Also mens!

[sophinisba]

I talk a lot about fanworks about ladies on my journal because it makes me sad when they don't get as much attention. However, there are a lot of male characters I love too! Especially on Merlin!

Merlin is still my favorite! I love him so much! I don't usually get het up about ships, like liking one pairing so much that I can't enjoy seeing one of its characters with someone else. However, I do have my favorite characters. On Merlin they are Merlin and Gwen: occasionally I get to see them together (did I rec five times merlin almost tells gwen (and the one time he does) by jontinf? I meant to - it is awesome) but as long as I've got one of them I'm usually good. Sometimes people write great fics about Morgana/Morgause or Arthur/Percival and I sort of shrug at them. Mmm, I guess Freya is also someone I like enough that I can get into fanworks that have her with Gwaine or Morgana or someone else.

Anyway, Merlin has always been my <3 <3 <3, but lately I am finding new appreciation for Arthur, and of course for Bradley. For example, I stared at this picture of Bradley with the sex hair and sex smirk for hours and hours last month (although okay probably not as long as I stared at the one with Colin and the obscene collarbones).

Arthur/Merlin: still a great pairing after all these years! I've been reading fun stuff on the Internet and on my shiny Kindle. I've been working on a podfic of a very sexy and lovely story that I should have ready to post later today, and I'm looking forward to recording an old favorite by an anonymous author soon. I haven't been making progress on my podficbigbang of Arcane Asylum mostly because I had a cold last week, but I think I'm pretty much over that so I should be able to get back to it soon.

Gwaine: A couple months ago meri said something on Twitter about how no matter how fragmented the fandom got at least we could all agree on Merlin/Gwaine, and I was like, "Um..." I had read a couple fics when Gwaine first came on the scene. I read a bunch of short ones at summerpornathon and I liked some of them, but just because they were well written or whatever, not because I cared about him as a character. (I also may have done some sulking about Gwaine getting so much more attention than Lancelot.)

But a couple weeks ago someone recced lunchy_munchy's podfic of Honorable Intentions by smilebackwards, which is this lovely little Arthur-POV canon-era fic where Arthur is protective of Merlin and has to make sure that Gwaine is good enough for him. And idk, I just found that so goddamn heartwarming, it inspired me to go back and finally start reading hope's epic Along a Wandering Wind. And OMG you guys, this pairing is so romantic!! Gwaine cares so much!! He loves Merlin before he knows about the magic, and he wants to be good enough for him!! <3 <3 <3 So that has been great. I also loved significantowl's Christmassy Kith and Kin and her Halloween-ish Sweep the Ashes Dry. What are your favorite Gwaine/Merlin fanworks? I have so much catching up to do.

Elyan: When Elyan first showed up in season 3 the main reaction among people in my circle was "OMG will a black dude survive an episode of Merlin?" and later "OMG did a black dude seriously live through a whole season??" But then he came back in season 4 and had a character! He talks to Arthur about how much he and the other knights love him! He hugs creepy kids and has fear and angst. But apart from a few enjoyable pornlets I have not run into any Elyan fic. Do you have any recs for me? Could be Elyan as the main character or just having a significant role in say an Arthur/Merlin or Arthur/Gwen fic, but the main thing is I'm looking for recent stuff, taking advantage of those developments we got to see in the last season.

Percival and Leon: These guys still don't do anything for me.

Lancelot: I still love Lancelot so much. I love his love for Gwen and for Arthur, and I love his friendship with Merlin (or also sometimes his love for Merlin). I am really sad about the way things ended with his character on the show. I am glad he can live on in fanworks and especially glad when he can be treated as a character in his own right and not just a convenient way for Arthur/Merlin fans to get Gwen out of their way.

Ha ha, damn, I keep trying to end this post on a positive note...

Lancelot is beautiful and I think he would be an awesome boyfriend! I did not like the part in that one fic where he was kind of sexist and vulgar but it was supposed to be okay because he was Arthur's funny friend. I liked in The Student Prince where he was vegetarian and Buddhist and responsible and kind. *_*

In conclusion,

Comments

[cantarina]

Fic recs! Honourable Intentions is one of my very favourites too. Thanks for the links to the rest :D (Also, that picture of Colin. GORGEOUS photography.)

Percival and Leon: These guys still don't do anything for me.
brb, laughing too hard to properly comment

[jelazakazone]

Yeah. I don't know anyone who wasn't drooling over Colin's collarbones:D

[sophinisba]

I can sort of see it with Percival, like, if you were into that body type or whatever. I never have been but I can see it (especially in this picture, actually) and he seems like a nice enough guy.

Leon I don't get.

[cantarina]

I have a hard time taking Percival seriously, in that I always feel that he looks more like a buff gay guy dressed for Halloween in the Village, rather than a medieval knight. The net effect makes me him pretty endearing to me, though.

Also don't get Leon, possibly show hasn't really ever done anything with him. He's not bad looking? But next to Gwaine in particular, there's no life there, just a cut-out of a knight.

[jelazakazone]

I think it's very easy to focus on the men. I appreciate your efforts at talking about the women.

Having said that, I love Lancelot and Gwaine is really growing on me, especially as I've started writing him a little bit. But I'm completely with you and feel so relieved to see someone else saying that Percy and Leon don't do anything for you. I feel like there is something wrong with me that I don't love Leon.

One of the reasons I got sucked so hard into Merlin fandom was because I found other women who were dying for Colin. I've never had that happen before. I'm always like, oh, so and so is so great, cute, smart, etc and people are like "who"? And at the same time people rave about men that I barely even notice. One of the reasons it took me forever to notice Bradley is that he is much more conventionally good looking. I thought he rocked S4. I'm really enjoying watching S4 (again and again:)).

[sophinisba]

Your experience with finding other Merlin fans reminds me of the first online fandom I got into, for Lord of the Rings. The movies were really big in mainstream culture and I knew plenty of other people who loved them, but the the division I mostly saw was between young girls who were in love with Legolas and grownups who were into Aragorn. It was so great to come online and find these other women who cared about Frodo (and eventually Elijah) as much as I did. And yeah, I have had similar feelings about Merlin and Colin.

[jelazakazone]

*cough* *raises hands* I was in love with Aragorn.

I find it interesting/amusing to see what attracts people.

I have to say that not being attracted to "what's popular" has worked out pretty well for me in real life:D

[leish]

Gwaine/Merlin is my favourite, it makes me very very happy that you appreciate their beautifulness. You should read everything ever, but in particular these awesome things:

A Fistful of Infinity and Starlight by junkshop_disco. FAVOURITE EVER, SERIOUSLY. Sort of an alternate Series 4, definitely how things should've happened. Uther’s insane, Morgana’s plotting a new assault on Camelot, and Arthur and his knights are clueless but supposedly in charge. In the midst of it, Gwaine finds himself harbouring feelings for a man who apparently has a destiny, and learns something new about magic: it doesn’t play fair, and serving it shakes everything you hold dear – whether you’re a sorcerer or not.

Painting by Numbers by junkshop_disco. Modern AU where Gwaine is a painter and Merlin is an art student and they fall madly in love and it's adorable. Also beautiful, because everything JD writes is beautiful.

The Cinders, The Violets and the Gooseberries by junkshop_disco. Chocolat AU. Need I say anything more? *_____*

Real Men Don't Wear Girdles by minor_fifth. Retelling of Gawain and the Green Knight with background A/G/L. It's amazing.

Countable and Uncountable by libraryofsol. Pretty much just porn. Pretty much just AWESOME.

Off the Hook by leashy_bebes, which I love so much I podficced it, it's just gorgeous. Set in the future after Merlin becomes court sorcerer, sort of about a battle but really about Gwaine and how stupidly in love with Merlin he is.

I have to run and do things now but I will be back with more recs later. For Elyan fic also, Elyan is my second favourite knight. ♥♥

[sophinisba]

Thank you bb, you are a star. I enjoyed your podfic of that short fic by slighlty_tookish but I didn't realize you were really into this pairing.

I keep meaning to friend leashy_babes but then feeling too shy. I love her stuff.

Pls pls don't forget to bring me the Elyan recs!

[leish]

I pretty much just ship everyone (especially Merlin/everyone, Gwen/everyone and Gwaine/everyone, ahem) but Gwaine/Merlin is my actual favourite ever. ♥♥

Me too! leashy_bebes is amazing, you should read all her Gwaine/Merlin fics. WHICH, yes, recs, that's what I was here for.

As Fey Would Have It by angstslashhope. Gwaine/Merlin/Lancelot faeries-made-them-do-it. Porn with feelings!

Like Thunder by leashy_bebes. They meet at a club and have a one-night stand. Freya is a character! Minor character, but still.

Firsts by leashy_bebes. Gwaine meets Merlin before he comes to Camelot when he stops in Ealdor. It's so sweet, I love it.

Synonyms for Second Chances by nephrops. Modern AU where they start off just having the odd one-night stand and end up heading for something more.

The Case of the Missing Ward by yhibiki. Merlin/Gwaine is background, as well as Gwen/Lancelot, but you have to read this because Gwen and Merlin are 1920s private investigators, it's amazing.

Type/Safe by skellerbvvt. Porn with banter!

Kith and Kin by significantowl. Modern AU where Gwaine goes home with Merlin for the holidays and meets Hunith.

The Opposite of Loneliness by junkshop_disco. Modern AU where Gwaine throws himself a fake birthday party and mopes when Merlin doesn't turn up. I think JD's Gwaine is always my favourite Gwaine, but especially so for this fic.

Odds Are Even Better by slightlytookish. Elena/Gwaine/Merlin, which is already wonderful on so many levels, but it's also a modern AU with blind dating that ends in threesomes and breaking Arthur. :D

Sir Gwaine Wins a Match But Loses His Heart by alba17. Gwaine comforts Merlin on Arthur and Gwen's wedding day.

Ever More and More by matchsticks_p. Gwaine accompanies Merlin on a visit home. I swear, I could read epic novels about Gwaine meeting Hunith. Adorable.

The Fires at the End of the World by leashy_bebes. Smooshes the stories about Gawain with Scandinavian legends and has cat!Merlin, so lovely.

Moon Curse by marguerite_26. Werewolf!Gwaine!

Sweep the Ashes Dry by significantowl. Modern AU where Gwaine is a PI and Merlin is the psychic who helps him. There should be an entire series in this 'verse, seriously.

Also, Elyan recs:

Brothers in Arms by kleinefee92. Gen. Gwaine comforts Elyan after the events of the finale.

The Longest Week by EffervescentAardvark. Gwaine-centric gen, but Elyan's still a pretty major character. Set when they're locked in the cell, about how they pass they time.

The Adventures of Elyan by rubberglue. Elyan-centric gen WIP, seems to be pre-series, at least for the moment.

BFFs by majorshipper. Gwaine/Elyan! It's just really kind of adorable.

Breaking Tradition (Practically a Family Tradition) by misscam. Elena/Elyan!!! I love these two, and I love them even more together. Great Elyan voice, as well.

A Stolen Kiss by happyevrafter. Elyan/Percival, mostly porn but really sweet too.

The Armory by boxoftheskyking. Percival-centric. The lack of spacing bothers me, but it's still worth a read.

[yue_ix]

You are awesome! *__* Bookmarking this comment so as to read everything.

[leish]

You're so welcome, I hope you find something here you like!

[sally_maria]

Ah, Gwaine, it's such a shame. He's the kind of character I'd normally love, but all the Merlin/Gwaine hurts my heart and it's difficult to separate him from that, you know?

I'm so happy when I come across a fun Gwaine/Elena or Gwaine/Morgana AU, because I think he'd be good for both of them in their different ways.

I don't get why anyone would write Lancelot as anything other than the noble, thoughtful guy he is in canon - my personal preference is probably still for Gwen/Morgana, but Gwen and Lancelot work so well together, for reasons that go far beyond "but Arthur belongs to Merlin, dammit" ;-)

[jelazakazone]

I had a lot of fun writing a canon AU where I alluded to Gwaine and Merlin being together, but it was really about Gwaine's past and trying to explain the necklace. Gwaine is a lot of fun to write all on his own.

[sally_maria]

Yes, I can imagine it would be and I think I might enjoy a gen story like that. Unfortunately, I'm too much an OTPer to be able to take Merlin being interested in any guy other than Arthur. :-(

[jelazakazone]

Hee hee:) I'm not a strong 'shipper, although I have a hard time seeing Merlin with anyone other than Arthur. Yes, my mind is a crazy place to be.

It wasn't exactly a gen story as Gwaine had a love interest in my story. My point was more that it was fun to write a whole back history for Gwaine. I feel like I'm in some dark corner all by myself writing stories that few people are interested in because I'm not writing a lot of A/M stories.

For what it's worth, in my mind, Merlin and Gwaine were "together" in that story, but it was only because Arthur wasn't there for some unspecified reason (maybe he had died?:().

[sophinisba]

Aw, for me it's sort of the opposite, normally I'm into Merlin pairings but I didn't especially love Gwaine's character on the show, so it's taken me a while to get interested in the pairing.

Fandom, it takes all kinds! :D

But I do agree that Gwen and Lancelot have some pretty fantastic chemistry. I especially loved them together in his first episode.

[sally_maria]

The devil-may-care flirt with a heart of gold is definitely one of my favourite character types, though the most recent ones I've fallen for have been female - River Song and Sherlock's Irene Adler.

And yes, it takes all kinds, just as it should. :-)

[meri]

I still feel kinda :\ about that whole Gwaine exchange. And while I'm super excited that you found Gwaine love through how awesome and devoted he is to Merlin (the reason I came to love Gwaine too) I feel kinda bad too? Like I wanna support old sophinisba's disinterest in Gwaine more than I did at the time? Bah.

Also, I hadn't seen that image of Colin and the collar bones and wow, with the bit of chest hair and stuff too. Wow, hot.

[sophinisba]

Nah bb I just told that story about Gwaine and Twitter because it makes me laugh!

And yeah, that collarbone porn is something else. The chest hair and the ears and also just the very serene look on his face. Ahhhhhhh.