Merlin Post Season 5 Finale Fic Recs – THE LIST
Click here to listen to the podcast episode
As mentioned at the top of the episode, see friend of the Podcast Katherynefromphilly’s fics here:
And like the cycle of the year, we begin again
The Return of Magic (upon dragon’s wings)
A Fool for Lesser Things – anonymous (? fic exchange)
PG-13, 2750 words, no warnings
Summary: History has this odd habit of repeating itself. It’s a trial and error sort of thing.
662
In which Arthur has woken up and Merlin is heart breaking trying to make tea.
Accidental Memory in the Case of Death – derryere
Warnings angst, dubious lots of stuff characters not making good decisions. 75.5K
Tony O does not befriend losers. Tony O is not gay, not crazy, he is not particularly nice and he is most definitely not royalty. Destiny disagrees.
Basically, this fic is the kind of madness you get when you mix reincarnation with denial, doubt, ust, the stupidity of awkward boys and the past in general. And trains! A lot of trains
No warnings, 1581
Its time for Arthur to wake up.
All In the Timing – mad-poetics
NC-17, 5600 words
((Master Post – 6 parts – 50’000 words total – https://mad-poetics.livejournal.com/4880.html))
Summary: Merlin and company have been reborn over and over, but things aren’t quite the same this time around.
Awake by Cori Lannam (corilannam), phoenixacid
Warnings for sexy times, war discussion, global disaster discussion 50735
King Arthur sleeps in Avalon, waiting to return at the hour of Albion’s greatest need. But once a year he awakes and spends a single day with Merlin, who will never, ever leave him.
Cough Medicine for the Eternally Young – nagi_blue
Gen, 950 words
3722
The routine has been the same for centuries: Arthur begins a new life in wherever they are in time, he and Merlin meet, Merlin’s memory spell lifts, Arthur’s memories eventually flood back, the idiot has a chuckle at his expense, hugs him senseless and then cries for a bit when it hits him that Arthur’s really with him again. After that they pick up from where they left off until Arthur’s life in that time ends and it all starts again in his next life.
Except this time, when Merlin’s memory spell proves too strong to be lifted simply by their meeting, Arthur is forced to win Merlin over the hard way: with small-talk and dandelions.
Destiny That Darkly Hides Us – nympha_alba
Warning war 40,500
Historical AU with magic. It’s 1913, the practice of homosexuality is unlawful, so is the practice of magic. When Arthur Pendragon and Merlin Emrys meet as Cambridge undergrads, they are both hungry for a real and true connection without secrets. For a short time they believe they may have found it. But war breaks out and separates them, and it seems unlikely that they will meet again. After all, what are the odds?
No warnings, 5389
Post-finale future fic, reincarnation.
Sometime around the end of the eighteenth century, he starts using his name again.
Firsts For Everything – bevinkathryn
Mature, 9300 words
Sometimes, people seem to forget, in all this fighting for equal rights, that ‘gay couples’ are just ‘couples’. Merlin and Arthur, and a first-time hundreds of lives in the making.
History Books Forgot About Us – TheAvalonian
Teen and Up, 5367 words
Summary: The world remembered the legend. Merlin was beginning to forget the man. Thousands of years later, Merlin is still waiting, but he is beginning to wonder if Arthur will ever actually come back to him.
Post-finale reincarnation fic. Angst, but with a happy ending.
I Keep Going Over the World We Knew (Over and Over) – Mellacita
53153
When Merlin Emrys is sent on a ’round-the-world assignment, he begins remembering a life of magic, dragons, and kings. To make matters worse, a strange woman starts stalking him along the way. And that’s before he even meets Arthur Pendragon, whose answer to climate change is going to save the world. Because apparently just saving Britain won’t be enough this time around.
Journey Into The Interior – Prox (Amber)
NC17, 10000 words, Warning for mild consent issues inherent in prostitution written in a way that could be triggering
Merlin works in Camelot Massage Parlour, London. This is where Arthur finds him. | ‘Arthur’ chokes and flushes, as though they’re not standing in an erotic massage parlour, as though ‘Arthur’ doesn’t have a copy of Penthouse held loosely in one hand. “I’m hardly trying to pick you up, Merlin.” He chuckles a little bitterly. “Look, d’you really not know who I am?”
PG, 750 words, angsty
He waits
Men for all Seasons – new_kate
War violence torture – 55637
Reincarnation story set in 1940. In Albion’s hour of need Arthur is brought back from his rest in Avalon. He learns that the world is at war, and that the enemies have dark magic at their disposal. With the help of the mysterious Vril society the invaders are about to gain air superiority and become unstoppable. Only Merlin could fight the new magical threat, but Merlin has been missing for a long time.
Explicit, 2000 words
Arthur is too old for this.
Note: Written for this Kink Meme prompt: Arthur/Merlin, years into King Arthur’s reign. Merlin is immortal. As a result, he has stopped ageing physically ever since he came of age (or he simply ages at an incredibly slow rate)
Our Habit of Dreaming – alicephantomwise
Teen and up, 2200 words, Warnings: Flangst; sort-of-but-not-really infidelity (Arthur/other); references to past character death; reincarnation; sex
In which Arthur is reborn and Merlin remembers how to live
Mature, 3200 words
How the primary branch office of Pendergast Conglomerated International came to be located in Earldin Village (pop. 600).
Possibly Maybe I’m Falling For You – lady_ragnell
Teen and Up, 14000 words
Merlin walks into his favourite coffee shop one morning to find the Prince of Wales behind the till. His life only gets more surreal from there.
Postremus Regum Britanniae or The End of the World and What Came Next – definewisdom /
Warnings: Character death , violence, swearing, 59,500
As Newton’s Third Law of Motion states: ‘For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’. For years the world of ‘reality’ has pushed away the ideas and creatures of magic, forcing them back. Now magic has returned bringing with it chaos and nightmares and the only person who can reunite the worlds of reality and the supernatural is the Once and Future King. However, Destiny has lost its way and a small group of complete strangers (or so they think), guided by a mad woman, are left to search for the only weapon that might save them. But without their memories to help them they’re off the beaten track. Here there be dragons.
Explicit, 980 words Warning: dubious consent regarding reincarnation memory loss
The parking lot behind Camelot looked safe and ordinary again in the midday sun, just cracked asphalt and a couple of beat-up old cars.
Standing Alone, Waiting – Giselleslash
Major Character Death, but it is Arthur, 3702
Merlin grieves at his mother’s. Arthur awakes over and over until he and Merlin are rewarded.
40,588
Renaissance-era Steampunk reincarnation AU featuring brilliant engineer Prince Arthur, his savant mechanic Merlin, a robot bird, and an evil mecha.
still the new world – normalhumanbein
R, 5500 words
merlin loses arthur in time. it’s easier than asking to have him hidden.
The Apprentice’s Tale – treacle_tartlet
NC-17, 10500 words
Merlin, in the wake of his breakup with Will, allows himself to be dragged off to the Midsummer Festival, an annual week-long SCA camping event run by the Barony of Camelot. Here he meets Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Albion –handsome, popular, and a complete prat. Merlin hates Arthur, Arthur hates Merlin; it is all perfectly simple, until it isn’t anymore.
The Heart You Call Home – alby_mangroves
16,368 Mature – Themes of depression, attempted suicide (historic)
Yet another autumn wanes and Merlin is tired. He wishes he could sleep through it, cover himself in leaves and hibernate until the world crumbles to dust, and he with it, the point of anything long since gone. And then, he finds a book whose author writes stories he doesn’t remember are his own.
This story features themes of depression and survivor guilt, experienced by Merlin at having lived through centuries as the last of his kind in every way. There is mention of an unsuccessful past suicide attempt. I have not warned for Major Character Death because Arthur’s canonical death is not directly written about or discussed, however, it is implied and assumed as known to have happened.
Mature, 145000 words
A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love…
The White Dragon of Camelot – flypaw
PG-13, 9000 words
Contains spoilers for 4×04.. A dragon egg can remain unhatched for a thousand years, but it takes many more for a dragon to grow. This is the story of Aithusa from birth to the dawn of Albion as the white dragon to guide Camelot towards its golden age.
Teen & Up, 3750 words, Major Character Death
Arthur was supposed to lie in wait for England’s moment of need, but it never came. It never will come. So instead, Merlin’s bringing him back for his own moment of need.
Unable are the Loved to die – anonymintea
Teen and Up, 15000 words
“Will he live?” Arthur asks, and curse the stupid tremble in his voice. Arthur’s lost men in battle before. Good men, honorable men, well before their time. But Merlin isn’t a knight, or a soldier. He’s… Merlin. Brainless, foolish, inept, devoted, kindhearted, courageous Merlin.
(Lovely inclusion of Beltane, that led me to further reading, including the Beltane Fire Society of Scotland, who cancelled its on-site event due to COVID and instead recorded a pre-taped performance.)
We’ve been down that road before – soniclipstick (veriscence)
some sexytimes 5324
Arthur and Merlin have a marriage and then Merlin remembers.
What I’m Looking For – Lou Angel
2,567
Arthur isn’t supposed to remember that he’s lived before. But this time, he does.
What We Tell Ourselves (the ‘painting will make them want you but not love you’ remix) – Emjayelle
NC-17, 4800 words,
Five lifetimes. Five centuries. But only two constants: art and Arthur.
you have a one-track mind like me – Anonymous
R, 3200 words, Slight angst that comes with immortality
For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love. Or, four discoveries that shattered Merlin’s world and one that didn’t, not really, when he thought about it.
6th December 2022 @ 3:23 am
I jumped out of podcasts for a while so I just (JUST!) listened to this tonight. Thanks for the call-out, folks! If “And like the cycle of the year, we begin again” is too long for anyone to read, you can probably jump into one of the shorter sequels and still understand what’s going on (TL;DR Arthur Returns, Arthur and Merlin fall in love, they deal with a prophecy, and then decide to travel the world). Link: “Ever onward, through magic, through love” https://archiveofourown.org/works/16819543
And now, additional recommendations for Arthur Returns stories by other authors:
– “Country honey” (written 2020, so very sweet and not long) by eat_crow: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26583121/chapters/64811140
– “The Court of Avalon” (written 2022, longer) by Imagined: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41206914/chapters/103303098
– “The Chakra of Merlin” by SweetAndSharp (Merlin meets sci-fi! In the future! So very angsty with happy ending but so well written that even I, fluffmaster general, will read it): http://archiveofourown.org/works/765108
– “Lights go out, here I go again” by Halffizzbin (funny smut but definitely smut though it’s heartwarming — i got the idea for arthur speaking a different language from here): https://archiveofourown.org/works/632562
– “Rebirth” by teprometo (smut here too but bonus Immortal!Leon): https://archiveofourown.org/works/755647
Enjoy!
6th December 2022 @ 3:33 pm
oooh, amazing! thank you for the additional recs. I’ll share them in the discord and on social so more people see them!
Michelle Xx
6th December 2022 @ 8:45 pm
Omg “Country honey” is such a wonderful and sweet fic, I love it!
4th April 2022 @ 5:57 pm
Hey! I’ve been making my way through destiny and chicken and tDiE for the last year and this is the first time I actually reach out, but about post s5 fics, you may want to look at the Change Trilogy, by Emmbrancsxx0. It is a trilogy of fics, and it is super long, truly a massive piece of work but it is one of my favs. Arthur has already come back and lives his life with Merlin in a slightly dystopian modern world, and they realize “someone” is using the Cup of Life to bring back other people from their past. Epic, saving the world, uniting Albion, figuring out one’s feelings, multi-POV adventure ensues. It is incredible.
Like I said, I’ve never commented before, but I had to share this because I really think it is underrated and there was so much work put into it.
Also I love listening to you and you deserve so much praise!
8th April 2022 @ 4:02 pm
Thank you so much!
Here is the link for anyone who is interested in reading this
https://archiveofourown.org/series/904500
The Change Trilogy by emmbrancsxx0, mushroomtale
31st March 2022 @ 9:01 pm
I wanted to write a whole comment with my own recs, but then I realized I actually don’t read that many reincarnation fics apart from the ones you’ve already recommended! So I will only give a very small list which might also include some stuff I’ve written myself 😀
For the stars shall speak of us by chrissie, lunapark (https://archiveofourown.org/works/33393691/chapters/82944862) – 40k, explicit
In 1920s Tennessee, Merlin Emrys and Arthur Pendragon are forced to keep their relationship hidden behind closed doors. Though they live in constant fear of being discovered and torn apart, the pair find solace in the rustic life they have built for themselves—and the love that keeps them centered.
But when their worst fear becomes a reality, they must do what they can to survive, even if it means uprooting their lives and starting anew.
And then the dreams start.
This is just so well written and feels true to the times. It’s one of those fics where everybody is reincarnated.
hold me closer by theythinktheyknow (https://archiveofourown.org/works/33902599) – 3k, explicit
After Arthur returns, Merlin is having anxiety issues about him going away again, and Arthur calms him down. Basically a LOT of emotional hurt/comfort, plus sexy times.
The View From the Mountain by NymphaAlba (https://archiveofourown.org/works/947830/chapters/1851780) – 42k, explicit (I’m starting to notice a pattern here)
This is basically very similar in feel to The Destiny that Darkly Hides us, except there’s no war. It’s based off Forster’s Room with a View, and it’s beautifully written. The reincarnation part is rather tangential to the story, and more of an ‘adding an additional layer to things’ kind of deal.
The Burh by NymphaAlba (https://archiveofourown.org/works/12034530/chapters/27244947) – 38k, explicit (of course…)
Under the harsh rule of magic in a post-apocalyptic world, Arthur grows up on a farm at the foot of a mysterious hill: The Burh. There are rumours of strange things happening at the top of the hill where once a tower stood, but Arthur doesn’t believe them – until one day…
This has a wonderful spin on the reincarnation fic since, technically, it’s Arthur who’s waiting… we’ll, you’ll see 😉
We are not broken, but rearranged by PlaneJane (https://archiveofourown.org/works/33527671/chapters/83304658) – 88k, explicit
When Albion’s need is greatest, Arthur will rise again.
Fourteen hundred years after the dragon’s prophecy, Merlin’s magic is fading. He’s starting to age. Yet this is the moment he finally finds Arthur, returned, reborn… and imprisoned in his own home, after car accident a decade earlier left him with life-changing injuries.
What use will these two broken warriors be in the hour of Albion’s greatest need? More’s to the point, what is Albion’s greatest need? No one (including Merlin’s crack team of reincarnated friends) seems to know.
Meanwhile, out of sight, a corrupt government and a wicked uncle scheme and plot. At the same time, in the deepest depths of Albion’s soil, the omniscient threads of an ancient magic call. They call to Arthur’s altered mind. They call to an ailing Merlin.
Their message is simple. For Albion to survive, Merlin and Arthur must thwart the biggest heist in history – no matter the cost.
THIS ONE IS EPIC!
And finally, my own works:
So move me, baby by TyalanganD (https://archiveofourown.org/works/31586054) – 5k, teen and up audiences
Merlin loses his memory while waiting for Arthur, and of course it’s when Arthur comes back. Ah yes, angst. But less of a heartbreaking angst, and more of a melancholy kind.
The Father of Magic by TyalanganD (https://archiveofourown.org/works/36600718) – 3k, teen and up audiences
A fic written from Balinor’s perspective. He tries to watch over Merlin after his death and help him get through grief after Arthur’s death, and then wait for his return.
Do I know you? by TyalanganD (https://archiveofourown.org/works/35974621) – 1k, mature
A drabble about Arthur and Merlin reincarnated in several different historical eras and recognizing – or almost recognizing – each other every time.
2nd April 2022 @ 12:45 pm
thank you <3 <3 <3