#and like merthur is one whole and there's gwen

[icecreamkink]

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE YOUVE STILL GOT ME

subtle

#JJSDKJGL #it does cheer him up and we all know it :'''''''') #merlin blogging #merlin is so damn cute this episode #like when hes trying to get arthur to talk abt gwen hes just . So Sweet #wanna pinch his cheeks #merthur #bc i mean. what is this line even SUPPOSED TO MEAN #two halves of one whole dumbass

[echoesofcamelot]

Do you ever stop and think about the absolute merthur bliss that Merlin season 1 is?

Seriously. Consider:

First we have the gayest first meeting in history with lines like 'Do you know how to walk on your knees?' and 'I could take you apart with one blow - I could take you apart with less than that.’ We end the first episode with Gaius referring to Arthur as Merlin's destiny: 'Your destiny is calling. You'd better find out what HE wants.'

Then in the second episode a dragon calls Arthur Merlin's other half: 'A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole.' Soulmates alert!

3rd episode and the dragon calls them two sides of the same coin. Also Arthur says he can’t imagine giving up his life for someone because he hasn't found the right person to love. Which makes the events of episode 4 even more significant.

4th episode and they both try to die for each other. More than once. Also they are so soulmates that Merlin can see what Arthur is doing while he lays unconscious and sends a light to guide him while MOANING HIS NAME.

5th episode and Arthur is jealous of Lancelot because Merlin seems so enamoured with him but then he develops a crush on Lancelot too and tells him he needs him???? Merlin casually asks Gwen who she'd choose between Arthur and Lancelot like he has that very same dilemma.

Episode 7. Arthur shows some interest in a girl for the first time but only because he is under a spell. Merlin literally kills his love interest and then dives into a lake to save Arthur from drowning and holds him like he is the most precious thing in the world.

Episode 8. Merlin ponders leaving a child to die because he might kill Arthur when he grows up. He says that the boy dying would be bad, but the alternative (Arthur dying) is UNTHINKABLE.

Episode 9. Uther fucking Pendragon gives Merlin his blessing. 'There is a bond between us.' 'I'm glad. Look after him.' (They were so insane for this actually)

Episode 10. Arthur follows Merlin to his village and sleeps on the floor with him and asks questions about his childhood in the quiet of the dark. Merlin overhears Morgana telling Gwen about how much Arthur cares about Merlin. Merlin's mum tells him how obvious it is that Arthur likes him and tells him she has seen how much they need each other. So yeah she basically gives Arthur her blessing too :,)

Episode 11. They try to die for each other again. They literally argue about who is going to die for whom. Arthur wins and a curse is lifted thanks to the love he has in his heart. His love for Merlin saves the day!!!!

Episode 13. Surprise! Merlin tries to give his life for Arthur once more. 'His life is worth a hundred of mine.' He cradles Arthur's head in his lap while Gaius gives him the magic cure and then smiles and laughs filled with relief when he finds out Arthur will live even though that means he will die in his place. When Arthur recovers he says he has this feeling that someone is always watching over him and Uther tells him that he must have a guardian angel. Yes you've heard right they call MERLIN ARTHUR'S GUARDIAN ANGEL.

First season has no subtext it has bold underlined text and I love it SO MUCH.

#the writers wanted to tell a love story from the beginning #change my mind #season 1 my beloved #merlin #bbc merlin #merthur

[ikol-art]

I'm not a writer so don't ask me for a fic, but

I keep imagining a scenario where Merlin is holding Arthur as he's dying, but with a magical grief outburst like Morgana's over Morgause. Except for Merlin it sends his time manipulation powers into overdrive and he ends up reversing it, all the way back to the beginning. I've read several fics where he time travels back, but in this scenario I imagine Arthur ALSO knows about it, because Merlin was holding him as it happened. Imagine Camelot at the very start of season 1 and only Arthur and Merlin have knowledge of the past/future 10 years. I'd imagine it would change quite a bit (they def support Morgana from the beginning, smuggle out any sorcerers because they don't quite want to actually murder the king, maybe Arthur and Morgana end up simply traumatizing him with their stances on magic idk, they adopt mordred and also hatch and smuggle Aithusa in, gaslighting everyone into thinking she's a bird)

Now Arthur has to do the whole 'keep Merlin's magic a secret' thing.. he's terrible at it, Morgana ends up knowing within 5 minutes

I would also imagine it would change the relationship dynamics, sharing 10 years with only one person is bound to bring you even closer together (yes I need merthur to happen here, but it could also be mergwenthur 👀 or if Merthur is endgame Gwen should at least get to end up with both Lancelot and Morgana, she deserves everything)

#again im not a writer so this is all youre getting from me #feel free to add on to it tho #or write it yourself #its free real estate #just tag me pls #I want to consume it #merlin #merthur #headcanons #how does one even tag this kind of post #confused artist noises #arthur pendragon #mergwenthur #gwencelot #morgwen #emrys

[17-million-years-of-pining-poll]

BEST LONG-TIME PINING SHIPS: ROUND 2 MATCH 7

Why you should vote for each ship under the cut!

Utenanthy: Utena THINKS they meet as 14 years old but they actually met a long time ago as children, and Anthy inspired her to become a prince and go to Ohtori academy, where she THINKS they meet for the first time. Utena wins her in battle and is all tsundere like I’m not gonna keep battling for your hand *sees how the other duelists mistreat Anthy* well FINE i will keep up the sword fights but not for YOU or anything, for your pet MONKEY (she actually says this). And they’re roommates and best friends and get closer little by little UGH it’s such a good slow burn, all 39 episodes were SO worth it for the pining enjoyers (it’s me I’m the pining enjoyer) and the whole time they’re both hurting each other in various ways and the apology is sooo insane they’re like I poisoned your tea (acknowledges I’ve been shitty to you) yeah well I poised your cookies *they both keep eating* AND THEN they make plans to get together to have tea 10 years in the future despite everything GODDD it just makes me so emotional. It’s worth mentioning that this happens immediately after Utena realizes she’s in love with Anthy and her lesbian friend asks her what she’s going to do about those feelings. In the finale Utena disappears from the school and Anthy sets out on a quest to find her which adds even more time to their pre-relationship if you don’t count their childhood meeting but i would count it cuz if it didn’t happen then the whole story wouldn’t have happened. Merthur: they meet and it’s IMMEDIATE aggressive flirting. two episodes in they’re already trying to die for each other. rampant jealousy, codependency, devotion, queer metaphors, being beside each other through everything, all the good stuff. merlin sabotages every relationship arthur attempts to be in except gwen, who he knows that arthur loves. arthur kills merlin’s singular non-arthur romantic prospect (not on purpose but it’s still funny). there’s like. a good 10+ years of arguably reciprocated pining there. and then arthur goes and dies in merlin’s arms and NEARLY says he loves him but says thank you instead. and then there’s another 1500+ years of one sided pining while arthur is dead and merlin is waiting for him to rise again.

#round 2 #polls #revolutionary girl utena #rgu #utenanthy #utena tenjou #anthy himemiya #anthy x utena #utena x anthy #merthur #merlin bbc #merlin #arthur pendragon #merlin x arthur #arthur x merlin

[theroundbartable]

I don't really like when people frame Arthur's and Gwen's first date as this whole:' Arthur only loves Merlin and would run away and he didn't even invite Gwen to his fantasy world' take.

While you're absolutely free to see it that way, it's also the very same episode that Arthur is willing to actively throw away his title to be by Gwen's side, just after their affair has been discovered by Uther. Arthur. Throws. Away. His. Claims. To. The. Throne. For. Her. Leading to Uther believing the accusation against Gwen that she had enchanted Arthur.

I think this scene proves that his love for Gwen and Merlin is equally strong in his mind at this point. One on his subconscious, the other plain to see. The difference is that Merlin would follow Arthur anywhere, whereas Arthur would follow Gwen. And I think that is their dynamic throughout the show until 'a servant of two masters', where we see Arthur chasing after Merlin. And then again in the episode where Arthur sends Gwen away and is waiting for her to return.

I think Merlin and Gwen are both integral to Arthur's life. And their betrayals (Gwen allegedgly cheating on him with Lancelot, as well as enchanted Gwen, in addition to Merlin coming out as a sorcerer in the final episode) cut him deeper than any other betrayal ever could. Just like their support means more to him than even his father's or Morgana's used to. Were it not them, I don't think Arthur would have been able to forgive either of them.

It's stupid to nag about this, but I love the way Arthur loves Gwen. I love that it's build on respect and mutual goals and morale and ideas for the kingdom. I love that it's chaste and not over the top like it would have been in any other show. And I love that it has room for others in it. It has room for Arthur loving Merlin and it has room for Gwen taking care of her brother. We don't get to see that often in relationships and I love how it's slowly build up and makes sense.

I say this as someone who mainly ships Merthur.

#merthur #i love this show to bits #i think i sold my soul

[nimrism]

"a servant of two masters" rewatch

this is, in my opinion, one of the BEST episodes of the show. could we have gotten a more serious, more nuanced episode where we explored more of the characters' feelings? definitely. there was a huge opportunity to explore how arthur would feel about merlin, who he trusted blindly, trying to kill him (i really feel like there's SO MUCH to talk about here). but the writers chose to take a comedic approach to it instead, and in consequence we ended up getting one of the funniest episodes in the whole show. they packed pretty much EVERYTHING into this ep— hot morgana? check. torturing people (namely merlin)? check. arthur going batshit crazy over merlin being lost? CHECK. a cutesy merthur reunion scene where we get their first hug? CHECK. ridiculously executed assassination attempts on arthur? check. gwen hitting merlin over the head not once but TWICE? that's something i never knew i needed to see but CHECK! morgana finally meeting "emrys" face to face and getting tossed around in the woods? check (😭). side note: i do think it was quite interesting to see morgana almost lose her mind the second she saw emrys in her home like she really turned around and said nope not today. anyway, the overall vibe and plot of the episode i thought was quite cool, and the little comedic details of merlin trying and miserably failing to murder arthur really bring it all together. (plus sexc morgana!)

#sometimes a little comedic flavor is required #the writers and the actors did a brilliant job executing it #morgana always on my mind #merthur my loves #merlin #morgana pendragon #merthur #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin

[thebroccolination]

ELYAN!!!

I NEED ELYAN FIC RECS.

I NEED THEM LIKE I NEED LIFE.

I just watched "A Herald of the New Age" for the first time and my god????????? This moment between Elyan and the Shrine Boy was hands-down the sweetest I've seen in the entire series.

THAT IS THE BEST KNIGHT. THAT ONE.

After Elyan disturbs the shrine in the forest by drinking from the well because Gwaine drank all his water (I already shipped the hell out of it before this and now I ship it even harder), this ghost boy shows up before him twice and terrifies him.

And yet???

His first impulse is to hug and protect this child.

I made the most wounded animal noise when he did this??? Like, especially in an episode where he's punched unconscious by Gwaine and then Percival, Elyan's gentle and protective nature is so, so beautiful. He immediately offers to help the child, too, and I don't think the insinuation is that the child was using magic to influence him. I think it was just Elyan's empathy.

Man, what a great episode.

To recap, I watched season 1 of Merlin as it was airing, lost all interest when season 2 began, then just exclusively read fic from then on until my friend was like, "PLEASE WATCH THE OTHER SEASONS WITH ME," and I said, "Yeah, okay," so we've been gradually doing that for the past two years.

Therefore, I only knew Elyan through fic until now and, like??? I knew plenty about Gwaine and Percival and Leon and Lancelot from the fic I read (canon and AUs alike). But I only remember Elyan being mentioned in fic occasionally? And it was either just in passing or as The Older Brother of Gwen. At the time, I always figured, "Well, maybe it's because Elyan didn't get a whole lot to do in the show." And, sure, he doesn't seem to have as much screentime as Gwaine or Leon so far (I haven't seen S5 yet), but this whole episode was about Elyan! And we find out so much about who he is!

I've now seen more of Elyan's personality than I have of Sir Ripped His Chainmail Sleeves Off, and I've seen lots more of Percival in fic. Even when Elyan's possessed in this episode, we find out plenty about him through the other characters reacting to it. The general consensus is, "Whoa, Elyan went after Arthur?" even though his sister was just banished and a few characters think that would be enough to turn his loyalties (I still can't believe the writers expect me to believe that nonsense was consistent for Arthur's character like the writing in BBC's Merlin was very weird sometimes).

This one episode has made Elyan my favorite knight.

HOW IS THERE NOT MORE FIC ABOUT ELYAN.

OR AT LEAST BIGGER ROLES FOR HIM IN ENSEMBLE FICS?

On the bright side, I just went looking for Elyan/Gwaine fic and there was literally one posted two days ago set after this episode and I'm going to read it ASAP and then scour the rest of the tag for more. \:D/

Like, man, I've never written Merlin fic before despite the hours of my life devoted to reading Merthur fic but I think I have to write some Elyan/Gwaine when my friend and I finish watching the series. :')

(If anyone with Elyan fic recs of any kind reads this please please please feed me.)

#bbc merlin #merlin bbc #sir elyan #bbc elyan

[lxvenderjewel]

song/ship analyses part 6: merthur and "call it what you want" by taylor swift

this one was inspired by a video i saw on yt: merlin & arthur || call it what you want [CC] go check it out after this!!

“My castle crumbled overnight” i mean in both s4 and s5 arthur loses control of his kingdom so like

“They took the crown, but it's alright” i know arthur’s like. magic-high during the s4 finale but if the shoe fits

“All the liars are calling me one” being a king he’s probably been called a liar a lot, even by his own father he’s been called a liar (which is like. hypocrite much??)

“Nobody's heard from me for months” during the entire s4 finale no one knows where arthur is except merlin

“Walkin' with his head down, I'm the one he's walkin' to” merlin’s arthur’s servant, so of course he’s walking with his head down towards him (well maybe not with his head down he doesn’t have that kind of respect for arthur 💀)

“High above the whole scene, loves me like I'm brand new” merlin never seems to be swayed by public opinion, he always has complete trust in arthur

“So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to” can you imagine how many rumors swirl around merlin and arthur? this lyric is so perfect be real

“Windows boarded up after the storm

He built a fire just to keep me warm” whenever arthur goes through hardship merlin’s always right there. when uther dies merlin sleeps right outside to offer arthur comfort as soon as he needs it

“All the jokers dressin' up as kings” morgana

“They fade to nothin' when I look at him” i think arthur has a lot of faith in merlin. like as in merlin is part of what motivates him to be a better king for his people

“And I know I make the same mistakes every time

Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right” he often fumbles romantically, and when he finally thinks he has gwen, he ultimately loses her to lancelot, but merlin stays with his unwavering loyalty to arthur

“I'm laughin' with my lover, makin' forts under covers

Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right” arthur and merlin antics, like that one pillow fight scene in an episode i can’t recall, and “trust him like a brother” of course he does. a term that comes to mind for merthur is “t’hy’la” from star trek, which roughly translates to “friend, brother, lover”

“Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night” merlin’s eyes when he does magic

“I want to wear his initial

On a chain 'round my neck, chain 'round my neck” this line reminds me of the deleted scene where arthur gives merlin his sigil (which i think is in the video as well)

“Not because he owns me

But 'cause he really knows me

Which is more than they can say, I” many people look at arthur like a kind of god, considering he’s king, and even his knights, who he’s closest with, still look at him with some sort of reverence, but merlin treats him like just another person, which must be so refreshing, to not have any expectations on your head and to be just known as you are without and preconceived notions

“I recall late November

Holdin' my breath, slowly I said

"You don't need to save me

But would you run away with me?"” he never actually says it to merlin but this line reminds me of when arthur is with gwen and he tells her he dreams of living in some village with merlin and just being a farmer, and living a calm, soft life

once again go watch the video!! it’s very well made and the person who made it is awfully talented

#can you tell i'm a swiftie #merthur #merlin bbc #arthur pendragon #taylor swift #reputation #call it what you want #song/ship analysis

[earlgreyinpajamas]

Any fics w (not actually) unrequited love? Preferably pining Arthur/Bond, with happy endings:)

merthur

1. the desire beneath by insane_falcon (@insane-ohwhyfandoms)

Merlin and Arthur have been best friends through high school and university, where they eventually add benefits to their friendship. Which is where everything goes wrong—a small taste of something more that leaves them both literally starting to die for more.

~~~

dfhalsjkf the misunderstandings

2. It Was One Kingdom, Once by queerofthedagger (@queerofthedagger)

“He cursed me. I’m coughing up flowers, Gaius—what other possible explanation is there?”

“Well, there is—”

“He was mad at me, it’s exactly something he would do. Infuriating, obnoxious, goddamned sorcerer that he is probably finds it funny to—”

It is said that the sins of the father should not be cast upon the son. Unfortunately, a father's miscalculated bargain can still come back to haunt you—Arthur is twenty-one, has a kingdom to rule, and apparently, a magically binding marriage contract with the Prince of Escetir. Prince Merlin, who has magic, a dragon, great dislike for Arthur, and still no intention to back out of the contract.

The worst part is, to a degree, Arthur understands—as a sorcerer, he wouldn't trust Uther Pendragon's son either. So he simply has to convince Merlin that he can be trusted, and the contract can be broken while they secure peace between Camelot and Escetir. It's a good plan.

Right up until forces conspire against both their kingdoms, more secrets come to light, and Arthur starts coughing up flowers.

~~~

i am screaming!!

3. Not Just a Kiss by Sorceressofdragons

Though Arthur hadn’t felt it, time had passed while he’d been with the Sidhe after Camlaan. When he returned to Camelot, fully healed and with Merlin at his side, it was to find Gwen remarried and with a family. He grieved but stepped aside, only wanting his one-time queen and love to be happy. Several years later, he and Merlin are bespelled by a dying witch, who insists they are both fools. They soon learn that if they don’t kiss every few hours, they are stricken with a severe illness. Knowing it will put the crown at risk, they keep it secret from all but a select few and quietly adjust their lives around it. Soon it becomes apparent that there is only one cure for the spell, but Arthur has long since come to terms with his unrequited love for his manservant and is afraid of all that will change if they go through with it.

~~~

hello i am not okay

00q

A Matter of Convenience by junetangerine (culuyetille)

‘twas why the whole thing had been sanctioned in the first place: minimal disturbance of the status quo, just a blip in their routine, no consequences. So what if the Quartermaster had had an untimely, dangerous heat and 007 had been the one assigned to see him through it. Both of them knew better than to let anything come of it. (Alpha/Omega dynamics)

~~~

the pining is impeccable

2. the simplest of crimes by pdameron (@slverjohn)

Bonds says, "We should get married," as if he's simply commenting on the weather, and the circuit board Q's been fiddling with bursts into flames. The two incidents are not unrelated. * Bond and Q get married. It's not what it looks like.

~~~

there aren't that many pining!bond fics so this fic and the next are pining!q fics, but this author writes pining q so well that it would be remiss of me not to rec their fics

3. as permanent as stone cathedrals by pdameron (@slverjohn)

Q has been in love for two years, six months, and twelve days when James Bond walks away, leaving him with a bleeding head and a broken heart on a dark and noisy London bridge.

~~~

one of the 00q classics imo

#00q #bbc merlin #00q fic rec #00q fic recs #00q fanfiction #00q fic #merthur #merthur fic rec #merthur fic recs #merthur fanfic #merthur fanfiction #merlin emrys #merlin bbc #merlin #merthur fic

[someshipshouldnotexist]

Merthur

Merthur is one of my all-time favourite ships, for very good reason, and should absolutely exist in canon.

It will forever irk me that they're not canon, because they are like, absolutely soulmates??? canonically too??? like this whole "two sides of the same coin" and "other half" bullshit sounds a lot like a soulmate situation to me so??? why no canon???

I'm sorry but they also just stare longingly into each others way too much for them to be totally platonic bffs.

And some of the lines they've said??? To quote some of my favourites, "do you know how to walk on your knees" (literally their first meeting lmao) and "is your little bottom sore" (both said by Arthur btw) like...it looks a bit suspicious...

Also that one scene in s04e12 where Arthur walks out with no pants...and Merlin's eyes instantly glance down...there...

Also Merlin's depth of devotion of Arthur??? This man is willing to slaughter entire armies for his king, that is a very strong bond they have. Not just that but in The Disir, Merlin gives up the opportunity to free magic, to have everything he should want, for a chance to save Arthur from a potential threat who hasn't yet proved himself to be anything but a loyal knight. That is love and you cannot tell me otherwise.

And Arthur? For me one of the most compelling scenes showing his love for Merlin - not just his attraction (because they really do flirt a lot) - is in s04e06. His fear over losing Merlin, the grief he feels when he thinks he has, his refusal to give up, his desperation and denial - Arthur was going through it. And when he finds Merlin, the smile that blooms on his face? The look in his eyes? That's love. It was a soul-crushing relief with swallowed Arthur in that moment, Arthur who thought he lost Merlin, his other half, the man which made him whole, as he found the man he loved again.

I also really just have to mention Freya's episode when Arthur is trying to cheer Merlin up, like he notices Merlin is down and tries to help in the only way he knows how (he's so proud of himself when Merlin laughs and he succeeds my god), and then HIS SMILE??? THAT SOFT SMILE HE GIVES MERLIN??? so not platonic at all. There is no way. Anyway I look at it, all I can see in that smile is Arthur's love for Merlin.

And let's not lie, Arthur is not comfortable with physical intimacy. Like at all. (let's blame Uther) But with Merlin? he's constantly ruffling his hair, punching him, clapping his shoulder. I absolutely believe that Arthur is an Emotionally Repressed Man-Child and these are the only ways he knows how to convey his care/love for Merlin.

Merthur have hands down the most tension-filled sexual chemistry in the entire show. Arthur and Gwen were nowhere near as good together as what Arthur and Merlin could have been, if bbc had let it happen.

I will absolutely die on this hill, I am, to the end, a merthur defender.

(Let's be honest they were basically flirting the entire show).

Merthur is, without a doubt, an 11/10 ship. You cannot change my mind these two are my entire personality atp.

#bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merlin #arthur pendragon #morgana pendragon #king arthur #prince arthur #flirting #they were flirting all the time istg #them being literal canonical soulmates is just. why. why do that then not have them be the end goal. #side note: i headcanon merlin as an absolute gay because of the lamia episode #like i know the implication is that he isn't under her spell because of his magic #but i mean it is more than a bit suspicious #(gwen absolutely thought he was fruity after that interaction) #also i love love love merlin's purple shirt #like purple dye was expensive okay #the sort of thing royalty could afford #arthur absolutely had that shirt specifically made for merlin as a gift and you cannot change my mind #he cares for him really #i have more points about why they are absolutely canon but it's getting late and i do unfortunately need sleep

[just-1other-nerd]

Have you ever noticed that the most popular ships you can find for a fandom on tumblr are queer ones which aren't canon (at least yet)?

Here are a few examples:

- Merlin and Arthur from BBC's Merlin

- Steve and Eddie from Stranger Things

- Wednesday Addams and Enid from Wednesday

Here are my takes on them:

- Merthur had much more chemistry than Gwen and Arthur so like this show was already not accurate to the legends and historical events they could and should have taken it a step further. In my headcanon Arthur is bi and Merlin is either bi or gay

- I love both of them, I love their individual relationships with Dustin and I think they have chemistry, especially compared to Nancy x Steve (also not a fan of the Nancy-Steve-Jonathan love triangle). The concept of Eddie x Steve would be interesting and fun and funny. They could be such a good couple. In my headcanon Eddie is pan and Steve is bi. Btw in denial that Eddie is really dead.

- I think they have the best developed relationship of those in the show. They are a whole vibe. I liked Tyler as a love interest up until the monster reveal or the foreshadowing of it cause he seemed to get how to treat Wednesday well but I think Enid does too, a little different though and a bit more bumpy but she's more than just on her way. I don't like Xavier as a character I think he's a bit annoying and doesn't seem to understand that Wednesday isn't at all interested in him romantically. I also don't think the guy Enid has a crush on suits her, he is kinda boring and they don't really have chemistry. So that's why I ship them. In my headcanon both Wednesday and Enid are either pan or bi.

#queer #tumblr ships #shipping #wednesday #wednesday addams #enid sinclair #wednesday x enid #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #stranger things #merlin #merlin bbc #the adventures of merlin #bbc merlin #merthur #lgbtq+ #gay #lesbians #bi #pan #headcanon

[bitsandbobsofwriting]

any fluffy fic recs? i'm really anxious and need it :(

(My Masterlist)

FIRST OFF!!! UPDATE!!! Just as I started to get inspiration and motivation to write again, my laptop broke. It was old and I should've seen it coming, but I didn't, and lost a bunch of work, and had to spend a ton of money on a new one. HOWEVER I now HAVE that new laptop and it's touchscreen with a 360 degree hinge and I love it and I'm BACK babeeeey!!!

Second off!! Sorry it took me so long to reply anon, for the reasons above, but let's get going on those fluffy recs!!

Here's a couple that I've written:

A Slight Embarrassing Exposure🧡(Around 2k. Arthur walks in on a previously kept secret, and is rather pleased about it. Lots of teasing occurs, but it’s all very soft and loving. Implied but no explicit sexual content. Merleon :D) 

Old Friends🧡💙(Morgana and Elyan already know)(Around 4.2k. When Arthur, (good) Morgana, Merlin, and Gwen head back to rescue Gwen’s brother, they all discover a little more about Merlin’s past. Arthur is a little horrified, Gwen is annoyed and then uncomfortable and then fond, and Morgana thinks the whole thing is rather funny. Fluffy Merlyan Reunion :D)

The Never Ending Peace💙(Around 2.4k. The Gang gathers to celebrate one year since magic was legalised. This is nothing but softness and fluff, Merlin sings really well. Merleon and Arwen😄)

Visiting the Druids💙(around 5k. Arthur sees Merlin in Emrys-Mode for the first time, and immediately falls in love. Happy Merthur Ending :))

And here's a few of my Rec List:

5 times Merlin helped Leon through a nightmare (+1 time Leon helped Merlin through his own) OK so I absolutely ADORE this, it's one of my all time favourite BBC Merlin fics, and it's about the growing friendship between Leon and Merlin. There are no romantic ships at the forefront of this, but it's just written really beautifully and I really really Love it (around 9k)

Into the Stars MERTHUR!! Arthur is pining and very stupid, so when he finds out that Merlin loves the stars, he spends HOURS teaching himself about them, so he has something to talk to Merlin about, instead of just.... telling him how he feels. I love this, it's so cute (almost 5k)

A Dragon’s Treasure MERTHUR!!! Super cute. Becoming Dragon Lord has some physical AND mental side-effects, Merlin sorta loves it, sorta hates it. I LOVE this one and it’s just really funny and sweet and cool (around 5k)

Knit up your cloak about you MERLIN/LEON!! It's a favourite rare-pair of mine. All from Arthur's perspective. He is struggling as a new King, and wants to bring his two closest friends and advisors together, because he thinks the three of them could do astounding things if they just start to understand each other properly. He finds he doesn't actually have to put that much work in as he watches their relationship develop. It's just really well written and I love it (around 6.7k)

The Court Sorcerer's New Clothes MERTHUR!! Merlin likes to embroider to de-stress and Arthur discovers this. It's just really sweet🥺 (around 2.1k)

Over, Under, Around Through the Heart MERWAINE!! Braiding hair is a courting ritual in Ealdor. Gwaine has no idea about that when Merlin starts braiding his hair constantly, and frankly, Merlin wants it to stay that way so he can indulge in his little harmless fantasy. Except of course Gwaine figures it out. It's so cute and well written I'm in love with this (almost 5k)

You Love Me background Merwaine, but mostly focused on Elyan and Gwaine's friendship. ADHD Gwaine struggles with low self esteem and Elyan has a few things to say about that. I love it, it's so soft and sweet and wonderful (around 1.2k)

Blackberries, Griffins and a Kiss For You MERCALOT!! Mostly from Gwaine’s point of view. A few of the knights are away and Lance is missing Merlin. Gwaine tries to figure out what the inside joke involving Griffins is, but ultimately leaves them to it and is happy for his besties. It’s so cute. It’s so sweet. Lots of fluff, no dramatics, just cuteness (around 2.5k)

A Father's Wisdom MERTHUR!!! VERY ooc Uther, in which The King can tell immediately that Merlin is Balinor’s son, but assigns him to Arthur anyway. He finds out about their secret relationship and is awkwardly, endearingly supportive, despite being a little befuddled. Look, I hate Uther just as much as the next BBCM fan... but this is amazing. (around 2.1k)

For Now and Always MERWAINE!! Gwaine panics when Merlin is momentarily lost. Merlin makes a joke about marriage, and Gwaine suddenly finds himself completely unafraid of committing himself to someone for the long-term, so proposes on the spot. Straight up fluff. So sweet. So wholesome (around 1k)

Friendship Merlin and Leon friendship. Merlin is struggling to recover after the Lamia, but Arthur forces him and Leon to take a four day trip into the woods so Merlin can teach Leon about herbs and healing. Leon forces a conversation because Merlin is acting odd and it’s just very🥺(around 3.2k)

And for the ULTIMATE FLUFF (Also part of my normal Rec List but I thought it deserved special recognition in the Fluff department):

tell me what it’s like to conquer, tell me what it’s like to burn MERTHUR!! Slow-burn, what if Merlin and Arthur actually had run away together? They get on horses and ride as fast as they can for as long as they can. There’s only so long you can live with the other half of your soul before you fall in love. DOMESTICE BLISS!! THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS EVER!!! (around 2.8k)

I hope this is enough for you anon!! These aren't all the fluffy ones on my Rec List by a LONG shot, but last time I checked I think there were over a hundred fics on there so😅. If you need more, take a browse, or ask me for specific recs :D

#merthur #bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #merlin #mercalot #merwaine #merleon #sir leon #sir gwaine #sir lancelot #lancelot #leon #gwaine #fluff recs #bbc merlin fluff #merlin fluff #fluffy fic recs #send requests #send asks #asks #requests

[ambriel-angstwitch]

Long Live through the lens of Merthur

This is going to be so much happier than my Castles Crumbling analysis because this is more like a fanfic I imagined in my mind while listening to the song

You held your head like a hero On a history book page. It was the end of a decade But the start of an age

Arthur is a hero for the history book pages but so is Merlin. Merlin has been his servant for a decade now and the secret’s finally been revealed.

Long live the walls we crashed through How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you

With the reveal Arthur breaks through the walls of tradition not only with allowing magic but also by starting to become more public with their relationship

I was screaming, "Long live all the magic we made" And bring on all the pretenders One day we will be remembered

Merlin is free to show his magic now. He’s the court sorcerer and courting the king. The world can through their enemies at them but they are stronger now that he doesn’t have to operate in shadows. They are the stuff of legends, Albion will rise.

I said remember this feeling I passed the pictures around Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines Wishing for right now

Not only had Merlin been on the sidelines this whole time. They’d both had feelings for each other but had been afraid to act on them, Uther would have been outraged, then there were so many problems that they just never took the risk.

And the cynics were outraged. Screaming, "This is absurd"

Obviously there are people on the council and kingdom outraged by these decisions, magic was outlawed for a reason and the sorcerer must be using love magic or something because a king could never love their male servant.

But the Chorus repeats. Merlin and Arthur don’t care, they’ll get through all of this together.

I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you. I was screaming, "Long live the look on your face"

They were in love even before the reveal, they did everything together. Won battles together. Though Arthur is shocked to learn that he didn’t actually kill the dragon, Merlin just turned him away. His shocked face is hilarious to Merlin.

Will you take a moment? Promise me this. That you'll stand by me forever

Merlin and Arthur get married.

But if, God forbid, fate should step in And force us into a goodbye. If you have children someday. When they point to the pictures. Please tell them my name

But Merlin is still concerned that fate will force them apart. That it will somehow make sure that Arthur ends up with Gwen. Even if that happens he hopes at least Arthur won’t forget what they had. (There is of course the even worse possibility that fate will kill Arthur)

#merthur #bbc merthur #speak now tv #speak now taylor’s version #taylor swift #taylor swift lyrics #merlin bbc #bbc merlin #merlin x arthur #merlin emrys #merlin #king arthur #arthur pendragon #arthur bbc #bbc arthur #@taylornation #I wasn’t originally planning on doing that but my friend told me too #I do know that there’s a decent crossover between Taylor fans and Merlin fans #but speak now tv has been a huge highlight of my week #song analysis #lyric analysis #song interpretation #Spotify

[youdgetbored]

Last day for @merlintarotfest !yikes. (6 pages I think)

Rating: general

Summary: merthur hurt/comfort

Title: Always

Justice 

King of pentacles 

Ace of wands

Arthur was always making a decision. He sits at a wooden table, arms clasped in front of him. A choice must be made, today no different from any other.

As a prince he hardly thought about the balance of the world. Then the day came when he was king.

Every life in the kingdom rested on his shoulders. Each threat of war, of strife, of disaster, it was up to the king to ensure the safety of those who could not fend for themselves. With the crown laid against his brow, Arthur made no decision lightly. But had he ever truly? Sure, jousts and tournaments didn’t weigh on his mind. His fathers temper was a different story. Growing up alongside Morgana's rebellious spirit meant at the drop of a hat, he had to be at her side. As a son who had experienced Uther’s rage firsthand, he knew it was nothing to be trifled with.

So when was the responsibility truly his? Nearly his whole life decided for him before he could walk, when was the gavel placed in his hands? Arthur could not say. The day his eyes opened to it was a different story.

A story that began in his sleep.

Groggy eyed, covered in webs with the rest of the dining room guests, a dagger flew to his chest. To pierce his beating heart, stop him dead.

When the physician's ward threw himself in front of the weapon.

The boy he had bullied, thrown in jail. He’d nearly taken his head off with a mace, yet Arthur lived because of him. 

The two had become an unusual pair. Camelot knights say they saw the change immediately. Arthur openly siding with a servant over a royal, based only on their word. He risked death to find a cure for a poisoned cup. He disobeyed the law to save a young boy, something only the Druids knew. The qualities of a king were always in him. Decisions made of necessity and fairness, of what was deserved. Death or disgrace was never something he ever feared. Yes, he awoke that day in the dining hall. But it would be later that he found himself to be the judge and the accused in one verdict.

When he found himself on the shore sat across from his servant.

Sat across from Merlin.

Merlin, who he had told to stay home, away from trouble. The pesky servant who didn’t know how to polish armor, who struggled to lift a sword. The boy who had saved his life. Arthur owed him a life debt. To pay it, was only just.

Merlin sits across from him now. It was only hours ago that Gaius was faced with tending to both of their injuries in this very room. Lanterns flicker in their silence, illuminating his shadowed eyes. For a brief moment, Arthur pictures the ember dragon Merlin had conjured the night before. He lets out a deep sigh, a life debt.

***

Gaius has always been a caretaker. Working under King Uther took patience. Gaius did not miss those days, and thank the old gods, Arthur was nothing like his father. 

The day that Arthur learned the truth about Merlin's magic, Gaius hoped he would not see Uthers eyes in his king.

Arthur's sword swung viciously at the raiders. Camelot had been attacked, and the enemy was unrelenting. The knights pressed on, determined to fight. Gaius tended to the wounded in a makeshift hospital, the Citadel already overrun. Gwen stood close by, defending him and his patients. He risked a glance outside to see Arthur take down another enemy. The king fought through his injuries, but Gaius had practically raised Arthur. It was obvious his energy waned. 

Merlin's shout drew both of their attentions. Arthurs head whipped to the side in time to see a soldier with blonde hair shove Merlin to the ground. His head collided with a wooden barrel, the sword he held clattering out of his grasp. He rolled to the side. Had his reaction time been any slower, the spear that came down on his shoulder would have been an injury that Gaius couldn’t cure.

An agonizing cry split through the air. Gaius moved forward without thinking, leaving Gwen behind. He stayed close to the buildings as he ran. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Arthur abandon his current fight, his only concern for Merlin. They ran, Arthur much faster than Gaius’s old bones, decades of labor slowing him down. He had a clear sight of Merlin now, still on the ground but fighting. His attacker wrenched the spear out of his shoulder causing another howl. Merlin kicked with all his might, and the man let out his own yell before falling to one knee.

Gaius was almost there, huffing and sore and almost there. He readied a spell in his mind. Without practice there was no certainty it would work, there were witnesses that he couldn't prevent. The king himself was running towards the same goal. But this was Merlin, and as he saw a second enemy round the corner towards his boy, he had to do something. 

He felt the explosion before he heard it. On Gaius’s left a force pushed him off his feet, his collision with the ground unstoppable. A ringing overtook his ears while he blinked back tears. He tried to pry himself off the gravel with no luck, and he felt the gold in his eyes fade. There would be no magic from him today. Prying his eyes off the ground he found Merlin, and thank the old religion, Arthur had made it to his side.

Merlin was still injured, his right hand pressed firmly against his left shoulder. The man who stabbed him lay limp at his feet. Arthur was in a frenzy, one hand planted firmly on Merlin's good arm with the other clearing a path with his sword. The enemies kept coming though, and while Gaius tried again to clear his head, he saw the soldier catch Arthur off guard.

A pained scream filled the air, immediately followed by a roar. Arthurs knees buckled. His grip on Merlin slipped, his eyes clenched shut. Before he had time to hit the ground, Merlin let off a burst. Of what, it wasn’t clear. Maybe it was the blood rushing to Gaius’s head, or the chaos of battle. One second, Merlin was injured and slow. The next, the air around him turned to static. Gaius didn’t need to see Merlin's eyes to know what they glowed with.

A wave of nausea overtook Gaius, he was not used to this kind of exertion. His gaze was wrenched from his boys as he took deep breaths. Eventually the buzzing in his head stopped. With the battle still raging around him, he pushed himself to his feet. Arthur was still on his knees, his sword stuck into the ground as a crutch. Merlin stood by his side, they had barely moved from their places. Enemies littered the ground around them. The two were untouched, apart from their previous injuries.

Arthur was looking up at Merlin. Though it was more than that. Injuries clouded his expression, Gaius knew Arthur only had a few minutes before he fell unconscious. Gaius followed Arthur's gaze to Merlin's hand, extended out in front of him. The remnants of his spellcasting like a blaze of flame, still at his fingertips. Arthur was not just looking at Merlin.

Arthur was seeing Merlin.

Gaius brings tea to the table they now sit at. He sets it down, stealing a glance towards Arthur. The king's eyes remain locked on Merlin. His expression is unreadable, apart from what Gaius knows is betrayal. It makes sense of course. A lifetime of trust in Gaius, almost a decade in Merlin, all the while witnessing the destruction sorcery can cause. 

Not wanting to disturb them further, Gaius heads towards the door. The brass knob is cold in his hand. He gives a tug, the old wood resonating a loud creak through the room. As he walks through the doorway, he hopes only that his boys can find patience and understanding within each other.

***

Merlin is never free. His mornings begin before sunrise, with breakfast and laundry and cleaning. To be at Arthurs side is never dull, and jokes aside, it's work that Merlin enjoys. When he is not by Arthurs side he often finds himself with Gaius. The skills of a trained physician live within Merlin after years of healing injuries. Most days, it is rare to have a moment to sit with his thoughts. Which sometimes comes as a relief.

Sorcery remains outlawed in most parts of the land, why wouldn’t it? The hunt for dragons was successful. Magic can cause great harm, the absence of it should surely be the fix. But magic isn’t something simply conjured, it is intertwined in the world itself. It hums with life. Merlin was born with the power of a sun. He has learned to keep it in his palms, unseen.

Arthur sits across from him. He wears a scarlet tunic, faded from use. His eyebrows are knit with indecision as they have been for the past couple minutes. Merlin glances down at the two cups of tea between them, steam coming off the tops. He cannot think of something to say, to make up for the lies. At the beginning they were out of necessity, Uther would've never stood for a sorcerer in the court. When Arthur became king though, the circumstances changed. Was there a better time? A moment Merlin could’ve told him by his own choice. Merlin is pulled from his thoughts as Arthur reaches for one of the cups. 

“The whole time?” Arthur's voice is not harsh, but Merlin is still struck by the suddenness of it. Does he mean the whole time they’ve known each other? The whole time he’s been king? He’s had magic his whole life, is he asking from the beginning? Merlin doesn’t know where to start. He doesn’t break the king's gaze.

“Yes.”

Arthur expects him to go on, or maybe he too doesn’t know what to say, because another silence fills the air. Merlin knows his expression must be sorrowful, though he can’t seem to rid himself of it. 

Arthur turns the cup slowly on the table. “How much of it was a lie?” 

If Merlin was not already shattered, this would have broken the glass. Pinpricks form behind his eyes and he stifles them. He rolls his left shoulder back, letting the pain from the night before wash over him.

“I’m still your friend, that was always real.” Merlin can barely say the words. No explanation feels good enough for why he’s waited this long. He has no ulterior motive, nor was it something Arthur did wrong. Even through his arrogance he's had a soft soul. How can Merlin explain-

“You didn’t trust me.” 

The hurt in Arthur's voice is overwhelming. When Merlin brings his eyes up to meet his kings, he is struck by how much yearning lies in them. Here he sits, faced with an impossible choice, and he wants.

Merlin holds Arthurs gaze, “I do trust you.” It seems too simple. Thoughts swarm in his head, jumbling his words. 

Arthur adjusts his cup again, still having not taken a sip from it. His eyes drop to the worn wooden table. He places his cup to his side and winces, one of many injuries flaring up. 

“Is it your arm?” Merlin leans forward. 

“You don’t have to do that,” Arthur sighs, but his look of concentration doesn’t break. 

Merlin cocks his head. He tends to be the jumpier of the two of them, but Arthur hasn’t moved much at all today. 

“I can get Gaius if you’d like,” Merlin stands from his chair, “You shouldn’t let those cuts go unchecked.”

Arthur reaches out a hand to stop him, “Merlin, just leave it.” He shuts his eyes with the movement.

The injuries should be healing by now. Merlin makes his way past him to grab a tonic for the pain when he catches a glimpse Arthurs lower shirt. A dark patch has formed near his ribcage.

“Are you bleeding?” Merlin kneels at his side.

Arthur shakes his head, “I opened it this morning, it’s fine.”

“Arthur-”

“Merlin.” Arthur's eyes meet his again, this time wet with grief. Merlin stays there, hands frozen in the air between them. He looks up at his king, his friend, his other half. He is met with only warmth. 

Arthur places a hand on Merlin's injured shoulder. He thinks of yesterday's battle, of the chaos and franticness and fear. He replays the fight in his head. Of the collision with the ground, his pierced shoulder. They all fell away when he saw the sword find Arthur. Only a day ago the two of them were flipped. Arthur knelt, looking up at Merlin in awe. Merlin thinks of the aftermath, the rapid explanations, the dragon of embers he had conjured as he lay in bed, Arthur at his side. The choice has never felt like it was his. He wondered if Arthur felt the same way.

Merlin says something he’s already said the previous night.

“I'm sorry.”

Arthur draws his eyebrows together, “I know,” With his free hand, he takes Merlins, “I am too.” 

They stay that way for minutes. Merlin doesn’t know where he would begin, and Arthur doesn’t seem to think it matters. All the years they’ve spent together, a prince and his servant. A knight of camelot and his healer. The king and the sorcerer. Arthur, and Merlin. The longer he holds Arthur's hand, Merlin wonders what could ever change that.

Arthur raises an eyebrow, “If what you said last night is true, I imagine I owe you more than one life debt.”

This is what it comes down to. No matter how much love he holds for Merlin, Arthur is the king. He has to make a ruling that's just, and fair. 

“Then for the crime of sorcerey?” Merlin's stomach twists at calling sorcery a crime, “What have you decided?” The lantern on their right dims, its oil running out. He drops his head, letting his face brush against the hand still on his shoulder.

Arthur's voice is gentle, “That was never a decision I had to think about.”

Merlin snaps his head back up, confusion knit in his own brow. Magic is who Merlin is. It’s more than incantations, more than old scrolls. Magic binds the universe, Arthur himself was born of it. Sorcery has been outlawed for decades in Camelot, usually at the penalty of death. Yet for Merlin, Arthur didn’t consider such an outcome.

Arthur stands, hoisting Merlin up to him, “Come on, help me patch this cut up will you.” He lets himself be guided to the cot. As they sit, Merlin feels a spark inside him. He can’t pull his eyes away from Arthur.

“While you’re at it, why don’t you tell me how to make a poultice for that shoulder.” Arthur laughs under his breath, “Since I’ve got to do everything around here.” He lifts up his shirt, revealing the open gash. Merlin takes no time to get the supplies. 

“You know,” Merlin says, sitting next to him, “You really should’ve told Gaius about this sooner.” Merlin begins to treat Arthurs wound, hands working swiftly and soft. The air around them settles, an unasked question between the two answered. At least for now. When Arthur is bandaged up, he drops his shirt.

“I mean really,” Merlin smirks, “We can’t have the king collapsing from blood loss.”

“Merlin?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.” A hand grips Merlin's shirt collar and tugs him forward.

The kiss is an eruption. It ignites the embers in Merlin, sets loose a flood, burns down the castles and walls, shakes all the trees in the forest. First a kiss, then a hand on his face, his own hand against Arthurs chest. Then there is only Arthur. From the day he arrived in Camelot, there was only ever Arthur.

When they break apart, Arthur’s eyes are full of love, same as always. He points to a lantern on Merlin's left.

“Show me again.”

#hey so fuckin for real i havent written fanfiction in years #not my best work. love them though #merthur #gaius #merlin #arthur #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin #merlin fanfic #merthur fanfic #merlin tarot fest #justice #knight of disks #ace of wands #flip a coin

[like-sands-of-time]

Ok so I finally started season 2 of Merlin and.. is it obvious to anyone else that there's a massive like "tonal" shift between the first season and this? I'm only two episodes in and it already feels like they've changed merthur and arwens respective dynamics SO much ? And all for the quick laughs but like at the detriment to all the characters growths

All of arthur's progress in humility in the first season so far seems gone or distorted purely for comedic value. He's becoming an ass again and they don't say anything occurred from finale to premier to tell us why.

Merlin's self worth(?) Seems way worse even than when he thought himself an abomination, like he's already going down the path of obsession and deceit but we don't even see a conceivable reason why.(also his relationship with Gaius seems to be getting worse too) And

Gwen bless her she's getting more of a voice and I love that for her but i def think her sudden feelings for Arthur seem out of place?? Idk I'm bored of het ships not even trying to show us chemistry and the slow path towards a relationship

it's like they're leaning way harder into the drama so far. Every scene is like this big production lol

Oh and random sidenote but sir Leon!! he's so adorable omg every scene hes in I'm like hiiiiiii baby you're so precious

I'm so excited to see Merlin meet gwaine and then the whole gang later but man am I not excited for the drama 😅 also does gwaine really never figure out Merlin's secret?? Guess I'll figure that out. But it feels like Merlin should have had at least one person consistently around who actually had an eye out for him and his best interests not their own fears or hatred (like Gaius and kilgarrah) to basically give him the confidence boost he needed to know he was still seen and loved and appreciated for all he does for Arthur and the other knights.

If Merlin hadn't been scared into lying to Morgana and fearing himself he wouldn't have gotten so lost in himself. The show got darker and then sort of didn't give him a friend he could talk to besides Lance who died (twice??)

#bbc merlin #season 2 #merlin emrys #arthur pendragon #guinevere pendragon #merlin and gaius

[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