Merlin poured the water into the big, wooden barrel. The barrel was almost full and Merlin figured that Arthur could live with it not being water up to the brink. As a matter of fact, it would be much smarter of him to not fill it to the brink - that way no water would go over the edge and he wouldn't have to wipe it up. The fact that he wouldn't have to make another run to the well and get more water was always a plus.
He starts fiddling with different things that Arthur might need for his bath. A towel, some soup… maybe he wants some drinking water? Merlin brings a small side table to the barrel and puts a jug of water and a glass on it. After some consideration he also puts the towel on the side table. Knowing Arthur Merlin figured the whole floor would be covered in water within five minutes of Arthur getting into the barrel - no matter Merlins effort to make that not happen.
Minutes pass and Arthur is nowhere to be seen. 'Honestly', Merlin thinks, 'if he orders me to go make the bath ready the least he could do is show up. But no, as usual, Arthur, the royal prat, refuses to consider the fact that his tardiness affect o-'
The door opens and the royal prat enters.
"Ah, I see that bath is ready. Still warm, I hope?" Merlin nods, and then mutters:
"No thanks to you."
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing, sire, I'm just thinking out loud."
"I didn't know you were capable of thinking." Merlin opens his mouth with a clever response on the tip on his tongue but then thinks better of it and instead gives Arthur a strained smile.
Arthur goes to remove his shirt and pants behind a screen and Merlin decides to make sure the water really still is warm. He rolls up his brown sleeve and cautiously sticks his hand into the water. It's luke warm.
Merlin frowns and removes his hand from the bath. The bastard would probably demand his water to be boiling hot. He glances over his shoulder to make sure Arthur is still behind the screen then places his hand over the water and mutter a spell as quietly and fast as he can. For a second his eyes glow golden and when he once again sticks his hand into the water it's pleasantly warm.
Arthur emerges, the towel from the side table wrapped around his waist. Merlin has to force himself to keep his gaze fixed on Arthurs face and not his well defined and oh so beautiful abs. The god of abs frowns at him.
"What?"
"What?" Merlin lamely responds.
"You're staring." Merlin nervously swallows.
"Oh." he says. "Sorry." Arthur smiles wryly and approaches the bath. He drops the towel on the floor, Merlin once again has to fight not to let his eyes wander, and then climbs into the water.
"Ah, perfect." He says and lean against the convex side. "Just perfect."
"Thank you sire." Arthur opens his eyes to stare uncomprehendingly at Merlin.
"Sorry?"
"You… you said the water was perfect, sire."
"Yes but I don't see why you should take that as a compliment. I highly doubt you made it." The last bit comes out with a smirk on his face. Merlins only response is an annoyed sigh. Arthur chuckles under his breath and then looks around.
"By the way, you forgot the sponge."
"Oh, sorry. I'll go get it."
"Mm, good because I need you to scrub my back."
"Oh, oh, yes of course." He swallows and nervously rubs his right upper arm.
With tentative fingers Merlin touches Arthurs shoulders. They're hard, of course, but even with just a careful touch Merlin can feel the knots hidden under his skin. 'Maybe he needs a massage.' He immediately blushes at the thought and begin scrubbing Arthurs shoulders.
"Ah, just like that." Arthur moans and lean forwards. After a while the side of the barrel gets in the way, even after Merlin already asked Arthur to move forward twice.
"I- Sire I can't… the side is in the way." Arthur turns around to face him and, with a frown on his face and a matter-of-fact tone says:
"Just get in the bath Merlin." Merlin tense up, eyes wide and mouth open.
"B-but…"
"But what?" He doesn't know what to say. 'But if I get in the bath I might not be able to control myself and start devouring your body?' No, no of course not.
"Nothing sire."
He removes the wet cardigan, the red neckerchief and the blue sweater and then hastily drops his pants on the floor. He figures he can keep his underpants on. It's not like Arthur will notice, anyway.
Clumsily he climbs into the bath and sits in the middle. Arthur has turned around and is lying with his stomach on the convex side. Carefully Merlin puts the sponge to Arthurs back and begins scrubbing, this time with soap. Arthur moans quietly and Merlin can feel how his back relaxes under his fingers. Another moan, and then another and suddenly Merlins dick is beginning to stir.
He tenses up and tries to think of the most disgusting thing he can imagine. That is not Arthurs chiseled back in front of him, no, of course not, it's a troll! No, no, it's Gaius!
But Arthur keeps quietly moaning and Merlin resolves to just getting this over with as fast as possible.
After while all the soap is washed away and Merlin rises up to get out of the bath.
"Uh, Merlin…" Arthur says. The unsure tone of his voice surprises Merlin.
"Yes sire?"
"Could you… uh, could… My shoulders are very stiff, you know, from all the training, and… well, I just wondered if you could give me a massage." Merlin gets tunnel vision and has to sit down again. Arthur must take that as an affirmative because the unsure look on his face disappears and he turns away from Merlin.
"Thank you Merlin."
"It's no problem sire." Merlin mumbles. He places the sponge on the side table and returns to Arthur. Tentative once again he places his hands on Arthurs back and starts kneading. Arthur tenses up and then seems to force himself to relax.
"Does it hurt?" Merlin asks quietly.
"Uh, yes, but… it still feels good." The sentence is confirmed with a low moan and Merlin has to close his eyes. How, how, did he get into this mess?
His hands keeps on kneading Arthurs shoulders until his thumbs are so sore that it feels like they are about to fall off. He is unsure about going any lower, truth be told he doesn't know if he will be able to control himself, but Arthurs is giving no inclination of being satisfied any time soon.
After a while he carefully moves his hands lower down and immediately gets a satisfied hum in response.
'Could you stop doing that.' he thinks but doesn't really mean it. The initial feeling of uncomfortableness that would follow every moan or noise Arthur makes has disappeared. Now he just enjoys them.
Then suddenly Arthur sits up straight and turns around to face Merlin.
"Thank you Merlin, that's quite enough." he says with a forced and uncomfortable smile. Merlin frowns.
"Are you sure?" he asks and then bites his tongue. 'Of course he is sure, why would you ask such a stupid, stupid question.'
"Yes I'm quite sure." is Arthurs response, now with a somewhat amused but still uncomfortable smile. Merlin nods. There is a twitch in Arthurs smile. "Merlin, get out of the bath." Merlin jerks and immediately stands up. It's only then, with his hard-on pointing Arthur in his face, he realizes that there were a lot smarter ways to do that.
A tense silence enfolds them, Arthurs eyes locked onto the bulge in Merlins underpants. Merlin doesn't know what to say and therefor resorts to turning around and frantically trying to get out of the bath until Arthurs hand suddenly enfolds Merlins arm. Merlin freezes and with a gentle tug from Arthur he turns around.
With his gaze firmly locked onto Merlins eyes Arthur carefully touches Merlins hips, just above the upper edge of his underpants. When Merlin gives no sign of discomfort he gently tugs at the waistband and slowly pulls them down, under the water and, with a little help from Merlin raising his feet, removes them and then throws them over the edge.
Only now does his eyes leave Merlins and instead lock onto his dick. He carefully touches it with his hand and then takes a firmer grip. He slowly moves his hand down and then up again and Merlin lets out an antagonized whimper. Arthur looks up again and there is now a playful smile on his face.
"You like that?" he says, his voice low and rough. Merlin nods. "And you want more?" Another, now frantic, nod.
"Yes, yes please." Another playful tug and then Arthurs breath is on Merlins dick and the heat of his tongue almost touching it is driving Merlin mad and-
a slow, antagonizing lick up the underside and then he engulfs him. Merlins knees buckle and he has to place his hands on Arthurs shoulders for support. Arthurs head is bobbing up and down. He's hollowing his cheeks, he's licking, he's touching his balls, drawing circles between his thighs.
Merlin feels like he is moaning excessively much but he just cannot be bothered to keep it in… couldn't manage even if he tried. His orgasm is building up inside of him and his grip on Arthurs shoulders hardens, he's clawing and is probably close to drawing blood.
"Arthur, Arthur I'm… I'm close, I'm so, so close." But Arthur just keeps bobbing his head, just keeps sucking and then Merlins is coming and suddenly he cannot stand anymore.
Arthurs mouth leaves his dick and little tendrils of seamen is landing on Arthurs face and in the water.
With a thud Merlin lands on the bottom of the barrel. Arthur is looking at him with an almost feral look, his eyes dark and needy. He stands up, his dick just as painfully hard that Merlins was just moments ago (or was it hours, days, months?). He sits at the edge of the barrel and without hesitation Merlin closes the gap.
With unsure hands he touches Arthurs dick. He softly caresses the head and then moves closer. He engulfs the head and begins to bob his head up and down. With his hands he is stroking the parts of the Arthurs dick that he cannot reach but then moves further back and carefully touches his balls. With a glance upwards he can see Arthur. He is stretched backwards with his hands on his face and is giving out the same low moans as before.
With a pop Merlins mouth leaves Arthurs dick and immediately Arthur looks down at him. Merlins left hand is moving up and down on Arthurs shaft while his mouth is placing kisses and bites on Arthurs inner thigh. 'Maybe I should have started with this.' he thinks. 'Better late than never, I guess.'
His mouth returns to Arthurs dick and he once again turns his gaze at Arthur - who is now watching him with even darker eyes than before. Merlin knows Arthur is about to come when he tenses up and once again throws his head back. But he figures Arthur at least tried to swallow his load so Merlin should probably return the favor.
Arthurs moans intensify and become loader, his dick twitches and then his load is going down Merlins throat.
When Arthurs dick has gone limp he lets it go and backs away. They both breath heavily for a while. Arthur has his eyes trained on an ornament on the wall and Merlin just studies the water. They're awkward and uncomfortable and finally Merlin opens his mouth and gently says:
"Maybe I should go." Arthur nods.
"You probably should."
So Merlin leaves.