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marguerite_26I’m writing about Arthur learning a lesson. Must be Tuesday.
Title: Common Practices
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
marguerite_26
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Summary: There are times when Merlin thinks Arthur is good and just. And there are times he doesn't. Merlin never hesitates to show his disappointment.
Warning: reference to dub-con/coercion (past and present)
Word Count: 2k
Author’s Notes Thank you tomelusinahp for the beta and advice. This was posted as a WIP as part of the make them do it fest. I struggled with the POV and stalled. (yes, this was what prompted my POV!fail discussion.) In the end, I decided after the final edits this POV worked for me, though I plan to write Arthur’s POV as an experiment just to see what it will turn out like.
"Sire, the king asked me to..." Merlin choked on the rest of the sentence as his eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight to the darkness of the stables. Merlin caught the outline of Arthur mostly hidden along the back wall in late afternoon shadows. He was leaning against a hay bale, his head bent, chin to chest and for a second Merlin thought he might even be asleep until he caught Arthur’s ragged breathing and the distinct wet, sucking noise that came from the silhouette of the new stable boy, Tommy, kneeling at Arthur’s feet, his head bobbing at Arthur’s groin.
"Well," Arthur said, half breathless, half bored. "Surely there’s more to the message than that." Tommy hesitated then moved to pull off, but Arthur’s hand tangled in the boy’s hair, encouraging him on.
Merlin blinked, silenced by incredulity, which quickly by a slow simmering anger. When he found his voice it was curt and raspy. "You are to be in Council this afternoon." His fist clenched and he added, "At your leisure, Sire."
Arthur’s head snapped up to catch Merlin’s glare. When Merlin’s turned to leave, Arthur called out. "No." Merlin froze, already knowing what Arthur was about to say before he added, "Wait for me, I’m almost done here."
Merlin didn’t turn around. He stood, hand on the door, waiting and listening. The back of his neck prickled as the sounds seeped into his ear and skittered, unwelcome, over his skin until Arthur’s final grunt followed by the thick sounds of the stable boy choking and swallowing. Merlin heard the jingle of a money sac and he swung open the door, not able to stand it another moment.
He walked quickly back to the castle, bile rising in his throat.
"Merlin!"
He refused to turn or slow. Arthur was a bastard, but he was quick. If he wanted to catch up, he would.
"Dammit, Merlin!" Arthur jogged up beside him, an amused look on his face that raised Merlin’s ire further. "You do know that you’re my servant and I’m not supposed to need to run to catch up with you?"
"Yes, Sire." Merlin stopped and let Arthur pass him. "I’ll be sure to show my deference to your nobility."
Arthur turned back to him; his eyes narrowed. "Merlin, you are making a big deal out of something you do not understand."
"I think it’s you that doesn’t understand, your highness." Merlin let the sarcasm curl around the honorific. "Tommy is a stable boy, not a whore."
A huff of disbelief puffed from Arthur’s mouth. He put his hands on his hips. "The boy – who is older than you, I’ll have you know – approached me, not the other way around. I wouldn’t... that’s not something I would demand of someone."
Merlin’s cheeks flamed, and he cursed himself for the spike of jealous that had no place at all in the conversation. "Not without proper payment at least."
Arthur gaped. "I wasn't paying him for that! That was just a thank you. It will go a long way to help feed his family. It's how things work, Merlin." Arthur shook his head. "You're from a small village. You don't understand how those who have more help those who have less."
"I understand perfectly, Arthur." Merlin tucked his hands to his side to stop their trembling. "I used to be a stable boy in Ealdor. Don't fool yourself into thinking that just because we didn't get any princes stopping by that those who had more didn't offer to help those who had less."
Merlin ran up the steps, not waiting for Arthur’s reply, not wanting to hear it. Arthur didn’t follow.
~o~
Arthur picked at his dinner that night, stoic in a way that leaned more toward brooding than pouting. Merlin served him with a stiff, impeccable politeness that made Arthur wince every time Merlin opened his mouth. If he’d been less angry, Merlin might have appreciated the irony.
Arthur pushed away his half-eaten food and walked over to the fireplace, bracing both hands on the stone mantle as he often did when deep in thought.
"Did you ever—"Arthur cleared his throat, his eyes on the flames. "Were you expected to—" He stopped again.
Merlin waited but nothing else came. Didn’t matter, he knew what Arthur was asking and he felt no compulsion to answer. "Does it bother you, Sire?" If Arthur had asked it of him --if he’d ever so much as hinted that he would accept such attentions -- Merlin would have agreed willingly. But to think of Arthur like the rich travellers who rode into Ealdor and tossed coins at peasants as if men could be purchased, it sat like a brick on his chest.
Arthur’s hands clenched into fists against the mantle. Merlin felt a warm swell of satisfaction as he watched the muscles of Arthur’s jaw work as he gritted his teeth. When he thought the conversation over, Merlin picked up Arthur’s hunting knife and set the whet stone on the table to begin his nightly cleaning routine.
"You are dismissed." The words were quiet, whispers spoken into the hearth.
Merlin put down the knife and looked over to Arthur. "Sire?"
Arthur still didn’t turn, made no indication he’d spoken at all. Merlin questioned whether or not he was hearing things until Arthur said again, "You are dismissed, Merlin. Leave."
~o~
“Sir Leon.” Merlin put down the bucket he’d been carrying in preparation for Arthur’s bath. “You are back from patrol early.”
“A storm’s rolling in and the prince ordered us back before we were caught in it,” Leon said. “Arthur's still in a temper, though. He’s in the stables, if you are looking for him."
Merlin’s stomach plummeted. Jaw set, he stormed over to the stables. Arthur had barely spoken a dozen words combined to Merlin over the course of the week. Merlin's mocking reverence had turned awkward as his rage grew stale and Arthur became more and more impossible to read. He'd catch Arthur looking at him, his lips pressed tight and brow furrowed, only to have Arthur avert his gaze the instant he'd been spotted. He thought he’d made his point, had hoped Arthur had understood and that it was guilt and embarrassment in his eyes.
Merlin opened the stable door, hot with anger and disappointment. His eyes immediately went to the far wall, but found it empty of shadows this time. Instead, he heard voices over by the stall of Arthur’s favourite mare.
“And I’d like her brushed down morning and night. It will be outside of your regular duties here, you understand. I want you to take good care of her.” Arthur panted the mare’s neck as he spoke. “It’s Tommy, isn’t it?”
Tommy stood a little taller, and Merlin was a bit surprised to remember that Tommy was actually older than he was. He was smaller, thinner and had a face that was always smudged with dirt. “Yes, Sire! Tommy.”
“You treat her well, Tommy.” Arthur tossed a small sac over.
Tommy’s hand sunk at the weight of it before he raising his hand and looking at the bulging sac with wide eyes. “Sire?”
Arthur’s gaze was still on his mare, though Merlin was sure his mind was elsewhere. “Just do your job well.”
“Thank you, Sire.” Tommy’s voice was high with emotion. “Right away, Sire.”
Merlin’s chest swelled as he watched a smile spread on Arthur’s face at Tommy’s enthusiasm. Arthur wasn’t perfect, but for a man full of pride and smug confidence to be willing to listen, to be willing to change – it made him a man worth serving. Merlin cleared his throat then and both sets of eyes snapped over to the door. “Why don’t you go tell your mother, Tommy? I’m sure she’ll be thrilled that you have such an important job to do for the prince.”
Tommy bounced on the balls of his feet as he turned to Arthur, who nodded his permission.
The minute they were alone, Merlin pinned Arthur with a heated gaze and stalked forward until he was pushing Arthur against the stable wall.
“Merlin, what do you think you are doing?” Arthur stammered. Merlin gave him another shove and his back smacked against the wood.
“I’m going to show you the difference between someone who does this because they want to, rather than because they are getting paid to.” Before Arthur could reply, Merlin knelt at his feet.
The hay was rough, scratching at Merlin's knees. He closed his eyes and let the pleasure of the act overtake him. It was one of his favourite acts -- the inherent power of it when consensual never failed to turn him on.
He tugged at Arthur’s lacings. It was a task Arthur had never once asked him to perform, always tending to the most intimate part of dressing behind a privacy screen. He took his time, mouthing along the soft, worn material of Arthur’s smalls, nuzzling the warm bulge and capturing the heavy scent of Arthur.
“God, Merlin. What are you—“ Arthur choked out a breathless gasp as Merlin slid his smalls out of the way and placed an open-mouthed kiss on Arthur’s still soft cock.
Merlin stopped playing then as he felt Arthur’s knees go weak and his fingers fly to Merlin’s hair like it was the only thing keeping him standing. Pleased, he gently sucked Arthur’s cock into his mouth, relishing the weight of it as it thickened with each stroke of his tongue. He worked him at a steady, achingly slow pace. He loved the drag of Arthur’s breath, knowing Arthur wouldn’t forget this, needing Arthur to remember every second of it.
“I can’t –“
“Fuck my mouth,” Merlin rasped and let his jaw go slack and his throat relax.
“Yes. God, Merlin.”
Arthur pounded his throat, reckless and wild. Merlin’s eyes watered, yet his fingers dug into Arthur’s hips, egging him faster, deeper.
“Fuck.” Arthur cried out in a broken sob as he trembled and filled Merlin’s mouth. Merlin choked and swallowed all he could, wiping the excess from his chin as he stood.
Arthur looked at him wide-eyed. It was too tempting, his mouth gaping and expression oddly innocent. Merlin kissed him while he carefully tugged up Arthur’s breeches and re-laced him. It snapped Arthur from his daze.
“Those men who made you—“ Arthur’s brow furrowed and he shook his head as though to chase away the image.
“No, Arthur. We were never so desperate for bread or gold,” Merlin said and Arthur’s expression relaxed. “But I knew many who were that desperate. Where a few minutes debasement meant the difference between surviving the winter or not.”
Arthur bowed his head and muttered, “I can’t stop people from being poor.”
“No. But you can be honourable in how you share your wealth.”
“I hadn’t considered...”
“I know, Arthur.” It felt good to use the name again. “It’s a common practice. Anyone who works in stables knows the fastest way to earn their next meal.”
“It won’t be any longer. Not for the knights of Camelot.”
Merlin pressed his lips to Arthur’s again, a soft touch with a couple gentle licks of his tongue. Arthur moaned and began to melt under the touch. Merlin pulled away long enough to say, “It’s an honour to serve you, Sire,” before deepening the kiss into something they would soon need to take elsewhere.
Title: Common Practices
Author:
marguerite_26Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Summary: There are times when Merlin thinks Arthur is good and just. And there are times he doesn't. Merlin never hesitates to show his disappointment.
Warning: reference to dub-con/coercion (past and present)
Word Count: 2k
Author’s Notes Thank you to
melusinahp for the beta and advice. This was posted as a WIP as part of the make them do it fest. I struggled with the POV and stalled. (yes, this was what prompted my POV!fail discussion.) In the end, I decided after the final edits this POV worked for me, though I plan to write Arthur’s POV as an experiment just to see what it will turn out like. "Sire, the king asked me to..." Merlin choked on the rest of the sentence as his eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight to the darkness of the stables. Merlin caught the outline of Arthur mostly hidden along the back wall in late afternoon shadows. He was leaning against a hay bale, his head bent, chin to chest and for a second Merlin thought he might even be asleep until he caught Arthur’s ragged breathing and the distinct wet, sucking noise that came from the silhouette of the new stable boy, Tommy, kneeling at Arthur’s feet, his head bobbing at Arthur’s groin.
"Well," Arthur said, half breathless, half bored. "Surely there’s more to the message than that." Tommy hesitated then moved to pull off, but Arthur’s hand tangled in the boy’s hair, encouraging him on.
Merlin blinked, silenced by incredulity, which quickly by a slow simmering anger. When he found his voice it was curt and raspy. "You are to be in Council this afternoon." His fist clenched and he added, "At your leisure, Sire."
Arthur’s head snapped up to catch Merlin’s glare. When Merlin’s turned to leave, Arthur called out. "No." Merlin froze, already knowing what Arthur was about to say before he added, "Wait for me, I’m almost done here."
Merlin didn’t turn around. He stood, hand on the door, waiting and listening. The back of his neck prickled as the sounds seeped into his ear and skittered, unwelcome, over his skin until Arthur’s final grunt followed by the thick sounds of the stable boy choking and swallowing. Merlin heard the jingle of a money sac and he swung open the door, not able to stand it another moment.
He walked quickly back to the castle, bile rising in his throat.
"Merlin!"
He refused to turn or slow. Arthur was a bastard, but he was quick. If he wanted to catch up, he would.
"Dammit, Merlin!" Arthur jogged up beside him, an amused look on his face that raised Merlin’s ire further. "You do know that you’re my servant and I’m not supposed to need to run to catch up with you?"
"Yes, Sire." Merlin stopped and let Arthur pass him. "I’ll be sure to show my deference to your nobility."
Arthur turned back to him; his eyes narrowed. "Merlin, you are making a big deal out of something you do not understand."
"I think it’s you that doesn’t understand, your highness." Merlin let the sarcasm curl around the honorific. "Tommy is a stable boy, not a whore."
A huff of disbelief puffed from Arthur’s mouth. He put his hands on his hips. "The boy – who is older than you, I’ll have you know – approached me, not the other way around. I wouldn’t... that’s not something I would demand of someone."
Merlin’s cheeks flamed, and he cursed himself for the spike of jealous that had no place at all in the conversation. "Not without proper payment at least."
Arthur gaped. "I wasn't paying him for that! That was just a thank you. It will go a long way to help feed his family. It's how things work, Merlin." Arthur shook his head. "You're from a small village. You don't understand how those who have more help those who have less."
"I understand perfectly, Arthur." Merlin tucked his hands to his side to stop their trembling. "I used to be a stable boy in Ealdor. Don't fool yourself into thinking that just because we didn't get any princes stopping by that those who had more didn't offer to help those who had less."
Merlin ran up the steps, not waiting for Arthur’s reply, not wanting to hear it. Arthur didn’t follow.
~o~
Arthur picked at his dinner that night, stoic in a way that leaned more toward brooding than pouting. Merlin served him with a stiff, impeccable politeness that made Arthur wince every time Merlin opened his mouth. If he’d been less angry, Merlin might have appreciated the irony.
Arthur pushed away his half-eaten food and walked over to the fireplace, bracing both hands on the stone mantle as he often did when deep in thought.
"Did you ever—"Arthur cleared his throat, his eyes on the flames. "Were you expected to—" He stopped again.
Merlin waited but nothing else came. Didn’t matter, he knew what Arthur was asking and he felt no compulsion to answer. "Does it bother you, Sire?" If Arthur had asked it of him --if he’d ever so much as hinted that he would accept such attentions -- Merlin would have agreed willingly. But to think of Arthur like the rich travellers who rode into Ealdor and tossed coins at peasants as if men could be purchased, it sat like a brick on his chest.
Arthur’s hands clenched into fists against the mantle. Merlin felt a warm swell of satisfaction as he watched the muscles of Arthur’s jaw work as he gritted his teeth. When he thought the conversation over, Merlin picked up Arthur’s hunting knife and set the whet stone on the table to begin his nightly cleaning routine.
"You are dismissed." The words were quiet, whispers spoken into the hearth.
Merlin put down the knife and looked over to Arthur. "Sire?"
Arthur still didn’t turn, made no indication he’d spoken at all. Merlin questioned whether or not he was hearing things until Arthur said again, "You are dismissed, Merlin. Leave."
~o~
“Sir Leon.” Merlin put down the bucket he’d been carrying in preparation for Arthur’s bath. “You are back from patrol early.”
“A storm’s rolling in and the prince ordered us back before we were caught in it,” Leon said. “Arthur's still in a temper, though. He’s in the stables, if you are looking for him."
Merlin’s stomach plummeted. Jaw set, he stormed over to the stables. Arthur had barely spoken a dozen words combined to Merlin over the course of the week. Merlin's mocking reverence had turned awkward as his rage grew stale and Arthur became more and more impossible to read. He'd catch Arthur looking at him, his lips pressed tight and brow furrowed, only to have Arthur avert his gaze the instant he'd been spotted. He thought he’d made his point, had hoped Arthur had understood and that it was guilt and embarrassment in his eyes.
Merlin opened the stable door, hot with anger and disappointment. His eyes immediately went to the far wall, but found it empty of shadows this time. Instead, he heard voices over by the stall of Arthur’s favourite mare.
“And I’d like her brushed down morning and night. It will be outside of your regular duties here, you understand. I want you to take good care of her.” Arthur panted the mare’s neck as he spoke. “It’s Tommy, isn’t it?”
Tommy stood a little taller, and Merlin was a bit surprised to remember that Tommy was actually older than he was. He was smaller, thinner and had a face that was always smudged with dirt. “Yes, Sire! Tommy.”
“You treat her well, Tommy.” Arthur tossed a small sac over.
Tommy’s hand sunk at the weight of it before he raising his hand and looking at the bulging sac with wide eyes. “Sire?”
Arthur’s gaze was still on his mare, though Merlin was sure his mind was elsewhere. “Just do your job well.”
“Thank you, Sire.” Tommy’s voice was high with emotion. “Right away, Sire.”
Merlin’s chest swelled as he watched a smile spread on Arthur’s face at Tommy’s enthusiasm. Arthur wasn’t perfect, but for a man full of pride and smug confidence to be willing to listen, to be willing to change – it made him a man worth serving. Merlin cleared his throat then and both sets of eyes snapped over to the door. “Why don’t you go tell your mother, Tommy? I’m sure she’ll be thrilled that you have such an important job to do for the prince.”
Tommy bounced on the balls of his feet as he turned to Arthur, who nodded his permission.
The minute they were alone, Merlin pinned Arthur with a heated gaze and stalked forward until he was pushing Arthur against the stable wall.
“Merlin, what do you think you are doing?” Arthur stammered. Merlin gave him another shove and his back smacked against the wood.
“I’m going to show you the difference between someone who does this because they want to, rather than because they are getting paid to.” Before Arthur could reply, Merlin knelt at his feet.
The hay was rough, scratching at Merlin's knees. He closed his eyes and let the pleasure of the act overtake him. It was one of his favourite acts -- the inherent power of it when consensual never failed to turn him on.
He tugged at Arthur’s lacings. It was a task Arthur had never once asked him to perform, always tending to the most intimate part of dressing behind a privacy screen. He took his time, mouthing along the soft, worn material of Arthur’s smalls, nuzzling the warm bulge and capturing the heavy scent of Arthur.
“God, Merlin. What are you—“ Arthur choked out a breathless gasp as Merlin slid his smalls out of the way and placed an open-mouthed kiss on Arthur’s still soft cock.
Merlin stopped playing then as he felt Arthur’s knees go weak and his fingers fly to Merlin’s hair like it was the only thing keeping him standing. Pleased, he gently sucked Arthur’s cock into his mouth, relishing the weight of it as it thickened with each stroke of his tongue. He worked him at a steady, achingly slow pace. He loved the drag of Arthur’s breath, knowing Arthur wouldn’t forget this, needing Arthur to remember every second of it.
“I can’t –“
“Fuck my mouth,” Merlin rasped and let his jaw go slack and his throat relax.
“Yes. God, Merlin.”
Arthur pounded his throat, reckless and wild. Merlin’s eyes watered, yet his fingers dug into Arthur’s hips, egging him faster, deeper.
“Fuck.” Arthur cried out in a broken sob as he trembled and filled Merlin’s mouth. Merlin choked and swallowed all he could, wiping the excess from his chin as he stood.
Arthur looked at him wide-eyed. It was too tempting, his mouth gaping and expression oddly innocent. Merlin kissed him while he carefully tugged up Arthur’s breeches and re-laced him. It snapped Arthur from his daze.
“Those men who made you—“ Arthur’s brow furrowed and he shook his head as though to chase away the image.
“No, Arthur. We were never so desperate for bread or gold,” Merlin said and Arthur’s expression relaxed. “But I knew many who were that desperate. Where a few minutes debasement meant the difference between surviving the winter or not.”
Arthur bowed his head and muttered, “I can’t stop people from being poor.”
“No. But you can be honourable in how you share your wealth.”
“I hadn’t considered...”
“I know, Arthur.” It felt good to use the name again. “It’s a common practice. Anyone who works in stables knows the fastest way to earn their next meal.”
“It won’t be any longer. Not for the knights of Camelot.”
Merlin pressed his lips to Arthur’s again, a soft touch with a couple gentle licks of his tongue. Arthur moaned and began to melt under the touch. Merlin pulled away long enough to say, “It’s an honour to serve you, Sire,” before deepening the kiss into something they would soon need to take elsewhere.
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no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 05:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:25 am (UTC)Arthur learning a lesson is always one of my favourite occurences.
*cough* mine, too. can't seem to stop writing it. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 05:30 pm (UTC)Gorgeous, honey - I love Merlin teaching Arthur lessons, and this just seems like it naturally falls in line with all the others he teaches him. ♥
Mmmmm...
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 05:57 pm (UTC)Also, hello.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:30 am (UTC)Thanks, bb!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 06:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:34 am (UTC)Thanks for reading.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 06:13 pm (UTC)<3
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:35 am (UTC)Thanks, bb.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 06:31 pm (UTC)CHRIST.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:47 am (UTC)THANK YOU, GORGEOUS! Glad you liked. ;)
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 06:59 pm (UTC)Bloody loved this!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:48 am (UTC)Thanks for reading! So pleased you liked it so much.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 07:09 pm (UTC)I generally love it when Arthur is made (preferably by dear Merlin) to learn a lesson, and if he is given such a sexy reward for his effort, all the better :D
You know, my favorite sentence is that one: "It was one of his favourite acts -- the inherent power of it when consensual never failed to turn him on."
Because OMG YES! I totally agree with Merlin on that, and I really like it when the fact that this position is quite powerful is mentioned. It made me really happy to read that <3
Also, Merlin's hint that the "helping" of stable boys is also a common practise in Ealdor and the implicantion was very interesting... but I was glad that poor Merlin didn't have to do that (especially since he seems to like the consensual way so much).
I can't find a fault with the POV as it is now, I like it. But I know the feeling when it just doesn't sit right with you, very frustrating and infuriating... :/
And yes, please, I'm very interested in the stroy from Arthur's POV! (Especially with his thoughts about Merlin as a stable boy... could be a protective/possessive!Arthur moment...)
So, thanks for writing this fic <3
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:55 am (UTC)I think part of the POV problem was that I had a scene in my head that I wanted to be in the story but it had to be in Arthur's POV (merlin's wasn't there!) so when I was already 2 scene's posted and relised that it was frustrating. But I liked the challenge of still making Arthur's learning the lesson believable.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 07:25 pm (UTC)Merlin's POV works well for me but I'd love to read Arthur's especially regarding Merlin being a stable boy in Ealdor.
It was worth the wait ♥
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 02:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 07:43 pm (UTC)This sentence just BROKE me when it was a WIP. I'm so glad you posted the entire story. Loved it, and loved the ending, just perfect. Hurray for having something so amazing that it needs to be taken elsewhere! Great story.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 02:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 07:51 pm (UTC)I loved this. I always love fics that show Arthur growing as a person. Growing as a person via blow jobs just makes it better!
Love so much Arthur getting hard in Merlin's mouth. So sexy &hearts
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 02:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 01:56 am (UTC)Thanks for the great comment. Glad you liked it!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 08:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 01:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 08:39 pm (UTC)This line actually made me STOP BREATHING for a second. So gorgeous, honey. Love it.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 01:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 09:03 pm (UTC)So many thoughts in my head about this (all good), I can't pick out one to type out.
I didn't read this as a wip, but all together it reads really well. I didn't notice anything with the pov, but I'm not as invested in it as you are. Would really love Arthur's perspective on everything.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 06:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 09:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 06:43 pm (UTC)Letting Arthur get hard in his mouth - YUMMY!
I might have thought of your post when I wrote that. ;)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 09:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 06:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 06:45 pm (UTC)I'm so glad you liked it. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 09:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 10:41 pm (UTC)I love it when Merlin expects so much more from Arthur and Arthur changes because of that belief. LOVE LOVE LOOOVE IT.
This was gorgeous.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 07:03 pm (UTC)OMG! Me, too! I have my fingers crossed for at least a couple eps with this in S4.
Thanks for reading, sweetie. <3
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 10:44 pm (UTC)And as I told you, Arthur's POV would be welcome !
no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 10:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:01 am (UTC)Yeay! You finished it :D Merlin really is Arthur's Jimminy Cricket, pointing him in the right direction. Hmm... someone needs to draw that... Merlin-y Cricket perching on Arthur's shoulder. I wish I weren't such crap at drawing!
I'd gladly read Arthur's POV and hear aloud the angst that's running through his jealous brain.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 07:32 pm (UTC)Thanks so much. I hope to get to Arthur's POV someday. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-10 12:19 am (UTC)I liked so much how Arthur first grasps the ethics of his behavior by thinking of how it would affect someone he cares about: “Those men who made you—“ Arthur’s brow furrowed and he shook his head as though to chase away the image. But he moves beyond that to generalize what he's learned to others who are equally vulnerable, even if he has no personal relationship with them, and then enforces the insight among others with his level of privilege (“It won’t be any longer. Not for the knights of Camelot.”) I haven't read (comparatively) that much Merlin/Arthur, so it still gives me a thrill to see the individual issues between the two of them take on a much bigger significance in terms of ethics and governance. (If that makes any sense at all! god. H/D is so much simpler. Although...actually, in some fics their relationship is writ large in society-level issues like forgiveness and justice and memory...) Anyway. Just blabbing. Loved the story &hearts
no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 07:32 pm (UTC)Very appreciated. Glad you liked it.