Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin
This chapter is on the same night as Arthur and Gwen's date. This is firstly about Merlin and Freya's date and then the boys at the Rising Sun. We find out some more background about everybody, just easier this way!
I pick as the movie Goodbye Mister Chips, it came out in 1939 but I figure it would be doing the rounds of the bases cinemas in 1942.
Please if you have any constructive comments they are most welcome. Hope you enjoy Chapter seven.
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Chapter Seven
Merlin and Freya
After Freya knocked off from her shift at 1700hrs she went back to her dorm room in the WRAF's block (officers had their own rooms but enlisted girls shared four to a room) she grabbed her toiletry bag and headed for the showers. She felt stiff from driving the crew buses, four ton trucks taking supplies to different parts of the base and picking up and dropping off the ground crews as they went from one Lancaster to the next getting everything ready for that nights raid. A lot of the boys were smoking as she drove them around so she was really looking forward to a nice hot shower.
When she had finished and got back to her room she changed into her uniform skirt, as she had been in battledress and trousers all day it would be good to wear a skirt even if it was part of the uniform.
She went down to the NCO's mess and had her supper. It was 1800hrs and she was meeting Merlin at the NAAFI canteen at 1830hrs before they went to the base cinema.
Merlin took his time getting ready, trying to dodge the ribbing that Lance, Percy and Elyan were serving up to him in their dorm room. When they had a shot all he would do was blush and smile sheepishly at them.
After he had had a shower and a close shave he went back to their room and got dressed. The boys were giving him helpful tips of what to do and all Merlin could think was "Thank God Gwaine isn't here!" All the boys went down together for supper- the others wanted something in their stomachs before they got on the hops at the Rising Sun later.
Merlin left them at 1815hrs and a string of comments followed him out.
He saw Freya approach the NAAFI canteen only a few minutes after he had got there.
"Hello Freya," he said, "lovely to see you!" he could feel his face going red.
"Hello Merlin, it's great to see you too!" Freya smiled up at him.
"Shall we go in and get a seat while there are tables to be found?" Merlin asked.
"Good idea." Freya said.
They found a table snuggled in the corner, Merlin went up and got them both a cup of tea, when he returned they sat close together so they would be able to talk, it was starting to get noisy.
"Pardon me for asking Freya, but is that an Irish accent I hear?" merlin asked.
"Yes it is, I was born near Waterford- Dad works there at the factory."
"What about the rest of your family?" Merlin enquired just wanting to know as much as he could about her.
"Mum is at home with my two younger brothers, Liam is fourteen and Michael is eleven. There is a bit of an age gap as I'm nineteen but we all get along fine," she told him "what about you Merlin is that an Welsh accent I hear?" she smiled at him.
"It is a Welsh accent- although don't expect me to sing can't hit a note." He laughed.
'I just have my Mum, my Dad was killed in a mine collapse when I was twelve. Then when I was sixteen I got an apprenticeship as a mechanic at the coal mine where Dad was, the only way Mum let me do it was because I stayed above ground." He said.
"That must have been so hard on your Mum."
"Yeah, but she knew that I have mechanically turn of mind, so she knew I would never go underground." He smiled, "Now I'm above the ground taking care of four other Merlins.
He looked at his watch 1930hrs, he looked at Freya, "The pictures start at 2000hrs do you want to go now and get our tickets or wait til the mad last minute rush?"
"How about we go now, we can take our time getting there." Freya suggested.
"Great idea." Merlin got up and pulled Freya's seat back for her, when she got up he took her hand in his and led her out the door.
As they walked along hand in hand they got a few wolf whistles, about half way to in cinema Merlin saw a building, he led Freya over to the side of it away from prying eyes, he turned to her, smiled down at her and bent down and kissed her, his arms went around her waist while her arms found their way up to his neck. When they broke apart Merlin looked down at Freya and said, "Sorry but I could not help myself, I just had to do it!"
"Don't be sorry, I like it." Freya said as she lent up and forward and kissed Merlin, Freya opened her mouth and Merlin tentatively let his tongue go exploring into Freya's mouth. A few minutes later breathing very heavily they broke apart.
"Oh wow!" Merlin grinned at her.
"Yeah." Freya agreed.
After they had settled themselves down they headed towards the cinema. It was 1945hrs a few people were already there. Screening that night was Goodbye Mr Chips, Merlin went up to the box office "Two please." he returned to Freya, "Shall we go in and find our seats?"
"Good idea- not near the front though." Freya smiled at him.
They found the cinema had a few people in it already, the back row had some couples already forgetting about everyone else, Merlin wanted to be away from that so they got seats at the side about ¾ the way up. After they had got themselves settled they sat there holding hands.
The lights went down and the news reel started, the news was better the war seemed to be turning in the Allies favour, then the feature film started.
Merlin let go of Freya's right hand and quickly reached around and gently draped his left arm on her left shoulder, he waited to see if this would be accepted and was pleased to feel Freya's left hand reach up and start to caress his hand, he felt her head rest against the left side of his chest so she could hear how fast his heart was beating. He leaned forward and nuzzled the top of her head, she looked up and smiled. They turned towards each other, each ones arms wrapping around the other and started to kiss each other again. They kept going through the circuit of kissing then cuddling right until the film finished and both had the same thought "The film was good but the company was better."
When the lights went back up they quickly made their way out of the cinema, as they walked back towards the WRAF block they heard the first of the squadrons Lancaster's take off for the night's raid. Merlin pulled Freya over to the back of the building where they kissed before and held her close and kissed her again. "Oh Freya will you please go out with me again?" Merlin pleaded cupping her face in his hands.
"Yes Merlin I will go out with you again." She smiled up at him again.
"Great, thankyou Freya for a great night." Merlin told her with a grin from ear to ear.
"No thankyou Merlin for asking me," she kissed him on the lips but before it could heat up she pulled back," We should get going I'm on at 0600hrs."
"Oh right, yeah ok," Merlin said still grinning at her.
She took his hand and they walked back to near the WRAF's block.
"I better say goodnight here," Freya told him, "they really get upset if men are too near the block."
"Yeah we all got warned when we first got here." Merlin informed her.
'I'll see you soon Merlin."
"I can't wait Freya." He bent down and gave her one last long kiss.
"You better go before we get in trouble." Freya said.
"Ok." Merlin said and planted a chased kiss on her lips, "bye Freya I'll try and see you tomorrow."
"Bye Merlin." She said as she watched him turn and head towards the NCO block, she then turned and headed into the WRAF's block, thinking how great the night was.
Merlin got back to his dorm room to find the others were not back yet, this he was glad of as he would be able to remember the night without getting hassled by the boys before he went to sleep. He still had that smile on his face when he fell asleep.
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Percy, Lance, Leon, Gwaine and Elyan.
After Merlin left with all the comments following him out the door the boys sat around and talked for a while, they met Leon and Gwaine near the main gate at 1830hrs after they had signed out. The Rising Sun was two miles away from the base, there was transport going to and fro most of the evening and they managed to get a lift in the back of a four ton truck on its to Scampton, where the main stores were.
The boys got to The Rising Sun just before 1900hrs they found themselves getting the once over from the other customers. They went up to the bar.
"Can I help you lads?" came the voice of the barman.
Percy answered. "Five pints of larger please."
"You boys new around here, haven't seen you before." The barman told them as he pulled the pints.
'No been at the base a couple of weeks," Gwaine said, "but we intend to make this place our regular pub." He said with a smile.
"Well in that case I'm Gilli the publican."
Gwaine said. "Nice to meet you, I'm Gwaine, this- pointing at Percy, is our resident Canadian Percy, our resident Australian is over here- Lance, and we do have two Englishmen Elyan and other officer though don't hold that against him Leon.
"Hello." The boys said.
"Hello and welcome to The Rising Sun." Gilli said as he finished pulling the last pint.
Percy went to pay but Gilli waved him away. "No this round is on me."
"Thankyou very much." Percy said.
They collected their pints and found a booth where they could all fit. They received nods from their fellow customers.
After they had settled into the booth they tired their beers and decided they liked the local brew. They spied a dart board and when the previous game had finished Gwaine turned to them and announced he would take them on, the bet was whoever won would have free beer that night as the losers could take it turns to get the victor his spoils.
They made their way over to the dart board and had a few practice throws, the ribbing that was going on soon had the attention of the rest of the patrons, by the time the game started they had a small crowd watching the entertainment.
They played 501- where the idea was to hit zero and the last throw had to be in a double ring. It was the early stages that they discovered that Leon was not a great darts player (most of his darts hit the wall around the board) - he countered saying as a navigator and almost doctor he did not need to throw things at a board. Gwaine asked him about injections, Leon told him if he was giving Gwaine an injection he would consider throwing it at him instead of doing it properly. The whole pub cracked up.
Percy and Elyan did alright- Gwaine gave them both a Gee up as they were the gunners of the crew, so it was left to him he claimed to uphold the honour of the gunners. The two both claimed to be doomed if they had to rely on Gwaine to uphold the gunners honour. He claimed they were insubordinate, Leon said as ranking officer he would back the NCO's, again laughter was heard.
The final was between Gwaine and Lance, it was a tight match but Lance managed to get the better of Gwaine I the last two rounds.
As Gwaine shook his hand and congratulated him, he said, "At least we know we have the right man throwing our bombs!" lance smiled and nodded thanks.
After they got theirs and Lance's beers they went back to their booth and quenched their collective thirst, the talk turned to girls, as Gwaine was looking around checking out the talent.
"Gwaine if I were you I wouldn't go looking around to far if you want to have a chance with Morgana." Leon told him.
"You're right but there is no harm just seeing what are the consolation prizes." He said with a smile, "What do you say boys?"
"I have no need to look anywhere." Percy told him. "I have Elaina- my finance waiting for me back home, we were going to be married about now, but it will be as soon as this war is over."
"Good for you Percy, I hope we're invited to the wedding." Gwaine said with a smile.
"That's why we're making it after the war to have enough beer for you sir!" Percy said with a smile.
'I don't have to look either boys, Methian is back in Brisbane- we got engaged just before I shipped out. My last day we went into town and brought the ring." Lance told them.
"Ok." Gwaine said turning to Leon and Elyan, "so do you two have any secret girls stashed away that you want to tell us about?"
"I was so busy studying to be a doctor, I never found the time to look, and yes there was girls but just not the right one." Leon told them.
"I had just started working in London and was getting myself set up and finding my way around when I signed up, so there are no girls hiding in my past." Elyan told them looking shy.
"Ok boys, well we'll shall have to do see what we can do about that." Gwaine told the pair of them.
"Thanks Gwaine, but if I need your advice I'll comer to you ok?" Leon told him.
"Right Leon." Gwaine nodded.
"Thanks but no thanks sir." Elyan said when he looked in his direction.
"Well the offer stands." He told the pair of them.
Then Gilli called "Time gentlemen please."
The boys collected their jackets, bid Gilli and the other customer's goodnight and started to head back towards the base when a truck offered to take them to the main gate.
After they had signed in the boys spilt up, Gwaine and Leon headed back to Officer country, Percy, Lance and Elyan headed back to their dorm room- when they got there they found Merlin sound asleep, they decided to follow his example and to find out tomorrow how his night went.