Rageynerd's 12 Days of Tropemas Submissions
Day 1: coffee shop au
The Perfect Blend 1.5k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Setting, Barista!Merlin, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Dirty Jokes, Fluff, First Meetings, Getting Together, Christmas Fluff Whether it was fate or the smell of roasting coffee beans, something lures Arthur Pendragon into the Sorcerer's Keep café one morning before work. This is where he meets Merlin, a cheeky, bloody gorgeous barista. Every time Merlin is his barista, Arthur ends up leaving with a delicious coffee and a bad pickup line on his cup. And he just can't seem to stop coming back.
Day 2: hurt/comfort
More Than a Crown 1.8k, G, Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era/Divergence, Jealousy, Prince Arthur, Hurt/Comfort, Season 1 Arthur tries to warn Merlin about that nasty rake of a prince relentlessly flirting with him, but unfortunately it comes out all wrong, and they end up having a spectacular row about it. When they finally speak to each other again, they attempt to rectify some misunderstandings.
Day 3: office au
your lips on my lips (that's a merry merry christmas) 2.3k, T, Modern Setting, Office AU, Christmas Party, Office Party, Enemies to Lovers, Getting Together, First Kiss Shenanigans at the holiday office party lead to Merlin and Arthur standing under mistletoe with a crowd of their coworkers cheering them on -- which wouldn't be so bad, of course, nothing wrong with a little fun at Christmas. Except for the very irritating fact that Merlin does not like Arthur, and Arthur certainly does not like Merlin.
Day 4: mutual pining
impossible to resist 1.2k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Setting, Roommates/Housemates AU, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Christmas Cookies, Fluff Merlin decides that a fun thing to do with his best friend would be to bake Christmas cookies together, because cookies are delicious and it also happens to be the three-year anniversary of Merlin and Arthur becoming flatmates. Arthur initially resists, but unfortunately he can never say no to Merlin and actually mean it, so he agrees. It's all fun and games until Merlin ends up with some dough on his face and Arthur-- in a stroke of idiocy and brash affection-- eats it straight off his nose.
Day 5: roommate au
in the middle of the night, we can form this dream 1.7k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Setting, Roommates/Housemates AU, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Implied Getting Together Merlin's plans tonight consisted of pretending to do work, watching crap telly, and missing Arthur, but when Arthur stumbles home to their apartment drunk off his ass, mistaking his room for Merlin's, his plans are a bit foiled.
Day 6: soulmate au
Tell me all the things that make you feel at ease 1.5k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era/Divergence, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Canon First Meeting (With a Twist) When you meet your soulmate, you'll know it as soon as they say your name. You're branded. For life. Merlin had always pictured meeting his soulmate as being the happiest moment of his life. He certainly did not expect to be wishing with everything in him that it wasn't this arrogant bully. When his stupid heroic instincts end up saving Arthur's life, Uther appoints Merlin to be his personal servant-- and Merlin resolves that Arthur can never know about the way their souls and destiny have bound together. He would die first.
Day 7: magic reveal
Tipping Point 3.4k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era/Divergence, Season 5, BAMF!Merlin, Protective Merlin, King Arthur, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Attempt at Humor, Minor Injury, Mentions of Torture (Flaying), Canon-Typical Violence, Light Angst, Getting Together, Ultimately a Crack Post When Merlin, Arthur, and the knights get captured by the Highway Hitman, a criminal they were meant to apprehend and bring back to Camelot, it becomes very clear that he wants something nobody is willing to give. In the struggle that follows, Merlin's secret is revealed. or, Arthur nearly gets tortured, and Merlin loses his shit.
Day 8: huddling for warmth
It's always darkest before the dawn 4.4k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era/Divergence, Episode s04e01-02: The Darkest Hour, Episode Rewrite, Huddling for Warmth, Pining!Arthur, Protective!Arthur, Getting Together When Merlin is attacked by the Dorocha, saving Arthur's life in the process, Arthur refuses to let him die. He's freezing to death, and they can't make it to Gaius in time, so he takes some advice Gaius gave him long ago. He strips.
Day 9: modern au
Where the Love Light Gleams 1.3k, G, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Setting, Home for Christmas, Meeting the Parents, Dorks in Love, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Christmas Fluff Merlin is home for the holidays, and he's brought Arthur, who is rather nervous to be meeting Hunith for the first time.
Day 10: canon au
skinny love 1.3k, G, Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era/Divergence, Prince Arthur, Oblivious Merlin Arthur asks Merlin to be his taste-tester of his Yule dinner-- because it could be poisoned, of course. He should have some mead, too, and rest his feet. It takes Merlin way longer than it should to realize that they're practically on a date.
Day 11: accidental/fake dating
in your eyes there's no lies, no lies (with no way out and a long way down) 3k, M, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Angst With a Happy Ending, Jealous!Arthur, Possessive Sex (eventually), Slow Burn, Friends With Benefits, Oblivious Merlin When Gwen and Morgana both try to set Merlin and Arthur up with people they secretly hate, they hatch a plan to show up to the holiday party together so everyone thinks they're an item. What seems at first to be the perfect plan slowly goes haywire as Merlin's feelings he's been running from all this time come rushing to the surface, and Arthur discovers things about himself, Merlin, and their relationship he'd never allowed himself to think.
Day 12: enemies to lovers
i hate you, i love you, i hate that i want you 1k, T, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Setting, Enemies to Lovers, Rivals for Coveted Parking, Tired!Merlin, Asshole!Arthur, Sexual Tension Merlin has just about had it with the guy stealing his parking spot every fucking day he comes home from work. Honestly, if he wants covered parking, he can feel free to buy it. But Merlin is not giving up his space so easily-- he writes a strongly worded letter, planning to leave it under the tosser's windshield wiper and call it a day, except when he gets there... the owner has not left his car, and Merlin hates his life because good lord he is hot.
And that's a wrap! Thanks @merlin-fic-server for hosting this super fun event <3 Happy holidays!