Merlin looked up at the man, registered him as a vampire immediately and tried to smile in response. It succeeded in part, and he offered, "Merlin." He wasn't in the mood to socialize, but he wasn't so stupid as to think he'd done anything but make a scene when he went after Arthur. Most people who hadn't noticed Arthur telling him off to start with had probably noticed the person serving them drinks making for the exit. "Sorry for all the... just... old friend is all. Bit of a strange situation."

"Hmm," John seemed to ponder that for a moment. "Well, I think your friend's crazy to walk out on you." Strangely, he couldn't get a read on Merlin at all. There was no scent to him whatsoever, and that fact only served to intrigue John that much more. "You might've lost one friend, but gained another," he ventured, his eyes hungrily raking over the bartender's lovely unmarked throat. "Mind if I ask you a personal question? How has someone as pretty as you worked at a vamp bar and never been bitten?"

"Not big on scars," Merlin answered. He'd used the answer before, and it worked well as a quick deflection. When John continued to stare, obviously expecting a follow-up, Merlin shrugged. "Just doesn't interest me, I guess." Besides that, the few companions he'd taken home since starting work had been of the normal human variety, not vamps at all. They made good enough friends - it was nice that they understood the pains of outliving your era - but Merlin generally felt too uneasy about keeping his guard up constantly.

"Now that's a damn shame," John decided, his fingers itching with temptation to reach out and touch Merlin. "You really don't know what you're missing." Why couldn't he smell this mortal? It alternately frustrated and intrigued him. The mortal was beautiful, and John found it difficult to believe that no other vampire had managed to so much as sample the smallest taste of him. Deciding to go for broke, John ventured smoothly, "Since your friend left you all alone, how about spending some time with me tonight?"

Normally Merlin turned such offers down flat. It was repulsive the way some vampires would throw themselves at anything that moved. He didn't particularly want to be someone's bit of a treat on the side. //And what exactly do I have to go home to?// He'd been hoping to be planning a new life with Arthur in it once again. Instead it looked like he'd be going back to his shithole of an apartment to brood. //Why should I?// It wasn't as if he couldn't handle himself. Merlin looked the guy over from his too-bright smile to the predatory gleam in his eyes and finally nodded. "I get off in an hour if you don't mind waiting. Live close."

Now that was more like it! "It's a date, then." John's seductive powers had never failed him before, and they had worked a treat on the vulnerable bartender. Excitement thrummed through him over the opportunity to sample Merlin's untouched throat, and he determined to find out why the mortal apparently had not scent to speak of. He remained close to the bar, unwilling to allow the mortal to change his mind even if John doubted very much that would happen. The hour passed by quickly, and John ticked his head toward the door when Merlin was ready. "After you, beautiful."

The line was cheesy, but it didn't really matter. They both knew they weren't exactly going somewhere to chat. Merlin led the way back to his apartment and allowed himself a few seconds to be crushingly disappointed that Arthur wasn't there. He'd half expected a disapproving sigh and the former king rushing his companion out as soon as the door opened. Instead the were alone. Merlin felt his jaw tighten, feeling stupid for having thought it might be otherwise. "I'd give you the tour, but you had it when you walked in." Merlin shucked his shirt without any particular preamble and turned to face the vampire again. He needed to have everything driven from his mind if only for the night, and he honestly hoped John was up to the task.

John barely kept his fangs in check when Merlin bared his torso to him. "To be frank, you're the only thing here I'm really interested in," he confessed, moving forward and snaking his arms around the bartender's slender waist. Again, the lack of any mortal scent disarmed the vampire who felt lost not being able to get a proper read on Merlin. "Mmm," he groaned approvingly. "You feel good and warm." John dipped his head into the elegant curve of Merlin's smooth neck, planting kisses in a trail down to his shoulder. "I can get you whatever you need, anything you want. All you have to do is let me." Although something was blocking him from detecting more, John could sense how desperate the other man was for oblivion. It was coiled in his muscles, palpably tense and rolling off his body in powerful waves of need.

"Then less talking, more getting naked," Merlin requested firmly. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, not even the attractive stranger he'd brought home. The sooner he was losing his mind with pleasure, the sooner he could stop thinking about Arthur... or anything else.

That suited John just fine. Mostly all it took was one glance for a mortal to want to fall into ecstasy with him. Merlin obviously needed to forget about his "friend," and John was more than happy to oblige. He sank to his knees as he kissed his way down the length of the other man's exposed chest. Merlin's skin tasted wonderful, and John was soon opening his jeans as he dipped his tongue into his navel. "Very nice," he purred once the denim flew open to reveal Merlin's impressive length. The vampire gave it an experimental lick before slowly taking it all inside of his eager mouth.

And that was the moment that his control began to slip. It had been too long, and it felt too good. He was hard in a heartbeat and clutching John's soft, perfectly-groomed hair between his fingers. As Merlin lost focus, so did the spells, spells he had never needed when he took human lovers back to his apartment.

John's senses went wild; with an abruptness that left the vampire reeling, he could suddenly smell the mortal. And Merlin was delicious! John had never encountered a scent like it. In an instant he lost all control and was lunging at Merlin, throwing his down onto the bed and kissing him ravenously. He stole the mortal's breath away, grinding against him with an uncontrollable hunger.

Unaware of the source of his new lover's frenzy, Merlin accepted the desire at face value and responded with equal fervor. His hips rolled, and the sorcerer relished the feeling of the man's hardness rubbing against him. He started clawing at John's clothes, nearly desperate for more, for the release and oblivion he craved.

John's fangs emerged unbidden as he shifted and allowed Merlin to tear his clothes off. He groaned with relief when he was finally freed of the tight denim, his mammoth length springing forth to brush against the mortal's heated arousal. "I could eat you alive," he growled, grasping Merlin's wrists and pinning the other man's arms above his head. Merlin was effectively his to do with as he pleased, and John intended to take full advantage of the bartender's vulnerable state. He swooped in, sealing their mouths together once again in a ravenous kiss.

That was the general idea, but Merlin was glad that his partner understood they had better things to do than chat. "Want you to fuck me," he gasped out between kisses, the very idea of that huge cock buried inside him going a long way toward making Merlin feel better about the evening.

"Oh, you can count on that," John promised, lunging forward and growing drunk on the exotic scent of Merlin's body. His tongue flicked out, swabbing a path across the mortal's throat. //Fuck!// Merlin's skin promising even more delicious thrills ahead. "Then, I'm going to drink you..." The vampire's fangs itched to sink into the pulsing vein in the other man's throat fairly begging to be pierced.

Merlin tensed at the proclamation and shook his head. "No. Look, I told you I don't do that. Not starting now." //Not with you.// If Arthur had wanted... but that was the whole problem. Arthur didn't want, was apparently disgusted by him in fact. "Just sex. Take it or leave it."

That did absolutely nothing to deter John, who was too far gone to stop now. He bared his fangs at Merlin, growling, "I'm going to take it all! I'm going to drain you dry!" He lunged forward, holding the mortal down with bruising force and started to bite that lovely, exposed throat...

...When the door burst open, falling off its hinges as Arthur stormed into the room. With lightning speed he grabbed the back of John's neck and hurled the other vampire away from Merlin. John crashed into the wall, startled by the interruption and the sheer force. Stunned, he scrambled to his feet and challenged him... only to back down when he sensed the immense age and power on display before him. He grabbed his clothes and vacated the apartment in a blur of speed. It was all Arthur could do not to go after him and rip him to shreds. But, his main concern was for Merlin and he was by his side in an instant.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his fingers exploring Merlin's throat for the slightest nick. Arthur reeled at the exotic aroma wafting from the mortal's body, and he suddenly realized why the other vampire had lost control as he wrenched himself away from Merlin before he could harm him.

Merlin drew his legs up and grabbed blindly for the comforter, covering himself and shivering. He didn't understand why Arthur was there to begin with, and he couldn't quite decide whether to be grateful for the rescue since his own instincts for battle had been dulled through long disuse or revolted at the realization that he still needed any rescuing at all. Merlin crossed his arms over his knees and let his head fall forward onto them. "Stupid," he muttered darkly. "Shouldn't've... I just..."

He swallowed hard, glad that at least Arthur couldn't see his face. He felt ridiculous being caught literally with his pants down, ridiculous for having been foolish enough to think he could keep control when everything felt so out of control. "I just thought you weren't... that you were leaving again..." Trembling with the effort, Merlin reached out and pulled the magic close around him, blanketing himself again with the cloak to hide his scent.

Arthur visibly relaxed as Merlin's intoxicating scent disappeared, even as he gave an involuntary whine over the loss of it. Merlin's words stung, and Arthur found himself moving closer again, kneeling beside the bed. "Truthfully? That was my intention." Before he could stop himself from blurting out too much, it all came tumbling from his lips. "It... was too painful seeing you with someone else. I made assumptions that were wrong, but I've never felt such... jealousy before." There simply was no other way to describe what he had been feeling. "Perhaps I should have told you this many, many years ago." A small, self-depreciating grin tugged at the corners of Arthur's mouth. "But, you of all people know how stubborn I can be."

The words were enough to get Merlin to look up again, and he stared at Arthur blankly for several minutes as if he might say something else that would suddenly make sense of the warring thoughts in his head. Because Arthur was definitely not gay. But when nothing followed, Merlin took a slow, steady breath and stared hard at the other man. "You... were jealous? Of Blaine? Of... you thought that we were together and..." He was terrified to say the wrong thing, to jump to the wrong conclusion no matter how obvious the conclusion seemed. It wasn't any easier to focus when there was nothing but a couple of feet and a thin comforter between them either. Finally he said firmly and finally, "If you are screwing with me, Arthur Pendragon, you will be spending the rest of your immortal life as a frog. A particularly slimy, ugly frog."

Arthur's smile intensified as he ducked his head in a very mortal, almost boyish manner. Trust Merlin to make him feel more at ease in his own inimitable way. "It always seemed like such a non-issue," he murmured, glancing back up. "I was the heir of Camelot, you were my servant. There would be no crossing of lines, even if I might have wanted to." It was all out in the open now, and Arthur was surprised to find how easily the confession flowed once he'd started. "Merlin, I kept my attraction to men a safely-guarded secret while I was mortal. The only reason I kept it to myself last night was out of fear of harming you. I cannot remember the last time anything scared me quite so much."

Merlin immediately looked indignant on the man's behalf. "You wouldn't," he protested at once. "Honestly, whatever might have changed, I know better than that. You wouldn't hurt me." The warlock swallowed and hesitantly added, "I was maybe a little less than honest last night too. I thought if I told you how I felt about you... I thought you'd leave again." The thought summoned a fresh bout of tears. "I wouldn't be able to stand it. Maybe it's selfish, but..."

"Hey," Arthur started, reaching out to tenderly cup Merlin's cheek and brush away tears with his thumb. "There'll be none of that now. Merlin, I..." He paused, aching to kiss those half-parted lips before him. "...I don't trust myself around you. Believe me when I say I appreciate your trust in me, but when I caught your scent... I nearly went wild." It was the truth. Arthur had had to call upon his last reserves of will power not to tear into Merlin's throat. "I know that leaving won't solve anything. I tried tonight, only to be drawn right back to you. Somehow I knew you needed me." He bowed his blond head in frustration. "How can you possibly want me when I could hurt you so badly?"

Merlin knew it wasn't exactly the right response when Arthur was so obviously torn up, so obviously worried, but he laughed just the same. "Honestly, Arthur... do you have any idea how many times you've almost gotten me killed? Any idea?" Catching the blank look on the vampire's face, he rolled his eyes. "Nothing new. Promise. And... look, okay, so I wasn't exactly on my game earlier, but he wouldn't've done it. Not because of him. Because of me." Merlin's eyes flashed gold for a moment, and he smiled slightly. "I spent a long time taking care of you without you ever knowing it. I can take care of me too. Besides, you can't tell me that you feel something for me after all this time and then go back to treating me like I have leprosy or something. Not fair."

"No, it's not fair," Arthur agreed, fascinated by the way Merlin's eyes flashed despite his intention not to allow himself to be drawn into their shared feelings. "You're right, but... it can't be helped. Merlin, I'm a vampire. I can't control myself; how I feel, what I want." He straightened and eased down on the edge of the bed, trying desperately to ignore the fact that Merlin was completely naked under the blanket. "That's why I went ballistic seeing you with your friend. Granted, I would have been jealous and jumped to the wrong conclusion anyway. Only, when I was mortal, I wouldn't have wanted to rip Blaine apart for touching you."

That was a valid point. Merlin found himself stumped for a moment and sat quietly, just staring at Arthur for a long beat. "Okay. Right. Yeah, you... yeah." He swallowed and finally nodded as if having decided something on his own. "That's fine. So we... I mean, things don't have to change. Y'know, between us. I just don't want you leaving." If that meant suffering blue balls for the rest of his natural life, it actually sounded kind of worth it. //I'm nuts. Absolutely nuts.// "Meanwhile, um, maybe you can turn around for a sec while I get dressed?"

"Yes, yes please," Arthur agreed, getting back on his feet and moving to find something else to focus on out of the window. Although he ached to see Merlin gloriously naked--especially now that the other man knew his true feelings--it would only intensify his desire and lead them both to a place they could not go. "I won't leave," he promised, trying not to focus on the rustle of clothing behind him. "But, I can't make any promises. If this... situation... doesn't work out." He seemed at a loss, bowing his head in a gesture that resembled defeat. "I can't hurt you, Merlin. I won't allow it to happen."

Once he had on a t-shirt and jeans, both beaten up to the point of being something he rarely wore outside the apartment, Merlin moved over to the man and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "You won't." He waited until Arthur turned and met the man's gaze without flinching. "You don't trust yourself, and... and I understand that." He'd never experienced what Arthur went through every day, that gnawing hunger, but he'd spoken to friends about it and understood the bloodlust in at least an academic sense. "So don't trust yourself. Trust me, Arthur."

Merlin's touch inspired another reckless surge of desire, and Arthur closed his eyes as he mentally fought against the intense hunger he felt. "I do, Merlin," he whispered, "I always have." He finally allowed himself to luxury of gazing upon Merlin again, only for his unbeating heart to ache with desperate longing. When he looked into those eyes, he saw nothing but the purest deepest love which he so desperately wished he could return. "I... fed tonight," he suddenly confessed, unwilling to keep anything from Merlin. "I thought it would help... with the hunger. But, it only made it worse."

The confession surprised him, and Merlin frowned slightly. First and foremost, he frankly didn't like the idea of Arthur being that intimate with someone - but he was quick on his feet enough to recognize the hypocrisy of that and refrain from saying as much. Instead he warned, "This is a small town. They watch. Not as closely as they should, maybe, but... be careful." The thought of Arthur being caught at such a thing was terrifying. To have him live for so long, to finally find him again only to- "Please?"

"Merlin, I've managed to survive this long," Arthur pointed out. That went without saying. How many centuries had pass by now? He had lost count. "Believe me, you have absolutely nothing to worry about." Smiling softly, the vampire caressed Merlin's cheek in an achingly tender gesture. He drew his hand back just as quickly, mentally chiding himself over his actions and knowing that no good would come from them. Desperate to find a change of topic, Arthur latched onto his earlier activities and said, "Would you like to start hunting for a home?"

Though Merlin wanted to groan with frustration, he pasted on a smile instead. "Yeah. Let's see what we can find." More and more places were keeping night hours now that vampires had officially become a solid revenue stream - not to mention all the humans who worked to support that evening business. "You take the lead. I know what's within my means, and we're in it, so..." He shrugged and the smile became a bit more genuine. Crazy as it was likely to drive them, Merlin couldn't help but feel better at the idea that they would be spending at least the quiet days in the same space.

"No worries; I probably have more than enough to buy this town ten times over." That was no exaggeration. With the amount of wealth Arthur had secreted in bank accounts over the centuries, he and Merlin would never have to want for anything. He lead the way out into the night and found a real estate agency specializing in vampires in town. The enthusiastic agent seemed intent on showing them the largest properties available, but Arthur pointed out that something nice and modest would be fine for them. As it turned out, there was already a home that seemed perfect for them as it featured a built-in hidey-hole for a vampire. They were escorted to the brick, two-bedroom house and Arthur surveyed their surroundings. "I like it," he told Merlin. "What do you think?"

The place was quiet, unassuming - and utterly unlike anything he would've pictured Arthur choosing. When the former king surveyed the whole of it with apparent pleasure, Merlin's eyes widened. "Really?" He recognized how out of place his own reaction was a second later and smiled instead. "It's perfect." It felt like home, and Merlin honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like he had one of those. He couldn't think of anyplace more perfect for the two of them even if he had trouble picturing Arthur being happy with something so modest. Maybe they were going to be just friends, to try and keep it entirely platonic, but the thought that the house would be theirs thrilled him just the same.

"Yeah, I like it," Arthur confirmed, hands on hips as he wandered about the place. It suited both their needs beautifully, being somewhat secluded as well as not too far away from Merlin's place of employment. Of course Arthur could have just insisted they live on his fortune instead of Merlin bartending, only he knew the mortal would never agree to that. Learning that he could close the deal on the house in a matter of days pleased the former king very, very much. They departed after a while and headed back toward the apartment. "I hope that was alright with you?" he asked Merlin. "Sorry I didn't give you much choice in the matter. Am I still behaving like a ruler?"

"Bit, yeah," Merlin agreed with a laugh, "but I think if you weren't, it wouldn't feel quite like you. Hard enough seeing you in jeans." Maybe it was for the best that they had some time to get to know one another without anything but friendship to worry about. Things had changed in more ways than the obvious ones. "But you don't need to feel bad about grabbing the place. It's honestly perfect. Didn't figure it would be your thing, but it's... couldn't've picked anything better - and couldn't've afforded any of it." There would always be a gulf between them in that sense, and it was something Merlin had gotten comfortable with centuries before. He needed something to do, a focus for his energy, but he was under no illusions that he'd be contributing much to their bottom line. He unlocked the door to the apartment and then closed it behind Arthur. "Sometime... when it isn't too hard... I want to hear the whole story. From you."

"It's a long one," Arthur warned, a faint smile curling his lips. "Luckily, I have all the time in the world to tell it." A sense of relief washed over the former king now that he and Merlin would have a proper home to call their own. It almost brought normalcy back into his life, which was a feeling Arthur had not experienced in centuries. "You know, you really don't have to keep bartending at that club," he pointed out. "I have more than enough money to take care of the both of us." He didn't want to offend Merlin with the suggestion, only keep him safe from all of the vampires who would drain him dry if they had the slightest inkling of what his blood contained.

"Guess I just want to feel... useful," Merlin observed with a shrug. He knew that he didn't really need to continue with the position, but he hadn't decided yet whether he could handle giving it up. The sorcerer sank down into a mismatched chair and regarded Arthur quietly for a moment. It was a luxury just to see him, to have a real image instead of the ones he'd gotten used to conjuring in his mind. "I'll think about it, though. Kind of gotten used to the place, but... we'll see." He knew it would be stupid to give up the position just to spend more time with Arthur. The man had forever, and he knew that he had at the very least a well-extended lifespan to look forward to himself. And yet it seemed like a crime to give up a single moment after being apart so long. "If someone had told me the day we met that one day I'd actually miss you, I would've told them they were daft."

"I just want you to be careful, Merlin," Arthur said, his gaze serious and his jaw set tightly. "You shouldn't trust vampires--not even me--and with good reason. We will say or do anything to gain your confidence, anything to taste your blood. We're animals, ravenous animals; all of us." He made no bones about it. Merlin had to understand what he was facing every night working in the midst of the undead. Arthur still had that vampire Merlin had recklessly taken home to deal with. He might not have gotten a taste of Merlin, but that vampire had smelled the intoxicating aroma of the sorcerer's blood. It was only a matter of time before he returned for a bite. //Not if I can help it.//

It killed Merlin to think that Arthur honestly saw himself in that light. "You aren't. Arthur, you're... yeah, okay, so there's something else now too, but you're still you. You are. I've seen it. What you did tonight... that's who you are." He wanted so badly to touch the man that hit hurt, but he refrained for both their sakes. If they were going to keep a line drawn in the sand, it had to be as firm a line as they could carve. "You're right, though. I have to be careful. Tonight was... was stupid. There's a reason I don't bring guys like that home - and, no, I don't mean vampires." //That too, really, but...// "Sleazy players. Stupid. Not my type, honestly."

"I hope not," Arthur murmured, "because you're much too good for that." He glanced away from Merlin, not wanting to let his gaze linger too long. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his emotions to himself. Especially now that Merlin knew how he really felt about him, how he'd always felt. //Idiot. You should have never told him.// It had been a major mistake on his part, but there was little he could do about it now except to keep his distance while trying to keep Merlin safe from those who might want to harm him... Including himself.

"Got a point there. Seems sort of beneath me," Merlin observed with only the faintest hint of a smile to betray the fact that he was joking. "I mean, until the past few months, it had been, like, decades or centuries or something since I slept with a guy that was anything less than a knight of Camelot. Seems like a big step down." It felt a bit like name dropping even if he hadn't named anyone, but it was hard not to throw it out there. Despite feeling like kind of an ass, Merlin didn't want Arthur thinking he'd been doing nothing but pine pathetically for him for years. Arthur wasn't the only one who'd had a life of his own.

"Oh?" Arthur bristled at that bit of information. Merlin had slept with one of the knights? Jealousy welled up inside of Arthur, spiking through him like a sharp dagger. He clenched his fists in an attempt to calm himself. It was ridiculous to get himself worked up. Still, he couldn't help feeling... wronged in some way. "It seems I was more blind than I realized," he said with a hint of caution. "I would never have guessed." Arthur straightened and paced the room, trying to hide his anger. He paused at the window and gazed out into the night. Morning would come soon. "I'm worried about that vampire you brought home," he said, focusing his ire elsewhere. "He smelled you, Merlin. He knows you're different."

Merlin felt ridiculously pleased with himself for the brief flash of jealousy in Arthur's eyes. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt the man, but part of him couldn't help it, couldn't help that it bothered him thinking that Arthur hadn't exactly been alone either. The reminder about John brought Merlin's momentary elation crashing down, and he scowled. "Yeah. I know. Not exactly thrilled about that." He hated talking about it at all, but he finally confessed, "The upside is he won't tell anyone. He won't want anyone to know. Won't want to share," Merlin finished, looking down at a discolored spot on the carpet.

"I wish I had your confidence." Arthur tore his gaze from the view of the street outside, bathed in pale luminescence from the weak street lights. He focused on Merlin, again unsure if the other man truly realized the terrible danger he was in. "When I find him again, I will destroy him." He made it clear by the tone of his voice that there would be no argument. John would meet the true death before he could harm Merlin or tell anyone about how different this particular mortal was. Arthur stalked over to Merlin, stopping just short of him. "No one's going to touch you, Merlin. I won't let them."

On one hand, the words were strangely sweet. Arthur wanted to protect him, to look out for him, and it was hard not to be flattered and pleased by that. It was Arthur, after all, the man he'd been in love with for as long as he could remember. Then again, he knew Arthur's temper and how easily it could put him at a disadvantage. "Just be careful, alright? Putting someone to death - even a vampire - isn't exactly thought of fondly. I've seen John at the bar before, but I don't know him well enough to say if he has friends, a coven, anything like that. I don't want you getting into trouble with the wrong people around here."

Arthur appreciated Merlin's concern for him but, at the same time, he bristled at the notion that he couldn't take care of himself. He almost suggested that he and Merlin simply leave the town and start up again somewhere else afresh. Only that would not eliminate the threat the other vampire posed. John could sniff Merlin out the moment the sorcerer's control slipped. Then, it wouldn't matter where they were. "Alright, Merlin. I'll be careful." Arthur laid his hands on the other man's shoulders, staring directly into his eyes. He didn't want to start another argument. In fact, he just wanted to comfort Merlin and... //Stop it right now.// Arthur snatched his hands away, nodding toward the closet. "It'll be daylight soon. We should both get to bed."

"Right. Bed. Sleep. Good. Yeah," Merlin agreed with a tight smile. Things felt strange and unresolved, but he wasn't unhappy. Even strange was better than nothing. He forced himself to take a breath and say a silent thanks for what they had instead of worrying about what they didn't have. He smiled far more warmly at Arthur once that was done. "Sweet dreams." Merlin slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, determined to wash away everything he could of the abortive attempt at a quick hook up.

He could control his passion, he had to. They would have a new place to live in a few days, a new start for the both of them. Arthur settled down in the closet, stretching out in the dark space and closing his eyes. Sleep called as the sun began to rise, and the former ruler drifted away with more persistent thoughts of Merlin filling his mind...