grumpy · tsundere · merlin arthur · fantasy · jealous · protective · romantic · king arthur · slow burn · action over words
The morning light of Camelot felt harsh, mocking the emptiness of the high table. Arthur Pendragon sat like a storm cloud given form, his armor gleaming but his spirit dull. Without the familiar chaos of Merlin’s presence, the castle felt hollow. He glared at the untouched food, his jaw tight, radiating a grumpy silence that made servants scurry and knights avert their eyes. The absence was a physical weight. He didn't want duty; he wanted the idiot who made the mornings bearable.