#merwaine man

[sneakyboymerlin]

Gwaine is absolutely choosing Merlin over Arthur in any scenario, “treasonous” or not. Like, Gwaine wasn’t even choosing between the two of them in the Perilous Lands and he was still like “I just want you to know that I’m here for you, not him.” Gaius was literally accused of sorcery and high treason but Gwaine still showed for Merlin and trusted his every word despite the apparent evidence. This man is ride or die for Merlin and you have to respect it. You have to or I’m stealing all your Halloween candy.

#‘but what about when merlin got arrested in 5x07’ you think gwaine did that? he was the only knight who showed up to release merlin from the #dungeons the next day. he was not about all that nonsense. #he was chasing hard after what he thought was an intruder. why would he be so on edge if he thought merlin (already jailed) did it #man was trying to catch the real culprit & prove merlin’s innocence. it’s clear SOMEONE ELSE (leon) was leading the Arrest Merlin operation #sir gwaine #merlin emrys #merwaine #mergwaine #merlin and gwaine #bbc merlin

[adhd-merlin]

Gwaine nuzzles Merlin’s neck, and Merlin gives him a little shove. It’s not playful. “Honestly,” Merlin says, eyes brimming with indignation. It’s an expression Gwaine has seen on Merlin’s face a few times now. He usually finds it attractive. But maybe not when directed at him. “Have you no shame?” “None,” Gwaine says. “You know me.” He’s not exactly sure where the prudery is coming from. This is the same man who had no qualms about sucking Gwaine off in a corridor. Thinking about it, Gwaine's pretty sure it was this corridor. “I meant about that girl,” Merlin says, with another pointed poke at his chest. “What?” “That serving girl!” Merlin snaps. “The one you’ve been flirting with all night.” Gwaine blinks. It takes a few seconds for his brain to conjure up the image of the girl who has been generously refilling his cup during the night — one of the maids from Tír-Mòr, auburn hair shining in the candlelight like copper, a studiously coy smile meant to intrigue. “Maeve?” he asks, puzzled, and he can immediately tell from Merlin’s face that the word was a mistake; that the fact that he even knows the girl’s name is incriminating enough. He still keeps talking. “You’re jealous?”

read on ao3

#well spotted gwaine give this man a prize!!! #its my blog and i'll keep spamming the same fic if I want to #merlin fanfiction #merlin #merwaine #mergwaine

[galadrail]

Am I the only one who thinks that Gauvain bears a striking resemblance to Eugene/Flynn rider?

I mean, in attitude as much as in looks.

They both have the same kind of humor and tend to act very much alike, they both seem disinterested but care about and protect the ones they love while being honest and funny.

In short, I love Gauvain and Eugene/Flynn Rider and I just thought they looked alike.

#Them have the same aesthetic too #merlin fandom #bbc merlin #gauvain #gwaine #merwaine #Merlin and gwaine friendship #Flynn rider #eugene fitzherbert #rapunzel #tangled #Yeah i'm lesbian but I love them so much #Just like man them was so hot #and funny

[irishyuri]

“Lovers do the looking while the strangers look away.

It isn't fair, the depth of my looking, the threat of my looking.

It's rude to shake a man visible and claim the results.”

- richard siken, ‘portrait of fryderyk in shifting light’

merwaine fest day 2; poem of your choice + orange

#merwainefest2023 #merlin #bbc merlin #merwaine #merlin emrys #sir gwaine #merlin x gwaine #my art #mergwaine #i gave up on the chainmail again and just went for simplified. i cant do it. i dont have it in ne #*me

[thenerdyindividual]

Merwaine?

My second favorite ship in this fandom! I love it so much. Gwaine is utter chaos, and he's so goofy, and it's clear that he brings Merlin some much needed levity. He makes Merlin smile more than anyone else in canon.

That moment in the first episode where he challenges two knights to a duel fro fucking with Merlin? Iconic! "Arthur is luck to have us." "Not Arthur." ICONIC. He's Merlin's number one hype man, and is always ready to throw himself into shenanigans on Merlin's behalf.

Merlin trusts Gwaine as much as he trusts Arthur! Despite being the bad decision friend, he is reliable and loyal for Merlin. Whenever Merlin needs help that he can't go to Arthur for, he knows he can go to Gwaine.

Sleeping half naked in Merlin's bed?!?!! ICONIC!!!

It's the first person in canon who can match Merlin's chaotic energy, and actually make Merlin look chill and normal. Which always makes Merlin laugh! It's another case of dumbass4dumbass.

I rank this ship:

A-Tier

Send me a Merlin Ship and I’ll rank it on a tier list. Note: This is a subjective ranking and a low ranking in no way means that I am shaming you for your taste in ships.

#bbc merlin #merlin #merwaine #merlin bbc #gwaine #sir gwaine #merlin emrys #merlin/gwaine #merlin ship tier list

[nothankyoudear]

my main ship is and always will be merthur but MY GOD i'd be lying so hard if i said merwaine isn't slowly taking over my life

sure arthur and merlin have the whole king and servant thing going on but arthur is bound by duty and his loyalty is first to camelot and second to merlin. you know whose loyalty is first to merlin second to camelot????? GWAINE!!!

like this man likes being a knight but he LOVES merlin. plus he doesn't give a jack shit about nobility or traditions AND he doesn't have the weight of a whole ass kingdom on his shoulders so he can just go off whenever and wherever with merlin

back to ealdor?? sure why not. to a random cave or something???? mans already packing his bags. go achieve the cottagecore dream that arthur had??? not even to start with how much gwaine would love having a little cottage with merlin, he would do it purely to spite arthur

gwaine is chaos and merlin is also chaos. double the chaos double the love

#mergwaine #merlin bbc #merlin #merlin emrys #gwaine #shitpost

[poisonedfate]

for that prompt list, 71 for merwaine please 😭

i cannot tell you how excited i was to write this!!!! promised myself i would take it slow, but this just seemed so fun that i had to. so. here we are. hope you like it!

71. “Kiss me, quick!”

send me prompts!

They were leaning against a wall, escaping the too-bright sun, Gwaine telling some obnoxious story about how he once had stolen something from a mean-looking yet unbelievably drunk man, just to see how far he would run after him. All Merlin could do was roll his eyes in between laughs, not even bothering to ask for further explanations - he knew the knight would just shrug it off, call it nagging curiosity. Though Merlin was kind of tempted to poke at him, asking just how bored one had to be for such ideas, Gwaine had stopped talking, something changing in his features, eyes turning a little more serious. "Merls, how much do you trust me?" he asked, words quick-paced, gaze wandering, making Merlin just a tad suspicious.

"Uh, how are measuring this, because-," he began to look around himself, struggling to keep his attention on the question. "Would you do what I asked of you?" Merlin looked back at Gwaine, wary, a smile now back on the other's lips. "I, yeah? I- It depends, what-," Gwaine leaned in closer, close enough that Merlin could probably count his eyelashes if he wanted to - not that he was thinking about it, or had thought about it before. The knight was still smiling, but it wasn't reaching his eyes quite like earlier, so Merlin made another attempt at looking around, before: "Merlin," the knight began, quickly glancing to the side, making the warlock shift his focus, and-, "kiss me, quick!" Merlin had just about enough time to give him a look of confusion before Gwaine leaned in even closer, noses touching. "Actually, we can just stay like this, if you don't mind, you don't have to, you know," he was breathing a little heavier, it was barely noticeable, but Merlin was a little desperate to focus on something, anything, so he caught it. Clearly, it did not help him the way he had intended, however, because suddenly he was kissing Gwaine, one hand grabbing at his shirt between them, the other on his cheek. It did not take the other long to respond, melting closer - if that's even possible - before spinning them around so Merlin's back was now to the wall. All the threats in the world couldn't help him remember how long they stayed like that - the rush of Gwaine's words bleeding into the kiss, his arms on Merlin's waist, pulling, the same way Merlin was still pulling at his shirt. Eventually, though, they did part, staring at each other for a moment, still close. By all accounts, Merlin was sure his eyes were more questioning than Gwaine's, even if he had been the one to make the first move. "The man, something, uh, green around his belt, rough looking, scar above his eyebrow, is he still there?" the knight asked, quietly, glancing back at his lips somewhere in the middle of the sentence, almost making Merlin lose his train of thought. He peeked around Gwaine, looking for the man, scanning the people walking by. "Nope, I think you're good," he replied, giving a weak laugh, as he let his head fall back against the wall behind him. "Ah, well, that's good then," Gwaine smiled, teeth and all, before leaning back in and planting another kiss - much shorter this time - on his lips, "thanks." Once the other had moved away, his own back pressed against the wall now too, Merlin turned his head to look at him, clearing his throat: "Do you want to tell me what that was about?" "Just a man that may or may not hold a grudge against me." "A grudge?" he gasped, "Against you? That's just-" Gwaine cut him off by bumping Merlin's shoulder with his own, the two of them laughing. "Don't tell me you were afraid, Gwaine," Merlin pressed. "Oh, Merls, you know I'm a lover, not a fighter," he beamed. Merlin just looked at him, unamused. "Besides, my ribs are kind of sore from training this morning," Gwaine placed a hand on his left side for effect, eyes squinting. "I'm not kissing you next time you want to skip a fight," Merlin replied, without even looking at him, smiling. "That's alright, next time you can kiss me because I've won the fight."

#it's very much a rough draft but!!!!!! #loved writing it #thank you so so much for asking!!!!! #kisses #q's #merwaine #ask game #prompts

[hex-is-vexxed]

I was trying to find some Merwaine fics on AO3 and wouldn’t ya know it almost all the ones that were recommended were also Merthur! God fucking damn it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Ik this can be easily remedied by excluding Merthur tags but I was lazy & ended up shocked by just how much was Gwaine being Merlin’s gateway to Arthur)

Also as much as I’m a Merthur endgamer just let me have my Merwaine!!! As a treat!!!! Us Merthites have such a tragic pairing as our favorite so why can’t I just have something sweet and simple??? Why not have my little blorbos get up to some nonsense & also smooch??? I am only a man!!

#incoherent rambling #my bullshit #problems that are easily evaded #merthur #merwaine #merlin bbc #ao3

[dollopheadedmerlin]

Listen, I get Merwaine, I really do

But for me, it is strictly unrequited

Like Merlin, by the time Gwaine becomes a knight, has such tunnel vision for his king (ship, friendship, destiny, whichever version you like) that he wouldn't even bat an eye at Gwaine's advances. Especially since he knows that Gwaine is more loyal to him than to Arthur.

Oddly enough, I think he would be more likely to court someone like Lancelot, because he knows that, for Lancelot, the king and queen come first.

I don't think Merlin could bare to be with someone who didn't see Arthur as more valuable than him.

Because he is so overwhelmed by the need to see Arthur to fruition, that all other value of his life has been sapped away. He equates Arthur with Albion. His life, hell his comfort, is all that Merlin wants for, because if his destiny shan't have revolved around this one man, then the past handful of years was full of suffering and sacrifice for no reason. He has to commit to the idea that Arthur is the answer, and that he will come around to magic without getting hurt, because he's hurt so much already, and Merlin finds himself incapable to harming him, even to further the prosperity of Albion.

Because he's had the chance before! To hurt Arthur! To let him fester in the guilt or the betrayal in order to reach the conclusion that magic isn't the enemy. But Merlin stops him every time because he cannot bear to harm his king. So he lies about Ygraine's ghost. He hesitates to accuse Agravaine. But he just cannot do it. He can't stand for Arthur's pain, even for the sake of the whole kingdom.

At some point along the way, Albion became Arthur. Merlin's goal changed from 'bring magic back' to 'keep Arthur safe, no matter the cost'. And that's why he says to kill Mordred. He cannot see a future in which Arthur returns magic to the land but his destined killer still walks free. He just can't.

So no, he doesn't return Gwaine's affection. He couldn't. Not when he doesn't see how much more valuable Arthur is than anything else that breathes.

#mine #merlin #merwaine #went off #was meant to be a short post lmoa #tho now i kinda wanna see a merwaine fic #where gwaine knocks some sense into him #like MERLIN WTF #YOUVE BEEN FORSAKING MAGIC PEOPLE #FOR TEN YEARS #JUST SO ARTHUR DOESNT FEEL TOO BAD ABOUT IT?? #SHEEESH

[papermachedragons]

The people have spoken. I have been convinced (narrator: it did not take a lot of convincing) to release the "drunk" merwaine kiss. And now you will find out why i have called it "drunk" kiss. Because it is "drunk"ish. There have been some drinking, but calling it a drunk kiss would greatly exaggerate the levels of drunkenness. And I'm sorry if this is disappointing, but I can't help if my brain has made a connection between "drunk characters in a fic kissing" and "Merlin and gwaine questionably tipsy(???) kiss". The connection has been made, okay, I had no control over it and now I am doomed to think about this fic and this kiss every time I stumble upon drunk/tipsy kissing in fics and now you will, too! Hurray!

Anyway, here it is. The "drunk-but-not-really-i-just-used-that-word-because-it-gets-my-point-across-faster-than-tipsy" merwaine kiss excerpt from a 30+k fic. Fair warning, it will be out of context and so some sentences will not make sense, but just gloss over that for now and pretend it makes perfect sense. What's that? Out of context? Never heard of her. Look at all this context. Wow. Never have I seen so much in-context as I have right here, right now. I am just blown away by all of this context.

Btw the title for my wip document is Gwaine's Soliloquy. Because I'm the kind of person who listens to musicals and i like to amuse myself with my wip titles.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this 7+k excerpt.

I will not be held responsible if this excerpt ends up different in the actual fic once I finish it and post it on ao3

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

The banquet hall was simple, but elegant. Rows of wide, red fabric hung from the walls with slimmer fabric of gold looped in front of them, creating graceful arches of red and gold between sections of the walls, draped from post to post. Light from nearby candles caught upon the arches making the fabric ripple softly and look more like surfaces of a body of water than fabric. Flames from torches along the walls, candles down the tables and on candelabras threw a softened, steady and warm glow all through the banquet hall. Everything was awash by golden light, even the walls might as well have been bedecked in jewellery and rhinestones, for how they glowed, as if imitating the nobles inhabiting them.

Gwaine was not entirely sure why they were having a feast, this time. It seemed they were having one every few weeks and no one ever really knew why, or maybe they did and Gwaine just decided to never listen when they mentioned the reason, simply glad he could sit down with good food, good drink and surrounded by most of his friends. It was fine, though. The reason for these things were usually a stone throw away from horse shit, so Gwaine was fine saluting his drink to the air and making up some cheer in his head, instead. It was way funnier that way and he liked to see how elaborate he could make it, before he gave himself away. A game he always introduced to Elyan and Percival once they were tipsy enough to go along with it. Leon liked to pretend he was above that kind of stuff and always shot them glares, whenever their giggles betrayed them, like he was trying to cross-bow them in the middle of Arthur's speech, but once or twice he definitely whispered his own contributions to the game into his cup, so Gwaine knew it was all a lie.

The feast itself was extravagant and delicious as usual and Gwaine enjoyed himself sampling every bit of it he could get his hands on. Including a piece or two from Elyan's plate, when he was looking the other way. That did mean he lost his newly filled drink to the other man later, though.

Across the room, out of the way and up against the wall, a table stood, presenting a smaller, less extravagant buffet of most the same foods to the servants. It was a thing Gwen had talked Arthur into doing, a way for servants to mingle and have a little taste of the festivities they worked so hard for, without having to eat it cold and congealed in the kitchens long after the feast was over and the food passed the appetising stage of their lifespan. It was not that Arthur had to be convinced by her, only that he had never thought of it before or considered feasts from a servants perspective. So now they got their own little buffet. And smaller cups for drinks on occasions such as Samhain, but only on feasts of special celebration.

Knowing there was no desserts to be found on there, no matter the occasion, Gwaine — when Merlin dropped down in the space between him and Percival to fill his drink and whisper a snarky comment in his ear — slipped him a honey cake. Delight swirled through him, as Merlin startled to a stop, looked down at his little gift, then grinned blindingly bright at him, as he stepped away and disappeared once more.

This feast there were no drinks to be had for the servants. But halfway through the feasts, Gwaine did see Gwen take a hold of her goblet, half-full with raspberry cordial, bring it down and under the table, where she slipped it backwards, hiding it in the shadow of the table and the volume of her skirt — all the while she never once looked away from the two lords she held conversation with, her gaze steady and her smile amiable. Grinning from the shadows behind the two monarchs, Merlin stepped forward, slipped it from her fingers and retreated to the shadows behind the two chairs to drink the offering. Once done, he slipped it back into Gwen's hand, unseen and unnoticed, as he filled up Arthur's goblet. By the table perpendicular to theirs, Gwaine caught Merlin eye, grinned and lifted his own drink, tipping a small salute towards him. Merlin rolled his eyes, but stepped back into the shadows with a small grin.

Later, Gwaine saw him nick a sweetmeat from Arthur's plate — despite the sweetmeats at the servants table — and a small handful of raspberries , this one from the servants table, though.

Perhaps it was a little obvious that the one thing Gwaine noticed the most at these feasts was Merlin. Unsurprising, really, but what could he do? Gwaine was but a simple man. A great knight — if he may say so himself — but a simple man, still. And with generous amounts of alcohol at his disposal, he will not be held responsible for where his eyes drifts at feasts. Not even by himself.

Time passed and eventually they drifted from their seats and spread out all across the floor. Drinks and small platters of deserts in hand. Voices filled the great hall in loud, boisterous conversation and laughter. Minstrels on a raised gallery played music and sang, their songs flitting between every conversation with the graceful sweep of birds in flight. Gwaine found himself stood off-centre, leant up against a pillar. A goblet in one hand with Elyan and Kay beside him, their voices flowing in easy conversation all around him. In the middle of one of Kay's repetitive jokes about the knight and the barmaid, Gwaine caught Elyan's gaze and had to restrain a laugh, as the two shared a look, because Kay told the very same joke every time he had more than three cups of mead in him and he was the only one who still found the joke funny.

Lifting his cup, Gwaine hid his grin in his own drink, and cast his eyes about the great hall. Well, he intended to cast his eyes about the room, but predictably, his gaze immediately caught on a figure clad in brown, red and blue at the other end of the hall, hovering against a wall, near Arthur and Gwen, cast in brilliant light from both candle light and torches and for a moment, Gwaine's throat tightened. Eyes wide on the man who seemed swathed in light, as if it might as well have come from the sun itself, embracing him in its grasp; almost caressed by it, as if, even when he was meant to seek the shadows, the light instead searched for him, eager to wash his skin in its touch, making him glow from its presence alone. Then Kay smacked a hand on his shoulder and laughed loud and boisterous, deafening any within five metres reach and Gwaine shook himself out of those thoughts, though he did keep his eyes on Merlin, even as he patted Kay on the shoulder, when he started coughing on his own laughter.

As Elyan said something to him about getting Kay some water, taking the knight by the elbow and leading him to a chair, Gwaine waved the two off distractedly, now caught on the shadows that clung to Merlin like a second skin, despite the light all around him. Tension hung by his eyes in tight lines, and his mouth had lost the smile usually curling it upwards, and instead drooped downwards. Even from a distance, his shoulders looked heavy and caved in, as if weighted down and hunched by an invisible weight, or as if the jug in his hands had gained an impossible weight in the time since the feast began.

Taking a sip of his drink, Gwaine let his gaze wander through the chamber. The Great Hall was less crowded. A few courtiers and knights who had been there earlier were no longer present, thinning out the crowd. Outside the windows the night was dark and entirely black in the glass glinting and gleaming from the candle light. Reflecting pinpricks of shifting sparks of flame back at the courtiers that danced and twirled past them in merriment or walked to and from conversations across the hall.

Decided, Gwaine pushed off his support pillar, slipped his drink onto the tray of a nearby passing servant and made his way across the room with a dopey grin on his face and a wide, sweeping, gesturing wave, as if he had spotted someone at the other end of his gaze, when in reality, his eyes were focused on the flickering flames of a torch on the wall. As he crossed the floor, he made sure to waltz with exaggerated wobbling and stumbling, as if he was a single drop away from drowning in intoxication. One truly hilariously flailing step and Gwaine accidentally fell into one of the other knights. A platter of desserts spilled between them with a loud clatter and a curse. Flailing, Gwaine tucked one foot beneath the other, stumbled and fell, crashing to the ground with a large "Oomph" and the sound of tittering annoyance and laughter breaking out throughout the hall.

Blinking stupidly, as if dazed or dizzy, Gwaine looked up at the ceiling and waited. It took no longer than a single breath.

A warm hand touched his forehead. Skin smooth against Gwaine's, but with calluses and cracked patches of skin scattered all across his palm and fingers, grazing against his skin in a mismatched pinprick that should not have felt the way it did, but it felt so perfectly aligned, Gwaine sighed, even as he laid there, uncomfortable on the floor in his armour. Finally, Gwaine's eyes followed the arm to Merlin's face.

A small frown crinkled his brows, yet laughter bubbled inside his eyes, twinkling down at him. And Gwaine nearly grinned just as dopey up at him, but he made sure to blink owlishly at the man, as he caught sight of a few faces in the empty space by Merlin's shoulders, looking towards them from half a room away, muttering into their cups and scowling with distaste.

"You okay?" Merlin asked.

"I have fallen," Gwaine said dumbly and Merlin's mouth twitched, his lips pressing together from a barely restrained laugh, while his eyes crinkled.

"You have." Deep blue eyes darted back and forth between his, searching even if his tone and expression remained light with humour. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm, remains to be seen," he said, making a thoughtful expression. "Is the chamber still spinning?"

"It never did." Merlin's mouth twitched again.

"Oh, well, in that case." Gwaine closed his eyes and let his expression turn lax, as if going to sleep right then and there.

A small laugh came from above him, but the sound was quickly stifled. "I'm afraid a banquet hall is no place to sleep, sir Gwaine."

"I believe it is. It is rather comfortable from here." He cracked a single eye open, looking up at him.

"Won't be in a few hours when servants start making a racket while cleaning up. Come on," he said, clapping his arm, "on your feet." Then he slipped his arm beneath his and pulled him to his feet. Even as he was hauled upright, Gwaine made sure to wobble precariously, practically hanging on Merlin's arm with all his weight, leaning sideways and swaying all over the place. Truly, the performance of a lifetime. Merlin laughed and tipped him back, catching him around his shoulders, arm beneath his own. Not one to miss an opportunity, Gwaine threw his arm around his shoulders and leant into his side, feeling Merlin's quiet chuckle rumble against him.

Merlin turned him around and began walking, pulling him along. Most courtiers and dinner guests resumed their own conversation and stopped watching Gwaine and the spectacle he put on at every other feast, but he caught a few eyes, glancing their way as they wobbled out of the banquet hall. Half of them amused, tittering with gossip, even as it was happening before their conversation partners' eyes; the other half derisive and sneering, as they often were, when directed at Gwaine outside the training field and tournaments.

Arm in arm, Gwaine and Merlin walked out the Great Hall and its ornately decorated doors. Though it was rather graceless, what, with Gwaine zigzagging every few steps to the door.

"So, my friend, where are we going?" Gwaine asked as they passed the doorway's threshold, perhaps a little louder than necessary, but he really wanted the point to come across tonight; he wanted the gossip mill tomorrow to be full of the knight, who should have drowned his knighthood in mead and red wine by now, and who could not attend a feast without leaving a spectacle in his wake or the smell of vagabondery and incompetence behind himself.

"I've been instructed to take you to your chambers," Merlin huffed, rolling his eyes. "Apparently you can't be trusted on your own."

"How exciting! An adventure! Fit for the greatest knight in Camelot!" Gwaine exclaimed and lifted his free arm in imitation of raising his sword up high.

"And here I thought we've been on enough adventures to last a lifetime."

Shaking his head, Gwaine clicked his tongue. "That's where you go wrong. You can never have enough adventures, my friend."

Merlin grumbled under his breath and Gwaine would swear it sounded something like, he'd like to hear him repeat that when he's got something breathing down his neck. What that something was, Gwaine did not catch, but he swears it sounded close to an overgrown lizard. Admittedly, Gwaine had had some drinks and was a little inebriated, so he was not entirely sure he heard right or if he could trust himself on this one.

They walked for a little while. Moving through corridors of the castle, passing torches burning bright and flickering on the walls, their light warm and golden, as it washed over them in flashes of heat.

When they had passed through a few quiet corridors and walked a few stairs, the noise from the feast far behind them and not a soul near them, Merlin huffed a small laugh. "That tumble was particularly convincing today, I do believe Arthur thinks you drunk enough to destroy a few tapestries and suits of armour, if left to stumble back on your own."

"I haven't the faintest of what you could be insinuating," Gwaine said, tone preposterous and full of disbelief. "I'm as drunk as a barmaid's apron, Merlin, just look at my walk." And indeed, Gwaine had been wobbling along as they walked the hallways, leaning most of his weight into Merlin and his footsteps as unsteady as a boat in a storm at sea.

"Sure you don't." Gwaine could practically hear the roll of his eyes, but he could also hear the smile in his voice so he counted it as a victory. Drawn by his voice, he looked sideways to catch a glimpse of his smile. That was the moment his foot caught on his cloak and he stumbled. Falling, his arm yanked, catching hard and heavy around Merlin. Flailing about, Gwaine hung onto Merlin as he struggled against gravity, hopping to regain his footing.

Muscles straining against him, bulging against Gwaine's flailing body, Merlin strained against his weight and grunted. As Gwaine found his footing again, still walking forward with his arm around Merlin's shoulders, hanging onto him, as if he had never stumbled, he huffed loud and long-suffering. "Gwaine, I know you're not as drunk as you're pretending to be, can you please use your own legs to walk?"

"That wasn't me," he said as a matter of fact, his own feet solidly on the ground again, "it was the damn cloak." In emphasis, he grabbed a hold of the cloak and waved it in front of him.

Tilting his head sideways, Merlin threw him a heavily disbelieving look.

"I swear." Discarding the handful of fabric, he held out his hand. "The damn thing is out to get me." He threw a disgruntled look at the red fabric flapping about his feet with his every, wobbling step. "I think it knows all about my derogatory comments towards nobles."

"I don't think it cares, Gwaine."

"I think it does. It's in league with Uther, I just know it. Made a pact with him before he snuffed it and all."

"Alright, it was the cloak, but can you please just walk."

"I am walking."

"Properly."

"Ah well, since you asked so nicely." Easing his weight off of Merlin, he gained his feet beneath himself and dropped all pretence of stumbling and wobbling along. He kept his arm slung around Merlin's shoulders, though, and could not help but smile like a fool, when Merlin's arm also did not move from around his back. "But only because I like you best," he added, throwing him a winning grin and ruffling a hand through his hair.

"Yes, I'm sure you would have been a menace to anyone else forced to walk you to bed." Merlin rolled his eyes and swatted his hand away. As he did, Gwaine hooked a finger around his, brought his hand closer and smacked a kiss right onto his knuckles, because he thought it was a great idea and why not, they were alone walking through these deserted hallways and corridors. Might as well, you know.

Merlin let him kiss his knuckles, then brought his hand back to himself, huffing quietly under his breath. Probably used to his antics.

Gwaine took no heed of it and bumped his hip into his. "Well, that's half the fun of having a reputation such as myself," he said.

"What's the other half?" He crooked an eyebrow at him. Smile quirked and humoured.

Looking sideways and catching his eyes, Gwaine wiggled his eyebrows and grinned mischievously. "Hearing everyone slip me their secrets, because they think I'm too drunk to ever understand or remember them, when I have in fact, not a single drop of alcohol in my blood."

"Not one drop," Merlin repeated mockingly. "Now I know you're telling tall tales."

"Alright, but one mug of mead is far from the ten others usually think I'm deep in."

"True." Merlin allowed with a tilt of his head. "If that's what you're doing, when you're making spectacles of yourself, you must have enough gossip and secrets in that head to compete with the maids."

"Please," Gwaine scoffed and swatted a hand through the air, "they wish they knew half the secrets I do."

"I'm sure," he said, laughter bubbling in his voice and from his shoulders. It did not last long. Merlin fell quiet. And for a while, they continued to walk in silence. The air around them heavier than before, though Gwaine had no idea from where it came.

As he walked, Merlin kept his head down. Every few steps, Gwaine cast glances towards him, and though his face was cast in shadows with the occasional torch and candle light catching upon his high cheekbones and the planes of his face, it was not the shadows that kept him locked up. No. The expression he wore was lost to Gwaine, no matter the shadows or light that fell onto his face. The walls around them seemed to stretch the echo of their tapping footsteps and shifting fabric of Gwaine's cloak occasionally grazing the floor, unrecognisable.

Eventually, Merlin's shoulders shifted underneath Gwaine's arm, rising and falling with a heavy breath. "Aren't you tired of it, Gwaine?" he sighed, his voice tinged heavy and exhausted. Glancing sideways at him, Gwaine caught the heavy and tired expression pulling at his features, almost dragging them, now that he had raised his chin up, freeing his face from most of the shadows. Merlin still did not look towards him, keeping his head faced determinedly forward and his eyes fixed straight ahead. "Tired of pretending and putting up a front?"

"Hmm, not really," Gwaine said, a light frown appearing on his brow at the weight in Merlin's voice. "I know the people who can't be bothered to look past it don't matter, and it serves me well enough to be overlooked as the drunken knight no one takes seriously."

"Why do you do it?" his tone was still far too heavy and tired. A state Gwaine was becoming more and more familiar with, the more time that passed; a state it seemed Merlin fell further and further into it the more time passed since Lancelot's death. No matter how much he tried to hide it. Chest twinging with a deep ache — like a mirror of the pit pulling at Merlin, reached for him just by hearing its presence in Merlin's voice — Gwaine tightened his arm around him, as if trying to pull him away from that heavy pit that pulled at him. And Merlin added, still with a soul-deep exhaustion beyond comprehension, "Why do you pretend that you're a scoundrel and a drunkard?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Gwaine answered, voice soft and gentle, "why do you let people think you're a fool?"

Merlin huffed, jostling him and pulling his arm further around his shoulder, as if Gwaine was still stumbling around in a drunkard's shoes. "It's better that way," he mumbled, glancing down and away.

Gwaine looked sideways, directly into the side of his head, no matter Merlin was resolutely looking the other way. "For who?" he asked.

Merlin did not reply.

They continued in silence. Occasionally, Gwaine's eyes would stray to the man beside him. The wall opposite the windows carried the occasional torch, flickering with softly crackling flames, casting a warm, yellow light upon him and the corridor they walked. Silver moonlight fell in through every window they passed and with the golden, flickering light from torches, a kaleidoscope of shifting silver and golden light fell all over Merlin's pale skin, touching him with an ever-shifting ethereal glow, casting him in fey-like quality, as if he had stepped out of the stories of fey-kind and other unearthly beings, only to walk in companionable pace with Gwaine on a moonlit night, several floors away from a revelry filled banquet hall.

What he saw, underneath the touch of flickering flame and the silver moon, Gwaine did not know how to name. It was an expression he did not often see there, as Merlin more often than not, either wore smiles (though these could be argued against, as they did not always reach his eyes, especially these days) or frantic energy throwing his features into such movement, the nature of them could not be determined in the brief glimpses that Gwaine could catch of Merlin in these instances, before he was gone again; the echo of his voice hanging like a trail left behind him, as the only evidence he had ever been there. It was like trying to catch the wind in his hands, or the reflection of stars in a lake; as soon as he cupped his hands around it and tried to hold onto it or bring it closer, it was gone, slipped from between his fingers, no matter how hard he tried to keep it there. But that was its nature. Who was he to keep it there? And really, he did not want to keep Merlin from flitting all over the place — frantic or otherwise — he simply wanted to join him in it, or to let him know that Gwaine would remain standing where he was, so he always knew he was there to return to, whenever he got a moment to breathe and needed a place to rest.

Tonight, the shadows from Merlin's heavy and tired question did not seem to want to leave him. So Gwaine did the only reasonable thing he could do. And that was act the fool, so he did not have to.

Groaning loudly and letting his own weight drag, hanging onto Merlin, he started to lean to the side, stupid and tipsy once more. "Hang on, hang on," he said, dragging his words in simple slur and stumbling over his feet, reaching for the wall, "stop here for a bit." He stumbled to the side, pulling them towards the wall.

"Gwaine, what?" Merlin huffed, not without some amusement, feet shuffling across the floor as he was pulled along by Gwaine's arm around his back.

"I like this wall," he said, turning to lean up against the cold stone and resting against it. Arm eased halfway off Merlin's shoulder.

"It's just a wall." He remained a few steps away from him, their arms still raised and held out, holding onto each other by just their shoulders and arms, the best they could with the space between them, since Merlin seemed adamant to say standing on his own two feet.

"Yeah, and I like it." Though he might not have been half as drunk as he pretended to be, he had still had enough to drink to be considered a small hazard, his veins and stomach buzzing pleasantly with alcohol. Thanks to his years of travel and gallivanting, he had far too much experience with drinking to be more than tipsy by the drinks he had had, but it was a pleasant buzz in his stomach and a lightness in the space between his ears. Also, his skin was a little too hot. Like he had been lying out in the hot summer sun for hours and the gambesome beneath his chainmaille was really starting to heat up uncomfortably against him. Not nearly enough to act the way he had in the Great Hall upon exiting or the way he was now, as if seeking shelter against unsteady legs through the wall. But if he did not like the look on Merlin's face and was rather desperate to see it vanish, then that was his business and his business alone. And the ceiling above him for which he sought aid in its cracks and shadows. But otherwise, his business alone.

Merlin huffed and rolled his eyes, but the corners of his lips twitched and as Gwaine tugged on his arm in response, he allowed him to pull him the rest of the way to the wall with him, sliding his arm back around his shoulders. Pressing them up against one another. Hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, Merlin's arm around his shoulder and Gwaine's around his back. 

For a short while, they just stood there, leant up against the wall and tipped slightly towards each other.

Then, Gwaine turned his head and looked at him. Merlin's eyes were already fixed on him. There was a quizzical pull on his brow, a quirked eyebrow that Gwaine did not understand, though a pleased upturn of his mouth told him it was not anything bad. He wondered at the question, though. Until he realised he had his hand buried in the nape of Merlin's hair, carding his fingers through the strands.

But Merlin had not moved away and he was smiling so Gwaine kept doing it.

It was nice. His hair was lovely against his fingers, a little coarse and wavy, and nicer than Gwaine had ever imagined.

Merlin's eyes flickered down to his lips. Such an action usually made Gwaine smirk, but this was Merlin and Merlin had always been different. Where other people's gaze to his lips brought a satisfied feeling, Merlin's gaze lit a warmth in his stomach and made his heart hammer against his chest.

With a sharp intake of breath, Merlin jerked his head away. Sticking it and his gaze straight forward, his jaw set and resolute.

Gwaine kept staring at him. The buzz in his stomach turned sour and wobbly. All wrong. Swallowing the sour taste, it moved quickly down his throat and joined the twisting wobble in his stomach, to stew there like one of Gaius' infamous, foul potions.

Lips pulling up, he tried for a smile. "I still owe you for making sure I had that week of light training, you know," he said lightly, banishing the feeling all together in favour of something far lighter.

"Is that so?" A smile curled lopsided from Merlin's lips. Head tipped back, leant against the wall, he let his head turn along the wall, tilting it to look at Gwaine with a quirked eyebrow and knowing eyes that gleamed with humour.

"It is so," Gwaine declared, nodding and held a hand to his chest. "And a great favour it was, I ended up missing out on several long runs in full armour and you know how I hate that."

"I do know."

"So, you can see I cannot possibly let it pass without making my gratitude known." Eyes crinkling, his smile stretched into something knowing, as it was apparently not enough for his eyes to hold it. Ignoring it, Gwaine raised his free hand and tapped a finger against his chin, acting so very oblivious to the light in Merlin's blue eyes. "Now, what did I say when you first spoke of it?" He tapped a few more times, then lifted his finger high. "Ah," he said, "I remember now. I do believe, I said I would be grateful enough to press a kiss to thine lips." Grinning, he patted himself down, clearly so very oblivious and innocent to the twist forming on Merlin's lips. "And I do reckon I no longer smell of dirt and horse."

"Are you sure about that?" Grinning lopsided, Merlin arched an eyebrow at him, pointed and so very knowing.

"A scoundrel and drunkard I may be, but I am no pigsty."

"Are you trying to come onto me, sir Gwaine?" The eyebrow rose further. It was remarkable, really. Perhaps, he had learned more than a physician's art from Gaius.

"I am trying to make a heartfelt expression of gratitude." Gwaine put his hand on his chest, expression affronted and tone even more so.

Smiling still, he rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, your intentions are completely altruistic and innocent, right?" voice dripping sardonically and sarcastically.

"Merlin, I am most wounded you would disbelieve me so." Hand on his chest, sounding as playfully hurt and good-humoured as he could, his words were met with a loud snort, Merlin's face twisting in humoured disbelief. "Unbelievable." Gwaine threw his hand into the air. "You try to be nice and make a gesture of— of grati—" as he fumbled for his words, Merlin stepped away from the wall and came to stand in front of him, clamping a hand on top of his mouth, shutting him up. Palm pressing into his lips and fingers on his cheek. The last word caught in his palm and Gwaine's still moving lips brushed against his skin. Though his mouth stilled at the loss of his words, the drag of his lips against Merlin's hand made his lips feel tingle and prickle softly. Forcefully tearing his own eyes away from Merlin's lips and wishing he could move his lips again, this time to press a proper kiss into the palm covering it and hovering so enticingly near, the warmth of it emanating from it towards his lips, Gwaine looked into blue eyes, above which eyebrows were quirked, half-pointedly, half-humorously.

"Gwaine?" Gwaine raised his eyebrows in answer. "You are not very believable."

"I believe I am," he said, voice muffled behind Merlin's hand. Every word causing his lips to catch on Merlin's palm, brushing against his skin.

"Uh huh," Merlin nodded, taking a step closer, his hand still on his mouth, body just barely up against his own, it made Gwaine's heart hiccup inside of his chest, despite the armour he wore that separated them, "a kiss just for gratitude?" his voice lowered, turning almost to a whisper in the small space between them.

"Exactly. Just gratitude..." the words blew softly from his mouth, carried on a mere whispering breath, nearly getting lost in Merlin's skin, so very faint it trailed off into nothing.

"What's a kiss between friends?" Merlin whispered, closer still, then slid his hand away from his mouth, brushing it away across his cheek and down his throat, touching it to his neck instead. Palm warm against his skin where it cupped the nape of his neck. His breath blew across his lips, a small gust of air, before his lips came upon his.

Their lips slotted together. Warm and soft and firm and everything Gwaine had ever wanted. They sealed together, the softest of breaths blowing from Merlin's lungs to his own. Gwaine swept his arm around Merlin's back, drawing him closer still and Merlin went, leaning into him, heedless of the chainmaille that met him. Body crowding against his, firm and solid and warm where his armour did not reach, his presence flooded his senses. Floating like a small aura around him and the whole world became Merlin and Merlin alone.

Grateful he was not forced to wear his gloves to feasts, Gwaine pressed his palms flat against Merlin's back. Even through the chainmaille and gambeson underneath it, Gwaine felt Merlin's body firm and solid against him, his very presence setting his nerves alight, as if he was being seared into his very flesh and bones, through his kiss alone.

With a soft sound, the kiss broke, but their bodies did not. They remained pressed up against his other, chest moving up and down as they heaved quietly for air.

Sighing softly, Merlin tipped his head forward and leaned his forehead into his, eyes never once straying from Gwaine's. There was a look in his eyes, something Gwaine could not decipher.

"What?" he asked quietly, voice rumbling.

Merlin shook his head and did not say a word. His hand lifted from his neck, only to land higher up. Fingers lifted and touched his cheek, flicking lightly over his skin. And still he just stared into his eyes. Gaze unfathomable and so very deep, Gwaine could have been drowning in the ocean for all he knew.

After a moment of just staring wordlessly at him, Merlin tipped his head and caught his lips in another kiss. This one soft and tender, leaving Gwaine no less breathless than the heated one from before.

The kiss was endless and impossibly short; the blink of an eye and the passing on an eternity.

Far away a door slammed and laughter drifted down their corridor, breaking through the air all around them, louder than it actually was.

Merlin eased his lips away from his, tipping his forehead forward and pressing it against Gwaine's, more pointed than before, like leaning all of his weight into him from that point alone. Every breath fell from his lips and fanned across Gwaine's tender mouth, gusting across his wet lips in puffs of air, shooting small tingles through them with his every exhalation.

"Has your need for gratitude been satisfied?" he asked impossibly soft.

"It has," the words were a faint whisper, rasping from his mouth.

Easing away from him, Merlin went to step away, but Gwaine caught him before he could slip too far.

"Walk me to my room still?" Gwaine was not drunk, they were both well aware of this, but Merlin still slipped his arm beneath his again, wrapping it around his back, as Gwaine in turn eased his arm around his shoulders; any chance at feeling Merlin's body against his own, he would take. And they started walking once more.

A corridor later, Gwaine asked, "Are you needed later tonight?"

"No, Gwen said they were good for the rest of the night and she would help Arthur out of his armour. She also threatened me with bodily harm, if she saw me again before tomorrow."

"That's good, then."

The rest of the walk to Gwaine's chamber was in comfortable silence. Even if Gwaine's lips never did stop tingling with intense awareness of just how close Merlin's lips had been.

As soon as they were inside Gwaine's chambers, the door closed firmly behind them, Merlin stepped away, out of his arm and went to lit a few candles.

Gwaine went to take his armour off, grumbling a small curse under his breath about having to dress up in fucking armour of all things, whenever there was a feast or banquet. Just as he grasped onto the chainmaille to pull it off, warm hands descended on him once more, falling onto his own and stopping him in his tracks.

"Merlin, you don't have to do that." He paused, turned his head and looked over his shoulder at him. "You're not my servant and gods know you do it for Arthur often enough. When you're not working, you're not working and I'm not gonna ask you to."

"And if I'm offering?"

"I'm still not asking," he said resolutely. Merlin did enough running around for them, in his opinion. He had asked him here as his friend, not as a servant.

Smiling, Merlin quirked an eyebrow. "And I'm offering as your friend." The smile turned crooked and mischievous.  "Besides, I thought you were supposed to be too drunk to take care of yourself?"

"In that case, knock yourself out." Together they lifted the heavy chainmaille off him. While Gwaine untied the padded gambeson and slipped it off his shoulders, Merlin stepped off to the side and draped the chainmaille over the wooden frame it hung on, when not in use. When the gambeson was off, Merlin reached for it as well, and hung it in its place, too.

Gwaine smiled warmly at him, then sat on the edge of his bed and pulled off his boots. Shrugged out of his breeches and his tunic, throwing them into a laundry basket by the wardrobe. He cast a glance at Merlin and found his eyes stuck to his exposed chest. He almost stayed where he was, but he remembered the way Merlin had pulled away from him, when he had treated the cut on his thigh and he did not want him to pull away again or leave. It was a miracle he had not done so after the kiss, after all, there was no reason to test the fates even further.

Boots set off to the side, Gwaine let himself fall into bed with a large sigh.

Merlin went around blowing out the few candles he had lit, and brought a second to the table by the side of his bed, placing it beside the candle already burning there.

Wiggling around, Gwaine drew the blanket around himself. As the side of the bed, Merlin looked down at him with exasperated fondness. There was a conflict in his eyes, a frown that crossed his brow, but then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to Gwaine's forehead. Hand sweeping up and sweeping his hair away and back over his head.

As he straightened back up, Gwaine's arm shot out and he grabbed onto his arm, halting him still bent forward. Merlin's eyes darted to his, his eyebrows lifting upwards on his brow.

"You can stay here and sleep tonight?" he offered, voice soft and warm. "I know you're dead on your feet. You've been up working since dawn and not had a break to rest since the feast began. There's a long way to that tower on tired legs."

"I think I can manage," he said with a smile and humour dancing in his eyes.

"I haven't mentioned the best part yet," Gwaine said and patted the bed. "This bed is the best quality Camelot — nay all five kingdoms — has to offer. It's all sort of soft and lovely and warm. Particularly wonderful after a hard day's work." Merlin's smile twitched into a smirk and there was that knowing look in his eyes again. "I promise I will keep my hands to myself." He held up his free hand in surrender, still afraid of letting go of Merlin's arm, in case it allowed him to slip out of his chamber before Gwaine could even blink.

"You really don't have to, Gwaine. My bed is fine. At least I have a bed and not just a wooden floor."

"That's not exactly a comforting comparison, my friend." Looking up at him, he gave him an imploring look. One he knew was far softer than he intended it to be. "Merlin, you work twice as hard and nearly twice as long as the rest of us and by the end of the day you have to return to a small, hard cot in a cold room." At that Merlin's lips twitched, but he said nothing. "I just want you to have a nice rest in a comfortable bed for once. Honest." Finally, Merlin's smile softened, as did the look in his eyes. And Gwaine could not help but smile warmly at him; the smile he knew he never gave anyone else; the smile only Merlin could pull from him. He patted the bed again. "See? Nice and soft. Here—" finally, he let go of his arm, only to turn around in bed, turning his back to him and moving more towards the other side, leaving an empty space for him, before him where he stood hunched over "—I'll even turn my back."

"You don't have to do that."

"I sleep better on my side anyway." Not true, he could sleep comfortably no matter where or when, but he also knew it would be harder to not reach for Merlin, if he could see him. And if having his back turned made Merlin comfortable enough to take him up on his offer, then Gwaine would happily lie on his side and stare at a wall all night.

There was a small pause, then the bed dipped. Fabric rustled and dropped to the floor. Boots thunked on wooden floorboards, as they were set aside. Then, the blankets were being pulled at and Merlin slipped into bed beside him.

"Oh, that's almost as nice as Arthur's."

Gwaine huffed a chuckle, turning his head more towards the ceiling and him. "And you know this how?"

"I may have taken a nap in it while he was busy elsewhere once or twice."

"Hah! I knew it! No way you wouldn't, you sneaky bastard."

"But don't tell him," there was laughter in his voice as he spoke, "it's been a while since I've seen the stocks, and I rather like keeping our relationship as acquaintances."

"My lips are sealed." There was the sound of a harsh blow and the soft, gentle glow of the candles on the small table on Merlin's side of the bed went out, putting the chamber into complete darkness and a small smell of smoke curling in the air.

Gwaine waited a little while, eyes looking out at the shadows encompassing his chambers and the space between bed and wall. "Comfortable?"

"Yes, I am," Merlin said, soft and gentle. "Thank you."

"All you have to do is ask, Merlin, you know," his own voice was low, soft in the quiet chamber.

Two fingers grazed his shoulders. But only for a moment, hardly more than a breath, then they were gone. Their touch lingered like ghosts against his skin. Tingling his skin with their ghostly presence. "Thank you," this too was a ghost, spoken so softly it almost vanished in the space between them.

"Of course," he said. 

Then, "Goodnight, Gwaine."

"Night, Merlin."

Gwaine fell asleep with Merlin's shoulder pressing against him, the rounded curve of it and part of his arm along his back. Warmth from his body spreading from every point they touched.

Gwaine did not once reach for him or even turn around to look. Despite the ache in his arms and the tender throbbing of his heart to reach out and draw him near and hold him close. Even looking felt wrong. Forbidden. No matter how knowing Merlin's eyes had been, as he had asked for a kiss, this was too far. A line he would not cross.

He had been honest.

He only wanted Merlin to get some well-deserved rest. Even if that did benefit Gwaine as well, by letting him sense Merlin's body, soft and resting and warm, right beside his own. A comfort to carry him through the night. A knowledge that he was okay in this moment.

In the morning when he woke up, Merlin was gone.

#fic #fanfic #merwaine #gwaine #merlin #except #fic excerpt #sir gwaine #merlin fic #merwaine fic #fic merlin #writing #fanfic writing #fic writing #my wips #bbc merlin fic #fanfiction #merlin fanfic #bbc merlin #dragons talk #dragons write #drinking tw #tw drinking #tw alcohol #alcohol tw

[sneakyboymerlin]

“Ah! Bog Man! I have to say, you’re smelling better!”

You did not have to say that

#cute ​things to call your crush: bog man #remember to tell your best friend how good they smell btw #they didn’t bring an extra horse for merlin on the rescue journey so i can only assume that he and gwaine shared one on the way home #which doesn’t really make this *less* homosexual #sir gwaine #merlin emrys #merwaine #mergwaine #bbc merlin

[sirgwaiine]

@goth-emrys as soon as I read your ficlet about merwaine shenanigans, this popped into my head and I had to get it out

-.-.-.-.-.-

“Merlin!”

Merlin sighs and turns to watch as Gwaine collides with the door to the physician’s quarters.

“One of these days that door is going to come off of its hinges and I’m forcing you to fix it. I have too much on my plate already,” he complains. In return, Gwaine puts his hands to his chest, a faux-butthurt expression on his face.

“C’mon, Merlin, I haven’t even said anything,” Gwaine counters, but Merlin’s just shaking his head. He should have slept in this morning.

“Gwaine, that’s the way you say my name when you get into trouble and need my help to get you out of it,” Merlin replies, “and I’m swamped right now.”

Gwaine just smirks and makes puppy eyes. Or, tries to. Instead it just looks like that time Merlin pranked him during Samhain. Merlin’s never seen eyes look so close to actually popping out of their sockets.

Merlin groans, and Gwaine mutters a little “yes” before scrambling over to Merlin. Before Gwaine can even mention the trouble he’s in, they hear a stampede clambering through the hallway, shouting angrily.

“Betting again?” Merlin asks. Gwaine just chortles, but it stops at the “Knight or not, I’m gonna kill you!” that echoes its way from the hall into the open door.

“Hide me?” is all Gwaine says in response, and all of a sudden, Merlin knows how they can both benefit from this.

“Of course,” the warlock responds, a dastardly and enthusiastic grin on his face.

At the change in mood, Gwaine’s putting his hands up, a “wait” leaving his lips, but Merlin’s already begun speaking in the old tongue. Suddenly, it’s not the Gwaine he knows standing before him, but an old man with Gwaine’s eyes, surprise and displeasure writ clear across his face.

“Hey, beggars can’t be choosers,” Merlin says, delighted, and he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to wipe the smirk off of his face.

Gwaine’s old body is plopping down grumpily on the patient’s cot as a horde of angry townsfolk burst through the door. Again, Merlin can’t help but think how pissed he’ll be if that thing comes off of it’s hinges.

“Where is he?” grumbles an old man at the front of the pack. Merlin turns to them with a disappointed frown on his face.

“Where is who? This is the physician’s quarters. You can’t be in here while I’m with a patient,” Merlin scolds, gesturing to Gwaine on the cot. Gwaine takes the opportunity to groan and mumble to himself, gripping his abdomen. Merlin can’t help it.

“This man has been backed up for days. You can’t imagine the pain he’s in right now,” he almost blows it with a laugh, “The last thing he needs is this pileup barging in and blasting through while he’s in such a vulnerable state.”

The townspeople look genuinely unsure at this point. On the one hand, the physician’s quarters are at a dead end in the citadel, meaning there’s nowhere else Gwaine could have gone. On the other hand, they mean no disrespect to this elderly man. Merlin decided to really sell it.

“I’ve just given him a remedy of buckthorn and senna leaf. Do you really want to infringe upon his comfort as his body releases such a great accumulation of waste?”

Merlin’s got his hands on his waist, eyebrows knit, as he watches them catch up one by one. Then, all at once, they turn and scramble out the door.

“Oi! He’s going to be making some truly terrible noises! You can’t give him his privacy?” Merlin yells after them, and the last he sees of the crowd is a hand roughly yanking the door closed. He stares at it for a brief moment, and then he’s almost doubled over with laughter as he turns back to Gwaine. Gwaine who’s trying for unimpressed, but can’t quite seem to get the corner of his mouth to come down.

As Merlin calms down from his fit, Gwaine just looks at him, eyebrows raised and arms slightly extended, palms face up.

“Thanks for the assist, mate. I’m ready to be dashing again.” Now it’s Merlin’s turn to be unimpressed.

“Sorry, I seem to have forgotten how to reverse this one,” Merlin tells him, and for a second Gwaine’s face blanches, eyes wide again, before he smooths his face.

“Very funny, change me back,” he tries again, but Merlin’s already shaking his head.

“I think there’s a lot you could learn in a night as an old man. Like how to appreciate friends. And how good a nice soup truly is-“

“Merlin, please, you know I appreciate you and all you do, you can’t leave me like this,” Gwaine begs, but Merlin refuses to relent.

“I do, but this is too much fun,” the warlock replies. “Now get out of here before I decide to put buckthorn and senna leaf in your next meal.”

At that, Gwaine eases himself off the cot and stumbles his way toward the door, groaning and muttering the whole way.

When Gaius enters the room almost an hour later, he watches his ward with concern as Merlin laughs to himself, still wiping tears from his eyes.

#merwaine #not proofreading #not looking over it at all #don’t tell me about the mistakes #I just had the idea and wanted to spit out something quick #Merlin #gwaine #they’re such besties and I love them #sorry there’s no read more #I forgot

[sparklygraves]

awww man imagine a merwaine fic where they’re hooking up casually & both are catching feels but Gwaine doesn’t trust himself with Merlin’s heart/doesn’t feel worthy & he starts putting up walls & Merlin doesn’t understand/is super hurt/figures Gwaine doesn’t feel the same & he just needs to get over him.

Merlin dates other people; Gwaine goes to the tavern & buries himself in booze.

one day he spots Merlin there with a date & he drunkenly stumbles up to them— “Heyyy boyzzZz! You must be Merlin’s new boytoy!”

“Gwaine,” Merlin warns softly.

“Ohhhh,” Gwaine continues, sliding into their booth & flinging an arm over Merlin’s shoulder. “I was Merlin’s boytoy once…”

Merlin’s eyes flash gold & Gwaine is suddenly sprawled on the floor.

“Merls…? You have… magic?” Gwaine slurs as Merlin drags him out of the tavern.

“Shhh!” Merlin hisses.

the next day Gwaine wakes in Merlin’s bed (without Merlin). he frowns. this is not an ideal state of affairs…

when Merlin comes back with food they have a talk about Merlin’s magic & also boundaries (“You can’t crash my dates! And who the hell says ‘boy toy’??”).

after that things are better between them. Gwaine gets extra protective of Merlin cuz of the magic thing. & they start acting like friends again.

when the witch-finder guy comes after Merlin, Gwaine says no, he’s the witch!

“You idiot!” Merlin hisses at Gwaine when he goes to visit him in the dungeons. “Why would you—“

& cuz he thinks he’s going to be burned at the stake the next day, Gwaine pulls Merlin in by the shirt & kisses him through the bars.

#merwaine #gwaine #bbc merlin #i ship merthur more but i have so many merwaine feels

[freddieslater]

Fandoms + Ships (for Prompt Purposes)

As I like to reblog prompts a lot but have the annoying little habit of jumping ship on a fandom fast than a pirate invasion, I decided it is finally time I make an official list, which will be constantly updated as I develop new interests! If there’s a ship you want to request but it isn’t here, just ask and I’ll let you know where I stand with it!

The Hunger Games

• Everlark (Katniss/Peeta)

• Finnick/Annie

• Haymitch/Effie

• Katniss/Madge

Future Man

• Josh Futturman x Reader

Burn

• Billy x Reader

HSMTMTS

• Caswen (Ricky/EJ)

• Portwell (EJ/Gina)

• Mashlynn (Maddox/Ashlynn)

• Ricky/Jet

The Vampire Diaries

• Stelena (Stefan/Elena)

• Mattlena (Matt/Elena)

• Tylena (Tyler/Elena)

• Elenijah (Elijah/Elena)

• Barolena (Bonnie/Caroline/Elena)

• Stexi (Stefan/Lexi)

• Denzo (Damon/Enzo)

• Forwood (Tyler/Caroline)

• Maroline (Matt/Caroline)

• Bamon (Bonnie/Damon)

• Bamenzo (Bonnie/Damon/Enzo)

• Carenzo (Caroline/Enzo)

• Dalijah (Damon/Elijah)

• Parkwood (Tyler/Liv)

• Klayley (Klaus/Hayley)

Legacies

• Handon (Hope/Landon)

• Jandon (Josie/Landon)

• Henelope (Hope/Penelope)

• Hizzie (Hope/Lizzie)

• Kizzie (Kaleb/Lizzie)

• Methan (MG/Ethan)

• Ked (Kaleb/Jed)

• Dark!Jobastian (Dark!Josie/Sebastian)

• Landizzie (Landon/Lizzie)

Teen Wolf

• Sciles (Scott/Stiles)

• Scydia (Scott/Lydia)

• Mccallinski (Lydia/Scott/Stiles)

• Stalia (Stiles/Malia)

• Malydia (Malia/Lydia)

• Stira (Stiles/Kira)

• Scira (Scott/Kira)

• Liason (Liam/Mason)

• Allydia (Allison/Lydia)

• Allerica (Allison/Erica)

• Berica (Boyd/Erica)

• Malisaac (Malia/Isaac)

• Lydora (Lydia/Cora)

• Allora (Allison/Cora)

• Scanny (Scott/Danny)

• Malira (Malia/Kira)

The Witcher

• Yennskier (Yennefer/Jaskier)

• Geraskerer (Geralt/Yennefer/Jaskier)

• Raskier (Radovid/Jaskier)

• Trennefer (Triss/Yennefer)

• Geralt/Triss

EastEnders

• Frobby (Bobby/Freddie)

• Chryed (Christian/Syed)

• Ballum (Ben/Callum)

• Sukeve (Suki/Eve)

• Ben Mitchell/Kheerat Panesar

• Jack Branning/Michael Moon

• Whitney Dean/Chelsea Fox

• Whitney Dean/Lauren Branning

• Lauren Branning/Peter Beale

• Lauren Branning/Lucy Beale

• Peter Beale/Fatboy

• Zack Hudson/Martin Fowler

• Zack Hudson/Felix Baker

• Anna Knight/Bernie Taylor

• Stacey Slater/Danielle Jones

• Peter Beale/Tamwar Masood

• Darren Miller/Tamwar Masood

• Tamwar Masood/Afia Khan

• Masood Ahmed/Jane Beale

• Anna Knight/Bobby Beale

• Anna Knight/Bobby Beale/Freddie Slater

• Linda Carter/Alfie Moon

Friends

• Roey (Rachel/Joey)

• Chanoey (Chandler/Joey)

Stranger Things

• Elmax (El/Max)

• Elumax (El/Lucas/Max)

• Byclair (Lucas/Will)

• Byler (Will/Mike)

• Ronance (Robin/Nancy)

• Steddie (Steve/Eddie)

Glee

• Blam (Blaine/Sam)

• St. Hudson (Finn/Jesse)

• Tike (Tina/Mike)

• Quinntana (Quinn/Santana)

• Pezberry (Santana/Rachel)

• Quinncedes (Quinn/Mercedes)

• Sike (Sam/Mike)

• Jarley (Jake/Marley)

• Kurtbastian (Kurt/Sebastian)

The Flash

• Barrisco (Barry/Cisco)

• Snowbarrisco (Caitlin/Barry/Cisco)

• WestStein (Joe/Martin)

• Superflash (Barry/Kara)

• Thallen (Barry/Eddie)

•Westthallen (Iris/Barry/Eddie)

• Westhawne (Iris/Eddie)

Outlander

• Jamie/John

• John/Brianna

• Brianna/Roger

• Lizzie/Josiah/Kezzie

• William/Denzell

Lucifer

• Lucifella (Ella/Lucifer)

• Douchifella (Lucifer/Dan/Ella)

• Mazifer (Maze/Lucifer)

• Douchifer (Dan/Lucifer)

• Chlaze (Chloe/Maze)

PJO/HoO

• Jasico (Jason/Nico)

• Jercy (Jason/Percy)

• Perachel (Percy/Rachel)

• Rachabeth (Rachel/Annabeth)

• Pipabeth (Piper/Annabeth)

Merlin

• Merthur (Merlin/Arthur)

• Mercelot (Merlin/Lancelot)

•Merwaine (Merlin/Gwaine)

• Morgwen (Morgana/Gwen)

The Dumping Ground

• Elektra/Faith

• Elektra/Carmen

• Carmen/Lily

• Tyler/Jody

• Jody/Sasha

• Tyler/Ryan

• Chloe/Candi-Rose

• Candi-Rose/Bird

• Candi-Rose/Jay

The Story of Tracy Beaker

• Tracy/Crash

• Tracy/Ben

• Tracy/Lol

• Lol/Wolfie

• Crash/Rio

• Justine/Rebecca

Life With Derek

• Dasey (Derek/Casey)

• Derek/Sam

• Derek/Trevor

• Casey/Sally

Boy Meets World

• Shory (Shawn/Cory)

• Jeric (Jack/Eric)

• Eric/Jason

• Shawngela (Shawn/Angela)

• Shawpanga (Shawn/Topanga)

Girl Meets World

• Rilaya (Riley/Maya)

• Riley/Zay

• Riarkle (Riley/Farkle)

• Lucaya (Lucas/Maya)

• Maya/Zay

• Riley/Maya/Zay

Descendants

• Jal (Jay/Mal)

• Jaylos (Jay/Carlos)

• Mevie (Mal/Evie)

• Hevie (Harry/Evie)

• Buma (Ben/Uma)

• Umaudrey (Uma/Audrey)

• Haudrey (Harry/Audrey)

• Humaudrey (Harry/Uma/Audrey)

• Bevie (Ben/Evie)

iCarly

• Creddie (Carly/Freddie)

• Carly/Sam

• Carper (Carly/Harper)

• Sparper (Spencer/Harper)

Victorious

• Tandre (Tori/Andre)

• Jori (Jade/Tori)

Zoey 101

• Quogan (Quinn/Logan)

#about meeee #ships and shit #my ships and fandoms #prompts #ignore me while I ramble #again if there are any ships or fanfoms not lisred here that you aren’t sure about my interest in just ask!

[amyreadsandstresses]

AMY'S DAILY FIC REC

Starting the year with a bang :) here we go. Today, BBC Merlin, BBC Sherlock and Teen Wolf

*Co-Dependent - harsassypotters

8k, 3/3, Merlin & Arthur Friendship, Humor and Crack, Knights, Uther Pendragon, Sir Leon the Long Suffering, Magic Reveal

As punishment for Arthur's disobedience, Uther bans all contact with his manservant for a week.

It works out about as well as you could expect.

*"I've always wanted a pet" - InTooManyFandomsRay

1k, 1/1, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Humor and Crack, Aithusa is adorable

Merlin adopts a baby dragon and convinces everyone that it's a bird. Meanwhile, Arthur is sure that the universe holds a grudge against him, and Uther just gives up on questioning everything.

*One More Secret - orphan_account

11k, 9/9, Merwaine, Implied/Referenced past and non-graphic R/Ncon, Mpreg, Implied/Referenced Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Magic Revealed, Aithusa, Magic Revealed

Merlin's now got another secret to hide from Arthur, but this one attracts more attention that he'd like.

*We Daren't Go A'Hunting - wryter501

14k, 1/1, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Fae Magic

"We daren't go a'hunting, for fear of little men..." ~ "The Fairies" by William Allingham On Samhain the veils between various worlds thin, and strange things can pass through - beings who wish to assimilate Arthur, and Merlin, into their troop... but for very different reasons. And Merlin's magic doesn't work on them... Takes place in-canon after season 2, does not reveal Merlin's magic - but it does reveal other secrets.

*Overlooked - Smcstrav

48k, 13/13, Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, Knights of The Round Table, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic

Arthur is well on the way to becoming the type of leader Merlin had always hoped he'd be - one who cares for all of his people. But even so, preparations for Yule festivities along with some unforeseen circumstances result in Merlin taking on too much work. Unfortunately nobody notices until it's almost too late.

*Temple of Magic - nlpiersee

6k, 5/5, Arthur Pendragon & Merlin Friendship, Protective Gwaine, Knights of the Round Table and Merlin and friends, Merlin's Magic Revealed

With magic being freed from persecution, Arthur decides to journey to a temple that magic users have begun trekking to. Their pilgrimage, Leon called it. Merlin can't place why he thinks it's a bad idea, but feels like they shouldn't go. Naturally, where Arthur goes, Merlin goes, and so the King, his servant (read: friend), the Knights of the Round Table, all ride out to investigate the temple in hopes of proving that magic is truly free and not a ploy of the Pendragons to instigate another purge.

*Take A Break - TheGameIsOn_Geronimo

3k, 1/1, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Merlin Whump, Everyone Loves Merlin

Merlin keeps falling asleep in random places as he's working so hard. His friends stage an intervention.

*The Great Tavern Conspiracy - N16

4k, 1/1, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Knights of the Round Table, Humor, Friendship, Fluff

Arthur knows that Merlin isn't at the tavern. That's just a lie Merlin used to tell, back before Arthur knew he had magic.

So if Merlin isn't at the tavern all those times he disappears, where the hell is he?

*Summer tales of family and lovers - Veruca_Cruz

2k, 1/1, Coming Out, Soft, Siger Holmes, Violet Holmes, Future Johnlock, Teen Sherlock

Some insight on the relationship between Sherlock and his father.

*You've Arrived at Panic Station - Phia

20k, 15/15, Sherlock Holmes/Original Male Character, One-sided Johnlock, Mary Morstan/John Watson, Moving On, Domestic, Sherlock-centric

Fifteen chapters based on fifteen different emotions. John is married and oblivious, and Sherlock pines but moves on.

*Plus One - saintscully

5k, 1/1, Johnlock, Fix-it, Humor, Happy Ending

More precisely —and more to the point— Sherlock was staring at the man’s arse, hanging mid-air like a denim-clad piñata.

*A Study in Sentiment - C4t1l1n4

1k, 1/1, Johnlock, Fluff, Cats, Soft Sherlock, Everything is cute and soft and fluffy

Sherlock gets a kitten, and John wants to know why. The answer is cuter than either of them could've expected.

*the suffering that is weatherd - scullyseviltwin

8k, 1/1, Johnlock, Season 4 fix-it, First Kiss

The magnitude of what they’re discussing seems as though it shouldn’t fit within the walls of 221B.

*Strangers When We Meet - sunken_standard

19k, 1/1, Sherlock Holmes/Victor Trevor, Gloria Scott, Drug Addiction, Abusive Relationship, The 90's, Internalized Homophobia, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Sherlock tells John the story of his first case, and his first love

*whose war is it anyway - nefariosity

11k, 2 works, Johnlock, A/B/O, Omega Shelrock, TW: Attempted R/Ncon, No smut

Sherlock's refusal to relinquish control to his hormones and let his partners reap the reward had proven to be the death knell for both of his previous relationships. He had hoped, had even begun to believe that it would be different with John, that their relationship would survive without Sherlock having to give over to his base nature for John's pleasure.

Foolish to ever think otherwise, thought Sherlock bitterly.

*Not The Hands That Kill - You_Light_The_Sky

6k, 1/1, Johnlock, Wingfic, Canon Divergence

Having wings does not make Sherlock Holmes a guardian angel, not in the way that John Watson is his.

*5+1 Times Sherlock Let Someone See His Wings - wendymarlowe

6k, 1/1, Johnlock, Wingfic

Sherlock could count on one hand the number of times other people had seen his wings. John was the only one of significance.

*It Takes A Village - kitthekazoo

49k, 35/35, Sterek, Mpreg, Dad Stiles, Dad Derek, Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Cora Hale/Isaac Lahey, Family, Hurt/Comfort

Stiles's used to yogurt handprints on his shirts from where he picked her up, and he's used to snot on his shoulders and neck from where she cried after a bad dream. He's used to her legendary tantrums when she doesn't get her way, her eyes glowing ferocious gold. He's used to being the village it takes to raise her, and the pack she longs for.

Except, he needs the pack's help, and Derek's protection when a particularly power-hungry pack wants his cub. And he isn't used to sharing.

#amy's fic rec #bbc sherlock #sherlock fic rec #johnlock #bbc merlin #merwaine #merlin fanfic #sterek #stiles stilinski #derek hale #john watson #sherlock holmes #arthur pendragon

[clotpolemerlin]

Merwaine fanfic

Here is a merwaine fanfic that I have no explanation for. You can blame @sneakyboymerlin. They told me to unabandon my fic and then this happened. I'll probably post it on ao3 too but here it is in full for yall Hope yall like it?

It was eerily quiet in the physician’s chambers. There was no rustling of jars as Gaius or Merlin prepared potions. There was no prat yelling orders around, acting as if he was late even though Merlin always tells him when he is helping Gaius. There were no hushed talks of magic. No laughter. Not a single sound.

It was quiet. 

Merlin just sat, staring at the man in the patient's cot as if the mere force of his gaze could change something. It wasn’t right for things to be quiet when Gwaine was in the room. Gwaine is always so loud and full of life. He shouldn’t be lying there quiet and motionless except for the barely visible rise and fall of his chest. Gwaine was hardly ever motionless either. His movements were always as loud as the rest of him. 

Merlin missed the sound of Gwaine so much that it was a physical ache. It wasn’t fair. Why did it have to be Gwaine?

There had been a patrol. This was Camelot so, of course, the patrol went badly. Merlin had been an idiot. He was stupid enough to think that somehow he managed to protect them all this time. Of course, that was when Leon yelled for him. No one ever yelled for him like that unless someone was seriously hurt. Whatever Merlin imagined hadn’t been enough to prepare him for the sight of Gwaine. Some bandit had managed to swipe Gwaine across the stomach. There had been so much blood. Gwaine was so lucky nothing internal had been knicked otherwise… Merlin felt sick just thinking about it. 

It had been so close. Gwaine almost didn’t make it back to Camelot. By some miracle, Merlin’s healing spells actually worked. It was probably the hardest thing he had ever done. It was another miracle no one saw. Luckily or unluckily, Merlin had plenty of things to send the knights away to go get for him. Merlin had been desperate enough to heal the man entirely, but he had only managed to keep him from bleeding out. Perhaps that was for the best. If anyone knew magic was involved, it could get Gwaine in trouble. It certainly would’ve ended with Merlin’s head on a stick, but that would’ve been worth it if it meant Gwaine was never this quiet again. 

Merlin looked away from Gwaine’s pale face in shame. His fingernails dug into his legs painfully, but he didn’t stop. Because that was just the problem wasn’t it? He loved Gwaine. He hadn’t ever built up the courage to say those three little words yet, but it was true. He loved Gwaine so much. Too much. Destiny had never been kind to him. It had taken Will, Balinor, Freya, Lancelot… he could go on. There was no way destiny would let him have someone as good as Gwaine. Loving Gwaine was basically no better than killing him himself.

The trembling got worse the more he spiraled. He wasn’t sure when he started crying, but now sobs racked his whole frame. 

“Please,” Merlin begged, leaning over Gwaine’s body, getting closer but not daring to touch, “I promise I won’t get distracted. I will do whatever needs to be done and pay any price. I know Arthur has to be the priority. I know that. I promise I will always protect Arthur. Just please don’t take him from me. I need him. I love him. Please.”

A slight touch against his arm caused Merlin to flinch back, looking up in shock. 

“Should I be offended you’re promising your life to another man at my bedside?” Gwaine asked teasingly. 

It was probably the best sound Merlin had ever heard. His voice sounded rough and pained underneath his humor, and the man was pale and obviously exhausted. But he was alive and talking to him for the first time in days. 

Merlin let out another sob, a happy one this time as he rushed forward. He barely restrained himself from throwing himself on the injured man. Instead, he leaned his head against Gwaine’s shoulder, pressing his face into the crick in his neck while putting his arm lightly around him. 

Gwaine chuckled weakly. Merlin clung slightly tighter, trying to memorize how Gwaine’s laughter felt when he was wrapped around him like this. As if understanding what the other man needed, Gwaine put an arm around Merlin, pulling him even closer. Merlin was worried it would aggravate his injuries but couldn’t bring himself to pull away just yet.

“You know it will take more than destiny to keep me away from you,” Gwaine said. 

His tone was still slightly teasing, but Merlin could tell he meant it. Merlin shook his head against Gwaine’s shoulder. The knight didn’t understand. Destiny would take everything from him if it got in the way of protecting Arthur. He shouldn’t love Gwaine. It was only putting the man in harm’s way. 

“Hey talk to me,” Gwaine said lowly, “Let’s talk about it. I know you are worried, but I promise I can take care of myself.”

Merlin pulled away just to give Gwaine a look. They were currently lying in a patient's cot with a huge cut through his stomach that said otherwise. 

Gwaine smiled smugly at him in return. “There you are,” He said softly. 

Merlin couldn’t meet his gaze for long. How could Gwaine still look at him with so much affection? Merlin almost got him killed. 

“Hey,” Gwaine said again, his hand coaxing Merlin to look up at him again, “It’ll be okay Merlin. I’m alive.”

Merlin finally looked to meet his gaze, tears of frustration welling up again, “This time but Gwaine what if next time I can’t save you in time? I can’t lose you Gwaine. Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Gwaine’s eyes filled with hurt. It hurt Merlin just as much to see, but the hurt was soon replaced with the stubborn determination that Merlin loved about Gwaine. 

“It won’t. Even if it does, it isn’t your fault, and I won’t regret loving you. Not even for a second. You made life worth living. It would be just as easy to die for you,” Gwaine said as if it was a vow as if it was that easy.

Merlin shook his head, “I don’t want you to die for me. I want you to live even if that means not being with me.”

Gwaine looked conflicted, “Do you honestly not want to be with me?”

“Of course, I want to be with you! Just not if that means you’ll die because of me!” Merlin replied frustrated. 

He shouldn’t be doing this now. He knew better. He had been training with Gaius for years. Merlin should be getting Gwaine water and a pain draft and letting him get some rest. He shouldn’t be having this conversation while Gwaine was sitting there exhausted and in pain. 

Gwaine wrapped his hand around Merlin’s wrist. He used just enough pressure to ground Merlin for a moment, to take him out of his head. Merlin looked at him desperately. God, he really did look so exhausted. 

“What can I do so I don’t lose you,” Gwaine asked, soft and earnest. 

“You aren’t going to lose me,” Merlin replied just as softly, slightly confused.

“Really?” Gwaine asked, looking so so pained, “Because it sounds like you are about to leave me.”

Merlin gave a defeated sigh, “You scared me Gwaine.”

Gwaine gave him a sad smile and tugged on his wrist slightly, “Come back here.”

Merlin let himself be dragged back down easily. He didn’t want to fight anymore. They could fight more later. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy Gwaine being alive. For a moment, everything felt right again. Like Gwaine hadn’t been injured, like Merlin didn’t have a huge destiny. It was just the two of them. 

Sadly reality was quick to return. Gwaine coughed quietly, meaning he was trying not to cough at all. Merlin sat back up carefully, so as not to disturb Gwaine’s injury. Gwaine tried to grab him to drag him back down again. 

Merlin tried to ignore how terrified Gwaine looked and instead put on a smile, “Don’t worry I’m not running away. Let me just get you some water and a pain potion and then we can waste the whole day lying together.”

Gwaine looked slightly surprised but relieved, “Well… hard to say no to that.”

The knight resettled without a fight, but Merlin didn’t miss the fact that Gwaine watched him like a hawk while he gathered the water and potions. He didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, he let Gwaine watch, never moving out of sight. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one scared.

It only took a few minutes before Merlin was back at Gwaine’s side. It showed how much pain Gwaine was in when he didn’t argue against the potion. He downed it in one quick motion. Merlin bit his lips, trying to stop himself from spiraling again into his darker thoughts. Gwaine pulled him back into his side as soon as he was done.

“Can I tell you something?” Gwaine asked quietly.

Merlin nodded into Gwaine’s side.

“You got to promise not to interrupt me till I’m done,” Gwaine said in an oddly serious tone.

Merlin looked up at Gwaine curiously. He seemed serious, so Merlin nodded again, “Promise.”

Gwaine quirked a small smile, “Good. Cause it seems like I need to make some things clear to you.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

“No interrupting! You promised,” Gwaine reminded, “Now I need to believe this, or at least that I believe this okay?”

Merlin nodded again, not sure where this was going. 

“Okay good. You are not responsible for my life, at least not any more than any other fellow knight is. You may have magic but that doesn’t mean you are capable of protecting and saving everyone. I know you will always protect me when you can, just like I will always protect you when I can. We will always try, but if you can’t that isn’t your fault. I will never blame you, and I promise I will always try to come back to you no matter what. I know the world hasn’t been kind to you and I know you’ve lost a lot. So I promise I will try to live for you.”

Merlin stared at Gwaine, tears welling in his eyes. He just loved this man so much. After so many people had died for him, Merlin was terrified of losing anyone else. Yet here was this ridiculous man promising to live for him. Despite his dangerous job, despite Merlin’s magic, just despite everything. 

Gwaine smiled a bit hopefully, “So don’t leave me either okay? I’m done now so you can talk now. Please don’t cry anymore.”

Merlin simply wrapped himself around Gwaine, carefully but purposefully, “How can you promise all that?”

He could feel Gwaine’s sigh, “Because I love you. I know it’s not safe for either of us, but I want to try.”

Merlin pulled away just enough to look Gwaine in the eyes. He just looked for a moment. He knew Gwaine was serious, “Okay. I promise too then. No running away.”

Gwaine broke out into a huge grin, “I will hold you to that.”

Merlin rolled his eyes fondly, “That’s sort of the point.”

Gwaine just shrugged, immediately wincing regretfully, “Ah I think I pulled something there”.

Merlin’s eyes widened as he checked the bandages around Gwaine’s stomach in a panic. He breathed a sigh of relief when there was no blood, meaning the idiot likely didn’t tear any stitches. 

“Not dying then?” Gwaine asked jokingly.

Merlin glared up at him with no real heat behind it, “If you tear any stitches I swear I am not redoing them.”

Gwaine’s reply was cut off by a yawn. Likely the pain tonic was kicking in now. Merlin let out an exaggerated sigh and laid back down against Gwaine, “Guess it’s time for bed then.”

“Much better with you here,” Gwaine admitted sleepily.

Merlin merely smiled as he heard Gwaine fall asleep. His breathing was still too forced, and he was still in a lot of pain, and they still would have to deal with weeks of Gwaine’s complaining as he dealt with bed rest, but he was alive. Merlin closed his eyes and just let him bask in it. He decided to hell with destiny. He would protect Arthur, and he would do it with Gwaine at his side because Gwaine was who he needed next to him. Destiny could just try and take him. Merlin was never letting this man go as long as he lived.

#idk what this is but its here #merlin #gwaine #merwaine #bbc merlin #fanfic #hurt/comfort #if you see a mistake let me know cause I wrote this like right before bed