Work Text:
The first time Arthur sees a dog on his couch, he isn't quite sure if it's a hallucination, or just another one of Morgana's pranks. It's golden brown and shaggy, and one of the ears is folded down, while the other sticks up. The dog is also, chewing on one of his couch's red pillows.
"Hi," Arthur says, "Can you get off my couch, please?"
The dog stares at him for a brief moment, then continues chewing on the pillow, pretending he doesn't hear Arthur.
"I'll take that as a no," Arthur sighs, and walks over, trying to lift the dog off gently, but for whatever reason, the dog manages to cling to the couch, and keep chewing on the pillow, and he doesn't budge.
It's a this point that he notices a tag on the dog's yellow collar, shaped like a small crown. Killy, it reads. If found, please return to flat 3A- Camelot building- with the address for his building, listed after it.
Ah, so it belonged to the person across the hall.
Arthur huffs, quickly throwing open the door and striding over to his neighbor's door. He knocks, briskly. A click, and a rogueish, and very good looking man opens the door. He looks Arthur over interestedly. "Merlin, he says, after a moment of consideration, "There's a hot blonde at the door for you." Arthur gapes at him. The other man just winks.
From somewhere inside, a voice with a barely noticeable Welsh accent calls out; "I said no more blind dates, Gwaine!" Gwaine pouts. and then, "Hi, whoever you are- I'm sure you're lovely but--"
"I'm not here for a date." Arthur
blurts out, suddenly. "Your er... dog's on my couch."
"Oh. Oh fuck-- Killy's at your apartment, the little twat. He wasn't here when I came home, and I was just about to call the shelter, and see if they found him, hang on, I'll come get him. "
Arthur hears the sound of sock clad feet making their way to the door. Hands shove Gwaine out of the way, as his dog owning neighbor peeks out.
And oh, shit.
Oh shit.
Dark, messy hair, that curls around a pair of large ears. Sweats, and as too big jumper that's a faded worn blue and has Allons-y stitched on it. Cheekbones that could kill a man, and some seriously, seriously bright blue eyes, with long lashes. Fuck. The guy grinned sheepishly, extending sa hand to Arthur.
"Hi. I'm. Merlin. Sorry about my dog."
Arthur shakes his hand lightly. Merlin smiles happily, clapping his hands together. "Alright. Take me to my dog,"
Arthur walks back into his flat, suddenly conscious of the fact that there are books strewn everywhere, and a mug of tea perched precariously on the corner of his table.
He straightens it.
Merlin looked around curiously, Athur sees him give a small smile at the sight of his old copy of The Little Prince, afforded a place of honor on top of his coffee table.
"Wow. Your apartment is really..." Merlin starts.
"Messy?" he offers.
"Flammable," he snarks back, his checks dimpling as he grins.
"Is that your way of saying I have too many books?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"God no, one can never have too many books. But you might want to keep them away from the stove. Merlin says pointedly, looking over at Arthur's cookbook shelf, which was alnost spilling over the stove. "Yknow." Oh. Right.
"Noted." Arthur says, before pointing at his couch. Your dog is destroying my pillows"
"Oh, right." Merlin says, spinning around to look at Killy, who's made a mess of drool and pillow. "Sorry. Er.. Let me just-" Merlin whistles, and the dog- (Killy, his brain supplies) releases the pillow, bounding over happily to his master, snuffling and nosing at him. "There you are, you bastard, you had me worried sick."
Killy tries to look innocent, and Arthur swears-- the dog actually WIDENS its eyes in a literal puppy dog eyes thing. Merlin sighs.
"Stop opening the door, or I swear to god, I'm doggy proofing the entire flat."
Killy lets out a whine at that, and noses apologetically at Merlin's palm.
"That's settled then." He turns to Arthur, "Sorry, about your pillows, I can pay for them, and any other future damages."
"Future damages?" Arthur squwaked.
"Pretty sure this guy's going to end up back here at one point or another," Merlin shrugs, heading for the door, with a smile, Killy in tow. "That's just the way he is."
That wouldn't be so bad, Arthur muses, watching as Merlin gives a small smile and wave from the door of his apartment, befor closing it.
-/-/-/-
He comes home Tuesday night, to a dog on his couch.