Merlin fic rec: Little Wooden Boy and the Belly of Love

[sophinisba]

I loved the Arthur/Merlin transfic that got posted at camelotsolstice yesterday! It's a modern AU where Arthur is starting his life over in a new town and moves in with Merlin and gets to know Merlin's friends. Goodness that sounds boring the way I described it. But the Arthur characterization is just wonderful, how he's kind of an entitled jerk and at the same time such a sensitive angsty bunny and noble and awesome in his own way, and Merlin is ♥ ♥ and the secondary characters (including Gwaine and Freya) are so well drawn and interesting. Some general spoilers that might help some people decide whether to read: There's some angst in the middle but nobody dies or gets raped, and then there's porn and a super happy ending! Actually it's the first time I can remember finishing a transfic with a stupid grin on my face.

Little Wooden Boy and the Belly of Love by Anonymous, Arthur/Merlin, 14,000 words, NC-17.

I'm so curious to find out who wrote it! It looks like the reveal will be toward the end of January. I suspect new_kate because her alternate universes (Arcane Asylum and Steam) are THE BEST and her Arthur characterization is MY FAVORITE, but it'll probably turn out I'm wrong, and then I'll have another author to fangirl. Yay!