Uther generally wasn't a jealous man. He never saw the need for himself to be envious, seeing as he had more than most could afford. But there was one thing he desperately wanted.
He knew he wasn't the world's best father, always pushing Arthur off on to someone else, not really giving him a second glance most days – but he at least deserved some respect from the child he had fathered. But Arthur ignored him when he called, wouldn't talk to him without being spoken to first, and all did all sorts of other things that drove Uther mad. One thing in particular, though, bothered him. Arthur always did have a look of pure adoration and devotion on his face, but it was never directed at him. It was directed at Merlin.
Now, as I said before, Uther was usually not a jealous man, but when he saw his son's face light up when the babysitter walked in the room, he couldn't help when his heart twisted in envy.
"…And today I learned how to spell my name! It was pretty easy, 'cept Miss Cooper said that I was holding my pencil wrong. Dwaine told me I write like a girl, but I told him he was a…" Arthur ranted on and on about his day, Merlin listening with a small amused smile, which suddenly turned to a look of shock.
"You called Dwaine a what?! What idiot taught you that word?!"
"You did."
Merlin blushed and picked Arthur up. "Okay, that's our little secret. But don't call people that, Arthur. It's not nice."
The little boy pouted. "But I wanna be like you."
Merlin laughed. "You can be like me, just don't talk like me."
Arthur pondered that for a moment. "Okay!" He put his head down on Merlin's shoulder, humming a little like most children do subconsciously.
"Merlin?" said Arthur, suddenly popping up. "What does 'destiny' mean?"
The warlock's face turned shocked for a second again, then back into a mask of contentment. "Destiny means something like your future. Something you can't escape."
"Mordred's destiny was fulfilled." Arthur suddenly didn't sound like a four year old anymore. His eyes were a million miles away. "Ours wasn't."
"Oh?" Merlin choked out.
"Albion was never-" Arthur stopped mid-sentence. He blinked. "Merlin?"
"Arthur?"
"Merlin, I feel weird." Arthur's big blue eyes were back to normal and quickly were filling with tears. "Merlin, what just happened? Why does it hurt?"
"You don't remember what just happened?"
The little boy shook his head, tears rising with panic at feeling pain. "Merlin, it hurts!"
"Where?"
Arthur screwed his eyes shut and pointed. Right to the area where Mordred had stabbed him in his last life. "Hurts!"
"Okay," said Merlin, trying to keep a calm composer. "Just stay calm, we'll be home soon."
Arthur's breathing picked up. "It hurts!"
"I know," the warlock said, rubbing small circles into the four year old's back. "I know. You'll feel better soon. Try to go to sleep if you can."
Arthur nodded and lolled his head onto the warlock's shoulder. He grimaced with his eyes closed, but his breathing did relax after a while. He was asleep when they entered the house.
"Merlin," Arthur mumbled as the warlock in question placed him down on the couch and went searching for a children's Advil. He found one in the bathroom.
"Open up," he whispered as he pushed the pill in Arthur's mouth. The asleep child groaned and cracked open an eyelid. He then complied with Merlin's wish and swallowed.
"Merlin," Arthur croaked out. "Can you stay here with me?"
Merlin really hadn't planned on leaving Arthur alone, but nonetheless, nodded and pulled the child onto his lap.
"Can I do anything for you?" he asked.
Arthur sighed and snuggled in closer. "No…just…please…just hold me?"
Merlin bit his lip, remembering the last time someone had said those words to him. The last time Arthur said those words to him. "I will," the warlock whispered back. "Forever."
The next day, Arthur was fine and had nearly forgotten about the pain he felt in the day previous. And he was excited, too. A new boy was visiting their class to see if he liked the school. If he did, Arthur would have a new friend.
But that still didn't mean that he wanted to let go of Merlin when he was dropped off.
"Can you come with me?" he pleaded. Merlin smiled in return.
"I've done my time," the warlock said, making school sound like prison. "It's your turn now."
Arthur pouted. "But Merlin-"
A light laughed cut him off. They both turned to see a woman standing there with a small child peeking out from behind her legs. Merlin smiled at her.
"Don't want to go in, you say?" she asked Arthur. "Same with my Freddy. He's too shy."
"Freddy" as it appeared, was staring at Arthur with fascination. With a nudge from the warlock, Arthur let go of Merlin's legs and walked over to the other boy, who shied away a bit.
"Hi," he said. "My name's Arthur."
"F-Freddy."
"Do you want to see the classroom with me? I can show you it."
Freddy nodded and took Arthur's outstretched hand. The two looked back at their respectable guardians' and waved goodbye before heading in the building.
"Tell him thanks, for me, will you?" the woman asked, watching Arthur and her son appreciatively. She turned to Merlin. "I'm Morgan."
Merlin smiled. Morgan; Morgana. "I'm Merlin."
She nodded in the direction in which the boys had headed. "So…is that one yours? I'm not saying you're too young – hell, look at me, I'm nineteen! – but you just seem like-"
"No, Arthur's not mine," Merlin said with a smile. "I just watch him."
She nodded. "Ah, I see. A babysitter? Breaking that sexist view of how only women can take care of children?"
The warlock shrugged and scratched the back of his head with a slight smile. "I guess."
She smiled back at him. "Merlin, are you single?"
"Currently. Why?"
"Would you like to get some coffee with me?"
"Love to."
That after noon, Arthur had been pouting and scowling a lot, so either he had an upset stomach or something was bothering him. When Merlin questioned him, though, he got a shake of the head in return and silence. It wasn't until the time before Merlin was supposed to leave did he pop a question.
"Merlin, will you be mine?" Arthur asked, half-embarrassed. Merlin turned.
"Will I be yours?" Merlin smiled. "Do you want me to be yours?"
Arthur nodded sincerely. "I want you to be mine and no one else's!"
Merlin poked him on the nose, which, for some reason didn't make the little boy giggle as it usually did. "Arthur? Are you alright?"
Arthur looked at the ground. "I saw you talking to Freddy's mommy. You looked happy."
"She's my new friend," Merlin said to him, almost reassuringly.
The four year old shook his head. "You looked really happy. Why can't make you happy like that?"
Merlin smiled. "You do make me happy like that."
"I do?"
"Yes, you do." Merlin poked him on the nose again, receiving an expected giggle in return.
"So will you be mine?"
"Where did you even hear that phrase?"
Arthur blushed. "Dwaine kept asking a girl in class that he liked that. I thought if I…"
"Yes, I'll be yours," Merlin smiled, erasing the four year old's apprehension.
"Great, so you won't talk to that bitch anymore?"
"Arthur! What did I tell you about repeating bad words?!"
A/N: Blaaaaah, sorry if this is crappy at all; most of it was written late at night.
Okay, so enter Morgana (Morgan). I think she's going to be good instead of evil.
And "Freddy" is Mordred. Let me explain the logic behind this. Mordred. Fred. Morfred. Fred. Freddy. Yep, I came up with that.
And thank you to all the reviewers! You people are seriously too nice! I read one review and I feel like butter melting on the inside while I go, "damn these internet people are nice!" So, thanks, and I hope you all get dragons.
