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kirbybecomesastarwarrior · 1 month

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Loser Baby~ (Marxolor)

When I first heard this I thought to myself... "this is their song."

In the KBASW AU, they're very similar in nature, and they're brought together through circumstances... both are losers. And that is what makes their relationship so beautiful ~

And yes I changed some of the lyrics to fit Marx better~

Keep reading for extra lore/ spoiler-ish content

I've decided to hit two birds with one stone...knock out a few questions I had...

Yeah, the Marxolor/Magolor asks have been stewing in there... Sorry for taking so long but I FINALLY learned how to draw Magolor.

He plays a big role in the story... he is pretty much very close to his game counterpart, but his reasons and motivations for the Master Crown are very different.

The Master Crown was created and owned by his great-grandmother... Minerva Mim also known as... MAD MADAM MIM. (And for those who aren't familiar with Disney's The Sword in the Stone.) Who was the ruler of Halcandra during her time...

Magolor's full name is Magolor Mim

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But she's also a mix with Harry Potter's Minerva McGonagall.

(And yes) she's connected with Lady Celestine (who is this KBASW Merlin), and they were best friends. She's the reason why the Ancients & Halcandrans did business. Halcandran techolong & the Ancients magic. A deal Sir Icarus tried to secure but could not negotiate at all...

However, Celestine managed to get it with ease... (*cough* bribed her way*. ) Over time they did become genuine friends... I'll expand on her later... In short, she was basically the only one whom Celestine told of her alter-ego, Merlyn (Sir Arthur figured it out).

She was snarky, eccentric, and a bit vain at times, but at her core was a good person.

Celestine brought out the best in her and Minerva brought out the adventurous side of her and encouraged her to be bolder. (BTW she was the number one Celarthur shipper).

However, after Celestine's "execution" (secretly they crystalized her): Minvera refused to do business with the GSA & the Ancients due to her friend's unfair trial... despite the threats they made to remove her from power if she continued to remain loyal to Celestine... but no matter how much they threatened her she still couldn't do it...

As a result, the Ancients removed her from her seat as ruler... and the GSA tried to arrest her for siding with a "traitor." However, she didn't go down without fighting. "If I can not have my crown... NO ONE CAN!" Cursing the crown that there will be no more another ruler of Halcandra... and using it to erupt the volcano that resided on the planet... creating its now, current state... becoming MAD MADAM MIM. (But in truth, she was just grieving... loss of her best friend. )

After that, the Ancients ordered to get rid of any descendant of Madam Mim's lineage. And thus the GSA hunted down and exterminated every living relative of Mim's household. However one survived the carnage.

Magolor is the lone survivor of his entire family's... orphaned and on the street... struggling to survive. He did everything to keep himself afloat... even if he had to BEG, STEAL, OR BORROW. HE'D DO IT!(There are a few more things... Magolor had a connection to the Sqeak Squads and Daroach, but that's a story for another day.)

Eventually, he finds out about his heritage and the fact that his whole household was wiped out due to... HER LOYALTY TO ONE PERSON. BAH, DANG IT GRAN WHAT WERE YOU THINKING I COULDA BEEN A KING AND YOU THREW IT AWAY FOR FRIENDSHIP?! From that, you can probably see why Magolor isn't so keen on the value of it since the very thing pretty much wiped out his entire family... And thus began Magolor's search for the crown...

Magolor's betrayal, & redemption does happen like in the game:... does his little shop, makes his amusement park. However, he does a few extra things that connect to the Kirby anime... Magolor manages to revive Chill and rebuild Kirby's robot dog for him (episode 12). (After that, the gang was won over by Magolor...)

Kirby's robo-pet is actually a big thing in the KBASW, he's basically the equivalent of Kirby's iPad/computer.

With this Magolor is fully redeemed, but his arc's not quite done just yet... he still can't help but feel something is missing in his life. Yes, he's learned the value of friendship and junk... he has friends now but... How could he still feel alone when he was people around him.. a feel that he could only describe as underlining emptiness.

Enter Marx. And as I said in the Marx post... Marx saves Kirby ( I won't say from whom yet but) he gets injured the gang wants to help him but... He didn't want a pity party and tried to get away.

Marx: I DON'T NEED YOUR HEL-! *FACE PLANTS ow...

Everyone: You need our help~

Marx wasn't comfortable staying in Dreamland to recover (he knows people *cough* Bun wouldn't take too kindly of him returning), so to compromise, they cashed in a favor from Magolor... Resulting in Marx being delivered by the gang... via kitten in a basket.

Kirby: Hi Mags, this is Marx... Do you think you can watch him for a bit he's we just need you to watch him so he can recover.

Magolor: Okay, sure... but why is he in a basket?

Marx: HISS *shuts the cover*

Meta Knight: He wanted something with a lid on it.

Mags: Oh~kay *picks up basket* I guess you guys can pick him up when he gets better?

Magolor hoped whatever feral creature they had him watching wouldn't be that much trouble or, at the very least, not bite... but Magolor was pleasantly surprised that Marx seemed... to match him quite perfectly...

Shared his love of ancient relics & magic, sarcastic humor, and a wick wittiness similar to his own. And not just interest but personality-wise as well. Marx had an unapologetic straightforwardness that he appreciated, along with a few oddities that he found strangely endearing...This unexpected guest seemed to fit seamlessly into his life... it actually felt nice to have a companion like this.

Marx at first didn't know what to expect when he was dropped off at Halcandranss doorstep. He assumed that he was being sent to some sort of happy hospital facility, where they were gonna baby him and be monitored 24-7. NO FREEDOM AT ALL, HE'S JUST GONNA BE A CAGED ANIMAL!

But no Mags allowed him to do as he pleased... once he realized that he tried to pretty much annoy Magolor into kicking him out. Using his natural crass, sass, and of course, pranks to do it, however, Magolor didn't fall for any of them. Remaking at each of them describing them as "cute"...

Magolor: Nice try, but... You're not gonna to trick this trickster~

Marx: WHAT!?

Marx assumed Kirby that Magolor was another goody-two-shoes, but... did they bring him to some anti-prank master's house. He should've been angry, but he couldn't help but be impressed. It didn't take him long to stop his fruitless effort... there was nothing else to do but wait till he had a chance to escape.

Marx: "Nothing else, Just sitting and watching this guy... uh what is that you're working on... " leaving being instantly enamored and captivated with Magolor's work. Marx's interest and fascination with Ancient Technology is what drove him to use the Galactic Nova in the first place... which sparked Marx's interest and forgetting his original plans to escape.

Which led him to discover all the similarities they had... However, there was this secret unknown wall the other had up. Wanting to keep there both their "unsavory past beginnings with Kirby."

Magolor didn't want to scare Marx away especially when he was finally starting to get comfortable with him. And Marx not wanting to screw up another friendship he was starting to make, by revealing what he was. Both did not want to ruin the only good thing they had in a while.

When finally Marx recovered, Mags was just about to call Kirby and the gang, and immediately Marx pretended to still be sick. Visibly nervous when the check-in call comes in. This doesn't go unnoticed by Magolor,... so when it comes time to call up Kirby for the update, he buys him more time.

Magolor: I gotcha another week...

Marx: Wait, what...

Magolor: Listen I don't think I can get you another when the time comes so... so you think you can tell me what's going on... Kirby's a nice guy I'm sure he'll-

Marx: But I'm not-

This leads Marx to tell Mags everything about the whole "NOVA FIASCO," and Magolor is just speechless as he reveals each detail. Marx loner he spoke couldn't help but feel like he sunk in even deeper believing he blew it again...

Waiting with bated breath for Magolor to answer expecting him to respond in disgust... only with him to respond with. "Yo, same!"

Thus leading Magolor to reveal his past with the Kirby & the Master Crown, along with his road to redemption. This gives Marx a little hope, but not as much confidence that he could do what Magolor did... But Mags assures him that he's still a work in progress himself and that if he wants to be better he should give himself the chance to do better... after all the first step is always the hardest.

Needless to say, everything works out but even after the whole thing, Marx is still hanging out with Magolor... Hmmm... I wonder why! :3

Thanks again to everyone for sticking around and being patient with the asks... I know I'm taking a while to answer (and the things I promised to be done aren't... sorry, my work schedule is hectic.)

I've kinda hit a bit of a roadblock with the fanfic's art style and recently have been wanting to change it up... but anyhow I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. (So for now I'm trying to knock out a few more asks).

Hope you enjoy the content and have a great day~

#kirby #kbasw #magolor #marx kirby #marxolor #kirby series #kirby anime #anon ask #hazbin hotel #kbasw answers #as you can see i take a long time #thank you for waiting

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mysticsublimeperson · 3 months

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I have a Merthur AU idea!!! I have this Outlander-ish idea

Summary: What if Merlin crosses to another dimension, where the time runs differently and it’s left there, to fend for himself what to him it’s like 15 years but to the knights are just a couple of days. When the knights finally cross to rescue him they find a really hot, 30 ish Merlin that is a dragon rider and a badass and has been constructing the circle of rocks and designing spells and runes to come back to them..

Snippet of sorts:

They were investigating a new wave of new and different monsters they, (Arthur, Merlin and the knights) find themselves in front of a huge megalithic monument, it’s so big that to surround it would take a bit too much effort, just because they are all tired of riding and not finding ANYTHING even if the reports all point to this specific forest.

So they all are in front of this huge rocks and Merlin says that they should go around and NOT across because it doesn’t feel right to cross it, inside the circle the grass is tall and the flora grows freely, weird because it means no one have entered, no animal, no person… even the horses seem to be uneasy there. But the stones are clean, no moss.

Merlín feels a disturbance in the balance, the magic is exited but in tension, like waiting for something to happen. A drop to fall.

“I just… this doesn’t feel right Arthur” Merlin said growing desperate, the tension was starting to get to him. “This seems old, and unbothered, we should not be the ones to cross it, it may be a trap” he had come down of his horse because it wouldn’t get close willingly. That felt like a limit, a border, a huge sing that said DO NOT CROSS.

“You know what Merlin?” Merlin prepared to be mocked, but he honestly didn’t care if it got them out of there. He crouched, and took a little branch from the floor. Surrounding the stones he could see something, he moved the dirt to find runes. They were old. Unbothered. He could not recognize much. Some were familiar but not the same. Until…

Respect.

Eternal.

Rest.

Shit. This could be a grave. A grave of someone powerful. And this someone was asking for respect in his rest. And even dead, everything alive was still afraid of retribution.

“You are right, we will not be the first crossing this huge stupid thing…” Merlin could have cried in relief. He jumped to his feet and turned around, almost clashing with Arthur, who had got off his horse and walked up to him when he was distracted, and this huge mischievous grin in his face “You are” Just a tiny push in his shoulder, it’s all it took, it was almost comical.

“Arth…”

Merlín got up with a spring and his expression was relieved and free, and transformed into one of fear so quickly, it made him want to reach and stop his fall, to ask for forgiveness. To say that it was only dumb a joke.

Arthur could feel his blood freeze, and the time seemed to slow down. And between a heartbeat and the next Merlin was gone.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

He wanted to believe this a joke. But it couldn’t be, he seen it with his own eyes.

“MERLIN!” He shouted surprised of how desperate his own voice could sound, before he could give another step his knights stoped him. “MERLIN!” He screamed again while Percival pushed him out of the way, far from the circle.

Gwaine stepped up to the point where Merlin had been, he hadn’t left anything. The only thing that could ever hint that he had been there were his footprints in the soil.

“Sire, Arthur you need to breathe” Leon tried to get his attention.

Gwaine had his sword out, and pushed it into the circle, and nothing happened, his sword was there, not like Merlin.

He could feel the pressure in his chest, and the burning in his eyes. The anxiety felt suffocating, and suddenly Leon and Elyan were blocking his view.

“Breathe Arthur” instructed Leon, while Elyan tried to get him to imitate him.

It took be a lot more to calm down, and by the time Arthur and Gwaine were calm enough to talk the sun was already setting.

They decided to camp in silence and tension. Elyan had scouted the circle but had not found much. Like Merlin had said nothing came close to the circle, all the animal footprints stopped almost ten steps from the circle.

“But…” Elyan keep going “there’s four points where the earth has been disturbed” he tried to explain.

“What do you mean?” asked Arthur voice rough from shouting.

“There’s nothing entering the circle” he continues “I didn’t think those were footprints, because they were really big, and…” he shook his head and focused “I think the monsters have been coming from somewhere in the circle, they come out” he self finally, eyes set in the fire and voice tense.

A clash was heard and Gwaine was tackled to the ground.

“Get off me” he shouted, “if something is coming from there then I can get in” he growled.

“It’s just an idea” defended Elyan, “I know nothing of magic, there’s runes surrounding the stones! That’s what Merlin was looking before” he pointed to the circle “I don’t know if someone was summing the monsters, maybe what step inside turn into the monsters, maybe they are the sacrifice, maybe this has nothing to do w the monsters at all, and even if this is some kind of passage way, how do we know that place it's not worse” Elyan looked at Gwaine “Merlin is the one that knew most of this stuff” and Arthur’s eyes started to burn.

“I might as well killed him” he said in low voice, rough a guilty.

That made Gwaine stop.

“We” said in grave tone. “We all agreed, If you hadn’t done it yourself, I would have, it was a joke, we were stressed, and when that happen we tend to tease him, none of us took it seriously, none of us took him seriously” Gwaine let out an angry sob “that's why we need to to get him back, we need to apologize"

They start planning.

They notice that while it’s true that none animals entered willingly, when escaping from a hunter they had no problem entering.

They also find that like Elyan had said, that only happened through one of the four paths.

Birds were different, the crossed the circle all the time, they also disappeared.

They find that they can throw anything that it’s not alive and nothing would happen, sticks, rocks… but the moment it was alive it disappeared, even if that its a flower.

“This is stupid” Gwaine insisted “Let me try”

“How can we know if you are fine? How do we know if you are alive?” Arthur asked seriously.

How do we know if Merlin is alive? Everyone could hear the actual question.

“It’s useless if we lose you too” with every moment that passes his mood worsened. He felt guilty and humiliated because of his outburst, and the guilty again and sad.

“This is useless” when said and sprung to the circle.

“Gwaine!”

Before anyone could stop him, he stuck his hand into the circle, up to the elbow, and all of the could see how it vanished. Leon pushed him out of the circle and as he got out of the circle his hand came back to its rightful place.

“Oh thank gods” murmured Gwaine.

“You risked your sword arm, you idiot” Leon scolded.

Gwaine was way too happy to care.

“How does it feel?” Arthur asked checking his arm.

“It feels normal, like always, but it was really fast” Gwaine said flexing his hand and arm “Can I try again or will you freak out?”

No one said anything, no one stopped him, when he approached the circle again. He introduced his hand again slowly.

“What it is Gwaine?”

“It’s warm” he said slowly, making the knights confused.It was deep Autumn, and even if some days were warm, most days like this one were just bright and cold, and usually wet, luckily it didn’t feel like it was gonna rain any time soon “Let me see” and pushed further.

“Gwaine! Are you sure it’s safe?” Percival asked grabbing him by the other arm.

“Just don’t let me go, yeah? I still feel my arm, I can move it, It looks like only the part of me that trespasses the circle vanishes, maybe… I don’t know maybe it’s like a door, a portal? like Elyan said”

“To where?” Asked Leon.

“There’s only one way to find out” Gwaine said before pushing himself into the circle up until the waist, while Percival still held him by the other arm.

Gwaine finds that the place it’s similar, almost the same, but the circle it’s not there, there are a few rocks in place and some others around in the ground like someone was constructing this same place, the trees also looked different and like he said it was warm because it looked like a spring day. He came out and told the knights, buthere was no sing of Merlin.

“It’s been three days”

“He might have needed food”

“And water”

“Merlin is smart”

“He is resourceful"

"Check again" said Arthur, carefully "Look for specific hints, footprints, sings of a camp, struggle, something. It's been three days and if you said the weather looks tranquil then there's should be a trace of him" He was nervous, excited, he wanted to believe but he also was terribly afraid.

Gwaine nodded and went back. But something happened, Gwaine whole body tensed, so they pulled him out.

"What happened? Are you ok?"

"It changed!" Gwaine had a alerted gaze focused and confused.

"What changed?"

"Everything!" he tried to calm himself down "Th..I think the place was the same, but it was, suddenly it was night, and there was a hole like someone had been digging, probably for the rocks but... I don't understand, we didn't take long but it looked like days have happened, let me see again" before they could process anything Gwaine went back.

"What do you see Gwaine?" Arthur asked, worry forming a lump in his stomach.

"Gwaine?" Elyan asked too.

"Gwaine!" Percival took that a as a signal and pulled him out.

"What?"

"Didn't you hear us?" Scolded Arthur.

"I didn't hear anything" Gwaine answered genuine "I felt your hand, but I did not hear anything" explained " When I went back, the sun was rising, there were sings of a camp, the fire was recently put out" he kept going "I thought I heard someone but you pulled me out" accused Gwaine.

"How much time did you spend there Gwaine?" Leon asked.

"I don't know, a couple minutes, enough to see the sun rise fully"

"You were there only a few seconds"

They all processed that information in silence for a moment.

"You mean to tell me, that time runs different there"

"It appears to, sire"

"We need to get Merlin out"

"We need rope"

#merthur #au #fanfiction #fanfic #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin emrys #arthur pendragon #gWAINE #diferent dimensions #bamf merlin #worried knights #protective arthur #idea #merlin x arthur

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jellytamalies · 16 days

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Some stuff for my Merlin ATLA au

Ayy fire nation princess Arthur

Okay so short version

Avatar but with characters from Merlin

Arthur is the princess of the fire nation. She kinda takes on a role somewhere between Zuko and Azula. (Technically she’s more like Azula but still)

when she was born there where Complications. Her mom died, and she was very sick. She was taken to the fire temple and submerged in some awsome fire stuff (concept inspired-ish from a fic about fire sage! Zuko) that burns away her sickness (and hair)

like yue, she is granted life by a spirit (instead of the moon spirit, it’s the sun spirit). When her hair grows back it’s blonde (the only reason i added this is because it’s weird thinking of Arthur as anything except blond lol)

#jamstuff #jamdraws #designing these outfits was kinda fun but also hard #Trying to make something look sufficiently fire nation while also feeling ‘Arthur’#I think i kinda achieved that with the first one #Modeled of outfits from “The Beach”#And of course the iconic red shirt-with-a-deepass-neckline + red necklace combo #arthur pendragon #merlin bbc #Atla #avatar the last airbender #ATLA Au #Fire Princess Arthur

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jamesunderwater · 9 months

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Tidbits:

you can call me james or jamie. trans, autistic, adhd, witch, writer. straight with the exception of sirius black.

multi-fandom blog run by a multi-shipper. my main fandoms are: marauder's era harry potter, percy jackson, hbo's succession, bbc merlin, and stranger things

i do write and post smut, just as a content warning. minors be warned.

don't put up with transphobia/terf/transmed shit, racism, antisemitism, ableism, sexism, and the like.

itsjamespotter on ao3

**for anyone triggered by harry potter content, i try to tag all harry potter related posts with #hp, so you can block that tag**

Tumblr Fic Tags:

Jily

Prongsfoot

Dorlene

Smut

AO3 Highlighted Fics

Dead to Me [playlist] [tag] - 91,625 words - jily, angst, hurt/comfort

I saw a quote once that said: "How many times have I loved a thing, just because you loved it? Including me." This story is about love, but is not to be confused with a love story. It's about the love we should have had. The love we don't think we deserve. The crooked love we settle for. It is about how, in letting others love us, we learn to love ourselves.

Call and Response - 6,685 words - first war, hurt/comfort, minor jily

A series of vignettes showcasing how, despite his own personal tragedies, James Potter never fails to show up for the ones he loves – which might be his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. Set in a world where James and Lily never got together in school, the Marauders, now twenty, are fighting in the Order at the height of the war. Consider this my love letter to James “would have died rather than betray his friends,” “would have regarded it the height of dishonor to mistrust his friends,” “until the very end” Potter.

Risky Behaviour - 997 words - canon jily awkward smut

Lily is determined not to get distracted during rounds again. Written for @jilymicrofics Mystery Microfic May Prompt 27: Risk banner by @eastwindmlk! <3

The Couch Chronicles - 3,118 words - canon jilypad fluff

written for the lovely @annabtg as part of @jilymicrofics's 2024 Jily Gift Exchange, and inspired by this fanart.

Jily Microfics, Feb 2024: An Academic Rivals Montage - 6,550 words - canon-compliant Jily, pre-relationship

Witness as James comes to terms with all of Lily Evans's levels, and Lily comes to terms with what is most likely not a heart murmur.

Bring Your Kid to Work Day(s Never End When Your Godfather is Sirius Black) - 2,012 words - good godfather sirius black

Written for Good Godfather Sirius Black Fest. Day 11, prompt: bring your kid to work day.

Just This Once - 6,196 words - jily, muggle au, gratuitous smut

When they were teenagers, James Potter promised his best friend, Sirius Black, that he would never, ever touch his sister. Lily Evans promised herself long ago that she would never, ever give into her feelings for her brother's best friend. But maybe…just this once?

Completed Fics August '23 - Present

Jily: An Unexpected Ally - 910 words - canon-divergent trans James Potter, cw: transphobia

When James gets outed as trans by Snape, everyone starts treating him differently. Everyone except Sirius, Remus, and Peter, of course - and, to his surprise...Lily Evans.

Prongsfoot: where you belong - 1,207 words - canon-divergent trans prongsfoot, hurt/comfort(ish)

Sirius is finally moving into the boys' dorm room, where he belongs. Written in celebration of Trans Day of Visibility <3

The Potters/Jily: The Raven-Haired Prince - 1,630 words - Potter family fluff, fix-it fic

He's just a little boy who wants a bedtime story - but no, not like that, and wait, it must include this, and above all, never forget, the prince must be raven-haired. Written for @jilychallenge March Challenge: Fairytales

Jily: Dying Fires - 2,146 words - canon pre-relationship jily, hurt/comfort

In fifth year, James attempts to comfort Lily by a dying fire - but finds this will require restraint on his part in a number of ways.

Dorlene: Promises to Keep - 1,142 words - dorlene; canon first war; angst

Marlene and Dorcas have run out of ways to say goodbye.

Jily: Sweet Seventeen - oneshot - 792 words - canon school years, fluff

James is dating an older woman. She loves snow. He loves... well, it's too soon to say it.

Prongsfoot: here comes a thought - oneshot - 634 words - psychiatric unit AU

sirius is just one of those kids you can't fix. no one has ever thought otherwise. until james potter.

Jily: you are my heaven - oneshot - 1,815 words - soulmates AU, jily reincarnated

What, you thought all they got was a few years together? this is for anyone who has watched what dreams may come (1998) and it's a wonderful life (1946) and is also a pisces. 'cause you get it.

Jily: Happy Holiday, You Filthy Potters - oneshot - 6,098 words - fix it fic, jily never died AU, married smut

"jily christmas family fluff!" but with sex on the stairs.

Prongsfoot: "truth is i'm so damn in love with you i don't know what to do with myself" - oneshot - 804 words - canon first war, one bed

prongsfoot + near death experiences + trapped with only one bed + gay pining

Prongsfoot: "you have no idea how long i've been wanting to do that" - oneshot - 1,017 words - muggle AU, transmasc Sirius Black, bathroom smut

prongsfoot + a locked door public bathroom on my knees trying to make you scream vibe

Prongsfoot: not going anywhere - oneshot - 2,341 words - song fic, canon death, grief

when they were boys, james potter made sirius black a promise. and not even death can make james potter break his promises.

Prongsfoot: i don't even know where you end and i begin - oneshot - 482 words - first war, canon death, grief

Remember when we were such fools? And so convinced, and just too cool? I wish I could touch you again. I wish I could still call you, friend. I'd give anything.

Jily: Tall Dark and Glasses - oneshot - 3,292 words - coffee shop AU, fluff

Tall Dark and Glasses (or TDG as he is more affectionately known) is the mysterious, painfully good-looking stranger who has been frequenting Lily's favorite coffee shop for months now. But despite having an embarrassing acronym for him, Lily, a burned out STEM major, is too comfortable being a wallflower to go up to him herself. Thank god for playing cards, I guess.

Prongsfoot: I Only Breathe When You Breathe - oneshot - 643 words - first war, angst, hurt/comfort

Sirius and James and a nearly fatal order mission. Don't worry, it isn't gay at all.

#look i made actual banners!!!#my writing #intro post #pinned intro #prongsfoot #jily #dorlene #dead to me #a love letter to james potter #good godfather sirius black #james potter #lily evans #dorcas meadowes #marlene mckinnon #wolfstar #the marauders #me

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andiwriteordie · 1 year

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byler x merlin reincarnation au coming to you soon-ish. like maybe this week or next if i can just finish the last part lol. until then, have a couple snippets to hold you over!

#byler #byler x merlin #miwip wednesday #i got distracted by valentine's day prompts #sorry not sorry i think #but SOON i promise #andi writes not dies

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cultofsappho · 9 months

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To celebrate the RWRB movie coming out (one more week!!!!), I wanted to compile my personal favorite, classic, RWRB fics

🇺🇸 RWRB Fic Rec Friday 🇬🇧

If you've been around the fandom for a while, you'll probably recognise a few of these. Several are well loved on ao3, and there's some hidden gems in here too.

Under the cut, because this got long quick! But I have 108 rwrb bookmarks on ao3, So... this is honestly the most edited-down list I can make!

In no particular order:

all that glitters (is not gold) by indomitablelove Words: 111,753. Post-Canon

Alex Claremont-Diaz has it all. His mom won the election, he’s got the perfect boyfriend. He gets to love Henry out loud. Everything is great. Perfect.

Except for the itch under his skin every time he goes outside, and the tightness in his chest when he goes online, and the fact that he can’t fucking sleep.

But it's fine. He's fine. Really.

— Or: after the emails, Alex Claremont-Diaz isn’t fine.

a goddamn blaze in the dark (and you started it) by orionseye Words: 4,612. Outsider(ish) POV

“You had a thing with who?” Spencer asks, cocking an eyebrow.

“No one. It’s nothing.“

“Oh c’mon. We finally get to the juicy shit and you won’t tell me?“

Liam bites his lip, stifling a laugh. “I had a thing with my best friend. All through high school.”

“I thought you had a girlfriend?”

“I did! I thought I was a proud heterosexual until I came here and figured shit out. We–we just, didn’t talk about it. Somewhere in our minds, the whole “making out for an hour” thing was, like, straight or something.”

a.k.a, liam and spencer’s adventures through the tendency of a famous ex-boyfriend to cause international scandals.

How wonderful life is (while you're in the world) by mlvdybug Words: 34,959. Post-Canon

The corner of Henry’s mouth. It’s disappeared now, covered by the oxygen mask fixed securely around his head, but if Alex concentrates hard enough, he can see it sprawled out in front of him. Every ridge, every bend and edge and turn of it.

He knows Henry’s heart. And that’ll be enough.

(or: the one where henry gets shot and alex is a goddamn mess.)

(baby) don't make me spell it out by extasiswings Words: 2,074. Post-Canon

One night near the end of first semester 1L finals, just a few weeks before the two-year anniversary of their first kiss, Alex finds himself looking up from his desk with its messy piles of color-coded notes and tabbed textbooks to see Henry asleep on the couch, clearly having dozed off waiting for him to come to bed, and unbidden he thinks, God, I’m going to marry this man.

It startles him, the spike of adrenaline that floods through him waking him up and bringing the parts of his brain turning over concepts like proximate cause and strict liability to a standstill as he stares at Henry.

I want to marry this man.

Two Sides of the Same Coin by bibliosoph Words: 86,895. AU

Alex has spent his whole life feeling out of place and paranoid. Growing up in a small village with a massive secret, he had to learn how to keep himself safe from harm and away from other people. Until he meets Henry.

Henry is the Prince of Camelot, though he despises the title and all that comes with it. His brother, the King, is a tyrant and makes Henry feel like he isn't enough. He's all but sworn away true love or anything of the sort. Until he meets Alex.

Brought together by magic and circumstance, the two find themselves constantly in the other's presence. But what will happen when that rocky relationship turns into a friendship? Will it then become something more?

Loosely based on Merlin.

The Royal Wedding by DracoWillHearAboutThis Words: 51,577. Post-Canon

HM Queen Mary is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Henry to Mr Alexander Claremont-Diaz.

The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2025, in London. Further details about the wedding date will be announced in due course.

Prince Henry and Mr Claremont-Diaz became engaged earlier this week during a private holiday in Paris. Prince Henry has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince Henry has sought and received the blessings of Mr Claremont-Diaz's parents. The couple will live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.

Bear It All by Bri_Cheese Words: 26,383. AU

Bear: verb. Endure or expose.

Eighteen months after an assassination attempt buries a bullet in his spine, Alexander Claremont-Diaz has to attend the Royal Wedding.

A Picture on Your Corkboard by bleedingballroomfloor Words: 23,087. Amnesia/50 First Dates AU

It happens on a random morning in May when Alex, age fourteen, pads into the kitchen to greet his mother and steal a waffle from June's plate and sees a man sitting at their breakfast counter, reading a newspaper, a cup of coffee raised to his lips. Like he belongs. Like it's the most natural thing in the world. June doesn't seem to give the man a second thought. She merely flicks Alex on the forehead and takes back the waffle. Ellen isn't worrying, either. In fact, she's talking to him. Asking what his schedule is like. Making plans for dinner.

Alex has never seen this man before in his life.

say you'll see me again (even if it's just in your wildest dreams) by coffeecatsme Words: 21,331. Trans AU

“You should ask her to dance.” She nudges Alex, and Alex pretends there isn’t a flush rushing up to his face. He opens his mouth to mention every single fucking reason dancing with the blonde is a bad idea—she looks about a foot taller than Alex, objectively uncomfortable for some fucking reason, and Alex is against royalty on, like, principle—but then June nudges him again with widened eyes. “Come on. You know you want to, and I’m sure she’d appreciate it. None of the other fuckers are asking her because of how tall she is.”

For a moment, Alex glares at her. Then, he downs his champagne, shoves it in June’s face and tries to smooth his jacket. “You fucking owe me, June,” he says and ignores the brilliant smile that appears on her face.

“Don’t act so fucking upset about it.”

Or, 5 times Henry is too scared to come out to Alex and 1 time Alex gives him the courage.

Or, 6 times Alex slowly falls in love with Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, for exactly who he is.

Hetkeksi by Neuqe Words: 13,131. Magic AU

Alex is a rich noble who comes up with ridiculous reasons to see their new court healer, Henry

you are my heart, and it's beating too fast by DancingChupacabra Words: 1,117. Post-Canon

The night Alex's secret service detail expires.

Or, as it turns out being outed is very traumatic.

The Beginner's Guide to Floristry by clottedcreamfudge Words: 19,293. Hanahaki AU

As if there's anything romantic about it; as if it's not the most humiliating death Alex can imagine. This is why he doesn't do relationships. This is why he never will. The risk, as far as he fucking sees it, is too great.

Hanahaki Disease is a fictional disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs, which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible.

to repair a hollowed heart by coffeecatsme Words: 28,952. AU

Alexander Claremont-Diaz, the young ruler of the Underworld, the presider of souls that have passed away, has been banned from Olympus his entire life, on account of bringing death and destruction wherever he goes. His seat in the highest council of gods has been left permanently empty until someone sees all that he is and still falls in love with the man behind.

It's been twenty centuries since the curse has been put upon him, and Alex has long since given up on finding the right person.

Or, a Hades and Persephone AU no one asked for

And, a little shamless PWP becasue this fandom has some amazing ones. If i had to pick only one, I couldn't, but i'd pick this series:

Alex Claremont-Diaz is a Sub by demigodbeautiies

A series of PWPs surrounding the fact that Alex Claremont-Diaz is, without a doubt, a sub.

holy god that was long. There were so many others I want to rave about, but I'll try to edit myself for once

I hope some new-er rwrb readers find something to love here! I'm calling a lot of these "classics" becuase they are well loved in the fandom, and rightfully so!!

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #god i love these all so much #i've reread all these several times #i love this fandom so! much!#ao3 #fic rec friday

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a-little-lostecho · 1 year

Text

‘What am I supposed to do with a magic pickaxe??’

Merlin told him to “Gather the Royal Tools.” and yet Riddle isn’t quite sure on how exactly Merlin has expected Riddle to wield them.

Obligatory DLV (Dreamlight Valley) Twst fusion AU bc I accidentally played 80 hours of it during the month ish I’ve had it which admittedly doesn’t sound like too much but it’s still . a lot. and Disney game meets other Disney game!

All the boys eventually come to the valley but as of the start of the game it is just Riddle. I think. I don’t have the semantics worked out for this AU it’s just rotting in my brain when I play — but rn I’m imagining a bunch of them ‘Spawn’ in the different areas and since there’s seven unlockable biomes i’m just gonna slot a housewarden in each for sake of my convenience.

Funny enough, they ‘Spawn’ in the default clothings (likely with Dorm Uniform attire in their sub-space inventories which none of them have yet to access) with their phones like in canon. So all of them can just shoot each other texts even when there’s miles of Night Thorns blocking their way and I find that hilarious

(P.S I swear i’m not dead sorry for disappearing I just cannot finish a piece of work for the life of me hence why this is just. a sketch. i was lazy :p)

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst wonderland #my art #fanart #twst fanart #twisted wonderland fanart #twst art #disney twisted wonderland #riddle rosehearts #twst riddle #dlv #disney dlv #dreamlight valley #dreamlight valley fanart

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adhd-merlin · 7 months

Text

Summary: Daemons!AU. There’s something strange about Merlin’s daemon — namely, she doesn’t seem to be there. | Words: A bit over 6k.

Rating/Pairings: Gen; hints of Arthur/Gwen

Notes: inspired by a post by @agapantoblu (linked at the end because it's vaguely spoiler-ish). I only wanted to write a quick fill and then my brain took me hostage for three days.

* * *

It took Arthur a few days to notice something amiss with his new manservant.

Well, not with Merlin himself — Arthur knew there was something obviously wrong with the boy the minute he decided to backtalk a nobleman, and then tried to punch him in the face. The fact that, not even a day later, he had made another pitiful attempt to beat Arthur up, after discovering he was the prince, was evident proof that Merlin must have been dropped on his head as a child hard enough to leave permanent damage. A sad business.

But no. What Arthur meant was — there was something amiss with Merlin's daemon. In the sense that she didn't seem to be there.

It wasn't unusual, actually, for Arthur's not to take notice of servants' daemons, in much the same way he didn't take much notice of the servants themselves. It was the job of a good servant to be discreet and unobtrusive, and that extended to their daemon.

Merlin, however, was far from a good servant. He seemed capable of mustering a modicum of respect when talking to Arthur now he was in his service, but only enough to keep his head attached to his shoulders. Arthur didn’t entirely mind. He even admitted — to himself, if not to Merlin — that it was somewhat entertaining, when it wasn't infuriating.

"I'm only saying," Merlin prattled on, as he helped Arthur out of his armour, "that since you made such a fuss about your armour being spotless for your training session, you could have avoided literally rolling in the mud as soon as it started."

"I was demonstrating a defence move, Merlin," Arthur said. "I can't skip fundamental parts of a knight's training just because you're too lazy to do your job."

"Right." Merlin unfastened Arthur's right vambrace. It took marginally less time than it would have taken Arthur to do it himself. Small progress. "And it definitely had nothing to do with me saying jousting tournaments look a bit stupid."

"Of course not," Arthur said. "I gave that statement the consideration it deserves — which is none. In fact, I had quite forgotten about it."

Merlin stepped over Dreya's tail to get to Arthur's other side, muttering something under his breath. Dreya turned her amber lion eyes on Merlin.

"You don't talk to her," she said, startling Merlin so much he dropped the pieces of armour he was holding, which in turn startled Arthur himself.

"Sorry!" Merlin apologised over the loud clanging and Arthur’s swearing, bending to retrieve what he had dropped.

Arthur paid him no mind. He was too busy looking quizzically at Dreya. Daemons seldom talked to humans other than their own. Dreya almost never did. Her addressing a servant directly was literally unheard of.

Dreya didn't look at Arthur. She kept her gaze on Merlin, as unperturbed and unreadable as a sphinx.

"Sorry," Merlin repeated when he was upright again, red in the face, though it wasn't clear if because of his clumsiness or over being addressed so unexpectedly by Arthur's daemon. He glanced at Arthur, as if to make sure it was all right to respond, before looking nervously down and saying: "I don't…?"

"Talk to her," Dreya repeated. "Your daemon. You said something just now, but you weren't talking to her. Just to yourself."

Arthur said nothing. For no reason he could discern, a wave of embarrassment washed over him.

"Is there a difference?" Merlin asked, with a disconcerting note of curiosity in his voice.

"Of course," Dreya said.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Ignore her," he said, not looking at either Merlin or Dreya.

For once, thankfully, Merlin just did as he was told. He continued to remove Arthur's armour in silence. Dreya didn't ask any more questions, but she kept her eyes fixed on Merlin throughout.

* * *

"What was that about?" Arthur asked Dreya later, once they were alone in their chambers.

"There's something odd about him," Dreya said.

"Yes," Arthur said, slightly irritated. It wasn't like Dreya to state the obvious. "So we've established. Right from the start actually. I'm pretty sure you were there."

"His daemon." Dreya moved to where Arthur was sitting, on the edge of their bed, and put her big head on his thigh. "You're not at all curious about her?"

"You can't go about telling people things of that sort," Arthur said, side-stepping her question. "It's… it's strange."

Just because someone's daemon wasn't immediately apparent, it didn't mean one could start asking intrusive questions about them. Dreya should know better. It wasn't the first time they encountered such a person, and it wouldn't be the last, because there were daemons of every sort — including tiny.

And when did they start caring about servants' daemons, anyway?

"You didn't answer my question," Dreya observed.

Arthur flicked her on the nose, and she twitched her whiskers in annoyance.

"Let's go to sleep," Arthur said.

* * *

A few weeks later, Arthur had to admit the situation had become rather weird. It wasn’t just that he had yet to catch a glimpse of Merlin’s daemon, it was that Merlin — as Dreya had immediately observed — never addressed his daemon in Arthur’s presence. Arthur didn’t even know her name — and not because he hadn’t bothered to remember it, like with his previous servants, but because Merlin had never mentioned it at all. He acted like… like his daemon wasn’t even there.

It could have been protectiveness, but Merlin's ease in insulting Arthur gave him no reason to suspect he had any sense of self-preservation. Or any sense at all. So he wasn't afraid of Arthur.

And for all that Merlin complained about putting up with him, he didn't seem to dislike him. He had risked his own life to save Arthur's twice now, and although the first time might have been a reflex, Arthur thought the second meant Merlin didn’t consider him a complete jerk. Unless Arthur’s initial assessment was right, and there was indeed something not quite right with Merlin's brain.

So — assuming Merlin was in possession of all his faculties — it wasn't fear of Arthur, and it wasn't dislike. But it was something. What was it?

* * *

"Is this necessary, father?"

The king dropped his fork on the plate with a clunk. Morgana didn't flinch but Fiadh, coiled around her neck, gave a little hiss, almost like a yelp.

"I beg your pardon?" Uther asked, voice like ice over a frozen lake — cold, with a threat of danger underneath.

Arthur trod on.

"It is a choice to use magic," he said, calmly. "But no one has any influence over the form their daemon takes. I don't see how it is fair to punish the boy for it."

Uther's stern gaze hardened further. With his furrowed brow and his thunderous face he looked almost bear-like. Or perhaps it was Kadira who looked Uther-like. It was hard to tell, sometimes.

"Fair," Uther repeated, incredulously, the word underlined by a growl from Kadira at his side. "You think sorcerers concern themselves with fairness while they plot to destroy my kingdom?"

"Father—"

"When you are king, is that what you're going to tell your subjects while they watch their homes be pillaged and burned, their families be slaughtered? That at least you were a fair ruler?"

Arthur unclenched his hand and put his fork down. "We are not talking about a pillaging horde, father," he said through his teeth, looking down at his plate. "We are talking about a boy."

Uther looked at Arthur with eyes brimming with fury. For a moment Arthur thought it might spill out, and that his father would start shouting, or send his plate and goblet flying to the floor.

"We are talking about a sorcerer," Uther said after his pause, spitting out the word as if it tasted foul. "And the evil must be eradicated at the root." He took a swig of wine from his goblet, a signal that he considered the matter closed.

Arthur excused himself shortly after, and he and Dreya retired to their rooms for the night.

* * *

"It's barbaric," Morgana told Arthur the morning after, as she watched him get ready for the execution.

"I don't like it any more than you do," Arthur said levelly, keeping his eyes on the mirror as he clasped his cape around his neck.

"At least I'm not going to stand next to Uther and watch, like— like a damned coward," Morgana said, half-choking on her rage.

"No," Arthur agreed. "You're going to hide in your room and cry instead. That's braver."

Morgana gasped, and Fiadh hissed in indignation.

"You're— you're sick," Morgana said, before storming out.

Arthur sighed and looked at Dreya.

"Did you have to be so horrible?" she asked.

"Forgive me for not being in the best disposition on the morning I have to watch a twelve-year-old be put to death," Arthur snapped, "for the high crime of having a… a magic pigeon for a daemon."

"A phoenix," Dreya supplied, calmly.

"Have you seen my belt?" Arthur asked, ignoring her. "I swear it was on the nightstand when we woke up."

"No," Dreya said.

“No it wasn’t, or no you haven’t seen it?” Arthur asked, flinging open the doors of his wardrobe. A pile of undershirts tumbled onto the floor. "Oh, for— We haven't got all day! Where on Earth is Merlin?"

On the east side of the castle one of the alarm bells started to ring, its sound spreading through the courtyard like wildfire.

There was no execution that day. Miraculously — or perhaps, magically — the boy escaped. Arthur didn’t try too hard to find him, nor did he mention to his father the mysterious and timely disappearance and reappearance of his belt, and the set of keys attached to it.

* * *

“We’ve never seen so much as a stir under his clothes,” Dreya mused. “She’s got to be smaller than a mouse.”

Arthur kept his eyes and his attention on his reports. They had no business wondering what was under Merlin’s clothes.

“Quieter, too,” Dreya went on. “She never makes a sound.”

“That must be nice,” Arthur muttered.

“Some kind of insect, perhaps.”

Arthur wrote down 50 quarters of spiders, then swore under his breath and scribbled it out.

“A tiny ant that sits in his ear.”

Arthur put down his quill and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

“And never shuts up, but we can’t hear her. That would explain a lot.” Dreya stretched luxuriously and rolled over to warm her other side in front of the fire, her tail thumping lazily on the rug. “Maybe it’s something a bit weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Like a flea. Or a leech. Or… or a tapeworm.”

“Don’t be disgusting.”

“What!” Dreya protested, with a flick of her ears. “It could happen.” She rolled onto her back, her big front paws curled in the air, and she yawned. Her fangs gleamed in the light of the flames. “Perhaps she’s not there at all.”

“That’s absurd,” Arthur said.

* * *

Everyone had a daemon. Everyone.

Except, sometimes… but no. Surely not even Merlin could be that stupid.

* * *

Arthur bumped into Guinevere on his way to the training field the next morning. She stopped and bowed her head slightly when she saw him approaching.

“My lord,” she murmured, keeping her eyes respectfully lowered as she waited for him to walk past her.

Arthur stopped. “Guinevere,” he said.

Guinevere looked up, startled. The white dove on her shoulder fluttered his wings nervously. Arthur didn’t usually stop to talk to Guinevere. He had no reason to.

“Sire?” Guinevere said.

He never had reason to look at her face so closely, either. She was quite beautiful. Not in the way Morgana was beautiful — a daunting and cold kind of beauty — but rather… the opposite. It was a comforting beauty. There was a warmth to it.

“Is there anything you need, my lord?” Guinevere asked, puzzled, and Arthur came back from his thoughts.

“No. I— Yes.” Arthur cleared his throat. “You and Merlin are friends.”

Guinevere nodded, looking slightly alarmed. “Yes, my lord.”

“Good friends.”

“I… like to think so. I mean… I believe so. Yes.”

“Right,” Arthur said. “It’s just. I’ve been wondering… This is going to sound strange.”

Guinevere said nothing, looking up at him with her kind, dark eyes. She was starting to look more concerned about Arthur than herself.

Arthur took a breath. “You’ve seen his daemon.”

He didn’t phrase it like a question. He wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because it sounded slightly less creepy that way.

To his immense relief, Guinevere nodded. “A few times.”

“Right!” Arthur said, and nodded back, as if the two of them were having a perfectly normal conversation. “Right. I thought you might have.”

Guinevere said nothing.

Arthur also said nothing.

“Because, you see, I haven’t.”

“So I gathered, my lord,” Guinevere said. Whatever warmth Arthur thought he had seen on her face was rapidly evaporating. “If you’re asking me to tell you about Merlin’s daemon, I’m afraid it’s not my place to do so.”

Her words were proper enough, but her tone made it clear that what she actually meant was that it wasn’t Arthur’s place to ask. Mirsal squinted down his beak at Arthur, puffing up his chest. Arthur wasn’t sure if doves could scowl in disapproval, but if they did, he imagined it would look something like this.

“No, of course not. I understand.”

“Was there anything else, my lord?”

“No, that… was it. You may go.”

Guinevere curtsied quickly, lowering her eyes, and then she hurried towards Morgana’s chambers.

“You could’ve just asked Gaius,” Dreya pointed out, once Guinevere had turned the corner. “It would’ve been less awkward.”

“Gaius would’ve said yes in any case,” Arthur replied, distractedly. “And he can lie as easily as breathing.” He scratched the top of Dreya’s head. “Come on now. We’ll be late for training.”

* * *

What Arthur had forgotten to account for was Merlin’s complete lack of regard for propriety.

“So,” Merlin said, his voice muffled, due to his body being half-inside Arthur’s wardrobe. “Gwen told me you’ve been asking questions about my daemon.”

Arthur choked on the water he was drinking.

“Sire?” Merlin stuck his head out, looking at Arthur in concern.

“I’m fine!” Arthur rasped out, thumping his chest with his fist.

Merlin grabbed a couple of shirts from the wardrobe. “Red or blue?” he asked, holding up first one and then the other, while Arthur tried to get his coughing under control. “I think blue. More flattering. I would've told you if you’d asked.”

“That… blue flatters me?” Arthur asked, blinking back tears.

“About my daemon,” Merlin said, looking at Arthur as if he despaired of his intelligence.

“You can’t— You can’t just— ask something like that,” Arthur spluttered, feeling his face grow hot. “Forget it. It was just— forget it.”

Merlin shrugged, and made as if to put the red shirt back in Arthur’s wardrobe.

“No,” Arthur said, feeling like he had to regain control of their conversation, somehow. “I’ll be wearing that one.”

Merlin laid the shirt back on Arthur’s bed. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Merlin, I am perfectly capable of choosing what to wear for myself.”

“I meant about my daemon,” Merlin said, in the casual tone of someone commenting on the weather.

Arthur looked at Merlin. Merlin looked back at him, entirely unconcerned. He waited for Arthur to say something, and when he didn’t, he walked in front of Arthur’s desk and lifted his hands towards his own neck.

“What are you…?” Arthur started to ask, stunned, as Merlin moved his ever-present neckerchief aside and… oh, that should��ve been a clue. Merlin closed his fingers around the silver necklace he was wearing and fished it out of his shirt. There was a small glass bauble attached at the end of the fine chain, and Merlin bent at the waist to dangle it in front of Arthur’s face.

“There,” Merlin said, sounding as if he had won a bet.

Arthur’s eyes refocused on Merlin’s swinging pendant. There was a small insect crawling inside it — a beetle-like creature with iridescent, emerald-coloured wings. As Arthur watched her, she spread from under them a second pair of wings, brown and frail-looking like autumn leaves. She buzzed against the glass, startling Arthur a little, and Merlin closed his hand around the bauble and plunged it back into his shirt.

“Satisfied?” he asked, adjusting his neckerchief so that it hid the line of his necklace again.

Arthur’s heart was beating slightly too fast. He wasn’t sure what to say. The truth was that he wasn’t — satisfied. He felt rather… underwhelmed. There was something about Merlin’s daemon that felt wrong. But how could he say that? That there was something “wrong” with Merlin’s physical manifestation of his truest inner-self? That was the rudest thing imaginable. And what did it even mean, anyway? Merlin’s daemon’s form couldn’t be any more “wrong” than Merlin’s eye colour was. It simply was what it was.

“I’m sorry,” Arthur said, and Merlin’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “I didn’t mean to… You didn’t have to.”

“It’s all right,” Merlin said, matter-of-fact. “I don’t mind.”

Perhaps it was because he had only seen her for a moment, completely unprepared. Not that he was going to ask Merlin if he could have another look.

“Why do you keep her in that… thing?” Arthur asked instead, focusing on what was bothering him the most. He gestured at his own neck with a frown.

“For safety, mostly,” Merlin said. “Keeps her out of the way. In case, you know, some prat decides to chuck a boot at me out of the blue, or dump a bucket of water over my head.”

Arthur felt his face heat up again. “I wouldn’t have done any of that if you had warned me!”

“Oh, really? Most people wouldn’t need a reason not to do it. It’s called common decency. But perhaps that’s just for us common folks.”

“But why under your shirt?” Arthur said. He felt almost queasy at the thought of Merlin’s daemon being trapped there, in the dark, for most of the day.

“Most people don’t like crawly things, daemon or not,” Merlin said, eyeing Arthur curiously. “And it won’t snag on anything this way. But she is used to it, don’t worry.”

“But you do let her out.”

“Yeah, of course,” Merlin said, a touch defensively. “Just not when I’m out and about, or doing my chores. She fell out of my sleeve and into a basin full of dirty dishwater once, that wasn’t fun.”

Arthur nodded. That seemed to make sense. When one had a daemon that could be so easily trodden on by careless or clumsy people, one had to learn to be careful, he supposed. He himself had never had that problem.

Arthur got up from his chair and went to his bed, picking up the red shirt. Dreya followed him, coming to sit between him and Merlin.

“Why blue?” she asked, and Arthur, halfway inside his shirt, realised with a jolt that she was addressing Merlin, like she had that time in the armoury. He pulled his head out of his shirt to look at Dreya, but she was staring at Merlin.

Merlin looked surprised but he recovered quickly. “Well,” he said, shifting his eyes from Dreya to Arthur. He flashed him a cheeky grin. “It’s just something Gwen said. Nothing important.”

“Merlin,” Arthur growled, his arms still inside the sleeves of his shirt.

“Well, she just happened to mention that she thinks the colour blue suits you. Not that you would care about it.”

“I don’t,” Arthur confirmed, staring at the other shirt on his bed with a scowl, as if it had just insulted his mother.

“Indeed. And why would you, sire? You are the prince, you can make your own choices.”

Arthur threw the red shirt on the floor with a half-muttered curse and grabbed the other one from the bed.

“Not a word,” he warned, turning to Merlin and pointing one threatening finger at his face.

Merlin closed his mouth. “No sire. Of course sire,” he blabbered anyway, because he was apparently physically incapable of following orders.

When Arthur emerged from the collar of his blue shirt, he found Merlin looking at him with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

“Oh, go… go make yourself useful,” Arthur said, shooing Merlin away. He kicked the shirt that was lying on the floor in Merlin’s general direction. “And get this washed.”

“That is clean!” Merlin protested.

“Make it cleaner,” Arthur said, with an impatient wave of his hand. “There are other clothes that need washing, anyway.”

Merlin shook his head and rolled his eyes at Arthur before bending to pick up the shirt from the floor. He made a quick round around the bedroom, collecting random garments that had been scattered about — mostly by Arthur. He paused at the door to ask, in a tone that would have got any servant with a less lenient master backhanded:

“Will that be all, my lord?”

“Yes,” Arthur said, as he tugged up his trousers. Then: “No, wait.”

Merlin stopped and turned around.

“What’s her name?” Arthur asked.

The question seemed to surprise Merlin even more than Dreya speaking to him earlier. He stood in the doorway, eyeing Arthur warily from over his armful of clothes, and for a moment Arthur thought he wouldn’t answer.

“Aithusa,” Merlin said at length. “That’s her name.”

Arthur nodded. The name didn’t quite fit the tiny creature he had caught a glimpse of earlier and yet, somehow, it seemed to fit Merlin.

“Thank you,” Arthur said. “You may go now.”

Merlin bowed to him and left without another word.

* * *

Merlin, as it turned out, was precisely that stupid.

* * *

“Oh, he’s feisty!” laughed one of the bandits, squeezing his arms tighter around Merlin’s torso. The falcon on his shoulder let out a series of staccato shrieks, almost like a chuckle.

“Jer,” cried one of the men restraining Arthur. “Jer, I don’t think this one’s a knight.”

Darya growled at the two dogs and the wolf that had surrounded her, forcing her to lie flat on the ground.

“What do you mean, he’s not a knight?” asked the bandit who was holding Merlin — Jer. “Look at his clothes, boy.”

“I am looking!” the other bandit said. “It’s you that’s not looking. When did you ever see a knight wearing a cape like this, eh?” He grabbed a handful of Arthur’s fur-lined cape and flapped it around. “Or a sword like this one? Look at the hilt. That’s real gold, that is.”

Jer sighed and pushed Merlin towards another man, who grabbed him by his elbows. He walked in front of Arthur and asked his fellow: “So?”

“So?” the other man repeated, as if in disbelief of the other man's thickness. “So he must be the prince.”

Jer gave Arthur an appraising look, from his face to his boots. Then he looked at Arthur’s horse, then at Arthur’s servant. Arthur tried to keep his face as blank as possible.

Jer grabbed Arthur’s chin. “The prince,” he jeered. “Is that right?”

“Don’t touch him!” Merlin shouted, and received a punch to his stomach for his trouble. Arthur tried not to flinch at his groan.

Jer let go of Arthur’s chin and turned to Merlin, laughing.

“Or what, boy?” he asked. “What you gonna do?”

Merlin, still half-bent at the waist, glared up at him. “Or you’ll regret it,” he wheezed.

Jer burst out laughing again, followed by the rest of his men. They seemed to find Merlin’s display of stubborn, idiotic bravery hilarious. For his part, Arthur wished Merlin would just shut up.

“Let him go,” Arthur said. “He’s just a servant.”

Jer turned to him. “So he can run back to the king and raise the alarm? I ain’t stupid.”

“You could have fooled me,” Merlin said.

Arthur closed his eyes. Oh, if they both made it out of this alive, he was going to strangle him.

Jer turned to Merlin again. "What did you say?” he asked in a gravelly voice, approaching him slowly. The bark and branches that littered the forest floor crunched ominously under his boots in the silence that had suddenly fallen.

“I’m sorry,” Merlin said. “You must not be used to people talking to you in complete sentences. I’ll speak slower. I meant you look stupid.”

Jer stared at him. None of his men moved.

“I realise it must be hard to tell when you spend your days surrounded by a bunch of half-wits,” Merlin went on, since apparently he had a death wish. “I mean, you seem the most intelligent one out of this lot. But still, a bit of an idiot. Sorry to break it to you.”

Jer grabbed Merlin by the front of his shirt, raising him off the ground and up to his own face with a growl.

“Don’t!” Arthur shouted, trying to tug his arms out of the other men’s grip. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying, he’s just a fool.”

“Oh, he's a fool alright,” Jar said darkly, staring into Merlin’s defiant face, “but he knows exactly what he’s saying.”

Merlin kept glaring at him. If looks could kill, Jer would be lying dead on the ground.

“If he really is the prince,” Jer growled in Merlin’s face, “that’s lucky for him, ‘cause someone will pay a handsome price to get their hands on Uther’s son. But you…” Jer shook Merlin by the front of his shirt, hard enough to rattle his teeth. “We have no use for you at all.”

Jer stopped, and looked Merlin up and down, and only then seemed to notice the glaringly obvious.

“Where’s your daemon, boy?”

“No,” Arthur said, without even knowing what he was objecting to, the word squeezed out of his lungs by a sudden rush of fear.

“I asked you a question, boy!” Jer shouted when Merlin said nothing, and he grabbed him by his neckerchief. “What’s this?” he said then, spotting Merlin’s necklace, and he fished it out of Merlin’s shirt.

“No!” Arthur screamed as Jer tore Merlin’s necklace from his neck hard enough to break the chain. Merlin winced. Arthur thrashed pointlessly in the arms of his captors. “No, please.”

Jer raised Merlin’s pendant to his eyes. “Is that it?” he asked, flicking the glass. “This little thing? And here you're acting all high and mighty. I could crush it with one finger.”

“No, please! I— I’ll give you anything!” Arthur pleaded, frantic, only half-aware of the words that were tumbling out of his mouth.

Jer turned to look at him with a cruel glint in his eye.

“Anything, uh,” he said. “Is that so? What is he, your little pet? Is that why he's so snarly?”

Arthur tried to get his breathing under control. "His only fault is being a loyal servant," he said. "Loyal to the point of stupidity, but he doesn't deserve to die for it. Please, let him go."

Jer turned back to Merlin. "See," he said, pointing at Arthur, "I like his attitude a lot better. Why don't you get on your knees, and say 'please', and maybe I'll let you go."

Merlin was breathing hard through his nose. Arthur knew, from his expression alone, what he was going to say.

"Merlin—"

"I'm not going anywhere without him."

Jer shook his head in mock disappointment. "Gods, you're not even gonna be a little fun." He dropped Merlin's daemon on the ground and raised his foot.

"NO!" Arthur screamed, at the top of his lungs. "Please, don't, please!"

Merlin's face was drained of all colour. He squeezed his eyes shut, as if bracing himself.

Jer's foot came crashing down. At the sickening crunch of breaking glass, bile rose in Arthur's throat.

"No!" he wailed, half-blinded by tears. "No, no, no!" His desperation gave him a surge of strength, and he wrenched one of his arms free. He was immediately brought to his knees by a fist to the face, but he kept flailing about wildly, screaming, though he didn't know what.

Someone was pinning him to the ground, Dreya was roaring with rage at his back, and he could feel the pain coursing through his body as the bandits' daemons bit and clawed at her, trying to keep her down.

Arthur tried to look at Merlin's body through the legs obstructing his view but someone must be still holding him up, because Arthur could only see his boots, planted where he was standing.

"Merlin," Arthur called, pointlessly, twisting to look at Merlin's face.

"What?" Jer said. He sounded confused.

"I told you not to touch him," Merlin's voice said.

Merlin?

One of the men holding Arthur down let go of him to grab his sword, and Arthur rolled onto his back.

Merlin was still standing. Merlin was… still breathing. Merlin was alive. Jer had taken a step back from him, holding his sword to Merlin's chest with a trembling hand. While Arthur looked at Merlin in wonder, Merlin said, "I'm sorry, Arthur," without even looking at him, which made no sense at all.

Then Merlin's eyes flashed gold, Jer and the two men holding Merlin flew backwards, and Arthur understood.

* * *

"Arthur, I'm sorry," Merlin said for the third time, as they made their way back to Camelot in silence.

Arthur clenched his teeth and said nothing. His nose throbbed painfully. He hoped it wasn't broken.

"Arthur," Merlin tried again, after a while.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur said. He intended to leave it at that, for the moment, to only speak once the anger bubbling up inside him had subsided into a more tolerable simmer, but he couldn't stop himself. "What are you even doing here? I assume it's not just for the thrill of it, so you're either astonishingly stupid — I mean way, way more stupid than I ever imagined you capable of being, which is saying a lot — or the cleverest schemer in existence. Which one is it? Because I can no longer tell."

They had both stopped in the middle of the path.

Merlin fidgeted on his saddle. "Yeah, that's... kind of a long story."

"Oh, great. There's a story." Arthur shook his head, then pressed his heels into the flanks of his horse. "I can't listen to this right now. You can explain everything once we are back at the castle."

When Arthur didn't hear the sound of Merlin's horse following him, he stopped again and turned. Merlin hadn't moved. He stood on his horse as still as a straw dummy, his face pale and grim.

"Are you going to tell Uther?"

Oh. Arthur's mind had been so preoccupied with thinking about Merlin's lies and what he had witnessed him do earlier that he hadn't had the time to think about his father at all.

"No," Arthur said, and he found that he meant it. Merlin seemed to hesitate. It occurred to Arthur that if Merlin decided to bolt he wouldn't be able to do much to stop him. He felt oddly reassured by it. "I won't. You have my word."

Arthur turned and resumed riding towards Camelot. After a few beats, Merlin followed.

They were only a few miles from the castle when Arthur broke his silence again.

"Aithusa," he said, and Merlin looked at him, wide-eyed. "That bit was true, wasn't it."

Merlin studied Arthur's face. "Yes," he said eventually. "That was true."

Arthur nodded, wearily. "I suppose that's a start."

* * *

The story wasn't terribly long, in truth. The long and short of it was — there was a prophecy. A king destined for greatness, and a sorcerer to help him achieve it. Two sides of a coin.

When Uther tried to sweep magic from the land, magic worked to restore balance to the universe.

It made a sorcerer for a king.

And a dragon for a dragon.

"Please, tell me she's not in Camelot," Arthur sighed, his head in his hands.

Merlin said nothing. Arthur sighed again.

"Would you like to see her?" Merlin asked. He sounded nervous, but also slightly hopeful.

Arthur peered at him through his fingers. "Sure," he said. "Why not."

* * *

Aithusa's white scales gleamed like silver under the light of the full moon. It reminded Arthur of Morgana’s snake.

"Arthur," Aithusa said, looking down at Arthur and his daemon with lizard-like blue eyes. Her voice was low and rumbling, but softer than Arthur expected. "Dreya. I am glad to meet you at last."

"Likewise," Dreya said.

"Merlin has told me quite a lot about you," Aithusa said, and Merlin's cheeks went pink.

"Oh?" Arthur said. It should've felt strange to be addressed by Merlin's daemon like that, but it wasn't at all. "A pack of lies, I assure you."

Aithusa chuckled. It sounded like rocks tumbling down a mountain slope. "I hope not. He said you have all the makings of a great king."

It was Arthur’s turn to blush.

"And an ego to match," Merlin grumbled, bumping his shoulder against Aithusa's foreleg. "There's no need to feed it."

Arthur looked at Merlin and Aithusa — a spindly young man, little more than a boy, really, and his amazing, impossible daemon — and he thought: "Yes. This feels right."

* * *

When Arthur and Guinevere crossed paths again, a few days later, she gave Arthur a sweet, coy smile.

Something clicked in Arthur’s brain. It occurred to him, there and then, that Guinevere’s demure mien might not be due to shyness entirely, but that there might be something furtive in it.

“You knew,” he said, stopping in his tracks. Not accusingly, but like a man seized by a sudden revelation.

Guinevere looked up at him, her beautiful brown eyes filled with alarm.

“Sire?” she said, recomposing her features back into an expression of innocent puzzlement. Arthur would’ve found the artless attempt at deceitfulness aggravating, had it come from anyone else, but on Guinevere’s face it looked almost… endearing.

“About our friend’s… little secret.” Arthur wiggled his fingers as he said so. “Or not so little, I should say. I know too, now.”

Guinevere went pale. “My lord, I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

“Yes, you do. You’re not as innocent as you look, Guinevere.” Arthur smiled, in a way that was hopefully reassuring, to show that he didn’t mind that at all. When Guinevere still looked worried, he realised that an explicit, verbal reassurance probably wouldn’t go amiss. “You needn't worry, I won’t breathe a word of it to the king.”

If Arthur had any remaining doubts about Guinevere knowing Merlin’s secret, the hope that filled her eyes at hearing those words was more than enough to clear them.

“You won’t?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

It saddened Arthur that she might not be sure about it, but he supposed it was a fair question.

“No,” Arthur said. “We both know what would happen if my father knew about it, and I’m not any more keen to see it happen than you are. And…” he hesitated. It was strange to admit to Guinevere something he had never dared to acknowledge, but something about her made Arthur feel that he could be honest with her, and be safe. “I’ve never entirely agreed with my father’s stance on magic. I’ve had some time to reconsider things, since… well, you know. And I've been thinking that when I am king, I want things to be different. Innocent people shouldn't live their lives in fear.”

Guinevere listened to him speak with barely contained trepidation, like someone facing trial waiting for the judge to deliver their verdict. When Arthur finished talking and looked at her, she threw her arms around his neck.

“Arthur!” she gasped, sounding overjoyed, and she squeezed him tight. Arthur stayed still for a moment, unsure what to do with his arms. Finally, he settled on an awkward pat on her back. The touch seemed to shock her. “I mean, sire!” Guinevere said, tearing herself away. She smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. “My lord.”

Arthur cleared his throat. “That’s quite all right.”

“I knew you’d do the right thing,” Guinevere said, almost delirious with excitement. “Of course I knew it. But still, to hear you say it, it's so… and I’ve been telling Morgana she could trust you all along…”

Arthur’s heart froze. “Morgana?”

He saw his own shock mirrored on Guinevere’s face. She moved her mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out, and then she clapped her hand over it.

“Guinevere…” Arthur said, slowly. “What did you think I was talking about?”

* * *

When Arthur told Merlin about Morgana, he didn’t even have the decency to look surprised.

“You knew,” Arthur said. Accusingly, this time.

“I didn’t know,” Merlin protested. “I merely… suspected. But I wouldn’t have told you, if I had known. It wasn’t my secret to tell.”

He had a point, Arthur conceded. It didn’t mean he couldn’t feel annoyed about it.

“Right,” he said. "Since I'm in an exceptionally forgiving mood, if there's anything else you think I should know, now’s your chance to come clean. You have full impunity.”

Merlin crossed his arms and appeared to think about it. He was silent for an unnervingly long time.

"Your old training sword,” Merlin said at last, “the one that went missing a few days before the tournament? I didn't lose it. It got melted by a goblin."

"A goblin?"

"Long story."

Arthur nodded. Perhaps it was best not to know everything.

"I saved your life, by the way," Merlin added. "You're welcome."

"Right. Thank you. Anything else?"

"Remember when you were training with Leon, and he hit you in the stomach with a mace? That was me."

"Saving my life again?"

"No. You were being a prat."

"Fair enough. Is that everything?"

Merlin tapped his fingers against his chin, and thought about it some more. "Gwen really likes you."

Arthur didn’t blush — because he was a knight, and not an innocent maiden. "I thought you were above sharing other people's secrets," he said.

"It's hardly a secret. Anyone with a brain could see it."

"Then why are you telling me?"

Merlin bit his lip, as if trying not to grin, and Arthur realised his mistake immediately. He valiantly resisted the urge to throw something at Merlin’s head, on account of his existing brain damage.

* * *

"Red or blue, sire?" Merlin asked the next morning.

"Blue."

"Of course."

"And Merlin? Get me some flowers, will you?"

"Flowers?"

"Flowers, yes. I trust you are familiar with the word."

"How many?"

"What do you mean, how many? Just… enough for a normal person."

"I see."

"And wipe that daft grin off your face."

Merlin tried to, but the grin only got worse. "Gwen loves gillyflowers," he offered, innocently.

Arthur nodded. "Very well. Gillyflowers it is."

Merlin bowed, and walked towards the door.

"Thank you, Merlin," Dreya said, before he could walk out.

Merlin stopped, winked at her and left.

* * *

Endnote: based on this post. I don’t like posting fanfiction on Tumblr but this is not AO3-worthy. I think you can tell at some point I just grew desperate to get it fucking done (it wasn't supposed to be this long).

Morgana’s daemon is female because I said so. Also Word of God says same-sex daemons might be a sign of homosexuality or Second Sight, so I think it fits her.

Anything I know about daemons and HDM I’ve learned by osmosis through crossover fanfiction and Wiki articles.

Arthur’s daemon is a lioness.

Guinevere’s daemon is a white dove.

Morgana’s daemon is an albino western diamondback rattlesnake (yes, I have done research).

Uther’s daemon is a Eurasian brown bear.

Merlin's decoy demon is a green rose chafer. If you even care.

I haven’t spent too long thinking about daemons’ names. If I ever repost this elsewhere they might even change, but if you care:

Dreya — a modification of “Drea”, which according to some sites means “courageous”, and according to others “virile, manly”.

Mirsal — apparently it means “messenger” in Arabic, but I just liked the sound of it. It also contains “mir” (peace in Russian, and in other Slavic languages).

Fiadh — an Irish female name meaning “deer” or “wild” or both, depending on which site you ask.

Kadira — based on the Arabic Qadira, meaning “powerful, mighty”.

#i was supposed to write this weekend. but not this.#i have failed massively. epic epic fail.#i had fun writing this -- but that doesn't mean its good #i just need it out of my head #this is basically a draft. if you see typos no you didn't #merlin fanfiction #merlin #*

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captainkirkk · 10 months

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✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes. Please look at tags and warnings on ao3 before reading.

DC (Batfamily)

Like a Hinge, Like a Wing by Ultrageekatlarge

The problem is that Tim’s spent the past month or so slowly getting murdered.

(AKA, An AU where Jason never went to Ethiopia, and Tim takes a different road home to the Waynes).

B(r)other by snackbaskets

"Why would you do this to me, Jason? Why do you keep hurting me?"

"By eating your hummus? Mostly to fuck wit'chu. A little bit 'cause I like hummus."

"Just piss on my corpse and get it over with."

"Are you two fucking okay?"

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K/ Death Note

Deus Ex Saiki by oatmealcrisp

Ten year old Kusuo Saiki decides he's tired of Kira's shenanigans so he's gonna solve the problem himself.

It may not have been worth it.

Stranger Things

starts with an h, sounds like potential by formosus_iniquis (+ podfic)

Inspired by this post by ruelogy

Eddie knows he got to Hawkins a little later than everyone else. He wasn't born and raised in the six miles of town with the same eight people his whole life. There was a whole social services kerfuffle that meant he didn't land in this small town hell hole until he was the ancient age of thirteen. He knows he's destined to forever be the freaky new kid with the shaved head and the group home eyes who joined in the eighth grade. But even without all that he is fucking positive that there was no Henderson in any of his three graduating classes.

Yet here Henderson the supposed younger sits painting him a mystery week after week. Steve said this, Steve did that, Steve may very well be a delusion if the way the others giggle and sigh every time he gets brought up is any indication.

Marvel

secret keeper by jilliancares

Ellie stares at the new arrival, gaping. All the evidence points to one obvious answer, but this guy looks nothing like the Spider-Man Ellie recognizes — mostly because he isn’t wearing the suit.

“Crappy day to get kidnapped, amirite?” he says, crouching next to Ellie and deftly untying her restraints. “Looks like these guys were amateurs, though. They didn’t even lock the windows.”

(In which Ellie accidentally becomes the one person who knows Spider-Man's identity. She doesn't tell her dad.)

Merlin

Next to You (It's the Rule) by LunaMyLove

Arthur and Merlin have a special relationship. They always have, even when they were prince and servant. While many question it when first noticing, eventually it becomes an understanding in Camelot—and even among some other countries—that where there is Arthur, there is Merlin. And, where there is Merlin, there is Arthur.

Or: Arthur and Merlin's relationship as witnessed and explained by others.

Also, or: Five times someone realizes that Merlin is the Queen, one time Merlin realizes it himself, and one time he owns it.

#happy saturday everyone #i've got some fun fandoms in here this time can i get a hell yeah #my posts #fic recs #merlin recs #saiki k recs #misc recs #dc recs #stranger things recs #weekly fic round up

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phenomenalgirl9 · 3 months

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Mingyu x Reader: Bonds of Magic

Summary: When Warlock Y/n's subordinate Hoshi the Hamster brought in a stray kid and he grew to be someone important to all of them.

Pairings: Warlock!Reader x Mingyu (kinda)

Genre: Supernatural au, Fluff, 13+

Warnings: Talk of death (no major characters), Eternal life, Magic.

W/c: 2.3-ish

----------------------------------------------------

“There she comes, make way”

“Ssshh… Don’t make eye contact with her, she might Jinx you”

“Don’t go near her, or she’ll turn you into a rabbit”

She looked up at the man standing on the edge of the road under the oak tree and he cowered away, in fear.

Yes, it has always been like that, for her, for 3 centuries, since she was born and her mother had abandoned her near this village’s borders. She doesn’t remember that woman, it was kind of the child-less woodcutter and his wife who took her in and raised her as their own. Even though they knew what she was, they never made her feel any different. They’re not around anymore to shut the mouths of these villagers, so she just lets them talk.

Y/n walked into her cottage and closed the door, setting the basket down and taking off her cloak. “Did you find the ingredients that you were looking for?” Chan asked and she nodded and said “Got some fresh mugswort”. He picked the basket and walked away to sort in on the herb cabinet. “Where is Hoshi? Has he not returned from the market?” she asked, feeling absence of the Hyper-Active Hamster, who surprisingly hasn’t come up to her yet. “Chan, it’s been hours” she said, looking at the sun dial in the garden through the window, “This is why I tell you to go with him” And shook her head. “I was busy making the order” he defended himself and the sound of the front gate echoed followed by a “Guys! Looks what I found” from a very excited Hoshi. “I swear to Merlin, if you brought home one more stray Dog, I’ll-“ Chan stopped midsentence and you looked up to see a child, A whole Human Off-spring walking down the porch behind Hoshi.

“Hoshi! Who is this child?” Y/n gasped. “I found him, in the borders of the village by the forest” Hoshi said grinning. “Why did you bring him here?” Y/N asked again. “He's so small, and he has nobody, none of those villagers want him, I asked around, they said his father killed himself the day he was born and his mother killed herself recently.” He said in a pout. “It is pitiful, but we can’t keep him, I can barely take care of you both. How will I take care of a child?” She panicked. “We’ll take care of him!” Chan suddenly piped out “We won’t disturb you” he added and Hoshi nodded. Y/n stared the child down, and knelt to his level, examining him, “It’s a Human boy, beware, don’t be heartbroken when he dies” she said, she’s seen too many deaths in her 312 years that it stopped mattering. “What’s your name child?” Y/n asked, “Mingyu” he muttered in a tiny voice.

“Nice, stay away” she said and walked away.

Time passed and Mingyu grew, Y/n aways maintaining a safe distance from the child. Hoshi and Chan never forced her, no matter how much the child tried to step towards her, Y/n would always push him away, literally, using her magic.

It was on the kid’s 16th year when one night Hoshi came running to Y/n. “What” she asked, “Don’t tell me you’re hungry again”

“It’s Mingyu, he was running a fever, now he says his skin is burning. Please, help him!” Hoshi said, the poor hamster turned boy was trembling. So, Y/n nodded her head and rushed to the kid’s room. He finds the kid crumbled in bed, holding his shoulder. “It burns” He was crying, Y/n felt sorry for it.

She rushed to him and exposed the area he said was burning, the area was turning blue, Y/n hadn't quite seen something like this in her life and she touched the area to examine it. Her cold fingers brushed against his skin, giving him a sort of relief.

“Chan, bring me water and a towel” she instructed. Chan ran to bring the things and Y/n wet the towel and held it against his skin. She moistened the area, Mingyu looked at her with his big eyes and seeing him up close Y/n thought that Hoshi and Chan were right, he does resemble a puppy. “Trust me” she said, surprising even herself. Why would this kid, whom she never even let near herself, trust her, but he gave her a small nod. With one stroke, Y/n pulled the towel over the area, completely peeling it off. “Y/n!” Both Hoshi and Chan screamed as Mingyu groaned. Y/n removed the towel to reveal the skin under to be greenish-blue.

“So this is why-” Y/n started but caught her word, this is why your parents killed themselves and the villagers found your name as a taboo. Yes, she had gone to that village a few days later in a disguise and asked around and people got volatile just at the mention of him.

But, this was something Y/n had never heard of, every warlock child is born with their devil’s mark, why is his so late. She walked away as she found MIngyu now calm and sleeping. “He’s a-” Chan broke the silence, “Warlock” Y/n completed.

“He’s now your responsibility, Chan” She said before walking away.

----------------------------------------------------

“I still can’t believe he’s one of us” Chan said, as he was sewing a new cloak.

“Hard to believe? That’s for him?” Y/n asked, and Chan nodded “Can’t let him parade around like that. Not until he learns masking. You know he has sensation on his scales area and it's so smooth, it's scary” he said.

Y/n laughed “of course he does, all these marks are functional, my eyes, your split tongue, all of them” she said. “Why was his so late though?” Chan asked the question he has been wondering for hours now. “It’s rare but it happens, I guess it’s his Sixteenth birthday” Y/n shrugged nonchalantly.

“What?” Chan said, “So it's today”

“Don’t worry he’s gonna have a lot of those” She said and shrugged. “But there’s only one sixteenth okay!” he protested.

----------------------------------------------------

It was a peaceful day. Y/n was minding her own business (literally) she was preparing for a batch of wolfsbane a nearby pack had requested. When she heard a knock on the door of her work room. Strange, she knew Hoshi and Chan weren’t home and the boy stayed away from her, since his childhood. Another round of knocks sounded and she finally decided to get up and check and there stood the boy, he seemed really nervous. She carefully looked at him, hes towering over her, his features so much more different, and she wondered why she never noticed all this before.

“I-um. I- I found someth-ing in the wo-wood. C-can you please come and see?” he said in a tiny voice almost unsure “please, or it may die” he added and that snatched Y/n’s interest.

So she followed the worried boy through the woods. Now that she noticed she realized how much he has grown, he’s much taller than her now, he’s a man now. His body was developed and toned, the boy she remembers is long gone. Y/n was completely distracted and before she could realize a branch hit her arm, scathing through her skin, “uh” she groaned. In a blink of an eye Mingyu was beside her “Y/n? Are you okay?” he asked and before she could react he grabbed her arm to examine it. “”It’s okay, I’ll jus-” she stopped. Flares appeared around his fingers and he grazed it over the wound, and just like that, the wound was gone, so was the pain and the scar.

He took her hand into his and started leading the way again. “This way” he said. Y/n felt a blush creep onto her cheek and she shook her head, ‘He’s a child’ she told herself.

They reached near the mountains and the entrance of a cave came into view. “It’s in her” he said and walked in leaving her behind. The inside was dark, Mingyu turned to ask her if he should conjure a fire, but he was stunned. There she walked proudly in the darkness, her eyes shining bright fluorescent. “Don’t worry, that's my mark” she said, walking confidently with her perfect vision. Mingyu awed inside his mind but didn’t let a word out, he silently led the way.

You heard a grunt, an animalistic one, it wasn't unfamiliar though, just that you haven't heard these in over a century. As soon as it came into view, you rushed to it. It was a dragon, not full grown though and it was extremely weak and hurt. “Conjure a fire” she instructed Mingyu as she herself conjured her Potions cabinet.

She examined the dragon’s injuries, thankfully they weren't infected. “Mingyu bring some water” Y/n said and Mingyu rushed out, thankfully the river was close by. On getting back they both made the dragon drink the water followed by a concoction that she had made. The dragon slowly opened its eyes and it seemed scared, “sshhh” Y/n calmed it down by stroking its head, “We're friends”.

“I didn't know dragon's were real” Mingyu finally said. “They actually are, but spotting one is a very difficult task in this century” Y/n said, Mingyu just looked at her confused, hesitant if he should ask further. She realized that and went on, “Two centuries ago, the humans got this wicked idea of killing fair creatures, for merry and bravery” she chuckled, but Mingyu knew it wasn't a bit funny “Species after species went extinct in their cruel hands. That was when a warlocks’ summit was called. We all came to the decision to go into hiding. We trained our fair creatures to stay out of sight. This baby seems like it wasn't lucky enough to learn that and got injured”

“Will it be okay?” Mingyu asked. “It's okay, they're tougher than you think” Y/n said, her eyes glowing.

It was the first time he interacted with her, he knew Y/n was kind and was cold to him for a reason, as Chan and Hoshi always told him, but he witnessed it himself today.

“Can I ask you a question?” He finally mustered the courage to speak up and Y/n nodded. “Why do you show that you hate me?” He asked. “What do you mean?” She asked, feering like a deer caught at a torch light. “I remember how you used to push me away whenever I stepped near you, but you have saved me from dangers multiple times since I was small. Once from that wild dog, then that time when I was falling off that branch, another time when I almost poured a boiling potion on myself. Many times, why? Why did you hide and save me. I know that if you hated me then you wouldn't have saved me, so you cared but you never showed” he concluded and Y/n stayed silent. He had a feeling that his question wouldn't be answered, but Y/n started speaking, shocking him.

“When you have a long life you'll have to see too many deaths, some of them leave you shattered. I just wanted to not get attached” a sad smile on her face “When we got to know that you're a warlock, that night I laid down and thought back to how wrongly I had treated you. You were always this ball of light and I felt like I dimmed it by treating you the way I did. So I told myself I didn't deserve to have you in my life.” She said, finally looking at him “I'm sorry, I know that won't be enough for ev-” she was interrupted by him.

“No, don't say that, I knew you had a reason, even Hoshi and Chan told me that. I know how kind and loving you are. Don't apologize, all I've ever wanted was to be someone you trusted, I've always looked up to you, when I realized I was a warlock, I felt like I finally had a chance so stand beside you” he said as he knelt down on the ground to her level, where she was sitting.

Y/n didn't know if it was the effect of the shadows or something else but right now, his honey skin seemed so alluring. Something about him felt so familiar, yet distant. Something about this warm feeling she's having gave her comfort yet stirred her soul.

“Y/n! Mingyu!” They heard distant calls, it sounded like Chan. “Y/n! Mingyu! Can you hear me?” Seemed like he was at the entrance of the cave and before they could call out a small ball of fur came rushing towards them and jumped into Y/n’s arms and a very relieved Chan was heard saying “there you are!”

“Oh my god! That's a baby dragon!” he exclaimed and walked close as the Hamster started moving it's hand and making random noises. “Yes yes” Y/n said, and flairs were seen around her fingers, she swerved them over the Hamster that she kept on the geound and there stood Hoshi, who now rushed and hugged Mingyu. “I was so worried! So I asked Chan to turn me so that I could smell you both and track you” he said. “You're such a fine tracking hamster” Y/n said with a smile. Mingyu extended his hand and she took it, pulling her up on her feet.

This kind of threw Chan and Hoshi in surprise, but only Chan noticed a different shine in both their eyes as they looked at each other.

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