#like donttouchtheneednoggle is

[botanicallyinclinednerd]

Things I've worked out so far for my Merlin Soulmate AU:

Soulmates and soulmarks are their own subset of magic, and one that Uther can not eradicate, because everyone is born with soulmates

So he does the next best thing and makes it practically illegal to find one's soulmate, mandating the use of gloves and long-sleeves around anyone that is not immediately blood related (soul bonds are solidified through touch)

(Except in the cases where he found someone with a soul mark that moved (a sign that their soulmate was born with magic) in which he would force a parade of citizens to come touch until he finds them. (Very rarely does he find them in this way))

Uther repeals most of the laws surrounding soulmates that ensure their rights. Such as the law that protected bonded soulmates (soulmates who have solidified their bond through touch) from having to testify against each other. In fact, under the new laws he made, if someone refused to testify against their soulmate, both/all would be assumed guilty of the crime in question and punished accordingly

Uther, being very classist and viewing common folk as inferior, also passes a law nulifying marriages between noble and common born soulmates, and outlawing any future marriages of the kind. So people that had been noble for decades were stripped of their title and standing and forced to return to their lives from before (in many instances this part was not strictly enforced, and it caused a lot of outrage when a noble spouse DID abide by this and shun their common born soulmate that had been their partner.)

Uther also repeals a law that allowed nobles to lend their noble status to their platonic soulmates, suddenly making GENERATIONS of nobility commonfolk.

This causes resentment from these nobles, as well as their friends. Sorcerers are not the only ones trying to kill Uther in this au, he wrongs just about everyone.

The only reason he continues to stay in power is because he's so brutal and he fosters a strong inner circle with similar views as his (or so he thinks in some cases)

Uther only had one soulmate and it was Ygraine. However, Ygraine had another soulmate and it was Nimeuh.

Nimeuh tried very hard to dissuade Ygraine from agreeing to the enchantment that lead to her giving birth to Arthur, and it was Ygraine that had to persuade Nimeuh into agreeing to even do it, as Nimeuh knew the risks and did not want to risk losing a part of her soul

She does anyway, despite her every effort

Uther makes it illegal to talk to others about their soulmates or soul marks or to show them to anyone.

Now even before Uther's bullshit, it wasn't polite to just ask, or to ask to see someone's marks (unless that mark was your own, then it was fine, lots of people wanted to know what the representation of their soul looked like)

But this made it so the generation(s) raised following the purge had next to no knowledge of soulmates (Same as with magic) or what made them "evil"

Well, they're magic. Measures of destiny, pieces of ones soul displayed on the skin of the people most important in one's life. And when a piece of one's soul dies, it's agony.

It was no secret that Queen Ygraine was King Uther's soulmate.

In the years of and following the Purge, those particularly bold and angry would whisper, "His entire soul died with her."

Everyone's soulmarks are as follows:

Merlin's is a fluttering blue butterfly

Arthur's is a gleaming golden crown

Gwen's is a forge bucket filled with lavender

Morgana's is a crescent moon with a bright star rotating around the bottom tip (thank you to @clotpoleofcamelot for the idea!)

Percival's is an acorn that is beginning to take root (thank you to @jgvfhl for the idea!)

Leon's is an owl in flight holding an arrow in its talons (I'm not entirely sold on this one, so if anyone has other suggestions, I'm open to it)

Gwaine’s is an oak with his necklace's symbol carved into the trunk (thank you to @donttouchtheneednoggle for the symbol idea!)

Lancelot's is a sword crossed diagonally over a shield with the crest of a winged beast

And Elyan's is a forge hammer circled by chainmail links (thank you again to @donttouchtheneednoggle for the idea!)

Arthur, Elyan, Gwaine, Gwen, Lancelot, Leon, Merlin, and Percival are all soulmates with each other. Gwen also has a soulmate in Morgana, and Merlin has a soulmate in Freya

(Merlin's soulmark for Freya does not start moving until she is cursed, and Merlin asks Gaius what it means. He has a crisis when he finds out, as he puts together that Arthur and Gwen (and Lancelot, but thats not an issue) must know that Merlin was born with magic.)

Merlin before that point is not aware that his soul mark on his soulmates moves, marking him as a born sorcerer. Should he have known this, since Huneth would know due to her soulmate being Balinor? Yeah, he probably should, but there's a lot Huneth didn't tell Merlin in the show and it might not have occurred to her to tell him, or even that he'd find his soulmates in Camelot.

Morgana's other soulmates are Morgause and Mordred.

Leon, Gwen, and Elyan find out they are soulmates when they are kids. The thing about young kids is that they don't really care a whole lot about rules that they don't understand, rules that no one explained, rules that don't make sense. You cant go swimming and catch frogs in full clothes with gloves! So they don't. And it's just the three of them present when they find out that Leon is soulmates with both Gwen and Elyan

(Gwen has known that she and Elyan are soulmates since she held him for the first time. Siblings that are soulmates are unusual but not unheard of)

They agree not to tell anyone, as they don't want to get in trouble

Leon and Arthur soulbond by accident.

Arthur comes over one day to Leon's estate and Leon, who does not have gloves on as he is in his home, greets Arthur with a hair ruffle without thinking.

This is in front of Leon’s parents and a guard, so there is no covering it up when both boys have the exact same reaction, and Arthur asks what that feeling was

Leon (a teenager at this point, maybe 15-16) is TERRIFIED. He just broke the law in front of several witnesses, and soulbound with the king's son. He's expecting to get executed or banished

Neither of those things happen.

In fact, Uther is not even mad. Leon is well on his way to becoming a skilled and respected knight, and he comes from a loyal noble family going back generations. If anything, Uther sees Leon being Arthur's soulmate as a sign of his loyalty and a garentee he will serve him well (Never let it be said that Uther isn't a hypocrite)

It's not long after this that a young Arthur asks Gaius what it means when a soulmark moves. Gaius stiffens and slowly explains that it means that the soulmate was born with magic. "But I thought magic is evil?" "According to your father, it is illegal, yes." "But I thought soulmates were supposed to have positive lasting impact on your life. Leon does." And Gaius is feeling a mix of emotions, cause if Arthur is implying what he *thinks* he is... "Arthur, do you have a soulmark that moves?" And Arthur nods and shows him the butterfly with the gently flapping wings. Gaius instructs Arthur not to tell or show anyone this, especially Uther, as it could be dangerous not only for his soulmate, but for him as well.

Arthur listens to Gaius and doesn't say a word to anyone, including Leon (if he had, they might have figured out they had all the same soulmates, and Leon could have pointed him towards Gwen and Elyan sooner)

Gwen almost doesn't take the job as Morgana’s servant because TWO of her soulmarks move and her parents warned her and Elyan (who shared most of the same soul marks as her) never to let anyone see, to never talk about it, or it would put both them and their soulmate(s) in danger.

A downside to always having to wear gloves it it makes it rather difficult to dress someone, even if tools had been invented to help with the process. One day Gwen gets frustrated and Morgana tells her to take them off if it would be easier. And Gwen freezes a bit. Because Morgana is the king's ward, and this is a bad idea, she's encouraging her to break the law. But then Morgana takes off her own gloves and wiggles her fingers at Gwen "It's fine, Gwen. No one needs to know. It's a stupid law anyway." And Gwen turns away, heading for the door, and for a second Morgana thinks she's gone too far and is about to apologize when Gwen flips the lock on the door, ensuring it's secure and coming back, removing her gloves as she does so. Morgana grins and promises that nothing that happens before that door gets unlocked will be repeated to anyone.

Morgana holds out her hand for Gwen to shake and after a long moment Gwen takes it. And their marks for each other go warm and and this feeling of *rightness* settles over them both, they've found another piece of their SOUL

This is how Morgana gets confirmation that she has magic, by asking to see her mark on Gwen and realizing what it means that her mark *moves*

I have more that starts moving into what changes and stays the same to canon, but this is already so long that it will have to be another post. If anyone has any clarifying questions, please feel free to ask me!

[tloupride]

TLOU Queer Fic Recs

Happy Pride! Admin Zoo here, with some of my favourite queer fics, please share your own recs, I'm looking for more to read!

🏳️‍🌈 🩷💜💙 🖤🩶🤍💜 🏳️‍⚧️

Late October, 2022 (Or The Last Time Joel Saw Bill and Frank alive), 5k, T, by Springandastorm, @spr1ngandastorm

Joel and Tess and Bill and Frank hang out and find community in each other. This devastated me in the best way, I have not stopped thinking about it since I read it. Beautiful and bittersweet and hopeful all in one.

trace my fingers across your frozen veneer, 2k, E, by fromthewhales @deervsheadlights

Bi Joel gets pegged by Tess, as he deserves. Like all the best explicit fics, this is a character study and really gets into their relationship. 10/10 no notes.

some sort of private conversation, 2k, M, by fromthewhales. @deervsheadlights

Bi Joel tries to have a hookup on the road but Ellie cannot mind her own business. So in character and hilarious, RIP Joel hope the next time works out better for you.

Eternal Love Bullshit, 3k, T, by @sedumlineare

STOP THE PRESS, ASEXUAL JOEL IS ON THE SCENE. Lovely fic where he bumps into an old friend in Jackson (who's a lesbian!), remembers past community, and it's just so sweet. Neare aced this one.

The Trans Joel Universe, series, 27K, G/T, by @sedumlineare

NEARE THIS GIVES ME LIFE. This series has everything: gender euphoria and mentorship, trans Joel through the years, and nonbinary Ellie! Stunning, lovely, special mention to Took a While But I Don't Mind (How Do I Look Now?) which is full of joy and is named after one of my favourite songs

I know, I know the sirens sound/Just before the walls come down, 2k, M, by @donttouchtheneednoggle

Trans Bill AND Frank!!! Oh. My. Sweet. Jesus. This fic left me in a puddle on the floor. Beautiful, stunning, please read it, it's gorgeous.

making yourself up as you go along, 6k, M, by awenswords, @awens-words

Trans Joel!! Really brilliant fic, I especially love the detail given to his smuggling operation and how that doubles up as a way to get hormones. Him trying to come out to Ellie is a particular highlight.

Different Shades, 773, G, by mandocule, @theydjarin

Ellie asks about Bill and Frank, and she and Joel come out. Really sweet little fic with lesbian Ellie and bi Joel doing their best to be #Vulnerable. One of the first queer TLOU fics I read last year!

mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing, 15k, G, by flannelfeelings, @boopernatural

The happy AU where Joel gets to meet JJ and Ellie, Dina, and Jesse have a polyamorous relationship! We love love, we love community.

Watch Me Bleed, series, 24k, M/E, by Fiachra, @consultingzoologist

Apologies for the self-promo, but writing this changed my life due to the people I met as a result. TLOU but Joel is trans, with an Ellie-centric sequel exploring her queer feelings, and a t4t TessJoel installment (that gets the E rating)

[devil-of-books]

I posted 240 times in 2022

56 posts created (23%)

184 posts reblogged (77%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@hesitantlyhopefulspren

@nonlinear-nonsubjective

@botanicallyinclinednerd

@donttouchtheneednoggle

I tagged 164 of my posts in 2022

Only 32% of my posts had no tags

#save - 13 posts

#geraskier - 10 posts

#merthur - 9 posts

#oh my god - 9 posts

#bbc merlin - 9 posts

#rwrb - 7 posts

#geralt of rivia - 6 posts

#jaskier - 6 posts

#incorrect witcher quotes - 6 posts

#heartstopper - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 133 characters

#because they’re kids and it’s amazing how they’re learning and all and i don’t want to be an asshole that ruins their lives and their

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Jaskier: Everyone’s all “follow your dreams” and “be the change you want to see in the world” but when I do it “oh no it’s illegal!” Allow me to be an artist, damn you

Geralt: You burnt the tavern down

Jaskier: Yes, but I did it beautifully ✨

Geralt:

339 notes - Posted April 6, 2022

#4

~modern au~ Jaskier, strumming his lute and singing to the tune of “Firework”: 🎵 Do you ever feel / like you’re really mad / Really fucking mad 🎵

Geralt, freezing: oh no

Lambert, laughing: Looks like you messed up, what’d you do? Geralt, sweating, as Jaskier makes Direct Eye ContactTM: oh no

466 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

#3

Geralt, sharpening his sword:

Jaskier, sneaking up on him from behind and jumping onto him and hugging him: HII

Geralt, who definitely sensed His Bard but didn’t want to stop him because he secretly likes it: *grunts*

718 notes - Posted October 3, 2022

#2

Jaskier (in a modern au I guess?) drunk: Why are there couch potatoes … but not potato couches????

Geralt: alright you’ve had enough to drink.

~a few days later~ Geralt, thrusting a couch carved out of a potato at Jaskier: here. your potato couch.

910 notes - Posted August 9, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Jaskier: Are you alright?

Geralt: My eyes are sweating.

Jaskier: … you’re crying?

Geralt: They. Are. Sweating.

Jaskier: Would you like a hug? To cool them down?

Geralt: … yes please

995 notes - Posted August 5, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[aspasiaclaudet]

#omg i remember the plot but not the names lol#ok after checking ao3:#post-it note romance (super cute merthur fic)#there are no grapes upon the vine (only the BEST PIRATE AU EVER)#for want of nail (super good 10/10)#you only live twice (james bond au and *chef's kiss*)#bbc merlin#merthur#merthur fic#fic rec

existentialcrisisallthetime

Depends on what you’re looking for, but i recommend Dower the Stars by RurouniHime; Next to You (it’s the rule) by LunaMyLove; and You Have to Chase It by arthurandhisswordbros

merthurruinedmeagain

@just--alex I’ll take all the ones you can give me! I haven’t really read a lot of Dark stuff, so I’d love some recs! Also I love long fics, so bring it on!

Original Poster

merthurruinedmeagain

@existentialcrisisallthetime THANK YOU! They’re being added to the list as we speak 🥰

honey-bee-111

You've probably already read it but I'm absolutely in love w/ this: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29127561/chapters/71505519

who-needs-coke-when-you-can-read

honestly, definitely For Want of a Nail by 0hHeyThereBigBadWolf on ao3

k-s-morgan

From canon-based fics: "And like the cycle of the year, we begin again" https://archiveofourown.org/works/6092269/chapters/13964185 The most realistic post-canon story ever. From AU, "Heart in a Headlock" https://archiveofourown.org/works/987049/chapters/1945908

gayasshedgebitch

The third part of this series has yet to start posting but both first and second are enough to keep occupied for a while. It's also Arther/Merlin/Gwen endgame which I appreciate https://archiveofourown.org/series/2129970

ohstinkity

THE BOOK OF MERTHUR ALWAYS AND FOREVER!! if you're looking for the hilariously-and-beautifully-written-character-developing-canon-rewrite of your dreams, it is 100% the place to go. I cannot count the amount of times I have giggled out loud only to end up sobbing at the end of the chapter.

aemelia

@ohstinkity YOU ARE RIGHT AND YOU SHOULD SAY IT

onceandfuturelesbian

deep in my heart i’m concealing by cithara IS SO GOOD

roomsofmyheart

Trying to list ones that other people haven't said already (Like Book of Merthur, which everyone should absolutely read). Some huge favorites of mine are Shadowlord & Pirate King by Footloose (honestly anything by Footloose is amazing), There Are No Gays in Football by Malu_3 (honestly not a sports person myself but it doesn't focus on the actual technicalities of the sport that much and more on the LGBTQ+ issues around th sport so it's a great read if you're into that)

roomsofmyheart

Sorcerer's Bane by BeautifulFiction (the author even made a bound book of this fic!! amazing), The Student Prince by FayJay (much college shenanigans and magic exists), and the first ever Merlin fic I read which I still adore to this day: Coffeeshop Muffins by skellerbvvt (very short fic but absolutely hilarious and adorable with two endings)

4blueeyes7

A couple of my favorites are To Love, Honor, and Piss Off by thenerdyindividual on AO3 and The Love That Binds Us by CarpeDiemForLife on FanFiction.net 😊

madamewriterofwrongs

Finding Home by riventhorn. An oldie but a goodie

part-alien-part-ghost

"How do i love thee? Excellent fucking question." by donttouchtheneednoggle Elyan/Percival, T, 8k. It send me to a whole other dimension for almost a week

colleen-boo-89

I’m trying to give suggestions you don’t already have but some of the ones listed already are definitely favorite. Anything by Cithara but especially Deep in My Heart I’m Concealing. Breathe My Name by LadyDanielle. Both are on Aow, both are Merthur and both are rated E

one-fond-mortal

SO MANY but I have to immediately recommend the works of thenerdyindividual and anarchycox! And many others too, tbh but I had to immediately talk about these. There's also Dies Irae by TyalaganD, three years past by andiwriteordie (still going on), Thinking Their Own Kisses Sin by helloearthlings, the king is dead (long live the queen) by princessoftheworlds

theriseofthephoenixx

immortal and revenant. i just love HP fics where merlin ks incorporated. the diary scorch marks and embers parvus merlin ravioli fist a fresh perspective protect you anyway

just--alex

Okay, sooo dark or long (for me dark means 1) dark character or 2) one of them suffered and other saved him) and long means 20k-+ Everything Merthur + one gen + everything on ao3

just--alex

Darkly Dreaming by emmbrancsxx0 (dark arthur and 73k+) Where I'm Meant To Be by WhiteRoseCottage (40k+ reincarnation) say you'll still be by my side by Imagined (28k misunderstanding) The Tickles and Tribulations of the Prince of Camelot('s Servant) by beau_and_aro, gwaines_season_three_hair (beau_and_aro (20k+ 13k has two parts, fluff) Five lessons on how to not kill your best friend by injeong (12k, Arthur has to watch Merlin suffering) 1/?

just--alex

Would You Be Mine, Could You Be Mine by lady_ragnell (23k+, modern) If You Have a Problem With Him, You Come to Me by Fantasy_lalaland (7k, Arthur goes mad after one noble attacks Merlin) Cry Wolf by ArgentSleeper (3k, dark, agravaine rapes Merlin) The Unknown Path by LoopyLiesey (18k+, not very long but i love it) in nobody's eyes but mine (hey shut up) by jatersade (43+, high school) The Many Duties of a Manservant by orphan_account (43k+,humor + fluff) 2/?

just--alex

Long Live the King by arcturus7 (19k+, merlin keeps hiding his magic and other sorcerer attacks him) Four Days To Fall In Love. by CupCakezys (29k+, canon and soulmates) 3/4

just--alex

4/4 NOT ao3 fanfictions In Time Of Trial by Shine (https://web.archive.org/web/20151017030852/http://boxofmagic.talkoncorners.net/viewstory.php?sid=29&warning=5) long Одно волшебное зелье by owk (http://www.snapetales.com/all.php?fic_id=20828) long, dark, in russian Caged Little Bird by Deminos (https://merlin-finders.livejournal.com/2033491.html) deleted so a link to download file, dark, long 4/4 :)

caethes

Ok so... Knights of the Air by riventhorn: historical WWII they're all fighter pilots during the Blitz The Ghost of Le Day House by rotrude: Historical WWII, horror/haunted house Merlin Emrys and the legend of Excalibur by one_more_psge: Harry Potter Fusion, but set after Harry Potter and has literally nothing but short mentions of hero worship. Fantastic story and every single word is relevant to the plot!!!

caethes

A song from far way by Polomonkey (and Mushroomtale): canon era, but Merlin never got to Camelot, basically a fantasy epic, basically AMAZING (plus gorgeous art) Requiem of a Forgotten Prince by queerofthedagger (and kairennart): canon era with a different type of memory wipe Murder on the Beat by the_mother_of_lions: sci Fi fusion with Among Us Destiny that Darkly hides us by Nympha_Alba: historical WWI, but magic and amazing art

caethes

If you will be my bodyguard by Tari_Sue: Modern AU, mystery Crime but also just very every day to day, and great art The mating Season by Camelittle: Modern Royalty with Soulmates but a different take and a good dash of mystery Hope of the immortal by ArtemisPendragon: Just Merlin as a statue? Brilliant! The inherent limitations of words by Imagined: Modern Royalty and university and Arthur being sweet and smart Merlin

caethes

You can also check out the fics I podficed, those stories are amazing and those lovely writers definitely deserve all the attention they can get

sundere1181

When it Burns by BelloBelle absolutely BROKE me and i love it so much

pieplease

The Tournament of all Magicks by corilannam / A Whole Lot of History by ladililn / For Your Information by reni_days / Coffeeshop muffins by skellerbvvt All merthur fics, all great !! Some fluffy some adventerous? Lots of bamf merlin bc i love him

seraviafly

Theres so many, but for favorite, I have to go with Loaded March by Footloose

j0mama69

"You only life twice" litterly changed the way i lived. Its not finished yet but the author hasnt given it up!

areesvt

This is my absolute favorite merthur fanfic http://archiveofourown. org/works/41121219.

outsider-lookin-in

I think I have reread and like the cycle of the year we begin again at least once a year for the last five years

says-swag-unironically

The Immortal and The Revenant!!! by RileyWilliamsJr on ao3!!!! it’s a harry potter crossover so not everyone’s cup of tea, but god d a m n is it the fic i keep going back to

inkmyth

I’ve got to say, I haven’t yet found my definitive canon-era fic yet but You Only Live Twice by storyforsomeone is my ultimate modern AU fic! James Bond AU, Arthur is 007, Merlin is Q, and the worldbuilding/ relationship development is incredible 💕

dameange

Any and everything by Footloose. If you're looking for magic in the modern era: her Loaded March series. It's a super long series, incredibly well written, has good!Morgana, and shape sifting dragons.

mortalmab

YOLT. You Only Live Twice is a James Bond AU that I never knew I needed until I found the author on tumblr making memes for it and I clicked the link and I was so fucking blown away. Hands down the best merlin fanfic I have ever read, bar none, each chapter is a mini novella in length so they come out slowly but also there’s like 25 chapters. You don’t have to have seen or know anything about James Bond to enjoy it, either.

ailelie

Older fic series, 30k. I've not read it in years, but I remember really enjoying it when I did read it: https://archiveofourown.org/series/789 (Originally read on LJ, but I found it on AO3 as well).

shana-rosee

There are so many good ones but you can’t go wrong with anything queerofthedagger

mindobsessionsss

@katherynefromphilly 's "And like the cycle of the year, we begin again". I died reading it six years ago. And still die at least once a year when I reread it.

oliversical

For the life of me, I cannot remember the title. But the plot is essentially they’re on a camping trip (Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights) and Merlin gets kidnapped but uses his magic to break free and Arthur sees. Merlin freaks and runs away and Lancelot and Gwaine freak out on Arthur

listeningfortheirritatingnoises

i know people have already reccd 'and like the cycle of the year we begin again' so i'll just say i second those, but other favs of mine include 'So Close and I'm Halfway to It" by Ariadne_odair (canon divergence magic reveal plot based and so good), 'The Sheep Whisperer' by Camelittle (modern AU stressed executive arthur and sheep farmer merlin), and 'Something Worth Fighting For' by The Avalonian (WWII, Arthur goes to war while Merlin stays home, I cried, a happy end)

nahasketches

Uuuuu I have a list 😅😅😅😅 In this link, maybe I will delete it in the future but for now all of my merlins fics are here https://viridian-guppy-7ad.notion.site/Ao3-Readings-d900c394922741bebe11e38dd5275427

someonecradlemeintheirarms

things that merlin isnt allowed to do bt Itar94, its been a while since i read it but its pretty fun https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7477406/1/Things-That-Merlin-Isn-t-Allowed-To-Do

queen-daemok

The Hands of a Hundred Winters by fourleggedfish, is the best Merlin fanfic series I’ve ever read. https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830772

wistfulvulpine

I put a ton of suggestions in my tags (sorry for the length 🥺) but I will put a link to the Livejournal fic, Pairing Pendragon/Merlin, here: https://merlinkinkmeme.livejournal.com/12537.html

itsjustclaryy

To Love, Honor, and Piss Off by thenerdyindividual. I adore it, it’s an absolutely amazing slowburn that calls out Arthur’s bullshit on the regular while still letting him grow and learn. BAMF Merlin and not even because of his magic. It’s the first one I re-read when I want a (mostly) lighthearted slowburn.

itsjustclaryy

@who-needs-coke-when-you-can-read that one is absolutely amazing

random-hooman

"Hiraeth" and "next to you (it's the rule)" on ao3

cabinrome

Fragments of the Past by Pearl09 literally altered my brain chemistry it’s Perfect

baconandgrits

A warlocks wish by vividpast

kiaqtexistuku

THE MARRIAGE THAT STARTED A LEGEND because I’m a masochist lol it’s on ao3 by Clearwater96 and it’s still being updated every Saturday.

juspaboks

@ohstinkity YES!!!! YES YES YES ITS SO GOOD!!!

fluorescentpuddingbrain

With Magic Soaking My Spine

bisexualbakes

As a musician, “Harmony” by Smcstrav literally changed my life

rmd04348

The Beltane Cycle series by astolat, but I have a super soft spot in my heart for the first Merlin fic I ever read: The Student Prince by FayJay. Love the podfics too!

miniaturemonsters

Am I the Clotpole? by tehfanglyfish; if i was a flower growing wild and free (all i'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee)  also by tehfanglyfish, its giving so mich greek myth about tragic lovers. Also, Strike Of Lightning by helloearthlings. Tbh everything by helloearthlings is amazing. Plus, twitterature by cominupforair, defo my fav modern setting one.  

merlin-emrys1

Merlin's son: a tale as old as time on wattpad, it's amazing, possibly one of the best I've read.

littlemissbrokensunshine

Introspective by snuffles the pig It’s not a completed fic but I’m in love with it and hope the author will update again soon

zmdd2017

https://archiveofourown.org/works/6414745/chapters/14685442 merlin is moved to a dimension where magic is legal AND merthur. literally amazing

hannahhook7744

I have a few. Teach a man to fish and he'll never run out of ale by Doctor959 Reckless Abandon by DreamersTales A Light for the Night by the_seaworthy_muffin ignite the sunlight (a "A Light For the Night" sequel) by indigotigress7 for the_seaworthy_muffin The Little Sorcerer by Hikage_Phoenix We'll Sing a Song of Days Gone By by VirusError How Hard Can It Be? by VirusError You Always Hurt The Ones You Love by VirusError

hannahhook7744

You're safe. They can't hurt us anymore by Laevateinn Liar, Liar, Noble, Sire by sinivalkoista Of Frogs and Knights by VirusError for thegoatjoke Taking Care of Merlin by katierosefun Protection by Highrise148 There's more but I can't remember them all. I also have a couple on my ao3 that I wrote If anyone wants to know the names

captain-sirius-stark

- Just Rumour Me by ListenToThat https://archiveofourown.org/works/42294534/chapters/106237560 - The Sins of the Father (shall not be visited upon the son) by vintagelilacs https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883702 - time, mystical time by andiwriteordie https://archiveofourown.org/works/38553492 - Deliquesce by BeautifulFiction https://archiveofourown.org/works/43597509 - Of Found Sons and Happy Ends by recklessDreamer https://archiveofourown.org/works/35511232 (especially this one)

captain-sirius-stark

- Linger On Your Pale Blue Eyes by supercalvin https://archiveofourown.org/works/20427404 - Of Swords and Honor by Valkyrie98 https://archiveofourown.org/works/42511746 - do not just linger; stay by a_written_dream https://archiveofourown.org/works/36695749 - Watch The World Burn by comic_history_magic_nerd https://archiveofourown.org/works/41351160 - The Legend of Emrys by sherlockruiningmylife https://archiveofourown.org/works/33381238 (I love this one so much)

auroraboringaliceinwonderland

Heart Lines by PeaceHeather on AO3 was one of the first fics I ever read when I first joined the fandom, and it remains a favorite to this day.

just--alex

No no no i saw the first reblog and i already want to read ALL OF THEM and i have like 1.5 of "read later" why are you doing this to me

kate882

orliththedragon

I Love You by evokingmemories Flying Change by Magnolia822 A Modern Manservant by Mamalazzer The Student Prince by FayJay The Chakra of Merlin by SweetAndSharp The Change Trilogy by emmbrancsxx0, mushroomtale Arcane Asylum by new_kate There Are No Gays in Football by Malu_3 (Grainne) Come Alive by kianspo Hell Bent by s0mmerspr0ssen Once and Future by TakeTheShot The Crown of the Summer Court by astolat

jellytamalies

A Warlock's Wish by vividpast | Dead People Don't Talk Back by Rental_demon | Wærcsár Tācnunge by Glon_Morski | Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Plan Your Future Based on Crystals by DSabian | Allow One to 'See' by mollrach13 | (these are all on AO3)

Okay so everyone in the Merlin fandom who reads this needs to reply with their absolute FAVORITE Merlin fan fiction. All ships welcome! Please help me out here, I wanna read what y’all are reading!

[nextstopparis]

3 9 20 29 for arwaine? (I'm the weakest link :))

JKNDXWKJX I KNEW MY CYBERBULLYING DAYS WOULD COME TO HAUNT ME but its not like it worked anyway</3 rip. THANK YOU!!! ive been missing gwart (ALSO THIS GOT SO LONG IM SO SORRY):

3. Most common argument?

probably some really stupid shit like. who the better swordsman is. and then they keep trying to find out but BOTH OF THEM KEEP CHEATING. or hm. if its modern times then it'd be like. even dumber. gwaine would make it his lifes mission to (make arthur rip his hair out) convince arthur that like. canada is fake. or that the sun is a planet. OR OH MY GOD YOU KNOW WHAT? THERES THIS ONE CONSPIRACY THEORY THING called last thursdayism or something?? where one believes EVERYTHING was created last thursday, like memories and monuments and history and stuff and there is NO WAY TO DISPROVE IT TECHNICALLY so gwaine would keep bringing it up. arthur goes red in the face every time and needs to leave the room to calm himself down.

9. Who worries the most?

omg arthur. that mother hen r u kidding??? worrying is like half of his dna lmfao. esp. bc gwaines you know, heh. A LIL chaotic (only a tiny bit though. obviously). so he gets in impossible situations like ALL THE TIME so arthur has to have like. contingency plan after contingency plan on all the diff ways to 1)keep gwaine out of trouble or 2)how to get gwaine out of it bc 1 didnt work out (and it usually doesnt bc gwaine's ~snazy~ like that and works around 1). also he would worry abt the little things too like. he forces gwaine to wear his hair in a bun during training bc the suns too hot and also bc it keeps getting in his face. (this isnt to say gwaine doesn't worry tho bc he'd be the one to drag arthur away from reports and stuff so that they could hve some fun sword fighting since its both of their favourite activities).

20. What do their family/friends think of their relationship?

i think their friends are ECSTATIC (bc they r in LOVE and also theres just so much teasing material and like. they were tired of them dancing around each other u know) and also equally fucking ANNOYED bc they are both annoying but HOLY SHIT together???? goodness give me a break. all that "im better with a sword" "no i am" "no youre not" "yes i-" like goodness. give them a BREAK!! did u see how fucking annoyed merlin was in 3.12? thats what its like. all the time. but also theyre the annoying couple that are disgustingly adorable and just. everything is so all over the place. but its fun. and cute. but annoying. but charming?

uther tries Not to think about it and gwaine's sister keeps teaming up with arthur and tells him stupid baby gwaine stories. in retribution, morgana helps gwaine push his "last thursdayism" or whatever agenda. at least everyone can say theyre never bored??

29. one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart

this is rlly hard bc gwarts my feel good ship:(((( hm. i dont think either would ever truly believe/know how much the other loved them tbh. like i think arthur would be in constant awe of it/never really know why he deserves it and would always be really scared of doing One wrong thing bc he thinks its so fragile that one thing would end it all. gwaine, likewise, i think would always hve that low self worth quietly eating away at him. like. what if someone better comes along or what if he gets bored of me or whatever. like i do think the other would always somehow ease those fears (unintentionally bc GOD FORBID THEY TALK ABT FEELINGS) but you know. the brain can b a real bitch.

[sneakyboymerlin]

The main source I’ve reblogged perelyan gifs from over the years turned out to be a vile, racist piece of shit, which means that I’m just gonna make my own perelyan gifs from now on. Gotta be careful about who you interact with ig…

Anyways, if you have any scenes or parallels or whatnot that you want giffed, I’m happy to do it.

[lit-in-thy-heart]

He frowns on others, but he smiles on me.

Percy Bysshe Shelley: The Cenci

requested by @donttouchtheneednoggle (mercelot + p.192)

[vectorfrankenstein]

ty for the tag @gwen-cheers-me-up! 💕

what the fandom thinks of you generator 

asdfgh fair 

no-pressure tagging @kingdowager​ @gayfirebender @donttouchtheneednoggle​ @ealdorcottagecore @dragonlord-emrys​ 

[merlinssaggyyfronts]

was listening to the waitress soundtrack again and id just like to say that “she used to be mine” is such a fucking gwen song post morgana’s enchantment and now that ive realised it i cant stop crying so i guess you guys have to suffer with me

[botanicallyinclinednerd]

what's nexttttt in death and destiny 👀

Ahhh! Okay, so immediate immediate future is we meet Mithian's siblings Essi and Richard. Then right after that we get the Camelot Gang traveling to Nemeth for Leon and Mithian's wedding. This will feature a conversation between Rodor and Leon and everyone meeting Mithian's siblings. So that's what's next! Now I just need to write it!

[mumble-muse]

@donttouchtheneednoggle I feel like I'm being called out for this still sitting in my drafts months later 😂😂😂😂

love island is back on so my brain has decided to ruminate on that elyaine reality show au I started last summer

[weakforarwen]

Before I forget, here are the Arwen fics I've read recently and enjoyed!

In no particular order:

If You Were A Church, I’d Get On My Knees by MerlinMorganEmrys: Smutty one-shot of Arthur appreciating Gwen... carnally, but it's well-written and humorous. I just like reading how much Arthur loves his wife, okay?

In which Gwen doing blacksmithing nearly ends Arthur through sheer bisexual disasterness by donttouchtheneednoggle: I don't get why Gwen wearing pants and doing something "manly" would trigger a man's bisexuality, but, barring that, the fic is quite cute, funny, and very true to character. Arthur is flustered, Gwen is cool and badass, Arwen are in love.

Pomegranate Seeds by Excaliburstark: A very, very short AU. Arwen is a touch dark, but Arthur's devotion to Gwen is the same it's always been. Truly, it's short and sweet and not dark at all.

totally locked up by you by seadeepy: Short and sweet too. I imagine this fic takes place during season 3, post-Queen of Hearts, but, tbh, Gwen's characterization is a mix of seasons 1, 2, and 3. Regardless, I love the idea of Arthur finding excuses to skip practice just to hide underneath an alcove waiting to ambush Gwen with a kiss. Arwen are cute in this fic. I love Gwen's sassiness too.

Home by Edward007NB: Very short and sweet, takes place in season 5. It's domestic, wholesome, and comforting - just Arwen cuddling in bed after a long day of running a kingdom.

the crisp winter afternoon fades among light, delicate snowflakes by kanada: Dunno how to describe it. Gwen's in love, there's a lot of napping and cuddling, Merlin's part of it too. I guess it's slightly OT3 though I didn't see it that way. I don't think Gwen would pull Merlin into bed with her and Arthur, or even take a nap in Arthur's chambers at all, but, still, it's sweet and wholesome. I love how caring Gwen is.

Royal Wedding Night by Anonymous: This is pure smut. I don't think Arthur had any sexual experience before Gwen, but if you ignore how unrealistic it is, it's hot.

Sunlit Kisses by LiGi: This is my favorite on this list! It's post-season 3, pre-season 4, and very true to canon - both Arwen and Arthur and Gwen's individual characterizations are excellent: Arthur's a romantic, so Arwen go on a picnic, they're sickeningly in love and adorable, and Arthur is simultaneously not smooth and super smooth. It's a perfect continuation of the Queen of Hearts picnic, told from Gwen's pov.

show you how a real queen behaves by turquoisetumult: Gwen's worried about becoming Queen, Arthur's distracted by her beauty and can't understand her doubts - but he eventually gets it and gives Gwen the pep talk she's given him many times before. It's cute and funny, and I like that they discussed Gwen becoming Queen since the show never thought to.

That's it for now! Honestly, they're all very short, so you can read them in minutes!

[fudgetunblr]

This is my "I love my mutuals" post of 2021

This year started out as one of the worst years of my life, and I am ending it in a much better place. That is due in part to my incredible mutuals <3 I could probably write some individual thank you notes to every single person for making my year better, but I'll spare you all that sappines. Posts like these are stressful, because I know I'll miss tagging someone, but I hope I won't, and if I do I'm really, really sorry. Anyways, I love ya'll and I really appreciate your presence on my dash :)

@binarystarkillers @himbomcconnell @jovalencia @jorgecrespo @hidden-joy @dreashappyworld @lit-beyond-measure @alexiaugustin @yourtokentrophywife @eriiees @sundaymorningisgone @kieumy @thefabulousfab-3 @manatheren @ancientgreekvampire @yellenabelovas @norangensaft @lilacpotter @gaydickensianpickpockets @mein-tag-ist-deine-daemmerung @70slesbian @judeswarpaint @forwardiscalling @donttouchtheneednoggle

[mumble-muse]

buddy i NEED the photo evidence 🦘

Please enjoy some ominous looking roos from my walk home last night 🦘

[xviruserrorx]

I felt like this needed to be said...

@donttouchtheneednoggle @botanicallyinclinednerd @lit-beyond-measure

[glass-frogs-and-dragons]

The World bleeds away when you dance with me

For @ilikedumbknightsinlove and @donttouchtheneednoggle

Pairing: Gwaine x Lancelot

Warnings: Slight angst, maybe some language

“A royal ball?” Arthur asked, tailing behind his sister, her maid and his best friend.

“Yes! It has been two years since we defeated Morgause, after all,” Morgana cheered as she strutted down the halls to her bedroom. “And we have all been working so hard,” -she winked at Gwen, making her laugh- “That we simply deserve this. Wouldn’t you agree, Merlin?”

Merlin, the traitor, looked back at him in the eye and gave him the most innocent smile he could muster.

“Absolutely, my lady.”

At Gwen’s laughter, the only thing he was left to do was grumble about how they ganged up on him.

The news flew fast, and soon everyone in the palace was buzzing with excitement at the upcoming ball; the only person who was more nervous than ecstatic was the noble Sir Lancelot, who had taken to pace in his rooms whenever he was allowed a moment’s peace. He wanted to ask Gwen for a dance, to spend a pleasant evening twirling around with her before backing off completely and to have him be the cause of the smile he so adored; there was a slight problem with his plan, though.

He had no idea how to dance.

He had considered asking someone for help, but Arthur was most definitely a no-go, most of the knights as well as Morgana would just laugh at him, asking Gwen would just defeat the whole purpose and Merlin was busy enough as he was, so he resigned himself to watch other people dance and then try to imitate the steps alone in his chambers. He was in the process of doing so, watching his feet intently and grumbling every time he misstepped (which was often) when a vigorous knock and the door swinging open interrupted him.

“Hey, Lance! The other knights and I are going drinking, care to jo─oh? What are you doing?”

The curly-haired knight’s head shot up, his cheeks instantly aflame.

“Um… nothing, Gwaine, I-”

“Were you dancing?” The long-haired knight smirked.

“What? No!”

“You’re a terrible liar, my friend,”

“I wasn’t-”

A raised eyebrow from Gwaine made him fumble through the rest of the sentence.

“Fine. I…  I wanted to dance at the ball but-”

“You don’t know how to?”

Lancelot nodded shamefully and expected Gwaine to laugh at him and leave, but to his surprise, he heard the door closing and felt a distinctly warm presence in front of him; as he looked up, coffee-coloured eyes met hazel ones and the smirk decorating Gwaine’s face broadened into something happier.

“I can teach you, if you like,”

Unsure of what to say or how to respond, Lancelot merely nodded, prompting Gwaine to grasp his left hand and put his right one on Lancelot’s hip, waiting for the noble knight’s free hand to fall onto his shoulder.

“I’ll lead first, okay? When you have the hang of it we can change,”

“... Okay,”

“So, we start with the right foot…”

Gwaine was, much as it pained Lancelot to admit, a great dancer. He had the grace of a nobleman and held him gently enough so that he did not feel awkward yet remaining a steady constant, muttering quiet ‘one-two-three’s to keep the beat constant; he wasn’t proud to admit that he fumbled and misstepped many times (Gwaine would probably have sore feet by the end of it), but the long-haired man would merely smile at him and say: “You’re doing better than most, Lance.”.

By the time he realized that night had fallen, they had been dancing for hours, safely cradled in each other’s arms and feet moving instinctively, then Gwaine pulled back with his usual flirty grin, yet with underlying specks of something softer.

“Would you like to do this again tomorrow?”

His voice was soft as to not break the spell that had fallen over them, and Lancelot could not be more grateful for that.

“I’d love to, Gwaine.”

“Great then.” ─ Gwaine disentangled himself from the other knight and ran his fingers through his hair, like he always did in the rare occasions when he didn’t know what to say. ─ “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

And he left.

“Right… I’ll see you.”

Warmth filtered into the room, cocooning him into a safe, gentle haven. 

The next day Gwaine did not mention the dancing at all during training, and he did not acknowledge Lancelot more than he did any other day, something the noble knight was grateful for, as it allowed him to pine (it wasn’t pining, he didn’t pine) for Gwen. In the afternoon, however, he found Gwaine already in his chamber with a pitcher of mead on the bedside table and a book in his hands.

“Ah! Lance!”

“Hello, Gwaine.”

With a grin, a flourish and a bow, Gwaine got onto his feet and took Lancelot’s hand once again.

“Do you want to lead or should I?”

“Maybe it’s best if you lead,”

“Alright then,”

This time, it was not quiet ‘one-two-three’s accompanying them, but the gentle tune of a forgotten waltz that Gwaine was humming under his breath, making Lancelot wonder, and not for the first time, who Gwaine really was. This time, Lancelot allowed himself to close his eyes and he allowed Gwaine to pull him closer, the lilting lullaby now being sung next to his ear.

The days passed and the dancing became a routine. Sometimes Gwaine would bring food and they would eat between pauses, sometimes he brought mead, ale or something stronger and they would end up dancing drunkenly (those nights they would end up sprawled in the same bed, sleeping entwined in each other without a care in the world. They were the nights Lancelot regretted the most yet could not help but secretly crave more of). Sometimes Gwaine would hum to old lullabies or waltzes or just keep the beat with ‘one-two-three’s that remained ingrained in Lancelot’s memory as they were whispered into his ear. One memorable night he began singing sea shanties, with the abashed excuse of “Hey! Those are the songs I know, okay? Don’t make fun of me!” 

Gwaine, Lancelot had to admit, a wonderful voice.

It was rough and lilted around the edges, yet gentle and soothing when it counted; it was obvious he had been involved in many tavern singalongs, yet Lancelot could also tell that he was used to either singing softly to himself or to others in the cold hours after nightfall. He even sang some songs he recognised, even when he changed the words (only to rile him up, Lancelot suspected) because he claimed that they had similar rhythm to waltzes.

Lancelot would just chuckle at that, but when he found himself alone in his bed, his dreams were not of a kind-hearted serving girl, but of a shanty-singing rouge instead.

He tried to keep his distance after that, he truly did, but every choice and every thought that crossed his mind inevitably led him back to Gwaine. It was frustrating.

It was the last night before the ball. They all had their clothing prepared and the servants had been run ragged to prepare everything to perfection and everyone was absolutely ecstatic; Lady Morgana had tried to pry whom he was going to go with and, though he indulged her graciously, he avoided giving any signs: though Gwen’s name was almost on his lips, he would not have stopped himself from blurting something else.

It was the last night before the ball and Gwaine was in his chambers once again. He allowed Lancelot to lead and softly sung his songs, pressing himself closer and willing his heart to beat at a slower rhythm because if he could feel Lancelot’s heart Lancelot could feel his.

“Gwaine?” 

“Yes, lov- ah, Lance?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I won’t be dancing at the ball, so I’m making up for it now.”

“You won’t be dancing?” Lancelot asked, pulling away slightly.

“Why?”

“The one I want to dance with is besotted with someone else,”

“I hardly think anyone would refuse you.”

“Trust me, mate. He’s not interested.”

“Give it a try, at least?” Lancelot pleaded. 

“Fine,” Gwaine huffed out a laugh, feigning annoyance, his hazel eyes boring into Lancelot’s coffee-coloured ones.

“Lancelot… would you save a dance for me tomorrow?”

Lancelot froze, eyes widening and jaw hanging open. At once, every little detail of every interaction between Gwaine and him connected and what he had found strange now made sense. The realization hit him like a thousand-pound block of ice. He stepped away. Gwaine scoffed and put his hands back at his sides, clenching and unclenching his fists; a careful mask of nonchalance placed on his face. 

“I’d… I’d best get going. Goodbye, Lancelot.”

And the noble knight was left alone once again in his chambers, yet this time the cold had crept inside, wrapping vines around his limbs and chilling him to the bone.

It was the night of the ball and Lancelot was dressed in his finest clothes and laying on his bed. Thoughts of the day before invaded his mind like a particularly persistent ache that would not dull. Someone knocked on the door and he dutifully ignored them, his reputation be damned. The knocks became more insistent and Lancelot just groaned and considered putting his head in his pillow, but the door opened before he could.

“Lancelot?” Merlin’s voice echoed in his ears. “What are you doing here? The ball is about to begin!”

“I’d rather not go.”

“Is it because of Gwen… or about Gwaine?” Another lilted voice interrupted, making him sit up lazily to meet Lady Morgana’s eyes.

“Your guessing ability both astounds and terrifies me, my lady.”

“He’ll be waiting for you,” Morgana mused.

“I know.”

Merlin asked, astounded: “He asked you?”

“Yes.”

“And what did you say?”

“I didn’t answer.”

“Why not?”

“I panicked.”

“But do you want to?”

Lancelot paused. Oh, had that question been so easy to answer he would not be here, sprawled over his bed covers and rethinking every single one of his life choices and he would be at the feast hall, twirling Gwen (or Gwaine, the treacherous part of his mind he had been hellbent on ignoring helpfully supplied) around the dance floor and actually happy for once. He tried his damndest to forget Gwaine, but to no avail: he could still see their figures waltzing together under the moonlight, Gwaine’s gentle smile (nothing like the charming, fake one he usually displayed) and his eyes focused solely on him… he had never felt as wanted as he did during those nights.

“Yes. Yes I do.”

He could feel Merlin and Morgana smirking at each other from above him even with his eyes closed.

“Then what the hell are you doing here?” Morgana cheered. “He’s waiting for you! Come on!”

Reluctantly, Lancelot stood and allowed Merlin to fix his clothing and drag him down the corridors. Morgana peeked inside the ballroom and frowned, turning back to her partner in crime.

“Gwaine’s not there,”

“Where is he, then?"

Morgana gasped when she caught sight of a strange movement across the window.

“Try outside,” She grinned, nudging at the noble knight.

They both shot a pointed glare at Lancelot and he sighed, rubbing his face and lifting his arm as a sign of surrender; followed by the sound of their cheers, he was off. He found Gwaine sitting on a bench with his legs spread and a goblet of wine in his hand, staring at the sky with forlorn eyes.

“I never got to say yes,”

Gwaine scrambled to his feet, managing to tip the goblet far enough to make the wine spill to the floor, an extremely satisfying blush coating his freckled cheeks that only made Lancelot chuckle softly.

“You… bloody hell, Lance. You can’t just say things like that.”

“Well,” Lancelot rubbed the back of his neck and held his hand out shyly. “You never did let me answer.”

“Your silence and shock were answer enough,”

“Maybe not. Do you… do you want to lead or should I?” 

The question was nothing more than a whisper, but it successfully pulled Gwaine out of his reverie and made his lips curl into a hesitant smile.

“Maybe it’s best if you lead.”

And so, Lancelot pulled Gwaine into his arms and they fell into a comfortable rhythm, swaying slowly with the muffled music that came from inside and uncaring of who could see them or the consequences that would bring: for now, it was just the two of them and the warmth blossoming in between. They would worry about the world tomorrow.