"So…let me get this straight?" Gwen started, before cringing at her accidental pun, "you're posing for the cover of a gay romance novel so that the boss, that you're pathetically in love with, won't fire you."
"Exactly." Merlin said, biting his nails.
"That's ridiculous." Gwen deadpanned. She was usually overly understanding, but she was a childhood friend and always the first to point out when Merlin- or in this case his predicaments- were kind of bullshit.
"I know that! Why do you think I'm freaking out?" Merlin flopped himself onto the couch with a heavy sigh, and watched Gwen eat her evening snack as though it contained a way out of his troubles.
"Well, I know what these books tend to look like. Sounds like a great time for you. All those shirtless muscled men embracing you, your faces a breath apart…" for a moment Gwen was obviously lost in her own world, before she offered, "though they tend not to show above the mouth so you shouldn't worry about your Mum seeing. Though knowing Hunith she'd take the book to the supermarket and brag about her little boy."
Merlin didn't even want to imagine just how right Gwen was about his mum. That did not change the fact that being in erotically charged positions with mostly nude men was certainly an attractive prospect, but doing it for his prat boss and a very public romance novel…
Which reminded him, who the hell did Arthur think he was to volunteer him as a twink? Sure he was young and thin, and girls loved to talk about how effeminate he was, but that can't mean much. Merlin will not give in. He'll show up at the studio, and if it's too much he'll simply apologize to the author and suggest finding someone else. Arthur wouldn't even have to know about it. Hell, he's sure Gwaine would love to take his place, being naked with another person is practically his part-time job from the way he talks about his conquests.
"Alright, I'll go tomorrow, but I'm not promising anything. Okay, Gwen?"
She leaned against the old living room couch, a spoonful of yogurt halfway to her lips, and smiled a little too knowingly. It was the kind of smile that reminded Merlin that he was fucked, and not in the way he'd been hoping for all these months. Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad, he thought. Maybe he won't have to take off his clothes, or maybe they only want one person on the cover. There might be hope.
Even Merlin, master of denial, knew he was being optimistic where it wouldn't do any good. Brushing his teeth, and getting into a flannel pair of Tardis-print pajamas, he squeezed his eyes shut and hoped for sleep.
He woke up late, nearly 8:30, and Gwen had already made him toast with jam, and his usual milky cup of coffee. After he finished getting dressed nicely, meaning a dark blue button down shirt and black jeans, he made his way to the kitchen with tired eyes. Taking pity on her half-asleep roommate, Gwen brought his food to the table and sat him down. Merlin didn't know what he'd do without her.
They ate in silence for an hour, until both knew they couldn't put this off any longer. With as much sorrow as he could muster, he rose from the couch and turned to Gwen- quoting to her the last words of many a gladiator, "We who are about to die, salute you…"
"Oh piss off you big drama queen," Gwen laughed, pushing Merlin towards the door. When Merlin reached the street, she leaned out of the window of their flat to shout at him, "Have fun, Merlin! Go fondle some manly arse for me!"
Merlin groaned, and pretended not to know her as he walked to the tube.
"Ah, Merlin! You're right on time- how unexpected. Come meet one of our best authors, Lance duLac." Arthur. Not only was he sparkling with the face of a man who knows he's evil, but he's going to be here to witness Merlin's descent into shame. There is no God.
"You're here! Through the whole thing? No, no, no. Absolutely not. This is embarrassing enough without you here. I quit. The job was good, thanks for the year of salary. McDonalds will hopefully treat me well. Maybe even a chip shop…" Merlin was halfway out the door, before Arthur grabbed him round the waist. To be fair, Merlin probably would have stopped with just a hand on his shoulder, but he had absolutely no qualms with being touched even more. Though a boner would possibly look fitting on a gay romance cover, it was not proper to be getting one because you could feel your boss right up against your bum.
"Oh come on, you can't back out now, Merlin. I showed Lance your office ID, and he thinks you're perfect! He won't take anyone else. So, neither will I." Pulling him back toward the camera- Merlin dragging his feet all the way.
Whispering breathily against the squirming boy's ear, Arthur said, "Come now, you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of such a fine author do you? It is your job on the line, after all…"
Arthur might as well have been reciting the dictionary, with the hot breath of his boss against his sensitive ears; Merlin would have been convinced to do nearly anything.
Shoving him towards Lance, but keeping an arm on Merlin's shoulder in case he decided to bolt, Arthur tried again.
"Now Merlin, at least pretend to have manners and shake hands with the man who's so kindly letting you pose for his cover."
"Hello, I'm Merlin Emrys. I'm not a book model. I work in illustration. Please save me." Merlin begged, sticking a hand out to shake with the handsome brunette in front of him. Why are all of his co-workers attractive? This is blatantly unfair.
Lance laughed, "It's a pleasure to meet you Merlin. Please call me Lance. You're doing me a big favor posing today. You're exactly the kind of person I've been looking for to bring life to my character. You and Percy should look lovely together. Mind you he's as big as a house, but a great guy. I've worked with him before, and he always delivers. I'm the one taking the photos so you don't have to worry about anyone but Arthur, Perce, and me. The big guy is with the make up and costuming team right now, once he's done you'll get your turn. Then we shoot a couple of options and you can go home and pretend it never happened. Think you can do it?"
With one look at an encouraging Arthur, Merlin turned back to face Lance and mumble, "Yeah, if it means so much to you. I'd feel kind of guilty turning you down."
Arthur snorted derisively behind him, pouting and looking cheated at how easy it was for Lance to convince the man he'd nearly had to wrestle. He was also looking something else, but Merlin couldn't put his finger on what that something was.
After a little small talk between Arthur and Lance- who Merlin found out were apparently good friends after years of working together- a very tall and broad man entered the room.
Even Arthur seemed startled as he drawled, "You must be Percy. Lance was not lying about your size. How on earth do you ever find clothes?"
Percy shrugged, and offered a low "At the store." Everyone in that room knew it wasn't a joke, but Lance laughed anyhow.
Percy's face seemed kind to Merlin, but he was more nervous about being in this shirtless man's arms. Merlin might have very little muscle, but Percy puts something literal into the saying, "I'm going to go hit the gym."
"Um," Merlin cleared his throat before his voice broke, "Hi, I'm Merlin. Pretty sure we'll be awkwardly embracing today. Nice to make your acquaintance."
Percy smiled softly, and extended his hand to meet Merlin's. "This must be your first time doing this."
"Why is it that the more people speak to me about this, the more it feels like I'm part of an underground pornography ring?" Merlin asked seriously.
Lance and Arthur laughed, but Percy had an understanding expression and told Merlin, "If it's any consolation, I know it's weird at first, but I've been doing this for a while and I'll lead the way. Don't sweat it. There's really no wrong way to stand around in little clothing, not in these books anyway." He put his hand on Merlin's shoulders in a reassuring manner, and started to show him around the studio.
Merlin knew he liked Percy from the beginning, and he couldn't be more thankful it wasn't with someone like Gwaine who was in it for the touching and voyeurism. During the small tour he couldn't help but notice Arthur seemed less than pleased with the situation. Merlin didn't know what he'd done wrong, but Arthur brought him into this mess and he deserved to be just as uncomfortable as Merlin was.
"Let's just get on with this. We're all busy, well except for Merlin." Arthur barked. Lance smiled politely, and called in his team to put a bit of make up on Merlin's face. Merlin closed his eyes and felt the bristles tickle his nose, and thought of how nice it would be to be held by a kind warm man. He wasn't desperate, not as much as his obsession with Arthur had seemed to make him, but he longed for the sort of touch his friends couldn't give him. The sort that only someone who adores you can provide. He thought of Arthur, and imagined, as he had done many times before, what his strong arms would feel like around him, Merlin's face buried in Arthur's neck as they simply lay together. He was still in this fantasy when Percy, held a hand out to bring him to the backdrop they'd be posing in front of.
Arthur still looked unhappy, but perhaps this was over Merlin's lack of dedication to the job. Maybe he was still offended about being called a prat, though the rumors of Pendragon's sister's attitude towards him made that possibility unlikely. Lance stood behind the camera, adjusting the shutter and focus now that Merlin and Percy stood at their mark.
With a subtle wave of his hand, Lance gestured to Percy to remove his shirt. Merlin was sure everyone could see him gaping at the man's very handsome chest, but he couldn't see how anyone would blame him given the circumstances. It had been a while since he'd dated, and he'd never gotten far enough to do anything...explicit. It was only reasonable that he drooled a little.
"You too, Merlin." Lance called, still adjusting the shot. Merlin tried and failed not to look like a deer in the headlights, as he raised his shirt above his head, inevitably getting his arm stuck and looking like a fool. Percy chuckled, and helped remove it properly, steadying Merlin with a hand on his naked back. Only Lance noticed the agitated expression on Arthur's face as the two settled in, and no one noticed the grin Lance made in return.
Shirtless in the large room, Merlin was starting to get cold, and he briefly wondered if his peaked nipples would make the shot better or worse. Looking over at Percy and finding him in the same way made him feel much better. With this in mind he did his best to ignore the fact that Arthur stood right by the camera and could now see the entirety of this skinny chest. He'd never felt so small as he did next to Percy.
"Alright boys, very good," Lance peeked out from behind his camera, "I'm going to dim the lights a bit, and then I'll walk you through a couple of pose ideas. I'll be taking a lot of photos since it's much better to have more to work with than less, and we'll go from there. Meanwhile Percy, if you could hold Merlin- he seems a bit cold and doesn't have the kind of body you do that can resist the temperature."
"Bloody hell, just throw the kid a blanket!" Arthur argued, looking around for an alternative to a caress from Percy.
Merlin was beginning to get frustrated with the tantrum Arthur had been starting to throw, and snapped, "It's fine. Let's just do the job. Percy and I will survive a slight chill, Arthur." He was still in love with the man, but that didn't mean he would let him treat Merlin like a child- Even if Arthur must have been some years older.
Percy sat on the stool behind them, and draped a large arm around Merlin's shoulders and legs, picking him up bridal style and settling him down on his wide lap. Merlin knew he was blushing now, and nothing was more embarrassing than being handled like a ragdoll in front of handsome men who were also fully dressed.
Merlin's hands were pressed against Percy's ample chest, when Lance called out, "Hold it! That one's good. Just stay still with your body; maybe gaze into each other's eyes? Remember this is love! Look like it!"
Startled at how bossy Lance could become, he realized Arthur was quite serious about how exact this author wanted his covers. Painting over a facial expression had never been as hard as looking into Percy's warm eyes and pretending he'd been sleeping with this man for years.
When he couldn't muster up the right look, Merlin thought of Arthur again. Pretend it's him. Unfocused eyes helped a lot at making a man look faceless, and Merlin sighed at imagining it was Arthur looking at him so intensely and cradling him in his arms. The camera's flash went off a number of times, in-between these moments Percy would shift them the slightest bit, move a hand from his chest to cup his cheek, or bring there faces closer together. Merlin couldn't bring himself to look Percy in the eye, but Lance commented that the submissive gesture fit well with the character and to do more with it. He was practically two steps away from being on his knees when Arthur coughed uncomfortably, and Lance told them to stop.
"Please tell me we're done here." Merlin begged.
"Not yet, Merlin. Something isn't right." Lance mumbled to himself, and walked up to the pair. "No offense, Percy, you know you're perfect for my books, but something isn't working as it should…" Lance tapped his chin thoughtfully, while he focused his eyes on Merlin's body.
"Do you need someone else? I could totally find you someone else. In fact, I have this friend Gwaine- you wouldn't even have to pay him!" Merlin had never been so relieved, being naked in front of Arthur for one more second was a lot more than he believed he could handle. He was half way into his shirt when Lance stopped him.
"No, no, Merlin. It isn't you. It's the pair of you. Percy is just too big for the character in the book. You look lovely together, but it doesn't portray the right couple. We need someone bigger than you, still strong, and a nice contrast. Someone handsome, but not so big that you're dwarfed. There needs to be a sense of equilibrium…" The three others watched Lance fit together the rest of his idea until he seemed to light up with success. Without looking at him, Lance called to Arthur, "Hey, buddy, how much does our friendship mean to you?"
Arthur cocked his eyebrow, "We've known each other a long time, but I'm not planning on asking you for a date if that's what you're trying to figure out. You know my type, Lance. Pretty sure my tits aren't big enough for you, anyway."
Blanching, Lance laughed, "God no, I just thought that you'd look much better with Merlin on this cover. It's exactly what I was describing. Your coloring is so different too. It'll be very striking, and you know how we all judge a book by its cover."
Merlin's heart stopped in his chest. He could feel the exact moment the valves shut, and the blood cooled in his veins and rose to his face.
Upon seeing the terror on Merlin's face, Arthur's decision was made.
"Well, if it means so much to you. I'd feel kind of guilty turning you down," Arthur mimicked Merlin's earlier statement with a smirk so wide it must have hurt. Merlin knew Arthur was a prat, but this kind of sadism was unexpected. Being shirtless just to spite him? That's a level of dedication that hate should never reach. As much as he felt bad about putting so much into a fantasy relationship that looked more dangerous by the second, Merlin couldn't help but stare hungrily as Arthur gracefully lifted his shirt, and strolled over like he'd been doing this for years.
"Come on, Merlin. Didn't you say we should just do the job?" Arthur practically purred.
Merlin nodded dumbly, swallowing in his dry throat, and hoping he wouldn't notice the sweat begging to beat at the curling ends of his black hair.
"Excellent. Now hop on my lap like a good boy and let's do it." He reached out to pull Merlin forward towards him into a straddling position. Merlin felt himself hardening, just being pressed up against the handsome man. His chest was as perfect as he'd imagined. And oh how he had imagined it- licking along his muscles, leaving love bites where his expensive suits would hide them- but they'd both know the other still bared their marks on hips, thighs, and nipples.
Merlin was so screwed.
"H-hey, this isn't fair! Percy was doing a fine job. What if you just shot us further away so it looked like he was smaller? I'm pretty sure they made that work in Lord of the Rings, so really why do anything else? Please, you can't do this to me, Lance. You're a good man!" Merlin squeaked, looking over his shoulder at the camera with fear. He tried his best not to think about how his legs were spread around Arthur's tapered waist, his ass pressed hard against the other's thighs and hips.
"Hey, that pose is great! Stay right there. Who'd have thought you'd be a natural at this, Arthur?" Lance's camera started flashing again.
Merlin felt his face being pulled up by a single finger under his chin, tilting his head back so blue eyes could meet. Arthur still had that self-satisfied smile on his face, but it was softer. Almost loving. Merlin wouldn't let himself read too much into it, but even if it was fake he'd take what he could get.
Soon Lance, was calling out his appreciation as Arthur pulled Merlin's face closer, both hands cupping his ass. The demure way Merlin looked against the wide chest of the tanner man was just as striking as Lance thought it would be. Arthur slowly lifted his hands, softly brushing them up thin ribs, to wrap his arms around Merlin's body, and bring the boy close for a kiss that neither man was fully expecting.
The moan Merlin made was long and low, vibrating against the inside of Arthur's mouth as they started to tongue at each other. Somewhere in the distance Merlin could hear Percy let out a catcall, but he was too lost in Arthur's soft lips to care. The slightest of stubble brushed against his cheek with each kiss, and their mouths only seemed to get hungrier; their hands more adventurous. Arthur's fingers pulled at Merlin's nipple, his left hand petting the curve of the thin boys ass. Arthur kissed down his neck, leaving a hickey right at his collarbone. Merlin held onto Arthur's bicep with one hand, and twisted the other in his partners golden hair. Both men could feel the hardness of the other pressing eagerly against their pants.
Panting, Arthur pulled away abruptly and looked at Lance as though he hadn't been heatedly kissing the most infuriating and adorable man he'd ever met.
"That good, Lance? I have a meeting in twenty minutes, and my father would kill me if I'm not there on time."
Merlin gaped at the fact that Arthur could look so casual after that kiss, if Merlin hadn't felt something he'd understand, but he knew there was something more than the chance for a good cover. He had felt the proof himself! Was Arthur really such a dedicated stickler for Lance's covers? He doubted that.
Lance sorted through the photos he'd taken with a sly smile, "Yeah, got some really excellent ones. You're good to go, Arthur. You too, Merlin! These are perfect. I may have to use you guys again!"
Arthur just laughed as Merlin stuttered in outrage and embarrassment, pulled his shirt on as fast as possible and nearly ran out the door.