#ETA: I mean also freya tbh. freya was also a big betrayal

[adhd-merlin]

#do you understand how much I love them? do you? no#would Gaius betray Merlin? interesting question#define 'betray'#technically he already did at least once#(no I'm not counting his confession under torture)#when he went to Arthur in 5x10 and told him about Finna#because he knew Merlin was gonna meet her even though he begged him not to go#and going to the king - that was BAD#they don't do that to each other usually. that's crossing a line#which is why Merlin was pissed#but Gaius only did it to save Merlin from himself#AND! interestingly Merlin did the same too once#when he denounced Alice (Gaius's ex fiancée) to Arthur#again; to save Gaius from himself#and again; big moment of conflict#I mean they also lie to each other all the time of course#but I'm not counting that#even THEY know they do it#they don't always trust each other to tell the truth (which is why Gaius knew Merlin was going to meet Finna)#but it never comes from a place of malice#it's how they try to protect each other#from pain; danger or disappointment#but at the end of the day they KNOW they've got each other's back#even if they sometimes (ok often) keep things from each other or lie#or have significant disagreements#they always KNOW they love each other#they never doubt that#and I think that's beautiful#sorry I just love them ok

that time I couldn't vote in the "do you think Gaius would ever betray Merlin" poll and I typed a whole rant-y essay in the tags

saw a poll about Gaius and Merlin that I can't respond to for some reason and it's killing me