A Slashy Thought Prequel
As a warning the timelines that I could find for the crusade and this do not match, sorry.
Another thought struck me as I was writing my previous thought.
RHWSRHWSRHWS
"Master?" was the first thing Robin was aware of as he slowly drug himself back to consciousness "Master? Are you awake?"
'No!' Robin groaned as his head protested to the noise
"Master!" Much exclaimed loudly in his relief
Robin groaned again and tried to reach up to massage his head but was halted by the flare of pain in his side 'Well what do you know?' he thought fuzzily 'Much is being a pain.'
"No Master you mustn't move!" Much yelped pressing the wounded man's hand down "You're still badly wounded from the attack and your fever has only just broken yesterday! It's a miracle you're alive!"
'Stop talking. Please.' Robin begged mentally 'Or at least not so fast.'
"Much?" Robin was absently surprised at how hoarse his voice was and how much talking hurt
"Don't try and speak Master! Save your strength!" Much yelped again but did helpfully bring him a glass of water to sip from
'Don't try to speak he says. How am I supposed to figure out what's going on if I can't ask?' Robin grumbled to himself
"Now knowing you Master, you probably want to know what exactly is going on. Well you were wounded in the surprise Saracen attack almost four weeks ago now. The King has moved south and he's ordered us home Master!" Much was excited and when Much is excited his speech becomes twice as fast
'It's a good thing I know how to translate or I wouldn't have got a word of that.' Robin thought to himself dizzily 'Ok now he said attack. What attack? Well let's see. What do I last remember? Sparring with Tim and then…that's right! The king!! No wait calm Much said he moved south and if he moved then he's okay. Now…wait home? As in England home? We can go home?'
"….and we'll have a giant feast won't we Master?" Much was still rambling in his excitement
"Home?" Robin croaked
"That's right Master back to Locksley!" Much reassured
"When?" Robin wanted to be home in the arms of his lover more than he wanted his next breath
"When you're well enough to travel Master, give it another week." Much nearly pleaded, "You nearly died of fever, so definitely a week at the least."
Robin raised an eyebrow at his friend, who was trying and failing to sound stern "We'll see."
"How are you feeling Master? Do you need anything?" Much asked
Slowly Robin shook his head "Sleep Much."
"Well…maybe a light doze wouldn't hurt." Much said laying down on the pallet next to Robin's
Robin decided against chuckling when the first bounce of his chest hurt his side. Slowly and carefully shifting Robin got himself into a more comfortable position.
'Home.' He thought dazedly 'Home to Will. If he'll still have me.'
The Holy wars had begun over a year ago and Robin could already see what changes were going to come over England unless Richard returned. With this in mind he volunteered to go fight for his king. Marian thought he was doing it for glory. Will thought he was going for his country. Much just thought he was crazy. Robin knew he was going to fight for his king to come home so that good people wouldn't suffer. Will had wanted to go with his lover but Robin had bargained with him until the younger man agreed to
wait the two years 'til his birthday before joining him. Unknown to the carpenter Robin had spoken with Dan so that Will would be needed at home not with Robin.
'But what did any of that matter? He was angered enough by my leaving without waiting for him!' Robin thought sadly
"I don't understand why you can't wait!" Will growled
Robin only shrugged watching his lover pace. He had nearly panicked when his gentle Will had said he would follow him to Jerusalem. It was settled now though, Dan would make sure Will didn't catch any boat.
"Is Marian right?! Are you just doing this for glory?!" Will snapped seething in front of the older man
"If I wanted glory I could find plenty of ways to get it here." Robin said brushing the bangs out of his carpenters face
"Then why are you going?!" Will anger grew when Robin shrugged "Well if you won't tell me that will you tell me why I can't go with you?"
"It's not your place to go." Robin murmured
"And how is it yours?!" Will demanded
"Look I don't want to go anymore than you want me to go but I have to!" Robin finally snapped "It needs to be done."
"Why do you have to be the one to do whatever it is you have to do?!" Will was fast becoming hysterical
"The favored proverb of this village of course! Evil men succeed when good men do nothing." Robin tried to pull his carpenter into his arms but Will yanked himself away
"Get out." Will snarled to hide his tears
"Will." Robin wanted nothing more than to comfort his lover
"Get out!!" Will screamed
"If you wish it to be so than go I shall. I love you Will and I'll come back for you." With this Robin was gone and Will broke down into sobs
'Even more so today than I was then am I glad that you were left at home. This is no place for you my love. I hope our meeting upon my return is happier than when you refused to see me leave.' Robin settled in to dreams of his lovers face
The week went by the agonizing slowness for the healing bowmen. He had fought with this wound! How bad could it be to ride with it?! Robin grumbled wordlessly to himself as Much checked on his wound nervously.
"I think Master that it could use another week or so, you know to make sure it doesn't reopen." Much gently cleaned the wound and started to rewrap it
"No." Robin growled through clenched teeth "It can heal well enough on the three month long boat trip back home."
"But Master, the ride to the boat will surely bounce the wound back open!" Much protested
"Then I have three months to heal from that too!" Robin declared
"But…" Much's protest died as Robin glared at him "Yes Master."
"Besides staying another week is just begging for another attack. Think about it Much, one tent by itself? Easy target!" Robin consoled "And our supplies wouldn't last another week."
Robin chuckled to himself as Much grumbled as he cleaned up the tent before going to check the horses.
'I don't care if I have to tie myself to my horse I'm going home!' Robin silently declared day dreaming of better times
"Robin! Robin wait up!" Will called racing after his taller friend
"What's the point of racing if you ask me to wait?" Robin laughed reaching out a hand to touch the tree that finished the race
"Why do I bother?" Will moaned collapsing at the archers feet "You always win!"
"Ah but one day you'll beat me." Robin chuckled sitting and ruffling his friends hair
"Robin!" Will complained half-heartedly batting his friends hand away "Where're the others anyway?"
"Marian dragged Much to the market with her." Robin said leaning back against the tree
"How did you escape from that duty?" Will asked honestly curious since it was most likely the reason he wasn't going as well
"A small promise." Robin dismissed quietly thinking over what his bratty little sister had made him promise
"Oh yeah? What?" Will asked wondering what this promise had to do with him and scooting away from Robin just in case it had something to do with the lake sitting right behind them
"Just have to tell someone something." Robin mumbled wondering how he was supposed to tell Will that he loved him without ending up with a busted nose "How about a swim?"
"What?" Will squeaked as Robin started stripping
"A swim." Robin repeated watching Will's reaction out of the corner of his eye
"Why?" Will blurted blushing brightly as he turned away
"Aren't you hot from the race?" the archer asked innocently but with hope in his heart
"Well yes…" Will trailed off and sighed
"Then come on!" Robin replied wading into the water
Will reluctantly started taking off his clothes still blushing bright red.
Robin smirked and began splashing the young carpenter "You're being slow! Come on!"
Yelping in outrage Will tore off the rest of his clothes and jump into the lake before splashing Robin back. The archer raised an eyebrow and tackled the smirking man. Will yelped again as Robin dunked him. He came back up sputtering only to be splashed again by Robin.
"War!" the carpenter yelled tackling Robin
They wrestled and splashed until Robin pinned Will in the shallows laughing. Straddling Will, Robin leaned over and grabbed a wrist in each hand.
"Got you." Robin grinned down at the pouting man
"Yeah yeah you win." Will grumbled with a sigh
Robin released his friends hands but didn't move away from him. 'It's now or never.'
"Robin?" Will asked propping himself up on his elbows to better see his friends face "Are you alright?"
"I…" Robin paused trying to gather his thoughts "I promised Marian I would tell the person I love my feelings. She's been nagging me to do so for quite awhile now and I'm still not sure I can do it."
"Who'd be stupid enough to not want you?" Will murmured reaching up but realizing what he was about to do pulled back
"Stupid enough?" Robin asked in surprise
"I-I mean umm who doesn't love you?" Will tried
"Do you love me?" Robin asked
"W-what?! No! Well I mean yes but-" Robin cut off Wills rambling by kissing him once softly and pulling back "R-robin?"
Robin licked his lips nervously "I love you."
"Y-you…me?!" Will stuttered
"Well…yes." Robin admitted quietly
"I…" Will was in shock "This is some kind of joke right? Really Robin I expected better of you. It's really cru-"
Robin cut Will off once again by kissing him but this time he took advantage of Wills parted lips and tasted the man he loved. Will froze again as Robin kissed him as if he was air and Robin was drowning. Hesitantly and more than a little scared Will kissed him back. Sensing that Will was ready to listen now, Robin reluctantly pulled away.
"Don't you dare ever accuse me of something like that Will Scarlet! I've never joked about love and I'm not about to start now!" Robin declared forcefully
"Then this is a dream because it's only in my dreams that you love me as I love you." Will murmured looking away
Robin sighed frustrated "You know when I promised my bratty younger sister that I'd tell you how I feel I never thought I'd have to convince you that it is actually how I feel. Definitely thought there'd be more disgust though and less denial."
"Disgust?" Will asked curiously
"Mmm." Robin said racking his brain for a way to convince Will of his feelings and their non-dream status
"I never even thought…" Will trailed off again "This isn't a dream is it?"
Robin blinked down at him "No."
"And it's not a dare or a joke?" Will asked slowly
"No." this time with a little anger behind it
"Then you really do love me?" the hopeful look on the carpenters face caused Robins breath to hitch in his throat
"Yes I really do love you Will Scarlet." Robin replied softly
"Well then I guess there's just one thing left to say." Will murmured putting his arms around Robins neck
"That being?" the archer asked
"I love you too." Will said before kissing his love this time with no fear
'Will.' Robin smiled to himself
"I still don't think this is a good idea Master." Much sniffed
"What else can we do Much? We have enough supplies to last us another week here or the week it will take us to get to the ship. Personally I vote for the ship." Robin said calmly
"I just wanted it known that I think it's a bad idea for us to leave with you not fully healed." Much replied
Robin rolled his eyes at his friends whining and tried to get some more sleep.
'I may have been a bit hasty when I compared fighting and horseback riding.' Robin groaned mentally clutching at his side
"Look Master!" Much cried pointing to the waiting ship "Our way home! To trees and shade and much better food!!"
"Yes Much." Robin grinned 'And to Will.'
"I think I feel a song coming on!" Much announced
'It's going to be a long trip.' Robin decided as they continued there long journey home
End