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“Arthur, look at her. Isn’t she cute?” Merlin asked, holding his phone right into Arthur’s face. Arthur, who was currently doing a workout, doing his last set of pushups.
“Merlin, please,” he grunted, trying to get past the phone in front of him.
“Look at her! Isn’t she adorable?” Merlin ignored him, showing him a video of a little kitten.
“Merlin, I am kind of in the middle of something here,” Arthur groaned and finally looked at the video. He had to admit, it was absolutely adorable.
“Yes, Merlin, she’s cute. I still need her to get out of my face though,” Arthur gave in and Merlin reluctantly took the phone away.
—-
“Oh my god, Arthur, look at that dog. What a cutie,” Merlin said while already walking towards him. The dog came walking towards him, wagging its tail.
“May I pet him?” Merlin asked the young woman taking him out and she nodded.
“Yeah, Sammy loves pets,” she smiled at Merlin.
“Don’t you?” she asked in the direction of Sammy who was already lying on his back, enjoying Merlin’s belly rubs.
“Arthur, he is wonderful! Come here, pet him,” Merlin invited him with big puppy eyes and Arthur gave up his resistance and knelt down next to Merlin, gently stroking the Golden Retriever’s neck.
“He is a great dog,” Arthur remarked and Merlin nodded strongly.
“He really, really is.”
Arthur ignored the pointed look in his direction.
—-
“Look, there’s a cat!”
—-
“Do you see that dog? It’s so cute and tiny. Oh and there is another one! Look at that good boy.”
—-
“Oh my god, Arthur. Look at that squirrel, it’s hiding something. They kind of remind me of you.”
“What?”
“Sweet but a bit too confident in their brain?”
“Merlin!”
—-
“Can we go to your father’s again?”
“Why do you want to see my father? You can’t stand Uther.”
“But he has horses.”
“That cannot be worth it.”
It was worth it.
—-
“Alright, Merlin. Just keep your eyes closed. It’s only a few more turns,” Arthur announced and Merlin really had to keep himself from peeking.
Arthur had randomly announced yesterday that they’d go on a trip and he had not broken his silence yet. Merlin had no clue what he was up to. And he was really, really curious.
When he peeked for just a moment all he could figure out was that he had no clue where they were. It seemed like they were outside the city but nowhere Merlin had been before.
Arthur slowed down and seemed to pull into a parking lot before the car came to a halt.
“Careful, Merlin. Don’t hit your head,” Arthur told him while guiding him out of the car. He still had his eyes closed. He heard busy noises and a dog barking in the distance.
“I’ll guide you, don’t worry. Just walk slowly,” Arthur said softly and wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him close. Merlin slightly leaned onto him. He felt so safe in Arthur’s arm, he wouldn’t mind doing this all day.
If he weren’t so damn curious.
“Okay, Merlin. Just turn slightly - Yeah, just like that. Alright, open your eyes,” Arthur said and Merlin looked right into his grinning face upon opening his eyes. Then his eyes focussed further into the distance and Merlin’s entire face lit up.
“You’re kidding me. Oh, please tell me you’re not kidding me,” Merlin begged and Arthur shook his head.
“I am not, Merlin. I want this for you. For us.”
“Oh god, Arthur Pendragon, I love you,” Merlin said with a huge smile on his face while his eyes teared up.
He hugged Arthur tightly, staring at the sign behind him.
“Camelot Animal Shelter” was written in green letters upon a creamy white sign and it looked perfect to Merlin. It was his dream come true. Just like Arthur had been a dream he’d never dared dreaming. But this one he had had ever since he was a kid.
“What are we waiting for?” Merlin urged Arthur to move forwards.
“I want to see them! All of them. God, I want all of them!” Merlin announced and Arthur shook his head but the grin wouldn’t leave his face.
“We are not taking everyone, Merlin.”
“Watch me, Pendragon. Watch me.”