Headcanon that both of them are equally matched during sparring/training.
Leon has a little bit more economy and structure, because its hard to shake the habit as he's been fighting that way since he was a child/squire.
Lancelot has less structure and a bit more flow, like muted down version of Gwaine's fighting style. There's structure to his strikes, but there's also the odd little flair or trick that catches Leon off guard, it comes from being a wandering Knight and having a different range of opponents.
Whenever they fight, they eye-flirt too. Like, full on facial expressions eye-flirt. It's honestly disgusting.
Their sparring is mesmerising to watch, and the added romantic tension just makes it better.
Merlin annoys Lancelot about it more than he annoyed Arthur about Gwen in cannon. It gets so bad that at some point, Kilgarrah asks Lancelot how his 'mate' is faring.
Arthur is the last to notice, obviously, but you can bet he slides a sly remark in every once in a while when he and Leon are going over inventory of weapons. Leon thinks he's kidding, until Arthur forgets the two of them are not actually together yet.
Arthur, completely obliviously: So when are you and Lancelot celebrating your anniversary? Isn't it some time this week?
Leon: ...
Arthur: ...🤨
Leon: ...my- my lord, Sir Lancelot and I are simply good friends.
Arthur: ...Wait, whAT? 😲
When they finally get together, it's because Gwaine got them drunk and they kissed in the tavern (after everyone told him it wouldn't work).
Nobody was surprised.
Not even Leon and Lancelot.
OI
MERLIN FANDOM
I KNOW YOU'RE AWAKE
I had a thought and I need other people's thoughts:
Leon/Lancelot?
Sincerely,
A Merwaine shipper
Congratulations! You're never going to escape this place now 😃
10 posts!
Bea is a queer queen 👸 🌈 🏳️🌈 . Duolingo has done it again 🙌
I love that Juan from Duolingo has a husband, Idk why but it just made me smile real hard. Probably because I've never shad a sexuality inclusive learning experience before. God bless Duolingo 🙌 🙏 ❤
Gwaine being Gwaine, who has travelled all of Albion and seen plenty of homosexual relationships in his time (if not experimented himself), takes it upon himself to voice a slew of the raunchiest, filthiest jokes known to man, because he doesn't understand why loving someone of the same gender is so shameful.
Arthur is conflicted, at first, because he worries about Leon's standing in court and his status amongst the nobility. But Leon was his very first friend, so he finally decides that his first Knight deserves to be happy and anyone who disagrees has a one-way ticket to getting Banished and stripped of all lands and titles. The rumours settle down real fast after he makes good on his threat to one of the Lords.
Gwen has known since the very beginning, of course, she was there when Leon tripped in the pond and accidentally kissed Elyan for the first time, so she takes every opportunity to tease her brother about his new beau.
Percival and Lancelot haven't known Leon or Elyan for long, but they're both supportive and gossipy anyway, like proud mama bears on the sidelines.
Leon is awkward. Like, really awkward. He turns into a stuttering candyfloss anytime people even acknowledge him for something other than work, so this all turns him into a incomprehensible tomato. It's adorable, honestly.
Elyan flirts. It's an automatic reflex to cover up his embarrassment, like going along with a joke when you're at the butt of it, but he secretly lives for the way Leon gets all shy and blushy when they meet eyes. Besides, he's got nothing to lose anyway, especially after he all but got Arthur's permission.
And Merlin, bless his little heart, gets a break from saving Camelot and watches the drama from the sidelines.
(He totally helps Elyan pick flowers for Leon and teaches him how to court a noble, he's got the experience after all of Arthur's dates with Elena and Mithian, even if they were a bit disastrous.)
Elyan and Leon would totally have that stableboy/son of a lord kind of relationship where Elyan would leave a flower he picked in the meadow at Leon's bedside because he knows he's a romantic and Leon would tie up all of Elyan's letters in a silk ribbon because he's done thst with their notes when he was younger and it's habit by now.
They keep at it when they both become knights, and then Gwaine finds out.
And...and...and then?? How dare you stop there! 😆
Elyan would be a sweetheart (just don't let Gwen know that because he'd never hear the end of it), and Leon is totally a romantic:
the stress of never knowing if I should tag ‘bbc Merlin’ or ‘Merlin bbc’
It's my 2 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳
She was so sweet helping him get it on, too. And all for nothing, Morgana tracked them anyway.
"What's taking so long?"
"I'm a woman!"
Might have to delete this account because I made it a couple of years ago on my high school email address and now can't figure out how to change it, since that old email is inactive ☹. If anyone knows how, plz let me know.
Oh, honey, we never left.
Welcome home to the Merlin fandon, where we await our idiot, blonde clotpole until he decided to crawl out of that goddamn lake.
Honestly, it's not a surprise how long it's taking him, do you remember what Merlin had to do to get him out of bed?
hey tumblr. is anyone still actively posting about BBC merlin (and merthur by extension) in 2025?
could you like/reblog this post? I really need some mutuals who are still here <3
It's silent, somber, the middle of the night.
Arthur: I don't think I've ever felt loved before
Merlin, sitting beside him: what do you mean?
Arthur, watching the fire dance: I don't know. I've never felt... Wanted... I guess.
Merlin: is this about Uther
Arthur: unmet expectations, you mean.
There is silence.
Arthur: everyone else is getting paid to be there when I need them.
Merlin: that's not true
Arthur: you say that because you're different, because you're the first person who's been different.
Merlin: I say it because no one would work for a prat like you for the money alone. Least of all a sorcerer, right?
Arthur: *huffs* thanks
Merlin: there are five kingdoms in Albion. One promises nothing but war, another is so deep in debt that the pourest show it, another is so wary they don't even think of their people and the last one has turned into a desert as their King died an isolated death
Arthur: so, I'm the least awful option then
Merlin: you're the golden King
Arthur: because of a prophecy
Merlin: because of your hair
Arthur: O.o?!?!
Merlin: *sighs* no, it's because you care and you give and you love. And that love is returned by your people
Arthur: Love shouldn't be transactional
Merlin: love was the very first currency.
Arthur: ...
Merlin: you've earned every heart you were given.