These Are The Tiny Moments I Love. It’s The Way Arthur’s Eyes Don’t Leave Merlin After He Looks

i think one of the mutually agreed upon pieces of fanon that’s my favorite is when Merlin is pissed off at Arthur, he does his job Perfectly. and Arthur Hates it.

The way Arthur says: “You can’t address me like that!” to Merlin in the pilot. The suppressed laughter, the delighted surprise at his audacity, the hint of fondness already there.

You can tell that apart from the possible exception of Morgana, no one has spoken to him so freely in his life. 

Bradley James!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

WAIT THE THIRD CLIP??? WHERE HES MANHANDLING HIM INTO AN ALCOVE?? LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE SNEAKING OFF TO DESPERATELY MAKE OUT WITH EACH OTHER

They’re boyfriends here. My edit. I make the rules. They’re dating.

fanfics are one of the best things that humanity has come up with. i fucking love reading stories about my favorite characters from people who have the same brainrot as me

i saw this and couldnt help myself

and then Arthur decides to teach him, and Merlin just goes along with it (because Arthur is being so patient and gentle, and finding every excuse to hold Merlin’s hand, and Merlin doesn’t want to tell him. because honestly these tutoring sessions are the highlight of his day. and seeing Arthur patiently explaining things is hot)

Merlin, who can, in fact, read: I can't read

pov you're some noble attending a royal gathering or whatever in camelot and you're all excited to meet the prince and then you get there and he's just hanging out with his twink of a manservant the whole night

Arthur repeals the magic ban! Yay! Druids, Catha, and all others come to Camelot to live peacefully under the reign of the Once And Future King! Yay! The Golden Age is starting! Yay! Merlin still hasn’t told Arthur about magic! …He’s just waiting for the right time. Things have just happened so fast and he just doesn’t know how to bring it all up.

Well, as Arthur and the rest of Camelot get more comfortable with magic, Arthur makes a decision. He’s tried teaching Merlin every type of weapon out there, and he’s hopeless with every one of them. But, Merlin still insists on coming with him on dangerous quests. So, Arthur decides to have Merlin try his hand at magic so he has some sort of self defense.

Merlin: ...You want me to what?

Arthur: I know! I know, Merlin! Magic can be dangerous! But I found a wonderful teacher for you. Say hello, Wallace.

Wallace: Hello

Arthur: He's perfectly trustworthy! And, it'll all be perfectly safe!

Merlin: Arthur, there's something you need to know. About me and magic--

Arthur: I know what you're going to say, Merlin, and--

Merlin: I really don't think you know--

Arthur: --please, for me, just try this. I know you don't really like magic. But please, Merlin. And, you know, even if you're crap at it--which you likely are like everything else--you could probably at least get your eyes to do the gold thing. That'll probably scare off some people from hurting you. Like a rattle snake.

Merlin: Arthur, really, you need to listen to me--

Arthur: I'll even do it with you!

Merlin: Arthur, really...Wait what?

Arthur: I'll do it with you! To show you how not dangerous it is! You have no reason to be scared of learning it, Merlin. It'll be easy.

Merlin: ...You're going to try to learn magic?

Arthur: Yes. How hard could it be. You're going to learn it.

Merlin, crossing his arms: Okay, then. I'd like to see this. Let's see you do magic, Once And Future Prat, Mr. Magic King

Arthur, smug at getting Merlin to agree: Good. Our first lesson starts now.

They both look to Wallace. Arthur happy, Merlin raising a judgmental eyebrow. Wallace starts with the history of magic and the theories behind using it. They don't get to the actually magic using part of the lesson day. Wallace does give them both some texts to study.

Their next lesson does get to the magic part.

Wallace: You want to really feel into the magic of the world around you. Feel the earth. Feel the connection you have to that earth. Feel the power that runs through it.

Merlin's enjoying it, letting the magic wash over him, and also peeking at Arthur who seems to be struggling with it. When asked, Merlin says he doesn't feel anything either. He wants to keep watching Arthur struggle.

Their next lesson, Wallace tries to teach them some basic spells. Lighting a candle. Moving a small object. Merlin laughs at all of Arthur's attempts.

Arthur: Well let's see you do better, Merlin!

Merlin just keeps laughing.

Their lessons keep getting interrupted by this or that. Merlin also has a very busy job. One would think that he'd have less work now that magic was legalized, but no. Now he just has more magic beasts roaming the lands, and people freaking out and attacking those magic beasts, leading to fights and stuff. He's always having to slip away to resolve the matter. He has gotten very good at calming dangerous magic beasts and relocating them. But, relocating takes longer than just killing, so he's still just as busy and gone just as much as he was when dealing with vengeful sorcerers.

Every single start of magic lesson:

Wallace: Did you do the homework I assigned?

Arthur, proud: Yes, I did. I did all the reading, but I did have some trouble with the spellwork.

Merlin, who was up all night settling a griffin family into a new nest on a tall mountain: Uh. No. Didn't have time.

Arthur: Merlin, this is your lesson!

Eventually, Merlin has his fill of watching Arthur struggling with magic, and decides that this time is better spent doing other things. So, during one of the lesson, when Wallace tells them to make the flower bloom, without looking up from the report he's going over, he waves his hand and his pot explodes with the force of plants that grow out of it instantly.

Wallace: ...

Arthur: ...

Merlin (talking about gay marriage): “it’s legal now”

Arthur (thinking he means sorcery)

*cue a bunch of hilarious miscommunications*

do you guys think merlin and arthur knows its legal now

I did in fact start drafting a full fic for this… (but I am SLOW, so I make no promises)

but anyway, one scene that’s going around in my brain:

[All the contestants on the plane going to the Farmer’s Dinner or smth idk]

“Erm, why is Merlin on the plane with us?”

“He’s my plus one.”

“Arthur, this is literally a dating show.”

ok i have a dumb Merthur fic idea: Farmer Wants a Wife AU

hear me out:

Arthur is a rich bachelor who owns a farm

Merlin is his farm hand who lives in the local town

He’s been working for Arthur for 3 years- they got off on the wrong foot by insulting each other but since then have become close friends (not that either of them would admit it)

Morgana secretly signs Arthur up to the TV show Farmer Wants a Wife

Arthur has to host 4 beautiful women on his farm and take them on dates (and everything is being filmed)

Arthur starts to realise he misses Merlin- that he would rather be mucking out the stables with him, than on a boring picnic date

Maybe he kisses one of the women and realises he’s not attracted to her and he’s like Oh Shit: Sexuality Crisis

Of course some fun banter between Merlin and Arthur around the farm when they’ve stopped filming for the day- Merlin teases Arthur about the whole Wife thing

Maybe one of the women is Gwen and she Notices how much Arthur talks about Merlin, and she Notices how awful it was when Arthur kissed her, and she puts the pieces together

Maybe Arthur and Gwen become close as friends, and at some point he confides in her (off camera) and she’s like “I know.”

MAYBE ALL THE GIRLS HAVE INDEPENDENTLY FIGURED IT OUT- and they compare notes “yeah, he was SUCH a bad kisser” “definitely gay for his farm hand” AND THEY WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO GET ARTHUR AND MERLIN TOGETHER

Arthur doesn’t know what’s going on, but the girls keep calling in “sick” and he keeps ending up on romantic dates with Merlin???

Don’t really know how to end this, but of course they end up together, Arthur’s a good kisser when it’s Merlin he’s kissing, he remains good friends with Gwen and the girls, and they make television history