The first night in Will's new and improved hidden camp was dampened – quite literally – by the torrential rain that came with the chilly winter nights in Nottingham. Will's craftsmanship was strong, but leaves and wood did not keep out all of the rain and wind. Unsurprisingly, Much would not be quiet despite several rounds of "Shut Up, Much!"
Robin was unsurprisingly optimistic with a hint of anger at everyone else's depressed attitude, and he wandered off at around six o clock to have some time to think. This was also a common known replacement for the admittance "Meet Marian." He came back at seven: she had not shown for the rain.
Will was sitting, striking his knife on a thin wood plaque. Djaq sat on the bunk above, threading a few of Robin's arrows and kicking her feet, occasionally catching Will on the shoulders. He laughed and held her feet in his hands for a few moments before letting them go. She aimed for his head but, in good sport, couldn't bring herself to hit it.
Thunder boomed and lighting cracked and the rain fell harder still.
"I'm turning in." said Robin.
"Rain, I do not like." voiced Little John.
Djaq and Will mumbled their agreements as Djaq kicked off her boots. They landed with two decided thumps at Will's feet.
"Your feet stink." Will laughed, turning to look at her.
"You deny me my share of bread and now you say my feet stink!" She looked happily affronted. "You, Will Scarlett, are an ass!" Will took his bread roll and pushed it threateningly towards his mouth, looking at Djaq's mock shocked expression. He tossed the bread to her, and she took a determined and expressive bite.
"Thank you!" she said around the mouthful. He grinned stupidly at her.
"Goodnight, Robin." Djaq said, turning her attention to the outlaw.
"'Night Djaq." He smiled. "'Night Will." Will nodded at Robin, who sank onto his own cot, bundled under his share of the furs. They watched him shiver.
"Goodnight John, Much."
"Goodnight lads." John nodded. The rain pounded on the leaves in a chilling rustle. He and Much disappeared into the camp. Will and Djaq were left in the dark, their faces roughly cut with the light of the moon.
"Your feet still stink." Will muttered. Djaq gasped. She leapt down from her bunk and tackled the other, pinning him on the bed with his wrists in her hands.
"I will make you eat your words, Will Scarlet!" She laughed quietly, knees on either side of his hips.
"As long as I don't have to eat your feet!" He said. She gasped again, kicking her leg up as far as it would go.
"These trousers, ah!" She cursed. "I cannot put my foot in your mouth."
"That's my job." Will said.
"What?" Djaq laughed. "I do not understand!"
"Me either!" Will laughed, delighted. The lightning cracked and thunder fell, the rain got harder and harder.
Djaq offered up a small yell, uncharacteristically scared. She fell on Will's chest, his hands sliding from her grip and falling on her back. She scrabbled off him quickly, the blush already rising to the tips of his ears.
"Sorry, I – Sorry." Will stammered.
"No, it was my fault." Djaq said, calm as she could muster. "Thunder is not frightening." Will nodded vigorously, then thought better of it and shook his head.
Djaq climbed hurriedly into the bunk above him, and after a while fell silent. But Will was still keenly aware of her, and the intense presence of the lightning that meant she was not asleep. He heard the occasional gasp, and then finally a groan of frustration, a throwing back of the covers, and the rustling of clothes. He watched her shadow move outside the camp, and caught a glimpse of her beginning to run before the leafy canopy closed.
Will didn't think twice before collecting his shoes, cloak and axes. He pulled his hood over his hair and ducked into the downpour, looking frantically around for even a snatch of purple cloak.
Djaq was curled small under a massive tree, shivering from the cold and her fear, and completely drenched. Will ran at her, falling to his knees in front of her and curling her in his cloak without a second thought.
"What are you doing?" He screamed over the torrents.
"I do not want to be afraid of thunder!" She yelled. "I want to prove I am not afraid!"
"This is ridiculous Djaq!" Will shouted. "Lightning burns trees! You could die!"
"I will not die!" She cried. "And if I do, so what? Your white man's winter will not have frightened me! I will have died strong!" She was glaring up at him from the depths of the robe.
"So what?" Will scoffed, becoming almost angry. "I will care if you die, Djaq! A woman like you does not die by lightning!"
"And why not?" She demanded of him.
"Because I will not let you!" He roared, the rain pounding harder still.
"Well I don't care!" The wind picked up.
"I love you!" Will shouted, loud as he possibly could. "I will not see you hurt because I love you!"
Djaq looked up at him, hair wild and eyes huge, and she wordlessly grabbed him by his tunic collar, by the tag of Robin Hood, and pulled him down to meet her lips. He kissed her hard on the mouth, clutching at her face and abandoning his cloak, letting her push him down to the forest floor, her knees once again on either side of his hips. They broke apart with a pucker, drowned by the rain.
"I love you too, Will Scarlett!" Djaq shouted, and where the words would have been lost in the wind and rain otherwise, they reached the young carpenters ears with all of the happiness brought on by things like wedding bells and arrows hitting their marks.
It was his turn to grab her tunic, soaking wet and slipping through his slender fingers, to pull her down to him. Her lips fell on his, soft and wet, fitting like a puzzle, better than anything he could have built alone.
