100 Things to Read #18
Title: Let me be your canvas
Author: marguerite_26
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 11,600
Link 1: http://merlin-holidays.livejournal.com/44231.html
Link 2: http://marguerite-26.livejournal.com/631819.html
Author's Summary: Merlin wants a tattoo. And maybe the tattoo artist as well.
In celebration of the new ink I got today, I'll recommend this story, which I found earlier this month.
I love a good tattoo story, and this is perfect. Merlin's in high school (or, uh, something like that--I cannot figure out the British schooling system, but he's 18 and living at home with Hunith), Arthur's a bit older and a tattoo artist. Merlin (an artist in his own right--all sorts of sexy creative boys all up in this story) decides he wants a tattoo and finds his way to Arthur's shop. There's this scene with Arthur doing some test drawings on Merlin (freehand!), so Merlin can see what the various options might be and decide from there what he'd like, and it's such an incredible scene. Anyone who doesn't think of ink (good ink) as sensual should read it.
Here's a little bit of it:
[Wordporn: Arthur drawing on Merlin....]
The first touch is a finger pressed to Merlin’s lower back. He breathes deeply, concentrating on keeping still and not squirming despite the sudden heat in his groin at the intimacy of the contact. The fine point of the pen is next, cool and slick, sliding over his skin in a delicate curve. The swipes are broad and confident. Eyes falling shut, Merlin tries to decipher the design but he can’t even form a guess. For all he knows, Arthur’s drawing stick-figure porn across his back.
He’s surprisingly fast. Merlin feels him move onto a different design at his shoulder blade. This time the marks are quick and jerky and make him shiver until Arthur’s finally satisfied with that one and moves on to long flowing tendrils down his side that have to be vines of some sort. Merlin doesn't dare look.
Forty minutes have passed on the timer when Arthur asks him to flip over. Assuming he’s done, Merlin sits up. There are three tattoos penned on his back at least and he’s anxious to have a good look at them.
But Arthur huffs. "I said flip over. Which means lay on your back, Merlin." The words are slow and over pronounced.
Merlin rolls his eyes, but complies anyway. His breath hitches when Arthur starts the next design - a dagger - below Merlin’s left nipple and he realises the advantage of lying on his stomach was that the bulge in his trousers was completely hidden.
The alarm goes off at some point, but Arthur just smacks the button at the top and goes back to detailing the handle.
"Stand up." Arthur looks at Merlin, tapping his finger to his lip. He's got a smear of ink on his face. He grabs a padded stool and kneels on it. When he starts drawing on Merlin's hip, his elbow grazes the fine hairs below Merlin’s navel and Merlin’s eyes cross.
And, god, what Excalibur is and what Merlin does with it... sigh (the good kind of sigh!).
marguerite_26's stories are all completely awesome. I'm glad I have an appropriate one to use for today!
ETA: I'm a Merlin girl, but... at the beginning, Arthur's wearing a black button-down shirt. That is just... unbelievably hot. Can't you see him? All blond and blue-eyed and black-shirted?? I guess I have some sort of shirt kink. Unf. ♥
Author: marguerite_26
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 11,600
Link 1: http://merlin-holidays.livejournal.com/44231.html
Link 2: http://marguerite-26.livejournal.com/631819.html
Author's Summary: Merlin wants a tattoo. And maybe the tattoo artist as well.
In celebration of the new ink I got today, I'll recommend this story, which I found earlier this month.
I love a good tattoo story, and this is perfect. Merlin's in high school (or, uh, something like that--I cannot figure out the British schooling system, but he's 18 and living at home with Hunith), Arthur's a bit older and a tattoo artist. Merlin (an artist in his own right--all sorts of sexy creative boys all up in this story) decides he wants a tattoo and finds his way to Arthur's shop. There's this scene with Arthur doing some test drawings on Merlin (freehand!), so Merlin can see what the various options might be and decide from there what he'd like, and it's such an incredible scene. Anyone who doesn't think of ink (good ink) as sensual should read it.
Here's a little bit of it:
[Wordporn: Arthur drawing on Merlin....]
The first touch is a finger pressed to Merlin’s lower back. He breathes deeply, concentrating on keeping still and not squirming despite the sudden heat in his groin at the intimacy of the contact. The fine point of the pen is next, cool and slick, sliding over his skin in a delicate curve. The swipes are broad and confident. Eyes falling shut, Merlin tries to decipher the design but he can’t even form a guess. For all he knows, Arthur’s drawing stick-figure porn across his back.
He’s surprisingly fast. Merlin feels him move onto a different design at his shoulder blade. This time the marks are quick and jerky and make him shiver until Arthur’s finally satisfied with that one and moves on to long flowing tendrils down his side that have to be vines of some sort. Merlin doesn't dare look.
Forty minutes have passed on the timer when Arthur asks him to flip over. Assuming he’s done, Merlin sits up. There are three tattoos penned on his back at least and he’s anxious to have a good look at them.
But Arthur huffs. "I said flip over. Which means lay on your back, Merlin." The words are slow and over pronounced.
Merlin rolls his eyes, but complies anyway. His breath hitches when Arthur starts the next design - a dagger - below Merlin’s left nipple and he realises the advantage of lying on his stomach was that the bulge in his trousers was completely hidden.
The alarm goes off at some point, but Arthur just smacks the button at the top and goes back to detailing the handle.
"Stand up." Arthur looks at Merlin, tapping his finger to his lip. He's got a smear of ink on his face. He grabs a padded stool and kneels on it. When he starts drawing on Merlin's hip, his elbow grazes the fine hairs below Merlin’s navel and Merlin’s eyes cross.
And, god, what Excalibur is and what Merlin does with it... sigh (the good kind of sigh!).
marguerite_26's stories are all completely awesome. I'm glad I have an appropriate one to use for today!
ETA: I'm a Merlin girl, but... at the beginning, Arthur's wearing a black button-down shirt. That is just... unbelievably hot. Can't you see him? All blond and blue-eyed and black-shirted?? I guess I have some sort of shirt kink. Unf. ♥