Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was a quiet day in Camelot for once, much to Arthur’s relief. He was reviewing grain reports as the afternoon wore on. His half-hard cock was nestled in Merlin’s loose hole as Merlin dozed softly in his lap. Merlin’s head was leaned against the high backrest of Arthur’s chair, his quiet breaths fanning against Arthur’s neck. One of Arthur’s arms was wrapped around Merlin’s middle, keeping him in place. Arthur smiled. He loved moments like this.

Usually, Merlin was a literal ball of energy; always moving, fidgeting, and talking about anything and nothing. Arthur loved Merlin’s mindless chatter, which wasn’t mindless at all if one knew how to listen properly. But the sight of a relaxed, serene Merlin was too rare for his tastes. They had started doing this years ago when Arthur was still a prince. It had been just a few months after they’d started sleeping together, on a cold winter day. Arthur had joked about his cock feeling cold while he read a long, boring population census, and Merlin had replied he could keep it warm. They had both been surprised by how much they liked this.

Now, years later, Arthur still wasn’t sure what it was about warming his cock that brought Merlin to such a state of peacefulness. What he did know was that he loved having his cock in Merlin’s warm hole and Merlin’s limp body in his arms. Merlin didn’t always sleep while doing this; often he just fell into a daze. But Merlin had had a rough week. He had got extra work during the day, preparing for an upcoming feast, and at night he had needed to thwart three assassination attempts. It was no surprise to Arthur that he needed the rest now. If he read the report just a bit slower than necessary to allow Merlin to sleep a little longer, no one needed to know.

Arthur absentmindedly stroked Merlin’s bare chest as he read. Merlin sighed happily, pressing his back closer to Arthur’s chest, seeking his heat. Arthur smiled and kissed Merlin’s shoulder. He was almost done reading, but he was in no rush to finish. Eventually, though, he reached the last line on the interminable report and slumped back into his chair with a groan. He took a minute to admire Merlin’s naked body sitting pliant on his lap. Merlin’s legs were hanging limply on either side of Arthur’s thighs. The steady rise and fall of his chest was a soothing rhythm under Arthur’s palm.

If he could, Arthur would let Merlin sleep the afternoon off, but he knew his servant would resent him and complain endlessly about how he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep at night because he slept too much during the day.

“Time to wake up, sleepy head,” Arthur said softly.

He accompanied his words with gentle touches that he knew would rouse Merlin from his slumber. He grazed Merlin’s inner thighs with his nails and rolled Merlin’s nipples with the pad of his fingers. Merlin shifted in his lap and the movement made Arthur’s cock twitch and stiffen in its warm sheath. Arthur continued his ministrations, watching Merlin with a soft smile on his face. Eventually, Merlin groaned at the back of his throat. His back arched and his hole tightened as he stretched on Arthur’s lap. When he looked at Arthur with bleary eyes and a blissful smile, Arthur felt overwhelmed by affection.

“Did I sleep the whole time?” Merlin asked, rubbing at his eyes to rid them of the residual sleep.

“Pretty much, yes. You needed it, it seems.” Arthur kissed Merlin’s soft, warm cheek and held him a little bit tighter.

Merlin yawned. “Sorry. Did you work well?”

“I did, thank you.”

Arthur shifted so he could grab a goblet of water from his desk, handing it to Merlin. Merlin accepted it gratefully, drinking half of it before handing it to Arthur. He knew the King enough to know he would have forgotten to drink while he was working.

Merlin shifted again to get more comfortable. Arthur’s cock throbbed and a little whimper escaped him. Merlin’s cock was still soft, though.

“You need to get off me, darling,” Arthur said with a kiss on Merlin’s long neck.

An adorable frown of confusion creased Merlin’s brow. “But you’re hard.”

As if awakened by those words, Arthur felt his desire flare below his navel and his cock stiffened further. “Precisely. I’m hard and you’re not, so get off me so I can take care of myself.”

“I think I’d like you to use me. Please, use my body for your pleasure.”

Even though Merlin’s cock was still decidedly soft and showed no sign of hardening, his pupils were blown wide. His eyes wore that hazy glaze they took on when desire submerged him and his lips were parted slightly, as if anticipating the sighs that would tumble past them.

“I love it when you use me to keep your cock warm. It makes me feel so safe and loved. I want to know what it feels like to be used when you chase your pleasure,” Merlin whispered, his breath hot against Arthur’s neck.

How could Arthur refuse such an invitation? He knew Merlin would tell him if he became uncomfortable at any moment. Merlin was never shy about expressing what he needed and wanted. Moreover, Arthur knew Merlin’s reactions well enough to detect any signs of discomfort before Merlin even needed to voice it. And Arthur would be lying if he said he had never dreamed about fucking Merlin while he sat pliant in his lap. It just seemed wrong to do it without Merlin’s express consent. But he had Merlin’s consent now. Arthur growled and bucked his hips, pushing himself deeper into Merlin.

In his arms, Merlin was once again limp and pliant. His eyes were hooded and dazed. Arthur knew his lover had retreated to that quiet place he went to when he warmed Arthur’s cock. He knew Merlin could feel and hear everything, just distantly. And he was definitely enjoying the moment. Merlin had told him many times that this was a place he only went to when he felt really safe and relaxed.

So, emboldened by the knowledge that Merlin was fine with what was happening – more than fine, he was enjoying this as much as Arthur, for different reasons – Arthur started fucking Merlin with lazy, shallow thrusts. Merlin’s hole was loose enough for Arthur’s cock to slide in and out easily, but tight enough to fit snugly around him. Arthur kept kissing every part of Merlin’s body that was accessible to his lips, whispering words of love and praise on his lover’s skin.

Small, contented sighs spilt from Merlin’s parted lips, his cock twitched but remained soft and untouched. Merlin’s sighs of pleasure stoked the fire of desire in Arthur’s guts and he started fucking Merlin harder, desperate to reach his climax.

“You feel so good inside of me,” Merlin said in a slurred whisper, mouthing at Arthur’s jaw.

As his desire and pleasure grew, Arthur growled. His hands dug possessively into Merlin’s skin, roaming the bare expense of Merlin’s bare body. Merlin was offering himself to him, making himself so vulnerable. The level of trust Merlin had in him almost made Arthur sob, overcome with love. Merlin’s body jerked with each of Arthur’s shallow thrusts, but he remained pliant in the King’s arms. His cock had barely hardened at all, but a frown of pleasure had etched itself on Merlin’s brow.

“I love you so much, Merlin. One day, I promise you, we won’t have to hide our love anymore,” Arthur promised fervently against Merlin’s neck.

Merlin’s only reply was a kiss on Arthur’s parted lips. Arthur’s moans were swallowed by Merlin’s welcoming mouth. As if he knew exactly what Arthur needed to find his climax, Merlin clenched around him, squeezing his cock tightly as he thrusts once, twice, three times. And then, Arthur stilled, holding Merlin close to his chest as his body shook with the strength of his orgasm.

“I love you too,” Merlin whispered against Arthur’s panting mouth. “I adore you, my love, my King.”

The love in Merlin’s eyes was almost unbearable. Arthur felt like his ribcage was too narrow to contain all the love he felt for Merlin in return. He looked at his lover and servant, desperately wanting to convey the depth of his devotion to the man sitting on his lap.

“Can we stay like this a little bit longer?” Merlin said, breaking the tension by snuggling closer to Arthur.

Arthur’s smile was positively sappy as he watched Merlin curl into his lap like an overgrown cat.

“Of course, my darling, we can stay like this for as long as you want.”