#Arthur could be a prat yes

[larluce]

Arthur and Merlin travel back in time without knowing the other is from the future too AU

Tagging @virgil-wannabe since you asked for a PART 3 ;)

LINKS TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS AU HERE: PART1 , PART 2 , PART3 (you're here) , PART4

In "The Dragon's Call"

Arthur: (bulling a servant for the third time just so Merlin meets him again)

Merlin: (appearing out of nowhere) You, oppressor!

Arthur: (thinking) finally

Merlin: (thinking) Wait, that's not my line.

Arthur: (thinking and barely containing himself from crying, running to Merlin and hugging him and kissing him right there) He’s just as beautiful as the day I lost him 🥺🤧

Merlin: (thinking in panic) He isn’t saying anything. Why isn’t he saying anything?! 😰😖

Merlin: Is that the way you treat your servants? You are a... a prat! and...and an ass!

Arthur:...

Merlin: (thinking) please say something, please say something, please say something.

Arthur: (coughs, just realising he's been staring for too long) You're right I was being mean. My apologies.

Merlin: ... wait what? 😧

In "The Poisoned Chalice"

Merlin: (ready to use a spell to make Arthur drop his cup)

Arthur: (dropping it on purpose) Oh, clumsy of me, I droped it.

Merlin: (to himself) What? But I didn't use the spell yet. (Looks at his hands) Or did I?... Ugh, whatever (picking up the cup) Hey, Gaius! What's that? (Pointing at the flower petal inside the cup)

Gaius: It's poison! Someone tried to poison the prince!

Arthur: (faking surprise) what? Really?

Merlin: (faking surprise too) I can't believe it!

In "Lancelot"

Merlin: He would make an excelent knight. He saved my life.

Arthur: (full panic mode) what?! When?! Are you okay?!

Merlin: (confused) ...yeah? The grif-I mean, the winged beast attacked me when-

Arthur: The griffin attacked you?! (Checks him) Why didn't you tell me?! Are you hurt?!

Merlin: (still shocked but blushing due to Arthur's sudden attention and closeness) Ahm... you didn't ask? And Lancelot stopped the beast before it could hurt me, so you don't have to worry.

Arthur: (swallowing his guilt for not asking in his other timeline)... Right. From now on you tell when these things happen, do you understand?

Merlin: Yes, sire.

Arthur: Good. (Lets go of Merlin realizing he's being holding him for too long) Well, as thankful as I am to Lancelot for saving you, I can't knight him if he isn't a noble. That's the code.

Merlin: I know but-

Arthur: So I'll give him another job in the castle and when I'm king I'll gladly consider knighting him if he's still interested.

Merlin: (more than surprised) You will?

Arthur: (nods) Is that all?

Merlin: Yes... (smiles) thank you

Arthur: (smiles) Anytime, Merlin. (leaves)

Merlin: (looking Arthur leave with hearteyes) 😍... wait. How did he know what the beast was called?😨

In "Excalibur"

Merlin: (debating with himself if he should let Arthur fight the Black Knight this time around or let Uther do it again)

Arthur: (arriving) Merlin.

Merlin: (utterly surprised) You are here! 😱

Arthur: Of course I'm here. You thought I would withdraw? I'm not a coward, Merlin.

Merlin: No! I'm just... surprised Uther let you.

Arthur: He did try to drug me to stop me from coming. (Looks at Excalibur in Merlin's hands, recognizing it) Where did you get that?

Merlin: Oh... I just thought... you would need a new sword for this. So I asked Tom to make it for you.

Arthur: You got it made... for me?

Merlin: Yes. (Thinking) Please use it, please use it, please use it.

Arthur: (holding the sword) It's good. Thank you.

Merlin: (blushing, still not used to Arthur thanking everything he does) I'm just doing my job. There's no need to-

Arthur: There’s every need. (Touching his shoulder fondly and smiling) Thank you, Merlin. For thinking of me.

Merlin: (screaming inside)

#merlin bbc #merlin #bbc merlin #merthur #merlin fic #merlin fanfic #merthur fic #merlin prompt #arthur and merlin #merlin and arthur #merthur fanfic #merthur prompt #Arthur and Merlin travel back in time without knowing the other is from the future too AU

[whydon-twego]

When the doors of the king's chamber slam heavily against the walls and Merlin enters with a tray in his hand and a frown on his face Arthur cannot say he is surprised to see his Court Sorcerer enter. No one else would dare enter so blatantly.

Merlin does not say a word but looks at Arthur's new servant as he adjusts Arthur's shirt and Merlin places the tray with breakfast heavily on the table.

"Get out!" says Merlin in an imperious tone to the new servant and the latter, after casting a glance at Arthur and Arthur nods in assent, leaves with his tail between his legs.

Merlin wastes no time in approaching and arranging Arthur's clothes as best he can, muttering about the inefficiency of the new servants and how no one can do their duty decently. Arthur observes Merlin's face and listens to his chatter and manages to relax his shoulders. They have not seen each other except at court meetings for days, barely able to exchange a few words, too tired in the evenings even to have a glass of wine in company. And Merlin must have made no small effort to be there at dawn, and his dark circles confirm this. Arthur would like to raise a hand to caress those high cheekbones that have become even more pronounced because Merlin is not eating anything and is sleeping less and less (because of the delegation that is about to arrive) but, although his hands tingle to get up and do just that, he remains motionless listening to Merlin's voice complaining, while Merlin's hands fix his collar and Arthur finally feels the touch of a person he knows, feels the touch of a person whose touch he would like to feel every morning for the rest of his life, possibly.

"You missed me, huh?" says Arthur, because he wants to make sure, because it may be stupid but he missed Merlin so much that he wants to know if it is the same for the other.

It seems to be the wrong thing to say, however, because Merlin frowns and no longer looks him in the eye as he picks up his jacket and helps him put it on.

"Prat" hears him murmuring and Arthur knows (after all this time he simply knows) that he said the wrong thing, and he is so tired of these unspoken sayings, he is so tired of not being able to do what he really wants and he is so tired of not being able to see Merlin every day, of having a new servant, of not having Merlin's chattering anymore.

When he appointed him Court Sorcerer, he didn't think it would drive him further away. He thought they would reign side by side, discussing the kingdom yes, but also remaining good friends, if they could not be more.

Arthur steps forward and brings his arms around Merlin, holding him close and hiding his face in Merlin's neck.

Arthur feels as if he can breathe for the first time in decades and holds on tighter, inhaling and breathing deeply until he feels Merlin's arms around him with the same intensity.

"Then I wasn't the only one who missed you," whispers Merlin directly into Arthur's ear and Arthur laughs but doesn't loosen the hug because he's fine the way he is.

"I miss your chatter and the way you woke me up in the morning. Who would have thought that a competent servant would be so terrible to tolerate? He never talks to me and answers me by looking at the floor, it's like he's afraid of me."

Merlin snorts and Arthur hears him smile and isn't that the nicest thing that has happened in the last few days?

"He is obviously afraid of you. I have heard terrible things about how you treat your servants."

Arthur smiles back.

"I was used to you and the way you respond and react, habits die hard"

Merlin nods and lifts his face to look at him but neither of them turn away.

"…Shall we have a picnic when the delegation leaves?"

Arthur has it on the tip of his tongue you're such a girl, Merlin but, as already mentioned, he's tired of subterfuge and having to be impassive all the time he finds himself smiling and nodding.

"I think that would be a good idea."

#friends to lovers #merthur #merthur prompt #merthur fic #merlin bbc #bbc merlin #merlin prompt #merlin fic #merlin #merlin emrys #arthur pendragon #king arthur #my writing

[pigfacedbitch]

It's A Trap!

summary : Prince Arthur uses reader to lure Merlin out whenever he is hiding from him.

word count : 0.5k

type : imagines

pairing/s involved : Merlin x Reader (?)

warning/s : none. just Merlin pining over reader and Arthur being an ass.

here is my masterlist!

Note : I thought of this when I watched the clip where Arthur is looking for Merlin and he was hiding behind the door. 😂 It was a one shot before and I heavily edited it too.

There is no denying that Prince's Arthur's manservant is in love with (Y/N), a noble lady from one of the most prestigious houses in Camelot.

Everyone, even Arthur himself, knows it. And that's saying something. 🫢😂

From the way Merlin would stare at you with heart in his eyes, how he would follow you everywhere like a dog, or his ears pick up whenever he hears your name.

Gaius almost wants to take a leaf out of Van Gogh's book and tear off his own ears because Merlin wouldn't shut up about you. He also writes about you in his letters for Hunith.

Now, does Arthur take advantage of it? Of course, he does. Like,"Do you know Lady (Y/N) would be there?" or "If you fetch flowers for Gwen, you could also get some for your lady love."

The epitome of the statement, however, is making you his trap. Confused? I'll explain further later.

"Merlin?! Where are you?!"

It's very common for the palace staff to hear the prince of Camelot blaringly calling out to his manservant. Although some people catch Merlin scurrying away from him or has an idea of his whereabouts, no one bothers to tell Arthur anything.

After all, it's completely understandable and why many servants can empathize. As admirable and honorable the prince is, he can be a handful at times.

That's where you come in.

Whenever Arthur has given up searching for Merlin, he would search for you instead.

He often finds you in the gardens with the other noble ladies, helping some servants with menial tasks, or having tea with Morgana and Gwen. Uther enjoys your company too, making the usual stoic ruler laugh and gossip.

"May I excuse Lady (Y/N)? I need her assistance with something."

"Is it Merlin again?"

"...Yes."

You would go to Gaius' chambers, the kitchens, servant's quarters, or anywhere Merlin could've gone to. Then, you would tell anyone that you're looking for him to speak about personal matters and you'll be waiting for him with a place of your choice.

Arthur would wait with you, but he's hiding where Merlin can't see him.

Why do you continue helping the royal prat? It's because you find it funny.

You're also curious, thinking how long will it take Merlin to stop seeking you out because most of the time it's just one of Arthur's traps.

The prince's knights bet on it. Gwaine and Leon are winning— saying how Merlin will never learn.

It's true, he doesn't. I guess love does make you an idiot.

Merlin always approaches you with a beaming grin on his face and blushed cheeks, acting like a lovesick school boy.

"My lady, you were looking for me?"

"Well you see..."

Arthur would wait for Merlin to get closer before grabbing the manservant in his clutches.

"Here you are, you idiot!"

Sometimes Merlin would free himself and run, sometimes he doesn't and Arthur would drag him away while warning him of possible punishments.

But he never misses the chance to look back and give you the most charming smile anyone has ever graced you with.

"Merlin really loves you, doesn't he?" You hear Gwen beside you, linking your arm with hers. Nervous and worried, you reply—

"Yes. I just hope that I get to tell Merlin that I share his affections. But Arthur is always with him."

#bbc merlin #bbc merlin x reader #bbc merlin imagine #merlin #emrys #merlin imagine #merlin x reader #arthur #arthur pendragon #fluff #arthur pendragon x reader #arthur pendragon imagine #arthur x reader #colin morgan #bradley james #bbc merlin preferences #bbc merlin headcanons

[foolishlovers]

MUTUAL PINING FIC RECS: Below you'll find a list of Good Omens fics in which Aziraphale and Crowley are pining for each other.

You can request more fic recs here.

you play with my feelings (right from the start) by PenroseSun (G, 3k)

There were three things of which Crowley was absolutely certain: 1. Aziraphale, being an angel, was required to be kind and loving towards all things, even when those things were flawed or sinful or fallen. 2. Notwithstanding that obligatory kindness, Aziraphale would never, and could never truly love a demon, in any meaningful sense. 3. Despite this, Crowley was desperately, hopelessly, in love with him.

For To Quench My Thirst by apliddell (G, 6k)

After moving to Sussex with Aziraphale, Crowley is trying so hard to be satisfied with friendship and the suddenly beautiful life he already has.

Slow by write_away (T, 9k)

It started like this: A boy with the ability to warp reality met an angel and a demon and he made assumptions. You might say it started like this: An angel and a demon found a marriage contract hung on the wall of the angel's bookshop. They didn't question it. It also could have started like this: Once upon a time, the angel told the demon he went too fast. The demon took it to heart.   Aziraphale and Crowley find themselves somehow married. Crowley fears going too fast. Aziraphale forges ahead. Neither know how to ask questions of each other.

got a pretty face, pretty boyfriend too by KissMyAsthma, leukozyna (T, 9k)

Aziraphale and Crowley are next-door neighbours. They’ve been attracted to each other since they met. The only thing keeping them apart is a thin wall between their bedrooms and Atticus and Freddie, Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s respective life partners… or are they? A human AU glued together by misunderstandings and wet food.

speed limits (and how to break them) by darcylindbergh (E, 13k)

There is a trick people do with a mint candy and a bottle of cola which results in a small eruption, and something very like it, for much higher stakes than a laugh in a car park, is about to take place in Aziraphale’s back room. Or: what happens when you finally unscrew the cap on a six thousand years of repression, and drop in Valentine’s Day.

Something We Were Withholding Made Us Weak by triedunture (M, 17k)

"Yes, exactly. Retire." Aziraphale reaches for the last remaining tartlet brimming with summer berries. "Somewhere along the south coast, perhaps." Or: Crowley and Aziraphale learn to move in tandem.

32 Questions That Lead To Love by ffonippop (E, 32k)

”First formulated in 1997, [32] questions to fall in love is a study by psychologist Dr. Arthur Aron which took place at Stony Brook University, New York. The aim? Speeding up the creation of intimacy between two strangers.” The Cosmopolitan Okay, fine. Crowley was 32-Questions-That-Lead-To-Love-ing Aziraphale. Sue him. He had no expectations, all right? Just, an innocent curiosity.

Flowers From The Grave Of Our Friendship by WaitingToBeBroken (E, 50k)

Crowley is very good at temptation, not so good with what comes afterwards. Aziraphale knows demons don't love so he is happy to take anything Crowley would give him. Both of them are too blind to realize the thing they want is right in front of them.

Fledging by FeralTuxedo (M, 53k)

Cool Dad was at the school gate again. Clambering out of his ridiculous sports car like a great big spider, all black denim and designer sunglasses. What a prat. He made his way towards the entrance, followed by his equally lanky son. All the mums' eyes were on him. Which was fine. At least they weren't staring at Aziraphale for a change. Cool Dad high-fived his son goodbye, because of course he did, then sauntered back to his car. Making it look so bloody easy. Aziraphale Fell is much too young to be looking after eleven-year old Pepper. He barely has his life together as it is, with his minimum-wage job and a half-baked dream of trading rare books for a living. And as if adopting a recently bereaved pre-teen isn’t enough, there are some rather more adult problems to navigate: playground politics, the shadows of his own childhood, and the growing question of how Crowley, the only other dad at the school gate, feels about him. A human AU/kid fic.

Style and Substance by Cabernet_Woebegone (E, 89k)

“But y’know, if my boss finds out I’m helping you even a little, they’re gonna throw me out on my ass.” “Yes, I understand it is a bit of a conflict of interest for you… Is there something I can offer you in return? Something you would like?” Aziraphale questioned hopefully. You, Crowley thought loudly as he took a second sip. I want to know if you moan when you kiss the same way you do when you try something delicious. I want to know if your lips taste like Zinfandel. “Yes, actually.” Aziraphale is having difficulty running his restaurant, and it isn't helping that he believes the place across the street is trying to sabotage him. To his surprise, chef Crowley comes to him on friendly terms. Together they come up with an arrangement that could benefit them both.

On Espionage and Prophecy (or How to Accidentally, but Wholly, Fall in Love With a Soho Bookseller) by RockSaltAndRoll (E, 133k)

1941 is the London Blitz and the year that MI5 really comes into its own with the now infamous ‘double cross’ system. The service keep tabs on suspects, root out enemy agents and try to turn them into doubles. Anthony J Crowley is fucking great at this job. He can be sneaky, underhanded and damn ruthless but also charming and kind. It’s what makes him good at turning. Aziraphale is just a regular Soho bookseller who loves his shop and books and good food and wine when he’s approached by a woman claiming to be MI5, wanting to recruit him for espionage. The poor man is too trusting and gets the shock of his life when he’s approached by a charming but dangerous-looking man also claiming to be MI5. Crowley recruits Aziraphale to double cross a double crosser and Aziraphale takes to espionage like a duck to water. Danger, hijinks, and sex ensue.

Old Vines by sevdrag (E, 189k)

A.Z. Fell, one of the most respected names in wine and food blogging, has been sent on assignment with his assistant Warlock Dowling to spend six months in California Wine Country. Under direction (by his boss, Gabriel) to use this experience to double his blog followers and write a novel, Aziraphale is both excited and anxious about the opportunity. Anthony J. Crowley is the owner and viticulturalist of Ecdyses, a winery that unexpectedly fell into his lap eleven years ago when he hit rock bottom. He may be in debt, yeah, but he’s paying off his loans — and despite pressure from his lenders and their team of inspectors, Crowley has found a kind of contentment tending his little corner of terroir and producing extraordinary wine. Crowley’s old vines are the heart of his vineyard, and he’s never let anyone in. Crowley finds Aziraphale intriguing; Aziraphale finds Crowley enthralling. Turns out a famous wine expert and an experienced viticulturalist can still learn things from each other. The summer of 2019 unfolds.

#support is so appreciated <3 #just hoping someone might find a new favourite!! #i think i may have material for another 2-3 mutual pining posts ngl it's one of my favourite tropes #also i know i know i've recommended old vines a thousand times but it really is THAT fic for me. do yourself a favour and read it pls!! #good omens #good omens fic rec #go fic recs #good omens fanfic #good omens fic #aziracrow fanfic #aziracrow #crowley x aziraphale #aziraphale x crowley #good omens human au #ineffable husbands #ineffable spouses #foolish recs #go fic masterpost

[iwritefandomimagines]

SWEETHEART — ARTHUR PENDRAGON

masterlist

→ pairing: arthur pendragon x princess!reader

→ description: as a child, you had spent countless summers in camelot, your whole youth characterised by infatuation with arthur pendragon. though the feeling was mutual, your responsibilities as princess of your own kingdom meant that you had not returned in years. arthur had always held hope that one day you would reunite — but when you do, news of your betrothal leads him to believe he may have lost you forever.

→ warnings: angst at first, happy ending!!, merlin being a little shit stirring prat (who i adore).

“So this is the Princess Y/N we’re talking about here?”

Arthur scoffed at his friend’s teasing grin, rolling his eyes at the way Merlin’s arms crossed over his chest.

“The same Princess Y/N with whom you’ve been in love for… quite possibly all of eternity? Who you’ve spoken of constantly since we met? Who you’ve not seen in years except for in your dreams?”

“Alright, alright, Merlin,” Arthur warned, “Yes it is that Princess Y/N. And you’re not to say a word to her. I have waited a long time for this moment and you will not ruin this for me.”

Merlin smirked, uncrossing his arms to raise them in a show of surrender, “I won’t, I won’t.”

There was a moment of silence — Arthur pausing to heave in a deep breath as it dawned on him that you really had just arrived back in Camelot.

It had been almost five years since he had seen you.

Your father and his had been close friends and allies since their own childhood, and so you and Arthur had grown incredibly close.

Too close, perhaps.

You were his first love, and he yours, and having given each other all of your firsts you had both assumed that one day you might wed and rule both of your kingdoms together.

Instead, you had not been back in so long that he had begun to fear you never would.

As the only child in a rare kingdom accepting of a female heir, you had been in training to become queen upon your father’s death since you reached 17.

As a result, you’d not had the free time to visit Camelot, much to your dismay. Arthur too hadn’t been able to visit you, and so contact had ceased entirely as you went about your busy lives.

To say you missed Arthur was an understatement — he had been your absolute world.

From the days of chasing him through castle grounds and giggling under tables, to the days of lovelorn stares and stolen kisses, the arrogant prince would remain the love of your life for as long as you would live. You were certain of that.

And to now be returning to Camelot after all of this time, you were utterly terrified — even more so given the news that you were returning to share.

As soon as you caught sight of Arthur amidst the throng of knights your heart raced impossibly fast; Faster even than it already was at the thought of seeing him.

Now, it was real.

“Is that her?” Merlin pointed a finger directly at you, causing Arthur to twist on his heel and spot you and your guards (though not before grabbing Merlin’s finger and twisting his arm for daring to point at you).

Your pace quickened as you watched his eyes widen, and leapt straight into his arms when you reached him, though you knew this was not something you should be doing in public — even if you were tucked away where only the other Knights of Camelot (and Merlin) could see the encounter.

“My Lord,” you beamed, pulling back from the embrace to take in the sight of the man before you. A man still just as perfect as he once was.

“My Lady,” he smiled, his cheeks rosy as the sound of your voice washed over him still, though he would claim it was due to the cold, “I—I almost fear that I am simply imagining you or that it cannot possibly be you.”

You giggled, biting your lip as you felt his eyes linger intensely on yours, “It’s me, Artie. The same old Princess Y/N/N. Could we talk, perhaps, in private?”

He quirked his brow as he looked down at you, before nodding and leading you elsewhere. You noticed what you assumed to be his servant following close behind, but Arthur dismissed him with haste and he hovered seemingly just out of earshot instead, “Don’t worry about Merlin. I’ll introduce you after.”

You grinned nervously, still taken aback by even being in his presence.

“Little has changed, I see,” he laughed, before leaning to whisper, “You are still as beautiful as ever.”

“Unfortunately, Arthur, that— that’s why I am here,” you frowned at the ground, refusing to catch his eye again, “In fact, a lot has changed.”

“What do you mean, my love?”

“Arthur I—, I—, I have come here to bestow an invitation upon you.”

Arthur’s face twisted in further confusion, a frown set on his face as your words worried him, “An invitation?”

“To my wedding,” you gulped, watching the colour drain from his features as you spoke the dreaded words, “I am to be married in a fortnight.”

Arthur took a step back and you could now no longer feel his breath fanning across your face. You had waited an age to be reunited and to be doing so on these terms was agonising.

“This must be a joke, Princess. Tell me it’s a joke. Please, tell me it’s a joke?”

The tears that had been pricking at your eyes fell freely now as the weight of your confession crashed down upon you.

You would never love a man like you loved Arthur — it was an impossibility and you knew it. Your betrothal was merely the result of your father’s ill health and the influence of your fiancé - his closest advisor.

You were all but trapped in this engagement, and you had to make that clear to Arthur.

Your father had intended to send his Knights to invite the Prince and King Uther, but you had insisted upon breaking the news yourself.

Some small piece of you hoped that Arthur would object so profusely that he would instead beg for your hand — because you knew your father’s love for Camelot might outweigh the influence of Lord F/N and he might change his mind.

But you feared that this was merely a pipe dream, knowing that Arthur’s pride might in fact act as a barrier to his honesty.

He had missed you immeasurably too, of course, and Merlin’s prying eyes and ears couldn’t let Arthur be so silly. He might know Arthur to be a prat, but he wasn’t about to let him waste his chance at getting you back.

Besides, he knew he wouldn’t be able to cope with the moping.

“Arthur, I’m sorry—,”

“Who is it? Who is he?”

“I don’t—,”

“I must know.”

“It— I— I am to be wed to Lord F/N…”

Arthur’s face almost seemed to wash with relief for a moment, before the former strained expression returned. Sure — he could assume you weren’t in love with your betrothed, but regardless you were getting married to a man that wasn’t him.

“Is this a strategic marriage, would you say?” Trust Merlin to interject so impertinently and at such an awkward time.

You looked taken aback, perplexed by the servant boy’s apparent lack of manners, “Excuse me?”

“Apologies, my Lady, but I only ask for the Prince’s sake because I fear he won’t, and I know he wants to. Desperately, actually,” the cheeky grin on his face and Arthur’s wide eyes told you this behaviour was not unusual of him, “Is this marriage purely for the sake of your kingdom, then? Or a love match?”

Of course he knew the answer. It was clear as day — every bordering kingdom knew of your father’s declining health, and of Lord F/N having worked his way up to become his closest confidante.

“Artie— You know I love my father dearly,” you were practically pleading with him as you began to answer, addressing him instead of his servant, “And he cares for Lord F/N. I do hope that one day I might love him. Until then… Well, you have to understand that I have no choice.”

The frown on Arthur’s face was an agonising sight for you to see.

“I’m surprised there was no marriage alliance between your kingdom and Camelot, my Lady,” Merlin continued, still smirking, and Arthur elbowed him in the side, “Ow! I’m just saying… I’m sure the King would have obliged. His heir, wedded to a woman who will also be Queen in her own right. Two kingdoms so aligned. More power. Seems a no brainer to me. But eh, a wedding is a wedding to me! Even if it should be Arthur you’re marrying.”

Arthur looked distraught by Merlin’s outburst.

You couldn’t figure out what to say.

“Right. Leaving you to it. I’ll be just over there.”

Arthur shooting daggers at him had clearly finally hit him, and he scampered off, leaving you and Arthur staring intensely into each other’s eyes.

“Do you think…” you began, your voice barely a whisper as you looked down at your feet for a moment, “Do you think that he is right? Your servant? Do you share his belief that our fathers would agree to such an idea?”

Arthur fought the twitch of a smile threatening to erupt on his face now that you’d expressed even the slightest hope that that could be an option for you.

“I do,” he nodded, capturing your hands in his as he spoke, “And I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t hoped I might have the chance to propose that while you were here. I’m not the childish boy I once was — well, for the most part — and to marry the woman I love as well as strengthening my kingdom? I can think of nothing I’d like more.”

You tried desperately to suppress the butterflies in your stomach at the sound of the words “The woman I love.”

“But would King Uther agree?”

Arthur scoffed, “My father despises Lord F/N, the meddlesome bloody fool. He would have us married today if it pushed that man into obscurity. He’s the reason our kingdoms have become so much less closely allied in recent years. Our fathers rarely see each other because of his interventions.”

You gulped, taking stock of what he had just said and pondering what this might mean.

“And that’s the truth?”

“Would I ever lie to you, Y/N/N?”

At this you sighed — you knew he wouldn’t. You knew he was always honest with you, even if you were the only person who ever had the fortune of being graced with this honesty.

You glanced around you, acknowledging that nobody was looking but your guards, and pulled him behind a wall nearby into the quiet of where Merlin had previously been lurking.

Your hands found his jaw and you tiptoed to kiss him, breathless at the spontaneity of your actions. He was quick to kiss back (and as good of a kisser as you remembered!) and before you knew it he had your back against the wall and deepened the kiss with parted lips.

You were like this for a few moments, before you placed a hand on his chest, feeling the fast thrum of his heartbeat, and shot him a beaming smile.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Where might we find your father?”

———

ok so i had so much fun writing that !!! i hope you enjoyed, i could make this a two parter if anyone would want? (either about them discussing w uther or about the wedding itself? please let me know if you’d like either of those!)

requests are still open as i’m finally back writing, but in the meantime here is my masterlist!

#arthur pendragon x y/n #arthur pendragon x reader #arthur pendragon #arthur pendragon imagine #merlin #merlin bbc #bbc merlin #bbc merlin imagine #bbc merlin imagines #merlin imagines

[dollopheadsandclotpoles]

For the quotes thingy, 94 for Merlin and Arthur

Sorry for the delay anon. Here's some modern-era workplace au merthur for ya. (There are sexual references but no actual smut in this, sorry if you wanted some haha)

“I bet I can make you scream my name.”

The worst thing about being in a secret relationship with Arthur Pendragon was that he could be a right bloody tease. 

All Merlin had done was suggest they keep their relationship a secret. They had just gotten together after all, and they weren’t fourteen anymore. They didn’t have to immediately run and tell their friends every single thing about their dating life the second it happened, did they?

Sure, their relationship was a culmination of months of frustrated pining that Merlin thought was one-sided until Arthur dropped him to his flat post the office party and abruptly (and clumsily) confessed his feelings, which resulted in a kiss that made Merlin so weak-kneed he was positive he’d never been kissed like that before. 

But the next morning, when he saw Arthur rousing in his bed, the sunlight alighting on him like he was a Classical painting of a half-naked Adonis, Merlin’s senses returned to him.

The words had come out in a rush, before he could stop them. “We shouldn’t tell anyone. About us.” 

It took Arthur a moment to register the words, but as soon as he did, he looked affronted by the mere suggestion. “What? Why?” 

“Just… you know. We work together. People will think I’m… sucking up to the boss.” 

Arthur gave him a look that made it clear he knew that was bullshit. Technically, yes, Arthur was one of the bosses, but Merlin was in another department and didn’t report to Arthur at all, so they weren’t actually breaking any rules by getting involved. And Merlin in particular was known office-wide for not giving a single shit what his bosses thought anyway. A fact that made him far from Uther Pendragon’s favourite employee. 

Arthur was watching him, brows raised slightly in suspicious contemplation. “What’s the real reason?”  

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Merlin said, flicking on the electric kettle and letting the sound of bubbling water fill the small room. 

Arthur wore the grumpy expression he wore during too-early meetings with particularly aggravating clients.

“Fine,” he said, eventually. “I won’t tell anyone.” 

Merlin smiled, relieved. “Thanks. I just think it’s better t-”

“But we’re not having sex.” 

Merlin let out a scoff. “What?” 

“Either you tell me the truth about why you want to hide this, or we’re not having sex.” 

Merlin crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows. “Your threats aren’t going to work on me, Arthur.” 

Arthur gave him that lopsided grin of his that made the back of Merlin’s neck burn. “We’ll see.” 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It started off small. A brush of their hands by the water cooler, or Arthur bumping his knee against Merlin’s when they were seated next to each other in the conference room. It was sweet, and hardly distracting. But then, Arthur started wearing that cologne that Merlin liked a bit too much, and leaning all the way over him when taking a look at the agreements, instead of just taking the files back to his office, like he used to. With the heat of Arthur’s body behind him and the smell of his—utterly intoxicating cologne— all around him, Merlin had to remind himself not to let his conviction waver. The prat couldn’t always have his way. 

Then, Arthur began joining Merlin and Gwaine in the squash court before work, clad in shorts that showed off his stupidly well defined calves, which—until then—Merlin hadn’t ever thought of as a particularly sexy part of a man’s body. But seeing Arthur run around in a sweat-damp t-shirt, his golden hair sticking to his forehead as he whooped loudly about scoring a point, seemed to awaken a part of him that he did not want to acknowledge. 

He didn’t even want to think about the locker room after. Arthur really had an aggravatingly nice ass. 

The cute knee bumps in the conference room turned into Arthur’s hand on his knee, then his thigh, rising steadily upwards until Merlin choked on his water, and started coughing so hard Uther Pendragon asked him if he was unwell. 

But Merlin was stubborn. Arthur was being infuriating on purpose, and Merlin was not going to acknowledge that he was tempted. Was he expected to just give in to the prat’s every whims? No. He wasn’t going to cave. Especially not when Arthur came into his department wearing a light blue shirt that was a little bit too tight and which brought out the deep, fervent blue of his eyes, asking to use their photocopier. 

“Of course,” Gretchen, Merlin’s department head said. 

“I think you have a slightly different model down here. I’m not sure how to use it. Maybe Merlin could help me?” 

Gretchen looked expectantly at Merlin, who breathed in sharply through his nose. He couldn’t very well say no in front of his department head. He ignored the smirk Will gave him as he stormed past Arthur and into the photocopy room. 

The room was cramped, made even smaller by the four massive photocopiers they had crammed in there. He refused to look up when he heard Arthur come in, and when he heard the telltale click of the lock. 

Why did they even have a lock in here? 

“What do you need to photocopy?” Merlin asked, he kept his back to Arthur, his tone a lot ruder than he had intended. His skin already felt like it was buzzing with static. Damn Arthur Pendragon and his bleeding ultimatums. 

Arthur reached past Merlin, his hand grazing Merlin’s side as he placed the document on the bed of the photocopier. Even though the rough fabric of his shirt, Merlin’s skin seared with heat at the touch. 

“Need 30 copies of that,” Arthur said, his breath warm on Merlin’s neck. 

Merlin slammed down the lid of the machine, ignoring the goosebumps that ran up his arm, and turned to face Arthur, realising belatedly that he was caught between Arthur and the massive copy machine. Maybe he hadn’t quite thought this through. Arthur smiled, crookedly, putting one arm up on the machine to trap Merlin in place.

“Is that all?” Merlin asked, forcefully. 

“I think you should stay here. In case something goes wrong with the machine.” Arthur was pressing up against him now, his hips right up against Merlin’s own. Merlin felt the vibrations of the giant machine run through his spine. 

He swallowed hard. “I think I should go back to work.” 

“I’m your boss, Merlin. You have to listen to me.” 

“No you’re not, and no I don’t.” Merlin said, though his thoughts were buzzing, melding into the whir of the copier.

He could feel Arthur’s breath on his lips now, hot and sweet. “These machines are so loud, I’ll wager we could be as loud as we want in here.” 

“I… have no plans of being loud in here.” 

“No?” Arthur asked, eyes boring into Merlin’s. “If you give me the chance, I bet I can make you scream my name.” 

Merlin’s whole body was burning hot and felt stretched too-tight, like a rubber band about to snap. He could barely muster up his next words, which came out more like a croak. “I’m good.” 

Arthur groaned loudly, pushing away from him. Merlin instantly missed the heat of his body. “God, Merlin, you are the most stubborn person I have ever met. You think I can’t tell how pent up you are? Why are you so insistent on keeping this a secret? Do you not want to be in a relationship with me?” 

Merlin blinked, the fog in his brain clearing away, just a little. “What? Of course I do.” 

“Then why the hell are you so insistent on keeping this a secret?” 

Arthur was watching him, his expression was raw, his eyes wide. There he was, his emotion laid bare, and Merlin understood, suddenly, what it all meant. He’d thought it was harmless, asking Arthur to keep them a secret. But all this time, Arthur thought he didn’t care. 

“Do you not want to be exclusive? Is this going too fast?” Arthur asked. 

“It’s not like that,” Merlin said, putting as much earnestness into his voice as he could. “It’s…,” he ran his fingers through his hair, making one side stick up, and sighed. “It’s Gwaine and Will. And Morgana.” 

“Huh? Do you mean… you’re… also seeing Gwaine, Will and my sister?” 

“What? No! Yeesh. I don’t think I have that much game. No! It’s… they…,” Merlin sighed loudly, dropping his arms to his side. “They used to say I had a crush on you.” 

Arthur stared back, uncomprehending. “Huh?” 

“Well you used to be really bloody annoying when I first started working here! And I kept saying that I hated you, and they kept saying I had a crush, and I didn’t… not then… but then I did, but by then I didn’t want to admit it… and you were still a giant clotpole, by the way… so I kept saying that I didn’t like you and…” Merlin gestured wildly towards the door. “If they find out we’re together they’re never going to let me hear the end of it.” 

Arthur was staring at him now like he’d grown a set of donkey ears and was braying. 

“That’s what all this is about?” he asked, disbelief in his voice. “This is about your pride!?” 

“It’s about my reputation,” Merlin insisted. 

“But you are going to tell them eventually, aren’t you?”

“Of course, dollophead. Just… they’re going to be so annoying about it. I just want to put that off for as long as I can. Alright?”  

“You really are infuriatingly stubborn,” Arthur huffed. He tugged Merlin by the tie, yanking him closer and kissing him hard on the mouth. Merlin’s skin burned. He was practically dizzzy when they pulled apart, his fingers still threaded through Arthur’s hair. 

“So,” he gasped, trying to regain his breath, “are you done tormenting me now? You only said I had to tell you why.” 

Arthur straightened out Merlin’s tie that had gone askew. “See you at my place after work then. I have a bet I have to make good on.” 

Merlin grinned, his heart still hammering in his chest. “Don’t be so sure you’re gonna win.” 

 Arthur smirked. “This time, I’m pretty confident I will.” 

#anonymous #drabble game #my writing #bbc merlin #merthur #merlin x arthur #merlin #arthur pendragon #merlin fic #merlin ficlet #merlin emrys #i first thought It'd be really funny to find a totally non-smutty way to use this line #but then I was like let's just give the people what they want #you knew what you wanted when you asked for this I know it

[mycheese-tasted-like-applepie]

How would Arthur and Gwaine (seperate) react to their crush defeating them in a sparing match?

Sure thing!

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Arthur and Gwaine’s Reaction to Their Crush Beating Them in a Sparring Match Headcanons

Arthur

-Oh Arthur would be super pouty. While he may have a crush on you, that wouldn’t stop him from saying that you cheated. Arthur is a proud man and there is no changing that.

-In fact, he would feel a little embarrassed that he lost to you.

-It wasn’t because he didn’t think you were strong. Arthur, as a king, just perceives himself to be incredibly strong. His people thought so as well, and he wanted you to know that. So, to be beaten by you, he was a bit worried that your opinion on him might change.

-Arthur’s poutiness would cause him to be teased. Cue Gwaine calling him “princess”. Lucky for him, you would come to him defense, saying how Arthur fought well. That might make him feel a bit better.

-Give him a while, but he would eventually challenge you to a rematch. And this cycle would continue until he eventually beat you. This would cause Arthur to go into prat mode and boast about how good he is despite you beating him all those times before.

Gwaine

-Gwaine would be the opposite of Arthur. Instead of pouting and thinking he should’ve won, Gwaine just grows to like you even more. He is a big flirt after all, especially to you.

-For you to beat him in a fight means you must be something special.

-Cue Gwaine complimenting your skills and the others being just done with it. Training could be over, and he would find some way to bring up how good you must be to have beaten him. Yes, he’s kissing up big time.

-He might even admit that he wasn’t trying so hard or that he let you win. This leads to little teases between the two of you, something that gets his heart all a flutter. Even better if the others are there to pipe in now and again.

-Gwaine would offer to spar with you again. Not because he thinks he can win, but because he wants to get that fuzzy feeling of being beaten by you again. He doesn’t even care if the others tease him.

#bbc merlin #arthur x reader #arthur #king arthur #arthur pendragon #arthur pendragon x reader #arthur headcanons #gwaine #sir gwaine #merlin gwaine #gwaine imagine #gwaine x reader #gwaine headcanons

[empiresgleam]

Sneak peak of the forthcoming Chapter 8 of Empires Gleam, in which Merlin has gone back in time to save them all, and ended up in a friends-with-benefits situation with Arthur. Mutual pining while having sexy trysts all over the place... chef's kiss.

----

"Ready? Pull!" shouted Arthur, drawing his bow.

Merlin flicked a hand and a clay disc ricocheted into the air. Arthur took the shot and felt in his bones that it was flying true towards the target. But at the last second the disc zinged out of the way and the arrow landed harmlessly in the grass.

"Sorry? Should I go easier on you?" asked Merlin, with an innocent smile.

Arthur glared. “I can't handle anything you’ve got, Merlin.”

Merlin smirked and crooked a finger to pick up Arthur's arrow and float it back to him.

"Again," sighed Arthur. "Ready? Pull!"

This time, the arrow hit the clay disc dead on, but Arthur knew enough about Merlin now to anticipate the second surprise disc. He whipped a dagger out of the top of his boot and threw it, managing to hit the second target mostly by sheer luck.

Merlin's jaw dropped open.

"Arthur, ye gods," he said.

"That's what happens when you’ve been trained to kill since b-" said Arthur, but was cut off by Merlin's mouth landing hotly on his.

Afterwards, when they were lying on the grass, letting the night air cool their heated skin, Merlin asked, "Do you want to tell the others about this place?"

Arthur looked around the aerie, at the neat acres of mossy grass, the high stone walls covered in thick ivy that looked a hundred years old, the blossoming trees, the cozy outbuildings. He took in the whole massive arena, ringed with iron braziers, a fire burning merrily in all of them, giving a warm tone to Merlin's skin that matched his eyes, which were more often gold than blue here.

"Not right now. But eventually," he conceded. "Only because it seems a shame to let all your hard work go unappreciated."

Merlin pressed his face into Arthur's shoulder, pleased as a cat at this simple compliment.

"But not now, right?" Merlin said. "It's too– too– convenient to give up."

"Right. Exactly," said Arthur, with a shiver. Convenient. That's all it was.

------

Then there was the quiet summer morning when the unicorn stepped out of the trees.

Merlin looked at Arthur's raised crossbow, looked at the unicorn, remembered a labyrinth and a beach and a riddle of poison.

Arthur put a finger to his lips.

Merlin tackled him into the dirt.

“Wow, unnecessary,” said Arthur. “I wasn’t going to shoot it. I remember the story of the prat and the unicorn.”

“Couldn't risk it,” said Merlin. “Can't rest my whole fate on whether you are or are not a prat.”

He was lying heavy on top of Arthur, panting.

Arthur said, “You know, I’ve heard that unicorns only appear to virgins. If you’re so worried, we could make sure that neither of us ever sees one again.”

He grinned, thrust his hips suggestively, and reached up for a kiss.

Merlin tasted salt on his tongue and remembered the smell of the sea, sitting across from Arthur, two goblets between them, deciding who would die to save Camelot from the unicorn’s curse.

Tomorrow, instead of making a noble sacrifice for each other’s lives, they would probably trade furtive kisses in the armoury.

And– momentarily– horribly– Merlin wished he’d let the unicorn die.

“No!” Merlin pushed off Arthur and got to his feet roughly. “It’s getting late. Let’s get back.”

He felt the pressure of Arthur’s gaze, but avoided it all the way home.

------

New chapters coming soon to Ao3.

#merlin #bbc merlin #merthur #snippet #empires gleam #merlin/arthur #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #fic rec

[sendandburn]

An Analysis of Percy Weasley

"Percy Weasley was the third of Arthur and Molly’s seven children.

He was not only the middle child but also the loneliest.

Bill and Charlie are two years apart. A unit.

Percy is closer in age to the Twins.

But the twins are a unit by themselves.

Ron and Ginny are the babies and a unit.

Poor Percy only had his rat.

No seriously, Percy had his siblings alright, but the dynamics where not the same, he was a little too young to be part of Bill and Charlie adventures, and soon they left for Hogwarts.

He could never be as close to Fred and George, who were soulmates, and liked to tease him a little too much.

Ginny and Ron were too young to play with him, then he was off to Hogwarts, himself.

It means that Percy was the closest to Molly.

Molly was more protective of Percy because she saw how all his siblings paired up and he was left alone.

In return, Percy listened and did everything Molly asked him too.

He was the Perfect Boy. The Prefect Boy and the HeadBoy.

He took it to heart and rigidly followed her advices.

He was extremely well behaved, he kept to the rules as if his life depended on it, worked himself to the extreme to get his 12 Newts.

What do we want to be Prefects for?’ said George, looking revolted at the very idea. ‘It’d take all the fun out of life.’ Ginny giggled. ‘You want to set a better example to your sister!’ snapped Mrs Weasley. ‘Ginny’s got other brothers to set her an example, Mother,’ said Percy loftily. ‘I’m going up to change for dinner …’ He disappeared and George heaved a sigh. ‘We tried to shut him in a pyramid,’ he told Harry. ‘But Mum spotted us.’ * Dinner

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3)

He forsook most of the fun and Quidditch and adventure his siblings had, especially, the twins.

He then got the most boring and safest job in the Ministry of Magic, like Molly wanted.

He stayed home, unlike his siblings, who couldn’t wait to go to adventure, one moving away to another continent.

None of the children stayed at the Borrow, apart from Percy.

So when his father and mother told him that he was wrong to do exactly what they taught him, “follow the rules Percy”, “be a good boy Percy”, “work hard and you will get rewarded Percy”.

Percy Weasley finally snapped.

I think Percy leaving the Burrow and cutting out his parents was hugely caused by the feelings of resentment and anger at his family, and mother in particular.

Percy was also hurt.

Percy needed that time apart to sort out his feelings and accept that while his mother’s advices where sound, sometimes, breaking the rules and being a bad boy is necessary, especially when Voldemort had taken over, he is the one dictating the rules.

So no Percy, was right to put some distance with his family, otherwise I believe things would have escalated worse. As their tempers exploded.

Thought, he was wrong for saying untrue and cruel things to his father and wrong to cut all ties with his mother.

And also wrong to believe anything Cornelius Fudge said, when he was so thoroughly inside Lucius Malfoy’s Pockets.

But when he did come to term with those feelings and accepted his wrongs, he was brave and devoted enough to come back and apologize and admitted how much of an idiot he was.

“I was a fool!' Percy roared, so loudly that Lupin nearly dropped his photograph 'I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a - a -' 'Ministry - loving, family - disowning, power - hungry moron,' said Fred. Percy swallowed. 'Yes I was!” J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) " (analysis Taken from Quora)

#harry potter #character analysis #percy weasley defense squad #hp fandom

[h50europe]

MERTHUR - The day Merlin took Arthur back to Camelot

Merlin had often felt like the adult in their relationship, though they were about the same age. Even on the day of Arthur's return, the warlock couldn't shake the feeling.

"Come, Arthur, let's make sure we get to Camelot before midnight," said Merlin, his voice echoing through the forest.

Arthur replied, "Yes, yes. You don't need to hurry. I've been gone for quite a while, and so much has changed... I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all at the moment."

Merlin smiled to himself. He knew Arthur had always been easily distracted, like a child in a toy store. As they walked through the forest, Merlin noticed Arthur stumble a few times, his eyes wide with awe at his surroundings.

"Watch the path, Arthur," Merlin admonished him.

Arthur nodded, but Merlin could see that he was still distracted. He found it amusing how Arthur absorbed everything at once, like a sponge soaking up water. The forest was dark, but Merlin's eyes had adjusted to the lack of light, and he could make out the path ahead. Arthur stumbled again and grabbed Merlin's shoulder for support.

"I'm sorry," he said hastily.

Merlin chuckled. "You'd better watch your step before you break your neck. Otherwise, your return would have been very short. Also, if you kiss the ground, I won't pick you up,." Merlin said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

It wasn't long before Merlin heard a thud behind him, followed by a string of curses. But Merlin kept his pace.

Without turning around, he said, "Told you so."

In no time, Arthur was back on his feet, imitating his friend's every move. He knew he should have heeded Merlin's advice. But the arrogant little prat in Arthur got the better of him. The realization hit him hard as he scrambled to catch up with Merlin.

#merthur art #merthur #merlin #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin #colin morgan #bradleys james #arthur and merlin #merlin and arthur #missing merlin #merthur fanart #merthur manip #modern merlin #merthur au #merthur drabble #my manip #my edit #photoshop #corel

[percydarling]

My Pride and Joy

Chapter 1 : Percy

 It was the end of a decade / But the start of an age

-------------------------------

He’s glad he has an apartment to go to at this moment in time. That somehow he foresaw that something would happen, the event that would drive him out of the Burrow, in need of another shelter.

He didn’t realise that the event would be an argument with his father.

He had expected an argument with his Mum or the twins or Ron but never in a million years would he imagined that it would be Dad, Dad who never raised his voice, who left Mum to deal out the punishments, who never had a problem with him.

Percy was flabbergasted.

He let himself inside the apartment, the walls not white, but blue, dark blue and a comfortable couch he could sink into. Of course he hadn't selected a plain white apartment, something he was sure his siblings thought boring Percy would do - select an apartment that lack color and be as boring as he was. No, he had selected an apartment with is favorite color and had decorated it as such, a bookshelf full of Muggle and magic books and a great deal of furniture from chairs to tables to lamps and whatnot. He had even put up photographs!

He charmed the door shut and fell onto the couch, drained and miserable.

The words stung.

Every word that came out of his father’s mouth seemed to taunt him starting from the implied accusation of Percy being a spy to Percy being arrogant and proud. He had not entertained the possibility that his father would be anything but happy that he had secured a position in the volatile Ministry of Magic. After that previous mishap...

Percy will be the first person to admit that he was prideful, that yes he had a bit of pride in his work, he delivered what was required and more, he did what he could to improve and worked towards a goal that wasn’t impossible. 

But being proud was not a bad thing, wanting better for yourself is not a bad thing.

All his life, all he wanted was respect, a decent life with no monetary problems, no more clothes with holes in them, no more murmurs of the Weasleys being poor and pitiful looks his way. 

He wanted to live, just live a good life.

He hadn’t wanted to be famous or rich, he just wanted a bit of respect and admiration. Was that too much to ask for?

How could he have that, someone else’s respect when his own family didn’t respect him? When even they think that he’s some monster or a fool or a prat. Someone who didn't belong to their home? 

Percy drags himself out of the couch, striding towards the kitchen. He needed a drink, a strong one. Percy wasn’t a drinker (that was Charlie) but the occasion of calling his father a “good for nothing pauper” deserved a stiff glass of his best Firewhiskey.

With his wand, he summoned a glass. Looked at it and then returned it back to its place grabbing the entire bottle. Forget a glass, this occassion required the entire bloody bottle.

He wants to forget everything, he wants to go back home, he wants to keep his pride, he wants his Mum, he wants to apologise, he wants to giht even more, he wants everything and nothing.

He knows there’s a bit of truth in his words - no, not the insults he hurled - but about the money situation and if only his father had dared to do better, earn more to feed a family of nine. If only he had thought - “Hmm I have seven children to feed and they require supplies, maybe I should ask for a raise or promotion?”

Percy’s still bitter about it, he’s allowed to be. He couldn’t even work in the Ministry without someone remarking about him being one of Arthur’s sons and the state of their family. The taunts, the insults about the red hair and the freckles.

Which is why he had ensured that he wore the best quality Ministry robes, money could buy - at least they couldn’t comment about their clothes being hand-me-downs.

(Not that it mattered, he's already earned a reputation by not noticing that his boss wasn't really his boss)

He doesn’t know if the fight was about Harry and Dumbledore or the fact that they were poor or that no one in the family respected Percy. Maybe a mixture of them all.

His parents believing Dumbledore was something he should have known, after all the horror Ron and Ginny had gone through, they still believed he would protect them. That wizard would sacrifice them if it assisted his agenda. He couldn’t care less about them, about his students and Cedric died, under his watch!

He had known Cedric, a nice kind boy who could go places but he couldn’t because he was dead.

Percy takes a gulp of the drink, letting the bitter taste overwhelm him as his thoughts of Cedric fade away. Cedric wasn’t his friend, but he was someone Percy knew, someone Percy respected and it doesn’t get better than that. 

He had attended the funeral, something Harry oh our saviour Potter hadn’t managed to do. Cedric’s parents were grief-stricken and it struck Percy how uncanny it was that they were burying their son who hadn’t even graduated.

For some reason, he had thought about Ron, if he would even graduate or even be alive to graduate because if he kept being best mates with Harry...it's bound to get him killed. He hated the fact that he had such a thought.

He had offered his condolences to Amos Diggory, Cedric’s father who had looked him in the eye with such defeat, it had moved Percy.

"You don't deserve this, he didn't deserve this", Percy had stated, he doesn't know why because the words are worthless.

"No he didn't", Amos replied looking at his son's coffin, " he really didn't".

Percy took a deep breath as he drank again.

His fight with his family was unavoidable, he knew it was going to happen. The way they treated him.. it hurt. He didn’t deserve it, he knew his self-worth, even after years of tearing him down, he knew he deserved better than this, than whatever this toxic relationship with his family was.

Maybe that’s why Bill and Charlie ran away. 

He still remembers the way Mum looked, when Charlie said he was shifting to Romania, to work with dragons (the scariest creatures). Mum's face had turned red as she argued with him about the cost, the danger of it all, the risk and the farness of it all.

Charlie had left anyway, leaving Mum crying and disappointed, instead weaponising that anger into caring for her other children still with her.

A naive Percy had promised that he would never hurt her the way Bill and Charlie had done. And he hadn't.

He had hurt Dad instead. 

They've hurt him too, he doesn't know how oblivious they are and can be to his situation. Did they really not realise that their words have consequences on his mental health? Do they think calling him prat daily, was simply a nuisance to him and not one more reason to add to the list that his family hates him with a burning passion? It's almost laughable how they believe him to be the fool when they're the ones who fool themselves into thinking that it's Percy, he doesn't care, we can say hurtful stuff about him to anyone and everyone! 

They made fun of him polishing his badge fifty times. 

They didn’t know he had scrubbed the blood from the safehouse a hundred times and it still shone red.

They made fun of his large vocabulary and proper speaking skills.

They didn’t know Aunt Muriel had slapped him every time he wrote or pronounced a word wrong.

They made fun of him being an ardent follower of rules.

They don’t know that breaking one of the safehouse’s rules had almost led to his demise.

They didn’t know and he hoped they never would. It’s not something he’s willing to share because the way they think of him, they’d probably say he deserved it.

People would look at him, aghast that he would say something like that about his family, that he’s overreacting and they’re his family and they love him.

But if Ron can call him a Slytherin traitor in front of his friends and the twins can lock him in a pyramid in a foreign country and Ginny can betray his secret to her brothers letting them tease him about Penelope and Father could laugh along with everyone at his expense, then saying that he deserved awful things is the least harmful thing they’ve said to him, his whole life.

He still can’t believe it was his father who verbally abused him. His Dad and him were cordial, he would say, it wasn't as if Percy didn't love his dad, of course he did! But with Mum, Percy was different more closer to her and that's to be expected, his father isn't even home half of the time and by the time Percy had met his father, he was six and a Mummy's boy as they say. 

It's not his fault that he was fighting in the war and before he was born, his father had spent time bonding with Bill and Charlie so they had a close bond and by the time the war ended, there were the twins and Ron who had required fatherly love.

Really, Percy was perfectly fine with his relationship with his father, it wasn't close but it wasn't far enough to make him a stranger.. although today's event might just really make them strangers who had known each other for some time.

Percy shakes his head, he stops drinking and throws the empty bottle in the wastebasket as he makes his way to the bedroom.

All he’s ever wanted was to feel safe and ensure his family was safe. Being raised during a war does that to you, that a normal life without fear is a gift and it is.

It’s dark. He hadn't realised how late it was at night, everything and everyone silent and peaceful. He pulls the curtains together, making the room even darker as he charms his door shut letting his wand rest on the table beside him as he lies down on the bed.

Somehow he’s failed at everything, his family, his friends and himself but not his career, not yet. He’s not planning to. 

He thinks about today and he realises he’s not felt this good in years, letting all that anger out of his system (though a bit unfair to his father) had done him good. 

He feels free.

And in a long time, Percy doesn’t have nightmares, doesn’t keep awake wondering when it will be dawn, instead Percy sleeps peacefully, in this new home.

#percy weasley #percy weasley fanfic #percy weasley centric #arthur weasley #weasley family

[yorit1]

http://archiveofourown.org/works/52444660

Merlin was with his friend, sir Gwaine, and they were playing. Arthur and Gwaine had survived the attack, and Arthur now knew about Merlin’s magic, and they were together.

“How’s princess doing?” Gwaine asked.

“He’s doing well. I’m so thankful that I’m the court sorcerer and that Arthur knows the truth. However, not much has changed between us. We are still the same best friends who are now together,” Merlin said.

“Well, I’m happy for you two. I don't think I can do love. Sex, yes, but love, no,” Gwaine said.

“That’s okay, you can do what you like. You’re a knight of the realm,” Merlin said.

“All I need is good drink and good sex,” Gwaine said.

“Merlin, Merlin,” Arthur called out, looking for Merlin.

“In here, clotpole,” Merlin said.

Arthur found them and came to Merlin. He leaned down and kissed his cheek. They were happy and in love, and that was all that mattered.

“I had George set us a picnic and thought we could go on one,” Arthur said.

“Princess, that’s so lovely,” Gwaine said.

“Not you,” Arthur replied, pointing a finger at him.

“Gwaine, I’ll see you later,” Merlin said.

“I was beating you anyway,” Gwaine said.

“You cheated,” Merlin said.

“You are the most powerful sorcerer of all time, and I’m drunk and still win. How am I cheating,” Gwaine said.

Merlin stuck his tongue out to Gwaine, and Gwaine laughed and winked at Merlin.

Merlin pushed Arthur out of the room, and they walked out.

Arthur and Merlin took their horses to the location.

“Not there, idiot,” Arthur said affectionately.

“Blame the horse. It leads me where it wants to,” Merlin said.

“You should know by now how to manage a horse,” Arthur said.

“Of course, sire,” Merlin said sarcastically.

Arthur showed them that they had arrived at the location and unmounted the horse. Merlin unmounted his horse and looked at the surroundings; they were beautiful. All of Albion was beautiful, and he and Arthur ruled it and brought back magic to all the land.

“What are you doing, cabbage head?” Merlin asked.

“I’m setting up a picnic. What did you think I was doing, idiot?” Arthur said.

“I’m just surprised you can do it alone without any servants, as you are the king, after all,” Merlin said.

“I wanted some privacy with you that allowed only me and you and the beautiful picnic and scenery. We are usually so busy running the whole of Albion, and I wanted to do something for you to show my appreciation,” Arthur said.

Merlin thought of how sweet Arthur was being. How far have things come since he became Arthur’s manservant and was supposed to protect Arthur’s life? He had done all of that, and now he was lucky enough to have Arthur’s affection all to himself. Arthur was right. They were busy ruling over Albion, and a picnic today on this beautiful day was a perfect idea.

Arthur had set down the blanket, and Merlin sat down on it. Arthur sat down, too and opened the basket with the food. It was a magical basket with a magical tablecloth that could contain various foods. Merlin loved this tablecloth. Brilliant magic showed them they could feast as if they were back in Camelot but out and about.

Merlin reached out for his favourite foods and took them. He ate slowly and enjoyed the time with Arthur. The food was good, and so was the company.

Arthur poured them each a glass of wine. He handed Merlin his glass of wine and started talking.

“To all of Albion and the kingdom that we have built together. I never thought I could have this growing up under Father’s control and his hatred of magic. But you changed me. As you called me, I was a self-centred prat of a prince. But I learned and grew thanks to you. You changed me. I grew up as a crown prince and later king and accepted magic. I sacrificed myself for my people. As king, you serve your people just as much as they serve you. Then we united all of Albion and brought back a golden age of magic. I made up with Morgana, and she and Gwen are great princesses of Albion and our heirs. I wish I could have known earlier what I knew when I met you. You are it for me. I want you to be my court sorcerer and my consort. Alvion would not be what it is now if it was not for you. So please make me the happiest man in the world and agree to be my consort,” Arthur said.

“Of course, you prat. I want nothing more than to be your consort. I need to be a part of your life, and I love the kingdom we have built, and I want to see what we can do together as king, consort, and court sorcerer of Albion,” Merlin said.

Arthur clinked his goblet with Merlin’s, and they each drank the wine.

Merlin put his wine goblet down, jumped on Arthur, and kissed him. They were so thankful for what they had become. The kiss was sweet and tasted of the food that they ate. Merlin and Arthur kissed and kissed. Merlin remembered the first time that Arthur kissed him and how that felt. Now they were betrothed to each other, and the kiss felt even sweeter. They were going to be married and rule Albion forever.

“I’m so happy, Arthur,” Merlin said.

“Here is a token of my affection, a symbol of house of pendragon,” Arthur said and handed him a ring with the sigil of house of pendragon. Arthur slid the ring on Merlin’s finger, and they kissed again. “Morgana helped make this so that it would fit you perfectly. She, Gwen, and the knights know about my plan and are excited for us. Everyone loves you, Merlin.

“I cannot believe you planned all this. What happened to the lazy prince I met on my first day of Camelot?” Merlin asked.

“He grew up thanks to an idiot sorcerer,” Arthur said.

“Merlin and Arthur sealed their betrothal with a kiss. They would rule Albion to the best of their ability.

#merlin #merlinedit #merthur #merthuredit #merlin fanfic #merthur fanfic #merlin emrys #arthur pendragon

[the-pen-pot]

Sweltering

'You look like you're going to faint.'

Merlin squinted at where Prince Arthur, heir to the throne of Camelot and absolute prat, was basking in the long grass by the duelling ground. He was wearing nothing but his trousers. His bare chest – sculpted by years of training with every possible weapon Camelot's armoury had to offer – carried a soft golden tan. His boots, socks and tunic had been abandoned, along with his armour, in a great shiny, stinking heap.

Not that he was the only one. The knights were all arrayed around in a similar state of undress. The hot spell had been going on for weeks, gradually baking the land until the castle lost the mausoleum chill of winter and became an oven instead. They'd started training at first light, just to escape the worst heat of the day, which of course meant that Merlin was out here at day break, too, fetching and carrying and doing the gods knew what else. Then, while they lay around like landed fish, he had to tidy up.

'Of course, I can understand why you wouldn't want to take your tunic off and inflict your weedy physique on Camelot as a whole.'

Briefly, but with murderous intent, Merlin contemplated dropping a mace on Arthur's head. He might have come to Camelot skinny, but after a couple of years of hauling Arthur's armour around, he'd built up a bit of of muscle. Nothing like the knights, maybe, but a respectable amount, if some of the looks he got in the kitchens were anything to go by.

'I think the population's already scared enough, looking at you ugly lot lying around half-naked.'

This was met with laughter and jeers from the knights, who were far too comfortable in their own skin.

'I know jealousy when I hear it!' Elyan crowed, his skin a rich, dark mahogany in the sunlight. They were all varying shades of brown. Even Sir Leon had developed a golden glow and then a smothering of ginger freckles to go on top of it.

'Merlin, mate? Arthur's right, you look a bit peaky. Have some water at least?' Gwaine begged, waving a skin at him, his smile blossoming into a shit-eating grin when Merlin grabbed it and realised it was empty. 'You'll just need to fill it up, first.'

'Yes, come on, Merlin. I want water,' Arthur added, all smug arrogance.

The other knights lifted their empty water-skins in a clamour, and Merlin groaned. The last thing he felt like doing was standing in a line at the well. He was already sweltering, dripping sweat from every pore. It wasn't like filling up the skins with magic was a possibility, either, not unless he wanted to inform five knights of the realm that he was a sorcerer. Lancelot, of course, already knew, and he was giving him a meaningful look.

It was a fair warning. After all, Merlin was already hot enough without being cooked on a pyre.

'You're all arseholes,' he muttered, snatching the water-skins from various sweaty hands and making his way towards the closest well. It was too hot to stamp across the scorched grass, and he settled from grumbling under his breath as he flitted from one feeble patch of shade to the next, trying to find respite in even the faintest breeze.

He headed to the market-square, where the awnings hung limp in the breathless air and the well was a pockmark in the middle of a sun-beaten cobbles. At least there was a fraction of fair-fortune on his side. Most people had the good sense to get their water before the day reached its zenith. Now, there was no crowd, and he set down the various waterskins before hauling up the rope, grunting and sweating from the exertion.

It was too fucking hot for this.

He finally got the bucket onto the rim of the well, noticing how quickly the drips had vanished in the merciless heat. At least the water was cold, sheltered as it was deep in the aquifers below Camelot. He could practically feel the chill radiating off of it, and he pursed his lips as a spark of mischief ignited in his brain. The knights had already been basking for more than a candle-mark while he'd been sorting out their armour and putting weapons away, and frankly, Arthur's ego was once again in danger of making his head too big to fit through doorways.

Besides, they had, technically, asked him to get water...

'I know that look.'

He glanced up at Gwen, who stood on the opposite side of the well, the sleeves of her dress rolled up and a pretty scarf tying her hair back off her face. A gleam of sweat glossed her forehead, but she looked to be in a better state than him.

'What look?' he asked innocently. 'There's no look.'

'You're plotting something.' Her cheeks swelled as she tried to smother a smile, raising one eyebrow at him. Gwen had been one of his first friends in Camelot. She knew him too well to believe his protests.

'No, I'm not. I'm getting the knights water. Like they asked. Mostly.' He grinned, picking up the water-skins and putting them into the empty basket she carried. 'Can you get those to the armoury? And pass me those buckets?'

Gwen looked as if she thought she should probably do something to save him from himself if nothing else. He watched the brief flicker of conflict over her face before she set her basket aside and did as she was bid. 'He'll put you in the stocks,' she warned.

'He'll have to catch me, first,' Merlin promised, steadily filling both buckets from the well before picking them up. 'Thanks, Gwen!'

He waited until he was away from the marketplace before letting loose the leash on his magic, just enough to make the buckets lighter and silence his footsteps, to stop the precious water sloshing and warm it, just a touch. After all, he wanted to make Arthur squeal like a girl, not give him a heart-attack. With that little bit of sorcerous assistance, the rest was child's play.

The basking knights never knew what hit them.

The first bucket of water made them jerk and holler as the cold water smacked over bare, sun-warmed flesh. There was a general spluttering as if they couldn't quite comprehend what had happened. Of course, Arthur was a bit quicker off the mark than the rest, leaping to his feet as his cry ricocheted across the field.

'MERLIN!'

Later, Merlin would point out it was a mercy that he at least made sure Arthur had shut his mouth before hitting him, full in the face, with the second pail of chilly well-water. It slicked that blond hair to that big head of his and ran in rivulets across his bare chest, soaking his breeches and leaving him drenched and gasping.

'You said you wanted water,' Merlin pointed out, not even trying to hide the breadth of his grin. 'I was just following your orders, Sire.'

He watched the spark flare in Arthur's eyes, the way a glimmer of amusement warred with outright disbelief. Even after all this time, he still liked nothing better to poke at Arthur, to tread that fine line that pushed right up to the edge of Arthur losing his temper.

Arthur took a step forward, his hands clenching into quick fists. 'I'm going to make you regret that,' he promised.

Merlin spread his hands, taking a step back. 'You're welcome to try.'

There was one, split second of motionless where he watched the balance teeter between Arthur's desire for dignity and his thirst for revenge before it fell firmly on the latter.

With a bright laugh, Merlin took off. Arthur and the knights may be strong, but they weren't the lightest on their feet. He was faster and had the advantage of longer legs. The heat was forgot as he darted away, delighting in the way Arthur cursed as he followed him. He hared across the training ground with the prince in hot pursuit, half-naked and dripping. He'd let Arthur catch him eventually; he'd have to, but for now Merlin was going to make him work for it.

******

A shadow fell over him, and Merlin looked up as far as he could from where he was bent over in the stocks, offering Gwen a cheeky grin. Truthfully, it was only the official part of his punishment. He'd been mercilessly dunked in the stable trough when Arthur finally caught up to him, which had been both disgusting and hilarious, because he'd managed to grab Arthur at the last minute and drag him in as well. The prince had retired inside to recover the tattered remnants of his dignity, shouting orders in his wake that, once the sun had gone down, Merlin was to spend three candle-marks in the stocks for his crimes.

'Oh, Merlin,' Gwen said, weary and fond.

'It could be worse. At least the sun's gone, and everyone's too hot to bother throwing vegetables.'

Gwen sighed, sitting down at his side so that he didn't have to look up at her and thoughtfully offering him a quick drink. 'Was it worth it?' she asked. 'Really?'

And Merlin thought of Arthur's face, beautiful, amused and outraged all at once. He thought of the satisfaction of revenge and, reluctantly, he allowed his mind to linger on how good Arthur had looked with the water slicking his breeches to his strong thighs and resting like a mantle of diamonds across his skin.

'Yeah,' he acknowledged at last, running his tongue over his bottom lip before catching it in his teeth. 'It really was.'

#Merlin #Merthur #My Fanfic

[candicewright]

Short drabble prompt you say?? How about hmmmm. Maybe Arthur gets hurt during training or something and has to stay in Gaius's chambers for a while and while there he witnesses Merlin being competent and skillful as a physician? Just Arthur being surprised at Merlin's knowledge and skills basically akdkdkdk

"Would you just stay put, you prat?"

"I'd rather just wait for Gaius- Ah! Merlin!"

Merlin pressed on the wound bit stronger than he needed to stop the bleeding as a substitute for murdering the royal arse sitting on the physician's table.

"Gaius is busy so I am afraid I am the only one available to patch up your scratches."

"Scratches?!? The sword went though my arm!"

"And you will lose your arm if you don't stop whining."

"I don't whine, Merlin, I am the king- Ouch! Stop that!"

"Arthur, please," Merlin said gravely, looking into Arthur's eyes. The king seemed to search for something in Merlin stare and he seemed to find it because he didn't move or complain until Merlin had finished deftly and efficiently stitching and bandaging the wound. "There, you will be as good as new in a few weeks. I will ask Gaius to check up on you tomorrow morning."

Arthur looked at his arm as he closed and opened his hand, testing his mobility. He didn't look at Merlin when he said, "See that you do," is a soft, almost gentle tone of voice.

And with that, he left for his chambers.

***

"This wound seemed to be way on its path to healing," Gaius said after examining it. "You did an excellent job with this, Merlin.

"Yes, well, I do listen to you sometimes," Merlin said, causing Gaius' eyebrow to raise.

"It served you well this time. Well, I must make my leave, sire."

"Thank you, Gaius."

The door closed behind him as he left and Arthur turned to Merlin, "I didn't know you were so good at this."

Merlin smirked, "It's just one of my many gifts."

Normally Arthur would have replied in kind, but this time he continued, "No, Merlin, really. I have suffered many wound in battle. Usually they feel horrible after they have been treated but this barely hurts. I feel like I could go back to training tomorrow. Today even."

"Not so fast, you require rest," Merlin hurried to say.

"I know, but-" he stared at Merlin, eyes soft, "thank you."

Merlin's breath caught in his throat.

"Anything for you, Arthur."

And for once, Arthur knew Merlin's words to be nothing but the truth.

#this is short but it was nice!!! hoping to get back in the flow of this writing thing!!!! #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merthur #cw mention of injury #ask response #💙 #candicewrites

[messandahalf10]

New WIP:

“Merlin mysteriously receives a set of armour. Beautifully crafted leather armour, to be exact. He very quickly learns that among the nobility, such a gift is considered an offering of courtship. If only he could figure out who it’s from, and why the King is acting so… normal.”

Excerpt (which is actually just all I have written so far lol):

“Have you forgotten, Merlin, just who you’re talking to?” Arthur asks, one eyebrow quirking up.

Merlin lifts his chin up, so he can almost look down his nose at the King. “Oh, I know exactly who I’m talking to, Your Majesty.”

He opens his mouth and inhales, ready to speak, but Arthur lifts a hand up, prematurely cutting him off. “If you call me a prat again, I’m going to send you to the stocks for a few days, followed by a stint in the cells. We’ll see how you’re feeling after spending a week sleep in on cold, hard stone with nothing but straw to keep you company.” He spins around on his heel, gesturing for merlin to follow him over his shoulder. “Now come along, I’m going to be late for my own council meeting. Really, Merlin, I do have an image to uphold.”

Merlin glowers at his retreating back, but grudgingly follows after him. Yes, Arthur was definitely hiding something, and he would be damned if he didn’t figure out what.

#writing #fanfiction #wip #work in progress #my work #fanfic #merlin fanfic #merthur fanfic #merlin #arthur #merthur

[caniruineverything]

i get by with a little help from my friends

ft. merthur and a bit of whump/angst (and a teensy bit of morgwen)

Summary: Merlin doesn't understand why Arthur's acting weird, but when Uther takes it too far with his words one day, Merlin realizes why.

"Mer-lin!" At the sound of his name, the warlock spun around, only to be met with an irate Arthur slamming the door behind him as he walked in. And he had been in such a great mood earlier, he thought to himself.

"Yes, sire?" If he put a bit more ire in the greeting than normal, well that was between him and the long list of chores he was sure was heading his way.

"Have you really been cleaning this whole time?" The question was rhetorical, but Merlin answered anyway, foolishly.

"Yes, sire. Your room is quite messy. Really, it's a shame no one ever taught you how to clean up after yourself." And, well, on any other day, the jab wouldn't have been of any importance, but that day, Arthur was in quite the mood.

"Well, it's a shame no one taught you how to speak to your Prince. Leave, I don't want to see your stupid face." The words caused something in Merlin to shrivel up, despite his attempts to stop it. He'd thought he and Arthur had been getting closer. He'd apparently thought wrong.

He left, moving away from the room and the unreasonable prince as fast as he could. As he exited the palace, he realized Arthur had not given him anything else to do. Part of him wondered if that had been purposeful, but he quickly dismissed the thought. After that display, it was clear the prince had no intention of being generous.

With nothing else to do he walked home to see if there was anything Gaius needed him to do. The old man answered that he did not, in fact, have anything that needed to be done. Instead, he suggested Merlin go help out Gwen or the knights. Deciding this was both a good idea and a way to pass time, which moved slowly when he was away from Arthur, Merlin left to go do just that.

As he approached the palace steps, mentally making a list of the places Gwen was most likely to be found-he knew from experience that it was very difficult to find people in the palace-when a voice called from somewhere to his left.

"Merlin? I thought Arthur dismissed you."

"Gwen!" He couldn't help it, a grin broke out on his face at the sight of his friend, a sweet but slightly confused smile gracing her lips. "Just the person I was looking for!" At her questioning glance, he elaborated. "Yeah, the clotpole did let me out early, not sure why, so I wanted to see if you needed any help." He paused, and she took her cue to respond.

""Oh! Thanks." At this, Gwen smiled kindly and continued, "Nope! Morgana let me out early too, said something about the nice weather." Merlin smiled, knowing Morgana too was weak for Gwen's smile, just in a different way than he.

"That's kind of her. Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me!" She grinned back, seeing his smiling face, and continued on to her house. He stood there, once again with nothing to do. Should he check on Arthur again?

The urge to both see the prince and make sure he was okay was not something one should feel for their employer, let alone their prince and their friend, but, well, he had taken one look at the prince when the latter had been consoling a woman looking after her ailing son and fallen head over heels. Yes, that prat could be such a cabbage head, but he could also be caring, and brave, and kind. And handsome, that little voice in the back of his head spoke up, but he banished it with a quick not the time.

So yes, he did want to check on Arthur. But at the same time, what Arthur had said has hurt. Merlin worked hard because Arthur expected nothing less, and it still wasn't enough.

But Arthur was a prince, and he was Uther's son, so it was almost to be expected. Almost, because even though it was explainable did not mean that it hurt any less.

He decided against reentering the paper in search of a prince who clearly didn't want him there, and returned home. At Gaius's raised eyebrow, he just said Gwen hadn't needed any help, and walked into his room. And no, he definitely hadn't closed the door more forcefully than normal.

He used his free time to read through the book on magic Gaius had given him. Sitting under his thin blanked with aagically conjured light to see by, he could almost forget about Arthur and his behavior. Almost.

Merlin blinked awake blearily, light glaring in through the window. He brushed a fallen lock of hair out of his face, then sat up. As he did so, he both heard and felt paper rustle, and looked down. He had apparently been using the magic book as a pillow, and there were a few drool stains on one of the pages. He quickly magicked away the stains and returned the book it it's hiding place, then turned to his clothing to get ready for the day. Now, to wear the red or blue neckerchief. . ?

He made it almost to the palace steps before he remembered. Arthur. He had been in such a foul mood the other day, and with a prince with anger management issues and a tendency to bottle things up, Merlin did not know what to expect.

When he had gathered up the courage to walk to Arthur's room, he was greeted with the sight of the blonde glaring at him, picking at the good in front of him.

"You're late," were the first words out of the prince's mouth. "I had to get woken up and delivered breakfast by George." His distaste was clear, and on another day, Merlin might have laughed. Not that day, though, when he was already feeling the sting from the careless words.

"Oh, poor you." It was almost hilarious how obvious the double take Arthur was trying to hide was, as he had clearly been expecting sympathy, but Merlin was not in the mood. "You should be happy, you had a servant who didn't talk back."

"Well, Merlin, you should be happy. I have a long list of chores headed your way, just for being late." Merlin sighed. Why him? Why did he have to bother with the unreasonable man who happened to be both his employer and the prince of Camelot?

"Yaaaaayyy. . ."

"That's the spirit! Now, you'd better get started or you won't finish by tonight, and we can't have that." By Arthur's tone, Merlin could tell he was implying something important, and though he really didn't want to, he gave into the blonde's ploy to get him to ask.

"What do you mean by that? What's happening tonight?"

"Oh, did no one tell you?" God, the nerve of this man. "Father's having a feast in honor of the new alliance. And yes, before you ask, you do have to be there." Damn, how had he known that was what Merlin was going to ask before the latter even opened his mouth? "Because, idiot, you ask that every time. Of course I knew." Okay, now Merlin was slightly freaked out.

"Did I say that out loud, or did you somehow acquire mind reading skills?"

"I could read it on your dumb, expressive face. You didn't need to say it, and I don't need to read your mind to know what you were going to say." Arthur scoffed at Merlin's confused face and ordered him to get to work before he wasted the day trying to understand a simple sentence.

All day, Merlin simultaneously carried out his chores, fuming at Arthur and his pompousness, and ran their earlier conversation through his head, trying to make sense of it. And make sense he did. It was no secret that they two were developing a strong bond, but he hadn't realized how strong it was, if the prince was able to deduce what Merlin was going to say before he said it.

But of course their 'strong bond' wasn't enough to keep them from bickering like a dysfunctional couple. Resigned to his foul mood, and with no intent to forgive the prince any time soon, he got to work on the long list of chores Arthur had handed him.

By the end of the day, Merlin had somehow managed to get everything in Arthur's ridiculously long list done. Well, not somehow, he may have used a bit-just a bit!-of magic to help. The list was otherwise way too long for him to finish by midnight, much less in time for the feast. The only good part about any of it was that he got the satisfaction of seeing Arthur's shocked face when he realized Merlin had actually been able to complete the list. Well, he had also been given a bit of the food for the feast to taste test (impeccable as always), which had been nice.

His last task was to help the prince prepare for the feast. Bathing him, dressing him, and just making him look like the prince he was. If Merlin was honest, there were a few things he liked about feasts.

For one, there was the fact that he was allowed to eat some of the leftover food, which was even better than the food the kitchen normally prepared. There was also the fact that Arthur looked even more presentable than he usually did, and while Merlin thought the prince looked handsome in anything, it was nice to see him get dressed up a bit. And the feast provided something to make the evening a bit more entertaining, which was something, at least.

By the time he was done getting Arthur ready, it was time for the feast. Merlin looked over the prince one more time to see if he was ready, and he was. But Merlin also noticed that Arthur seemed a bit more nervous than he usually did for a feast. Was it that this was celebrating an alliance and he didn't want to do anything to put that in danger?

Merlin wanted to ask, he wanted to make sure his friend was okay, but before he could, Arthur spoke.

"Well, Merlin, are you ready?"

"Wh-what? Why are you asking me if I'm ready? You're the one who needs to be ready, not me."

"Well, yes, that is true. But you know if I'm ready or not, and you're not ready until I am. I'll ask you again. Are you ready?"

"Yes, sire." For once, Merlin's voice was completely free of any sarcasm or mocking. He sensed that Arthur was nervous and he didn't want to make things worse.

"Alright then. Lets go."

The feast was a typical feast, all things considered. There was good food and wine, a few performers, and speeches from Uther and the allied kingdom. Arthur did not give a speech that night, which Merlin did not find particularly odd, as not every feast required a speech from the prince.

Though Merlin did notice that Arthur was more tense than normal, he figured it was just the blonde worrying about how the guests would find the feast. What he did not notice, however, was the way Arthur's eyes kept darting to his father, and the way Uther was nearly glaring at his son.

There was one slight hiccup during the whole thing, which was, in Merlin's opinion, not bad at all. One of the servants, a tall skinny boy with brown hair, spilled wine on Uther. In the boy's defense, it was not much, and Utter had bumped into him slightly, but that did nothing to quiet the king's rage.

But before Uther could say or do anything, Arthur leaned over and whispered something to his father. This calmed the older man down only slightly, and now his rage seemed directed at Arthur. Nothing happened however, except that Arthur apparently dismissed the servant, as the boy scurried away as quickly as he could.

If Merlin had paid a tiny bit more attention to the king and his son, he would have noticed how Uther's anger remained, and how Arthur was clearly masking his fear.

But he didn't, so he paid no notice as, when they were walking back after the feast, Arthur was silent. Merlin figured that he was simply tired, as a feast would tire anyone out, especially someone who was as involved as Arthur.

When they got back to the prince's chambers, Arthur dismissed Merlin as soon as the latter had finished getting Arthur ready for bed. Merlin once again figured he was simply tired, although he did begin to suspect something was up with the prince.

Hey, he wasn't stupid, not by a longshot, but he hadn't really seen anything that would make him worry. His whole job was to protect the prince, whether Arthur knew it or not. He would never purposefully do anything to put his friend in danger, and not just because it was his job.

That night however, he did remember Uther's angry glare at his son, and the way Arthur curled in on himself infinitesimally. Unfortunately, he fell asleep before he could think any more about it, and by the time he woke up in the morning, he had almost completely forgotten it.

The beginning of the morning the next day was pretty predictable. He woke up, got dressed, ate a hurried breakfast, and left to go wake up the prince.

When he got to the prince's room, however, breakfast in hand, he discovered that Arthur was already awake and dressed. Merlin set the food down on the table and looked the prince over.

"Wow, sire, you managed to put on your shirt correctly, nice job. However the back of your shirt is not quite tucked in. Here, let me get it." But when he reached over to help fix the shirt, Arthur batted his hand away.

"It's fine. I can do it myself. Thank you for telling me." This was very odd. When had the prince ever woken up and gotten dressed before Merlin arrived in the past?

Actually, he could remember a few times, and it was always odd. He was not usually able to get everything on right, either. Also, why had he not let Merlin help him? That was certainly unusual.

The rest of the day was relatively normal. They went on a hunt with the knights, as Uther had ordered Arthur to capture an assassin who had killed a few villagers overnight, for an unknown reason. It was nice to get back into the woods, and Arthur seemed happier because of it, joking around with Merlin and the knights in a way he hadn't in the last couple days.

The hunt, despite Arthur's best efforts, was unsuccessful, and they did not manage to capture the assassin. The hooded man escaped, after a fight that ended with Elyan slightly injured, and the entire party disheartened.

After a short visit with Gaius, Elyan was fine, and Arthur and Merlin headed back to the palace. Arthur was acting odd, not talking much, and when he did, he was very short with Merlin. Merlin opted for silence instead while he took Arthur's chainmail off.

"I have a meeting with my father to discuss my failure in apprehending the assassin. You are free to leave. Enjoy your afternoon." It was phrased so oddly. To discuss my failure. Was that really all Uther wanted to talk about? Arthur had accomplished a great many things, and yet Uther seemed only interested in the few failures. He really did expect his son to be perfect.

Arthur left, and though he had been dismissed, he did not have anything he needed to do, so he decided to stay and tidy up the room a bit. While he was in the middle of cleaning the fireplace, his magic suddenly became alert. The hairs on the back of his neck rose, and he became convinced something was wrong.

He didn't do anything about it, as he didn't even know what was wrong. He waited it out, and it dissipated slightly. There were a few more times during his cleaning that he felt it rise up, and then it began to rise steadily until the door creaked open.

Merlin looked up, and his heart seized in his chest. Arthur walked in, tears dripping down his face, and bruises on his face.

"Oh, Arthur, what happened?”

"Merlin?!? Why are you still here? I dismissed you." Though he sounded angry, the tears hitting the floor said otherwise, and his face did not show any anger.

"I, uh, wanted to do some cleaning. Seriously, what happened?"

"Nothing, Merlin, please just leave." It must have been serious if the prince was using please.

"No, Arthur." Merlin stood steadfastly in front of the crying prince. "You're my friend, and you're hurting. I want to help. What happened?"

"Nothing. My father just-he just got angry. That's it."

"Arthur. That is not it. You are crying. Please tell me what's wrong. It hurts to see you hurting."

"Fine!" More tears dripped down his face, and he looked up angrily. "He was angry that the hunt failed, and he yelled at me. When I told him I'd done the best I could, he just said that. . ." The prince trailed off, clearly very pained.

"Arthur. What did he say?" It was becoming hard for Merlin to just stand there and not go off to kill, or at least maim, Uther.

"He told me," Arthur sobbed harder, "he told me that Ygraine died for me, and I was wasting her death by just existing." The blonde broke down, sobbing loudly, not caring who heard him, and Merlin's heart broke. How could anyone say that to someone, let alone their own son?

"No, no. Arthur, you are a wonderful person, and your mother would be so proud of you for everything you've done. Uther doesn't deserve you, he never has, okay?"

"No, I'm useless! I can't do anything right! The feast, the hunt, and now I can't even take a lecture. Just leave, I'm not worth it."

"Never say that. Never. I love you because you are kind, because you always strive to do the right thing, even when it is harder. You saved that boy from getting flogged. You tried to catch the assassin, and the only reason you didn't is because you were protecting your friends. Uther is wrong. You are not useless. I love having you in my life, I'm grateful for it every day, and I know Gwen, Morgana, and the knights are too. You're amazing, Arthur."

That was the first time Merlin had gotten to voice his thoughts on Arthur in a long time, and it felt nice, even though it was brought on by Uther being an asshole.

"Do you mean that?" Merlin's heart broke impossibly further by Arthur's unsure tone.

"Of course I do! We're all incredibly lucky to have you around." Arthur just cried harder, stilling when Merlin wrapped his arms around the prince, sensing the blonde might need a hug.

When the prince sank into it, he realized that Arthur likely didn't get many, if any, hugs.

"Are you injured?" The prince was silent, and Merlin's heart rate skyrocketed.

"What?!?"

"He just slapped me a few times, and I have a few bruises. It's not that bad." This prince. Now Merlin was beyond pissed. He had assumed Arthur's face was red from crying, but now there was a handprint visible. That was why Arthur had dressed himself! He hadn't wanted Merlin to see the bruises.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be," was the quiet response.

"Take all the time you need. I need to go hunt down a king"

"Merlin, please don't. He is still my father."

"Fine. For you." They were silent for a few moments while Arthur composed himself and Merlin thought up ways to creatively harm Uther, not that he would actually carry them out. After a few minutes, Arthur's soft voice broke through his thoughts.

"You. . . love me?"

"I-What?" He thought back over what he had said, and blushed hard. Damn it, he had confessed to Arthur!

"I'm so sorry! I mean yes, I do, but I didn't mean to tell you. You can fire me, you'll never have to see me again, I'll-" He was speaking really quickly now, trying to apologize and reassure the prince.

"Merlin! Listen to me! I, uh, love you too. So please, don't leave. Ever." No way. No. Way.

"You-you love me too?"

"Of course I do. You're Merlin, how could I not?"

"What does that mean?"

"That it was inevitable that I'd fall for you, you clumsy oaf." Of course Arthur would compliment someone and then insult them, all in a declaration of life. Oh my god, he loves me!

"Hey! Thanks?"

"Now get over here." What? Why? Then, his silent questions were answered as Arthur kissed him. Their lips moved together as though they were made for this, and Merlin wondered if they had been. Two sides of the same coin. How had he not realized how romantic that sounded?

When they broke away, breathing hard, Merlin pulled Arthur in for another hug, sensing how touch-starved he was. The prince melted impossibly more into Merlin than before.

"You don't need him. You have me, you have Morgana, you have Gwen, and you have the knights. You have people who love and care about you. You don't need him."

"I. . . don't need him. Okay. I don't need him!" Arthur sounded as though he had been freed from prison, and in a way, he had. As Arthur stood up and got ready for bed, tired from crying and professing love, Merlin realized that as long as they had each other, and their friends, they would be okay.

#merthur #fanfic #merlin #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin #whump