Title: Wicked Game
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC17/Adult
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Age difference 17/29
Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein belong to Shine and BBC. I make no profit from this endeavour.
Author's Notes (A/N): Written for Paperlegends 2011. Thank you to casualtheatrics and singlemomsummer for the beta.
Summary: Arthur's the King of Camelot…nightclub. He can pick and choose who he wants, and he does – often – no promises and absolutely no repeats. The night he chooses Merlin might just be his undoing. Loosely based on Queer as Folk USA (some of the storyline is similar, but this is Merlin and Arthur, not Brian and Justin - they do things their own way!).

Merlin couldn't recall a single time in his whole soon to be eighteen years that he had felt this nervous. He stood in front of the full length mirror that adorned the back of Elena's bedroom door and the person staring back at him was definitely some other person, because the person looking back at him was someone – if Merlin hadn't known it was himself – he would have said was attractive. It was a person he barely recognised as Merlin Emrys, almost university student and wannabe novelist.

With measured slowness he turned round and admired his backside – in these new jeans, he almost looked as though he had an arse – he gave it a little wiggle for effect before forcing his gaze upward where his attention lingered on the tight t-shirt Elena had picked out for him. He would only have to lift an arm and a band of pale flesh and a hipbone would be on display for the world to admire.

His first thought was, 'Fucking hell, I'm a twink.' His second was, 'Oh god, I'm really going to do this.'

"Elena, tell me again why you didn't force me to do this years ago?" he asked, amazed at how she'd transformed him out of his usual scruffy jeans and Converse into this.

"If you had let me, Merlin, I would have done this long ago." Elena stepped into his space and straightened the hem of the t-shirt even though it clearly needed no further adjustment, and leant up to kiss his cheek before stepping back and appraising him from head to toe again. "You look bloody gorgeous. Are you sure you're completely gay, not bi-"

Merlin laughed and pulled her into a hug. Elena asked that a lot, even though after a lifetime of being his best friend, she knew better than anyone where his preferences lay. Sometimes he wished he was bi, because Elena was an amazing girl and Merlin was not so gay he couldn't appreciate that she had a fantastic pair of tits, but no matter how much he wished it, the sight of said tits didn't so much as cause a twitch in his cock. Merlin was definitely, one-hundred per cent gay as a maypole, and happy to be so.

"Elena, if I ever felt anything for any girl, it would be you and you know I mean that." They had had the conversation before, back when Elena had asked Merlin to be her first at the tender age of fifteen because she wanted it to be with someone she felt comfortable with without any pressure. Hence, Merlin's first sexual experience had been a heterosexual one, though he had made Elena wait until they were sixteen and legal; and since then, their friendship had grown even closer after the compulsory five minutes of weirdness.

"Gee thanks, Merlin," Elena said, snorting and thumping him on the arm as she did when she was excited. "I live to be your beard."

"Yeah, well, you're a self-appointed beard for school purposes only." He nudged her back affectionately. "So you think I'll fit in? I don't want to look like a newbie – God, what if they can tell? I'll stand out like a sore thumb. I want it to look like I do this all the time."

"I wish you'd let me come with you." Elena's expression turned serious.

Merlin sighed and almost caved in. He really didn't want to go on his own, yet if Elena came with him, he would be worried about her all night and he wouldn't get what he wanted. This was uncharted territory and if he was honest with himself, he felt scared shitless. Yet, what were the alternatives? The fact that he could move things with his mind and make it rain on a sunny day already made him feel different enough from the kids at school. They already thought he was weird because of that time Valiant Savage tried to beat him up in the cafeteria queue - all of the lights flickered and Valiant's hair stood on end as though he had his hand in the socket rather than on Merlin. The brainless moron still had it in for Merlin, getting digs and taunts in wherever he could, but Merlin enjoyed the look of fear that sat behind Valiant's eyes and the way he avoiding getting near him.

If they knew for sure he was gay, then his life would be even more complicated than it was already, and Merlin preferred to just turn up at school and leave as soon as possible. His motto was 'do not engage'.

If anyone else at South Albion High School was even as much as bi-curious, they were keeping it very much in the closet, and Merlin was seventeen, about to turn eighteen and he wanted to know, wanted to try – he wanted his first time, his first gay time at least, sooner rather than later. He was fed up of wanking to porn on the internet and getting a hard-on in P.E when he watched the extremely fit but utter dick-head Tom Jamieson in the changing room. That interest needed a more appropriate outlet.

"Elena, if I get what I want tonight then I'm not coming home. I can't leave you on your own in the middle of Avalon Street."

"You'll be on your own."

"Yes, but hopefully not for long. I need to do this, you know I do, and I know tonight is the right night." Merlin wished he felt as confident as he sounded. He could stand up to a bully and leave him cowering in his shoes, but the thought of doing what he planned to do tonight filled him with a sense of dread.

And inevitability; his magic was crackling with anticipation; it knew something significant was afoot.

"Alright – I'll trust you and your spidey sense - but keep your phone on, and ring me if you need picking up at any time. Even in the middle of the night. I won't mind."

"I don't deserve you," Merlin grinned and hugged her.

"Don't be fooled," Elena said with a waggle of eyebrows as she pulled back. "I want the full details tomorrow. It may have escaped your notice, but I'm not getting any at the moment either. I fully intend to live vicariously through you."

-0-0-0-

"I'm going home!" Arthur shouted over the heavy bass of whatever the music du-jour was that sent pounding vibrations through his bones and was annoying the hell out of him. When the music started to grate on his nerves, he knew it was not worth hanging around any longer; it was time for him to leave.

"Oh come on, Arthur," Leon complained, hands on hips, a gesture that was just a little too camp for his tall muscular physique. "It's not even midnight." Gwaine and Lance, flanking either side of Arthur, rolled their eyes.

"No, it's as flat as tarmac in here tonight," Arthur said, by which he meant he'd just received a very lacklustre blowjob in the backroom which had done nothing whatsoever to ease his irritable mood of the last few days. For once, going home was the more appealing option. He treated Leon to his killer smile and waited for his best friend's peeved expression at Arthur's decision to leave to turn into the resigned pout he normally reserved for Arthur.

Leon was his best mate. He looked up to Arthur; they were as close as brothers – in fact Arthur half suspected that Leon was his brother, but Uther had denied that alleged affair with Leon's mother. He and Leon had always agreed that they didn't need to share blood to be best friends. Leon liked to be the centre of Arthur's attention and they had been inseparable since they were both in the cradle. He was Arthur's family – well, Leon and his mother Alice. His 'official' half-sister, Morgana, wasn't an easy person to love and his father, well, there was no point saying 'Uther Pendragon' and 'family' in the same sentence.

Alice had been the only mother he'd ever known, his own mother having already separated from Uther before dying in childbirth. So when Uther had been too busy for Arthur – which had been most of the time – he had been at Leon's house. Alice was the only person alive who could shame Arthur with a single glance. He adored the woman and when she had met Gaius and married him when Arthur and Leon were seven, Arthur had gained a father figure actually worthy of his affections.

Leon pouted as Arthur had predicted, and Lance grabbed his arm and said, "We are capable of having fun without his lord and master, Leon." Lance glared at Arthur. "We'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

Arthur nodded. Lance had Arthur's number and put up with absolutely no shit from him. Arthur wouldn't admit it, but he liked that. Arthur was the king of Camelot, the one everyone wanted to fuck, and he knew that literally did mean everyone – apart from his friends here before him – they knew him too well. Lance was spectacularly easy on the eye, and a self-confessed 'power bottom' - and so not Arthur's type.

Arthur's friends joked that a cock and a pulse were his only pre-requisites, that there was no such thing as Arthur's 'type', but he didn't agree; he was actually quite particular.

Lance did not approve of the hold he perceived Arthur had over Leon, and said so frequently, but he didn't understand, not really. Arthur tended to ignore him when he started; how was it his fault that Leon was so protective of him? Leon stood up for Arthur when Lance had a go at him which annoyed the hell out of Lance and amused Arthur. Gwaine usually just watched, always the laid back one of their group, storing up information for later to mock Arthur with.

They were an odd group - and that was when Gwen and Morgana weren't present, which was more often than not since Gwen had the baby – but despite the petty squabbles and the occasional awkward presence of his prickly half-sister - their friendships worked.

"We'll come outside with you, get some fresh air," Leon said amicably, following Arthur to the exit and ignoring Lance's protestations. Arthur ignored them all. He wanted to be gone. The heat and the noise were driving him towards his quiet flat and his cool empty bed. Sometimes even Arthur Pendragon had to have some quiet time.

The air outside was a slap in the face, despite it only being April.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider-" Leon began, but Arthur wasn't listening anymore. His attention was caught by the approach of a pale slender boy as he crossed the road and bloody glided in their direction.

Arthur's world started spinning and it was as though time had halted and everything had zeroed down to just this moment; him and this young man who was all curling dark hair, cheekbones and limbs; whose vulnerability was beating off him in waves.

He was beautiful, and that was not normally how Arthur would ever describe a man, but in this case there could be no other adjective. Arthur had to have him. All thoughts he'd been entertaining of going home to his quiet empty flat evaporated. Like no one ever before, he wanted this boy, instantly.

As the boy stopped nearby, oblivious to Arthur's scrutiny, and leaned back against a lamppost with one foot propped up behind him, his eyes glanced nervously around at the milling crowd of people that always populated Avalon Street at that time of night. The bass of the club, the sound of people and traffic faded away to a distant buzz and all Arthur could hear was his own heartbeat thumping in his ears.

Oh fuck.

-0-0-0-

This was the single most nerve-wracking experience of his life and Merlin was starting to wish he'd brought Elena after all. Everywhere he looked there were people, a heaving mass of mostly men, spilling out of the clubs, queuing to get in to the clubs, groups of friends chatting and laughing on the pavement, leaning against the walls of the various establishments that lined the notorious Avalon Street. Everyone was in groups; he was the only person wandering around on his own and it was scary.

He'd been stopped four times already, groping arms reaching out to halt him on his path to an unknown destination. Hungry eyes had run the length of his skinny body, invitations spilling off their lips, eyebrows rising in suggestion. This was what Merlin was here for, but those men, so much older than him and leering - he didn't want that – want them.

He wanted his first time to be more than a drunken fumble with some leather clad thirty-something who looked like they had just stepped out of a Village People look-a-like competition. Besides, the leather look – so not good; he was looking for someone, the someone, and when he found him, he would know.

So he'd slipped past the grabbing hands and kept on walking. He didn't know where he was going, or which club was best to try, and when he stopped someone to ask them they had taken that as an invitation and suggested somewhere called 'Caged'. Merlin had a feeling that was not the place for him.

That was when he saw the sign, 'Camelot' and he knew that was where he should head for. That was where he would be. Where else could be more perfect for someone named Merlin to meet someone than a club named 'Camelot'? That said, when he crossed the road, Camelot in his sights, his stomach started to churn with nerves; he was really going to do this, he was going to go into that club and offer out his 'virginity'.

Alright, Merlin wasn't wearing a t-shirt saying 'get your virgin arse here' but he felt as though it was obvious to everyone he had encountered tonight. His inexperience hung around his neck like a lead weight. He wanted it gone. He needed it gone.

When he reached Camelot, he took a moment to mentally prepare himself for going inside, leaning back against a nearby lamppost to take in a few nervous breaths. He could do this, he could. He just needed five minutes to pluck up the courage to join the queue.

When the back of this neck prickled, Merlin sensed someone was staring at him. Lifting his head slightly he saw a man watching him intently. Blond, with broad shoulders and blue eyes that were fixed unblinkingly on Merlin. There was an effortless arrogance beating off him; total confidence in his own appeal, and Merlin vaguely supposed he couldn't blame him – the guy was fucking hot. Merlin felt frozen, caught in the tractor beam of the man's gaze. Oh god. This was him, this was the one.

Merlin didn't know how he was so certain, but something inside him clicked and the certainty that had made him pick this night to do this made perfect sense. He could not look have looked away if a meteor had crashed to earth between them.

Blondie licked his lips and crooked a finger at Merlin. Merlin wanted to step forward, run his hand along that stubbly jaw and lean in to kiss him, but he was stuck to the spot, weak with nerves.

Without taking his eyes off his target, Merlin felt his heartbeat pick up speed as the man walked forward, only stopping when he was toe to toe with Merlin. Merlin swallowed nervously and licked his lips.

"Hello," said the man. "What's your name?" The intense blue eyes didn't waver in their focus on Merlin.

"Merlin." It came out as croak and Merlin desperately hoped he wasn't blowing this completely. He didn't think he could back away now and go to find someone else. Anyone else, from this moment forward, would be a poor second place.

"Merlin?" He tipped his back and a rich deep laugh spilled from his throat.

Merlin's heart sank. "Something wrong with my name?" he challenged, suddenly less nervous and more annoyed.

"Not at all." A tanned hand lifted to run a thumb over Merlin's lips. The sensation went straight to Merlin's cock and he struggled not to react. "I'm Arthur."

Oh. Arthur replaced his thumb with his lips and Merlin knew that he need look no further, Arthur was going to be the one; his first. His magic tingled and Merlin's thoughts moved from first to only in a heartbeat.

It was a brief intense kiss, over before it started as Arthur stepped back and said, "So, Merlin, would you like to come home with me?"

Merlin's 'yes' was on the tip of his tongue when the bubble burst and a voice said, "Come on, Arthur – what – you're cradle snatching now?"

Both Arthur and Merlin turned towards the voice, Arthur's expression was annoyed and Merlin suspected his own was similar.

"I'm nineteen," Merlin lied, glaring at the bloke who had interrupted. Tiny white lie – couldn't hurt right? It wasn't like Merlin was actually really underage. He was a year over the age of consent, and about to turn eighteen, which was what mattered.

Arthur's arm curled around him and Merlin shot the dark-haired interloper a triumphant look. The man was obviously a friend of Arthur's, but Merlin was the one who had Arthur's arm around him. He felt bolstered by the warmth and the anticipation.

"You hear that, Lance?" Arthur said. "Merlin here is nineteen and perfectly able to make the decision to come with me all by himself."

The two guys flanking Lance's sides sniggered. "Face it, Lance," said the darker haired one. "What Arthur wants, Arthur gets."

Something curled in Merlin's belly and he unconsciously inched closer to Arthur. He wanted to get out here before he had the chance to change his mind.

-0-0-0-

Arthur hadn't anticipated a fuck this much since his teens. It was disconcerting and utterly fascinating. The boy, Merlin, had fidgeted nervously in the cab back to Arthur's apartment until Arthur had pushed him back into the leather and fucked his mouth with his tongue, loving the boy's tentative yet eager response. Now Arthur had him inside his flat and he hovered by the door uncertainly, as if being invited back to Arthur's place wasn't enough of a green light to move further than the doorway. All of his other conquests had been at least half-naked by this point.

"What are you waiting for?" Arthur crossed his arms to lift the hem of his t-shirt and yank it over his head, before tossing it to the floor. His hands moved to his belt buckle and he stepped out of his jeans and boxers in one practiced movement. Cocking his head he threw a challenging glance at Merlin who had stepped out of the doorway and was now hovering near the sofa, his wide blue eyes travelling the length of Arthur's body hungrily.

Arthur knew he was in good shape. Daily trips to the gym made sure of that. His cock, long and thick, stood proudly against his stomach, almost hurting with the need to plunge it inside this boy before him and fuck him into the mattress, not just once, but all night. God, he wanted to make him moan his name, fuck him so hard that Merlin would be remembering this night for a long time to come.

Merlin finished his exploration of Arthur's torso, his gaze returning to Arthur's.

Arthur held out both of his arms and said, "Are you coming or going? Or, coming and staying?"

Merlin gulped and swayed slightly so Arthur took matters into his own hands. He stepped closer, not once breaking eye contact, a small smile playing on his lips. When he reached him, he used both hands to push Merlin's coat to the floor, and made light work of the rest of his clothes. Suddenly, the boy was naked before him, tall and slender with never ending acres of pale skin just waiting for Arthur's exploration. His cock, long and red was standing proudly erect, already glistening with precome.

Arthur ran his thumb over the tip and gathered the moisture waiting there, licking it clean. Merlin's breath hitched as his eager eyes followed the path of Arthur's tongue. Arthur slid an arm around Merlin's waist and, pulling him flush against his body, kissed him.

Merlin melted into him, letting Arthur take control of what was an almost desperate kiss. Arthur wanted to be closer to Merlin; the fluttering inside of him was an alien experience as his tongue tangled with Merlin's, like this was Arthur's first time. The kiss was endless, building the anticipation for Arthur until he snapped, pulling back to say, "Gonna fuck you."

Merlin swayed, his hands going to Arthur's shoulders. He nodded and closed his eyes. "Yes."

Arthur cupped Merlin's buttocks and Merlin seemed to instinctively know what Arthur wanted, letting him lift him, wrapping his legs around Arthur's waist. Arthur couldn't take his eyes off Merlin's as he walked them both to the bedroom. Merlin bit his lip, and Arthur wanted to lave his tongue over the sensitive spot.

Arthur didn't know how he'd managed to savour this for so long, how he hadn't fucked Merlin against the front door the moment they had arrived. God only knew he wanted to. Yet- somehow, something was stopping him. If he wasn't mistaken, Merlin was a virgin. Something in Arthur wanted to take it slower, make sure it good for him. No, not just good – mind blowing.

He lowered Merlin to the bed and came down to straddle him, wrapping a hand around both of their cocks and slowly stroking, kissing Merlin who bucked up into him with a whimper. "Arthur-"

Arthur released his own cock, he didn't want to come yet – he wasn't going to come yet - and continued his attention to Merlin. He kissed a path down Merlin's body – nipples, tummy, navel, hipbones – before taking the head of his cock into his mouth and teasing the end. Merlin's hands found their way into his hair, pulling hard as his hips lifted into Arthur's face. "God," he whispered. "Oh God."

Arthur used his tongue to explore Merlin's length, Merlin's moans, sighs and 'Arthur's' doing things to him that no other man ever had. In the back of his mind, alarm bells were ringing, which he ignored and sucked Merlin's cock down to the root, suppressing the urge to stroke himself. Merlin's breathing was becoming erratic; Arthur knew he was close and pulled back, pushing the tip of his tongue against the underside of Merlin's cock. Seconds later, Merlin exploded in Arthur's mouth, his release hitting the back of Arthur's throat as he swallowed every last drop before licking Merlin clean. He shimmied up Merlin's body and kissed him, wanting Merlin's – probable – first taste of semen to be his own from Arthur's mouth.

Merlin looked spent, his chest heaving, his pupils dilated from his release.

"Satisfactory?" Arthur asked, knowing that the 'satisfactory' never applied to at blow job from him, but he needed to know what Merlin thought, like a child looking for parental approval.

-0-0-0-

Merlin tried to force his lips to move, to reply to Arthur's question. He managed to mutter, "Yurgh."

Of course, he had nothing to compare it to, but Merlin had a strong suspicion that his would be the blow job that all others had to live up to in the future. His limbs felt heavy as the post orgasmic languidness crept through his veins.

Vaguely Merlin registered that Arthur's mirrored wardrobe had a huge crack down the middle, a result of some Merlin's magic escaping as he climaxed – something he'd had to learn to control years ago when wanking but had given no consideration to tonight. He blinked quickly and the crack mended, hoping that Arthur hadn't noticed its appearance in the first place. He would have to try harder to keep that reined in. Arthur couldn't know about that particular talent tonight, Merlin didn't want to freak him out.

Arthur seemed satisfied with Merlin's non-answer as he was now sucking Merlin's neck, tasting his collar bone, running his tongue into the dip of his throat and tasting the beads of sweat that Merlin knew had to be there. As he came down from his high he realised that Arthur hadn't come yet.

Arthur was going to fuck him.

Just that thought had Merlin's cock twitching again. This was no surprise – Merlin was seventeen after all. "Are you going to-" he started to say but Arthur cut him off.

"Oh yes," he whispered into Merlin's neck before lifting his head and locking eyes. "Is this your first time?"

Was he that obvious? Merlin nodded, praying Arthur didn't shove him out of bed. Arthur was used to experienced men, that much was obvious. What would he want with Merlin who had no idea what he was doing?

Arthur kissed him, "I'll be as gentle as I can." He sat up on his heels and reached over to the nightstand and came back with a condom and a tube of lube.

This was really going to happen. This blond God of a man was going to take his virginity. Merlin wanted this more than anything, mildly freaking out at the thought that if Arthur hadn't crossed his path tonight he could be doing this with someone else right now, and someone else would never have been right before deciding that he would never have gone with anyone else because he was supposed to find Arthur.

It was meant to be Arthur. Arthur and Merlin. It was like fate and destiny had made a pact and engineered this moment.

Arthur's lips were everywhere; his tongue tasting parts of him that Merlin he hadn't even known were sensitive. Merlin had to commend himself on his recovery time; his cock was back in action and begging for attention. Arthur ignored it in favour of lifting Merlin's legs and draping them over his shoulders, grabbing a cushion and placing it under Merlin's arse and then – Jesus fucking Christ – a warm wet tongue was licking his hole. "Arthur!" Merlin flailed. He'd seen this on the internet but he'd never touched himself down there, and now someone – Arthur – had their tongue there and God, Merlin wanted to scream his pleasure. He tried biting his lip, but when a slick finger breached his entrance, he cried out at the unusual sensation. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was uncomfortable.

The next few minutes were a mixture of intense pleasure – Merlin's first experience of someone brushing a digit over his prostate, and the strange sensations that came being fingered and stretched, then the tongue would return and so would the bliss and the unfamiliar burn and- "I'm ready," he said, worried that if Arthur didn't fuck him soon he would come again, and he wanted that to be when Arthur was inside him. "Arthur, please fuck me."

Arthur sat back and dropped Merlin's limbs to his sides again. "Patience my little virgin," he teased. He took Merlin's cock head into his mouth again and swirled his tongue over the slit and with a hum he crawled forward over Merlin and when their face were aligned. "You're gonna enjoy this."

Arthur lifted Merlin's legs again so they rested on his shoulders, and Merlin felt the head of Arthur's cock pushing into him. It felt so big, but Arthur was slow, taking time for Merlin to adjust before he pushed in further. Merlin felt- He was more turned on than he'd ever been, but- "Does it always hurt?" he blurted, feeling the blush on his cheeks at his own gaucheness.

Arthur, now fully sheathed, pulled back slowly and shoved back inside gently, said, "That's part of it." He rained kisses over Merlin's jawline and pulled back out again. "I don't think I can go as slow as I promised, I want you too much."

Merlin noticed the beads of sweat on Arthur's forehead and wanted to taste them. "I'm okay," he said. "I want you to fuck me like you want to."

Arthur sighed in relief, buried his face in Merlin's neck, bending Merlin nearly into two. He withdrew and slammed back home. Merlin whimpered, it really bloody hurt. Arthur shifted and the next stroke hit Merlin's prostate. "Arthur!"

It was fast, and glorious, painful and amazing; Arthur above him, pounding into him, so gorgeous, and for this moment, he was Merlin's. Arthur took hold of Merlin's cock and stroked it in time with his thrusts, and that tipped Merlin over for the second time that night, spilling his come across his own chest and onto Arthur's.

Arthur came then, almost silently, until he cried, "Merlin!" and his face relaxed as he moved through his release.

He withdrew and pulled Merlin into his side, covering them both with the duvet. Merlin, still reeling from his second orgasm let himself be lulled by the sounds of Arthur's heavy breathing as he succumbed to sleep.

-0-0-0-