FIC: Art Class (Merlin/Arthur - 862 - PG-13)

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Title: Art Class
Author/Artist: ???
Pairing(s): pre-Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: 3 from dhampir1508
Word Count/Art Medium: 862
Rating: PG13
Contains: None
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thanks to my beta, digthewriter
Summary Merlin fills in as a model for Percy's art class; it's as bad as he's expecting, but it's also kind of good.



"It's just one afternoon," Percy begged. "Just one. Our model dropped out last minute."

"So cancel the session?" Merlin offered, holding his hands out. "Easy."

"Part of our final grade," Percy whined.

"Ask the teacher?"

"No go. Please, Merlin. It's a paid gig. We need a model, you need money. What could be better?"

"You finding someone else."

"Why? What's so bad? We're not asking you to pose nude!"

"No. Just in an outfit that's better suited to a cake stripper."

"At least it won't be your cock hanging out. Look, just think about it, okay? We could really use the help."

~~~

Merlin clenched the robe tightly, breathing deep. He could do this. He could. He had to. If he didn't, when he went home for Christmas, he'd be staying there. This would get him enough money to hold him over until his next job started in February.

"Come on, Merlin!" Percy called. "Everyone's here."

Oh, great. That was exactly what he needed to hear. One more deep breath and he left the bedroom. The drawing session was a project assigned by the professor; they could work in a group on one model or on their own. Percy was working with Leon, Elyan, and one other. They were using Leon's sitting room slash kitchen as he was the only one with space and the windows for the light. It was snowing outside, providing a good backdrop for Merlin's Santa outfit. Not that it was much of an outfit -- there was a hat, a long red vest that was lined with faux fur and had no buttons, boots, and a red g string.

Someone had set up a wing back chair and had it facing four easels. Percy was talking with Leon while Elyan and the unknown bloke were setting up their station. All of them looked up when Merlin got close enough.

"Lose the robe!" Leon cat called, teasing him, and grinned.

Merlin rolled his eyes and as he did so, he made eye contact with the artist he didn't know. He didn't look like an art student except for the paint stains on his jeans. He was blond haired and blue eyed. Muscled. Merlin swallowed hard and told himself to not get hard.

"Well?" Percy asked.

Merlin let out another deep breath and passed the easels to the chair. He stared up at the ceiling as he removed his robe and set it on the arm of the chair, as he'd been asked to do. He turned and tried to smile. "So... How do you want me to sit?"

The blond haired man looked frozen, staring at Merlin and... Was that a blush? Merlin bit his lip and looked away. Elyan smirked. "Sit with one leg over an arm of the chair."

Merlin looked at the others who nodded. With a roll of his eyes -- though how could he expect anything else with this outfit -- he sat as asked. Percy tilted his head and nodded. "Yeah, that's good. Now, we'll be drawing for two hours. We'll break then for fifteen and then finish up in another two hours. All good?"

Everyone nodded and Merlin shifted to make sure that he would be able to sit still comfortably. There was a chance that he might fall asleep -- his own papers due this month had been brutal -- and he hoped no one would be upset if he did. He chanced a look at the blond haired artist again and smiled at the look he received. That wasn't just an artist trying to get the lines right; that was a look of interest. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad.

~~~

"Time!" Percy called.

Merlin blinked, amazed how the two hours had gone by so quickly. He'd been bored, true, but he'd used the time to go through some of the things he had been studying for finals in January. He slowly got out of the chair, stretching.

"Water?"

Merlin blinked and looked over his shoulder. He smiled at the blond hair artist and took the offered bottle. "Thanks. I'm Merlin."

The man chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I heard. I'm Arthur."

"So is this your preferred medium or are you focusing on something else?" Merlin asked, desperate to keep the conversation going.

Arthur shook his head. "I'm not actually studying for a degree. I have one already. I just wanted to do something different with my time."

"And you decided on an art class?" Merlin asked. "Do you draw a lot otherwise?"

"No, but my mother did and I guess I wanted to get closer to her in some way," Arthur confessed. He laughed, self-consciously. "Sorry. I'm not usually... And that was..."

Merlin laughed and shrugged. "It's okay. I can sometimes give out way too much information myself."

They shared a smile and fell silent. Merlin licked his lips. "So... Maybe this might fall into the category of too soon, but would you like to get a cup of coffee after? Or tomorrow?"

Arthur blushed. "Breakfast tomorrow morning maybe?" He froze, eyes wide.

Merlin giggled. "That is too soon, but maybe. Let's see how coffee goes, yeah?"

Arthur beamed.