Chapter Text
Merlin was smiling as he accepted the incoming FaceTime. “Hey, clotpole.”
“Hey yourself, idiot.” Arthur grinned back at him. “How’s the shop?”
“Ready and waiting!” He blushed suddenly. “Oh shit, that sounded dirty.”
“Yeah, well, you look sexy, so it’s fine.”
Merlin licked his lips. “You always look fit.”
“Oh my gods!” came Morgana’s voice. “I’m truly starting to regret helping you two get together. You’re so adorable it should be illegal.”
“No one said you had to stay and listen, harpy,” Arthur called back.
There was a flurry of motion that made Merlin slightly seasick, and then Morgana’s face appeared. “Merlin, lest Arthur forget to mention it, I just wanted to tell you that Leon and I are very much looking forward to the opening! Elena is going to catch a ride with us, too.”
“That’s great, Morgana,” Merlin said sincerely. “I hope you’ll all enjoy how the shop turned out.”
“I’m sure we will. Now, I’m going to hit the gym for an hour, so please limit any phone sex to while I’m out of the flat. See you Saturday!” The mobile flew through the air and Arthur caught it, turning the camera on himself in time for Merlin to catch his grimace.
“She’s … unique, your sister,” Merlin said as he bit back a laugh.
Arthur rolled his eyes. “When did you start being polite? She’s a wicked witch. I look forward to not living with her for very much longer.”
“Not liv—huh?” Merlin furrowed his brow.
It was Arthur’s turn to blush a bit. “Oh, erm. Well, she and Leon will live together at his one of these days. Not that they’ve set a date or anything, so … uh. I suppose it’s not imminent.”
“Tell him!” trilled Morgana from the other room.
“What is she on about?”
“Nothing. Or, I’ll get to it in a moment. Just, er, I didn’t ring you for phone sex. Necessarily.”
“Good to know, since I’m still at the shop and Gwen’s here too, in the kitchen.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Would be awkward.”
“Indeed.” Arthur ran a hand through his hair. “Rather … I know it’s a bit last minute, but Elena was able to clear my schedule for Friday as well as the whole weekend. I thought perhaps I could come out to Ealdor early, help you and Gwen put the finishing touches on everything, and then we could go for another hike around Ealdor? And this time perhaps we can skip the whole ‘you misunderstanding me asking you out’ bit.”
Merlin beamed, his dimples deepening. “Seriously? I’d love that! How in the world did Elena clear your calendar?”
“She’s quite good at it. She should really do something with that talent, be an event planner or something. But she likes being my PA, she says.” He shrugged. “I did have her start putting it together right after we chose the party date, too.”
“And you didn’t tell me? Arthur, that was over a week ago.”
“I wanted to be sure she’d get it done before I got your hopes up.” He looked a bit sheepish when he added, “I don’t believe I’ve ever had three days out of the office in a row.”
Unable to stop smiling, Merlin just shook his head gently. “I’m pleased. So you’ll be out on Friday morning?”
“If that works for you. I have a call late Thursday with Hawaii, and I’d rather not arrive at yours at midnight.”
“It’s fine. I’m really looking forward to it.” He bit his lip. “Not that we won’t chat between now and then, but just. Yeah.” A knock at the door caught his attention; he turned to see Lance waving from outside. “Oh, Lance is here, probably to see Gwen! I’ve got to run. Text you later?”
“Of course.” Arthur smiled, seeming more relaxed than earlier. “Bye, love.”
“Bye, sexy.” Merlin rang off and went to let Lance in. “How’s it going, Lance?”
“Great news, Merlin. Percy’s sister said she’ll have the new sign for outside ready Thursday, so Percy will find time to hang it before the party,” Lance replied, bestowing one of his warm smiles on Merlin.
“Oh, mate, that’s fantastic! I thought that was going to take another three weeks.”
Lance nodded. “Elaine’s kids were so excited to hear about the shop that she finished it early for you.”
“Tell her I appreciate it, truly.” Lance held out his tablet and Merlin signed a receipt for the artwork, then gestured over his shoulder. “Gwen’s in the kitchen.”
“Not any longer, I’m not!” Gwen said, appearing at his elbow. “Hi, Lance.”
“I swear you have some kind of Lance detector,” Merlin murmured, knocking her hip with his.
She cuffed him lightly. “At least you’ve fixed your gaydar, now that you’re with Arthur.”
Merlin felt his ears go pink, and Lance hurried to interject, “I didn’t know he was gay at first, either.”
“But you’re straight!” Merlin said huffily, crossing his arms. “It’s embarrassing when you’re gay and totally miss it.”
“At least he made a move, misconstrued as it was at first, and now the problem is solved,” Lance said consolingly.
Gwen nodded. “Next we’ll just have to see if Elyan makes a move on Percy at the party.”
“Elyan on—wait, Percy’s into men?” Merlin all but shouted.
Lance and Gwen exchanged a look, and then Lance nodded slowly.
“I’m going to have to sit down. I am clearly a deficient gay,” Merlin groaned, flopping into the chair at the till—he’d replaced the ancient one with one from his flat that actually had a functional seat cushion—and dropping his forehead onto the counter.
“Oh, Merls, you aren’t deficient, and we’d love you even if you were, darling!” Gwen said, patting his upper back. “I don’t think you even stopped to wonder about Percy, anyway. You were already eyeing Arthur.”
“Fair,” he muttered into the countertop, then raised his head and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t actually think about it. I just drooled a bit over his arms.”
“Well, I think we all do that, to be honest,” Lance said. “I may be straight, but I can admire those. They’re rather incredible.”
Gwen considered that for a moment. “It seems to me Arthur is no slouch in the muscle department either, Merlin.”
“Oi, eyes off my boyfriend, ta,” he quipped, and they grinned at each other.
Lance cleared his throat. “Anything else to do here tonight, Gwen, or shall we go have a bite?”
“I’m all set,” she replied. “Merls, you want to come?”
“No, having dinner with Mum tonight as she’s got extra shifts the next few days in order to have Saturday free. Oh, speaking of which …” He quickly filled them in on Arthur’s plans. “You weren’t hoping to have me help with baking on Friday, right, Gwen?”
“Not at all, darling. I’ve got it all sorted. See you tomorrow?”
“Bright and early!” He waved them off and locked the shop behind him. Everything was coming together so much better than he could have imagined. He hurried to his mum’s with a bounce in his step.
Exhausted, Merlin collapsed onto the bed in his flat. Hunith was on the first of several double shifts, and he hated staying at the house alone. Still, it felt odd to be here by himself. As a child, he’d slept here when Gaius was minding him so Hunith could work, and as an adult, he’d only stayed overnight with Arthur.
Whom he missed.
Get a hold of yourself, Emrys! You lived alone in London for years.
He wasn’t afraid, or lonely, per se, he told himself. He just missed Arthur.
Sighing, he checked the time. Just past nine. Arthur had a late call tomorrow, but tonight, he was probably free. Merlin thumbed open the contact.
~How’s your night?
The response came sooner than he’d anticipated.
~Meh.
~Father is working me to the bone, probably because he’s annoyed I’ll be OOO for the weekend.
~But Elena is a literal genius and made it so he has no reason to bring me in.
Merlin bit his lip as he typed his reply.
~Would it be easier for you if you did go in though? Maybe Sunday?
~I want to stay with you.
~I know, and I want you to, too. I just
~Don’t want to be the reason you row with your father.
There was a long pause, and then Arthur sent:
~Can we talk?
Merlin hit the FaceTime button, and Arthur accepted it on the first ring. “Hi.”
“Did you want video? I wasn’t sure,” Merlin said quietly.
“It doesn’t matter. I just didn’t want to type,” Arthur said, sighing. “I’ve let my father run my life for too long. I’ve got a practising certificate; I can manage many types of legal issues, not just the kind my father’s firm handles. I told you I like my work, and I meant that. But that work is more than slaving for my father twenty-four seven. And if he won’t accept that, I can practise on my own.”
Merlin worried his bottom lip with his teeth. “Please don’t make any rash decisions because of, well, us. I mean, I get it. I … I feel like you’re everything I was missing in my life. But still, I don’t want you to do anything you might regret.”
Arthur huffed a small laugh. “What I regret is always doing everything my father demanded, without question. Work may have been his entire life after my mother died, but it doesn’t have to be mine. Shouldn’t be. I’m allowed to have an opinion about how I live.”
“Of course you are. And whatever you choose, I support it.” Merlin took a deep breath. “I—that is—what if you realise I’m not it for you? I don’t want you to have to go crawling back to Uther.”
“The hell?” Arthur gaped, looking horrified. “What do you mean, I realise you’re not it for me? Merlin. You’re the only person I’ve ever wanted to bring to my flat. You met my sister. You met Leon. You talked to Elena! I don’t … how could you think …” He shook his head, and Merlin couldn’t tell if he was angry or sad.
“Arthur,” Merlin said, voice just above a whisper. “This has been so fast. I didn’t think anyone would ever care about me the way you do. I want to be worth it. What if I’m not?”
“Keep talking like that, and I’m going to say screw work and drive to Ealdor right now.” Arthur glared at him through the screen.
“That’s just it, though!” Merlin gestured with his free hand. “You were never like this with your job, before. You’ve said so. Why now? Why me?” He realised, suddenly, his eyes were full of tears. He wasn’t sure why. “What if I fuck it up?”
“Merlin.” Arthur’s voice was gentle. “What’s bothering you?”
“I don’t know.” It was honest, if not a good answer, Merlin thought, swiping hurriedly at his eyes so Arthur wouldn’t see the wetness there. “I moved to the city eight years ago, sure I’d meet people and get to be myself in a way I never could, here. I, you know, I thought it would fix me. That’s not how things go, though, and I didn’t belong there. So now I’m moving back here, and I’m happy about it, excited, even, but, you know, my gaydar is still broken, I’m still a hot mess, so what if I’m actually terrible at owning a shop, too? It’s—don’t put your faith in me when I might be … not worth it.”
Nodding slowly, Arthur looked at him from the other side of the screen. “Right. Okay. I’ll be there in two hours.”
“No!” Merlin shouted. “No. You need to be in the office tomorrow; you shouldn’t drive here now and turn around at dawn to go back. Especially not with coming back the next day.”
“There it is!” Arthur crowed a little, his lip curling up at the edge in a half-smile. “You care about me, Merlin, and I care about you. I admit it’s new; I never did before, romantically anyway. And of course we both have shit to deal with. Is there anyone who doesn’t? I know Morgana acts as though all the time she spends with Leon is, like, sex swings and BDSM, or whatever—”
“I have no siblings, but I’m fairly sure the fact that you put that in a sentence about your sister means you all need therapy, dollop-head.” Merlin was choking back simultaneous tears and laughter now.
“Right, fair, but my point is, they’re actually really sweet together. They talk, and she rests her head on his shoulder and he holds her hand when her students are being little shits or the governance tries to pull funding. She rubs his back when clients are being utter arseholes or he has to unfuck spreadsheets his team ruined. That’s what it is, this give and take, this, this relationship stuff.”
Merlin inhaled through his nose, willing himself to calm. “I want to think I’m worth it. But if your father cuts you off, because of me. If you lose everything—”
“You are everything. I told you: I have a practising certificate. I’m an established solicitor with a damned impressive CV even if I do say so myself. I’d thought about striking out on my own a few times, long before I met you. If I decide to do so, it’s not on you. Except maybe that you helped me summon my confidence.” The sky-blue eyes bore into Merlin’s sapphire ones across the screen, and Merlin couldn’t stop the single tear that escaped him, even as he hurriedly wiped the rest away.
They looked at each for a minute, silent, just breathing. Finally, Merlin nodded. “Okay. Yeah.”
Arthur cocked his head. “Are you okay? Don’t say so just for me.”
“No, yeah, I am.” Merlin shook his head and gave a watery smile. “I think, being here, on the verge of this huge step, just overwhelmed me a little. Like the first day of school jitters, you know. When it comes down to it, though …” He blinked a few times, and Arthur looked at him with soft eyes. “I want to live my life, too. And that includes you being in it.”
With a look of unwavering fondness, Arthur smiled at him. “We’re both tired. Get some rest, love? I’ll see you very, very soon.”
“I love you kind of a stupid amount, you know,” Merlin blurted out then.
“You’re an idiot, so that’s not surprising.” Arthur quirked an eyebrow at him. “But I love you a stupid amount too, so I’ll let it slide.”
Merlin grinned. “Goodnight, cabbage-head.”
“Goodnight, Merlin.”
Will sidled up to Merlin as they watched Percy installing the new Dragon Egg Books sign. “Finishing touches, eh?”
Merlin nodded. “I got the section signs back from the printer late yesterday, too, so when Arthur arrives, he’s going to help me put them up. Then we’re going to hike a bit, get some fresh air. Want to come?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Will raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re inviting me along when you go off to shag in the woods? That’s just weird, mate.”
“We’re not—ugh, Fletcher, I don’t know why I put up with you.” They glared at each for a beat, until they both broke into laughter.
“Nah, mate, I have work to do anyway. Glad to see you still like getting out into nature after all that time in the Big Smoke, though.”
Merlin shrugged. “If anything, that made me like it more.”
Just then, Arthur’s car pulled up to the kerb, and Merlin bit back a grin. Will rolled his eyes. “Ah, the toff is here.”
“Shut up, Will. If it weren’t for him, you’d still be pining for Freya.”
“Sure, yeah.” Will blushed at that, and Merlin grinned. “All right then; Percy’s good here, so I’m off to check the plumbing at the school gym and then have to go to the stonemason’s. Ring me if you need anything? Otherwise I’ll see you tomorrow.” He punched Merlin lightly on the shoulder, shouted something unintelligible up the ladder to Percy, and headed for the school.
Merlin waved goodbye, then turned and beamed at Arthur, who was leaning against his car and looking up at the sign. “What do you think?”
Arthur met his eyes and smiled widely. “It looks perfect. I love the little dragon hatchling.”
“Percy’s sister did the artwork. She’s talented, yeah?”
“Very! Morgana will want to meet her.”
They watched in companionable silence until Percy descended the ladder. “Looks good to you, then, Merlin?” he asked in his quiet voice.
“Spot on. Thanks, mate. You’ll bring your sister and her kids tomorrow?”
Percy grinned. “Wouldn’t miss it. See you then.” He packed up his ladder and tools and climbed into his truck.
Merlin turned back to Arthur. “Come inside?”
Arthur ran a hand through his hair and leant over to kiss Merlin quickly. “Yeah. You’ve got those signs to hang?”
“Mm-hm. I did end up doing each section in a different font—you know, something suitably blood-drippy for horror, curlicues and calligraphy for romance, that type of thing—and they’re in frames that are various art styles that we can affix to the walls.” He held the door open and Arthur entered, only to find himself with an armful of Gwen.
“Arthur! Are you so excited? We’re so excited!” she squealed.
“Indeed, Guinevere,” he chuckled, patting her back.
Pulling away, she smoothed her apron. “I’ve been getting all the pastries ready for the party. Today I’m doing brandy snaps, carrot–cake cupcakes, gingerbread scones, and rosemary-Stilton shortbread. Hungry?”
“Careful, though, or you’ll have to add a hole to your belt,” Merlin whispered.
Arthur pinched Merlin’s waist. “Oi, I’m fighting fit.”
“I know exactly how fit you are, dollop-head,” Merlin said in a low voice, spots of colour staining his cheekbones.
A bit over an hour later, all the signs were up, and they were settled at a table in the café with coffees. “You really went all out—even the crockery has dragons on it,” Arthur commented, looking at his mug.
“And we’re getting special take-away cups and containers with the logo,” Gwen called from behind the bar.
Merlin traced the rim of his own mug with a fingertip. “Gaius used to collect ceramics with dragon designs,” he said. “I was able to do some reverse image searches and match a few, and branched out from there.”
“Just no more bongs in the store, please, dragon-shaped or not,” Arthur said drily. “I’m a good lawyer, but I’m not sure I’m good enough to get you out of that offence.”
“Merlin?” Gwen quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Tell you later, Gwen,” he called back. He finished his coffee and stretched. “Time to head outdoors?”
“Absolutely.” Arthur grinned.
Merlin grabbed his rucksack and they made their way out towards the fields. “You wore those last time,” Merlin said as they went. “The boots. I noticed—I didn’t think you’d have owned anything like that.”
A slight pink tinge rose on Arthur’s cheeks. “I hadn’t, until you mentioned going for a hike.”
Merlin nearly tripped over a root at that, righting himself just as Arthur grabbed his elbow and pulled him close. Their eyes met, noses nearly touching. “You bought them that week?”
Arthur nodded. “I told you I wanted it to be a date.”
Impulsively, Merlin kissed him, hard. “I’m sorry I was so confused,” he murmured when he pulled back, resting his forehead against Arthur’s for a moment. “I just couldn’t possibly believe you … could want me.”
Linking their hands, Arthur urged Merlin to start walking again before he spoke. “I thought back over it a lot after Morgana pointed it out to me—rather, after she somewhat forcibly pulled my head out of my arse about it—and I realised I’d never actually asked someone on a real date before. Combine that with my lifelong training always to ask for things indirectly, and it would seem my invitation was not, perhaps, very clear.”
“I don’t know; Gwen figured it out. Then again, she knew Percy was gay, and I missed that too.”
Arthur paused. “Huh. I hadn’t considered it at all, but … I can see that.”
They walked along, stopping to pet the cows and sheep again; Arthur was far more comfortable this time. He’d pushed the sleeves of his crimson shirt up, baring his muscular forearms, and Merlin had a sudden vision of the two of them actually living on a small farm. He shook his head to banish the image, patting Bonnie the cow’s snout as she regarded him blandly. “Do you think you really would want to live on a farm one day? If you can’t grow up into a horse?” he asked, the teasing tone evident but softened with fondness.
Shaking his head, Arthur shrugged and offered a carrot (Merlin had packed some veg in his rucksack) to a goat. “As long as you did all the really hard work, obviously.”
“Obviously.”
“But I did want to … that is. Um.” Arthur cleared his throat and looked around. “Well, I was thinking.”
“Dangerous; could prove painful,” Merlin shot back, almost automatically.
“Quite. But, you know, that thing I said earlier this week about not living with Morgana for much longer. I am considering maybe finding, uh, another place. Out here.”
Blinking rapidly, Merlin grabbed the fence-post to be sure his knees wouldn’t buckle under him. “Out here? Ealdor?”
“Yeah. It’s … well, I’ve been noticing, with my visits here to see you, I can do probably eighty, eighty-five percent of my job just as easily from here as from the London office. I could rent a little flat, have a room for a home workspace. The city isn’t a difficult commute for the times I would have to be there.”
Merlin opened and closed his mouth several times without making a sound. Finally, he managed, “You don’t think it’s too fast?”
“Well, erm.” Arthur rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward. “I didn’t want you to feel like it was, which is why I figured I would get my own flat. I really do like it out here. I relax when I’m outside like this, not just cooped up in an office all the time. And Morgs and I, we wouldn’t sell the place in London. It’s a home base. Just—”
Merlin cut him off. “Yes. Do it.”
A half-smile crept onto Arthur’s face. “Really?”
“There’s that little voice in my head telling me to talk you out of it, to convince you that I’m not really what you want. I’m choosing to ignore it. Yes, move out here. I want to fall asleep with you more nights than not. I want this. I want you , Arthur.” The words poured out of him, and distantly Merlin thought he should be embarrassed, but all he felt was happiness. “With your stupid posh suits and your weird society doublespeak and the fact that you went and fucking bought hiking boots for a date that wasn’t and your incredible arse and thighs and co—”
Arthur’s hand clapped over his mouth, muffling him, as Arthur shook with mirth. “Yeah, all of that, but maybe not in front of the cows?”
Chuckling into Arthur’s palm, Merlin nodded. “How about by the river, then?” he asked when the hand had withdrawn.
“We are not getting arrested for public lewdness, Merlin,” Arthur said haughtily. “Some making out would be fine, though.”
Merlin laughed brightly, pulling Arthur’s hand to lead him to the spot where they’d sat before. There, he tumbled onto the grass and flung his arms and legs wide. “You were saying?”
Arthur lowered himself to cage Merlin’s body with his own, dipping his head to kiss him, slowly, soft lips sliding over Merlin’s. “Six weeks, is it? And you’ve completely changed my life,” he murmured, kissing up along a sharp cheekbone.
“And you’ve changed mine,” Merlin said in a quiet voice, pulling Arthur back so their mouths met again.
After a moment, Arthur dropped to his hip, tracing a fingertip over Merlin’s nose and lips. “So you’ll help me find somewhere out here to rent?”
“No. Move in with me.”
It was Arthur’s turn to blink rapidly. “I—er. I mean. If you want me to, I would, but I don’t want to push you.”
Merlin propped himself up on an elbow. “I’m not totally sure I want to live above the shop forever, truth be told. I thought about, perhaps, turning it into a writing studio. We could live there now, though; there’s room enough for you to have an office set-up, and then if we find another spot to live, we could turn the flat into a dedicated work space.”
Arthur nodded slowly, considering. “That would do nicely. But I thought you were worried it’s too soon?”
“Everything with you, Arthur, has felt right,” Merlin said, smoothing his hand over Arthur’s chest through his shirt. “This does too.”
“It does.” Arthur smiled softly. “You know, Leon and Morgana got engaged after nine days of dating.” When Merlin’s eyebrows shot up, Arthur hurried to continue, “Of course, they’d known each other since childhood, so that must be taken into account. But some of their friends were so shocked, and I remember her coming into my bedroom, annoyed at all these people doubting her feelings, and telling me they both just knew , somehow. Which Leon, unprompted, had said to me at work. I believed them both. When you know, you know.”
Merlin leant in again, brushing his nose over Arthur’s before kissing him, the slow press and drag of lips quickly turning filthy as they licked into each other’s mouths, groaning with want. Arthur settled a hand on the small of Merlin’s back, the heat of his palm searing even through Merlin’s shirt. For a moment, Merlin had a flash of them kissing under a bower at this same spot, surrounded by friends and family. It was so vivid, so real, he had to break away with a gasp.
Arthur’s lips moved to kiss along his ear then, and he murmured against Merlin’s skin. “‘I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth.’”
“You read it.” Merlin could barely speak, overcome with more emotions than he could catalogue.
“Immediately.” Arthur nipped at his earlobe. “Couldn’t put it down.”
Sighing, Merlin laid a hand over Arthur’s heart, both to feel him and to gain some space to recover himself. Arthur’s eyes met his, irises dark and pupils blown, and Merlin knew he must look the same. “Let’s finish our hike, then go back to mine and christen it becoming ours.”
“I’m not sure that’s how christening works, Merlin,” Arthur said, tone laced with smugness even as he grinned widely, crooked tooth on display.
“Oh, well, if you don’t want to go home and shag like bunnies—”
“Did I say that?” He leapt to his feet and nearly yanked Merlin to his. “Which way is home?”
“Dollop-head,” Merlin laughed. “This way.”
Not much later, they availed themselves of the alley entrance and hurried up to the flat. As soon as they’d made it to the bedroom, Arthur toed off his boots and pushed his jeans and pants down together before he flung himself backwards onto the bed, bouncing a bit.
Merlin grinned at him, knowing he looked besotted and not caring, before he got out of his shirt and started on his jeans, hopping about a bit foolishly when one foot got stuck.
Sitting back up, Arthur pulled his shirt over his head, a goofily inviting smirk on his face after he did. Merlin bit back a laugh at how the blond hair stood up a bit in the back. He walked to the edge of the bed, standing between Arthur’s thighs. “Love it when you take your shirt off.”
“Mm, love it when you take everything off,” Arthur replied, fingers toying with the waistband of Merlin’s boxers.
“Happy to oblige.” Merlin pushed them over his hips and kicked them to the side. Then, with a gentle hand against his chest, he urged Arthur back enough to settle on his knees astride him.
Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist, pulling him down so that their erections rubbed together. “Did you have anything in particular in mind for christening the bed as being ours?” he asked, kissing the hollow of Merlin’s throat and squeezing his arse.
“Not—ngh, oh, right there—not really. You?”
“Want to ride you.”
“Oh, fuck, yeah, that sounds good.” Merlin’s cock twitched against Arthur’s abs, and he felt Arthur smile into his chest. He climbed out of Arthur’s lap and reached for the lube to slick his fingers, then settled against the headboard, smiling mischievously as he beckoned Arthur closer. “I’m all yours.”
Turning to crawl up his body, Arthur captured Merlin’s lips eagerly as he brought their cocks together again, this time wrapping his hand around them both to pump steadily. His tongue thrust into Merlin’s mouth in rhythm with his hand, and Merlin groaned into it, hips bucking up in tiny hitches.
After a moment, Merlin rested one hand on Arthur’s hip while the other slid around to stroke and rub at the soft skin behind his bollocks. He began to trail his fingertips up between Arthur’s cheeks, making Arthur groan at the maddening slowness and try to grind back against his hand. “Patience, love,” Merlin murmured against Arthur’s lips, dipping his head to nibble along the strong jawline.
“Not a virtue I possess in great quantities, especially when my boyfriend’s gorgeous, wicked fingers are teasing me,” Arthur huffed out, head tipped back to give Merlin access to his neck.
Heart squeezing in his chest at the easy use of ‘boyfriend’ (he didn’t think he’d ever tire of it), Merlin pressed two fingers to the rim of muscle, circling it with increasing pressure until both fingers slipped inside. He pushed in and twisted them, watching Arthur’s eyes flutter shut at the sensation. “Good?” he breathed out.
“So good, just—oh, fuck, there!” Arthur cried, his hand stuttering as a jolt of pleasure raced through him. Merlin crooked his fingers again, and Arthur had to brace himself against the headboard with his free hand.
“Do you have any idea how fucking hot you are?” Merlin panted.
Arthur just shook his head vehemently. “You are,” he gasped. “Want you.”
With a quick nod, Merlin withdrew his fingers and slicked his cock, holding it steady at the base. Arthur widened his knees and sank down, a deep moan rumbling in his chest as his arse pressed all the way against Merlin’s groin.
“Holy … oh my gods, Arthur, you feel—” Merlin could barely choke out that much, the silken heat surrounding his prick so intense. Pleasure sparked in his core as Arthur rolled his hips, and he gripped Arthur’s waist tightly, pushing inside as deeply as he could.
“So do you.” Arthur dropped his forehead to Merlin’s. “You’re perfect.” He began to ride Merlin’s dick in earnest, raising himself up and sliding back down, and Merlin thrust up to meet him each time, letting the squeeze and stroke of muscle around him send waves rippling through his limbs. He was shimmering, tingling all over, like he couldn’t get enough of Arthur—on him, around him, everywhere.
A bead of sweat trickled down Arthur’s chest, and Merlin surged forward to lick it. The angle pressed the head of his prick harder against Arthur’s walls, and Arthur keened, rocking back against him. Merlin’s hand found Arthur’s cock, flushed and slick with precome, and he began to stroke firmly, feeling each throb against his palm when he thumbed under the tip.
The muscles in Arthur’s thighs flexed and bunched as he began to move faster, and Merlin cupped the back of his neck, fingers toying with the sweaty strands there. “That’s it, I’ve got you,” he murmured, stripping Arthur’s cock as fast as he could, suddenly wild with the need to see him lost to his own ecstasy before he let himself tip over the edge.
Arthur’s breaths dropped, ragged, from his lips. “Yeah, Merlin, oh fuck yes!” Arthur’s thighs shook and he dropped his hands to either side of Merlin’s head as his pleasure crested, muscles tensing and mouth going slack. His cock spasmed, coating Merlin’s hand, as Arthur shivered through it.
“Oh my gods, oh my gods, Arthur, Arthur!” Merlin gasped, overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of Arthur’s euphoria. He snapped his hips hard, punching shudders and soft moans out of Arthur, before his release seemed to rocket through him. His toes curled and a hoarse shout left his throat; he spilled harder and longer than he thought possible, fireworks bursting at the edges of his vision.
Dimly, he grew aware of Arthur peppering feather-light kisses along his cheekbones. He smiled up into the ice-blue eyes. “Not sure I’ve ever come that much.”
“I’ve not … or rather …” Arthur nuzzled against Merlin’s neck before arranging himself to stretch out at Merlin’s side. “I never really let go completely, before, but I do with you. And I’m pretty sure your dick is magical. Nothing else feels that good.”
Merlin felt joy bubbling in his chest as he laughed, eyes crinkling. “Guess you’ll have to keep me, then.”
“Damn sure I will.” Arthur kissed him then, slow and full of promise.
“Good.”
“Gwaine!” Merlin cried, a smile breaking across his face. “Mith! I’m so pleased you could make it!”
Mithian wrapped him in a big hug. “Merlin, this place looks amazing! And do I smell gingerbread?”
“I think Gwen made ginger scones. Along with about a hundred other treats. Go, enjoy!”
Gwaine thumped him on the back in a one-armed hug. “So, who’s the bloke over there with the hair almost as glorious as mine?” he asked conspiratorially.
“That’s Lance, the designer and head contractor, and he’s straight, and taken, G,” Merlin said, rolling his eyes.
“You wound me,” Gwaine sighed dramatically, hand over his heart. “But I think my hair is better.”
“It’s a close one,” Arthur said, sidling up to Merlin and throwing an arm over his shoulders. “Arthur Pendragon.” He stuck out his other hand to shake Gwaine’s.
“Gwaine Orkney.” He flashed his most winning grin and tossed his hair. “Right, you, Princess, obviously need to introduce me to this—yes, I heard you Merls, straight and taken—Lance, and we’ll see whose hair is more divine.”
Arthur flashed Merlin a look of confusion mixed with fear as Gwaine dragged him away, and Merlin stifled a laugh before turning to see who was tapping his shoulder.
“Merlin!” said a voice, before arms wrapped around him. “I’m Ellie and I am in love with this shop!”
All Merlin could see was some blond hair—blonder than Arthur’s—smushed up against his chest. “I’m so pleased! Can you, um, let me breathe though?”
“Oh, right, sorry!” She popped up, smiling brightly. “Honestly, this is going to be my favourite spot to come spend time. I love bookstores, and this one is just perfect!”
Morgana and Leon appeared on either side of Elena, and the three of them all beamed. “It is truly fabulous, Merlin,” Morgana said, squeezing his hand. “I’m taking Leon off to the travel section so we can plan our honeymoon.”
“Could we pick a date first, honey?” Leon said, shaking his head. “Cart before the horse, these artists.”
“Too logical for their own good, these accountants,” she shot back, and the look of fondness they exchanged melted Merlin’s heart a bit.
Between them, Elena snorted lightly. “You’re going to let me plan the whole thing anyway. It’s what I do!”
Leon and Morgana wandered off, bickering about whether to look at travel guides for Bora Bora or Kenya, and Merlin leant closer to Elena. “I hear you are quite the planner, and are in fact the reason my boyfriend has three days off in a row.”
“I’m very talented,” she said, winking. Then her face grew a bit more serious. “You’re really good for him. I know his father won’t make that easy, necessarily, but remember it.”
Merlin nodded. “I will. He’s good for me too, you know.”
She grinned brightly, her golden hair cascading in soft waves over her shoulders. “All right, point me towards dystopian fiction and beach-read romances!” He quirked an eyebrow, and she shrugged. “I refuse to be stereotyped.”
Grinning, Merlin sent her onwards, and sighed, leaning back against the counter. Arthur reappeared then, handing him a glass of the punch Gwen had made. “It’s the alcoholic version. You’ve earned it,” Arthur said in a low voice.
“Cheers to that,” Merlin said, taking a sip. “Did you introduce Gwaine to Lance?”
“I did, and there may have been some very aggressively competitive hair-flipping going on. However, I think it caught Percy’s eye.” Arthur gestured subtly with his glass, and Merlin looked over to see Percy beaming at Gwaine, who had a hand on Percy’s bicep.
Eyes going wide, Merlin shook his head. “I’m not sure if I should congratulate Gwaine or warn Percy.”
“Let it happen. It’ll give Gwen an airtight excuse to stay at Lance’s tonight.”
“The hopeless romantic part of me is so pleased everyone is finding love. The normal human part of me is kind of horrified by how incestuous our intertwined friends group is becoming.”
“Then don’t look over there, because I’m pretty sure Freya is eating Will’s face in the corner,” Arthur said with a smirk.
“Oh gods, did I open a bookshop or a brothel?” Merlin groaned, draining his glass of punch.
“Bookshop, to be sure!” crowed Elena, reappearing with a stack of at least ten books. “And you’ll never guess who I ran into, Arthur!” Mithian appeared behind her, a stack of books in her arms too.
“Wait, what? How do you two know each other?” Merlin stuttered.
Arthur’s eyes went wide. “Mithy Nemeth?” he said, jaw dropping.
“Arthur Pendragon! Oh, it’s been too long!” she all but sang, dropping her books on the counter and reaching up to hug him.
Arthur turned to Merlin, beaming widely. “Elena and Mith were schoolmates. I used to visit Ellie at Roedean when I needed to escape from Harrow, and Mith was in the same boarding house.”
“I mentioned Mithian before; you didn’t recognize her name.” Merlin’s brows drew together in consternation.
“Oh, Merlin, don’t fret. I always went by Mith or Mithy then. When you’re saddled with such a unique name—”
“Oi, that much I can empathise with,” Merlin shot back, and the four of them all grinned at each other.
“So you’re at Merlin’s old publishing house, then?” Arthur asked.
“She should be an editor, not reading the slush pile. And somewhere better,” Merlin muttered. “Said so for three years now.”
Mithian beamed. “It’s good fun. I won’t do it forever. I still stand to take over Rodor Press when father retires, if I want.”
“Rodor Press?” Merlin looked at her. “And you never said?”
She winked. “Just send me your manuscript when it’s ready. I’ve read your snippets, and you’re gold. I’ve got you, boo.”
Elena was literally bouncing. “This is so fun!” she squealed. “I can’t believe we’re all back together like this! Mithy, did you see Morgana?”
“Morgana’s here? Let’s go!” They bustled off, and Arthur sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Let me guess, Morgs went to Roedean too.” Merlin shook his head, incredulous.
“Where else would Uther send her?” Arthur grinned at him. “This is great, though. Mithian is brilliant. The three of them were the Athos, Porthos, and Aramis of the school in their day.”
“I get that reference!” Lance cried, just at the edge of their little circle of discussion. “Thanks to Merlin, who gave me the book.”
“Lance! Brilliant work on the shop, bringing Merlin’s vision alive,” Arthur said, shaking his hand. “Sorry to inflict Gwaine on you earlier.”
“No harm done. I think he and Percy may have hit it off, in fact.”
“They did indeed,” Gwen said, appearing out of nowhere, and Merlin jumped a mile.
“How do you do that?” he squeaked.
She beamed and leant her head on Lance’s shoulder. “Was just telling Percy’s sister how much we love the sign. That’s when we all realised Percy and Gwaine had disappeared.”
Merlin blanched. “Oh hell, please say they left and didn’t just go up to the flat.”
Gwen giggled. “Percy gave Elaine his car keys and said he was off home, don’t come knocking, so I’m fairly sure they’re at his.” She turned big doe-eyes on Lance. “Would I be imposing if—”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Arthur’s moving in with me, just go for it already, you two,” Merlin sighed. Everyone turned wide eyes on him, and he grimaced, realising what he’d just blurted out. “What, erm, did you put in this punch, Gwen?”
An imperious sniff cut through the crowd, and like the Red Sea parting, people stepped aside to reveal Uther Pendragon standing in the middle of the room.
Merlin quailed, but Arthur set his shoulders. “Father. Welcome.”
“Maybe,” Merlin said under his breath.
Uther cleared his throat. “The shop looks very nice. Compelling. Well done, Mr. Emrys.” He spoke to Merlin, but his eyes were locked on Arthur’s.
Morgana and Leon appeared in the doorway from the other rooms, and Elena strode over to Arthur, setting a hand on his shoulder as he faced his father.
Looking at the gathered crowd, Uther turned on the spot. He nodded slowly to himself. “Very good,” he murmured to no one in particular.
There was a small ripple through the assembled people, and Merlin understood it only a split-second before Hunith emerged to face Uther. “Mr. Pendragon, senior,” she said. “I’m Hunith Emrys. Gaius White was my uncle.”
“Yes, Ms. Emrys. I believe we met just before your son was born.”
“We did.”
They glared at each other, and Merlin was fairly certain no one in the room was breathing.
Finally, Uther spoke. “Gaius mentioned you often. He was very proud of you, for becoming a nurse and not just working in his shop. Said you did a wonderful job raising your son.”
“He spoke of you often, too.” She offered no similar compliments. Merlin felt Arthur tense beside him.
Uther inhaled deeply. “I suppose I could have benefitted from guidance like his when I was left to raise a child—children—alone.” He stood, ramrod straight, and looked at Morgana, then Arthur. “I don’t always understand, or approve, of their choices. But then, I suppose that isn’t our job, as parents, is it?”
Hunith shook her head. “No. It is not. Only support, and acceptance of them for who they are, whether or not we understand it.”
He nodded slowly. “It seems that this shop will continue to be a beacon in the community. Good.” He nodded stiffly. “I don’t want to keep the youth from their celebration. I’ll take my leave.”
“Father—” Arthur began, but Uther had gone out the door.
“I’ll go,” Morgana said, hurrying after him, Leon on her heels.
The hubbub resumed, more subdued. Elena moved to talk quietly with Mithian, Gwen, and Lance in a corner, and Merlin turned to Arthur. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged one shoulder. “That was the most accepting of me, beyond work, that he’s ever been. Which I realise is still a very low bar to clear, but it’s something.”
Merlin pressed his palm to Arthur’s cheek. “Look around. Everyone here, including the Ealdor locals, adores you. And now we have this group, with Elena and Mith and Gwen and Morgana and Leon and Lance and Percy and, gods forbid, even Gwaine, and Elyan too—” he waved at El, who’d slipped in behind Uther, gritting his teeth and sidling away like a crab so as not to interrupt whatever that was “—and even your father gave the store his blessing. This is something special. The shop. You, me. Us.”
“‘O brave new world, that has such people in’t.’”
“You just quoted Shakespeare at me, you posh prat.”
“You understood, you clumsy idiot.”
They wound their hands together, staring into each other’s eyes until Will coughed loudly. “Can we get back to drinkin’ now? Else I’m going down the pub, rest of you lot be damned.”
Freya slapped him upside the head. “And who’s gonna pull your pint, wanker, hm?” she asked.
“Oh, they’re perfect for each other,” Arthur breathed into Merlin’s ear. “I did well.”
“You did,” Merlin breathed back. “Now, it’s gone seven, so we’ve got two hours to get all these people out of our shop, and then you’re taking me upstairs and ploughing me into the mattress. Put a smile on, and help me glad-hand them all out the door.”
“How can I possibly refuse to cooperate with that?” Arthur said, eyes going dark before he began to make the rounds again.
Nearly everyone had departed by half-eight. Hunith lingered to hug Merlin and then Arthur, so tightly he gasped. “Th-thank you,” he managed, when she freed him from her grasp.
“You’re a good man, Arthur,” she said. Then she kissed Merlin on the cheek and left.
Morgana, Leon, and Elena were the last ones in the shop. “Leave it to Uther,” Leon said at last.
“What did you say to him, Morgs?” Arthur asked.
“Not much,” she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “He looked at me and told me not to start, that he knew what I was going to say. And then he said he was never going to understand it, but he was going to do his best to just exist with it. As long as being with Merlin, living out here, doesn’t affect your work in a way that he perceives hurts the firm, you’ve got free rein. Then he ducked into the car and Geoffrey drove him away.”
Arthur took a very deep breath in through his nose. “More than I ever expected, honestly.”
“It’s not like you’re moving to Irkutsk,” Leon said ruefully. “And if he’d forced you to go to Melbourne, it’d have had a bigger impact on your work than living an hour away on the train.”
Elena just grinned. “See you both soon. I’m going to make these two drive me home before they get up to whatever it is they get up to.”
“She’s my sister! Just stop!” Arthur groaned, while Merlin snickered and Leon blushed. Morgana merely looked smug. They all hugged, and the trio headed out into the night.
Locking the shop door, Merlin turned and wrapped his arms around Arthur’s shoulders. “Five minutes to go,” he said, kissing under Arthur’s ear. “Well done us.”
“No wasting time,” Arthur replied, grabbing Merlin’s hand and running with him to the staircase.
They barely made it into the flat before Arthur was all over him, something akin to a growl forcing itself out of his throat as he kissed down Merlin’s neck. “You said something about me topping you tonight?”
“Please and thank you,” Merlin panted, fumbling to unbutton his shirt, then Arthur’s, then his. “Oh, fuck clothing.”
“Mm, not quite what I had in mind.” Arthur bent his knees and scooped Merlin up, throwing him over his shoulder and heading for the bedroom.
“Are you kiddi—okay, that was rather hot,” Merlin said, landing on the bed with a muffled thump and watching as Arthur stripped faster than he thought was possible.
When he was naked, Arthur stared at him, cock standing at attention. “Merlin. Clothes.”
“Yes, yeah, right,” he said, brain coming back online long enough for him to scramble out of his clothing. He tossed the lube to Arthur and turned over then, wiggling his arse in the air. “Want you.”
“Fucking hell,” Arthur whispered. “You’re too much. Can I …” He exhaled heavily, then bit his lip.
Merlin looked over his shoulder. “What?”
“You said you’d never been rimmed. I’d like to.”
“Guh. Hell yes.”
“Really?” Arthur’s eyes lit up.
Merlin nodded against his arms. “I loved doing it to you. Got me so worked up, the way you enjoyed it. If it feels half as good as you seemed to think, then I can’t wait.”
“It feels better,” Arthur murmured, kissing across Merlin’s shoulder blades and down his spine. He lingered at the small of his back, nuzzling and pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses across it, before finally cupping the pert arse and licking, hot and wet, across his hole.
Merlin nearly jackknifed off the bed. “Oh gods!”
Arthur chuckled into his upper thigh. “Told you.”
“Shut up, prat, and do it again.”
Not needing to be told twice, Arthur dove back in, licking and sucking at Merlin’s rim with gusto. He tongued at his hole, letting his tongue slip in and wriggle around, making Merlin gasp and squirm at the sensation.
Liquid heat seemed to flow through Merlin every time Arthur’s tongue did something new: twist inside him, press wetness over his hole, flicker just along the rim. “Arth …” he panted, his cock achingly hard. “I need … oh …” A tremor ran through him as Arthur licked again, thumb breaching him at the same time, and Merlin nearly sobbed with pleasure.
“Should I keep going?” Arthur asked, voice gruff and raspy, when he pulled back for air.
“Ngh, I don’t—don’t want you to stop, but I really want to come on your cock,” Merlin forced out.
Arthur ran his hands soothingly along Merlin’s legs and gave a last, light kiss right where his arse curved into his back. “Then turn over for me, love.”
Exhaling a shuddery breath, Merlin rolled to his back and looked at Arthur, eyes glassy and dark, before pulling him closer with a hand on the back of his neck. He kissed him hard for a moment, then softened the slide of his lips so he could tongue sloppily into Arthur’s mouth, swallowing the groan that rumbled out of him. Hooking his ankle around Arthur’s thigh, he tried to tug him in. “So ready.”
With a nip to Merlin’s lower lip, Arthur murmured, “Not quite, just—” Quickly, he found the lube and slicked his neglected cock, hissing a bit at the sudden cool contact on the heated, sensitised skin. “Try this, yeah?” He hitched Merlin’s other leg over his shoulder, and then, slowly, canted his hips forward, the head of his dick pushing past the relaxed muscle easily.
With a soft moan, Merlin arched his back, drawing Arthur deeper. “Oh, that’s incredible.”
Arthur nodded, voice low as he said, “So tight, so perfect.” He withdrew nearly fully, then snapped his hips forward, and Merlin keened.
“Damn it, yes, Arthur, holy shit,” Merlin babbled. He wrapped his long fingers around his own prick, thumbing over the slit to spread the wetness down his shaft. “Yeah—right there—don’t stop!” His eyes fluttered shut as his muscles began to tense, each thrust pressing Arthur’s prick harder against his prostate. Jolts of electric pleasure sparked all through him, dancing along his spine.
Dropping to a forearm, Arthur panted harshly against the soft hair at Merlin’s temple. “That’s it, love, you feel so good, oh fuck!” He raised his head, the curl of heat flaring into flame in his belly as he pistoned his hips faster.
“Arthur!” Merlin’s hand sped its motion over his cock and his head tipped back into the pillow. The ripples of ecstasy coalesced into a tidal wave, washing over him endlessly, shaking him apart as he spilled, hot and intense, over himself.
“So—damn—gorgeous,” Arthur gasped, transfixed by the sheer bliss playing over Merlin’s face. “Want you forever, fuck!” He thrust as deeply as he could, stars exploding at the edges of his vision and hips stuttering as his own release swept through him.
Slowly, Arthur slid Merlin’s leg off his shoulder, then buried his face in the crook of Merlin’s neck, dropping soft kisses there, licking the tang of sweat from his skin. Merlin shivered. “Tickles,” he said.
“Mm.”
“Very eloquent.”
“I’m pretty sure I just came my brains out, so yeah, not so much.”
Merlin chuckled and ran his hand down Arthur’s spine. “Fairly certain I did too. That was amazing. I feel like I say that every time, but at risk of making that ego of yours even bigger, it just keeps getting better.”
Arthur moved gently to settle next to him. “It does. Quite a good harbinger for this bed.”
Turning his head so their eyes met, Merlin smiled softly and pushed Arthur’s fringe, damp with sweat, off his forehead. “For everything. Whatever comes next.”
The sky-blue eyes widened a bit. “That sounded almost … wise, Merlin.”
“Me? Nah.” Merlin winked, dimples deepening as he smiled more widely.
“Didn’t think so, idiot.”
Merlin tipped forward enough to kiss him then, slow and lingering, before dropping exhaustedly back onto the pillow. “Let’s clean up. I bought you a toothbrush too. Red.”
A bright grin spread across Arthur’s face. “And no alarms in the morning. We’ll have a proper lie-in.”
“Exactly as it should be.” Merlin swung himself up off the bed and reached a hand to Arthur, who followed. “First one to the bathroom gets to be the big spoon.” He turned on his heel and ran, laughing.
“Oi, come back here!” Arthur spluttered until he caught up, knocking their hips together at the sink. Looping an arm around Merlin’s waist, he rested his chin on the pale shoulder, and their eyes met in the mirror. “I’m the big spoon for the moment, anyway,” he huffed.
“We’ll see, clotpole.” Merlin’s cheeks hurt, but he couldn’t seem to stop grinning.
“You keep me on my toes, Merlin Emrys,” Arthur said into his neck, nibbling at an earlobe to send a shiver through him.
“You’re a dollop-head, Arthur Pendragon, but you’re my dollop-head.”
Arthur smirked. “And it’s the best damn thing in the world. Just like me.”
“Infuriating, insufferable prat,” Merlin said, eyes crinkling in mirth. “You really, really are.”
A surprisingly pleased look passed over Arthur’s face at that. “Infuriating and insufferable?”
With a roll of his eyes, Merlin turned and yanked Arthur flush against him with hands at his waist. “The best damn thing in my world.”
The kiss Arthur gave him then said far more than any words could.
Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and Merlin cracked an eye open. “An actual blond octopus,” he muttered, stifling a laugh at the bedhead Arthur was sporting. Slowly, he carded his fingers through the soft hair, getting a snuffle from Arthur.
Without opening his eyes, Arthur pulled him back down and wrapped himself around his middle. “Timezit?”
“Lie-in time; go back to sleep,” Merlin murmured. “And then, whatever comes next.”
“Almost wise. Just something about you.” Arthur yawned and snuggled closer.
Merlin closed his eyes, seeing the first chapter of his new book begin to write itself in his mind, and smiled. He was finally where he needed to be.