Tired of Pretending

Juggling

Merlin just finished cleaning the prat's armor and was headed to the stables when he was over run by children the moment he stepped into the courtyard.

"Merlin! Merlin!" The children jump up and down in excitement.

Merlin brightens visibly at the sight of them. "Well what do we have here?" He lunges and tickles some before they can get away.

They all giggle before one yells, "do the thing! Do the thing!"

Merlin looks guilty and they all stick out their bottom lips and give him the puppy look, "Pweeease?"

Merlin sighs and they all cheer, he hides a smile behind a hand. "But I don't have anything to work with." Merlin points out.

The little ones giggle and scream in panic and run around to find things.

Merlin laughs when he sees the objects shoved at him. They came up with a shoe, a stone, an egg, and a metal bracelet. Merlin shakes his head and takes the items, smiling.

The people in the courtyard see this often so when they see him take the things they all stop to watch, however, this is very new to King Arthur and Sir Gwaine who see the people stop so they do also. They cross their arms, watching with amusement to see what has captivated so many people at one time.

Merlin notices none of this and steps back from the young ones slightly and grins.

He spreads his legs to shoulder width apart, taking his stance.

Merlin looks at the objects in hand, before throwing the small shoe in the air.

Arthur and Gwaine snort slightly, waiting for the shoe to hit the ground. What happens next surprises them greatly.

Merlin quickly follows the shoe with the bracelet, then the egg and stone.

He watches them in the air carefully, he had thrown the shoe high to give him time for the rest and the shoe finally reaches his right hand. He shoots it to his left and launches it to repeat the process. He does the same with the bracelet, egg and stone.

His audience claps and the children cheer. Four eyebrows raise from a certain blond and brunette, impressed.

Just like every other time Merlin does not realize that he shifts back and forth, getting quicker in time with his juggling.

Once he has his rhythm he looks down from the things in the air to the children and wiggles his eyebrows. They squeal and giggle. Merlin laughs, delighted, and sticks out his tongue crossing his eyes. They return the favor, filling Merlin with happiness.

Merlin decides with a bit of sadness that he needs to get back to his chores.

He forms a plan that will satisfy his young onlookers with a grin.

When the bracelet comes around to his left hand he tosses it lightly to the girl that gave it to him.

He throws the egg in the air to continue its cycle and pockets the stone after.

When it came around for the egg again he balanced on one leg, to some squeals, and drops the egg onto his foot lightly and kicks it into the air to land unharmed in the discarded basket of a child before him.

Merlin caught the last item in his right hand and bows, offering the missing shoe to its rightful owner.

The boy giggles and snatches the boot.

merlin grins and all the children rush him, hugging before he can escape. He yells playfully.

Merlin finally wiggles free with a laugh and waves to his smiling audience and runs off to the stables before he is out of time to get it done before nightfall.

A certain king and knight stand there stunned, before shaking their heads and grinning.

They are so going to hit him up later, and there will be no refusing the whole round table.