-Epilogue- 8 month's later-

Arthur peered behind his laptop.

An older woman with brown-cropped hair was hunched over his cubicle, pushing her translucent glasses down the bridge of her nose. "Six o'clock," she said in a maternal voice. "If you don't hurry traffic will be deadlocked on 101."

He gathered a stack of papers at his right elbow, shuffling them into a resemblance of order. "All right Linda, I'll finish this up and-"

"Arthur, as your manager I insist you call it day. The work will be there Monday morning, promise. Heck, I'll add to it if you want-"

Arthur huffed a laugh and put his laptop to sleep, taking in his reflection in the dimmed screen as if it were a mirror. He combed his fringe to the side, deciding he liked his part where it was, then subtly checked his teeth to make sure he didn't have poppy seeds from his lunch bagel stuck in them.

After he'd chained his computer to the desk with a company-supplied cable, he stood from his swivel chair. "Thanks, I really appreciate you letting me leave early."

Linda breezed into Arthur's cube, smile tugging with warmth as she said, "You're a hard worker kid. With all the late nights you've put in this month it seems fair."

Since starting his internship with Apple, Arthur had tried to be a standout among his peers. He came into Apple Campus Cupertino everyday with the sunrise, leaving well after sunset. When he wasn't working on projects or picking the brains of the full time industrial design staff, he was swapping painting techniques with his boss, or sitting in the front row of the lunchtime Executive Speaker Series. Taking as many notes as he could scribble in his ledger.

That Arthur's manager hadn't failed to notice his enthusiasm, even complimented him for it, left a fuzzy pride in his chest.

"How long as has it been since you've seen you boyfriend?" Linda asked picking up the single photo Arthur kept at his workstation. It was the selfie of him and Merlin from their trip to Indiana. Merlin's ears sticking out adorably under his ND hat, high cheeks red from the cold but his smile warmer then a thousand summers.

"A month," Arthur said, licking his lips. "But it feels like a lifetime."

She put the photo down and picked up Arthur's cardigan, throwing it over his head. "Don't keep him waiting then! And feel free bring Merlin to the office for lunch. I'd love to meet this mystery man I've heard so much about, especially if he can hem pants-"

Arthur slipped it on and popped up the collar, hoping his grin didn't look as girly and lopsided as it felt. Was it that obvious how excited he was?

He signed out at the main office. Jogged through the park like interior of the campus until he reached his car. Sticking the keys in, he prayed for the engine of the geriatric Saturn to start- kissing the dash with gratitude when it actually did.

Forty minutes. An hour tops if the traffic held, Arthur told himself, taming the butterfly's that twirled knots in his stomach.

He'd waited four weeks for this. He could survive an hour more.

"That's my name."

Their eyes touched, and Merlin winked, grin so wide his face barely contained it. He moved closer to Arthur, taking the cardboard sign from his hands. "Is that doodle is supposed to be me?"

Arthur looked down at his sharpie scribbled sign, then back up at Merlin, starring at him intently. As if the lanky man was the only person in the crowded airport arrival terminal. Merlin's scarf was an immaculate teal knot at his throat; the perfect contrast to a rumpled T-shirt and the hint of black five o clock shadow painting his jawline. His hair had grown out since Arthur had last seen him, thick bangs flopping lazily over lake-blue eyes.

International travel was, apparently, a good look for Merlin Emrys.

"Yep, it's you," Arthur replied, licking his lips. "See... stick body, scarf, big ears-"

"My ear's aren't that big."

"You're right, I ran out of paper."

Arthur was relieved to see Merlin still beaming at him. "Arrogant prick," Merlin rumbled, stroking the nape of Arthur's neck until it tickled. "God I've missed you…."

"I've missed you more." Arthur said.

And he had. Missed the taste of Merlin's mint chapstick on his lips. His smell, clean and sweet like herbal laundry soap. The weight of his pale body spooning Arthur night, and the desperate way he whispered, 'I love you' when Arthur spent inside him. Being parted from Merlin had been like holding his breath for weeks and now, finally, he could gulp air again.

Arthur pulled Merlin's thin hand into his back pocket with possessive affection. Using his free hand to carry Merlin's luggage. "How was Paris, Love?" he asked.

Merlin tilted his head back. A low laugh rolling from his chest. "Where to be begin," he enthused. "The technique workshops were…. Arthur' I've never learned so much in my life. Beading applications, real couture construction. I think the instructors liked my progress; they even let me work on their fall runway collection pieces! Granted at times the program felt more like slave camp then a reward-"

Arthur nodded.

"Oh, and the shopping!" Merlin said, playing circles in Arthur's pocket. "Marché St Pierre had five floors of just fabric, and Tissus Reine's notations... I brought a few meters of fabric home to play with. Thank goodness for my sloppy high school French, right?" Merlin paused for a beat, his face troubled. "I'm boring you, aren't I? I told you all this last time we Skyped-"

"I like hearing it from your mouth," Arthur confessed. "Seeing the spark behind your eyes when you talk about your fashion. How was the rest of the trip, Merlin? Didn't cheat on our no smoking rule did you?"

Merlin's eyebrows perked into question marks. "Can't a guy have his secrets?"

"I don't believe in keeping secrets," Arthur smiled. "But I won't bitch at you. Just tell me you weren't picking up cute French guys while you were away?"

"Cuter then you?" Merlin laughed. "Impossible…"

They fell into each other's arms, exchanging a flurry of needy, almost sloppy kisses Arthur hoped would never end. "Take me home," Merlin sighed, pressing his lithe body into Arthur's chest. "We'll get Thai delivery. Talk about you for a change. Your internship-"

"Delivery?" Arthur balked. "You think I'm made of money?"

"I heard Apple pay's well."

"Mmm maybe. Especially when said intern leads the industrial design team to flag football victory at the corporate games-"

Merlin's expressed his interest with a low mew. "Would've liked to see you muddied up on the field. Were you were wearing those clingy shorts of yours?"

"I have the uniform at home, if you want to see it. Shall we skip dinner and go straight to desert... in the car?" Arthur asked, looping his fingers through Merlin's scarf.

Merlin bit his lip. "The car? Seriously?"

"You like doing it cars…."

"No Arthur, you like doing it cars. And bathrooms, and elevators, and closets, I think you have a fetish…."

Arthur silenced Merlin with a lingering kiss. "You're wrong, Merlin, I like doing it with you. Doesn't matter where. And I happen to be a very impatient man-"

Tumbling together into the back seat of the Saturn, Arthur felt, for once in his life, as proud as the ancient king whose name he bore. After years of confusion and strife he'd touched real happiness. Found in Merlin a lover and an equal. A partner Arthur wasn't only comfortable living with, but the man he simply couldn't live without.

This is officially the end of the fic! Wow, this was really difficult to write. ;_;

Let me start by saying thank you everyone for bearing with my lack of beta on the last few chapters. Also a HUGE thank you to those who have stuck with Sew Right since it's start in 2012, and those of you just reading it now. This has been a huge learning experience as my first completed multi-chapter fanfic (hopefully not the last).

If you've enjoyed reading the story, please take a little time to write a quick review. I really take them to heart, your feedback has been amazing in helping develop the story, and improving my writing for future works. :)

Thanks again

-Candymacaron