It was the second Monday in May when Arthur trudged out of school, hanging his head, while the other children ran up to their mothers and handed them cards that they made in class that day. It was mother's day. And Arthur had no mother.
The four year old was quiet on the way home, Merlin noted. They entered the house without a word, too.
"Do you have a mommy, Merlin?"
The warlock gulped as he sat down with Arthur on his lap. It had been a while since he'd thought of Hunith. "I did…"
Arthur turned and looked at him. "What happened?"
"She's – she's gone now." Merlin blinked and a tear slipped out of his eye. Thousands of years after her death and he still grieved for his mother.
"Just like my mommy," Arthur said quietly as he wiped Merlin's tear away. "What do mommies do?"
Merlin wrapped his arms tight around the four year old, who, in turn, hugged the warlock back. "Mommies love you with all their heart. They care for you in a way that nobody else can. When you disappoint them, they never stop loving you – even if they act like they don't."
Merlin was really crying a bit by then, remembering his mother. Arthur looked up at him and put a small hand on his face. "Can I be your mommy?"
Merlin smiled a watery smile. "What?"
Arthur wiped away his tears. "You said mommies love you and care for you. You said they never stop loving you. Can I be your mommy? I'll love you forever."
Merlin nodded, crying, but smiling. "Yes. And I'll be your mommy."
"You'll love me forever?"
"Forever."
Arthur's face turned serious and he held out his little finger. "Pinky promise?"
Merlin smiled again and held out his finger. "Pinky promise."
The little boy smiled as he snuggled into Merlin's embrace, closing his eyes.
Merlin was really getting to know a lot of parents at the school. They all were pleasant people, and all treated him as an equal, unlike some who thought he was inferior because he was "hired help." What he didn't know, was that everyone adored him for the way he treated their children. Arthur had his friends over all the time, so naturally, Merlin was watching them. Not only did the warlock play with them, though, he spurred them on with their pretend. He never raised his voice, even when frustrated, and always gave each child a hug when they saw him. So, yes, he was adored by the parents and the kids.
And that was why Dwaine's mother, Elena, and Elliot's mother, Gwen, were talking about him on a warm, humid, Tuesday night.
"The way he treats the kids! I've never seen someone so nice! And he talks to them as equals, none of that patronizing garbage," Elena said, as she always spoke what was on her mind.
Gwen glanced out the window, watching as all the boys tackled a laughing Merlin. "My Elliot loves him! All he can talk about when he gets home from a play date is Merlin. 'Merlin let us do this. Merlin showed us the coolest trick.' He adores him!"
"I've talked to Mary and Fran, too." Mary and Fran were Leon's and Percy's mothers. "They say their boys love him too. But I wonder something about him, though…How old is he? The poor boy doesn't seem a day over eighteen. And doesn't he have friends or family? I heard from Uther that he lives alone."
Gwen glanced out the window again, watching as her son and Dwaine pretended to be knights recusing Merlin from the "evil dragon" (Arthur), who wanted the "beautiful princess Merlin" for himself.
"I don't know," she said at last. "Should we ask him?"
Elena shook her head, but then changed it to a nod. "I think I would be pretty awkward, but then again, when have I ever cared about that?"
Gwen smiled at her friend and watched as Merlin showed the boys a magic trick, involving holding a literal light in his hands. Dwaine tried to touch it, and it disappeared, only returning when Merlin said a certain word. They came in a while later.
"That was awesome, Merlin!" they heard a young boy's voice say, while others agreed very loudly in the background. They walked into the kitchen, smiling and flustered looking.
"Mommy!'' Elliot and Dwaine cried as they charged at the women. Arthur clung to Merlin with an odd look, and whispered something along the lines of "I have the best mommy, though."
Merlin checked his watch and his eyes popped. "Sorry, everyone, but Arthur and I have to go. Thanks for having us, Gwen."
Arthur pouted, but also stomped down to Elliot's room to get his coat. All the adults were left standing there.
"You're really good with them, Merlin," Elena said, smiling.
"Thank you. I used to watch loads of kids before Arthur."
Gwen and Elena looked at each other, wondering how a person that looked fresh out of high school accomplished this without dropping out (they knew he hadn't. They asked him one time, but he said that he'd been to college).
"Merlin, we were wondering, just out of curiosity, how old you were?" Gwen asked sweetly.
Merlin's face took on a strange look. "I'm…" he faltered.
"You don't know?"
He shook his head rather bashfully. "Sorry."
"And we were also wondering…" Gwen started again.
"We were wondering if you had any family. You look eighteen or nineteen; shouldn't you still be living at home?"
Merlin grimaced and closed his eyes. "I did have a family, lots of friends, too…but they're gone now. All of them. Dead." He opened his eyes.
Gwen and Elena gasped. "I'm – I'm sorry," one of the started frantically. "We didn't know-"
"It's alright," Merlin said with a sad smile. "It happened years ago…too many in fact. Besides, I've got Arthur."
They couldn't respond as the little boys walked back in, Arthur immediately jumping up into his babysitter's arms. He pouted.
"Don't wanna leave. Can't we play more?"
Merlin laughed. "Maybe tomorrow, if Mrs. DuLac doesn't get sick of us. But right now, we have to go home."
"But-"
"There will be Jell-O involved."
Arthur shut up immediately as Elliot and Dwaine gave their mothers looks that said can we have Jell-O, too? The women smiled.
"Well, bye, ladies, and bye, boys," Merlin said as he ruffled both Dwaine's and Elliot's hair. They walked him and Arthur to the front door before turning to each other with horrified looks.
"All his family and friends? Dead?" Elena whispered, so the chatting little boys couldn't hear.
Gwen nodded, a lump rising in her throat. "The poor boy – he must have been young when it happened. But you would never know it! He's always smiling, always laughing."
"Ah," said Elena, who had read something like this in a book of quotes and wise words. "But the people with the brightest smiles have cried the most tears."
"What'cha doing?" Arthur asked as Merlin boiled water on the stove.
"I promised you Jell-O, didn't I?"
Arthur smiled and put up his arms, the universal sign that a child wants to be picked up. Merlin complied and handed him the packet of powder.
"Pour this in for me?"
Arthur ripped off the top and dumped it in, liking how he actually managed not to spill the powder everywhere.
"It's red!"
"Yep," said Merlin, poking him on the nose, which had become a thing with them. "I know it's someone's favorite color!"
The little boy broke into peals of laughter as Merlin began tickling him everywhere. The warlock had to stop, though, so he could run the Jell-O mixture in the fridge. Arthur was waiting for him when he turned around, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Merlin narrowed his eyes and acted "suspicious" and turned around again. He saw with the help of the glass window, that Arthur was making faces at him. He flashed around, picking Arthur up and tickling him again as punishment.
"I love you, Merlin. Will you stay forever?" the little boy asked as he calmed down.
Merlin smiled. "As long as you want me here."
A/N: Here's the third chapter. Think of it as you will.
So, this time around Gwen's married to Lancelot and Elyan is her son, not her brother. Just putting that out there!
And thanks guys for reveiwing, favoriting, and following! Seriously, you dudes just rock! I hope all of you get dragons or unicorns or a hot warlock boyfriend (if you want that last one...)
