Headcannon - When Arthur was a kid he used to sneak into Uther’s room to steal shirts and wear them as nightwear.
He thought that a piece of clothing he wore to sleep, that smelled slightly like his father, is what a hug from Uther would feel like.
He never really found out if that was true because he had never experienced a real hug from the King.
Maybe, when he’s older and Arthur and Merlin are friends, but have obliviously feelings for each other, he steals Merlin’s neckerchief somehow. He doesn’t think or know to ask Merlin for a hug because he subconsciously thinks he’ll be rejected instantly.
So instead, he steals Merlin’s neckerchief and hides it under his pillow until night and while he’s sleeping he kind of just holds close it next to him.
Merlin: C'mon, Gwaine! Nobody thinks Arthur and I are courting!
Gwaine, turning to the other knights: Put your hand up if you thought Merlin and Arthur were courting.
everyone puts their hand up
Merlin:
Merlin: Arthur why are you raising your hand?
Arthur: There's no way he likes me back.
Leon: Merlin would throw himself in front of a moving car for you.
Arthur: Merlin would throw himself in front of a moving car for fun.
Arthur: Okay, so you're my servant now. It's not really that important of a position, just like, idk, make sure you bring me my breakfast on time
Merlin: I would die for you, I would kill for you, I'd give up my humanity and become a living weapon for you, I would sit by your grave for over a millennium, awaiting your return-
Arthur: but would you bring me breakfast on time?
Merlin: Well that's asking a bit much, don't you think?
AU where Arthur finds out about the prophecy and pieces together that "his closest ally Emrys" must be Merlin because who else would it be, but incorrectly assumes that Merlin doesn't know and therefore has never practiced magic before.
Even better if he finds out early season 1 so He's just so devastated the entire time and he's just like "I can't believe this, this prophecy is going to turn my best friend into a sorcerer, and it's all my fault for being the once and future king" and Merlin's in the back just murdering a sidhe
I adore it when Merlin goes away for a few days in a fanfic and all hell breaks loose
Arthur is grumpy because he misses Merlin and he hates it when anyone other than Merlin dress him. His hair is a mess and his clothes are crumpled, he’s missing one shoe but no one wants to tell him
The knights are walking in eggshells around him. Leons hair is going grey, and Lancelot is seen drinking wine during the council meetings
Gwaine is missing presumed dead
The kitchen is in a disarray, the usual schedules and menus are not being updated now that Merlin is gone
Bills have not been paid and new orders are not coming in. The merchants and fishermen are pissed. No one realises how much Merlin is actually on top of and how many people he has in his network
The Head Steward is scrambling to keep up with all the work Merlin seemingly did in his spare time. Some servants are wandering aimlessly with no tasks provided, while others are busy trying to finish up all the chores Merlin does in his sleep
Somehow the Kingdom is still standing (but just barely)
George is crying into the laundry (they ran out of soap two days ago because no one was instructed to make more) Merlin was always on top of these small things that most people overlooked — but now that he was gone, everything crumbled
Gwen could probably fix most of these issues, but has instead decided to go on strike on principle
There have been seven failed assassination attempts on the King. The Royal Spymaster is fired once Leon realised that Merlin is the unofficial spymaster
When The Royal Library and Mapmakers Guild requested a substitute scribe for the few days Merlin was away, everyone looked confused. For how long has Merlin helped them out too? Elyan volunteered, if only to get out of training
Mordred considers moving back in with the Druids and leave Camelot (this is not what he signed up for)
The council is in hiding for fear of further angering the King — one Lord mentioned Merlin by name and Arthur threatened to banish him, and since then no one has dared to speak his name again
Gaius officially retires and moves into a cottage
Merlin returns three days later like “what happened?!”
My absolute favourite trope in Merlin fanfic is when they all find out about Merlin’s magic and Arthur is brooding or feigning annoyance but truly doesn’t care, Elyan and Gwaine are asking so many questions because they’re so intrigued and need to know absolutely everything and somehow aren’t surprised in the slightest, Leon is weary but slowly indulges in the conversation, eyeing Arthur every so often because he’s nervous to display such behaviours about magic in front of his King but he still knows Arthur would never touch Merlin even if he was afraid and Percival is just so confused because he thought everyone already knew and just refused to speak about it
Merlin: It’s not that big of a deal. we don’t have to speak about it.
Elyan: Oh, no we absolutely do!
Gwaine: Yeah, c’mon Merlin, show us something cool, like money falling from the sky, or a pint in my hand, right now, come on.
Elyan: Can you really do that?
Merlin: *Sarcastically* If it’ll get Gwaine to shut up.
Arthur: Oh, so you can pour Gwaine a pint in the middle of the woods but you can’t clean my chambers?
It goes silent for a few moments, Merlin wonders if now is the right time for a joke but Arthur’s brow is furrowed and through the light of the fire he can see the firm press of lips on his face, he decides now is not the time. Gwaine rolls his eyes from across the flame before them.
Gwaine: He’s just saved all our arses, can you be grateful for two minutes?
Leon: Gwaine-
Merlin: He has every right to be upset-
Arthur: Do not address me as if i’m not even here, you owe me that at least.
There’s a tense silence as Merlin’s hand stills where it pokes at the fire with a stick, Leon eyes the King cautiously and Percival fiddles, wide eyed, with the frayed edges of his tunic. Merlin sighs and focuses again on the fire, it’s the only heat he can find.
Gwaine: What kind of things can you do?
Merlin is hesitant to answer but Elyan looks at him expectantly and even Leon has turned his attention to him now, seemingly awaiting either an answer from the servant or an order from his King.
Merlin: I- I can do small things like move stuff around, tell a broom to sweep or a rag to clean.
He thinks that’s enough but by the excited look in Gwaine and Elyan’s eyes it isn’t.
Merlin: I can light fires, fell trees, sense a nearby threat, anything… really.
Gwaine: That’s so cool
Arthur: So you could’ve been useful this entire time and you chose not to be.
There’s another lull as Arthur picks apart leaves and tosses them into the fire but as Leon speaks up even Arthur turns his gaze.
Leon: How long have you been able to do all this?
It’s hardly an innocent question but Leon’s tone is honest and Merlin cannot feel cornered by his words.
Merlin: Since birth.
Arthur: Lies.
Elyan: Is that possible?
Gwaine: What?
Leon: Is that all you can do? Move things? Will them to your command?
Now that question is loaded even if Leon means no ill will. Merlin swallows, he nods.
Merlin: Yes
Leon: What else can you command?
Merlin: The seas
Arthur: A mermaid are you, now?
Merlin: The trees and the ground.
Arthur: A nymph perhaps?
Merlin: The skies
Arthur: Now you’re just being absurd-
Merlin: Lighting.
Merlin cuts in quickly. He was never proud of it, bringing the bolt down so harshly and eradicating the sorceress to nothing but a pile of smouldering ash but Arthur will find out one way or another. Banishment or pyre he will make sure Arthur hears of his crimes before he goes.
Merlin: Nimue. I killed her. A bolt straight through her body. There was nothing left.
The group maintains their silence for a few moments and Arthur finally turns to look at Merlin for the first time since they’d stopped to make camp
Arthur: Prove it.
Merlin: Sire-
Arthur: Don’t call me that and prove it.
Merlin: Why? Hoping i’ll mess it all up and strike myself down? Save you the trouble of building the pyre?
Arthur: If I wanted you dead you wouldn’t be speaking so stop moping, get off your arse and prove. It.
Merlin doesn’t need to get up because the second Arthur stops talking Merlin’s eyes are sparking gold and the sky erupts in a violent flash of colour. tendrils of brilliant white crack the darkness apart, coating the forest in a momentary burst of day before the light fades and in its wake leaves behind the fading outline of the Pendragon crest in the forks of dying white.
The group remains still, staring upwards at the now pitch black sky before Elyan is laughing out loud and Gwaine is excitedly smacking Leon beside him.
Gwaine: Oh my god, we could do so much. We could strike Lord Harold down and he wouldn’t even know what hit him-
Arthur: shut up, Gwaine
Arthur is still staring at the sky and Leon speaks from beside him.
Leon: Forgive me for asking, ignore me next time
The Knight is almost blushing in his place and Merlin manages a small huff of laughter at that before he resumes poking at the fire but his moment of silence is inturpeted
Arthur: Sir Percival, you’ve been unusually quiet. Please, what are your opinions on all of this.
Arthur seems pissed off, but not in an angry way, more of an i’ve been outvoted and i’m not happy about it way. Percival shrugs, picking away at the skin of nails like he has no idea what this conversation could possibly be about.
Arthur: Percival?
Percy: Mhh hmm.
Arthur raises an eyebrow. Percival stares back at him.
Percy: Yes, Sire?
Arthur: Don’t play dumb with me.
Percy: I don’t know what you mean, sire.
There’s a moment , a beat, barely a second.
Gwaine: You knew?!?!!!?!???!?
Elyan: You sly bastard!
Leon: oh lord-
Percy: I didn’t, I swear-
Arthur: Percival-
Merlin: How-
Percy: I THOUGHT WE ALL KNEW-
Gwaine: WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT-
Elyan: HOW WOULD WE HAVE KNOWN-
Leon: Kill me.
Percy: IT WAS SO OBVIOUS-
Merlin: HANG ON-
GWAINE: WHY WOULD’NT YOU TELL ME?
Elyan: Gwen’s going to be so pissed off she missed this
Gwaine: I THOUGHT WE WE’RE FRIENDS-
Merlin: HOW WAS IT OBVIOUS-
Percy: WE ARE, I JUST THOUGHT WE WEREN’T ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT
Leon: please lord,
ELYAN: WHY WOULD’NT WE BE ALLOWED TO- Oh, no, wait, yeah got it, continue.
Percy: I THOUGHT YOU WERE ALL AWARE AND JUST NEVER MENTIONED IT CAUSE IT WAS SUCH A CASUAL THING THATS WHY I WOULD ALWAYS GIVE YOU A CLAP ON THE BACK AFTER AN AMBUSH OR-
Merlin: I THOUGH IT WAS CAUSE I DIDN’T DIE
Leon: Finish me off
Percy: YEAH, CAUSE YOU SAVED US. WITH MAGIC
Leon: I beg of you
ELyan: Holy shit-
Gwaine: Have we really been that blind?
Percival shrugs and Merlin still looks at him like he’s just betrayed his entire blood line.
Leon: Please, it would be the kind thing to do
Elyan: What?
Leon: What?
Gwaine: Did you tell him?
Merlin: Why would i tell him?
Percy: ouch.
Arthur: Percival.
Everyone pauses, Leon stops praying to a deity he does not believe in and Merlin stops looking so offended but Gwaine and Elyan still hold that child like wonder in their eyes.
Arthur: I’m not entirely sure what to threaten you with right now but I will think of something and trust me you’re going to wish you were never born.
Gwaine: Fair do’s, that
Percy: So Merlin gets away scot free but not me?
Merlin: OI-
Arthur: Oh, i’m not even started with you.
Gwaine: Oh, c’mon princess, don’t act like you didn’t have even the slightest hunch.
Arthur’s head spins at a pace that’s frankly alarming to look over at Gwaine. He narrow his eyes like he was lining up his next arrow for loosening. There’s another beat before Gwaine’s eyes widen
Gwaine: OH MY GOD YOU DID-
Then Arthur is launching forward, over the fire and it takes the four others an hour to get Arthur to release the impossible grip he has on Gwaine’s hair and another two to get Gwaine to apologise for the black eye now blooming on the King’s face.
BAKUGO KATSUKI IS A YEARNER‼️‼️‼️
All credits to the artist!! I don’t have their @ because I found the comic on myreadingmanga, but if someone knows it PUHLEASE let me know!!
Gaius: A teacher can learn many things from their student.
Arthur: So, what did you learn from Merlin?
Gaius: Why some species eat their young.