Fanfiction: Rules for Roommates, modern au, WIP (5/?)
Title: Rules for Roommates - 5/?
Fandom: Merlin (Merlin/Arthur, a wee bit of Arthur/Gwaine)
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 4.2k (19k so far)
Summary: Modern AU. Arthur works in publishing and is ashamed to tell anyone he's secretly editing erotica, and being bullied by one of his authors - the arrogant 'Lake Anders'. He's also just taken in a new roommate, the adorable Merlin Emrys, who is definitely Not His Type. Or is he?
Previous chapters: CHAPTER ONE; CHAPTER TWO; CHAPTER THREE; CHAPTER FOUR
Arthur's mind was all over the place on his way to Gwaine's. Percy was nothing like he'd expected him to be. Literally, nothing at all. He found it hard to reconcile the picture in his head - checked shirt, skinny jeans, emo fringe - from the massive muscle-bound guy he'd actually met. His mind kept replaying the way he'd touched Merlin, on his thigh, a gesture of utter possessiveness, and how Merlin had gone dazed and warm and happy. It made him feel a little bit queasy. He grimaced, then realised that there was a girl opposite him on the tube watching him, and he quickly pushed his face back into blankness. He caught her eye and smiled, she blushed a rosy red and looked away and he went back to his murderous thoughts.
Percy had seemed alright from what he'd seen. Well, apart from the 'Sloaney' comment which was deeply unfair - just because Arthur owned the odd gilet and had rather swooshy hair, it didn't mean he was a Sloane.
But aside from that he'd done nothing untoward. Arthur had wanted him to be just so obviously odious that he was well within his rights to throw him from his house. But he'd seemed normal. Nice to Merlin, even. Slightly possessive but... he hadn't called Merlin anything insulting within his hearing. He'd just acted like an average boyfriend would.
His looks had also deeply disturbed Arthur. Arthur was used to being the best-looking man in a lot of situations. He was blessed with a good body, great bone structure, and very blue eyes. He saw no point in pretending otherwise and assuming a false modesty about it. Some people were naturally gifted at music, or at acting. He was better looking than average. That was his special skill. It had meant that losing his virginity was a doddle - despite the 'WanKing Arthur' nickname - and it had also meant that he had never been short of willing sexual partners throughout University or his working life. But Percy? He was pretty fit. And pretty fucking massive. He could probably throw Arthur across the room with one arm. For the first time Arthur found himself wishing Percy had been there when he was mugged.
And the thing Arthur kept coming back to, above and beyond everything else, was why exactly he was bothered by how Percy looked. He could write off his anger at Percy to the fact that Merlin was a good mate and he wanted to look out for him. But why was he so bothered that Percy was bigger than him, more Merlin's type than him? Because it wasn't like Merlin was Arthur's type was it? Despite Leon's insinuations to the contrary. He'd only had sex with a handful of men - well, four to be precise - since Gwaine had opened his eyes to his enjoyment of the male form. And compared to the amount of women he had slept with - a rather shameful twenty five - that was nothing. And all of them had been remarkably similar looks-wise. In fact, the worst part of the whole Percy thing is that in another situation, Arthur would probably have gone home with him. And yes Merlin had adorable blue eyes, an incredibly infectious laugh, and an interesting mouth but really, he just wasn't the sort of man that Arthur went for normally.
He shook his head, getting off the tube at Camden, and weaving his way through tramps, tourists and punks, getting more and more irritated with every person who stepped in his way. He didn't really understand why the fuck people lived in Camden. All it had was market tat and a surfeit of cheap pubs. Okay, the latter explained why Gwaine lived there at least.
He rang the doorbell for Gwaine's flat and he answered the door barefoot with jeans on, just pulling a T-shirt over his head. 'I doubt I'll wear it for long, but I thought we'd keep up appearances for five minutes at least,' he winked lasciviously.
The knot in Arthur's stomach immediately loosened and he found himself laughing. Gwaine pulled him through the door and gave him a manly hug with a lot of back-slapping followed with a long, wet kiss. That was one of the things Arthur had always liked about Gwaine: the fact that he could destroy you at rugby but could equally do some truly spectacular things with his tongue. Gwaine let his hand tangle in Arthur's hair then pulled away a little. 'It's very soft, what are you using?'
'Um, just Head & Shoulders.'
Gwaine pursed his lips, weighed this up, 'Interesting. Now get in you big lump, there's rugby, beers, pizza and sex awaiting you.'
Arthur grinned, 'You're such easy company.'
'Because I'm so easy you mean?' Gwaine laughed, heading into his tiny kitchen and re-emerging with two chilled bottle of Heineken. 'Because actually, I'm not that easy. I am where you're concerned of course, but we have history.'
'Yeah, I know,' Arthur clinked his bottle against Gwaine's, took a greedy sip. Arthur had been an uber-heterosexual, aggressively skirt-chasing public school twat when he first met Gwaine. He'd been an undergraduate at Jesus college at Cambridge and had been on the rugby team. Gwaine had been a post-graduate doing a doctorate in Engineering. Arthur could still remember the first time he'd seen him and the feeling of confusing lust that had punched him in the stomach. He'd spent two terms pretending he didn't feel a thing until Gwaine turned up at his room after a match one night with a bottle of whiskey and Arthur ended up going down on him whilst Gwaine's fingers clenched on his shoulders.
'I remember the first time you let me put my dick inside you,' Gwaine sighed, as if reminiscing about something incredibly romantic like a first 'I love you'. 'There you were, all regal and posh and snobby, and you came apart under my tongue.' He smiled at the memory, then waggled his eyebrows in a highly suggestive manner.
Arthur flushed, busied himself with taking off his jacket. 'Yeah, well, I'd never expected to fancy a man.'
'I've turned a lot of men,' Gwaine said, quite seriously. 'Have you seen those terrible Lynx adverts? Where girls smell the aftershave and just fall in lust?'
Arthur nodded. Of course he had. Only fourteen year olds wore the stuff, though. The smell of Lynx reminded him irresistibly of the changing rooms at school in fourth form.
'It's like that with me and straight men. Like I give off some kind of natural... musk, if you will.'
Arthur burst out laughing then, 'You're so fucking arrogant.'
'Yeah,' Gwaine wasn't even remotely offended. 'I am. I was surprised to get your text, you know. Not because many can resist me for long,' he flexed a bicep, 'but last I heard you'd shacked up with a girl.'
Arthur waited for the pain that typically came when someone mentioned Gwen but it was only notable for its absence. 'I was going out with a girl but she broke up with me. She's moved in with Lance now.'
Gwaine whistled, 'Lance stole your girlfriend?'
'He didn't really, if I'm honest,' Arthur admitted. 'We weren't really working. I can't blame him for picking up the pieces.' Even though, at the time, he had. Bitterly. Including violent voicemails left at 3am that promised serious retribution. Lance was too nice to ever mention them, which was even more annoying. 'What about you?'
'Still single, still playing the field,' Gwaine lounged back against the sofa. 'I just don't think I was born to be tamed.'
'You're a joke of a man,' Arthur laughed.
'I am that. But what does that make you for coming back?' Gwaine flicked the television on, not waiting for an answer. Which was good, because Arthur didn't know what he'd have said.
***
It was over pizza and their fourth pints that conversation turned to their latest conquests. Gwaine was horrified to learn that there really hadn't been any for a while.
'But you were a shagging legend at Cambridge!' He wiped a string of greasy cheese from his chin. 'What's happened? Is it love?' He spat the word out like naming a particularly nasty STD.
Arthur wrinkled his nose. 'No. I don't think I've ever been in love, you know,' he said carefully.
'What about your ex-girlfriend? You moved in with her,' Gwaine pointed out.
'I think I loved the idea of her,' Arthur started systematically picking mushrooms off the pizza, mostly to give himself something to do with his hands. 'She was really kind, and funny, and a good person, and she was the kind of person you should love. But we didn't have that...'
'That pull to each other?' Gwaine supplied. 'I've had it before, but only on a sexual level. Remember?'
Arthur flushed, remembering the third term of his second year where he'd spent most of it being shagged in Gwaine's room, the laundry room, behind the gym, the showers... 'I've had lust like that. But that feeling where you're totally obsessed with someone, where they're all you can think about? Never had it,' he shrugged. He had a fleeting image of Merlin then, with Percy's hand on his thigh, but blinked it away quickly. He had no idea where it had come from.
'That's not what Leon says,' Gwaine told him, hoovering up all the mushroom pieces he was leaving behind.
'What?' Arthur frowned.
'He says you've got a thing for your housemate.'
'Fucking Leon,' Arthur swore. 'Fucking fucking Leon.'
'Ah, don't be hard on him. I was asking after you after rugby last week and he said you'd got a crush. I promised I wouldn't say anything but... I've had a lot of beer.'
Arthur couldn't really be arsed to be mad at Leon. It was only Gwaine he'd told, after all, and Gwaine knew more of Arthur's secrets than pretty much everyone else in the world combined. Except Merlin.
'I don't have a crush on him, right,' he said, more aggressively than he'd intended. 'It's nothing so fucking girly as that,' he tore into his pizza as if showing how masculine he was. All it resulted in was him spilling sauce all down his top. 'He's really not my type.'
'I was hardly your type,' Gwaine shrugged. 'Before me you only looked at leggy girls with double-barrelled surnames, Mulberry handbags and back-combed hair. Your last shag before me was called Persephone for fuck's sake.'
'Yeah but... since you, all guys I've gone for have looked the same. And Merlin's skinny, and a bit nerdy, and he dresses like he's at St. Martin's.'
'Love is blind, and other cliches like that,' Gwaine intoned solemnly.
'I don't know, maybe you're right,' Arthur admitted sullenly, purely because he'd had so much beer that his defences were dulled. 'I met his boyfriend tonight and I hated him before I met him and now I hate him even more. He cheated on Merlin and makes him feel shit about how he looks. And I was all prepared to smack him into next week and then he shows up and he's about seven foot tall with biceps bigger than my head.' He glared at his pizza, as if it was Percy's face.
'Sounds hot,' Gwaine said, unhelpfully. 'Maybe I could take him and leave you with Merlin?'
Arthur laughed, 'Yeah, maybe that would work. Although I don't even know if I want Merlin. Not like that, anyway. He makes me laugh, and I worry about him, and I don't want anyone to ever hurt him again.' He rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Fucking hell, listen to me, I sound like a hero in a romance novel.'
'But you don't want to suck his dick?' Gwaine asked, as ever, bluntly getting to the crux of the matter.
'I don't know,' Arthur admitted. 'I've never let myself think about it.'
'Okay, put your pizza down,' Gwaine instructed. 'And your beer.'
Arthur did, confused as to where this was going.
'Close your eyes and clear your mind of everything.'
'Are you going to go all Paul McKenna on me?' Arthur asked, amused.
'Trust me. Picture Merlin, joking around with you in the kitchen of your flat. Now picture him getting down on his knees in front of you, sliding his hands up your thighs, and getting your dick out.'
Arthur did.
'And then imagine him tonguing your dick, and sucking you.'
Arthur did. He crossed his legs uncomfortably. Swallowed. He could imagine the way Merlin would look up at him through dark lashes, his cheeks hollowed, how he'd try and take it all in. How he'd give Arthur's dick his full attention, lapping at the head, rubbing his balls.
The next thing he knew, Gwaine's hand was over his dick. He opened his eyes suddenly, 'Hey!'
'There's your answer,' Gwaine said, squeezing Arthur's crotch for emphasis. 'D'you fancy a shag now?'
'What, now you've turned me on by talking about my housemate?'
'Yeah,' Gwaine nodded, unphased. 'An erection's an erection, isn't it? And once you're naked I can promise you Merlin will be the last thing on your mind.'
***
Arthur stayed the night and enjoyed an uncomplicated roll in the hay with Gwaine. Gwaine knew exactly how to touch him, and fucked him bent over the bathroom sink so he could watch the way Arthur's face went when he came. And then the next morning they ate cold pizza in bed. It was the dream.
'How're you feeling?' Gwaine asked, as he flicked the TV on again to check out the football highlights.
'More relaxed than I have for a while,' Arthur admitted.
'Still fancy Merlin? Or was it brought on by an acute case of sexual frustration?'
'Still fancy him,' Arthur sighed. 'Still want to beat the shit out of his boyfriend. Still aware that if I tried he'd be wearing my skin as a pelt within the hour.'
'If it's driving you that crazy you'll have to ask him to move out,' Gwaine told him.
'No!' Arthur exclaimed quickly. Then, more considered, 'I'd rather see him with Percy than not see him at all.'
'Percy's a shit name, anyway,' Gwaine said, offering Arthur a piece of cold garlic bread.
'They'll probably be snuggled up being all post-coital when I go back,' Arthur grimaced.
'Don't go back then, I'm going for a swim if you fancy it? Kentish Town's swimming pool is fucking brilliant, mate. Then we can grab a roast at the Oxford. Exercise and meat will do you good.'
'Yeah, alright, cheers,' Arthur enjoyed Gwaine's uncomplicated world-view. 'Might clear my mind at least.'
***
Arthur deliberately didn't go home until as late as possible, and was relieved to see that there were no lights on, so Percy and Merlin were obviously out. He weirdly felt better having admitted to himself that he liked Merlin. Quite a lot. As long as Merlin never found out whilst he was with Percy, things would be fine, he thought. He could just go about his business as before, and when Percy and Merlin inevitably broke up he would swoop in like a hawk. Ha. Take that Percy. Or, or he thought, he could be incredibly seductive and seduce Merlin away from Percy.
He swaggered to the fridge, pleased with his cunning plan, imagining how he'd flirt with Merlin. He practiced his best throaty chuckle and jumped a mile when someone cleared his throat behind him.
'It's just me,' Merlin said. He was wearing pyjama bottoms and an old rugby shirt that was far too big for him. Probably Percy's, Arthur thought, aggressively.
'Percy gone then?' Arthur tried for casual but it just sounded slightly constipated. He cleared his throat and had another go, 'Have a good weekend?'
'Yeah,' Merlin leaned against the fridge, his hand went to his throat where Arthur could see a series of love-bites leading down the collar. He wondered where they went and flushed an angry red.
'You alright?' Merlin was all concern and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. He leaned into the touch imperceptibly. Arthur shook him off and busied himself with the tea-pot.
'I'm fine, just a bit tired,' he yawned for effect.
'Oh, of course, Gwaine,' Merlin said.
'Yeah, it's always good to catch up with him,' Arthur deliberately didn't look at Merlin but tried to make 'catch up' sound as filthy as possible. 'And how was Percy? Behave himself for once?'
'Don't make out like he's a bastard,' Merlin sighed, sounding terribly tired. 'He just worries I'm not eating enough.'
Arthur snorted but didn't say anything, letting the silence stretch until Merlin started again, 'He thinks you're very good looking.'
'Why would he tell you that?' This time Arthur did look up. 'The party line as a boyfriend is that anyone else is average-at-best.'
Merlin frowned, bit his lower lip, 'He didn't mean anything by it.' His hand went back to his throat and he stroked the marks softly.
'I can see you had a good weekend,' Arthur said baldly, looking at the marks.
'Oh,' Merlin snatched his hand away. 'You were away so I think we got a little carried away. The neighbours might have complained,' he admitted.
Arthur felt sick. 'Really? Which ones?'
'Mrs Fitzgerald.'
'What, 90-year-old, largely deaf Mrs Fitzgerald? What the fuck were you doing?' Arthur was caught between horror and intrigue.
'Nothing, I just, get a bit loud I suppose, uninhibited, I'm so sorry I'm so embarrassed about it I felt absolutely terrible and I sent round a bouquet of flowers but she wouldn't look me in the eye and-'
'Sh,' Arthur quelled the flow of Merlin's babbling with a finger on Merlin's lips. 'It's okay. Just don't do it again,' he finished lamely. Belatedly he removed his finger from Merlin's mouth, fought the urge to stroke it against his bottom lip. 'That should really be one of our roommate rules though... no sex that even deaf women can hear. I really, really don't want to have to put ear-plugs in during Percy's sleepovers. Can't you just bite the pillow like a normal person?'
Merlin giggled, and the sound punctured the tension in the kitchen. 'I think it's because I was such a late-bloomer. I didn't lose my virginity until I was twenty-two. And before Percy I'd only had sex a few times. And it was always shit. And I just get a bit crazy.'
Arthur handed Merlin a mug of tea. 'Next time, think of the neighbours. Imagining Mrs Fitzgerald will kill anyone's lust.'
Merlin's fingers brushed Arthur's as he took the cup. 'Yeah, sorry. And thanks for making yourself scarce whilst he was here, it was thoughtful of you.'
It hadn't been thoughtful. It had been a decision born out of the sick jealousy he felt whenever he thought of Percy making Merlin moan. 'It wasn't an overly selfless decision. I hadn't seen Gwaine for a while,' he shrugged, picking up his tea.
'So are the two of you..?' Merlin leaned forward curiously.
'A couple? God no. We just have sex sometimes. He's a great mate - really funny, good drinking partner, always up for a ridiculous adventure. And it doesn't hurt that he's good in bed. I was this cocky little shit when he met me, and I spent most of the next term bent over his bed, or against the wall of the shower,' Arthur felt a slow creep of arousal low down in his belly at talking about sex with Merlin. Fine, it was sex with someone else, but there was something intimate about the conversation. It wasn't normal to talk like this with your friends, as a guy.
Merlin's eyes were round as saucers, 'And have there been guys since?'
'A few,' Arthur admitted. 'Nothing to write home about. I've never had a boyfriend before, but few things beat the feel of a dick in your mouth.' He was deliberately trying to shock Merlin. His cheeks were getting pinker and pinker.
'I never suspected you were bisexual,' Merlin said.
'Does it change things?' he looked intently at Merlin.
'No.' He took a deep breath, 'Not really, anyway. Just, Percy would go mad.'
'Doesn't he trust you?'
'No, it's ironic isn't it? He's very jealous.'
'Cheaters often are.'
'Have you ever cheated on someone?' Merlin asked, blowing on his tea.
'No, and I never would,' Arthur said confidently. 'If it's not working you break up with them: you don't sleep with someone behind their back.'
'You're a better person than most,' Merlin sniffed.
'I'm not being holier than thou, I've been a shit in my time, but I'd never do that.'
'So having met Percy, do you still think he's a dick?'
'Yes,' Arthur said, without a moment of hesitation. 'You're my friend, and he makes you feel shit about yourself. Is he good-looking? Yes. Was he an obvious arsehole? No. Will I ever be bezzie mates with him? No fucking way.'
'So you'd rather I didn't bring him round here?' Merlin looked sad and young. Arthur wanted to pull him onto his lap and hold him.
'No, I didn't mean that.' He did mean that. 'It's your home too for the time being. I was very restrained and polite I think you'll find.'
'Yeah... You see, it's my birthday next week and I wanted to have a party but when drink is involved and you're there and Percy's there...' He broke off.
'I'm not going to pick a fight,' Arthur said evenly. 'I wouldn't dare to, Merlin. Have you seen the size of him?'
'Yes,' Merlin went a lovely shade of pink again. 'So you wouldn't mind?'
'No, not at all, I can invite Gwaine,' Arthur said deliberately, knowing that Merlin had lied about Gwaine's gender to Percy.
'Oh,' Merlin sounded fairly high-pitched. 'Of course. It'd be great to meet him. I'm sure Percy would enjoy that.'
Ha, Arthur thought, 15-love to Pendragon. 'I'm going to get an early night,' Arthur stretched ostentatiously, deliberately showing inches of flat stomach and feeling pleased when Merlin instinctively looked. 'I've got some reading to catch up on.'
***
The new chapter of 'Rules for Roommates' was waiting in his inbox. He saved it until he'd showered, brushed his teeth, and was curled in bed in his boxers.
'Dear Arthur,
I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.
Speak soon,
Lake'
Arthur opened the word document and began to read it. Harry knew now that James had some interest in men, if the porn was anything to go by. He was also friendlier to Harry than Harry suspected a fully straight man would be. There was nothing overt, but in the shower after swimming Harry could feel James's eyes lingering on him. He'd let himself imagine James coming up behind him and stroking large hands down his torso to his hips, squeezing his dick until he got an erection, and then slowly tossing him off whilst muttering filthy sweet-nothings in his ear.
Arthur swallowed. Suddenly, in his mind, he was James, and Merlin was the one pushed against the wall, bracing himself against it, gasping as Arthur stroked and stroked his long, hard dick.
James and Harry's relationship was becoming closer, and it was when drunk one night that they ended up kissing. It was on a dare, and James said it was because he had never kissed a man in his life. That was when James set the rule that one, no one could know and two, that it was only allowed to be kissing. And then they had kissed for hours, until their lips were swollen and Harry was straddling James's lap, furiously rubbing his clothed erection against James's, wanting more than anything to slip his hand inside his jeans and suck him off until he lost control and fucked Harry's mouth.
That was where the chapter ended. Arthur put his iPad down and tried hopelessly to fall asleep for a while before giving up and giving in and fisting his dick hard and slow, thinking about Merlin's lips, Merlin's long fingers, and how it would feel to come in his mouth.
He knew that trying to seduce your roommate away from his boyfriend probably broke every rule there was. But what the hell - rules were made to be broken.
CHAPTER SIX
Fandom: Merlin (Merlin/Arthur, a wee bit of Arthur/Gwaine)
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 4.2k (19k so far)
Summary: Modern AU. Arthur works in publishing and is ashamed to tell anyone he's secretly editing erotica, and being bullied by one of his authors - the arrogant 'Lake Anders'. He's also just taken in a new roommate, the adorable Merlin Emrys, who is definitely Not His Type. Or is he?
Previous chapters: CHAPTER ONE; CHAPTER TWO; CHAPTER THREE; CHAPTER FOUR
Arthur's mind was all over the place on his way to Gwaine's. Percy was nothing like he'd expected him to be. Literally, nothing at all. He found it hard to reconcile the picture in his head - checked shirt, skinny jeans, emo fringe - from the massive muscle-bound guy he'd actually met. His mind kept replaying the way he'd touched Merlin, on his thigh, a gesture of utter possessiveness, and how Merlin had gone dazed and warm and happy. It made him feel a little bit queasy. He grimaced, then realised that there was a girl opposite him on the tube watching him, and he quickly pushed his face back into blankness. He caught her eye and smiled, she blushed a rosy red and looked away and he went back to his murderous thoughts.
Percy had seemed alright from what he'd seen. Well, apart from the 'Sloaney' comment which was deeply unfair - just because Arthur owned the odd gilet and had rather swooshy hair, it didn't mean he was a Sloane.
But aside from that he'd done nothing untoward. Arthur had wanted him to be just so obviously odious that he was well within his rights to throw him from his house. But he'd seemed normal. Nice to Merlin, even. Slightly possessive but... he hadn't called Merlin anything insulting within his hearing. He'd just acted like an average boyfriend would.
His looks had also deeply disturbed Arthur. Arthur was used to being the best-looking man in a lot of situations. He was blessed with a good body, great bone structure, and very blue eyes. He saw no point in pretending otherwise and assuming a false modesty about it. Some people were naturally gifted at music, or at acting. He was better looking than average. That was his special skill. It had meant that losing his virginity was a doddle - despite the 'WanKing Arthur' nickname - and it had also meant that he had never been short of willing sexual partners throughout University or his working life. But Percy? He was pretty fit. And pretty fucking massive. He could probably throw Arthur across the room with one arm. For the first time Arthur found himself wishing Percy had been there when he was mugged.
And the thing Arthur kept coming back to, above and beyond everything else, was why exactly he was bothered by how Percy looked. He could write off his anger at Percy to the fact that Merlin was a good mate and he wanted to look out for him. But why was he so bothered that Percy was bigger than him, more Merlin's type than him? Because it wasn't like Merlin was Arthur's type was it? Despite Leon's insinuations to the contrary. He'd only had sex with a handful of men - well, four to be precise - since Gwaine had opened his eyes to his enjoyment of the male form. And compared to the amount of women he had slept with - a rather shameful twenty five - that was nothing. And all of them had been remarkably similar looks-wise. In fact, the worst part of the whole Percy thing is that in another situation, Arthur would probably have gone home with him. And yes Merlin had adorable blue eyes, an incredibly infectious laugh, and an interesting mouth but really, he just wasn't the sort of man that Arthur went for normally.
He shook his head, getting off the tube at Camden, and weaving his way through tramps, tourists and punks, getting more and more irritated with every person who stepped in his way. He didn't really understand why the fuck people lived in Camden. All it had was market tat and a surfeit of cheap pubs. Okay, the latter explained why Gwaine lived there at least.
He rang the doorbell for Gwaine's flat and he answered the door barefoot with jeans on, just pulling a T-shirt over his head. 'I doubt I'll wear it for long, but I thought we'd keep up appearances for five minutes at least,' he winked lasciviously.
The knot in Arthur's stomach immediately loosened and he found himself laughing. Gwaine pulled him through the door and gave him a manly hug with a lot of back-slapping followed with a long, wet kiss. That was one of the things Arthur had always liked about Gwaine: the fact that he could destroy you at rugby but could equally do some truly spectacular things with his tongue. Gwaine let his hand tangle in Arthur's hair then pulled away a little. 'It's very soft, what are you using?'
'Um, just Head & Shoulders.'
Gwaine pursed his lips, weighed this up, 'Interesting. Now get in you big lump, there's rugby, beers, pizza and sex awaiting you.'
Arthur grinned, 'You're such easy company.'
'Because I'm so easy you mean?' Gwaine laughed, heading into his tiny kitchen and re-emerging with two chilled bottle of Heineken. 'Because actually, I'm not that easy. I am where you're concerned of course, but we have history.'
'Yeah, I know,' Arthur clinked his bottle against Gwaine's, took a greedy sip. Arthur had been an uber-heterosexual, aggressively skirt-chasing public school twat when he first met Gwaine. He'd been an undergraduate at Jesus college at Cambridge and had been on the rugby team. Gwaine had been a post-graduate doing a doctorate in Engineering. Arthur could still remember the first time he'd seen him and the feeling of confusing lust that had punched him in the stomach. He'd spent two terms pretending he didn't feel a thing until Gwaine turned up at his room after a match one night with a bottle of whiskey and Arthur ended up going down on him whilst Gwaine's fingers clenched on his shoulders.
'I remember the first time you let me put my dick inside you,' Gwaine sighed, as if reminiscing about something incredibly romantic like a first 'I love you'. 'There you were, all regal and posh and snobby, and you came apart under my tongue.' He smiled at the memory, then waggled his eyebrows in a highly suggestive manner.
Arthur flushed, busied himself with taking off his jacket. 'Yeah, well, I'd never expected to fancy a man.'
'I've turned a lot of men,' Gwaine said, quite seriously. 'Have you seen those terrible Lynx adverts? Where girls smell the aftershave and just fall in lust?'
Arthur nodded. Of course he had. Only fourteen year olds wore the stuff, though. The smell of Lynx reminded him irresistibly of the changing rooms at school in fourth form.
'It's like that with me and straight men. Like I give off some kind of natural... musk, if you will.'
Arthur burst out laughing then, 'You're so fucking arrogant.'
'Yeah,' Gwaine wasn't even remotely offended. 'I am. I was surprised to get your text, you know. Not because many can resist me for long,' he flexed a bicep, 'but last I heard you'd shacked up with a girl.'
Arthur waited for the pain that typically came when someone mentioned Gwen but it was only notable for its absence. 'I was going out with a girl but she broke up with me. She's moved in with Lance now.'
Gwaine whistled, 'Lance stole your girlfriend?'
'He didn't really, if I'm honest,' Arthur admitted. 'We weren't really working. I can't blame him for picking up the pieces.' Even though, at the time, he had. Bitterly. Including violent voicemails left at 3am that promised serious retribution. Lance was too nice to ever mention them, which was even more annoying. 'What about you?'
'Still single, still playing the field,' Gwaine lounged back against the sofa. 'I just don't think I was born to be tamed.'
'You're a joke of a man,' Arthur laughed.
'I am that. But what does that make you for coming back?' Gwaine flicked the television on, not waiting for an answer. Which was good, because Arthur didn't know what he'd have said.
***
It was over pizza and their fourth pints that conversation turned to their latest conquests. Gwaine was horrified to learn that there really hadn't been any for a while.
'But you were a shagging legend at Cambridge!' He wiped a string of greasy cheese from his chin. 'What's happened? Is it love?' He spat the word out like naming a particularly nasty STD.
Arthur wrinkled his nose. 'No. I don't think I've ever been in love, you know,' he said carefully.
'What about your ex-girlfriend? You moved in with her,' Gwaine pointed out.
'I think I loved the idea of her,' Arthur started systematically picking mushrooms off the pizza, mostly to give himself something to do with his hands. 'She was really kind, and funny, and a good person, and she was the kind of person you should love. But we didn't have that...'
'That pull to each other?' Gwaine supplied. 'I've had it before, but only on a sexual level. Remember?'
Arthur flushed, remembering the third term of his second year where he'd spent most of it being shagged in Gwaine's room, the laundry room, behind the gym, the showers... 'I've had lust like that. But that feeling where you're totally obsessed with someone, where they're all you can think about? Never had it,' he shrugged. He had a fleeting image of Merlin then, with Percy's hand on his thigh, but blinked it away quickly. He had no idea where it had come from.
'That's not what Leon says,' Gwaine told him, hoovering up all the mushroom pieces he was leaving behind.
'What?' Arthur frowned.
'He says you've got a thing for your housemate.'
'Fucking Leon,' Arthur swore. 'Fucking fucking Leon.'
'Ah, don't be hard on him. I was asking after you after rugby last week and he said you'd got a crush. I promised I wouldn't say anything but... I've had a lot of beer.'
Arthur couldn't really be arsed to be mad at Leon. It was only Gwaine he'd told, after all, and Gwaine knew more of Arthur's secrets than pretty much everyone else in the world combined. Except Merlin.
'I don't have a crush on him, right,' he said, more aggressively than he'd intended. 'It's nothing so fucking girly as that,' he tore into his pizza as if showing how masculine he was. All it resulted in was him spilling sauce all down his top. 'He's really not my type.'
'I was hardly your type,' Gwaine shrugged. 'Before me you only looked at leggy girls with double-barrelled surnames, Mulberry handbags and back-combed hair. Your last shag before me was called Persephone for fuck's sake.'
'Yeah but... since you, all guys I've gone for have looked the same. And Merlin's skinny, and a bit nerdy, and he dresses like he's at St. Martin's.'
'Love is blind, and other cliches like that,' Gwaine intoned solemnly.
'I don't know, maybe you're right,' Arthur admitted sullenly, purely because he'd had so much beer that his defences were dulled. 'I met his boyfriend tonight and I hated him before I met him and now I hate him even more. He cheated on Merlin and makes him feel shit about how he looks. And I was all prepared to smack him into next week and then he shows up and he's about seven foot tall with biceps bigger than my head.' He glared at his pizza, as if it was Percy's face.
'Sounds hot,' Gwaine said, unhelpfully. 'Maybe I could take him and leave you with Merlin?'
Arthur laughed, 'Yeah, maybe that would work. Although I don't even know if I want Merlin. Not like that, anyway. He makes me laugh, and I worry about him, and I don't want anyone to ever hurt him again.' He rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Fucking hell, listen to me, I sound like a hero in a romance novel.'
'But you don't want to suck his dick?' Gwaine asked, as ever, bluntly getting to the crux of the matter.
'I don't know,' Arthur admitted. 'I've never let myself think about it.'
'Okay, put your pizza down,' Gwaine instructed. 'And your beer.'
Arthur did, confused as to where this was going.
'Close your eyes and clear your mind of everything.'
'Are you going to go all Paul McKenna on me?' Arthur asked, amused.
'Trust me. Picture Merlin, joking around with you in the kitchen of your flat. Now picture him getting down on his knees in front of you, sliding his hands up your thighs, and getting your dick out.'
Arthur did.
'And then imagine him tonguing your dick, and sucking you.'
Arthur did. He crossed his legs uncomfortably. Swallowed. He could imagine the way Merlin would look up at him through dark lashes, his cheeks hollowed, how he'd try and take it all in. How he'd give Arthur's dick his full attention, lapping at the head, rubbing his balls.
The next thing he knew, Gwaine's hand was over his dick. He opened his eyes suddenly, 'Hey!'
'There's your answer,' Gwaine said, squeezing Arthur's crotch for emphasis. 'D'you fancy a shag now?'
'What, now you've turned me on by talking about my housemate?'
'Yeah,' Gwaine nodded, unphased. 'An erection's an erection, isn't it? And once you're naked I can promise you Merlin will be the last thing on your mind.'
***
Arthur stayed the night and enjoyed an uncomplicated roll in the hay with Gwaine. Gwaine knew exactly how to touch him, and fucked him bent over the bathroom sink so he could watch the way Arthur's face went when he came. And then the next morning they ate cold pizza in bed. It was the dream.
'How're you feeling?' Gwaine asked, as he flicked the TV on again to check out the football highlights.
'More relaxed than I have for a while,' Arthur admitted.
'Still fancy Merlin? Or was it brought on by an acute case of sexual frustration?'
'Still fancy him,' Arthur sighed. 'Still want to beat the shit out of his boyfriend. Still aware that if I tried he'd be wearing my skin as a pelt within the hour.'
'If it's driving you that crazy you'll have to ask him to move out,' Gwaine told him.
'No!' Arthur exclaimed quickly. Then, more considered, 'I'd rather see him with Percy than not see him at all.'
'Percy's a shit name, anyway,' Gwaine said, offering Arthur a piece of cold garlic bread.
'They'll probably be snuggled up being all post-coital when I go back,' Arthur grimaced.
'Don't go back then, I'm going for a swim if you fancy it? Kentish Town's swimming pool is fucking brilliant, mate. Then we can grab a roast at the Oxford. Exercise and meat will do you good.'
'Yeah, alright, cheers,' Arthur enjoyed Gwaine's uncomplicated world-view. 'Might clear my mind at least.'
***
Arthur deliberately didn't go home until as late as possible, and was relieved to see that there were no lights on, so Percy and Merlin were obviously out. He weirdly felt better having admitted to himself that he liked Merlin. Quite a lot. As long as Merlin never found out whilst he was with Percy, things would be fine, he thought. He could just go about his business as before, and when Percy and Merlin inevitably broke up he would swoop in like a hawk. Ha. Take that Percy. Or, or he thought, he could be incredibly seductive and seduce Merlin away from Percy.
He swaggered to the fridge, pleased with his cunning plan, imagining how he'd flirt with Merlin. He practiced his best throaty chuckle and jumped a mile when someone cleared his throat behind him.
'It's just me,' Merlin said. He was wearing pyjama bottoms and an old rugby shirt that was far too big for him. Probably Percy's, Arthur thought, aggressively.
'Percy gone then?' Arthur tried for casual but it just sounded slightly constipated. He cleared his throat and had another go, 'Have a good weekend?'
'Yeah,' Merlin leaned against the fridge, his hand went to his throat where Arthur could see a series of love-bites leading down the collar. He wondered where they went and flushed an angry red.
'You alright?' Merlin was all concern and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. He leaned into the touch imperceptibly. Arthur shook him off and busied himself with the tea-pot.
'I'm fine, just a bit tired,' he yawned for effect.
'Oh, of course, Gwaine,' Merlin said.
'Yeah, it's always good to catch up with him,' Arthur deliberately didn't look at Merlin but tried to make 'catch up' sound as filthy as possible. 'And how was Percy? Behave himself for once?'
'Don't make out like he's a bastard,' Merlin sighed, sounding terribly tired. 'He just worries I'm not eating enough.'
Arthur snorted but didn't say anything, letting the silence stretch until Merlin started again, 'He thinks you're very good looking.'
'Why would he tell you that?' This time Arthur did look up. 'The party line as a boyfriend is that anyone else is average-at-best.'
Merlin frowned, bit his lower lip, 'He didn't mean anything by it.' His hand went back to his throat and he stroked the marks softly.
'I can see you had a good weekend,' Arthur said baldly, looking at the marks.
'Oh,' Merlin snatched his hand away. 'You were away so I think we got a little carried away. The neighbours might have complained,' he admitted.
Arthur felt sick. 'Really? Which ones?'
'Mrs Fitzgerald.'
'What, 90-year-old, largely deaf Mrs Fitzgerald? What the fuck were you doing?' Arthur was caught between horror and intrigue.
'Nothing, I just, get a bit loud I suppose, uninhibited, I'm so sorry I'm so embarrassed about it I felt absolutely terrible and I sent round a bouquet of flowers but she wouldn't look me in the eye and-'
'Sh,' Arthur quelled the flow of Merlin's babbling with a finger on Merlin's lips. 'It's okay. Just don't do it again,' he finished lamely. Belatedly he removed his finger from Merlin's mouth, fought the urge to stroke it against his bottom lip. 'That should really be one of our roommate rules though... no sex that even deaf women can hear. I really, really don't want to have to put ear-plugs in during Percy's sleepovers. Can't you just bite the pillow like a normal person?'
Merlin giggled, and the sound punctured the tension in the kitchen. 'I think it's because I was such a late-bloomer. I didn't lose my virginity until I was twenty-two. And before Percy I'd only had sex a few times. And it was always shit. And I just get a bit crazy.'
Arthur handed Merlin a mug of tea. 'Next time, think of the neighbours. Imagining Mrs Fitzgerald will kill anyone's lust.'
Merlin's fingers brushed Arthur's as he took the cup. 'Yeah, sorry. And thanks for making yourself scarce whilst he was here, it was thoughtful of you.'
It hadn't been thoughtful. It had been a decision born out of the sick jealousy he felt whenever he thought of Percy making Merlin moan. 'It wasn't an overly selfless decision. I hadn't seen Gwaine for a while,' he shrugged, picking up his tea.
'So are the two of you..?' Merlin leaned forward curiously.
'A couple? God no. We just have sex sometimes. He's a great mate - really funny, good drinking partner, always up for a ridiculous adventure. And it doesn't hurt that he's good in bed. I was this cocky little shit when he met me, and I spent most of the next term bent over his bed, or against the wall of the shower,' Arthur felt a slow creep of arousal low down in his belly at talking about sex with Merlin. Fine, it was sex with someone else, but there was something intimate about the conversation. It wasn't normal to talk like this with your friends, as a guy.
Merlin's eyes were round as saucers, 'And have there been guys since?'
'A few,' Arthur admitted. 'Nothing to write home about. I've never had a boyfriend before, but few things beat the feel of a dick in your mouth.' He was deliberately trying to shock Merlin. His cheeks were getting pinker and pinker.
'I never suspected you were bisexual,' Merlin said.
'Does it change things?' he looked intently at Merlin.
'No.' He took a deep breath, 'Not really, anyway. Just, Percy would go mad.'
'Doesn't he trust you?'
'No, it's ironic isn't it? He's very jealous.'
'Cheaters often are.'
'Have you ever cheated on someone?' Merlin asked, blowing on his tea.
'No, and I never would,' Arthur said confidently. 'If it's not working you break up with them: you don't sleep with someone behind their back.'
'You're a better person than most,' Merlin sniffed.
'I'm not being holier than thou, I've been a shit in my time, but I'd never do that.'
'So having met Percy, do you still think he's a dick?'
'Yes,' Arthur said, without a moment of hesitation. 'You're my friend, and he makes you feel shit about yourself. Is he good-looking? Yes. Was he an obvious arsehole? No. Will I ever be bezzie mates with him? No fucking way.'
'So you'd rather I didn't bring him round here?' Merlin looked sad and young. Arthur wanted to pull him onto his lap and hold him.
'No, I didn't mean that.' He did mean that. 'It's your home too for the time being. I was very restrained and polite I think you'll find.'
'Yeah... You see, it's my birthday next week and I wanted to have a party but when drink is involved and you're there and Percy's there...' He broke off.
'I'm not going to pick a fight,' Arthur said evenly. 'I wouldn't dare to, Merlin. Have you seen the size of him?'
'Yes,' Merlin went a lovely shade of pink again. 'So you wouldn't mind?'
'No, not at all, I can invite Gwaine,' Arthur said deliberately, knowing that Merlin had lied about Gwaine's gender to Percy.
'Oh,' Merlin sounded fairly high-pitched. 'Of course. It'd be great to meet him. I'm sure Percy would enjoy that.'
Ha, Arthur thought, 15-love to Pendragon. 'I'm going to get an early night,' Arthur stretched ostentatiously, deliberately showing inches of flat stomach and feeling pleased when Merlin instinctively looked. 'I've got some reading to catch up on.'
***
The new chapter of 'Rules for Roommates' was waiting in his inbox. He saved it until he'd showered, brushed his teeth, and was curled in bed in his boxers.
'Dear Arthur,
I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.
Speak soon,
Lake'
Arthur opened the word document and began to read it. Harry knew now that James had some interest in men, if the porn was anything to go by. He was also friendlier to Harry than Harry suspected a fully straight man would be. There was nothing overt, but in the shower after swimming Harry could feel James's eyes lingering on him. He'd let himself imagine James coming up behind him and stroking large hands down his torso to his hips, squeezing his dick until he got an erection, and then slowly tossing him off whilst muttering filthy sweet-nothings in his ear.
Arthur swallowed. Suddenly, in his mind, he was James, and Merlin was the one pushed against the wall, bracing himself against it, gasping as Arthur stroked and stroked his long, hard dick.
James and Harry's relationship was becoming closer, and it was when drunk one night that they ended up kissing. It was on a dare, and James said it was because he had never kissed a man in his life. That was when James set the rule that one, no one could know and two, that it was only allowed to be kissing. And then they had kissed for hours, until their lips were swollen and Harry was straddling James's lap, furiously rubbing his clothed erection against James's, wanting more than anything to slip his hand inside his jeans and suck him off until he lost control and fucked Harry's mouth.
That was where the chapter ended. Arthur put his iPad down and tried hopelessly to fall asleep for a while before giving up and giving in and fisting his dick hard and slow, thinking about Merlin's lips, Merlin's long fingers, and how it would feel to come in his mouth.
He knew that trying to seduce your roommate away from his boyfriend probably broke every rule there was. But what the hell - rules were made to be broken.
CHAPTER SIX