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Merlin didn’t think about it much till now, just how soft Arthur’s hair looked. Sure he noticed the color, how it would fall over his forehead, how it looked sticking up in the hard-to-wake mornings.
Yeah, sure. Merlin had caught a whiff of it when taking care of Arthur. The bitter, sharp smell after a training or battle while removing Arthur’s armor, or the sweet fresh scent of lavender he would catch while putting on Arthur’s jacket for the feast.
The last thing about Arthur’s hair Merlin expected to occur to him was just how soft it looked. Grown out from a two-month-long quest to the border on reports of bandits. They had set out: the knights of the round table, trusted and true to their king and Merlin, never too far from the king.
The quest had been long enough for Arthur’s hair to grow, bangs falling almost into his eyes. He had to keep shaking his head to see. For some reason, it made Merlin’s stomach make a loop.
It started to curl under his ears, the full length as long as Leon’s before they had left.
It just looked so soft. Merlin’s fingers twitched. The need to reach out and touch was overwhelming. He clenched his hands into a fist, trying to block out the impulse because no one, not even Merlin, got to touch the king's hair.
The king took care of his own hair needs. Washing, brushing, trimming: all were taken care of by the king himself. Merlin hadn’t thought about it till now. He wondered what if he touched it.
“Merlin!”
Arthur’s voice boomed throughout the courtyard, making Merlin jump. Only then did he notice he had been staring at Arthur’s hair, while all the other knights grabbed their packs from the horses. Letting the stable hands work them down after the long journey.
Merlin felt a flush of heat to the tips of his ears as he picked up his pack from the ground, pointedly ignoring Gwaine as he stumbled by the drunkard knight. Merlin knew he had the biggest smirk on his face, for Gwaine knew about Merlin’s more lustful feelings towards his king.
“Merlin, NOW!” Arthur roared.
Merlin bit his lip and jumped up the stairs, following Arthur as he headed for his chambers. He needed to get it together! He wasn’t some lust-starved teenager. He was nearly a decade into his service with Arthur.
Sure, maybe about five years in, some of these thoughts started coming up. The constant fighting for each other’s lives, protecting the prat, and seeing what a great king he has become: fair and just.
Sometimes he allowed his eyes to slide down Arthur’s back, and even lower, while the blonde man climbed into the tub. Even when slipping up Arthur’s tunic to undress him, Merlin would let the tips of his fingers barely brush against the freshly revealed bare skin.
He knew he was playing a dangerously dumb game by doing those things, but it was almost a compulsion to be as close to Arthur as he could. He felt it pulse in his blood. Was this what the dragon had meant by destiny and being two sides of the same coin?
Arthur never reacted badly; however, he also never gave any sign of a positive reaction either. So Merlin keeps playing his little game, drinking in those small moments that left him half hard more times than he can count.
His train of thought was cut off by running straight into Arthur’s back, bouncing back with a thunk of the other man’s armor. Rubbing his nose, Merlin stepped back and placed the pack on the table by the fire lit by a servant after hearing about the up-and-coming arrival of the king. It also explained the tub full of water waiting for them in the room.
“Merlin, what in god's name is going on with you?” Arthur snapped at him. It seemed like he was at a breaking point. Merlin felt a little guilty about that. After all, it had been a long campaign. Arthur probably felt dirty and tired and most likely wanted to crash on an actual bed and not the forest floor to sleep peacefully until the next day.
“Nothing, sire,” Merlin said while walking forward to start unbuckling the straps holding together the armor. “Let’s get you out of this.”
After years of practice and mostly muscle memory, Merlin was able to remove the armor flawlessly. The odd hiccup happened when it came to taking off the chain mail.
Arthur was bending at the waist so Merlin could lift the mail off easily. Only this time it seemed to have gotten stuck in Arthur’s hair, having been longer than normal.
“Oh shit! I’m sorry, Arthur! Just let me-“ Merlin rushed out while Arthur just grunted as if saying get on with it. Merlin reached under the mail and touched Arthur’s head. Oh god, his hair was soft. Merlin heard a soft intake of breath while his fingers slid over Arthur’s scalp, the soft hairs tickling his fingers and palm.
Trying to not let himself get too distracted from the task at hand, Merlin searched for where the fine hair was tangled in the mail. Merlin was so focused on not getting hard from finally being able to touch Arthur’s hair, he almost missed the slight tremors Arthur’s body was emitting.
It was only after Merlin tugged a little harder at the tangled hair, he couldn’t miss the shiver that ran through the other man’s body. The low moan that passed through Arthur's lips. God’s, if he wasn’t hard before, he would sure as hell be now.
“Sire?” Merlin questioned, unsure what he was about to do at this very moment.
“Get on with it!” Arthur snapped at him.
Merlin couldn’t tell what the king’s face looked like from this angle, but he was sure it was red, and boy did he want to find out if he was right.
Smirking a little, Merlin curled his fingers, allowing his nails to scratch against Arthur’s scalp. The reaction was immediate. Arthur let out what Merlin would almost call a purr.
Steeling his heart, Merlin took a deep breath and pulled hard, hoping Arthur wouldn’t kick him in the nuts for this, but he had to know. He needed to see if his assumptions were correct, that Arthur may, in fact, have a hair kink. God, his blood boiled and headed south at the thought.
As Merlin pulled Arthur’s legs had seemed to have given out, his knees hit the stone floor so hard Merlin felt some sympathy. Well, as much sympathy as he could have while his vision was clouded with the lust of having Arthur on his knees in front of him.
Merlin could feel his pulse in his throat, his own heart was pounding so hard. Shocking as he was sure he has no blood to pump through it as it’s all gone to his dick.
He couldn’t take it anymore; he had to see Arthur’s face. In a way that could’ve most likely been done with more ease and care, Merlin ripped off the chain mail, most likely taking some hair with it, but it didn’t matter. He could now see Arthur’s face.
The other man’s face was flushed, his pupils dilated, leaving a sliver of blue. Merlin could see Arthur’s chest rising and falling with each quick breath as if he had been running drills with the knights. As Merlin raked his eyes down Arthur's form, reaching the blonde's crotch, Merlin almost swallowed his tongue. Arthur was erect. Merlin could see the bulge in the front of his breeches.
He couldn’t help it. Merlin reached out and touched Arthur’s lips. And god, they are as soft as he thought they would be. Merlin wasn’t sure how his knees didn’t buckle when Arthur parted his lips and sucked one of Merlin’s fingers into his warm mouth.
When Arthur flicked his tongue over the tip of Merlin’s finger, he couldn’t help but groan. His breeches had started to become very uncomfortable, and he could tell his smalls were wet with his precum. He still wasn’t sure this wasn’t a dream.
Arthur had two of his fingers in his mouth, cheeks hollowed. Glancing up at Merlin through his eyelash, Arthur reached for Merlin’s free hand gently. Once Arthur had it in his grasp, he guided it to his hair, hinting he wanted Merlin to play with his hair.
Merlin pulled his fingers away from Arthur’s mouth with some regret, to grip Arthur’s hair with both hands. Never breaking eye contact, Merlin directed Arthur’s face to the painfully hard bulge in his breeches.
With a small smirk, always the prat, Arthur rubbed his cheek against it, nuzzling like he had all the time in the world. Merlin couldn’t help but buck his hips at the contact. Wanting and needing more friction, but Arthur seemed content to place small kisses over the clothed cock, bumping his nose against it every few kisses.
Merlin had been waiting for this for so long that he was sure he could spend just from this, but he wanted to feel Arthur’s mouth on him. Those pretty lips wrapped around his cock. Oh, how he had dreamed of this, and now that it was happening, he wasn’t gonna mess this up.
Using his newly discovered knowledge to his advantage, he pulled hard at the blond hair, making Arthur let out a high pitch noise. Merlin maneuvered Arthur's head from his erection, so he could take one hand and untie his laces. Letting out a deep sigh, Merlin freed himself from his breeches.
His cock, harder than stone, dripping at the tip under the hungry gaze Arthur was giving it, tongue slipping out between his lips as if he could already taste it. Once both hands were atop Arthur’s head, Merlin led Arthur to his cock. Arthur, allowing himself to be guided, opened his lips pulling Merlin’s cock head into the wet, tight heat of his mouth.
Merlin couldn’t stop the loud, long groan that came out of his mouth at the feeling. He tugged Arthur’s hair as the other man ran his tongue flat under Merlin’s head. Tugging harder, making Arthur moan, Merlin pressed his hips forward, seeking more of Arthur’s mouth.
The blonde just moaned and relaxed his throat, allowing the tip of Merlin’s cock to reach back down his throat. Merlin couldn’t hear himself muttering about the feeling, and the fact Arthur didn’t have a gag reflex was so hot, and that he would do whatever Arthur wanted.
Merlin couldn’t stop thrusting himself as deep as he could down his king’s throat. It felt amazing, the tight, wet heat around him, the feeling of Arthur’s throat swallowing around his tip. Trying to keep his breathing normal, Merlin looked down at Arthur and let out a groan. The blonde looked like a vision, kneeling in front of him with Merlin’s fingers wrapped in his hair. His pupils were blown out and his eyes glazed over. There was spit dripping from his chin as his pretty lips, often used to form orders, wrapped tightly around Merlin’s cock, leaving them red and puffy.
He couldn’t hold on any longer, thrusting as deep as he could go, spilling down the blonde’s throat. It was the most intense orgasm of his life, gripping the blonde’s hair to the point of pain. He could barely keep standing as he stumbled into the table behind him, freeing himself from Arthur’s mouth.
Trying to catch his breath, Merlin looked over at his king. The blonde’s hair was standing up everywhere. He had a blissed-out look on his face, the same one he wore after a good training session. Merlin’s eyes gazed down as he took in every inch of fucked out Arthur, trying to commit every sight to memory. There was a large damp spot in front of the blonde breeches. Biting his lip, Merlin’s cock gave a half attempt of twitching, still hanging out of his breeches.
Arthur had come untouched. God, that was so hot and Merlin wished he could get hard again, just to fuck Arthur to see if he would come just from Merlin’s cock. Watching as the fog faded from Arthur’s eyes, Merlin was kinda unsure what to do now. Did this change anything? Was it a one-off?
Arthur, coming out of his dazed, looked down at his breeches and frowned. He stood up, wincing as his knees popped in protest of the moment. Without looking at Merlin, he made his way to the tub, unlacing his breeches and kicking off his boots. Merlin just stood there, supported by the table, gaping like an idiot.
“Are you just gonna stand there with your dick out, or gonna help me undress?” Arthur asked, looking over his shoulder, and pushing down his solid breeches and smalls. Merlin was given a few of Arthur's firm, round arse. Closing his mouth, Merlin tucked himself into his smalls and breeches, hurriedly lancing them up.
Arthur just stood there facing Merlin just in his tunic, watching with an unreadable look on his face. Very unsure of himself or what to do, Merlin just walked over and grabbed the end of Arthur’s tunic with shaking hands. He could feel Arthur’s eyes on him as he looked down at the man's feet.
With trembling hands, he lifted the tunic, carefully not touching Arthur’s skin. Once he removed the tunic, his eyes flickered up to Arthur’s, finding the man studying him. It was only then Merlin noticed how close they were. He could feel the heat from Arthur’s naked body. Merlin tried to keep himself from blushing under Arthur’s stare.
Seeming to find what he was looking for in Merlin’s face. Arthur leaned forward, giving Merlin time to move away, but the warlock was frozen, watching Arthur’s face coming closer to his. Shutting his eyes, Merlin held back a gasp as Arthur’s lips pressed against his, softly and a bit shyly. Merlin pressed back lightly. The kiss was simple and sweet, the exact difference from what had happened earlier.
Arthur pulled back and Merlin’s eyes fluttered open, the king smiled bright and completely open. Merlin couldn’t help but feel his face break out into an answering smile. Arthur took a step back and turned to the tub, slowly getting in, he hissed. “Merlin, it's cold. Heat it up.” The king ordered, and Merlin just rolled his eyes and started to the door to lug up some hot water. “No.”
Merlin looked over at Arthur as the king sat in the tub, an unsure but determined look on his face. “I mean with your magic.” Merlin’s world fell from underneath his feet at Arthur’s face. The king didn’t seem angry or ready to jump up and grab his sword to run it through the warlock. How did Arthur know? Who told him? Gauis? No. Lancelot? He would never. Merlin could feel his breathing becoming short and fast, as he started to panic.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Not a funny joke, sire. I will go fetch some hot water.” Merlin nervously stuttered out, hoping Arthur wouldn’t call him on his bluff, but this was Arthur, and he was looking at him with pursed lips.
“Like how you don’t know about the falling branches, the bandits being knocked out, magical beasts being defeated, and how when there is always a magical disaster, you disappear. I’m not stupid, Merlin.”
Merlin just stared at Arthur, mouth open. Arthur knew the whole time?! He never said anything?! Uther had been dead for years, but a guilty voice in the back of his mind whispered he never said anything either. The two stared at each other, and Arthur glared at Merlin, daring him to try to lie to him again.
Closing his mouth and clearing his throat, Merlin shrugged sheepishly. “Oops.” He said lamely, and Arthur just rolled his eyes and rested his head back against the tub, waving his hand in a ‘get on with it’ gesture. Merlin just smiled and lifted his hand, muttering a spell loud enough to hear, steam rose out of the tub and Arthur let out a deep sigh sinking into the now-hot water.
Peeking an eye open, Arthur looked at Merlin with a frown. “Go get us dinner. We have much to talk about, and later I’m eager to find out just exactly how well that dick of yours can work.” Merlin choked on his spit and nodded his head as all his blood rushed south, running to the door.
Once the door was closed behind him, he leaned back. He could feel a shift in the universe, in his magic. Arthur knew, and he wasn’t trying to kill him. He had wanted Merlin to do it in front of him. Pushing off the door, he started down to the kitchens with a skip in his step. He had gotten his king and might get to have Albion, maybe; the dragon was right, he could have it all.