Disclaimer-I do not own Merlin

Thanks for the reviews.

About the Sophia situation, I do realise that most people suffering from an eating disorder would not respond in the way she did to Arthur, however, my experience with eating disorders comes from my eldest sister. It was about 10 years ago when she was ill and one of my brothers was sat at the dinging table with her and he convinced her to eat in the way that Arthur convinced Sophia to eat. I understand that we were lucky with my sister and that her case of recovery is a lot different to most but that's how things worked for her so that's how I chose to write it in this story.

Chapter 10-Those Three Words

Sat side by side, Merlin and Arthur were quiet for a long while and simply listened to their history lecture. As the class was set an essay to write during the remainder of the lesson Merlin leaned towards the blonde and meekly said hello. Arthur stared at him blankly and quirked an eyebrow in question.

"Are you doing anything later?" Merlin asked with a slight tremor in his voice. "I thought maybe we could go see a movie or something."

"I already have plans." Arthur replied as he added another sentence to his essay.

"Oh." Merlin said as his shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Is there any chance I could join you?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Arthur told him. "It's sort of a date."

"A date?" Merlin asked as his insides filled with dread. "Not with Valiant." He whispered almost pleadingly.

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes." Arthur said.

"You can't. You can't date him."

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do." Arthur said in a dangerously low voice. "What the hell is wrong with you? You don't want me but you don't want anyone else to have me either."

"He doesn't care about you." Merlin replied.

"Shut up, you don't even know him." Arthur hissed.

"I don't want to see him hurt you Arthur." Merlin whispered.

"Of course you don't." Arthur sneered. "You'd much rather hurt me yourself."

"That is not true." Merlin replied. "Valiant isn't looking for a relationship, he's just looking for a quick shag."

"Oh will you just write your essay and leave me alone?" Arthur asked rhetorically as he returned his attention to the paper before him.

Merlin sighed in defeat and concentrated on his own work. When the lesson was over Mrs. Lomax collected all their essays and Arthur hurried out of the classroom before Merlin could speak to him again.

By the time Merlin had made it to his room and dumped his bag on the floor, Arthur and Valiant were seating themselves in the blonde's car and driving away.

The two sat in the back row of the movie theatre and Arthur was eating his popcorn absentmindedly as he watched the trailers. Before the film had even started, Valiant had draped his arm across the other boy's shoulders.

To Arthur's annoyance, just as he was beginning to become engrossed in the film, Valiant leaned over to kiss him. He kissed back briefly before returning his gaze to the large screen. However, a few minutes later Valiant was kissing him again so Arthur gave up on trying to watch the film and tried to enjoy the other boy's company instead.

Unfortunately, Valiant's kissing technique left a lot to be desired. He dived straight in with the tongue and Arthur found he could barely breathe let alone enjoy it. Perhaps Valiant was trying to see if it was possible to get his tongue all the way down his windpipe.

"Let's get out of here." Valiant whispered huskily.

Arthur cast his eyes back to the screen for a few moments, in which time he saw a magnificent car crash, before following the muscular boy out of the cinema despite the fact the movie was only about half way through.

When they were out in the cold air again Arthur shivered and led the way quickly to his car. Before he took his car key out, Valiant pulled the blonde to him and dipped him low before kissing him again.

Once again, Arthur was forced to welcome Valiant's snake of a tongue into his mouth. His back was starting to ache from the awkward position and Arthur realised that it wasn't anywhere near as romantic as it looked in the movies.

Finally, Valiant pulled him back up and grinned at him. Arthur faked a smile in return before opening the car door and driving them back to Camelot.

Valiant insisted on walking Arthur back to his room, despite the blonde's assurance that he knew the way. Before Arthur opened his bedroom door Valiant struck up another conversation, no doubt wanting Arthur to invite him inside.

The blonde was about to ask his 'date' to leave when he spied Merlin walking around the corner. Tossing his head back, Arthur let out a hearty laugh before gazing up at Valiant through his eyelashes. Valiant smirked before snaking his arms around Arthur's waist and pulling him into another sloppy kiss.

Seeing the two of them kiss made Merlin's heart beat harder in protest. Without realising it, Merlin's feet sped up and soon enough he was pulling the two boys apart and swinging his fist into Valiant's jaw.

The larger boy blinked his eyes in shock before glaring at Merlin and throwing his fist into the side of his face making the pale boy stagger. Valiant swung for him again, this time catching him in the stomach and causing Merlin to fall to his knees. He went to hit him again but was restrained by Arthur.

"Leave him alone." Arthur told him fiercely before shoving Valiant across the width of the hallway into the opposite wall.

Valiant let out a hiss before stalking away.

"Merlin, are you alright?" Arthur asked gently as he crouched by his side and tenderly held his face in his hands.

"It hurts." Merlin managed to say.

"Come on, I've got you." Arthur said as he helped him to his feet and led him into his room and over to the bed. He looked the dark-haired boy over and was relieved to see there was no sign of blood. However, his cheek would more than likely swell up and bruise. "You'll be fine." He assured him looking at his cheek.

Merlin simply nodded even though he hadn't been talking about his cheek at all when he had said, 'it hurts', he had been referring to the emotional pain that had created a gaping hole in his heart.

"How's your stomach?" Arthur asked hesitantly knowing Valiant had hit him there also.

Merlin shrugged in response. Rolling his eyes, Arthur tugged Merlin's shirt off and inspected the flat stomach. There was no hint of bruising as of yet but there was a faint scratch; Valiant must have been wearing a ring. As gently as he could, Arthur ran his finger over the slight graze causing Merlin to suck in a breath.

"Sorry." Arthur murmured as he pulled his hand back and stood to his feet.

Keeping his eyes locked on Arthur's, Merlin stood up with him so there was barely any space between them. Feeling his lower regions stir in interest at Merlin's close proximity, Arthur made to step back but Merlin gripped his hips and held him there.

"You need to go." Arthur told him knowing that if he stayed any longer they would end up naked on his bed.

"One more night." Merlin said desperately.

Even though Arthur was shaking his head no, his hands were betraying him by running up Merlin's torso before fisting into Merlin's hair and pulling him into a kiss. The kiss started off fast and needy but Merlin took control and slowed it down. If this was to be his last night with Arthur he wanted to be able to cherish the memory forever.

He peeled off the blonde's top and let if fall to the floor before he danced his hands all across his exposed skin wanting to map out every inch of Arthur's body. Soon enough both boys were fully naked with their hands exploring every nook and cranny of one another's skin.

Pushing Arthur stomach down onto the bed, Merlin knelt behind him and placed a kiss at the back of his neck. He then moved his mouth down to kiss, suck and lick any part he could reach. He kissed his way down Arthur's spine before parting his ass cheeks and delving his tongue into his asshole.

It was odd, a little disgusting actually if Merlin was completely honest, but it was Arthur so it was worth it, especially when he made the blonde moan so beautifully.

"Please Merlin." Arthur begged as he clenched the bed-sheets in his hands.

Merlin pulled his mouth away and rolled Arthur onto his back. Their lips met for a slow sensuous kiss before Merlin ventured downwards and kissed every part of Arthur.

He dropped kisses along the length of the blonde's cock and Arthur spread his legs wantonly as he moaned a string of incoherencies. Merlin kissed his way back up Arthur's body and met his lips again. He probed Arthur's entrance with his fingers and caught his lover's moans in his mouth.

Pulling away for a moment, Merlin fumbled around on the floor for his jeans and pulled a condom out of the back pocket. Arthur helped him to roll it onto his manhood before bringing his head down to kiss him again as Merlin slowly pushed himself into Arthur.

"You ok?" Merlin asked and Arthur nodded earnestly as he jerked his hips upwards encouraging him to move.

Merlin kept his movements slow and steady trying to make it feel good for them both as well as making it last as long as possible. However, Arthur lost patience and was soon begging for him to move faster. He obeyed Arthur's needs and sped up but occasionally he'd slow down for a few thrusts before speeding up again.

Forehead beaded with sweat and eyes heavy with lust, Arthur looked more gorgeous than ever as he groaned beneath Merlin. He wanted to tell the blonde right then how much he loved him but his approaching orgasm removed those sentiments from his mind and he was overwhelmed with heat and pleasure.

"Oh…oh god Merlin…yes…YES!" Arthur cried as he arched into his lover as he shot his load.

"Arthur…baby." Merlin panted as his release came soon after Arthur's.

Gasping for breath, Merlin kept himself buried inside his lover as he rested their foreheads together. He could feel Arthur's heart thudding against his own chest and was unable to distinguish between the blonde's heartbeat and his own.

As coherent thought returned to him, Merlin licked his lips and decided now was the time to say those three little words. But Arthur spoke before he did.

"Can you get out now?" Arthur asked.

"Oh, right." Merlin replied as he slipped himself out of the blonde.

He pulled off the used condom and chucked it in the bin. He then fished around for his clothes and began pulling them on and heading for the door.

"I didn't mean the room Merlin." Arthur told him as he watched him from the bed. "I just mean…get out of…my…bum."

At Arthur's words both boys burst into a fit of laughter like a pair of immature five year olds.

"You said bum." Merlin pointed out hysterically.

"Shut up." Arthur replied through a fit of giggles as he struggled to pull his boxers back on.

Years of laughter were rolling down Merlin's face as he leant against the door for support.

Managing to pull his boxers back on, Arthur stepped towards Merlin and tackled him to the ground. Still laughing like hyenas they wrestled and grappled with one another on the floor. By the time they ran out of energy and collapsed beside one another, Merlin had been stripped down to just his boxers.

Say it now, a voice in Merlin's head said, tell him you love him. Merlin opened his mouth but before he could speak, Arthur broke out into another fit of giggles. As laughter was a contagious thing, Merlin followed suit and both were laughing again as they had another play-fight on the floor.

After a while both boys were hard again. Arthur straddled Merlin's lap and bent his head down for a kiss. Wrapping his arms around him, Merlin kissed back enthusiastically.

"You said a night right?" Arthur asked. "Well the night's not over yet."

With that said Arthur moved back and slipped off his pants before practically ripping off Merlin's. Helping one another to their feet they made it back to the bed.

Merlin didn't have another condom but neither boy was bothered by this fact. Arthur certainly wasn't carrying anything and Merlin knew that he wasn't. He was always safe during sex and made sure that he was checked over by the school nurse once a fortnight.

Rubbing themselves against one another, the two boys were soon ready to go.

"Fuck me hard Merlin." Arthur ordered as he locked his legs around the boy's back.

Soon enough Merlin's penis was sheathed in Arthur's anus and the room was once again filled with the sounds of their lovemaking.

Merlin fucked Arthur three times more after that. The final time was slower and gentler but equally as passionate. When Merlin pulled out and lay flat on his back staring at the ceiling he tried working up the courage to tell Arthur how he felt.

"I love you." He finally said and he turned his head to find Arthur was sound asleep.

A small sound escaped Merlin, a mixture of a laugh and a sob, before he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Arthur's forehead. He wondered whether or not he should stay and though he desperately wanted to, he ended up pulling on his clothes and slipping quietly out of the door.

To Be Continued

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Love and Hugs, IceQueenRia xxx