H is for: How Long? (part 22) holy shit, will these guys ever leave me alone?
Title: H is for How long?
Author: ShutupEccles
pairing: Arthur/Merlin
word count = 398
Rating: 15+
Disclaimer: Characters are reproductions of BBC reproductions of Arthurian legend.
Warning: slash sex references, fluff
Beta: BigOlArthurFan
Summary: Merlin wants to wait, Arthur? Not so much.
22. How Long?
“Wait...what...how long?”
“Three months,” Merlin repeated, “to the day.”
“And you’re determined to go through with this?”
Merlin nodded. “It was your idea.”
“Ah, no, I think you’ll find it was yours.”
“Does it matter?”
“Well, no, I guess not. What matters is how long it’s going to take, not who started it-and don’t you finish that train of thought you’re on Merlin.”
“We talked about this. Why are you so upset?”
“I thought it would be a matter of weeks not months.”
Silence stretched out between them as Merlin let Arthur work through whatever was bothering his beautiful blond head. The silence became more comfortable as Arthur’s hand stretched out between them to hold Merlin’s.
“Do we have to start today?” Arthur asked in a sombre yet somehow cheekily hopeful tone.
“You’re not taking this seriously!” Merlin scolded without moving his hand. His hand that Arthur was unconsciously stroking with his middle finger as he always did when they held hands.
“No, you’re right. Sorry Merlin, I just know I’m not going to be able to do this.”
“You’re stronger than you think Arthur.”
“Not when it comes to you. How do you expect me to last three months with you sleeping naked next to me? The number of times I’ve rolled over to slip you a quick one over the years...this week alone! Just one lapse like that and it’ll mean what?”
“I could move out for a while.”
“This is supposed to move our relationship forwards, not backwards.”
“It will. You said yourself we need to focus on forging intimacy through more than sex.”
“Yes well that hardly counts considering you’d just finished rogering me at the time. I always feel invincible after an orgasm like that. You should have made me see sense. How about we start going without tomorrow?”
“Come on Arthur. Don’t make it harder than it already is.” Merlin stifled his smirky chuckle for almost seven seconds before it burst free. “Sorry.” Chuckle. “Sorry,” serious face with serious voice, “Sorry.” Serious face collapsed into an odd, red, squinty face.
Arthur looked at him, wearing an unusual expression that had Merlin puzzled.
“You’re right Merlin. This won’t be difficult at all.”
Merlin mumbled something about “prat” and “clot pole”. Arthur laughed at him and kissed him. They mutually decided to start their ‘no sex until we’re married pact’ the next day.
part 23