#Merlin Prompt

[amirmeavid]

I know the fandom generally agrees merlin and arthur would sort out the magic ban before getting married. But i got to say it would be objectively hilarious to watch King/Prince Consort of fucking Camelot, the OG magic hater, just prance around, lax as fuck because who the hell is brave enough to accuse the literal 2nd most important person in Albion of breaking the law? 🤣

Like just imagine all the dialogues that could come out of it:

Magic-Hating Noble: I watched the chair levitate!

Merlin: I was the only other person in the room at the time... :/

Arthur: Are you accusing your King Consort of sorcery? *royal angry face*

Magic-Hating Noble: No! No... sire.

Arthur: Are you... accusing yourself of sorcery?

Magic-Hating Noble: ...

*merlin in the background making no effort to hide the fact that he's literally reading a spell book*

Merlin: *Teleporting into a busy council meeting because he's late*

Everyone: *Stares*

Merlin:

Arthur:

Everyone:

Arthur: *clapping his hands* Anyway, lets get this meeting started!

Merlin: *coming back from very publicly creating a massive storm to defeat some magical attack* Weird weather we're having right guys?

One of Uther's Loyalists: *literal steam coming out of his ears but too traditional to contradict a royal*

Merlin: *swans off, spell book in hand*

Let me know if you want more!

PART 2:

https://www.tumblr.com/amirmeavid/763239515298103296/part-2-full-disclosure-i-was-not-expecting-people?source=share

[pigfacedbitch]

Merlin: Have you ever wondered what your future wife is doing?

Arthur: Husband.

Merlin: What?

Arthur: Future husband. And he's about to say 'Ow'.

Merlin: What do you mean- [ Arthur flicks his forehead before walking away ] OW! You're such an ass- WAIT.

more incorrect quotes here!

[keitorin3]

Short: It's Merlin

Random Knight: *Witnessed Merlin calling Arthur a prat* Sire, are you just going to just let him talk to you that way? 😤

Arthur: It's Merlin, what can you do. 🤷🏼

Noble: *Upset with Merlin's presence during court and used his now absences to complain* As King you should have more sense then to let some farm boy advise you in such delicate matters of court! 😤

Arthur: It's Merlin. He who takes care of the castle servants, who is the apprentice physician that sees to the people downtown off duty and who is well acquainted with the merchants by name. That Merlin. 🤨

Noble: ...

Arthur: Any other questions? Good, let's see about lunch. Someone call Merlin back from town, he knows how I like my sandwiches made. 🍞🥪

Princess: *Trying to be seductive and pretty* I hear your looking for a Queen? 😉

Arthur: *Not interested and wishing to strangle a court elder* Apparently... 😒

Princess: I could be your Queen~ *Tries to touch his arms sensually*😘👑

Arthur: *Disgusted and Panics* 😬 Sadly you don't meet my requirements.

Princess: Well, what are your requirements? I'm sure I can more then meet them~😘

Arthur: Black hair, large ears, calls me a prat and male.

Princess: *Flabbergasted*

Arthur: *runs*

Knight on the side: It's Merlin. Just so you know.

Gwaine: So is anyone gonna tell him or should I?

Leon: It's been over a Decade and sadly the King has yet to admit it.

Percival: It's just Merlin. The guy doesn't even hides how devoted he is to Arthur.

Leon: Unfortunate really. Arthur was never able to place a label on what he felt for Merlin. Anything that boy does is instantly just categorised as "Merlin".

Gwaine: He gets his own category? Where do we go under.

Leon: "Merlin's Knights" apparently. He said as much while drunk and wistfully talked about retiring into the countryside and buy a farm where he and Merlin can own a cow and some chickens. He especially wanted the chickens.

Gwaine: *Laughs*

Percival: Damn, he's got it bad. And I can't even deny it. We basically did come together thanks to Merlin. But why chickens?

Leon: Said it was a engagement present for Merlin.

Percival: ...

Gwaine: ... Called it.

Knight: *Sees magic near Merlin* Sorcerer! *Arrests him and goes to the King*

Arthur: What is this?

Knight: Sire! I witnessed this servant doing Sorcery! *Points to Merlin*

Arthur: It's Merlin.

Knight: Yes Sire. He was doing magic.

Merlin: Arthur I can explain-

Arthur: *Raises his hand up to pause his words* You sure of this?

Knight: *Says smugly* Yes Sire!

Arthur: Right then. *Proceeds to go to his desk and picks up something before signing them with his seal*

Arthur: Hand this to Geoffrey, from henceforth the Magic Ban has been lifted.

Knight: WHAT!? 😱

Merlin: WHAT!? 🤯

Knight: B-but- my King?! WHY!?

Arthur: *Casually shrugs* It's Merlin.

[raviraaa]

two sides of the same coin or smth…

imagine arthur waking up after centuries & stumbling into a new world only to find a merlin who doesn’t remember him, but still wears his wedding ring around his neck as if it means something.

[larluce]

Merlin traveling back in time to save Arthur AU but with a twist!!

Merlin makes it to the sidhes, bringing a barely breathing Arthur with him. As expected, they ask for a price and Merlin offers his life, ignoring Arthur's protests.

Sidhe1: You're inmortal you can't die

Sidhe2: And even if you could, killing you would mean killing magic itself, therefore killing the earth itself.

Merlin: (crying desperate) I don't care! Take what you need! My blood, my magic, anything! Just save him!

Sidhe1: (smiling evily) I might know just the thing.

They never tell him what are they going to take from him, but he agrees. The sidhes start the ritual, while Arthur just keeps pleading weakely

Merlin: (smiling) If I somehow don't come back-

Arthur: (crying) Stop! Merlin don't do this. Please!

Merlin: I just want you to know that I love you.

Before Arthur can answer the ritual ends and Merlin blacks out.

When he wakes up he is in his way to Camelot in his old clothes and 10 years younger. He soon discovers he's been brought back to the very first day he met Arthur. He's confused. Have the Sidhes taken from him years of his life as a price? It doesn't make sense to him, but he decides to take advantage of this to prevent some things from happening.

Time goes by and while, in general, all events are repeating, not everything is happening as he remembers. Some people arrive in his live early, like Lancelot or Gawain. And Arthur treats him better? Like he says thank you to him more often and listens to him more. Merlin thinks it’s weird, but brushes it off thinking it’s due to the changes he's been making that some things are not quite the same.

Then the day comes when he finally reveals his magic to Arthur. He cries and Arthur hugs him telling everything its okey. Nothing its going to happen to him. Shortly after however Arthur also has a confession.

Arthur: I already knew.

Merlin: What?! Since when?

Arthur: the very start.

Merlin: How? I've been careful! More careful than before!

Arthur: Because you told me before. Well, not really before, but in the future. It’s complicated.

Merlin: Wait... you are from the future too?!

They are both surprised. They thought they were alone in this and it turns out they never were. Merlin cries all over again, apologazing for everything, for failing him, for not being able to save him, but-

Arthur: You did.

Merlin: ... What?

Arthur: You did save me.

Merlin: No, the sidhes tricked me. They sent us back in time-

Arthur: It was not them who did that. It was me.

Merlin: What... what are you saying?

Turns out what the ritual really did was turn Merlin into a small tree in exchange for saving Arthur’s life. A magic tree that would grow taller and taller and never die and whose ruts would expand making magic florish in the earth forever. Arthur of course was really upset after that. He demanded the sidhes to turn Merlin back but they only told him "what's done it's done" and that all he could do was pick the tree up before the roots growed if he wanted to move it elsewhere.

Arthur put the tree in a pot and brought it back to Camelot. Everyone was devasted with the news but they were also glad their king was alive and safe. No one blamed him, but Arthur always blamed himself. He repealed the ban as soon as he could and made sure everyone knew Merlin's involvement in the battle and later the other things he find out Merlin did for Camelot through Gaius. He made an anual event and a statue in Merlin's honor. Camelot slowly but surely welcomed magic again and became the most prosperous kingdom in the land.

Merlin: Oh...I don't remember being a tree.

Arthur: Yeah, I figured.

Merlin: But you repealed the ban! That's great! Magic was free again in the-wait... so why did you do all this if everything was fine? And how did you do it?

Arthur: Everything was NOT fine Merlin. You weren't there!

Merlin: (utterly confused) I was. As a tree.

Arthur: You know what I mean! You were there but you weren't. We mourned you but you were still alive. I kept you in that pot for longer that I should have because I wanted to keep you close all the time, yet looking at you was so painful... Gwen had to scold me into finally plant you in the garden so you could grow properly. I was broken inside, while trying to rule a kingdom. I kingdom we should have ruled together from the start!

Merlin: ...

Merlin: You're telling me you somehow traveled us back in time and throw away the golden age, your dream of uniting all Albion and all you worked hard for... just because you missed me?

Arthur: And because I couldn't say it back.

Merlin: What?

Arthur: That I love you too.

NEXT PART OF THIS AU HERE -> PART 2

[escespace]

Merlin and Arthur but someone help me I can't get it out of my head:

A threat, Merlin is going to face it, Investigate, fight, yadyadayada... The only solution is to make a deal that, in exchange for keeping Camelot safe for another day, Merlin must give up all the memories of his most precious person.

Obviously after running out of memories of ☆Arthur☆ He doesn't understand the importance of returning to Camelot, why is he still there if Gaius has taught him almost everything he can, Even kilgharrah isn't there anymore. For some reason, moreover, he feels that he often causes the poor physician more problems that should be... And all this without mentioning that before he wanted to see the world, he wanted to explore, to know and who knows? He might even make a name for himself... At least that's what he dreamed of as a child.

Again, why is he still in Camelot?

THEN HE GOES. JUST LIKE THAT

The next day Arthur can't find Merlin anywhere and we all know how he gets. He searches for him, he stresses, he screams... But it is not until night comes and he speaks with Gaius that the old man breaks his facade and Arthur notices the concern, that something is not right. He presses and presses until Gaius finally admits that he hasn't seen Merlin since the previous evening, that Merlin didn't sleep there and that he didn't even know where Merlin had gone.

It is canon that Arthur would immediately lose the marbles. As prince regent he order a wanted party. Nothing can stop him because *the power of the script*

Weeks go by with no sign of Merlin. Search efforts are dwindling as there are other priorities These priorities include certain strange occurrences in border villages.Some of these strange occurrences include a group of knights who were defeated by an entity they failed to see or recognize when they went to pick up an accused sorcerer. In addition, in the town next to that one, an entire family suspected of magic disappeared.

The council agrees that action must be taken or the people will begin to see those signs of weakness when it comes to responding to the law, with a sick king and having faced a mini conquest (I don't remember the chronological order of certain events, apologies); They must make it clear that Camelot is still the same as always...

Then, by the power of the script, the prince argues until he is the one who is designated to command the patrol of knights who will go to the villages in question (for honor, to make the people see him as a prince who executes his own orders or whatever)

Between surveys in the villages, some talks with peasants, follow clues... GUESS WHO THEY FIND?

Merlin has been wandering here and there, posing as a herb seller (because that must be good for something), Coincidentally, he has not left that specific town where the suspicious events occurred (he is that stupidly confident)...

He seems to vaguely recognize the knights. One of them he met in a tavern, another fighting a griffin, another is the brother of someone he met who-knows-where; and the other... He can't remember where he knows him from. That makes him feel strangely dizzy, there is a pressure in his head and there are pits that he does not want to question himself.In all this, Arthur does not stop shouting a thousand and one things at him. How stupid he is, how careless he is, how much work he has put in the backlog while touring every tavern in Albion...

Then Merlin says the three words that put Arthur's world Heel over head:

«who are You?»

[bloby-876]

"NO!"

Arthur falls and Merlin runs. He runs past the bodies, he runs past gwen's shocked face, all of the knights, the soldiers.

His only focus is Arthur. Arthur, who just got thrown off a cliff by a sorcerer.

He feels someone try to hold him back and he rips his arm out of their hand.

Merlin reaches the cliff edge and does not hesitate. And perhaps some magic was involved to make him faster. In the end, it doesn't really matter.

He jumps.

Someone shouts his name and somewhere in the back of his mind he registers that it is probably Gwaine. It is ignored, because the only thing on Merlin's mind, the only person, is Arthur. His king looks surprised. And they are both falling.

Merlin reaches Arthur and pulls him into a hug. Mainly to keep them together, slightly out of relief.

"MERLIN! You idiot what-"

He ignores Arthur's shocked exclamation because right now, if they're both getting out of this alive he needs to focus.

The spell that slows down accelerated falling is on the tip of his tongue, but he doesn't have time to focus on remembering so he focuses on all of the magic in his body and pulls.

---

Arthur tightens his hold on Merlin, holding his head close, and prepares for the inevitable pain. The king prays, for if one of them has to die, let it be him so his idiotic and terrifyingly loyal manservant survives.

Only, the pain never comes.

Instead, his back is met with something soft. They bounce off the ground instead of facing excruciating pain. The king holds the warlock close, and opens his eyes in surprise. (When did he close them?)

He's met with a cloudy blue sky and what seem to be flower petals dancing through the air.

Arthur sits up quickly and takes a look around. They're laying on what looks like a giant cloud.

...what?

His attention is stolen by his manservant snapping his head up from where it was tucked into Arthur's neck and making direct eye contact.

His eyes are a blazing gold.

And before the king can get a word in, he's stopped by Merlin beginning to scold him.

"You IDIOT. An absolute moron! What did you think was going to happen when you started fighting on a fucking cliff! I swear I should-"

"Do you ever shut up?"

Arthur cuts him off by pulling him into a hug. He would get angry about the lies and betrayal and all that other stuff, but they just survived falling off a cliff. Arthur thinks he deserves a hug at the very least.

---

And that's all I had written

[whydon-twego]

"You have Arthur's complete trust" Merlin laughs when Gwen tells him this and asks her what she is talking about.

Gwen looks at him strangely, as if she thinks Merlin is joking but then she sees Merlin's expression and can't hide her surprise.

"Merlin, you do realise that you're the person Arthur trusts most in the world, right?" Merlin chuckles again but this time it is with a sense of guilt and annoyance that won't let him alone.

"I don't think so."

Gwen, who until then had been mending one of Morgana's dresses, puts down her needle and thread and looks at him seriously, Merlin doesn't think he has ever seen her like that.

"You two fooling around and teasing each other is fine, Merlin, but you can't really think Arthur doesn't trust you. You can come and go from his rooms as you please, whether he's there or not, you have the keys to his room, and you're the only person who has them, and the whole castle knows perfectly well that Arthur has priceless things in there. I know you shave him every morning and believe me, that is not the job of a manservant,"

"But he is the one who-"



"That's right, Merlin. He's the one who."

Gwen seems genuinely annoyed that Merlin doesn't grasp how much Arthur trusts him, and Merlin finds himself having a chasm in his chest because he doesn't want to think about it. He doesn't want to think about Arthur's trust in him, he doesn't want to think that Arthur thinks Merlin is a person worthy of his trust, because Arthur is the most noble and sincere person in the world and Merlin is hiding most of his life from him.

"I have to go, Gwen."

Merlin leaves everything where he is and does not even turn around when Gwen (probably guilt-ridden from that lecture) calls him back.

Merlin hides in the first crevice he finds and struggles to breathe.

He struggles to breathe because Arthur trusts him and he knows it, but he tries to think about it as little as possible. He tries to live life day by day and not think about tomorrow and how long it is that he is lying to him. He tries not to have a heart attack every time Arthur looks at him and smiles or pats him on the back saying "good job!" or when Arthur is the first to worry about him when they are attacked by bandits.

Merlin tries not to think about Arthur's scream when they were separated on a mission and Merlin had to drop rocks to protect him. He tries not to think about the time he had to steal the keys from Arthur's room and Arthur, finding him in the room early in the morning, didn't bat an eyelid at the excuse of the woodworms because Arthur trusts him and simply told him to leave.

Merlin is a horrible person who does not deserve this kind of trust, not when he is lying to the most important person in his life.

"Breathe."

Merlin, caught in the middle of a panic attack he didn't even realise was happening, jerks at the voice and Arthur's hand resting on his shoulder.

"Breathe, Merlin, come on, in and out, calmly, follow me" Arthur takes deep breaths and Merlin tries to keep up with him but Arthur's mere presence makes the situation worse and Merlin finds himself with tears in his eyes as Arthur looks at him more and more worried.

"Gwen!" shouts Arthur then and Gwen is at his side within moments "Go get Gaius, I can't move Merlin from here in this condition."

Gwen looks at Merlin and she's so worried and feeling so guilty that Merlin wants to say something to her but is already so much if he can breathe.

Gwen leaves and Arthur and Merlin are alone and Arthur strokes his back trying to calm him down and Merlin bursts into tears. 
Arthur lays a hand on his shoulder and settles him on top of him, not holding him too tightly for fear of Merlin's breathing getting worse.

"I was looking all over for you, you know? I thought you'd be at the tavern or having fun somewhere and instead, I find you here doing the doppol-head."

Merlin laughs between sighs and sobs and Arthur continues.

"You have a myriad of tasks to do. My armour is completely ruined, I have no idea where my sword is and you were supposed to revise my speech for this afternoon but apparently, you had better things to do."

Merlin's breathing calmed and he was finally able to concentrate better, noticing that the king was sitting on the dirt floor next to him and practically rocking him.

"Arthur…"

Arthur turns his head slightly but they still can't make eye contact.

"I have magic."

Arthur stiffens and Merlin already feels lost without his king by his side even though he is still physically there.

"Alright," Arthur murmurs and Merlin gets up to look at him because there is no way he is hearing correctly. Arthur turns to look at him and his expression isn't the happiest but Merlin can't blame him "we've been through a lot worse, haven't we?"

And etiquette be damned, what is right or not right to do at court, Merlin throws himself onto his king and holds him as if he never wants to let him go again, holds him trying to tell him everything he is unable to say right now in words.

Arthur holds him just as tightly and Merlin finally knows that everything will be all right.

And that is how Gwen and Gaius find them, embraced tightly in the middle of a corridor in Camelot.

[starrieisdelusional]

one of the things i wish to see is arthur fanboying over merlin and just looking at him in awe

(merlin doing magic for crime)

arthur: wow you're really cool, please marry me

merlin: what

arthur: what

[thenerdyalien]

My headcanon about Arthur's mortality (or how I think he was able to survive before Merlin came to Camelot)

"(The griffin is a creature of magic.) It is born of magic, sire, and it can only be killed by magic." - Gaius, S1E5

Alright, since Merlin is trending again for no reason I'll share one of my lastest headcanons I came up with during my last Merlin rewatch.

There was something about this line from Gaius and the way the camera then directly pans out to Arthur that made me think of an interesting headcanon that would explain how Arthur managed to survive so long without Merlin.

You see, according to this logic, because he was born of magic, Arthur can only be killed by magic (or weapons forged by magic *winkwink*). So he could never really die from simple illnesses or battle wounds unless those were directly inflicted by magic. And, since Uther started the purge against magic right after Arthur was born, he probably wouldn't have had much contact with it in his early years (at least until he became a knight and started going out on quests, raids, etc).

That would explain why (much like Merlin) he seems able to endure so many injuries (broken ribs, poisoned arrows, etc) that other knights can't. (I mean, just the fact that this man didn't sustain some severe brain damage from all the times he's been knocked out is impressive lol)

What I'm saying is that being born of magic must have given him some sort of endurance that other mortals don't have, because by Gaius' logic the circumstances of his birth in itself made him a sort of creature of magic (just like Merlin).

It would also make for a good Canon divergence fic in which this was the reason that made Uther start the purge in the first place (to protect his son from the only thing that could kill him)...and it can get even more angsty if you add in the fact that Merlin is literally magic itself, but I digress.

Anyway, I'm probably reading way too much into this. I doubt the writers would've thought so far ahead as to put foreshadowing so early on in the series. But I just thought it was an interesting headcanon and just another fun parallel between Merlin and Arthur.

[rainbowsmagicandshit]

Merlin has Gold Eyes: Prompt/Idea

Magic turns eyes gold. Merlin is magic. Therefore his should be gold.

They start off blue, but the longer he’s in Camelot, the more his magic grows, the more in tune with the magic inside him he is, they slowly start to turn gold even when not casting spells.

It starts slowly, almost unnoticeable at first. Just little flecks of gold in his irises that could just be a trick of the light. But then there’s more and more. The blue is turning to gold and staying that way. There’s nothing he can do to stop it.

[amirmeavid]

PART 2

Full disclosure I was not expecting people to like my ramblings as much as they did, and i'm running low on ideas 😭 . (Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/amirmeavid/762962965752332288/i-know-the-fandom-generally-agrees-merlin-and?source=share)

Visiting Diplomat: I have heard stories of Camelot's noble pursuit for the eradication of the vile performance that is sorc-

Merlin: *head on arthur's shoulder as he levitates a cup to drink from*

Arthur: *raising eyebrow* Why did you stop? You were talking about Camelot's magic ban.

Diplomat: *blinks multiple times* sorcery... v-vile?

Merlin: *hmmms in mock approval* Its wonderful to know how much you trust Camelot's decisions.

Serving girl: *gets very nervous, accidentally makes a mini explosion at the centre of the table*

Nobles: *have been stewing over the past week of merlin being 'public' with his magic* Sorcery! She's a witc-

Merlin: Don't be ridiculous. Its my new trick. I picked it up from a jester.

Particularly brave Noble: Forgive me your highness, but i highly doubt that was a mere trick...

Merlin: *Makes the table explode again, eyes very obviously gold* See? Its a sleight of hand!

Noble:

Noble:

Arthur: *visibly trying not to die of laughter*

Merlin: *is going about his daily business, levitating Arthur's sword to him when he is interrupted by a fucking scream*

New Knight: *pointing at the levitating sword, looking around wildly because why is no one else saying anything?!*

Magic-(hating?) Noble: Oh shut your mouth boy. Thats our king-consort. Of course its not sorcery. He just practices sleight of hand.

New Knight: ... *is having a mental breakdown, because what?*

Merlin: Sleight of hand. Its becoming increasingly common you know. I can teach it to you if you want

Arthur: *with all his regal prattiness* As a knight of the realm, you should be educated about all facets of life. Imagine. If it weren't for good sir 'Magic-(hating?) Noble', you may have accused your King Consort of sorcery!

Merlin: *dramatically* Imagine.

Poor Knight: ...yes sire.

[tiredcowboyy]

The treasures of my future

I cant stop thinking ab the idea of merlin one day post s5, where they all survived, becoming really secretive and protective of his room and not telling anyone at all whats inside. Not even gaius. He even gets a lock installed and whenever anybody asks he brushes it off with jokes like “its to stop arthur from finding me” or smth.

he also unrelatedly really hates any talk of destiny, going to war, and anytime morgana mentions her fear of her magic turning her merlin slightly freaks out.

That is until one day gaius manages to catch merlin off guard while hes rushing between the main room and his bedroom and walks in.

Only to see a whole bunch of stuff that hes never seen before.

Merlin freaks out, tries to play it off as some weird experiments and stuff hes been collecting but gaius can feel it, somethings different about these items, not wrong but not right. Not really magic either.

It takes 3 weeks of gaius pestering him before merlin breaks and explains to him that he IS A TIME TRAVELER. after the battle of camlan as we know it that lead to arthurs death, merlin did wait, he really did, but in the year 2020 when arthur didnt return for yet another global crisis, merlin broke and did spell upon spell until he figured out how throw himself back in time.

And holy shit did it work well. He managed to come back just at the perfect time to change everything that needed to be done to assure that everyone lives happily and safely, and when he realises hes done it, he decides to stay in this time. See his friends and family grow old as they should have. See arthur rule as he should have. Live the life he has been craving to go back to for centuries now.

Until a month in he realises how old everything is. Sure merlin can survive without his phone and stuff but theres a few things he really misses. Like his slippers, his potato peeler, his favourite hoodie, and especially his favourite tea flavours.

So once in a while he allowed himself to go back to the modern day and bring one thing back. He started with a scented candle, because candles exist in camelot and having one here shouldn’t mess up time right? Then moved onto a herbal tea that he knows if he traveled past the boarders he may be able to find similar ingredients.

Then he brings a new release of his favourite book series because he cant help it and realises small things like that dont change time.

And so thats what he’s been hiding away in his room, all of his modern day stuff. Ranging from trinkets hes collected over his life to his favourite scarf to his stuffed lion that he won at a fair in the 80s. He doesn’t go back often, only when his tea runs out or he really needs something, he tries to limit it he really does.

It takes gaius another 4 weeks to wrap his head around it all. Another 2 weeks after that to touch merlins stuffed lion thinking it may attack him at any moment.

He makes gaius promise to not tell a soul, offering him tea bags as payment. They have a nice system from then on, gaius would try a new flavour of tea everytime merlin returned, once in a while he would also bring a modern day snack (gaius yelled when he first tried salt and vinegar crisps).

A yell which led to leon finding out. And so a cycle began.

[keitorin3]

Short: Finding Merlin

Arthur: What do you mean you can't find Merlin?

Leon: I mean we can't find him, Sire. We've asked all the servants and before you ask, yes we've checked the Tavern.

Arthur: *Paces* Then search the forests I want him found understood!?

Leon: Yes Sire. *Walks out the door but hears the King mutter*

Arthur: *mutters* Idiot thinks he can escape this marriage... Ha just wait until I show him his wedding robes, he'll look like a noble and absolutely hate it. 👰🏻‍♂️

Leon: *suffers and leaves quickly*

Gwaine: So what did the princess do this time?

Leon: Apparently he gave Merlin his mother's sigil awhile back and Merlin only just found out, thanks to Gwen, what a noble offering a sigil means to their intended.

Gwaine: No way! The princess proposed marriage to Merlin without even telling him?!

Leon the long suffering: Indeed. Merlin is a commoner and while he has improved since he first arrived here, he still doesn't know all the intricacies of nobility.

Gwaine: So Merlin got mad and went off to who knows where?

Leon: It would seem.

Gwaine: How long do we have before his royalness starts going off to find Merlin himself?

Random Servant: *Shouts* The King is gone!

Gwaine: ... 😅

Leon: ... 😭

Merlin: *Returns dragging an unconscious and dirty Arthur on horseback*

Gwen: Oh, what happened? Did you get attacked? Are you both OK? Where have you been Merlin? Everyone has been looking for you.

Merlin: I'm ok Gwen, I went to talk about something important. Nothing bad happened, I left a note with Gaius on where I went.

Elyan: Ah, he got called on an emergency birth with one of the down town ladies, hasn't been back yet.

Merlin: *Huffs* And so that was reason for this idiot to go off and start a kingdom wide hunt for me? The Dollphead...

Gwen: *sigh* We did try to tell him he was being a bit paranoid. But he thought after your argument on the sigil he might have scared you off... *Looks to the unconscious King resting on the horse* What happened to him?

Merlin: Pfft, *smirks* the King fainted.

Elyan: He... Fainted...

Merlin: Yup. I found the idiot riding like a madman and when he finally calmed down enough to actually listen to me I told him I just went off to talk with Kilgharrah and Aithusa.

Gwen: Ok, that explains where you went, but then what happened to make Arthur faint?

Merlin: Aha, well... 😅

[BEFORE, IN THE FOREST]

Arthur: So what was it that you need to talk to dragons for? Did you get your answers? *Trying and failing not to stare at Merlin while walking beside him*

Merlin: Hmm I did *Reaches out to grasp Arthur's hand and paused their walking*

Arthur: Merlin?

Merlin: *Breathes deeply before taking something from his pocket and into Arthur's hand*

Arthur's heart dropped when he felt a round shape of a coin and it showed in his eyes what he believes this to be.

Merlin: *Noticed Arthur's sudden sad mood, rolled his eyes* Dollphead, opened your hand before jumping to conclusions! 🙄

Arthur: *Opens hand* Wait, is this...

Merlin: *Squirms and fidgets* I wanted to ask Kilgharrah about Dragon Lord Courting triditions. And well, he wasn't too informed in that but knew of Dragon Lords giving a Dragon scale as gifts and I asked Aithusa for one of hers, being her Dragon Lord after all... And well he said I could shape it, so I used my magic to carve it and well, being a dragon lord and you a Pendragon I thought why not Twin dragons?

In Arthurs hand was a white-silver sigil that shines faintly with Twin dragons circling each other and behind them he recognises the druids triskel symbol.

Arthur: *In Awe and too speechless for words*

Merlin: It also is embedded with my magic and acts like a... Connection between us. I'll be to find you as long as you have it and you'll be able to find me. My magic would guide you. Maybe then you won't have to go on a kingdom wide search for me. *Laughs*

Arthur: *Smiles* Heh, so a Merlin Finder? About time, do you know how hard it is to find idiot warlocks lately?

Merpin: *Smiles fondly* Prat.

Merlin: *Looks serious* That's not all either. Arthur, your a prat and a dollop head. I know I tell you you're always a bit thick in the head but I never knew how much until I realised the significance of your mother's sigil. You had to go about proposing to me in the most infuriating way without even telling me.

Merlin: But I know more then anyone how good of a man you are, how much you work to be fair to your people. And the thought of you having those kind of feelings for me was too good to be true. Because I would have said yes. Always I'd say yes. I feel like I was born to love you Arthur. Prophecys and destiny may play a part, but I would always chose you.

Arthur: *Dumbfounded*

Merlin: *Rolls his eyes* I'm proposing cabbagehead. I'll marry you. ❤️💍

Arthur: ... 😳🤯💞 *Faints and falls into a puddle*

Merlin: ...

[END OF FLASHBACK]

Merlin: *Blushes with a laugh* I accepted his proposal. He ended up going into shock after and fell over into a small puddle.

Gwen: Oh! 😃 Merlin I'm so happy for you!

Elyan: Yeah, cheers mate. *Mutters to himself* Thank god all the pining is over.

Arthur: *Wakes up* I had the most fantastic dream! Merlin gave me a sigil and accepted my proposal~!

Merlin: *Speaks from the fireplace* It wasn't a dream Arthur!

Arthur: ��� You love me! 💖

Merlin: 🙄❤️ *Walks up and kisses Arthur* Yes I do.

Arthur: 💘🥴💕 Merlin Loves me~! Merlin will marry me~

Merlin: *Fond and in love* 🥰

The (Merlin's) Knights: FINALLY!

Castle Servants: FINALLY!

All of Camelot: FINALLY!

Kilgharrah: The two halves have finally become one.

Aithusa: *Chirps*

[lovermyme]

Was thinking about merlin and listening to mitski today and

Post revel where arthur reacts very well at merlins magic, unbans magic and merlin cant actually process that

Yeah, thats about "its just that i fell in love with a war, nobody told me it ended", he suffered too much to allow it to be this easy. Can u imagine? What do u mean arthur and the knights are laughing amused by him magically lighting the fire? It is a big deal.

Merlins saw many many sorcerers be cremated alive to be normal. He heard the screams and smelled the burned skin, the toasted meat.

I havent watched the shows in years but like, i guess he have a "privileged view" of the pire from his room too....... He thinks if uther did that on purpose, by giving gaius (the only sorcerer uther allowed to stay, in his conditions of course) this place of all in the castle...... Like a warning...

The only "mentors" merlin had where a dragon, that had been imprisoned for morethan 20 years. And a old man, that had been walking on eggs for more than 20 years too. They were shit at giving advices, yeah but. Its understandable at some point.

He has blood in his hands. Non sorcerer and sorcerer. Friends and enemies. Civilians. He released kilgharra. Fuck, he lied at the morgouse trials, about arthurs mother! Why is arthur ok w that? He think he is a traitor, of both his kind........

Bonus point if good mordred. Like, mordred adapting very well at the shift laws, and excited about doing magic in frnt of arthur and arthur liking it???? Merlin cant understand. He debated about killing this child.

bONUS BONUS POINT If merlin is struggling at doing magic in front of arthur and the knights, and arthurs doesn't know he is emrys the most powerful sorcerer to walk on earth aND YET IS SO AMUSED. And like, *merlin shaking while firing the fire* arthur and evryone: THATS AMAZING MERLIN 👏👏👏👏 And mordred is so confused

I need a fic like this

Mordred becomes court sorcerer because arthur thinks merlin is not powerful and everything (in a worried way not in a disposed way). Merlin is not jealous, he doesn't care about titles, actually he do like his job, its just about the irony of the thing. Mordred is so so confused.

He does his job amazing, he uses magic and its okay at doing it. When no one is looking. If someone, thats not gaius, is looking, he hardly can do.

He cant do magic w arthurs watching.

Unless its a Arthur's life treating situation.

Its not that he is actually scared of arthur, its just that he simple cant. Theres even a tecnical term for this. Its like a emotional block, but w his magic. He cant control it. He has been under pressure for so long he cant just let go ya know.

Ok, its my post, i like mordred, im gonna put my thoughts here.

Au where mordred was the one who changes arthurs mind about magic. Like, arthur is watching mordred, the one he know has magic and is a druid and asks him if he stills do magic and mordred thinks and chooses honesty and says "to make a fire when noone is looking" or some non harmful thing. And Arthur is like "a sorcerer can be a Knight, im shifting the law". And he shift the law and Merlin is like, was is that easy? *Mental breakdown * meltdown *burnout*

The thing is: it wasn't just because of mordred, like, Arthur's kingdom has been kind w the sorcerers already, not having burned a lot and no one in mordred presence, because arthur is a kind king.

And th thing is how mordred and merlin lived different lifes while in camelot, ya know. Even through mordred has heard stories and lost friends and family to camelots fire, Merlin lived in it.

Merlin, he is extremely suspicious about mordred coming out as sorcerer to arthur (because he is suspicious of mordred), he thinks maybe its a trick, to bring evil sorcerers to kill arthur, something, he even debates w arthur if shifting thelaw is the right choice. He feels awful about his position, but he cant process that everything is alright, he is so suspicious about everything and so scared arthur might put himself in danger.

He tells arthur he has magic after he lift the ban. Arthur is so confused because of merlins position about the law, but he is fine w merlin. And merlin islike "im gonna to protect u i promise, im super powerful", of course he cant prove he is powerful because this whole post.

Im tired now im stoping, but im still thinking alot.

[larluce]

Arthur and Merlin travel back in time without knowing the other is from the future too AU (SERIES 2)

(Obviously this excludes "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan" that was already done HERE)

FIRST PART (SERIES 1) >> NEXT PART

In "The Once and Future Queen"

In Arthur's chambers.

Merlin: (enters, very enthusiastically, carrying Arthur's breakfast) Raise and shine! 😊

Arthur: (already awake, definitely not waiting for Merlin to arrive) You're late. You literally sleep next door. How can you still be late?

Merlin: Oh, don't act like you don't appreciate the extra hours of sleep. (puts the breakfast on the table) Your breakfast.

Arthur: (surprised) Wow, that's... a very generous breakfast.

Merlin: Only the best for the best.😊

Arthur: ... Right. (gets off the bed and sits to eat his breakfast) Have breakfast with me. You must be hungry.

Merlin: There's no need. I have mine here (takes a bread out of his pocket) That breakfast is all for you, my lord. I made sure to have your favourites, ham, cheese, even sausages-

Arthur: Did I do something?

Merlin: What? 😧

Arthur: You only ever being this good when you are mad at me.

Merlin: I'm not mad. If I was I would've woke you up very early in the morning.

Arthur: Then what is it?

Merlin: Nothing! Can't I just want to be a good servant once in a while?

Arthur: (looks at him suspiciosly) Eat with me then.

Merlin: That's very nice of you my lord, but I'm a servant. I wouldn't dare to eat at the same place of a royal.

Arthur: (panics)

Merlin: (laughs) I'm kidding! (sits infront of Arthur, takes a ham and puts it in his bread) See? I'm not mad. (takes a bite)

Arthur: (sighs in relief) Alright. (starts eating)

Merlin: (serves himself a vase of water) Oh, you know the jousting tournament is coming, right?

Arthur: I'm aware Merlin. I'm participating in it.

Merlin: Yeah, Gwen and Lancelot always go to watch you... uhmm... joust and stuff. (drinks all his water in one go and serves himself more) Lancelot especially enjoys watching you.

Arthur: Uhum. (keeps eating)

Merlin: And Gwen was wondering, just out of curiosity, of course, if you had the means to maybe... let him participate in this one?

Arthur: (puts down his food abruptly) I knew it!

Merlin: Arthur, please! 🥺 It would mean a lot to Lancelot to be able to join this tournament.

Arthur: Don't give me those eyes! 😠 You know I would let him join if I could. But I can't change the Knight's code and Lancelot is not a noble so he can't participate.

Merlin: (tentatively) But what if we could, hypothetically speaking, pass him as a nobel?

Arthur: That's identity fraud! (Thinking) What am I even surprised? He did this for me before and I bet he was the one who made Lancelot's fake seal in my timeline too.

Merlin: It would be just for this tournament, no one will find out. Please 🥺.

Arthur: No, Merlin. I'm already giving him a knight training behind my father's back. And You know we are walking on very thin ice with him. So I won't risk it.

Merlin: (thinking) Oh, but when it was about defending your pride You had no problem with it 😑... Wait, that's it! (Says) I understand. It's a shame. I was looking forward to watch Lancelot beat you.

Arthur: (offended) You think Lancelot could beat me?

Merlin: I mean, he's been doing great progress.

Arthur: That doesn't mean he can beat me. I'm still his teacher.

Merlin: You heard that old saying "Student becomes the master"?

Arthur: Lancelot wouldn't stand a chance against me!

Merlin: Well, I guess now we'll never know. (drinks his water in one go again and stands up) Enjoy the rest of your breakfast, I have chores to do. (starts leaving)

Arthur: What do mean? You still have to dress me. Merlin!

Merlin: (already gone)

Arthur: (sighs and looks Merlin's bread on the table) That idiot, he didn't even finish his breakfast. (keeps eating, then mumbles, annoyed) Lancelot beating me. As if!

Time skip. Merlin going to the laundry with Gwen.

Merlin: I can't believe you talked me into this.

Gwen: So he said yes?

Merlin: Not yet, but he's about to. In three... two... one.

Arthur: (calling from afar) MERLIN!

Merlin: (smiling) Start preparing Lancelot's armor. (leaves)

Time skip. Arthur, Merlin, Gwen and Lancelot in Gwen's house.

Lancelot: You are doing WHAT?! 😨

Arthur: (confused) Pass you as a nobel for the tournament. Didn't you ask Merlin to convince me of letting you join?

Lancelot: NO! I would never abuse of Merlin's influence like that, my lord.

Arthur: Influence?

Gwen: It was me who asked, love. (stroke Lancelot's arm) You always have this yearning in your eyes every time we go to a tournament. I wanted you to experience it at least once.

Lancelot: (holds her hands lovinly) Guinevere, you know I love you and that you managed to organize all this just to make me happy makes me love you even more, but I can't let you do this. You could get in serious trouble. (points at Merlin and Arthur) All of you could get in serious trouble. Everyone knows me here. There's no way I could pass as a nobel.

Merlin: You have nothing to worry about. Everything is perfectly planned. Arthur payed a farmer to pose as Sir William of Deira when you are not jousting. And since he is from one of the outlying villages, no one will recognise him.

Arthur: Gwen has the armor and weapons, I the resources. The only thing you'll have to worry about is to not take your helmet off.

Lancelot: I'm surprised you agreed to this, Sire.

Arthur: Well, if I didn't I was risking Merlin and Gwen passing you as a nobel either way. Besides, I figured if I really wanted you to be my knight one day, you'll need to have all the experience you could get.

Gwen: And he wanted to prove Merlin he could beat you.

Lancelot: Oh, that makes more sense. (sighs, but then smiles) Alright, I'm in. (holds Gwen's hands again) Will you cheer for me?

Gwen: You don't even have to ask (kisses his cheek)

Arthur: (turns to Merlin) Will you cheer for me?

Merlin: (snorts) Are you kidding? I can't wait for Lancelot to beat your ass. (suddenly makes a gesture of pain)

Arthur: (worried) Are you okay?

Merlin: (with labored breathing) I'm fine. I just... forgot the carpenter works nearby.

Gwen: I'll get you some water! (leaves quickly)

Arthur: (guides Merlin to a chair) Lancelot, stay with Merlin. I'll talk to the carpenter.

Merlin: (grabs Arthur's wrist) No... Arthur... Let him be. He's just... doing his job. I'm... the one who... has to get... used to this. (takes deeps breaths) Just... hold me... please.

Arthur: (bends and holds Merlin) That's it. In and out, in and out.

Merlin: (his breathing evens and calms)

Lancelot: (in relief) You're getting better at it.

Gwen: (comes back with a vase of water) Here. Take this.

Merlin: (drinks it all in one go)

Gwen: Not so fast! You could choke!

Arthur: Don't worry he always drinks... water like this. (realises, thinking with growing concern) Now that I think about it, he's been drinking a lot of water lately... and eating less.

Merlin: (smiles at Arthur) I'm better now. You can let go.

Arthur: (Doesn't let go, frowning, still lost in thought)

Merlin: Arthur?

Arthur: (snaps out of it, looks at Merlin and gives him a soft smile though it's a bit wavery) Can you stand up? (Helps Merlin stand up still holding him)

Merlin: (giggles) Seriously, I'm fine.

Arthur: (finally lets go) Good. Because we have a lot of work to do.

Time skip. At night in Merlin's chambers. Merlin wakes up, there's no noise, but he has the feeling an intruder has entered, he just knows he's not alone. He gets up slowly and walks around the room alert, ready to use his magic.

Merlin: (whispers) I know you are there. I'm not scared of you.

Myror: (comes out of a shadow, dagger in hand) So the prince's little boy toy has guts. Or should I say "Unicorn Catcher"? You've built quite a reputation.

Merlin: Such as you, "The most feared assasin in all the known lands". Uther doubled the security, which means you had help to enter. Though why are you here in my room completely baffles me.

Myror: (presses Merlin against a wall abruptly and puts the dagger at his throat) Don't play dumb with me, boy! I know from a good source that your chambers conects to the prince's.

Merlin: Oh, so you do have an informant, great.

Myror: (perplexed at Merlin's calmness and then smirks a little) I must say I'm impressed. People usually start screaming by now.

Merlin: So Arthur comes to my aid and you can kill him? (whispers even more quitely) Not a chance.

Myror: (presses the dagger more against Merlin's throat and it starts bleeding) I can make you scream in other ways (threatenly) Where. Is. The. Door?

Merlin: (who definitely hided and blocked the door with his magic) I. Won't. Tell. You.

Myror: I don't need you to scream (Shouts) PRINCE AR-

Merlin: Atæse!

Myror's dagger flies and cuts his throat, effectively killing him.

Merlin: (just looks down Myror's body until it stays still) I can't believe even the assassins know that stupid nickname. (puts his fingers on the wound on his throat and sighs) This is going to leave a scar.

Time skip. In the throne room. Uther sitting on the throne with Morgana at his side and Arthur with Merlin at his side standing infront of them.

Arthur: (very surprised) He's... dead?

Morgana: (smiles, relieved) It was a very close call. I'm glad nothing happened to you.

Uther: At first we thought he died because he fell while trying to climb the tower to your chambers, but the cut in his throat indicates the cause of death was another.

Arthur: So he was killed.

Morgana: What a fitting fate for an assassin.

Merlin: (about to laugh, but keeps it together)

Uther: Still. Odin must be made to pay for his actions. We must strike back at him.

Arthur: Surely you understand the grief he feels for the loss of his son. We should try to make peace with him. There's been enough bloodshed. (thinking) And is not the bloodshed I'm looking forward to.

Uther: Perhaps you're right. (sighs) If you don't mind, I'd like speak with you. (looks at Morgana and the Merlin) Alone.

Merlin: (hangs his head) Of course, Sire (bows and leaves)

Morgana: (stands up and bows) My lord (leaves)

Uther: Why didn't you inform me? Or call the guards?

Arthur: (confused) What?

Uther: You are not invencible, Arthur. No matter how skilled you think you are, that was a trained assassin. You could have died!

Arthur: ... You think I killed Myror?

Uther: He was found at the foot of your tower! And which are the only windows he could have been thrown from?

Arthur: Mine and... (realises, thinking) Merlin's! (says) You're right, it was very careless of me. It wasn't my chambers he entered though.

Uther: (realises) Oh... It makes sense. Your chambers were too secured to enter directly.

Arthur: And Merlin's weren't. You know why? Because you refused to give him any guards!

Uther: We talked about this. I won't waste my guards on a servant.

Arthur: He is not any servant, he is The Prince's manservant. It's obvious Myror tried to get to me through Merlin. And he won't be the last who tries.

Uther: And whose fault is that? It's not me who made his affections towards his servant very open!

Arthur: ...

Uther: (sighs) You are dismissed.

Time skip. The tournament. In Lancelot's tent.

Gwen: (gives Lancelot her favor, blushing) I thought you might... wear it for luck.

Lancelot: (smiles and takes it, blushing a little too) My lady-

Gwen: Still not a lady.

Lancelot: My Gwen. I'll wear it with honor. (kisses her)

Gwen: (kisses back)

Sir William/Farmer: (just entered) Uhm...

Merlin: (just entered too, coughs loudly)

Gwen and Lancelot: (pull away from each other, very embarrased)

Sir William/Farmer: They're nearly ready for you.

Lancelot: I'm almost ready (turns to Gwen) Would you...? (gestures the favor and his arm)

Gwen: Oh, right. (ties the favor in his arm with a smile)

Merlin: (mockingly) This was your plan all along wasn't it, Gwen? To fulfill your fantasy of having a knight in shining armor fighting for you.

Gwen: Shouldn't you be attending YOUR knight in shining armor, Merlin?

Merlin: You mean a prat in shining armor that I cleaned. I already put his armor on, I just came to wish Lancelot luck too. (to Lancelot) Not in the same way, of course.

Lancelot: Thank you, Merlin.

Gwen: I'm surprised you still have your neckerchief on.

Merlin: (blushes) He didn't manage to steal it this time.

Gwen: Why not give it to him for a change?

Merlin: ...what?

Lancelot: Remember what I told you in the woods? About making a move?

Gwen: And it's perfect! If he reacts badly you can disguise it as a joke... but if he doesn't 😏.

Merlin: (even more red) You are all crazy. (leaves)

Gwen: (sighs) Waiting for them to get together, it's almost as frustrating as waiting for you to ask my hand in marriage.

Lancelot: What?! 😳

Gwen: Nothing! 😄 (leaves)

In Arthur's tent.

Merlin: (enters) Nervous?

Arthur: Not at all.

Merlin: Really? Because you have a real opponent this time.

Arthur: If you are so sure Lancelot will win, why not make a bet?

Merlin: A bet?

Arthur: If I win, which I surely will, you'll have to do whatever I ask for a week?

Merlin: Don't I already on a daily basis? 😒

Arthur: Above the line of duty. But, if Lancelot wins you can ask anything of me for a week. Anything and I'll do it.

Merlin: (smiles mischievously) Alright. I hope you don't mind doing my chores for a week.

Arthur: (smiles back) We'll see about that.

People cheer outside.

Merlin: They are... waiting for you, my lord. (thinking about Gwen and Lancelot's words) This is stupid. This is SO stupid!

Arthur: (ready to steal Merlin's neckerchief, smirking) Well, I'm gonna need all the luck I can ge-

Merlin: (extends a hand with other neckerchief awkwardly, blushing) This... this one is better.

Arthur: ...

Merlin: (ties it quickly around Arthur's arm, avoiding his eyes at all time) There.

Arthur: ... Merlin-

Servant x: (enters) Sire, the crowd is expecting you.

Arthur: Yeah, in a minute, I was- (turns to Merlin)

Merlin: (Already gone)

Arthur: (sighs, but then smiles full of hope) I'm coming.

After a very close competition, Arthur wins the tournament. Though people will talk about "Sir William" participation and how he seemed this close to win The Prince of Camelot. Both Merlin and Gwen cheered for their knights (though Merlin will never admit it). However, Arthur didn't give Merlin back his neckerchief, which the warlock doesn't know if he should take as a good or bad sign. Maybe Arthur didn't even catch whatever he was trying to intend and Merlin thinks it's better like that.

In Arthur's tent. After the tournament.

Merlin: (finishes to put Arthur out of his armor)

Arthur: So?

Merlin: So?

Arthur: (flirtatiously) I want my reward. 😏

Merlin: ¡Oh, right! What is it going to be? Dress fools clothes for a week? Or are you going to make me wear a dress? Please, don't make me wear a dress.

Arthur: Tempting, but no. (gets closer to Merlin) I have something else in mind.

Merlin: What is it then?

Arthur: (just looks at him, still smiling)

Merlin: (giggles) What? Come on. Don't act all mysterious now-

Arthur: (kisses him)

Merlin: (Merlin exe has stopped working) ...

Arthur: (pulls away at the lack of response) Merlin?

Merlin: (blinks) Thank you (leaves running)

Arthur: (chuckles softly) Uhm... You are welcome?

In Lancelot's tent.

Gwen: You did great, even if you lost.

Lancelot: (holding her hand) With you I already feel like a winner.

Gwen: 😍

Lancelot: (hesitantly) Gwen, about... asking your ha-

Merlin: (enters, talking fast) Hi, Lancelot, can I borrow Gwen for a moment? Thank you! (grabs Gwen's wrist and pulls her)

Gwen: Wha-wait! Merlin! (And they both leave)

Lancelot: ...

Somewhere apart from everyone else.

Gwen: What is it?

Merlin: (still quite in shock) Arthur... kissed me.

Gwen: (To the Sky) FINALLY! Thanks to all the Gods! (Hugs him) I'm so happy for you!

Merlin: ...

Gwen: (pulls away, confused) You should be celebrating. Why aren't you celebrating?

Merlin: Is he echanted?

Gwen: What?

Merlin: This seems too far for a joke. He must be echanted. But... why would someone echant him to kiss me?

Gwen: You have to be kidding me! (Holds Merlin by the shoulders) Merlin, it's obvious Arthur has feelings for you! Had them for a very long time! I know it, Lancelot knows it, Leon, Gaius, all the knights and servants. Even the King knows it! (lifts her hands in the air) Everyone knows it!

Merlin: But... that's impossible.

Gwen: He just kissed you!

Merlin: I know!

Gwen: Then what makes you doubt? Was it something he said after he kissed you?

Merlin: Uh...

Gwen: He did say something, right?

Merlin: Well, he asked "Merlin?"

Gwen: And then?

Merlin: I said "thank you".

Gwen: (almost yells) You said "thank You"!? 😱

Merlin: And I ran away.

Gwen: (definitely yells now) YOU RAN AWAY?!! 😡

Merlin: Stop yelling!

Gwen: (takes deeps breaths to compose herself) Sorry, but... why?

Merlin: I don't know! He kissed me out of nowhere and my heart went thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, and my mind (makes sound and gesture of explosion). I wasn't able to react at all and "thank you" was the only thing that came to my mind and then everything was too much so my first instinct was running! So I ran. And now I'm telling you so you can tell me what to do.

Gwen: Oh, you want me to tell you what to do?

Merlin: Yes!

Gwen: TALK TO HIM!

Time skip. In Arthur's chambers.

Merlin: (enters, nervous) Hi...

Arthur: (turns and smiles) There you are, gone boy. Brought my lunch already?

Merlin: You... kissed me.

Arthur: I did.

Merlin: ...Why?

Arthur: (frowns) I thought it was obvious.

Merlin: ...

Arthur: Merlin, I've been courting you for months.

Merlin: What?! When?! 😨

Arthur: When not? I gifted you a flower, new clothes, a horse. I even gave you my mother's sigil.

Merlin: But... that's impossible. You-you like girls.

Arthur: (laughs softly) Have you seen me with any girl?

Merlin: N-no. But even if you-you liked boys that way, you can't have feelings for me. That doesn't make sense. Nothing is making sense! NO! There is no way you-Or maybe it is joke, but this is too cruel. You wouldn't-Or am I dreaming? That must be it, I'm dreaming-

Arthur: (holds Merlin gently by the shoulders) Merlin. (craddles his face with a hand) Look at me.

Merlin: (looks at Arthur with watery eyes)

Arthur: You are not dreaming. This is real. My feelings for you (puts Merlin's hand on his chest) Are real. I can't tell you exactly how it started, it's... complicated. (holds his hands lovinly) But when I realised, you were the only thing that kept me going, my purpose, my reason for existing. I think it was always there, but I was so blind! (gives a watery laugh and his eyes water) I wasted so much time... But I won't waste it anymore.

Merlin: I... don't understand-

Arthur: I love you, Merlin. Gods knows why, you are such a pain in the ass sometimes, but I do. You drive me crazy and infuriate me more than anybody else has ever done, but you also make my day better with your rambling, when you laugh or just smile. I love your clumsiness, your bravery, your disrespectful, but loyal self. You are the chaos in person, so full of contradictions, but you are also the calm to my storm, the light to my dark, the half that makes me whole. There's really no words to decribe how much I love you, I could say I love you with all my heart, but it wouldn't be enough. I could say I love you with all my being, but that's still not accuarate. Just know that I rather die than live in a world where you aren't, that there is no line I wouldn't cross for you, that I love you madly, beyond all reason, beyond all the words that could exist. I love you more than I ever have loved and will love anyone. I love you, I love you, I love you.

Merlin: (merlin exe has stopped working again)

Arthur: Merlin?

Merlin: ...

Arthur: Please, say something.

Merlin: ...Thank you. (lets go of his hands and leaves)

Arthur: (stunned in place, between confused and hurt)... What?

Time skip. In Gwen's house.

Gwen: (yelling) YOU SAID THANK YOU AGAIN?! 😡

Merlin: I panicked!

Gwen: (makes a move to go to Merlin, screaming in rage)

Lancelot: (holds her by the waist)

Gwen: Let go of me! I'm gonna kill him! 😤(struggles)

Tom: (enters) Gwen, you have... (trails off at seeing the scene before him)

Morgana: (enters too) Uhm... What is going on?

Gwen: Arthur confessed his love to Merlin and HE (points at Merlin) just said "thank you" and left!

Morgana: (gets furious too) YOU LITTLE SHIT! 😡 (makes a gesture to go to Merlin too)

Tom: (holds Morgana by the waist) Wooow! What's with all the violence?

Morgana: He's been preparing how to confess to you for MONTHS! YOU ASSHOLE! 😤

Lancelot: Please, my ladys, I'm as upset as you are, but beating Merlin up is not going to solve anything. Calm down, please.

Morgana: (still struggling against Tom) Why would you say such a hurtful thing?! Were you playing with his feelings all this time?!

Merlin: No! I didn't want to hurt him, I didn't even know about his feelings until today!

Morgana: Don't you love him?

Merlin: I do!

Morgana: Then WHY in all hell's did you say "thank you" instead of "I love you too"?!

Merlin: BECAUSE I BURIED THOSE WORDS IN MY HEART FOR YEARS!

Morgana: (Stops struggling and Tom lets go of her)

Gwen: (stops struggling and Lancelot lets go of her)

Merlin: (his eyes watering) I prepared myself to never say it, because he was never supposed to love me back. Because he was going to meet a nice girl someday and fall in love with her and be happy. He was supposed to grow old with her while I just standed by and watched, always by his side. And one day in the far future, when he's on his deathbed or I in mine, I would finally tell him and we both would laugh about how silly my crush was and Arthur would joke saying that he's flattered but I'm not his type. And that would be our last memory together!

Morgana, Gwen and Lancelot: ...

Tom: Wow.. You really visualized all that? (goes to Merlin and pats his shoulder) You have a great imagination kid.

Merlin: (thinking) Is not imagination, in a way I already lived it.

Tom: Well, I have to get back to work. You can stay here all you want if you promise to be civilized, Okay?

Morgana: Of course, Tom. My apologies for my previous behaviour.

Gwen: My too, dad.

Tom: (smiles) It's forgiven. (whispers to Lancelot) Call me if you need me. (leaves)

Lancelot: Merlin, were the words "Thank you" chose randomly to replace the words "I love you" or... you actually felt thankful?

Merlin: (tears rollling down his eyes) It's a miracle he even spears a glance at me. Of course I'm thankful. Why he even loves me, I don't understand.

Gwen: I didn't know you had yourself in such low self esteem. Merlin, you are wonderful person. There's nothing not to love about you.

Merlin: Well, I doubt Arthur still loves me after this.

Morgana: You messed up. Doesn't mean you can't make it right. Go talk to him. Explain to him what you just told us.

Merlin: I can't! Not with the mouth I have, I'll probably end up just saying "thank you" again.

Gwen: What if... you don't actually say it?

Time skip. In Leon's chambers.

Arthur: (lying on Leon's bed, sad) And then he just said "Thank you". What does that even mean?

Leon: (in a chair nearby) Well, if it had been any other person. I would say you were rejected, Sire, but it's Merlin. You can't really tell with him.

Arthur: (sighs) I thought I got the signals right. He gave me his neckerchief willingly today, I thought that was a move! Giving your favor to a knight in a tournament is always a romantic move, isn't it Leon?

Leon: Of course, Sire.

Arthur: Or maybe he just got tired of me stealing his neckerchief constantly and I got it all wrong. (sinks his face in his hands)

Leon: I don't believe so, Sire.

Arthur: Then why did he say "thank you"?! (covers himself with the the covers) He loved me before! Why doesn't he love me here too?!

Leon: Wait, Merlin said he loved you before?

Arthur: No, after. But that after doesn't exist anymore.

Leon: ... Are you drunk, Sire?

Someone knocks the door.

Leon: Who is it?

Merlin: Leon, have you seen Arthur? I need to talk to him.

Leon: (looking at Arthur) Uhm...

Arthur: (composes himself as quickly as he can and gets off the bed) I'm here.

Leon: (opens the door)

Merlin: (enters hesitantly) Hey... I was looking for you.

Arthur: It seemed more that you were running from me.

Merlin: Yeah... Sorry about that.

Uncomfortable silence.

Arthur: Leon, can you leave us alone, please?

Leon: Of course, Sire. (bows and leaves, thinking) Kicked out of my own room. The things I do for these two.

Arthur: I want an answer. I real answer. If you are going to reject me, do it properly, cause if you say "thank you" again, I swear to the gods, merlin, I-

Merlin: (extends a hand with a letter)

Arthur: What is that?

Merlin: My answer. (blushes furiously) I... can't trust my tongue to not mess it up again, so... I wrote it down.

Arthur: (takes the letter in silence)

Merlin: I'll leave you to read it-

Arthur: No, Merlin you are going to stay right there until I finish reading.

Merlin: But-

Arthur: I think it's the least I deserve.

Merlin: (nods, still feeling bad) You're right. Go ahead.

Arthur: (opens the letter and reads)

"Arthur, I'm so sorry for how I reacted and that I hurt you with my words, but you kissing me so suddenly and professing your love for me so deeply, you down-struck-disarm me. I never thought someone like you would ever love someone like me. And I'm not saying this because you are the prince and I a servant. You know I don't care about titles. I'm saying this because you are the bravest, most righteous, and courageous man I have ever known. How could such a man love me? You said you can't tell when you fell in love with me. But me? I don't think there was a moment that a didn't love you. I am so hopelessly in love with you, every part of you, even when you act like a prat or a dollopehead and make me want to punch you in the face. But I resigned myself that I would never have you for so long that you corresponding my feelings, I couldn't believe it was real. I still don't believe it's real. You are promising me the sun, Arthur. How can I believe the sun is now mine? This love confession is not nearly as beautiful as yours, but I want you to know for certain that-”

Merlin: I love you (his eyes watering, but smiling).

Arthur: (looking at Merlin, wonderstruck and grinning more widely than Merlin has ever seen him) Say it again. (gets closer to Merlin)

Merlin: I said it? 😧... Oh, gods I said! 😨 I actually said it. Okay. Good.

Arthur: (gets closer) Merlin-

Merlin: Did you finish reading it? My thoughs are more organized there, I swear!

Arthur: (and closer) Merlin-

Merlin: Please, I don't want to mess it up again-

Arthur: Merlin! (holds his face in his hands, their chest so close they can touch, his grin bright as the stars) Say it again.

Merlin: (his eyes find Arthur's and he smiles) I love you. So, so much it hurts.

Arthur: Thank you.

Merlin and Arthur: (laugh)

Arthur: (kisses him)

Merlin: (kisses back)

Any rational thought, feel of insecurity or nervousness is gone at the feeling of Arthur's mouth moving on his. First tender and sweet, but then the kiss deepens and Arthur's tongue is probing against his lips. Then Merlin's arms are around Arthur's neck and his fingers in his hair, while Arthur holds him closer by the waist. This is better than he ever dare to imagine. It's overwhelming. All too much, all too good to be real. He could feel the so called butterflies in his stomach-

But suddenly, in the instant he opens his eyes, he notices there are butterflies, ACTUAL butterflies, flying around the room.

Merlin: (pulls away from Arthur abruptly, thinking in panic) Shit, shit, shit, shit!

Arthur: (confused) What's the- (notices the butterflies) Wow... Where did they-

Merlin: (shouts) THE WINDOW! (composes himself, blushing) I mean, they probably came... from the window.

Arthur: (realises it was Merlin, but decides to play along) Yeah, probably. How odd. Do butterflies normaly shine like that?

Merlin: (even more red) No, it's a... very weird species.

Arthur: (smirks) Well, where were we? (about to kiss Merlin again)

Merlin: (stops him, putting a hand on his chest) Uhm... Can we... go slow? (thinking) I can't have more butterflies appearing out of nowhere!

Arthur: (remembers why Merlin is called "The Unicorn Catcher" and facepalms himself mentally) Right, of course. Forgive me, I shouldn't have lost control like that. But I wanted this for so long-Not that I only thought about doing this especifically. I want everything with you! Wait, that sounded bad. What I meant to say is that I don't only wish to do, uhm, physical things with you. I want to court you properly, I've already been doing it. I do respect you-

Merlin: (chuckles)

Arthur: What's so funny?

Merlin: Nothing, it's good to know I'm not the only one who is a mess. (gives a long sigh) Gods, I still can't believe any of this is real!

Arthur: (smiles and holds his hands tenderly) Believe it. I'll tell you all the times I have to until you do. I love you, Merlin.

Merlin: (smiles) And I love you.

Arthur and Merlin: (loss each other again in each other's eyes and lean to kiss)

Suddenly the door opens and Morgana, Gwen, Leon and Lancelot fall to the floor like if they had been leaning on the door and lost support.

Arthur and Merlin: ...

Leon, Lancelot, Gwen and Morgana: (stand up quickly)

Arthur: Uhm...What are you doing here? 🤨

Leon: I was about to get something from my room.

Lancelot: I was looking for Leon.

Gwen: I was accompanying him.

Morgana: I was... passing by.

An uncomfortable silence.

Leon: (looks around the room) Why are there butterflies in my room?

Arthur and Merlin: (shout) THE WINDOW!

...

Tagging @aceauthorcatqueen , @fallenxjas , @smileytrinity ,@lucifertookmyshoe , @an-entity-i-think , @thecornerofbelu , @griffonskies , @odinjm , @cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu , @thelady-mary , @bennedict , @nightninjaboy , @st8-of-grace , @starrieisdelusional , @error-username-not-available , @dogberryrowan , @jamieweasley13 , @tansyuduri , @tercais , @robynnemrys , @evadne01 , @serasvictoria02 , @hairdryerducks , @curiously-lazy , @harriettesthings , @andrealux16 , @wacko-weirdo , @greatdonutenemy , @yougottobekittenme , @anxiousosaurus , @kinkforwings , @someweirdassnamee , @impracticalantlers , @miyriu , @hobipabo , @whitemaskcd , @bogslob , @tkmaras , @rubinaitoart