AN: Hey Guys here is another Colin/Merlin and Bradly/Arthur fic for you... Once again this is written with FanOfRandomThings.
MMM
Colin was fiddling with his cell phone when Bradley walked onto set on Tuesday. When Bradley greeted him hello, Colin only nodded slightly, his eyes not leaving the little glowing screen.
"What are you doing?" Bradley asked, peering down at the screen.
"Oh, uh, nothing," Colin quickly pulled the screen away from Bradley. "Reading."
"Reading what?" Bradley asked, trying to grab the phone from Colin.
"Really, it's just some stuff someone wrote about... About our show, actually! It's kinda good but not accurate at all! I can take care of myself, you know! They act as if you're the one saving me!"
"Well that's good, I save you more than you think!" Bradley told the younger man.
"Not really," Colin turned back to his phone. "Now it's getting all dramatic and I'm revealing that I have magic! As if that would ever happen. I, I mean Merlin, would keep that secret with everything! I mean really! Some of these are good, but some of these are... Not so much."
"So... Why do you read them?" Bradley asked, confused.
"Well, because they're about our show," Colin grinned after a moment. "You're big headed, don't you want to read about yourself?"
"I don't have time to." Bradley said. "And anyway why would I want to?"
"Well, it's interesting to see what fans think of our show," Colin said after a moments hesitation. "It's not like I just like reading about myself or anything at all. I'm not big headed like you!"
"Found any weird ones?" Bradley asked, "Like if I do start reading them or something them should I stay away from something?"
"Er..." Colin trailed off. "You might not want to read them, actually... There was definitely some that I'd rather fans didn't write... But look! Look at this one! Do the fans not understand that I am a powerful warlock who constantly saves you?! Do I just blend into the background or something?"
"Of course you do." Bradley teased, "I'm the main character after all." He grinned down at Colin.
"It seems like it, sometimes!" Colin sighed. "Not that I mind! It's just, I don't know... I guess I didn't realize how useless my character seems until I read a few of these..."
"How could you be any more useless?" Bradley asked in a teasing tone. "I'm just kidding Colin, you are great! Without you I would have been dead first episode."
"That's what I always thought," Colin muttered, however he smiled a little at the praise.
"Now stop reading about yourself and come help me practice some scenes or the fans won't like the show and they won't write anymore of whatever it is for you to read! And you call me big headed!"
Colin grinned to himself and he followed Bradley.
MMM
This hadn't been Merlin's week. He'd just recently saved Camelot from Sigan and though he hadn't expected any praise because no one knew what he'd done, it seemed that Arthur was piling more chores on him than ever and even Gaius was making Merlin do a bunch of simple chores. He didn't expect any credit, but somehow the lack of appropriation was getting to Merlin after saving everyone's lives. It was illogical, but Merlin couldn't push the feeling of underappreciation out of his mind.
Now Merlin was rummaging the library for a book for Gaius (again) when his eye fell upon something labeled 'Current Events'. Curious, Merlin grabbed it and flipped it open to a random date. It seemed that this book was a chronicle of things happening around Camelot. On this page was the king's speech in full. So this was why Geoffrey was always so busy scratching notes!
The next page was about Gaius and some illness he cured, and the next was about Morgana twisting her ankle on a horse.
Merlin was admittedly curious if this book had anything to say about him, and he began leading through it quickly. After some time he found mention of someone called 'Prince Arthur's servant'. A few lines down it was added that Prince Arthur's servant's name was Merlin and he was also Gaius's ward and that on one day he came and made the library disorganized.
Merlin frowned. That was it? The only mention of his name was that he made the library disorganized? All he counted for was 'Prince Arthur's servant'? Merlin was sure there must be something else about him in the book, but the harder he searched the more discouraged he became.
After a moment he had quickly glanced through the rest of the book but failed to find anything else beside the occasional mention of himself here and there, most of those being Arthur was upset today, his manservant must have done something. Was that all he was? Just a manservant? Of course no one knew about his magic, but still he'd always hoped for a bit of recognition about something!
"Do you need help, young man?" The librarian suddenly appeared.
"Er, no not really," Merlin snapped the book shut and shoved it onto a shelf. "I'm fine, I've got to go be Arthur's manservant now because what else would I do with my day, right?"
With that, Merlin rushed away towards Arthur's chambers, the librarian shaking his head.
Arthur looked up as his servant burst into his chambers without knocking as usual. "Oh there you are Merlin." He said. "I need my rooms cleaned, my armor polished and the stables mucked out."
Merlin opened his mouth to say something, but then he snapped it shut angrily and began to speak with no little sarcasm. "Of course, sire. Wouldn't want to make you upset and make you mad in the books! No way! Not your manservant!"
Arthur stared at Merlin in shock. "What has gotten into you? What are you talking about 'in the books'?"
"Oh, nothing, just Geoffrey's constant notes about everyone in the kingdom about everyone important so I'm not included of course. Nothing to worry about! I'll just go do the chores like always!" Merlin's voice was still angrily sarcastic as he turned away and grabbed a rag.
"What are you talking about? Geoffrey's notes, he is taking note on nobles, I guess." Arthur said. "He doesn't really tend to take much notice of servants. It's nothing personal Merlin."
"If he's taking notes on the nobles, why mention Gaius? Why mention me at all? He does mention me and all he says about me is that I dropped something or messed up the library or made you mad! Am I really that worthless? Sorry, I don't know why I'm upset. I'll just go clean. Sorry."
"Gaius is the court physician, he is important." Arthur reminded Merlin. "You do tend to make a mess of thing wherever you go though, so I can see why his few encounters with you would be disastrous. And I tend to be around you a lot, that might be why he assumes I'm in a bad mood and its your fault."
"Oh, then it's all quite logical, I see. I am worthless and it's all well thought out," Merlin muttered, not meaning for Arthur to hear.
"You are not worthless!" Arthur exclaimed, "If you were why would I keep you around?"
"Well I don't think I'm worthless!" Merlin suddenly turned around and Arthur saw that his cheeks were flushed. "I think I do plenty around here for you!"
"I never said you didn't do things for me." Arthur told him, "You do plenty! I wouldn't be able to do much at all if you didn't help me."
"Oh really, cause you certainly seem to complain about me being lazy an awful lot, despite the fact that you give me so many chores every day there's no way I could work any faster! I already don't bother with lunch half the time, yet I'm just your servant who makes you mad and I'm lazy!"
Arthur's face took on a confused look as he thought about all he put Merlin through. "But you don't really complain!" He protested. "You never told me it's too much!"
"Then I'd just put you in a bad mood, wouldn't I?" Merlin replied sarcastically. "I apparently do that enough already."
"I would have had someone help you or something," Arthur said, then looked down at the floor as he mumbled his next words. "I'm not really sure I'm mad at you anyway."
"Oh? Who are you mad at then?" Merlin raised an eyebrow. Gaius would have been proud.
"My father, the Knights... Everyone but you and Guinevere?" It almost sounded like a question, as if the prince wasn't quite sure of himself.
"Oh, nice to know Gwen escapes your temper," Merlin muttered. "Why would you be mad at the knights?"
"Cause they can't do anything right?" Arthur asked rhetorically. "I don't like training them but I have too."
"Oh," Merlin sounded surprised. "Yeah, I guess you never could train me to be a good servant so you had to give up. Can't give up in the knights."
Arthur smiled, "You weren't made to be a perfect servant. I like the way you serve me, that's why I haven't fired you yet. I don't like servants like George."
"Oh, I do wonder sometimes," Merlin laughed softly. "I always thought George would be the good kind of servant you always wanted me to be."
"No way!" Arthur looked horrified. "Never, please promise me you will never become a boot licker like George! You might just find yourself not in the book at all if that happens."
"Yeah, come to think of it, I didn't see his name," Merlin frowned. "I guess I'd rather be known as Prince Arthur's servant more than just disappear from history forever. You, I almost feel kind of bad for George. Does he really have no hobbies except being a servant? You've gotta wonder!"
"I really don't know," Arthur admitted, "I never liked him, so I didn't really get to know him. Then again," he added thoughtfully. "I didn't really know any of the servants until you showed up."
"Why? If they're serving you, how could you not know them? Did they just like blend completely into the background or something?"
"Yeah pretty much." Arthur said, "They didn't really talk."
"I don't, though, right? I mean, at least some people know who I am, I think."
"I think everyone besides Geoffrey and my father knows who you are." Arthur said, chuckling. "You're kinda hard to miss."
"I'm kinda glad," Merlin admitted with a sigh. "I'm not big headed like you, but even I don't like being invisible."
"Sometimes being invisible is helpful for you." Arthur told him. "You saved my life that first day because that Mary Collins didn't notice you standing in the corner of the room."
"Oh yeah, true," Merlin smiled slightly. "You remember that?"
"Of course I do." Arthur said, "I almost died, who wouldn't remember that?"
Merlin laughed and nodded.
"I'm glad you remember. It seemed like one of those times I saved you that just goes unnoticed by everyone!"
"You have saved me other times?" Arthur asked, looking confused. "When? I only know of a couple times."
"Oh..." Merlin trailed off before grinning. "Well not that many I guess, but those couple of times stand out to me! I'm glad you remember. You know, Arthur, you're a huge prat except when you're not being one."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Arthur asked, glancing at Merlin. "I'm never a prat."
"Sure, prat," Merlin grinned. "Come on, go train or whatever it is you do so I can clean your room."
"Alright." Arthur said grinning back, "But if I am going to train I need my armor."
"Of course," Merlin nodded, hurrying to get Arthur's armor on him. He smiled at Arthur when it was all done and told him to get going before the knights missed him.
Arthur nodded and slipped out of the door, then poked his head back in. "Don't worry about the stables, I'll ask one of the stable hands to do it."
"Oh, thanks Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed. "Really, thank you."
Arthur nodded and quickly left to go train with the knights.
Merlin smiled as he began to rearrange and dust Arthur's chambers. Sometimes Arthur could actually drop his prattish attitude and when he did, Merlin knew that was the king the Druids always talked about. That was the Once and Future, and it made Merlin proud to be his servant.
MMM
"Colin!" Bradley walked back to the younger man and shook his shoulder. "Earth to Colin!"
"What?" Colin smiled sheepishly at Bradley. "Did you say something?"
Bradley sighed, "I've been calling you name for the past five minutes! What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, just, er, thinking about the next scene and all of my lines and stuff. You get off easy. All you have to is lay there while I chant spells and ward off an evil sorcerer and all kinds of things!"
Bradley's face took on a look of disbelief. "It's not that hard, is it?"
"Chanting spells? Yeah it's hard! Have you ever tried memorizing a bunch of old English?" Colin frowned.
"Not recently." Bradley said. "Not to say I have ever had to."
"People always figure it's fun being the main character, not that it isn't, but it's not like it's easy," Merlin muttered to himself. "But then again, you and a bunch of other people think you're the main character, so what am I complaining about anyway?"
"What are you talking about?" Bradley asked, "I am the main character. And it is really fun."
Colin opened his mouth to say something, before he sighed and closed it, looking away.
"Yeah, okay sure, whatever," Colin sighed, his voice downhearted. "Glad you enjoy it. Now I should probably practice even if my role isn't as important or whatever."
"What did I tell you Colin!" Bradley asked impatiently. "I ... Arthur wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Merlin. You're very important to the storyline, without you Arthur wouldn't be the great king that he is."
Colin laughed quietly and smiled a little.
"Oh, you were kidding, right. Well I'm glad you remember some of the things my character does for your character. I hope the fans do to. But I mean whatever! It's cool, I'm just glad I get to be in the show at all! Thanks for appreciating all that Merlin does."
"You're welcome?" Bradley said, confused. "Hey listen," he started as Colin started to walk away. "Did you want some help with that next scene that you were having trouble with? I could read the other lines, but only if you wanted to... You don't have too."
"Oh, uh, sure! That'd be great! I do need the practice, that'd be really helpful! Thanks! You could just read Sigan's?"
"Alright." Bradley walked after Colin. "Wait up then!"
"You stand over there," Colin instructed. "And read that line, then I'll respond."
The two practiced for a few minutes, Colin getting his spell perfect, and Bradley looked admittedly impressed by the pronunciations.
"Okay, I'm not sure it's so fun being you anymore." He admitted, laughing. "Too much language to memorize."
"You see!" Colin smiled. "It's not an easy job! Anyway, thanks for practicing with me! Really, thank you. Now shouldn't you go hang out with Rupert and the guys who play the knights or whatever it is you do? They're probably missing their thick headed friend!"
"Hey!" Bradley yelped.
"Just joking!" Colin smiled easily. "Sorry, I had to. Don't worry, you're not a prat like Arthur, even if you are a bully."
"Arthur isn't a bully or a prat," Bradley protested, "Just... Misunderstood."
"Sure, okay," Colin laughed and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, thank you. It's true, maybe he's not as much of a bully as it seems."
As Bradley rolled his eyes and remarked what a weirdo Colin was, Colin smiled to himself. No, Bradley was right. The script writers had always portrayed Arthur's prattish behavior quite well, but they'd often missed his less prattish side. They too rarely showed the part of Arthur that made him the Once as Future King.
'Oh well,' Colin told himself. 'What the script writers missed, Bradley does kind of make up for. Neither Arthur nor Bradley have ever been quite as much of a prat as everyone always makes them out to be.'
And with that, Colin went about reading the spell he was about to say, making sure not to say it quite right. After all, like he'd told Bradley, he had a secret to guard above all else.
The end
Hey! Hope you enjoyed it! If you liked this story there are more just like it on my profile and other stories I have written with FanOfRandomThings on her profile. Definitely go check some of her stories out, they are amazing! Have a nice day!