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Happily cushioned against Merlin, Morgana feels herself drifting off midway through Arthur’s third chosen romantic comedy when a high-pitched shriek rips through the room and makes her jump.
Arthur is standing on the sofa with a look of sheer terror on his face while Merlin and Gwen look on in amusement.
Morgana snorts. “What is wrong with you?”
“What is wrong with me?! What is that thing?!”
He lifts his arm and points to the floor, and Morgana notices Aithusa huddling at the foot of the coffee table. The cat meows, wrinkly little ears flattened against her wrinkly little head.
“That isn’t a thing, Arthur. That’s my Aithusa.”
Arthur looks from the cat to her, and his confusion deepens. “Your what?”
“He’s my cat, Arthur.”
“That is not a cat!” he shrieks. “I may not like cats, but I know what one looks like, and it is nothing like that. Cats are supposed to have fur!”
Morgana rolls her eyes and crouches down beside the coffee table. “Don’t be ridiculous.” She holds her hand out to Aithusa, and changes her tone and says, “Ignore your Uncle Arthur and come out, darling.” Aithusa meows and crawls into her palm and Morgana cradles him to her chest. “Poor baby.”
“You’ve gone insane.”
“I’m not the one standing on a sofa, hiding from an adorable, little kitten,” she deadpans.
Arthur squeaks and starts to turn red. “You’ve said lots of questionable things in your time, Morgana, but you can’t truly believe that that thing is adorable.”
“Stop calling him a thing!”
“It is a thing!”
“He’s my baby!”
Arthur groans and sits back down.
“You know what I meant by that, Arthur. At least I’m calling my cat and not my car my baby.”
Arthur crosses his arms and sinks deeper into his seat. “It’s a beautiful car.”
“And Aithusa is a beautiful cat!”
“That is not a cat, Morgana!”
“Enough!!” Gwen yells, eyes wide but visibly struggling not to laugh. Her voice quivers, and she adds, “Arthur, your sister obviously loves her cat, and the least you can do is accept that.”
Arthur pouts and opens his mouth to try and protest. “But –”
“No buts! And Morgana,” Gwen pauses, eyes widening, “I’m sure he’s a lovely cat, but do you really think he’s adorable?”
“Yes! Look at him!”
“We are looking at him,” Gwen whispers and reaches out to try and pet Aithusa, but Aithusa hisses and burrows into Morgana.
Morgana raises an eyebrow. “That’s odd. He’s never reacted to anyone but other cats that way before.”
“That’s because he’s demonic,” Arthur offers.
“Arthur!” both Morgana and Gwen exclaim.
“Just look at how he reacts to Merlin,” Morgana adds and hands Aithusa over.
Aithusa meows and happily settles into Merlin’s hands before yawning and curling up to go to sleep.
“You see?”
Arthur watches, eyes wide, and turns to Merlin. “You can’t honestly agree with her?”
Merlin shrugs. “How can I not? Look at him!”
Arthur groans and puts his head in his hands. “What is happening?”
Morgana smirks and sits back down beside Merlin and reaches out to scratch her kitten on the head, perfectly happy with her life.