How to make it through the week, Arthur/Merlin Style (Issue V)
NOOOO I'M LATE. :( I don't even have time to read fanfiction updates anymore since classes have begun once again and all my icontest comms need care&love. URGH.
And it is definitely not because I've just begun marathoning Supernatural and it's not because I'm obsessed with that show now, nope.
After compiling this list of recs I realised just how many I could have added - those will be saved for a future, similarly-based issue since this topic is one I always love to search for.
Master List: Index
Last Week's Recs: Issue IV
Dedicated, as always, to Mielle ♥ This is also for all the people who became lazy after series one ended and didn't bother to check their fanfic updates list (er...I'm included here) as well as for those who became fans right before series two arrived. The recs are from all over the timeline of fandom, so enjoy what you haven't read (and what you have).
How to make it through the week, Arthur/Merlin style
(Issue V)
THIS WEEK'S RECS ARE ON CHANGED DYNAMICS. NO, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
"oh, merlin, don't be stupid. we can't go on MONDAY because my manicure is five ways wrong and mindy doesn't take any appointments later than oh-thirteen-hundred" [crack fix]
(there are three things everybody in Ealdor knows about the Cursed Kingdom of Camelot)
How Merlin Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Arthur His Destiny by mint_amaretto [NC-17]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin, a little Morgana/Gwen, a couple of minor others
Warnings: making fun of anything I could think of, gay stereotypes, more anachronisms than in the show, excessive use of footnotes
Author's summary: Wherein Merlin moves to the Cursed Kingdom of Camelot, Arthur puts a little too much faith into the rules of courtly love and Lancelot has no problem being faithful to his lady.
As far as Changed Dynamics goes, this one really takes the cake. It's not necessarily the roles of the characters that gets shifted, rather than the entire universe itself.
EVERYONE IS GAY. AHAHA. Oh, the joys of reading well-written, unbelievably ludicrous crack are just too much, and this is one crack fic you need to read slowly instead of just blazing through for the main laughs. Every sentence is so well-structured and there are so many in-between hilarious bits that could easily be overlooked since it has such a great premise and some people may feel like rushing to The Sex. BUT DON'T. I mean, just the intro paragraphs, with Hunith, of all people, is filled with delightful absurdity. mint_amaretto (those are delicious, by the way) makes crack the way you want it - unfolding in more hilarious ways each time you read it or re-read an unbelievable scene. Sadly, that's the most addicting kind of crack, and you'll find yourself reading all the way through, re-reading it for good measure, and even going to the footnotes and discovering that there are more hidden treasures than you first thought, and you'll feel like it's Christmas all over again.
arthur pressed his forehead against merlin's desperately on TUESDAY, begging him brokenly to open his eyes [angst fix]
("The King has finally decided to appoint a court magician! Sorcerers from all over are coming to have a go!")
Peach, Plum, Pear by sweetestdrain [NC-17]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Author's summary: How in his tenth year of rule King Arthur chose a man to take the role of Court's Magician, and how Arthur made his decision.
THIS IS EPIC. Just saying it ahead of time in case you thought it wasn't since it's not in the epic section. This really is so epic but I haven't been able to fit it into that slot and I don't think I ever will, because I get more of a feelings vibe when I read this than just a "oh, how epic," vibe. Which is, pretty much, better.
While it's not classed as angst, I placed it here because, when reading it, I just feel so much for sweetestdrain's King Arthur. What he has gone through is so evident, and it makes us love Merlin even more for how much Arthur doesn't speak of him. And the way the author slowly unveils the hidden parts of the story is so beautiful and perfect that it's impossible to turn away. There's really a lot of gut-wrenching here, but it's contrasted with the sweetest revelations, so that it really touches everyone who chooses to read it.
Also, I feel like the title is from something, but that I'm too uncultured to know what it's from. If any of you figure it out, let me know (DON'T KEEP IT ALL TO YOURSELVES).
"WEDNESDAY," merlin finally caved, gasping, and arthur grinned up at him from his position on the floor [kink fix]
(Gaius doesn't even need to be awake to project vehement disapproval of Merlin's utter lack of morals.)
Truth is a Whisper by seperis [NC-17]
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/other
Author's summary: Words can also be mightier than the sword.
MERLIN IS A HOAR. Not literally, but rather in the way Katy Perry sings "Ur So Gay" and Eddie Izzard is a lesbian. I know we completely understand each other, so I'll just move on and say this is a fun, painful, hott romp in the woods, stables, wherever-Merlin's-having-sex. The way seperis flips the painfully overused stereotype within the fandom of Arthur being a sex-crazed sex-god and Merlin being the meek little almost but not quite virgin is definitely refreshing, and she even manages to maintain not only a plot or two, but also a clear focus on the deeper, hidden reasons behind everyone's behaviour.
It's also pretty long, so enjoy the bloody amazing read this is. [Oh, and suspend your disbelief for a while, if you're the type who could never see Merlin as a complete HOAR. IT'S WORTH IT.]
"I named it THURSDAY," merlin said, giggling, and arthur, laughing in delight, bowled him over with one swing of his chubby arm [fluff fix]
(Arthur looked like he was plotting how to quietly shove Merlin under the bed so he could have Hunith all to himself again.)
An Alternate History by blue_meridian [G]
Pairings: Pre-Arthur/Merlin.
Author's summary: Eight months pregnant and unwelcome in her father's house, Hunith has come to Camelot to serve as her brother Gaius's assistant.
THIS FIC WILL MOST LIKELY TURN YOUR TEETH INTO JELLY BEANS. Good God, the fluff in this is enough to overpower the darkest of dark the show could ever throw at us, and would even be successful in beating the naysayers to submission. I don't even know how blue_meridian does it, but it really comes out perfectly, with just enough tying it to the show to make it so utterly loveable to any Arthur/Merlin shippers, even if it's a solid G rating. And really, all you can do after reading is "awwww," because it will rip out your heart with its cuteness and then hand it to you as you stare all lovey-dovey at the screen.
THEY ARE SO CUTE. SO CUTE.
there was just something about that actor, arthur pondered on FRIDAY, that he just couldn't put his finger on [AU fix]
(...he doesn’t think it’s fair that this strange clumsy man gets to sit there all calm and composed while Arthur feels like a wreck, inside and out.)
Reversal of Fortune by srin [PG-13]
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur
Author's summary: Wherein Arthur is not the rich boss, and Merlin is not the assistant. For a kink meme prompt. This is one of those that started out as a quick one-off response to the prompt, and then, er, grew.
Ohoho, this fic is so much fun and so refreshing. Really, I love reversals of roles, etc., so much and this one is the perfect AU for that. srin takes something that has always been fun but overdone (Arthur=boss, Merlin=some sort of employee) and flips it on its head, making the dynamics so twisted and different that I'm left wondering why people hadn't really done it much before. It's clean, perfectly-timed, wonderfully-characterised, and so entertaining, that when I was looking it over for this post, I thought it was longer than it really was.
Arthur is really a beauty to read, here. He's painfully aware of himself and so interestingly characterised that I could even rec the fic just for him. He's different in a new, perfect way, and everything works around that to make it seem like you're watching a film during the read. The author really redeems him in this alternate life and makes him the kind of Arthur he'd be if certain circumstances hadn't thrust him into the royal spotlight.
"I'd die for you a thousand times," whispered arthur, his voice harsh against the SATURDAY winds, "and I'd come back to you a thousand more" [epic fix]
(It was the same look Arthur had woken up to on a rocky shore by the sea, with the taste of wine still on his lips, when he'd thought he'd never wake again.)
The Crown of the Summer Court by astolat [NC-17]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Author's summary: "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."
Bahahaha. I've held off on reccing any of astolat's fics for a few issues in hopes that people would first be presented with the impression that I wasn't a sell-out, but even if you now think I am, OH WELL. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN RECCED ANY OF HER FICS (ie. you've been living in a hole in t'ground) then YOU ARE NOW VERY WELCOME. Your foray into the Merlin/Arthur fandom has now reached that critical point of having being recced this fic, and you can now die a happy slash fan with all your fantasy dreams fulfilled.
BECAUSE, OH MY GOD. I read this fic about once a month just to remind myself why I love it so much, and because there are certain scenes, certain tones, etc., that I really crave to read again and again. I LOVE IT. It's really a dream come true, and while it sometimes barely crosses over into the Gary Stu realm, IT'S WONDERFUL ANYWAY. I forgive those moments, just because it fulfils the dreams of that inner, flailing fangirl inside me. This is quite the epic epic and I'm pretty unashamed at reccing this to everyone, even if everyone's read it and have differing feelings about it.
Did I mention it's epic? Because it is. IT IS.
SUNDAY was never the best of days, as arthur would drag merlin out to practice fighting as though his life might one day depend on it [one-shot fix]
(...and does his best attempt at Arthur’s favourite facial expression; a cower lesser mortals sort of look.)
Next Time, I Will Remember This, and I Will Say 'No' by paperclipbitch [PG-13]
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur
Author's summary: “Arthur wants you to pretend to be him so that he doesn’t have to get married to Princess Helena?”
This was quite possibly one of the first major reversal of roles fics in the fandom, and it shows in the fics that have come after it. But it's a great story anyway, full of fun additions to the main premise that still manage to make it unique. paperclipbitch always works well with using cliches to their best points, moulding them to the Merlin fandom in ways that make her fics loads of fun to read and lovely new finds.
The characterisations here are also very well done, making the painful barrier between master and servant more tangible for Merlin fans and subtly addressing the issue of how the show as it is will need to make the transition to the legends as they were.
merlin and arthur stared at her, a bit terrified, as she ran around moaning, "OMFG I'M LATE, I'm late" [drabble + art fix]
(His fingers touched the stone, and slipped into it like it was nothing more than water.)
The Sword in the Stone by lavvyan [G]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Author's summary: Young Arthur sets out to pull the sword from the stone. It's not quite what he expected.
FANART by slanted_edges
Teehee so, since I'm a day late, here is a special addition to the usual list of recs. Whenever I'm late on posting one of these issues, I'll add a special category like drabbles or art, since I don't usually rec them during the week.
About this short fic: IT IS BEAUTIFUL. And I mean beautiful as a noun, as a state of being, as WHAT IT IS. lavvyan masterfully takes us into an alternate universe in which Arthur hasn't met Merlin, and shows us how the legends can be reinterpreted with thanks to the show's own revolutionary idea of bringing their ages closer together, and turns it into a short fic that really stays with you in a hauntingly gorgeous sort of way.
AND THE ART, OMG. I love slanted_edges' art so much - it's always slightly off, in an almost unsettling way that makes it impossible to turn your eye away. This piece of artwork, in particular (in honour of this short-fic, actually), is beautifully done and leaves you with a feeling of awe, bringing the fic to even more life than it already has.
SO THERE YOU GO, FORGIVE ME FOR BEING LATE & ENJOY THESE EXTRA PRETTIES :D
And it is definitely not because I've just begun marathoning Supernatural and it's not because I'm obsessed with that show now, nope.
After compiling this list of recs I realised just how many I could have added - those will be saved for a future, similarly-based issue since this topic is one I always love to search for.
Master List: Index
Last Week's Recs: Issue IV
Dedicated, as always, to Mielle ♥ This is also for all the people who became lazy after series one ended and didn't bother to check their fanfic updates list (er...I'm included here) as well as for those who became fans right before series two arrived. The recs are from all over the timeline of fandom, so enjoy what you haven't read (and what you have).
How to make it through the week, Arthur/Merlin style
(Issue V)
THIS WEEK'S RECS ARE ON CHANGED DYNAMICS. NO, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
"oh, merlin, don't be stupid. we can't go on MONDAY because my manicure is five ways wrong and mindy doesn't take any appointments later than oh-thirteen-hundred" [crack fix]
(there are three things everybody in Ealdor knows about the Cursed Kingdom of Camelot)
How Merlin Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Arthur His Destiny by mint_amaretto [NC-17]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin, a little Morgana/Gwen, a couple of minor others
Warnings: making fun of anything I could think of, gay stereotypes, more anachronisms than in the show, excessive use of footnotes
Author's summary: Wherein Merlin moves to the Cursed Kingdom of Camelot, Arthur puts a little too much faith into the rules of courtly love and Lancelot has no problem being faithful to his lady.
As far as Changed Dynamics goes, this one really takes the cake. It's not necessarily the roles of the characters that gets shifted, rather than the entire universe itself.
EVERYONE IS GAY. AHAHA. Oh, the joys of reading well-written, unbelievably ludicrous crack are just too much, and this is one crack fic you need to read slowly instead of just blazing through for the main laughs. Every sentence is so well-structured and there are so many in-between hilarious bits that could easily be overlooked since it has such a great premise and some people may feel like rushing to The Sex. BUT DON'T. I mean, just the intro paragraphs, with Hunith, of all people, is filled with delightful absurdity. mint_amaretto (those are delicious, by the way) makes crack the way you want it - unfolding in more hilarious ways each time you read it or re-read an unbelievable scene. Sadly, that's the most addicting kind of crack, and you'll find yourself reading all the way through, re-reading it for good measure, and even going to the footnotes and discovering that there are more hidden treasures than you first thought, and you'll feel like it's Christmas all over again.
arthur pressed his forehead against merlin's desperately on TUESDAY, begging him brokenly to open his eyes [angst fix]
("The King has finally decided to appoint a court magician! Sorcerers from all over are coming to have a go!")
Peach, Plum, Pear by sweetestdrain [NC-17]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Author's summary: How in his tenth year of rule King Arthur chose a man to take the role of Court's Magician, and how Arthur made his decision.
THIS IS EPIC. Just saying it ahead of time in case you thought it wasn't since it's not in the epic section. This really is so epic but I haven't been able to fit it into that slot and I don't think I ever will, because I get more of a feelings vibe when I read this than just a "oh, how epic," vibe. Which is, pretty much, better.
While it's not classed as angst, I placed it here because, when reading it, I just feel so much for sweetestdrain's King Arthur. What he has gone through is so evident, and it makes us love Merlin even more for how much Arthur doesn't speak of him. And the way the author slowly unveils the hidden parts of the story is so beautiful and perfect that it's impossible to turn away. There's really a lot of gut-wrenching here, but it's contrasted with the sweetest revelations, so that it really touches everyone who chooses to read it.
Also, I feel like the title is from something, but that I'm too uncultured to know what it's from. If any of you figure it out, let me know (DON'T KEEP IT ALL TO YOURSELVES).
"WEDNESDAY," merlin finally caved, gasping, and arthur grinned up at him from his position on the floor [kink fix]
(Gaius doesn't even need to be awake to project vehement disapproval of Merlin's utter lack of morals.)
Truth is a Whisper by seperis [NC-17]
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/other
Author's summary: Words can also be mightier than the sword.
MERLIN IS A HOAR. Not literally, but rather in the way Katy Perry sings "Ur So Gay" and Eddie Izzard is a lesbian. I know we completely understand each other, so I'll just move on and say this is a fun, painful, hott romp in the woods, stables, wherever-Merlin's-having-sex. The way seperis flips the painfully overused stereotype within the fandom of Arthur being a sex-crazed sex-god and Merlin being the meek little almost but not quite virgin is definitely refreshing, and she even manages to maintain not only a plot or two, but also a clear focus on the deeper, hidden reasons behind everyone's behaviour.
It's also pretty long, so enjoy the bloody amazing read this is. [Oh, and suspend your disbelief for a while, if you're the type who could never see Merlin as a complete HOAR. IT'S WORTH IT.]
"I named it THURSDAY," merlin said, giggling, and arthur, laughing in delight, bowled him over with one swing of his chubby arm [fluff fix]
(Arthur looked like he was plotting how to quietly shove Merlin under the bed so he could have Hunith all to himself again.)
An Alternate History by blue_meridian [G]
Pairings: Pre-Arthur/Merlin.
Author's summary: Eight months pregnant and unwelcome in her father's house, Hunith has come to Camelot to serve as her brother Gaius's assistant.
THIS FIC WILL MOST LIKELY TURN YOUR TEETH INTO JELLY BEANS. Good God, the fluff in this is enough to overpower the darkest of dark the show could ever throw at us, and would even be successful in beating the naysayers to submission. I don't even know how blue_meridian does it, but it really comes out perfectly, with just enough tying it to the show to make it so utterly loveable to any Arthur/Merlin shippers, even if it's a solid G rating. And really, all you can do after reading is "awwww," because it will rip out your heart with its cuteness and then hand it to you as you stare all lovey-dovey at the screen.
THEY ARE SO CUTE. SO CUTE.
there was just something about that actor, arthur pondered on FRIDAY, that he just couldn't put his finger on [AU fix]
(...he doesn’t think it’s fair that this strange clumsy man gets to sit there all calm and composed while Arthur feels like a wreck, inside and out.)
Reversal of Fortune by srin [PG-13]
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur
Author's summary: Wherein Arthur is not the rich boss, and Merlin is not the assistant. For a kink meme prompt. This is one of those that started out as a quick one-off response to the prompt, and then, er, grew.
Ohoho, this fic is so much fun and so refreshing. Really, I love reversals of roles, etc., so much and this one is the perfect AU for that. srin takes something that has always been fun but overdone (Arthur=boss, Merlin=some sort of employee) and flips it on its head, making the dynamics so twisted and different that I'm left wondering why people hadn't really done it much before. It's clean, perfectly-timed, wonderfully-characterised, and so entertaining, that when I was looking it over for this post, I thought it was longer than it really was.
Arthur is really a beauty to read, here. He's painfully aware of himself and so interestingly characterised that I could even rec the fic just for him. He's different in a new, perfect way, and everything works around that to make it seem like you're watching a film during the read. The author really redeems him in this alternate life and makes him the kind of Arthur he'd be if certain circumstances hadn't thrust him into the royal spotlight.
"I'd die for you a thousand times," whispered arthur, his voice harsh against the SATURDAY winds, "and I'd come back to you a thousand more" [epic fix]
(It was the same look Arthur had woken up to on a rocky shore by the sea, with the taste of wine still on his lips, when he'd thought he'd never wake again.)
The Crown of the Summer Court by astolat [NC-17]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Author's summary: "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."
Bahahaha. I've held off on reccing any of astolat's fics for a few issues in hopes that people would first be presented with the impression that I wasn't a sell-out, but even if you now think I am, OH WELL. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN RECCED ANY OF HER FICS (ie. you've been living in a hole in t'ground) then YOU ARE NOW VERY WELCOME. Your foray into the Merlin/Arthur fandom has now reached that critical point of having being recced this fic, and you can now die a happy slash fan with all your fantasy dreams fulfilled.
BECAUSE, OH MY GOD. I read this fic about once a month just to remind myself why I love it so much, and because there are certain scenes, certain tones, etc., that I really crave to read again and again. I LOVE IT. It's really a dream come true, and while it sometimes barely crosses over into the Gary Stu realm, IT'S WONDERFUL ANYWAY. I forgive those moments, just because it fulfils the dreams of that inner, flailing fangirl inside me. This is quite the epic epic and I'm pretty unashamed at reccing this to everyone, even if everyone's read it and have differing feelings about it.
Did I mention it's epic? Because it is. IT IS.
SUNDAY was never the best of days, as arthur would drag merlin out to practice fighting as though his life might one day depend on it [one-shot fix]
(...and does his best attempt at Arthur’s favourite facial expression; a cower lesser mortals sort of look.)
Next Time, I Will Remember This, and I Will Say 'No' by paperclipbitch [PG-13]
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur
Author's summary: “Arthur wants you to pretend to be him so that he doesn’t have to get married to Princess Helena?”
This was quite possibly one of the first major reversal of roles fics in the fandom, and it shows in the fics that have come after it. But it's a great story anyway, full of fun additions to the main premise that still manage to make it unique. paperclipbitch always works well with using cliches to their best points, moulding them to the Merlin fandom in ways that make her fics loads of fun to read and lovely new finds.
The characterisations here are also very well done, making the painful barrier between master and servant more tangible for Merlin fans and subtly addressing the issue of how the show as it is will need to make the transition to the legends as they were.
merlin and arthur stared at her, a bit terrified, as she ran around moaning, "OMFG I'M LATE, I'm late" [drabble + art fix]
(His fingers touched the stone, and slipped into it like it was nothing more than water.)
The Sword in the Stone by lavvyan [G]
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Author's summary: Young Arthur sets out to pull the sword from the stone. It's not quite what he expected.
FANART by slanted_edges
Teehee so, since I'm a day late, here is a special addition to the usual list of recs. Whenever I'm late on posting one of these issues, I'll add a special category like drabbles or art, since I don't usually rec them during the week.
About this short fic: IT IS BEAUTIFUL. And I mean beautiful as a noun, as a state of being, as WHAT IT IS. lavvyan masterfully takes us into an alternate universe in which Arthur hasn't met Merlin, and shows us how the legends can be reinterpreted with thanks to the show's own revolutionary idea of bringing their ages closer together, and turns it into a short fic that really stays with you in a hauntingly gorgeous sort of way.
AND THE ART, OMG. I love slanted_edges' art so much - it's always slightly off, in an almost unsettling way that makes it impossible to turn your eye away. This piece of artwork, in particular (in honour of this short-fic, actually), is beautifully done and leaves you with a feeling of awe, bringing the fic to even more life than it already has.
SO THERE YOU GO, FORGIVE ME FOR BEING LATE & ENJOY THESE EXTRA PRETTIES :D