Took you long enough 10/13
Title: Took you long enough 10/13
Author: bunnysworld
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17, in the end
Word Count: 10400 and some
Summary: Arthur wakes up and has to find his way back to Merlin
Warnings/Content Notes: Reincarnation, crack, AU
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the boys aren’t mine. Just took them out to play a little. I give them back unharmed - if I have to. Own nothing, no copyright infringement intended.
After writing some really sad and/or serious stuff, I felt the need to dish out something funny to lighten the mood. I never really liked reincarnation fics, but this didn’t leave me alone, so I wrote it. If you have half the fun reading as I had writing this, it was worth the time and effort. If you can’t stand poking a bit of fun at our beloved golden king, you might want to stay away from this one. ;)
As always, thanks to tambear for the cheerleading and the beta.
Here you can find Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 , Part 8, and Part 9
The next morning, Arthur emerged from the bathroom, once again in nothing but that damn sexy white towel and Merlin could hardly look him in the eye, being busy looking at his body. The golden skin that once again was almost vibrant with energy.
“What’s this?” Arthur ran a finger over a scar on his right side. Then understanding dawned. “This is where....”
Merlin nodded. “I did my best to heal it while you were sleeping. Sorry it left a scar anyway.”
“You....you? You left those footprints?”
Merlin nodded again. “Yeah. I had to make sure you were alright.” In the beginning he came back every week, hoping, wishing, wanting. Then every month, later every year and then, when he was sure he had done everything he could to ensure he’d notice right away when Arthur would be back, he’d only checked once a decade to renew the spells.
Arthur frowned. “You...the footprints led nowhere. And then there was your scarf. And...”
Merlin waited.
“...then I was in that street. You...,” Arthur looked at Merlin, a curious, anxious look in his eyes. He gasped. “You have magic!”
“No, Arthur. I do not have magic. I am magic.” That Arthur didn’t freak right away and ran for his sword was a good sign, wasn’t it?
For some odd reason, it didn’t scare Arthur. He just stood and looked at Merlin. Somehow he had known. Maybe that was what Gwen and Percival wanted him to remember? That Merlin had magic. And he did. He remembered the moment Merlin had shown his powers, the fear on Merlin’s face, the carefully chosen words. And the ways he had used magic to protect Camelot, to protect him. “I know.”
Merlin’s face lit up in one of those wide smiles Arthur loved so much. Hey, where did that come from? He knew that Merlin had magic, but since when did he love his smile? Arthur didn’t have time to ponder because Merlin pulled him into a hug, laughing, patting his back.
“You remember that!”
Arthur nodded slowly, not really understanding why that made Merlin so happy. He just knew that he didn’t mind him having magic. Even though he was brought up to despise everything magic, he had learned that magic wasn’t evil in itself. It depended on the person who used it. And this was just Merlin, right?
It just confused him that Merlin was so...touchy-feely. They’d seen couples in the streets holding hands, some even kissing. Last night, Gwen and Lancelot had shared one of the large armchairs and when Percival came in, he had put a kiss on Gwaine’s temple. So obviously this had changed, too. Public displays of affection seemed normal now. But why did Merlin do that to him? A hug here, ruffled hair there (the servant ruffled his king’s hair!!!), a pat on the back, an arm around the shoulder...it didn’t make sense.
Finally Merlin pulled back. He couldn’t do that. That Arthur remembered his magic didn’t mean he remembered them. But it also meant that chances were for him to remember that, too. Maybe in a few days? Maybe only in a few weeks, but there was a chance and that was what Merlin clung to. These past days were the happiest in the past centuries. Arthur was back and he was remembering a few things. Merlin stepped back. “Get dressed, I’ll get you breakfast and then we’re meeting the blokes for soccer.”
Arthur had forgotten about that, but his face lit up. He had no idea what this was, but the knights had made it sound like good fun and that was what he needed now.
%$&)((((((((((((((((
He’d never get used to these clothes. And...breeches...shorts...that...well....didn’t cover his legs? But those shoes Merlin had given him felt good and sturdy on his feet. While he put them on, the knights...their friends, trickled in, greeted him and put their own gear on.
Merlin tried his best to explain what the game was about, but Arthur didn’t really listen. They were in the woods, a ‘park’ as Merlin had called it, and the noises of the city were drowned out a bit. Large, old trees, open grass areas, birds singing, it almost felt like home. Arthur felt as if some things hadn’t changed too much and probably he could get used to this world after all?
A wide smile spread across Merlin’s face. The past days, he’d just been tense. Would Arthur be able to process all the new information raining down on him? How would he cope? How much did he remember? That Arthur didn’t remember that they were lovers, soul mates, hurt. He’d been waiting so long for this moment and then it wasn’t at all what he had imagined. But Arthur was strong and he already knew about his magic, so Merlin hoped everything else would come back to him, too.
And seeing Arthur running about on the field, chasing the ball, even though he had no idea about more than the most basic rules, made Merlin happy. For the first time, Arthur didn’t seem tense and trying to hide how lost he felt. He fought and barked orders and even though it was just a little leather ball in a match that didn’t mean anything, he seemed more in his natural environment than in the past days. When he managed to score, leaving Percy in the goal lying on the ground, Arthur raised his arms and roared in triumph.
An hour later, they made their way off the field, sweaty and dirty and they all smiled at the happy look on Arthur’s face.
Gwaine suggested to grab a bite at their favourite pub and Arthur nodded enthusiastically. He had more fun playing a game than he even thought possible. His muscles hurt like after a good training session with the knights and he was hungry and eager to find out what food they’d serve in this time (after finding out that ‘pub’ was the new word for ‘tavern’).
When his food was served, he stared at his plate, the happy feeling gone. He leaned over and whispered, “What is this, Merlin?”
“A cheeseburger, Arthur. And chips. Try it, you’ll like it.”
Arthur felt all eyes on him. He reached for the bread-meat-vegetables-cheese-tower-thing in front of him and carefully took a bite. Why couldn’t they just serve stew here? Slowly chewing, he looked at his friends, who all looked back, expectant and encouraging looks on their faces. He swallowed audibly.
“Not bad.” But not really good either. He took the top layer off to examine the food while he reached for the ‘chips’. He’d seen the others dip them into the red sauce and did the same before putting it into his mouth. “That’s...like...potatoes.” His face lit up.
Leon grinned. “That’s because they are potatoes. Fried potatoes and ketchup, which is made from tomatoes.”
“Merlin can make you some rat stew when you’re back home.” Gwaine chuckled and then ouched when Percy’s foot connected with his shin under the table.
Arthur laughed. “No thanks, I think I stick with this.” He pointed to his plate and then reached for his glass only to raise an eyebrow at it. “Why is it that you always drink brown water?” But coffee was a good invention, he’d found out, so he took a large gulp only to set the glass down abruptly as his eyes widened. What kind of magic was this? It didn’t taste like coffee at all! There were...little bubbles that stung the roof of his mouth and felt like they crept into the inside of his nose!
“Easy, Arthur, easy!” Merlin patted his back, scolding himself for not explaining fast enough that a Coke was nothing like a coffee.
Slowly Arthur swallowed the liquid and shook. “What evil magic is this?”
“No magic at all. Just a Coke. Water, sugar, flavour, carbonated.” Lancelot explained. “That makes those little bubbles that tickle your mouth and throat.”
“It’s...it’s...”
Merlin reached his glass of water over.
“Thanks.” Arthur made a mental note not to try too many unknown tastes at once and preferably not in public. But the burger, he decided, he liked.
On to part 11
Author: bunnysworld
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17, in the end
Word Count: 10400 and some
Summary: Arthur wakes up and has to find his way back to Merlin
Warnings/Content Notes: Reincarnation, crack, AU
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, the boys aren’t mine. Just took them out to play a little. I give them back unharmed - if I have to. Own nothing, no copyright infringement intended.
After writing some really sad and/or serious stuff, I felt the need to dish out something funny to lighten the mood. I never really liked reincarnation fics, but this didn’t leave me alone, so I wrote it. If you have half the fun reading as I had writing this, it was worth the time and effort. If you can’t stand poking a bit of fun at our beloved golden king, you might want to stay away from this one. ;)
As always, thanks to tambear for the cheerleading and the beta.
Here you can find Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 , Part 8, and Part 9
The next morning, Arthur emerged from the bathroom, once again in nothing but that damn sexy white towel and Merlin could hardly look him in the eye, being busy looking at his body. The golden skin that once again was almost vibrant with energy.
“What’s this?” Arthur ran a finger over a scar on his right side. Then understanding dawned. “This is where....”
Merlin nodded. “I did my best to heal it while you were sleeping. Sorry it left a scar anyway.”
“You....you? You left those footprints?”
Merlin nodded again. “Yeah. I had to make sure you were alright.” In the beginning he came back every week, hoping, wishing, wanting. Then every month, later every year and then, when he was sure he had done everything he could to ensure he’d notice right away when Arthur would be back, he’d only checked once a decade to renew the spells.
Arthur frowned. “You...the footprints led nowhere. And then there was your scarf. And...”
Merlin waited.
“...then I was in that street. You...,” Arthur looked at Merlin, a curious, anxious look in his eyes. He gasped. “You have magic!”
“No, Arthur. I do not have magic. I am magic.” That Arthur didn’t freak right away and ran for his sword was a good sign, wasn’t it?
For some odd reason, it didn’t scare Arthur. He just stood and looked at Merlin. Somehow he had known. Maybe that was what Gwen and Percival wanted him to remember? That Merlin had magic. And he did. He remembered the moment Merlin had shown his powers, the fear on Merlin’s face, the carefully chosen words. And the ways he had used magic to protect Camelot, to protect him. “I know.”
Merlin’s face lit up in one of those wide smiles Arthur loved so much. Hey, where did that come from? He knew that Merlin had magic, but since when did he love his smile? Arthur didn’t have time to ponder because Merlin pulled him into a hug, laughing, patting his back.
“You remember that!”
Arthur nodded slowly, not really understanding why that made Merlin so happy. He just knew that he didn’t mind him having magic. Even though he was brought up to despise everything magic, he had learned that magic wasn’t evil in itself. It depended on the person who used it. And this was just Merlin, right?
It just confused him that Merlin was so...touchy-feely. They’d seen couples in the streets holding hands, some even kissing. Last night, Gwen and Lancelot had shared one of the large armchairs and when Percival came in, he had put a kiss on Gwaine’s temple. So obviously this had changed, too. Public displays of affection seemed normal now. But why did Merlin do that to him? A hug here, ruffled hair there (the servant ruffled his king’s hair!!!), a pat on the back, an arm around the shoulder...it didn’t make sense.
Finally Merlin pulled back. He couldn’t do that. That Arthur remembered his magic didn’t mean he remembered them. But it also meant that chances were for him to remember that, too. Maybe in a few days? Maybe only in a few weeks, but there was a chance and that was what Merlin clung to. These past days were the happiest in the past centuries. Arthur was back and he was remembering a few things. Merlin stepped back. “Get dressed, I’ll get you breakfast and then we’re meeting the blokes for soccer.”
Arthur had forgotten about that, but his face lit up. He had no idea what this was, but the knights had made it sound like good fun and that was what he needed now.
%$&)((((((((((((((((
He’d never get used to these clothes. And...breeches...shorts...that...well....didn’t cover his legs? But those shoes Merlin had given him felt good and sturdy on his feet. While he put them on, the knights...their friends, trickled in, greeted him and put their own gear on.
Merlin tried his best to explain what the game was about, but Arthur didn’t really listen. They were in the woods, a ‘park’ as Merlin had called it, and the noises of the city were drowned out a bit. Large, old trees, open grass areas, birds singing, it almost felt like home. Arthur felt as if some things hadn’t changed too much and probably he could get used to this world after all?
A wide smile spread across Merlin’s face. The past days, he’d just been tense. Would Arthur be able to process all the new information raining down on him? How would he cope? How much did he remember? That Arthur didn’t remember that they were lovers, soul mates, hurt. He’d been waiting so long for this moment and then it wasn’t at all what he had imagined. But Arthur was strong and he already knew about his magic, so Merlin hoped everything else would come back to him, too.
And seeing Arthur running about on the field, chasing the ball, even though he had no idea about more than the most basic rules, made Merlin happy. For the first time, Arthur didn’t seem tense and trying to hide how lost he felt. He fought and barked orders and even though it was just a little leather ball in a match that didn’t mean anything, he seemed more in his natural environment than in the past days. When he managed to score, leaving Percy in the goal lying on the ground, Arthur raised his arms and roared in triumph.
An hour later, they made their way off the field, sweaty and dirty and they all smiled at the happy look on Arthur’s face.
Gwaine suggested to grab a bite at their favourite pub and Arthur nodded enthusiastically. He had more fun playing a game than he even thought possible. His muscles hurt like after a good training session with the knights and he was hungry and eager to find out what food they’d serve in this time (after finding out that ‘pub’ was the new word for ‘tavern’).
When his food was served, he stared at his plate, the happy feeling gone. He leaned over and whispered, “What is this, Merlin?”
“A cheeseburger, Arthur. And chips. Try it, you’ll like it.”
Arthur felt all eyes on him. He reached for the bread-meat-vegetables-cheese-tower-thing in front of him and carefully took a bite. Why couldn’t they just serve stew here? Slowly chewing, he looked at his friends, who all looked back, expectant and encouraging looks on their faces. He swallowed audibly.
“Not bad.” But not really good either. He took the top layer off to examine the food while he reached for the ‘chips’. He’d seen the others dip them into the red sauce and did the same before putting it into his mouth. “That’s...like...potatoes.” His face lit up.
Leon grinned. “That’s because they are potatoes. Fried potatoes and ketchup, which is made from tomatoes.”
“Merlin can make you some rat stew when you’re back home.” Gwaine chuckled and then ouched when Percy’s foot connected with his shin under the table.
Arthur laughed. “No thanks, I think I stick with this.” He pointed to his plate and then reached for his glass only to raise an eyebrow at it. “Why is it that you always drink brown water?” But coffee was a good invention, he’d found out, so he took a large gulp only to set the glass down abruptly as his eyes widened. What kind of magic was this? It didn’t taste like coffee at all! There were...little bubbles that stung the roof of his mouth and felt like they crept into the inside of his nose!
“Easy, Arthur, easy!” Merlin patted his back, scolding himself for not explaining fast enough that a Coke was nothing like a coffee.
Slowly Arthur swallowed the liquid and shook. “What evil magic is this?”
“No magic at all. Just a Coke. Water, sugar, flavour, carbonated.” Lancelot explained. “That makes those little bubbles that tickle your mouth and throat.”
“It’s...it’s...”
Merlin reached his glass of water over.
“Thanks.” Arthur made a mental note not to try too many unknown tastes at once and preferably not in public. But the burger, he decided, he liked.
On to part 11