These Tags Just Made Me Imagine Colin And Bradley Reading The Scripts For The First Four Episodes Of

ok, i did in fact scour the internet for fics like this (and sadly there is not many! @ fic writers please feed us) but here is a list of ones i found:

Kissing Lessons by objectlesson [6k words | Rating: E]

Summary: Arthur is a shitty kisser. Merlin offers instructional assistance.

This fic is AMAZING and it is a CRIME that it's still incomplete! (but still reads well as a standalone piece)

People Should Marry for Love, Not Convenience by Fantasy_lalaland [6k words | Rating: M]

"So you don't know a lot about women." Arthur stands, strides over to his bed and flops ungracefully onto the mattress. "But you do know lots about men. Well I'm a man. Show me." Merlin's definitely hallucinating. There'd been something in the wine because this was impossible. Arthur waiting for him to come to his bed and fool around with him. He doesn't move from his spot on the floor. He only peers curiously at Arthur from beneath his heavy eyelids. "How will that help you know how to bed your wife?"

That Awkward Age by i_know_its_0ver [3k words | Rating: M]

Arthur is secretly in love with Merlin but can't tell him, so he comes up with a plan to get Merlin to help him "practice" his kissing.

Only Incidentally Homosexual by itsspanner [6k words | Rating: T]

“Merlin, would you be willing to kiss me?” Arthur asks nonchalantly, sounding perfectly monotone as if that was an acceptable thing to ask Merlin first thing in the morning, or at any time really. Merlin and Arthur kiss for the first time, never intending for a repeat. But who were they kidding really by thinking that they could stop once that they had a taste of what they wanted most? Or 5 times Merlin and Arthur kiss and one time they actually do anything about it

These probably exist, perhaps I even read them, but that's only more reason to ask for recs:

Arthur has never been kissed. As prince, it's hard for him to go out and try these things, and he mentions it to Merlin.

Merlin may or may not opens up the idea that he and Arthur could... You know...

Practice

maybe I'm dumb that it took me this long to realize but when Arthur tells Gwen he has a dream to run away and be a farmer his only frame of reference for how farmers actually live is that one time that he was in Ealdor with Merlin sleeping on his cold floor and eating porridge and he hated it, my god, did he hate it but he was also with Merlin and it's the only time he didn't have to be Prince Arthur he could just be Arthur and he remembered that feeling of being just Arthur and Merlin and he coveted it so deeply that it became his dream?????

happy valentine’s 💞

If I can hold you again, I won’t let you go.

●^●

Rewatching Merlin S1E2, when Merlin is dressing Arthur for his duel and just generally being incompetent because it's like his first day on the job, but imagine:

Merlin: *hands Arthur his helment* great, yeah, I think you’re all set

Arthur: Aren’t you forgetting something?

Merlin: *frowns*

Merlin: Oh, right

Merlin: *kisses Arthur*

Arthur: *turning red* No, you idiot! My sword!

pov you're some noble attending a royal gathering or whatever in camelot and you're all excited to meet the prince and then you get there and he's just hanging out with his twink of a manservant the whole night

arthur becoming king and showering merlin in gifts to the point where it looks like hes a nobleman. camelot going yup thats the kings consort, i think we’re two months away from a royal wedding. visiting nobles/royals who have no idea about “merlin and arthur” treating merlin like a nobleman until he corrects them. visiting nobles/royals who DO know about “merlin and arthur” not being surprised in the slightest. merlin getting away with everything and blatantly stealing from the kings plate during a feast and they’re all just like “yeah alright” idk just merlin being spoiled by his bf who isn’t his bf but who desperately wants to be

Merlin The Curse of Cornelius Sigan | 2.01

Gwaine: Merls, what's your body count?

Merlin: .........I don't know?

Arthur: what do you mean you don't know? You just going around sleeping with people?

Merlin: oh, that body count

Arthur: you killed people!?

Merlin: no comment

me, logging into ao3 5 minutes before bedtime: WAITER! bring me your finest enemies to lovers!

ao3 tag search function: excellent choice, sir! how would you like it cooked?

me: explicit. with a side of hurt/comfort

ao3: lovely! and may i suggest a drizzle of mutual pining?

me: of course, and can you add a spritz of angst? make it a 100k slowburn for good measure

ao3: coming right up, sir

me: thank you. oh, and waiter?

ao3: yes, sir?

me: make it gay