Title: Inked
Author: Blackatt
Pairings: (breifly) Arthur/Gwen, (breifly) Martin/Will and Arthur/Merlin
A/N: thanks for all the reveiws/favs, they make me smile sooo much 3 anyway I thought i'd do a sort of sequel to Ink but bring it forward into this century (i know i was asked for a Uther-see's-it-and-freaks one and i'll still write that if you wany). Sorry for not updating in ages anyway life kinda caught up with me so sorry but for now: On with the show!
Martin had always known he was different, not just because of how pale he was or because of the largeness of his ears, no the thing that made him realise he was different was his birthmark. It's not unusual for people to have a birthmark but not like Martin's his was a black scribble on the back of his neck that had grown larger as he grew up. This meant that as he grew up the birthmark became clearer and most people started to doubt that it was one as it looked more and more like a tattoo.
To be honest, if Martin hadn't had the thing for his whole life he would've thought it was a tattoo as well. What would you think if someone said you think if someone said to you that their birthmark was black, cursive and said "Arthur's"? You wouldn't believe them would you? Not to mention the fact that sometimes for no reason it would start to burn never at the same time or place but it would burn. Because of this Martin never had many friends growing up, sure he had Lance, Will and Gary but the most other people ignored him and thought he was a freak even more so when the birthmark became clearer and clearer with every passing year.
Martin's friends accepted him for what he was never questioning him about the birthmark but they could never dissuade him from the idea that he would never find a boyfriend because of it. It shocked him then when Will told him that he was "a daft prick, of course you'll find a boyfriend, I'd be your boyfriend if you gave me a chance!". So started their relationship and it lasted for a year and a half from high school into the University of London where they shared a dorm when they decided to go for a walk in the park not realising that it would cause Martin's birthmark to burn and change things for them forever.
Similarly, on the other side of London a boy named Arthur had always had a weird birthmark too. However his followed the curve of his ear and was easier to hide by growing his hair out, what he couldn't hide however was when it would start to burn and caused him pain. His birthmark grew with him and by the time he finished high school it barely looked like a birthmark anymore, it looked like a tattoo claiming that he was "Merlin's".
Arthur had never been teased because of his birthmark, because of the length of his hair very few people realised he even had one. One of the few people who did know was his girlfriend Gwen, who he had been dating since he was 16, and didn't care about the fact her boyfriend had been born with another mans name inked on his body. He loved her because of this fact. Gwen was a lovely girl with smooth chocolate coloured skin and pretty brown eyes but looked rather plain when stood beside Arthur who towered over her with his tall frame, golden hair and intense blue eyes.
Arthur and Gwen had decided to go to the University of London together once they left high school. They shared a dorm room with Arthur's sister Morgan who had invited her on and off again boyfriend Ed over who appeared with another woman's lipstick on him causing an argument and making Arthur and Gwen flee to the park to get away from it not knowing that it would make Arthur's birthmark to burn and change things for them forever.
The two couples had entered the park from opposite entrances and started walking along the main pathway when Arthur and Martin's birthmarks started to burn simultaneously. Martin grabbed the back of his neck just as Arthur put his hand to his ear both raised their heads to tell their partner that they were fine their birthmark was just a little sore when their eyes locked. Blue clashed with blue and realisation dawned in both sets of eyes, at once both were off running towards each other.
As they met in the middle both men asked "where have you been?" at the same time and laughed. Realising that they needed to catch up Martin or rather Merlin grabbed Arthur's hand and started to run with him back to the dorm where he stayed. They never heard the questions being shouted from the people who they had been walking in the park with, too concerned about getting indoors where they could talk. When they get to Merlin's dorm they immediately sat on the couch and started trading stories about their lives barely waiting till the other had finished speaking before launching into one of their own not noticing the door being opened.
When Gwen and Will walked into the room the first thing they noticed was how relaxed their boyfriends were together despite having just met, the second was the lack of space between them. Just as they were thinking about this their boyfriends got impossibly closer and just heard them whisper to each other "I missed you so much" together before their lips connected. It looked like it could've been an accident because of how close they were sitting but there was no mistaking the way their lips moved together like they had done it a million times before or the way that Arthur moved forcing Merlin to lie down on the couch. It was about this time when they realised they should interfere.
Looking at each other quickly Gwen and Will shouted "Martin!" and "Arthur!" together. The two men in question popped up from their places on the couch looking confused as to why they had been told to stop with messy hair and kiss swollen lips. Of course this lasted all of two seconds before they realised that their boyfriend and girlfriend respectively had just caught them in the middle of an intense make out session with another guy at which point they jumped apart like they had been burnt. Both started apologising profusely to Gwen and Will but it was hard to believe them when every two seconds their eyes would drift back to each other. Taking it in their stride Gwen and Will sat down on the two armchairs either side of the couch and asked them to explain properly what the hell had just happened.
Taking the lead for once Martin looked into Will's eyes and with sorrow covering his tone asked Will if he remembered Martin's birthmark on the back of his neck not even waiting for the confirmation he remembered Martin continued on explaining "This is Arthur Will, the one inked on the back of my neck, the one who I belong to. I'm so sorry this had to happen like this but whenever my birthmark or rather tattoo burned it was because he was close and my body was reacting to it. Seeing him today in the park triggered my memories of us before and I knew I had to talk to him again and when we talked all I could think about was kissing him again, I'm so so sorry Will". Looking like he'd just seen a ghost Will nodded with wide eyes and turned to the man Martin had just called Arthur in a tone that could only be described as reverently.
Arthur taking his cue from Martin he turned to Gwen and said "For give me please Gwen but this is Merlin –"completely unprepared for when Gwen interrupted him stating "That is Martin Arthur, this man's boyfriend not this Merlin that you think he is". Stunned Arthur could only blink for a minute before coming back to himself and telling Gwen in a voice that bore no room for arguments "This is Merlin Gwen, yes, he may be called Martin this time round but he is Merlin – the man I claimed and was claimed by. I don't care what you think of me but I have been waiting forever to see him again, so please forgive me for not warning you but I will not apologise for kissing the man I love".
Looking very much like she had been put in her place Gwen turned to see how Will was handling it only to see him turn to Mart- she means Merlin with a smile on his face saying "Bloody hell mate you didn't half pick a guy to have a star crossed romance with not only is he handsome but he's already bloody protective!". All Merlin and Arthur could do was laugh and shake their heads because while Will thought he knew, he had no idea that he was sitting across from the Once and Future King and his manservant turned Court Sorcerer turned love of his and all his reincarnations lives. One day he might if Merlin ever felt like giving him and Gwen and Morgan their memories back or when they introduce Will and Morgan. But for now they were just Merlin and Arthur who had finally found each other again after being apart so long who lived with their ex's and Arthur's sister and have no clue what's in store for them this time round but they had each other and that's all that matters to them.