Merlin: M/A: Good Night, Sleep Tight
Title: Good Night, Sleep Tight
Series: Merlin
Rating: T
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur (passing Lance/Gwen)
Disclaimer: dis- (not); claim- (mine); -er (no, really)
Summary: Written for prompt in Kink Me! Merlin: Arthur/Merlin
From fmylife.com: Today, I found out that my best friend kisses me while I sleep. We're both guys. FML
http://www.fmylife.com/love/11036363
They met in high school, senior year, and graduated as little more than acquaintances. They tolerated each other. Arthur liked to think it was because Merlin was the only one to stand up to him when no one else had. Morgana, however, bet him that they’d end up sleeping together. Stupidly, he took her up on the challenge.
Freshman year of college, they were in the same dorm, across the hall from one another, and couldn’t help but become friends. Merlin came over every day to study with Lance and Gwen and when those two had gone off to do their own little thing, he still came over. Sometime after that, Merlin stopped coming over for Lance and started coming over for Arthur.
Sophomore year, they became roommates. They bickered and fought more often than not, and Arthur was surprised by the easy camaraderie that fell between them. So it was a surprise when he caught that look on Merlin’s face one night after his shower. He’d come in as usual, towel wrapped around his waist, rambling about his day, expecting Merlin to be listening only to turn around to the sight of blue eyes peeking over an upside down anatomy textbook, blush staining his pale cheeks.
For the first time in what was possibly forever, Arthur was absolutely speechless. He’d never expected to see Merlin look at him like that. Gwen had, once, before she’d met Lance. And a few of his exes had too. Suddenly, Arthur wondered how long it had been going on, or if it was just the light in the room and… well, it was the anatomy book.
Junior year, he and Lance and Merlin pooled their funds and rented an apartment off campus, but halfway through the year, Lance moved out and got a place with Gwen and suddenly it was just Merlin and Arthur. It didn’t worry him, not really, but it scared him a little at how easily they settle into domestic life.
The dorm room had been different. People were constantly coming and going and most of the time the door had been open. But living together, shopping together, eating together, in a place that was just theirs and theirs alone made Arthur feel light-hearted and a little flighty. And it was hard to admit, but Merlin made a very good housewife.
His clothes were always laundered, pressed and folded or hanged; the dished were always washed and put away; the floor always swept; the living room always dusted; his bedroom always picked up; and always there was food on the table. It was a comfortable set up, even if Merlin was still giving him those weird smiles.
By the time they were done with school, Arthur was pretty sure he and Merlin were beyond what qualified as friends, but it was difficult to explain. He’d seen Merlin near naked a few too many times due to too much celebratory ale - as it turned out, a drunk Merlin was very liable to try to strip tease on the bar, or the dance floor, or the elevator, or the living room… pretty much anywhere whenever the urge struck him.
Once, he’d had to explain to his father why there was a naked man hugging him on the front page of one of the more popular tabloids. It had been a rather long day, too, trying to convince him there was nothing going on, so when he got home, he’d finished up some left over paperwork and promptly passed out on the couch.
Most of the time, when he got back so late, Merlin would already be in his room, getting ready for bed, and he’d come out to tell him dinner was in the fridge, it was time to go to sleep so he had better get his royal ass off the couch.
Arthur woke up when the blanket touched his bare skin. He couldn’t remember taking his shirt off, or his shoes, and vaguely wondered when Merlin had become his wife when he felt a pair of lips press against his oh so softly with a whispered goodnight.
Despite the fact that it was first time Arthur knew about Merlin kissing him, somehow he knew it had happened before. It had felt too sure; there was no hesitation, like it came with practiced ease. As soon as he heard the door close, he pressed his fingers to his tingling lips.
He didn’t sleep much that night. Or the night after, but he did sleep in his room. He tried not to tense when he heard the door creak in the silence. It was like a repeat of what was playing in his mind: blanket tucked in around him, a soft kiss, and a whisper for good dreams.
It took a week before Arthur was ready to confront him. He let it play out like normal, but instead of allowing Merlin to return to his own room, he grabbed him by the wrist.
“How long, Merlin?” Arthur asked quietly. “How long has this been going on?”
Merlin’s eyes almost seemed to glow golden in the darkness before he answered. “Far longer than you want to know, probably.”
“What does that even mean?”
“For a long time I denied what I felt for you, Arthur. Then one day, you were sleeping, and I just couldn’t stop myself. I had to know what it felt like to kiss you. Just once.”
Arthur arched his brow. “Just once?” he repeated. “I think it’s been a few times more than once.”
Merlin smiled wryly, if a bit sad. “Usually you’re a pretty deep sleeper. I didn’t think you’d mind. Especially if you, you know, never found out.”
“Well I did. I woke up and my best friend was kissing me - without my consent. Next time… just ask me, Merlin.”
Maybe his father did have something to worry about after all.
And now he owed Morgana fifty bucks.
Series: Merlin
Rating: T
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur (passing Lance/Gwen)
Disclaimer: dis- (not); claim- (mine); -er (no, really)
Summary: Written for prompt in Kink Me! Merlin: Arthur/Merlin
From fmylife.com: Today, I found out that my best friend kisses me while I sleep. We're both guys. FML
http://www.fmylife.com/love/11036363
They met in high school, senior year, and graduated as little more than acquaintances. They tolerated each other. Arthur liked to think it was because Merlin was the only one to stand up to him when no one else had. Morgana, however, bet him that they’d end up sleeping together. Stupidly, he took her up on the challenge.
Freshman year of college, they were in the same dorm, across the hall from one another, and couldn’t help but become friends. Merlin came over every day to study with Lance and Gwen and when those two had gone off to do their own little thing, he still came over. Sometime after that, Merlin stopped coming over for Lance and started coming over for Arthur.
Sophomore year, they became roommates. They bickered and fought more often than not, and Arthur was surprised by the easy camaraderie that fell between them. So it was a surprise when he caught that look on Merlin’s face one night after his shower. He’d come in as usual, towel wrapped around his waist, rambling about his day, expecting Merlin to be listening only to turn around to the sight of blue eyes peeking over an upside down anatomy textbook, blush staining his pale cheeks.
For the first time in what was possibly forever, Arthur was absolutely speechless. He’d never expected to see Merlin look at him like that. Gwen had, once, before she’d met Lance. And a few of his exes had too. Suddenly, Arthur wondered how long it had been going on, or if it was just the light in the room and… well, it was the anatomy book.
Junior year, he and Lance and Merlin pooled their funds and rented an apartment off campus, but halfway through the year, Lance moved out and got a place with Gwen and suddenly it was just Merlin and Arthur. It didn’t worry him, not really, but it scared him a little at how easily they settle into domestic life.
The dorm room had been different. People were constantly coming and going and most of the time the door had been open. But living together, shopping together, eating together, in a place that was just theirs and theirs alone made Arthur feel light-hearted and a little flighty. And it was hard to admit, but Merlin made a very good housewife.
His clothes were always laundered, pressed and folded or hanged; the dished were always washed and put away; the floor always swept; the living room always dusted; his bedroom always picked up; and always there was food on the table. It was a comfortable set up, even if Merlin was still giving him those weird smiles.
By the time they were done with school, Arthur was pretty sure he and Merlin were beyond what qualified as friends, but it was difficult to explain. He’d seen Merlin near naked a few too many times due to too much celebratory ale - as it turned out, a drunk Merlin was very liable to try to strip tease on the bar, or the dance floor, or the elevator, or the living room… pretty much anywhere whenever the urge struck him.
Once, he’d had to explain to his father why there was a naked man hugging him on the front page of one of the more popular tabloids. It had been a rather long day, too, trying to convince him there was nothing going on, so when he got home, he’d finished up some left over paperwork and promptly passed out on the couch.
Most of the time, when he got back so late, Merlin would already be in his room, getting ready for bed, and he’d come out to tell him dinner was in the fridge, it was time to go to sleep so he had better get his royal ass off the couch.
Arthur woke up when the blanket touched his bare skin. He couldn’t remember taking his shirt off, or his shoes, and vaguely wondered when Merlin had become his wife when he felt a pair of lips press against his oh so softly with a whispered goodnight.
Despite the fact that it was first time Arthur knew about Merlin kissing him, somehow he knew it had happened before. It had felt too sure; there was no hesitation, like it came with practiced ease. As soon as he heard the door close, he pressed his fingers to his tingling lips.
He didn’t sleep much that night. Or the night after, but he did sleep in his room. He tried not to tense when he heard the door creak in the silence. It was like a repeat of what was playing in his mind: blanket tucked in around him, a soft kiss, and a whisper for good dreams.
It took a week before Arthur was ready to confront him. He let it play out like normal, but instead of allowing Merlin to return to his own room, he grabbed him by the wrist.
“How long, Merlin?” Arthur asked quietly. “How long has this been going on?”
Merlin’s eyes almost seemed to glow golden in the darkness before he answered. “Far longer than you want to know, probably.”
“What does that even mean?”
“For a long time I denied what I felt for you, Arthur. Then one day, you were sleeping, and I just couldn’t stop myself. I had to know what it felt like to kiss you. Just once.”
Arthur arched his brow. “Just once?” he repeated. “I think it’s been a few times more than once.”
Merlin smiled wryly, if a bit sad. “Usually you’re a pretty deep sleeper. I didn’t think you’d mind. Especially if you, you know, never found out.”
“Well I did. I woke up and my best friend was kissing me - without my consent. Next time… just ask me, Merlin.”
Maybe his father did have something to worry about after all.
And now he owed Morgana fifty bucks.