#bbc merlin headcanon

[merthur-mybad]

Headcanon where Arthur is growing out his beard to impress some girl and Merlin, being jealous, doesn't like it so he creeps into Arthur's room and night and shaves it off. Except Arthur wakes up while it's happening and has a Teen Wolf Stiles rummaging through Danny's backpack convincing him that he's dreaming the whole thing moment with Merlin.

[bitsandbobsofwriting]

Who praises the other more /is the more embarrassing one in a relationship ?

Merthur

(Headcanon Masterlist) (Full Masterlist)

Cute🥺

I feel like it genuinely depends on the situation? Who they're with/where they are/how long they've been courting etc. Let's say this is post magic reveal, post Merlin being promoted to Court Sorcerer, and their courtship is sort of... public knowledge.

At the beginning, it's very stilted I think?? Like they have the whirlwind make out sesh after they both just sorta snapped, and it's great for like a couple days, then they realise... they've been friends and nothing more for ten years, and trying to navigate this new dynamic as very public figures is very difficult. Both of them are so desperate for it to go well that neither of them mess/joke around, or do anything that could embarrass the other. It's very formal and awkward, and the knights and Gwen and Gaius all just roll their eyes and wait for the second snappening.

But once they get more comfortable... Arthur tries to mess with Merlin more often, but Merlin messes with Arthur more successfully. After so many years of the way things were, Merlin definitely knows Arthur better than vice versa, so it's easier for him to play jokes on him/embarrass him in front of friends. He'd NEVER do it in a meeting or anything, though, and he doesn't do it much in public either. He might do if they're walking about in the market or playing with the kids on the street, but truthfully, Arthur doesn't mind that so much, because Merlin somehow hiding several flowers in his hair without him noticing humanises him to his people.

In terms of praise, I think it's pretty equal, but on different fronts?? Merlin compliments and praises Arthur more on a personal level: "That was kind of you." and "You have a lovely singing voice." and "Thank you for feeding yourself properly whilst I was gone." because Arthur doesn't really get that anywhere else?? He's got people praising his fighting and Kingly-ness and decision making skills and yadda yadda round every corner. But he very rarely has people compliment or praise him just for himself, he never gets praise for the things he does in his spare time/things he enjoys and chooses to do/the type of person he is. He doesn't get people wanting to look after him/wanting him to look after himself because they care about his personal well-being, instead of wanting him to run himself ragged because that's his duty.

But Arthur compliments and praises Merlin more on a professional level?? Of course he says nice things on private/personal matters as well, but it's rarer, because he's shitty at words/romance, but what he is good at is leading, and cultivating good workers around him. That, mixed with the fact that Merlin is new to court and utterly terrified of fucking up somehow, means that Arthur gives, and Merlin appreciates more, things like "Nice spot, Merlin, I never would've noticed that flaw in the paperwork." and "Thank you for talking the council through the creature's abilities." and "Well done for dealing with that conflict." and "Don't mind Lord Balther, he's an arse, and he deserved exactly what you said to him.".

It all balances out rather nicely in the end :D

~

Hope this is what you're after anon!! Hope you stuck around long enough to see it!!!

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

Remember that one time Merlin called Arthur a toad then said magic was outlawed so he’d never turn into a handsome prince?

What if he kept doing that casually, as his way of showing Arthur magic can be useful.

For example:

Arthur: do you ever wish there was a way to start fires without needing to gather firewood?

Merlin: there is. Your father outlawed it.

Arthur: there must’ve been a reason. Fire can be dangerous if it gets out of control.

—

And he tries to defend it, but it doesn’t hold up and over time Arthur starts just making sarcastic comments instead of actual defenses

—

Arthur: torches are so inconvenient. We need a better way to make light that can keep hands free for swords or other weapons.

Merlin: Magic, but it’s illegal so you’re stuck with carrying a torch.

Arthur: last time I needed light because you were dying it wasn’t evil.

Merlin: well, it’s unfortunate that you don’t know how to use magic then, sire.

—

Until he just can’t defend it

—

Arthur: six weeks?! I can’t miss six weeks of training for a broken foot! Is there some way to speed it up? Or just… fix it now?

Gaius: I don’t think-

Merlin: yes.

Gaius, who knows Merlin’s plan: *sigh*

Arthur: Thank god. Do it then.

Merlin: No. It’ll land us all on the pyre and I’m quite fond of, y’know, breathing, so suck it up.

Arthur: why is that kind of magic illegal? Surely healing isn’t evil.

Gaius: what you ask is treason, sire. Please be cautious.

Arthur: …

—

Merlin: who knows? Maybe all the bandits will decide to magically take a day off so you can go hunting without being hunted.

A few hours later, being chased through the woods by bandits:

Arthur: non magic sucks!

Merlin: yep. You can always repeal the ban once you’re king!

Arthur: huh… you know, I think I will.

Merlin: great, pardon my treason then. *magically knocks out the bandits and summons their horses and Arthur’s weapons back*

Arthur: THIS WHOLE TIME?!

Merlin: yep.

Arthur: …

Arthur: I can’t believe that worked.

Merlin: me neither, to be honest, sire.

—

Then they both laugh about it and Arthur repeals the ban, magic is free, Morgana is never evil, Agravaine doesn’t exist, and Mordred comes back to Camelot and gets therapy.

[immabitqueer]

I have a hc that Arthur just picks Merlin up like a sack of flour whenever and everyone just gets used to it. I mean not a soul mentioned Arthur dragging Merlin out of the throne room in The Witch Finder. I like to imagine that that's just how they are. Merlin starts to pick a fight in the market with a neighboring kingdoms knights? Arthur has an easy solution. Throw that servant over your shoulder and walk away. Is Merlin trying to join a fight with no weapons to protect himself? As soon as your open and the other knights can handle it grab him bridle style and haul ass. Works every time. When this first started Merlin would try and fight back and squirm away but it was no use so he just goes with it now.

[justaz]

omg omg omg

arthur gives merlin his mothers sigil thinking that hes going to die and wants to finally tell merlin how he feels and what better way of conveying the intensity of his emotions and how serious he is other than marriage? merlin accepts the sigil which means theyre married!! yay!! only. they both survive and arthur QUICKLY realizes that merlin has no idea the significance of the sigil. he has no idea theyre married. and arthur has no idea how to tell him bc then hell have to explain WHY he gave him the sigil aka WHY HE PROPOSED and now that hes not staring death in the face. he just. cant.

blah blah blah time skip to happy ending

the druids invite arthur and merlin to a celebration of the unification of emrys and the once and future king and the fruition of their destinies. merlin and arthur are excited bc finally peace is here and magic is returning and this can be the next big show of trust and reconciliation between camelot and the druids and so theyre there in the druid camp having fun when theyre approached and asked to participate in the ceremony. theres a huge buzzing crowd watching as the elder druid ties their hands together and goes on and on about the magnificence of two men standing before them and their great destinies and how the two sides of the same coin are joined finally as the prophecy said all those years ago. merlin doesnt realize it was a handfasting ceremony until hes talking to a few of the druids later on

anyway. merthur accidental wedding(s). now they both know theyre married but they dont know the other knows theyre married bc different ceremonies and traditions and all that. arthur is all awkward about it bc hes emotionally constipated. merlin is convincing himself he doesnt have to bring it up to arthur bc its not like the DRUID marriage ceremony is legally binding in camelot. they didnt sign any papers or anything. theyre not really married in camelot so arthur doesnt have to know. and then merlin can selfishly keep this truth close to his heart. even if its not reciprocated.

married life shenanigans ensue. merlin and arthur both have to physically stop themselves from calling the other their husband. jealous spats when out in the tavern or when visiting royals/nobles stop on by. leon knows all and is this close to snapping. extra protective idiots. and idk someone catches merlin holding the sigil and explains the significance of it or a druid asks arthur where his husband emrys is and my boy is STRESSED about being caught but then the druid brings up the handfasting ceremony. stupid idiot x stupid idiot.

you see my vision, right?

[hey-im-okay]

So do we just all agree that the knights absolute love Merlin the way cat owners love their cats?

Knights, holding up Merlin from under his arms: so this is Merlin and he’s so nice and we love him.

Merlin: *is actively breaking the law by existing* *has literally killed people* *drops branches on peoples heads* *and even tried to kill the king*

Knights: he’s just a funky little guy :)

I would even bet money he knocks glasses off tables when he wants to annoy someone (Arthur-)

[achillesuwu]

Merlin isn't afraid that arthur will kill him if he discover his magic, he isn't afraid about people putting him on a pyre. He can snuff the fire if he wished to. He can cut sword (he literally does it as a 80 yo man)

Merlin is stronger than anyone else if he really wanted to, if he wasn't blocked by something else nothing could bare him from conquering the world.

Then what scare Merlin so much? What could make someone who is literally magic make himself appear weak, make him lie so many time that he starts to believe he can be stopped?

Love. Merlin is afraid to be unlovable. To be a monster. He is afraid to never find somewhere to belong to. That's what drive him and what pull him down.

[marcskywalker]

no you don't understand I'm obsessed with the idea of camelot's land and magic loving arthur.

like, he's literally the son of ygraine and magic, and the prophesied king. they'd be protective of him (I imagine it's how he survived the years before merlin, that and his own skills as a warrior).

when Uther sends a young Arthur out in the storm (as a punishment or some suicidal mission to prove his worth idk uther is a shitty parent), the rain falls softer, the wind is warmer, the branch part and make way for him. that sort of thing

whenever he's truly desperate and heart yearning with his noble intentions, Camelot bends over itself to make it happen for it's son and king

If arthur is fighting out there then the ground is sturdier under his feet, if he is ever injured and down then the air seeps a bit of it's magic into him, if he is ever lost and can't find his way back then the horses find him easily, if he is ever hungry and alone then the animal make themselves easy sacrifice

Arthur is Camelot's son. She would protect him with everything until Emrys comes

[themerlinrewrite]

kilgharrah: a half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole… you and arthur are two sides of the same coin… he is your destiny

merlin, who hasn’t slept in three days and is currently wanted dead by twelve different people: stop fucking calling me gay

[nextstopparis]

i really like the hc that magic loved arthur and protected him until merlin came into the picture but very specifically bc it means his idea of like. the laws of physics and How Nature Works would be completely warped. the reason why all those miraculously falling branches didnt raise any questions? its been happening to him his entire life

[quinnoliver]

Gwaine: Merls, what's your body count?

Merlin: .........I don't know?

Arthur: what do you mean you don't know? You just going around sleeping with people?

Merlin: oh, that body count

Arthur: you killed people!?

Merlin: no comment

[inamagicalhallucination]

merlin and arthur should have planned on getting married for a really dumb and random reason and then realized that they were in love with each other on their wedding day

lemme explain

arthur is sick and tired of people throwing themselves at him while he’s trying to do his kingly duties

and also he’s sick and tired of his advisers talking about how he should marry

and he wishes he could get rid of all of this

and then he’s like “oh my fucking god im a genius”

and he goes to merlin and is like “will you marry me to get all these suitors off my back”

and merlins like ????

but then he’s like “wait itll be so much easier to do all the illegal shit i do if i don’t have to say ‘actually i have a permit to do whatever the fuck i want curtesy of king arthur’ and have them doubt me and try and get me jailed anyway and can just be like “um the king MY HUSBAND said i could”

and he’s like “yeah sure lets get married”

so they announce it to everyone and literally no one’s surprised surprised

most of them are like omg finally 

leon thinks that he’ll finally get a moment of peace now that these two arent pining

he’s wrong

no but everyones like omg called it

because merthurs so obvious

to everyone but merthur ofc

and merlin adn arthur plan their wedding and to make it “authentic” looking they both try their best 

and they go through the whole thing; they stay married

and then like 3 months in theyre like “wait our marriage as besties is turning really romantic” and confess

like it takes them a wedding, and spending months as a married couple to like realize

anyway i think its funny

[bitsandbobsofwriting]

Been contemplating the implications of Phoenix!Merlin, in which yes Merlin is immortal, but he can't come back until his body burns. I think Lancelot knows Merlin is immortal but not that he needs to be burned. Maybe they wait hours, days, weeks, until eventually they're forced to believe they were wrong and he's not coming back, so they finally put him to rest and only then does he return

(Headcanon Masterlist) (Full Masterlist)

I hope it's ok that I turned this into a shorter Headcanon post than a full fic!! It's pretty similar to my Merlin Dies fic (the first one I ever posted😌)

SO

I love this Phoenix!Merlin idea!! BUT!! What if, in this world, Phoenixes don't exist, but all the legends and stories and lore around them came from people who had witnessed Dragon things?? And misunderstood/mis-seen it?? If we ignore Aithusa's egg scene (which we can do, because it's an AU, and the power of imagination is very strong) and replace it with Merlin having to use fire to burn the egg to ash, from which Aithusa rises, and this situation, decades/centuries prior, is what starts the rumours.

Maybe some travellers see a Dragon hatching in flame, and from the bushes they're hiding in, the creature looks like a bird rather than a dragon, and the story is spread and mis-told and warped and changed for the sake of the story/because of bad story telling. Things just go from there. Sightings of Phoenixes are common both because people lie, and because baby dragons used to be far more common than they are now. And once a rumour/legendary creature like that is invented, it's basically impossible to destroy, so even when dragon scholars and Dragon Lords come out and are like "actually... uh..." it's just... not common knowledge that it's a Dragon thing and not a Phoenix thing.

And as we know, anything that is a Dragon thing, is probably a Dragon Lord thing as well. Merlin is immortal because he's Emrys or whatever, but that just means he doesn't age and heals very quickly. If he actually DIES it's the Dragon Blood that brings him back to life.

So yeah, either pre or post magic reveal, Merlin dies. It's very horrible, everyone is heartbroken, but they either know already, or are told, that he's immortal, and it's only a matter of time before he wakes up again. HOWEVER Balinor isn't around and Kilgharrah is still feeling petty, so they have no one to tell them how it actually works. They keep Merlin's body clean and presentable to the best of their abilities, which is HORRIBLE, because even if you know your friend will be waking up any second, you still have to handle their corpse.

But then... he doesn't wake up. The body goes stiff, and then it stops being stiff, and then it starts doing all the normal corpse stuff of smelling and leaking and just generally being gross. He gets paler and paler and the blood pools at the bottom of his body and his eyes and cheeks and abdomen sinks in and they have real trouble keeping flies and bugs away and it just gets to the point where... this isn't sustainable. They have to accept that Merlin is dead and, if he IS coming back, it surely can't be to this?? Arthur, after much persuasion from Gaius and maybe some Druids (who have no real idea how his immortality works, and are half grieving that they were wrong and half trying to convince themselves that everything will work out in the end), finally decides that Merlin deserves a proper funeral. He originally intends to bury him like normal, but the Druids, various other sorcerers, and probably Lancelot (though this is eating him up inside, he thought he'd have Merlin forever and sort of took that for granted) convince him that considering how magical and powerful he is... was, it's too dangerous to leave his body intact. There are some creepy, dark strands of necromancer's magic out there which could cause severe amounts of damage if Merlin's body was desecrated and broken down into components, so he's burned instead.

It's a hugely sombre affair. Basically everyone is crying, because they'd put this off for so long, and lighting the wood feels like a final acceptance that he's not coming back, that they've given up. And then like... a while later, when there’s literally nothing left but dust and charcoal black scraps, some sooty, dirty, butt naked body just... sits up?? Coughing up ash and shards of bone?? Everyone is shocked into silence until Gaius or some random Druid or Mordred or someone, just goes "Holy Fuck... he's a Dragon Lord" and then Merlin like... covers his junk up and shivers in the wind and is all "You... you didn't have to make this such a public affair, could someone grab me some clothes please?" and they all jump into action. Arthur covers himself in... the ash of his best friend's gross mouldy body jumping up onto the pyre to pull Merlin down. He's hugged, he's wrapped in about twenty knights’ cloaks, everyone cries some more. He makes some annoyed comment about having to wash all this shit out of all their clothes, and the crying gets, somehow, significantly worse, until he sighs and hugs them back and allows himself to be smothered with love.

Arthur pulls back, punches him, and goes "What the shit was that?? What took you so long??" and Merlin has to explain that like... his Emrys immortality is just not aging and healing quick... his coming-back-from-the-dead immortality is a Dragon thing and requires being burned before it like... kicks in. Everyone is mildly embarrassed, especially the people who knew about the Dragon Lord thing, and ESPECIALLY when someone says "Oh! Like a Phoenix, right?" and Merlin gets all grumpy and is like "No. Like a Dragon.".

Anyway, it's a big lesson, and if he ever dies again they take a LOT less time before burning him, do it privately, and have clothes and a bath ready for when he rises. They take to calling him Phoenix as a cute little nickname, but only because they know it annoys him because apparently Phoenixes don't actually exist and it's just been a huge, centuries-long miscommunication, which Merlin is now desperately trying to fix within the public education system or whatever.

~

Thank you Heart and I hope you liked this!!!

Let me know your thoughts, Gang!!

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

Gwaine: it’s like Merlin always says: If at first you don’t succeed, it’s only attempted murder.

Arthur, the skeptic: Merlin? Merlin always says that?

Lancelot, wiping a tear: Inspirational.

[nahasketches]

Jejejjeje I saw this in tiktok and wanted to draw this

[justaz]

after magic is legalized, when merlin is bored he likes to just make various animals and lets them roam free. there’s a ton of cats and dogs and mice and frogs and birds and even a horse that one time (sorry leon) and so. many. butterflies. just around the castle

so arthur gets used to it and likes to pet all the cute and cuddly ones. BUT. merlin often likes to shapeshift and arthur will mistake him for one of the animals he’s created so it goes like

arthur, picking up the cat who was head butting his legs and rubbing his body all over him: cat! :o

merlin, purring in his arms and really laying on the charm:

arthur, absolutely enamored with the cat and thinking up names for him, he just can’t let this one go it’s too cute: what a cute kitty

merlin, in arthur’s arms, soaking up all the affection, purring louder than a motor (ahem what’s that?): *shifts back into human form* why thank you my lord. you’re not so bad yourself

arthur, annoyed: *drops merlin onto the ground* i want a new court sorcerer