Merlin/Arthur Modern AU Rec List P-Z
Merlin/Arthur Modern AUs P-Z
(go to: A-H ; I-O ; Canon Era)
- P -
Pairing Pendragon/Merlin by Anon; PG-13 (I guess ?); 3 Part (originally 24 commentaries) on KMM, 25k words
Prompt on KMM : Arthur is a BNF and Merlin is his prized beta.
This is a fantastic fic ! It's just Arthur and Merlin but in our world of fanfictions and internet and fandoms. The fandom they are in is Starz' Camelot, but the fic was written before the actual beginning of the tvshow so there's no spoilers. This is a also a lovely romance and special bonus point for Gwen and Lancelot doing matching cosplays before even knowing each other !
Pendragons Are NOT The Only Fruit, by thewordtree ; R; 7 Parts; 40k words
A/S : Merlin was adopted as a baby - he's always known that - but when he turned twenty he found he had a half-sister: the feisty and sort of scary Morgana. Merlin moved to sleepy Camelot to be closer to her, settling into life as a mild-mannered greengrocer, catering to his passion for in-season fruits and vegetables. To make things even better, Morgana’s adoptive brother is coming back from America and Merlin will get a brother too! Life is pretty peachy. But… Arthur Pendragon is not at all what Merlin had expected. He’s arrogant, funny, beautiful - he completely flummoxes Merlin at every turn. But really, Merlin doesn’t think his new sort of maybe not brother person is hot. That would we weird, right? Taking place over an entire year, there are fruit smoothies, a green Morris Minor van named Karl, musical theatre sing-a-longs, water balloons, mutant strawberries, an ex-boyfriend and Arthur's latest booty-call. Merlin thinks he needs to lie down.
This story is AMAZING ! I love everything about it. Merlin is adorable and his love for what he's doing is incredible. Morgana is a very credible (and frightening XD) lab researcher, Gaius is Gaius-esque, Will is amazing, Leon is heartbreaking, Gwen and Lance are cute and Karl is my hero ! And Arthur is perfectly perfect. Very nice and noble behind the prattish cover. And there are fruits and vegetables.
NEW! The Pendragon Way, by dreamdustmama ; NC-17 ; Two Parts ; 14k words
A/S: Arthur answers an ad in the paper for a third flat mate, and his life is turned completely upside down. It's the best decision he's ever made.
This fic is absolutely fabulous. Even better than what the summary lets on. It's Arthur, 25, deciding to finally take his life in his own hands as opposed to his father's. He discovers a lot of wonderful things along the way, and the good parts overcome the bad ones by a lot!! It's a story about flying by one's own, and hope and love, and it's delightful...
Picture Maker, by tourdefierce ; NC-17 ; 3 Parts ; 24k words ; Warning : drug use, some unusual sex uses, NSFW images
A/S : Hipster: a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter. Hipster: a group of people Arthur Pendragon despises.
I'm just gonna leave you with my review of this story because I don't really know what else to say... there's no words. It's like I've been taken to some kind of crazy incredible hipsterish world and I'm not completely back yet. I just can't explain how much I love this story, but this is really really important to me, and it's the kind of stories that makes you think about you life and the universe and everything and it's incredible.
Pool Boy, by dracosoftie ; NC-17; One-Shot; 2800 words
A/S : Arthur is a photographer for a popular porn magazine, and Merlin is the pool boy who tends to the grounds at the magazine's mansion.
The summary says it all. But even though, I have quite a good memory of this fic, and remember even finding it quite attaching... (And I didn't review it which is the shamest shame of shame)
Possibly Maybe I'm Falling For You, by lady_ragnell ; PG (?) ; 2 Parts; 14k words
A/S : Merlin walks into his favourite coffee shop one morning to find the Prince of Wales behind the till. His life only gets more surreal from there.
This fic is completely surreal, but completely amazing. This is the "it can only happen in a romance novel" kind of fic, but it manages to stay utterly believable and great. There's another fic that looks a bit like this one : Now That I'm Rich They Give Me Coffee that might please you a lot if you like this fic (and vice-versa)
NEW! The Prince's Speech, by a8c_sock ; PG ; Four Parts ; 37k words
A/S : Arthur is the Crown Prince of Camelot, he has just one problem, his speech. When his father takes ill he finds he must either find his voice or risk losing the throne. Can unconventional speech therapist Merlin Emerson help the Prince speak? And what happens when the Prince falls in love with the man who has helped him find his voice?
I loved the movie (The King's Speech) so much, I couldn't not read this. And I was not disappointed. It starts like the movie, awesome as it is, and then, slowly, the author's choices, and the show's characteristic (especially Merlin's characterization, which is breathtaking in this fic) are taking over, and things diverty from the movie... But the important bits are here (including the famous speech, which makes me very emotionnal, because it's a beautiful speech)... and then it goes further the movies timeline, because Arthur and Merlin are in love, and that requires some talk, right? The ending is beautiful, and I'll leave you to discover it by yourself.
- Q -
- R -
Radiant Under Every Sort Of Light, by zarah5 ; R ; 8 Chapters ; 55k words
A/S : Just your everyday Circus AU. Or: In which there are aerialists, decorative metal flowers, prejudices, artsy books and magic. Obviously.
Well, I don't read Circus AU everyday. This is actually the first I ever read in every fandoms. And if all Circus AUs were like this one, IO would certainly read more of them ! This is a lovely lovely story and the way the Circus Universe is described is really great. This story is made of dreams.
NEW! Rag Water, Bitters, and Blue Ruin, by leashy_bebes ; R ; Two Parts ; 12,5k words
A/S: Modern AU. Written for the following prompt at kinkme_merlin: Gwaine's drinking starts to spiral out of control taking over his life. Leon grew up with a alcoholic father (or other relative if you prefer) and recognises the signs and intervenes.
I rarely read non MA fics and I believe this is the first Leon/Gwaine fic I ever read, but it was really worth it. This fic is all kind of awesome. Gwaine's path along alcoholism and Leon's own path along helping him, and how all the others react is so incredibly depicted and... right that I feel like rereading the fic right now to understand how well the author did this. It's truly a wonderful fic. Go read it! And there's background M/A...
Remake the Current Stream by hulubululu ; PG-13 ; 5 Parts ; 44k words
A/S : In Albion Zoo, keepers and students don’t mix and head of the mammal department, Arthur Pendragon, is happy to keep it that way. But when one research student by the name of Merlin Emrys arrives and shows no regard for Arthur’s unwritten rules of socialising, Arthur’s life is turned upside down, and he’s forced to take his view of life up to reconsideration.
In which there is sibling snark, matchmaking otters, neighbours who are a bit too preoccupied with the idea of destiny, possessive best friends, drunken nights out and proof that maybe some things are indeed meant to be. Basically it’s a rom-com, with animals. But not like that.
I read 90 % of this fic on my PHONE !!! I hurt my eyes to read this fic !!!!! I got in it at the first letter and it was absolutely wonderful !!! I have a special affinity to Zoo AU because I dreamed to work in a zoo for a while, and the fact that the author knows what she's talking about is wonderful. It's kind of a "Take your fandom to work"... Arthur in this fic is insecure and full of principles, and yet completely Arthur. And Merlin is amazingly fragile yet strong. Will and Morgana are awesome. Lance Gwen and Freya as well. And the OTTERS !!!!!!!!!! Anyway... Go read it !!!
NEW! Remember, Remember, by Anon [not for long!]; NC-17 ; Two Parts ; 16,5k words
A/S: Prince Arthur gives up the person he loves to do his duty, but Merlin's impossible to forget.
Another fic wherein Arthur is the Prince of Whale (then the King). I couldn't be happier. This one is absolutely amazing because, contrary to the vast majority of Royal!Arthur Modern AUs, this one is with Arthur's POV and not Merlin's. And it's wonderful to have this vision of the situation for once! All the characters are incredibly lovely, and (maybe because I was very tired), I got teary eyes several times, but the ending is even better thanks to that. I really hope you'll enjoy this fic cause I really did!
NEW! Reversal of Fortune, by srin ; PG-13 ; One-Shot ; 7300 words
A/S : Wherein Arthur is not the rich boss, and Merlin is not the assistant.
I do love Company!AU, but this on is nothing short of amazing. As you can guess, it's the one where Arthur is the assistant and Merlin the rich boss, and what is amazing is that they still are completely IC! Merlin is an ecologic-frenzy almost ashamed to be rich very very nice and friendly boss, and Arthur is still sometimes a prat, but he is how Arthur would be if he had learned humility the hard way. There's no angst in this fic, just two people falling in love, and it's sweet and beautiful. Loved it!
Rinse, Lather, Repeat, by leashy_bebes ; NC-17 ; 2 Parts ; 11k words
A/S : Crumble fic under running water, and be sure to suspend disbelief before bathing. An epic tale of awkwardness, daft boys, and love as expressed through bathing products (yes, you read that right. Bathing products). With bonus arts.
Well, this is a delight of a fic. If you like the slightiest bit the kind of shop Lush and The Body Shop are, then you'll enjoy the first part immensely. If you enjoy Arthur/Merlin porn, then you'll enjoy the fic immensely. If you enjoy the guys being ridiculously fond of each other, same thing. What's not to like in this fic anyway?
Rivalry on Ice, followed by The Gala, followed by Winning the World Championship, by rotrude ; NC-17 (PG for The Gala) ; 5 Parts (2 - 1 - 2) ; might be something about 35k words total
A/S : Written for the following kinkme_merlin prompt : Olympic men's figure skating, they could be watching it and critiquing the fuck out of Evan Lysacek's dueling snake outfit, they could be the favored rivals on ice, what have you. I just want Arthur and Merlin and lots of glittery outfits. Arthur and Merlin are rivals. Merlin and Arthur are figure skaters. Fact is there are two rivals but just only one Olympic gold medal.
Then Merlin and Arthur at the figure skating Olympic Gala.
Then March 2010. Arthur is now a retired skater who has taken over Merlin's coaching. He's determined to drive Merlin to victory.
This verse is absolutely wonderful. As you can guess this is an Ice skating!AU. Rivalry on Ice is really great, bringing smile and good mood. The boys are idiotic about each other, yet competitive and interesting in their sport and this is a pleasure to read. Bonus point for THE kiss (you'll understand when you read it). The Gala is even better, even fluffier, and I was exploding with joy at the end. Winning the World Championship is my favourite one. It's a bit darker, with more angst and complicated issues, but we get( more deeply into the characters, and I really appreciate it. The first two fic are of Arthur's POV and the third of Merlin's and the change is really interesting, because I sometimes wondered about Merlin's point of view in the first parts. Oh, and Gwen is unbearably sweet, as she should always be.
Roses By Any Other Names, by this_is_kelly ; PG-13 ; One-Shot ; 4300 words
A/S : At 6.22 in the morning, Monday through Friday, Arthur walks into the coffee shop where Merlin works. But when Merlin calls him by the wrong name, Arthur doesn’t say anything and allows him to carry on with it.
Okay, first of all, I have a thing for Shakespeare, so the title was meant to please me. Secondly, this fic is bound to make you smile. This is fluff, and cute and really overbeaingly adorable. If you had a bad day, or even if you haven't, go read it, because it's a mood lifter, even if your mood is already the lightest of them all!
- S -
Same As It Ever Was, bycorilannam ; NC-17 ; One-Shot ; 7259 words
A/S :When Merlin wakes up, he’s wrapped in Arthur’s arms. It's the single worst moment of his life.
This is the kind of story where your heart break and then heal to end up melting. But it breaks seriously first. This is also a wonderful story regarding how knowing the future can make you do stupid things in wanting to change it, and finally leads you to only making it happen. This is one of the powerful thing about the episode The Crystal Cave, I think. Oh, so, as you can guess, this is an AU with magic.
NEW! Same River Twice, by Anon [for now] ; PG-13 ; 3 Parts ; 22k words
A/S : Modern royal AU. When Arthur, the Prince of Wales, was seventeen, he had made a mistake that is still haunting him. Eight years later, can he finally make it right?
I guess the "Modern royal AU" already gives it away. I LOVE those so much!!! And this one is especially wonderful, because it takes time, and there's a lot of misunderstandings and quiproquo and... I love that Merlin has his crush being fueled by Arthur appearing in the media. And I love Leon, he's like... amazing!!! And the Gwaine/Elena is wonderful. This story is captivating, and funny and sad and wonderful and I could have read 50k more of it if there was...
The Sex Shop Around The Corner (or on AO3), by hermette ; NC-17 ; 3 Parts ; 29k words
A/S : Nothing says I love you like a ball gag.
This fic is one of the fics I read and re-read regularly. It is utterly amazing. Contrary to what you can think according to the title and summary, this is not a very kinky fic (there's porn, though, don't worry :p). This is all about Arthur learning to embrace his newly-accepted sexuality, and Merlin helping him in several ways. Morgana and Will and Gwaine help too... This is a feel!good fic, and I heartfully recommand it to anyone wanting to have a good time!
Shelter, followed by Haven, by this_is_kelly ; NC-17 ; 7 + 9 Chapters ; 55k + 69k words
A/S : Because sometimes happily ever after doesn’t always come easily. Because sometimes you have to hurt a little before you can smile. Because sometimes life gets in the way. Because sometimes when you find love, you have to seek its shelter and hold on tight. Because sometimes it’s worth it.
Shelter is a fic I loved oh so very much. Haven is its well deserved sequel, and it really stands proudly beside it. The stories have a very nice narration process: we follow two ways - first one is a few days of the life of Merlin and Arthur, at some point, and the second is all the years that leaded to these days. (I think this is when I reach the limits of my English, because I don't know how to explain properly. Sorry. Anyway it's brilliant.) The two ways are entwined - most chapters being separated in two parts, one of each way, and it's both wonderful and very frustrating, because you really want to know what happens next in the way you've been reading about, but you're also very happy to see the other way come around. Contrarly to many fics and books made like this, there wasn't at any time a way I prefered over the other. Both were truly wonderful. I could talk for hours about these stories, but let me just tell you they are amazing, their characters even more, the OC are fantastic, and you should really be reading this NOW.
Shosholoza Meyl: A Pleasant Experience, or Arthur Gets Laid on a Train, by mellacita ; R ; Two Parts ; 7900 words
A/S : Arthur Pendragon is on a last holiday before assuming the mantle of responsibility, and receives an unexpected roommate for a night aboard the Shosholoza Meyl train from Johannesburg to Cape Town, South Africa.
Okay this is a travel fic, so it's bound to please me. And it's wonderfully written so it's even better. And then there's the sex (very hot) and the growing relationship and basically everything in this story is making me dream. Everything! There's a coda after the original One-Shot that's really wonderful. It's weird because I truly loved this fic, and yet I can't tell much about it. Just believe me, though: this is really worth the read!
Silent Night, followed by Snapshots of winter, by fresica ; NC-17 ; 2 Parts (so far)
A/S : They never meant for it to happen - it shouldn’t have happened, not ever, but especially not then, not like that.
Silent Night is a bit hard to rec alone, because it deals with cheating, and cheating is something I know too much to be able to rec. But the act of cheating is treated in a very clever way here, because even though Arthur and Merlin are the people you automatically sympathize with, there's still this feeling of wrong, and the pain that results in it is incredible. And this is a wonderful story. Strangly, Snapshots of winter convinced me to do the rec. Because we see more of the characters, and we see what they become after, how this affected on their life, and this second story is really magnificient. I couldn't not rec it. There's more to come in this verse and I'll keep updating this accordingly.
NEW! Snowed in at Heathrow and Other Christmas Disasters, by Anon [not for long!] ; NC-17 ; Three Parts ; 28k words
A/S: Sometimes the weather conditions work a little like fate. And sometimes you find love in the most improbable circumstances.
This fic is just......... <333 It's so much happiness and Christmas-y and love, and of curse there's trouble and bad things happening and conspiration and destiny being a bitch (or not) and creepy!uncle Agravaine. But it's such a pleasure to read, that it's very hard to stop even if you HAVE TO.
The Soldier Prince, by pushdragon ; light R ; One-Shot ; 7000 words
A/S : a modern day AU where Merlin is a chef who carves models for animation and tries not to make any more porn films
This is a very sweet, very enjoyable little story. The beginning is quite confusing, but as soon as Merlin appears, it turns out to be absolutely wonderful. And the relationship between Merlin and Arthur, and between Merlin and his models is amazing. I'm dying for a sequel, but the story stands alone pretty well. A really lovely story!
Something Dumb to Do by lady_ragnell ; PG (?) ; One-Shot ; 4500 words
A/S : The cardinal rule of being a wedding planner is not falling in love with the bride or groom. Arthur's never had trouble with that rule.
I won't tell you what's so great in that fic because that would be a major spoiler and I really wouldn't want to spoil you the fun. This is the kind of summary that reminds me of a lot of Harry Potter fics, yet it's so very different and even more likeable.
Sounds in Silence, Stories in Signs, by vivitchi ; NC-17 ; One-Shot ; 2380 words
A/S : In which Arthur is a heartbreaker in denial, Morgana is a latent alcoholic, and Merlin wasn't always deaf.
This is a fic that could seem too short for what it contains, but it turns out to be strangely fitted. This is the simple story of two persons falling in love with each other. And thus it is greatfully beautiful.
NEW! The Spirit of Christmas, by anon [not for long] ; NC-17 ; Three Parts ; 22,5k words ; Warning: consent issues (authority, magic&alcohol)
A/S: This is the story about how Arthur the Elf got his groove back.
How to say it... This story could be so so so cracky but it's 100 times better. It's full of joy and laughter but it's also so full of magic and dreams that it makes you spiral into a Christmas glee. And when I talk about magic and dream it's not only that there's a lot of magic in action, it's also, and mostly, the incredible and magic universe the author created. They took loads of common (or less common) belief and tales of our societies and created a whole universe with it. It's completely amazing. And there's porn :p And Leon is all kind of amazing. And Gwaine, Elyan and Percival are having hot threesomes on the side but it's not actually written in the fic... Merry 25th December! <3
NEW! A Story of Love and Menswear. Edited for Sap Clarity by Arthur Pendragon followed by An Extra, by magog_83 ; PG ; Two Parts ; 7895 words
A/S : Modern AU set in the menswear department of a large store (and shamelessly based on my own part time job at BHS during my A Levels where weekend menswear was always ridiculously quiet and staffed by a team of two). 17 year old Arthur is the Saturday supervisor on Menswear, and takes his job very seriously indeed. Merlin is the new boy who Arthur falls in love with at first sight. Emotional constipation ensues.
I actually picture the Arthur (and the Merlin) in this fic to be a bit older than 17, and I discovered they were supposed to be 17 just by copying the summary... Anyway... this is an Arthur's POV, and this is very delightful. Arthur is an emotionnal idiot, and oblivious, and, obviously, constipated, and Merlin is his usual adorable self. Morgana smirks a lot. I like how Merlin is the one who has to take all the initiatives even if Arthur is very involve in the relationship in his head. Sounds very Arthur-esque... And this is really a pleasure to read, some of the modifications made by Arthur being terribly adorable and funny.
NEW! Straws In The Winds by i_claudia ; NC-17 ; Nine parts ; 75k words
A/S : Merlin meets Arthur when Arthur runs him over on the ski slopes. Everything goes downhill from there.
Let me tell you something: reading a fic on your phone is one thing. Reccing it (thus dealing with all the HTML stuff with a cellphone, is another (and yes I know you can have a simplified version of the Rich Text Editor on an App, but I only started dling it and I can't wait to rec this fic because all of you should be reading it already!)) Anywayyy. This fic is all kind of wonderful. The characters are, the relationship are, the fact that the situation of the shows somehow has been translated into the skiing industry, but that it doesn't take too much place is... The fact (and I love that!) that even before the last bad episode we see them go through, there are actually two whole chapters wherein they are just... Happy! And a lot of other wonderful and amazing things. This fic is really worth reading!
The Student Prince by FayJay ; NC-17 ; 35 Chapters ; 145k words
A/S : A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love...
As you can guess by the summary, this is a Magical ModernAU. And this is brilliant one, since it's the kind of story that takes you at the first word and leave you 145000 words later, very tired, having missed school/work, and with an incredible feeling of accomplishement and glee. I recommand to start reading this at the beginning of the week end, for you won't be able to take your eyes of it. All the characters are gorgeous (I remember Morgause... She's amazing !) and the story is really worth it. Go read it !
- T -
NEW! Tinker, Tailor, Wizard, Spy, by definewisdom ; R ; Seven Parts ; 54k words
A/S : (Modern AU) The Department is a government organisation specifically created to investigate and deal with magic and the supernatural.
Until four years ago, Merlin Emrys was one of its agents, until he gave away his biggest secret and had to run away from his friends and his life.
Until last night, Uther Pendragon was in charge of it, until someone killed him, very messily.
Until last night, Arthur Pendragon was its second in command, until someone framed him for his father's murder.
Now Arthur's going to the only person left in the world who can help him, and Merlin's going to find himself dragged back into a world he had thought was behind him.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of Uther's death and Arthur's alleged betrayal, Agent Leon Harris is determined that he's going to find out the truth, no matter what.
I just finished reading this story and I feel like I'm coming out from a dream. Or a very good movie. Despite the "character death" reference on the warnings, this is only about minor characters, and very off-screen, so don't let that put you out. This story is absolutely wonderful. The characters, the universe, the plot... everything is great. This can be considered as almost free of anything sexual if not for the obviously induced Merlin/Arthur/Gwaine sex scene in chapter 6. Please join me in asking for it to come to life! Anyway, I can't recommand you this story enough. This is not the only of the kind, but, as some others I've already recced, it's unique in everything it is, and really worth a read.
Third Time's Lucky, by glimmergirl ; PG-13 (or PG?) ; One-Shot ; 2640 words
A/S : modern au royal wedding fic?
This fic is turning everything upside down because here Merlin is the Prince of Wales and Arthur is "only" future Earl of Pembroke. This is about the three time Merlin proposed during their relationship. This is a wonderful fic, with just enough flangst to be good, and I love the idea of a magical Prince of Wales. Very nice fic!
NEW! Timshel, by ems ; PG-13 ; Five Parts ; 34k words
A/S : Merlin is definitely supposed to work for Arthur, but spends most of his time mocking Arthur's dress sense, berating him via IM with Morgana, sending Gwen capslock-filled emails about him and, most of all, trying not to fall in love with the shiny-shoed ponce. Arthur, meanwhile, is definitely supposed to be taking over his father's company some day, but instead spends most of his time scowling at Merlin, making lists about him, trying to find excuses to fire him and, most of all, trying to pretend he is totally not head-over-heels for the jumped up little upstart. Someone's got to make some difficult choices eventually, and this can only lead to one thing: angst. Or hilarity. Or, embarrassingly enough, self-discovery.
I keep falling in love with this story over and over again. There's everything in it. A lot of humour -the "interactive" emails and other exchanges are awesome - of angst - because as long as Uther and Arthur have some IC in them, there's bound to be some - of fluff - mostly in the form of an over-sweet Gwen/Lancelot - of wonderful originality - you'll see... - and most of it, of a lot lot lot of love. And of Merlin and Arthur chosing one another over and over again, because it's the only sensible choice, even if they didn't undertand it quite from the beginning. All the characters are wonderful and touching, even Uther, and this fic is just full of wonderfulness. I just don't know why you're still reading this rec and not off to the fic already. It's more than worth it.
To the Syntax of Things, by suntipped ; R/NC-17 ; Three Parts : 20k words
A/S : For the kinkme_merlin prompt: Arthur/Merlin, first kiss in the toilet of the school. Denial as usual.
SO... I usually don't fancy highshool AU, but this one is really a goldie. It's absolutely not what I expected from the prompt, but it's far far far better than anything I was thinking of reading. There's pushy Arthur, and kind of cruel (well... the word "afraid" would be much more accurate) but still very emotional Merlin, gossip!slash-fan!Vivian, best-friend-ever!Freya, observant!Will and so on... Morgana is an interesting creature you imagine more than you see. But Arthur is kind of heartbreaking yet very prattish and Merlin is so insecure and... they love each other, I think. That's what matters yeah ? (OK... I've not been saying much about the fic on itself but... I loved it, so just go and read it already!)
NEW! Twenty Years Later by darkdeeplakes ; NC-17 ; Seven Parts
A/S : Following a messy break up at University, Merlin and Arthur spend the next twenty years apart until circumstances bring them back together again.
This is a beautiful story of love and redemption. How you need that special someone to make you really happy. How sometimes life takes tortuous path to take you to something you could have one from day one... except that you couldn't, because growing up apart can be a great way to work out together in the end. This is an amazing fic. The minor characters are amazing and how Arthur and Merlin find each other again is delicious.
Two Weeks Notice, by (porthos on AO3) ; NC-17; 5 Parts ; 38k words
A/S : Arthur is a prattish Executive VP of the Pendragon Corporation with a disturbingly non-ironic love of Demotivational posters. Merlin is a tree-hugging barista with a "magic" tongue. Morgana's a peeping Tom and her breasts have superpowers. Gwen and Lancelot get married. Owain is the company bicycle. Arthur attempts to steal Merlin's affections from Will through epic DDR combat. Merlin gets drunk a lot. There is a pillow fight, and a helicopter ride, and rooftop confessions, and Arthur decides Merlin really is his destiny, whether he likes it or not.
As maybe you can guess by reading the summary, this fic is utter craziness and glee. Really puts you in a good mood. A very lovely Company fic indeed !
- U -
- V -
- W -
NEW! Wait, by Anon [not for long!] ; NC-17 ; One-Shot ; 10k words ; Warnings/Contents: established bedroom D/s relationship (dom Arthur, sub Merlin), bondage and sex toys but no painplay.
A/S: It’s been a couple of weeks since Merlin and Arthur have had the chance to get together for a night of play.
I have a soft spot for real and serious D/S or BDSM scenes, with a responsible dom and people really enjoying themselves. And this one is exactly that, and even more. It's incredibly hot and wonderful and the way Arthur and Merlin feel for each other is overwhelmingly amazing. If you enjoyed Castle, read this. If you didn't read Castle because painplay triggers you, read this. If you don't know what Castle is, read this and go read Castle afterwards :p
What Child Is This followed by Special Occasion by lamardeuse ; NC-17 ; Two Part ; 34k words
A/N : A modern AU with Merlin, Arthur, mayhem, a baby and a jingly elf hat.
To tell you how good this fic is is very easy : I cried over it, several time, even though I could guess there'd be an happy ending. This is really really amazing, and the baby is the cutest in the world, and I fell in love with it over and over again. Arthur and Merlin are SO attaching and even Uther has this thing he has in the show that makes that, even if we don't like him, he's still utterly human. There are a lot of feelings in this fic, and I love them, and I hope you'll love them as much !
I now discovered the sequel : it's a lovely lovely coda wherein we see the wonderful wonderful David take his first steps and the boys being even more besotted with each other than before!
NEW! What You Mean to Me (Right Now), by wanderhomeagain ; NC-17 ; Five Parts ; 37k words
A/S : When Arthur Pendragon lost his leg his leg below the knee after an auto accident three years ago, he shut everyone out. Now with the help of his sister, some meddling kids friends, and a bastard of an ex-boyfriend who has the temerity to get off with someone else, Arthur begins to learn that he can let himself enjoy life in the company of others, especially the new pharmacist Gwen sent him to see.
This fic includes a lot of subject that are very close to my heart. The story is Arthur-centered, and it's great because it's not only about his relationship with Merlin, but also with every and any one of his friends. It deals pretty interestingly with how to bare a loss (of any kind), and how people tend to shut themselves from the other in such situations, and it only makes them more miserable. (from my experience, this is actually true of most "bad times", even with no loss attached). This is a story that takes you in and to a party of the universe you don't necessarely know about, and this is a wonderful, interesting, well written journey.
Wicked Game, by winterstorrm ; NC-17 ; 4 Chapters ; 42k words
A/S : Arthur's the King of Camelot…nightclub. He can pick and choose who he wants, and he does - often - no promises and absolutely no repeats. The night he chooses Merlin might just be his undoing.
First of all things, carry a tissue while reading this fic, because around chapter 3 and the first half of chapter 4 there is an enormous potential on tear falling. Or maybe I'm just over-emotionnal. Secondly, stop what you're doing and go read this NOW! The beginning may not seem like it (meaning it's very good but not exceptionnal) but as soon as you get a little deeper in the story, it becomes sensational! Arthur and Merlin are both heart-breaking, and all the characters are great and supportive friends in their own fumbling ways, and the boys just love each other SO MUCH, and there's side Gwaine/Merlin, which I love as long as it gets back to your good old Arthur/Merlin, because destiny cannot be escaped...
World Comes Tumbling, by lady_ragnell ; NC-17 ; 3 Parts ; 26k words
A/S : Arthur Pendragon is working with a group of sorcerers that plan to take his father's company apart, but when a rescue attempt goes wrong and he's forced to go into hiding, he goes to a safehouse run by Merlin, the sorcerer who started his defection in the first place.
This fic is actually the sequel of the short Melt You Down but you don't need to read it to understand (and not reading it actually adds a mystery I enjoyed to the story... But it's really good too, so do as you wish!). This is, as you can guess, a Magical Modern AU with strong violations of the human rights regarding sorcerers. This is a genre I'm always wary about, but the fic is really worth taking the risk. You get into it at the very first word and don't come back until the end. I love it that we feel that a lot of people are concerned (and there's a lot of secondary characters of the show featuring) and that we don't stay in a Merlin/Arthur dynamic (even though the dynamic in question is awesomely treated). This is a wonderful fic.
Written Because College Doesn't Give Safe Words; But Should. by skellerbvvt ; NC-17 ; 4 Parts
Prompt on kinkme_merlin : Arthur/Merlin, safe word
This could be a wonderful bondage porn read. It could. But it is BETTER! It's about Arthur and Merlin loving each other sooooo much it fills your heart with glee and want and happiness. It's about Merlin trusting Arthur with everything he's got, and Arthur being so worthy of this trust. It's both cute and deliciously NC-17, and you just want to read it over again because there's never enough love in this world!
- X -
- Y -
You Are Something (I'm Good At), by tourdefierce ; NC-17 ; One-Shot ; 6k words
A/S : Modern (American) AU: Arthur's fairly sure he's in love with Merlin (who has a no underwear rule on the sofa), Morgana yells a lot (but it's because she loves a lot) and everyone gets a happy ending.
OK... This is extreme fluffiness, okay ? Like really really sweet and adorable. Arthur has so much love it makes you squeal and smile stupidly. He's just, so, in, love! And Merlin is no better. And Morgana is awesome. (and Morgause too, even if we don't really see her) This is a makes-you-feel-good!fic. The kind you read in any bad (or good) situation and end up smiling widely at... And now there's a sequel : Every Morning (With You) which is a disturbing kind of trust!porn, with so many feelings you melt. It's Merlin's POV, this time, and my... the boys really are besotted.
- Z -