#arthur: oblivious

[merlinfic]

Five Times Someone Else Acknowledged Merlin's Status (And The Time Merlin Realized It Wasn't What He Thought)

Author: SomehowSnake

Rating: T

Setting: Canon

Word Count: 1,390

Summary:

Everyone knows Merlin gets special treatment, except for, apparently, Merlin himself.

Thanks to @somehowsnakesblog for the rec!

[escespace]

Gwaine: Man, I'm fed up with these two, we have to do something.

Elyan: What are you talking about?

Gwaine: Arthur and Merlin and their stupid desperate flirting

Elyan: What? Flirting?

Gwaine: Are you blind?!!! Of course they flirt. If not, what would you call that?

Gwaine: *turns elyan's face to where Merlin and Arthur are being separated by Lance and Leon while they yell at each other*

Elyan: Social incompetence?

[justaz]

arthur becoming king and showering merlin in gifts to the point where it looks like hes a nobleman. camelot going yup thats the kings consort, i think we’re two months away from a royal wedding. visiting nobles/royals who have no idea about “merlin and arthur” treating merlin like a nobleman until he corrects them. visiting nobles/royals who DO know about “merlin and arthur” not being surprised in the slightest. merlin getting away with everything and blatantly stealing from the kings plate during a feast and they’re all just like “yeah alright” idk just merlin being spoiled by his bf who isn’t his bf but who desperately wants to be

[dreamofcamelot]

Merlin “I would betray myself (magic) before I betray you” Emrys and Arthur “nor social norms, class divisions or even a life of indoctrination against magic could keep me away from you” Pendragon

[tired3mrys]

What if one day Merlin had just woken up and decided to reveal his magic. However to do so he just uses it as he would if it was legalised and gaslights Arthur (and everyone else) into believing he had been doing things this way all along

[eldritch-ambrosia]

It’s a good thing that Merlin doesn’t ever push Arthur when he’s showing affection because Arthur would implode immediately if he had to think too long about it. Could you imagine the (deleted!!) sigil scene if:

Arthur: Just… take it. Merlin: Why are you giving me this?

Arthur: *sweating* Arthur: It’s… a bird. And you’re a bird. Merlin: …what?

Arthur: You know because… a merlin.

[pk-dann]

C'MON, KEEP ON DANCING MORGAN

[cas-edspace]

I want to find one, one, Merthur fanfic where after magic was revealed, Merlin just goes

Merlin: I told you I could take you down less than one punch

[dareduffie]

arthureames university au.

they live in dorms. they are roommates. arthur wants to graduate summa cum laude. eames wants to have sex with his roommate. these are both very difficult goals to achieve.

eames is majoring in anthropology and minoring in sociology

all of his electives are languages

arthur is majoring in something awful like finance or business

or perhaps Computer Information Systems which is apparently something that exists

arthur assumes eames is a slacker because he's always lounging around their dorm but eames has a 4.0 gpa

eames assumes lots of things about arthur every single day and he tells arthur about each and every one of them

which is annoying not only because it's hard to study with eames yapping in his ear but also because eames is always correct

eames makes it a personal goal to sleep with arthur before arthur graduates (he is set to graduate two years early)

arthur of course decides to kiss eames the moment his commencement ceremony is over

but really. the guy was taking like 8 courses a semester. how was he supposed to have a sex life in those conditions

arthur liked eames from day 1 but he actively chose not to because if he started sleeping with his roommate he would never get anything done

eames meanwhile flirts with arthur for an entire semester before realizing he genuinely has a crush on the guy

shortly after moving in with each other, eames makes some off-hand reference to some obscure art movement, effortlessly and correctly relating it to a book he read recently

arthur nearly breaks his pencil from the strain of not walking over, sitting on eames' lap, and tearing his clothes off

eames thinks arthur hates him but the truth is that arthur is shoving his feelings down so hard that the man is vibrating on a constant basis

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

Mercelot fake dating/friends to lovers AU but they’re never actually fake dating it just has that effect when everyone automatically accepts it and doesn’t think to ask because Merlin and Lancelot have always been a pair when they’re together.

Arthur gets a little jealous of Merlin’s time but they still hang out like before so he’s fine once he realises a relationship doesn’t mean he’s loosing his best friend. Gwen is slightly confused because she always assumed Merlin had a crush on Arthur but he’s absolutely smitten with Lance and now she looks back, they really were always good friends and Merlin set her and Arthur up so that couldn’t be right. She tries talking to him about it, he bursts out laughing when she mentions a crush on Arthur and tells her he just loves them both and wants them to be happy together because they’re both his friends. Then she tells him she’s glad he’s happy too, looking at Lancelot but Merlin completely misses it.

Merlin and Lancelot went to a feast together once, not necessarily as a couple but just to go together because they’re friends and they love each other. Everyone assumes they’re dating, and they act like a couple, and eventually when they’re sat reading magic books in Gaius’ chambers together, Lancelot looks up and casually asks “Would you be upset if I fell in love with you?”

Merlin shakes his head then frowns and looks up, staring at Lancelot for a few seconds until his eyes blow wide and he realises. Then he smiles awkwardly and asks “would you be mad if I just realised I’m already in love with you and probably have been for a while without really thinking about it because I’ve never needed to question my relationship with you?”

And Lance is just like “oh good, I didn’t realise or think about it either until one of the druids asked how long we’ve been married.”

Then they start dating for real, nervously announcing it to a very confused round table where everyone’s just like “We know. You weren’t already? Alright. Congrats, good for you.”

Nothing changes, and they get teased relentlessly for not realising they’re been practically married for years without realising it.

[hopelessromantic5]

Arthur isn’t exactly stealthy when he sees something he likes.

Those who had known Arthur for most of his life also know that when something captures his attention, that’s it.

It takes over everything.

First, at five, it was horse back riding. He would spend all day in the stables, learning everything he could about the majestic beasts. He would ride as often as his father allowed.

Then when he joined the official knights in training at eight summers, he became thirsty for success. He wanted to be the best, unbeatable.

And so, he was. He became a well sharpened blade neatly tucked into his father’s arsenal.

Nothing came close to his love for a sword until he was thirteen, and he met a girl named Druella. Dru was the younger sister of one of Arthur’s fellow knights, yet still a few years ahead of him.

He would watch her walk to and from town, every day, thinking how beautiful she looked in her finery, how her hair was always perfect, never one out of place.

This love lasted the least amount of time, because while Arthur claimed to himself that he loved her, he’d never actually spoken to her.

When he finally got up the nerve to introduce himself, and she did nothing but sneer at him and walk away, he finally let his silly little crush rest in the dirt under his riding boots.

Years went by. The citizens of Camelot and especially the staff of the castle, continued to watch Arthur grow and mature and come into his own thoughts. His own beliefs.

Still, dancing with his sword held the biggest place in his heart.

That was until a fateful day in beautiful spring time.

There were some familiar faces in the square that day, watching on as a boy intervened with the Prince’s ridiculous bullying.

First, they were thankful for it.

And then they all witnessed the moment Prince Arthur laid eyes on this boy, and that was it.

They’d seen it before, and this was no different.

Arthur Pendragon had found a new obsession.

Uther didn’t know what he was signing the entire kingdom up for when he bestowed Merlin with such a privilege as being the prince’s manservant. He probably thought nothing on it, as often as Arthur fired manservants, surely this one will be gone faster than the others.

Boy, was he mistaken.

Arthur lied to himself about it for some time. Acting as if his servant was the worst he’d ever seen, or how he hated to have to show this boy how to do something simple.

What betrayed him were his eyes, they followed Merlin everywhere in the room. Watching him do every task, standing to aid when it was needed, even if it came with a huff of exasperation for show.

Everyone could see it. Hell, even Leon caught onto it. The only people who had yet to realize were the prince himself, and the boy. Merlin. He was as oblivious to Arthur’s eyes as Arthur was to Merlin’s sickeningly sweet face when the prince’s back was turned.

Merlin was usually very observant.

But when it came to Arthur, he had a blind spot.

Perhaps this is why Arthur found out the big secret a few weeks after Merlin arrived in Camelot.

He’d made a habit of entering his room quietly, so he might see Merlin without being seen himself. Though, Arthur doesn’t acknowledge that’s the reason, it definitely is.

This particular day, practice ended early on account of the storm rolling in. Tiny drops of water were already covering the ground, packing the dirt into stone.

As he silently entered his own chambers, he heard humming. Knowing it must be Merlin. Who else would be in his room humming?

The Prince stayed partially hidden by the chest of drawers nearest the door. Merlin was putting tunics away in the cupboard. His hands were gentle with them, like they were precious. Even if he did it in a bit of a hurry, seemingly.

Merlin must’ve felt a draft or remembered the rain, because he stopped his humming turning to the fire place, and without lifting a single finger or uttering a word, he lights the fire.

By looking at it.

Arthur first thought his sight deceived him but there was no denying that he’d just seen Merlin’s eyes turn gold. A blinding golden light that can only come from something divine.

The Prince tries to even out his breathing so as not to give away his presence. It’s not that he’s fearful, merely caught off guard, which he tried never to be. Arthur was almost a grown man, and he’d met people in his time that told him he could be different than Uther. He could rule a different Kingdom.

And maybe that all starts with this strange boy that fell from the sky into Arthur’s world.

The Prince had hardly seen Merlin do anything with that kind of skill or confidence. Arthur had been around enough dark sorcerers to know that even the powerful ones need words, crystals, a big book with lots of words he can’t read.

Merlin had done this like it was nothing.

Just how powerful was he?

[amirmeavid]

I am 100% convinced of the head canon that Uther assumed merlin and arthur were fucking (even if he didn't realise they were in love)

My evidence?

Utherspeak Translation: Are you sleeping together?

'I'm doing my job'

Utherspeak Translation: Don't lie to me, you are sleeping together.

*sigh* yes we're sleeping together

Utherspeak Translation: Knew it bitch! Well... at least he won't father any bastards this way. :I

[poisonedfate]

bbc merlin - 04x09 Lancelot du Lac

5 seconds before disaster

[justaz]

need arthur repealing the magic ban bc its the Right Thing To Do and merlin is ecstatic bc finally finally he can be himself and tell arthur the truth. he can stop lying and hiding!! and the the ban is repealed and magic is free and theres a feast held in celebration and merlin lugs arthur to his chambers since the king had a bit too much wine and the night is warm and golden and steeped with happiness. merlin lays arthur down in bed and arthur looks up at him with half-lidded eyes, glazed over and warm and filled with love, and he says some sappy shit about merlin being a good friend and how loyal he is.

merlin isnt sure why his words make a stone settle in his stomach but he brushes it off and goes to bed, telling himself that he’ll tell arthur everything in the morning. then morning comes around and merlin sits at the table while arthur is eating breakfast and opens his mouth to tell him when his throat closes up and no words escape him. arthur is confused but merlin distracts him by insulting him and postpones the conversation. he’s been hiding for years, maybe he just needs to take it slow, take baby steps, let his mind and body get used to the idea of being free first.

merlin waits another week and a half before trying again. same result. the words wont come out and he’s choking on this secret he thought he could fess up to now and it takes him so long to realize he’s terrified. he isn’t sure why bc helloooo the ban is lifted!! he won’t be put to death!! what’s the problem?? he had an easier time confessing to sorcery to uther when such a thing was still punishable by death. why is it so hard to tell his best friend the truth when he won’t be punished for it??

answer: telling arthur the truth would mean telling him how merlin has lied for years and how arthur has never truly known the man he calls his friend. arthur will be hurt and angry and he’ll feel betrayed and that is something merlin has seen time and time again and he has fought so hard to prevent yet here he is about to put the same expression on his face. he’s about to break arthur’s heart once more. he can’t do it. he has to. he’ll hurt him. it gets worse the longer merlin takes. arthur will hate him. oh gods arthur will hate him.

[hoarder-of-dragons]

Merlin, while being spooned by Arthur and wearing the tunic Arthur had given him with other "friendly" gifts delivered by himself with a bouquet of flowers every time: Surely this is all platonic

[earlgreyinpajamas]

merthur fic recs: oblivious!merlin pt 6

1. Matters of the Heart by a_written_dream (@a-written-dream)        

 “You must find the person Arthur truly loves,” the Dragon says, and this time it’s Merlin who wants to laugh.

 “Arthur doesn’t love anyone, not since Gwen,” he says, certain of it.

 The air rumbles with the Dragon’s laughter. “It seems you do not know your prince quite as well as you thought, young warlock.”

-

A 2x10 Sweet Dreams rewrite. After the ordeal with Hengist, Gwen and Arthur decide they are better suited as friends. Arthur still gets enchanted to fall in love with Lady Vivian, Merlin still tries to save his royal ass, and True Loves' Kiss is still the cure. But if Gwen isn't Arthur's true love, then who could it possibly be?

~~~

hmmm it’s really a mystery who arthur’s OTHER HALF is

2. Your Eyes Glow by Drifting_Stream    

Arthur's been acting strangely ever since he'd learned about Merlin's magic, which he found completely understandable. But asking Merlin to use magic in front of him, when it so obviously made the king uncomfortable? Obviously, Arthur was disgusted by his magic, by him. That had to be it. Right?

~~~

damn it’s like obliviousness is contagious. first arthur doesn’t notice merlin doing magic right in front of him, and now merlin doesn’t noticed [redacted]

3. Next to You (It's the Rule) by LunaMyLove    

Arthur and Merlin have a special relationship. They always have, even when they were prince and servant. While many question it when first noticing, eventually it becomes an understanding in Camelot—and even among some other countries—that where there is Arthur, there is Merlin. And, where there is Merlin, there is Arthur.

Or

Arthur and Merlin's relationship as witnessed and explained by others.

Also, or

Five times someone realizes that Merlin is the Queen, one time Merlin realizes it himself, and one time he owns it.

~~~

this is probably one of my all time fav fics. the humour is on point