Take 65

You Clotpole

Recap :
"Like a king. Will you marry me?"

"Arthur, I can't." I sob.

His face is full of sadness and pain as he leaves.

"Gaius, what do I do??" I ask, shaking.

"Merlin, that boy loves you, and doesn't care that you might not be married long. Arthur wants to give you the world, even if you might not have it for a long time." Gaius soothes, rubbing my back.

"But it'll crush him when I die even more if we're married." I murmur.

"Merlin, don't you dare give up on yourself. I haven't, the knights haven't, Gwen and Morgana haven't, and Arthur hasn't. I refuse to let you wallow in pity and despair. You're Emrys, you can fight this." Gaius scolds. "Now go find your king who's probably out of his mind and tell him that you're going to marry him. You and I both know that's what you want. Now shoo!!"

I run to Arthur's chambers, which probably isn't the best idea all things considered. I burst in on him sobbing.

"Merlin?? God, what're you doing?" He panics.

"Arthur, I want to say yes and I want to marry you. I love you with all my heart, but I'm dying. I don't want you shackled to me, not like this. I want you to go and find someone who makes you happy and who loves you as much as I do." I'm crying at this point.

"But you don't understand, Merls, that's you. Hell, it always has been and I was too thick to realize it. I don't want someone else to marry me, I want to marry you. We're in a tough spot, but I know that you can do this. Please, I love you, and even if we're only married for a second, it'll be worth it." He pleads, getting down on one knee. "So, Merlin, I'm asking you one more time, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband and Camelot's King?"

"It'll be difficult and there will be people who won't accept us." I remind, crying.

"I know." He starts crying too.

"God dammit, Arthur, I'm dying!" I'm trying to protest, to remind him that this might not end well.

"I know. Will you marry me anyway?" His voice cracks and that's what pushes me over the edge.

"Yes, you clotpole." I accept, sobbing, and collapse onto the floor.

Arthur picks me up, puts the ring on my hand, and we slowly make our way back to Gaius's chambers.