Hi! Welcome to this strange realm of my mind :) This is my second fanfiction and I hope you enjoy it. I have used this rating for future gore and some romance.
Merlin ran as fast as he could, his lanky frame making it possible to weave in and out of the pedestrians who were mundanely walking by with their shopping, oblivious to the boy's plight, or occasionally shooting him dirty looks. However, the blonde, muscled shop assistant was not giving up just yet. "Trust me to have to chase a wanna-be Olympic athlete," he panted, breaths coming in short gasps and leg muscles screaming at him to stop, despite numerous hours spend on running machines and treadmills.
He felt slightly sorry for the boy, he was clearly homeless, his jacket was tatty and full of holes and all the kid wore underneath was a blue shirt and thin red scarf which looked to be hand-knitted. The boy must be freezing without proper layers, this particular winter had bought freezing cold winds from the Pacific and it was snowing lightly. Arthur was glad for his coat and thermal vest, the vest may not be manly but for once Arthur had decided to put aside his pride, in comfort's name.
Arthur glanced upwards after crashing into a young woman and saw that the young boy had turned into an alley, a dead ended valley. 'Maybe luck is on my side!' With a smirk Arthur turned the corner into the alley and saw that the boy had sunk down into a large cardboard box and had pulled a threadbare blanket over his head in a feeble attempt to keep warm and hidden. Arthur who still hadn't managed to catch his breath walked up to the box with as much dignity as possible whilst gasping like a steam train and pulled back the blanket.
His brown eyes were met with a pair of icy blue eyes which seemed to stare straight into his soul. The boy was clearly shaking, petrified and Arthur bent down onto his haunches so that he would appear less intimidating. That was when the cat decided to pounce, its brown, black and ginger fur billowing around the skinny frame and claws scrabbling at Arthur's chest. Letting out a rather undignified shriek, Arthur picked up the cat and held it at arms length, gaining numerous scratches to his arms and hands in the process.
Restraining a sigh he said as calmly as possible, "if you hand over what you stole from the store I won't have to get the police involved, and I am sure you do not want to be arrested. And if you could keep your cat under control it would be much appreciated." The small boy shook his head sadly and picked up the writing cat, whom upon contact with the boy's long, skinny fingers immediately calmed and began to purr contentedly. Merlin placed the cat on his lap within the box and pulled the blanket around them and scratched her behind the ears. Arthur was not sure whether the boy was seeking or offering comfort. "It is ok, just give back what you stole and I will leave you in peace." Merlin sighed deeply and pulled the orange bag from the box. Arthur stared at it for a moment, "Iams?" Merlin nodded and felt tears well up in his eyes. "Please let me keep them! You have to understand. If Freya doesn't eat soon I will have to give her away." 'So the cat is called Freya, what a weird choice, I was expecting Fluffy or Mittens.' Arthur contemplated the cat's name for a while until the boy began to sob hopelessly, drawing his attention back to reality. The boy had drawn the cat up to his chest and buried his face in her fur until the sobbing subsided. "I. Can't. Give. Her. Away." Merlin began to beg, hiccupping as more tears leaked from his eyes. "She is all I have, I can't loose her!"
Arthur looked at the helpless boy and felt guilt pressing down in his heart making him feel as if he had just been hit by a truck. He nodded slowly, 'the boy is clearly half starved and yet he only cares about his cat. He could have stolen human food or a mobile phone for money but instead chose to help the poor creature.'
Arthur had flashbacks of his own upbringing, his father was CEO of a major bank and his mother had been an actress before she died. Arthur had never wanted for anything and had always been spoilt and selfish due to his parent's wealth. He had been bought every new game device including a Wii, Xbox and Nintendo 3DS. Arthur had never missed a meal and lived an incredibly sheltered life, being educated in a private school.
Arthur looked at the boy, who had clearly never experienced any of the above luxuries and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Hush now, it's ok. You can keep the cat food, I will pay for it." Merlin's eyes widened at this act of kindness and he buried his head in Arthur's shoulder, bursting into tears again. Arthur patted the boy's back awkwardly, noticing how he could feel Merlin's spine and said "Come on, lets get you something to eat." His sister Morgana's bakery was just around the corner and he would buy the skinny boy some lunch. She lived in the apartment above with her husband Mordred and two children Gwen and George. Feeding the boy was the least he could do. Besides, the cakes were amazing and there was a slice of his favorite chocolate gateau with his name on it.
Merlin smiled, he felt as though life was finally looking up. He scooped up some Iams in his hand and Freya ate them immediately. He then placed them in his rucksack along with the blanket which he neatly folded and then stood up, cradling Freya in his arms protectively. Arthur was not sure whether Morgana would allow the cat in her bakery but as it was him she may allow it just this once. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and steered him down the streets, noticing the howling of a fire engine in the distance. "I don't even know your name, I'm Arthur." "Merlin, and I already know your name." Arthur shot Merlin a puzzled glance, how did the boy, Merlin, know his name? Merlin laughed for the first time in months when he saw Arthur frown in confusion at his previous statement. "It says on your badge you clotpole!" As they continued walking in silence, neither having anything else to say and gaining several weird looks due to Freya, the sirens became louder. As they turned the corner Arthur felt his life shatter into a million pieces.
The bakery was on fire!
So guys, cliff-hanger ;) Will Merlin come to the rescue? Will Morgana be ok? Will someone be hurt? Now that would be telling!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I promise there is a lot more bromance, angst, hurt and perhaps even romance to come. Ok, definitely romance, everyone loves a bit of Merther! :) I will upload the next chapter in a couple of days. Please favorite / follow / review. It will make me incredibly happy. Also, I would love it if you could check out my other story, A Mistake Too Far, based on Harry Potter.