While Merlin notices Armani's entrance and the subsequent (inexplicable) crawling in his direction, his focus remains predominantly on the snakes. After all, they're quite a bit more likely to strike out at him than the Thorntrail is. Eventually, though, when the boy is sitting beside him and looking at him expectantly, he acknowledges him with a nod and a small smile.

Armani is often a bit of a mystery to him, but...he's never unhappy to see him.

"...Hey." Apparently, the silent question in the boy's eyes is a little too subtle for him to interpret. "Need something?"