merlinbingo

[merlinbingo]

Guilt and Redemption , chapter 1: Punishment and new life by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Lancelot, Gwaine, Percival, Balinor, Hunith Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Prince Merlin (Merlin), Role Reversal, King Balinor (Merlin), Queen Hunith (Merlin), Canon Divergence Summary: Finally, after some delays, King Balinor had managed to conquer Camelot, and to demand his revenge for Uther's bloodthirsty pursuit of magic and all its believers. Uther Pendragon was dead, and with him, the Purge was over.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

To Kill A King by euoniatz Ship: Merlin/Arthur Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Soulmates Arthur/Merlin, Dragons, Assassin Merlin, King Arthur Summary:

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #euoniatz #rating: t #merlin/arthur #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

What kind of love do you have? by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: Merlin/Knights, Gwen/Morgana Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Knights of the Round Table Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: BAMF Gwen (Merlin), Good Morgana (Merlin), BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Everyone Loves Merlin (Merlin), Gwen & Merlin Friendship (Merlin) Summary: The love life of Gwen and Merlin. Or: the two servants that made fall in love the most powerful people in Camelot

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #merlin/knights #gwen/morgana #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Our Stars Still Shine Together: Chapter 4 by tansyuduri Ship: Merlin/Arthur Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Knights of the Round Table Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Angst, Merthur, Emotional Hurt/Confort, Soft Arthur, Post Canon Summary: Merlin's past which he had been dealing with by repressing comes back to haunt him

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #tansyuduri #rating: e #merlin/arthur #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

I Can't Live Without You by TrebleMaker07 Ship: Merlin/Arthur Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur Rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, POV Arthur Pendragon, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Arthur Pendragon Needs a Hug Summary: Arthur comes home after a particularly stressful day at work wanting nothing more than to just forget about it; however, Merlin has other plans. Without meaning to, old wounds are reopened. Will they be able to work through this new hurdle life has decided to throw at them?

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #TrebleMaker07 #rating: t #merlin/arthur #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Reforged (excerpt) by VikingSong Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Arthur Rating: Teen Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence Major tags: Fighting aliens with swords; alien invasion; modern with magic; reincarnation; crack treated very seriously Summary: Arthur had spent years trying to “find his calling,” as his thesis advisor described it. ‘This wasn’t quite what I had in mind,’ the reincarnated Once and Future King thought as he gave his sword a twirl and launched himself at the alien before it could breathe another blistering spurt of flames. Or: When Albion’s greatest need arrives in the form of an alien invasion, the reincarnated figures of legend must deal with the consequences of their shared past even as they fight for humanity’s future.

Reforged (excerpt)

Fill for my Merlin Bingo 2024 adopted square “Aliens” 😉

Hello! For context (if you haven’t already heard me ramble about this WIP in one Discord server or another), this is the first half of Chapter 1 of a loooong and not remotely complete WIP, hence sharing it here rather than AO3 or FFN. It’s a modern-with-magic reincarnation fic.

(TW: graphic violence)

Fic summary:

Arthur Rhydderch had spent years trying to ‘find his calling,’ as his thesis advisor described it. This wasn’t quite what I had in mind, the reincarnated Once and Future King thought as he gave his sword a twirl and launched himself at the alien before it could breathe another blistering spurt of flames.

Up-and-coming paleontologist Dr. Merlin Emrys had thought he was adulting quite well; most days, he even managed to avoid getting yelled at by his landlady. Then secrets from his past life resurfaced, and everything fell apart. Facing an impossible choice, Merlin must come to terms with who he was, who he is, and—most importantly—who he wants to become.

Or:

When Albion’s greatest need arrives in the form of an alien invasion, the reincarnated figures of legend must deal with the consequences of their shared past even as they fight for humanity’s future.

Chapter 1 (excerpt):

Arthur was in the library when the world ended. It was barely 10:00 AM on a Tuesday, and it was shaping up to be one of the worst days of his life even before the sky rained fire.

Six hours ago, Arthur had shaken off the claws of a nightmare for the third night in barely a week. Running, always running, with watering eyes and screaming lungs as the soot threatened to choke him. Four hours ago, he’d paused in the middle of his training run through the city to sit on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and watch with bleary eyes as the pale dawn crept up from the horizon, silhouetting Capitol Hill against the clear autumn sky. His t-shirt stuck to his skin as his sweat cooled. Blood and sweat mingling, trickling down his back as he twisted away from vicious claws that slashed his shoulder from behind. The fresh air hadn’t banished the phantom tang of acrid smoke, so he’d dragged himself home and attempted to drown the taste with a fourth cup of caustically strong coffee, nearly scalding his tongue in his haste. Burns blistering on his forearms as he gripped the sword hilt with white knuckles while hissing creatures stalked him from the shadows. The shifting shadows had still dogged his thoughts as he’d headed to an early one-to-one meeting with the head coach of his college soccer team.

Three hours ago, his coach had informed him, not unkindly, that he wouldn’t be nominating Arthur for the pro soccer draft at the end of the semester, despite Arthur being co-captain and the best on the team. Arthur understood his coach’s reasoning, but it did nothing to ease the sting. The prevailing industry view was that most players peaked in their mid-twenties, and Arthur was already twenty-six. His American uni scholarship had already been his fallback option, a new route to the same professional goal after he’d aged out of Manchester United’s football training academy without a pro contract at twenty-three. Now, the coveted draft slot would go to a younger player—a domestic player who wouldn’t have to deal with visa complexities—and Arthur would simply have to find another calling.

Two hours ago, Arthur’s thesis advisor—never particularly interested in Arthur’s athletic goals—had inadvertently poured salt in that raw wound by asking, as he did at least once a semester, if Arthur had “found his calling” yet.

Arthur’s self-control had slipped, and he’d answered bluntly, “If it’s a calling, then it needs to make itself heard.”

Dr. Taliesin had simply sighed and said, “Someday you will know your destiny.” Then he’d asked to see the latest draft of Arthur’s senior thesis and proceeded to spend the remaining twenty minutes of their meeting eviscerating it.

One hour ago, Arthur had clocked in for his work-study shift at the campus library. The students who’d pulled all-nighters on midterm assignments had all gone to bed or to class by the time Arthur arrived, and it hadn’t taken him long to reshelve the trail of reference texts they’d left in their wake.

Thirty minutes ago, he’d settled at the circulation desk with a stack of books which Dr. Taliesin had just recommended. Arthur had tried—and failed—to concentrate on his thesis research instead of his imploded career plan, even as he’d tried—and failed—to ignore how the silence amplified the harrowing echoes of his nightmares.

Fifteen minutes ago, Arthur had scrubbed a hand over his itchy stubble, regretting that he’d forgotten to shave in his distracted state that morning. His neck had popped audibly in the quiet lobby as he’d stretched and had given up on his thesis research for the moment. Having concluded that he needed to distract himself from anything having to do with his future, he’d pushed aside the heavy books and pulled out the latest reading assignment for his Medieval Lit elective.

One minute ago, Arthur had realized that he’d been staring blankly at the same Middle English paragraph for several minutes. He’d given up on studying altogether and gathered up his reference books to shelve. When he’d stood, his rolling chair had skittered sideways out of his reach. He’d been ready to chalk it up to caffeine tremors and jittery nerves when he’d heard the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling windows rattle.

That was when he’d glanced up and discovered that the world was ending.

He blinked—once, twice—and craned his neck to get a better look. Well, his tired brain amended as it struggled to process the latest milestone in his terrible day, perhaps ‘ending’ is too strong a word. Maybe just the ‘start’ of the apocalypse?

Semantics aside, the sky was raining fire.

The ground shook as each flaming meteorite crashed, one after another after another. One hurtled toward the window, and the prospect of his impending fiery death finally jolted Arthur into action. He dropped the books and dove behind the circulation desk, throwing up an arm to shield his face as the glass shattered and the fireball barreled through.

Over the greedy crackle of flames as a row of study cubicles caught fire, Arthur heard an unnatural hissing. It grated across his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. He peeked around the edge of the circulation desk and froze.

Am I dreaming?

From within the smoldering wreckage of the thing that hadn’t been a meteorite, a creature emerged—a creature unlike anything Arthur had ever seen. The firelight glinted off its burnished scales as it unfurled leathery wings like a monstrous bird hatching from a cursed egg, like a cassowary made of fire and brimstone. The creature fixed its glowing red eyes on him and uttered a shrieking hiss.

Arthur knew that sound.

So that’s what they look like, he thought, half-hysterical. He ducked back behind the desk, even though he knew it was too late to hide. The beast had seen him, and just like he knew that horrible cry, he knew that thing would hunt him down. He heard the creature flap once, and then a spurt of flames shot past the edge of the circulation desk where his face had been moments before. The industrial carpet melted.

Arthur’s instincts took over. One. There was no hope of getting out through the burning front entrance, so he scrambled away from the flames and ran the length of the circulation desk, staying low as another fiery blast raced over his head and immolated an oil painting on the wall above him. Two. Just like in his nightmares, he counted, and just like in his nightmares, he had no idea why. He reached the end of the circulation desk and made a run for it across an exposed stretch of the lobby, dodging more fireballs—Three. Four.—as the creature chased him toward the winding, windowless corridors that formed the only route to the back exit.

He skidded into the corridor and ricocheted off the wall as he took the first turn at full speed. Another volley of flames hit the wall just after he’d turned the corner; he felt the heat at his back as he continued his flight. Five. The fire alarm kicked in, and the reverberating noise in the corridors nearly drowned out the creature’s shrieks and hisses. After several more turns and another near miss with a fireball—Six.—that left one sleeve of his red hoodie singed, Arthur hit a dead end.

He cursed colorfully under his breath as he realized he’d taken a wrong turn on autopilot; he’d been so focused on dodging fireballs that he’d turned left instead of right at the special collections display case. He’d reached the central elevator’s windowless alcove rather than the exit. The elevator was out of service, he’d already passed the nearest stairwell, and he didn’t have time to retrace his steps to the turn he’d missed. He heard a crash followed by scuffling as the creature—the alien, his brain so helpfully supplied—slammed into the display case before approaching the final turn. I’ve got thirty seconds at best. Arthur backed away from the sound, wracking his brain for any remaining options. His shoulder bumped into something sharp; he glanced back and saw it was the corner of a wall-mounted display case containing a medieval-style sword from the university’s eclectic collection of artifacts. On the lower right corner of the plate glass front, a snarky student had added a sticky note that read:

In case of emergency, break glass :)

What have I got to lose? he thought, glancing around. There were no fire extinguishers—Ironic, he lamented—nor any other heavy objects in the alcove to break the glass. Out of time and options, he raised his hood for protection like a knight’s coif and shielded his face with his right arm before slamming his left elbow into the glass as hard as he could. It cracked but didn’t shatter.

The hissing grew louder. Ignoring the pain in his arm, Arthur struck the case a second time, and then a third.

Razor-sharp shards grazed Arthur’s hoodie as the glass shattered and spilled out onto the floor. As the security alarm blared in concert with the fire alarm, he reached into the case and drew out the sword.

It felt strangely comfortable in his hand. Not quite like the sword in his dreams, but familiar all the same. He gave it a quick twirl with his wrist, then faced the hallway just as the alien appeared.

It stalked toward him on all fours with its folded, bat-like wings curving up from its clawed forefeet; the barbed tips met in a sharp arch over its back like crossed lance poles. Its glowing red eyes were nearly level with Arthur’s as it paused, tilting its large, draconic head side to side on its long neck as though sizing up the sword in Arthur’s hand.

Arthur stood his ground. Not like I have anywhere left to run, he thought as he tightened his grip on the sword. Might as well go out fighting.

The alien hissed, and smoke curled out through its nostrils. It opened its jaw wide and coughed out a sulfurous black cloud. Arthur gagged as his eyes watered. The alien hacked again like a chain smoker, but no flames burst forth.

Arthur saw his window and took it. Just like on the footie pitch, he feinted left, then spun to the right. With a screech, the alien fell for the trick and lunged, leaving its neck vulnerable to Arthur’s attack. Arthur used the momentum of his spin to throw his full weight into his one shot at survival, bringing the blade down squarely on the creature’s neck.

The steel sliced clean through sinew and bone, and the creature’s head hit the ground mid-snarl. Arthur dodged the body’s writhing death throes and vaulted over the convulsing tail as he raced back down the corridor toward the exit. He slipped more than once on the wet linoleum—the emergency sprinklers had finally activated—before he stumbled out through the back exit into the deserted alley, soaked and bleeding, still clutching the sword.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #vikingsong #rating: t #no ships/gen #cw: graphic violence #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

The Druid by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Morgana, Mordred, Thalia Grace, Nico di Angelo Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Redeemed Morgana (Merlin), Reborn Morgana (Merlin), POV Merlin (Merlin), Redeemed Mordred (Merlin), Reborn Mordred (Merlin) Summary: Thalia and Merlin give memories back to the first reborn soul.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Forged Allegiance by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Deleted Scenes, Episode: s03e12-13 The Coming of Arthur (Merlin), Supportive Lancelot (Merlin), Lancelot & Merlin Friendship (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon Friendship (Merlin) Summary: Lancelot and Merlin talk. And then, they find the Round Table. It's the start of a new Era

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Clover and Confessions by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: Merlin/Arthur Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Knights of the Round Table Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Pining, Canon Era Summary: In the midst of a hunting trip, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table embark on a quest to find healing herbs for Merlin's toothache.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #merlin/arthur #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

You were supposed to be dead by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Knights of the Round Table, Will Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Fix It, Canon Divergence - Episode: s04e01-02 The Darkest Hour (Merlin), Lancelot Lives (Merlin), Will Re-Lives (Merlin), Merlin & Will Friendship (Merlin) Summary: After the Veil, Merlin finds an old friend. The only problem: he shouldn't be alive. Merlin is happy, the knights curios and Arthur just tired."

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

My most loyal friend by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot, Gwaine Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Good Friend Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Lancelot Lives (Merlin), Isolde Lives (Merlin) Summary: After reclaiming Camelot from Morgana, Arthur rewards his most loyal friend.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

The Seer by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Morgana, Leon, Percy Jackson, Thalia Grace Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Protective Leon (Merlin), Guilty Merlin (Merlin), Smart Percy Jackson, Reborn Morgana (Merlin), Hurt Morgana (Merlin) Summary: Merlin finds the first reborn soul.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

How it should have gone by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Knights of the Round Table Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Merlin Leaves Camelot (Merlin), Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Time Travel Fix-It, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending Summary: But that was not their destiny, and Arianrhod decided to give them a new one. What do you do when you have a second chance to fix everything? Trust your friends

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Our Stars Still Shine Together: Chapter Two Alternate Futures by tansyuduri Ship: Merlin/Arthur Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Post cannon, Merthur, Arthur has returned, Magic, Crystal Cave Summary: In this second chapter Merlin and Arthur realize that this time destiny does not hold him in a chokehold

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #tansyuduri #rating: e #merlin/arthur #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Protecting the youngest by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Arthur, Gwen, Morgana Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: Episode: s02e01 The Curse of Cornelius Sigan (Merlin), Protective Gwen (Merlin), Protective Morgana (Merlin), Protective Servants (Merlin) Summary: After Merlin is fired and Cedric takes his place, the servants and Morgana has something to say.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Into the Inward Places of Our Souls by thesongistheriver Ship: Merlin/Arthur Main Characters: Merlin, Arthur Rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: fluff, smut, anal sex, bottom Arthur, humor Summary: With the new flick getting more positive buzz than Arthur had expected, it's starting to look like he just might write his own ticket into a high-visibility West End role, even as he tries to rework his treatment for the stage. Merlin, meanwhile, is adapting to the increased popularity that comes with being married to a Hollywood megastar, even as his own star is on the rise, with the Proms and a new world tour. Of course, all of this comes with the new challenge of being apart more than they have since they got together. Still, they've always been good for each other ... so maybe this is just the beginning of something even better.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #thesongistheriver #rating: e #merlin/arthur #format: fic

[merlinbingo]

Immortal Knights, Old Sorcerers and Demigods by HadrianPeverellBlack Ship: No ships/gen Main Characters: Merlin, Leon, Percy Jackson, Thalia Grace Rating: General audiences Warnings: Choose not to use archive warnings Major tags: POV Merlin (Merlin), Chaotic Percy Jackson, Chaotic Thalia Grace (Percy Jackson), Tired Leon (Merlin), Discord server Summary: Percy makes a discord server for their group.

#bbc merlin #merlin bingo #participant reblog #HadrianPeverellBlack #rating: g #no ships/gen #cw: chose not to warn #format: fic