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kylesvariouslistsandstuff · 18 days

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SHREK 2, approaching its 20th anniversary, took in around $1.3 million this past weekend... In its first theatrical run since its original release.

I have a movie theater job, and I worked this past Friday. Spring break for many schools was this past week, and this week too. Those screenings on Friday at my cinema were often packed, and a lot of them were packed with kids. As in, kids who were born well after this movie originally hit theaters. And *after* SHREK FOREVER AFTER was released, at that.

Yeah, there's some multi-generational appeal there with SHREK and SHREK 2.

Some animation fans jeered at the SHREK movies back in the day, feeling that their early 2000s attitude and pop culture references-aplenty scripts would date them, ditto their art direction and design... But no, nostalgia is very strong, especially when it's passed down. These movies appeal to little kids today. The second PUSS IN BOOTS movie being more recent also helps.

It goes to show that at the end of the day, the characters and what the movie does with them can make something a long-lasting flavor.

And I'm saying this, as someone who is not the biggest fan of those movies myself. As a kid, I did *love* SHREK and SHREK 2. I was the perfect age for them, you could argue - I was 8 1/2 when SHREK came out, 11 1/2 when SHREK 2 hit. I could probably quote whole sections of them verbatim. I know it's sacrilege to say these things, but to me, the SHREK movies are basically the animated equivalent of late '90s/early '00s live-action comedies that were usually made for adults, but in PG-rated form. Set in a fractured fairy tale world with ogres and talking donkeys and dragons and such. If not for those fantastical elements, these movies could've been some '00s live-action comedies with hot stars. They just have that vibe to them, right down to their contemporary soundtracks.

I don't see the first two SHREK movies as the high-water marks of the animation medium that they were sometimes made out to be by critics who didn't see animation as anything other than babysitter fluff. In addition to feeling that MONSTERS, INC. deserved the inaugural Best Animated Feature Oscar over this film, I also never bought that the first two SHREKs were these "revolutionary" "adult" alternatives to whatever Disney had out at the time. There's a roughly 2-second scene in Ralph Bakshi's X-rated FRITZ THE CAT - from 1972 - that's a way better satire of Disney than this movie is said to be, haha. I know at least one person who doesn't really like animation, but they will admit that they liked SHREK. That tells me a lot... SHREK was an animated movie that managed to appeal to just about everybody, including folks who would otherwise not bother with cartoons. It just has that zazz to it... Their core appeal, well specifically, SHREK 1 & 2, is undeniable. How many other relatively chill, less formal comedies like this did you see in mainstream feature animation at the time? It's not zany like, say, Disney's similarly irreverent buddy comedy THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE from five months earlier, nor is it like Pixar's clever, tightly-plotted movies.

The first SHREK movie hit a sweet spot with a lot of American audiences at the right time. Adult audiences who were burnt out on Disney's Renaissance formula being repeated for each movie after THE LION KING, and especially all the movies made at other studios following their lead. Like ANASTASIA and QUEST FOR CAMELOT. Even DreamWorks' own THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, for that matter. These big, grandiose musical pictures... Certain young film fans nowadays will say "those movies went SO HARD", but back in the late '90s/early '00s, the attitude towards them was "Okay, enough of that already." They were often called things like "politically correct", that era's version of "woke". Audiences wanted an animated film that they could just laugh and have a fun time with, without the moral messaged in a specific way.

Adults had also avoided the slew of edgy action-adventure animated movies aimed at a demographic that would never be there, films like DreamWorks' THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, along with Disney's ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE and Fox's TITAN A.E.

So you have this particular landscape of animated features, circa early 2001... Big grandiose family-friendly musicals that have become rather traditional, and these action-adventures for preteen boys that few were interested in seeing in theaters. Few exceptions are in-between, like THE IRON GIANT, but those were ignored because of other circumstances. IRON GIANT by all means should've been a small respectable success back in 1999 at the very least, if not a sleeper hit/blockbuster, but distributor Warner Bros. didn't believe in it. That's the animated movie landscape of early 2001... and then this chill comedy with dick jokes and a gross-out factor to it comes along... Right place, right time, planets aligned... One person put it this way: SHREK was an animated movie that "you could have a beer with."

And to think that SHREK was at one point shaping up to be a cursed, troubled production. Something that animators were punished with. An impending bomberoo, a film that was stopped and restarted, that lurched through a tumultuous 5-year journey...

Then the sequel went on to break records in the spring/summer of 2004, a high that the later films in the franchise couldn't rekindle.

SHREK THE THIRD certainly made a lot of money back in 2007, it was the highest-grossing animated movie of that calendar year, beating out the likes of THE SIMPSONS MOVIE and RATATOUILLE... but I don't remember it landing the way SHREK 2 did. I remember seeing it opening weekend with my dad, my good friend, and his family... and... largely forgetting about it afterwards! I was in high school at the time, and had mentioned one day that a fourth one was coming. This was around late 2007, by the time SHREK 3 was out of theaters and close to DVD release. (And HD-DVD as well, remember that?) One of my classmates responded, "Ugh, they're making another one?" A new SHREK movie wasn't as novel and fresh by then, and when SHREK FOREVER AFTER came out in the spring of 2010, I remember everyone being hyped about TOY STORY 3 - opening less than a month later... Not a word on the fourth green ogre movie. SHREK 4 still made plenty of dough though, it was bigger worldwide than here. Then DreamWorks pumped the breaks on the green ogre, as FOREVER AFTER was billed as "The Final Chapter".

It's interesting to note that DreamWorks' original plan was to make five SHREK movies, and PUSS IN BOOTS would be a direct-to-video movie with the subtitle THE STORY OF AN OGRE KILLER. The fifth SHREK movie would've been a prequel, interestingly enough. But over time, as PUSS IN BOOTS graduated to theatrical feature film and was given to SHREK 3 director Chris Miller, the plans slightly changed...

PUSS IN BOOTS had a rather blah opening in fall 2011, no doubt fueled by franchise fatigue and arriving just a little over a year after SHREK 4... but the cat legged it up something fierce. Because it was pretty good, and for some, a return to form after two lackluster SHREK sequels. It was right for the time, too. An old-school swashbuckling adventure for the family, featuring a fan favorite character from the SHREK sequels. I'm not sure a Donkey or Gingy spin-off would've landed the same way, lol. I remember the early 2010s being a time of more sincere animated movies, a country mile from the ironic early 2000s attitude of the first SHREK movie and all of its imitators. PUSS IN BOOTS Uno was more in line with those kinds of movies, and some of the classic-style adventure movies that DreamWorks had out at the time, like HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and the first two KUNG FU PANDA films. Their then-recent comedies, like MONSTERS VS. ALIENS and THE CROODS, leaned in a more cartoony and wacky direction. The early 2010s, to reiterate, were way different from the early 2000s in terms of animated movie output. What goes on in the world moves the needle as much as the pop culture does, indeed.

So then, some 11 years and at least one period in limbo later, PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH comes out. An exciting reinvention of the whole franchise, and arriving after a decade-long void where SHREK became something of a meme. Add in nostalgia, word-of-mouth, THE LAST WISH was a gradual trip back into the world of SHREK for many audiences. A big hit in the end, and a beloved movie. It's certainly my favorite movie in this series, for sure. I still find it neat how they didn't just do the safe thing and simply make a SHREK 5 after Comcast acquired them, no. They stuck to that long-gestating PUSS IN BOOTS sequel and saw it through first, as a sort-of lead in to new SHREK movies... And still did something amazing with it, when it could've just been another typical-style SHREK universe movie. It could've also been the movie that it was initially planned to be.

I have no doubt that SHREK PLEADS THE FIFTH, when it hits in a few years, probably makes a good run at highest-grossing animated movie of all-time. SHREK 2 was just that for six years. $919m back in 2004 - without 3D, IMAX, and other such premium formats - was **massive**. TOY STORY 3 took the crown thereafter, and held onto that for three years. SHREK 5's target to beat is the 2019 CG remake of THE LION KING, $1.6 billion. If you don't count that, FROZEN II with $1.4 billion.

I wonder if this re-release of SHREK 2 sparks Universal and DreamWorks to re-release other older films of theirs. Maybe even one that didn't do so hot back in the day? This year also happens to be SHARK TALE's 20th, and MONSTERS VS. ALIENS' 15th. 2014 saw the release of three movies: MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, and PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR. 2019 saw the arrival of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD and ABOMINABLE.

Who knows...

I think they should re-release animated movies more often, no matter the studio. The SHREK 2 re-release opened wider than the three recent Pixar first-time ever theatrical runs of movies that went straight to Disney+, and people turned out for it. It also helps that the movie is that old, whereas those three Pixars aren't that old. SOUL, the oldest of that trio, came out Christmas 2020. Not even four years ago.

Now, if Disney re-released a Pixar film wide like - say - THE INCREDIBLES this year, I'd imagine it'd get *some* traction like this SHREK 2 re-release did. Or if Disney did the same to an animated feature like LILO & STITCH. Remember those 3D re-releases of various Disney Animation and Pixar films? THE LION KING did quite well in 2011, while everything else barely made half of that... But still quite a bit nonetheless. $40m+ for, say, FINDING NEMO in 2012 is something a new animated feature would fight for today.

Every year, my cinema does the Studio Ghibli fest. Most of the beloved movies... Ya know, little tiny unheard-of movies like SPIRITED AWAY and PRINCESS MONONOKE? Always sold out to the front row.

The original KUNG FU PANDA ran for a few weeks earlier this year in the lead-up to KUNG FU PANDA 4, and a few people showed up for those screenings.

Yeah... More re-release of animated movies, please. Plus, they're great to experience on the big screen again.

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oneirataxia-girl · 6 months

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oc halloween challenge 2023 ⇝ day twenty

The Trees Have Eyes ft. Lynelda

As the resident strange girl of the town, Lynelda is expected to like taking walks in the woods. The thing is, she doesn't. Lynelda doesn't like the way the thick canopy of leaves blocks out the sun, doesn't like the way the dirt and muck stick to her boots when she trudges in search of some mushrooms to add to her supper, and most of all, she doesn't like the way the hair on the back of her neck stands up when she enters the forest. Nothing dangerous would live so near the heart of Camelot, nothing that had a silver of intelligence, at least; the druids come to gather herbs and exchange information, but she was on friendly terms with them, so it wasn't the protectors of nature she had to look out for. But Lynelda's instincts have never failed her before, so the question still remains... whose eyes are lurking in the trees?

the enabler's call: @arrthurpendragon @hiya-itsamber @carmens-garden @daughter-of-melpomene @bibaybe @darth-caillic -- want to be added? shoot me an ask!!

#i actually think i shall put this in the actual fic #im so late on the challenges its not funny omg #this marks the end of the moodboarding #i'll miss not having to think of a medium to use lol #oc: lynelda #fic: a gift of a flame #alvita's edits #ohc2023 #ocapp #ocappreciation #allaboutocs #bbc merlin oc #fyeahocsofcolor #pococs #ochub

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cryptologicalmystic · 6 months

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camelot office collective love life

#sfw #flashing #homestuck #limbus oc #im spending way too much time developing the dynamics of a group of people who by the time the story starts have all been dead for a centur #Spotify #branch d

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maulslittlemeowmeow · 2 years

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Dibs

Chapter 2

Warnings: Nothing (wow!), this chapter is pure wholesome fluff

Summary: This isn’t a date - couldn’t be; there was no way you could ask Maul out on a date. This is just.. an outing.. with his whole family at an arcade. Completely innocent. (AU created by the ever talented @nxctuaryninetythree, this is based off of her fic 88:88, and soon to be The Mixtape)

If you would like to follow along with the songs mentioned in the chapter, the first song is SOS by Millencolin, and the second is The Kids Aren’t Alright by The Offspring

Pairing: ModernAU Maul x Reader (cis female)

WC: 3374

Another sticky summer night, and no breeze to cool you. You’d driven with all of the windows down, better that than waste the gas on AC. Even still, you wrapped a flannel around your waist “just in case” - but also because you felt nearly naked wearing shorts and the flannel was practically an accessory. But you’re still pulling on the neckline of your t-shirt as you sit in the shadows of the ridiculously out of place castle behind you. “Camelot” was one of the best ideas you’d had for an… “outing” with Maul. You didn’t want to call it a date, he hadn’t really pushed for anything like that and you were too nervous to ask him out. So instead, you invited him and his brothers.. And the girl Feral was “dating”. With that many people - an odd number of people, no less - it wasn’t a date right?

And to top it all off, you’d gotten here twenty minutes early - overly eager and so beyond nervous - and just climbed up onto one of the thick cement bases of the streetlights in front of the phony castle. You had originally been pretty relaxed, swinging your boots to a tune in your head and trying not to melt away before the Opress gang got there. But now, your nerves are eating you alive and you’ve tucked your legs up to sit criss-cross-applesauce - leaning forward with your elbows on your knees, chewing your lip and beginning to wonder if this was a horrible idea.

Then you hear it. A blaring stereo and someone wailing along with it. You think you can spy the car it’s coming from as it sits at the stoplight just in front of the parking lot, waiting to turn in. A beat-to-shit beige sedan filled to the absolute brim; you can see a heavily tattooed arm hanging out of the back window, tapping along to the music the driver yowls to. You can’t help but grin as it rounds the corner into the parking lot. Maul manages to be the only one in the car that doesn’t look pleased with the music and it’s overly-enthusiastic singer, though he doesn’t look angry per se. Is that just his… default?

You’re beginning to panic again about how he might be entirely too much for you to handle when they park and he unfolds himself from the backseat. Your mind completely short circuits when the group begins stalking towards the building. Well… Maul stalks; Feral would better be described as slinking, and Savage has more of a saunter - a guy who knows he’s large and in-charge. But whoops, there goes that thought too, because Maul has noticed you. Feeling his eyes on you has about the same effect as a cupid’s arrow, striking you right through the chest and leaving you trying to pick your jaw up off the floor.

The moment’s here, can’t stall, can’t run - you slide off of your perch and walk towards the group, doing your best to not look nervous. Feral is first to greet you, seeming entirely too sunshine-y to be related to Maul.

“Thanks for inviting us, I’ve never been here! Great date spot!” The youngest raves, but his bright smile doesn’t distract you from how he glances back at the girl he’s standing beside. The same girl you’d seen Maul walk off with at their party… They’re a cute couple, honestly. Wait… “date”. No! You don’t get a chance to correct him though, because the oldest seems hell bent on getting you alone with Maul. Savage offers you a polite smile before he curls his arms around Feral and his sweetie, dragging them into the building. You watch them go, happy to look at anything other than the smoldering zabrak at your side. Which feels silly, considering you’ve done nothing but think about this man since the first moment you laid eyes on him. Now or never. You turn back to him with as relaxed an expression as you can manage, trying to slip an easy smile across your lips.

“Was that Millencolin? SOS?” You guess, referring to the song you’d heard from the car as they tore into the parking lot. Maul raises an eyebrow, one corner of his mouth twitching, looking the smallest bit pleased.

“Good ear.” he mumbles. He nods his head towards the door and you eagerly accept his invitation, walking into the too-loud building.

Vibrant red carpet, rooms filled near to bursting with arcade games, children darting up and down the aisles with tickets clutched in their tiny little fists, the smell of greasy food and plastic. Classic arcade feel. You spot the rest of your group at the counter at the back of the building, collecting putt-putt clubs and quickly exiting out the back where the mini golf course is. They didn’t even wait for you, Savage is entirely too obvious. What is it with everyone in Maul’s life trying to shove him at the first girl that shows an interest in him? Then again, there is no way you’re the first one stupid enough to make a move on him, right?

“Well I guess we aren’t going golfing with your brothers… What do you think, should we spend too much money trying to win some stupid plastic novelty?” You ask, giving him a wry smile. “First round of coins is on me, since this was my lame-ass idea.” Maul pulls one of his hands out of his pockets at last, gesturing one hand out as if saying “after you”. You only notice then that he’s still wearing that leather jacket, and you honestly wonder how he’s managing to wear it in the muggy summer heat. A thought for another time, especially considering how much you like seeing him in it. So you lead him down the center aisle of the arcade, lined with old and battered suits of armor standing at attention. When you reach the coin exchange, you pull a crumpled bill from your pocket and attempt to straighten it on the hard edge of the machine. You drag it along the edge while pulling it taut between your hands, then push it into the machine. Of course the machine spits it out, so you try flipping it around so that the face on the bill is facing the machine (an old superstition, sure, but you swear by it) and the machine eagerly gobbles it up before spitting out a hearty handful of little bronze coins. You scoop them up and then stare at them for a moment. You have nowhere to put these. Shit.

Maul must sense your distress - it’s probably not hard with the look on your face - because he holds out one wide palm to you. You look at it for a moment before glancing up at him with a bashful smile. You dump the coins into his much larger hand and he stuffs them into his much larger jeans pocket. Damn men’s apparel and their unfair advantages.

“So, you have any favorites?” You question, turning slightly to toss a thumb over your shoulder towards the games. Maul purses his lips in thought before shrugging. Helpful. “Ok, well how about I kick your ass at skee-ball for a bit and then you can pick something.”

“You sound just like Kenobi; arrogant. You’re on.” Maul challenges. You’d be worried you’d upset him if it weren’t for the delicious smirk curling his lips. Maybe you can push it a little further.

“I don’t know Kenobi, but I bet I’d kick his ass at skee-ball too.” It’s called over your shoulder as you saunter in the direction of the machines, putting a little extra sass in your step. Luckily, Maul follows. When you reach the line of machines along the wall, you turn and hold out your hand, rolling your fingers in a grabby sort of way, waiting for him to place some coins in your palm. Maul is still sporting that half a smile when he places two coins in your hand. You look at them while he inserts two coins in the machine beside you. How odd that the coins for a castle-themed arcade would have a rocket ship on them.

You’re brought back from your reverie when Maul flicks his wrist and sends a ball straight into the 500 point hole. Then his arresting golden gaze is sliding back over to you and his smug grin follows. Oh that pretty bastard.

“Are you just going to let me win?” He cooes patronizingly, clearly goading you. You take the bait of course. You slide the coins into the machine in front of you and flinch a bit when the balls are released and loudly clack together beside you. Then you snatch one up and send it racing down the lane. It bounces off the plastic guard for the 1000 point hole and catches on the 100 point guard, guiding it right in.

You can feel Maul’s smug satisfaction as he says “Wow, you’re really kicking my ass.”

“Listen you-...” You spin on your heel to glower at him, but the look on his face twists the arrow lodged in your chest from earlier. You purse your lips and do your best to look upset. “I’ve still got nine more chances to get a higher score than you.” He huffs an almost-laugh out of his nose and picks up another ball. You follow his lead and send another one up the lane.

It’s a close battle, but you manage to scrape by with about 600 points over Maul. He doesn’t seem too upset, just rolls his eyes when you stick your tongue out at him.

“You know what, I bet I know what you’d be good at.” You tease, snatching the tickets from the machines before grabbing his hand and leading him across the room to an equally old and beat up looking machine. You didn’t even realize you’d grabbed his hand so casually until you arrive at your destination. He let you hold it, curling his long fingers around the back of your hand and letting you drag him around. But now you don’t have an excuse to keep holding it, so you drop his hand and place yours on your hip, gesturing with the other at the machine in front of you. Whack-a-mole; or whatever off-brand animal they had in this dump - alligators, it looks like.

“Something to take the edge off, after your most humiliating defeat.” You tease. You bite your lip when you watch his eyes narrow and he tries to hide his smile behind pursed lips.

He places a coin in the machine and looks almost embarrassed as he holds the oversized beating instrument aloft, waiting for the game to begin. You both jump when the first alligator pops out of its burrow, but Maul is quick to bop it over the head and it disappears. You laugh, but Maul seems too focused to notice, his form gone rigid and poised to attack. As the speed of the alligator’s appearances cranks up, you can hear little curses whispered under his breath, and you bite your lip to hold in your giggling. By the time the alligators are popping up in multiples, you’re both cursing at the mocking plastic grins on the reptiles. Maul is now using his free hand to smack some of them and you’re reaching out to hit the ones on the far edge of the board, as the mallet’s tether is oh-so-conveniently too short to reach the farther holes. An animated snickering signals the end of the game and you both look at each other and laugh, slightly out of breath from all of the bouncing around you’d been doing.

“Wish I had one of these at work.” Maul muses as he places the mallet back into its holster. He folds up the tickets from the game and places them into his other jeans pocket; you hand him the ones you had still been clutching from skee-ball, the two of you wordlessly agreeing to combine your efforts.

“Where do you work?” You query, stepping away from the machine and wandering in a random direction, eyes scanning over the machines to see if anything catches your attention.

“Dex’s Diner… it’s a total crap hole.” He growls. “What about you?”

“A veterinary clinic; I’m a bather.” You sound just as sour about your job as he does, but he tilts his head with interest. It’s not one of those jobs people really think about, so you’re not surprised. “You wanna talk about dirty jobs, I got one hell of one. Not to mention I'm covered in scars from it.” You hold your arms out to show him the random map of criss-crossing pale lines over your forearms and hands. Maul pulls the heavy sleeves of his jacket back a bit and shows you his hands. They’ve got various scars, old burns and cuts leaving pink lines over his tattooed skin; you try not to stare at the distinct scars from split skin over his knuckles.

“Builds character.” Is all he supplies. You take another chance and slide your hand back into his, pulling him along to another game. Maybe you could do this to get him to every game; just to feel his warm hand in yours. Both of your palms are a little sweaty, but neither of you seems to care.

Maul surprisingly lets you cart him around through the arcade as much as you dare, and participates in all the games you drag him to - though he puts his foot down when you tease him about forcing him on the Dance Dance Revolution game. You’ve exchanged more money for coins at some point, and Maul continues to be the pack mule for tickets and coins, brushing his fingers along your palm every time he supplies you with coins for another play. His brothers finish with their game and join up with you when you reach the prize counter. Savage is pouting. You give him a questioning look, but Feral is all too eager to answer your unspoken question.

“Savage lost three balls to the course, kept hitting them too hard.” He and his girl are both snickering behind their hands.

“Wow, how many do zabrak have?” You ask, feigning innocence. Feral can’t hold his laughter this time, practically wheezing. You join him and his girl, giggling at your own stupid joke.

Maul lets you choose the prize of your collective efforts - a stuffed Kowakian; red, of course. Then you’re all spilling out of the building and into the parking lot. Feral and his girl are actually really fun, and you’re glad you invited all of them. But the night’s over, and you’re nearing your car. Your panic had abated through the night, but now it’s crawling back up your throat and making you fall out of the easy conversation you’d been having with the rest of the group.

“This is me.” You announce when you pass your car. Savage doesn’t have to drag the other two away this time; they all seem eager to get back to their car and leave Maul alone with you again. Maul notices too - not that it isn’t incredibly obvious - and he looks exasperated as his eyes follow his family to their car, waiting until they're far enough away before he turns his attention back to you. Before you can make any sort of move, Maul pulls one of his hands free from his jacket pockets to wrap an arm around your shoulders and pull you in for a hug. You’re rigid and shocked for just a moment before the warmth and scent of him envelops you, then you're melting into him. Sweat, leather, his deodorant, cigarettes… you definitely don’t mind it. Your hands slip under his jacket and you spread them over his back, holding him as long as he’ll let you. His chin sits on the top of your head when he speaks.

“Let me know when you get home safe.” He mutters into your hair. You wonder if he’s trying to memorize your scent, trying to burn it into his memory like you are. Then he’s pulling away from you.

“Yeah, I’ll talk to you soon.” You confirm as you reluctantly release him. But you smile all the same before you turn to get into your car. Once he sees you slide into the driver’s seat, he shoves his hand back into his pocket and stalks back to the car he’d arrived in. You turn the keys and roll down your windows just in time to hear Feral’s indignant shriek.

“A hug?!” He squawks. You look over to see the driver’s seat jostle a bit, you assume Maul kicked it in retaliation, because Savage sets him with a warning look.

With a smile, you connect your phone to play through your stereo and back your car out of the parking space.

“When we were young the future was so bright (Whoa) The whole neighborhood was so alive (Whoa) And every kid on the whole damn street (Whoa) Was gonna make it big and not be beat Now the neighborhood’s cracked and torn (Whoa) The kids are grown up but their lives are worn (Whoa) How can one little street Swallow so many lives?”

You’re sitting at the light, waiting to turn, when that beat up beige sedan pulls up behind you, their blinker indicating that they’d be going the opposite way. You hear them before you see them. Feral is already howling along to the song they blast from the poor old car’s abused radio. You turn up your music in retaliation, starting to belt from the top of your lungs to compete with Feral.

“Chances thrown Nothing’s free Longing for What used to be Still it’s hard Hard to see Fragile lives Shattered dreams (Go!)”

Looking into the rearview mirror, you see all smiles from your antics, even Maul. The light turns green and you stick your hand out of your window for one last wave before you go your separate ways.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Maul sat through the relentless ribbing his brothers had given him on the ride home, though he did try to choose a mixtape that he knew Feral would want to sing to in the hopes that it would get the youngest off of his back. His family didn’t usually show an interest in his love life, but the only thing he can figure is that they are sick of waiting around for him to do things himself. Or, there was the option he was less likely to admit to himself: they wanted to see him happy. She did make him smile. She was funny and the way she looked at him made his stomach do flips. Maul definitely can’t get the image of her crouching before him and licking him from navel to sternum out of his head. The way she looked at him then? Forget about it.

He can’t.

Maul remembers those looks as he drags himself up the creaky stairs to get to his room so he can hide away from his teasing brothers. Not wanting to hang his jacket, he shrugs it off and drapes it over his amp. He is pulling his belongings out of his pockets when he hears it.

Clink

A soft clatter, a single coin hitting the worn wooden floorboards. He looks down to see a little rocket ship smiling up at him. He tosses his keys and wallet onto the cinder block beside his bed and crouches down to pick up the single bronze coin. Maul spins it between his fingers as he shifts to sit on the edge of his mattress, considering the small object and how he’d come to acquire it.

An odd thought comes to him, a compulsion, really. He stands again to retrieve his guitar off of its stand and slumps back into his mattress, propping himself against the wall as he settles the guitar in his lap. He pinches the coin between his calloused fingers and plucks at the strings, a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips.

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Previous Chapter (with incredible fanart by @the-chains-are-the-easy-part) x x x Next Chapter

More sweet-as-candy-floss-fluff? Yes. This AU has given me legitimate brainrot, it’s my favorite thing to write and I can’t wait to post the third chapter. I decided to post this right on the heels of the Maul prompt I just posted because I want to shower @eloquentmoon with Maul fic to read for her birthday!! (and definitely not because I have no self control and wanted to post this chapter for ages) Happy birthday again, Moon!

If you haven’t checked out Nxctuary’s work, I highly recommend it! Her AUs make me feel so cozy and nice and she has legitimately turned me into a Feral-Enjoyer.

If you would like to see more of my work, you can go to my Masterlist or my AO3, if you want to be added to my taglist, shoot me a message <3

Taglist:

@eyecandyeoz @misogirl828 @kimageddon

#darth maul #darth maul fic #maul #maul x reader #maul x you #modern au #arcade date #fluff #star wars #darth maul fanfiction #fanfic #fic writing #maulslittlemeowmeow

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kingandrewburnap · 21 days

Text

"I get to work with Andrew Burnap, who is just the best [and plays King Arthur]. He's the most generous scene partner anyone could ask for." - Phillipa Soo, on her favorite part of Camelot

#i will go down with this ship #when she pulls him closer 😭#andrew burnap #phillipa soo #camelot musical #camelot boot gifs

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oneknightstand-if · 3 months

Note

this might be a super stupid question but can we wake up from the Camelot dream? like when we click the morning awaits is there supposed to be a anything after this bc im just stuck in a loading loop??

There's only the Ending Page that starts with "This is the end of the current beta for playtesting" and gives a listing of your playthrough's various stats after the "The Morning Awaits". (So you're not missing too much if you're not too interested in seeing that).

I just recently updated the ending scene to include some new data (to see if people were using the vending machine during the fencing route) so that might be what was causing the loop.

If you clear your cache and reload the game, it should allow you to see the new code for the ending (although it'll probably boot you back to the beginning of the Camelot dream sequence first).

#This is probably a sign that I should stop pushing out the mini bugfixes now and just wait for the next big update to Chapter 2 #Pushing this to front of queue as a bug report #oks-asks #oks-logistics

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dollopbed · 3 years

Text

Arthur wriggles in his bedroll, trying to find a comfortable position atop the musty forest floor

He and his men are right outside Essetir, trying to do something noble and just, all in the name of Camelot and her people (or at least that's how Arthur put it)

They rest around the fire: the Prince, his knights, and his servant.

Sleep overtakes the Crown Prince, and with it comes the nightmares: screams of people Arthur should have, could have, saved. Blood, bruises and darkness. Always darkness.

He bolts upright, shaking. His eyes dart around till he realises that he's not in Camelot tonight.

The dry leaves beneath him crunch as he moves to sit on top of the log he was previously using as a headrest.

He draws his legs up and hugs his knees, head resting atop his forearms.

Over the years, Arthur has mastered the art of hiding his pain - he just needs to take a few more breaths and everything will be fine.

It had to be fine.

He stiffens at the presence that has appeared beside him.

"Water, sire?" Merlin asks softly.

His voice is gentle and quiet and so real. Arthur feels himself falling back into his own skin, grounded to the boy next to him.

"Thank you," It comes out hoarse and barely audible, but Merlin simply passes the waterskin.

Arthur takes a gulp and sets it down. That's when he notices the fraying edges of the container and its lack of Camelot's nobility seal.

Merlin has shifted closer to Arthur, their limbs brushing against each other. He notices Arthur's quizzical gaze at the waterskin:

"Your's is tied up," he reasoned, beckoning to the tree where the Knight's food and supplies hang.

"I'm not venturing into the woods just so his royal pratness has something to wet his lips"

He leans into Arthur to push his shoulder, hoping it would illicit a teasing smile and a retort from the prince.

Arthur doesn't push back, as he normally would. His gaze is narrow and focused on Merlin, making him gulp and look away.

Just earlier that day, Merlin had been complaining about how far they would have to travel to get more water (the ponds and streams were few and far between).

"Don't expect me to share this with any of you," Merlin had said, clutching his waterskin to his chest.

"As if I'd ever drink a servant's water" Arthur had scoffed back. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"How come you didn't hang your's up?" Arthur asks, gesturing to the waterskin between them.

"I am but a lowly servant, sire" Merlin begins, a small smile playing on his lips. "There isn't enough space for my belongings," Merlin explains as if it was common knowledge.

"There is always space for you, Merlin" Arthur says, the intensity causing a deep blush to form around Merlin's neck.

"And I didn't mean it," Arthur looks away because he is too ashamed to face his manservant,

"..what I'd said earlier about drinking your water"

"I know, Arthur"

"Come, we'll tie yours up"

"Wh-?"

Arthur's already getting up, not even bothering to put on his boots. "Bring one of those giant scarves you have, Gods know you don't have any real use for them anyway"

Merlin gasps a fake-gasp. "I'll have you know sire, that those scarves have served me almost as well as I've served you"

"Hence my point about them being useless"

They place Merlin's waterskin in his cloth. Arthur stares suspiciously at Merlin.

The boy is a picture of innocence.

"Merlin. We all know those dates you've been eating aren't appearing out of nowhere"

The aforementioned boy sheepishly empties his jacket pockets and retrieved with 3 wrinkled dates. He gently places them in the centre of the laid-out scarf.

"A treat from Gaius," he tries to explain. "He knows how horrible you all treat me, and wants me to be properly nourished" he states matter-of-factly.

"Indeed," Arthur replies, using the same deadpan tone.

He reaches into the back pocket of his trousers, pulling out 3 dates of his own "He gives them to me too"

Merlin gapes as Arthur grins cheekily and tosses the dates into the scarf, as if they were two friends sharing a private joke. He gathered the corners of the scarf and ties it on an overhanging branch.

Merlin takes in everything about this Arthur, his Arthur, so relaxed and carefree for a moment in the cold forest.

#merthur #bbc merlin #merlin #arthur pendragon #merthur feels #fluff #two sides of the same idiot coin

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panharmonium · 3 years

Photo

merlin in 1.11 (part 1/?)

Okay. I’ve said this in meta before, but now that I’ve got a visual aid, I want to make this absolutely clear - this episode canonically takes place immediately after 1.10.

I’m not saying this in the sense of “these episodes come one after the other in season 1” - I mean that in the actual timeline of the show, 1.11 takes place immediately after 1.10. Both episodes take place during the harvest, which is roughly confined to the month of August. And the fact that Camelot is only just getting started with their work in 1.11 (as evidenced by their near-empty grain stores) while Ealdor’s harvest has obviously already begun in 1.10 (otherwise there would have been nothing for Kanen to steal) means that we’re not seeing opposite ends of the month - the harvest starts at the same basic time for everyone, with perhaps a delay in case of poor weather (or magical blight, in Camelot’s case).

1.10 and 1.11 take place directly back-to-back. At the time of the scene above, Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana have been back in Camelot for days. Maybe a week, if Camelot was having really crappy weather while the four of them were in Ealdor, but that’s about as much wiggle room as there is.

I think it’s important to recognize this fact, if we’re going to fully understand everything that’s happening in this episode. Merlin’s simmering frustration throughout 1.11 is about more than just the death of the unicorn/Arthur’s refusal to accept responsibility for the curse. There is more of an explanation for why Merlin’s patience is so low, for why he’s being snappier and less willing to respond to teasing/harassment with his usual playful equanimity. There is more of a reason for why he’s getting lost and distracted staring out of windows.

Merlin has been back in Camelot for mere days. He’s a mess.

He’s a guilt-ridden, grieving disaster. He’s more miserable than he’s ever been in his life. He’s using up every ounce of his energy just pretending to be semi-functional, and he’s doing it all in secret, because the situation surrounding him is, to put it bluntly, what we see above:

You cannot trust a single word a sorcerer says. You’d do well to remember that.

The audacity. After what just happened. Look at Merlin’s face.

But of course Merlin can’t respond. He has to swallow it down. He has to let Arthur ride roughshod over how much he is hurting; Arthur, who is alive, Arthur, who isn’t even grateful for that fact, Arthur, who received a gift he wasn’t owed and who doesn’t care that it cost half of Merlin’s world.

There are so many places in this episode where Merlin is angry or snappy or giving Arthur death glares in situations where he always would have laughed things off, in an earlier episode. He talks back when Arthur refuses to see sense, and not in their fun, bantering way - his tone is sharp, frustrated. He tries to go back to hiding in his window nook and is audibly, visibly irritated when Arthur calls him over to look at the nibbled boot. When Arthur keeps insulting Merlin about not catching the rat that did the nibbling, Merlin uses magic to kill it and feeds it to Arthur for supper. He isn’t interested in playing, not in this episode. He has no energy for putting up with Arthur’s nonsense. His mind is already operating at 100% capacity just trying to hold himself together and hide his grief from everyone else, and he has no room for anything else.

Merlin is in tremendous amounts of pain here. I know people don’t think that there are repercussions to Will’s death, but I’ve never really felt that to be the case. It’s an event that isn’t addressed as directly as we see with Freya or Balinor or Lancelot, definitely - there’s not even an indication that Merlin ever tells Gaius what happened, and while that obviously doesn’t mean he couldn’t have done it offscreen somewhere, I honestly think it’s completely plausible that Merlin never talked about this to anyone. I think there are legitimate reasons why we never hear Merlin mention it again. I think the guilt he feels about this is so complicated and overwhelming that it’s hard for him to even think about it in his own head, never mind discuss it with someone else. I think he locks it away as deep as he can, because it hurts him so much. And I think it’s impossible for Merlin to explain Will to anyone, anyway - what Will did for him has to stay concealed, and the real significance of their friendship can’t be disclosed, not while Merlin’s magic is still a secret. No one is ever going to be able to understand.

But that doesn’t mean the repercussions aren’t still there. We can see the change that comes over Merlin in the last quarter of S1. The attitude shift is palpable. The timeline for 1.11, in particular, is clear. Merlin’s reaction to Arthur’s trademark b.s. (see above gifs as one example) is visible. Merlin doesn’t have to name his pain for us to understand that it’s there.

And understanding that it’s there is INTEGRAL to understanding what’s happening in this episode, because this pain is precisely why Merlin is so desperate that Arthur be proven worthy of all the faith Merlin has previously placed in him. Merlin’s faith in the destiny he’s supposed to fulfill for Arthur’s sake is hanging by a thread here. He’s trying to keep himself convinced of the value of his mission, because that’s the only way he can keep going, but doing so is harder than it ever has been before. He is hurting so much. His only friend in the world is dead. What happened in the previous episode, and how Arthur behaved at the end of it - as well as the way Arthur continues to behave now, in relation to both Anhora/the unicorn and Merlin himself - has made it hard for Merlin to answer the question “just what about Arthur makes all this misery worth it?” There’s no way Merlin can reconcile his previous idealized image of Arthur with what Arthur has shown himself to actually be.

And I said it more eloquently in this piece, but ultimately, Anhora’s test isn’t just necessary to restore the universe’s faith in Arthur’s worthiness after the unicorn’s slaughter. It is desperately necessary to restore Merlin’s faith in Arthur, to give Merlin a sliver of hope that yes, there is in fact a reason for him to stick this out a little longer; yes, Arthur does in fact have something truly worthy in him, despite how he’s been treating Merlin lately; yes, this is all going to make a difference for the world in the end. Because when Merlin sees Arthur continuing to blame sorcery for all his problems, and doing everything he can to avoid confronting personal responsibility, all Merlin can hear is his own foolish voice telling Will “I trust Arthur with my life” just days before Will dies protecting Merlin from the very object of Merlin’s misplaced faith - from a man who rewards Will’s sacrifice with a cold “You cannot trust a single word a sorcerer says” - and all Merlin can remember is how Will knew all along that trusting Arthur was a mistake.

#i really cannot stress it enough - the depth of merlin's distress in this episode cannot be calculated #he keeps it so locked down #but there are places where it leaks through #all i can think about when i see him in this episode is how much pain he is in #and how hard he is working to hide it from everyone around him #because it's not an 'appropriate' sentiment to express #not when 'you cannot trust a single word a sorcerer says'#not when 'you know how dangerous sorcery is'#will's death is literally the worst thing that has ever happened to merlin at this point in his life and he is never allowed to grieve #the once and future slowburn #meta #no kings no masters #1.11

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paperrretro · 3 years

Text

LIGHTSTRUCK | pt. 6

Pairing: Merlin x Reader

Word Count: 1,166 words

Warnings: None

Summary: Your father accepts a position as Prince Merlin’s magic tutor, and you are unceremoniously dragged along.

(Or, pieces of your unspectacular life in and out of the royal palace, and how a certain idiotic prince somehow gets wrapped up in it either way.)

read on quotev | read on ao3

On the east side of Carmarthen stretches the great Lapis Forest, birthplace of the elusive Lapis Serpent and boundary between Carmarthen and the kingdom of Camelot. It boasts twenty-seven different species of jewel beetles, a defunct Fountain of Youth, no wolves, and a rich network of gnome-owned mineral stashes. A pool at the edge of the forest used to be a popular place for dates.

Rumor has it that a certain young witch, after getting dumped by her fiancé at Lazuli Pool, cursed it and the surrounding area with an infestation of pixies and goblins for the next seven years. This led to a nosedive in real estate.

It also led to your frenzied research into wards and repellants against pixies and goblins, as well as the business opportunity you’d seized with sharp teeth. Pixie wings and goblin hair have their merits in potion-making, anyway. You haven’t regretted your decision in the last eight months since you set up shop.

Knock knock knock knock knock –

Your only complaint is the after-hour customers.

“We’re closed,” you call out with slight irritation, lowering your cup. “Come back tomorrow morning.”

There’s shuffling. Hushed arguing. You tense when they don’t seem to leave, putting your tea down and standing up. Is a gang of thieves behind your door –? No, thieves wouldn’t knock – smart ones, anyway. You hope it’s not that idiot who tried to scam you this morning.

A voice comes through the wood. Your name is called, and your eyes widen.

“It’s Merlin. Open up.”

Quickly striding over to the door, you force yourself to slow down right before you reach it and slide the peephole open. Dark brown eyes stare right back.

“What are you doing here?” you ask as you unlock the door, letting the seven princes in.

“I’m doing well, thank you,” Merlin says dryly. He pries his boots off, and you motion for the others to do the same. “There’s a storm coming this way. Do you mind if we stay here until it passes?”

Ah, right, the storm. You nod, turning to go and pick up your kettle. “Sure,” you reply. “Anyone want tea?”

They all say yes, and you get to work boiling more water.

Your impromptu guests settle in wherever there’s space; the triplets pile onto the small couch, Jack reclines in your favorite chair, and Arthur, Merlin, and Hans try to get comfortable in the extra chairs from your kitchen set. Once you get the tea situation under control and organized onto a tray, you make your way over to them.

“So …” Hans is the first to start up a conversation as you pour the tea, taking a filled cup with a ‘thank you’, “it’s been a while. How has business been?”

“Good.” You drag over a chair and sit down, bringing your legs up to cross them. Merlin eyes you as he takes a sip from his cup – you silently will him to not make a face at the somewhat over-brewed taste – and you tilt your chin up ever-so-slightly. “Lots of people on quests pass through the forest, so I’ve kept busy.”

“Do any of your customers mention us?” Arthur questions, smirking in a way that could be construed as confident, though you can easily detect the eagerness in his tone.

“Sometimes.”

He leans in. “And?”

The corner of your mouth twitches. Merlin leans back in his chair with a quiet, derisive snort.

“And they usually ask about Merlin,” you answer honestly, crossing your arms. (This is Carmarthen. It’s only to be expected.) The burly prince visibly deflates at your words while Merlin puffs up. “And then I recommend that they buy my Draught for Common Sense.”

“How nice of you,” Merlin says sarcastically, though it lacks the bite he would’ve given you a few years ago. You return an equally genuine smile.

Somehow, mocking the prince relaxes you.

As the rain begins to fall, the Fearless Seven entertain you with tales of triumph in battle. You are familiar with most of their stories. It’s barely been a year since Merlin launched his rescue team, but literally everyone you’ve met has already either seen or heard of their exploits – or both, if they were lucky. Merlin, Hans, and the others are certainly doing well with their commitment.

(And with their dating pools, apparently.)

Deeper into the night, when the tea is finished and the sky outside is thoroughly purple and thunderous, you let them argue over the bed and the couch and relegate pillows and blankets to the losers. Pino wins the bed and Merlin the couch, leaving the other five to sullenly set up on the living room rug.

While waiting for Jack to finish up his nightly routine in the bathroom, Merlin approaches you.

“Yeah?”

“I noticed you put wards up around your place.”

You wave it off. “Easier than making repellant potions. The pixies are annoying.”

“And the goblins.” He nods toward your window, out at the trees beyond it. “The path on the way here was entirely clear. Seems like your magic works pretty well.”

“I’ve been making talismans since I could walk,” you say, picking at the corner of the page you’re reading. “Of course they work.”

“Humble much?”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk.”

He makes a face.

The faucet in the bathroom finally turns off, and you stand up, bookmarking your place and leaving the tome on your seat. Merlin puts a hand on your shoulder as you pass him.

“You could travel with us, you know,” he offers. “We could use your potions, and you’d make a profit just by being with the F7.”

“Thanks,” you reply. “But I’m doing just fine for now.”

He frowns. “You’re sure?”

Lightly brushing his hand off, you nod. “You’re making a name for yourself, and I’m doing the same. This shop is all me,” you assert. “Not my dad, not Carmarthen royalty. So I’m good. But thanks for the offer.”

Despite your firm refusal, Merlin seems to want to argue. But then Jack exits the bathroom, and you push forward and squeeze into the space without further ado.

“Extra blankets are in the closet if you need them,” you tell Merlin as you smear toothpaste on your toothbrush. “You guys can stay as long as you want.”

Pursing his lips at the subject change, he reluctantly accepts it. “Alright.”

That’s that. You start brushing your teeth, only to raise an eyebrow when his head peeks past the doorway again.

“… Er, thanks, by the way.”

“No problem,” you mumble around a mouthful of foam.

A pause.

“… Goodnight.”

You spit so as not to drool out your reply. “’Night.”

Merlin disappears again, to the living room for good this time, and you finish washing up.

Man, you hope tonight will be peaceful. Arthur and Hans seem like snorers. Maybe you should try whipping up something for that tomorrow if they do.

… Well, whatever happens during the night, the company is worth it.

—

#prince merlin #merlin x reader #red shoes and the seven dwarfs #rsat7d #rsatsd #rsatsd merlin #fanfic #reader insert

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retvenkos · 3 years

Text

words | a.p.

Merlin (BBC) - Arthur Pendragon x Reader, fluff

tw: mentions of battle, mentions of blood, mentions of violence

word count: 1.4k

A/N: once again, if we can just pretend i know how to write a kiss, i would be much obliged.

prompt: I’m sitting with my back to the fireplace, and my back is burning but my feet are cold, and you are sitting across from me and i think you’re smiling endearingly, but it’s hard to tell.

(Y/n) and Arthur had been friends since childhood, and as such, everyone in the castle knew that where (Y/n) wandered, the prince was not far behind. As it was with any young prince, Arthur Pendragon was a mosaic made of contradictory statements and confusing ideologies, but the one certainty was (Y/n) and his devotion to them. The entire world could be ending, but as long as you knew where (Y/n) was, then you could find the wayward prince. The whole of Camelot knew that the two of them were inevitable, like a prosperous spring after early showers of rain, but exactly when the two would realize this themselves was unknown.

But then, again, how could not know? Surely (Y/n) noticed Arthur’s constant loyalty, interspersed with that intense and unwavering feeling of love, and certainly Arthur had to realize (Y/n)’s particular fondness mixed with the steadfastness of their adoration.

It seemed unrealistic to think that the two didn’t realize they loved the other more deeply than anything. But perhaps they had gotten too comfortable in their love for the other, and recognizing it was like trying to put a name to a feeling they had carried their entire life, so deeply set into their bones it was a fact more than anything else.

Whether they put a name on their true feelings or not was of little consequence. There was nowhere one of them could go where the other would not follow. That was made succinctly clear when Arthur had to go to an outlying village some two days' ride from Camelot to bring peace amongst the people and raiders who were taking much needed grain. It was the heart of winter, and the days were cold enough to make any man wish he were dead, not to mention the freezing nights. Arthur and (Y/n) argued for days over whether or not (Y/n) would join him, but in the end, the two rode off together with a few other knights.

The fight was fairly mild, when all things were considered. Both sides were strong in their resolve to fight, but only so much blood could be spilled before the raiders could no longer justify their stance. When it was all over, Arthur immediately searched for (Y/n), ignoring the deep cut on his cheek in favor of making sure they were alright.

They were fine, without so much a scratch on them, but when they saw the state of Arthur, they were quick to reprimand him. They had patched him up immediately, their fingers cold against his flushed cheeks.

Arthur insisted he didn’t need help - especially when other men were worse, but when (Y/n) had finished, he thanked them sincerely.

(Y/n) kissed his forehead with an absent-minded “Of course,” and moved on to help the other injured. Arthur had watched them retreat with a smile that made his newly patched cheek burn.

The ride back to Camelot was faster than the ride from - everyone was eager to escape the biting winter and sleep on something other than frost and snow. They returned home late at night, after King Uther and many others had gone to bed, so Arthur had resolved to bring news to his father in the morning, telling everyone to get some well-deserved rest.

When walking into the castle, (Y/n) had shivered from the cold and Arthur insisted they come to his chambers and warm by the fire. The knights around them shared looks, raising their eyebrows and nudging each other in the ribs, but neither (Y/n) or Arthur seemed particularly fazed by their behavior.

Inside Arthur’s chambers, the fire burned brightly, emanating a warmth that made both draw close. (Y/n) sat down on the hearth, rubbing their hands together and putting them close to the flames, and Arthur watched them with a tenderness in his gaze. The fire made (Y/n’s eyes sting and they turned their back to the flames, rubbing their toes and pulling off their socks.

“Need a blanket?” Arthur asked, but he was already retrieving two, handing the thicker one to (Y/n). They took it from him with a soft ‘thank you’ and Arthur pulled up a chair to sit in, much preferring it to the hard stone.

“How’s your cheek?” (Y/n) wrapped the blanket around them, their eyes trained on Arthur as he made himself comfortable near the fire, across from them.

“Eh,” Arthur made a non-commital noise and (Y/n) rolled their eyes. Arthur smiled, “It’s alright. You could make a decent physician if Gaius took you in.”

(Y/n) scoffed. “And deal with the idiotic injuries of knights all day? I’ll find something else to occupy my time.” It was hard for Arthur to see their face, with the fire to their back, but he could guess at how their lips were tugged into a grin, their eyes alight with mirth. He fiddled with the laces of his boots, taking them off so he could warm his freezing toes. “Dealing with you is enough to give me a heart attack, I don’t think I could handle worrying over anyone else.”

“Worrying over me?” Arthur laughed, and the sound of it echoed through the room, clear and warm, laced with enough affection to make even the most cold hearted misers smile. “Bit of a lost cause, isn’t it?”

(Y/n) joined in his amusement with laughter of their own, soft but present. “You wouldn’t believe.” They tilted their head and the curve of their cheek was illuminated by the fire, the light caressing the right side of their face and shedding light on the affectionate vulnerability in their gaze. “But I’ll always worry over you, Arthur. It’s inevitable.”

Arthur fiddled with the ring on his finger, tearing his gaze away from (Y/n). It was hard to tell, with the dark of night upon them and the fire casting them in odd, ever changing shadows, but the smile on his face almost seemed endearing.

“So it’s rather pointless to try and get rid of me.”

Arthur furrowed his brow. ”Rid of you? What makes you think I’d want to get rid of you?”

“I never said you wanted to, dollop head—” Arthur guffawed, much to (Y/n)’s delight “—only that you couldn’t.”

“Well, maybe I should reconsider my previous statement.”

A comfortable quiet settled between them, and for a moment the two just looked at the other, not trying to do anything other than relax. There didn’t seem to be anything more perfect than what lay between them - a content sort of love that went beyond need for the world.

“You did well, back in the village,” (Y/n) eventually spoke and their voice was soft, barely heard over the noise of the flames. Arthur leaned back in his chair with a sort of amused confidence and (Y/n) scoffed. “I mean it. You’re going to be kind one day, and I’m not worried about how you’ll turn out.”

Their words struck a chord in Arthur, something deep that made him sober for a moment. “So long as you’re by my side, I’ll be fine.”

(Y/n) nodded slowly, but averted their gaze, a tinge of sadness making its way into the way they bent their head. “Don’t you think you’d want someone else at your side? You’re the future king of Camelot, Arthur. Those are large shoes to fill. Don’t you think your time is better spent with others?”

Arthur blinked, genuinely confused, but he stopped himself from rushing into an answer. There was a vulnerability in (Y/n)’s voice that stopped and reminded Arthur of how precious this moment was, and the delicacy with which things like love had to be handled.

When he spoke, Arthur caught their eye, refusing to let them go. “Time better spent than with the person I love?” And the intensity of his being lay within his eyes; the strength that was so characteristic of the prince, (Y/n) doubted whether he existed beyond it.

“Love,” (Y/n) smiled, testing out the way the word rolled over their tongue. Strange, how it felt no different than Arthur’s name itself, or any other words that were meant for him. “It’s silly we haven’t said that to each other before.”

“Not really,” Arthur leaned back in his chair, a smile of his own growing on his lips, “I don’t think we ever needed it, before now.”

“Yes, well,” (Y/n) drew nearer to Arthur, the thick blanket around their shoulders dragging behind them, “I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”

Arthur kissed them, his hands as warm as his heart, after having sat in front of the flames for so long, and (Y/n)’s touch was on fire, searing their every movement into his memory forever. When they pulled away, Arthur leaned his forehead against theirs. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

-- taglist: @locke-writes, @randomfandomimagine, @brokenandheadoverheels // message me if you want to be added!

#merlin bbc #bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #arthur pendragon x reader #arthur pendragon x you #merlin #gender neutral reader #reader insert #fluff #one shot #imagine #arthur pendragon imagine #fanfiction #fanfic #holiday prompts #tw mentions of blood #tw mentions of battle #tw mentions of violence

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pendragonsandbuckleys · 2 years

Text

Of Rattled Brains and Rescued Knights

Summary: He really should have listened to Gaius.

A head injury was never a good thing to ignore, he’d seen plenty whilst working with the physician and if it was serious it could have fatal consequences. But he didn’t have time to dwell on his own problems, who knows how long it had been since Aulfric and Sophia had left with Arthur? He had to get a move on if he stood any chance of saving him.

Set in s01e07. After being violently thrown into a wall by Aulfric, Merlin is determined to save Arthur from the Sidhe’s clutches, no matter the risk to his own health.

Word Count: 4,581

[Also on AO3]

He really should have listened to Gaius.

The Lake of Avalon had never felt so far away before and now, as he was stumbling through the overgrown bushes and too-low branches, he was really regretting not taking a horse from the stables. It definitely would have rattled his brain more than he would have like but at least he would get to Arthur in time.

As he shook his head to clear the fog slowly creeping across his vision, the toe of his boot caught an exposed tree root and he went flying to the ground with a yelp. If he thought his head was throbbing before, what he felt now was a new level of pain, a sharp stabbing in every corner of his skull to accompany the annoying buzzing noise that had made a return.

For a moment he didn’t move as he laid on the dirt floor, waiting for his limbs to co-operate. The small dead leaves by his head drifted further away from him with every ragged exhale and he squeezed his eyes shut as if that tiny action would provide him with the extra strength he needed to stand.

If he went through all this just to find Arthur dead by the time he got there, Merlin was going to kill him. I mean really, spell or not, who falls in love with a girl they’ve only known for two days?

Pushing himself to his knees was a struggle and he sighed as he noticed the fresh grazes across the palms of his hands. Another thing he would have to heal later. Assuming there was a later. He could hardly return to Camelot with the knowledge that he had let the Prince die. Fear was a powerful motivator though as it pushed him forward and took him one step closer to the lake.

It was a bright afternoon and though the sun was shrouded mostly by the clouds, a few streams of light filtered through the trees. He normally enjoyed days like this, not too warm, a nice breeze dancing across his skin, it made him feel so alive and at one with himself. He’d always known that his magic was connected to nature, to the earth and all things that grew from it and on the days where his chores kept him mostly cooped up in the brick walls of the castle, spending time in the forest made that connection feel all the more potent.

That’s why it was such a shame right now that his focus wasn’t on the towering trees that were currently blurring into each other but more on keeping himself in a straight line as he ran past them.

He sensed the lake before he saw it, the coolness of the water, the power under its surface as it rippled away from the water’s edge. It was an element so pure and still, sitting in delicate balance between the earth’s quiet strength and the air’s tempestuous spirit, the perfect gateway to an immortal world. Though how the Sidhe could demand such a cruel sacrifice to enter such a sacred place was beyond him.

He spotted Aulfric first. The older man had his back to him and was standing just away from the water. A silent observer to the impending offering. Merlin knew he would have to deal with him first, but how?

Even in human form, the Sidhe were a powerful race. Supposing Merlin had the energy to perform the right spell, it would still take at least a few tries to get it right, providing Aulfric with more than enough time to take him out with his staff. The staff that was conveniently resting on the floor by the man’s feet. How…convenient.

As Merlin lifted his hand, readying himself to summon the staff towards him, a sharp pain shot through the base of his skull. It was so unexpected that he couldn’t stop his feet from stumbling underneath him, the loss of balance sending him into the nearest tree. As he fell he caught the side of his forehead against the bark with a dull thwack and did his best to contain the groan threatening to escape.

Aulfric had heard him. That much was obvious from the way the man’s head whipped round with an unfriendly scowl, but not noticing the bumbling servant amongst the green, he turned back to give his daughter his full attention once more.

The daughter who was standing waist-deep in the water with a helpless prince spell-bound in front of her.

Merlin really needed to hurry up, but the second knock to his head was doing him no favours. Or was this the third? All he knew was that the buzzing in his ears had upgraded to an intense ringing. and that the small black spots filling his sight should probably be a cause for concern.

Righting himself with the help of the tree, he lifted his hand once more and focused on the summoning spell. He’d used it several times before - much to Gaius’ annoyance - but now the slowly expanding fog in his brain was jumbling the words.

Closing his eyes, he felt his magic swirl around inside him and for a moment the pain in his head completely disappeared. Light filled his veins as he called upon the much needed strength and when he opened his eyes once more they glowed.

“Onbregdan,” he whispered and Aulfric’s staff gently floated off the ground and over to his waiting palm. The wood was cold in his grip and his fingertips ran along the grooves of the ancient carvings, the magic strumming under the surface was immense, a cool blue glow to rival Merlin’s powerful gold.

In the distance, Arthur was falling helplessly back into the water and Merlin knew he was running out of time. Aiming the staff at Aulfric’s unsuspecting back, he recited the spell he hoped would do the job and the result was instantaneous.

The bright blue beam hit Aulfric seconds later, he was barely given a chance to hear the words leave Merlin’s mouth before exploding into a magical, gooey mess. Sophia’s pained gasp could be heard from the treeline but her wading escape from the water was short-lived as she too succumbed to the power of the Sidhe staff.

The second jolt of power from the staff had Merlin’s vision sliding out of focus for a moment and he pressed a heel of a palm to his forehead to try and contain the pain. He could feel a dangerous pressure building behind his eyes and he needed to get to Arthur before it all got too much.

The water was cold as he struggled against it and his clothes were drenched in an instant, the fabric clinging to his skin as he pushed himself forward. He was running out of time and yet he couldn’t see Arthur anywhere. Shouting the prince's name repeatedly, he reached around in front of him, hoping that by some luck his hand would brush against chainmail, but still nothing.

So he ducked his head under the surface, again and again, forcing his eyes open against the murky water in a desperate attempt to find who he was looking for. And then, just up ahead, the sunlight bounced off a shiny metal surface like the perfect beacon.

Merlin spluttered as he swallowed a mouthful of water but he was so focused on saving Arthur he hardly noticed. He pulled an armour cladded arm upwards and as soon as they broke above the surface, Merlin clung to him tight.

Arthur’s head rolled against his shoulder lifelessly as he swam back to the shore, doing his best not to kick the Prince’s legs under the surface. It was very concerning how still Arthur’s body was in his grip but right now his main concern was getting back onto dry land. It would be no use to either of them if they both drowned.

Arthur’s heels dug heavily into the ground as Merlin dragged him onto the dark forest floor and the edge of the water clung to him for a moment not wanting to relinquish its prey.

Arthur wasn’t moving. That was the first thought that floated through Merlin’s brain once he had caught his breath. On any other boring, chore-filled day he might have half-jokingly wished for this, but right now, Arthur wasn’t moving.

It was hard to tell if he was even breathing and in that moment, Merlin had no idea if it was due to Sophia’s spell or just the unforgiving nature of the water. He did, however, know how to fix it.

Water dripped from his hair into his eyes and his knees dug into the dirt floor as he thought back through the months of training that Gaius was sure he hadn’t been listening to. Well this would prove to the old physician that he had been paying attention. Or it would have done if Arthur hadn’t chosen that moment to roll onto his side to cough up the remaining lake water with a gasping groan.

Merlin was almost disappointed that Arthur hadn’t needed his help.

Almost.

“Arthur! Are you okay?” he called out as he crawled closer, wincing as the stones dug into his knees. The prince took a moment to answer, content with taking his time to clear his watery lungs, though when he finally noticed Merlin’s presence he froze, surveying him with squinted eyes.

“What did you do?” he coughed and pushed himself to sitting and Merlin was almost speechless at the accusatory words and near angry look on Arthur’s face.

“What do you mean what did I do?”

“I really doubt this was my fault!” Arthur grunted as he gestured to his sopping wet attire and Merlin couldn’t stop his stare of disbelief. Why the hell had he been so desperate to save Arthur again?

“Do you even know what just happened?” He asked grumpily as he pushed himself to his feet. The quick ascent and minor change in altitude was all it took to remind him of his sore head and scrambled brains and he squeezed his eyes shut in the hopes that it would fade.

“I don’t need to know what happened to know it was your fault.” Arthur followed his lead in standing, tutting at the state of his armour and underclothes.

“So that’s a no then.” Merlin huffed in his defence, raising his eyebrows challengingly. “What would you say if I told you that Sophia was a magical creature who kidnapped you, tried to kill you and would have succeeded if I hadn’t ran all the way here and saved your life?”

“I’d say you’ve been on the cider again.”

The walk back to Camelot was slow. And quiet.

Arthur put it down to Merlin’s claims of ‘running all the way here’ but he had a niggling feeling that there was something more to it. Maybe he really was just tired, his sluggish footfalls and hunched shoulders were proving just as much but every now and then he’d weave off to the side like he was struggling to walk in a straight line.

Merlin claimed he’d rescued him, which Arthur didn’t believe for a single second. But regardless of the boy’s complete refusal to elaborate on it, there was no denying that something had happened and now they were both rather worse for wear because of it.

Arthur’s chest still felt tight and there was a horrible burning in his throat from when he had coughed up a load of lake water. Which was something else he didn’t understand. Okay, so swimming wasn’t exactly a daily activity for him but it’s not like he didn’t know how to do it. When he and Morgana were younger they would go swimming in the nearby lakes all the time, especially during the summer months, so for him to almost drown today was unexpected.

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he almost didn’t noticed that Merlin had stopped walking. He was about to call out to ask him what the hold up was but as Arthur turned around he paused with a frown. Merlin looked terrible. He was slightly hunched over with a hand pressed against the nearby tree and his face was a ghastly pale - the kind of shade that his father had turned that one time he’d come down with the sweating sickness.

“Merlin?” He voice was soft as he stepped closer. At first he wasn’t sure if Merlin had heard him but as the boy raised his head to look at Arthur, there was a mere few seconds before a steady line of blood suddenly ran from his nose and he dropped to the ground with a thump.

Arthur was quick to action, running forward and sinking to his knees by Merlin’s head, his hands hovering in front of him, unsure of what to do or where to touch. Merlin’s mouth gaped open as he took a gasping breath and his eyes fluttered for a moment before closing completely.

Arthur could feel his heart thumping in his chest. What the hell had just happened?

He should have said something sooner, should have asked Merlin what was wrong or at least told him to take a break, but in his own cold and bewildered state all he wanted was to get back to the castle, to his dry clothes and warm fire.

He hadn’t expected Merlin to collapse and start bleeding out of nowhere.

The blood still running slowly across his lips was a stark red against his pale skin. He tried to wipe it away with his sleeve but all he succeeded in doing was smearing it across Merlin’s face.

He wasn’t qualified for this, Merlin clearly needed help and he had no idea what he was doing. He needed Gaius. Now.

Arthur grunted as he lifted Merlin’s dead weight over his shoulder and as he hurriedly began the long trek to Camelot he pretended not to feel the arm bouncing lifelessly against the bottom of his back. People didn’t just started bleeding from their nose for no reason and Arthur didn’t want to find out the cause of it too late.

He was tempted to run, to do anything to make the journey quicker, but he knew from his lifetime in Camelot’s army that that would only do more harm than good. This wasn’t the first time he’d had to carry a fellow soldier to safety and his main goal right now need to be conserving his strength. He was a very fit man by Camelot’s standards, he could train for hours on end, take down men twice his size, walk for miles if need be, but exerting himself too much at the start of his journey would only result in him having to take a break sooner rather than later.

They only had about an hour until they were home, he just needed to set a steady pace and he’d be fine.

They both would be.

The added pressure to his shoulders was making his chest ache again and he fought hard against the coughing fit he could feel looming in the back of his throat. His hair was almost completely dry now but his clothes still felt uncomfortably damp against him skin - another possible cause for concern. He had always been taught to keep his clothes dry and to keep himself warm during patrols but that was his last priority right now, only overtaken slightly by his pressing need to know why the hell he was in the water in the first place.

Merlin said that Sophia had tried to kill him, which was impossible. She was just an innocent girl who had needed some protection in the castle. She and her father had been nothing but grateful for the help that Arthur had provided them.

He barely knew her, but he knew she wasn’t capable of anything like that.

Maybe Merlin was jealous. Sophia had clearly taken a liking to him - and who could blame her - so maybe Merlin was just bitter that he’d been overlooked. That could explain the strange accusations and sudden dislike for the girl. Right?

But it didn’t explain how Arthur had ended up near drowned in a lake miles away from Camelot with only Merlin for company. A clearly very sick Merlin.

Why the hell had Merlin not brought a horse with him? He knew full well how to break one out of the stables and if he was embarking on this so called rescue, surely it would have made the journey much easier.

In fact, why the hell had Merlin decided that he should be the one to rescue him at all if he’d been in this sorry state to begin with. The King would have sent the entire army to Arthur’s aide if he had been in danger, but oh no, his servant had decided he could handle it all by himself.

Well look how that turned out.

Arthur tried to be angry but it was hard to feel anything but concern for his unconscious servant who had yet to make a single sound in the past twenty minutes he had been carrying him.

He’d seen Merlin hurt before, hell he’d carried him in the exact same manner after he’d been poisoned those many months ago, but it didn’t make it any easier seeing a friend like this.

…Not that Merlin was his friend. Of course not. It would never be allowed even if Arthur wanted to call him a friend. No, he was more of an associate. An acquaintance. A bumbling idiot that Camelot wouldn’t be the same without?

Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t matter what he called him if he didn’t get him back to the castle soon.

As Arthur reaffirmed his grip on Merlin’s leg, Merlin let out a small groan followed by a weak cough. It would have been easy to miss over the rustling of the trees if Arthur hadn’t been listening out for it.

“Merlin?” Arthur turned his head to whisper over his shoulder, slowing his walk to a more gentle pace but not wanting to stop completely unless he needed to. “Are you alright?”

“Arthur?” Merlin croaked out, confused and disorientated and he tried to lift his head from where it was hanging to see where the voice had come from. “Put me down.”

“No, we have to keep going.” Arthur shook his head even though Merlin couldn’t see him. “We’re almost back and I need to get you to Gauis.”

Merlin didn’t even seem to hear him as he repeated himself and the pleading whine stopped Arthur in his tracks immediately. He didn’t want to waste any time but Merlin seemed quite desperate to no longer be carried.

The forest floor didn’t look particularly comfortable with the tree roots jutting up all over the place but Arthur did his best to lower Merlin to the ground as carefully as possible, bending his knees until Merlin’s feet grazed the floor and using his free hand to guide the boy’s back all the way down.

Merlin didn’t stay horizontal for long though as he clumsily pushed himself up to roll onto his hands and knees. He was breathing heavily through his mouth and though his face appeared to have gained a touch of colour, the blood was still smeared horribly across his cheek.

His eyes were wide and he couldn’t hold back a sob as he heaved helplessly. Arthur had no idea when he had last eaten but Merlin’s stomach was clearly empty despite it’s desperate attempts to rid itself of its contents. The only thing being expelled was the small amount of bile that was now pooling in the dirt.

Arthur didn’t know what to do. He wanted to help but he didn’t know how to go about it. Morgana liked being comforted - a hand rubbing her back or holding her hair - any comforting gesture that told her she wasn’t alone, but Arthur was the complete opposite. He didn’t particularly enjoy anyone watching him when he was being sick, let alone invading his space so he didn’t want to do anything that would make Merlin even more uncomfortable.

Choosing a safe middle ground he knelt down next to him but went no closer, whispering encouraging support over Merlin’s constant gagging. It was horrible to watch, Merlin’s scrunched face every time his stomach churned, the beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead, he just hoped Merlin felt somewhat better after the whole ordeal.

The string of saliva hanging from Merlin’s lower lip clung to his chin as he crawled the short distance to the nearest tree. With his back against the bark he took a moment to breath through the pain in his head and the sickly feeling in his stomach. He used what little strength he possessed to wipe the back of his hand across his chin before dropping it to his lap. “I’m okay.”

“Merlin…” Arthur started with a stare, determined to get to the bottom of what had happened now that Merlin was awake and talking.

“It’s nothing.”

“You look terrible.”

“Being sick will do that to a guy.”

“You’ve looked terrible since the second I woke up by that lake.” Arthur edged closer with a huff until he was kneeing barely an inch from Merlin’s outstretched legs. He refused to just let this go and Merlin’s next answer did nothing to help quell his concern.

“I just hit my head, that’s all.”

“When?”

“I’m fine, Arthur.”

“People who are fine don’t collapse or get nose bleeds or start vomiting out of nowhere.”

Merlin ran a finger under his nose to feel the blood that was still sticky on his upper lip. He had no idea it had been bleeding and he didn’t really want to think about what it meant. “Head injuries can make you sick, that’s all that was. It’s probably what made my nose bleed too, it’s nothing.”

“Just because you can explain it away doesn’t mean it’s nothing.” Arthur almost crossed his arms but stopped himself before it made him look like a sulking child. He needed Merlin to start telling him what was going on though. He’d seen enough of his knights suffer from a blow to the head over the years to know how dangerous it could be.

He sighed as he watched Merlin close his eyes and lean his head back against the tree. The boy was clearly in pain and they weren’t too far from Camelot but Arthur didn’t want to be caught unawares if this was even more serious than it looked. He was about to ask again what had happened when Merlin spoke up.

“I was trying to save your life.”

“What?”

Merlin opened his eyes again and rolled his head against the tree to look straight at Arthur. “When I hit my head. I wasn’t lying before, Aulfric and Sophia really did kidnap you and I got thrown into a wall when I tried to stop them.”

“So when you say you were trying to save my life,” Arthur ran a hand through his hair to give the appearance that he was thinking hard about his next words. “You mean…you were doing a terrible job at saving my life.”

“I’m sorry, are you dead right now?”

“No, but I’m still not sure what happened so I don’t know if I can give you all the credit for me still being alive.”

Merlin would have hit Arthur then if it wasn’t for the fact that he barely had enough energy to lift his arms at that moment, well that and the likelihood that Arthur would probably class it as treason and have him thrown in the stocks once he was well enough. A simple eye roll and a half hidden smirk would have to suffice.

“Can you stand? We should get moving.” Arthur got to his feet and brushed his palms down the front of his trousers to rid them of any dirt before holding a hand out to Merlin. He was taking the return of Merlin’s usual flippant nature as a good sign but he didn’t want to wait around any longer than necessary.

“Fine,” Merlin agreed with a grimace as he allowed Arthur to help him up. “But you’re not carrying me again.” It was embarrassing enough to know that Arthur had manhandled him whilst Merlin couldn’t stop him, there was no way he was going to let the prince do it now that he was conscious.

Arthur didn’t argue. His chest had stopped hurting as much now that the extra pressure was gone and if Merlin could stay on his own two feet then he was all for it but he wasn’t against offering a bit of help. Before he could hear any arguments he grabbed Merlin’s wrist and guided the arm over his shoulder, making sure to use his other hand to grip Merlin’s waist securely.

“How’s your head?” He asked, not expecting an honest answer but hoping for one anyway.

“It’s okay,” Merlin glanced over, noting how Arthur was watching him closely. It was strange. The only people to ever show any concern over his wellbeing was his mother and now Gaius but it seemed there was a new person to add to the list, whether Arthur realised it or not.

Gaius would be able to help him out once they reached Camelot but for now he was glad to have Arthur’s company. His head was still throbbing relentlessly and the pressure was building behind his eyes again. He couldn’t wait to get back and just have a nap.

As they walked through the forest Arthur kept up a continual chatter, keeping his voice quiet but constant. It seemed to be keeping Merlin awake and there wouldn’t be any bandits lurking this close to Camelot so the noise wasn’t a risk. It was only as the turrets of the castle could be seen in the distance looming over the trees did something occur to Arthur.

“Okay but where did Sophia go? You said she was trying to kill me but she wasn’t there when I woke up and it’s not like you could take on a sorcerer all by yourself.”

Exposed tree roots were going to be the death of Merlin as he stumbled once again, saved only by Arthur grip. He honestly hadn’t thought Arthur was smart enough to even consider asking about Sophia’s whereabouts and Merlin definitely didn’t have an answer ready that would satisfy his curiosities.

He couldn’t tell Arthur the truth, that much was obvious, but right now he didn’t know if could come up with a convincing enough lie. It was a very simple question that begged for a very simple answer and as with most things there was a very simple solution. Avoid the problem and eventually it’ll go away.

“Actually Arthur, my head’s starting to hurt again. Maybe we should walk in silence for a while.”

#bbc merlin #merlin fic #my fic

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