#merlin fanfic

[regulusrules]

My breaths are run by your compass

In honour of Merlin STILL trending, here's ACT VI two days earlier featuring the long awaited conversation between our two idiots🤍🗡

[gdn019283]

i will never get over the fact that is canon that merlin used to brush arthur’s hair. i don’t know who made a post about this already, but i remember reading it so long ago. when i watched season five i imploded. arthur doesn’t even know where the heck his brush is and waits for gwen to help him which she does not so HDJSKSK. he was waiting for merlin all day, IF THAT IS NOT TRUE LOVE. help. never read a fanfic about this. i’ll end up writing it myself. they’re both softies.

first time using tumblr and for whoever is interested, check out my fanfiction. it’s on my page here :)! for any questions, sneak peek or opinions, just ask me! have fun!

[rainbowsmagicandshit]

Merlin Prompt/Idea:

Arthur calls a meeting of his inner round table (those that sat with him at the table of the ancient kings) except Merlin. He also tells everyone else not to tell Merlin. At this meeting they decide that Merlin will have a seat at the Royal Round Table.

Why is Merlin getting an official seat at the official and highly sought after Royal Round Table?

Because Arthur wants to marry him, of course!

This is step one to getting all the stuck up nobles to except Merlin as Arthur’s choice of spouse.

Does Merlin know that that’s Arthur’s intention with his appointment? No.

Does Merlin know that Arthur wants to marry him? No.

Does Merlin even know that Arthur has feelings for him? No.

Is Merlin increasing frustrated that he keeps getting excluded from half of the inner circle meetings despite gaining a seat at the official one? Yes.

Is Merlin going to give Arthur a piece of his mind once finds out that this entire roundabout thing was just a plot to get him as his husband? Undoubtedly.

Is Merlin going to be completely badass and show his capability as “queen” despite not knowing what’s going on? Absolutely.

What are the next steps?

[kadenemrys]

Arthur perches tentatively on the edge of the bed and pushes aside his feelings of resentment, determined to join the pair.

With a glint in his eye, he jumps onto the bed and points at Merlin and Morgana. ‘All right, listen up!’ he declares. ‘We're going to play a game!’

‘Okay.’ Merlin smiles. ‘What game?’

Arthur falters. He hadn't thought this far ahead. ‘Let's play Knights and Dragons… Yes and… and I'm going to be the bravest knight, of course.’

Merlin exchanges a look with Morgana that Arthur can't read. Then, he nods and grins. ‘Okay. But only if Morgana and I get to be the dragons. My family can talk to dragons, you know?’

Merlin seems to address the last part to Morgana, so Arthur jumps in before the pair can begin chatting without him again. ‘All right. And I'll have the biggest sword and the shiniest armour, and… and I'll get to rescue the princess!’ he continues, his voice growing more animated with each proclamation. ‘Wait… One of you needs to be a princess.’

‘Well, I’m not going to be a princess.’ Morgana folds her arms across her chest.

‘But you are a princess,’ Arthur whines.

‘I don’t care. I’m going to be a dragon with Merlin.’

Arthur turns to Merlin sheepishly. Before he can suggest that Merlin takes on the role of princess, the boy shakes his head. ‘No way! I am not being a princess just so you can rescue me. If I were a princess, I would be able to save myself!’

Morgana grins at Merlin. ‘I think you’d be the greatest princess in all the land!’

‘Yeah?’ Merlin’s eyes twinkle. He turns to Arthur, puffing out his chest, and continues, ‘And if I were a princess, I’d beat the stupid prince to the dragon and tame her because I would be a dragonlord princess.’

‘There’s no such thing as dragonlords!’ Arthur bites, feeling his pulse quicken.

‘Dollophead,’ Merlin mutters.

‘Wha— That's not a word!’ Arthur accuses.

‘Sure it is,’ Merlin insists.

‘Well…’ Arthur considers this and then challenges, ‘What does it mean then?’

‘Uhm... Prince Arthur.’

Merlin and Morgana burst into giggles, prompting Arthur to jump off the bed and stomp out of the room.

---

Does anyone want an arranged marriage royal!au where Princes Merlin and Arthur meet as children and fall in love, but Merlin ends up engaged to Morgana?

I'm bad at titles and summaries but here it is.

The Union of the Houses of Emrys and Pendragon

[dryadalisliv]

I think it would be insanely funny if after Arthur’s death everyone returns back in time to the place they were the day Merlin arrived in Camelot. But like, everyone thinks they are the only ones who has returned. We see it all from Merlin’s pov, who’s traumatised and wondering why the fuck Arthur is so much sweeter to him this time around and keeps saying ‘thank you’. He wonders why Lancelot shows up earlier, why all of a sudden Gwaine is there three years too early, saying he got hurt in a tavern bawl and needs a physician. He wonders why Leon keeps pretending like he didn’t just accidentally see Merlin do magic. Why Gwen keeps giving him these knowing looks. And why Morgana doesn’t seem as afraid as she used to when she was figuring out that she had magic. Everyone is trying their best to change history for the better, thinking they are alone with this duty... and then one day when uther is dead and they are sitting around the round table, merlin steps forward and is like: ‘I need to confess that I have magic, but also that I have returned from the future.’ And everyone just whips around and is like ‘YOU TOO??!’ And then they realise that they’ve all returned and wasted their time thinking they were alone.

[happypeachsludgeflower]

Unrealistic that all these magic reveal merthur au’s out there have Merlin remembering enough of his life to be able to recap the entirety of the show to Arthur without leaving anything out all in one go.

magic reveal fanfic’s:

Merlin: my magic’s for you arthur. Its only for you. *proceeds to give chronological order of events starting at ep1 all the way up to the reveal*

10x funnier and more likely:

Merlin: *months or years after the reveal* so anyway, there I was, tied to a tree, and a serkhet stings me, right?

Arthur: *spluttering* I’m sorry what

[ink-through-her-veins]

“Do you have to touch everyone?” Arthur asks, eyes narrowing on where Gwaine’s hand now rests upon Merlin’s bowed head.

“He’s been gone,” Gwaine says. “It’s nice to see him.”

Arthur scoffs. “He was collecting firewood!”

Merlin, unperturbed by Gwaine’s ruffling of his already messy hair, has already begun looking through the pile of wood at his feet for small twigs to add to the kindling.

“You’re just emotionally stunted,” Merlin quips, striking the flint and deftly starting the dry leaves alight.

“I am not!” Arthur protests.

But he flushes when Merlin’s fingers brush against his palm as he hands him his dinner. And he can’t quite understand the strange fluttering in his chest when Merlin smiles at him.

“I think I’m sick,” he tells Gaius when he returns to Camelot, and goes on to describe the strange clenching in his belly, stuttering of his heart, and heating of his face.

Merlin has the gall to laugh. Gaius raises an eyebrow.

“I’ll handle this,” Merlin tells Gaius.

Gaius shrugs and walks out of the chambers muttering under his breath.

Arthur sputters. “I am king. He can’t just walk out when I am unwell. What is the meaning of this?”

Merlin’s face is inches from Arthur’s, and all of his symptoms are flaring up, and he’s short of air. Merlin’s lips press against his in a soft chaste kiss. Oh. Oh that’s… Arthur grabs at the back of Merlin’s head, and kisses back.

When they part, Merlin whispers, “Better?”

“Cured.”

Merlin rolls his eyes. “Emotionally stunted, prat.”

“Merlin!”

[larluce]

Merlin traveling back in time to save Arthur AU but with a twist!!

Merlin makes it to the sidhes, bringing a barely breathing Arthur with him. As expected, they ask for a price and Merlin offers his life, ignoring Arthur's protests.

Sidhe1: You're inmortal you can't die

Sidhe2: And even if you could, killing you would mean killing magic itself, therefore killing the earth itself.

Merlin: (crying desperate) I don't care! Take what you need! My blood, my magic, anything! Just save him!

Sidhe1: (smiling evily) I might know just the thing.

They never tell him what are they going to take from him, but he agrees. The sidhes start the ritual, while Arthur just keeps pleading weakely

Merlin: (smiling) If I somehow don't come back-

Arthur: (crying) Stop! Merlin don't do this. Please!

Merlin: I just want you to know that I love you.

Before Arthur can answer the ritual ends and Merlin blacks out.

When he wakes up he is in his way to Camelot in his old clothes and 10 years younger. He soon discovers he's been brought back to the very first day he met Arthur. He's confused. Have the Sidhes taken from him years of his life as a price? It doesn't make sense to him, but he decides to take advantage of this to prevent some things from happening.

Time goes by and while, in general, all events are repeating, not everything is happening as he remembers. Some people arrive in his live early, like Lancelot or Gawain. And Arthur treats him better? Like he says thank you to him more often and listens to him more. Merlin thinks it’s weird, but brushes it off thinking it’s due to the changes he's been making that some things are not quite the same.

Then the day comes when he finally reveals his magic to Arthur. He cries and Arthur hugs him telling everything its okey. Nothing its going to happen to him. Shortly after however Arthur also has a confession.

Arthur: I already knew.

Merlin: What?! Since when?

Arthur: the very start.

Merlin: How? I've been careful! More careful than before!

Arthur: Because you told me before. Well, not really before, but in the future. It’s complicated.

Merlin: Wait... you are from the future too?!

They are both surprised. They thought they were alone in this and it turns out they never were. Merlin cries all over again, apologazing for everything, for failing him, for not being able to save him, but-

Arthur: You did.

Merlin: ... What?

Arthur: You did save me.

Merlin: No, the sidhes tricked me. They sent us back in time-

Arthur: It was not them who did that. It was me.

Merlin: What... what are you saying?

Turns out what the ritual really did was turn Merlin into a small tree in exchange for saving Arthur’s life. A magic tree that would grow taller and taller and never die and whose ruts would expand making magic florish in the earth forever. Arthur of course was really upset after that. He demanded the sidhes to turn Merlin back but they only told him "what's done it's done" and that all he could do was pick the tree up before the roots growed if he wanted to move it elsewhere.

Arthur put the tree in a pot and brought it back to Camelot. Everyone was devasted with the news but they were also glad their king was alive and safe. No one blamed him, but Arthur always blamed himself. He repealed the ban as soon as he could and made sure everyone knew Merlin's involvement in the battle and later the other things he find out Merlin did for Camelot through Gaius. He made an anual event and a statue in Merlin's honor. Camelot slowly but surely welcomed magic again and became the most prosperous kingdom in the land.

Merlin: Oh...I don't remember being a tree.

Arthur: Yeah, I figured.

Merlin: But you repealed the ban! That's great! Magic was free again in the-wait... so why did you do all this if everything was fine? And how did you do it?

Arthur: Everything was NOT fine Merlin. You weren't there!

Merlin: (utterly confused) I was. As a tree.

Arthur: You know what I mean! You were there but you weren't. We mourned you but you were still alive. I kept you in that pot for longer that I should have because I wanted to keep you close all the time, yet looking at you was so painful... Gwen had to scold me into finally plant you in the garden so you could grow properly. I was broken inside, while trying to rule a kingdom. I kingdom we should have ruled together from the start!

Merlin: ...

Merlin: You're telling me you somehow traveled us back in time and throw away the golden age, your dream of uniting all Albion and all you worked hard for... just because you missed me?

Arthur: And because I couldn't say it back.

Merlin: What?

Arthur: That I love you too.

NEXT PART OF THIS AU HERE -> PART 2

[nahasketches]

Jejejjeje I saw this in tiktok and wanted to draw this

[bellastepa]

God i LOVE men in pain and his personal mental breakdown

[xrose-vo]

Anyone wanting to read about Arthur going mad because he just discovered Merlin has an accent from living in Ealdor but it only appears in certain situations and he has never heard it? Well, so do I.

By the way, "The way you speak" by Herondale_34 in AO3 :))

UPDATE!! Chapter 5 available!

[flight-of-fantasy]

People when they see BBC Merlin and Merthur are still performing well on lists of TV shows and popular ships in 2022

[gdn019283]

having tumblr to me means being weak over merthur. so today we’ll talk about “servant of two masters” and if what i’m about to say is something that has already been pointed out by someone else, let me know. we’re all aware of the excruciating reminder that in this episode, arthur hugs merlin for the first time and merlin will never remember it because he was enchanted. but i also believe he’ll never remember another thing of equal importance. in the entire episode, we are the ones to witness for the first time what arthur does/says while he is changing/working alongside merlin, more than previous times. i like to think that he actually thought he’d lost him forever this once that when he comes back, he wants to be with him all the time but also has to make sure who could be the potential traitor amongst EVERYONE in camelot. (sort of the main plot in season four because of the slimy bastard agravaine) HE EVEN DOUBTS HIS KNIGHTS. the noblest and most loyal knights ever that HE HAD CHOSEN and HE DOUBTS THEM. example: “what do you think about Percival?” and merlin answers with “big”. he had asked constantly about merlin’s opinion. he cares so much that he talks with him all the time, asking for what he thinks and telling him: “you’re the only one i know i can trust”. or “so. what do you think. merlin?” when he’s changing behind the screen and doesn’t receive any answer. my point is: for the first time ever, arthur communicates with merlin. he is honest, open in any possible way (“you’re not merlin”) but the best part is that WE SEE IT. we see what happens when they’re both in arthur’s chambers; when merlin has to help him prepare for council, banquets ecc. they talk about the kingdom, about the knights and the court and of course, arthur “values merlin’s opinion above all other’s” (we love mithian in this household) and even for us sometimes it’s hard to grasp because we never see that part, when they’re both alone AND THEY TALK this time and for so long, which we only watch during specific and needed scenes, like when arthur had banished gwen and he was sad or when he had to make amend for destroying the druid camp and killing the people that lived in it. the saddest part? what if arthur had been so scared to lose him this time around, that he wanted to listen to him for the next days and what if arthur rarely acts that way with him? because WE rarely see it too. especially when is anxious or angry, instead of telling merlin straightaway, he confines himself in his chambers and either yells or tells merlin to get out. which means, not only merlin will forget their first and only hug, but will also forget arthur’s words of acknowledgement and trust. his honest confessions and admissions, not veiled by sarcasm or by a joke. and arthur will never know it either, because he had never suspected something went wrong in the first place. heartbreaking. does this make sense? to me it does. so yeah. i’ll go cry in my corner now.

to mend a broken heart, you must write fanfictions about it, so if you’d like, go check out mine. it’s the first post on my account. it’s still a WIP, but if you’d like to read it or interact with it, then you’ll make my day. have fun! and cry about merthur!

do not read it/like my posts/follow me (not that you will. i’m not that pretentious. i guess) if you’re a racist, zionist, sexist, transphobic or homophobic being who over all goes against any sort of basic humans’ rights.

[gaiussleechtank]

It was one of those nights: the peaceful ones where both King and Court Warlock could shed their titles and just exist as two friends sharing cups of wine beside a fire. Both were silent as they nursed their drinks and basked in the dim lighting the fire provided Arthur’s dark chambers.

Merlin was lying across the floor on top of countless pillows and blankets, parallel to the hearth of the fireplace. His feet were bare as he had kicked off his boots hours earlier and the cords of his tunic were pulled extremely loose. Merlin’s legs were crossed one over the other as one hand played with a lock of his own hair as the other blindly traced the engravings of his goblet.

Arthur was sat his chair above Merlin, facing the fire and looking down at the peaceful man. He was glad that Merlin’s eyes were closed because it allowed the King to openly stare. For someone who was regarded to be so aware of everything all of the time - Merlin has not once ever cottoned on to Arthur’s gaze on him. In a way, it was reassuring that Arthur didn’t have to fear being caught by the very man he was observing. But it another way it was far too frustrating: Arthur nearly wanted to be caught and then in turn be forced to admit his reasons for staring.

For the Goddess’ sake, how could Arthur not look anywhere but Merlin with the man lying so enchantingly in front of him, doused in the golden light of the flames?

How could he lay his eyes elsewhere when nothing and no one else brought him nearly as much happiness and fulfilment in his heart than Merlin?

How could he when Merlin was everything that he loved?

The nearly empty goblet rested on his lap with his hands encircling the rim, it would be stupid to say it.

“Merlin?” Arthur broke their silence.

Merlin hummed in response, he didn’t move nor open his eye, but the tone of his voice easily told Arthur that he was listening.

“I’m in love with you.” Oh, fuck.

The body in front of him stilled. Merlin’s hand retracted from his hair as he slowly sat up. Arthur couldn’t tell you when the Warlock’s eyes had opened but he could give you a thousand words at least on what it felt like to be under their unending gaze. Merlin didn’t look away from Arthur as he got to his feet and came to stand in front of his King.

Merlin might not have ever been aware of when Arthur’s eyes were on him - but Arthur was far too aware of Merlin’s piercing stare. The King averted his eyes and stared down at the lingering mouthful of wine in his cup, listening to Merlin’s few footsteps.

A hand slid underneath Arthur’s jaw and half cupped the side of his face: hesitantly, Arthur let himself be guided to look up at Merlin. Had it been anyone else, this would have been so dangerous - to willing put his heart and mind at risk by giving someone else so much control over him would have been a death wish if it were anyone else.

Yet this was Merlin, the one person in his life that he would faithfully trust the world with to the ends of time.

It was sad eyes that Arthur saw. Not angry. Not disgusted. Not hurt, or even happy. Sad, sad, eyes that Arthur would nearly say were brokenhearted.

Merlin sighed with a pained and defeated expression. “Not again.”

“What?” Arthur felt his breath catch in his throat.

Merlin smiled with a soft pain, his thumb stroked over Arthur cheek as he said, “You don’t love me, Arthur.”

“I- I do.” Arthur stammered, he hadn’t anticipated out right refusal, denial and disbelief as an outcome. “I do love you, Merlin.”

Merlin swallows and seemed to choke back tears.

“No, Arthur, you don’t.” He repeated. “This is a love enchantment, this has happened before. You aren’t in love with me.”

The words were far too rehearsed, Merlin’s expression too knowing and understanding. Arthur felt like a petulant child being gently corrected on the truth. Had this really happened before? Had Arthur been enchanted to be in love with Merlin before?

“Merlin, I know my feelings, please believe me.” Arthur begged in futile.

“I don’t think you realise how badly I want to, but I can’t.”

Arthur’s eyes widened at Merlin’s confession - even though the feelings were reciprocated, Arthur was still being rejected - but he saw it. He saw all of the held back and restrained love Merlin held in his eyes for Arthur. He finally was bearing witness to Merlin’s affection, only because the Warlock was allowing him to.

“Is it really so unbelievable that I love you that you are convinced my mind is under the control of a spell of potion?”

“I know you love me - in the way friends love one another, brothers even.” Merlin stressed, his words clearly hurting himself. “But you don’t love me the way I want you to, you never have and you never will.”

“You do want me to love you like this?” Arthur countered.

Merlin closed his eyes and shakily let out a sob, his hands ran from Arthur’s jaw and face, around the King’s neck and weakly grasped at the back of Arthur’s head. He pressed his face into Arthur’s hair, Arthur pulled Merlin in closer and strung his arms around the Warlock’s waist and back: he could feel Merlin weep.

“You won’t remember this conversation, you never have, so why not?” Merlin muttered with a bitterness that surprised the King. “I have loved you for years, Arthur, what I feel for you goes beyond the devotion of prophecy and bond of friendship. I’ve always known that you will never feel the same.”

How his heart ached on the verge of breaking: Merlin loved him. He was in love with Arthur. He felt the same as Arthur but clearly awful past experiences that Arthur cannot remember are preventing him from acting on the truth.

Arthur tried to speak but was cut off before he could even utter a syllable.

“No, Arthur, please stop.” Merlin said, slipping out of Arthur embrace. He looked so guilty.

Merlin believed Arthur not to be in control of his mind and actions, he believed Arthur to be susceptible to anything. Though Merlin was nowhere near the kind of person to take advantage of someone under the influence of something mind altering. Even though this ‘supposed potion or enchantment’ was giving him what the Warlock wanted, Merlin still held back and refused.

Even such a simple embrace, the kind of embrace that was becoming more commonly between them as the years progressed seemed to wreck so much regret through the man - Arthur wanted to shake him and scream at how wrong Merlin was: that he could and was consenting to any any hold or touch Merlin could or would give him.

Arthur stood up and met Merlin far too closely. Their faces were mere inches apart, dangerously so. The King saw how badly Merlin wanted to give in, he could see the arguments and thought process that Merlin was going through.

His hand hovered over the side of Merlin’s face as leaned in closer.

“Don’t.”

He froze.

“You’re not in the right state of mind.” Merlin breathed out, more for his own sake than Arthur’s.

Arthur hand fell to his side but he didn’t move away.

“Please tell me how I can prove my honesty.” He asked.

Merlin looked down with resignation and then turned away to the doors.

“Come, Sire, follow me.” Merlin murmured as he left.

He hadn’t called Arthur ‘Sire’ in years, not even in heated arguments did Merlin enforce that distance between them. It spoke tales to Arthur on how hurt his best friend was. He dashed after Merlin, it wasn’t hard to follow the sound of weary footsteps.

They were heading for Merlin’s laboratory. Arthur caught up with broken hearted Warlock and joined their hands together - Merlin allowed it.

Met with the smell of dodgy potions, old books, strong herbs, ash and numerous other smells that Arthur had grown familiar with associating with Merlin’s experiments, Arthur saw and felt Merlin relax slightly. They were on his ground now, they followed his rules.

Arthur let go of Merlin’s hand and took his chair that he always sat in when observing Merlin work.

“You stare a lot.” Merlin said as he leafed through shelves of bottles - no doubt searching for a cure-all potion that he had concocted in earlier years.

“I always have, you’ve just never noticed.” Arthur replied honestly.

Merlin sighed for the thousandth time that hour and stood up straight and returned to Arthur, bottle in hand. It was a small vial with opaque pink liquid filling less than a third of the bottle. He stood on the other side of the work bench and handed over the vial of anti-serum.

Wordlessly and without hesitation Arthur uncorked the bottle and drank his mouthful. Setting down the bottle, he leaned closer to Merlin, head propped up by his elbow, hand under chin, staring at Merlin patiently.

The Warlock also leaned closer, gold creeping into his eyes without a single incantation as he analysed Arthur’s reaction to the potion. The world seemed to hold its breath as it waited for the two men to get onto the same page.

“Well, am I really under an enchantment?” Arthur asked after a very long pause.

Merlin’s mouth fell open as his brow and eyes once again creased into tears.

“No… You aren’t.” Merlin managed to say, covering his face as he cried.

Arthur stood up and joined Merlin on the other side of the workbench. He pulled the shocked and relieved and sobbing Warlock into another hug. Both holding onto each other equally tight.

“I love you, Merlin.” Arthur promised his Warlock firmly.

[quotidian-oblivion]

How I picture Leon finds out that Merlin has magic:

Merlin was tired.

Not because of the abundance of chores and the fatigue that came from running around after yet another assassin, but because he hadn't used his magic at all for the past month. Yes, even with the presence of the assassin. Gwaine had fortunately been there to knock the guy out and throw him in the dungeons, catching him red-handed.

He had been trying to stay as cautious as possible, which was why he hadn't used magic in such a long time.

But the fact was - Merlin was born with magic. It was as natural as breathing to him. So when he didn't use magic for an extended period of time, he would get tired.

He needed to use magic. Just a small bit.

He would do it in the safety of his room, but he was currently carrying Arthur's armor to his chambers from the training field and it was heavy and he was so so tired and- well, it would only be a small spell.

He put the armor down, checked that no one was around, then held up a palm. His eyes flashed gold and a small fire appeared on top of it.

Just because he had missed his magic, he flashed his eyes gold and made the flame morph into a butterfly. He smiled as it slowly flapped its wings, staying on Merlin's palm.

Then Merlin heard a gasp and he snapped his head to the newcomer.

The thing about knights was that they were trained to be as quiet as possible even in armor. It was required for certain missions as well as hunting. But armor was impossible to be quiet, so Merlin, having spent a significant amount of time with them, had trained himself to automatically hear when they were approaching. And since they were always in their armor anyway, even sleeping in it sometimes, he had relied on that to alert him of anyone crossing the hallway.

After all, anyone else - servants and nobles alike - wouldn't bother quieting their footsteps while walking.

If they did, it would be because of malicious intent so it wouldn't matter if they saw Merlin or not.

But occasionally - very very occassionally - knights walked around without their armor.

That, combined with their light footsteps and silent movements, had caught Merlin unaware.

So when he snapped his head over to look at Leon staring with wide eyes at the butterfly made of flame in his hand, Merlin was surprised. More than that, he was afraid.

The two of them froze, with Leon's gaze on the fire butterfly and Merlin's on Leon, standing rigidly like deers caught in the wild.

Then Leon raised his eyes from the butterfly to Merlin, then back to the butterfly, then back to Merlin again-

Before he spun on his heel and walked the other way whistling jovially like he hadn't seen anything.

Merlin was still frozen like a deer. He didn't move until several minutes later when he did hear armor clinking against each other. That was when he got rid of the butterfly and hefted the armor up, walking back to his room, leaving Arthur's armor in favor of panicking.

~

When Merlin met Leon in the armory that evening, he tried to approach him. Leon, recognizing what Merlin was trying to do, let him, moving into a secluded changing room far from the armory with the other knights and squires and pages.

Leon nodded at Merlin in greeting when Merlin closed the door.

"Leon," Merlin started. "What you saw-"

"That you were shirking Arthur's chores? No worries. I didn't give you away before, I won't do so now."

Merlin blinked. "What?"

Leon sighed. "Look, Merlin. I don't get paid enough, even as a knight. Not with all those missions and calamities that keep getting Arthur into trouble. So I refuse to deal with anything above my paygrade. Even you avoiding chores."

Merlin blinked again.

Leon clapped a hand on his shoulder, and with a smile, left the room.

Merlin looked after the knight, wondering for the first time, exactly how many times the knight had committed or aided or turned a blind eye against treason for him to be this casual about it.

[dryadalisliv]

The funny thing is that Arthur is always portrayed as some popular jock in modern au fics, when in canon he is a friendless loser.. all his friends are just Merlin’s friends who just started accepting that Arthur was there and ordering them around because Merlin was busy giving Arthur cow eyes when he wasn’t giving big speeches about how great of a King Arthur would become/is

Okay Leon was kinda Arthur’s friend before Merlin, but even that rule-fkn-following knight adopted Merlin when he got the chance… mr giving Merlin advice on what weapon to kill the king with