Archive of Our Own

“Oh Arthur it’ll be so lovely to see you and all of your friends together, I can’t wait!” enthused Vivian.

She and Arthur had been ‘dating’ for a few weeks now. Honestly, Arthur was just sick of being single. As depressing as it sounded, he had known the Camelot Secondary School reunion had been approaching, and that the majority of his friends had a date. Morgana and Leon had been seeing one another for a little over a year now, much to Arthur’s utter horror. Morgana was older than him by two year and she shouldn’t be going there at all, but it is her nightclub.

Similarly, Arthur’s ex-girlfriend Gwen, and ex-best friend Lance were going. Of course, he and Lance were still close but it was weird. Arthur figured that once you’ve both loved the same girl there’s going to be a little tension, right? Gwen had always been infatuated with Lance but he’d been with someone called Sophia at the time and somehow, Arthur filled the little Lance shaped hole in Gwen’s life. After four years of being together, she had cheated. 

Arthur hadn’t even been that angry, because the truth was that there had been no spark. He loved Gwen, even now, but not in the ‘I want to marry you and be with you eternally and shag you into next week’ kind of way. 

Then you had Elyan and Elena, who were the most smitten couple in the world. Always laughing and giggling, always posing for pictures, always cuddling and snuggling. It probably wouldn’t have been as sickening if it weren’t for the fact that Arthur craved it so much. 

Mordred and Sefa, who were the newest of the couples if you didn’t count Arthivian (yes that was what Vivian was calling their relationship), were still in the really innocent phase. Mordred wouldn’t so much as fart around her for fear of scaring her away and he had yet to see Sefa without any makeup on.

Percy would be the only one without a date but that did not matter in the least because there was no doubt in Arthur’s mind that by the end of the night, he’d take some lucky girl home with him.

“Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be a real treat,” snorted Arthur. He hooked his outfit over the bedroom door and paced back to where his phone lay on the bed. “Look, Viv, I need a quick shower. I’ll pick you up at half 6, yeah?” 

“Yeah, okay! I can’t wait; I hear Gwaine and Merlin are arriving by horse and carriage!”

Arthur scowled.

“Well I’ll let you shower, I’ll see you later, handsome!” crooned Vivian from the other line and Arthur said his own farewells and just stared at his phone until she hung up.

Merlin. And Gwaine. Merlin and Arthur had been friends since before they were born, Arthur was sure of it. Their mothers were always close and Arthur couldn’t recall a single day in his childhood where Merlin wasn’t present in one way or another. 

Arthur tried to think of how to describe Merlin. Absolute nerd, of course. But not your average ‘glasses, intelligence and clumsiness’ nerd, no. Merlin had been probably the most popular out of all of them aside from Arthur. He was a total extrovert, and a flamboyant one. He was as camp as they come, and he liked nothing more than being the centre of attention.

Then there was Gwaine. When Merlin and Arthur moved school (yes, they both moved at the same time because by this point they had become inseparable), they had met the others. Gwaine had always been class clown, and he too liked being the loudest in the room. With Gwaine, however, he did it by either sleeping, drinking or misbehaving his way to that position.

Arthur loved the both of them, always had. He loved his friends more than anything and they were all so very, very close. However, when Gwaine had announced that he and Merlin would be coming together (like, actually together ), Arthur almost fell through the floor.

Arthur had never said a word about Merlin’s partners, and God had there been a few. This time, though, Arthur couldn’t bite his tongue. He had rang Merlin, tried to talk some sense into him, only to find out that “Arthur, we aren’t in a relationship, we’re just thinking about shagging.”.

Of course Arthur had been mortified, because ‘thinking about shagging’ was not a relationship status by Arthur’s standards and he had no idea what to even say. So he’d left it, and now it had been six days since he and Merlin last spoke.

It didn’t help that Arthur was so sexually frustrated that he could burst. For all Vivian was absolutely beautiful and just generally a lovely person, she was something of a saint. Her Dad wouldn’t allow them to sleep over at each other’s houses, despite being 26, and every time Arthur even tried to do so much as slide his hand near her waistband she’d get all giggly and just ruin the whole mood. 

He was so wound up that he’d resorted to watching gay porn to try and put himself off. There had been an occasion back in college when Arthur and Percy almost slept together. Almost. However, Arthur being the gentleman that he was, made a move to kiss Percy first. All in all, there had never been a more awkward moment in his life, and he’d gone from being curious to absolutely, one-hundred percent heterosexual.

So now, here Arthur was, watching two blokes going at it like wild animals to try and clear his head. Tonight he’d be drinking and there was no doubt that in his drunken state, he’d try and bring Vivian home. 

After the black haired bloke came all over the other blokes arse, Arthur turned it off and headed in the shower. In the end, the porn hadn’t helped and he ended up having a disappointing wank instead.

“Your sister owns this place?!” shrieked Vivian when they stepped out of the taxi. Arthur had to admit, Morgana had done exceedingly well with the Labyrinth. Not only was it an all-day restaurant and steakhouse, but it had an absolutely bouncing club area downstairs and an outdoor party area, which was surrounded by high fences littered with fairy lights, Moroccan-style decorations and temperature-sensored halogen heaters.

“Yep, she owns the Rising Sun, the Wildeoren and the Avalon too. She’s got quite an impressive reputation. You should see-” 

“Arthur! My man! ” bellowed Percy as soon as they stepped through the front doors and before Arthur could prepare himself, he was encased in a good old, rib crunching, Percy hug. 

“Eurgh, get off.” laughed Arthur when Percy kissed his forehead, and he couldn’t help but laugh at Vivian’s flinch when Percy moved towards her.

“Don’t worry, love, I’ll be gentle,” muttered Percy with a wink and Vivian laughed nervously before allowing herself to be embraced.

Percy led them to their booth in the back of the room (because of course Leon had assured that they had a booth to themselves; perks of shagging the owner and all that), and when the curtain was drawn, Arthur and Vivian were met by a cloud of shisha smoke and the raucous racket of the class of ‘09. 

There were hugs, fist bumps, friendly greetings and a few punches to the arm and the group were, for the first time in a long time, finally all together again.

“You missed our incredible entrance, Princess!” called Gwaine from across the table and Arthur only now realised the vacant seat next to him.

“Where’s Merlin?” Arthur shouted over the music and laughter, and Gwaine pointed back towards the bar. He put a gentle arm around Vivian, who was deep in conversation with Percy. “Do you want a drink, love?” he asked, and Vivian opted for a glass of wine. Very classy. 

Before Arthur could take off, however, Gwaine thrusted his phone across the table and Arthur looked down to see a picture (obviously not taken by Gwaine), of a huge white carriage pulled by two horses. Honestly, the two of them were attention seeking idiots, and though Arthur wouldn’t have them any other way, it was still really irritable at times.

“Lovely, mate. You’ve got the whole wedding vibe spot on, shame about your outfit though.” Arthur joked as he took in Gwaine’s low-chested t-shirt and jeans. “Could have at least made an effort.”

“You’re right, maybe I should have gone for the funeral vibe too.” Gwaine replied with a smirk and Arthur couldn’t help but laugh along with him. He made a point of smoothing his black button-down shirt when he stood up, and flicking the collar of his black leather jacket. 

“You’re just jealous you’ll never get a taste of that arse,” Percy teased and Gwaine took on a look of mock-offence, and when Arthur turned he pointedly pulled up his skinny jeans and gave his arse a wriggle. He didn’t care that Vivian looked utterly traumatized, these were the best friends anyone could ever have and Arthur felt absolutely at home.

Initially, Arthur didn’t notice him. He’d been looking for a lanky bloke in a baggy top, beanie hat and tattered jeans. The only times Merlin hadn’t wore those clothes were when he went to prom; where he’d been stuffed into a tuxedo that was too short for his arms and legs, and at the past Halloween parties where he had dressed as everything from Where’s Wally to a giant sanitary towel. 

Arthur paced up and down the bar, trying his best to ignore the faces of the rest of his god-awful year group. He’d returned a few smiles and successfully avoided an annoying ex-classmate, when he was tapped on the shoulder.

“Oh come on, Arthur, those skinny jeans? You could have at least left a little bit to the imagination.” When Arthur turned around, his eyes were met, unmistakingly, by a fucking whole new Merlin. His hair was stylishly mussed up, and had it always been that long? And he had a tight-fit, dark green, button down top on; and similarly to Arthur, a pair of very skinny jeans. 

“Got to try and get into her knickers somehow.” Arthur smiled, and though he was still annoyed about the whole attempting-to-shag-Gwaine thing, he couldn’t stay properly angry at Merlin for more than half a second.

“God, no need to be so subtle.” Merlin snorted with satire, and Arthur brought him into a hug. 

“Why are you trying to shag Gwaine, Merlin? You’ll fucking catch something.” Arthur complained into his best friend’s ear while they embraced, and Merlin shook his head before pulling away.

“Same reason as you, mate. Just need to get my end away, you know?”

“But with Gwaine? Merlin, you could probably have half the lads in the room without even trying.” said Arthur, giving Merlin’s shoulders a shake.

Merlin took Arthur’s hands in his own and placed them back by Arthur’s sides. “Yeah well, maybe, maybe not. Gwaine’s an easy option.”

Arthur gave his friend a serious look, but pushed no further. Who Merlin was shagging wasn’t his business after all. Instead he looked at Merlin’s empty hands.

“No drink?” asked Arthur, his eyes lingering on the queue at the bar. 

“Nah, I was in line but then Mr Cenred cornered me and dragged me off to meet his wife, who is quite possibly the most terrifying woman I have ever seen.” Arthur followed Merlin’s finger to where a blonde, wavy haired woman with a stern face and scrutinising black eyes was sat with an older Mr Cenred. 

“They suit each other.” Arthur mumbled before turning back to Merlin. “What do you want?” Merlin looked at him blankly for a moment. “To drink. What do you want to drink.”

“I can buy my own drink.” Merlin huffed, immediately taking the offence. Arthur just huffed a sigh.

“You can wait in line for half an hour and buy your own drink, or you can let me buy one for you and we can actually get to see our friends before midnight, your choice.”

There was a look of defiance in Merlin’s stubborn expression, but he nodded.

“Grand.” replied Arthur.

After he gave the barmaid his (fake) phone number and kissed up to Morgana, Arthur was returning to the table with a tray of shots while Merlin carried the two pitchers of ‘sex on the beach’.

“It’s fucking great having rich mates, I’m not gonna lie.” Mordred grinned from across the table and Arthur shot him a knowing grin. 

“I’m offended. Just using me for my money are you?” he teased, and Mordred responded with a wink.

“Oi, no flirting at the table, boys,” Gwen muttered and Morgana nodded in agreement.

“Just no flirting with Arthur, please, it’s repulsive.” she mocked, and Arthur gasped dramatically.

“Oh, how you wound me.” he said, monotone, causing both Leon and Lance to set about laughing.

“Look at him go, his fucking shorts, I can’t!” Gwaine yelled, slamming his head against the table, tears streaming down his face as he screamed with laughter

The thing about Morgana’s private booths, was that you could hook up your phone to the TV; and that was how they were now sat watching decade old facebook videos of each other in school. This particular video was of Percy playing football in the shorts that Gwaine and Arthur had tampered with by cutting the legs incredibly short.

“I had a fucking wedgie for that whole game, you bastards.” Percy said, and Arthur wiped at his eyes, stifling hysterics the best he could.

“I’m surprised you had it in you, Pendragon.” Merlin sneered from opposite where Arthur was sat. They were a good few rounds of shots in by now, and Arthur and Merlin seemed to be the most sober people here, despite drinking plenty more than everyone else. 

“And why wouldn’t I, Mer lin?” Arthur kicked Merlin’s leg under the table and eyed the challenge in his friend’s eyes.

“Because you were a goody-two-shoes most of the time, always kissing up to whoever you had your sights on, trying to be the gentleman.” Merlin had a defiant smile on his face and Arthur wound his arm around Vivian, pulling her close.

“Nothing wrong with being a gentleman, is there Viv?” Arthur said, and he pecked Vivian on the cheek, eyes on Merlin the entire time. “Plus, I believe there is video footage of me actually getting one over on you. You remember the school gym?”

Arthur watched the colour rise in Merlin’s cheeks and Leon turned around, his mouth wide open.

“Holy shit, I have the video!” he exclaimed, and while Leon tampered with the bluetooth settings, Merlin glared at Arthur in disapproval.

The school gym had been in a separate building, not far off the sports department. Arthur had been talked into nicking Merlin’s clothes with Gwaine, and so the two of them waited until Merlin went in the shower, and they grabbed his stuff and ran; and all the while, Leon hid around the side of the gym with his phone at the ready.

Arthur watched the screen as a sixteen-year-old Merlin sprinted across the tennis court in nothing but the skin he was born in, his skinny legs made for endurance running, while he screamed a ton of obscenities at a younger Arthur and Gwaine. 

The table erupted with laughter, but Arthur only stared at the way Merlin’s shirt was tight around his shoulders, thought of the way their knees were touching under the table. Merlin was so different now, lithe but strong. His body was fit, toned and he had grown into his features. He was no longer the cute little mischievous boy, he was… well , he was attractive.  

Arthur realised he was staring when he received a firm kick to the shin and he jumped in his seat with an ‘Ow!’.

“You were a right cock, weren’t you?” said Merlin, and Arthur stuck out his tongue.

“This is the worst idea you’ve ever had.” Lance groaned, his head in his hands as Morgana passed around an empty fishbowl (which she had drank most of the contents of by herself). 

Arthur placed his folded up name card confidently in the bowl and waggled his eyebrows at Vivian, who giggled before doing the same.  When the bowl made it back to Morgana, she tapped her glass with a metal straw, a call for attention.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, Gwaine…”

“Fuck off, Morgie,” Gwaine said, tossing a coaster across the table and missing Morgana by a good foot-and-a-half.

Morgana just tutted in disapproval before continuing. “Okay, the rules are as follows. I will draw two names at a time out of the bowl. The person who you are drawn with, will be your partner. The bull goes for a minute and a half, and trust me, it’s not as easy as it looks. Elyan is sitting this one out because of his hip, so there are an even amount of us. You and your partner get on the bull together, and the pairing who last the longest get a free bar tab for the rest of the night.”

“Yes!” Percy shouted and Leon looked up at him with challenge.

“Okay, that’s pretty much it so time to draw the names!” Morgana said, stirring the folded bits of card before passing two of them to Leon to open up.

“Mordred and Morgana!” Leon shouted before leaning over to smack Mordred’s arm. 

“Elena and Gwen!”

The rest of the names came out as follows; Lance and Gwaine, Sefa and Leon, Percy and Vivian.

“Which means the last two are… Arthur and Merlin!”

Arthur reached across the table to ruffle Merlin’s hair, and for a fleeting moment he thought he saw nothing but utter horror in Merlin’s eyes.

“I’m calling shotgun!” Arthur yelled, and Merlin dropped his head to his hands. 

Gwaine, ever the crowd pleaser, offered he and Lance up to go first. Gwen gave Lance a firm pat on the back, and the two of them mounted the bull.

Arthur hadn’t seen anything so hilarious in his whole life. Honestly, it hadn’t surprised him that Gwaine was good at this, but with his hand around Lance’s middle, the two of them rode the bull with so much ease, making lasso movements with their arms and laughing the whole way through before they were tossed into the crash mat at the 1:12 mark. 

Elena and Gwen followed next, and lasted all of 26 seconds, falling to the ground in a fit of giggles. Morgana and Mordred finished with an impressive 1:14, just beating Lance and Gwaine, and Sefa and Leon finished at 57 seconds.

“You ready?” Arthur asked Merlin, competition pulsing through his veins. The whole thing looked like such a laugh and Arthur was determined to win. They had to.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Merlin grumbled and Arthur whacked him in the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?!”

“That is not the attitude to take, Mer lin! We are going to do this, and we are going to win!  Yes?” Arthur asked, grabbing Merlin’s shoulders. “Yes?!”

“Yes! Jesus!” Merlin responded, pushing Arthur’s hands away, and Arthur gave him a strong salute.

Arthur stepped up onto the little box next to the bull, hooking a leg over the big leather beast. He shuffled forwards and realised that actually, there wasn’t all that much room on here. Merlin was quickly pressed against his back and had a firm grip on Arthur’s shoulders.

“Grab my waist, Merlin, or you’ll fall!” Arthur yelled, and Merlin’s hands had just say gripped him in time, before the bull lunged forwards.

It was a laugh at first, and Arthur was solely focused on not falling. One and a half minutes… that was nothing, right? He could feel Merlin’s grip shift up to his ribs as the bull did a full 360, and Arthur threw his head back with a laugh. “You still there, Merlin?” Arthur shouted over the stereotypical, spaghetti-western music. 

Merlin didn’t really have all that much time to answer however,because the bull tipped right forward, causing Arthur to jam his dick against the front of the saddle, and causing Merlin’s crotch to be pushed tight against Arthur’s arse.

It would have been fine, it really would have been. But the damn bull started rocking back and forth, and God forbid, Arthur had to actually ride the damn thing. The problem was, however, that Merlin was pushed flush against him, and he too was riding it, one hand now on Arthur’s shoulder and the other on his hip.

It had gone from an innocent bull ride to-to God only knew what, but Arthur was sweating now. Not because of the heat or the drink, not completely anyway, and he could hear his own lungs desperately trying to breathe. He wasn’t even sure what was happening at first, but he felt like he was going to pass out… then as he looked to the side of the bull where Viv and Percy were waiting, he realised exactly what was wrong.

He hadn’t shagged anyone in fucking ages, and now that he’d been with Viv for three weeks, now that he had vividly imagined all the things he could do to her… Oh God, and here he was, on a mechanical bull with his semi-hard cock rubbing up against the saddle.

Arthur smiled half-heartedly at Viv, and then crammed his eyes shut, a nervous laugh breaking from his lips, and then-

“ Merlin! ” Arthur yelled, and suddenly the bull leaned forward, jerking violently and those were Merlin’s hands on his arse.

“Arthur, I can’t-” the panic was evident in Merlin’s voice, and when his friend’s hands gave way and he slid down the bull to push against Arthur once more, Arthur’s head began to spin.

Merlin had wrapped his hands over Arthur’s thighs in an attempt to keep himself level, and he was squeezing, fuck, and when Merlin’s head fell against the back of Arthur’s shoulder with a low, heady “ah fuck, Arthur”, Arthur felt it.

Behind him, jack-hammering into him in unison with the bull’s movements, was Merlin’s clothed erection, and there was no mistaking it. There was nothing else it could be.

Then, after the realisation, there was the second bout of panic. A very different kind of panic.

Because suddenly, ripe with the thought that Merlin was definitely hard from rubbing up against Arthur’s arse, Arthur was beginning to stiffen up some more himself, and even that would have been kind of okay if Merlin hadn’t panicked when the bull tipped back again, causing him to grasp at Arthur’s rigid, aching length. 

And God, did it ache.

There was a deafening silence. Yes, the bull was still moving and the music was still blaring and their friends were still howling but to Arthur, there was just him, his friend and his friends hand rubbing against his erection.

“Merlin?” Arthur choked out, quiet amongst everything else he couldn’t hear, and then he heard Merlin’s gasp over his shoulder. 

Arthur didn’t know what the hell he was thinking, but he’d obviously thought it quick, because he thrust forward, trapping Merlin’s hand before he could pull it away.

“S’okay Merlin, just sh- fuck- just hold me, yeah?” Arthur whimpered, and Merlin pressed his head hard against Arthur’s back.

“ Fuck, yeah, ‘kay”

They were definitely on that damn bull for longer than a minute and a half, but as soon as Arthur settled back into Merlin’s arms and felt the gentle,subtle stroke against the side of his shaft, he seemed to have lost the plot entirely. He moved his hand from the bull’s neck and grasped Merlin’s outer thigh. It looked like he was doing it for support but really, it was just leverage. He waited for the opportunity, his fingertips almost pushing holes through the material of Merlin’s jeans when-

“Oh God! ” Merlin gasped when Arthur forced his arse back against Merlin’s dick, rocking slightly to give Merlin the friction he needed to.

“Oh Jesus, Arthur, this is so wrong. Oh shit .” and Merlin’s lips were on his neck and hot breath ghosted across his skin and fuck, Arthur needed to get the hell off this bull so that he could fucking rub one out because somehow this was the hottest fucking thing that had ever happened to him and he was so fucking caught up in the moment when he turned around to look at Merlin, and he looked at those blue eyes, then those plump lips, then back at those eyes-those fucking eyes, and he moved in, his own lips ready to take, to claim, to-

And then the bull stopped.

“YAAAAAAAS YOU’VE FUCKING DONE IT, MERLS!” came Gwaine’s celebratory screams and Arthur looked around and remembered where he was, who he was with, and that he had a problem that measured approximately 8.9 inches, and in skinny jeans? That really was a problem.

Arthur’s fist was buried so hard into his groin in an attempt to prevent the blood flow but it just wasn’t working. He’d rushed back to the table after he and Merlin had climbed off that damn bull, too frustrated and confused to stick around to watch Vivian. Now, after hearing that Percy and Vivian had fallen off about three seconds before the end, he and Merlin had been announced the winners.

The two of them had thanked Morgana and accepted the shoulder punches and hair ruffles and all of the other congratulatory insults their friends directed at them, but Arthur really wasn’t paying too much attention.

His knees were touching Merlin’s under the table again, and he hadn’t moved his eyes away from his empty glass for what had seemed like at least ten minutes. How the hell was he still hard? Not only was it highly inconvenient but it was just downright inappropriate. Merlin was his best mate and, Christ , they had slept in the same bed when they were younger and Arthur had watched him run butt naked across the school grounds. He couldn’t start getting random fucking boners whenever his dick had been deprived of some real attention; what was he? Thirteen years old? That was the problem with having a big dick, really. It not only attracts attention the second the tiniest bit of blood starts to fill it, but it also seems to need relief in its most physical form, because obviously Arthur’s insistent willing just wasn’t enough to make it fuck off.

That wasn’t the only problem, either; because he had known-he had felt that Merlin had been hard too. 

“Oi.”

Speak of the devil. Merlin was nudging Arthur’s knee under the table, and when Arthur looked up to see Merlin’s flushed face and dark eyes; his useless fucking cock twitched against his hand.

“We can talk about it, or we can forget about it.” Merlin suggested, his voice barely a whisper amongst everyone else’s oblivious conversations. Then his friend stood, and Arthur did his best to look everywhere he could other than at Merlin’s groin, (not that he wanted to look) and he watched Merlin walk across the room, and take the door to the right of the bar. 

The staff bathroom.

There was no fucking way he could go in there and face Merlin after all of this. After Arthur had intentionally pushed back in into him, after he had told Merlin he could touch him. Christ, he’d been like some sort of horny, sex-deprived animal. Totally unacceptable behaviour.

He wouldn’t follow Merlin.

But then he followed Merlin.

His knuckles wrapped against the door and he waited patiently, his hand still pressing down over his jeans. If he was going to talk to Merlin then having an erection would not help. He knocked again.

“Yeah?” Merlin asked from inside, and Arthur sighed.

“ Mer lin…” he drawled, exasperated.

There was the sound of movement and fussing and then the door swung upon. Arthur barely had time to register Merlin’s flushed face or his unbuttoned fucking shirt because a violent hand grasped at his collar and dragged him in, pushing him back against the now shut door.

“Please, Arthur. Please. ” Merlin pleaded gently against Arthur’s ear and Arthur stood absolutely rigid. “ Fuck- just tell me you don’t want to and I-” Merlin swallowed and he was panting and Arthur could feel himself going dizzy because there was barely any room at all between them and Merlin was coming closer and closer and- “Arthur, tell me-just tell me to stop.”

They were both desperate, God, and Arthur was- well, he didn’t know what but he couldn’t, he wouldn’t be able to…

He shook his head and Merlin practically sobbed before pushing himself flush against Arthur, his mouth still at Arthur’s ear.

“Arthur? ” he whispered, sending a shiver up Arthur's neck. Arthur barely nodded in reply. "Would you mind if I fucked you?" 

All of Arthur’s breath left him at once and he swore his lungs had collapsed and his brain had switched off. He was sweating and panting and held hostage against a club toilet door by his best friend-turned sex demon; all the while his girlfriend was sat somewhere out there waiting for him.

He didn’t care.

“I’ll be the one doing the fucking.” Arthur rushed out and Merlin began to tremble, or was that him? Arthur turned his head then, possessed by whatever his dick was doing to him and he took Merlin’s ear lobe into his mouth, pinching it hard between his teeth until his friend hissed with the pleasure of it. “but yes, Merlin, I'm down for some fun.” he whispered, and Merlin used his full body to violently push Arthur harder into the door.

“What? With this?” Merlin asked, his hand resting atop Arthur’s obscene length. “I’m afraid I’m going to need some time to adjust before you stick that in my arse. No, it’s my turn today.” Merlin giggled nervously and Arthur thought he was going to pass out. "I'd quite like to do you first. Can be revenge for the gym...”

Arthur barely had time to breathe before Merlin’s lips were on his; wet, warm and hungry. He wasn’t a big fan of kissing with his eyes open, but how could he not? Because there were things here, things he didn’t see before-that he couldn’t.

The appeal in those eyes-enough to make his dick ache and his heart bleed. The firmness of him, the strength in how he held Arthur against the door. The heat , not just physical body heat, but the attitude, the mood, the emotion... 

Thirst raged inside Arthur as though it were instinctual, animalistic, and he latched onto that strained tendon at Merlin’s neck; biting and sucking, bruising that ever-so-white skin as Merlin’s long, deft fingers touched him. His hair, his face, his neck, his arms, his chest, his hips- God, his hips - and then there was rushing and pulling and Arthur couldn’t remember a time when clothes felt so restricting, or when the thought of Merlin’s naked chest made his cock leak and his head spin.

Then there was a rush of movement, a loss of clothes and then skin , a fucking shit ton of skin and they were pressed naked against each other, their dicks pushing together, grinding while they kissed- God the kissing- and then Merlin pulled back, Arthur’s bottom lip hostage between his teeth whilst he curled a fist in Arthur’s hair. 

Arthur nearly came all over when Merlin pulled, Arthur’s hair follicles screaming at him, but it felt fucking amazing; and then Merlin was grinning at him- the dickhead - with those red, swollen lips and his cock leaking pre-come against Arthur’s.

“All those years, Arthur,” Merlin growled, his smug expression painting Arthur’s pride with  slight apprehension. “All those years of sword fighting as kids and now here we are.”

Then there was laughter, because it was Mer lin, and he was the same person. Arthur’s best friend, his brother-in-arms, his most trusted advisor; but yet he was more. He was Merlin, but Arthur wanted him. Maybe he always had.

“You’re a fucking idiot.” Arthur chortled, before Merlin thrust his groin forward, causing their dicks to collide awkwardly.

“ On guard!” Merlin mimicked and, Jesus Christ, if kissing was the only thing that would stop this absolute idiot from talking, then Arthur was okay with that.

“Dollophead.” Arthur grinned, and he could feel Merlin’s smirk through the kiss as he finally closed his eyes.

“Come on, you’ve always found it endearing,” Merlin teased; and then there was tongues and more hands and friction and somehow they weren’t against the door anymore, and Arthur had Merlin pinned against counter next to the sinks and they were naked in his sister’s club and it was so fucking hot.

“How d-did I not see that?! ” Arthur gasped, his cheek pressed firmly against the bathroom counter by one of Merlin’s hands, while the other led Arthur’s own fingers to Merlin’s rear where a neon green plug was tucked snugly into Merlin’s arse.

“Mmmm, you were to busy sucking my cock, I do believe,” replied Merlin with a groan as he shifted Arthur’s fingers so they were grasping the plug. Arthur could feel the colour rushing to his cheeks; he’d been so wound up for weeks and weeks and he hadn’t meant to come so soon, without so much as being touched. Arthur hesitated with his hand now firmly around the plug and he felt Merlin’s hand lift off of his head. 

“It’s okay Arthur, just give it a twist-ease it ou- ah! Yeah… just like that… oooooh.”

Arthur was absolutely made up, watching Merlin groan and writhe and tense under the work of his own inexperienced ministrations. The blood drained from his cheeks and soon headed south again.

His life-long best friend and he was slow-fucking him with a butt plug. Fucking hell.

Arthur settled his head back against the counter from where it had been propped up for a clearer few. He didn’t mind that he had pins and needles in his legs and he didn’t mind that his semi-hard dick was awkwardly jammed against the edge the counter; and he certainly didn’t mind that he was bent over, legs apart, purely for Merlin’s own pleasure.

Merlin’s hand found Arthur’s and pulled it aside slightly, so that he could remove the plug completely; setting it carefully aside in one of the sinks.

“Mmmmm, just gonna, mmm,” Arthur could only watch as Merlin mumbled while pressing his long, dextrous fingers inside of himself, withdrawing them slicked and shiny; then Arthur had a thought. Why the hell did Merlin have an arse full of plug and lube when he knew he was coming out for a damn school reunion?

“Merlin, why have you er- why did you…”

Merlin turned to look at arthur with a grin. “Funny you should ask that, actually. See, Gwaine was fully convinced we’d actually get around to shagging tonight and this was his request-that I wear a plug so I’m ready for him. Little does he know that if we were going to shag-which we absolutely were not going to do-that it would be me fucking him.”

Arthur swallowed, his mouth filling with saliva and his cock aching more and more with every unmoving second. “Oh.” Arthur said as he watched Merlin slip in another finger; the lube he had previously filled himself with leaking down onto his ass-cheeks.

Arthur barely had time to even think when Merlin shifted fast, one hand pushing against Arthur’s head from behind once more, his dripping length brushing against the top of Arthur’s thigh.

“Ready?” asked Merlin, voice clear and yet somehow still betrayed by his own arousal.

Arthur nodded the best he could, willing himself to relax. He’d fingered himself a couple of times in the past and it hadn’t been all that bad after the initial sting. He just had to- ahh!

“Oh JesusFuckingChrist , Arthur you’re so… you’re so fucking hungry for me,” Merlin whimpered, his finger curling up inside of Arthur without so much as a challenge, and Arthur could feel him stroking, twisting, pulling in and out and- oh, another finger -and stretching and caressing and-

“Oh Fuck!” Arthur yelled, his arse involuntarily pushing up violently towards Merlin’s hand, his teeth clenching down on his own tongue. It had been so long since Arthur had done this that he’d forgotten.

Hello Prostate, my old friend.

Merlin’s fingers began to brush through his hair as one hand thrusted into him with three slippery fingers, and his breathing became rushed as Arthur felt his balls clenching, his pleasure rising…

“Not so fast there, dollophead,” Merlin laughed, withdrawing his fingers and rubbing small circles into Arthur’s hip. Arthur turned his head into the counter-top to try and mask the whimper that escaped him. “Shhh, it’s okay you can come again soon. Think you can last long enough so I can fuck you?” Merlin asked, and Arthur did nothing but nod in approval.

Arthur shut his eyes, listening to the sound of Merlin finger-fucking his own arse once more, before a cold cockhead pushed up against his entrance.

“Do you want me to ease you-”

“No just fucking do it, just fuck me, please, ” Arthur begged, his legs shaking now with desperacy, and Merlin had never been one to disappoint.

It hurt at first, of course it did. Merlin pushed up so far inside of him in one, and then with one hand clenched violently in Arthur’s hair, he thrusted and rammed and he fucked Arthur into the counter-top, absolutely relentless as he did so.

They weren’t quiet either, hell , they were far from it. 

Merlin was grunting and growling, raw and animalistic while Arthur whimpered and cried from the burning pleasure of being rigorously fucked to within an inch of his life, and when Merlin slipped his hand from Arthur hip to around his front, grasping Arthur's throbbing member tightly, Arthur yelled so loudly that he was convinced it would overpower the nineties tunes currently blasting in the club. 

He didn't even care. 

“Come on, Arthur. If you come for me I promise to look after you, come on.” Merlin rushed, pumping Arthur's dick relentlessly, and honestly, who could deny such a kind request? 

Arthur's balls tightened once more and his knees began to violently shake beneath him. 

“Oh, Arthur. I'm gonna come, g-gonna fill you up so deep that you can feel it,”

Arthur parted his legs further, hitching his right up slightly so his knee was proper against the counter. 

“OHFUCKMERLIN!” he bellowed when the angle allowed for Merlin to grind overwhelmingly against his prostate, again and again until-

Nothing. Total blackness. 

Then there was a fuzziness, a lightness and then he was back again, screaming. He actually, genuinely screamed Merlin's name at the top of his lungs while his come shot out over Merlin's hand and the side of Morgana’s counter.

There was black again and he was vaguely aware of being thrust into… once, twice, thr-

“ Arthur… ” Merlin whispered, and Arthur was gone. 

When he came to, he was on the bathroom floor nestled between Merlin's legs, his head tucked against Merlin's chest. 

“Hey.” Merlin muttered into his hair, and it was shy and awkward, as though Merlin hadn't just shagged him into next week. 

“Hey yourself,” Arthur replied, his voice croaky and foreign, his mouth unbearably dry. 

“Lost you for a good five minutes or so there. Have you been sleeping okay?” Merlin asked. 

Arthur found Merlin's hand and entwined their fingers together and he swore he felt Merlin smile into his hair. He would have told Merlin. Of course he would have told him but they'd fallen out over Gwaine, hadn't they? 

“No. T’was going too slowly with Viv. Didn't feel right.” Arthur answered, his exhaustion beginning to press at his mind. 

“You two haven't been working out then?” Merlin sounded almost sad, and Arthur wanted to turn around and cuddle him. Hell, he would have if his mind hadn't chose that exact moment to realise what he had just done. 

“ Shit, Merlin! Viv… a-and Gwaine! We just-we didn't-”

“Shhh, hey listen to me, yeah?” Merlin shifted his legs and moved around so he was at Arthur's side. “Me and Gwaine are not a thing and anyone with eyes can see that she's been after Percy all night. I think we're safe. But Arthur, this, what we just did… we…” Merlin trailed off, his eyes losing their sparkle and his smile quickly fading off of his lips. 

“Hey, no.” Arthur said, mustering up the energy and courage to lift a hand and place it at Merlin's cheek. “Now it's your turn to listen to me. I think all those years ago with Perce and the kiss… I was obviously wrong back then but I just-no. If you wanted this to just be a shag then, hell, I'm happy it was me you did it with because I think it was the best sex I've ever had. No, I know it was the best sex I've ever had, easily.”

There was a pause as they both looked into each other’s eyes, searching for an answer. 

“Arthur, how about we both go back to your house? I mean, I am your best friend after all and I can read you like a sodding book. No, you don't need to ask me out and no we don't need to date, Jesus we've been doing that for as long as we've known each other when you think about it. I'm just glad you came to your senses.”

Merlin playfully slapped Arthur's cheek and stood up to collect his clothes. 

“You're an idiot.” Arthur said as he stepped into his own skinny jeans.

“Yeah, I think we both might be.” Merlin smirked, and then they got dressed in quiet, sharing the odd fleeting touches here and there and it just felt so perfectly natural.

“Don't forget this, idiot,” Arthur said, gently whacking the back of Merlin's head with his butt plug. 

“Ah yes, I don't think Morgana really wants this leaving in her sink.” Merlin added. 

They mopped up their mess and checked the mirror. As they both stood gazing at their reflections, Arthur reached across and took Merlin's hand once more before turning to look at him. 

“I think I'm going to like this a lot.” he mumbled, a smile curling at the corner of his lips. 

“Yeah, me too.” Merlin beamed, before leaning into kiss the tip of Arthur's nose. “Come on then, Clotpole.” he said, dragging Arthur towards the door; and Arthur could do nothing but blush happily when he saw the butt plug sticking freely out of Merlin's back pocket. 

“Where have you two been?” Gwaine asked, eyeing them both intently as they stepped back into the main room. 

“To the toilet, Gwaine. You literally just saw us come from exactly that direction, did you not?” Merlin giggled, and Arthur subtly punched his shoulder. 

“Aha… well I was thinking me and you could go on the bull together, Merls. Then maybe head back to mine?” Gwaine asked Merlin, his eyebrows waggling mischievously. 

“I think fucking not, I got there first,” Arthur declared, bold but not without humor. 

“Come on, you big prat.” Merlin mumbled shyly before dragging Arthur straight towards the doors. “Tell the others we'll speak to them tomorrow!” Merlin called back to Gwaine, and Arthur bellowed out a laugh when Gwaine jaw almost fell off of his face. 

“Speak for yourself.” said Arthur once they got outside. 

“What d’you mean?” Merlin asked, and Arthur leaned in close to Merlin's ear, not wanting to share their secrets with the smokers around them. 

“You said you'd speak to them? It's just, I was under the impression that we’d be keeping each other’s mouths far too busy for that.” Arthur whispered, and Merlin visibly shuddered beside him. 

“Fuck it, Arthur, we’re getting a taxi back; right now.”