#it was from BBC Merlin where it always had this kind of sun lighting behind Gwen and Arthur romantic scenes

[sheps-shepherd]

Title: Candlelight Concoctions 

Pairing: Mikleo/Sorey; Mikleo & Sorey

Rating: T (for non-explicitly implied sexual content)

Written for @sormikweek​ 2020 Day 5: Waning Gibbous - Introspection; Receiving and Sharing / Capella - Eminence; Knowledge

A/N: At this time, not all of the week's prompts were completed, but I do plan on finishing and posting all of them as I get them done. I'm invested in this project of mine; they're getting done, I promise. For now, here is the next completed prompt!

In case you missed the memo: all of my SorMik Week 2020 prompts are taking place in a BBC Merlin AU where magic has been outlawed, Mikleo has magic, and Sorey is not only a prince but also Too Good for the world.

Apologies in advance if Tumblr messes with any of the formatting! 

Enjoy!

Read on AO3

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“Can I ask about the magic?”

The pattern of fingers carding through his hair didn’t falter with the question. Sorey continued to comb through the short strands, brushing his bangs back and away from his forehead. The action helped cool Mikleo’s heated skin and calm the magical frenzy that had been bursting inside him earlier. It was strange, to feel the touch of fingertips there instead of his circlet, but also far from uncomfortable. In fact, as he lay with his head pillowed on Sorey’s arm, pressed flush together in the small space the inn’s bed provided, Mikleo didn’t think he’d ever felt more comfortable in his life. 

“Mhm,” he hummed, not opening his eyes as he basked in the warmth that came with being so close to Sorey. “You can ask me anything.” 

His magic stirred at the mention, but Mikleo found the willpower to keep it shoved down. It had already had its fun, buzzing around inside of him as it chased each of Sorey’s touches, leaving him thoroughly hazy and exhausted now that they had finished. Now, in the aftermath, was the time for it to be just between him and Sorey. His magic would have to deal with that. 

Surprisingly, it didn’t seem to put up much of a fuss. It quietly went back to rest, sated by their prince’s presence and affections, leaving behind the soft murmur Mikleo always carried with him. Just as comforting as Sorey’s touch. 

“How long have you had it?”

“Forever. I was born with it.”

“Are all people who have magic born with it? Because, Velvet….” Sorey’s voice trailed off, like he was unsure of how to finish the thought. Mikleo didn’t need him to.

“I can’t vouch for everyone who has it,” he said, “but I think it’s more a matter of becoming aware that it’s there. Not everyone is as in-tuned with it, and not everyone’s is the same. It just depends on the user.”

“So you’ve always known about yours?”

“Mhm. My earliest memory is of laying in my crib and staring at the mobile my mother had hanging above it. She’d leave the window open so the breeze would make it spin, but I guess it was never fast enough for my liking. I sent it flying off the hook. Scared her half to death.”

Mikleo did remember: remembered opening his eyes that day and staring up at the stillness of the mobile, remembered the tiny cloth-sewn animals tauntingly waving the slightest bit, remembered the childlike want to see them dance and the not-yet-frightening feeling that rushed to fulfill his wish.

The fright came later, long after he’d outgrown his crib, as he watched the horror on his mother’s face grow deeper and deeper every time he had to tell her he hadn’t meant to do whatever it was his magic had done.

Now, Mikleo opened his eyes and saw the dark rafters of their inn room, just out of reach of the flickering light of the candle burning on the bedside table. He turned his head and saw Sorey - saw the smile that graced his face and the dopey look in his eyes. The sight of him made Mikleo’s mouth twitch. No one had ever looked so happy listening to him talk about his magic before.

“Who else knows?” was the next question. Mikleo hummed again, thoughtfully.

“My mother and my uncle. Gramps. Zaveid found out by accident a while ago, but I asked him not to say anything. I think Eizen and Edna suspect it and just haven’t brought it up yet.” He paused for a moment. “And Velvet.”

Sorey blinked in surprise. “Velvet knows?”

“She was the first person I told, actually. Back in Camlann, when her magic was first starting to show itself. She came to Gramps and I, and she was so scared… I couldn’t act like I didn’t know what she was going through.” He sighed softly and turned to stare back up at the ceiling. “And I was afraid. Of what might happen to her if she thought she was alone. Magic is so unpredictable; it thrives off of everything. I had people who helped me make sure it grew from something good. I wanted Velvet to have that too.”

Sorey was quiet, still diligently brushing his fingers through Mikleo’s hair. Mikleo didn’t push him to speak again, letting him have however much time he needed to process everything he’d said. Sorey’s family had always been a sensitive subject for him.

“Thank you,” he said finally, and the sentiment startled Mikleo into turning back towards him. Sorey’s face was still soft, even with the tinge of sadness that Mikleo could make out along the edges of his features. “For looking out for her. I think you’re right; she needed someone like that. Like you.”

“You were that someone for her, too.”

It was the right thing to say. Sorey’s answering smile drowned out some of his sadness. “And am I that someone for you?”

It was such a baiting statement, but Mikleo took it regardless. He wiggled his arm free from where it lay trapped between their bodies and lifted his hand towards Sorey’s face. He cupped the other’s jaw in his palm, his thumb brushing against his cheek and his fingers slipping through the sweat-damp hair at the nape of his neck. Green eyes watched him expectantly; Sorey’s gaze didn’t waver at the touch.

“Of course you are,” Mikleo murmured, and his efforts were rewarded with Sorey’s trademark grin, the one that outshined the sun and made Mikleo feel warm all the way down to his toes.

Sorey’s hand finally left his hair. Mikleo didn’t get a chance to miss the contact - Sorey wrapped that arm around his waist, tugging him into what Mikleo thought was meant to be a hug given the position they were laying in. It brought them closer together, enough for Sorey to lift his chin and be able to press a kiss to Mikleo’s forehead. Mikleo’s eyes fluttered in response. Between the comforting touches and the warmth radiating off of Sorey, he found himself fading fast.

He suddenly felt himself being shaken and opened eyes he didn’t remember closing. Sorey was still watching him as intently as before. Ever the child, Mikleo thought vaguely. Of course he isn’t tired yet.

“One more question?” Sorey asked softly, hopefully. Mikleo nodded against the pillow.

“One more.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sorey’s tone wasn’t accusing. “I meant it when I said I wasn’t mad that you didn’t, but I want to know why. So I can fix whatever it is that made you feel like you couldn’t tell me.”

“Sorey.” Mikleo’s heart could have burst out of several things: relief, exasperation, love. “You don’t have to fix anything. That was never it.” He adjusted his hand so it laid more comfortably against Sorey’s cheek, stroking his thumb along his cheekbone. “It was all me. My entire life I’ve been told that I had to hide who I was, that no one could ever know about my magic. So I did. I never told anyone, not until Velvet.”

He paused again. Sorey waited for him to continue, watching with ever-patient eyes. He really wasn’t angry. And Mikleo was beyond grateful for him, not for the first time since they’d met.

“I wish I could have told you first,” he admitted quietly. “I don’t regret telling Velvet, or that Zaveid found out, but I wish it was you. It should have been.”

“Mikleo.” Sorey’s voice was just as quiet. “All that matters is you told me. I don’t care who knew first. I know now.”

“I care,” Mikleo pressed on. “It never felt right, keeping it from you. I wanted you to know, but… things got so complicated.”

Which was the understatement of the century, really. In fact, hiding his and Velvet’s magic had been the easy part of it all. The complications had all come later. Artorius denouncing Sorey and having to flee Camlann and constantly running around the continent trying to find a way to right all the wrongs while also not letting Sorey get himself killed-

“There was never going to be a good time,” Sorey spoke again, bringing Mikleo’s attention back to him before his mind could go through every scare Sorey had ever given him since they’d left Camlann. “This wasn’t any better than any other time you could have told me, okay?”

“I can think of one.”

“Oh, yeah? When?”

“Can’t you guess?” He tucked a brown curl back into place behind Sorey’s ear. “It was a night just like this one.”

Sorey’s eyebrows drew together as he thought about it. He was quiet long enough for Mikleo to consider admonishing him, because really, they hadn’t had many nights together like this before. They didn’t have that kind of time. But before he could open his mouth to start, Sorey’s eyes lit up and widened with understanding.

“That night?” Mikleo nodded, feeling a tiny smile tug at the corner of his lips. He did open his mouth this time, now with a teasing remark at the ready, but Sorey wasn’t really looking at him anymore. It was more like he was looking through him.

“That’s right,” Sorey continued, sounding distant, like he was talking out loud to himself instead of to Mikleo. “You said you had something to tell me. You said it was important, but you never told me what it was. You never had the chance….”

Sorey propped himself up on his elbow, the movement so quick and sudden that Mikleo started where he was laying. He stared up at Sorey, and Sorey stared back at him, and the length of his side felt cold and numb without his prince there to warm it.

“I stole your confession.”

Mikleo snorted at how horrified he sounded. “I would hardly say you stole it-”

“But I did!” Sorey squawked. “I told you I wanted to say my piece first and- And I was just so happy when you said you felt the same way about me that I-”

“I forgot, too.” Mikleo pushed himself up on his own elbows, giving Sorey as stern of a look as he could when he had nothing but affection to back it. “Don’t blame yourself. I was perfectly capable of stopping you and telling you. I just didn’t. And the next morning, I felt awful about missing a chance to tell you again, but definitely not about what I told you instead.”

Sorey still didn’t look convinced. So Mikleo shifted onto one elbow, mirroring the other’s position and inadvertently placing himself back into the warmth he’d just been missing. He ducked his head and placed a swift kiss against Sorey’s mouth, just to make sure he really had his attention. When he leaned back again, Sorey’s eyes were bright and focused on him.

“I know you have the kind of soul that always wants to take the burden so no one else has to,” Mikleo said softly, “but don’t, not with this. My magic isn’t yours to carry.”

And Mikleo could tell that was a point Sorey still wanted to argue. He could also tell that Sorey couldn’t stop the smile that took over his face.

“So on top of being the most powerful sorcerer to ever live, you can read souls, too? What else are you hiding from me, Mikleo?”

“Nice try, but that was your last question.”

“Good thing I don’t need to ask about this anymore, then.”

Sorey reached out with his free hand and cupped the back of his neck. He guided Mikleo in for a proper kiss, one that was soft and unhurried and made his magic sing. Sorey kissed him until every bit of him was warm again. Mikleo clutched at the bed sheet covering his hip and let him.

They fell back to the bed in opposite positions, Sorey now stretched out on his back with Mikleo’s head pillowed on his chest. But Sorey’s hand found Mikleo’s hair again, fingers twisting into the strands at the back of his head. It was grounding, and Mikleo was helpless against it. He didn’t bother trying to keep his eyes open.

“I’m really glad you told me.”

Sorey’s voice was quiet once more, laced with a newfound grogginess. Even he was getting tired now. Mikleo didn’t want to think about how late - or early, more likely - they’d stayed up together, and definitely didn’t want to think about how annoyed Velvet would be with them if she found out about it in the morning.

He pressed his face further against Sorey’s chest, hoping it brought the same sense of comfort that the other had been lavishing him with all night.

“Me too.”

It must have. Sorey only shifted - carefully, doing his best not to disturb Mikleo’s head on his chest - enough to blow out the half-burned candle. He tipped back into his previous position and cradled Mikleo close like he was something precious. “Night, Mikki,” he mumbled.

With his head rising and falling in time with his prince’s steady breathing, Mikleo fell asleep, his magic humming beneath his skin.

The next morning, after he’d finished dressing, Mikleo was trying to get his hair to look some semblance of presentable when he realized his fingers weren’t bumping against the cool metal of his circlet. He hadn’t even noticed he’d forgotten something that had been such an integral part of his morning routine for most of his life.

Silently chiding himself, Mikleo turned back towards the bed, only to find Sorey already standing behind him. The prince was dressed sans his cloak and had Mikleo’s circlet balanced between his fingers.

“May I?”

Mikleo nodded dumbly. Seeing Sorey so comfortably integrating himself into the magic world was apparently going to take some getting used to.

He kept his eyes trained on Sorey’s as the other came forward, stayed still as Sorey used one hand to brush his bangs out of the way and the other to guide his circlet back to its proper place. He fiddled with it for a moment, making sure it was settled firmly against Mikleo’s forehead, then swept his bangs back over it - hiding his deepest darkest secret away once again.

But now that Sorey knew, how deep and dark could it really still be?

“I’m glad it was something you didn’t feel like you had to bring up last night,” Sorey said suddenly, Mikleo blinking at the sound of his voice, “but I just want to make sure you know.” He reached down and grabbed Mikleo’s hands, clasping them and holding them between their bodies. “Your secret is safe with me. I won’t tell anyone, not even the others. Who knows and how they find out, that’s up to you. I’ll always be waiting right here if you need me. Okay?”

Mikleo could have cried. His magic sparked to life in his chest, and all he could do was croak out a simple okay even though there were a thousand things he wanted to say instead.

But somehow, Sorey seemed to understand every single one of them anyway. His smile was like sunlight and filled Mikleo with warmth just as fiercely as his kisses did - at least, that was what Mikleo told himself when he felt the burn in his cheeks as Sorey brought their joined hands to his mouth and kissed them.

“You ready?” Again Mikleo nodded, and again Sorey took the lead, dropping his hands in favor of wrapping an arm around Mikleo’s shoulders. “Then let’s go. I’m sure the others are already up and waiting for us.” He guided Mikleo across the room, grabbing his cloak with his free hand as they passed it. Leaving the room felt like walking away from something sacred - something Mikleo wished he could keep forever and take with him because it was theirs and no one else’s.

But at least, he considered as he wrapped his own arm around Sorey’s waist, wanting to be as close to his prince as possible, that’s the only thing I have to leave behind.

And that something would stay behind in that room forever, waiting for the next occupants to share their stories and add to it.

Maybe, at least, it could help somebody else tell someone they loved their own deepest darkest secret.

Hopefully their ending would be just as good as his.

[randomfandomimagine]

Rain (Arthur x Reader)

Character: Arthur Pendragon

Fandom: Merlin (BBC)

Categories: Reader Insert, Female!Reader, Songfic, AU

Title: Rain

  Requested by wennbergbabe:

Could you do an imagine based off the song "it will Rain" by Bruno mars? Where the reader is dating Arthur Pendragon and he's not your mother's or father’s favorite choice and don't understand your relationship and believe that Arthur is a troubled guy. But Arthur loves you and that's all that matters. A bit angsty but a happy ending? Whatever you think. (I know I've been requesting a lot lately but Bradley James is such a cutie) thank you ❤️

  A/N: It’s kinda cool when you guys request songfics because sometimes I end up finding songs I really like! Anyway, I picture this as a Modern AU and so I wrote it like that, hope you don’t mind the change and that you enjoy it!

  We smiled at each other, still holding hands as we walked. I couldn’t understand how someone wouldn’t like Arthur, I was so deeply in love with him.

He was smart, kind, loving, caring and sweet. Perhaps it was because he was a prince and people could distrust royalty sometimes but… my own parents?

I sighed to myself when I remembered how they always doubted my relationship with Arthur, assuring I could have chosen anyone less complicated than him.

Surely, it wasn’t always easy dating a prince. He was always busy and lived an expensive and different life from mine but… that didn’t seem to overpower our love.

I wished my parents would see him like I saw him, as the wonderful man he was.

“Y/N” He called me, stopping to intently look at me. “Is something wrong, my love?”

“N-No” I lied, shaking my head and forcing a smile onto my lips. “I’m just a bit absent, don’t let me ruin this lovely evening”

Arthur worriedly stared at me for a few more seconds, but then obliged. His hand gently squeezed mine as we kept on walking. We had almost arrived to our meadow, that place we often visited as it was so beautiful and romantic.

I could see the sun slowly hiding in the line of the horizon, as it had almost come the time for the sunset. If we hurried, we could still make it to watch it on time.

Trying to distract myself from my thoughts, I intensely stared at the extraordinary sight that was the sundown. And even though I forced to remind myself of how the touch of Arthur’s hand against mine made me extremely happy, it wasn’t quite working.

The voice of my parents kept haunting me, reminding me of everything that was wrong with my boyfriend and me.

The countless times that the prince had canceled our plans, whether last minute or not, because there was something that required him. The forced apologies as he came begging for my forgiveness with a bouquet of flowers. The many arguments we had because we didn’t get to spend too much time with each other.

As well as those insecurities that had been building up inside me, burning in silence. That reminded me that the people my boyfriend was friends with were of higher class, making me extremely self-conscious when I had to go to any of those events with him. Those insecurities Arthur knew nothing about.

But I just couldn’t ignore all those things any longer. Despite our arguments, I had kept all that restlessness hidden because I loved him and I thought I could make it work. Still, I couldn’t take it anymore.

We finally arrived at our meadow, and Arthur calmly sat down in the fresh green grass. I couldn’t keep on the act any longer and I didn’t sit down next to him.

My boyfriend looked up, noticing that I still stood, and his blue eyes pierced me in concern.

“Y/N?” Slow and cautious, he stood up again. “There is something worrying you, isn’t it?”

I sighed, averting my gaze from his. I felt ashamed to even hold it because my stomach was painfully turning at the thought of what I wanted to say next.

“I just… can’t do this anymore” I frowned and hung my head low tiredly.

“What… what do you mean?” Arthur was always so confident and playful that it felt heartbreaking to hear his voice so low and sad, almost lost.

“My parents are right, we come from entirely different worlds!” I gathered up the courage to look up and meet with his eyes, even though they made me shudder.

Such beautiful eyes, laced with love as they looked at me despite being drowned in fear and sadness.

“Please, listen to me…” Arthur tried, but I rushed to interrupt him knowing that he would easily change my mind. Even if I knew it was the best for us both.

“We are not right for each other, you should have someone better and I should have someone who’s not so troubled! I just…”

“What are you saying, Y/N?”

“M-Maybe we should break up…” I managed to choke out, already feeling tears welling up in my eyes.

I felt wetness in my cheeks, but realized I wasn’t crying yet. It had started raining, and as I looked up to the raindrops that was beginning to soak us both.

The sunset in the distance seemed to burn brighter as it slowly developed.

“No, my love” Arthur tenderly took my hands on his. “Not if you really don’t want to”

“Arthur…” I complained, avoiding eye contact because I refused to look into his eyes and see the pain and sorrow reflected in them because of me again.

“Tell me, is this what you really want?” Even though he gently tugged at my hands to gather my attention, my eyes were glued to the sunset behind him.

“No, but…”

“Then there’s no reason we should break up! We will work it out, our love is stronger than anything!”

My shoulders convulsed with a sob that escaped my throat. A few tears shed from my eyes and mixed in my cheeks with the raindrops that stained them.

“It’s… too painful, Arthur” I managed to let out through my sobs.

He urgently held both my hands with one of his and cupped my cheek with his free one. The tender touch sent butterflies to my stomach, reminding me that there was no lying to myself. I loved Arthur with all my heart, despite all the pain that dating him brought me. And most importantly, he loved me back. With as much intensity, or even more.

“Do you see this rain?” He looked up to the sky, where raindrops fell upon us from the heavy clouds that darkened the sky. “This will be every day for me without you, Y/N. There is no sunlight if you’re not there to provide me with it”

“But I’m not like you, or like the people you are with! You’re a prince, for crying out loud!” I shook my head, blinking repeatedly to stop crying. “And you have more important things to do than being with me! You’re always so busy that I hardly ever get to see you and…”

“No, you’re the most important” His voice sounded stern and adamant, but his eyes were watery and threatened to spill some tears of their own. “There’ll be no sunlight if I lose you, no clear skies, no… Just like the clouds, my eyes will do the same...”

I ended up chuckling in spite of myself when I realized he was quoting the lyrics from a song.

‘Cause there'll be no sunlight If I lose you, baby There'll be no clear skies If I lose you, baby Just like the clouds My eyes will do the same, if you walk away Everyday it will rain

I'll never be your mother's favorite Your daddy can't even look me in the eye Ooh if I was in their shoes, I'd be doing the same thing Sayin there goes my little girl Walkin' with that troublesome guy

But they're just afraid of something they can't understand Ooh but little darlin' watch me change their minds Yea for you I'll try I'll try I'll try I'll try I'll pick up these broken pieces 'til I'm bleeding If that'll make you mine

Arthur kept talking, even though a smile had plastered on his lips as well. He knew I had realized, yet that didn’t stop him.

“Your parents are right, I’m troublesome but you are more than enough for me” He paused to leave a feather-light kiss on my lips. “Watch me change their minds, for you I will try-“

“You promise?” I placed a finger on his lips, almost missing their touch, to shut him up.

Arthur just nodded his head, confident and determined. And I believed him, because the thought of leaving him felt just as harrowing.

“I promise, my love” Arthur’s arms warmly enveloped me and gently pulled me closer to him until our fronts touched. “You’re my everything, and I’m willing to fight for you”

“Me too” I softly brushed my lips against his.

The kiss became more passionate when we realized how much we needed each other, how much comfort it brought us to be together. How the rain didn’t seem as disheartening as long as I stood under it with Arthur.

Besides, the darkness of the clouds above us seemed to bring out the bright light of the sunset in the horizon as the darkness made the light stand out.

Arthur’s hands tenderly settled in my back, bringing me even closer to him to the point that our bodies were pressed against each other. Mine, on turn, rested on his hair as I tried to gather as much of him as possible.

Very slowly, almost not wanting to do so if it weren’t because we needed to break away for air, we pulled away. We opened our eyes, realizing they had closed on their own because of the passionate and pleasant kiss, and locked eyes.

Arthur smiled at me with so much love that I happily laughed.

Of course we could get through this, our love was too strong.

Perhaps dating Arthur was like being constantly under the rain. Perhaps it was as lonely, cold and gloomy. But it was also like watching a sunset, warm, soft, loving and beautiful. Besides, if I endured the rain and got through it all I could watch the rainbow at the end.