dbh au where merlin is purchased by uther despite his hatred for androids but he needs someone taking care of the house and idk capitalist pig doesn’t wanna pay human workers or smth anyway merlin is constantly mistreated to repeatedly “die” kind of like connor’s progression in the game and he thinks he’s malfunctioning especially since he seems to experience this peculiar fondness for arthur - uther’s son who he ends up spending a lot of his time with since he’s in charge of looking after the house and uther often just leaves arthur behind while he goes to work or smth and arthur finds himself relating and pitying the android despite his father’s disapproval of them and their existence and arthur is often the one helping get merlin back online/taking him to the warehouse or smth idk - and merlin watches uther hurt arthur too although it’s more emotional compared to the physical mistreatment merlin gets as an android and something something idk merlin breaks his code to protect arthur at some point or something and it’s kind of like a magic reveal where arthur is like “ur going haywire like those other androids who are killing people” and merlin is just like “no i’m protecting you”
Or for less abuse & more dbh lore lol uther actually really likes androids bc capitalist pig doesn’t have to pay human workers so his company makes him a lot more money and people are angry at him for using androids and that sires a lot of anti-android rhetoric among the humans who were fired from his company meanwhile he’s just surroundedddd by them. Merlin’s “malfunctioning” comes from being around Arthur and Feeling things like general happiness - like Arthur comes home and Merlin just lights up with an ecstatic “Arthur!” And the other androids are just like???? Um idk anything beyond that tho LMAO
You’ve Taught Me to Lie Without a Trace - Part one of ?
So, here I am with that first part of the android!Merlin fic I was talking about. I don’t know how many parts there will be, maybe 5? But I’ll only be posting this on ao3 as a one-shot when it’s going to be completed, if you want to wait for the whole story. (Don’t know when that will be thought, just take the Devil and Me in example, it took frigging months)
But yeah, this is mostly canon compliant if you ignore the fact that Merlin is an android in this and that’s the endgame is Merhartwin. Also, I’ll be honest with you. I know the ending I wanna give this but I am not entirely sure what will happen in between this bit I have written and that last part, so I don’t know if there will be that much of a plot. (Saying this remind me of that post on astrological signs I have read this morning about pisces going with the flow and yeah, definitely going with the flow of that story right now)
Also I want to warn people now. Kinda spoilery bit ahead You are all used to my writing of fluff and happy ending. And while I won’t spoil the ending and wouldn’t say it will be a bad /sad ending (at least not in my books), I do intend to write until the end of Harry and Eggsy’s lives and Merlin is an android in this, so yeah. Might be a good idea to ready some tissues once the time come if you are anything like me. End of the kinda spoilery bit
Anyway, this story all started because of this post and because @lottelorelei is an enabler who got me thinking about what if Merlin really was a robot and I since it has been established that I have no impulse control, well of course I am writing the fic. You might have read the beggining already, it’s normal, I posted a teaser some months ago and just picked it up again.
Tagging a few (as always if you want to be tagged in future parts, just message me and I’ll be happy to do so :D): @sententiousandbellicose @dianyx @sheepunderthemountain @bouncybrittonie @akingwithnoname @insanereddragon @deathwillbethelifeofme @krissielee @agentdagonet @awesomehartwintrash @secondarysushicorps @beautyofthenightmares @mockingjaybeevicious @shannanevern83 @li-prouvaire
You’ve Taught Me to Lie Without a Trace - Part one
“So… Why are you really here?” Harry Hart asks him one afternoon as he sits next to him in the library one of their rare free afternoon from training.
For the first time in his (admittedly) short life, Merlin doesn’t know how to answer. Oh, he knows what he should be saying, that he should be diverting the conversation somehow, but he also knows that Harry Hart would not let him do so for long. He cannot play dumb with him, nor does he really has the desire to do so if he is being honest with himself.
The one he’s been tentatively calling a friend (at least in the privacy of his own circuits) sighs at his continued silence, taking his lack of answer as a challenge, judging by the determined glint that appears in his eyes.
“I mean, you do a good job, you’re without a doubt the only real competition I’ve got here, but you becoming the next Galahad is clearly not the end game here, because you’re not even half trying.” This kind of speech would probably sound like pride on Harry’s part, but the truth is, he’s right. From every calculations Merlin’s made, Harry is the only one among the recruits who has a real shot of becoming a Kingsman Knight. The others are all extremely good at everything they undertake, but it’s just that: they’re simply good. They lack a certain flair Merlin has observed in all the other Knights and that Harry has to spare.
“So, yeah, if you’re not among the recruits as part of an experiment to know if androids can replace the human Knights, I’m really curious as to why you’re currently with us.”
Whatever Merlin was about to answer gets stuck in his throat and he can only look at Harry, completely gobsmacked. Maybe he shouldn’t be, someone was bound to find out one day, but Harry is a recruit for fuck’s sake. No one is suppose to be aware of this particular secret except those already in the known and except for Merlin himself, it’s only supposed to be the head of the handler’s branch and Arthur.
“That’s the right term right?” Worry start bleeding on Harry’s expression the longer Merlin doesn’t say anything and he looks vaguely guilty. “I am sorry if I’ve said something offensive, but I don’t know if there is another way to refer to your type of being.”
He’s clearly about to apologize more, but Merlin raises a hand and shakes his head in the negative to stop him. However, takes a few more minutes for the shock to subside enough for him to speak.
“No it’s, it’s fine. Android’s fine.” At his words, he can see what he knows as relief wash over Harry’s face and Merlin nearly tells him that he really shouldn’t have worried anyway, it’s not like Merlin has any feelings to hurt (not yet anyway, the programming on his “emotions” is still a bit spotty). He could have called him a robot, a machine even for all he cared, but as he is about to say the words, he realises that he does in fact cares, is genuinely please that Harry called him an android and not anything else. So he doesn’t mention anything about feelings and asks what truly intrigues him. “How did you know?”
“Well, mostly a crazy theory and a lucky guess?” Harry shrugs, looking a bit sheepish. “If you had denied just now, I would have believed you.”
Merlin gives him a look at that because the recruit might have the most impressive poker face has observed (and Camden, the one who built Merlin into existence, has given him an impressive amount of videos to observe before he even thought of letting him into the world), but he still knows when he is lying. Harry merely smiles at being called on his bluff, completely unapologetic.
“Anyway, when you got hurt a few weeks ago, I thought I saw something, well, mechanic inside the wound and instead of going to the infirmary, I saw you follow the other Merlin to his workshop. And you kept the bandage long enough for it to have healed up, but there should be some mark at the very least.”
Now that he knows how Harry came to the right conclusion from such a small event, he now understand the constant state of paranoia Camden has been in since he’s joined the recruits. He can only be grateful that Harry is the one who found out and he doesn’t seem interested in revealing the secret. That he only mentioned it to Merlin when he was sure they were both alone is definite proof of that.
Still, it shows that he’ll have to be even more careful than he was before. If everything goes to plan, he’ll be working in close contact with spies, all of them far more experienced than Harry. He might not have been “alive” for a long time, but he knows already that people fear what is different. He’s not going to push his luck and find out if spies simply make for more open-minded people or if Harry is an outlier.
“So, are you going to tell me or not?” Harry breaks the silence once it becomes clear that Merlin isn’t going to say more. And while he looks curious, he’s also giving the distinct impression that he would let the matter drop (at least for the time being, Merlin knows already that Harry is worst than a dog with a bone).
And maybe he shouldn’t tell him, because no matter his calculations, there is no assurance that Harry will really be the next Galahad, but Camden has told him time and time again that he needs to strive to be as human as possible so that no one ever suspect and well human have friends they confide in don’t they?
And he can’t entirely be sure yet, but he does think that Harry is a friend.
This is why, after a quick look around to make sure they are still alone, Merlin beckons Harry closer and starts telling him the truth about his presence at Kingsman.
***
He doesn’t tell Camden that Harry now knows their secret and he certainly doesn’t tell Arthur either.
Arthur might agree with Camden, his quartermaster, his chief of staff, that with the pace at which technology evolve, Merlin is their best bet to stay ahead of the game, that only a machine could shoulder the ever increasing responsibilities of the head of Merlin department, all the research, the personnel management, the providing of new and better gadgets to their agents…
He might agree yes, but even Merlin, with so little hands on experience with emotions can see the disgust in the old man’s eyes, the distrust.
Where Camden looks at him with pride and fondness, Arthur look at him with fright and coldness.
So he doesn’t tell Arthur that a mere recruit find out the truth, because he knows that will be the only reason needed to pull the plug on the project, before Merlin could truly prove himself.
That’s why he doesn’t tell Arthur.
As for not telling Camden... He can’t really explain it to himself. It’s partly because he doesn’t want to worry him, partly because he doesn’t want to get Harry into trouble.
It’s mainly because Merlin starts developing a distinct personality and he’s definitely possessive and protective, and that thing with Harry is theirs, is his and he doesn’t want anyone to intrude upon it, even if it might be in his best interest.
***
Merlin drops out of the competition for Galahad’s position but instead of being sent home, he’s recruited by Kingsman’s very own Merlin, Camden Dunham, to come work for his department as a handler and everything else he’d want to try his hand at. He finds it easier to work with his new colleagues than it was dealing with the other recruits (with Harry as the notable exception) and they seem to like him just fine, often joking that with a name like his, he had always been destined to work with them.
(If only they knew.)
Harry becomes Galahad and flourishes in the position even if all the handlers say he’s a nightmare to work with. All except Merlin of course and after he successfully convinces the Knight that exploding the Tate really isn’t necessary Galahad, everyone is happy to let them be paired together for as long as Merlin can stand it.
Merlin never once complains. Even when he takes more and more responsibilities, he always somehow find the time to be there in Harry’s ear, to lead him into danger’s way and then bring him back home.
Merlin has been alive for a bit longer than a year now.
He knows what kind of man he is.
One of his first quality is that he is loyal to a fault. Recognizing that his loyalty goes to Kingsman might be the only reason Arthur begrudgingly starts to respect him even though he’ll never like him.
What no one knows (but Harry probably suspects already, the man is annoying like that), is that while Merlin will always be loyal to Kingsman, he’ll always be loyal to Harry first.
***
Things change and stay the same.
Harry and Merlin grow even closer together, but from hearing the whole of Kingsman talk, it has always been so.
Arthur continues to dislike Merlin, but he allows him to take a bigger and bigger role at Camden’s insistence.
Camden continues to tell Merlin that no one shall ever found out the truth about him.
But Camden isn’t getting younger and even if Merlin can take care of most of his body by himself, there are some things he simply cannot do.
Somehow, he convinces Camden to trust Harry, to teach him what he won’t ever write down lest it falls in the wrong hands, reveals what he swore never to tell another soul in order to protect Merlin. Convinces Camden that the Knight is worthy of trust, has been for years and that if Merlin is so loyal to Harry, it is simply because Harry is just as loyal to him.
(Merlin can see Camden is still hesitant, still wary, even as he is showing Harry how to do simple maintenance tasks, how to put him to sleep for more extensive repairs if needed.
He doesn’t know what happen during those brief moment where he no longer is, but something definitely did because Camden is looking at Harry with a mixture of too many emotions for Merlin to make sense of them, but the tilt of his smile is approving and when they leave, Harry also gets patted on the shoulder fondly when before he would have been lucky to get a nod of acknowledgment.)
(“I want to do this because Merlin asked me and I’d do anything for him. I want to do this because I am selfish and I want to be the only one who can help him that way. I want to do this not because I want to protect Kingsman’s most complex creation, but because I want to protect my friend. I want to protect your son.”)
None of them tell Arthur that Harry now knows Kingsman’s best kept secret. They never discuss it and yet, they all agree that it would be a mistake.
***
Arthur dies in his sleep.
The new one will always find Merlin strange, but he never gets to know why.
*
Camden dies in an explosion.
It comes as to no one surprise that Merlin is his successor as head of the department.
Merlin is shocked to learn Camden has left everything he owned to him.
Harry is shocked that for all his intelligence, Merlin hasn’t figured it out yet. He forgets sometimes that Merlin is still painfully young.
(“He was your father, Merlin.”
“Oh.”)
Merlin doesn’t cry, cannot cry, but Harry still holds him in his arms just this side of too hard, Merlin’s face hidden in the crook of his neck.
It’s his first experience with comfort and if he could, he’d stay exactly where he is until his circuits rust and fall to dust.
***
There many rumors running around Kingsman, most of them about Arthur, the Knights and Merlin.
I heard he was the previous Merlin’s son.
I heard he was his lover.
I heard he was Galahad’s.
I heard he had to erase his previous identity.
I heard he never had one.
He never sleeps.
He never eats.
He nevers drinks.
He’s omniscient.
He’s one with technology.
He’s an alien.
He’s a robot.
~
“-a robot and wouldn’t that make sense?”
Merlin hears them, his sense of hearing acute enough to pick their chatter from down the corridor. It’s not the first time he hears it and it won’t be the last, so he turns around so as to not deal with the youngest staff members’ inquisitive looks on him.
At least that is the plan, until he heara Harry’s voice cutting in and he swore when he remembers that his friends had told him he would come and fetch him for tea right after his debriefing.
“Ah yes, a robot, that sure makes senses.” Merlin’s blood runs cold, but it isn’t long before Harry continues, with an inflection in his voice that seem to imply he doesn’t find the ones he’s speaking to as being even remotely intelligent. “I mean, this is why he doesn’t have hair, even in the old pictures, always refuses to have a good cuppa or a pint with me, won’t ever accept one of the many pastries James always bring back with him. Hell that must be why he built a charging station in his room at our flat. How did I not realise sooner?”
Even his hearing isn’t good enough to decipher whatever is mumbled in answer to Harry and anyway, he’s not really interested in knowing.
He’s far more interested in keeping the warm feelings at having been defended by his friend. Being Harry’s handler, he’s more used to it being the other way around, but he can’t say he minds the change.
~
Merlin isn’t a robot. He’s an android. His decisions are his own and nothing would keep him at Kingsman if he chose otherwise.
Merlin was Camden’s son, in everything but official papers.
Merlin isn’t Harry’s lover. He thinks he could be, but so far, he’s quite content being his friend and kind-of-roommate. Because while he does have a room at Harry’s, he’s very rarely there because Kingsman keeps him busy.
Merlin can eat and drink. He can pretend he’s asleep and actually needs one hour or two each weeks to rest. Camden had wanted him to be as human as possible after all. He had hair before, but Harry was the one who came up with the idea that having him go bald would give the impression he’s aged since he first came to Kingsman. He hadn’t mind the hair going and when he says he attributes the loss of his hair to Harry, everyone laughs at what they think is a joke.
He’s not omniscient, but as far as Kingsman is concerned, he might as well be. Their security system is quite extensive and he does have access to everything.
So because I am on a roll tonight and just want to prove that I am not dead, simply busy writing, here’s another fic I am currently working on. The whole thing will be a long merhartwin one-shot (I think something around 10k) that is based on a post (that I will totally link once I fucking find it again ffs) where I mentionned that Merlin would have to be an android or something and both @sententiousandbellicose and @lottelorelei seemed interested by the idea, so of fucking course I had to write it for them *totally ignores her own writing list*
Of course this will start more as Merlahad even if the part I am teasing you with isn’t even remotely shippy yet.
Anyway, I still hope you enjoy :d
You’ve Taught Me to Lie Without a Trace - Teaser
“So… Why are you really here?” Harry Hart asks him one afternoon as he sits next to him in the library one of their rare free afternoon of training.
For the first in his (admittedly) short life, Merlin doesn’t know how to answer. Oh, he knows what he should be saying, that he should be diverting the conversation somehow, but he also knows that Harry Hart would not let him do so for long. He cannot play dumb with him, nor does he really has the desire to do so if he is being honest with him.
The one he’s been tentatively calling a friend (at least in the privacy of his own mind) sighs at his continued silence, taking his lack of answer as a challenge, judging by the determined glint that appears in his eyes.
“I mean, you do a good job, you’re without a doubt the only real competition I’ve got here, but you becoming the next Galahad is clearly not the end game here, because you’re not even half trying.” This kind of speech would probably sound like pride on Harry’s part, but the truth is, he’s right. From every calculation Merlin’s made, Harry is the only one among the recruits who has a real shot of becoming a Kingsman Knight. The others are all extremely good at everything they undertake, but it’s just that: they’re simply good. They lack a certain flair Merlin has observed in all the other Knights and that Harry has to spare.
“So, yeah, if you’re not among the recruits as part of an experiment to know if androids can replace the human Knights, I’m really curious as to why you’re currently with us.”
Whatever Merlin was about to answer gets stuck in his throat and he can only look at Harry, completely gobsmacked. Maybe he shouldn’t be, someone was bound to find out one day, but Harry is a recruit for fuck’s sake. No one is suppose to be aware of this particular secret except those already in the known and except for Merlin himself, it’s only supposed to be the head of the handler’s branch and Arthur.
“That’s the right term right?” Worry start bleeding on Harry’s expression the longer Merlin doesn’t say anything and he looks vaguely guilty. “I am sorry if I’ve said something offensive, but I don’t know if there is another way to refer to your type of being.”
He’s clearly about to apologize more, but Merlin raises a hand and shakes his head in the negative to stop him. However, takes a few more minutes for the shock to subside enough for him to speak.
Tagging a few people @akingwithnoname Sorry if it’s yet another teaser, but it’s a bit longer? @beautyofthenightmares @krissielee @secondarysushicorps @mockingjaybeevicious @dianyx @takeanotherpieceofmyhartwin @awesomehartwintrash @shadowsdaughter @eggaleggsy @yourefullofsurprises @agentdagonet
