#highlynerdy art

[highlynerdy]

The final (I think) result of all the dyeing I've been doing for The Bestie Art Retreat

I may do a few more pale shades for contrast, but oof, it's probably been a decade+ since I've dyed this much fiber at once. Wools used: Rambouillet, Targhee, New Zealand Romney, Domestic Wool Blend, Falkland, Shetland, and Merino/Silk.

[guardianbingo]

Guardian Bonus Bingo - Coming June 9

The story will keep on going and so will Guardian Bingo!

Guardian Bonus Bingo begins June 9.

We’ll issue five prompts over ten weeks. Complete all five to earn a bingo (and a new badge created by @highlynerdy!)

Just like with original Guardian Bingo, there are no minimum length/content requirements for fills, pretty much any new creation (fic, art, edits, meta, rec lists, etc.) qualifies, and crossovers and derivatives are welcome.

For full info, check out Bonus Bingo FAQ.

See you June 9!

[earlgreyinpajamas]

any himbo arthur fics? fics where arthur is just a complete babygirl himbo r my true loves

1.  Brambles or Flowers by MerlinLikeTheBird           

Arthur doesn’t need practice.

He has natural talent.

~~~

he's so stupid i cannot

2. perfect plan by radioactivesunflower

Arthur was back. It was the 21st century and two men can marry. So Arthur has a plan to marry Merlin. Everything works out according to plan, right?

aka the fic in which Arthur plans his wedding but forgot to ask something important

~~~

sdfjkhdsakjh i love them sm in this fic. the ending we deserved

3. Am I The Clotpole? by highlynerdy (@highlynerdy), tehfanglyfish

Business is booming at the Rising Sun thanks to a new game called “Am I The Clotpole?” The rules are simple: people write in with their interpersonal disputes, an anonymous arbiter determines who was the clotpole in those disagreements, and tavern goers enjoy a night of gossip and reasonably priced drinks.

Even though his mouthy manservant proclaimed him a clotpole years ago, King Arthur loves the game, as it gives him an excuse to spend more time with Merlin.

The game is bringing people closer, including Arthur and Merlin, and all seems to be well until Merlin starts disappearing on Sundays, refusing to tell Arthur where he’s gone or what he’s been doing. When Arthur’s curiosity gets the better of him, he makes several unexpected discoveries about the man he’s been secretly in love with for years.

Will Arthur handle these revelations with grace and confess his own secret, or will he earn the title of Camelot’s biggest clotpole?

Words by tehfanglyfish Art by highlynerdy

~~~

for a longer fic, i'd highly recommend this one!

[gkthorin]

Disculpen mi español, aun no se usar muy bien Tumblr. Pero aqui añado algunos artes extras que hice para mi maravillosa colaboradora @highlynerdy 💛 los comparto con su permiso previo ya que fueron un regalo para ella independiente del arte para nuestra colaboración 🎁 Ella es una fabulosa escritora y sus letras inspiraron un total 3 artes para nuestra colaboración para The Hobbit: An Unexpected Collaboration by @fellowshipofthefics .

[fellowshipofthefics]

Welcome to the masterlist for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Collaboration! Under the cut you’ll find all of the works in the collection in alphabetical order. Mind the tags and ratings, and be sure to kudos and comment on any works you’ve enjoyed! Thank you everyone for participating!

The Apartments by snowmissus (soul_of_blaze) and SunnyRose Thorin and his siblings have always maintained a certain dynamic - it has always been the three of them. Just the three of them.

And then Dís went and messed that all up. Thorin had absolutely nothing at all to do with that. Nope.

Bottled Up by Heilith and sandwich11213 How do you pay for a thing you didn't want? For the prompt "Musical Bards and Their Heroic Muses".

Ghosts of a Rainy Night by daughterofshadows and MulaSaWala There for a moment, but gone the next second. There are many creatures hiding in Mirkwood, but few are as elusive as this one. Have Tauriel and Beriathal encountered a ghost?

How Long Shall We Mourn in the Dark by Previouslyonjuicifer and tinnurin When they were crafted, Orcrist and Glamdring knew that they would see battle one day. But they didn't expect that the valiant Elves that wielded them would ever be defeated. Nor did they expect the arduous journey that happened to them afterwards.

I can't stop this feeling deep inside of me by Moongazer12 and calliosaura "It's not unusual for political marriages between young heirs to occur to unite kingdoms, but...I don't even swing that way!"

I Wanna Name a Drink After You by Blueberryrock and mattimeous At White Stag Tea, Bard has found somewhere he can settle in to write, keep cozy with a delicious cup of chai tea, and listen to the dreamy tunes playing over the speakers. Oh, and pine after the handsome shop owner working behind the counter.

The Importance of Family by freshVanilla and brglhobbit A gallery of Bilbo and Thorin's relationship over the years.

Labor of Love by Scyllas_revenge and BlueberryHobbit Eager for some peace and quiet from the dwarves, Bilbo goes exploring in Rivendell and comes across a moody, awkward young Estel, who's fallen head over heels in love with Lady Arwen.

Despite never having talked to her before (and despite being all of ten years old) Estel is determined to write her a love letter before she returns to Lothlorien. Can Bilbo snap him out of it?

Lessons by BiSquared and FiannaRain Five times Thranduil got parenting advice and one time he gave it.

A Little Victim-less Crime by SplinteredEmotions and StarDryad a maia escapes from what was meant to be their tomb in the depths of Moria and stumbles upon a dwarven caravan.

Midnight Ride by I_did_not_mean_to and peppermintError Peaceful Days at the Last Homely House

Moments Between by bluecaeri and nottoolateforthegame Bilbo and Thorin's budding relationship as seen through the eyes of the company. For prompt "more time during the quest for company bonding".

The (Moving) Company of Thorin Oakenshield by miztes and pralinebaggins "The Company is Middle Earth's best cross-continent moving company. Call Bilbo Baggins for a quote today!"

or

Bilbo Baggins applies for a new job. Things aren't exactly what he expected.

A (not so) Perfect Shot by Guardianofrivendell and trickster_goddess Kíli and meetings don't go together. After a long line of endless negotiations in Mirkwood he has enough and demands a free afternoon. Wandering through Mirkwood, he sees someone practicing with a bow and arrow. They're not very good at it and Kíli being Kíli, he doesn't spare them. Enter teacher Kíli.

Oh Brother Where Art Thou by BRose87 and Frosticenow In which an injured Prince Frerin finds himself in an unlikely position with his memories gone and surrounded by peculiar creatures with large feet and a fondness for being kind.

The Quest Through Europe by highlynerdy and SwanFloatieKnight In hindsight, maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to start a quest as important as this one on the 13th of April. Thirteen meant bad luck, and that was something they definitely never really ran out of during their whole journey.

The company's trip through Europe as Kíli's travel journal.

Retrieving Mr. Baggins by CuervoDeErebor and highlynerdy Thorin had been so pale the last time Bilbo had seen him. Lying bruised and barely lucid, in the healing tent at the foot of Erebor. He looked impossibly small. It wasn’t pleasant to see Thorin reduced to such stillness. Bilbo had held back tears then, wanting to reach out to him. But in the end, he'd kept his hands to himself, knowing full well that Thorin wouldn’t welcome his touch or pity. Bilbo was technically still banished after all - no matter what had happened on Ravenhill. He would never push for more than Thorin was ready to give.

Before Bilbo could get too lost in these melancholy memories, he heard the kettle whistling and the distinctly heavy footsteps of his guest coming down the hall.

“So,” Bilbo turned with a slightly forced smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure of having the King of Erebor in Bag End again? Not that I’m not very pleased to see you, of course!”

Our favorite Dwarven King makes a surprise visit to Bag End. And Bilbo is not quite sure what's happening.

Secrets and Heirs by hellsite_user_writes and midearthwritings Everyone in Ered Luin is keeping a secret, and young Kili is getting annoyed.

A Series of Unexpected Adventures by daughterofshadows and Zhie The Old Took's birthday is coming up and everyone is busy with the preparations. Join Bilbo as he collects berries for his papa, finds his way through the corn maze and plays a round of hole-in-one golf. Play along and find out where the story takes you!

A Smial for One's Own by a_boar_named_barry and SwanFloatieKnight Bilbo Baggins definitely had his hobbit hands full caring for his the grandest smial in Hobbiton, and his home, Bag End. And caring for the grandest home meant fighting off those no-good solicitors looking to take Bag End for themselves. But since when did the solicitors get this handsome?

Song as Old as Rhyme by I_did_not_mean_to and Dimdiamond Ori - a popular but elusive author - is invited to a reading in a small bookshop. He's nervous to be perceived by his audience and thankful that his best friend Fíli accompanies him, backed-up by his stern uncle Thorin.

Meanwhile, Bilbo Baggins - proud owner of the said bookshop - can't wait to surprise his employee and friend with a reading from her favourite author. How will all these people fare when their most intimate longings and their jealously guarded secrets of loneliness and existential fear starting clashing?

(Take Me Back To) The Night We Met by LordOfTheRazzles and MiraHerondale On a night when The Green Dragon Inn is out of vacancy, Bilbo Baggins opens up his home to a trio of displaced and rain-soaked dwarves. The two children of the bunch are happy to have a temporary home away from the rain, but their uncle, Thorin, sees it only as a debt to be repaid.

A Thief's Plan by Jana_CaisdeShips and Sunshroom42 Bilbo and Thorin have been married about a year, but their relationship is passing throught some issues. Bilbo is missing his king, and Thorin is overworking himself because Erebor is finally being repopulated. Nori and Dwalin are tired of this situation and do something about it.

Three Bracelets and a Loaf of Bread by Frosticenow and Ragsweas Dis works hard with and for her people. Even if little dwarflings are being spoiled by their adad (father).

A Total Knockout by CullenDraws and lukarian Dwarven Culture/Customs that confuse other races, in which Bilbo gets to experience a dwarven greeting firsthand

The Trouble with Little Hobbits by thehufflepuffhobbit and sandwich11213 Bilbo and Thorin accidentally agree to watch four young hobbits at once. They are not prepared for the chaos.

The Unexpected Collaboration of Bilbo and Lobelia by Milliethekitty27 and StarDryad When Bilbo hears someone talking shit about his husband and nephew, he has to work with the one person he’d never thought he’d work with again to get rid of them.

Well, at least Lobelia might stop stealing his spoons.

[castiel]

i was tagged by @clarkenting (thanks bestie!!) to talk about 8 shows as a way to get to know me better, so here they are :)

1. x-files: one of my first big ships. how can i possibly resist the skeptic and believer dynamic? the vibes and aesthetic of this show are also top notch. spooky foggy nights, fbi jackets in an empty field, travelling across the country solving mysteries! plus i’ve always loved the paranormal. also the height difference between mulder and scully is off the charts. YOU’RE MY ONE IN FIVE BILLION <3

2. merlin: god the BANTER. another one of my early ships. starts off lighthearted and then progressively gets darker and more intense as the seasons go on but still has silly moments to lighten the mood. honestly love every character in this show so much. and i’m sure i don’t even have to mention how much the finale broke me completely.

3. star trek - the next generation: i grew up on this show and it will forever be my favourite trek. used to watch it with my dad and sisters and i have very warm fond memories of it. despite some truly bad episodes, i always loved the vibe of exploring and learning in space. if i could live in a fictional show this would be the one. i just want to go to space so badddd

4. the oa: goddd this show. the magical realism! the vibes! the aesthetic! bonds across universes!! i’ve watched it so many times (more s1 than 2) and it never fails to give me goosebumps. that long cold open in the pilot leading to the sweeping violin theme over snowy landscapes.... perfection. 

5. maniac: very similar vein to the oa for me. i’ve also watched this multiple times. i love that it’s a self contained story and i ADORE the themes. soulmates across universes! friendship! dealing with loss and grief.. it has it all. also the music in this is so good. the ending just fills me with warmth and hope and i can’t get enough of it. we need more shows like this.

6. supernatural: finally succumbed to the pull of this show. i resisted for years but now i have the brain worms. i’m sure you’re all aware but like COME ON. an angel saving the righteous man, teaching him faith and in turn learning doubt! nothing will ever be like them.

7. chernobyl: i have watched this multiple times and it’s still just as good. just a masterpiece of a show. the storytelling, the cinematography, the music, and the acting is all phenomenal. probably seems like a bit of a weird one to have on this list but it’s just ART. 

8. midnight mass: i love all of flanagan’s shows but this one is easily my favourite. the aesthetic and vibes of this one are just UGH... so good. the writing is chefs kiss. all those character specific monologues... and don’t even get me started on the themes around death and finding meaning, the darkness around religion and faith, the bonds of friends and family... heartwrenching but beautiful.

honourable mentions:

handmaid’s tale: june’s anger and increasing insanity speaks to my soul. also every episode directed by elizabeth moss is just SO good. 

succession: i love that you aren’t spoonfed and there is so much to read into one liners. the dynamics between all these awful people and how they’re all deeply broken through generational trauma and abuse, wanting to be better and having no idea how to do that. they’re all terrible and i love them.

i no pressure tag: @septembersghost @highlynerdy @angelcasendgame @hiraeth-doux @universalcas @sunglassesmish @deanbroco @angelsdean @klinejack @jactingjoices @deanncastiel @nesnej and anyone else that would like to :)

[zykamiliah]

I posted 5,050 times in 2022

214 posts created (4%)

4,836 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@angrybi-king

@highlynerdy

@thegreymoon

@witchmd13

@argentnoelle

I tagged 3,399 of my posts in 2022

Only 33% of my posts had no tags

#svsss - 1,045 posts

#naruto - 486 posts

#sns - 479 posts

#art - 256 posts

#bbc merlin - 224 posts

#bingqiu - 192 posts

#svsss meta - 188 posts

#sasuke - 168 posts

#shen qingqiu - 166 posts

#naruto & sasuke - 159 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#disclaimer that this s not something i thought of. it was something that the mods in the narusasu paradise forum and users speculated about

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

See the full post

723 notes - Posted August 12, 2022

#4

Do you think Velinxi will illustrate the qijiu extras too

883 notes - Posted July 26, 2022

#3

hey i just realized that when Constantine's thugs attack them, Hob goes for the one that was meant to attack Dream first

Something about the instinct to protect Dream first and then himself gets to me

981 notes - Posted August 29, 2022

#2

(Source)

1,120 notes - Posted August 16, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Twitter

See the full post

1,944 notes - Posted June 25, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[nemainofthewater]

Halfway tag propaganda part 2: the Wen Kexing cut

Wen Kexing

#why you gotta pit bad bitches against each other#sorry shi qingxuan I voted for wen kexing by @thawrecka

#i love multiple of these but wen kexing takes the cake here by @patronsaintofdemons

#poll#i gave this one to wen kexing#pure swag#nobody does it like him#he has the gifs to prove it#red eyeliner red-edged fan by @jill-question-mark

#good fan poll!#wen kexing will always be my favorite#polls by @biochemjess

#wkx because it is used so many different ways during the show by @calamity-talvi

#wen kexing#born to be a simp by @notnormalalert

#so many good options!#i gotta go with wkx tho by @flamingwell

#i knew i was voting for my favorite#i wasn't aware it was everyone else's favorite lol by @its-chelisey-stuff

#gotta be wen kexing!#he does it all by @vergoftowels

#tumblr polls#wen kexing for sure by @there-and-back-again

#i almost went with su guogong just because i’m deep in the double brainrot#but wen kexing won out by @gege

#okay I have actually seen most of these fan people!!!#I do think it’s wen kexing.#fashion statement. murder item. flirtation device. bonks people on the head. stays cool. gotta be him!#polls!#cdrama by @waterlilyvioletfog

#it's wen kexing#his weapon is his multitool lol by @tubularfox

#wen kexing sweeeeep!#his fan is multipurpose#it expresses everything from flirtation to murder#it increases his scholarly gentleman air and also his unhinged ghost king vibes#his fan contains multitudes#just like him#woh by @chnqin

#this was tough#but it had to be my gremlin ghost valley master#wen kexing#my second would be nie huaisang#but i think WKX used his fan for flirting for being coy for making a point#and for murder lol by @highlynerdy

#despite my url I'm voting for wen kexing#because in addition to everything else he also used his fan for flirting and fighting#which was very sexy and badass of him#polls by @fan-man-huaisang

#wen kexing#but this one was hard by @tehfanglyfish

#was like 'oh yeah. sqq for sure'#but then wen kexing and his murderfan entered the chat#polls by @geistbrot

#i love you huisang and your beautiful fans but it's wkx for sure#he has mastered the art of fan flirtation. fan attack patterns. fan linguistics. by @lotus-queer

#yesssssssssss#i know allllll of these and a few more#wen kexing for the win#there are some close ones thoo i cant lieeee#polls#words by @storge

#I mean#there was one clear winner wasn’t there#he was always doing way too much with that thing /pos#polls cw#wen kexing#word of honor#shan he ling by @waewuxian

#Lao Wen no question about it#wenzhou#wen kexing#山河令 word of honor#龚俊 by @huntress1013

The most versatile of accessories, a fan can be:

-A fashion statement for the discerning gentleman

-A sign that you're a gentleman and the person talking to you is a pleb

-A way to whack people on the head when they do something stupid

-Something to hide behind when a sleeve is too conspicuous

-A weapon (????)

Oh, and I guess it can keep you cool as well if you want to be boring.

Write-ins, propaganda, and images are welcome!

[highlynerdy]

"Aithusa has seen her father's mate in his memories and smelled him on her father's skin when he comes to visit, but this is the first time she gets to meet him for herself."

Nepenthe and Lavender by @0hheytherebigbadwolf

My latest fanARTifact is an entirely handlettered, handbound, and illustrated book of this beautifully fluffy fic (and it has actually been in various states of progress since March 1, 2021.) More below the cut!

So as I said above, I actually started planning this fic over two years ago. Which, yeah, I don't really want to talk about because adhd is a hell of a thing. I love love love this fic (and this entire series) and I was inspired by The Black Hours and other gorgeous manuscripts with metallic on black paper.

I ordered some black paper from Canson for the text block, used Arabic gold finetec paint mixed with water and gum arabic as my ink (I used three pans of the gold paint...), and a Nikko G nib with a straight pen holder for the calligraphy. I really wanted to use one of my broad tip nibs, but I just couldn't my Uncial letters small enough with it. I used Uncial since that was technically the alphabet/font they used in the Arthurian time period.

The paper was cut down and folded into signatures of three and then I drew out light pencil lines for the text and for the margins. Every single letter was done sooooo slooowwllly because if I messed up on one page there was no way to erase it, which meant I would have to do basically four pages worth of lettering again since they were all connected.

And I did mess up.

More than once.

I think the most heartbreaking mistake was at the very end when I was trying to erase my pencil lines and I just ripped a page completely in half. The tears were real, folks.

Once I finished lettering - which took hours and hours and hours over many weeks - it was time to assemble the text block and sew it. I used gold silk thread I had leftover from Arthur's scarf (which is also used as the backdrop for the photo shoot) to sew the block together and I love how it gives just another little peek of gold to the book.

I painted the end papers in a vaguely floral pattern with the same gold and also some silver finetec paint, glued them all together and put them in my book press and then promptly didn't work on it again from October 2022 to July 2023. Sigh.

But once I committed to getting it done, I asked @swanfloatieknight to help be my accountabilibuddy and make sure I finished it this week. I tested out so many different cover designs, from fabric and thread, to paper, to finally settling on this all over design done by my cricut. Historically accurate?? Nah. I'm about as historically accurate as BBC Merlin.

I tried my hand at gold foiling and that was a disaster so I just used a gold silk ribbon to give the color a little bit more color. Once it was bound, I painted in a triskelion and Aithusa on a double page spread I left intentionally blank.

And it was finally done!

All in all, I'm pleased with how it turned out. Was it an exercise in patience? Yes. Did I learn a lot? Also yes. Mostly that handlettering an entire fic is madness and also this is far too small to case bind, but I'm a stubborn ass and it was happening regardless.

All total, I probably worked on this for about 50+ hours. It was most definitely a labor of love and I'm so happy that it's finally done.

Thank you for inspiring me to take on such a project by writing such wonderful fics, @0hheytherebigbadwolf! And thank you for everyone who reads these long fanARTifact posts. 💛

[guardianbingo]

Guardian Bonus Bingo FAQ

Welcome to Guardian Bonus Bingo!

This is a very low stakes, low pressure fest meant to be fun and inspire more Guardian fan creations. Whether you’re returning after having participated in the original Guardian Bingo or are joining for the first time, we’re happy to have you here!

How Does It Work?

We’ll issue five prompts over ten weeks (one new prompt every two weeks), starting on June 9.

Prompts go out every other Sunday and you’ll have two weeks in which to create a fill. Then a new prompt will be issued. This cycle repeats until we make it through all five prompts.

We’ll also have an amnesty period at the end for prompts you might have missed earlier in the fest.

What Do I Earn By Completing Fills?

A sense of accomplishment, the adoration of your fellow fans, and the fun that comes with creation.

Completing all five earns you a bingo, a badge created by the amazingly talented @highlynerdy, and your name on a shoutout post at the end of the fest.

Can I Fill Multiple Prompts With A Single Work?

Maybe. The single work will need to be composed of multiple parts.

As one example, a multi-chapter fic where each individual chapter is inspired by a different prompt would work. A one-shot would not.

Similarly, multi-panel art with each panel inspired by a different prompt would work while a single piece of art would not.

If you have something in mind but aren’t sure, check with a mod.

Is There A Signup Period?

Nope. You are welcome to join at any time up until the end of the amnesty period.

What Works Are Accepted?

Pretty much any new creations, including, but not limited to:

Fanfic

Fanart

Edits/Gif Sets

Vids

Moodboards

Playlists

Rec Lists

FanARTifacts (tangible creations, crafts, etc.)

Podfics (with original author’s permission and a link back)

Translations (with original author’s permission and a link back)

Meta Analysis

If you have another idea, check in with the mods but it very likely works.

What Are The Length/Content Requirements?

None! This is meant to be fun, not stressful.

Want to write a 100k multi-chapter epic? That’s a tall order for ten weeks, but we’re cheering you on! Want to only post drabbles? Also wonderful!

The same applies for non-fic creations.

The point is to make stuff, not worry over min/max requirements.

Is This Fest Novelverse or Drama?

Either or both! It’s totally up to you. All prompts will work for both.

What About Ships And Ratings?

All ratings and any ships (or no ships) are allowed, though works should be appropriately tagged.

Crossovers, Derivatives, Other Priest Novels, And RPF?

While the fest is Guardian themed, all are allowed. Just tag appropriately.

How Do I Interpret The Prompts?

However you wish! They're meant to be a source of inspiration and a starting off point. You can adhere to them as strictly or as loosely as you'd like. Follow your muse and have fun!

Can I Use A Creation For This Fest And Another One?

So long as the other fest has no objections, you are good to go!

Ok, So What Isn’t Allowed?

Old works previously posted

Plagiarized works

Harassment/abuse of other participants

Sounds Great! Where Do I Post My Creations?

The AO3 Collection

Tumblr – Tag @guardianbingo in your post or DM us for a reblog (you can also tag it #guardianbingofest but Tumblr’s tags are very wonky so that might not work well)

If you happen to post elsewhere (Dreamwidth, Twitter, etc.), then you may submit a post on Tumblr if you’d like us to reblog your creation. You do not have to be on Tumblr to participate.

Will The Mods Keep Up With My Fills?

No. Since people may be posting on platforms other than Tumblr, it’s up to participants to keep up with their fills so we don’t miss anyone.

If you’d like to claim a badge and a bingo shoutout, please complete the fills reporting form.

What If I Still Have Questions?

Ask away on Tumblr, or email guardianbingofest@gmail.com

Email may get a faster response.

Fest Coordinators

Logistical Coordinator & Primary Contact - @tehfanglyfish

Graphic Designs and Badges - @highlynerdy

Original Guardian Bingo Prompt Coordinator - @sasamelons

[earlgreyinpajamas]

merthur fic recs: oblivious!arthur

1. Am I The Clotpole? by highlynerdy, tehfanglyfish

Business is booming at the Rising Sun thanks to a new game called “Am I The Clotpole?” The rules are simple: people write in with their interpersonal disputes, an anonymous arbiter determines who was the clotpole in those disagreements, and tavern goers enjoy a night of gossip and reasonably priced drinks.

Even though his mouthy manservant proclaimed him a clotpole years ago, King Arthur loves the game, as it gives him an excuse to spend more time with Merlin.

The game is bringing people closer, including Arthur and Merlin, and all seems to be well until Merlin starts disappearing on Sundays, refusing to tell Arthur where he’s gone or what he’s been doing. When Arthur’s curiosity gets the better of him, he makes several unexpected discoveries about the man he’s been secretly in love with for years.

Will Arthur handle these revelations with grace and confess his own secret, or will he earn the title of Camelot’s biggest clotpole?

Words by tehfanglyfish Art by highlynerdy

~~~

arthur misses the most obvious clues in this fic and i love him for that. he’s so precious it’s insane.

2. Curling. For Camelot! by ravenwilds (@ravenwilds)

 Not for the first time, Merlin is late for training. He really hadn’t meant to be, but he’s had a very disturbed morning. He’d been woken up at five o’clock by the sound of Arthur singing “I feel pretty and witty and gay,” in the shower. It was a brave choice for the captain of a men’s curling team, and for a Crown Prince – but then Merlin had to admit Arthur was brave in his own way – brave or crazy – one of the two.

At the age of twenty-one Prince Arthur is proud that his men’s curling team are the first people from the tiny country of Camelot to ever compete in the Olympic games. He just wishes his rag-tag teammates – and one very distracting team member in particular – would take the whole thing more seriously.

Meanwhile, Merlin can’t believe he’s at the Olympics – he didn’t even know what curling was a year ago! This would be the trip of a lifetime, if only he didn't have to share a room with his very bossy, very attractive, prat of a team captain.

~~~

adhjfjkfhdakjf merlin literally confesses and arthur goes “hm he must find me disgusting. shame”

3. Destiny by diner_drama (@diner-drama)

"Merlin," yelped Arthur, outraged and relieved in equal measure. "What on earth are you- Is this what you meant by powerful, ancient magic? You can make your eyes go sparkly and then fix people's clothing?"

Merlin stopped short and rubbed the back of his own neck awkwardly. "Among other things, yes."

"And you've been moping around all day about this?"

"You didn't believe me! I was baring my soul to you and you were so arrogant that you just-"

"You told me that you'd saved my life a hundred times with the mystical power of your warlock skills," said Arthur, wiggling his fingers as though casting a spell. "Not that you were hiding the ability to dress me more efficiently."

~~~

arthur himbo is my fav trope

[jayswing101]

Jayswing101′s Guardian Bingo Masterlist

@guardianbingo​ card and badges made by @highlynerdy. Fest coordinators: @tehfanglyfish, highlynerdy, and @sasamelons.​ 

One Fill – Longevity Dial

N1- Fic: [3+1] Did It Hurt?: 3 times Shen Wei asks Zhao Yunlan if it hurt when he fell from heaven, and 1 time Zhao Yunlan asks Shen Wei.

One Line (Any Direction) – Mountain-River Awl (N1-N5)

N4- Fic: Ohkwarikó:wa: The stars are visible one summer night, and Kunlun asks Shen Wei to tell him about the Bear Stars. (Onekwà:tara 1/4)

N2- Fic: Teiothahó:ken: Zhao Yunlan learns about the Bear Stars, and finds out why Shen Wei seems to care about bears so much. (Onekwà:tara 2/4)

N3- Fic: Ken’niwahkwaritá:’a: Weilan happily ever fluff with a side of bears. That's it. That's the fic. (Onekwà:tara 4/4)

N5- Art: Zhao Yunlan as Kunlun on a motorcycle. 

Bonus Prompt (Five Bonus Fills) – Merit Brush

Tiger (February 2022)- Art: Cat Da Qing in a tiger costume

Birthday (April 2022)- Fic: Born to be Wild: Zhao Yunlan has no idea what to do for Shen Wei's birthday, so he asks Ye Zun for help. The result involves longer hair, old clothes, and a motorcycle.

Time Travel (May 2022)- Fic: All of these years you've been lonely: Ye Zun follows Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei into the wormhole. It shows him what really happened on the cliff where gege abandoned him.

Dragon (June 2022)- Fic: Just A龙 For the Ride: A stranger with Shen Wei's face shows up at the SID, panics, accidentally sets off the hallows, and Zhao Yunlan gets yeeted 10,000 years to the distant past. He finds a tiny dragon that's not actually a dragon, somehow acquires a second dragon-that's-not-really-a-dragon, helps the stranger with Shen Wei's face deal with his trauma, finds some lost hallows, and then gets yeeted back to modern Haixing. It's... a lot, even for Zhao Yunlan. At least now he knows why Shen Wei and that not-Shen Wei kept calling him Kunlun.

Meeting Again (July 2022)- Fic: The ̶c̶a̶t̶ human came back: Da Qing is trying to have a nap when a curious human kitten starts petting him. Da Qing doesn't mind so much when he realises who the kitten is, or at least, who he will become.

Two Lines – Unlit Guardian Lantern (N1-N5 and I1-I5)

I3- Fic: The Best Laid Plans: Ye Zun introduces Shen Wei to the world of Tumblr in an attempt to scare him off the Internet. It doesn't work quite as planned, but it also works exactly as planned.

I5- Art: Illustrated gif of Shen Wei and Ye Zun with various “masks”

I2- Fic: Ctrl Alt Del (All your files):  Wang Zheng volunteers to teach Shen Wei and Ye Zun how to use modern technology. It's not as easy as she expected it would be.

I4- Art: Watercolour of Shen Wei and Ye Zun walking off into the void wormhole of possibilities at the end of ep 40

I1- Fic: The Noodle Incident vol 2: Sweet Ramen Disasters: Zhao Yunlan stood in the corner in front of the microwave, a broken plate and a charred lemon on the floor just in front of him. He looked startled, but also guilty, like a child who’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have.

“Zhao Yunlan,” Shen Wei said in the same tone he used for students he’d caught plagiarizing.

“Hi,” Zhao Yunlan answered.

Looking around the kitchen pointedly, Shen Wei calmly asked, “What are you doing?”

“Ah.” He scratches the back of his neck and ducks his head. “I, um, Imighthavesetalemononfire.”

Shen Wei blinks. Zhao Yunlan sighs, nudging the crispy lemon on the floor with the toe of his slipper.

“…I might have set a lemon on fire...” he mumbled.

O3- Art: Tiny dragon Shen Wei next to the Merit Brush for size comparison

Or, Zhao Yunlan is left unsupervised and attempts to cook again. It does not go well.

Card Blackout - Lit Guardian Lantern:

O4- Fic: Tsá:ta nihá:ti tehatinonniáhkhwa:  The power goes out, and Shen Wei tells his little family another star story by candlelight. (Onekwà:tara 3/4)

G5- Art: Watercolour of Shen Wei’s pendant of pining

G2- Fic: Episode 33: Shen Wei Needs a Cat: When Lao Zhao returns from Dixing with a defeated-looking Shen Wei, Da Qing knows just what he needs to feel better. Shen jiaoshou needs a cat. He needs a cat to purr at him, and head-butt him, and Da Qing, King of Cats, is the best cat for the job.

B2- Fic: Episode 37: Almost Goodbye: When they return to the SID, Lao Li is lying on the floor. Da Qing isn't ready to say goodbye, and he can't help but hope he can be saved somehow.

B1- Art: Mixed Media portrait set of Zhao Yulan. Matches Shen Wei's portrait in B3.

B3- Art: Mixed Media portrait set of Shen Wei. Matches Zhao Yunlan's portrait in B1.

G3- Art: screencap redraw of Shen Wei and Ye Zun holding hands from their reconciliation scene at the end of ep 40.

B4- Fic: by ghosts or gods: As Kunlun walks away from him, Wéi can't help himself. He's a ghost, it's in his nature to be selfish.

He calls out Kunlun's name. When Kunlun turns back to face him, Wéi steals his soul.

O2- Fic: Cereal, Crocs, and Colossal Mistakes: Shen Wei should've known not to trust Zhao Yunlan when he said he wanted to go grocery shopping with him. Alas. He wanted to spend more time with his beloved and didn't think to question it. Shen Wei has to take drastic measures to save his sanity, but now, Dixing's fashion sense (and Shen Wei's dignity) are under threat instead, and it's all his own fault! If only he'd told Zhao Yunlan to stay home...

(AKA, the long-awaited Cereal Crocs fic)

G4- Fic: Fear's Purpose: Shen Wei hates how much people fear Heipaoshi, but the fear keeps Dixingren safe.

O1- Fic/Translation: 如影随形: 有一天���神碰见小鬼王。从此，小鬼王追随和效山神，如影随形。/如影随形 (rúyǐngsuíxíng): One day, a mountain god finds a little ghost king. From then on, the little ghost king follows the mountain god, like he's the god's little shadow.

B5- Art: Watercolour painting of the four Hallows.

O5- Fic: Forbidden Suit: Zhao Yunlan wants to do something special for Shen Wei to celebrate the anniversary of their first meeting. Well, Zhao Yunlan's first meeting, Shen Wei's first meeting post-dirt nap. Ye Zun's suggestion works a little too well (Zhao Yunlan has no complaints, Shen Wei is just jealous other people also saw what he was wearing)

G1- fanARTifact (modified hanfu cosplay): recreation of modern Heipaoshi’s cloak.

[cilly-murphy]

Hi there. i'm not the same anon as then, but I saw a big merthur fics masterpost you made a while ago and i was wondering if you had any more? or read more since it was a few months ago? i read most of them and i loved them so we got the same taste! thank you in advance, love your blog btw 💙

Hello anon! First of all, thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoy my recs and my blog! ❤️Trust me, i have many new ones. I read a loooot of Merthur fic 🤭

The post mentioned in the ask is here, so go check that out too, many favs there

These fics are 90% canon era, 100% Merthur with some side pairings and crossovers. Keep an eye out for the tags, i never read them because i’m not triggered by anything so be careful. There is all kinds of fics in here, all ratings, except abo. Have fun!

Hotel Camelot by orphan_account rail against your dying day by helloearthlings Tutelage by Azahar His to Keep by Capriccio The One Where Their (Mother) Tongues Get Acquainted by Emjayelle A Time for Magic by Jessdraw The Witchfinder's Legacy by WordsAblaze Strangled by the Red String of Fate by idlestories Accidents by RedRuse Like a Stone on Fire by Blake A Future in Three Days by whitedatura It is not victory I seek by camelotsheart Something Beautiful by cherrybina Dower the Stars by RurouniHime And No Birds Sing by Omi_Ohmy Duty Beyond Knighthood by evaelisaa How am I supposed to stop myself (from loving you) by Merlins_little_sister no better love by TheDragon A Modern Manservant by Mamalazzer (reread from 2013) Merlin: A Hogwarts History by Mamalazzer This Slow Burn by bloodsongs As a Sea Shell by bathilda bagshot (wellthengameover) The Serving of Servants by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle For Want of Wreckage by bloodsongs All I Need Is You by ambrosius Some Days by Acid_Rabbit a spark without flame by cas_tielle forget me not (and I'll remember) by bravenclawesome  bloom how you must, wild until we are free by SlantedKnitting gold rush by acciomerlin Within Me Trembles the Light by witchmd13 Paint my spirit gold by andiwould And I Feel the Hand of Fate (reaching out to both of us) by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy) A Shrike Passes Through by 3levetoi In Turning We Come Around Right by janne_d Regicide by FallingFlowers and it's you are by schweet_heart The Time Before by 3levetoi shall go freely by schweet_heart The Prince and Merlin: The Story Behind the Never Aired Episode (for obvious reasons) from Series One by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy) baby, give me a sign (that you want to be mine) by schweet_heart for furloughday only honest when it rains by somethingaboutwriting the Boy in the Cave by orphan_account Where flowers bloom. by Michaelssw0rd  Sweetness by 3levetoi See Me Through My Eyes and I'll Tell You What I See by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy) Merlin's Yule Gift. by rotrude And In Trust, We Can Love by LadyDanielle Give and Take by Orithain, Rina9294 Within Reach by foxy_mulder Wear No Disguise for Me by objectlesson No time runs against the king by oddishly A Song From Far Away by mushroomtale, Polomonkey The Stumble and The Fall by archives (zoicite) Have you Heard by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle imeless Circle by Cookie After The Storm by orphan_account Keep the Magic Secret by orphan_account [ART + FIC] Merlinktober 2020: The Long Way Home by schweet_heart The Great Winter by halfhardtorock The Long Shadow by Destina Dandelion by tinylilremus Until the End of Days by Clea2011  That's His Name by ZairaA Where I'm Meant To Be by mischiefmanager In Vino Veritas by orphan_account All You Did was Save Me by lasvegas_lights We Are All Diamonds by Footloose (reread from 2013) More than I bargained for by follow_your_fire Home is a Heartbeat by FervidAsAFlame, highlynerdy Die For You in Secret by evokingmemories Let me be your canvas by marguerite_26 I Love You by evokingmemories see you in the sunlight by helloearthlings The Frog Prince by Clea2011

[nextstopparis]

Oh boy may I ask which fic threw you into such turmoil?

ksnsisjsoeneo yes ofc anon i love sharing things that cause me pain and then heal me: Home is a Heartbeat by FervidAsAFlame and highlynerdy

idk if im was just really heavily projecting my own grief regarding 5.13 onto merlin but idk man. idk the fic just Got me ok. multiple times it got me. even after finishing it it got me. wtf. AMAZING writing and art too

[highlynerdy]

My bestie will be here next week for our annual (sometimes biannual, but not in many years) art retreat and she requested that we do some dyeing for needle felting. I ordered ~15 lbs of various wool tops and have been slowly dyeing up a rainbow of colors for us to play with. But! The magic of art retreat is we never know what we're going to spend the week making and I can't wait to see the nonsense that unfolds.

Our art retreat in February of 2020 was my first exploration of the stained glass painting series. (This video cracks me up every time...)

As well as playing around with merthur-inspired poetry (though she didn't know it was fandom-y lol)

I taught her to watercolor in 2019, she made fabric intestines in 2020, I painted in my handmade fanARTifact leather journal when I went to see her in 2022, we carved stamps and embossed in 2023.

Having creative friends is the best thing. ~5 days until chaos!

[guardianbingo]

Fest Recap

It's hard to believe it's been TWO YEARS since Guardian Bingo launched. In that time, we issued 138 cards and more than 100 badges. There are 456 works in the AO3 collection and many other posts on tumblr with art, edits, meta, fanARTifacts, and other creations. While it's now time to say goodbye (at least for this fest - the story will keep on going), I didn't want to leave without recognizing the people who made this fest so amazing. First, a HUGE thanks to @highlynerdy, who created all of the gorgeous fest graphics (banner, icon, cards, and badges) and @sasamelons, who provided invaluable help with initial prompts and then supplied each month's bonus prompt. Without them, this fest wouldn't have happened. They have been awesome co-mods!!! Second, a massive thank you to everyone who participated!!!! It's been so great to see all the amazing creations that the prompts inspired. Guardian fandom, you are truly talented!!! To celebrate everyone's creations, I'm loading the queue with reblogs of fills from the past two years.

Below the cut, I've posted a list of badges claimed. (Not everyone who participated claimed a badge.) I'm only tagging people once with the highest badge they earned. (So if you earned a Lit Guardian Lantern, your name will only appear in that list since earning that badge means you also earned the others.) Users that aren't tagged aren't on tumblr. I think I have everyone, but many apologies if I missed you.

I hope you've all enjoyed this fest and that it was fun and low-stress. In a week or so, I plan to post a few cards in case anyone is looking for inspiration. While we won't be issuing more badges or posting new bonus prompts, I am leaving the AO3 collection open and will periodically check the fest account. If you create something based on a card prompt, @ us in your post and we'll reblog it. Guardian Bingo, it has been a BLAST!!! Thank you all for making this a fabulous fest!!!! mod @tehfanglyfish

First Fill @unforth Lit Guardian Lantern (Blackout)

@tinypinkmouse @miss-ingno @the-marron @stupid-lemon-eater @buriedbybooks @theworldisabrokenbonebutitishome @flamingwell velithya @forerussake @jayswing101 @bladedweaponsandswishycoats @programmedradly @avaantares @tehfanglyfish Unlit Lantern (Two Lines) @elenothar Mountain-River (One Line) @mimosaeyes @sasamelons @justacoyote

Longevity Dial (One Fill) @yaaurens @missfangirll @crystalinn @true-unicorn-queen jade @spicymayoblandketchup @presumenothing @drjezdzany samarium @dancing-out-in-space @evnissyn @lacommunarde @silvandar