An Incompetent Student Part 1 of 2

[camelittle]

Merlin stared into the bottom of his ale cup and gulped. Gwaine wondered what was the matter. He clapped Merlin on the shoulder.

“Come on then, lad,” he said kindly. “Out with it!”

Merlin snorted and gulped down the rest of his beer in one long swallow. Gwaine watched Merlin’s sharp Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. Merlin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and offered Gwaine a shy smile.

“Gwaine,” he said at last, blushing. “I was w…w…wondering… How do you… you know…” this was good. This was really good. Merlin was at a loss for words. In all the time that Gwaine had known him, this had to be a first. And Merlin was *blushing*, his face was beetroot red, even his ears were red, Gwaine didn’t think he’d ever seen ears so pink. Gwaine grinned his most evil grin, enjoying the way that this caused the blush to spread down Merlin’s neck towards his confounded neckerchief. What was he hiding with that thing, anyway?

“How do you… p…p…pleasure a woman?”

Gwaine stared at him, and willed himself not to chuckle. He hadn’t known that Merlin was courting. He wondered who the lucky lady might be, as he swallowed down a faint pang of jealousy. Merlin had grown to be a fine-looking man, lean and lithe, all slender hips and wiry strength. Why shouldn’t he have found someone to be intimate with?

Merlin hastened to fill the silence. This, at least, was normal Merlin behaviour.

“Well, I know what to do, you know, to give her issue, and so forth, and it’s very easy for a man to feel pleasure when he is with a woman, but it is surely better for the woman to feel pleasure too, and, I have heard that women sometimes do. You know. Feel the same… erm… sort of *ahem*… erm… *culmination*,” Merlin was fiddling with his neckerchief, his eyes darting around the room and determinedly not meeting Gwaine’s amused eyes, during this speech, “as men do. And also that, well, some women don’t, not so easily, I think, but I have heard from the kitchen staff that you know how to do it, and well, I wondered if you would, as you’re my friend, if you wouldn’t mind. Well. Teaching me?”

And finally he looked straight at Gwaine with those wide innocent-looking blue eyes and really Gwaine couldn’t say no to a request like that, could he. Gwaine imagined those blue eyes closed in the throes of passion, that long neck stretched and vulnerable, that face, pink and debauched, buried between a buxom wench’s thighs. His cock began to harden.

“I’m not sure,” he said, playing for time as he started to suck down the remains of his own beer. He was sure all right. “I’ll have to think about it. What’s in it for me?” He was only teasing, really. The opportunity of debauching innocent Merlin was too delicious to resist. But Merlin, bless him, was considering his words.

“I know it’ll be tricky,” he said finally. “But maybe, maybe you could teach me…” and Merlin blushed again, looking up to the heavens as he finished his sentence in one breath “how to pleasure a man at the same time…”

Gwaine almost choked, spitting out his beer. Merlin looked at him in surprise. “If that sounds too horrible, oh forget it, sorry,” he blurted.

“No no no no no, it’s fine,” Gwaine spluttered. “You are full of surprises tonight, Merlin. All right, I accept.”

“You do?”

“Absolutely. I accept both assignments.” Oh yes, he certainly did, he thought fervently. “When do we start?”

Merlin looked thoughtful. “I don’t have another night off for a week,” he said.

“All right,” said Gwaine. “I’ll cancel my plans for the rest of the evening.” He might as well, his cock already had. He pulled Merlin to his feet and treated him to his best leer. “You, beautiful, are coming back to my lodgings for some tuition.” Casually leaving some coins on the table he dragged Merlin home with him.

~#~

Gwaine’s lodgings were bare and sparsely furnished, his clothes strewn all over the room. He beckoned Merlin over to the bed and gently touched Merlin’s chin.

“The first thing you need to know about pleasuring a woman,” he said gravely, gazing into Merlin’s eyes, only to check that he was paying attention, and definitely not because they were really a most startling shade of blue, oh no, “is that she needs to be wooed. Start gently with some kisses, and tell her you think she’s the most beautiful person you have ever met. Tell her how much you desire her. Oh, and be sincere, or she’ll think that you’re just saying anything to get between her legs. So if, for example,” his eyes roved across Merlin for inspiration, “she has really huge and ridiculous ears, don’t insult her intelligence by saying that you think they are really sweet. All right?”

“All right,” said Merlin.

“Set yourself a goal that this is all about her pleasure, not yours. You’ll reach yours anyway. Women know if that’s the only thing on your mind. They’re not stupid.”

“Kiss. Not stupid. Not big ears. Right,” said Merlin, looking a bit glazed. Gwaine sighed. He wasn’t sure that his friend had understood.

“Try it on me,” said Gwaine-only to check whether the message had got across, and not anything to do with him wanting Merlin to kiss him, indeed no. Merlin nodded and cleared his throat. He kissed Gwaine gently on the lips.

“Gwaine,” he said seriously, his blue eyes, nearly black in the candlelight, roaming appreciatively round Gwaine’s body. “I think you’re absolutely breathtaking.” His voice sounded hoarse and husky and it went straight to Gwaine’s loins. Merlin moistened his lips and leaned in again with a determined expression on his face, placed gentle lips on Gwaine’s and turned his head, moaning into Gwaines mouth. “Gwaine,” Merlin went on. “I love your lissom, muscly body, your warm, generous heart and your mouth, Gwaine, your mouth, I want to feel it, let me feel it Gwaine, I will die without it.” Gwaine swallowed. Fuck. Merlin was good at this.

He lost himself in the kiss for a moment, his mouth melting into Merlin’s. Merlin hummed his approval; the sound vibrated in Gwaine’s mouth. Gwaine fought himself and finally won, extracting himself with a regretful sigh.

“Good,” he said, voice cracking only a tiny bit. “Now, the second thing to remember is that a woman feels love with her whole body, not just her cunt. Although obviously that is an important bit.” He put a finger to Merlin’s lips before Merlin could say anything in reply. “Who’s the teacher here?” Gwaine chided. “Let me finish. Make sure, with your hands and your mouth, that she feels every part of her body is loved, that she feels your overwhelming passion for her over every inch of her skin. Gently unwrap her womanly folds with your fingers, and your tongue, before you bury your prick inside her. Then she will be rewarded with such bliss as she never imagined when you finally fuck her.

“Your lips, your tongue and your fingers teach her how much you love her, and your prick tells her how much you want her.”

“Show me what to do with my mouth,” Merlin whispered. “Use my mouth, pretend it’s her… you know…cunt.”

Gwaine gulped. Merlin’s lips were parted and his mouth was a dark chasm. Gwaine pressed his lips to Merlin’s and allowed his tongue to snake between them, swirling round Merlin’s mouth. Merlin stilled at first, surprised, and then responded with enthusiasm. His tongue, probing and determined in Gwaine’s mouth, hinted at Merlin’s potential in other areas and Gwaine groaned. Merlin started to improvise, employing his teeth and lips and tongue to nip and lick and press into Gwaine, burying his hands in Gwaine’s hair to pull him closer, aligning his body against Gwaine’s.

Again, Gwaine forced himself to withdraw, panting. He looked at Merlin’s flushed face, the way Merlin’s hair was sticking up at a ridiculous angle, the dark mark where Gwaine had grabbed the back of Merlin’s neck to pull him in closer, and he was lost for a moment.

“Are you all right?” said Merlin, concerned. The bloody idiot seemed to have no idea what effect he was having, thought Gwaine. Fuck, that was possibly the most erotic kiss he’d ever had.

Gwaine huffed, and said, “Fine. I reckon you should try out these tips on your lady and let me know how you get on. There are some other things I can teach you but right now I’m so horny I can’t think straight.”

Merlin gulped. “Me too,” he said. “Do you want me to…”

“Finish me off,” Gwaine croaked. “Yes, please.” There was some energetic fumbling as the two men loosened their breeches. When both they finally sprang free Gwaine looked down and squeaked. “All the gods and demons, Merlin!” he exclaimed. “Do you really mean to tell me you need guidance on how to pleasure a woman when you have a member like that?” For Merlin’s cock, thick as a fence post, stood a full eight inches proud. Possibly nine, Gwaine amended. And when Merlin lined the two of them up next to each other, and wrapped them in his long, bony fingers, tugging and twisting just right, it was the matter of only a few moments for Gwaine to spill over Merlin’s hand with a sharp cry, followed shortly by Merlin himself. Merlin, ever solicitous, then blushed and apologised, the idiot, when it was all Gwaine could do not to beg him for a repeat performance.

“Well,” croaked Gwaine finally. “I think you need to work on your technique a bit. Probably best if we try to meet up again, as soon as possible, for some more. You know. Tuition. Before you try to put this into practice with the lady in question.”

Merlin nodded, trustingly, as he rearranged himself and mopped up the mess on their trousers.

“All right,” he said. “I’ll see if I can persuade Arthur to let me have another night off.”

Gwaine grinned, nodding. “See that you do,” he said.

~#~

Arthur was comfortably seated at his desk, reviewing some reports from Ascetir, when Merlin strode in without knocking.

“Sire,” he said excitedly. Arthur sighed. He had long ago given up trying to persuade his manservant to knock at the door, but really Merlin should know better than to call him Sire when they were in the privacy of his chambers. It seemed that Merlin’s understanding of the respect that should be accorded to the King was inversely related to the importance of the situation, thought Arthur tiredly, running a hand across his eyes.

“What is it, Merlin?” he said.

“I have been looking into that matter you asked me about. The matter of…” Merlin coughed, delicately. “erm, delicacy that you brought before me the other day.” Arthur’s ears pricked up. He had been hoping for some progress on this matter. Perhaps Merlin had found some useful information in Geoffrey’s library.

“You have been discreet. I hope,” said Arthur.

“Oh yes sire,” Merlin nodded. “Don’t need to worry on that account.”

“Good.” Arthur signalled for Merlin to approach him. “What have you learned?”

“Well. Sire. Arthur.” Merlin began, blushing and failing to meet Arthur’s eyes.

“Spit it out Merlin.”

“It seems, Arthur, that there are indeed some useful techniques you can employ, using hands and tongue, which act serendipitously to heighten the lady’s erm. Enjoyment . Of the conjugal act.”

Arthur had never heard Merlin use such long words before.

“Do you even know what those words mean?” he said, frowning.

“S…Arthur?”

“Never mind. All right Merlin, what are these ‘techniques’”.

“I have not yet fully understood them sir, I only wished to report that progress is being made, and to seek permission for some time to pursue some promising lines of enquiry.”

“Very well Merlin, you may be relieved of your evening duties for a few days. I look forward to hearing more when your researches are concluded.”  Merlin nodded and, dismissed, left the room. And was Arthur imagining things, or was Merlin’s step a little perkier than usual, his face a little bit chafed? And what was that suspicious-looking bruise that was not fully hidden by the ludicrous neckerchief Merlin always wore?

Arthur wondered what nature of “research” Merlin had been conducting, and fought down a sudden twinge of jealousy at the thought that Merlin might finally be acquiring some practical experience in these matters.

On to Part 2