Money Money Money

Title: Money Money Money – 01
Author : Tak/souzoukyuuketsu
Fandom: Merlin (BBC)
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC 17
Genre: AU, PWP
Disclaimer: The characters aren’t mine
Summary: Two students, long friends, Merlin and Arthur, need to make some cash. When a strange guy with a video recorder asks them to fuck for a gay website, they trust each other not to let it jeopardize their friendship.
Warning: Very slight dub-con, Frot, Voyeurism/exhibitionism (sort of)
Spoilers: None


They had met years ago. Arthur, son to an obscenely rich aristocrat, one of the last to retain real political power in Parliament – and sounded out as the next First Minister in line – whom his father had sent to a notorious boarding school for lack of time to care for his son himself. Merlin, the son of a lone mother working both as a barmaid and as a housekeeper so they could eat and dress and pay their other bills, who was sent to that same boarding school thanks to his exceptional marks and the patronage of his old uncle.

They had despised each other on sight. Admittedly, Arthur was a bully and Merlin loathed unfairness. After their initial encounter that ended with Merlin sporting a bruised eye for a week, their fights turned more verbal than physical and they began to seek each other out so often that Arthur started to ignore his ‘friends’, until one day, after a particularly vicious and satisfying bout, Arthur declared: ‘Let’s face it, you’re as fond of me as I am of you, so let’s be friends and insult each other in a gentlemanly manner’, told his thugs to ‘piss off and suck somebody else’s dick’, and so Merlin and Arthur soon became inseparable.

Nobody at school had foreseen that, except perhaps Arthur’s half-sister Morgana who seemed to know everyone and everything and had told Arthur multiple times that he shouldn’t try so hard to be friends with arseholes whose sole interests in him were his money and his reputation as the son of the illustrious Uther Pendragon. It was only natural that Merlin chose to follow Arthur to Oxford and that they spent the better part of their free time together.

That is, when Arthur was not going out with some girl.

The man with the video recorder found them in a bar. Arthur had been blissfully oblivious, but Merlin noticed the guy had been watching them for quite a while now and it worried him so much he decided to warn Arthur.

He leaned towards him, never looking away, and whispered: ‘Don’t turn around, but there’s that guy back there. He’s been watching us. It’s creeping the shit out of me.’

So of course, Arthur had to turn around. ‘Where?’

Merlin rolled his eyes. He should have known. As if on cue, the man stood up, walked towards them casually and sat down at their table. Merlin glared at him, but Arthur only raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Merlin was sure Arthur spent way too much time with Uncle Gaius, but then again, Morgana’s eyebrows also had a tendency to shot upwards, so maybe it was just a family trait.


‘Hi guys. Mind if I buy you a drink?’
‘Sure’, Arthur answered before Merlin had a chance to say anything.

The dark-haired student jabbed his bony elbow into his friend’s ribs and Arthur yelped a bit while the man went to the bar to order.

‘Ouch! What was that for?’
‘Your daddy never told you never to accept drinks from strangers?’ he seethed.

Arthur shot him a look.

‘Yeah he did but I’m never turning free drinks away. And the barman’ll make them. So it’s cool.’
‘No it’s not… Jeez, Arthur, you can’t…’
‘Don’t drink if you don’t want to but I wanna know what he has to say.’
‘What? Why?’
‘Dunno. I’m bored.’

Arthur flashed him a mischievous grin and Merlin groaned. His friend knew he never could resist grin #7 and always used it on him. So Merlin used Arthur’s pout #4 against its creator.

‘So unfair’, Merlin scowled. ‘You cheat.’
‘Not my fault you’re so easy’, smirked Arthur.
‘And you’re a prat, you know that?’
‘So you keep telling me. ‘t’s not like you let me forget it.’

The stranger was coming back with the promised drinks and Merlin stared at him, hoping it could make him feel unwelcome. He thought he should somehow manage to knock both their drinks over and blame it on his famous clumsiness so they wouldn’t get drugged or worse. But Arthur downed his drink in one go and smirked at him like a Cheshire Cat.

‘Still alive. See? No need to be so paranoid all the time.’

At the inquisitive gaze of the stranger, Arthur felt compelled to explain himself.

‘My friend here was under the misconception that you were trying to kill us. Or drug us so you could have your naughty way with us.’

Merlin blushed furiously as the guy laughed.

‘That’s a first. Well. Second solution wouldn’t be that far from the truth, but I wouldn’t drug you.’

Merlin got to his feet.

‘Let’s go, Arthur.’
‘Please hear me out first.’
‘Why would we? You’re only going to…’
‘Meeer-lin…’

Merlin shot a pleading glance to his friend. Arthur would have none of it.

‘Just hear him out, okay?’
‘Listen to your friend, pal. He’s the voice of reason.’

Merlin snorted but sat down eventually. His sense of foreboding was growing louder.

‘So’, Arthur said. ‘What’s your business with us?’
‘I couldn’t help seeing how close you two seemed to be. But you’re both straight, right?’

Merlin was outraged.

‘Of course we are! I mean, I’ve got nothing against homosexuals, but… Why are you even asking us this?’
‘See, you look like you could do with some cash.’

Merlin was sure he looked as offended as he felt.

‘We’re no prostitutes! If you want to get off there are people spe…’
‘No no, you got it wrong’, said the guy, laughing.

Laughing.
Merlin scowled, frowning, but the man was talking again.

‘I won’t lay a finger on either of you.’

The dark-haired boy was dubious.

‘I swear’, the guy went on. ‘Cross my heart and hope to die. I was a boy scout once, you know.’

Arthur rolled his eyes.

‘Pu-leaaase…’
‘So yeah. I just want you two to make out for the camcorder. You’ll get cash for it.’

Merlin made a face.

‘What. Here?’

The man laughed.

‘No, don’t be an idiot.’
‘That’s what I’m telling him all the time’, Arthur cut in.
‘I can’t believe this. Come, Arthur, we’re off. I can’t understand why we’re even listening to him.’
‘Look, this is a lot of money I’m talking about. You’re both straight, right? So kissing doesn’t have to mean anything.’

Arthur seemed to consider it. Merlin couldn’t believe he was seriously considering it. He shot him an incredulous look.

‘Don’t take it badly, but you really look like a guy who could use some money.’
‘I manage very well on my own, thank you.’
‘So you can afford to work on your spare time and have good marks? Woah, I’m impressed.’

Merlin narrowed his eyes.

‘Look. I only want to help you.’
‘You also want to get a kick out of your voyeuristic tendencies.’
‘Well, that too.’

Merlin couldn’t believe the man had the gall to smile.

‘It’s just this once. A quick make-out cession and it’ll be over. And you can concentrate on your studies for a while.’ He turned to Arthur. ‘I don’t think you need this half as much as he does, pal, but you’ll be paid the same.’

Merlin wouldn’t admit he was more bothered by the fact he didn’t have as much experience as Arthur did in the whole making out thing and didn’t want him to think any less of him, than by the fact he would have to make out with his friend. For a porn site. And for the world to see. And what if he actually liked it? What then? Would it make him gay? What would Arthur say if he liked it? Would he be ashamed?

Arthur was his friend. Even if they were actually celebrating the beginning of their holidays, Merlin was used to spending as much time as he could with Arthur even when school ended and he didn’t want that to end. Because if they did make out, and if it made things awkward between the both of them, then he would lose more than his friend.

He glanced at Arthur, who was biting the inside of his cheek as he did sometimes when he was thinking too hard. Eventually, he turned towards him.

‘So. What do you say?’
‘What? You’re… You don’t even need the money!’
‘Well I’d like to spend money that I’ve actually earned, once in a while. And I’d rather he tells you to do this with me than with a stranger that I would have to maim afterwards for laying his slimy fingers on my dearest and most innocent friend. You. So. I’m not… I’m not that adverse to the idea. I’m not adverse to it at all. Like he said, a kiss is just a kiss. I’ll do it if you want to. Your call.’

Merlin could see Arthur had no problem at all with the whole process.

‘How… I mean…’
‘Hush, ‘honey’. Err…’

Arthur made a gesture and the guy smiled.

‘Kay.’
‘Right. Kay. How much money are we talking about here?’
‘How ‘bout three hundred?’
‘Three hundred pounds?’
‘Yeah. Each.’
‘For a kiss?’
‘Well it does have to be hot. Not just a peck on the lips. I want to see some tongue.’

Merlin grimaced. He didn’t know why his palms felt so sweaty suddenly, his chest or his pants so tight. But Arthur was gazing at him in a strange sort of way and he couldn’t help feeling the slightest bit excited, and wonder whether Arthur felt the same.

‘So?’

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him. Merlin bit at his lip. Three hundred bucks for a kiss from Arthur. Well. It wasn’t the end of the world. At least Arthur he trusted.


In the end, he said yes. He didn’t know why. Soon he found himself in a pristine hotel room, sitting stiffly on a sofa, with Arthur’s arm flung carelessly across his shoulder, answering every question the cameraman asked for both of them. Eventually, Arthur put his arm down, and, on a cue of the stranger, started stroking at his thigh. When Merlin jumped and tried to get away, Arthur caught him by the hand and, very seriously, whispered: ‘Relax, Merlin. Go with the flow. You can enjoy this. Come on. Look at me. Only me.’

His other hand reached up to cup Merlin’s face, and as Arthur’s thumb stroke Merlin’s cheekbone, soothingly, Merlin whimpered.

And then, Arthur was leaning towards him, kissing him softly, just a caress across his lips first, before he tilted his head slightly, stuck out his tongue, and licked at Merlin’s upper lip.

Merlin gasped, and, pulling his friend closer, his hand following the curve of his back, Arthur kissed him again, properly that time, his mouth wide open, his tongue confident yet slightly tentative, as if the blond man was asking for Merlin’s permission, swallowing his groan…

Fuck the stranger. Fuck all his misconceptions about how one should never kiss one’s friend that way. Fuck the money they would get. All he cared about was that moment and Arthur, how he tasted of beer and bourbon and mint, how good his calloused fingers felt on his cheek, how his stubble grazed the skin of his mouth. He didn’t remember being pulled in Arthur’s lap, but he felt safe and happy and horny and he wasn’t even that disappointed when, losing himself into the kiss and stroking down Arthur’s taut body, his failed to stumble over breasts.

The stranger’s voice broke the spell, tearing a shiver out of him, tearing them apart. But Arthur’s hands on his hips held him there, before rising up again, stroking gently.

‘You seem comfortable enough with each other so if you want to go a little further… Like… Jerk one another off perhaps? I’d double your pay.’

Arthur was gazing at him curiously, almost hungrily. His gaze had never been so intense. Merlin could see his tousled hair, his blood-red lips, his dilated pupils, and wondered why his friend was touching him like that, with a tenderness that belied his predatory, needy eyes, soothingly, like you would a frightened animal, stroking up his back, stroking his jaw, as if he didn’t even register what he was doing.

‘Your call’, he reminded him.

Merlin stared into Arthur’s eyes, questioningly, but couldn’t decipher anything. He hesitated just a few seconds. The man was right: he could use that money. For his studies. And to relieve his mother from part of the burden he was to her. He had begun to feel the strain of his jobs on the quality of his work at the uni, and he was wondering whether it would affect his marks...

Besides, it didn’t seem that much of a sacrifice to make. Not when Arthur was looking at him like that. Not when a remote part of him had been waiting for this for so long.

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t heard of boys pulling at each other’s willies for a bit of fun and adventure and sexual release. It didn’t have to mean anything. It didn’t make them gay. They could think of a woman doing it. He could try and imagine it was his own hand around himself, and his own cock in his hand. He nodded. Arthur rewarded him with a peck on the cheek and Merlin tried not to think how flustered it made him, how sensual and intimate this simple kiss felt, and how disappointed he was that Arthur hadn’t pecked him on the lips instead. He didn’t even bother to get off Arthur’s thighs as the young man, gritting his teeth, fumbled with his friend’s trousers, and soon he did the same to Arthur, wondering at how eagerly Arthur’s cock sprang from his boxer briefs. It felt strange, heavy and hard in his hand. So different than his own. Merlin swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Arthur’s calloused fingers round his own dick felt nothing like his own either. Nor the lazy rhythm he set, disturbing Merlin’s usually frantic one, bringing him to a torturously slow pace.

It was impossible to imagine he was masturbating. And it was impossible to imagine he was doing it with a girl, either.

And strangely, he didn’t care. Not one bit.

Merlin couldn’t help himself. His hips started rolling slightly, back and forth, while he was still sitting on Arthur’s knees, and he whimpered as Arthur’s free hand reached behind, slipped under his arse and squeezed. Then, using both his hands to carry the younger man, Arthur got up, making his friend yelp and wrap arms and legs around him before he propelled him onto the bed. The dark-haired man didn’t have the time to wonder what was going on. Arthur pulled off his friend’s pants and underwear, then his own, then their shirts, till Arthur only wore his pendant and his aftershave, and before Merlin had the time to think, the blond was looming above him again, stroking at his own erection, kissed him lightly on the mouth, then in the neck, making him shiver, and, gazing down at their groins, proceeded to grind himself against Merlin’s crotch.

The student’s head fell back against the pillow as his hands found their way around Arthur’s shoulder, pulling him close. Soon he was begging, and it felt so wonderfuckingful, the way his friend’s shaft pressed between his balls. He could imagine Arthur’s perfect, muscled buttocks tensing rhythmically under his fingertips, the thin sheen of sweat on his shoulders, the way Arthur’s foreskin was pulled back, revealing the shiny tip of his glans as the aristocrat’s hips pushed him closer to Merlin with each thrust.

‘Shit, guys, that’s so hot…’

And Merlin must have been freaking out because as he tried to look towards the camera, Arthur’s hand brought his attention back to him. ‘Me. Only me.’ Then he was kissing him, again, and Arthur started to recite Merlin, Merlin, Merlin, again and again, like a mantra. It felt so good, so perfect it hurt. So Merlin clung to his shoulders, seeking comfort in the crook of Arthur’s neck, hiding himself from the truth. Hiding himself from the fact that he was trying to memorize it all.

He ignored the stranger completely the next time he spoke up.

‘So fucking hot… I know you might not be up for it guys, but how about you fuck him err… Arthur?’

That’s why it came as a surprise when it was Arthur who stopped what he was doing, and sighed.

‘What do you want, you cockblocker?’ he asked wearily.

The man chuckled.

‘You fuck him, and I pay you six hundred more. Add that to the six hundred for the snogging and jerking off, that makes you twelve hundred each. What says you?’

The guy must be insanely rich, or making an obscene amount of money by airing his videos on the web, because this was getting ridiculous.

But now Arthur was looking at Merlin strangely, and the young man tried not to think about how hot the air felt suddenly.

‘I’ll do it.’
‘What? Arthur you…’
‘Come on. I’m sure I can take you. It’ll be fun.’

There was an edge to his voice that Merlin didn’t recognize.

‘You mean…’
‘Yeah. I do. I want you to fuck me.’

Merlin ignored the way his cock seemed even more interested.

‘Wait… We don’t even…’
‘Here’, the other guy cut in. ‘Always come prepared.’ He chuckled. ‘You know how to do this?’

Merlin had no fucking clue. He was at a loss. He had never tried to fuck a girl from behind. He had wanted to, but he had never dared to ask. He wasn’t even sure it was the same. What had they gotten themselves into? How could Arthur be so damn calm about it?

‘It’ll be alright’, Arthur said again. ‘I trust you. You can’t always be that much of a clumsy idiot anyway.’

The banter soothed him fractionally, but he was still nervous and his erection wilted a bit.

‘Hey…’ Arthur repeated, pulling Merlin’s face back towards him, so that the young man would meet his eyes. ‘I trust you.’

There was something in Arthur’s eyes that Merlin couldn’t quite place – and didn’t like at all – but he looked so eager Merlin nodded.

Merlin bit his lower lip as Arthur’s hand slid along his stomach to grab at his cock, which answered readily to his touch. Then he shifted on the bed and took one of the condoms to put it on Merlin’s shaft.

The young man had never seen anything near as erotic. His breath hitched as Arthur lay down, reaching out to him invitingly, and when Merlin, shivering, placed himself between his friend’s legs, Arthur stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

‘You really are an idiot, after all’, he smirked.
‘Wha?’
‘Aren’t you forgetting something?’
‘Uh?’
‘I’m not auto-lubricated, you know…’

Merlin flushed with embarrassment and grabbed the bottle of lube the guy had so kindly provided them with. He sat back on his haunches, trying very hard to concentrate on the beautiful sight in front of him – because Arthur may well be a man, and his friend, but it had never escaped Merlin how handsome he looked – and ignore the presence of the other guy in the room. He wondered why he had never really thought about this before. Why he had ignored that possibility. He had always thought that Arthur was attractive – for a guy. He had simply never fantasized about fucking him. Or being fucked by him, for that matter. It had never even crossed his mind that he would take such pleasure from a simple kiss, and from mere touching. He was a hundred percent straight, after all.

Wasn’t he?

Arthur pushed some strands of his hair, slick with sweat, from his forehead and smiled fondly.

‘You think too much, Merlin. Just get on with it.’

Merlin nodded, at a loss for words, and spread Arthur’s cheeks self-consciously to push a lubricated finger through his hole. He felt his own balls tighten at the sound Arthur made, watched his friend’s heavy cock twitch, watched the fat vein on the underside, wondered how it would feel, in him, filling his own oh so tight hole.

He shuddered.

This couldn’t feel so good. It was just a finger. Not even in his own body, but in his long-time friend’s. It was supposed to be disgusting. He was supposed to feel ashamed, pushing his finger through Arthur’s arsehole. He looked up at his friend’s flushed face, listened to his laboured breathing and soft curses and he was glad Arthur seemed to enjoy himself as much as he did. He looked down at his finger, watched it go back and forth through Arthur’s tight ring of muscles, and he knew he wanted more. So, without warning, he slipped in another finger and Arthur’s body buckled as he groaned. The blond man threw an arm across his face and Merlin didn’t know what to make of the fact that he was disappointed. He wanted to see Arthur, see how he liked it when he stretched him, slowly, taking his time, refusing to touch his own cock as he did so because he wanted to be entirely focused on his friend…

‘Come on, Merlin…’ Arthur said at last. ‘Come on… Do it…’
‘Just… Let me… Let me…’

He didn’t think he had stretched him enough. Sure, Arthur seemed to like being stretched like this, and he seemed to be relaxed enough for Merlin not to hurt him when he breached him. But Merlin didn’t want him to hurt at all, and he wanted to make this last. Because there would never be a repeat session. So he grabbed the bottle once more, added two more fingers, and, palm up, squeezed the bottle to let the lube slide down his fingers into Arthur’s hole. The blond shuddered.

‘What the fuck, Merlin?’

He had opened his eyes again and was staring at him, from under his arm, and Merlin could only grin sheepishly.

‘Wanted to make sure you could take me… when I take you…’

He spread the liquid inside Arthur, and only then allowed himself to touch his own cock to rub some more lube on his condom.

He bent, kissed Arthur’s inner thigh, and Arthur swore.

‘You fucking tease!’

And without warning, Arthur was up and pulling him by the arm, throwing him on the back, and straddling his hips. Merlin stared, incredulous, his breathing laboured, as his friend reached being, grabbed firmly at his cock, lowered himself on him, and started to fuck himself in earnest on his friend’s erection.

He was trembling, Merlin noticed, but so was he. He reached up, unable to stop himself, stroking the sides of Arthur’s body, so glad he could see his face, as a stream of insanities escaped his friend’s lips.

He’d never imagined gay sex could be so good. Never imagined sex with his friend, his best friend, could bring him to heaven. But there he was, barely remembering how to breathe, completely blown away, and concentrating so hard on not coming so soon that it physically hurt.

Arthur’s cock bobbed up and down with each frantic thrust of his hips, and he took it in his hand, eliciting a groan, started to pump it fast, staring up at his friend’s flushed face, into his blue eyes.

‘Arthur… Arthur…’
‘Yes…’

Merlin wanted to kiss him, to kiss his lips, to suck at his tongue, to suck his dick even, but he couldn’t, not right now, not with his own member sheathed to the hilt into that tender heat. Arthur seemed to be enjoying himself thoroughly, but Merlin wanted more, so much more, so he pushed himself up on an elbow, the position awkward, and cut Arthur’s ‘Merlin…’ off with his tongue down his friend’s throat. They kissed, hungrily, and shifted, changing position. It was as if his whole body was awakening, as if he had been waiting for this moment – to be joined to his friend so intimately – all his life…

Arthur was on his back, now, Merlin coming and going between his legs, lazily, leisurly a slow torture compared to the frantic rhythm Arthur had been fucking himself on.

‘Merlin…’ Arthur begged again, and, after a while, Merlin relented, pumping Arthur faster, fucking his friend harder than ever. All too soon, Arthur cried out and came in his hand, hot, long spurts of seed staining both their bellies and chests, and, as the muscles of his friend’s rectum clamped on his dick, Merlin came as well, moved some more, desperate to have friction, disappointed that it was over already, that he would never have this again, and collapsed on top of Arthur.


They didn’t move for a while, didn’t listened to the praise the pervert was babbling. When he withdrew at long last, Arthur turned his back to him. Merlin stared at the nape of his neck, not daring to touch or kiss it like he wanted to, even though they had just done far worse. Now, it was awkward. But Arthur was saying nothing, so he didn’t say anything either.


Eventually, Arthur stood up, put his pants on and reached for a fag that he lighted before he ventured to the window and started to smoke.

Merlin hadn’t seen him smoke in… forever now. He didn’t even know Arthur had bought a new pack.

The guy was packing up and thanking them, leaving the money in Merlin’s hand, patting his cheek with a bright, excited smile, and babbling about something, but the young man was too busy battint confused eyelids at Arthur’s stiff shoulders contemplatively to listen what he had to say.

At last, the guy was off, Arthur was sucking at his third cigarette in a row, and Merlin was still watching, his mind awhirl.


At long last, he decided to suck it up, dressed, and approached his friend. He felt a pang when he felt Arthur’s shoulder stiffen some more under his hand. Why did the prat choose now to feel disgusted and ashamed?

The blond turned his head to look at him wearily.

‘Hm?’
‘Something the matter?’

Arthur shrugged and gazed at the horizon again.

‘Not really.’
‘Never pegged you for the kind of guys who smoked after sex’, Merlin joked.
‘Yeah. Well. It was just sex, wasn’t it?’ But Arthur’s gaze was far away. He hadn’t even bothered to spare him a glance.

Merlin was at a loss. If Arthur hadn’t insisted, it wouldn’t have had to be awkward between them afterwards. But it had been amazing, and some part of him wondered why it had felt so right to touch his friend that way…
He cleared his throat…

‘So… You’re bi-curious?’

Arthur laughed.

‘No. No way.’
‘You’re gay, and in denial then?’
‘For fuck’s sake, Merlin, you did me, didn’t you? Does that make you gay?’

Merlin blinked. Arthur’s gaze on him wasn’t too patient right now.

‘But… You enjoyed yourself didn’t you?’
‘Yeah, yeah I did, but apparently you did too, so why are you asking me this? Why is that important?’
‘Because something is bothering you, something big, and I want to know what it is!’

Arthur stared at him like he had grown a second head.

‘Has it occurred to you that I might wish some time to myself, to think about what’s just happened?’
‘We had a fuck. That’s all. What’s the big deal? People do it all the time.’

Arthur was still staring at him, his gaze unreadable. Merlin didn’t know what to do or say anymore. He was tense, and everything he said was making it worse. Then, his friend shook his head, crushed his fag against the wall and turned.

‘You know, Merlin, for someone who accused me so many times of being a prat, you’re behaving like a Master right now. Oh, wait, maybe I’ve grown on you? Or it’s like an STD, isn’t it? You got it when we fucked, is that it?’
‘What?’ croaked Merlin. ‘Arthur, what’s got into you?’

Arthur gave another hysterical bark of laughter.

‘You, apparently, but excuse me, I’m out of here. Go get your head out of your arse.’

Merlin was rooted to the spot as Arthur dressed himself, grabbed his things, and headed for the door. He stopped after he opened it, and talked over his shoulder.

‘You can keep all the money. You need it more than I do.’

And just like that, he was gone.


To be continued…