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“Tonight,” Arthur murmured, the words reaching Merlin's ears alone even as it looked like he was paying attention to everything but the manservant beside him.
“All of your conditions have been met,” Arthur continued lowly as Merlin sent a level look his way, Arthur seeing the worry Merlin was hiding. “And I'll be ready and waiting for you when you're done with Gaius.”
“Tonight, then,” Merlin confirmed with a lick of his lips, his breath becoming slightly audible and quavery after he gave his agreement.
Arthur shifted subtly to lightly run his pinky along Merlin's own, risking someone seeing the touch to share this moment with Merlin.
Merlin curled his pinky finger around Arthur's own in turn before duty pulled Arthur away from Merlin's side.
Arthur had plenty of time to prepare and he took that time to indulge himself.
Sinking into the fire-warmed water of his bath, Arthur dismissed the servants and sank back with a sigh. All the more practical concerns had been attended to regarding the night he and Merlin had planned and now Arthur could turn to more sensual matters.
Easing back into the bathtub, Arthur closed his eyes and just soaked in the warmth of the water. He was in no rush and so did not hurry to bring his hand down between his legs. Instead, he just relaxed into the soothing water, the water gently lapping with his deep breaths and occasional movements.
It was with eyes still closed that Arthur slid his hands beneath the water.
Arthur didn't need to do much to tease himself to hardness, his eagerness for the night ahead meaning he wasn't going to last long. That was precisely why he was taking his hard cock into his hand now; he didn't want the evening to end too quickly, he had to take some of the edge off.
His breath was already hitching with only a few strokes of his cock, Arthur trying to keep a slow, smooth pace, his other hand running along the length of his thigh. Arthur wished fervently that Merlin was there with him now instead of just his imagination providing merely a guess of how he'll feel once Merlin started in the coming night. Arthur groaned and took his hands away, hips thrusting futilely up at the loss of sensation.
Evening out his breath, Arthur slid his hands down his body, bypassing his straining cock this time in favour of his balls, his other hand finding the rim of his hole. Arthur teased the rim with light touches as he debated with himself; did he want to be open and ready for Merlin, allowing for the night to focus on other pleasures, or did he want to take the time to feel the sensation of Merlin's magical fingers opening him up? Having Merlin in his life, though, had broadened Arthur's thinking and it occurred to him that there wasn't any reason he couldn't have both.
Decision made, Arthur worked one of his fingers inside, removing his other hand from his balls to return it to his cock so that he could set up a fast rhythm. Hips snapping up into his tight hold, then back onto his finger, Arthur eventually worked in a second but not a third, coming with the thought of what Merlin could do to stretch him further.
Camelot had the best trained servants, outside of Merlin. Hauling Arthur's dirty bathwater away, not a single one even batted an eyelash when Arthur had them refill the tub, simply obeying the command without complaint; just like when Arthur had had them bring up the heavy, stone bench that now sat beside the tub. Everything set, now the only thing to do was wait for Merlin.
Merlin finally arrived with a late-night repast, a simple tray of fruit, nuts, and a collection of sweets; food they could easily feed to each other, chasing the morsel with a kiss, or eat themselves one-handed, the other tracing loving patterns along the other's hand.
They ate unhurriedly, sharing the parts of their day when they had been separate and laughing at how differently they had experienced a situation when they had been together. It was a familiar pattern and Arthur could almost forget the unique way they planned to end the day if not for the racing of his blood and the flickering of Merlin's expression between uncertain and heated.
When the food was gone and a pleasant lull silenced their conversation, Arthur stood up and took a step towards the stone bench and water-filled tub. Arthur extended his hand out to Merlin and Merlin stood to take.
When they were both standing naked in front of each other, Merlin asked one final time, “You're certain about this?”
“I trust you to control it,” Arthur answered without hesitation or doubt.
With that said, Arthur reclined back on the bench, arms back to hold up his torso and legs splayed wide, putting his chest and semi-hard cock on display. Arthur basked in the sight of Merlin's quick breath and hand flying to his own cock to give strong pulls but then he grimaced.
“This stone isn't very comfortable,” Arthur complained. “Can you do something about that?”
Merlin moved close, supporting his weight on a knee carefully placed between Arthur's spread legs and one hand. Merlin hovered over a semi-prone Arthur as he spoke some words of power, his eyes flashed gold, and the feeling of cold, hard stone transformed to what Arthur imagined a supportive cloud would feel like.
“Thanks,” Arthur said as he luxuriated all the way back onto the bench, running a hand down his toned chest. Merlin licked his lips and his eyes became nearly black as his pupils dilated, eyes enviously following Arthur's hand down his body until he reached his hips but stopped his hands from roaming inward.
“Make me hard,” Arthur whispered but stopped Merlin's hands when they moved to touch his—admittedly, pretty much hard already—cock. “I met your conditions,” Arthur said determinedly, gaze encompassing bench and bath both. “You promised.”
Merlin took a step back from Arthur, who sat up to see what he would do.
Moving his hands in front of his body, both Merlin and Arthur watched as flames ignited around them.
No magic words were needed this time for Merlin was fire. Sparks flew from the tips of his fingers as he rubbed them together and then red flames danced around his hands, calm and slow.
The sight of undulating flames was hypnotic and Arthur hissed a, “yes,” as Merlin's fiery hands finally made contact with his bare skin.
The fire didn't stay contained around Merlin's form, as Arthur had expected, instead expanding outward slightly along Arthur's body, sliding along his chest where Merlin had placed a stilling hand and engulfing Arthur's balls even as Merlin wrapped a firm hand around Arthur's cock.
“Does it hurt?” Merlin asked, taking his hands away and darting his eyes to the tub at Arthur's loud groan.
“‘Does it…’ Merlin,” Arthur swore, sitting up so he could take Merlin's face between his hands. “It feels amazing.”
“It does?” Merlin asked confusedly, lifting up a flaming hand and examining it closely.
“Yeah,” Arthur confirmed, taking hold of Merlin's hands to play with them gently, lacing and unlacing their fingers.
“What,” Merlin asked as he licked his lips, Arthur interrupting the question to chase that retreating tongue for an open-mouthed kiss, “What does it feel like?”
“Vibrations,” Arthur said but then thought further. “No, yes, but also sparks. Not,” he was quick to add when Merlin started looking alarmed again, “Like from a fire. Like zaps of energy that take their time to fade, pulsing across my skin and sinking in.”
“Really?” Merlin asked, wonder in his voice as he scooped up a single flame and ran it along his arm. “It feels like all that?”
“Yes,” Arthur gave his impassioned response. “And I would very much like to feel it again, so…If you don't mind?” Arthur asked impatiently as Merlin still hadn't moved.
Arthur barked out a laugh that turned to a groan, losing any ability to hold himself up and laying back on the bench as Merlin returned his hands and his fire to Arthur's body with a sheepish grin and a soft, “Oh.”
Arthur let Merlin do what he willed with his body, the zap across his skin letting him know where the fire was, the massaging press of fingers with the occasional scrape of nails clearly Merlin's talented hands.
“You falling asleep on me?” Merlin teased as his wariness receded with each passing moment where he maintained his control, his fiery touch causing only pleasure and his natural talkativeness returned.
“Maybe,” Arthur teased right back, turning his delighted smile into an exaggerated yawn.
“You planning on contributing to this night at all?” Merlin asked as his hands stopped on top of Arthur's chest, rising and falling with Arthur's heavy breathing.
“I brought the water,” Arthur said by way of answer and then he was laughing as Merlin gave his thigh a light slap.
“Lazy wanker,” Merlin mock grumped but Arthur saw his smile as he sat back up to draw Merlin into a heated kiss.
“If you insist,” Arthur rumbled.
Sitting at the end of the bench, Arthur bracketed Merlin's legs with his own, taking both their cocks in his hand, and started a slow stroke. Hands now free, Merlin framed Arthur's face with them, the fire curling around the curves of Arthur's face as they kissed slow and languid, the thrust of their tongues together nowhere near matching the rhythm of Arthur's hand.
“I'm not ready to come yet,” Merlin eventually said as he stilled Arthur's hand.
“Good,” Arthur said with a light nip to Merlin's lips, “Because we haven't done nearly all that I planned tonight.”
“Oh?” Merlin asked, trying to sound beleaguered by the demand in Arthur's tone but failing to hide his intrigue. “And what all did you have planned?”
“To have you inside me, for one,” Arthur responded, Merlin's resounding, “Yes,” spoken into his neck as Merlin clutched Arthur's body to his own.
“Are you ready for me?” Merlin asked, running his hands up and down Arthur's back, the fire still emanating from them a delightful reminder of what Arthur had to look forward to.
“Almost,” Arthur answered. “I got two fingers in but I wanted you to get me the rest of the way.”
“You'll tell me if it starts to feel bad,” Merlin half-asked, half-demanded, his worry returning with him about to enter Arthur's most intimate area.
“I promise,” Arthur said for what must have been the thousandth time but he wasn't irritated by the repetition; if made him feel cared for and protected.
With that established, Merlin sank down to his knees. Placing Arthur's legs on his shoulders, Merlin manoeuvred Arthur's body until he could reach Arthur's hole.
The position forced Arthur to lean back but he placed his weight on his hands so he could still watch Merlin, and his hands of fire, ease two fingers into his body.
“Gah,” Arthur gasped out as his whole body went taut as Merlin's fire entered further than Merlin's fingers could go, those lingering, sparking pulses hitting that spot inside him that wound his pleasure tight. It was a good thing he'd already come that day, otherwise that touch alone would have sent him over.
Clasping the base of his cock in a vice, Arthur watched as Merlin's fingers disappeared and reappeared inside his body, Merlin talking the whole time on how wonderful Arthur felt, with an occasional swipe of his tongue along Arthur's length, as the desire took him.
When Merlin could comfortably get four fingers inside Arthur, he pushed him to lie back on the bench, Arthur scooting back until he was comfortable.
Merlin kissed his way up Arthur's body, a loving kiss to the tip of his cock, light pecks up his side, a lave of tongue across one nipple, and a bruising suck into Arthur's neck, until he was hovering over Arthur, their heated eyes locked.
Without prompting, Arthur lifted one leg to brace against Merlin's shoulder, exposing himself without hesitation and Merlin was there, lining up and slowly pushing in.
Hands braced on either side of Arthur's head, Merlin started slow with Arthur meeting the thrust of Merlin's body. It was good, so very good, but didn't satisfy what Arthur had envisioned for the night.
“More,” Arthur demanded wantonly, fantasies that had filled his head for weeks now finally about to spill over into reality.
Adjusting his angle and saying some magic words, Merlin suddenly had more purchase, enough to speed up the snap of his hips, pounding into Arthur's body with resounding force, pressure, and friction. As glorious as that was, that wasn't what Arthur had meant.
Realizing he hadn't actually specified what he wanted, Arthur tried to find the words but they just refused to come.
Wrapping the leg not stretched over Merlin's shoulder around his body, Arthur held Merlin in place after a particularly deep thrust so he could say, “No, Merlin.” Merlin's confused look only lasted a moment as Arthur took hold of one of his hands and brought it to his mouth so that he could take his fingers inside, flames and all. Arthur tasted himself, Merlin, and magic as he swirled his tongue around the fingers in his mouth and he shut his eyes to savour it.
"More," Arthur said again after one last suck of Merlin’s fingers. The fire had extinguished in Arthur's mouth, the flames slowly returning, hindered by the slick Arthur's mouth had left behind.
Arthur hoped Merlin understood his desire, gratified the message had gotten across when, after a moment's indecision, the fire surrounding Merlin's hands began to spread.
"More," Arthur demanded when it went only to Merlin's forearms.
"More," Arthur said again, undulating his body under a still Merlin, who took the hint and resumed his thrusts, back to his slower pace.
Fire, orange and vibrant, encased Merlin's entire arms, up to his shoulders. Not confined to Merlin's shape, they connected Arthur and Merlin in their hypnotic movements, snapping forward and retreating back in an energetic dance, movements independent of Merlin but never losing touch with him.
“Give me your all,” Arthur finally found the words to say.
This time, Merlin didn't hesitate in igniting his whole body, a sudden inferno on top of and inside of Arthur and that was what Arthur had been waiting for.
Waves of Merlin's fire engulfed Arthur, washing over and around him, in constant motion, so that it wasn't just the sweaty press of skin against skin he felt as Merlin thrust into him, it was that sparking pleasure, increased in intensity just as the flames had increased the speed of their dance, and it was everywhere. And through it all, Arthur never lost Merlin's face, the flames a part of him but not obscuring him. Arthur ran a tender hand down that familiar face, Merlin leaning into the touch, both taking the moment of intimate stillness before the more ardent demands of their bodies once again took over.
Merlin made a valiant effort but eventually, the shaking in his arms proved too much and he had to lower himself down. He could still push into Arthur's body—and the full press of flesh and fire against each other was a thrilling feeling—but he couldn't get the angle or speed that either of them wanted.
“Arthur, I need,” Merlin panted, “I can't…”
And then Merlin was pulling out of Arthur so that he could turn Arthur onto his front.
“I want to see you,” Arthur objected, resisting going into the new position. And what a sight Merlin was with his whole body aflame.
“Here,” Merlin said after a string of magic words fell from his lips. Arthur turned his head to see that his full-length mirror was now floating at the end of their bench, giving him a clear view of himself and Merlin behind him.
This time, Arthur followed the press of Merlin's hands, getting onto all fours and lowering onto his elbows as Merlin pushed down on his back. Merlin had Arthur spread his knees wide—wider than the bench, but, with magic, it didn't matter—and then Merlin was entering him again, his fiery hands holding tight to Arthur's hips as his fire surged around Arthur's body, flowing like currents along his back and around to his chest, never retreating from him and so the pleasure it caused just built and built within his muscles. And now that Merlin had freed this side of himself, he didn't hold back, sending his flames to pay particular attention to Arthur's cock, the sheer intensity of that touch causing his fingers and toes to curl but he didn't come.
Though fire was everywhere, it consumed nothing and made no noise, the only sound filling the room that of their panting breaths and the slap of skin against skin as Merlin thrust into Arthur.
With the new position, Merlin was really able to let loose, slamming into Arthur's accommodating body and the whole while, Arthur watched in the mirror as the fully enflamed Merlin he had first seen filled with vengeful retribution in a mission gone wrong was now bent on completely wrecking Arthur with pleasure behind him.
Fire, with hints of blue and white now overtaking the orange, raged around and between them. Fire pummeled itself inside him, hitting that dazzling spot with consistency and precision, Merlin's cock stretching him gloriously, and this was everything Arthur had hoped for and more.
When Arthur finally came, his release felt unending and he thought the night could not have gone better.
Satisfied gaze locking with Merlin's as he chased his own orgasm, Arthur saw Merlin's fire turn completely white with the occasional flicker of blue streaking through the flames. To his disappointment, the fire withdrew from his body, coalescing around Merlin as he got close. And then Merlin came.
White fire shot out in all directions, submerging Arthur in a tidal wave of fire as it did. Arthur had already come but at the touch of that fire he shouted in exquisite agony as it felt like that magical flame found every single, individual nerve in Arthur's body and brought each one to its own climax. It was delicious, it was intense, and it was too much for his mind to take in.
When Arthur once again became conscious of his surroundings, he was in his own bed, Merlin spooned up behind him, both arms wrapped snug around him as magic tucked them in.
“We are definitely doing that again,” Arthur said, his voice hoarse.
“You're insatiable,” Merlin laughed but there was also relief in his tone.
“You liked it, too,” Arthur said, “Don't act like you didn't.”
“Yes, I did,” Merlin answered, pulling Arthur even closer to his body, arms tightening around him, and Arthur leaned his head back so he could take Merlin's lips with his own.
Sleep was quickly overtaking them both but Merlin still had enough energy to say one more thing.
“I love you, Arthur,” Merlin said into his hair, Arthur feeling the curve of the words as Merlin's lips moved against his skin.
Running his hand along Merlin's no longer flaming arm, Arthur said, “I love you, too.”