#modern day merlin

[soni-dragon]

you know that place you were dreaming of, where all light comes in?

[ID: A drawing of Merlin from BBC’s Merlin. His brown hair is longer, tied behind his shoulders in a small ponytail, and he wears a dark green cardigan. He wears a necklace of Arthur’s Mother’s sigil and looks down at a moss-covered rock in the foreground. It’s the rock that used to hold the sword Excalibur. A forest of brown and green with purple flowers is painted in the background. /End ID.]

[gldnstrngs]

modern day merthur… pls… i need u…

[imthursdaysyme]

most people always have modern merlin dressing like. stylish. but i just believe that man wears the same pair of steel toe work boots every day. that man came from a farm. he’d wear work boots and thick jeans and a busted up old carhart tan jacket that has seen better days.

He shows up to class in old overalls with a hoodie over the top of it with mud crusted work boots and everytime Arthur sees him he's distraught at his choice of clothing

[pposyaa]

beach day merthur cuz its hot asf where im at

[theroundbartable]

Modern AU: Uther & Arthur text messages

Arthur: father, how was your day? It's the first month since I moved out and I wanted to check in.

Uther: everything is fine. I have a meeting.

Arthur: oh okay. Didn't mean to bother you.

*marked read*

...

Arthur: Hey :) I thought it would be good to come home this weekend. Tell you a bit about my new job. Would that be fine?

Uther: 👍

...

Arthur: just reminding you that I will be home this saturday!

Uther: yes. You will have to sleep on the couch. Morgana took your bed when she moved out.

Arthur: ah yes, I know. She asked me and I got a new one for my new apartment anyway. It's okay. I won't stay long.

Uther: you should leave after breakfast. The cleaning lady comes at 10.

Arthur: ok

*Marked read.*

----

Merlin: what kind of conversations are these?

Arthur: it's not that bad! He's my father and he does care. He's just not good with texts... And phones, and talking. But he does care about me. And he accepts me for who I am and everything.

Merlin: yeah, but he's not very interested in who you are now, is he?

Arthur: he's my dad. His job is to love me, not to know me. And besides, he does know me. And he's came around to it, eventually.

Merlin: ... Arthur-

Arthur: he's not the best dad, I know. And he has his firm and he's busy, but he does try!

Merlin: When was the last time he hugged you?

Arthur: ...

Merlin: birthday presents?

Arthur: that's not fair. We generally don't do presents at home. And he doesn't like hugs and I can respect that. I haven't gotten him any for his Birthday either. And you know how bad I am at giving gifts myself.

Merlin: Arthur-

Arthur: And he does support me! Maybe not emotionally, but he's making sure I have everything I need, and don't end up homeless and I can get back home whenever -

Merlin: and he makes you feel guilty for all of it. He tells you you're a good for nothing!

Arthur: He doesn't say that-

Merlin: I see how he looks at you when you make a single mistake. How he wanted you to become a lawyer and when you finally did, he asks why you're not a doctor instead. He doesn't trust your instincts or your decisions, he doesn't even visit you! You're always the one visiting him!

Arthur: it's a long ride!

Merlin: YOU do the ride!

Arthur: yes, because I'm his son!

Merlin: you don't owe him anything!

Arthur: he's paying half the rent for me!!!

Merlin: ...

Arthur: ... I know it's difficult for you to understand-

Merlin: no, no, Arthur, I do. I just realized how chained you are.

[thisgunisonfire]

In modern merthur AUs, I always see Kilgharrah as like, Merlin’s cat, but I feel like a more equivalent role for him would be that fucky guidance counselor who gives terrible, vague advice and who meddles way too much in student’s lives

[kr-yoongi]

Happiest Colin Morgan character !!

[stateofdreaming14]

People will always call really thoughtful and well written works 'the Shakespeare of our time' and I don't think anyone of them have EVER been right bc they're basing it on the cultural idea of Shakespeare rather than what he actually was

That's why I'm here to posit that BBC Merlin is actually the modern day Shakespearean text

Just think about it. If we're talking Shakespeare, actual Shakespeare, he isn't some elegant, highbrow artist. He made stories for the common people. Lowbrow comedies dressed up in tragedy and melodrama. Now consider Merlin, a goofy comedy filled with melodrama and tragedy. It's not a prestige drama. It's a story made for the widest audience. Who knows, maybe 100 years from now Merlin will be considered high art too.

[gd-dollopole]

Kilgharrah is a dragon that lost his entire species, watched his fellow companions get killed by Uther and by his genocidal reign, and got imprisoned and chained in a cave with no food or water for more than 20 years. He had nothing and no one, but lived through it all by sheer force and the will of revenge. He is a sentient being, with emotions, thoughts, a voice and the most powerful magic the world has ever known (even more powerful than Merlin’s, and we saw it).

Yet, I don’t understand why most people in the Merlin fandom find him the culprit of many of the choices on the show and even of the end.

His kind has been wiped off; he had revenge to think about while being imprisoned. He did not point at Arthur specifically or at Uther, just at the injustice of it all.

But still, he listened to Merlin and respected what he had ordered him to do, even after all he had endured.

People often tend to forget that Merlin is, as much as Gaius, a class traitor, and if we can explain why he is, then why can’t we explain Kilgharrah’s behaviour?

Most choices he told Merlin to make were part of his rational mind, one that had seen various parts of the future. He thought of the ones that made most sense to him and even then, Merlin defied him, so how can he be Kilgharrah’s fault that everything went to shit in the end? The dragon was tired, old, lost and maybe hopeless, but he persisted, he tried giving Merlin what he never had, what even Gaius couldn’t give him:

a space to be actually free; the joy of flying; a good friend who understood what being magic was like, because Kilgarrah is as ancient as the earth itself and magic flows through him too.

He helped Merlin so many times, told him about killing Morgana, because he knew that Merlin had already made a mistake. From then on, the future had changed shape and Kilgharrah saw it. He tried to prevent the worst, but it was Merlin who didn’t listen to him, it was him who said he didn’t want to kill a friend, it was Merlin who said that he couldn’t stand his friends’ grief, it was Merlin who commanded rather than asked Kilgharrah to gift him the power to heal Morgana, and it was actually Gaius who had told Merlin he had done the right thing by trying to kill Morgana (and this is only an example. Merlin did not kill other people when Kilgharrah told him to, so Merlin had something called free will. Every choice was made by him, and the Great Dragon has nothing to do with it).

All Merlin’s points were right, yet, for a dragon who didn’t have the tools to prevent Merlin’s mistakes and choices, he tried to warn him the best way he knew how. Most of the times it was with simple actions that went straight to the point.

If someone has to be at fault, then Merlin has to be at fault too.

I like Kilgharrah.

He is a great character, an example of what genocide can do to you, and he is so funny, so complicated and the fact that they were able to give such a good personality to a dragon warms my heart. He is a listener, he tried helping Merlin even when he couldn’t and was so happy when Aithusa was born.

He wasn’t alone anymore.

Merlin was his friend, because they were the same:

Lonely, and just that tad bit hopeful that a greater future was ahead of them.

Merlin did not fail because of Kilgharrah and to the dragon’s opinion, Merlin actually didn’t fail at all.

What I find unjust in the show isn’t really Arthur’s death. It’s the way we come to it and all the wrong things that happen in between, the non logical way Merlin’s magic worked, but what if Arthur had to die in order for Albion to have its Golden Age?

And perhaps, Kilgharrah knew, but didn’t know how to tell Merlin, much like Merlin couldn’t tell Gaius what he had seen in the Crystal Cave, because the future can take so many different shapes, and it was Merlin who ended up creating it, while he had tired to avoid it and change it, at the same time.

Kilgharrah is an amazing character and I love the shit out of him.

[sneakyboymerlin]

Gwaine I am so sorry we failed you 💔

[hopelessromantic5]

This one’s been on the shelf for a while.

Merthur modern AU-ish clip. Reincarnation-ish.

Enjoy.

“I don’t like this, Arthur.”

Turning to his best friend in concern, because he’d never heard that specific tone before, the blonde asks,

“What’s wrong?”

“Just something about this feels…very sad.” He pauses for a moment, eyes searching out over the perfect blue lake. Serene in its quiet.

That is, until the feeling starts creeping over Arthur too. Like a shadow moving closer of its own volition.

Merlin continues,

“It feels like…”

“Grief.” Arthur finishes for him, no more than a whisper to his voice. “It feels like grief.” After all he’s felt this before.

For his mother. It was so long ago now, but this exact feeling still catches him off guard on his best days.

As if reading his thoughts, Merlin speaks softly to him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-“

“You didn’t. I will always remind me of her. The real question is, why does this place seem to perspire sadness?”

“I don’t know.” Merlin says looking out again.

Suddenly he’s walking, without thinking twice, the raven haired boy is at the water’s edge in less than a second.

Arthur slowly comes to his side. Looking out at the water, trying to decipher its message.

“It’s the strangest feeling.” Merlin says, to no one in particular.

“Like we’ve been here before.” Arthur doesn’t know how he knows. But he definitely knows that he and Merlin stood on this same patch of grass, some time ago.

“Maybe we should-“

“No.” Merlin shakes his head vehemently. “No, I don’t want to go in.”

“Why?” Arthur whispers looking at his best friend. His other half, really.

“Whatever happened here-“ his voice breaks off as he chokes on a quiet sob. Merlin is never one to outwardly show his melancholy. “I don’t want it to happen again.”

“It’s not going to, Merlin. We’ll go in together, alright? I’ll hold your hand every step.” He reaches out and tugs at Merlin’s long pale fingers, currently wrapped around his torso in self-comfort. “I don’t know how I know but…the water will give us the answers.” He says, hovering his hand just above its surface. “It knows us.”

“What if it takes you, again?” Arthur wouldn’t have heard it if he wasn’t a step away.

“It won’t.” He states with all the conviction he possesses. “I won’t leave you here, again.”

Neither of them knows where these words came from or what they speak of, but in that moment, there is an understanding. Similar to the one they’d had all their mortal lives, but it is deeper somehow. Thicker with death and heartache. Covered in the cobwebs of time.

Slowly, Arthur steps his bare foot into the shallow water, tugging Merlin in with him.

It isn’t until Merlin’s skin touches the lake, that it all comes rushing back.

A castle, armor and swords, an unjust King, the day they met. Bickering words and sly comments that made Arthur smile blindingly at the thought. Then there was adventure. Into the forrest on a great white steed, always with his closest confidant next to him. Then there’s a vision of a golden bathed room, surrounded by all the people he loves and cherishes, as Geoffrey placed a crown of gold upon his head.

At last, the end. Sentimental words shared with the only person he cared to see him in that state. The only person he ever trusted with his heart.

And then nothing. Blackness. The last thing he remembered was Merlin’s heartbroken cry, and the calm lapping of lake waves on the shore.

There is a gasp and he is back in the present, still holding Merlin’s hand. But Arthur remembers. And he knows Merlin does too, by the look of sheer shock and adoration on his face.

“Arthur, I-“

“I know, Merlin. I’m sorry it took so long.”

[soni-dragon]

Todays mood is crying over merlin deleted scenes

[gldnstrngs]

in a world of boys, he’s a gentleman <3

need an au of them in the modern day where arthur really is just a chivalrous guy and is trying to court merlin but merlin is Dumb and cant connect the dots

[imthursdaysyme]

breaking news: the pendragon siblings are fighting again

[pposyaa]

also clingy arthur and beach merthur sketches !!!!

[giacarem]

listen, i need a “arthur returns” fic where Merlin keeps expecting Arthur to rise from Lake Avalon after all these years and so he builds a house right next to it, but nothing ever happens. It’s okay, he keeps living there and having his cottage there, but at some point he stops hoping and moves away

he keeps the cottage there, of course, and he visits it every year on the anniversary of Arthur’s death

Lake Avalon also becomes a popular romantic getaway sight, and Merlin can’t stand to see all the happy couples constantly

Years later, he meets a reincarnated Arthur, and is incredibly confused as to why Arthur has not risen from the lake like he expected

no matter, Arthur gains his memories back and him and Merlin talk about everything and then Merlin confesses

Merlin: You know, I always expected you to rise from Lake Avalon. I built a house there and waited for you

Arthur: You mean, that lake?

Merlin: Yeah

Arthur: Umm. Well. This is awkward.

Merlin: What?

Arthur: I have it on good authority that, you see. Lake Avalon is a beautiful tourist place now

Merlin: Yes I’m aware

Arthur: Well, you see. My parents went there on a holiday the year before I was born. And… well I’m not the best at math but I can count nine months and…

Merlin bursts out laughing when he realises, and saves Arthur the embarrassment of having to continue

And when the anniversary of Arthur’s death comes around again, Merlin has no need to return to that lake