#Merthur fanfic

[firestarter91]

But their voices too? Oh wow I must admit I wasn't expecting that, I love the animation.

It's always a hope when I read stories like this one that eventually they find a way, because in the end they love each other and Merlin's loyalty is such that he's never going to walk away from Arthur, and in turn Arthur relies on Merlin for so much - they both need each other. 😊

They had talked before of their ideal future, fantasizing about leaving everything behind, running away together to start a new, simpler life. A small farm, their own place, just the two of them. Arthur knew, of course, that it was all just wishful thinking, the kind of place the mind wanders to amidst the fresh air, the sounds of birdsong, long days on horseback, and the scent of a late-night campfire. Each stolen glance and shared smile held the promise of a future that might never come to pass, a future they dared not voice for fear of breaking the delicate balance of their lives. And so, with a weary heart, Arthur knew their dreams had to remain just that—beautiful, wistful dreams that lived in the quiet corners of their hearts.

(I'm not good at writing at all but I tried to add a bit of context for this animation. If any of you talented writers is inspired in any way to write something based around this animation I would be so thrilled though!)

[the-medieval-husbands]

It just keeps happening.....

Merlin doesn't know if he wants to stop it, or if he should? And the worst part is Arthur doesn't even notice he's kissed him.

First time:

After dinner, Merlin cleared the plates, then returned to ready the royal clotpole for bed. After making sure he was dressed in his sleep shirt, Arthur simply leaned down and gave him the lightest kiss, turned and started getting into bed, saying goodnight. He could see the moment it clicked in Arthurs head, yet he just kept going. Merlin excused himself and the next morning nobody mentioned it.

Second time:

Before his tournament match against sir chamberlain, Merlin was putting on his armor.

"Please Arthur. You need to listen. Be quick. Don't underestimate him. I watched him train." Merlin pleaded.

Arthur leaned in and cut off any further words with a kiss. "I'll be fine love. Now hand me my sword."

In a daze Merlin retrieves the sword and hands it off, turning back to Around seeing on his face that he again knows what he's done. They need to talk about this but not now. Not before he goes out there. So Arthur nods once, and walks out of the tent.

3rd time :

Duke Bohun would not leave him alone. Everywhere Merlin looked, there he was. Honestly it wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't so handsy. The amount of times thay Merlin has had to subtly remove himself from groping range is getting out of hand. He's just glad Arthur hadn't seen...... Or we'll, was glad.

The Duke was seated next to Arthur at the farewell banquet, which meant that while Merlin was ensuring that Arthurs cup was always full, Lord Bohun would have plenty of grab time.

Maybe if he approached from the other side?

As the night wore on, and the wine seated in their stomachs and minds, it also loosened their lips.

"That is a lovely man servant you have there. I don't suppose you'd lend him to me for a night? I promise I'd return him just as I received him." Duke Bohun slurred while leering in his direction.

"Lord Bohun, I don't know how things are done elsewhere. But here in Camelot our servants are people, not objects. We do not give them away, nor lend them for a night." Arthur could feel himself getting more and more angry with every word.

Before the situation could escalate further Merlin out a gentle hand on Arthur shoulder.

Taking that as a sign, Arthur took a deep breath. " If you'll excuse me, I think it's best that I retire for the night." he turns to his man servant "Merlin"

"Coming sire"

No sooner are they in the hall does Arthur have Merlin against a wall and locked in one of the most passionate moments he's ever experienced. Arthur is holding Merlin like he might lose him.

Slowly they part. Merlin strokes the back of Arthurs head gently. As soon as their breathing returns to normal, Arthurs entire body tenses in realization.

Merlin, instead of getting mad gently lifts his head to look at him. They stare intently. He can see how scared Arthur is.

Merlin leans forward, and for the first time, he kisses him.

"It's okay." he gently tugs on the hair on the back of his head. Not hard. Just enough to show that he's in the moment with him.

Arthur smiles.

[nononsensesblog]

“Rolling his eyes, Arthur griped, “Yes, obviously. Do you think this Alator is genuine about his request?”

Merlin stole a glance at Arthur’s torso, and then his eyes darted back and forth as he stared across the table at Aymer, who now held the letter. With a shiver, Arthur realized that he was reading it. From clear across the table, on a page facing away from him. Aymer seemed to reach a similar conclusion, as he leaned sideways and sort of held the letter up by a corner while trying not to move otherwise. Merlin blinked a few times, rapid flicks of his eyes as if he’d gotten dust in them, and then twitched as he angled away from Aymer again. “I really couldn’t say, my lord.”

Arthur stared past Merlin’s ear in an effort to pretend that he was considering that, and also that he was not at all disturbed at all by the open display of strange magic. It was one thing when he knew it was coming, but no matter how often he told Merlin to be free about using it, every such use gave him pause.”

The Dust of Hope - chapter 2.

This is one of my favorites usages of Merlin’s magic, so simple and yet so powerful. Bonus point for freaking Arthur out with it.

[tansyuduri]

Art bu @kairennart for Chapter 4 of "Let our souls resist on together"

A voice interrupted his thoughts. “Don’t try using magic. I’ll kill you before you have the chance.” It was Arthur's voice, but not Arthur’s voice. Too cold. Full of anger but with none of the life Arthur's voice had even when he was furious. Merlin felt the tip of a sword press against his back. No!

“Arthur, what are you doing…” He began carefully. Oh no. 

“Saving Albion from you !” Was the reply. 

Arthur was right in that Merlin would not be able to get a spell out before the sword stabbed him. But Merlin didn’t need a spell, and he had promised to defend himself. 

Eyes flashing gold, Merlin jerked his head to the side. He felt the tip of the sword press painfully into his back, cutting lightly before he heard Arthur go flying. Merlin whirled around, eyes flashing again to stop the other man from slamming into the wall, cushioning his impact with magic as Arthur fell.

For one horrible moment with Arthur on the ground, Merlin wondered if the small cut on his back had been enough harming him for the Keeper magic to destroy Arthur. But then Arthur pulled himself to his feet, sword in hand, and Merlin let out a breath of relief. 

Then panic swamped his mind again. Just how much harming of him, or intent to harm him, did the Keeper connection allow to happen before it destroyed Arthur?

Arthur twirled, his sword in hand, eyes glowing red, as he started forward toward Merlin again.

“Come back to me, dollop head!” Merlin called out to him. But insults did not seem to work this time. 

 Arthur advanced on him as Merlin took a few stumbling steps back. “You need to stop this. I love you, you love me,” he tried.

Arthur did not reply. Instead, he closed the distance between them with a few steps and swung Excalibur at Merlin’s head without so much as a shift in expression. Merlin ducked under the swing and stumbled back towards the bed. 

“I blocked the door,” Arthur told him in that horrible, hate-filled voice. “There is no escape, Merlin.

Merlin's heart pounded mercilessly. He reminded Arthur of his words before, “You cannot be the reason I die! Remember !?” 

Arthur paused for a moment, eyes confused, then shook his head and rushed forward again. Merlin barely managed to avoid the swing by throwing Arthur back again and cushioning his landing. He had to think of something more permanent, but he could not harm Arthur… Restrain him, perhaps… or knock him out.

He reached a hand forward and opened his mouth before hesitating. Using Magic against Arthur went against everything he was. 

The blade came for him again, cutting his arm as he ducked under it. Merlin tripped and fell on his back. 

“Arthur! Arthur, stop! You love me, I love you. We’re engaged! Stop!” he cried. 

Read it Here!

[planesky]

You do realize the show was up for one month and the first fic was already made, in 2008.

[onceandfuturelesbian]

(this is a screenshot from instagram)

I NEED THIS AS A MERTHUR FIC !!!!!!

[ireallyneedaintrestinglife]

Merlins magic doing what it can to make Arthur's life easier and provide comfort in any way it can.

Merlins magic making Arthur's bed softer and warmer in the winter.

Merlins magic making the candles burn brighter and last longer when his king needs to pass laws and work on documents.

Merlins magic making Arthurs clothes retain their color longer and tear less easily.

Merlins magic making his armor be stronger and more durable, unconsciously weaving protection spells into the metal.

Merlins magic making sure the sun doesn't get in his kings eyes and distract him when he's fighting enemies that wish to end his life.

Merlins magic making his Kings wine taste better and food last longer keeping it warm while he does other things.

Merlins magic making it harder for his king to be killed, turning the path to his kings chambers into a maze-like structure that makes it impossible for the assassin to get to his chamber or delay them long enough for someone to stop them.

Merlins magic.

[in-the-tavern]

should've said: the production team thought it was too severe and "too much canon fodder for an endless stream of explicit homoerotic merthur fanfiction that would've kept the girlies hydrated for decades" for a playful first fight

[papysanzonew]

“I don’t understand why everyone thinks we’re together” “Me neither" Merlin says as he cuddles up to Arthur while they’re in bed watching a movie, because the sofa is too uncomfortable and if Arthur falls asleep it would be better to fall asleep in bed, right?

@sauraunderscore wrote a beautiful story out of it ❤️

My other Merlin art

[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

[cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu]

Need a fic where Arthur has to get married before he is crowned King, so he's invited countless noblewomen and royal princesses to a competition for his hand in marriage. He doesn't want to however he cannot ignore the traditions set by his ancestors.

Merlin is of course jealous but also amused. He wants to see Arthur happy and if it means helping Arthur find a suitable bride and hiding his feelings of love deeper than before so be it; that is until Arthur pulls Merlin to the side and asks for his help.

Merlin nods, he probably shouldn't have nodded, he should have ran when Arthur began grinning mischievously.

Oh no...I'm not going to like this one bit. Merlin thought.

The Crown Prince tugs Merlin along the corridor towards his sister's chambers where Morgana and Gwen were waiting for their arrival.

Morgana has a sly smirk watching him with eager eyes as Gwen stands beside her with a helpless smile as all three told Merlin, in great detail, what his mission was to be should he choose to accept it. Or should they say the illusion of accepting...they had already decided Merlin was perfect for it.

"You want me to enter the competition as the only male—in a dress might I add—to marry Arthur!?"

Morgana's smirk widens her gaze gleeful as Gwen sends him an encouraging smile, dear friend that Merlin adores but is currently in cahoots with Morgana and Arthur, is now an enemy in his watery eyes. He totally won't make blueberry muffins for her ever again! And don't even get him started on Arthur, that prat. Can't believe he felt sorry for him and wishing him happiness.

Oooohhh I'm so mad! No doubt the dress is Arthur's idea! It was one time, ONE TIME, and he thinks I wear dresses!?

"First off, I'm not a noble. There. End of story. Now if you would excuse me—" Merlin turns around to leave but Arthur quickly grabs him and throws the lad over his shoulder.

"Don't worry ladies I'll convince my—" Arthur fondly pats Merlin's bottom, "—future queen of his role and what he needs to do to win."

"NO LET ME GOOOO—"

[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.

[the-medieval-husbands]

I just imagine Merlin gentle parenting Arthur and the other knights when they're drunk.

Merlin: No. Gwain no, put the sword down. No weapons in the tavern.... Leon, if I have to tell you again that we don't stand on chairs, we're going home!

Arthur: Merlin! Come sit with me!

Merlin: Sire, I'm a little busy at the moment. Drink your ale.

Arthur: But Merlin! I want you over here now!

Merlin huffs and goes over and stands infront of him.

Merlin: Okay, what?

Arthur: *pulls Merlin down in his lap*

Merlin: Arthur! You cabbage head! Let me go! People will see!

Gwain: Oooooo mom and dad are fighting again....

Percival: Shut up and drink your ale or mom will smack you.

Merlin: I heard that!

[whenyouhearthedoorcreak]

currently thinking about merlin and arthur and the royal crown again

the first time he placed the ornate gold crown atop arthur’s blond hair he felt so proud that arthur was king, that he was alive and ready to be the king he was meant to be, the worry still crept in at the edges but most of the image was filled with hope.

but months later as he placed it once again on arthur’s head he hates it, hates the way his shoulders push back and his face falls into a sheet, the way he steels himself against the harsh pressure of it

and that evening in arthur’s chambers lit by warm candles and the crackling fire merlin had snuck out of the council meeting to light before the king returned, with the cold november air bustling the windows, merlin follows arthur over towards the table. the king leans against it his head bowed and a heavy sigh leaving his chest, and slowly as if moved by the breeze outside, merlin steps forward towards him his hands gently cupping arthur’s jaw

“arthur-”

“merlin please, i know the speech already but please i don’t want it i don’t-” he stops speaking as he feels the younger man’s hand come up to his hair removing the crown from his pounding head

“no speech, just let go for a moment, just focus on this… focus on me” merlin’s voice is quiet and careful as he looks in arthur’s eyes

he’d always loved those eyes, the revealed the secrets of the kingdom if you looked long enough. merlin knows his own eyes are blue just like arthur’s but there’s something different in the kings. in the brightest and happiest days of summer they shine like an open sky, when he laughs no matter the time of day lighting around him they just Shine.

but when he is sad, tired and worn down like he is right now, those eyes are deep and bottomless as the sea, tossing and turning and they pull merlin down into their depths like a capsized ship,

it killed merlin to see him like this, he carefully rested himself back against the edge of the table, arthur sat tired in the chair before him

“your a great king arthur”

“did you not hear me say no speech?” arthur reproached

“your a better man though, a better friend”

“oh” arthur looked at his servant, his friend for all these years,

it had always been merlin who placed the crown on arthur’s head. ever since he was corronated the only person aside from himself allowed to touch the crown was merlin,

it was a strangely intimate experience that arthur had come to covet, the quiet moment in his chamber before he spoke to or hosted a feast or whatever other occasion called for the crown to be worn. merlin would pull the ornate box containing it from the locked cupboard and pull the crown from its cushioning, polishing the metal while arthur sat and waited in his chair, watching the careful work. when merlin had deemed it worthy he would look at arthur

“ready m’lord?”

arthur was used to honourifics, he never had much preference, sire was basically a nickname at this point in his life, but something about merlin calling him that had always felt like an anointing, saved for the moments when he wanted arthur to know his rank meant something to merlin.

“ready”

arthur would rise from his seat and move to the light cast by the windows near where merlin was, kneeling gently on the stone floor, looking at its gray facing before looking up at the man he had come to call his friend, merlin’s hands would place the crown on his head gently, like he was scared it would hurt him, arthur would rise and merlin would rest his hand at arthur’s jaw, looking at him for a moment.

the first time it had happened arthur was surprised, confused to say the least. but the terror he felt at having to wear the crown, to act as king in its full capacity seemed to ease slightly at the gesture, calm moved through arthur’s whole body starting from the place where merlin lay his hand.

now, tired and worn down by the weight of the crown, he was glad for merlin’s presence for the comfort of that hand in his cheek

“you don’t need to be a great king for us all to love you” merlin’s hand fell away before he spoke, he looked at the floor as if he were holding something else back

“i think perhaps if i up and left my kingdom without a ruler the people may not love me much anymore merlin” arthur jibbed, attempting humour

“not sure they’d notice to be honest, your not particularly memorable”

“oh right yes but i’m sure everyone would notice if you left”

“oh the whole kingdom would fall apart”

“of course i forgot, sorry should i just put the crown on you now?”

“don’t think it’d fit anymore, to stretched out from your big head”

“very funny merlin” arthur had always admired merlin’s negligence of authority, how arthur was seemingly nothing more than his friend in almost all moments. he could forget the weight of the crown for a moment, he supposed that was part of the reason why merlin being the one to adorn him with it meant so much. as if merlin were naming him worthy, like a symbolic gesture of the trust they shared.

“maybe you should have the crown” arthur was somewhat shocked by his own words, but more shocked to realize he meant them

“is that a proposal?” merlin was joking, arthur knew that, but he couldn’t help indulging himself in the image, merlin in fine clothes and the bejeweled crown of a king

“could be” arthur shrugged “queen title would suit you”

“your not getting me to wear a dress”

merlin had walked away now, began folding the laundry sittting near arthur’s bed

“merlin, if i did leave” he tried to focus on the room around the servant rather than the light on merlin’s cheeks or the gold glow around his messy hair “would you come with me?”

he’d always wondered, if merlin would willingly leave with him. a pent up longing in his check for merlin is say yes, to confirm that they weren’t only thrown together by fate but that they would choose this bond, this closeness, even if nothing forced it upon them.

saying it now out loud, asking it, felt like a kind of soul bearing.

“i’m sure any of your friends would” merlin

“merlin”

the servants hands stoped moving and he raised his eyes to meet arthur’s, the angles of the kings face casted ornately in the glowing light of the fire.

“your my friend arthur, id go wherever you go” the answer felt obvious, he’d thought about it more recently, with agravaine betraying them and arthur seeming more exhausted than ever he wished he could just leave.

“your a good friend merlin” arthur reached for something on the table, an old scroll in leather wrapping that needed stored away with the other trade agreements, trying to think. good friend wasn't enough for merlin anymore, the affection he felt for the other man was unquantifiable. attempting to label his feelings for merlin was as impossible and daunting as attempting to capture the night sky in a fishing net.

what he wanted was to find a way back to merlin standing in front of him with the other boys hand combing through his hair, but that was a rare thing. all touch was for arthur, it always had been.

…

if this gets notes i’ll finish it and post it to ao3 idk ive never written fic before

[tansyuduri]

Art by @kairennart for "Treat Me Warmly"

Arthur returned to the bed and pulled Merlin close to him. Then he looked away. 

“Have to stay close for warmth,” Arthur stumbled over the words, likely due to the cold, his tone almost apologetic. Merlin had to reassure him! 

“It’s fine. I enjoy it.” The words came tumbling out of Merlin's mouth before he could stop them. He wanted to hit himself and started screaming internally. WHY HAD HE SAID THAT!?

Arthur froze, turning his head so his eyes met Merlin's. Then his blue eyes narrowed. “Wait, you enjoy it? You enjoy me holding you?”

Merlin panicked. “No! I didn't mean– I mean, yes, but no! It doesn't have to mean anything, and yes... no… I… enjoy the warmth… I mean you holding me is a bonus! NO! I mean, I don’t enjoy it at all! I mean…”

“I enjoy it too,” Arthur mumbled as he held Merlin against him. A grin started to form on his face. “So, stop rambling.”

“I mean, we never have to talk about or, or do anything about it. I mean, not that there is anything to do anything about. I mean…” Merlin broke off as Arthur’s words registered. “You enjoy it too?” he stammered in disbelief. 

“Yes, Merlin.” Arthur looked at him and sighed.

Fic found here

[drainsdorm]

arthur is a simple man. all he asks is for is that him and merlin have at least 3 square inches of skin contact at all times and if that is not possible then merlin must be at least within a radius of his arm’s length, ready to initiate skin contact at any given moment, and if that is not possible then merlin must at least be within his line of sight so that at any given moment, he can approach him for that minimum 3 square inches of skin contact. couldn’t ask for a more simple man.