Live a little

It's Saturday evening and there is a party in a frat house. The house is in the most distant side of the campus next to a little lake. The house was famous for its wild parties. The school had started just a few weeks back, so the weather was still warm. The sun hadn't even gone down yet, but once again the house was packed with drunken university students.

Merlin came to the party mostly because he wanted to keep an eye on his good friend Gwen. The notorious swot had had an epiphany and decided to "seize the moment". The reason of her sudden interest for "living the wild life" (a term she used herself) was mostly due to a fact that she had completely fallen for a boy called Lance. She had been pining over him for her whole freshman year at the university (Merlin was already sick 'n tired of it all.) But this year, to get Lance's attention, she had decided to blend in with the "popular" crowd.

Who was Merlin to take away her chance of getting the taste of the other side of student life. So instead of trying to reason with Gwen (surely there was a better way of getting the boys attention, but….) he had agreed to go to the party with her.

Merlin sat outside, on an old, long, wooden bench, keeping a close eye on his friend who was fooling around with other student in the lake. They were splashing away and jumping from the pier. Merlin just wanted to make sure his friend was ok, and that no one would drown. Merlin was certain that alcohol and water sports didn't really go together. But Gwen seemed to be having fun, and so far none of the swimmers seemed to be missing. It seemed like she didn't need to do all that much to affix Lance's attention. He blushed a little and turned his head when he saw the couple kissing. For a rather quiet girl she was pretty smooth with guys, when she wanted to. He thought about leaving, but the sense of duty bound him there.

"…nine, ten, eleven. All there." Merlin mumbled as he counted the swimmers again.

"Fancy seeing you here. In lifeguard duty, are we?" A smug voice asked behind Merlin and a self-satisfied laugh followed the question. Merlin was startled and winced a little on his place. Merlin didn't answer, he just cursed under his breath as he recognised the voice.

"Hey, you idiot, I'm talking to you." A palm smacked Merlin on the back of his head (which, oddly enough, didn't come as a surprise) and a grinning figure sat himself down next to him. Merlin tried to ignore the pompous blond, but he knew it was impossible. He glanced on his side and he was met by a shiny white teeth smiling right at him.

"Why so grumpy?" The blond man leaned closer to Merlin and made a pouty face.

"Well, Arthur, let's see…" As Merlin now turned to face the other boy (to give him a full list of reasons he was "grumpy"), he was cut off by a sudden realisation.

"Are you aware of the fact that you're not wearing a shirt?" Merlin gulped as he looked at the bare chest in front of him.

"There is no need for clothes when you're swimming." Arthur's grin widened and he raised his eyebrow as he spoke.

Merlin could feel the heat rising on his cheeks and he quickly turned his gaze back to the swimmers.

"Well go and swim if that's what you're here for, no need to delay your plans on my account." Merlin stated as coldly as he could at the moment. Arthur's presence had the tendency to make him incredibly uncomfortable and the other one knew it. Arthur had a habit of teasing him every opportunity he got. They were known for their heated arguments over most peculiar things. Even though they didn't have any classes together, Arthur had sought him out of the crowd and set his eye on him.

"How come you're here and not in the lake? Can't you swim?" Arthur completely ignored Merlin's comment; he had a habit of doing just that.

"I can swim just fine." Merlin snorted.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Than why don't you join us?"

"I'll rather stay here, just in case."

"The lake is hardly two meters deep in its best and they aren't that drunk yet; I really don't think anyone is going to drown in there." Arthur made his point known.

"Well, you never know. People have drowned it their bathtubs." Merlin protested and it was Arthur's turn to snort.

"Says who?"

"Me."¨

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

A silence fell among them.

"You afraid to take you clothes off? Being lanky is nothing to be a shamed of. Some might actually find it endearing." Arthur poked him in the arm.

Merlin turned to Arthur and gave him a deadly glare.

"Do shut up and go have your swim already."

"I'll say, are you really that eager to see me get naked?" Arthur stood up and started to unbuckle his belt.

"You wish." Merlin snorted and tried to keep his gaze from wondering to Arthur, but he couldn't help himself. Arthur took his jeans off and he threw them at Merlin (who was about to protest in loud way) but the lop sided smile on Arthur's face caught his attention. Merlin didn't remember seeing that one before, it wasn't smug or arrogant it was something different. Again Merlin felt the blush coming as he gazed back on the blond man standing next to him. The light of the late evening sun didn't help the cause.

"Yeah." Was all Arthur said before he run to the pier in his boxer shorts and jumper to the lake. His arrival caused a lot of eager yelling and screaming. And the splashing continued.

Baffled Merlin was left on the bench.

After the sun was almost gone its way, the students started to head back inside, where most of the others were. Merlin hadn't moved from his spot, but when Gwen and Lance started heading back to the house he walked to them. Gwen noticed Merlin and said something to Lance who then headed to the house. Lance gave a nod to Merlin as he went.

"So?" Merlin asked with a grin. Gwen couldn't hold her smile, she was beaming uncontrollably.

"I take it that things went well?"

"He's just so dreamy, isn't he? I'm so glad we came. We're going to be here for a little while and then we're going to his place." She was jumping from excitement.

"Well if it's ok with you I'll be heading back to the flat then." Merlin yawned. " Call me if you need me."

"You going already? Why don't you come inside with us, I'll introduce you to Lance. Oh, and he might be able to introduce you to some nice blokes, yeah?" Gwen just realised that Merlin had spent the whole evening sitting in the background as a moral support, as she "seized the moment".

"Thanks, but I'm a bit tired. You go ahead and enjoy yourself. But don't get too hammered." He tried to put a smile on to encourage her.

"You're such a darling." She jumped on Merlin's neck to give him a hug. "I just wish you'd find yourself some lovely lad. Seize the moment, like I did for once."

"Gwen, darling, you're still a bit wet." Merlin tried to wiggle his way out of her moist grasp.

"Oh, sorry." She giggled as she apologised and tried to wipe the wet spots away from Merlin's shirt with her towel.

"It's ok, really." Merlin stopped her, as she was just making it worse with her wet towel. She started to head back to the house.

"I'll just introduce you to Lance, then you can go if you must? Aren't you coming?"

Few blokes were just emerging from the lake and Merlin noticed that Arthur was now the only one in there.

"I'll be right behind you. I'll just see that everyone gets out of the lake in one piece." He smiled at her and headed to the pier. He stepped on the wooden pier and walked to the end of it. Arthur was floating on his back, next to the pier.

"You gonna spend the whole night there, alone?" Merlin tried to sound as casual as possible.

"I'm not alone…. now that you're here." Arthur replied with that lop sided smile he had given Merlin earlier. Merlin tried to hide his smile as he looked Arthur who swayed his hands slowly in the water to stay on the surface.

"You should probably get up from there, I'm heading of and um…." Merlin had to clear his throat to get the casual voice going again.

"I don't think so." Arthur suddenly splashed the water with his feet and swam farter away from the pier. He also got Merlin's shoes wet at the process.

"Don't be a prat. Get up already."

"Why don't you make me?"

"Oh, grow up." Merlin snorted and started to walk away. "Go ahead, drown on your own, see if I care."

As Merlin was walking away he could hear Arthur climbing out of the water, he smiled a bit. A victory, he thought, but before Merlin could react in any way Arthur grabbed him and threw in to the water.

"You bastard." Merlin yelled as he got back on the surface and started to make his way towards the shore.

"I see you can swim just fine." Merlin was startled again by Arthur who was now right next to him in the water.

"You prat." He splashed water at Arthurs face." You just busted my cell!" Merlin had just realised his phone was in his pocket.

"You can always get another one." Arthur grinned and determinedly kept himself right next to Merlin.

"Yeah, you'll get me another one." Merlin could feel the ground now; he was able to stand and made his way towards the shore.

"Sure, whatever. Hey, wait!" Arthur groaned and grabbed a hold of Merlin's hand. He intertwined their fingers and pulled Merlin closer.

"What are you doing?" Merlin didn't pull away, even though part of him knew this wasn't a good idea.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Arthur's face was now only inches away from his.

"But you hate me, you're always punching me, and you keep telling me I'm an idiot." Merlin's argument didn't quite hold its ground.

Arthur lips were now hovering right on top of his.

"Live a little." And at that Merlin was the one to gain in the distance and their lips finally met. It was a soft little kiss, the sweetest Merlin had ever had, but he was able to pull himself away of it eventually. He gazed in to Arthur's eyes to see if the other one was serious about this. Arthur looked flushed and his arms were now wrapped around Merlin, tightly.

"You're not fucking with me are you?" Merlin whispered, a little out of breath.

"I'll be most certainly doing that if the evening goes on as I hope."

"You prat." Merlin splashed water at him, though he couldn't help but smile. Arthur just closed his eyes and let the drips of water fall down on his face.

"You idiot." Arthur opened his eyes.

Merlin was amazed how endearing Arthur made it sound as he said that.

"Come here, Merlin."

Arthur brushed his lips on Merlin's, but this time the kiss was rougher and deeper. Arthur's hands wondered and he pulled of Merlin's jacket and threw it on the pier.

"There is no need for clothes when you're swimming."