Disclaimer: I do not own BBC's Merlin, nor will I ever…
Be Gentle
By Yue-Ryo
Warning: This story contains controversial themes that are not recommended for younger readers. There are explicit homosexual themes. You have been warned.
"No, wait, Merlin," the voice of a young prince echoed through the darkness. "Please, be gentle with me." Merlin continued his undertaking mercilessly. "Agh!"
"Oh, don't be such a baby," the servant admonished Arthur.
"But-"
"No 'but's," Merlin rebuked, a slight smirk on his face.
"You're a lousy servant," the blonde said indignantly.
"So I've heard," the small smirk was becoming a wide grin. "Just get up already, will you?"
"Well, you're the one who blinded me without a second thought, just throwing the curtains open pitilessly, even after I told you not to!"
"We can't have you late, now can we?"
"Why not? You're always late," Arthur spat back from under his pillow.
"Are you really going to make me do it?" Merlin asked from his position at the table.
"Do what?" the noble asked suspiciously. A few footfalls entered Arthur's ear just before a sudden cold was felt over his entirety. Arthur scrambled from under his pillows attempting to get back to the comfortable linens, but they were held away from the mattress by his manservant.
"I really don't know why I keep you as my servant," Arthur grumbled mostly to himself.
Merlin smiled to himself, "Come on, your food's getting cold."
Training went well. All the knights were steadily creating their own tricks in swordplay, even some of the neophytes impressed Arthur.
Merlin stood by the sidelines of the training area holding water for the vigorously exercising royal. When training came to an end for the day, Arthur walked up to the ivory skinned boy and drank his fill of water before listing off all the chores he had in store for Merlin today.
The servant boy went about his duties occasionally mumbling to himself about a prat. He went over the chore list in his head so he could go off to his next task.
'Muck out the stables—done. Polish Arthur's chainmail—done. Sharpen Arthur's sword—done. Repair Arthur's shield—done. Wash Arthur's tunic—done. Clean Arthur's boots—done. Exercise Arthur's dogs—done. Clean Arthur's room—damn.'
Slightly upset by his recollected task of cleaning the surprisingly unkempt prince's chambers, Merlin headed off with an aura of resignation.
Upon arrival to the heir's room, Merlin found the prince deep in thought. Now what could Arthur be thinking about when there's no crisis going on?
"Merlin," the prince stated when he noticed his manservant standing at the doorway.
"That is my name," Merlin replied when Arthur seemed to lose his train of thought.
Ignoring the fact the younger man had said anything, Arthur spout out orders once more, "I assume you've finished your other duties, so prepare my bath."
Arthur watched Merlin as he filled the tub, so the warlock couldn't simply warm the blasted thing with magic, seeing as that would most likely get him an up close seat in the courtyard with the executioner.
"Is it ready?"
"Yep, freshly heated," Merlin replied. Arthur looked at the water distrustfully before looking back up at Merlin. "What?"
"I'm just remembering the last time you said that," Arthur answered. Merlin sniggered at the thought of the time he had accidentally burned Arthur's foot.
"It's not that hot," Merlin said as he placed the tips of his fingers in the water to prove his point, "See?" Merlin shook his hand free of the droplets and grabbed the small towel off the table to dry what was left. He began to walk towards the door until—
"Merlin," Arthur began in his condescending tone, "I almost forgot."
"Yes?" the manservant asked knowing he wouldn't like whatever came from his master's mouth next.
"Scrub the floor, would you?" Arthur finished as he lowered himself into the relaxing water.
"Love to," sarcasm laced the pale boy's words as he made his way across the room to collect what he needed for his next duty.
Arthur was greatly enjoying his time to just sit back and relax. The warmth of the water soaked into his bones and released knots from his muscles. He had quite the view, too. In order to scrub a floor, as most people know, one has to get up close and personal. His manservant was doing just that, bent over on all fours so that he could complete his task.
He wanted to ravish him. He had admitted it to himself only recently that the "love" he had felt for Gwen was simply a cover for his feeling for Merlin. He knew it was unrequited and there was nothing he could do about it. He thought about the lanky manservant all the time.
He had begun to choose which chores he would give to Merlin according to what the view would be like. Like sharpening his sword. Now, to most people it would just be a simply case of preparing a dull blade for battle, but Arthur always saw it as an opportunity to watch his servant's nimble fingers work their way over a, well, sword. Mind you, it was not the sword Arthur desperately wished Merlin would focus his ministrations on.
Another chore he loved was the job of exercising his hounds. There was no particular innuendo behind it; he just loved watching the clumsiness of the precious peasant as he tried to keep up with the mutts. One time the raven-headed boy had lost his hold on one of the particularly fast dogs, Keyon, and got his foot stuck in a rabbit's hole trying to chase it. When he hit the ground Louden and Merrick quickly followed their leader and escaped their handler. It took half an hour for them to be caught.
His particular favorite chore, thought, had to be the preparation of his bath. As time had gone by and the prince accepted his feelings, he began to love it more and more. Every time the royal walked out from his changing screen wearing only a towel, it made the pale boy shift where he stood. Arthur knew it was probably just because the boy had been sheltered as a child and found it awkward to be in a situation like that, but Arthur loved to imagine it was because the servant was trying to restrain himself from jumping him. Yes, the prince was arrogant, that's a well known characteristic of nobles, after all.
The prince decided he had tortured his manservant enough for one day and called out, "Merlin."
The boy got up and walked over to the prince looking anywhere but the clear water. Was that a blush Arthur saw? Nah, couldn't be.
"You're free to go for the day," Arthur said simply in his princely tone to the nervous lad. Merlin just stood there for a few minutes fidgeting. "…Unless there's something you'd like to say."
"Not really say," Merlin mumbled to himself.
It was then the royal studied his servant's odd stance a bit more closely. How could he have missed that before? He coughed in his throat when he realized there wasn't much difference in his own state, just no trousers to hold him tightly and tent.
His mind made a split-second decision because he knew Merlin wasn't about to initiate anything. He yanked on the pale boy's neckerchief, pulling him into a tender kiss, soft enough that their mouths barely touched yet firm enough that he could memorize the feel of the soft pink lips.
When he felt no response, he felt the rejection hit home. Arthur figured he'd need to get a new manservant seeing as this farm boy was so innocent and would most likely quit. That upset him. No other servant the prince ever had would talk back or joke or just be someone he could love. Only Merlin.
He started to sink back into the now cooling water in the tub. The two boy's lips began to part, but never made it so far, as Merlin quickly reclosed the space.
Now, Arthur expected Merlin to be the unsure type who's a bit sloppy, yet still tender. Oh how wrong he was. The servant was passionate to say the least. When he nibbled at the royal's lip, Arthur not only accepted him into his mouth, but deepened the melding of their mouths pulling Merlin closer.
The servant managed to keep from falling into the water and onto his lover—is that what they are now?—by holding the edges of the tub.
"Merlin," the prince said as he broke the kiss. Panic ran through Merlin as he assumed he would be dismissed. "Idiot."
"You're insulting me now?!" Merlin asked shocked.
"No, not you. Me. I should have told you sooner…" revelation hit Merlin as the words sank in.
"I guess we're both idiots, then," the servant pressed his lips to his master's once more.
"Merlin," again, didn't the prince know how not to ruin the mood? "How far are you willing to… you know…" The pale boy rolled his eyes at his prince. "I don't want you to think that since I'm a prince you have to—"
The ebony headed boy assaulted the larger boy's mouth, a firm passion holding the two even closer.
"Answer me this," the manservant ordered, "have I ever paid attention to status?"
A smile spread across Arthur's face as he lifted himself to clash his mouth against Merlin's, no longer troubled by the nagging feeling the other boy was just doing this to please his prince.
Merlin began to shimmy his way out of his chestnut brown jacket as the two boy's tongues tangoed betwixt them.
The two separated for a moment as they both struggled to pull off the servant's faded blue shirt. As soon as it was lifted above the peasant's head it was discarded and the two continued their intimacies, staying latched by the lips as Arthur untied the red neckerchief from the boy, while the boy himself dealt with his trousers.
Merlin joined the other in the tub, only a small amount of water spilling over. He straddled the blonde boy before him, gasping as their members gently rubbed against one another. Arthur seized the opportunity and connected with the boy's mouth once more as the blush became evident on pale features.
Just then three clangs rang out through the room. "Shit!" Arthur thrust Merlin's head below the water and called, "Come in."
Morgana stormed into the room. "Arthur!" the petite woman yelled, "How could you just—" blah blah blah. The prince stopped listening as he suddenly felt the movement in the water near his appendage.
Merlin knew there was someone in the room, but he shouldn't have just been pushed under water, so as revenge he decided to go for something a bit less conventional. One hand cupped the prince's testes, firm yet gentle, while the other grabbed the tan boy's inner thigh, keeping his legs apart. He shifted closer to the other's penis and licked up the length of it, placing a light kiss to the tip before engulfing the entirety of it right down to the hilt.
"Are you even listening to me?" Morgana reproached as she glared at her 'brother'.
"Sorry, Morgana, but I was a bit busy when you came in," Arthur barely managed to hold back the moans he was about to release.
The seer's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she simply stared at Arthur. "Fine," she finished and stormed from the room in much the same way she entered.
"Thank the gods," Arthur let out alongside a pant. At this time the prince decided two things about Merlin. 1) He was quite skilled at holding his breath, and 2) he had no gag reflex.
He was about to come at that moment, but the servant severed all contact and rose back to the surface of the water gasping for much needed air. The two yet again closed the distance and allowed their tongues to wrestle, unsure of who would be the victor.
Arthur reached moved his grip on Merlin from the boy's waist farther back and was about to prepare the servant's entrance when, "Wait," the boy requested pushing against the chest of his master so they were just far enough to see each other's faces.
'Great, now he's backing out' thought Arthur. "I understand," he began sadly.
"No, it's just…" Merlin bit his lower lip as the blush crept to his face, "It's just that the water could get… in…"
A smile developed in the royal's features as he heard this. He slipped his hands completely under his servant and stood, lifting the surprisingly light boy with him. He didn't want to bother with drying off and simply carried Merlin to the large bed in the center of the room. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern etched in his voice.
Merlin nodded, his damp locks sticking to his face framing the cheekbones with which Arthur was obsessed.
Once more the crown prince guided his fingers towards the other's entrance. Before pressing in, though, he took the bottle of nearby saddle oil and liberally lubricated his digits.
The noise let out by Merlin was music to Arthur's ears, a song he hoped to hear everyday. Arthur kissed down his lanky partner's jaw and toyed with Merlin's amazingly sensitive chest with his other hand as he entered a second finger. He scissored the two digits within the wanton body below him, causing the boy to writhe. "Please," the peasant pleaded.
"Huh? What is it?" the prince teased as he inserted yet another finger into the boy.
"I want—agh."
"What is it you want? You're going to have to tell me, beg me."
"Please, I want-I want you."
"I'm right here."
"Inside," the boy begged, "please."
Arthur couldn't hold out at this point and willingly obliged. He removed his fingers and lifted Merlin up so that his cock was aligned with his manservant's stretched entrance. He slowly pushed his way in as Merlin grasped onto the dampened sheets above his head.
The prince removed one of his hands from his lover's hips and used it instead to stroke his partner's member in time with his steadying thrusts.
As his movements began to become more erratic he heard Merlin stutter, "Arthur, I'm…"
"Me too."
Merlin came first with his release causing muscles to tighten around Arthur's penis acting as the final tug to bring the prince over the edge.
Heavy breathing permeated the air as two lovers spooned on a mattress fit for a prince. "See? At least I was gentle."