For Your Entertainment

[ayoungboy]

The circus comes into town in the late afternoon. It's a quiet caravan, but the whispers start immediately. It's not a regular circus. This one - this is the Camelot circus. One of the most esteemed traveling acts in the country, and not for the faint of heart. This one has a flaming sword eater and a terrifying magician.

A few brave people try to peek at the preparations, but once the big tent is up, all that can really be seen are food stands being set up, and a few podiums for acts unknown. Everything else is hidden from view. You want to see? Come buy a ticket.

Comments

[ayoungboy]

"I'm glad that you enjoy it," Merlin says honestly. "But it barely gives me a job, Arthur. It is nothing."

[royalpratness]

"You can make people levitate and create things out of thin air. That's the kind of thing people write novels about. It's a gift." Arthur insists.

[ayoungboy]

"And good on them. Lovely novels. But one day I'd like to buy a house of my own."

[royalpratness]

"Why did you build a career our your magic anyway? You could have been anything, as far as I'm concerned. Why not become, I don't know, a fisherman who happens to have special abilities?"

[ayoungboy]

"I'm not good at anything else. This is just about all I can do."

[royalpratness]

"I highly doubt that." Arthur frowns, not liking how little Merlin seem to think of himself.

[ayoungboy]

"Well," Merlin shrugs. "You saved my job at the circus."

[royalpratness]

"Because you asked me to. You could always consider to do something different with your life."

[ayoungboy]

Merlin just sort of looks at him. Yeah, he doesn't have any idea what else he'd do with his life.

[royalpratness]

"Not right away, obviously. Just something to think about." Arthur smiles, allowing his eyes to close for just a moment.

[ayoungboy]

"Get some rest, Arthur." Merlin bites his lip and brushes his hand over Arthur's hair. "Really. You look exhausted."

[royalpratness]

Arthur smiles, leaning into the touch. "I shouldn't sleep here. It's not appropriate."

[ayoungboy]

"I don't think anyone will mind." Merlin runs his fingers gently through Arthur's hair. "Sleep."

[royalpratness]

From Merlin's words, Arthur conclude that he doesn't mind, which causes a funny feeling in his chest. "If you say so." He smiles, giving into exhaustion and the gentle caress of Merlin's hand, drifting off to sleep.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin watches him rest for a while, gently rubbing his scalp, before he closes his own eyes and drifts off.

[royalpratness]

Arthur wakes up in the middle of the night, feeling disoriented when he realises that he's not in his own bed. Even more so when he notices the other person lying next to him. Yawning, his brain informs him that he really should leave and return to his own bedroom...only that he's really comfortable. In the end, he falls back asleep before reaching a conclusion.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin doesn't wake until the next morning, and by then, he's curled around Arthur, completely entangled. He blushes, and tries to figure out if he should disengage.

[royalpratness]

Arthur slowly blinks his eyes open and needs a moment to process the situation. He all but jumps up, quickly getting out of bed. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" He's blushing, trying to fix is sleep hair. "I didn't mean to stay here, I sincerely apologise." He ducks his head, feeling terrible.

[ayoungboy]

"I don't mind, Arthur." Merlin doesn't look at him, staring at his hands.

[royalpratness]

"Still, I apologise. This was very inappropriate. Please don't think that I meant to take advantage of you." After all, Arthur has helped Merlin out quite a bit lately but it's not like he wants anything in returns. Especially nothing like that.

[ayoungboy]

"I told you to sleep. I woukd have woken you if I wasn't okay with you staying." Merlin glances up in surprise. "No, no - I mean you're probably not even - "

[royalpratness]

"Not even what?" Interested? Queer? Arthur checks that the door is closed and turns around towards Merlin again.

[ayoungboy]

"...you don't, ah...seem like that sort of man." Merlin says evasively. He doesn't mention that he, himself, is.

[royalpratness]

"What sort are we talking about here?" Arthur asks, tentitavely.

[ayoungboy]

"You know, the...uh...the type of...man?" Merlin bites his lips nervously.