their favorite snack

MERLIN 4.02 | The Darkest Hour: Part Two

MERLIN 1.01 | 5.13

Merlin: Arthur? He doesn't even like me

Arthur, who gave Merlin his mother's seal, which isn't a proposal because you're supposed to give it to your spouse at the wedding: where the hell is my f*cking husband?!?!

Welcome to my usual metas where we hyperfixate over Arthur Pendragon’s love for Merlin. Today’s episode features this scene right here:

To remind you of the context, it was s03e12 when Camelot was besieged and Arthur just ordered Gaius, Gwaine, and Elyan to go find shelter in the woods. A second later, he looks at Merlin, diverts his eyes, and tells him, “Merlin, you should go with them.”

Which btw translates, in Arthur Pendragon's dictionary, to: Merlin, I want you safe, I want you away from harm’s way, but Merlin, Oh Merlin, don’t leave me. I really don’t want you to leave me. I sustain my strength from you. You’re the bravest man I have ever met. I keep going because I know you’re there. Don’t go and leave me. I am urging you to go, but please don’t believe me.

I really just can’t. Because you guys, Arthur isn’t scared to go fight an entire army of the dead. He’s not scared that he is limping and injured and definitely won’t make it. He’s just scared to do it without Merlin.

And when Merlin looks at him and says, “Nah, I’ve seen the woods already”, Arthur knows Merlin had heard it all, and chose the kindest response possible that doesn’t spot on his worry and fear.

Those fucking two.

So that’s what they’re calling it nowadays…

The finale to Merlin is devastating, but you know what kills me? The tiny glimpse the episode gives us as to the banter we could’ve gotten if we had an earlier magic reveal:

Arthur is dying. And yet he gets this incredibly fond look on his face when remembering the day they first met.

Arthur is dying. And yet he looks at Merlin, the person who’s only just revealed his decade long lie regarding this thing that Arthur’s been raised to hate, and he jokes that Merlin cheated during their first meeting.

Arthur is dying. And he doesn’t really care that Merlin has magic. Only that he lied to him.

Can you imagine all the other moments of banter we could have had as Arthur found out all the other things Merlin did? How he didn’t really know how to juggle and that Arthur had a donkey voice for a bit because Merlin allowed it?

wish i could go missing for a little bit and no one would freak out and then i could come back and they'd be like "did you have fun going missing" and i'd be like "yeah, thanks" and then i could do that every couple of months or so and it wouldn't be a big deal

merlin textposts bc i can't get these guys out of my brain rn

they need to add two extra hours after ten pm where time doesn't pass so you can do some nice reading before bed

i feel like as a fandom we’re really sleeping on aromantic merlin

just look at this romance-oblivious warlock

and remember this scene?

most relatable aro moment i’ve ever seen

not to mention the way he does things for his friends but everyone always assumes his motivations are romantic. such as:

and:

and let’s not forget the flower scene:

merlin is plagued by people misinterpreting his actions as romantic, and he’s just constantly??? so??? confused???

throughout the show, the most important relationships in merlin’s life are with his friends, his mother, and gaius. in 5 seasons, we get one (1) episode where merlin expresses romantic interest in someone. the rest of the time we get:

a) the aforementioned obliviousness and confusion

b) awkwardly standing next to people who have obvious romantic tension

c) interrupting romantic moments by bursting into the room with bad news

d) third wheeling while hardcore judging a friend’s romantic choices

and, of course, e) teasing a certain royal clotpole for being a lovesick mess

like y’all…just think of the possibilities when it comes to hcs and fics. for example:

anyway, i just think it’d be neat

gwaine sits in a tavern and hears a lanky boy make his and his blonde friend’s odds of winning a fight ten times worse (“i’d like to see you try”) and thinks hmm. i like this one

the episode where rachel finds out about chandler and monica came on and i cannot stop giggling over the laundry joke

i’m ruined. these assholes really ruined my life

5.10 — The Kindness of Strangers

merlin you fucking liar we all know that you only own two shirts and that most certainly isn't one of them

Arthur: Seriously, Merlin? The tavern again?!

Merlin, covered in blood and exhausted from running for both his and Arthur’s lives through the woods: yeah… sure…