THE DEPTH OF BLACKNESS
#1
OoOoO
Black-haired blue-eyed boy, all pale looking, was walking down the street. He was walking slowly, carefully and was really tired and hurt. His clothes were two sizes bigger than it should be and it was old. His black My Chemical Romance T-shirt was ripped near the last letters of 'Romance' on the front side of the T-shirt. He had black faded jeans that barely hold onto his narrow hips.
Street he was walking through wasn't familiar at all. Although he had been living there for months. It had weird smell and strange people. They were all nice looking, rich brats. These people looked at the boy like they were better than him. They probably are, though the boy, I am nothing and that's hard not to beat.
The boy's name was Merlin. And he was towing a medium dark green bag with all his belongings with him. He was trying to run, escape, disappear…
Only thing was, that he wasn't hard not to notice. Merlin had cut lip, blue bruise near right eye, a little cut on his forehead; all this and some old scars on his neck, arms, and mostly back.
Nobody didn't pass not looking at him, not starring at him…
But Merlin stared back. Especially when he had seen a little old lady that had had a haircut size of the Eiffel freaking tower. He couldn't help himself but to smile. Yes, he was in deep shit. Yes, he was in awful pain. Yes, he wanted to die. But those things didn't change his sense of humour, or sense of noticing funny stuff like that one.
He was back in reality for a second. He thought he could hide in someone's garage or something for a night and then he could move on but that wasn't a good idea. If he stays too long then Willard would find him, take him and hurt him, again.
Merlin barely had gotten the strength to runaway that time, he couldn't do it again. Not if he'd see Willard's' mean brown eyes smiling at Merlin's pain, again. Willard's' sadistic words and strong hands. Willard's' lack of sense for pity or compassion.
Merlin shook these thoughts away and entered the dry cleaner to wash his dirty clothes that Willard had touched. Merlin had left some money he stole from Willard's' house (it' wasn't a crime, Willard has stolen everything from Merlin anyway) to buy some food, wash clothes and buy a bus and a plane ticket to Ireland, his birth country.
Dry cleaner was really white and really really CLEAN! Everything had its order, and everything was so POSH! There was one more store connected with dry cleaner, it was second hand store with worn clothes. Bingo, thought Merlin. He desperately needed new clothes. Still, no matter second hand store, everything looked expensive, even one wash.
There was one old man, on the left, in a brown old-looking suit waiting for his clothes and a young black girl with a flower dress next to him. They were having a nice talk, at least it seemed so. On the right was some blond bloke who's face Merlin couldn't see. He had brown T-shirt and expensive dark blue jeans. He decided to go there, next to the blond bloke, since there was more space and he needed two washing machines 'cause he had full bag of stuff.
When Merlin came to the washing machine and put his bag down, the blond bloke turned around and looked Merlin into his eyes. Merlin saw blond bloke's blue eyes and his perfect face. Wow, he is beautiful.
„Do you mind?" asked the blond bloke slightly nervous. Merlin was on blond bloke's way, just starring. „Oh" said Merlin when he had realized that he had been inappropriate starring. „Sorry" Merlin moved and the tips of his ears and his bruised cheeks went red as tomato.
Merlin lowered his head in embarrassment, but when he looked up again he saw a warm smile in the corner of blond bloke's mouth. Merlin smiled back although his cut lip hurt.
OoOoO
It was sunny, hot day. Weather that wasn't usual for London. Arthur did everything as normal; had gotten up, washed his teeth, face, ate breakfast, drive car, been at work, lost his nerves at work and come home just to find empty wardrobe and bathroom full of dirty clothes.
When will he learn?
Arthur does not know how to manage with the wash machine. Last days (more like last months) he's been very busy and stressed because he had gotten new project at work in which he had had to show the most of himself. And, what was more important, he needed to impress his father Uther. Uther was the man who was never pleased, so the 'impress the Uther' part had been a little bit hard.
Arthur had it enough; he picked up the clothes and headed to the dry cleaner under his flat. It shouldn't be hard, thought Arthur, just throw a coin in the right hole and a miracle's gonna happen'.
He didn't even bother to take some kind of a bag or something. He just picked up first five T-shirts, three jeans and two long-sleeved shirts and his favourite coat.
Few coins and he were ready.
He shut the door loudly and hoped that his always-angry neighbour didn't hear that.
He almost died of boredom there, waiting for some sign that the washing was over, but nothing 'till some scared boy sat next to him. Then the washing was over and he had to pull out his clothes. The boy was in the way.
Arthur waited a while not wanting to tell anything because... Well, he didn't know why, he was just caught in the moment when his eyes had met the boy's light blue eyes. Arthur couldn't tell if they were really blue or grey.
Arthur waited, again. After his clothes were done, he had gone for another 'sack'. He hadn't had the plan to come twice, but...he just did and it had nothing to do with the skinny, bruised boy sitting next to Arthur.
Nothing to do at all.
OoOoO
The blond bloke must think how weird and strange and stupid and ugly I am, thought Merlin. The blond bloke was starring at Merlin all the freaking time! Merlin felt uncomfortable and shy.
He shifted in his chair not being able to be steady. He looked at the blond bloke who smiled at him again. Merlin quickly looked down not knowing what did the blondy wanted.
"Got in the fight, ei?" asked the blond bloke "I'm Arthur." He kept talking when Merlin hadn't replied. Arthur stretched his arm to Merlin.
Merlin looked Arthur in the eyes and accepted Arthur's hand.
Arthur's hand...
It was so warm and...BEAUTIFUL!
They long shook their hands not wanting to stop. But they stopped after Merlin said:"No, I haven't."
"Oh" Arthur seemed to ask more questions, but saw begging look in Merlin's eyes so he had decided to not.
"I'm sorry for asking-" began Merlin, and Arthur was glad Merlin had wanted to keep talking to him, "but why aren't you having any bag or something for your clothes? I mean, you look rich, no offense!" Merlin blushed.
Arthur started to laugh, but then saw Merlin uncomfortably shifting in his chair, again so he stopped. He coughed. "I'm not offended when you tell me I'm rich." said Arthur. "Or...Should I be?" Arthur looked at Merlin with one brow raised up.
"No, no. Sorry. I really don't know how to talk to people." Merlin shyly smiled and looked down at his sky-blue Converses.
"Well..you should come with me for a coffee so we could practise and improve your skills.
He didn't say TALKING skills, just...skills. Merlin blushed for the 100th time and swallow hard.
"Are you for it?" Arthur asked Merlin with his blue wide eyes waiting for an answer.
Merlin couldn't let to be seen, he couldn't go for a coffee with some stranger no matter how handsome the stranger would be.
"Sorry, drink only tee" said Merlin. What are you doing?
Arthur showed his perfect teeth and shaped them in a perfect smile: "That can be easy fixed, would you go for a tee with me? In the coffee shop near here, it has tee, too. Even the kiwi-tee!" Arthur was persistent.
Merlin couldn't risk like that, but then again, if anyone would recognize him Arthur would protect him.
Wouldn't he?
"There would nothing in the world give me more pleasure than go for a tee with you, Arthure."
OoOoO
When the boy said Arthur's name, something clicked in side of him. It must be some chemical reaction in his stomach. He thought of butterflies.
"You didn't tell me your name." Said Arthur while thinking which name would suit him.
Jack? Darren? Bryan?
"Ummm...you'll laugh!" said the boy with the cutest smile ever. He wasn't so damn serious anymore.
"No way! I am not going to smile!" said Arthur quickly totally sure in his words.
"Promise?" asked the boy. "Promise."
"Merlin." Said the boy.
"Where?" asked Arthur before he realized what he had said, what MERLIN had said.
Merlin frowned.
"Oh" Arthur started to smile, first slowly trying to suppress it, but then he started to laugh really loud, but not 'cause of the name. It was 'cause his own stupidity.
"Hey! You promised!" said Merlin little hurt.
"No, no! You got it wrong! It's just this whole satiation, not you name!" Arthur stopped to take some air. "I like your name. You are Merlin and I am Arthur"
Merlin started to think then and he smiled too. "Oh, my God, you're totally right!"
They both felt like they knew each other for ages.
OoOoO
Merlin liked Arthur a lot. He was nice to him, didn't ask many questions about his bruises and was actually interested in what Merlin has to say.
"Nobody drinks a tee" Arthur made a pause, "with a straw!" he was fascinated.
"Well, obviously, I do." said Merlin all happy and adorable. He always drinks with a straw every possible drink. "Besides, when I drink with a straw I'm safe from brain freezing or something."
"What? I can assure you that your brain won't be frozen by a tee, for God's sake."
"Hmm...I know that, but what's with the cold milkshakes?"
"They already have a straw, you silly!" Arthur smiled and took a gulp of tee. Then he made a face. "Hot!"
Merlin felt unbelievably attracted to Arthur, especially when he said 'silly'.
"Hah! See! If you had the straw right now, that wouldn't have happened." Merlin got up and went to the bar to take a straw for Arthur. "Here you are!" the straw was something between purple and pink.
"That's for me?" asked Arthur seriously, but Merlin could hear amusement in his voice.
"Yeah, it goes with your tongue now. They're both purple."
"You know what colour my tongue is! Have you been watching it?" Arthur got into some serious flirting.
"No! I mean...no! The tee must have burnt your tongue, I mean...not burnt. More like-" Merlin felt embarrassed.
"Slow down, I was joking!" Arthur took some tee with a straw. "Mmm, definitely better!"
Merlin stared at Arthur. His face and hair. His hands and perfectly shaped body. Arthur was so nice and polite to him. Merlin didn't deserve that. He was still nobody. What would Arthur do if he found out?
"Look, Merlin." Arthur got seriously serious. "I know that I just met you, and it's crazy, but here's-"
"No, are you copying lyrics from that song?"
"Oh, Jesus! I guess I did, but I didn't mean to. Sorry. Just wanted to tell that I like you and would be very happy if you would want to go out with me, like in the cinema or...I don't know, for a walk in the park?" now Arthur was the one who swallowed hard.
"Arthur!" said Merlin all cheeky and blushing, "are you asking me out?"
"I guess I am." said Arthur quietly, "I hope it's not too fast for you." He added.
"What d'you mean?" Merlin got serious, "Why would it be too fast for me? Because we just met? If that's the-"
"No." Arthur interrupted. "It's just...your bruises. I concluded that your boyfriend maybe, you know, beat you?" Arthur took another gulp of tee without a straw.
Merlin was frozen. What to say? What to say? Was he really ready? "Umm..no, that's not it! I'm totally ready to go for a walk in the park. We could go in the new opened fun-park couple of streets away."
"Oh, sorry then, really." said Arthur quickly, "Fun-park, huh?" Arthur smiled uncomfortably.
"I won't tell you that I fell down the stairs, ok?" said Merlin because he had noticed that Arthur wanted an explanation. "I just..." Merlin looked Arthur in the eyes. Those were such beautiful eyes. "I can't tell you, and please don't, don't-"
"It's ok." said Arthur not wanting to push Merlin into telling him anything that he didn't wanted to tell. "You'll tell me when you'll be ready, right?" asked Arthur with a bit of insecurity.
Merlin had planned to run away after couple of nights at Arthur's if Arthur would allow Merlin to stay without pushing Merlin into doing something that would include blow jobs or fucking.
He couldn't do that, not after Willard. Would Arthur understand if Merlin told him? No, he wouldn't understand.
"Right."