Fic: To keep you warm (merlin/arthur), R
Title: To keep you warm
Author: bleedforyou1
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: R
Summary: He was aware that something had just shifted in their relationship. Or, well, actually, perhaps it had shifted when Arthur had pulled Merlin into bed with him... either way, there was no going back now...
Word count: 3,239
Warnings: none
Note: Kinda based on this fanart by lizardspots. One of my all time faves xD (Probably NSFW) Canon AU btw.
Midwinter night came with a blasting wind that howled through the castle halls, sending everyone inside except the guards. The maids and ladies began wearing shawls around, the men brought out their thick cloaks and gloves. The servants all pulled out the furs and blankets, and went on many runs for extra firewood, ale, hot oils and such.
It was Arthur’s favorite time of year-- the snow blanketing the castle, the chilling breath before Christmastide, the hunt for boars, the New Year’s feast (Arthur’s favorite holiday). Now that he was King, his heart warmed even more than usual, for this was his kingdom now, covered with holly. His advisors had been very surprised with how successful the harvest had been this year, Arthur’s new methods in distribution having been a good idea. He had looked back during the council meeting, seen Merlin and Gaius grinning at him proudly and he felt as though he were walking on clouds.
The midwinter feast earlier this night was very amusing. Gwaine, Elyan and Percival had gotten into a drinking game and all the knights had cheered them on, including Arthur himself albeit he drank very little. The feast dwindled down and soon enough, the men disappeared with their ladies and partners, going back to their warm beds. The servants of the castle had their own feast and bonfire still going on behind the castle, which Arthur could now see through his window. He smiled as they laughed, danced and drank around the fire, probably telling tall tales and legends.
He wondered idly if Merlin was still at that bonfire or if he was back in Gaius’ chambers by now. Arthur had given him the night off, as was customary on Midwinter’s night. Merlin hadn’t wanted to go at first for some reason, insisting that he at least help Arthur to bed, but Arthur had waved him off, for servants deserved time with their friends and bedwarmers as well. Although that thought in particular made Arthur frown slightly. Surely Merlin couldn’t have gotten a bedwarmer, right? He was gawky and clumsy and far too annoying.
Perhaps someone had fallen for that spark he got in his deep blue eyes, or maybe they liked his sharp angular cheekbones, or wanted to be around his happy chattering. Not Arthur, of course. He got quite enough of Merlin as it was, thank you very much.
Well, it would be nice for Merlin to be there to make a fire. Arthur bent down in front of the fireplace and started to make the fire for himself, wondering how Merin always managed to get it done so quickly and without getting soot on himself like Arthur just had. He stripped off his jacket, boots and trousers, unable to stop the creeping loneliness he suddenly felt. Father had mentioned how loneliness just came with the title of being a King without a Queen, but Arthur just didn’t like any of the girls that the Court Advisor’s had pushed towards him. He was still young anyway, he had plenty of time.
Alas, perhaps he should have accepted one of the gracious offers he had received at the feast earlier that night. It had been a long time since he’d bedded anyone. However, every lady’s smile had been a bit too presumptuous, every man’s hand too large and quick. Arthur longed for thin fingers, mischievous but still kind smiles, long limbs and... and better fires.
He sighed and climbed into bed, underneath thick covers and heavy furs, sitting against silk pillows and tried to enjoy the night’s chill instead of simply wishing for something he couldn’t have. He pulled out a favorite book and snuggled in for a good knight’s quest story.
It was quite a while later, the candles in Arthur’s room were waning halfway, and his door was suddenly unbolting. Arthur frowned and sat up, watching as a lanky figure stumbled in.
“Merlin? What are you doing here?” Arthur asked, brow furrowing as he placed a ribbon down to keep his place in the book.
Merlin turned, his arms clutching his body and he seemed to be shivering furiously, teeth chattering loudly. “I-- I thought you’d be asleep. I wanted t-to, erm, slip in t-to make sure you had enough firewood, sire.”
Arthur’s eyebrows shot up. “You came up to my chambers in the freezing cold in the middle of the night to check on my fire? Who are you and what did you do with my lazy manservant?”
Merlin let out a weak chuckle and shuddered violently. “J-just feeling generous today I suppose...” His jacket seemed slightly wet with melting snow and his usual raggedy neck-scarf was missing, leaving his throat bare. His cheeks and nose were a bright pink, fingers clenched into his shirt.
“Where’s that rag you wear around your scrawny neck, Merlin? And Gods why didn’t you wear a thicker coat? You’re just trying to catch a cold so that you don’t have to work, aren’t you?”
“Oh yes. You caught me, sire,” Merlin huffed, stomping over to check the fire and putting more wood in, pausing to hold his hands in front of it. Arthur smiled slightly when he realized Merlin was just warming himself.
“Does Gaius not have a fire, Merlin?” Arthur snorted.
Merlin jumped. “Yes, of course... Gaius will be asleep though, so I’ll have to sneak up to my room. Plus we don’t have this big of a fire either. But anyway, I’ll just go then, let you get back to your reading--”
Arthur sighed and put his book down on his side table. “Merlin, take off that pitiful excuse of a coat off, it’s doing much more harm than good for you.” He got up and winced at the coldness of the floor, padding over to Merlin.
“I’m not walking back to my room without a coat!” Merlin frowned, standing up as well.
Arthur rolled his eyes and wrenched Merlin’s coat off of him, despite his protests, and shivered when he felt the skin of Merlin’s wrist. “Gods, you’re positively frozen and your shirt is wet too. What did you do? I thought the bonfire out there would keep people warm!”
“It, it did, but I-- I got into a snowball fight with Liam and then his sister tried t-to--” Merlin cut off, his already pink cheeks growing redder.
Raising an eyebrow, he tugged on Merlin’s shirt. “Take it off, Merlin, I will not have you sneezing and coughing all over my swords and shields for the next week, idiot.”
Merlin pushed at him weakly and struggled for a moment before giving up and taking off his shirt, now standing there shivering and barechested. Arthur tried not to stare and turned quickly grabbing one of his tunics and pulling it over Merlin’s head.
“Sire, th-this is very unnecessary, I’m fine-- your tunic-- I--”
“Merlin. Shut. Up.”
The tunic was far too big for him, one shoulder dropping to reveal skin skin skin, and the sleeves fell past his hands. Whereas Arthur’s shoulders were broad and trained, Merlin’s were thin and bony and deathly pale and Arthur had a sudden urge to nuzzle his face there, warm Merlin up with his lips, his hands...
“Thank you, Arthur,” Merlin said in a very soft tone, looking at him through heavy lidded eyes and still blushing slightly. “I should go--”
“Merlin,” Arthur breathed, stepping closer and putting a hand on his bare shoulder. “Your skin is still freezing. You should stay here. In the warmth.”
He actually heard Merlin’s swallow and he instinctively drew his thumb across Merlin’s sharp collarbone, feeling his heartbeat thud through the fragile skin. His gaze travelled up the bare neck and froze where Merlin was biting his lip in hesitation.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your night.”
“I have no other company nor plans, you’re not intruding.”
“Are you... are you sure?”
“Yes, Merlin, otherwise I would not have asked.”
Merlin sighed and nodded. “Okay... well I’ll have to borrow one of your blankets then because I can’t just sleep on the ground bare and oh I knew I should have drank more, but I was having fun and I didn’t think about it but--”
Arthur made an exasperated sound and practically dragged Merlin over to his bed, pulling him under the covers and sitting where he originally was. Merlin literally squeaked. “I--I-- this is your bed, Arthur!”
“Very astute, Merlin. I was freezing over there and I wanted to get under the covers and you were taking too bloody long, as per usual. Now why were you saying you should have drank more?”
Merlin shrugged, still shivering slightly and moved to pull one of the furs up and curled his knees closer to his body. “Warmth? No nightmares? Probably wouldn’t have remembered to come to your chambers and bothered you?”
Arthur stared at him for a long moment and pulled the covers up high so that they’d cover Merlin’s shoulders too. Merlin blushed and wriggled slightly, his toes touching Arthur’s legs and then pulling back abruptly.
“What nightmares do you have?” Arthur found himself asking.
“Erm... different ones. Sometimes of people I love getting hurt, sometimes of the past... “ Merlin got a faraway look in his eyes, something that had been happening quite often lately.
“Merlin, stop being so cryptic,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“I don’t know how to explain them is all.” Shrugging again, Merlin yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily.
Arthur watched him and felt his heart thud in an overwhelming fondness for the man, this scrawny little thing that was half Arthur’s size and double Arthur’s heart. It took all of Arthur’s considerable strength to not gather him into his arms, hold him close and never let him leave this bed ever, ever again.
Gaping slightly when he realized he had just thought all of those things-- about Merlin of all people-- Arthur shook his head sharply. Merlin frowned and looked at him closely. “What’s wrong, sire?”
“I, erm, was just thinking you’d be able to get to work on time in the morning if you just slept here anyway.”
Merlin looked at him as if he had there heads. “But... you’re sharing your bed with me? Why?”
“I am the King of Camelot and I do not have to answer to the likes of you, Merlin,” Arthur huffed and then pointed to his side table. “Now go pour us some wine.”
After sniffing a bit more, Merlin shuffled over and poured a glass of wine, handing it over to Arthur, who took a few sips, sighing at the feeling. He thrust the cup into Merlin’s hands and watched him hesitantly take a few gulps and then smack his lips in a very not endearing at all way.
“I’m... thank you for your kindness, sire,” Merlin said, his voice laced with so much emotion it almost hurt Arthur to hear it.
“Well if you’re going to be a sap about it.”
“Yes, yes I am going to be a sap about it,” Merlin chuckled while putting the cup down on the side table and shifted closer to Arthur, his lips pink with the drink. Arthur swallowed thickly. He couldn’t lean in and kiss Merlin. He couldn’t lean in and kiss Merlin. He really, really couldn’t. Could he?
“Oh yeah, you sap, what are you going to do, kiss my feet for letting you sleep in my bed?”
Merlin grinned and ducked his head. “I could kiss your lips instead.”
Arthur nearly choked on his breath. “I-- what-- Merlin--”
He was aware that something had just shifted in their relationship. Or, well, actually, perhaps it had shifted when Arthur had pulled Merlin into bed with him... either way, there was no going back now, whether Arthur kissed him or not. Their relationship, this ease of friendship that Arthur had always wanted, it was going to be different now. While Arthur was thinking all this, Merlin was chattering away, his words faster with the wine.
“I know you don’t want to get a bedwarmer because you’re really rather private and I know sometimes you do dally with men but I’ve never actually seen it so I don’t know if you’d like my type but I can-- I can--”
“Merlin! I just-- shut up for a moment, will you?”
Merlin snapped his jaw shut and blinked at Arthur, his eyes wide. Arthur sighed and rubbed his hands across his face, frowning slightly as his fingers scraped across the hair on his cheeks and chin. It’d been a while since he had asked Merlin to shave him, wanting to keep some warmth for morning patrols.
Arthur considered several possibilities for a long moment and then looked at Merlin, who’s eyes were bright and staring at him with a thread of hope and fear. “I would never ask a servant to be with me in that way. Servicing me would never be one of your chores, Merlin, I am not that kind of lord nor have I ever been.”
Merlin shook his head vigorously. “No, no, no that’s... that’s not what I meant. I know you’d never do that, no matter how much of a prat you can be. I... I just, I’ve wanted... and I wondered if you had ever thought about it too.”
Swallowing thickly, Arthur shifted a bit closer and his heart thudded as if he were about to fight a tourney. “What have you wanted?”
“Y-you?” Merlin said, biting his lip and looking at Arthur as if he were admitting a crime. Arthur felt his stomach flip and reached over to cup Merlin’s neck, bringing their faces close. Merlin breathed in sharply and put his hands on Arthur’s knees. “I’ve wanted you, Arthur.”
Arthur let out a soft laugh, keeping his voice casual even through the heady feelings inside. “Good. Because I’ve wanted you too, and I quite like getting what I want.”
Merlin’s eyes shined bright and he dove in, pressing his lips against Arthur’s quickly. Tilting his head, Arthur shifted so that the peck turned into a kiss and soon they were locked, mouths opening to invite the other’s warmth in. Merlin let out a small whimper and shivered as the blankets fell off of him.
“How are you so thin and fragile when you eat like a horse, Merlin,” Arthur sighed, pulling the furs closer to them. “Come here, stay warm or you really will stay sick.”
“You care about me, even though you act like you don’t. I love it when you care,” Merlin said, grinning like a total idiot. “But I’d love it more if...”
He trailed off and kissed Arthur again, while pushing his fingers up Arthur’s nightshirt. Arthur bit back a moan as fingers grazed his chest and he allowed Merlin to pull off his shirt. His cock was starting to strain against his breeches and he fervently hoped Merlin felt the same. “Merlin, just-- Gods--”
“Mhmm, just, lemme, see,” Merlin murmured against his lips, pulling at Arthur’s breeches and unlacing them quickly. Arthur bucked his hips up and groaned.
“Merlin, don’t you think-- ohhh-- don’t you think this is going a bit, erm, fast?” Arthur gasped out as Merlin took to kissing down his neck and plucking the rest of his clothing off, leaving him naked to Merlin’s feasting eyes.
“No, no time, want you-- want you before you say no.”
“I’m not saying no, I just--”
“Please, none of those Kingly duties and burdens in bed, I just want to be with you, okay? Even if it is just for one night. Just, please, let me--”
“Oh, fuck, Merlin!” Arthur gasped as he felt a hand around his cock, stroking him like he did this with men every night. Oh Gods, what if he did?! “Merlin-- have-- have you done this before? How much, I mean, do you--”
“No,” Merlin chuckled, leaning in to kiss Arthur softly. “I don’t do this at all, really. Well, back in Ealdor, but not since I got to Camelot. Just... wanted you too much to say yes to anyone else.”
At this, Arthur let out a moan against Merlin’s lips, pushing his hand away and quickly making quick work of Merlin’s trousers. Merlin helped him and soon he was half-naked, and about to pull off his shirt as well, but Arthur stopped him.
“Keep your shirt on, I really don’t want you to catch a cold.”
Merlin grinned, his face flushed. “You just like seeing me in your clothes, sire.”
Rolling his eyes, Arthur said nothing and he kissed Merlin instead. Bringing his legs up and over, he made Merlin straddle him and brought him close so that their cocks touched. They both let out gasps as Arthur lined up their cocks and began to stroke them.
“Ar-Arthur, don’t-- don’t stop,” Merlin moaned and clutched at Arthur’s neck and shoulder, kissing him almost desperately.
“Yeah, like I’m going to stop now, idiot,” Arthur huffed, one hand stroking them while the other rested on Merlin’s hip to keep him steady in his lap. He drew the furs closer to Merlin’s bottom so that he wouldn’t freeze to death while they were having sex at least.
“You’re such a prat, I don’t know-- oh, yes-- why I want you--” Merlin whimpered and curled closer, cheeks pink as he kissed Arthur hard, messy and loud with their moans.
Arthur stroked their cocks with enthusiasm, clutching at Merlin as he came with a startled cry of Arthur’s name. He kept stroking, head thrown back as Merlin bit hard at his neck and Arthur soon came as well, groaning with the effort.
“So beautiful, my beautiful golden king,” Merlin murmured into his neck as he slumped against Arthur’s chest. Arthur felt a flush of pride go through him and he gently grabbed the edge of an extra blanket, cleaning his hand and their cocks and bellies smoothly, Merlin being generally unhelpful about the whole thing.
“Go on you scrawny thing, get under the covers,” Arthur sighed, pulling Merlin down next to him and blowing out the bedside candles before shifting so that they lied next to each other.
Merlin took the opportunity to curl around him, hooking his arm and leg over Arthur and lying his head on his chest. “Warm... so so warm.”
Arthur snorted and drew the furs over their bodies, letting Merlin sniffle and press his cold nose and toes into Arthur’s chest. “Is that why you wanted to bed me, Merlin? Because this is probably the warmest room in the Kindom?”
“Yes. Plus I always wanted to know what it’d be like to have a bedwarmer.”
“I am the King. You are my bedwarmer, not the other way around.”
“Does this mean I don’t have to do my chores anymore? I can just stay in your bed and keep it warm all the time?”
“You’re ridiculous Merlin, go to sleep.”
After another sleepy kiss, Merlin nodded and went still, his breath soft against Arthur’s chest. Arthur lied awake for a while longer, watching the firelight dance across Merlin’s pale shoulder. Merlin was right-- Arthur really did love him in his clothes. It would probably become a horrid habit and Arthur would need to double his wardrobe. When he finally succumbed to sleep, it was in complete peace, wrapped in the best warmth he’d ever known.