
He dumped his stuff next to the door, and walked into the tiny kitchen. Arthur was making scrambled eggs.
Arthur looked over his shoulder, and smiled, "How'd it go?"
"So good, Arthur. Next one, you'd better be there."
"I hated missing seeing you play, babe. But I had five teens I had to help through a computer literacy session."
"The ones who were in the riots?"
"Yeah. It's like, they are finally starting to see me as a person who gives an actual fuck about their lives, and not just some idiot posh git bossing them around."
Merlin sighed. He was aching for Arthur to see him play a performance, but after everything Arthur had lost because he wanted Merlin in his life, these small slivers of respect that he got from the teens he worked hard to try and rehabilitate rebuilt Arthur's own self belief.
He hugged Arthur from behind, resting his chin on Arthur's shoulder. "I'm proud of how persistent you are with them. They respect you, because you are putting yourself into their lives. You've got such a big heart."
Arthur smiled at the praise, and turned around to kiss Merlin. "Thank you, Merlin. Hungry?"
"Nah, well, yeah, but I'm more hungry for you right now."
Arthur grinned. Those eggs were going to go cold.
Merlin whispered into Arthur's ear, "Make love to me with your mouth." Arthur shivered, and grabbed Merlin's hand, dragging him towards their bedroom. He would always want to make love with Merlin, anyway and anywhere he wanted to.
He wasn't a Member of Parliament, and his father was only just beginning to speak to him again. But it had been worth it.
The End.
Merlin packed up his gear, carefully placing his guitars in their travel bags, coiling the leads and packing away the loop pedal. After nearly eighteen months of jamming and writing songs, their three piece band Fissure had performed two gigs. This last gig had gone well, not letting the occasional mistake and misfire affect them, but they'd just kept on playing until they'd all gotten back in time again.
Merlin helped pack the stuff away in his bandmates car, ready to go home. His life was so different now to what it had been two years ago, when he'd been sure that an unfortunate incident involving a client was going to incarcerate him for more years than he would ever want to endure. Somehow, Inspector Mithian Norton had collated Merlin's medical examination results, his version of events, and Noller's prior track record of violent assaults and had managed to convince her Chief Inspector not to press charges against Merlin.
His relief that day, as he was released with Gaius as his companion, had been complete, and he knew he would never enter All The Pretty Things, or any other brothel ever again.
He'd stayed with Gaius for two months, looking for work. When he found a job as a bartender and general dogs-body at a sticky-carpet, grungy venue, he felt right at home, and ready to enjoy being around people again. The fact that music was performed most nights there, gave him a push to revisit his music, and work towards getting a set together.
Now, more than two years later, he pushed open the door to his flat, and was grateful for so many things that were now normal in his life.
He dumped his stuff next to the door, and walked into the tiny kitchen. Arthur was making scrambled eggs.
Arthur looked over his shoulder, and smiled, "How'd it go?"
"So good, Arthur. Next one, you'd better be there."
"I hated missing seeing you play, babe. But I had five teens I had to help through a computer literacy session."
"The ones who were in the riots?"
"Yeah. It's like, they are finally starting to see me as a person who gives an actual fuck about their lives, and not just some idiot posh git bossing them around."
Merlin sighed. He was aching for Arthur to see him play a performance, but after everything Arthur had lost because he wanted Merlin in his life, these small slivers of respect that he got from the teens he worked hard to try and rehabilitate rebuilt Arthur's own self belief.
He hugged Arthur from behind, resting his chin on Arthur's shoulder. "I'm proud of how persistent you are with them. They respect you, because you are putting yourself into their lives. You've got such a big heart."
Arthur smiled at the praise, and turned around to kiss Merlin. "Thank you, Merlin. Hungry?"
"Nah, well, yeah, but I'm more hungry for you right now."
Arthur grinned. Those eggs were going to go cold.
Merlin whispered into Arthur's ear, "Make love to me with your mouth." Arthur shivered, and grabbed Merlin's hand, dragging him towards their bedroom. He would always want to make love with Merlin, anyway and anywhere he wanted to.
He wasn't a Member of Parliament, and his father was only just beginning to speak to him again. But it had been worth it.
The End.