Took you long enough 5/13
Title: Took you long enough 5/13
Author: bunnysworld
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17, in the end
Word Count: 10400 and some
Summary: Arthur wakes up and has to find his way back to Merlin
Warnings/Content Notes: Reincarnation, crack, AU
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the boys aren’t mine. Just took them out to play a little. I give them back unharmed - if I have to. Own nothing, no copyright infringement intended.
I never really liked reincarnation fics, but this didn’t leave me alone, so I wrote it. If you have half the fun reading as I had writing this, it was worth the time and effort. If you can’t stand poking a bit of fun at our beloved golden king, you might want to stay away from this one. ;)
As always, thanks to tambear for the cheerleading and the beta.
Here you can find Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
and Part 4
Merlin helped Arthur out of the armour and chainmail, and then showed him the bathroom. He noticed the almost horrified look on Arthur’s face when he explained how the shower worked and what a toilet was there for, but knew Arthur could handle it. He had seen so many new and scary things that day already, two more didn’t make much of a difference he figured.
When he closed the bathroom door behind him to give Arthur his privacy, he had a fond smile on his face. Arthur was back. He’d waited so long, sometimes ready to give up hope, but there he was, in his bathroom, taking a shower. His Arthur was back.
Now on to the job of introducing Arthur to this world, this century. And since Arthur seemed to have forgotten what they had back in Camelot...but no, Merlin wouldn’t allow himself to think about that now. He had lived through all those centuries, seen the world change, some things for the better, some for the worse. He adjusted to every new invention and every political change. Arthur was just thrown into it. It would take a while for him to adjust. And then he’d probably remember.
Merlin had no idea how the royal stomach would react to modern food after only waking up a few hours ago, so he went for chicken soup and some bread. He still had some drumsticks in the fridge and tomatoes and cheese and such, if Arthur was still hungry. He always had Arthur’s favourites in store.
He was still smiling widely, feeling as if some missing piece of him had clicked back into place, when he remembered the others. He texted a quick “Got him. At my place now. Will call when he’s ready to face everyone.” and put the food on the table just as Arthur left the bathroom, a large towel wrapped around his waist.
Merlin chuckled. Some things never changed.
“Bring me my clothes, Merlin.” Arthur felt a bit better now that he had used the waterfall inside the house (he didn’t trust Merlin’s explanation that there wasn’t some kind of magic involved) and the chamber pot that flushed everything away with water. He was still exhausted, but having Merlin there was good.
Merlin opened the part of his closet that was reserved for Arthur’s clothes. A few centuries back he started to always have some things for Arthur to wear. He decided that soft sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt were the right things now. Arthur was tired, he could sleep in those.
“What are those?” Arthur eyed the clothing.
“Pants and a t-shirt.” Merlin sighed. “The kind of breeches and shirt you wear these days. You have seen them out on the streets.”
Arthur thought he probably had, but people had worn such odd clothes that he stopped paying attention to it. He reached for the things Merlin held up and looked at him in surprise. “They are soft!”
“Much better than scratchy linen, eh?” Merlin grinned. “Put them on, your dinner’s waiting.”
Arthur dressed and already liked the feel of the material on his skin. When he sat down at the table - relieved that a chair was still a chair and that he recognised a table when he saw one - he started eating. “Tell me what happened.”
Merlin took a deep breath. Where to start? Over the centuries he’d rehearsed his speeches, tried to find ways to tell Arthur about his death, how he brought him to Avalon where he slept all those years. But everything was forgotten. So he sat down across from Arthur, making sure his wine glass was filled. Slowly, with carefully chosen words, he told Arthur about that last battle, how he was struck down and that there was nothing that he, Merlin, could have done about it. He described their journey across the lake to the island, his voice thick with emotion, remembering every single moment as if it had only been yesterday, how he had laid his king, his love, his life, to rest. “I knew you’d come back some day.”
First, Arthur had stuffed his face with bread and soup, drinking a couple of glasses of wine, wondering why it tasted so different, but then he was so wrapped up in Merlin’s story that the food and drink were forgotten. He had so many questions. But only asked one. “How long, Merlin?”
Reaching across the table to put his hand on Arthur’s, Merlin looked him in the eyes. “Almost 1500 years.”
On to part 6
Author: bunnysworld
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17, in the end
Word Count: 10400 and some
Summary: Arthur wakes up and has to find his way back to Merlin
Warnings/Content Notes: Reincarnation, crack, AU
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the boys aren’t mine. Just took them out to play a little. I give them back unharmed - if I have to. Own nothing, no copyright infringement intended.
I never really liked reincarnation fics, but this didn’t leave me alone, so I wrote it. If you have half the fun reading as I had writing this, it was worth the time and effort. If you can’t stand poking a bit of fun at our beloved golden king, you might want to stay away from this one. ;)
As always, thanks to tambear for the cheerleading and the beta.
Here you can find Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
and Part 4
Merlin helped Arthur out of the armour and chainmail, and then showed him the bathroom. He noticed the almost horrified look on Arthur’s face when he explained how the shower worked and what a toilet was there for, but knew Arthur could handle it. He had seen so many new and scary things that day already, two more didn’t make much of a difference he figured.
When he closed the bathroom door behind him to give Arthur his privacy, he had a fond smile on his face. Arthur was back. He’d waited so long, sometimes ready to give up hope, but there he was, in his bathroom, taking a shower. His Arthur was back.
Now on to the job of introducing Arthur to this world, this century. And since Arthur seemed to have forgotten what they had back in Camelot...but no, Merlin wouldn’t allow himself to think about that now. He had lived through all those centuries, seen the world change, some things for the better, some for the worse. He adjusted to every new invention and every political change. Arthur was just thrown into it. It would take a while for him to adjust. And then he’d probably remember.
Merlin had no idea how the royal stomach would react to modern food after only waking up a few hours ago, so he went for chicken soup and some bread. He still had some drumsticks in the fridge and tomatoes and cheese and such, if Arthur was still hungry. He always had Arthur’s favourites in store.
He was still smiling widely, feeling as if some missing piece of him had clicked back into place, when he remembered the others. He texted a quick “Got him. At my place now. Will call when he’s ready to face everyone.” and put the food on the table just as Arthur left the bathroom, a large towel wrapped around his waist.
Merlin chuckled. Some things never changed.
“Bring me my clothes, Merlin.” Arthur felt a bit better now that he had used the waterfall inside the house (he didn’t trust Merlin’s explanation that there wasn’t some kind of magic involved) and the chamber pot that flushed everything away with water. He was still exhausted, but having Merlin there was good.
Merlin opened the part of his closet that was reserved for Arthur’s clothes. A few centuries back he started to always have some things for Arthur to wear. He decided that soft sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt were the right things now. Arthur was tired, he could sleep in those.
“What are those?” Arthur eyed the clothing.
“Pants and a t-shirt.” Merlin sighed. “The kind of breeches and shirt you wear these days. You have seen them out on the streets.”
Arthur thought he probably had, but people had worn such odd clothes that he stopped paying attention to it. He reached for the things Merlin held up and looked at him in surprise. “They are soft!”
“Much better than scratchy linen, eh?” Merlin grinned. “Put them on, your dinner’s waiting.”
Arthur dressed and already liked the feel of the material on his skin. When he sat down at the table - relieved that a chair was still a chair and that he recognised a table when he saw one - he started eating. “Tell me what happened.”
Merlin took a deep breath. Where to start? Over the centuries he’d rehearsed his speeches, tried to find ways to tell Arthur about his death, how he brought him to Avalon where he slept all those years. But everything was forgotten. So he sat down across from Arthur, making sure his wine glass was filled. Slowly, with carefully chosen words, he told Arthur about that last battle, how he was struck down and that there was nothing that he, Merlin, could have done about it. He described their journey across the lake to the island, his voice thick with emotion, remembering every single moment as if it had only been yesterday, how he had laid his king, his love, his life, to rest. “I knew you’d come back some day.”
First, Arthur had stuffed his face with bread and soup, drinking a couple of glasses of wine, wondering why it tasted so different, but then he was so wrapped up in Merlin’s story that the food and drink were forgotten. He had so many questions. But only asked one. “How long, Merlin?”
Reaching across the table to put his hand on Arthur’s, Merlin looked him in the eyes. “Almost 1500 years.”
On to part 6