In the Know, G, Merlin & Gaius
Title: In the Know
Author: kepp0xy
Rating: G
Characters: Gaius, Merlin
Warnings: Character death, future!fic
Notes: written for the Gaius ficfest hosted by miniminkie; written for annwnrho's promp "Gaius and Merlin father son"
Spoilers: Mention of events in 1.01
Summary: Gaius' thoughts on his first and last moments with Merlin.
If Gaius had realized that day what he was getting himself into, he’s entirely sure he would have continued on this path. Merlin was chased by cause-and-effect: it was he who had caused Gaius to topple backwards, and yet it was he who had reacted, sliding the blessed bed into place and saving Gaius’ life.
It had been entirely indicative, that first meeting, of the life Merlin would lead. Always followed by some potential misstep, but his heart of gold never far behind... Though his wits did lag upon occasion.
Gaius chuckled to himself and Merlin glanced up from his place beside the fire.
“What’s funny?” Merlin asked, quick smile gracing his curious features.
Gaius shook his head and smiled affectionately at the miscreant. “Nothing to concern yourself with.”
One day, Gaius thought to himself with a nod, Merlin would be a great man.
*
One day, when Merlin was a great man and Gaius was an even older man, Gaius raised a hand and beckoned the warlock to his side.
"I think that," he rasped slowly, each word a struggle. "You'll find today is the day."
Merlin's strong fingers clenched tightly around Gaius's now-frail ones. "No," Merlin whispered forcefully. "Not yet." It was less a vow and more an anguished plea, something Gaius had rarely heard from Merlin's lips in the years they had known each other. Merlin pulled his hand free of Gaius' grip and hurried to his table in order to continue his work. The currents of the world flowed through Merlin, and so he knew implicitly each consequence to one single event; it was a heavy burden for which Gaius did not envy the warlock, something he lamented leaving the man alone with. But Merlin had always known what was right against what was not and Gaius had no fear about what the coming years would bring to his former ward.
Gaius pulled all his strength together to suck in a gulp of air. "Merlin," he commanded, and the young man stopped his fidgeting at a table filled with ancient tombs and bubbling concoctions. "Come sit with me."
Merlin acquiesced, dragging a chair to the side of Gaius' cot. "I will not say good-bye," Merlin warned, watching Gaius sidelong. Gaius nodded and began a wheezing cough, the sound of which caused Merlin to grimace. "If you'd just let me," Merlin gestured to the tables behind him. "I'm sure I can find something to--
"No," Gaius interrupted, dragging in a rasping breath.
Merlin's lips pressed tightly together and he watched Gaius, his normally bright blue eyes almost black with sorrow. Finally, Merlin's hand slipped into Gaius' again, his other passing over Gaius' brow as he murmured words to ease some of the ache that was now forever plaguing the old physician's broken body.
When Merlin spoke again, his words were thick and his eyes red-rimmed. "Thank you, Gaius." He nodded once, an instinctive twitch to keep his emotions in control. "You've given me everything I've needed and more."
Gaius closed his eyes. "I'm proud of you Merlin." There was a lot more he had wanted to say, but the time had come, and he could speak no longer. And Gaius was confident that Merlin knew the unsaid better than Gaius could ever have verbalized it.
They stayed by the fire: the old man, lay prone on a simple wood and feather-stuffed cotton cot and the protege, bent over his mentor, learning that relinquishing power was sometimes just as important as wielding it.
Author: kepp0xy
Rating: G
Characters: Gaius, Merlin
Warnings: Character death, future!fic
Notes: written for the Gaius ficfest hosted by miniminkie; written for annwnrho's promp "Gaius and Merlin father son"
Spoilers: Mention of events in 1.01
Summary: Gaius' thoughts on his first and last moments with Merlin.
If Gaius had realized that day what he was getting himself into, he’s entirely sure he would have continued on this path. Merlin was chased by cause-and-effect: it was he who had caused Gaius to topple backwards, and yet it was he who had reacted, sliding the blessed bed into place and saving Gaius’ life.
It had been entirely indicative, that first meeting, of the life Merlin would lead. Always followed by some potential misstep, but his heart of gold never far behind... Though his wits did lag upon occasion.
Gaius chuckled to himself and Merlin glanced up from his place beside the fire.
“What’s funny?” Merlin asked, quick smile gracing his curious features.
Gaius shook his head and smiled affectionately at the miscreant. “Nothing to concern yourself with.”
One day, Gaius thought to himself with a nod, Merlin would be a great man.
*
One day, when Merlin was a great man and Gaius was an even older man, Gaius raised a hand and beckoned the warlock to his side.
"I think that," he rasped slowly, each word a struggle. "You'll find today is the day."
Merlin's strong fingers clenched tightly around Gaius's now-frail ones. "No," Merlin whispered forcefully. "Not yet." It was less a vow and more an anguished plea, something Gaius had rarely heard from Merlin's lips in the years they had known each other. Merlin pulled his hand free of Gaius' grip and hurried to his table in order to continue his work. The currents of the world flowed through Merlin, and so he knew implicitly each consequence to one single event; it was a heavy burden for which Gaius did not envy the warlock, something he lamented leaving the man alone with. But Merlin had always known what was right against what was not and Gaius had no fear about what the coming years would bring to his former ward.
Gaius pulled all his strength together to suck in a gulp of air. "Merlin," he commanded, and the young man stopped his fidgeting at a table filled with ancient tombs and bubbling concoctions. "Come sit with me."
Merlin acquiesced, dragging a chair to the side of Gaius' cot. "I will not say good-bye," Merlin warned, watching Gaius sidelong. Gaius nodded and began a wheezing cough, the sound of which caused Merlin to grimace. "If you'd just let me," Merlin gestured to the tables behind him. "I'm sure I can find something to--
"No," Gaius interrupted, dragging in a rasping breath.
Merlin's lips pressed tightly together and he watched Gaius, his normally bright blue eyes almost black with sorrow. Finally, Merlin's hand slipped into Gaius' again, his other passing over Gaius' brow as he murmured words to ease some of the ache that was now forever plaguing the old physician's broken body.
When Merlin spoke again, his words were thick and his eyes red-rimmed. "Thank you, Gaius." He nodded once, an instinctive twitch to keep his emotions in control. "You've given me everything I've needed and more."
Gaius closed his eyes. "I'm proud of you Merlin." There was a lot more he had wanted to say, but the time had come, and he could speak no longer. And Gaius was confident that Merlin knew the unsaid better than Gaius could ever have verbalized it.
They stayed by the fire: the old man, lay prone on a simple wood and feather-stuffed cotton cot and the protege, bent over his mentor, learning that relinquishing power was sometimes just as important as wielding it.