Merlin fic: Too Marvelous for Words

[sophinisba]

Title: Too Marvelous for Words
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Wordcount: 2632
Prompt: For the kinkme_merlin prompt: "Arthur naked, bound and gagged on his bed. The tricky thing is that the (ball)gag is enchanted, so every touch, every lick or suckle is felt immediately by his cock."
Contains: Consensual bondage, magical sex toys, orgasm denial that causes some discomfort.
Notes: OMG you guys I finally wrote an Arthur/Merlin fic after two years of trying! Huge thanks to themadlurker for cheerleading, betaing, and especially for staying calm when I not only anonfailed but then posted anon on the wrong thread. Posted at the meme on Feb. 1st and at the AO3 a few minutes ago. Title from the song by Johnny Mercer and Richard Whiting.



"Does that feel all right?"

Merlin's got a hand on Arthur's forearm, fingers enclosing him as firmly as the leather strap inches away at Arthur's wrist.

"It's fine, Merlin."

"Twist your hand around."

Arthur does so, showing off the range of motion, and since he knows what Merlin will ask next he tugs with both arms to draw the straps tight. He's able to move them in small arcs from the bedposts, a few inches each way. "Circulation's fine," he reports. "You can get on with it now."

Merlin nods and checks at the straps on his ankles again. Arthur's legs are spread wide, all four limbs pulled out toward the corners of the bed. He tenses his thighs as Merlin slides a hand up his leg, like a groom checking for injuries on a horse, petting and reassuring it at the same time.

"If you were this slow getting my armour on, every tournament would be over before I even got out on the field."

"That's enough, Arthur."

"Shut me up already then."

"You don't need to have it in your mouth yet. Come on, you've got more self-control than that."

But Arthur doesn't. He's had enough of self-control, of holding his tongue or finding the right thing to say, keeping his features happy or blank or whatever is needed in the presence of his father and Lord So-and-So and Lady Whatsis and every other person who isn't Merlin. He's ready for this.

"Gag me," he orders, but he isn't surprised when Merlin ignores him.

"What are you going to do with this?" Merlin asks calmly, folding Arthur's fingers around the glass vial.

"Hold on to it while you do what you will. The same as every other fucking time."

"If you want the magic to stop…"

Arthur takes the time to let out a deep sigh before finishing, "I'll unstop the vial."

"And if you want everything to stop?"

"Drop it to the floor."

Merlin smiles smugly – he's been far too proud of himself since he first came up with that enchantment (as if such a thing were even useful, as if Arthur were the kind of person to panic whenever things got a little uncomfortable). If Arthur were a powerful sorcerer, he'd use magic to pin Merlin in place and have done with it, no questions asked. But he knows these little rituals are necessary in order for Merlin to go ahead with assurance, so he goes along with them. At last, Merlin climbs over to straddle Arthur's hips, leans down and kisses him. And that's more like it, Arthur thinks, closing his hand in a comfortable fist around the vial and opening his mouth to let Merlin in. Merlin's got his trousers on still but his chest is bare and warm on Arthur's, his hands are rubbing Arthur's shoulders and arms. This isn't the best part yet but it's already easier, to forget all those awkward questions about what's allowed and what's safe and what he wants, and just let Merlin's forceful tongue open him up.

"Is this good?" Merlin asks. "Do you like this?" But Merlin knows the answer already, and rather than give him the satisfaction Arthur just growls, and raises his hips off the bed toward Merlin's crotch. Merlin pulls back and down, nuzzles too lightly at Arthur's jaw and his neck, and Arthur jerks his head to the side. He's tempted to bite at the blanket, but that would be going too far. He can wait. He grits his teeth and lets the warm breath of Merlin's laughter mix with the heat spreading all over his skin.

"I told you I had something new for you to try tonight," Merlin murmurs after some more minutes of teasing.

A new gag, which he'd promised would be better than the others. Certainly better than the old neckerchief he'd stuck in Arthur's mouth on impulse all those months ago. Better than the horse's bit, better even than the stuffed leather ball with straps sewn on so Merlin could secure it behind Arthur's head. That one was Arthur's favourite, for the satisfying bulk of it in his mouth, the way it stretched him and left him sore, and for the fact that he knew Merlin had made it specially for him.

"Are you ready for it?"

Arthur holds back from snapping, I've been ready for it all day, you bastard, and simply nods.

"Sorry, Arthur, I didn't hear you. Are you ready?"

Arthur says, "Yes." Merlin grins, waiting, and Arthur says, "Please."

It doesn't look any different from the old one, really. A darker shade of brown, maybe, a bit smoother, a bit rounder, but not any bigger, as he'd hoped. He's not about to complain though, just opens his mouth up wide.

Merlin presses the ball behind Arthur's teeth and says, "That's good, bite down on it now."

But Arthur already knows. He's closing his eyes, letting his jaw settle around the familiar shape and his tongue rest against the newer, saltier skin. Arthur's prick is heavy and hard and Merlin raises Arthur's head so he can buckle the straps around in back.

"That's easier, isn't it?" Merlin says, and gently lets Arthur's head rest back on the bed.

Arthur opens his eyes and looks at him, knowing he doesn't even need to nod.

"I know you like how this feels, but I promised you something new. See, anybody can stick something in your mouth if you ask nicely enough."

(Arthur had not asked nicely. He had not asked at all or even ordered. Words were the problem. Waiting for Merlin to figure it out on his own took a lot longer, it was true, but it was still easier than coming out and saying it.)

"But not everybody's got magic."

Arthur's hips snap to the words and the intention in them, even before Merlin takes hold of his prick.

"Remember that time I pulled a ring around this?" he says, with his thumb and finger squeezing lightly around Arthur's balls and the base of his cock. Arthur groans at the memory and Merlin laughs. "That's right, you made a lot of those wild animal noises you're so good at." He squeezes tighter, lowers his voice and says into Arthur's ear, "And when I let you go you thrashed and came like a beast."

Arthur's breath is coming heavy now and he knows it's making his nostrils flare, that he's starting to buck and snort and make it all the easier for Merlin to mock him. No doubt that's all part of the plan.

"You need to learn patience, Arthur. You think I've given you your present already, but that's not the half of it. Look."

Arthur can't see very well – it just looks like one more piece of leather, a bag or a sleeve of some sort, but as soon as Merlin slips it on Arthur's cock is enveloped in wet heat. He jerks into it but Merlin's gripping the base of his cock again, then drawing a thin strap around and buckling it closed.

"Patience," he says softly.

Arthur groans in frustration and is shocked to feel the vibration from his voice directly and immediately on his cock. His eyes dart to Merlin in confusion.

"Try that again."

Arthur moans quietly around the gag and feels the hum again. He pushes out with his tongue and feels the pressure at the head of his cock. It's…oh God…

"Enchanted," Merlin explains, lying down next to Arthur on the bed to speak close to his ear. Merlin's got his legs around one of Arthur's so his arousal pushes through his trousers against Arthur's thigh, though Arthur can barely perceive anything other than his mouth and his prick. It's hard for him to take in the words but Merlin demonstrates as he says, "So anything you do here, you'll feel it down there," and presses on both sides of Arthur's face with his thumb and middle finger, squeezing the gag and Arthur's cock through the thin flesh of his cheeks. It's a little bit painful and a lot mind-breaking.

Merlin lets go and says, "Do you like it?"

Arthur doesn't want to answer. There's saliva pooling in his mouth and dripping over his cock, and he doesn't know how he'll control himself if he tries to swallow.

"Arthur, is it good?" Merlin insists, uncertainty edging into his tone for the first time tonight. Arthur looks at him and, very slowly, doing his best not to disturb the gag, nods.

Merlin breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh, I knew you'd like it. I've been thinking about it for a long time. A really long time. I mean, maybe you did too. When you were a kid, I mean? And you started jerking off, didn't you ever think how great it would be if you could get it in your mouth?"

He pauses to wait for an answer, and Arthur would like to shake his head and roll his eyes at Merlin's ridiculousness, but he keeps still so as not to create more stimulation than he can stand.

"Well, I thought about it, but it never occurred to me to use magic to make it happen. Not until this year when we found out how much you liked having your mouth full, and it reminded me that I know how to do lots of things now that I couldn't do when I was a kid, and then I started looking through Gaius's books, though I couldn't ask him, obviously…"

Arthur lets himself scream, and even though it hurts it feels good…everywhere he feels it. If he had his hands free he'd clap them over Merlin's mouth, maybe roll over on top of him and kiss him quiet. Fortunately, the noise and the jerking of Arthur's trapped cock is enough to get Merlin's attention and remind him that, no, talk of Gaius is not permitted when either of them is naked, even when Merlin is in charge of things. Especially when Merlin is in charge.

"Right," he says, chastised into a moment of silence. "I knew you'd like it," he says again, slow and in control this time. He lies still and watches Arthur's face as he tries to be as still, but it's impossible not to touch the gag with his tongue, not to let his mouth close a little more when he exhales, not to whimper as each unintentional movement licks him, squeezes him, and vibrates through him.

"Why are you holding back?" Merlin leans in and kisses the corner of Arthur's mouth, the join of the strap and the gag, and Arthur glares at him. "You're just making it more difficult for yourself," he says, as if more sensation without the possibility of relief will be easy. "Suck, Arthur."

It's an order, and as much as Arthur pushes back at other times, it doesn't even cross his mind to disobey what Merlin says in that tone of voice. It's such a relief once he starts to move again – even the tiny movements it takes to suck and to swallow – that Arthur's greedy for more. He sucks harder and starts pumping his hips up toward the impossible suction of his own mouth. It's torture, but then Arthur's always willing to torture himself when Merlin tells him to.

"That's more like it. If you're having trouble focusing, just pretend it's my cock I'm gagging you with. Huh, maybe we'll try that later, come to think of it."

If Arthur had Merlin's cock in his mouth right now it would be swelling, filling him up and pushing back into his throat, choking him. Arthur's cock is swollen and hard in its sheath. But the ball stays round and firm between his teeth and tongue. There's just one seam that Arthur can distinguish by tracing his tongue over the stitches (Merlin's stitches). The phantom tongue teases at his slit, and although the gag doesn't move Arthur tastes a drop of bitterness that wasn't there before.

Merlin watches Arthur's desperate little movements for some time more and then unhurriedly kneels up, kisses Arthur's forehead, palms his side and up his arm to his fist, a quiet reminder that Arthur can end this whenever he wants. (That Arthur could, if he didn't hang on to some selected bits of pride.) Arthur clenches his fingers around the smooth glass, flexes his arms and bites on the gag. Merlin smiles, stands up to remove his trousers, and comes back to kneel between Arthur's legs.

"You look so gorgeous like this," he says, hands stroking Arthur's thighs. "I could watch you do this all night." Arthur's used to saliva dripping down the sides of his face when he's like this. The tear that falls across his temple is a surprise. "But we're just trying this out, so I'll let you come in a little while." Arthur wants to cry with relief then. He sucks, and thinks that Merlin understands it as the gratitude he feels.

"But first I want to fuck you."

Arthur tips his head back and concentrates on breathing steadily through his nose, closing his eyes so he won't see Merlin's as they turn gold, and that sudden slickness he will never get used to coats his rectum and makes him squirm. Merlin's two fingers are there a moment later and he lets Arthur bear down on him, slides the fingers deep inside him, out and in a few more times.

Then it's Merlin's cock inside him and it's painful and perfect, the hard heat filling his arse and the magic gag filling his mouth and the magic wet sheath wrapped so tight around Arthur's swollen cock he thinks he might burst. He never did fantasise about trying to suck his own cock but he has thought about this, about getting fucked and sucked off at the same time. He never thought it would come true, but then he never thought he'd beg for a gag, or let another man bind his arms and legs, or take a sorcerer to his bed.

"I know," Merlin huffs, "perfect," as if he's reading Arthur's mind, "just perfect," as he's pounding into him, "but we can't," he reaches for Arthur's cock and for two seconds Merlin's hand is stroking him hard on top of the wet touch of his own mouth, and Arthur screams again, "go on," Arthur tries to see but Merlin's fingers are too deft and suddenly the ring's gone, the sheath's gone, "finish," and the seed can finally flood into his cock and Merlin's hand brings him off. Arthur's head drops back, his mouth relaxing around the gag as semen spurts over his chest and Merlin thrusts three, four more times and follows him.

Merlin doesn't linger long before he pulls out and starts crawling up over Arthur. He removes the gag first. Arthur's jaw is sore and his lips are swollen, but Merlin kisses him gently, easing his mouth open and closed, slowly replacing the taste of leather with Merlin, soft and warm and giving. Careful as he was doing up the restraints at the beginning, now he waves his hand vaguely over their heads and Arthur's arms come free. Merlin pulls them down to wrap around him, teasing the charmed vial out of Arthur's hand and setting it on the bedside table. A moment later he releases Arthur's legs as well. He licks Arthur's chest clean and Arthur lies under him, content to move his limbs slowly against Merlin's as his blood starts to flow in its normal course, and his head starts to clear. He still can't think of anything to say and it's all too wonderful, as he kisses Merlin again, to know that he doesn't need to say a word.