"Merlin," Arthur yells out for his friend as he hears more pans fall in the kitchen. "Are you sure you can cook dinner?"
"Yeah, sure," Merlin yells back, trying to scrape more burnt food off the floor. He knew if he left marks in the kitchen, the Pendragons would never forgive him. He gives it though that he may never forgive them, leaving him to take care of Arthur and all the meals while they go off on a bloody holiday.
Arthur swings open the door to the kitchen and sees the mess Merlin's made. For a moment, Merlin looks right into Arthur's eyes and swears the prat is going to kill him. But he only doubles over laughing. After a minute of it he clutches his midsection like it hurts from the exertion.
It's Merlin's turn to glare. "Oi, if you think it's so easy to cook a bloody turkey, you're more than welcome to try it," Merlin huffs as he gets back on his knees and continues to scrape food off of the floor.
Arthur looks down at Merlin sympathetically. "I am sure I could have made a bit less of a mess," Arthur insists as he kneels on the floor across from Merlin, grabbing a cloth and helping him with the mess. "Of course, I would have just ordered in."
"It's Christmas, you can't have pizza on Christmas," Merlin mutters as he pushes Arthur's hand away. "I don't need you to help."
"Bullocks," Arthur says as he pushes Merlin away this time. "Why don't you go clean up the counters? I'm sure you've made a mess up there too."
"I was only trying to make some prat holiday cookies," Merlin mumbles as he stands up slowly and walks over to the counter, ready to clean. He takes one look at the bag of flour and his mind can only think vengeance when he grabs a hand full of it from the bag and throws it at Arthur. "Not that he gave a rat's arse."
"If you had cooked me rat again, I would've killed you," Arthur admits as he stands up, remembering their camping trip quite well. "Are you really going to start this?"
There's a glimmer in Merlin's eyes when he grabs two more fists full of flour and releases it onto Arthur's golden hair. "Yeah, I think I am."
Arthur grabs the showering head from the kitchen sink and starts to spray it at Merlin. Arthur ducks away from Merlin's further attempts to throw flour at him while Merlin gets completely soaked. That is until Merlin tackles him to the floor the one moment he wasn't paying proper attention.
"I win," Merlin says with a bright grin, pinning Arthur to the floor and keeping his body pressed against Arthur's, wanting to soak his rich prat of a friend as much as he could before moving away.
Arthur grabs onto Merlin's hips, and before the brunette takes notice he's shoved over to be the one underneath. "No, I do," Arthur says in victory as he straddles Merlin's lap. Arthur reaches down and brushes aside some of Merlin's soaked hair to see his eyes. "You should know you're never going to win when it comes to me."
"Is that so?" Merlin asks with a sneaky smile.
Arthur chuckles. "Is this not proof enough?"
Merlin reaches up and grabs Arthur by the hair, all in a split-second decision, and tries to pull their faces together to kiss. Unfortunately, Merlin's coordination skills suck and they end up butting heads instead. Merlin lets go and flushes. "I give up, you win. Get off me prat."
"Were you," Arthur sputters, looking down wide-eyed at his friend. "Were you just trying to kiss me?"
"I, um, GET UP," Merlin says unintelligibly, putting a hand over his eyes.
"Thank fuck," Arthur mutters as he leans down and captures Merlin's lips with his. "I didn't know if you were," Arthur speaks between kisses on Merlin's jaw and lips, "simply uninterested or if you were really just too brain-dead to catch onto my passes at you."
"You've been – what?" Merlin asks breathlessly, trying to keep up with Arthur, not quite believing his own ears.
"You heard me," Arthur says, sitting up and grinding his hips down against Merlin's, eliciting a deep hiss from the younger man's lips.
"Fuck me," Merlin mutters in a tone that clearly is being frustrated with himself over not knowing earlier.
Arthur hears it as an opportunity to proposition a new idea. "That's exactly what I'd like to do, Merlin, fuck you. Now do you understand?"
Merlin can't form words, he just nods. Arthur's lips crash back onto his and they start moving together. On the same page, it's less cautious and messier. It is tongues crashing against each other and groins grinding up at each other screaming for purchase.
"Your room," Merlin offers in a breath between kisses.
Arthur shakes his head, getting off of Merlin and drawing a groan from the brunette. "Here," Arthur says, patting the counter.
Merlin just stares at Arthur for a few moments. "You're kidding," he murmurs.
"Come on, it'll be fun," Arthur says as he helps Merlin off of the ground. He digs his hands under the hem of Merlin's shirt and waits for Merlin to nod before yanking it over his head. Merlin reciprocates the action with Arthur's shirt. They are best friends, but Arthur may have just assumed that Merlin didn't share details on intimate encounters. Arthur may not know that underneath the bit of bravado they had on the floor, Merlin was bloody terrified he was going to do something wrong.
Arthur notices it and stops, staring deep in Merlin's eyes. "No pressure," Arthur promises, moving his hands to tangle in Merlin's. "If there is any part you aren't ready for, it's not too late to stop."
"It's not that," Merlin whispers. There's no real reason to whisper, they've got the whole bloody mansion that is the Pendragon home to themselves. But Merlin can't seem to raise his voice any louder than that. "I just don't want to, uh, this is going to sound idiotic."
"I'm sure I've heard more idiotic things, it is you after all," Arthur replies with a bright smile.
"I just don't want to screw anything up," Merlin blurts out in one breath.
Arthur sighs in realization, stepping in closer again, pulling Merlin into a warm embrace. "Let's go to my room, do this right."
Merlin nods against Arthur's shoulder before he is pulled along. Merlin is about to jump onto the bed when Arthur pulls him back. Merlin's breathe hitches in his throat. "Have I already messed up?"
"No," Arthur says as he winds his hands around Merlin's waist and starts undoing his zipper. "I just didn't want you soaking my sheets with those soggy trousers." Arthur pulls Merlin's trousers and pants down in one swift motion, reaching back up immediately to start pulling at Merlin's flush cock. "How does that feel?"
"So much better when someone else is doing it," Merlin admits with a blush.
Arthur laughs softly against Merlin's neck. "Yeah, it really does, doesn't it?" Arthur lets loose for a moment to turn Merlin to face him. He climbs out of his own bottoms before looking back up at Merlin. "What do you think?"
"Horrendous," Merlin clearly jokes with a smile. Arthur lets mock horror play on his features. Then Merlin continues with more sincerity. "I don't think it's fair."
"I agree," Arthur whispers as he places his hands on Merlin's hips, knowing his friend is feeling deeply self-conscious and smiles. "I can't hope to look as attractive as you."
"You don't mean that," Merlin amends.
"No, I don't," Arthur replies bluntly, smiling widely. "I'm far too vain to admit that. What I will admit, however, is that I couldn't possibly find you more attractive."
"What if I was to dress up?" Merlin asks with a grin.
Arthur groans, leaning forward to place kisses along Merlin's jaw as he uses his grip on Merlin's hips to pull them flush together. "I'd rather have you without clothing, thank you very much."
Merlin tilts his head and kisses Arthur again, and again. It's a flurry of passion until Arthur pushes Merlin down on the bed. Arthur starts stroking their members together, and the sounds it elicits from his partner's lips are positively sinful. It's Christmas, both of them are past worrying about who might be put on the Naughty list.
In between pants, Merlin puts a hand over Arthur's and catches his attention. "I want…to last…to do…ugh…you get it."
Arthur laughs breathlessly. "Yeah, I get it," Arthur mumbles as he reaches over to his nightstand and pulls lube out of the top drawer. "Am I a prat to assume I will be topping?"
"Not this time," Merlin says with a flush.
Arthur nods before getting to work slicking up his fingers. He circles them around Merlin's entrance. "If it's too much, let me know," Arthur asks of Merlin before inserting the first finger.
It's a bit uncomfortable, but Merlin's sure he'll get used to it. By the second finger there is a bit of a burn, until Arthur crooks up his fingers. "What kind of sorcery is that?" Merlin asks between pants.
Arthur smiles knowingly. "It's not sorcery, its science."
"If I had known this is what I was missing out on learning about, I wouldn't have skipped so many classes," Merlin mutters as his eyes wince shut, small noises of pleasure escaping his lips as Arthur adds a third and final digit. Merlin catches himself trying to grind down against Arthur's fingers and flushes deep crimson. "Sorry," Merlin whispers.
"It's perfectly fine," Arthur mumbles, pulling out his fingers.
Merlin whimpers a bit, cursing himself internally for the sounds. Merlin reaches for the lube and wets his hand, reaching out and coating Arthur's member with smooth strokes. Arthur makes a bit of a choked sound and Merlin gets concerned. "Am I doing this right?"
"Are you, bloody hell of course you are," Arthur mutters in sharp breaths as he bucks into Merlin's touch. "Just tell me when you are ready."
Merlin lets go of Arthur's member a few seconds later, lining it up with his entrance and twirling his legs around Arthur's torso. "I am whenever you are," Merlin says, releasing his grip and leaving it up to Arthur.
Arthur starts pushing in quickly before hearing the hiss escape Merlin's lips. "Merlin?"
"It's fine, just um," Merlin takes a deep breath. "A minute?"
"Yeah," Arthur breathes out, trying not to lose control and thrust the rest of the way in as Merlin's muscles keep tightening and loosening around him. "Fuck, it's fine," Arthur whispers as he leans down to latch onto Merlin's throat, sucking this time more than kissing.
Arthur's gifts towards the physical side don't disappoint as he finds the right spot to latch onto. Merlin doesn't even think about pain anymore as the pleasure overtakes him, and he takes initiative to shove his ass the rest of the way down.
Arthur chokes out a moan. "Merlin," he says like a prayer, before latching his hands on Merlin's ass and thrusting at a blisteringly fast pace. He would've slowed down if asked, but fuck if Merlin wasn't loving it as well. Merlin and Arthur learn they are both incredulously loud, both love leaving love-bites and nail-marks, and both don't have any affinity for slow but for rather they both like fast-paced fucking.
When it's all said and done, Merlin comes first over both of their chests. His muscles tighten around Arthur so much that the blonde spasms before releasing his load into Merlin. Arthur collapses on top of Merlin only long enough to catch his breath before pulling out of him and laying on his side.
"Now we're in trouble," Arthur mutters.
Merlin feels confused as he looks towards Arthur. "Why's that?"
"Because you win – I can't beat that. You gave me your virginity as my Christmas present. I legitimately can't think of anything I could give you that could beat that," Arthur huffs out in a long breath.
Merlin laughs softly. "You're right," he mumbles as he reaches forward to tangle his fingers in Arthur's hair again. "As long as I've got you, I win."
Author's Note: I was going to do Doctor Who third, but I'm afraid I was in a bit more of a Merlin type mood today. I hope you enjoy celebrating the third day of Christmas with Merlin and Arthur, and the shenanigans it takes them to pull off a half-decent Christmas just them. Keeping in mind it's a Modern! AU and I think it turned out pretty freaking adorable. Called 'Cookies' because 'I Win' sounds like an awfully cocky title.