Appendix A: or, how Arthur gave Merlin the kitten. Because, again, it was too cute not to write. :) Just more fluff and precious babies!

Arthur is extremely pleased with the dog, though the heavens only know why. Merlin can't quite understand why anyone would want to have that great thing jumping all over them. And licking! And panting in their face!

Merlin, himself, is quite glad to keep his distance, and let Arthur handle the dog, even if Arthur gives him a mercilessly hard time about it.

'Don't be afraid, Merlin, I'll protect you from the big bad doggie,' he says when he notices how Merlin tries to keep Arthur between him and the dog.

'Well, it likes you!' Merlin protests.

'It likes you too,' Arthur says, a glint in his eye. 'Why don't I just leave you two alone together so you can get to know each other?'

'Er – no,' Merlin says firmly, and ducks behind Arthur again.

Then Merlin accidentally traps himself in Arthur's chambers with the creature, and ends up calling desperately for Arthur, because he's backed into a corner with the dog's paws on his shoulders, and it's going for his face, all wet and dripping.

Arthur comes running in with his sword in his hand, and sees what's happening, and rescues Merlin with infuriating ease, despite becoming so overcome with laughter that he can barely stand up straight. Merlin is not amused, and sulks for a whole hour while Arthur is prattishly delighted and smug and keeps making comments about fair damsels and being Merlin's true knight and other such nonsense, and laughing and pointing out when Merlin's blushing.

Merlin forgives Arthur later, after he comes back from his patrol. Arthur's looking smugger than ever, and he closes the door and says to Merlin, 'Close your eyes and hold your hands out.'

'Why?' says Merlin suspiciously.

'Just trust me, it's nothing you won't like,' Arthur says impatiently, and for some reason Merlin believes him, and does as he says.

The next moment, there's something small and damp and soft in his hands, and a tiny mewling sound, and he opens his eyes and sees a tiny, tiny kitten. It has damp black fur, and misty blue eyes, and it's honestly the cutest thing Merlin's ever seen.

'Oh!' he breathes. 'Oh – look at it!' The kitten blinks and mews and rubs its little head against his fingers, and Merlin pets it and snuggles it gently under his chin. And he can't help beaming all over his face and glancing up at Arthur, who looks aptly like the cat who got the cream.

'Like it?' he says.

Merlin nods his head fervently, and then looks down and says rather shyly, 'I've always wanted a cat. They – they used to drown kittens in Ealdor, and – and…' He trails off, cuddling the kitten.

'And I suppose you cried your eyes out over them?' Arthur says, but his tone isn't contemptuous or mocking. He pauses, and then says, 'This one was tottering around in a dark alleyway, and it's only tiny, and – well, I just thought you would be the kind of sentimental girl who would like to look after a fluffy kitten.'

Merlin wrinkles up his nose at him, grinning, and Arthur says provocatively, 'Besides, it looks like you.'

'What?!'

'You know – fluffy black hair, blue eyes, general idiotic expression – are you blushing again, Merlin? Don't like people cataloguing your beauties?'

'Shut up. And no, of course I'm not blushing!'

'Liar.'

'Prat!'

Please leave a review and tell me what you thought! :)