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05/07/2013 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
15 Merlin/Arthur fic recs.
I kept saying I wanted to do this and now that I have all the free time in the world I'm working on it. I have to say I
Merlin/Arthur | 13K | R | Modern AU, office setting.
Summary: Merlin has too much bubbly during his company dinner, and the office is abuzz with rumours of him and Arthur —his gorgeous if infuriatingly stubborn head of department he's a PA for— come sobriety and Monday morning. And then there's what may or may not be post-sex coffee, whatever the hell that is. He's swearing off alcohol for life, but first, Merlin needs to know what happened that night.
Summary: Merlin has too much bubbly during his company dinner, and the office is abuzz with rumours of him and Arthur —his gorgeous if infuriatingly stubborn head of department he's a PA for— come sobriety and Monday morning. And then there's what may or may not be post-sex coffee, whatever the hell that is. He's swearing off alcohol for life, but first, Merlin needs to know what happened that night.
I prompted this on thekinkme_merlin and I couldn't have hoped for a better fill. Seriously, if you like UST, dirty talikng and boss/assistant dynamics you cannot not read it. Many thanks to
blood_songs90 for gifting me with such a wonderful fic.
Merlin/Arthur | 115K | NC-17 | Royal AU with magic. WARNINGS: Violence, minor character death, kidnapping, hostage situations, barebacking
Summary: For thirty-five girls/boys, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Arthur. But for Merlin Emrys, being Selected is a nightmare. Leaving his home to enter a fierce competition for a crown he doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Summary: For thirty-five girls/boys, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Arthur. But for Merlin Emrys, being Selected is a nightmare. Leaving his home to enter a fierce competition for a crown he doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
It was absolutely delightful, like everything she writes, and if you haven't read it yet stop everything you're doing and go ahead. The romance during the first part was wonderful, as well as the UST (it was killing me), and the whole magic fight and Arthur dealing with it, struggling against everything his father had made him believe his entire life to protect Merlin was incredibly well writen and developed. Amazing from start to finish.
Merlin/Arthur | 78K | NC-17 | Modern AU. WARNINGS: scent addiction, armpit kink, first time.
Summary: For the prompt where Arthur is a famous perfumer and is enamored with Merlin's scent. (Or that's the direction I took it, anyway.)
Summary: For the prompt where Arthur is a famous perfumer and is enamored with Merlin's scent. (Or that's the direction I took it, anyway.)
Sweet, hot, fluffy and lovely. One of those stories you never want it to end. I caught this halfway through, but I fell in love with the universe immediately —Merlin and Arthur's relationship, Uther and Nervin, their friends, the whole perfume business and more— and even though admittedly the scent addiction seemed strange to me at first,sp_owl managed to write it in a way that was sexy and romantic and I definitely adored. Don't let the warnings weird you out, really, it's totally worth it.
Merlin/Arthur | 5K+ | NC-17 | Coffeeshop AU, PWP.
Summary: For six months, Merlin and Arthur have been dancing around moving their "relationship" (Merlin wouldn't say it is one considering how they barely know each other) out of the backroom of Camelot Coffee and into a bedroom. Guess it's time. (PWP in which Merlin works at a coffee shop chain owned by the Pendragons and Arthur comes for periodic inspections).
Summary: For six months, Merlin and Arthur have been dancing around moving their "relationship" (Merlin wouldn't say it is one considering how they barely know each other) out of the backroom of Camelot Coffee and into a bedroom. Guess it's time. (PWP in which Merlin works at a coffee shop chain owned by the Pendragons and Arthur comes for periodic inspections).
I have a soft spot for coffeeshop aus, and especially if Merlin and arthur make up in the backroom. I liked that there was this 'thing' going on between them that had Arthur coming back, and the fact that Arthur visited the shop only to snog Merlin, using the excuses of inspections.
Merlin/Arthur | 2K | R | Modern AU. WARNINGS: Crossdressing.
Summary: Originally posted for the KMM prompt Merlin is one of those Rio de Janeiro dancers, with feathers and lively costumes... Arthur is a fascinated tourist.
Summary: Originally posted for the KMM prompt Merlin is one of those Rio de Janeiro dancers, with feathers and lively costumes... Arthur is a fascinated tourist.
So so hot. Had me grinning stupidly the whole way. I liked it because it's completely different to the things I usually tend to read and it was nice for a change, especially seeing Merlin luring Arthur for a quick fumble in an alleyway. The ending was glorious.
Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Arthur, Merlin/Others | 114K | R | Modern AU. WARNINGS: Violence, alcohol abuse/alcoholism, adultery, minor character death, car accidents.
Summary: It’s that time old tale, rewoven to fit: Merlin loves Arthur. But this is Arthur’s story. And, well... Arthur is thick. Cue six years of heartbreak, anger, loss, and most of all: love. There are people coming together and falling apart. There is awkwardness and pining and running away. And sometimes, at the end of it all, sometimes there’s a happy ending.
Summary: It’s that time old tale, rewoven to fit: Merlin loves Arthur. But this is Arthur’s story. And, well... Arthur is thick. Cue six years of heartbreak, anger, loss, and most of all: love. There are people coming together and falling apart. There is awkwardness and pining and running away. And sometimes, at the end of it all, sometimes there’s a happy ending.
It's not my usual choice of fic because of all the Arthur/Gwen and Merlin/Freya in it, which occupies an important amount of the story, considering that until around part 9 Merlin and Arthur's relationship is pure friendship, of course with very obvious pining from Merlin's part but not much from Arthur's. It's dramatic and angsty, but the resolution makes up for it.
Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/Freya | 34K | NC-17 | Modern AU, high school. WARNINGS: Homophobia, violence.
Summary: Will’s schemes were always stupid, but when a plan to court the new girl Vivian goes awry and lands the highly ostracised, highly out Arthur Pendragon in Merlin’s life – well, as a comfortably heterosexual man, he has nothing to fear from that right?
Summary: Will’s schemes were always stupid, but when a plan to court the new girl Vivian goes awry and lands the highly ostracised, highly out Arthur Pendragon in Merlin’s life – well, as a comfortably heterosexual man, he has nothing to fear from that right?
I loved this because of the role reversal. It's the typical coming out high school fic, but with the difference that here Arthur is the one out and 'despised', and Merlin the one in denial and in the closet that does everything possible to convince himself and the rest that he's completely straight (hence the Merlin/Freya bit). The building of Merlin and Arthur's relationship was slow and wary from Merlin's part, but I enjoyed that when he was with Arthur he couldn't get away despite his efforts. There was a bit of drama and lots of angst, but also every scene between them was lovely and the way in which Merlin got Arthur back after losing him was really sweet.
Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/Others | 8K | NC-17 | Modern AU with magic. WARNINGS: Prostitution, violence, dub/non con (not Merlin/Arthur).
Summary: There were very few opportunities in life for a magic-user such as Merlin. Fewer still were the opportunities for a penniless, orphaned child. Even so, when his mother passed away and left her thirteen-year old son behind, he never imagined that he would one day be selling his body.
Summary: There were very few opportunities in life for a magic-user such as Merlin. Fewer still were the opportunities for a penniless, orphaned child. Even so, when his mother passed away and left her thirteen-year old son behind, he never imagined that he would one day be selling his body.
This included some Merlin/Lance and Merlin/Gwaine as well as Merlin/Arthur, so it was definitely perfect in a parings sense for me, since I saw a bit of my three favourite ships. Lancelot is the gentleman that rescues Merlin one night from a fight, Gwaine the one that makes Merlin forget about Lancelot and provides comfort for a while, and Arthur is the wealthy client who falls for Merlin as soon as he lands eyes on him, and he's the one who takes care of Merlin and saves him. I actually love prostitution aus/slave fic (don't look at me like that), and I'm glad I got my hands on this one, it was a really nice read.
Merlin/Arthur | 27K | NC-17 | Modern AU, high school. WARNINGS: Prostitution, violence, non-con (not Merlin/Arthur).
Summary: After Merlin came out the year before, he has really tried to keep his head down, but when jock Arthur Pendragon demands his help for upcoming A-levels, he finds himself in a new situation that Merlin isn't entirely sure is without strings. Between suspicion for Arthur's motives and Gwaine's assurance that Merlin will be shagged at some point in his life, he just wants to survive his last year of high school.
Summary: After Merlin came out the year before, he has really tried to keep his head down, but when jock Arthur Pendragon demands his help for upcoming A-levels, he finds himself in a new situation that Merlin isn't entirely sure is without strings. Between suspicion for Arthur's motives and Gwaine's assurance that Merlin will be shagged at some point in his life, he just wants to survive his last year of high school.
Another typical high school au where Arthur is the sporty, popular guy and Merlin's almost invisible. The story revolves around Merlin tutoring Arthur as per their teacher's request (or that's what it seems at first), before a drunken kiss at a party that Arthur later denies changes everything. I enjoyed Merlin's friendship with Gwaine and Gwen, Arthur's attempts at making Merlin notice him, and the up and downs of their relationship, full of denial, until Arthur does the right thing in the end.
Merlin/Arthur | 5K | NC-17 | Modern AU, PWP.
Summary: Arthur is a bored, high-profile executive; Merlin runs a company (http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2005/sep/20/art) which offers "executive abductions" for charge. Arthur hires Merlin to kidnap him, and once the job is over, he can't keep away. Sexytiems involving bondage and dirty talk ensue.
Summary: Arthur is a bored, high-profile executive; Merlin runs a company (http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2005/sep/20/art) which offers "executive abductions" for charge. Arthur hires Merlin to kidnap him, and once the job is over, he can't keep away. Sexytiems involving bondage and dirty talk ensue.
Different and hot. I enjoyed all the kinky tropes the summary names, bondage, dirty talk, and Merlin seducing Arthur and then Arthur going after Merlin to finish what Merlin started. The sex was great.
Merlin/Arthur | 20K | R | Modern AU.
Summary: After breaking up with his girlfriend of two years, Arthur's friend suggests he visit a chatroom to meet someone new. Arthur doesn't expect any results, and only follows through with the idea for lack of anything better to do. But then he starts talking to the witty, intelligent, and absolutely hilarious user known only as MightBeMagic, and it seems like his friend's advice wasn't so bad after all.
Summary: After breaking up with his girlfriend of two years, Arthur's friend suggests he visit a chatroom to meet someone new. Arthur doesn't expect any results, and only follows through with the idea for lack of anything better to do. But then he starts talking to the witty, intelligent, and absolutely hilarious user known only as MightBeMagic, and it seems like his friend's advice wasn't so bad after all.
I read this one a while ago but I've recently re-read it because there's something about it that draws me in. Maybe it's because I love all the fics where they interact via internet, letters, post-its or the like, but I adored the development of their relationship and their characterisations in this. It was cute how they kept messaging each other even when they were in the same room, and the way Merlin slowly opened up to Arthur. I don't know, I just really, really like this one.
Merlin/Arthur | 60K | NC-17 | Modern AU. WARNINGS: Dub/non-con (not Merlin/Arthur), violent sex, unsafe sex, mind-control, torture, kidnapping, restraints, marking, intoxication, addiction, drug use, minor character death.
Summary: Merlin Emrys had pretty much resigned himself to life as a thought-reading, table-waiting freak in the sleepy town of Camelot, LA. Then a vampire named Arthur showed up...
Summary: Merlin Emrys had pretty much resigned himself to life as a thought-reading, table-waiting freak in the sleepy town of Camelot, LA. Then a vampire named Arthur showed up...
Based on True Blood, which I have to admit, only managed to watch like the first half of the first season before I got bored. I can't tell how much of the fic follows the show's story, but I still love this. The connection between Merlin and Arthur is electric since the beginning, and I really liked the way it's written, cracky but angsty, and howscatterglory wrote Merlin, with this side of vulnerable but strong; it was hot and the whole soul bounding only adds to the romance. Plus I actually adore vampire aus (there should be more of them in this fandom), and the mystery with Merlin, the action, and his antagonistic relationship with Gwaine for a change was fantastic to read. Amaaaazing.
Merlin/Arthur | 20K | PG-13 | Modern AU, high school. WARNINGS: Violence, denial, homophobia.
Summary: “Everyone knows you’re talented Arthur,” she interrupts, “but when a team has to choose between you and some other runner of equal ability, they’re going to look at what else you have to offer to the team and to the school. du Lac says you’ll be the men’s captain in the fall, and I think this experience will help you prepare. Or in which Arthur coaches Merlin on how to run.
Summary: “Everyone knows you’re talented Arthur,” she interrupts, “but when a team has to choose between you and some other runner of equal ability, they’re going to look at what else you have to offer to the team and to the school. du Lac says you’ll be the men’s captain in the fall, and I think this experience will help you prepare. Or in which Arthur coaches Merlin on how to run.
The slow build of their relationship in here was beautiful. I love the fact that the story includes sports (running), and it was nice to see how Arthur was reluctant to hang out with Merlin and coach him at first, and then how when Merlin didn't show up, he was the one to go to him. There was the whole 'coming out' situation as well, and even though it wasn't handled very well by Arthur, I think their last scene together was full of lust and it was hot and romantic. The end left me kinda disorientated, but the fic is pretty great.
Merlin/Arthur | 32K | NC-17 | Modern AU.
Summary: Arthur's a step away from gaining the WDC, when his car breaks down. Sour from the loss of the title he'd wanted so much and striven for so hard, he asks Excalibur's chief engineer be given the sack. Merlin Emrys, young and practically out of uni, steps in as new CD. Pity that Merlin's already off to a bad start with Excalibur's top racer. And to say that the new season's just begun. Or an F1 AU.
Summary: Arthur's a step away from gaining the WDC, when his car breaks down. Sour from the loss of the title he'd wanted so much and striven for so hard, he asks Excalibur's chief engineer be given the sack. Merlin Emrys, young and practically out of uni, steps in as new CD. Pity that Merlin's already off to a bad start with Excalibur's top racer. And to say that the new season's just begun. Or an F1 AU.
Basically; you have to read it. When I saw this prompt had been claimed I was immensely happy, but when I actually read the fic I loved the story. You'll probably hear me say this a lot from now on, but I don't think anyone writes 'romance' the wayrotrude does, she's amazing writing every genre, but this one is the one that captivates me the most. I loved the F1 universe she created here, their rocky start and the blooming of feelings during the hotel stay, the swimming pool, that meal with Gwaine, but I especially loved the scene of their first kiss. Everything about this made me smile, and that's reason enough to give it a go, okay.
Merlin/Arthur | 16K | PG-13 | Modern AU.
Summary: Arthur and Merlin drift apart and break up, but sometimes the end isn’t always a forever kind of thing.
Summary: Arthur and Merlin drift apart and break up, but sometimes the end isn’t always a forever kind of thing.
You've all probably read this already, but just in case anyone has missed it. It was a gorgeous story. I love break-up fics; well, I love angst in general, but this one, regardless of the fluffy bits from the second half of the story, really got me. The way Merlin and Arthur just drifted apart was hard to read and the details of the orange wall, Arthur unconsciously drawing Merlin in his comics, made it all the more emotional. All in all, if you haven't read it, get some tissues, and if you have, a re-read is always cool.