Erato Muse

Merlin: Aww, thank you!

Arthur, nervous: You know what that means?

Merlin: Yeah, sure!

Arthur, euphoric: Great! So-!

Merlin: Another one for my collection!

Arthur, confused: Your- what?

Merlin: My collection of sigils! From various lords or ladies, one knight and about three princesses or princes from neighbouring kingdoms!

Arthur:

Arthur: Ah.

Merlin: One or two of them said it would grant me immunity in their kingdom should I ever have to run from this one!

Arthur:

Merlin: Most nobles really aren’t as bad as I thought they would be!

Arthur:

Merlin: But you are setting the bar very low to begin with!

Arthur: I’ll take that back!

Merlin: What!? No!! My collection!

It had been three years since a clumsy oaf saved his life and became his manservant.

Of course the physical attraction came first, how could it not with Merlin looking the way he did? Those cheekbones and blue eyes that were more inviting than a cool pond in summer heat.

Arthur had written it off, there had been other men that Arthur could admit he was attracted to, and he is sure had he pursued he’d have them.

None of those men were Merlin, none of them laughed with him as a friend, or spoke to him as a person. No, those men tried too hard to make him laugh and offered him service and obedience.

Today marked three years and he was ready to finally court Merlin.

Armed with his Mother’s Sigil, the most precious possession he owns. He would present it to Merlin when he came into the bed chamber to wake him and offer his affections.

He sat upright, still dressed in his bedclothes and systematically caressing his mothers sigil. As he mentally rehearsed his confession.

The elegant and charming speech vanished the second the doorknob turned, and by the time Merlin actually entered, Arthur wasn’t sure if he’d ever prepared anything to say.

‘Rise and Shine my Lord.’ Merlin greeted casually as he sat down the breakfast tray Arthur hadn’t even noticed.

‘Merlin, this Sigil of my mother is for you.’ Arthur said awkwardly as his his face burned in embarrassment and anxiety.

Merlin looked at the item in sudden shock and wordlessly ask permission to hold it. Arthur handed the sigil over, his fingers lingering over Merlin’s as he did so.

‘Aw thank you.’ Merlin said gratefully.

‘You know what that means?’

‘Yeah. Sure.’ the servant said as a smile spread across his face, lighting up his eyes.

Never before had Arthur felt so much happiness as he began to move closer to Merlin, eager to finally hold him close.

‘Great! So-’

‘Another one for my collection.’ Merlin sang, carefully pocketing the sigil before turning to open the curtains.

Arthur sat, opened armed and confused on his mattress as the words are processed.

‘Your what?’

‘My collection of sigils! From various lords and ladies, one knight three princesses or princes of neighboring kingdoms!’ he answered, moving on to the cupboard for Arthur’s clothes.

‘Ah.’ Arthur sighed as he realized Merlin in fact did not know the importance of giving away sigils as a royal, and that he apparently had more competition than he had expected for Merlin’s affection.

‘One or two of them said it would grant me immunity in their kingdom should I ever have to run from this one.’ the raven haired man laughed as he picked out a decent ensemble for his King to wear.

Arthur was still trying to gather his own whirlwind of emotions, so he didn’t reply, but as always Merlin talked enough for the two of them.

‘Most royals really aren’t as bad as I though they be would be, but you are setting the bar very low to begin with’ Merlin joked as Arthur got out of the bed.

‘I’ll take that back.’ Arthur said, rudely reaching into Merlin’s pocket and taking back his mother’s sigil.

‘What? No! My collection.’ the manservant whined.

‘And I want a list of anyone who gave you theirs!’ the royal prat demanded as he walked back over to his breakfast.

‘I’ll give you the list and every sigil I have, but I- I want your sigil Arthur.’ Merlin said, grabbing Arthur’s wrist.

Arthur felt the swell of hope in his chest, but he hid his emotions as he turned to face Merlin.

Where Arthur hid his feelings, Merlin left his on display. His eyes were wide and honest, and his hold on Arthur’s wrist tightened.

‘I like the sigils a lot, but I don’t need immunity in any other kingdom; because I have no desire to leave Camelot.’ Merlin said earnestly.

‘Merlin…you don’t understand what a sigil means, but when you do find out, the sigil is yours.’ Arthur answered as a mischievous grin crossed his face.

Merlin began to complain but Arthur interrupted him before he could.

‘Here is the one and only hint I will give you, so pay attention you idiot.’ the prince teased before he took Merlin’s hand that had still been wrapped around his wrist.

He held his eye contact with Merlin as he kissed his hand.

At first Merlin scoffed in amused confusion, but when he looked back at Arthur’s eyes he understood.

‘Oh!’

‘You turnip head, I still want that list of names. Arthur’s laughed before pulling Merlin into his arms.

‘Do you still want my sigil Merlin, no that you know what it means for me to give it to you?’

Merlin made a annoyed face before he snatched it from Arthur.

Merlin: Aww, thank you!

Arthur, nervous: You know what that means?

Merlin: Yeah, sure!

Arthur, euphoric: Great! So-!

Merlin: Another one for my collection!

Arthur, confused: Your- what?

Merlin: My collection of sigils! From various lords or ladies, one knight and about three princesses or princes from neighbouring kingdoms!

Arthur:

Arthur: Ah.

Merlin: One or two of them said it would grant me immunity in their kingdom should I ever have to run from this one!

Arthur:

Merlin: Most nobles really aren’t as bad as I thought they would be!

Arthur:

Merlin: But you are setting the bar very low to begin with!

Arthur: I’ll take that back!

Merlin: What!? No!! My collection!

It had been three years since a clumsy oaf saved his life and became his manservant.

Of course the physical attraction came first, how could it not with Merlin looking the way he did? Those cheekbones and blue eyes that were more inviting than a cool pond in summer heat.

Arthur had written it off, there had been other men that Arthur could admit he was attracted to, and he is sure had he pursued he’d have them.

None of those men were Merlin, none of them laughed with him as a friend, or spoke to him as a person. No, those men tried too hard to make him laugh and offered him service and obedience.

Today marked three years and he was ready to finally court Merlin.

Armed with his Mother’s Sigil, the most precious possession he owns. He would present it to Merlin when he came into the bed chamber to wake him and offer his affections.

He sat upright, still dressed in his bedclothes and systematically caressing his mothers sigil. As he mentally rehearsed his confession.

The elegant and charming speech vanished the second the doorknob turned, and by the time Merlin actually entered, Arthur wasn’t sure if he’d ever prepared anything to say.

‘Rise and Shine my Lord.’ Merlin greeted casually as he sat down the breakfast tray Arthur hadn’t even noticed.

‘Merlin, this Sigil of my mother is for you.’ Arthur said awkwardly as his his face burned in embarrassment and anxiety.

Merlin looked at the item in sudden shock and wordlessly ask permission to hold it. Arthur handed the sigil over, his fingers lingering over Merlin’s as he did so.

‘Aw thank you.’ Merlin said gratefully.

‘You know what that means?’

‘Yeah. Sure.’ the servant said as a smile spread across his face, lighting up his eyes.

Never before had Arthur felt so much happiness as he began to move closer to Merlin, eager to finally hold him close.

‘Great! So-’

‘Another one for my collection.’ Merlin sang, carefully pocketing the sigil before turning to open the curtains.

Arthur sat, opened armed and confused on his mattress as the words are processed.

‘Your what?’

‘My collection of sigils! From various lords and ladies, one knight three princesses or princes of neighboring kingdoms!’ he answered, moving on to the cupboard for Arthur’s clothes.

‘Ah.’ Arthur sighed as he realized Merlin in fact did not know the importance of giving away sigils as a royal, and that he apparently had more competition than he had expected for Merlin’s affection.

‘One or two of them said it would grant me immunity in their kingdom should I ever have to run from this one.’ the raven haired man laughed as he picked out a decent ensemble for his King to wear.

Arthur was still trying to gather his own whirlwind of emotions, so he didn’t reply, but as always Merlin talked enough for the two of them.

‘Most royals really aren’t as bad as I though they be would be, but you are setting the bar very low to begin with’ Merlin joked as Arthur got out of the bed.

‘I’ll take that back.’ Arthur said, rudely reaching into Merlin’s pocket and taking back his mother’s sigil.

‘What? No! My collection.’ the manservant whined.

‘And I want a list of anyone who gave you theirs!’ the royal prat demanded as he walked back over to his breakfast.

‘I’ll give you the list and every sigil I have, but I- I want your sigil Arthur.’ Merlin said, grabbing Arthur’s wrist.

Arthur felt the swell of hope in his chest, but he hid his emotions as he turned to face Merlin.

Where Arthur hid his feelings, Merlin left his on display. His eyes were wide and honest, and his hold on Arthur’s wrist tightened.

‘I like the sigils a lot, but I don’t need immunity in any other kingdom; because I have no desire to leave Camelot.’ Merlin said earnestly.

‘Merlin…you don’t understand what a sigil means, but when you do find out, the sigil is yours.’ Arthur answered as a mischievous grin crossed his face.

Merlin began to complain but Arthur interrupted him before he could.

‘Here is the one and only hint I will give you, so pay attention you idiot.’ the prince teased before he took Merlin’s hand that had still been wrapped around his wrist.

He held his eye contact with Merlin as he kissed his hand.

At first Merlin scoffed in amused confusion, but when he looked back at Arthur’s eyes he understood.

‘Oh!’

‘You turnip head, I still want that list of names. Arthur’s laughed before pulling Merlin into his arms.

‘Do you still want my sigil Merlin, no that you know what it means for me to give it to you?’

Merlin made a annoyed face before he snatched it from Arthur.

The first-edition of The Joy of Gay Sex, published in 1977, declared, “Vegetable shortening may be the best lubricant, since it is not only greasy but also digestible”[4] Such a statement perhaps gives new meaning to the companies boastful declarations that “Its digestible” and “Crisco has been making life in the kitchen more delicious for years.”  Similarly, in the 1978 sex manual The Advocate Guide to Gay Health, Crisco even earned an entry in the book’s index.  Discussions of the shortening’s use as an anal lubricant indicate its popularity, with statements such as: “The lubricant, typically the cultic Crisco, must be copious.”[5]  In fact, Crisco was so synonomus with gay sex that discos and bars around the world took on the name, such as Crisco Disco in New York City, which was one of the premiere clubs during the 1970s and early 1980s.  Other clubs or bathhouses, such as Club Z in Seattle, even featured murals with Crisco.  Thus, Crisco was conversely also one of many things that led to the formation of gay identities during the 20th century.

from this essay: http://www.columbia.edu/~sf2220/TT2007/web-content/Pages/drew2.html