Emrys and Cato

Merlin (Y/n)

I slowly opened my eyes and winced at the sun that had just barely shone through the window. I groaned and rolled over. I stayed there another moment before I sighed, knowing I needed to get up, and quickly ripping my warm bed sheets off. Now cocooned by the cool morning air, I quickly got dressed and headed out to the main room of the little space Gaius and I had.

"Good morning, Y/n," Gaius called when I opened the door.

"Good morning, Gaius."

As I began getting the ingredients out for porridge, I watched Gaius out of the corner of my eye as he climbed up a ladder to look for a book.

"Gaius-" I started warningly.

"I know, Y/n. I'll only be up here a minute. I'll be fine."

I heard the door open and I turned toward it. A boy my age stood there, looking around curiously. I could sense the magic he possessed. I heard Gaius yell and turned to watch as he stopped falling half-way down. I quickly moved his bed underneath him. I watched in surprise as he was lowered slowly onto the bed. I turned to the boy standing in the doorway. He looked at me, panicked.

Then I realized.

"It's Wednesday. You're Merlin? I guess that's not much of a surprise then," I said, mumbling the last bit.

He had magic? But he didn't even say a spell. Was he like me?

"I... yes, I'm Merlin."

The boy looked at me, and I looked back before remembering myself.

"Would you like breakfast?"

I gestured to the food I was making.

"Breakfast would be great."

Merlin continued to look at me as if to ask a question. .

"Y/n!" Gaius shouted, getting off the bed.

"Sorry, Gaius? Merlin, he..." I started, though I wasn't really sure what to say.

"Where did you learn to do magic like that?" Gaius asked him now.

He stared at the newcomer, astonished.

"I didn't learn magic. I was born with it.... You won't tell anyone about that, right?"

Merlin was extremely hesitant. He glanced at me and I knew he could sense my magic. It was probably the only reason he said most of this.

I felt a strong affection for Merlin. It wasn't romantic or sensual, and definitely not sexual, but it felt like fate, that he was here, and that our destinies were intertwined.

"He wouldn't imagine it, Darling," I quickly reassured, excitedly, "besides, you've probably guessed, but I'm the same." I smiled and with one look the rest of the ingredients floated over and the porridge began making itself into the recipe I'd spent five years perfecting.

"Y/n!" Gaius scolded once more.

I shrugged and looked back at Merlin. He stared at me in shock.

"I thought- I thought I was the only one." Merlin stuttered.

"So did I until about a minute ago. We're two of a kind, as far as Gaius and I know."

I smiled and we stood in stunned silence for a moment before I remembered that Gaius had informed me a week in advance that Merlin and I would be sharing a room. I offered to show Merlin and let him get settled in. I noticed the red on the tips of his ears quickly crawling towards his face. I walked him up to the room and we pulled the spare bed out. It would normally be kept for when Gaius and I had multiple patients in poor conditions. We got the bed set up and I left to finish the porridge while he got settled in.