Here's Part Two!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TELEVISION SHOW MERLIN OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. NOR DO I OWN DC'S BATMAN AND POLLY POCKET.
XxX
"Daddy!" the shrill shriek caused Merlin to drop the cutting knife with a jerk, but was too late to pull his hand back! The tip glanced across his forefinger, and an immediate swelling of blood appeared. The deep cut stung horribly, but the shock numbed the pain for a moment before Merlin became aware. He tried incredibly hard to be a big boy and not cry like the girl Arthur always called him. Morgana, completely unaware of what happened to her friend rushed out of the kitchen to greet her returning family.
The focused boy stared so hard at that cut, willing it to cease bleeding and holding back fat watery tears that he didn't notice the soccer player come up behind him. "Merlin! What are you-Is that blood?"
Arthur grabbed surprisingly gently at the young child's hand and brought it up to his eye level for inspection. A surprised streak of salt-water escaped the quivering eyelashes as he spun on the spot to see Morgana's brother looking at the ouchie in concern. "I'll go get a band-aide!" With that, he was off, disregarding the fact that his back-pack was still over his shoulders.
Merlin giggled at the care his thirteen year-old 'brother' showed. They'd known each other since he was in diapers, but getting Arthur to express his familial love was very rare. Gingerly, Merlin placed his finger into his mouth, then with even more care, picked up the fallen knife and placed it into the sink. Mama always said dirty dishes go in the sink. He then sat upon the stool, waiting for Arthur's treatment. From the corner of his eye, the kid noticed Agravaine reenter the kitchen with Mr. Pendragon, Morgana, and Morgause.
"Are you done cutting the butter* Merlin?" the black-haired girl plopped beside him, a pink chair just inches away. He shook his head, still sucking the finger. Her father looked bemused, the girls confused, and Agravaine just looked like he needed to go potty real bad.
Morgause took the adult chair their uncle had previously been occupying and asked, "Then why'd you stop to lick your fingers?"
"He cut himself." Arthur came back into the room holding disinfectant and the promised band-aide. It had a recognizable superhero on it.
Mr. Pendragon and his brother-in-law looked slightly concerned and walked closer. "Are you alright?" he knelt down to draw the tiny hand out the elementary student's mouth to examine the wound.
Arthur impatiently huffed behind the business man, wanting to heal the injury. Merlin giggled again at the odd show of affection for the normally emotionally-constipated men of the family. His blue eyes glanced up to see Morgana covering her laughter as well, but Agravaine still appeared to be glaring at the third-grader's let lips. Is there chocolate on them? Merlin liked self-consciously, but that only seemed to make his face scrunch up more before he caught the stare, and grew a too-warm grin.
The gaze was broken when the blond soccer-player dabbed cold cream over the damp and no-longer bleeding cut, then wrapped the band-aid tightly. "There you are. It doesn't hurt anymore, does it?"
"No," Merlin smiled gratefully and hugged Arthur's neck. "Thanks Batman!"
"You're such a girl Meerrlin!" but the returned smirk said enough.
XXx
Uther chuckled at the familiar nicknames the boys used and motioned for Agravaine to help him clean up the kitchen, or at least finish the recipe of whatever it was they had attempted to create.
"Don't talk to ROBIN like that Batman!" his daughter defended with good humor. Morgause started to laugh with her father at their antics as well.
"My deepest apologies, Batgirl." he sarcastically replied whilst placing Merlin on the living room sofa and turning of the living room TV. "Now would you and Cat woman please leave? We men would like to watch football in peace!"
As the argument continued, Uther turned to Agravaine, "What were you making earlier?"
"Brownies," his brother-law sounded distracted. "Do they always..?"
"Call them those nicknames? Yeah." the entrepreneur started to place the already mixed brownie concoction in the fridge. "Ever since Arthur's eighth birthday party-it was themed with that character-they've always called each other that. Though he seems to be growing out of the habit, Morgana just won't give it up."
A few minutes passed in companionable silence, but a loud gasp and yells echoed to the grown men from where the children were. Both rushed to see what the trouble was, but were put at ease when they were greeted with the sight of Arthur mercilessly tickling a wailing Merlin, and both of Uther's daughters flinging pieces of Polly Pocket's rubber clothing at his head to stop the attack!
XXx
One hour later.
"You sure you want to take a nap Merlin? Arthur can let you borrow his swim trunks if that why you don't wanna swim"
"Come on Merlin! Dad set up the pool and everything."
The tired little boy shook his head, looking guiltily over at Mr. Pendragon. He felt bad for disappointing his friends, but he was too sleepy to play anymore.
"It's alright Merlin. You can go take a nap in the guest room." the gray-haired father smiled reassuring manner.
Morgause, already clad in her red one-piece, trotted over to the drooping eyed youth and kissed his cheek. "Nighty-night Robin."
As the third-grader trudged back inside, he could hear Arthur singing, "Morgause and Merlin-sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-Ouch!" the little boy blushed, and with renewed energy, high-tailed it upstairs, not hearing their uncle excuse himself as well, saying he had work to catch up on.
Merlin loved the guest room (it was practically his, he stayed over so much), what with the dark green and blue sheets, and the stash of action figures and comic books the boys hid under the bed. There was a television too, but the raven-haired student really was exhausted. Chucking off his shoes, he almost snuggled under the over-sized comforter before a large shadow blocked out the light from the hallway.
A childish fear of the dark spurned Merlin to twirl immediately to spot the monster, but was dizzily happy to just see Agravaine. I wonder what he's doing up here? Did he leave his work on the desk? A quick check to the computer desk under the window with closed curtains showed nothing but empty space, so the nine year-old looked back at the man.
"Do you need anything Mr. La Fay?"
Dark, muddy brown eyes glinted at his voice, and he slowly closed the door. "Yes." He locked the door. "Yes I do."
The End.
Oh yes. I left it there.
XXx
Once again, I feel like a bitch. A creepy bitch. Poor Merlin! I can't believe I wrote that! I seriously need to write something happy now.
Please don't worry dear readers! Not all of my stories will be like that! It would be ever so helpful if you would kindly go vote on my new poll for a story idea, because writing other things keeps my juices flowing! Even if you haven't heard of some of the fandoms, don't let that stop you. Just please vote for whatever idea catches your fancy!