camelot_drabble | On My Own

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Title: On My Own - Part 2
Rating: PG13
Pairing/s: Merlin, Arthur
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Merlin is a lost soul, and finds living on his own isn't easy
Warnings: Homelessness, Feels.
Word Count: 588
Prompt: Acceptance
Author's Notes: Modern, AU. Sorry part two was written quick due to family in town. Hope its ok? :)
You can read part one (from prompt despair) Here- On My Own - Part 1

Merlin’s legs moved of their own accord; guiding him home by pure muscle memory. He ran until his lungs stung. Ran until his feet burned above the paper-thin soles of his converse, and his troubles blurred behind him.

He pushed past the white sheet at the entrance of his fort. Hid his chalks under his pillow and flopped onto the wrinkled nest of his blankets.

But the crackling of twigs broke his solitude. Merlin snapped his head up. The sheet had opened, revealing the blond man. His face was flushed from exertion; hair gleaming under the splotchy canopy light.

“Hey! You! I’m not done with-“ The heat in the strangers voice simmered, his jaw dropping at the sight of Merlin’s hovel. “This…. God... is this where you live?“ the man whispered.

Merlin jumped to his feet. “Get out!” he screamed, flinging his Shakespeare book with everything he had. Merlin’s aim was poor, but his message struck true. As soon as the book collided with the sheet, the stranger had vanished.

He slouched in the dirt, rubbing his face against his sleeve. Refusing to acknowledge the dampness now soaking the cloth.

No, Merlin mumbled, fighting sobs that wracked his chest. That man isn’t worth the salt of tears-

He’d had worse before, and would have worse again. The only thing left to do was search the restaurant dumpsters for dinner.

It was a week later, while drawing a white dragon on the sidewalk, that a shadow crossed Merlin’s path. Merlin raised his hand to his eyes, only to find that his sunlight had been replaced by a tussle of golden hair.

It was the blond man- panting slightly. Sweat staining his sports jersey, as if he'd just come from a game. "Hey, um-" The blond man swallowed, scratching his neck. "Shit. I just realized I don't know your name-"

Merlin rolled his eyes and went back to his chalks.

“Look, I’m trying to apologize-"

“Don’t bother.” Merlin snorted.

The man’s voice lowered to a whisper. “Listen, about before... I didn’t realize…”

“I’ve nothing to say to you, and you’ve nothing to say to me, so shove off!” Merlin growled, his fingers furiously outlining the dragon's claws.

But the man didn't leave, instead he knelt to Merlin’s level and held up a brown paper bag.

Merlin stared the bag as if it were venomous.

“Open it.” the man commanded.

“I don’t want it.” Merlin replied.

A stiff smile quirked the strangers lips, “You don’t even know what it is.”

Merlin remained silent; hoping that if he ignored the man long enough, he'd loose interest and leave. He’d read somewhere that worked with large stampeding mammals, and hoped it worked with prat’s as well.

But he didn’t leave. Instead he sat cross-legged in front of Merlin, pouting like a spoiled child. “Fine. If you won’t open it I'll do it for you.” He pulled out a hardcover book, tilting it forward for Merlin to see.

“Can’t accept that.” Merlin said reflexively.

“Think of it as payment for ruining your artwork last week.”

Merlin hurriedly gathered his chalks, and the blond man put his hands up in surrender. “Let’s not do anything rash. I’ll leave this here and be on my way,“ he said, placing the book on Merlin’s cap. “You can take it or leave it, it’s you’re choice.”

Merlin waited until the man was walking away before turning towards his cap. The shiny cover of the new book glistened. He stared at his chalks, and then back to where the book beckoned. He sighed, clapping the dust off his hands as he took the book and peeled back the first page.

It was a book of fairy tales- spectacularly illustrated. Each story was a burst of color on the page.

It was beautiful.

"Hey!" Merlin shouted, to the figure jogging back to the football field. "I'm.... My name's Merlin!"

The blond man grinned back, “I’m Arthur!” he said, giving Merlin a playful salute.

On My Own - Part 2

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