A fest to celebrate Valentine's Day and Aromantic Appreciation Week for the BBC Merlin fandom, held on February 14-16 and 21-23. We track #camelove2022 Themes | FAQ | AO3 Collection
CAMELOVE is back for 2022 with a twist! This year, we’re celebrating both Valentine's Day and Aromantic Appreciation Week on two separate weeks. There are no sign-ups, minimums or restrictions. Feel free to create anything that you think fits the prompts, whether that be fanfiction, gifs, edits, poetry, character or episode analysis.
Don’t forget to tag your submissions with #camelove2022 so we can reblog and show our appreciation for your submissions, and feel free to put anything you post on AO3 in the Camelove AO3 Collection.
For a more comprehensive description of each prompt, click the “keep reading” button at the end of this post. And if you have any questions, feel free to check out our FAQ or send us an ask!
Valentine’s Day Celebration
Feb 14: OTP Day | Have a ship you’ve been rooting for since the start of time itself? This is where you scream yourself hoarse. Your OTP doesn’t have to be a popular ship nor does it need to be romantic! | Merlin x Gwen x Arthur, Gwaine & Percival, Sefa x Kara
Feb 15: Rarepair Day | On this day you’re rooting for the ships that you think don’t get enough appreciation in the fandom. Feel free to use your own definition of a rarepair! If you think there isn’t enough content for a pairing, that’s more than enough reason to create for it. | Ygraine & Nimueh, knights!polyamory, Leon x Mithian
Feb 16: Non-ship Day | You know those pairings you normally wouldn’t ship? How about we put up with them for one day and make something out of goodwill? We all like different things, and that’s completely fine! Let’s all extend our hands in fandom shipping solidarity.
Aromantic Appreciation Week Celebration
Feb 21: Aromantic Day | Aromanticism can take on many forms and have a different meaning for each person. This day is designed specifically for your aromantic readings of the show. Have a character you headcannon as aromantic? Does an action someone does in the show relate to you as an aromantic person? Do you read aromantic themes in subjects the show touches on? Share your thoughts!
Feb 22: Platonic Day | Let’s throw amatonormativity out of the window. We’re breaking the notion that romantic love is the highest form of love and showing people the beauty of non-romantic bonds, whether it’s a familial relationship, friendship, QPR or something else entirely!
Feb 23: Aplatonic Day | Who said love or attraction is necessary for happiness, an essential part of being human or an important factor in experiencing life? There are so many things that make life beautiful besides love and attraction. This day is dedicated to aplatonics, loveless aromantics, and people who don’t feel different tertiary attractions, or any of them at all!
Thank you to @arthurpendragonns and a friend of ours, both members of the aromantic community, for their advisory help with the fest.
Title- "Could This Be Love At First Sight? (Or Should I Walk By Again?)"
For Day 4 of @camelove! And happy Aromantic awareness week to all the lovely aro-spec peoples!
Fandom: BBC Merlin
Prompt: Aromantic
Relationship: Mordred & Gwen, Mordred/Unspecified person
Rating: Gen
Word Count: 1,577
"I think I like someone."
"No one knows what to do with love, sweetie. Just take it a moment at a time." She closed the distance and grabbed his upper arms.
"How do I even know it is love?"
"Love isn't just one colour, it's every hue and shade visible and invisible to us."
"And if there is no colour?" He scarcely asked, almost embarrassed at the revelation.
Continue reading below or over on Ao3
Dishes were collected after an early lunch was eaten. They all moved to help but Gwen quickly dismissed them all away, taking the dishes in what everyone seemed their usual pitching in and doing different things.
Yet she released a sigh as soon as she put down the dishes and was out of earshot of everybody. She loved everyone; Arthur, Merlin, all the younger ones… everybody. But at times, in the secluded confinement of Ealdor, it was hard to find a simple minute alone without ten other people in the same room.
If it took doing dishes or running off into the forest to get a moment of silence and solitude, she was going to take it. She dropped the dishes into the basin filled with water, enjoying the quietness of the water sloshing about. But at the same time, she couldn't deny the faint charter and laughter in the distance still brought comfort.
She made it halfway through before she heard the patter of footsteps grow closer. No voice announced their presence leaving her to wait till she saw the curly head of dark hair beside her. There was a sombre expression with downcasted blue eyes that she wasn't used to seeing, she wanted to open her mouth and ask but ultimately decided not to.
She held out her hand for the dishes but they never came.
"I got it," Mordred grumbled.
"It's alright, I'm already doing them, Mordred."
"I said I got it," He snapped.
She lightly scoffed, taken aback by the sudden outburst that was uncommon from the usually sweet boy. "Someone's in a bit of a mood today," she commented.
He swallowed as he shook his head in regret, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she reassured, "Is there something you wanna talk about?" She turned back to the task at hand while leaving the window open for him to answer. A small sliver desired the quietness of before but was soon drowned out by the rest of her that was worried about him.
"I'm fine…" his words broke in his throat as he ran his hands over his face.
She inwardly grimaced, "What's going on, Mordred?"
He shrugged his shoulders and flopped down on the stool next to her. Shoulders hunched in on himself and clasp hands together between his knees.
She wiped her hands clean as she turned to him. "You can talk to me, I'm not just your queen." The back of her finger came up and brushed lightly against his cheek, earning his attention.
"You won't tell the others?" He asked meekly through shrouded embarrassment.
"Whatever is said, stays between me and you. I won't tell a soul," She promised.
"Not even Arthur?"
She smiled, "not even Arthur, sweetie."
A cock of his lip gave her some reassurance as she once again turned back to the basin. The water like a breeze of wind filled the temporary silence before he spoke with caution.
"I think I like someone."
"Like someone?" She questioned before it clicked what he meant. "Love them, you mean?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "no… yes?." He shook his head, "I don't know." He looked down playing with the hem of his tunic.
"You can like a lot of people, Mordred."
"Well, I like like them, then..." He furrowed his eyebrows, confusion written all over his face at his own words.
She exhaled, her own feelings were one thing to figure out so long ago, flopping back and forth with her in the middle. With the inevitable final decision at the end that she knew she had to make. Though, even if not understood entirely, she had every piece of her feelings. Getting small fragments that Mordred was allowing her to see of his, left her careful for what her next words were gonna be.
"Well," she started, "Does this person know you... like like them?"
"I don't think so."
"Do they like you?" She placed more dishes to the side to dry.
He chuckled dryly, "probably not."
"Don't say that," she chided, "you never know,"
"But I know all too well." He picked his leg up on the edge of the stool and hugged it to his chest.
She thought that it would have been a quick little conversation, but now she felt she was almost making things worse. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think of something else to say.
"Say something."
"With what courage?" He grumbled.
"You're one of the most courageous men I know, Mordred."
"I'd rather die than say anything." He paused. "I think I would die if I did say anything."
She concealed a sympathetic smile, "I think otherwise, you're a brave young man."
"With a sword, not love," he stated. "Easier to be brave with something you're in control of and you know that's there."
"Mordred..." She lightly murmured his name. Things only tumbled down more and more as the conversation went on. She finished the last dish before drying her hands and giving him her full attention.
"It may be hard, and confusing," she hooked her finger under his chin when he didn't lift his head up. "You may question why over and over again, but the heart wants what it wants. We're more in control of things than you realise."
His eyes darted down in thought before back up to her with a soft nod of his head. Though not convinced, she took it as she ruffled his hair, "help me with these, would you?"
With no refusal, he helped hand her the dishes as she placed them where they belonged.
"When did you know you loved Arthur?" His words caught her off guard with his shy curiosity.
She smiled, "I don't think I can name a single moment."
"Did you always like him?"
"No," she chuckled with a shake of her head, "I hated him actually."
His eyes widened, "You're just lying to make me feel better."
"The Arthur I had known was a pompous, stuck up prince that believed everyone was below him," She explained. "He wasn't much the kind man you met when you were younger and when he knighted you."
"I always seem to hear I'm the exception of affection when it comes to Arthur."
"It's true," she confirmed, "he's very fond of you."
For the first time since he walked into the room, a small smile climbed on his face. The last dish was handed off as she turned back around and began to clean up the area.
"What changed?" He asked to her earlier statement on Arthur.
"I don't think anything changed, really. I discovered my own feelings as I saw the person Arthur truly was. And Arthur… well I suppose he saw he was more than just what his father wanted him to be."
"Were you always sure you loved him?"
She hesitated, "I had… mixed feelings"
His eyebrows furrowed as he cocked his head.
She sighed, "there was Lancelot, once upon a time."
"Lancelot?" He asked in disbelief. The slightest bit of humour and curiosity pulled at his expression with a tugged smile.
"Yes—now I thought we were helping you, not delving into my love life."
His expression stayed as he let the topic drop. The grin that she was glad to see on his face, even if it was at her own expense. Though she almost wished she would have kept the conversation going as his previous problem made itself known again.
She could see his mind wander as a sorrowful look replaced the one of amusement. Down casted eyes were locked on his fidgeting hands before his quiet voice returned.
"What does it feel like, what you and Arthur have?"
"Content, happiness, I'm not entirely sure." She answered, "I just knew and maybe he did too."
He groaned as he pushed himself up from the stool. Circling himself in both his steps and his racing thoughts.
She grimaced, "not helpful?"
"What do I do?" He exclaimed, with hands thrown out before he let them rest back to his sides.
"No one knows what to do with love, sweetie. Just take it a moment at a time." She closed the distance and grabbed his upper arms.
"How do I even know it is love?"
"Love isn't just one colour, it's every hue and shade visible and invisible to us."
"And if there is no colour?" He scarcely asked, almost embarrassed at the revelation.
"That's alright too, Mordred," She brought up her hand and cupped his cheek. "Whatever and however you feel what you feel is right. It's never wrong to be who you are."
"What if I am wrong?"
"Not wrong, Mordred. Just still learning who you are and that is never a bad thing. And no matter what you feel, we'll all still care for you and support you, Okay?" She watched his expression form into a reassuring
He nodded, "Okay."
She pulled him down into a hug, letting him tuck his face into the crook of her neck as she lightly rubbed his upper back.
"Now come on, Go back outside," she pulled back from the hug after a second, "it's a beautiful day."
He turned to leave but stopped in his tracks and turned back towards her. He smiled, "Thank you."
"Of course, Mordred."
She watched him leave to run back outside. Satisfaction overcoming her yet, solitude in silence wasn't the playing satisfaction, but rather the own Solitude she was able to help Mordred with about himself.
Additional Tags: Canon Era, Canon Divergence, Camelot’s Golden Age, Magic Ban Lifted, Redeemed Morgana, i thought tagging qprs and friends with benefits was hard, but aplatonic fics are in a whole different ballpark, how does one tag a relationship that’s not sexual platonic or romantic, and is only one-sidedly familial, dear lord, Aplatonic Morgana, Aplatonic Elyan, Aplatonic Leon, Confused Arthur Pendragon, BAMF Morgana, Some Humor, Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Aromantic Merlin, Aromantic Morgana, AlloAro Merlin, AlloAro Morgana, background Merlin/Morgana in a benefits w/o friendship type scenario, Arthur Knows About Merlin’s Magic, Court Physician Merlin, Vulnerability, Unrequited Platonic Feelings, Queen Gwen, Conversations, Diplomacy, Isle of the Blessed, POV Arthur Pendragon
Summary:
The magic ban has been lifted, the war has come to an end, and Camelot appears to be on the cusp of its prophesied Golden Age. There are rumors, however, that Morgana is still plotting against Camelot.
Arthur doesn’t want to believe them. He’s noticed that Morgana keeps to herself and that she’s hardly ever in Camelot except to attend council meetings and pick up magic supplies. But surely there’s another explanation?
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Please don’t leave me (but please don’t stay either)
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Merlin (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Elyan/Gwaine (Merlin), Elyan & Gwaine (Merlin)
Characters: Gwaine (Merlin), Elyan (Merlin)
Additional Tags: Post-Episode: s03e12-13 The Coming of Arthur, i really don’t get the timing in the ep but we’ll go with it, can u tell i wrote this before remembering elyan was injured lmao, look they’ve been through a lot they’re allowed a few whack priorities, or maybe the priorities aren’t whack im just ace 🤣, aromantic gwaine, AroAllo Gwaine, Trans Elyan (Merlin), vague and non gendered terms used, Friends With Benefits, Non-Explicit Sex, Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Explicit Consent, good communication, for them, they’re idiots as per usual, Mild Angst, very mild, that good old aro fear of abandonment, Vulnerability, the absolute bane of gwaine’s existence godbless, seriously how do the timings work in this ep, lets just pretend everyone’s home and safe and its all over but honestly god knows, mentioned mercelot, Kissing, different people are comfortable with different kinds of intimacy, Gwaine Flirts (Merlin), Banter
Summary:
Gwaine sat there on his new, obnoxiously comfortable bed. He’d been sitting there for at least an hour. He should probably unpack, and definitely needed to wash, and rest.
But instead he just sat there, swimming with too much unease at the newness of it all, a quiet ache in his heart, and a frightening shard of hope too. And besides, he couldn’t shake the feeling of waiting for something-
Gwaine and Elyan, the first night after the battle for Camelot.
Written for @camelove Day 4: Aromantic
For @gwen-cheers-me-up, go check out their wonderful aro fics!!💚🤍🖤
Written for @camelove Day 4: Aromantic (I'm a teeny tiny bit late I'm so sorry).
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (platonic)
Rating: Teen+ | Warnings: None | Word count: 6,000
Tags: Modern AU, Aromantic Merlin, Aromantic Arthur, Friendship, Anniversaries, Attempt at Humour, Very Brief Mention of Arophobia, Platonic Fluff
Summary:
“Let me get this straight,” Arthur says, once he calms down. “You want me to spend my birthday at some kind of restaurant that I could most likely pay with less than what I make in an hour, for a piece of free cake, pretending we are a couple?”
Merlin pulls a grimace and shakes his head. “Not really, obviously; I’d miss out on the cake before I pretended to be your boyfriend—”
“You’re lucky that you are just as aro as I am; otherwise, this would be insulting as fuck.”
---
Merlin discovers that, apparently, there are restaurants who give out free cake on people's anniversaries. Really, there is no reason why this shouldn't apply to the anniversaries of a friendship, too. And if he and Arthur decide to stretch the definition of what counts as an anniversary a little—well, no one has to know, right? Right.
CAMELOVE 2022
day 5: platonic day ➛ arthur and his knights (insp.)
“these men have fought for me, bled for me… i swear i’m going to rescue my men, or die trying.”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Merlin (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Leon & Merlin (Merlin)
Characters: Leon (Merlin), Merlin (Merlin), Aithusa (Merlin)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern Era, Grief/Mourning, Animal Death, Talked about, nothing graphic, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Series: Part 1 of Merlin Bingo 2022
Summary:
Leon unlocks Merlin’s front door, the empty radiator hitting him like a punch to the chest.
“Merlin? Are you alright?”
“’m fine. You didn’t have to–” he chokes off with a sob. Leon follows his stuffy, muffled voice to the living room, and the sight before him makes his heart break. Merlin’s curled up on the sofa, body wracking with sobs, absently stroking the fluffy white cat between his legs. He doesn’t look up when Leon enters, and he moves the younger man forward slightly, settling in against the armrest behind him and pulling him onto his lap. Aithusa jumps off with an affronted meow and stalks off.
“Yes, I did,” he says firmly, stroking the younger man’s hair, “and no, you’re not.”
Characters: Merlin, Morgana, Gwen, Arthur, Gaius, Leon
Additional Tags: Canon Era, Canon Divergence, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Mild Sexual Content, Aromantic Merlin, Aromantic Morgana, AlloAro Merlin, AlloAro Morgana, Kissing-Repulsed Merlin, Good Morgana, Morgana Knows about Merlin’s Magic, Minor Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Relationship Negotiation, Friends With Benefits, Humor, Angst, Internalized Arophobia, Romance Repulsion, Slutty Merlin (implied), Happy Ending, or: an aromantic fake dating au, with alloaro rep bc the world needs more of it, POV Merlin, POV Morgana
Summary:
Fear settled around Morgana like an icy shroud. They had been careful, yes, but how careful could they be as two magic users practicing in Camelot? If Arthur had found out somehow, then this could be the end of everything. This could be—
“Areyoucourtingmymanservant?”
Morgana stared. Blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
In which Morgana tells Arthur she’s courting Merlin to explain why he’s in her chambers all the time, but there are a few problems with this plan that she didn’t account for.
CAMELOVE 2022
day 4: aromantic day ➛ aromantic morgana
uther: your proposal. excellent! you must make a fuss. women like that sort of thing, isn’t that right Morgana?
i have no idea.
