#let me be😔

[gd-dollopole]

This is no news to anyone, but I’m rewatching Merlin *gasp*, and I noticed that during “The Dark Tower” episode of season five, where Gwen is kidnapped by Morgana, each time, and I bloody swear, because I double checked, each fucking time, Merlin and Arthur interact with each other, and they get on with their mating dance of, “I made you a promise, remember?” and their so not homosexual clasping of their arms, the ‘modified’, if we really have to call it that, theme song “Gwen and Arthur”, the same one they play in the finale, where Merlin and Arthur are on the verge of shagging on the tree branch, where Merlin and Arthur talk heart to heart about their feelings, constantly plays in the background of this episode.

Which. Well. Not surprising, at all.

I just didn’t notice.

They always put it to mask Merthur, in some way, like in this episode, it was Gwen they had to rescue, and everyone felt guilty (because me, personally, I would die and resuscitate a thousand times over, if it meant to save Gwen), so someone would think that’s why the song is in the background, but the scenes where the song actually plays are all between Arthur and Merlin, as if saying, “the love Arthur feels for Gwen, who he risks to lose, is as strong as the one Merlin feels for Arthur, when he sees him at his most vulnerable, and wants to help him, and protect him, and who he doesn’t want to see dead.”

AND ALSO, BECAUSE I’M NOT FINISHED:

rewatch the episode, and tell me if this isn’t the softest way in which Merlin interacts with Arthur.

It bloody is.

“Learn how to knock, will you?” “I apologise, sire.” Merlin did apologise and proceeded to promise Arthur they would have rescued Gwen, and became all touchy with him, while they stared into each other’s eyes, okay.

“I made you a promise, remember? We will bring Gwen home.” And Arthur just looks at him? And stares? And hopes? With a poor third wheeling Elyan too.

“Trust me just this once.” Merlin doesn’t make a fucking joke, he just stares at Arthur (all the knights third wheeling, give these men a break from the obvious Merthur) and Arthur gazes back at him and once he understands Merlin actually knows where to go, he clasps his shoulder (just kiss him, will you?) and asks him “Where now?”

They’re so gentle with each other in this episode, my heart can’t take it.

Bonus:

there’s also a wild Arthur sleeping, while he hugs Gwen, and he looks so soft.

[artist-rat]

some epilogue vibes (an excuse to draw some hugs. and my durge so many times)

[lotus-pear]

ok gayboy

[mequetrefis]

free him

[eternalpariah]

sevika..sevika come home…the kids miss you…i mutter as the nurses drag me back to the psych ward

[crabrat]

woaj do you guys think that lion thing is edible or what

[moraent-keys]

Reposting all my spicynoodles art since I know that’s the kinda mood we’re all in today

[sotc]

as fun as it is to talk about the sillay crow family dynamics, i'm soo interested in what this means for the crow familia going forward in a darker lens.

im mostly speaking from the perspective of a rook de riva who romanced lucanis btw <3

illario brought the axe down on his own head after failing to take first talon. he's imprisoned except to play house whenever caterina wants to see him around for family dinners before tensions inevitably shove him back into the cage he's been left to like some house pet lmfao. it's actually kinda fucked up and as a certified sicko i love it. especially considering the casualness in which lucanis describes all of this. crows gotta be a little unhinged<3

But!!! while lucanis was right that illario's reputation is ruined forever as a traitor crow beaten to his knees before every house that doesn't exactly free house dellamorte either. Talon houses will want their pound of flesh of illario for nearly trying to put antiva under venatori control. and yet lucanis refused. house dellamorte showed mercy. they are breaking the rules, making exceptions. this is not how the crows operate and there should--WILL be retaliations for it. illario left this house bleeding in his attempt to claim first talon and their blood is in the water now with house dellamorte having a sole heir who blatantly exposed a weakness and seemingly has no lineage to take after him.

and nevermind that we know murmurs amongst the crows will linger about a first talon being an abomination. i know lucanis kind of handwaves it off as at the coffee date like 'there could be worst first talons' but baby boy, you have avoidance and denial issues this WILL become worse of a problem the longer it goes on. <3

more under the cut bc i didn't realize this was getting so long lol

but in comes fifth talon viago de riva. a bastard to the king of antiva who wants to strengthen the crown. a man who has been ruthlessly exacting and meticulous to get where he is now. and the scariest part is that he has ambition, always has, and knows he has more power than the king himself to make plays if he needs to. this makes for a dangerous (and sexy) combination. in comes his protege rook. casting silly family dynamics aside, viago knows this union between house dellamorte and de riva is extremely beneficial for both houses but also very dangerous. even he knows his ties to teia show a weakness in him that other crows may seek to exploit. and while i do think he may be sincere about wanting rook to find their happiness with lucanis as he has with teia - i truly think he will not shy from showing the importance of a 'political alliance/union' especially with first talon house dellamorte struggling from the blow after all is said and done.

and of course, by extension to de riva, house cantori and the beautiful lovely miss teia, will be extending her support to strengthen their houses but also herself from any opposition. as much as i love that she's kind of the heart that brings this fucked up lil familia together, i know she is just as cunning and clever to recognize what this alliance does for her too.

and caterina.. well, without going into a whole thought piece on her, she has built her (and her grandson's reputation) entirely to instill fear in others, even command enough respect to know she's the one running things while lucanis is just a stand-in as first talon. but what happens when caterina is gone? another dellamorte dead just like all the others. all lucanis has left is himself and his traitor brother. how does he handle illario? how does he fair being a leader to the crows when he didn't want any of this in the first place and no longer has caterina to guide him? how does he wish to pursue carrying the dellamorte legacy (if at all)? does he seek a protege of his own to take on after him? i can't remember who says it (viago or lucanis) but there's a line about how saving thedas will make their houses immortal (hot and very sexy) but also how far can that reputation protect house dellamorte, really?

i don't really have a point to all of this, this is all just stuff im simply chewing on and letting out into the ether because the ripple effect of repercussions with what illario did and what lucanis now has to deal with fascinates me SO MUCH.

[that-fox-thing]

doodles from yesterday’s episode I forgot to post-

[lokiusly]

the sun can’t shine on Loki anymore so now they shine the sun on Mobius

[fellow-fandom-fruitifier]

So I had a vision of Orbwin in Charles jacket (then waking up wearing it) and it spiraled

I’m normal. 👍

[wombywoo]

throwback 💈

[lotus-pear]

two mimir.. 🤲🏼🤲🏼

[ghostie-doodles]

[newttxt]

uh. modern girl piece retainers… i guess

[priceofreedom]

Zack and Aerith talk to Cloud in Advent Children