Robin was bored. Bored out of his mind. While yes, he frequently moaned about the hours he didn't get to spend in bed, required as he was to be up at dawn to get through his workload of chores, now he was stuck in it, he hated it.
The first few days Robin would admit had been sort of nice, apart from the excruciating pain that flared up in his chest every time he'd moved, but he'd slept for most of that. Now though, the pain had died down to a dull ache; he'd slept for as long as he could and was filled with restless energy that he couldn't expend.
He hated the lethargy, the idleness, but idle he was thanks to his broken ribs. There was absolutely nothing to do in his accursed room, no one to talk to, nothing to do but lie here pointlessly-
"Robin?"
His eyes snapped opened at the tentative call of his name and he saw absolute last person he expected to see.
" Princess?" He asked in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"
Maria looked nervous, which didn't surprise him; ever the aspiring to conform to the image of a proper young lady, he wasn't sure if he'd slipped into a doze and was dreaming, because young ladies certainly did not visit the bedrooms of young men. Much less De Noir men at Castle Black.
"I came with Loveday," She said, her voice a little more determined as she apparently forged past her discomfort and warring sensibilities and stepped further into the room, "We heard about your accident, and I wanted to see you for myself…"
Robin couldn't help a lazy grin spreading across his face at this, for although unspoken, her true meaning was clear as day to him.
"Were you worried Princess?" He drawled, finding infinite satisfaction at the opportunity to repeat this phrase back to her, for how ever many years ago it was now that she had asked the same question of him, it was something he had never forgotten. Judging from Maria's glare, neither had she.
"Of course I was you idiot," She retorted, all traces of her apprehension briefly vanishing, "You were nearly trampled by a rampaging boar!"
"I was trampled by a rampaging boar," Robin corrected, "Luckily though, it wasn't full grown…"
Maria's glare faded at this, and she tentatively sat down on the edge of his bed, casting deep blue eyes filled with concern over him. "How are you?"
He arched an eyebrow at her and she instantly flushed. "Sorry, that was a silly question…" She mumbled.
"I've definitely been better," He replied, "But I'm fine." To prove this, he begun to push himself upwards.
"Oh no- I don't think- you shouldn't-" Maria stammered, her hands fluttering uncertainly in the air before her as if unsure whether to push him back down, help him up, or touch him at all. But it was too late.
"I'm fine, Princess," He repeated, pulling his covers slightly tighter around his hips, his amusement at her behaviour outweighing the burn in his chest.
Catching the movement, Maria's eyes darted down to the blankets he had wrapped around his waist, and the hand he kept there to keep them secured. "Are you…um, decent under those?" She asked hesitantly.
Robin raised his eyebrow. "In my own bed, in my own room?" He asked after a provocative pause, "I wasn't expecting visitors Princess…"
Maria's eyes widened, flitting from the blanket to his bare chest and Robin watched with interest as a pretty pink blush stained her cheeks.
"I should go," She mumbled, looking away and now so flushed Robin though she might catch fire from the heat of her cheeks.
"Too late now," He commented, rather enjoying the way she didn't seem to be able to meet his eyes, and more than happy to invite her gaze back to wherever she liked. "Have I satisfied your concerns Princess?"
This did draw her gaze back to him and his torso, but disappointingly, without embarrassment or a blush this time, but a frown. "Considering you're covered in bruises and keep wincing every time you move, I wouldn't say so," She answered, her eyes fixing on the mess of colours that were his lower right ribs.
"Well no one's kissed them better for me yet…" Robin remarked with indolent grin.
"Oh haven't they?" Maria's gaze finally met his, "Well clearly you must be feeling better if you're back to your usual egomania,"
"It's not egomania," Robin denied, "Since what else is a man to think when the Moon Princess steals into his room when he's injured and defenceless?"
"Injured and defenceless may be, but certainly not any less audacious…" She quipped, "And given the way you usually talk about yourself, I was surprised there wasn't a queue of women at your door,"
"Whose to say there wasn't?" Robin asked, raising an eyebrow, "Perhaps you're just the last in the line…"
"You are incorrigible," Maria accused. "Impossible. Insolent and-"
"And yet you're the one whose here, Princess," Robin reminded her, leaning forwards, "And as you've pointed out, the only one in fact…"
"I- I was worried," Maria's stammer at his increasing proximity, he was pleased to note, was back.
"I know," He murmured. There was only a few inches between them now and he could see the tension coiling within her slim figure, his instincts as a hunter keeping him utterly still now.
"I should go," Maria breathed, her eyes full of apprehension and uncertainty as they gazed into his own, every inch of her poised for flight.
"Yes, you probably should…" Robin agreed, but before she could, he surged forwards for the strike, lips closing in on hers.
She made a noise, whether of surprise or protest he wasn't sure and her hands flew upwards again, hovering uncertainly in the air between them. Her lips were soft and pliant against his own, yielding in her hesitance, but not unwelcoming. He longed to taste them, to inhale her intoxicating scent, feel her soft skin beneath his fingers, but instead, he drew back.
It had only lasted a heartbeat, but it was the sweetest, most innocent of kisses he'd ever had, and infinitely more satisfying than every other because it.
"You are going to ruin my reputation Princess," He breathed, still close enough for the words whisper across her lips
Her eyes fluttered open, her shock still shining within them. "Your reputation is a lost cause," She said breathlessly, a blush nonetheless rapidly spread across her cheeks again and making Robin positively ache with longing.
"Oh I wouldn't say that," He disagreed, "Not while you're around to reform me…"
"I wouldn't know where to begin," Maria replied, a hint of temptation flaring in her eyes.
"Wherever you liked," Robin murmured, repressing a shiver as she laid a tentative hand on his shoulder, both of them leaning in, lips a hairsbreadth apart-
"My, my, just what is going on in here?"
The drawl came unexpectedly from neat the door, and the pair instinctively lurched apart, Maria flying all the way to her feet and Robin wincing at the pain that lanced through his chest.
"Don't you know how to knock?" He demanded, glaring at the figure David, who was lounging carelessly against his opened bedroom door.
"Good job I didn't, isn't it?" David asked, looking pointedly between Robin and the furiously blushing Maria, and then back to Robin. " You're supposed to be resting,"
"I'm in bed, aren't I?" Robin muttered.
"Exactly," David said smugly, his tone brimming with suggestive overtones.
"I…I have to go," Maria stammered looking so mortified that Robin was certain she was ready to jump off a cliff again.
"No- Princess, wait-" He protested, but it was too late, for she had already darted past David and fled from the room. "You idiot!" He growled
"Well the sooner you heal up, the sooner you can go back to chasing after her," David I formed him, before rolling his eyes, "After all, no one does that quite as well as you…"
Slumping back against his pillows, Robin glared at his friend's departing back. But, he supposed, David was right. Chasing Maria Merryweather was exhilarating, thrilling and entirely without equal. He would never tire of it, so long as he lived, and one day, just maybe, she'd let him catch her.
My 1k word limit seems to get pushed more and more with each halfshot! But oh well. Plenty more where that came from.
This didn't come off quite as how I had it in my head and it has taken a disproportional amount of attempts to finish, given the super simple idea/image I had. I quite like the hunting/chasing undertone which crept in at the end though, which was a very late addition. I'll admit it made a nice change characterising Maria as more shy and uncertain as well, rather than simping hard and drowning her thirst xD.
Injured!Robin is also another trope I seem to love? Especially bedridden injured Robin- I've used it, what, twice now? And there's at least two other instances in my WIP pile where it features, and if I ever get them published, there will a fair amount of repetition. Poor Robin lol. I guess it's a good vehicle for fluff (and angst lol) so hopefully not something you'll get bored of. What can I say, I'm a simple girl of simple tastes and I do love a good basic fanfiction trope and I only wish the Moonacre tag was full of them like other fandoms, since I will quite happily read variation of the same scenario until the cows come home :D
