the show may be over but you can wrestle the fanfic from my cold, dead, fingers
Destiny Calling by sophieisgod (17k, PG-13)
In which Merlin is guided by a force much greater than luck, Lancelot is excessively chivalrous, and Morgana is a very angry and confused young woman.
This is an Empire Records au! Miraculous!
Drugstore Flowers by lady_ragnell (5k, Not Rated)
Merlin starts to receive lovely gifts (and less-lovely flowers) from a secret admirer.
Laundry Letters by dysonrules (7k, Mature)
There’s no actual summary for this one, but it’s an adorable little college au with cute flirty notes, secret identities, and friends to lovers.
Fools of Us All by adelagia (11k, Explicit)
Merlin accidentally makes everybody in Camelot fall in love with him. Everybody except Arthur, that is.
Because pheromones.
After The Storm by orphan_account (18k, Explicit)
Merlin and Arthur spend one night together, but Arthur skips out on his duties and Camelot becomes overrun by Morgause’s soldiers. They lose the Keep, and are forced to flee. This is the story of how they survive the winter, and try to find each other again in the wreckage of their destiny.
(Slight canonverse!AU--set during S2. Morgana has discovered her powers but not turned evil, and has met Morgause but not joined league with her.)
So much angst!!! Pain!!! Enter at own risk!!!
But It’s a Good Refrain by lady_ragnell (23k, Not Rated)
Arthur doesn't care much about the popular radio program Dragon's Lonely Hearts until his ex-girlfriend calls in to slag him off and get advice. When he calls in and has an on-air argument with the host, it starts off more than he expected, including meddling friends, overinvolved fans, and maybe love.
A Bit Like Love by inadaze22 (24k, Explicit)
True love and soul mates are myths. Arthur's always believed that. Fate, however, has a different opinion on the matter, and Morgana happens to agree. Unfortunately, she's always right about these things.
”wanking” is an actual tag for this fic and it makes me ridiculously happy
Forever Love (The Round Table Remix) by hopenight (24k, R)
This is your typical, run-of-the-mill, totally average reincarnation (immortality included!) story…except it’s not. Arthur is immortal with a time limit hanging over his head. M. Emerson Gray is the latest rebirth without a clue.
Except Emerson does have a clue, eccentricities, and a kickass store. Merlin is trapped in mirrors and remains very sarcastic. Lawrence is totally awesome but gets kidnapped. Galahad is having number-gasms. The knights get plastered and bemoaned the long lost days when they didn’t have to meddle in homoerotic love affairs. And Arthur? Arthur is just socially awkward and adorable.
This is the story of two men falling in love while knowing the truth about the other (even if the other doesn’t know they know). The question is can they do it in the midst of craziness, crossdressing, and colossal insecurities? Well yes, they can. But the ride to the beginning of it all is heaps better than the story of the relationship itself.
Crash Into Me by faeryqueen07 (25k, Explicit)
Uther has been trying to get Arthur to settle down for quite some time, so when he mentions that they will be having dinner with another young woman, Vivian, Arthur decides that enough is enough. He asks Merlin to pose as his boyfriend and awkwardness ensues. But somewhere down the line, fiction becomes fact.
40 Days and 40 Fights by dayari (26k, PG-13)
High school AU. In which Arthur is (a) the best captain that the volleyball team has seen in ages, (b) too handsome for his own good, and also (c) decidedly not gay; although Merlin agrees with the first two, he's willing to bet that (c) is open for discussion.
Crash Into Me by mysecretashes (27k, Explicit)
At the end of their first year of university Arthur decides to take Merlin on a road trip, and holds on to the hope that before it's over they'll be more than just friends. Morgana decides she and Gwen are going to come along, and Merlin and Gwen decide they're both insane. Along the (admittedly short) road to true love there are roller coasters, flat tires, chocolate, sheep, pillow fights, food fights, keychains, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Heartbreak, Secret Friends, and Stupid Doodles by I_know_its_over (33k, PG-13)
Modern uni AU: Merlin has a secret crush on Arthur, who has no idea who he is. When Arthur has a bad break up, Merlin takes it upon himself to cheer him up. Secretly, of course.
From The Ashes by RandomSlasher (42k, Explicit)
When Merlin uses magic to save Arthur’s life, he is condemned to death, and Arthur is too late to save him. But when the grief-stricken prince, along with Morgana and Gwen, journeys to Ealdor to return Merlin’s ashes, a series of strange events leads them to believe the warlock may not be as dead as they thought.
As the summary would imply, there’s a wicked dosing of feelings in this!
(A Change) Would Do You Good by GeekLover (44k, T+)
Arthur is a pampered prince who has reached the point where he is tired of his father making every decision for him, including who to marry. When he is betrothed to the horrible Vivian he manages to convince his father to allow him to set off away from Camelot to "sow his royal oats."
His sister Morgana on the other hand decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to actually find himself another bride.
So along with his best friend and "bodyguard" Gwaine he heads to the small town of Ealdor. He's skeptical about finding true love here. But when he's robbed he meets an unlikely savior that could turn out to be exactly the person he was looking for.
A Beacon In The Dark by crimsonswirls, ZairaA (96k, Explicit)
In a society where people with magic are persecuted, Arthur is a lawyer who takes on a prominent murder case. The suspect is a sorcerer: Merlin, Arthur's former childhood friend, who vanished at sixteen when his magic was discovered. Now, ten years later, Merlin is a prostitute, and Arthur has to solve more than Merlin's secrets to save the man he still loves from execution.
A story about two friends, who after losing their hope, their innocence and their way, finally find each other again.
This is an incredible fic but please, please, make sure to read the warnings and the author’s notes!!! This fic isn’t for everyone and that’s okay!
History Books Forgot About Us by kermit_thefrog (length unknown, PG)
A modern AU. Arthur is the wealthy co-editor of Camelot Publications in London, run by his father. Merlin works at a surgery in Paddington. Worlds collide one rainy day.
Linked to part 7 because the masterlist of the other links is on this page!
The most iconic fics to ever grace the halls of the Merthur fandom. part two
There Are No Gays in Football by Malu_3 (212k) Explicit
Modern!AU: When a deeply-closeted Arthur Pendragon finally earns a spot in Camelot’s first XI, he’s dead set on breaking records, not one of sport’s last taboos. But life, like football, is a funny old game, and sometimes the only way up is out. Especially once he realises he’s arse over tit for the new physio.
A queer Arthurian tale of courage, love, and football.
The Student Prince by FayJay (145k) M
A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship, and true love…
Comment: Swear to god, *places hand on heart* I have nothing but good things to say. This would have to be my favourite fic of all time jesusfuckingchristonapogosick
A Binding Contract by eldee (99k) NC-17
Modern!AU: In a society where people with magic are considered to be dangerous, are labelled as freaks, and have their powers cut off from them, Merlin does whatever he can to survive the hard life he’s faced with. When he’s in desperate need of money, Merlin’s landlord Aredian arranges and offers a magically binding contract in which Merlin is to become a ‘companion’ to Uther Pendragon’s son, Arthur. And when Merlin feels compelled to accept it, he never would have imagined that one man could change his life so completely.
The Meat Feast by intobedlam (60k) NC-17
Modern AU: Looking to alleviate some pent-up sexual tension, Merlin turns to the internet and discovers the pornographic exploits of Excalibur, an arrogant, bothersome exhibitionist. When Excalibur stops putting videos up, Merlin sends him a private message requesting a little 1:1 action over Skype.
Drastically Redefining Protocol by rageprufrock (46k) Explicit
Modern AU: In which Prince Arthur meets Merlin and all hell promptly breaks loose.
Champagne From a Paper Cup (Is Never Quite the Same) by anna-zee (38k) NC-17
Modern AU: Arthur is a professional footballer on the verge of making history. Merlin is a medical student with special powers who’s just been hired to work for Arthur’s club.
Keep Calm and Carry On by tongueincheeky (30k) R
Modern AU: How Arthur Pendragon, Director of Communications for Prime Minister Gaius, and his assistant, Merlin Emrys, fell in love - a story in goldfish, cats, webcomics, cups of tea, and sharpies.
World Enough And Time by neathsunnyskies (19k) NC-17
Arthur had had it all figured out. And then Merlin shot him in Beijing.
Comment: Also known among the fandom as fucking Beijing.
Castle (The Rules by Which We Live) by kick-flaw (16k) NC-17
Modern AU: Merlin knows that getting off fastest when he’s got some BDSM porno playing lound on the computer doesn’t mean he’d really like to be that bloke, gagged and bent over and bound. Right?
The Good Times Are Killing Me by Minor_Hue (15k) NC-17
Modern AU: In which the boys pretend to still be together for Christmas (and there is more than one kind of charade)
Comment: Angst everywhere. BE WARNED.
Coffeeshop Muffins by skellerbvvt (15k) M
Modern AU: Wherein Arthur And Merlin Are Dating, Save For The Part Where They Aren’t.
Pianos Are Made For Falling by fishwrites (10k) M
*Warning: Prepare some tissues before you read this one oh god
Modern AU: Arthur is a world class violinist, trapped in Sydney, Australia, by his fear of flying. In the wake of a mediocre concert, vicious critics and with barely a month to go before his next (hopefully reputation-saving) recital, Arthur is almost at breaking point. When his accompanist, Morgana, breaks her wrist in a car accident, Arthur is more or less doomed. And the story begins, when the Maestro at the conservatoire, Gaius Stresemann, recommends his protege Merlin Emrys to step in. Merlin, who plays by ear, as he pleases and really just wants to be a kindergarten teacher.
