Deafening Silence

Limpidity

Merlin had bent down to pick up the broom and didn't bother to stand up again before turning to face Gaius. "Yes, all too clearly in fact."

Gaius felt his lips peel back into a smile. He was elated that Merlin's hearing was back, having full knowledge of the mental toll his ward had been through over the last couple of days. He could also plainly see the young man's quirk and cheeriness at this fact, even if he'd tried to sheepishly hide knocking a broom over.

But that was just what Merlin was like, and it was one of the reasons why Gaius loved Merlin as if he were his own son.

"That's very good, Merlin," Gaius admitted as he went behind a screen to change into his daytime robes. "I'm sure Arthur will be happy with the news."

"What, so he can take me on another hunt?" Merlin answered sarcastically from afar, deciding to actually start preparing breakfast for the two.

"I doubt you'll go on another hunt this week," replied Gaius, emerging from behind the screen. "But even if you do, Arthur will probably keep a closer eye on you."

Merlin didn't answer and continued making the breakfasts, carrying them over to the table once he was done. He sat himself down and waited for Gaius to join before starting.

"I wish he knew I'm capable of defending myself."

Gaius paused a moment whilst rummaging through the many vials on his workbench and looked in Merlin's direction. A hint of sadness creased the young man's features and the older man knew all too well why.

"He knows that you are, otherwise he wouldn't take you with him, Merlin."

The younger man didn't look up from his breakfast. "Yeah, he knows that I can swing a sword around or use a crossbow," Merlin broke up his thoughts and picked up a spoon between them. "But he doesn't know what I can really do."

"Not yet he doesn't," Gaius said firmly from where he stood, intending to get through to his ward. It made Merlin look up from his wallowing thoughts as he faced his mentor, unsurety reflecting in his eyes.

"But he will do, one day. He'll see you for who you are instead of what you are. And right now, I assume what you are is hungry. So, I suggest eating that before I do." Gaius said, pointing the vial in his hand to Merlin's breakfast.

Merlin took in what the physician had said carefully, knowing what he truly meant. Gaius may have been a stubborn old man at times, (or stubborn old goat, as he'd once called him) but he possessed a knack with words. A knack that seemed to work on Merlin, who was now feeling more uplifted thanks to his mentor's words. He knew that the time would come one day for Arthur to find out about his magic. And as confident as the man was in his thoughts, even if it didn't go that way, Merlin knew that Gaius would be there for him.

So, with that knowledge safely kept within him, the younger man smiled at the fatherly physician, which expressed the gratitude he was feeling inside. Gaius saw this and made to join Merlin for breakfast once he'd organised his vials.

***

During their breakfast, Merlin engaged in a full flowing conversation for the first time in days. It felt weird to him, which wasn't what he was expecting. Gaius performed a couple of mini-assessments at the table to test if Merlin could hear whispering or other sounds, all of which he passed. Giving him the confidence to say that Merlin's hearing had fully returned.

When the pair were almost done with their breakfast, Gaius broke the short silence between them.

"You're sure you won't need any potion to help with head pain?" he asked, referring to Merlin's bruise that appeared the other day.