The rating is going up guys. Personally I'm not sure if this counts as Mature content but some might and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Arthur was kissing Merlin.

Merlin was torn between retreating, the sensible thing to do, and losing himself in the intimacy that he had craved for so long. Arthur was hard to resist though. His lips were soft, his touch tender, as though Merlin was something he could break. Merlin pressed harder, showing Arthur that he was OK with this, OK with him.

Arthur felt terrible, as though he was taking advantage of Merlin at the worst possible time, but was drawn to Merlin in a way he could not explain. All afternoon, there had been a battle raging inside his head: was Merlin gay, was Merlin not? Did Merlin want Arthur to kiss him, did he not? Would Merlin run a mile if Arthur did kiss him, fleeing into the hills, never to be seen again after being mauled to death by wild bears, or would he not?

Arthur felt Merlin press his lips more insistently against his own. He laced the hand he had rested against Merlin's cheek into the short lengths of hair that collected at the nape of his neck and gently pulled Merlin's head closer. He deepened the kiss, previous qualms forgotten and helped Merlin, who was trying to make his way onto Arthur's lap.

Kissing Arthur was like nothing Merlin has ever done. The tension and unease Arthur felt was clear, Merlin did not blame him for being unsure of whether or not the kiss was a good idea. Although Arthur had initiated the kiss, he knew that he would need encouragement if Merlin was to get anything more than a gentle peck on the lips. Without taking his face away from Arthur's, he pulled his knee back onto the sofa and onto the other side of Arthur's hips. He felt Arthur's strong arms help ease him round so that Merlin was sat in his lap and Arthur relaxed into the seat of the sofa. As softly as he could, Merlin took Arthur's lower lip between his teeth and ran his tongue along the small line of flesh. Arthur reacted just has he had wanted, the touch making him want more and he felt Arthur's tongue trying to push his teeth away.

Arthur pushed his way into Merlin's mouth, his tongue now reaching to the back and exploring the unfamiliar territory. Merlin was being more cautious with his exploration, seeming to savour the moment so Arthur slowed down his frantic pace. Merlin of course tasted of the ice cream he had only just consumed and Arthur tried to search deeper for the unobscured taste of Merlin, to no avail. They kissed like this for a few moments before they both became impatient for more. Hands slid across muscles, fingers got tangled in hair, dark and light both, and mouths began to wander.

It was easier for Merlin to explore Arthur's face with his mouth than it was for Arthur, and Merlin took full advantage of this. He tentatively drew back, opening his eyes slightly, and placed his lips on Arthur's cheeks, nose, eyes. He saw Arthur's eyelids flutter slightly, a sign he took to mean that Arthur was enjoying himself and actually began to kiss the skin. A light moan escaped Arthur's lips and Merlin was being yanked back to meet Arthur's lips, were they engaged in a tantalising kiss. Merlin's hands skimmed down Arthur's side's making him squirm and his fingers caught on the hem of Arthur's t-shirt.

"Merlin stop," Arthur said. Merlin pulled back and looked at him quizzically. "I don't want you to do something you're not comfortable doing. We barely know each other and I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you while you're -"

"Let me do this," Merlin said, looking into Arthur's eyes to show that he didn't think that, not at all. "Please,"

Their lips met again, Merlin's delicate touch making Arthur lose his train of thought. Merlin's hands were back at his t-shirt, his fingers skimming over the skin above the waistband of his jeans. Not one to be beaten, Arthur pulled at Merlin's cardigan from the back, making it rest at his elbows and Merlin removed his hands from Arthur's stomach to take it off. He took advantage of Merlin's free hands and pulled Merlin's t-shirt over his head. Arthur allowed Merlin to do the same to him.

Merlin felt immediately embarrassed of his body the moment he took in Arthur's.

He should have expected it, Arthur was a dancer after all, but his breath still caught when he saw the defined abs that had been disguised by the baggy t-shirt he had been wearing. His arms were also toned and Merlin made no objection when these arms pushed him from Arthur's knee and down so that he was lay on the sofa with Arthur now above him.

•••

"Do you think Merlin will call Arthur then?" Leon asked Gwaine as they left the football pitch.

"I don't know," Gwaine replied. "Under any other circumstance Merlin would probably not have shut up about him since they met, but saying that, under any other circumstance they wouldn't have met in the first place. Maybe if he wants to talk to someone who didn't really know about Will then he will, but maybe not yet,"

"I hope he does," Leon and Gwaine were at Leon's car now and Leon unlocked the door for them to get in. "Arthur genuinely seems to care; Morgana says she's never seen him like this before."

"What's he like then?" Gwaine asked, putting on his seat belt as Leon started the engine.

"To be honest, he used to be a bit of a prick, especially when I first started seeing Morgana. He was used to getting his own way and his every need being tended to by his father's credit card. Now he's different though. That was all before Arthur dropped out of uni to pursue his dancing. He actually appreciates life and its worth now, he's insanely passionate about his job and he's a really great person. He's never had much of a love life really though, Gana says it's because he has trust issues after his father refused to stand by him and accept his choices, blah blah blah… I think he's just afraid of how much he really has changed and how much he wants to be able to love someone. Uther taught him that he would only get hurt if he fell in love, just like he did."

"Ouch. So what, he's more of a casual sex guy then?"Gwaine asked.

"I wouldn't say that, not anymore. There was a time when he was confused about his sexuality and he tried to force himself into liking girls, he knew Uther wouldn't be very impressed if his son turned out gay, but then he realised that he was never going to be able to make Uther happy. Now he's scared of getting involved with anyone in any way - he over thinks things too much. This thing with Merlin though, whatever it is or whatever it will turn into, it's shown me a different side of Arthur, one that really wants to be there for someone."

They rode the rest of the journey talking about football; the two men had had enough of talking about feelings.

When Leon pulled into Gwaine's street he saw another car in the space he usually parked. "I'm pretty sure that's Arthur's car," He said.

"I guess Merlin called him after all then. You coming in?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess I will,"

Leon parked behind Arthur and followed Gwaine up the garden path to the front door.

•••

Merlin's hands explored Arthur's torso as they continued to kiss. Arthur's legs rested on Merlin's but he held his body above Merlin's, allowing Merlin's roaming of his muscles to continue. Merlin slipped his tongue between Arthur's lips and the kiss once again deepened. Merlin pulled Arthur down so that he was completely on top of him and placed one hand on the small of his back while the other got lost in his hair while Arthur's hands both delved into Merlin's hair.

By this point, both Merlin and Arthur's jeans had become very tight. Arthur certainly did not want to be the first to make the move on this front but he felt that if they didn't get round to it soon there was a risk that he would actually explode. As if reading his mind, Merlin's hands found their way back to Arthur's chest and were quickly at the waistband of his jeans. His fingertips, slightly rough, tickled the skin and Arthur felt himself leaning into the touch. Merlin got the message and one hand crept into Arthur's jeans but found there was little room to move. His other hand undid the button and zip and Arthur pushed the jeans down to around his knees. Merlin held Arthur as they kissed again, losing themselves in the heat and passion of the moment.

That's why neither of them heard the front door open.

•••

Gwaine took his key out of his bag but found the door to be already open. Having company had obviously made Merlin forget about burglars and other such dangers. Of course, the area was never robbed, nor were there vampires that roamed the streets, searching for the fools that left their front door unlocked who would become their next prey.

"Merlin, you know there's a lock on the front door for a reason don't you?" Gwaine shouted, letting Leon in and turning to lock the door himself. When he moved to walk into the actual house, he bumped into the back of Leon who had stopped abruptly. Gwaine soon realised why.

He looked into the living room where Arthur was frantically pulling up his jeans and climbing off Merlin, who lay topless on the sofa. Both had turned bright red and were deftly avoiding making eye contact with Gwaine or Leon.

Gwaine was unfazed and was now on a mission to make the situation as awkward as possible. He strode into the kitchen and opened the fridge, taking out the milk and beginning to make himself a cup of coffee.

"Well hello there you two, good morning I see you're having. It's a good job we walked in when we did, don't you think Leon?" Leon did not reply, looking almost as embarrassed at catching Merlin and Arthur as Merlin and Arthur looked at being caught. "Brew anyone?"

•••

Fully clothed once more, Merlin and Arthur went into the kitchen behind Leon. They walked close to one another, their arms brushing against each other occasionally, and sat beside each other at the island.

"Good match?" Merlin asked, desperately searching for something other than his and Arthur's antics to talk about.

"Yeah it was, we barely scraped a win," Leon replied, clearly as eager to get back to a normal topic of conversation as Merlin was.

"Still on top of the league then, good," Merlin's choice of words made Gwaine snigger but everyone ignored him.

The conversation continued amicably, with Gwaine finding an innuendo in everything and anything, until everyone got fed up of him.

"Gwaine, please put something in your mouth before you find one of our fists in there," Merlin threatened.

"But I'm not hungry, Merlin," He replied. Unfortunately for him, his stomach chose that moment to display how hungry he actually was, so Gwaine miserably opened the fridge again and peered inside. "Hey," He said. "Who ate the last of my lasagne?" Merlin and Arthur grinned at each other. "It was you I'm guessing then?" He glared at Arthur, knowing that Merlin was unlikely to have willingly eaten anything recently. "I'm assuming this was before you started eating my housemates face?"

Arthur blushed. "Sorry, Gwaine, Merlin didn't tell me it was your food.

"What's yours is mine, right?" Merlin asked.

"Not food, dude, especially not the lasagne." Gwaine was surprisingly angry.

"Gwaine, I think we might have some back at mine, if you want that?" Leon offered.

"No thanks, I'd rather stay here and ruin Merlin's afternoon seeing as he ruined my lunch," Merlin rolled his eyes; Gwaine could be such a child.

"Right," Leon said. "You fancy coming out for a drink later on then? You two too?" Merlin tensed immediately at the suggestion. Drinks were the last thing he wanted to leave the house for. Keeping busy was one thing, socialising was another. Sensing his distress, Arthur discretely laid his hand on Merlin's knee where the others could not see.

"Are you inviting me to my own Saturday night out?" Arthur said, amused and trying not to draw attention to Merlin.

"Oh yeah, sorry," Gwaine was looking at Arthur and Leon confused.

"Saturday night drinks at the pub are a tradition of mine, Morgana and Arthur's that he started a long time ago." Leon explained.

"Whatever," Gwaine said, realising the story was to do with Arthur. "Count me in though. Doubt you'll get this one out of the house on a Saturday night though," Gwaine said, nodding in Merlin's direction.

"The accident was on a Saturday night," Merlin mumbled, looking down at the floor. Arthur squeezed his knee in reassurance while shooting Gwaine a death glare. This guy had no tact.

"Sorry Merlin," Leon said. "I didn't mean to upset you,"

Merlin snapped his head up. "Don't worry mate, you didn't, but I think I'll pass, thanks,"

"Of course. I'd better be going then, see you two later." Leon told Gwaine a time and a place for later that night and then left, having to ask Gwaine to unlock the door to let him out.

"Why do you do that when we've got guests round?" Merlin called to him.

"Do what?"

"Lock them in the house!"

"Because I know about safety, dear Merlin," Gwaine replied. "I'm getting a shower and then going out to buy more food."

"There's plenty of food, Gwaine," Merlin told him.

"I want lasagne and I'm not in the mood for making it," he said grumpily, going upstairs. "You two behave," He called from the landing.

Merlin relaxed, sighing an audible sigh, and Arthur's hand rubbed up and down his thigh. "TV?" He said.

"Sure," They went back into the living room and sat on the sofa. Merlin leant against Arthur's shoulder and Arthur place his arm along the back of the sofa. They flicked through the channels until they found something watchable and settled on a rerun of an old Smallville episode as Gwaine came down the stairs, cast them an almost disapproving look and left to go to the supermarket.

"I always hated how Lex and Clark were such good friends and it turned out so badly," Arthur said, trying to make conversation.

"I want to come tonight," Merlin said instead.

"What?" Arthur asked, taken aback.

"I want to come out with you tonight. I just don't know if I can,"

"You don't have to, don't let Gwaine get to you,"

"I can't spend every Saturday night for the rest of my life hiding away because it's some kind of anniversary, Arthur."

"No, you can't," Arthur replied. "But it's barely been a month; you don't have to be moving on that quickly."

Merlin sat upright to look at Arthur's face. "I know. But if I keep putting it off I'll get into a rut that I can never get out of. Would you mind if I came?" He asked.

"Of course not," Arthur's mobile chose that moment to ring, blaring out the Ketchup song. "I really need to change that," Arthur mumbled before answering. "Hello? Oh, hi. Well yeah actually. Not really. OK OK. I'll be there in half an hour. Bye." Arthur hung up the phone looking positively miserable.

"You have to go?" Merlin asked.

"Yeah, sorry. The dance company want me in for some emergency rehearsal; I wouldn't go if I didn't absolutely have to." Arthur looked genuinely sad that he had to leave.

"It's fine," Merlin said. "I'll see you tonight won't I?"

"I should be able to get away in time. I'm sorry, Merlin,"

"Arthur, its fine!" They both got up from the sofa and walked to the front door where Arthur bent down to slip his feet back into his shoes. He stood up and turned to Merlin.

"Do you want me to pick you up tonight?" He asked.

"Don't be silly, I'll come with Gwaine." Merlin replied.

"I don't think Gwaine likes me all that much," Arthur worried aloud.

"That's my fault; I shouldn't have given you his food. He'll get over it."

"I hope so; I'm no good with hostility. I'll see you later," Arthur put one hand on the door handle and paused. In the time it took for Arthur to think about kissing Merlin goodbye, Merlin pulled his head round to face him and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"See you later," He said, closing the door after Arthur and wondering what he was getting himself into.

Hope you enjoyed! This chapter is a little shorter than the last two, still pretty long though, and that's because I was pretty ill yesterday and didn't get much done other than moaning and sleeping. That's also why I didn't upload yesterday, alongside the fact that I had nothing to upload. Let me know what you think though, your reviews make me insanely happy!