FIC: A Meowy Christmas (Merlin/Gwaine, G)

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Title:A Meowy Christmas
Pairing(s):Merlin/Gwaine
Prompt: character A finds a cat in the cold of winter and brings it home to make sure it survives. only problem? cats aren't allowed in A's apartment. cue character B to help A! bonus: meowry christmas cat puns
Word Count/Art Medium: 723
Rating: (G to NC-17) G
Contains (Highlight to view)No warning
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thanks to mother_of_lions for the beta
Summary That’s how everything had started...With a little kitten nestled in Merlin’s arms, wet and shivering. And with Merlin's big pleading eyes…

Link to work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27878625

Gwaine picked up his ringingphone.

“Gwaine? Are you home? I need your help.”

“Merlin? What’s going on? Do you need me to come?”

“No, no… I’m nearly here. Are you home?”

“Yes.”

“Great!”.

And then Merlin hung up.

He arrived at Gwaine’s flat ten minutes later, looking worried.

“Merlin? What’s going on? You got me worried…”

That’s when Gwaine noticed Merlin was holding something against his chest. Something that meowed.

***

That’s how everything had started...With a little kitten nestled in Merlin’s arms, wet and shivering. And with Merlin's big pleading eyes…

And now, here he was, a little more than a year later. In the new flat, with the huge Christmas tree, decorated with shiny baubles and flickering lights.

He couldn’t believe how much his life had changed in just a few months… When Merlin had shown up at his flat with the kitten, he was still a bachelor who loved to party, who had no plan to settle down. But, Merlin had changed all that!

***

“I can’t keep him. We can’t have pets in my block of flats.”

“And you thought about me? Really?”

“I… I couldn’t leave him. He would have died!” Merlin said, pointing at the little cat who was now washed, dried, and fed, and was sleeping in Gwaine’s favourite armchair.

“That still doesn’t explain why you thought I would be the perfect guardian for that ball of fur!”

“Because you’re soft-hearted, even if you won’t admit it! And because Percival is too big! He would have crushed it with his large hands… And Leon is allergic… And Elyan is so absent-minded…”

“So I wasn’t even your first choice?”

“Of course you were! You’ll be perfect!”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“I’ll help you! I can come nearly every day to help you take care of Arthur!’

“Arthur?”

Merlin looked down sheepishly.

“You already named him?”

***

Arthur was now rubbing against Gwaine’s legs. Luckily for them, the cat didn’t seem interested in the tree. Gwaine smiled as he took the animal in his arms.

He still couldn’t believe how cuddly Arthur was. It was like the cat couldn’t live without Merlin and Gwaine, like they were some kind of unbreakable trio.

“Gwaine?” Merlin called as he came into the living room.

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing?”

“I was just thinking about how we ended here, in the flat, together, with Arthur.”

“Oh,” Merlin smiled and came to stand next to his boyfriend.

He gently stroked the cat, who nudged his head against Merlin’s hand, craving even more contact.

***

Merlin knocked on the door, nearly jumping with excitement. He had found new toys for Arthur. Little sushis made of plush, with a little bell inside. He was sure the cat was going to love it even more than the fishing rod with the little fish.

Gwaine opened the door and smiled when he saw Merlin holding a bag from the pet store.

“You’re spoiling our son, honey!” he joked as he let Merlin in.

***

“Oh, I have something to add to the tree!” Merlin said, going back to the kitchen. He came back just a second later, holding an ornament.

He showed it to Gwaine. It was a little frame, with a picture of Arthur inside. A small wooden fish hung from it.

Gwaine read the text written around the picture.

“Arthur’s first Christmas.”

“I saw they were doing personalised ornaments at the little market near the library… I couldn’t resist!”

Gwaine smiled and beckoned Merlin closer.

“My life has changed a lot in the past months, but you are still spoiling our baby!”

“Shhh, you’re as bad as me!” Merlin retorted as he hung the ornament before going back to hug Gwaine and Arthur.

“I don't know what you’re talking about!”

“So you didn’t buy that cat teepee as a Christmas gift for Arthur?” Merlin whispered so the cat couldn’t hear him.

“That’s a gift from Santa Claus, I didn’t have anything to do with it!” Gwaine answered before placing a little kiss on Arthur’s head.

“Santa Claws, you mean?”

“Oh god Merlin! That was awful!”

“You love my awful puns!”

“I’m not sure about that…”

Merlin just smiled and et his head fall on Gwaine’s shoulder as they stayed like that, hugging in front of their first Christmas tree as a family.