«What? You are not serious, Richard, are you?»
« Colin, I know I'm getting old but I can still hear well!» laughed Richard.
« Right, but..with Bradley? Do I have to kiss him? What the hell! I mean, I'm not a homophobe, of course, but what does it have to do with the plot?» Richard couldn't help laughing.
Mark, the director, who overheard the dialogue, came in with a smirk on his face.
«I never saw you so concerned, Colin, you're always so calm! It's just for an episode! Everything can happen in Camelot, you know. Come on, go and call your friend.»
The boy did as he was told, an expression of disbelief never leaving his face.
«Wait and see Bradley's reaction, Richard!» joked Mark.
«Oh, I forgot pop-corns!» replied he and they both started laughing.
«What the f..? Mark must have been taking drugs!» Bradley's voice could be heard even before he stepped in with the other boy.
«Alright guys, sit down. We just thought it would be funny if Morgana found a way to enchant you both and make you fall in love with each other so that, by distracting you, she could peacefully try to kill Uther. Besides, just between ourselves, do you have an idea of how big the Merthur fandom is? They will all worship us after this!» he concluded with a theatrical pause of effect, but the boys' expression didn't change. The silence was broken by Richard, who couldn't hold himself anymore and laughed again.
«Is it such a bad idea?»
«No, it's fine, I'm sure it will be funny, I just..need some air. » mumbled Bradley before leaving the room.
«If it's a joke, end it now, Mark.» said Colin, a flash of useless hope in his eyes.
Mark shook his head and looked at him.
«Do you know how many actors do that? It's part of your job! You don't have to take it so seriously!»
«I know, Mark, I'm ready to do anything, I just didn't expect it, that's all.» he ended his words with a placid smile. Everyone knew he was more reasonable than Bradley.
«Go and convince your friend, then.»
« Thank you, Morgana, I was so thirsty! Mm, smells good!»
« You're welcome, Merlin! Arthur liked it as well! I can imagine you are thirsty, with all the chores he obliges you to do! By the way, could you please tell him I'm going for a walk with Uther?»
« Of course, my lady.» The boy ran towards the prince's chambers.
Alright. Now it was time to show the best acting skills.
As their eyes met, the two boys stared at each other like there couldn't be anything more beautiful in the world.
« Merlin, could you please help me take my boots off?» asked Bradley with an odd, sugary tone in his voice.
« Of course, sire.» Colin bent down and did as he was told.
« Are you going to take some rest?»
« Yes, the tournament today was demanding and I feel a bit weak, I hope I'm well.»
«Do you need something else?» asked Colin, desperately hoping the prince would ask him to stay.
«No, you may go..» the expression on Colin's face saddened, but as he hesitated in front of the door, as a last hope, Bradley spoke again.
«Uhm, Merlin.. could help me undress myself? I feel really weak.»
Colin's lips curled up in a smug smile as he turned back to him.
Now the difficult part began.
He started with the cloak.
«Red suits you, has someone ever told you?» Colin talked naturally, as if suddenly it was perfectly natural for Merlin to talk like this to his prince.
Bradley smiled and looked away in embarrassment.
«No, you're the first. You're always the first, Merlin» he blurted, realizing too late what his words meant. Of course, neither Arthur or Merlin knew their sudden feelings were mutual, so Bradley and Colin tried to look as much ashamed as they could.
« I mean..»
«Don't worry, I understood.» Colin interrupted him and made the mistake to meet his eyes.
Every time they looked at each other, the connection between their eyes was like an inexplicable alchemy. Once their eyes met, they kept fixed like a magnet. This wasn't about the characters, this was about the actors.
Bradley bit his lips and Colin's hands lingered over his chest longer than usual, while he was freeing him of his shirt. Their gestures were natural, as if they didn't need any indications about what to do next, they were completely themselves. And then it hit them. A feeling of uncertainty started slipping in their minds, a feeling about whether they were just pretending or not. Colin thought how beautiful was the shape of Bradley's eyes.
Bradley thought how full were Colin's lips. The silence between them was beginning to get too long, but one of them finally spoke.
«You have something on your hair, Arthur.» noticed Colin with hesitation, seeing a trace of a leaf lying on the prince's hair.
«What is it? Take it off! Is it a scary spider? Are you afraid, my little faint-hearted Merlin?» joked the blond and hit him, as usual. But Colin didn't laugh this time. He reached Bradley's hair and took the leaf off, but, clumsy as he was, stumbled on the prince's boots. Bradley picked him just before he fell and they both sat on the bed, laughing. Step by step, as the scene went ahead, the two boys realized some details they hadn't noticed before. Bradley thought about how fragile Colin's body looked, like if it could break like a porcelain's pot if he wasn't careful enough. Colin thought how hot was the mark Bradley left on his body every time he touched him. Was that love potion real? Were they identifying too much with their characters? It seemed so.
«I'm sorry, Merlin.»
«For what?»
«For hitting you. Not..not just this time. Thinking about how many times I regardlessly hurt you makes me feel sorry.». Colin got stuck.
«The way you're talking..it's unlike you.»
«Maybe something's changed.»
The more they talked, the more they felt those words as their own.
«I wish many things changed, Arthur.»
«Like what?»
«Like the way you look at me. I'm afraid you'll never understand who I really am. There are..things I can't tell you, Arthur, but I wish I could. Maybe one day you..» Colin eyes filled up with tears, he was so good at crying while acting, but there was something more, like a need to cry, because what he was saying maybe was true. He realized maybe he was addressing Bradley, instead of Arthur.
«You're talking nonsense, Merlin! I perfectly know you, even if I don't show it sometimes.»
«What do you know, then?» Colin's voice was nothing more than a whisper, as they got closer without realizing it.
«I know..you're one of the people I care about most in my life. I've known you for years, now. You are loyal, caring, you're the only friend I have and I couldn't bear to lose you.»
It's only a script, Brad, only a script. Don't get emotional.
Their looks were so deep their eyes almost hurt. And then Colin kissed him. Bradley's nose brushed the boy's cheeks, wet from tears. It felt so strange and unbelievable. It wasn't so revolting as they thought. Bradley took Colin's scarf off. His shirt followed the scarf on the they were both half-naked.
Just few hours before, Bradley thought the idea of a kiss between them was repugnant, not to mention touching his naked body like a lover. Now he was staring at his friend's snow-white skin and the only adjective coming to his mind to describe him was 'perfect'.
Colin was clinging on his shoulders and, as his friend's tongue made its way into his mouth, he realized in shock he could desire nothing, nothing better.
His hands started to touch him with delicacy, and Bradley could find no better drug than Colin's long, tapering fingers.
As soon as the shoot ended they left the room. They were staring at each other in utter shock.
We..have to talk»
Yeah..»
Like the way you look at me. I'm afraid you'll never understand who I really am. There are..things I can't tell you, Arthur, but I wish I could.
All those words kept echoing in Colin's mind. Of course he wasn't thinking about the wizard thing, but those words could also be read as something else. Something referring to his feelings towards him. Feelings he didn't have a clue of, before that day.
Bradley had touched him countless times, without the slightest effect on him and now the only memory of their kiss made him shiver. Was it possible to have your own world completely turned upside down by a single person? Odd thoughts crossed his mind while following Bradley God knows where, maybe to his own room. His room? His stomach clenched. No, that was bad.
The blond kept walking fast, in tension, cold hands closed into fists. He hadn't the faintest idea about what to do next.
Just talk.
They closed the door, a grip holding their stomachs.
«Touch me.»
«What..?»
«Just do it. I want to see if I feel something, Colin.»
The dark-haired boy bit his own tongue and then made the simplest move: took his hand.
«You're cold, Brad. »
«You're hot. » The blond smirked at Colin, with his usual cheeky attitude.
«Seriously, Brad. What do you feel?»
«I feel like I am snow and you are fire.» he answered playfully.
«Could you be less enigmatic?» joked Colin in front of his friend's insecurity, while he, as seconds passed, was surer and surer of what he felt.
«What do you want me to say? You're just holding my hand! Do something else!» replied him with an apparently indifferent smile on his cute face. But his arch look was telling a different story, and eyes never betray.
Colin ran his slim fingers down Bradley's neck, slipping them under his shirt, on his collarbone.
«I feel nothing, Colin! Just stop this.» snapped him, holding his breath without moving of a centimeter.
Colin turned suddenly red and all the shame came on him like a punch, realizing how insane he must look like. He turned his back on him and made the gesture to open the door, but his friend caught his arm.
«Stay. I'm sorry. » Colin knew perfectly when he was telling the truth, and this was the case.
«Well, if you don't let me touch you.. » Colin pause for a second, feeling ashamed of his own words, « we can never understand how we really feel. I don't want to leave this "issue" unresolved. »
Bradley just nodded and took a breath. They both took their shirts off.
Colin picked up the courage and placed his lips on Bradley's neck, collarbone, chest. His friend closed his eyes and turned his head back, trying not to be seen by Colin.
He was fighting with all his inner strength to convince himself he didn't feel pleasure. He would never admit liking a boy. Liking his friend! He decided to pretend being cold and unemotional, he was ready to give up his true feelings. Maybe this was wrong, but letting Colin touch him like that was even wronger! Keeping his eyes shut, he tried to imagine a girl taking Colin's place, but no matter how strong his effort was, the only imagine coming to his mind was his friend's thirsty mouth sticking on his body. He felt confused and freaked-out.
«Do you like it? » Colin's voice was so low and..sexy, that's what Bradley thought.
«I..I'm not sure. » he miserably attempted to lie.
Colin shared a deep look with him and immediately after, aimed to his mouth.
No. That's cheating, thought Brad.
Colin was doing anything possible to attract Bradley. He was shy and all, but deep inside he was also sure Bradley felt the same, he just had to take off his mask. He bit Brad's lower lip and could hear his friend shuddering. His hands were all over and Brad hid his hands behind his back, against the wall, to avoid touching his friend.
«Come on, Brad, don't be ashamed. I'm the shy one. »
«Oh, really? » replied his friend against his soft red tempting lips. Once they kissed, he couldn't stop anymore, but tried his last chance to stop that mess.
«I don't feel it, Cols, I'm sorry. »
Colin pulled back in surprise.
«You what? » almost angry, threw himself against his friend, kissing him harder.
« I know you want the same » insisted he, biting his neck 'til he left a red mark on it.
«I don't » replied the other one through clenched teeth, trying hard to breath normally.
«Tell me you want me.. » Colin finally let his long fingers run down to his trousers and stroke really hard.
«Colin! » Brad cried out in both pleasure and surprise, unable to hide himself anymore and pushed his friend away.
Only then he realized Colin's cheeks were tear-stained in frustration.
«Just stop being so fucking proud and put your bloody mask aside! Do you think for me it's easy? Waking up one day and finding out I like you as I never liked anyone before? But you're always the same old wanker and would rather give up your feeling than admit it! Letting that skinny boy touch you, it makes you sick, doesn't it? It turns your stomach, yeah? Because you're ashamed of me! » he was yelling at the top of his lungs and Bradley stepped forward and held his hands, regretful.
«I'm afraid, Colin, alright? I'm human and I'm just fucking afraid! » Colin shut his mouth, a suffering expression marking his sweet eyes.
«I'm a wanker, I'll keep saying it million times, you're the only one who accepts me as I am, and I want you, alright? I want you, Colin. I swear I'll stop this useless show. I just care about you, I make you suffer every time and I'm always the last one to get it. I'm sorry again. Just stop crying, please. » Bradley never cried, but his voice was broken. Seeing Colin suffering like that made his chest hurt. He had opened his soul to him, and yet he had hit him just when he was most vulnerable.
«Can I kiss you? » Bradley tried as hard as he could to leave his pride behind and cheer his friend up. After all, there was nothing to be ashamed of. Colin was a wonderful, kind-hearted person.
«No. » Colin hid a shy smile behind his fake sulky expression.
«Oh, you're pouting to me, now! » he gently tickled his neck, making him blush and slightly chuckle. Bradley loved it.
He then brushed Colin's nose with his and when their lips met again, they sticked to each other like glue.
Bradley's lips and neck were marked red thanks to his bites and Colin felt a little ashamed and regretful. He didn't know where all that passion came from. But his thoughts were suddenly blurred by his friend's motions. He was in fact unlacing his trousers.
«What are you doing? » his eyes gleamed with both alarm and desire.
«Making peace with you. » a naughty smile crossed his face and his eyes looked suddenly darker. The dark-haired boy started panting slightly while feeling his friend's tongue between his legs, his hands gripping the boy's golden hair.
Colin's cock was already in Bradley's mouth, without any warning and he gulped.
«Oh, for God's sake! I..I understand you're not pretending anymore, Brad, you..you don't need to..aah! » he helplessly moaned, feeling the boy's greedy tongue sucking hard, hot breath on his thighs.
«Harder, please.. » Colin's voice was so husky with pleasure it made Brad turn on. He moved faster and faster, under the boy's noisy sexy moans, stopping few seconds before he reached the limit. He then came up, licking the boy's neck like he couldn't have enough of it. They both rubbed their bodies against each other and Colin "helped" Brad with his long fingers. Brad cried out Colin's name, pressing his friend against the wall. The contrast between the cold wall and Brad's hot sweating body made him shake. Their hands moved so fast that their moans couldn't be any louder and they came so hard they both collapsed on the bed, exhausted.
«Am I forgiven? » whispered Brad out of breath.
«Yeah, well, now I know I'm not the only one doing magic, here. »
Bradley burst out laughing.
«Oh no,my dear Merlin, now you know you don't need magic to make wonders. »
Cols cuddled up on the other boy's chest, giggling. Their eyes were sparkling with sincere happiness, while Brad wrapped his strong arms around the boy's back, with protection.