Starstruck
Arthur stares down at the mass of writhing bodies and he feels the loneliness burn his throat. "It's my birthday." He whispers to no one in particular. He knew he would have to perk up and begin drinking and dancing again soon, but he wanted to stay still and block the crappy music, the bright lights and the feel of the girls next to him away for just one second longer.
"I can give you a B.J later."
He hears a girl whisper in his ear, but he ignores her and the choruses of 'yeah, me too', that echo after. He's been doing this for far too long. It was good publicity, Uther had said. Uther was always billionaire Uther Pendragon; owner of chains of clubs and hotels before he was Arthur's father.
Arthur hates himself for being so vulnerable, for being one of the many lost souls that flock to the clubs every night to find something that would make them feel less empty, less broken for at least one night. Drugs, dancing, sex, the list was endless but for Arthur, it was the music and the feeling of belonging when he felt the stifling heat of another body against his.
More specifically, it was a particular DJ's music that filled him and made him feel that maybe, just maybe tomorrow wouldn't be as painful as today was, that maybe tomorrow he wouldn't need to swallow down those bitter pills with Leon watching him, making sure he took them. The pills that were supposed to fight these fucking feelings; instead just amplified them later on until Arthur feels like he's going just shatter.
It's only his music that holds him together, the thought that tonight he'd be able to lose himself in his music and be pieced back together slowly with each song. Only to be shattered once again when the night was over. Arthur also looks forward to seeing him, though Arthur tells no one about this. He can hardly admit it to himself.
Arthur pushes the girls off when he sees a shock of dark hair take over in the DJ stand and he stands up quickly, maneuvering through the crowd, his eyes only on his saviour all the way on the other side of the room. Then the music starts, and Arthur feels it hit him; his skin prickles and he gets goosebumps because he can literally feel himself being put back together.
A slow smile starts on Arthur's face, and he starts dancing with the faceless bodies as he begins to make his way across the room. It is like this every night, he wants to reach him one day, he truly does, but he just doesn't have the courage to tell a total stranger that they are singlehandedly keeping him from offing himself. How does one start that particular conversation anyway?
Arthur's body moves with the beat and with the other masses of bodies around him, he feels the thrill sink deep into himself; the feeling of belonging to something, apart of something.
His eyes are always on the DJ though, he watches the way his dark hair falls into his eyes; Arthur imagines they are dark blue like the night sky, the way his long fingers wrapped around the silver headphone as he hold it up to his ear, my god those ears. Arthur realizes he wants nothing more than to lick them.
But it was his lips that got Arthur, the way they are always wrapped around a lollipop; his throat furiously working. It makes Arthur grind against his dance partners even harder as he wonders what flavor the lollipop is. He'd very much like to find out.
A hand grabs his and Arthur, delirious off the dancing and music follows, giggling. He's pushed into a wall and he feels a pair of lips attacking his neck; behind his foggy mind he's vaguely aware that the music has changed.
The lips are insistent and Arthur convinces himself that his DJ's lips are the ones kissing him, that those hands are the ones stroking his face and that it's his body against his own. But then he feels rough hands grab his waist, and his illusion is shattered because somewhere in his screwed up mind he's convinced himself that his DJ's fingers would be gentle.
Arthur's eyes snap open and he shoves the other man off just as he sees someone walk in with an armful of equipment. It was his DJ, his face amused, his smile lopsided and cheeky; and god, there was that lollipop hanging out. Arthur's first thought is that he was right, his eyes are dark blue.
"Really, don't stop on my account. Not like I live here or anything."
Arthur's eyes widen and he looks around, finally noticing where he was. The walls were the same colour as they were in the club and that is when Arthur realizes he can still hear the pounding of the music, and he's not sure if he imagines the room vibrating from the throngs of dancing bodies downstairs.
The man who was feeling Arthur up growled something at his DJ before leaving the room sending his equipment crashing to the ground, without a glance back at Arthur's shivering body as he hurries to pull back on his shirt.
"Bye, Buck! The sheer focus and pride you put into your work inspires me! Someone's gotta keep all the underages out!"
He calls before sighing and kneeling down to pick up his stuff. Arthur watches him intently as he slowly inspects each piece of equipment for any damage sustained. Arthur inches forward and kneels down next to him, running his fingers over the dark blue, DJ Emrys etched into the silver turntables.
Dark blue eyes study him curiously, pink lips sucking musingly on the lollipop. Arthur blushes and stammers out, "D-DJ Emrys." The man's eyebrows are raised, and his lips quirk up before replying.
"I've been wondering when I'd finally see you." Arthur's heart thuds in his chest and he drags his gaze away from him to stare at the ground, embarrassed. His throat is dry and his mouth ashy, and Arthur realizes that he is absolutely, undoubtedly, starstruck.
The thought is hilarious on it's own, Arthur Pendragon who has been meeting celebrities since before he could walk, getting starstruck in the presence of a man who lived above a club and was not to mention completely not famous.
"Well, not that I don't see you. You're always here." Arthur's heart nearly stops, and his panic must have shown on his face because the man quickly amends. "No, no! What I mean is that it's nice to meet you. Finally. I've uhh… seen you around."
They both cringe.
"I'm Merlin. All that DJ Emrys stuff is ridiculous."
Merlin.
Arthur looks up into those smiling blue eyes and to his complete and utter embarrassment says,
"My name's Arthur. It's my birthday today."
Merlin's face is amused as he pulls his lollipop out of his mouth. "Happy birthday, Arthur. What do you want from me, a blow job? You'll need to take me out to dinner first."
Arthur face practically glows red but when he hears Merlin's soft laughter, he almost doesn't mind the embarrassment. If it makes Merlin laugh that laugh, any price is worth it. Merlin smirks down at Arthur and catches the affectionate expression on his face. And he cannot help but lean down and catch Arthur's lips with his own.
Cherry, is Arthur's only coherent thought.
Merlin's gentle fingers stroke his hair and cheeks and Arthur realizes that the music may never be enough to complete him again; nothing could compare with the way Merlin's laugh had made him feel. Arthur also knows that not any heated body would do anymore either, it hits him that the only body he would ever want next to his, in bed or otherwise, is Merlin's.
Merlin can tell that Arthur's distracted, but when he looks down at Arthur's face he sees his mouth, red and bruised split open in a wide smile Merlin can't help himself from whispering into Arthur's ear.
"Happy birthday, Arthur. Let me see what I can do about that B.J."