#arthur lives

[lin4lool]

This from 2021, woooow how time passes

(Based on this possibly Tumblr Screenshot I found on pinterest a while ago)

Ummmm, Spoilers for those who have not seen the Merlin bbc Season Finale???

[k0dkod]

Helloo

I saw you were encouraging requests for writing, and I just had something on my mind for awhile.

Id really love to see how the interaction would be between an Arthur and a grown up version of his son (maybe in some au where Isaac survives and is wandering around? Something like that and he struggles to recognize at first)

Thank you for your time!

- Reunion, at last.

✧ summary - After all these years, Arthur had moved on from the deaths of Eliza and Isaac. Mostly, anyways. However, after a brief encounter in town, all of those feelings he had pushed down are stirred awake once more. ✧ word count - ~1.5k ✧ warnings/tags - Arthur Morgan, Isaac Morgan (?), very minor angst, reunion, fluff, mentions of death, brief mention of alcohol use, happy ending, arthur lives au, isaac lives au. ✧ a/n - oh em gee!!! first fic i have literally ever written so please be kind! i am so giddy. i love these boys so much and they make me so sad, so its happy to see them alive bc who kills a CHILD. ✧ requests - open! please, please request! ✧ credits - @deltamel (dividers)

The sun was high in the sky, shining down across the fields and basking the Earth with its warmth. Not a cloud in the sky was to be seen. It was actually pretty nice out, lacking the normal gloom that would follow Arthur around as he went about his day. Normally, being in the New Hanover area after so long would bring back memories that he would rather have been repressed, but they were tolerable for the moment. And for that, he was content.

It had been a while since he had been with the Van Der Linde gang. The fallout was long and exhausting, before suddenly blowing up in his face all at once like misfired shotgun. It was miracle he had gotten out of that, really. Sometimes, he would get the newspaper and see something about a group of outlaws robbing a train nearby, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was Dutch and Micah. However, he tried not to allow his thoughts to linger on those fools any longer then they needed to. He wasn't that man anymore.

Gently tugging on the reins eased the mare he sat atop of to a walk as he rode down the main street in town. Valentine hadn't changed one bit since he had last been there. Mud, working girls, and honest men. It lacked the O'Driscolls, kudos to Dutch, Sadie, and him all those years back, so atleast that was an improvement. He hitched his steed infront of the general store, patting the horses jet black flank before disappearing inside. He only had to pick up a few essentials — food, coffee, whiskey, all of which were easy to find. Once purchased and stuffed into his satchel, he pushed his way back through the door. He couldn't help but be eager to get out of town and back to his camp, missing the solitude of the forest. Town's put him on edge, with the sounds and the people. He brushed past a young man on the way out, gruffly excusing himself before climbing back up into the saddle. He grabbed a cigarette from his jacket pocket, lighting it as it hung from his lips before inhaling the smoke, letting it swirl in his lungs to ease his nerves before exhaling, watching the smoke dissipate into the air.

Just as he was about to ride away, he found himself having to pause, feeling a sense of... something tugging him back. He must have been forgetting something. Begrudgingly, he slipped back down off the saddle, apologizing to his mare as if she understood a word of what he was saying, and returned inside. Ignoring the slightly confused look of the cashier, he looked around, trying to figure out what in the world he could have forgotten, before something caught his eye. Or, rather, someone.

The young man he had pushed past earlier, there was something about him. Something familiar. He watched him move from shelf to shelf, grabbing various things that Arthur wasn't paying attention to. His brows furrowed in slight frustration due to the fact he couldn't figure out what was nagging him. Meanwhile, the young man went up to the register, the cashier greeting him with a friendly lilt to his voice.

"Ah, Isaac, how're you doin'? Are you and your momma settlin' into town well?"

Issac?

He didn't even listen to the rest of the conversation. Almost immediately, a million different emotions followed. Confusion, surprise, and maybe fear? More sadness then he had felt in years dominated the rest. This couldn't be him, surely? Isaac was dead. Eliza was dead. They were killed over a few bucks all those years ago. He remembers it so vividly. Almost too vividly, really. He shut just about everyone out for months, falling into the bottle for any sort of comfort, even though none was provided, and yet he still drank. He would go on jobs with the gang, and the ones he did go on always ended up with him having to be carried by everyone else. The familiar prickle of tears in his eyes surprised him almost as much as the revelation of Isaac being alive. Swallowing his pain, he quickly pulled his hat down over his eyes to hide his face, fleeing from his past like it was threatening his life. He couldn't do this. Not here, not now, maybe not ever. He was torn between desperately wanting to see his child and a deep, intense fear that plagued his mind for reasons unknown. He was so worked up and stuck in his head that he didn't hear the jingle of the shop door opening from behind him, the young man stepping out.

"Arthur? Is that... is that you?" a voice asked from behind him, familiar yet different.

Arthur had never been this nervous in his entire life, and he had done it all. Robbed trains, banks, and people, been shot at and stabbed, and ran for his life from bounty hunters. Still, this was the thing that scared him the most. He felt a bit pathetic. Slowly, maybe even a little reluctantly, he turned around, examining the young man before him.

This was definitely his boy. From his lake blue eyes to the dirty blonde hair that curled slightly at the ends, to the faint freckles that dotted the bridge of his nose and his sun kissed skin. Even though the boy looked eerily similar to himself, he still held some Eliza's features. He could see her face structure in him, and his general aura of kindness that mirrored his mothers. He could have broken down into tears right there — what a first impression that would make.

Arthur's mouth opened and closed for a moment, trying to find the words that could even begin to describe how he felt, but they never came. How could he even begin to describe how heartbroken he had been? How distraught, angry and grief stricken? He didn't seem to have to, however, as the boy set down his things and pulled him into a tight hug, clutching onto his father as if he would disappear again if he even dared to let go. After the momentary surprise wore off, Arthur squeezed him back, ignoring the strange looks he got for hugging someone so desperately in the middle of the street.

Eventually, the two separated, followed by Arthur immediately bombarding Isaac with questions about himself, his mother, where he was staying, how he had been doing, and things of the sorts. The poor boy could barely get the answer to one question out before the next one was thrown at him. Arthur simply couldn't help himself. The last time he had seen his son was when he was four or five, and now he was in his mid-twenties. That was so much of his life that he had missed, and he desperately wanted to catch up with all of it as quickly as he could. His meeting of Eliza was similar, with an incredibly long hug and more questions then one person could answer. He must have talked more and hugged them more in the past day then he had to anyone throughout his entire life. He was so proud of the young man for taking care of his mother and getting a good job, he almost couldn't handle himself. They seemed a tad bit nervous around him, considering that he looked much rougher and sported a few more scars then the last time he had seen them, but he couldn't care less. Atleast they were in his arms and alive.

Arthur couldn't help but worry that he may not be accepted into the little family the two of them had created. What if they didn't want him back, and had been better off without him? What if Eliza was mad at him for not finding them when they had fleed from their home? Maybe he was too rough for their domestic lifestyle, considering his past. He could sense the way the shifted uncomfortably as he described what he had been doing all these years. The blood that soaked his hands. Still, he tried to ignore that, remaining hopeful that they wanted him. That they missed him like he had missed them.

By the end of the night, he had been extremely reluctant to leave their home, as if he was worried that they wouldn't be there when he returned tomorrow. He promised over and over that he would visit regularly, and he planned on following through with that. He smiled the whole way back to his little camp.

Sitting on his bedroll, under the stars, he scribbled in his journal, drawing a picture of both Isaac and Eliza from memory. With a bright grin on his face, he recalled every detail of the encounter, down to the smallest of things like how respectful Isaac had grown to be to how beautiful the home was, before finishing off with something sweet and from his heart.

' I can not believe that I saw him today. Oh, how the boy had grown. My boy. I don't think my old bones can handle how excited I am, but I will make them nonetheless. I have a hell of a lot to make up for. I hope I can be the father he needs. '

edit: i'm seeing a few people saying that there could be more to this, which i totally agree with, since this was sort of me testing the waters to see where my skills are and what you guys like. would you guys be interested in some sort of expansion to this? maybe a jump into the future?

[rwrbficrecs]

Hi I just found your blog and it's helping me discover so many good fics, so thank you! I wondered if you knew any fics where the focus is on their relationship with their parents? Maybe something with Henry and Oscar bonding or an AU where Arthur is alive. I loved Henry and Oscar joking around in the movie and I would like to read some fics about that but I don't know where to even start looking.

Hi, here’s a bit of a mix of fics - hope you enjoy 🥰

Oscar & Henry:  of fathers and sons by @adreamareads We'll Get Together Then by absoluteaudacity

Arthur is alive: dad of honour by @stutteringpeach in need of assistance by @stutteringpeach it's you and me by @smc-27 love me forever (fix me right) by @sherryvalli One Wild and Precious Life by @sprigsofviolets starry eyes sparking up my darkest nights by @coffeecatsme

Bonus recs:  Impossible to Ignore, Impossible to Ignore by @14carrotghoul Never Truly Leave by @clottedcreamfudge Huge thanks to my lovely team of volunteers for helping collect these recs ❤️ If you’d like to help out too, check out the Volunteers Page 🥰

[tiny-and-witchy]

I love good Morgana fics.. Because that is what was supposed to happen.. That is what would it be like if Merlin hadn't let Kilgarrah get under his skin..Merlin would have helped Morgana when her dreams got bad.. Merlin would have been there for Morgana the whole way.. Morgana wouldn't have lost her faith in her friends and her family.. Arthur wouldn't die and Morgana would have helped Merlin and Arthur unite Albion.. That is what the happy ending of this tale would have been like..

[sauraunderscore]

Wolf Fur

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

There's nothing better than writing a story based on this picture!

[delicateflower]

another merlin edit

insta: @._woht.ever._

[islanddlost404]

au where not long after arthur died he got resurrected and the whole end scene where merlin is walking alone is just him being fucking dramatic.

[little-bi-kingtrashmouth]

(For the writing prompt) fluff #3 with Charthur? :)c

“You’re everything I could’ve wanted and more.”

Charles never thought himself the marrying type. Really it was more that he never thought he would get married. Not in the way that he’d heard other people say they weren’t the marrying type, that they weren’t suited for it, they couldn’t settle down. In fact he thought he could be a good spouse and he’d like that, to love and be loved completely. To share a life with another person. It warmed him to think about.

He’d seen how in love his parents were and he wanted that. But after losing his parents, his mother taken and his father ceasing to be the man he was before, he’d had to focus on just surviving. The world had not been welcoming and kind to him, not enough for him to continue considering finding a partner. He pushed it out of his mind and even forgot it was a possibility. For a long time Charles had moved through the world thinking that he didn’t and couldn’t understand life or other people and he was resigned to that.

For so many years of his life, Charles lived each day to the next. Not expecting much from the future, only thinking about making it through the best he could and doing right by those in his life, whether they were strangers or friends. It made him smile to think he had people he considered friends, very good friends at that. They were odd people, a collection of lost souls who managed to find something within one another and it made sense that he could find family with them. He loved them, and he finally felt confident that love was returned. 

It was the summer of 1907 when he confronted the thoughts that had made themselves at home again in his mind. He’d been thinking about the future more and more, the longer it started to look like he’d have one. He could imagine himself growing old now, being a comfortable old man in his own home, no longer running away or towards something. And he saw himself with Arthur. 

Sadie was leaning on the porch railing with him, both of them watching John and Arthur trying to fix the fence up the hill on the far side of the property. They couldn’t hear their words clearly, just that they were shouting and swearing at one another. John dropped a post and gestured widely, as if telling Arthur to go ahead and do it himself. They laughed together, Sadie snorting and shaking her head. 

“So, you thought about what you’re going to do now?” She’d asked and Charles sighed, watching Arthur as he stood with his hands on his hips glaring his younger brother down. 

He looked good up there, healthy again. It made Charles' chest swell and he half shrugged. 

“John’s offered multiple times for us to stay here. That we could build on the property and keep working here.” 

Sadie nodded, “got the same offer. Starting to think Marston likes having a big family more than he lets on.” She sighed and Charles smiled. 

Seemed to him that the men up the hill finally got over what was wrong and they lifted the post together. It was lovely to see, how these two had healed what was hurting between them. He’d hope so of course it’d been at least 10 years by now. 

“Think he and Abigail will have more kids?” He turned to look at Sadie who smiled wide and nodded. 

“Heard them talking about it, it was honestly really sweet. You’re avoiding my question Mr. Smith.” She teased and stood up then, turning her back to the railing and watching Charles closely. 

Charles sighed, long and heavy and he watched Arthur up the hill again. He smiled fondly, seeing the way Arthur practically glowed now. 

“We’ve talked a little about it, Arthur doesn’t hate the offer but he’s hesitant to stick around. He loves them but he wants John to be his own man. I’m worried John won’t be able to do that if Arthur’s around. I’d...as much as I do like it here, I don’t think this is where I want to live for the rest of my life. If I’m going to build a home with Arthur, I’d rather it be somewhere else.” 

Sadie smiled at him, “listen to you. Building a home with Arthur. You gonna confess to me now that you’re thinking of proposing too?” She teased. 

Charles laughed, flustered and excited at the fact that yes, yes he was thinking of it. It hit him like a strong breeze, startling but not hurtful or scary, the idea of asking Arthur to marry him. They’d talked about marriage before, not necessarily in terms of their future. Just how closer Arthur had come to it, multiple times. Once because he was desperately and stupidly in love and twice because he just wanted to do the right thing. Charles had opened up a little about it, but neither of them touched the subject much aside from that. 

He’d laughed when Sadie said he was bit by the family bug after he’d confessed to her that yes, yes he’d like to marry Arthur some day. Part of it was joy at saying it out loud and because it wasn’t like this was a new development. Was it the first time he’d truly thought about it? Yes, but if he was honest, he’d had the idea probably a year ago. 

Arthur had woken up before him. Most days they would wake up together, barely minutes apart and slowly get out of bed together. But not that morning. Charles had woken up after Arthur and found him working away in the kitchen to make a big breakfast for them both. He’d brought Charles coffee in bed when he noticed the man was awake and he’d kissed him soft and sweet and called him darlin’ and Charles had thought to himself that he could live like this forever. That he could and would live with Arthur forever, if Arthur wanted that too. He didn’t bring it up then because it felt almost unnecessary to bring it up. After everything they’d been through, they were just living together and it didn’t seem like either had any plans or desires to change that. 

He didn’t know why he hadn’t said anything to Arthur, or planned to say anything until now. Maybe it was after seeing the Marston’s get married, the way their faces lit up about it and how ridiculous they were about calling each other husband and wife, the way John smiled when he called her Mrs. Marston. They had been partners in every sense of the word before, the marriage changed very little about their lives in all reality. That didn’t make it any less important to them, it didn’t make it any less special. Whether or not he called Arthur his husband didn’t change their relationship, didn’t change what they had and what they would have in the future. But it didn’t make Charles want it any less. 

It was a week after Sadie had pestered him on the porch and it felt like their time at the Beecher's Hope was ending. Not that the Marston’s made them feel unwelcome, but both Charles and Arthur could feel it was time to move on. Abigail, John, and Jack had started a new chapter of their lives and they needed the chance to do so without anyone else in the way. 

Charles paused in his walk along the perimeter, by the fence post John and Arthur had been bickering trying to fix. He looked down at the property, the hill stretching high up taller than the barn. Abigail and John were sitting on the porch together, John waving himself with his hat to cool off and Abigail chatting away. She had a light about her that Charles wasn’t sure he’d ever really seen before and there was an ease in John’s shoulders, despite all the complaining he did about how sore work made him. Jack and Rufus were chasing each other around the tree to the right of the porch and Charles smiled, leaning against the fence to take it all in. 

“You’re a hard man to find Mr. Smith,” Arthur sighed and Charles perked up, turning to his left and watching Arthur walk up to him. 

He smiled, met by the warmth in Arthur’s own smile. 

Arthur was sweaty from work and he smelled like the barn but Charles put his arm around Arthur’s back and kissed his cheek, Arthur returning the affection and humming a happy sound. 

“Enjoying the view?” Arthur asked, looking out across the property with him. It wasn’t anything extravagant but it was a home they had all built together and the joy that radiated from this place could last forever. 

Charles sighed, “that and collecting my thoughts.” He said and his heart thrummed in his chest faster than before. Was he really doing this? 

“Oh?” Arthur untangled himself from Charles' arm and turned to look over Charles’ face. “Something on your mind darlin’?” Arthur’s voice took a softer tone, concerned and attentive. Charles smiled, sure it looked nervous but he wanted to reassure Arthur anyways. 

“Been on my mind for a while really, I just...haven’t had the words for it.” 

Arthur nodded, and kept watching Charles' face. Charles could tell Arthur was trying to keep it neutral. As if he wasn’t anxious. 

Charles took a big breath then and stepped back so he could fully face Arthur, trying to figure out what words he wanted to use for this, wondering if he should have practiced, really thought out what to say. 

“Life...life has always confused me.” He said and Arthur tilted his head, listening intently as Charles smiled, “I don’t feel I understand it very much, maybe a bit more now than before. People...people confused me too, almost all of them but not you. You make sense to me,” Charles sighed and took Arthur’s hand, Arthur letting him hold it and staring into Charles’ eyes. He’d been worried about what he would say and how it would sound but now that the words were coming, this was going to be easy. He just had to say what he felt and that had become a much easier task in the last few years. 

“What we have together, even in the beginning getting to know one another, it always made sense. You didn’t...confuse me the way others did and for once someone didn’t look at me like I was confusing. You respected me, you listened to me, you welcomed me into your life and you’ve shown me every day how much I mean to you.” Charles lets out a breathless laugh, trying to keep his emotions together the more he spoke. He was overwhelmed with love for Arthur, this beautiful roughened man in front of him right now. Arthur was aging, his beard graying and Charles wanted to see it all turn grey and white, he wanted to experience all the possible future years they could have together. 

There was something like recognition in Arthur’s eyes, like maybe he understood what Charles was doing right now but he stayed quiet, just nodded and squeezed Charles hand. 

“For years, after I was on my own, the idea of love seemed distant to me. I had seen how my parents had loved one another and what that life was like for them but it feels like a world away now, both them and my disbelief that I could have that. Recently, the last few years, with our time together...it seems possible. The idea of living the rest of my life with someone, waking up to them every day and loving them and being loved by them, I can’t stop thinking about it. I, we could still do all of that no matter what I say today and what you say. We can still have this, we already have this. Nothing will really...change for us. But I want this, I would like this more than I’d like anything else in this moment. Arthur,” Charles took both of Arthur’s hands now and he stood so close to him, pressing his forehead to his. He lowered his voice, worried they would be overheard. This was just for them, just for Arthur and him to experience. 

Arthur sniffled and let out a soft laugh, “sorry, ‘m alright you keep going. Keep talking,” Arthur said and wiped his face and Charles smiled, feeling his own eyes water. 

“Arthur Morgan, you make me feel like a fool.” Charles smiled around the words and Arthur laughed wetly with him, “you make me feel like such a fool in the most incredible way. You are everything I could have wanted and more. I love you.” 

Arthur managed to say I love you back as Charles stepped back and dropped slowly to kneel before Arthur, still holding his hands. 

Arthur sniffled again and wiped at his eyes. 

“Christ I didn’t think I was a crier.” Arthur sighed, “gonna blame my poor health.” He dismissed as he took Charles' hands again. 

“Don’t lie to me, I’ve lived with you for how many years?” 

They both broke into a fit of laughter and Arthur’s tears slowed with the distraction. 

Charles sighed and Arthur waved him on. 

“Go on, I believe you were about to, ask me something. If I’m not mistaken.” Arthur asked, hesitant. 

Charles nodded, smiling up at him. 

“Will you marry me?” He stroked Arthur’s hands with his thumbs and he’d barely gotten it out before Arthur was kneeling in front of him and nodding. 

“Yes, yes I will marry you.” 

Charles laughed, in relief and surprise and so much joy that he felt like he could burst. He wrapped his arms around Arthur’s middle and Arthur wrapped around him. 

They hugged, sniffling and whispering I love you’s over and over for a minute. 

“Shit, I should get my ring back from John.” Arthur said and Charles laughed more, burying his face into Arthur’s shoulder. 

“I don’t think it will fit love.” Charles, “plus you really want to take a ring from Abigail?” 

Arthur barked a laugh into Charles’ shoulder before leaning back and cupping his face. 

“You’re right there, be pointless to get engaged and then get myself killed.” 

Charles nodded, agreeing and he leaned in to kiss Arthur. It was gentle and sweet and his heart wouldn’t stop racing. 

When they broke their kiss, Arthur stood and pulled Charles up with him. They kissed for a moment more before Arthur spoke. 

“Charles, you’re the best man I know and you are the best husband I could ask for. I hope I can, be the same for you.” 

Charles nodded and kissed Arthur’s forehead, cupping the back of his head and playing with his hair for a moment. 

“What do you say we go share the news?” Charles asked softly and Arthur nodded, eager to do so and Charles grinned wider. 

Arthur loved him completely and was excited to share that with the world. He sighed, blissful and content as he held his future husband’s hand and followed him to join the rest of their family.