Merlin drabble set: Keep Your Head Down

[sophinisba]

Sorry about the formatting error and lack of lj-cut in the ficlet I posted earlier today. It should be fixed now.

Title: Keep Your Head Down
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Uther/Merlin with implied Arthur/Merlin
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 for not-very-explicit noncon
Words: 500 (five drabbles)
Notes: Thanks to claudia603 for enabling me in my desire to write this pairing.



Gaius is always talking about keeping your head down, says for a sorcerer it's the only way of keeping your head at all. And yet he's survived the past twenty years by staying as close to Uther as anyone outside the royal family. He's made himself essential, indispensable. What kind of lesson is Merlin supposed to learn from that?

Anyway, Merlin may have powerful magic but it's not like he can go back in time, is it? Not like he can go back to Ealdor. Uther knows who he is already, has an idea how much he means to Arthur.

*

Merlin likes that, knowing he means something to both of them, feeling both pairs of eyes on him while he pours the wine.

Some days Arthur complains that Gaius' errands take up too much of Merlin's time. "You're mine, you know. My father said you'd be my manservant. Gaius has no rights on you."

Some nights Gaius asks why he's come in so late. "Are they giving you extra work, beyond your assigned duties?"

Merlin shrugs, grins. "They're the ones who do the assigning. I can't exactly complain."

He wouldn't, anyway. Is it his fault he's caught the King's attention?

*

The answer, he finds out soon enough, is that it doesn't matter. It's not his fault he's a sorcerer either, or that destiny's put him in the most dangerous place a sorcerer can be. And it's not flattering or thrilling, once there's no choice involved. It's Uther's command, Uther's hand, and even Uther's goddamn thumb is more powerful than everything Merlin is, strong enough to split him open and it hurts but if he fights back or lets the magic fight for him it'll be his head. So he keeps it down, looks at his hands, sends his mind away.

*

Or he would, but Uther pulls his attention back with pinches to sensitive skin and words that expect an answer.

"The Prince values your person more than is wise."

"I'm sorry." He doesn't know for what, but he is.

"I don't care."

"Then why--?"

"That he might know how little you're worth."

"It won't work."

"You presume to tell me how to control my own son?"

"He values what's his, and all the more when it's threatened."

Strange to be speaking, even reasoning while he writhes underneath this man, but knowing he's right is the only comfort he has.

*

The next day Merlin does feel worthless, and the fact that Arthur notices only makes it worse. (At first.) Because Arthur's possessive and Merlin's had enough of being possessed. Merlin wants comfort and Arthur has only rage.

But when the shouting's over, when the threats have been traded and King and heir have accused each other of every crime from perversion to treason, everyone is still alive, and the balance of power has shifted. Uther is worth less than he was before. Arthur and Merlin are more. It's not the end, not yet, but it's the start of something new.

Comments

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

ZOMG. That's dark and gorgeous and deep. And it just gets hotter the more I think about it.

[sophinisba]

Omg I've been thinking about them together kind of a lot, first of all since watching the series but more so since reading this. So much good stuff in this fandom but I still want there to be a lot more of this pairing.

Thanks for reading! Can I write anything for you?

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Amusingly enough, I was working on something for you today, though it's far from finished.

Hrmn. Write me something about hobbits during or just after the Year of Troubles. :D

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

I liked this. I love how Merlin kept talking, kept strong, through the whole thing. And I love how it made his bond with Arthur stronger in the end.

Subject (to) blew my mind, and I can see how it inspired this.

I totally agree that there should be more of this pairing.

[sophinisba]

Oh, thank you for coming to check this out. I've mostly just been reading in this fandom and it's exciting to hear from someone new now as I'm starting to write. :)

I love the comments on Subject (to), how there's this split between people saying "omg no poor Merlin!" and those of us who'd actually been searching for the pairing and were so happy to find that one done so well.

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

lol, I know exactly what you mean about the comments. I'm hoping that as time passes more people will openly admit to liking darker stories. There's so much gorgeous fluff and romance right now, but I'm craving a bit of darkfic too. :)

[sophinisba]

Yeah, that is a good way of thinking about it. I have actually been surprised at how little of the darker stuff there's been (not that I'm complaining because I also eat up the happy A/M first-time with a spoon!) what with canon's power dynamics and dark magic and all. (Not to mention how hot Uther is when he says, "Take care, child, or I'll have you restrained.") But maybe the fandom just needs a little time to get used to the idea.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

yay!!! This was done so perfectly! I knew if anyone could do this with just the right amount of darkness and subtlety etc. that it would be you! :D :D :D I really really like how nice and dark and intense this was!

[sophinisba]

AND NOW IT IS YOUR TURN OMG!!!! (Thank you!)

[hanarobi.livejournal.com]

This was lovely and hot and for the very first time I felt a bit of Merlin's appeal.

[sophinisba]

Thank you omg! That makes me feel really good. You should read the fic at the link I sent you! Also this one, which is similarly short.

[sophinisba]

Actually wait not that one because you haven't seen the episode it depends on. But do read the Astolat one.

[rain-polish.livejournal.com]

These are fantastic! I really like the last three, they're pretty raw, and you can feel the power struggle.

[sophinisba]

Oh, thank you very much. I love doing drabble sets and I love this pairing way more than I should.

[et-tu-lj.livejournal.com]

Merlin darkfic! I came over to check out what Lilian remixed, and I absolutely love it. The power dynamics are fascinating and I enjoyed seeing a darker side than I've come across so far. Thank you!

[sophinisba]

Thanks! I was really excited that Lilian decided to remix this one. Did I you comment somewhere that you haven't seen the show yet? Watch for the M/U when you do - it's not as strong as the M/A but it's definitely there (as is pretty much any ship you could think of).

[et-tu-lj.livejournal.com]

Yup. I'm not even properly a newbie yet. Lol

I will. I tend to minor characters and rare pairs, and I think that's probably even more likely in a fandom that seems so dominated by one pairing. We'll see...