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Merlin’s hands on Arthur were gentle and confident, gliding across his skin; wet, perfect and so soothing. Arthur would often close his eyes as Merlin bathed him, washing away the sweat and dirt from his body.
He wanted to do this.
He’d wanted it for so long; to touch Merlin in this way. Caress his skin. To run soap up into his hair and watch the pale skin shine with moisture. He’d wanted it since the first time Merlin had bathed him. Shy in his initial touch as though he was unsure of how much he was allowed to touch the Prince. He’d grown ever more confident with time and that just made Arthur want him more.
He’d lie in bed at night, feeling clean and warm from his bath and Merlin will have left after blowing out the last candle and wishing Arthur a goodnight. He’d take himself in hand, imagining the wrinkled fingers of Merlin’s hands from the water, the smell of soap and the feel of Merlin’s wet skin and he’d spill over his closed fist, biting his lip around Merlin’s name. He’d ache until his next bath and even then it wasn’t enough. He wanted to swap places with his manservant. Sit behind him on the low stool and breathe in the scent of his wet hair.
It was years of Merlin’s servitude before Arthur gave in. Years of witnessing Merlin bathing in lakes and streams and it was walking in on Merlin washing himself with a cloth and a bucket in his own chambers that finally broke his will.
“What on earth are you doing, Merlin?”
Merlin squeaked in surprise and tried to hide his genitals with the damp cloth, his fringe dripping with water.
“What does it look like?” Merlin asked sounding annoyed. “I’m trying to bathe.”
“This is how you bathe?” Arthur demanded, swiping his hand in the direction of the bucket.
Merlin frowned in exasperation. “Well yes. We lowly commoners can’t always afford such luxuries as a tub, Sire.”
Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance. This would not do at all. Merlin’s body needed to be surrounded and enveloped in the heat of a nice bath. His skin should be washed with gentle strokes and lathered soap. Not rubbed so it was red like Merlin was doing.
“Arthur, can you please leave.” Merlin asked sounding annoyed again when Arthur hadn’t so much as moved a muscle.
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“No.” Arthur repeated. “I cannot have my manservant not bathing correctly. I can’t have you stinking up the castle every time I need you to muck out my stables-“
“Well I’ve managed so far”
“-No, you’ll just need to have a proper bath.”
“And how do you suggest I do that?” Merlin raised an eyebrow.
“You’ll have mine. And I’ll bathe you.”
It was that very evening, after much argument from Merlin and some selective hearing from Arthur, that Arthur finally got his wish. Merlin carried the bath and water himself. Heating it as usual but this time, instead of waiting for Arthur to climb in, he began to strip himself.
Arthur didn’t even feign modesty for Merlin, he stared his fill as the peasant clothing was slowly removed leaving Merlin as naked as the day he was born.
“Climb in,” Arthur whispered.
Merlin swallowed before stepping a foot into the steaming water. He hissed with shock before settling his next foot into the tub and slowly sank down until his was sitting in the heat. His cheeks flushed red and the steam was already making his hair stick to his head. Arthur licked his lips. He was beautiful.
He sat himself behind Merlin and fought the urge to smell the damp skin of Merlin’s neck. Lathering the soap and a cloth, Arthur asked quietly, “Are you ready?”
Merlin nodded jerkily and tensed when Arthur’s bare hand touched his shoulder. Arthur fought a groan; the skin was even softer than he’d imagined. It was like melted smooth butter.
He ran the soap and cloth over Merlin’s back in long broad strokes. He massaged the skin in places he felt bunched up muscle and scrubbed gently at any particularly grimy spots.
Eventually Merlin relaxed, his head falling forward and sighing softly as Arthur touched and washed. When Arthur continued up to the black hair which was curling loosely around Merlin’s ears, Arthur had to swallow hard. His hair felt beautiful between his fingers. He scratched and rubbed at his scalp enjoying the feel of the strands tickling his palm.
Merlin’s moan was enough for Arthur to move. His hands gliding down his neck – long, elegant – and reach round to his chest. He pulled him back gently so Arthur could see where his hands rubbed and Merlin quickly lifted his knees up out of the water, attempting to hide his private place from Arthur’s view. That was fine, because Arthur had plans to wash that too.
His let his hands diligently wash his arms and chest before softly brush his finger tips over Merlin’s nipples. Merlin arched and whined, a frown marring his face against the obvious pleasure. Biting his bottom lip, Arthur let both hands caress the little pink nubs that peaked under the attention. His index fingers brushing to and fro over them as Merlin’s breathing grew deeper and heavier.
Arthur rested his chin on Merlin’s shoulder, his cheek grazing Merlin’s as he furthered his assault, pinching and flicking the nipples with his fingernails.
“Arthur,” Merlin cried, high and helpless. His breaths deep and quick as his soft, flat belly moved quickly, he knees shaking with the effort to stay up to shield himself.
Arthur gazed down to see the pink, wet head of Merlin’s cock bobbing from the water. A pearl of white teasing it way out of the slit as Merlin continued to writhe and whine, sweet and high.
The tenting in Arthur’s trousers from the first touch of Merlin’s skin grew bigger at the sight of Merlin’s interested cock winking at him from the surface of the now soapy water. Abandoning one nipple – to Merlin’s weak protest – Arthur gripped and stroked gently at his hard cock.
“Oh!” Merlin yelped, his hips bucking making the water ripple. “Ar-Arthur. So good.”
“Yes,” Was Arthur’s whispered reply, turning his head to press a small, damp kiss to Merlin’s neck. “So good and wet for me.”
Merlin twisted helplessly as Arthur took a firmer hold and began jerking him under the water, his other hand still playing with the now reddened nipple.
“Look at you.” Arthur gasped against Merlin’s neck, the strands of his wet hair tickling his forehead and cheeks. “You’re glistening. So lovely, so beautiful.”
Merlin arched at the words before crying out and convulsing causing the water to lap around the edges of the tub. He gasped before relaxing back, his release a white mess in the surface of the water. Arthur gasped with him; his grip loosening before releasing Merlin’s softening cock completely.
He ran both hands up Merlin’s chest before dropping one and gripping himself through his trousers. The pressure and the smell of soap on Merlin’s skin was enough to make him spend instantly, Merlin’s name a murmur on his lips.
Merlin turned around, twisting in the tub to face him, his face a mixture of astonishment and concern.
“Wh-What was that?”
“That was me bathing you,” Arthur replied simply, his face feeling flushed from his own release.
“Oh.” Merlin looked down at his wrinkled fingers before reaching out to grip loosely at Arthur’s wet tunic.
Arthur leaned forward so he was mere inches from Merlin’s face. “I wish to bathe you every day, Merlin. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Merlin’s eyes flickered to meet Arthurs, wide and so very blue and so very, very lovely. “Yes, please.”