Hurt (fic) Part 3
Merlin figured he would have to sneak back to his room, and hope to avoid anyone seeing him in a towel, after a shower. He felt like a bit of an idiot, forgetting to grab some clean clothes to get dressed into, but he figured it would be okay if he could do the five metre dash from the common bathroom to his room, without being seen.
He poked his head outside the bathroom door, checking to see that the hallway was empty, then gathered up his stuff in a bundle and ran for it, made it round the corner, and skidding to a stop when he saw Arthur standing outside his door. Arthur turned around at the sound, saw Merlin dripping on the floor, and boggled at him. They both began to blush, Merlin 'cos he was naked in a hallway with Arthur, Arthur because Merlin was nearly naked in front of him. Not being able to help himself, he was, shall we say, carefully observing Merlin, with what he hoped was a subtle glance. Merlin meanwhile, thought there was nothing subtle about the way the Arthur was darting his eyes up and down his lean body.
Somebody had to get a grip, and fast. "Give me a minute, just gotta get changed." With that, Merlin charged past Arthur, into his room, slammed the door, and dressed in twenty seconds, then opened the door to see Arthur standing there, blush receding from his cheeks, clearly amused. "Do you often run around college bare ass naked, Merlin, or just on a dare?"
Merlin could see the funny side, sort of. "I forgot to bring some clean clothes, and no, I don't do it all that often."
Arthur smirked, "Shame, I might have set my alarm to stalk around the hallway."
Merlin's breath hitched, which he then attempted to hide with a cough. "Wanna go downstairs, and get a hot chocolate?"
Arthur scrunched up his face, but then acquiesced, figuring Merlin probably deserved the chance to regain his composure. They ambled down to the common room, and settled into the lumpy couches, cradling their hot chocolates, and sharing a bag of potato chips Merlin bought from the vending machine. They flicked on the television, and watched Masterchef, occasionally commenting on which of the contestants they most wanted to see eliminated, and noting which food looked disgusting, and which dishes looked vaguely edible.
At one point, Merlin looked over at Arthur, who was looking directly at him. Crap, thought Merlin, I can't ever look at him without being busted, can I? At which point, their second snogging fest began. They were soon entwined on the couch, heedless of anyone else who might wander into the common room. Arthur ruffled Merlin's hair, felt it slip cleanly through his fingers, and continued his caress down Merlin's nape, sliding up and down. Merlin's legs were splayed around Arthur's waist as he wriggled closer to Arthur. Their lips brushed together, Merlin groaned when Arthur ran his tongue over and sucked his lower lip. He pushed his tongue into Merlin's mouth, flicking his tongue over Merlin's, as they both felt the wet, smooth pulse of their tongues joined in a dance. Merlin thrust his tongue so far into Arthur's mouth that he strained it, in his efforts to feel into Arthur deeper, to never let go of this moment and be lost in Arthur's kiss.
They finally paused, although Merlin continued to flutter kisses onto Arthur's chin and neck, licking and nibbling at Arthur's Adams Apple, but managing to say, "Let's go to my room?"
"Your room?" Arthur looked at Merlin, suddenly guarded.
"Yes, my room," Merlin ploughed on, despite sensing hesitancy in Arthur, "I'll grant you, it's not the Taj Mahal, but it's a bit more private than where we are right now. I even cleaned up before, so no dirty clothes on the floor. C'mon Arthur, how bad could it be to slum it my humble room for a while?" Merlin said it teasingly, but Arthur knew that there was a thread of anxiety underneath, that perhaps Merlin felt Arthur was backing away, that he didn't want to take this any further.
Arthur looked around the common room, it was surprisingly empty, but Merlin was right, there was every chance that someone, anyone, could walk in on them. Even Lachlan or Alexander could wander in and that was the last situation Arthur wanted to find himself in. He grabbed Merlin's hand, and led him back to Merlin's room.
Merlin let them into his room, flicked on the light and shut the door behind them, pressing down the lock, and was pinned to the door before even getting the chance to turn around. He laughed in surprise, not expecting Arthur's sudden attack. Arthur was pressing against the entire length of Merlin's body, while breathing kisses on the back of his neck. Merlin tried to turn around, but Arthur held him in place.
Merlin nearly broke his neck to look towards Arthur, "Are you going to let me move, you prat, or do you intend to fuck me against this door?"
Arthur was still enveloping Merlin, "Haven't decided yet," and then began to grind himself against Merlin, the bulge in his jeans rubbing against Merlin's cute little bottom. Merlin meanwhile decided that maybe a bit of stripping might move things along, so grabbed at his T-shirt and dragged it over his head. Arthur was all eyes now, and quickly spun Merlin around to get a better view. He looked slowly at Merlin, taking in his slender, lithe body, his black jeans slung enticingly low on his waist. Arthur's hands caressed the flat, smooth stomach, the slim waist, and then he looked into Merlin's delft blue eyes, now expressive of longing almost to the point of sorrow. That look nearly broke Arthur, but somehow, they would do this and he would not hurt Merlin, would not lose the trust he saw in those eyes.
Merlin took the opportunity to relieve Arthur of some of his clothes, beginning with his T-shirt. Arthur was lightly tanned on his arms and neck, and pale under his T-shirt line. Merlin touched Arthur almost reverently, tracing the muscles in his arms, before moving to his defined stomach and chest, and finally along Arthur's collarbone. Arthur held Merlin's arms and walked them both, Merlin backwards, towards Merlin's bed and pushed Merlin down onto the duvet. Arthur quickly caged him with his arms and body, "Not letting you get away."
Merlin hooted a laugh, "Who said I was going anywhere? Now that I have you in my lair, Arthur, you're at my mercy." Merlin grabbed Arthur's arse, and drew Arthur into another long kiss. Arthur was grappling with Merlin's belt buckle, and was triumphant as it opened up, flinging the belt away like he was a lion tamer cracking a whip. Merlin cackled and shimmied out of his jeans, and was lying stretched out before Arthur in just his black boxer briefs. Arthur attacked his chest and stomach with his mouth, while simultaneously trying to wriggle out of his own pants, and Merlin's long arms were straining to assist him.
They were both starting to get a little bit desperate, with all the wriggling and squirming against each other, and Merlin was hard, and he felt Arthur's cock pressing in hard against his inner thigh. "Do you want to fuck me?", he whispered to Arthur.
Arthur responded by drawing down Merlin's briefs and nearly swallowing the length of Merlin's cock, and Merlin had to stifle a scream, it felt so good. Arthur swirled his tongue up and around the length, before teasing at the slit, circling around and around and pressing in over and over. Merlin was arching up to meet Arthur's furiously working mouth, he couldn't help himself, though Arthur pushed him down, and wrestled his legs as far apart as they could go.
"Oh, arhh, Arthur, that feels amazing," Merlin panted, still wriggling as Arthur sucked him off while his hands were moulding Merlin's arse like he was a potter working with clay. He was creating his masterpiece, Merlin breathless and losing it as he progressed inevitably closer to climax. He could feel it was close now, and he continued moving his mouth up and down, and around the head, a deep groan wrenched out of Merlin as he came. Arthur moved his mouth out of the way, letting the come spill out onto Merlin's stomach, though some ended up on Arthur, inevitably. Arthur looked at Merlin, who was utterly spent and relaxed, and he felt a sense of power at having brought Merlin off.
Merlin looked at Arthur in a daze, and there may as well have been a circle of love hearts and cupids floating around Arthur's face, from the frankly lovesick expression that Merlin now wore. However, Arthur wasn't done with him yet, and lay next to Merlin, his own erection still manifestly obvious. He gently moved Merlin into a prone position, and whispered into Merlin's ear, "Okay if I fuck you?"
Merlin nuzzled into the pillow and duvet, he felt as wobbly as a bowl of jelly, and at this point, wanted nothing more than for Arthur to have his way with him. "Yes please, Arthur, don't make me beg!"
Arthur didn't need much more invitation than that, and using some lubricant that he found in the bedside table, used his fingers to slowly open Merlin's hole, savouring the tight warmth, working in first one, then two fingers, moving in and out and around. Merlin was gasping with pleasure, as Arthur used his free hand to stroke up and down his side, a gesture he found comforting and sweet. He then fitted a condom on, and satisfied that Merlin was ready, guided his lubed cock into Merlin's hole. His first few strokes were gentle, but it was enough for Merlin to groan again, a mixture of pleasure and discomfort.
"It's okay Arthur, you can go faster, c'mon", Merlin gasped, writhing, and moving his head from side to side.
Arthur began to work himself a lot harder now, thrusting and slamming into Merlin in earnest, instinct taking over. He was pushing himself up and working himself so deep into Merlin, as deep as he could go, occasionally Merlin would moan loudly as he hit a certain angle, but Arthur was too far gone to think of anything other than driving himself in further and further, Merlin continuing to encourage him, panting "faster" occasionally, until Arthur finally came, a rush of spunk pouring out, thrusting through his ejaculation. He flopped on top of Merlin, loving the feeling of his lean, bony body underneath him, spreading himself over Merlin in a heavy hug. Merlin grinned in satisfaction, sated, and his lover sated. He only thought this to himself, but it felt like everything he'd ever wanted in that moment.
As the rush died down and Arthur began to think clearly again, it dawned on him that technically he'd won his bet with Lachlan and Alexander. It occurred to him that this evening was either the best thing he'd ever done, or the worst mistake of his life.
It was Wednesday night, and Merlin and Arthur were in Arthur's room, studying, of all things. Merlin figured somewhere in between classes, his part-time waiting job and seeing Arthur, he might actually need to pick up a book now and then, unless failing some or all of his subjects was his ambition for the year. As it was not, he had suggested that he and Arthur do some reading together. It was actually helpful that Arthur was a couple of years ahead of him in his Law Degree, he was familiar with the cases Merlin had to trawl through for Contract Law and Criminal Law, and could pat a sympathetic hand on Merlin's shoulder when his eyes began to swim from too many long words, which formed too many long sentences, which went on for too many long pages. In small print. Not good.
"Gwaine is right, you should split up your reading between him, you and Morgana, and now before you get too much further in." Arthur was looking at Merlin, sitting on Arthur's bean bag, and smiled as once again the heavy Contract Law casebook slid off Merlin's lap. Merlin picked the book up with a sigh, acknowledged Arthur's suggestion with a grunt, and continued to read.
Arthur was flopped on his stomach, his Macroeconomics reader spread out in front of him. He had been on the same page for the last twenty minutes. He wasn't sure whether his inability to focus was due to a) proximity of Merlin, within touching distance, but doing a believable impersonation of aloof as he buried his head in his book, b) extreme tiredness from previous three nights of shagging with Merlin, or c) wanting to have sex, so that he could get Merlin off his mind, and get back to concentrating on the task at hand. It would seem though, that for tonight at least, Merlin would be having none of it. Merlin had three tutorials tomorrow, and Arthur knew that his Macroeconomics lecture would sound like gibberish if he did not at least try to read the set articles. He sighed, and flipped the page.
They continued in companionable silence for some time, until Merlin broke it by announcing, "I'm hungry."
"Hmmn, you had dinner only an hour and a half ago," retorted Arthur, who was disciplined about not eating after dinner.
"Yeah, but I always have a small snack after dinner, I hate studying on an empty stomach."
"Come and lie on my stomach, you won't feel empty then." Arthur grinned at Merlin, like he had made the wittiest joke ever.
"For pity's sake Arthur, we're supposed to be studying, for just one night."
"Okay, okay. I was only joking, babe." Arthur needed something else to distract him, so he inspected the contents of his wardrobe, where he kept his own snacks in case he ever got hungry. "Wanna apple?", he held it aloft, and when Merlin nodded, threw it underarm to him, and Merlin managed a one hand catch. Arthur tried once again to engross himself in his reading, but kept sneaking surreptitious glances, as Merlin crunched away at the apple. Good lord, he was beautiful, taking crisp bites, his other hang splayed out on his thigh as he concentrated on the latest case.
Arthur leaned down over the side of the bed, and as if being absent minded, began to play with Merlin's ankle, where his jeans had ridden up, and his socks slouched down. He massaged the thin, tight tendon at the back, and soothed and caressed both bony sides, feeling the dip back into the leg, and then down, spreading his fingers under Merlin's sock to massage the top of his foot. Merlin stretched his foot out a bit, and gave a contented sigh as Arthur began to use more pressure, kneading tension and stress out of Merlin. Of course, Arthur being Arthur, he gradually moved his hand a little further up, bit by bit, massaging the calf under Merlin's jeans, being gradually restrained by the fabric, but still pressing on.
Merlin had given up the pretence of reading and was smiling as he watched Arthur struggle to push his hand up through Merlin's jeans leg. "Arthur, I can tell you are going to be a terrible study partner."
"I am a fantastic study partner, I'm giving you a foot rub to aid your concentration."
"Uh-huh, except that's not my foot." Merlin heaved up his chest in a mock sigh, and said "I guess I'm just going to have to spend more time with Gwaine and Morgana if I want any chance at actually passing."
"Yes, but they wouldn't do what I am right now," Arthur kneaded Merlin's calf to emphasise his point.
Merlin was laughing, "That's exactly my point, you twit, although Gwaine, you never can tell. He'd probably do anything for a dare, or a bet, even cuddle me!"
Merlin meant it as a silly joke, and was perplexed when Arthur froze, and then abruptly removed his hand from Merlin's leg. He jumped back onto his bed, and began reading his macroeconomics reader.
Merlin started to babble, "Sorry, did I say something stupid? I mean, I know I did, but you know, I wouldn't, do that with Gwaine, you're not jealous are you, 'cos I wouldn't..."
"It's nothing Merlin, it's fine, I should get through this reading, and you should get yours done too, or like you said, you'll get terrible marks. Let's just read, okay."
"Mmmph, okay Arthur." Merlin buried his head in his book, still feeling a sense that something was bothering Arthur, but deciding to leave it alone, for now.
Merlin was more distracted than usual during his Criminal Law tutorial, Morgana flicked the back of his neck when she noticed he was looking at the page of questions from the previous week.
Leaning into him, Morgana whispered, "Are you okay?"
Merlin muttered under his breath, "Fine."
"Why are you looking at last week's questions?"
"Huh!" Merlin squinted at the page and realised Morgana was right, and hurriedly turned the page to find the actual questions he was supposed to be considering.
"What's up?"
"Nothing!"
"Something to do with Arthur?" Morgana for once, looked sincere, instead of mocking. Was he really that easy to read?
"Maybe."
"You like him, don't you?"
"Yeah, but don't tell him, it's a secret!"
"Huh, yeah you wouldn't know unless you had eyes. Which I do, Merlin, so tell me what's going on with you two."
"You are such a snoop."
"I'm your friend Merlin. I'm concerned for you, you seem...out of it today, and I want to know why."
Merlin shrugged his shoulders. If he was honest, he was not really sure what was up with him, just a sense of unease over Arthur's strange reaction last night to his comment about Gwaine. He had not been around that morning when they'd usually chat easily together in the dining hall over breakfast, and so had not arranged to meet up for lunch. Not that Merlin wanted to feel so needy and possessive about Arthur, for pity's sake, needing to track him every moment of the day. It was just that it seemed like more than coincidence that he had not heard from Arthur at all today, after his silly comment about Gwaine last night. Even as Merlin had left to go back to his own room, Arthur had seemed distant, cold. Perhaps Arthur was more sensitive about that kind of teasing than Merlin would have thought.
He couldn't really tell Morgana about any of this, because as far as even his friends were concerned, his relationship with Arthur was still nothing more than a bit of flirting. He was positive that Morgana thought that he had a massive crush on Arthur, but would flip out if he told her any details of how far they had progressed. Something was holding Arthur back, from being open, and maybe that was just because it was still early days. Merlin didn't want to go blabbing if that would make Arthur regret anything, so he was determined to keep silent.
"Okay, so I'm getting the silent treatment, am I?"
"No, there's just nothing much to tell, that's all. Okay, I like him, is that what you wanted to hear, Morgana?"
"Don't get tetchy, you just seem out of sorts, and I wanted to know why."
Merlin smiled at her ruefully, "Sorry, Morgana, I didn't mean to snap at you. Can we just leave it, please?"
Morgana nodded, and looked back towards the tutor, trying to take in the rest of the discussion, while Merlin made copious notes. All of the words he furiously typed didn't seem to make the slightest bit of sense.
As they finished up the tutorial, Morgana grabbed Merlin's shoulder, "C'mon, I'm meeting Freya for coffee, wanna come?"
"Yeah, alright." Merlin would be glad to chat with Morgana and Freya about anything, any topic, except Arthur Pendragon.