Love Tangled

Merlin lounged in the hay of the stable thinking about how he had managed to avoid Arthur for nearly three days since the "slip up, mishap", as he had begun to think of it. He knew Arthur had been looking for him and was by now, furious. Merlin didn't know what to do. At first he planned to tell Arthur about the potion, but the more he thought about what had transpired between them and why, he knew Arthur would be enraged. Not only had he errantly used forbidden magic on the prince, but it had led to the most unexpected of actions between the two of them. Thinking of those moments brought Merlin's head up in a jerk when he realized his body instantly responded to them. He had to do something. He couldn't avoid Arthur any longer. Gaius told him this morning he refused to cover for him anymore, calling him an ungrateful prat for shirking his duties for so long. Sleeping in the stables, as he had for the last three nights, was getting old and he wasn't sure he could keep his presence hidden from the stable boys much longer anyway.

What was up with Gaius anyway? He had been acting strange ever since he got back as well. He kept looking at Merlin with this strange knowing look that made him feel guilty, every time they did manage to speak.

"Ah, what am I going to do?" Merlin thought out loud.

"Get your arse up to my chamber right now and get started on the duties you have been neglecting for days now, before I have you horsewhipped, that's what!" Arthur's brogue sounded behind him in a growl.

Merlin squealed as he scrambled up from the hay strewn floor he had been sitting on. "Art… Arth… ah hem… Arthur! I mean sir… sire… Wha… what are you doing in the stables this early?... Do… do you need me to saddle your horse?" Merlin finished babbling miserably because he knew he was in for it now. The days of avoiding him hadn't helped, even now as terrified as he was, he felt the blood start to rush in his veins at the sound of Arthur's voice.

Arthur stepped up to Merlin; his face thrust toward him with is hands on his hips. Merlin caught his breath when he realized all he had to do was lean forward a mere inch and he could brush his lips to Arthur's if he was so inclined. Merlin realized he was holding his breath waiting for Arthur to speak.

Arthur looked Merlin up and down. Any one passing by would have thought he was inspecting a curious insect; on the inside, Arthur was livid. It took everything he had not to wrap his hands around the boy's throat and choke the life out of him. He had at first been worried sick, he had left Merlin sleeping in his bed while he attended to some castle duties and returned to find him gone and nowhere to be found. Questioning Gaius, Arthur knew he was covering for Merlin when he told him Merlin had left suddenly to attend to his sick mother. He couldn't understand why Merlin would disappear, and have Gaius lying for him. After a day or two, Arthur began to think he had somehow hallucinated Merlin's response to him. Did Merlin not want him? Or, had he only gone along with their love making because Arthur was the prince, and no one refused the Prince anything. That was just insane thinking, right? Arthur knew he hadn't imagined the response Merlin had to him. Merlin had told him he loved him for God's sake.

Over the last three days, Arthur replayed the whole scene over and over in his head more times than he could count. Even though it was torture to his own body, and even now his body betrayed him as he looked into the crystal blue of Merlin's eyes. He wanted nothing more than to grab him and throw him down in the hay and take him right there. Instead he grabbed Merlin by the arm, ignoring the electricity that shot up his arm at the contact, and shoved him roughly toward the door.

"Go to my chamber and wait for me! And by God Merlin… If you're not there when I get back, defying me again will be the last thing you do on this earth!"…

Shaking uncontrollably, Merlin ran into the castle, took the stairs two at a time in the tower, and slammed Arthur's chamber door behind him when he finally reached it. He sank to the floor with his back against the door, putting his face in his hands. Oh this was bad… This was so bad. He wasn't ready to face Arthur yet. He didn't know how to explain that he hadn't known the oil was magic. How could he make Arthur understand and not hang him or Gaius for even having it in his belongings? Just having it was bad enough, but the fact that it had made the Prince of Camelot, act in… well a manner against his nature… and with a servant, a male servant no less, was unforgivable! The worst yet, the thing that truly terrified Merlin… was seeing the most beautiful moment of his life turned into something ugly in Arthur's eyes. He didn't want it to be all because of a potion. He wanted Arthur to truly love him and to touch him again. He kept telling himself it was just the potion that made him feel this way, but his feelings were more real to him than anything had ever been before.

Exhausted, Merlin got up and went about cleaning the chamber needing a small measure of normalcy. He had to keep busy or risk losing his mind. After about an hour he had everything clean and tidy again. Merlin was amazed at the mess the prince managed to make in just three days. He had purposely saved the bed making for last. He had avoided even looking at it as long as possible. Walking up to the bed now, visions of Arthur's muscular form above him flashed in his head. His breath caught and he grabbed the post of the king size bed to steady himself. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself the luxury of those memories to flood over him. Merlin slumped face down on the bed, breathing in Arthur's unique scent. Pulling one of Arthur's pillows to him, he wrapped himself around it. Exhaustion and the emotional turmoil of the last few days caught up with him quickly as he lay there. Thinking of Arthur, he was fast asleep within minutes.

Arthur stormed into the room ready to release a gale of emotions, when he caught sight of Merlin asleep on the bed. The words died in his throat. Closing the door and locking it behind him, he walked over and stood next to the sleeping boy in his bed. Arthur's anger melted as he gazed at Merlin's raven hair, in total disarray and falling across his face and forehead. He needs a haircut, he joked to himself. Arthur couldn't swallow his mouth was suddenly so dry. Slowly he reached out and pushed an errant lock back from Merlin's face. He noticed his fingers were shaking. Arthur untied his cape, letting it fall to the floor with only a whisper of sound. Suddenly, he didn't care anymore why Merlin had run; he just intended to see to it that he never did again.

Arthur slipped quickly and as quietly as he could out of his boots and chain. Sliding onto the bed next to Merlin as carefully, he propped himself on his elbow and let his eyes drink their fill of the creature before him. Merlin's thick black lashes lay across his high cheekbones. His full lips were slightly parted and Arthur couldn't resist leaning forward and brushing his own across them. Slowly and gently, he eased his hand under the waistband of Merlin's breeches until he could wrap his fingers around the hidden treasure there. Watching Merlin's face, Arthur began to rub him in smooth, slow strokes. Within seconds, Merlin became hard in Arthur's hand, and Arthur's breath caught when a small moan passed Merlin's lips. On impulse, Arthur slipped the throbbing member in his hand out of the britches and moved down to suck the tip into his mouth. It was hot and smooth velvet on his tongue.

Merlin was dreaming of heat and a naked, golden Arthur, when his eyes suddenly flew open and met the dark blue eyes of the man in his dreams. Eyes that were devilish, as Merlin realized that the Prince's mouth was wrapped deliciously around him making him shudder. Unable to do anything but stare, he watched that mouth descend down the length of him.

"Arthur! Stop… Please you must stop!" as hard as it was to say, the words tore from Merlin's throat like daggers. "You don't want to do this. Oh God, forgive me! You're under a spell! I didn't mean to! I didn't know it was a love potion… I was only trying to help! I swear I didn't know! Stop, oh God I can't take it if you keep doing that, I won't have the strength…" Merlin covered his face in shame, throwing his arm over his eyes, even as his body responded wildly to the man touching him.

Arthur looked at Merlin in his misery, completely perplexed by his words. Merlin's body was telling him one thing, his mouth another. "Merlin, look at me… please, look at me."

It was the Prince's use of the word please that shocked Merlin into looking up. It was the first time he had ever heard that word from him. When he glanced up he was transfixed.

"Merlin, do you think I would do this if I didn't want to, me, the Prince of Camelot?"

Arthur took Merlin fully in his mouth again and smoothly stroked up and down the shaft again.

"Don't you like having my mouth on you?"

Merlin could only manage a whisper, as he stared at Arthur's head when it once again dipped down on him. "But you're under a spell, you don't really want me. The oil I used on your wound the other day was a love potion. You don't know what you're doing."

"Actually, as the Prince, I think I know exactly what I am doing. And judging by my results, I'd say your body agrees with me, even if your stubborn head does not." Arthur said teasingly and then suckled again before saying, "Do you really think I would let some 'potion' make me do anything I didn't want to? I have had feelings for you for months Merlin. I just didn't know what to do about it. Then like some miracle, I found myself wrapped in your arms and we acted on those feelings, and I for one thought it was amazing.

"Are you telling me you didn't… don't feel the same? Tell me you don't want me… that you don't want me and it's just some reaction to a supposed spell and I will stop." Arthur had continued to stroke Merlin with his palm while he spoke.

Merlin looked at Arthur. As much as he wanted to say it was the potion for Arthur's sake, he couldn't. He had been hiding how he really felt for Arthur, not only from Arthur but from himself. When Arthur kissed him the first time that day, he knew he was lost forever. If he was truly honest with himself, he had been hiding for days from the fear of facing that Arthur didn't love him, more than from the fear of Arthur killing him. If Arthur didn't love him, that was a death sentence to Merlin.

"I can't… God forgive me but I can't… I do want you Arthur… I feel like I can't breathe at the thought of losing you…" Merlin looked at Arthur helplessly.

A grin spread across Arthur's face as he slid up to kiss Merlin's pouting lips. Merlin's arms wrapped tightly around him as Arthur deepened the kiss, entwining his tongue with Merlin's. They spent several moments just kissing each other until they were both out of breath.

Arthur pulled Merlin until he was sitting up. He then slowly began to undress him, trailing kisses in the wake of wherever his hands touched skin. When he had Merlin completely naked before him he laid him back and for a moment just drank in the sight of his leanly muscled chest, gleaming in the sunlight from the window. Arthur managed to remove his tunic before Merlin pulled him down on top of him.

Merlin hungrily devoured Arthur's mouth as he rolled him beneath him. He was the aggressor now, raining kisses down the thick cords of muscles on Arthur's shoulders and arms. He kissed and nipped his way across Arthur's chest and down the lines of muscles in his abdomen. Merlin paused to pay attention to Arthur's belly button, delving his tongue in and out a few times and reveling in the sharp intake of Arthur's breath. He reached the waistband of Arthur's breaches and gripped them at his hips. Painstakingly and slowly, he pulled them down to reveal the already turgid and throbbing cock nestled in golden curls. Merlin caught Arthur's eyes as he slowly continued to slide the breaches down his finely muscled legs. Tossing them to the floor, Merlin started at Arthur's ankles and began to kiss his way back up the inside of his leg. Merlin's lips reached the inside of Arthur's thigh, and then he began to lick the last few inches upward until he could take Arthur in his own mouth. Arthur arched his head back and thrust his hips forward as Merlin paid return homage to his prince. Emboldened by Arthur's response, Merlin slipped his hand under Arthur's buttocks until he found his entrance and worked a finger inside him.

Arthur hissed out his breath at the intrusion, gasping as the double sensation of Merlin's mouth on his cock, and his finger inside him overwhelmed him. He gripped the coverlet until his knuckles turned white, trying to control his release. "Ah…God…Merlin!" Arthur had never seen Merlin so in charge of anything and he found he liked it…immensely.

Merlin's magic was alive again, swirling gold filaments filled his eyes when he looked at Arthur before rolling him to his stomach. Pressing kisses into the small of Arthur's back, Merlin stroked deep inside him, adding another of his long fingers. On the bedside table, Merlin spied Arthur's massage oil that he used to work out his muscle soreness after a long training day. Grabbing it with his free hand, Merlin poured some onto his own pulsing cock then sat it aside so he could spread it evenly. Continuing to work his fingers in Arthur he stroked his back and kissed the nape of his neck making him moan and gooseflesh to break out on his skin. Not able to control his need any longer, Merlin positioned himself and slowly began to push into Arthur's tight orifice.

Arthur gasped at the sudden fullness and grasped the pillow to smother the cry that escaped his lips. Merlin's member was much larger than he had expected for someone so lanky. The slightly burning pain, combined with the pleasure was almost more than he could take. Arthur shuddered as Merlin lay against his back pressing his hips fully against him, filling and stretching him with his cock. Merlin ran his hands along Arthur's arms until he could entwine their fingers. Arthur turned his head to look into Merlin's eyes and he captured his lips in a searing kiss as he moved slowly in him. Merlin wrapped Arthur in a strong embrace and rolled to his side bringing Arthur with him. Merlin stroked his chest and stomach, making his muscles clench under his hands. He then gave a short but forceful thrust and Arthur groaned, his head falling back against Merlin's chest. Merlin growled and wrapped Arthur in a crushing embrace as he began to pump harder and faster.

Merlin was lost in the sensation of having Arthur in his arms. He pressed his face into the side of Arthur's neck breathing in his scent as he pushed into him, only to withdraw and push in to the hilt again. He became aware he was making an animal like noise in the back of his throat and he was close to climaxing. Arthur was so tight around him he wasn't going to last much longer. He slid his hand down to take Arthur in his palm and began to pump him, matching his rhythm. Arthur was moaning and thrusting into his hand as Merlin thrust into him. Arthur reached behind him and gripped Merlin's hips, pulling him to him harder. Merlin hung on until he felt the pulsing of Arthur's release in his hand and he cried out, "You're mine Arthur Pendragon!" in a hoarse cry as he pumped his release inside the Prince of Camelot.

Merlin and Arthur both lay panting, a fine sheen of sweat covering them both as they shivered and slowly drifted back to reality. Merlin tenderly stroked Arthur as he still lay inside him, loath to break the contact. Arthur stirred and Merlin reluctantly withdrew, allowing him to turn and face him.

Arthur reached up and ran his fingers through Merlin's hair and Merlin angled his head to kiss his wrist. Resting his hand on the side of Merlin's face Arthur whispered, "Are you still under a spell Merlin?"

Merlin looked into Arthur's eyes and replied without hesitation, "Undoubtedly… I'm under your spell Arthur Pendragon, for as long as you'll have me."

"Well, then you better plan on being around for a very long time Merlin because your magic has me under its spell completely." Arthur smiled knowingly at him.

Merlin at a loss for words could only thank his lucky stars, as Arthur leaned in to kiss him passionately once more. The last coherent thought he had for a long time after, was one of Gaius's favorite quotes: "Oh what a tangled web we weave!"