Hello everyone! I found this really cool event on tumblr called "Ten Years of Merlin & Arthur", and for every day from now until Christmas, there's a prompt that we should use to create something. So if you want to read more about this and see other people's works, head to tumblr, everything is tagged #merthur10years

As for my fanfic, I've already got ideas for all the prompts, but I've only written this one so far. Every chapter's title is the prompt of the day.

SUMMARY: Merlin's had another nightmare of Arthur being destined to die (let's all pretend in this fic that what Merlin was told in 5x01 about Arthur's bane was really just a bad dream). Arthur finds him and makes everything better.

Enjoy! :)

DAY 1
December 18th

JOY AND SORROW

...

"Since long before you set foot on this Earth, Emrys, I have waited for its arrival with the sorrow in my heart. For even as Camelot flowers, so the seeds of her destruction are being sown. The prophets speak of Arthur's bane. You would do well to fear it, for it stalks him like a ghost in the night. Unless you act quickly, Emrys, even you cannot alter the never-ending circle of his fate."

The words haunted Merlin like a nightmare.

The fire in the fireplace was softly crackling as Merlin sat in Arthur's chair in front of it. He tried to relax, but he couldn't.

Those words would not leave his mind.

And the fire kept crackling.

Merlin stared into the flames - forever changing and never staying the same – and wiped a tear from his face.

Was there really no escaping destiny? Was this really what the destiny wanted? To take Arthur away from him? So soon after becoming the king?

Or was this just a nightmare? Simply a dream?

Or was this their future?

Merlin closed his eyes as he tried to banish all those depressing thoughts out of his mind and replace them with something better, something full of love.

Arthur

"Something's been upsetting you, hasn't it?"

"Maybe."

"Was it when I threw water over you?!

"It wasn't very nice."

"It was a bit unfair. Like when you called me fat."

"Why was that unfair?"

"Because I am not!"

Merlin still remembered how it felt when Arthur started rubbing his head with his knuckles in an effort to try to cheer Merlin up.

"Still think I need to get in shape?"

Merlin chuckled at that memory.

"That's better."

"Thanks."

He didn't know what he'd do if Arthur died. He couldn't live without him, the dragon himself said that they were like two sides of the same coin. Arthur was Merlin's other half. He would never be able to move on from the loss of something like that. It'd be as if he died with Arthur.

His brows furrowed and his dark thoughts returned, showing him what might happen as his gaze got lost in the flames.

He could do nothing as another tear escaped his eye and he realized his cheeks were both already wet from crying.

At that moment, the door opened and the very object of his thoughts entered the room.

"Well, Merlin," Arthur sighed, "even though I know the nature of our . . . relationship has changed over the last few weeks, I never said you could stop being my manserv- Merlin?"

Merlin didn't look up. He knew Arthur was staring at him and that he'd already noticed the state in which Merlin was right now.

He heard quiet footsteps towards his chair in front of the fire and then a gentle touch on his shoulder.

"Is that the nightmare again?"

Merlin simply nodded and felt a lump in his throat as he swallowed. Arthur squeezed his shoulder and knelt in front of him, blocking the view of the fire. Merlin didn't want to look at him, he didn't want him to see him like this, but he didn't have a choice when Arthur raised Merlin's chin with his fingers.

Their eyes met and Merlin's filled with more tears.

He never wanted the day when he wouldn't be able to see that face come. He didn't want that future.

"Listen to me, it was just a dream," Arthur smiled at him and wiped away his tears. "The fact that you have magic doesn't automatically mean that you're a seer like Morgana. You can't and don't know the future. It was just a bad dream."

Merlin took a deep breath and nodded. Arthur smiled at him and gently kissed his lips, bringing him closer for an embrace.

Being in love also meant seeing each other vulnerable. Merlin knew that, even though neither of them was very good at it.

He allowed himself to be held and melted into the hug.

"None of your dreams have ever shown the future, so there's no need to worry now," Arthur told him. Merlin nodded and closed his eyes. He felt Arthur take a deep breath as he added, "But I wouldn't mind some of them coming true . . . " Merlin frowned. "Like that live pink blanket? You said that it had wrapped us both together and we-"

"Shh!" Merlin snorted as he pushed Arthur away with a big smile on his face. He couldn't believe Arthur still remembered that. He'd never confide in him about his dreams again!

But Arthur just kept looking at him with this soft smile on his face while Merlin was still smiling.

"That's better," he nodded.

Merlin couldn't stop smiling at him. He loved Arthur so much. He brought him closer again and kissed his lips. He was feeling much better now.

"Thanks."

I hope you liked it! I'll try my best to finish the second fanfic and post it tomorrow :) Thanks for reading!