Arthur came into the physician's chambers once more that day, before he retired for the night. He found the main chambers to be lacking of either a physician or a well-rested idiot ready to go back to work. He bit his lip, wishing he could just as easily bite back the wave of concern flooding through him. He walked the distance to Merlin's closed door and toed it open. "Gaius?"

A large dark figure leaning over Merlin's bed jumped and turned toward him. "Sire!" he said, opening the door all the way. "I wasn't really expecting you back today!"

"Is he all right, Gaius?" Arthur asked, looking past the physician to Merlin. The servant was currently fighting his blanket, moaning loudly about something hurting in a way that made Arthur ache a little, too.

Gaius looked exhausted, and above all, annoyed. "Believe it or not, he was fine this morning," the physician said peevishly. "Do you remember me saying that lying in bed all day doesn't agree with him?"

"…Yes…"

"Well, the idiot was out of bed every time my back was turned, trying to do something or other." A pale, skinny leg shot out from beneath the bedclothes. Gaius caught the ankle with a smooth, practiced motion, without even looking, before it could kick him in the head. "Merlin doesn't do boredom, Sire. He's nearly driven me out of my mind today, and made himself much worse trying to do things he wasn't ready to do." He didn't tell Arthur about the spellwork the warlock had tried to catch up on, or the incessant moaning he'd had to put up with all day, or the impromptu game of "Let's Tackle the Invalid" he'd been forced to play when the overgrown child had run around the room with one of Gaius' more valuable books rather than take his medicine. He simply shuddered and hoped the torture could be implied.

Arthur swallowed, trying to fight both an amused smirk and a anxious frown. "He's not in any serious danger, is he?"

"Not in the least," Gaius said, raising his voice over another moan. "I'll probably be up a few more hours with him, but he'll settle down soon. But…uh…a request, if you don't mind?"

"What do you need?"

"Get him out of my hair," the physician said, his eyes wide and a little manic. "I'm still recovering myself. I can't fight a bored Merlin and attend to actual patients who need an actual physician. He just needs a babysitter. And extra time to rest, too, after today's labors, and if I have to stay up late with him and spend the whole day wrestling him, I'll go stark raving mad before he recovers."

Arthur grinned despite himself, but forced himself to look serious when Gaius gave him the this-isn't-funny eyebrow at him. Or maybe it was the don't-make-me-drug-you eyebrow. The two were very close. The serious face became less of an act when Merlin sat upright and launched into a coughing fit. He froze and watched, not sure of what to do, as Gaius released Merlin's ankle and braced his shoulders while he coughed. When it was over, he eased the servant back onto his pillow, muttering in a soothing voice, and reached for the cloth in the bowl of water on the table behind him. He ran the cloth over Merlin's forehead. The servant immediately moaned and tried to turn away.

"Stop it, Merlin," Gaius said, firm, but gentle.

"T-too cold," the servant gasped.

"You've still got a fever, my boy."

"…head hurts…throat…"

"That's what you get for talking all day, isn't it?" He put the cloth back into the bowl and picked up the jar next to it. Dipping his finger into the jar, he smeared honey on Merlin's lips. "That'll help, if you'd just lick it off, senseless young pup." He looked up at Arthur. "Talking in his sleep."

Arthur been chewing on his bottom lip and wringing his hands during this entire exchange. Now he folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, trying to look nonchalant and failing brilliantly. "You're sure he's going to be all right, Gaius?"

"Positive, sire. Unless, of course, he does tomorrow as he did today. If there are any small chores you can think of, things he can do without getting out of bed or using very much energy, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send them his way tomorrow. It would go a long way in making sure he stays rested and letting me catch up on some work. Maybe even some sleep."

The king nodded before being entirely sure of what he was agreeing to. "I'll see if I can't think of something," he said, not taking his eyes off of Merlin. "I'd come in myself, if need be—"

"There's no great need for that," Gaius said, raising his don't-you-dare-even-think-of-skiving-off eyebrow. "You do have a kingdom to run."

"I'm sure I can make time somewhere."

"No. Find time, and you're welcome to come in. Make time and we may have some problems. It's only been a fortnight since Camelot was retaken. You've got bigger concerns on your hands than a servant who won't do as he's told."

Arthur pouted, and the eyebrow shifted into an are-you-trying-to-argue-with-me-boy sort of look. He sniffed and looked back at Merlin, who was now trying to curl in on himself. "Is he having stomach problems, too?"

"He wouldn't be if he'd listen to me," Gaius said, shooting his ward a disapproving glare. "Go on, sire. I can handle this little upstart for another night. But think about what I said, yes? I'd rather get through this with my sanity intact, and maybe not kill him for irritating me?"

"Of course, Gaius. Good night." He turned to go, and Gaius had a feeling he wasn't the only one who wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.

He needn't have worried. Wheels were already turning in Arthur's mind. He had a plan half-hashed out already.

Just wanted to say, I got the idea behind Merlin's illness because this and an allergy to cold and cough medicines are the reason I was sick every holiday (including the stinkin' Fourth of July) of my middle and high school career. Although never in any possibility was I ever as bad as I'm making poor Merlin, illness-wise or recovery-wise…except maybe that one time…anyway. This idea for Merlin just makes a lot of sense to me—he works himself stupid and only sleeps a full eight hours maybe once a week, because most of his world-saving happens in the middle of the night. Fun stuff, right?