Archive of Our Own

The smoky haze of pot and tobacco fogs the room. Merlin can only just make out the blur of blond as Vivian drags Arthur down the hall, but the slam of the bedroom door is audible above the thrum of music.

He closes his eyes, vaguely bitter – but Arthur’s straight and Merlin knows better than to care. His muted brain dulls the sting anyway.

The song’s changed (a few may have come and gone, actually) when the pressure of a hand on his knee startles him. His eyes flutter open; the room seems both darker and brighter somehow. “Hey,” he mutters, his voice thick.

Gwaine smiles, that mixture of flirty, sultry and drunk that he seems to favour. “Hey, yourself.”

Merlin’s too mellow to play shy, too lonely to be uninterested, so he just stares back through half-lidded eyes.

“All alone?” Gwaine’s a bit out of focus, but it’s clear he’s too horny (or too stoned) to be subtle or to be insulted that Merlin’s eyes flicker towards the hallway.

“Not anymore.” Merlin spreads his legs a fraction, the smoky room and echoing tinker of Vivian’s laughter leading him to make invitations he normally wouldn't.

Gwaine drops between Merlin’s knees and in another blink he’s got Merlin’s dick in hand. “Impressive.”

Merlin snorts and lets his head fall back on the couch, scoots down to give Gwaine better access. The room’s full of people. He can hear Leon and Elyan to his right. Their conversation pauses a bit – likely checking out what (or who) Gwaine’s up to. Merlin flushes but doesn’t give enough of a fuck to stop Gwaine from putting on a show, pumping him a few times until he’s a proper mouthful.

He’s never had Gwaine’s mouth, though he’s seen his expertise on display at nearly every party. Gwaine’s usually left Merlin off his hit list. Everyone knows Merlin’s interest lies with the impossible; he must have looked extra pathetic tonight.

The conversation around them starts again as Gwaine swallows him down, setting a slow, patient pace. It suits Merlin fine. He lets it all wash over him; his buzz is not yet slipping into a hangover, just letting him float through the pleasure of the hot mouth on his cock with no complications.

When he opens his eyes again, the crowd’s shifted. Gwaine’s been working forever, his jaw’s got to be sore but Merlin’s not quite there yet. Leon and Lancelot are playing poker on the coffee table in front of the couch, their eyes flickering to Merlin and cursing as Gwaine’s arse hits the table, knocking over their chips as he shifts.

Across the room, as if he’d never left, sits Arthur. Viv is nowhere to be seen. Arthur spreads his legs wider, his arse at the edge of his seat and casually (not casually at all) he rests his hand across his lap. With his other hand, he lifts a cigarette to his mouth, never taking his eyes off Merlin. His thumb traces his bottom lip and Merlin’s hips jerk up into Gwaine’s mouth. Gwaine’s choked surprise feels far away as Arthur cups himself, drawing all of Merlin’s attention there, to Arthur’s lap. He doesn’t dare blink, not wanting to miss the play of Arthur's fingers over his jean-clad bulge.

He drags his eyes upward to see Arthur still staring. The look in his eyes, feral and angry, curls around Merlin’s balls and squeezes. Merlin’s hands fly to Gwaine’s hair, a warning and apology. He refuses to let his eyes shut as he comes down Gwaine’s throat.

Smelling of whiskey and come, Gwaine kisses up Merlin’s neck; guilt churns deep in Merlin’s belly.

“Do you think he enjoyed the show?” Gwaine laughs into Merlin’s jaw, dragging stubble across Merlin’s cheek as he nuzzles.

His brain’s too muddled to work through Gwaine’s question, or to begin to understand what just happened. It doesn’t help that Gwaine’s mouthing a wet line behind Merlin’s ear, not quite allowing the rush of the orgasm to dissipate. Merlin’s coasting the afterglow, mesmerised by Arthur’s thumb lazily dragging back and forth over the bold outline of his cock, when suddenly Vivian’s backside is blocking the view. He can hear the shrill of her voice but can’t make out the words.

Arthur pushes her aside and shoots one last look at Merlin. Then, lips pressed tight, Arthur rises from his chair and stalks from the room.