A/N: Nooooo, but I wish I did.
Thanks for all your lovely reviews.
Warning...lots of conversation in this chapter and a bit of a foundation layer.
Chapter 11: 'A Friend'
"Arthur, you're sulking."
"No, I'm not, I'm thinking," pouted Arthur, avoiding Lance's eye and throwing himself noisily into an armchair. He'd just got back from dropping Merlin back at the hotel in time for him to have Sunday lunch with his mother and uncle.
"You're thinking sulky thoughts though, right?"
"Who asked you anyway?" growled Arthur, folding his arms huffily.
"Sometimes I wonder who the teenager is in your relationship," laughed Lance. "Come on, what's up?" He avoided sitting directly beside his simmering friend and perched instead on the arm of the sofa, watching him with a raised eyebrow.
Arthur continued to stare at an invisible point in the distance, ignoring Lance completely.
"Arthur?" Lance persisted.
"Merlin's going to visit his grandfather at half term," muttered Arthur. "In Arizona." Half term was just under two weeks away now, and Merlin had only dropped the bombshell an hour ago, even though the trip had been booked since before June.
"In that case I'm thinking of sulking too. Arizona has some great geology, I'd love to -"
"Shut up Lance!" Arthur gave Lance his full attention then, glaring at him through narrow eyes. "He'll be gone for nine days!"
"Ooh, nine days. How will you cope?"
Arthur missed the sarcasm completely, his current mood having switched off his filters. "I don't know. I miss him when I don't see him for one day," he felt thoroughly dejected. He had officially met Merlin 52 days ago. Just over 7 weeks. He was quite aware that it was ridiculous that he even knew this. Teenage girls kept count of dates like this...not thirty year old blokes. Since that weekend they'd spent together when Lance had found them out, only one day had passed when they hadn't spent some time together, even it if that time was sometimes just a stolen half an hour at lunch break in Merlin's private office. Normally Merlin would come over to Lance's two evenings a week - something made easier by Arthur recovering use of his hand and thus the use of his motorbike – and he would stay over Friday and Saturday nights. Now, faced with a Merlin-less week, Arthur did not like it one little bit.
"Geez Arthur, you've got it even worse than I thought," sighed Lance, sobering slightly at the sincerity in Arthur's voice. "It's only just over a week. It's not like he's going clubbing in Ibiza with all his mates, shagging other blokes...he'll be with his Grandfather!"
"I was going to invite him home with me," Arthur hung his head. "A whole week alone, without having to worry about going outside and being seen by people we know." He had planned it all in his head; long walks around his favourite trails, bike rides into the mountains.
"There's plenty of time for that Arthur, if you see a future with him then you've got forever."
"What do you mean 'if'? Don't you think we have? Do you think he'll go to university and dump me for a younger model? Do -" Oh God, now he was seeing visions of Merlin living in university dorms, with all these half naked young men walking round in towels, tempting Merlin away from him.
"Arthur! Stop it. Don't jump on everything I say and make it a negative. What's wrong with you?"
Arthur snapped out of his unpleasant daydream, "I don't know...Merlin's just been...he's hiding something from me I think. I can't put my finger on it, there's just something he's not telling me." He fixed his wide blue eyes on Lance, "What if he regrets us?"
"That's it," Lance got to his feet and rummaged in his coat pocket for his car keys. "I'm not letting you sit here and fester all bloody afternoon, we're going out!" He marched over to Arthur and hauled him out of the chair.
"Hey! It's raining and I don't want to -"
"Tough. We're going to the cinema in Ilfracombe, and we're gonna see the first film to start. No arguments."
Arthur pulled a face at Lance, but grabbed his jacket anyway and followed Lance outside to the Landrover. "I'm not watching anything horror," he said, shuddering at the thought as he climbed inside and belted up.
"OK, no horror. Everything else is fair game," Lance started the engine and reversed onto the empty lane.
Arthur folded his arms and looked out the window with a frown, his unseeing eyes missing the panoramic views over the Atlantic, his thoughts turning back to Merlin and what he could be hiding. Could he be having second thoughts about their relationship? It certainly hadn't been easy these last few weeks. All the sneaking around was actually quite complicated to co-ordinate, and somewhat tiring. There hadn't been any more sex in the classroom, not after the incident with Valiant's essay and the fact that bloody Mordred had been waiting by the school gate for Merlin to finish his detention– that could so easily have been him waiting outside the classroom instead...they hadn't exactly been quiet. OK, so maybe if Merlin's office walls could talk then it might make for interesting listening...but they were trying to be careful. Maybe Merlin had decided it was too much like hard work and was thinking of a way to break it to him? After all, Arthur was always telling Merlin he loved him...Merlin had yet to say it back. Oh God, what if...
"...Arthur!" Jumping at the sound of his name, Arthur dragged his head out of its trip down negativity lane to throw Lance a confused look, before realising they had arrived in Ilfracombe. It was a half hour drive, had he really been lost in thought the whole time?
Lance had found a spot just down the road from the cinema. The two men locked up the car and walked in companionable silence to the tiny cinema. Arthur glanced up at the facade as they walked into the entrance and spluttered.
"You git Lance!"
"What?" Lance shot Arthur a confused look.
Arthur pointed at the sign above the entrance that read Merlin Cinemas complete with a picture of a bearded Merlin in a pointy hat and star patterned robes.
Lance nearly collapsed from laughing at the indignant look on Arthur's face, "I can see the resemblance. Come on." He grabbed a reluctant Arthur's arm and dragged him inside.
xxx
"You don't seem very excited about your trip Merlin," observed Gaius between mouthfuls of roast chicken. "When you first booked it you were over the moon, what's changed?"
Merlin shrugged and stared forlornly at his dinner, poking a stray potato around the plate with his fork, his appetite had abandoned him, even his favourite veggie sausages tasted like cardboard. The prospect of a week – no longer than a week – without Arthur was not something he could look forward to, even if he would be seeing his beloved Grandpa. He'd been pretending the trip wasn't imminent, thus he hadn't told Arthur about it until today.
"He probably doesn't want to leave his girlfriend," smiled Hunith fondly. "Do we get to meet this mystery woman before the wedding?"
"Huh?" Merlin's head shot up and he sent his Mum a bewildered look. "What wedding? Wait...what girlfriend?"
"Merlin, you're out every weekend, all weekend. I had to pin you down and make you promise to join us for lunch today just to spend some time with you! You've obviously met someone."
"Er, I..." Should he go along with the girlfriend theory, or be as honest as he could be without dragging Arthur into it?
"It's OK Merlin. I don't mind that you stay out at her place – I know you haven't really been at Will's! – I would have put a stop to it if I minded," Hunith's eyes misted over. "Your father and I..."
Merlin squirmed, clearly his Mum had seen through his 'staying at Will's' bullshit, and she was obviously fine with the girlfriend scenario. What would she say to boyfriend? "I'm bisexual," he blurted, biting his lips together to stop any further confessions from flying out.
Gaius almost choked on his broccoli.
"Oh, so it's a boy then?" Hunith's eyebrows shot into her hairline.
"Mmm-hmm," nodded Merlin. "He's the one Mum, like Dad was for you." He watched his Mum's face as she processed the information. Gaius had recovered from the choking and was also watching Hunith for some kind of reaction.
Merlin couldn't believe he'd just come out over Sunday dinner. Saying he was bisexual...well, that was true, he did like girls as well, or rather, he had as now he could honestly say he would only ever want Arthur, so did that mean he was gay? Did any of the labels actually matter?
"This boy...does the magic...er...call for him?"
Merlin nodded.
"Oh my; no wonder you are reluctant to leave him when you go to America. I couldn't bear being apart from your father for more than a few hours...and I was on the other side of it...I didn't have my own magic, but I could feel his and..." Hunith hesitated as if trying to find the right words. "...your magic is a lot more powerful than your father's ever was. Do you remember when you floated that car when you were five and -"
"Mum did Dad tell you about the magic straight away?" Merlin wasn't in the mood for a trip down memory lane just now.
"No, well – after a couple of weeks, yes. His abilities were more parlour tricks. Clever and fun, but not really the Jedi stuff like you're capable of. If I hadn't given birth to you myself I'd think you were from Tattooine." Hunith had been the one to introduce Merlin into the Star Wars universe.
Merlin frowned. A few weeks ago he would have argued this with his Mum. The magical things he had done when he was a small child were distant blurred memories; but the stuff he had discovered he could do in recent weeks was starting to blow his mind. Hence why this trip to see Grandpa was so necessary right now; if only it didn't mean leaving Arthur. What if the separation from Arthur meant he lost control of his magic on the aeroplane? He did not want to be parted from Arthur.
"Mum, what happened to you when Dad died...with the link between you I mean?" They had never discussed this before. He hadn't even known about this soulmate stuff until he met Arthur.
Hunith sighed, "I won't lie to you Merlin, it was hell on earth. I was lucky, I had you and that helped a lot, but..." She bit her lip and began to look guilty. "It's been seventeen years and I still don't want anyone else. I know Leon's sweet on me, and he's a nice man...but how can I when I had a soulmate? What if there is an afterlife and I've married someone else...the someone else will only ever be second best and -" She stopped talking and shook her head.
"Mum, you OK?"
"I was babbling." She mustered a smile and patted Merlin's hand. "I think my point was that the love between your father and I was a once in a lifetime thing."
"So when do we meet this boy?" asked Gaius. "Does he go to the Foundation?"
Shit. "It's complicated," said Merlin, thinking that was a bloody understatement and a half. "I can't out him...you'll both just have to trust me, please?" He should be feeling lucky. Most parents, and elderly uncles for that matter, would probably be lecturing their seventeen year old for lying about their whereabouts, and for talking about their love interest being 'the one', probably saying things like 'you're too young to fall in love' and 'you've got your whole life ahead of you'.
"We do trust you Merlin. We just wish you had better control over these, er, magical surges you've been getting. The hotel is talking about bringing in some specialist electrical engineers to look at why the lights keep going out." Hunith fixed Merlin with a pointed glare.
Merlin summoned a little guilt. He didn't want the hotel spending a load of money on something that was his fault and that no electrician could fix. It was just that on the days he hadn't seen Arthur for very long, sometimes he had a blip...it was as though Arthur was his medicine and without him he got sick.
He was going to have to tell Arthur about his magical abilities soon. Arthur hadn't noticed yet, or if he had he was dismissing it in his post orgasmic haze...but stuff kept happening when they had sex, mostly small stuff like books or items of clothing floating themselves in the air – but the longer they were together the more frequently this occurred and Merlin would have to address it before the bed started levitating.
How though? He supposed a practical demonstration would be best; but what if Arthur thought he was a freak and left him? He might not feel the bond between them in the same way Merlin did. Again, he returned to wondering what 'love' meant to Arthur...and if he learnt of the soulmate thing would he feel like his choices had been taken away?
"So, Mum, Gaius...how do you think I should demonstrate my magical abilities to my boyfriend?" He held out his palm and a shimmering orb of blue light appeared. Merlin guided it in a figure of eight pattern around their heads before having it evaporate in a shower of sparkles. "Like that? Or -" Their now forgotten dinner plates levitated off the table and floated into the kitchen. He left out the more x-rated option he was also considering; it was one thing that they knew he was sleeping with 'this boy'; it was another talking about it.
Merlin looked expectantly at his family members, both of them staring at him with a combination of pride and awe. "The first one," said Hunith, her eyes tearing up again. She got up and wrapped her arms around Merlin from behind and kissed his raven hair. "Where did my little boy go?" she whispered.
xxx
"Uther's now threatening to come down here if you refuse to see him any longer," warned Morgana softly. "Don't you think it's been long enough?" Morgana had stayed in touch with her step-father even when Arthur had cast himself out of his life. They weren't exactly close, but the relationship was a steady one to the degree that Morgana would call him every Sunday evening, and stay with him if she ever went to London – which was quite often as she liked to shop, and Exeter did not cater for her fussy tastes.
It was Monday evening and Arthur was enjoying his now weekly dinner with his step-sister, thankful that since the first time no other single work colleagues of Edwin's had been present. Morgana's cause of choice this week was obviously to discuss Uther and a possible reconciliation between father and son.
Was he ready to see his father again? He was older and wiser now, he knew what he wanted, he was no longer the eager to impress young man he had once been...the one who let Uther's high expectations and his inability to live up to them rule his life. He was a successful author now. He was rich in his own right. OK, so he was teaching at the moment, but that was a favour...he actually had plot bunnies beating a demanding rhythm in his head, pulling him back to his writing.
Could he do it? Could he face Uther again?
Running a flustered hand through his hair he made a snap decision. Merlin was going to be away over half term; he would need something to distract himself, keep his mind from getting maudlin. "I'll see him in half term, if he can fit me into his busy schedule then." There, no going back once Morgana got her claws into the offer. "Not here though, I'll go to London. Will you call him or shall I?"
He could combine his reunion with his father with a much overdue visit to his agent, perhaps make that appointment with the BBC she had been badgering him about regarding the adaption of one of his books, take in some sights...keep himself distracted.
"I'll call him. It's perhaps best if your first words are face to face after all this time."
"I'll book a hotel though Morg, there's no way I'm staying with him."
xxx
"...mng...when does...fuck...Lance get back?" Merlin gripped the wooden handrail tightly as Arthur's cock worked its own brand of magic inside him.
"Half...hour."
Merlin's folded his arms on the railing and dropped his head down, tilting it to the right so he could see Arthur in the corner of his eye. Arthur had instructed him not to touch himself, and he was finding it hard not to reach down and stroke his own prick as it was begging to be stroked.
Arthur's steadying hands stilled his hips and prevented him from pushing back, and he wanted more, needed him to go deeper...and harder. "I thought you were going...ahh...to fuck me hard," he challenged, meeting Arthur's blue eyes for a split second as he accepted the gauntlet.
"I'll give you harder," groaned Arthur, pulling out and hammering back in with renewed vigour. Another angry thrust and he began drilling Merlin's arse with a relentless ferocity.
"Fuck yes!" cried Merlin. "Oh God, oh fuck, Arthur...aaah..." This was perfect, passionate, rough and so right. When Arthur's large tanned hand reached down and took hold of his cock Merlin's legs nearly gave way.
"You're mine Merlin," muttered Arthur as he simultaneously pounded Merlin's arse and pumped his cock. "Say my name." The two of them had argued earlier about Merlin having spent the previous evening at studying at Mordred's house; this was the make-up sex.
"ARTHUR. Only...oh shit!" From this position, draped over the balcony, Merlin could see the road, and right now Lance's Landrover was winding its way down the lane. The car port was underneath the balcony. "Lance is...aaaggh...back."
Arthur froze and leant forward to have a look. "Fuck, he's got someone with him..." He started to withdraw.
"Please don't stop...so close..." pleaded Merlin, bringing his hand down and wrapping it around Arthur's which was gripping his cock.
Arthur obeyed. The car was a few twists of the lane away. The thought of getting caught... Merlin kept his eyes on the progress of the car, his hand remaining over Arthur's as he increased the speed again.
Merlin felt his orgasm building and didn't fight to delay it; the car was almost at the house. He felt his inner walls tighten around Arthur as his release came, biting his lip to keep his cries from escaping and alerting the passengers of the Landrover that was taking its final turn before reaching the house. Arthur followed only moments later, briefly collapsing onto Merlin's curved back before pulling Merlin away from the edge of the balcony and tucking himself away hastily.
Merlin hoiked up his jeans, suppressing the urge to laugh he tripped past Arthur and ran into the house, upstairs to Arthur's room, collapsing exhausted on the bed. That had been close, but he'd had liked the danger of discovery...
Grinning like a loon he began to drift off to sleep.
"Merlin!" hissed Arthur, poking him in the ribs.
"What?" Merlin rolled over and looked up at Arthur through sleep filled eyes. "You're so beautiful Arthur," he said hazily. The combination of the blue eyes, blond hair and everything that was Arthur sent shivers through Merlin every time he saw him.
"Thanks," Arthur leant down and kissed Merlin's forehead. "Edwin's here – my brother-in-law. He didn't see us so don't worry. You're going to have to hide up here though, he's staying for dinner to talk about some conservation project he and Lance are working on. Lance text to warn me but we were, er, busy."
"S'OK. Can I use your computer?" He would have to shelve his plan to tell Arthur about the magic tonight, Edwin's presence coupled with the whole Mordred argument...and Arthur's increased stress at the reunion with his father probably made today a bad time anyway.
Arthur reluctantly left Merlin to join Lance and Edwin for pizza. Merlin opened Arthur's laptop which was on standby on the floor by the bed, intending to MSN Will or one of the girls to pass the time. Arthur's Outlook was open, and as he went to close it an unread email caught his eye:
From: A Friend
Subject: I know what you're doing with Merlin Emrys
Merlin's heart stopped. What the fuck?
xxx
I hadn't planned this mini sex scene in this chapter, but they can't help themselves, I mean seriously – it's not me it's them, they can't keep their hands off each other!
OK, so I'm defo moving 18/06, and when I do hopefully the broadband will follow soon after, I'll be lost without it. I'm hoping to get at least one more chapter up before the move...
Review? xx