"Bored," Merlin croaked, barely audible from the next room. "Bored. Bored. Bored—"
"Merlin," Gaius called in a deceptively calm voice. "Say one more word and I swear I will drug you."
That bought him six minutes of peaceful silence. When minute number seven rolled around, the physician turned an apprehensive head toward his ward's room. "Merlin?"
No answer.
Gaius sighed. He walked up the stairs as fast as he was able and stood in the doorframe of Merlin's room to find the warlock prying up the loose floorboard. "MERLIN!" Gaius shouted.
Merlin jumped and squealed, dropping the floorboard and nearly hitting his head on the bed. "I wasn't going to do anything!" His voice was hoarser than yesterday. He turned to his guardian with an innocent smile. "I was just going to read, I swear!"
"Merlin—" Gaius was interrupted by a knock at the door. He raised a very expressive don't-cross-me-or-I-will-have-my-revenge eyebrow at Merlin and pointed at the bed. "Get back in bed and do not move," he said, then left.
It was Sir Leon at the door. "Hello Gaius," he said, waving a bloody hand.
"Leon, what on earth happened?"
"Arthur happened, during an emergency training. I swear he aimed for my hand on purpose." Gaius led him into the chambers and began shuffling around for some bandages. Leon looked around. "Where's Merlin? We're all missing him."
"Didn't Arthur tell you? He's been ill."
Leon frowned, worry flickering into his eyes. "…Nothing serious, I hope."
"Oh, no, just—"
"Gaius? Is that Leon?" Merlin asked, poking his head out of his bedroom door.
Gaius whipped his head around. "Merlin, I told you to stay in bed!" he shouted.
"But I'm bored!"
Leon laughed, his shoulders shaking so hard Gaius couldn't wrap his hand. "I think I see your problem. Can you bandage the hand at poor Merlin's bedside? Something strange happened to me this morning. He'll get a kick out of it."
Another raised eyebrow, this one more of a not-sure-what's-going-on-but-I'll-play-along. "Very well. Come on."
Merlin was back in bed by the time they made it into his room with an extra pair of chairs. While Gaius wrapped Leon's fingers, Leon regaled Merlin with the tale of a falcon escaping the castle mews and charging after a rat that had gotten stuck in the north passage with six shrieking scullery maids and Leon. Before long, Merlin was laughing and coughing in breathless, happy gasps and even Gaius was chuckling. Leon stayed to finish the story after Gaius was done with him, commenting on how the most bizarre thing was that he thought it was Arthur's falcon that had escaped, and that Arthur had shown up with a falconer's glove on just when Leon had gotten the bird under control again. Gaius grew instantly suspicious, but Leon noticed nothing. At last, Leon insisted he needed to go finish the morning training. He seemed reluctant to leave when he saw how sorry both men were to see him go, but he'd stayed too long already.
Merlin continued to giggle and cough at the memory of the story after Leon was gone. He was in a good enough humor that Gaius managed to get some medicine into him without much of a fuss. Fifteen minutes later, however, and the servant was bored again.
Gaius getting ready to shout some more when there was another knock on the door. This time, George was there, holding a bag. "Good morning, Gaius," he said. "I am here to see Merlin."
The hmm-this-could-be-interesting eyebrow rose. "By all means, come in, George," Gaius said, swinging the door open all the way. George thanked him and walked into Merlin's room. The door was open just a crack, and Gaius walked over to listen.
"…And his majesty said that by no means were you to cut corners just because you aren't feeling well," George's voice droned from the other side of the door. "His majesty expects to see his face in the leather, because you have no other chores to distract you. He said I could remain for a short time if you wanted me to instruct you on how to properly—"
"—Thanks, George, I think I'm good," Merlin said in a rush. "Er…you can go now."
"Most excellent. I hope you are returned to health soon." The servant opened the door again, bid good day to Gaius, and floated out again. Gaius peered into Merlin's room. The warlock was sitting up, bearing an expression of dismay. On his lap was the empty bag, a jar of polish, a brush, and two pairs of Arthur's boots.
"Can you believe this?" Merlin cried, outraged. His voice squeaked and broke, but he didn't cough. "Here I am, practically dying, and that prat of a king expects me to work!"
"At least you won't be bored now," Gaius said with a large, malicious smile. He went back to his own work as Merlin groaned and picked up the brush.
He peeked in about an hour later. He could practically see his reflection in the leather of the boots sprawled across Merlin's lap. The brush was slipping out of his lax hand, and the polish was haphazardly capped. The young man himself was sleeping, properly, for the first time in two days, having completely exhausted himself just doing that one little chore. The physician smiled again, put everything back in the bag, and closed Merlin's door behind him.
Arthur himself was round for the boots before too much longer, looking like he was in a hurry. "How's—"
"Sleeping," Gaius said.
The king nodded. "I'd hoped so." He took the bag. "Is he—"
"Looking better already."
"Good. What should he—"
"A light soup, maybe, around one."
"Got it. Thanks." He grabbed the bag and ran out the door.
"Oh, no," Gaius muttered as he disappeared. "Thank you." And he stretched out on his own bed, hoping to catch a little sleep before Merlin awoke with a vengeance.