The Nine Of Wands by sunawareness (R)

[sajee.livejournal.com]

Fandom: MERLIN
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Length: 15, 499
Author on LJ: sunawareness
Author Website: fanfiction tag
Why this must be read:

This is a simply beautiful World War I AU where Merlin is a young doctor and Arthur is about to head off to war. A chance meeting leads to Merlin indulging Arthur before he leaves for war and things seem to be going well (in a closeted 1914 sort of way) but when Arthur returns for leave, everything is different.

I love historical AU and I love the whole homosocial, forbidden love thing (I'm a sucker for punishement, ok!) and I also love that we get Gwen and Morgana managing to kick arse in a very 1918 sort of way.

Merlin was not required in at work the next day, which was fortunate, as Arthur did not seem inclined to leave and insisted that they spend all day in bed or on the sofa. Merlin tried to protest -his landlady was a bit of a busybody and would be listening through the floorboards, no doubt. Arthur simply laughed off Merlin’s concerns and kissed him. If this was his normal behavior (which Merlin, thinking of the reaction of the cabdriver last night, imagined it was) then the older man was surprised he hadn’t landed himself in front of a judge by now. Hopefully the army would teach him a little decorum, knock some sense into him at the very least. Merlin was not used to spending time with anyone with Arthur’s energy, being so used dreary old physicians or sickly individuals, and he soon began enjoying the change to his normal day at home.

He finally left late in the afternoon, feeling ready to face Morgana and leaving Merlin feeling a little… wind swept. He was not used to these types of things- his life not only consisting of looking after old men and invalids but becoming one as well. The age gap between he and Arthur may not, in all honesty, be that much but he certainly felt it. Not that he need worry about it any more- there had not been any agreement between the two of them to meet again. Merlin tried to feel relieved.

The Nine Of Wands (1/2)