Archive of Our Own

“Oh shit.” Panic curls down Merlin’s spine, sweat pooling at his lower back. He tugs again and feel the sting of the hard plastic slipping deeper. “Fuck.”

He inhales, exhales slowly. He needs to remain calm. He hasn’t damaged anything from what he can tell. He doesn’t know anyone in his dorm yet. Merlin’s only had a handful of stilted conversations with his Prefect since he transferred, but the other option is calling an ambulance and then the entire dorm would know he’s a giant pervert by noon bell.

He slips on a dressing-gown and shuffles to the door before he can think better of it. The toy inside him is unforgiving; he winces with each step across the hall.

Arthur answers Merlin’s knock, sleep-rumpled and glassy eyed. It dawns on Merlin that it’s past two.

“Never mind.”

"Emrys?” A wave of concern washes over Arthur's face. Merlin wonders if he thinks Merlin’s taken a bad hit. “Come in.”

Merlin tries to slip into the room and hisses as his thigh hits the protruding plastic, sending a shock of pain through him.

“Tell me,” Arthur says simply, arms crossed and waiting.

“I was–” Merlin swallows. “I shoved something up my arse and it’s stuck.” The words tumble out in a heap and he hopes Arthur can interpret them because he’s not saying it again.

Arthur doesn’t blink, only frowns and motions to the bed.

Slipping off the robe, Merlin presses his eyes shut and bends over. The sheets are still warm and smell of Arthur; it’s oddly pleasant in what is, without a doubt, the worst moment of his life.

Arthur stares awhile, likely struck speechless at the ridiculous sight of Merlin’s ass with a fucking Magic Wand sticking out of it. “Is that…?”

“Yes.” He buries his face into Arthur’s bed. "Was a gag gift from a friend back home.”

Merlin can’t really remember why he’d thought this was a good idea, only that he was lonely and horny and his finger could never reach that spot they talked about in the magazines.

“What did you use for lubrication?”

“Um.”

“You did this dry, didn’t you?”

Merlin’s ears burn hot.

“Lube is your friend,” Arthur huffs.

A small tube lands in front of Merlin’s nose.

“I’ll just...” Arthur’s voice wavers for the first time that evening. “It's not stuck, you're just panicked. I’m going to need to touch you. Get you a bit slick and it should come out.”

“Okay,” Merlin squeaks.

The first touch is cold, wet and Merlin clenches.

“Try to stay calm.”

Calm. Right. God, he wants to die.

Arthur’s finger circles his sensitive rim and Merlin tries to breathe through it, inhaling Arthur’s scent and trying not to think about the fact that his cock’s filling. Then the finger slips in along the wand and it shifts the angle inside him.

“Fuck!”

“Don’t–” Arthur’s voice is raw, barely restrained. “Don’t tense up.”

Merlin gurgles; he shifts and the friction on his cock is delicious.

“That’s it.” The wand’s moving now, and Oh, Merlin’s very aware of how brilliant it feels. His fingers clutch at Arthur’s sheets. The wand slips out inch by inch; Merlin wants to cry at the loss. He chokes out a gasp as the wand twists and slides over a spot.

"Fuck, yes." That’s what he’s read about.

The hand on his lower back stops the soothing circles and there’s a moment where they are both holding their breaths. He’s a split-second from coming when the wand's gone entirely.

Arthur’s finger isn’t; it slips in further.

“Does this hurt?” The words are neutral but the tone's rough, telling.

“No,” Merlin rasps.

Arthur’s finger keeps moving. “You don’t need to...” He sounds wrecked, as bad as Merlin. Worse. “If you’re looking to – Fuck, Emrys – anyone would have you.”

Merlin’s words are caught in his throat; he manages, “I like it here.” And prays it’s the right thing to make Arthur keep fucking moving. He shoves his arse out and Arthur’s fingers bury deep, finding that spot again. “Sorry, oh God, sorry,” he says as he comes on his Prefect’s sheets.

Arthur’s finger is still thrusting inside his tender arse; humiliation prickles at Merlin’s neck even as his hips jerk through the aftershocks. He’s ready to beg Arthur to stop, thinking he’s being mocked until he's flipped over and Arthur's erection is warm and unmistakable against his thigh.

His confusion washes away with Arthur’s mouth crashing into his in an awkward kiss.