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Merlin looked at the wire cage that now occupied their countertop in astonishment.
“You bought me a bunny?”
“Well,” Arthur began, ringing his hands a bit nervously, “You said you wanted a pet, and we can’t get any dog bigger than a Chihuahua, so…”
“So, what about a cat?”
Arthur scoffed in indignation. “I already told you. I don’t want to be ‘that gay couple with a cat’.” Arthur believed that a cat was the epitome of domesticity. It wasn’t that he disliked being domestic with Merlin; he’d just rather the rest of the world not know about it. Merlin snorted.
“What, and a bunny makes us less like a ridiculously domestic gay couple?”
Arthur blushed furiously. “As long as you call it a ‘rabbit’ and not a ‘bunny’. And please don’t name it something ridiculous like ‘Mr. Fluffy’.”
“Well, I’m certainly not naming it ‘Arthur Two’ if that’s what you were hoping for,” Merlin said as he thoughtfully observed the little golden-haired rabbit. Arthur scoffed and blushed a little brighter red, telling Merlin that naming the rabbit after him was exactly what he had been hoping for. Merlin chuckled as he reached in the cage and pulled out the warm bundle of fur. He scratched the little creature behind the ears and melted when its rapid breathing settled and it curled into the crook of his arm.
“Kilgarrah,” Merlin said quietly, beaming at the little thing.
“Gesundheit.”
“No!” Merlin balked. “That’s his name!” Arthur stared at him as if he had grown a second head.
“You are such a freak,” Arthur chuckled, shaking his head.
“Mmm, but you love me anyway,” Merlin hummed as he leaned in to his boyfriend. Arthur encircled him with his arms as Merlin held Kilgarrah snugly against him.
“I do,” Arthur assented, kissing the tip of Merlin’s nose.
“Thanks for the bunny, Arthur”
“Rabbit,” Arthur corrected. Merlin chuckled.