Spoilers: doubtful as I have only just started S3, so definitely none for the current series
Disclaimer: Not mine never have been,never will be
Warnings/Squicks: established relationship, D/s (unestablished, light)
Summary: Arthur finally figures out something that Merlin truly wants.

AN1: I tried to stop them, I really did, but they just won't listen! I promise, I DON'T normally write this stuff!
AN2: Beware "My Word Thing" (can be found on my profile here: http:/www. fanfiction .net/u/2107944/)
AN3: is at the end of the fic, nothing bad, merely a clarification with regards to the D/s

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Merlin banked the fire for the night, insuring it would keep the prince's chambers warm until he could rekindle it fully in the morning.

The prince lay propped up against the headboard of his overly luxurious bed, watching his manservant, a small smile playing across his lips. "When you've done with that, come here."

Merlin smiled, his back to his prince, "Yes, Sire."

"Merlin," Arthur sighed at the title, shaking his head.

The young man finished tending the fire, before making his way to Arthur's bed. He stopped on the side furthest away from the blond and looked down at the lush coverings.

"Well, come on," Arthur encouraged, wanting his Merlin shaped bed warmer on the bed with him, not merely looking at it.

As Merlin began to climb up onto the bed Arthur was almost certain he heard a soft, "Yes, Arthur."

Merlin seemed to stalk across the bed, sliding on all fours like some gangly cat. He stopped, lips hovering just above the prince's own. "You wanted me, Sire."

Arthur gulped; Merlin had that effect on him. "Always," he whispered before closing the miniscule gap between their lips. Merlin always tasted beautiful. Arthur knew that was an odd description for a kiss, but it was true. Merlin tasted like the finest mulled wine, like the glistening of a lake in the sun, like the cool freshness of an autumn sunrise; he tasted beautiful. Arthur slid his hand around his lover's neck pulling him closer and lower, he wanted to feel Merlin against him, the heat from his body against his even through their layers of clothing.

Merlin followed Arthur's direction, stretching along his body. He loved this, letting Arthur take charge; he only wished the other man understood how much it meant.

Lips brushed past Merlin's ear as Arthur nuzzled against him. "What would you like, Merlin?" he purred sweetly. He might be the Crown Prince and technically Merlin's master, but that ended the moment they lay down together. He wasn't Prince Arthur here, he was just Arthur.

Shivering at the light breath, Merlin simply turned his head and kissed Arthur's cheek before reaching for the hem of Arthur's tunic. They had been in this place before, Arthur always wanting to please him and more often than not Merlin was happy to oblige, but sometimes he needed something different. But Merlin couldn't put words to what he wanted, so he showed and hoped his prince would understand one day. He lifted Arthur's tunic almost reverently, sliding it slowly over his head and off his arms, letting his fingers coast over the soft skin of his lover. He dropped the shirt to the floor and ghosted his cheek up Arthur's chest, the soft curls of hair tickling deliciously along his skin. Nuzzling the crook of Arthur's neck, Merlin's hand trailed to the laces of Arthur's britches hesitating, asking, almost pleading, "May I?"

Arthur shuddered, his body reacting to the teasing touches and subservient inflection of his words. He wanted Merlin so badly, wanted to tell him to wrap his perfect lips around his shaft and please him, tell him to prepare himself then slide down onto him, wrapping Arthur in such exquisite heat that he thought he would burn like the sun. But…

Merlin's voice cut through Arthur's thoughts. "Arthur, please?" he begged breathlessly.

"Please," he replied, pressing his hips upward into Merlin's tentative touch.

Merlin's deft fingers made quick work of the laces, releasing Arthur from his confines. He ran his fingers along the shaft like a master musician refamiliarizing himself with an instrument he was born to play. And he did, he knew right where to touch, press and tease to make Arthur produce the most beautiful refrains.

"Merlin," Arthur panted softly, reaching out to touch the still clothed back of his manservant, and gods, would that he could stop thinking of Merlin like that, but when he was so willingly acting the part it was impossible. "Merlin," he called again. When the young man turned his dark, eager eyes to him, Arthur's voice turned darker as he all but commanded his lover, "Take off your clothes."

A smile flitted across Merlin's face, his eyes sparkling hungrily. With speed he set about undoing his own ties and laces, shirt and britches falling haphazardly to the floor. Naked he knelt by Arthur's side, waiting, hoping.

A strong hand stroked up Merlin's shoulder, the tenderness a counterpoint to the strength and power he knew ran through those hands. His eyes drifted closed as he let himself imagine that maybe, perhaps, Arthur understood.

"Merlin," Arthur's voice was rough with desire and, when Merlin looked at him from beneath those long black lashes, it took every ounce of control he had not to throw Merlin down and kiss him until he couldn't speak, touch him until he broke with the effort of holding on. "Continue," was all he said.

As Merlin bent low, stretching along Arthur's body once more, Arthur kept caressing his arm then his back with those same soft, loving strokes.

Merlin's fingers moved nimbly over Arthur's flesh causing his breath to hitch and catch, and soft sounds, somewhere between a moan and a mewl, to fall from his lips.

"Do it," he whispered harshly, hoping Merlin would understand.

The young warlock smiled almost bashfully, suckling the tip of Arthur's cock, teasing the silt with his tongue before letting his lips slide wantonly around his shaft.

Arthur's hands clenched, one hand fisting the bedcovers, the other scratching blunt nails across Merlin's back.

Merlin whimpered and arched into the touch, the burn just enough to tease.

"Ah! Merlin!" Arthur bit back a cry as Merlin worked him into frenzy. All too soon Arthur thought he was going to explode, and drug Merlin forcibly from his flesh, growling, "STOP."

Merlin flinched, but followed Arthur's lead with a soft hungry moan; he craved Arthur's control after all.

Somewhere through the haze Arthur registered the contented noise his lover made when he'd pulled him and ordered him to stop. He let his eyes roam Merlin's body taking in every detail, his stance, his swollen lips, his eyes that only looked up at him through long dark lashes, and the pieces began to fall into place. Merlin wanted this. He wanted Arthur to tell him what to do, to order him. That knowledge sent wild shivers up and down Arthur's spine.
He took Merlin's chin in his hand and pulled him up to look him in the eye, there was a flash of recognition and understanding. Arthur drew in a deep breath, dropping Merlin's chin, he swallowed. "Prepare yourself," he spoke coolly as if telling Merlin to clean his armour.

As the young man hurried to do as he was told, Arthur added, "I want to watch."

Merlin's heart began to beat out of his chest, this is what he'd wanted and Arthur finally understood. With lowered gaze Merlin reach for the oil secluded away at Arthur's bedside. As Merlin began to turn away to allow Arthur to see his fingers slide into his body making him open and ready for anything Arthur wished, Arthur stopped him.

"No," he tugged gently at Merlin's shoulder, sitting up slightly to whisper against Merlin's ear, "I want to feel you as you do it- the way your body shivers and tenses, your breath as it quickens with each loosening press. I want to feel each gasp caressing my skin. I want," Arthur paused to steady his own shaking breath, "to feel you."

Merlin swallowed hard, and turned as Arthur asked, his chest pressed over Arthur's stomach one arm precariously balancing him as his other hand reach back towards his entrance.

Arthur was transfixed, watching as his lover breach himself slowly. He could feel the slight hitch in Merlin's breath as his chest jerked with the motion, then the ease of the steadying breath he took before pushing more of his finger inside.

Merlin's head fell forward resting against Arthur's hip, his lips not quite touching Arthur's pale skin as his breath blew over him n soft huffs.

Arthur moaned along with Merlin as he slid a second finger alongside the first. The sound rolling from low in his chest matching the rolling rumble of Merlin, the ripple of muscles as the two sounds were made fitting together just as the two of them did.

By the time Merlin added a third finger his brow was damp, tiny beads of sweat smearing against Arthur's skin as his entire body rocked back onto his hand.

The sight of Merlin, exposed and open as he was, willing to obey Arthur's every wish, was wearing on Arthur's control. "Merlin," he ground out, between clenched teeth. He forced himself to swallow as he shook with the effort of maintaining control. "I need you." He caught Merlin's eyes and bore into them, "Now."

The young man understood all too well, and his body sagged with relief; his face pressing fully against Arthur as he slipped his fingers from his body. He pressed a brief kiss to his lover's flesh, before rocking back on his heels. He deftly dribbled oil over Arthur's shaft, stroking it until it was thoroughly coated and ready for him.
His gaze flitted up to Arthur's, questioningly.

Arthur gripped Merlin's forearm with one hand and his throbbing flesh with the other, nodding firmly.

No sooner had permission been granted than Merlin was straddling Arthur, hovering directly above him. He placed a steadying hand on Arthur's chest and began lowering himself.

Arthur's hand squeezed Merlin's arm as his head pushed inside him. Their breaths once more in tandem gasps as Arthur slid further and further into Merlin's heat, until he was fully sheathed by his lover's body.

There was a moment as Merlin's body tensed settling around the welcome intrusion that Arthur thought he might explode then and there. And then Merlin moved.

All Arthur could see was his lover's body, rocking steadily, slowly against him like a ship caught in a wave of ecstasy.
He met each motion with a gently rolling thrust causing the most rapturous sounds to fall from Merlin's perfect lips.

Powerful hands slid up Merlin's back clutching his shoulders and pulling him down. Lips brushed his cheek with ragged breaths, finally finding their home against Merlin's own.

Their movements became faster, their kisses more erratic and hungry. Merlin's body becoming tighter and hotter as they moved, his cock trapped between them rubbing sensitive flesh against flesh. He couldn't last, his head thrown back in a silent scream, Arthur's name the word formed by his mind and his heart.

As Merlin's body clutched and convulsed around him, the look of pure elation on his face, and the feel of him as he pulsed his release between their bodies all combined to rupture what little hold Arthur maintained and soon he was following Merlin into a blissful abyss.

They lay together as shocks and tremors ran through their bodies, until Merlin reluctantly rolled off of Arthur, curling instead into his side.

"Merlin," Arthur's voice was a ghost against the bliss they shared, "why didn't you tell me?"

The young man tried to roll away, he didn't know if he could explain, even now, but Arthur's firm embrace held him.

"Merlin?" Arthur brushed at the sweat soaked hair along his lover's brow. "It's okay, I just…"

"I'm sorry," Merlin pushed out through bitten lips.

Arthur huffed and rolled on top of Merlin. "You really are an idiot sometimes, you know that, don't you," he said between light kisses he peppered over his face. "I don't mind," he whispered as he nuzzled Merlin's flushed cheek. He pulled back to look into Merlin's cobalt eyes, "But not all the time. I kind of like my cocky manservant," he smirked.

Smiling, "Cocky?" Merlin pretended to think about it, "I think I can do cocky."

Arthur laughed, shaking his head before capturing Merlin's mouth once again.

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AN3: Okay for those BDSM ppl and the vanilla ones, too, I know there should always be safe words established in any form of D/s, even as light a form as this, but a) I doubt they had safe words at the time this fic takes place (but for once in my life I didn't play research monkey to find out, lol) and b) neither Arthur nor Merlin has actually played in this field before, so even if there were safe words they wouldn't know about them, hence, why I didn't make mention of it.