Work Text:
“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Arthur ran his fingers down the smooth leather of the paddle in his hand.
Merlin turned to look at Arthur. His hands gripped the bench they had installed in their ‘playroom’ tightly. He was a little nervous, the idea of being paddled both scared and excited him. It was a desire he couldn’t fully accept until he’d met Arthur. He knew how to push Merlin just far enough and pull him back with just the right touch. He couldn’t imagine who he’d be without him.
“Yes.”
“List them.”
“Red. Yellow. Green.” Merlin recited studiously.
“Good boy.” Arthur purred and placed the flat, lustrous paddle against Merlin's side, gliding it over the small of his back, barely letting the corner graze over the top of his cheeks. “Relax, darling. I’ll make it good for you.”
Merlin let out a soft groan in anticipation. Arthur always made him wait but it was so rewarding in the end. The first time they breached the subject of this new lifestyle he’d kept Merlin on edge for nearly two hours; stroking, licking, kissing and sucking while he lay tethered to the bed’s posts, unable to reach his release on his own. It was pure, unadulterated bliss and he’d leaked from his hole, soaking the sheets, needy for his alpha’s knot. And oh, how he loved it.
The first tap was light and testing. Merlin exhaled, closing his eyes, waiting for the next hit. The gentle thwap that came next made Merlin gasp and push back against the paddle. Arthur left it on his skin and hummed in satisfaction at Merlin’s reaction.
Arthur’s hand went to rest on the arc of Merlin’s back and he swung heavier with a quick snap. Merlin sprung forward and gasped loudly, his cheeks reddening with the irritation.
“Color.”
“Green.” Merlin replied quickly with a whimper. His breathing was heavy but Arthur could see the way Merlin moved into the paddle as soon as it made contact.
Arthur maintained the same pressure with each coming swat. Every three hits, he’d ask Merlin to confirm that he was okay. He watched the tension in Merlin’s back for cues of discomfort but found none.
Before long, Merlin was leaking and coating the paddle with his slick, making each new strike sting a bit more. He whimpered and cried out when Arthur decided to come down harder and Merlin slipped off to his state of bliss at every strike.
Arthur held Merlin still when he scrambled forward, almost off the bench. He pulled him back and made sure everything was green, and started up again. Slowly, Arthur progressed in earnest, taking each swing down with a strenuous force that had Merlin’s arse cheeks beet red.
The scene progressed perfectly until Arthur inhaled and realized something was wrong. He stopped and Merlin whined, pushing back at air while Arthur took a step back.
“Merlin…”
“Arthur, please. Again.” Merlin whimpered.
“Merlin.” Arthur said firmly. His nostrils flared and that familiar scent filled his senses with the sweet aroma of heat.
“Arthur,” Merlin said weakly. “I… I think-”
“You’re going into heat.”
Merlin pulled himself off the bench and stood, curled in on himself, all gangly limbs and shivering shoulders. So much like the desperate man he’d been the first time they’d met. “I need you. I-...”
“But how-”
“I dun know. Just please, help. I need you.”
Arthur set the paddle down and stepped over to the shaken man. Merlin reach out and clung to Arthur shoulders, pulling him down. His mouth was on Arthur immediately. Neck, jaw and the little sliver of chest exposed from his low buttoned shirt. Merlin always loved when he wore his work clothes during their play time.
Arthur stood there letting Merlin get his fill. He’d always needed constant skin on skin contact when he was in heat but the frantic movements worried Arthur. He grabbed at Merlin’s shoulder and pulled him back. Merlin let go with a whimper and lunged back at him, wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck.
“M-Merlin, calm down. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.” He tried to get Merlin to look at him but he was glued to Arthur’s neck. “L-Let me see you. Are you okay?”
The vibration of Merlin humming a deep throaty affirmative went straight to Arthur’s cock and soon enough he could barely control himself. He grabbed Merlin and pulled him close. Holding him tightly, he willed away the urge to thrust up against Merlin’s naked body and waited.
Merlin squirmed and panted in his ear. He begged with little mewls and whimpers to be allowed to touch Arthur, to take his clothes off, let him impale himself on his cock and let his knot fill him but Arthur didn't relent. This didn’t feel right. It was too soon for Merlin to be in heat, and it had to be affecting Merlin badly. He was never this needy or frantic. There had always been a smooth seductive nature to Merlin’s heats. Always baiting and teasing Arthur with his scent before he’d give and expose himself for Arthur to take, all invitingly warm limbs, but this was chaotic.
Arthur could feel Merlin begin to sob and clutch at his shirt. There was nothing for it. The only way to quell his heat was a knot and Arthur didn’t want his lover to suffer.
“Come on... I’ve got you.” Arthur rubbed Merlin’s back and let his other hand slide down to his crack and felt the sopping wetness. His cheeks were hot like his hole, and Arthur shuddered at how easily two fingers slipped in. Merlin moaned in Arthur’s shirt and rutted against his thigh.
“Arthur, please.” Merlin pleaded and mouthed at Arthur’s neck.
“Let’s get you to the bed, alright? I can take care of you there.” Merlin nodded and was swept up in Arthur’s arms bridal style. He carried him to the bed and set Merlin down gently, being careful of his beaten cheeks. Merlin rolled to his stomach and pulled his knees up, exposing himself. Arthur couldn’t look away. He was beautiful; bright red cheeks spread open to a soaked and needy hole that only Arthur was allowed to have.
“You’re so beautiful, love.” Merlin’s body shook and he looked back at Arthur. “It’s okay, I’m here for you.”
“I just need you so badly.” Arthur stood next to the bed and ran his hand along Merlin’s back up to his shoulders and caressed the back of his neck. Merlin whimpered again and pushed back, his body shaking with need.
Arthur kneeled on the bed and kissed down Merlin’s back, his hands running along every inch of him trying to calm him down. During heat, Arthur was the one who always needed to be tamed but he was hurt and glad at the same time to be able to do this for Merlin. He didn’t like the way it was affecting him, but he could be here and do what Merlin did for him every month.
Taking himself in hand, Arthur ran the tip of his cock against Merlin’s crease and soothed the keens and moans with touches and assurances. By the time he slid in, there was no resistance, Merlin was relaxed and ready to be taken.
“A-A-Ahhhhh.” Merlin shuddered and tried to rush but Arthur held him still. He wanted to take it slow, to maybe set Merlin back to his usual pace but it was proving difficult with Merlin clenching around him spastically.
“Relax, love.” Arthur grunted and tried to set an even pace. Merlin was pushing back over and over attempting to pull the alpha from the man. He needed it.
Soon enough, every time Arthur smoothed his hand over Merlin he ended it with a hard grip or small pinch. Merlin keened at each one, pressed harder and moaned louder. He couldn’t last like this, and he knew it. With a shuddered breath, Arthur gave in and held on to Merlin’s shoulders as he thrust in with all he had. The slickened hole gave so easily and tightened at Merlin’s will. It was sheer bliss pounding into his mate like his life depended on it.
The bed frame shook with the rhythm they set. Merlin gripped at the sheets and rode Arthur’s cock until his body jolted to a sudden stop. Arthur’s knot was swelling and Merlin couldn’t pull forward anymore.
“Aaaaaarthur, fuuuuck!”
Arthur didn’t even feel the build up, his swelling knot hit him like a ton of bricks and he could only imagine what Merlin was feeling. He leaned forward as the orgasm hit and bit down on Merlin’s shoulder making the other man cry out as he further wet the sheets beneath them. Arthur stayed pressed along Merlin’s back and waited. His knot filled completely and twitched with every release. Merlin’s cheeks almost burned with the heat of the spanking, but the wetness coating them both cooled it some.
Arthur went about licking and kissing the growing welt he’d left behind when Merlin stiffened under him.
“A-Arthur?”
Arthur ‘hmm’d and reached his hand out to Merlin’s. Their fingers twined but Arthur could feel Merlin’s hesitance.
“W-What happened?”
A sudden dread passed through Arthur as he tried to figure out what Merlin meant. The spanking, the heat, the sex?
“Um, you-... You’re in heat.” Arthur said quietly.
“Heat?! I-I can’t be in heat!” Merlin tried to sound as affronted as possible, still squashed underneath Arthur. He shifted and wiggled, making them both groan as he attempted to turn around with the knot still inside. When he managed to face Arthur, his legs were sprawled out and Arthur was breathing hard again.
Arthur ran his hands along Merlin’s thighs and watched. Merlin looked confused but satisfied.
“So-... I went into heat?”
Arthur just nodded. He couldn’t bring up the words to speak. He felt like he’d done something wrong and hurt Merlin.
“Does that mean we can’t use the paddle anymore?” Merlin asked with a crooked pout.
Arthur exhaled and hung his head, almost touching Merlin’s chest. “I’m sorry. I-I don’t know. Was it too much? Did I go too hard?”
“Maybe. I don’t know, but I know I really liked it. The heat, not so much…” Merlin shifted and felt Arthur pulse inside him with a groan. “M-Maybe we can work up to it? I really, really liked it and I want to do it again... Do you think--We could just go slower?”
Arthur leaned in and kissed at Merlin’s neck, inhaling his scent. The random pulses that ran through him kept him drunk on Merlin’s pheromones and completely lax. “We can be safe about it. Get you used to it. We may have jumped this one a bit too fast.”
Merlin ran his lithe fingers over Arthur’s back and pulled him closer. “I love you, darling... and thank you.”
Arthur huffed and smiled. “For what?”
“For indulging me.”
“Even if it caused all this?”
“You were there for me and helped me through it. So, yeah, even if it caused all this.”
The two adjusted and cuddled closer, waiting for sleep to take them… and that’s when Arthur whispered back his devotion to Merlin.