Title: Awash with Silver
Rating: R
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur
Character/s: Arthur, Merlin
Summary: On a night like this, nothing mattered.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1000
Prompt: Moonlight
Author's Notes: Enjoy!
Arthur shivered and opened his eyes. The sheet was pooled around his waist and he felt a cool draft wafting over his exposed chest. Looking around, it took him seconds to realise Merlin wasn’t in the bed, but standing by an open window. Arthur swallowed his usual flippant comment and propped himself up on his elbows. Merlin had his arms wrapped around him to keep the chill from his naked body. He was leaning against the wall, staring across a moonlit bathed Camelot.
Arthur slipped from the bed. Merlin didn’t hear him. The king paused for a moment, drinking in the sight of his lover. With his pale skin, Merlin looked unearthly beautiful awash with the light from the moon and not for the first time did Arthur wonder how they were together. They were opposites in so many ways: sunlight glinted from him while Merlin could slip through the shadows unseen when he wanted to. But if there was one thing Arthur knew, it was right now Merlin needed him.
Moving silently across their room, he slipped his arms around the man’s waist. Merlin shivered against him and Arthur pressed his lips to the skin behind his ear. Merlin shivered again for a different reason.
“What are you thinking about?” Arthur murmured. He looked out like Merlin and couldn’t resist the smile pulling at his lips. This was his kingdom and the man he loved was in his arms. He would have been content if he couldn’t sense the worry coming from Merlin.
“It’s peaceful.”
“I know. Why do you feel troubled?”
“We’ve never had peace last for long, Arthur.” Merlin turned and gazed beseechingly at him, eyes wide. A forceful reminder of how young they still were despite everything they had been through to survive until this moment.
“You’re worried because it is peaceful? Why not just enjoy it?”
“I can’t.” There was regret in Merlin’s voice. His knack for letting his emotions get the better of him was one of the things Arthur loved about him. Before Merlin said anything else, Arthur dipped his head and kissed him. It was gentle and chaste, nothing like the passionate kisses from earlier in the night. But Merlin relaxed into it and Arthur brushed a thumb over his lover’s lips when Merlin whined as he pulled away.
“For me you can,” he whispered. Arthur knew many ways to get Merlin to relax. He cupped his cheek, preparing to draw him in again. To his surprise, Merlin stopped him.
“I can’t lose you, Arthur.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“You don’t know that.” Merlin sounded lost and hurt and Arthur drew him closer. Merlin’s breath tickled the base of his neck, but the king held the trembling form against him. “What if the peace is them just preparing for something? What if they are going to take you away from me?”
“Shh,” Arthur murmured. He kissed the top of Merlin’s head. “You can’t think like this. You can’t live like this. I can’t promise nothing is coming because I can’t see the future. But neither can you most of the time, so don’t worry about what is to come. Enjoy the moment.”
“But…”
“Merlin.” Arthur’s voice was commanding and Merlin shivered again. Knowing Merlin couldn’t resist him like this, Arthur took hold of his chin in a firm grip and forced Merlin to look at him. “I order you to stop.”
“Order me?” Merlin’s voice was a little breathless and Arthur smirked even as he nodded.
“You will listen your king.”
“Yes.” Merlin’s face was flushed as he stared at Arthur. The king nodded appreciatively, reaching down to take his lover in hand. Merlin’s hands scrabbled for Arthur’s shoulders and Arthur tightened his grip when he felt Merlin’s nails scratching his bare skin.
“You will obey me.”
“Always.”
The look of pure trust on Merlin’s face was enough for Arthur to growl low in the back of his throat. This was the most powerful warlock to ever walk the Earth. He could kill Arthur and take the kingdom with just a flick of his hand. Yet here he was, submitting to Arthur as if there was nothing else he would rather do.
The thought was enough for Arthur to spin his lover around, pressing Merlin’s chest back against the stonework. Merlin knew what was coming if the way he pushed back was anything to go by and Arthur made short work of entering him. Driving deep inside his consort’s body, Arthur could already feel his toes curling. He breathed deeply, looking out over the kingdom as a way of trying to make himself last. But the moonlight was making Camelot look so stunning that Arthur swelled with pride and one final thrust had him trembling to a stop inside Merlin. Reaching around the warlock, he quickly stroked Merlin until the man shuddered in his grip and Arthur pulled back.
Merlin leant back against him, panting and reaching around to toy with the hairs on the back of the king’s neck. Arthur rested a shoulder against the wall to hold them both up.
“No more worrying,” he said quietly. His voice was soft and pleading this time. “Not on a night like this. Not while I’m by your side and nothing can come between us.”
Merlin nodded against him, but that was enough for Arthur. They might have been complete opposites, but standing in the patch of moonlight pooled on his floor, Arthur didn’t care. They were one like this. Maybe something was coming. Maybe it would even be the end of them. But for this night only, Arthur didn’t want to think about the future. He wasn’t even sure he cared about it. All he could focus on was the feeling of Merlin against him. Merlin pulled away and walked back to the bed. Arthur watched him move. But when he was beckoned over with a sly smile and a crook of Merlin’s finger, he knew it was his turn to obey.