A/N: I am so obsessed with this show. I saw a random episode on TV and then downloaded the whole first season. I'm in the process of transcoding the second season onto my ipod, and I am SO pumped! I've always loved Robin Hood, and to have a show made of it… sigh. Bliss.

Disclaimer: Not mine. It's sort of half myth, half… those creators.

That Fated Word Known as Love

For Will, the love came slowly and sweetly.

He had always fancied himself a type of poet at heart. To fall asleep at night he often stared at the stars and tried to write poems in his mind. Things about waterfalls, deer, pretty fields and the like. Sometimes he even wrote about the many adventures of Robin Hood and his men that he thought would sound rather nice if put to music.

So that was why he expected love to be exactly like poetry always said: all-consuming, brilliant, a light in the dark, something that made you feel complete. Which was why Will wasn't suspicious of falling in love with Djaq.

It was the little things that made these feelings Will didn't notice grow: the way she laughed at his jokes like she truly understood them, the way she smiled at him, how she touched his shoulder when they understood each other, even the way she fell asleep in the middle of the afternoon was cute. She claimed it was because of the strange times of night and day in England, and she wasn't used to them yet. Will liked her. He knew this.

He wasn't about to hide from the obvious fact that she was beautiful, exotic compared to all of the girls he'd grown up beside in Locksley. She was something special, and Will treasured her. He thought it was like a brother-sister sort of thing, until one night.

Trying to fall asleep late at night, Will was thinking up poetry, only to realize with horror that he was trying to think of words that rhymed with Djaq. Or words described her beauty, her strength, her quick tongue. Will was horrified.

This was something new.

Djaq.

He didn't fall asleep easily that night.

After that revelation, everything changed for Will. He felt that his feelings had changed into something far more dangerous, now that he knew what they were. His protectiveness of her grew to roaring jealousy; his jokes struggled because he was trying to make her laugh; he stammered and blushed and knew he must look like a right idiot, but couldn't stop. He didn't have control of himself near Djaq anymore. He imagined hugging her tightly, or whispering 'I think I love you' into her ear, and because of this grew anxious. This love wasn't brilliant. In fact, it made him sweat too much and sometimes he even forgot what he was saying in trying to think ahead and impress Djaq. That never worked.

But even through all those uncomfortable feelings, Will decided he was going to enjoy it, damn it, because it was his first love and he wanted to be able to write some ruddy epic poetry about it.

For Allan, it was almost painfully obvious.

First it was the physical attraction to her, which Allan was not to the type to deny. For God's sake, it was the first girl he'd spoken with in months! He couldn't stop staring at her skin, that bizarre warm color. He liked her hair. Her eyes. Everything about her was feminine, even if she tried to hide it. So Allan automatically found himself gravitating toward her whenever he had the chance (or if Will wasn't around, as he seemed to spend lots of time with Djaq).

It was never like he tried to hide it, he just didn't feel the need to talk about it. Yes, he was attracted to Djaq. Yes, he liked her smile and those lips and—sometimes—even her brain. But still, it wasn't something he felt needed expressing.

Until that day.

It was gloomy. He knew it was a bad sign as they snuck into Nottingham. He knew, in his gut, that things wouldn't turn out right.

They didn't.

His brother's bloated and grey body hung in the air above. Everything went black. All he felt was Djaq's hand restraining him, her hissed words he couldn't understand. It wasn't possible. It wasn't… right. They always saved everyone. Always.

And when they had been in the alley, hiding, he had broken down. Crumpled, wanting to die. He tried to be a man, tried to stop himself from crying. But all he could remember was that body, imagining his brother's defeated heart, his fear, his anger at Allan. He couldn't comprehend it. And so he had cried, and Djaq had helped him through the pain in that dark alley, hidden in the shadows.

After that he wanted to tell everyone. Wanted to explain how she warmed his heart, made him feel a bit better about being himself rather than being someone like Robin or John. Around Djaq it was nice to finally just be Allan, and for that he loved her.