Arthur is young, gorgeous, talented, and captain of one of the best football teams in England; his life should be perfect. But he can't keep a girlfriend for more than a few months, and it's not just because he isn't ready to settle down. When his most recent girlfriend dumps him, he has a rough night at the pub and has to be dragged home by his neighbour, Merlin. Merlin is an archivist, a Ph.D student, and he hates football almost as much as he hates Arthur. They both have their own reasons for not wanting to spend time with each other, but after that disastrous night, remaining silent neighbors doesn't seem like much of an option anymore.
Modern AU.
So, this is the first merthur fic I read, and boy did it cement my love for merthur writers. I think that this fic just tugs on my heartstrings, partly because of nostalgia, partly because of its amazing writing. Quite honestly, I’m probably due for a reread.