Kept us Awake with Wolf Teeth
Title: Kept us awake with wolves teeth
Rating: Explicit
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Summary:Merlin and Arthur have one of those friendships where they're just so comfortable with each other they see no problem in sleeping in the same bed together
Authors note: This was prompted on the kinkmeme... and I sort of followed it to a point, and then took a trip somewhere less relevant.
It’s always around four in the morning that Arthur starts saying really weird shit that he’s always embarrassed about when he wakes up sometime in the afternoon. And luckily for him Merlin just snorts into his pillow or rolls his eyes or opts for smashing his hand against Arthur’s face. This time it comes in the form of a question.
Merlin in sitting on the floor, his back against the bed while Arthur rips up bits of paper to sprinkle in his hair. It’s not enough to distract Merlin from shooting what is most likely a snotty twelve year old on Call of Duty. “Merrrrlin” Arthur rolls onto his back.
Merlin can’t be bothered to open his mouth and say more than a “hmm?”
Arthur wonders if he has enough time to think of something insightful or clever to say, but where’s the fun in that really? He knows what he wants to ask. “What’s it like having sex with a bloke?”
There’s an onslaught of bullets and the screen goes red. Merlin looks at him through narrowed eyes “What the fuck, Arthur?”
“It’s a simple question! I’m just curious I mean you’re the only gay person I know and you’re my best mate.” Arthur rolls onto his stomach and flexes his fingers against the sheets. “C’mon, tell meeee. I’ve known you forever, I used to take baths with you.”
Merlin snorts and scrubs his hand over his face “We were four, Arthur, and what does that have to do with my sex life. Besides, how do you know I’ve even had sex?”
Arthur smirks against his sheets “I was at that New Years party with you last year.” Merlin’s eyes go a bit wide and his red ears are visible even in the TV glow. “You hooked up with Gwaine in the bathroom. Oooohhh Gwaiine” Arthur makes his voice go all high pitch and who really cares that Merlin’s voice is deeper than his.
“Oh my fucking god.” Merlin mutters and then violently lashes out and smacks Arthur on the ear. “Why didn’t you tell me, you prick?! How many other people know?”
The ringing in Arthur’s ear slowly fades and he scowls at Merlin “Like half the school.” Merlin groans and buries his face in his hands “But only because Gwaine bragged about how great it was.” Arthur’s not entirely sure why the last statement comes out a little bitter.
Merlin shuffles around to face Arthur, blue eyes all wide and a picture of false innocence. “Gwaine said it was great?”
“Fuck off, just answer my question.”
Arthur taps on Merlin’s nose while he seems to ponder the question again. “Having sex with a man, mmm, well I suppose it’s a bit like having a cock up your arse.” He laughs like he’s just said the most clever fucking thing and Arthur groans loudly.
“Thanks” he grits out sarcastically.
Merlin climbs onto the bed and crowds Arthur against the wall “Get over it, some things you just aren’t meant to know about me.” And with those words Arthur swallows hard and tries not to think about how he maybe, a little bit jealously, thinks ‘I should know everything about you.’
This should be the moment when a sane person stops talking, curls up underneath the cover and fall asleep, but he’s Arthur Pendragon dammit, and it wouldn’t be a normal night with his best friend if he didn’t continue to push the boundaries. “Merlin?”
Merlin rubs his icy toes on Arthur’s leg and Arthur flinches “I hope you’re going to tell me that I get the good pillow tonight.” He says it while burying his face in the lumpy crap pillow that Morgana left on the bed after she had taken the matching good one.
The room is fairly quiet except for Merlin’s shuffling around in an attempt to make some sort of nest befitting of the hibernation patterns of a sixteen year old boy. Arthur inhales loudly but only to give Merlin fair warning that he’s going to be speaking nonsense into the air again. “If I was gay would you want to be with me?”
There’s no answering laugh or a palm pressing his head into the pillow and when Arthur looks over at Merlin his expression looks a little pained. “Arthur, don’t”
And this time Arthur knows that he’s crossed something here and tugs Merlin’s ear with an apologetic smile and swaps out their pillows and tries to fall asleep.
#
There’s a subtle brilliance to Arthur, but it’s overshadowed by his overwhelming need to insert his foot into his mouth and act generally prattish, but Merlin knows it’s there. So it’s unsurprising that he silently presses a flash drive into Merlin’s palm on Monday morning at school while Merlin stares blankly into his locker. “What’s this?” he thumbs at the shiny silver top and Arthur chews at the inside of his cheek.
“It’s the new Shins album, Port of Morrow” he’s got his eyes to the floor and Merlin’s wanted this album for a while now but Arthur’s been too damn lazy to make a copy for him.
He’s still punishing himself for asking too many questions that Saturday night in bed. Merlin huffs out a small laugh and messes Arthur’s hair up with his free hand. “Thanks, prat.”
And just like that Arthur’s gloominess has been whisked away and he digs his thumbs into Merlin’s sides making him choke on laughter and kick out at Arthur’s shins. They don’t have their first class together and Arthur is forced into sitting next to his villainous step sister, Morgana, who flips her hair over her right shoulders, decides better of it and flips it back over the left. “So I’ve been thinking about Gwaine.” She declares before the teachers even gotten into the room and Arthur rolls his eyes.
“He’s gay, he doesn’t want you ‘thinking’ about him.” He glances over at Gwaine, looking for all the world like he fell off the cover of a Mills & Boon’s novel.
Morgana’s laugh is light and airy and so very very misleading to innocent bystanders. “I imagine you’re talking about the thing with Merlin?”
There’s a stubborn silence between the Pendragon siblings when finally Arthur swivels in his seat and cocks an eyebrow “I imagine that I am. He made sure everyone knew how much he got off on it, ipso facto, gay.”
Morgana’s lush red lips are turned up in a smirk “Oooh Arthur, is that jealousy? Very unbefitting. That means nothing, Gwaine’s into both, also incorrect use of ipso facto.”
“Stop trying to stir up shit. And it’s not incorrect.” He snaps and spins back around in his chair.
“Arthur”
“Don’t talk to me” he hisses and surprisingly enough Morgana just huffs out in exasperation and falls into silence.
Arthur spends the class period vaguely aware of Vivian Abernathy doing her best to felate a pencil and glancing over at him. It’s distracting and really, she should work on her subtlety. But Arthur is a little frustrated with how aloof Merlin’s been and how Gwaine looks like he’s constantly got this stupid little smirk on his face, and he’s really really frustrated with Morgana sitting in eerie silence behind him. So when the bell rings and their teacher gestures vaguely for them to leave he pivots in his seat and gives Vivian a charmed smile. “Do you wanna go out some time?”
Vivian lights up and Morgana makes the most offended noise she can muster. Arthur doesn’t have time to care what Morgana thinks of his personal decisions and anyways Vivian is already chirping out an excited “Yes, I’ll make it worth your while.”
“Of course you will.” Arthur hoists himself to his feet and Morgana at least has the decency to wait until they’re out of the classroom to pinch the soft skin under his arm and reduce him to a stream of curse words.
“What’s wrong with you?” her eyes glint venomously
“Um, I asked Vivian out. And bugger off I don’t have to run my life decisions past you.” Arthur steels his jaw and Morgana looks seconds from murder.
But her face returns to it’s cool demeanor and she shoulders her bag “Maybe you should, that way they won’t be so bloody stupid.”
And just like that she’s gone into the wave of students moving through the hall. Arthur really doesn’t know what the big deal is, it’s one date and really he’s just looking at for at least a handjob in the back of a theatre or something of that nature. He moves quickly through the halls to a place where he’s hoping to get a little bit of reassurance. The art studio.
“Merlin” His voice is maybe just a little bit too loud but Will, the politically incorrect pervert that Merlin seems oddly fond of waves his hand in the area of the wash up room.
“Doing that thing… with his… y’know” Will doesn’t look up from the ornate bong he’s sculpting when he gestures to his head.
“Again? Alright, thanks… and don’t smoke out of that. Chemicals and that sort of thing.” Arthur doesn’t want it on his conscience if Will dies in an attempt to get high.
Will sneers at him “I’m gonna put a finish on it, yeah? Piss off.”
Arthur rolls his eyes and makes his way through the paint splattered door where Merlin has his head shoved under the faucet of the giant industrial sink. “Merlin, really?”
Merlin looks at him sideways under the stream of running water and smiles pathetically. “Yeah, I don’t know how this keeps happening.” His voice sound tinny as it echoes around the metallic basin.
“I do, it’s because you’re the only person in the world who is unaware of their own limbs.” Arthur steps over to help reach some of the blue paint streaked through the back of Merlin’s hair. “I need to tell you something.”
“Ah” Merlin fumbles for the faucet and reaches for a paint stained towel. “I knew it was too good to be true, you just coming for a visit.”
Arthur makes a whining noise in his throat and Merlin turns to him looking like a wet puppy with his hair all messed up. He gestures for Arthur to come out with whatever he has to say and Arthur shifts on his feet. “I asked Vivian out on a date.”
“Arrrthhurrr.” Merlin buries his face in his hands “Jesus, she’s a fucking idiot why would you ever, ever in your right mind do that?”
“She was sucking on this pencil the whole time in class and giving me looks, yeah. What was I supposed to do?” Arthur asks frantically, thinking that at least Merlin can sympathize with the prospect of receiving a blowjob.
“Ask someone else? Warm up your lotion before you wank? Really, anything at all would be a better idea.” Merlin throws the damp towel at Arthur’s face and Arthur follows him back into the studio.
“She’s fit though”
“She’s crazy”
Will glances up and flashes Merlin a crooked smile before asking “Who’s crazy?”
Merlin scrunches up his nose “Vivian Abernathy” he says it like the name pains him.
Will nods slowly but leans against the table and says “But she’s fit”
“See! See, Merlin, maybe it’s a straight guy thing?” Arthur nods at Will who surprisingly nods back.
“’S true, Merlin, you don’t even like tits, how are you gonna appreciate a good set of ‘em when you see ‘em?” Will shakes his head as if he’s experienced a great tragedy and mutters into his lap “Bloke that doesn’t like tits. ‘S not right.”
Merlin growls through clenched teeth and snaps out “I can appreciate tits, a… jesus I’m not having this conversation with you two anymore. Have you told Morgana?” He throws his messenger bag over his shoulder and Arthur trots after him into the hall.
“She was there when it happened.” He bounces around on his feet all nervous energy as he seeks his best friends approval and Merlin sighs.
“Alright, you know what it’s fine I get it you want to get off.” He sounds resigned “Do whatever, I’ll come pick you up when she starts making your wedding arrangements, just call me.”
Arthur throws his arms around Merlin’s skinny waist “Yaaaay.” He says it faintly into the side of Merlin’s neck and Merlin can’t fight back the laugh he’s struggling to hold back. “Hey, will you come over tonight?”
Merlin acts as if he’s contemplating it before he sighs out “Yeah alright, but only if I get the good pillow.”
And Arthur tugs at Merlin’s ear and walks with him to their next class.
#
It’s nearly five and Merlin still hasn’t come over. Arthur takes to rubbing his toes mindlessly across the carpet and wondering if he’s done something wrong. He laughs and it’s short and humorless. Merlin is never really mad at Arthur despite the countless number of insulting and stupid things he’s done throughout their friendship. When Merlin had come out to him when they were fourteen the first person he went to tell was Arthur and of course he had managed to fuck all of his best friend duties up completely. He winced thinking about the way he had laughed at Merlin who looked small and defeated sitting curled up on his floor and realizing he was serious, said “Well if you haven’t been with a girl, how would you know?” It wasn’t his shining moment. And yet Merlin still came over whenever Arthur asked, without a question as to why, and fit himself into Arthur’s too small bed between the wall and his friend.
He hears a knock at the front door and abruptly rolls out of the bed, barreling out of his bedroom and down the stairs, just barely avoiding a collision with Morgana. “Slow down, it’s for me this time.” She crosses her arms and Arthur sucks his teeth unbelievably.
“It’s Merlin, Morgana, come off it.”
Morgana flicks his nose and grins and it leaves Arthur only slightly fearful “It’s. For. Me” She enunciates each word and pulls the door open to the most annoying face Arthur’s ever seen.
“Gwaine?” Arthur can only stare at the boy in his doorway before glaring at Morgana and stomping away to the kitchen is frustration. He fumbles for a clean glass in the cupboard when he feels a hand on his back and he pitches forward, smacking his forehead against the wooden door. “Ow” the pain is already turning to a dull throb and he squints up at Gwaine himself.
Gwaine looks the picture of perfect apology when he says “Sorry, mate, didn’t think you would startle like that.”
“Yeah well” he presses the heel of his hand to his head, “Morgana wouldn’t touch me unless it was in an act of aggression, so it took me by surprise.”
Gwaine lets out a quick laugh and flips his ridiculous hair out of his eyes “Sorry, again. Um… you’re Merlin’s friend aren’t you?” and he has the gall to look nervous.
“I’m his best friend” Arthur corrects him, “Why, Gwaaiiinnee” he draws his name out sarcastically and the smirk on Gwaine’s face doesn’t even falter. He probably thinks Arthur is vibing with him, or joking, or fucking… whatever idiots like Gwaine do.
“Alright, that’s cool I was just going to ask how he’s doing.” He says easily and before Arthur can speak his front door is open and Merlin is stumbling through yelling out
“Arthur! Stop being a slut and answer your phone when I… oh shit, Gwaine… I…hi.”
There’s a faint ringing in Arthur’s ears from trying to comprehend everything that’s happened in the span of five minutes, while Gwaine puts on that shiny smile and saunters, fucking saunters, towards Merlin. “Merlin, I was just asking Arthur about you, it’s been a while.” Every word sounding like the most suggestive thing Arthur’s ever heard and when he sees Merlin blush and stumble on his words he’s sure he’s going to have to kill a small animal later to feel better. He feels something coiling angry in his stomach while Gwaine runs his thumb over Merlin’s cheekbone and Merlin is staring back at him with those wide blue eyes, biting lightly on his plump bottom lip, his black hair in perfect disarray from the wind and…oh. Arthur makes a firm decision to sleep with Vivian as soon as possible, he’s been out of commission for too long and is looking at his very male best friend like something he would very much like to fuck. Gwaine leans down and whispers something into Merlin’s ear that makes his eyes go wide and take a slight inhale and Arthur abandons the idea of getting a glass of water anymore.
“Yay, reunion over, Merlin come on.” He wraps a hand around Merlin’s wrist and sees Morgana still standing by the front door and there’s that smirk again.
When they get to Arthur’s room Merlin drops onto the floor with a great sigh and looks up at Arthur through his lashes. “Mmm I really like Gwaine. It was good to see him again.”
There’s a nasty comment threatening to escape from Arthur’s throat and he knows he can reduce Merlin to a hurt wreck and Arthur gets this terrible thought wondering if he could make him cry. When Merlin gives him a playful little smile Arthur has to sit down and press the heels of his hands hard into his eyes. There’s a shuffling sound of Merlin pulling himself across the carpet and he wraps his slender fingers around Arthur’s wrists lightly and says “Arthur, what’s wrong?”
His eyes are burning but he just shakes his head and taps at the scraped up bump forming from the cupboard door “Head just hurts, that’s all”
“Do you want me to get some ice? What happened?”
Arthur shrugs and tells him “Your boyfriend scared me and I hit my head on the cupboard.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, Arthur.” Merlin’s tone is cold and Arthur looks up to see him watching him with narrowed eyes.
The angry creases between Merlin’s eyebrows are so distracting that Arthur presses his thumb against them and forces out a cheerful laugh saying “It’s a joke, Merls, I’m only joking.”
Merlin rolls his eyes and swats at Arthur and just like that they fall into their comfortable back and forth.
http://colorwheel.livejournal.com/2027.html Part 2