#pairing: merthur

[goneprophet]

something about how arthur pendragon is represented by two colors: red and gold. his hair is golden his skin is tan his crown made of gold. how merlin says his magic is all for arthur and his eyes turn golden too. how arthur's flag and heart are red, how his love is fervent. how merlin is always either wearing a pendragon red neckerchief or tunic, being enveloped by it, him, both literally and figuratively.

[merlinpride]

Title: the ordeal of being (but with you)

Author: @slantedknitting

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Rating: Teen and Up

Pairing: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon

Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Mushrooms, Hallucinations, Hallucinogens, Mushroom Induced Hallucinations, Arthur Pendragon Retursns, Sharing a Bed, Arthur cuts Merlin's Hair, Merlin has PTSD, Merlin has Nightmares, Arthur Comforts Him, Nightmares, Arthur Wants to Live on a Farm, Getting Together

Summary:

Merlin lives alone - if what he’s doing can really be called living. He sleeps, he eats, he whittles. Sometimes he dreams, but he wish he wouldn’t, especially when the line between dreams and the waking world starts to blur.

This isn’t how Merlin wanted to be found by a miraculously returned Arthur, but this is his reality.

Written for @paxopalotls for the Merlin Pride Exchange!

[goneprophet]

why would arthur as a man notice the way merlin's eyes change? how sometimes it looks like he carries the sun in his eyes? how he can feel them burning his skin? how merlin's touch buzzes and he feels electric for the rest of the day? how merlin's presence envelops his body and since he showed up arthur can't remind what cold feels like? how people always told him he was chosen by god and he didn't quite believe them until god came to him as a gangly boy? how god is now a tangible being and god keeps choosing him, again and again? why would he pay that much attention to a man? that'd be gay! and he's not gay!

arthur doesn’t notice merlin’s magic bc of the gay thing. arthur realizes he’s having Thoughts about merlin and decides the best course of action is to Repress and Ignore. the color of merlin’s eyes? why would arthur stare at merlin’s eyes? he’s not getting lost in them. arthur hasn’t ever looked at merlin, actually.

[escespace]

Leon: Ok. What's going on?

Merlin: What do you mean?

Leon: What's the matter? What's wrong with you?

Merlin: Listen, I know myself so you have to be a little more specific if you want a short answer.

[mythmerth]

watching Ella enchanted and god guys I can’t stop seeing merlin and Arthur in the way they flirt like this line???

“Wow.. was that almost a compliment?”

“…almost. Now don’t go getting a big head, okay? Your crown won’t fit,”

and then right after that they kiss. and unfortunately I’m not talking about merlin and Arthur

[aplumsart]

Honestly this pair lives in my mind rent free. Image best paired with “A Slumber did my Spirit Seal” by William Wordsworth

[rockspider556]

I’ve been thinking about this a lot more since the 8b of 911 premiered, but its honestly so frustrating how queerbaiting has conditioned us to believe that if two queer characters have a quiet, subtle moment, it doesn’t mean anything. Meanwhile, if it was a straight couple having the exact same moment, we’d be calling it canon without hesitation. We’ve been gaslit into thinking that subtlety in queer relationships isn’t enough, that it has to be loud and in your face, or it’s just not real. And it’s honestly so exhausting, because it means queer love stories get stripped of the complexity and depth that we get to see in straight couples. We can apply this to so many couples, but for the sake of argument let’s use Buck and Eddie from 9-1-1 and early Jake and Amy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine—both have these subtle moments that could’ve been treated as romantic, but one gets to be labeled as canon while the other is constantly written off as queerbaiting.

From Season 2 of 9-1-1, Buck and Eddie have this bond that’s built on shared trauma, vulnerability, and understanding. They have these quiet, emotionally charged moments—like when Eddie confesses his fears to Buck, or when Buck rushes to Eddie’s side in moments of crisis—that scream romantic tension but are always kind of brushed aside as “just friendship.” If it was a straight couple, we would’ve had no problem calling it chemistry. But because it’s two men, it’s somehow dismissed. These moments are treated like nothing even though they’ve got all the depth and emotional weight of any romantic interaction we’d get with a straight couple.

Now, let’s look at Peraltiago in the earlier seasons. Their connection, especially in Season 1 and 2, had that same kind of slow burn. They shared subtle moments, too—like when Jake has Amy’s back, or when Amy sees Jake in a new light—but no one ever questioned whether those moments were romantic. They were just treated as chemistry, and we accepted it as part of the slow build to their eventual relationship. But Buddie gets no such luxury. Those same subtle moments, those shared glances, those intense, vulnerable moments between Buck and Eddie are left in limbo, constantly ignored or written off as “just queerbaiting.”

This is the heart of the issue. Queer couples have to fight for every moment to be validated, while straight couples get the benefit of the doubt. These subtle exchanges—where love can be felt through small touches, shared looks, and unspoken words—are treated as legitimate romantic tension when they happen between straight characters, but are seen as “nothing” or “too subtle” when they happen between queer ones.

And that’s what’s so draining about this whole system. The constant pressure for overtness makes queer relationships feel shallow, forced, or like they came out of nowhere when they’re finally allowed to be canon. And worse, if a show is canceled or a relationship isn’t explored enough, that same ambiguity leaves us in a space where we’re denied even the potential for recognition. Meanwhile, straight couples with the same kind of tension—those little moments—are just automatically treated as “canon,” even when the relationship never fully develops.

We deserve more than just “okay, fine, you can be gay if you must, but don’t make it too real.” Let us have those subtle moments, let queer love stories be allowed to grow in their own way without the constant demand for them to be louder or more explicit. Not every romantic relationship needs to be announced with fireworks. Sometimes, love is just there,quietly, in the moments that we don’t need to explain. It’s frustrating to see subtle, emotional connections between queer characters treated as nothing, while the same moments between straight couples are celebrated as tension or chemistry.

Just let us have our quiet love, too.

[lividbrunette]

my professor (in my arthurian literature class) was talking about not using fan-wikis/fanfiction for the character profiles we were doing and then she brought up that there are a lot shipping Merlin and Arthur and everyone was like shocked/found it kinda funny and I was sitting there like oh … this is suddenly not a safe space lol

[pendragonsclotpole]

something i really appreciate about merlin the series is how easily shippable all the characters are and also how some of the ships just fit so well with the characters that i cannot conceive of having any ship wars.

i’m a diehard gwen stan, so i really value the different lenses you can watch the show with and then get different pairings. my girl just deserves better! even as a diehard gwen/lancelot, i also enjoy the ships of gwen/gwaine, gwen/morgana, gwen/arthur, and gwen/leon. i would add merlin to the list of gwen ships, but after season one, they’re strong friendship and sibling-like relationship wins out for me.

and it’s the same for all of the other characters. like do i mostly read merthur fics, yes, but canon-wise when rewatching the show, does gwen/arthur have me in a chokehold? 100% yes.

also merlin with just about everyone. merlin/arthur, merlin/lancelot, merlin/gwaine, merlin/morgana, merlin/freya, merlin/leon. i respect it. i love it. we need more shows like this.

[goneprophet]

merlin; beloved, belated.

[winterknights]

FIC: Arthur le Taxi (C’est Sa Vie)

Title: Arthur le Taxi (C’est Sa Vie) Author: tari_sue Pairing(s): Merthur Prompt: own prompt Word Count: 11,759 words Rating: Teen and Up Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. Notes: Thanks to Clea for the beta and title. Thanks to Clea, LFB, Polo and Fifty for the much needed encouragement. Thanks to my old flatmate who mistakenly got into a stranger’s car at traffic lights.

Title is based on the title of the Vanessa Paradis song Joe le Taxi. Summary: Arthur is used to his family taking advantage of his good nature, but he wasn’t expecting a drunken stranger to climb into his car and want a lift home.

The trouble is, he keeps running into the stranger after that, and he really likes him. But how does he explain now that he’s not actually a taxi driver at all?

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/62094250/chapters/158814250

[rivnedell]

Fav (bro)mances

Gifs are not mine, credits fo the makers !

MCDANNO for the Universe's sake !!! Daniel 'Danno' Williams & Steve McGarrett ❤️

Obikin, Anakin & Obi Wan - Star Wars 🌌

Newtmas, Thomas & Newt - The Maze Runner 💛 come on, I mean, even the actors played it, just kiss !!

Bagginshield, Bilbo & Thorin - I mean.. 🤍 The Hobbit

Johnlock, SHERLOCK series (BBC) 🎻

Wednesday & Enid, WEDNESDAY 💜

Merthur, Merlin & Arthur - Merlin ❤️‍🔥 would you two just kiss, please

Eamthur, Arthur & Eames - Inception (C. Nolan) 🩶

Bonus

Just more McDanno bc they are simply adorable ❤️ (and so funny like an old 45 years married couple, i can't.. 🤣)

[jourquet]

i think my STATIC TOUCH fanfic will finish this weekend on ao3. any inkitt readers will be updated every friday at 17:00pm. keep an eye out for my merthur fanfic tho! i'll this week begin to prep the summary for it.

[escespace]

1920

Merlin: Why so much baggage?

Leon: Because I can't make decisions

Merlin: Apparently neither baggage so what?

Leon: *facepalm*

[gvaine]

Do u have anymore merthur fic recs love? 💕

yes, always!! i don't know what you're into so here's just a wild mix of a few ones i loved a lot lately

tongue tied by watchriverdale 3.6k words, rated T, curse fic

for the good of the kingdom by magog_83 12.6k words, rated T, jealous!arthur

unafraid and true, giving their very best by withlightning 723 words, rated E

Quickening Days by Fahye (published 2008) 22k words, rated M, time loop

something you don't even have a name for by nextstopparis 2.6k words, rated E

The History of Two Conversations (On Paper) by takadainmate (published 2009) 11k words, not rated, epistolary elements

i hope there's something in there for you!! 🥰

[merlin-gotcha4gaza]

ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT TO SEND IN YOUR PROMPTS FOR THE MERLIN GOTCHA FOR GAZA EVENT!!!!

WE’LL DO PRETTY MUCH ANY SHIP OR TROPE FOR FICS, EDITS, ART, PODFICS, OR GIFSETS!!!

WE’RE DOING A BOGO DEAL FOR THE LAST COUPLE DAYS SO FOR AS LITTLE AS 5$ DONATED TO HELP A FAMILY TRYING TO ESCAPE A WARZONE YOU COULD GET TWO PROMPTS FILLED!!!

CHECK THE CARRD FOR THE THREE EASY STEPS TO GET YOUR PROMPT FILLED!!!!