1 - 20 of 198 Bookmarked Items in Emotionally Constipated Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Navigation
List of Bookmarks
-
Tags
Summary
Arthur was jolted back to reality by a gentle touch. Merlin had taken his hands in his, as though to separate them. In an attempt to soothe himself, Arthur had rolled his mother’s ring around his index finger with so much force that he’d scratched at the skin, leaving an angry red circle on his finger. He hadn’t even realised he’d been doing it before Merlin drew attention to it.
Then, Merlin took another step and engulfed Arthur in his arms. “I know you don't like hugs, but let me hold you for once,” he whispered in Arthur’s ear. “You'll feel better afterwards; you’ll see.”
⚔𐀪𐀪⚔
Arthur has learned to repress his emotions from a very young age. When they threaten to overwhelm him, he turns to the only one his father has ever allowed: anger. That is, until a gangly, happy-go-lucky boy bursts into his life.
Or, after becoming addicted to Merlin's hugs, Arthur decides to offer him one every time Merlin has a nightmare. For Merlin's sake, of course.
-
- Words:
- 128,279
- Works:
- 2
- Bookmarks:
- 544
-
Bookmark Collections:
-
Tags
Summary
"I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you." -The Night We Met
A year after magic is legalized in Camelot, a magical threat descends upon the castle. Merlin, isolated, struggling in silence, takes it upon himself to defeat them alone.
(TWs in tags and work notes)
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 12,247
- Chapters:
- 3/3
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 33
- Kudos:
- 621
- Bookmarks:
- 176
- Hits:
- 5,976
-
Tags
Summary
At first, it hadn’t crossed his mind- not really- that Merlin may have such a distinct and specific taste in men. It had all fallen into place when one fateful afternoon, Merlin spoke about some Greek hero, some ancient, Hellenic lad by the name of Achilles.
or,
In which Arthur wants to look like Achilles to win Merlin's heart, but of course, he's missing the whole point.
Written for Scruffy Pendragon Fest 2020.
Podfic by the wonderful BlazingPenicls available.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 5,111
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 119
- Kudos:
- 2,225
- Bookmarks:
- 354
- Hits:
- 17,956
-
Bookmark Tags:
-
Summary
Merlin is mentally Ill. This is his... journey? Start to finish of... healing? That's the word I want to use. He gets better in the end. Please remember mental illness wasn't really acknowledged in this era. They didn't have a word for depression or a diagnosis like nowadays, but people felt that common ground of low mood, they would have somewhat known it existed.
- Words:
- 109,456
- Works:
- 17
- Bookmarks:
- 52
-
Tags
Summary
Everyone has received a token of Merlin's friendship. Except Arthur.
Arthur can handle it (not).- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 3,438
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 10
- Kudos:
- 287
- Bookmarks:
- 37
- Hits:
- 1,573
-
Tags
Summary
If only Merlin would understand why Arthur is so angry; if only Arthur could bring himself to tell him.
Or: Sometimes it's easier to simply say what's bothering you, but it's also the hardest thing in the world. At least if you're Arthur Pendragon. Thankfully, Merlin loves him anyway.
Series
- Part 2 of Merlin Stories
-
Tags
Summary
Arthur never expected to have a deaf manservant.
.
.
He certainly never expected to fall in love with the rude, infuriating boy.- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 30,060
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 151
- Kudos:
- 2,427
- Bookmarks:
- 449
- Hits:
- 36,046
-
Bookmark Notes:
Complete
-
Bookmark Collections:
-
Tags
Summary
“Gwen, it’s terrible,” Merlin said. “He’s polite! He’s kind, even!”
“And that’s a problem?” Gwen asked, dryly.
"I’m going to have to go through an entire week serving the perfect Golden Prince, and then go back to my Prince Prat, and I think it’s going to break me, Gwen. He’s going to get me used to it, and then it’ll be back to mile-long lists, and being called stupid instead of spectacular and how am I supposed to handle that?”
Gwen said, hesitantly, “I thought you liked Arthur?”
“I do,” Merlin said, sounding even lower than before. “I have to.”
* * *
When a visiting Prince visits Camelot, and takes Merlin as his servant during his negotiations with The Crown, Merlin finds himself being seen in a way he'd always wished Arthur would see him, and doesn't know what to do with any of it.Series
- Part 1 of The Grail Knight
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 33,135
- Chapters:
- 6/6
- Comments:
- 323
- Kudos:
- 3,474
- Bookmarks:
- 786
- Hits:
- 53,932
-
Out of Sight, Out of Mind by BabyStepsAreStillSteps for Summer_Meadows
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
15 Mar 2021
Tags
Summary
When Arthur turned his back on the Dolma that he didn’t know was his manservant, Merlin reminded him that he was missing a very important member of their rescue party.
What if he hadn’t?
Series
- Part 1 of The Beginning of the (Fri)end
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 20,915
- Chapters:
- 8/8
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 575
- Kudos:
- 4,330
- Bookmarks:
- 663
- Hits:
- 60,684
-
Tags
Summary
“You summoned me, Your Majesty?” asked Gwen, dropping low in her curtsy. Arthur nodded tightly and closed the door to his chambers once she stepped inside. Gwen tried not to show her surprise at the mess in the room.
The blankets were torn from the bed and strewn across the floor. All of the goblets, plates and bowls had plenty of dents and laid pitifully against the walls, which bore marks of a clear struggle.
“Did someone break in, Sire?” asked Gwen hurriedly as she attempted to tidy up some of the clutter. Arthur waved her off and gestured to one of the chairs which were still intact.
“No, it was just me,” he answered tiredly. “Guinevere, I’ve called you here because, I — you’ve no doubt heard about Merlin.”
Gwen nodded. She had been sewing when Rosie ran in, gushing something about Merlin being a sorcerer and, even worse, the king and Sir Lancelot were going to duel it out for his affections.
Or Merlin's magic is revealed! It sure is a good thing nobody overreacts.
Series
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 10,134
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 14
- Kudos:
- 588
- Bookmarks:
- 75
- Hits:
- 6,255
-
Tags
Summary
„M-Merlin?“, Gaius stammered, sounding like he was on the verge of a heart attack.
„Yes?“, asked Merlin, puzzled.
Gaius nearly fell off his chair.
„Merlin, I can’t see you!“, he shouted.
„What do you mean you can’t see me? I‘m right here“, Merlin replied. „Maybe you need to get your glasses checked, they aren’t working properly.“
„Merlin, look down at your hands!“
Merlin did. Or rather he tried. Because he found that he couldn’t look at his own hands because there were no hands to look at. His hands were still there because he could feel them and one of them was holding up his spoon. It was just that they weren’t there.Or: Merlin turns himself invisible by accident and finally gets to see Arthur freaking out about him missing in all his emotionally constipated glory.
-
Tags
Summary
"And what difference does it make, a sword and magic? You've slaughtered people who were like me, you and your father before you!" Merlin bellowed. "What do you possibly think I could have said when you went to condemn all people who possessed magic and turned away those who were most loyal to you? Turned them away for Agravaine?"
"You shall never speak to me of loyalty, you liar," Arthur spat. "You, who betrayed my trust for nearly a decade--"
"WHAT COULD I HAVE SAID," Merlin shouted. "I WANTED TO STAY BY YOUR SIDE AND PROTECT YOU WITHOUT HAVING TO BE MURDERED FOR IT."
"PROTECT ME? IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL PROTECTION? Morgana's taken over Camelot and we've barely escaped with our lives. For all I know, you've been helping her and I should have you executed for treason."
"Kill me, then," Merlin hissed. "Kill me. I dare you."
-
Tags
Summary
Arthur is relieved when Balinor the Dragonlord agrees to help, but dismayed when he refuses to come back to Camelot. Instead, Arthur is stuck waiting in the middle of nowhere while Balinor calls the dragon. To make matters worse, Arthur’s idiot manservant clearly has a massive crush on the guy: despite him being a grumpy, straggly, cave-dwelling sorcerer, who makes terrible cabbage pottage, Merlin hasn’t taken his eyes off him! Arthur will tolerate this nonsense for a couple of days, but only because he must save Camelot.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 14,959
- Chapters:
- 5/5
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 232
- Kudos:
- 1,370
- Bookmarks:
- 221
- Hits:
- 11,673
-
Tags
Summary
"Let him think I hate him. If that’ll stop him from risking his neck for me over and over again, then it’s a sacrifice I don’t have to think twice about."
—
Arthur finds out Merlin has magic. He also finds out how often Merlin risked his life for him and so, he does the only thing he can think of to protect him: banishment.
Hurt and angry, Merlin leaves and swears to not look back.
But, when two years pass and Morgana shows up at Merlin’s door, urging him to fill Gaius’ position as Court Physician, Merlin agrees. He really doesn’t know why, but Arthur is sure Merlin would do just about anything to get on his nerves.
Unprepared for the shock of seeing Merlin back in the castle, Arthur is forced to speed along his plans to lift the ban on magic. But between stubborn councilors, a mysterious plague, a still angry Merlin, and Morgana being Morgana, Arthur is fairly certain he’ll lose his mind before the first year of his reign even ends.
Series
- Part 1 of All of You
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 180,336
- Chapters:
- 56/62
- Comments:
- 1,879
- Kudos:
- 1,700
- Bookmarks:
- 314
- Hits:
- 62,268
-
Tags
Summary
Okay, Merlin knows it’s a little weird, and he didn’t mean for it to become a thing. But he’s in Arthur’s chambers to clean every day and sometimes there’s just so much he wants to say that he can’t. So, what if he started talking to Arthur’s pillow. It’s a better listener than him!
Or, the 5 times Merlin talks to Arthur’s pillow instead of him, and the 1 time Arthur overhears.
Series
- Part 11 of 5+1 Murther Stories
-
Tags
Summary
Arthur sputtered. “I-I’m not sure that’s wise, I mean, no — I —”
Merlin interrupted. “That sounds like a good idea to me! No offense, but you guys are pretty useless against magical opponents.” He threw a smile at Lancelot that the Knight returned. “I mean, what’s the use having the most powerful sorcerer in the world on your payroll if you don’t use him?”
-OR-
5 times Merlin tells Arthur he's the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and 1 time Arthur believes him.
-
Bookmark Collections:
-
Tags
Summary
When castle gossip reveals an old noble tradition, it threatens to break not only Merlin's faith in Arthur, but the Round Table's as well
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 39,670
- Chapters:
- 13/?
- Comments:
- 403
- Kudos:
- 1,742
- Bookmarks:
- 375
- Hits:
- 28,370
-
Bookmark Notes:
Read later
-
Tags
Summary
When fem!Merlin is injured during a bandit attack, Arthur discovers his servant's most dangerous secret—she's a woman. But that revelation pales in comparison to what comes next: Merlin has magic. Now Arthur must navigate his growing feelings while protecting the woman who has been risking everything to save his life, all while keeping her secrets from his father's deadly judgment.
-
Summary
Really this is a catch all for my hurt Merlin whump so please forgive me. Don't know where all these super angsty story ideas come from but here they are.
- Words:
- 159,013
- Works:
- 31
- Bookmarks:
- 321