I have an idea for a Merlin fic but life is chaos so I cannot write it:
So for whatever reason Arthur is away (probably visiting some Lord or Nobel House) and Merlin stays behind (who knows why).
Uthers manservant is ill so he requests Merlin (after all he’s the crown prince’s manservant he should be good enough for the king).
Merlin is now stuck as Uthers servant for a week and I really want to see Merlin try to wake the King up with “rise and shine!! :D”
He talks too much and is entirely too familiar with the King, taking liberties and speaking out of turn, mentioning Arthur by name and not title, is always late with lunch but somehow…
Uther finds him fascinating. He knows Merlin is completely loyal to Arthur (he said so himself in the show). He understands Merlin hears castle gossip like most staff, but he is actually able to understand the significance behind the rumours. Merlin is also trusted by the knights and has insight into the lords and ladies of the court. He sees things, he hears things. Uther can use this
As a physician in training, he is able to treat Uthers old knee injury, and he is clearly learned. He can read and write better than some of the noblemen he’s met. One day Uther enters his chambers and finds Merlin bent over the desk looking over the grain reports “did you notice Lord Chester had been underreporting his grain storage for three years and is selling it under the table to a foreign king?”
Merlin is a terrible manservant…but Uthers clothing had never been cleaner, his armour so polished, his bathwater so hot and his notes so organised. Merlin is continuously late and covered in mud or moss, but somehow Uther finds he doesn’t mind as long as Merlin keeps feeding him important castle gossip.
Arthur gets Merlin back at the end of the week, and Merlin can finally breathe (he’s been a nervous wreck for the last seven days). Uthers servant recovers and the King has a functional servant again as is befitting his station.
But Uther is now willing to overlook some of Merlin’s …ridiculousness and familiarity with Arthur…after all, he’s realised Merlin does have some uses, even though he’s always late with breakfast.
Scenes like this:
“You’re the clumsiest excuse for a servant I’ve ever met!”
“Yes, Arthur says I have the elegance of a newborn lamb”
“Why is there a twig in your hair? It’s unbefitting of your station as servant of the King”
“I fell asleep in a ditch, anyways have you heard Lady Carteret has been seen buying hemlock at the apothecary? I’m sure Lord Carteret is soon to be missing, poor sod”
“Can you never bring me my breakfast on time?!”
“Sorry Sire, the poison tester died this morning after drinking your tea, so I had to brew it myself, and we’re in need of a new poison tester. And in totally unrelated news Lord Milder was seen fleeing the castle”
“Rise and shine!! The sun is up and you should be too!”
“Is this really how you wake your King? And where the hell is my breakfast!”
“Well Arthur usually throws a pillow at me even though it’s my job to wake him in the morning - that lazy arse!”
King Arthur of heart eyes
Also king of Camelot or something
oh, to fly with you again
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.
So Merlin is Immortal, he can't stay dead, but he does get killed throughout the show in his bid to protect Arthur.
Here's my AU idea:
Every time Merlin dies, a piece of his memories dies with him.
This doesn't affect him much, as he doesn't die often in the beginning, but as time goes on and he gets more desperate to protect Arthur, he becomes more reckless, not realising his lucky escapes after being knocked out was due to him being dead and the perpetrators leaving his corpse.
After all, dead men tell no tales, usually.
With each death, he loses a memory and he wouldn't have noticed, but Arthur does.
Arthur would mention at one point or another about this or that and Merlin wouldn't be able to recall it.
It at first annoys him and makes him point out about Merlin's low intelligence. But as time goes on, he gets concerned when Merlin can't remember certain people or events.
He brings up the time Merlin cried for the Dragonlord.
Merlin: Who?
Arthur: The last Dragonlord? Balinor? You cried over him when he died protecting you?
Merlin: Huh... I don't remember him, but if he did save my life, then I'm grateful, but why did I cry? Did I know him well?
Arthur: ... No, but you helped to convince him to help Camelot. He was a good man in the end.
Merlin: I see. Well, it's strange how I don't remember that.
Arthur: *Concerned*
It happens occasionally as time goes on and Arthur starts to consult Gaius about Merlin's memories.
Then I can see Merlin being outed as a sorcerer to Uther when Arthur is gone on some diplomatic mission. Uther wouldn't think twice before sentencing Merlin to death. Only he won't die.
He dies and dies in many different ways. Uther desperate to get rid of Merlin who he sees as the embodiment of his fears (if only he knew 😅).
Merlins deaths happen so many times, that by the time Arthur returns 2 weeks later, and storms the dungeons angry and confused, he was met with a sight he'll never forget.
Arthur: Merlin! *Rushes to the jail bars and demands answers to his questions*
Merlin: *Stares blankly*
Arthur: 😠 Merlin! Answer me!
Merlin: Do I know you?
It hits him harder than any fist or magic ever could.
And that's all I've got. Tell me what you think, what happens next?
Till next time fellow dreamers~! ✨
thanks to @pineapplecrispy for the suggestion + italian bonus, Owen WIlson bonus and historically inaccurated emo boys bonus
Other request (dm/comments)
SPOILERS!!! (for both MHA and Alice in Borderland)
I’m not one for crossovers BUT i desperately wanna write a oneshot where BKDK dies how Heiya (Akane) and Aguni do in Alice in Borderland. Except in a romantic way instead of it being a friendship.
Heiya, a teenage girl who was a complete bitch and acknowledged it and DIDN’T change.
Katsuki, a teenage boy who was a complete bitch and acknowledged it and DIDN’T change (until later on obviously).
She got thrown into Borderland and had to survive hell physically.
He was suffering with a quiet inferiority complex - surviving hell mentally.
She knew she was a bad person and thought she was paying for her mistakes in boiling death.
Katsuki believed he was a bad person in UA, in my opinion. He knew he’d never be as good as Izuku and would never be able to catch up. His admiration turned into jealousy and rage in middle school. I think him throwing himself into Izuku so Shigaraki would stab him instead was him attempting to start atoning for his mistakes and for bullying Izuku and starting to show he does care for him, yet even after he still didn’t believe he was worthy of Izuku’s forgiveness because of his overgrown inferiority complex. He also blamed himself for All Might’s death because he was insecure.
Heiya lost her leg, barely escaping death.
Katsuki sacrificed himself twice to prove himself, still thinking he wasn’t good enough after.
Her leg became infected and needed medical attention - a doctor promised her it in exchange for her body. She didn’t want to die and accepted.
This one is not a comparison to Heiya getting raped. It is a comparison to needing medical attention and im making that clear now. They were ‘in dire need’ of Katsuki’s firepower on the battlefield, Best Jeanist had said. Upon seeing Katsuki crying on the battle field, injured, Best Jeanist came up to him and told him “let me stitch you up” and “we can handle the rest ourselves”. Katsuki ignored it and was muttering Shigaraki’s patterns/ how to attack even while injured. Best Jeanist was shocked at how he was still fighting. Before Katsuki attacked he said, “use your first aid on the others” as if it would BE WASTED ON HIM and attacked shigaraki while bleeding out. 💔💔💔💔
Just like Heiya, he did what he had to do to achieve what he wanted. Their resilience is unmatchable.
Heiya had been shot all along her spine and in multiple other places. Yet she still, in the end, dragged herself to be by Aguni’s side. I think it really portrayed their amazing bond. In the similar way when Katsuki sacrificed himself, his final thoughts and memories were of Izuku and wanting to catch up to him.
Heiya bringing herself to Aguni when she, in reality, should have been dead, showed her extreme will to live. And despite the fact that Katsuki sacrificed himself to save people and win, him saying that he’d “break” himself shows his ambition and perseverance in the same manner i think.
Heiya and Aguni worked together (with the others obviously) to stop the King of Spades and alone in the forest in the same way Katsuki and Izuku work together (with the rest of the heroes obviously) to stop Shigaraki and AFO. Katsuki and Izuku also have a good fighting dynamic (e.g. the Heroes Rising Movie AND SO MUCH MORE.) and so do Aguni and Heiya (they survived the woods together).
I only have one kind of parallel for Izuku and Aguni as they are very different.
Aguni cared so much about his best friend he executed hundreds of people. He hated how corrupted the beach made Takeru (The Hatter) and blamed everyone there; it was wrong to kill all those people yet he did it anyway. He felt guilty for it, of course, but he still operated it.
IMO, Izuku is feral over Katsuki. He saw Katsuki’s dead body and blackwhip basically started choking himself from how much emotion he was feeling. He lost control when he saw Katsuki hurt in the same way Aguni lost his sense of self when he was pushed to/ felt guilt for killing Takeru. I feel like Izuku would definitely kill for Katsuki; going against his own morals. I don’t believe anything would’ve pushed Aguni to murder someone if it wasn’t for the fact it changed or hurt someone he loved, he was a caring person on the inside. This one isn’t talking about how Aguni and Heiya’s friendship but it’s a good comparison between Izuku and Aguni. Even with their opposite personalities.
There are definitely more severe differences than similarities. A lot of the parallels i made were definitely a reach but honestly idc i just think it’d be good angst and would probably write it even if Heiya and Aguni had killed each other (which they wouldn’t but still - it’s a really good death scene is my point).
Anyway a lot of these parallels are really lame, make no sense, probably shouldn’t have been made because one definitely outweighs the other. but idc but it’s fun!!!
Merlin & Arthur being adorable as always - 2.04 "Lancelot and Guinevere"
MERLIN REWATCH ✦ 1.02 Valiant
hyperfixation please stay with me long enough to complete the project. hyperfixation do not fade. hyperfixation finish what you started for the love of god