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“Arthur,” Leon’s horse moved alongside Arthur’s. “We need to rest. Night fell a while ago; we can’t keep going at this level of light.” Leon took a hand off the reigns and gestured around him. “It will still be here tomorrow, we can carry on practicing then.”
Arthur looked at his friend and sighed, shoulders dropping. “You’re right. I need to stop getting ahead of myself.” He pulled on the reigns and turned the horse around, so he faced his weary knights. “We rest until first light.”
“Oh, thank the gods,” muttered Gwaine, as he wearily stepped down from his horse. “A few minutes more and I would’ve passed out.”
Percival breathed a laugh. “I wouldn’t let you fall, don’t worry."
“Gwaine, you take first watch.” The knight’s head snapped up at Arthur’s command, and was about to start pleading with a weary voice until his fellow knight spoke up.
“I’ll do it,” said Percival, smiling at Gwaine whose shoulders obviously dropped as he sighed in relief. “I’m not nodding off already,” he laughed quietly as he saw Gwaine struggling to unlatch his cape, which made the others breathe a small laugh in response too.
Arthur dismounted and clapped Percival on the shoulder in thanks.
The knights set up camp as best they could with their weary selves. Gwaine was already propped up against a tree trying to drop off, but whenever his head drooped, it woke him back up. Percival just looked at the man for a few seconds, and draped his cloak over the knight, and Gwaine took it in his hands, wrapping it around himself. As Merlin was got the fire going, Percival sat down against the tree trunk next to Gwaine and said softly, “Come on, lean against me.” Gwaine opened his eyes slowly and sleepily, looking up at Percival, who patted his shoulder in response. Gwaine did as such, leaning into Percival, and slowly offered some of his cloak as cover for the bigger man.
Chuckling, Percival whispered, “There’s too much of me for that, but thanks anyway.” Gwaine’s hand didn’t move, so Percival took a small part of the cloak, tucking in between his arm and waist. He looked up to see Merlin looking in their direction and smiling at the sight of the two knights, and Percival smiled back.
The rest of the camp settled down, all of them as tired as Gwaine and drifting off to sleep fairly quickly. Percival watched the fire, seeing the sparks dance and float towards the stars. All of a sudden, Gwaine turned into Percival, burying his head in the crook of his neck and making a sleepy noise.
Percival looked down at the sight, and smiled.