Merlin & Arthur

Chapter 4

"It's pretty out." Arthur gazed up at the stars through the clearing in the trees, the smoke from the fire making it slightly hazy.

"Pretty cold." Merlin adjusted himself so he was closer to Arthur.

"No, Merlin. Look up at the stars."

"How many are there?"

"Do we need to know?" Arthur asked, not sarcastically.

"I suppose not."

"I hope I'm a great king."

"Whoa, where did that come from?"

"I know you don't think I think a lot of you, Merlin. But I really do."

"Arthur-"

"So, Merlin. Have any previous marriages?"

"Arthur, I was never marri-"

"Sh." Arthur kissed Merlin softly, putting a hand on his cheek. Merlin groaned as Arthur slid on top of him. Arthur sat on his hips and put his hands above his shoulders.

"You know, Merlin. We should really do this more often." Arthur breathed against his lips. They deepened the kiss and ignored the fact that Lance and Gwaine were in the tent not twenty feet away. Merlin rested his hands above Arthur's butt, and Arthur lifted up Merlin's shirt just slightly, allowing him to slide a hand onto his chest.

"Arthur." He gasped as Arthur sucked on Merlin's bottom lip.

"No. Arthur." He pushed gently on Arthur's chest.

"What, Merlin?"

"There's...something in the bushes."

"I highly doubt-"

"So, Merlin! You're the king's new mistress!" They heard Gwaine shout.

"Gwaine?"

"Gwaine and Lance." The two walked out of the bushes, Lancelot looking very embarrassed and Gwaine very drunk.

"Here. Have some mead, fellows." Gwaine stuck a canteen next to Arthur, who was still on top of Merlin, Merlin gasping and lips looking very red. He looked down at him then shrugged.

"We might as well." Arthur got off of Merlin and hoisted him up. They stretched out their legs and took swigs of mead from the canteen. It was right before midnight when Gwaine and Lancelot decided to go back to their tent and do whatever it was they were doing. Merlin lied on Arthur, both drunk and their legs intertwined.

"I think you're pretty." Arthur slurred.

"Hey hey hey hey. But I bet-I think we would-you and I would get on."

"Get what on?" Arthur stuck a hand in Merlin's short brown hair.

"I mean we would like each other. You know." Merlin's eyes flickered with a ring of gold, Arthur not noticing because he was so drunk.

"We get on now, don't you-don't you think?" Arthur brought Merlin closer down to his lips, Merlin practically falling onto his elbows.

"Well yeah, but-but you're the king." Merlin closed his eyes sleepily, but still listened to Arthur's steady breath.

"I'll make you my mistress." Arthur joked.

"No, Arthur. I can just let you and-"

"Ah ah ah. No you can't."

"Do I ever do what you tell me?"

"I think you will now." Both of them laughed rather loudly and boisterously for a minute before Merlin laid his head on Arthur's chest. He listened to his heartbeat and breathed in his salty and coffee-smell. Arthur tangled his fingers in Merlin's hair before they both fell asleep, not bothering to go inside the tent.
***

"Ow." Arthur held a hand to his head. "Merlin." Arthur smacked Merlin in the head.

"Ah. The hell was that for?"

"You're on top of me."

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Merlin!"

"I have a huge hangover. Ugh!" Merlin groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"What happened last night?" Arthur pushed Merlin on the chest and he rolled over to the side, still clutching his forehead.

"Uh...hopefully nothing we'd regret."

"Hopefully." Merlin and Arthur started to recall the night in bits and pieces and smiled widely.

"I think-" Merlin started.

"Shut up, Merlin."

"I think you kissed me."

"Merlin."

"You kissed me more than once!" Merlin tormented Arthur.

"Will you just-just go get breakfast!"

"I definitely remember you kissing me. You tugged at my hair and you put your hands under my shirt and trousers and you-"

"Merlin, just go!" Arthur was bright red and covering his eyes with his palms. Merlin laughed and got a couple biscuits out of his bag. He handed one to Arthur and set the others on a log, grabbing one for himself.

"I did not put my hands in your trousers-"

"Whose hands in who's trousers?" Gwaine wandered over to where Arthur and Merlin were eating.

"No one's hands in no one's trousers, Gwaine." Arthur buried his head in his hands.

"Hand me a biscuit will ya, Merlin?" Gwaine sat down next to Arthur, slightly wincing when he caught the biscuit Merlin threw to him.

"Massive headache, huh?"

"Hangover, and yes. How much mead did we bring?"

"Obviously enough to get drunk." Lancelot staggered over to the gathering and slouched by Merlin.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in." Gwaine laughed with his mouth full of breakfast.

"I'm sore...everywhere. What the hell happened?" Lancelot rubbed the nape of his neck and took a biscuit that Merlin offered to him.

"Ahem, I uh-don't really think we should-" Arthur began.

"He's saying we should never speak of what happened last night, but I think we should discuss it." Merlin smiled at Arthur, and Arthur responded by kicking Merlin in the crotch when he got up to bathe. He gritted his teeth, but still smiled.

"You should go with him." Gwaine whispered to Merlin.

"You really think that's a good idea?" Lancelot said before Merlin could object.

"No. I think it's a funny one."

"Ugh, Lance. I think Arthur me but you know, he's stubborn and he won't accept it. What do I do?" Merlin rubbed his eyes.

"I have no idea, sorry. You're right that he's stubborn. I guess you could just-just ask him?" Lancelot was good at giving advice, but Merlin was not going to do that in a million years.

"Well, I have to bathe too. This'll be a treat: seeing Arthur naked." Gwaine got up and headed toward the stream where Arthur was.

"Oh no. This won't end well." Lancelot shook his head.

Gwaine had stripped down to his underwear before Arthur noticed he was there.