I don't own Merlin BBC does. A fact that makes me very sad. Okay my reveal fic, because every Merlin fanfic writer should have one.
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Friendship
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Merlin was shining Arthur's armor in the armory when Gwaine strolled in.
"There you are, Merlin! I've been searching all over for you! How about you stop whatever it is you're doing and we head down to the tavern?" Gwaine asked jovially as he pulled Merlin up from the bench he had been sitting on and dragged him out the door.
"Wait! Gwaine, if I don't get this done Arthur will use it as an excuse to put me in the stocks or something!" Merlin whined in protest. Gwaine scoffed and slung an arm around Merlin's shoulders. He nodded to a fellow knight as they made their way into town.
"Arthur doesn't need to find a reason to throw you in the stocks, he just does it. So I think you should at least give him a reason to for the next time." Gwaine suggested proudly. Merlin shook his head in defeat, knowing that Gwaine would just continue to drag him along even if he refused.
"That didn't make sense but fine. I'll go to the tavern with you." Merlin grumbled. Gwaine slapped Merlin on the back causing the younger male to stumble slightly.
"It's what best mates are for, yeah?" Gwaine chuckled. Merlin stopped walking and glanced hesitantly up at Gwaine.
"We are friends, aren't we? We're best friends?" Merlin asked softly. Gwaine looked at the serious yet nervous expression on Merlin's face and nodded.
"You're the first friend I've ever had, Merlin. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you." Gwaine responded equally serious. Merlin bit his lip and glanced around before grabbing Gwaine's arm and pulling him into a darkened alleyway.
"What…what would you say if I told you that…I was…a warlock?" Merlin asked slowly, looking everywhere but at Gwaine. There was full silence for a good ten minutes in which Merlin could feel his heart crumbling to dust. He began shaking in fear and jumped when he felt hands on his shoulders.
"Please! Please, don't turn me in! It's just…friends tell each other things and I thought you should know but I promise I never used it to hurt an innocent person! I've only used it to protect Camelot and its people! I can just leave! You don't have to tell anyone! I'll leave and never come back and-"
"Merlin, shut up." Merlin closed his mouth with a snap and looked pleadingly up at Gwaine.
Gwaine who was smiling.
Gwaine who was shaking with silent laughter.
Gwaine who was pulling him into a bone crushing hug.
"What?" Merlin gasped in surprise.
"I'm not from Camelot, Merlin. I don't believe in all that 'Sorcerers are evil' rot. I know you. You haven't got an evil bone in your body." Gwaine said softly, smiling reassuringly at his still trembling friend.
"You…you don't hate me?" Merlin asked for clarification.
" 'Course not! Best mates, remember? Now let's go to the tavern and you can tell me all about this warlock stuff!" Gwaine said, wrapping a friendly arm around Merlin and tugging him along, loud laughter trailing in the air after them.
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Merlin was cleaning a rather large cut on Percival's arm, one he had gotten from training.
"Percival?" Merlin questioned, his eyes trained fully on the soft cloth he was gently wiping away blood with.
"Merlin?" Percival's deep voice rumbled.
"We're…friends, right?" Merlin glanced up at Percival and then quickly looked back down.
"I would like to think so yes. Do you think we're friends?" Percival asked, head tilted to the side curiously.
"Yeah. Yeah, I would." Merlin smiled softly and grabbed some bandages. They were silent for about a minute before-
"Percival?"
"Merlin?" Percival said, slight humor in his voice.
"Friends tell each other things, right? Like really important things?"
"Hmm." Percival nodded.
"Hmm." Merlin nodded back and finished banding Percival's very muscled arm. Percival stood up from the cot Merlin had demanded he sit on and slowly made his way to the door, waiting for his name to be called again.
"Percival?"
"Merlin?" Percival turned to face the raven haired male.
"As my friend…what would you say if I told you I've had magic since I was born?" Merlin asked, back turned away from the large knight as his shaking hands cleaned up the medical supplies. Percival froze in surprise before walking up to Merlin. He gently turned the smaller male around and stared him in the eyes.
"Friends don't turn their backs on each other for something they can't control." Percival said softly. Merlin beamed up at him and Percival rolled his eyes slightly.
"Merlin?"
"Percival?" Merlin asked, goofy smile still stretched across his face.
"If you have magic why don't you use it to make yourself less clumsy?" Percival asked and ran quickly from the room laughing while Merlin searched for something to throw.
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"Hey, Lance!" Merlin called waving happily. Lancelot smiled and made his way over to where Merlin was feeding the horses.
"Hey, Merlin. How are you?" Lancelot asked, clapping Merlin lightly on the shoulder in greeting.
"Great! I didn't have all that many chores to do today, I get off early tonight, I have magic and Gaius didn't need me to deliver medicine!" Merlin chirped brightly. Lancelot looked at him strangely.
"Merlin, what was that you just said?" Lancelot asked.
"Gaius didn't need me to deliver medicine?"
"No, before that.
"I get off early?"
No, after that!"
"Oh! I have magic." Merlin shrugged.
"But I already know that!" Lancelot said confused.
"Well, yeah but I'm telling all my friends and I didn't want you to feel left out." Merlin said smiling. Lancelot shook his head fondly as Merlin finished feeding the horses and they made their way to the castle.
"Who else have you told?" Lancelot asked.
"Just Gwaine and Percival." Merlin said.
"How did they take it?"
"Well Gwaine took me to the tavern for drinks and Percival asked me why I didn't use it to make myself less clumsy." Merlin grumbled. Lancelot laughed loudly.
"So they took it well." Lancelot smiled at his friend.
"Yeah!" Merlin chirped, his trademark goofy smile spreading across his lips.
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Merlin found Elyan sharpening his sword and knocked lightly on the armory door. Elyan looked up and smiled when he saw Merlin, waving him in. Merlin sat beside Elyan on the bench and fidgeted as the knight continued sharpening his weapon.
"Are we friends?" Merlin blurted. Elyan stopped what he was doing to look at Merlin in surprise.
"I think so. We hang out often enough to call each other friends right?" Elyan asked. Merlin nodded slowly, eyeing Elyan's sword apprehensively. "Merlin are you alright?"
"Yes! Um…maybe not? I'm mostly fine." Merlin stuttered.
"What's wrong? Anything I can help with?" Elyan asked.
"Erm…yes, just promise you won't attack me or anything." Merlin croaked.
"I promise I won't attack you." Elyan murmured softly.
"Okay, well, I might possibly be the strongest sorcerer that ever was or ever will be." Merlin choked out, body tense as he kept his eyes carefully trained on the gleaming weapon that could end his life in a moments-
"What! Merlin, if you have…you know, why are you here?! I never believed him when Arthur called you an idiot but God! We need to get you out of Camelot! If anyone was to find out you'd be killed!" Elyan hissed as his eyes darted around searching for eavesdroppers. Merlin let out a breath of relief and laughed slightly hysterically.
"Relax, Elyan. I'm very careful with what I do and where. I just wanted to tell you because we're friends and I hate having to lie to my friends." Merlin said, patting the dark knight's arm in a soothing gesture.
"Fine, but the second I think you're in danger we are getting you out." Elyan grumbled. Merlin beamed happily and just nodded in agreement.
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"Leon! Hey, Leon!" Merlin shouted as he trotted after the fast walking knight. Leon turned and smiled as Merlin ran up to him, hair sticking out all over the place and a wide smile on his face.
"Hey, Merlin." Leon said fondly ruffling his already messy hair.
"Hey!" Merlin squawked in protest as he attempted to flatten his hair. Leon chuckled as they started walking again.
"You're my friend, right, Leon?" Merlin asked after a moment of silent.
"Of course, Merlin. We've known each other for quite a while.
"So can I tell you a secret?" Merlin asked in a hushed voice. Leon looked down at him in surprise.
"Sure, Merlin. You can tell me anything." Leon said gently.
"And you won't tell anyone?"
"Not if you don't want me to." Leon said firmly. Merlin smiled hesitantly before stretching up and cupping Leon's ear with his hands.
"I'm a warlock and I've been using my magic to protect Camelot." Merlin whispered in Leon's ear. Leon jerked back and stared at Merlin with a blank expression.
"You're a warlock." Leon said tonelessly. Merlin nodded slowly.
"You have magic? In Camelot? You have magic in Camelot?" Leon asked harshly. Merlin flinched and nodded quickly.
"I'm sorry!" He squeaked. Leon sighed and shook his head, running his fingers through his hair.
"Only you, Merlin. Only you would be able to somehow hide this from everyone while also being the worst liar in the world." Leon sighed.
"So…you aren't angry or disgusted or betrayed or-"
"No to all of those." Leon sighed again. "Just please be careful!" Leon shouted as he turned down a different corridor from Merlin.
"I'm always careful!" Merlin shouted back. A moment later there was a loud crash and anyone walking by would have seen Merlin sprawled out on the floor from tripping over his own feet.
"Ouch." He moaned piteously.
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Merlin carefully balanced the delicious looking dinner tray he was bringing to Arthur and knocked on the door for the first time in…well ever.
"Enter." Arthur's tired voice drifted through the door. Merlin entered slowly and placed the tray off food carefully on the table. Arthur sat slumped in a chair in front of the fire, fingers massaging his temples.
"I've brought your dinner, sire." Merlin said softly, choosing to be a proper servant for the moment. Arthur grunted and Merlin took a small step forward.
"Are you okay, sire?" Merlin asked in a quiet voice.
"Those meetings gave me a bloody headache. I just need some rest. I'll be fine." Arthur sighed as he prepared to get up.
"I could help you with that." Merlin offered nervously. Arthur raised a skeptical eyebrow at him and Merlin made his way closer until he stood directly in front of his prince.
"What could you possibly do, Merlin?" Arthur drawled even as he raised a hand to rub his temples again.
"Please don't hate me." Merlin begged softly. Arthur looked up at him in confusion.
"Why would I-" Merlin placed the tip of his fingers against the side of Arthur's head and pushed his magic gently into his prince, searching out the areas of pain and willing them away before slowly pulling the magic back into himself. Arthur's eyes widened when Merlin's eyes flashed the brilliant gold of sorcery.
"Magic?" Arthur gasped in disbelief. Merlin flinched at the anger slowly clouding his face. "You're a sorcerer?"
"I didn't want to hide it from you! I've been wanting to tell you for ages but I-"
"Merlin, relax and stop babbling." Arthur snorted. Merlin blinked at him in shock.
"What?" He whispered.
"Well, you aren't all that good at lying. In fact you're the worst liar I've ever met. Did you think I would never realize what you were doing? All those perfectly timed branches falling on our enemies or spears flying through the air at random? The way we somehow make our way out of situations where the only answer could have been magic? I've known for a while now, I was just waiting for you to tell me." Arthur said.
"You knew? You knew all along and you never told me?" Merlin shouted. "Do you know how many nightmares I had where you found out and chopped my head off or burnt me at the stake or hung me? I come up with a thousand different scenarios every day that all somehow end up with me dead or you hating me forever! I've lost sleep over this! Made myself so sick I couldn't stomach anything and you knew this whole time!"
"I was waiting for you to trust me, Merlin." Arthur shouted back. "How do you think I felt knowing that my best friend didn't trust me enough to tell me he had magic? That hurts,, knowing that you've got this deep secret that you won't tell me but you'll tell Lancelot? Yeah, I know that he knows." Arthur snapped.
"I didn't tell him he found out! And how was I supposed to know that you wouldn't tell your father as soon as I told you? He would have had me executed!"
"I'm your friend." Arthur said softly. "You should have known I would have protected you."
"You may be my friend but you are also my prince. I didn't want to make you choose between me and your father." Merlin whispered.
"I'll always protect you, Merlin. I won't let anyone hurt you." The two smiled at each other and Merlin laughed lightly in relief.
"Now all my friends know. I don't have to lie anymore." Merlin said happily.
"We all knew already, Merlin!" Gwaine said as he barged into Arthur's room without knocking, the other knights striding in behind him.
"Gwaine? Percival, Leon, Elyan? Lancelot? What are you guys doing here?" Merlin asked in confusion while Arthur glared at them, arms folded across his chest.
"Eavesdropping!" Gwaine said brightly.
"No, no! We're just…uh, listening!" Lancelot corrected.
"To make sure Arthur didn't do anything stupid." Gwaine nodded as he plucked a roll off of Arthur's forgotten dinner tray.
"What he meant was we were…er…no, yeah that's pretty much what we were doing." Lancelot shrugged and winked at Merlin who snorted.
"Hey! I resent that! I wouldn't have hurt him." Arthur grumbled.
"What do you mean you all knew already!" Merlin suddenly shrieked.
"Well you were pretty obvious and you really are a horrid liar." Percival said with a shrug.
"But none of you said anything when I told you!"
"We were waiting for you to trust us." Leon said, while the others laughed.
"You guys are going to be the death of me." Merlin groaned and pouted when his friends just laughed harder. Merlin smiled softly around at the knights and his prince and felt happiness and contentment wash over him. Friendship was such a wonderful thing.