Title: I'm not gay!
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: M
Warnings: explicit sexual content, tipsy sex, first times, nerdy!Merlin, prattish!Arthur (perhaps they are a little OOC) and some attempts at humour and angst (although I don't know if they are any good). Oh, also, I'm sorry for all the stupid and prattish opinions you can find in this fic, but since it's written from Arthur's POV, they are all his! ;)
Disclaimer: All credits go to BBC Merlin for creating such wonderful characters!
Summary: ModernAU. Arthur is completely straight. Then, why does that nerd always look at him like that in class? And why does it affect him so much? All he needs is a night out and everything will solve itself... Or not? nerdy!merlin/prattish!Arthur. Slash.
Word count for this chapter: around 3,300
AN: A new story! At first, I just really wanted to write a little something about a geeky innocent Merlin and a straight confused Arthur. I started this fic as a one-shot story and it took me more and more time to write it (several months! Although I must admit I might have been a bit too lazy about it) and it kept growing and growing and I decided to divide it in several parts and here you have the result. This is going to have 4 chapters. I have almost finished writing the whole thing (I'm working on the last chapter at the moment), and it will probably take me some time inbetween updates since I want to edit it a bit. Let me know your thoughts about this. Hope you like it!
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CHAPTER ONE – Out to forget... or not?
Arthur was deemed to be the average perfect guy. A rich good family, good looks, good at playing sports, good marks... Anyway, everything was good about him, except for one thing. His love life. Through all the years he spent in high school and now at university he had met many beautiful girls and even dated some of them. Not many had meant a lot to him, but some had made an impression on him, such as sweet Gwen, clumsy Elena or determined Mithian. There had also been bitches that only wanted him for his name and money like Sophia and Vivian and even some mature smart women that looked down at him as their plaything, like Nimueh.
However, now a twenty-two-years-old Arthur, on the brink of finishing his degree on business and starting his first serious job in his father's company, was at a loss as to what to do. He had been without a girlfriend for far too long. It must be that, surely, because it was impossible for him to be looking back at that nerdy guy sitting on the first row of his Maths lessons, the same freak that had been sending him shy flirting glances since the second semester started some months ago.
Really, Arthur wasn't gay. Not in the least. He was the epitome of masculinity. He had gone out with lots of girls. He had had lots of relationships. He liked chicks. A lot. But he could feel those beautiful blue eyes glued to him every time he went to that class. Wait a sec... Had he thought the guy had beautiful eyes? No, definitely it had to be because he had gone far too long without a pretty girl in his arms. He would do something to remedy that and then he would be able to forget about those eyes, and those soft pink lips, and those incredible marked cheekbones and that smooth pale skin... Okay, he needed a night out. Quickly. So, the best option: calling Gwaine.
He had known the guy since his first day at uni. He had already known some of his mates at the time, like Leon, his best friend since childhood, and Lance and Percy who he met at high school. But Gwaine was a true revelation. He didn't know someone could drink so much and still be able to stand on their feet. So that was it. Gwaine. A crazy night out in a crowded club with lots of alcohol and some slutty chicks and in the next Maths lesson he wouldn't even deem fit to stare back at the lanky guy at all because he would have had the night of his life with, until the moment, an unknown lucky lady.
However, the plan backfired. Obviously. After all it involved Gwaine. He had really thought it would be as simple as meeting Gwaine, going to the disco, getting plastered, flirting like hell and going home some hours later with someone worthy of his attentions for that night. He didn't expect (even in his most delirious nightmares) to find Gwaine waiting for him with the same nerd he was trying to forget. What on earth was the guy doing there? How did he know Gwaine? (Well, scratch that, everybody knows Gwaine). But, really, how could he be so luckless?
The guy even seemed as he had never gone out at all because no one in their right mind would wear that to go clubbing on a Saturday night (not if they don't want to be beaten up by some tugs who really love to torture nerds). He was wearing a pair of black shoes, light brown trousers and a blue gingham shirt (was that a tie?) with a nerdy sweater vest to match. His hair was meticulously combed and he sported his big black glasses that were his trademark along with his goofy smile. The perfect image of the average freak. Exactly the opposite of Arthur and Gwaine that with their perfect toned bodies and casual clothes (the usual fit jeans, fashionable t-shirts and leather jackets) looked as if they were going to be the centre of attention of all the female attendance of the night. Well, and now of the geeky boy too.
Arthur sighed because he didn't have anything better to do and walked towards the pair. They were waiting for him outside the small cosy pub where he had planned to meet Gwaine in order to have some drinks and warm up before going to a near big club where the real action awaited for them. As he approached them he could distinguish Gwaine's loud voice as he was telling one of his humorous stories (he had far too many of those) while the other guy was simply looking at him bashfully with a big smile as he used to do in class. What was he getting himself into...? He really should turn around now that he had the opportunity.
But being the obstinate arsehole his half-sister Morgana sometimes called him, Arthur decided to go on with his night out and ignore the other guy and his dangerous glances. He wanted to have sex that night and he was going to get it. He was a Pendragon after all. He always got what he wanted. And had he mentioned the sex was going to be with a girl? Well, nothing of strange thoughts with the geek. He was not at all into that kind of things, however cute and interesting the other guy looked. Not even if he looked at him like that. There was no way.
So, Arthur's night started. Gwaine gave him a friendly pat on the back and introduced the nerd: Merlin. Merlin?! Really, even the name was... strange. He had to shake his hand. Just out of courtesy (not hidden interest in there). And it was soft and nice... He broke away immediately, courtesy be damned. He ignored Gwaine's chatter about how he had met the guy some weeks ago in a lecture and suggested entering the pub already. He didn't fancy having some small talk with the geeky... Merlin. He would have to get used to call him that (but just on his mind, he wasn't planning on talking to him too much).
They sat at the back of the pub in a small table with some high stools around it. He should have been quicker. Gwaine suggested buying the first round of beers and he was gone in no time and Arthur was left alone with the freak... Merlin. He tried not to look back at him. He really tried. But the idiot was still smiling as if it were the best day of his life just for being there with Arthur. So better to say something and finish the awkward atmosphere. Perhaps he could discourage the guy gently before Gwaine returned with their drinks. And he had time since Gwaine had already started to flirt with the pretty ginger waitress. That guy really didn't lose time. It should have been him the one to go for the drinks... Now he would be the one flirting and not having a strange conversation with a geeky gay that probably had had a crush on him for the last months. So there he went.
Arthur cleared his throat and began talking. 'So... Merlin, is it?"
"Yeah," the guy answered with a slight deep voice. Arthur liked it... No, it was just a voice.
"I remember you from Maths lessons," Arthur said not so subtly. Merlin's smile grew bigger. Bad choice of a comment. It had been in those lessons where the strange stares started. What was he thinking to say that... really. "They are very interesting. Professor Killian is very good at it." A lame attempt to correct himself.
"Yeah," Merlin repeated. He seemed really shy. "Mmm... I've known him for some years... He's an expert in the field." Wow, the boy was gathering some courage. Better to change the topic of conversation before he started to speak about Maths or another boring subject like that. He was a nerd after all and Arthur's purpose was dissuading the boy (that and finding a pretty girl for the night, keep that in mind).
"But I've never seen you in a pub or a disco before," Arthur continued. There, that subject was better.
"No... I don't usually go out... too much," Merlin commented. "It's difficult when studying and working at the same time."
Arthur hadn't imagined that. He thought Merlin would be a complete geek totally immersed in his dull life studying all day. That, however, was... interesting.
"Where do you work?" he asked without thinking. Too late he realised he was encouraging the idiot.
"In a book shop," Merlin replied with another flirting glance. "It's my uncle's... But I like reading a lot. All kind of books... and the wages are good."
Really, Arthur, where did you expect him to work? In a night club as a hot boy dancer (he would like to see that... No, of course, not like that!). Arthur suppressed a snort and tried to find Gwaine looking out of the corner of his eye. It seemed he was finishing his flirting session with the red-haired waitress. He really needed to make his point clear. Soon.
"Oh, I would rather work in another kind of place. Like a pub. That way you can meet pretty ladies all the time." That was it. He had said it. Then, why did the little frown above those cute glasses made him feel so bad? Thanks God, Gwaine appeared then with three beers and a big smile.
"C'mon, guys, tonight is promising," he stated as he sat down with them and handed them their respective beer. "So far I already have the phone number of a pretty ginger. I still need to met a brunette and a blondie." And he winked for good measure.
Merlin, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit down. Well, it wasn't strange after Arthur's last comment. No doubt the boy would be thinking he liked a total manwhore. However, Arthur didn't expect him to desist. Well, he had wanted it before, but so early?
"I think I'm going home," Merlin said moving away from him the untouched beer. "This isn't for me..." And he made to stand up, but Gwaine didn't let him.
"C'mon, mate. The night is still young. There aren't only chicks out there. I'm sure we will be able to find you a hot bloke in no time."
There. Arthur's worse fears confirmed. Merlin was really truly gay. And after his reaction to Arthur's comment, it was more than clear that he had the hots for him. He was so absorbed in considering the verification of his so terrifying assumption that he didn't listen to Gwaine properly until he punched him in the arm.
"Hey, Arthur," Gwaine was saying, "help me to convince little Merlin here."
Gwaine expectant gaze was fixed on him. Why the hell did he have to be so nice to everyone? Merlin, nevertheless, wasn't looking at him at all. That could be the solution to his 'cute nerdy gay boy looks at me too much (and I completely deny I like it)' problem. He could say 'let him be' or 'he's right, this isn't his place'. But for some strange reason he couldn't. Perhaps it was him being nice too or he just didn't want Merlin to go and abandon his shy flirting, but what he said was, "Gwaine's right. There's still time. You should stay and see."
Why? Why did he say that? Merlin's hopeful eyes were fixed on him once more and he bit his lower lip slightly before grinning at him like a fool. Now, Arthur had given him hope again and worse – he had started to find Merlin's gestures so so soooo sexy. Arthur was doomed.
"Alright," the boy conceded. "I'll stay. Thank you, Arthur." And a shiver ran down his spine. He was more than sexy. Who could think a geeky guy could be his type. He liked girls, but there were girls in the pub, lots of them, and since he had entered he had only looked at Merlin. He had only thought of him. What was happening to him? What of his plans of getting laid with a hot chick that night? No. No. He had to be firm and stick to that and everything would be alright. He had to forget about the moron in front of him. That was the whole point in going out.
He hardly noticed when Gwaine half-hugged Merlin and swore that it was going to be a great night. Arthur tried to divert his attention from them as Gwaine started again his ramblings and the geek seemed to be listening to him carefully. In an attempt to distract himself he scanned the pub quickly looking for anyone who might be a good prey for the night, but his traitorous eyes kept turning back to Merlin's sweet face, back to those amazing blue eyes that behind those nerdy glasses still sent him bashful flirty glances now and then while he chatted with Gwaine.
That was no good. When he finished off the remainder beer in one gulp, he played with the bottle in his hands to avoid eye contact with the nerd again. His gaze tried to wander to other places and he noticed Gwaine had also finished his beer (obviously) and the nerd... Well... He had the bottle still almost full but Arthur was sure it wouldn't be a problem for Gwaine to gulp down another extra one. So, he decided the best would be to make a quick escape, at least for a few minutes, and on his way take a better look at the prospects for the night. He muttered a practically inaudible 'next round's on me' and left them to their conversation as he directed his steps to the bar.
He had hoped to be able to flirt a little with the pretty red-headed waitress too. After all she must be an easy one if she had accepted Gwaine's advances and that would have helped him with forgetting about the situation he was in, but his luck that night was clearly playing tricks on him because when he arrived at the bar the hot waitress was nowhere to be seen and in her place was a... tall muscly blonde guy. Undoubtedly, any woman would find him more than attractive but, of course, not Arthur, whose experience in finding guys interesting was limited to the geeky cute boy back with Gwaine (and he shouldn't even have to be considering that!).
As his flirting intentions were frustrated, Arthur decided to compensate them with a round of three whiskey shots just for him before he had to return to his personal hell. With no slutty girls on his way (for the moment), his only way to bear being near that idiot till they reach the disco was providing a potent distraction to his mind, that is, more alcohol. The waiter looked at him with confusion as he drank up the three shots so quickly that they barely touched his throat and immediately after that, he ordered three more beers. He must have thought Arthur was a complete drunkard but he ignored the strange looks he sent him and paid before going back to their table with the beers.
He was received with matching grins by his mates for the night, although he was sure Gwaine's wasn't a flirting one (and if that was the case, the object of his affections would be the beer, not him). It wasn't until he left the bottles on the table and sat down again that he noticed his mistake. Fuck. What had he done? He was supposed to go to the bar to check the girls and make plans for what he wanted for the night but with the stupid distraction of no finding the ginger waitress he had completely forgotten about it, and worse: he had not only not looked at any girl, but he had also compared his nerdy stalker to an average handsome man (for any girl, of course) and he had found the moron more interesting. For the nth time Arthur wondered what the heck he was doing. That wasn't like him at all. He sighed inwardly and comforted himself with the fact that at least now his mind must be more addled with the alcohol effects and it would be more bearable to be there.
As he started to commiserate himself once more for the disastrous going out, he couldn't avoid not listening to his companions' conversation as they drank. He wasn't participating in it, but Merlin's voice captured his attention completely. They were talking about books. Who would think Gwaine could talk about that too? But, Gods, they were so engrossed in a discussion about which was the best fantasy book they had ever read that Gwaine didn't seem to notice it when he finished his second beer and even ignored Merlin's second one that was still untouched in the centre of the table. Arthur never thought he would see the day when Gwaine would forget about alcohol (and it wasn't even for a pretty girl).
Arthur groaned inwardly once more. He was witnessing a true nerdy conversation in his night out. He was supposed to be enjoying himself and forgetting a certain someone, not there listening to that same someone talking about an absurd subject while he tried to flirt with him with shy glances and smiles here and there. That was it. He couldn't stand it any more. He finished his second beer too and left the empty bottle loudly on the table to get their attention before suggesting, "Better to be going now, don't you think?"
Both of them looked at him with matching frowns. "What's the matter with you, mate?" Gwaine asked surprised. "It's still soon. We have plenty of time. Just stop pouting and give us your opinion about-"
"No," Merlin intervened doubtfully. "Arthur's right. We should be going now..." And the idiot sent him a supporting smile with those plush lips... He was really lucky that Gwaine decided to concede just then with a confused 'alright' and reached for the full bottle still on the table, brushing Arthur a little in the process, because his gaze had remained glued to the boy and his mind was starting to wander towards dangerous thoughts such as how those lips would feel against his. At least, that brought him back from his stupid trance and hell, what was he thinking again? Wasn't all the alcohol he had already ingested supposed to help him with that?
Gwaine wolfed down his third beer in one go (of course he hadn't forgotten about Merlin's untouched beer, how could Arthur have ever thought that, it was Gwaine after all) and they made their way to the exit. Arthur tried to clear his mind of any 'disturbing' ideas. That's what he told himself, that he being with another guy should be totally gross. But with Merlin... No. Not again. He was not going to dwell on that again.
When they reached the fresh air of the cool night, Arthur sighed and avoided looking at Merlin at all costs. The short walk to the disco would make him good and in no time he would be in a room full of luscious girls he could have his pick of. Just a little bit longer and he would be able to lose the geek among the crowd and concentrate on having a good time with someone else. Preferably someone without big innocent blue eyes, jet-black hair, adorable dorky ears and pale smooth skin that had the ability to confuse him without limits and turn his life upside down.
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Thanks for reading!
