Close Call: Merlin/Arthur, R

[quarterwhore]

Title: Close Call
Author: quarterwhore 
Rating: R for ambiguous/implied character death.
Summary: Written for this kinkme_merlin  prompt: Arthur/Merlin- Modern AU, Arthur is coming home from a business trip, but his plan[e] starts to crash, and he calls Merlin[...].   
ANs:
-After several humorous fills I have no idea where this came from.  
-I have done my very best to handle

Comments

[dark_angelis]

So heartbreaking. I love the last line and how Arthur faces his death with such courage and dignity. A very King Arthur moment there.

[quarterwhore]

In the series, Arthur seems to be most mature when facing death (ie The Labyrinth of Gedref, going to battle in Sweet Dreams, etc), so I tried to carry over that sense of inner strength here. I'm glad it worked for you!

[quarterwhore]

He's just so damn noble, I know. :(
I purposely left it ambiguous here, so if you want to think of the stories as linked and have a happy ending, that's fine!

[anonymous]

Having a husband that travels regularly I somewhat hoped that nobody would fill this prompt. However, I read both stories and they are both very serene albeit hartbreaking. I will go with the happy ending of the other one though, hope you don't mind. As somebody else said, they could be read together.
(PS I'm anonymous because I have no LJ or anything but I'm a lurker in this fandom and have already spent many (happy) hours reading marvellous fics).

[quarterwhore]

I don't mind you going with the happy ending at all! I'm fond of happy endings myself. :)

Thank you for commenting! (And I hope your husband continues to be safe. ♥)

[reikokatsura]

Oh GOD. OH GOD. I'm actually crying. This is so tragic. Oh my god.

Arthur must be so terrified. I don't know how he was able to compose himself as he did.I would have been hysterical.

And oh, oh, oh-- poor Merlin. Poor, poor Merlin.

GOD.

Very well done, author. Really well done..

*Goes back to read for third time*

[reikokatsura]

Now that I'm a little more coherent (because God, I never thought such a short thing could actually make me cry!), I can say that your characterization of Arthur was really spot on. He went down the way a king would, honestly.

You managed to capture the emotions of the fic perfectly. Both Arthur and Merlin's fears and love and feelings (everything, really) was just so palpable. In so few words, you managed to really grab my heart (and stomp on it).

Thanks for sharing this fic with us.

[quarterwhore]

I'm glad you think the characterization of Arthur rings true. I tried to base it off of canon reactions to Arthur facing death (Labyrinth of Gedref, Sweet Dreams, The Last Dragonlord, etc), which I think is when we get the best glimpses of the future king Arthur. He has so much courage and worries about others before himself, so that's how I tried to write him here.

I'm thrilled that the emotions came through for you, even if they were very sad emotions. It was emotionally draining just writing it, which is one of the reasons why it's a bit short.

(Btw, if you want an unambiguous happy ending, there is another fill to this prompt that has one.)

Thank you for your wonderful feedback and kind words!

[misanagi]

This was sad and beautiful. Great job!

[quarterwhore]

Thank you. :)