two sides of the same coin

i know people often talk about the “no man is worth your tears” scene as an example of arthur being mean or thoughtless, but i would like everyone to remember that he started that little speech by saying “merlin, if i die, please…”. his intention wasn’t to shame merlin or to call him weak or to tell him to toughen up. he thought he was going to die and he was telling merlin not to cry for him. one of the last things that he ever thought he’d do was try to make sure that merlin would be okay when he was gone. yeah, it was tactless, and it seems particularly so because the audience knows that merlin had just watched his father die, but arthur, who didn’t know that, was only trying to protect him, so i would like everyone to put some respect on my husband’s name because he has a heart of fucking gold and the best of intentions.

when it was revealed that agravaine was a traitor, arthur asked merlin if he, merlin, knew that. in response, merlin, who had tried so hard to tell arthur (only to be treated absolutely horribly in return), didn’t say “i told you so,” or “yes, obviously i knew,” or anything that would make arthur feel worse. he just said that he suspected it. because arthur was already so hurt and merlin just wanted him to be okay. could you ever love anybody that much? insane.

I do love the glimpses you get of Merlin genuinely doing his job as Arthur's manservant and fussing over him in odd ways. Like my guy could be doing who knows what magic nonsense to prepare for this siege and hes like "i GOTTA stock up on foods Arthur will like, hes so annoying when hes hangry"