Merlin's head lay on Arthur's shoulder as they stared across the shimmering lake of Avalon with their feet dangling in the water. The sun was starting to go down and the area was just the perfect climate. It wasn't too warm, wasn't too cold, and it was dry but not overly so. It was a perfect moment.

Perfect…but bitter. Merlin knew what was going to happen.

He wrapped his arms around one of Arthur's, not wanting to let go for a second.

"I don't want it to end," Merlin whispered, breaking the silence from all but the birds that nested in a nearby tree. He knew that Arthur had heard, he knew that Arthur felt the same in some part…but Arthur was always the better man. The things that Merlin had done over the years: when he convinced Arthur that allowing magic in Camelot was the wrong thing damning his kind and ultimately his king, the way he treated Mordred turning him into the monster that he feared all along, Morgana. He regretted how he acted with Morgana for so long. Everything he did was with good intentions, but somehow those intentions turned everything into darkness.

But Arthur was different. When he acted, goodness followed. He did make bad choices, but he would turn them into something better in the end. He would correct it with a form of nobility that can only belong to a person. He would make the right decision and end everything correctly.

At that moment Merlin noticed a tear fall down Arthur's face, "Arthur?"

"I know Merlin," He said, his voice nasal, as he put his free hand to his face to try and wipe away some of the tears that had started to fall down, "I don't want it to end either."

The two then held each other for a while longer, watching the sun set in the sky.

"Do you think they'll remember us? Tell our story in years to come?" Arthur asked, he was calmer now, but his eyes were puffy and if he did not have the support of Merlin then he would have fallen down to the ground.

"I'm sure they will," Merlin replied smiling softly, "King Arthur, the hero. You'll last forever. Your story is one that will inspire children for a long time. You are good, but you're also exciting. You're a hero. You'll live on."

"And you are Merlin, the magician. A bit of an idiot, but without him Arthur wouldn't have lasted a minute." Arthur held onto Merlin's hand, "Without you, I am nothing. I can only be a hero because of you."

"Too right." Merlin smirked, the two then started to laugh.

After a few moments the laughter stopped and Merlin smiled. He then nodded, "I think it's time Arthur."

"Yeah. I guess it is." The two then stood up and looked across the water as the moon started to shine across the lake.

"I'm not saying goodbye though," Merlin noted, "There's no separating us. We'll be together in the next life, whatever form it may take."

"Yeah, probably. I can't get rid of your that easily can I?" Arthur laughed. Merlin then pushed him, causing him to stumble forward and into the water. The drenched Arthur glared up at Merlin, who was exploding with Arthur, "Merlin!"

"What?" Merlin smirked as he continued to laugh, "It was just a light nudge. I thought you'd be a bit better on your feet."

Arthur quickly grabbed Merlin's leg and pulled, knocking him into the water. Merlin glared at Arthur, who took his chance to start laughing. Merlin splashed at him, but Arthur managed to grab his arms and wrap his legs around him to stop him from moving. Merlin would have been worried about drowning, but his eyes glowed and they remained floating as he manipulated the forces in the water.

They stayed there for a moment, looking straight at each other's eyes. Then Arthur let go and the two floated on the surface of the water for a few more moments.

A few more moments. Merlin looked at Arthur, smiling, as he seemed to shine on the water.

One more moment. Arthur looked back at Merlin and grinned. He then pulled him over to him and the two moved their heads towards each other.

The lake was silent apart from the mother bird that returned to the nest.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! It has been great to write this and to see that it has been appreciated (currently all the reviews, favourites and followers are multiples of five, which makes me very happy :D). I may do some more with some parts of this in the future if I feel like it (maybe do some one shots from Merlin's previous lives). But thank you very much! :D