Ric

Any pronouns ;) merthur and stuff, that's it. art and ao3 PetrichorAndInk on Ao3

[gaiussleechtank]

Currently stuck with power out because of storm Eowyn, so I’m now hand writing Merlin fanfiction in candlelight

[akelafang]

I adore the "Merlin doesn't realize Arthur's counting him because he doesn't understand nobles" fics however I would love to see a reverse on this.

Arthur is so used to courtship being about expensive gifts and grand gestures amongst the nobles that he has no idea Merlin's been courting him in the more simple way people do in Ealdor. Things like cooking for your intended, handmade gifts, helping them with tasks around the village, and using a split coin as a proposal instead of a ring. By the time Arthur realises anything Merlin already considers them married

[gaiussleechtank]

I’ll counter your reverse.

Merlin courts Arthur, goes the whole nine yards and it gets pretty serious by courting standards - but he doesn’t even realise that he’s courting Arthur.

Yes: he’s using Ealdor’s courting customs so Arthur would never know that he’s being courted, but Merlin does it so instinctively like second nature that he doesn’t even catch what his own subconscious is trying to tell him.

And of course OP, Merlin doesn’t fully grasp what he’s doing for years until they’re basically married.

Que either a very panicked letter to Hunith and/or an awkward conversation with Gaius, or the disaster of trying to explain this predicament to Arthur.

[amirmeavid]

One of the funniest things about merlin fanfic is when they write magical fight scenes and its so fucking difficult to do because merlin doesn't fight in a normal way.

Like with other fandoms there's like a technique. Like there are spells to cast, techniques to use, difficulties and simple approaches. But merlin doesn't subscribe to any of that.

Like this is basically a god with the skill of a toddler.

He just tanks shit.

He doesn't even know that many spells. Like his opponents are doing all this magical techniques and hand-wavey stuff and he just... stands there. Like maybe he stumbles back sometimes, but most of the time he just takes it.

Like his opponents will be doing the magical equivalent of tornado kicks, flips, and somersaults and then he gets like a papercut. Then he lopsidedly punches with the worst form ever seen and his opponent gets flung back 200m.

He's the singular most annoying person to ever have to fight, cause you're out here pulling out your best moves, then he flicks you on the forehead and you die.

EDIT: IF YOU HAVE READ THIS FAR YOU OWE ME A BOOP. BY LAW. I EARNED IT.

EDIT2: You may comment the word instead, however it is no longer legally required.

[gaiussleechtank]

Welp this is getting added my latest fanfic project

[starlight-kestrel]

AU where Arthur finds out about the prophecy and pieces together that "his closest ally Emrys" must be Merlin because who else would it be, but incorrectly assumes that Merlin doesn't know and therefore has never practiced magic before.

Even better if he finds out early season 1 so He's just so devastated the entire time and he's just like "I can't believe this, this prophecy is going to turn my best friend into a sorcerer, and it's all my fault for being the once and future king" and Merlin's in the back just murdering a sidhe

[justaz]

i’ve been thinking about this

au where morgana goes to arthur about her magic instead of merlin. i get it makes sense as merlin brought mordred to her and has proven himself to not care about the crown or status or anything AND he had a sorcerer friend in ealdor so he was a safe option for morgana to go to when her magic began to manifest. buuut as someone with siblings we fight a lot and argue and god they’re fucking annoying but they’re also my siblings and i feel like growing up together and annoying each other as they do in canon, morgana and arthur are very much siblings before they Know they’re siblings y’know?

anyways morgana goes to arthur bc shes scared and her and arthur got up to a lot of mischief growing up and kept it from uther by lying and he also went against his father and continued to teach her how to wield a sword so she knows he’s a safe option bc theres no guarantee he’ll run to uther and snitch especially if he sees how terrified she is. arthur is unsure at first but morgana is absolutely terrified and its obvious she didn’t chose magic and that it just happened to her and she’s a very kind and caring person when she’s not getting on his nerves, how can she be evil? so he helps her. he sneaks around and steals magic books from under the castle and helps morgana learn to control her magic

then maybe in one of the books he finds the prophecy and pieces it together as op said and then he goes to morgana about it and they just. Watch merlin. he’s not acting any different so our options are he either already has magic or it hasn’t manifested yet. ironically, around this time merlin really starts to waver under the weight of the prophecy. all these people, all these sorcerers, all these magic user are relying on him to help bring in a golden age. he knows arthur can do it, he’s seen the kind of man he is, but him? merlin? saving hundreds of people?? it’s a lot of pressure

he starts to get nightmares of his people calling out for him, wailing for him to save them. he has nightmares of failing, of watching everything he has crumble away and burn. he has nightmares of arthur ordering a pyre to be built and watching merlin burn. he wakes from his nightmares and his magic lashes out - throwing items around the room, lighting candles and spreading fire, cracking the stone walls and floor of his room to where its not safe for him to sleep there anymore.

morgana and arthur notice the signs bc thats how morgana’s magic manifested and they’re like “merlin is getting his magic. he’s probably terrified” and it may seem that way bc merlin is all closed off now and distracted and quiet and arthur is waiting for merlin to come to him for help but he doesn’t. he’s jumpy and shifty and it doesn’t get better when a sorcerer is dragged before uther who immediately orders a pyre to be built in the square. arthur watches merlin as he stares at the sorcerer, a dark, heavy look in his eyes, before fleeing

morgana offers that she came to arthur bc he’s always been by her side since she got to camelot. but to merlin, who may not care for things like status and whatnot, arthur is still the crown prince of camelot. he probably fears that a pyre would be built for him should anyone, even arthur, find out. so arthur dedicates himself to proving that he is an ally to those with magic. he enlists merlin to help him and morgana get the sorcerer in the dungeons to safety before their execution.

merlin still doesn’t confide in arthur. arthur continues to try and prove himself as trustworthy. this continues well past uther’s demise (he had gone mad at the fact that every sorcerer brought before him escaped, his bloodlust was never satiated, he went mad and arthur took the crown) wherein arthur becomes king with his round table and revokes the magic ban and hands out reparations to magic users and druids.

anyways they usher in the golden age on accident and arthur eventually breaks and is just like “why wont you tell me about your magic :(“ and merlin is just like “What The Actual Fuck Are You Talking About”

[gaiussleechtank]

They both wake up to Merlin spread out in the centre across Arthur’s massive gargantuan bed like a starfish with Arthur practically attached to Merlin’s side, head heavy on Merlin’s shoulder, hand clinging to Merlin’s chest, arm tucked in between the space nook between them, legs knotted together.

Merlin has never slept in such a luxurious bed before.

Arthur has never shared a bed with someone else before.

Yet it doesn’t surprise them both when their share that first with one another, that it ends up working so well. Merlin indulging in the softness and sheer space, delighting in Arthur’s unconscious affections. Arthur giving in to his want for human touch and Merlin being so willing.

They don’t talk about how they woke up, just that that was the best sleep they’ve ever had.

The first of many great sleeps.

[lenaikart]

esbians

[gaiussleechtank]

This is everything to me

[gaiussleechtank]

So I drew this months ago but haven’t posted it bc it’s meant to be alongside a fanfic that I’m writing which is taking forever to write bc exams are a nightmare.

And at this rate I don’t know if this scene will even make the Final Cut so have at this

Context: Merlin is sort of fine and Arthur’s a sad and pining mess.

[gaiussleechtank]

I never like thinking about Merlin’s dragonlord heritage for too long because I start to think about the implications of it.

If the lord part of being a Dragonlord meant nobility, then surely Balinor had an estate/ noble house of some kind.

All I can imagine is Merlin finding that grand home one day, and it being nothing but a hollow ruin. Flying in the wind are burnt and tattered banners of a family crest that Merlin doesn’t know is his because that knowledge is forever lost. Rooms upon rooms that once were occupied by his ancestors, ancestors who he will never be able to name. The kitchen frozen in time with dusty and moulded plates sitting on the table, a plate that maybe his aunt or an uncle, maybe a grandparent or a cousin was eating from before Uther’s men came after them. Little trinkets, jewellery, heirlooms, beloved toys, precious keepsakes scattered everywhere, and he wouldn’t know that by default they were his.

He would walk those abandoned halls, seeing how clearly loved that home was, how full of life and people and family it had had before the purge had broken out: only to wish that he could have experienced that in his childhood.

He would just see that grand house as nothing more than another of Uther’s victims, completely unaware of his connection to the place.

EDIT: OH GOD WHAT IF MERLIN HAD A SIGIL???

[thatoneuserfromtheinternet]

feeding into my merlin can do archery bs: i never knew this pic existed and my mind just- exploded. I mean imagine guys merlin doing archery IMAGINE IMAGINEEEE

i also made this a while back because i was delusional ⬇️⬇️ (not accurate posture)

[gramnel]

You are my Sun

[gaiussleechtank]

Head cannon that Gwaine and Leon are at each others throats most of the time with Gwaine being too care free and up to illegal activities and Leon being to much a nagging rule abider.

But when it comes to gossip? Those two are the pair that comes the closest to Merlin and Gwen’s level of bitchy boiling hot tea.

[gaiussleechtank]

Whilst on a run I realised something.

Arthur is so Crowley

And Merlin is so Aziraphale

Take this as you will

[wistfulvulpine]

saw this dress meme and blacked out

(painting study is based on JC Leyendecker's 'Couple Descending Staircase')

[crimeboys-deactivated20250719]

god i love making animatics in my head i wish drawing was real

[dryadalisliv-deactivated2025040]

‘to be known is to be loved’ is all fun and games until,

‘sometimes i think i know you merlin, other times…’

‘everything you’ve done, i know now’

[gaiussleechtank]

What is wrong with you????

[gaiussleechtank]

Arthur’s love language is gift giving, always has been. He realises this when he returns to a modern Albion full of all these new terms and words and definitions. Back before he died, he didn’t have the time to properly make things for his loved ones as he was the King and he was incredibly serious about his duties.

Yet when he returns to a modern world, he finds himself crown-less and with a lot of spare time. Cue discovering YouTube and google, how-to-tutorials, craft books and step by step guides.

Back in Camelot, Merlin was a nightmare to get things for, nothing flashy or expensive or Arthur would have his ear nagged off about wasting money. But now? Paper and paint seem to be limitless to Arthur and he’s just learnt what origami is.

Merlin comes across him one morning to find the returned king fast asleep and surrounded by hundreds of painted paper dragons. It’s the best gift the immortal has ever received.

[gaiussleechtank]

The knights + Gwen have figured out that when Merlin and Arthur argue, you can give them something to hold and they will accept it and just keep holding until their argument is over.

Que both King and Court Warlock holding a bunch of random shit in the middle of the hallway and being very confused about it because their friends think they’re hilarious.