Gwaine stormed into Merlin's room early the next morning and saw the naked bodies of his house mate and his boyfriend, that's what Gwaine assumed he was anyway, asleep in each other's arms on the bed, the duvet thrown haphazardly over their middle, thankfully covering what Gwaine did not need to see.
"Merlin have you seen -" Gwaine stopped when he realised what he was looking at.
Merlin awoke with a start and pulled the duvet up to his chest. Gwaine had seen him topless countless times before, but this felt different.
"I'll find it, never mind," Gwaine mumbled, backing out of the room.
Arthur woke up at having a duvet thrown over his face and sat up as the door closed. Merlin groaned and flopped back down, finding comfort in Arthur's warm embrace.
"I did not need for Gwaine to see that," he mumbled.
"Surely he's caught you in bed with someone before?" Arthur quizzed.
"Oh yeah, sometimes while we were still at it! It just feels different with you, like I don't want him to have reason to get at you,"
"Well I've seen that stuffed bunny he keeps in his room, I'm sure he'd be more embarrassed if I brought that up than I'd be if he told your friends he'd found us asleep in the morning in your bed,"
"Flopsy, when did you see that?" Merlin asked, grinning.
"The other day when you sent me looking for that Harry Potter DVD in his room. It's hard to miss, the things huge and he doesn't exactly try to hide it!" Merlin laughed.
"He loves that rabbit! Elena won it for him at a carnival or something and everyone already knows about it and tease him about it on a regular basis, but the sentiments there. I better go see what he wanted," Merlin said, his tone showing he didn't want to move from where he was right now for anything and as he sat up, Arthur wrapped his arms around his waist and brought him crashing back to the bed. "I'll be back in two minutes! I promise," Merlin said, kissing Arthur, his promise on his lips.
"You'd better be," Arthur warned, relaxing his grip and admiring the view when Merlin stood up, his body still unclothed.
Merlin grabbed a pair of boxers from a draw and pulled them on underneath a pair of bottoms he picked up off the floor before leaning back over the bed to kiss Arthur again, this time more out of pure desire, the sight of him naked in his bed, skin glowing and hair mussed was simply too much. "Two minutes,"
Merlin bolted down the stairs with a grin on his face and was greeted by Gwaine's ridiculously big mouth. "Merlin, your bedroom stinks of sex!" Merlin heard who he presumed to be Leon in the living room choke on whatever he was drinking and felt his own face burn bright red.
"Thanks, Gwaine. What did you want?" Merlin asked, embarrassed.
"My football socks, have you seen them?"
"They're in your kit bag! The same place I put them every week after I end up washing them,"
"I wondered how they were getting there! Thanks mate,"
"Anything else?" Merlin asked, wanting nothing more than to get back upstairs.
"Gwen told me to tell you something about the party. Can't remember what though,"
"Well thanks for being so useless!"
"She said to tell you to get there at half 6, not half 7," Leon said, getting up from the sofa and coming into the kitchen.
"Thanks Leon, enjoy football guys," Merlin told them before bouncing back up the stairs and pushing the door to his room open. Arthur was not on the bed, not anywhere in the room, so Merlin looked into the bathroom where Arthur was leaning into the shower cubicle to turn on the water. He smiled at Merlin suggestively and stepped under the jet, already naked so not needing to stop to get undressed. Merlin however had to pull down the bottoms he had just put on before following Arthur and getting into the shower beside him, their eyes locking before they dived for each other's mouths, teeth knocking and water getting in the way. Their skin slippy, Merlin and Arthur's hands slipped over the other's skin and in an attempt to get a grip on something, their hands wound up in the hair of the other, able to tug and pull as they desired. Their chests touching and their legs intertwined, they both felt the other's hard on and hands flew from heads to cock, almost in a battle, both wanting to get their first.
Arthur got their first and enclosed his fist around them both, pumping harder than the night before, wrapping his free arm around Merlin's waist, afraid of him getting away. Merlin came undone first and buried his face in the crook of Arthur's neck to stifle his moans, his teeth grazing the skin before his lips formed first a kiss and then a suck, Merlin working his mouth in a way he was sure would leave a mark. Arthur spilled after that and his forehead fell onto Merlin's shoulder, his breath heavy and Arthur now a lot more awake than he had been 10 minutes ago.
Arthur reached his hand up to the sponge he saw on the shelf in the wall and brought it down onto Merlin's back, the water still in it from the last use cold and causing Merlin to lurch forward, further into Arthur. They both laughed and Arthur allowed the sponge to fill up with warm water before dragging it down the middle of Merlin's back slowly. Merlin stepped out of Arthur's arms and turned around so that Arthur could apply soap and continue washing. Merlin had a heart shaped birthmark on the small of his back which he felt Arthur bend down to kiss, his lips warm and soft. "They say birthmarks show how you were killed in a past life, you know," Arthur said, the sponge dropping to the floor and his arms wrapping back around Merlin who squirmed in his arms to turn round to face Arthur.
"I didn't, no. So I was stabbed in the back, that's pretty cool, huh?"
"I guess, but what could you have done to deserve being stabbed in the back?"
"All sorts of things! Coveted my best friends girlfriend - or betrothed or whatever they called it! That would have deserved a back stab. Or maybe I was just part of some battle and got caught by some douche. It's weird to think about our past lives, don't you think?"
"I suppose. Especially when you're in the shower and have just has a really hot hand job. You think about strange things, Merlin,"
"I suppose I do," he said, affectionately pressing his lips to Arthur's.
They finished showering and then climbed out of the shower and getting dressed.
"What time are you coming over later?" Merlin asked before Arthur left.
"Probably around half 3, if that's ok? What time will I need to leave to get to Gwen's in time?"
"Around 7 I guess, but if you're coming here straight from training you'll need to get changed before the party - we'll suss it out later,"
Arthur and Merlin kissed and Merlin waved to him from the front door as he left.
•••
Merlin had just finished making lunch when the doorbell rang, signalling Lance's arrival. He'd made a platter of ham and cheese sandwiches with a salad and he didn't know about Lance but he intended on eating a tonne of them. Merlin was the biggest lightweight he knew and he hoped that having a full stomach would erase some of that slightly. He crossed to the door, pausing to tidy the hall a little before he let Lance in, grasping him in a hug and wishing him a Happy Birthday.
"Thanks Merlin, and thanks for keeping me company this afternoon, I can't believe Gwen had to go into work,"
"It's no problem, yeah it sucks," Merlin internally smiled. Who actually believes that their partner has to work on their birthday? "Food?" Merlin indicated the plates in the kitchen and Lance nodded. "Do you want a drink?" he asked.
"I'll have a tea if you're brewing up?" Lance said.
"Tea on your birthday? You can have a beer if you want!"
"I'm driving,"
"Bloody hell Lance, I'll drive! Have a drink!" Merlin wasn't sure why he was being so pushy, maybe because he felt guilty for lying to Lance, even though it wasn't a bad lie.
"Fine," he said, helping himself to one of Gwaine's from the fridge.
"Arthur's coming over later, if that's ok?" He told Lance.
"Sure, I've not really spent much time with him; it'll be good to get to know your new boyfriend,"
"Is that what you all think he is?" Merlin asked seriously despite Lance's serious tone.
"Isn't he?"
"To be honest, I don't know. We haven't really talked about it. We act like we're in a relationship but I don't know, and I don't really want to ask,"
"Why not?"
"I'm case that's not how he sees it and I ruin things,"
Lance laughed. "Is this a typical case of Merlin overreacting?"
"Probably," Merlin said miserably, taking a chunk of his sandwich to occupy his mouth.
"Well whatever he is, it'll be good to get to know him better, he seems like a really great guy,"
Merlin lit up again. "He is,"
Lance smiled at the grin that had spread across Merlin's face. "What are we doing this afternoon then?"
"Whatever you want, it's your birthday,"
"I'm not really in a birthday mood to be honest, it doesn't seem right without Will," Lance looked remorseful and Merlin knew exactly what he meant. It wasn't right that Will wasn't there trying to convince them to go on the piss up, or that he wasn't giving fantastic presents that he had spent months choosing, or that he wouldn't be there to get Merlin home tonight when he'd be too drunk to remember how to walk.
Merlin simply responded, "I know."
•••
They ended up watching a film in the living room, Merlin lay down with his feet in Lance's lap. He'd missed spending time with his best friend after the accident but in a way he was glad he'd managed to maintain their friendship by distancing himself. Merlin sat up after about 30 minutes and pulled his knees to his chest.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Lance had always been good at reading people, always been there to listen without having to be told what was wrong. "It's fine Merlin, really. You knew Will so much longer than we did and it was unfair that you lost him like that, but know you're ready to move on and that's great."
"But what if I'm not ready -"
"You're with Arthur," Lance interrupted. "If a part of you didn't want to get on with your life then you'd never have made that step. Trust me Merlin,"
Merlin shuffled over to Lance and rested his head against the broad shoulder. "I don't want to forget him, Lance," he said, his eyes welling up with tears and his voice broken.
"You will never forget him Merlin, I promise you that. Moving on means moving past the difficult time, not erasing every moment you spent with him from your memory. It means accepting the bad but treasuring the good and being able to look back and smile. Give it time Merlin, and everything will be fine," Lance, never having been as comfortable with physical comfort as Merlin had, surprised him by grasping him in a tight hug and placing a friendly kiss on the top of his head. Merlin tried to lighten the mood by saying "Who are you and what have you done with my awkward none touchy feely best friend?"
"I'm the version of him that has realised how important you are to him and who needs to start showing his appreciation for life a little more. Now shut it, I'm trying to watch the film,"
•••
Arthur arrived at the end of the film, just as Merlin had begun to cry at the sad ending. He opened the unlocked door and kicked off his shoes calling out, "Training finished early, hope you don't mind?" before actually seeing Lance and Merlin cuddled up on the sofa. He strolled through to the kitchen, now as comfortable in Merlin's home as he was in his own, and took a beer from the fridge before plopping down at the end of the couch Merlin had vacated, lifting up his stretched legs to sit underneath them.
"Should I be getting jealous?" Arthur asked to which he received 2 loud shushes, though Merlin did lean across to kiss Arthur on the cheek.
When the movie ended Lance switched off the TV and said hi to Arthur.
"Happy Birthday Lance," he replied. "I'm sorry for gatecrashing your afternoon but I have to go for a meal with my sister tonight so I'm not going to get to see Merlin otherwise," he explained.
"No worries, I was just saying to Merlin that it'll be great to get to know you a bit better, we haven't really spent that much time together,"
"That's true. Mind if I grab a shower?" Arthur asked Merlin.
"Please do," he replied, the first words he spoke to Arthur. "Did you decide what you'd do about getting changed?"
"Morgana said that it would be a casual thing so just to go in jeans and a shirt or something, so can I get changed before I leave here?"
"Of course," he said, smiling to say that there was something slightly inappropriate he wanted to add.
Whilst he was in the shower, Arthur heard Leon and Gwaine enter the house. He'd love to know what kind of football match kept them out of the house for over 6 hours, but he supposed Gwaine had needed to go present shopping for Lance or something.
He dried off and then realised he had only brought the things he needed to change into later, so left the bathroom with a towel around his middle and carefully hoped downstairs, poking his head into the living room.
"Can I borrow some sweats and a top, Merlin?" He asked, cautious of the fact a guy he barely knew, a guy who hated him and the guy who was dating his sister were all staring at his chest. They'd found a football match on the TV and Arthur could tell it was not entertaining Merlin in the slightest.
"Sure, I'll help you find some because SOMEONE," Merlin glare in Gwaine's direction. "Keeps taking my stuff and not putting it back where they found it."
"How terribly inconsiderate of them Merlin, you must live with a complete Neanderthal," Gwaine said dryly as Merlin left the sofa and joined Arthur at the foot of the stairs.
"Hi," he whispered, standing on tip toes to kiss Arthur's lips. "How was rehearsal?" he asked in between breaths.
"Great," Arthur replied distractedly. Merlin brushed past Arthur and grabbed his hand to pull him up the stairs, stumbling into his bedroom and shutting the door with probably more force than was necessary.
Merlin laced his hands into Arthur's still damp hair and pulled him into him.
"Your friends are downstairs," Arthur said, his voice telling Merlin that he didn't really want to stop, so he didn't.
Merlin placed his lips on Arthur's and pushed them towards the bed, Arthur falling back so that he was lay down with the towel in great danger of falling off.
Someone with impeccable timing knocked quietly on the door. "It's me," came Leon's voice from behind the door. Arthur rolled out from beneath Merlin and rushed back into the bathroom as Merlin stood up and told Leon to come in.
"Sorry to interrupt but I'm getting off. We were just talking about plans for the evening and Lance asked if I was going for a meal with Arthur and Morgana, I'm guessing that's his cover story, and he asked where they were going so I told him Nando's. Nothing fancy but it was the first place that popped into my head, so let him know in case it comes up again,"
"Sure, thanks Leon. I'll see you later,"
"Yeah, I'm going home to get changed and then Gana and I are going straight to Gwen's so if you need anything ring their house phone and whoever's not stressing over decorations or burnt cupcakes will answer, so probably me."
Merlin laughed and said he would and Leon called our "See you later Arthur," before he left.
Arthur came out of the bathroom giggling and leant his body against the frame of the door. "It's like a top secret mission or something!" he joked.
"Have you ever planned a surprise party before?" Merlin asked to which Arthur replied no. "Then you'll not appreciate how much effort goes into keeping it a surprise, top secret mission doesn't cover the half of it!" They both laughed and Arthur crossed back to enclose Merlin in his arms.
"We probably shouldn't pick up where we left off, no one else is likely to knock before they come barging in. Grab a t shirt from the wardrobe and I'll go and see if I can find those sweats which you like,"
"The ones that actually fit?" Arthur asked, pulling an insanely tight top over his abs and distracting Merlin for a moment with his lean muscles.
Merlin found the said bottoms on Gwaine's bedroom floor and brought them back into his own room, handing them to Arthur who was still stood in just the t shirt and a towel.
They returned downstairs to find Lance and Gwaine engrossed in the football and so, neither having much desire to watch it, sat down in the kitchen, Merlin taking a sandwich from what was left from lunch.
"I think I should warn you about how terrible a drunk I am," Merlin mumbled.
"Of course you are! Look at the size of you Merlin, you didn't really expect me to believe you can handle your liquor?" Merlin frowned but Arthur grinned to show he was kidding. "Listen, I've been wanting to ask you something,"
"Go on,"
"Well I was wondering if you'd want to come to the opening night of the new show? It's not for a few months but I just wanted to let you know that I want you there and make sure you know when it is so that you can, I dunno, keep the date free?"
"I'd love to! I'll invite Gwen too, she'll love the ballet!" Arthur stared at Merlin with a look of awe. "What?"
"I love how excited you are for this!"
"I'm excited for you," Merlin told Arthur, leaning slowly across the table to plant a kiss on his lips.
"Stop being mushy in there you two!" called Gwaine, to whom
they paid no notice.
•••
At six, Arthur went back upstairs to get changed again and came down looking, quite frankly, delectable. Gwaine and Lance said goodbye from the living room a Merlin jumped up of the sofa to walk Arthur down to his car.
"You've seriously made me wish you didn't have to leave now," he said.
"Well I'll see you in half an hour, it's not that long," Arthur told him.
"Yes, but there'll be people around," Arthur laughed. "I'll see you in a bit, and I apologise in advance for my actions whilst drunk," Merlin planted a soft kiss on Arthur's lips, a promise of what was to come, before opening the car door for Arthur and letting him climb in.
"I'm sure it won't be that bad, but if it is I'll be able to use it as something to make fun of you with for years to come," Merlin grinned at Arthur's words, Arthur perhaps not realising how what he had said had sounded but Merlin seeing right through it.
"Years to come, well I'm just going to stay away from alcohol at all costs now,"
Arthur laughed again, a sound which Merlin was beginning to realise made him feel a million times better whenever he heard it. The warm tone made him feel at home and the hearty breath proved to him that Arthur was real, not some figment of his imagination that had appeared due to his deteriorating sanity. Arthur proved to Merlin that after the disaster that was Will's death, there was something to fill the hole, something worth getting out of bed every morning for. Merlin's eyes began to fill with tears as he grinned, stopping Arthur's perfect laugh and causing a look of pain to seep into his features.
"What's wrong?" he said softly, reaching up to lay his hand tenderly on Merlin cheek and wiping the tear that had fallen away.
"Nothing," Merlin replied. "You just - you're so amazing. I don't know how I would have got through all this without you," Without words Arthur got back out of the car and wrapped his arms around Merlin, pushing Merlin against the side of his car and kissing him fiercely, Merlin responding by pouring his emotions into the kiss. Being the sensible one, Arthur pulled away, his hands coming to the sides of Merlin's face. Their foreheads fell against each others as Arthur said, "You have no idea what you've done for me, no idea how beautiful and perfect you are, I love you, Merlin,"
Merlin's head shot up and his eyes bore into Arthur's. "I love you too," he choked out, his mouth on Arthur's again. "How about we don't go to this party and we go straight back upstairs and I tear your clothes off?" he offered.
"Tempting, but no. I want to meet all your friends,"
"Your loss,"
"Certainly. We'll do something tomorrow,"
"I hope by something you don't mean something which involves us leaving the house,"
"Of course not. I should get going," Arthur said, kissing Merlin one last time before getting back in the car and driving away.
•••
"What were you two doing out there?" Gwaine asked when Merlin came back in with a huge grin plastered from ear to ear. Merlin ignored him and threw himself down on the sofa.
"What time are we getting to yours?" Merlin asked Lance.
"We'll take off in about 15 minutes, Gwen should be expecting us by then," Lance was cut off by the shrill ring of Gwaine's mobile. Merlin almost found himself laughing at the precise timing of the pre arranged call.
"Elena? Hi, what's wrong? Calm down, it'll be fine, I'm on my way right now, Elena - I'll be right there, 10 minutes, I promise, it'll be fine."
"I'm so sorry Lance, Elena's dad's been in an accident, she's at the hospital in hysterics, I'm going to have to go, I'm sorry mate,"
Lance smiled and despite his words Merlin could tell he was annoyed. "Its fine, Gwaine, go make sure she's ok,"
As Gwaine bent down by the door to put on his shoes, he caught Merlin's eye and gave him a sly grin which said he'd see him very soon.
"We might as well go now then, if Gwaine's not going to be there the evening'll be nowhere near as much fun." Merlin gave him a look but smiled at the same time.
"I'll just go get changed then,"
Lance followed Merlin upstairs and stood outside the bedroom while Merlin changed.
"What was going on outside then, why did you look like you'd been crying?" Merlin cursed himself for being so easy to read.
"He said he loved me,"
"And that made you cry?" Merlin lauded.
"They were tears of happiness, idiot,"
"Well in that case I'm really happy for you, Arthur's really great,"
Merlin came bounding out of the room pulling a cardigan on over a striped blue shirt. "He is,"
•••
They pulled up outside Lance's house and there was no sign that anything was out of the ordinary. Merlin followed Lance up the path, almost unable to contain his excitement, and stood back as he opened the door.
"SURPRISE!"
I was a bit stupid this week, this chapter has been ready for a few days now and I was really happy that I'd be getting something up a bit sooner, but then asked my mum to hide my laptop from me so that I would stop procrastinating and do some revision, therefore I couldn't upload it until now! Sorry for my idiocy!
I'm going to put it out there that you probably shouldn't expect a great deal from me for the next 4 - 6 weeks. These exams are taking up much more of my time than I expected and they're so important that I'm starting to realise that they should be demanding my full attention. The time that I was using to write, travelling to and from school, is also gone again because I've recently made up with someone with whom I haven't spoken for two years and I don't want to waste this by being rude and not using the time to talk to her.
I hope you all understand and I'm sure this will mean I will end up over compensating over summer when I will have nothing to do! I'm not saying that I will be falling off the face of the planet, just that I have other priorities for the time being.
If you enjoyed please let me know!
Thank you all so much for the support so far, it really has been fantastic!