Friday 6th July 2012

Jumping on his rucksack - literally - to make sure all items would fit in, Uther was howling from the foot of the landing. "Come on Arthur! The coach will be at the community centre within half-an-hour. How long does it take you to pack a weekend's worth of items?"

Arthur made a huff as he heard rummaging next door, clipping the bag together and placing the distinctive Camelot neckerchief over his scout uniform, and yelled back to his father. "Why don't you ask Morgana the same question?"

"Because everyone knows girls take longer to prepare themselves." Morgana clearly heard Uther's words, shouting from her room. "Shut up! I've got to put my neckerchief on and I'm done!" Seconds later, both Morgana and Arthur fought their way down the stairs, trying to shove one out of the way, as Uther was loading up the items.

"Can't you pair behave just for once?" Uther sighed, as the Pendragon kids squabbled, pushing and shoving each other out of the way, trying to get their weekend clutter down the stairs.

"Seriously dad, why are our neckerchiefs a ridiculous colour? What have they got in common with our uniform?" Arthur asked as he grabbed some of the tents.

"Well for one, everyone who is going on this trip has to wear one. Camelot's division has always been red and gold, so by wearing it, I and others know where you all are. Secondly, neckerchiefs are part of the uniform." Morgana made her corrections with the guide and senior section attire. "But dad, the guides and senior section don't wear them!"

"Traditionally they do, so stop moaning and collect some tents, we've got a lot to heave up to the centre, not mentioning the remainder of the items that are already there. Then I've got to collect everyone's medical forms and take the register, making sure we have everyone aboard before setting off, so how do you think I feel?"

Due to the weekend festival, all guides, scouts and seniors as well as the leaders would be out of education or work for the day, leaving the community centre at 10am. On foot and arriving by nine, some of the cars were already parked up in front of centre; the coaches parking outside the church gates. The coaches however had already arrived, where the Pendragon trio began loading things onto them, and then made their way to the centre to collect the remainder of items. The scout and guide leaders all arrived within fifteen minutes of the Pendragon's arrviving.

The scouts and guides who had already arrived began to unload their luggage from the cars, and handed their medical forms over to Uther (scouts) and Alice (guides and senior section) once the basics had been loaded onto the coach.

Merlin and Will arrived at the gates for half-past-nine, and Arthur immediately departed from Morgana to hold conversation, finding interest to start talking about photography. Thankfully for Morgana, members of her own patrol arrived shortly after, many others already perching themselves on the wall or retreating for shade under the few trees situated on the grounds, Uther and Alice were collecting the medical forms, making sure all parts were complete.

Checking his watch, Uther made the time to be 9:45, and ordered the current scouts and guides onto the coach. As everywhere they had been over the last six years, Will called for a change and partnered up with Lancelot, leaving Morgana with Gwen. Arthur turned and found Will strolling off towards the front coach without Merlin. Noticing the raven-haired scout looking for a coachmate, Arthur crossed the boundary of pavement between the pair, taking Merlin's hand into his. "I guess you're with me then?" Gwaine noticed the pair together, giving Merlin a wink, following their conversation from a few nights ago. Merlin glanced at Arthur, a little flushed as he lifted their joined arms, hands firmly clasped together.

"Well, if you want to that is?" Arthur, also blushing, managed to gasp out. Merlin, who couldn't resist the way Arthur laid eyes upon him, gave in. "Yeah ok, I'd like that."

"Pendragon, Emrys, on the coach now!" Uther ordered, becoming frustrated on his son and son's friend not following orders. "Yes sire," both sighed. Arthur, allowing Merlin access to board the coach first, unclasped his hand and stepped aside. When it usually came to coach trips, Arthur and his gang of hooligans would usually take the backseats of the coach, whereas Merlin was the opposite. For some reason, he couldn't understand what it was when it came to coach trips. Every single time he went on one, there would always be a group of students who would always try and make their way to the back of the coach, and it was usually those type of people who were popular and disruptive.

"Where do you want to sit?" Arthur asked, mere inches behind Merlin. "Not fussed. Usually end up at the front because it's much quieter. It's up to you." Arthur noticed the empty seats nearby them, halfway up the coach, and pointed to a row of seats to his left. "Shall here do then?"

"Yeah all right." Merlin ended the discussion quickly, Arthur moving to the side to allow Merlin take the window seat. As others were climbing aboard, Uther was given the final medical forms from his scouts, and climbed aboard the coach himself, taking the front seat to the left. Tristan also boarded the coach, going down the gangway, counting the guides and scouts currently seated. "32!" Shouted Tristan over to Uther, who then called out the number to Grunhilda, who would pass the message on to Catrina, who was aboard the other coach. "24." was shouted back to them, making a total of 56. A total of 40 Scouts and Explorers, and 45 Guides and Senior Section members were to attend from the Camelot division, as well as eight leaders.

There were always those times where the time of departure was going to be later than intended, and today was one of them. Glastonbury was quite a far distance from Camelot, but not as far as where some of the divisions were coming from, as the festival was open to all members from around the U.K. Each division had their own colour neckerchief, such as London having Red and White, Exeter having Green and Rochester having Turquoise. All of them before leaving, would have sewn a badge onto their neckerchief, reading 'Girl Guides and Scouts Glastobury 2012.'

With the front coach finally full at quarter-past-nine, Uther began reading names off the register, leaving the other half for the other coach. Five minutes later Uther returned and boarded the coach, sitting next to Tristan, with Isolde and Alice adjacent to them, as he signaled the driver to take off. Roars of cheering came about as the coach departed the community centre, and out of Camelot.

It would a good five hours before the two coaches would arrive at the heart of the festival. As one would imagine with a festival such as Glastonbury, everyone has heard the news of how it always rains, is situated in a field and usually the big picture is devotees swimming their way through mud, whilst trying to enjoy the best of the music. It was known to be the U.K.'s biggest festival of the year, hosting a wide variety of acts, where for a sum, people could see their favourite arists perform on the big stage, and enjoy - well hopefully - enjoy the fresh country air and summer sun.

Keeping a weather update for the last few days, Uther crossed his fingers that the weekend would be fairly pleasant. Stepping off the coach as Camelot's head of division, a member of staff asked which division the coaches belonged to. Ticking Camelot off the list, the coaches made their way to the car park, where everyone waited until their allotments were given.

"Excuse me, is this the Camelot division?" A member of staff asked as they boarded the first two steps. The weather was warm, your average July temperature and was dry, with a few white clouds here and there, but the sun was high as a kite and in full view. Uther, who was bored of waiting - damn these festivals! - raised his head a few moments later, clearing his throat. "Umm, yes this is the Camelot group."

"Good, can you follow me please?"

"Just me or the entire coach?"

"You and another leader." Agravaine decided, as they were sitting together, to go with Uther in the direction of the staff member, who clearly could be noticed by his fluorescent yellow jacket. Uther collected the map and other details of the facilites on the fields, such as the directions for toilet facilities and food stands. Agravaine waited at their desired allotments.

Making his way back to the coaches, some of the students switching to battery operated fans for cooler air, which in reality is a combination of the humdity already present, jumped to the attention of Uther, who ordered both groups to depart the vehicles and collect their property. Then the groups would get into their patrols, the patrol leader carrying the tent, which meant an extra loadfull for the Pendragon kids, and for the time being, Merlin and Arthur would have disband for a while. "Right, follow me," Uther called as he returned in the direction he had just came.

For the amount of people attending the trip, one would think how was it possible to fit the entire divisons of the U.K. onto a bunch of fields, truth being, more space had to be allocated for the amount of people going. Thankfully, this type of gig was nowhere near as popular as the actual Glastonbury gig, held a month previous to the scout and guide one. The plot of land allocated for Camelot was divided into four sections. Half were given to the girls, the girls from the scouts and explorers joining the guides and seniors, and the lads would be on the other side. Guides and Girl Scouts would one corner, having Grunhilda and Alice guarding them. Another patch would go to the Senior Section and Girl Explorers, guarded by Catrina and Isolde. Tristan and Aglain would take charge of the Scouts, and Uther and Agravaine would be taking charge of the Explorers.

"Right, this time there is no contest, so we've got all day to put the tent up." Lance announced as the tent was unpacked from its case, the mallet in the hands of Arthur.

"Not if any of us want some food and the insider to the line-up," Gwaine commented, already in the mood for song and dance, with a little comedy.

"How about we put up the tent first, and then decide on sleeping arrangements and everything else?" Merlin suggested.

"Thank you Merlin. Someone finally has some sense," Arthur soon replied, sighing from the fuss. Gwaine beamed at the reaction, raising his eyebrows at Merlin, who only glanced away, focusing on putting up the tent.

After some quick thinking and strong teamwork, the tent was put up. The decision was that Mordred and Lancelot would sleep in one compartment, Gwaine and Percival in another, leaving Arthur with Merlin. The next job was food, half of the patrol leaving at one time to grab a bite to eat, the other half collecting their share once the first half were back. Mordred collected a list of the line-up for the next three days, the festival having already begun. By the looks of things, Coldplay was one of the main acts, joining Adele and Emeli Sande as the others. There were bands such as Foster The People, Keane and Snow Patrol also there, as well as newer acts and other well known ones.

"Can someone pass me the list?" Percival asked, who finally managed more just a murmur, the patrol raising their heads, mostly in shock as the quiet one hardly spoke a word. Mordred still currently held of the line-up, glancing over the amount of acts one could watch during the weekend. "If you're so interested, why don't you get your own?"

"I was only asking." Percival announced, backing away. Although Mordred could be an angel, at other times he could be a right sod. "Yeah well, I fetched the list, so wait your turn."

"That's enough Mordred! We heard once!" Arthur scolded the younger, and left the tent, leaving the bickering for Lancelot to deal with. Coming back a few minutes later, Arthur collected lists for the group, and gave each his own.

Gwaine and Merlin were position at the back of the tent, as Gwaine made his move in making suggestions to Merlin. "Hey Merls! So you and Arthur shacking up then?"

Merlin had already managed to grab some food, as had Gwaine, and glanced at Gwaine. "There's nothing between us Gwaine! We're just friends, and that's it."

"But anything can happen Merlin."

Inevitably, none actually went to see any acts for longer than an hour that night. Uther gathered the scouts up to make up their own songs for the night, as none found the Friday night acts interesting, and all were too tired to hang out in mass crouds. Will and Merlin were discussing certain people nearby, others joining in singing some made-up songs, where scouts and guides from other divisions came to watch.

"You found any decent acts to watch?" Will asked Merlin, perched on some camping chairs.

"Going to see Keane tomorrow evening on the Pyramid Stage, will watch Snow Patrol and Death Cab For Cutie on Sunday. How about you?"

"I'm taking Freya to see James Morrison tommorrow afternoon. She's a big fan of his music. As for my own tastes, Morrissey is playing tomorrow night, and then U2 are on after him."

Merlin smirked at the thought of Will trying to flirt, and had a good idea of what was going on. "Ah, you trying to set yourself up with her then?"

Will snapped back into reality, glaring at Merlin. "Nooo! We're just good friends, I'm performing a friendly gesture."

"Of course you are..." Merlin responded, continuing to sing away like he was the only one there.

Returning back to their tents at 11pm, the scouts and guides dressed into nightwear as they tried to settle down, still hearing the sounds of music and singing, as well as crowds roaring as the night went on. Merlin lay stuffed beneath his sleeping bag and badge blanket. Although it were a summer night, everyone knew that in the countryside, the nights were bitter cold, and Merlin lay there shivering. Arthur was sleeping the other side, and noticed the constant twitching. "Merlin! You cold or something?" Arthur whispered, not looking directly at his mate.

"Bloody freezing!"

"I thought you Irish were used to the cold?"

"Oi! But yeah, it's colder there than here usually. But I've been living here for a good four years or so, so I've got used to the temperatures. Also, where I lived, was a city, therefore being more warmer."

"What are we going to do with you Merlin?" Arthur sighed, and re-arranged himself, laying against Merlin. "Arth... What are you doing?" Arthur nudged Merlin up, who crawled to the other end of the compartment, leaving the blanket and sleeping bag behind, where Merlin wrapped his arms around himself "Arthur, seriously. I'm bloody cold. What is the meaning of this?"

"Will you calm down for just a minute? I'm trying to help, and this will benefit the both of us." Arthur then took hold of Merlin's sleeping bag, and undone the zip. Arthur used this as the bottom layer, and placed it down onto the floor. Then he took his sleeping bag, and unzipped it, using that as the top layer. Arthur placed the blankets above them, and moved the pillows to their correct position. In the end, it looked like a makeshift double bed. Arthur eyed Merlin and pointed to the makeshift bed. "In."

Merlin crawled back and slid underneath the sleeping bag and blankets, Arthur joining him. Although this contained more than one benefit. The first was obvious, that they could both keep warm, and being next other would trap the heat easier. The second benefit was that they had never been this intimate, and of course both wanted this, couldn't bring it upon themselves to admit it. Merlin shifted onto his side, where Arthur pressed into Merlin and enveloped him, because quite frankly, it was cold and Arthur couldn't seem to care about the term 'personal space'. Merlin soon relaxed into Arthur's warmth - again it was cold, and neither could he care over the term. "Better?" Arthur asked, half-asleep, as he nuzzled into Merlin's hair. This wasn't of course part of the plan, but Merlin's hair was an addiction to Arthur, and he couldn't help himself. "Much better." Merlin yawned, and leaned back further, completely pressed up against Arthur, grinning from Arthur's touch.

Saturday

Arthur and Merlin woke to a halt the next morning. The temperatures had changed from a bitter cold night to a warm, hazy morning. Gwaine, awake bright and early, noticed the shadow of two bodies moulded together, and an endless array of images came to his mind of what possibly could have gone last night, thinking finally. Anyhow, he motioned the other scouts from the patrol to come and look at the pair. Gwaine carefully unzipped the door to the compartment, where the boys were found pressed into each other, Merlin's head nuzzling into Arthur's neck, and an arm against his upper back. Arthur's one arm had somehow during the night carded its way around Merlin's waist, the other, more visible one, slipping beneath the sleeping bag, where it could be seen outlined draping near Merlin's arse. Arthur's head was still nuzzled into Merlin's hair. Beneath the blankets, the outline of the above layers could tell that their legs had bounded together during the night.

"They look so adorable together," Lancelot motioned, wondering whether Gwen was already up, as he was planning to take her to see Jessie J later on that day.

Gwaine had other thoughts though. "Who do you think made the first move?"

None replied, but all thought about it, and Percival suggested that it was best if they left them alone and in privacy. Lancelot and Mordred agreed, leaving Gwaine on his own. Gwaine would eventually return to his own space, knowing that the two could literally stay there all day if it came to it.

Arthur was the first to awake, noticing the unfamiliar body pressed against him, and remembered about the night before. Arthur loved the feel and scent of Merlin's hair, and continued to nuzzle into it until Merlin blinked the last few remaints of sleep away, turning to face Arthur. "Morning." Both glanced at each other for what seemed hours, but none - although dying to - made any move to bring the other to their senses. Eventually, it be Gwaine who would get them up.

"Morning sleepy lovebirds!" Gwaine chanted in a sing-song style. Both sets of heads clicked in the direction of the voice, noticing Gwaine with a decently-sized grin. Both immediately broke contact, Arthur batting away Gwaine as Merlin zipped up the entrance, leaving them alone. "Sod off Gwaine! Go and find Morgana, I'm sure she's dying to see you."

Towards the evening, Merlin broke from the patrol to go and watch Keane perform on stage. Not noticing another follow the same path, it was until the crowds were filling up at the Pyramid Stage that Merlin noticed.

"So what do you think the first song will be?" Arthur raised his voice, as the crowds grew louder. Merlin just about recognised Arthur's voice, turning to zoom in on the familiar figure. "I never knew you were a fan."

"Have been since they released Perfect Symmetry. What about you?"

"Technically since Hopes and Fears was released, but I didn't really know the band or all of the tracks, but was properly a fan since Under The Iron Sea. As first track, I'd say The Iron Sea following with Everybody's Changing."

"I think You Are Young will be first. It seems like a song that could kick things off."

Instead, the band kicked off with Tim Rice-Oxley performing The Iron Sea, Tom and the remaining of the band later joining Tim on stage, breaking into You Are Young straight after, Merlin and Arthur singing at the top of their heads, as they rocked out.

Part of the way through the set, a guide from another division, by accident knocked Merlin back into Arthur, the blond catching him. For the remainder of the set, both were positioned in this way, Arthur's hands on Merlin's hips. Finishing with Spiralling, A Bad Dream, Somewhere Only We Know, Crystal Ball and finally Bedshaped, Merlin and Arthur walked back to camp, hand in hand. People glanced at the pair, even if there was nothing between them.

Arriving back at camp, Merlin and Arthur continued to stay hand-in-hand, a few wolf whistles came out from the number of guides and scouts around. "Well, what we have here then?" Leon smiled, as he made his way back to his tent, food and water in hand.

Gwaine noticed the pair, having an idea that something was definitely going on between them, as Arthur broke off the connection and went into the tent, and Merlin relaxed into a camping chair. "So, what did our little princess get up to last night then?"

"I'm sorry but what?" Merlin spluttered, as Gwaine pulled over another chair, and joined him in company.

"We all saw you pair this morning, you and Arthur, all curled up next to each other. Is that why Arthur decided the pairings, a way to get to you closer?"

"What do you mean as in 'we'?"

"Well, me and the rest of the patrol. Lancelot said you pair looked adorable. So who took who last night then?"

"It wasn't even like that! I was cold, and Arthur used his brains of survival skills to do the inevitable. He used our sleeping bags as a mattress and duvet, bound the pillows together, and placed the duvets on top. He told me to get in, so I did. Arthur slipped in behind me."

"And then he crawled into you, turned you over and his desires weighed more heavy than his brain and snogged you."

"No! There's nothing going on, he, he just... He cuddled into me to keep us warm, and maybe nuzzled my hair, and I leaned into him because his wamrth was of a radiator, and somehow this morning we woke up to find you smiling."

"And his hand splayed across your arse."

"I'm sorry?"

"His hand was there. I saw it."

"Maybe he was dreaming."

"Yeah, dreaming of what it would be like to wake up at home next to you. To see your sleeping self, warm in a cocoon and knowing he is yours and only yours, and only he can do things that allows you to see stars. It would be the biggest, most epic gay romance ever."

Merlin launched out of the chair in the direction of their tent, fingers in his ears, throwing back "I can't hear any of this," even if Merlin did have a grin and was blushing like a goon.

Sunday

Packing up to depart Glastonbury, Merlin gazed at Arthur who was speaking with Uther, as Lancelot joined Merlin on the log. "He's a pretty one isn't he."

"Huh?" Merlin blinked into reality, noticing Lancelot's smirk and a wink. "You like him don't you?"

"What was Gwaine said to you?"

"Nothing. But I know you like him, and yes, you pair looked adorable together yesterday morning. You're so much happier when you're together, and so is he."

"To be honest, he's a prat, but there are those moments when he's an angel sent from heaven. But yes, I bloody love him! I want him."

"I think he likes you. I mean look at him. Whilst he's talking to his dad, he can sense you're staring at him, and he's grinning like a fool and stumbling over his own words."

"I know Arthur's my friend, but no. I must be insane to think that."

"You're not, and he loves you, he wants you."

"I don't even know where to start. Please don't tell anyone this but, I've never dated anyone in my life, and if what you're saying is true, then no one has ever looked at me like he does. I never thought I could never love another man, like the way I love Arthur, yet anyone even love me. What the hell do I even do?"

"One, just be yourself. Arthur loves you for who you are, and I told you he'd find that special place for you. Second of all, your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, as Merlin packed up the final of his items and helped to fold the tent up, Arthur glanced over at Merlin, placing the items back into the tent case. Gwaine noticed Arthur's stare, and went over to join him. "Look, we all know he's gorgeous, but Arthur, you need to focus on what exactly you're shoving into the tent case. We don't want grass and mud thank you."

"What?" Arthur muttered, noticing Gwaine blocking his view, as Arthur's eyes trailed north to meet Gwaine's.

"You, Arthur Pendragon, are in love."

"Am not!"

"Oh don't do yourself with the pantomine banter princess. We all know it, that you're itching to get into Merlin's pants. I know you're dying to have writhing underneath you, completely naked. Not long until summer now, and then you can have as much of him as you want."

"What makes you think he even likes me?"

"Because every time he catches your eye, he blushes like a great oaf. And when I found you yesterday morning lain together, you looked so peaceful, like you were meant to be together. And yes he does love you."

"Prove it," was Arthur's reply.

Nonetheless, Arthur and Merlin still sat together on the way home, much closer to the front this time round. Both had ended up falling asleep, Merlin leaning his head on Arthur's right shoulder, and Arthur leaning his head on top of Merlin. Lancelot and Gwaine paired up, leaving Percival with Mordred. Will sat with Freya, and Gwen with Morgana, who were getting on better than ever. Lancelot and Gwaine were discussing the complications between the pair, how both of them couldn't bare the need to make a move, but didn't know the right time to. As over the years, Arthur has never found happiness in his previous relationships, and Merlin has never found happiness until now, both were going to play cupid.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Lancelot nudged Gwaine as the coach pulled into edge of the pavement outside the church.

"Don't worry, all will go to plan tomorrow, I bet they were going to do something together on the night anyway, since as both needn't be at scouts tomorrow."