I Am Gwen (the cutest cat on the Internet!) - Part 6

[gwylliondream]

Title: I Am Gwen (the cutest cat on the Internet!)
Author: gwylliondream
Genre: Modern au
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Words: 58,347
Author’s Notes: I Am Gwen was written for paperlegends and as a kinkme_merlin fill for this prompt.
Disclaimer: I did not create these characters. No disrespect intended. No profit desired, only muses.
Comments: Comments are welcome anytime! Thanks so much for reading!



“Oh my God,” Merlin mouthed the words, but no sound escaped his throat when he saw the chubby cat purring at his feet. He didn’t know what to do first, so he stood there with his hand clasped over his mouth, afraid to move lest he awaken from some surreal dream, the moment vanishing like the pavement always did when he dreamed of crashing and burning on the bike.

“Hello, Gwen,” Arthur said, hoisting the cat with one arm under her belly. “I have someone very special to introduce you to today.”

Merlin clenched his fingers into a fist. “Oh, no, I’m not that special,” Merlin said, swallowing hard. He couldn’t imagine what he had done to deserve the honor of this cat’s company, and that of her owner, her glorious, gorgeous owner who Merlin wanted to ravish to within an inch of his life.

“I beg to differ,” Arthur said, pressing a kiss to the top of Gwen’s head. “He’s very special, indeed.”

Arthur shifted so that he cuddled Gwen to his chest, her white front paws kneading happily, a soft trill emanating from her throat.

“I don’t know what to say,” Merlin said, blinking back the tears of disbelief, feeling like a fool for getting all worked up over a cat, but at the same time knowing that Arthur understood exactly how he felt about this cat in particular.

Arthur scratched behind Gwen’s ear with a curling forefinger as her tail lashed back and forth. He bent his head to Gwen’s and said, “He’s adorable, isn’t he?”

Merlin finally began to breathe normally. “Can I… can I pet her?” he asked.

“No,” Arthur said. “She bites.”

Merlin furrowed his brow.

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Sorry, I’m only kidding,” he said. “Go ahead and pet her. She’s the friendliest cat I’ve ever known.”

Merlin reached out a tentative hand and let his fingers sink into the soft fur of Gwen’s head.

Gwen leaned into the rub.

“Do you want to hold her?” Arthur asked.

“This is unbelievable,” Merlin said, at a loss for the words he wanted to say.

“Here you go,” Arthur said. “She’s all yours.”

Arthur detached Gwen from his chest. Her claws loosened from the red fabric of his polo, leaving behind a trace of white fur from her belly.

“She’s still shedding some,” Arthur said. “I hope you don’t mind a little cat hair.”

“I’ve lived half my life with a white cat,” Merlin said, shaking his head. “I don’t mind at all.”

Arthur placed Gwen on Merlin’s chest. Merlin supported Gwen, who clung softly to him using the pads of her feet more than her sharp claws.

“She’s beautiful,” Merlin said.

“Is she purring?” Arthur asked.

“Almost,” Merlin nodded. “I can feel it starting.”

Gwen was much lighter than Merlin had imagined. Her plush fur seemed to give the appearance of bulk, but beneath her fur coat, she was dainty and delicate.

Arthur petted Gwen’s head, while Merlin cradled her to his chest.

The silence was broken only by the sound of Gwen’s purr.

“I’m so sorry,” Arthur said, exhaling heavily.

“Whatever for?” Merlin asked.

Gwen looked toward Arthur, as if seeking his assurance that this affection toward a stranger was something safe for her to do.

Arthur stepped behind Merlin and wrapped his arms around him, his fingers gently stroking Gwen, encouraging her to purr for him as Merlin held her to his chest.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about her,” Arthur said, pressing a soft kiss to the smooth flesh beneath Merlin’s ear. “On the subway, when I left you there. It was wrong of me.”

Merlin sighed with the feel of Arthur’s arms securely around him, his firm chest pressed solidly to Merlin’s back. As relieved as he was that Arthur truly loved cats, he still had questions about why Arthur left so abruptly that night. Merlin had assumed it was because of his incessant chatter about cats.

“What happened?” Merlin asked, his fingers anchored in Gwen’s fur. “I’ve worried about it all week long. I thought it was because I talked so much about cats. But now… this.”

“I panicked,” Arthur whispered, shifting to the side and letting his teeth graze over Merlin’s earlobe. “I didn’t know what to make of you. I knew you loved cats, but when you started going on about Gwen-”

“I do love cats,” Merlin said with a nod. “Maybe I love them too much. I shouldn’t have talked about them as much as I did if it drove you off.”

“No, Merlin, it wasn’t because of your love for cats,” Arthur said.

Merlin sighed. “But I do talk too much about-”

“No,” Arthur said. He caressed Merlin’s cheek with his forefinger, adding pressure so Merlin turned his attention away from Gwen to face Arthur. “You’re perfect, exactly as you are. I wouldn’t change your love for cats-not for anything. I wouldn’t change anything about you.”

Merlin felt his face grow warm under Arthur’s gaze. Arthur really did care about him, and it seemed that he cared about cats just as much. Arthur’s eyelids fluttered shut and he leaned toward Merlin, who was ever-mindful of Gwen, purring loudly in the protective circle of his arms. Arthur brushed his lips across Merlin’s. It was a little awkward for Merlin, who worried that Gwen would begin to squirm, but he managed to open his mouth enough to taste the wine on Arthur’s tongue and a hint of the dinner that they hadn’t quite finished downstairs.

Between Gwen’s purring and the sweep of Arthur’s tongue in his mouth, Merlin was overwhelmed. He closed his eyes and let go of his feelings for Arthur, showing him how he felt with his lips, his mouth, his tongue, until neither of them could breathe properly.

Arthur broke away first, with a furrowed brow. “I know this will sound dangerously paranoid, but I need to tell you,” he said cautiously. “On the train, I worried that Morgana was using you in order to get to Gwen.”

“Me?” Merlin asked.

“I’m so sorry to have doubted you,” Arthur said brushing the hair out of Merlin’s eyes. “I know she’ll stop at nothing to get Gwen from me and suddenly, there you were… and I was helpless to stop what I was feeling for you until-”

“Morgana wants Gwen?” Merlin asked, finally understanding what was at the crux of the sibling’s legal battle.

“Yes,” Arthur said, stroking Gwen’s fur. “She wants to take her from me and capitalize on everything I’ve done with her. Gwen was my father’s cat.”

“Oh?” Merlin said, surprised.

“I have no legal claim to her,” Arthur said. “My father hadn’t even owned Gwen for very long before he had his stroke. He had been lonely, living here by himself, and he thought a pet would be a good distraction.”

“She was your father’s cat, and you put her on the Internet?” Merlin asked, understanding that Gwen had only become a sensation over the past two years-two years that passed while Uther was hospitalized because of his stroke.

“I was bored,” Arthur said, one hand on Gwen while he stroked Merlin’s cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I stayed here, hoping for my father to recover. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. I finished up with the projects I had in New York and soon enough I had all my video equipment here. One day, Gwen jumped into a box. The rest is history.”

“You’re the one who started her YouTube channel,” Merlin said, his eyes bright with understanding.

“And her FaceBook page and her Twitter account, and her Tumblr... she’s kept me very busy,” Arthur said, petting Gwen’s head.

“I can imagine. When you made the video of her chasing the baseball,” Merlin started. He bit his bottom lip. “You knew I’d see it.”

“I wanted to give you some kind of sign. I felt bad about what happened on the train,” Arthur said, looking away. “I hoped you would see it and maybe understand why I felt like I needed to leave.”

Merlin turned in Arthur’s arms, nearly dropping Gwen in his agitation. “Arthur, you really thought I was working with Morgana?”

“When you mentioned Gwen,” Arthur said. “Again and again.” Arthur shook his head as if he couldn’t verbalize how shocked he had been that night.

“No, Arthur, never,” Merlin said, remembering Gilli’s story about Lucky the cat who went on to fame as Morris from 9-Lives and how Gilli’s grandmother suffered. “I could never be like Morgana. I’ll only ever use my love for cats to do good.”

“I know that now. But when we were on the train, I nearly asked you to come back here with me to spend the night. But, there was Gwen to consider,” Arthur said. “I couldn’t risk it. I didn’t know whether to trust you. You were acting silly. You were bumbling. With all that cat talk, I thought maybe you had slipped and blown your cover. I thought Morgana had sent you to me.”

“Never,” Merlin said, sandwiching Gwen between them.

“I know. I spent last Saturday with Morgana,” Arthur said. “I asked her about you.”

“I’ve met her while delivering documents, that’s all. I think I’ve been to her place almost as many times as I’ve been here,” Merlin said.

“She insisted that she had never met you before you started to deliver to her. I wasn’t sure whether to believe her, but she is my sister… I can usually tell when she’s lying, especially when she’s trying to be sneaky about something. I began to consider that you may not have been working with her. That’s why I made the video with the baseball.”

“You wanted me to see it,” Merlin breathed.

Arthur closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Merlin’s. “I missed you,” he said. “I couldn’t bear to think that I had hurt you. I knew I had to give you some kind of sign, something that would help you to figure out that Gwen and I were a team. I hoped you’d see it and think of me, and that you’d give me another chance.”

“I didn’t understand then, but I do now,” Merlin said.

“I called you Sunday morning, and every day after. I realized how my worst fears had taken over,” Arthur said. “I’m so sorry. Merlin, I swear that I’ll never let that happen again.”

“No, you did what you thought was right,” Merlin said, pressing a kiss to Gwen’s head. “You’re only looking out for Gwen’s best interests, Arthur, and I am too.”

“I’ve been so caught up in this legal battle with Morgana, I can’t think straight any more. She doesn’t care about Gwen, she just wants to use Gwen’s marketing power to make a fortune for herself.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Merlin said. “We can’t let Morgana turn Gwen into her servant for her own money-making scheme. We’ll stop her.”

Arthur hugged Merlin tight, until Gwen protested with a “Meow.”

“All right, I’ll put you down now,” Merlin told Gwen. “Just remember, you belong to Arthur. Maybe I can play with you and pet you sometimes, if Arthur will let me.”

Merlin gently set Gwen onto the floor, watching her four feet safely touch the plush carpeting.

When Merlin straightened up again, Arthur took his hand. “Of course I’ll let you,” he said, stepping closer to take up the space vacated by Gwen. Suddenly, Arthur smiled and looked toward the floor.

Merlin followed Arthur’s eyes to the carpeting where Gwen had flopped onto her side, rolling to expose her belly to her admirers.

“We’ll let you play here as often as you’d like,” Arthur said. “I hope you’ll become as important a part of my life as Gwen is.”

“I’d like that,” Merlin said, licking his lips. A shiver of anticipation tingled down his spine.

Arthur pulled him into a warm embrace and Merlin felt as if his heart would overflow. Today turned out to be better than he could ever have hoped for. Now, with Arthur’s assurance that last Friday’s sudden departure from the subway car was a terrible misunderstanding, a whole world of possibilities opened to him.

Merlin dipped his head and brushed his lips across Arthur’s jaw, tasting Arthur’s skin with a flick of his tongue. And then, because he could, he ran his fingers through Arthur’s golden hair and pressed soft kisses from beneath Arthur’s ear to the curve of his chin. He listened as Arthur moaned deeply, rubbing his smooth cheek across Merlin’s stubbly one when his hands slid over the curve of Merlin’s ass.

Merlin felt sexy and confident, unlike the sweaty bicycle messenger who choked on exhaust fumes as he pedaled through the grubby city streets. The tug of Arthur’s fingers tentatively fumbling with Merlin’s belt were a good indication that he was headed in the right direction.

Merlin’s cock swelled with desire as Arthur’s fingers brushed across the tented front of his shorts. Merlin cupped Arthur’s face with both hands, holding him steady as they kissed. After a moment, Merlin felt his belt come unbuckled. The two ends draped down on either side of his shorts, hanging by the belt-loops.

“Want you,” Arthur said, his eyes hooded and glazed with lust. He shoved his hands beneath the hem of Merlin’s shirt, few wisps of white cat hair from Gwen’s belly floating into the air.

Arthur’s lips devoured Merlin, nipping and licking at his mouth before delving in again. Merlin kissed back messily, sucking on Arthur’s tongue as it dipped into his mouth. Not for the first time, Merlin noticed that the room in which Gwen had been sequestered must have been Arthur’s bedroom. He recognized the walls and flooring from Gwen’s videos. The top of the dresser was littered with camera equipment and a tripod stood next to the closet door. Against the far wall, Arthur’s bed stood unmade, its resplendent crimson duvet hanging half off the bed and onto the floor.

Merlin felt Arthur’s cock pressing hard against his thigh. He hitched his hips forward to grind against it, seeking some relief from the surge of passion he felt thrumming through him. Arthur’s hands were strong and confident beneath Merlin’s shirt, tracing the muscles there and the soft hair that trailed low from his belly button to the waistband of his boxers.

Merlin groaned when Arthur rubbed the heel of his palm over his straining cock.

“You feel so good,” Arthur said, taking a breath while his lips were momentarily separated from Merlin’s.

Merlin closed his eyes and whined low as Arthur manhandled his cock through the fabric of his boxers. He tugged Arthur’s arm away and pulled him toward the bed, all the while avoiding Gwen who twined dangerously between their legs.

At the edge of the bed, a wrought iron monstrosity that must have belonged to Arthur’s late father, Merlin gently pushed Arthur so that he was sitting on the haphazardly-arranged duvet. He stepped into the space between Arthur’s knees, before claiming Arthur with another kiss.

“I want to see you,” Merlin whispered as his hands skated over Arthur’s back, his fingers bunching the fabric until he could grip the hem of Arthur’s polo.

Arthur shifted accommodatingly, lifting his arms, allowing Merlin to strip the shirt off him. Merlin dropped the shirt to the floor and gazed hungrily at Arthur’s naked chest.

Arthur was just as gorgeous as Merlin had imagined he would be. He touched his hands to Arthur’s shoulders and climbed onto the bed, straddling Arthur’s lap. When Arthur leaned back on his elbows, Merlin dipped his head to give Arthur’s nipple a soft bite, unable to resist its tantalizing power over him. He hummed happily as he felt it peak beneath the circles he traced over it with his tongue. The sensation of pleasure soon stopped Arthur’s hands from stroking Merlin’s flanks and made them rest on Merlin’s hips.

Merlin was so engrossed with what he was doing to Arthur’s nipple that he barely noticed when Arthur’s fingers dipped beneath the waistband of his shorts. He began to pant helplessly when Arthur slowly dragged the fabric downward, releasing Merlin’s fat cock from the confines of his clothing.

Merlin hesitantly drew his mouth away from Arthur’s chest, golden tan and kissed by the sun’s rays. He stood erect again and kicked off his sneakers, followed by his shorts. Then, he helped Arthur to divest him of his shirt, four hands tugging it in concert over his head and tossing it on the floor, where Gwen promptly made a bed of it, kneading her paws on the black fabric like a boss.

Merlin tried not to laugh, lest he get cock-blocked by the adorable cat. Instead, he concentrated on Arthur’s hands as they roved appreciatively over his naked chest, his thumbs swirling across his lightly haired nipples, making him keen quietly. Arthur leaned forward and brushed his lips across his stomach while his hands moved to his hips.

Carding his fingers through Arthur’s hair, Merlin was startled when he felt Arthur’s lips curl into a smile. He had undoubtedly noticed Gwen settling down for a nap on Merlin’s shirt.

Arthur looked up at Merlin and fought back a smirk. “I’ll get you your very own lint brush,” Arthur said with a grin.

Merlin choked out a laugh and pressed a kiss to the top of Arthur’s head. His cock leaked a thin line of anticipatory fluid along Arthur’s jaw, the shiny stream glistening in the lamplight. Merlin canted his hips, trying wordlessly to alert Arthur to his aching cock, but Arthur renewed his attention to Merlin’s stomach and flicked his tongue into Merlin’s belly button while his hands roamed over Merlin’s thighs.

“Merlin,” Arthur moaned, before swiping his tongue over the head of Merlin’s cock.

Merlin gave a little gasp of pleasure.

“Your thighs,” Arthur continued, breathing hard. “Let’s just say there’s no need to wonder if I’m gay when you see what your thighs are doing to me.”

“It’s from riding the bike all day. Do you like them?” Merlin asked.

“Like isn’t the word,” Arthur said. “The only way I’d like them any better is if they were wrapped around my waist while I fucked you senseless.”

Merlin could only shake his head and laugh with Arthur’s revelation. It seemed to be a sure thing with Merlin standing in front of him wearing nothing but his birthday suit.

Arthur wrapped his fingers around Merlin’s cock and sucked the head of it into his warm mouth. Merlin fought to keep himself from thrusting forward while Arthur looked up at him through his half-closed eyes. Merlin bit his lip as Arthur made a wet mess of his cock. Despite jerking off before leaving his apartment, Merlin knew he wouldn’t last long. Arthur’s shorts were the only thing that stood in the way of him getting the senseless fucking he was all but promised.

Merlin released a stuttered breath before drawing his cock away from Arthur’s mouth. He sank to his knees, ever-careful to avoid jostling Gwen from her sleeping place. “Let’s see what we can do about that.”

Arthur braced his hands on the edge of the bed while Merlin went to work on Arthur’s fly, the buttons testing his patience. When it became apparent that this wasn’t going to be a quick task, Merlin mouthed the fabric of Arthur’s fly, while his fingers struggled with the buttons.

Arthur’s frustration grew with every pass of Merlin’s tongue over the strained fabric. Finally, he nudged Merlin out of the way and worked the buttons himself. He toed off his shoes and yanked down his shorts while Merlin sat back on his heels. Freed from his clothing, Arthur pulled Merlin into his arms and fell backwards onto the bed.

Merlin relished the warmth of Arthur’s skin in the air-conditioned room. He drank Arthur in, peppering his skin with kisses everywhere his mouth could reach-his cock, his belly, his chest, his lips, as he crawled his way up to meet him.

“How is it that you are so adorable?” Arthur asked when Merlin stopping kissing so he could catch his breath. Arthur hitched a leg over Merlin’s hips, pulling him tighter with a flex of his muscles.

Merlin pressed closer to Arthur, their cocks aligned and slippery with clear slick.

As if on cue, Gwen leaped onto the bed. Merlin bit his lip and watched as Gwen made herself comfortable, padding around Arthur’s head. Instead of letting Gwen become a boner-killer, he rolled his hips into Arthur, searching for the perfect combination of friction and pressure.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Merlin anticipated that fucking with a cat in the bed was going to be the source of an endless stream of bawdy jokes. He knew he’d have to get used to the idea of having a feline audience for his and Arthur’s moments of passion. He supposed practice would make perfect, and he hoped he would have many such occasions to test his skill.

Arthur grinned knowingly at him, but Merlin would have none of it. He crushed his mouth to Arthur’s, closing his eyes to block Gwen from his view. They soon found a rhythm, Arthur’s hands squeezing and kneading the smooth globes of Merlin’s ass while Merlin rolled his hips. Merlin slid his fingers through Arthur’s hair as he rutted, uncontrollable now, on fire with the electricity of Arthur’s cock sliding against his own. He sucked Arthur’s tongue into his mouth, shuddered, and stilled as he felt the bloom of his orgasm soaking Arthur beneath him.

No, no, no! It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. He shimmied his way down Arthur’s body and took Arthur’s swollen cock into his mouth, the taste of his own release on his tongue. He sensed Arthur propping himself up on his elbows to watch. This only gave Merlin incentive to suck harder, hollowing his cheeks as he stroked Arthur’s cock with both hands, his elbows pressing with what had to be uncomfortable force into Arthur’s thighs. He let his thumbs slide down to stroke Arthur’s balls firmly.

Merlin glanced at Arthur’s face, contorted with the ache of pleasure, his eyes so dark with lust that Merlin could no longer discern that they were blue.

Just then, Arthur gave a warning cry and bit down on his lip as he flooded Merlin’s mouth with his come. While Arthur panted out Merlin’s name, Merlin closed his eyes and swallowed as much as he could, holding Arthur’s cock with one hand and stroking his thigh with the other. Merlin watched the quivering muscles of Arthur’s stomach, their tiny convulsions diminishing as Merlin licked Arthur’s cock clean, the combination of both of their tastes in his mouth. He felt Arthur’s head slump back into the pillow as if displacing the sleeping and uninterested cat was an afterthought.

Gwen meowed and leaped onto the floor.

“Now she decides to jump off the bed,” Merlin whispered with a grin.

Arthur gave a little laugh, his spent cock hanging loosely at the crease between his thigh and his balls. Merlin stayed where he was, brushing the scruff of his cheek along the sensitive skin of Arthur’s inner thighs, making Arthur moan softly through the aftershocks.

“You like that?” Merlin asked, his voice rough.

“Hmm…” Arthur hummed in reply.

“I’m going to have to stop shaving,” Merlin said, biting down gently on the firm flesh. He felt Gwen brushing up against his feet as they hung off the edge of the bed.

He gave Arthur’s thigh one more bite and slipped off the bed to follow Gwen into the adjoining bathroom. While she busied herself in the litterbox, Merlin ran the tap until the water was warm. He looked in the linen closet and found a washcloth which he soaked under the stream of water. He grinned at his reflection in the mirror, the splotchy flush of sex cascading from his neck to below his nipples. After taking a quick pee, he wiped himself off and returned to the bed with the freshened washcloth to clean the stickiness off Arthur.

He hummed as he worked, wiping off the mess they had both made. When he was almost satisfied that the skin of Arthur’s private parts was pink and unsoiled again, Arthur got hold of his arm and hauled him further up the bed.

Merlin collapsed onto his side and tugged the duvet over them. Arthur enthusiastically pressed a kiss to Merlin’s lips. His eyes were bright and he looked like a kid who woke up to find exactly what he wanted under the Christmas tree. Merlin nuzzled his cheek into the space between Arthur’s neck and the pillow. It had to be nearly midnight and the mere thought of the long day he had just finished sent Merlin to yawning.

Arthur crooked his neck and touched his lips to Merlin’s hair. Beneath the covers, Merlin slid his bare foot over Arthur’s calf. He was nearly asleep when he felt Arthur pull away for a moment as he turned off the bedside lamp. The warmth returned soon enough, when Arthur’s arms wrapped around Merlin and held him close while they slept.

=^.^= )

“Rise and shine,” Arthur’s voice called to Merlin in his dreams.

Merlin stretched his long limbs in the luxurious bed. It was much softer than the futon where he was accustomed to sleeping. He smiled at how cozy and cool the sheets felt, despite the humidity of summer that he knew lurked outside. His fingers smoothed Gwen’s fur, while she dozed beside him.

And what was that, he smelled?

Chocolate?

He licked his lips where the sweet morsel intruded on his dream.

It was so realistic, he nearly-

“Arthur?” Merlin asked, blinking his eyes open to the morning light that filtered through the drapes.

Arthur knelt on the bed beside him, holding a forkful of chocolate cake to Merlin’s mouth. “Go ahead, take a bite,” he said.

“Usually I just have oatmeal,” Merlin said, sleepy-voiced, taking a bite of the chocolate anyway.

“You need to keep up your strength,” Arthur said with a sly grin.

Merlin swallowed the cake. He shifted position so he was sitting, and only then did he realize that Arthur was naked.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Merlin asked, ogling Arthur’s perfect cock within licking distance.

“I haven’t been up for too long,” Arthur said, casting a glance toward Gwen. “Besides, I didn’t have the heart to wake you. You were snoring so loud you woke Gwen up.”

“Oh, sorry,” Merlin cringed. There was nothing more appalling than having a new lover inform him that he snored. Next time, he’d drink a bit less wine. Still, Gwen seemed no worse for wear. She lay on her back, her face upside down from Merlin’s perspective.

Arthur dug the fork into the cake and took another bite, licking his lips before offering Merlin another forkful.

“What time is it?” Merlin asked, glancing around for a bedside alarm clock.

Gwen blinked and chirruped at him before flipping over to stand up.

“Relax,” Arthur said, sidling up the bed so he sat next to Merlin. “It’s only eight. There’s plenty of time to do whatever you’d like today.”

Merlin ran a hand down his stubbled face and groaned. “We left such a mess downstairs. I’ll help you clean up, just as soon as I-”

“No need,” Arthur said snuggling closer to Merlin. “I’ve already updated Gwen’s FaceBook with what she ate for breakfast-”

“Oh, Gwen, I’m sorry I missed that,” Merlin said to the cat who arched her back and stretched.

“And I tweeted to her followers, and cleaned up the dishes from last night’s dinner-there’s plenty of leftovers, by the way. Oh, and I made dessert.”

“Dessert, even,” Merlin said fondly, his cock showing signs of interest, seeing he was naked and in bed with Arthur. “You’re amazing.”

Arthur scooped another bite of cake onto the fork and offered it to Merlin. “Nothing to it, really. It’s one of those lava cakes,” he said. “You just pop it into the microwave for a minute and it cooks up all gooey.”

“Delicious,” Merlin said, wiping the corner of his mouth with his finger.

“I didn’t have time to plan a proper dessert for last night, but I had this on hand,” Arthur said, setting the plate on the bedside table.

“I think the kind of dessert we had last night was better than anything you could bake,” Merlin said coyly, planting a kiss on Arthur’s bare hip.

“Me too,” Arthur said, dropping the fork onto the empty plate. “I propose that we spend the rest of the day in bed.”

Arthur snuck a hand beneath the covers and slowly slid it over Merlin’s morning erection.

Merlin moaned and pulled Arthur on top of him, trapping him with his legs wrapped around his waist.

“Nrgh,” Merlin said when Arthur kissed him on the mouth. “No fair, you already got cleaned up. I can taste your toothpaste.”

“Oh,” Arthur said, licking the end of Merlin’s nose. “I brought your bag up, in case you wanted to freshen up. That’s a very interesting DVD you brought to share with me.”

Merlin blushed fifty shades of red. How was he to have known that while he had the DVD of Gwen’s antics, Arthur had the real thing? Gwen in the flesh… err… fur. “You looked in my bag?” Merlin asked in disbelief.

“Sorry, I was nosy,” Arthur giggled unapologetically.

“So disrespectful,” Merlin said, tightening his hold around Arthur’s waist, Arthur’s cock leaking a clear droplet as it hung down to touch Merlin’s.

“Oww, you’re going to crush me,” Arthur yelped. “You’re right. It was very disrespectful of me.”

“See to it that it doesn’t happen again,” Merlin said, releasing his grip.

“Can you ever forgive me?” Arthur asked, kissing his way down Merlin’s chest. “I’m so looking forward to using the condoms you brought.”

“You are insufferable,” Merlin laughed. “It’s one thing to peek in my bag, but another to make fun of its contents.”

“I’m sorry, I swear I’ll make it up to you,” Arthur said.

“You do a lot of apologizing, don’t you-” Merlin’s thoughts were cut off when Arthur sucked his nipple into his mouth. A jolt of voltaic energy sizzled through Merlin’s body from his nipple to his cock. His legs wrapped around Arthur’s waist again while he tried to catch his breath.

“You were saying?” Arthur asked, shifting onto his knees and taking Merlin’s cock in hand.

“Arthur…” Merlin panted.

Arthur only smiled and wrapped his hand around both their cocks, stroking them to a shuddering completion.

After a ridiculous amount of cuddling, the likes of which Merlin had not experienced in a very long while, they hit the shower and wandered downstairs for something more nutritious than lava cake.

“I’m not much help with the cooking,” Merlin said. “But I insist that I help you to clean up. I don’t want to overstay my welcome. Isn’t that right, Gwen?”

Gwen was perched on the arm of the butter-soft leather sofa in Arthur’s living room. Since she had furred up Merlin’s black shirt, Arthur had kindly lent him one of his own. The crimson color did nothing for Merlin’s appearance, but it felt nice to be wearing something that smelled of Arthur’s laundry soap and a little bit like Arthur himself.

Arthur shooed Merlin out of the kitchen after announcing that he would be making omelets. He invited Merlin to amuse himself with more of the CD collection. Merlin browsed through the CDs. My Morning Jacket… that sounded like something cheery for breakfast time. He put the CD into the player, sent a quick text to Gwaine to let him know he was alive, and perused the magazines that were strewn across the coffee table.

GQ, Sports Illustrated, Bay Windows, an L.L. Bean and an Abercrombie catalogue rounded out the pile. Merlin flipped through Bay Windows. His subscription had ended when Cenred left and he never bothered to renew it. He wondered if there was anything good playing over at Loew’s. Would Arthur like to see an action flick, or would he prefer something more dramatic? He turned to the movie section and scanned the features.

“Is wheat toast okay?” Arthur called from the kitchen.

“What?” Merlin could barely hear Arthur. He tossed the magazine on the coffee table and went to the stereo to turn down the volume.

“White or wheat? Arthur asked again, popping his head out of the kitchen.

“Wheat’s good,” Merlin replied.

“Okay, it’ll be ready in a couple minutes,” Arthur said.

“Great,” Merlin said. “Are you sure I can’t do anything to help?”

“I’ve got it all under control,” Arthur said.

Merlin grinned. He could get used to having a boyfriend who was as talented in bed as he was in the kitchen.

When Merlin turned back to the sofa, he saw that Gwen had jumped to the coffee table. Of course, she was sitting on the exact place in the magazine where Merlin had been reading.

“You silly girl,” Merlin said, giving Gwen a scratch on the head.

“What did she do?” asked Arthur who was busily setting the table for breakfast.

Merlin laughed. “She sat her ass down right where I was reading.”

Gwen obliviously licked her front paw clean. Arthur walked over and wrapped his arms around Merlin from behind.

“Well, you know what they say about cats and how intelligent they are,” Arthur said.

“What’s that?” Merlin asked, reaching up to squeeze Arthur’s hand.

“They’re so intelligent, that they can read through their bums,” Arthur said confidently.

Merlin burst out laughing.

In the kitchen, the bell sounded from the toaster.

“Breakfast is ready,” Arthur said giving Merlin a squeeze before letting go.

Merlin went to the dining room and poured the orange juice while Arthur carried the plates to the table. It turned out that Arthur really was a good cook. While Merlin usually settled for a Pop-Tart, or oatmeal if he was feeling really health-conscious, Arthur made them each a fluffy omelet stuffed with cheese and diced tomato.

Merlin had taken a few bites of his omelet, when Gwen leaped gracefully onto the table.

Merlin looked at Arthur.

“Umm…” Arthur said.

Merlin squinted his eyes closed and tried not to laugh. “Let me guess,” he said. “You actually let your cat sit on the table while you eat?”

“Hey, I’m usually alone here,” Arthur said. “I never saw the need to displace her… umm… until now.”

“No,” Merlin said, reaching across the table to caress Arthur’s hand. “I do the same thing when I’m home. My mother has a fit because I don’t make Aithusa get off the table when I’m eating.”

Arthur smiled and shook his head.

“It’s something only a real cat lover would do,” Merlin said.

“I suppose,” Arthur said. And then he turned to Gwen and added, “You truly know how to embarrass me, young lady. How about if I get you a box? That’ll keep you out of our way for a few minutes.”

Arthur got up from the table and went to a cupboard in the kitchen. Gwen knew something was up. She jumped off the table and went into the kitchen to look for Arthur.

“Here you go,” Arthur said.

He slid a box across the smooth wooden floor of the living room. Gwen romped after it, leaping inside.

“That’ll keep her busy,” he said, returning to his chair. “Eat up. When we’re done, I’ll let you look at her kitten pictures.”

Merlin could barely focus on eating. It was absolutely surreal to him that he was having a breakfast that was prepared by his gorgeous lover, while Gwen-THE Gwen of Internet fame, the cutest cat in the world-played with a box nearby.

They finished eating and Merlin began to clear the table. Arthur was a prat and insisted on helping, even though that wasn’t part of their deal.

“I do know how to load a dishwasher,” Merlin said.

“I don’t doubt your abilities at operating machinery,” Arthur said, rinsing another plate. “After all, you ride that bicycle all over town. If you can do something that dangerous, surely you can add soap and press the on button.”

Merlin flicked the water from the faucet so it splashed Arthur. Unfortunately, Gwen was underfoot. At the first drop of water, she scampered along the floor, her nails scritching the tile as she struggled to get enough purchase to run out of the room.

“Oh, no,” Merlin said. “Now I’ve pissed your cat off.”

“Don’t feel badly about it,” Arthur said. “I piss her off at least a dozen times a day and she loves me just the same.”

When they were finished with the dishes, Arthur took Merlin’s hand and led him to the living room.

“I wonder where Gwen has run off to,” Merlin said.

“She’ll be back. She’s probably just hiding under the bed,” Arthur said. He slumped down onto the sofa and pulled Merlin onto his lap.

Merlin went willingly, and twined his arms around Arthur’s neck. He was pretty sure that he wasn’t heavy enough to give Arthur a cramp by sitting on him. No, Arthur’s thighs were sturdy in their own right, despite not riding a bike every day. Merlin shifted so he was more comfortable.

“So,” Merlin said, “got any plans for the rest of the morning?”

Arthur nosed his way beneath the dark locks that curled behind Merlin’s ear. “That’s up to you,” Arthur said. “I promised you a look at Gwen’s kitten pictures… unless you have a better idea.” He licked a few tentative times at Merlin’s neck, then he sucked at Merlin’s soft fleshy earlobe, which made Merlin squirm in a fit of laughter.

Merlin thought his squirming would get him safely out of the way, but instead it only served to expose the long pale swath of his neck to Arthur’s relentless tongue. He felt Arthur’s cock stiffening beneath him.

“Mmmm…” Merlin moaned, smitten by Arthur and his playful ways. “Whatever you’re going to do, you’d better get on with it because I can’t stay all day.”

“No?” Arthur asked. “Why not? Some other cat owner to seduce?”

“Something like that,” Merlin said. “I promised to volunteer at the MSPCA later today. I hope Gwen won’t mind if I give some attention to cats less fortunate than her.”

“I’m sure Gwen appreciates your kindness to her people,” Arthur said. “Did you know that Gwen came from the MSPCA?”

Suddenly, it sounded like a herd of elephants were stampeding across the bedroom on the upper level. Gwen bounded down the stairs and leaped onto the sofa.

“There you are,” Arthur said, petting Gwen’s head. “Merlin was getting worried about you.”

Apparently, all had been forgiven after the splashing incident, because Gwen padded across the sofa and stepped onto Merlin’s lap.



“She likes you again,” Arthur said, petting Merlin’s hair with one hand and Gwen with the other.

“Do you like treating me like a cat, too?” Merlin asked, ducking his head out of the way of Arthur’s hand.

“Why not?” asked Arthur. “I like to try to make you purr.”

Merlin rolled his eyes and tried not to move while Gwen settled onto his lap. Gwen gingerly kneaded her paws onto Merlin’s chest, rubbing her face against his chin.

“She’s marking you as her territory,” Arthur said, his voice husky in Merlin’s ear.

Merlin beamed.

“I hope she knows that she’s making me very jealous,” Arthur said. “Such audacity… trying to claim you as her own.”

“Oh really?” Merlin asked. “And what are you going to do about it?”

“I need to find a way to mark you for myself,” Arthur said, sucking a Merlin’s neck hard enough to raise a bruise to Merlin’s skin.

Merlin wanted to flip over and let Arthur fuck him right into the sofa. He was pretty sure Arthur was thinking the same thing since his cock had grown rock-hard as it poked into Merlin’s backside. Suddenly a chime sounded, disturbing Merlin’s thoughts and making Gwen leap off Merlin’s belly.

“It’s the front desk,” Arthur said, catching his breath. “I should find out what they want.”

“Go ahead,” Merlin panted. He climbed out of Arthur’s lap and planted his feet on the floor.

Arthur went to the kitchen and spoke over the intercom with the front desk. Merlin couldn’t hear what was being said, but he used the opportunity to will his erection down, just in case Arthur had a visitor.

“It’s my uncle, Agravaine,” Arthur said, returning to Merlin. “He said he needed to come up for a minute.”

Merlin smoothed his hands down his front, taking any wrinkles out of the shirt he borrowed from Arthur.

“He says he was in the neighborhood and he has something for me,” Arthur said, adjusting himself.

“Are you out to him?” Merlin asked, rubbing the hickey on his neck, feeling self-conscious.

Arthur put his arms around Merlin, and leaned close so that their foreheads touched. “I’m okay with who I am,” Arthur said. “And I know you are, too. We’ll just play it by ear, okay?”

“Okay,” Merlin said. “I just wouldn’t want to create a conflict between you and your family.”

“I’m not worried,” Arthur said. “Agravaine is a good guy.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Arthur pressed a kiss to Merlin’s forehead and answered the door.

“Arthur, good to see you,” Agravaine said, stepping into the apartment. Merlin thought he looked nothing like Arthur. He was dark-haired and round-faced, nothing like the golden-haired Arthur with his fine jawline and sculptured nose.

“You too, Uncle,” Arthur said, embracing the man. “Uncle, this is my friend, Merlin.”

Merlin waved from the living room, but Agravaine strode into the room and shook Merlin’s hand briskly.

“Nice to meet you, Merlin. Well, I have these stock certificates to drop off,” Agravaine said, waving a manila envelope at Arthur. “And it just so happens that I have something else that might interest you both.”

“What’s that?” Arthur asked, leaning against the door frame.

Merlin watched while Agravaine pulled two tickets from his pocket.

“Sox tickets?” Arthur asked, taking them out of Agravaine’s hand. He looked dumbfounded. “Against the Rays, tomorrow?”

“I can’t use them and I didn’t want to give them to just anyone,” Agravaine said. “Your sister mentioned that you were a fan.”

“I’m starting to like the looks of the team this year. In fact, we went to a game just last weekend,” Arthur said, nodding at Merlin.

“Yeah, it was a lot of fun,” Merlin said, mostly to make small talk.

“Well, if you’re not doing anything tomorrow afternoon, you’re welcome to them,” Agravaine said.

“It sounds good to me. How about you?” Arthur asked, glancing at Merlin.

“I don’t have any plans,” Merlin said.

“Well, thanks a lot,” Arthur said to his uncle. “We’ll be thinking of you when we’re rooting for the team and chowing down junk food.”

“I wish I could have used them myself,” Agravaine said. “Perhaps another time. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other errands to run today.”

Arthur saw Agravaine to the door, and closed it behind him.

“What luck,” Arthur said, a big grin on his face. “People try for months to get Sox tickets and they just fall into my lap.”

“It’s like magic,” Merlin said, slipping his arms around Arthur’s waist.

“It is,” Arthur said, kissing Merlin on the lips. Arthur steered Merlin backwards, stumbling over his feet as they moved toward the sofa.

“Now, where were we?” Merlin asked, falling back onto the cool leather. He stretched out long and beckoned Arthur into his open arms.

Arthur dove on top of him and settled between Merlin’s legs. He reached his hands underneath the borrowed shirt and traced his fingers over Merlin’s treasure trail. “I believe I was going to see how many times I could make you come before you had to leave for your homeless cat duties,” Arthur said.

And he set out to accomplish just that.

=^.^= )

“Hey, Merlin, I’m so glad you came,” Gilli said, stepping out from behind the counter at the MSPCA.

“I’ve been looking forward to this all week,” Merlin said, rubbing his hands together, trying to look excited.

“Well, you’re crazy if you expect me to believe you’ve anticipated scooping litterboxes for an entire week,” Gilli said, smacking him on the arm. “Even I don’t love my job that much.”

“Oh, sure you do,” Merlin said. “You’ve got the best job in the world.”

“If you say so,” Gilli said. “Come on, I’ll get you a volunteer badge and show you what needs to be done.”

Merlin followed Gilli into the utility area and tried to pay attention to his instructions. He was still riding high from spending the previous night and half the day with Arthur. He didn’t have the heart to tell Gilli about his new boyfriend, or that he woke up this morning with Gwen, THE Gwen, in bed next to him. He hoped the lip balm he had applied would calm the rough red of his kiss-chapped lips. And he hoped Gilli wouldn’t notice the scratches on his arms from rough-housing with Gwen or the hickey that Arthur had left on his neck.

“The first thing you’ll want to do is make the rounds of all the cat adoption room and scoop the boxes,” Gilli said. He showed Merlin a tub full of soapy water. “The litter scoopers are in here, soaking in disinfectant. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and fish one out. Rinse it off and give it a shake, then you’re ready to go digging for buried treasure.”

“Sounds like fun,” Merlin said.

“Glad to see you’re in a good mood today,” Gilli said as they entered the first room of cats.

Merlin couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for long. “It was a good weekend,” he said, as he sifted through the sandy litter and dropped the cat waste into the five gallon bucket that Gilli carried.

“Yeah, it was a good one for me too,” Gilli said, his smile brighter than Merlin had ever remembered seeing it.

“Yeah?” Merlin asked.

“Met a girl,” Gilli said, raising his eyebrows.

“Well, good for you,” Merlin said. He was a little bothered by his gaydar malfunction, but he was happy for Gilli. The guy seemed depressed most of the time and a new girlfriend might be just the thing he needed to perk him up.

“It’s someone who works at your place,” Gilli nodded.

“Freya?” Merlin choked, thinking of the only female employee of Kilgharrah Kourier.

“That’s the one,” Gilli said dreamily. “Met her out clubbing last night and we really hit it off. I’m going back to her place again for dinner tonight.”

”Back, to her place again? You sly dog! Er… no pun intended,” Merlin said to the cats who roamed around them. It was inconceivable to him that Freya’s snark would go over well with sensitive Gilli, but sometimes opposites attracted.

“Yeah, she spoke highly of you, if you must know,” Gilli said. “Told me all about her scheme to get you together with a guy you liked.”

Merlin shook his head. “Enjoy tonight with Freya while you can, friend, because I’m going to kill her when I see her on Monday morning.”

“She means well,” Gilli said with a grin. “Besides, her plan must have worked, right? You’re together now?”

“It doesn’t matter, I’m still going to kill her,” Merlin said. He was surprised that Freya had outed him to Gilli, but he supposed it was a good indication that she was serious about him. Freya wasn’t known for sinking her claws so deeply into the first random pick-up she came across in a bar.

They moved on to the next cat room, where more felines frolicked on the cat furniture.

“He has a cat,” Merlin said, careful to avoid stepping on an orange stray who wove between his ankles.

“That’s perfect! Freya didn’t tell me that,” Gilli said excitedly, while Merlin dug through a litterbox for cat poop.

“Freya doesn’t know everything,” Merlin said, dropping his quarry into the bucket. “She does like cats, though. You two will get along fine.”

They headed back to the utility room. Gilli sealed the bucket and showed Merlin how to disinfect the litter scooper.

“What kind of cat does he have?” Gilli asked.

Merlin rolled his eyes. He really didn’t know whether he should be sharing, with Gilli of all people, the fact that he was falling in love with Gwen’s owner.

“She’s a big fat tabby,” Merlin said. “With white.”

“Sounds cute,” Gilli said. “She must look like Gwen.”

“Yeah,” Merlin said. “In fact, she looks exactly like Gwen.”

=^.^= )

Sunday afternoon’s game had barely made it into the third inning when the skies opened up. The ground crew scurried to cover the field, while the players and fans alike ran for cover as the rain hailed down from the unexpected thunderstorm. At the top of the stands, a bottleneck of fans had formed, rushing to get beneath the shelter of the concession area. Merlin bided his time climbing the concrete steps, fat raindrops matting his hair and soaking his shirt.

Don and Jerry did their best in the broadcast booth to assure the crowd that play would resume after a brief rain delay, but Merlin knew as well as anyone that it could be hours before the Sox took the field again.

“Hey,” Arthur whispered into Merlin’s ear as he followed him up the stairs. “We don’t have to wait around if you don’t want to.” The cool droplets trickled from his rain-darkened hair, splashing Merlin’s neck.

“They’re your tickets,” Merlin said, turning his head so Arthur could hear him over the groans of the slow-moving crowd and the raindrops that pelted the empty seats. “I don’t want to make you miss the rest of the game. You wanted to see it-you like Tampa.”

“You’re my guest,” Arthur said, his hands warm on Merlin’s waist. “It’s your call. We can stay until the rain stops, or maybe we can find something else to do.”

Merlin glanced around nervously. He hoped that no one else in the stadium could detect the subtle grind of Arthur’s erect cock nudging his backside as they climbed the stairs.

“I’ve seen baseball games before,” Merlin said, raising his eyebrows.

Ten minutes later they tumbled into the back seat of a taxi on Brookline Avenue.

“Downtown Crossing,” Arthur told the driver.

“Arthur?” Merlin asked. They hadn’t discussed whose apartment would be the destination for the night, and Merlin was a little shocked that Arthur would want to see his tiny studio apartment when the posh Devonshire had every amenity he could imagine. “What are you thinking?”

“Tell me what street you live on,” Arthur said.

“No, really,” Merlin said. He clasped Arthur’s hand. “Let’s go back to The Devonshire. It’s so much nicer than mine.”

“Come on, Merlin,” Arthur said. “I want you to show me where you live.”

“What about Gwen?” Merlin whispered, as if saying her name was the biggest secret he’d ever had to keep. He hated the thought of the taxi driver overhearing him.

“I fed her before we left,” Arthur said, squeezing Merlin’s hand. “She’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Merlin asked. He calmed himself, remembering that he had nothing to hide, unlike Arthur and his secret cat when Merlin had first been to his apartment. He supposed he could entertain Arthur at his small place.

“Take me home,” Arthur said, letting his head rest on Merlin’s shoulder.

“Eight-hundred Otis Street,” Merlin announced to the taxi driver.

They ran through the rain and climbed the stairs to Merlin’s apartment, laughing all the way. Merlin’s heat-damp skin made his shirt cling to his torso, but that didn’t stop Arthur’s fingers from pinching and tugging their way under the fabric to pet the hot flesh.

Merlin got the key into the lock on the third try.

Quickly, Merlin kicked off his sneakers and turned on the air conditioner, grateful that the room hadn’t yet heated up since he left it only a few hours earlier. He tugged Arthur toward the futon, stripping off his own rain-soaked shirt along the way. Goosebumps raised on his clammy skin when the cool air struck him.

Arthur barely glanced around at the apartment. His gaze fixed on Merlin as he peeled off his shirt so they were both bare-chested.

Arthur stepped forward until their chests collided. Merlin put his hands around Arthur’s waist, then stroked firmly across Arthur’s back as he lowered him onto the futon. He helped Arthur to remove his shoes, each one dropping with a soft thud onto the carpeted floor. Merlin pushed Arthur onto his back and kissed along the soft swirls of hair that led from Arthur’s waistband to his navel. His fingers tried to make sense of Arthur’s fly, a top button and a zipper this time. Success came easily and Merlin felt Arthur gently pull on his hair, urging him to slide farther up the futon.

Merlin obliged and pressed open-mouthed kisses to Arthur’s throat, one hand slipping into the open fly of Arthur’s shorts. Arthur gasped when Merlin rubbed his thumb over the tip of his cock, the slippery droplets easing out of him with Merlin’s every kiss.

Merlin let his teeth graze Arthur’s earlobe. He followed his teeth with a lick of his tongue and then whispered into Arthur’s ear, “Can I fuck you?”

Arthur wordlessly moaned and arched his back so he drove his hard cock into Merlin’s palm. He rolled onto his side, took Merlin’s face between both of his hands and crushed their mouths together, saliva mingling with each thrust of his tongue.

Merlin took that as a yes.

When he next caught his breath, Merlin scrambled across the futon and fished through an end table drawer for condoms and lube. He could hear the rustle of clothing behind him as Arthur stripped off his shorts and boxers, flopping naked onto his back where Merlin had left him.

Merlin got to his feet and stood at the end of the futon. He licked his lips, his eyes focused on Arthur. With the condoms and lube in one hand, he flicked open the button to his shorts with the thumb of his other and inched his zipper downward.

Merlin knew Arthur liked what he saw. He lay there, languidly stroking his cock, waiting for Merlin to finish his impromptu striptease.

Merlin shoved his shorts down and stepped out of them, his cock heavy, jutting out from its nest of dark hair. He then climbed back on the futon and arranged Arthur’s legs so he could settle between them. Arthur looked wrecked, his hair matted and plastered awkwardly to his forehead, his eyes half open, and lips kissed raw.

Merlin rested his palm on Arthur’s thigh.

The rain came down in torrents, streaking the window so it became opaque, sheltering them from the view of the city outside.

Arthur released his hold on his cock and reached for Merlin’s hand. His fingers brushed across Merlin’s knuckles.

“Just take it slow,” Arthur said. “It’s been a while.”

Merlin nodded and sunk his teeth into his lower lip. It had been a while for him too, and he sensed that Arthur knew it. He began stroking Arthur’s thigh reassuringly, smoothing and quieting the twitch of muscles that lurched in the electric current that sparked between them. With his other hand, Merlin flipped the cap of the lube open. Arthur watched as he squeezed the lube onto two of his slender fingers.

Merlin cupped Arthur’s balls in his hand, gently lifting them out of his way. Arthur’s cock clearly enjoyed the attention, leaking a strand of clear slick onto Arthur’s belly.

“Well, that’s a shame isn’t it?” Merlin whispered, tracing a firm circle around Arthur’s tightly furled opening. “Gorgeous creature that you are.”

Arthur’s breath hitched as Merlin pressed in and waited.

“You deserve to have someone make love to you every day,” Merlin said, quiet.

When Arthur breathed again, Merlin’s fingers moved deftly, sliding in and out, the squelch of the lube blending with the sound of the rain, pitter-pattering atop the air conditioner. Arthur shifted his legs so they nearly wrapped around Merlin’s waist. Merlin built up to a lazy trance-like rhythm that matched Arthur’s breath, catching the rim as the intensity grew, adding more fingers when he could.

Arthur was tight. Merlin lost himself in the motion of his fingers, willing himself to be patient as he imagined sinking into the impossible heat that surrounded him. Merlin wanted to ask Arthur if he was ready, but Arthur suddenly moaned and urgently gripped the base of his cock to stop himself from coming. Merlin stilled his fingers and let them glide out of Arthur.

Merlin reached for a condom and tore the package open with his teeth. Arthur looked on while Merlin gave himself a few quick strokes before rolling the condom onto his cock. Merlin shifted his knees so his sheathed cock head touched Arthur’s glistening entrance. Without any warning, Arthur tightened the hold of his legs, urging Merlin to move forward. Merlin’s mouth hung open. He gripped Arthur’s thighs and slowly pressed into Arthur.

Merlin pinched his eyes shut tight, trying to control the urge to thrust, thrust, thrust into Arthur’s perfect ass. He inched forward and back, letting the slow ache build inside him again, growing hot in his loins until finally he could no longer ignore it. This was going to be over quickly.

Arthur huffed out a breath. He reached for Merlin’s hands and pulled Merlin on top of him, kissing him hard. He tangled his fingers in Merlin’s hair, urging him closer. The grip of Arthur’s legs eased and tightened with Merlin’s thrusts, Arthur’s cock trapped between them.

Merlin kissed Arthur more slowly than before, just the slightest pressure of lips and tongue. He wanted it to last. He tried to keep things slow, one hand anchored to the futon near Arthur’s shoulder, while his other hand mapped Arthur’s chest.

When Arthur stopped writhing and arched into him with a groan, Merlin knew he couldn't stop the rush of his own orgasm from erupting. His balls drew up tight and he let the wave of passion roll over him just as he felt Arthur lose control. He collapsed onto Arthur, who took his time untangling his legs from where they gripped Merlin.

A flash of lightning illuminated the room and before the crash of thunder echoed, Merlin knew how he wanted to spend the rest of the night.

=^.^= )

“Shit, it’s my mother,” Merlin said, looking at the display on his phone. He refilled Arthur’s coffee mug and returned the pot to the burner.

“You’re not going to answer it?” Arthur asked, looking up from his toast and jam.

“No. But she’s probably worried sick since I didn’t call her over the weekend. I’ll call her back,” Merlin said, fixing to tap the key.

Arthur reached across the table and grabbed Merlin’s wrist. “Wait,” he said.

Merlin’s eyes flickered toward Arthur. “Wait for what?” He walked around the table and stroked Arthur’s cheek. “You can’t be ready to go again. As it is, I’m going to have to get Mass General to give me intravenous fluids to replace what you sucked out of me.”

Arthur grinned. “No, not that,” he said, pulling Merlin onto his lap, making him yelp. “Although I could be ready if you give me a minute.”

“Some of us have to go to work this morning,” Merlin said, wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck. “What then?”

Arthur spoke as he kissed along Merlin’s jawline. “You might want to tell her that you’d like to bring a date to her wedding.”

“Is that so?” Merlin asked. “Do I know anyone who would want to attend such an affair?”

“I think you do,” Arthur said, his tongue darting out to lick Merlin’s earlobe. “Someone with a brilliant smile, a perfect physique, shiny hair -”

“Gwaine?” Merlin asked.

Arthur poked Merlin in the ribs, making his squirm with laughter.

“Guess again,” Arthur said.

“Umm…” Merlin hummed. He let his fingers play over Arthur’s shoulders, the fabric stretched tight over his muscled arms. “Someone who I was kind enough to let borrow a shirt from me this morning so he doesn’t have to do a walk of shame back to The Devonshire wearing his wrinkled shirt from last night?”

“That’s the one,” Arthur said.

“I see,” Merlin said. He slid his palm down Arthur’s arm and took his hand. He brought Arthur’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “Would you do me the honor of being my guest at my mother’s wedding?”

“It would be my pleasure,” Arthur said.

Ten minutes later, Merlin kissed Arthur goodbye. He had two minutes to call his mother and tell her he had a date for the wedding. He sealed the Velcro of his bike shoes while he gave her the good news. She was delighted and wanted to know all the details, but Merlin had no time to spare. He assured her they’d talk more soon. With a glance at the time before he shoved his phone into his pocket, he ran down the stairs so he could meet Gwaine at Starbucks for their walk to work. He made it with twenty seconds to spare.

“Looking good this morning, Emrys,” Gwaine said, punching Merlin’s fist. “Not too sore to walk to work, I see?”

“I think I’ll make it… barely,” Merlin laughed, shaking his head as they waited in line to order their coffees. “But enough about my sex life-did you ever figure out any more from watching Gwen videos at my place?”

Merlin could barely contain his enthusiasm. He knew he’d never be able to keep Gwen a secret from Gwaine. In fact, he doubted he’d make it two blocks past Starbucks before he spilled the beans.

“No, I watched a few more videos and then I locked up for the night,” Gwaine said.

Gwaine ordered his usual concoction with more sugar and additives than coffee itself, but for the first time in months he ordered hot coffee instead of iced. The rain had cooled the city air and the call of blue jays reminded Merlin that it would soon be fall.

“Well,” Merlin said when they got outside. “What would you say if I told you that I knew not only what city Gwen lived in, but I also knew her owner?”

“Wait,” Gwaine said, blowing on his coffee. “You know her owner?”

“Intimately,” Merlin added with a grin.

Gwaine spun around on the sidewalk. “No fucking way!” he shouted.

“You are sworn to secrecy, Gwaine,” Merlin said, eyeing the crowd of pedestrians.

“Of course. I pinkie swear it!” Gwaine said, holding out his pinkie for Merlin to lock it with his.

“I got to meet her and everything,” Merlin said, the relief of being able to tell Gwaine.

“I don’t know what to say,” Gwaine said. “That’s absolutely incredible.”

“Yeah, it is,” Merlin said. “The scary thing is that Arthur’s sister is trying to claim Gwen for her own. Gwen was Arthur’s father’s cat before he died.”

“Arthur’s father made those YouTube videos?” Gwaine asked.

“No, no, Arthur made those while he visited his dad when he was recovering from his stroke. Unfortunately, he didn’t recover, so now Arthur and his sister are fighting over his estate. You’ve met Morgana?”

“That’s right,” Gwaine said. “I met Morgana when I covered for you last week. She is rather scary.”

“She’s trying to get Gwen so she can capitalize on Gwen’s marketing power, even though Arthur did all the work to make her as popular as she is today.”

“That sucks,” Gwaine said as they entered the doors of Kilgharrah Kourier.

“Hey Freya,” Merlin said. “I heard you had a nice weekend.”

“I did,” Freya said, turning to grab the messenger bags for Merlin and Gwaine.

“How would you know that?” Gwaine asked Merlin. “Obviously you people are leaving me out of the loop.”

Just then, Merlin’s cellphone rang. He took it out of his pocket. With one look at the display, his heart began to beat faster.

“Hey, Arthur,” Merlin said, answering the call.

“Merlin,” Arthur’s voice cracked. “It’s Gwen. She’s been taken.”

=^.^= )