From Faking It to Living It [Merlin/Arthur - NC-17 - 2350]
Title: From Faking It to Living It
Author/Artist: elirwen
Prompt: #3 One day Merlin discovers that Arthur is searching the web for mpreg related material (fictions, pictures…) At first, he says nothing, then, one day he suggests some roleplay (fake belly for example) and realizes how much Arthur is excited by it. It goes on for some time until Merlin tells Arthur he can really become pregnant with the help of his magic. Additional Info: Modern!Au with magic
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Word Count: ~2350
Rating: NC-17
Contains: no warnings
Disclaimer:Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Noticing Arthur's strange behaviour, Merlin tries to find out what is troubling him. What he learns changes their lives forever.
Read it on AO3
First, Merlin notices the change in Arthur's bed behaviour. Not that he's complaining. He quite enjoys Arthur's tender touches and the prolonged foreplay. His nipples have never got so much attention. Not to mention his belly button.
He loves the way Arthur's hand settles on his belly possessively while he rocks into him from behind. He's fond of its steady weight as it rests on his stomach when they bask in the pleasant afterglow of their lovemaking.
*
Second, Merlin notices Arthur watching him with a strange wistful look on his face from time to time. He quickly covers it once he's aware of Merlin's attention, but it's enough to make Merlin wonder. There's so much yearning hidden in Arthur's gaze, but he can see the edge of hopelessness too, and it tugs at his heartstrings.
He also knows that asking Arthur whether something is wrong will make Arthur more closed off because that's how he deals with problematic emotions. Well, not all the time. Years in Merlin's company helped lower the walls built during the long years spent under Uther's 'rule'. But there are still moments and topics that make him retreat back into the safety of his perfectly guarded keep.
Merlin doesn't prod or push, continues monitoring Arthur's new quirks, trying to make sense of them. It pays off and soon he adds a third on his list.
*
Merlin's last client for that particular Friday canceled because of a family emergency, and Merlin gets home earlier than usual, hands full with bags of takeaway he brings to add to the surprise of his early arrival. He tries to do as little noise as possible as he sneaks into their living room where Arthur usually unwinds from his own work week.
“Look who's home!” he says the moment he enters the room, seeing Arthur with his attention drawn completely to his laptop's screen.
Arthur's head snaps up and he closes the lid of the laptop. Merlin can't stop himself from laughing at Arthur's startled expression.
“I didn't expect you so soon,” Arthur says, defensive.
He's completely adorable when he pouts.
“Is this what it looked like when you were just a wee teenager and someone caught you watching porn?” Merlin asks, grinning.
“Nobody ever caught me watching porn,” Arthur says, but blush rises to his cheeks.
“Wait, were you watching porn when I came in?” Merlin asks.
“No!” Arthur says, his blush darkening.
“Are you withholding some quality content from me, Arthur? That's not very nice,” Merlin says, stalking towards the sofa, depositing the bags on the coffee table along the way.
“I was not watching porn,” Arthur says, clutching his laptop to his chest.
Merlin notices the shift in atmosphere almost immediately. Arthur's on the defensive now. Whatever he was doing when Merlin came in, he doesn't want Merlin to know, and Merlin can respect that.
“I'm still cuter than any twink in the gay porn industry, so...” he says to lighten the mood, climbs on the sofa and wriggles himself into the gap between Arthur and the backrest, resting his head on Arthur's shoulder.
“I hate to break it to you, but you're not really a twink anymore,” Arthur says, putting the laptop aside and pulling Merlin more on top of himself.
“Doesn't stop me from being cuter than them, does it?” Merlin says, curling closer when Arthur lays his laptop on the ground.
“I don't know,” Arthur says, sneaking his hand under Merlin's shirt, rubbing circles into the small of his back. “Can you purr?”
*
Fourth, and final, clue, basically spells it all out for Merlin. He feels stupid for not connecting the dots earlier.
Arthur's e-reader falls off the table when Merlin shifts the pile of books he is leafing through, trying to find a spell to repel gnomes who took residence in his latest client's garden. Worried the e-reader might be broken, Merlin turns it on and checks the screen for any irregularities. He sighs in relief when everything is just fine. He's not a big fan of tech magic.
He skims the active page of Arthur's current reading without actually thinking about what he's doing, his curiosity automatically taking lead.
“Is that..?” he mutters to himself, turning a page and reading a bit more, just to make sure. “It really is. Mpreg.”
*
Even though he's pretty sure about the topic of Arthur's fantasies, Merlin wants to confirm his findings. He doesn't need any careful planning as Arthur grants him the opportunity on the very same evening of his groundbreaking discovery.
Merlin's whole body tingles with pleasure. Arthur is covering his back completely, aiming his thrusts with perfect precision. His hand is pressed to Merlin's belly, his lips roaming the long expanse of Merlin's neck. He doesn't rush, driving Merlin insane with how good everything feels.
“Just fill me up,” Merlin moans. “Imagine you could make me swell with child.”
Arthur's rhythm falters.
“Fuck,” he swears quietly right next to Merlin's ear.
He speeds up just a second later, his arm still securely wrapped around Merlin's torso, hand caressing his belly.
“Yeah, just like that,” Merlin encourages him, climbing towards his own peak.
He comes before Arthur, collapsing to his elbows as his orgasm crashes through him, amplified by Arthur's cock pumping into him at frantic pace. Arthur stills inside of him just as his aftershocks start to subside, coming silently. They slump to the side, still joined, breathing heavy, not willing to part with the afterglow just yet.
*
“You've read that story, haven't you?” Arthur asks later when they're already on the brink of sleep.
“Just a bit,” Merlin says, peeking at Arthur who turns his face into a pillow in what looks suspiciously like shame.
“I was thinking we could, you know… Play a bit,” Merlin says, searching for Arthur's hand under the covers and linking their fingers together.
“Play?” Arthur asks.
“A pillow under shirt, fake belly, more pregnancy dirty talk. Whatever works for you,” Merlin says.
There's a short pause as Arthur contemplates the offer, bringing Merlin's hand to his lips and slowly kissing each knuckle.
“You're really okay with this?” he asks eventually.
“Have I ever let you do to me anything I didn't want you to do?” Merlin asks.
“You wore that hat on Halloween two years ago,” Arthur says, but smiles.
“And you cried like a baby when I edged you for two hours straight on Halloween two years ago,” Merlin grins. “Come be my little spoon and we can talk things through tomorrow, okay?”
*
It takes some planning and testing, but soon they get quite good at role play. Merlin loves seeing Arthur so content, whether it's during sex or in their everyday life. Arthur grows bolder and starts coming up with ideas of his own, even if it takes him almost a month before he asks Merlin for a whole day of play.
It's that day of snuggling on the couch and general cuteness that leads Merlin to one more discovery. He can see that all this is not just a kink for Arthur. He genuinely loves the idea of Merlin bearing his child. And if Merlin is totally honest with himself, he quite likes it too.
He's a professional solver of magical problems, so why not become his own client?
*
“I might have not been completely honest about being swamped with work these past few days,” Merlin says right after he steps into the kitchen and wraps his arms around Arthur's waist in greeting..
He should have probably waited until after dinner before bringing up the subject, but he's too excited and nervous to eat. Arthur would definitely notice something is bothering him if he couldn't bring himself to finish his meal.
“You cheated on me with Freya. How could you?” Arthur fakes a scandalized outburst, turning his face away dramatically and clutching at his heart.
“You very well know that Freya refuses to become a man and bleach her hair for me,” he says, grinning and presses a kiss to Arthur's neck.
“Then out with it, Mr. Mysterious,” Arthur says.
“I was doing some research for my personal project,” Merlin admits.
“And?” Arthur asks, pulling a piece of pasta out of the water and tasting it.
“I found a way to get pregnant for real.”
Arthur's shock is obvious in the way his body tenses, his fingers tight around the fork that he deposits on the kitchen counter a few seconds later. He turns off the stove and faces Merlin.
“Are you serious?” Arthur asks.
There's hope in Arthur's expression, well hidden behind what Merlin calls Arthur's business face, but definitely there.
“Totally serious,” Merlin confirms.
“Wow,” Arthur breathes out, leaning heavily on the counter. “That's… just...” A short laugh escapes his lips. “You never cease to surprise me.”
He pulls Merlin closer for a kiss that makes Merlin feel weak in the knees.
“Is it dangerous?” he asks after a while, breaking the kiss.
“Not more than any other pregnancy,” Merlin says.
Arthur bows his head, his gaze somewhere on Merlin's chest, and Merlin realizes his mistake. Arthur's mother died giving birth to him and it was a perfectly natural pregnancy. That's not exactly reassuring.
“Maybe we shouldn't...” Arthur starts.
“We don't have to decide today, okay?” Merlin interrupts him. “But for what it's worth, male pregnancy is only possible for fairly powerful sorcerers. It isn't common, but there has been quite a few documented cases.” He makes sure Arthur is looking him in the eyes and listening before he conveys the most important piece of information. “None of them were fatal for the father or the baby.”
*
For a few weeks, their pregnancy play ceases. From time to time, Arthur comes to Merlin with more questions about the spell, about how the nine months of pregnancy should go, and also about the baby's delivery.
And then one night while watching a movie, Arthur asks, “do you want to be pregnant?”
“Yes, for you everything,” Merlin says, snuggling closer to Arthur's side.
“That's not what I meant. Do you want a baby? Not for me, for yourself.”
“I already told you that I wouldn't do anything that I wouldn't want to do,” Merlin says. “I want to carry our baby,” he murmurs into Arthur's ear.
“And when would you like to conceive?” Arthur asks, his tone low, suggestive.
*
“Gods, Arthur,” Merlin moans, Arthur's tongue doing incredibly amazing things all over his cock. “I need some brain cells active to cast the spell.”
Arthur pulls off, licking a long stripe over the underside of Merlin's cock.
“All you need right now is to come, is that understood?” he grins at Merlin and returns back to the task of making Merlin lose his mind.
*
Still somewhat floating on the bliss from his first orgasm, Merlin lets Arthur do all the work preparing him. He exhales heavily, shivers running down his spine, when Arthur finally enters him. They fall into a slow, gentle pace, trying for as much skin on skin contact as possible, kissing and murmuring endearments against each other's lips.
“I'm close,” Arthur says and Merlin starts chanting, never breaking eye contact with Arthur, his eyes glowing gold.
Last word of the enchantment leaving his lips, he urges Arthur to go faster, feeling the tingling of his magic all over his body. The friction of their bodies pressed together is enough to send him over the edge for the second time that night, his magic moving south, concentrating around his stomach. The moment Arthur comes, the magic flares, making Merlin gasp for air. It amplifies the pleasure Merlin is feeling while warmth spreads through his belly.
It takes long minutes for the pleasure to subside and they stay joined, Arthur half-collapsed on top of Merlin.
“We're having a baby,” Merlin whispers, feeling the magic settling in his belly, wrapping protectively around the barely there fluttering of new life.
*
“How am I supposed to meet my clients when my morning sickness can come at any time?” Merlin whines, his forehead resting on the cold porcelain of the toilet bowl.
“I keep telling you to stop working. It's not like we need the money,” Arthur says, helping Merlin to his feet and handing him a glass of water.
“I didn't think it would be this bad,” Merlin admits, rinses his mouth and seeks the warmth of Arthur's embrace.
“Should I cancel that appointment you have tomorrow?” Arthur asks, ruffling Merlin's hair.
“No, I'll go,” Merlin says. “But I'll start taking less cases, okay?”
*
Arthur rocks into him, hard and fast, his hand never leaving the five months baby bump.
“This is so much better than the role play,” Merlin moans.
*
“Oh, wow,” Arthur says, pulling away from sucking and licking Merlin's nipples, watching as Merlin's cock continues spurting the last bits of his release.
*
“Arthur,” Merlin's voice pulls Arthur from sleep.
“What?” he asks, not opening his eyes, reluctant to give up his sleep.
Merlin presses his bare bum against Arthur's groin.
“Again?” Arthur asks, but his annoyance is receding as his cock starts taking interest in Merlin's rhythmical grinding.
“I can't help it,” Merlin says. “I have needs.”
“If I knew what I was signing up for...” Arthur trails off.
“You'd do it all over again,” Merlin says, amusement clear in his voice.
“Exactly,” Arthur confirms and reaches for lube.
*
“I am so not doing it again,” Merlin groans into Arthur's shoulder as Arthur carries him to the car and another contraction hits.
*
The nurse lays their son, just born and freshly cleaned, on Merlin's chest while the surgeon continues casting spells to close the incision and return Merlin's body to its pre-pregnancy state. Arthur's knees wobble a bit and he needs to steady himself, leaning against the side of the surgical table. A few tears slide down his cheeks.
“I might be persuaded to do this again,” Merlin says, offering Arthur a tired smile and pressing a kiss to the top of their son's head.
Author/Artist: elirwen
Prompt: #3 One day Merlin discovers that Arthur is searching the web for mpreg related material (fictions, pictures…) At first, he says nothing, then, one day he suggests some roleplay (fake belly for example) and realizes how much Arthur is excited by it. It goes on for some time until Merlin tells Arthur he can really become pregnant with the help of his magic. Additional Info: Modern!Au with magic
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Word Count: ~2350
Rating: NC-17
Contains: no warnings
Disclaimer:Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Noticing Arthur's strange behaviour, Merlin tries to find out what is troubling him. What he learns changes their lives forever.
Read it on AO3
First, Merlin notices the change in Arthur's bed behaviour. Not that he's complaining. He quite enjoys Arthur's tender touches and the prolonged foreplay. His nipples have never got so much attention. Not to mention his belly button.
He loves the way Arthur's hand settles on his belly possessively while he rocks into him from behind. He's fond of its steady weight as it rests on his stomach when they bask in the pleasant afterglow of their lovemaking.
*
Second, Merlin notices Arthur watching him with a strange wistful look on his face from time to time. He quickly covers it once he's aware of Merlin's attention, but it's enough to make Merlin wonder. There's so much yearning hidden in Arthur's gaze, but he can see the edge of hopelessness too, and it tugs at his heartstrings.
He also knows that asking Arthur whether something is wrong will make Arthur more closed off because that's how he deals with problematic emotions. Well, not all the time. Years in Merlin's company helped lower the walls built during the long years spent under Uther's 'rule'. But there are still moments and topics that make him retreat back into the safety of his perfectly guarded keep.
Merlin doesn't prod or push, continues monitoring Arthur's new quirks, trying to make sense of them. It pays off and soon he adds a third on his list.
*
Merlin's last client for that particular Friday canceled because of a family emergency, and Merlin gets home earlier than usual, hands full with bags of takeaway he brings to add to the surprise of his early arrival. He tries to do as little noise as possible as he sneaks into their living room where Arthur usually unwinds from his own work week.
“Look who's home!” he says the moment he enters the room, seeing Arthur with his attention drawn completely to his laptop's screen.
Arthur's head snaps up and he closes the lid of the laptop. Merlin can't stop himself from laughing at Arthur's startled expression.
“I didn't expect you so soon,” Arthur says, defensive.
He's completely adorable when he pouts.
“Is this what it looked like when you were just a wee teenager and someone caught you watching porn?” Merlin asks, grinning.
“Nobody ever caught me watching porn,” Arthur says, but blush rises to his cheeks.
“Wait, were you watching porn when I came in?” Merlin asks.
“No!” Arthur says, his blush darkening.
“Are you withholding some quality content from me, Arthur? That's not very nice,” Merlin says, stalking towards the sofa, depositing the bags on the coffee table along the way.
“I was not watching porn,” Arthur says, clutching his laptop to his chest.
Merlin notices the shift in atmosphere almost immediately. Arthur's on the defensive now. Whatever he was doing when Merlin came in, he doesn't want Merlin to know, and Merlin can respect that.
“I'm still cuter than any twink in the gay porn industry, so...” he says to lighten the mood, climbs on the sofa and wriggles himself into the gap between Arthur and the backrest, resting his head on Arthur's shoulder.
“I hate to break it to you, but you're not really a twink anymore,” Arthur says, putting the laptop aside and pulling Merlin more on top of himself.
“Doesn't stop me from being cuter than them, does it?” Merlin says, curling closer when Arthur lays his laptop on the ground.
“I don't know,” Arthur says, sneaking his hand under Merlin's shirt, rubbing circles into the small of his back. “Can you purr?”
*
Fourth, and final, clue, basically spells it all out for Merlin. He feels stupid for not connecting the dots earlier.
Arthur's e-reader falls off the table when Merlin shifts the pile of books he is leafing through, trying to find a spell to repel gnomes who took residence in his latest client's garden. Worried the e-reader might be broken, Merlin turns it on and checks the screen for any irregularities. He sighs in relief when everything is just fine. He's not a big fan of tech magic.
He skims the active page of Arthur's current reading without actually thinking about what he's doing, his curiosity automatically taking lead.
“Is that..?” he mutters to himself, turning a page and reading a bit more, just to make sure. “It really is. Mpreg.”
*
Even though he's pretty sure about the topic of Arthur's fantasies, Merlin wants to confirm his findings. He doesn't need any careful planning as Arthur grants him the opportunity on the very same evening of his groundbreaking discovery.
Merlin's whole body tingles with pleasure. Arthur is covering his back completely, aiming his thrusts with perfect precision. His hand is pressed to Merlin's belly, his lips roaming the long expanse of Merlin's neck. He doesn't rush, driving Merlin insane with how good everything feels.
“Just fill me up,” Merlin moans. “Imagine you could make me swell with child.”
Arthur's rhythm falters.
“Fuck,” he swears quietly right next to Merlin's ear.
He speeds up just a second later, his arm still securely wrapped around Merlin's torso, hand caressing his belly.
“Yeah, just like that,” Merlin encourages him, climbing towards his own peak.
He comes before Arthur, collapsing to his elbows as his orgasm crashes through him, amplified by Arthur's cock pumping into him at frantic pace. Arthur stills inside of him just as his aftershocks start to subside, coming silently. They slump to the side, still joined, breathing heavy, not willing to part with the afterglow just yet.
*
“You've read that story, haven't you?” Arthur asks later when they're already on the brink of sleep.
“Just a bit,” Merlin says, peeking at Arthur who turns his face into a pillow in what looks suspiciously like shame.
“I was thinking we could, you know… Play a bit,” Merlin says, searching for Arthur's hand under the covers and linking their fingers together.
“Play?” Arthur asks.
“A pillow under shirt, fake belly, more pregnancy dirty talk. Whatever works for you,” Merlin says.
There's a short pause as Arthur contemplates the offer, bringing Merlin's hand to his lips and slowly kissing each knuckle.
“You're really okay with this?” he asks eventually.
“Have I ever let you do to me anything I didn't want you to do?” Merlin asks.
“You wore that hat on Halloween two years ago,” Arthur says, but smiles.
“And you cried like a baby when I edged you for two hours straight on Halloween two years ago,” Merlin grins. “Come be my little spoon and we can talk things through tomorrow, okay?”
*
It takes some planning and testing, but soon they get quite good at role play. Merlin loves seeing Arthur so content, whether it's during sex or in their everyday life. Arthur grows bolder and starts coming up with ideas of his own, even if it takes him almost a month before he asks Merlin for a whole day of play.
It's that day of snuggling on the couch and general cuteness that leads Merlin to one more discovery. He can see that all this is not just a kink for Arthur. He genuinely loves the idea of Merlin bearing his child. And if Merlin is totally honest with himself, he quite likes it too.
He's a professional solver of magical problems, so why not become his own client?
*
“I might have not been completely honest about being swamped with work these past few days,” Merlin says right after he steps into the kitchen and wraps his arms around Arthur's waist in greeting..
He should have probably waited until after dinner before bringing up the subject, but he's too excited and nervous to eat. Arthur would definitely notice something is bothering him if he couldn't bring himself to finish his meal.
“You cheated on me with Freya. How could you?” Arthur fakes a scandalized outburst, turning his face away dramatically and clutching at his heart.
“You very well know that Freya refuses to become a man and bleach her hair for me,” he says, grinning and presses a kiss to Arthur's neck.
“Then out with it, Mr. Mysterious,” Arthur says.
“I was doing some research for my personal project,” Merlin admits.
“And?” Arthur asks, pulling a piece of pasta out of the water and tasting it.
“I found a way to get pregnant for real.”
Arthur's shock is obvious in the way his body tenses, his fingers tight around the fork that he deposits on the kitchen counter a few seconds later. He turns off the stove and faces Merlin.
“Are you serious?” Arthur asks.
There's hope in Arthur's expression, well hidden behind what Merlin calls Arthur's business face, but definitely there.
“Totally serious,” Merlin confirms.
“Wow,” Arthur breathes out, leaning heavily on the counter. “That's… just...” A short laugh escapes his lips. “You never cease to surprise me.”
He pulls Merlin closer for a kiss that makes Merlin feel weak in the knees.
“Is it dangerous?” he asks after a while, breaking the kiss.
“Not more than any other pregnancy,” Merlin says.
Arthur bows his head, his gaze somewhere on Merlin's chest, and Merlin realizes his mistake. Arthur's mother died giving birth to him and it was a perfectly natural pregnancy. That's not exactly reassuring.
“Maybe we shouldn't...” Arthur starts.
“We don't have to decide today, okay?” Merlin interrupts him. “But for what it's worth, male pregnancy is only possible for fairly powerful sorcerers. It isn't common, but there has been quite a few documented cases.” He makes sure Arthur is looking him in the eyes and listening before he conveys the most important piece of information. “None of them were fatal for the father or the baby.”
*
For a few weeks, their pregnancy play ceases. From time to time, Arthur comes to Merlin with more questions about the spell, about how the nine months of pregnancy should go, and also about the baby's delivery.
And then one night while watching a movie, Arthur asks, “do you want to be pregnant?”
“Yes, for you everything,” Merlin says, snuggling closer to Arthur's side.
“That's not what I meant. Do you want a baby? Not for me, for yourself.”
“I already told you that I wouldn't do anything that I wouldn't want to do,” Merlin says. “I want to carry our baby,” he murmurs into Arthur's ear.
“And when would you like to conceive?” Arthur asks, his tone low, suggestive.
*
“Gods, Arthur,” Merlin moans, Arthur's tongue doing incredibly amazing things all over his cock. “I need some brain cells active to cast the spell.”
Arthur pulls off, licking a long stripe over the underside of Merlin's cock.
“All you need right now is to come, is that understood?” he grins at Merlin and returns back to the task of making Merlin lose his mind.
*
Still somewhat floating on the bliss from his first orgasm, Merlin lets Arthur do all the work preparing him. He exhales heavily, shivers running down his spine, when Arthur finally enters him. They fall into a slow, gentle pace, trying for as much skin on skin contact as possible, kissing and murmuring endearments against each other's lips.
“I'm close,” Arthur says and Merlin starts chanting, never breaking eye contact with Arthur, his eyes glowing gold.
Last word of the enchantment leaving his lips, he urges Arthur to go faster, feeling the tingling of his magic all over his body. The friction of their bodies pressed together is enough to send him over the edge for the second time that night, his magic moving south, concentrating around his stomach. The moment Arthur comes, the magic flares, making Merlin gasp for air. It amplifies the pleasure Merlin is feeling while warmth spreads through his belly.
It takes long minutes for the pleasure to subside and they stay joined, Arthur half-collapsed on top of Merlin.
“We're having a baby,” Merlin whispers, feeling the magic settling in his belly, wrapping protectively around the barely there fluttering of new life.
*
“How am I supposed to meet my clients when my morning sickness can come at any time?” Merlin whines, his forehead resting on the cold porcelain of the toilet bowl.
“I keep telling you to stop working. It's not like we need the money,” Arthur says, helping Merlin to his feet and handing him a glass of water.
“I didn't think it would be this bad,” Merlin admits, rinses his mouth and seeks the warmth of Arthur's embrace.
“Should I cancel that appointment you have tomorrow?” Arthur asks, ruffling Merlin's hair.
“No, I'll go,” Merlin says. “But I'll start taking less cases, okay?”
*
Arthur rocks into him, hard and fast, his hand never leaving the five months baby bump.
“This is so much better than the role play,” Merlin moans.
*
“Oh, wow,” Arthur says, pulling away from sucking and licking Merlin's nipples, watching as Merlin's cock continues spurting the last bits of his release.
*
“Arthur,” Merlin's voice pulls Arthur from sleep.
“What?” he asks, not opening his eyes, reluctant to give up his sleep.
Merlin presses his bare bum against Arthur's groin.
“Again?” Arthur asks, but his annoyance is receding as his cock starts taking interest in Merlin's rhythmical grinding.
“I can't help it,” Merlin says. “I have needs.”
“If I knew what I was signing up for...” Arthur trails off.
“You'd do it all over again,” Merlin says, amusement clear in his voice.
“Exactly,” Arthur confirms and reaches for lube.
*
“I am so not doing it again,” Merlin groans into Arthur's shoulder as Arthur carries him to the car and another contraction hits.
*
The nurse lays their son, just born and freshly cleaned, on Merlin's chest while the surgeon continues casting spells to close the incision and return Merlin's body to its pre-pregnancy state. Arthur's knees wobble a bit and he needs to steady himself, leaning against the side of the surgical table. A few tears slide down his cheeks.
“I might be persuaded to do this again,” Merlin says, offering Arthur a tired smile and pressing a kiss to the top of their son's head.