Here's some more kid!Merlin. Enjoy

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Merlin's legs hurt. Between trying to keep up with the knights, having shrunk several feet in under a few seconds, and that he had had been cursed, he was surprised that nothing else hurt, but his legs still hurt. He hated to admit it, for one it was embarrassing as hell, and two he was an adult, but he really wished someone would carry him, but he refused to ask. Just because he wished it didn't mean he really needed it.

Percival, however, must have sensed his silent suffering, and Merlin shouted in surprise when arms grabbed him around the middle and lifted him off his feet. Merlin squealed in surprise, slapping both hands over his mouth. He lowered his hands, ignoring the small smirk Gwaine barely held back, and grumbled to Percival. "I don't need to be carried."

"I could put you down," Percival offered slowly lowering Merlin to the ground.

Merlin almost let him, not needing to be carried, but his legs were sore, his feet weren't any better, and he was tired and hungry. He did not want to walk anymore, he just wanted to go home, so he sighed and whispered, "Please don't put me down." It was embarrassing, and Gwaine and Arthur shared a quick look, smiling, but Percival didn't mock him.

Instead, he set Merlin on his shoulders, keeping a loose hold around his ankles, and kept walking as if he carried small children, who were formerly adults around all the time. While Merlin still wouldn't look Arthur or Gwaine's way, he was grateful he no longer had to walk.

It didn't take the group long to get back to Camelot, even less time for the group to let Gaius look Merlin over. Gaius deemed Merlin healthy, albeit four again, and said the spell would wear off in about a week; a week too long if anyone bothered to ask Merlin (which they did not).

"Would you like me to get you some smaller clothes?" Gwen asked kindly, kneeling down to Merlin's eye level, ignoring the fact that her dress could get dirty.

Merlin looked down at his blue shirt, the piece of clothing nearly to his knees, and miserably nodded. He already missed his boots and scarf.

Gwen held out her hand, silently asking if Merlin wanted to go with her, and he hesitated for a few seconds before taking it. It wouldn't hurt to take a break from Arthur and the knights. Gwen pushed herself to her feet, giving Arthur, Gwaine, and Gaius a polite smile, and she and Merlin walked out together.

The market, always busy, seemed busier than usual today. Several times, Merlin found himself clutching Gwen's dress, almost afraid of losing her in the crowd, and every time he quickly let her go, not needing to be protected. He may be four again, but he was also a powerful warlock. He could take care of himself.

"I think these will fit you," Gwen said glancing down at Merlin, holding up a pair of black breeches. "There's also a red shirt that sort of matches your other one. Would you like that, too?"

"I guess," Merlin muttered shrugging. He spotted a small, blue scarf and his eyes light up. "Can I have that?" Gwen turned, smiling when she spotted the scarf, and nodded, picking it up.

Gwen found a pair of boots at another stall, picking up another shirt and a dark blue jacket from a third, and ended their shopping trip with buying Merlin a bowl of stew at the tavern. The barmaids cooed over him, asking him what his name was and where his parents were, while the knights slipped him pieces of candy when Gwen wasn't looking, so that by the time he and Gwen started back towards Gaius' Merlin's new pants' pockets were full of candy and he was tired of people (or maybe just tired in general).

After Merlin had thanked Gwen, he took a few minutes to put away his new things before crawling onto his bed. He laid there for a while, staring at the ceiling, thinking over everything that had happened over the past few hours. The only conclusion he could come up with is it was going to be a long week, and he should probably expect more people fawning over him and telling him he was cute.

He already couldn't stand being a kid again.

Merlin

Merlin awoke to the sound of a clatter and a soft swear. He sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes, watching the door. He heard a second clatter and Gaius whispered, "Damn."

"Gaius," Merlin called in his squeaky, child voice, rolling off his bed. He ran a hand through his messy hair, opening the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Gaius replied from the floor, cleaning up a puddle of something green and foul-smelling. "I just dropped Hilda's boil remedy."

"Okay," Merlin said crossing the room, clambering onto the bench, watching Gaius. He kicked his feet, glaring at his short legs, missing being able to touch the floor. "Do you need any help?"

Gaius looked as if he wanted to say no, but he stopped himself, glancing over at a stack of books sitting against the wall. "Can you put those on that shelf?"

Merlin nodded, scrambling off the bench, and headed towards the books. He knew Gaius didn't exactly need the help, was probably only giving Merlin the job so he could feel 'useful,' and Merlin could easily just not do it. But a part of him wanted to feel useful, regardless of the much bigger part reminding him he wasn't four, so he slowly replaced the books onto the shelf.

When he finished, Gaius was in the middle of making another boil remedy, humming a song that Merlin recognized. Merlin hummed along, bobbing his head back and forth, a small smile creeping across his lips. "Mother used to sing that to me."

"Balinor taught her," Gaius said softly, filling a flask to the top with green fluid. "His mother used to sing it to him."

Merlin smiled, feeling both sad and elated, and continued humming the song. He felt closer to his dad, something he had striven to do since Balinor died. Impulsively crossing the room, Merlin surprised Gaius by hugging his leg. He then let Gaius go and curiously asked, "Can I help you deliver that to Hilda?"