Title: Ten Times out of Ten
Author: Candieddragon
Rating: M due to a little hot groping at the end.
Summary: Merlin likes Arthur who decidedly likes girls. And clearly Merlin isn't a girl. Ten song challenge.
Kings and Queens - 30 Seconds to Mars
The first time Merlin meets Arthur, he thinks-no knows- that Arthur is the prettiest boy there is. When Merlin tells him this, Arthur's face splits into a wide grin and he grabs Merlin's arm and drags him up to the tallest place on the playground and declares it his and Merlin's kingdom and this side was his and that side was Merlin's.
Merlin didn't really mind that his side was smaller, especially when Arthur declared him his King, since Merlin wasn't a girl and only girls could be Queens but they had cooties and Kings were cooler than Queens anyway.
Ego - Big Bang
Merlin's smile is stiff and fake; he is almost positive that Arthur can see right through him, but no, he's too busy gushing about his new and first girlfriend. Some girl named Gwen.
All he can do is nod and inject affirmations when ever Arthur needs one, which, luckily, is not very often. It gives him space to think.
He's not quite sure when he started liking Arthur, but hearing about somebody else that knows parts of Arthur he doesn't rams home that he does and there's nothing he can do about it now that his best friend has a girlfriend.
Cafe - Big Bang
Merlin's head hits his pillow with a FLUMP when Arthur hangs up the phone. He's cancelled hanging out again because Gwen wants to go to the mall, and Merlin you understand right?
Rolling over, he stares at his familiar ceiling and counts the plastic-y glow-in-the-dark stars that Arthur bought him for his birthday so long ago until he feels his frustration ebb away a little.
Arthur's going to take her to that cafe, the one that Merlin and Arthur found on accident when they got caught in the rain. Their cafe, and Arthur's going to sit her into the corner chair, Merlin's chair, and be sickeningly romantic.
Merlin should know. He saw them there last time, kissing over coffee.
Tears of an Angel - RyanDan
Sitting on Arthur's bed and telling him that the next one will be better shouldn't feel like a triumph, but it does. While Arthur rants about how stupid the phrase "It's not you, it's me" is and insisting that he dumped Gwen, even though they both know that she was swept off her feet by fucking Lance, Merlin feels ecstatic.
Arthur is better off with someone else, so that's what Merlin tells him when Arthur finally draws breath.
Arthur punches his arm lightly and grins. That smile and the "Thanks, mate" Merlin gets is almost worth the year of excuses and cancelled hang outs.
Love Drunk - Boys Like Girls
Kissing Freya seems wrong somehow. Freya is sweet and lovely and petite, but Merlin prefers someone taller, broader, stronger and blonder.
He pushes Freya back suddenly, muttering excuses and apologies. Her understanding face is like a blow to the gut. He's sincerely sorry that he hurt her, but she takes it all in stride.
The aching guilt that he feels when she leaves doubles when he realizes he's just a bit relieved.
Egoselfish - Deco*27
"Listen, Mer-"
"Why? So you can tell me all about how Sophia's the one and how she can never make a fucking mistake and you've got it all wrong Merlin and apologize to Sophia? "
"No, look-"
"That bitch started it and you're always on her side!"
"I'm sorry-"
"Oh so now, you're sorry? God, Arthur, you're such a bastard-"
"Come on, I didn't mean it-"
"-can't believe I loved you. Fuck you, I'm going home. "
Merlin slams the door on the way out.
Bad Boy - Cascada
Merlin doesn't talk to Arthur anymore, and Arthur doesn't talk to him either.
Somehow, it's a mutual agreement.
Unfortunately, they also mutually go to Stanford.
They run into one another once in a while, at the library, the book store, the drinking parties (because they have mutual friends), but neither want to be the first to break the agreement, so the silence stretches.
Merlin sees the furtive looks that Arthur sends him when girls drape themselves over Arthur at the rowdy college parties but he doesn't care anymore. The prat can do whatever the hell he wants, and the lurch that he feels in his stomach is alcohol induced and nothing more.
Trouble Maker - Trouble Maker
Despite all that, Merlin still gets an armful of Arthur because Arthur's absolutely drunk and so is everyone else. 'Sides, Merlin sorta sober and knows where Arthur lives Leon says before Arthur's hulking form gets dumped unceremoniously on him.
"Fucking trouble maker." he snarls at the inebriated man, but dutifully dragging Arthur back to his apartment. When the reach the door, Merlin waits for Arthur to start fumbling with his keys but Arthur just looks at him. Looks specifically at his lips.
Breath hitching, Merlin doesn't do much to stop Arthur from kissing him. The angle's awkward and the kiss is sloppy, but makes Merlin giddy all the same.
When Arthur breaks the kiss first, Merlin has the urge to pull the man back and kiss him senseless, but the moment shatters when the keys in Arthurs hand jingle. Reality comes crashing back, and Merlin flees.
It's the alcohol, he tells himself, nothing to do with Arthur. Nothing whatsoever.
Maybe - Sick Puppies
When Arthur slides into the chair across from Merlin looking nervous, Merlin nearly spits out his drink.
"Hey." Arthur fidgets.
"Hey." Merlin answers.
The background conversations are deafening, and Merlin feels more and more uncomfortable as Arthur says nothing. He opens his mouth and-
"What do you wa-"
"I'm sorry."
Merlin's jaw drops to the ground as Arthur takes a deep breath and goes on. "I know I've been a bastard, and maybe I'm crazy but ever since we kissed, I can't get it out of my head. I tried kissing girls but it's not the same. At all. And I miss you ok? The more I think about it, the more I think I'm actually in love with you and I've been for a long time but I just haven't noticed it." Arthur stops rambling for a second to run his fingers through his hair. "Fuck this is hard. Say something, please?
Merlin's brain seems to have evaporated, because he can't string together to words answer Arthur. Arthur rarely ever says "Sorry" and "Please."
Arthur seems to deflate in front of him. "I'll just fuck off now shall I?" and moves to leave.
"Wait!" Merlin all but shouts, suddenly panicked that Arthur would leave. "Did you just say you love me?"
Arthur sighs, but doesn't meet his eye. "Yes you idiot." and Merlin can almost sing because he can hear the hopeful lift in Arthur's voice.
He can't think of anything right to say, so Merlin launches himself across the table and kisses Arthur.
The Big Bang - Rock Mafia
"God." Merlin chokes when Arthur grinds against him.
"I'm just Arthur." he says, sounding highly amused, though the effect is ruined by his flush.
"Shut up." Merlin mutters and works at Arthur's zipper.
"Make me." Arthur challenges. Merlin isn't one to back down so he abandons the stupid zipper before he captures Arthur's lips in a bruising kiss, his hands tangling in Arthur's hair.
He shouldn't be this close because they're still fully clothed and haven't even made it four steps into his apartment for fuck's sake, but when Arthur's hands go down his spine to jerk his hips closer, he can't stifle the cry that escapes his lips when he comes.
Arthur groans something that suspiciously sounds like "Merlin" and slumps, effectively pinning Merlin to the wall.
"You're heavy." Merlin says automatically, just for the sake of saying it.
"You love it." Arthur counters and Merlin has to smile. Because he does. Because it means that Arthur, the prat, is finally his.
A/N: I know nearly nothing about BCC's Merlin actually. Why? I'm only on Season Two. :P
I want to know who Gwaine is!
Does anyone care that I cheated a little? Toward the end I didn't bother to keep the time limit... Oops.
And this is so cliche. -resolves to do better next time-
This is unbeta-ed and slightly rushed so if anyone spots any errors (glaring or otherwise), please let me know? Thanks in advance!