rec50 | Merlin/Arthur recs: "The Route to Advancement" and "Accidental Memory In Case of Death"

Here is my table.

Claim: Merlin (BBC), Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: #27, Original Character
Title: The Route to Advancement
Author:

magog_83
Rating: PG
Length: Short (2,080 words)
Brief summary: New Knight hopeful, Percy, has been at Court four months, but it might be another four years before Prince Arthur stops calling him Perrin. That's where Merlin comes in. This is a hilarious look at Arthur and Merlin's odd master-servant relationship through the eyes of an outsider, and if you like Sir Percy (and really, he's a hard guy not to like),

magog_83 has several follow-ups featuring him and his noble steed.

Sir Edwin refolded the letter and passed it back to him, smiling sympathetically. "So, as I see it the problem is this. Your father sent you to Camelot to prove yourself a worthy Knight, make an illustrious name for yourself and further your family's interests with the King. Well you've managed the first part, you're training to join the Knights of Camelot, that's no mean feat. As for the rest..." he paused, evidently trying to think of the best way to phrase it.

Percy took pity on him. "As for the rest... Prince Arthur still thinks my name is Perrin."

"Er, yes. There is that."

"So really, unless I manage to slay some mythical beast in the next three weeks, I'm doomed."

Link:LJ or AO3

Claim: Merlin (BBC), Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: #26, Death
Title: Accidental Memory In Case Of Death
Author:

derryere
Rating: NC-17
Length: Very long (75,593 words)
Brief summary: Tony O does not befriend losers. Tony O is not gay, not crazy, he is not particularly nice and he is most definitely not royalty. Destiny disagrees. This is probably the best-known reincarnation fic in the Merlin fandom, and for good reason.

derryere weaves the story of Merlin and Arthur's love together with Tony O's struggle to accept his new memories as Arthur and his startling new attraction to the reborn Merlin. Past and present dance around each other in this fic, racing towards a collision that is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting.

"Come on, then!"

So Merlin comes on, then. Arthur is fast, but not so much today, and when Merlin passes him he shoves at Arthur's shoulder, liking it when the man stumbles a bit. Arthur just seems to enjoy the prospect of losing to Merlin even more, grinningly catching up and shoving back—sending Merlin toppling to the grass, willingly going down with him and making a half-hearted attempt to pin him to the ground. Merlin doesn't feel the gifted victory is any less of a victory when he rolls them over in a bit of a scuffle and ends up on top—straddling Arthur, holding his hands to the ground over his head. Arthur is beaming up at him, eyes bright with the playfulness of the game, and he wordlessly laces his fingers with Merlin's—sending both their hearts skidding and sliding and falling all over themselves within their chests.

Merlin fills up and then runs over with it, with the goofy grins and wide eyes, and leans down in a brief, quick movement—lightly kissing Arthur, for just a moment.

It's then that the first deep and low ripple flows through the ground beneath them. Through the field and further, under the city and the line of earth it follows. It's the most unusual occurrence, the rarest, and yet goes by without the slightest notice. Merlin feels it and thinks that's just what it always feels like, the pressing of lips and everything that comes with it. Arthur doesn't note any of it, not a thing at all, his eyes fixed on Merlin as the boy clambers off him—as they get to their feet and laugh for no discernable reason, shove at each other some more, running and racing and smiling, newly oblivious to the world around them in a wonderfully incurable manner.

Link:Box of Magic