Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 17)
Author: 
fifty-fifty.dreamwidth.org
Title: Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 17)
Rating: Explicit (some previous chapters are NC-17/R)
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Gwaine/Elena (mentioned)
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Uther Pendragon, Gwaine, Elena
Summary: (Continuation of my Victorian AU WIP) Merlin and Arthur find themselves with a night away from home to enjoy together.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1784
Prompt: #495 - Fever
Author's Notes: Yikes, this is late and ran away from me! I can’t really excuse myself. Except that I’ve been all over the place trying to get LJ comms copied to DW.
You can find the previous parts of this story on AO3 here.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
The next week, Merlin and Arthur were invited to dinner with Gwaine.
Arthur rolled his eyes at the letter.
“Has my father seen?” he asked Merlin.
“I’m not sure.”
“Good,” said Arthur, shoving the letter into his letter box amidst the rest of his correspondence.
Merlin’s brow furrowed with confusion. “What do you mean ‘good’?”
“It means,” said Arthur, picking up his pen again. “That we won’t have to go.”
“Of course we’re going to go,” said Merlin, reaching for the letter box. “Gwaine’s our friend.”
Arthur slammed his hand down on top of the box.
“No, we’re not. Gwaine is a manipulative, sneaky, gloating little—”
“Arthur… He’s not.”
Arthur huffed. “He is. And besides. I want to keep writing. I’ve got to a rather compelling part of this story, and if I stop now, I’ll forget all about it.”
“Just write some notes, you can write it out fully later.”
Looking up at him, Arthur raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, Merlin,” he said, his voice dangerous. “But do I tell you how to paint?”
“Well, no…” Merlin admitted.
“Well, then. We’re not going, and that’s final.”
“Going where?” asked Uther strolling into Arthur’s room. “Did I see John earlier? What did he want?”
“Father! This is my room!”
“The door was open, Arthur. I assume it’s okay to enter if you’ve left your door wide open. Everyone on this side of the manor can hear you bellowing. I assume the Earl invited you to his dinner party?”
“Well—”
“Excellent. You must do your best to impress Arthur. Especially if Miss Gawant has a friend. It’s an opportunity to find a good match.“
“A good— Father! I’ve said before—”
“I expect you to pick out something suitable for Mr Emrys too.”
Arthur sighed, resigned. His father was in one of his moods. “Yes, Father.”
***
They headed to Gwaine’s that afternoon, Uther insisted on taking a carriage, rather than riding, for which Merlin was eternally grateful. Unlike the experienced Pendragon siblings, Merlin had not ridden on anything more challenging than old man Simmons' sedate old nag, at least until he and Will had been found out and shooed off. And he was decidedly not a fan.
Upon their arrival the butler ushered them, he gave Merlin a nod. Merlin smiled back and tipped his hat at him. He was feeling decidedly silly for returning to the grand house so smartly dressed up, even if a lot of his things were slightly too big, having been Arthur’s.
“Arthur, Merlin!” came a voice as Gwaine entered the grand entrance hall from a side door. “So glad you could make it, I trust you’ve both been well?”
“Yes, quite well, thank you. How is Miss Gawant?” asked Arthur, removing his gloves to shake Gwaine’s hand. Merlin followed suit.
“Ah, come along and you can ask her yourself,” he said, beckoning them.
Merlin knew that Arthur had been dreading meeting with Gwaine again, but together, the four of them ended up spending a rather enjoyable evening. Elena evidently had Gwaine well in hand, as aside from a few sly hints that had them both shifting uncomfortably, he was remarkably well-behaved.
So enjoyable was the evening that they stayed for drinks. It was dark and raining when they finally finished talking.
“Stay,” said Gwaine. “I insist.”
“Yes,” agreed Elena. “We have your rooms prepared.” Gwaine grinned with a knowing glint in his eye. “And it’s been so nice to spend time with people our own age. As much as I love Gwaine's mama.”
Merlin looked at Arthur. “Oh, I don’t know—”
“There’s the carriage and my father—” said Arthur.
“Send Jonah home with a message,” said Gwaine. "He'll understand."
“The weather is awful out there,” said Elena, squeezing Arthur’s hand.
Arthur looked down at Elena’s hand and sighed.
“Very well, we’ll stay.”
***
With the matter settled, they said their good nights and set out for separate rooms. Arthur smiled in amusement knowing that it was hardly likely that Gwaine and Elena would be spending the night apart. He and Merlin… well...
They hadn’t dared spend the night at his father’s. It was far too risky. And they had barely moved on to using their hands and mouths in other more intimate places. Arthur was hesitant to push for more. What they already had together was far more than he ever imagined he’d get to experience.
His room was already warm and cosy, a fire burning in the grate and candles lit in preparation of his arrival.
Arthur shucked off his jacket, throwing it over the back of a chair. He undid his collar and the top buttons of his shirt as he strode over to the wash basin. He splashed water on his face and glanced over his shoulder when he heard the gentle click of the door behind him.
“Hey,” said Merlin with a tentative smile. “Is this— is this okay?”
Arthur grabbed a towel and patted his face dry. He’d been expecting Merlin to come.
“Sure,” he said. “Come over here.”
Merlin eagerly made his way over to him. Arthur pulled him in by his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles before pressing another to his lips.
“I don’t think,” he murmured against Merlin’s lips, “you know what you do to me.”
He pressed kisses down Merlin’s neck and Merlin tilted his head with a gasp to permit him access. He smiled and moaned lightly, “I do, Arthur. Because I feel it too.”
Nuzzling his face into Merlin’s neck, Arthur smiled and then started to suck a bruise there. Merlin groaned as he laced their fingers together.
“So,” he said, “Is—Is this b—better than—than staying h—home to—ah—to write?”
Arthur pulled away, running his fingers over the mark he’d left on Merlin’s skin, admiring his work.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think I need a bit more convincing.”
Merlin huffed out a laugh. “Prat.”
He slowly started to walk Merlin back towards the bed.
“I don’t want to rush this,” he confessed quietly, “I want it to be perfect.”
“It will be,” Merlin reassured. “Because it’s us.”
With unsteady hands, Arthur started to unbutton Merlin’s jacket, casting it aside. He kissed him again.
“I want you,” he said, pressing Merlin down into the bed. “I want to know every single inch of you.”
He hauled Merlin up and into his lap, then slowly, determinedly undid his collar and the buttons of his shirt.
“Arthur,” smiled Merlin, stroking his fingers along Arthur’s arms. “You have me. You have all of me.”
“Good,” said Arthur.
He slid Merlin’s shirt off his shoulders leaving them bare and Arthur ran his fingers over them reverently. He pushed Merlin back onto the bed, examining him, marvelling as his fingers traced over skin drawn taut over muscle and sinew. Merlin was lean and delicate, but strong and distinctly male.
Arthur scraped fingernails through the smattering hair on his chest, a stark contrast to Merlin’s skin as he started to kiss and lick his way down Merlin’s chest, mapping out his sharp collarbones and sternum. His fingers brushed against Merlin’s nipple as he spread a hand across his chest and Merlin hissed, arching into his touch.
“Oh,” said Arthur with a mixture of intrigue and pride.
He brushed his finger over the small nub again and Merlin shuddered.
Arthur smirked knowingly and replaced his finger with tongue and lips; lapping, nipping, sucking. Merlin bowed up from the bed, his hands gripping Arthur’s shoulders in a death grip as he moaned and writhed, his breathing ragged.
It made Arthur wonder if he could make Merlin come just from this.
“Arthur—” Merlin gasped. “Arthur, it’s— It’s too much, I—”
“Yes,” Arthur agreed, tearing himself away and promising himself they’ll try that another time.
He pressed wet kisses along Merlin’s belly and followed his treasure trail that disappeared beneath his breeches, before unbuttoning them and tugging them down and off.
Merlin’s cock bobbed free, and Arthur stared at it for a moment. Contemplating.
Looking down at him, Merlin chewed his bottom lip with his teeth.
“It is—I’m okay, aren’t I?” he asked.
“Merlin,” Arthur said with wonder. “You’re beautiful.”
Arthur looked his fill and then buried his face in the dark curls around Merlin’s sex. Nuzzling, smelling him there. He turned his head and licked along the length of his straining cock, tracing a vein with the tip of his tongue.
Merlin flung back his head, covering his eyes with his arm. Arthur removed it.
“I want to watch your face,” he told him, before licking along the length of Merlin’s cock again.
Merlin whined and threw his head back as Arthur wrapped his lips around the head.
“Arthur—” he said, voice strained. “Arthur, I won’t last long… I—”
Arthur flicked his tongue against Merlin’s slit, and Merlin hissed again. He’d never done this with another man, he’d never known what to expect. Merlin tasted faintly salty, similar to his own spend and the scent of his musk filled his nostrils. Arthur pushed his own breeches down his hips to free his cock and gave it a squeeze.
He sucked, tentatively at first, watching the various expressions that played over Merlin’s face; the flush, the darkened eyes, the wanton, crazed look that made him look completely wrecked as he mouthed out bitten off curses from his red-bitten lips.
Arthur worked more of his cock into his mouth and Merlin cried out, his hand burying itself in Arthur’s hair.
“Arthur, oh GOD! Arthur— So—so good, I’m—”
His hand tightened in Arthur’s hair as he arched and came in Arthur’s mouth. A tingle flooded down his spine like the bubbles in Champagne. Arthur choked around him as his orgasm was ripped from him and he came in ribbons over the sheets.
They both panted, chests heaving as Arthur let Merlin’s cock slip from his lips. He felt drowsy, humming with contentment. He slowly pulled off the rest of his clothing and curled up with Merlin beneath the covers.
“You’re amazing,” Arthur told him, smoothing back the hair from his forehead and placing a kiss there.
“Mmm,” said Merlin, snuggling close, wrapping an arm around his waist. He yawned. “Sleep.”
***
The next morning Merlin and Arthur woke with a start. There was a loud banging on the door. It sprung open and Gwaine barrelled in. Merlin’s eyes widened and he dove under the covers.
“Arthur!” called Gwaine. “Arthur— Merlin, I can see your hair.” Merlin tentatively peeked out from under the covers. “Look, I’m afraid I have some bad news. Maisie, Elena’s maid. She’s very sick. Elena had the doctor visit. He said she has scarlet fever. The whole house is under quarantine until further notice.”
fifty-fifty.dreamwidth.orgTitle: Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 17)
Rating: Explicit (some previous chapters are NC-17/R)
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Gwaine/Elena (mentioned)
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Uther Pendragon, Gwaine, Elena
Summary: (Continuation of my Victorian AU WIP) Merlin and Arthur find themselves with a night away from home to enjoy together.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1784
Prompt: #495 - Fever
Author's Notes: Yikes, this is late and ran away from me! I can’t really excuse myself. Except that I’ve been all over the place trying to get LJ comms copied to DW.
You can find the previous parts of this story on AO3 here.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
The next week, Merlin and Arthur were invited to dinner with Gwaine.
Arthur rolled his eyes at the letter.
“Has my father seen?” he asked Merlin.
“I’m not sure.”
“Good,” said Arthur, shoving the letter into his letter box amidst the rest of his correspondence.
Merlin’s brow furrowed with confusion. “What do you mean ‘good’?”
“It means,” said Arthur, picking up his pen again. “That we won’t have to go.”
“Of course we’re going to go,” said Merlin, reaching for the letter box. “Gwaine’s our friend.”
Arthur slammed his hand down on top of the box.
“No, we’re not. Gwaine is a manipulative, sneaky, gloating little—”
“Arthur… He’s not.”
Arthur huffed. “He is. And besides. I want to keep writing. I’ve got to a rather compelling part of this story, and if I stop now, I’ll forget all about it.”
“Just write some notes, you can write it out fully later.”
Looking up at him, Arthur raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, Merlin,” he said, his voice dangerous. “But do I tell you how to paint?”
“Well, no…” Merlin admitted.
“Well, then. We’re not going, and that’s final.”
“Going where?” asked Uther strolling into Arthur’s room. “Did I see John earlier? What did he want?”
“Father! This is my room!”
“The door was open, Arthur. I assume it’s okay to enter if you’ve left your door wide open. Everyone on this side of the manor can hear you bellowing. I assume the Earl invited you to his dinner party?”
“Well—”
“Excellent. You must do your best to impress Arthur. Especially if Miss Gawant has a friend. It’s an opportunity to find a good match.“
“A good— Father! I’ve said before—”
“I expect you to pick out something suitable for Mr Emrys too.”
Arthur sighed, resigned. His father was in one of his moods. “Yes, Father.”
***
They headed to Gwaine’s that afternoon, Uther insisted on taking a carriage, rather than riding, for which Merlin was eternally grateful. Unlike the experienced Pendragon siblings, Merlin had not ridden on anything more challenging than old man Simmons' sedate old nag, at least until he and Will had been found out and shooed off. And he was decidedly not a fan.
Upon their arrival the butler ushered them, he gave Merlin a nod. Merlin smiled back and tipped his hat at him. He was feeling decidedly silly for returning to the grand house so smartly dressed up, even if a lot of his things were slightly too big, having been Arthur’s.
“Arthur, Merlin!” came a voice as Gwaine entered the grand entrance hall from a side door. “So glad you could make it, I trust you’ve both been well?”
“Yes, quite well, thank you. How is Miss Gawant?” asked Arthur, removing his gloves to shake Gwaine’s hand. Merlin followed suit.
“Ah, come along and you can ask her yourself,” he said, beckoning them.
Merlin knew that Arthur had been dreading meeting with Gwaine again, but together, the four of them ended up spending a rather enjoyable evening. Elena evidently had Gwaine well in hand, as aside from a few sly hints that had them both shifting uncomfortably, he was remarkably well-behaved.
So enjoyable was the evening that they stayed for drinks. It was dark and raining when they finally finished talking.
“Stay,” said Gwaine. “I insist.”
“Yes,” agreed Elena. “We have your rooms prepared.” Gwaine grinned with a knowing glint in his eye. “And it’s been so nice to spend time with people our own age. As much as I love Gwaine's mama.”
Merlin looked at Arthur. “Oh, I don’t know—”
“There’s the carriage and my father—” said Arthur.
“Send Jonah home with a message,” said Gwaine. "He'll understand."
“The weather is awful out there,” said Elena, squeezing Arthur’s hand.
Arthur looked down at Elena’s hand and sighed.
“Very well, we’ll stay.”
***
With the matter settled, they said their good nights and set out for separate rooms. Arthur smiled in amusement knowing that it was hardly likely that Gwaine and Elena would be spending the night apart. He and Merlin… well...
They hadn’t dared spend the night at his father’s. It was far too risky. And they had barely moved on to using their hands and mouths in other more intimate places. Arthur was hesitant to push for more. What they already had together was far more than he ever imagined he’d get to experience.
His room was already warm and cosy, a fire burning in the grate and candles lit in preparation of his arrival.
Arthur shucked off his jacket, throwing it over the back of a chair. He undid his collar and the top buttons of his shirt as he strode over to the wash basin. He splashed water on his face and glanced over his shoulder when he heard the gentle click of the door behind him.
“Hey,” said Merlin with a tentative smile. “Is this— is this okay?”
Arthur grabbed a towel and patted his face dry. He’d been expecting Merlin to come.
“Sure,” he said. “Come over here.”
Merlin eagerly made his way over to him. Arthur pulled him in by his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles before pressing another to his lips.
“I don’t think,” he murmured against Merlin’s lips, “you know what you do to me.”
He pressed kisses down Merlin’s neck and Merlin tilted his head with a gasp to permit him access. He smiled and moaned lightly, “I do, Arthur. Because I feel it too.”
Nuzzling his face into Merlin’s neck, Arthur smiled and then started to suck a bruise there. Merlin groaned as he laced their fingers together.
“So,” he said, “Is—Is this b—better than—than staying h—home to—ah—to write?”
Arthur pulled away, running his fingers over the mark he’d left on Merlin’s skin, admiring his work.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think I need a bit more convincing.”
Merlin huffed out a laugh. “Prat.”
He slowly started to walk Merlin back towards the bed.
“I don’t want to rush this,” he confessed quietly, “I want it to be perfect.”
“It will be,” Merlin reassured. “Because it’s us.”
With unsteady hands, Arthur started to unbutton Merlin’s jacket, casting it aside. He kissed him again.
“I want you,” he said, pressing Merlin down into the bed. “I want to know every single inch of you.”
He hauled Merlin up and into his lap, then slowly, determinedly undid his collar and the buttons of his shirt.
“Arthur,” smiled Merlin, stroking his fingers along Arthur’s arms. “You have me. You have all of me.”
“Good,” said Arthur.
He slid Merlin’s shirt off his shoulders leaving them bare and Arthur ran his fingers over them reverently. He pushed Merlin back onto the bed, examining him, marvelling as his fingers traced over skin drawn taut over muscle and sinew. Merlin was lean and delicate, but strong and distinctly male.
Arthur scraped fingernails through the smattering hair on his chest, a stark contrast to Merlin’s skin as he started to kiss and lick his way down Merlin’s chest, mapping out his sharp collarbones and sternum. His fingers brushed against Merlin’s nipple as he spread a hand across his chest and Merlin hissed, arching into his touch.
“Oh,” said Arthur with a mixture of intrigue and pride.
He brushed his finger over the small nub again and Merlin shuddered.
Arthur smirked knowingly and replaced his finger with tongue and lips; lapping, nipping, sucking. Merlin bowed up from the bed, his hands gripping Arthur’s shoulders in a death grip as he moaned and writhed, his breathing ragged.
It made Arthur wonder if he could make Merlin come just from this.
“Arthur—” Merlin gasped. “Arthur, it’s— It’s too much, I—”
“Yes,” Arthur agreed, tearing himself away and promising himself they’ll try that another time.
He pressed wet kisses along Merlin’s belly and followed his treasure trail that disappeared beneath his breeches, before unbuttoning them and tugging them down and off.
Merlin’s cock bobbed free, and Arthur stared at it for a moment. Contemplating.
Looking down at him, Merlin chewed his bottom lip with his teeth.
“It is—I’m okay, aren’t I?” he asked.
“Merlin,” Arthur said with wonder. “You’re beautiful.”
Arthur looked his fill and then buried his face in the dark curls around Merlin’s sex. Nuzzling, smelling him there. He turned his head and licked along the length of his straining cock, tracing a vein with the tip of his tongue.
Merlin flung back his head, covering his eyes with his arm. Arthur removed it.
“I want to watch your face,” he told him, before licking along the length of Merlin’s cock again.
Merlin whined and threw his head back as Arthur wrapped his lips around the head.
“Arthur—” he said, voice strained. “Arthur, I won’t last long… I—”
Arthur flicked his tongue against Merlin’s slit, and Merlin hissed again. He’d never done this with another man, he’d never known what to expect. Merlin tasted faintly salty, similar to his own spend and the scent of his musk filled his nostrils. Arthur pushed his own breeches down his hips to free his cock and gave it a squeeze.
He sucked, tentatively at first, watching the various expressions that played over Merlin’s face; the flush, the darkened eyes, the wanton, crazed look that made him look completely wrecked as he mouthed out bitten off curses from his red-bitten lips.
Arthur worked more of his cock into his mouth and Merlin cried out, his hand burying itself in Arthur’s hair.
“Arthur, oh GOD! Arthur— So—so good, I’m—”
His hand tightened in Arthur’s hair as he arched and came in Arthur’s mouth. A tingle flooded down his spine like the bubbles in Champagne. Arthur choked around him as his orgasm was ripped from him and he came in ribbons over the sheets.
They both panted, chests heaving as Arthur let Merlin’s cock slip from his lips. He felt drowsy, humming with contentment. He slowly pulled off the rest of his clothing and curled up with Merlin beneath the covers.
“You’re amazing,” Arthur told him, smoothing back the hair from his forehead and placing a kiss there.
“Mmm,” said Merlin, snuggling close, wrapping an arm around his waist. He yawned. “Sleep.”
***
The next morning Merlin and Arthur woke with a start. There was a loud banging on the door. It sprung open and Gwaine barrelled in. Merlin’s eyes widened and he dove under the covers.
“Arthur!” called Gwaine. “Arthur— Merlin, I can see your hair.” Merlin tentatively peeked out from under the covers. “Look, I’m afraid I have some bad news. Maisie, Elena’s maid. She’s very sick. Elena had the doctor visit. He said she has scarlet fever. The whole house is under quarantine until further notice.”