Merlin Fic: The Care & Feeding Of Unicorns - Merlin/Arthur - PG-13 - part 1/2

[icarus]

Banging my head against the wall on Out Of Bounds, I gave myself a night off to write something a little easier. I'm posting the next part of Out Of Bounds tonight to assuage my guilt.

Also, since we're testing www.archiveofourown.org, I feel duty bound to post something that's only available there.


Title: The Care & Feeding Of Unicorns (part one of two)
Author: Icarus
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Summary: Merlin wondered what Arthur knew of unicorn lore, but the glint in Arthur's eyes as he glanced from Merlin to the unicorn answered that. Arthur's smile became a warm smirk.
Notes: Thank you to my enablers, lavvyan and amothea (and to sarka for offering). I'm posting the next part of Out Of Bounds tonight to assuage my guilt.

( Merlin wondered what Arthur knew of unicorn lore, but the glint in Arthur's eyes as he glanced from Merlin to the unicorn answered that. Arthur's smile became a warm smirk. )

ETA: Typo in summary. Sigh.

Comments

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh yes. This rocks - I love how Morgana can't get near the unicorn but Merlin and Arthur both can. I didn't see that one coming. All the talking around the issue they do was really funny too. But my favourite line has to be:
He stood back, off balance, his eyes bright, and for a moment he looked like a skittish colt, awkward and shy. For the first time Merlin completely believed the unicorn.

It makes me very happy. ♥

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

This rocks - I love how Morgana can't get near the unicorn but Merlin and Arthur both can.

Arthur's listened to Uther's (firm) injunction that there be no bastards. Complete with many valid and very vivid reasons why not, involving assassinations, civil war, and the potential destruction of the kingdom.

This, of course, will just drive Arthur into Merlin's arms.

But my favourite line has to be:

He stood back, off balance, his eyes bright, and for a moment he looked like a skittish colt, awkward and shy. For the first time Merlin completely believed the unicorn.

Thank you. Arthur really is a virgin, more nervous (and excited) about sex than he lets on.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

This, of course, will just drive Arthur into Merlin's arms.

Well, it is only logical! Uther might as well have said "Arthur, go have lots of gay sex. Hey, I'll give you a manservant to make it easier..."

I'll admit to some curiosity over who Morgana found to be her lover.

[sarka.livejournal.com]

Hey,

I should tell you that I loved the story, though I didn't get back to you. Honestly, something came up at work. *sigh* Damn students. This internship is making me NOT want to go into academia which was sort of always my plan.

Seriously, how complicated can it be, when you've got a 14 page style reference guide, to do your citations and bibliographies correctly? It's not rocket science, people.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

It's all right, I read your posts and realized what was going on. I had a coworker go through some similar stuff. I haven't lacked for betas, at least not for a long time. *g*

[pxr5.livejournal.com]

heh. Nice, although I'm somewhat surprised....I'd expect Uther to have slain the unicorn on general principle as soon as he got his hands on it.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Point. That comes up later. For now Uther considers a unicorn a valuable animal. I'm not sure what he plans to do with it. Possibly trade it.

[octavia-b.livejournal.com]

I loved this - you have the tones of both Arthur and Merlin utterly pitch-perfect; I can hear them in my head.

I'm sliding down that slippery slope into fannishness about this show, I can just tell. I'll be looking for an icon next. *g*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I'm sliding down that slippery slope into fannishness about this show, I can just tell. I'll be looking for an icon next. *g*

Heaven forefend. ;) Not the icon.

I can hear them in my head.

Squee. I want to write more Merlin.

[rodneyscat.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is a delight! They so sound the way I see them, like here:

"I thought it might like something sweet," Arthur said, his voice soft as if he were in the presence of something magical, as indeed he was. He pulled his hand away slowly as the unicorn finished the last of one apple, reached in and took another out of his pocket in a smooth motion. A bit of his normal haughtiness returned. "Looks like I was right."

And Merlin asking "Boy or girl?" as a reply to what he thought Arthur meant instead of what he was actually saying.

Most of all I love how companionable they are, how relatively easy (eager even) they're talking about such an awkward subject.

I'm going to assume Gwen also meets the unicorn's requirements. And I'm guessing the unicorn's reaction to the pail of herbs didn't necessarily have something to do with how they taste, as with how 'pure' Gaius is.

I'm very much looking forward to part 2!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

...how relatively easy (eager even) they're talking about such an awkward
subject.

They're both very curious about how the other turned out to be a virgin and can't get it off their minds.

I'm going to assume Gwen also meets the unicorn's requirements.

Oh, indeed. The unicorn loved her.

And I'm guessing the unicorn's reaction to the pail of herbs didn't necessarily have something to do with how they taste, as with how 'pure' Gaius is.

Ah yes, you are ahead of the story. Foolish of Gaius not to think of it.