[FIC] Camelot - Part II (Arthur/Merlin; NC-17)
The next several weekends continue in a similar way. They spend their breaks walking through the fair, visiting all the shops and watching the other shows, and whenever they get the chance they find a hidden spot and snog like mad. Arthur tries to teach Merlin how to use a bow and arrow at the Archery, but the tenth time Merlin's arrow hits the roof of their booth instead of the target they give it up as a bad job. They dare each other to eat as many turkey legs as they can and then ride the spinning maypole, and at The Glassblowing Shop Arthur buys him a dragon that Merlin names Kilgharrah. Merlin doesn't quite understand why The Tortuga Twins are called twins when there's three of them, but when he laughs so hard his side aches for the rest of the day he decides it really doesn't matter. The Ded Bob Sho and Hack and Slash are equally hilarious, and he has a hard time choosing which one he likes best. He learns that Tartanic is Arthur's favorite new show this season, and when he sees the men in kilts performing on stage it's obvious why (and it's not just for their fantastic legs).
Will doesn't say another word about Arthur, but Freya teases him mercilessly. "Merlin's got a boyfriend," she sing-songs late one Saturday night when the three of them have had too much to drink, and Merlin flushes and stumbles over his words as he tries to explain that no, they're not boyfriends, not yet, they just snog all over the place like randy teenagers and there will probably be sex sometime in the near future but they haven't actually gone on a date or even talked about it yet. Freya just looks doubtful and amused, and Merlin scowls and takes another shot of whiskey.
When Arthur realises that Merlin is slightly hungover the next day he laughs and laughs, and then gives Merlin a packet of paracetamol and a bottle of water.
"Are you sure it's safe to work with such dangerous birds when you got drunk the night before?" he asks, eyeing Merlin with a mixture of amusement and concern.
"It wouldn't be the first time," Merlin says, and his grateful smile falters when he realizes that he's been seriously considering telling Arthur that he's just going to magic the headache away. "Don't worry," he says instead. "The birds are well trained, and I honestly don't feel that bad."
"If you say so," Arthur says, and kisses him deep and quick before jogging off to get ready for his time in the arena.
It doesn't pass Merlin's notice that Arthur comes to watch as many of the Birds of Prey shows that day as his schedule allows.
During the week Merlin and Will are still working at Albion, and it's the Friday before the next-to-last weekend of the fair that Arthur shows up at the center. It's late, and they've already settled in all of the birds except Lucy, and done the end-of-day cleaning and maintenance before locking everything down. Merlin has had Lucy out in the field for most of the afternoon, trying to make up in advance for the weekend of separation, and as he approaches the fence at the edge of the field he sees a blond man waiting. It takes him a second to realize that it's Arthur in street clothes, and when he finally recognizes him his heart picks up speed.
"Come on, Lucy," Merlin says quietly. "I want you to meet someone."
Arthur looks up as Merlin gets closer, and the small, hopeful smile that appears on his face sends warmth blooming through Merlin's stomach.
"Hi," Merlin says a bit breathlessly. "What brings you to Albion?"
"Oh, I don't know," Arthur says, sliding his hands into his pockets and putting on an air of casualness. "I thought it'd be interesting to see some of the birds in their permanent home." He catches Merlin's eye. "Also, I was hoping you might agree to go out to dinner with me tonight."
Merlin makes a thoughtful noise. "Well, it's a bit last minute. Are you wanting to take me out for more of my delightful company or are you hoping to get me into bed?"
"Both," Arthur immediately says, and Merlin grins widely.
"In that case, absolutely yes."
Arthur returns the grin with a relieved one of his own. "Brilliant. So, um. What's this one named?" He nods toward Lucy as they start walking toward the back of the center.
"Arthur, meet Lucy," Merlin says, reaching up to stroke down her back. "She's been at Albion for about two months now. We rescued her from a couple of bastards who thought it was ok to keep her in a small, dark cage as a pet."
"That's awful," Arthur says, brows drawing together. "Does that happen often?"
Merlin frowns. "Unfortunately, yes. Some people just don't realize that birds like Lucy aren't pets, and that they need and deserve certain conditions and treatment. Not all of the birds at Albion are abuse survivors, though. Far too many of them were born in captivity, and others were injured in the wild and brought here for rehabilitation. Some we're able to fix up and re-release, but others are permanently damaged and have to remain."
"You really love working with them, don't you?" Arthur asks, something curious in his eyes as he looks at Merlin. "It's not just your job."
"No, it's not," Merlin agrees, smiling at Lucy as she shifts on the leather glove covering his arm. "They're part of me, and I can't imagine a life without them."
Arthur walks with Merlin as he returns Lucy to her aviary and heads for the main building. He finds Will waiting in the employee lounge, sprawled across a sofa with his eyes closed, and Merlin kicks him in the foot to get his attention. Will opens his eyes and glares up at Merlin, and then his gaze flicks to Arthur and he sits up, scowling.
"What's he doing here?"
Merlin rolls his eyes. "He is my ride for tonight, and quite probably in the morning as well, which means you can go ahead and go home."
"But-"
"You can have surprise-I'm-home-early sex with Freya," Merlin interrupts, trying not to grimace at the words.
Will pauses. "Right. See you tomorrow."
Merlin snorts in amusement as Will grabs his jacket and hurries out without another word. "It's just too easy sometimes."
He jumps in surprises when he feels Arthur press against his back, breath hot in his ear.
"Can I really stay until morning?"
Merlin swallows, a shiver sliding down his spine. "I'd like for you to. If you want."
Arthur hums in response and bites down on the lobe of Merlin's ear, sucking it into his mouth and making Merlin groan.
"How do you feel about take away?"
*
They barely make it through the door of Merlin's flat before Arthur's got him pinned against the wall, tongue delving deep into his mouth. Merlin whines and pushes his hips against Arthur's; he's been hard since they left the center, and he can easily feel Arthur's cock through his jeans. He reaches for the fly but Arthur bats his hands away, pulling back enough for Merlin to see how dark his eyes have gone.
"I want to suck you," Arthur says, flicking his tongue over his bottom lip.
Merlin chokes, the image making his cock throb painfully. "I'm certainly not going to argue with that."
Arthur laughs and presses a quick kiss to Merlin's mouth before dropping to his knees, hands coming up to tug at the button on Merlin's work trousers. Swallowing hard, Merlin grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls it off, tossing it somewhere in the vicinity of his couch. His heart is pounding in his chest, and the intense look on Arthur's face as he slides Merlin's trousers and shorts down doesn't help slow it down.
When Merlin feels the first lick of Arthur's tongue on the tip he shudders, hands clenching into fists against the wall behind him. Arthur glances up at him knowingly and then parts his lips to suck the head into his mouth. It's hot and wet and completely fucking brilliant, and then it gets better as he slides his mouth down the length, all the way to the base.
"Jesus fuck," Merlin breathes, head banging back against the wall. "Oh my god."
Arthur chuckles slightly and pulls back to lick around the head before diving back down. A loud groan is torn from Merlin's chest, and he looks down at where Arthur's lips are wrapped around his cock. He can't stop himself from watching as Arthur sucks him down again and again, and it's fast and messy and Merlin's breath keeps catching in his throat. When Arthur reaches for Merlin's hand and tugs it toward his head, Merlin decides he must have done something very, very right in his life. He drags his fingers through Arthur's soft hair and then tightens his grip, whimpering when Arthur makes a wrecked noise of approval. Trembling slightly, he brings his other hand down and cups Arthur's jaw, running his thumb along the place where his bottom lip is touching Merlin's cock. Merlin shudders and gives a small thrust, pushing his length further into Arthur's mouth, and Arthur glances up at him with dark, wicked eyes.
He tries not to thrust too deep as he fucks Arthur's mouth, but it's pretty much a lost cause. Arthur's making desperate, encouraging noises, fingers curled around the backs of Merlin's thighs and his lips red and swollen. It doesn't take long after that, and when Merlin comes his whole body jerks. Arthur swallows around him, drinking down the hot, sour fluid until there's nothing left and Merlin has to tug on his hair because it's starting to hurt. He pulls away and Merlin can see the way his cock is still straining against the material of his jeans.
"Bedroom," Merlin croaks out, and immediately toes off his socks and shoes so he can remove the rest of his clothing.
His legs are trembling as he leads the way to his room, and he can hear Arthur's harsh breathing behind him as he follows, dropping his own clothes on the floor as he takes them off. Merlin pulls out his bottle of lube and a condom from the top drawer of his nightstand and tosses them onto the bed before climbing onto the mattress.
"I'm not going to last long," Arthur says as he joins him, voice strained. His cock is hard and leaking, the vein on the underside clearly visible as he settles between Merlin's spread legs and reaches for the lubrication.
Merlin shakes his head and shifts to spread his legs wider. "Don't care. Just fuck me."
Arthur curses and quickly pours out a generous amount of lube onto his fingers. He doesn't bother warming it up before sliding two fingers knuckle deep into Merlin's hole. Merlin can't stop a soft noise from escaping as he feels himself stretch, and deliberately rocks down onto Arthur's fingers.
"Hurry it up," he demands, eager to have Arthur's cock filling him.
Arthur lets out a huff of laughter before adding a third finger and twisting his wrist, and Merlin nearly shouts when Arthur's fingers brush over his prostate. It's too much, and Arthur seems to sense that as he pulls his fingers free and reaches for the condom. He opens it and quickly rolls it on, spreading more lube over his cock before leaning forward and pushing into Merlin's hole. They both groan, loud and broken, and it burns as Merlin is stretched wide open. He raises his legs and grips his knees as he spreads himself further, allowing Arthur to sink fully inside, and fuck, he doesn't think he'll ever get tired of Arthur's cock filling him if it always feels this good.
Arthur braces himself on his hands above Merlin and starts fucking into him, thrusts long and hard and deep, and Merlin can do nothing but stare up at him and gasp for breath. The blue of Arthur's eyes is barely visible around his blown-wide pupils, and his hair is sticking to his forehead in sweaty clumps. It's the most beautiful thing Merlin's ever seen, and he realizes with a jolt that it's far too late to avoid getting his heart broken.
"Oh, fuck," he gasps just before Arthur leans down to kiss him, his mouth crushing Merlin's as his arms tremble. Merlin whines and moves to wrap his legs around Arthur's waist, pulling him deep, deeper, until Arthur chokes and curses and his hips stutter helplessly as he comes. He collapses on top of Merlin, breath hot in his ear, and Merlin swallows as he buries his hands in Arthur's hair and decides that he's not ever letting go.
*
Merlin wakes first the next morning, and takes a moment to let his eyes roam over Arthur's sleeping face before he presses a quick kiss to his temple and rolls out of bed. He's sore in all the right ways, and pulls on nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms before padding his way to the kitchen to start the coffee machine. They had never gotten around to ordering dinner the night before, so Merlin opens the refrigerator to get out some eggs and sausage for breakfast. He sets everything on the counter and turns to retrieve the pans from the cabinet-only to find them all in the sink, still unwashed from yesterday morning.
Merlin curses under his breath, and then sighs before holding out his hand toward the dirty dishes and whispering a cleaning spell. They're clean in an instant, and another wave of his hand sends all but the two pans he needs to the cabinets where they belong. He sets the frying pans on the range top and retrieves a bowl and whisk to mix the eggs, and has just cracked the last one into it when he feels a pair of arms slide around his bare waist. Startled, Merlin jumps and stiffens, and then relaxes back into Arthur's arms as he mouths kisses along Merlin's neck, his hard cock pressing against Merlin's arse.
"Morning," Arthur murmurs against Merlin's skin, his voice low and sleep-rough.
Merlin smiles and tilts his head to allow Arthur better access. "Morning," he says a bit breathlessly. "Want some breakfast?"
"In a bit," Arthur answers, reaching over to push the bowl of eggs to the side. He rocks his hips, sliding his hands into the waistband of Merlin's pajama bottoms and pushing them down, making them fall to the floor.
Merlin moans, his own cock hardening achingly fast as he feels the hot skin of Arthur's cock against him and realizes that he didn't bother getting dressed before coming to the kitchen.
"I don't exactly keep condoms and lube in here," Merlin points out.
Arthur chuckles and kicks Merlin's feet open as far as they can go with the pajama bottoms tangled around his feet. He brings his left hand up to reveal an unopened condom tucked into the palm, and his right hand is already sliding between Merlin's arse cheeks. When he easily pushes two fingers into Merlin's hole, Merlin realizes that oh, oh, he must have slicked them in the bedroom.
"Christ, Arthur," Merlin moans, pushing back against the fingers inside him.
Arthur makes a strangled noise. "You're still loose," he breathes, pushing his fingers in deeper. "From last night. You're stretching so easily for me, so quick. Are you ready for my cock, Merlin?"
"Yes," Merlin chokes out, bracing himself against the counter top.
Arthur pulls his fingers free and places his hand on Merlin's back, between his shoulder blades, pushing him down flat against the counter.
"Don't move," he murmurs, and Merlin's cock twitches hard.
There's a brief pause as Arthur opens the condom and rolls it on, and then he's pushing his cock inside, past the ring of muscle and sliding in, in, in until he's buried balls deep. Merlin gasps, cheek pressing against the cold counter top as he struggles not to push back.
"Hard, Arthur," Merlin chokes out. "Please, please-"
"Yeah," Arthur agrees, voice tight. "Yeah, fuck."
His hands come up to grip Merlin's arse cheeks, holding them open, and he starts fucking hard into him. Merlin cries out, sliding forward so that he's balanced on just his toes and his hands are scrabbling helplessly at the countertop. Arthur's fingers are digging into Merlin's arse and there's going to be marks, and the thought makes Merlin's cock throb. The pace is relentless, Arthur driving into him deep, deeper with every thrust, stretching Merlin even wider open, and Merlin can't stop the whining, gasping noises that are torn from his throat as Arthur pounds him. His cock is aching, precome leaking from the tip and falling to the floor. Arthur is making soft grunting noises, cock thrusting over and over into Merlin's fucked open hole. He releases Merlin's arse with one hand and reaches up to grip Merlin's hair, pulling him back hard against him, going impossibly deep. Merlin shouts as his orgasm slams into him with no warning, cock twitching hard as he comes all over the counter. He hears Arthur make a choked noise, hips stuttering as his cock pulses inside of Merlin.
Arthur drapes himself across Merlin's back, mouthing wet, lazy kisses into the back of Merlin's neck. "Fucking brilliant," he breathes.
Merlin makes a noise of agreement, feeling completely and utterly wrecked. He winces slightly as Arthur pulls out of him, and his legs barely hold him up as he straightens and turns. Arthur kisses him, soft and satisfied, and Merlin hums happily as he wraps his arms around Arthur's neck.
"I think you're going to have to stay over a lot," he says against Arthur's lips, fingers playing with Arthur's hair.
Arthur chuckles. "I most definitely agree," he says, and then hesitates slightly before saying, "Do me a favor today."
"Oh, I see," Merlin teases. "Fuck my brains out and then ask for a favor when I don't possibly have enough willpower to say no."
Arthur flashes him a grin. "Something like that. No, seriously. I want you to stop by the tarot shop on one of your breaks today when I'm still busy with the joust."
"Why?" Merlin asks, raising his eyebrows.
"I just-" Arthur pauses, resting his forehead against Merlin's. "I'd just really appreciate it, that's all."
Merlin can't help but be confused by Arthur's request, but he hadn't been lying when he'd said he had no willpower at the moment. "Alright," he says with a shrug. "I'll go after the first show."
Arthur smiles. "Thank you."
Merlin flushes and pokes Arthur in the chest. "Move. I need to clean up and finish making us breakfast. You can have the shower first if you want; it's the first door past the bedroom."
Arthur kisses him before moving away, and Merlin doesn't even try to stop himself from watching as he walks out of the room.
*
The Two Sides Tarot Shop is located in the Royal Highlands section of the fair, and Merlin eyes the coin on the outside sign warily. Despite his magic he's never really been one to believe in seeing the future through a bunch of cards, but he had promised Arthur. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the knot in the base of his stomach, Merlin steps into the dim shop and glances around.
It's simple, being only a temporary place, with wooden floors and walls decorated sparsely. There's shelves and a few tables filled with tarot decks and other fortune telling items for sell, and a check-out counter is towards the back. In the far corner is a table with two chairs, a rich looking curtain pushed to one side obviously set up for private readings.
"Can I help you?"
Merlin jumps slightly and turns to see a woman staring at him. She's wearing a blood red dress with silver embroidery on the bodice, and a silver chain is wrapped around her waist and hanging low over one hip. Her hair is long and dark, falling over her shoulders, and her eyes seem to be a pale green even in the darkness of the shop.
"Erm. Hello," Merlin says, and then pauses. "I'm not entirely sure why I'm here, but, um. Arthur sent me?"
To his complete surprise the woman smiles widely. "Oh, you must be Merlin. I'm Morgana, Arthur's sister."
"Oh!" Relieved, and not entirely sure why, Merlin returns the smile. "Well, Arthur's insistence that I come here today makes a lot more sense now. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Morgana says, gaze knowing. "Would you let me give you a reading?"
"Ah," Merlin says uncomfortably, glancing toward the table in the corner. "I don't know, I've never really put much stock in tarot cards. No offence," he adds hurriedly.
Morgana laughs and places her hand on his elbow, pulling him toward the table. "Nonsense. You just have to have the right kind of touch."
Merlin is still doubtful but he lets Morgana push him down into one of the chairs before taking the other. She picks up the small cloth sack in the middle of the table and opens it, pulling out a worn deck of tarot cards and pushing them towards him.
"Shuffle and cut, three times each."
Merlin picks up the tarot deck, jerking in shock at the spark of magic that dances through his fingertips when he does. He glances up at Morgana but she only looks back at him mildly, nodding toward the cards. Frowning slightly, he quickly shuffles and cuts the deck three times before sliding the cards back towards Morgana.
The first card she turns over is the Magician.
"Interesting," Morgana says. "This is you. The Magician card represents infinite power, making something out of nothing. If there is anything in your life that you wish would be, it is fully within your power to make it so."
The next card is the Emperor.
Morgana makes a thoughtful noise. "I'm going to say that this is Arthur. Strong of heart, and very wise. He's protective of those he cares about, and will do whatever is necessary to keep them safe. You can trust him with anything."
Merlin isn't surprised when the next card she turns over is the Lovers.
"The Lovers represent love and sexuality," Morgana says, smirking slightly at Merlin. "It's mostly a happy card, but you must be careful. The flame of love and passion has to be cared for; even happy beginnings can end badly if secrets and lies are present."
The Ace of Cups is next.
"This card is very similar to the Lovers. It represents new beginnings, the start of a relationship. Potential for true love is there, but the right decisions must be made by the people involved."
She makes to turn over the next card but Merlin reaches out and lightly grabs her wrist, catching her eye. He swallows and takes a deep breath.
"I felt…something. When I picked up the cards."
"They were touching your energy," Morgana explains. "Reading you so that they could tell you what you needed to hear."
"Can anybody feel them do this?"
Morgana smiles and pulls her wrist free from Merlin's hand, gathering the cards together. "No. Only certain people."
Merlin pauses. "Did Arthur tell you I was coming by today?" he asks, keeping his voice level.
Morgana's smile widens. "He did."
Merlin stares at her for a second before whispering a revealing spell under his breath and feeling his eyes burn for a split second. The cards jerk in Morgana's hand but otherwise do nothing, to his surprise. What doesn't surprise him is the fact that Morgana just laughs.
"I don't rig my cards, Merlin," she says in amusement. "Every reading I give, especially yours, is true and honest. Arthur wanted me to give you a reading, but he would never ask me to lie to you about what the cards say." She grins wickedly. "He knows better."
Merlin has no idea what to say to that. He watches as Morgana sets down the stack of cards and holds her hand over them, eyes flashing gold as she whispers a familiar cleansing spell. She looks up and catches his eye.
"For the next person. The energies need to be pure and uncombined."
Merlin feels like the rug's been pulled out from under his feet. "I-I need to go."
He pushes away from the table and heads for the door, pausing when Morgana calls after him.
"Don't be angry with Arthur," she says. "I know my brother, and he was probably just trying to make sure you were comfortable with the idea of telling him. He's known about me for years; I promise you, he won't react badly."
"Right," Merlin says, smiling weakly. "Thank you."
He hurries out of the shop before she can say another word, immediately heading in the direction of the jousting arena. There's a million and one thoughts swirling through his head, Arthur the focus of all of them. When had he discovered Merlin's magic, and why hadn't he said anything sooner? Why not talk to Merlin directly instead of sending him to his sister?
The arena has a crowd of people surrounding it, and Merlin can hear the sounds of the joust echoing over the grounds. He pushes his way to the front, unsurprised to see that Arthur is one of the knights currently in action. The horse he's riding is dressed in red and gold, and Arthur's armour glints in the sunlight. The entire thing is scripted, but Merlin finds himself smiling despite himself when Arthur wins the joust and takes off his helmet to ride along the edge of the arena. He catches Merlin's eye as he passes, and uncertainty flashes across his face before he's heading for the back.
The crowd disperses to enjoy the rest of the fair before the next scheduled joust, and Merlin takes a seat on one of the wooden benches to wait. It doesn't take long before Arthur appears, hurrying across the dirt area, dressed in the brown breeches and blue tunic that he had retrieved from his car that morning.
"Hi," he says carefully when he reaches Merlin, sitting beside him.
"I met Morgana," Merlin says, not entirely sure he knows what he's doing.
Arthur lets out a breath, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Yeah?"
Merlin stomach twists dangerously, but he forces the words out anyway. "How long have you known? Why didn't you just tell me yourself?"
"I only saw you this morning, with the dishes," Arthur explains, squinting at him in the sunlight. "And how would you have reacted if I'd just come out and said something right then?"
"I probably would have tried deflecting and avoiding, and possibly outright lying." Merlin sighs and looks at Arthur steadily. "The only ones who have ever known about it are my parents, Will, and Freya. It would have been instinctual, not because I don't trust you."
Arthur's lips quirk. "I thought that might be the case; very few people know about Morgana. I was hoping that if you knew about her and knew that I knew then you would be more willing to share that part of your life with me." He smiles crookedly. "I really like you, and I'd like to keep seeing you. I don't want to start this off with secrets between us."
Merlin huffs out a shaky laugh. "I don't either. But not automatically hiding it is going to take some getting used to."
"We can work on it together," Arthur says, reaching for Merlin's hand and twining their fingers together. "How does that sound?"
Merlin smiles, relief flooding him. "It sounds perfect."
*
The following weekend is the last one for the fair, and Merlin can hardly believe how fast the season has gone. Merlin and Will load up the birds into the travel trailer after their final show, making sure they're fed and have water before locking them safely inside. It's dark and well after closing by the time they're finished, and since there's supposed to be a party on the green after everyone has packed everything up, they head for the back field located on the other side of the fair.
"So," Will starts as they walk. "Arthur knows."
"Yeah," Merlin says. "Arthur knows."
Will sighs and gives Merlin a hard push. "Maybe he can convince you to do something more brilliant with it than cleaning bird shit or beating me up with pillows."
Merlin laughs. "Probably, but I guarantee it's not anything you want to know about."
Will starts making horrible gagging noises, only stopping when they reach the field and Freya finds them, smacking him on the back of the head.
"Quit teasing Merlin," she says. "He's finally got a boyfriend that knows, which means we'll all be happier in the long run."
"Such faith," Merlin says dryly, and Freya just grins before dropping a kiss on his cheek and dragging Will towards the gathering crowd.
A pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind, and Merlin smiles as he leans back against Arthur's chest.
"Hello, you," Arthur says, resting his chin on Merlin's shoulder.
"I can't believe it's over," Merlin says, looking out at all the people he's met over the past eight weeks.
There's a bonfire in the middle of the field, and one of the minstrel-style bands is playing through their fastest, most upbeat songs. Freya and Will are having a mock swordfight with their pirate swords, and Morgana is dancing merrily with one of the other jousters named Leon. Morgause and Cenred are sharing a log by the fire and a bottle of mead, and Nimueh is walking around with a goblet cradled in her hand. Gwen and Lance are relaxing on a blanket, holding hands and staring up at the stars, and Sophia and Vivian are snogging madly at the edge of the field. Another jouster Merlin recognizes, Gwaine, is making rounds between all the ladies, giving them flowers and kissing their hands gallantly.
"It wasn't anything like what I was expecting," he continues.
"What were you expecting?" Arthur asks, tightening his grip.
Merlin smiles. "To be utterly miserable-but instead I had the best time of my life. I met some amazing people and made new friends." He twists around in Arthur's arms and grins wickedly. "Met a complete arse that turned out to be not so bad after all."
"Oh, is that right?" Arthur exclaims, huffing out an indignant laugh. "You think you're funny, don't you?"
"Yes. Yes, I do."
"Are you planning on coming back next year, then?" Arthur asks. "Since I'm 'not so bad'?"
"I don't know," Merlin says doubtfully. "It might take some convincing from my hot boyfriend."
"Oh, I can convince you," Arthur says, grinning wickedly. He leans close and his lips brush over Merlin's. "As a matter of fact, I think I'll start right now."
Will doesn't say another word about Arthur, but Freya teases him mercilessly. "Merlin's got a boyfriend," she sing-songs late one Saturday night when the three of them have had too much to drink, and Merlin flushes and stumbles over his words as he tries to explain that no, they're not boyfriends, not yet, they just snog all over the place like randy teenagers and there will probably be sex sometime in the near future but they haven't actually gone on a date or even talked about it yet. Freya just looks doubtful and amused, and Merlin scowls and takes another shot of whiskey.
When Arthur realises that Merlin is slightly hungover the next day he laughs and laughs, and then gives Merlin a packet of paracetamol and a bottle of water.
"Are you sure it's safe to work with such dangerous birds when you got drunk the night before?" he asks, eyeing Merlin with a mixture of amusement and concern.
"It wouldn't be the first time," Merlin says, and his grateful smile falters when he realizes that he's been seriously considering telling Arthur that he's just going to magic the headache away. "Don't worry," he says instead. "The birds are well trained, and I honestly don't feel that bad."
"If you say so," Arthur says, and kisses him deep and quick before jogging off to get ready for his time in the arena.
It doesn't pass Merlin's notice that Arthur comes to watch as many of the Birds of Prey shows that day as his schedule allows.
During the week Merlin and Will are still working at Albion, and it's the Friday before the next-to-last weekend of the fair that Arthur shows up at the center. It's late, and they've already settled in all of the birds except Lucy, and done the end-of-day cleaning and maintenance before locking everything down. Merlin has had Lucy out in the field for most of the afternoon, trying to make up in advance for the weekend of separation, and as he approaches the fence at the edge of the field he sees a blond man waiting. It takes him a second to realize that it's Arthur in street clothes, and when he finally recognizes him his heart picks up speed.
"Come on, Lucy," Merlin says quietly. "I want you to meet someone."
Arthur looks up as Merlin gets closer, and the small, hopeful smile that appears on his face sends warmth blooming through Merlin's stomach.
"Hi," Merlin says a bit breathlessly. "What brings you to Albion?"
"Oh, I don't know," Arthur says, sliding his hands into his pockets and putting on an air of casualness. "I thought it'd be interesting to see some of the birds in their permanent home." He catches Merlin's eye. "Also, I was hoping you might agree to go out to dinner with me tonight."
Merlin makes a thoughtful noise. "Well, it's a bit last minute. Are you wanting to take me out for more of my delightful company or are you hoping to get me into bed?"
"Both," Arthur immediately says, and Merlin grins widely.
"In that case, absolutely yes."
Arthur returns the grin with a relieved one of his own. "Brilliant. So, um. What's this one named?" He nods toward Lucy as they start walking toward the back of the center.
"Arthur, meet Lucy," Merlin says, reaching up to stroke down her back. "She's been at Albion for about two months now. We rescued her from a couple of bastards who thought it was ok to keep her in a small, dark cage as a pet."
"That's awful," Arthur says, brows drawing together. "Does that happen often?"
Merlin frowns. "Unfortunately, yes. Some people just don't realize that birds like Lucy aren't pets, and that they need and deserve certain conditions and treatment. Not all of the birds at Albion are abuse survivors, though. Far too many of them were born in captivity, and others were injured in the wild and brought here for rehabilitation. Some we're able to fix up and re-release, but others are permanently damaged and have to remain."
"You really love working with them, don't you?" Arthur asks, something curious in his eyes as he looks at Merlin. "It's not just your job."
"No, it's not," Merlin agrees, smiling at Lucy as she shifts on the leather glove covering his arm. "They're part of me, and I can't imagine a life without them."
Arthur walks with Merlin as he returns Lucy to her aviary and heads for the main building. He finds Will waiting in the employee lounge, sprawled across a sofa with his eyes closed, and Merlin kicks him in the foot to get his attention. Will opens his eyes and glares up at Merlin, and then his gaze flicks to Arthur and he sits up, scowling.
"What's he doing here?"
Merlin rolls his eyes. "He is my ride for tonight, and quite probably in the morning as well, which means you can go ahead and go home."
"But-"
"You can have surprise-I'm-home-early sex with Freya," Merlin interrupts, trying not to grimace at the words.
Will pauses. "Right. See you tomorrow."
Merlin snorts in amusement as Will grabs his jacket and hurries out without another word. "It's just too easy sometimes."
He jumps in surprises when he feels Arthur press against his back, breath hot in his ear.
"Can I really stay until morning?"
Merlin swallows, a shiver sliding down his spine. "I'd like for you to. If you want."
Arthur hums in response and bites down on the lobe of Merlin's ear, sucking it into his mouth and making Merlin groan.
"How do you feel about take away?"
*
They barely make it through the door of Merlin's flat before Arthur's got him pinned against the wall, tongue delving deep into his mouth. Merlin whines and pushes his hips against Arthur's; he's been hard since they left the center, and he can easily feel Arthur's cock through his jeans. He reaches for the fly but Arthur bats his hands away, pulling back enough for Merlin to see how dark his eyes have gone.
"I want to suck you," Arthur says, flicking his tongue over his bottom lip.
Merlin chokes, the image making his cock throb painfully. "I'm certainly not going to argue with that."
Arthur laughs and presses a quick kiss to Merlin's mouth before dropping to his knees, hands coming up to tug at the button on Merlin's work trousers. Swallowing hard, Merlin grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls it off, tossing it somewhere in the vicinity of his couch. His heart is pounding in his chest, and the intense look on Arthur's face as he slides Merlin's trousers and shorts down doesn't help slow it down.
When Merlin feels the first lick of Arthur's tongue on the tip he shudders, hands clenching into fists against the wall behind him. Arthur glances up at him knowingly and then parts his lips to suck the head into his mouth. It's hot and wet and completely fucking brilliant, and then it gets better as he slides his mouth down the length, all the way to the base.
"Jesus fuck," Merlin breathes, head banging back against the wall. "Oh my god."
Arthur chuckles slightly and pulls back to lick around the head before diving back down. A loud groan is torn from Merlin's chest, and he looks down at where Arthur's lips are wrapped around his cock. He can't stop himself from watching as Arthur sucks him down again and again, and it's fast and messy and Merlin's breath keeps catching in his throat. When Arthur reaches for Merlin's hand and tugs it toward his head, Merlin decides he must have done something very, very right in his life. He drags his fingers through Arthur's soft hair and then tightens his grip, whimpering when Arthur makes a wrecked noise of approval. Trembling slightly, he brings his other hand down and cups Arthur's jaw, running his thumb along the place where his bottom lip is touching Merlin's cock. Merlin shudders and gives a small thrust, pushing his length further into Arthur's mouth, and Arthur glances up at him with dark, wicked eyes.
He tries not to thrust too deep as he fucks Arthur's mouth, but it's pretty much a lost cause. Arthur's making desperate, encouraging noises, fingers curled around the backs of Merlin's thighs and his lips red and swollen. It doesn't take long after that, and when Merlin comes his whole body jerks. Arthur swallows around him, drinking down the hot, sour fluid until there's nothing left and Merlin has to tug on his hair because it's starting to hurt. He pulls away and Merlin can see the way his cock is still straining against the material of his jeans.
"Bedroom," Merlin croaks out, and immediately toes off his socks and shoes so he can remove the rest of his clothing.
His legs are trembling as he leads the way to his room, and he can hear Arthur's harsh breathing behind him as he follows, dropping his own clothes on the floor as he takes them off. Merlin pulls out his bottle of lube and a condom from the top drawer of his nightstand and tosses them onto the bed before climbing onto the mattress.
"I'm not going to last long," Arthur says as he joins him, voice strained. His cock is hard and leaking, the vein on the underside clearly visible as he settles between Merlin's spread legs and reaches for the lubrication.
Merlin shakes his head and shifts to spread his legs wider. "Don't care. Just fuck me."
Arthur curses and quickly pours out a generous amount of lube onto his fingers. He doesn't bother warming it up before sliding two fingers knuckle deep into Merlin's hole. Merlin can't stop a soft noise from escaping as he feels himself stretch, and deliberately rocks down onto Arthur's fingers.
"Hurry it up," he demands, eager to have Arthur's cock filling him.
Arthur lets out a huff of laughter before adding a third finger and twisting his wrist, and Merlin nearly shouts when Arthur's fingers brush over his prostate. It's too much, and Arthur seems to sense that as he pulls his fingers free and reaches for the condom. He opens it and quickly rolls it on, spreading more lube over his cock before leaning forward and pushing into Merlin's hole. They both groan, loud and broken, and it burns as Merlin is stretched wide open. He raises his legs and grips his knees as he spreads himself further, allowing Arthur to sink fully inside, and fuck, he doesn't think he'll ever get tired of Arthur's cock filling him if it always feels this good.
Arthur braces himself on his hands above Merlin and starts fucking into him, thrusts long and hard and deep, and Merlin can do nothing but stare up at him and gasp for breath. The blue of Arthur's eyes is barely visible around his blown-wide pupils, and his hair is sticking to his forehead in sweaty clumps. It's the most beautiful thing Merlin's ever seen, and he realizes with a jolt that it's far too late to avoid getting his heart broken.
"Oh, fuck," he gasps just before Arthur leans down to kiss him, his mouth crushing Merlin's as his arms tremble. Merlin whines and moves to wrap his legs around Arthur's waist, pulling him deep, deeper, until Arthur chokes and curses and his hips stutter helplessly as he comes. He collapses on top of Merlin, breath hot in his ear, and Merlin swallows as he buries his hands in Arthur's hair and decides that he's not ever letting go.
*
Merlin wakes first the next morning, and takes a moment to let his eyes roam over Arthur's sleeping face before he presses a quick kiss to his temple and rolls out of bed. He's sore in all the right ways, and pulls on nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms before padding his way to the kitchen to start the coffee machine. They had never gotten around to ordering dinner the night before, so Merlin opens the refrigerator to get out some eggs and sausage for breakfast. He sets everything on the counter and turns to retrieve the pans from the cabinet-only to find them all in the sink, still unwashed from yesterday morning.
Merlin curses under his breath, and then sighs before holding out his hand toward the dirty dishes and whispering a cleaning spell. They're clean in an instant, and another wave of his hand sends all but the two pans he needs to the cabinets where they belong. He sets the frying pans on the range top and retrieves a bowl and whisk to mix the eggs, and has just cracked the last one into it when he feels a pair of arms slide around his bare waist. Startled, Merlin jumps and stiffens, and then relaxes back into Arthur's arms as he mouths kisses along Merlin's neck, his hard cock pressing against Merlin's arse.
"Morning," Arthur murmurs against Merlin's skin, his voice low and sleep-rough.
Merlin smiles and tilts his head to allow Arthur better access. "Morning," he says a bit breathlessly. "Want some breakfast?"
"In a bit," Arthur answers, reaching over to push the bowl of eggs to the side. He rocks his hips, sliding his hands into the waistband of Merlin's pajama bottoms and pushing them down, making them fall to the floor.
Merlin moans, his own cock hardening achingly fast as he feels the hot skin of Arthur's cock against him and realizes that he didn't bother getting dressed before coming to the kitchen.
"I don't exactly keep condoms and lube in here," Merlin points out.
Arthur chuckles and kicks Merlin's feet open as far as they can go with the pajama bottoms tangled around his feet. He brings his left hand up to reveal an unopened condom tucked into the palm, and his right hand is already sliding between Merlin's arse cheeks. When he easily pushes two fingers into Merlin's hole, Merlin realizes that oh, oh, he must have slicked them in the bedroom.
"Christ, Arthur," Merlin moans, pushing back against the fingers inside him.
Arthur makes a strangled noise. "You're still loose," he breathes, pushing his fingers in deeper. "From last night. You're stretching so easily for me, so quick. Are you ready for my cock, Merlin?"
"Yes," Merlin chokes out, bracing himself against the counter top.
Arthur pulls his fingers free and places his hand on Merlin's back, between his shoulder blades, pushing him down flat against the counter.
"Don't move," he murmurs, and Merlin's cock twitches hard.
There's a brief pause as Arthur opens the condom and rolls it on, and then he's pushing his cock inside, past the ring of muscle and sliding in, in, in until he's buried balls deep. Merlin gasps, cheek pressing against the cold counter top as he struggles not to push back.
"Hard, Arthur," Merlin chokes out. "Please, please-"
"Yeah," Arthur agrees, voice tight. "Yeah, fuck."
His hands come up to grip Merlin's arse cheeks, holding them open, and he starts fucking hard into him. Merlin cries out, sliding forward so that he's balanced on just his toes and his hands are scrabbling helplessly at the countertop. Arthur's fingers are digging into Merlin's arse and there's going to be marks, and the thought makes Merlin's cock throb. The pace is relentless, Arthur driving into him deep, deeper with every thrust, stretching Merlin even wider open, and Merlin can't stop the whining, gasping noises that are torn from his throat as Arthur pounds him. His cock is aching, precome leaking from the tip and falling to the floor. Arthur is making soft grunting noises, cock thrusting over and over into Merlin's fucked open hole. He releases Merlin's arse with one hand and reaches up to grip Merlin's hair, pulling him back hard against him, going impossibly deep. Merlin shouts as his orgasm slams into him with no warning, cock twitching hard as he comes all over the counter. He hears Arthur make a choked noise, hips stuttering as his cock pulses inside of Merlin.
Arthur drapes himself across Merlin's back, mouthing wet, lazy kisses into the back of Merlin's neck. "Fucking brilliant," he breathes.
Merlin makes a noise of agreement, feeling completely and utterly wrecked. He winces slightly as Arthur pulls out of him, and his legs barely hold him up as he straightens and turns. Arthur kisses him, soft and satisfied, and Merlin hums happily as he wraps his arms around Arthur's neck.
"I think you're going to have to stay over a lot," he says against Arthur's lips, fingers playing with Arthur's hair.
Arthur chuckles. "I most definitely agree," he says, and then hesitates slightly before saying, "Do me a favor today."
"Oh, I see," Merlin teases. "Fuck my brains out and then ask for a favor when I don't possibly have enough willpower to say no."
Arthur flashes him a grin. "Something like that. No, seriously. I want you to stop by the tarot shop on one of your breaks today when I'm still busy with the joust."
"Why?" Merlin asks, raising his eyebrows.
"I just-" Arthur pauses, resting his forehead against Merlin's. "I'd just really appreciate it, that's all."
Merlin can't help but be confused by Arthur's request, but he hadn't been lying when he'd said he had no willpower at the moment. "Alright," he says with a shrug. "I'll go after the first show."
Arthur smiles. "Thank you."
Merlin flushes and pokes Arthur in the chest. "Move. I need to clean up and finish making us breakfast. You can have the shower first if you want; it's the first door past the bedroom."
Arthur kisses him before moving away, and Merlin doesn't even try to stop himself from watching as he walks out of the room.
*
The Two Sides Tarot Shop is located in the Royal Highlands section of the fair, and Merlin eyes the coin on the outside sign warily. Despite his magic he's never really been one to believe in seeing the future through a bunch of cards, but he had promised Arthur. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the knot in the base of his stomach, Merlin steps into the dim shop and glances around.
It's simple, being only a temporary place, with wooden floors and walls decorated sparsely. There's shelves and a few tables filled with tarot decks and other fortune telling items for sell, and a check-out counter is towards the back. In the far corner is a table with two chairs, a rich looking curtain pushed to one side obviously set up for private readings.
"Can I help you?"
Merlin jumps slightly and turns to see a woman staring at him. She's wearing a blood red dress with silver embroidery on the bodice, and a silver chain is wrapped around her waist and hanging low over one hip. Her hair is long and dark, falling over her shoulders, and her eyes seem to be a pale green even in the darkness of the shop.
"Erm. Hello," Merlin says, and then pauses. "I'm not entirely sure why I'm here, but, um. Arthur sent me?"
To his complete surprise the woman smiles widely. "Oh, you must be Merlin. I'm Morgana, Arthur's sister."
"Oh!" Relieved, and not entirely sure why, Merlin returns the smile. "Well, Arthur's insistence that I come here today makes a lot more sense now. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Morgana says, gaze knowing. "Would you let me give you a reading?"
"Ah," Merlin says uncomfortably, glancing toward the table in the corner. "I don't know, I've never really put much stock in tarot cards. No offence," he adds hurriedly.
Morgana laughs and places her hand on his elbow, pulling him toward the table. "Nonsense. You just have to have the right kind of touch."
Merlin is still doubtful but he lets Morgana push him down into one of the chairs before taking the other. She picks up the small cloth sack in the middle of the table and opens it, pulling out a worn deck of tarot cards and pushing them towards him.
"Shuffle and cut, three times each."
Merlin picks up the tarot deck, jerking in shock at the spark of magic that dances through his fingertips when he does. He glances up at Morgana but she only looks back at him mildly, nodding toward the cards. Frowning slightly, he quickly shuffles and cuts the deck three times before sliding the cards back towards Morgana.
The first card she turns over is the Magician.
"Interesting," Morgana says. "This is you. The Magician card represents infinite power, making something out of nothing. If there is anything in your life that you wish would be, it is fully within your power to make it so."
The next card is the Emperor.
Morgana makes a thoughtful noise. "I'm going to say that this is Arthur. Strong of heart, and very wise. He's protective of those he cares about, and will do whatever is necessary to keep them safe. You can trust him with anything."
Merlin isn't surprised when the next card she turns over is the Lovers.
"The Lovers represent love and sexuality," Morgana says, smirking slightly at Merlin. "It's mostly a happy card, but you must be careful. The flame of love and passion has to be cared for; even happy beginnings can end badly if secrets and lies are present."
The Ace of Cups is next.
"This card is very similar to the Lovers. It represents new beginnings, the start of a relationship. Potential for true love is there, but the right decisions must be made by the people involved."
She makes to turn over the next card but Merlin reaches out and lightly grabs her wrist, catching her eye. He swallows and takes a deep breath.
"I felt…something. When I picked up the cards."
"They were touching your energy," Morgana explains. "Reading you so that they could tell you what you needed to hear."
"Can anybody feel them do this?"
Morgana smiles and pulls her wrist free from Merlin's hand, gathering the cards together. "No. Only certain people."
Merlin pauses. "Did Arthur tell you I was coming by today?" he asks, keeping his voice level.
Morgana's smile widens. "He did."
Merlin stares at her for a second before whispering a revealing spell under his breath and feeling his eyes burn for a split second. The cards jerk in Morgana's hand but otherwise do nothing, to his surprise. What doesn't surprise him is the fact that Morgana just laughs.
"I don't rig my cards, Merlin," she says in amusement. "Every reading I give, especially yours, is true and honest. Arthur wanted me to give you a reading, but he would never ask me to lie to you about what the cards say." She grins wickedly. "He knows better."
Merlin has no idea what to say to that. He watches as Morgana sets down the stack of cards and holds her hand over them, eyes flashing gold as she whispers a familiar cleansing spell. She looks up and catches his eye.
"For the next person. The energies need to be pure and uncombined."
Merlin feels like the rug's been pulled out from under his feet. "I-I need to go."
He pushes away from the table and heads for the door, pausing when Morgana calls after him.
"Don't be angry with Arthur," she says. "I know my brother, and he was probably just trying to make sure you were comfortable with the idea of telling him. He's known about me for years; I promise you, he won't react badly."
"Right," Merlin says, smiling weakly. "Thank you."
He hurries out of the shop before she can say another word, immediately heading in the direction of the jousting arena. There's a million and one thoughts swirling through his head, Arthur the focus of all of them. When had he discovered Merlin's magic, and why hadn't he said anything sooner? Why not talk to Merlin directly instead of sending him to his sister?
The arena has a crowd of people surrounding it, and Merlin can hear the sounds of the joust echoing over the grounds. He pushes his way to the front, unsurprised to see that Arthur is one of the knights currently in action. The horse he's riding is dressed in red and gold, and Arthur's armour glints in the sunlight. The entire thing is scripted, but Merlin finds himself smiling despite himself when Arthur wins the joust and takes off his helmet to ride along the edge of the arena. He catches Merlin's eye as he passes, and uncertainty flashes across his face before he's heading for the back.
The crowd disperses to enjoy the rest of the fair before the next scheduled joust, and Merlin takes a seat on one of the wooden benches to wait. It doesn't take long before Arthur appears, hurrying across the dirt area, dressed in the brown breeches and blue tunic that he had retrieved from his car that morning.
"Hi," he says carefully when he reaches Merlin, sitting beside him.
"I met Morgana," Merlin says, not entirely sure he knows what he's doing.
Arthur lets out a breath, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Yeah?"
Merlin stomach twists dangerously, but he forces the words out anyway. "How long have you known? Why didn't you just tell me yourself?"
"I only saw you this morning, with the dishes," Arthur explains, squinting at him in the sunlight. "And how would you have reacted if I'd just come out and said something right then?"
"I probably would have tried deflecting and avoiding, and possibly outright lying." Merlin sighs and looks at Arthur steadily. "The only ones who have ever known about it are my parents, Will, and Freya. It would have been instinctual, not because I don't trust you."
Arthur's lips quirk. "I thought that might be the case; very few people know about Morgana. I was hoping that if you knew about her and knew that I knew then you would be more willing to share that part of your life with me." He smiles crookedly. "I really like you, and I'd like to keep seeing you. I don't want to start this off with secrets between us."
Merlin huffs out a shaky laugh. "I don't either. But not automatically hiding it is going to take some getting used to."
"We can work on it together," Arthur says, reaching for Merlin's hand and twining their fingers together. "How does that sound?"
Merlin smiles, relief flooding him. "It sounds perfect."
*
The following weekend is the last one for the fair, and Merlin can hardly believe how fast the season has gone. Merlin and Will load up the birds into the travel trailer after their final show, making sure they're fed and have water before locking them safely inside. It's dark and well after closing by the time they're finished, and since there's supposed to be a party on the green after everyone has packed everything up, they head for the back field located on the other side of the fair.
"So," Will starts as they walk. "Arthur knows."
"Yeah," Merlin says. "Arthur knows."
Will sighs and gives Merlin a hard push. "Maybe he can convince you to do something more brilliant with it than cleaning bird shit or beating me up with pillows."
Merlin laughs. "Probably, but I guarantee it's not anything you want to know about."
Will starts making horrible gagging noises, only stopping when they reach the field and Freya finds them, smacking him on the back of the head.
"Quit teasing Merlin," she says. "He's finally got a boyfriend that knows, which means we'll all be happier in the long run."
"Such faith," Merlin says dryly, and Freya just grins before dropping a kiss on his cheek and dragging Will towards the gathering crowd.
A pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind, and Merlin smiles as he leans back against Arthur's chest.
"Hello, you," Arthur says, resting his chin on Merlin's shoulder.
"I can't believe it's over," Merlin says, looking out at all the people he's met over the past eight weeks.
There's a bonfire in the middle of the field, and one of the minstrel-style bands is playing through their fastest, most upbeat songs. Freya and Will are having a mock swordfight with their pirate swords, and Morgana is dancing merrily with one of the other jousters named Leon. Morgause and Cenred are sharing a log by the fire and a bottle of mead, and Nimueh is walking around with a goblet cradled in her hand. Gwen and Lance are relaxing on a blanket, holding hands and staring up at the stars, and Sophia and Vivian are snogging madly at the edge of the field. Another jouster Merlin recognizes, Gwaine, is making rounds between all the ladies, giving them flowers and kissing their hands gallantly.
"It wasn't anything like what I was expecting," he continues.
"What were you expecting?" Arthur asks, tightening his grip.
Merlin smiles. "To be utterly miserable-but instead I had the best time of my life. I met some amazing people and made new friends." He twists around in Arthur's arms and grins wickedly. "Met a complete arse that turned out to be not so bad after all."
"Oh, is that right?" Arthur exclaims, huffing out an indignant laugh. "You think you're funny, don't you?"
"Yes. Yes, I do."
"Are you planning on coming back next year, then?" Arthur asks. "Since I'm 'not so bad'?"
"I don't know," Merlin says doubtfully. "It might take some convincing from my hot boyfriend."
"Oh, I can convince you," Arthur says, grinning wickedly. He leans close and his lips brush over Merlin's. "As a matter of fact, I think I'll start right now."